Well, some of you already knew, but now that it didn’t pan out, we’re allowed to talk about it.  Back in April, Chemistry.com (where Kallie and I met) contacted us and wanted us to be interviewed by a “national magazine” about our story.  Turns out it was People Magazine.  So they called Kallie, asked her a bunch of questions and asked for “our story” and I guess they interviewed a bunch of other people as well.  After a long waiting period, we were told we weren’t selected for the article, but it is cool just to be able to say we were interviewed by People Magazine.

I’ve also been selected by Pittsburgh City Living to be the Ambassador to the Hill District!  Not sure what that means exactly yet, but it’s a city program to showcase all the individual neighborhoods of the city.  Hopefully I’ll be able to contribute to the growth of the Hill!

This summer has been a whirlwind of activity.  We’ve been to California and back twice in July, a couple weddings around the state, heading to Canada/Yankanuck next week, went camping in Ohio and went to Cedar Point, back to Bedford for our 1 year anniversary, and just a bunch of other stuff that filled our calendars and put smiles on our faces.  I think next year we’re going to really protect our weekends and time together.  We had fun this year, but it was way too chaotic, and we even cut out a lot things as it was.

Back to real life, Kallie’s down to part-time work and full time student to get her NP license.  Since she’s doing that, I am also heading back to RMU for my masters in organizational studies.  We’re looking at 2-3 years for us to finish those up.  Work is reimbursing me as long as I get above a C, and I need above a 3.00 GPA to graduate, so I should have some motivation there.

I’m training for the urbanathlon again in October.  Probably doing a 5k in Charleroi and the Great Race 10k before then in preparation.  I’m going to try to fund-raise for the L.i.v.i.n.g. Ministry again this year too.  A lot going on with the ministry, and they could surely use the support!

I think after the race, I’m going to focus on music, playing out, writing songs, etc to carry me through the winter.  Hopefully I’ll be able to follow through on that one…I’ll keep you posted

Really, I have to give it up to my body for the past month or so.  It’s been through a lot, especially in the past week!  I have poison all over my legs, probably have some sort of sinus infection following a cold a week ago, and I’ve added a weight routine inbetween days of my ~4 mile runs.  It’s been in a constant state of healing for a while now, and it’s doing a great job.  Even been getting more sun than normal from soccer and the runs.  Good job, body, keep up the good work.  There’s still a rough road ahead of us to get where we need to be for the urbanathlon, or california beach appearance…but each day gets us a little closer.

As for the rest of me, doing pretty well.  I missed a week of work from the tooth surgery, then a short holiday week from the 4th of july, then another week off for staycation.  I was going to go to yankanuck with Deirdre, mom & chris, and even mike, serah, and Josie, but I decided to sit it out and save money for when i will really need it.  All i would do at yankanuck would be play music and read.  I got a lot done though, and things actually worked out very well for me by staying back.  More on that in the future.

Got a lot coming up too.  Josh Hall Project plays at the Cornerstone Kickoff on august 24th, and unlike instruments where you just have to learn the song and you’re good, vocals need to be in shape to sing.  So that needs to start NOW.  Need to take a trip up to see grandma.  I’ve also decided to sell all 4 of my lollapalooza tickets, with a minor loss, so that I can fly to California for that week.  Details to come, but I’m excited for what might be a new chapter…or even expansion pack, to my life.  I try to keep my head on my shoulders and heart in place for the time being, but I’m praying for open eyes to see what God wants to reveal to me.

When we were up at Yankanuck, J’aime and Keren came up with this idea to send grandma a newsletter every month, and call it “tell-a-gram”?. We would each take a month heading up the letter. No one ever did it, until J’aime took some intitiative last week to get us all to write a little update for grandma. When i first got the email, I tried to think of something to write about, but couldnt, so i just left it open to come back to later. It kept coming up in my mind, like while i was driving somewhere, and i still couldn’t think of anything to put in it. J’aime asked me why i didn’t reply and i said i couldnt think of anything yet, but that i would that night. I sat there, and just sat there. I have nothing to tell my grandmother. I wish i did. My grandma quit her job as a secretary 18 years ago because they wanted her to learn how to use a computer. 3 years ago, my dad bought her one of those internet appliances so she could keep intouch via email, and she wanted nothing to do with it, she wouldnt even take it out of the box. So, being that computers are the dominating force in my life, that was my first roadblock. But then, I was thinking, “certainly i do stuff other than computer stuff” but, i couldnt think of anything. I don’t go anywhere special. I see a movie here and there. I go home and hang out with my sisters. I go to walmart once a month for food. sometimes i have a class to go to. I go to work, come home, go to bed. rinse and repeat. Day after day. you’d think i’d be conscious of this, but it really hit me like a brick. What the crap am i doing? It’s like i put my life on autopilot and jumped in the backseat to take a nap. WTF. this whole awakening couldn’t have happened at a better time though. I have next week off for my birthday on wednesday and the following monday and tuesday off too. I called a friend i havent talked to in a year, have plans to go down to DC and spend time with friends there, but also do some personally rewarding things like recording some music and reading. I guess i’m just feeling like i need a bit of soul food. Works been a drag recently, so just the break alone should be good for the mental health.

it’s 5 am, and i am just going to bed. Got a lot to do today. clean the apartment, eye doctor’s, going to a Who – Tommy broadway thing with adam, and i gotta pack for yankanuck. leaving 6am saturday and going up to canada for a week. should be lots of fun. i am taking american psycho, disturbing the peace, hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy, diary, davinci code, and the interpretation of dreams to read. might stop by the store and pick up charlie and the chocolate factory if i think about it. I’ve started all these books, just never finished them. most people go up to the island to fish, but i am not big into that, so i am just going to get away from technology for a bit and read and play my guitar and hang out with my sisters. I am so stoked. havent seen keren all summer since she has been in michigan. rock on!

woohoo!! no work thursday, friday or monday! took some time off to spend with the family. thursday i’ll go pick up keren from Bethany, then go back home for Deirdre’s play, then friday go apartment shopping with becky, maybe go to deirdre’s play again friday, or go over to adam’s to jam, or just stay home and read. saturday will be time to hang out with the sisters. Serah is bringing mike in, and she wants to bring him in to the city, so maybe i will be involved in that, since i live here and all. maybe kick out another recording this weekend. hopefully get some studying done to take my test for my only class this semester. i know this weekend is going to fly, especially since my sisters are going to be home, but i am going to try to get everything done that i need to get done. and the weather doesnt look like she wants to play fair.

i started paying back my school loans since i am only taking one class this semester. one payment was due march 1st, and i sent it out monday….if i get some kind of late fee or something, prepare for a rant on 2 things. 1, effing school system and loans. 2, february and it’s 28 days in a month crap.

looks like jordan owen is interested in moving in with me once emily moves out. em is going to paris for the summer, so i gotta get someone else in here. she also said she doesnt want to be here in the fall either. it sucks, i tried to make everything nice and easy for her. She’s a free person though, and if living some where else is what she wants, i have no role in that. i just hope i am not a sucky roomate.

back to vacation days, i got 2 weeks solid off in july/august to go to yankanuck and stuff, and i still got 2 more weeks to spend somewhere. probably use a few of those around the holidays, but i got enough time to take a good road trip somewhere. i am excited!

well, its been a while.  i was supposed to go to PSU this past weekend and help serah move her crap back home, but I ended up not going, and my mom and J’aime went out friday night and came back early saturday morning.  fun fun.  I regret not going though.  Since i was home, i was working on the dragon game, and ended up causing a terrible thing to happen.  Long story short, we had to roll the game back to 2 weeks prior.  we had nearly 1000 accounts friday.  After the restore, we stood at 577.  So i promoted quite a few players to help out, and we set out to restore all accounts that sent in what their stats were before the crash.  So that is what i spent MY ENTIRE WEEKEND doing.  i didnt go to sleep until saturday morning for like 4 hours.  then a little bit later on.  I was so dead without the help of those that dedicated their time to bringing everything back up to date.  the game sits aboce 800 accounts now.

I start at mellon Monday, day shift.  I will be working twice as much as i am used to, but also making twice as much.  Should be interesting.  Thanks to Barb who made it possible.  She also got me the position at cobweb, which i would be no where without.  I have never found a job on my own, or got a job from a head hunter besides pitt helpdesk.  dairy queen, iomega, cobweb, touchtown, and now mellon, i got all from networking.  Chris says he is just the opposite:)  But that’s chris.  who, by the way, has some MP3s in the download section now.

starting at mellon monday means i am not going to Yankanuck with the family though.  The only thing to do up there is fish, and i am not a big fan of fishing.  I was kind of wanting to go and take my laptop, and just writing out the deck or something.  Yankanuck is a marvelous place, i’ll be sure to try and round up some photos.

anyway, its late, i just got back from walmart buying a salt and pepper shaker and some silverware.  fare thee well.  I leave you with 2 of my favorite things joined together in harmony.  a guitar and legos.