ramblings from the road -- day 4

Today marked the first of five days of high school visits. Both stops that I made today were terrific! We are starting to make some great connections in Western New York, and I look forward to continuing to build relationships with some really fine schools.

(Okay, that might have been a bit too serious for the typical banter that this blog employs, but it's totally true.)

In just a few minutes I will be driving to Rochester for the Chapel Choir concert. It is the last stop on their spring break tour, so it should be a great performance -- definitely looking forward to it. Tomorrow I head home for the weekend after a couple more high school visits. Should be a relaxing weekend -- I'll be glad to catch up with my family!

Not really any funny stories today, just a solid day on the road. More tomorrow!

ramblings from the road -- day 3

Today's edition is so high-tech! If you're reading this in Facebook, click on "view original post" to listen!

ramblings from the road -- day 2

I am basically spending the day at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center in downtown Buffalo. We had a session there this morning that lasted from 9 until 1, and then I will be headed back there tonight for the evening session.

A couple observations from this morning's session:

1. 1st student to visit my table: 25 minutes after the program began

2. Saw some gals whose high school I will be visiting later this week, so I got to plug my visit

3. A woman came up to my table and said that her daughter (or grand-daughter?) lives in New Jersey and that she was picking up information for her. She must have taken 3 of everything on my table.

Before I left for the road, I made the connection that the band "Low Stars" wrote the tune "Calling All Friends", which is the title song of the ABC show "What About Brian." It's a terrific song, and I was fortunate to be able to pick up the CD at Starbucks, who has the group under their HEARMUSIC: The Sound of Starbucks record label. Always excited for new music.

That's all for now! Be blessed -- back tomorrow with more good stuff from the road.

ramblings from the road -- day 1

I've shared with many of you that I set out on the road today for the great states of New York and Connecticut. I'll be participating in many college fairs and visiting some high schools while I'm out here as well. In addition to snippets of my regular itinerary, I'll be posting thoughts and observations.

This morning I left Holland and drove to Buffalo, New York. The drive takes one through Canada, and I made fairly decent time at 7 hours. NOTE: This can be a long time in the car when you are alone. Thankfully, I had a new mix CD and my XM satellite radio to keep me company! New music is always tremendous.

Rolled in to the hotel around 4 and attempted to get caught up on the emails. This is maybe my favorite part of any travel day. I get to see what's happening both personally and in the office -- I enjoy staying connected! What was the life on the road like pre-email, I wonder?

There is one thing that I am always a bit concerned about when I do the cross Michigan-Canada-New York drive. The border crossings. Now, having attended Hope, I have done this drive back and forth literally 50 times, and I can safely say that you just never can know what to expect. Sometimes there is a line of cars an hour long. Sometimes the official gives you the third degree. Sometimes they look at you and send you on your way. Well, today I must have seemed suspicious, because the customs official and I had a nice a little conversation. It all stemmed from the fact that I had my golf clubs in the back seat.

To be honest, I had no idea what the weather was going to be like when I got to New York. I hadn't really checked it online or anything, but I was certain that should I have the opportunity to play golf, I wanted to be prepared. (It was 60 degrees in Holland last week, come on.) As I get closer to the Canada-US border at Buffalo, all I can see is 3 or 4 inches of snow on the ground. Needless to say, the customs official was a bit interested in the golf clubs in the back seat. "Not exactly golf weather," he says to me. "I guess it was just wishful thinking," I reply. He let me through without any trouble, but it was a bit nerve-wracking nonetheless.

Always an interesting trek to the great state of New York. Tomorrow I head out to the city for a national college fair. Thankfully, George Mason won't steal our thunder again like last year. More tomorrow.

new music... again

It's hard not to be inspired when you listen to good music. A friend shared this album with me, and although it is a departure from the style to which I most often listen, I dig it. I liken him to the quiet sound of Joshua Kadison (remember that guy?) mixed with just a little bit more soul.


'cause you gave everything that you could give
and this is the only life that I can live
and I am grateful
but I've grown weary of this fight
so no regrets, it's better left unreconciled

I love new music

Anyone that knows me knows that I love new music. Sometimes iTunes and its music store can cause a little bit of trouble, though. Thankfully I do have some semblance of self-control, but since iTunes had to go and re-release all of John Mayer's As/Is series, I think we now might have a problem.

Awesome site

Check out Finetune, a free music site with tons of great artists...

we were snowed in... it's cool

The western coast of Michigan got a tremendous amount of lake effect snow this weekend, about ten inches or so. We were pretty much snowed in on Saturday night, so our house rented "The Illusionist." It was great.

I wasn't sure what to think actually -- I was so confused between it and "The Prestige." The movie pleasantly surprised me. It was subtle, simple, and sweet.

If you ever have a lazy Friday evening, be sure to pick this up.

contemplative Christmas

It never fails. I go searching for an ornament (hidden in boxes in my old bedroom) on Christmas Eve amidst corrugated containers of my own personal belongings, and end up coming across pictures and notes from high school and college days gone by. (I feel no remorse for this run-on sentence.)

I was driving by my old high school today and realized that next year it will be six years since I've graduated. It certainly feels like forever. I recall memories of the choir room (senior high room 302), "Singing Saints" practice Monday afternoons on the stage, musicals every spring and summer, hanging out with the 'friends' on New Year's and other times, and so many other thoughts stir the deepest reaches of my heart and mind.

I found a note from an old friend with whom I have not spoken in several years. They had wished me tremendous success and joy in my future, and I wonder: what have I done in these years to fulfill their prayer for my life?

I suppose my hope is this: that although I am blessed with people around me with which I am happy to create new memories, that I may also be able to recall those moments and people that have defined me.

Merry Christmas to all of those who have played a part in the story of my life thus far. I've loved these days.

When I'm worried and I can't sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And then I fall asleep counting my blessings

just tremendous

A combination of most everything I find wonderful in the world...

tis the season!

lost in translation

The television show, "Lost", is currently on hiatus. Six of the season's twenty-two episodes were aired this fall (mostly while I was on the road -- don't worry, I still saw them), and now it is a waiting game until the first week in February, when ABC will show sixteen episodes in a row with no repeats. The question is not why do I like the show, but rather: why am I, like so many others, missing it?

I believe the answer is that, in a world which faces so many challenges, we long to engage in a suspension of our disbelief. I believe we grow if we are forced to grapple with situations and circumstances outside our own.

Some would argue about the value of television, and with good reason. It is, after all, spoon-feeding us every bit of information it has to offer. However, if we choose to engage beyond the program in further thought and discussion, how can we do anything but grow in the process. That is the answer: to grow, we must engage in fruitful thought and discussion with those around us.

Programs like "Lost" insure that an inherent value remains in a medium that easily transformed the way humans share and receive information.

what inspires you?

I believe there are moments in our lives when God gives us the opportunity to be inspired. This is something that makes us most human. It is as if our souls are hungry for this kind of thing. When we are inspired, we are motivated and given the strength and power to do great things.

PBS is in the middle of their annual holiday pledge drive. I love these times of year. Not because I end up giving any money to public broadcasting (maybe I should), but because they show the greatest specials, from Yanni concerts to retrospectives on Victor Borge. This season PBS is broadcasting a concert in tribute to James Taylor. It is running under the "Great Performances" label, and it is terrific.

For whatever reason, this has truly inspired me in my music and songwriting. I think I am afraid to write music because I am afraid it will not be what I want it to be. That it will be unoriginal and not exciting to anyone. This special has, for whatever reason, inspired me to change my thoughts and take some chances with my music.

Jesus, take the wheel.

EDIT: One more thought. It's about leaving a legacy. At some point in our lives (from what I can tell in my brief years of existence), we have the opportunity to choose our adventure. Inspiration allows us to make the right choice, no matter where we are in life.

a mistake?

Quite honestly, I was out of the loop when The Walt Disney Company decided that this was a good idea. I was 12 years old and Al Gore hadn't invented the internet yet. The company was, of course, celebrating the 25th anniversary of The Walt Disney World Resort (and the Magic Kingdom in particular). However, they turned a veritable icon into somewhat of a monstrosity.

Those that know me are aware that I am a huge fan of the Disney parks in general. I am unable to figure out exactly why that is. During my senior year at Hope, I did some extensive thinking about this, and the result was my worldview paper. My worldview since then has changed, but the words remain very true to my life experience and love for Walt Disney World:

The year was 1989, I was five years old, and it was my second trip to the World (I was just six months old the first time my family visited, so I only have vague recollections of what the place was all about during that trip). I honestly do not remember all that much about the trip. I do remember, however, the plane ride down with a connection in Baltimore, Maryland, the rental minivan (all we had ever ridden in was a 1980s Chevrolet Caprice station wagon replete with wood paneling on the sides), the Days Inn motel where we stayed, and of course, lingering memories of the parks themselves. This was an important time for my family, and would actually be the last vacation that we ever had while I was living with my parents.

I remember being in awe at everything there was to see and do at the resort. There were scary and not-so-scary rides, the magnificent geodesic sphere at EPCOT Center called “Spaceship Earth”, and all kinds of Disney characters to meet and greet. There was also the impressive monorail system that took us from park to park during our stay, and the ferry that brought us from the parking lot across the man-made Bay Lake to the Magic Kingdom. I will never be more impressed than by the effort that is made at Disney World to completely transport the guest from the everyday to a place where the everyday ceases to exist. I loved that vacation to Walt Disney World; my memories are lasting and their impressions remain strong upon me to this very day.

Does it matter what impacts us as long as we are changed for the better? No mistake here.

just terrific

so what

I occasionally use this blog as a forum for terrific videos by my favorite bands, and this post is no exception. You have to check out Rockapella, a throw back to the old "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" game show of PBS lore. This is one of their newest songs, "Tonight."

awake

The reality is: I dig this guy's music. His new CD, "Awake", comes out tomorrow, and I will definitely be picking it up on iTunes (wow that sentence was comma-crazy).

As if I needed more incentive to listen to Josh's music; a track ("Lullaby") from this album was co-written was another of my favorites, Dave Matthews.

You can actually listen to the entire CD here. If you like it, be sure to pick it up tomorrow, November 7.

hilarious

This was a great show.

As I reflect on the many concerts I have attended as a fan of the Dave Matthews Band (and the one that I will be attending this coming Friday), I can't help but remember one terrific show that I attended with my brother Pete back in 2003.

Dave Matthews had embarked a short tour to promote his solo album, Some Devil. Of course "Dave Matthews and Friends" (including Tim Reynolds, Trey Anastasio, and others) would be playing at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York when I came home for Christmas break. It happened to be Pete's birthday, so we headed out there and enjoyed a nearly three hour set. Not included on the attached set was the Dave and Tim set which opened the show. We had a great time!

T minus

In about one week I head out on the road for about 8 weeks of significant travel. Don't get me wrong -- there will be breaks in there! I do, after all, come back to the office most Fridays for Visitation Days or to play catch-up. But I will be on the road most weeks Monday through Thursday. I think many people wonder what exactly I do when I am out there. For those who might be interested, here is a quick rundown:

High School Visits

The bulk of what I do each week is visit high schools during the school day. I meet with students who are interested in Hope, and share with them very concrete examples of why Hope might be the best-fitting school for them. This is something I discern as much as they do. I believe a student doesn't always know that Hope could be the right thing for them right away. It is my job to guide those students for whom it is apparent to me Hope is a good match. The part of my job: the word YES. You all know the worst part!

College Fairs

Many evenings on the road are spent sharing about Hope in the context of a college fair program. Most striking difference between this and the high school visit: parents are usually involved. This is a win-win for the college rep because parents often have a life experience that allows them to see things in a particular school that their student may not. Plus, I get to connect with many students as well.

Other than that, the bulk of my time is spent on the phone, building rapport with prospects and helping them to make an informed decision about where to attend college. It is a responsibility I do not take lightly, and I am thankful for the responsibility I have been given in this regard.

Travel is great! When else in your life will you get to eat at the same Applebee's four nights in a row (by yourself), have the Golf Channel on for 3 or 4 hours (just because it's there), and enjoy egg patties on a biscuit most every morning (Eggs, by the way, are never found in patty form in the wild). I love to be on the road because right now, I can.

One more thing...

Tuesday is an important day for 2 reasons:

"The Office" Season 2 comes out on DVD. If you have ever flipped past this while watching NBC, think twice the next time. This show may very well save NBC on Thursday nights, if it hasn't already.






Apple will hold a special media event to unveil what is expected to be a feature film download store. Watch out Netflix. Other rumors include a computer to TV video streaming device and the long-awaited sixth generation iPod. I will certainly update this site when the news breaks!

Every time...

Every time I think I am done with Blogger, something happens. I get some idea, some thought, some poetic rambling that I feel will ultimately mean something to someone somewhere. To add to this, Blogger comes back and integrates itself with my Google account, where it seems everything else in my life is housed as well. Then they add some really great editing functions for the blog's template and design. These were the features I was most interested in when I feebly attempted to transition to Xanga. Well, this change and the fact that I was mildly concerned about being perceived as a high school student on that other blogging site have led me to come back here with true excitement.

I head back out on the road in just a week or so, and I will be sure to bring you updates as I do. Bon weekend!

rain down on me

I am sitting in church this morning and within five minutes of the end of the service, the rain begins to fall. Before I left my house, they were predicting some significant rain, so the tempest came as no surprise. However, the rain seemed so poignant as we reflected on the sixth commandment, retitled "a beautiful life." It has been a scorching week in Holland, and in most of the country, and it seems that God always knows when to refresh the earth with life-giving rain. My attitude is renewed through the falling of the rain as I look ahead to what could be a life-changing month. My trust is in God and the life that he has blessed me with. A few drops of rain can mean so much...

A golden oldie

and they're off

and the random award goes to... me.

Last night some friends and I headed out Great Lakes Downs, a thoroughbred racetrack in Muskegon, Michigan. What for, you ask? To participate in wagers of sorts, to be sure, but also to enjoy the beautiful evening. And it was. I went in with a friend on each wager, and we both came out about $10 ahead at the end of the night. So much fun!

happy mother's day

Confession. This morning's service at RidgePoint has had me thinking about women. (I know what you are saying: Andrew, like you really needed a church service to inspire that thought pattern.)

To be quite honest I was most struck by the following verse, direct from the end of Proverbs 31:

"Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."

Take the first half of the verse. The writer (King Solomon, thoughts inspired by him mom, Bathsheba -- check out 2 Samuel for more on this craziness) makes reference to the modern perception of women without even knowing it. Charm and beauty. Are these not the things on which American society (generally speaking) places great emphasis? The writer contends that they are both deceptive and fleeting, and yet our modern media would suggest that they are truthful and steadfast.

Will we ever get this right?

one more thing!

Enjoy this video of "JTR" from Jazzfest 2006!

and so it begins!

The band played this weekend at the New Orleans Jazz Festival. The picture above shows "The Edge" from U2 sitting in on "Smooth Rider." If that weren't enough, the band comes out for the encore and plays what? JTR. That's right, for the first time in 5 years, they bust out a song that was for sure thought to be extinct. It makes you wonder what else could come out this summer!

almost spring!

What a terrific Saturday! I was invited to go out and play golf with some friends from work, and although a bit chilly and windy, we had an awesome time! I came out firing, and was really pleased with the kind of contact I was making from the get-go. We headed out Lynx golf course in Allegan and played 18, and you might think it is an easy-going kind of game, but if you haven't played a great deal, anything past 9 holes has you feeling pretty tired. Golf is a sport that is much academic as it is athletic. So you start to feel pretty tired in both ways after the first 9.

It can all be quite frustrating as a novice, but you find that one terrific shot in the whole round can make it all worth it. I am looking forward to a terrific summer of playing this wonderful sport, and the great camaraderie to be had among friends. Have a great week!

new york, new york

It has been a great week so far as I participate in a swing of college fairs throughout western New York. I spent Monday and Tuesday in Buffalo and then headed over to Rochester for some fair sessions at the Riverside Convention Center. Definitely some of the more social fairs I have attended -- last night I went out to local haunt the "Dinosaur BBQ" with several reps from other schools. Always cool to meet nice people in your same profession, although I am certainly not the representative to do that sort of thing at every fair I attend.

Tomorrow I have a session of the Rochester fair in the afternoon, and in the free moments I will no doubt be enjoying the third round of the TPC at Sawgrass (it should be golf's 5th major). Hopefully Tiger can get it together in rounds 3 and 4 -- he often does, as we have seen already this season. Too bad as well about Duke and Gonzaga -- SportsCenter this morning had an amazing statistic: in no year have all four #1 seeds made it to the Final Four. I guess when you think about it, that does make a lot of sense. The odds are not particularly in that outcome's favor.

Missing Michigan, but always thankful to come back and see family and friends -- to remember my roots, so to speak. Have a great weekend!

road trip take II

I probably should call it "air trip part I", but I kind of like the idea of having a part II of something. Feels like something has been accomplished. That's right, you guessed it, I am headed to the NCAA Division III Women's Championship in Springfield, Massachusetts. Pretty much the ultimate in Flying Dutch fandom if I do say so myself. My buddy from Admissions, Adam, and I will fly from Chicago to Hartford, Connecticut (pretty much home to my sister Kelley) and then drive to Springfield. Friday night is the semifinal with Hope playing at 6 PM and then depending on the outcome, they will play again at some point on Saturday. It will be a nice little vacation -- and I get to see my sister which is a total plus! Hope all is well with those who read this (and those who don't). Peace.

bon weekend

This was a terrific weekend! A couple of my buddies and I headed down to Springfield, Ohio to watch the Flying Dutchmen in the Sweet 16. Unfortunately, we lost, but it did give us the opportunity the next day to head over to Greencastle, Indiana. Yeah, we saw smalltown America for sure. Oh, in Greencastle we saw the Flying Dutch take on the tigers of DePauw in an Elite 8 matchup. They won quite handily in the end and now advance to the Final Four in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Already in the works is a Hope College Admissions trip to the Bay State to watch the Lady Dutch of Hope College take on the something-somethings of Scranton, PA (Dunder-Mifflin Paper Company regional office located here?). Our commitment to being number one fans for Hope basketball should be apparent at this point. So I head back to the office tomorrow looking forward to a Final weekend of basketball spectatorship for this year.

To think, it all started with a brand new fieldhouse back in November. Thirty-two conference home games later, the Dutch and Dutchmen were undefeated in that place. What a blessing for an already terrific college! For me, it has meant connecting with a side of Hope College once somewhat foreign to me. My experience is now the well-rounded one I sought beginning in late August 2001. I am truly thankful for what God has blessed me with in these last five years. Have a great week.

the year 2006

It is the new year and as I consider the prospect (usage of this word is ironic for obvious reasons) of returning tomorrow to life at the Admissions office, I reflect on what the last year has brought in my life. If you will allow me, I will take just a few moments to reflect on the year that was 2005...

January brought the beginning of my student teaching, first at the elementary level (those kids were the greatest) and I then moved on to the junior and senior high levels (also super kids at these levels as well). Highlights of my student teaching experience included preparing my high school Chorale and Chambersingers for an important concert with the Grand Rapids Symphony and attending Jenison's production of "Seussical" in which many of my students performed.

The spring season saw my return to the single life. At the time, it was pretty devastating, but quickly I realized that it was very much for the best. At this point, I really realized that there is contentment in singlehood.

May brought my graduation from college and a tour to France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. It was a real treat--an awesome trip to cap off my college years. From there, I would return to Holland and begin my search for a teaching job. I found myself at the Orlando Convention Center in Florida, where I would have interviews, visit schools, and eventually be offered a position which I did not take. Incredible that I went all that way really for nothing, but it was as if I needed to go down there to find out if it was the place for me.

A position as Admissions counselor at Hope became available and I pounced on it. At that point, I had had no other options come up in the Holland area, and I needed a job that would provide me with good experience and a positive financial situation. This was it! I spent the months of September, October, and November traveling across Michigan and New York recruiting students at high schools and college fairs. Since then I have been working on recruitment programming, attending Hope basketball games, and enjoying a restful winter break.

I am excited to know what the next twelve months will hold for me and what thoughts I will have at the conclusion of this year. For now, I will enjoy every minute of every day and hope that my every action glorifies my God. I am thankful for a loving family, caring friends, the ability to establish myself as a professional in the working world, and the hope that reminds me that someone is waiting who I will someday be able to share my life with. I won't lie--I am excited for the person God has waiting for me, and I pray that he will prepare me for her to enter in my life.

To borrow the lines from one of my favorite songs:

Someone is waiting...


Would I know her even if I met her?
Wait for me,
I'm ready now,
I'll find you if I can!
Did I know her? Have I waited too long?
Maybe so, but maybe so has she.
Wait for me--I'll hurry!
Wait for me--I'll hurry!


Wait for me.

Scholars Day

Yesterday we invited the best and the brightest of our applicants and inquiries to campus for our annual Scholar's Day. It was great to have about 82 families on campus. They attended academic sessions, took tours, and enjoyed some great meals. I really thought it was an excellent day and I am just reminded every day about how much I enjoy working with students and their families. You know, I don't think anyone really goes to college with the exact intention of becoming an admissions counselor, but no one should doubt the tremendous impact that a person in this position can have. It is a worthwhile and exciting profession, a job to which I look forward every single day.

a real treat...

I had a real treat this week in attending the Dave Matthews Band concert at Assembly Hall at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois. The band was as good as I have ever seen them, and by the end of the show it was running so long that "Louisiana Bayou" was actually cut. The crowd was certainly not the loudest or craziest I have ever seen (at least in my section), but it was a great show nonetheless! This band just seems to keep on going in their tours year after year! I'll look forward to maybe taking a road trip to see several shows next summer!

Big night for Hope!

Last night was huge for Hope College as the brand new DeVos Fieldhouse opened for regular season play. Both the men's and women's teams played in the same place on campus for the first time in many, many years. I was able to be there, and what a treat it was! I really think this is great for Hope and probably will inspire a number of new athletic recruits in the next couple of years, not to mention the positive effect that it has as part of our campus in general. It really feels like home, and it was so great to be there. Both teams look excellent, and I look forward to attending many of the games! Sweet!

Michigan's little Bavaria (click me)

In the last nine weeks of traveling around the great states of Michigan and New York, there have been many wonderful moments happenings where I have chuckled to myself primarily because no one else was there to laugh with me. There was the angry counselor at that yuppy private school, the numerous counselors who asked me "are you a student?", the many individuals at various retail stores who were convinced that since I was wearing a tie I must be employed at that location. I am not sure one of these events can hold a candle to that which I experienced yesterday.

I had heard of the great village of Frankenmuth; after all, there are about 27 billboards advertising it as one travels across Michigan via the major highways. However, I never had made the trip up there to visit although it seems I was quite close in proximity every time I drove through Flint. That all changed yesterday when I was due to make a visit to Frankenmuth High School. It was every intention of mine to sample the "local flavor" of this well-noted city of Michigan, so I made every attempt to do so. As I was driving down the main stretch of the town, I just had to stop at the following location:

That's right. The Bavarian Inn. Owned by a wonderful local family called the Zehnder's. Let me tell you, these people own the entire town of Frankenmuth. Everywhere you look you can see their name on buildings and whatnot. I had a wonderful German chicken dinner (replete with stuffing and mashed potatoes). It was a real treat. With the meal was a generous allotment of breads including the traditional holiday Stollen bread. Talk about a real treat.

What a wonderful way to kick off the last week of this travel season.

Talk about thought-provoking

I would expect that many of you read this blog purely for the gentle, witty banter inspired by the ongoings of my life. In fact, I don't blame you one bit for your motivation, because there is nothing that makes me happier than this banter that you have grown so accustomed to during this past year. Today's post is a horse of a completely different color as I share with you a significant moment from the past day or so. That being said, I would ask that you read the following narrative with a great deal of respect and care.

Scientists and sleep doctors say that we dream all the time we are sleeping. There are hardly any times that I an actually remember the happenings of my dreams, and to tell you the truth, most of the time they are so weird that I don't care to remember them anyway. Most people say that dreams are a manifestation of unresolved emotion, our brain's way of dealing with all of those things that have happened to us in the previous day or so.

Last night I had what was possibly the most vivid dream in my recent memory. With your permission, I will not share it with you in the greatest of detail. Also, please keep in mind that some of the connections may not make sense to you. Heck, they don't make any sense to me, either!

What I remember at this point was being in what I felt to be a bank and meeting this girl, probably just around my age. I was immediately struck at how beautiful she was, with blond hair about chin-length and straight. She was probably my height (for those that care, that is important to me as well:) and was wearing a sweater with jeans. We were in Holland, I think, and it was the wintertime. We were watching TV in her (or my) apartment for some part of the dream, and then we were at the Brewery enjoying each other's conversation. For some part of the dream, I didn't know her name and I am not really sure it matters anyway, but at some point, I learned that her name was Courtenay. Interesting name, and not one that I am usually attracted to, but it was just a dream, anyway.

I remember thinking the whole time that I wanted it all to be true. The element of it being a dream must have been part of my conscious at the time. What mattered most about the whole thing is that it felt like the most perfect, trusting love that anyone could ever hope for, the kind of love that we are searching for in this life.

Let me make something very clear about this dream, something very significant. Other than the fact that I was physically attracted to this person, there was nothing physical about the dream itself. It was nothing like that. There was a feeling of purity and innocence that surrounded the whole thing. Maybe that is what made it feel so right.

I wanted it to be true. I wanted to wake up and have the whole thing be a true story. I wanted that person to exist, but when I woke up, she wasn't there and I couldn't even think why the dream had happened to me. I do remember one time, though, when I was in high school when I had a dream that was very similar. The context was different of course, but the feeling remained the same. I believe that one can be content in their singleness and still desire that relationship to come along.

I look around me and see high school and college sweethearts that are or are getting married, some that are still only dating, and some that have even broken up. The reality for me is that my time of having a high school or college sweetheart has probably passed. There were those relationships that were so important in my development into the person I am today, but the fact remains that I have moved on.

All of this leads me to believe that she has not come into my life. The amazing part of it all is that she is out there somewhere, leading her life and hopefully waiting patiently for me as well. Is she around my age? Does she have a similar or completely different career? Is she dating someone right now? Where is she? When will we meet, or have we met already? These are the questions I consider as I wait patiently (or not) for this person to enter my life.

I will not soon forget that feeling that burned so deep within me in that dream. The feeling that everything was right, not perfect, but right. I think God gave me a glimpse of coming attractions in the hope that I will stay focused on the day-to-day and following him.

I hope that's what the real deal is like, that it feels that exact same way. I think it does and I think it will.

This might be my fiftieth post

I'm not sure, but it might. Anyway, I need some advice.

I am being recommended for a position as an admissions rep with Hope. It does not mean that I have gotten the position or anything like that, just that there are people speaking to other appropriate people on my behalf. I am an education major, so does my taking a position like this make any kind of sense? Your thoughts and comments on this post are sincerely appreciated. If possible, please take a moment to e-mail me at andrew.meyers@gmail.com.

Thank you!

Saturday in the park

No I am not in the park. I actually just thought of the song as I was attempting to think of a clever title for today's post. Isn't the rest of the line "waiting for the 4th of July" or something like that? Anyone who can either confirm or deny the validity of that is more than welcome to do so. I am just way too lazy to even consider Googling it or anything like that.

It has been a more than eventful Saturday to say the least. I went down to the local coffee shop (newly remodeled, I might add) to enjoy a cup of joe and continue reading the first installment of the Harry Potter series. I have indeed jumped on the proverbial bandwagon when it comes to that particular collection of novels and I have no intention of falling off until I find out who the half-blood prince is. (Please don't tell me if you have already found out.)

I called my mother for a good little while and also talked to my little brother Ben. He is very cool and told me about all of his past week's summertime exploits. Then it was off to a very low class book fair (Scholastic would never approve) where I picked up a full copy of Handel's Messiah and the music to the musical The Secret Garden.

My thoughts for today have centered around the topic of redemption. It's a pretty heavy duty thing to be considering, but it has just struck me in this last little while. In everything there is an element of redemption, and it brings me back to the lyrics of the SCC song "All Things New."

You make all things new / You redeem and You transform / You renew and You restore

In all things, no matter how tiring and terrible, unjust and unfair (let's be honest, this world is chock full of these kind of things), God is there to redeem, if we choose to allow him to do so. Isn't that the most precious and comforting thought that we could ever have on our hearts, that God is a god of love and of mercy? I simply cannot imagine depending on anything else.

I'm not going to apologize

It has been a lengthy amount of time since I have last posted to this little weblog that has come to be known as "scenes from an italian restaurant", and if there is someone out there who will respond to this post with two reasons why that title is appropriate, then they will win the prize of feeling good about themselves for a good little while. (HINT: If you can't figure it out, then go ahead and read on in this post and you will probably figure out a way to answer my little riddle.)

One of the reasons why I haven't posted is that I have taken up a new glorious and exciting hobby which I will now take a few moments to share about. Golf. Now, I know what you all must be thinking, that's really great that you've taken up such a hip sport, Andrew, why don't you start drinking Metamucil and watching reruns of the People's Court as well? Well before you go off into some kind of rant about golf is an old person's sport, you should probably ask yourself: did I watch the young Tiger Woods win the British Open this past weekend? If the answer is anything but yes, then you should ask yourself another question: how is that I came to be so incredibly uninformed?

With that little rant out of the way, I would like to take some time to talk about my golf game. I purchased some kind of off-brand clubset from eBay and have since played 9 holes twice with the new equipment. I love the distance I can get off the tee with a good drive and my new enormous driver. I have been fairly successful in getting to the green in regulation, but my downfall has to be my ability to read putts and score well from a short distance. Hopefully, I can get out some more and practice around the putting green and whatnot.

Now for a little hinty about my aformentioned riddle (in the form of an abstract poem):

i work in a restaurant
and i like the piano man as well

That should help you out.

Bye bye.

Sometimes the answer is so simple...

We'll make a wish and do as dreamers do...



There are pieces of music in this world that can move you, change you so deeply that after listening to them you are never the same.

For me, it has always been music that highlights those qualities that make us human. It is music that is timeless. Music that stays with you from the minute you hear it and for the rest of your life.

Sometimes a song will come on the radio, and if it is a tune that is closely linked with a period of my life, I can't help but go back to that time and relive it in some way.

That, my friends, is what makes music so powerful. Its strong link to our memory helps us retain the important happenings in our lives, even after we feel as if we have long forgotten them.

I love music because it helps to grow by reminding us of where we came from. It reminds of lost loves, chances we never took, and the unforgettable promise of tomorrow.

There may be no greater reflection of our humanness than the music, the art that we create.



and all our wishes will come true.

Tough decisions are not easy

I know what you are thinking. Thank you, Captain Obvious. I don't remember missing that many classes in college. Occasionally I was ill or had some other kind of legitimate excuse for not being able to be there. There must have been one day centered around making adult decisions that I wasn't able to attend. Too bad, I could have used that information today.

Come with me now to last week Thursday when a school in Florida called to say that they were offering me a position. I had previously lost all interest in pursuing the position, but since I had just been turned down for another, I began to give it some serious thought. When push came to shove and after some questions asked of their principal, I realized that no amount of year-round golf or theme park-hopping could ever compensate for what wasn't a really great fit for me. I had to turn down the job. It was the right decision for me to make.

I am twenty-one years of age. I just graduated from college and I just feel like I have no business being picky. A job is offered to me and I turn it down. Is this okay? I am certain that something will come along, perhaps even in this area, but a position was within reach and I had no choice but to say no. It just wasn't a good fit for me, at least not good enough that I could hike myself all the way down to Florida for it.

At some point, we have to get this right. "They", whoever "they" are, need to realize that you only get out of something what you put in. You want effective teachers, teachers who want to teach in your district and are going to be around for a long time, then give them the tools they need to be successful. I don't claim to know the first thing about economics, but I do know things aren't great now. Even so, education reform has to start somewhere, and for my money, I believe it has to start with proper allocation of resources. Get your priorities straight, and things will start to turn around for you. I am all for athletics in the schools, but if you make that your priority, academics are going to be the first things to suffer. If you don't have the money to contribute to a program, you don't have any business keeping the program running. The kids are the ones that suffer. I'll find another job, but somewhere, some kids are losing out because they aren't on a level playing field with other students in this country. They lose and nobody wins.

I want to change our world for the better and I am patiently waiting for the chance to start.

My search has only just begun. I am ready to fly...

The world can be tough

Anytime now, big guy. Last week at this time I was in Orlando--thinking and dreaming that that was the place where God intends for me to live. The reality is (after two interviews, one good school, one not-so-good school, and no real options) that Florida may in fact not be the place for me right now. The signs are pointing in the wrong direction if I am supposed to be traveling there. So, what are you going to do now?

I was told that this blog can be funny at times. I have to say that a statement like that is incredibly flattering. When it comes out of my head, it is funny for sure, I don't think anyone can argue with that. But to also have affirmation from beyond the limits of my orb, well, that is just exactly what the doctor/psychiatrist ordered.

What will I do? Well, I have a job here that can keep me on my feet for a while and there is always substitute teaching until the right job comes along. The troubling thing is that other Florida school (the one I am not interested in) may be poised at this moment to offer me a position (one that I probably would not take). Isn't it ironic, don't you think?

And while it may be no ten thousand spoons on my wedding day (or however the song goes), I am still left wondering what to do next. I had sort of put my proverbial eggs in one basket for the time being and I wish I didn't feel so scrambled. But, there is no rest for the weary. Back I will go to good ol' Gordon and Margaret Van Wylen Library and hope that something will come up. That, and a little heavy duty prayer can't hurt, either.

I needed to go to Florida. I needed to see the state of things. I needed to let go of my financial apprehensions in the interest of what had been on my heart.

This child is ready to go where you send thee.

sorry about that

I haven't posted in a while. I know, it probably affected you in some adverse way. I can't save the world and you know that. But I am here, I am back, and if that doesn't make you happy, then what shall I say to you?

Last week I flew to Orlando. Florida. About a thousand miles a way from Michigan and with plenty of palm trees to feast your eyes on. I was attending a job fair entitled "The Great Florida Teach-In" and the Orange County Convention Center. It was one of the most interesting experiences of my adult life. I met many people, had several interviews, and even visited some schools after renting my very first automobile. What a time it was!

No Disney, thank you very much for asking. Well, actually, I take that back because I did manage to take a few minutes and go to Downtown Disney. I also took a picturesque drive past Epcot and saw Spaceship Earth which was looking lovely as always. That, my friends, is a wonder of modern architecture, to be sure.

Now I wait for schools to get back to me with their decisions so I can make some choices about where to live and such should I happen to procure employment. It is an exciting, but somewhat frightening time as I venture out on my own. I trust many of you are feeling the exact same way. Until again I blog--

Sometimes I wish I could be driving down this road tomorrow 

Whatta-melon! 

Sweetness!

Totally cool...check out an all-day Dave Matthews Band radio marathon at:

http://www.wbwc.com, click on "Listen Now"

Enjoy!

A day of fun

Yes, that's right. We took a little trip to that haven of amusement bliss we like to call Michigan's Adventure. Not a bad place to hang out for a couple hours on a cold and rainy June day. They have several fine roller coasters that were very enjoyable to ride, my favorite being the death-trap wooden job they refer to as "Shivering Timbers." I thought it was a little weird when I had to sign some kind of legal document before getting on the ride, but whatever...

Then on to the fine Studio 28 in Grand Rapids for an opening day showing of the epic "Batman Begins." Now please do not be confused, 28 refers to the street of its location, not the number of theatres in the building. The movie was fantastic and even a little bit scary at parts, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. You all should definitely go see it!

It is Thursday. One week and one day since my initial interview with Four Corners Charter School and I am patiently waiting to hear back about their decision. They said they would let me know by Monday the 20th--hopefully I won't have to wait quite that long to hear back. However, if waiting means that I would procure the position, then I will definitely continue to be patient. No matter what, I know that God's got a plan and I am just on a need-to-know basis. Apparently at this point I do not need to know. I'm okay with that.

Holland is beautiful today, sunny and warm, but not hot. Pistons/Spurs game 4 is tonight and we are looking to have a fine viewing of it over here at the apartment and any and all that are interested are welcome to attend. It will be a wonderful time!

Thanks to those that have made use of my e-mail address from my previous post. I look forward to hearing from many of you real soon! Peace--

I'm not worried...

because God has got this one. No amount of anxiety is ever going to have a calming effect, so I am done with it right now. I'm simply going to do the right things and hope that I happen to land a job in the next couple of weeks.

God is bigger than __________. (insert everything here, including my job anxiety--thanks Karen).

You make all things new.

Two days in a row! Job search update...

Here we go with what it sure to be an interesting and fun-filled post about my current experience as a college graduate.

First, what it means to be a college graduate. As a college graduate, I have spent my days at the college library (probably more time than I was ever there during my actual stint in college) looking for jobs and hoping that one of them would pan out for me. Teaching jobs are funny because each district has a different, but equally confusing application process. This has proved to be incredibly time-consuming with little reward. However, I did have an interview last week with a school in Davenport, Florida called Four Corners Charter School. It is a K-8 school that is in need of a middle school music teacher. The interview was over the phone and I felt like it went pretty well. They said they would be making their decision by June 20, and also asked if I would be willing to fly down and visit. I said that I would have no problem making the sacrifice to fly down to Florida on a whim!

This week has been a little lazy in terms of the job search, simply because I am waiting out the results of this interview that I had last week. I truly hope that it pans out because it is a great area and the mix of classes is exactly what I am looking for: weighted heavily in general music with a choir class as well. I would be able to focus on what I really love, which is getting kids excited and involved in learning music.

So we will see what happens...if you happen to read this and feel inclined to do so, please take a minute and just shoot out a prayer for this, because I really feel like it is the opportunity for me and I am just looking for some kind of security about what it is going on for me in the fall. I would also like to start searching for apartments with palm trees and whatnot! Did I mention this school's proximity to Disney World? Well, nevermind...

As always, feel free to comment and share your thoughts on all of this! I look forward to all of your thoughts. Peace...

this is a swan 

A flippin' peacock 

Nice shot of the castle in Disneyland Paris! 

Space Mountain: Mission 2...pretty cool! 

My Disney-ness has gone international...me at Disneyland Paris! 

I want to be a better blogger...

I suppose that the fundamental purpose of a weblog is to provide a place where people you see on a regular basis (or more importantly, those you don't) can read up on all the ongoings of your life. A blog is a place where you can control what chapters individuals read of your "open book."

However, if you do not ever take the time to write on your blog it just becomes another piece of .html floating around in cyberspace, or something incredibly dramatic like that. Well friends, I am back in the game, and since I have plenty of minutes to play, here we go...

I spent the weekend basically alone for my roommate is and was in Aruba windsurfing with his brother and father. That is one nice life. I did, however, acquire a little piece of television history we like to call the MacGyver Season 2 on DVD. It has provided me with mucho entertainment and fun. I got to hang out with Krouton (not her real name) on Saturday night, did a little sing-sing at the church on Sunday morning, and watched the Pistons game (or massacre) and ate Chinese food with a few friends last night.

As for today, today has been a day of not a whole lot. I am anxiously waiting to hear from a school in Florida that I interviewed with last week via telephone. I really want them to offer me the job I applied for. It's a middle school music position that centers heavily on general music, which is quite exciting to me, so please keep that in your prayers this week as the powers that be deliberate and whatnot.

This evening will be a fun time at the 84 East and then who-knows-what. Some kind of cavorting no doubt.

For those that are interested, here is some new contact information that you may take advantage of:

My new e-mail is: andrew.meyers@gmail.com.
My new cellular device's number is: available when you e-mail me at the above address.

Have a wonderful evening and feel free to comment...thanks for being a part of these last eight minutes of my life. Cheers...

It was pretty darn sweet...

Yesterday the boys visited Jenison Junior and Senior High Schools for some impromptu performances. No setlists, just a lot of fun and hopefully some learning to for the students of those institutions. We headed over to sing for the 7-8-9 Male Chorus (of about 140 students), did about a 25-minute set with a little schtick. Then, we headed back to the senior high to sing for the 9th grade women and the 7th grade women of that hour ended up coming over to hear us. Both classes had a blast, and it was just a cryin' shame we couldn't have had the boys stay for the 4th, 5th, and 6th hours as well! Thanks to the members of 12th Street Harmony for taking time out of their day to come out and sing in Jenison...it was a blast!

The boys visit Jenison Junior High 

Disney might be a fun place to work

Today is the first day of the rest of my life. I sent in a cover letter and résumé to the Walt Disney World Casting Center requesting that I be considered for a position with their "Magic Music Days" program. MMD brings performing groups (choirs, orchestras, bands) to WDW to perform for guests. Churchville (my alma mater) went their several times in the 90s. I want to work as a "talent coordinator" with the groups that come to perform for "the World." Please keep this in your prayers as I am really looking to hear back from them this week as I prepare to make some decisions. I am just hoping that my envelope gets in the right person's hands and they choose to respond in some way to me, and soon! I just feel that this has been on my heart for a long time and for good reason, so we will see what happens! Could be the most awesome thing that has ever happened to me...

Missing the magic... 

Reflections of genius... 

i feel like i can't control myself

So I took the "Super IQ Test" and...

"Andrew, your Super IQ score is 125

Your overall intelligence quotient is the result of a scientifically-tested formula based on how many questions you answered correctly. But it's only part of what we learned about you from your answers on the test. We also determined the way you process information.The way you think about things makes you a Complex Intellectual. This means you are highly intelligent and have extraordinarily strong verbal and math skills. Compared to others you are a highly conceptual and complex thinker and are able to understand information in an abstract form. You also show great attention to detail. In fact, it's hard to find something you're not good at."

It also said I should consider getting out more.

these darn Internet quizzes

According to the Personality Test at http://web.tickle.com,

"Andrew, you're a Poet!

You are complex and artistic with a rich inner life. Chances are you're a bit shy and quiet, and you enjoy peaceful, comfortable environments. You're an interesting person to know, full of insights and inspiration, even though you're sometimes hesitant to express them.You enjoy intense one-on-ones or small, intimate dinner parties. You don't always make friends easily and you relish the ones you have. You don't like to juggle too much at work and can get stressed out by major job upheavals.And that's just scratching the surface!"

Then, I got crazy and took the IQ test:

"Congratulations, Andrew! Your IQ score is 131...

This number is based on a scientific formula that compares how many questions you answered correctly on the Classic IQ Test relative to others. Your Intellectual Type is Precision Processor. This means you're exceptionally good at discovering quick solutions to problems, especially ones that involve math or logic. You're also resourceful and able to think on your feet. And that's just some of what we know about you from your test results."

What a time! And it isn't even Friday night!

sometimes you feel like a nut

Let's get serious. God had it right when he created Eve.

There Adam was, hanging out in the Garden of Eden, with little to do except name all of the animals (is that where the dinosaurs lived too?) and hang out. I expect he probably prayed a lot and thanked God for the numerous gifts he had been given. Life was good. But, Adam was probably mildly bored with not having anyone mortal to talk to. He didn't know it, but he needed a woman. This is perhaps the greatest human metaphor; that without women, men are just not the same. As always and not surprisingly, God had it right. Now, had it not been for that first woman and the forbidden fruit, Adam might still be in the garden. He'd be twelve thousand or so years old and he probably would be wishing he had some fig leaves, but worst of all, he would be alone.

Forgive that paragraph if you will, for my theology is probably not particularly sound. But I think, for the most part, I was pretty on target. So what was God saying when he snuck one of Adam's ribs while he was asleep? You can't live by your lonesome buddy, and I am going to help you out.

Adam probably treated Eve well while they were going out, or married, or whatever they were. But there were probably times when slipped up and snapped at her or something (remember that forbidden fruit thing? He was probably pissed off about that). But it sounds to me like Eve still loved him through all of that. What a sweet lady...

Men need to learn how to love the woman they love, and they can't do it without God. Steven Curtis Chapman probably has it right:

Well you know it's not the first time
And it will not be the last
When you find me here on my knees
Praying for the storm to pass
But what I am really needing
Is much more than just relief
I am crying out for wisdom
Only you can give to me'
Cause it's such a mystery
I'm a clueless man when it comes
To knowing how to love a woman

Loving a woman is a journey it would seem. Men are not born to do it perfectly.

Thank you for looking past my flaws even when it is most difficult to do so.

top ten reasons that Christmas break equals greater frequency in posts

Fresh from "The Late Show with David Letterman" and everyone's favorite, Napoleon Dynamite...

Top Ten Signs You're Not The Most Popular Guy In Your High School (presented by Napoleon Dynamite)

10. Your yearbook photo caption reads, "Unidentified Sophomore."
9. Your only friend is the one you built in shop class.
8. School song includes phrase about how much you suck.
7. Every time you talk to a girl, the conversation inevitably drifts to your frequent nosebleeds.
6. The stupid kid who gets his tater tots stolen every day? He steals your tater tots.
5. Everyone's jealous of your tetherball skills.
4. Not only did you take your mom to the prom, you had to pay her 20 bucks.
3. You can't dance like this.
2. "Lord of the Rings" figurines-50, friends-0.
1. How would I know? I'm like the coolest kid in school.

Probably not as funny in print as it was on the program--check it out: http://www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow/#

Have a great day!

home sweet home

And now, I will continue my trend of proper capitalization...

Good evening. It is Tuesday, December 21, 2004 (the first day of winter) and the weather in good ol' Rochester was a balmy thirty-seven degree Fahrenheit. After a wonderful homecoming weekend with family and friends, I find myself happy, but sad. On the one hand, we continue to inch our way closer to the wonderful Christmas day, but today it also meant that I had to say goodbye to the one I love. This is never easy, but I should also be thankful that in just one week, I will be able to join her in sunny Dubuque, Iowa.

On Friday, I had the pleasure of attending the so-called "dollar theatre" (it actually costs $1.50 for matinees and $2 on nights and weekends), where I viewed the film Napoleon Dynamite. It was very funny--one might even say zany--except I did not realize its hilarity until we got home and my brother started quoting it impeccably. Everyone must see this film. It will change their life.

Some things do change. My Wal*Mart. My beautiful Brockport Wal*Mart, where retail goodness and low prices abound, is not the mecca of holiday cheer that it once was. Nor is it the clean, inviting place to shop that the farm folk of Clarkson considered the destination of their annual vacation. Instead, it is now a slush-infested, cluttered, uninviting place that I probably will not attend in the near future. I consider this a real travesty, but I will surely move one with memories of what once was near and dear to my heart.

A special shout-out to a dear friend Miss Jeniffer Boone, who as of last evening, has become engaged to some guy whose last name I cannot spell. Congratulations, Booner! After five years of dating, I never would have expected this...

That is all for now I am afraid. Best wishes to you all during this holiday week and merry Christmas as well! My heart is with you, my travelling snow bunny! Be safe!

no title necessary

a throwback to an earlier may:

happy thanksgiving mariah carey all i want for christmas is you rugged man krispy kreme borders books and music i panera hy-vee exploits with the mom squanto massasoit forgot the lord's prayer who the hell is rutherford b. hayes ashley dan nicole alan morning macy's parade billy joel lp dinner time corn pudding homemade audio tapes the polar express or not the game keeping up with the jones' night time friday wal-mart hy-vee luncheon oreo fluff stop-light kisses target airplanes miguel switched coffees love best buy red-haired brian bye bye sarah happy joe's pizza the fugitive hinky hinky hinky the village inn pumpkin pie $5.00 coke float saturday grits and goodness iowa state on television montreat discussion the mall once more cookie slices diet coke kay the hunt for red october u.s. marshals culver's first presbyterian the big doors joys a and w curly mullet hugs and goodbye on the road again taco you future talk home.

stop-light kisses.

too long.

Preface: I will now attempt (in the hopes of lending credibility to this already credible blog) proper capitalization.

I have not posted to this wonderful piece of webspace in about three weeks. What follows is an unending sense of remorse, followed by the fervent hope that those who once cared about the ongoings of my life will again subscribe to what I intend to be a more frequently updated weblog.

My last post saw me at the beginning of my field placement. I now near the end of the placement not knowing where I really stand and wondering if I am truly ready for the real world. Part of me knows that I surely am, but the nature of these field placements is so very artificial, and knowing where one stands is not always clear. I remain optimistic, however, for it should become less artificial with each placement.

'Candide' opens on Friday--be there or be square! It should be an absolutely great time. We are in the midst of "teching" the show ('teching' is surely not a real verb). The process is often slow and tedious, but it allows us as actors to get our processes in line and truly understand how the show works. I am very excited for everyone that will see it this weekend! More than that, I hope the word gets out following the opening. I would not be surprised if we sold out some of the nights during the second week of the run. Maybe even this opening week as well! Get your tickets...

I am very excited for a Thanksgiving trip to Iowa, although it will be the first turkeyday in my entire life that I will not be eating my mother's pumpkin pie. With any luck, Mrs. Rev. Dr. Achtemeier will get the job done. I am sure she will! And she also said she was making sweet potatoes and they are my absolute favorite. Thanksgiving is wonderful.

With that, I am off to sing for what should surely be a receptive 'Encounter With The Arts' class where we will perform selections from the aforementioned musical. See you all soon.

Oh, and if anyone knows how to put cool links and things on the side frame of the blog, I would love to learn this process for my own blog.

i have been in the field

just yesterday i began my field placement at jenison high and boy do they have one of the most spectacular programs i have ever seen in my life. i wish i could remember as far back as high school to even get an idea of where we stood in comparison to these kids. the directors seem like really wonderful people and i am looking forward to getting to know them in the next month or so. we have had a couple of snafus, but i think we are going to be okay. tomorrow i will head out there again for some nice quality time with the mens and treble choruses. hopefully they will be really responsive to me on all accounts. i am quite sure they will ask me to lead a warm-up or two and so i am preparing to do so in the event that that does happen. i am thankful for the opportunity to be in such a great situation (dr. k called it a 'bed of roses'...we'll see about that!), but i just pray that i do not become overwhelmed by the enormity of the program. i want to be confident; after all, i have worked very hard in the last three and some odd years to be successful in these final stages of my pre-professional career. i plan on being the competent individual for whom they are looking. so that is that. no more worries regarding any troubles or traumas. ooh...that felt good. we will see you on the flip side. until then!

the funny thing is

i work in an italian restaurant. in fact, i will be working there this very evening as i struggle to earn the all-mighty dollar. well, not really struggle. my responsibilities consist of: packaging tasty looking food for customer who are willing to pay for it, cleaning off tables for customers who are unwilling to do so for themselves, and being a smiling, helpful face for anyone who needs one. i love working at the 84 east. for some reason, when i go there i can, for as many hours as i am working, forget about everything that i have to do and focus on taking care of people. i like to take care of people. and people like to be taken care of.

actually, the word "of" should never, ever end a sentence. to the best of my knowledge, the word "of" is a preposition, and doesn't like to go at the end. instead, "of" is most comfortable residing within the context of a prepositional phrase like "of the world" or "of mice and men". at any rate, periods should never go outside of quotation marks at the end of sentences, but that, friends, is a grammatical issue for another day (we will deal with capitalization as well).

i would eat at the restaurant all the livelong day if i could just afford it. but let's get real here. tuxedo chicken at $8.95 a pop ain't no bargain basement price. oh, but i would patronize that lovely establishment if only i could live with myself at the end of the day. anyway, tomorrow i will patronize the famous dave's in grandville, michigan for the first time and i cannot wait to do so. until then (well, not really until then, because you most likely will not be there, but until again i post to this blessed piece of blogdom, i bid you farewell and wonder how i will get out of these parentheses...

two more days until we all get a nice break from this thing that we call school at which we love to learn but from which four days' absence will be a

welcome change. fall break is the most wonderful time of year. no wait, no christmas is. but fall break is wonderful as well. there will be a golden ladder, tests for teacher certification, participation in a campy church production of "the phantom of the opera", lazy sundays, apple picking on a chilly fall afternoon, humongous amounts of homework, and best of all, relaxation and rejuvenation. fall break is a wonderful time of year.

i've been informed that i am to have an interview with the jenison public school "powers that be" in order to determine whether or not they will accept me for field placement and student teaching. this is absolutely daunting in a place where the choirs have produced no less than five compact disc recordings and plenty of significant concert engagments. wish me luck on that one.

what else is new? well, candide continues to go swimmingly and will no doubt be a huge success, if for no other reason than the woman choreographer that commented that i have big ears. i am still growing into them. that's all i have to say about that.

have a great day all, and be sure to check out a very special new blog at http://waltdisneywhirled.blogspot.com. see you all very soon...

it has been way too long

since i posted on this mofo. i apologize for the lack of posting in this past week. things have been a bit frantic. they continue to be, but now i find myself at work with a few minutes of downtime, wanting to expound upon those things that so fancily draw themselves to the surface of my immediate consciousness.

it was a wonderful weekend. after enjoying the princely players and the second of three presidential debates ("that's news to me...need some wood?"), i attended what some might have thought to be an ill-fated homecoming hoedown that turned out to be a blazing success! i was most delighted to be in attendance, however there were no doughnuts.

saturday was splendid, a little alumni service rehearsal in the morning, followed by a jaunt along the homecoming parade trail in a chrysler sebring convertible with my good friend and fellow education student amy huizen. we spend the better portion of our trip waving ecstatically to those whom would give us the time of day and not those who would make comments like "who are these people on the homecoming court?" then the game. a little twelfthstreet, a little football, some homecoming declarations, and the alma mater. that brings me to a great issue; i suppose at my roommate's parents' place of education they would call it the "alma alma mater". just a thought.

then, dinner at jimmy carrino's and a homecoming ball. it was a wonderful evening for all. thank you for coming. and thank you for a special time.

that's all for now...until again we meet.

monday morning

thank you for making me work out this morning. it felt very good to get the muscles moving and the blood flowing today. now i take a few minutes to expound upon my current thoughts on this brisk, chilly monday morning in which the sun is shining wonderfully.

i had an unfortunate incident with a water bottle today. having only carried water for the last month or so, one wouldn't think it could get really gross or anything, but it began to carry a sort of unsettling stagnant water type smell, so i thought, let's wash that. went to the sink, used a little soap, rinsed, and dried her off. i then proceeded to fill it for my consumption. i had not taken one full sip when i got a mouthful of soap. i was instantly hearkened back to that fateful day in my seventh or eighth year of life when i told shelly passinato (i'm not sure that was her name) that girls were very dumb and very stupid. mother was not pleased. i feel ill.

anyway, that was that, and i've recovered nicely. have a wonderful day friends...

no school

there is no school today. however, it remains a busy type day for all of us, i feel. the critical issues symposium is going on today and i had the good fortune of seeing Cheryl and Linda Brown (of Brown v. Board of Education) at a keynote session this morning. they were both extremely eloquent and the session itself was quite powerful.

later, i will be singing with the chapel choir in a mid-afternoon worship service. should be a great service. i also found out that i will most likely be doing my secondary priniciples and student teaching placement at jenison high schools, so i am very excited about that. they have an incredible program, a place where choir directors actually team teach classes. for those of you who aren't hip to the choral teaching world, that is pretty darn remarkable. i am very excited!

i'm off. have a splendid afternoon. until...

it has been many days

since i have posted in this fine personal forum we call 'scenes from an italian restaurant.' i am really not sure why. as i have said before, this place is incredibly therapeutic. i get to tell you all about my day and hope that you care. don't worry, i know you do.

today has already been a day and it is only 11:33 a.m. i decided i should get the oil changed in my car since it was about one month overdue. due to the new cottage parking restrictions, i had to turn around in the backyard of our neighbor's house. i am not sure that it was a completely kosher move, but i wasn't getting out any other way. we got the oil changed, and stopped by college east apartments for the purposes of mid-morning salutation when it was realized that my wheel and hood were mildly smoking. we opened her up, and still didn't know what was going on, so we called dad. he assured me that the 10W-30 that jorge and juan put in my car would indeed keep the engine block from melding to the pistons, so that was good. we also decided that the smoking was probably burnoff from sort of spill that occured during the oil change process. great. good to know.

i finally obtained a device that would allow me to extract the pictures from my digital camera. as i went to make the extraction, i had the good fortune of losing all of the pictures i had taken at the george w bush rally. thankfully, i did not lose the ones i took during orientation. that would have been a travesty and a tragedy.

so, it has been quite a day. but we're just going to pick up the pieces and have a great day because the sun is shining and god is good! have a blessed day, y'all!

two very cool things

have happened to me in the last two days.

first of all, i got to see president bush in person at the ottawa county fairgrounds on monday. i was a volunteer and part of the so-called 'rally squad'. i can't even say anything funny about the day. it was just flat-out impressive. i don't care what anyone says, he commands attention by the way he speaks. the media does a great job of painting this picture that he can't speak english or doesn't know what he's talking about. simply not true. his speech was just solid. he's the man we want running our country for the next four years. oh no, he's not perfect. but i think he's the right choice.

secondly, i was cast as the title role in hope's production of bernstein's 'candide'. i consider it to be on of the greatest honors i have received at hope and i cannot wait to completely immerse myself in the role. it is going to challenge me more than anything i have ever done on stage, but i just want to do it and give it everything i have inside. this is such a special opportunity. music rehearsals start tonight (that'll larn 'em, darn 'em) with our good friend kerri daab. should be a wild time.

and now, for something completely different. until...

good-natured post about women making men wait

before i begin, let me just affirm the sentiment of this particular post's title and say that these next few paragraphs in no way have the intention of stirring up ire in the hearts of the females (or males) that will read it hereafter. the intent is instead to comment on an all-too-common tale.

"i'll be ready when you get here". "okay, honey". this exchange is one you've probably heard at some point in your life. i wouldn't go so far as to say that women outright lie to men when they say this, for surely they don't. i am sure that no girl has ever really had the intention of making their beau wait for them. but it happens.

my issue here is not out of anger or even personal experience. i have simply observed this phenomena in the relationships of those around me. in fact, she who i would call "the girl" is incredibly punctual and has never made me wait for her. and even if she did, i would be okay with that, for she is absolutely worth waiting for. but i can't help but feel sorry for these poor chaps who are forced to sit around and watch reruns of "full house" or even "the golden girls" while their beautiful, intelligent girlfriends complete their routines of getting ready to leave the house or apartment, whatever the case may be.

ladies, i know what you're thinking. (actually, i really have no clue, but let's pretend for the moment that i do.) you're thinking, "oh man, what is this turkey trying to say? who does he think he is?" what you need to know is this: man cannot live without woman. it's a force of nature. we would all lead ridiculously insignificant lives if were not for the wondrous female species. seriously, all kidding aside, i think i can speak for all men and say that without woman life would be boring and probably would not smell as good. in fact, if it weren't for woman, there would be no man--i need say no more.

thank you, ladies, for teaching us men to be patient and to savor every moment of the day. we are certainly better off for it.

thank god it's friday

well, hello there. welcome to my afternoon. it's friday the tenth of september and my elephant pride is starting to show. i'm going to be volunteering at president bush's rally on monday the thirteenth. sunday night there is a secret service briefing and i am thoroughly excited to be a part of that.

anyway, i needed to share this exciting news. now it is class time and then a little thing we like to call the choir retreat. see y'all on the flip side!

forty-three minutes until showtime

here we go, folks. four minutes of writing on this thing and forty-three minutes until showtime. a little callback action, a little twelfth street action and we'll call it good.

we have had the best stretch of weather these past few days. unfortunately, the polo/golf shirt i am current'y wearing continues to shrink every time i put it in the dryer. it's a tragedy that i can't get my act together in that respect.

now it's time for a little thank you. to you, who supports me in a way that no one else really can. your thoughtfulness made me smile today and will no doubt bear a positive effect on my evening. in fact, it already has. it couldn't be more wonderful, really. you take care of me, i take care of you and it's all good. so thanks for being you...

my four minutes has quickly concluded. until...

i should be doing homework

but i'm not. you see this next four minutes will be my chance to get everything i'm thinking about on this little page. you may care, you may not. but what matters is that for some reason, this darn thing is therapeutic. i can't figure it out.

anyway, today is wednesday. some call it hump-day. for me, there is a striking inappropriateness to that particular classification, but hey, whatever floats your proverbial boat. minutes ago, i was attempting to create an edition of an old caccini manuscript and if that doesn't get your heart racing from excitement, i really don't know what will.

what's frustrating is that i can't get bloggerbot (oh my, that is a strange word) to upload my picture files, otherwise anyone reading this would be inundated with the latest and greatest in photographic bliss.

well, my allotted four minutes has reached its conclusion and i must return to caccini. until again we speak (or whatever this is)...

labor day

many on our campus are laboring today. it's the hope college thinking that if students (especially first-years and that kind of sounds like harry potter) were to have a long weekend right after school started, many would go home and retreat to the comfort of that environment and perhaps never come back. it's a long shot, but it's probably true. me, i don't have class until later, hence the reason i am pining away my next seven to eight minutes writing in this electronic thought-fest we call the blog.

it was a fine weekend. we wrapped up orientation with a downtown holland party and i was both happy and sad to see it all end. it's amazing how four months of your life can go by so quickly, but i was entirely pleased with how it all turned out and i think many of the freshmen were as well. what a blessing to work with fun people all summer, put together a great program and get paid while doing it!

sunday was a fine day as well! a little church action followed by some panera, a lazy afternoon, a little leftover chinese for dinner, add a touch of the gathering and call it good. i got to bed at a decent hour and proceeded to hit the snooze no less than twice this morning, after which i conked (not a real word) my head on the bathroom counter (not an activity i would recommend at nine in the morning). thankfully, some frozen foods came to my swelling rescue, and here i sit, with a slight headache, but not really any worse for the wear.

soon, it will be lunchtime and then time for a little work in student development. it's beautiful outside although kind of warm, but we'll take it. my seven minutes has concluded. until...