Exciting News

Hey there all. Long time again. Ha! Life's been full of crazy times. Along with those times includes some exciting events in Jessica's and my life.

We are married!!!!!!!

I'm sure a lot of you (if anyone still reads this) will have questions. I would be more then happy to answer them for you. Just ask.

Outside of that lets see. Jessica finishes massage school in a month. She is very excited about that. I will be finished with school soon but not soon enough. Still trying to find a better job within the company I am working for.

Just a quick update for now.

Where has the time gone.

So I'm alive. Most of you know that because I talk to you in RL. But wow, I should update more. Life lately has been consumed with work, school, and wedding planning. Those three things combined lead to a whirl wind of adventures and tiredness. But I enjoy it all. Well, work is getting to me a bit, but that's ok. I happen to have an interview today for a potential a new position that would be right in line with my degree so hopefully that will work out. School is good. I am learning so much. I enjoy what I'm learning and am eager to put it to use. Wedding planning. Its actually coming together quite nicely I think (but then again, i'm just the groom, what do I know.) Jessica and I are actually coming to Portland next week to work on some wedding stuff.

Free time lately has been spent in a couple of ways (I know you are asking when I have free time with those other 3 things on my plate but I do have some). I have been engrossed with Lord of the Rings Online, thanks Molo. It is an incredible game and I love almost every minute of it that I play. I also have made some more friends here so I get to spend some time with them. One of them scored free tickets to the Cubs game tomorrow and I get to go. YES! and the Cubbies are in first!

Well I think that wraps this update up for now. Hopefully it will be not as long between the next one.

Meme. I suppose I'll do this too.

1. What time did you get up this morning?: 7:00am the first time and 8:15 the second

2. Diamonds or Pearls?: Diamonds I suppose

3. What was the last film you saw at the theater? 300 and what a great movie it was

4. What is your favorite TV show?: Of all time? I don't know, I really enjoy Fresh Prince and House.

5. What did you have for breakfast?: Coffee and multigrain crackers

6. Your middle name?: Murphy, its a family thing

7. What is your favorite cuisine?: Steak I suppose but I really enjoy pizza too.

8. What foods do you dislike?: Strawberries

9. Your favorite Potato chip?: The kind I can dip in salsa

10. What is your favorite CD at the moment?: The new Dream Theater, they are so damn good

11. What kind of car do you drive? 06 Hyundai Elentra hatchback, the fiance loves it

12. Favorite sandwich? Chicken Club probably

13. What characteristics do you despise?: dishonesty

14. Favorite item of clothing?: I love shorts

15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Egypt

16. What color is your bathroom?: White and towel colored

17. Favorite brand of clothing?: I probably would say Express or Banana Republic

18. Where would you want to retire to? Where my wife will be

19. Favorite time of day: When I'm not at work

20. Where were you born? Portland, OR

21. Favorite Sports to watch?: Soccer

22. Who do you least expect to send this back? Everyone

23. Person who will respond first?: No one probably

24. What laundry detergent do you use?: The on sale one

25. Coke or Pepsi?: Coke, pepsi can kiss my . . .

26. Are you a morning person or night owl?: I so the night owl. I hate mornings

27. What size shoe do you wear?: 9.5 for the most part, really depends on the brand

28. Favorite animal?: Otters

29. Any news you’d like to share with everyone?: I'm engaged if you didn't already know.

30. What did you want to be when you were little?: Soccer player

31. Favorite candy bar?: Butterfinger

32. What are your favorite childhood memories? Playing sports

33. What are the different jobs you have had in your life? Powerwasher, Cookiemaker, Campus Security, Front Desk Rep, Guest Services Rep, Auditor King, Collector, Customer Service Rep, Customer Service Advisor, Walking Coach

34. What is your favorite color?: Timberwolve Blue

35. Nicknames: Drapes, DD, Murph

36. Piercings?: No

37. Eye color?: Hazel

38. Ever been to Africa ?: no but i'd like to go

39. Ever been toilet papering?: Absolutely, it's great times

40. Ever loved someone so much it made you cry?: Yes I have.

41. Ever been in a car accident?: 2 fender benders.

42. Favorite restaurant?: Red Robin and Changs

43. Favorite ice cream?: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

44. Favorite flower?: Tulips

45. Disney or Warner Brothers?: No preference either way

46. Favorite fast food restaurant?: Panda Express or Taco Bell

47. What color is your bedroom carpet?: Beige I think.

48. How many times did you take your drivers test?: Once and aced it

49. Before this one, from whom did you get your last e-mail? My dad.

50. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card?: Best Buy I guess.

51. What do you do most often when you are bored?: Play video games.

52. Bedtime? Whenever I go

53. Who are you most curious about their responses to this questionnaire? Jessica and Jed

54. Last person you went to dinner with?: Jessica, Adam, Alexander, and Jimmy

55. What are you listening to right now? Sportscenter

56. Do you have a hobby?: Yes

57. Lake, Ocean or River(s)?: All of the above.

58. How many tattoos do you have?: Nine and i want more

59. Which came first, the chicken or the egg?: God

60. How many people are you sending this Email to?: What email?

61. Who sent this to you and what is something you didn’t know about them? No one, bummer.

62. What materialistic thing would you ask for if you had one wish to make? Enough money to not have to work

63. When was the last time you cried?: Today when I found out my aunt made it thru her surgrey ok.

Angle 73

In angle 72 I discussed ones ability to speak freely to others in regards to what they think. My friend Molo discussed with me the fact that you have to look at this idea from a couple of different angles. From the Eastern perspective speaking ones mind is considered rude and offensive. From the Western perspective people do this a lot but they do not know how to do it without causing harm or hurt to the people the deliver their message to. What I suggest is that we as people take a blend of both perspectives. We must understand that the message we are giving maybe be harmful, rude, and seem offensive. What we must strive to do is to know the person so well that we can deliver the message without doing anything of those things. We must deliver the message with tact and come to the person in a sound mind. If we are able to accomplish that then our message will be received more likely with open arms and given good thought to from the receiver instead of being just brushed aside.
Ua Lava

The Path: Angle 1: The beginning

Ua Lava = Perfect Simplicity

This is the strive. Life, in a simple form that is lived to Perfection. Is this easy. Not a chance. Is it attainable? Possibly. Why would I does this? Because I believe that being in this state of being accomplishes a lot of things in life as well as prove to be a surviving method for this life. Does perfect simplicity mean not having possesions. Absolutely not. It means not having an over abundence. It means being content with what you have. It means not taking for granted what you have. It means thinking that no matter who you run into in life that person could possibly teach you something that you do not know. It means never thinking that you are too learned to learn something new. It means treating those around you humbly and graciously. So this is the goal. This is the meaning. The path will be examined. 360 angles of the Path.

May they all be approached from Ua Lava.

Angle 72 of the path now available

Some of you may be wondering were the "path" that I'm refering to is coming from. Partly it is from 2 different books I've read. One being called Xenocide and the other being called Book of Five Rings. They both talk about the path in completely different ways but the concept interests me so here I go.
One of my favorite comedians when I was growing up use to tell a story about people who came up to him and asked him if he thought that God had a sense of humor. He went on to say that the first repsonse his brain had was "have you looked in the mirror." Now that in itself is extremely funny. But it has also lead to another thought. He never said his first thought to those people. Now I understand it may have been a little harsh, but why do we as people do so much self censoring. So many times we don't say what we are really thinking or what we really believe because of what? Are we afraid of how another person might take it or react to it. And if it's the truth we shouldn't be backing off of it at all. Can the truth hurt? Absolutely, but lies can hurt even more down the road.
But then again this is a view from angle 72.

The smarts of my friend Ryan

So my friend Ryan posted this on his blog on Myspace and I thought it was a great idea. So with his premission I am reposting it here to see what everyone else thinks.

Like a lot of folks in this state, I have a job. I work, they pay me.
I pay my taxes and the government distributes my taxes as they see fit. In order to get that paycheck, I am required to pass a random urine test, which I have no problem with. What I do have a problem with is the distribution of my taxes to people who don't have to pass a urine test.
Shouldn't one have to pass a urine test to get a welfare check, because I have to pass one to earn it for them? Please understand, I have no problem with helping people get back on their feet. I do, on the other hand, have a problem with helping someone sit on their ass. Could you imagine how much money the state would save if people had to pass a urine test to get a public assistance check?

The path revisited - from angle 47

Life is a funny thing. So many times you think you finally are getting a leg up on everything. But no, there comes along life to remind you that you don't have a step up. Life reminds you that your so called control is no control at all. Even more so here's a couple of extra speed bumps, lets see how you handle those. Am I the only one that sometimes wants to be able to grab life kick its rear into the next year? I have this feeling though that if I could really do that to life it would come right back at me and ask me if that was my best shot and give me one right back. Maybe I'm the only crazy one to think to challenge life at its core, but it wouldn't be the first time for me to be the one with the crazy idea. Ah but then again this is just visit to the path from angle 47.

New Car

That's right. I finally got a new car. I picked up a Hyundai Elantra 5 door this week. It's in a very nice black color with a beige interior. It has almost all options to it. I am so excited to finally have a new car. Anyone that wants a ride in it let me know. Have to give props to dad though for cosigning with me so that the payments and interest would be much better. Also everyone needs to go check out the site Flymolo.net It's the great site of one of my best friends. It will provide worlds of entertainment and also water cooler topics. So share it will everone.

PAX

Guess Who's Back

Now I know I have been saying this a lot in my last posts but this time its true. Life is a very funny thing you know. One day things are crazy go nuts and then the next day you are talking about ju-ju. Have no idea what i'm talking about? Then you haven't been keeping up with my life. It's crazy like that. More on this Christian ju-ju though. What is it you may ask. The answer is, I really don't know. I think it comes to the point of Christians trying to make the world perfect and happy not matter the circumstance. I'll elobrate more later. Just a quick thought for now.


PAX

Where I've Been

Well then were to begin. Life has been crazy this last month. Lots of changes that not I'm not sure how to really take. Some days I feel like life sucks. Others it still feels good. Details well those are mine. If you want to know, ask. Most likely I'll tell. But I'm not the type of person to publish my life in the open for unknowns to read. I'm moving. Not to Portland but to my own apartment. So at this point I have an open invitation to any friend who wants to come to chicago to come and have a place to stay. I have the best friend in the world here. One thing I ask of my friends is for support and prayers. I do need them. My life is in my Fathers hands.

Poem

Feel
I have become broken
By words that have been spoken
Where do I go from here
The road ahead is laid with fear
Every breath brings pain
Oh Lord, please keep me sane
I feel so lost
Is it all worth this cost
Do you understand how I feel
It is hard to believe this is real
My strength is gone
I do not know where I belong
Should I just give in
I now know I can never win
I feel it is more than I can bear
Go ahead everyone, just stop and stare

Sadness

I guess it's time to update. Was back in Portland just recently to see my sister graduate from MBC. Great time. Lots of family and friends that I got to see. Got back to Chicago from the trip and Kari broke up with me that night. It's been really rough. I don't think I ever been through something so painful in my life. I haven't been able to eat and sleep has not been very restful. I don't know what God has in store but I really hope I find out soon. I have options for a job back in Portland and all my family and friends. But I am finding it very hard to let go and say that I need to come back. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Reviews

Time to catch up on what i've seen and my thoughts on them.

Finish watching the episodes of Veronica Mars that Kari and I had DVRed. Love the series. Always keeps me guessing and great character development.

Saw Walk the Line. Loved it. I knew Cash had some struggles in his career. I never imaged that he went through anything like that though. Kinda tempted to go pick up one of his albums now.

Got done reading a book called "Michael Moore is a Big Fat Stupid White Man" . What a great book. I knew I didn't like the guy but this book really reinforced that gave me so many new reasons. It really appears that the guy has a problem telling the truth about anything.

Picked up a book to read for the plane ride to Portland. "Why my Wife Thinks I'm an Idiot: The Lifes and Times of a Sportscaster Dad" . It's written by Mike Greenberg who is apart of ESPNRadio's morning show of "Mike & Mike in the Morning". Great show. Very funny and great sports talk.

Thats about it for now. I'll try to post while in Portland if I can but no promises. I'll be there in 3 days for anyone that wants to try and see me.

PAX

Birthday

That's right. I just had one on Friday. Turned 26. Yeah I guess. Kari gave me the greatest gift ever. I got an IPOD from her. How freakin awesome is that. I LOVE HER! She also got me 2 of the books from the Ender's series. Got some good reading ahead of me. Kari's parent got me 2 pairs of dress pants and a dress shirt. Not to shabby at all.

Saw the movie The Family Stone this week. Not exactly what I thought it would be. Previews made it seem like a comedy but it was much more of a drama. Now don't get me wrong it has some very funny parts to it but it also deals with some huge issues. I enjoyed it. It also reinforced that fact that I think Rachel McAdams is a great actress and one of my favorites.

I'll be coming to Portland in about 8 days. Can't hardly believe its time for my sister to be graduating from MBC. Time sure flies. I can't to be there and would love to try to get together with as many of you as possible. Let me know.

PAX

yea for comebacks

Well if you haven't heard, the Smashing Pumpkins have gotten back together and are currently working on a new album. I am thrilled by the news and look forward to it. On other fronts, the Cubs are playing better then expected with the injuries they have been dealt so far.

Speaking of comebacks, I will be in Portland in about 17 days and am looking forward to the time off and catching with people.

Other band news- I do believe that Dream Theater is slowing chipping away at the top spot for my favorite band that MxPx has held for the longest of times. Now don't get me wrong I still love MxPx and throughly enjoy their music but I continue to be amazed and blown away by Dream Theater. Thanks to Eli and Adam for introducing me to them.

Work, well what can I really say about it. The transition of the company from Chase to Protective is proceding. Do I know for sure that I have a job still. Not really. Does that bother me some. Yes and no. While I do really want to know whats going to happen a part of me is ok with whatever happens will and that is up to God and not me. I personally think I'd really like to find a new position within Chase as I really enjoy the company and what they offer. But I guess I'll continue to play the waiting game for now.

Watched the Chronicles of Narina again the other night and again was amazed about how well the did the story instead of butchering it which they could have easily done. Lets hope the do the rest as well.

Kinda of a long post so I wrap it for now.

PAX

News

Sad news here if you want to read.

Something of a more positive note. Cubs even though they lost today are still playing quite well this season so far. Fantasy Baseball is proving to be enjoyable as ever. But the best is still to come this summer. And of course I'm refering to the WORLD CUP! Can it get any better. With all the games in Europe it is really going to mess up my sleeping schedule.

Until later.

PAX

NewsFlash

Well would you look at that. Cubs are 3-1. That is a great way to start the season off. More news for those of you that didn't know I'll be in Portland from May 16 thru May May 23. My sister will be graduating from MBC. I would love to get together with a lot of you but it will take some fun scheduling. Please let me know as soon as possible if you are interested in meeting up so that I can plan accordingly. That's all for now.

TV

American Idol has been good this year. I think that Chris is my favorite. I started to watch the show House and am enjoying it. There is always the good Law and Order SVU, CSI and Without a Trace. Other shows that have caught my eye this year include One Tree Hill, Gilmore Girls, Veronica Mars, Desperate Housewives and Extreme Homemaker. By far though my favorite show is Grey's Anatomy. I can not get enough of that show. One of the best one's to come along in a while in my opinion.

Cubs

That's right everyone. The Cubs are 1-0. Isn't that great. (I had to brag about it while I can cuz Lord knows things can go downhill quickly.)