Jedd's Spiels

New blog, 2010

2010-06-03T23:20:00.000-07:00

Next steps

2009-07-20T15:43:00.001-07:00

It is important to me that I share a complete and transparent explanation of my current situation so that my friends and family don't have to rely on hear-say and Facebook updates to know about what's going on with me, so I'm posting this e-mail I sent out to my friends and family as a public blog post and Facebook note.

As many of you know, I have one remaining semester at Westmont, plus a Mayterm where I'll pick up my last few needed units. It was my plan to return to Westmont this Fall and again in May 2010 to finally graduate. The original reason I left Westmont one year ago is because of some struggles I was having with my mental health. Foremost, I was dealing with clinical depression. In addition, however, I was having bouts of insomnia, anxiety attacks, and trouble focusing. Mayterm 2008 made my realize that I was in no condition to go back to school, and I made the decision to take a full year off just to work and see a counselor ... get myself back to normal.

In the past year I've made a lot of progress, and I'm much much healthier than I was. However, I still have the occasional setback. Due to stressful circumstances or just chemicals in my brain, I am, during those times, unable to be myself and fulfill my responsibilities. This can lead to a vicious cycle where several days are wasted. It's a major concern hanging over my head. Even if these lapses are months apart from each other, I have to face the reality that the semester is 4 months long, and a stressful 4 months at that.

In addition to this, it has been a while since I felt comfortable at Westmont. I am not sure it was ever the right school for me, despite how much I love the small group of good friends I made there, and a few incredible faculty members who were understanding and supportive. For one, the environment was not conducive to my learning style, or at least I wouldn't allow it to work for me. Now, though, I dread the return because of the associations I have with the place. Wasted days of missing classes due to overwhelming anxiety and melancholy were what defined my last year there, and I fear that this association with the school is not something I'll be able to get rid of or ignore.

Despite indications of all this, I have been insistent on returning for the semester since I am so close to getting my degree, and it just seems silly to throw away 7 other semesters of expensive classes. But a few conversations with my best mentor, my dad, in addition to a few close friends, pointed out the obvious. I'm truly dreading going back, and given my current mental state, it seems almost certain that this semester would be largely inefficient: a step forward, yes, but almost inevitably two steps back. It makes much more sense to wait until I'm absolutely 100% free of these occasional setbacks. I'm not talking about feeling down one day, which is normal, but real depression that makes it impossible to live my normal life. Although they are further apart and less frequent than they have been at times, this pattern is not compatible with academics.

So I am, reluctantly, postponing my degree. In an effort to avoid getting out of the student "mindset," I'm going to continue taking some classes at city college, which will serve the dual purpose of allowing my to explore my other interests; in this case film and video. I have heard from those who never completed their degrees that one of the hardest parts of returning is getting back into the mindset of being a student once they've adjusted to the workplace mindset, and I'm going to try and avoid this as much as possible, so that when I'm ready to return, I am able to do so with less transitional friction.

As far as my 5-year or 10-year plan, I don't really have one, which is scary in one sense, but this is a time for exploration and continued recovery. I'm trying not to get too overwhelmed. It is possible that in a year I will change my mind and decide to return to Westmont, or another school, to finish my English degree. It is also possible that I will decide to pursue journalism and apply to journalism schools. Or possibly film, and apply to film schools using the city college units to transfer. While it is unfortunate that many of my Westmont GE units will not transfer, I feel like now is the time to be looking ahead, not backward.

My short-term plan is a little more established. Santa Barbara is a familiar city to me, and Santa Barbara City College has one of the best affordable film programs in the state. I also have some friends there looking for a roommate, which is an added convenience. So my plan is to find a job in Santa Barbara, move down there, and enroll in film classes at city college. It is possible that I will end up residing elsewhere, or maybe even stay in the Bay Area and continue working for my dad, but Santa Barbara is looking like the most likely scenario. Wherever I go, I will be simultaneously pursuing videography by way of odd jobs, event shooting, weddings, independent film gigs, and whatever else I can find.

I'm going to try to be as open as possible about this, which is why I've posted this publicly. I welcome and appreciate your advice, questions, responses, prayers, and wisdom.

Cheers,
Jedd

Meet Frank

2009-06-04T20:07:00.000-07:00

Here's the first cut that I completed last Fall. Sorry it took so long to post it here. :)

Meet Frank from Jedidiah on Vimeo.

A bit of Friday Free Verse

2009-05-22T14:09:00.000-07:00

How silly he looks,
holding that contraption,
mopping the air above the sand,
wearing those oversized headphones
that keep out the sound
of gently crashing waves.
Doesn't he have anything better to do?
How silly he looks,
wearing sandals
over socks,
and a faded blue Hawaiian shirt.
At his side,
an optimistic fannie-pack
to hold his weathered trinkets.
We try not to stare
at the silly-looking man
as he saunters down the beach.

And yet, when he stops,

bends over,
and patiently,

carefully

sifts through the sand,
something flutters in our chests,
and glimmers like a dormant hope.

We all turn our heads
to watch.

May 20, 2009

2009-05-20T20:19:00.000-07:00

Today I had the rather unique experience of seemingly observing the narrow dimension of time. It felt like I was on a platform at the tip of a rising skyscraper, racing into nothingness through cold black imagined clouds, ever-expanding new territory as we whittle down the infinite.

I wonder if my little foray into spacetime will have any ill effects. My own gravity field would be cool.

Africa, the day months after I got back and realized I never updated my blog

2009-02-25T14:19:00.000-08:00

Just to put a cap on this thing; I was not eaten by a lion. I survived Africa, and it was one of the most educational experiences of my life, in many ways. I do not wish to share more about it at this time, but if I should be struck with a desire to write more about my experience, I will certainly share such musings here.

I do, however, wish to share with you another experience. On our way back to the states, Josh and I had a few hours to spare during our layover in Amsterdam, so we took the opportunity to hop on a train and see the city. It's a beautiful place; a functioning model of what I think many cities will look like in years to come. It's incredibly clean, for one, but more than just neatness, it's the atmosphere I found so unique. Within the city itself are windmills that, although they provide minimal power to be sure, are representative of steps being taken to survive on a post-fossil fuel Earth. It seems that other than taxis, everyone prefers to ride bicycles, even businessmen wearing designer suits. Furthermore, people actually use the public transit system; a trolley-like matrix that darts around the city. It always seems that you can find a museum within a block of wherever you happen to be standing, and the city is littered with an abundance of parks, open areas, and small lakes complete with ducks and quaint bridges. To top it all off, the cobblestone street charm of so many European cities is hardly lacking here.

I'll end my rant here, but I could most certainly go on. When I mentioned my visit to friends and family, their initial reaction almost always had something to do with the fact that drug use (particularly marijuana) is legal in The Netherlands. Although I knew this in advance, I had completely forgotten and the thought never entered my mind during the brief jaunt. The practice remains utterly invisible in public life and, in retrospect, is actually surprising considering the sophistication I witnessed. We all make judgements about things we've never seen based on what we know about them, that hardly needs to be said. It is a welcome reminder, however, when these misconceptions are shattered, and shown to only be the pessimistic construct of a sparsely informed imagination.

Africa, the day I couldn't think of anything significant enough for the blog title

2008-08-27T17:11:00.000-07:00

Not much has been happening this week, which is why there hasn't been an update lately. For the most part, I'm done getting footage. I just have 1 more interview and a few shots I want to get of the fishing village ... but other than that I'm good to start editing. So, I have almost a full week left here in Accra, and I don't really want to do anything here, so I expect my days up until Tuesday (when I head home) to be pretty boring, unfortunately. Josh and I might do some tourism, but frankly there just isn't much to see in Ghana. I just want to go home.

Today we took at taxi to all the historic and lanmark-y type places to get some footage. It went well, for the most part, and Josh and I got some way cool African shirts at the Centre for National Culture (basically just another market but with more art). Thanks, mom!

After visiting the major sights we headed into Makola Market to get some footage of the busy downtown marketplace. Sounds cool, and it was, but there were many times that I was legitimately scared for my safety. From the moment I started filming I had about 5 people yell at me asking me what I thought I was doing. The stupid American tourist persona has worked pretty well with authorities, but with these locals it was just more of a reason for them to be mad at me. At one point somebody told me I would get beaten if I filmed in a certain area of the market. Wandering the market, I tried to be as discrete as possible when setting up shots and pressing record. 5 seconds is really all I need for a cutaway or montage, so that's all I got.

We were hoping to film at the University of Ghana this week, but for one reason or another they aren't going to allow us. I sent them a formal letter requesting permission and explaining what the footage was for, plus a location release so we can make this all legit, but they denied our request without giving a reason. That's a big bummer, since we were really hoping to get shots of the students walking around campus and going to classes. The video will be harder to put together without that footage.

Africa, the day I got the story

2008-08-24T14:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's journey was truly an adventure. It is only by grace and, perhaps, divine intervention that we made it safely through the whole day. Our driver didn't speak English, didn't know where he was going, and didn't have a license. We of course didn't know all this before we left, but when he paid a bribe at the first police checkpoint we knew something was up. Unfortunately the student traveling with us, Frank, speaks Ewe and not Twi, so he couldn't act as translator, and we spent much of the 5-hour trip scared and confused, unable to understand most of what the driver was trying to say. But hey, we're alive, and we have a good story to tell at parties.

We woke up at 6:30, grabbed some breakfast, and met our driver out front of the hotel. He was actually just a cab driver, but a full day was 80 cedi (a little less than 80 dollars) including gas, which is half the price the hotel was asking. After the fact, though, Josh and I would have gladly paid the extra. No matter. When we got on our way with the driver, I immediately knew something was wrong. He seemed jumpy and worried, to start with, and the first turn he took (about 100 feet from the hotel) was in the wrong direction. He seemed to be in a hurry when traffic was gridlocked ... dangerously swerving and cutting off cars ... numerous near-accidents. Then when we were on straight roads with no traffic, he went about half the speed limit. We asked him countless times if he knew where he was going, and in the end it took us an hour and a half for what should have been a 20 minute drive to the University of Ghana campus.

There we picked up Frank, one of the scholarship students, and headed out to his village, which he said was about 2 hours away. The driver told us he knew where to go, but he kept looking around at signs trying to figure out which turns to take, so we had our suspicions. At the first police checkpoint, I could tell he was worried. After they checked the trunk (a lot of people traffic drugs through that region of the country) the police officer asked for his license and the driver paid him a few cedi. Apparently he had swerved in an intersection a few months back and they took his license away. At least, that's what I think he said, and it might not even be true.

At some point we took a turn off the highway onto a dirt road. Or not a dirt road. I'm not sure, but I think at some point in the ancient past the road was paved, but then the road got so many potholes in it that they ceased to be potholes and began to be asphalt islands ... small patches of what was once a street. We literally dodged obstacles in the road for a good portion of the drive, swerving throughout the whole street and nearly hitting oncoming traffic. I've got some great footage of that ... I'll post it when I get a chance.

We arrived in Frank's village after 3 and a half hours. So keep in mind that's 5 hours of driving total for what should have been 2 and a half. Good times. Needless to say both Josh and I were pretty frustrated, but upon seeing the slow pace of Frank's village, we took deep breath and felt thankful to have arrived.

To get to his home we walked through about a half mile of farmland. People live behind their crops (they only own a small patch per family) and mostly live off the land. His home was made of cinder blocks with dirt floors and a sheet metal roof. In that area of the country, he's living in luxury compared to the houses of stick and mud. The home has no electricity, of course, and the family can only afford to eat rice on Christmas and Easter. It was really incredible to see that such an impoverished place could produce someone so bright. The community has no doctor, and the closest hospital is 20 minutes away. Considering that no one here owns a car, that's a sizable journey for medical attention. So Frank is studying medicine, and when he receives his degree, he wants to come back to his village and be a doctor. The guy really means it too ... he's got passion and a genuine heart to help his community. He's exactly what All Nations is looking for.

Filming around his home was great. He showed us the concrete well in their yard, the giant stack of firewood used for cooking, the straw mats they sleep on, the lantern they use for reading at night, and he took pride in showing us their coconut tree and small collection of coconuts, which they save for celebrating guests and special occasions. We walked out to his father's farm where he showed us how to water the row of shallots with just a bucket and explained that they always work barefoot so as to not crush any seedlings. It was a new experience for me ... I've never seen people this poor before. Their main food source would be considered little more than a condiment in the US, and they grow their crops in what is practically dry sand for soil. The weather has been dry the last few years, so they have had a hard time growing enough to support their family. And the worst part is -- I know that they are not as poor as so many other people in Ghana.

All this talk of how poor they are and they are still a happy, functional family. That's something that always amazes me in third world countries ... how much more thankful families are for what they have, compared to Americans who have everything and complain about what they don't have. Before we left, they asked us to partake of their coconuts, and we did so reluctantly. It felt so wrong to receive a gift from someone so much more needy than ourselves, especially when it's food from someone who can barely afford to eat. But they smiled as we enjoyed our tropical treats, and they were so happy to offer what little they had to us.

We also did some sit-down interviews with Frank and his parents. Despite the fact that it was mid-day at the equator (the worst possible lighting situation for outdoor filming), I think the shot came out looking pretty good.

The trip back was much better than the trip out there. The driver went straight back to Accra and Frank pointed out the dirt road as we passed it, the one that started our hour-long detour earlier in the day. We stopped a few times so I could get some shots of Volta Lake, a river and some plains, and a few guys with baskets full of crabs that they were trying to sell to passer-bys. "Take a picture!" they said, so I got some great footage.

When we got back to the hotel I was exhausted. Shooting sun up to sun down (literally) on 4 hours of sleep can really take it out of you, so last night I crashed and didn't wake up for 12 hours. Josh said he tried to wake me up at one point and I didn't budge.

Yesterday was the day. I really think I captured the essence of the story we're trying to tell. Well, I shouldn't take the credit ... Frank told me the story. He told the camera the story. Without ANE, Frank would not be going to college. This student with good grades, a great heart, and a passion to serve his community by becoming a doctor ... in the US he'd have a full ride scholarship in an instant. And without ANE, he literally would not be able to go to university, because he didn't get any other financial aid. It breaks my heart that there are so many deserving people around the world who won't have the opportunity to attend school or even have a decent meal ... and yet stories like this make me so thankful that God uses people from organizations like ANE and Pathlight to give students the education they deserve.

Thanks for all of your prayers, everyone. I know that without them there's no way that we could have gotten through the day safely.

Africa, the day I fell into a hole

2008-08-22T16:22:00.000-07:00

It was a good day of relaxation for both of us. I slept in until 11 after a few nights in a row of getting 5 hours, so that was nice. Then I spent the day reading, importing tapes, reading the news, browsing the web, etc. Pretty uneventful, but it was a good break.

Tonight we went to a great Lebanese restaurant in Osu. After we ate we walked out into the dark night and down the side of a dirt road to find a cab. Then suddenly when I stepped, there was no ground. I fell into a waist-deep muddy hole on the side of the road. It wasn't like I tripped into it or was hurt or anything at all like that. It was something out of a comedy movie like Mr. Bean or Pink Panther. One moment I was walking normally, the next I was standing in a hole. Josh thought I was hurt, but I landed perfectly on both feet. I'm not even sure how.

The dark side to the story is that there are very few public restroom facilities in Accra, so people often relieve themselves wherever is convenient. I couldn't smell any trace of anything, but I didn't really feel like investigating closely, so it's possible. What a night.

I can only stay in a big city for so long, so I am relieved that tomorrow we are finally leaving Accra to visit the home of one of the scholarship students. It'll be a great opportunity for me to get footage that will allow me to tell the story of what these kids had to go through to get where they are today. One of the students worked for two months just to save up enough money for the application fee. It's just incredible. These students are more driven than just about anyone I've ever met.

I really feel like we are furthering God's kingdom by being here. The passion of the students, the support and approval of so many local community leaders, the means by which Josh is pulling this all together with virtually no resources ... God is clearly at work here. It's by his grace that we're able to do anything at all here.

I also know that wherever God's work is being done, there are forces attempting to stop that work. Josh and I had an unsettling -- possibly coincidental -- scare. I am not one who necessarily zealously believes in angels and demons, but I am one who believes that evil has an strong and invisible influence in this world. I feel that now more than at any other point in my life, I am truly acting as a servant; I am fulfilling the role I was called to fill. And Satan is trying to thwart that. Please be praying for our safety on this trip, especially tomorrow during our 3 hours of driving and during the time we spend in the village. I apologize if I sound like a paranoid crazy person, but I believe in a spiritual realm that is complimentary to our own, and if that realm is occupied by evil, then I have reason to be legitimately scared, which I am.

Africa, Day .... whatever this is

2008-08-21T11:11:00.000-07:00

What a day! We spent the whole day at University of Ghana and I got enough footage to use up 6 tapes. I'll post some of the footage when I get a chance.

Today was the big day for All Nations Education. Everyone involved with the program was there at the university, including the Provost, the Dean of Students, the National Director for World Vision Ghana, and all five scholarship students. Since you're not here and you haven't heard Josh's spiel 5 bajillion times like I have, you don't know about how ANE is not your average scholarship. Josh has (and I have no idea how he pulled it off) had meetings with some really significant local community leaders and connected them with the students to act as mentors. The students, in turn, will connect with primary school students and mentor them, through Opportunity International. Together, the ANE students and primary school students will do community service projects with World Vision. Confused? Here, let me explain with pretty shapes.

That's ANE in a nutshell.

So today, for me, was filled with hours and hours of filming ... mostly interviews. It was great to talk with everyone involved. They all had legitimately interesting things to say, and I feel like we got a taste of how much passion and support there is behind this program. Which is great, because I got it on film, and with any luck we can communicate that passion to potential donors.

After getting back to the hotel we grabbed some Chinese food in Osu (which is like the downtown area of Accra).

I haven't posted a blog in the past few days partly because I haven't had much to talk about, partly because I was lazy, and mostly because I was sick. The second night here we had some chicken at a take-out place in Osu, but our plastic forks kept breaking, so we ate with out hands. Which was stupid. I'll spare you the gruesome (and sometimes painful) details, but basically I spent about 3 straight days either on the toilet or in bed. There was a good 36 hours there where I didn't have a bite to eat. No fun at all. But by God's grace I'm feeling much better now.

After an exhausting day today, we're taking it easy tomorrow, which should be a good chance to catch up on importing my tapes and also to get some much-needed rest, exercise, and pizza by the pool.

Africa, Day 2

2008-08-17T16:42:00.000-07:00

Josh and I went to The Lord's Pentecostal Church in Accra today, and let me tell you ... Ghanians know how to do a church service. Actually, don't let me tell you. See for yourself.

I didn't spend any time trying to sync the different clips, I just threw this together earlier, but it gives you an idea of the amount of energy there was in the service. Josh also spoke to the church about All Nations Education, and I'll post that clip when I get a chance.

Unfortunately I got a bug and spent most of the day in bed, but I am thankful that we didn't have anything else to film today so that I could recover. I'm feeling much better now. Tomorrow we're going to try to interview our contact at the University of Ghana, and we're also going to spend some time exploring the city.

Africa, Day 1

2008-08-16T03:45:00.000-07:00

Wake up in Santa Barbara, eat breakfast on the bus, check e-mail in LAX, fend off bobbing sleeping heads from either side on the plane, brush teeth in Minneapolis, finish a book over the Atlantic Ocean, reapply deodorant in Amsterdam, watch an Academy Award winning movie over Algeria, go through customs at the Ghana airport, cut off cars and dodge potholes in a cab on the streets of Accra, and fall asleep in the hotel.

From the door of my apartment to the door of my hotel, the trip took a total of 28 hours. Not bad for halfway around the world.

Needless to say, I'm somewhat jet lagged, but man am I stoked for this trip. For those of you who don't know, I'm here with Josh Daneshforooz to make a promotional video for All Nations Education (ANE). I'm here (with my trusty camcorder) for about two and a half weeks, following Josh around while he interviews faculty at the University of Ghana, meets potential scholarship students, and familiarizes himself with the country. I'm just along for the ride, filming and learning about the organization. I'm stoked for the project ... this is an awesome country and the work that ANE is doing is really incredible; providing scholarships for college students. In a few months ANE will be touring the US to promote their organization, showing my video to give people a taste of the work they do.

At this internet cafe I can't use my own computer, but I promise I'll post photos and videos in the days to come. Please keep me and Josh in your prayers. Traveling with thousands of dollars of equipment, it's difficult to feel secure, and we are concerned about the security at the hotel.

Africa

2008-08-14T14:15:00.000-07:00

I'm currently at LAX waiting to board the flight for the first leg of my journey to Ghana, Africa! While I'm there, I'll have internet access, and I'm determined to keep this thing updated throughout my trip. With any luck, I'll be sitting at a computer at my hotel in Ghana within 24 hours. See you then!

This Blog's Word Cloud

2008-07-27T17:29:00.000-07:00

Film Fest

2007-11-13T21:29:00.000-08:00

Since I'm behind on posts and you, dear reader, are unaware of the happenings of my oh-so happening life, these next few posts will serve to get you back up to speed.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival ran from the end of January through the first week of February, and I was lucky enough to attend as a staff writer for an online independent film magazine. The magazine, it turned out, was not a bona-fide news outlet, and its "content" was more of a placeholder for the advertisements that surrounded its insidiously arranged blather. The editor never responded after I submitted my articles, and I never got paid. In a word, it was a scam. But hey, I got better-than-front-row-seats (can I use that many hyphens?) to an awesome event.

I say better than front row because a press pass actually gets you into more places than a "Gold Pass," which will set you back about $600. On the red carpet I got to photograph and interview the likes of Will Smith, Al Gore, and Guy Pierce. Tom Cruise was there, too, but apparently he's too cool to show his face anywhere other than the main stage for any more than (literally) 3 minutes.

Probably the coolest encounter, though, was Chris Gardner. He's the guy played by Will Smith in The Pursuit of Happyness. In the 80's, he and his son (two years old) lived on the streets of San Francisco after he lost his apartment, but Chris took an internship at a brokerage firm that eventually lead to a successful career in the stock market. Pretty crazy story, and meeting him was an incredible experience. He's really an awesome guy, and he had some cool stuff to say when I asked him about the hope the movie has given to people living in poverty.

All-in-all it was awesome, and though my grades suffered due to the time I spent writing and going to events, it was an incredible opportunity that I am grateful to have had the privilege of experiencing.

When Tom Cruise finally decided to show his face, he spent the precious 3 minutes trying to steal Will Smith's wife.

Here we see the aspiring journalist in his natural habitat; behind the more important news outlets and struggling to shove a voice recorder into Al Gore's face.

Update

2007-11-10T20:47:00.000-08:00

It's time to salvage this poor blog. To start things off, I'll just make this post a brief update.

I started off my 4th year at Westmont in late August, and the semester is going pretty well so far. Classes are stressful and time-consuming, but I'm loving everything I'm doing. I'm taking journalism, advanced comp, 20th century poetry, and film studies. In addition, I'm working on a project for next semester's Focus Week, where all students and faculty are encouraged to focus on a specific theme. This time around it's community, so I'm working on a video that will show all the different aspects of community and emphasize our connections to one another here on campus.

As far as what I'm going to do after graduation, it's an excellent question. I really don't know. I'd love a job that involves having a camera in my hands, but I've also come to love journalism, and yet I feel strongly called toward missions work. All these things come together if you are young, creative, idealistic, and ignorant of financial necessities, as I am. Although I don't have any clue how it will pay the rent, what I want to do is work as a freelance videographer for organizations that help 3rd world countries. I would either be available for hire by the organizations, or I would sell them footage from an ever-growing library, depending on their own budget.

So who knows. Anyway, I've got some other fun things going on that I'll post about in the near future. Cheers.

So uncivilized...

2006-12-30T21:46:00.000-08:00

I make random connections every day. Perhaps loose wires are to blame, swinging around in my brain as I shift my weight side to side with every step, occasionally shorting out and, much like jump-starting a car, my mind revs with the excitement of a brilliant metaphor. It takes me roughly an hour to realize its stupidity.

Dogs have a very primitive form of communication. To my knowledge, their native tongue only consists of about three words; woof, bark, and ruff. It can even be argued that these are all just different interpretations of the same word, but I prefer to give my golden retriever the benefit of the doubt. They also only use these words in the most dire situations, to say things like "Feed me", "I need to go pee", and of course, "The pizza guy is here". Us humans, as you may well know, have developed a much more advanced system of communication, allowing us to converse about more sophisticated topics. With the English language at my disposal, I can easily ascertain knowledge of a friends feelings toward the weather, without having to resort to hand signals or facial expressions. It's as simple as asking, "Nice weather, don't you think?" To which my friend will most likely reply, "Yeah." Marvelous, isn't it? Millions of years of evolution...or be it 6,000 years since Adam and Eve, and we've managed to coin a plethora of words, allowing us wear our ineptitude on our sleeves.

There is one facet of our society, however, where our advanced civilization goes back to the ways of the cave-men, engaging in a conversation consisting of short, monotone bursts of sound. Behind the wheel, you have only about three words with which to communicate; beep, rev, and of course, the finger.

The world moves at an incredibly fast pace, and on my way to work, I for one don't have time to explain to the guy who just cut me off that I hope he drives off a cliff. That's why some genius around the turn of the century decided that when words will not suffice, a simple beep allows the driver to cover a multitude of expressions. Simply by pressing against my steering wheel, I can say anything from "Thank you" to "Hey, I'm about to ram into the driver side of your vehicle" to "I hope you die and burn in hell."

And it's not just the horn, either! In true grunting cave-man fashion, a bad exhaust system allows you to intimidate any car within earshot, and sometimes even attract a mate. If you're the type that's into pick-up lines and bar fights, I'd recommend an American muscle car from the 60's or 70's. Smog check not to code? All the better.

Last but not least, automotive transportation has encouraged a return to the long-forgotten communication system of hand-signals. Not just for the deaf and occasional high-school student trying to avoid foreign language, a "slang" sign-language all its own has risen from the dark corners of rush-hour traffic. One, most important of all, so significant that it's the only one referred to as "the finger", allows us to deliver the ultimate insult with minimal effort. With a little practice, you too can tell the person in front of you to...well, you know.

So really, the world of automobiles has allowed a revisit to the primitive side of our human instinct. On the road, we become ruthless lions, fighting for the gazelle. It's quite a beautiful metaphor, if you're the one who made it up. Which, you're not.

Anywho, there's a little insight into the randomness of my brain functions. I hope you enjoyed it.

Disposition

2006-12-14T20:27:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is my last final, and I'll have completed my first semester as an English major. Quite recently, however, doubt has assailed me with her wicked schemes. I want to write? Write what? Films? The likelihood seems, well, unlikely. I watch enough movies and television to know that anyone who tries to get a career in Hollywood ends up waiting tables, and anyone under the impression of being a talented writer ends up an alcoholic with no friends.

So, now that my most harsh cynicism is out of the way, I still cannot help but to ask, what chance do I have? There seems to be an overabundance of good writers in the world, and a depressing shortage of great writers. I am no great writer, just a guy who scrawls my thoughts onto paper now and then.

I suppose such doubts are to be expected. It's near-impossible to become a professional author in the world today, least of all a screenwriter. That metaphor...what was it? The one about shooting for the moon? So I guess I'll just hurl myself out of the atmosphere. And you know what they say; if I miss, I'll end up floating through space for a few thousand years. Maybe then I'll get the chance to write something worthwhile.

On the horizon

2006-12-02T11:55:00.000-08:00

Well, the semester is coming to a close, and as such I find myself with very little free time. Amazingly, however, I'm actually in for a pretty easy weekend. I'm going to take the time to get some leisure reading and writing done, and maybe even work on my woodcarving projects.

I started my new job this week, working tech at Westmont theater. It's an awesome job, I basically build a bunch of stuff and put lights up. Not very difficult, and often pretty fun. My boss is a great guy, too, and my hours are incredibly flexible. It's really a perfect job to have while I'm taking classes, and it's giving me some useful theater experience that will look good on my resume.

This week was the Car Play, a theater department project of short plays written, directed, and acted by Westmont students. The interesting twist, however, is that each play takes place in a car. There are 15 different plays, usually performed by two actors in the front seat, while the audience rotates in 15-minute intervals to sit in the back seat and watch the skit. I have respect for those resilient actors who perform the same thing over and over again, 12 times in one night. A while back I wrote one up, and it actually made it into the production, so it was pretty cool to see my own little spiel acted out by fellow students.

Two more weeks, and I'm headed home. Three weeks of snowboarding, eating good food, reading, spending time with family and old friends, and, that thing...what's it called again? Oh yeah, SLEEP.

Chubs and Chalmers

2006-11-27T20:56:00.000-08:00

Earlier this year I got the unique opportunity to help some of my old high school friends with a little project they put together. You see, my friends are bored. Very, very bored. So they make movies. Recently they were featured in the Las Positas College newspaper for their 24-hour film festival submission.

They are short, silly little movies, made for the purpose of just screwing around, not really for quality viewing (no offense, guys). So if you're incredibly bored right now and want to check a few of them out, their site can be found here.

Thankful

2006-11-24T19:49:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving! My turkey day was spent with my family at my aunt's house, and it was indeed very turkey-filled. Though I got sick last weekend, I still managed to consume a considerable amount of mashed potatoes and gravy.

I'm home in Pleasanton most of this week, and I start back to classes on Monday. I also start one of my two jobs next week, this one being "Technical Assistant" at the theatre. My job is to put up lights and build sets for performances. It should be pretty cool, and I'm looking forward to starting.

And now a big fat list of all those things that I take for granted...
I'm thankful for my friends, my education, my health, my truck, the ocean, NyQuil, my computer, the stars, warm SB nights, cold Nor-Cal nights, mountains, snow, snowboarding, running, movies, music, woodcarving, Wikipedia, my dog, my other dog, not my cat, writing, poetry, clean sheets, Sour Patch Kids Watermelons, my college, good eyesight, comfy couches, video games, hot showers, my experiences, my existence, my intelligence, philosophy, chocalate-chip waffles with blueberry syrup, my home, my spiritual gifts, my childhood, my grandma, sister, parents, and the rest of my family, my friends, my challenges, my salvation, and my faith.

Oh, and my friends. Did I say friends?

I got a job.

2006-11-19T14:53:00.000-08:00

Yay!

Good afternoon Jedd!

We have taken a look at your application, and are pleased to inform you that we would love for you to join our writing staff! Your desire to write about this industry (independent film) shows through, and we are happy to add your excitement to our rapidly growing team!

[a bunch of technical stuff]

So congratulations, welcome aboard... we look forward to working with you!

Respectfully,

Mark Sickle, Managing Editor
Independent Rising Magazine
http://www.prmagazine.net/

Starting on December 1st I'm going to start working for Independent Rising Magazine, which covers information on and reviews independent films. I'm not going to get paid much, but this is a great opportunity to get some experience in both writing and film, my two fields of interest, and possible future career.

Happenings

2006-11-09T19:42:00.000-08:00

What a week! It's been pretty busy, but exciting. I had two papers due, and I have a test tomorrow, which, admittedly, I should be studying for right now. I got my last psych test back, and got a much-needed B. That definitely made my day. Oh and I've been writing like a madman, poetry and such.

Yesterday afternoon, Mercury crossed the sun's path, an event that happens every 12 years or so. They set up a telescope (with a filter so you're not blinded) through which you could see the sun and a teeny tiny little pin prick of a black spot, Mercury. It was small but still pretty cool.

I wrote a haiku last night! Wachow!! Enjoy.

Tranquil night, so cold,
my eyes streak 'cross sky,
and ev'ry star is shooting.

Edit: I'm being told it's not a haiku because a haiku is 5-7-5, not 5-5-7. Bummer. :(

Quick Update

2006-11-04T16:43:00.000-08:00

Not much is new, really. Sorry my life is kinda boring right now. I didn't do anything fun and exciting for Halloween. We read poetry in Studies in Lit a few days ago, that was pretty cool. Mine went well, I got "voted" as one of the best in the class, so I get extra credit on it or something. Peter's in town this weekend, so we've been hanging out. I still haven't gotten a chance to see Borat, but if I find the time and maybe the money I'll check it out some time soon. Abbe and I watched North by Northwest last night, a movie in my collection that I hadn't even seen. It was pretty good. Hope you're having a good weekend.

Babies!

2006-10-30T12:21:00.000-08:00

Ahhh! More babies! All my cousins are giving birth! My cousin Jill (on my dad's side) gave birth to Gage Ernest Mitchell just last night. I'm so happy it's a boy. Poor Ken (Jill's husband) was almost stuck with waaay too many girls (not that that would be a bad thing...but I would definitely feel a bit sorry for Ken). Congrats to the both of you!

Update: Picture!

Those are my cousin Jill's three beautiful children Morgan, Reese, and newly-born Gage! :)

Holy crap, insight!

2006-10-27T16:48:00.000-07:00

I went to a very interesting lecture after class today called "What is philosophy good for?" A number of respected philosophers from around California participated in attempting to answer this question, each coming from a different angle. Of note are philosophy in the church, philosophy in education, and philosophy as therapy.

This lecture came at a great time for me personally because it's something I've been wondering about myself. I took Philosophical Perspectives in May and have two friends majoring in philosophy, so I've had my fair share of exposure to the subject. Amidst all the other questions philosophy itself raises, however, I can't help but ask, why? Why ask these questions? And how can we even call this a discipline in itself? After all, it doesn't cure cancer, nor does it put bread on the table, as some have pointed out.

Philosophy is rooted in human nature. Being the complex creatures we are, we are oddly compelled to ask questions about our own existence and environment. Based on our observations, we see that everything has a beginning. So when, where, and how did the universe begin? Such is an example of the possible origins of philosophy. It's the art, or perhaps science, of thinking. The problem, however, is that there is the tragic pattern of these questions getting half-answered, then raising another question. It's something of a Pandora's Box. There's always room to beg the questions "Why?"

Unfortunately, the respected philosophers I mentioned earlier did exactly that, they gave half-answers. They danced around the subject and never gave a definite, concrete answer. But they did get me thinking. So here's my two cents...or spiel, as it were.

It is human nature to question the world around us, and we seem hard-wired with curiosity and a desire to make sense of our own existence. When left then with the option of either pursuing or ignoring this desire, I say take the former, even if it doesn't get us anywhere useful. After all, philosophy itself may not have lent much useful, practical data or information, but it has given rise to knowledge and wisdom that contributes to society as a whole not just in quenching their curiosity, but in indirect ways as well. Mathematics, the sciences, and even much of literature has been birthed from this human need to seek answers. Furthermore, being that it seems human in nature to wonder about the world around us, the fruits of thought itself are inherently rewarding enough to justify the discipline. I, for one, take great pleasure in asking questions about the universe, God, and what it means to be human. I believe it to be a defining attribute of humanity as a whole, and having been given the gift of thinking, I will use it wisely and to the best of my ability.

I feel it's become my motto in this blog, but keep asking questions!

Not my poetry...

2006-10-25T22:51:00.000-07:00

Just some great poetry I wanted to share. Plus, it's been too long since an update.

A broken ALTAR, Lord, thy servant reares,
Made of a heart, and cemented with teares:
Whose parts are as thy hand did frame;
No workmans tool hath touch’d the same.
A HEART alone
Is such a stone,
As nothing but
Thy pow’r doth cut.
Wherefore each part
Of my hard heart
Meets in this frame,
To praise thy Name;
That, if I chance to hold my peace,
These stones to praise thee may not cease.
O let thy blessed SACRIFICE be mine,
And sanctifie this ALTAR to be thine.
George Herbert, 1633

New life...

2006-10-16T18:04:00.000-07:00

My beautiful cousin Amy just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl! On October 13th at 8 PM, Ashley Jane Huff entered the world. Now, I'm not much of a baby person myself, but this photo really caught me off guard...

Now that's one damn cute baby, if you ask me. This is her aunt Michelle holding her, by the way. For those of you who don't know, Amy and Michelle are my twin cousins.

I cannot even begin to fathom what it must be like to hold the amazing gift of life in your arms, a creation from one's own being. By the blessing of the Lord, He has granted us new life.

Blurb

2006-10-11T17:07:00.000-07:00

Life is but a burning parchment,
so scrawl down what you can.
Your thoughts and dreams and all held dear,
just ramblings of one man.
With pen held tight you jot them down,
then watch them burn away.
I know not of another way
to make sense of the fray.
Although the flame turns all to ash,
erases ev'ry dream,
your words were once and therefore are,
forever inside me.

Life

2006-10-08T19:40:00.000-07:00

Where to start? This is life.

My aunt Adria passed away yesterday afternoon. I was on my way to see her, and had been stuck in traffic for three hours. She died when I was twenty minutes from their house.

I saw no reason to continue on to their home, so I turned around and headed to Rachel's apartment. We hung out for a while, then went to Disneyland. We both have season passes, so we just went on the spur of the moment. It was fun.

I crashed at her place and we hung out at Peet's Coffee all day, then I headed back home to SB.

The funeral is on Tuesday, so I'll head down to Irvine that afternoon. I have a lot of work to do this weekend still, so I'm going to try to get it all done by tomorrow night so I don't have to worry about it on Tuesday. I wasn't very close to Adria, but she's still family, and that always hurts. We lost my grandpa a few months ago, so this has been a difficult time for my family. Your prayers are appreciated.

The weekend is upon us

2006-10-06T15:03:00.000-07:00

It's been quite the week, but it ended well. Lunch with my professor today went very well. We went to Peabody's on Coast Village Road, a little hole-in-the-wall place I haven't been to in a few years. We talked about a lot of things, and he was struck by the questions I had been asking, and remarked that I said some things that he had never been able to put into words. He even went as far as to call me "brilliant". Needless to say I was flattered and inspired, though I think he may have overstated his impression of me. I consider myself to be contemplative, rational, and a decent writer, but brilliant is a bit far. Nonetheless, his words were uplifting. He encouraged me to not take my qualms to the grave, but to act on them, in the form of writing a Horizon article.

Earlier this semester I considered writing an article, but I have a grudge against the school newspaper. Every week they seek out new and controversial issues to bring to the table, and are more obsessed with upsetting students and raising controversy than to actually delivering news. While I think the school newspaper should make it one of their goals to raise questions, I don't think the way they are doing it actually benefits the school. In addition, they butchered my movie review in the editing process when I wrote about The Family Guy movie last year, completely changing the article's intention in the process.

But I want, and a feel I need, to at least raise the questions I have to the public. Even if I cannot change Westmont, I want to at least raise some questions, and make people think. What reservations do students hold when it comes to the campus community? What are their honest views of chapel, The Horizon, and the faculty, and why do we keep quiet about such things? It is a tragedy that we keep such questions and doubts to ourselves, especially when Westmont should be encouraging students to bring these matters to the table for candid discussion and reflection.

Still here

2006-10-05T20:26:00.000-07:00

This week has been interesting. Basically I've been under a lot of stress with school, as usual, and outside problems have been weighing me down on top of the usual. I got sick this week, or whatever I had last week came back. I'm feeling better today, so hopefully I'll be back up to full speed soon.

I was originally planning on going home this weekend, but yesterday I found out that my aunt is in the hospital, so I'm going to visit her in LA. It is greatly appreciated if you keep her, and my family, in your prayers.

School is going alright overall. I am doing pretty well in classes, pulling off mostly B's so far. Abbe and Courtney have been an amazing support for me, and I know that I wouldn't be doing as well if it wasn't for them. This semester has been a challenge, but through Him who gives me strength, I'll get trough it.

October

2006-10-01T14:33:00.000-07:00

So it's officially the month of October now. Cool stuff.

Friday night I went out with the guys to see Jet Li's last movie, Fearless. While the plot was crap and the acting was terrible, it had some awesome fight scenes, and about two thirds of the movie was fighting. So really, it's everything a Kung-Fu movie should be. I'd recommend checking it out if you get the chance. On the Jedd scale (which, by the way, is extremely critical), it gets 3/5 stars, or, in non-mathematical terms, "worth checking out."

I have a paper due tomorrow on an extremely vague topic, so I expect to be up late tonight finishing that up. What's new? Just another Sunday night.

Sup

2006-09-27T18:54:00.000-07:00

What's new with me, you ask? Nothing much, I say! How's it going, you ask? It's going, I say!

Yes, I often give horribly detailed and descriptive answers to such questions. But how am I really? Eh, not bad. I think I might be getting sick, I'm questioning my place at this school, my faith, and my general overall identity. I have a ton of work to do, and I don't get enough sleep.

But there's much to be happy about. I'm making new friends, studying some awesome subjects, and I can always find time to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. So if I seem a bit down, it's just because there are some little things bugging me, but overall, life is good, and that's saying something.

Pepsi or Pepsi?

2006-09-25T21:23:00.000-07:00

A bit back I enlightened my devoted readers with my preference toward good ol' red and white in the fierce battles of the soda wars. In an ironic turn of events, the enemy has launched a full attack on my campus, sneakily replacing all of our 7UP machines with the "Next Generation" of carbonated beverages, the red and blue meanies. That spherically sleek logo with a dashing white stripe to separate its contrasting colors may fool some, but I see the true motives of this impostor.

They are building an army of followers, a vendetta against the traditions of old, that which the world has come to love. There can be no replacement for our white-on-red logo of glory, but someone in a black suit and tie, looking out his top-level window at the peons below, foolishly believes otherwise. He is rallying the troops, and he can almost taste sweet victory, just beyond the horizon.

Well I for one won't stand for it. So they think they can buy me out? Am I nothing more than another one of their aluminum-encased poison viles of sugar and carbonation? No! I am man! And I for one am not going to stand for this injustice! So I ask of you, my brothers of the Coca and of the Cola, to stand beside me, and fight. Fight for your right to choose a better beverage! Fight for the unmatched recipe of old! Fight for...your freedom!

Weird sleep schedule

2006-09-24T14:39:00.000-07:00

I got up at about 12:30 today. That's the latest I've slept in in a long, long time. See, last night I got to sleep around 1:30, but the two nights before that I only got about 5 hours of sleep each. So that's 3 nights, 21 hours of sleep. Averages out to 7 per night. That's not bad, I guess, but I could really use some consistency.

School's going pretty well. I'm a bit stressed because I have a lot of reading and writing to do today, but if I just buckle down, it's all very do-able. Psych is actually a really interesting class, and I'm enjoying studies in lit immensely, and reading some really cool books and short stories. Really makes me glad I switched my major to English.

Ninjas!

2006-09-21T22:08:00.000-07:00

Ben is obsessed with ninjas. Any complication lacking an obvious cause is always the work of ninjas, who do their evil deeds faster than you can say "holycrapninjas!", and vanish just as quickly. The ninjas took our soda machines, they lock our section doors at night, and generally thwart Ben's plans on a daily basis. In his own words "Anything that goes wrong with me must be the work of ninjas. Because I mean really, who else could stop me?" Wise words from a wise man.

Let me give you a quick background on ninjas...
1. Ninjas are mammals.
2. Ninjas fight ALL the time.
3. The purpose of the ninja is to flip out and kill people.

So there's ninja 101 for you. I hope your day to day life makes a little more sense now that you know the cause of the majority of your troubles.

Lack of Content

2006-09-18T23:48:00.000-07:00

Not much to say today. Psych test went OK, Brit Lit test tomorrow should be fine.

Yep it's Sunday

2006-09-17T15:00:00.001-07:00

There was a fire yesterday at the national park, and it blew ash into Santa Barbara, giving this Sunday a surreal orange glow. It was pretty awesome.

In other news, I got into Westmont and the Arts! Basically that means I get free concert tickets to philharmonic orchestras and Shakespeare plays and stuff. All I had to do was write a few paragraphs about how it will help to enrich my overall education. Pretty sweet, eh?!

I have so much work to finish, and I haven't even factored my Spanish reading into my list of things to do. It's a bummer not to be able to enjoy my Saturdays and Sundays, but I know there are people at this school working a lot harder than I am, so I'm not really in a position to complain.

Busy Weekend

2006-09-16T16:50:00.000-07:00

...again.

Yes, another busy weekend, but not as bad as the last one. Two tests, an essay, and a third of a book to read. This should be interesting.

I did have some fun, though. Yesterday Abbe and I drove up to Lompoc to see her friend play his 12-string guitar in the local coffee shop. It was pretty awesome, and he's an incredible guitar player. Today I slept in a bit, did some laundry, and I've just been reading all day. I still got plenty left to do, so I should get going. Have a good weekend!

Pensive

2006-09-15T12:30:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking a lot, like people tend to do. I've been challenging myself to be less skeptical, and I see it paying off when it comes to being critical of other people. The part of my skepticism I cling to so dearly, however, is with my faith. I am constantly questioning my faith. Am I really a Christian? Have I just "gone with the flow" of my upbringing, or do I actually believe, and do I challenge myself enough in this belief? This is both a good and bad thing, and based on the history of the church, it is, in my opinion, completely necessary, at least in moderation.

It is puzzling to me but it seems that the church has always clung to tradition. Recently an article was written in the school newspaper challenging the concept of the trinity, and I am amazed how many people view it as ridiculous and blasphemous. Is this right? Should we throw ideas like this aside, or actually take the time to examine them? But the concept of the trinity alone is not the purpose of this spiel, and thus I diverge from my tangent.

When the notion was made that the Earth might not be the center of the universe, was it not the church that argued against this claim? Are we really so unstable in our faith that such things could throw into question the supremacy of the Creator of the universe? Did not the church once look down on interracial dating and marriage? Do such things that have their roots in culture have the power to hold a candle to our Bible, which teaches us to treat all men (and women) equally? The church has had a history of falling behind, but has managed, often a bit later than most of society, to adapt. My question is this, what kinds of ideas do we, as Christians today, accept on the basis of tradition, rather than faith? It is foolishness to think that we "finally have it right." The trinity is hardly a threatening idea, since it is just a model of our understanding of the gospel. But what about bigger things? What kinds of things are we not seeing? I suppose that question is rhetorical, but my goal is this; not just to be open-minded about new ideas, but to seek them out. We have one life on this earth, one chance to get it right. We owe it to Him to ask such questions.

iTunes Obsessed

2006-09-14T15:29:00.000-07:00

iTunes 7 came out yesterday...and it's got this totally awesome new feature where you can look through your album art, so it's like looking through a CD collection. My library had a lot of lone songs and albums with out their CD cover art, so I spent about 3 hours updating them all. Yeah, it's a long time to spend organizing my songs, but with almost 4 thousand tunes I'd say I made pretty good time. Oh and my iTunes looks all pretty now...all but 4 or so of my albums have art to them.

Other than that, just same old same old. Life ain't bad, I can't complain.

Coke or Pepsi?

2006-09-13T21:37:00.000-07:00

Coca-Cola is the best soda ever made. Hands down, no argument, 'nuff said. Period.

Gasp!

2006-09-12T15:37:00.000-07:00

Gasp! I missed my first day since I've created this blog! I'm already slipping. Well I promise it won't happen again. Actually that's a lie, it probably will.

So yeah, this past weekend, and yesterday, were crazy. I had 2 essays due yesterday, one in Lit and one in Psychology. I sacrificed sleep to get them done, but they got turned in, and that's all that matters. Last night was my Spanish presentation, too (that class goes 6-9 Monday nights), but Jess and I took care of that like the Spanish pros we are. And even though I was sleep-deprived, Benzel, Courtney, Abbe and I did a Denny's run last night. That rocked. It totally made up for the stressful weekend I had. Most weekends won't be like this, it was just a bad coincidence with my professors' scheduling.

Oh and about Spanish. More and more of me is thinking I should just stick it out. I feel like an idiot when I'm asked to speak in class, and I can't find the word I want to use. Especially when I keep thinking "I know I used to know that word." But yeah, I'll talk with some more advisor peoples, attend a few more nights of classes, and see how it goes.

Bla

2006-09-10T13:26:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy weekend. I have 2 essays and an oral spanish presentation due tomorrow. I shouldn't even be posting this blog right now. Oh well, I've got constant writer's block and I need to do some writing where my goal isn't to impress the reader (no offense, guys).

I'm sticking with spanish for a while, despite my gut feeling that I'm going to end up withdrawing in a few weeks. I'm going to talk with the professor and an advisor before I make my final decision to drop it. I keep thinking of Luke 12:48 which says, "Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required." I've been given the awesome opportunity to attend Westmont College, and I don't want to waste a moment of the time I've been given here.

In a random ironic spiel for the day, here's a thought I had... It will probably be many years before a black president is elected, and perhaps even longer before a woman is elected. But if I had to choose one person alive today with the capability of taking over the world, I'd have to say it would be Oprah. She has enough influence...I bet she could totally pull it off.

Space elevator?

2006-09-09T16:11:00.000-07:00

I read on Wikipedia that a space elevator would cost about $5 billion to construct. How cool would that be? If I had that much money, I would totally build one. That would kick ass.

Predicament

2006-09-08T17:36:00.000-07:00

I'm in a bit of a predicament right now. I'm taking 17 units, a standard load. But one of my classes, Spanish Lit, I'm having a really hard time with. See, I haven't taken a Spanish class since first semester my freshman year. I'm trying to be a Spanish minor and I've only got a few classes left before I can achieve that, but I'm really rusty, not having taken it in so long. I have the option of dropping out of the class, but that would really put me behind. My semester is looking iffy as it is though, and it would really clear up my schedule. The current thinking is that if I do drop the class, I could go to Costa Rica this summer and take an intensive Spanish language class, just to get caught up. Plus Costa Rica is awesome. Then I could come back with a strong grasp on the language, and fly through Spanish lit like the Spanish master that I am.

Other than that life's not too bad right now. Got some pressing issues that seem to be recurring. You know, figuring out who I am and all that crap. But overall, life's good, and I can't ask for much more than that.

Up an running

2006-09-07T14:09:00.000-07:00

So I guess I have a blog now. That's cool. I decided to call it a "spiel" though, rather than a blog. Has a nice ring to it.