It's been awhile

So I decided I would start something new. The Dear Neighbors thing has run its course. So here is a new segment I would like to introduce. It's lacking a title as of yet, only because I don't really like using the term retarded. So without further ado, here is something from someone...special

This is taken from www.gamestop.com. It's a review someone wrote for the PlayStation 3 video game console. Read and enjoy.

"PS3 a Fluke?" By Swiper72
The PlayStation 3 is a pretty good system but only for it's gaming exclusives. Other then that. Head for another console. You'll only want to play it for maybe God of War, Ratchet and Clank. But those are few from many more. But if you want to play MAG. There's no difference from that to Modern Warfare 2's Online for the 360. 360 has expensive online but it's worth $50. It's like a whole new game in itself. If you want the PS3 for Blu-Ray. there's no difference from it and a regular DVD. Your watching the same thing and the jokes are no funnier or the drama more dramatic. So.. I say to you. buy a PS3, or wait 2 years for the next generation? It's your wallet. So. If you like cheap gaming, head for the Wii or PS3. The Wii system is more superb for non-hardcore and relaxing. the 360 keeps hardcore gaming along with RPG and startegy. While PS3 flatters with graphics. so I say. Buy what?

Buy what indeed Swiper72. I feel as if someone has swiped your ability to make full complete sentences. I think my favorite thing by far in this review is when he says, "If you want the PS3 for Blu-Ray. there's no difference from it and a regular DVD." I think that anyone with half a brain (one half more than swiper) knows that at this point, Blue-ray is so amazingly superior to DVDs. It's as if he is saying reel-to-reel is no better than i-tunes. If I ever meet swiper72 I'm going to ask him who his English teacher was. I will then proceed to his/her house and punch them in the mouth.


PS when I went to proof this on Microsoft Word, my little paper clip killed himself...thanks swiper

Dear Neighbors...Ricky's Dream

"Dear Neighbors" By Ricky*

Tonight I try and sleep
Praying that you don't make a peep
I've worked all day long
And I can hear your songs (mostly rap)
Curled in my bed I dream
Planning my scheme







*Ricky did not write this...nor is he racist...hahaha

*EDIT The previous picture has been replaced with a less offensive one. Sorry...haha

Dear Neighbors...this is it!

my neighbors were given an opportunity by the city of Lancaster to live in an apartment that my taxes pay for. The property manager told them to quiet down, and they have not. They were given a warning by the police as well as the housing authority, if they did not quiet down, they would get kicked out. I'm writing this at 1am on a Saturday. I ask you this one question, why are you all still awake? Is not your child 4 or 5? Why do you not control your children? I was never raised to be like this. This is an issue of the general attitude of our society. It is being played out in the apartment below me. So what will I do? If this noise continues tonight I will go down stairs and tell them to knock it off...or I will wait for Ricky to be awoken from his slumber, thus turning him from his mild mannered self into super angry tazer wielding Ricky. At which point the cops will be called again. Either way, the warnings have been given, if people don't want to live in ana apartment (that I help pay for) then so be it. Come Monday morning I'm calling the property manager...hopefully the new neighbors will have some common decency.   

Dear Neighbors...learn some manners PS Ricky still hates you!

In this edition of Dear Neighbors... I would like to address the topic of love. You might wonder why love has anything to do with my neighbors...seeing as Ricky hates them, but I assure you that you will fully understand love and neighbors. It’s like a warm fuzzy blanket for your soul!

So, I was at school and get a call from Ricky what follows is the exact word for word conversation

Me: What do you want Ricky?!

Ricky: I hate our neighbors!

Me: What did they do this time Ricky?

Ricky: One of them punched one of the other neighbors in the mouth.

Me: HAHA

Ricky: He punched a girl in the mouth.

Me: There better not be blood all over the place!

Ricky: She was bleeding, and her friends were yelling, “You shouldn’t have done that! You don’t mess with us!”

Me: Where are the parents?

Ricky: I don’t know…

Me: Well are you going to call the cops?

Ricky: I don’t know... Why can’t people be civilized?

Me: Ricky, we can’t get people at LBC to be civil, how do we expect our neighbors to be?

So that pretty much ended the conversation. Ironically it made me think about love. I mean if some chick walked up to me and punched me in the mouth, I would be more than a little surprised, because after all we are (acting) adults. But, we are talking kids that are barely teenagers. What if (now this is a big what if) what if, he likes this girl. Could it be possible that he has no way of showing proper love because he has never seen proper love?

Think about that one…

Dear Neighbors...Ricky hates you

I'm starting something new I'm going to keep track of what my neighbors and their actions as well as question that I have for you the reader.

OK, so the current time is 11:40pm on a Tuesday 

Oh! I almost forgot...some background
The neighbor lady has .....4 kids? all under the age of 15
She doesn't work
...I think that's all you really need to know...for now

So, it's 11:40pm

Since I have been typing a door has been slammed 4 times
Children have been running up and down the hallway 5 times
"Mom" has yelled at one of the possible 4 children 3 times
So far this has equaled a total of 12 times that Higgins has been annoyed

So my question for the night is this...do I wait for Ricky to come home...fresh from work...tired and wanting to go to sleep...orrrr do I  go down stairs and politely knock on the door and ask them to shut it?

I think...that I enjoy fireworks...so I'll wait for Ricky

A story about Jesus (a paraphrase)

Let's play a game...

I'm thinking of a time, place, and person....

1st century...yes!

The Middle East...yes!

Jesus...yes!

So here is the story, Jesus wakes up one morning and says, "Hey, I think today I'll go to the temple for passover and pray." This was nothing new for Jesus, because after all, it was His fathers house and many times in scripture we find Jesus, praying, teaching, or just hanging out in and around the temple. So Jesus walks (I still hate you Kanye West) to the temple and finds it rather crowded because today many people are bringing sacrifices to the temple. And what does he see, people, selling animals for sacrifice. Now, we can debate over why someone would buy one of these animals, but the fact remains that they were making an unfair profit on the sins of others. This angered Christ. Why? Because they were defiling the temple, the Holy place. Christ was filled with a righteous anger.

I look at this story today and I ask myself, why was Christ so angry. We don't see too many times in scripture images of an angry Christ. Yet, I have applied this to life today. And maybe I'm off base with this but here is how I see things, so hang on this might be a stretch.   

As I see it, Christians have God living inside of them. This fact makes us the temple of God. And, being the temple of God, we anger Christ(God), when we do things to defile that temple. Now, let me clarify, that I'm not talking about pericings or tattoos. I'm saying that our actions, words, and thoughts defile that temple. This is why it important to take a stand against such things that will defile our temple. Not to mention, if we are to claim to have Christ inside us, then we need to have that same righteous anger, when people around us, attempt to defile our temple. How will we react to our actions when they cause dissension with the word of God? 

So, I sit here and meditate on Matthew 21:12-17. And I wonder...will I let myself, or anyone else defile my temple? And how will I react to those that try to turn my, house of prayer into a den of thieves. 

The Music of Our Soul (a concert review)

There is one thing that speaks to us all, music. It is one thing that can unite us and ignite our emotions. Close your eyes and feel the music. You will find yourself going into your mind and remembering. Music takes you into your past and reminds you of a previous lifetime of happiness. It can also take you back to a place in time where maybe things weren't going well. Either way, all of us share the same soul experience with music. It connects us to our past. Maybe there is a song that reminds you of a past love, a mission trip experience, or a pasted relative.

Last night I stepped into a not so crowed concert venue surrounded by friends and strangers, all looking to connect with music. As each band played we were treated to differing vocal and musical stylings. Finally, Mae stepped on stage. The crowd was alive, there energy was peaking, they were ready. As the band filled the room with music I closed my eyes and journeyed to a previous time and place. I found myself standing completely alone admist the crowd, I let the music flood over me and take me back. Each lyric had a special place in my mind, each guitar strum resonated deep within me, and each drum beat brought clarity. This was Multisensory Aesthetic Experience, this was Mae.

   

They're here!

Today our TESOL class was visited by a group of Japanese college students from...you guessed it Japan! You have no idea the amount of excitement that filled my heart! I don't even have words for the joyousnessity of this occasion. I have begun to invent words I'm that excited!

Anyway, Tachamichi (a 19 year student) asked if he could borrow my Japanese Bible so he could read it tonight when he went home to his homestay. Then tomorrow, if I can wake myself up in time for chapel we are going to meet them, and then they will be going to another class with us.

Tachamichi told me that I would be a good teacher, because my face was kind.  How cool is that?  I think it's pretty cool. I can't wait to hang out with them tomorrow. I would like to get to know them better. Tachamichi wanted to play pool so hopefully their schedule won't be as demanding tomorrow. Ahhhhh I'm almost giddy, its rather sick. haha

I need Japan

Also, pray that our school can set up a partnership with Tokyo Christian University...because there are talks...and I would love nothing more than to be able to study in Japan for a semester. God I love that country! 

Summer is gone...for now

I know that summer is gone and that school has started but, what the heck...enjoy the video. As for the change stated in the last post. It's here, the cat is out of the bag. Feelings have been discussed, classes have been changed, internships are coming, new job, things are changing. God is good, what can I say.

"Summer Nights" - Rascal Flatts Official Music Video

I have a feeling

I think things are going to change soon. I can feel it. Either that or I'm wanting change so bad that I am making myself feel like change is coming soon. Tomorrow I go to register (again) for classes. I'm excited, yet I don't want the summer to end like this. I say "like this", like I had a bad summer.

Despite the illness of my grandmother this summer has been pretty disaster free and kinda on the boring side. I mean even the trip back to Ohio was really good. I did get to be around my relatives which I hardly ever get to see and I got some work done.

Spiritually it was a weird summer. There were some good highs, but for the most part I stayed away from church. Like others, I've been turned off by church completely. Having worked in one for 4 years I know all the ins and outs, I know the secret meetings, the back fighting, the ignorance. I understand why a non Christian would stay away from church. Because it's exactly why I'm not going. I did listen to Calvary on the radio today and I did feel left out, I do like going to Calvary but the more I go, the more I feel like getting involved. Which I feel for me is not something I want to undertake at this moment. Like I said, church has left a bitter taste in my mouth and until I get over that I don't want to be a part of it. In the future I would still like to work with youth and children because I have a passion for that. It's just a shame that a group of people can stifle that.

2 Timothy 4:2
Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season...

I hope I'm ready     

I feel

I feel like that I'm not really ready for this semester as much as I would like to be. Although I'm not really sure how ready one can be. I am looking forward to doing my internship as well as all the TESOL classes I will be taking. In that respect I hope it to be a great start. I am rather disappointed that the school newspaper will not have an editor...thus putting an end to the paper, unless we can find someone. I was offered to do it twice but there is no way that I am going to have time. I also feel that, my writing skills have increased but not to the point of being an editor. I like my little piece of the world, my two articles are plenty to keep me happy. But, now it seems that desire will have to be put on hold till we have an editor.

So I spent the past week in Ohio. I got a chance to visit with my grandmother, as well as fortify my hatred for hospital.

Check out this song, Owl City is my new fav

That's all for now kids

Something new

So I downloaded a new plug-in for Firefox. It allows me to updated my blog from any site as well as post links really easy. I'll see how well I like it and decide if I'm going to stick with it. Also, I'll be updating soon about my trip to ohio and add some pics and whatnot. :)

Recommended music download - Owl City

Sometimes...

Sometimes I am lost on the open water
Sometimes I am thrown by the wind and the waves
Sometimes I'm swimming in the deep end
Can I stay Afloat, Stay Afloat

In the rain, there is a storm, barely breathing as I paddle...
I am sinking- Does it matter?
In my final breath, my only hope , you come to save me...

Jack Higgins :: Chicago Sun-Times :: Photo Gallery

I love Jack Higgins' political cartoons! And no we aren't related :(

Jack Higgins :: Chicago Sun-Times :: Photo Gallery

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August 6th....64 years ago

This is a video I found interviewing a survivor of the attack on Hiroshima, it's in Japanese but has subtitles so if you can read enjoy. I think it's worth the watch.

...then my car died

It turns out that Wednesday is going to suck. My car broke down...it's the crankshaft timing sensor is shot. Luckily they (the car dealership) dropped me off and my parents are coming to take me to work and pick me up...I feel like I'm 15 all over again. But it's all good, supposedly my car will be ready tomorrow and then I should be good.

In other news a blog that I follow got their youtube account suspended so the video is my previous blog no longer exists. Sorry :)

I want you to think about something...

Sometimes I come across things on the internet that scare even me. Things that I watch and go...hmm someone is going to get arrested for that. The video below is one such thing. I feel that certain people should 1. not be allowed to have kids because obviously these kid's parents are dumber than that fake cow (in the video). and 2. "Yogi" should not be allowed within 200 yards of an elementary school...or a toys r us!



This video just screams "I need to notify you when you move into my neighborhood"

TILL YOU ARE ENTIRELY HIS

The title is take from the July 31'st reading of My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. As is this quote:

"Not only must our relationship to God be right, but the external expression of that relationship must be right. Ultimately God will let nothing escape, every detail is under His scrutiny. In numberless ways God will bring us back to the same point over and over again. He never tires of bringing us to the one point until we learn the lesson, because He is producing the finished product."

Sometimes we wonder, "How long do I have to go through this," or "Why is this happening again?" In all reality God is teaching us, and sometimes we don't always learn from the first time. We need to be honest with ourselves. Are we destined to repeat our mistakes or are we going to learn from them and move on? I fear that if we don't learn, we will be in a continual state of disillusionment thinking that we are over certain problems when we are really just ignoring them.

How long will we fight the change? How long will we continue our futures to go unchanged? Are you destined to make the same mistakes over and over or are you going to really change?

"Let your endurance be a finished product, so that you may be finished and complete, with never a defect." James 1:4

Confucious Say...

“Be prepared to deal with slow government when trying to accomplish simple task”

Ok, so I don’t really know if he said that, but I’m sure at some point he had to deal with issues of this caliber. To elaborate, I’m trying to file for unemployment, to help compensate for some of the lost wages that I have incurred over the past few months. While working at … they have severely cut our hours to the point where I’m usually the only one who gets hours other than management. And there is nothing anyone can do because corporate sets our hours. Thus, I am applying for some help.

Current 3 TV Addictions:
Weeds
Entourage
America’s Got Talent

Current 3 Music Addictions:
The Beatles
30 Seconds to Mars
The Bird and The Bee

Will there be pie?

Starting a new blog is almost like moving into a new place. You never really know what to expect. Will the new neighbors be nice? Will any of my mail get forwarded? Will some nice lady bring me a pie? These are all very important questions. Especially if you are a fan of pie.

I started this new blog for a couple reasons. First being that I no longer use my previous blog (located at xanga.com/arawk) and I’m pretty sure no one really uses xanga anymore. I would also like to keep everyone updated on when I post or am working on new video’s for youtube. (Those videos can be found here and here). Also, I will be posting about new article’s I’m writing for the school newspaper and looking for feedback on things to write about.

In the mean time, this is just an intro post, nothing too serious. So until next time, you stay classy!