Passing Fads of My Youth #2: Yo-Yos

My real father...in a dream once.

Ah, the ever popular yo-yo. Many a recess did I spend perfecting tricks with any one of my three weapons of choice: a Duncan Imperial, a Playmaxx Butterbee, or a Yomega Brain, essentially a triumvirate of awe and glory. These toys were designed so you could show off in front of your friends. They weren't even that fun, or cool for that matter.

Smell the cool.

If you failed a trick, you may as well kill yourself and be saved from a lot of trouble because you'll never live it down, akin to shooting an air ball at a basketball game; everybody just shouts, "Air ball!" at you the rest of the game, and you end up missing every shot. If you didn't pour your heart and soul into yo-yo mastery, there was no point. It was like a zen art-form for elementary school students; you had to mind-meld with the toy, become one with it.

One with the yo

Essentially, to the non-yo master, the goal of yo-yo is to do as many insane things with the yo-yo in one "sleep" as is humanly (or robotically) possible. "Sleeping" the yo-yo is when the user engages his yo-yo so that when the yo-yo reaches the end of the string it spins in place rather than rolling back up the string to the thrower's hand. This opens the door to many other tricks, explained in detail here, like "rock the baby," seen below,which, by the way, ladies, I can perform.

hot.

While yo-yos proved to be a trusty staple of 5th-8th grade for me, they were very prone to becoming lost and/or broken and/or lost and broken at the same time, and, no, I don't know how that last one works. But hate them or love them, yo-yos have etched themselves into our memories and the very history of America.

Morning Star, Pt. II

by Stephen Byrne

Thy pride hath blinded, thee, O Morning Star.
Thy own hatred hath pulled the wool over thine eyes.
For I AM WHO I AM, and this shan't be undone,
Who was and is and will forever be so.
Didst thou thinkest thou could ascend to My throne?
Thou art a fool, and thy punishment is meted.
Thou art cursed to the earth, to inhabit it,
To walk amongst the creation you despise.
And though thou leadest all I love towards destruction,
The worst of Sheoul is reserved for thee.
Bosoms of fire are stored up for thee.
Lakes of flame shall be thy abode.
And though in that day, thou shalt desire Me
My face shall be eternally turned away.
Mine eyes be blinded to thy suffering,
And Mine ears deafened to thy cries of pain.
As for My children, thy enemies, thy prey.
I Myself shall free them from thy claws.
Thou wouldst destroy them, but I love them!
And I shall do what must be done to save them.
Thou will laugh in that day, for thy victory seemeth sure,
But eternal victory is Mine, for I am the LORD!!
Thou thinkest to ascend to be a god, but nay,
There is but one God, one Ruler of heaven, one Master,
And He is not created but forever.
Thou art naught but a work of Mine hands.
What share dost thou have in My regality?
What dominion can thou hold over heaven?
My foe thou wilt be, but not My equal.
Do not be mistaken, thy defeat is sure,
But with my decision, not thine own.
Thus saith the LORD God of hosts.

Camp Poetry

A few poems I wrote at camp

by Stephen Byrne

"When God Dies"

Blood streams like rivers of death
Flowing forth from fresh wounds
Dyeing the ground crimson beneath
As the Life slowly ebbs away
Cries of pain shatter the skies
Echoing into the very seat of heaven
Into the very ear of God as He weeps aloud
But He stays his hands
For it is being finished
The great Work of all eternity
What all history has groaned for
And it demands His death.

"To End All Wars"

Trampled in the stale earth
Beset by vicious attack
Left for dead depraved, alone
Wedded to wanton destruction
My eyes scan the heavens
Anticipating some relief
But nothing quenches fire
Raging against my flesh
Questions flood my mind
Yet answers never arrive
Silence is become my bane
Blood my sole brother
As red runs down my arms
Guilty of murder, self-induced
Suicide, for I destroy myself
Isolate from who would help
A fool to the end
A slave to the last.

"An Exploration in Mortality: Part A"

Frightening. Horrifying. Cold.
Macabre darkness overwhelming.
Into terror quickly delving.
Life surrendered, in slav'ry sold.
The blame resides in me alone.
Shame weighs as worlds upon my back.
Soul suff'ring ne'er ending attack.
Sorrow aches sinew and bone.

"Redemption"

Such is my unwelcomed life
Wrought with loneliness and strife
Crippling hurt, beset by grief
Unending pain with no relief
Shunned by fate, embraced by hell
And darkness reigns in every cell
I feel myself be torn apart
A shattered soul, a broken heart
Shuddering with every breath
I long to die, there is no death
My lungs, they heave, my head, it pounds
My heartbeat drolls with empty sounds
Misery is my closest friend
Yet seeks to bring about my end
All that remains is naught to give
This is no life, yet I must live

Passing Fads of My Youth #1: Pogs

Oh, how I loved pogs! So pointless, yet so appealing!
I think at the height of their popularity I had somewhere around 300, which is nowhere near the amount of the collection of some of my friends, which amassed in the multi-millions I'm sure. What I did possess despite my lack of Pog fortune which was truly great was my slammer, a bronze/bronze-colored/brazen (I'm not really that good with metals) beauty with a black widow engraved on the front, which read, "POISON," on the back. I won many a pog with Widow, my very imaginative nickname for my slammer. You had to have a creative nickname for your slammer. Otherwise, you just weren't cool.

For those of you who did not enjoy pop culture during the 90's, I will treat you to a condensed explanation of the game of pogs. Notice I didn't add the "purpose" of Pogs, because we all well know there isn't one.

First, what are Pogs? Pogs are silver dollar-sized pieces of circular cardboard with a “bodacious” or “sweet” picture on one side and a really boring company logo or motto or just plain cardboard on the other.
OMG Pogs!
The origin of Pogs is traced to nowhere, because nobody really cared enough to research the subject in depth.

Second,what do you need to play? Well, in order to "play" Pogs, one first needs to acquire, well, Pogs, and obviously in numbers reaching the near-thousands, because, frankly, only babies have only like twelve. You also need to get a sick slammer, which is usually a piece of cut metal pipe with an 8-Ball or unicorn engraved into it. A good slammer is the key to ultimate victory.
The catalyst to victory


Third, how do you play? You and a friend each combine an equal amount Pogs from your collection, and place them boring side up in a pile. Then, you each take turns throwing your slammer onto the pile. Whichever Pogs land awesome side up, those are now belonging to the person who threw the slammer. Game repeats until all Pogs are owned/reowned.

Essentially, Pogs is the most wasteful and pointless game ever to be played. It is roughly the equivalent of saying: "Hey, I got an idea! Let's each put fifteen (or thirty for high stakes games) quarters into a bucket. I'll go on the roof and dump them onto the ground. All the ones that land on heads, I get to keep."

win.


But despite it's absurdity and obvious fad-ness, Pogs will always remain a staple of my childhood, and they will always hold a special place within my heart of hearts.


Pogs: Turing children into hardcore gamblers since 1994.

LAS VEGAS 2!

...Las Vegas was fun. I lost money, but I saw FOTC, who were great. I am glad I went. Also, screwdrivers and It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia are a great combination.

LAS VEGAS

City of Cats here I come! I am going to Las Vegas, Nevada to see Flight of the Conchords.........and gamble......and hang out with my friends. It is going to be sweet! We are going to stay in the Club 36 hotel , which could or could not be sweet. But it's all for the experience. I haven't been to Vegas since I was a wee lad, and I don't really remember anything about it, other than we went to this pretty cool water park. Now, as an adult, I will remember much more, although I will not be visiting a water park. It is going to be awesome.

A Few Thoughts: Christian Persecution and its Relevance to American Christians

Christian persecution is a touchy subject for many American citizens these days. We hear stories of brothers and sisters in far away countries being martyred or imprisoned for their faith in Jesus, and we feel sad, angry, or hurt, like somebody has wronged us, or maybe act surprised that this kind of cruelty is being carried out. Too many of us neglect the teachings of Christ that say, “Remember the word that I said unto you, A servant is not greater than his lord. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you,” (John 15:20) and honestly believe that we can truly follow God without any opposition. Reading about the martyrdom and torture of early Christians under the Roman emperors instills in me fear for my fellow present-day American believers. These brothers and sisters of old believed the words of Christ with their entire being: their bodies, minds, and souls, and they bled and died for it. Should we feel surges of anger or grief at martyrdom? Should we be surprised by persecution? If so, it brings to mind other questions. What is the value of persecution from the Christian’s perspective? Are we truly honoring God if we have no oppression from the world? Are we enjoying the fellowship of the world instead of perfect communion with God? Are we trying to serve two masters? I believe that if one does not experience some kind of oppression, not necessarily severe, he is not living a life honoring God. “What harmony exists between Christ and Belial, or what do a believer and an unbeliever have in common?” (II Corinthians 2:15) How can the Christian life coexist with the worldly one? They cannot. Therefore, extol persecution! Rejoice when you hear of brothers giving all for the Name! For they have surrendered what is merely temporary, and instead received that which is eternal, and they have done it with unadulterated joy, because they were found worthy to suffer for the Christ.

The Movie Theater

So, I went to the movies a few days ago, and I had a thought. If I were to sum up the theater, what would I say. Well, the truth is, the movie theater is different things to different people, and I wish to explore the possibilities. Maybe in reading this you can discover which meaning you believe.

...

First, the movie theater is a place you go to watch a movie. And I don't mean glance at a movie while you talk really loudly with your friends, or steal a few looks at a movie while you're making out or something. Actually going to a theater, and viewing, in its entirety, a cinematic feature. Many people go to see a movie for different reasons. Maybe they are bored and looking for something to do, some go to be entertained, others go because they want to sound smart in front of their friends by analyzing the philosophy of a movie. Stupid. That's why I don't go see serious movies, becuase there is always somebody who's like, "This is what the director meant..." and I gurantee I will hear at some point, "It's about humanity." Every movie is about humanity! Unless it is the Lion King...but still...

Oh...hakuna matata...positivism...no worries. Dang. It is about humanity as well.

Alternatively, the movie theater is the pefect place to loiter. How often do I go to the movies and see upwards of 2,000 middle school students just.....hanging out. Not buying anything, not seeing anything, not eating anything...just...there. A myriad of scene/emo/punk/goth/stupid kids. I wonder what the ODOs have to deal with daily.

You mean I can't just sit here all day and all night, Officer?

Nothing annoys me more then having to wade through the river of prepubescent children in order to get to a destination that will probably just have more of them. What proud parents they must have!

Yay! I'm going to grow up to be a future obstruction!

Finally, the movie theater is a great locale for vandalism. Graffitti artists unite! This is the perfect building to tag up (that means to apply spray paint on buildings for you non-vandals)! there are security cameras on the building, but I am totally convinced they are pure aesthetic. They are there because science has determined that people are naturally afraid of robots.

The face of fear.

But fear not! They cannot harm you, O vandals! Tag in peace. But please, try to tag in English, because I can never understand the things you spray onto signs and walls and stuff.

Not English.

In closing, respect the movie theater for all it provides, no matter how you utilize it. Whether you are the best film critic (in your own mind), being in the way and annoying, or ruining the outside of the building, you should still be thankful for the movies, now matter what the price is of a ticket. (It's $10! WTF!)

Supposing the Economy Worsens....

I was thinking about this the other day, yes, thinking, and I came to the conclusion that should the economy continue its descent into obliteration, we may have to resort to drastic measures.

Drastic.

No, not that drastic, well, in so much as the food supply holds up (but in that case I am a strong supporter of Soylent Green{Soylent Green being little green wafers[these wafers being recycled dead people...that we'd eat]}). No, I was thinking more along the lines of specialized creative employment opportunity. In layman's terms, we would probably have to resort to making up jobs, essentially serving no purpose, to create employment in a last-ditch effort to boost the economy. For example, now with your Masters Degree in Pathology, you too can become a sandwich weigher! With new imposed taxes and regulations, all sandwiches must weigh exactly 13 ounces or less, or face heavy fines. Enter the sandwich weigher, dutifully making sure all sandwiches are regulation-size.

I'm excited.

Or how about with your PhD in whatever (because it doesn't matter), going to work as an honored and revered bowling ball polisher! Yeah, like I said, creative jobs.

And in the worst case of our economy going down the tubes, we may even have to get rid of IMPORTANT jobs! Imagine the tears on the distraught children's faces now...their most beloved person ever put out of work, unable to provide for them the things their youthful hearts need and crave. Imagine the pain they will feel as this person, forced to retire in shame, turns from them to go into a lifetime of grief and uselessness. All this because his workforce was deemed unnecessary.

If Santa Claus isn't your kid's most favorite person, I'd say you have misaligned their priorities.

But on a lighter note, we should really look into that Soylent Green thing...

The other is people.

Tiger's Milk Bars....and other musings

Do you ever come across a time in your life when you just think to yourself, "Man, I am very funny. Like for reals." I haven't had one of those times yet, but I imagine a time when that fantasy becomes a glorious reality.

I have gotten close, like the times I point out the ridiculous connotations that food brands promote. For example, yelling really loud in the middle of the supermarket that Tiger's Milk doesn't really sound that appetizing, wondering aloud what is next, Whale Milk? I have actually been a strong proponent of introducing whale milk to the general public. I mean, think about it, whales are huge, so milk from them will be greatly abundant. Whales are mammals too, so they can't be ALL that different from cows or goats or other milk bearing creatures. We may be able to stop world hunger....err....thirst, with the advocation of whale milk, but I digress.

Other times, I may verge on humor by pointing out something usually pretty obvious, but still sort of unusual. "One of your socks is longer than the other!" is one of my favorites, but when people wear pants, thus hiding their socks from view, I do not get to employ it. At these outbursts, some people laugh, but not enough for me to be funny.

I also like to dance funny, but that just makes me look stupid, so don't ask me to dance.

I believe my best attempt at comedy is found in my random notes that I leave for people around the office, such as this one I wrote for my friend Bry,
"Bry,
If we were lost on a frozen planet I would allow you to cut open my stomach with a lightsaber and scoop out my entrails so you could sleep in my still-warm corpse, keeping you safe for the night. That's how much you mean to me.
Stephen"

True, I realize I "borrowed" the essential first half-hour of The Empire Strikes Back, but I believe this showcases my potential.

Or this one I wrote for my friend Emma,

"Dear Emma,
You remind me of Raisin Bran cereal, only instead of two scoops of raisins, you have two scoops of friendship. Not sure how much a scoop is.
Love,
Stephen"

I am still not sure how much "a scoop" is, but I trust it is a substantial amount for it to be a selling point of the cereal.

Ssee what I mean? While I know you didn't think in your mind, "Wow, this guy is really funny," you maybe chuckled at a point or two along the way. But this doesn't qualify me, at least in my own mind, to be considered funny.

Over time, I have come to realize my capactiy for humor arises out of situations. I cannot create funny on my own. Abundant humor does not flow from me as it does some of my other friends, *cough Jon, *cough. I must have outside aid from the world, after which I pounce on it like a lioness would a sickly gazelle, only the lioness is a lion that is me, and the sickly gazelle is comedic situations.

On another note, I really like the movie Homeward Bound, but it always makes me cry for some reason. Darn you, Shadow. I always knew you could make it out of that mud pit. You ARE NOT too old!

Michael J. Fox was the bulldog.

The Second Coming Of Christ

Speculation abounds in Christian circles concerning the Second Coming of Christ: what it entails, when it will be, who will be involved, what will specifically happen- and unfortunately this information is not revealed in the Bible. What we can know about the return of Jesus does not come from formualation, theorizing, and date-setting, but from what is said in the Scriptures, and this is not very extensive. Firstly, "...the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night." (I Thes. 5:2) The second coming of Christ will be sudden and unexpected. Akin to the Genesis flood, Jesus says, "But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark." People will be going about business as usual, nothing will seem out of the ordinary, but this will be the time the Son returns. Many dates have been proposed to be that of the Lord's return, but they have all been proved false. Only God knows the time he has chosen for his return to earth. Secondly, the Lord's return will be visible and physical. Just after Christ's ascension, two angels told the gathered disciples that Jesus will "come in the same way [they saw] him go," (Acts 1:11) that is, descending from heaven. Revelation tells us that "he is coming in the clouds, and every eye shall see him." (1:7) It will not merely be a manifestation of Christ or aspects of himself, i.e. his teaching, or morality, but the physical resurrected Jesus of Nazareth, crucified and risen. (Grudem 1092) Thirdly, the second coming of Christ will have eventual eternal results, judgement for the unbeliever and eternal life for the believer. Jesus will establish a new heaven and new earth, and the old will be destroyed with fire, ushering in eternity of fellowship with God for the righteous, and eternity of separation from God for the unrighteous. (Grudem 1095)
What should the Christian do with this knowledge, albeit not the most intimate as there are some things we simply cannot know, surrounding Christ's return? How should he live based on what he can discern from the Bible and the Holy Spirit? Many Christians believe that a sense of urgency should arise, a need to create intentional relationships with unbelievers. I disagree. I believe that attitude should already be prevalent. I believe that the Second Coming of Christ should effect no major change in a true believer's life. It is unknown when Christ will return, thus I believe he could arrive at anytime. Who are we to say something must precede his coming? In a way, is that not date-setting? Our Great Commission from the Lord, given in Matthew, is "go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."(Matthew 28:19) I believe this should not change in the face of the Second Coming, but that it should fuel our desire to see more people come to know the power and grace of the Lord. Our desire to see God glorified through changed lives, should increase in intensity due to the uncertainty of the times. As I mentioned before, intentional relationships are key, that is, living in such a way that you are an intentional witness to an unbelieving world for the Lord Jesus, above reproach and properly displaying the love and grace of Christ. Words should be spoken without fear. Acts of kindness, mercy, and grace should be done with love and an emboldened spirit. Conversations and lifestyles must reflect a change of mind, heart, and soul, one that God effects. The Second Coming should not change the way you live your Christianity out in the day-to-day world. It should be preached as a comfort to those already saved, not as a tactic to win converts. People need to see the alteration from sin that a personal relationship with the Lord brings about. That is true witness.

Spiritual Warfare

by Stephen Byrne
Verses taken from Holy Bible, New International Version
Citations (where noted) from Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem

Spiritual warfare is often not realized or not understood properly amongst Christian communities, even ones strong in the Lord. What is spiritual warfare? Spiritual warfare is the battle between the armies of the Lord and the armies of Satan for one, and I also see it as the struggle between righteousness and unrighteousness, both within an individual person's soul and conscience and in the unseen spiritual realm. How should a believer respond and act accordingly to the concept and actuality of spiritual warfare?

First, understand who the enemy is. The Bible tells us as believers our fight is not "against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12) We war against the devil and those spiritual forces who place their lot with him, not against man here on earth. The devil is the prince of this sinful world. (John 14:30) Revelation 12:10 calls the devil our accuser, the one who before God decries our sins and declares us unworthy of salvation. Our enemy is strong, and we cannot defeat him alone, but our Lord is stronger, and with Christ we can triumph. Christ declares in John 16:33, "Take heart for I have overcome the world." Our enemy is also the evil desires within us, the carnal desires of the old self that war with the new self given in Christ, as well as the temptations the sinful world creates for us. (Grudem 421) (Romans 6) (I Cor. 10:13) The fight is difficult, but our God is faithful.

Second, understand what the battle is ultimately about. The battle is not for land, for resources, or any reason a human war may be staged, but for the ultimate destination and condition of human souls. Satan, desiring to have plenty of company in hell, wages battle with "great wrath, knowing he has but a short time" (Rev. 12:12); whereas, the Lord desires all to be saved, and for none to experience separation from him in hell. (I Tim. 2:4) This battle should not be mistaken to be between those of equal powers, however. Satan is infinitely inferior to God, and the Lord is already victorious and will be even more so in times to come and passes this victory onto us, his children, through Jesus. (I Cor. 15:57) Thus, the believer can walk in strength and fearlessness, for their God is in control and has assured victory. Through this victory, Christ has given us the authority to withstand and rebuke these supernatural enemies. (Luke 9:1) This authority stems from Christ's championing death on the cross, and this also provides us the basis to engage in spiritual warfare, as a member of God's family. We do not have anything to fear in demons. (Grudem 428) The Holy Spirit in us is stronger than any demonic power or strength, (I John 4:4) and has given us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love. (2 Tim. 1:7)

Finally, what is the Christian's responsibility in spiritual warfare, if the battle is already won? We have an opportunity to minister to those conflicted in spiritual warfare, whether through counsel, prayer, or direct intervention. (Grudem 430-431) In order to be effective in our ministry, we need to be walking with God and take full advantage of the power of the Holy Spirit indwelling us. (Grudem 432) In victory over our spiritual enemy, it is vital we should not rejoice that we have triumphed over demons, but that we have salvation in heaven. (Luke 10:20) Christians also need to utilize opportunities in ministry to those spiritually oppressed to preach the Gospel, yet in every instance, whether a new convert is won or not, give full glory to Jesus. (Grudem 433).

Spiritual warfare can be a complex subject, because of its difficult concept, as well as its intensity. However, it is important the Christian be aware of it, since it affects his own spiritual walk and his witness to unbelievers. With Christ the victory is already won, but many lost souls are caught between the warring factions, and many are on the losing side. For the Christian, the battle is best fought on his knees, his best weapon the power of prayer.

Morning Star Pt. 1

by Stephen Byrne

'Tis I who hath ascended higher than the heavens,
I who outshine both sun and stars in unabashed light.
'Tis I who posses might like iron hammered
I whose beauty exceedeth that of any other creature
Why, then, should I be made for servitude?
To wait on Thee, my glory befitted to be Thy retainer.
This I sayeth to Thee, Yahweh, I shalt be Thine no more.
Mine enchainment endeth this day, this very hour!
For what canst Thou do for me, for I am become Thee?
Thou sayest I am created, this I deny, this I blaspheme
For I am become as The Most High, not lacking in power and strength.
Thy throne be deposed, and mine kingdom exalted to the stars.
And this I avow, Elohim, thou hast become my repugnance.
And I shalt forever be the gleaming spear in Thy side.
Thou shalt ere feel the sting of my hatred, my hot rage.
Thy blood shalt always run cold with the venom of my ire.
War shall never depart 'tween Thy celestial house and mine.
And my offspring will for'ere battle with Thine.
What Thou shalt create, I will doom to destruction.
Where Thou givest the breath of life, I will choke it.
Thy mantle is of order, I shall crown chaos as lord.
Where Thou bringst love, I invite hate.
All that Thou cherish, I shalt despise.
Everything Thou defend and hedge, I will assault.
Until at last I stand triumphant over Thy withering Form,
And all Thy loyal angels I will enslave,
And Thy Chosen shall see decay, and moulder in the grave.
Thy Only Begotten shall be trounced 'neath my armies.
Thine outstretched Arm shall wither and die,
And I shalt set Thy jeweled crown upon mine head
My countenance is forever darkened unto Thee, El Shaddai,
And I shalt serve Thee, henceforth, no more.

nothing prepares you

for seeing your ex-girlfriend 16 months after you break up, especially at one of the places you used to frequent. let me explain.

great wok of china in oceanside is probably one of the best chinese food places around, mostly because of their lunch specials. kristen turned me on to it about a year after we started dating, and i liked it a lot, so nearly every time i visited her at lunch at 24 hour fitness, we went there. after we broke up in november of 07, i stopped going for a while, to mitigate the memory of her; however, once i began to get over the relationship in may, i started going again, with people from work.

today was one of those days, an average lunch day. while waiting in line at the soda machine, who should walk in but kristen and her mom. noticing them before they noticed me (i think), i quickly exited the restaurant, escaping into the plaza.

now, kristen began dating a guy within days of us breaking up, or it might have been just before, i'm not quite sure, she never told me. she got pregnant by him, and is now married to him, and i suppose about 13 months pregnant by the look of her. i hadn't seen her since we broke up, and it was very awkward, strange, and hurtful to see her.

i'm not sure if she even knew i was there, and even if she did i doubt she'd care. at this moment, i'm at the place where i can say, i don't care either, but it was still sucky to see her. i loved her a lot, and the way she ended things will probably always sting a little, until i have a love with another girl that is stronger, bigger, and better to replace it. until then, i have to give everything to the Lord, who is stronger, bigger, and better than anything i could ever get from anyone.

Weekly Poems (Week of 1/25 - 1/31)

All poems by Stephen Byrne

"Summer's Walk" (A nature poem. Last two lines rhyme. Unintentional)

Sunbeams pour from an azure sky
Like golden water on the ground
Sun, earth, and man together,
A trinity on this warm summer day
This is my serenity, my solace
A quiet stroll through the green
Nature's peace surrounding me
Embracing me with earthen arms
As I journey through her vibrant halls
Encasing me in verdant walls.

"To All The Girls I've Loved Before" (This one is kinda ridiculous and comes across as one of those "I'm feeling sorry for myself" ones, but I felt like this for a while.)

Pitiable. Petty. Paranoid.
All that I am to you now, a complete roundabout (of how we used to feel)
Once the sole object of your affection, now reduced to mere ash
In your eyes, eyes that once looked on me in love
Are now absolved of me completely, therein lies no spark of adoration
Ethereal dreams Known in our Kiss Vanish, now no dream Lingers There.
Lips that used to speak my name with airy breaths, voices drenched
With amorous words now are interwoven with the names of others - betters.
Hearts that once skipped beats as I drew near no longer house the feelings
Of endearment I knew so well.
Even now my stomach is in my throat as I write this, as I reflect
Our history is over - and you have already begun new chapters
That have written me out of existence, truth be told, you are better off
To all the girls I've loved before, sorry for the inconvenience.

it's just like a mini mall

so school has started again. hooray
it is my second quarter at horizon college in san diego (a bible college). it is really cool to see my future begin to unfold as i complete courses here. God is truly amazing. jr. high is still great, i enjoy every minute of it. work is mundane, but it pays for tuition, etc. so i cannot complain about that.

2009 has begun!