i have come to admire children because they don't care what you think of them.

a child will carry a blanket, or perhaps a teddy bear, with them everywhere simply because that is what they love. that is what gives them comfort.

and they aren't afraid to show that to the world.

they haven't yet been told they're "weird" or that "that just isn't done."

they are simply who they are.

a young boy might take to wearing a pirate hat everywhere he goes, or perhaps a cape with his underwear on the outside of his pants. a young girl might wear a tiara, or strap a pair of wings to her back and wave a wand about.

they don't care what you think of them. they haven't yet been laughed or coerced into what is considered "normal."

they just are.

and it's priceless.

i'm convinced that "normal" kills most of the world's pirates, super heroes, princesses, fairies, cowboys, indians, astronauts, and ballerinas before they reach their full potential.

before they hit their prime.

before they can make a difference in the world.

but i have a secret for you:

"normal" isn't real.

it's a lie someone came up with a long time ago to make you feel inferior. different. like you don't belong.

don't give in.

don't believe it.

go dust off your wings, or your cowboy hat, and be who you really are. who you were before you were afraid to be you.

the world would be much more interesting. much more alive.

"become who you were born to be."

i have come to admire children because they aren't afraid to be themselves.

me? i'm a pirate.

you?

so i think--maybe--that i might just be developing something of a crush on you. very random, i know, but . . . i don't have any control over that.

this could throw a kink in things.

we'll just have to see how all this plays out.

now the question you, the reader, must ask yourself, quite naturally, is whether or not the three previous paragraphs are all on the same subject or not.

well, are they?





are you sure?

you know, being mysterious/dramatic is really rather enjoyable.

but only when you know what is going on.

adieu.

ap history results came in today. who made a 5? the brian made a 5. woopt!

i can't stop listening to the lifehouse cd. i think i'm addicted. it's beautiful.

i'm making a pizza for lunch. i remembered to take the cardboard off this time. i'm famous for forgetting to do that.

i feel like i should have something important to say, but i can't think of it.

ever felt alone?

well i am tremendously bored, so i've decided to keep you up to date on my personal plans for once i've taken over the world.

i would, of course, need somewhere to live where i could concentrate on all the pressing problems world rule would be sure to bring.



photo from raoul_de_castor

ah, versailles. large. festive. near paris. yes, i think that will do. but just in case it's not big enough, i think i'll take . . .



photo from raoul_de_castor

. . . the catherine palace, as well. just outside st. petersburg. sizeable. ornate. blue. i like it.

however, i will also need a small country home where i can escape from the pressing matters of state and perhaps fish, play golf, or do whatever else rulers of the world do to relax.



photo from raoul_de_castor

i think that will do nicely. the chateau de chambord, in the loire river valley. small. quaint. out of the way. a real retreat from it all.

not that i would limit myself to only these properties. i'll have a mansion in venice, a coffee plantation in brazil, a villa in tuscany, a flat in new york, my own private island in the pacific . . . you begin to see my point.

of course, i certainly shan't keep all of it to myself. i've already promised many of you huge tracts of land (such as japan, spain, north america . . .), unfortunately i don't remember exactly what all i've promsied to whom. if i've promised you somewhere, remind me.

and if i haven't promised you anything yet, ask.

now, there's only to find someone willing to be queen of the world . . .

happy bastille day.

a couple hundred years ago today a bunch of angry parisian peasants completely destroyed a prison, signifying the beginning of the end for the french monarchy.

twenty years later, after following a very short corsican on a mad dash across europe, the peasants had run france down into a shambles and the bourbon family was back.

now that's what i call effective revolution.

you know how characters in books are introduced? there's a party or something going on and they step in the door and their manner, personality, walk, and appearance are all briefly summarized by the author.

if you are bored, and have some talent with words, take a paragraph or two to introduce me as a character.

i've just always wondered how i would be introduced and described by someone in a book.

if you do it for me, i'll do it for you.

so . . . anyone want to do la siesta at 12:30 or so? please? call me (890-7454) if you're in.

i need out of this joint.

TODAY

STARBUCKS

4:00

BE THERE.

(i'm serious, go)

the bosses are out of town.

this means i have free time.

what to do, what to do . . .

*edit*

also, i can't get aim to work. so if you plan anything, don't count on getting ahold of me that way.

so according to my mother, i should have the entire rest of my life planned out from this point forth.

somewhere she missed the fact that i am only 17. that i don't know exactly where i want to go to college. that i don't know what i want to do "when i grow up."

she thinks i haven't been thinking about it at all. that all i am concerned about is having fun with my friends in the here and now.

i don't remember the last time i just sat and hung out with my friends. i've been working all day most every day for the past few weeks.

i mean, that obviously shows that i am lazy and don't think about the future. what a horrible, no good teenager i am.

so, to all you kids who've already done this whole college application thing: when did you start working on it really hard?

ever gotten that feeling that the entire world is burning around you and there's nothing you can do about it?

yeah, that's when you should pray.

since i last updated, i have . . .

-read a 300 page history of versailles. there were some pretty crazy kings of france. incidentally, they were all named louis.

-read two agatha christie novels.

-not touched my summer reading assignment.

-worked at least three 9-hour days.

-been paid for watching the bosses' grandkids (aka playing in a pool for four hours).

-had a water balloon fight.

-watched a movie that reminded me of a girl . . . sad.

-stayed in the sun too long and turned indian/lobster red.

-taken my brother to see batman.

-actually used the telephone to talk to people.

-been kidnapped. maybe twice.

-shopped for engagement rings.

-received an application from emory. without asking for it. (i was excited)

-driven across town without wallet or license. on two seperate occasions. oops.

-come up with plots for 4 plays/movies.

-printed a million t-shirts. only slight exaggeration.

-been in starbucks . . . yeah, i lost count.

-not been asleep before midnight.

-fought and killed a bear. okay, so maybe it was in a dream, but it counts.

-shattered a mirror by simply looking into it. sorry, grace.

-cleaned a boat from bow to stern.

-driven home the long way just because.

-realized that 3 in the morning, is, in fact, my favorite time of day.

-and, of course, narrowly escaped death.

i'm sure you really didn't care to hear all that, but i've been offline for a week and needed to get all that out somewhere. hoorah for creative outlets.

i'm entirely too responsible to really take advantage of my entire family being out of town all weekend.

i guess that's a good thing.

*edit*

you know what i love?

techno on the river.

not everyone you meet will always agree with you.

this does NOT mean:
-they are stupid.
-they are ignorant.
-they are wrong.
-you are right.
-they are going to hell.

God loves every liberal democrat JUST AS MUCH as every conservative republican, every socialist, every communist, every fascist, every baptist, every catholic, every presbyterian, every muslim, every jew, and everyone else.

God loved hitler as much as He loved mother teresa.

God loves osama bin laden as much as He loves billy graham.

that's because God IS love.

not to promote any kind of relativism here. there is right and there is wrong. there is a right Way and a whole lot of wrong ways. i don't think hitler and mother teresa ended up in the same place.

but that doesn't change the love while they were here. it doesn't change the love while you are here.

so my point is this: any time you meet someone with whom you do not see eye to eye on a given issue, it is not an excuse to shake your finger in their face and scream at them that they are wrong or that they are going to hell. be open-minded enough to try to see their point. you can try to understand where they are coming from . . . i promise you, it is allowed.

name-calling has never brought anyone into the Kingdom of God.

God is Judge. you are not.

God condemns. you should not.

you are here as an example. it is your job to serve. to forgive. to love.

be nice.

i love you.

. . . so the day didn't turn out so bad.

but it still wasn't the best.

pretty sure one of the advertisements at the bottom of the page says "are you psychic?"

if i was psychic, wouldn't i know?

. . . today will probably suck.

*walks off into fog*

(but tomorrow will be another day.)

i'm sick. very sick. it sucks.

bonus points to grace for bringing me soup and a storybook.

which is preferred: nice guy or bad boy?

which city is hotter: venice or paris?

finally got some pictures on here. more to come.

photo from ben

i pose with way too many signs.

bigstuf was amazing. more later.

my supper? a cold piece of pizza, tortilla chips, cheese dip, and a large bowl of moosetracks ice cream.

yes, you guessed it: i'm home alone. again. i kinda like it.

you know i'm the coolest kid ever.

well tomorrow morning at 530 i'm off to bigstuf. perhaps i should begin to pack. aw, heck, who am i kidding?

i still have to go buy all the stuff.

so i might just go do that now . . .

if you aren't going to bigstuf, have fun here and remember to pray for the rest of us.

if you are going, i guess i will see you dark and early in the morning.

perhaps i'll find htc . . .

photo from ben

it's a PEEP SHOW!

HA! HAHA! HAHAHAHAHAHA!

yeah, sorry.