I can't wait until Thanksgiving. When that Moday arrives I get to start packing and preparing for a lone roadtrip. Needless to say, I'm going to attempt to find a cheap hotel room half way through so that I can make the trip a little easier on myself, but then, there are only four days on that vacation, so maybe I'll just drive straight through.

I haven't been to KY since last Thanksgiving, and I didn't do most of the driving then. I went with Ray and Jess and we had a blast driving up! Ok, so it wasn't a blast, and my CD player was in the shop, but we still had a good time. The trip back was what sucked. But that's always how the trip back is. There's nothing to look forward to except for your bed, which is cool, but the thought of it only makes you more tired. I'll see if I can do this alone or not.

Apart from that, I'm also taking a long road trip up to North Georgia in just 3 short days. SCORE! White water rafting is so fun... So I hear anyway... OK, I'm going to find a picture, but it's not going to be of the place we're going. You get the idea.



Wow, I actually found a movie, and it actually works on my blog. That's sweet.

Anyway, I hope I get to see Mom soon, I know we were talking about me going over to Arizona soon, but it seems a little hectic here what with me and my job search. I hope she can come to Kentucky this Thanksgiving, that would be great.

Alrighty, well I got a new lead on an awesome accounting job yesterday. I'm calling today, going to see what that's all about. There's also one there about inside sales, so we'll see how that goes.

Oh, and hi mom! I just realized that she didn't know I had a website, so welcome! Don't leave any embarassing comments by the way! They can't be erased!

If anyone knows of any other blogs by cool famous people, let me know. It's kind of fun.

:-D

I just think this is too cool. I found this online journal of Ian McKellan from when he went to the premiere of Lord of the Rings. It's very weird hearing Gandalf's perspective of the event. At the opening at Odeon Theater in London (I think) he said:

"After the Balrog, I left for some fresh air and a cigarette. There the fans were still waiting, entertained only by the repeating relayof Howard Shore's score. They were mostly in their 20's and younger. I know of one 40 year old who flew from the States just to stand outside the cinema, the occasion was so momentous for him. Momentous for me too, who made the same journey..."

How cool is that?!

Well, another day... I'm really excited because a week from today I will be in North Georgia rafting! If I can find a picture of the place I will... Hmm... Well I just looked, and all the pictures were stupid, so just imagine what it would look like!

Anyway, so my mom, all of the sudden, says she is going to pay for me to fly out to Arizona to see her... Which is fine with me. I haven't had cooked food in a long time. Oh, and I get to see Mom too. I'm planning on going to KY for Thanksgiving. Exciting. No really. Here are some pictures of my birth city, Frankfort. Man, those pictures are awesome. Believe me, it doesn't look as cool when you are actually there. I do like the mountains though, especially when it's snowy out.

Oh, and I started swimming again last week. The first day, which I'm pretty sure was Tuesday, I could only swim half a mile (about 35 laps) and I was dead. I felt really sick and everything. Then I swam on Thursday and swam 102 laps before I ran out of time (I only had an hour and a half). That's about a mile and a half. Today I'm swimming from 1 - 4 so I'll let you know how I do. I'm trying to train enough to start swimming on this local team. Then if I'm good enough, I can swim for NYU when I get there (wishful thinking in so many ways...).

Blogs4God has my site listed as "cool", and I don't see any others with that little green thing next to it. This is so exciting! Anyway, I'm having a decent day, I'll post more in a few minutes.

Oh, and someone that uses sprint.ca ISP, was on my website for 71 minutes yesterday... Thanks, mysterious Canadian friend!

Ok, I had the crappiest day yesterday. In fact, I'd stretch that to this whole year. This whole year has sucked beyond any normal level of suckability.

I'm not going to elaborate, but just take my word for it. It's times like this that I feel like I hate everyone and everything on the planet. And it's times like this that I normally end up saying something I don't mean. So, maybe if I keep the negative comments as general and vague as possible, I won't offend anyone.

Anyway, on the bright side, I went with Alexis to test drive a car. The whole thing started out innocent enough, we were dropping her car off to get the longest oil change I've ever experienced, and I offered to take her to the VW lot so she can test drive her dream car - a 2003 VW Golf GTi 1.8t. It's a turbo. What more can I say? Anyway, they had one left and it was the exact one she wanted, blue with gray leather, 5 speed, sunroof, etc. It had ALL the options. After driving it around like a mad woman, she talked to the guy (who couldn't have been more than 25 years old) and he offered to give it to her with zero down, and her payments were semi-reasonable...

Needless to say, she wants the car now, and if I call her, she'll probably be sitting in front of the guy's desk right now signing a little pink slip giving her that speed devil car.

And if she doesn't get it, I'm completely persuaded that I want this car more than anything right now. Which really sucks for me, in case you haven't heard of my past car payment experiences...

*sigh*

Pray for me. I don't really want the car. It's a sad, pathetic lust of mine that needs to be put out.

ok, I've heard of some people saying i look like Richard Gere:



and others say I look like Jamaes Van Der Beek:



so, I know this is pretty pointless, but which one is more accurate? Based on the nearly vague picture up top anyway. Personally, I don't think I look like either of them, but I guess they are both ok...

According to this site, I made more than about 91% of the world's population in 2001...

And I thought I was poor.

The exciting thing for me is that she is alive. She's out there, and she's waiting for me too... And the way she will love the Lord, that'll be what blows me away.

My updates haven't been too extensive as of late, so I'm going to try to make them a little more informative, as I'm sure you all care so much.

I bought the new Eve 6 cd today. It's excellent. The song I bought it for was worth the 14 bucks I spent; it's called "Think twice." Good stuff I tells ya. There are a few other good ones on there, but I've been listening to the one song on repeat for a while now...

Don't you love getting a new cd? I like when I love a song and I can't ever find it on the radio, so I go buy the cd. Then I gt to listen to it anytime I want! Granted, after a little while it gets old, but those first few days are great.

My roommate was getting this one job with Thompson Cigar Co, but his current job offered him an outrageous raise that no one could have expected, so now he doesn't have to switch jobs, and he's livin large. For real!

I saw Trinity again yesterday... I felt like a jackmonkey for never calling her. But I didn't want to lead her on, so what can I say? Anyway, we talked a little more, and I invited her to this thing sponsored by a local Baptist church here in Tampa. It's called the "Tree" and it's supposed to be tonight. I've only been twice myself, but she (hesitantly) said she'd think about it. She also asked me if my parents were "religious" at which point she asked me how I became a Christian.

It doesn't get easier than that folks. But I didn't get too detailed, because she obviously has issues with Christianity and I feel like the time hasn't come... I mean, when I invited her to the Tree, I think she thought it was a cult type thing, which I understand on this campus, so there was no pressure.

I'm going white water rafting in just two short weeks! I'm so excited; this is a first for me!

Leave a nice little comment and make me happy, why don't ya!

This is the new civic:



I'm not too sure what to think about it... I mean on one hand, it looks incredible. On the other hand, it makes my car look a little outdated. Hmm...

What do you think?

Quote of the day:

"... I played AND played tonight, until I couldn't play anything else. "It", whatever "it" is, went up and down the keyboard, winding in and out with haunting upper melodies and rumbling bass lines. I closed my eyes and passed through snow and wind, over mountains and into the sea. And all throughout I kept seeing the cross, illuminated by remnants of a storm just passed, as if everything... His life, His death... had only just transpired..."

-Audrey

Looks like I won't be going to Fort Lauderdale this weekend. Drats.

Oh well, maybe it's for the better. I'm pretty tired of doing stuff every weekend, and to be honest, it's kind of a blessing that we won't be able to go. Maybe now I can catch up on my Chinese whistle making. Better yet, I can start my Yoga as I've always planned. Ha, can you imagine me in one of those get ups with the spandex and the mat.

Anyway, I'll think of something to do, don't you worry. Maybe now I can go watch "The Four Feathers" with Jen. Mayhaps*, Jen?

*word of the day

So yeah. I totally came here to the library in my scrubby clothes, with messy hair that desperately needs to be cut, and a girl starts talking to me. A cute girl. She needed help getting on to the computer, so... What's a guy to do? I totally helped her (as I have for other, non-cute people... Don't judge...). ;)

She goes on to tell me that she's a foreign exchange student from Canada (ok, not so foreign, but hey...) and that she is down here for a year just taking some final classes before she gets her degree in... something sports related maybe? She has spent the past few months travelling around the continent (east coast, mexico, cali, up to west canada, and back across). I told her that I knew a bunch of people from Waterloo and the surrounding universities because of a Bible study conference I went to (which I had to explain to her, seeing as how she most likely isn't a Christian). We made more small talk for about 30 minutes and then did our own thing for about 20 more minutes online.

I saw the front page of hotmail.com several times on her screen as she just sat there, pretending to be checking her email over and over and over and over (you get the idea...), as I chatted with my cousin about this cute canadian girl who is totally talking to ME! And just as she stopped pretending to check her email again, she explains that she is still new here and kind of wants to go check it all out sometime, just to see things. She implied that it would be with me as she gave me her number and email address, with the super cool name at the top, Trinity.

So, am I in the Matrix or something (and not just because her name is Trinity)? Since when are cute girls attracted to me? Since when do girls EVER do things in a rational manner, like admitting the reciprocated attraction and taking a step? It's times like these that I start to think I'm either on the Truman show, or the CIA is after me. (Insert shifty eye animation here)

This is just too weird. I came here on a whim, just to check some email again, which I did an hour ago anyway, and I'm going home with an email address and a phone number that I didn't even solicate, from a really cool girl who is attracted (apparently) to the ugly Matt (yes, I know I'm not attractive, but today is even worse... Didn't try at ALL).

Top of the world I tell ya.

Now don't get all Uber-conservative on me, I know I'm not going to ask her out on a date or anything, she's probably not even a Christian. But it's still helps out the old self-esteem.

Blogger is stupid...

Twidle-dee-dee. I'm bored.

As a bored guy, I'm going to go eat. That makes sense right? Maybe it's more of an eating disorder. Or maybe it's because I didn't eat breakfast.

Top ten things to do on September 4th, 2003:

10. Play kick the can outside, but with rocks due to the litter laws and the avid recyclers here in Tampa.

9. Empty all the recycling bins into the adjacent trash cans.

8. Buy milk and other fine pastuerized products.

7. Read a book. I'm thinking of Mein Kamph (Hitler, circa the 1940's). Not.

6. Eat mor Chikun. Either that or teach the Chik fil-a cows how to spell.

5. Shave. Wait, already done.

4. Color a piece of paper (multifashioned) and rip it into small pieces, tossing it into the air at the library and exclaim "Happy LIbrarian Day Everybody!!" as you run in circles then collapse pretending you're dead.

3. Go to the library for Mein Kamph and other beloved classics.

2. Find a group of people talking at a restaurant and give them all party favors as you thank them for coming to your birthday party. See how long you can keep that going.

1. Make a top ten list.

That's a wrap folks, thanks for coming.

So yeah, it appears as if no one reads my blog anymore... Why the lack of comments people? Am I being too boring? Do you not care anymore? Am I not entertaining to you? I used to get upwards of 25 hits per day. Now I've dwindled to a petty 13 per day and I have you to thank for it. Should I add more pictures? Maybe type in ALL CAPS? Ok, maybe not.

I'll add pics when I'm good and ready. I've pretty much finished two drawings that are going into the portfolio, which is progress if I do say so myself. Booya! And when I get around to it, I'm going to do some photography.

I'm really excited that we get to go back to Fort Lauderdale in a few weeks. We haven't been in so long (as in, a couple of months). This whole summer has been crap so far, but I have to say, it feels really nice to not have any homework. Ahhh... A good break is needed right now.

My cousin started at Virginia Tech last week. How's it going? Well, he pretty much hates it. Basically, it's overrated, overpriced, and poorly staffed, which kind of comes as a shock to me because it seems like one of the best schools if you ask anyone else. I trust his judgment though, which is why I'm happy he's decided to transfer to the University of Kentucky next semester and live with his family. This would save them money, and he would get to live with them. He's so lucky to be able to live with his whole family together like that. What a comfort. It's also cool because then I would get to visit them more often (because I've only visited them in Vermont once in my whole life).

The Bible study went well last night. I got to lead the chapter this week, 1 Corinthians 2, which says, for the most part, that the only way one can learn the things of God is by the Holy Spirit, and that the things we teach and hear from scripture can't be learned by the "natural man" which is to say any unbeliever, because they haven't accepted Christ.

What's amazing is that the wisdom of God is found in the complex things of Himself, but even more in what we see as simple. The bible says that King Solomon was the wisest man to ever live. He knew so many things, in so many areas. God had led him through so many areas, ups and downs and through wealth and poverty. He was exposed to the most profound truths and even wrote the book of Proverbs as well. What was his conclusion to all the profound experiences? His "conclusion to the whole matter" is that we should fear God and keep His comandments.

I mean, that is so simply put, and seemingly so simple to acheive. I think we'd do well to stick to the simple things and find God present in the daily aspects of life before we should look beyond that.

I'm going to list some links to sites about my favorite directors soon. I was wondering if anyone had input on the list, and if you had any suggestions. If not, leave a comment anyway.

Thanks a million... Nay, billion.

I bought a book today. In fact, it's my very first book on screenwriting and I'm super-excited about it. I even started a screenplay today, which I'm not really going to talk about, since I'm positive it wil be a movie in the next few years (ok, so my exaggeration might be a little obvious). I'm so glad I didn't take any classes this semester; it's really freeing up my time to do the things I want to do, and this passion I have has been so consistent, I know it's from the Lord. I'm so happy to have a passion, I know that most kids my age are still undecided, still stuck in the mode of what to do next.

This time I can't waste it. I can't sit and let it dissolve, I have to be a good steward of this desire and talent I've been given.

I added another link to the left, and it's one that I have heard about from a number of people. Needless to say, my goal is to finish a screenplay in time for the next contest.