Music video, head spins and an orientation leader application.

Well, it's done. I have officially applied to be an orientation leader for the upcoming Freshmen of 2011 in the fall! Whoooo! Okay maybe not that exciting to some of you, but I think it's pretty sweet. I just gotta go to some interview tomorrow or Friday, and then they'll call me or something and tell me whether I'm fit to be one or should try applying for the clown position. Hopefully I get orientation leader, because I'm obviously not too terribly funny.

Peer critiques for that short story I mentioned were today too. I'm not certain I like my story much, and it seemed that neither were my peer critiquers, so that's fun.

Also, I may be in a friend's music video! His name is Christopher Spang, a good friend of mine, and he's a really good rapper. His band is Cohort, and they'll be coming out with some sort of album sometime soon. The music video wasn't for any of that, though, just a class he's doing, so unless you're friend with me on facebook, or find it on youtube, you probably won't get to see it. I may post a link in the next blog if I remember.

Ummm, I tried doing a head spin last night too. It went well, I think, for my first attempts, though all day today it's felt like I have a bruise on the top of my head. After it stops hurting I'll have to try some more; I was told I had the form down, so I just need to work on my balance.

Also new, I'm going to try working on my artistic ability. I wanted to try something simple so that my confidence wouldn't plummet when I did horribly, so I started drawing my own Pon and Zi cartoons (is that what you call them?). I'm still working on the proportions, such as making sure their heads are bigger than their body (lolz), but I kinda like the two that I've drawn so far :). If I ever get a scanner or tablet for my computer I'll try posting some of the stuff I've worked on.

I think that's all I have for this blog post. For those of you reading this, thanks! As always, leave a comment at the bottom letting me know what you want me to write about next, or ways to improve my blog, or any suggestion in general and I'll work on it. Shalom.

The next post in my rather inconsistent blog.

Hey everyone, I'm not going to apologize this time for the last blog post, because I've come to accept that I'll probably be just posting in this inconsistently. As such, so should you at this point, and all will be well! I even think that the title of this blog post has inspired me to the title of my blog now.

Okay, so maybe you've noticed in my small amount of writing up to this point, or maybe you haven't, but I'm kind of out of it right now. This is just a forewarning. I've been trying to write a story that's due tomorrow, and I don't even have enough sense right now to know if I like it or think it's good or not. So, I'm going to do the responsible thing, and put the rest of it off until tomorrow. I've got about 1000 words right now, and the minimum word count is 2000, and this is just a rough draft. I think I can churn out 1000 more words before class tomorrow, though the first 100o took me about two and a half hours, if I am to believe that I started at seven thirty.

What I'm writing about is this guy who has had this friendship with this girl about three years ago. His name is Levi, hers is Stacy. It ended messily, and now, three years later, she is on a college visit and happened to visit the college he currently goes to. The whole story takes place in a coffee shop, there the reader is to infer that he asked her to meet him sometime during her visit. Initially, I thought he wanted to invite her there to ask her if she really cared about him all those years ago, or if it was just pity, but now I believe he asked her there because he wanted to apologize. He has apologized before, but he believes he finally knows now what he has to be sorry for, and that he didn't know before, and he hopes that the apology means something to Stacy as well. Maybe he still wants to hear her say that she cared about him back then, maybe he doesn't, but one of the things he is apologizing for is that he didn't believe back then that she had cared, and didn't realize how much that must have hurt her. She doesn't know what to do with the apology at first, and to be honest, I don't know what she will want to do with it period.

The problems I already see in this story are that I don't know why she agreed to meet him in the coffee shop (or even how he gained the courage to ask), it seems contrived that she visits the college he goes to, and I don't know whether there will be a climax or not, or if it will be good enough, or feel contrived or floppy (as in, doesn't affect the characters that much in the end).

I actually started another, different, story about the same two characters, so I may be able to fall back on that one if this one doesn't turn out.

Shalom!

Beiber is cool in my book.

I didn't spend Valentine's Day with any significant other (I don't have one) or by celebrating "Singles Awareness Day" (a distasteful show of complains and discontent most of the time in my opinion). This year, went to see the new Justin Beiber movie with a couple of girls I met on the campus shuttle.

I asked them what they were doing going to the mall (which was my destination as well), and they replied that they were planning to see the movie and invited me to go along. At first I was tempted to decline; this would equivocal to social suicide, or at the very least a few months of hard teasing from a number of my friends, after all. However, my desire to do something exciting with my night won out, and I quickly agreed to go along with them. I figured I would at the very least learn something relatively culturally relevant out of going, even if it was a culture most people chose to despise. What I found in the movie I was pleasantly surprised with.

For those who don't know, the movie is actually a documentary about Beiber, and more than hearing only about the rise of a musical sensation, I saw a fun loving kid who had been blessed with a musical talent and love from a very young age. The home videos of this child touched me deeply in many ways. One of the ways that they touched me was by moving my desire to have a child or children whom God blesses. It may seem weird, but watching young Beiber grow up to be a sensation got me thinking about when I have kids, I want them to be liked and to find something that they love doing and are good at. I don't know how much more there is to write on this; the desire is so deeply personal that I probably couldn't do it justice.

But the fun loving Beiber also encouraged me in the way he and those around him live life. They want to be a blessing to others and to point others towards hope. Before shows one of the managers typically goes out to hand out free tickets to girls (typically; that is the fan basis), and these aren't back seat ones either. Typically they are in the front row. On top of that, one of his traditions with one of his songs, the title of which is escaping me right now (I've just started listening to his music), is to bring up a girl to the stage and serenade her with it. You can see the joy expressed on the faces of those whom he blesses in such an unbridled way. They can't contain it.

When you combine their actions into his music you can hear the same heart. It may sound like shallow teenage relationship music, and on some level it is, but there is a reason we struggle with such things as young people; our interpersonal relationships with others are important. We forget how far encouraging words and actions go. We forget that inside peoples facades of confidence and self-dependance, we all want to be enjoyed and noticed. In our younger teenage years this is expressed in trying to find a member of the opposite gender to fill the gap, but I saw in Beiber's documentary just how far having a loving and supportive family and cast got him. They were people that believed he could do great things and encouraged him to reach for them rather than stifling him with doubts.

I dunno, I'm sounding kinda rambly, and that's because it's past midnight here, but it's also because there were so many things that this movie caused me to think about and ways that it encouraged me to be encouraging and to love life and those around me living it. I've determined to write a commitment to myself to work towards my own hopes and desires in faith in the Lord, and one of those desires is to provide encouragement to others. Much like Beiber, I would like to do it through music and entertainment. Rather than contributing to discouragement in the world through criticism, though I admit there is place for criticism, I want to build up. If you're wondering what I'm talking about because, as I've said, I've been a bit rambly, just go see the movie. You won't likely regret it. Shalom.

I found a PINK PEN!

Hello again everyone! As always, I am very pleased to see you reading this blog. Yes, that's right, I can see you reading it where you sit, because I am a ninja like that.

No I'm not, I'm just kidding. You can stop looking over your shoulder now.

So today, I decided to sit in a booth in the dining area of Naz (which is a building at the college I go to, for all you non-NWC students). Basically, I was doing homework, while simultaneously not doing homework. I know, I'm just that skilled!

Anyway, I decided before supper started to take a walk, and that walk led me to the campus bookstore, where I just decided to walk in and look at stuff. I mean, you might as well look at things while randomly walking around and not doing homework, right? I went to the supplies, and I found a PINK PEN! And I was like "Oh my goodness! This is just what I have always wanted for like, the past three seconds that I've seen it was here!" And so I bought it, along with an orange sharpie highlighter and another ink pen, since I seem to bleed those things dry.

I am looking forward to writing so many things with this pink pen! I'm gonna write letters, and thank you notes, and all sorts of things! Okay, not really to the thank you notes. Unless you happen to get me something for my birthday, which is actually coming up because it's February 19. So, if you do get me something for my birthday, I will write you a thank you note, and sign it, and then one day when this blog is famous and all sorts of other writing of mine is famous you can totally sell it on ebay, or craig's list? and be all like "I knew that guy! I bought him a birthday present and now I have this thank you note worth millions of dollars!" Or something like that. I'll even write it with the PINK PEN!

Anyway, that's all I got for tonight. As always, if you have any questions, suggestions, or anything else you'd like to say to me, leave a comment! So far, I have like, zero comments for most of my stuff, and that's just not fun. Mostly because it probably means no one is reading this. But if you are, comment! I may write you a thank you note for that even with the pink pen if you do. Shalom!

Post Blog Notes

I suggested last night that I would maybe not be finishing that "What are you chasing?" series, and it is a definitive not-gonna-happen now. Looking back at my notes, which are pretty much single sentences for each idea, I don't have the slightest clue what I wanted to say. Well, rather than the basic premise, and I just don't feel like rethinking all that stuff. I much prefer new ideas, so out with the old!

Also, I will add a picture of the pink pen either to this blog later, or to my next blog so all of you can see its amazing pink-ness.

Dirt-sugar drink.

Hey guys, it's me again! So, with this blog I'm gonna do something new (hey that rhymed!) and give a professional review for something. Minus the professional part. And the review part is also still in question. . .Anywho!

So today I went to Target to actually buy food, as opposed to mooching off of Than (and Than, if you are reading this, thank you for being a wonderful friend). I was browsing through the soda and saw this new stuff called "Tab." First I checked out who it was made by, ya know, make sure I wasn't going to be drinking any drug-soda or anything, and saw that it was a Coca-Cola product so I knew I was safe. Since, you know, they haven't put drugs in their products since, well, I don't really know when.

I got back to my dorm and proceeded to put all of my food away. Then, right as I was sitting down to write something, our fire alarm went off--like that hasn't happened either other times this year. I decided to grab a "Tab" and try it out while freezing out in the Minnesota winter weather waiting for the Firemen to come. May I say, they are getting quite efficient at checking Arden!

Long story short, it tasted like dirt. With sugar. Actually, what I later realized is that it tasted like Diet Coke, except for the fact that it has all the regular unhealthiness of a real coke. So, for those of you who like dirt-sugar drinks minus all the benefits of not killing you, this one's for you.

Post Blog Notes

Okay, so I looked up Tab on wiki. Apparently it is slightly healthier, maybe, than regular soda (it's name comes from its marketing audience of people who want to keep "tabs" on their weight). And, it's not new, so I guess I've just never noticed it before, because it's been around since 1963.

Also, I'm now considering forgetting about finishing that "What are You Chasing" series, since I've apparently not found the time or desire to do it up to this point, but we'll see. The main problem is I get so distracted by new ideas that I want to write about! Thus, why I have yet to finish any of the fantasy books I've been trying to write. . .or even get past the seventh chapter. Anyway, shalom!

My life is. . .boring?

Hey everyone, it's been a little while since I've last posted on my blog, but I'm back! An update on life: the reason I haven't blogged for a while is settling back in to college and whatnot. Today I'm going to finish organizing my room (maybe), and as of right now for school I'm taking seventeen credits, participating in intramural broomball, and will be doing track as well later in the spring. I'm no longer going to do indoor track, which many of you may not have even known that I did but now do know now that I have done it, because I want to do broomball, and I simply dislike it.

Anyway, for those interested the classes I am taking are Writer's Style on MWF (Monday-Wednesday-Friday) from 11:20-12:25. Oh, and right before that is chapel, which is not a class but something I go to because I go to a Christian college, from 10:30-11. But right after Writer's Style I have Writing of Fiction, which is from 12:40-1:45. Finishing up my MWF's is Men's Chorus from 2-3:05. Not gonna lie, at first I was freaking out a little bit about two writing classes back to back, but it's turning out to be not so bad, and hopefully I will find that just right amount of pressure during school that isn't too much or too little.

On TR (Tuesday-Thursday) I have Lifespan Psych from 8:35-10:15, then chapel, and that's it. Until February, because then I'll pick up my Math for the Liberal Arts. I don't remember the time for that at the moment, so I'll inform you guys in another update when it arrives.

And, for those of you who did the math and realize that's not seventeen credits right there, next quad I will have Advanced Writing of Fiction and some Bible class that I've already forgotten the name of. Oops, lol.

Ummm, what else to talk about here. . .(see, this is why I do more "serious" posts; my life is quite uninteresting, lol). Well, before college I went ice skating for the first time, which was a blast. And then I went and had coffee with a friend a couple of days after that, which was also a blast! Aaand, uhhh, urrm, yeah, that's all I got for now. So, as always, if any of you have questions be sure to just ask them! Seriously, help me out with what I should put in these "update on my life" posts, I have no clue what anyone wants to know about me. Maybe nothing I suppose, but I'm too vain to believe that. Shalom!

Post blog notes

Everyone, I just started checking my Formspring account as well! My name on there is C_Anselm, I believe, so if anyone wants to ask me more questions that is the place to do it. Maybe I'll also start ripping questions from there to post on here for a little more interest.

And, that also reminds me, my gamertag on Xbox Live is Caleb Anselm (seriously, that's a space and not an underscore too), so add me on there as well. I won't be able to add you back right away, however, as my college blocks systems from getting on the interwebz. However, we can get around that with a little bit of PC and ethernet cable help. Shhhh. . .

I am on facebook, am not on Myspace, and dislike Twitter very much. However, I've been thinking about getting back on Twitter just because I hear about how useful it is all the time. If anyone has some pointers for me to not hate it, let me know. My account on there is again, C_Anselm. But, before people go thinking my real name is Caleb Anselm and go searching for that on facebook, it is not. It is actually Kaleb Hammes (can you find that sort of information somewhere else on here anyway? I don't know). I'm actually rather open to random people adding me and contacting me and whatnot; it makes life a bit more interesting ;).

And, again, haven't forgotten about the "What are you chasing?" series. But keep me accountable for putting it up, cause I might get into the habit of "remembering" it and not doing anything.

Understanding, Pt. 2: Pain.

Obviously, I didn't get this published last night, and I apologize for that. But, without further adieu, I will jump right into part 2 of these posts.

Society's views on understanding says that when someone is having a bad day, you should try to cheer them up. And apparently, the best way of cheering someone up is to tell them that you know how they feel! That you can understand how they feel, but look at you, you got through it. I'm thinking that many of you will catch on to this at least sounding ineffective. But the truth is, many of us do just this when someone is hurting. But what about the cheering up part? That's still good? I mean, we just need to find another way that's more effective.

Maybe. This is where discernment plays in, because I will admit that if a friend is moping around all the time, then sometimes getting them on their feet for a good day "with the guys" or "with the gals" is just what they need. However, sometimes you should also simply allow them to feel their pain. Sometimes, you should allow yourself to feel their pain with them, rather than say that "you know what they're going through." Go through it with them, and hurt with them. Paul says in Romans 12:15, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep" (ESV). Notice that it doesn't say cheer them up. It doesn't say to tell them that we know how they feel. It commands that that we feel it with them, whatever it is that they are feeling. (And while I'm not going to focus on the rejoicing aspect in this post, it is equally important to also rejoice with your happy friends; it is, after all, the other half of that verse).

Remember that their pain is legitimate, and in fact, they deserve to feel it before you try to cheer them up. Trying to cheer someone up prematurely says that whatever is causing them pain "wasn't that big of a deal." Maybe you really believe that, depending on the situation but allow them to decide that for themselves before belittling what they had deemed important enough to hurt over in their life. As for telling them you know how they feel, aside from being another simple effort to simply cheer them up and thus saying the same thing, it doesn't really work to cheer anyone up. Just because you know that they are hurting isn't going to make them hurt less, and that's likely what they are thinking, even if they won't say it.

But to "weep with those who weep" can do a lot for another person. It reassures them that they are right to feel what they feel, and that their pain is valid, because in today's culture it can seem like what is expected of us is to simply shrug of any wound. It also eases the stress of thinking that they are simply a burden to everyone around them by showing them that you are okay with the fact that they are hurting, and in fact, you want to hurt with them because whatever it was, it was worth it.

That statement is actually the most valuable thing that they will be able to face with another person hurting with them. Again, society today seems to tell everyone that if you're hurting from something, then it wasn't worth it anyway, and I have such a vehement distaste for this statement that I won't even try wording it. But many of us will try to believe it, and fail, and hurt even more because of it. Obviously, we can't properly grieve if we don't allow ourselves to, but that's another thing we forget in our pain. What is good for us at that moment is the pain. It's allowing ourselves to face that we lost something important in our life, something that meant something to us. It frees us to be ourselves and to care, because lets face it, the only way we will avoid all pain is to avoid caring about anything. Bringing us back on topic, weeping with those who weep helps them to realize this and to sort through all of it with a shoulder to lean on. Facing down the throat of the monster called "pain" can sometimes seem very daunting alone, depending on what the pain is.

Now, in near contradiction to everything I just said, there will be those few rare times where we should allow the person hurting to lie to themselves. Popular belief today follows that we should face the pain head-on, when it's not telling us that we shouldn't be feeling it, and as everything I said before this paragraph indicates, for the most part I agree with that. But there will be times when someone is going through pain that is so tremendous that they simply aren't ready to face it, even with someone else, and we should be patient with them. Go ahead and allow themselves to lie to themselves that whatever it was wasn't worth it, because whatever it was was so much worth it that they really can't bear to look at what they lost yet. But still hurt with them. Give them plenty of hugs, when and where appropriate.

Wrapping all of this up in a nice, neat little package is quite simple this time. "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." Allow someone to hurt, and encourage them to by hurting with them.

Post blog notes

Again, dealing with a subject of this proportion, whatever questions you all may have or whatever you may desire to point it, go ahead and do so in a comment. I very much dislike sounding stupid and not knowing it, lol. As opposed to sounding stupid and being very aware of, which I'm quite fine with ;). Hope you all enjoy reading these and that they bless some lives! Shalom.