I just had an enriching conversation with a guy named Chris Crisby. He’s a Product Development guy that does a lot globally. I was telling him about my frustrations, and he said something really interesting. He said “It doesn’t matter where you are or what you do, you’re always going to be stuck going in circles… do something you enjoy, because if you don’t, it’s not worth it”
Shoot.
–Background–
DOB:: October 14, 1982
Age:: 21
Location:: Salem, OH.
Siblings:: Ryan.
Pets:: Zeb the golden retriever, Larry the cat, and a couple mourning doves.
–If you were a … , what would you be?–
Vegetable:: Tomato.
Animal:: An eagle
Fruit:: Pineapple.
Color:: Deep, dark green.
Household Object:: Bed.
Season:: Spring.
Article of Clothing:: The nice, comfortable pajama pants you wear after a long day.
Drink:: Water.
–Emotions–
What’s one thing that will always make you laugh?: Farting Noises.
What’s one thing that will always make you cry?: Random acts of selflessness always tear me up.
What’s one thing that will always make you angry?: Drama.
Do you laugh a lot?: All the time
Do you cry a lot?: Occasionally.
Do you get mad easily?: No.
What’s your strongest emotion right now?: Disgust.
What song brings out your strongest emotion?: Not a song… just merely stupidity.
–What’s your favorite…–
Season:: Summer.
Holiday:: Christmas.
Age:: 21.
Phrase/Quote:: “The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression” – Proverbs 19:11.
Thing to do:: Go out and talk about everything and nothing with good friends.
Type of Cookie:: Chocolate Chip.
Class:: I liked Environmental Science a lot.
Person in the whole wide world:: JESUS!
–If You Could–
If you could be anything you wanted (animal, object…) what would you be?: I think a bird..
If you could have any super power, what would you have?: Fly.
If you could go back in time and change something, what would you change?: The fact I never played in any sports and have to work much harder to become athletic.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would you change?: To be more at peace with the world.
If you could change one thing about your best friend, what would it be?: I don’t know if I’d change much of anything about them, except maybe I feel they need to be more accepting.
If you could be a millionaire, what would you buy?: Mutual Funds.
–A Deeper Look–
The most important thing in your life is:: My relationship with God and my responsibility to share Him with all those I encounter.
The most important person in your life is:: Jesus Christ.
Your life motto:: Do all that you can to live at peace with all.
Your best advice for someone else:: See below.
The best advice ever given to you:: My mom said to me that when I’m faced with a difficult situation, see how long it’s going to affect me – a week, a month, a year, a lifetime, whatever. After I do that, plan my emotions accordingly.
One word to describe your personality:: Caring.
–Friends and Enemies–
Who is your best friend?: Garsh. I have so many close friends. But there’s 3 people anymore I tell everything to – Lindsay, Josh, and Adam
What do you do together?: Just about everything.
What is it about this person that makes you get along so well?: That’s there’s an enjoyment to everything we all do. Sucking the marrow out of life. And there’s such a strong level of trust
How long have you known them?: Lindsay – Freshman Year, Adam – Sophomore Year, Josh – Junior Year.
Who is your worst enemy?: Myself.
What is it about this person that makes you not get along?:I just never trust myself nor to I allow myself to live up to my full potential.
How long have you known them?: 21 Years.
Your close friends (besides best friend) are:: The C-Mob, the guys on my freshman hall, the Buffaloes, all the crew back home.
Your other enemies are:: ?
–Days and Nights–
What time do you get up on weekdays?: 5:30 AM
What time do you get up on weekends?: 10 AM.
What time do you go to bed on weeknights?: 9-10 PM.
What time do you go to bed on weekends?: 12 AM.
What’s your favorite time of the day?: 5:00 a.m.
Why?: It’s at that calm, peaceful, the-world-is-just-about-to-wake-up time.
What’s your least favorite time of the day?: That hour right before dinner when you want to get something accomplished but really lack the time or the motivation.
Why?: It’s an hour wasted, usually.
What time are you most productive?: First thing when I get motivated. Usually at about this time.
Are you an early bird or a night owl?: Early bird.
–Love & All That Good Stuff–
Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend?: Yes.
If yes, how long have you been dating them?: 6 months June 1st
If no, do you want one?: -.
Who would you want them to be?: –
Are you sure about that?: –
Do they know you like them?: –
Are you sure about that?: -.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you like this person?: 8
Do they like you back?: Yes.
Are you sure about that?: Yes.
How much time do you spend thinking about this person?: Either for good or for bad, a bit.
–On a scale of 1-10, how important is … to you?–
Music:: 10.
Friends:: 10.
Family:: 10.
Love:: 10.
Happiness:: 7.
Solitude:: 7.
Education:: 10.
Having Fun:: 9.
Here’s the article that talks about the college donating money to the Grove City Revitalization Committee.
I heard this poem on the way to work this morning. I’ve really gotten into listening to NPR (the news on NPR is so much more rewarding). Anyway, this poem is so touching and it reminds me of the fact that we’re all moving along life at such a break-neck speed.
The Lost House
A neighbor girl went with me near the creek,
entered the new house they were building there
with studs half-covered. Alone in summer dark,
we sat together on the plywood floor.
The shy way I contrived it, my right hand
slipped insinuatingly beneath her blouse
in new maneuvers, further than I planned.
I thought we floated in the almost-house.
Afraid of what might happen, or just afraid,
I stopped. She stood and brushed the sawdust off.
Fifteen that summer, we knew we could have strayed.
Now, if I saw it in a photograph,
I couldn’t tell you where that new house stood.
One night the timbered hillside thundered down
like a dozen freight trains, crashing in a flood
that splintered walls and made the owners run.
By then I had been married and divorced.
The girl I reached for in unfinished walls
had moved away as if by nature’s course.
The house was gone. Under quiet hills
the creek had cut new banks, left silt in bars
that sprouted alder scrub. No one would know,
cruising the dead-end road beneath the stars,
how we had trespassed there so long ago.
– David Mason. © Story Line Press
After a week and a half of being here at American Standard again, I felt obligated to comment on what is going on.
I must admit I find myself to be more useless to the company every year, not by choice, but by design. You see, I come in at 7 in the morning. All they have me doing for the entire day is going up occasionally to the floor above me and measure piping out of a kit they use to build the tubs. I’m in the second floor office – the old product development office. I shouldn’t say old, even. Built last year, it was meant to house all of product development. But corporate decided it was best to have the engineers in New Jersey, away from the product they are designing (makes sense). So now it’s a $75,000 hole-in-the-wall for interns and the leftovers from Product Development Salem. But I sit here and wait, struggling to find things to do. I want so badly to work hard, put in my eight hours and go home, but I feel that’s not going to happen this year. My friend Jon who also works here is in a similar bind where he has less to do, so he’s forced to think of things to do, much of it mundane and useless for the ultimate goal.
American Standard, Salem needs to start working. Working in labor, and working in function. Until then, I’ll be here in my purgatorial office, half way between my bosses and my work.
I suppose I shouldn’t complain. After all, many people my age are looking for a job that pays $10/hr with as little work. I’m blessed and cursed.
For the record, after get a sligtly unnerving comment today from my politics post, I want to clarify my position about the gay rights issue.
First, at least spell the president’s name right. Secondly, and more to the point, I find the way some of the moral majority and right wing members of America are treating this homosexuality issue is replusive, and in no way I feel a true refelection of the gospel. As far as I’ve ever been raised God does NOT hate “fags”. God would never use such a term to describe a piece of His loving handiwork. All homosexuality is as far as the Bible’s ever seemed to be concerned with is a sin, just how lying and stealing and killing is. Sin is greek for “missing the mark” – failing to meet God’s standards. I also like the defintion of sin as the absense of God (If God=perfect good, and Sin=bad, God can’t directly be a cause of sin. He’s always there, but if an individual makes a conscious choice to not have him in his life, well, then; he’s not gonna stop you). Anyways, I feel it’s a sin, yes. I don’t think that any person is born gay, just as I don’t know if anyone is born to steal. A little, little bit nature and A LOT of nuture. But I think God loves the person. And if God loves the person, so will I. If someone steals my car and I meet them, I might not be happy, but I certainly won’t hate them, nor will I tell them repeatedly they’re going to hell – what good does that do to show him the glories of God? None.
I don’t know. As much as I got sick watching gay and lesbian couples wed, it was compounded a lot by the so-called Christians putting up picket signs. You know what, folks? If you want to do the Lord’s work, put down your stupid signs and meet these people. All you’re doing is hiding.
Also, tangential to this, I also feel MTV has gotten waaaaay off of its purpose. It seems it’s strayed far, far away from its music roots to pursue a very liberal platform. MTV has a responsibility to help mold and guide America’s youth in a unique way – to basically play the cool older brother. And it seems instead of being open, honest, and neutral, they want to create an agenda. For instance, why was John Kerry up there asking questions, and not GWB as well? That’s sad.
Anyway, hope you all understand where I’m coming from. Peace and love.
Wow. This has to be one of the most interesting articles I’ve read in awhile. Thank you to the author for some wonderful insight and an honest rebuttal.
First off, Smashmouth’s song “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” makes absolutely no sense, but it doesn’t have to because A) It’s Smashmouth, and when did they ever make sense, and B) It’s a catchy ska summer tune. Songs don’t have to make sense if they’re ska or summery. They just feel good.
Anywho, I felt like weighing in on some of the things I’ve read and heard of late in the news.
First off, the gay marriage thing. Each time I see a couple from Maryland get their marriage licence, it gives me a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I’m not against legally two people who want to do something like (not, however) getting into a same-sex “marriage” to enjoy the benefits of inheritance taxes and the like, but please keep it away from the moral binds of marriage. I’m sorry, but it seems crazy for me to think that two women or two men can see themselves so justly endowed to the same things ethically as my parents are. They’re not. However, I still believe this isn’t something that the national government should put an amendment on. I just feel like that’s going too far. I mean, I’m sure they could find something in the interstate commerce clause to make it justified, but I can’t see it. Keep it as a state issue, and let it work it’s way one way or the other. I just feel in the end it’s going to tear at the very moral fibers of our nation. This isn’t a small thing.
duex. Abu Ghraib. At first I thought this was a horrific thing and figured it was going to put American character in just jeopardy, but then after listening more and reading more, I think this won’t be such a big of a deal. Sure, it sucks, but as one commentator said today that it shows American democracy and free speech at work to where these people were really stupid and we did something about it.
John Kerry is still one of the most obtuse individuals I’ve ever seen grace a democratic stage. I liked Clinton, and could have tolerated Gore, but this guy takes the cake. Jonny, do you really think that George Bush had all the power in the world to stop the oil prices from rising, and do you think you could have done anything about it? To be, Kerry is an arrogant illusion of a canidate from a party who is still stuck in the shadow of the Clinton era, good or bad.
Work early tomorrow. Peace and love.
First, I’m finally on the dean’s list! woot! 3.46 and I’m feelin’ fine!
I’m beginning to feel as though there’s going to be an ever widening chasm between my family and me. This example just about proves it. I’m sitting around, telling my family stuff that I just keep remembering about life, and I mentioned that sometime I’d like to take a trip to a couple graduate schools, namely the University of Michigan and Penn State University. Immediately, after I said those, the first thing I hear from my mother is “oh, that’s too far”. I’m tired of living my life inside this narrow 2 hour radius. I want to open and and see something beyond where I am. Penn State and UMich have some of the top Education schools in the country, and dang it, if I can get into them, I’m not going to let 6 or 7 hours get in the way. It’s just so frustrating to think that my parents who were so “Adam, you do whatever you want and we’ll be supportive of you as best we can” all of the sudden have left. It actually pretty sad to me, now that I think about it.
After that, my mom decided to tell me that it seemed silly for me to go to master’s school because “you’re leaving loan free, and we did this so you can settle down and get out in the real world”. In the next year I see this becoming a point of contention. If I find that I’m meant to be in graduate school and start paying for it with loans, my parents are going to not be happy. And in one way I see they’re doing it for my good. They don’t want me having to pay on loans until my children decide to go to college. But I see the difference between working for 25,000 dollars and working for 75,000-80,000 if I get moving on that masters. But then I think that maybe I will want to work out of college, get a couple years of money and experience under my belt and then move on. I just feel that it should be my decision, and I want to be supported by my family, not told what to do. I’m going to be 22 years old when I graduate, and for goodness sakes, you’d figure I’d be able to have the ultimate decision in my destiny by this point. I guess it’s the problems of having a micromanager as a mother – everything needs to be in its exact place in the exact time. I’ve never wanted to live my life in black and whites, but in steady shades of gray that blend into color as a go along. It doesn’t mean I don’t have a gameplan or goals, it means I’ll get to them either by walking through the doors or climbing through the windows. Just please, family, don’t make me feel foolish in the interim.
I think I expect too much from them overall. Here I am, gone for 9 months, and then expect that for 3 they’re going to change for me. So for the next few months I have to put my Grove City College life on hold. The aspiriations I had there have to be humbled. Though it’s not all bad. I notice after many fights with my family that I develop a certain arrogance after I come back, and I don’t like that. So they humble me pretty quick, I get back into line and feel a lot better. I just can’t figure out what’s wrong here, though. It just seems like this household isn’t as inviting as it used to be. There seems like there’s such a resentment against me. My parents keep saying “it’s all you, you’re the one thinking this up”… but how does that solve anything? Thanks for telling me it’s my problem everyone. So you say you’re not different, you won’t change, and that anything I feel is my fault. How do I fix it?
Fights with the family. Fights with the adminstration at school. Fights with my girlfriend. Fights with myself. Fights with my past. You’d think I would have gotten good with stress managment, but I handle it worse each time it comes around.
Is it sad that I don’t remeber the last time I felt euphoric? Or is it that after 21 you’re stuck with content? Those of you older and wiser, fill me in. Because either I need to get used to it, or start search for what I left way back when. I’m sinking into mediocracy, and I need to find a way to get out, or it’s going to kill me.
Farewell, so long to you
We’ve come to the end of the night
It’s all been wonderful
A lovely and wonderful time
Say goodnight to
All the friends who
Rocked and rolled beside you
We hope you’ve enjoyed the show
It’s over
It’s over
It’s all over now
This room will be empty soon
When the music and laughter is gone
This night will be forgot
But the joy you’ve found can go on
Say goodnight to
All the friends who
Rocked and rolled beside you
We hope you’ve enjoyed the show
It’s over
It’s over
It’s all over now
The lights come down, don’t lose your glow
When it’s over
It’s over
It’s all over now
Is it all over?
Or has it just begun?
– Audio Adrenaline
Kanye West – All Falls Down
Black Eyed Peas – Let’s Get Retarded
Cee-Lo – The Art Of Noise
Cee-Lo – I’ll Be Around
Ying Yang Twins – Salt Shaker
Britney Spears – Toxic
Justin Timberlake – Senorita
Beyonce – Naughty Girl
T.I. – Rubber Band Man
Jay-Z – Dirt Off Ya Shoulder
Yung One – Tear It Up
1.Go into your LJ’s archives.
2.Find your 23rd post (or closest to).
3.Find the fifth sentence (or closest to).
4.Post the text of the sentence along with these instructions.
People were really in tune with “It’s Okay To Like Michael Jackson” still, and I think that’s great.
haha. Good ol’ “MJ” and Activeingredient. I think the band Travis has now is much better and more successful than what we ever could have had. And I think that if I actually had the desire to do it, I could probably make a successful run of things. We’ll see how the year takes me.
adam w anderson 