Talent Is In The Eye Of The Beholder

I had to share this. When I saw the title I didn't think I'd be impressed at all, but even I'm wrong sometimes. This is pretty perfect. Lionel Ritchie's "Hello" made entirely from film clips. Enjoy.



We have Holland-based videomaker Matthijs Vlot to thank for this! Find him and like him!

Resolutions: A Year of Firsts

As I was paying my late fee at the video store the other day, I told the man behind the counter that I bet he made more money from me in the form of late fees than he did on movie rentals (Yes, I still rent movies from time to time. I enjoy the experience). The man laughed and I jokingly commented that my New Year's resolution should be to start returning movies on time. To which he replied, "My resolution is to not make any more resolutions." As was my duty, I laughed but not because I found it funny. I laughed because I've heard that exact line dozens and dozens of times over the years and I figured he'd probably already used that line dozens of times that day. The conversation did get me thinking though.

I've never been much of a New Year's resolution maker. Sure I try to take stock of the past year and think what I'd like to do differently in the year to come but no actual resolutions. So, I decided to make one for 2012. Not a list, but just one resolution that will hopefully amount to a hefty list when I do my year in review just before the ball drops on naught 13. This year will be the year of firsts and I got right to it by starting on New Year's Eve.

This past Spring I caught the running bug. That is to say, one day I decided to go for a run and after several successful three milers I started to wonder if I could go four, then five etc. I've never been much of a runner. In high school I went through a brief distance running phase, but who knows how far I actually ever went. Probably not that far. Which is also the distance I predicted I'd make it as a 32 year old beginning runner. Not that far. When you tell someone that you ran three miles today, you don't get the reaction you might hope for. Three miles isn't easy. If you can say, "I ran three miles today and it was nothing" then you run a lot, you're in great shape or you're a liar. Three miles isn't easy unless you've been training, then it's four that's the tough part, then five...you see where I'm going. Never the less, very few people are ever impressed unless you tell them you just ran a marathon.

After a couple of months I was topping out at six miles, three times a week with shorter runs in between. All in all I was running between twenty and twenty-five miles a week. My buddy Micah was impressed, I was impressed and that was about it. Anyone else I told just offered a "good for you" or a "wow." It was a bit disheartening and discouraged me from trying my hand (or feet) at some sort of organized race. I don't run extreme distances, I don't run particularly fast and I have a knee that gives me a little trouble from time to time. Enter the year of firsts.

I'm not sure how I found it, (Probably an iPhone app because it seems that's how I find all new things these days) but I came across info about a New Year's Day 12k. 12k equals out to about 7.5 miles. If you're keeping track, that's a mile and a half more than I've ever run...and I haven't been running all that much since the mercury dipped. That aside, I decided to sign up and the year of firsts began.

Seeing as how the race was 10am on New Year's Day; New Year's Eve would be a bit different than many of my past NYE experiences. This year was the first eve of a new year that I didn't take at least one puff of a cigarette or cigar (although I have to confess that I did give up smoking quite some time ago. Still a first!), danced to music played by a blues band, drank water and Diet Cokes exclusively and made it into bed before 3am. While many would start the new year still feeling the ill effects from the old, I woke up fresh and ready to run...and that's what I did.

10am came and went and as it went, I went running right alongside it. Unfortunately, it too runs quite a bit faster than I do. This BLOG isn't really about how the race went. About mile two I was ready to call for my ride, but I didn't. Instead I went ahead and finished my first organized race. I'm not sure about the official time. It wasn't good. 7.5 miles in about an hour twenty I believe. Regardless of the time, it was a first. Oh, and I won a pair of socks. Nice right?

I've got quite a few firsts lined up for the year. Some big, some small, some hopefully in the works already. A woman in Springfield, MO wrote me to tell me my BLOGS were hard to read because of all the pictures. I'm not sure how she found my page, but notice my sparing use of pics in this post. BLAM! You just got firsted! Feels pretty good doesn't it? "Firsts" are limitless. You can have as many or as few as you want and since it's a first, each one gives you a completely different feeling. It's kind of amazing when you think about it, but don't waste time thinking. Head out and get one under your belt or just start keeping track of the ones that fall into your lap. I bet you'll be impressed.

I've got to go return a movie now. Don't rent Green Lantern. Who knew? I know, I know...everybody.

Halloween Aftermath

Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. When I was a kid I, of course, loved tricking or treating but scaring other kids was the real draw. I'd spend days setting up my "home haunt." My grandmother was my number one cohort. She'd bring some creepy costume to wear and I'd rig up something to scare the kids before they got to the door, where she'd take over by creeping them out. We have always been an amazing Halloween team.

So in the early years I was a trick or treater, in the middle years (age 10-25) I was a trick or treater scarer, then I was more of a costumed party thrower or goer and this year I was an adult! Even I'm a little shocked by that last statement. This Halloween was made up of pumpkin carving, chaperoning kids and inspecting candy. Again, I'm still a little shocked I'm allowed to wield a knife, be responsible for children or the safety of what they eat. Times, they are a changing.

The pumpkin end of things was so so. I've never been one to use the jack-o-lantern stencils that are so popular. My mom always said that if you were going to create something, you should should be creative. No offense to folks that use the stencils. Those things are cool. I've just always enjoyed coming up with it on my own. I did start college as an art major after all, but as you'll quickly be able to tell - switching majors was a smart decision.

 This is my first attempt at a 3D pumpkin carving. Meh. It did win second place in a contest but that's just first loser right? It's tough to make out, but my second attempt is there in the group pic. It's a half jack-o-lantern, half zombie face. Meh.

The other pumpkins were painted, carved and crafted by the Harvey girls. They didn't have to use sculpting tools, and as you can see...it made for some much better looking pumpkins. Oh well. I'll practice a little in the off season.
Prior to the pumpkin carving extravaganza we had to find just the right ones. A search that took us to Wild Things Farm. It's a cool place located somewhere in Oklahoma. I'd never done the whole corn maze thing (should be spelled 'maize' don't ya think?) so this was a first for me.

The maze part of the pumpkin picking experience started with a ten minute hay ride. That I'd done before, but never with better company than these two. Loves them! The maze ended up being pretty complicated. I went high, Sascha went low.

This picture wasn't planned or posed for in any way. Captain Morgan is a distant relative of mine. They call me Captain Moron.

I always hate the pictures you get when you ask a stranger to snap it for you, but all in all I think this lady did a pretty good job. Too much head room, but that just showcased the corn. Hats off to strangers you meet in corn fields. Ignore everything you ever learned from watching horror movies, get a good photo. Quote me on that.

The Halloween season came to a close like any other for those pretending to be adults for the first year ever. Trick or treating. Heather (the hot red head) and I took Sascha (the cute short one) along with my niece, nephew and Heather's nephew. I think the line-up was Vampiress, Freddy Krueger, Ghost Cow and Futuristic Military Guy.

I went as Dexter the serial killer serial killer, but there are no pics of that. Needless to say, I nailed it but no one that I ran into knew I was in costume because Dexter just looks like a guy. So, I pulled off "guy." Thankfully, not tough to do. The lady working the counter at the gas station the other day was pulling it off too, so I'm not getting too big a head about it. I spent last Halloween in Houston visiting haunted restaurants and going to nationally known haunted house attractions. It was a blast! This Halloween I stayed at home and hung out with kids and pumpkins. It was the best Halloween ever.

I think my next blog will be food related in honor of Thanksgiving. Hmmmm, maybe I'll finally write that blog about candied bacon brownies I keep promising. Should probably perfect the recipe first though. The last one made a kid cry. That's not a joke. He actually cried. Maybe I'll just write about this new coffee I like.