Humility

It's been a while again I realize.

We have a weekend off! As a majority of a staff we are heading to Valley Fair and kickin it together. I can honestly say now that I know these people, I love these people. It's a true community/family. We struggle together, we prosper together, we get on each others nerves, we give each other joy beyond belief. You get the picture.

I was playing guitar this morning, my journey in learning this beautiful instrument has been fast and furious. I can now strum and change between: C, D, Em, G, A. So now that you all know that. (as if you needed to) it comes to the main part of the story. I played in front of all the campers and their families at closing chapel service....alone. Typically I have a safety net for guitar in my good friend Tuxie, she had kitchen duty :(. I find humor in this and I bet God did too. As I was playing the song "Humble Thyself" it seemed to be the message I needed. The prior night I was exclaiming how fun guitar was and how fast I was picking it up, forgetting my original intention: To glorify God.

After that mishap I was sure to remember who gets the glory.

Also I'm going to be a little selfish and do a public anonymous apology. Selfish because apologies are for both parties, but for the offending party it lifts a weight off their shoulders. My other shakers haven't been posting (I'm sure you all noticed) since my refresh series. It was wrong in a sense to voice my thoughts and opinions in that matter no doubt. I will also take the precaution in saying that apologizing for opinions is wrong, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, it's with who the opinion affects and how the opinion is expressed is the wrong thing. Also on that note, I tried to let it pass and remind myself that I cannot see the intentions in anyone's heart. I don't know what drives people. That's only for God to know.

I am sorry.

It gets difficult to have relationships at times because as sinful beings we are broken, our relationships will reflect that because without God we cannot perfectly love or do anything. It's up to Him as to what happens and up to us whether we continue asking Him what to do or go on our own human understanding. (Humans don't understand much....at all)

With that I might be leaving you for a day or so.

Thank you for sticking with us readers, this summer is a trying one on me and I'm sure my other shakers. Keep us in your prayers as we shall keep you in ours.

P.S. I love and miss my family beyond belief, but camp is treating me way too nice. God is amazing. (that's a huge understatement.)

Much love

ø Connor ø

AHHH

Staff celebration just concluded

I suppose I need to explain myself and my absence for the past while.

Last week was crazy, I was privileged to work with some amazing Servant Eventers from West St. Paul. Cleaning with them and destroying with them was too awesome. We got to clean up from the tornado damage in Wadena. Overall it was a wonderful experience. (I sound kind of hippie now)

Staff celebration weekend!!! Was outstanding, getting to connect with these people that I have come to know as family. Sorry I am so scatterbrained, everything is happening at once. I have horse campers at the moment now and...oh yeah! My parents stopped by with my brothers!!

That made my summer up to this far. Keep them in your thoughts and prayers as the move is going forward.

AHH. It's hard to voice my mind when so much is running around in my mind.

I finished reading "To Own a Dragon" by Donald Miller

Wow.

He talked about how God is our "True Heavenly Father" and a role model for earthly fathers. So true. So inspiring, especially as a person in a role model position at camp. Wow and my thoughts are way too incoherent to put into post form.

Thought of the day: Our earthly fathers do things to make us happy, through that they are happy. So then wouldn't God our Heavenly Father do things to make us happy, like providing a beautiful sunset, or a good time with friends.

Much Love

ø Connor ø

Tornado

Its been awhile. I have been busy this week no doubt.

This week I am blessed with an amazing group of people from St. Paul for the servant event.

I'm going to be honest. (Readers like it I hear, this honesty thing)

I was beat. Exhausted. Tired. You name it.

Somehow without fail God manages to give us energy or whatever we need. Right when we need it.

Learning guitar is still going well.

Reading " to own a dragon" by Donald Miller as well as having conversations with our local creation science dude is blessing me so greatly.

Just after father's day it hits me how tremendous of a calling that being a father is. Donald talked through a friend as to how miraculous being a father is. Loving someone instantly from birth. Not needing them to earn it or anything of the sort. I have that from my pops and he got me around 8. Let alone we all have that from God and we are all born into sin. He loves us no matter what.
Big deal I know. Most of us knew that from Sunday school. But on the real.

before we were born. He loved us unconditionally. He sent his only real son even though we defied Him. I heard all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God somewhere. But He still sent his only Son for us.

Wow

Much Love

ø Connor ø

Packing

I have so much going on right now.

Like that isn't something we all say to ourselves like ten thousand times each day.

Readers, I've been going through a recent slump of blogging because of one reason.

I don't know what I'm thinking about. At all. I lie awake at night just thinking, I'm not even sure as to what is running through my mind. Future plans. College. Friends. Friend issues. Family. What's for breakfast tomorrow.

Pause EVERYTHING!!!! I HAVE CAMPERS TONIGHT. I WILL POST MY SPEECH LATER TONIGHT AS WELL!!! wow I'm excited

Much Love

ø Connor ø

Scientist

Wow. So much in my head right now. Let's organize in print.

Camp is treating me amazingly nice. I cannot get over how much I love my "job". I say job with quotes because its a sacrifice I love. Its knowing that things will be hard. Knowing that its worth it. Leading bible studies and watching their faces glow. Learning about their all powerful and glorious Creator.

I love what I do.

I also have been uber blessed. This staff. I have been raving about for so long refuses to decline in amazing Ness. At the same time I miss everyone. Such a pendulum of loving every second I'm living. And missing every second lost with the others you love.

I saw my brother liked my Facebook status.

I also nearly cried because he wasn't right there for me to hug. To give a loving punch on the arm. He knows.

I also want to pump up our guys staff this summer. Its amazing to be along for the ride with such an amazing crew. open. Receptive. Eager.

I never want to lose that eagerness to work with children

Readers. Don't let me.

Not that the ladies staff is bad. By no means. I just spend more time with the gents and we go through the same experiences.

Also I want another shout out. I'm going to miss my family so much. It seems like after this weekend. I'm cuttin the leash. I know its far from it. But that's what it feels like.

I'm also a little nervous about graduation. To be frank. And excited. And feeling bad. That empty year book isn't instantly gratifying until you have the matching diploma.

Much love

ø Connor ø
Connor

Training

Today marks the finish of staff training!
It's a good feeling to be kickin back with the staff watchin a movie in celebration. Although I wasn't there there the whole time. I feel like a part of the family.

I could actually rave on and on about this community of people.

Saturday we took a field trip to a different camp just outside of motley. Mostly for their high ropes and zipline. After that. it's hard to describe it. Like it all just feels so.

Good.

Refreshing

Like. I'm still a little outta whack from leaving Alex for a bit. I made it into a good family.

I suppose the only apprehension I have is just being the best I can for the kids. It sounds beyond corny but I really want to be a good role model and positive impact. Like more than anything.

Kids matter way to much.

This ones gonna be a hard one to summarize.

Basically. Find the best community you can of people. Bond with them. Love them. Take care of them.

If you are around kids. Don't be dumb. They take in EVERYTHING you do. So when you are on the biggest stage as a role model for some youth. Don't abuse it.

also. I miss you readers. I haven't talked to you in writing form in a while. I hope you all take care.

Much love

ø Connor ø
Connor

Rest

I will be hitting you guys and gals up with a post tomorrow. I have been crazy busy and such. But check put my sweet summer home.

Much love

ø Connor ø
Connor

Departure (students)

This is definitely a post from my phone at camp. I love it here. This place. If I haven't told you already. Its wonderful. The staff is amazing. I cannot express my excitement for man time in the guys village. I'm absolutely thrilled to be here. I already have stories that I will update you with tomorrow on a computer.

This post is for my classmates, peers, and friends. I'm sorry. I hate goodbyes. I didn't sign a single yearbook. I didn't have anybody sign mine. I would gladly sign one but that means closure. I hate closure. High school friends shouldn't be a story with an end. The worst part is.

I have so much to write. It would kill me to gradually sign away my friends as if to say see ya. Each word another inch apart we would grow over time. All I want to do is make them smile. My friends and classmates that is. Even if its a fake one. I want them to escape the bleak reality that is graduation. It means promise and hopes of a good future no doubt. Even more. It means a book being finished. Epilogue is done with and its off to be printed and sit in a library. Begging to be read.

I want to live this story for longer. I want to be with those people for longer than a day. I'm sorry to all of you. I'm so selfish with goodbyes because I hate them so much.

I know I'm in a better place and the only way I would change it would be for the chance to bring everyone here. To see this island I have come to love so much. This island represents a story that never has to end. Chapters just keep getting added.

One last apology. Because I am truly sorry. You all deserved better. I want to tell you all how amazing you are and how I have come to know and appreciate you all for everything.

I cannot wait to see you Tuesday and tell you of my tales at this island.

Have a great last day class of 2010. I miss you and hope you trust that I love where I am at.

Much love

ø Connor ø
Connor

Departure (Staff)

My room is a mess.

I haven't studied enough. (but I will start soon) =D

I have no clue what to and not to pack for this summer and fall.

Everything is a good mess.

Now is where I should begin the real content of this post.

You see this one is going to be difficult, I'm shooting at a "yearbook" entry for everyone I can handle because I won't be in school Friday. I love LIC too much and District 206 has kept me from my commitment to Camp and my fellow staff. I miss them too.

Ok, first is first. Teachers

I don't think I could name names throughout this whole process, hopefully I can be vaguely accurate to where they forward it to each other. I had the privilege in my past three years to have absolutely wonderful educators in charge of my future. All the way from a math teacher that saw me struggle with Algebra II and helped as well as made it a point I establish good study habits. Thank you. I had a ridiculously amazing Spanish teacher, I still know much of that knowledge, still call her senora (sorry no tilde), even had prob and stats with her the next year. I mean really, Que quieres que haga? Even my english teachers, I was blessed to have such amazing teachers that showed me that the rules are great, but so is good writing and sometimes you need to break the rules. I had the most supportive Public Speaking teacher I could have asked for, she helped me develop my speech that I'm going to be giving on the 13th, and I will admit I'm feeling butterflies, but we both know I can do it. I had a science teacher that saw and knew my potential and spent a good portion of the year dragging it out of me. I had a crazy Pre-Calc teacher that taught a little more than just math, he taught about class, and being classy. Not to mention we have a ridiculous amazing guidance counselor/ high jump coach.

Oh dear, to the reader from a different school district I'm sorry. I just have amazing staff at my school.

My advisor gets a section all her own. She's phenomenal. I can't believe it's already graduation and I can't believe I'm speaking. Thank you for all the proof readings, and organizing SLAM!'s big hoorah at the end of the year. It was a pleasure to be a part of that, and helping so many preteens.

I think I have a couple more in me. One shout out has to go to a middle school teacher who I was privileged enough to visit her room and talk about PSI and have fun with the kids. Just so you know, PSI was one of the major reasons I joined SLAM! I also have to throw one out there to my weightroom teacher/coach. I think we both know that I didn't come around until this year, if you didn't know already. You are a ridiculous guy. It was a blast in track and in weights. (If I had motivation for football, that might have been sweet too). There was also a guy in my school, his room was like a whole in the wall, he ignited my passion for photography and photoshop. That was crazy. As well as just today, I have never sang in choir, but the choir teacher knows me, is nice to me, and lets me play piano. Also I had a crazy Econ teacher who I still believe knows how to say "coke" the right way....I heard you on the track bus.

If I remember any more teachers I will be sure to update this.

Thank you so much for your time, commitment, and dedication. I think we all know the job has it's perks and downsides, but you all stick it through day in and day out. I want a special shout out to all the office staff, guidance, athletics, main office. I have yet to be scared to go into an office. Actually, sometimes I just go there to talk.

I know this may seem like horrid grammar and phrasing, but it's hard to find the right words for thank you's.

Much Love

ø Connor ø

Pops

This is going to be odd timing for this post indeed.

I have a lot on my mind no doubt but this is something that started as a whisper in my mind.

Until it started screaming.

This is a post straight up to my Pops. (that's how I have him in my phone)

I got to be blessed to be around camp this past weekend and will be up there recurrently until I start working there this summer after our late graduation (I have to shout to you guys to remind you I miss you and cannot wait to meet all of you fully, especially my fellow guys counselors)

But back to the point. I was talking to a fellow male counselor during "one-on-one" time and our dads both came up and he and his dad had disagreements about this and that. I could agree with him fully. The thing is...

I didn't want to. Everyone dreams of that "dad" where something goes wrong and you head to the driving range, or the back yard to play catch and talk about it. The dad who drops everything and says "lets go kick it, you feel like shootin stuff?" (not people of course, targets or deer, mmm, deer)

I could take the time to think about how I didn't have all of that. Just some guy that I didn't agree with and came into my life when I was about 8 years old.

That would be teaching myself how to paint lies as truth, continually taking this beautiful truth paint I've been given, and trying to use a foul brush of lies and my selfishness to illustrate my feelings.

I'm sure now that I've carried you this deep into the post (assuming you read it all), we should start seeing the shift. What the real truth is.

My Pops is a rockstar. I miss him so much right now. Being gone for two weeks is ridiculous. We don't even talk that much around the house. It's just his presence. Just knowing if the bad guys come, someone is going to jail that night and when they arrive in the cell the other prisoners will exchange looks thinking "what happened to him?"

This stud of a Pops fresh out of college took on my mom and three kids, myself included in that. How many people can handle that fresh out of college and succeed? Not many.

I picked up a book by Donald Miller called To Own A Dragon about growing up without a father, which Miller did. Yes I realize in the midst of a post about my Pops it's odd to bring up a book about growing up without a father. I picked it up moreso because it discusses the importance of good realtions with your father and this and that. It's next on my list.

I want my college years to be more about getting along, it seems to be a fitting time seeing as finances are going to be...questionable, with Concordia St. Paul and such in the future.

I hope he reads it after me as well, from the stories I've heard it sounds like he got jipped out of a childhood.

I am not saying this to judge any fathers of any sort. Being a dad is one of the most honorable things any man can do. If they do it well.

This is more of a note to my Pops, that I love you. I want to be able to talk and hang when I come back from school, if and when that happens. I'm still in the air about that.

Come back home, you are missed.

Much Love

ø Connor ø

Island

Today indeed marks a first.

First post from Lutheran Island Camp (where I will be staying for the duration of the summer)

First post from my wonderful friend Tuxie's laptop. Tuxie also happens to be an adult.

First post with my wonderful newly acquired friend Flash.

It already feels like something amazing is happening, just being on the island.

Well I suppose you should see the island before I continue

www.islandcamp.org - The camp's official website

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bvnlww-aFLo&feature=related -a video shot by a production crew to help promote the island.

I'll be the first senior to say (in blog form) that I'm nervous in blog form. I have too many things to do (and in walks my new friend Theatre) Finals to study for, homework to make up for my internship. AHH! (Caps are tacky, but necessary and effective?)

But for some reason I can't think about school...

I'm going to a rant about camp for a post.

This place is beautiful. Green everywhere, grass, trees, from the sky it's an emerald in the midst of the blue surroundings. I don't actually know how to put words to this.

The community. I have only been here for a night or so and met a little of the staff and they are already welcoming and receptive. It seems that I always encounter the good people in life. I probably have a crew of people that won't enjoy my company waiting for me later on. Let's all hope I'm prepared for when that day comes.

I have a grad party to attend to bloggers, it's for a good friend of mine. Congratulations Stephanie! Your speech was wonderful. I'm actually going to be running into you in a little bit.

Much Love

ø Connor ø

Spliff

Tonight is going to be another big post, hopefully because today is going to be a crazy day.

But I'm going to quick do this post cause it's been on my mind for a while.

I posted about my next oldest brother, now my next next oldest brother has one coming. I hope by getting these out I can come to grips with how much I am actually going to miss my brothers, which will be a tremendous.

Straight up, you scare me. It's scary to see someone so much like you because the whole time you're seeing that person you wonder. Am I someone they should really look up to. Am I good enough. I find myself over analyzing what I do. So I might be better. I even feel like I'm setting the bar too high, the whole time knowing and expecting you to jump over it with ease.

I suppose the reason I get annoyed with you is because you are so much like me. Everybody sees it. Everybody knows it. That's probably why you are one of my best friends. Probably why it's so common to find us hanging out playing video games, or rolling our eyes at the same thing. I could write on and on, but before I go off to camp. I'm gonna make time, we're gonna beat Army of Two: 40th Day. I'm going to promise you that right here and now in writing. So all our readers have to keep me to it. I am going to miss you like crazy when I'm gone.

This goes to you and all brothers, I'm going to miss you way too much in St. Paul.

Two brothers down, one to go. Your post will come before I leave, worry not.

Much Love

ø Connor ø

Repentence

This one has been on my mind for a while.

I've been seriously pondering it.

I also want a disclaimer. You can choose to take this or leave this.

I was reading Blue Like Jazz the other day and Donald was talking about a time when he was at Reed college (which is largely atheist) and he talked about how he was abandoning the term "Christian" (don't freak out yet) by abandoning he meant this

"Hey Don are you Christian?"

Well, I suppose you could say that, but I think of myself as a follower of Jesus.

He did this because there has been so much done in history in "the name of God" (i.e. The Crusades, Columbus' genocide of the indians etc.) and it was horrible. He had heard from so many students on campus about Christians judging them in "the name of God" (granted a lot of this depends greatly on the situation, so don't jump to large conclusions). Even that wasn't the biggest thing that rocked my mind.

Reed College closes campus for a weekend so students can run around naked, drink, smoke weed, use LSD, and other things that God would frown upon. During that weekend Don and his friends built a confessional in the middle of campus with a sign "confess your sins here". You would think this is appropriate with all the sinning going on at campus.

There was a twist.

Don and his friends would be confessing their sins and sins of past Christians. Apologizing for the Cruades and Columbus, even apologizing for their own shortcomings and how they failed to meet the standard Christ set for them.

In this fashion. I would like to apologize to you readers, I have been short of the standard Jesus set, I have judged, I have insulted, I have lusted, I am a lowly sinner that has fallen short of the expectations.

I hope you can forgive me and my forefathers that have done horrible to you or your ancestors.

I also hope that if you find fitting, that you pray for me in my journey. This time is not the first time I have failed, and it won't be the last.

"If we are not willing to wake up in the morning and die to ourselves, perhaps we should ask ourselves whether or not we are really following Jesus."

— Donald Miller

Much Love

ø Connor ø

Turn

So as I was fretting about earlier, here's a special preview of my "It's Our Turn" for the Echo:

Being the photography intern for two weeks has be a privilege, especially at the Echo Press. But I'm not going to write about being the intern, nobody wants to read an article about how a high school student learned how to take pictures and edit them. How he managed to lose valuable equipment while on the field, well it was a pretty important camera battery. At the least, I don't want to read that article.
Readers want something that's fun to read, something that will leave them with a little lesson to take away from the experience. (I'm actually generalizing the readers, I hope it's a good generalization) Most of all.
People want a good story to read.
To be able to forget about everything going on in life and press the pause button. Only to realize the remote doesn't work. In Donald Miller's book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years life is compared to a story lived by each individual, and like all stories, some are fun to hear and some aren't. In fashion with other books that provoke thought.
I wanted to apply this book to my life.
What had I been doing to make my story fun to hear and take part in? Graduating high school? Attending college next year? One of the main components of any good story includes a character (me) overcoming conflict to gain something they want. (actually I don't even know what I want from life) I just know for sure that I want my story to be told and enjoyed.
Now is the time I should zero in on a topic I suppose.
One of my favorite quotes from the book has to be along the lines of
"When you stop expecting people to be perfect, you can like them for who they are."
In the social driven world we're in today that quote sounds like the skeleton key to unlock all of our problems at the workplace, home, and everywhere. Personally I tend to, “raise the bar” for my family, peers, and coworkers. By that I mean. Everybody should know what I want and do things my way. So whether I'm working or taking y turn to be the consumer, it's not uncommon for me to be a bit...demanding. Ironically this brushes over the famed “Golden Rule” to which we teach our youth to value and make decisions based on. I'm going to make an assumption: I'm not the only person that forgets the Golden Rule.
Treating others the way you would like to be treated is such a wonderful way to start a new chapter in your story. It's been a work in progress for mine but I'm noticing differences already. Being a cashier in my occupation has brought out the best, and worst in both me and at times customers. If you were to poll retail associates across all time and space about their favorite customers, one similarity would stick out. Patience, and cooperation are the most dynamic components of a good customer, even from the customer point of view. I find that when I don't blow up my purchase of eggs into something much more than a minor transaction, everything flows better.
So next time you roll up to your local grocer or retail venue, think about this mere column you read, and write a better chapter into your life.

Much Love
ø Connor ø

Bees

It's an early post from Connor!

For some reason I can't seem to post during the day, I get worried about vampires reading my posts, not right away? But that's beside the point.

I'm feelin the pressure shaker readers, for me, that's an odd thing. I'm writing a column for the paper I've been interning with and I can't nail it down. I can write blogs whenever I want. I can give my graduation speech in front of my class, parents, and friends (On June 13th that is). But for some odd reason this one is getting my goat.

I just can't do it.

According to Chiodos "All the world's a stage" and this is my first big taste of it. Unlike our blog to which our readers are amazing and the number of them remains anonymous, the paper. It's in every grocery store, every gas station, and in those dispensers where you put in a buck for one and people take like ...three.

I realize this blog is another short one kind of, but it's a jittery one. I gotta make my one time in print count. Then again hopefully it isn't just one time. If I could get together with the shakers and write a book. That would make me beyond happy.

"...to be in a relationship with God is to be loved purely and furiously. And a person who thinks himself unlovable cannot be in a relationship with God because he can't accept who God is; a Being that is love. We learn that we are lovable or unlovable from other people...That is why God tells us so many times to love each other."
— Donald Miller

Much Love

ø Connor ø

Dragon

Today was just like a Monday, but my calendar says "Tuesday"

I don't know if I have a full post in me. Let me sleep on it. I might wake up in a frenzy with inspiration. Lets hope so.

Much Love

ø Connor ø

Farewell

Guys and Gals

It's late

If you are actually awake to catch this posted somewhat live

You are beyond words

Today is another one of those days

I'm sure all of us have had those days, where its a turning point

Closing doors in the seemingly never ending hallway of life

Opening doors that lead to new hallways

New stories with new characters

If you were wondering as to why the sentimental intro

today will mark my last day at the grocery store where I work

I know there is a crowd in the audience, if you could please stand up

You know who you are, the group that is in their mind thinking

I've been there, I'm so excited for you to just get out of that job.

Okay you can sit back down

This one is going to be tough

No I may not be leaving permanently

It feels like Office Space slightly

Where you have a crew of people you love to be around and work with

while the system is slightly...."off"

I am in the process of leaving one of those workplaces

It was tough to leave officemax because we were such a tight knit team there

I'm actually starting to get deja vu

Let me ride this one out readers,

That eerie feeling where, "I've done this before, this is so familiar"

Almost.......

Good

I suppose being the fan of shout outs I am

This is one

To all the people at Eldens that have worked with me

All the people that have made those long days bearable

and the long nights

To any customer that came through my line,

I hope I improved your day somehow

I tried

This is to all of the coworkers that I will get to see again,

because I want to

because you put a smile on my face

make my heart light

let me know that I'm worth spending time with

I've been talking about Donald Miller constantly

I want you all to know

You have added to my story

Playing as various characters

Heroes, Jesters, Princesses, Lifeguards, Friends

Helping to make some average guy's story a little more worth listening to

Readers, thank you for reading my shout outs, I hope to give you all the one you deserve

Everybody alive should have their name praised

If not for anything, let it be in celebration of their miraculous existence

To be born is a miracle in itself

Two humans to create another

Wow

So to all the readers,

Thank You

Also, Aunt Amanda this is a brief snippet of a shout out coming your way in the future

Thank you for reading

It means more than you know

It feels like a promotion from babysitter to somewhat author

But you gave me some amazing cousins

I would never say no if you wanted me to babysit them

The first cousins I knew personally and had the privilege of getting attached to

The first helper cousin that helped me pack for camp

The first baby cousin to fall asleep in my arms

Thank you.

Once more thank you readers

From myself and the other shakers

"Dying for something is easy because it is associated with glory. Living for something is the hard thing. Living for something extends beyond fashion, glory, or recognition. We live for what we believe."
— Donald Miller

Much Love

ø Connor ø

Story

Now that my internet is not freaking out I can update you guys on everything (that being a big assumption you care, but since you are reading this I will assume you do)

Let's roll back to Friday

Good day, consisting of wrapping up my first week at the Echo and I got to cover the mock car crash at JHS, some sweet photos came from that. Pool day for track, another win. Shake Day! yet another win. Got home and didn't work till 11, so I got to nap. In the mail came "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" by Donald Miller, major win. I had been waiting for that book for far too long.

The best thing about that timing. I had all night to read it.

I devoured that book, Donald Miller has such a wonderful voice and way of approaching things and his views on his own life are out of this world, but I will rave about the book more later.

On to Saturday. (I think a frowny face would be appropriate) =(

Read well over half of my newfound book and friend by 7 am when I was leaving work. At home I put the book down in hopes of sleeping before track at 9. Lo and behold 8:45 rolled around and so did I. The same tension in my head occurred between the lazy Connor and the "goody-goody" Connor (as quoted by lazy Connor).

"Go to track!"

"I can miss a Saturday, nobody will be there anyways"

"Go to track!"

"Eh, Ludwig and Sam aren't even going, why should I?"

"Go to track!"

"You are really getting annoying there you know."

"Go to track!"

As you can see, goody-goody Connor won that battle. To track I went. Meanwhile the heavens opened for a brief period of time with booms and tiny falling wet reminders that I should have brought a rain coat.

9 rolled around sometime when I rolled into the parking lot and proceeded into the school to wait. I wish I could tell you I was waiting a short time for practice to start. Scratch that I wish I could tell you I was waiting to win a car, or a full ride scholarship for the next 5 years.

But I wasn't.

I was waiting nearly forty-five minutes for the supposed "nine-o-clock sharp" practice to start. On an hour and forty-five minutes of sleep, that's a long time to wait for something depriving you of a prolonged experience of eye-shutting. Throughout practice lazy Connor was echoing in my head how wrong goody-goody Connor really was. I had to agree with him while I was running way too much, and while my legs were pounding I think they agreed too. To top it all off I managed to give myself a bloody nose. Brilliant. I only have a few silver linings in this day, and after running my workout came one of them.

Putting away the High Jump pits.

Yes, doing physical work and lifting heavy things came to be one of the better points in that day. Some time to talk to my coach/counselor/anything else you need her to be, it was enjoyable to say the least. We got to talk about my horrible attitude and how it is such a rarity. (I try to stay upbeat, but today it wasn't happening.) Along with that I got to talk more about Donald Miller, which led to C.S. Lewis, which ended up with "The Shack" which I think I need to pick up and read eventually. Just one more time through Donald Miller though. I am glad that happened, it made the practice somewhat worthwhile.

Home! Sleep! Being woken up by some kid at work that wanted me to pick him up an energy drink. Driving to do it (goody-goody won out again) I was thinking to myself "How did Jesus do it? How did he resist the urge to think badly about people and punch them in the face?" Some days I think God sets the bar way too high, and He knows it, He also pushes me through it all and tells me to look at the bar again. Whether I knocked it down or not. It ended up being way below where I was that morning.

After the energy drink delivery...(dramatic tension) SLEEP!

Another silver lining coming up.

It seems moms can read minds. Whether that be good or bad, it was good this time. Waking up at some point in time, numbers matter not. My Mom swept into my room with this heroic glow about her, as if she knew at the point in time she was going to make everything better.

"Hey, yeah we picked you up an Arbys melt, Jamocha Shake and Curly fries."

Best statement I had heard all day.

After that I slept more and went to work where I hung out with my main man Lenny, but that's all for another post.

Back to "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" because that book is all I can think about. In it Miller's previous memoir "Blue Like Jazz" is going to be made into a movie, and throughout the process he is learning about how his life was "boring" and things to improve it. The whole time he is with the people that write scripts and screenplays and a lot of emphasis is put on "story" and what makes a good one. Relating that to life he talks about the essentials of a good story and how those can make the "story" of our lives better. Granted I could tell every element he discusses but in short:

A good story must have a character that overcomes conflict to gain something they desire

A good story involves sacrifice of the character

A good story has good scenery

Those being just three of the main points he covers (don't worry I will post more of them later on) It is an inspiring book that invites you to improve the story of your life.

One of my favorite analogies (or speculations) he states is one where he thinks that once it's all said and done we will be in heaven with God talking about our lives and telling Him all the stories we had shared with Him and our loved ones, and Miller feared he wouldn't have anything to say to God.

Later on in the book he is talking about Ecclesiastes and the advice on living a meaningful life boils down to this.

Find a job you like, enjoy your marriage, and obey God

"It's as though God is saying, Write a good story, take somebody with you, and let me help"

I want to leave you all with that hoping that you will either pick this up or pay attention to further posts about this book by me. I hope you all with that brief knowledge of the book think about your story. Is it interesting? Is it an easy story where there is not challenge or conflict or growth?

One last quote from Donald and I will leave you.

"We live in a world where bad stories are told, stories that teach us life doesn't mean anything and that humanity has no great purpose. It's a good calling, then, to speak a better story. How brightly a better story shines. How easily the world looks to it in wonder. How grateful we are to hear these stories, and how happy it makes us to repeat them."

Much Love

ø Connor ø

Down

I am terribly sorry readers. I will catch up when my internet is up. Remind me of Donald Miller. My horrid saturday with silver lining and camp

Much Love

ø Connor ø

Keys

It feels bittersweet to be writing this and feel as well rested as I am.

Bitter-Locked my keys in my truck prior to the track meet and couldn't manage to get at them before the meet.

Sweet-Locked my keys in my truck prior to the track meet and couldn't manage to get at them before the meet, so I proceeded to hang out with my very good camp friend Dwight for the afternoon and ended up seeing Snuffy, Grover, and their nephews.

Just to elaborate on how amazing it was to hang out with Dwight. Dude is like a big brother. Going around town just doing stuff with him and his friends, I was pretty happy with the day. Going to Officemax, Taco Bell, Wendys, and KFC was even fun. Especially in the summers, he's going to be one key person I miss this summer (one of many). He took a week of yard work on a who knows how many acre island and made it fun like. Runs to recycle bottles, hard earned "breaks" from working. It was an absolute honor to share a bunkbed with that gent. If anyone deserves a shout out from today, it is him. He is the guy that came and picked me up when I locked my keys in my truck. He also helped me change my tire this past summer when it got flat. He also gave me a place to stay over halloween weekend. Here's to you Dwight.

It was no doubt an eventful day.

In other news I'm loving the newspaper internship! Taking pictures, touching them up for the paper or slideshows online. I'm thinking the soonest my pictures will premiere in the paper will be next monday or wednesday. It's a good thing to do what I love for two weeks straight.

Taking pictures.

It's also a bad thing. Tonight I plan on ending my lazy streak and getting caught up on homework and all of that wonderful stuff associated with graduation and senior year. It's going to be a tough change.

I also want to take a blog paragraph to tell everybody at JHS (my high school for non-local readers) I miss em. Lots. Every class that I have people with and don't get to see em for two weeks. I miss you. Even teachers. It is by far one definite change in pace to not have everyone around me all day. Take care, I will see you in a little over a week.

This also goes to Echo Press staff (if any read this) Thank you for creating such a wonderful, welcoming work environment for me to come into. No doubt I love that. It is also a definite change in pace that I enjoy. It's great to be cube mates with the office "candy jar". Trust me Echo Press staff. You are all a fancy group of people. I don't mind coming to work in the mornings (granted as a photographer I can leave whenever to take pictures assuming a story is developing =D)

To Everyone, Thank You

Much Love

ø Connor ø