dreamlife

2008-10-26T14:49:00.000-07:00

Watch, Listen, THINK...respond?

2008-10-23T14:43:00.000-07:00

OBAMA Supporters.....Start Watching.

I Found This Amusing.

2008-10-21T14:09:00.000-07:00

Why I am voting Democrat! (I would say "Why I'm voting Obama")

I'm voting Democrat because I believe the government will do a better job of spending MY MONEY than I would. I think when you spread the wealth around it is good for everybody! It’s Patriotic!

I'm voting Democrat because I believe that business should not be allowed to make profits for themselves. All profits are evil and should be confiscated for Government Redistribution.

I'm voting Democrat because I believe that MORE Government regulations and higher taxes on Business will stop Business from exporting their jobs to Countries with LESS Government regulations and lower taxes.

I'm voting Democrat because I believe terrorists should be allowed to have trials in American courts. And be able to subpoena top secret documents, soldiers, government officials, etc. to cross examine for their defense. They should have ACLU lawyers who can help intimidate Americans who serve on the juries!

I'm voting Democrat because I believe Gay Marriage should be the law of the land and will probably produce better children.

I'm voting Democrat because I believe English should not be the official language of the United States. I don’t mind pushing one for English when I use the phone.

I'm voting Democrat because I believe partial birth abortion is okay but water boarding a terrorist is disgusting.

I'm voting Democrat because I believe having a domestic terrorist like Bill Ayers as a close friend is a good thing. It allows for great relations with foreign terrorists.

I'm voting Democrat because I believe in a FREE government health care system. I believe doctors, nurses, hospitals, drug companies, etc. will gladly donate their time, products, services, facilities, etc. for FREE and that will be a better system.

I'm voting Democrat because I believe in and support trial lawyers, frivolous lawsuits and outrageous jury verdicts.

I'm voting Democrat because I believe 9/11 was an inside job to con the American people to go to war for oil.

I'm voting Democrat because I believe social security is solvent and that there is a social security lock box and I don’t believe social security is a Ponzi scheme.

I'm voting Democrat because I believe MOST AMERICANS are bitter and cling to their guns and religion. Let’s rid our country of guns and religion!

I'm voting Democrat because I believe illegal aliens deserve all the rights of ordinary Americans plus some additional rights Americans do not have.

I'm voting Democrat because I believe corporations should pay higher taxes! I believe higher taxes on business will make the price of their products and services LESS EXPENSIVE.

I'm voting Democrat because I believe groups like ACORN who register felons, drug addicts, wino’s, homeless drifters, illegal aliens, dead people, children, fictional Disney characters, etc. makes my vote count more.

I'm voting Democrat because I believe celebrating the winter solstice shows compassion for the small minority of people that do not celebrate Christmas.

I'm voting Democrat because I believe hard core criminal murders and rapists deserve life and that the innocent unborn deserve death. It’s a choice I can live with.

I'm voting Democrat because I believe Bush caused Hurricane Katrina and he blew-up the levies in the ninth ward of New Orleans.

I'm voting Democrat because I believe that any one who is not partaking in one of the many wonderful government programs obviously has too much money and should pay higher taxes.

I'm voting Democrat because when we pull out of Iraq the terrorists will be happy and now think of us as good people.

I'm voting Democrat because I believe our soldiers are AIR RAIDING villages and killing innocent people.

I'm voting Democrat because I believe sex in the Oval Office with an intern is a private matter and that everybody lies under oath about sex.

I'm votin Demokrat becuse I wus edumkated at a publick sckrool. I lik da Natsionel Edukatshun Assoseeashun!

I'm voting Democrat because freedom of speech is fine as long as it does not offend people. Can’t we all just get along?

I'm voting Democrat because I believe oil companies' profits are wrong. I believe higher taxes on oil companies will produce lower prices at the pump.

I'm voting Democrat because I believe we need to rid ourselves of dependency on foreign oil, BUT I AM AGAINST offshore drilling for oil and natural gas, drilling in Anwar, building nuclear power plants and clean coal technology.

And finally, I'm voting Democrat because I believe Reverend Wright when he said “GODDAMN AMERICA” and “OUR CHICKENS ARE COMING HOME TO ROOST”. Hey let’s make a comfortable nest for those chickens!

Why are you voting Democrat?

- This was posted as a response from someone about the wonderful, heartwarming statement that Joe Biden made the other day. Which you had READ HERE.

so many things - warning long post

2008-10-15T11:22:00.000-07:00

It has been quite some time since I have posted a blog. I have been pretty crazy busy. I took a trip back home to Michigan to surprise my mother. Then took a roadtrip south with my friend Lance and have settled back in Nashville to be greeted by my friend Lisa who just moved here. I just know there are lots of good things that are going to come from her living here now. Shes an explosion of excitement to say the least. I have also gotten my personal work site up and running which displays some of the things I do outside of The Sleeping Collective.

Trip Home

I took a trip home to see my family, some friends and get a photoshoot in with an old highschool friend who wanted her daughters 6 month photos taken. This was my first actual shoot with a baby. It was great to see my family and the surprise look on my mothers face when I stepped into the house was priceless. I also was greeted by my hyper-spastic dog whom I miss very much and cannot wait to take her back with me.

I managed to get a shot of her in the yard.

Road Trip

The road trip took off Thursday and lasted a week. We stayed at a mobile home in Alabama to a kick ass unit above a yoga business in New Orleans to sleeping in the xB in parking lots to couches in Arkansas to finishing up the trip in an apartment in Memphis. We took the backroads as much possible; Driving through broken down towns, open roads and coast lines. I didn't get nearly as many shots as I was expecting to before the trip started. I was just enjoying the trip as a whole and although we came across some great sites...I wasn't intrigued as much as I thought I would be to capture this trip through my lens. We explored some of the damaged homes and the lackluster "beaches" in Mississippi. Along the way we made sure to stop at as many thrift stores as we could handle. I got some pretty good finds but all in all I was a tad bit disappointed.
The highlight of the trip by far was our stay in New Orleans. We were quite lucky to stay with a girl named Paige and her sister. Her place was amazing to say the least. It was pretty much exactly the type of place I would want to live in. It was full of character. There were big open windows, old hardwood floors, arched entryways, old tiles, the list goes on and on. She was our own personal tour guide through the city. We had a non-stop two days from the minute we got there. It was also our luck to happen to visit the weekend of Indie Rock Fest. We were able to see some very talented bands. I had no idea there was even and indie scene in New Orleans. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. There was so much about the city I enjoyed. Lance made a nice blog about our trip as well on his site if you would like a little more detail. The overall experience was one I will never forget and I hope to be able to visit New Orleans again soon.

We capped off the trip with a overnight stay in Memphis where we visited the Civil Rights Museum. This was quite an experience. There was a lot more to this movement that I had realized and it was well worth it to see. Lance was more eager to go there than I was but in the end I'm glad we went.

Personal Works Blog

Lastly, I am just wanting to let everyone know that I have started a new blog site that I will use to post my personal work. In other words, the site will be an outlet to display some of the things I'm doing that are outside of my freelance business. I invite you all to check it out as it will be updated frequently with new photos, designs, paintings and things of that nature. Feel free to add me to your blogs and please leave comments or critiques on any of my posts.

You can see my site HERE or in the "find me" section of this blog.

good arms vs. bad arms

2008-09-23T15:37:00.000-07:00

As if either of the candidates need any more reasons for me to think they're both terrible options...someone just sent me this video of good old McCain.

I had more to say, but I quickly lost the will to type anymore.

Good day.

everyone do the panic

2008-09-20T13:01:00.000-07:00

A gas shortage hit Nashville yesterday. Apparently it has something to do with Hurricane Ike. However, the severe problem has nothing to do with Ike at all. It has everything to do with stupid ass people. The demand for gas sky-rocketed yesterday from people freaking out and overreacting due to the gas shortage. In result 85% of the gas stations in Nashville went bone dry and the last 15% are drying up quickly.

People are lining up 50+ cars down the road, in the parking lots, down neighborhood streets to get gas. At least half of the people doing this HAVE gas but they are hording it and "topping off" their tanks. While people such as myself, drove around all day with my light on, trying to find gas. Frustration has taken it's toll and there are police officers having to break up fights and trying to keep the peace.

Too many stupid people are alive in this country. That's the God's honest truth. All you morons out there are making it worse. This is just another example of the unintelligent, uninformed ruining it for the rest of us. I will most likely not make go to church tomorrow since I'm afraid I will be stranded on the road with an empty tank. So thank you, Nashvillians. I hope you have a wonderful weekend, sitting home, drinking beer, watching television, while your SUV's sit in your driveway with a full tank of gas.

here/hear

2008-09-18T14:33:00.000-07:00

There are only a few things in life that I really want right now (besides a good job and possibly a girlfriend - although I'm not really sure about that one)

Those things are:

- iMac. I'm rarely on my PC anymore and the iMac is just so darn sexy. As well as a good opportunity to get started on video work.

- My own studio. The coffee shop is nice but I am restricted to the stores hours and possible annoyances that come with a public place. That dream, is more than likely a far ways off. But I hope to reach it some day. (2 years?)

- Tokina 11-16mm wide angle lense. This thing is gorgeous.

I've spent a few combined hours last night and this afternoon looking for new music and I've come across some lovely things.

I will show you two beautiful music videos from some of the artists I've discovered.

Laura Marling

Elbow

DEAR/DEER

2008-09-17T17:54:00.000-07:00

hello

Fall is finally starting to peak through here in Nashville. I've enjoyed the crisp days and cool nights. I look forward to smelling bon fires with burning leaves. This is the greatest time of the year.

In keeping with that enthusiasm, there are a handful of great tunes coming out this month or next.

- Okkervil River/The Stand Ins (Out Now)
- Good Old War/Only Way to Be Alone (Out Now)
- Kings of Leon/Only By the Night (Sept. 23)
- Joshua Radin/Simple times (Sept. 30)
- Dear and the Headlights/Drunk Like Bible Times (Sept. 30)
- Manchester Orchestra/Let My Pride Be What's Left Behind EP (Oct. 14)
- Copeland/You Are My Sunshine (Oct. 14)
- Ray Lamontagne/Gossip in the Grain (Oct. 14)

I feel like I'm forgetting one or two but I can't seem to remember. Either way, I'm real excited for these releases.

creature:fear

2008-09-04T14:03:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my city.

Time for a little openness and honesty.

I hate going to bed at night. To put it frankly, it scares me or makes me uneasy. I'm not 100% sure why. The only reason I can think of is the fact that when I lay down to sleep..that's the time when my mind starts to run. I start thinking about all facets of my life and to be honest...very little of it is good. I usually drift to certain things more than others and it honestly just makes me so uneasy that I force myself to stay awake and hope that I can just fall asleep watching television or a movie so my mind doesn't have the chance to go where it always wants to go. Sleeping pills aren't an option, especially with my current financial state. So every night, it's a fight with my mind. What a terrible way to live. The end of the day should be the time where you lay down, relax and drift off to sleep to prepare yourself for another day. Something is wrong here and to be honest, I'm not sure how to fix it. Even if I did, it wouldn't be a quick one.

Secondly, people (friends/family) to me, have the worst time showing loved ones that they care. In all my life's situations, I've never felt this to be true more than I do now. Everyone is so caught up in themselves and their lives that they piss away the thought of others. I love this city. Nashville has that vibe, culture that makes it a great place to be. But in all honesty, I've never felt more alone than I do now. And basically, no one has given it a second thought. Family members that don't pick up the phone for a quick call to see how you're doing. It's sad. People just "assume" everything is great. And before you think it, I have let on to others the worries and troubles I've been experiencing. It changes nothing.

So theres a peak into my honesty. Welcome. Now go about your day.

Currently: [adventures & reflections]

2008-09-03T11:16:00.000-07:00

Currently:

Listening: Colour Revolt
Drinking: Blackberry/Mate Tea
Thinking: How I'm going to pay my bills, What I'm going to eat
Feeling: Sore from yesterday's adventure
Wishing: I had more work/money
Praying: For people I have on my mind
Hoping: For a change to happen soon

Yesterday, Josh and I packed our lunches, stuffed them in a cooler and headed east. Roughly 1.5 hours away, Burgess Falls awaited. We arrived at 1pm with the sun high in the sky. We ate our lunches (blueberries, carrots, broccoli, cucumbers, peanut butter sandwiches and water) then set off for our adventure. Not 10 feet into the trails a lady informs us that there is a copperhead snake under a rock in close proximity. I am deathly afraid of snakes. So naturally, my excitement for the trails was quickly smashed into bits upon hearing about the poisonous snake, chillin out under a nearby rock. We roughed through it (me praying the whole way) and managed to get through the day without a single snake in sight.

Burgess Falls has some beautiful scenery. God, is truly THE artist above all artists. The waterfalls where quite something to behold. We have video footage, as well as photos I will post later. The rough power of the falls crashing down on the rocks is something that definitely puts your thinking in perspective. You are so tiny and powerless. It's good to be reminded of that sometimes.

When we finally got to the biggest waterfall (I believe it was approx. 185 feet) we saw a group of 3 guys at the bottom in the water. They were starting to climb up the waterfall. We watched them from a cliff and said to ourselves; "This is not going to end well." These kids kept trying to climb higher and higher, flirting with disaster. Once one of the guys reached a platform, roughly 75 feet or so up the waterfall, a buddy tried to get up there as well. We could just feel it in our bodies...this kid is going to fall. We were recording them climbing for a bit and not 30 seconds after I decided to turn off the camera...it happened.

We watched this kid slip and drop about 10 feet, smacking onto another rock platform then had the rushing waters push him over the edge to a much longer drop, smashing his body like a rag doll onto the lowest rock surface. It had to have been at least a 65 foot drop, total. From there he rolled into the water...then, the blood came. We couldn't believe what we had just witnessed. We tried to call 911 but had no service in the canyons. Josh ran down the path to the bottom of the cliff to help. I had to run approximately 1.5-2 miles (mostly uphill) to the parking lot to find someone who could help. Long story short, 20 rescue personnel, 15 vehicles, and 1 helicopter later...he was taken up the cliff trails on a stretcher to be flown to the hospital.

From what we could tell, his jaw was completely broken, he lost a lot of teeth, split open his knee, cut open under his jaw, lost a lot of blood. He also possibly has a head injury and I'm sure some more broken bones.

That, is a day I will never forgot.

I hope the kid is alright. Some people just think they are invincible. Nothing is going to happen to them. They have it under control. Yesterday was a harsh reminder for one kid. We are not in control.

Making a Change in Our Youth

2008-08-26T13:10:00.000-07:00

I know I said I would give you some musical goodies in the next post but I ran across this last night and I just think it's the greatest thing. So I felt compelled to blog about it.

So there is this youth program called Youth in Focus, located in Seattle, Washington. They provide scholarships for teens, 13 - 19 years of age, to attend these photography courses, learning sessions and even entrepreneurial projects.

Their goal is to provide a creative outlet for these struggling young kids. They use photography as the base for that. It seems to have an amazing result, as I have looked through the gallery and found some pretty great photographs. It's not just a place to teach them how to be photographers, but also to "prepare themselves for successful lives". Our youth is being tainted by a lump sum of garbage out there. A lot of kids grow up thinking that this certain lifestyle they were born into is the only chance they have. I just really think this is a great program and I wish it wasn't so far away. I would love to be a part of something like this.

Watch the video. These kids have a great future ahead of them. And no doubt, it's because of people like the ones in Youth in Focus.

He made the world a grassy road before our bare, wandering feet.

2008-08-25T14:37:00.000-07:00

I have been struggling a lot lately with designing. I have to believe it is from the stress of moving to a new city, being unable to find a job, not having any friends, being so financially unstable, as well as other personal reasons. Thats enough to make any graphic designer a little out of it, right? If not, then I guess I don't know what the reason is. However, today, when most people have a "case of the Mondays", I figured I would try to get back in touch with just enjoying life. I've been at the coffee shop for a good 4 hours now and instead of pointless meandering on the world wide web, I decided to get back to working on The Sleeping Collective site. And praise God...progress!! It's not finished...but it feels really good to get more of it done.

I am still at no steady beginning for my friends photography website. I think I've just been thinking about it too much and trying too hard to get something going. I'm praying something will come soon. She's relying on me.

I think a good contribution to my outlook on designing today has been from the musical accompaniment of mewithoutYou. They are poetry to the pollution that fills the radio. I hope they never stop making music. Speaking of music, I've got a few more goodies to share with you. Next post, you better believe it.

This picture is awesome.

2008-08-21T22:26:00.000-07:00

I think I should look into taking Zoloft.

[holding off tidal waves]

2008-08-16T13:57:00.000-07:00

I hope this little design rut ends soon. Stress from everyday life can really put a damper on your creativity. Financial problems, lack of communication with friends, lack of friends in a new area, lack of church community...all these things need to chance.

> I've never filled out so many job applications in my life.
> I've never had money be such a roadblock from allowing my business to expand.

We are working on our first full website since we have started The Sleeping Collective. Our photographer friend, Chelsea from Utah has asked us to design her website for her. I have to give Josh almost all the credit for the design and code. He really took charge of this site and I think the results are great. As for me, I'm working on getting our TSC website design finished. But once we are done with Chelsea's site, we are working on another photography site. Hopefully after that we can get our site up and running.

If anyone wants to donate money to help us buy this beauty here so we can start doing video/video editing. That would be splendid. :)

Don't you break my heart again...

2008-08-04T23:09:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have been asking about the book I will be writing

"love as liars"

As far as what it will be about...It's about personal relationships involving "love" and my point of view on things pertaining to it.

It won't be out for a while, but it will be started this week.

i present to you..

2008-08-01T22:51:00.000-07:00

I finally decided that I am going to write me a book.

love as liars

stay tuned, i guess.

the audacity of... Obama

2008-07-31T20:30:00.000-07:00

I've read and listened to multiple things around Obama and the more I do, the more I am dumbfounded that so many people think this is such a great man. As if having his body guards or whoever, telling a friend of mine (who works for the University of Toledo) to remove the American Flag from behind the pedestal where Obama stood to speak at the University of Toledo wasn't enough reason for me to think this guy is a total douche..the more I find out about him, the more I am disgusted.

__________________

After going to Harvard Law School, Obama returned to Chicago, where he briefly headed a voter registration drive and then became a lawyer. While Obama’s campaign has touted him as a civil rights lawyer, “Over the nine years that Obama’s law license was active in Illinois, he never handled a trial and mostly worked in teams of lawyers who drew up briefs and contracts in a variety of cases,” according to David Mendell’s “Obama: From Promise To Power.”

A review of the cases Obama worked on during his brief legal career “shows he played the strong, silent type in court, introducing himself and his client, then stepping aside to let other lawyers do the talking,” the Chicago Sun-Times has reported.

“A search of all the cases in Cook County Circuit Court in which Obama made an appearance since he graduated from Harvard in 1991 shows: zero,” the article said.

Instead, his practice was “confined mainly to federal court in Chicago, where he made formal appearances in only five district court cases and another five in cases before the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals — a total of 10 cases in his legal career,” the paper said.

If Obama had virtually no impact as either a community organizer or as a lawyer, he was even more invisible in the state Senate and later in the U.S. Senate.

In both bodies, Obama had a reputation for voting “present,” thus avoiding controversial decisions that could be used against him later. In the U.S. Senate, he has missed more than one in five votes.

Only one of the measures Obama has sponsored as a U.S. senator was enacted: a bill to “promote relief, security, and democracy in the Democratic Republic of Congo.”

Contrary to Obama’s portrayal of himself as a unifier, on every bipartisan effort in the Senate to forge compromises on tough issues, Obama has been missing in action.

In sum, it would be difficult to imagine a more mediocre record. Most candidates for dog catcher have contributed more to society. Yet with the help of adoring reporters, Obama has managed to parlay extraordinary speaking and political skills into a presidential campaign built on sand.

The idea that America might entrust its security and future to someone who has never demonstrated an ability to get anything of significance done is scary.

__________________

I could post more. Maybe I will later. Although, I feel like it's a waste of time because people will continue to make excuses for this man. The man who "doesn't agree" with the views of his (racist) pastor. However, he's been going to that church for 20+ years, had the man perform Obama's marriage ceremony, as well as admitting that Reverend Wright was his inspiration for his book, "The Audacity of Hope". And if he honestly doesn't agree with the what Mr. Wright says and believes...then would he continue to go there? Or better yet..why not have the "audacity" to stand up and say something about it?

And don't even get me started on the newest talk about Ludacris and Obama...haha.

I couldn't resist posting this either.

There you have it folks. The answer to all our energy problems!

Welcome to Bready & Company...What can I get for you?

2008-07-26T14:04:00.000-07:00

Nothing makes you feel more like a college graduate than filling out an online application to work at Bread & Company. Especially when you have such in depth questions to answer in your 35 minute application.

Examples:

"Sara loves to go hiking. This week she hiked 3 miles on Monday, 4 miles on Tuesday, and 3 miles on Thursday. Last week Sara hiked 8 miles. How many more miles did Sara hike this week than last week?"

or

"Joe is preparing 18 hot dogs for his party. However, Joe only has 12 hot dog buns. How many more hot dog buns does Joe need?"

*sigh*

the Nashville [scene]

2008-07-17T10:01:00.000-07:00

Nashville is Music City. Just like aspiring actors go to Hollywood or NYC to make it big. Musical beauty is found Nashville or Nashvegas as some like to call it. In just being here a week I've already stumbled across a handful of amazing musicians. I had the privilege of seeing three of them perform this past Saturday. Peter Barbee, Tyler James and the wonderful Paper Route played together Saturday night for the new Paper Route EP release show.

There is something special about seeing these local musicians perform. It's such a different experience than what most shows seem to be all about. I'll go to an extreme here but for example: A band like The All-American Rejects play in front of huge crowds, mainly comprised of teenage girls recently discovering their lady parts blooming and are oh so eager to display there new found gems to that dirty heartthrob Tyson Ritter. Meanwhile, the band belts out their catchy shallow pop tunes and rack in the cash. On the other end of spectrum, there is a band like Paper Route. They are a group of late twenty-somethings full of passion and integrity, barely making it to play in front of a few hundred people who are probably just as broke as they are. Yet there is a freedom that they have that bands like AAR or [insert newest fad band here] seem to lack. I can't speak for them but I'm sure it has something to do what you were born to do and doing it with integrity, passion and honesty.

Now I'm not picking on AAR or bands like them. Lord knows we all enjoy a little shallow pop music now and again. But when it all comes down to it, I would have to think that a hard earned career that may never get you to the top of the charts and may never buy you that Lexus has got to be more gratifying than just being a bunch of lookers who play music for all the teeny-boppers that pay for their million dollar homes. But then again, I guess it all comes down to your perception of success.

At any rate, I'd just to encourage you to explore the music that is outside your favorite radio station. There is a plethora of beautiful artists out there who have little to no recognition that deserve a moment of your time. If you're one of those people who enjoy hearing new music but just never know where to find it..I'll help you out with a list of some local musicians here in Nashville that are definitely "ear worthy" and heck..I'll even throw in a music video. The song itself is worth hearing even if you think the video may be a bit boring.

Artists to check out

Kate York

k.s. Rhoads

Peter Barbee

Trent Dabbs

Griffin House

There is a few to get you started. I'll be sure to pop a new artist up every now and then. Just keep checking in and let me know if you fall in love with any of these great people just as I have.

k.s. Rhoads
Enjoy the video:

Armies Cannot Stop an Idea Who's Time Has Come

2008-07-15T14:55:00.000-07:00

I have yet to post a blog about politics because they usually just get me upset. I've been wanting to keep my blogs on lighter situations and steer clear of the animosity that politics bring forth. Also, there's always plenty of other people out there who are so eager to share their "wisdom". But the blatant disregard for anything else that isn't Barack Obama or John McCain is seriously starting to piss me off.

To be clear on my views of the two choices (to me is a lesser of two evils) I am not voting for either of them. Obama talks a lot of talk about "change". That's his big talk but he is never really clear on what he plans to do. He claims to wear his patriotism in his heart but theres a dark circle over that heart that many Americans seems to be oblivious to or blatantly ignore. McCain is a joke who also chooses to say whatever he thinks people want to here. They are both untrustworthy. They are both wolves in sheep's clothing. The campaign is now just a 4th grade recess session where two teams face each other, and have the team captains shout out insults back and forth while the teammates grumble and cheer in the background.

But back to my initial intentions for the post.

Media Ignores Ron Paul March for Liberty.
"Thousands of people marched peacefully in Washington D.C. on Saturday, to honor Texas Congressman Ron Paul’s campaign for liberty, yet the mainstream media uniformly failed to issue a single written report on the event in its aftermath.

The goal of the event was to organize a peaceful, non-violent march on the streets of Washington D.C. followed by a rally outside the Capitol building in support of restoring constitutional government as the founding fathers set forth.

In light of this, the event was a resounding success, as it went off without a hitch and also saw thousands of dollars raised towards the Ron Paul Campaign for Liberty.
It is estimated that around 2500 people attended the rally. Some have expressed disappointment that there were not 15,000 plus at the event, given that number had pledged to attend on the campaign for liberty website.

However, the day was extremely hot and many were seen camping out on the outskirts of the rally area in the shade. Some bloggers have suggested that as many as 8000 people in total attended the event.

These numbers were seemingly not significant enough for the corporate controlled media to pay any attention to the event. A loan blog entry from the Chicago Tribune is about the sum of the written coverage the freedom rally attracted.

Meanwhile, in what was clearly a gross distortion of the truth, CNN ran a short report which stated that Ron Paul addressed only 500 to 800 people."
http://www.infowars.com/?p=3352&cp=all

This is just the most recent of multiple times where the media has denied coverage of anything to do with Ron Paul. This doesn't surprise me as much as it just makes me angry. Angry for the lack of attention to Ron Paul's campaign from all those "fair and balanced" news stations out there. The Government is so warped and to put it blatantly, evil. They honestly do not care about its people, the country or the constitution that we were founded on. And you know what else? Most of Americans don't either. I love the argument that "Ron Paul has a good message but doesn't stand a chance". Ever stop to think that even if he "doesn't stand a chance" if you supported the movement that you believed in and everyone else actually did the same thing instead of the playing along with the media and the jackasses running for president of this once great country, you could actually make a change? A change from this garbage back to where the Founding Fathers built our nation on. Not the "change" that Obama is talking about. And certainly not the ideas that McCain is talking about.

if you ever make it back to [nashville]

2008-07-09T09:32:00.000-07:00

And the day has finally come. I am now a Nashville resident. We have our first place. We will be getting internet and all that jazz as soon as Friday. For now, I will be coming to Portland Brew for my morning connection with the world from a screen. It still doesn't completely feel like "home" yet. Our place is a bit of a mess. We have been going non-stop since we arrived Sunday evening. The furniture search hasn't gone quite as well as I had hoped but it's getting there. So far we have a dining room table and chairs and one sitting chair. All the thrift stores around here are pretty junky. Craigslist got us the table. I found a nice table I want for my desk but the tool actually wants $90 for it. I offered $60 and it was a no-go. So I will keep looking. We also don't have beds yet. For now, an air mattress for me and a layer of comforters for Josh (I think I'm lucking out on that deal).

We are looking at alternative methods for household items. For instance, instead of buying a rack of some sort to store things in, we got some pine wood cut at Lowes and stained them. We spent about a total of $80 on the lumber, stain, brushes, screws and shelving brackets. It make me a little annoyed at the cost but it is still cheaper than almost everything we looked at (plus it's dark cherry stained and it's one of a kind). These shelves will be put in our kitchen, bathroom, laundry room closet and also a bookshelf for our living room.

We have so much to do once we finally settle in. Before I left I did an engagement shoot for one of my good friends and then shot a wedding. Needless to say, we have over a thousand images to go through. On top of that, we have two photographer sites to get working on. As well as a new look/upgrade for our freelance myspace, our actual website and the unveiling of the new clothing company. On top of that I have to find a part time job, get my new license and plates, open a bank account (maybe two), the list goes on. We still don't have desks for our computers yet either.

But all of that aside, there is one thing that makes me oh so excited and happy...

I will be there.

I couldn't think of a better way to welcome me to the city.

sharing smiles. moving mountains.

2008-06-29T15:09:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting in a Panera on this sun sparked dreary Sunday afternoon. To my right is a beautiful little girl who is enjoying a late lunch with her mother and grandmother. She is all smiles, hugs, and kisses. She also has hearing aids in her ears. This beautiful little girl, with the cutest smile you could ever see, needs technology to help her enjoy the simplest, yet incredibly profound thing. As I take glances over at her, I'm wondering if she realizes what exactly it is that her mother puts into her ears every morning and what exactly it is doing for her. "Come on, mom." she says as they left. While I'm sitting here, thinking about these things, I am listening to music through my earphones. Music plays such a vital role in my life as I'm sure it does yours (as well as the ability to hear without some sort of mechanical attachment). I wonder, as she grows up, if she will have resentment towards God for her hearing or if she will be such an encouragement to others and bring a glimpse of sunshine to their day, as she has mine.

I guess I'm not really sure what I'm trying to say here except that we "normal" people, without any severe ailments, can so easily take the simplest of things in our lives and on our bodies for granted. I truly am blessed. So are you.

don't lose sight of yourself. (jumping around in topics today)

2008-06-24T13:50:00.000-07:00

There has yet again been a blogging drought in my life. I've been so frazzled lately with everything. Between trying to find a place to life in Nashville, finishing up album artwork for clients, trying to get more clients, figuring out the best lenses to buy and preparing myself for only my third wedding come this July 5th, I've found little time to post. I confess, I have been meaning to do a more thoughtful (serious) post due to the books I've read or am currently reading. I really want to sit down and "spill the ink from my pen" but I just haven't had the time to give it the attention it deserves. But soon enough I will give my thoughts to this page about the book "Sex God" by Rob Bell. I have been hearing a lot of messages about sex/love/relationships lately. More than I would actually prefer to hear at this point and time in my life due to just feeling uneasy about it. But for some reason or another it is coming up much more frequently and it's making me want to pry into the topic more. But like I said, I will give a much more devoted post to that in the not too distant future.

In other news, I've been trying to sort through my folders on my computer and get my music more organized. Although, I'm sure if you could see my music you would say that it is already quite organized but I am sort of anal about things like that. As well as my photos. So I've slowly been sifting through those things and making a more efficient setup. Here are a few photos of some recent shots I've taken. Nothing too amazing but I have been getting new equipment piece by piece.

The colors are slightly off due to the fact that the originals get crapped on once you upload them. Therefore, I have to oversaturate them to try to get the original as close as possible. It is quite frustrating to say the least.

Nathan

Jolie

Another random topic I'd like to touch on is littering; specifically cigarette butts. Honestly, this is the most annoying thing to me. I literally get pissed off when I see some jackass flicking his cigarette out the window of his car. And it is getting to the point where I am very close to getting out of my car picking it up and throwing it back into their car. How is it that people so blatantly litter and it isn't really thought about. Yes, I know there are bigger problems out there. But just because it isn't deemed as a big problem to most people doesn't mean it should be ignored. I hate littering is all senses. I am just pointing out cigarette butts because that seems to be the most prevalent form of littering.

"It is estimated that several trillion cigarette butts are littered worldwide every year. That's billions of cigarettes flicked, one at a time, on our sidewalks, beaches, nature trails, gardens, and other public places every single day. In fact, cigarettes are the most littered item in America and the world. Cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate tow, NOT COTTON, and they can take decades to degrade. Not only does cigarette litter ruin even the most picturesque setting, but the toxic residue in cigarette filters is damaging to the environment, and littered butts cause numerous fires every year, some of them fatal."

If you litter....you already suck, in my book. And yes, that is a big deal.

you played your songs and you danced your dance

2008-06-06T13:48:00.000-07:00

So I'm sure there are some people out there who have seen the new sigur ros video. I thought it was quick entertaining and well...exposed. If you haven't seen it, take a look... *WARNING* Quite a lot of nudity is involved in this video, so if you're stomach isn't set for lots of..."flopping around", maybe you shouldn't click on the image. :)

Lately, I've been giving and receiving "mix tapes" (obviously cd's...but cmon..."mixtapes" are classic) Anyway, I've come to really enjoy and appreciate the sincere, thoughtful process that goes into making someone a mix tape. There is something about it that gives a peek into someones life while exposing a bit of yours. Some may be thinking...oh please..it's just a mix tape. And although that is true...music is a powerful thing and the types of music that you share with others, expose a piece of yourself; whether good or bad. All I'm saying is, it's a cool experience to share with someone. Maybe you should give a friend a mix tape. Make their day, week, life. :)

The time till I move to Nashville is quickly approaching. And as I sit here in this old familiar coffee shop, taking glances at the Asian man sitting in the oversized brown, leather chair, drifting in and out of sleep...I know I will miss this place. We still haven't found a place to live...but I'm not stressing out about it...yet. I look forward to the new experiences, opportunities and everything that follows along with it.

so many miles in between

2008-05-27T16:09:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted a blog. I apologize to all my avid readers out there (ha...ha) But I have been going non-stop for a few weeks now. And after being back for almost a week, I finally made time for myself to just sit at my familiar coffee place and just relax. I just recently got back from driving to Nashville, TN and then heading to Raleigh, NC from there. Since my return, late Wednesday night I've been busy packing and pitching all my stuff. For those of you who don't know...I'm moving to Nashville at the end of June. And thanks to the raping at the gas pump...I am not able to afford a moving truck. This means...no bed, no dresser, no tv, no couch. I will be packing as much as I can in my Scion but none of the previously mentioned items will be able to come along with me. So Josh and I will be roughing it for a while. I'm hoping to eventually get at least my couch down there. It was my grandpa's couch and I'm absolutely in love with it.

Upon my travels to Nashville and Raleigh, I came across interesting sites and had a few chances to take some pretty neat shots with my polaroid. I will unveil my favorite shot of the trip below. This was a shot of the very first Krispy Kreme doughnut shop and I thought the best way to capture the feel of the place was to use a polaroid...who would have thought?

Nashville, abandoned cemetery church.

I'm giving in and finally getting a flickr account. I will upload all the shots from my trip there and once I do that I will provide a link for you to check out the photos at your own convenience. I will probably be MIA for a few days since tomorrow I will be moving all the big stuff to my parents house and the days that follow will be filled with getting stuff ready for my momentary stay at my parents house until the big move. I'm behind on design work and especially with an album ep design for a band that was wanting it completed by now. So hopefully this weekend I can get caught up.

Currently Enjoying:

i'm not a filmstar beauty... i sent a photograph.

2008-05-12T13:27:00.000-07:00

The band from New Jersey drive down to hang out this weekend. We had a good time. We got to know each other, go over ideas and get a feel for what they want as far as designs go. These are good guys and I'm glad they made the trek out to visit. I'm looking forward to the ideas that I have for them to finally get set into motion.

I sent them back to Jersey with "she loves me not" shirts and they plan on promoting us like crazy. Good things are sure to come. I can feel it. I'm hoping to get 2 new shirts printed soon...at least one this week.

Nobody Lost, Nobody Found

2008-05-07T13:37:00.000-07:00

It's a rainy day here in Toledo, Ohio; the perfect time to be in a coffee shop. Apparently everyone else thought so as well. I arrived at my usual place to see a lot of people inside. I usually have the standard spot where sit and drink the usual. But today my usual spots where taken and I had to sit in the back on one of those "booth seats". It sucked, but the rush has died down and I'm back to my usual spot.

So I have a few rants today. First off, I had to get gas today...at 3.79 a gallon. I love my car and the fact that I can get pretty good gas mileage out of it. But this is getting ridiculous. Sadly, we all know it's only going to get worse. Everyone says "invest in high mileage cars" yeah..thats all fine and good and I get 30/34 miles per gallon but having to pay $305 a month for car payments...kind of defeats the purpose. I want to go visit friends who just moved to Chicago but since I have no job and I have to drive to Nashville next week and hopefully plan on moving there at the end of June, I really cannot afford it. It pisses me off that GAS..of all things plays a factor in being able to do or not do things.

The second rant, which after talking about the first one makes me just want to touch on it slightly...I'm pretty sure it doesn't need a lot to be said about it anyway. But on my myspace homepage today, there was a "sponsored link". This is typical on myspace but this was the first time I had seen this one. It was a link titled "Date Married Women" and the underlying description said "Married women and men looking to have an affair." ARE YOU KIDDING ME? That pisses me off more than the gas prices. There are so many reasons why this makes me upset...but I think you can probably imagine why. The lack of commitment to relationships, marriage, trust, honesty, etc.... is disgusting. People don't take marriage/relationship seriously anymore. They use them to see what they can get out of them and once they are bored they move on. Either breaking up or cheating. It makes me sick.

Ok, on a happier note. I present to you...

Photo of the day

These are really cool. I want one someday.

i can only pray it falls beneath your feet...

2008-05-02T15:44:00.000-07:00

So Wednesday evening I took some photos at Toledo University for some friends of mine. While we were there, a group of people were in the yard. Now this was no ordinary group of people. They are apparently in some sort of "club", where they fight each other with foam weapons and shields. It's very comical, if you ask me. I couldn't stop watching them. Someone came up to us while we were there watching, commenting, laughing and taking pictures. He wanted to tell us all about it and how in a month or so they will be going to this big convention where they will "storm the castle". I had to contain myself once he said that. He was very nice and even asked if we wanted to join in; We politely declined.

Last night, my friend Liz and I drove up to Detroit to see Vedera play with The Myriad and Eisely. However, since there is construction on 75 (shocker) the detour screwed us all up and we got lost and missed the entire Vedera set and most of The Myriads set. The tickets cost $24 total, then add $35 for gas and then $27 for two Vedera shirts, $5 to some bum who was selling stuff (i felt bad for once), and $6 for food. It turned out to quite an expensive night and we didn't even see the only band I cared about seeing that night. But there is good news my friends.

I would say that I am friends with Vedera (seen them lots of times, i've been "put on the list" before, etc..) so when they were at their merch table I went up and said "Hello". I haven't seen them in over a year and they still remembered me, which is huge for a band who tours and sees new faces everyday. Anyway, we got to catching up and I told them about my freelance company and my shirts. I brought some shirts to give them in hopes of letting me be a sponsor. They liked the shirts and I said I would love to do design work for them in any capacity that I can. Brian was all for it and said they were looking for a new designer. So I gave them my card and we are going to talk about getting some things done. Which is SUPER exciting. Not to mention the fact that they just got signed to Epic records. Great things can come from this. Just the fact that I could be doing design work for one of my all time favorite bands is amazing enough for me.

click on the photo and listen to their tunes!

three cheers for the underdog

2008-04-29T11:15:00.000-07:00

I normally don't listen to a lot of powerpop/rock bands but I have a few guilty pleasures and theres always some certain time where the shallow lyrical content and bouncy music just fits. Well today the album Underdog Alma Mater by Forever the Sickest Kids came out and it's pretty crazy catchy and I have to admit, I rather enjoy it. So if that pop/rock style is your thing...I'm sure you will love this album. Also, Augustana had their sophomore release come out today "Can't Love, Can't Hurt" I haven't listened to it just yet, but I love their single, "Sweet and Low". That'll be my next listen once this album is done.

Even though Spring is finally here, we have been getting a few chilly days here lately. I'm personally a fan of cooler weather so I'm not complaining. However, I keep getting these ridiculous sized slugs appearing in my kitchen. I'm talking, huge, leapard print type slugs...

Where are they coming from!?

More artists are contacting me wanting us to do design work for them. So it's exciting...things are just coming along more and more. The initial Nashville with the band move was flatlined but Josh is highly considering moving with me in late June/early July. So that still seems promising. Time will tell....

Yesterday, while I was at the coffee shop (like I am now) a man sat near me and noticed I was reading Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. He mentioned how he thought that was such a good book and how he's read all of this books. I smiled and responded the same. We both admitted to not being huge book readers (although, I'm becoming more of a fan) but we just can't stop reading his books. This is my second time reading through Blue Like Jazz and I had forgotten parts about it that are a pleasant surprise. We both talked about our excitement for his new book. It's just cool to have something like a book sitting on a table be able to strike up conversation with a random stranger.

deciphering reflections from reality.

2008-04-23T13:10:00.000-07:00

Well the shirts have been around for a few weeks now and the girls shirts are selling pretty well. However, the guys are not doing so hot. Hopefully that will change. I'm working on getting the new design up and ready for print for the second round of shirts. We are getting more business coming our way which is great. I just need it to keep coming so I can make that move to nashville.

go HERE to look at the merch store.

I better post will be coming soon, promise. :)

into my hideout

2008-04-15T13:09:00.000-07:00

Whenever I am having a lonely, crappy day, it seems to be better when I go to the coffee shop. I have intentions of getting things done but once I'm actually here, it seems like all I do is browse sites and people watch. And then when I get in the mood to get something accomplished design-wise, I'm always lacking something I need in order to make it happen. Whether it be an image I need or the fact that I need to take some pictures, or simply just information that was left back at my apartment. So here I am again, wanting to "pretty up" the new merch store but I first need to take new pictures. It's always something...

In the meantime, I will sit here thinking about the things that I need to accomplish once I leave here. I will allow radiohead to serenade me and blogspots to inspire me. I'm considering pulling more money out of my savings and ordering the new round of shirts instead of waiting to sell all my first shipment. I really want to get a little more variety out there. Not to mention it's quite frustrating to have designs sitting here that can't be used because I have no income.

As I'm sure most of you know, Juno came out on DVD today. I have yet to watch it but I hear it's all the rave among white people. But that isn't the only movie that came out. Lars and the Real Girl also came out today and that I have seen. It's a very enjoyable movie that I suggest you watch. Ryan Gosling is the lead role and I like most of his movies and considering the countless times people have said I look like him in one photo or another, I guess I'm biased.

Photo of the Day

lick and seal, then fold in two.

2008-04-10T08:12:00.001-07:00

Haven't been on here in a bit. Haven't been in the mood to write anything to be honest.

But today is a good day and hopefully the rest of the days that follow at least until Tuesday will be good. My friend from college is flying in to Detroit today and as soon as I'm done here I will be heading off to the airport to pick him up. I hate going to the airport..for different reasons that I won't discuss here. But I'm really looking forward to his visit. I'm hoping to get a lot accomplished while he's here and I'm sure there will be pictures and at least one video. So stay tuned for that goodness.

On a side note my "she(he)loves me not" shirts came in on Tuesday. I will hopefully have the store up by tonight and you can order them from there if you like. They are pretty sweet and I've already sold a handful of them and haven't even put them up for sale yet. Hopefully that trend continues and they sell really well. The sooner these sell the sooner I can order my new designs. I've got two in the works as we speak.

print of the day

this is how it goes...

2008-04-05T10:37:00.000-07:00

It's a beautiful day. I want to get my dog from my parents house and go to the park with someone. But of course, there is no one. I'll just go wash my car.

happy saturday.

elephants & castles

2008-04-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

The weather is starting to get much better. It's going to be in the 50's all week. I know some of you may be thinking that the 50's is quite cold. That just proves that you don't live up north. It is actually quite nice. Of course, I'm a huge fan of wearing jackets and scarfs. So it's almost perfect weather...I'm going for about 65 degrees.

So yesterday I finally got all my tax papers finished and sent in. I made an error and had to fill out amended forms. Also, since I lived in two different states last year, I needed to file part-time residency forms as well. I think I did a total of 5 forms. It just feels good to get it all done and over with. A huge weight off my back.

The shipment of my first line of t-shirt designs will be arriving no later than next week. They are just waiting on the american apparel shirts to arrive from california. So hopefully by the end of next week I will have shirts to sell to all you lovelies.

While I was out yesterday I stopped into Goodwill. I've been looking for a cool duffel bag of some sort for when I go on my random road trips. (I currently have been putting my clothes into things like grocery bags.) While I was there I found an awesome bag (not sure what it's original usage was) but I have turned it into my new camera bag. I've wanted a bigger camera bag but one that also looks pretty spiffy. This bag was in mint condition and is such a cool color of green. And the best part is, it was only $5. So even though I didn't find my duffel bag, I still found a great new camera bag.

Item of the day

Print of the day

I just absolutely love this print. I wish I still had the link to his work. He has done a little series of prints just like this one. They are all quite beautiful.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Tuesday. The last season of That 70's Show came out on DVD today. I can't afford to buy it, so if someone is feeling generous... :)

it's all in how you see it

2008-03-29T20:29:00.000-07:00

i've never been so frustrated with taxes before. we all hate doing them...thats a given. but this year has been exceptionally bad. taxes suck. march is nearly over. soon april turned may turned june..turned nashville.

i made a video. it's a quick little tour of my apartment. i was bored. it seemed kinda fun. enjoy.

keep your eyes ahead

2008-03-28T19:51:00.000-07:00

this is what i want. buy him for me.

everyone's got something they're running out of

2008-03-26T17:47:00.000-07:00

today was a pretty productive day. i woke up, had some coffee and a grapefruit. sat down, wrote up the days "to do list". i've decided to start making these lists to set goals to achieve for the day...i feel if i don't set goals, i tend to just get side-tracked and get nothing substantial accomplished all day. so i made my list and checked it twice and to be honest, it felt really good to be able to cross each thing off the list as i went along. i am proud to say that i got everything on the list crossed off. i was on a role until about 1:30 and then i got side-tracked and never really was able to get myself back together fully. i came across some new tunes and thats always a good time. the weather was nice today as well...the sun came out to say hello; so i said, "hello" back.

i've completed my first pillow design. i will be putting that up tomorrow for your curious eyes to see. also, after many complications with shirt colors and image sizes, i think it's safe to say that my first set of "the sleeping collective" t-shirts are getting prepped for print. i should have those ready for sale by the third week in april. i'm pretty excited for them, not gonna lie. today was nice and hopefully tomorrow will be better.

i count the freckles on her face...

2008-03-23T13:51:00.000-07:00

- tax returns are evil.

- some people can just never be trusted.

- fastfood is gross and oh so bad for you.

- music helps me get through.

- God helps me get through.

- this year is a year of new beginnings. new adventures. new loves.

i prefer the one on the left.

let's cause a scene...

2008-03-21T18:58:00.000-07:00

clap our hands and stop our feet.

It's the second day of spring....and we have snow falling.

I will be ordering my first shipment of t-shirts Monday. I would have had them finished today but I stumbled upon a website that has a ton of free movies and tv shows you can watch. So instead of waiting until Tuesday to rent the movie Wristcutters: A Love Story I watched it on my computer. Next up will be Lars and the Real Girl. Then Juno.

I hope to be productive this weekend. More importantly, I hope to be productive this upcoming week. But for now, my "To Do List" is short and to the point. I don't think I'll have too much trouble with it.

everyone gets a star

2008-03-18T12:09:00.000-07:00

about a week ago a friend of mine left a comment that only said "you inspire me". that is one of the biggest compliments and feelings of achievements that anyone can ever give me. she may not know this, but she actually inspires me. even with just her words. i enjoy being updated on her life and the things she is doing or the beauty she is creating. her life, is an inspiration to me and mine.

with that said, i recently just finished designing someones myspace header for their new music project that is soon to come out. hop over there real quick to see my design. i'm pretty proud of it. even though i charged way way less than i should have for it.

it is so hard to decide how much you should charge for the work that you do. i'm finding it more and more of a challenge with each project i take on. today, i am hoping to make a set price list for my work. there are a lot of cheap pockets out there expecting good work to be done at such a cheap price. it's just not right.

i've started to branch out in my art world and have recently decided to start taking up sewing. i'm in the beginning stages of making my first pillow. i'm pretty excited about that. i've already started designing things for shirts but i don't want to stop there. pictures will be uploaded as soon as the pillow is completed.

i have other news as well, but this post is long enough for one day.

i will leave you with this.

good to know that if i ever needed attention, all i have to do is die.

2008-03-09T18:24:00.000-07:00

I'm sick of people fitting me into their schedule when they have nothing else to do. I could use "for examples" but it's not worth my time. I think the first sentence is all the explanation I need.

I'm sick of being second best, second choice, second thoughts.

I never felt alone, until I met you. I'm alright on my own and then I met you. Congratulations...I'm sorry.

tonight, before you were sleeping...

2008-03-07T18:47:00.000-08:00

i move onto another day.

tonight i was at my friends wedding rehearsal. i'm in the wedding. it's kinda fun. but it's definitely not my first one. at least this time i don't have to make a toast.

this is a quick post because the snow is coming down hard and i think i'm going to go outside and take pictures under streetlights.

i don't have much money but i bought this pillow today anyway. i loved it and it's always good to support fellow artists. i'd rather give them my money than big corporations.

well that is that, and this is this.

let me live long in love

2008-03-04T07:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I didn't get all I wanted to get done, done. Go figure. But I did get a good chunk of the Eric MacDonald (myspace) design done. So I'm planning on finishing that up here today. I also got my computer room cleaned and for the most part where I wanted it. I got my two prints I'm sending to an art gallery in New Mexico printed and I'll be sending them tomorrow. I also have to make a sort of bio about myself to send there as well.

I came across this author yesterday. She writes these books that are like journal entries with beautiful illustrations and the typography in them..ugh, I just love it. I want to pick one up but of course, wonderful Barnes & Noble doesn't have them in stock. (shocker)

But you can check them out on amazon with the "search inside" option. She has a few of them out..they all are very cool.

well...alright.

2008-03-03T09:47:00.000-08:00

It's 12:30 in the afternoon and I still haven't gotten dressed for the day. Every time I try to get things started I always find myself side-tracked by blogs. I'm constantly checking music blogs, design blogs, myspace, etc...and soon enough an hour has passed and I haven't done anything yet. It's not like I don't have things to do and since I'm working only one day a week, it's not like I don't have time to get things done.

Today my goals are: Make business proposal for client in California, Make invoice for client here in town, Make logo design for youth group out in New Mexico. (logo designs are my biggest enemy) Start design for clients webpage (myspace) On top of that I would like to get my other design done that I've been working on. I need to get more of my design work up on my page. I have a few unfinished pieces that I just need to buckle down and do. I also need to finish "redoing" my office. I started yesterday by moving some things around..I did a painting (typography painting) that turned out pretty sweet. I also added a coarkboard that I painted and will be putting up lots of things that inspire me.

And with my blogging, I came across some amazing handmade things:

They are made out of cloth and vintage ties. How cool is that!? Business card holder and wallet.

keep looking up

2008-02-28T12:12:00.000-08:00

I'm looking at my calendar on my wall with dates highlighted. These dates are highlighted with reminder of bills that need to be paid. Rent, Loans, Car Payment, Energy Bill, Cell Phone, Life/Renters Insurance, Internet. Sometimes it makes me wonder how people really enjoy life. Working for the next paycheck to pay the next bill to live the next month. It's more stressful on a person who is currently only working one day a week. That would be me. God is taking care of me though. I know this. I know good things are happening, even if I don't see them yet.

Anyone who knows me knows how I always talk about Nashville and how much I want to move there. Well it looks like I may be moving there this summer. I don't want to jump the gun yet, but the band I'm working with just got back from doing some writing and demos and the producer wants them back real soon and really wants to get working on putting out an album. This means they will more than likely be moving there. And I will be sure to follow. This also means, new design work for me. Making a myspace for them, getting a photoshoot done, promoting them, etc... it's exciting.

This could be my home in roughly 4 months.

This also means once I get myself settled I can buy some things I need and want. Here are two pictures of "wants" :

we always rewind the best part

2008-02-22T22:28:00.000-08:00

I was cleaning out my office and was flipping through old books. I found those leaves you left from that day, pressed between the pages. With it, were memories. With it, were plans of futures. With it, were bold realities. Bold enough to scream in my face, the truth.

I hope all your dreams come true and I will be renewed and I won't waste my time anymore. I finally put a lock on our closed door and you will not break through. and we'll try to put smiles on our face I see I was the quickest to replace our lost and broken love

the camera catches all. (it's over now)

2008-02-22T21:18:00.000-08:00

myspace.com/starsoftrackandfield

very good band. definitely worth a listen.

we need hints. (to know we're on the right track)

2008-02-20T17:12:00.001-08:00

sometimes I wonder if people will regret the choices that they have made.
..sometimes I hope they do.

I can't wait to see what this year has in store for me. There is great potential for my work to be
put up in galleries in New Mexico. That alone, is such an exciting thought.

I have some new designs I'm working on that I'm pretty excited about. I also have some art that
I cant wait to get started on once the weather gets warmer. I'm sick of the cold, especially the wind.

It's funny how things never work out quite the way we plan. I thank God for that. Thank God I'm not the final say.

A more indepth post is sure to come here soon.

.rootless tree - i did love you. i loved you...

2008-01-16T16:47:00.001-08:00

a talented friend of mine wrote a poem for me...about me..

she entitled it:

"Her Poem"

oh, I hate you
and that's how i know i loved you.
you hurt like a hurt i'd never know
until the day i loved you so.

did i take your hand and squeeze too tight?
did we plan too much for a life so bright?
Did we talk too long, too late in the night?

But that's how I know what once was real
For when he came he knew just what to steal
He took your heart so far from me
He took it too far and buried it too deep

Were you not strong enough to take my grip?
Was our future too heavy to hold on your hips?
Was your mind not strong enough to follow my lips?

But I truly hate you
and that's how i know loved you so
You hurt like a hurt I'd never know
Until i saw you letting me go

What was love?
Was love too much?
It wasn't your kiss, it wasn't your touch
those weren't enough to make me love you this much

It was simple, it was simply you
It was your simple loving me the way you do
But everything so present is now past
Because everything good can never last

So what is hate?
Is hate too strong?
Is it too much for a love so long
Is hate too much for everything wrong?

oh, I hate you
and that's how i know i loved you once
you hurt like a hurt i'd never know
until the day i loved you so.

until the day you let me go.

with every kiss you are carried home like a ghost

2008-01-14T16:57:00.000-08:00

sometimes the words just won't come out.

ive been doing rather well with my new dedication to living. yes, i know it's still the first month, but considering everything that has happened and basically every day consisting of more bad news, i think i'm doing pretty well.

i went thrifting today and found an oldschool radio...i think it's like the one you see on "a christmas story" that is played every Christmas. it still works and the best part of it is, it was only $5.

i'm eating well, trying to get good sleep but that lately has been out of my control.

i'm keeping it together. as best as i can.

the tile was cold, but i was colder.

2008-01-12T17:01:00.001-08:00

for the start of my new year i: became single. lost a job. had my dvd player break. had my neighbor tell me him and his wife were jumped by someone who put a knife to his throat right outside my door. sold my laptop on ebay for $1500.oo to someone in Nigeria that turned out to be a scam and so i lost my laptop and $130 to ship it. lose more and more money each day due to bills and severe lack of income. need to find a new place to live out of fear of getting knifed. with all that said, i'm still keeping my head up. i'm frustrated, yes. but i am also very blessed.

after you break up with someone....why is it then that you realize all the things about them that were wrong but you chose to ignore?

you are my biggest regret and i can't afford to make another mistake like you.

run in the front or get lost in the back

2008-01-04T16:31:00.000-08:00

i have had the hardest time starting this blog for reasons i can't quite understand. only that my mind is so full of smoke from this last month. its like someone had a bon-fire in my brain and theres no vent to let the smoke out. ive needed an escape for quite some time.

at what point does sleep deprivation really start to take its toll on a person? its not that i haven't gotten sleep...more like the sleep i do get is always interrupted by unwelcomed phone calls, restless thoughts or displeasing dreams. nightmares is probably a better description.

at any rate...im here, in panera drinking the black warmth from my coffee mug, awaiting the arrival of an old friend. trying to figure out what this year will bring.

“It is always the simple things that change our lives. And these things never happen when you are looking for them to happen. Life will reveal answers at the pace life wishes to do so. You feel like running, but life is on a stroll. This is how God does things.” -donald miller

stay warm ohio. it's a cold one out there.