life strikes again

I’d like to say that I haven’t been blogging as much as I said I was going to because I’ve been busy writing up some awesomely hot blogs, poems and scripts that I’d post over the weekend. Unfortunately, that’d be a lie. But I did write a couple blogs, but they were time sensitive and it’s now too late to post them since they are no longer relevant. I have been busy though. Partially with work at the office, mostly with family, completely with life altogether.

We recently lost a member of our church family. Mr. Sean Shaw. I can’t say that I was close to him, but he was close to our family and his passing was certainly unexpected. He will dearly be missed by many, including myself. I didn’t say words at his funeral, and if I did I would just reflect on his energy and what I called his “gung-ho” for God. Every once in a while, the men from my church would walk up and down Main Street in Middletown passing out fliers to our church inviting anyone and everyone. Sean loved it and talked to every single person he saw. The man had that confidence that I know for a fact I don’t have. I’m still a bit shy and timid to walk up to a complete stranger. Especially if they have no interest in talking to me whatsoever. But I admired that about Sean and his quest for knowledge even if that meant calling my dad five times a day. I enjoyed the conversations we had at times. We didn’t have many, but when we did, they were insightful or inspiring. It was all good. Rest in peace, Sean.

Another time consuming problem is replacing Sam, my car. In case you are curious, he (yes, he) is a 2002 Nissan Altima, with 105,000 miles and a missing bumper. I bought it in 2005 and still owe $10,000. Based on the infamous Blue Book, I doubt I’d get more that $3,000 for it. But definitely not running like it should, and Sam no longer knows how to heat the car. Due to engine troubles, it’s time to let Sam go which means getting a new vehicle has become top priority. So from last Saturday to the Saturday after next, I will be in the process of obtaining a new vehicle. Preferably a Hyundai Santa Fe. More on this in another post, but it does relate to the poll on the side bar.

Other life events include picnicking with Kitten. We had planned to spend the day at the park due to what we thought would be good, sunny, warm weather after it had been so rainy and cold the past couple weeks. Unfortunately, both days we planned for this ended up switching up to be cloudy, rainy, windy and all around not good picnic weather. In fact, it snowed yesterday. Anyone ever have a picnic in the snow? I’m sure its fine, but we wanted to not be cold. So we had our picnic at her place on the floor as we watched a peculiar Steve Martin flick. Then we did some car and apartment shopping.

Work isn’t going too bad. I guess you could say I joined the newsletter group. They call it Credentialing Chronicle. I told them I’d write whatever they wanted me to after giving a list of interests and even a sample of some of my writings. Guess what they picked? Movie reviewer! Works just fine for me. My first movie reviewed for them was Slumdog Millionaire. I’ll post that here too. I’m still in the process of figuring out WordPress and if I can post the review separate. Whether I do it or not, it doesn’t truly matter. But I know I haven’t been writing any reviews lately, which were usually posted via MySpace, which I’m barely on these days. Amazingly I’ve been on Facebook more than I imagined. I blame Twitter because I have the two accounts linked… and some of you know how often I tweet, so that’s why it looks like I’m on Facebook all the time. But I enjoy the comments.

As always with me and many others in this country, money seems hard to come by. I’m super thankful I still have a job that not only supplies me with a decent paycheck, but that I get a paycheck. I’m not complaining or bragging. I just know how to appreciate and be grateful. But, I need more money. I need to set some time somewhere to write something to start sending to festivals and such. You can’t win if you don’t play, right? And if winning includes cash prizes, then that’s at least one less car payment or a couple bills or possible a loan I can cross off my list. Every little bit helps.

Lastly, the thing I need to get to is writing to my little Bolivian boy. Even with all the money issues I have, I’m not going to stop what I started with CCF. I got an updated picture that looks as depressed as the first one. At least he’s in school now, so that’s good. Plus his birthday is coming up in July and I know it takes a little while for letters to get from here to there, so I need to get on that. I prefer to hand write his letters. And I need to get a new picture of myself to send to him… I should probably smile. Maybe he might get the hint.