This part blew me away and I knew I had to share it:

though sometimes it is necessary
to reteach a thing its loveliness,
to put a hand on its brow
of the flower
and retell it in words and in touch
it is lovely

The entire poem can be found here.  It is short on words, but long on meaning and inspiration.  I look forward to reading more. In fact, I’m off to do just that.

AKA, what did I learn and/or experience in Park City, Utah at the Sundance Film Festival.

In short:

• Watch the black & white screen
  Make things seem so much simpler
• “They say if you’re not confused, you’re not thinking enough.” Hogan from Little Birds.
• My head is hanging low
  I hear the sounds of victory moving through me and in me
• There’s dignity in suffering, but there’s also dignity in accepting the inevitable.” Cody Curtis from How To Die In Oregon.
• I wish my camera was made as well as my eyes were.
  I wish my pictures could show you want I’m seeing now.
  A glimpse of majesty.
• It’s a calm cold (like a dry heat)
  Snow-capped dream
• I am selfish to the core
• My mind is a ghost town
  I leave it at every chance I get
• Saw a jet from my window seat, the wake it left as it glided over the cloud was amazing. (wish I could have gotten a picture of this.)

In pictures:

From the Hammill Condo

Park City Mountain Resort

Ice Bar Outside High West

Ice Movie Reel Outside High West

This is How I Brush My Teeth

Another View from the Hammill Condo

I wish my camera was made as well as my eyes were.

I wish my pictures could show you want I'm seeing now

A glimpse of majesty.

In Movies

There were over 100 movies screened doing the festival.  I saw four of them.  I enjoyed most of them, although not all were pleasurable, they were all well-done.

• Little Birds A gritty drama that follow two teenage girls who run away from their small, desperate town to explore what else is out there.  They test the bounds of friendship and tote the line of morality.
• I Saw The Devil An action-packed, thriller from South Korea.  The movie follows the story of a man whose pregnant fiancé is murdered.  This is not your typical revenge saga.  It goes well beyond what is expected.
• How To Die In Oregon A documentary about the people behind physician-assisted suicide (or more politically-correct, right to die with dignity).  It was not easy to watch and this invoked a visceral response in most people.  It won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary.
• Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same I didn’t think this was a real movie when I first heard the title and jokingly even said I wanted to see it.  A last minute choice, after watching How To Die in Oregon, I had to see something light-hearted and easy on my mind.  Think 1950s sci-fi, complete with bad special effects, black and white story-telling, and horribly bad alien-cadenced speech. It was fast-paced and almost believable.  It had a deep message in there if you looked for it. More on that later.

The book is simple and an easy read if you are only looking at the words themselves. The meaning behind the words, however, is a completely different story. It’s soul shattering and ego exposing. Max takes familiar stories from Acts and adds context to unveil the underlying truths behind the words Luke wrote some two thousand years ago.

The book is a challenge to make a difference in other peoples’ lives, especially the ones we try to ignore every day, the homeless, the drug addict, the outcasts, the billion who go hungry on a daily basis. Taking a nod from the way Jesus taught, the book is a mix between instruction and application. There are several ideas and examples of how one person can make a difference:

• Father Benjamin (in the preface)
• Through micro-financing loans
• Max’s college roommate
• The coach of a high school football team in Texas

I could have stopped reading the book on page 6, where Max recounts the story of 3 questions that “rocked his world.” They disturbed me as well.

1. Had you been a German Christian during World War II, would have taken a stand against Hitler?
2. Had you lived in the South during the civil rights movement, would you have taken a stand against racism?
3. When your grandchildren discover you lived during a day in which 1.75 billion people were poor and 1 billion were hungry, how will they judge your response?

I had the same visceral reaction that Max had. I imagine a similar reaction occurred when Nathan confronted David in 2 Samuel 12. How is the third question different than the first two? It’s real; it’s not hypothetical. It’s something we can do something about today. Changing the channel during that Sally Struthers commercial doesn’t make the facts go away. It doesn’t make it any less real.

A few years ago I heard an illustration that demonstrates that we get our worth, not by the things we do, but because God says we are worthy. And for years I focused only on what that meant for me personally. I ignored the natural extension to what it meant for others as well. This book puts that into perspective and expands on Matthew 25:

35 “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

With open eyes and an open heart, it is a lot harder to ignore people in need.

Max puts to rest a lot of the common excuses, like can one person really make a difference, I’m not qualified, and how can I change the world if I can’t change my bad habits. I am inspired. I understand now that “compassion is the consequence of salvation.” (pg 169).

The book also includes a study guide at the end for further exploration and discussion of the ideas in this book.

A lot of times when something gets really popular, meaning is lost.  The story  is lost, either through familiarity or through removing words.  There’s a great story within the verses of Amazing Grace most of us know, but there’s an even greater story in the verses that precede “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound.”

Through a series of divine circumstances, I stumbled upon these missing verses at a Kroger in Jellico, TN, a town just past the Kentucky border.  I was so moved by what I read, that I rewrote the music and came up with my own version of Amazing Grace.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teGHYBIyVeY

In evil long I took delight
Unawed by shame or fear;
‘Til a new object met my sight,
And stopped my wild career.

I saw One hanging on a tree,
In agonies and blood;
Who fixed His languid eyes on me
As near His cross I stood.

Sure, never ’til my latest breath,
Can I forget that look
It seemed to charge me with His death
Though not a word He spoke.

My conscience owned and felt the guilt,
And plunged me in despair;
I saw my sins His blood had shed,
And helped to nail Him there.

Alas, I knew not what I did,
But all my tears were vain;
Where could my trembling soul be hid,
For I the Lord had slain!

Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound!
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, But now am found
Was blind but now I see.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess within the vail,
A life of joy and peace!

• Stability = An “S” wants to make sure we have maps, GPS, a plan to get there, a place to stay, and a complete itinerary once we get there.
• Theory = A “T” wants to know why we’re going on a trip in the first place, why are we going on a boat, and when is the “R” going to stop jibber-jabbering.
• Action = An “A” pushes the boat into the water before the “S” finishes inventory.
• Relationship = An “R” wants to make sure everyone gets on the boat and has a good time.

Looking back, it may have been more prudent to be a bit more “S” in my move to San Diego.   I’m naturally a strong “T” when it comes to most things, but this move was pretty “A.”

For more info on the STAR Method, download this STAR Test and Guide in PDF.

There have been several things that I didn’t plan for, and looking back, I probably should have.  The biggest thing was being more realistic in my search for a job and how long it would take.  The functional unemployment rate here is probably close to 20%. That means that 1 out of 5 people is either unemployed, underemployed, or just working part-time somewhere.  So this leads to greater competition and more resumes for HR and recruiters to sort through.

I’ve gained a new perspective on life with this journey of employment I began a little over 6 weeks ago.  This process is a lot more difficult than I anticipated; a formidable task (and not in the hyperbolic sense), but two things stand out as big lessons I’ve learned along the way.

1. There’s nothing like a job hunt to put your self-esteem to the test.

Rejection. Not getting an interview. Not being able to get your foot in the door. Being ignored or being judged by words on page.  Not being given a chance. Not getting a call back.

We shouldn’t let things like this affect us in such a way, but logic does little to combat an emotional roller coaster.  It’s amazing how horrible it feels to be passed up for a job I know I’d be great at because the hiring manager perceived me to be a “slow, dumb southerner.”  Or how that all disappears the moment I got a phone call for another interview.  It’s such a fickle ride and perhaps it would better to describe it as a reverse bungee jump, where the initial high and low are the most extreme.  But with each subsequent iteration, the effects are lessened to where it levels out and I am back to normal.  In this metaphor, that would mean with job.

2. I now have empirical proof that I am an indeed an optimist.

Refer to #1 for more details.

I can look at things that have transpired after my 3000 mile move across the country and see how they can be “good things” in the end, how I can glean positivity from them.  How I can use this to appreciate things more.  How I can use this to humble myself.  How I can use this for inspiration to create more ________.  And that’s what I’m doing.

As a wise man once told me:

Life gives you the test first and the lesson comes afterward.

Pete includes several antidotes form his own life and people he has known to give clear illustrations of ways. He also includes examples from the Bible and puts some of those characters’ lives and decision in a different context that we normally hear, like Joseph, Joshua, and David.

The two things that resonated with me the most were:

• The chapter on control, or rather, the illusion of control.
• Not to worship our plans and dreams over God.

It’s a humbling experience to realize that ideas and plans (that may be good intentioned) can become substitutes for God and therefore, false idols.  It takes some talent and inspiration to write these things in such a way to make them simple and easy to read and comprehend. It may be an easy read, but it is tough to digest.

It seems rather odd that most other countries, especially the English-speaking ones, regularly air American shows, but not with American broadcasting.  Most American TV studios insist on retooling good/successful shows from abroad instead of simply airing them here. Sometimes the U.S. version comes out OK (as in Sanford and Son, All In The Family, The Office, Three’s Company) but most of time, they end up being atrocious (Kath & Kim, Viva Laughlin, Coupling). Those show are so bad you’ve probably never even heard of them, let alone actually watched them.

clever tweet whilst in the air

It may be even harder to make a good remake than a good sequel or a movie-to-TV/TV-to-movie adaptation.

But if you go to Australia or England, you’ll find scores of American shows on their airwaves.  I’m not sure if it has more to with the American audience or the studios’ perception of the American audience. But I think it’s a shame that most of us are missing out on some quality television because of the country we live in.

But thanks to the internet, the world of foreign television is open to a brand new audience and here is my list of the best the rest of the world has to offer. All these shows are currently airing and/or still in production.

1. Hustle (United Kingdom, BBC, 2004)

For fans of the Oceans 11 Franchise, Leverage, The Sting, Prison Break

I must thank AMC for introducing me to  this show and sparking my interest in foreign TV. They aired a few of their episodes and helped produce 2 seasons along with the BBC.

Hustle revolves around a series of con artists who specialize in the dying art of the long con. They are led by Mickie Bricks (played by Adrian Lester). You might recognize Jamie Murray from her portrayal of Lilah on Dexter.

These grifters have their own sense of morality and follow a certain code:

You can’t cheat an honest man.

They take on marks who are despicable, have wronged many others, and generally have gotten away with their misdeeds thus far. The shows usually start off with a reason to con their target. The gang then sets up the long con and take you along with them.  They often break the fourth wall (in a clever way, not cheesy, like in Saved By The Bell) and explain different aspects of the confidence game.

The group spends a lot of time at Eddie’s Bar where they rarely ever pay for drinks.  One recurring theme of the show is to trick the owner of the bar, aptly named Eddie, with a short con.  This usually foreshadows the method in which the long con is played out.

Much like watching a magician perform his tricks, I spend an awful lot of time trying to figure out what’s going on behind the scenes. Often the show will purposely mislead the audience and not reveal certain aspects of the job until the end of the show.

There are only two negative things about this show:

• There are only 6 episodes per season. British TV seasons tend to be shorter and often are only 6 episodes.  This is due to lower budgets and shows have smaller staff.  This fosters a higher quality season.
• It glamorizes crime and much like The Real Hustle leads to con game fantasies.

This show has six seasons under its belt and presumably the seventh will air next January. The show might sound similar to Leverage and although not technically a remake, it is close.  Leverage is a good show…until you compare it to Hustle.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK58l8fbHWQ

website | imdb | wiki | youtube

2. How Not To Live  Your Life (United Kingdom, BBC Three, 2007)

For fans of It’s Always Sunny In Philadephia, Better Off Ted, Worst Week

This is one of the funniest shows I’ve ever seen.  It is also one of the most vulgar.  There’s no FCC to regulate the airwaves outside the U.S. and with this series it shows.  The show centers around Don (played by the show’s creator Dan Clarke) who has “bad luck and even worse instincts.”

Dan’s lack of inhibitions and his inability to interact with others in a normal fashion lead him to numerous awkward situations.  Whenever he’s confronted with one of these predicaments, the audience gets to see several things not to do:

• 4 ways you shouldn’t turn up on your first day at work
• 5 pick-up lines you shouldn’t use
• 5 bad reasons for not seeing someone again
• 4 things not to do to annoying teenagers
• 5 things you shouldn’t do when you have someone round for dinner
• Language you should avoid around children
• 4 things you hope your neighbor doesn’t say
• 6 things Don shouldn’t say

Each season is supported by a female roommate who happens to be romantically just out of Don’s reach.  Dan has an odd fascination with his dead grandmother’s robe and writes some of the most inappropriate (yet funny) songs.  Then there’s Eddie,  Don’s grandmother’s caretaker, who also takes care of Don in a similar manner.

The humor in the show is not what I consider typical British comedy.  It’s not as harsh, obvious, and nor as in-your-face as other shows I’ve seen.  This is also more accessible than most. So far two seasons has been produced and aired by BBC Three with a third season to air this September.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ib8QQabLZjc

website | imdb | wiki | youtube

3. Outrageous Fortune (New Zealand, TV3, 2005)

For fans of Six Feet Under, Weeds, and the drama in Arrested Development and  It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia

After watching the British show Honest, I discovered that it was based on a show from New Zealand, Outrageous Fortune. It is the longest running show made in New Zealand and most of the cast & crew are native Kiwis. It is technically a “dramedy”  and it tackles many sensitive issues, but they do it without an overwhelming degree of being earnest.  It does border on being a soap opera, but the writing is much too good for that.

The premise of the show is a family of criminals, The Wests, whose matriarch Cheryl urges her family to go straight and make an honest living after her husband Wolfe,  is sent to jail. She tries to keep her family together (and out of trouble with the law) and it often ends up being similar to a game of Lights Out.

The line between morality and family values is often blurred and seemingly non-existent and is the cause for much of the conflict, and thus, storyline, in the show.  Upon first glance the family appears rather dysfunctional, but there is a love and loyalty that lies deep within the Wests.

Like most shows that have been on the air for a while, the fifth season saw a decline in quality writing and an increase in absurdity.  Hopefully the sixth (and final) season will end on a high point.

Of note: Rob Thomas retooled the show last year for an American audience, but it was not picked up.  A second attempt has been made and is set to air this summer on ABC called Scoundrels.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KifzmFV3WLM

website | imdb | wiki | youtube

4. Being Human (United Kingdom, BBC Three, 2008)

For fans of True Blood, Heroes, Moonlight, a grown-up and less romantic Twilight

Being Human is a show about a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost who all live together in a house. This show lies somewhere in between Twilight and True Blood, but much closer to True Blood, on the spectrum of vampirical fantasy.

I read about the show and I wasn’t too keen on it since it sounded kinda like a scripted supernatural Real World type thing, but I wanted to see Adrian Lester (from Hustle) is another role.  So I watched the pilot and realized I was wrong.  The show speaks on more than one level.  Each character attempts to find normalcy when they have a condition that keeps causing conflict, whether it’s the constant craving for blood, an inner monster that shows up consistently, or the feeling of being invisible & unnoticed.

I’m in the middle of the second season now and while the episodes aren’t as compelling as the pilot or first season; however, I am hooked by the overlying arc and am looking forward to seeing how this season ends and will anxiously await the third.

Of note: SyFy is airing a remake of the series this summer.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfnYEjXJAJc

website | imdb | wiki | youtube

5. Being Erica (Canada, CBC, 2008)

For fans of Pushing Daisies, Dead Like Me, the drama of My Name Is Earl

The lone Canadian show on the list. And this is one I’m alittle ashamed to like, especially considering I found out it recently started airing on SOAPnet here in the U.S.

This show could have easily been developed by Bryan Fuller.  He’s the producer/writer for such under-appreciated shows like Pushing Dasies, Dead Like Me, Wonderfalls, and the first season of Heroes.

Erin Karpluk stars as Erica, a single thirty-something, who feels life is passing her by.  Her younger sister is married.  Her best friend has a new baby.  And she is unfulfilled and has given up on her dream of becoming a novelist.

In trying to find out what is wrong with her, she stumbles across Dr. Tom, who promises to help her with dealing with her biggest regrets.  Dr Tom sends her back in time to deal with this regrets. Although she can go back in time to makes things better, the only thing that usually changes is her perception of the past event and her mindset that her past doesn’t have to dictate her future.

Each episode of the first season gives up a glimpse at the events that have shaped Erica’s character in the present.  This is show is study in psychology and Dr. Tom spouts out meaning quotes quite often.

The second season ended a few months ago and there is no word on a third season.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ0rVVUYn0Q

website | imdb | wiki | hulu

6. Packed To The Rafters (Australia, Seven Network, 2008)

For fans of a less boring 7th Heaven and Parenthood, the drama of Friends

Packed to the Rafters is a family drama with an amazing ensemble cast.  The show is about a couple, Dave & Julie Rafter, who have just seen their last child leave home, and are looking forward to an empty nest.  Things change quickly in the first episode, and 2 of their 3 kids, including their eldest son’s wife, and Julie’s father comes to live with them.  The youngest moves next door, hence the title of the show.

The show handles all types of social issues, including domestic abuse, drugs, a surprise pregnancy, the loss of a long-time spouse, abortion, and infidelity, as well as how twenty-somethings deal with discovering their ambition and their niche in life, and the risks of being of starting your own business.  The characters are well-developed and believable.

The third season should be some time this summer and it’s one of the few shows outside the U.S. to feature a 20+ episode season.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvu3oW09YII

website | imdb | wiki | youtube

7. The IT Crowd (United Kingdom, Channel 4, 2006)

For fans of The Office, Better Off Ted, Monty Python

This show is more in line with traditional British comedy, where the jokes seem contrived, well set-up, and in your face.  But for some reason The IT Crowd pulls it off, perhaps because I’m such a nerd or I can relate to ineffective management featured heavily in the show.

Roy & Moss are the company’s tech support. They find themselves in absurd situations that parody real life situations I’ve found myself in when helping others with their tech problems. Their supervisor, Jen, knows absolutely nothing about tech support, or computers for that matter, but she was able to fake her way into becoming the head of the IT department.

I was excited to find out a fourth season is being produced after an almost two year hiatus.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjyBaqkPmvk

website | imdb | wiki | youtube

8. The Real Hustle (United Kingdom, BBC Three, 2006)

For fans of Hustle, Leverage, The Oceans 11 Franchise, Reality TV Crime

The lone reality show on the list.  I have only recently started watching the show. It began as a spin-off of Hustle and shows actual con artists who dupe the public and, at the same time, teach the audience how to avoid these scams, some of which can be quite devastating. It has even been mentioned as a must-see show on a recent episode of Being Human.

There is an American version with a different set of con artists that airs on TruTV, but it doesn’t have the same feel; I prefer the British team over the U.S. team, especially Apollo.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2BB7mqBXXo

Another clip about ATM Card Reader scams.

website | imdb | wiki | youtube

Honorable Mention

These shows didn’t quite make the cut since they are no longer airing, but definitely worth checking out.

Corner Gas (Canada, 2004-2009) -  A great show with tons of snarky, dry humor, wit, and sarcasm.  It’s similar to Seinfeld in that the show is essential about nothing, but the characters and the way the story lines come together are entertaining and provide quite a bit of comedy.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Veu-Cm7aHMw

Life On Mars (United Kingdom, 2006-2007) – Apparently I was one of the few who enjoyed the U.S. remake, but it pales in comparison to the original, especially when it comes to how the series ended.  The U.S. version basically took the original scripts and recast them with American actors.  A spin-off, Ashes to Ashes, is currently airing its third season.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7i_j6cdKkY

This is a tweet from last year from singer/songwriter Justin McRoberts. I was stuck by the power of its simplicity.

This is a video for a song I mentioned in my soudtrack for Easter post.  It’s by Mineral, who to this day, remain one of the most influential bands of all time in my life and in the life of thousands of others.  Even though Chris Simpson didn’t intend for this to be a song about Easter, I listen to it with a set of ears that hear the praises of a risen Lord.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6lOIuVN9lg

You woke me up in the morning
To say, “He is risen.”
And I replied with a smile,
“He is risen indeed.”
I only hope that someday
I might resemble you in
Even the smallest way
I only hope that
You can be proud of me

I wish I could have been in Ohio this weekend (probably, the only type I’ll ever utter that phrase) to see Mark Nicks from Cool Hand Luke perform his songs from Of Man, a project chronicling the Passion.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uhp800Nj_G4

Rejoice my soul how long will you wait
Rejoice my soul how long will you fear
I long to touch your face
May I
The sun is coming down again
Jesus I hope you’re coming back soon

Some of these are blatant, some are oblique, some are great songs all-around, some are not, and some might not even reflect the writer’s original intent.  But they do portray different emotions, aspects, and perspectives, and stages of the Easter story.  Enjoy.

1. Cool Hand Luke – “This Is Love”
2. Dana Key – “The Outlaw”
3. Dogwood – “Do or Die”
4. Grammatrain – “Flying”
5. Jars of Clay – “Liquid”
6. Mineral – “GJS”
7. The Newsboys – “You Are My King”
8. Pedro the Lion – “Amazing Love”
9. Rich Mullins – “While The Nations Rage”
10. Skillet – “Splinter”
11. The Supertones – “Louder Than The Mob”
12. Third Day – “Love Song”

There were a few songs I couldn’t find on Grooveshark.

1. Black Eyed Sceva  – “Nailholes”

   Download:
   

2. My Spacecoaster – “Furtive”

   Download:
   

3. Sky’s The Limit – “Neverending Like The Sky”

   Download:
   

4. Steamboat – “Dilemma’s Defeat”

   Download:
   

Three bonus hymn, modern and old:

1. “Alleluia, He Is Coming”  (I love this song.  It tell the whole story and the dynamics of the music correspond to the lyrics.  Best version I’ve heard was by the youth band at my church in Louisville.  I wish I could find their CD with this on it.)
2. “Beautiful Scandalous Night”  (beautiful song, still gives me chills, Robbie Seay’s version is below.) httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUXIyilD280
3. “Low From the Grave He Arose” (for some reason this sounds like such a cool song, perhaps the most punk song in the Hymnal.)

A rather weird way to end this post:  a song  that, along with the Mineral song above,  probably wasn’t intended for this purpose.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bi70n_HFRtk

Jesus Christ, I’m alone again
So what did You do those three days You were dead?
Because this problem is going to last more than the weekend

I’m sure I missed some.  Include some of your favorites in the comments below.

Download:

leaving greenville

to go to san diego

Anyway, I’m excited about a few upcoming changes: I’m getting out of Greenville and moving to San Diego.  I looked at the possibility last year, but decided against it.

When I arrived in South Carolina 10 years ago, I looked at it as a temporary situation.  I tried leaving several times, to go back and finish school in Nashville, to transfer to MTSU in Murphreesboro,  to move back to Louisville on more than one occasion, to move to Charleston.  None of them quite worked out for one reason or another.

I never looked at Greenville as becoming my home.  It still feels weird for me to say, “I’m from Greenville.”  I resort to saying, “I live in Greenville.”

I realized earlier this year my mindset when I moved here led to me not establishing roots here.  Since I thought I wasn’t going to be here long, why bother?  And outside of family, bother I did not.  With that kind of transient mentality, it became easy to walk away or withdraw from situations.  I guess it was a defense mechanism of sorts and most of it was executed subconsciously.

It is regrettable that I didn’t do more or accomplish more with my time here in South Carolina.  But now there is much pent-up potential and productivity that is screaming to come out and that is what I’m looking forward to releasing it when I get to California. I have many plans that I will implement and many goals that I will accomplish after I move.

Before that I’m going to spend to next few weeks whittling down my possessions, of which I have way too many.  It’s not like I belong on A&E’s Hoarders or anything,  but I do have a lot of stuff.  I still have stuff boxed up from my initial move to Greenville. I realized that if I have stuff that’s been boxed up for years and I haven’t as much as looked at it, I probably don’t need it anymore and even if I did, I probably wouldn’t know it’s there.   So I have many more items to donate to Goodwill, sell on ebay or craigslist, and to simply throw away.

So my next stage awaits and it starts with seeing Conan O”Brien live on his tour. I am looking forward to seeing him later this month for a “night of music, comedy, and the occasional awkward silence.”

A few of my upcoming plans:

• seeing my first, big comedy show
• planting my first fruit-bearing tree
• going back to school
• finding a job and subsequently getting laid off
• opening a frozen banana stand
• driving the 101 all the way to Olympia, Washington
• starting a few new websites
• and many new adventures I have yet to plan or even contemplate.

Here’s to the future.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl37kzNxow0

“Meet Me By The River’s Edge” by The Gaslight Anthem