Smeagol is Free!
A hermitudinal view of...stuff...


11.30.2005  

Random Snaps

An Ambassador meeting, chill time with Emily and Lauren...what else is there to a day in the middle of Finals Week? Oh yes, some volleyball with The Crew. Good times :)

Emily took out her laptop and showed us wedding pictures. Yeah, her wedding pictures. I was satisfied with 'em, mainly 'cause I looked good in most of 'em and really really spiritual in some others. Sweet!



Jess found amusement in my amusement. That's why she's The Boss. Actually, that's not why she's The Boss...but it does help in her role as The Boss :)



If you say "Jordan" when Lauren is around but Jordan isn't, Lauren pops her head up, smiles, and looks around. Quite amusing, really.



People kept looking at the hat like it's not a part of my normal attire. Silly people...they're just jealous that I'm such a stylish trendsetter ;)



Eric's the old guy amongst the Boyce Ambassadors, so we commiserate well together.



Lauren hates this picture. I cannot, for the life of me, fathom why...

posted by Bolo | 6:18 PM
2 speakage


11.29.2005  

Six

Semester six is nearly in the books. I should be staring down my Senior year by now. Theoretically, at least. But as we all know, theory doesn't live your life out for you.

A lot has happened over the course of the semester. It's been a unique one, no doubt, yet I find myself strangely more energized now than I had been at the beginning. Not necessarily in the sense that I'm looking forward to the break, either. I was telling someone (forget whom) that going home in January sent me into a sort of tailspin that I hadn't really gotten over, at least until I'd gone home in October. Why's that? I feel as though being home recently has helped to put into perspective a lot of the things I'd been pondering for the majority of the year. I'd questioned why I was here. I still do, and that's no secret. If anything, trusting the LORD despite a lack of clarity regarding my future is something that's a sober reality of the life we live in this world. I think it's best to say that the LORD granted me a breathtaking view of who He is, one that I'd closed my eyes to for quite some time. That, more than anything, helped to revive a cold heart and refresh a parched soul

Life goes on, but it's not easy. As Jon Field put it last night, it's been a sad week. I told him that if this had happened even several months ago, I don't know if I would be able to handle it the way I have. He agreed that God's grown me; he also agreed that I used to pout a whole lot more :)

But it's not me that feels the deepest pain. If anything, I told Jon that I feel somewhat guilty at times for feeling so removed from it all. I laugh, I study, I read, and life goes on for me here. Yet I know that there's a house that stands colder, emptier, and much much lonelier than ever before. People may occupy it, but the echoes only magnify the silence. I wish I were there to help, but I'm not. What could I do, anyway? Nothing.

Today Scott was in my room. When I told Smythe that, he said, "Isn't he married? What's he doing in your room?" I laughed and said that some things don't change. Scott still needed a spot to study for his final. After all, there's no way he could whine out loud in the library about being clueless for Dr. Nettles' final :)

Yeah, life goes on. Soon the school will be a cold and desolate place as students file home for the holiday break. Still, I doubt it'll be so cold as desolate as a tiny house far from here. *Sigh*...

posted by Bolo | 4:44 PM
0 speakage


11.28.2005  

Happy Birthday, Kason!

So Kason's birthday isn't today, it was yesterday. Don't worry, I was a good uncle and wished him a happy birthday on his birthday!

















posted by Bolo | 7:22 PM
1 speakage
 

The Week

It's here. Finals Week. Can you smell the burning? People have gone crazy on campus; life will return to normal soon.

Maybe.

On a sidenote, Pablo Butterworth has lost his beloved Finals Pen. Last seen wearing a plain white envelope in his room. Any information would be greatly apprecated. Please call extension 4567 with your leads. Pablo's uneven nostrils give their heartfelt thanks in advance.

posted by Bolo | 8:54 AM
0 speakage


11.27.2005  

Removed

Not being there is perhaps the hardest part. He said the house seems so empty, so cold, so lonely. Yeah...even from here, it seems as though everything's changed. I sat today trying to think it through, trying to make sense of it all. He said that it's times like these that show you what you really believe about the sovereignty of God.

I could only whisper my agreement as he wept.

posted by Bolo | 11:53 PM
1 speakage
 

Numb

God...why? I don't understand. I don't know if I want to. Why did it have to happen this way? Why does it have to end like this...suddenly...ever so suddenly? Yes, I'm numb. I don't understand that either. The mourning feels all too near and real, yet so remote and far away, like being in the eye of a storm of grief. All is calm, all is silent, yet sorrow rages unabated, and I walk unaffected...numb.

posted by Bolo | 1:12 PM
0 speakage


11.26.2005  

Old School

I just realized that it's been a year since I began the Old School block on the blog. At that point, I'd already been blogging for over a year and three-quarters. Wow. I feel quite the blogging vet ;)

Anyhow, all that to say that the Old School block has been updated. Click away, should you desire to reminisce with me.

posted by Bolo | 3:02 PM
0 speakage


11.25.2005  

Request

This is a sad moment, for it is here that I shall publicly admit defeat. I have come to the point where I can no longer hold out in hopes of having my dead phone's data somehow sucked out of it by Sprint; indeed, the hope-crushing people at Sprint told me themselves that their computers could do nothing to mediate between my dead phone and my pretty new one. Sad, sad, sad. Anyhow. The request portion comes as follows: shoot me an email (smeagolisfree@gmail.com) with your phone number. That way, I can once again sleep well at night in the blessed assurance that all of you important people are but a phone call away :)

posted by Bolo | 1:01 PM
0 speakage


11.24.2005  

Thankful

Being that today is Thanksgiving, I figured I'd go ahead and post a little Thanksgiving post on things I'm thankful for. I'm going to name the first ten things that come to mind, and in no particular order. This could get a little dangerous...

1. Charlie Weis. My goodness gracious! Can anyone believe we're ranked 6th in the country, Samardzjia is practically a household name, and on the verge of a BCS bowl birth?

2. My friends.

3. My school. Sometimes I bemoan the fact that I'm in The Middle of Nowhere, but still, Boyce College is a blessing.

4. Food. It's one of my favorite things :)

5. Lambswool. Classic, durable, and keeps you warm like nobody's business. Good stuff!

6. Surf. *Sigh*...

7. My family. They help me to remember who I am (read: put me in my place).

8. Sunshine. *Sigh*...

9. Melanin.

10. Jesus. Ephesians 1 says so.

posted by Bolo | 6:04 PM
0 speakage


11.23.2005  

Campus Conduct

The Rules are as follows:

1. No Boyce male is allowed to speak to any Seminary female. To do so is a breach of The Rules, as Seminary women are far and away much, much cooler than Boyce guys.

2. Boyce males, in general, must complain about the Seminary males "Stealing Our Women" at least once a week. Twice a week is better. Thrice a week means you're being molded more and more into the Ray Brun image; congratulations :)

3. Boyce males must embrace a "pack mentality". The more Boyce males that roll together across campus, the more they can intimidate the Solitary Scary Seminary dude into fearing undergrads. Heck yeah.

4. Seminary men must fall into one of two molds. First, the cool guy who steals the Boyce lady right out from under the collective conscience of the Boyce men. This type is identified by his perfected business mohawk, reserved seat with The Cool Crowd in the cafeteria at lunch hour, and chummy conversations that randomly take place with various faculty members in Honeycutt. Second, the scary guy that stalks the Boyce lady at all hours. This type is identified by the inability to look someone in the eye when passing in the hall, their solitary seat in the cafeteria, and the enhanced but rare ability to appear at precisely the moment when the average Boyce lady just so happens to be away from any other Boyce ladies.

5. Seminary women must not speak to any Boyce men. If a Seminary woman is caught speaking to a Boyce man, the Seminary Sisterhood shall gather and reference Leviticus 13:44 - 46: "He is a leprous man, he is unclean. The priest shall surely pronounce him unclean; his infection is on his head. As for the leper who has the infection, his clothes shall be torn, and the hair of his head shall be uncovered, and he shall cover his mustache and cry, 'Unclean! Unclean!' He shall remain unclean all the days during which he has the infection; he is unclean. He shall live alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp." The other Seminary women will continue to do this until the offending Seminary woman has humbled herself and sworn to not speak to any Boyce male ever again.

6. Boyce women must tell any and all Boyce men the following: "I'm not interested in anything more than friendship with anyone right now; I really want to concentrate on my relationship with the Lord."

7. Boyce women must do the following after telling any and all Boyce men of her relationship status: date one of the cool Seminary guys.

I'm sooo getting in trouble for this post :) Just remember...it's not serious!

posted by Bolo | 3:11 PM
8 speakage


11.22.2005  

Random

Tired. Wish I weren't so tired. Stayed up most of the night 'cause the tooth was hurting like only a toothache can hurt. Had to get up early to go help shoot a promo video for Boyce. Gah.

On a quick random note, check it. It's up and running, with more to come shortly. Heck yeah :)

I've been thinking a lot about that verse in Hebrews. I suppose you could say that it's been something that's been working its way deeper into my heart over the past several days. Quite remarkable, really. Anyway...more thoughts on this later.

What strikes me as strange is the fact that Jim Winn stayed in my room all week last week, and I was barely there. What's even stranger is that one of those nights was spent with the two former Boyce College Student Council Presidents in my room, both of 'em as different as can be. Yup. Strange.

Until 'Bama lost their second straight this past Saturday, the Irish and the Tide were on a collision course for the Fiesta Bowl. Now, it looks like the Irish may be going up against Ohio State. Hmmm...all those Reynoldsburg, Ohio folks might soon be...

THE ENEMY.

posted by Bolo | 12:50 PM
0 speakage
 

Silly Girls

Liz threatened me...



Then Christin threatened me...



But neither one of them has made good on their threat as of yet...

posted by Bolo | 1:26 AM
0 speakage


11.21.2005  

Pain

I have a toothache. Life is painful, very painful. I've exceeded the number of Advil Gelcaps I'm supposed to take within an 8 hour period, and I don't feel the least bit guilty about it.

*Groan*.

Oh. I'm hungry, too. Go figure.

posted by Bolo | 9:29 PM
0 speakage
 

Loss

Sometimes, life really stinks. I mean, it really stinks. It reeks. Right now, I'd love to say it reeks, but I can't.

The slow, inevitable, unbelievable sight of my phone falling out of the chair and onto the ground where it snapped in two was merely the latest event that God's used to remind me that He is sovereign. I discussed this with Jim on the way to Steak 'N Shake last night, recounting to him the thoughts that Mr. O'Neal (Scott's dad) shared over the weekend. He'd said that in times of trial and unexplained suffering, it is such a sweet and good thing to know that we rest in God's sovereignty.

Of course, easier said than done. After sitting there for several minutes with my broken heart...uhhh...phone in my hands, I sat down and read some Scripture. That was the only thing that would serve my soul. As I processed the story of David's great sin and the aftermath of it, I was hit very keenly by one thing: when the child that God said He would take away had died, David got up worshiped the LORD.

I didn't lose a child. Not even close. Even now, as I ponder what the phone meant to me, I'm ashamed at how materialistic I am. Will my heart worship the LORD?

posted by Bolo | 8:33 PM
1 speakage


11.20.2005  

Extras

The second installment of the leftover stuff from home is here. I'm sure all of you had been eagerly anticipating this, far more than you had been anticipating the fourth Harry Potter movie ;)

Andrew and I enjoyed doing a little painting. The fruits of our labor can be seen on savethewheel.com, where the picture of us is stuck in the midst of a bunch of pictures of Philly folks.

posted by Bolo | 8:04 PM
0 speakage
 

Little kids have cheeks that require pinching, don't you think?

posted by Bolo | 7:57 PM
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I find far too much amusement in taking pictures of people when they're sleeping. Just ask Scott :)

posted by Bolo | 7:56 PM
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"Ribbit. Ribbit."

Andrew and I found much amusement from this pic :)

posted by Bolo | 7:55 PM
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Mr. Sam Lee was posing as one of the Five Chinese Brothers. Guess which one?

posted by Bolo | 7:54 PM
2 speakage
 

Anyone remember Fire Marshall Bill? Yeah...my good buddy Chris Shinnick gave everyone's favorite fire dude a run for his money when it came to sheer craziness. Probably still does, come to think of it.

posted by Bolo | 7:52 PM
1 speakage


11.19.2005  

The Moment

Scott and I had been talking about this at length for some time now. The anticipation was high, the reality was becoming crisp. Soon, the moment would come. The weeks and days had crept along slowly, but there we were, standing in readiness. Before we knew it, the hours had been shaved to mere minutes.

It was something that had kept us up late into many an early morning, that made us shake our heads in disbelief, that had us wondering at the goodness of God over and over and over again. It was something that neither one of us had experienced, yet we knew to be good, to be right. This was, in all honesty, something we could hardly believe was happening, yet relished with even greater amazement precisely because it was so good, so unbelieveable.

The moment drew nigh. The minutes turned into seconds, our breaths became deeper and more deliberate, and every savory second that passed by was less important than the one to follow.

It was Scott and Emily's wedding day, and he was about to see his bride.

Just minutes before, when we were still standing outside of Broadus Chapel, he turned to the guys around him and said that we were the ones he wanted there with him. We were the ones who knew what this meant, who'd hoped and yearned and prayed for this day together with him. Wow...what an honor! He'd had a grin on his face just then, but that one would pale in comparison to the one he'd have when he saw his bride.

It was a hard moment for me when the bridesmaids began to walk down the aisle. I'd been thinking about watching Scott's face, thinking about feeling the joy emanate from him. What I hadn't counted on was my own joy overflowing as tears came to my eyes. When those last seconds slid away, he looked down. This would be it. His bride had been made ready, she had prepared herself for him, and she had come.

I had a difficult time deciding who to watch. They both glowed...that's probably the best I could put it. Anything more would detract from what I saw. Scott had the biggest smile I've ever seen on his face, and the entire time Emily walked down the aisle, he was positively trembling with joy.

The reason we spent so many late nights conversing about this moment was not merely because he wanted to get married. It wasn't even because Emily was the woman of his dreams (even though she was more than his dreams could have made...believe me). What made his joy so full was the knowledge that this was God's gracious glimpse into seeing and savoring the joy that we shall share at the marriage supper of the Lamb, when we as Christ's bride will be presented to Him. She, Christ's bride, is the church, who will be dressed in fine linen, white and clean. It is then when we shall rejoice with a joy heretofore unknown, when the fullness of heaven shall be realized as we can only long for now.

Their wedding was a celebration not only of the covenant that Scott and Emily have entered into, but of the covenant that God instituted with His people. That's what kept us up late, and that's what keeps us yearning still.

posted by Bolo | 11:57 PM
0 speakage


11.18.2005  

Airport Fun

When you're at the airport and have two hours to kill and you're too tired to do anything constructive but too awake to do any sleeping, you come up with creative ways to entertain yourself.

In this case, you take stupid pictures :)

posted by Bolo | 11:41 AM
1 speakage
 

Uhhh...

posted by Bolo | 11:37 AM
0 speakage


11.17.2005  

The Last Day

Mr. Rob Dixon recruits for Union. He knew a bunch of Southern Seminary folks, so we had a blast in our little Baptist corner of the Christian college universe.

posted by Bolo | 8:49 PM
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The last day in Fort Lauderdale. I think the temperature was in the 80's :)

posted by Bolo | 2:04 PM
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11.16.2005  

Perfect

The McDonald's cup is a little blurry, but it reads, "the perfect wave, the perfect day..."

Yup. Sometimes all you need is one :)

posted by Bolo | 10:47 PM
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11.15.2005  

West Palm Beach

It was tough. Sitting on the beach in Florida whilst my fellow Boyce College schoolmates shivered there way across campus in 25 degree weather, wondering why my friends deserted me, hoping that Scott would still remember me when I got back...yes, it was tough.

Hehehehehehe :)

posted by Bolo | 4:53 PM
0 speakage
 

Why the face? 'Cause it's the Atlantic Ocean, not the Pacific Ocean. There are many comparisons and anaglogous statements I could make to help you understand my feelings toward the former, but I shall refrain from such defamation so that I might not sound impetulant and foolish.

Not that I don't sound like that already...

posted by Bolo | 4:35 PM
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They take the "Palm" in West Palm Beach a bit seriously, don't they?

posted by Bolo | 4:26 PM
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I like Kenneth Cole, I do. When I saw the store, I waltzed in there like I owned the place.

Which means absolutely nothing other than that I looked casually negligent in a "I have no money so I'm trying to look cool no matter what you think" sort of way.

I don't think it worked.

posted by Bolo | 3:57 PM
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Gratuitous Random Picture with No Particular Significance Whatsoever.

posted by Bolo | 3:39 PM
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CityPlace is definitely the kind of place I could get used to. When the school is paying my travel expenses, that is :)

posted by Bolo | 3:09 PM
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I'm telling you...this Florida stuff in November can be tough...

posted by Bolo | 2:49 PM
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West Palm Beach, baby :)

posted by Bolo | 2:28 PM
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This is the first time I've ever seen a drawbride, been on a drawbridge, or seen one while it was drawn. Cool stuff :)

posted by Bolo | 1:27 PM
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11.14.2005  

Bonus Material

While at home, there were quite a few pictures I took with my phone that, for one reason or another, did not make it onto my blog. I decided that I'd post them at some later date, perhaps to stave off nostalgia, or to hasten its arrival. In either event, here's the first installment.

This was just outside of Hale'iwa, I think. Dude's holding a surfboard while riding a bike. Some may find this amusing, but to the crazies like me, carrying a surfboard while riding a bicycle is just a part of normal life.

posted by Bolo | 2:42 AM
0 speakage
 

Andrew's office was holding this dude hostage. Don't ask.

posted by Bolo | 2:41 AM
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When we'd drive through the North Shore on our way back from youth camps at Malaekahana, Andrew and I were always accused of slowing down the traffic 'cause we were watching the surf. I can't imagine why, out of all the youth staff, we were the ones consistently singled out...

posted by Bolo | 2:38 AM
0 speakage
 

The Retard Factor of this picture just astounds me. Who the heck was taking that picture, anyway? I mean, didn't they know they'd catch themselves in the reflection of the car window? Wait a sec...I resemble that remark...

posted by Bolo | 2:37 AM
1 speakage
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