4th of July!

I blog not often, sorry to the 2.6 people who read this. So here's a little update, kinda general stuff thats been happening.

1. General funness and stuff at home
- Tennis! Since Andrea's returned to Sioux Center, we've played a few games of tennis. Not only is it fun, its also fun and fun.
- I've tried to start some sort of jogging routine. So far I've spent more time stretching out than actually jogging.
- I've been working. Alot. In the past month or so I've logged close to 40 hours in overtime. Makes for long days, but the payoff is kinda nice. And since my last day is next Thursday, loading up on some extra cash is not a bad thing.
- I've generally avoided thinking about the fact that I'm moving in a few weeks. It's not that real yet. This scares me a bit.

2. A trip to Pella!!
- Ok, so its not Grand Rapids, but its one of the Dutch meccas. I went down there to meet some of Andrea's extended family. It was fun. I felt a bit out of my element, but had a good time meeting people and playing Dutch bingo. Such as finding out that Andrea's Grandpa plays golf with my mom's former boss a few times a week. Ahhh connections.
- Pella is not quite what I expected. I mean, Dutch-wise, yes, about what I thought it would be. But its a much smaller town than I thought it would be. But for a small town, they've really got a name for themselves with Pella Windows, Vermeer, and Pella bologna. And, of course, the childhood home of Wyatt Earp. Oh, and according to Wikipedia, the guitarist from the Killers is also from Pella.
- I think this is a town I would like to return to once or twice in my lifetime.

3. A trip to Okoboji!
- Yesterday Andrea and I went up to Okoboji to visit Scott and Sheryl. This was a fun endevour.
- I tried water skiing for the first time in a long time. I tried like 6 times and never got up. This is frustrating. I blame a slightly-slower-than-what-I'm-used-to boat, the many years since I've last skiied, and very choppy water due to the many many other boats on the lake. I also tubed. This I did fairly well. But the combonation of these activities has left me quite sore today. In a good way, of course. Just don't ask me to lift anything soon.
- We played mini-golf and ate good chicken. Both of these were winner ideas as well.
- I'm torn on Okoboji. On one hand, there were many fun things to do, but on the other hand, it was way too crowded. I guess its a good secret that got out.

So thats the latest on my front. The next few weeks will bring about some big changes, so again, I may go on a blogging hiatus. But rest assured, after that, I will have many many things to write about.

_____ of the day: We should get jerseys, cause we make a good team.

The sore Ogukuo

Sweet dessert and changes

-Instead of sitting around bored Friday night, I decided to make dessert instead. Of course, this means I didn't go out or make dinner for myself, but it was fun making dessert. The choice this time was white chocolate covered grapes with an orange dipping glaze. It was quite good, and suprisingly simple to make. The only problem is I don't think its something that will keep long in the fridge. Partly because I keep eating a little bit at a time, and partly because the chocolate and orange curd are getting pretty hard, making it kinda difficult to eat without stuff falling apart. But thats ok, this was an experiment that I still consider a great success.

-In unrelated news, I took a walk around campus last night. For those of you not around, there are some changes going on around the center of campus. The parking lot in front of the campus center has been pulled out and is being expanded and redesigned with trees and islands. The parking lot between the rec center and the Beej is gone, all the way to where it connected with the Southview parking lot. And it looks like another lot will be put in on the west side of the old soccer field. So there have been alot of trees cut down, and dirt turned up. Grass that is normally well kept is growing tall. It looks rather crappy right now, but I bet when the project is finished it will be a significant improvement. Both of those parking lots were eyesores, so its nice to see one redone in a nice way and the other taken out. Having an expanded green area by the rec center will be very nice and inviting.

-I'm starting to appreciate my house more now that I can do some cleaning up and it stays that way for a while. Our living room seems suprisingly inviting without fastfood remains, beer bottles, and numourous glasses strewn everywhere. And walking down a hallway that isn't being used for storage is amazing!

-Today was the last time until Thursday that I need to get up at 5:45 am. This is exciting. And I have next weekend off!! This is huge! I haven't had a free weekend at home for well over a month. Plans for Highschool Musical and BBQ's have me very excited :).

And now its almost lunch time, so I'd best sign off.

______ of the day: Concert tonight!

The overworked Ogukuo

Today I bought three things...

1.) A gallon of milk. This is actually rather significant because its the first time in close to two weeks that I've got milk. Up until recently, it seems like I'd need to buy a gallon of milk every 4-5 days. Am I drinking less milk? Well, I'll just say that less of my milk is being drunk, if you know what I mean.

2.) One of those stackable tray deals for organizing papers on my desk. This is part of my ongoing quest to become and stay organized. I figure these will take up enough room on my desk that I won't have room to stack random crap, and thus will be forced to use them. I have $2.88 invested that says they will help.

3.) A box of Hostess Cupcakes. One needs no other reason for this than they are awesome. Especially with #1 from this list.

And a few musical notes...
I recently discovered The Graduate on my itunes. One of those bands thats sat there for way too long without me listening to them. I likes them alot. Also, you should listen to 'Breakable' by Ingrid Michaelson. Its a very neat song.

______ of the day: "I'm somewhere in between who I am and who I want to be" -Sing, The Graduate

Free Time!

-Today is my first free day in over a week and a half. Its quite nice to sit a little bit and feel not guilty about not doing things because I actually have time today to get them done. Hurray for getting laundry folded that was clean 3 days ago!!

-Since coming back from Washington, I've put in 9 straight days at Niessink, and overlapped that with 4 days of a side job running sound for the Robin's School of Dance recital. This side venture was quite fun. Very long hours, but working with great people who know what they were doing and how to let other people do what they know how to do.

-My regular job is about the same as always. I realized yesterday that I have about 6 weeks left there, and over 60 hours of PTO to use up. For those lacking basic math skills, that means I could cut myself back to 30 hours a week and still get paid fully. However, we're rather short staffed, and I don't think I could take the time off even if I wanted to. Not sure how that is going to work itself out.

-As far as future life in Washington goes, I'm still unsure about a job or a place to live, but both are moving in good directions. I caught wind of a potentially very good place to live, which I'm hoping to follow up on very soon. The job situation is rather stale at this point, but I think I'm sitting in a good position. Hopefully that doesn't come back to bite me in the butt.

-I just found out that the pastor of my home church accepted a call to a different church. This is odd to me, as he has been at our church for ever. He baptized me. My church is also in the process of adding a second building to be a social hall/Sunday School classroom complex. And with that project, they are remodelling alot of the inside of the existing building as well. So when I see it next in July, it really is going to be a different place than what I grew up with. I guess progress is always being made, but for some reason I always feel like my childhood was a time when things where what they were. And now everything is changing from that. Its odd.

-I appreciate the connections and opportunities I've had thru Dordt. Its gonna be hard to move away from that.

______ of the day: All my stories sound the same

The relaxing Ogukuo

Last visit to Washington!

-It's the last visit cause the next time I go there, I'm going to stay :D. And, this visit expanded our stomping grounds to include Seattle, a city previously reserved for flying into and out of.

-I guess I'll start with Lynden/B'Ham. Had an interview (this time it was actually an interview) with Big Brothers Big Sisters. All in all, it went really well. The general impression I get is that they want me to work there, its just a matter of if their program moves in the direction of needing another staff person. Hoping and praying on that one. Also spent some quality time watching movies and playing catch. There was also a drive down Chuckanut Drive that was beautiful minus one innocent where we almost died.

-So, Seattle. Of all the towns I've visited that have a Space Needle, Seattle is my favorite. Even counting the cities without Space Needles, Seattle ranks pretty high. The Seattle experiance was great. Great hosts, great place to stay, great Folklife Festival, great waterfront, and great to experiance urban driving again.

-We (Andrea, Al, friend Christa, and I) stayed at my Uncle Dennis and Aunt Jennie's house in Bothell. It was wonderful to catch up again, moving away from the West Coast has left me somewhat disconnected from most of my family.

-Folklife was rather crowded, but a great time. I even Contra-danced! It was fun and only took me 3 days to work up the courage to do so! And for anyone who saw the Folklife Festival on the news, no, I was not shot.

-As many times as I've been to Seattle, I've never gone up the Space Needle til this visit. And its great! Granted, not something to do every other month, but very much worth doing. Especially in good company :).

-And a note about urban driving. Relaxed Midwest driving is awesome. But theres something about highways and city streets thats fun. Trying to find parking, however, thats an experiance I could pass on.

-I found my grandparents old house in Lake Forest Park as well. Good memories. Couldn't go inside to look around, but got to see the yard. Also went to the port on Lake Washington were we'd go as a family to feed ducks many years ago. Very fun and memory-ful.

-And now, just to make the blog a little longer, some pictures! (Ok, limited supply, I'm terrible at actually hauling out my digital camera and using it).

The Experiance Music Project as viewed from the Space Needle. I've heard its supposed to look vaguely like a guitar from above, I'm not seeing it.

Folklife Festival from the Space Needle.

And, of course, the Space Needle from the Folklife Festival.

Andrea doesn't like making nice faces when I take her picture, so here's revenge :).

-Thats all for now, check out Andrea's blog for a wider variety of pictures, she's got some good ones posted!

______ of the day: I enjoy Midwest Thunderstorms. Alot.

The traveled Ogukuo

Gas and golf and hermanutics

- I have a list of things I need to do in front of me. Such fun items as "do dishes" and "file paperwork from last 2 months" are on it. And for some reason, the only thought on my mind currently is GOLF!!!! I would love nothing more than to play 18 holes today. Of course, I haven't swung a golf club in 10 months, so if I did try to play a full round, I would probably die. Not to mention that I would score a 147 cause I'm terrible at golf. Perhaps a trip to the chipping green or driving range to slowly warm myself back into it...

- There is a pattern of mold on my bathroom ceiling that vaguely resembles South America. I wish so much for a vent fan. Which means I wish even more for a logical electrical system in our house so I could perform this simple installation.

- I watched the movie "Hot Rod" last night. I recommend it only if you have 87 minutes and several brain cells you are willing to give up. But it'll probably make you laugh a few times.

- I remembered yesterday that I got roped into working a 16 hour shift on Sunday. I guess its nice cause it's less PTO I need to use for my trip to Washington next week, but I'm gonna be rather cranky Sunday evening.

- I volunteered to work 16 hour days this summer. It may be nice, or I may need to reside in a room with rubber wallpaper because of it. I'm scared to find out.

- Kind Old King George sent me my economic stimulus check the other day. Like any good patriotic American, I dropped it right into my savings account. Maybe $600 will be enough to cover my gas costs for driving to Washington this summer.

- I have close to $100 in change (I'm guessing) sitting on top of my mini-fridge. I'm not quite sure what I want to do with it. I'll probably be boring and logical and use it to help pay for gas to move to Washington.

- I don't like it when I have to blog about paying for gas because its close to $4 a gallon.

- If we held a garage sale and sold everything that is being stored at our house I could retire very comfortably. I'd also be able to navigate the basement without tripping over many boxes and random furnerature.

______ of the day: I'm listening to The Velvet Underground. Hmmmmm.

The listless Ogukuo

Goodbye

Three years ago I watched friends graduate and leave. I came back for my last year of college, and two years ago graduated myself, watching more friends leave. I watched more people leave a year ago. And again yesterday. And now I have a few months of Sioux Center summer without any Dordt students, and I'll be leaving myself. I won't be seeing any friends return to Dordt in the fall. I probably won't see any more Dordt plays, or attend NISO concerts, or concert choir shows. The people I hung out with earlier this week are people I dunno if I'll see again.

I really look forward to moving, starting a new job, exploring a new area, meeting new people, and being with Andrea; and I really am glad I'm leaving to do all of these things. But its right now that kinda sucks. Its tough realizing that all these extremely recent memories are going to remain just that, memories. Its hard to see that the Dordt chapter of my life is (finally) over, but knowing that the next chapter of my life doesn't really start for another three months makes waiting hard. Everyone else's life changed yesterday, they say goodbye and move on to a summer job, or a new career, or job hunting, or moving into Dad and Mom's basement. I was part of the goodbyes, but now I return to work and dishes and being short changed on sleep.

More and more each day I feel like my life in Washington is starting, and I'm just waiting on hold until August to join it. What do I do with the time inbetween? Especially for the next month! Well, like I said earlier, work, dishes, and lack sleep.

Despite this rather somber post, I'm really not sad about moving away. Quite the opposite, I'm very excited about it! I'm just sad to leave one life behind without being able to start my next one for three months.

______ of the day: Why did it have to be rainy today??

The stuck inside Ogukuo

A lunch date with destiny

I saw my sister and brother-in-law yesterday for the first time since Thanksgiving. It was a good time, but we only got to visit for an hour or so. We had an interesting conversation about being people-oriented vs. task-oriented. My sister tends to be quite task-oriented, something inherited from both our parents. I tend to be task-oriented mentally, but people-oriented outwardly. This means that it bugs me to be behind schedule or whatever, but I'd still rather chat and pay attention to a person. Its ironic, because this conversation made me about 40 minutes late for work. Indeed, the person was more important than the task.

How much better off would we all be if everyone was people-oriented instead of task-oriented? We're all so focused on "what we need to do" that we lose sight of the human connection. I see this at the place were I spend most of my time besides my house. Everyone is so focused on getting "stuff" done right that the people really don't matter at all. Inservice after inservice address issues dealing with how things are done, but almost nothing is said about people. Nobody cares what we do, as long as we put the right spin on it when we write about it.

But before this totally falls into a blog about stupidity, I'll just quit and find lunch.

_____ of the day: does it even matter anymore?

The laughing-because-I-don't-care Ogukuo

I love the smell of irony in the morning

Today at our weekly meeting I realized a wonderful dichotomy that really sums up my job. My official job title is "Certified Instructor". Its an appropriate title, right? I've always thought so. Part of my job is to write daily assessments of what each boy does with his time, and how we interact with them. And for reasons unbeknownst to me, people get really cranky when we actually do this. We are required to sugar coat everything to the point where someone reading these assessments would see no reason for our boys to be in a group home. We are even given a list of words that we are not allowed to use in writing these assessments. One of these words is "instruct". I'm not allowed to write "I instructed so-and-so to do their chores". Thus, by the very rules of my job as an instructor, I am not allowed to instruct.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I remove my hat and take a bow towards the bureaucracy that has contradicted itself into so many knots that I am not even allowed to live up to my job title.
I find this little nugget of irony to be not only hilarious, but also emblematic of what is wrong with my job.
Thats all I got for today; savor the irony, its pretty thick.
______ of the day: For some reason the word dunderhead comes to mind.
The ironic Ogukuo

Washington is to Iowa as Mountainous is to...

I got back from visiting Andrea in Washington last night. It was a great time! We did tons of fun stuff, most of which were games of catch. I also wondered around Bellingham by myself for a good portion of Friday. This was a wonderful experiance, I'm starting to fall in love with Bellingham. And Birch Bay. And the beautiful view from Lynden on a clear day. And many more small things about the area that are too numerous to list here.

Now that I am back, however, I am feeling unmotivated to do anything. You know that feeling of returning from vacation and getting back "home" and settling in? I don't feel it at all. I feel like I left what I am comfortable with and came back to what I'm doing just to get by. Knowing that I'm moving to the area I just left makes it feel more like home. And leaving someone to return "home" is really more like saying goodbye and leaving home.

And knowing that I'm returning to 5 straight days of work doesn't help. I don't have a free evening until next Monday. I think it is this particular aspect of life out here that I am really ready to move on from. And as soon as possible. Its hard knowing that I'm done in just a few months, but for now I'm kinda stuck. Especially when I'm already dreading going in pretty much every day.

But, back to happy news, it looks as if my job situation out there is starting to align itself. Its too early to say yet, but its looking good. And it sounds like a job where I wouldn't be stuck in an office 40 hours a week, this is very happy. Also, my grandparents have a strong chance of getting a house in Lynden, which is good. I've been considering this for one of my housing options for the fall, so knowing that its more of an option is a good thing.

Well, on to take a shower where I have little water pressure, questionable hot water, and no vent fan to wisk away the steam. And thats after a week with access to a shower with awesome pressure, unending hot water, and a real vent to keep the bathroom unfogged. But its ok, my corner of the unfinished basement with thin carpet rolled out over concrete is so much nicer than a fully padded and carpeted room with a real bedroom door and a window.

______ of the day: How many more months?

The ready-to-move-on Ogukuo

I struggle with lucid thoughts.

I have been introduced to a drink called a 'Steve'. It has made me hum happiness. My life has seen improvement because of it. I heart it mightily.

I leave for Washington tomorrow morning. I am tired. And not packed. And feel much like sleeping and not packing. This is not good.

There is a complete lack of motivation that has currently taken over my being.

I think I need a Steve.

The thought of being in Washington is very exciting. The thought of travelling there is the opposite.

I played racquetball yesterday. It was fun. I didn't know the rules. It was fun.

I think M*A*S*H really peaked at season 3. I like it all, but season 3 is awesome.

I'm too scattered to even make intelegent sentences at this time in moment. And sentences are backwards getting. Thrown around too much, and the thoughts in my head are upside down.

Thinking is hard when your brain is turned off/Thoughts to the east immediately your brain when the arrest. I typed the first sentance into an online translator and ran it thru like 5 languages, and thats what it spit out.

I agree with both sentences.

_____ of the day: Burnt brain!!

The burnt Ogukuo

Better take the stairs...

-I just played tennis for the first time in something like 8 months. I was tired by the time the warm up was over. Between desperate gasps for breath I was planning my will expecting the worst. I believe this is a sign of a need for a change in my "fitness routine". Creating one would be a change, right? Anyone who wants to play tennis/racketball/catch/checkers/pretty much anything that involves exerting physical energy, lemme know.

-I'm considering moving upstairs in a few weeks when a coupla roommates move out. This is for a few reasons. It'd be a good excuse to sort/streamline my possessions for my upcoming move this summer. Plus having a real bedroom with a real door and a closet and windows is very appealing. Not to mention it would be nice to not have to walk up and down the stairs 87 times a day just to commute from my room to the kitchen/livingroom/bathroom/outside world. But being in the basement when its rediculously hot this summer is also appealing. And hauling all my crap upstairs when I don't need to isn't appealing, but would probably be good in the long run.

-Am I justified in sleeping in til 10 am on my days off when my work days leave me very sleep deprived? I mean, I slept 4 hours later today than yesterday. That can't be a healthy pattern. How I yearn for a job where I can have a normal sleep pattern. Thats not too much to ask, is it?

-I am currently extremely excited about the prospect of making bread by hand. I realize, this makes me sound sorta odd, but its true. Bread is such a basic thing, but if Sara Lee decided to retire, would I have the know-how to fend for myself??

-Does anyone know when Season 4 of The Office will come out on DVD? I'm gonna avoid watching any episodes from season 4 til I can see them all in order. And I'd rather watch them on DVD than online, its just not the same. Especially on my computer.

-I have laundry wrinkling in the dryer and food upstairs not being eaten, and both of these are signs that I must take action quickly.

______ of the day: In the end, you will be loved.

The out of shape Ogukuo

A short week

Wow, this week makes up for all those times in the past when I said that time just drags. I can’t believe it’s the weekend already, it feels like I just walked out of church last Sunday.

I’ve done a lot of stuff that I haven’t done for a long time (or ever); saw some long lost friends, went to Platte, SD, watched Enchanted, ate at a nice restaurant, watched The Office with more than just passing time in mind, and had the chance to make the living room look all pretty with candles and flowers and the such. Oh yeah, I also hung out with Andrea a few times :).

You know, I’ve been thinking a lot about how amazing it is that I have the chance to do what I want with my life. I look at what I’ve left behind in CA (some things I miss, some I don’t), and what I’ve gained by living in Iowa. And I also look at what I’ll lose by moving to WA (again, some things I’ll miss, some I won’t). I can’t wait to see what I’ll gain by living in WA. I look at people who have made their own lives miserable by choices they have made and realize that what we make out of life is really what we get out of it. I could spend my time lamenting what I don’t have (the list is long, just like everyone), or I could enjoy what I do have and work hard to get the things I want.

I have been accused of complaining about things a lot, and I can’t say that I’m not guilty of this. But the truth is that I really do enjoy the hand I have been dealt. And you know why? Cause I’m gonna make the most of this hand. Last night I played guitar for the first time in a long while. This is really sad. Here I have a beautiful guitar sitting in my room, the full capability to play it, and the love of music to enjoy it. And for a long time it just sat there. Ok, so I can’t play like some of my (former) roommates. But I enjoy guitar, and I shouldn’t let the fact that I’m mediocre at playing keep me from doing so. I’ll just let it keep me from playing in public :).

Sorry for the rather obvious revelation, but it helps me remember to stick to it if I broadcast it. Especially in the next few months, as they will probably bring me many new opportunities and directions to take my life. Its exciting to be at a point in my life where I can see God’s plans for me starting to unfold in such a tangible way.

And now I digress in the interest of hunting down some cake from the kitchen.

______ of the day: Know when to hold ‘em.
The Ogukuo

For every Monday there is a Friday

Ahhh Friday. Such a wonderful thing. The sun is shining, the temps are in the high 50s, and snow is disappearing. And I must add, Saturday, highs in the mid 60s, more sun, less snow. Is this not a beautiful thing?

There is a wonderful feeling one gets by having a clean car. Its a mixture of earned pride and a certain self-awareness that is not unlike wearing a new suit. You move extra smoothly, you walk a little taller. Indeed a wonderful feeling.

There is something not wonderful about dreaming of work. Its like never leaving the job. Why do these dreams always involve the worst-case scenerio? Why can I not dream about a good day at work?
*tips hat to Paul in knowing agreement on this issue*

The convergence of friends at a single place and time is truly an event to be savored and enjoyed. For it is these moments that make life, that you talk about in the future.

Camping. Ahhhh, the thought of camping. Summer. Need I say more?

Today is a day to make one breath deep, to try to take it all in and experiance beauty to the fullest. Indeed a good day.

Lets hope my work experience this afternoon leaves me feeling unaltered from my current state of optimism.

______ of the day: "Ooooh, ooooh, ooooh, oooooh, oooooooh-aaa" - Space Dementia, Muse

The optimistic Ogukuo

Sing m-o-n-d-a-y s-u-c-k-s to the Mickey Mouse Club theme song...

So it's Monday. And that means that it was a snow day today. I'm pretty sure that 75% of the Mondays this winter have seen school either start 2 hours late or be cancelled altogether. And I don't recall a single snow day that hasn't been on a Monday. It's actually quite amazing. Granted, it's caused by the weather, so it's rather hard to justifiably complain. But, today is an exception. We did not get the call that school was cancelled until 8:15 am. School starts at 8:20!! We were literally 2 blocks from school! And so was everyone else! Ok, you cancel school cause its too dangerous to get in, right? But when everyone is there already, it doesn't make any sense! I am of the firm conviction that someone dropped the ball on this one.

In other news, I felt woefully out-brained last night. Over hookah and tea there was great discussion about subjects I didn't understand, using references to great thinkers I'd never heard of. So to make myself feel better I retired early and read some Kierkegaard. This, of course, didn't help, because it just confused me. He's a difficult read. Ok, I got some of it, but after slogging thru about 3 pages I gave up and tried to sleep. And then I slept not well. For a variety of reasons, primarily the very loud movie coming from upstairs around 2:30 am. And then I rolled over, it seemed like 2 minutes passed, and my alarm went off at 5:45 am. And then you can start reading the beginning of the blog, cause that's where it picks up.

Hmm, once again, a depressing blog. Set to a depressing black background. It's been recommended that I change this. I believe I will. When I figure out how.

_____ of the day: sanity is just ytinas spelled backwards

The gniog enasni Ogukuo

The pain in my neck reaches my stomach

So the non-awesomeness I experienced Tuesday night snuck up on me again last night. Same symptoms; stiff, sore neck, and a headache. Its mostly gone this morning. Not all the way, but mostly. But now its accompanied by hollow, heavy feeling in my stomach. I dunno what the deal is, but its not cool. I feel like I'm hanging on the brink of something, but I have no idea what. I guess it could be some sorta not-awesome illness, or maybe just the severe want for some time off from work, etc.
I feel like doing nothing, but I'm gonna force myself to clean up my room and see if some sort of accomplishment helps the feeling. Maybe I just want the feeling of appreciation. I know I would love it if someone did something for me, like cleaned my room, can I get that same feeling for doing it myself?

______ of the day: "Do you think that you could see your way to lay yourself down?" - Keane

The whatever Ogukuo

Enjoying the Small Things

-So whatever was causing me much non-awesomeness last night is past and gone. Thanks mostly to Excedrin and a certain Mark who painfully removed the pain from my neck. Wow, he's mean, but it totally worked, I feel all straightened out and not tied up at all!

-I must once again voice my distain for Tuesdays. They are still the odd day out for the week. There's rarely anything specifically bad about Tuesdays, they just tend to bring a general feeling of meh-ness.

-The city desperiately needs to either fill in the potholes in our alley or pay for new shocks on my car and cartilage in my spine.

-I have a real twinge to play golf soon. And catch, really want to play catch outside.

-Cutting up a nectarine and mixing it with Honey Bunches of Oats is a premium idea.

-I need new socks and t-shirts.

-The pasttime of reading has once again entered my real of existance.

-Hopefully photography does the same thing this weekend...

-Oranges from California stand as solid proof for God's existance.

-I think the most special things to me are small things that I enjoy beyond others comprehension. The things that "force" a smile onto my face that others just don't understand. I think love is seeing these things in another person and being able to provide and share those moments.

-If forced into a situation of losing either your sight or your hearing, which would you choose? I still don't know for myself.

______ of the day: I enjoy music. I wish I understood it more.

The seeing/hearing Ogukuo

Mystery Non-awesomeness

So I have a headache, my neck is really stiff and my lower back kinda hurts. For some reason these sound like the symptoms of Hepatitis. Of course, I'm self-diganosing from what I remember of a M*A*S*H episode. Perhaps not the best way of operating. Its most likely just the combination of sleeping wrong at some point, a semi-stressful (although admittedly not too bad) day at work, lack of hydration, and much lack of sleep.
My idea for solving this problem? Going to the Bean and not home to sleep as I probably should. But, I haven't been able to go Beaning in a long time, so I really want to. And I can sleep in tomorrow morning, a first for quite a few days.
I have this odd feeling that I have spelled many words wrong in this post. Yes, I looked up Hepatitis, and this is the only way I spelled that one right. I hate Scrabble.
_____ of the day: Maybe a nice patron of the Bean can releave my neck pain...
The tied up Ogukuo

Springtime for Iowa

I've already celebrated Spring blog-style, and now it seems like its kinda retracted itself. The warmer temps have kinda stuck around (thank goodness), but its often cloudy, kinda rainy, and somewhat windy. But hey, its a step in the right direction!

Things I've noticed recently:

-Working a "normal" 8 hour shift (even if it does start at 6:30 am) makes life much easier to face than working a split shift. I've had access to both sleep and free time! What a novel concept!

-A house is much easier to keep clean when there are fewer people living in it.

-Having an unclear direction in life kinda sucks.

-Getting birthday cards and packages is awesome, and spirit-lifting.

-I forgot how much mud accompanies the spring thaw. Seeing ground again is awesome, but stepping on it isn't so awesome.

-I find joy in making others happy.

-I rarely like spending time alone.

-Realizing what it is that you want in life makes it harder. Getting by day to day is easy, every day you eat, you meet your goal. Realizing that you want more means you need to actually do something about it and plan ahead. Hard to do when plans are up in the air.

-I think the near constant cloudiness is bringing me down.

-I never knew the extent to which anxiety can affect someone until I started my current job. Now I see it in myself alot. Probably more than what is healthy.

-Speaking of health, I had a physical last week. I believe the word the doctor used to describe my health was "outstanding". Well, before he saw my cholesterol scores :S. But they are border line, and summer is coming up, so real excersize is on the horizon.

-Moving furnerature around can really make a room look different.

-Every time I sleep at work I dream about work. Every single time. And its always bad scenerios.

-This blog is getting too long and paranoid.

_______ of the day: I want a 3 day weekend from life, not from work.

The needing-vacation Ogukuo

The Story of Us

Thats the movie I watched last night. I hated it, for the exact reasons I think I'm supposed to hate it. And for that, I liked it. Its a hard movie to watch, but I supposed that was well intentioned. I think the progression thru the movie really shows his turning off of emotion. He really does love her, and that never changes, but he needs to stop showing the love for his own sake. Sort of a self-preservation. And her monologue at the end of the movie shows that she finally realizes the love, and maybe she can reciprocate it.

But then the movie ends. That sucks. What happens? Do they actually do something about it, or just continue goin on like they were? Cause then there would be endless sequels to the movie, and they would never get anywhere. I guess the assumption is that she meets him in the love.

But there's no way of knowing. Cause its just a movie, right? And we never get to find out.

So thats a short review, maybe you disagree with me.

______ of the day: "Will you see me in the end, Or is it just a waste of time" - Hamburg Song, Keane

The 'say a word or two to brighten my day' Ogukuo