Good weekend, so far.
Katie Leibert's birthday was on Thursday, April 17th, and she and I had planned on celebrating our birthdays together on Thursday, April 24th, halfway point, you see?
Well, one of her flatmates decided she wanted to take Katie to Pho's (Vietnamese restaurant in Round Rock, Khang claims it's pronounced like "fuhz"). Anyway, the plan was to go on Friday, yesterday, around 4:30 and we would be back by 7:00 PM for me to be on weekend duty in the Ghetto.
On my way over to Katie's flat in Beall, I run into Wade Rogers, who asks me if Landon (Taylor) "got all (my) stuff packed?" Well, having no idea what he was talking about, I can't help him with any sort of affirming information, even though he persists with his questions until we part ways completely (I was walking into the SDO/SLO/Frazier building, he to Gettys).
I make my way out to the apartments to 1) go to Katie's flat; and 2) because I was going to pick up a candle at Erica Valenta's place for Midnight March, last night...or...this morning. At any rate, I'm out in Independence Village. As I leave Erica's apartment, Lindsey Harkrider, who lives there as well, hands me a candle saying it's from her, and gives me an...odd...? yes, odd look as I walk out the door.
Once at Katie's, five of us -- Garrett Smith, Katie Leibert, Hayley Friedman, Lindsey Villareal, and myself -- take off in Lindsey's car towards Pho's, explaining that Landon and Autumn (Woolsey) had gone on ahead of us and would be waiting for us to arrive.
About half way to RR, we make a pit stop at a gas station just outside of Georgetown (Landon's hometown). While mingling around the car, I tell Katie of my odd run-in with Wade earlier at the SDO. She tells me that all of her over-night stuff is gone, and she can't even find her tennis shoes or pillow and blankets. What's more, is that Garrett aparently sent her a text message right after departure from campus telling her that he told "Daniel" that I would not be at Midnight March, and to explain that to Glynis and Erica. Katie replies to this text message courteously, to which Garrett replies, "Oh, wrong number. Hello from the back seat!"
Something is obviously up.
Well, Lindsey manuevers the car back on to I-35, but this time going North, instead of South to RR, and it's clear something is going on. We make a few a turns, we go here, we go there, I ask if I'll still be back in time for duty at 7:00, and Lindsey answers yes.
Eventually, we get lost and wait about 15 minutes for Sterling Kay Parker, of all people, accompanied by Autumn to come to our rescue and take us to our destination.
After a few more minutes of driving around the more scenic routes of Georgetown, and a few more wrong turns, we find ourselves entering a Texas state park. Sterling and Autumn pay for our entry into the park, and we follow the winding road deeper and deeper into the park. We finally stop, park, and get out, at a camp site maybe 100 yards off of the water's edge of Lake Georgetown, furnished with a tent, two kayaks, fishing poles, our clothes for a night's stay, and Landon scurying around the site perparing things for us, Katie and me. Everyone I ran into from Gettys to Beall, from Wade to Garrett and from Lindsey Villareal to Lindsey Harkrider, knew about it.
Our friends put together a surprise birthday camp-out at Lake Georgetown, just for us. We had 6 kayaks for 8 people, ribs for dinner, and afterwards a camp fire and smores. I even made a torch out of a log, rolled up newspapers, and cooking spray. Twas fun. In the morning, this morning really, we fished, we kayaked, and we ate smores and granola bars for breakfast. Katie and I paddled across the lake to some cliffs, got out, walked around, and found a football to throw back and forth to each other on the way back. All in all, it was a great birthday.
Thank you friends, I love you. I dedicate this birthday, and this blogpost, to you guys.
Lovelovelove
geoff
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Friday, March 7, 2008
It's the end of the world as we know it
But I don't really feel fine.
I'm going to have to say something about this before it kills me inside and out. It's really bugging me.
One of my friends has, apparently, had a crush on my best friend for...quite a while now, evidently. I had no idea about it until sometime midway through last semester when I accidentally stumbled upon it. I shook it off and said it wouldn't change things and still kept on making every attempt at keeping the relationships normal.
Well, some time early this semester things got weird. All of a sudden, my best friend's schedule cleared right up and now he has plenty of time to spend hanging out with people. Well, seeing the opportunity and doing what any normal person with a crush would do, my other friend began to call my best friend nonstop to hang out.
Where does this leave me? Screwed, pretty much.
My best friend became free about the same time my year got really hectic, and all of a sudden I don't ever get to see anyone anymore. It gets worse, from my perspective, when every time I stumble upon either of these two friends they seem to be not far apart.
I don't want or mean to take away from their friendship, but I'm not an idiot. She's got it bad for him, and so she's going to make more of an effort for him, especially since she knows he's available and isn't tied down with class and other commitments on campus.
I'm happy that he's got free time, and I'm happy that she's getting to spend so much time with, evidently, the guy she's been dreaming of for quite some time now. The only thing is, I've been in the middle of this watching it happen, and now I'm left out. I've tried talking about it and addressing this specifically and all I've gotten is a "No, Geoff, things won't change, we'll still be friends." And yet, you know what? We're not. She does not even call me anymore.
Oh well. I guess if I wasn't a good enough friend for her to keep me around when things get tough for me and sweet for her, then I'm better off without her, but the thing is I really thought we were.
I'm not saying all these things to sign off a friendship that used to be pretty good, I'm just trying to get my feelings out. I've tried talking about this with several people, and quite honestly nobody wants to listen, or the people who do listen to me won't do anything about it to help me. I'm not fishing for pity and sympathy or encouragement or compliments or anything real specific of that nature, I just want to get it out and off my chest. Because right now, as it stands, I feel as if I've got one real friend left that I can talk with. And unfortunately, for the both of us, I can't tell him this secret. Because it's about him.
That
Just
Sucks
I'm going to have to say something about this before it kills me inside and out. It's really bugging me.
One of my friends has, apparently, had a crush on my best friend for...quite a while now, evidently. I had no idea about it until sometime midway through last semester when I accidentally stumbled upon it. I shook it off and said it wouldn't change things and still kept on making every attempt at keeping the relationships normal.
Well, some time early this semester things got weird. All of a sudden, my best friend's schedule cleared right up and now he has plenty of time to spend hanging out with people. Well, seeing the opportunity and doing what any normal person with a crush would do, my other friend began to call my best friend nonstop to hang out.
Where does this leave me? Screwed, pretty much.
My best friend became free about the same time my year got really hectic, and all of a sudden I don't ever get to see anyone anymore. It gets worse, from my perspective, when every time I stumble upon either of these two friends they seem to be not far apart.
I don't want or mean to take away from their friendship, but I'm not an idiot. She's got it bad for him, and so she's going to make more of an effort for him, especially since she knows he's available and isn't tied down with class and other commitments on campus.
I'm happy that he's got free time, and I'm happy that she's getting to spend so much time with, evidently, the guy she's been dreaming of for quite some time now. The only thing is, I've been in the middle of this watching it happen, and now I'm left out. I've tried talking about it and addressing this specifically and all I've gotten is a "No, Geoff, things won't change, we'll still be friends." And yet, you know what? We're not. She does not even call me anymore.
Oh well. I guess if I wasn't a good enough friend for her to keep me around when things get tough for me and sweet for her, then I'm better off without her, but the thing is I really thought we were.
I'm not saying all these things to sign off a friendship that used to be pretty good, I'm just trying to get my feelings out. I've tried talking about this with several people, and quite honestly nobody wants to listen, or the people who do listen to me won't do anything about it to help me. I'm not fishing for pity and sympathy or encouragement or compliments or anything real specific of that nature, I just want to get it out and off my chest. Because right now, as it stands, I feel as if I've got one real friend left that I can talk with. And unfortunately, for the both of us, I can't tell him this secret. Because it's about him.
That
Just
Sucks
Monday, February 18, 2008
The earth was shaking in the dark
So, I've listened to Phil Wickham's "True Love" almost a million times in the past week, and I bought it just Sunday.
Umm.
I'm going through a particularly painful and dark season of life. If I were to put it in terms of God painting on His canvas, I would say these are the dark strokes that clearly define where and who I am, and where and who I am not.
If it weren't for Passion this weekend, I'm not sure I would be able to make it through without being consumed by my anger, pain, frustration, and bitterness. But because of Passion, I know that God is taking care of me, and I'll be fine.
I've been reading a lot lately in Hosea and Luke. I plan to read all of Luke by the time Easter rolls around, and I'll finish Hosea whenever I do.
If you could pray for me, that's all I ask. I know not many people read this, and those who do have a tendency not to take me seriously, but that's your loss and I won't account for that, but I would ask you to pray for me.
Thanks
Umm.
I'm going through a particularly painful and dark season of life. If I were to put it in terms of God painting on His canvas, I would say these are the dark strokes that clearly define where and who I am, and where and who I am not.
If it weren't for Passion this weekend, I'm not sure I would be able to make it through without being consumed by my anger, pain, frustration, and bitterness. But because of Passion, I know that God is taking care of me, and I'll be fine.
I've been reading a lot lately in Hosea and Luke. I plan to read all of Luke by the time Easter rolls around, and I'll finish Hosea whenever I do.
If you could pray for me, that's all I ask. I know not many people read this, and those who do have a tendency not to take me seriously, but that's your loss and I won't account for that, but I would ask you to pray for me.
Thanks
Monday, February 4, 2008
Tomorrow is Another Day
Yeah, a country song for the title of my blog. Never thought I'd see the day.
So, recently I started wearing a purple wrist band (like the ones Lance Armstrong made with LIVESTRONG on it) that had 2:14 written. This is to remind me of Philippians 2:14, or to remind me not to complain or grumble. It's called the "2:14 Challenge," or something like that. You wear the wrist band around your wrist and the challenge is to go 21 days without grumbling or compaining -- the experts say it takes about 21 days to develop a habit. But, whenever you grumble or compain you're supposed to switch it over to the other wrist and start over on a new day 1.
So far I've made it to Day 1 about 8 times, but the good news is I'm only switching it about once a day. And if you've read any of my blog, you know I like to complain, so for me to be cutting back to about once a day is pretty good!
In the wonderful world of sports -- of which I am a fan, although somewhat passive -- the New England Patriots choked on the Super Bowl. Khang, say whatever you want about the Mavs or the Cowboys, but I'm pretty sure NEITHER of them ever blew a perfect season at the 'ship. Brag all you want about how you hate Dallas, but Brady and the boys had their chance to write their names on history and greatness, and instead they choked. There were no ridiculous fouls or penalties, they just gave it away.
The thing I'm looking forward to most in all of this after the fact that the Pats choked and lost, is all the cool commercials that will be coming out with Peyton and Eli. I mean, think about it. Two brothers win back-to-back Super Bowls. Don't tell me the media won't like that. We have Charles Barkley and Dwyane Wade making commercials for T-Mobile because they've both played basketball at some point in their lives, we will be seeing something of the Manning brothers and their back-to-back rings.
In other news, I hate school. I have a class in just over an hour that is disastrous that I don't want to go to. Yeah. It sucks. Biblical Backgrouns. I guess now that I've complained about class it's time for me to switch my band.
I am also suffering through an epidemic with friends. Not just the usual sickness that is going around and extra-bad this year, but a lot of my friends are scattering off into weird places in life. Some have built relationships with people out of insecurity, some have become exclusive and snobbish, some have just become people I don't even know anymore. It's kind of sad, but I'm grateful and glad for the friends who are still here with me.
Thanks guys.
One thing that I've learned here recently is something Kevin said a while back. Life doesn't get easier. We have to get stronger. As we grow up and travel further through life, we have to get tougher or else we'll get knocked down and never get up. Instead of praying "God make tomorrow easier," we should be praying "God make me stronger for tomorrow." For a while now life has been too much of too much, and not enough of the things I'm needing. I've been praying "God make it easier on me" and "Why God, why?" a little too much and not enough of "God, please make me stronger for what is to come." I don't know why life doesn't get any easier, but it just doesn't. And it until it does, I guess I'll be praying to be stronger for what is right now, and what is to come.
Okay, I'm out.
So, recently I started wearing a purple wrist band (like the ones Lance Armstrong made with LIVESTRONG on it) that had 2:14 written. This is to remind me of Philippians 2:14, or to remind me not to complain or grumble. It's called the "2:14 Challenge," or something like that. You wear the wrist band around your wrist and the challenge is to go 21 days without grumbling or compaining -- the experts say it takes about 21 days to develop a habit. But, whenever you grumble or compain you're supposed to switch it over to the other wrist and start over on a new day 1.
So far I've made it to Day 1 about 8 times, but the good news is I'm only switching it about once a day. And if you've read any of my blog, you know I like to complain, so for me to be cutting back to about once a day is pretty good!
In the wonderful world of sports -- of which I am a fan, although somewhat passive -- the New England Patriots choked on the Super Bowl. Khang, say whatever you want about the Mavs or the Cowboys, but I'm pretty sure NEITHER of them ever blew a perfect season at the 'ship. Brag all you want about how you hate Dallas, but Brady and the boys had their chance to write their names on history and greatness, and instead they choked. There were no ridiculous fouls or penalties, they just gave it away.
The thing I'm looking forward to most in all of this after the fact that the Pats choked and lost, is all the cool commercials that will be coming out with Peyton and Eli. I mean, think about it. Two brothers win back-to-back Super Bowls. Don't tell me the media won't like that. We have Charles Barkley and Dwyane Wade making commercials for T-Mobile because they've both played basketball at some point in their lives, we will be seeing something of the Manning brothers and their back-to-back rings.
In other news, I hate school. I have a class in just over an hour that is disastrous that I don't want to go to. Yeah. It sucks. Biblical Backgrouns. I guess now that I've complained about class it's time for me to switch my band.
I am also suffering through an epidemic with friends. Not just the usual sickness that is going around and extra-bad this year, but a lot of my friends are scattering off into weird places in life. Some have built relationships with people out of insecurity, some have become exclusive and snobbish, some have just become people I don't even know anymore. It's kind of sad, but I'm grateful and glad for the friends who are still here with me.
Thanks guys.
One thing that I've learned here recently is something Kevin said a while back. Life doesn't get easier. We have to get stronger. As we grow up and travel further through life, we have to get tougher or else we'll get knocked down and never get up. Instead of praying "God make tomorrow easier," we should be praying "God make me stronger for tomorrow." For a while now life has been too much of too much, and not enough of the things I'm needing. I've been praying "God make it easier on me" and "Why God, why?" a little too much and not enough of "God, please make me stronger for what is to come." I don't know why life doesn't get any easier, but it just doesn't. And it until it does, I guess I'll be praying to be stronger for what is right now, and what is to come.
Okay, I'm out.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
This Could Be a Long One...
In honor of the special circumstances regarding this post, I'm not going to title this particular post with song lyrics. Sorry if you were expecting it.
I'll get right to the heart of what's on my mind (1 of 3 possible, potential topics), I have trust issues. I got blown off hXc by the group I considered my best friends this year. The people I chose to do life with more or less disowned me and left me hanging. Needless to say, screwed me up pretty bad. Imagine what you'd be like if three of your best friends quit being your best friends but still hung out together. Sucks. There are about four people from last year that I would still consider my closest of friends, and to those four I am eternally grateful and I hope and pray our friendship will continue forever.
Topic 2
My second topic is much the same. It's about our stories. Your story, my story, his story, her story, our story. Just recently I began to consider what people and characters I want to add to m story of life. I mean, think about it, for a second. When you read something like Lord of The Rings, look at the characters Frodo and Aragorn and all those guys kept with them on their journey. They were helpful, they were loyal, there was a strong bond there. Do I have a similar bond with the people in my life? Do I want to call this person a best friend? Could she be my girlfriend? Is this guy a worthy mentor, should I follow his guidance? I don't know. But it's something to think about, I think. I know for me and my life, I'm going to be a little more critical (if that's even possible for me) when I judge and consider my friends and the relations I have in life. Not to sound selfish and say that these relationships are all about me, but I don't want transient characters or even characters who will give my story a premature ending. So, yeah, something to think about.
Topic 3
The Golden Compass (which is, apparently, based on the book "The Northern Lights" by Phillip Pullman...), shall I say more. Saw the movie, it was a waste of $17, I paid for two tickets, and have now decided that yes, Pullman has a vendetta against the Catholic Church and the liturgy therein, and that it wasn't even that well made of a movie. I can wait to see the sequels on DVD, but only if I decide that's a good idea. I know that my attitude of "I decide" is the exact attitude that Christians are trying to squash out with the presence of this movie and these novels, however as God-appointed and -gifted leader for the church, I do have to decide, and I decide that not seeing them will benefit me and others in the long run.
Umm, that's all. Hit me back if you want. If not, then don't.
Have good breaks, I promise I'll blog much much more over the Xmas holiday season. May even go to the Houston area, we'll see.
Focker Out
I'll get right to the heart of what's on my mind (1 of 3 possible, potential topics), I have trust issues. I got blown off hXc by the group I considered my best friends this year. The people I chose to do life with more or less disowned me and left me hanging. Needless to say, screwed me up pretty bad. Imagine what you'd be like if three of your best friends quit being your best friends but still hung out together. Sucks. There are about four people from last year that I would still consider my closest of friends, and to those four I am eternally grateful and I hope and pray our friendship will continue forever.
Topic 2
My second topic is much the same. It's about our stories. Your story, my story, his story, her story, our story. Just recently I began to consider what people and characters I want to add to m story of life. I mean, think about it, for a second. When you read something like Lord of The Rings, look at the characters Frodo and Aragorn and all those guys kept with them on their journey. They were helpful, they were loyal, there was a strong bond there. Do I have a similar bond with the people in my life? Do I want to call this person a best friend? Could she be my girlfriend? Is this guy a worthy mentor, should I follow his guidance? I don't know. But it's something to think about, I think. I know for me and my life, I'm going to be a little more critical (if that's even possible for me) when I judge and consider my friends and the relations I have in life. Not to sound selfish and say that these relationships are all about me, but I don't want transient characters or even characters who will give my story a premature ending. So, yeah, something to think about.
Topic 3
The Golden Compass (which is, apparently, based on the book "The Northern Lights" by Phillip Pullman...), shall I say more. Saw the movie, it was a waste of $17, I paid for two tickets, and have now decided that yes, Pullman has a vendetta against the Catholic Church and the liturgy therein, and that it wasn't even that well made of a movie. I can wait to see the sequels on DVD, but only if I decide that's a good idea. I know that my attitude of "I decide" is the exact attitude that Christians are trying to squash out with the presence of this movie and these novels, however as God-appointed and -gifted leader for the church, I do have to decide, and I decide that not seeing them will benefit me and others in the long run.
Umm, that's all. Hit me back if you want. If not, then don't.
Have good breaks, I promise I'll blog much much more over the Xmas holiday season. May even go to the Houston area, we'll see.
Focker Out
Thursday, December 6, 2007
I'm yours and suddenly you're mine, love burns brighter than sunshine
It's interesting to me the nicknames people will give each other. For example, I know this one guy, his name is Pi'dadro. He's half black, half hispanic. People call him P Diddy. Wow, duh. My name is Geoffrey, I'm pretty much as white as you can get, and people call me Geoff, Geoffey, and a few call me G-Off. It's interesting. Simply interesting.
I have an Intro to Philosophy final exam tomorrow at 1 PM. I have yet to study for it. Fortunately, I get off duty about now, and I have two gift cards to Starbucks and plenty of time to study. I can't decide if I want to pull a complete all-nighter and stay up until after I take the exam, or if I want to spend a good 3 or 4 hours at Starbucks studying and reviewing and go to bed whenever I feel most confident. I'm going to need a good 6 hours, but I probably won't get to studying for at least another half hour. Or I could run through my notes and the study guide now for a little over an hour, go to bed, get up around 8, and study straight into the final. I hate that idea, because studying that much right up until the test usually kills my brain.
So, in short, I don't know what I'll be doing, but I'm leaning more towards Starbucks, although it will be more than likely packed.
I'm sorry I haven't blogged a whole lot lately, I've been real busy with exams. I'm feeling better than the last post, though I've got a new set of problems now. I think that's how life goes. If you get your work done on time or before it's due, you don't get an award, you get more work that slackers aren't doing (I'm sure if you stretch the definition you can understand what I'm talking about). I don't mean to sound dramatic saying I've got such terrible problems in life, I say that just to say life's struggles keep coming, and I keep working through them.
A few things to note before I sign off:
Good friends
Flaky friends
Friends of convenience
Fights with friends
Final exams
Crap
Work
Sleep
Okay, good night
I have an Intro to Philosophy final exam tomorrow at 1 PM. I have yet to study for it. Fortunately, I get off duty about now, and I have two gift cards to Starbucks and plenty of time to study. I can't decide if I want to pull a complete all-nighter and stay up until after I take the exam, or if I want to spend a good 3 or 4 hours at Starbucks studying and reviewing and go to bed whenever I feel most confident. I'm going to need a good 6 hours, but I probably won't get to studying for at least another half hour. Or I could run through my notes and the study guide now for a little over an hour, go to bed, get up around 8, and study straight into the final. I hate that idea, because studying that much right up until the test usually kills my brain.
So, in short, I don't know what I'll be doing, but I'm leaning more towards Starbucks, although it will be more than likely packed.
I'm sorry I haven't blogged a whole lot lately, I've been real busy with exams. I'm feeling better than the last post, though I've got a new set of problems now. I think that's how life goes. If you get your work done on time or before it's due, you don't get an award, you get more work that slackers aren't doing (I'm sure if you stretch the definition you can understand what I'm talking about). I don't mean to sound dramatic saying I've got such terrible problems in life, I say that just to say life's struggles keep coming, and I keep working through them.
A few things to note before I sign off:
Good friends
Flaky friends
Friends of convenience
Fights with friends
Final exams
Crap
Work
Sleep
Okay, good night
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