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JimmyBond8
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Name: Chris
Birthday: 4/27/1984
Gender: Male
Interests: I've become facinated with photography.
Occasionally I write some poetry.
I also enjoy graphic design.
Music is my driving passion. And also my favorite hobbie.
I would be a lithographer, if I could afford it.
Mostly I like art of all forms and types.
Expertise: Web Design/Graphic Design/GIS Mapping
Occupation: G.I.S. Coordinator
Industry: Emergency Communications (911)
Message: message meEmail: email me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
10/13/2003
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| Heres to you, Mrs. Fleckenstine I tried making this post too serious sounding, but then I realized I didn't really have that much to talk about. Or, at least I don't think I do. We'll just wait and see how this thing unfolds. Its been some of the busiest couple of weeks of the year for me. I've been working hard trying to get things ready for the tour that my band is going on, and its really taken a strain on me. Booking shows is tough work, and I really suggest another career for anyone who is thinking about it. Pick something less stressful, like fireman or bomb technician.
But hopefully it'll work out fine and we'll have a great tour of the Lower East Coast. Hopefully we'll sell some cd's and hopefully we'll have some shirts/buttons/pins to sell as well. We're gonna be touring with a band from SC called Courier, who seem to be pretty cool. They invited us to join them on the tour. But you should check them out and give them a listen.
I've also seen two of my female highschool buds married off the past couple of weekends. It was nice to see them getting married to good Godly men and just to see them really happy. Plus, it was great to see some of the people I care/cared about that I went to school with. Catching up is good times. It makes me miss some of the other great people I've met over the years that I rarely get to see anymore, some of which I'd become close friends with. I once read a poem talking about being friends for a 'reason, season, or a lifetime', and I really think I'm beginning to understand and appreciate that more. I suppose I'll never forget the impact that these people have had on my life, and I'm very honored to have known each and every one of them. So to all of you, Thank you so much for your friendship.
Also, without going into too much detail, I'd appreciate prayers for my Boss's family. His mother-in-law is getting to around the age of my grandfather, and is becoming increasingly senile due to several factors. She is living with my boss and it is really putting a strain on him (he isn't in the best of health anyway). Its a difficult thing to go through for any family, and even more so when you're having to deal with it on a constant daily basis. So I'd really appreciate prayers for them; they need all the strength and guidance they can get.
Ok. I'm going back to work. Ahh!! Music update. Check out We Shot the Moon, who have a new cd out, and also The Fratellis have their cd up for streaming on IMEEM.
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| Throw an old line out to sea It has been all kinds of a month. Since I last posted I've: Bought a car, seen Josh Ritter live, bought all kinds of CD's, celebrated National Record Store Day, Almost gotten a new cell phone, bought a record player, & visited Portland.
I guess lets start chronologically. The trip to Portland was amazing!! I spent the majority of the time inside my swank hotel (thanks work!) listening to people talk about addressing. Which was actually one of the better conferences I've been to with work. But when I got to travel out, I really enjoyed the parts of Oregon that I saw. It does rain there everyday, for at least 5 minutes. I took my rental, a Blue Mazda5* (take note this is impt later), all over the city and out to Astoria on the coast. It was awesome to see the town that my favorite childhood movie (the Goonies) was filmed in. It was an awesome little town, that I'd love to move to when I retire, or maybe before who knows. I also caught the Hotel Cafe tour in Portland, featuring: Cary Brothers, Ingrid Michaelson, William Fitzzsimmons, Meiko, and others. It was an amazing show, so many performers singing and playing together. It really was one of the best shows I've ever seen, just because it was so unique. Also, the plane rides weren't so bad. The trip out was great (it was one of the big jets with built-in entertainment centers, I listened to the Across the Universe soundtrack most of the time. The trips back weren't so enjoyable. Lots of turbulence, and the frigid north of Minnesota.
Now for the car. I bought a Sage (don't be fooled its metallic silver with a hint of green) 2007 Mazda5, based on my experience driving one in Portland. Its a great car/van/suv/muv/transformer. It gets really good gas mileage 21/28 and seats 6 (which means plenty of room to fold down seats and store stuff), and has van-style doors (so getting in & out is easier). I ended up paying a little bit out of my price range, but I'm very satisfied to not be looking for cars anymore. But I'd really suggest it to anyone with a couple kids, or someone wanting an economical car that they can actually haul stuff in. I'll put a pic of it on here sometime soon.
I guess I also need to mention that Josh Ritter was amazing in concert. I'm not a particularly big fan of his music that I'd heard up until seeing him. Its not that I didn't like the songs, its just that... I dunno. It was a little too Bob Dylan for my tastes. But live, Josh Ritter and his amazing band really bring the music to life. They're such energetic performers and the music just looses something in the studio/cd translation. He really is an amazingly talented man and I recommend anyone see him if he plays near your town.
Lastly, I've been making some decisions (aforementioned) that I'm not happy with. And I've been workign to change some of them. But theres still others that I'm working at, for I may never be a finished work of art. I was asked an interesting question that I'd like to share, as I'm thinking about it myself. Its the same question that Robert Frost mentions in "The Road Not Taken", a poem that is loved by many including me. The question; What road are you taking?
Someone asked this of me (more or less), and asked if I was avoiding something simply because it was the 'easy' way out. And I've been examining that over the past several weeks in my head. I suppose its something that can depend entirely on the context of the situation. I just haven't decided which way is the 'easy' way, and the choice I may make regarding it. Some people say its easier to walk away from things. Some people say its easier to not walk away knowing full well that you should. So which do you take? Two roads diverged in a yellow wood....
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| Interface!?!? More like Chlorophyll!! Anyone else keep getting stumped by the new Xanga-face (i.e. interface)? I am. It took me a good 3 minutes or so to figure out how to be able to get to where I'm at now, typing away. I'm modern enough to still enjoy a change, especially if its a needed improvement. But I'm not really sure if the new Xanga Home is really helping my blog any better. But thats just my two wooden nickels on the matter. chlorophyll
In rather exciting news, over the weekend I 'won' tickets to see Jimmy Eat World in Charlotte, NC! I say 'won' because it was by replying to an email that I got put on kinda a 'VIP' type list. But really in actuality, when we showed up, we just got carded and walked in. No list was checked or anything exciting like that. But it was nice getting to see JEW for free. They were great! They played a lot of their singles and faster stuff, which was good, but I do miss some of the slower ballad type songs. Though I'm not complaining.
Also, I keep running across females that I went to High School with that keep wanting to get in touch with me. Its kinda nice, Its always a nice feeling getting a girl's phone number. But then I get to thinking, what do I still have in common with these girls? Some of them I do have things in common with. And then others, not so much. But I'm going to keep from talking like that person who's always talking about High School. Its over, a part of my past. I dunno. We'll see how it goes.
I'm kind of ashamed to say that since my last post that I haven't changed any of the things I talked about. I guess I'm still waiting. Its really depressing how easy we can come up with excuses not to get things done. But I'm not giving up. Giving up just isn't the kind of guy I am. I'm a Taurus, we're notoriously obstinate and strong willed. So I refuse to let anyone, even myself, keep me from something that I need and want to do.
Alrighty. This is a long rambling post, so I'm gonna cut it as short as possible. I fly to Portland for 5 days on Sunday. Prayers and thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I'll probly let you know how things are while I'm out there.
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| What Are You Waiting For?? Its a question. Really a rather simple question. But I doubt many people could answer it very easily; and most definitely not to the satisfaction of most people. What are you waiting for? We spend an enormous amount of our time waiting. Daily I spend my time waiting on loading screens on this computer (as my mother put is 'watching the papers fly'), which someday I'm sure I'll be wishing I had those moments wasted back. But thats not really the kind of waiting that I'm referring to.
I'm more directing the type of waiting that is keeping you from doing something. Everyone has dreams, aspirations, goals; the 'point b' that you're heading to from the 'point a' where you started from. But what is it thats keeping you from getting there. What is the thing thats holding you back, or making you change course. What are you waiting for? Maybe its something small. Maybe its the kind of thing thats keeping you from calling that person you've had a crush on for the past several weeks. Maybe its the thing thats keeping you from looking for apartments in a city you've never been to. Or maybe its the kind of thing that keeps you from talking to your parents. What is it. What are you waiting for??
I've been spending a lot of time thinking about this very thing and how it effects my own life. The things I never do because I'm too scared of the outcome, and the things I do because I know the outcome. As my graphic design teacher said, "Salaried jobs are far less exciting, but they have the benefit of always putting food on the table over freelance." There are things I'd like to do, and probably just as many things that I should be doing. What am I waiting for? What is it going to take to make me do, not only the scary things that I'm afraid to do, but the not so scary things that I 'need' to do? Sometimes I find it so easy to put things in my path. I see the clear paved road ahead, and its so easy to get to the end. But I put things in my way. Me, no one else. ME. I 'choose' to put stumbling blocks in my path. What am I waiting for?
Theres a lot of things in my life right now that I'm not doing, and I've started trying to stop and take a look at why I'm not. Trying my best to understand why 'I' am letting things or other people govern me. I am giving control to people and things. I am waiting. But why? This has become my new goal: attempt to understand why I'm waiting. Most people who know me understand that I'm a man with a plan. I'm generally following some predesignated design I've made to get somewhere. Not to say that I'm not occasionally spontaneous and without a plan, but I do prefer order to chaos. It's this order seeking part of me that is yearning to know why I'm letting outside things hold the primary influence in my life.
I've noticed that the more you wait, the more things you start waiting on. My current example is rejoining the Y. My job is entirely sedentary, I spend all day staring at a computer. Since I'm no longer walking to classes (i.e. my main source of physical activity) I've begun to pack on a couple of extra lbs's. So, I have lots of energy that I don't use during the day which I was used to expending. I'm pretty sure this has caused my sleeping pattern to become highly irregular. This weird sleeping pattern keeps me working weird shifts and helped me develop a nasty habit of wanting to sleep in on Sundays to try and make up sleep. Which is causing an absence at Church; something I'm certainly not proud of.
So, waiting leads to more waiting and more waiting. Until maybe I'm waiting on everything. Then the question becomes, "What Aren't I waiting for?" And frankly I'm becoming pretty sick of my excuses. I've been dealing with some of the same stuff in my life for a while, and I know its not going to change unless I get off my butt and change it. Nothing on this rock changes unless you go out and change it, no one is going to change it for you. It's high time I stop listening to the negative voices in my head, and start listening to the advice that I'm giving to others. If I can be my own worst critic, then I can be my own best trainer. And tell myself to pick myself up and get on my way. I mean, come on! What am I waiting for!?!?
" If you don't know what you want, you end up with a lot you don't. " ~ Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club)
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| Days like theseSometimes I have days when I feel like this. I had two of them back to back last Thursday & Friday.
(just read it a couple of times, you'll get it)
Plus I really feel that more may be on the way. Especially the way that at least the elections seem to be working out. Most of you know, I typically don't care about politics in general. In fact, I'm pretty sure that our system of government is so totally screwed at this point, that nothing short of total chaos is going to save it. And I think the current 'feeling', I guess you could say, of politics and news is a pretty sure testament to this. When Britney Spears trial and hairdo is just as important as the campaign coverage (and yet no one seems excited about the end of the writers strike). I dunno, its just sad to me that everyone is soo wrapped up in the modern belief of a 'two-party system', that they'd rather vote for someone they don't agree with; rather than attempting to vote for someone independent that they do. And I'm pretty sure thats a sign of a crumbling nation. Its like the 'election rites' have devolved into the same standing as a 'Roman gladiator fight'; where noone cares who wins as long as theres a good show. God help this nation.... and really all nations for that matter. Cause we as people seem to be doing a really crappy job on our own.
Aight, I guess I should mention that I'm kind of an uncle (well I guess, as 'uncle' as I'll be able to be unless my future wife has siblings). My cousin Clint and his wife Alison are now parents of a cute red-headed lil' boy named Tristan. He's a cutie. I got to see him the night he was born, and again a few days ago. He makes them so happy, and I'm glad. =)
Thats really all I've got for now. I should maybe mention that I haven't seen the new 'Rambo' movie yet (which I'm dying to see), and I'm really excited about seeing 'Be Kind, Rewind' when it comes out next week. You should go and see 'Atonement' and 'Juno' if you get a chance; I highly recommend them. I've also been buying a lot of old vinyls, but I can't seem to find a record player. I'm scouring the ebay, but I may just have to go antique store hunting this weekend. I'm kind of stoked about listening to songs from older bands I know for the first time on a record player. As in, I've heard records before, just not from these particular bands.... yeah, thats what I'm trying to say.  | Currently Watching
First Blood
By Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, Brian Dennehy, Bill McKinney, Jack Starrett
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