Wednesday, November 10, 2010

The Happy List

I started walking at night the past week. It gives me great time to think about things like life, school, love, friends, ect. Tonight the stars were at their best. Bright, crisp, it was cloud-free and there was a nice soft moon. This thought was more from last night but tonight I continued my thoughts on the subject. I was trying to decide what makes me happy? What makes you happy? Are they tangible feelings? Is it something that I can buy? Something I can put into a thought or put my finger on? I guess the easiest way to get it all out is to just make a big list of things that make me happy. This list is by no means official, complete or anything of that nature. Just random ideas that pop up.
- Music
-Stars
-Donald Miller Books
-The Kansas countryside
-Teaching kids
-Playing music
-My friends
-My Family
-Thinking deep thoughts
-The Look of Apple products
-Driving
-Colorado
-Riding trails on my bike
-Skinny Jeans
-Hoodies
-Pandas
-Pillow top mattresses
-Down blankets
-Sweats over shorts
-Concerts
-Reading
-Fantasy Football
-Cleaning

That's the list for now. Did I miss anything? What makes you happy??

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Mixed Bag of Topics

I looked up some topics to write about because I wanted some fresh ideas. Instead of writing at length about just one topic I thought maybe I would write about just a few topics. What do you think? Sound okay? Alrighty then. Let's begin....

The book that changed my life: The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
The Last Lecture reminds the readers how to lead a more fulfilling and inspired life each day. It is based on a lecture by Randy Pausch about how to reach your childhood dreams. He gave the lecture after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. Check it out.

Am I superstitious?
No but I am a little stitious. Ha. I have had many times in my life where I have been very superstitious, usually pertaining to sports. Same socks, same routine, same prayer, shoes laced in a specific way.....and so on. I don't have many superstitions these days but I do have a pair of underwear that I consider lucky. No clue if they are though.

My First Kiss:
It was Jessica Lenhart in 2002. I remember it was during a movie at my parents house. I can remember what she was wearing and that it went better than I thought it would.

My favorite place on this planet:
Well I haven't been to all the places I would love to go but so far it would be Grand Lake, Colorado, as many of you know. If I wanted to get specific I would say the Big Medow along the Adam's Falls hiking trail just outside of town.

The song I couldn't live without:
This one is hard because there are so many styles, genres, moods. I will just go with some songs that I consider go-to songs. They would include: Luckie Street by Cartel, Days Like Masquarades by The Academy Is..., Slow Dancing In A Burning Room by John Mayer, Jamie All Over by Mayday Parade, Awake My Soul by Mumford and Sons, Konstantine by Something Corporate and Everything Must Go (Live from Orensanz) by Taking Back Sunday.

Why I love my hometown:
I love Clay Center, Ks because of the small town feel of it and the scenery. It's a beautiful town with lots of great trees. It is perfect to raise a family and has a pretty good academic district.

Why I don't like my hometown:
Some of the reasons I like my hometown are the same reasons I don't like it. It's small at at least an hour away from a Wal-Mart. Lawrence, a town I love to visit, is over two hours away. It also suffers from what I consider high school cliches. Rumors fly everywhere, you can't do anything without your neighbor knowing.

That will be all for now I think. I don't want to reveal too much about myself of course. I've got to stay mysterious!

Thursday, November 4, 2010

As we pass the IHOP

I'm struggling to come up with an idea to write about today. I just can't get my mind to settle on a singular topic that I find interesting or that is deep enough to write about. I want to sit here and think about something important but then again, I don't.
In Lit this week we talked about poetry again, and in particular we talked about an elegy. And elegy is something you write to remember someone who has died. Of course we read one about someone who lost their grandfather which made me remember Blackie. It's hard to believe it was almost seven years ago that he passed away. I can remember those days and the hospital and that night that we all slept there. The smells, sounds, the faces of the nurses. I can remember the songs we sang as a family to make sure the last thoughts we had were happy. we cried a little but mostly we celebrated. We celebrated my grandpa because he lived his life until the very end and he lead a full life.
I left the room to let the adults that were there say their goodbyes, his sons and daughters, my Grandma. It was hard to say goodbye knowing that I would never see or talk to him again but I knew that he was going to a place where he would stay forever, waiting to welcome us home, one by one. I gave him a hug, kissed him on his cheek and said my goodbyes. Blackie had me lean over and whispered in my ear "Always do you best. Never give up." Those words didn't always ring throughout me like they should have. Sometimes it takes adversity to remember that those you love will always give the needed advice.
I talked to Blackie before every sporting event I participated in. I carved his initials in my shoulder pads, wrote his name on all my shoes. I didn't take it as far as my Dad, who carried his ashes with him every game he coached. But it felt right, like he was there with us, watching and calling out the defense for us.
It's been so long since that night but it seems like just yesterday. I think about it all the time and I miss you greatly. I haven't always lived by your words but I still haven't given up. And because of you I hope that I never will.