My my my. It really has been over two months since I've posted anything here. To all my loyal followers (I understand there actually are a couple of you), I sincerely apologize. Inspiration has been in short supply lately, but I've got a few things I want to say, so I'm gonna adapt an old Andrew Clark format and just post the thoughts I have in list form. That way I don't have to worry about continuity or transitions in between items, I can just bounce forth to the next topic once I run out of stuff to say about the current one.
GET READY
HERE WE GO
1. In my estimation, the Christmas season begins on Black Friday, but culturally, we've been entrenched in holiday trappings for almost a month now. I call this "Christmas creep," and I actually wrote a post for this very subject for the blog Danny Latin and I started last year (you can find said post here, if you're so inclined). Last year I noted that Christmas music began its 24/7 rotation on the local radio stations on Veterans' Day... this year it started November 1st. I swear, within a few years we'll be getting it just after Labor Day.
2. The deluge of Facebook status updates I got about people going on Thanksgiving break made me realize how much I miss that feeling of relief that accompanies being able to leave school behind for a week or a month. Sure, it's nice to not be in school at all, but there's something about coming back from your last class before break and knowing you won't have to go through that wretched ordeal at all for a little while that you can't quite capture outside of that environment. I always particularly liked it when I my last assignment was due or my last final took place several days before I actually had to leave. That way I had a few days to just chill and hang out with my friends before break, and those were always the best times.
3. On the same token, I DO NOT miss the work that went with the territory. I'll never again have to write another research paper, and that is just fine and dandy with me. The first week back after Thanksgiving break in my singular year of grad school (and really the only week before finals that year) was one of the most unpleasant stretches of time I have ever known. Of course, by the time that Friday rolled around, the hell of trying to complete an entire semester's worth of papers and projects was behind me, and I had nothing but Coffeehouse, Starcraft, and a couple easy finals to look forward to.
4. I am sick of all the blasted rain. I went outside this morning around 6:30 and it was raining... and it was also about 50 degrees out. THIS IS UPSTATE NEW YORK, FOR CRYIN OUT LOUD. GIMME SOME SNOW ALREADY. Granted, snow actually makes my job more difficult, because I then have to vacuum up all the pieces of rock salt that people track in, but I'd rather deal with that than dodging lake-sized puddles and having to put my hood up just to go outside. Man I hate rain.
5. I was taking a nap earlier, and I had this dream that I was interning for some kind of record company, and because of that, Ray Toro and Frank Iero were staying at my house and crashing in my living room. That was pretty cool, except I discovered that Ray Toro was actually pushing 60 years old, and then Kesha was wandering around putting up fliers for her next show. Initially I was like "ewwwwwww get away from me," but she started talking to me and she turned out to be really nice, and I developed an interest in her, which left me with one of those imaginary post-dream crushes on Kesha, and that made me want to vomit.
6. Speaking of Ray and Frank, the latest effort by My Chemical Romance, Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, is a very good album. Not phenomenal, like The Black Parade, but very good. If you've never watched the videos for "Na Na Na" and "SING," you should do so, in that order. They tell a cool story.
7. I stumbled upon a striking truth recently: Women are not evil; evil is simply a universal condition of the human heart. I wish I had realized that a couple years ago... I think I screwed some things up. Whoops. This is not to say that they're not emotional and irrational and crazy; all of the above still apply. They're just not malicious creatures, or at least not any more malicious than the rest of us normal people.
I think those are enough thoughts for now, especially because I've essentially run out of things to say. I could use some feedback though; if you are one of those few people who actually follows my blog, or if you're just a random traveler who happened to stumble upon it for the first time and you'd like to compare this to my earlier work, let me know whether you like this list form or my typical essay style better, and I'll see what I can do about that in the future.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
A Blog For Two Andrews
Alright kids, it's time to plunge headlong into the blogging world. I don't know exactly where we're going, but the only way to get anywhere is to go, so let's do just that.
About a month ago, Andrew Timm informed me that I had not posted a blog in quite some time. I was quite aware of this little fact, but I also figured no one really cared either, so I would just get around to it when I felt like it. Truth be told, it was encouraging to know that someone out there actually wanted to hear more of what I have to say, whatever that may be, so I vowed to write a new blog as soon as I got the inspiration.
Well, inspiration is in short supply these days, so since then I haven't actually posted anything. I mulled a few possibilities, but nothing ever seemed to really amount to all that much, so I never made any formal attempts at blogging. And then, after several terrible games of Starcraft 2 with Andrew Clark, I suddenly felt almost inspired. It was then that I realized that my inspiration, as I've said before, does not actually come from dealing with girls, it comes from being pissed off (I just usually happen to get pissed off as a by-product of dealing with girls). Andrew informed me following those games that he was going to post a blog, and encouraged me to do so as well. Thus, the smoldering ashes of Starcraft defeat have been reignited by the coals of indignance and have burst forth into the glorious flame of bloggery.
If you recall, last year I posted a Deleted Scenes blog; a collection of drafts that, for whatever reason, I didn't feel were good enough to actually be posted as or in a blog. I did enjoy reflecting on what I had written in those drafts, and I plan to do that again this year for all the drafts I saved over the last year. Funny thing is, while I didn't actually post that often, I saved a bunch of drafts (16, for the record, though a few of them are just titles without any body), and a lot of them are pretty well developed. I'm not gonna get into that now, but I promise you, dear readers, I will post them sometime in the future.
You know, I've encountered some reasonably good fortune lately. Nothing huge, just little things that make me happy... which makes me a little uneasy, frankly. I get the feeling that I'm on the precipice of some Great Disaster. Maybe it's just the season... we are in that nebulous early September void of not-quite-summer-but-not-quite-fall, and I've never been a fan of this time of year. Still, when things go reasonably well for long enough, you start to wonder when everything is gonna explode. I just hope it waits till after the Scars of Mirrodin prerelease this weekend.
I'm getting a little sick of OK Go and their gimmicky music videos. The treadmill thing was cool and innovative, and then they one-upped themselves with that Rube Goldberg machine video, but the song for that video wasn't even particularly good. Now they've got some thing with buckets and dogs doing tricks or something... the novelty of your novelty music videos is starting to wear off, guys. I feel like you're grasping at straws here. Just make a normal music video for once. You can do something cool, creative, and funny without making it look like a talent show audition. Maybe, I dunno, try and tell a story. That's the beauty of the music video format; you can use the song to provide the backdrop for a visual story, or use the video to illustrate the story of the song. I feel like doing stupid human (or pet) tricks with a song playing in the background is almost a waste of space. So there's my two cents on that.
This may be nothing more than a placeholder blog until I can get something real going, but I said I was gonna let this blog write itself, and that's exactly what I did. I hear that's what professional authors do too, and now you know exactly why I'm not a professional author. At any rate, I hope you enjoyed this little nugget, and just remember: if you want me to post something here, just pester me about it. I'll get it done eventually.
About a month ago, Andrew Timm informed me that I had not posted a blog in quite some time. I was quite aware of this little fact, but I also figured no one really cared either, so I would just get around to it when I felt like it. Truth be told, it was encouraging to know that someone out there actually wanted to hear more of what I have to say, whatever that may be, so I vowed to write a new blog as soon as I got the inspiration.
Well, inspiration is in short supply these days, so since then I haven't actually posted anything. I mulled a few possibilities, but nothing ever seemed to really amount to all that much, so I never made any formal attempts at blogging. And then, after several terrible games of Starcraft 2 with Andrew Clark, I suddenly felt almost inspired. It was then that I realized that my inspiration, as I've said before, does not actually come from dealing with girls, it comes from being pissed off (I just usually happen to get pissed off as a by-product of dealing with girls). Andrew informed me following those games that he was going to post a blog, and encouraged me to do so as well. Thus, the smoldering ashes of Starcraft defeat have been reignited by the coals of indignance and have burst forth into the glorious flame of bloggery.
If you recall, last year I posted a Deleted Scenes blog; a collection of drafts that, for whatever reason, I didn't feel were good enough to actually be posted as or in a blog. I did enjoy reflecting on what I had written in those drafts, and I plan to do that again this year for all the drafts I saved over the last year. Funny thing is, while I didn't actually post that often, I saved a bunch of drafts (16, for the record, though a few of them are just titles without any body), and a lot of them are pretty well developed. I'm not gonna get into that now, but I promise you, dear readers, I will post them sometime in the future.
You know, I've encountered some reasonably good fortune lately. Nothing huge, just little things that make me happy... which makes me a little uneasy, frankly. I get the feeling that I'm on the precipice of some Great Disaster. Maybe it's just the season... we are in that nebulous early September void of not-quite-summer-but-not-quite-fall, and I've never been a fan of this time of year. Still, when things go reasonably well for long enough, you start to wonder when everything is gonna explode. I just hope it waits till after the Scars of Mirrodin prerelease this weekend.
I'm getting a little sick of OK Go and their gimmicky music videos. The treadmill thing was cool and innovative, and then they one-upped themselves with that Rube Goldberg machine video, but the song for that video wasn't even particularly good. Now they've got some thing with buckets and dogs doing tricks or something... the novelty of your novelty music videos is starting to wear off, guys. I feel like you're grasping at straws here. Just make a normal music video for once. You can do something cool, creative, and funny without making it look like a talent show audition. Maybe, I dunno, try and tell a story. That's the beauty of the music video format; you can use the song to provide the backdrop for a visual story, or use the video to illustrate the story of the song. I feel like doing stupid human (or pet) tricks with a song playing in the background is almost a waste of space. So there's my two cents on that.
This may be nothing more than a placeholder blog until I can get something real going, but I said I was gonna let this blog write itself, and that's exactly what I did. I hear that's what professional authors do too, and now you know exactly why I'm not a professional author. At any rate, I hope you enjoyed this little nugget, and just remember: if you want me to post something here, just pester me about it. I'll get it done eventually.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Late Night Drivel
Tonight feels like a night for blogging. I don't have much to say, exactly, but since no one else is saying anything at all, I might as well throw my voice out into the void. I guess it's better than sitting here and watching How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days by myself. I hear it's one of those chick flicks that guys like too (hopefully it's like 27 Dresses, I quite enjoyed that movie)... whatever the case, Dr. Jess recommended it to me on the long and perilous drive back from Smith Mountain Lake back in May (or maybe it was on the way there, I don't remember), so I'll check it out sooner or later. Just not tonight.
It is bloody hot outside and we don't have air conditioning, which makes our house a veritable incinerator. Even at night when it's reasonably cool outside, our house for some reason holds the heat in like a champ. It's like the inferno factor on steroids.
I briefly considered going on a rant about some of the things that bother me, but I don't have the heart. I'd say it's probably the heat, but this has been an ongoing problem, so I don't think I can blame it entirely on the heat. Ranting is just so ineffectual, especially these days.
I almost decided not to post this, just to save it as a draft and maybe come back to it later. Then I realized that's what I do almost every time I come to this page. My blog has mutated from a place where I post my thoughts into a crypt full of half-finished ideas and things I'm just afraid to say to the general public. I've got probably four or five drafts that I spent a good amount of time working on, only to abandon because I couldn't quite figure out how to get across what I was trying to say, or because I realized what I was saying was too personal, or just because whatever I was talking about was ultimately inconsequential. But not tonight. Tonight, this post gets published, inconsequential or otherwise.
I guess I haven't really said much of anything here, but at least stopping by gave me something to do for a little while. I won't bother notifying the Facebook world of this post, since the people who follow this blog will probably find it regardless, and the people who don't probably wouldn't read it anyway. Nevertheless, here it is, a hearty reward ("ha," he said, indicating sarcasm) for those of you dilligent enough to seek it out. It does feel a little cooler in here now. And you know what? I think I will watch that movie tonight.
It is bloody hot outside and we don't have air conditioning, which makes our house a veritable incinerator. Even at night when it's reasonably cool outside, our house for some reason holds the heat in like a champ. It's like the inferno factor on steroids.
I briefly considered going on a rant about some of the things that bother me, but I don't have the heart. I'd say it's probably the heat, but this has been an ongoing problem, so I don't think I can blame it entirely on the heat. Ranting is just so ineffectual, especially these days.
I almost decided not to post this, just to save it as a draft and maybe come back to it later. Then I realized that's what I do almost every time I come to this page. My blog has mutated from a place where I post my thoughts into a crypt full of half-finished ideas and things I'm just afraid to say to the general public. I've got probably four or five drafts that I spent a good amount of time working on, only to abandon because I couldn't quite figure out how to get across what I was trying to say, or because I realized what I was saying was too personal, or just because whatever I was talking about was ultimately inconsequential. But not tonight. Tonight, this post gets published, inconsequential or otherwise.
I guess I haven't really said much of anything here, but at least stopping by gave me something to do for a little while. I won't bother notifying the Facebook world of this post, since the people who follow this blog will probably find it regardless, and the people who don't probably wouldn't read it anyway. Nevertheless, here it is, a hearty reward ("ha," he said, indicating sarcasm) for those of you dilligent enough to seek it out. It does feel a little cooler in here now. And you know what? I think I will watch that movie tonight.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
A NOVEL Idea
I guess I could start a lot of these posts with "I was talking to Andrew..." and this one right here is no exception. I was looking for something novel to do, and he suggested writing a blog, so I told him to think of a topic and I would write about it. His suggestion was to write about the top 5 best books I've ever read. Novel indeed.
GET IT?!
So here we go. Enjoy the irony of a post about books being the first one to feature pictures.
6. The Firm by John Grisham
Okay, I said it would be top 5, but I couldn't leave this one off the list. John Grisham's books are somewhat formulaic (most of them are about lawyers, and a good portion of those are about lawyers who live in the deep south), which I suppose keeps them from being literary classics, but hey, he's good at what he does. The Firm was great fun to read, full of intrigue, suspense, and even action. Who knew a book about a lawyer could be so intense? A favorite of mine since high school, it's John Grisham at his finest.
Oh and I know the movie is never as good as the book, but seriously, the movie was utter garbage. They took a spectacular story, notched the pacing down by about 500%, removed most of the exciting parts, and then took a huge dump all over the ending. Never ever watch it.
5. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
Richard Matheson is a master of creepy sci-fi stories, and his vision of a post-apocalyptic world overrun by vampire zombies is chilling. I'd say I couldn't put it down, but I read it entirely as an e-book (and I can't stand e-books, so there you have it), so I'll just say I couldn't tear my eyes off the computer screen until the wee hours of the morning. As Robert Neville wanders the earth alone, slowly eliminating the vampire scourge while they rest, you see not only the story of his current exploits, but also a look into his past. What's really haunting about the book is Neville's emotional vulnerability, revealed through memories triggered by formerly familiar things and people. I'm gonna touch on the movie again here; the Will Smith version wasn't bad, but it wasn't anywhere near as good as the book, and it was almost completely different. If you've seen that movie (and I'd wager you probably have), I would highly recommend reading the book so you can experience the overall difference in tone between the two.
4. Interstellar Pig by William Sleator
Yeah yeah, it's a kids' book. Whatever. A kid named Barney goes on a boring vacation with his parents, but when he meets three strangers from the beach house next door, they introduce him to a surreal space-themed board game called Interstellar Pig, which takes quite a few unexpected turns. It's a great mystery with a fantastic conclusion. The outlandish characters come to life thanks to the vivid description of the imaginative William Sleator. I wish they'd make a movie out of it, or better yet, a board game inspired by the one in the book. If you ever read this book, I'd also recommend the sequel, Parasite Pig, which was published 18 years after Interstellar Pig. It answers some of the questions left at the end of the first book without sacrificing the integrity of the storyline as a whole, while introducing new characters, locations, and layers to the story.
3. Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein
This is a great story about a space marine fighting in a war against evil alien bugs, but that's not even the best thing about Starship Troopers. The best thing is way the book's settings and characters serve to illustrate points about the nature of war, military forces, personal honor and integrity, and various political themes, virtually all of which are spot-on. Much of the novel is spent on Johnnie Rico's backstory and his training as a member of the Mobile Infantry, and you witness his transition from enlisted man to commanding officer as his character progresses and develops. Similar to I Am Legend, the book is so much deeper and thematically and tonally different than the movie, and I figure the ratio of people who saw the movie to people who read the book is about the same. If you haven't read this book, go do so.
2. Watchmen by Alan Moore
The chief reason this isn't #1 is because it's technically not a book (for those of you who live under a rock, it's a graphic novel). There's so much I could say about Watchmen that to try to describe it in any amount of detail without analyzing it fully would feel like an injustice, but I will say this: the story is phenomenal; the mystery is compelling; the characters personify human thought processes, emotions, and struggles; and the themes are incredibly thought-provoking. There are many interpretations as to what the true meaning behind the tale is, and that's part of the beauty of it; it can mean any number of things to any number of people. It's almost like a worldview litmus test, depending on which characters you thought were right and which characters you thought were wrong. I can't tell you how many hours I've spent discussing the different themes of the story and picking apart the motivations of different characters. Not all of it may be completely edifying, but there is a lot of truth to be found in this book (and I do believe it warrants that title) and its presentation of how things are, how things could be, and how things should be.
1. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
It was tough for me to pick one book that stands out among all the rest as the best, but when I thought about it, I couldn't give that title to any other book. I was introduced to The Outsiders as required reading in 8th grade, and it was one of those transcendent experiences in English class where you actually really like the book that you're being forced to read. I liked it so much, in fact, that on a weekend in 12th grade when I was supposed to be reading through Heart of Darkness, I read The Outsiders instead. I've loved it for so long now that giving any other book the top honor would feel like stabbing an old friend in the back.
The Outsiders, set in the 1960s, is, in the broad sense, a commentary on social stratification (upper class vs. lower class, or Socs vs. Greasers, respectively). Specifically, it's a story about a young Greaser named Ponyboy who, after facing a series of trials, learns a few things about the nature of life. The book demonstrates that, Greaser or Soc (pronounced "so-sh," as in "social"), we're all human and we all deal with similar struggles. My favorite thing about it, though, is how it shows that the most unlikely candidates can become heroes, and that appearances and personas can and do effectively hide a person's true character. It exemplifies courage, camaraderie, sacrifice, and instructs us that no matter how much or how little we have, we shouldn't take any of it for granted. Ultimately, it's a very encouraging and powerful book.
So there you have it: my 5* favorite books. I hope you've enjoyed this foray into my literary tastes. And if nothing else, at least it gives me a post so the month of June won't go entirely bare.
GET IT?!
So here we go. Enjoy the irony of a post about books being the first one to feature pictures.
6. The Firm by John Grisham
Okay, I said it would be top 5, but I couldn't leave this one off the list. John Grisham's books are somewhat formulaic (most of them are about lawyers, and a good portion of those are about lawyers who live in the deep south), which I suppose keeps them from being literary classics, but hey, he's good at what he does. The Firm was great fun to read, full of intrigue, suspense, and even action. Who knew a book about a lawyer could be so intense? A favorite of mine since high school, it's John Grisham at his finest.
Oh and I know the movie is never as good as the book, but seriously, the movie was utter garbage. They took a spectacular story, notched the pacing down by about 500%, removed most of the exciting parts, and then took a huge dump all over the ending. Never ever watch it.
5. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
Richard Matheson is a master of creepy sci-fi stories, and his vision of a post-apocalyptic world overrun by vampire zombies is chilling. I'd say I couldn't put it down, but I read it entirely as an e-book (and I can't stand e-books, so there you have it), so I'll just say I couldn't tear my eyes off the computer screen until the wee hours of the morning. As Robert Neville wanders the earth alone, slowly eliminating the vampire scourge while they rest, you see not only the story of his current exploits, but also a look into his past. What's really haunting about the book is Neville's emotional vulnerability, revealed through memories triggered by formerly familiar things and people. I'm gonna touch on the movie again here; the Will Smith version wasn't bad, but it wasn't anywhere near as good as the book, and it was almost completely different. If you've seen that movie (and I'd wager you probably have), I would highly recommend reading the book so you can experience the overall difference in tone between the two.
4. Interstellar Pig by William Sleator
Yeah yeah, it's a kids' book. Whatever. A kid named Barney goes on a boring vacation with his parents, but when he meets three strangers from the beach house next door, they introduce him to a surreal space-themed board game called Interstellar Pig, which takes quite a few unexpected turns. It's a great mystery with a fantastic conclusion. The outlandish characters come to life thanks to the vivid description of the imaginative William Sleator. I wish they'd make a movie out of it, or better yet, a board game inspired by the one in the book. If you ever read this book, I'd also recommend the sequel, Parasite Pig, which was published 18 years after Interstellar Pig. It answers some of the questions left at the end of the first book without sacrificing the integrity of the storyline as a whole, while introducing new characters, locations, and layers to the story.
3. Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein
This is a great story about a space marine fighting in a war against evil alien bugs, but that's not even the best thing about Starship Troopers. The best thing is way the book's settings and characters serve to illustrate points about the nature of war, military forces, personal honor and integrity, and various political themes, virtually all of which are spot-on. Much of the novel is spent on Johnnie Rico's backstory and his training as a member of the Mobile Infantry, and you witness his transition from enlisted man to commanding officer as his character progresses and develops. Similar to I Am Legend, the book is so much deeper and thematically and tonally different than the movie, and I figure the ratio of people who saw the movie to people who read the book is about the same. If you haven't read this book, go do so.
2. Watchmen by Alan Moore
The chief reason this isn't #1 is because it's technically not a book (for those of you who live under a rock, it's a graphic novel). There's so much I could say about Watchmen that to try to describe it in any amount of detail without analyzing it fully would feel like an injustice, but I will say this: the story is phenomenal; the mystery is compelling; the characters personify human thought processes, emotions, and struggles; and the themes are incredibly thought-provoking. There are many interpretations as to what the true meaning behind the tale is, and that's part of the beauty of it; it can mean any number of things to any number of people. It's almost like a worldview litmus test, depending on which characters you thought were right and which characters you thought were wrong. I can't tell you how many hours I've spent discussing the different themes of the story and picking apart the motivations of different characters. Not all of it may be completely edifying, but there is a lot of truth to be found in this book (and I do believe it warrants that title) and its presentation of how things are, how things could be, and how things should be.
1. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
It was tough for me to pick one book that stands out among all the rest as the best, but when I thought about it, I couldn't give that title to any other book. I was introduced to The Outsiders as required reading in 8th grade, and it was one of those transcendent experiences in English class where you actually really like the book that you're being forced to read. I liked it so much, in fact, that on a weekend in 12th grade when I was supposed to be reading through Heart of Darkness, I read The Outsiders instead. I've loved it for so long now that giving any other book the top honor would feel like stabbing an old friend in the back.
The Outsiders, set in the 1960s, is, in the broad sense, a commentary on social stratification (upper class vs. lower class, or Socs vs. Greasers, respectively). Specifically, it's a story about a young Greaser named Ponyboy who, after facing a series of trials, learns a few things about the nature of life. The book demonstrates that, Greaser or Soc (pronounced "so-sh," as in "social"), we're all human and we all deal with similar struggles. My favorite thing about it, though, is how it shows that the most unlikely candidates can become heroes, and that appearances and personas can and do effectively hide a person's true character. It exemplifies courage, camaraderie, sacrifice, and instructs us that no matter how much or how little we have, we shouldn't take any of it for granted. Ultimately, it's a very encouraging and powerful book.
So there you have it: my 5* favorite books. I hope you've enjoyed this foray into my literary tastes. And if nothing else, at least it gives me a post so the month of June won't go entirely bare.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Holy MacLaren's
Tonight, as I do a few times every week, I sat unraveling the secrets of the universe with Andrew Clark. A thought popped into my head that I thought could work in a blog, and since the blog has been rather dry lately, I decided I might expound upon that thought right here for all of you wonderful ladies and gentlemen to read. I started writing, and I didn't like what came out, so I was about ready to call it quits (I'll have you know that I've started about three different posts in the last couple weeks, only to have them all crash and burn in a similar fashion). I expressed my frustration to Master Clark, at which time he welcomed me to the wonderful world of writing and told me to just beat myself into submission. Thus, here I am, pounding this out, for better or worse.
305. Now that was a room. I can't even count the number of hours I spent there during the first three years of my college experience, playing video games, watching movies, having nigh-meaningless discussions or earth-rending arguments, and launching into rants that would ignite the mellowest hearts in a virulent frenzy of irritated fervor. Actually, concerning the latter, 305 was where the Billcast was dubbed as such, due to my tendency to burst into the room and start griping vigorously about whatever happened to be bothering me at the moment. Sometimes we'd sit there long after we should have all gone to bed, with all the lights off (since all the residents of the room had actually been planning on going to bed), discussing the real stuff of life, which usually revolved around two central things: God and women. Sometimes we'd argue about the most extravagant absurdities, like whether Darth Vader or Sephiroth was more bad-a (this is an obvious choice, and anyone who goes for the namby-pamby, I-wish-I-was-a-girl, anime style villain from Final Fantasy VII has clearly taken a tumble from his rocker). There were times when something funny would be said or done, and we would all explode into laughter that wouldn't cease for a good fifteen minutes (HA HA HA). We had rock-offs in Guitar Hero, I one day miraculously became unbeatable at Puzzle Fighter, and we sat through many an episode of Friends. We even once watched an episode of Pokemon that gave several hundred Japanese kids seizures, and filmed ourselves doing so in case any of us fell victim.
Well that was a nice stroll down memory lane, and I'm sure I could come up with many more things to add to that list if I tried, but what of it? Well friends, what Andrew and I realized earlier was that 305 was like the MacLaren's of 22-3. It was a place where our group of friends could congregate every day and, if nothing else, just enjoy each other's company, just like Ted, Marshall, Lily, Barney, and Robin do at MacLaren's on How I Met Your Mother (great show, by the way. If you don't watch it, you are wrong). Unfortunately, now that college is over and we've all moved off 22-3, we don't have that luxury anymore. We're all split up in different parts of the continent (although we're all still on the east coast, for now, aside from that crazy Canadian who forced me to say "continent" instead of "country"), and we can't get together even on a semi-regular basis. The reunions thus far have been few and far between, and I know it will only get worse as time drags on and our lives get more and more complicated. After mulling this over for a bit, Andrew said "I wonder if life will ever be that way again."
Nope.
That sucks, doesn't it? I mean, maybe we'll develop a new routine with new friends, where we get together regularly to hang out after work and gripe about the "real world" and all its struggles, but the sad truth is that we'll rarely, if ever, have that same group of friends all together at one time, and we won't be able to just stop into 305 on a whim ever again. From here until the end of life as we know it, I won't be seeing much of my best friends anymore.
And then a thought struck me. "Until the end of life as we know it..." Well, the good news is, after life as we know it, we all get to chill in Heaven for the rest of eternity. And maybe there will be a 305 in Heaven, where we can all go when we get tired of singing hymns, as Kevin Dail would have us believe. And that, good people of earth, is an encouraging thought. I don't even need a mansion, just give me a recreation of 22-3, and I'd be all set. I, for one, wouldn't mind spending eternity in 305.
305. Now that was a room. I can't even count the number of hours I spent there during the first three years of my college experience, playing video games, watching movies, having nigh-meaningless discussions or earth-rending arguments, and launching into rants that would ignite the mellowest hearts in a virulent frenzy of irritated fervor. Actually, concerning the latter, 305 was where the Billcast was dubbed as such, due to my tendency to burst into the room and start griping vigorously about whatever happened to be bothering me at the moment. Sometimes we'd sit there long after we should have all gone to bed, with all the lights off (since all the residents of the room had actually been planning on going to bed), discussing the real stuff of life, which usually revolved around two central things: God and women. Sometimes we'd argue about the most extravagant absurdities, like whether Darth Vader or Sephiroth was more bad-a (this is an obvious choice, and anyone who goes for the namby-pamby, I-wish-I-was-a-girl, anime style villain from Final Fantasy VII has clearly taken a tumble from his rocker). There were times when something funny would be said or done, and we would all explode into laughter that wouldn't cease for a good fifteen minutes (HA HA HA). We had rock-offs in Guitar Hero, I one day miraculously became unbeatable at Puzzle Fighter, and we sat through many an episode of Friends. We even once watched an episode of Pokemon that gave several hundred Japanese kids seizures, and filmed ourselves doing so in case any of us fell victim.
Well that was a nice stroll down memory lane, and I'm sure I could come up with many more things to add to that list if I tried, but what of it? Well friends, what Andrew and I realized earlier was that 305 was like the MacLaren's of 22-3. It was a place where our group of friends could congregate every day and, if nothing else, just enjoy each other's company, just like Ted, Marshall, Lily, Barney, and Robin do at MacLaren's on How I Met Your Mother (great show, by the way. If you don't watch it, you are wrong). Unfortunately, now that college is over and we've all moved off 22-3, we don't have that luxury anymore. We're all split up in different parts of the continent (although we're all still on the east coast, for now, aside from that crazy Canadian who forced me to say "continent" instead of "country"), and we can't get together even on a semi-regular basis. The reunions thus far have been few and far between, and I know it will only get worse as time drags on and our lives get more and more complicated. After mulling this over for a bit, Andrew said "I wonder if life will ever be that way again."
Nope.
That sucks, doesn't it? I mean, maybe we'll develop a new routine with new friends, where we get together regularly to hang out after work and gripe about the "real world" and all its struggles, but the sad truth is that we'll rarely, if ever, have that same group of friends all together at one time, and we won't be able to just stop into 305 on a whim ever again. From here until the end of life as we know it, I won't be seeing much of my best friends anymore.
And then a thought struck me. "Until the end of life as we know it..." Well, the good news is, after life as we know it, we all get to chill in Heaven for the rest of eternity. And maybe there will be a 305 in Heaven, where we can all go when we get tired of singing hymns, as Kevin Dail would have us believe. And that, good people of earth, is an encouraging thought. I don't even need a mansion, just give me a recreation of 22-3, and I'd be all set. I, for one, wouldn't mind spending eternity in 305.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
A Confession, A Confirmation, And A Consideration
What you are about to read may shock you. It's not easy for me to say this, especially in light of the convictions I've espoused over the last few years, and everything I've done to uphold them. But, in the interest of diversity and experimentation, and a deep-seated yearning to explore every aspect of the human experience, I feel my actions were justified. All I ask is that you read this with an open mind, and don't judge me for what I'm about to say.
I watched Batman Begins the other day, and I didn't hate it. Okay, that wasn't hard to say at all. In all honesty, I think it was a pretty friggin cool movie. This was my first viewing of that motion picture since the first time I saw it on DVD in the fall of 2005. I've come to the conclusion that the reason I hated it so much when I first saw it was because I was under the faulty impression that it was boring, due to the fact that I was falling asleep the entire time I watched it. I have, several times since then in fact, suspected that the movie was not actually boring, but that I was simply too tired to stay awake for the duration. When my 5 year old brother, who has been on a Batman kick recently, requested to watch it, I, wide awake, decided to give the movie another chance and sit down and watch it with him. Frankly, I was riveted. Granted, it's no Spider-Man 2, but it was a cool movie in its own right, and definitely worthy of being a setup to the masterpiece that was The Dark Knight. I suppose my biggest gripe with it (aside from the ninja training, which I don't think I'll ever accept) was the fact that it was a little too drawn out, and the villains lacked substance. On its own, it's okay, but I think it's best viewed as a feature-length introduction to The Dark Knight, and honestly, I'm fine with that.
On to the next item of business: I can confirm that that rumors you may have heard are true. I will be in Virginia from May 6th to May 16th. Sean and Becca are getting married on May 8th in Fairfax, and naturally there's no way I would miss that. Of course, I could always just skip town after the wedding and head back up to New York, but you all know that's not how I roll. Thus, I'll be in Lynchburg for the last remaining days of the semester, and I'll be leaving the day after graduation. Needless to say, I'm pretty excited, both at the prospect of seeing two good friends receive their license to get it on, and at the opportunity to spend another week in Lynchburg before I more than likely never go back.
It does weird me out a little bit though. For one thing, I was supposed to be getting my Masters Degree at this upcoming commencement ceremony, but, with things the way they are, I'll just be watching from the stands. In truth, I'm not all that disappointed; I never really did see myself getting that degree anyway. The thing that really freaks me out though is that the kids who were freshmen when I was a junior are now graduating seniors. All those weird guys that descended on 22-3 while my mind was clouded with other things are about to be college graduates. This makes me feel old. And what's worse, time is not slowing down. Quite the contrary, in fact; it goes by more quickly now than ever. I'm 23 years old and I'm afraid the best days of my life are over. Nay, afraid is not quite the right term; "fairly certain" is a much better way of putting it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not grumbling about my current circumstances (I'll save that for another post when I'm in a bad mood), I'm just acknowledging that my life has reached a stage with which I am not all that pleased, and there's nothing I can do about it because you can't rewind time. I'm not sure that I'd want to rewind time even if I could though. I'd probably screw more things up than anything else.
I guess that's the best I can do with what's rattling around in my head right now. I find lately that it's getting harder and harder to nail down exactly what it is I want to say. Usually I've got one or two overarching themes that branch out into numerous subthemes with their own motifs and nuances, but it's hard to wrangle them all into one cohesive post without venturing into ramble territory. Maybe I'm just getting senile.
I watched Batman Begins the other day, and I didn't hate it. Okay, that wasn't hard to say at all. In all honesty, I think it was a pretty friggin cool movie. This was my first viewing of that motion picture since the first time I saw it on DVD in the fall of 2005. I've come to the conclusion that the reason I hated it so much when I first saw it was because I was under the faulty impression that it was boring, due to the fact that I was falling asleep the entire time I watched it. I have, several times since then in fact, suspected that the movie was not actually boring, but that I was simply too tired to stay awake for the duration. When my 5 year old brother, who has been on a Batman kick recently, requested to watch it, I, wide awake, decided to give the movie another chance and sit down and watch it with him. Frankly, I was riveted. Granted, it's no Spider-Man 2, but it was a cool movie in its own right, and definitely worthy of being a setup to the masterpiece that was The Dark Knight. I suppose my biggest gripe with it (aside from the ninja training, which I don't think I'll ever accept) was the fact that it was a little too drawn out, and the villains lacked substance. On its own, it's okay, but I think it's best viewed as a feature-length introduction to The Dark Knight, and honestly, I'm fine with that.
On to the next item of business: I can confirm that that rumors you may have heard are true. I will be in Virginia from May 6th to May 16th. Sean and Becca are getting married on May 8th in Fairfax, and naturally there's no way I would miss that. Of course, I could always just skip town after the wedding and head back up to New York, but you all know that's not how I roll. Thus, I'll be in Lynchburg for the last remaining days of the semester, and I'll be leaving the day after graduation. Needless to say, I'm pretty excited, both at the prospect of seeing two good friends receive their license to get it on, and at the opportunity to spend another week in Lynchburg before I more than likely never go back.
It does weird me out a little bit though. For one thing, I was supposed to be getting my Masters Degree at this upcoming commencement ceremony, but, with things the way they are, I'll just be watching from the stands. In truth, I'm not all that disappointed; I never really did see myself getting that degree anyway. The thing that really freaks me out though is that the kids who were freshmen when I was a junior are now graduating seniors. All those weird guys that descended on 22-3 while my mind was clouded with other things are about to be college graduates. This makes me feel old. And what's worse, time is not slowing down. Quite the contrary, in fact; it goes by more quickly now than ever. I'm 23 years old and I'm afraid the best days of my life are over. Nay, afraid is not quite the right term; "fairly certain" is a much better way of putting it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not grumbling about my current circumstances (I'll save that for another post when I'm in a bad mood), I'm just acknowledging that my life has reached a stage with which I am not all that pleased, and there's nothing I can do about it because you can't rewind time. I'm not sure that I'd want to rewind time even if I could though. I'd probably screw more things up than anything else.
I guess that's the best I can do with what's rattling around in my head right now. I find lately that it's getting harder and harder to nail down exactly what it is I want to say. Usually I've got one or two overarching themes that branch out into numerous subthemes with their own motifs and nuances, but it's hard to wrangle them all into one cohesive post without venturing into ramble territory. Maybe I'm just getting senile.
Monday, April 12, 2010
I'M DONE WITH THIS
I was notified earlier this evening that one of the greatest sports franchises in the history of athletic competition had just played its last game. At this point, details are scarce, but one thing is certain: Unauthorized volleyball is no more.
We were never very good, at least not while I was on the team, but that wasn't a huge problem for me. It was a rather unusual circumstance, because typically, in any sport/game/contest/challenge, as far as I'm concerned, winning is everything. I suppose being smacked in the face by the fact that you suck quite hard changes one's outlook on that kind of thing. After I realized we weren't ever really going to be all that good (a realization that came during our first game in the Fall of 2005), it became less about winning and more about just having a good time playing volleyball with my friends.
I reference the Fall semester 0f 2005 as the first semester of Unauthorized volleyball, but technically speaking it was the second. Alas, I was not a founding member of the team when it received its name, but as far as I'm concerned, that iteration of the team was only a precursor, a preview, a prophecy of the glory that was to come in the following years. Interestingly enough, that very first semester (Fall '04) yielded a team much more skilled than the team of the golden age, and in a similar fashion, the team in its final year (Fall '09 - Spring '10) was likewise much better than any of the middle years. In fact, the Fall '04 team fluked its way into the championship game (and lost), a feat that was never repeated. But the Fall '04 semester was Unauthorized in name only; the true legacy began the following year under the guidance of Ryan Trammell.
That year was a very interesting one, on and off the court, largely due to the drama that follows you around like a stormy cloud whenever you get yourself involved with one or more women. All drama aside, though, it was a great experience. For starters, I crafted my signature move, the Dragon Fist, during our long, hard practice sessions on the grainy courts of David's Place. Our first-ever victory came on Halloween in 2005, something like 8 games into the 13-or-so game season. For that special occasion (Halloween, that is, not the unforeseeable win), we all arrived at the game dressed in costumes and played with as much of our costumes on as we comfortably could (I, for instance, came as the Phantom of the Opera, which was not befitting of a volleyball game; thus, I took off my coat, cape, and mask, and was then mistaken for a Mormon missionary). The Fall '05 semester also saw the creation of the legendary Unauthorized shirts, which were painstakingly hand-drawn one CFAW weekend in November so that we could wear them for the playoffs a couple weeks later.
After undergoing a change in leadership between semesters, Unauthorized returned to the Liberty IMS scene in the Spring of 2006 with Danny Latin as the captain. It was during this semester that we discovered the mystical power of the Underoath DVD. After we discovered how awesome the Underoath DVD was, we decided that watching it before games would be a good way to get ourselves pumped up. The guys on the team (which, at that point, were myself, Danny Latin, Andrew Clark, Jamie Newman, Phil Worthington, and Ryan, who would come whenever he wasn't working) did just that before a game during the middle of the Spring '06 season, and lo and behold, we emerged from that game with a win under our belts. We decided to watch it again before the next game, and yet again, we won. I think we got three or four wins in a row this way, but ultimately the Underoath DVD lost its magical charm. Still, it gave us a bunch of awesome phrases to use during the games. One of our favorites, "I'M DONE WITH THIS," perfectly encapsulated the end of that season. One of the girls on our team, Apryl, had a bad habit of using her feet to hit the ball instead of her arms. During a playoff game (the second one, I think), it was game point for the other team, and the ball went out of bounds a few feet. It was still easily retrievable, and Apryl went after it, but instead of bumping the ball back into play, she decided to give it a good kick. The ball went flying off into the distance. I'M DONE WITH THIS. Season over.
In my mind, the '05-'06 school year was the definitive year of Unauthorized volleyball. We were worse that year than any other, but that was the only year all the core players were on the team both semesters. There was a hiatus during the '06-'07 school year for lack of girls, but thanks to Vanessa, we got a few girls together for the following year and Unauthorized was reborn. By that point, Danny Latin had already defected to Dann McGavisk's team (due to the year-long absence of Unauthorized), and the Fall '07 semester was one of the wackiest in history (which stands to reason, as I had taken up the mantle of team captain). Andrew Clark was back and Aaron Goslar and Corey McCoy had joined the team, but Ryan was gone and Jamie was only there intermittently, since he was on a ministry team and was often off with them doing ministry gigs to benefit the youth of America. Probably the most historic addition to the team in that semester was one Miss Jessica Bowman, not only because she was one of the most reliable girls the team had ever seen (and, for the record, one of the very few girls I would actually consider a good friend), but also since she would change the relationship metagame not long afterwards.
During the Fall '07 semester, we would use a bunch of random phrases for our team cheers (for example: "Nut-butts on 3 - 1, 2, 3, NUT-BUTTS!") after time-outs and at the end of games (we never used a single phrase more than once, in fact), but we never used the team name as one of those cheers until after our very last game. In addition, that was the semester that Coach Bill's 3 P's of Volleyball were introduced. Unfortunately, I can't for the life of me remember what the first two P's were; as far as I know, the only one anyone remembers is the third P, P-move, which was mentioned because many times people would stand still on the court and not make much of an effort to actually get to the ball, a habit that irritated the heck outta me. The Spring '08 semester witnessed not only the return of Ryan Trammell, but also Danny Latin, who, while returning to his volleyball roots, helped kill off the random phrase cheer. He also made our team a lot better, so I can't really complain, and in truth, it was rather silly.
The '08-'09 school year didn't see any major shifts in the paradigm of the team. The remaining core members, myself and Danny Latin, recruited some new girls, and our team improved in skill, but still stayed true to its roots of being pretty bad and having a good time with it. We also managed to get Phil Worthington back on the team after two-and-a-half years, and in the Spring semester we were finally able to enlist the aid of Aaron Crawford. We weren't nearly as unhinged as we had been the year before, but we were actually starting to shape up into a half-decent team. Plus, for the first time ever, we had fans. A real, live, honest-to-goodness cheering section came to watch us play on more than one occasion. Friends from our dorm and sister dorm actually came multiple times to root for us, an unprecedented scenario in the history of Unauthorized volleyball. And, in what would, unbeknownst to me, be my last semester on the team, the Dragon Fist finally, and for perhaps the only time ever, performed a useful function in a game. One of the former club team players had his own team, and he had a nasty serve. I was playing in the back middle, and his diving line drive serve was coming right at me. I instinctively threw the Dragon Fist up in front of my face and watched as, in slow motion, the ball skimmed just over the top of the net, then lasered downward without warning, right underneath the stomach of the server as he dove to try and save it. His wide-eyed expression at so sudden a return of one of his formerly indomitable serves was one of the most fulfilling things I ever witnessed in a volleyball game.
I suppose that's where my input on the matter ends. My last intramural volleyball game was against our bitter rivals, the Spartans (the second incarnation of Dann McGavisk's team). They were a very good team, but we gave them a game, losing by only a few points each time. I think that was the best I've ever seen our team play together, and I was not ashamed in the least. In fact, I can't think of a more appropriate way I could have ended my run as captain of Unauthorized. When I didn't come back to Liberty at the beginning of this year, Danny Latin took over as captain, but he was the last core member left. Jess and Phil were still on the team, and they recruited some new girls who were actually quite good, which was, as far as I'm concerned, total culture shock for Unauthorized. But like I said, I wasn't there (I did see a few games when I visited in the Fall, and I can confirm that they were very good, but that's about all I saw), so I don't have much to say on the matter. I do know, though, that being a good team was never one of Unauthorized's characteristics, so it would have been a little weird for me had I been there. Nevertheless, it would have been pretty cool, and I'm glad they carried on the legacy and actually made progress with the team.
Unfortunately, now the season is over, and with its passing, so too passes the legacy of Unauthorized. I guess this is something of an extended obituary for the team, and I guess this post is also probably meaningless to most, but hopefully I've captured some of the memorable moments for those of us that lived it. I had some great times with some great people during those three years that I played, and though we were never very good, we had a lot of fun together. And now, after reiterating for the thousandth time that I don't know James, and warning everyone not to swim with gators or sharks, I can say with finality:
I'M DONE WITH THIS.
We were never very good, at least not while I was on the team, but that wasn't a huge problem for me. It was a rather unusual circumstance, because typically, in any sport/game/contest/challenge, as far as I'm concerned, winning is everything. I suppose being smacked in the face by the fact that you suck quite hard changes one's outlook on that kind of thing. After I realized we weren't ever really going to be all that good (a realization that came during our first game in the Fall of 2005), it became less about winning and more about just having a good time playing volleyball with my friends.
I reference the Fall semester 0f 2005 as the first semester of Unauthorized volleyball, but technically speaking it was the second. Alas, I was not a founding member of the team when it received its name, but as far as I'm concerned, that iteration of the team was only a precursor, a preview, a prophecy of the glory that was to come in the following years. Interestingly enough, that very first semester (Fall '04) yielded a team much more skilled than the team of the golden age, and in a similar fashion, the team in its final year (Fall '09 - Spring '10) was likewise much better than any of the middle years. In fact, the Fall '04 team fluked its way into the championship game (and lost), a feat that was never repeated. But the Fall '04 semester was Unauthorized in name only; the true legacy began the following year under the guidance of Ryan Trammell.
That year was a very interesting one, on and off the court, largely due to the drama that follows you around like a stormy cloud whenever you get yourself involved with one or more women. All drama aside, though, it was a great experience. For starters, I crafted my signature move, the Dragon Fist, during our long, hard practice sessions on the grainy courts of David's Place. Our first-ever victory came on Halloween in 2005, something like 8 games into the 13-or-so game season. For that special occasion (Halloween, that is, not the unforeseeable win), we all arrived at the game dressed in costumes and played with as much of our costumes on as we comfortably could (I, for instance, came as the Phantom of the Opera, which was not befitting of a volleyball game; thus, I took off my coat, cape, and mask, and was then mistaken for a Mormon missionary). The Fall '05 semester also saw the creation of the legendary Unauthorized shirts, which were painstakingly hand-drawn one CFAW weekend in November so that we could wear them for the playoffs a couple weeks later.
After undergoing a change in leadership between semesters, Unauthorized returned to the Liberty IMS scene in the Spring of 2006 with Danny Latin as the captain. It was during this semester that we discovered the mystical power of the Underoath DVD. After we discovered how awesome the Underoath DVD was, we decided that watching it before games would be a good way to get ourselves pumped up. The guys on the team (which, at that point, were myself, Danny Latin, Andrew Clark, Jamie Newman, Phil Worthington, and Ryan, who would come whenever he wasn't working) did just that before a game during the middle of the Spring '06 season, and lo and behold, we emerged from that game with a win under our belts. We decided to watch it again before the next game, and yet again, we won. I think we got three or four wins in a row this way, but ultimately the Underoath DVD lost its magical charm. Still, it gave us a bunch of awesome phrases to use during the games. One of our favorites, "I'M DONE WITH THIS," perfectly encapsulated the end of that season. One of the girls on our team, Apryl, had a bad habit of using her feet to hit the ball instead of her arms. During a playoff game (the second one, I think), it was game point for the other team, and the ball went out of bounds a few feet. It was still easily retrievable, and Apryl went after it, but instead of bumping the ball back into play, she decided to give it a good kick. The ball went flying off into the distance. I'M DONE WITH THIS. Season over.
In my mind, the '05-'06 school year was the definitive year of Unauthorized volleyball. We were worse that year than any other, but that was the only year all the core players were on the team both semesters. There was a hiatus during the '06-'07 school year for lack of girls, but thanks to Vanessa, we got a few girls together for the following year and Unauthorized was reborn. By that point, Danny Latin had already defected to Dann McGavisk's team (due to the year-long absence of Unauthorized), and the Fall '07 semester was one of the wackiest in history (which stands to reason, as I had taken up the mantle of team captain). Andrew Clark was back and Aaron Goslar and Corey McCoy had joined the team, but Ryan was gone and Jamie was only there intermittently, since he was on a ministry team and was often off with them doing ministry gigs to benefit the youth of America. Probably the most historic addition to the team in that semester was one Miss Jessica Bowman, not only because she was one of the most reliable girls the team had ever seen (and, for the record, one of the very few girls I would actually consider a good friend), but also since she would change the relationship metagame not long afterwards.
During the Fall '07 semester, we would use a bunch of random phrases for our team cheers (for example: "Nut-butts on 3 - 1, 2, 3, NUT-BUTTS!") after time-outs and at the end of games (we never used a single phrase more than once, in fact), but we never used the team name as one of those cheers until after our very last game. In addition, that was the semester that Coach Bill's 3 P's of Volleyball were introduced. Unfortunately, I can't for the life of me remember what the first two P's were; as far as I know, the only one anyone remembers is the third P, P-move, which was mentioned because many times people would stand still on the court and not make much of an effort to actually get to the ball, a habit that irritated the heck outta me. The Spring '08 semester witnessed not only the return of Ryan Trammell, but also Danny Latin, who, while returning to his volleyball roots, helped kill off the random phrase cheer. He also made our team a lot better, so I can't really complain, and in truth, it was rather silly.
The '08-'09 school year didn't see any major shifts in the paradigm of the team. The remaining core members, myself and Danny Latin, recruited some new girls, and our team improved in skill, but still stayed true to its roots of being pretty bad and having a good time with it. We also managed to get Phil Worthington back on the team after two-and-a-half years, and in the Spring semester we were finally able to enlist the aid of Aaron Crawford. We weren't nearly as unhinged as we had been the year before, but we were actually starting to shape up into a half-decent team. Plus, for the first time ever, we had fans. A real, live, honest-to-goodness cheering section came to watch us play on more than one occasion. Friends from our dorm and sister dorm actually came multiple times to root for us, an unprecedented scenario in the history of Unauthorized volleyball. And, in what would, unbeknownst to me, be my last semester on the team, the Dragon Fist finally, and for perhaps the only time ever, performed a useful function in a game. One of the former club team players had his own team, and he had a nasty serve. I was playing in the back middle, and his diving line drive serve was coming right at me. I instinctively threw the Dragon Fist up in front of my face and watched as, in slow motion, the ball skimmed just over the top of the net, then lasered downward without warning, right underneath the stomach of the server as he dove to try and save it. His wide-eyed expression at so sudden a return of one of his formerly indomitable serves was one of the most fulfilling things I ever witnessed in a volleyball game.
I suppose that's where my input on the matter ends. My last intramural volleyball game was against our bitter rivals, the Spartans (the second incarnation of Dann McGavisk's team). They were a very good team, but we gave them a game, losing by only a few points each time. I think that was the best I've ever seen our team play together, and I was not ashamed in the least. In fact, I can't think of a more appropriate way I could have ended my run as captain of Unauthorized. When I didn't come back to Liberty at the beginning of this year, Danny Latin took over as captain, but he was the last core member left. Jess and Phil were still on the team, and they recruited some new girls who were actually quite good, which was, as far as I'm concerned, total culture shock for Unauthorized. But like I said, I wasn't there (I did see a few games when I visited in the Fall, and I can confirm that they were very good, but that's about all I saw), so I don't have much to say on the matter. I do know, though, that being a good team was never one of Unauthorized's characteristics, so it would have been a little weird for me had I been there. Nevertheless, it would have been pretty cool, and I'm glad they carried on the legacy and actually made progress with the team.
Unfortunately, now the season is over, and with its passing, so too passes the legacy of Unauthorized. I guess this is something of an extended obituary for the team, and I guess this post is also probably meaningless to most, but hopefully I've captured some of the memorable moments for those of us that lived it. I had some great times with some great people during those three years that I played, and though we were never very good, we had a lot of fun together. And now, after reiterating for the thousandth time that I don't know James, and warning everyone not to swim with gators or sharks, I can say with finality:
I'M DONE WITH THIS.
Monday, February 15, 2010
This Is All Andrew's Fault
As I sit listening to the dull whine of my video camera playing back a tape and sending its digital signal into my computer via firewire cord, I am taken back 365 days to a cataclysmic event; an event which future generations will, no doubt, regard as a turning point in mankind's tumultuous history; a date when the great mysteries of life slowly but surely began to be solved, the answers compiled for the benefit of all the world, leading to a brighter future and a better tomorrow.
So I started my blog a year ago today. This is, naturally, cause for a minor degree of celebration, because I've never kept a blog going for this long before (frankly, it's hard to believe a whole year has gone by since one Andrew Clark finally persuaded me to join his sinister blogging ring).
I also find it poetically fitting that on the birthday of my blog, a faithful sidekick of mine for this first year of bloggery finally went home to be with the Lord. The adapter to my laptop power cord died today, after a seven month fight with internal wire degeneration. Frequent repositioning of the cord and electrical tape therapy helped stave off some of the symptoms of the disease, but the end was inevitable. In a desperate attempt to save the cord's life, Dr. Chris performed an experimental soldering surgical procedure, but alas, the miracle we hoped for was not to be.
It is with a heavy heart that I lay my adapter to rest; this was the adapter that came with the first laptop I ever purchased, the laptop that came to my rescue in a dark hour. It was early October, 2008, just hours before the official start of Fall Break. As I made my way ponderously back from class, anticipating the freedom offered by a long weekend in Damascus, Maryland, little did I know that while I was gone, my beloved desktop had gone into cardiac arrest. It died shortly thereafter of power supply failure, sending a surge of electricity through the entire machine and frying everything in it, rendering it completely unusable. Unfortunately, time stops for no grad student, and I had assignments to finish. It was necessary to purchase a laptop to help me get through the rest of the semester, so after a long and thorough search (aided by the wisdom and car of Danny Latin), I decided on a shiny new Toshiba. At that point, I intended for it to be my primary computer for the rest of the semester, until I could get my desktop fixed. I was unaware, however, that my desktop would have to be completely rebuilt, and because of that, my laptop became a constant companion for the rest of the school year.
The good news is, the laptop itself is not dead. Right now, it's in a medically induced coma, patiently awaiting an adapter transplant. Thanks to the marvels of modern technology, the new adapter should be here within the week, and my laptop will be restored to its vibrant life once more. Fortunately, my deceased desktop has since been rebuilt, and although its original innards are no longer functional, the case still stands as a monument to its four years of selfless service. It is with that desktop that I type this blog. This is as powerful a computing machine as I myself have ever possessed, and it is superb for video editing, but I've grown accustomed to the sleek keys of my laptop, so typing on this mountainous and klackety keyboard feels about as natural as doing calligraphy with a crayon. For that reason, I'm gonna hold off on any more blogs until I get my laptop up and running again, but I wanted make sure I documented this simultaneously joyous and solemn occasion.
Finally, to bring this post full circle, I'd like to give a big shout-out to all the girls out there who make life so utterly, obnoxiously confounding with your irrational, impulsive, emotionally driven disregard for practicality and common sense, and most of all, your impetuous inability to recognize real value, tangible or otherwise. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have nearly as much to write about, so this blog owes you all its deepest thanks.
So I started my blog a year ago today. This is, naturally, cause for a minor degree of celebration, because I've never kept a blog going for this long before (frankly, it's hard to believe a whole year has gone by since one Andrew Clark finally persuaded me to join his sinister blogging ring).
I also find it poetically fitting that on the birthday of my blog, a faithful sidekick of mine for this first year of bloggery finally went home to be with the Lord. The adapter to my laptop power cord died today, after a seven month fight with internal wire degeneration. Frequent repositioning of the cord and electrical tape therapy helped stave off some of the symptoms of the disease, but the end was inevitable. In a desperate attempt to save the cord's life, Dr. Chris performed an experimental soldering surgical procedure, but alas, the miracle we hoped for was not to be.
It is with a heavy heart that I lay my adapter to rest; this was the adapter that came with the first laptop I ever purchased, the laptop that came to my rescue in a dark hour. It was early October, 2008, just hours before the official start of Fall Break. As I made my way ponderously back from class, anticipating the freedom offered by a long weekend in Damascus, Maryland, little did I know that while I was gone, my beloved desktop had gone into cardiac arrest. It died shortly thereafter of power supply failure, sending a surge of electricity through the entire machine and frying everything in it, rendering it completely unusable. Unfortunately, time stops for no grad student, and I had assignments to finish. It was necessary to purchase a laptop to help me get through the rest of the semester, so after a long and thorough search (aided by the wisdom and car of Danny Latin), I decided on a shiny new Toshiba. At that point, I intended for it to be my primary computer for the rest of the semester, until I could get my desktop fixed. I was unaware, however, that my desktop would have to be completely rebuilt, and because of that, my laptop became a constant companion for the rest of the school year.
The good news is, the laptop itself is not dead. Right now, it's in a medically induced coma, patiently awaiting an adapter transplant. Thanks to the marvels of modern technology, the new adapter should be here within the week, and my laptop will be restored to its vibrant life once more. Fortunately, my deceased desktop has since been rebuilt, and although its original innards are no longer functional, the case still stands as a monument to its four years of selfless service. It is with that desktop that I type this blog. This is as powerful a computing machine as I myself have ever possessed, and it is superb for video editing, but I've grown accustomed to the sleek keys of my laptop, so typing on this mountainous and klackety keyboard feels about as natural as doing calligraphy with a crayon. For that reason, I'm gonna hold off on any more blogs until I get my laptop up and running again, but I wanted make sure I documented this simultaneously joyous and solemn occasion.
Finally, to bring this post full circle, I'd like to give a big shout-out to all the girls out there who make life so utterly, obnoxiously confounding with your irrational, impulsive, emotionally driven disregard for practicality and common sense, and most of all, your impetuous inability to recognize real value, tangible or otherwise. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have nearly as much to write about, so this blog owes you all its deepest thanks.
Friday, February 5, 2010
2009 From One Month Removed (With A Foreword By Me)
Foreword:
I seem to have a problem getting posts started because I get bogged down in these long-winded introductory paragraphs that end up going nowhere, and then I abandon said posts with frustration at my inability to concisely express my thoughts.
Well, I solved that problem.
I wanted to start this year with a look back at the year that just passed, but I haven't gotten around to it until just now. Yes, we've already ended one month of the current year, but if you don't like the fact that I'm doing a retrospective in February, you can shove it. This is my blog, and I'll do what I want with it.
So without further ado, I present to you "2009: The Year That Was Last Year." Enjoy.
-Bill
2009 was a dynamic year; a year of firsts and a year of lasts; a year of endings, and a year of beginnings.
Unfortunately, all the beginnings have pretty much sucked so far. But hey, that's life, and I guess life would be pretty bland without a little suck sauce every now and then... that's the secret ingredient that makes the good parts that much better. Anyway, before I wax poetic again, let's get on with the meat of this post.
Truth be told, 2009 was one of the wackiest 365 day periods I've ever experienced in my 23 year tenure as a human. Every year has its ups and downs, but it's not every year that your plans for the rest of your life are thrown completely out of rhythm (thanks, Boyd). Don't get me wrong, I'm not claiming my life has been ruined or that I can't go on to do what it was I had always planned to do (whatever the heck that was). That's why I used "thrown out of rhythm" instead of a more drastic choice of words like "plunged forevermore into the infernal abyss." To paraphrase my man Morpheus in The Matrix Reloaded, I'm still truckin, so it's all good. Still, a lot has changed in my life as a result of the events that transpired in 2009.
Some of these things aren't of monumental significance, and some of them are; either way, I've prepared a bullet point (woo!) list of events and occurrences that I consider distinctive, because I like lists of this nature.
In 2009, I:
I think that hits all the major points. There were a lot of little things I remember about last year that I'd love to mention but weren't really all that momentous, and they'd probably bore you to tears, so I just stuck with this list. Granted, you might not think discovering a TV show is a "major point," but I think How I Met Your Mother has already been woven into the fabric of my memory of 2009, so it was worth a mention to me.
The funny thing is, as far as saying farewell to a year goes, I'll really miss the first half (roughly) of 2009, but the second half was rather suckish, so I'm not sad to see it go in the least. When you compare it to the other year that I might consider the most dynamic year of my life (2006), it's much more linear... 2006 was a veritable roller coaster that went up and down all over the place and pretty much jumped off the tracks near the very end. 2009 was more like one of those free fall rides - way up, then way down really fast. But at least the ride is over.
This is the part where you normally talk about how 2010 is the start of a new year with a clean slate, full of promise and possibilities, but since we're already a month in, I feel like all those sentiments are past their expiration date. Right now things aren't any different than they were at the end of 2009, which doesn't thrill me to pieces, but neither does it leave me upset. The thing is, you never know when fate's gonna come along and pull the rug out from underneath you again, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. It all depends on how you react, how you land, and how you pick yourself up if you just come crashing down.
I seem to have a problem getting posts started because I get bogged down in these long-winded introductory paragraphs that end up going nowhere, and then I abandon said posts with frustration at my inability to concisely express my thoughts.
Well, I solved that problem.
I wanted to start this year with a look back at the year that just passed, but I haven't gotten around to it until just now. Yes, we've already ended one month of the current year, but if you don't like the fact that I'm doing a retrospective in February, you can shove it. This is my blog, and I'll do what I want with it.
So without further ado, I present to you "2009: The Year That Was Last Year." Enjoy.
-Bill
2009 was a dynamic year; a year of firsts and a year of lasts; a year of endings, and a year of beginnings.
Unfortunately, all the beginnings have pretty much sucked so far. But hey, that's life, and I guess life would be pretty bland without a little suck sauce every now and then... that's the secret ingredient that makes the good parts that much better. Anyway, before I wax poetic again, let's get on with the meat of this post.
Truth be told, 2009 was one of the wackiest 365 day periods I've ever experienced in my 23 year tenure as a human. Every year has its ups and downs, but it's not every year that your plans for the rest of your life are thrown completely out of rhythm (thanks, Boyd). Don't get me wrong, I'm not claiming my life has been ruined or that I can't go on to do what it was I had always planned to do (whatever the heck that was). That's why I used "thrown out of rhythm" instead of a more drastic choice of words like "plunged forevermore into the infernal abyss." To paraphrase my man Morpheus in The Matrix Reloaded, I'm still truckin, so it's all good. Still, a lot has changed in my life as a result of the events that transpired in 2009.
Some of these things aren't of monumental significance, and some of them are; either way, I've prepared a bullet point (woo!) list of events and occurrences that I consider distinctive, because I like lists of this nature.
In 2009, I:
- Unwittingly sparked a Coms 101 witch hunt. To anyone who may teach Coms 101 as a GA at Liberty in the future: I advise you not to make study guides that contain what basically amounts to the test questions and answers rewritten in full sentence form. Apparently improvement to the teaching model (those were some god-awful tests) is only okay if you're actually the teacher and not just an assistant.
- Spilled my guts to a girl I liked for the first time ever. Whoops. Word to the wise, kids: if you like her, she knows it. If she likes you, you'll probably know it too. Otherwise, don't waste your time agonizing over whether or not to say anything to her, especially when you know she's out of your league. The leagues don't magically change when you finally verbalize how you feel. Unless your life is scripted by Nicholas Sparks. And then one (or both) of you will end up dead anyway.
- Went on half a date (see previous). "Well, that was fun. Can we do it again? Oh. Yeah, I guess it wasn't that much fun. Yeah, it's cool. No, no, I understand. Well, I guess I'll just go sit out there and pretend to watch that basketball game for a little while." At least I didn't get a speeding ticket on that half date.
- Started playing (and got addicted to) Magic. After we all watched (almost) an entire season of Yugi-Oh directly following Spring Break, Ian decided it was time to get everyone started on Magic, so he bought us all cards, and the fun, casual game we started playing snowballed out of control. One time I will never forget was the evening when we played our newly-acquainted-with-the-rules version of a 2-on-2 game which, as a result of our poor understanding of how the game actually worked, took us 5 hours to complete. It's a shame no one around here really wants to play anymore.
- Ended my educational career. I didn't plan this; in fact, I was intent on going back to school this year up to the bitter end when reality smacked me in the face and said "BILL! YOU CAN NOT GO BACK!" This is by far the most drastic change implemented by the wiles of 2009, and I'm still a little pissed about it, but life goes on.
- Saw the greatest tragedy in sports history. Most of you will beg to differ (since you don't have any personal ties to the team), but I've never felt more devastated, in the sports world, at least, than when Nick Donato broke his arm. That team was headed for the Little League World Series, and one broken bone destroyed that possibility.
- Went to the Little League World Series. Granted, it wasn't to watch our league's team play, but we went with our league's team on a great long-weekend trip. In a way, it was good they weren't playing, because I got to hang out with all the team members, and they are a great group of kids. I haven't had that much fun since; I was enjoying myself so much, in fact, that it completely took my mind off the fact that I wasn't at Liberty like I was supposed to be, which was something that was bothering me a lot at that time.
- Discovered How I Met Your Mother. This is one of the best shows on TV - it's hilarious, has a lot of heart, and has some good life lessons to boot. It's one of the only shows that I can watch episode after episode literally for hours without getting sick of it. If you've never seen it, watch the first episode. If you're not hooked, there's something wrong with your brain.
- Got to visit Liberty as a non-student. This probably seems pretty mundane, but going back to visit was kind of a big deal to me, since I had the rug pulled out from underneath me when I realized I wasn't gonna be able to go back to school, and it was rather hard to work out the circumstances of my visit in the first place. Taking some time to just chill and then say goodbye to everyone for good was one of the most valuable experiences I had last year.
- Discovered that I'm a fairly apt drummer. Thank you, Rock Band, for teaching me how to play real drums. Seriously. What they said before Rock Band was released about playing drums on Expert was true, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who can attest to this. Now if anyone ever puts a gun to my head and says "lay down a beat for me," I can oblige without having my brains blown out.
- Saw the Yankees win a World Series. Book-ending the decade with World Series victories almost makes up for the crash and burn end to the 2004 postseason, and Johnny Damon certainly redeemed himself for the hand he had in that disgraceful affair.
- Finally painted the rock. That was something I'd been itching to do since 2005, but we never got around to it until I was actually no longer a student at Liberty (we did it at the end of my visit in the fall, just hours before I left Lynchburg).
I think that hits all the major points. There were a lot of little things I remember about last year that I'd love to mention but weren't really all that momentous, and they'd probably bore you to tears, so I just stuck with this list. Granted, you might not think discovering a TV show is a "major point," but I think How I Met Your Mother has already been woven into the fabric of my memory of 2009, so it was worth a mention to me.
The funny thing is, as far as saying farewell to a year goes, I'll really miss the first half (roughly) of 2009, but the second half was rather suckish, so I'm not sad to see it go in the least. When you compare it to the other year that I might consider the most dynamic year of my life (2006), it's much more linear... 2006 was a veritable roller coaster that went up and down all over the place and pretty much jumped off the tracks near the very end. 2009 was more like one of those free fall rides - way up, then way down really fast. But at least the ride is over.
This is the part where you normally talk about how 2010 is the start of a new year with a clean slate, full of promise and possibilities, but since we're already a month in, I feel like all those sentiments are past their expiration date. Right now things aren't any different than they were at the end of 2009, which doesn't thrill me to pieces, but neither does it leave me upset. The thing is, you never know when fate's gonna come along and pull the rug out from underneath you again, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. It all depends on how you react, how you land, and how you pick yourself up if you just come crashing down.
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