A beautiful woman came into the shop today,
I read the ticket; her name was Destiny.
She was buying sandwiches for her and her husband.
It must’ve been destiny :,(
Today a high school senior walked into my shop and recognized me. And it wasn’t just my familiar face, this person knew me by name. Seeing the Jersey Village High School letter jacket made me think it could have been one of my sister’s friends until I realized I don’t really know any of my sister’s friends. Who is this girl and how does she know me?
She read my name tag, asked if my last name was Covey and if I’ve ever been to or am familiar with the church Faith Assembly of God (her words). I am very much familiar. But how can someone with hopes of graduating high school in a few months know me? And by name? I started going to Faith Assembly in 2001, my senior year of high school. And after graduating, being as young in the faith as I was, I roped into helping out in the youth ministry. I worked there from then until early 2006 and probably came a across a thousand faces and names in that time. Most of them I would recognize to this day. The thing is, I wasn’t the outgoing one (to say I was a bit recluse is an exaggerated statement.) I didn’t know all this kids that passed through the church just a select few that knew someone I knew or would want to strike up a conversation. The people I did know I knew well. Events and actions don’t make memories for me, its the people and the conversations. I remember talking to kids about relationships, God, music, and even ghosts and the supernatural. Being thrown into a leadership position really helped me grow and after a few more body tosses I became the man I am today. People would come to me with things they wouldn’t talk to their friends about and just saying hi to someone would brighten their day. All of these things I remember but I can’t remember this girl. This really blew my mind today (not the age difference; I know people eight years older than me and eight years younger than me) here is someone who knows who I am but I don’t even recognize her face. This really bothered me. It was part nostalgia but mostly wondering if my memory was failing me and what other people I may have forgotten. On the occasion that I’m able to make it to Sunday morning service I see some of these kids grown up and they glance at me and walk away. So next time you see me come talk to me, make me remember you. Whether it be the first time we meet or just relearning who we were. Though I have grown, approaching someone and starting a conversation is still something I have trouble with.
“One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves.
They said to the olive tree,
‘Be our king.’
But the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my oil,
by which both gods and men are honored,
to hold sway over the trees?’
Next, the trees said to the fig tree,
‘Come and be our king.’
But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I give up my fruit,
so good and sweet,
to hold sway over the trees?’
Then the trees said to the vine,
‘Come and be our king.’
But the vine answered, ‘Should I give up my wine,
which cheers both gods and men,
to hold sway over the trees?’
Finally all the trees said to the thornbush,
‘Come and be our king.’
And the thornbush replied, ‘If you really want me then find refuge in my shade.
But if you refuse let fire come forth and burn down all your great cedars.’ “
-Judges 9:8-15
Michael Cera as Scott Pilgrim in the upcoming film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World has been a problem for me ever since I found out he would be portraying one my my favorite comic book characters. But seeing this picture may have just changed my mind. Its not the flaming sword, the guy doing a crazy backflip, or even Edgar Wright’s genius film making thats doing for me, its that face. I see Michael Cera being not so Michael Cera-ish here and that was my main worry. He’s portrayed the shy misfit so many times that I wonder if he even has the ability to raise his voice. So maybe there is hope but I’m won’t be totally convinced until I see some footage.
But who am I kidding? I’m probably going to see this film no matter what.
Being the Ghostbusters fan that I am this comic was a must read that I was really looking forward to. Ghostbusters Past, Present, and Future is a Christmas special release issue that pits our boys in gray up against the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, something we’ve seen before in The Real Ghostbusters. Only this time its not as entertaining. I found it hard to hear the voices of the Ghostbusters in this issue and the story is too rushed for a single issue. They should’ve gone with something a bit shorter and closer to the Ghostbusters we’ve come to know over the years. With The Other Side and Displaced Aggression comics showed us something that couldn’t have been done in a film but this comic reads more like bad a made for TV movie. The look of it even feels that way. The art isn’t bad but I don’t think it fits the Ghostbusters. It reminds me of another 1984 creation, The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It even seems like it would look better in black and white.This issue is probably only going to be bought by the biggest of fans but I don’t recommend it for the casual Ghostbuster fan or comic book reader. Overall the story isn’t that great and the art, though good, is not appealing in this kind of story. If I had the choice to go back and not buy this issue I would certainly take it. I hope the conclusion of Displaced Aggression makes up for my disappointment in this story.
Indie Vision Music put a poll titled, “Should Record Companies Cease To Exist?”. They also asked for reader opinions. Mine is posted below and you should check out what others have to say and chime in yourself. And I apologize in advance for the off topic rant I attached.
I think record companies will continue to exist to fund music as long as music is being made but I think they’re no longer a necessity to release material. Many Hip Hop and R&B artists release single after remixed single before releasing their albums because its radio play and digital downloads that are raking in the cash more so than an album release. I also like Radiohead’s view on their abandonment of the album format. They still may release albums when they have material for them but they also release songs or sets of songs that accompany each other outside of the standard album format without calling them an ep because these songs may not released on an album. Now, with digital releases artists can change the way they choose to release their music. Very much like how CDs allowed for longer songs than a two-sided vinyl album or cassette, I see artists being able to do more with the music they’ve created and movingg outside of the 10-12 song release.
Sometimes its hard to defend myself when Mat calls me a Ghostbusters freak
If there’s such a thing as a theoretical physicist then I must be a theoretical theologian.
Here’s a group that I strongly believe in and support. They are currently raising funds to complete their website. Even if you don’t want to give at least check them out and see what they are up to.
So here it is, I started this whole blog thing again. I wanted this post to be longer but I decided to leave out the full literary analysis of John Updike’s “A&P”. If thats something that would interest you I may post it at a later date upon request.
Recently I read the John Updike Story “A&P” for the umpteenth time; the first couple of times I read it was for a English Composition and Rhetoric course during my brief attendance at the local community college and last year I decided, after a long and agonizing break from writing, to hone my skills by going over some material from old textbooks I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of for the measly compensation given by the used book stores. When I got to analysis questions for this particular story I knew it was going to take me some time because from the first time I had reed this I had hated it; the story, the characters, none of it interested me. So as I knew I would, I stopped after just a few and put the notebook away. Then as I was unpacking after an unforeseen move I recovered both the textbook and accompanying notebook and decided to start again. Again, I read “A&P”, a rather short story by John Updike but this time I read something different, something new. This is a story of a young man named Sammy working in a local grocery store when one day three girls come strolling into the store clad only in the swimsuits. The story is mostly a description of these girls and how Sammy feels about them even though he has never met them. Then, upon checking out, the girls are accosted by the store manager about their appearance, they check out then leave. Sammy, seeing all this play out in his check out lane, then proceeds to quit his job and walk right out of the store as well. It seems simple; it reads boring. But upon reading this story again I now see that Sammy’s constant description isn’t just awe of the girls but what they represent, a life outside the A&P. It is presumed that this isn’t just a summer job for nineteen year old Sammy but closer to a long term job from his conversation with twenty one year old fellow check out clerk, Stoksie, a family man. Suddenly this story became about Sammy wanting to escape from his life at the A&P and his description of the ladies throughout was his recognizing the mysteries that lie behind the sliding glass doors of the supermarket. In the end, after walking out of his job and what he knew as his path in life he comments to himself, “I felt how hard the world was going to be hereafter.”
All this hit me hard about how I’ve been living my life and even though I won’t be walking out of my job I still see a need for change in my life. Something more than work, TV, and video games. I want to go out more, read more [substantial material], write more, and get back into working in the creative process on a regular basis. That’s why I resurrected my long forgotten blog and have been spending more time lying on the floor next to my record player with my sketch book open. Overall I just want more out of my life and I find no time better than the present work for that. So if you’re reading this and notice it doesn’t get updated in over a month send me a message or leave my a hateful voicemail to kick me back into practice. Thank you for your time and God bless.
