So, I'm trying to come with a get rich quick scheme. Or not so much a get rich quick, but get some NY spending money quick. I really don't want to use credit cards and we didn't do a very good job of saving money for this trip. Some stuff is already paid for (hotel, dinner Thursday, tickets to Wicked, the Musical) But it is the extra stuff we are trying to get money for. I'm thinking of organizing a garage sale, but I don't have a garage. I could mow some lawns, but I don't own a lawnmower. I could go back in time and not buy the $800 life size statue of Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu but I don't have a time machine. So, I'm thinking maybe we just stop eating out so much? I've always hated money and wished we could just live life without it. Why can't we give everything to each other for free? I can go to the grocery store and buy groceries and just walk right out because... well, why would the people work for a living if they didn't need money? For that matter, would I teach high school if I didn't need a job for money? And, would those children care to learn and be educated if they didn't need an education to get stuff. Well, the government will need to get involved and make people work. Ooohhh! That's why communism doesn't work. I get it. So let's keep capitalism, but try to keep costs down, how about that? Inflation in my mind is illustrated like this: Trying to cross a rolling cylinder. For some reason that's just the image that comes to mind when I think of inflation.
And that's the first lesson in Economics 101 at Kyle U.
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
The Reason Why My Wife is Not Happy With Me.
I always knew that Amanda liked my hair. I didn't know how much until I did this. This weekend if you are in Baytown come see the play that I shaved my "beautiful locks of curls and bushy lovliness"** for.
**quote courtesy of Amanda Martin (the most beautiful person ever)
Monday, June 27, 2005
Sunday, June 26, 2005
One More Time
Yes, I changed my look again. This time it was for more than just shear fickleness. I was having problems with my posts appearing way below the title of the post. It had never done that before. Anyhow, I thought that maybe I could change my template alltogether and it would fix the problem. I was right. I could change it back, but I'm kind of liking a new look anyway. Maybe I'll get a new name as well. My friend Dan changes his blog name super frequently. And while I'm not going to do that, some variation is always nice. Until I've landed on something I can live with forever.
Hotel Rwanda
Hotel Rwanda, if you don't already know, is about Paul, played by Don Cheatle, a hotel manager at very upscale hotel in Rwanda. He is respected in the community, respected and loved by his employees, and has friends on both sides of a very complex, and difficult problem in his country. Paul is a member of the Hutu tribe, while his wife, and his relatives and most of his workers are Tutsi. The Hutus and the Tutsis are at odds because...well, it's unclear why they are fighting. I'm kind of left to figure that it's one of these old standing rivalries that go back along way. As best as I could gather from the movie the deliniation between Tutsi and Hutu was made by the Belgium government during their occupation there. If I understand correctly the Belgium government decided that those Rwandans who appeared more white (lighter skin, thinner nose) were called Tutsi and given more privileges, such as places in government and good jobs. Basically, this created an upper class and lower class that could be strictly devided along racial lines. Although, as Joaquin Phoenix's character noted, they really didn't look that different.
The whole movie I was fighting back tears. It was really that kind of movie. The most touching and heartbreaking part, for me, was when all of the orphan children are being taken to the hotel for safety. When they get there they see a bus waiting to take people away and think that this is their passage out. But, the UN officer has to tell them that it is for foreigners only and that the orphans would have to stay at the hotel. The nuns and workers from the orphanage are pulled away from crying children in a scene that I can only call heartbreaking. To see people who want to help so much, and would probably give their lives for those children if given the chance, to be forced away from the children that they had grown close to was almost too much.
There are other scenes like this. The thing I kept thinking during the entire movie was. They didn't have to let it get that bad. Things get that way when one extreme group is ignored. You have the hate group that somehow gains power, probably out of fear mongering, the oppressed, and then those who probably make the most difference: the moderates. Those stuck in the middle who sit back and say, "Thank God it isn't me" are the ones who should be getting involved. Maybe that's what I like about America. Everytime we've seen social change in this country it isn't the people in power who suddenly change their minds. It is those people who have nothing to gain by getting involved but do anyway, because it's the right thing to do. In Hotel Rwanda Paul is one of these people at first. He tells his wife, as long as we have our family, the family is all that matters. You can't blame a guy like that. He had friends on both sides. He was a Hutu and his wife was a Tutsi. He had no ill feelings for either side, but suddenly is thrust into the middle of the fray. All this guy wants is to be a normal family man.
This question begs some of our simplest and yet most important questions: "Why can't we all just get along?" and "Why are people so cruel?" a question asked by Paul's most trusted employee. Here is my answer to both of those questions. People are selfish and prideful. As far as I'm concerned these are the only two sins that matter. I'm guilty of it and so was Adam. So was Paul. If we realize this I think that we can create a new way of thinking. A mindset that allows us to see each other as brothers and sisters and all being connected. And being so connected we have to take care of each other as well as ourselves.
This whole movie is of course about our involvement in overseas conflicts. Paul seems to think that people will help out when they see what's happening in the news. But it was Joaquin again who said, "They'll see it on the evening news, and say, 'How sad.' and then go right back to their dinners." But on the other hand, America and the western world can't be completely engulfed in every act of tyranny and oppression by a government. Perhaps then we should pick and choose who we'll liberate based on their oil reserves. Maybe that's the only way to really do any good. But if we're going to be the world police then we will be the only country that never gets to see peace. It's like that game where you have to hit the plastic gophers on the head with a mallet. At you have all the control and power, but at least the gophers get to rest.
The whole movie I was fighting back tears. It was really that kind of movie. The most touching and heartbreaking part, for me, was when all of the orphan children are being taken to the hotel for safety. When they get there they see a bus waiting to take people away and think that this is their passage out. But, the UN officer has to tell them that it is for foreigners only and that the orphans would have to stay at the hotel. The nuns and workers from the orphanage are pulled away from crying children in a scene that I can only call heartbreaking. To see people who want to help so much, and would probably give their lives for those children if given the chance, to be forced away from the children that they had grown close to was almost too much.
There are other scenes like this. The thing I kept thinking during the entire movie was. They didn't have to let it get that bad. Things get that way when one extreme group is ignored. You have the hate group that somehow gains power, probably out of fear mongering, the oppressed, and then those who probably make the most difference: the moderates. Those stuck in the middle who sit back and say, "Thank God it isn't me" are the ones who should be getting involved. Maybe that's what I like about America. Everytime we've seen social change in this country it isn't the people in power who suddenly change their minds. It is those people who have nothing to gain by getting involved but do anyway, because it's the right thing to do. In Hotel Rwanda Paul is one of these people at first. He tells his wife, as long as we have our family, the family is all that matters. You can't blame a guy like that. He had friends on both sides. He was a Hutu and his wife was a Tutsi. He had no ill feelings for either side, but suddenly is thrust into the middle of the fray. All this guy wants is to be a normal family man.
This question begs some of our simplest and yet most important questions: "Why can't we all just get along?" and "Why are people so cruel?" a question asked by Paul's most trusted employee. Here is my answer to both of those questions. People are selfish and prideful. As far as I'm concerned these are the only two sins that matter. I'm guilty of it and so was Adam. So was Paul. If we realize this I think that we can create a new way of thinking. A mindset that allows us to see each other as brothers and sisters and all being connected. And being so connected we have to take care of each other as well as ourselves.
This whole movie is of course about our involvement in overseas conflicts. Paul seems to think that people will help out when they see what's happening in the news. But it was Joaquin again who said, "They'll see it on the evening news, and say, 'How sad.' and then go right back to their dinners." But on the other hand, America and the western world can't be completely engulfed in every act of tyranny and oppression by a government. Perhaps then we should pick and choose who we'll liberate based on their oil reserves. Maybe that's the only way to really do any good. But if we're going to be the world police then we will be the only country that never gets to see peace. It's like that game where you have to hit the plastic gophers on the head with a mallet. At you have all the control and power, but at least the gophers get to rest.
Saturday, June 25, 2005
I don't know why it's creating all this space. Scroll down.
Amanda and I watched Hotel Rwanda today and I have to say that it made quite an impact on me. I would like to talk about it but I don't have much time. I'm sleepy and have class tomorrow. I really just wanted to practice making links that opened in a new page.
Later we went and saw Bewitched. It made less of an impact on me. Much less. I'm going to write about it later, also, but less. Much less.
Later we went and saw Bewitched. It made less of an impact on me. Much less. I'm going to write about it later, also, but less. Much less.
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Emergent/Postmodern I Am
It's Wednesday already and no post. Something must be done. Here we go. The results of a quiz that I took over what kind of Christian I am. I think it is really supposed to be for Catholics. Turns out, I'm a little Catholic. Who knew.
You scored as Emergent/Postmodern. You are Emergent/Postmodern in your theology. You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don't think they connect to modern culture very well. No one knows the whole truth about God, and we have much to learn from each other, and so learning takes place in dialogue. Evangelism should take place in relationships rather than through crusades and altar-calls. People are interested in spirituality and want to ask questions, so the church should help them to do this.
Here's where the quiz is located if you'd like to take it.
I've been pretty busy for someone with no work for the summer. I'm opening a show next week called "Leaving College Station." You can read about it here. I'm helping the director, Nathan get things in order like publicity and sets and stuff like that.
You scored as Emergent/Postmodern. You are Emergent/Postmodern in your theology. You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don't think they connect to modern culture very well. No one knows the whole truth about God, and we have much to learn from each other, and so learning takes place in dialogue. Evangelism should take place in relationships rather than through crusades and altar-calls. People are interested in spirituality and want to ask questions, so the church should help them to do this.
Emergent/Postmodern | 96% | ||
Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan | 75% | ||
Classical Liberal | 68% | ||
Neo orthodox | 61% | ||
Roman Catholic | 46% | ||
Charismatic/Pentecostal | 39% | ||
Reformed Evangelical | 39% | ||
Modern Liberal | 39% | ||
Fundamentalist | 7% |
Here's where the quiz is located if you'd like to take it.
I've been pretty busy for someone with no work for the summer. I'm opening a show next week called "Leaving College Station." You can read about it here. I'm helping the director, Nathan get things in order like publicity and sets and stuff like that.
Sunday, June 19, 2005
I am the Lobster
I've never felt more like a redneck. Yesterday I spent the day with my inlaws floating the river and getting the nastiest burn I've had in quite a while. It's not that bad, but lately I've been really good about getting SPF 100ed up when I'm in the sun. Seems this time I could have used another coat. Floating the River was a lot of fun, though. This is something that I did countless times as a child with my own family, and did a couple of times in college, but haven't done in 6 or 7 years. The last time was in Arizona on the Salt River. Picture the most increadibly cold river in the hottest and driest desert. Kind of like Bugs Bunny seeing that mirage in the wilderness. Only it's real.
I'd like to thank everyone who chimed in on the play. The main problems with the play have been that one.)authors voice (mine) shows though way too much and it comes off as preachy sometimes. This is difficult to tell in the synopsis that I gave, but some of my astute readers picked up on that danger anyway. two.)I have struggled with whether or not anyone would care to come see this play, given that it is about a very narrow interest. I've come to the conclusion that you can write a mainstream play about Christianity, if it appeals to people on more levels than just faith. I'm thinking of the play God's Man in Texas about a televangelist preacher wrestling with whether taking over his dad's position in the pulpit at a megachurch in Texas is really what's right for him (wow, that scenerio sounds familiar.) But it was written very objectively by a non-Christian, and you wouldn't know it. And it's so well written that it doesn't matter if you aren't a Christian. You get it because we all deal with issues like that. So that's what I'm going for.
If anyone would like to read the play, let me know and I will send you a copy. I would also like to have a reading of the play in the near future to see how things have come along. Tell me if you are interested and maybe we can make a party out of it. The cast is as follows:
SANDRA, 40s matriarch
MERVIN, 40s her husband
SUSANNE, 18 daughter
ETHAN, 12 son
KELLY, 19 college student.
JEREMY, 21 slightly older college student
SCOTT, 20s, Susanne's boyfriend
DIANE, 30s or 40s, a neighborhood supermom
If you want to help me out let me know. Casual readings are good ways to discuss new plays and a good excuse to have a party.
I'd like to thank everyone who chimed in on the play. The main problems with the play have been that one.)authors voice (mine) shows though way too much and it comes off as preachy sometimes. This is difficult to tell in the synopsis that I gave, but some of my astute readers picked up on that danger anyway. two.)I have struggled with whether or not anyone would care to come see this play, given that it is about a very narrow interest. I've come to the conclusion that you can write a mainstream play about Christianity, if it appeals to people on more levels than just faith. I'm thinking of the play God's Man in Texas about a televangelist preacher wrestling with whether taking over his dad's position in the pulpit at a megachurch in Texas is really what's right for him (wow, that scenerio sounds familiar.) But it was written very objectively by a non-Christian, and you wouldn't know it. And it's so well written that it doesn't matter if you aren't a Christian. You get it because we all deal with issues like that. So that's what I'm going for.
If anyone would like to read the play, let me know and I will send you a copy. I would also like to have a reading of the play in the near future to see how things have come along. Tell me if you are interested and maybe we can make a party out of it. The cast is as follows:
SANDRA, 40s matriarch
MERVIN, 40s her husband
SUSANNE, 18 daughter
ETHAN, 12 son
KELLY, 19 college student.
JEREMY, 21 slightly older college student
SCOTT, 20s, Susanne's boyfriend
DIANE, 30s or 40s, a neighborhood supermom
If you want to help me out let me know. Casual readings are good ways to discuss new plays and a good excuse to have a party.
Monday, June 13, 2005
Arizona: a Place Without Daylight Savings Time
There is a family who lives in Phoenix, Arizona. They are what many would consider to be part of the religious, Christian right. They are pro-life, anti-gay, support the war in Iraq and believes everything that George W. Bush tells the country because they believe that he is the Christian man he says he is. They are also licensed handgun owners. They don't approve of drinking, smoking, cussing, or movies that have any of these things. They cannot afford to send their kids to the private Christian school in Phoenix and so they home-school their kids. They don't want their kids to be exposed to the above mentioned things, which are discussed openly among students at the local schools. They believe that Hollywood is corrupt and within the clutches of the devil and that books should be banned if they discuss sex. This family strongly believes in the literal interpretation of the Holy Bible, the New Testament and the Old and that it is a direct instruction manual directly from the hand of God himself. Football is great, nudity of any kind is pornographic.
Now, they have one daughter who has just returned from her Freshman year at a conservative, Christian university in another state, and a son who is of middle school age, although he is above grade level in reading and math, due to an accelerated rate in homeschooling. The daughter has just been informed that she can't go back to school because of finances, although her parents are relieved because she returned with questions about faith and life that she had never had before. While intelligent, the son is very unsocial, and has difficulty dealing with children his own age.
Enter two young men. One is an old friend of the family. Since he has been away at college he has challenged his own beliefs and loosened his grip on some of his previously held restrictions. While he remains very much rooted in faith, he has liberalized his interpretation of both Christian doctrine and biblical interpretation. The other young man is a friend of the first from college. He doesn't know the family from Adam and is only there with his friend for one night as a stop over as they drive to Los Angeles. His experience with Christianity is a much more relaxed version than either the family or the first young man. His family attended church on a regular basis and were even involved in activities such as the youth group and Sunday school. But, his family was very liberal in their beliefs and did not adhere to much of what the church traditionally frowned upon. It was no secret that his parents were social drinkers and that they voted for Democrats. As this young man grew older he was encouraged to question morality and his faith. He continually searched for new meaning and relevance in the way that the Bible was to be interpreted as well as the role of God and Christ in modern life. Nothing was taken for granted or written in stone, but everything was subject to scrutiny by the opinion and relevance to one's self. Through his journey this young man stood firm and even reaffirmed his belief in Jesus Christ, but instead of seeing the Bible as a set of rules he generally studied it as a book of inspiration and knowledge. He saw Jesus as a liberal and a radical, there to break the rules in the name of bettering mankind, not following them for the sake of the status quo.
Amidst the conflicts present at the arrival of these two young men there must be a story worth telling. First you have the introduction. The family sees the first boy as he once was, and assume that the new boy is the same way. The first young man accepts the family for what they are and always have been, while the new boy is simply turned off from the family completely upon meeting, or very soon after. The one night the two boys are to stay at the house the new boy is able to convince the original boy that they need to vacate the premises until the family is asleep and out of their hair. They end up going out and drinking too much, resulting in a car wreck and a near fatality for the first boy. The second boy returns to the home to get help while the other is taken to an area hospital and eventually his parent's in L.A. The second boy is left to deal with this family that he didn't particularly want to stay even one night with. All the while the family is going through trauma of their own. The daughter is being very difficult; swearing, arguing and continuing a relationship with a boy that the parents do not approve of. This difficulty is heightened by the fact that the mother and father are attempting to shelter the young son from the drunken visitor, the unruly college student and their own bickering. On top of this the mother's plans to keep a liberal congressman from speaking at the local school has come crashing around her as the other mothers decide that they would rather have their kids pose for pictures with a politician than stick to their convictions.
The daughter and the new boy just want to get out, the parents want things back the way it was, and I can't figure out what to do next.
Help me end my play.
Now, they have one daughter who has just returned from her Freshman year at a conservative, Christian university in another state, and a son who is of middle school age, although he is above grade level in reading and math, due to an accelerated rate in homeschooling. The daughter has just been informed that she can't go back to school because of finances, although her parents are relieved because she returned with questions about faith and life that she had never had before. While intelligent, the son is very unsocial, and has difficulty dealing with children his own age.
Enter two young men. One is an old friend of the family. Since he has been away at college he has challenged his own beliefs and loosened his grip on some of his previously held restrictions. While he remains very much rooted in faith, he has liberalized his interpretation of both Christian doctrine and biblical interpretation. The other young man is a friend of the first from college. He doesn't know the family from Adam and is only there with his friend for one night as a stop over as they drive to Los Angeles. His experience with Christianity is a much more relaxed version than either the family or the first young man. His family attended church on a regular basis and were even involved in activities such as the youth group and Sunday school. But, his family was very liberal in their beliefs and did not adhere to much of what the church traditionally frowned upon. It was no secret that his parents were social drinkers and that they voted for Democrats. As this young man grew older he was encouraged to question morality and his faith. He continually searched for new meaning and relevance in the way that the Bible was to be interpreted as well as the role of God and Christ in modern life. Nothing was taken for granted or written in stone, but everything was subject to scrutiny by the opinion and relevance to one's self. Through his journey this young man stood firm and even reaffirmed his belief in Jesus Christ, but instead of seeing the Bible as a set of rules he generally studied it as a book of inspiration and knowledge. He saw Jesus as a liberal and a radical, there to break the rules in the name of bettering mankind, not following them for the sake of the status quo.
Amidst the conflicts present at the arrival of these two young men there must be a story worth telling. First you have the introduction. The family sees the first boy as he once was, and assume that the new boy is the same way. The first young man accepts the family for what they are and always have been, while the new boy is simply turned off from the family completely upon meeting, or very soon after. The one night the two boys are to stay at the house the new boy is able to convince the original boy that they need to vacate the premises until the family is asleep and out of their hair. They end up going out and drinking too much, resulting in a car wreck and a near fatality for the first boy. The second boy returns to the home to get help while the other is taken to an area hospital and eventually his parent's in L.A. The second boy is left to deal with this family that he didn't particularly want to stay even one night with. All the while the family is going through trauma of their own. The daughter is being very difficult; swearing, arguing and continuing a relationship with a boy that the parents do not approve of. This difficulty is heightened by the fact that the mother and father are attempting to shelter the young son from the drunken visitor, the unruly college student and their own bickering. On top of this the mother's plans to keep a liberal congressman from speaking at the local school has come crashing around her as the other mothers decide that they would rather have their kids pose for pictures with a politician than stick to their convictions.
The daughter and the new boy just want to get out, the parents want things back the way it was, and I can't figure out what to do next.
Help me end my play.
Saturday, June 11, 2005
A blog from the Big Country
I went to two of my favorite places in Abilene today. First, I had lunch at Farilitos, a Mexican food place in Abilene that has been there like, forever. My grandmother, who went to ACU in the late 40s and 50s said that it was one of her favorite places, too. It's really good. The same lady is running the place. Then when we were finished with our meals we made our way over to the famous Cajun Cone establishment. If you've ever lived in Abilene between the months of April and September then you know what I'm talking about. Cajun Cones are snow cones to the max. They are so good and wonderful, and I had been missing them. These Abilene treats were all enjoyed with my good pal Ryan English and his wife Sarah. Ryan is finishing up his degree this summer through ACU. Way to go Ryan!
I am in Abilene this weekend for a wedding. Amanda's good friend from high school is getting married tonight and so all of her friends are here to take part in the festivities. One strange thing about marrying someone from the city that you went to college: You both know the city really well, but from very different perspectives. Going to college here I know the bars and cool places to hang out do insane, crazy things that college kids do. (ACU can't take my degree away for going to bars, right?) Amanda sees Abilene from the perspective of a person who grew up here and has a little bit different take on the city, and most of all ACU. I was not Mr. ACU or anything, but I enjoyed my time here. I appreciated the education that I got and was fairly involved. While Amanda went to ACU for a couple of years before transferring to TCU in Ft. Worth, she already had a mindset about ACU before she went there. So did I, but mine was provided by my parents, mainly. Amanda saw ACU from not only her parents perspective, but how the population of Abilene views ACU. Amanda's was a much more thorough viewpoint. She heard people who had no connection with the school voice their opinions on it and saw the impact that ACU had on the community as a whole, as opposed to the very isolated ACU community, which is how I saw Abilene.
Basically, I saw Abilene as a town that revolved around ACU and Christianity in general. I knew that there were other reasons to be in Abilene, but they were inconsequential. Abilene seemed so clean and cut off. ACU was the catalyst for this state, as far as I was concerned. Before I lived here, ACU and Abilene seemed like wonderful places where everyone had fun and people were nice and no one went hungry. Of course, this was an idealistic view and was not true in the least.
I hope I'm not overstepping my bounderies, but it seems that Amanda's view of Abilene and ACU was not so optimistic. Don't get me wrong, she definitely has a soft spot for Abilene, but she was more real about the town than I going into ACU. As she should have been, having grown up here. She seems to see ACU imparticular as just another school in Abilene. Having very little affect on the city, or at least much less than I thought. ACU wasn't any different than the other schools in Abilene until she decided to go there, a decision prompted by a couple of things. She wasn't quite ready to leave home, and it was the Church of Christ school in town, the denomination that she grew up. It was not long until she decided that she did in fact need to get out of town, as I did after high school, and so she transferred to TCU.
This may be completely off. My take on Amanda's view is based on summarizations of conversations we had. To say the least, Amanda sees a trip to Abilene as a trip to see her parents and I view Abilene as a sort of homecoming in the scholastic sense.
If you were completely bored by this entry, I understand. We'll see if things will get better later.
I am in Abilene this weekend for a wedding. Amanda's good friend from high school is getting married tonight and so all of her friends are here to take part in the festivities. One strange thing about marrying someone from the city that you went to college: You both know the city really well, but from very different perspectives. Going to college here I know the bars and cool places to hang out do insane, crazy things that college kids do. (ACU can't take my degree away for going to bars, right?) Amanda sees Abilene from the perspective of a person who grew up here and has a little bit different take on the city, and most of all ACU. I was not Mr. ACU or anything, but I enjoyed my time here. I appreciated the education that I got and was fairly involved. While Amanda went to ACU for a couple of years before transferring to TCU in Ft. Worth, she already had a mindset about ACU before she went there. So did I, but mine was provided by my parents, mainly. Amanda saw ACU from not only her parents perspective, but how the population of Abilene views ACU. Amanda's was a much more thorough viewpoint. She heard people who had no connection with the school voice their opinions on it and saw the impact that ACU had on the community as a whole, as opposed to the very isolated ACU community, which is how I saw Abilene.
Basically, I saw Abilene as a town that revolved around ACU and Christianity in general. I knew that there were other reasons to be in Abilene, but they were inconsequential. Abilene seemed so clean and cut off. ACU was the catalyst for this state, as far as I was concerned. Before I lived here, ACU and Abilene seemed like wonderful places where everyone had fun and people were nice and no one went hungry. Of course, this was an idealistic view and was not true in the least.
I hope I'm not overstepping my bounderies, but it seems that Amanda's view of Abilene and ACU was not so optimistic. Don't get me wrong, she definitely has a soft spot for Abilene, but she was more real about the town than I going into ACU. As she should have been, having grown up here. She seems to see ACU imparticular as just another school in Abilene. Having very little affect on the city, or at least much less than I thought. ACU wasn't any different than the other schools in Abilene until she decided to go there, a decision prompted by a couple of things. She wasn't quite ready to leave home, and it was the Church of Christ school in town, the denomination that she grew up. It was not long until she decided that she did in fact need to get out of town, as I did after high school, and so she transferred to TCU.
This may be completely off. My take on Amanda's view is based on summarizations of conversations we had. To say the least, Amanda sees a trip to Abilene as a trip to see her parents and I view Abilene as a sort of homecoming in the scholastic sense.
If you were completely bored by this entry, I understand. We'll see if things will get better later.
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Dollhouse of Deception
Had nothing else to post. I wrote this in response to a huge yellow doll house that has been plagueing my family as of late. I felt that it was post-worthy. Enjoy.
Ext. Night time. A dark overpass bridge on a remote highway.
Headlights are seen in the distance and soon approaches as a minivan. The minivan screeches to a halt in the middle of the overpass. A woman in her late 40s or early 50s (but but could definitely pass for 30s) exits the van and hurries around to the back hatch. She is looking around frantically. She opens the the hatch.
Woman's POV. A large yellow doll house in the back of the minivan
Dollhouse POV. Two large shadowy figures appear behind the woman.
FIGURE 1
Ma'am?
WOMAN (startled)
Goodness! You scared me! Don't do that!
FIGURE 1
My apologies.
FIGURE 2
Sorry.
WOMAN
You know what to do?
FIGURE 1
Yes, we're gonna take the doll.....
` WOMAN
Tut, tut, tut, tut! Are you crazy. Just a yes or no.
FIGURE 1
Yes, we know what to do.
FIGURE 2
What about the...you know.
WOMAN
Hey! You'll get what's coming to you. Just take care of what we discussed. Got it?
FIGURE 1
We got it.
FIGURE 2
We got it.
WOMAN
Good. Now, I'm just going to get back into my car and drive off. When I get home something should be gone from inside the back here, hear? And I shouldn't ever have to see that something again.
FIGURE 2
The money lady. Where's the money?
Woman forces a money purse into the hands of the Figure 2.
WOMAN
Here's the bread for your pudding! Now make momma a free woman again.
FIGURE 1
Is it all there?
FIGURE 2
Yeah. Let's do this.
The Woman scurries back to the driver side of the door.
Woman's POV. She sees in her rear view mirror the Shadowy Figures lifting the behemoth child's plaything out of the back of the minivan. One shadowy figure begins to close the hatch but before it is fully closed the Woman peels away.
Int. A minivan on the edge of a lonesome bridge.
Woman slows down and rolls down her window.
Woman's POV. She peers into the rearview mirror to witness the Shadowy Figures tossing the a large item off of the bridge. Large crashing sound and subsequent passing motorist's car horn is heard.
WOMAN
Down goes the neighborhood.
Ext. Shadowy Figure's POV. The minivan moves forward and eventually out of sight save for the faint glow of red tail lights in the distance.
The two Shadowy Figures walk forward into a beam of light revealing their faces. They are CHRISTOPHER LOWELL and MARTHA STEWART.
STEWART
You got the cash?
LOWELL
Uh, huuhh!
STEWART
You got the loot?
Martha and Christopher's POV. the yellow doll house in the back of a truck parked behind some bushes.
LOWELL
Uh, huuhhh!
Martha Stewart peers over the railing of the bridge.
STEWART
That big box of noisy crap never knew what it had coming.
LOWELL
Na-uuuhhh!
STEWART
It makes me sick. The master always said that when arts and crafts go under appreciated that the judgment is nigh. I never quite believed him until this day. A world without Victorian style art deco miniatures, built to scale isn't a world in which I want to live.
LOWEL
I think it's more of a Neo-Gothic....
STEWART
Shut up, Christopher.
LOWEL
AAh-aah.
Cue music. Cut to black. Roll credits.
THE END
Sreenplay by Kyle Martin
Ext. Night time. A dark overpass bridge on a remote highway.
Headlights are seen in the distance and soon approaches as a minivan. The minivan screeches to a halt in the middle of the overpass. A woman in her late 40s or early 50s (but but could definitely pass for 30s) exits the van and hurries around to the back hatch. She is looking around frantically. She opens the the hatch.
Woman's POV. A large yellow doll house in the back of the minivan
Dollhouse POV. Two large shadowy figures appear behind the woman.
FIGURE 1
Ma'am?
WOMAN (startled)
Goodness! You scared me! Don't do that!
FIGURE 1
My apologies.
FIGURE 2
Sorry.
WOMAN
You know what to do?
FIGURE 1
Yes, we're gonna take the doll.....
` WOMAN
Tut, tut, tut, tut! Are you crazy. Just a yes or no.
FIGURE 1
Yes, we know what to do.
FIGURE 2
What about the...you know.
WOMAN
Hey! You'll get what's coming to you. Just take care of what we discussed. Got it?
FIGURE 1
We got it.
FIGURE 2
We got it.
WOMAN
Good. Now, I'm just going to get back into my car and drive off. When I get home something should be gone from inside the back here, hear? And I shouldn't ever have to see that something again.
FIGURE 2
The money lady. Where's the money?
Woman forces a money purse into the hands of the Figure 2.
WOMAN
Here's the bread for your pudding! Now make momma a free woman again.
FIGURE 1
Is it all there?
FIGURE 2
Yeah. Let's do this.
The Woman scurries back to the driver side of the door.
Woman's POV. She sees in her rear view mirror the Shadowy Figures lifting the behemoth child's plaything out of the back of the minivan. One shadowy figure begins to close the hatch but before it is fully closed the Woman peels away.
Int. A minivan on the edge of a lonesome bridge.
Woman slows down and rolls down her window.
Woman's POV. She peers into the rearview mirror to witness the Shadowy Figures tossing the a large item off of the bridge. Large crashing sound and subsequent passing motorist's car horn is heard.
WOMAN
Down goes the neighborhood.
Ext. Shadowy Figure's POV. The minivan moves forward and eventually out of sight save for the faint glow of red tail lights in the distance.
The two Shadowy Figures walk forward into a beam of light revealing their faces. They are CHRISTOPHER LOWELL and MARTHA STEWART.
STEWART
You got the cash?
LOWELL
Uh, huuhh!
STEWART
You got the loot?
Martha and Christopher's POV. the yellow doll house in the back of a truck parked behind some bushes.
LOWELL
Uh, huuhhh!
Martha Stewart peers over the railing of the bridge.
STEWART
That big box of noisy crap never knew what it had coming.
LOWELL
Na-uuuhhh!
STEWART
It makes me sick. The master always said that when arts and crafts go under appreciated that the judgment is nigh. I never quite believed him until this day. A world without Victorian style art deco miniatures, built to scale isn't a world in which I want to live.
LOWEL
I think it's more of a Neo-Gothic....
STEWART
Shut up, Christopher.
LOWEL
AAh-aah.
Cue music. Cut to black. Roll credits.
THE END
Sreenplay by Kyle Martin
Sunday, June 05, 2005
"Once, Twice, 3 xs a Lay-day"
I love me some karaoke. Saturday night we sang and sang and sang till we couldn't sang no mo. Thanks to two of the greatest people in the world, the Eubanks for hosting such an amazing bash. I expect them to be checking this now since I gave them the address. If not, I take it all back. I had a blast and I want to do it again sometime soon. Amanda, the greatest sofa singer there eva wuz will be there next time. What's a "sofa singer?" or "sofa-singa?" Well, Amanda's not as apt to hop up and make a fool out of herself as I am, but watch her during anyone else's song and she's getting down. Getting funky, even, if the song calls for such a thing.
I think it would be fitting one of these days to write an entire blog using jr. high girl short hand. You know, "wut's ^?" "got somethin 4U." Or just adding in randomly, ":) smile, God loves you." I'm not judging or even debating the idea that God does in fact love me and that it should make me smile. It is simply precious and should be exploited. I'm not doing that here, but I'm in that mindset, so if my grammar suffers, sobeit.
I got this random reply from this fella from a not so distant past. (you can read it in the comments section of the last post, if you dare.) It was from someone I knew from a camp that I was a counselor at back in 1998 and 1999. Oh, how my life has changed since then. That was like a whole nother world for me. Arizona still holds a special place in my heart. I even wrote a play about one experience during that adventure. I cheered when the D-backs won the World Series, even though I'm jealous that they were able to do that in like five years and the Stros haven't done it in over 40! (different rant). But, my time there was life altering and affirming, and I still hold it as one of the most important things that I've done in my life. (1. Marriage 2. Camp counselor 3. NYU film school 4. Climbing a mountain 5. a bunch of stuff sticks out in my head. can't decide. must move on.)
So, this comment sent me scrounging through my old pictures, which lead to me finding pictures of other things as well. Some important, some not-so-much, others down right pretentious on my part. Sometimes I try to make art and end up making the crap in the middle aisle at the mall. It's interesting to look at, but no body's gonna buy it.
Taking a trip down memory lane is important at times. It reminds you where you've been, how far you've come, and may even help you refocus, if necessary. Plus, it gives you your nastolgia fix so that you can turn off VH1 and get something done for Pete's sake.
I start on Nathan's play tomorrow. I'll bet he doesn't sleep tonight.
I think it would be fitting one of these days to write an entire blog using jr. high girl short hand. You know, "wut's ^?" "got somethin 4U." Or just adding in randomly, ":) smile, God loves you." I'm not judging or even debating the idea that God does in fact love me and that it should make me smile. It is simply precious and should be exploited. I'm not doing that here, but I'm in that mindset, so if my grammar suffers, sobeit.
I got this random reply from this fella from a not so distant past. (you can read it in the comments section of the last post, if you dare.) It was from someone I knew from a camp that I was a counselor at back in 1998 and 1999. Oh, how my life has changed since then. That was like a whole nother world for me. Arizona still holds a special place in my heart. I even wrote a play about one experience during that adventure. I cheered when the D-backs won the World Series, even though I'm jealous that they were able to do that in like five years and the Stros haven't done it in over 40! (different rant). But, my time there was life altering and affirming, and I still hold it as one of the most important things that I've done in my life. (1. Marriage 2. Camp counselor 3. NYU film school 4. Climbing a mountain 5. a bunch of stuff sticks out in my head. can't decide. must move on.)
So, this comment sent me scrounging through my old pictures, which lead to me finding pictures of other things as well. Some important, some not-so-much, others down right pretentious on my part. Sometimes I try to make art and end up making the crap in the middle aisle at the mall. It's interesting to look at, but no body's gonna buy it.
Taking a trip down memory lane is important at times. It reminds you where you've been, how far you've come, and may even help you refocus, if necessary. Plus, it gives you your nastolgia fix so that you can turn off VH1 and get something done for Pete's sake.
I start on Nathan's play tomorrow. I'll bet he doesn't sleep tonight.
Saturday, June 04, 2005
The Most Famous Porn Name is Attributed to an FBI Agent (or a Girl from Texas)
I'm trying not to sit still for too long. I don't count being at the computer. That, to me, isn't idle. To me, idle is watching TV or reading or watching a movie, or simply being. Being on the internet can be idle, although, usually I'm doing something. Writing, reading and responding to blogs, editing movies or music. I think that I am increasingly having trouble being passive. Some might call it relaxation. I've taken on the mantra, "I can sleep when I'm dead." Which isn't entirely true for me since I slept until 11:00 today.
Mark Felt is my hero. Not because he lead to the impeaching of a dishonest president, which I admire him for. But because he did the coolest thing imaginable. He was this unknown informant who broke a huge scandle and no one had a clue who he was for thirty years. I guess he stayed under wraps for his and his families protection. I suppose that he finally decided that it was time, that people had enough distance from the situation that it would not matter anymore. I wonder what made him want to finally come out of the non-gay closet. Did he feel compelled, or was it just a goof? I'm sure that he answers these questions in an interview somewhere that I haven't seen. But isn't it cool? Could anyone get away with such secrecy, nowadays. It's seems to me that anyone who was involved would want the press. It takes a very unique kind of person to say, I don't care it I get any recognition, I just think that the truth should be out there. Of course in that political climate, he may not have been regarded so highly, you think? I know that some people may call him a "stool-pigeon" or a "dirty-rat" or a "snitch" or something like that, but I think you can only really blame someone for telling if his or her motives are selfish or out of fear. I think one can safely say that niether of these is true. Of course, who knows what he may have gotten for his information. Gold?
And this is just hilarious Click HERE
Mark Felt is my hero. Not because he lead to the impeaching of a dishonest president, which I admire him for. But because he did the coolest thing imaginable. He was this unknown informant who broke a huge scandle and no one had a clue who he was for thirty years. I guess he stayed under wraps for his and his families protection. I suppose that he finally decided that it was time, that people had enough distance from the situation that it would not matter anymore. I wonder what made him want to finally come out of the non-gay closet. Did he feel compelled, or was it just a goof? I'm sure that he answers these questions in an interview somewhere that I haven't seen. But isn't it cool? Could anyone get away with such secrecy, nowadays. It's seems to me that anyone who was involved would want the press. It takes a very unique kind of person to say, I don't care it I get any recognition, I just think that the truth should be out there. Of course in that political climate, he may not have been regarded so highly, you think? I know that some people may call him a "stool-pigeon" or a "dirty-rat" or a "snitch" or something like that, but I think you can only really blame someone for telling if his or her motives are selfish or out of fear. I think one can safely say that niether of these is true. Of course, who knows what he may have gotten for his information. Gold?
And this is just hilarious Click HERE
Friday, June 03, 2005
Compusuck!
I am quickly finishing my movie and what happens? The program freezes up and won't allow me to work on it anymore. So I do a force quit. Everything is okay because I'd already saved everything. But this is the moment of truth. Last night I had to re-create the entire movie that I'd spent two days putting together. There is something wrong with the movie file that wouldn't allow me to open it back up after it had been closed. In trying to fix the problem I made it worse and basically destroyed the whole movie. So now I am afraid that it won't open again. I was right. The stupid movie won't open and so I can't continue working on it. Frustrating since this is what I was going to do this weekend. But mainly because now I'm afraid I'm going to have to start all over again. Surely not. The file is still there, in tact. It just won't open.
Anyway, I was going to write about how well the movie was going, there's just this one snag, but it's got me all angry and tempestuous. Anyway, I will try to post the link to the movie here when it's done and send a copy of it to those of you that I really love. Just kidding. I don't even know who all reads this. I love all of you. I promise. Even the creepy guy on the net with a thing for random blogs.
Anyway, I was going to write about how well the movie was going, there's just this one snag, but it's got me all angry and tempestuous. Anyway, I will try to post the link to the movie here when it's done and send a copy of it to those of you that I really love. Just kidding. I don't even know who all reads this. I love all of you. I promise. Even the creepy guy on the net with a thing for random blogs.
Thursday, June 02, 2005
My Summer
It seems as though I'm not writing as much. It's summer and I should be writing more, since I have all this time on my hands. But, seem to be spending all my time doing a lot of things that I really want to do, and neglecting the things that I either need to do or had been doing on a regular basis. I wrote in one of my early blogs that I go through spurts of obsessiveness over something and that I will spend all my time doing that one thing. For instance, At the beginning of this last semester it was recording on GarageBand. Then I started blogging. For awhile I was reading up on Star Wars and I spent a lot of time doing that. Now I am wrapped up in video editing with iMovie. Although, this pastime is different. I have always been interested in movie making and editing. When I went to New York in 2000 for filmaking workshop at NYU I was the primary editor of our group. Mainly because I think the rest of them were burned out by the time we got to that point. It is a difficult and tedious process, but I love it. Anyway, that's all to say that this new obsession isn't really new. When I was taking a Video class at ACU I once spent 12 straight hours editing in the editing room. I only left to get a bite to eat which I brought back to the editing bay with me. Don't get me wrong. I like being behind the camera even more. But most people don't like the editing part. To me it's almost therapeutic. Anyway, I'm working on a movie that my brother Jason and I filmed with some of our friends for my grandparents' 50th wedding aniversary. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to get it together before the party, so I'm finally trying to get it edited together. I'm also editing together the production of Godspell that I was in from last December. My dad and Randy Haney filmed with two cameras, with one doing close ups. It's been a lot of fun to revisit the show so closely. I cringe everytime I do something fake or pretentious or self aware. It was filmed on the Invitational Dress Rehearsal night and I hadn't really grasped how the part should be played yet.
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