things that were great about childhood .

Ahhhh yes. Lists are such a savior when you have no idea what to write about. Thus and therefore, since I was thinking today about how I am growing older and suddenly those days I spent writing with chalk on the driveway seem so long ago, I figured I'd reminisce a bit more and think about all of the cool things we got to do as kids.

If you've got stories or pictures to share, or what have you, by all means feel free. And on the note of sharing... I should be updating this blog with a new page tomorrow, that will have the various corners of the Internet where you can find me lurking living. For now, enjoy.

pure perfection .

Well, today is Tuesday (well, given that I'm writing technically after midnight I suppose it's really more like Wednesday, but who gives a fuck) and while it's technically not a Music Monday I absolutely have to post about this song. If you've been a follower for awhile you probably know that I am a huge fan of anything that Adam Young has created -- be it Owl City, Sky Sailing, Insect Airport, or Port Blue. It's all good. (Sidenote: looking forward to the new album coming out this summer). Anyways, this latest obsession lies within the track "Monorail" off of the Albatross EP by Port Blue. You should probably listen to this now.

Music Monday #70

This week's song is Believe by The Bravery.

categorical blogs

There are tons of blogs out there. Absolutely tons! Though for me, it's always difficult to find ones that I really enjoy and really want to read. I was so excited when I found the Google Blog search because then I could find some stuff I was really looking for instead of 8000 fashion blogs (not that I have anything against that, I just am not interested).

Most people who have a very successful blog keep it to one topic, one general area. In a lot of cases, that works really well -- like if you have a company, or you're really interested in one thing (like fashion), or you are very into one hobby (photography blogs out the wazoooo). I've also seen lots of "Hi, we're this couple, and this our story together blogs", or family blogs that will probably somewhat replace family videos or photo albums, or Mom blogs that give them a chance to just talk and breathe easy for a second and take a break from the kids. There are also those that focus just on traveling, or just on technology, or do reviews. But all of those are so stuck within their limits.

religion v. tattoos .

In the religious ethical system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the naysayers, who condemn tattoos and their every existence; and those who are inked, who proudly display their tattoos with pride. These are there stories.

Okay, so maybe my story is not exactly that of a TV show (if you know what it's from, props to you. I'm going to be mysterious and not say. Hint: I changed some of the words to fit my scenario). But I have a huge problem with people who have issues with tattoos, and use religion and biblical quotes to condemn them.

wtf girls .

Today's blog is inspired by the song "Belle of the Boulevard" by Dashboard Confessional. The first verse hit me today while I was listening. Here it is:

Down in a local bar
Out on the boulevard
The sound of an old guitar
Is saving you from sinking
It's a long way down
It's a long way

Back like you never broke
You tell a dirty joke
He touches your leg and thinks he's getting close
For now you let him just this once
Just for now
And just like that - it's over

comical words of wisdom .

This is completely random, made up on the spot, yet all hold some sort of truth. These are the words of wisdom. Also, this is going to be made into a series. It has yet to be named. If you leave a comment with a suggestion for a name, I'll pick the best one and do something cool to do for you. Pinky promise.

1. If there is a turtle in the road, don't swerve to avoid it. If it dies, it's natural selection. It's slow as fuck anyways.
2. Seeing a fox is a rare occurrence. Savor the moment. They are, after all, the gingers of the animal society.
3. Blasting on the gas doesn't mean you have a fast car, it just means you're a douchebag.
4. I don't care how scared you are a cop will pull you over, that's no reason to go 10 under the limit.
5. If you see a kid with swag who you know is not from your state, they're probably from New Jersey.
6. Starlight mints are the best thing to entertain your mouth on long drives. And they leave your breath smelling unbelievably minty.
7. Work is only as good as you make it. Keep a positive attitude. Also, be friendly because bullshitting with people passes the time.
8. No one uses those stupid Aol acronyms anymore. So stop with the lqtm, pos, rofl, etc. Big kiddies use real words.
9. If you think someone is attractive, ask them out for a drink. You never know what might happen.
10. Return the favor and pass the torch when it's your turn. When the older kids bought you alcohol when you were a minor, you damn well better be good enough to do the same for your future successors.
11. Anything new you buy for your car is going to be expensive. This includes mods, aftermarket stuff, repairs, gas etc. Keep this in mind when buying one.
12. Your parents will probably never fully understand you. Good thing too, because they probably wouldn't want to know all your dirty little secrets anyways.
13. If you aren't focused on what you need to do you can waste an incredible amount of time on the internet.
14. All the cool kids spell words like favourite and colour in the British manner. And then learn the accent to complement it.
15. Mac Lethal is the best rapper alive. Hands down. With the exception of maybe Eminem.
16. On the subject of rappers, 95% of them sing about 3 things. Dolla billzzz, sex, and drugs. Don't even argue that one.
17. YOLO is a stupid acronym. You may only live once, but people can label you as an idiot, douche, and a whore as many times as they like. Keep that in mind, and use the saying appropriately, you know, to do things like take the trip of a lifetime or marry the girl you've been in love with for forever and a half.
18. Just because I'm young doesn't mean that I don't have any wisdom to give. And just because you're old doesn't mean you have any either.
19. In NJ not only do you get your gas pumped for you, but you're literally not allowed to do it yourself. Naturally that would make the cost more, right? Wrong. It's cheaper than most states. Because that makes sense.
20. Canada is probably the most made fun of yet most underrated country. Let's be real; Canada is the shit.
21. If you're buying something that says "just add water" you are probably a terrible cook. Also, just so you know, it won't taste good either.
22. Don't wake and bake. When people wake up to the smell of cookies, they are hungry. When they're hungry, they eat a lot. When they eat a lot of cookies, they get fat. And when they get fat they will be angry at you. Save your baking for later in the day. (Bet you thought I was going to say something about weed, right? Nooope. Boom, roasted).
23. Putting gel in your hair after a shower is like cleaning your hair, and then deciding you want to fuck it back up again.
24. Window screens are useless if they have holes in them.
25. When I was younger, I tied my shoes once and slipped my shoes on and off. Now I realize that the laces are there for a reason, and I tie my shoes daily.

More to come at a later date. Let me know if you liked this and if there should be more. :)

gym life .

Back when I was at Clemson and we were going to the gym regularly, it's funny how you get into a routine and you start seeing all the same people at the gym all the time. Of course likewise when you don't go to the gym at your usual time you see all kinds of people that mess with your feng shui and it feels weird. However, this post does not focus on those people. This instead focuses on the regulars we saw at the gym all the time, and what we nicknamed them.

what happens after death ?

Ever thought about this? Crosses my mind every once in awhile. And I sit there and think about it until I just about shit my pants. Fear of the unknown is in my belief one of the biggest and most common fears out there. Only in this case, there is seriously no way to find out EVER. Do we believe those who have had "near death" experiences? Many accounts share similarities of seeing a bright light -- though I'm pretty sure that have been studies that say that your brain neurologically makes you think you see this. What happens to those who have no religion to believe in, whether by their own choice or not? If we all believe in one god, is Allah, God, Jesus, Yahweh, all the same entity?

Music Monday #69

This week is something a little different; Nickel Mountain by Tin Hat Trio.

oslo, norge

I use the MapLoco widget to keep track of the places where views come in. Lately, they've been all over the world! Today I happened to go check where people were viewing from and the one at the top was from Oslo, Norway (or Norge in Norwegian). It brought all the memories of being there back, and I couldn't help but stop and just reminisce. I unfortunately only had a little tiny bit of time there, but I would love to go back, so badly. Being there in winter, I loved the cold. It was just all around, always seeing your breath in the air, the frigidness just wrapping around you as soon as you walk out the door. It was relentless; awesome. I've seen some videos of base jumping in Norway, and given that Oslo is pretty far south as far as the country is concerned, I'd love to go and visit the north -- where the mountains come into play, where the northern lights shine, and just more of everything. For those of you who live there, consider yourselves lucky to have such a beautiful country (albeit having Monopoly money... haha). Figured I'd just take a moment to visualize for you guys the time I had there. Enjoy. (Read more for pictures and captions)

are you obsessed with getting more blog traffic ?

Since one of my jobs is that of doing social media and marketing for an author, I have recently spent a lot of time trying figure out how to bring more traffic to his blog. Now, I've never really worried too much about how much traffic my own personal blog gets, (although don't get me wrong, I think we can all agree that if you see that out of the blue your blog gets a few hundred views in a day, we might very well do a backflip) but in this case it's sort of my job to be able to get his stuff out there and get it some more traffic.

But here's my question to everyone out there who is looking for more blog traffic or desperately wishing that more people would read what they have to say. It's something that everyone wants and that's why there are tons of other blog posts out there by reputable writers and bloggers that tell you how to do it! Also, you hear a lot from those who have many followers and tons of traffic "Just keep doing what you're doing, eventually the readers will come." But when someone gets in this thought cycle, I think they need to go and revisit the reason why they started a blog in the first place.

love thy neighbor as you love yourself .

Yesterday in one of the devotionals that I get emailed to me, I found that this quote in the reflection stood out to me: "Every situation is different, but when we don't know what to do, it's always safe to follow the rule of love. The rule of love goes like this: Do whatever allows you to show love in that situation." It also mentioned the popular Biblical quote of "loving thy neighbor as you love yourself" (aka the Golden Rule) but I think I like this manifestation a bit better.

the wicklow way .

One of the places I went while I was in Ireland was Glendalough, home of Wicklow Mountains National Park. It is probably the most beautiful place I have ever been in my life. Prior to going, I had read about a trail that exists in Ireland called the Wicklow Way. It is a hiking trail that takes you through the secluded countryside, and can be done pretty leisurely over about a week. There are a multitude of bed and breakfasts along the way that you could stay at. Ever since I was there I've wanted to go back and walk the Wicklow Way. I guess a more challenging yet reasonable idea would be to hike (part of) the Appalachian Trail, but I think this one would be something exotic and beautiful at the same time.

work .

If you think this is a post about how the work environment sucks and I hate going and it's completely and totally miserable, you'd be entirely wrong. Before I started work this year I told myself that this year would be different. I told myself that instead of dreading work all the time, I would change the way that I looked at it. I wouldn't have to exactly look forward to it, but I would just accept that work is there, I'm making money, and that it's really not bad at all. I also resolved to be a more outgoing and pleasant person while I'm there. You see, I'm on the facilities crew at a country club in my town. Therefore, being the job that involves the least club-member contact, it's pretty easy to just walk around with a blank stare and clean stuff without ever chatting or saying anything to anyone. But that hasn't been this year.

a need to be the best .

I am an extremely competitive person. No matter what it is, I desire to be the absolute best. Some might hear that and say hey, that's a good thing. But it's such a strong desire and my competitiveness runs so deep that often I am even willing to cheat to be the best (more so when I was little, rather than now). I don't know where it comes from, as to my knowledge neither of my parents are this way, and I don't really think that it lives in either of my siblings either. But I know that a fire burns within me.

Music Monday #68

This week's song is Another Night by Cara Salimando.

great minds quote: isaac newton .

On Twitter I follow an account called Great Minds Quotes and they often come up with real good thought provoking material. Contrary to popular belief, Twitter can actually be useful sometimes instead of just a social media platform for mudslinging, emotional catharsis, and internet war... Surprising, right? The one that got stuck in my mind today was "We build too many walls and not enough bridges." It was by Isaac Newton, which I thought was kind of surprising. But I think that this is all too true, both in the literal and figurative sense.

attempting a revamp .

In recent days I've set my sights on some revamps to my blog. For the longest time I have only had just one page with the post pages -- but I think I'm going to add some other pages; like a popular posts page (which I've already started on and will update as needed), an about me, maybe some ways to find me or get in contact with me... I've also always had tons of widgets in the sidebar and I aim to get rid of some of them because I think after awhile people either don't pay attention to those or are distracted by them. Basically, I'd like to better my blog for the viewer.

the world of cycling .

Last summer I got really into cycling. I have been a mountain rider for quite some time, but decided to eat the cost and treat myself to a road bike last summer. Since then I have ridden often with my roommate while at school (or at least, as often as work and classes would allow). This is no small task usually, as he is a professional and has not only incredible endurance but climbing ability. Though he is quite understanding when it comes to my skill level, and rides at a pace that I can keep up with.

feeling old .

I went back to my old high school tonight to watch a concert in which my brother was playing. It's strange to see all the high school seniors get up and say where they're going to college this-coming fall. It dawned upon me that while they embark on their new adventure and adapt to their new college surroundings, I will be reminiscing on years past, and focusing on the grand finale to my undergraduate career.

several updates .

So, there are a good number of things I'm going to briefly mention in here before I doze off for the night. Let's see if I can remember them all, shall we?

wisdom teeth .

This morning I had an appointment to get my wisdom teeth taken out. I only had the two on the bottom; the two on the top simple don't exist. I wasn't really too worried, but this is probably one of the most major surgeries I've ever had (besides maybe getting tattoos, which actually is considered surgery believe it or not). I've never been knocked out with general anesthesia, and I have to say since you're asleep for the whole thing, you don't really notice anything. Anyone who has anxiety about the process can rest easy, knowing that they won't feel anything -- and probably still won't for hours on end afterwards. I didn't get full feeling back in my mouth until around 430 this afternoon, and I was done with my procedure at 10am.

Music Monday #67

This post will be a little bit different than previous Music Mondays as not only am I going to recommend the usual song, but unveil one of my playlists as well. This week's song is Strobe by Deadmau5.

getting home .

Hello all, I didn't get a chance to post yesterday, because, well I was absolutely exhausted and probably wouldn't have been able to get my mind to form complete sentences anyways. Anyways, in regards to the trip -- I started at midnight. On the dot, actually. Got in my car, and looked down and it was exactly midnight. Called to let the parents know I was leaving, and I was on my way.

I sort of allotted myself the whole day to get home if I needed it. It all depended on how much sleep I needed and how many breaks I needed to take. Every time you get gas is already sort of a break (since I have to fill up 4 times to make it home...sad I know) and every time you eat is one (which was only really once for me; I ate at Waffle House in Staunton I think, and just survived on granola bars the rest of the way). I made it home at 3pm later in the day. I hadn't really left Clemson 'til around 12:40am, so that's about right time-wise.

driving time .

It's almost that time to head home. Truck is just about packed with the exception of the few things I still have to throw in there (pillows and backpack and whatnot). I'm gonna sleep for a good bit and then get up and try to get out the door right around midnight. It's gonna be a long trip, no doubt. It's strange saying goodbye to people. It often feels almost too informal, with just a wave or a handshake. But I think that's just the way college is. Even though it's possible I may never see some of these people again, I'm sure there will be new adventures, new paths of future friends to cross. I wish all the graduates the best of luck, especially coming into a world whose economy is certainly less than stellar.

Say a few prayers for me guys. I'm finally headed home.

the pond right near where I live, back when it wasn't so swampy

ukulele .

I bought a ukulele last summer sort of on a whim (oh, the ways you find to empty your pockets when you're getting a steady paycheck). It was shipped to me from Hawaii, and a week or so later, I was the proud owner of a soprano. The first few days I played it a good bit, but then I sort of forgot about it (as is the case with many new things, unfortunately). The other day I was listening to a playlist I had made for a girl from work (Sami) and this song called Sweet Pea came on by Amos Lee.

Well, I decided out of nowhere that I wanted to learn how to play this song. I immediately stopped everything that I was doing and dug out my uke, after realizing that while there was guitar in the song, it was not the prominent instrument.

brielle .

The other day on Twitter I happened to notice a Q&A that Owl City (Adam Young) was doing for people as they sent in their questions and he replied to them. One of them really caught my eye:

The coolest part about this? Brielle is quite near me! In my county in fact. It's not super close, but still! So exciting!

3rd year .

As it is the end of the semester and I've just finished, it is of course time to go ahead and reminisce about the past year's activities. It's been a great year and I can't believe that I've finished my third year of college. It blows my mind how fast the time moves, how many things have happened, not to mention how old I am.

During this past year, I lived in Barcelona for 4 months, studying architecture, I had the opportunity to travel to Madrid, Berlin, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Dublin, Glendalough and Oslo. I've seen things I've never seen and had more new experiences than I can count. And yet, a year from now, I'll be graduating. It feels like it was just yesterday that I was sitting in the stands of Franklin Field at UPenn for my sister's graduation. All of a sudden, I have just a year between now and the time when I will take my turn to walk away from Clemson, diploma in hand. But enough of that -- I still have a year to go!

canada .

This past weekend I went down to Lexington to play in a volleyball tournament and stayed with a friend while I was down there. I happened to see the magnets and postcards on the fridge of Banff, Canada... And all of a sudden tons of memories began to flood back to me. I spent two weeks in Canada with my family a while back, and it was one of the best trips I've ever been on. Tons of hiking, taking long scenic train rides, staying in cabins and nice hotels -- It was truly a fantastic experience. I wish dearly that I could go back again, even if not to that part of Canada.

Music Monday #66

Welllll, obviously it's not Monday, but I'm playing catch-up this week so you'll just have to make do. Apologies if anyone really missed having it on Monday! This week's song is Wild One by Flo Ride ft. Sia.

photography .

In a limited world, I think that photography is the only thing that is absolutely and truly limitless. There will never be a lack of subject matter, there will never be the same exact shot, there will never be the same opportunity for a photo that you have right this second. In the same way that no two snowflakes are the same, no single photo will ever be exactly the same.

I am no expert at Photoshop and probably never will be. It's on my list of things to really work to get better at, because with the architectural world moving ever steadily towards sole photorealistic renderings it is imperative that I learn how to be able to digitally replicate at least some of the things seen in real life in a photorealistic rendering. Believe me it's not easy, and some of my friends are absolute masters at it... One of the problems is that I don't really enjoy the rendering process. It is a tedious, time-consuming process where little normally unnoticeable  tweaks make the difference between pure shit and pure gold. BUT. And that's a big but, photography is completely different.

LSD .

So I recently came upon this slideshow of pictures an artist did while given a dose of LSD. You can check it out here. Seriously; go and read it because it's absolutely wild. Admittedly I don't have any experience with drugs of any kind (all the moms out there can breath a deep sigh of relief now) but it's certainly been there if I wanted to. Welcome to life as a kid growing up in today's world; things are extremely accessible if you only know where to look. To me, LSD was only ever the drug that inspired the Beatles song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds... Or something that induced a feeling that very much made you see things like this:

go ahead... stare at this for a good minute... it'll make you right dizzy...