All Inspiration & No Planning

Last night my parents and I went to the new Sherlock Holmes movie.  I don’t know why the critics gave it such a bad review.  It was quite excellent.  My parents had a couple of problems with it and I agreed with one of them but they were small instances and overall they thought it was very good as well.

The movie inspired me to work on a Sherlock Holmes story I began writing a while back.  I haven’t started yet but I’d like to.  It’s a lot of fun writing in that Victorian/Conan Doyle style.  It’s something that’s already been established that you don’t have to invent.  That’s probably one of the reasons so many people write fan-fiction, besides that fact that they are a fan of a certain show.  I think it’s easier writing for an established character(s) than it is to make up a new character on your own.

I know in writing classes and books about writing, you are encouraged to do character profiles before you dive into writing a book or a story.  Create your character before you write a story about him or her.  But you still don’t necessarily know every little nuance and quirk from that profile that you’ve created and you still have to make some things up as you go.

But even with previously created characters, you still have to come up with a story line.  And I’m aware that part of writing (and likewise part of the creative process) is imagination and invention.  It’s just that I have a tendency to begin writing something and just fly by the seat of my pants…every time.  I rarely plan things out and I know some people are good at this and probably do this all the time.  I just do it because I can’t help myself. A small spark of inspiration and then I run with it.  And I run and run and before I know it I’m lost in the woods and have no idea how to find my way out.  All I can do is either stay there or move forward a few feet at a time.  Either way, it gets slow real fast.

Maybe I ran too far with that analogy like I do with some of my story ideas…

Belated Poetry

I can't believe I never ended up posting these after I was done.  Here are the poems that I wrote for EN 215 in September of 2010.  The first two use the "every other line" rhyming convention.  The third is of the more experimental variety.  It kind of has a beatnik feel to it.  Anyways, without further adieu...MY POEMS! 

-->

Past

Sitting all alone on this cool September eve,

Thinking oh so fondly of my past.

Going back in time to days of Ol’ when plans were new,

And the innocence of youth was still in tact;

When dreams were still a brewing waiting idly in their pots

For days to come when plans would hatch or maybe they would not.

Though all that didn’t matter way back then when we were young

We only cared for play, for the sticking out of tongues

But oh how I know better now as sad as that may be

The truth has settled in my brain at last.

Sitting here all by myself this cool September eve,

Thinking oh so fondly of my past.

The Music All Around

Hear the music all around

Like wind beneath your feet.

It whistles and toots and hums and pounds,

A symphony complete.

The Clarinets and Oboes

Are the whistlers of the group.

They tend to warm the soul

As do the Piccolos and Flutes.

Violins are in there also

Playing out their role

Bows gliding up and down their strings

Striking sweet melodic chords.

The Trumpets, Saxes and Trombones

All join to do their part,

Playing out the harmony

Which leads us to the heart.

Percussion is the heartbeat

That keeps the tune alive

The heartbeat of the sound

Of things and people going by

It’s in the steps and stomps from feet

Of people walking past

Or in the flutter of a flag

Up high upon its mast.

Hear the music all around

It’s everywhere you go

All you have to do is listen,

To the heartbeat of your soul.

Time Fleeting In Plenty

The time is ticking by

Seconds tick, tick, tock.

Minutes follow after,

Not as often but still many

Hours seem to be the longest.

After hours it’s still longer yet, except it goes by faster

Days pass as though only hours have taken place

Weeks are the more devious of characters

They seem long but then they’re gone.

Months are similar in nature

Only slightly more conniving

And then years come, the worst of all,

So many months and weeks and days

All those things wrapped into one

Each going by at their own rate

But then a year has gone by

Until years have passed

Until there is no more time. 

Journaling

It seems journaling has paid off.  About a month ago, I had enough time to put my pencil to paper for recreational purposes.  I'd had a busy schedule, words that I'm still repeating and fear I may continue for the rest of my life.  At any rate, I had a moment to write but didn't have access to the internet so I wrote in my notebook:

10/13/11

I've been cajoled into attending a high school volleyball game at Marquette by my girlfriend who is volunteering there with Norther's club team.  Let it be known that I've only ever attended one other volleyball game (no longer true).  Sporting events are noisy things but specially a girls volleyball game in high school.  While the two teams are playing, the next game's teams are sitting on the sidelines in a cheering competition with each other that, in addition to the fans chatter, the buzzer, and the ref's whistle, is a cacophony of noise.


Watching this game, or half watching as I am simultaneously writing this makes me wish I had gone to games at my own high school.  I would hear about them but never attend.  And the sporting events that I did attend outside of being in band, I spent most of talking to my friends.  Still, I wish I would have experienced it...if for no other reason to say that I had done it.  That I had experienced high school.  That I lived.

It's amazing how much shorter that looks after I've typed it up.

From the desk to the sink...

It's been a month now that I've been working at the Market Place.  No more does the din of printers being turned on and warming up fill the air.  No more am I required to roll up a large metal door or punch holes in print cards and check in and out equipment. No more do I see fellow Art and Design Students during work on their way to or from class.  I miss it all.  However, everything must end.  And when one things ends, another begins.  Cliche, I know.  Still, it's true.

Every moment of working at the Market Place so far has been a great experience.  Even the parts that I haven't been all that crazy about from getting up before the crack of dawn, to scrubbing pans until my nails are dirty, have been great experiences.  The scrubbing pans part is what I do during the week on Tuesday's and Friday's from 7:00 am to 11:00 am.  If you've never any had dish-washing experience on a large commercial scale, I have three large basins in front of me: one on the right with detergent and water at 114 degrees, a second to the left with lukewarm water and a third further left with "Quat-San", also at room temperature.  On the right of the first sink is a high powered spray nozel and a little sink with a garbage disposal below.  It is this contraption that greets me at 7:00 in the morning.  I fill the sinks up and get to work.  And, to be further cliche, it's a dirty job but someone's got to do it.

Every other weekend, I work "PPD" which stands for Pizza Pasta & Deli.  I've always been on deli so far which consists of making sandwiches Subway style and running to the back to get more of whatever we've run out of.  There is another individual that works with me (a different person each night) and one of the "higher ups" that floats around.  Together, we take people's sandwich (or wrap) orders and fill them to the best of our abilities.  When it get's really busy, we all stand at one part of the line and take care of a different part of the sandwich.

Both are fast paced positions but going from washing pans to making sandwiches is to completely change gears.  And speaking of gears...

On the last couple of my allotted drink breaks I made a point of standing in the dish room.  The dish room is right by the beverage dispensers near the front so people can put their dishes on the conveyer belt as they are leaving the cafeteria.  I stood in there in part to be away from the customers so as not to be perceived as slacking on the job but also observe a part of the Market Place that I haven't been trained on yet.  As sad I am not to hear that din of the printers, this new din...the one made by the people working together like a well oiled machine is nearly as sweet.

Although this semester is about half way over give or take, I am looking forward to seeing what this new experience will teach me.

The Test Complete

Oh my gosh!  Two days in row I posted!  The test went about how i figured it would...I'm betting C range for the initial exam.  It was a sampling of everything we learned.  I'm not too proud of how I think I did but at least now I know what the tests are going to be like.  And while one test is over with, preparation for another test has just begun.  The Capstone Exam for Individual Art Review.  It's the test that decides if I know enough to be an art Major.  It is rather anxiety inducing.  After going through all the classes that I have, learning all that I have, a single test what will determine if I am worthy of continuing a major that I am nearly done with.  Having said that, the stress of the week is over with and I have one class to go until I'm home free for the weekend.  A quick breather before week four begins, nearly a month into the first semester of my fifth, and what should be my last, year of my undergraduate degree.

And then maybe grad school, but either way, the rest of my life.

And whoosh goes the time.

Yikes!  Another month gone, the events of my Kansas trip, just a fog in my head.  (If I were to write about them now, I would not do them justice.  They do still deserve to be relayed however.)  And the first couple weeks of school are over already as well.  As an attempt to slow down time by writing about it and capturing the moments, the more I am shown how fast it happens.

As a place holder for what has been going on (I hope it will only be that and not the definitive record), I saw my cousin graduate (deserves much more story I promise...he's the reason for the story in the first place after all) got stuck in the Detroit Metro Airport on the way back home, worked at the art building for the rest of the summer, worked a small gig setting up laptops at Northern before classes started, went to fall fest on the first day of classes, and now classes are in full swing.

Current day -  AD 303: Art Review.  I have it Thursdays.  Last week, I had to create and turn in a resume.  Now I am writing my Statement of Intent.  Basically it's an account of what I want to do with my degree and why.  That's for tomorrow.  Right before I turn that in, I have a test to take about "why america loooks this way" which is the art history class I have at noon.  And before that I work from 9-Noon.  I'm back at the AD Monitor station...for now...I'm waiting to hear about work study so I may be out of a job by next week.  It's in God's hands and if I don't get to stay, I pray he'll put on my heart where I should go to apply and a way to get there if I DO get the job.  (Still don't have a car.)

Also today, I volunteered down at the campus TV studio, something I plan on doing for the duration of the semester.  Hopefully, this will lead to a job but if it doesn't, it will be a great experience and I look forward to working with all those people that I met today and more.  It's training for the kind of teamwork I'll be needing to have when I'm out there looking for jobs.

I'm looking forward to this year in general.  I can't quite explain it but I feel like this year is going to be different.  Never mind that it's my fifth year at Northern.  I feel like this year is going to be different than the other four and I'm not sure why but once again, It's in God's hands...

Here's to Year 5!

Back Again.

So my break from blogging was  a pinch longer than I would have liked, however, I did not break from writing.  My final paper grade just came in, so I am officially done now with my EN 302 summer online course.  But, didn't you just get done with EN 400?  Yes I know, another class taken our of order.  Tis the way my Writing Minor has gone for me.  At any rate, this English class is the cause for my absence, for any (hypothetical) regular reader, or arbitrary visitor who may be concerned as to my whereabouts.  Things may get hectic again, come school year, which is right around the corner (yikes), but it is my hope that I get back into writing regularly.

I had three main papers in English class, Creative Nonfiction, that paralleled the definition of a noun: Profile (person), Place/Event (Place, and an event could be a thing of sorts), Idea (Idea).  With those there was daily work, and minor "papers" such as a periodical essay, a bagatelle, and a final essay.  There were also comments on different readings to be done over the course of the session which, in whole, counted for about the same as on of the minor assignments.

Overall, the class was a really nice experience.  I got to work at my own pace, sort of, and I learned some new techniques and ideas, which is always nice, as well as reenforced some old ones.  I'm looking forward to only having one more English class before finishing my Writing Minor, yet at the same time, I'm kind of sad.  It was having writing classes that really kept me writing.  I do have this blog of course...but the motivation fades when I don't have due dates to make...at least, not ones that I'll be graded on.

After I was all done with my work for this class, I was sitting around and a conversation began playing in my head.  Not one that I have had before, but a new conversation all together.  Too often, think of ideas similar to this one.  Maybe it's a movie idea, or a good prompt for an essay, or something with an equal amount of fuel for writing that won't burn out easily.  And, too often, I let these ideas slide.  I think, Oh I'll writing them down later.  Yea, right.  I needed to capture this idea if it was to have a chance at being anything at all, for me, or anyone else.  Maybe it wouldn't become anything at all, but that would be guaranteed if I didn't write it down at all.  This is something we all need to do.  Because it may not be anything you like, but someday, someone out there may benefit from it.

The Journey to the Cross

 
I wanted to take a break from my EPIC story telling to share some words I came across while reading about God's Epic story.  I found myself falling short and was compelled to read at that moment.  I have this bible that my parents gave me for my birthday last year.  It's put together by Max Lucado and is called Grace for the Moment.  It has readings for 365 days starting with January 1st and ending with December 31st.  Each day takes a little from the Old Testament, Psalms, Proverbs, and then from the New Testament.  Each day's reading also has an excerpt from one of Max Lucado's many inspirational books and a single verse right above the excerpt.  I regrettably missed a few days over the weekend.  So tonight, as I begin the selection of passages for June 18th (in an attempt to catch up to today), the words really hit me and I felt a conviction to share what I read.  It's something that we may often forget in our daily lives and even as we worship.  Max Lucado puts it so well.  God really has given him a gift for writing; a gift for the right words.  The verse that was used above these words was:

"God said through the prophets that his Christ would suffer and die.  And now God has made these things come true in this way." (Acts 3:13)

and the words are these:

Jesus died...on purpose.  No surprise.  No hesitation.  No faltering.

You can tell a lot about a person by the way he dies.  And the way Jesus marched to his death leaves no doubt: he had come to earth for this moment.  Read the words of Peter.  "Jesus was given to you, and with the help of those who don't know the law, you put him to death by nailing him to a cross.  But this was God's Plan which he had made long ago; he knew all this would happen" (Acts 2:23).


No, the journey to the Cross didn't begin in Jericho.  It didn't begin in Galilee.  It didn't begin in Nazareth.  It didn't even begin in Bethlehem.


The journey to the Cross began long before.  As the echo of the crunching of the fruit was still sounding in the garden, Jesus was leaving for Calvary.
                                                                         from And The Angels Were Silent

The Epic Continues...some more...

It was a city.  At least it might as well have been.  The airport was HUGE!!!!!  I knew they were bigger than the Ford Airport but WOW!!!  Hallways and people and kiosks and tv screens with flight arrivals and departures...so much was so much going on, I didn't quite know what to make of it all.  And, as I stood there taking it all in, only one thought swimming through all three of our heads was clear enough, graspable, sane amidst all the crazy: we were hungry.  After walking for a little while, (the moving sidewalks helped!! More about those later.) and being told not to take the tram because that would bring us to far, only to walk to the spot were the tram would have taken us, we found a food court where we ate.  I had Chinese food and an A&W Rootbeer on tap...ah.  There's nothing quite like A&W on tap.  It brings me back to when I used to eat at the A&W back home during the summer's; days long since passed.  Days when I knew where I was and it felt like the friends that I knew then were going to be around forever...if only.

Our entire layover was two hours and some change, but by the time we got to the food court, ate, and figured out where we needed to go, it was time to go there.  I read some more of The Art of Racing in the Rain while we waited for our plane to arrive.  And soon, we were up.  This flight was longer, of course, yet it had less accommodations: beverages like the last flight, only one type of snack.  The plane was slightly larger than the last one.  Three seats on one side rather than just 2 seats on both sides.  I read some more book and caught some more of the view of the earth below.  I think I slept a little too.

When we arrived at Kansas City International Airport (in Missouri, not Kansas) and as we waited for our luggage, I didn't experience any of the infamous jet lag that everyone talks about.  My parents and I grabbed our luggage and took a shuttle bus over to the car rental agency.  Avis was where my gracious aunt and uncle had rented our car from.  They arrived before us and set everything up.  Apparently, it's not common practice to rent a car for someone else because the gentleman behind the counter was a bit confused as to why we were trying to rent a car in someone else's name.  Thanks to another Avis employee, whom I'm assuming helped Cathy and Bruce when they came through earlier, told the confused individual there was a contract in the back for my dad to sign.  So, we got that sorted out and then went out to get our car.  We had to explain the story to the guy outside but he said if we filled out paperwork that we were okay and let us go.

My dad drove.  I sat in the front at my mom's suggestion and she took the back.  I found the address to our hotel from the itinerary and punched it into the Garvin GPS that came with the car.  My dad was impressed that I was able to work the thing seeing as I had rarely used one before.  I thought it pretty intuitive but I guess that's the generation I'm in: able to pick up an electronic device and know how to work it within seconds.  And so, off we were, toward the hotel and the near end of the beginning of our trip.

The Epic Continues...

My first plane ride...ever.

After getting everything packed and dropping the dog off at the kennel, we arrived at Ford Airport.  I had been there before on a few a occasions but it had been a while.  It's a small airport that currently only has small twin prop planes.  I didn't know what one of these was until this point due to my never having flown.  There was a short scare because we couldn't find my boarding passes (one from here to Minneapolis and another from there to Kansas City) but the young girl at the desk was kind enough to offer to print copies of them out for me.

Security check.  I have been through one of these before.  It was about four years ago and it was so that my classmates and I could go on a ferry to Ellis and Staten Island.  I can't say that I remember it much but I'm pretty sure I didn't have to take my shoes off. At any rate, it was fast paced and exciting and before I knew it I was on the plane.  Now, it should be noted that I had been on a plane prior to this.  It was however an old army plane and it was on display for tour.  Funny enough, that had also been here during Ford Airport Day.  That was my "big plane experience" till this point.  Now, I was on a plane, one that was going to take off any minute with me in it.  My parents had flown before; my mom flew to visit her mom (rest her soul) and my dad flew when the two of them went on their honeymoon.  Needless to say it's been a while for them both.  They didn't seem too bothered though.  They were like seasoned veterans.  I, on the other hand, was as noob as you can get.

We taxied around for a little a while before we took off.  I know that taxiing is what everyone does before their flight takes off and that it's an unimportant detail but I wanted an excuse to try out my flying vernacular.  As I was saying...  We taxied around for a little while at about five to ten miles an hour before we took off.  This isn't so bad, I thought.  Before we did, though, the flight attendant or stewardess or whatever it is that's politically correct these days, instructed us to look over the emergency escape instructions in the back pocket of the seat in front of us, as well as what to do if we were one of the individuals fortunate enough to be seated in the emergency exit row.  I was reminded, at this time, of a favorite comedian of mine who talked about sitting in that seat.  It made me feel a little better.

Shortly after, we were on the runway and the slow crawling pace that we had been traveling at was no longer slow or crawling.  And like that, the ground fell away and we were up in the air.  Normally, we drive to Minnesota.  My cousin and his family live in a suburb over and both families have a cabin on a lake a bit further West so we make the trip about twice a year.  The plane ride there was well under half the time.

I didn't really know what to expect.  It was a mixture of smooth flying and turbulence.  I have to say my stomach felt a little queasy during the bumpy portion of the ride but what what I got to see out the window while there wasn't any turbulence was worth all the butterflies in the world.  The view was outstanding...and a privilege.  It's amazing what beauty is all around us all of the time.  We don't see it, though, because we're in it.  We're just a small part of the big painting of life.  And the Master Painter get's to see it everyday.  What a privilege it was to see the world from that angle.  Trees, and rivers and lakes...oh and squares of farmland that went on for miles.  I could go on and on.  There were complimentary snacks aboard, as well as beverages.  All we could eat, pretty much.  Cookies and peanuts and pretzels, along with juice and pop.  Alcohol, though available, wasn't free.

Eventually, the fasten your seatbelt light came on, which I hadn't dared to unclip in the first place, and either the flight attendant/stewardess or the pilot told us that we would would be landing in a few minutes.  This, I've decided, is the part of the flight that I enjoy the least.  My very first landing.  It wasn't actually half bad though.  Much better than the ones that were to come.  There was a movable catwalk that greeted us as we moved toward the door of the plane.  (When we had gotten on in Iron Mountain, we went outside and boarded via the door that folded down into stairs.  Here, we were covered by the catwalk as we left the plane and entered into the Minneapolis - St. Paul International Airport.

To be continued...

Walking the walk

I've think I may have learned, or re-learned, over the past several weeks, that taking the path of least resistance, though quite obviously the easiest, isn't always the best...  And it doesn't help when it seems like no matter what I do, I just can't please everyone (something that I try very hard to do as much as I can).  Someone is going to be unhappy with the outcome.

A story of epic proportions!

Let’s see, where do I start?

From the beginning, of course!  I must confess that I won’t have written this all in order but I’ll publish it that way for your reading convenience.  Never mind, pretend I didn’t say that.  I should have started with this: Allow me to start from the beginning.  See now that sounds a lot better doesn’t it.  These days, however, it seems that stories are quite successful when the start somewhere in the middle, or even at the end for that matter, have a “flash back” and work their way toward wherever the reader was started at.  Water for Elephants, The Art of Racing in the Rain, and some other third, unnamed story for symmetry, are all examples of stories that start somewhere other than the beginning of the story.  I don’t so much care if I’m successful, as much as I just want to get my story out there.  I don’t need any gimmicks to make it a popular story. Having said that, I now must confess to you that I am beginning to write this story as I sit, nearly at the end of the journey.  But beginning my story at the end isn’t what’s going to make it a good story.  What’s going to make it a good story is that it’s a good story.  Like I said, I don’t need any gimmick’s to draw a crowd.  So, as I sit here in this black, leather, terminal chair that was not designed to sleep in, in this impressive, city-of-an-airport, I start to type away at my laptop and reflect, recounting my tale of excitation, celebration, and then, frustration.

And so it begins…

Goodbye to the Graduates

Saying goodbye is never something I look forward too.  Although, I, myself, am not graduating.  I have a few good friends that are.  And I'd like to say that I know I'll see them again, but I don't really know.  While they were going to school, while we were all going to school, I thought I could see them any time, and so I would keep putting it off.  Now they're leaving and for all I know I may never see some of them again.  It helps me appreciate the times I did have with them as well as the friends that are still up here, regardless of how well I know them.

Your's In Writing

And on the third day...

Dear Lord,

In all I do, please help me to put you first, but today of all days.  Because two days ago, you put the world first.  A sinful, undeserving world that jeered at you and cheered for your death.  If they had only known...  but it was meant to be.  You died for us and took the sins of that world and the sins of everyone who ever existed and will existed with you.   You, the man who never sinned a day in his life died so that we, the people that sin everyday, could live.  And now, today, a most glorious day, you came back from the dead.  Thank you for guiding me to accept this wonderful news into my heart.  Please help me to share it with others.  And again, help me to think of you today, in all I do.

Amen

It Isn't much

So I started out doing an decent job of writing once a week...and then school kept getting in the way.  To help with the resolution that I made nearly three and a half months ago, I think I should try posting smaller snippets of things (for lack of a better term).  Maybe, just an idea, or a poem I thought up, or a quote, or my thought's in that moment regardless of whether or not they have anything to do with anything.

Maybe I just need to sit myself down and write.   I am discovering (or maybe rediscovering) that, though my original intention with this post was to write that first paragraph and then stop so that I would have SOMETHING, the more I wrote, the more thought of things to write about.

My Youtube page isn't doing as well as I would have hoped (in my wildest dreams) but IS doing better than I expected.  And my prayers were answered yesterday when I was able to retrieve something that I thought was lost: a version of my final animation project.  I am continually amazed at how God answers prayers with a yes that, I'm pretty sure, aren't deserving of one.  I probably won't get around to posting it for a while but I am so relieved to have a copy of that.  It is a big stress off of my shoulders.

That's all I have for now other than the reminder that God is amazing and that He is there for me when I fall and even when I ignore the fact that I've fallen (something that I'm never proud of).  More on that later.  I should have gotten to bed a few hours ago.  I'm glad, though, that out of my foolish behavior, I was led to write.

Thankfully,

Yours In Writing

Well...

Almost a month since my last post.  I have been swamped to be honest but at the same time, I don't feel like that's a legit excuse.  It's the truth, but I don't know if that's really a good enough reason not to write.  Writing has, and always should be, an escape for me, a way to clear my head.  And boy has there been a lot in there lately.  I'm in my third to last semester (hopefully).  Just recently, I went and talked to my advisor about what classes I should be taking for next semester.  I can't believe it was time for that already.

I stil don't like that I had to retake my intro film class but I have to say I've been producing videos that are far better than most of the ones that I made the first time around and these will (hopefully) work for my 303 portfolio.  Al least one or two anyways.  303, is Individual Art review.  That's were the art teachers decide whether you're good enough to go out into the real world (more or less).  You get three tries and then your out.  hopefully I only need one.  I'm praying for that.

Speaking of prayer, I may have had one answered.  I'll be needing a place to stay after I graduate assuming I don't move elsewhere which I hope I don't do right away.  I like it here.  This town is a wonderful place and I would like to live here again some day.  I leaning towards summer home, although my family has a cabin in Minnesota that I would be neglecting if I lived here.  I'll have to get back to you on that one.  I do love the area though and I would like the chance to appreciate it without the commitment of a class schedule before I DO go off into the real world.

Wow I got off on a tangent.

I have a friend who called me the other day seeing what I was doing the other day.  It had been a while since we had talked.  He told me that he wants to come back to the area (he lives in Sawyer) and get a job and live here again and he wanted to know if I would live with him.   I told him I really wouldn't be looking for another year yet but asked if he thought he'd still be offering then.  It seemed like he would be although God has moved him around a lot in the past few years and I won't be surprised if he has another assignment for him by the time I'm ready to take him up on the offer.   Still, it seems like i was given this information for a reason.  I pray that it's the right thing for me to do.

In other news, I now have four video's uploaded onto my youtube account.  I know, people already out there have a whole lot more and that isn't how many I've made but uploading them takes longer than I thought it would.  So I'm just uploading them here and there.  Kinda of like an installment series, even though the only thing any of the video's have in common is that they are all my projects and that they're shot in Marquette.

So, let's see if I can't get back on the writing train.  I need to have four pages of a story written by wednesday and the rest of it done by the wednesday after that.  And, whether it's on here, in a notebook, or in a word document on my laptop titled "Half hour exercise," I need to write everyday.  Even if it's only a few words on a page.  So I pray for diligence with that as well as reading, specifically the Bible.  I'd like it to be everyday.  I don't know if I will, but I would like too.  Maybe then I'll write more often...write about what I read about.  We'll see.

In the mean time,

Your's In Writing

A Youtube Boob at last!

As I've said before, I love writing with a heartfelt passion but it's only my minor.  What I love overall is storytelling.  Bringing someone along on an adventure.  And writing is a BIG part of that.  However, we can't forget the movies.  Movies are a timeless tool in making people laugh, making them cry, making their hair stand on end out of fear, and entertaining them all around.  For decades, people have gathered around a screen to watch a story that's different from their own.  Be it at the drive-ins, in a theatre, or in their living room, families and friends have been entertained through the art of filmmaking.  This is my major.  Before the age of the internet filmmakers either made it big or they didn't make it at all.  Now, thanks to technology, we can be our own storytellers and I have joined the ranks.  It isn't Hollywood, but for me, it's a start to bigger and better things.  Out of all the short pieces that I've made, I've only posted one.  I plan to upload more in the future of course but for now, it'll get me started.

I won't post everything I've ever made either.  Just the best of the best of what I've done.  I make no claim that I'm the top of my class - there are those that I've taken courses with that I feel are far my superiors.  And I apologize now for any video quality issues you may encounter.  I don't remember if I clicked the option to "prepare for internet streaming" (I certainly never thought I'd be putting my work on the internet) so It may not be as clean as it could be.  I take critiques openly and look forward to hearing (or reading) what people have to say and I hope you all enjoy what I've done.

Here's my Channel--> http://www.youtube.com/user/tizzo89

See you at the movies

Yay!!

I am now DONE with my english story. Well, ok. It will be in a constant state of being fine tuned from now until I turn it in sometime saturday but for conversation's sake, I have a complete first draft. I had a bit of trouble figuring out what I wanted to do next but I forced myself to just write something regardless of if I was going to use it or not and tadah! Ideas began flowing. Even though it is still in a constant state of revision an fine tuning, it feels good to have an ending to my story that makes sense. I feel like a HUGE weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

But, when weight is lifted, another one is added. I will, very soon, be needing to shift my attentions over to storyboarding/filming for the upcoming voice over project. I thought it would be weird taking Intro to Digital Cinema over again and although I am aware that it is a repeat, it doesn't feel that strange. With that said, I'm being challenged by coming up with new ideas apart from the ones that I had when I took the class the first time around.

AND...There is a show choir concert Sunday which I don't know if we're going to be ready for but somehow we are always magically ready when it's time to perform. I don't know what it is but it happens every time without fail. I hope the miracle keeps up to it's reputation this time!

Your's In Writing

Well that's a relief!

After a somewhat stressful week, I'm finally beginning to catch back up to where I'm supposed to be. First I got behind with photography when my first assignment took my by surprise. It turned out that there was a problem with one of the printers and so anyone who was without an assignment that Monday would be able to turn it in Wednesday instead. That date got pushed to today however because school was cancelled that day. Not because of a snow day like one would expect up here in the UP, but because of a threat that the university received that kept mostly everyone in doors for the rest of the day.

http://www.thenorthwindonline.com/?p=3859697 <-- Here is an article that sums up what is known so far about what exactly went down.

I turned that assignment in as well as the one that was already due for today. Last night, I got my filming done for digital cinema (the class I'm retaking) and today I put it on the server to worked on during class tomorrow. AND...the Packers won the Super Bowl which was SAWEEEET!!!! Overall, a lot of things seem to be coming together and I thank God for them. I've had a roller coaster of time with Him in the past couple of years and yet He continues to bless me anyways. (ok so technically, the packers winning wasn't a blessing to me per say but it certainly made my week a little better.)

I'm still praying about the Library Job. It looks like they're filled for now so I'm praying that they find a need for one or two more and that I fit the bill. But if I don't get the position, God has plans for me and he will reveal them to me in his time. And now, I'm praying for whomever it was that started the threat on our campus. I pray that they come to know God and that they will come to terms with what they did. School shootings of the past have been horrible occurrences and I'm so thankful that it didn't come to that here at Northern.

Your's In Writing

Now that I'm all settled in...

Here we are now. Winter 2011. My mom's birthday was Saturday and mine was Sunday. My parents came up to Marquette for my birthday and the three of us and Christy went to eat at Buffalo Wild Wings. Christy and I have been there plenty but my parents hadn't yet and they really enjoyed it.

And yet again I find myself marveled at the speed of time. I have a year left after this semester if everything goes right. I'm retaking one of my Digital Cinema classes this semester for the grade. I missed the grade point minimum for Senior Art Review by .03 repeating. Can you believe that?

This is going to be a busy semester. That's the opposite of what I thought it would be. Thanks to the retake, it's run around everywhere like a chicken with my head cut off.

I really need to keep in touch with some people. I gotten out of touch with quite a few. My mom reminded me of this fact the other day. It wasn't something I really wanted to hear but it was sobering and of course it made me realize that she was right. The problem is that they're all busy too. I think though, that if you really want to, that you'll find the time. I think that should be another New Years resolution. Reconnect with some people that I have fallen out of touch with. Just a few people here and there. Not everyone all at once of course. That would be insane. But a a few. The ones that I see but don't talk to that often for starters. Then I'll branch out. I've said that I would do this in the past and didn't but look at me, I'm writing more often (so far). That shows that I can follow through with a resolution. I won't check writing off the list by any means, the day I do is the day I'm done writing. But I AM working on it and it's time that I start work on getting in touch with people too! (If I don't turn out to be as good at it as I hope I will be, don't be afraid to beat me to it and contact me first!)

I'm going to go take a shower now because I need one and because I'm clearly not working on my homework. Sorry, that was random.

EN 400

I'm working on my english story and I'm at a point were I don't exactly know where I want to go with it. Writers hurdle. Eh, I don't really like that but It'll work for now. Not writers block because I kind of know what I want to do. I'm still curious what else is out there for ideas that I'm not thinking of. I was going to post it in here but instead, I can give you the premise. A sheriff has responded to a call that came in from the station. He get's to the car and finds the driver burnt to a crisp but nothing else that the driver is touching. Then he get's a call from another officer who's up the road. This officer was stopped on his way to the scene because there was a cow in the road and it too, is burnt to a crisp. That's as far as I am right now. It's due in progress on Wednesday so I doesn't need to be finished but I'd like to be a ways into it. One thing for sure is that I'd like to be able to write longer stories this year as apposed to when I took EN300 with this teacher. Everything I wrote was really short. Since then though, I feel that I've grown and have come to be able to write longer works. Still, I'm nervous, and I want to try every way I can to better my writing skills and story telling abilities. Anyways...that was a lot of blabbing for nothing. Let me know what you think and where you might like to see this story go.

Your's In Writing

It's a start...

Well I'm doing a little better with this writing more often thing. It has been over two weeks since I posted last but it's still January which is a huge improvement. With good news, however, it seems there is always bad news of some sort. I have had a change of employment. The new job is fun so far. Obviously, that isn't the bad news. The bad news is that there was a reason for a change in employment. Never mind that though. That is one of the things of the past and more specifically, of last year. This is a new year. And in this new year, I discovered that I have work study which opens up a large number of possible employment opportunities, one of them being that one that I landed. I'm working at the art building as a lob monitor. I only work 5 hours a week so the dough won't be rolling in but I know that this is a blessing nonetheless and I know that God will provide for whatever he brings me through.

I'm at work currently. It's my first day on the job and I'm enjoying it. It's quiet right now. The Desk at VA/H used to be quiet but it was always an unsettling quiet. For some reason, this is peaceful. Maybe it's because there is the distant sound of chatter in classrooms behind closed doors. Whatever it is, I like it.

There's another opportunity that I'll be looking into later today at the school paper. I pray that will come through as well. I found that I was content in a bad way. I liked it there at the desk and didn't care to change even though there were possibly better things out there for me because I liked my co-workers and enjoyed seeing familiar faces as they passed by. It took a major jolt for me to realize that working there wasn't the right thing for me anymore. Now I'm here. It's virtually the same job except i'm in a different environment, I have different co-workers, and I'll be seeing different people walking by. The important difference is that this is related to my major of study. I'm learning about printers and loading paper, and minor mundane things having the do with the art world but the thing is...they have something to do with the art world. I'm keeping the other possible position a secret for now for what reason i have absolutely no idea.

I pray that everything works out either way. If I don't get a position there, at least I have this and I know that it's a blessing.

Your's In Writing

The New Year: Two Zero Double One

2011. I don't know if I'm quite ready but no one on God's green earth has discovered time travel (probably for the better) and so I'm here, stuck with the reality that is now. It's the second of the new year. Yesterday I spent a good part of my day at my aunts for a New Years party. We ate snacks there as we normally do when we're over there, as well as watch the Rose Bowl and talk to relatives we don't get to see so often. My girlfriend was able to join us and that was a special treat for me. She had met them all once before at my cousin's wedding reception a little over a year before. Now we were all together again making googly eyes at the their few month old baby.

The party as a whole helped me to realize just how fast the year went. I know, there I am again talking about how time goes by fast. Well it does. It still feels like this last semester just got over regardless of the fact that the new one starts in a week. Perhaps it is time for me to make a new years resolution. My normal practice at New years is to state that "this year, I resolve not to make any New Year's. I have one for this year though. I read an article a while back about how to slow down time. The actual title of the article was: Become your own Time 'Lord'. Of course this caught my attention. I read through it and although it said nothing about staring into the untempered schism it DID highly suggest that I seek out new experiences rather than spending my days staring at a TV screen. This is what I want to resolve to do. All to often I am simply go through the motions of the day. Get up, brush my teeth, get dressed, go to class, and so on and so forth. Sure I play games once in a while or go for a walk but not nearly enough and as soon as I've done these things, why not document my experience here? Because I've noticed that plenty of time bridges the gap between the majority of these blog posts. And it's not like I don't have the time. I think the reason I don't write as often in between is that I fear that the little things are too mundane to write about. Thinking about it though, I can't wait for an interesting story that happened to me come along, I have to make each and every experience that DOES happen interesting in it's own right. Because not all stories are as interesting as others but that doesn't mean that the less interesting ones can't inspire lessons in life or be connected to other experiences in life be they mine or someone else's.

Happy New Year!

Your's In Writing

p.s. The article: Become Your Own Time 'Lord', can be found here --> http://psycentral.wordpress.com/2009/08/27/time-lord-flies-perception-psychology-dr-gary-wood/