I feel behind already. The Plan is holding up well enough, and I'll continue reading, following, and revising it daily, especially as the semester goes on. But school...that's where I feel behind already. The shooting on Monday, combined with a number of other factors, have made focusing especially difficult this week. I'm looking forward to next week, just so that I have time to recover and re-center myself. I hate that I'm already treading water. I need to stay ahead of the game.
QOTD:
“A sad thing in life is that sometimes you meet someone who means a lot to you only to find out in the end that it was never bound to be and you just have to let go."
"Share your M&Ms. There are bags and bags of them all over the place. If you give them one of yours, even one of the green ones, you will not be lacking. Now apply this to Time, Concern, Touch, Interest and Being Vulnerable."
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
The Plan
Once more, it is time to review and re-evaluate The Plan. This is the big, capital-P "Plan" that I keep on my computer at all times, which contains my rough budget, short-term goals, long-term goals, and a sort of "to-do list" of things that I need to work on, beyond just the mundane tasks. The Plan is hideously dated at this point, and so I am revising it, and writing it here, as I promised I would.
So here we go.
Budget: Under Construction (after financial aid, a big paycheck, and paying off all of my bills, I'll have some more concrete numbers to work with.)
Short-term goals (6 months or so):
3.5 GPA
Grad school research
Grad school applications
Letters from professors: Drake, Sigler, Hesford, Williams, Thacker, Lauriola
Comm or English dept.? Narrative Theory is either.
White Tie - paid gigs, publicity, long-form, website, twitter/facebook
Mentoring - meet my Mentee.
Get a passport
Medium-term goals (1-3 years):
Lose 165 lbs. (this number was 190 when I last updated in March...so that's good!)
Graduate
Move away from Moscow - Boston, Chicago, Seattle, England, Hungary are top choices at the moment
Find a real, 'grown-up' job in literary academia, communication studies, or improvisational comedy
Save up $2,500 on top of paying student loans, regular savings, etc. for my travel fund
Dance for a night without feeling awkward/uncomfortable
Long-term goals (3-10 years):
Travel to all 6 inhabited continents
Give a TEDTalk
Teach a class at a university
Perform in a large theater for an audience of 500 or more
Finish my Master's Degree, possibly start on a PhD.
Things I will do to help me accomplish these things:
Turn in all assignments
Attend all classes I am able to attend (no skipping!)
Check Princeton Review, University websites/department pages, and talk to advisors about grad school
Apply to 3-5 schools with 1 week left before the deadline
Call all professors I wish to study with
E-mail professors for letters, stop into offices.
Keep a calendar of all White Tie goings-on with my academic calendar and my events calendar, so as to stay aware of all of my obligations in one place.
Meet with M. monthly to discuss changes in White Tie's direction.
Apply for a passport
Drink 1 gallon of water daily, and no soda
No deep-fried foods. None. Ever. Lots of steamed vegetables and fresh fruits.
Revive Iron Man In A Month (IMIAM) plan, start again at 30 days on 9/1, finish the school year at 21 days in 5/2012
Keep a journal of all exercise and consumption. Examine weekly.
Pack lunches and eat breakfast at home daily
Speak with contacts in Boston, Chicago, Seattle, and Hungary about living costs, employment, etc.
33% of paychecks into savings
Take a dance class, attend Swing Devils 1/month minimum
That, dear friends and readers, is my Bible for the next 3-6 months, until it needs to be revised and re-evaluated again. This will all go in my bathroom in some form or another, and I will do my damnedest to adhere to all of the promises I've made here to myself.
QOTD:
"A belief in hell and the knowledge that every ambition is doomed to frustration at the hands of a skeleton have never prevented the majority of human beings from behaving as though death were no more than an unfounded rumor."
Aldous Huxley
"A man without ambition is dead. A man with ambition but no love is dead. A man with ambition and love for his blessings here on earth is ever so alive."
Pearl Bailey
So here we go.
Budget: Under Construction (after financial aid, a big paycheck, and paying off all of my bills, I'll have some more concrete numbers to work with.)
Short-term goals (6 months or so):
3.5 GPA
Grad school research
Grad school applications
Letters from professors: Drake, Sigler, Hesford, Williams, Thacker, Lauriola
Comm or English dept.? Narrative Theory is either.
White Tie - paid gigs, publicity, long-form, website, twitter/facebook
Mentoring - meet my Mentee.
Get a passport
Medium-term goals (1-3 years):
Lose 165 lbs. (this number was 190 when I last updated in March...so that's good!)
Graduate
Move away from Moscow - Boston, Chicago, Seattle, England, Hungary are top choices at the moment
Find a real, 'grown-up' job in literary academia, communication studies, or improvisational comedy
Save up $2,500 on top of paying student loans, regular savings, etc. for my travel fund
Dance for a night without feeling awkward/uncomfortable
Long-term goals (3-10 years):
Travel to all 6 inhabited continents
Give a TEDTalk
Teach a class at a university
Perform in a large theater for an audience of 500 or more
Finish my Master's Degree, possibly start on a PhD.
Things I will do to help me accomplish these things:
Turn in all assignments
Attend all classes I am able to attend (no skipping!)
Check Princeton Review, University websites/department pages, and talk to advisors about grad school
Apply to 3-5 schools with 1 week left before the deadline
Call all professors I wish to study with
E-mail professors for letters, stop into offices.
Keep a calendar of all White Tie goings-on with my academic calendar and my events calendar, so as to stay aware of all of my obligations in one place.
Meet with M. monthly to discuss changes in White Tie's direction.
Apply for a passport
Drink 1 gallon of water daily, and no soda
No deep-fried foods. None. Ever. Lots of steamed vegetables and fresh fruits.
Revive Iron Man In A Month (IMIAM) plan, start again at 30 days on 9/1, finish the school year at 21 days in 5/2012
Keep a journal of all exercise and consumption. Examine weekly.
Pack lunches and eat breakfast at home daily
Speak with contacts in Boston, Chicago, Seattle, and Hungary about living costs, employment, etc.
33% of paychecks into savings
Take a dance class, attend Swing Devils 1/month minimum
That, dear friends and readers, is my Bible for the next 3-6 months, until it needs to be revised and re-evaluated again. This will all go in my bathroom in some form or another, and I will do my damnedest to adhere to all of the promises I've made here to myself.
QOTD:
"A belief in hell and the knowledge that every ambition is doomed to frustration at the hands of a skeleton have never prevented the majority of human beings from behaving as though death were no more than an unfounded rumor."
Aldous Huxley
"A man without ambition is dead. A man with ambition but no love is dead. A man with ambition and love for his blessings here on earth is ever so alive."
Pearl Bailey
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Whelmingly Gruntled
These past few weeks have been great. Honestly, I mean that. I haven't been too terribly busy, and I haven't been too stressed, and I'm rather excited for school to start. That being said, there are some things I've not kept up on, which I need to pick back up. Once again, I'm relearning just how much I am a creature of habit, and just how hard it is for me to change my (sometimes erroneous) ways. So, I'm writing up a plan. This plan, unlike past plans, will be public. I will write it on my bathroom mirror in dry erase marker, so that all of my guests can see it, and later, when I'm done identifying all of the areas I am looking to work on, I will post it here. I'm done discreetly attempting to make life changes, because it's becoming more and more apparent to me that I have an incredible group of friends, in whom I can place a fair amount of trust. I need to trust them not to judge me harshly, and not to let me slip up in my goals. It used to be that I would feel guilty for asking my friends to help me, and I still do not like it, but I also know myself well enough to know that public exposure to my trials will persuade me to commit to things, if for no reason other than fear of embarrassment or harsh judgment. So stay tuned, folks, The Plan is a-comin'.
That aside, I've also decided on a focus for a second blog. This one has become a journal of sorts, and while I have no problem writing in here, it is not a 'blog' in that it has no particularly unique or interesting perspective on anything. Nobody had any input for me, and so I had to ponder for awhile about what really gets me excited, and what I am passionate about. I figure that if I can identify those things, writing about them would become a joy, rather than a chore. My passions are as follows:
Comedy - I am a sucker for a good laugh. I spend hours every week focusing and refining my ability to induce those laughs in others, and would love to take a more critical, analytic approach to the subject
Travel - Visiting new places and meeting new people is always exciting, even if conditions are harsh. Louisiana/Mississippi low-income neighborhoods were not pleasant by any means, but I learned a great deal about myself and about people in general from the experience. I believe the same is true of any open-minded individual travelling to communities outside his/her home.
Narrative - English Literature Graduate programs at universities sometimes have an emphasis called "Narratology", which is, as it sounds, the study and examination of stories and storytelling techniques. This field is exactly what I would study in grad school, assuming I could find a program accepting of such a mediocre GPA as mine.
Communication - Like Narratology, Communication is one of the few things I would love to study in grad school. I am fascinated by communication techniques, and the things people can do to more effectively communicate with one another.
When I condensed all of this into a single sort of 'theme', I was left with the concept of Connection. I have often stated that I believe that modern American society has traded in connection for connectivity. That is a tragedy, in my mind, and one that can be resisted to some extent with just the tiniest bit of effort by an individual. Connection, then, will be a recurring theme throughout my new blog. The bloggy blog. I will not endeavor to be funny, or witty, or clever, only sincere. Sincere in my attempts to establish an honest, authentic connection with others, because if a person can do that, then they can also communicate effectively with others, empathize with them, and hopefully learn from them. I will be writing my first entry as soon as possible, as I am eager to get this started, and even more eager to keep it going, instead of dropping it like so many other projects and tasks in my past.
-Richard
QOTD:
""Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." - Albert Einstein
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Help!
So, I'm well aware of my tendency as a writer and conversationalist to introduce tangents into my thoughts rather frequently. That's not too big a problem in conversation, and I can curb the tendency in academic writing, but in this format, I've noticed that I just happen to write about whatever is on my mind at the time. I think I'm going to keep this blog for that purpose, though I'm also considering starting up a second one, with a more directed focus. So, I'm asking for some input. These are the topics I am considering writing about:
Comedy, especially Improvisational (Improv) - techniques, rules, habits to break, habits to hold onto
Literature - something similar to one of my favorite blogs, Better Living Through Beowulf. The author writes about real-world experiences, and relates them back to poems and stories that he's read.
Storytelling - another "technique" oriented blog, focused on what works in storytelling, and what doesn't.
Academia - A blog on my school experiences and academic writings, as well as my experiences as a mentor next year, for a freshman.
Nutrition/Workout log - I think this one will happen here in the next couple of days regardless, now that I think about it. Meaning, I'll be running a total of 3 blogs, which should give me enough motivation to actually follow up on them. Especially if two of the three have a purpose aside from my own personal ramblings.
Any other ideas people might have.
I'm asking anybody who reads this to please comment with your thoughts. What would interest you? What would you like to read, and what would bore you? Take 2 minutes, and let me know!
Comedy, especially Improvisational (Improv) - techniques, rules, habits to break, habits to hold onto
Literature - something similar to one of my favorite blogs, Better Living Through Beowulf. The author writes about real-world experiences, and relates them back to poems and stories that he's read.
Storytelling - another "technique" oriented blog, focused on what works in storytelling, and what doesn't.
Academia - A blog on my school experiences and academic writings, as well as my experiences as a mentor next year, for a freshman.
Nutrition/Workout log - I think this one will happen here in the next couple of days regardless, now that I think about it. Meaning, I'll be running a total of 3 blogs, which should give me enough motivation to actually follow up on them. Especially if two of the three have a purpose aside from my own personal ramblings.
Any other ideas people might have.
I'm asking anybody who reads this to please comment with your thoughts. What would interest you? What would you like to read, and what would bore you? Take 2 minutes, and let me know!
I'm so bad at things!
So, once again, it has been far too long since my last post. Only a month this time, and I've already written on my to-do list (which is on my bathroom mirror) to write again tomorrow, so expect at least two posts in a row. Which is CRAZY, I know. Today, I feel like writing about Home. It's such a great word, in so many ways. It's been talked about to death in semi-clever little quotes and platitudes, so I will do my best to not sound sophomoric and sappy when I write about it, but I do honestly feel like the difference between having an apartment/house/flat/condo/studio, and having a "home", is that feeling of complete comfort and peace associated with the latter. I feel quite at home at my job, in my car, in my apartment, or in the theater we use to put on improv shows. Most of my daily life is spent "at home" in one place or another, and so my life is rather peaceful, calm, and quiet.
I hate it.
That isn't to say that I don't like having a nice place to return to at the end of the day. That's a luxury not granted to many people in the world, and not one that I am taking for granted. On the contrary, I am most appreciative for my apartment and my wonderful roommates. However, the sort of calm, quiet lifestyle that most of us have fallen into is making me crazy. I don't really need to engage with anything to get by, and that leaves me feeling quite unsatisfied at the end of the day. I believe this is what they call ennui, and I now understand its effect on people. I need a change. I need adventure, and stories, and experiences. I need the unexpected. Most importantly, I need to be doing what I love to do, instead of doing what I am expected to do. This 8-5 job, these lower-division, general elective classes, and this silly money business is just so damned tiresome. Give me stories, and people, and travel, and good beer and food, and laughter. Laughter most of all. Home is not "where the heart is", or any other silly saying like that. Home is ennui. Home is boredom, and everyone needs a little bit of that in their lives, but my God, too much can make you crazy.
QOTD:
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” - Howard Thurman
I hate it.
That isn't to say that I don't like having a nice place to return to at the end of the day. That's a luxury not granted to many people in the world, and not one that I am taking for granted. On the contrary, I am most appreciative for my apartment and my wonderful roommates. However, the sort of calm, quiet lifestyle that most of us have fallen into is making me crazy. I don't really need to engage with anything to get by, and that leaves me feeling quite unsatisfied at the end of the day. I believe this is what they call ennui, and I now understand its effect on people. I need a change. I need adventure, and stories, and experiences. I need the unexpected. Most importantly, I need to be doing what I love to do, instead of doing what I am expected to do. This 8-5 job, these lower-division, general elective classes, and this silly money business is just so damned tiresome. Give me stories, and people, and travel, and good beer and food, and laughter. Laughter most of all. Home is not "where the heart is", or any other silly saying like that. Home is ennui. Home is boredom, and everyone needs a little bit of that in their lives, but my God, too much can make you crazy.
QOTD:
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” - Howard Thurman
Friday, May 20, 2011
Waiting
Well, momentum has picked back up after a brief hiatus, and things are...dare I say it? Good. Like, really good. Surprisingly, I-don't-know-how-this-happened good. I got a 3.33 this semester, which is higher than I've ever gotten; I have 2 weeks to pack up my apartment, and 3 weeks to revise an essay I wrote, as it has been nominated for a Banks Award, which isn't really much, but it will certainly look good on a grad school resume, and I think there's like 100 bucks in it if I win. Which I will. I mean, I don't want to sound cocky or anything, but I'm determined to win this thing, and I know beyond even a shadow of doubt that I'm an excellent academic writer, so there's no reason to assume that I will lose, right? I suppose that being alright with life is far less interesting to you, reader, so I apologize for not having any tragicomical tales of my absurdly depressing life to share, but the moment the roof caves in, or the other shoe drops on me, I will be sure to let you know. Also, I have to run to work now, or I'd probably be compelled to write more ridiculous/funny story-type stuff on here. Because, you know, that's sorta the whole point of this blog, which I always seem to lose sight of. Just gotta remember to write more often, and I'll get back on that wagon. Which apparently is a metaphor for alcoholism. So, to clarify, the storytelling wagon is the one I'm getting back on. Not the alcoholism one. I was never on that one.
QOTD:
"Maturity includes the recognition that no one is going to see anything in us that we don't see in ourselves. Stop waiting for a producer. Produce yourself."
- Marianne Williamson
QOTD:
"Maturity includes the recognition that no one is going to see anything in us that we don't see in ourselves. Stop waiting for a producer. Produce yourself."
- Marianne Williamson
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Newton's First Law
Folks, it turns out I am very much a creature of inertia. When compelled to start hauling ass and taking care of things, like my life, I am apparently more than capable of the task. However, when there is nothing compelling me to keep going, I lose momentum to the friction of fatigue. This takes about 12 weeks to happen, but it has arrived at last. The past month or so, I haven't really been taking care of all of the things that I've been working on, instead focusing on just getting through school. I vow to pick up right where I left off, but it'll have to wait just 6 more days, until I'm done with these two papers, and then I can clean up my apartment, re-situate my workout schedule again, cook more than I have been (I've been hit-and-miss on that front, unfortunately...only 4ish nights/week), pack, get my sleep schedule shifted back the 90 minutes or so that it's crept up, and have a great summer, doing all of the things I've never been able to do during the summer in Moscow, since my job has me working during the day, M-F, instead of only in the evenings, when people are doing things. I'm looking forward to it, and especially looking forward to having time to plan ahead on things again.
In other thoughts, I've been curious about something recently, and I'm not sure what the solution to this question is, but...here we go. It seems like performers on the whole are perceived as caricatures and characters, rather than people. That is to say, when I do shows, people tend to see me as "That funny guy" rather than as a human being, and displace any desires or emotions I may have as being outside their perception of me as "a comedian". I exist, in their minds, exclusively as a source of humor and stories, and no regard is given to me when I'm serious about something, or when I stop kidding and attempt to carry out an intelligent discourse with someone. I've spoken with actors here at the university as well, and this seems to be a pretty universal sentiment. Case in point: Met up with some friends, and one started talking about politics, mentioning that "Bin Laden's death had nothing to do with Obama", and spouting off the ridiculous bullshit that conservatives have been putting up on Facebook in response to the event. I argued with her, stating that President Obama had no hand in "deciding whether or not to pay soldiers", and went on to explain the structure of the US government and the realities behind the potential shutdown. She refused to acknowledge my input, because "what do I know, I'm just a comic".
Because apparently, being a comic is exclusive of having any sort of intelligence whatsoever, or even a fundamental grasp on the nature of the United States government.
Second case: Was chatting with another girl after one of my classes. Casually asked her if she'd like to come to a play I'm going to on Friday night, and she replied with "Wow..well, I never even really thought about you like that, you know? You're funny in your shows, but...I guess I never expected you to ask anyone out."
What the hell does that mean?! Really? Because I'm a comic, I'm no longer single, or a human being? Eff you, Ms. B.L. Rejection is one thing, and happens sometimes (about 60% of the time?). I'm fine with that. This just makes me bitter.
Quote today is incredibly relevant, as it's something I've been wrestling with for a couple of weeks now.
QOTD:
"I used to think that humor was the only way to appreciate how wonderful and terrible the world is, to celebrate how big life is. But now I think the opposite. Humor is a way of shrinking from that wonderful and terrible world."
— Jonathan Safran Foer (Everything Is Illuminated)
In other thoughts, I've been curious about something recently, and I'm not sure what the solution to this question is, but...here we go. It seems like performers on the whole are perceived as caricatures and characters, rather than people. That is to say, when I do shows, people tend to see me as "That funny guy" rather than as a human being, and displace any desires or emotions I may have as being outside their perception of me as "a comedian". I exist, in their minds, exclusively as a source of humor and stories, and no regard is given to me when I'm serious about something, or when I stop kidding and attempt to carry out an intelligent discourse with someone. I've spoken with actors here at the university as well, and this seems to be a pretty universal sentiment. Case in point: Met up with some friends, and one started talking about politics, mentioning that "Bin Laden's death had nothing to do with Obama", and spouting off the ridiculous bullshit that conservatives have been putting up on Facebook in response to the event. I argued with her, stating that President Obama had no hand in "deciding whether or not to pay soldiers", and went on to explain the structure of the US government and the realities behind the potential shutdown. She refused to acknowledge my input, because "what do I know, I'm just a comic".
Because apparently, being a comic is exclusive of having any sort of intelligence whatsoever, or even a fundamental grasp on the nature of the United States government.
Second case: Was chatting with another girl after one of my classes. Casually asked her if she'd like to come to a play I'm going to on Friday night, and she replied with "Wow..well, I never even really thought about you like that, you know? You're funny in your shows, but...I guess I never expected you to ask anyone out."
What the hell does that mean?! Really? Because I'm a comic, I'm no longer single, or a human being? Eff you, Ms. B.L. Rejection is one thing, and happens sometimes (about 60% of the time?). I'm fine with that. This just makes me bitter.
Quote today is incredibly relevant, as it's something I've been wrestling with for a couple of weeks now.
QOTD:
"I used to think that humor was the only way to appreciate how wonderful and terrible the world is, to celebrate how big life is. But now I think the opposite. Humor is a way of shrinking from that wonderful and terrible world."
— Jonathan Safran Foer (Everything Is Illuminated)
Sunday, April 10, 2011
I am the Grumpus
That's all I really have to say at this particular juncture. Suffice it to say that I apologize for not writing, as I had completely forgotten about this poor blog for several weeks, perhaps months, until I noticed the link on my Facebook page, and sort of hung my head. Though, to be fair, things have been going substantially better in my life, which does not excuse the fact that I am not writing - or reading - nearly as much as I should be, but it IS somewhat nice to know that I am not slacking on writing because I'm being lazy. In fact, the opposite is closer to truth. I have been home so infrequently in the past 2 months that I wonder sometimes why I pay rent here. Don't worry about my title, "The Grumpus." I will explain it all a bit later, when it isn't 2:30 in the morning, and when I am feeling less grumpy about things. Tomorrow evening, perhaps. That sounds like a great idea. I will talk to you tomorrow, World.
-Richard
QOTD:
"Does it break my heart, of course, every moment of every day, into more pieces than my heart was made of, I never thought of myself as quiet, much less silent, I never thought about things at all, everything changed, the distance that wedged itself between me and my happiness wasn't the world, it wasn't the bombs and burning buildings, it was me, my thinking, the cancer of never letting go, is ignorance bliss, I don't know, but it's so painful to think, and tell me, what did thinking ever do for me, to what great place did thinking ever bring me? I think and think and think, I've thought myself out of happiness one million times, but never once into it." - Jonathan Safran Foer.
-Richard
QOTD:
"Does it break my heart, of course, every moment of every day, into more pieces than my heart was made of, I never thought of myself as quiet, much less silent, I never thought about things at all, everything changed, the distance that wedged itself between me and my happiness wasn't the world, it wasn't the bombs and burning buildings, it was me, my thinking, the cancer of never letting go, is ignorance bliss, I don't know, but it's so painful to think, and tell me, what did thinking ever do for me, to what great place did thinking ever bring me? I think and think and think, I've thought myself out of happiness one million times, but never once into it." - Jonathan Safran Foer.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Wow. Hello again!
I definitely just sort of forgot that this blog existed a little while ago, so I haven't been updating. BUT, I forgot because I've been so remarkably busy/productive that I haven't really had time to do much writing anyway, which I wholly intend to change, promptly.
Anyway, I suppose I should fill you in, dearest Reader, on things in the recent past. I finally quit Kinko's in January, and don't feel the slightest bit of regret or remorse about that..I now have a job at the Center on Disability and Human Development, doing research in Childcare in Idaho. Improv is going really, really, REALLY well, as I am constantly learning new ways to build a scene, and new techniques and strategies for making them stronger. Hopefully, the average quality of our shows will improve as we all learn and practice.
Krav Maga, the self-defense course I am in, is pretty consistently whooping my ass every Monday and Wednesday, and has inspired me to go to the Rec more often, which is a work in progress, as I find the right times in my schedule to incorporate those visits. So far, Thursday nights and the weekend are good, and I'm going to see about Tuesday evening this week, which will make for a 6-day workout-week, which is very respectable. Also, between Ballroom Dance and Krav, I've developed a fair bit already with regards to agility and footwork, as well as increased respiratory/cardiovascular strength from all of the constant huffing and puffing in the latter, and all of the constant emphasis on posture in the former.
Classes are going very well, and I have been able to manage all of them with a minimum of stress or strain, for now...we'll see what things are like in a couple of weeks, when midterms hit, but Core Science has been completely easy, Latin is manageable, if tricky, and Classic Civilizations is the easiest course I've ever been in. British Lit is scary, as I feel like I understand the material, but the entire class is made up of two tests and one paper, and while I have no worries about the paper, the tests might end up screwing me. Bible class has been interesting, if somewhat dry and long, and I am learning a great deal about ancient Hebrew culture in it, which is rather fascinating. The real diamond in the rough of the semester, however, has been my Story Chronicles class. We have been studying the art of storytelling and the craft of writing short stories, and the whole class is so far up my alley that I legitimately felt remorse for missing a class on Thursday. Which, incidentally, is an incredible feeling. I have come to the conclusion, after all of these years, that storytelling, and the art of the story in general, need to play major roles in whatever career I pursue. I have never been more passionate about anything that I am right now about the ineffable power of the story to establish connection between human beings, and move listeners in a way that no other form of communication can really compare to. So I need to either pursue Graduate school, and do research in Narrative Theory, or tell stories for a living, in some way, shape or form. Improv is a possibility, as is stand-up, or something like The Moth, in New York. I guess we will just have to see.
Either way, there is more, I'm sure, but I'm done writing for now, until something else motivates me to put the metaphorical pen to paper again.
QOTD:
Anyway, I suppose I should fill you in, dearest Reader, on things in the recent past. I finally quit Kinko's in January, and don't feel the slightest bit of regret or remorse about that..I now have a job at the Center on Disability and Human Development, doing research in Childcare in Idaho. Improv is going really, really, REALLY well, as I am constantly learning new ways to build a scene, and new techniques and strategies for making them stronger. Hopefully, the average quality of our shows will improve as we all learn and practice.
Krav Maga, the self-defense course I am in, is pretty consistently whooping my ass every Monday and Wednesday, and has inspired me to go to the Rec more often, which is a work in progress, as I find the right times in my schedule to incorporate those visits. So far, Thursday nights and the weekend are good, and I'm going to see about Tuesday evening this week, which will make for a 6-day workout-week, which is very respectable. Also, between Ballroom Dance and Krav, I've developed a fair bit already with regards to agility and footwork, as well as increased respiratory/cardiovascular strength from all of the constant huffing and puffing in the latter, and all of the constant emphasis on posture in the former.
Classes are going very well, and I have been able to manage all of them with a minimum of stress or strain, for now...we'll see what things are like in a couple of weeks, when midterms hit, but Core Science has been completely easy, Latin is manageable, if tricky, and Classic Civilizations is the easiest course I've ever been in. British Lit is scary, as I feel like I understand the material, but the entire class is made up of two tests and one paper, and while I have no worries about the paper, the tests might end up screwing me. Bible class has been interesting, if somewhat dry and long, and I am learning a great deal about ancient Hebrew culture in it, which is rather fascinating. The real diamond in the rough of the semester, however, has been my Story Chronicles class. We have been studying the art of storytelling and the craft of writing short stories, and the whole class is so far up my alley that I legitimately felt remorse for missing a class on Thursday. Which, incidentally, is an incredible feeling. I have come to the conclusion, after all of these years, that storytelling, and the art of the story in general, need to play major roles in whatever career I pursue. I have never been more passionate about anything that I am right now about the ineffable power of the story to establish connection between human beings, and move listeners in a way that no other form of communication can really compare to. So I need to either pursue Graduate school, and do research in Narrative Theory, or tell stories for a living, in some way, shape or form. Improv is a possibility, as is stand-up, or something like The Moth, in New York. I guess we will just have to see.
Either way, there is more, I'm sure, but I'm done writing for now, until something else motivates me to put the metaphorical pen to paper again.
QOTD:
| “Being an actor is the loneliest thing in the world. You are all alone with your concentration and imagination, and that's all you have. Being a good actor isn't easy. Being a man is even harder. I want to be both before I'm done."” | |
-James Dean |
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Weeks Like This One...
Make everything better. I mean, I got accepted at my internship (I was unemployed for about 16 hours), only skipped one class all week (which is a record of some kind for me, especially in 20 credits), got caught up on homework, had a very reasonable, solid show tonight, and got to hang out with some good friends, a number of whom I hadn't seen in quite some time. Had a couple of drinks with people, did a total of 9 hours of improv work, and got my entire life organized in a way that I think I can manage in the long-term. Life 2.0, you are every bit as awesome as you promised to be when I came back from Jersey and came across you. Now if only I could do something about this remarkably profound loneliness, I think things would be pretty much perfect.
-Richard
QOTD:
"So if I asked you about art, you'd probably give me the skinny on every art book ever written. Michelangelo, you know a lot about him. Life's work, political aspirations, him and the pope, sexual orientations, the whole works, right? But I'll bet you can't tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. You've never actually stood there and looked up at that beautiful ceiling; seen that. If I ask you about women, you'd probably give me a syllabus about your personal favorites. You may have even been laid a few times. But you can't tell me what it feels like to wake up next to a woman and feel truly happy. You're a tough kid. And I'd ask you about war, you'd probably throw Shakespeare at me, right, "once more unto the breach dear friends." But you've never been near one. You've never held your best friend's head in your lap, watch him gasp his last breath looking to you for help. I'd ask you about love, you'd probably quote me a sonnet. But you've never looked at a woman and been totally vulnerable. Known someone that could level you with her eyes, feeling like God put an angel on earth just for you. Who could rescue you from the depths of hell. And you wouldn't know what it's like to be her angel, to have that love for her, be there forever, through anything, through cancer. And you wouldn't know about sleeping sitting up in the hospital room for two months, holding her hand, because the doctors could see in your eyes, that the terms "visiting hours" don't apply to you. You don't know about real loss, 'cause it only occurs when you've loved something more than you love yourself. And I doubt you've ever dared to love anybody that much. And look at you... I don't see an intelligent, confident man... I see a cocky, scared shitless kid." - Good Will Hunting
-Richard
QOTD:
"So if I asked you about art, you'd probably give me the skinny on every art book ever written. Michelangelo, you know a lot about him. Life's work, political aspirations, him and the pope, sexual orientations, the whole works, right? But I'll bet you can't tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. You've never actually stood there and looked up at that beautiful ceiling; seen that. If I ask you about women, you'd probably give me a syllabus about your personal favorites. You may have even been laid a few times. But you can't tell me what it feels like to wake up next to a woman and feel truly happy. You're a tough kid. And I'd ask you about war, you'd probably throw Shakespeare at me, right, "once more unto the breach dear friends." But you've never been near one. You've never held your best friend's head in your lap, watch him gasp his last breath looking to you for help. I'd ask you about love, you'd probably quote me a sonnet. But you've never looked at a woman and been totally vulnerable. Known someone that could level you with her eyes, feeling like God put an angel on earth just for you. Who could rescue you from the depths of hell. And you wouldn't know what it's like to be her angel, to have that love for her, be there forever, through anything, through cancer. And you wouldn't know about sleeping sitting up in the hospital room for two months, holding her hand, because the doctors could see in your eyes, that the terms "visiting hours" don't apply to you. You don't know about real loss, 'cause it only occurs when you've loved something more than you love yourself. And I doubt you've ever dared to love anybody that much. And look at you... I don't see an intelligent, confident man... I see a cocky, scared shitless kid." - Good Will Hunting
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Just something I've been pondering...
People yearn for honesty, and yet our culture has taught us to be so afraid when we encounter honesty in other people that we push them away. Folks live isolated, lonely lives because they've been taught to fear the idea of actually connecting with people, and when they bump into another lonely, isolated person, all anyone can do is put up a facade and pretend that they're not lonely or isolated.
How fucked up is that? How absurd is it that every day, you likely encounter a hundred people in your community who are just as starved for real, human connection as you are, and yet neither of you will do anything about it, ignorant of the craving that you both have, that you could satisfy for one another?
Pretty fucked up, let me tell you.
-Richard
PS - I am not writing this with regards to anything physical or sexual. Connecting with another human being has nothing to do with sex. That's all.
How fucked up is that? How absurd is it that every day, you likely encounter a hundred people in your community who are just as starved for real, human connection as you are, and yet neither of you will do anything about it, ignorant of the craving that you both have, that you could satisfy for one another?
Pretty fucked up, let me tell you.
-Richard
PS - I am not writing this with regards to anything physical or sexual. Connecting with another human being has nothing to do with sex. That's all.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
My thoughts on today, and things in general.
"I mean, for all of the awful things that happen out in the great, big world every day, there are a million tiny moments; people helping others, inspiring them to laughter, supporting them through tears, and comforting them in times of need. And that is the stuff that makes the world worth living in." - Me.
Monday, January 24, 2011
What a weekend.
That's all I have to say about that, honestly. What a weekend. Worked my last two shifts at FedEx, went to a great birthday dinner, asked an amazing girl out, got to see a good friend - if only briefly, got an e-mail about the internship that I really want, got caught up on all homework through Tuesday (with only reading left for Wednesday), had a decent improv practice, have two more practices in the coming week, and got to talk to a really good friend old friend of mine in California this morning (again, even if only briefly). It was busy, mostly with work, but I'm still incredibly excited to get some sleep, just so tomorrow gets here sooner. Which is a feeling I'd like to have more often. It's like Christmas Eve, circa age 5.
QOTD:
QOTD:
| “Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music.” | |
 Angela Monet |
Thursday, January 20, 2011
1/20/11
So, while I got off on exactly the right foot during the first week of school, the second week has already become rockier than I would've liked. I had a pretty piss-poor Tuesday and Wednesday, academically speaking, as I didn't end up going to 2 classes, but I made up for it today, and have things all prepared to have an awesome day tomorrow.
The best part of the week, however, has to have been last night. I was told to go meet up with some friends, as one of them turned 24 yesterday, and wanted me to come out and get a drink. I was sort of tired, and didn't particularly feel like going out or putting pants on again, but I went anyway, and it ended up being incredible. All of the folks normally associated with this group of friends dance together, both locally and as a part of the University Ballroom dance team. Well, they decided to bring out a new girl last night, whom I had never met. She was rather...sullen for the early part of the evening, and one of my friends informed me that "[I] need to make "Ellen" laugh. Her friend just passed away of cancer, and she's having a rough night." Soooo the gloves came off, and I gave "Ellen" one of my better performances, as well as having a great time conversing and swapping stories with the birthday girl, some of my other friends, and at least one complete stranger. The night cost me $20, but I got my money's worth one-hundred times over knowing that "Ellen" walked away with her sides hurting from laughing so much, instead of spending her night crying. Lord knows, there's time to cry, but that time was not last night.
-Richard
QOTD:
“We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will.”
-Chuck Palahniuk
The best part of the week, however, has to have been last night. I was told to go meet up with some friends, as one of them turned 24 yesterday, and wanted me to come out and get a drink. I was sort of tired, and didn't particularly feel like going out or putting pants on again, but I went anyway, and it ended up being incredible. All of the folks normally associated with this group of friends dance together, both locally and as a part of the University Ballroom dance team. Well, they decided to bring out a new girl last night, whom I had never met. She was rather...sullen for the early part of the evening, and one of my friends informed me that "[I] need to make "Ellen" laugh. Her friend just passed away of cancer, and she's having a rough night." Soooo the gloves came off, and I gave "Ellen" one of my better performances, as well as having a great time conversing and swapping stories with the birthday girl, some of my other friends, and at least one complete stranger. The night cost me $20, but I got my money's worth one-hundred times over knowing that "Ellen" walked away with her sides hurting from laughing so much, instead of spending her night crying. Lord knows, there's time to cry, but that time was not last night.
-Richard
QOTD:
“We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will.”
-Chuck Palahniuk
Friday, January 14, 2011
The Moby Dick of Blog Posts, Part III - Family, Flying, and Fixing Fuckups.
Dear Reader, I appreciate your time in having gotten this far. I know that a great deal of my writing seems to be somewhat mundane, and in fact, a great deal of it is, but I have a firm no-revision policy. Which is to say, I make it a point to write as I think, and write what I'm thinking, and never second-guess or doubt those thoughts. What all of this means is, I almost never have any clue what I am going to write about until I'm actually writing it. The epiphanies, ideas, and philosophies that I come across as I write in this blog are just as fresh and new to me when I write them as they are to you, as you read them. So please, bear with me. Thank you.
Now then: After Carmen, I returned to my Aunt's house in Berkeley Heights, arriving at about 2am, just as they were getting ready to head to bed. I slept on their futon, and woke up to a house that would eventually fill to the point of near-bursting with 3 aunts, 4 cousins, 2 uncles, 1 neighbor and enough food to feed 15. In that house, one could find coffee, family, conversation, and all of the finest things in life. It was an amazing way to spend my last day in Jersey, and I'm glad that I got to see everyone for the last time before I returned home.
The flights back were long, and tiresome, and while I was fortunate enough to sleep for all 3 of them, and while my layovers were graciously short, the trek was still quite long, and I was glad to be home after all. It was only then that I was able to properly reflect on things that I had learned in Jersey, and decisions that I had made.
First, there is something to be said for waking up early, making a pot of coffee, having a bagel, reading the news, and getting ready for one's day in a leisurely fashion. It is a habit that has stuck with me thus far, and one that I will do everything in my power to perpetuate. Waking up at 8 is not at all difficult if you don't stay up until 3, like an asshole, and it only takes 10 minutes to make breakfast, so why not?
Second, being prepared for the coming day is not as difficult a goal as I once thought it to be. Forethought and planning have never been my strong suits, and so I am glad that I have actually bothered to take the time, as I've found the whole experience to be very rewarding. I've been at class early, with all required textbooks, and a lunch packed, every day so far. Here's to another 80 days just like that.
Third, and perhaps finally, I have seen firsthand just how....venomous people can be sometimes, even when they don't intend to be. To that end, I have decided to put an end to any gossiping in my presence. I will not tolerate anyone talking about anyone else behind that person's back anymore, and I hope to stop that unfortunate act in my own life as well. So, there we are. That's what I've come up with. Here's to giving things a new go, and treating my holiday/trip to Jersey as a chance to step back from life, and get back into the ring with a renewed sense of conviction to get things right.
QOTD:
"And we should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once. And we should call every truth false which was not accompanied by at least one laugh." - Friedrich Nietzsche
Now then: After Carmen, I returned to my Aunt's house in Berkeley Heights, arriving at about 2am, just as they were getting ready to head to bed. I slept on their futon, and woke up to a house that would eventually fill to the point of near-bursting with 3 aunts, 4 cousins, 2 uncles, 1 neighbor and enough food to feed 15. In that house, one could find coffee, family, conversation, and all of the finest things in life. It was an amazing way to spend my last day in Jersey, and I'm glad that I got to see everyone for the last time before I returned home.
The flights back were long, and tiresome, and while I was fortunate enough to sleep for all 3 of them, and while my layovers were graciously short, the trek was still quite long, and I was glad to be home after all. It was only then that I was able to properly reflect on things that I had learned in Jersey, and decisions that I had made.
First, there is something to be said for waking up early, making a pot of coffee, having a bagel, reading the news, and getting ready for one's day in a leisurely fashion. It is a habit that has stuck with me thus far, and one that I will do everything in my power to perpetuate. Waking up at 8 is not at all difficult if you don't stay up until 3, like an asshole, and it only takes 10 minutes to make breakfast, so why not?
Second, being prepared for the coming day is not as difficult a goal as I once thought it to be. Forethought and planning have never been my strong suits, and so I am glad that I have actually bothered to take the time, as I've found the whole experience to be very rewarding. I've been at class early, with all required textbooks, and a lunch packed, every day so far. Here's to another 80 days just like that.
Third, and perhaps finally, I have seen firsthand just how....venomous people can be sometimes, even when they don't intend to be. To that end, I have decided to put an end to any gossiping in my presence. I will not tolerate anyone talking about anyone else behind that person's back anymore, and I hope to stop that unfortunate act in my own life as well. So, there we are. That's what I've come up with. Here's to giving things a new go, and treating my holiday/trip to Jersey as a chance to step back from life, and get back into the ring with a renewed sense of conviction to get things right.
QOTD:
"And we should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once. And we should call every truth false which was not accompanied by at least one laugh." - Friedrich Nietzsche
The Moby Dick of Blog Posts, Part II - Carmen.
The week following New Year's Eve was relatively unspectacular, and it wasn't until I got back to Philipsburg that I realized just how exhausted I was, so that was probably for the best. Spent another 6 days sleeping, watching Bones with my parents, reading, futzing around on my computer, and generally having a calm, quiet time of things. The weekend following New Year's, however, was another spectacular foray into the Big Apple.
Tom and his girlfriend Kelsey had tickets to go see Carmen, a very famous and incredible opera, at the New York Metropolitan Opera House, a very famous and incredible venue. They bought me a ticket, so it would be barbaric of me to say no, wouldn't it? I was thrilled at the idea of going to this show, as I had heard excellent things, and, despite being a heterosexual male, I happen to love good opera. So, I took a train in this time, instead of the bus, which turned out to be not only faster, but cheaper and more comfortable. I highly recommend it, and I think I'm going to make every effort to travel by train whenever possible. It's quite pleasant. Anyway, after getting into the city, I met up with Tom and Kelsey on Union Square again, and had dinner at the Heartland Brewery. While there, I had two very decent locally-made beers, the Bavarian Black Lager, and "Farmer Jon's Oatmeal Stout", and loved the glass for the Black Lager so much that it now resides in my cupboards, next to my Korea-Town, New Year's Eve Edition golden chopsticks. After dinner, we got on yet another train to head to the Met, and I saw a man performing on a XYLOPHONE down in the station, with his iPod playing the background music. It was fantastic. He played "Under the Sea" from The Little Mermaid, and "Hey, Soul Sister" by Train before I got onto the subway, which made the wait much more bearable.
PS - I HATE "Hey, Soul Sister" for being as fucking catchy as it is. It is NOT a good song, and yet, I cannot help but sing along/tap my feet. Train makes me mad.
The show itself was stupendous. The songs were exquisite, the story was easily followed by the superb overacting (a skill in and of itself, and one that is necessary if you want to convey anything to the people sitting up in the 9th floor balcony, like I was) and brilliant set/costume design, and the audience seemed genuinely invested, laughing at all of the appropriate times, even though the whole show was in French. The night was probably one of the best I had during my holiday, and definitely the best I've ever had in New York. Tom introduced me to the East Village Opera Company while I was there, which I HIGHLY recommend, as they perform a wide variety of traditional, classic operas, but with electric guitars and drums and such, and an absolutely stunning vocal cast. It's like the Trans-Siberian Orchestra of Opera. Go.
QOTD:
"Stories live in your blood and bones, follow the seasons and light candles on the darkest night-every storyteller knows she or he is also a teacher... —Patti Davis"
Tom and his girlfriend Kelsey had tickets to go see Carmen, a very famous and incredible opera, at the New York Metropolitan Opera House, a very famous and incredible venue. They bought me a ticket, so it would be barbaric of me to say no, wouldn't it? I was thrilled at the idea of going to this show, as I had heard excellent things, and, despite being a heterosexual male, I happen to love good opera. So, I took a train in this time, instead of the bus, which turned out to be not only faster, but cheaper and more comfortable. I highly recommend it, and I think I'm going to make every effort to travel by train whenever possible. It's quite pleasant. Anyway, after getting into the city, I met up with Tom and Kelsey on Union Square again, and had dinner at the Heartland Brewery. While there, I had two very decent locally-made beers, the Bavarian Black Lager, and "Farmer Jon's Oatmeal Stout", and loved the glass for the Black Lager so much that it now resides in my cupboards, next to my Korea-Town, New Year's Eve Edition golden chopsticks. After dinner, we got on yet another train to head to the Met, and I saw a man performing on a XYLOPHONE down in the station, with his iPod playing the background music. It was fantastic. He played "Under the Sea" from The Little Mermaid, and "Hey, Soul Sister" by Train before I got onto the subway, which made the wait much more bearable.
PS - I HATE "Hey, Soul Sister" for being as fucking catchy as it is. It is NOT a good song, and yet, I cannot help but sing along/tap my feet. Train makes me mad.
The show itself was stupendous. The songs were exquisite, the story was easily followed by the superb overacting (a skill in and of itself, and one that is necessary if you want to convey anything to the people sitting up in the 9th floor balcony, like I was) and brilliant set/costume design, and the audience seemed genuinely invested, laughing at all of the appropriate times, even though the whole show was in French. The night was probably one of the best I had during my holiday, and definitely the best I've ever had in New York. Tom introduced me to the East Village Opera Company while I was there, which I HIGHLY recommend, as they perform a wide variety of traditional, classic operas, but with electric guitars and drums and such, and an absolutely stunning vocal cast. It's like the Trans-Siberian Orchestra of Opera. Go.
QOTD:
"Stories live in your blood and bones, follow the seasons and light candles on the darkest night-every storyteller knows she or he is also a teacher... —Patti Davis"
The Moby Dick of Blog Posts, Part I - NYE.
So, I haven't been around in awhile, as I've been either across the country doing things, or too sick to care about anything at all beyond getting through classes. That being said, my last post was shortly before New Year's Eve, so I suppose that I ought to explain....no, there is too much. Let me sum up. I'll take things chronologically, mostly for my sake.
New Year's Eve was an incredible night in Downtown New York City, and put me in a mood completely opposite the one I was in at the last post (Which, I believe, ended in the phrase "Fuck adventure"). After a couple of hours on Times Square watching and walking and wandering, I met up with a friend from High School, whom I hadn't seen in a year or more. We moseyed a little more, and decided that Times Square was a complete zoo, and that we had best find NYE plans elsewhere. We rendezvoused with his friend, who then called up HIS friend, making ours a party of 4, 3 of whom were Asian (I was the white kid, for once). They decided that we should go to Korea-Town, so we walked a few blocks up, had some sake, chatted for a bit, walked another few blocks, had some snack-type chicken and beer, Asian-style, walked another few blocks, had an actual meal with two MORE people, and then lost half of our party, and ventured into Central Park, for a surprisingly festive, rather little-known NYE celebration, featuring a 4-mile midnight run, a DJ playing some reasonably good music, and a crowd of thousands of the happiest, friendliest New Yorkers I have ever met. They were all sober - which was surprising, but I later discovered that the whole Central Park celebration was focused on starting the new year out in a healthy, positive manner (hence the midnight run), rather than losing consciousness - and chatty, and perfectly welcoming to foreigners, and I was even assaulted by one fairly attractive young lady at about midnight, which is relatively unheard of on that side of the country. After the clock struck 12, there was an absolutely incredible fireworks display, and a great deal of cheering, music, laughing, smiling, and revelry, which makes me almost certain that I made the right choice in avoiding the Times Square crowd. After we left Central Park, my friend David ended up leaving with the 3rd member of our group, leaving me alone on my way to Union Square to meet up with another friend from Boise, who was just getting into town, and his girlfriend, whom I had chatted with on facebook, etc, but had never actually met. After sitting at a nice, warm diner and having a cup of coffee with them, I have verified that she is good people, and it was absolutely great to see Tom again as well. However, I had no place to stay for the night, so I followed them back to Kelsey's apartment in Brooklyn, and slept like a brick on a hardwood floor, with my parka and sweatshirt serving as blanket and pillow. We got to her apartment at about 4am, which means that I spent 12 hours in the cold, wet city, generally carousing with random strangers, finding and losing company almost hourly, and witnessing the best parts of New York. I call it a win, and only pray that I do something this awesome again in 2011.
QOTD:
"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." - Maya Angelou
New Year's Eve was an incredible night in Downtown New York City, and put me in a mood completely opposite the one I was in at the last post (Which, I believe, ended in the phrase "Fuck adventure"). After a couple of hours on Times Square watching and walking and wandering, I met up with a friend from High School, whom I hadn't seen in a year or more. We moseyed a little more, and decided that Times Square was a complete zoo, and that we had best find NYE plans elsewhere. We rendezvoused with his friend, who then called up HIS friend, making ours a party of 4, 3 of whom were Asian (I was the white kid, for once). They decided that we should go to Korea-Town, so we walked a few blocks up, had some sake, chatted for a bit, walked another few blocks, had some snack-type chicken and beer, Asian-style, walked another few blocks, had an actual meal with two MORE people, and then lost half of our party, and ventured into Central Park, for a surprisingly festive, rather little-known NYE celebration, featuring a 4-mile midnight run, a DJ playing some reasonably good music, and a crowd of thousands of the happiest, friendliest New Yorkers I have ever met. They were all sober - which was surprising, but I later discovered that the whole Central Park celebration was focused on starting the new year out in a healthy, positive manner (hence the midnight run), rather than losing consciousness - and chatty, and perfectly welcoming to foreigners, and I was even assaulted by one fairly attractive young lady at about midnight, which is relatively unheard of on that side of the country. After the clock struck 12, there was an absolutely incredible fireworks display, and a great deal of cheering, music, laughing, smiling, and revelry, which makes me almost certain that I made the right choice in avoiding the Times Square crowd. After we left Central Park, my friend David ended up leaving with the 3rd member of our group, leaving me alone on my way to Union Square to meet up with another friend from Boise, who was just getting into town, and his girlfriend, whom I had chatted with on facebook, etc, but had never actually met. After sitting at a nice, warm diner and having a cup of coffee with them, I have verified that she is good people, and it was absolutely great to see Tom again as well. However, I had no place to stay for the night, so I followed them back to Kelsey's apartment in Brooklyn, and slept like a brick on a hardwood floor, with my parka and sweatshirt serving as blanket and pillow. We got to her apartment at about 4am, which means that I spent 12 hours in the cold, wet city, generally carousing with random strangers, finding and losing company almost hourly, and witnessing the best parts of New York. I call it a win, and only pray that I do something this awesome again in 2011.
QOTD:
"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." - Maya Angelou
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