Day 84 - Ashley, Pearl, Chamblins
Today was day one of Ashley being here. I don’t remember what I did this morning, but I picked up Ashley at the airport this afternoon. I took her to lunch at the Brick, because the is the staple of the Ortega lifestyle. From there we walked around Avondale, and I took her to Peterbrooke and Let Them Eat Cake. She was obviously very excited about those. I mean, who cant be excited about a store that sells nothing but stuff covered in chocolate? They even have chocolate covered wine bottles now.
From there we went to Chamblin’s. She was blown away. I ended up getting one more Taoism book, and one on Printmakers. She loved the Architecture section and she bought a book on Gaudi. We came back to my house, saw my dad and Liam before they left for Kentucky, and just hung out for a while.
Tonight we went to the Pearl. Beforehand we were on our usual Joose run, but this time I was ten times sketchier than it normally is. Of course, with Ashley with us. We scared her. We drove around for a bit trying to find Amber around Avondale. We eventually met up with her at Fishweir Park, but we all felt like we were about to be killed.
Then we had a normal evening at the Pearl. Then End.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Day 83 - Lazy day
Today was a horribly lazy day. I woke up at 6:30 this morning, went a got Chickfila, and surprised Jenn at her house for a birthday breakfast. I dont really remember being there, honestly. I never fully woke up for that. I came home and went back to sleep and didn't wake up until 1. Wow, Kate. Wow.
I continued cleaning, but not much got done. Went to dinner at El Rodeo with the Holman/Wilseys. Jenn and I were going to go out for her birthday but she had to work the whole day so she was a sleepy girl. So I have done nothing tonight. Reading the Tao of Pooh and going to sleep.
ASHLEY GETS HERE TOMORROW! SO. EXCITED.
I continued cleaning, but not much got done. Went to dinner at El Rodeo with the Holman/Wilseys. Jenn and I were going to go out for her birthday but she had to work the whole day so she was a sleepy girl. So I have done nothing tonight. Reading the Tao of Pooh and going to sleep.
ASHLEY GETS HERE TOMORROW! SO. EXCITED.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Day 82 - Timiquana, THRASH AND BURN
This morning Jenn and I began the day by going to Timiquana to lay out and swim for a while. Of course it started to rain right when we got there, though. We swam and used the rest of her roll of underwater film. Other wise it was pretty uneventful.
Tonight was Thrash and Burn, and I had been looking forward to it for months, seriously. It was amazing. It started at 3, but Evan and I didn't get there until around 8. MyChildren MyBride had JUST played when we got there, but that was alright. Right when I got there I saw Colton, Kevin, Chris, and Stamps. Eddy and Brandon were supposed to come up there as well but they didn't. Oh well. Evan and I watched all these crazy bands. Emmure played, and Emmure just reminds me of Wyatt so I never really listen to them. But I stayed to watch. The second the started to play a pit broke out, and immediately this really big guy fell to the ground, and his head was gushing blood. Evan and I were stumped. I have no clue what happened. But the guy was draged over right next to where I was standing, and he was unconscious. They had to carry him out, leaving behind an immense amount of blood. I still don't know what happened to him. I will hopefully find out from Colton. Emmure was pretty good, though. After the guy was carried out someone kept messing with my hair. I was standing in the pit, and right behind me there was a nother level so I was eye level with people's feet. I kept giving this girl a dirty look, thinking that she was messing with my hair. But then I saw a Ked's Classic running away. Kevin. I untied his shoe. Being as scrawny as he is, he squeezed through the bars and stood with Evan and I for a bit, warning me of the pool of blood I was standing in. Yech.
We went to the other stage and watched some crazy metal band that had all these 40 year old guys with hair to their waists. And their drummer was 13 years old. So that was impressive. There were no other horribly eventful things that happened though. It was an amazing show. I have never seen or listened to DevilDriver before, and I saw them today. Epic. Seriously. I have already downloaded all of their CDs. It was so good.
After the show Evan dropped me off at Murray hill where I met up with Jenn and we went to Kickbacks to ring in her birthday. Usually, you get to Kickback's and it takes about 10 minutes for anyone to realize that you are waiting for service. But about 2 minutes after we sat down, the waiter from last night brought Jenn a little thing of Chocolate syrup with a straw. It was hilarious, but she was embarrassed. We rang in her birthday with chocolate milk and our favorite waiter. It was good times.
Matthew Hastings of MCMB replied to one of my tweets I sent him on Twitter. I about peed myself.
Tomorrow is her birthday. I am excited.
Tonight was Thrash and Burn, and I had been looking forward to it for months, seriously. It was amazing. It started at 3, but Evan and I didn't get there until around 8. MyChildren MyBride had JUST played when we got there, but that was alright. Right when I got there I saw Colton, Kevin, Chris, and Stamps. Eddy and Brandon were supposed to come up there as well but they didn't. Oh well. Evan and I watched all these crazy bands. Emmure played, and Emmure just reminds me of Wyatt so I never really listen to them. But I stayed to watch. The second the started to play a pit broke out, and immediately this really big guy fell to the ground, and his head was gushing blood. Evan and I were stumped. I have no clue what happened. But the guy was draged over right next to where I was standing, and he was unconscious. They had to carry him out, leaving behind an immense amount of blood. I still don't know what happened to him. I will hopefully find out from Colton. Emmure was pretty good, though. After the guy was carried out someone kept messing with my hair. I was standing in the pit, and right behind me there was a nother level so I was eye level with people's feet. I kept giving this girl a dirty look, thinking that she was messing with my hair. But then I saw a Ked's Classic running away. Kevin. I untied his shoe. Being as scrawny as he is, he squeezed through the bars and stood with Evan and I for a bit, warning me of the pool of blood I was standing in. Yech.
We went to the other stage and watched some crazy metal band that had all these 40 year old guys with hair to their waists. And their drummer was 13 years old. So that was impressive. There were no other horribly eventful things that happened though. It was an amazing show. I have never seen or listened to DevilDriver before, and I saw them today. Epic. Seriously. I have already downloaded all of their CDs. It was so good.
After the show Evan dropped me off at Murray hill where I met up with Jenn and we went to Kickbacks to ring in her birthday. Usually, you get to Kickback's and it takes about 10 minutes for anyone to realize that you are waiting for service. But about 2 minutes after we sat down, the waiter from last night brought Jenn a little thing of Chocolate syrup with a straw. It was hilarious, but she was embarrassed. We rang in her birthday with chocolate milk and our favorite waiter. It was good times.
Matthew Hastings of MCMB replied to one of my tweets I sent him on Twitter. I about peed myself.
Tomorrow is her birthday. I am excited.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Day 81 - Day of Adventures with Jenn
Today was Jenn's first full day home. We woke up early this morning (well, early for me) and went to the Fox for breakfast. Honestly, I am the worst Ortegro ever. This morning was the third time I have been to the Fox. That is just shameful. We went from the Fox to the town center, where pretty much all we managed to do was walk around Urban and go to Barnes and Noble. At Barnes and Noble I bought the Tao Te Ching and the Hua Hu Ching. I am excited to start reading those. The guy that was at Barnes and Noble the other night when I was there with Emma was there again, and we talked about Chamblins some more.
So after all that talk about Chamblins, Jenn and I headed to the new Chamblins downtown. I got even more Taoism books, including the Tao of Pooh, which explains Taoism using all of the characters from Winnie the Pooh. I feel like its a good starting point to getting into all of this Taoism business.
Then this afternoon Jenn and I decided to go rock climbing. but first we went to the tax collectors office to get her tag renewed, and we were there for about an hour. In that time I was able to read about half of the Tao of Pooh. So far its really good and very helpful. There were some of the sketchiest people ever at the tax collector's office. this one guy that came in had a really old slipknot shirt on that was way too short, and it hit about an inch above his waistline, suspenders, and Levi's. He looked like a rapist. And his butt was hanging out of his pants.
Finally we got to the Y, and we had to sign up for rock climbing classes since either of us were certified for that location. So about an hour later, we had learned how to tie all the knots and do the self-belays, then we asked our instructor if we could just do the auto-belays. Apparently we wasted $10, and an hour of our time and his time. Oops. Anyways climbing was a lot of fun. Jenn just went last week in Colorado, but I haven't done it in years. Although apparnelty I am scared of haights and I didn't really know it until I was half way up the wall. I was terrified that my belay wouldn't catch as I started to repel each time so that was fun. Until I got a little too confident in the belay and started flinging myself off the wall and flying about all willy-nilly. I got in trouble. Oh well. After a few hours of climbing, we went to the San Marco Loop for dinner. It was the first thing I had eaten since the Fox and I was about to just drop. Starved.
We got back to my house and started to watch the Girl with the Pearl Earring. Of course I fell asleep one minute into it and woke up right at the end. Oh well. Jenn and I were both hungry yet again, so we decided to get up and go to Kickbacks. We got there at about 10:30, and Rob and Clay and Clay were already there. Clay and I have been barely missing each other every time I go. I leave, then Clay tweets about getting there. So for once we were there at the same time. A bit after we got there, Eddy walked in so Jenn and I hung out with him. Just a few minutes later a fight broke out. I have never seen a fight at Kickbacks before. This woman started yelling and there were chairs in the air. It was crazy. The police came a bit later and that was that. Jenn and I just sat there and Eddy ate dinner. Then Jenn and I decided to get the brownie bits. They come with chocolate dipping sauce, which all it is is Hershey's syrup. So after we ate the brownies, Jenn went to town on the chocolate sauce with her straw while Eddy and I watched and laughed. Once she finished that one, a waiter who wasn't even ours brought her another. She ate that one as well.
The three of us left Kickbacks and went to Shanty Town, since it was Metal Mondays. I have never been to Shanty Town before, and I was very glad Eddy was with us. We followed him there and the whole way there and I was thinking "where the hellll is he taking usssssss." It was like off 8th street but still downtown. It was in a perfectly fine area, but it was late and I doubt I would have wanted to be there if it was just Jenn and I. thankful for Eddy. So we just hung out there, listened to music and talked.
Came home. Now it is time to go to sleep. I feel like today lasted 3 days instead of one. It was a very good day.
I can't feel my arms.
So after all that talk about Chamblins, Jenn and I headed to the new Chamblins downtown. I got even more Taoism books, including the Tao of Pooh, which explains Taoism using all of the characters from Winnie the Pooh. I feel like its a good starting point to getting into all of this Taoism business.
Then this afternoon Jenn and I decided to go rock climbing. but first we went to the tax collectors office to get her tag renewed, and we were there for about an hour. In that time I was able to read about half of the Tao of Pooh. So far its really good and very helpful. There were some of the sketchiest people ever at the tax collector's office. this one guy that came in had a really old slipknot shirt on that was way too short, and it hit about an inch above his waistline, suspenders, and Levi's. He looked like a rapist. And his butt was hanging out of his pants.
Finally we got to the Y, and we had to sign up for rock climbing classes since either of us were certified for that location. So about an hour later, we had learned how to tie all the knots and do the self-belays, then we asked our instructor if we could just do the auto-belays. Apparently we wasted $10, and an hour of our time and his time. Oops. Anyways climbing was a lot of fun. Jenn just went last week in Colorado, but I haven't done it in years. Although apparnelty I am scared of haights and I didn't really know it until I was half way up the wall. I was terrified that my belay wouldn't catch as I started to repel each time so that was fun. Until I got a little too confident in the belay and started flinging myself off the wall and flying about all willy-nilly. I got in trouble. Oh well. After a few hours of climbing, we went to the San Marco Loop for dinner. It was the first thing I had eaten since the Fox and I was about to just drop. Starved.
We got back to my house and started to watch the Girl with the Pearl Earring. Of course I fell asleep one minute into it and woke up right at the end. Oh well. Jenn and I were both hungry yet again, so we decided to get up and go to Kickbacks. We got there at about 10:30, and Rob and Clay and Clay were already there. Clay and I have been barely missing each other every time I go. I leave, then Clay tweets about getting there. So for once we were there at the same time. A bit after we got there, Eddy walked in so Jenn and I hung out with him. Just a few minutes later a fight broke out. I have never seen a fight at Kickbacks before. This woman started yelling and there were chairs in the air. It was crazy. The police came a bit later and that was that. Jenn and I just sat there and Eddy ate dinner. Then Jenn and I decided to get the brownie bits. They come with chocolate dipping sauce, which all it is is Hershey's syrup. So after we ate the brownies, Jenn went to town on the chocolate sauce with her straw while Eddy and I watched and laughed. Once she finished that one, a waiter who wasn't even ours brought her another. She ate that one as well.
The three of us left Kickbacks and went to Shanty Town, since it was Metal Mondays. I have never been to Shanty Town before, and I was very glad Eddy was with us. We followed him there and the whole way there and I was thinking "where the hellll is he taking usssssss." It was like off 8th street but still downtown. It was in a perfectly fine area, but it was late and I doubt I would have wanted to be there if it was just Jenn and I. thankful for Eddy. So we just hung out there, listened to music and talked.
Came home. Now it is time to go to sleep. I feel like today lasted 3 days instead of one. It was a very good day.
I can't feel my arms.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Day 80 - The I Ching is changing my life (oh and Jenn came home)
Jenn came home today. Finally. I sent the morning doing even more cleaning, and I picked up my old bookshelf from my Dad’s so that is now in my room and it makes my life easier.
Jenn and I went to Kickbacks, and on the way there I told her about I have been reading and using the I Ching, and how it is changing my life. She said she wanted to read it, and I had a hard time explaining its not a book you can just read. So once we got inside I pulled it out and some coins and explained to her how to use it, and what the hexagrams mean. So for her first time using it, er question was if moving to Virginia was a good idea. Her result also has her sold on the I Ching. She got the 56th hexagram, Sojourning. Which is all about traveling, journeys: “This is a time of wandering, seeking and living apart. You are a stranger in a strange land, whose identity comes from a distant centre. You are alone, outside the social network, with few connections, on a quest of your own. Make clear decisions even if they are painful…” After I read it out loud I looked up and Jenn’s jaw was pretty much on the table. It was dead on. She knew it was a good idea to move before, but this pretty much sealed the deal. We did a few more and she saw how each hexagram is so different, and its not like a horoscope where you can take anything and mold it to fit your situation. It truly is an oracle. I have never been one to believe in such things, but in the last week that I have been reading and using the I Ching, my life has changed. And I know that is weird, but it makes you view the world differently.
I have been reading a lot about Taoism as well, and I feel like that is for me. I was telling Jenn about this today as well. I have been raised in a Christian house hold. I have gone to Christian schools. I always have and always will consider myself to be a strong Christian. I believe in Jesus and the Bible, but it has never really altered me in any ways. Jenn’s dad is both a Christian and a Buddhist and I feel like I am like him. Christian, but I need something else to explain the world. And that is how Taoism is. It is seriously life altering.
Jenn made me read The Alchemist tonight (Emma lent it to me). I read it cover to cover without moving. It was amazing. It dealt with the idea of connecting to nature and the world around you, so it was right on track with where my mind has been lately. After I read it I was reading more about Taoism when I decided to go back to the I Ching. I was wondering is Taoism was a good fit for me, and I got the 23rd hexagram, Stripping. “This is a time to strip away what is unusable, habits and ideas that have grown old and outmoded. Remove and uncover things. This is an end of a cycle and the preparation for the new. Done deal. I am sold. Tomorrow Jenn and I are going to Chamblins and I will be loading up on books. I am going to get her the I Ching for her birthday. I hope she doesn’t read this.
I don’t know who reads this, but you NEED to read and use the I Ching. It will change your life.
Jenn and I went to Kickbacks, and on the way there I told her about I have been reading and using the I Ching, and how it is changing my life. She said she wanted to read it, and I had a hard time explaining its not a book you can just read. So once we got inside I pulled it out and some coins and explained to her how to use it, and what the hexagrams mean. So for her first time using it, er question was if moving to Virginia was a good idea. Her result also has her sold on the I Ching. She got the 56th hexagram, Sojourning. Which is all about traveling, journeys: “This is a time of wandering, seeking and living apart. You are a stranger in a strange land, whose identity comes from a distant centre. You are alone, outside the social network, with few connections, on a quest of your own. Make clear decisions even if they are painful…” After I read it out loud I looked up and Jenn’s jaw was pretty much on the table. It was dead on. She knew it was a good idea to move before, but this pretty much sealed the deal. We did a few more and she saw how each hexagram is so different, and its not like a horoscope where you can take anything and mold it to fit your situation. It truly is an oracle. I have never been one to believe in such things, but in the last week that I have been reading and using the I Ching, my life has changed. And I know that is weird, but it makes you view the world differently.
I have been reading a lot about Taoism as well, and I feel like that is for me. I was telling Jenn about this today as well. I have been raised in a Christian house hold. I have gone to Christian schools. I always have and always will consider myself to be a strong Christian. I believe in Jesus and the Bible, but it has never really altered me in any ways. Jenn’s dad is both a Christian and a Buddhist and I feel like I am like him. Christian, but I need something else to explain the world. And that is how Taoism is. It is seriously life altering.
Jenn made me read The Alchemist tonight (Emma lent it to me). I read it cover to cover without moving. It was amazing. It dealt with the idea of connecting to nature and the world around you, so it was right on track with where my mind has been lately. After I read it I was reading more about Taoism when I decided to go back to the I Ching. I was wondering is Taoism was a good fit for me, and I got the 23rd hexagram, Stripping. “This is a time to strip away what is unusable, habits and ideas that have grown old and outmoded. Remove and uncover things. This is an end of a cycle and the preparation for the new. Done deal. I am sold. Tomorrow Jenn and I are going to Chamblins and I will be loading up on books. I am going to get her the I Ching for her birthday. I hope she doesn’t read this.
I don’t know who reads this, but you NEED to read and use the I Ching. It will change your life.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Day 79 - Chamblins, Town Center, Kickbacks
This morning I got a hair cut. The End.
Then after being incapacitated by the worst back pain known to man for a few hours, I went to Chamblins. I love going there. I sat in the art history section for almost two hours, reading the I Ching. Perfection.
I met up with my mom, Liam, Granny and Marsha at the town center and we went to dinner at Mitchells. I went back to Urban and I may or may not have bought even more clothing. Hint: I did.
I went to Kickbacks tonight with Emma, Corbett and John. I have hung out with John only a few times but tonight I finally felt like he was opening up a bit, and I am glad that he was. Emma was always saying hes a really funny guy... but I just didn't see it.
We hung out there for a few hours then I came home and kept reading.
Then after being incapacitated by the worst back pain known to man for a few hours, I went to Chamblins. I love going there. I sat in the art history section for almost two hours, reading the I Ching. Perfection.
I met up with my mom, Liam, Granny and Marsha at the town center and we went to dinner at Mitchells. I went back to Urban and I may or may not have bought even more clothing. Hint: I did.
I went to Kickbacks tonight with Emma, Corbett and John. I have hung out with John only a few times but tonight I finally felt like he was opening up a bit, and I am glad that he was. Emma was always saying hes a really funny guy... but I just didn't see it.
We hung out there for a few hours then I came home and kept reading.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Day 78 - Kennedy Space Center
Today my mom and Liam and I took a day trip to go to Kennedy Space Center. That was exciting, actually. I dont think I have been there since elementary school. There was a rocket garden, with all of these ginormous rockets that were blasted into space, and we got to meet some astronauts and go on a flight simulation ride. Overall it was a very good day.
I watched Knowing tonight and it was amazing. Kind of. Okay not really. Some bits were really good but the ending was the dumbest thing ever.
I watched Knowing tonight and it was amazing. Kind of. Okay not really. Some bits were really good but the ending was the dumbest thing ever.
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