Stuff. Blended. A blog for the age(s).
June 18, 2009 • Moi, Short Story • Comments
So this short story kind of materialized out of a nap I had. Some of the events in this story happened while others have happened while I was at a concert I didn’t really care to be at. Have you thought of anything that “blew your mind” at a concert?
Link: Fresh Air
June 18, 2009 • Moi, Short Story • Comments
As mentioned before I was working on a short story about a student who finds the “spoils system” not so favorable during a job interview. The final piece is much different but feels better and much more readable in my opinion.
June 18, 2009 • Celebration, Moi, Uncategorized • Comments
This week coincides with my sister’s “Myrtle Beach Week.” That means a lot of strange unfun stuff is bound to happen with lifelong relationships. There are many times I find myself wishing the drinking age was 18 or even 16. This is one of those times.
So I heard back from VCU. It turns out that I am not accepted into their “copywriting program” but they want me to consider their “communication strategies” track. The only problem – I never took the GRE. So I am in the process of applying to two schools in Atlanta while I find out more information from VCU. Kind of a bummer. I’m not going to be deterred. This is a business of subjection, not absolute truths.
I also found out that my parents will be unable to visit Italy through my mom’s work. The pesky economy has caused one too many people to drop out driving the costs up exorbitantly. I do hope that my parents get to go on a trip to the region in the coming years.
My dad also turned 60 this past weekend. Kinda nuts to think that 38 years seperate you from your father. That is almost two me’s. I’d say he has pretty good health for someone of his lack of physical activity. I hope I keep up daily walking/jogging/cycling long into my fifties.
Speaking of which, I have cranked out new short stories over the past couple days. I’m not sure if anyone will like them, but they are a product of despair, hope and youth. See what you think.
June 15, 2009 • Celebration, Moi • Comments
This past weekend was a blur. My sister finally finished high school and is now at Myrtle Beach until Thursday at Beach Week. The actual graduation ceremony was a raucous affair (much more so than my own) and I nearly went deaf from all the unnecessary whistling and cowbells. Next time the rodeo is in town feel free to inform me.
I’ve been keeping it low watching the NBA Finals. Now that the Lakers took it I have to say that this may be the first year so far as I can remember that I actually watched almost every game from the Quarter Finals on. Everything from the Magic/Celtics, the Most Valuable Puppets Ads and the Denver Nuggets exceptional run made it worthwhile. I can’t wait for this fall. Hopefully, Shaq (Big Tweet) will be able to help Lebron win another and cement Cleveland as the Rock City that Drew Carey made it out to be a decade ago.
Cast of The Drew Carey Show
Enjoy the fresh paint, everyone, and expect more out of me. I won a 16 gig iPod Touch the other day on eBay and plan to do more mobile updates and linking to appropriate content. Expect some more ads out of me by the end of this month.
Cheers!
June 4, 2009 • Linked Goodness, Moi • Comments
So it’s weird and kinda sensual. The prospect that I’m a man but I have returned home for a summer before (hopefully, fingers crossed) moving on to bigger and better things. I have a lot to thank my parents for but at the same time I can’t help shake the feeling that I should be in New York high fiving some British executives at a posh studio apartment party while wearing a tie around my head (and doing some funky moves on the dance floor without spilling my beverage [vodka tonic]).
Instead, I’m in Winston-Salem doing close to nothing and not really regretting it. I have the company of Conan O’Brien with me and a few good novels. I’m also in the process of selling off half of my soul on eBay but it feels good. I just hope that the cheers stay as he continues into week two. I am not sure when I am ever going to get around to reading the like 300 paleontology/dinosaur-related books I own. You think I am kidding. Ha. I have an entire bookshelf that would have made Michael Crichton run away in a blind panic over the sheer metric volume of fact found within.
So I gave blood today – first time since January. It was pretty rough. I started back jogging after a week and a half of daily walking for at least 45 minutes. I found out that I am dehydrated, and that I would not be the best heroin addict during summer months. We started with my left arm and the vein’s wall denied the needle any blood, and so I am left with an ugly bruise on my inner arm. My right arm was more successful until three quarters of the way through when it decided to dry up. They had to shift the needle while it was still in my vein. Fun stuff. I passed out this afternoon as I was fully exhausted from the two hour process along with my afternoon errands. The good news is I found out that I am O+ (the most common blood type out there).
I’m currently reading William Golding’s The Lord of the Flies. It’s taking such a long time because every time I read a chapter in it I want to read more of J.D. Salinger’s Nine Stories or Raymond Carver’s Cathedrals. Next book in the cue is Jay McInerney’s first novel, Big City, Bright Lights.
Speaking of 1980s authors, has anyone noticed how we are fully in the retro mode this week with the public unveiling of a Ronald Reagan statue in the Capitol Rotunda. The seven-foot-tall statue could easily join the Orlando Magic tonight and help them win on the road versus the Lakers.
Nancy Reagan at the public unveiling of the Ronald Reagan statue in the Capitol Rotunda in D.C.
Tonight I drive out to Raleigh to see The Decemberists in concert at the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium. I was about to see them my junior year when the concert was cancelled when one of the band members fell deathly ill. I am hoping the two year wait proves to be worth it (it will).
A new short story and poem should be up soon so keep your eyes open or just subscribe to my RSS feed. Finally, everyone do yourself a favor and see The Hangover this weekend. Raleigh/NCState alum Zach Galifanakis and Bradley Cooper (Wedding Crashers) prove just how spot on those Vegas commercials are.
May 28, 2009 • Moi, Short Story • Comments
I apologize to everyone waiting on my latest short story to drop. This one is about a couple that finds a key in their mailbox. Where does the key lead? What power will they uncover? Where does all the Pokemon poop end up (a question I found myself baffled by last night)? All these questions will not be answered except the first one. Started writing this one right before exams started.
My next short story is set to focus on a Nicklaus Cameron during the late 1970s as he attempts to get a job at his girlfriend’s father’s lawfirm out of college and finds that the “spoils system” isn’t all its cracked up to be. I hope to have that one up before my sister’s graduation.
Finally, I am finished with my headlines for VCU. At some point I might post the 75 headlines I wrote in case anyone is cool with punishing themselves over all the free time they have this summer. Good night all, and have a very Merry Don’t-Worry-About-North-Korea’s-Offensive-Aims Day.
Short Story – Box 1347
I went to the 22nd Annual Reynolds High School sports banquet Monday evening in lieu of my father. My dad is presently full of mucus from trimming the English Ivy adorning the front of our abode. This is my sister’s senior year in high school and she was a member of the regional champion varsity field hockey team. Not bad for a mere goalie. The food wasn’t bad; I just wish I got a second slice of the lemon cake. It was touching to see the tribute ceremony for Matthew Gfeller who died after a brain injury at the start of the season.
I was studying abroad when my sister told me of Matthew’s death and I could sense how it affected her through Skype conversations and e-mails. Senior year is often made out to be the best year of your pre-adult life and the loss of Matthew as well as our close family friend, Cathy Skoog did little to diminish the bittersweetness of 2008. I only wish I had been around to comfort my family during the four months of my absence.
I am happy to say that I finished working on a short story I started before exams. I had the skeleton nearly completed but I couldn’t muster up a satisfactory ending. I fleshed out the story and will upload it as soon as I pick it apart and edit it. In the meantime I am making some great progress with my headlines for VCU. Whether they pick them apart or accept me I feel like I have made progress from where I was a year ago.
I have an interview for a summer internship at Wild Fire Ideas, a Winston-Salem ad agency on Thursday. If I manage to impress this will be my third internship. I have already stated that making $0 is fine by me if I am happy (I can sell crack or something).
I have completed Stay Close and I will be uploading the review shortly. My next book is the high school favorite Lord of the Flies by William Golding. I never read the book but it apparently shares many themes of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness.
I am planning to sell my Nintendo Wii this summer. I could use some cash and if anyone is in the market for a used system feel free to contact me. Otherwise I will post some eBay links.
Memorial weekend is upon us and I hope everyone manages to watch Christian Bale kick some Terminator ass. Part of me hopes that the success of this movie could save Fox’s Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. The rational old man inside of me knows that this is impossible. We are dealing with Fox.
Cheers all! Jump through a sprinkler on your front lawn or wear a sundress. Just make sure that whatever you do avoid wearing your Buddhist swastika t-shirt at all airports and bus stations this weekend.
