The Blog with No Name

Last post of 2003. Better make it good, huh? NOT.

I’m too tired to write much besides this: 2003 was a pretty good year. It had some really really sweet moments, and then it also had a few heartbreakers.

I’m down in California now. It’s kinda cold. But this is a good thing because I want to ski while I’m here. Hopefully we’ll be going tomorrow.

I celebrated Christmas with my family yesterday. I scored some nice loot. With my four gift cards, I’ll have plenty of shopping to do when I get back to Seattle.

Not much else to say . . . I’m sure I’ll get a couple more posts in before I get back up North.

Last night my friend Kyle asked me what my best Christmas memory was. My initial response was that I didn’t have one, but almost as soon as I said that I remembered one. This is it.

In September of ‘94 I was thirteen. While I was on a caribou hunting trip with Dad, my white ferret, Denali, was killed by our boa constrictor that had gotten out of its cage. I was heartbroken by this; I loved my ferret. It just so happened that about two months later my beloved white rat, Whiteout, died in his cage. This was pretty rough for me to take. I had quickly lost both of my favorite pets.

On Christmas day, my brothers and I are highly dependent on Mom when it comes to opening presents because she wraps them and doesn’t put “To” tags on them. So, she has to tell us who gets what package. This is a good way to prolong the unwrapping ceremony because the kids can only unwrap as fast as you identify presents. Anyway, at Christmas 1994, all the presents had been unwrapped save for one. And my mom says, “Say, Steve, I think that last one is yours.” Boy that made me happy, and it was a larger box too.

As I scampered over to grab it, I noticed it wiggle just a little bit. I picked it up, and it was light. I sat down and ripped it open. As I opened the flaps of a plain cardboard box, a little baby ferret poked her face up. She placed her paws on my chest and sniffed my face while I cried with joy.
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Currently listening to Chalk Line from the album “Punk Goes Acoustic” by Strike Anywhere

“Spirit!” he cried, tight clutching at its robe. “Hear me! I am not the man I was. I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse. Why show me this, if I am past all hope?” - Ebenezer Scrooge from A Christmas Carol

Now celebrating 24 hours of commercial-free Christmas!
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Currently listening to O Holy Night by Seven Day Jesus

Though I don’t entirely agree with some of his theology Michael Novak has an excellent piece on the integration of faith with science, reason, and the state. I especially apreciate the point that the Christian faith has room for a noble atheist, whereas the atheistic faith does not allow noble theists. I believe it’s worth a read.

Top 10 Technologies to Watch in 2004. Here’s a cool one:

Lizards climb walls using the mechanical adhesive force of millions of tiny hairs on their feet. A synthetic version of those microscopic hairs allows gecko tape, developed at England’s University of Manchester, to stick to almost any surface without glue. Applications include gloves that allow a person to climb a glass wall, the ability to move computer chips in a vacuum, and new bandages.

I want to climb glass walls . . .

Top 10 Dumbest Celebrities of 2003. I think Ethan Hawke and Steve-O should be higher on the list.
Top 10 Most Overpaid Jobs.

I have many favorite movies, but putting them in an ordered list is quite tough. This list is pretty much off the top of my head.

1. Chariots of Fire
2. Saving Private Ryan
3. Star Wars episodes 4,5,6
4. Lord of the Rings Trilogy
5. Gladiator
6. Godfather Trilogy
7. The Matrix
8. Die Hard
9. Army of Darkness
10. O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Honorable mention: Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels

For ease, I consider the trilogies listed as one unit, thus they occupy one slot. I make an exception for The Matrix because the last two don’t even compare to the quality of the first one.

If anybody was going to buy me a gift for Christmas and hasn’t gotten it yet, I’d like to point you to my Amazon.com wishlist where you will find “Feed Me Weird Things” by Squarepusher. I’d really like to have that album.

Just a hint.

Oh, and early birthday presents are cool.

Or, you know, just any gift for no reason at all is swell.

Pity gifts are even acceptable.

You can try to buy my love with it as well.

I’ll remember you when I become rich, powerful, famous, and thoroughly charming.
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Currently listening to Theme from Ernest Borgnine by Squarepusher

Shucks howdy! Christmas Eve is tomorrow! Whatever shall I do?

I found out today that the software I use for this blog is going to be hitting the vaunted 1.0 stage, which makes me quite glad. It also means I’ll be updating. This in turns entails that some things might break on my site, and I’ll have to fix them. If it comes out tomorrow that would be good because then I can devote a good chunk of time to upgrading. Anyway, enough nerd speak.

Finding Nemo is a pretty darn funny movie. “Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine!”

Okay, so that guy in Libya who just agreed to dismantle his WMDs, how the heck do you spell his name? I’ve seen it spelled four different ways: “Khaddafi,” “Qaddafi,” “Gadhafi,” and “Gadaffi.”

So which is it?

Something is wrong. Something is very very wrong. On the 12th I was enjoying “I’ll Be.” This is out of the ordinary for me. But tonight! Oh, but tonight! I was at a country bar dancing the 2-step and the 10-step and I was having fun.

WHAT IS GOING ON!?

Before I know it I’m going to be buying Britney’s new album and learning all the dance moves . . .
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Currently listening to Simply Being Loved by BT

I still have Christmas presents to buy. Luckily I’m awesome at shopping, so I have zero worries. I’d like to thank God for the ability to buy presents without having to worry about my finances. About a month ago I was worried, but, some how, a sizable amount of money stayed in my bank account. I guess money in my pocket is coated with grease, but money in my bank account is slathered with glue. This is a comforting thought.

I went hunting again today with my co-worker/friend Chris Wickham. Once again we were skunked. We saw about five birds and almost all of them weren’t even worth attempting a shot at. However, it was fun to tool along on the dirt road out there. I finally got some serious mud on my truck due to some rather large puddles of chocolate milk. I really enjoy the driving out there.

For those of who care to know, I’ve decided not to pursue grad school in philosophy. I have not made this decision flippantly or impulsively. I’ve given it a lot of thought, sought counsel, and have prayed about it. Just in case some day I wonder why the heck I made this decision here are my reasons in no particular order:

• Financial concerns. Going to grad school will add several thousands (possibly upwards of $20,000) of debt to my name. I have come to terms with the fact that debt will just be a part of my life for a while, but I am going to seek to minimize it as much as possible.
• Time concerns. Going to grad school will add at least two years to my education. If I did that along with law school, I’d be in the educational system for at least five more years. That’s a long haul. Three years sounds much better than five years. Delaying my key earning years longer than necessary doesn’t appeal to me.
• Personal concerns. Going to grad school has long been a vague goal of mine. I always wanted something more than my B.A.’s, so I thought going to grad school would be a good idea, especially when a professor who I greatly respected strongly encouraged it. However, when it came right down to it, grad school didn’t seem so great. I’ve pretty much lost all desire to do it. Also, through my research and reading I’ve learned that pretty much any humanities higher education might as well be a dead end for me. I do not want to be a professor, I do not want to teach at a lower level, I do not want to go through the struggle of squeezing income out of a high degree.
• Practical concerns. Going to grade school ultimately would only serve the purpose of preparing me better for law school. After that, it would be two years of my life and thousands of dollars of which I’ll probably never take full advantage. The philosopher in me screams out against that last statement, but I’m trying to be honest.

Bottom line is that I do not feel that grad school is where I should be. Besides, what does the Good Book say?

For in much wisdom is much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

There’s enough grief and sorrow in my life as it is.

So where does that leave me now? Well, law school. But when it comes down to it am I going to cast aside law school just like I did grad school? No, absolutely not (barring any life-changing events). Law school has been a desire of mine for nearly twice as long as grad school ever was and to live the life I want to live I need a professional degree. Furthermore, I believe this is a very viable avenue for me to make a difference in this world. As my dad said, “There’s a lot of lawyers out there, but there’s always room for good lawyers.” That’s me: the good lawyer, serving others and doing his part to make this world a better place.

Okay, well I actually didn’t intend to write all of that out tonight, but I guess it just kinda spilled out. I view this blog as my journal which other people suffer to read, so I guess this entry is more for me than any of my dear readers.

Now, I must get to bed. I have to take Jessica to the airport in five hours, and I’ve been up since six this morning.
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Currently listening to Needs by Collective Soul

I have a lot brewing, bubbling, and boiling around in my chest and head. In particular, I have just finished a book called Lament for a Son that gives me pause for thought. I was hoping to write some of those down, but I feel I’ve hit a writers block. I want to re-read the book again; it’s short enough. Maybe after the second time through I’ll have clearer thoughts.

Also, this has been a rather stressful time in my life. I suppose it’s the struggles of growing up. Trying to figure out what I’m going to do with my future, what am I going to do with my life, finding a job, etc. But, though I feel I’m in the thick of it now, I know there will be reprieve soon. I believe there is a Plan for my life, and I will find and follow that Plan. It will only be a few months, possibly less, before I discover which doors are closed to me and which doors are wide open to me. Actually, just thinking about that now has me rather excited. Soon, very soon I will know my Way, and I will be able to dash down it with abandon. I will be able to run this race with endurance and joy. I will fight my fight with strength and conviction.

Indeed, it is wonderful to know there is a Purpose for my life.

“Heck, even I thought I was dead. Till I found out I was just in Nebraska.” - Little Bill Daggett from Unforgiven