fireworks.

So apparently from the front porch of the new house, Candace and I can see approximately 2 professional firework shows and a slew of inebreated neighbors with matches. Awesome.

weezer.

I know. I know. I’m getting married on Saturday. Thanks for the reminder.

Change of subject.

charity.

So I’m getting married next Saturday. How weird.

Anyway.

Candace and I are giving a tithe as a part of our wedding budget, but we don’t know where to direct the money. What are some good causes that we can help out a bit?

new house.

Now the time you’ve all been waiting for… Here’s our new house.

Turn up the volume to get the full effect.

landrover.

My sister’s family is on vacation for the week, so I have access to my brother-in-law’s Landrover as long as I feed their fish and cat.

You know that scene in Ferngully where the bulldozer is driving through the forest and all of the trees and flowers are wilting and falling over as the bulldozer passes them?

So goes the Landrover.

a stick, a carrot and string

This is easily becoming my favorite song off of mewithoutYou’s new album. This and Timothy Hay. Wonderful.

the horse’s hay beneath his head
our Lord was born to a manger bed
that all whose wells run dry
could drink of his supply

to keep him warm, the sheep drew near
so grateful for His coming here
come with news of grace
come to take my place
the donkey whispered in his ear
“child, in 30-some-odd years
You’ll ride someone who looks like me
untriumphantly”

the cardinals warbled a joyful song
He’ll make right what man made wrong
bringing low the hills
that the valleys might be filled

then “Child”, asked the birds
“well, aren’t they lovely words we sing?”
the tiny baby layed there
without saying anything

at a distance stood a mangy goat
with the crooked teeth and a matted coat
weary eyes and worn
chipped and twisted horns
thinking “maybe I’ll make friends someday
with the cows and the hens in the rambouillet
but for now, I’ll keep away
I’ve got nothing smart to say”

there’s a sign on the barn
in the cabbage town
“when the rain picks up
and the sun goes down
sinners, come inside
with no money, come and buy
no clever talk, nor a gift to bring
requires our lowly, lovely King
come now empty handed, you don’t need anything”

and the night was cool
and clear as glass
with the sneaking snake in the garden grass
deep cried out to deep
the disciples fast asleep

and the snake perked up
when He heard You ask
“if You’re willing that
this cup might pass
we could find our way back home
maybe start a family all our own”

“but does not the Father guide the Son?
not My will, but Yours be done.
what else here to do?
what else Me, but You?”

and the snake who’d held the world
a stick, a carrot and a string
was crushed beneath the foot
of your not wanting anything

a stick, a carrot and string
-mewithoutYou

bookstore.

So today I went to my mom’s church. I don’t usually like it there for a number of reasons that I won’t go into today. Anyway, I’m glad I went because they gave me a gift for graduation: a $20 gift card to the Family Christian Bookstore.

It was really nice of them. They really don’t have any money. The bulletin shows every week that their expenses outweigh their contributions, but they still felt this was necessary. The gift make sense. They are a church and all. I can usually find a book or something there, so it’s not too bad.

The thing is, I seem to have some really strong feelings against the store. I can’t quite put my finger on it. Every time I walk around in one I feel really on edge and uncomfortable – almost sick to my stomach. Everything is really expensive. I bought the new House of Heroes cd (highly recommended by yours truly) for the “Always low price of $13.99.” I’m calling shenanigans on that. $14 is not a low price for a cd. Gosh. I also got that new Rob Bell book. That was $16, which isn’t terrible for a hardback book. I dunno, I just feel really weird about shopping there.

It probably has to do with the commercialization of God and religion there. I’m sure the intentions are good, but it’s still weird. They also didn’t have any copies of the new mewithoutYou cd. Seriously? They are some of the most gifted, talented, creative Christians making music today, it not ever. I’m calling shenanigans on that.

What do you guys think.

graduation.

here’s a list I found over on www.collegecandy.com about college speakers. (I did not make the lame jokes/comments about them. they came free of charge.)

1) Notre Dame – THE PRESIDENT!!

2) Duke – Ms. Oprah “Free KFC” Winfrey.

3) St. Rose College – Jimmy Fallon (Ok, so he’s not the best at the late night gig, but anyone who can get some laughs during a grad ceremony has my vote.)

4) University of California, Merced – Michelle Obama (Maybe she let students in on her tricep secrets?!)

5) Marshall University – Chad Pennington…who most likely gave his speech through a megaphone.

6) UCLA – James Franco

7) Bucknell – Elie Wiesel (Holocaust Survivor and Nobel Peace Prize Winner)

8 ) Barnard, NYU – Hilary Clinton (Inspirational, motivational, and all done in some monochromatic pantsuit.)

9) University of Michigan - Google Co-Founder and world changer, Larry Page (Those students owe their entire education/abilities to stalk to this genius!)

10) Florida A&M – Bill Clinton (Who probably also partied it up with the students post-ceremony.)

apparently going to Penn State does not secure you a good speaker. ours Sucked. note the capital s.

I mean I didn’t expect Oprah, but some type of world leader or actor would have been fine.

lame.

goodbye.

it was fun.

undergrad.

So I just read through Cody’s blogs about college, and I decided to follow suit. Let’s see if I can remember anything.

Freshmen Year
Roommates: Mazur and Matt
Living with Mazur was a trip. I wish you call could have seen our dorm room. I have a picture of it somewhere on a disposable camera. I need to get that developed. It was hilarious. Regardless, that guy challenged me and changed me more than he knows.
The first time I met Steve Pickering I thought he was the RA. He wasn’t.
We later formed a band together with Michael O’Connell and Dup. We Play Catch on Sundays… Sometimes. That was the name. There’s a myspace if you want look it up. Steve has actual music on it now.
I mostly hung out with the guys on my floor: Manhood, Steve, Dup, Mike. Yeah mostly them. I don’t think I saw them after freshmen year. Shame.They were all really solid guys.
We played a lot of GTA and Mario Kart, and we watched 24 every week. I didn’t really like 24 (I still don’t), but everyone else watched it, so it was cool.
Saw numerous shows at the Crowbar. So good. Lovedrug was solid. Reel Big Fish brought it. Punchline was ridic. I even got to see Plain White T’s and Paramore open for Straylight Run on Halloween. Think about that. Crowbar RIP.
I started going to ACF because none of the other fellowships fit into my schedule. After I started going, I was also too lazy to check anything else out. I guess it worked out. Pete Horning invited me to go to the Bible Study half way through the semester. I still went despite having a night class.
Freshmen Guys Bible Study  is the best Bible study I’ve ever been to. The best.
I totally had no idea what I wanted to do with my life.
I went to Messiah all the time to see Candace. Somehow we made it work.
I really didn’t hang out with ACFers. Being away on weekends will do that. I hope I was super mysterious to all of them. That’d be awesome.
Living with Matt helped out with that. That was back when Matt hung out with people who go to ACF.
I remember for the life of me I could not tell Anthony, Ben and Kevin apart. Kevin has red hair. I still couldn’t get it.
Honestly, I didn’t really enjoy Freshmen year. It takes me a while to sort stuff out and be comfortable places.
Almost homosexual event of Freshmen year: after a comical string of events, Matt and I were found together locked in one of the bathroom stalls on our floor late at night by our RA.

Sophomore Year
Roommate: Kyle Horst
We moved down to South. Matt lived across the hall with Brian. Looking back, Matt and I should have been roommates, and Kyle and Brian should have been roommates. That probably would have worked out much better.
I started hanging out with the gang more.
Kevin and Carmen dated. ha. They went to the Halloween party as a cowboy/cowgirl. So cute. Almost as cute as Anthony and Christy’s Peter Pan and Tinker Bell. Ha. Of course I was the letter H. best. costume. ever.
Anyway, the dissolving of that relationship actually brought me closer to both of them. Both are great friends today.
There are some very unfortunate pictures of me from that year’s banquet.
Matt, Kerry, and I went on an impromptu roadtrip to Lancaster to see Relient K and Sherwood play for free. Solid.
The Spring Break trip was awesome. The ride down with Ben, Kerry, Carmen, and Kevin was really fun.
I still went down to Messiah a bunch.
The summer afterwards I lived at the Mount. I can say that I have lived at the Mount. Lots of frisbee, College Pizza, Scrubs, and Candace. I suppose thats all.
I went to Warped Tour Scranton that year with some guys I lived with. I got sing into the mic for New Found Glory. what?
Almost homosexual event of Sophomore year: my RA found Matt and I alone in his dorm room with the lights out watching Project Runway. We may have been eating ice cream.
I don’t remember Sophomore year being anything that special. Things picked up Junior year, which was probably my favorite.

Junior Year
Roommates: Matt, Kevin, Anthony, and Ben (Candace, Carmen, and Kerry)
Such a good year. Living with your best friends is awesome. We had the cleanest, dopest apartment complete with a mirrored wall, Nerf guns, and a pet mouse. (RIP Sigmund).
Candace lived at the Ridge with Sami, Carmen and Kerry. Pretty much my second home. I will forever hate that walk up Atherton. It was super nice to see her every day. It was very cool of her to move there even though she had a stupid job and no friends.
I rode my bike everywhere. If anyone knows where the Centurian is, let me know. Some douchebag stole it. Gosh.
I worked at College Pizza, bringing plenty of free pizza home to the guys.
Skinamax.
There were some ill-received pranks that will remain not mentioned.
Anthony discovered Austen, never to be heard from again.
Kevin discovered alcohol, never to be heard from again.
Anthony and I both got engaged (to different people). We went ring shopping together. How weird.
I hung out with Nate a lot.
I came home almost every day for lunch. Grilled cheese and What Not to Wear. Perfection.
I got to sit through plenty of long and boring ACF Exec meetings. lame.
We saved a mouse from the evil people over at Nick Towers. Sure, Cassady didn’t visit for a whole semester, but we had a pet mouse. He ran around in a ball and everything.
Almost homosexual event of Junior year: one of the roommates walked in on Anthony and I sharing a blanket watching TLC on the couch.
I’m sure there is more, but I’m blanking now. O, well. It was probably my favorite year.

Senior Year
Roommates: Matt, Anthony, Kevin, Jared, Aaron, Ben
Getting to know Jared and Aaron was a good time.
I singlehandedly got the apartment hooked on How I Met Your Mother and Arrested Development. Glorious.
I upgraded to my Macbook and will never look back.
Nate came over a lot and did art in the corner.
Naked girl made a number of appearances across the lot.
I had dinner over at Nick Towers every Tuesday and Thursday night.
I help lead a semi-lame Bible study on the minor prophets.
I learned how to swing dance. My life may never be the same.
My sweet internship at Three Rivers Adoption ends tomorrow. I’ve yet to secure full time employment.
I celebrated my 21st birthday booze-less and with a bunch of acquaintances who made me cookies.
mewithoutYou for free at the HUB was beautiful.
Living at home isn’t too bad. Not having a car sucks. Not having access to sidewalks and public transportation also sucks.

I may update this later as I remember things. Feel free to share memories of me that you cherish. ha. Good day.