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Occasionally, I need a bit of relocation to put my blogging thoughts into transcript. The cumulation of today’s events have led to a more-than appropriate setting and scenario for such a switch. I am now at the only Starbucks in Lynchburg. Sad isn’t it? but, at least, it’s located near Blue Ridge and work. Relief is no more than 2 miles around the corner.

My current foothold in Les Mis has brought me to a very reflective and contemplative summit. Yet, I can not say that this is becoming uncommon; lately I find myself staring at my newly planted marigolds and wondering life’s mysteries and utter simplicities. Everything matters, nothing can go unnoticed, because nothing does. All affects all, nothing affects something. An idle hand allows the better half to flourish.

::pause for caramel machiatto nourishment::

Our world is continually in motion. I am discouraged by the American mindset of total satisfaction; when we approach barriers and plateaus to our pleasure we are revolted and, subsequently, revolt against some power. Some complain, that is there grand finale; others act on their grief, often producing discord among a population due to this deviation. In all cases, we desire change; in some cases, we succeed in producing change.

Despite my effort to hold to a thesis with this, I am constantly straying even in my thoughts for my next sentence. Let me recap myself and proceed…

Proceeding… Anyways, in my broad scheme I just want to say the following: Americans should more appreciate a healthy lifestyle (physical and mental health); Americans should drive more fuel-economical vehicles, while saving their high-performance vehicles for weekend excursions (yet not including SUVs, like the Excursion, which should be eternally banned); and a sense of community and civil duty must revived in the states in order to preserve our Union.

Boy, I could write a nice graduate paper on that, and I probably should since I just brought up my greatest grievances with America. Hmm…and now I reminesce to the beginning of my blog. Apparently, it applies to me as well.

I suppose to see the ends of my heart, I must seek a means and path to direct myself. Perhaps this is an unstable and vague life-goal list. But, I promise I will do my best

I’ll leave the rest of our problems with you.

Before I go, I must praise Apple for their new releases announced at WWDC 2004. The new LCD displays will keep me dreaming (imagine a 30″ LCD with a 16ms refresh rate - yes, Jeremiah, I am all about refresh). I think that’s cool. Plus, Tiger looks mondo-sexy, and July 2005 is just too far away.

Ok, I’m out. Have a great night! Change your world. Go!

“Retired U.S. army colonel David Hackworth defends presidential candidate John Kerry’s Purple Hearts. He correctly notes that they are awarded for a wound that necessitates treatment by a medical officer and that is received in action with a enemy (”The meaning of a Purple Heart,” The Forum, June 16).

“I was the commanding officer to whom Kerry reported his injury on Dec. 3, 1968. I had confirmed that there was no hostile fire that night and that Kerry had simply wounded himself with an M-79 grenade round he fired too close. He wanted a Purple Heart, and I refused. Louis Letson, the base physician, saw Kerry and used tweezers to remove the tiny piece of shrapnel - about 1 centimeter in length and 2 millimeters in diameter. Letson also confirmed that the scratch was inflicted with our M-79.

“We admire Col. Hackworth, but he, above all people, knows why it is unacceptable to nominate yourself for an award. It compromises the basic military principle that we survive together. To promote yourself is to denigrate your team. I hope Col. Hackworth will rethink his characterization of Kerry’s swift-boat comrades as “grousers” passing on “secondhand bilge.” In our case, this is firsthand knowledge, and our integrity is unquestioned.

“Kerry orchestrated his way out of Vietnam and then testified, under oath, before Congress that we, his comrades, had committed horrible war crimes. This testimony was a lie and slandered honorable men. We, who were actually there, believe he is unfit to command our sons and daughters.”

- Grant Hibbard, retired commander; U.S. Navy, Gulf Breeze, Fla.; and Louis Letson, M.D. retired lieutenant commander; Medical Corps, U.S. Navy Reserve, Scottsboro, Ala. in a USA Today letter to the editor published on Friday, June 25, 2004.

These letters to the editor are not published online, and I was impressed so much with the entire piece, that I was not the slightest bit hesitant to ‘reprint’ it here. My careful following with much of the news, as of late, was very alarmed when I read this response to the article previously linked. There is not much to dispute, really; when you get the word straight from the source, little can be debated.

But on the non-political front, my weekend continued on and I arrive at my last few moments, here and now, of my days off.

Saturday, after viewing The Passion with my parents, my dad and I did some browsing and shopping. I introduced him to Frappucinos. Then we cruised BestBuy and I picked up an NEC MultiSync 17″ monitor. I have nothing but sheer praise for it; by far the best response and quality of any LCD I’ve ever, ever seen. Second only to hi-fi CRTs like LaCie. But anyways.

I had a nice evening with Tabitha and Allison. Great conversation around a more aged Drowsy crowd.

Today has been equally good and pleasant. Jeremiah recommended me try out APEX at BRCC on Thursdays due to my expression of lack of involvement this summer. P’haps I have more plans this week! A plus, truly.

There exists this summer an unwarranted pattern for Fridays to be chilly and wet. Moreover, there continually remains that lack of things to do in Lynchburg, which has been persistent throughout time; and no matter what Greater Lynchburg’s advice column on “things to do” in Lynchburg proclaims, there is simply nothing interesting to invite yourself to, entertain yourself with, or leave elated and satisfied on a regular occasion. It’s sad really. But I haven’t ceased to count my days until graduation.

Thus tonight, with no one to connect to, I went to see Envy. As medicore as Along Came Polly and as unoriginal as A Guy Thing, this movie has nothing to shine about besides Ben Stiller, and not that he is suddenly stellar, but just that Stiller is a great guy. I am grateful I only paid $1.50 for it; yet entertainment is scarce in the ‘Burg and we must survive aptly.

After that excavation of fun, I walked to The Drowsy Poet for some reading of Les Mis. Hopefully there is some intellectual appeal in this town to us more educationally-pursuited. But again, maybe not. I was surprised at how the coffee shop was, truly, full of young kids; their median age arguably around 13. First, I wondered where all of their parents were (I mean there were a lot of kids there) and secondly, what on earth were their parents thinking when they gave their tweens the cash for coffee, or more likely ice-cream floats. Anyways, the first half of my stay was regularly abused with boisterous conversations about who wore what and who’s dating who (”did I tell you that he asked me out?”; “oh, he asks everyone out”; “well, anyways…”) ::sigh:: But the second portion of my appearance was somewhat peaceful. Lemon poppy-seed muffins are delicious.

Returning to that Greater Lynchburg periodical of lies, an article on the fun things to see and do in Lynchburg was absolutely dominated by historical landmarks. Come on. If fun was defined as field trips to Point of Honor or Poplar Forest, then I would be set; yet, obviously, I am having no fun. However, for the most part, Lynchburg is a city based in such deep-rooted tradition and ritual that often its citizens have become accustomed to such commonalities; the revolutionist becomes a voter, the voter a citizen, the citizen a bystander. L-burg is a town of citizens at best; they know what they want; they want things to stay the same, only to call for reform when comfort is breeched; quickly a delegation arrives on the scene to return the situation to full normality.

::major sigh:: I am really looking forward to returning to Tech. And Abigail. Really looking forward to seeing Abigail.

Additionally, after a conversation this afternoon, very much looking forward to having a Mac. Soon.

A last minute gas-run has left me smelling rather…flammable. Smokers beware; I am an imminent explosive in your presence.

The last couple of weeks at work I’ve been blessed with the current and latest news thanks to the USA Today that Donnie purchases regularly. So spoiled have I become that I get nearly frustrated when he doesn’t pick one up around break. Perhaps I’ve found a quirk of my own; news must infiltrate me, otherwise I am inwardly furious. An overstatement, but regardless an image. Anyways, I thought I would comment on some of the recent happenings in News, Money, Life, and…well…I’ll skip Sports.

Michael Moore’s latest film, Fahrenheit 9/11, will appear this Friday in about 500 theaters nationwide. A widely-known liberal activist, Moore is famous for his “fictitious president” speech upon winning an Oscar for his last film, Bowling for Columbine. This new film harps upon the Bush administration’s lack of leadership and overt foolishness shown in the Iraqi war and other anti-terrorism efforts. Reviews say (and this film has been reviewed intensely before release) that the film presents some facts, but tends to reinforce itself through objective criticisms aimed at sometimes unrelated flaws around these issues. Apparently, the film makes much to-do about Bush’s 7-minute contemplation in a Florida school after hearing of the first 9/11 attack, before coming to his senses and reading My Pet Goat to the elementary studets. Another review pointed out that much of Moore’s emphasis was lost in his attempts to over-criticize Bush with humor, an often flawed tactic in political persuasion. So anyways, if the film comes around Lynchburg, and I’m sure it won’t, I’d like to see it. Otherwise, I’ll rent it once I’m back at Tech. I don’t agree with the vast majority of what he will rant on, but even I enjoy watching a jester dance every now and then.

Everyone must know by now that J.Lo is married once again, this time to Marc Anthony. Just two weeks after his latest divorce, Anthony tied the knot with Lopez. There is much speculation that Lopez may be pregnant, rumors are amuck, but they both refuse to comment. Whatever. I still think “Jenny From The Block” is a great song; still in my favorites for hip/hop.

But at this point, I’m not listening to “Jenny From The Block.” Rather I am engrossed with the new iTMS free song of the week [see below]. This may be an album I pick up at some point as well.

And, after that tangent, let us wrap up our more-so-Life-oriented news brief with a book review, per se; per se because I didn’t actually read it, but am just going recall what I read earlier; call me unoriginal, I won’t care. Madonna, or Esther as she may now be known, releases her newest children’s book soon. Yakov and the Seven Thieves is about finding hope or something rather uplifting and moral. One thing the review pointed out was that Ms. Ego herself showed no such sign of selfless in that she only has her name on the cover (often, illustrated children’s books include the author’s and the illustrator’s names on the cover). Her illustrator is rather well-known as well, but the Material Girl gets what she wants. I liked the quote I used below, so you can see it below.

Well, inevitably I, myself, ran off course with this blog; desiring to give a total, round-about news transfer, I basically just reiterated the latest within the social realm. Oh well. Go buy a USA Today yourself. And download the free song of the week from iTMS.

I had a great conversation today with a Best Buy employee about home theater. His name was also Ryan, so we both clearly had a natural affinity for being intelligent and witty. Needless to say, we had an in-depth chat about !JBL and Klipsch equipment. I believe that talk can be tallied to the mega-brief list of times I’ve had a conversation with a Best Buy employee that, perhaps, might know more than me regarding electronics.

While there, I picked up Donnie Darko on DVD and New Sacred Cow by Kenna.

Last night was spent with Allison at Drowsy. Coffee houses provide wonderful settings for conversation; it’s as if all mediums of communication are brought together for a ballet of the mind while the body is otherwise entertained by the ecstasies of coffee and pastries. So it was a good time.

Thanks to Bryan for the server/hosting help.

And now I’m ready for another week.

Oh! Not to forget. Happy Father’s Day!

I must marvel at Fridays. They bring forth such brilliant variations of vigor and youth that few can resist fleeting temptations on such occasions. Every moment is enjoyed with one more gram of savor and one more dusting of glee. Today has been such a day.

Work was irrationally slow. From the time I got there to just 11AM, each and every clock seemed to mockingly jeer its unfortunate hour and minute combo. Yet since it began to rain, lightly, after lunch, we stayed inside doing maintenance and shop work; that always makes for a calm afternoon. And then I was gone.

Gone to Starbucks that is. Gone to reminisce on my week and how it had brought me to that moment of contemplation. Our memory is a delightful thing, isn’t it?

Then homeward bound! Not long after getting there I found out that my family - well, whoever is around now - would go out to eat. We went to Charley’s for a fabulous meal. I think I ate a lot, but I believe I ate it slowly enough so as to not disturb the digestive rate. Regardless, the meal was very nice.

Then, for me, off to the mall for some shopping. GAP provided a few pieces while Journey’s chipped in for the rest. Those of you who see me regularly, or occasionally even, will likely notice the new accessorizing parts. And I’ve realized the wonders of Diesel. How wonderful!

Then off to New Life for some browsing and B&N for some further scoping. So as to not arrive at a sold-out film, I left rather early and made it to the $theater on time. It wasn’t sold out, as hoped.

I saw Van Helsing as the Connotations would suggest. And I was actually pleased. While another Lord of the Rings character showed up unexpectedly…again…the action in this film is extraordinary enough to bypass any other flaws. Despite the dreaded love sequences and the mediocre/flawed/whatever plot schema, this film has such amazing CG and digitally choreographed action that it kept me bolstered to my seat. Perhaps not a DVD buy, but worth renting if you desire exciting surround sound and, maybe, minor nightmares; although there isn’t anything scary in the film, so I withdraw that last comment. Let’s just hope Hugh Jackman continues to veer further away from the Vin Diesel role model, although this movie brought him terrifyingly close. Oh yeah, and Igor looked just like a deformed Ted Danson…Serious!

While it is great to have an evening to myself, I can only object to certain circumstances not entirely disclosed. Due to a task I complete for my neighbors, I am unable to go see Abigail during the next few weeks. This is, obviously, not desired and I wish more than ever to have a weekend with her again. Hopefuly, once this is all taken care of, I will wisk myself and the Jetta down to VABeach for some sun, further shopping, and sincere proximity with the Abigail.