One lively ghost town

To vote, or not to vote:

2008-11-04T11:14:00.000-08:00

I just voted for the first time today. I know that my vote won't have any effect on the outcome of this general election, but I am glad that I voted nonetheless. It is an exciting new chapter of my life, and one that I hope to pursue responsibly. Just knowing that I was planning on voting has forced me to look a little deeper into issues that I would normally not even think about. I believe things could be different if people were more politically active. The problem is that too many people would rather just "leave politics to the politicians" or think that there participation doesn't really matter anyway. This is not true. Strong lobbying against the federal government has been a effective check on legislation throughout the history of our country. These large interest groups started as small groups, which consisted of individual members, who came together to make their voice heard.

Start small: learn what your own interests in government are, and try to recognize what kind of effect the outcome of this election is going to have on you personally. Having a voice in government starts when you know what you want to say. For me, voting has been a small step in this direction, and I hope it can be the same for other first time voters out there.

Don't think, "To vote, or not to vote: that is the question." Don't make it a question; just go do it. I encourage everyone who reads this today, if you have not voted yet, please go out and make your voice heard, even if you are the only one who is listening.

Please feel free to leave a comment about your election day experience. November 4, 2008.

2008-10-31T12:00:00.000-07:00

It has been exactly one year, to the day, since I last posted. That's a disgrace to the good and useful nature of blogger. My new resolution for One lively ghost town, is that I will be able to utilize it in way that will really encourage others to be engaged and give me some feedback. My only request upon my return is that you all will try to leave me some comments. I don't care whether or not they are good or bad, just as long as they are honest. Also feel free to ask questions if you don't understand my reasoning. I welcome your thoughts and comments, and value your opinions.

P.S. this is not a sign of weakness

Untitled

Man dreams and pines to take to the sky,

But always has had the power to fly.

We know that we can, so we feel that we must,

But in doing the deed lose our faith, hope, and trust.

We want, we need, we think we feel,

Something so good it must be real,

But desire and love must endure to the end,

Working each one, the other to defend.

I long to pull close every good thing I see,

But God, in his mercy, has a better plan for me.

Better than rubies! We're instructed to seek,

She who is righteous, mild, and meek.

The path of righteousness hath greater worth,

Then any of the pleasures we may find here on earth.

Footnote: When I say, "lose our faith", I'm not implying that we can lose our eternal salvation, but that we lose our general sense of trust in ourselves and the people around us.

2007-10-31T08:36:00.000-07:00

Ok, how to write a new post. First start writing about whatever is on your mind at the moment. Ok, I'm already doing that. So, to update blog I'm going to write a new post, but what about. Nothing has happened to me lately. This is what always happens I get on blogger with good intentions of posting something new, but it always ends up being something stupid about how I have nothing to write about. Then everyone gets angry at my stupid post and tells me to make a new one, and the cycle continues. Then they will all think I'm an idiot for talking to myself and then posting it on my blog, and I ALMOST HIT THE GUY! People are so crazy. Well, that was my day, week actually.

when i went for a walk down our driveway

2007-07-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went for a walk down our driveway and I saw, a deer, a squirrel, a butterfly, and a rabbit.

I'm Back

2007-06-03T18:57:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been quite a while, but I was only mostly dead. As you all know school is over, so that's something to be thankful for, but now I'm studying for the GED. I have to take it in three weeks so that's not a lot of studying time. I have my license now, so that's kind of cool. Although I don't really go anywhere. I got a cell phone a couple of weeks ago, but it just sits on my shelf until it runs out of a charge. Sometimes a carry it around with me just for fun, but it serves no actually function. I'm looking for a job but as of yet I haven't found one. Um, that's about it. So I'll try to keep you posted on these most fascinating current events.

2007-04-04T19:39:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQWxIrSRDQQ

2007-04-04T16:02:00.000-07:00

Just for the record, I'm no longer stuck at school. I'm just stuck in the rut of my life.

Bergalorgatord and Arrrg!

2007-03-26T06:03:00.000-07:00

Well this is just great. It's 9:00 Monday morning and I'm once again sitting here at school passing time. Just after Elsa and I establish the fact that neither of us have phones, and go our separate ways, I find a class canceled notice on the door of my English class. So now, I can't call anyone to be picked up and the closest thing I can do to telling anyone is what I'm doing right now. Although I don't know why I' m doing this, it's not going to help me much, and it doesn't make for a very interesting post. Anyway, I have 3 hours to kill and I'm not in a very murderous mood. I do have some homework to do. This I just found out from checking my e-mail, but here's the kicker, I can't do it because I don't know how. Man, I just love school so much. Ba-arrf! I hate this so much. You would think it would be a great time to get some work done wouldn't you, but for some strange reasons I find it very hard to work under these conditions. I think it's because it's forced work, like I'm not here because I want to be, I'm here because I have to be, because I have no choose. Oh yeah! Here's another funny little joke, by the time I get my license the semester's practically over. Ha, Ha, that just cracks me up inside. Well anyway, here's a taste of my life.

By the way, most of this was written in sarcasm. Just in case your really dense.

Just Sitting

2007-03-19T16:03:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm just sitting here at school waiting to be picked up, and I don't really have anything worth saying, but I hate to see my blog in the same state for to long. Spring break was good, but school is not. My sympathy goes out to all those who are returning back to the world of not cool stuff.

The last of the dancing Flemingos.

2007-03-07T11:21:00.000-08:00

I remember some the first pictures on Katie's blog. She didn't say much about it at the time, but she was so proud of her flamingo pictures. That was when she was first getting into photography. As the months passed she impressed us all with more fabulous pictures. My personal favorites were the color pictures from the beach. I think there were some real prize winners in that batch, and of course no one can forget the pictures she posted from the good old days in Dundalk. Good times. Most of all, I loved how she filled the blog with her character and spirit. Posting lethargic and unenergetic post like, "I really don't feel like doing this now" and, "o barn". Here is an exert from one of her poems which I think adequately catches the essence of who she was through the writings in her blog. "This maniacal mind of mine is so proud of remembering something that it determines to hold onto this something this little bit of nothing..." We will miss you "Mine". We shall not weep for the departed, but I have faith that somewhere down the road "One lively ghost town" shall meet you on the other side.

But not for a long time.

cake, cake, and more cake

2007-03-06T08:18:00.000-08:00

I still want people to come to my house but I don't think I'm going to do the whole car painting deal. One of the reasons being because it involves too much work and the other is that I heard rummer of the Subaru not making it up hear. So anyway, I'm still trying to think of something to do, but there's not much to do around here so it might just end up, (if anyone comes that is) with us sitting around here doing nothing. Just kidding. Anyway, I think the weekend of the 21st of April would be a good time.

It would be,(for me anyway) more in celebration of me getting my license than my birthday, although my birthday being around then is a plus. If I don't pass the test, well, I probably won't tell you. Well just tell me if that sounds good to you, and if you don't know yet that's OK. I know it's still pretty far away. And if nobody can come or if nobody wants to come, then we can have big blog party. And if nobody wants to join my blog party, then I'll probably end up building myself a cake. And if I end up building my self a cake, it will end up being so massive that while I'm trying to put the top layer of icing on it will fall on top of me. Therefor I would be spending my birthday weekend trying to eat my self out, and that would be difficult because I can't bake and the cake would taste bad. And if you think that would be something worth seeing, by all means don't come.

A short story by me.

2007-02-25T10:49:00.000-08:00

Not far down the dirt trail, nearby a fence crippled with age, rested an old vehicle put out of commission years ago. It was an old Dotson something or another. All four tires were flat from being baked by the sun for 20 years. It lay flat on the ground with all sort of brush grown up around it. If the sun was bright enough you could still catch a glimpse of her silvery blue color. I first approached the car at the end of a trying day and was just looking for a place to hide. After clearing away some of the weeds and stickers, I tried opening the door. It took a bit of encouragement but after a while I was able to climb in. It was beautiful inside. The black leather seats were still soft. Although there were weeds growing around my feet and a snake skin next to me I could still smell the aroma of a real car. I put my hand to the wheel and reached for the gear shift; it was like waking up from a dream. I was staring out into an empty field, yet I could see a long road stretching out before me. She wanted to take me somewhere. She wanted to show the things she had seen. I took a deep breath, then slowly I stepped on the gas. As the miles past behind me and the cool breeze tickled my face, I could feel her warm smile reassuring me that it would all work out and everything was going to be OK.

The years past and we traveled the world together. Every time anger and hatred started to take over I found comfort in her always open ears, and when I got to a point in my life when I thought there was nothing to look forward to, she would take me down the ever changing road and tell me it was all going to be different one day.

That day did come just a few years later, but everything was just the same as it had always been. Nothing had changed, it had only gotten worse and worse. Everything she had told me was a lie. Every time I stepped on that gas peddle I was driving myself farther down into my own ruts. That day I came, but I came with ten pounds of steel. I dragged the hammer to the spot where she lay. I lifted the hammer and swung with a force driven by hatred. Then I swung again and again and again. I heard a piercing sound as the windshield shattered. I stopped and looked down at the scattered pieces of glass trickling down the hood. Quickly I dropped the hammer, thrust out my arms, and caught her tears in my hands. I sat on my knees and clenched the sharp prisms till her tears became mine.

My hands now covered in her blood, my blood.

Is it getting hotter?

2007-02-24T08:12:00.000-08:00

I just read this thing on some guy's blog. He was talking about how he didn't think that global warming was unbiblical. He gave reverences for Revelation 16:8, and 7:13-16. He said that the event of a major climate change was not unbiblical but it was how the government was blowing it up to instill fear in people, so they could get more money. I do not agree. I believe global warming is unbiblical. One of the effects of global warming would be that the polar ice caps would melt and eventually flood the entire planet. This is impossible because the Lord promised in Genesis 9:15 that the waters should no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. Also if the earth was to become supper heated that would pretty much wack out our seasons right. Well, (Genesis 8:22) "While the earth remaineth, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

Art+Emotion

2007-02-18T18:12:00.000-08:00

I drew this.

WHERE IS KATIE?

2007-02-16T09:16:00.000-08:00

I believe we should form a search party. We can split up into groups. I keep checking her blog thinking that maybe by some miracle she jumped back into the cyber world of pointless conversation, but it seems she's no where to be found. Maybe If someone tries shouting her name really loud over the Internet. Well, here goes last attempts.

2007-02-14T17:29:00.000-08:00

Sorry the scanes are a little sloppy. But I can't really help that. The scanner won't feed them through straight.

2007-02-14T17:19:00.000-08:00

Hey, here are some more pictures from my trip. These ones I took with the 35mm.

2007-02-13T07:59:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures finally, but don't just look at them and ignore the post underneath. The one is my aunt's enormous dog.

Praying for Snow

2007-02-13T07:36:00.000-08:00

My English prof. yesterday said that if there was even the smallest amount of snow he wasn't going to be there tomorrow. Then I got to Spanish and I had a sub, which was just weird but he said also there will be no class tomorrow. So if it snows, which I pray it does, there is a very great chance I won't have to go into school at all.

Also, I want to have a car painting party here at my house. Probably sometime around my birthday but not necessarily for my birthday. And it really depends on whether or not I still have a car. And hopefully it will be just around when I get my license, that's the whole idea behind the birthday part. Anyway It's just a thought for now, but I think it would be a lot of fun.

2007-02-07T11:37:00.000-08:00

I can't get any pictures of my trip. They're all on Dad's computer. Besides that, what else has been going on? Oh yeah, nothing. I don't go anywhere because there's nowhere to go. I don't do anything because there's nothing to do, and nobody to do anything with. Isn't that exciting! My car has been in the shop all week. It's really cold here. Well since there's nothing to write about I guess I'll just do like everyone else and find some random picture to show people.

2007-01-22T07:47:00.000-08:00

Well I was in Arizona the past week. I really hope I've been spelling Arizona Correctly, because I don't think I have been for some reason or another, although I can't think of another way to spell it. Anyway it was fun, but not the plane, and all the insane family we met there. I saw a lot of cool things, but mostly I just sat in the back of a van for long periods of time with nothing to drink but diet coke and diet green tea, and nothing to eat but southbeach bars. It was incredibly cold there and there was snow everywhere, but it was a good trip. Um, today was the first day of school and now I'm sitting here in the school library waiting for Elsa to get out of class since I hitched a ride with her this morning.

Well everyone knows that mothers love to smother their children with all sorts of stuff on their first day of school, or at least back to school. They wake you up in time and cook you a big breakfast, make sure you have your books and note pads, snacks, and 27 writing utensils. Well, our beloved mother didn't even get out of bed this morning. My father woke us up, then he went back to bed. There wasn't even a pot of coffee made. What's up with that?

Anyway I'll post some pictures of Our trip. Maybe, sometime.

2006-12-20T16:44:00.000-08:00

I sit on a bench between two trees
I am the center most thought ,yet still forgotten
The boughs that cradle the sky above me
And below, the bench that holds this figure of sorrow

I sit on a bench between two trees
I am cold and I am alone
The icy wind crawls through my thin shirt
My heart gives into the sadness that's filling my mind
And I am no longer alone

The cold is now a comfort to me
A friend to console my weary person
I close my eyes and breath deeply
And let the cold consume me

Ok I know it doesn't rhyme or even have the same number of lines in each verse. I know I could make it a lot better if I worked on it. But I just can't stay in one place too long. I really was freezing to death, sitting on a bench, between two trees when I wrote it. I didn't even have a proper piece of paper.

A Poem of Mine

2006-12-06T06:55:00.000-08:00

What heart hinged upon a head can see
Truth that dwells behind these dusty faces
If courage were bold
And laughter pleasant
The ember of pain would not grow so hot
If time were turned
And forgiveness felt...

But time can not be changed

2006-12-06T06:13:00.000-08:00

Ok, my life isn't really all that miserable. I just like to complain. Which I shouldn't, so I'll change the tune. I GOT A CAR! AND IT'S A FIVE SPEED. It's cool to have something to drive, and in not too long I get my license. I had a job, and then I didn't, which was almost relieving because I was going to quit anyway. Plus I got 80 bucks. Another small supply of cash that will slowly dwindle away, and is almost gone. (This all happened a while ago). I HATE SCHOOL. Well I really don't hate school, not all the time anyway. Just most of the time. I HAVE A COLD! WAIT, I have a cold there's nothing really good about that.

2006-12-05T06:32:00.000-08:00

I have a cold. I have a car.(with a flat tire) I had a job. I hate school.

2006-12-03T10:44:00.000-08:00

This is just something that I did a while back, and I thought it was pretty cool.

2006-11-30T09:16:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple I just did yesterday. They're not for school, I just really liked the pictures.
I've given up trying to place them where I want them.

2006-11-30T08:51:00.000-08:00

2006-10-31T17:22:00.000-08:00

I going to post more pictures soon, I think anyway. Because I have nothing to say, and a picture is worth 1,000 words.

2006-10-22T07:13:00.000-07:00

This is my mother's cooking. Can anyone guess what it is? Sorry, what they are?

2006-10-22T06:47:00.000-07:00

Here's some more pictures of my awesome cat Datsun. My cat is awesome. Ok well she looks better in real life. The picture that just appeared on this post is some what frightening me.

harmon/kardon

2006-10-19T13:13:00.000-07:00

Hey, here are some pictures that I took, and photograms. Sorry they are not perfectly croped.

What can I say?

2006-10-19T09:14:00.000-07:00

I sit here and think and think about what to post about. I come up with nothing. I say to myself, well it doesn't have to be funny, just write about something interesting that happened to you. That doesn't work, no remotely eventful thing has happened to me. So then I say well just make up something ridiculous like everybody else. I can't do that either. My mind just doesn't work like, that no matter how hard I try. Oh hold on, I have a story. Once upon a time ,no ,no I don't. Well I think I've fill up just about enough space to post.

School Sucks

2006-10-01T19:43:00.000-07:00

So I've been in school for, well the same time as the rest of you, and I've come to the conclusion that it sucks. My photography professor is a blundering fool. And I feel embarrassed coming into class and realizing that she really is the fool I say she is, as if I have any control over who my professor is. My Spanish professor is ok. He has a strange sense of humor. But I pity all you that have more than two classes and jobs. I do enjoy getting out of the house although I don't appreciate the people outside of it.

Whatever

2006-09-08T09:41:00.000-07:00

Wednesday was my first day of school at the community college. Well I guess there really isn't that much to say about it. Um, this is why I don't post. Here's a random picture of one of the cactuses that made up the lawn at the beach house in Nags Head.

2006-08-30T08:19:00.000-07:00

Sorry I'm so boring. I guess my blog became a ghost town sooner than I expected. That or it just got hit by a huge snow storm. Anyway, I'm sitting here and thinking really hard about what to post about. Nothing is coming to mind. I guess that's why I'm rambling on. Oh, Turbo Saab died. All my animals die when I'm away. I have to go so I'll post more later.

I'm back

2006-08-21T13:48:00.000-07:00

Well I'm back but i don't know if my blog is.

The car that got away

2006-06-15T09:03:00.000-07:00

There was this car that I loved and checked everyday to make sure it was still for sale. It was an 82 Porshe 944, gray, black leather interior, 5 speed, CD player, everything, at a really good price. I loved that car. The other day when I went to look at the perfect car, it had been sold. My heart was broken and I am still very, very sad. I don't know if I'll ever love a car from an ad as much as I loved that one.

SAT Trap

2006-06-03T16:38:00.000-07:00

Well I went to go take the SAT today, but they wouldn't let me take it because I didn't have the proper identification. So that's really dumb. Anyway It pretty much stinks because the next testing date is in October. I hate the system. So all my stress, and studying over the test was for nothing. But do you want to hear the best part? I can't go to RVCC valley until I take the dumb test, and your required to have a photo ID, which by the time we realized was crucial we couldn't get it because it was too late and there were complications. The same thing happened with Elsa except they let her in with the identification she had. So the deal is, since I have to take the test to go to RVCC, and the next test is in October, after school starts. Well you get the picture, I won't be going to school next year. So let me just summarize it all for you, MY LIFE SUCKS!!!

Cool Picture

2006-05-31T13:24:00.000-07:00

I just think this is kind of a cool picture. It just almost omnious but not really. Anyway it's just a fun picture that i thought people might like to look at.

2006-05-30T10:36:00.000-07:00

Fishing at our resevoir is cool and really fun. And I know everyone is really jealous of my big catch. No, actually it's not mine. Elsa's the one who caught it, she just didn't get a picture of the tons of ginormous fish I caught. Anyway It really was a lot of fun. The best part was when katie was casting the line and half the reel flew out into the water. We tried to retrieve it, but the water was too deep. Even with just one good fishing rod and a couple hooks tied to sticks, we caught a lot ... of trees. We caught real fish as well, just not as many as we did other things. It also started pouring rain while we were there. It was fun trying to catch at least one more fish in the rain. We did actually eat our fish too. Not that it was much to eat, but it tasted good. I don't like the fact that they have spines in their fins.

The mouse from chicken run

2006-05-27T09:52:00.000-07:00

This is Turbo Saab, the one and only awsomest chameleon. Like a bird, like a fish. He's the coolest in so many ways and more than one. His colors are different and "He's big dumb and tone deaf, and now he's doing he's doing his own theme music; I so glad I was unconscious for all this."

my life

2006-04-28T08:38:00.000-07:00

Well nothing very exciting happens in my life.

Who new a frog could be so much fun?

2006-04-18T07:45:00.000-07:00

This morning I went out to our pound, caught a frog, and scared my cousins with it. It was so classic, I guess that's what made it so funny. That will probably be my thrill for the rest of the day. That and building a cake for myself. My life is so exciting.

fun fact

2006-04-17T17:33:00.000-07:00

I just found out that there is no passing grade on the SAT's. That makes me feel a little better. Well I hope I do well anyway.

pondering my posting

2006-04-17T17:02:00.000-07:00

Has anyone notice that all my post start with p's. I wonder why or how that happened. Sorry just an observation, because I have no one else's blog to observe.

problems and errors

2006-04-17T16:48:00.000-07:00

Well this stinks. I can't put any pictures up. It tells me there are errors and I don't know how to talk back. I don't speak computer lingo.

passing would be nice

2006-04-17T10:08:00.000-07:00

I am supposed to be studying for the SAT's. I have no confidence that I am going to pass. Oh, right, positive thinking. Well, I hope I do well because it's imperative that I pass it's my only ticket out of my house or prison. The reason I'm posting this is because everyone I've asked has no memory of the test even though the may have just taken it not to long ago. Anyway if you have a memory at all just tell me how difficult is was or was not. The only reason I'm at all nervous about this is because I haven't taken a test of any importance since 4th grade and because I haven't even finished algerbra 1 yet. It's not because I have some kind of learning disability, I'm just really far behind. I'd appreciate any kind of encouragement.

positive thinking

2006-04-14T22:56:00.000-07:00

Well first I'll start out by saying something incredibly profound to astound you all. This, is, my first post. No, but really I don't even know why I set up this blog, I can hardly guess how long till everyone is begging me to delete it. Actually I shouldn't be so negative. Maybe this will be my place for positive thinking. I doubt it, but maybe.