I had a number of ideas of things to write for this month, but as I pondered over which one, I had an inner conflict on what type of emotion I wanted to draw out. For each had a different approach, but ultimately, I ended up with this one because I was actually on sight when this thought penetrated my mind. I am going to tell you of a place that I visit quite often because it's just that awesome.
This place is known as Lakewood Park. It doesn't have a fancy name, nor is it named after some significant person, but what it does do is tell you that if there were any park you had to go to on a nice day, a holiday, a run, or whatever have you, in Lakewood, it would be this one. Now for many of you reading this who live more than an hour away, you won't even need all the pictures I'm about to paint because you yourselves have most likely been here while attending a church conference or event. And if you haven't, I hope by the end of this post that you will get the urge to see this place when you are in town or just for the heck of it.
I can't recall my first experience of this place, but however it went, it has kept me coming back almost weekly, through all four seasons. Lakewood Park has so much to offer. If you want to perfect your bmx or skateboard skills, there a mini skate park here. Behind it lies two half courts to get your b-ball game rolling. Followed by a few tennis courts for those who love the feeling of smashing a little yellow ball. There's a large public pool to cool off in during those scorching summer days, and right behind it used to be a large, wooden, castle-like playground. The city has since decided it needed an upgrade, so it removed all of it and are currently replacing it with new flashy metal and plastic jungle gyms. I'll come back to my thoughts on this later. The park also has a few ball fields if you want to hit a few, two sand volleyball courts, a lot of open field for football, frisbee, or just getting your tan on. There's a bandstand for music events they hold here in the summer, a really cool war memorial right in the center, a walk/jog/bike path that circles the park. And my favorites, a promenade near a gazebo which overlooks and leads you down to Lake Erie as well as the ever popular and newly added Solar Steps. So that's what's here, now for what makes this place so special to me.
Because I got my license later in life than most people do and because there were years here and there I was without a bicycle, I walked a lot. One of my favorite things to do on a beautiful summer evening was leave my house and walk the streets of Lakewood. Most of the time I ended up at Lakewood Park. Entering the park in the summer sends a wave of exhilaration upon you. You can smell the lake as the cool breeze blows towards you. You can hear the array of birds singing and happy because they have many different species of trees to roost in. The squirrels may greet you with an absurd closeness because they think you have food. And the people watching is fantastic. Many different cultures, races, people from all walks of life enjoying the very thing you are.
I walk towards the war memorial and take a seat. The brick path is unusual as most of the bricks are inscribed with names of veterans who have passed on whether in combat or of age. Right in the heart of it is a large stone with the major wars listed on each side and the names of those killed in each war who was a Lakewood resident. and right behind it stands a retired artillery gun and three flags; the P.O.W. flag, the Ohio state flag, and of course the American Flag. To sit here and remember those who gave it all and then to see Old Glory still flying moves me.
The main reason I come here, however, is to enjoy the beauty of God's creation, to let my mind run wild, to clear my head, or to just be still. The top of the hill at the edge of the park has bench swings that overlook the lake. Here you can rock back and forth in the breeze by yourself, or with that special someone and enjoy a magnificent sunset. Doing this made Cleveland.com's top 100 things to do in Cleveland. But if you want an even better view, mosey to the west end of the park and plop yourself down on the solar steps. The city re-landscaped the hill and put in these giant concrete steps where you can sit, lay down, or stand and overlook the lake for a wide range, with your view unhindered, and watch the sun slip beneath the water. Sometimes it makes you feel like you are on a California beach watching the same thing. I like to come here and listen to music, staring out beyond the horizon, for a time of serenity.
Sometimes, the crowd gets too big so I wander to the east end. I go beyond where the sidewalk ends and climb on the break wall. The waves are below, mere feet from me. In the distance, the skyline of the city that I love stands as it always has, almost as if it's waving hello. It's also a fantastic spot to pray, to reflect, to have a much needed calm moment.
There are many times I've wandered here and it doesn't matter what season it is, I've ran into a couple I knew and they were enjoying the park's beauty. Believe it or not, it was the place I met Mike Brenneman's wife Sarah before she was his wife. They were enjoying the sunset on the solar steps (told ya those were popular). We held one of our many church barbecues here and there was a wedding going on in the background by the gazebo. Only later did I find out that it was the wedding of one of my high school buddies.
I've had many wonderful 4th of July celebrations here as well as Memorial Day, bbqs, group events, and so much more. I can't really put into words how absolutely awesome this place is unless you experience it for yourself. So next time you're in the area and the weather's good, drop on by and experience it for yourself. It may not be Central Park or Santa Monica Pier, but it'll enthrall you just the same. Until next time my dear friends.
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Who Are You Really?
As promised, because I failed on posting last month, here is the second one for this month. I've been thinking about this lately and for a person like me who likes to imagine the impossible, create crazy stories and universes in my head, and be overly curious about things I do not know, this is something that fascinates me. What am I talking about? I'm talking about Who. Are. You...Really?
I break it down this way. Everyone has three sides to them. The first is how you appear to your family, friends, and everyone else in the world. Now this can be broken down even further because of how your family sees you is slightly different then how your friends see you, but for this post I'm only focusing on the parts that you willingly show of yourself. The second side is that which supposedly no one (or the outside world) knows about you. These are emotions, thoughts, likes, dislikes, things that have taken place in your life, etc that you are pretty sure only you know. The third is the things about you, that you don't even know. Continue to lend me your eyes as I explain.
First side: Now even though this side seems simple, it can actually be complex depending on who you are. What I mean by that is this: You may be a person who wears your heart on your sleeve and you hide almost nothing. Or you could fall at the other end of the spectrum where if you were to reveal all those things, your family would look at you like a complete stranger. For me, I'm near the middle. If you know me, and were to describe me to someone else as if you were beginning to write my biography, you'd be mostly right, but would lack some details. It's really hard to give a personal example because what I think people think about me could be completely wrong. And things I don't think people know or noticed, they do and have. The best way to experience this is talk to someone who really knows you. Ask them to describe you; good traits and bad, things you love and things you hate; things you would and wouldn't do, so on and so forth. Then see how their perspective differs from your own.
Second side: This side is like Two-Face from Batman. The things about you that you think no one knows can be both good and bad. Now for this example, I'm going to use personal things only and unless otherwise noted, these are things the general public outside of family and close friends may not know. Let's begin. Did you know that I hated writing as a kid and all the way through the 9th grade? Did you know that I was home schooled for the first eight years of my life? Did you know I was a straight A student until my sophomore year of high school and never came close to straight A's ever again? Did you know I actually had seven siblings (one died at birth)? Did you know I dislike a pat/slap on the back? Did you know my dream jobs would be a car mechanic or a sports talk show host on the radio? Did you know before I was baptized I was an extremely selfish person with major anxiety? Did you know I've never broken/fractured a bone, but can tell you a good number of times where it should've been much worse than that? Did you know that once you become a close friend to me, whether it was from childhood, high school, college, or adult hood that I'll think about you often, never forget you, your family, that I'll do crazy things like after not seeing you for 11 years drive 10 hours on a Tuesday and 10 hours back on a Thursday the same week (and this friend was not a female)? Did you know I have never turned off my phone at night for the possibility that someone needs my help and the person they called that late was me means I'm coming no questions asked. Did you know I've never had a girlfriend or kissed a girl? As you can see this list goes on and on. It touches all the different aspects I tried to mention above (shocking facts, personality, life moments, likes, dislikes). For me I love it when I learn something cool about someone or they reveal something to me that they've told no one before. And sometimes it's like a puzzle. You think you know someone, but there's so much more to them than meets the eye.
Third side: This side I strongly believe always exists, but it doesn't stop once you reach adult hood. What I mean by this is that as a child, there are traits and personalities you have that make you you and you will keep for the rest of your life. However, at this stage in life, you don't know who you really are. You begin to find these things out quickly and most times too fast once you hit high school.Then by the time you're done with your college age years, you think you have yourself down to a science. Maybe you do, but I'm telling you that there's things about you all the way through life that you don't even know and will take going through life to figure out. Some of my examples include going through school and not until my sophomore year did I realize I had a writing talent. I never thought I'd make a good lawyer and never wanted to be one, but through high school and college, people told me that I could easily become one. For the longest time I didn't know I flared my nostrils when I got excited. I knew I was kinda good with children, but didn't know how good until most of the preschoolers at Birchwood knew my name even if I didn't know theirs or how they told me they wished they could be in after care instead of going home (some of whom used to cry because they wanted to go home). I don't say these things to prop myself up, but rather to better explain my point.
Ultimately this is all taken from my 26 years of perspective and I could be missing some things or completely wrong in some areas. But this is my insight, opinions, and thoughts. I truly believe that if you want to understand/know someone better, including yourself, make lists for these three sides and find out who you really are.
I break it down this way. Everyone has three sides to them. The first is how you appear to your family, friends, and everyone else in the world. Now this can be broken down even further because of how your family sees you is slightly different then how your friends see you, but for this post I'm only focusing on the parts that you willingly show of yourself. The second side is that which supposedly no one (or the outside world) knows about you. These are emotions, thoughts, likes, dislikes, things that have taken place in your life, etc that you are pretty sure only you know. The third is the things about you, that you don't even know. Continue to lend me your eyes as I explain.
First side: Now even though this side seems simple, it can actually be complex depending on who you are. What I mean by that is this: You may be a person who wears your heart on your sleeve and you hide almost nothing. Or you could fall at the other end of the spectrum where if you were to reveal all those things, your family would look at you like a complete stranger. For me, I'm near the middle. If you know me, and were to describe me to someone else as if you were beginning to write my biography, you'd be mostly right, but would lack some details. It's really hard to give a personal example because what I think people think about me could be completely wrong. And things I don't think people know or noticed, they do and have. The best way to experience this is talk to someone who really knows you. Ask them to describe you; good traits and bad, things you love and things you hate; things you would and wouldn't do, so on and so forth. Then see how their perspective differs from your own.
Second side: This side is like Two-Face from Batman. The things about you that you think no one knows can be both good and bad. Now for this example, I'm going to use personal things only and unless otherwise noted, these are things the general public outside of family and close friends may not know. Let's begin. Did you know that I hated writing as a kid and all the way through the 9th grade? Did you know that I was home schooled for the first eight years of my life? Did you know I was a straight A student until my sophomore year of high school and never came close to straight A's ever again? Did you know I actually had seven siblings (one died at birth)? Did you know I dislike a pat/slap on the back? Did you know my dream jobs would be a car mechanic or a sports talk show host on the radio? Did you know before I was baptized I was an extremely selfish person with major anxiety? Did you know I've never broken/fractured a bone, but can tell you a good number of times where it should've been much worse than that? Did you know that once you become a close friend to me, whether it was from childhood, high school, college, or adult hood that I'll think about you often, never forget you, your family, that I'll do crazy things like after not seeing you for 11 years drive 10 hours on a Tuesday and 10 hours back on a Thursday the same week (and this friend was not a female)? Did you know I have never turned off my phone at night for the possibility that someone needs my help and the person they called that late was me means I'm coming no questions asked. Did you know I've never had a girlfriend or kissed a girl? As you can see this list goes on and on. It touches all the different aspects I tried to mention above (shocking facts, personality, life moments, likes, dislikes). For me I love it when I learn something cool about someone or they reveal something to me that they've told no one before. And sometimes it's like a puzzle. You think you know someone, but there's so much more to them than meets the eye.
Third side: This side I strongly believe always exists, but it doesn't stop once you reach adult hood. What I mean by this is that as a child, there are traits and personalities you have that make you you and you will keep for the rest of your life. However, at this stage in life, you don't know who you really are. You begin to find these things out quickly and most times too fast once you hit high school.Then by the time you're done with your college age years, you think you have yourself down to a science. Maybe you do, but I'm telling you that there's things about you all the way through life that you don't even know and will take going through life to figure out. Some of my examples include going through school and not until my sophomore year did I realize I had a writing talent. I never thought I'd make a good lawyer and never wanted to be one, but through high school and college, people told me that I could easily become one. For the longest time I didn't know I flared my nostrils when I got excited. I knew I was kinda good with children, but didn't know how good until most of the preschoolers at Birchwood knew my name even if I didn't know theirs or how they told me they wished they could be in after care instead of going home (some of whom used to cry because they wanted to go home). I don't say these things to prop myself up, but rather to better explain my point.
Ultimately this is all taken from my 26 years of perspective and I could be missing some things or completely wrong in some areas. But this is my insight, opinions, and thoughts. I truly believe that if you want to understand/know someone better, including yourself, make lists for these three sides and find out who you really are.
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
The Riches of Romans
Normally for this month I post about everything I look forward to for the new year. But let's go against the norm for once. One of my goals for this year is to memorize chapter 8 of Romans. Why? well Romans is one of my favorite books in the whole bible and Romans 8 is my most favorite chapter in the entire bible. And no need to wonder why, for I'm about to explain.
Romans 8 opens up with a verse that'll have you hooked right out of the gate. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus," People want to be told so many things that the world refuses to tell them. That they're beautiful, that they're smart, they're lovable, they're important, etc. And many many people fear judgment and condemnation. Romans 8:1 doesn't ask you how you're doing or ask where you've been, but instead announces that if you are in Christ, there is NO CONDEMNATION for you. Isn't that awesome? But wait. It get's better. Verse 2 states: "because through Christ Jesus, the law of the Spirit of life set me FREE from the law of sin and death." So not only are you not condemned, you're FREE from the law of sin and death. and this is just the first two verses my friends.
Now I want to skip down a bit because I want to hit one other point for this post. Verse 11 says: "And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you." How does one have the Spirit living inside of him? Well it's like this. If someone knocks on your door and you open it and let them in, they are now inside your house and because they are alive, they are technically living inside your house. But if you don't open the door, they can't come in. The same goes for the Spirit. The Spirit of Christ comes knocking at the door of your heart. And if you believe into Christ and open the door to your heart, Christ's Spirit can come in. And what about the part of "giving life to your mortal bodies"? Aren't we already alive and have life? Yes. But the key word here is mortal. Mortal means a living being subject to death. All humans will face death. That is a fact. But another wonderful thing about believing in Christ is that when it's your time to go, the end won't be life ceasing to exist or hell for that matter, but instead your spirit, through Christ's Spirit will allow for a continuation of life beyond death. Meaning death is not the end.
Closing thoughts: In these three verses alone, we find that through the simple act of believing into Christ and allowing His spirit inside of us, we are not condemned, we are free from sin and death, and we have the promise of life after death...eternity. A few of the many reasons why I love Romans 8. As the year progresses, I will get into it more. Until next time.
Romans 8 opens up with a verse that'll have you hooked right out of the gate. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus," People want to be told so many things that the world refuses to tell them. That they're beautiful, that they're smart, they're lovable, they're important, etc. And many many people fear judgment and condemnation. Romans 8:1 doesn't ask you how you're doing or ask where you've been, but instead announces that if you are in Christ, there is NO CONDEMNATION for you. Isn't that awesome? But wait. It get's better. Verse 2 states: "because through Christ Jesus, the law of the Spirit of life set me FREE from the law of sin and death." So not only are you not condemned, you're FREE from the law of sin and death. and this is just the first two verses my friends.
Now I want to skip down a bit because I want to hit one other point for this post. Verse 11 says: "And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you." How does one have the Spirit living inside of him? Well it's like this. If someone knocks on your door and you open it and let them in, they are now inside your house and because they are alive, they are technically living inside your house. But if you don't open the door, they can't come in. The same goes for the Spirit. The Spirit of Christ comes knocking at the door of your heart. And if you believe into Christ and open the door to your heart, Christ's Spirit can come in. And what about the part of "giving life to your mortal bodies"? Aren't we already alive and have life? Yes. But the key word here is mortal. Mortal means a living being subject to death. All humans will face death. That is a fact. But another wonderful thing about believing in Christ is that when it's your time to go, the end won't be life ceasing to exist or hell for that matter, but instead your spirit, through Christ's Spirit will allow for a continuation of life beyond death. Meaning death is not the end.
Closing thoughts: In these three verses alone, we find that through the simple act of believing into Christ and allowing His spirit inside of us, we are not condemned, we are free from sin and death, and we have the promise of life after death...eternity. A few of the many reasons why I love Romans 8. As the year progresses, I will get into it more. Until next time.
Saturday, December 31, 2016
Annual End of the Year, Year In Review Post
Two. Zero. One. Six. Those four numbers in that order contain 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 8,760 hours, 525,600 minutes, and 31,536,000 seconds. In all those seconds, many, many, many things happened. There were birthdays, celebrations, holidays, vacations, tests, projects, elections, to name a few. But there were also the more important things that so many people let pass by, take for granted or forget about until they need it most. I'm referring to the moments, memories, and realizations that make life as great as it is. From those simple times where you find yourself in a boat in the middle of a Wisconsin lake at sunset and the world feels right to the crazy times you're the best man at your best friend's wedding and the party goes late into the night. So without further ado, sit back and enjoy 2016 in review.
While many people may look upon 2016 and say "This year sucked!" I say quite the opposite. Sure it was at times like an undisciplined child and yes loved ones and celebrities we adored have passed on, but I can say for myself that so many other wonderful things happened that made me glad to be alive. In May I finally graduated college with my Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering. I knew it was going to be rough, it took longer than I thought, and there were many times the thought of giving it all up entered my mind. But I persevered and now I have an expensive piece of paper that says I'm qualified to be an engineer. That was pretty big.
The year was also filled with weddings and by that I mean ten couples I know tied the knot and I had the honor of attending five, being the best man in one. Go check out my wedding post for all the shout outs and info on that. Congrats again to all you crazy kids who got married this year.
My love for travel took me on many adventures this year. Two brief tours of Chicago, trying deep dish for the first time. Raced high speed go karts in Austin, TX and explored the weird city. Cruised on down back to Raleigh for a wedding, devoured delicious food and drink downtown, and hung out around a campfire with old and new friends under the starry sky until the late hours of the night. Took an extended stay in the Big Apple and took a few bites out of my ever growing bucket list (for all those wonderful adventures see my NYC series posts). Canoed out onto a quiet lake as the sun bid me adieu in the great outdoors of northern Wisconsin, casting a line chasing the ever fun large mouth bass. Disappeared for a weekend in the great hills of Hocking, OH with the bros as one of them would soon be wed. As well as many other small adventures along the way.
I had the pleasure of seeing Kenny Chesney live in concert for my second year in a row as well as the ever talented and ever lovely Carrie Underwood for the first time. Both experiences were phenomenal.
My love for baseball was well fed as I went to five regular season Indians games, one Pirates game, and one Yankees game, as well as Game 1 of the ALDS which featured the Indians vs the Red Sox. The home team one seven out of eight games I attended. The best parts were watching the Indians come down from two runs in the bottom of the 9th to win it in walk off fashion, being in the first row bleachers at Yankee Stadium, and going nuts with the home crowd as the Tribe smashed three home runs in one inning off Boston ace Rick Porcello and ended up winning the game.
My geocaching hobby has really taken off this year as it is an adventure all in itself. If you still don't know what that is, go to www.geocaching.com for more info, but be careful, you may become addicted. As of the moment I am writing this post, I eclipsed the 1,000 finds mark and now stand at 1,051 caches found. That's a pretty big milestone I'm proud to have hit this year.
This year was also a pretty awesome year to be a Cleveland sports fan (except of the browns but that's come to be expected). The Cleveland Cavaliers brought home Cleveland's first major professional sports championship since 1964 (which was also the Cavs first) that put the reality into Believeland and 1.3 million people came to witness the championship parade live. The Cleveland Indians made a magical run straight to game 7 of the World Series when no one thought they would stand a chance with their small market, their injuries, and them just being Cleveland. Even though they didn't come away with the ultimate victory, it was still an amazing season and I believe they'll go all the way next year.
There are also many less extravagant moments that I've had this year that'll remain in my memory for years to come. The small moments in life that we sometimes take for granted but turn out to be crucial points in our lives. A few brief examples include being at a conference and entering into a conversation where someone is going through a bit of stress because of everything they have going on. I then explained to the others in that conversation why this person was stressing out and that the job wasn't as easy. This person then responded with "I love you so much right now." It wasn't meant in a romantic way at all but rather a friend's appreciation for me understanding. That response made the rest of my day. There was also the many nights I hung out with the bros and for the most part I didn't care what we were doing, but what mattered most is we were together and it felt like family, because they are.
Lastly, I want to say this. People, the media, the internet, and the world have portrayed 2016 as an awful year. I can state others years that could be considered "worse" that didn't gain this type of response. So for me, I'm still breathing. I have a roof over my head, a family that loves me, many friends who I consider family, I graduated college, I'm still able to enjoy life, I'm still proud to be an American, and the Lord is still Lord.
As we welcome 2017, take each day as it comes, love the people that you do and tell them so. Keep friends close. Turn off the media. Don't let social media rule your life and the way you see the world. Take risks. Do the things you love. Keep your head up and never stop fighting.
What a year. Bring on 2017!
While many people may look upon 2016 and say "This year sucked!" I say quite the opposite. Sure it was at times like an undisciplined child and yes loved ones and celebrities we adored have passed on, but I can say for myself that so many other wonderful things happened that made me glad to be alive. In May I finally graduated college with my Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering. I knew it was going to be rough, it took longer than I thought, and there were many times the thought of giving it all up entered my mind. But I persevered and now I have an expensive piece of paper that says I'm qualified to be an engineer. That was pretty big.
The year was also filled with weddings and by that I mean ten couples I know tied the knot and I had the honor of attending five, being the best man in one. Go check out my wedding post for all the shout outs and info on that. Congrats again to all you crazy kids who got married this year.
My love for travel took me on many adventures this year. Two brief tours of Chicago, trying deep dish for the first time. Raced high speed go karts in Austin, TX and explored the weird city. Cruised on down back to Raleigh for a wedding, devoured delicious food and drink downtown, and hung out around a campfire with old and new friends under the starry sky until the late hours of the night. Took an extended stay in the Big Apple and took a few bites out of my ever growing bucket list (for all those wonderful adventures see my NYC series posts). Canoed out onto a quiet lake as the sun bid me adieu in the great outdoors of northern Wisconsin, casting a line chasing the ever fun large mouth bass. Disappeared for a weekend in the great hills of Hocking, OH with the bros as one of them would soon be wed. As well as many other small adventures along the way.
I had the pleasure of seeing Kenny Chesney live in concert for my second year in a row as well as the ever talented and ever lovely Carrie Underwood for the first time. Both experiences were phenomenal.
My love for baseball was well fed as I went to five regular season Indians games, one Pirates game, and one Yankees game, as well as Game 1 of the ALDS which featured the Indians vs the Red Sox. The home team one seven out of eight games I attended. The best parts were watching the Indians come down from two runs in the bottom of the 9th to win it in walk off fashion, being in the first row bleachers at Yankee Stadium, and going nuts with the home crowd as the Tribe smashed three home runs in one inning off Boston ace Rick Porcello and ended up winning the game.
My geocaching hobby has really taken off this year as it is an adventure all in itself. If you still don't know what that is, go to www.geocaching.com for more info, but be careful, you may become addicted. As of the moment I am writing this post, I eclipsed the 1,000 finds mark and now stand at 1,051 caches found. That's a pretty big milestone I'm proud to have hit this year.
This year was also a pretty awesome year to be a Cleveland sports fan (except of the browns but that's come to be expected). The Cleveland Cavaliers brought home Cleveland's first major professional sports championship since 1964 (which was also the Cavs first) that put the reality into Believeland and 1.3 million people came to witness the championship parade live. The Cleveland Indians made a magical run straight to game 7 of the World Series when no one thought they would stand a chance with their small market, their injuries, and them just being Cleveland. Even though they didn't come away with the ultimate victory, it was still an amazing season and I believe they'll go all the way next year.
There are also many less extravagant moments that I've had this year that'll remain in my memory for years to come. The small moments in life that we sometimes take for granted but turn out to be crucial points in our lives. A few brief examples include being at a conference and entering into a conversation where someone is going through a bit of stress because of everything they have going on. I then explained to the others in that conversation why this person was stressing out and that the job wasn't as easy. This person then responded with "I love you so much right now." It wasn't meant in a romantic way at all but rather a friend's appreciation for me understanding. That response made the rest of my day. There was also the many nights I hung out with the bros and for the most part I didn't care what we were doing, but what mattered most is we were together and it felt like family, because they are.
Lastly, I want to say this. People, the media, the internet, and the world have portrayed 2016 as an awful year. I can state others years that could be considered "worse" that didn't gain this type of response. So for me, I'm still breathing. I have a roof over my head, a family that loves me, many friends who I consider family, I graduated college, I'm still able to enjoy life, I'm still proud to be an American, and the Lord is still Lord.
As we welcome 2017, take each day as it comes, love the people that you do and tell them so. Keep friends close. Turn off the media. Don't let social media rule your life and the way you see the world. Take risks. Do the things you love. Keep your head up and never stop fighting.
What a year. Bring on 2017!
Friday, November 25, 2016
Thoughts With A Twist
It's very close to the end of November and I haven't written here in over a month. Why is that detail important? Well I made a small commitment to myself. After I got into a habit where I wasn't writing here often and this blog was going to become obsolete. I didn't want that to happen. So my commitment was that I would write here once a month. The reason for this is twofold. The first being that whenever I need an outlet for my emotions, thoughts, etc I can place all that here. More than I would with strangers or friends, but still not every aspect of my thinking because I don't want to be too exposing of myself nor do I want to say something that will cause someone to hate me. The second is that even though I know not many people read this or even have the time to, but some do. I keep writing for you. Because it's a two way street. I have a bookmark folder titled "blogs" and, outside of Humans of New York, all the blogs in there are those of my friends. I like to know what's going on in their lives and the things that make them...them. Which is another reason I use Facebook so much. It's because I'm interested in my friend's lives and even though I may not interact with them much, even on Facebook, I'm still thinking about them and wondering how they are and whether or not they got that job, or have that special someone, or got married, or have a kid on the way or have kids, or are seeing the world, etc etc etc. And if any of you who I have not talked to in a long time or knew me from years ago but have forgotten and some how are reading this, I haven't forgotten you. And if you wonder what I mean by that, let me give you an example.
In September 2014 I bought a car. In October I got a phone number for a childhood friend I hadn't seen or heard from in 11 years and I called him. In December I drove 10 hours to Boston, MA on a cold, drizzly Tuesday to spend less than 24 hours with him and then drove back 36 hours later on a rainy Thursday. Here's someone I knew as a kid and hadn't seen or heard from him since the age of 12. But I never forgot him and when the chance arose to see him again, I took it. Twenty hours of driving, $150 in gas, the cold dreary days, the possibility he had forgotten about me...none of that mattered. What mattered is being able to see him again.
Those nights I spend getting food, watching sports, roaming the town, bowling, watching a new movie, playing cards, celebrating someone's next phase in life, playing frisbee or basketball or any other sport, I could go on and on. I take none of these for granted. I cherish these moments in life the most. When Grace was here in Cleveland, she put on all these different events. Whether in was a Fall Fun Day, a white elephant party, a friendsgiving, a going away event for Madeline, or even simply just go over to their house just to hang out, those were the best. If you ask Grace, some of them she may tell you didn't go completely as planned or that she could've done something better, but I wouldn't see it that way. I saw it as wonderful times spent with the friends I care so deeply about no matter how much we sometimes get on each others nerves or may disagree with the many things that make up the human life experience , or whatever. Why? Because this life is short and we only have so much time with those we love and care about and those times and all the other above mentioned events brought us together. To share a laugh. To enjoy life's pleasures. To be with each other. That's also why going to NYC meant so much to me. I got to experience things I always wanted to, but I also got to do it together with not just one, not just two close friends, but many. And I met some more who I will also never forget.
Now if you skimmed up to this point, I'm ending on a note that will catch your attention. People may rib me for this, but screw it. I'm saying it anyways. Y'all know how much I love weddings so this is my official announcement saying that I'm getting MARRIED!...
...eh no. Made your heart jump didn't I? Can't do that without finding a girlfriend first. Actually what I really wanted to say was that I want a big wedding. There I said it. I can hear it now. "You're a guy. Since when do you think about your wedding? Especially since you are single. Only women do that. Please turn in your mancard." You get the point. The reason for this is because by the time I get married, after all the family and close friends have been invited, I'll have to invite all those whose weddings I had the honor of attending which means I'll need a big wedding! Joking and temporarily inflated ego aside, there are so many people that mean so much to me that I want as many as possible to share in this future happy day.
Now that I've pour out my thoughts for this month, I'll ask you this. If there's something you want me to discuss here or something you want to know about me and would like me to answer it here, let me know. I think it'd be fun to do a piece based off of those questions. Until next time.Thougt
In September 2014 I bought a car. In October I got a phone number for a childhood friend I hadn't seen or heard from in 11 years and I called him. In December I drove 10 hours to Boston, MA on a cold, drizzly Tuesday to spend less than 24 hours with him and then drove back 36 hours later on a rainy Thursday. Here's someone I knew as a kid and hadn't seen or heard from him since the age of 12. But I never forgot him and when the chance arose to see him again, I took it. Twenty hours of driving, $150 in gas, the cold dreary days, the possibility he had forgotten about me...none of that mattered. What mattered is being able to see him again.
Those nights I spend getting food, watching sports, roaming the town, bowling, watching a new movie, playing cards, celebrating someone's next phase in life, playing frisbee or basketball or any other sport, I could go on and on. I take none of these for granted. I cherish these moments in life the most. When Grace was here in Cleveland, she put on all these different events. Whether in was a Fall Fun Day, a white elephant party, a friendsgiving, a going away event for Madeline, or even simply just go over to their house just to hang out, those were the best. If you ask Grace, some of them she may tell you didn't go completely as planned or that she could've done something better, but I wouldn't see it that way. I saw it as wonderful times spent with the friends I care so deeply about no matter how much we sometimes get on each others nerves or may disagree with the many things that make up the human life experience , or whatever. Why? Because this life is short and we only have so much time with those we love and care about and those times and all the other above mentioned events brought us together. To share a laugh. To enjoy life's pleasures. To be with each other. That's also why going to NYC meant so much to me. I got to experience things I always wanted to, but I also got to do it together with not just one, not just two close friends, but many. And I met some more who I will also never forget.
Now if you skimmed up to this point, I'm ending on a note that will catch your attention. People may rib me for this, but screw it. I'm saying it anyways. Y'all know how much I love weddings so this is my official announcement saying that I'm getting MARRIED!...
...eh no. Made your heart jump didn't I? Can't do that without finding a girlfriend first. Actually what I really wanted to say was that I want a big wedding. There I said it. I can hear it now. "You're a guy. Since when do you think about your wedding? Especially since you are single. Only women do that. Please turn in your mancard." You get the point. The reason for this is because by the time I get married, after all the family and close friends have been invited, I'll have to invite all those whose weddings I had the honor of attending which means I'll need a big wedding! Joking and temporarily inflated ego aside, there are so many people that mean so much to me that I want as many as possible to share in this future happy day.
Now that I've pour out my thoughts for this month, I'll ask you this. If there's something you want me to discuss here or something you want to know about me and would like me to answer it here, let me know. I think it'd be fun to do a piece based off of those questions. Until next time.Thougt
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
What Lies Ahead
I'm in this weird phase of life, but I don't know how many can relate. What phase is this you ask? Well to put it simply, it's the graduated-college-five-months-ago-chose-not-begin-the-job-search-until-then-end-of-summer-now-wants-a-job-and-it-feels-weird phase. Catch that? Let me decipher that for you. If you haven't read my previous blogs or haven't talked to me since May, It took me seven years to finish undergrad. I was done with school and rather than jump into the work field, I was going to enjoy my summer. And enjoy it I did. But now that the weather has turned, aspirations of future trips, moving out, and a dwindling bank account, waking up each morning without a job feels strange. And I don't like it. I don't like the feeling of needing a job and I don't like the feeling of not having a job.
During the summer, I had money saved to cover it as well as all the time in the world. And by the Lord's mercy, zero college debt. During college, to save money, I lived at my parents house and had no urge to leave. Those of you who have seen the lay-out of my room see the years of myself that I put into it and every time I thought of packing it up, it was a sad feeling. But now that the summer and college are over, now that there are many things I want to do in life before a family comes along, those tides have changed.
There's a trip to Australia coming up in August of next year. As soon as that was announced, I immediately began to plan/save. Yes, part of the reason I want to go is my love of travel, but when the young people from Australia came to visit us last December, it was such a blast and a blessing. So most of the desire to go is to visit them and a church outside of the good ol' USA. But that costs money. Being in my mid 20s and done with school has me contemplating a future spouse and kids. But for those things to happen, I'd like to be out of my parent's house. That also costs money. I could go on, but you get the point.
I suppose you could say that this part of the adult life is finally kicking in. A little late according to many, but the truth of the of the matter is that I have no regrets. I don't regret going to CSU, I don't regret taking a year off, I don't regret enjoying my last free summer, I put my trust in the Lord. I don't know what lies ahead, it's weird how points in life change your outlook, but I know He has my back. Oh and I have a job interview tomorrow.
During the summer, I had money saved to cover it as well as all the time in the world. And by the Lord's mercy, zero college debt. During college, to save money, I lived at my parents house and had no urge to leave. Those of you who have seen the lay-out of my room see the years of myself that I put into it and every time I thought of packing it up, it was a sad feeling. But now that the summer and college are over, now that there are many things I want to do in life before a family comes along, those tides have changed.
There's a trip to Australia coming up in August of next year. As soon as that was announced, I immediately began to plan/save. Yes, part of the reason I want to go is my love of travel, but when the young people from Australia came to visit us last December, it was such a blast and a blessing. So most of the desire to go is to visit them and a church outside of the good ol' USA. But that costs money. Being in my mid 20s and done with school has me contemplating a future spouse and kids. But for those things to happen, I'd like to be out of my parent's house. That also costs money. I could go on, but you get the point.
I suppose you could say that this part of the adult life is finally kicking in. A little late according to many, but the truth of the of the matter is that I have no regrets. I don't regret going to CSU, I don't regret taking a year off, I don't regret enjoying my last free summer, I put my trust in the Lord. I don't know what lies ahead, it's weird how points in life change your outlook, but I know He has my back. Oh and I have a job interview tomorrow.
Thursday, September 15, 2016
May We All
May we all is the title of a new song by Florida Georgia Line and I'm obsessed with it. But not because it's popular. Because it connects with the things I'm thinking right now. Most of the things they mention in this song are things that matter to them in their lives, but the way I actually see it is they are focusing on two points; the memories and the little things. As I listen, I would love to experience some of the things they are talking about (like get a one star hand me down Ford to fix up or find a sweet little thing who wears your ball cap backwards), but I also reminisce on the memories and small things in life that I could also insert in this song.
For example, lately I've been thinking about all those summers spent at Cedar Point. I still remember the first time in 2007 when David Wang created the trip to go and I got invited. It was my first time ever at Cedar Point and it was the beginning of many to come. Tim Chai came that year and we somehow convinced him to get on Top Thrill Dragster. He screamed, we laughed, it was great. This was also the grand opening year of the Maverick. And it wasn't just people from Cleveland. We had people from Ann Arbor, Indianapolis, Columbus, and even Toronto. The picture below is the group that went.
Not shown (because we left before it was taken) Joe Samulak, Luke Bixler, Seth Johnson, Stephen Johnson, and myself (I also borrowed this photo from Kat Bi).
Over half the people in this photo I hardly see anymore, but I won't forget that day. Each summer we went, the group was never the exact same group of people, but no matter who went, I have stories to tell and memories for a lifetime. I remember the only year we ran into rain, Stephen Johnson and I waited three hours to ride the front car of the Millennium Force. It was still raining a little and at 93 mph, those rain drops stung! Many other park goers bailed because of the rain, but we hung around, the rain tapered off, and we had short wait times everywhere. I remember the year we rode the Millennium Force at night and my hands were covered in bug guts and blood. I high-fived Rachel Harknett after the ride and she screamed when I she realized what I had done. There was the year Florine from France joined us and had a blast. Another year we rode the Thunder Canyon ride where 8 people are put in a spinning raft and you never knew who was going to get soaked...except Kayla Holloway. She went four times in a row and somehow remained nearly dry.
One of the most burning memories from those trips was the very last time I went as a group. The weather was perfect, the rides didn't have issues (for the most part), the waits weren't bad and at the end of the day, something incredible happened. We all hopped in line for a last ride on the Millennium Force (this coaster is addicting) and about halfway through, it broke down. So half of us (me and David Wang included) left the line and ran over to the Mantis (now Rogarou). We got in line and made it on the last ride of the night. Then as soon as we got off, we ran all the way back to the Millennium to try and beat the line closure. I remember as we dashed through crowds of people, tired and moving at a snail's pace from the long day, almost running into quite a few, I saw an older couple about to cut off my only open path so I jumped up on a wooden ledge and as I parkoured off it right in front of them, a though seared through my head. "This may be the last time you do this." As David and I dashed on through the light show, this thought was on replay. The incredible thing is that we beat the line closure by mere seconds AND made it onto the very last ride on the Millennium force for the night. What a way to cap off a fantastic day.
Going back to that thought. It actually became a reality. That year was the last year I went with that group or any group for that matter and the last group trip happened only once more. That thought forced me to recall all the joys and memories I had of those trips that night and to really cherish them not knowing at that time that they would be the last ones I made.
Another series of memories I've been reflecting upon lately are all those days in the summer Jeremiah, Mark, and I spent at Mark's cabin in Vermillion. The first time I went, it was Mark's 15th birthday. He called me up and asked if I wanted to go jetskiing. As a 16 year old and an adrenaline junkie, there was no way I was refusing this offer. During that weekend, I got to drive it. With Mark holding on for dear life behind me, I went full throttle and roared straight into a four foot wave. We went airborne and I felt the jetski wobble as if it was going to flip. Thankfully we didn't and ended upright, but with a monster splash. Mark still had a death grip on my life jacket. That was the beginning of so many amazing trips here.
As we got older, we'd go out for weeks at a time, just the three of us, with occasional guest appearances by Timothy Miller, Aaron Johnson, Nathan Johnson, and Cody Grimm (there was also the time Caitlin and Melissa crashed the party but we'll get to that later). There are so many memories of this place, but I'm going to snapshot a handful below.
I remember the time we went tubing and tried to throw each other off, Mark got whipped so hard he tumbled 5 or 6 times off the top of the water before he submerged. There was the time Jeremiah tried to cook a sheepshead and it was the nastiest thing ever. Or the time we spent so long talking, we forgot to get food and everything in the town closed at 11pm. So we drove around getting nowhere until we finally stopped at a convenience store and bought microwavable mac & cheese. We also tried to go to giant eagle, but it was closed and we ended up running over the freshly sealed blacktop on accident, leaving tire marks all over. We had times where we charged into the lake at midnight during a thunderstorm to rescue the jetski, woke up on a cold/rainy Monday morning to find 10 foot waves, boats scattered on the shore, and we had to rescue ours. There were the days we explored the town eats making Micky D's runs, Huggy Bear's ice cream, Geppettos for a rack of ribs and pizza. I remember when we blew up an entire box and a half of wolfpack fireworks, nearly burning ourselves by stuffing two copperheads in one tube and having a Roman candle battle after. We watched movies on the projector, held poker matches, grilled many meats off the deck, and had many fires on the beach at sunset with our butts in the sand. There was also the time we spent a week out there and halfway through, Caitlin and Melissa unexpectedly showed up. While we fished, they chased us down in rough waters on the jetski. Or we had the pleasure of dragging them around in the tube, seeing how far we could go before they had enough. Or the moment where I tried to be all macho and take them out on the rough waves in the jetski, only to hit one too hard and end up with many gallons of water smashing me in the face.
The one scene that will never leave my mind is I was riding the jetski as the sun was setting. While I was roaring about, I eased off the throttle, then killed the motor. I just drifted as I took in the scene before me. To my left was a golden sky with a bluish hue and the sun dipping below the waves. And to my right was a navy blue sky with the moon already high and surrounded by a handful of stars. I was caught in the middle of two worlds and for the first time in a long time, felt I was in complete serenity. Last year was also the last time the three of us went and we didn't get a chance to go this year because Jer is now married and has tons of bills to pay. This also could be the last year the cabin is in the Greenwood's possession, so this may be another chapter ending...which is indeed sad. But the memories and the times I had with the people I was with here are priceless.
Going back to my intro, these were some long running events that impacted my life and are what I would think of when FGL sings the first two verses. To put it into complete perspective, I'll close with this:
May we all find our adrenaline high,
Find the courage to spread our wings and fly,
Enjoy the freedom with friends on a summer night,
The laughs, the joys, the thrills that feel so right.
Make memories that last forever,
Cause' you don't know when now will become never.
May we all find our beach on the coast,
Where the setting sun warms your heart the most.
Where boys can be boys and ride life's waves,
Catching trophy fish is what we crave,
Sleeping in late and not bothering to shave,
And talk about the adventures we had until we rest in the grave.
May we all.
For example, lately I've been thinking about all those summers spent at Cedar Point. I still remember the first time in 2007 when David Wang created the trip to go and I got invited. It was my first time ever at Cedar Point and it was the beginning of many to come. Tim Chai came that year and we somehow convinced him to get on Top Thrill Dragster. He screamed, we laughed, it was great. This was also the grand opening year of the Maverick. And it wasn't just people from Cleveland. We had people from Ann Arbor, Indianapolis, Columbus, and even Toronto. The picture below is the group that went.
Not shown (because we left before it was taken) Joe Samulak, Luke Bixler, Seth Johnson, Stephen Johnson, and myself (I also borrowed this photo from Kat Bi).
Over half the people in this photo I hardly see anymore, but I won't forget that day. Each summer we went, the group was never the exact same group of people, but no matter who went, I have stories to tell and memories for a lifetime. I remember the only year we ran into rain, Stephen Johnson and I waited three hours to ride the front car of the Millennium Force. It was still raining a little and at 93 mph, those rain drops stung! Many other park goers bailed because of the rain, but we hung around, the rain tapered off, and we had short wait times everywhere. I remember the year we rode the Millennium Force at night and my hands were covered in bug guts and blood. I high-fived Rachel Harknett after the ride and she screamed when I she realized what I had done. There was the year Florine from France joined us and had a blast. Another year we rode the Thunder Canyon ride where 8 people are put in a spinning raft and you never knew who was going to get soaked...except Kayla Holloway. She went four times in a row and somehow remained nearly dry.
One of the most burning memories from those trips was the very last time I went as a group. The weather was perfect, the rides didn't have issues (for the most part), the waits weren't bad and at the end of the day, something incredible happened. We all hopped in line for a last ride on the Millennium Force (this coaster is addicting) and about halfway through, it broke down. So half of us (me and David Wang included) left the line and ran over to the Mantis (now Rogarou). We got in line and made it on the last ride of the night. Then as soon as we got off, we ran all the way back to the Millennium to try and beat the line closure. I remember as we dashed through crowds of people, tired and moving at a snail's pace from the long day, almost running into quite a few, I saw an older couple about to cut off my only open path so I jumped up on a wooden ledge and as I parkoured off it right in front of them, a though seared through my head. "This may be the last time you do this." As David and I dashed on through the light show, this thought was on replay. The incredible thing is that we beat the line closure by mere seconds AND made it onto the very last ride on the Millennium force for the night. What a way to cap off a fantastic day.
Going back to that thought. It actually became a reality. That year was the last year I went with that group or any group for that matter and the last group trip happened only once more. That thought forced me to recall all the joys and memories I had of those trips that night and to really cherish them not knowing at that time that they would be the last ones I made.
Another series of memories I've been reflecting upon lately are all those days in the summer Jeremiah, Mark, and I spent at Mark's cabin in Vermillion. The first time I went, it was Mark's 15th birthday. He called me up and asked if I wanted to go jetskiing. As a 16 year old and an adrenaline junkie, there was no way I was refusing this offer. During that weekend, I got to drive it. With Mark holding on for dear life behind me, I went full throttle and roared straight into a four foot wave. We went airborne and I felt the jetski wobble as if it was going to flip. Thankfully we didn't and ended upright, but with a monster splash. Mark still had a death grip on my life jacket. That was the beginning of so many amazing trips here.
As we got older, we'd go out for weeks at a time, just the three of us, with occasional guest appearances by Timothy Miller, Aaron Johnson, Nathan Johnson, and Cody Grimm (there was also the time Caitlin and Melissa crashed the party but we'll get to that later). There are so many memories of this place, but I'm going to snapshot a handful below.
I remember the time we went tubing and tried to throw each other off, Mark got whipped so hard he tumbled 5 or 6 times off the top of the water before he submerged. There was the time Jeremiah tried to cook a sheepshead and it was the nastiest thing ever. Or the time we spent so long talking, we forgot to get food and everything in the town closed at 11pm. So we drove around getting nowhere until we finally stopped at a convenience store and bought microwavable mac & cheese. We also tried to go to giant eagle, but it was closed and we ended up running over the freshly sealed blacktop on accident, leaving tire marks all over. We had times where we charged into the lake at midnight during a thunderstorm to rescue the jetski, woke up on a cold/rainy Monday morning to find 10 foot waves, boats scattered on the shore, and we had to rescue ours. There were the days we explored the town eats making Micky D's runs, Huggy Bear's ice cream, Geppettos for a rack of ribs and pizza. I remember when we blew up an entire box and a half of wolfpack fireworks, nearly burning ourselves by stuffing two copperheads in one tube and having a Roman candle battle after. We watched movies on the projector, held poker matches, grilled many meats off the deck, and had many fires on the beach at sunset with our butts in the sand. There was also the time we spent a week out there and halfway through, Caitlin and Melissa unexpectedly showed up. While we fished, they chased us down in rough waters on the jetski. Or we had the pleasure of dragging them around in the tube, seeing how far we could go before they had enough. Or the moment where I tried to be all macho and take them out on the rough waves in the jetski, only to hit one too hard and end up with many gallons of water smashing me in the face.
The one scene that will never leave my mind is I was riding the jetski as the sun was setting. While I was roaring about, I eased off the throttle, then killed the motor. I just drifted as I took in the scene before me. To my left was a golden sky with a bluish hue and the sun dipping below the waves. And to my right was a navy blue sky with the moon already high and surrounded by a handful of stars. I was caught in the middle of two worlds and for the first time in a long time, felt I was in complete serenity. Last year was also the last time the three of us went and we didn't get a chance to go this year because Jer is now married and has tons of bills to pay. This also could be the last year the cabin is in the Greenwood's possession, so this may be another chapter ending...which is indeed sad. But the memories and the times I had with the people I was with here are priceless.
Going back to my intro, these were some long running events that impacted my life and are what I would think of when FGL sings the first two verses. To put it into complete perspective, I'll close with this:
May we all find our adrenaline high,
Find the courage to spread our wings and fly,
Enjoy the freedom with friends on a summer night,
The laughs, the joys, the thrills that feel so right.
Make memories that last forever,
Cause' you don't know when now will become never.
May we all find our beach on the coast,
Where the setting sun warms your heart the most.
Where boys can be boys and ride life's waves,
Catching trophy fish is what we crave,
Sleeping in late and not bothering to shave,
And talk about the adventures we had until we rest in the grave.
May we all.
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