so it has almost been 2 months since the new school year has started. The difference about this year is that I am no longer a student, but a single adult, young adult, working person, whatever you want to call it. At first, I was working three part time jobs to support myself. It was kind of rough, the hours were sporadic, and sometimes I would work 10+ hours in a day. However, I was hanging in there, and learning many things along the way. Plus it helps that rent is cheap, and not having bills or debt to pay off. Now I work two jobs, even though the 2nd one is only once a week. My full time job is working at the Bschool for facilities, and so far it's been great. So the job part of the new life can be checked off for now.
As I was saying earlier, the housing situation couldn't be any better because of the price. Right now I'm paying 250 for a huge double, and with utilities and cable, it comes out to be around 300 dollar on average. The double has two closets so Bj and I each get one, and we have our own bathroom. The other two roommates, Tony and Kaiser, both have their own single. The kitchen and living room is spacious enough for 4 people, and connecting the living room is a screened balcony. (this is where we have our bbq) We also have access to a two cars length garage, but we just use it for storage. Pretty much, it's sweet. The only con, is that we're off campus, but I got a car so it's all good. I actually don't spend much time at home. Besides from sleeping and eating, I'm usually on campus because of work or just chillin with people.
Moving on, because I'm working and no longer an undergrad, I've also moved up to Focus ministry in our church. It's kinda weird because my class is the young guns of the working class now. Even though we're not the babies, we're different because we bring a different style/energy to the group. Focus is a lot different than undergrad because you're responsible for your own spiritual walk, like your own life. There no small group leader to look over your shoulder, or three/four meetings a week that have to do with church. In a sense, you gotta be keeping up with reading the word, praying, etc. There is still accountability, but you don't got some overprotective leader breathing down your neck. It's a double-edge sword like any freedom, but I like it because I believe that people need to learn and grow up.
One thing doesn't change though in this new life stage (well, staying in aa) is chilling with your friends. Sure, a lot of people have moved on, and I've met a lot of new people at life group or work. But when it comes to good old chilling with the people you feel like you've known for a long time, it trumps most. Whether it's grabbing a meal, playing flag football in the freezing cold, or going out grabbing a drink, doing them with friends calls for a great time. Like last night, it was burger, bj, mirae, lili, deb, and I playing board games. First it was outburst, then apple to apples, then charades with the apple to apple cards. Fun times. I don't know the length of time, I'll be here in AA, so I just gotta make the most of it now.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
gotta keep on truckin
In the dictionary, the word passion is defined as any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling, or a strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for anything. In my life, Sports can be called a passion of mine. Espn.com is my home page, I try and catch sportscenter whenever I can, and play fantasy sports to add to the passion. As a sports guy, one of the greatest avenues to show your appreciation/love is being a fan. When I say fan, I don't mean no bandwagon jumper (oh hey this team is doing awesome, i'm gonna start liking them) or some person who likes a team out of obligation (oh yeah, i'm from the St. Louis, I guess I am the fan of the Cardinals). When I say fan, I mean a person who made the decision to give their allegance to a team, stick with them even if they are losing, and knows enough information about them to have a full conversation with another person about them. (actually the first two are good enough, the last one is more of a diehard) Passion can also be defined as an outburst of strong emotion or feeling, and this post is about my passionate view on my passion, the football team of the Michigan Wolverines.
I was at the game last night. With a minute or so left in the game, the scoreboard read Michigan State 35, Michigan 21. Hearing the Michigan State fight song and the Go Green, Go White cheer made me sick to my stomach. At that point, I lost hope for us for the remainder of the season. We're now 2-6, and going to a bowl game is out of the picture. The only way to salvage such a horrid season is to get a win vs Ohio State, and even that seems impossible. It's getting really easy to be upset at this team, especially the offense, but I can still proudly say that it's still great to be a Michigan Wolverine. I'm not gonna make any excuses up for why we suck, we just do this year.
Yeah, so we did hire this new coach, Rich Rod, and he does have this offense (the spread) that isn't what we call traditional. For the spread offense to work you need a QB that can run the offense. Sure Threet has showns glimpses of a QB that can get the job done, but straight up, he just sucks. He doesn't have the arm strength nor the athletic instinctiveness to be a spread offense QB. His decision making is poor and he is definitely not the QB of our future. Due to the fact our offense can't move the ball and convert first downs, our defense is on the field for the majority of the game. I really feel sorry for them. They are a decent defense (they do have holes in their passing defense) but when you're on the field more than 50% of the game, I don't care if you're Lance Armstrong, you're gonna be tired. Everybody is calling this year a rebuilding year, but it's really not, next year is the rebuilding year because it will be the first year with 100% Rich Rod recruits. This year is a we suck year, but we're just gonna have to deal with it. For all those people who beat us this year, congrats, you beat us fair and square. You'll also get a F U from us fans, and don't expect this every year. Yeah I'm done for this year (this doesn't mean I'm gonna turn my back) I'm still going root for the team, but I'm not going to expect much. We'll just take our losses and look foward to the future.
I was at the game last night. With a minute or so left in the game, the scoreboard read Michigan State 35, Michigan 21. Hearing the Michigan State fight song and the Go Green, Go White cheer made me sick to my stomach. At that point, I lost hope for us for the remainder of the season. We're now 2-6, and going to a bowl game is out of the picture. The only way to salvage such a horrid season is to get a win vs Ohio State, and even that seems impossible. It's getting really easy to be upset at this team, especially the offense, but I can still proudly say that it's still great to be a Michigan Wolverine. I'm not gonna make any excuses up for why we suck, we just do this year.
Yeah, so we did hire this new coach, Rich Rod, and he does have this offense (the spread) that isn't what we call traditional. For the spread offense to work you need a QB that can run the offense. Sure Threet has showns glimpses of a QB that can get the job done, but straight up, he just sucks. He doesn't have the arm strength nor the athletic instinctiveness to be a spread offense QB. His decision making is poor and he is definitely not the QB of our future. Due to the fact our offense can't move the ball and convert first downs, our defense is on the field for the majority of the game. I really feel sorry for them. They are a decent defense (they do have holes in their passing defense) but when you're on the field more than 50% of the game, I don't care if you're Lance Armstrong, you're gonna be tired. Everybody is calling this year a rebuilding year, but it's really not, next year is the rebuilding year because it will be the first year with 100% Rich Rod recruits. This year is a we suck year, but we're just gonna have to deal with it. For all those people who beat us this year, congrats, you beat us fair and square. You'll also get a F U from us fans, and don't expect this every year. Yeah I'm done for this year (this doesn't mean I'm gonna turn my back) I'm still going root for the team, but I'm not going to expect much. We'll just take our losses and look foward to the future.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
horror medley
So yesterday, the two guys named Daniel Lee and I embarked on a journey to the D. We planned a visit to the so called Urban Legends Haunted House (5 haunted houses in one location) in hopes of getting our money back. They set it up to make you think that if you go through all five of their haunted houses, you get your money back. We were anticipating something really crazy because what haunted house really gives your money back. Mentioned before this haunted house was in the D, just driving down there is scary enough especially at night and the roads are foreign to you. So we were def hyping ourselves out expecting the sweetest, scariest experience out there. We hit a few detours driving, but we finally arrived at Urban Legends. It wasn't much of a sight on the outside, we were at some local strip mall, and the haunted house was located inside one of the buildings. There also wasn't much of a line, but we did wait for a few minutes to buy our tickets, and to go through the houses.
So we asked the people there about their money back policy, and apparently you have to buy the whole package, which was 30 dollars to even try get your money back. On top of that, you have to go through the one haunted house called Pitch Black and find the secret door inside. Pitch Black was pretty much a maze in total darkness with guys in black robes running around trying to scare you and flashing lights in your face. It was pretty lame because it wasn't scary and lame because we had to find a secret door to get our money back. We didn't, and ended up disappointed right off the bat. However, the night wasn't a lost cause because we had 4 more houses left. The next one was three combined and I have to say it wasn't that scary, but a lot of actors jumped out from everywhere to give you that, "whoa, what the...." feeling. Some of the rooms we entered into was nicely done, and some of it did have the eerie vibe that left you wondering what in the room was going to scare you. Definitely the best house of the night, but that's not saying much. The last house was called Dead girls, and this was the house where you had to be 18 and older just to go in. It was pretty much as the title suggested, Dead girls in the house, and yes they were in fact topless, therefore 18+ age marker. It was not as good as the 3 in one, but I got the eff scared out of me here. There was this dead girl with no eyes chained up to the wall screaming for help and we thought nothing of it so we just went to the next room. As we were scanning the next room, I ended up in the back and as i turned around, the eyeless dead girl was right behind me, and she let out this loud scream. I freakin jumped up and was like, "sh**, omg" The scare was a good one. Overall it was an okay experience, not really worth the 30 dollars we paid for, but oh well. Pretty much haunted houses are for couples so that the guy can be there by his girls side when she's scared or starts screaming. Besides that, its just cheap thrills. I am going to another one tonight, cheaper, and hopefully will be just as good.
So we asked the people there about their money back policy, and apparently you have to buy the whole package, which was 30 dollars to even try get your money back. On top of that, you have to go through the one haunted house called Pitch Black and find the secret door inside. Pitch Black was pretty much a maze in total darkness with guys in black robes running around trying to scare you and flashing lights in your face. It was pretty lame because it wasn't scary and lame because we had to find a secret door to get our money back. We didn't, and ended up disappointed right off the bat. However, the night wasn't a lost cause because we had 4 more houses left. The next one was three combined and I have to say it wasn't that scary, but a lot of actors jumped out from everywhere to give you that, "whoa, what the...." feeling. Some of the rooms we entered into was nicely done, and some of it did have the eerie vibe that left you wondering what in the room was going to scare you. Definitely the best house of the night, but that's not saying much. The last house was called Dead girls, and this was the house where you had to be 18 and older just to go in. It was pretty much as the title suggested, Dead girls in the house, and yes they were in fact topless, therefore 18+ age marker. It was not as good as the 3 in one, but I got the eff scared out of me here. There was this dead girl with no eyes chained up to the wall screaming for help and we thought nothing of it so we just went to the next room. As we were scanning the next room, I ended up in the back and as i turned around, the eyeless dead girl was right behind me, and she let out this loud scream. I freakin jumped up and was like, "sh**, omg" The scare was a good one. Overall it was an okay experience, not really worth the 30 dollars we paid for, but oh well. Pretty much haunted houses are for couples so that the guy can be there by his girls side when she's scared or starts screaming. Besides that, its just cheap thrills. I am going to another one tonight, cheaper, and hopefully will be just as good.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
one step at a time
so yesterday I finished reading the novel Dear John by Nicholas Sparks. Yeah I know what you're thinking, Nicholas Sparks?!?! He's the guy who wrote The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, Message in a bottle, etc. Another thing you're prolly thinking is, "Carl, what kind of guy are you? reading nicholas sparks and all" Well let me tell you I was def. skeptical at first, I didn't even like a walk to remember, but after reading the book I was quite surprised that I enjoyed it. That doesn't mean I'm gonna go read the rest of his collection, however I won't shoot down the possibility of reading another one.
Well moving on, the reason why I even mentioned this book in the first place was because of the way it made me think about relationships, and this romantic concept of love. Sparing the details and spoiling the whole novel, I wanted to discuss the topic of "making the right decision". There are so many choices that we have to make when it comes to a relationship or even trying to enter one, but how do we know if we're making the right ones? When you're in love with someone, does it mean to care for another person's happiness more than your own, no matter how painful the choices you face might be?
As human we have the tendency to want/desire things for ourselves, or in other words we just selfish beings. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying we're all selfish all the time, but we generally are. However it's this thing we call love that humbles us, makes us turn from our selfishness and become selfless. I'm not gonna get biblical on you and start reciting 1 Cor 13 and saying what love is, but yeah you get the point. However, in a relationship there isn't always just love. Sometimes that selfishness that also resides in our heart finds it's way into the relationship. Selfishness can look like wanting to spend more time with one another, getting physical, pretty much anything with the motivation to benefit yourself. At times, I'm not saying that it's a bad thing, but remember that a relationship is about two people not only one. This leads me back to whether or not we are making the right decisions.
The reason why we make the wrong decisions is because we set our standards on the level of how people live. We think that we gotta live up to certain relationships because they seem to work or we really want that in our lives. To be blunt, it ain't the right way to see things. Now I'm gonna get biblical on you, the only way we can even understand love is seeing it in its best form. That's God sending his only son to die for us. Think about that last question in the beginning. To care for another person's happiness more than your own, no matter how painful the choice may be. That's exactly what God did for us. It's not like it was an easy decision to make, or just because he's God he can snap his fingers and everything will be okay. A sacrifice was made. Honestly if there's no sacrifice on each other part, then reevaluate whether or not the right decision is being made. On a personal level, I can tell you that there were so many times I wanted things done my way, now realizing that it takes two to sacrifice. Also there isn't equality when it comes to sacrifice. In a sense, one will seem to "do" more, but that's what makes sacrifice what it is. You just gotta realize it, and be grateful for what you have.
Well moving on, the reason why I even mentioned this book in the first place was because of the way it made me think about relationships, and this romantic concept of love. Sparing the details and spoiling the whole novel, I wanted to discuss the topic of "making the right decision". There are so many choices that we have to make when it comes to a relationship or even trying to enter one, but how do we know if we're making the right ones? When you're in love with someone, does it mean to care for another person's happiness more than your own, no matter how painful the choices you face might be?
As human we have the tendency to want/desire things for ourselves, or in other words we just selfish beings. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying we're all selfish all the time, but we generally are. However it's this thing we call love that humbles us, makes us turn from our selfishness and become selfless. I'm not gonna get biblical on you and start reciting 1 Cor 13 and saying what love is, but yeah you get the point. However, in a relationship there isn't always just love. Sometimes that selfishness that also resides in our heart finds it's way into the relationship. Selfishness can look like wanting to spend more time with one another, getting physical, pretty much anything with the motivation to benefit yourself. At times, I'm not saying that it's a bad thing, but remember that a relationship is about two people not only one. This leads me back to whether or not we are making the right decisions.
The reason why we make the wrong decisions is because we set our standards on the level of how people live. We think that we gotta live up to certain relationships because they seem to work or we really want that in our lives. To be blunt, it ain't the right way to see things. Now I'm gonna get biblical on you, the only way we can even understand love is seeing it in its best form. That's God sending his only son to die for us. Think about that last question in the beginning. To care for another person's happiness more than your own, no matter how painful the choice may be. That's exactly what God did for us. It's not like it was an easy decision to make, or just because he's God he can snap his fingers and everything will be okay. A sacrifice was made. Honestly if there's no sacrifice on each other part, then reevaluate whether or not the right decision is being made. On a personal level, I can tell you that there were so many times I wanted things done my way, now realizing that it takes two to sacrifice. Also there isn't equality when it comes to sacrifice. In a sense, one will seem to "do" more, but that's what makes sacrifice what it is. You just gotta realize it, and be grateful for what you have.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
weekend in the chi
I decided to return to the bloggin scene, and after much thought, decided to start a new one instead of going back to my xanga. I think for myself I just wanted a fresh start, so here I am on blogspot. haha sorry mirae. I'm gonna try and keep up with this, can't promise a daily thing, but at least a few times a week with happenings in the life or even just thoughts accumulating and looking for a medium. Anyways, i guess this paragraph will be my blog's intro and everything after that will just be from the mind of Carl.
Last week I spent 4 days in Chicago, main reason to spend time with my buddies Michal and Bcizzle, side reason to get out of AA and the monotony of life there. As always being with friends that you haven't seen for sometime adds excitement to whatever you are doing. Going in I was expecting to eat a lot, drink a lot, and just have a lot of fun. I did all those things and some. I don't think I'll be going to any buffets anytime soon because I almost wanted to throw up after eating Todai. I do like Chicago style dogs, deep dish pizza and their ethnic foods are amazing and at a good price because there's so much comp in the area. I definitely want a LCD HDTV in my crib with a Xbox 360 connected to that piece. Playing video games was fun again, especially when you can get a victory with the crappy mich team. Props to you Michal and B for the great weekend and hopefully you guys can come up to aa and it be mine turn to play host. Here are some of the pics in the chi.
who knows maybe the Chi might be a permanent place of residence for the fall of 09'
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