Thanksgiving

Soundtrack to The Shipping News (great album). My dad loves it too, so he has the volume turned up quite a bit.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I’m blogging from the road, in case you couldn’t tell from the hint in the above. Well, I can’t really say that I’m “blogging”. I’m typing this up on my laptop to post later. My battery is pissing me off. It’s supposed to be this “longer lasting” one, but apparently I only have an hour left (and it’s fully charged). Its level is currently draining further, so I should stop complaining and start typing. One more thing: My iPod doesn’t drain that fast. Why, I could play music on that continuously for several hours before it would even be half spent. Sigh.

So my dad is driving, and for those of you who don’t live in New England, there are a couple inches of snow on the ground, including the roads. (50 minutes left). The Shipping News is a great album for the visuals around us. In the film, for those of you who have missed the experience, the main character (played by Kevin Spacey, one of my favorites) spends three quarters of the film (why use fractions when you can spell it out?) in New Foundland, which is covered in snow in several scenes. We’re certainly nowhere near New Foundland, or anywhere remotely resembling it, but the snow is the important connection.

My mom is quite nervous at this point. She hates driving in these conditions, and the fact that my dad is constantly changing lanes, with those snow mound buildups between them, is only making it worse for her. The car jerks left and right when the tires plow through them. I had a thought. If I don’t watch the road, it helps me out (yes, I’m a little nervous too). Even better is if I just trust that my dad knows what he’s doing (he’s only been driving for what, 35+ years?).

Many little things often spark a revelation, or at least a thought, about my life and the application of my surrounding environment or situation to it. (35 minutes left). I tend to over think many events, decisions, and even seemingly trivial things. I get carried away with analyzing their grander application and the implications of my choice or part in them. When God will have me change lanes or what God has planned for me and how much impact my current decision will have on it is not for me to worry about. What I need to keep my heart set on is obeying Him. If I feel that He’s pulling me in a direction, I need not look at the traffic around me or the road conditions. All I need to do is move. He’ll take care of the rest. I don’t need to look at the road, but rather to simply trust that my Father knows where He’s taking me and the best way to get me there.

Look at Israel. They spent 40 years wandering the desert because they didn’t trust that God would get them into the promised land. He lead them out of slavery in Egypt, through the bottom of the Red Sea (which was dry, mind you) and through the desert with food. And yet, after all that He had done for them, they didn’t have enough faith that He knew what He was doing. I need have faith that God will take me into the promised land. I have to let Him take the helm. (24 minutes left).

That being said, I’m off. More entries later, I hope. (More parentheses just for kicks). Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Be thankful for your family and friends, for the things that God has provided for you and that He has provided them.

Black Eyed Sally's

Music Man soundtrack, right now the song "Lida Rose" sung by a barbershop quartet. After the second paragraph i put on The Matrix soundtrack. Quite the switch, but that's just my ecclectic musical taste.

So i wake up this morning a free man. I have no girlfriend, i have no job, i'm not living at home, and the house is clean enough that my warning lights aren't going off. Later on, in about an hour, i'll be leaving to have lunch with my dad at Black Eyed Sally's. I've never been there, but he loves it. It'll be nice to have lunch with him, father and son.

I have to admit, nervously that he'll read this but confident in being honest, that he and i didn't get along all that well when i was growing up. He's a very stubborn man. My brother got a whole mount of the same stubbornness at birth and he still carries it around. That made it even more difficult for him with their clashing wills, something that still causes problems even now. But of course, my dad got it from his dad. Fortunately i was born too quickly and there was no time to paste largge amounts onto me, so i only got a smearing. More of my mom's traits are apparent in me, at least on the surface (not physically, i mean in my character).

It seems that lately, over the past couple years, our relationship has improved greatly. I have always loved him, don't get me wrong, but i feel that since i passed my teenage years, the conversations have increased (and become easier), and the time spent has grown in quality. It's just been easier. I'm very happy about that. We give hugs to each other and use the words "I love you". That's sometimes hard to find between two males even if they are related. I'm quite happy about it though.

I don't want anyone reading this and going, "Oh, what horrible childhood did Adam's dad give him?" because i grew up in a home where i was taught to respect others and see the difference between right and wrong, and to know that to do either you must listen to your heart. I am blessed to have two parents still together and in love while the divorce rates are rediculous. My musical diversity came from my father. He'd play all kinds of music in the house and the car, and i grew up enjoying it all. My mom likes a good variety too, but not so much as my dad. I'm very thankful for that. I think the appreciation for music branched out into other areas as well, giving me a very open, accepting heart. So, there were many good things growing up, and still today.

I came on to blog about something completely different, but now i don't have time. So, i'll leave it at that.

Later, my readers...

Musical Décor

Joni Mitchell, "Both Sides Now". This song is one of my favorites. On the album by the very same name, it just glows.

I just got back from Lex's. We watched "Love Actually". I had forgotten how much i really like that movie. We cuddled up with a bag of kettle corn, and at midnight (post movie's end), i got up to prepare myself for departure. She had fallen asleep, so after getting my shoes on and throwing out the popcorn bag, i woke her up so she could sleepily shuffle her way to bed. The action was met with a grumpy response. I didn't mind though, because i figured she'd rather wake up in her bed than on the chair in the living room.

It was good to hang out with her. We've discovered that we have many of the same dorkish likes, many of which our respective friends don't care for or have never even heard of. "The Dark Crystal" for instance, a film by Jim Henson, is very popular in our worlds, but most people around us are unaware of its existence. We're also both very musically diverse, a trait that's hard to come by. You can see a small sample of what i'm talking about in my profile in the music section. So, like i said, it was good to hang out with her.

I should be in bed, but i seem to be in a writing mood.

And now for something completely different:

As an audio technician (fancy way of saying "sound guy") at church, as a music enthusiast, and as someone who's very sound conscious, i follow an analogy of my own creation. Air is a wall, and music is the art that we decorate it with. Our ears are the equivilent of our eyes, viewing the pieces in their various colors, emotions, and placements on the wall. It's hard to explain once specific examples are used, but i'll give it a shot.

Take almost any song by MxPx or Green Day. Your ears are constantly bombarded by sound, actively moving around the canvas to keep up. The lows, mids, and highs are all filled in with wild colors and emotions, leaving very few (if any) gaps for your ears to rest. As such, it gets overbearing rather quickly. This is not to say that music like this gets old, because i own the album "The Ever Passing Moment" by MxPx and i love it. There are days when i blast it in my car, especially if i've got a long drive somewhere. But, it's hard to listen to for long periods of time.

"Both Sides Now" off the album of the same name by Joni Mitchell, mentioned earlier, goes easy on the ears, but keeps them interested. It glows. It's an art piece that can be revisitted while retaining its alluring quality. Not only does the song have character, but it feels more intimate. It draws you in close, but gives you room to breathe. There are lows, mids, and highs, but in moderation allowing your ears to gently flow along with them. The same goes for a song like "Hang On Little Tomato" by Pink Martini.

Music accentuates the soul's true mood. It's no wonder i like acoustic music during the autumn. It's a time of peace and tranquility. I find that music featuring acoustic guitar or the piano warms my soul during this time of year. Autumn evenings are usually best serenaded by jazz. On rainy days i usually put on more mellow, relaxed music. Here's a list of moods and examples of the music i tend to listen to while in them.

Angry.................Limp Bizkit, Rage Against The Machine
Excited...............MxPx, Cake's "Comfort Eagle"
Sad/Quiet..........Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now", Ani DiFranco's self titled album
Content..............Norah Jones, Dave Brubeck, Billie Holiday, Chopin
Pensive..............Thomas Newman soundtracks like "Shawshank Redemption"
Happy................Pink Martini
Adventerous.....John Williams soundtracks like "E.T." and "Star Wars" or Alan Silvestri soundtracks like "Back To The Future" and "Predator"

Of course there's much more music for each mood, and some are played alongside multiple emotions, but you get what i mean (hopefully).

Now that i've attempted explaining how i feel about music, i'm going to crawl under the sheets and time travel into tomorrow morning.

Remind Adam

Being that i'm not a very reliable person and i tend to forget things within about five minutes, i've created a new blog in addition to this one. However, "Remind Adam" is just for the purpose of reminding me. It doesn't really matter what the reminder is; it could be about the sandwich i left out on the counter, the socks that need to be matched and put away, or even that tedious little item that no one wants to really take the time to type out.

The link to "Remind Adam" can be found in the link field on the right of this page. Once there, you'll find instructions on how to "remind" me.

Thank you for participating in the "Renovating Adam" program.

Oak Tree #2, #1

#2
Two small acorns were speaking at the top of an Oak tree. As the conversation evolved, the subject of their inevitable descension arose. They expressed to one another their fear of the involuntary nature of the fall and separation from the abundant nourishment that had caused their growth. With dismal anticipation of the eventual drop, they looked out at the surrounding woods and suddenly came to a comforting revelation. Perhaps their plummet would not ultimately result in their death and decay, but rather, in the birth of a new tree.

#1
Curiously, a large Oak tree found its way into the street during the night. As it was beginning to grow weary the previous evening, a new thought found its way into the mix of half-sleeping ponderances.

"Do i, like so many of the creatures that wander these woods, have the ability to move?"

And, by an odd coincidence, this particular tree did. So, uprooting itself, it wandered to a nearby road where it fell asleep from exhaustion. After all, it had never before made an attempt at mobility and was quite unprepared for the exertion required.

When it awoke in the morning, it had completely forgotten what transpired, and was now focusing all attention on figuring out how it had gotten where it was currently standing. It may
have eventually come to the correct conclusion had it not been for its ill fate brought on by a large truck approaching from the north. The driver, so baffled by the sight, neglected to slow down. With a great echoing crack, the tree would think no more.

Rules For Posting

Apparently Joe desires to blog within my blog. Absolutely not. He's actually on the phone with me right now trying to argue his way in here. At one point, he threatened to destroy this very place simply because he could not have a piece of it. Just having to write this entry is giving me gas. To take the time and use the blog space to actually talk about this is making me shudder the same way i do when i eat vegetables i don't like. Ugh.

He's getting upset because i'm paying more attention to typing this out than i am to "arguing" with him on the phone. I lost interest in his defenses a little while ago, so i started this.

This is my spot. Mine. No one else's. I don't mind comments regarding my entries, in fact i enjoy them, but i do mind if someone is going to begin posting their own original material amongst mine. It would cease to be my blog. And thus...

RULES FOR POSTING IN MY BLOG:

Comments are welcome.

Hidden, or public subblogs are not allowed. I will delete them.
(just not the last one so that you can reference what i'm talking about)

Leaving My Harbor

Posted this in Lex's blog. Thought i should post it here too...

I'll always be a big kid. When I grow too old to remember my own middle name I'll still be that quirky guy imagining that he's really Superman. So leaving to be a grownup isn't what I'm doing. I'm leaving to be me. At the Stork Club things are safe, secure and comfortable. Out in the world, away from the harbor i've moored my ship in, the sea is risky, full of adventures to be had, battles to fight and beauties to rescue. To be myself, I must remove everything else. And the only way to do that is to leave the familiar. I knew such a day was coming. I just didn't know it would be this Friday.

I'm taking my guns to town. I may not come back alive, but i'd rather fain in battle than win by default.

A ship is safe in a harbor, but that's not what ships are built for.

The Hokey Pokey

Hey all...

So i'm waiting on a phone call from Jaime because we're supposed to get together tonight, but it hasn't come yet and i'm beginning to doubt its arrival. So, while i'm waiting, why not blog?

SIDENOTE: Jaime did call, we did get together, and we had quite the pleasant evening. She put BJ (her brother) to bed a little while after we had eaten pizza, and we watched Sleepless In Seattle and Lilo & Stitch. It was very enjoyable :END SIDENOTE

I'm not one to let other people post in my blog, because i'm all for original material. In fact, Joe had asked if he could post here, and i shot him down immediately. I'm also a huge advocate for banning forwarded email, which this might be construde as if i were to email it. So, i'm going against a few of my principals here. I must apologize for that. But, before i get off on some sad tangent about how i've just walked away from what i believe in, i'm going to just move on.

I couldn't let this one pass. I would claim at as my own, but as i've given its writer my blog site, she might find out. All kinds of trouble would start. So, with credit going to Lex for this, here it is...

"Sad News

"With all the sadness and trauma going on in the world at the moment, it is worth reflecting on the death of a very important person, which almost went unnoticed last week.

"Larry LaPrise, the man who wrote 'The Hokey Pokey,' died peacefully at age 93. The most traumatic part for his family was getting him into the coffin. They put his left leg in and, well, then the trouble started......"


I would like to thank Mr. LaPrise for giving us years and years of fun at parties, weddings, get-togethers, and anything else you might play the Hokey Pokey at. Funerals don't quite fit the criteria for such amusement, but i think his would be an exception. I wouldn't break out the hi-fi though. An old phonograph would be just right; a scratchy sound and a genuine appearance. It would lack the sometimes cold and artificial nature of modern electronics. Rather, it would be true, much like LaPrise's character. His ingeniously creative melody combined with a lyrical wit will keep us turning ourselves around for many years to come.

We will miss you, dear sir. The Hokey Pokey, cherished as it may be, is merely a shadowy reflection of who you really were. But it will always be here to remind us what it's really all about.

The Free Orange

Somewhere out there in a grocery store is an orange without a sticker on it. Maybe someone forgot to put it on, or some kid pulled it off while his mother was walking over to the apples. Perhaps a part of the sticker was peeling off and the adhesive side caught onto another orange, transferring itself over. Or maybe it's a conspiracy. Maybe the stickers are meant to make all the oranges appear the same when in reality, they're each unique. They want us to think, "Oh, this orange says #4309 and so do the other two in my bag. They must all be the same." But don't believe it.

They're trying to do the same thing with us too. "Hi, i'm #5992, just like you." They want us all to think we're the same so they try and manipulate circumstances. That orange, the one with no sticker, is the key to our freedom. If we can only figure out a way to get the stickers off ourselves so that we don't all appear the same. So that we can all wake up and figure out that we are unique. We may look similar to others, but take off the peel and we're not. Don't literally take off the peel, that would hurt quite a bit.

I'm really tired. I fell asleep and had a whole row of "k" on the screen because my finger was pressing down and i didn't realize it (because i fell asleep). So that's enough about the oranges (for now...)

My Two Weeks

I'm giving my two weeks notice at work tomorrow. Here's what they're getting...


My Two Weeks
Four paragraphs by Adam.

After much thought, prayer, and consideration of my life’s status quo, I believe the time has come for my employment at the Stork Club to end. This conclusion simultaneously scares and excites me. To leave what has become a comfortable harbor for me and venture out into the unknown seas has the potential to overshadow the brightest parts of my character with doubt and despair. However, the very thought of taking risk, even if only to fail, ignites the long dormant desire for adventure sewn into the fabric of my soul.

On the whole, I have enjoyed my time here and many moments have been grafted onto my character. I had not previously realized that "juice plus white equals milk," or that the boogie man, who once resided in the downstairs closet, moved to Florida. I will miss everyone, the children most of all whose random musings I will long for wherever my ship may sail. This is a bittersweet decision for me, but it must be made.

I wanted to write a whole essay’s worth on my departure using my quirky humor and the like, but it seems that this decision in all of its unexpectedness requires nothing more than what I have already said. My final date of employment will be November 18th, two weeks from today (November 4th).

My plan is to expose the manhole cover on the northeast corner of the playground with a sandbox shovel and pry it off with one of my controversial baseball bats. I will descend into the cement piping below, making my way into the woods behind the playground fencing. Once there, I will collect my change of clothes, map, train ticket, cell phone, and cash that I hid by the Oak tree some yards in while retrieving playground balls several weeks ago. All of this will take place during nap time. Most of the children will be sleeping, and the staff count will be at its lowest, reducing the risk of discovery.

Adam.