today someone got to my site by googling “downtown atl ghetto pic.” what?
moving on, here are the new invitations for the next seating of the Epiphany Lounge™. i’m on this bruce lee kick lately. heh… that was so unintentional. ok…sorry. (but just for fun, here’s a bruce desktop wallpaper. everyone in the office will see your desktop and know you’re not to be triffled with.)
the invites are the first design piece to feature the trademark for the Lounge. simple, mono-chromatic (you know me.) in fact… it’s so simple, i’m sure there are 20 marks that look just like it… but i did do some research and haven’t run across anything yet. (of course, that means nothing.) but for now, our little artist’s community has some branding.
so i got a bunch of handmade pottery for less than $40 yesterday. anderson college student art sale. you have to love that. one of the bowls and the mug were a house-warming present from burdette and the chick. great friends = great presents.
speaking of great presents… i am the man because i just gave myself a mac laptop.
had dinner with LB and karl (not a boy) last night. there is something so wonderful about eating dinner with friends outside. i wish more restaurants around here had patios. i feel so much more cosmopolitan. dinner was followed by ice cream at the 31 flavors. karl got hit on by some guy who either 1.) had a nervous twitch or 2.) thinks winking is still cool like it was in 1983. (hint: no, footloose-era-kevin-bacon, it is not.)
then, of course, there was much hanging out and conversation on the Non-Motiovational Couch™. the highlight? i think that ruth is probably a whore. yep… that’s right. i said it. i suppose i need to explain. there has been a lot of spring-time chatting about “relationships” lately. the topics of initiation and response come up frequently… and so LB deftly pointed out, “what about ruth?”
the following thoughts may not reflect the viewpoints of one LB.
ruth was a whore…. that’s what. ok, harsh… i have no mercy, remember? basically, i reject the idea that simply because a story occurs in scripture that it should be taken as instruction for how to live a Godly life. people in the Bible are messed-up… they’re human after all.
the whole ruth/boaz situation has some elements of initiation and response, but it isn’t the template by any means. besides, how romantic does this sound? didn’t think so. bottom-line? i see boaz do some initiating and setting ruth apart from all the other women around him (i want to know the cultural context of what it would mean for a man of his standing to let a girl, who didn’t even have the standing of one of his servant girls, come eat from his plate) but i mainly see ruth get all prettied-up, go to boaz’s bedroom, uncover his “feet” (cultural euphemism, people) and scheme her way into a marriage. that sounds like initiating to me. come to think of it… that’s not all too different from the way a lot of women act these days. i know that sounds harsh, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true.
today is the most outrageous OUTRAGEOUS THURSDAY™ in recent memory. why? i awoke to find my tax return in my mailbox today. happy, happy. joy, joy. shua is buying a laptop. i’ve had my sights set on an apple G4 iBook, and lucky me they just released an updated version with lots more bells and whistles, memory, speed, and wireless internet built-in. i will order it tomorrow. mwahahaha.
last night, some of the crew got together for Epiphanuit™ and nick’s first semi-successful attempt at baklava. very fun. fantastic conversation… as always. simon read some new stories (stalkers being my favorite) and then a few folks did a dry run-through of his play weird: or the extremely odd couple… which we’re hopefully going to put on downtown later this year. i love simon’s writing. so witty. he kept stopping while reading and telling me, “i’m glad you think that line is funny…. no one ever thinks that’s funny.” HOW could no one think it’s funny? he’s great.
i’m having a late lunch with burdette today. more great conversation is on the way.
oh, and ryan linked one of the more wonderful websites i’ve ever seen… lifeswitch. it’s not even a website… it’s more of an absolutely amazing use of the web to communicate to people in an engaging way. (don’t stop where it asks you for your contact info… that’s where it becomes greatness.) just… amazing.
i’ve been listening to james brown or jamiroquai all day. i feel like a much funkier individual now.
in other news… new desktops for your perusal/downloading/viewing pleasure…
and mildly offensive to catholics and kung fu lovers alike.
tonight, i think i’ll go buy paint and supplies for THE 220™ kitchen and then perhaps some kill bill vol. 2 action. i am a man of action… can’t you tell?
went to see shane and shane last night in greenville. musically, it was a great show, definitely the best i’ve ever seen them. also, the big suprise of having will hunt playing percussion with them. he did his cool apt core thing as an opening set. (there’s an interview here about the whole apt core thing.) i got to chat with him a little bit afterwards… i hadn’t seen him since a festival in kansas in 2000… he was playing drums for charlie hall then. it was nice to make contact again and re-exchange info. he’s just one of those creative folks i’m drawn to, for whatever reasons… and i want to stay in touch.
other than the musical side of things last night… it was just a much needed time to spend with God. just involving Him in my life… i’ve been so scattered and bleh lately… i needed some grounding… and some reminding. i think last night will give me much to think about as i walk into a new season of my life (new house, my job constantly changing, etc.)… and i’ll have time in colorado in a few weeks to really focus in and not be so distracted like i have been lately. seriously… i have no idea where the last 6 months of my life went. much to think about. for now… Christ is good… that’s all i really have figured out.
went to youth group last night to snap some pictures. fun times with the crew, particularly the above skater homies… who are officially now famous. they crack me up. it’s frightening to see middle school kids interact with each other the same way i do with my guy friends. they have catch-phrases and everything. hysterical.
lanna and i went thrifting on saturday (after i slept in until noon, that is.) i found some highly quality shirts, particularly the orange one that says “cheerleaders are dancers who have gone retarded.” what? who makes a shirt that says that? (…and even more pressing, who gives said shirt to goodwill?) i also got a lovely blue “pampered chef” shirt. dang skippy i am. dang skippy.
the rest of my t-shirt haul (like the “oysters make you love longer” one) are most likely e-bay bound. you have to love buying t-shirts for $1 and selling them for $20… with minimal work involved. (hey, it works for my boy john…) if nothing else, it’s a nice hobby that fills my saturdays with joy, my bank account with a few extra dollars, and someone’s mailbox with some swank schwag.
there has been much hanging out occuring at THE 220™ lately… which has been nice. (especially now that i have air conditioning.) i think LB is starting to stake claim to one end of the Non-Motivational Couch™. this week, i’ll start painting the living room (ceiling, walls, trim.) if that goes well, i’ll move on to the kitchen… and the awesome shade of “hot ember” red that it will rock. my house is gonna be hott. that’s all you need to know. THE 220™… center of social festivities… and lounging on the Non-Motivational Couch™… and much chocolate chip cookie baking.
listening to sleeping at last at very loud volumes while working today. they’re so good. (both the band and the loud volumes…)
speaking of work, i made a new desktop for my office the other day. i could deal with the glass desktop anymore, so i mounted it on the wall and it’s my dry erase board now. (yeah, i’m crafty like that.) my desktop is huge now. of course, i had to make room for the ghetto PC that’s sitting by my lovely mac now. unfortunately, one of the hazards of being a web designer is that all you ridiculous people use PCs and, even worse, internet explorer. what a devil program. (do yourself a favor and download mozilla firefox. then write microsoft and tell them how much their monopoly products lack merit. thank me later.) of course, if i’m going to have to keep this ghetto machine in my office, it has to have a pretty desktop wallpaper… even if it’s one admitting that it’s ugly.
enjoy.
also, wednesday the 28th from 6:00-10:00PM is free scoop night at your local baskin robbins. 31 flavors of free, sucka.
well, OUTRAGEOUS THURSDAY™ was, once again, less than outrageous… but was wonderful in its restfulness, which is really what a day off is all about. slept in… glorious. did the address change thing at the post office, ordered new checks (sidenote: why do all check designs suck? they should let me design my own checks. now that would be awesome banking)… bought a cookie sheet and a few shirts, etc. i spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out with suz and chatting while seeing my sister’s house/shop in all it’s interior design goodness. my sister is a genius.
we also went and looked at a downtown loft that is owned by an acquaintance of suzanne’s. great place… makes me want to buy a building downtown right now… as opposed to the two year plan i know i need to be on so i’m out of debt completely before embarking on that journey. all things in good time.
pizza at jake and suz’s for dinner… papa john always treats me right. especially with ice cold coca-cola. late last night we went to clemson’s FCA. brown and some of the boys are leading worship for them next year, so this was their “debut.” they rocked. the speaker was less-than-lackluster. you win some, you lose some.
now THIS is a practical joke.
I had dinner last night with the family for my Grandma’s 84TH BIRTHDAY. She still goes to a gym and exercises three days a week. She’s amazing. I love that woman with all my heart.
We ate at… wait for it… EL TITANIC. Did the nice Hispanic folks who own the place not do a little nautical history research or at least WATCH the movie before they named the restaurant? Quite possibly one of the worst restaurant names ever. But apt, considering their menu consists of Mexican food and American seafood. Under one roof. On the same plates. COOKED IN THE SAME KITCHEN. My small intestine is doing calisthenics just typing about it.
By the way, have I ever mentioned that I dislike Mexican food? And seafood? And Mexican seafood? If hating Mexican food was people, i’d be China. But for the fam… for the Grandma… I will sacrifice. I had chips and salsa and then went home and ate a couple of sandwiches and had a Coke. And a big piece of pumpkin pie. And some leftover chocolate chip cookies from SCRABBLE NIGHT™.
too many pics of me in the past few days. i’d try to never do that again. nevertheless… technology is my friend again and i got a new cell phone. the process was funny, however. (isn’t it always?) you know it’s never a good thing when the conversation with the cell phone salesguy goes something like this:
salesguy: “so what’s wrong with your phone?”
me: “i can’t get signal. maybe it’s the antenna?”
salesguy: “let me see it…”
[long pause]
salesguy: “ew. yeah. we’re gonna need to get you a new phone.”
turns out the antenna was shot… along with the rest of the phone. water damage… corrosion… and quite a large amount of lint in it. the hazards of rocking the denim everyday i suppose. i’ve had that phone for years though, so i think its earned its stripes. so… rest in peace, old sub-par nokia phone. on to the new one… it’s still nokia’s cheapest phone… but it has voice tags on it, which is nice… no more dialing. if someone had told me that these phones had voice recognition on them before now, i would have broken my phone years ago. my old one didn’t even vibrate. this one not only vibrates… it rocks. (ok… dumb. i apologize.)
however, i am a little saddened that my ring tone of so many years, the indiana jones theme, was no longer available for download. to that, i say, “boo.” i’m currently rocking the beverly hills cop theme… but it’s just not the same. it’s a temporary remedy.
oh, and my unfounded fears about over-bearing cell phone salesguys were dashed when i walk in the store to find terrance working the counter. a few days ago he ran out of gas and i gave him a ride to and from the gas station. of all people, i know the feeling of walking across an empty parking lot at night, gas can in hand… i can’t pass that by and not help out. purely coincedentally, i’m sure, he hooked me up with a great deal on the new phone.
currently reading future shock by alvin toffler. it was a recommend from tim sanders, who pretty much rocked my intellectual world when he spoke at the catalyst leadership conference last year. i’ve tried to read all the books sanders name-dropped while speaking, but it’s taken awhile. (i actually found future shock at a thrift store for a grand total of 50¢… lovely.) thus far, great read. toffler examines the all-encompassing issues of those who are not ready or accepting of change, despite the fact that change is here. “change is avalanching upon our heads and most people are grotesquely unprepared to cope with it.” he says. i’ll keep you updated.
today? meetings, meetings, meetings.
i am bemused…
be•muse
v. be•mused, be•mus•ing, be•mus•es
1. To cause to be bewildered; confuse.
2. To cause to be engrossed in thought.
we’ll go with the second definition. that’s where i am right now. too much on my mind… no discernable way to get it out into tangible thoughts or conversation. i need a vacation. colorado… three more weeks. it cannot get here soon enough. (speaking of things getting here soon… where is my tax return? no tax return = no laptop. no laptop = no fun.) also, LB beat me on SCRABBLE NIGHT™. i haven’t lost to anyone but MCD in a long time. i’m crushed. ok… not really.
i promise i’m not as disillusioned as i sound.
senior art reviews at anderson college today. i’m going to try to see legget’s general studio review at 1:45, get back for a staff meeting at 2:30, and then hopefully make it back for matt mantooth’s (coolest… name… ever) design review at 3:15. wish me luck. time management is not my strong suit. i am also bad at it.
friends and countrymen matt mantooth (coolest… name… ever) and joshua burdette have officially joined the 21st century. it is with great pleasure that i offer this is culture for your perusal. you might get cavities.
it’s just… that… good. (ok… not yet… but it will be. they’re fine, young chaps, those boys.)
ok… more humor at other people’s expense. go to this site. yep… kenny floyd again. new website… still not that great, though much better than it was a few weeks ago. but did you read the welcome paragraph?
“Welcome to the site. The band has been gearing up for the new album. A new single will be realsed very soon. We have gotten so much reponse regaurding the song “Loud” that we decided to relaese a two song single before the album this summer.”
note the two alternate (though still incorrect) spellings of “released,” a new word that looks and acts like “response,” a word we all know and love, but actually lacks an all-important “s,” and, to top things off, a very unique remix version of the classic “regarding.” are those words really that hard to spell? it’s not like they’re SAT words or anything. come on, people. those with access to posting things on the web should not be UNLITERATE™. (i’d email them to tell them… but no link for such communication can be found.)
…and now i will proofread this post 27 times to make sure i didn’t misspell anything while i was making fun of people who misspell things.
spent last night as MCD’s date for a little pre-wedding party for jason and kelly. no… seriously… all the married couples on staff… and me and the MCD. i’m really glad they didn’t delve too deep into the “which one of them is going to get married first?” conversation. but the evening was grand, all singleness aside. i love the people i work with. we’re all so different, but they’re becoming the best friends i’ve ever had. we laughed… lots. and shared stories… and laughed some more.
forgot to mention that i went to see opening night of voice of the prairie at anderson college on thursday. what a wonderful play. 15 characters, 3 performers. and so hysterically funny. if you’re an SC person reading this, you should go soon. much more worth your while than a movie. i promise.
today… i bought towels… and ice trays… and flatware. i am such a grownup.
i also bought a mailbox for THE 220™. the mailbox was black… but how boring is that? i painted it green. so now i can say, “oh… you’re coming over for dinner? that’s greeeeat. mmhmm. mmhmm. near the college… mmhmm. mine’s the one with the green mailbox.” trust me, that’ll come in handy sometime soon. (and i’ll actually be able to receive mail… which will be nice.)
and i saw a ridiculously cute girl today while i was shopping. i managed to compliment her on her saucony’s. yep… that’s it. apparently that’s all i can muster. how’d it work out, you ask?
me: “i like your shoes.”
ridiculously cute girl: “um… yeah… they’re dirty.”
[insert cricket noises here]
in other news: my cell phone is dead. ok, not so much dead… but more so like a zombie. it’s on… it just doesn’t quite work. cell phones are apparently disposable anyway. i took mine apart to fix it (it’s what guys do… you don’t have to understand it, just accept it. we think we can fix everything) and discovered the antenna isn’t exactly connected to anything anymore. lovely. so i suppose i’ll have to sit through the, “well, we have this swanky new model for only $159.99… after rebate… and your firstborn… and their cell phone contract for life. oh… and a pound of your flesh.” no fun. technology is only my friend when it works.
this guy hearts foosball. punk rockers heart foosball. little girls heart foosball. dirty hippies heart foosball. gwb hearts foosball.
seriously? even franciscan monks heart foosball. so you know it has to be Godly… word.
the bottom line? i really hope you heart foosball… because i’m throwing myself a birthday shindig at THE 220™ in june… and we’re having a foosball tournament. i’m talking brackets, ranking, and a big freaking trophy. invitations will, of course, be made soon. i must admit, all inspiration for this glorious idea is courtesy dave nelson over at secret penguin. he told me that when he moved into his new abode, the basement included the bonus suprise of a shuffleboard court built into the tile. …i am insanely jealous. (granted, i’ve played shuffleboard maybe three times in my whole life. but that’s not the point. the point is that we are guys and we are, by nature, ridiculously, illogically competetive and he has something “cool” that i don’t. therefor… jealousy. you see how that works?) nonetheless, dave did what any other semi-awesome guy in his shoes would do… he had a shuffleboard-house-warming-birthday-gig. brilliant. and then they had a rematch. i like this guy already.
all that to say… sometime in late june, foosball is rocking THE 220™… and you’re probably invited.
i think this sums up how you all feel about me. too kind, too kind.
so, dino sanchez over at orange italic makes awesome fonts… then proceeds to display them in hysterically odd pseudo-sentences. that particular one made my not-so-good day much better. laughter is great. this one was a close runner-up in light of recent move into THE 220™.
i’m bored.
not in the “i have nothing to do” variety. i have plenty of things to keep me occupied between work and getting THE 220™ all painted and swanky… but i’m just bored. in the holding pattern, waiting for something extraordinary to happen… bored. i have this tendency to look forward to things (events, people, vacation, shows, movies, whatever) as if they’re going to change things for me… like they’re going to make everything better. i know that’s not true… but man, i feel it sometimes. it drives me crazy. none of those things will (or even can) fulfill… yet i end up placing these expectations on them like they will… and then getting down when they don’t deliver. not a huge problem when it’s an inanimate object like a film or an album… massive issue when it’s a person. piper says “…imagination is the key to killing boredom.” i’m with him on that… to an extent. but life has a way of getting in the way of statements like that that renders them trite sometimes.
if you’re waiting for resolution… there is none at the present time.