There is no doubt to me or I'm sure any of you that this has been the most difficult and the most rewarding year of my life. I can tell you though, that it has been a beautiful time for me. The peace that holds my heart and the happiness that transcends my life is unbelievable. I have never felt so alive and so, just sure of nothing yet at complete peace with it.
I think the problem with myself that I figured out is that I was never whole as an individual. A good friend told me that it is impossible to be with someone else until you are whole yourself. I have had my own bouts and battles with depression in the past and it is so difficult to overcome, but I think the problem was that I never understood who I really was the entire time. Maybe in brief moments of time I knew, but I lost sight of that or could not hold onto it consistently.
But now I'm not worried about whether I have been funny enough at a party or been sociable enough, I just love being there and being apart of people's lives. I feel no obligations to be or do something, I just am who I am. Most important of all I just love being myself. The things I've written I think are great (though frustrating as hell at times), and I love my music and the feeling and love I can divulge into it, even if I don't play something exactly as written, I just want everything to be my own.
I don't think it's a selfish existence, it's just a self-realized existence. You can't really help others unless you can help yourself. I always thought I was just being self-absorbed, but it's not, it's just a need to self-exist and be apart of something that's you, that's your own.
This year I've read more books, wrote more books and music, and been on my own and with others more than any other time in my life. I'm not worried if I sing loud or write something that will offend someone, because it is what I believe and love.
So happy new year everyone, and thanks for being apart of my journey all along. I love you all.
~Dale
P.S. If you haven't seen Scott Pilgrim Versus the World, you should because it is amazing!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
California in the Winter
Hey Everyone,
I've had a long trip of just over 3 months now. It's been so awesome and I love traveling around and being free... but I also love school and all of you!
I've missed seeing you all a ton and can't believe that today is the day when I actually get to see all your faces again! It's been an awesome trip filled with highs and lows, getting lost, and bizzare experiences, but I truly believe it has changed my life forever, maybe not for the better, but definitely for good. I have never been so certain and uncertain of where my life is headed. All I know is I'm certain that the uncertain will lead me where I need to go...
I no longer worry about tomorrow because if God looks after the sparrows how much more will he care for me? I have let the verse run over and over again whenever I am down just repeating it over and over helps me look toward tomorrow as a bright light which I cannot see through and so rather than looking at it I'll sit here in today and let that light lead me home.
God Bless you all. I love you and thanks for all the support. I loved talking/spending time with every one of you. Josh and Catherine, thanks for being like my brother and sister and loving me through this all. And thank each of you for being there to talk to and everything.
Love,
Dale
I've had a long trip of just over 3 months now. It's been so awesome and I love traveling around and being free... but I also love school and all of you!
I've missed seeing you all a ton and can't believe that today is the day when I actually get to see all your faces again! It's been an awesome trip filled with highs and lows, getting lost, and bizzare experiences, but I truly believe it has changed my life forever, maybe not for the better, but definitely for good. I have never been so certain and uncertain of where my life is headed. All I know is I'm certain that the uncertain will lead me where I need to go...
I no longer worry about tomorrow because if God looks after the sparrows how much more will he care for me? I have let the verse run over and over again whenever I am down just repeating it over and over helps me look toward tomorrow as a bright light which I cannot see through and so rather than looking at it I'll sit here in today and let that light lead me home.
God Bless you all. I love you and thanks for all the support. I loved talking/spending time with every one of you. Josh and Catherine, thanks for being like my brother and sister and loving me through this all. And thank each of you for being there to talk to and everything.
Love,
Dale
Monday, October 25, 2010
Tripping and Falling
So I know I haven't posted in a long time so no one is probably even following this anymore lol...
butttt i have a ton of stuff to talk about
Anyways, last wednesday we went to a crazy lcd soundsystem which is a techno bands concert. I heard their music before and it was ok but the actual concert was really good. And i got my over 21 bracelet hells ya! And I got some alcohol... light beer though really isn't that good, but it wasn't too bad either.
I don't even think I posted on this but in florida I went to the beach and went for the first time into the Gulf of Mexico! Woot! Ok and the freakin water is warm. Not like they say "Oh california water is warm or hawaii water is warm (actually hawaii water is pretty warm)" but florida was like a hot spa it was so warm, literally it was about 80 in that water and it felt soooo good.
But ya so the LCD soundsystem concert was crazy, before the concert I met Lia who is a pretty cool girl who is johnny's friend, we've hung out several times, she's kinda nuts but the kind of girl that I would definitely be friends with, her boyfriend was really cool too even though he was a stoner... but they kinda all are stoners so whatever lol... But before the concert we had dinner with her parents it was so funny, I had met her for the first time and I was meeting her parents along with jon. So I totally hit it up with her dad because he was a boy scout and his two sons are eagle scouts so we were talkign about backpacking and stuff... the funny thing is I make really good first impressions on people's parents, but I guess I just suck in all the after time...
But they went to the concert with us pretty funny and all her family bought the same exact t-shirt, lol, but before we went in they had to of course smoke a bowl aka smoke a bunch of weed and get high... SO they walked down a dark street to the side and lit up while i walked with them and watched them smoke. The concert went well and that night was fun. The next day jon had to work from like 5pm to 3 am freakin nuts! so I didn't do that much... Oh i also walked all around boulder campus and that was crazy and their music hall is phenomenal its like a modern opera house...
Thursday I was trip sitting Lia and her friend Katie... which means they were on mushrooms and I had to watch them to make sure they didn't do anything stupid, "tripping" and "rolling" are basically slang terms for being on drugs and hallucinating... but i thoroughly enjoyed watching them go totally crazy it was kinda funny they weren't totally nuts but they would stare at something and be like "Whoa! pretty colors" and crap like that.
So friday was nuts... we went to the hill (which is like the party central for a college that is ranked like 5 in top ten party schools) earlier and jon and the others lit up the hooka with weed and did mega weed... funny thing is one of his friends (a girl about 18) is a drug dealer, but she is like a normal college kid not some freaky scary person. But anyways we went back picked up lia then went to the hill again for a fancy wine party. I had a glass of wine there... they all smoked more weed and cigars at the place again and jon had like 6 glasses of wine so he got pretty drunk and lia had a couple also, her boyfriend just smoked weed... anyways we got back to lia's house later and her roomates are both drunk... one of the her roomates, Daniel, was like grinding up on everyone and running around like freakin crazy, Lia and her boyfriend were like hooking up and stuff, jon was just sitting there stoned smiling, and heather (Lia's other roomate) was hardcore trying to hook up with me. Anyways, so they were all drunk and wanted to play bear pong but there was no beer left lol, so Heather was kinda falling me around, but she was pretty drunk so I went outside where Daniel was throwing up hardcore from drinking so much and running around... I made sure he was ok, and just kinda walked down the street and left since I was the only sober one there and I didn't want to hook up with anyone...
So that's a crazy story i know you can ask me about it if you want it's pretty funny, but everyone smokes weed ALL THE TIME here. Like every house smells like weed when you walk in its rediculous and jon and all his friends smoke every day sometimes a few times... but its definitely been real...
Tonight we are seeing a prescreening of Due Date with jon and his roomates all right! I'm excited to see it with Zach Galfanakis or whatever and Robert Downey Jr. Maybe, we will hit up a party later haha...
Anyways I also had half a glass of Vodka with Red Code Mountain Dew on that friday night and it was really good... mixed drinks were definitely awesome...
I miss you all like crazy and love you! At least yesterday I was able to ahve a conversation with jon about not smoking as much as he did. He said it was not an addicting drug, but I told him anything can become addicting whether or not it has addicting properties if you can't control it... so that was good, it's nuts here though like legitimately freakin crazy with all the weed and stuff but ya...
I love you, Jesus, and may he keep you and continue to bless you...
Love,
Dale
butttt i have a ton of stuff to talk about
Anyways, last wednesday we went to a crazy lcd soundsystem which is a techno bands concert. I heard their music before and it was ok but the actual concert was really good. And i got my over 21 bracelet hells ya! And I got some alcohol... light beer though really isn't that good, but it wasn't too bad either.
I don't even think I posted on this but in florida I went to the beach and went for the first time into the Gulf of Mexico! Woot! Ok and the freakin water is warm. Not like they say "Oh california water is warm or hawaii water is warm (actually hawaii water is pretty warm)" but florida was like a hot spa it was so warm, literally it was about 80 in that water and it felt soooo good.
But ya so the LCD soundsystem concert was crazy, before the concert I met Lia who is a pretty cool girl who is johnny's friend, we've hung out several times, she's kinda nuts but the kind of girl that I would definitely be friends with, her boyfriend was really cool too even though he was a stoner... but they kinda all are stoners so whatever lol... But before the concert we had dinner with her parents it was so funny, I had met her for the first time and I was meeting her parents along with jon. So I totally hit it up with her dad because he was a boy scout and his two sons are eagle scouts so we were talkign about backpacking and stuff... the funny thing is I make really good first impressions on people's parents, but I guess I just suck in all the after time...
But they went to the concert with us pretty funny and all her family bought the same exact t-shirt, lol, but before we went in they had to of course smoke a bowl aka smoke a bunch of weed and get high... SO they walked down a dark street to the side and lit up while i walked with them and watched them smoke. The concert went well and that night was fun. The next day jon had to work from like 5pm to 3 am freakin nuts! so I didn't do that much... Oh i also walked all around boulder campus and that was crazy and their music hall is phenomenal its like a modern opera house...
Thursday I was trip sitting Lia and her friend Katie... which means they were on mushrooms and I had to watch them to make sure they didn't do anything stupid, "tripping" and "rolling" are basically slang terms for being on drugs and hallucinating... but i thoroughly enjoyed watching them go totally crazy it was kinda funny they weren't totally nuts but they would stare at something and be like "Whoa! pretty colors" and crap like that.
So friday was nuts... we went to the hill (which is like the party central for a college that is ranked like 5 in top ten party schools) earlier and jon and the others lit up the hooka with weed and did mega weed... funny thing is one of his friends (a girl about 18) is a drug dealer, but she is like a normal college kid not some freaky scary person. But anyways we went back picked up lia then went to the hill again for a fancy wine party. I had a glass of wine there... they all smoked more weed and cigars at the place again and jon had like 6 glasses of wine so he got pretty drunk and lia had a couple also, her boyfriend just smoked weed... anyways we got back to lia's house later and her roomates are both drunk... one of the her roomates, Daniel, was like grinding up on everyone and running around like freakin crazy, Lia and her boyfriend were like hooking up and stuff, jon was just sitting there stoned smiling, and heather (Lia's other roomate) was hardcore trying to hook up with me. Anyways, so they were all drunk and wanted to play bear pong but there was no beer left lol, so Heather was kinda falling me around, but she was pretty drunk so I went outside where Daniel was throwing up hardcore from drinking so much and running around... I made sure he was ok, and just kinda walked down the street and left since I was the only sober one there and I didn't want to hook up with anyone...
So that's a crazy story i know you can ask me about it if you want it's pretty funny, but everyone smokes weed ALL THE TIME here. Like every house smells like weed when you walk in its rediculous and jon and all his friends smoke every day sometimes a few times... but its definitely been real...
Tonight we are seeing a prescreening of Due Date with jon and his roomates all right! I'm excited to see it with Zach Galfanakis or whatever and Robert Downey Jr. Maybe, we will hit up a party later haha...
Anyways I also had half a glass of Vodka with Red Code Mountain Dew on that friday night and it was really good... mixed drinks were definitely awesome...
I miss you all like crazy and love you! At least yesterday I was able to ahve a conversation with jon about not smoking as much as he did. He said it was not an addicting drug, but I told him anything can become addicting whether or not it has addicting properties if you can't control it... so that was good, it's nuts here though like legitimately freakin crazy with all the weed and stuff but ya...
I love you, Jesus, and may he keep you and continue to bless you...
Love,
Dale
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Claire De Lune
Yes the moonlight is bright tonight... Well that's what Claire de Lune means anyway...
It's actually a piano piece I have just started working on, I've been cranking out Brahms Intermezzo 188 Op. 2... that's a beast of a piece, definitely beyond my skill level, but you learn the most when you push yourself is what I believe, and it's such a beautiful piece I don't think I could ever do it justice, I don't really think anyone could for that matter but when I play it I feel so alive, so passionate, sometimes I can sit hammering it out for about three hours and still feel like no time has passed at all, besides the sweat pouring from my body I wouldn't even be able to tell.
Like is funny sometimes. You make a plan A, then a plan B, then a Plan C, then plan D, etc. and God sometimes lets your plans go through but his plan is always plan Z something you never planned for and you may hate it at first or for a while, but the quicker you learn to except it the more you're bound to learn. I've found out that even though I still worry about things, I worry less now because I know that they are going to end up okay. I've had to trust God being lost in cities, running low on money, mixing up travel dates, but instead of resisting and trying so hard to get back to the original plans I had before, I'm learning to just say, "Ok, God, that's fine. I didn't plan it that way, I didn't really want it that way, but you know better and it's going to be all right." Because after it's said and done, I know God has better plans for me than I've had for myself my whole life.
I mean if you would have told me 3 years ago I would have been a music major or I'd be travelling around the U.S. or I would have gone to China by now, I would not have had that in my playbook. I never even intended to go to Vanguard, it was my last school choice, and yet I went and have been so blessed by it. I'm seeing these puzzle pieces fall into place when I thought they didn't fit together before. I hate it, I know, but I've learned to resist less and just stop holding on to my plans.
You know if I don't go to Graduate school, it's ok, maybe I'll go teach in China. Maybe that's where God wanted me all along. If I don't get a job teaching in China maybe I'll go spend a year teaching English or Music for a Christian ministry. Maybe if that doesn't work out....
The possibilities are endless, and instead of fearing the unknown I've grown to love it more, because I know God has something exciting planned that is better than anything I have planned in my life.
All you gotta do is look up at the Moon and stars and know it's going to be all right.
Love,
Dale
Friday, October 1, 2010
In this crazy life, and in these crazy times...
So haven't written for a while... sorry...
Wow, the buses are crazy out here. I met a guy who wanted me to recite these sentences about green hills and gorillas or something.. i think it was a tongue twister, he was a little crazy in the head. He got onto the bus and started yelling about how Jesus would come back and he was the reedeemed and stuff and was goign up to all these people getting up in there faces. Everyone I think was a little freaked out so I decided to talk to him so no one else would freak out.
Anyways, he told me there was a film about him coming out. Harry potter (Danielle Radcliffe) is apparently in it. I don't know how true that is. He said it was all lies about him though and only he knew the truth. I was reading my screenwriting book so we talked a little about that. He calmed down after a while and only ocasionally would yell out "The power of Christ compels you" or something like that lol.
Haha so today I went on another bus (the buses are rediculous out here!) and this handicapped guy was screaming and cussing as he got on the bus and we were all crammed in like sardines. Then this huge black lady gets on and squeezes in next to me, unfortunately she smells like urine, then two people with strollers get on and a swarm of kids. All these old people are telling me to sit down then get up cuz I'm not being respectful of them, then telling me to sit down again. Then we get so packed no one can move and the handicapped guy in his motorized cart needs to get off. So he's screaming and cussing, and I'm seriously sitting there laughing out loud at how rediculous the situation is. Then as if things weren't rediculous enough the bus driver is like, ok well this bus is no good you are all going to have to get off. Lol so basically an hour later, going less than a mile I got totally screwed over. I COULD HAVE WALKED THE DISTANCE FASTER! haha
Oh man, Chicago is nuts but I love it. So i got a nice surprise. My mom sent me this email and it was like, wow I saw the check auntie hana gave you and wow thats a lot of money! I was like really? she gave me $20 i guess we're getting pretty poor. But then I looked at the check again and it was $200! haha wow dumb me.
So much to tell! Anyways I went out to a bar on Addison right next to Wrigley Park and finally Christened my birthday with a Margarita (I guess capitalizing Christened is kinda sacreligious since i was drinking lol oh well) Anyway drank the whole thing and felt slightly buzzed but nothing that bad. It actually felt really nice, kinda fun. I wouldn't want to be drunk and wasn't but it was kinda fun just feeling a little lighter lol.
So we basically have finished up moving out of Hana's apartment. Me and grandma just hide stuff from her and throw it away or else she will just keep it and her apartment is basically full with junk which she will throw away once she gets to her new place anyway. I finished me screenwriting book it was great! Now I'm reading my musical book and really excited. Writing character sketches and finished the storyboard and wrote a few scenes for the musical I'm working on... we'll see how that goes, I guess I've always been a little too ambitious for my own good, eh but what the hell.
I hope everything is going well with school and work for you guys, I've got some funny stories to tell. I really wish I could tell you these in person they are way more funny. I laugh otu loud thinking about them now.
God bless you and keep you. Somehow besides my resistance and sometimes anger he always finds a way to show me a way through life. I know he has a story and path for all of you once you decide to give up your own.
~Dale
Wow, the buses are crazy out here. I met a guy who wanted me to recite these sentences about green hills and gorillas or something.. i think it was a tongue twister, he was a little crazy in the head. He got onto the bus and started yelling about how Jesus would come back and he was the reedeemed and stuff and was goign up to all these people getting up in there faces. Everyone I think was a little freaked out so I decided to talk to him so no one else would freak out.
Anyways, he told me there was a film about him coming out. Harry potter (Danielle Radcliffe) is apparently in it. I don't know how true that is. He said it was all lies about him though and only he knew the truth. I was reading my screenwriting book so we talked a little about that. He calmed down after a while and only ocasionally would yell out "The power of Christ compels you" or something like that lol.
Haha so today I went on another bus (the buses are rediculous out here!) and this handicapped guy was screaming and cussing as he got on the bus and we were all crammed in like sardines. Then this huge black lady gets on and squeezes in next to me, unfortunately she smells like urine, then two people with strollers get on and a swarm of kids. All these old people are telling me to sit down then get up cuz I'm not being respectful of them, then telling me to sit down again. Then we get so packed no one can move and the handicapped guy in his motorized cart needs to get off. So he's screaming and cussing, and I'm seriously sitting there laughing out loud at how rediculous the situation is. Then as if things weren't rediculous enough the bus driver is like, ok well this bus is no good you are all going to have to get off. Lol so basically an hour later, going less than a mile I got totally screwed over. I COULD HAVE WALKED THE DISTANCE FASTER! haha
Oh man, Chicago is nuts but I love it. So i got a nice surprise. My mom sent me this email and it was like, wow I saw the check auntie hana gave you and wow thats a lot of money! I was like really? she gave me $20 i guess we're getting pretty poor. But then I looked at the check again and it was $200! haha wow dumb me.
So much to tell! Anyways I went out to a bar on Addison right next to Wrigley Park and finally Christened my birthday with a Margarita (I guess capitalizing Christened is kinda sacreligious since i was drinking lol oh well) Anyway drank the whole thing and felt slightly buzzed but nothing that bad. It actually felt really nice, kinda fun. I wouldn't want to be drunk and wasn't but it was kinda fun just feeling a little lighter lol.
So we basically have finished up moving out of Hana's apartment. Me and grandma just hide stuff from her and throw it away or else she will just keep it and her apartment is basically full with junk which she will throw away once she gets to her new place anyway. I finished me screenwriting book it was great! Now I'm reading my musical book and really excited. Writing character sketches and finished the storyboard and wrote a few scenes for the musical I'm working on... we'll see how that goes, I guess I've always been a little too ambitious for my own good, eh but what the hell.
I hope everything is going well with school and work for you guys, I've got some funny stories to tell. I really wish I could tell you these in person they are way more funny. I laugh otu loud thinking about them now.
God bless you and keep you. Somehow besides my resistance and sometimes anger he always finds a way to show me a way through life. I know he has a story and path for all of you once you decide to give up your own.
~Dale
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Growing Old
So I haven't written in a while. I'm sorry, I've just been really busy helping my great aunt hana move. My grandma and great uncle Johnny were there but they are so old now that its hard for them to lift anything heavy so I did almost all the heavy lifting down 4 flights of stairs was quite interesting...
Anyways, I'm so glad we got everything moved out. Wow, i guess i have to go back to Thursday where I went to the museum of art in chicago. AMAZING! truly amazing. They're art insititute demolishes ours. They have renoir, monet, manet, van goh, munch, jackson pollock, picasso, el grecco, just so many amazing paintings there and all of them were pretty famous ones and they have a modern wing which is incredible too. And i went on a free night! i took pictures imitating the ferris buehler moment where the camera slowly zooms in on that little girl in the pointilism picture then back on his friend then back to the picture but unfortunately they got deleted since i got a new phone today. It's a touch screen, pretty nice, I'm happy I got it and it's still pretty small and convenient.
I got to spend the night by myself in Auntie Hana's old place last night which was really fun just being in the city by myself. Also after moving Hana in to her new place I went downtown to Columbia College and saw some of their dance recitals. They were incredible!
I usually don't appreciate dance that much cuz I think sometimes its really pointless and random, but they combined good dancing with creative choreography which made for both a humorous and intriguing dance routine. I loved it though and it was nice to see dance can be so much more interesting than i thought. And the people there are crazy with half their head shaved and spiked dyed hair on the other. Piercings everywhere. All that jazz. It was pretty awesome.
It's been a really long and tiring weekend I'm pretty tired. I'm so glad God brought me here to be able to help because no one else really helped hana out besides the other old people, and no one could really lift heavy things. I love the city so much and am going to miss it! But I hate eating out and can't wait to get some real homeade food in princeton instead of eating out all the time.
Oh i forgot there was this crazy guy on one of the buses who everyone was wierded out by so they all like moved away from him but i didn't really care so i was sitting next to him. He was saying something about Jesus and goats with grass or something. He made me recite some random sentences and then told me there was a movie coming out about him with "Harry Potter" (Daniel Radcliffe) starring in it. He said none of it was true though so not to believe what the movie said. I said I wouldn't. The guy was really nice, though, and I talked to him about screenwriting because I'm reading about screenwriting.
So, now I'm at a hotel in Addison with my dad who came in today. I'm exausted and so tired and ready to just sit back and watch some glee, fringe, project runway, 30 rock, the office, and all of my favorite shows.
Love you all and hope you're having an amazing semester.
Anyways, I'm so glad we got everything moved out. Wow, i guess i have to go back to Thursday where I went to the museum of art in chicago. AMAZING! truly amazing. They're art insititute demolishes ours. They have renoir, monet, manet, van goh, munch, jackson pollock, picasso, el grecco, just so many amazing paintings there and all of them were pretty famous ones and they have a modern wing which is incredible too. And i went on a free night! i took pictures imitating the ferris buehler moment where the camera slowly zooms in on that little girl in the pointilism picture then back on his friend then back to the picture but unfortunately they got deleted since i got a new phone today. It's a touch screen, pretty nice, I'm happy I got it and it's still pretty small and convenient.
I got to spend the night by myself in Auntie Hana's old place last night which was really fun just being in the city by myself. Also after moving Hana in to her new place I went downtown to Columbia College and saw some of their dance recitals. They were incredible!
I usually don't appreciate dance that much cuz I think sometimes its really pointless and random, but they combined good dancing with creative choreography which made for both a humorous and intriguing dance routine. I loved it though and it was nice to see dance can be so much more interesting than i thought. And the people there are crazy with half their head shaved and spiked dyed hair on the other. Piercings everywhere. All that jazz. It was pretty awesome.
It's been a really long and tiring weekend I'm pretty tired. I'm so glad God brought me here to be able to help because no one else really helped hana out besides the other old people, and no one could really lift heavy things. I love the city so much and am going to miss it! But I hate eating out and can't wait to get some real homeade food in princeton instead of eating out all the time.
Oh i forgot there was this crazy guy on one of the buses who everyone was wierded out by so they all like moved away from him but i didn't really care so i was sitting next to him. He was saying something about Jesus and goats with grass or something. He made me recite some random sentences and then told me there was a movie coming out about him with "Harry Potter" (Daniel Radcliffe) starring in it. He said none of it was true though so not to believe what the movie said. I said I wouldn't. The guy was really nice, though, and I talked to him about screenwriting because I'm reading about screenwriting.
So, now I'm at a hotel in Addison with my dad who came in today. I'm exausted and so tired and ready to just sit back and watch some glee, fringe, project runway, 30 rock, the office, and all of my favorite shows.
Love you all and hope you're having an amazing semester.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Dave Matthews and Terrorists
SOrry I haven't written in a while, I've been a bit busy. Anyways, a few days ago I went into the city to see the Chicago Symphony Orchestra perform. It was an amazing performance. And millenium park is so beautiful and there concert hall is like 100x better than the Orange County one. Anyways there had to be at least 15,000 people there standing up sitting and everything. After the performance they shot up fireworks all around the arena where we were listening. This little girl about 5 or something next to me started laughing and jumping up and down, it was really cute, it's something Rachel would have done as a child haha.
Tonight I'm heading to Navy Pier to see Romeo and Juliet in the SHakespeare Theatre that is shaped exactly like the globe (Shakespeare's theatre for all you non-English majors). That should be pretty fun. Oh I forgot to tell everyone that I've moved downtown for the week to my Aunti Hana's so I can help her move and pack up and everything. So today I'm going to hang out in the city for a while. Hana and my grandma are funny since they're sisters, they act just like sisters would lol.
When I first got to my Aunti Hana's (My Aunt lives right next to Wrigley field fyi) Dave Matthews was performing and the concert was sold out. YOu could hear the music from her apartment. Anyways, it was pretty amusing because the FBI had given this terrorist a fake bomb to plant, and he planted it at 52nd and Clark which is like right across the street from the my Aunti Hana's. And after he planted it they arrested him and so now I guess he's going to the jail. So I almost got blown up by Terrorists!!! haha luckily the FBI got to him first so it never really was a threat.
I hope you all are doing great. I'm not really homesick, but I do miss hanging out with you guys. Pray for me. Mornings are the worst but by the afternoon I'm usually okay. Some days are good some are bad. But life goes on.
~Dale
Tonight I'm heading to Navy Pier to see Romeo and Juliet in the SHakespeare Theatre that is shaped exactly like the globe (Shakespeare's theatre for all you non-English majors). That should be pretty fun. Oh I forgot to tell everyone that I've moved downtown for the week to my Aunti Hana's so I can help her move and pack up and everything. So today I'm going to hang out in the city for a while. Hana and my grandma are funny since they're sisters, they act just like sisters would lol.
When I first got to my Aunti Hana's (My Aunt lives right next to Wrigley field fyi) Dave Matthews was performing and the concert was sold out. YOu could hear the music from her apartment. Anyways, it was pretty amusing because the FBI had given this terrorist a fake bomb to plant, and he planted it at 52nd and Clark which is like right across the street from the my Aunti Hana's. And after he planted it they arrested him and so now I guess he's going to the jail. So I almost got blown up by Terrorists!!! haha luckily the FBI got to him first so it never really was a threat.
I hope you all are doing great. I'm not really homesick, but I do miss hanging out with you guys. Pray for me. Mornings are the worst but by the afternoon I'm usually okay. Some days are good some are bad. But life goes on.
~Dale
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Hancock State of Mind
I heard that Glee is doing Empire State of Mind on the season opener and I got to hear a clip this morning so ya I was a little excited, hence the punned title.
Anyways, I got dropped off at the field museum this morning and walked around the whole museum. It's freakin huge too, not like a California Museum but actually, legitimately HUGE! It took me a really long time. I saw this awesome exhibit that was of all the different gemstones. They had like huge diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, ruby's, the whole shabang in there. It may sound gay that I was excited about this display, but if you saw all the massively huge gems they had in there you would have gotten dollar signs in your eyes too lol. I never knew though that like Ruby's can be blue, red, green, white, and so can all the other gems. I always thought emerald meant green and sapphire meant blue, but they don't. Shows how much of a boy I am.
Also I got in free to the Field Museum along with the Observatory, which was pretty sweet. So after I walked all over them I went into downtown Chicago and just walked around, bought some stuff from urban outfitters, and tried to sneak into the Sears Tower... but it's impossible. Afterwards I walked to Navy Pier and rested at the end and continued reading my book Why Mars and Venus Collide. It's such a good book written by a guy who has stayed married to the same woman his whole life, so I guess he knows what he's talking about, and I feel like I'm learning so much about things I noticed but never really understood before.
So basically I've walked at least 5 miles today and I'm super tired. I haven't really eaten that much except some cereal this morning and part of a sandwich. I took the metro to DePaul University where Bob's writing up a news report on the women's soccer game, so I'm just sitting in the office hanging out until he's ready to go, which probably won't be for a while even though its basically 8 here!
I love being free and hanging out on my own, but I also really really miss hanging out with people I know and love. It's nice being alone and able to ponder my thoughts but sometimes I get sick of hearing myself talk to myself...
Thanks a bunch for listening and I hope you all have wonderful and God-filled and blessed days.
Love always,
Dale
Anyways, I got dropped off at the field museum this morning and walked around the whole museum. It's freakin huge too, not like a California Museum but actually, legitimately HUGE! It took me a really long time. I saw this awesome exhibit that was of all the different gemstones. They had like huge diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, ruby's, the whole shabang in there. It may sound gay that I was excited about this display, but if you saw all the massively huge gems they had in there you would have gotten dollar signs in your eyes too lol. I never knew though that like Ruby's can be blue, red, green, white, and so can all the other gems. I always thought emerald meant green and sapphire meant blue, but they don't. Shows how much of a boy I am.
Also I got in free to the Field Museum along with the Observatory, which was pretty sweet. So after I walked all over them I went into downtown Chicago and just walked around, bought some stuff from urban outfitters, and tried to sneak into the Sears Tower... but it's impossible. Afterwards I walked to Navy Pier and rested at the end and continued reading my book Why Mars and Venus Collide. It's such a good book written by a guy who has stayed married to the same woman his whole life, so I guess he knows what he's talking about, and I feel like I'm learning so much about things I noticed but never really understood before.
So basically I've walked at least 5 miles today and I'm super tired. I haven't really eaten that much except some cereal this morning and part of a sandwich. I took the metro to DePaul University where Bob's writing up a news report on the women's soccer game, so I'm just sitting in the office hanging out until he's ready to go, which probably won't be for a while even though its basically 8 here!
I love being free and hanging out on my own, but I also really really miss hanging out with people I know and love. It's nice being alone and able to ponder my thoughts but sometimes I get sick of hearing myself talk to myself...
Thanks a bunch for listening and I hope you all have wonderful and God-filled and blessed days.
Love always,
Dale
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Superbia...
I'm getting a little bored sitting around in Super Suberbia. It's like farmland basically out here and even though I work out and walk a few miles every day I need more stuff to do. I think I'm going to be buying a 30-day pass for the train and buses and just travel the hell out of this place. It's going to be funny getting lost, ya i probably will be out some nights all night because I won't know how to get back haha.
So, I'm excited to be heading to Tampa eventually, I probably won't have a place to stay so I'm going to see if i can stay in a hostel for $23 a day! How freakin sweet is that? Then I'll probably check out all the beaches in Tampa and see how far I can get around Florida lol... I'll try to stay safe ;) but don't worry I never carry any money on me anyway so the worst thing that could happen is i get a little bruised and lose my clothes or somethin, haha.
I've been reading this book Why Mars and Venus Collide. It's an awesome book and it's helped me so much understand myself and understand her.
Wisconsin was all right we got back a day or somethin ago. I can't wait til I'm 21! I'm not usually excited about birthdays, but now I can sit down at bars and stuff haha! I guess Tampa's going to be really awesome ;) Then I get to hit up Boulder and hang out with Johnny and go to some sweet halloween parties and such, I'm super excited for that...
Anyways the present is a little boring right now so I'm kinda looking ahead to the future... anyways I'm going to see if I can go get that Chicago bus/train month pass so I can just roam around whenever I want, definitely going to get lost so much, and take the wrong trains, and probably be out all night not knowing where i am haha.
Love you all and talk to you when something exciting happens!
~Dale
So, I'm excited to be heading to Tampa eventually, I probably won't have a place to stay so I'm going to see if i can stay in a hostel for $23 a day! How freakin sweet is that? Then I'll probably check out all the beaches in Tampa and see how far I can get around Florida lol... I'll try to stay safe ;) but don't worry I never carry any money on me anyway so the worst thing that could happen is i get a little bruised and lose my clothes or somethin, haha.
I've been reading this book Why Mars and Venus Collide. It's an awesome book and it's helped me so much understand myself and understand her.
Wisconsin was all right we got back a day or somethin ago. I can't wait til I'm 21! I'm not usually excited about birthdays, but now I can sit down at bars and stuff haha! I guess Tampa's going to be really awesome ;) Then I get to hit up Boulder and hang out with Johnny and go to some sweet halloween parties and such, I'm super excited for that...
Anyways the present is a little boring right now so I'm kinda looking ahead to the future... anyways I'm going to see if I can go get that Chicago bus/train month pass so I can just roam around whenever I want, definitely going to get lost so much, and take the wrong trains, and probably be out all night not knowing where i am haha.
Love you all and talk to you when something exciting happens!
~Dale
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Uncle George - aka Superman
So I'm in Wisconsin right now for all you people. Peyton has this hilarious uncle named uncle George (i think it's actually his great uncle he's like 60). Anyways I've hung out with him just as much if not more than peyton cuz he's hilarious.
He is like addicted to smoking its so funny and he says these crazy things. IN the car the first time we were with him he was convincing peyton he was superman (he used to be a policeman and once found these people who had tin foiled all the electronics in their house so the aliens couldnt get him. Anyways he went on to say how he was an alien and in 2012 they were coming back for him and how they could control the weather and how this was how al gore got 100 million dollars.
Anyways last night we were at thie restaurant and he was talking to our Bulgarin waiter telling her how she should hook his nephew (who is about 19 and was sitting next to me) up with her or one of her friends. He got him to write down his phone number for her. He told her that he was too old for her and the only way they could be together is if he had a 100 million dollars then it would be ok. It was really funny and he makes rediculous comments all the time. I was sitting next to him at the musical we saw and there was an old guy in a play and the old guy in the play said something and Uncle George yells out "haha thats me!"
He's pretty hilarious, but anyways he's been my main source of entertainment the week long. I walked to church this morning and a guy from the church saw i was kinda stranded and gave me a lift back to the hotel.
Marlo sometimes acts down to peyton's age which can be kinda annoying because she doesn't punish him very much and because of this whenever i try to get him to go to the pool with me or walk along the beach with me or something he doesn't want to if his mom isn't there...
Just a few gripes and complaints but I've been having fun just chilling out and hanging out with Marlo's family, i think i spend more time with them than she does, for some reason she doesn't like them very much. Last night there were two tables for dinner and I sat with all the adults by myself while Marlo and Peyton sat at the kids table, it was interesting, but i had fun.
Oh and the musical was called guys and does and was pretty funny it was a very regional play. I've really been enjoying being able to walk or swim every day, it really makes you feel fresher every day and less gross like sitting on the couch all day does. I miss you all a ton and would love to be able to hang out with every single one of you.
I've been talking to Marlo about church and stuff and she said she went for three years but then the church kinda fell apart when the pastor cheated on his wife and the church became divided. I told her about our church and how it kinda fell apart, she told me she was into some meditation thing now. I guess you could pray for her that God would show her the way... it frustrates me so much sometimes how much us as human beings mess up churches and drive people away, i know it almost drove me away...
Oh and pray for me because my Cousin Johnny is getting really sick and I'm supposed to be going to FLorida at the beginning of next month so I don't know how that will turn out, maybe God wants me to be there and help out but maybe not.
Love,
Dale
He is like addicted to smoking its so funny and he says these crazy things. IN the car the first time we were with him he was convincing peyton he was superman (he used to be a policeman and once found these people who had tin foiled all the electronics in their house so the aliens couldnt get him. Anyways he went on to say how he was an alien and in 2012 they were coming back for him and how they could control the weather and how this was how al gore got 100 million dollars.
Anyways last night we were at thie restaurant and he was talking to our Bulgarin waiter telling her how she should hook his nephew (who is about 19 and was sitting next to me) up with her or one of her friends. He got him to write down his phone number for her. He told her that he was too old for her and the only way they could be together is if he had a 100 million dollars then it would be ok. It was really funny and he makes rediculous comments all the time. I was sitting next to him at the musical we saw and there was an old guy in a play and the old guy in the play said something and Uncle George yells out "haha thats me!"
He's pretty hilarious, but anyways he's been my main source of entertainment the week long. I walked to church this morning and a guy from the church saw i was kinda stranded and gave me a lift back to the hotel.
Marlo sometimes acts down to peyton's age which can be kinda annoying because she doesn't punish him very much and because of this whenever i try to get him to go to the pool with me or walk along the beach with me or something he doesn't want to if his mom isn't there...
Just a few gripes and complaints but I've been having fun just chilling out and hanging out with Marlo's family, i think i spend more time with them than she does, for some reason she doesn't like them very much. Last night there were two tables for dinner and I sat with all the adults by myself while Marlo and Peyton sat at the kids table, it was interesting, but i had fun.
Oh and the musical was called guys and does and was pretty funny it was a very regional play. I've really been enjoying being able to walk or swim every day, it really makes you feel fresher every day and less gross like sitting on the couch all day does. I miss you all a ton and would love to be able to hang out with every single one of you.
I've been talking to Marlo about church and stuff and she said she went for three years but then the church kinda fell apart when the pastor cheated on his wife and the church became divided. I told her about our church and how it kinda fell apart, she told me she was into some meditation thing now. I guess you could pray for her that God would show her the way... it frustrates me so much sometimes how much us as human beings mess up churches and drive people away, i know it almost drove me away...
Oh and pray for me because my Cousin Johnny is getting really sick and I'm supposed to be going to FLorida at the beginning of next month so I don't know how that will turn out, maybe God wants me to be there and help out but maybe not.
Love,
Dale
Friday, September 10, 2010
The Open Door...
So right now I'm in Wisconsin in Door County. Apparently we went here as children, but ya don't remember. It's a little boring up here but hey i get free wifi WOOT! There are some beautiful sights around here though so I'll probably go running tomorrow to look at them. The waterfront scenery is really beautiful.
Anyways, one of payton's uncles on Marlo's side is super funny. He's like old and he talks and acts like this guy from the office. Ok so the episode is Phyllisus's wedding and Dwight kicks out this old guy who has altheimerz cuz he thinks he is a wedding crasher. Anyway this guy talks about aliens and how he can contact them and how they can control the weather like Al Gore who made 100 million dollars off his ability to control the weather. He's really funny and he thinks California is a "jungle" even when I said I was from ORange County he's like ya that's a horrible place with tons of crime hahaha...
The past few days have been a little rough... I hardly sleep at night anymore partly because my dreams are so bad and intense sometimes I really find it hard to distinguish whether or not I was dreaming or not, it's kinda crazy i always thought that was the only flaw in inception, but after the insanely scary/real dreams I've had I can totally understand I have to convince myself they're fake, it's probably just because I'm super emotional right now, but hopefully they will fade away. I really don't think I'll ever sleep an 8 hour night again though a good night now is 6 hours I don't really count anymore like I used to...
We went to this random movie/mystery play tonight that won a bunch of awards but wasn't really that good. Marlo hated it lol and thought it was the worst thing she'd ever seen and Payton fell asleep. Anyways the hotel is pretty nice and is a 1-bedroom place for only $89 a night which is really freakin good for a 1-room place.
I miss all you guys so much! I'm going to see if Jeff will take me skydiving with him when I'm in Sanfran... don't tell my grandmother or she might have a heart attack knowing two of her loved ones could die at one time lol.
God Bless you and I love every single one of you!
~Dale
Anyways, one of payton's uncles on Marlo's side is super funny. He's like old and he talks and acts like this guy from the office. Ok so the episode is Phyllisus's wedding and Dwight kicks out this old guy who has altheimerz cuz he thinks he is a wedding crasher. Anyway this guy talks about aliens and how he can contact them and how they can control the weather like Al Gore who made 100 million dollars off his ability to control the weather. He's really funny and he thinks California is a "jungle" even when I said I was from ORange County he's like ya that's a horrible place with tons of crime hahaha...
The past few days have been a little rough... I hardly sleep at night anymore partly because my dreams are so bad and intense sometimes I really find it hard to distinguish whether or not I was dreaming or not, it's kinda crazy i always thought that was the only flaw in inception, but after the insanely scary/real dreams I've had I can totally understand I have to convince myself they're fake, it's probably just because I'm super emotional right now, but hopefully they will fade away. I really don't think I'll ever sleep an 8 hour night again though a good night now is 6 hours I don't really count anymore like I used to...
We went to this random movie/mystery play tonight that won a bunch of awards but wasn't really that good. Marlo hated it lol and thought it was the worst thing she'd ever seen and Payton fell asleep. Anyways the hotel is pretty nice and is a 1-bedroom place for only $89 a night which is really freakin good for a 1-room place.
I miss all you guys so much! I'm going to see if Jeff will take me skydiving with him when I'm in Sanfran... don't tell my grandmother or she might have a heart attack knowing two of her loved ones could die at one time lol.
God Bless you and I love every single one of you!
~Dale
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
O - C - D
I was walking to Barnes and Nobles today and realized Dear God I have so bad OCD. And I'm not like just saying that as some people say you know but I really do.
Take for example when I'm walking on sidewalks. I always walk with two steps or three depending on the distance between each crack between the slabs and I have to have it evenly distributed so that one foot never exceeds the other in the ammount of times it goes first and last. When I was a kid I used to have to step on the tiles in my house in a specific order and touch certain ones so that everything would be evened out. WHen I sit down in a room like the one I'm in now, the first thing I notice is how many tables there are and whether they are evenly distributed across the room. I always count the ceiling tials in any room and figure out the distance between the lights and tiles to see if they are even or not. WIthout even thinking (Usually when I'm bored).
WIthout thinking I always line up things on my desk and if a book is on the corner of a desk I can't take it sticking out and if I'm by it I will always line it up with the edges.
I was watching criminal minds thinking that would be a perfect job for me, I love noticing patterns in everything I do. For example in music I've noticed that all of the good musicals/ones i like always have a love triangle going on. Look at Wicked you have Alfaba and Glenda going for Fierro, in Phantom its the Phantom and Raul for Christine, in Oklahoma its Judd and the main guy going for the girl, in Miss Saigon its Miss Saigon and the other girl he married after the guys heart, in Les Mis its eponine and cosette for the guy, Jekyll and Hyde its both girls in love with the same man but in different forms of jekyll and hyde respectively. I could go on honestly forever. And then I could tell you about music how the V-IV and V-V is an extremely popular chord in musicals and how modulating to the bVI and the bIII is extremely powerful in musicals and sounds nice, and that's why most songs use it.
If you could imagine how annoying my own mind is because of this you would understand why I have to just shut it off sometimes or else it literally drives me crazy.
Anyways, sorry for the huge spiel, I feel like this has been more of an essay than anything, but it's just waht I'm thinking about right now. Oh btw if anyone wants to get me a birthday gift I would really like to have the piano and vocal book for Jekyll and Hyde, Miss Saigon, and the best of Andrew Lloyd Webber.
haha love all you guys and hope you're having an awesome time in good old california.
~Dale
P.S. I'm going to Wisconsin this weekend to the mountains, it's going to be like Yosemite out there whoohoo! I'm excited it should be fun just being away from civilization... I'll probably bring my computer though anyways lol. I miss you guys all a ton trust me its fun but kinda sucks not being able to hang out with any of you.
Take for example when I'm walking on sidewalks. I always walk with two steps or three depending on the distance between each crack between the slabs and I have to have it evenly distributed so that one foot never exceeds the other in the ammount of times it goes first and last. When I was a kid I used to have to step on the tiles in my house in a specific order and touch certain ones so that everything would be evened out. WHen I sit down in a room like the one I'm in now, the first thing I notice is how many tables there are and whether they are evenly distributed across the room. I always count the ceiling tials in any room and figure out the distance between the lights and tiles to see if they are even or not. WIthout even thinking (Usually when I'm bored).
WIthout thinking I always line up things on my desk and if a book is on the corner of a desk I can't take it sticking out and if I'm by it I will always line it up with the edges.
I was watching criminal minds thinking that would be a perfect job for me, I love noticing patterns in everything I do. For example in music I've noticed that all of the good musicals/ones i like always have a love triangle going on. Look at Wicked you have Alfaba and Glenda going for Fierro, in Phantom its the Phantom and Raul for Christine, in Oklahoma its Judd and the main guy going for the girl, in Miss Saigon its Miss Saigon and the other girl he married after the guys heart, in Les Mis its eponine and cosette for the guy, Jekyll and Hyde its both girls in love with the same man but in different forms of jekyll and hyde respectively. I could go on honestly forever. And then I could tell you about music how the V-IV and V-V is an extremely popular chord in musicals and how modulating to the bVI and the bIII is extremely powerful in musicals and sounds nice, and that's why most songs use it.
If you could imagine how annoying my own mind is because of this you would understand why I have to just shut it off sometimes or else it literally drives me crazy.
Anyways, sorry for the huge spiel, I feel like this has been more of an essay than anything, but it's just waht I'm thinking about right now. Oh btw if anyone wants to get me a birthday gift I would really like to have the piano and vocal book for Jekyll and Hyde, Miss Saigon, and the best of Andrew Lloyd Webber.
haha love all you guys and hope you're having an awesome time in good old california.
~Dale
P.S. I'm going to Wisconsin this weekend to the mountains, it's going to be like Yosemite out there whoohoo! I'm excited it should be fun just being away from civilization... I'll probably bring my computer though anyways lol. I miss you guys all a ton trust me its fun but kinda sucks not being able to hang out with any of you.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
The search beings...
... for WiFi connection
Long story short, I have to travel in this uber suburbia town to the nearest starbucks/barnes & Nobles store to find wifi constantly because there's like none by the houses and the ones that are are super protected because in suburbs families are very paranoid, and this is super-suburbia. I think I should come up with a sweet name for it like superbia. It's like almost farms out here everything is so spread out but then not really.
Anyways, I'm writing like crazy recently. I've finished another chapter. And I'm working my ass off on adapting a book into a musical. Any guesses? :) I have like 15 songs halfway done, I'll probably end up writing something around 50 then using like 20. God has really been preparing me to write with a ton of dialogue in my book and musical. I read like 10 plays over the summer and took a theatre class where everything is based upon dialogue.
I'm so excited I'm really seeing my writing style develop and learning the show rather than tell concept of writing... I guess only English major's would really know about that so sorry if that doesn't make any sense.
Yesterday we went to a folk music festibal... LOL... that's about all I have to say about that. I'm picking up Payton from the bus stop today then watching him. Pray for me. Just kidding. But seriously that kid has a rediculous memory. My memory is based like entirely on like photographic memory while his is like memorising facts and data. We are completely opposite, but we have fun playing harry potter on his ds and getting our butts kicked on MLB 2K10, ya the computer owns on that game its rediculous i think we won once...
I kind of just go through the day not knowing anything about tomorrow or the next day or anything. I bought a ticket for Miami but my cousin got sick so I don't know if i'll even be able to stay there lol. It's kinda rediculous, but I'm learning to let complete go of control and have trust in God, have trust in others. I know things will come through somehow and life will work out in some crazy freakin way, even if I have to be alone my whole life or something (I just realized both my uncles who are the middle children are the only one's in the family who aren't married) I guess it's just my destiny haha. But it's really ok I'm fine with it, God knows what's best for me when I'm just sitting here having absolutely no idea what is going on.
Well, sorry for packing so much random insight with no real stories... I love you all so much thanks for being great friends/family. God loves you and has plans for all of you and you're all pretty cool, you must be to know me ;) just kiddin
God Bless you and Keep you and make His face shine upon you always.
Love,
Dale
Long story short, I have to travel in this uber suburbia town to the nearest starbucks/barnes & Nobles store to find wifi constantly because there's like none by the houses and the ones that are are super protected because in suburbs families are very paranoid, and this is super-suburbia. I think I should come up with a sweet name for it like superbia. It's like almost farms out here everything is so spread out but then not really.
Anyways, I'm writing like crazy recently. I've finished another chapter. And I'm working my ass off on adapting a book into a musical. Any guesses? :) I have like 15 songs halfway done, I'll probably end up writing something around 50 then using like 20. God has really been preparing me to write with a ton of dialogue in my book and musical. I read like 10 plays over the summer and took a theatre class where everything is based upon dialogue.
I'm so excited I'm really seeing my writing style develop and learning the show rather than tell concept of writing... I guess only English major's would really know about that so sorry if that doesn't make any sense.
Yesterday we went to a folk music festibal... LOL... that's about all I have to say about that. I'm picking up Payton from the bus stop today then watching him. Pray for me. Just kidding. But seriously that kid has a rediculous memory. My memory is based like entirely on like photographic memory while his is like memorising facts and data. We are completely opposite, but we have fun playing harry potter on his ds and getting our butts kicked on MLB 2K10, ya the computer owns on that game its rediculous i think we won once...
I kind of just go through the day not knowing anything about tomorrow or the next day or anything. I bought a ticket for Miami but my cousin got sick so I don't know if i'll even be able to stay there lol. It's kinda rediculous, but I'm learning to let complete go of control and have trust in God, have trust in others. I know things will come through somehow and life will work out in some crazy freakin way, even if I have to be alone my whole life or something (I just realized both my uncles who are the middle children are the only one's in the family who aren't married) I guess it's just my destiny haha. But it's really ok I'm fine with it, God knows what's best for me when I'm just sitting here having absolutely no idea what is going on.
Well, sorry for packing so much random insight with no real stories... I love you all so much thanks for being great friends/family. God loves you and has plans for all of you and you're all pretty cool, you must be to know me ;) just kiddin
God Bless you and Keep you and make His face shine upon you always.
Love,
Dale
Sunday, September 5, 2010
If at first you don't suceed...
While walking the corridors of DePaul today I read a little sign. It was a picture of Abraham Lincoln. I guess most of you know history and know how many times Abraham Lincoln failed. He lost county elections, state elections, federal elections, pretty much failed at everything, but eventually came on to be the greatest president our nation has ever known.
I know it's kinda corny but it was a big encouragement for me to read that and see that despite all my failure in life, friendships, love, that God is still watching out for me. Instead of just looking at a circumstance as simply "bad" now, I'm trying to see that although it is bad there is a lesson to be learned from everything, and in order to fix those "bad" things, I need to learn my lesson before they can become good again. Sorry if that seemed a little befuddled, my mind is kinda befudled.
You know what's really cool though! Yesterday I passed over 10,000 pages in writing my book! It's kinda crazy.
Anyways, I am in Chicago in case you didn't know and I've been to see my Auntie Hana a couple of times which has been really nice. She is so funny and old I love just hanging out with her to see what she does next. Auntie Marlo and I are going to help her move tomorrow, while you are probably all at the beach or on vacation on your day off haha. I keep on forgetting since I'm not in school, it's kinda wierd. I've enjoyed hanging out with Payton and Bob as well. In fact I'm at DePaul right now watching women and men's soccer. I kinda left the women's soccer cuz it was a little boring (no offense anyone, but men's soccer is a lot more interesting to watch, sorry) Anyways, the men won 1-0 in a great game. This one guy lobbed in an awesome hooking shot and with three defenders the captain jumped up and headed the ball right into the corner. It was like a picture perfect play.
Sorry, I love getting into sports and I get to watch from the press box which is pretty cool I have a great view of the entire field. I really love and miss you all and think about you guys all the time wanting to hang out with you. I hope that whatever you all are doing you are having a great time. And I know God has plans for my life, your life, and our lives, so may the Lord bless you and keep you always.
Love,
Dale
I know it's kinda corny but it was a big encouragement for me to read that and see that despite all my failure in life, friendships, love, that God is still watching out for me. Instead of just looking at a circumstance as simply "bad" now, I'm trying to see that although it is bad there is a lesson to be learned from everything, and in order to fix those "bad" things, I need to learn my lesson before they can become good again. Sorry if that seemed a little befuddled, my mind is kinda befudled.
You know what's really cool though! Yesterday I passed over 10,000 pages in writing my book! It's kinda crazy.
Anyways, I am in Chicago in case you didn't know and I've been to see my Auntie Hana a couple of times which has been really nice. She is so funny and old I love just hanging out with her to see what she does next. Auntie Marlo and I are going to help her move tomorrow, while you are probably all at the beach or on vacation on your day off haha. I keep on forgetting since I'm not in school, it's kinda wierd. I've enjoyed hanging out with Payton and Bob as well. In fact I'm at DePaul right now watching women and men's soccer. I kinda left the women's soccer cuz it was a little boring (no offense anyone, but men's soccer is a lot more interesting to watch, sorry) Anyways, the men won 1-0 in a great game. This one guy lobbed in an awesome hooking shot and with three defenders the captain jumped up and headed the ball right into the corner. It was like a picture perfect play.
Sorry, I love getting into sports and I get to watch from the press box which is pretty cool I have a great view of the entire field. I really love and miss you all and think about you guys all the time wanting to hang out with you. I hope that whatever you all are doing you are having a great time. And I know God has plans for my life, your life, and our lives, so may the Lord bless you and keep you always.
Love,
Dale
Friday, September 3, 2010
20,000 feet
Sorry it took me so long to write a new blog, I've been out of internet for a little while folks.
Anyways I'm now in Chicago with Bob, Marlo, and Payton. Last night I got to see my Auntie Hana who I hadn't seen it at least 7 years. It was pretty cool and fun. I also got a little tour around DePaul (Where my uncle works) it looked pretty nice and cool around there.
Two days ago back when I was in Boston we tried to hack the subway system (Steve's roomate is a computer hacking expert) anyways we failed, but whatever. We played some awesome soccer at MIT on a astroturf field ewwwwww. I slid so many times my left leg is cut up pretty badly, I think it may have gotten infected but I've been washing it out. Sorry about the gross details.
Anyway, my last night in Boston me, Steph, and Steve, went to an Italian restaurant, I bought them dinner for letting me stay with them. It was in the North End which is the nice end of Boston. Boston is like different in every single part from the Back Bay to the North Side. I had soo much fun just walking around and talking with them, it kinda felt like old times when we all used to hang out a ton. I missed them both so much.
We saw these two people on a super awkward date where the girl was just sitting back and smoking and he was trying to do some lasso trick with this string and lasso her, it was pretty amusing. Stephanie is so funny. She wants to find a boyfriend so desperately, I guess Steve sorta does also. They are both pretty sick of the city, and I don't blame them. So many people, but it's still really lonely there, no one wants to be serious they just want hook-ups and such. It's kind of a sad thing to see.
I had tons of fun in Boston, though, and loved staying there and hanging out at MIT. I'm at a really emotional part of my book, sometimes I hate writing it, but it's actually really good for me to get it out on paper.
Anyways I'm doing well at Bob and Marlo's unfortunately they have pretty limited internet access :(. I love you all though and God Bless you.
Love,
Dale
Upcoming: Tonight seeing a soccer game at DePaul. Next weekend, I'm going camping with Peyton and Marlo, do some kayaking and such :)
Future: Well, I have no idea.
Anyways I'm now in Chicago with Bob, Marlo, and Payton. Last night I got to see my Auntie Hana who I hadn't seen it at least 7 years. It was pretty cool and fun. I also got a little tour around DePaul (Where my uncle works) it looked pretty nice and cool around there.
Two days ago back when I was in Boston we tried to hack the subway system (Steve's roomate is a computer hacking expert) anyways we failed, but whatever. We played some awesome soccer at MIT on a astroturf field ewwwwww. I slid so many times my left leg is cut up pretty badly, I think it may have gotten infected but I've been washing it out. Sorry about the gross details.
Anyway, my last night in Boston me, Steph, and Steve, went to an Italian restaurant, I bought them dinner for letting me stay with them. It was in the North End which is the nice end of Boston. Boston is like different in every single part from the Back Bay to the North Side. I had soo much fun just walking around and talking with them, it kinda felt like old times when we all used to hang out a ton. I missed them both so much.
We saw these two people on a super awkward date where the girl was just sitting back and smoking and he was trying to do some lasso trick with this string and lasso her, it was pretty amusing. Stephanie is so funny. She wants to find a boyfriend so desperately, I guess Steve sorta does also. They are both pretty sick of the city, and I don't blame them. So many people, but it's still really lonely there, no one wants to be serious they just want hook-ups and such. It's kind of a sad thing to see.
I had tons of fun in Boston, though, and loved staying there and hanging out at MIT. I'm at a really emotional part of my book, sometimes I hate writing it, but it's actually really good for me to get it out on paper.
Anyways I'm doing well at Bob and Marlo's unfortunately they have pretty limited internet access :(. I love you all though and God Bless you.
Love,
Dale
Upcoming: Tonight seeing a soccer game at DePaul. Next weekend, I'm going camping with Peyton and Marlo, do some kayaking and such :)
Future: Well, I have no idea.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Presbyterians and Death Fraternity
Ok, so I'm just going to jump right into it. Sunday I was going to go to a Baptist church in Boston but I got lost (as usual) and ended up going to a "Presbyterian Church". You know you think Presbyterian... must be pretty conservative and normal, and everything was for the first half of the service...
However, I forgot to see the fine print that said the "Union Church of Christ"
Anyway about halfway through the service of a normal sermon on Martha and Jesus, the pastor suddently went off on a complete tangeant on how it was wrong for everyone to be against the Muslim church on ground zero, and I'm not saying I'm for or against this i just thought it was a shocking transition to politics...
Then i see these two ladies in front of me. One is massaging the other and I think hey that's a little wierd. So then the preacher starts talking about how they are a church accepting of all "kinds of love", and then I got it, yup there was definitely a lesbian couple in front of me that attended the church. Not too soon afterwards the associate pastor started praying, he said something about mother earth and how we have abused her. I definitely left in a hurry after the service was out.
Suffice to say, be warned when you go to a "conservative" church in a downtown city.
One of the sad things about Boston is everyone is so angry all the time. When our subway completely bipassed a stop and we had to wait all the way back til we got off, this one guy was cussing out this big black lady who was working on the subway, it was something like,
"You're the bitch!!"
"No, You're the BITCH!!"
Me and Ojeda were kinda laughing at it. Anyways again while I was on my way to crazy church this bicycle was riding by and this car wanted to turn right but couldn't so he laid on his horn. The Bicyclist proceeded to flip the driver off and the driver rolled down the window and started cussing out the bicyclist.
These along with a few other times I can't remember now make me think people in cities are pretty angry.
Anyway, we are beating rock band right now. Me, Steve, and Ken (Steve's roomate). Somehow Ken figured out how to stick a tatoo on his guy that looks like a penis jutting out of his pants (sorry some guy humor but it was really funny)
Today, also I got a tour of MIT. It was pretty awesome, it's just crazy the high power turbine, low power turbine, steve was working on this satellite telescope that could map the output of supernovas I just couldn't believe it. I'm finishing up my tour tomorrow.
Theta Chi had a massive ultimate frisbee game and we ended up playing for 2 hours! I was dying my legs are killing me and I can barely move.
I love the guys in their fraternity, they're kinda nerdy, but I you all know I guess so am I. Not quite as nerdy as Steve spending three hours arranging stick on glow-in-the dark stars on his ceiling in the exact sequence on his ceiling as is normally in the sky. I'm pretty exausted but having fun, I hit up an awesome week of recruiting and playing frisbee, soccer, and all kinds of events, it's been good.
Love you all and hope all your school is going well. God Bless you and keep you.
~Dale
Upcoming stuff: Soccer tomorrow and finish MIT tour tomorrow.
Future: You know the stuff.
P.S. the weather is so bipolar and after raining in 60 degrees its now almost up to 90
However, I forgot to see the fine print that said the "Union Church of Christ"
Anyway about halfway through the service of a normal sermon on Martha and Jesus, the pastor suddently went off on a complete tangeant on how it was wrong for everyone to be against the Muslim church on ground zero, and I'm not saying I'm for or against this i just thought it was a shocking transition to politics...
Then i see these two ladies in front of me. One is massaging the other and I think hey that's a little wierd. So then the preacher starts talking about how they are a church accepting of all "kinds of love", and then I got it, yup there was definitely a lesbian couple in front of me that attended the church. Not too soon afterwards the associate pastor started praying, he said something about mother earth and how we have abused her. I definitely left in a hurry after the service was out.
Suffice to say, be warned when you go to a "conservative" church in a downtown city.
One of the sad things about Boston is everyone is so angry all the time. When our subway completely bipassed a stop and we had to wait all the way back til we got off, this one guy was cussing out this big black lady who was working on the subway, it was something like,
"You're the bitch!!"
"No, You're the BITCH!!"
Me and Ojeda were kinda laughing at it. Anyways again while I was on my way to crazy church this bicycle was riding by and this car wanted to turn right but couldn't so he laid on his horn. The Bicyclist proceeded to flip the driver off and the driver rolled down the window and started cussing out the bicyclist.
These along with a few other times I can't remember now make me think people in cities are pretty angry.
Anyway, we are beating rock band right now. Me, Steve, and Ken (Steve's roomate). Somehow Ken figured out how to stick a tatoo on his guy that looks like a penis jutting out of his pants (sorry some guy humor but it was really funny)
Today, also I got a tour of MIT. It was pretty awesome, it's just crazy the high power turbine, low power turbine, steve was working on this satellite telescope that could map the output of supernovas I just couldn't believe it. I'm finishing up my tour tomorrow.
Theta Chi had a massive ultimate frisbee game and we ended up playing for 2 hours! I was dying my legs are killing me and I can barely move.
I love the guys in their fraternity, they're kinda nerdy, but I you all know I guess so am I. Not quite as nerdy as Steve spending three hours arranging stick on glow-in-the dark stars on his ceiling in the exact sequence on his ceiling as is normally in the sky. I'm pretty exausted but having fun, I hit up an awesome week of recruiting and playing frisbee, soccer, and all kinds of events, it's been good.
Love you all and hope all your school is going well. God Bless you and keep you.
~Dale
Upcoming stuff: Soccer tomorrow and finish MIT tour tomorrow.
Future: You know the stuff.
P.S. the weather is so bipolar and after raining in 60 degrees its now almost up to 90
Saturday, August 28, 2010
MIT bound
Today I am writing this earlier in the day because tonight I am going to go with the freshman on a midnight tour of MIT. I'm going with one of Steve's friends who is a "hacker". These are the insane guys who find secret tunnels and ways to get into the top of buildings and other cool places. Hopefully we are gunna get onto the small dome of MIT.
These guys are insane though. Once they somehow got a cop car onto the dome of MIT along with other times getting a "time machine" phone booth from Dr. Who on top, a rotating map of the metro stations moving around the dome, and turning the dome into an R2-D2 droid when Episode 1 came out. They do pranks like these every month... no one knows how, but it's pretty crazy, MIT kids are like geniuses its insane.
The fraternity house is awesome. They have to go dry for the next two weeks during rush week, but this morning when I came in they had their big pre-sobriety party with tons of beer cans everywhere (They're drinking up all the alcohol in the house before the inspectors come today haha). I love their fraternity though, their kinda nerdy but at least their not douches like their neighbors. I would have liked to be in a fraternity hanging out with the guys a ton, and they have a terribly out-of-tune piano here along with a pool table, and their house is 5 stories in downtown Boston with a beautiful view of the bay and downtown city!
Today I met my cousin Beth for the first time. We went to the Harvard Square and ate at Bartley's Burger Shop. It was awesome and I got the Joe Biden burger and cousin Beth got the Mitt Romney. Mine was of course a Bacon Cheeseburger with barbeque sauce... sooo good... and the meat was like half a pound. This morning I accidentally grabbed Catherine's computer (Stephanie's roomate) because we all have macs. What I find interesting about the macbooks is that all of ours break in the front bottom right, does anyone else have a crack in their computers there? Anyways, I had to return that after lunch. It was so good catching up with a cousin I had just met, we talked about living in California in Boston, my future plans in travelling, and old stories about my dad when they all were kids. "Ricky was a mean kid," she told me, it's funny now cuz my dad is so very mellow now.
Anyways we were trying to hang this deer head in Steve's fraternity room, someone suggested on the entrance door, but we thought that might be a little dangerous with the antlers. I wanted him to hang it from the ceiling over his bed so he could stare into its eyes before he went to be every night, but that seemed a little rediculous as well. They're trying to clean up before rush week starts but I think all they've really don is figured out a place to put the deer head, haha it's pretty funny.
I'm so glad I'm finally reunited with a piano, it's been such a long time since I've seen my friend. Anyways, after tomorrow hopefully I'll have some interesting stories to right about besides the "say yes to the dress" marathon we watched last night (At Stephanie's apartment, not at the fraternity). I think they were planning on pretending they were getting married and going to a bridal store and trying on all kinds of dresses lol.
I hope I didn't bore you all, I've started writing a book about my travels, I think I only slept 5 hours last night because I kept coming up with ideas, waking up, and writing them, I finished the first chapter and am halfway through the second, hopefully it will be done by the time I get back.
Love to you all in whatever you are doing God Bless!
Upcoming events: MIT freshman tour tonight midnight - 4 a.m.with the "hacker" (I'm pretending I'm an MIT freshman), Tomorrow I'm going to the first Baptist church in Boston, Monday possibly getting an "official" tour of Berklee with Maggie, Tuesday - perhaps going sailing with Steve (that should be interesting since be both barely know how)
Future: Chicago, I'm thinking a month and a half now
I'll leave you with these photos
These guys are insane though. Once they somehow got a cop car onto the dome of MIT along with other times getting a "time machine" phone booth from Dr. Who on top, a rotating map of the metro stations moving around the dome, and turning the dome into an R2-D2 droid when Episode 1 came out. They do pranks like these every month... no one knows how, but it's pretty crazy, MIT kids are like geniuses its insane.
The fraternity house is awesome. They have to go dry for the next two weeks during rush week, but this morning when I came in they had their big pre-sobriety party with tons of beer cans everywhere (They're drinking up all the alcohol in the house before the inspectors come today haha). I love their fraternity though, their kinda nerdy but at least their not douches like their neighbors. I would have liked to be in a fraternity hanging out with the guys a ton, and they have a terribly out-of-tune piano here along with a pool table, and their house is 5 stories in downtown Boston with a beautiful view of the bay and downtown city!
Today I met my cousin Beth for the first time. We went to the Harvard Square and ate at Bartley's Burger Shop. It was awesome and I got the Joe Biden burger and cousin Beth got the Mitt Romney. Mine was of course a Bacon Cheeseburger with barbeque sauce... sooo good... and the meat was like half a pound. This morning I accidentally grabbed Catherine's computer (Stephanie's roomate) because we all have macs. What I find interesting about the macbooks is that all of ours break in the front bottom right, does anyone else have a crack in their computers there? Anyways, I had to return that after lunch. It was so good catching up with a cousin I had just met, we talked about living in California in Boston, my future plans in travelling, and old stories about my dad when they all were kids. "Ricky was a mean kid," she told me, it's funny now cuz my dad is so very mellow now.
Anyways we were trying to hang this deer head in Steve's fraternity room, someone suggested on the entrance door, but we thought that might be a little dangerous with the antlers. I wanted him to hang it from the ceiling over his bed so he could stare into its eyes before he went to be every night, but that seemed a little rediculous as well. They're trying to clean up before rush week starts but I think all they've really don is figured out a place to put the deer head, haha it's pretty funny.
I'm so glad I'm finally reunited with a piano, it's been such a long time since I've seen my friend. Anyways, after tomorrow hopefully I'll have some interesting stories to right about besides the "say yes to the dress" marathon we watched last night (At Stephanie's apartment, not at the fraternity). I think they were planning on pretending they were getting married and going to a bridal store and trying on all kinds of dresses lol.
I hope I didn't bore you all, I've started writing a book about my travels, I think I only slept 5 hours last night because I kept coming up with ideas, waking up, and writing them, I finished the first chapter and am halfway through the second, hopefully it will be done by the time I get back.
Love to you all in whatever you are doing God Bless!
Upcoming events: MIT freshman tour tonight midnight - 4 a.m.with the "hacker" (I'm pretending I'm an MIT freshman), Tomorrow I'm going to the first Baptist church in Boston, Monday possibly getting an "official" tour of Berklee with Maggie, Tuesday - perhaps going sailing with Steve (that should be interesting since be both barely know how)
Future: Chicago, I'm thinking a month and a half now
I'll leave you with these photos
Friday, August 27, 2010
Let me catch you up
So here's the scoop. Josh told me to write a blog so here I am writing for you my best friends. I love you all but I needed some time off to find myself. Please keep this blog just to you guys cuz some of the stuff is going to be a little uncensored and I knew you guys could handle it, but others couldnt. I left for Boston on Friday a week ago. I was going to sleep in the airport when I arrived but it was completely empty so I headed for the T (which is the name of the bus/train system in Boston). The first few days were a bit rainy, but I got to sleep in the basement on a comfy couch with an HD projector plugged into television... so that may have been a little distracting. However, I did make my way to downtown Boston to check out Harvard University (I may have snuck into a dorm through a door that may have been left open), checked out Cambridge, snuck into Berklee school of music, saw Northeastern University (It's the most beautiful University by far), and New England Conservatory (which I loved as well). I also visited the Prudential Center, The Boston Commons, Cambridge Public Library, Harvard Square, along with just the main downtown Boston area. I have gotten lost so many times it's rediculous, but still fun.
Anyways, nothing makes you appreciate living with a bunch of guys more than living with 5 girls in an apartment for a week. In between their constant drinking, the talks about hj's and bj's and almost an example on a banana I'm so glad to be moving out into a fraternity Saturday. I did have fun though while there and I have been reading my Bible like crazy. I'm hoping to get through the entire thing by the time I get back, I've never done it before but it's been comforting me greatly so I just keep on reading.
Last night, in their new apartment, Catherine and Stephanie had some random European guys over they had never met. They danced salsa with them and talked with them and I talked with them a bit (In between the several shots they tried to get me to drink - Don't worry Liz I didn't) and I got invited to a soccer game today. After stealing a bunch of music from Stephanie's computer this morning, I ended up just saying what the hell and going to the soccer game which was on the other side of the Charles River.
I thought I was gunna get my ass kicked cuz these guys were all big and European so I figured I'm screwed but I actually held my own. Boy am I out of shape though, in my X-country days I could have kept up with any of those guys but I was just too tired it was rediculous.
Anyway my friend that I had met the night before, Hescham, didnt' show up til late so I kinda akwardly played with a bunch of guys I had never met for a while it was funny. I still got some soccer skillz though. I was kinda proud of myself. But, unfortunately, my shoes are now super muddy and my pants are super muddy and I'm kinda screwed since I have nowhere to wash clothes, woops.
That's all for now God is really working in me and changing me and helping me get through every day though it is hard. I love you all and until next time...
Upcoming Events: Saturday - Moving into Fraternity of MIT and meeting my cousin Beth for the first time
Sunday - I'm going to the First Baptist Church of Boston! that should be fun
Thursday - I'm leaving for Chicago
Future: These are the cities I'm thinking about visiting, what do you all think? Boston, Chicago, Tampa, Boulder, Las Vegas, San Fransisco.
God Bless and much love to you all,
Dale
Anyways, nothing makes you appreciate living with a bunch of guys more than living with 5 girls in an apartment for a week. In between their constant drinking, the talks about hj's and bj's and almost an example on a banana I'm so glad to be moving out into a fraternity Saturday. I did have fun though while there and I have been reading my Bible like crazy. I'm hoping to get through the entire thing by the time I get back, I've never done it before but it's been comforting me greatly so I just keep on reading.
Last night, in their new apartment, Catherine and Stephanie had some random European guys over they had never met. They danced salsa with them and talked with them and I talked with them a bit (In between the several shots they tried to get me to drink - Don't worry Liz I didn't) and I got invited to a soccer game today. After stealing a bunch of music from Stephanie's computer this morning, I ended up just saying what the hell and going to the soccer game which was on the other side of the Charles River.
I thought I was gunna get my ass kicked cuz these guys were all big and European so I figured I'm screwed but I actually held my own. Boy am I out of shape though, in my X-country days I could have kept up with any of those guys but I was just too tired it was rediculous.
Anyway my friend that I had met the night before, Hescham, didnt' show up til late so I kinda akwardly played with a bunch of guys I had never met for a while it was funny. I still got some soccer skillz though. I was kinda proud of myself. But, unfortunately, my shoes are now super muddy and my pants are super muddy and I'm kinda screwed since I have nowhere to wash clothes, woops.
That's all for now God is really working in me and changing me and helping me get through every day though it is hard. I love you all and until next time...
Upcoming Events: Saturday - Moving into Fraternity of MIT and meeting my cousin Beth for the first time
Sunday - I'm going to the First Baptist Church of Boston! that should be fun
Thursday - I'm leaving for Chicago
Future: These are the cities I'm thinking about visiting, what do you all think? Boston, Chicago, Tampa, Boulder, Las Vegas, San Fransisco.
God Bless and much love to you all,
Dale
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