Kevvo Live!

Staying In Tonight

Kevvo — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:29:00 GMT

It's been one of those days when I'm glad I got a good night's sleep the night before - I needed it.

I woke up early and was out the door with time to spare - my goal was to get to work so I would have as much time as possible to finish things before I leave next week. I was out the door and to the Jeep around 7:30* - good timing... and then things changed.

*This is about an hour and a half earlier than I need to be out the door for work... I really was planning to get some extra time in!

I couldn't get my Jeep to start. I figured it was just a dead battery that needed to be jumped, but I couldn't figure out why the battery had died... I didn't notice anything that might've been left running overnight. Oh well, my first priority was to find a ride to work and from there I'd try to find someone who could help jump my car in the afternoon - after all, I usually take Tuesday afternoons off so I can prep for school**. Today I'd just have to add jumping the Jeep to my list.

**On the plus side, the quarter is winding down and there wasn't a lot of prepping I needed to do today - particularly since I wasn't able to get ANYTHING done. I'll be working on that tomorrow night and Thursday morning I guess...

I found a friend who was willing to help me out so he drove me home and powered my battery... sorta. While I was able to get the engine to turn when I revved it (and his battery was connected to mine), once I took my foot off the pedal the engine stopped. Fortunately, David knows a thing or two about cars so he offered to help me pull the battery out and take it to Auto Zone to get the battery tested. We did that*** and found out the battery's dead... as a door nail...

***I make it sound like a simple procedure. First we had to trek back downtown to get his supplies (since no one near me seemed to have any) and then he faced the challenge of a LOT of corrosion. Add to that the mild rain and it wasn't as easy as it sounds.

Thank God for friends because I got a call from another friend this evening. Jeremy (yes, the same one who has helped me numerous times with my laptop(s)) offered to come and take a look at the situation. As David had left it, one of the battery terminals was jammed with an old, undersized and corroded bolt that didn't want to come out... and he didn't have a drill to get it out. Jeremy has a drill and has offered to come back tomorrow evening to help me get the bolt out, buy a new battery, and install it.

Angie has offered to drive me into work (again) tomorrow so I won't lose valuable time**** and I should be set by the time I have to drive to class Thursday morning.

****As much as I was tickled with the idea that I'd have an excuse to not go into work tomorrow, I've since remembered a lot of things that are going on that will need my attention. It's nice to have job security, but I wouldn't mind sleeping in.

It's been a frustrating day, but it could have been MUCH worse. I'm so grateful for friends like David, Jeremy and Angie who were willing to take time from their schedules to help me out... I would've been lost without them. Thanks, friends!

The Mercury's Inching Up

Kevvo — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:19:00 GMT

It's that time of year again when the weather is starting to warm up and it's getting too hard to stay inside all the time... so I'm not*!

*To be honest, I would really like to break out my bike and start riding that, but with time limited and so many other things to do, I can't really justify taking the time to get my bike tuned, just to take it apart and pack it up in another couple of weeks. I'll wait until I'm in Florida to get on the saddle again.

Yesterday the temperatures went over fifty degrees so I thought it was time I made my way back to the canal for my first walk of the season. While I started a little chilled (there's still some ice on parts of it) and had to pull my hood over my head, by the time I was halfway around I was warm enough to actually break a sweat. Unfortunately, the fact that I've been inside for awhile became all the more evident when I was wrapping up my walk and realized my hips were hurting - I guess I need to get back to walking a little more regularly!

The canal is my favorite place in Indianapolis. I've always felt drawn to the water and I find my best quiet time by the water's side, so it's no surprise that the canal would be my favorite place in a mostly landlocked city... and now that I'm counting down the days until I leave, I want to make sure to take advantage of it as much as possible! With the temperatures rising, I plan to get over there as often as I can the next couple of weeks.

Also, I wanted to take a picture but it's still getting too dark too soon - I guess that'll be the next stage of the season... I can't wait!

Washington DC is Still Standing

Kevvo — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:28:00 GMT

For those who haven't already heard: Washington DC began issuing marriage licenses for same-sex couples yesterday after the Supreme Court refused to block the gay marriage law on Tuesday.

This is great news! It's good enough same-sex marriage is gaining a foothold in the US, but the fact that it happened in DC where the law-makers can see first-hand the positive effects on society... that just makes it perfect! Perhaps as same-sex couples continue to get married and demonstrate that their families can be a huge contributing factor to the improvement and strengthening of their communities, laws will be passed to make this a national standard.

It's coming... it's just a matter of time.

To the skeptics, I encourage you to look at places like Washington DC and see if your fears come true.

Heterosexual marriage won't be weakened, it will be strengthened when: a) people stop considering domestic partnerships "good enough" and start looking at marriage as the optimum situation, b) homosexual people will have an alternative to "faking it" in heterosexual marriage (where they're less likely to succeed and more likely to end in divorce), and c) an increase in healthy marriages will model the behavior for those who might struggle to stay in their own potentially-healthy marriages.

What's more, the de-stigmatization of homosexuality will have healthy results in that a) families will no longer be divided over the issue and parents will be more comfortable with accepting and loving their homosexual children, b) homosexuals will be more comfortable with expressing their affection in public and they won't have to hide (and ultimately undermine) their relationships (resulting in a poor self-image and worse), c) hate crimes bills can be passed to protect GLBT peoples across the board but their incidence will decrease and d) society in general will be able to take the focus off this issue and put it on other things (the environment, health care, poverty) that continue to harm our country and our world.

Children of same-sex couples will have the security and stability they were previously lacking, homosexual kids will have hope for a "normal" future, and religious organizations can begin taking a more constructive (instead of destructive) approach on working with the GLBT community... can you tell how I feel about this issue?

If you don't believe me, just watch. It's coming... it's just a matter of time.

A Month of Change

Kevvo — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:11:00 GMT

It's the first of the month so I guess it's as good a time as any to reflect and think about the opportunities that this month will bring.

My moving date is coming faster and faster. At this point, the plan is that I will leave Indianapolis on Friday, March 26. Working back from that, my last day of teaching will be March 25 (I'm doing final project reviews with my students hours before I move). I'll be packing and unloading my apartment the whole week leading up to that, my last day at the Athenaeum will be the Friday before, and I hope to have the Jeep sold before that.

I may actually have the Jeep sold already. A friend from work is interested in buying it and I'll be showing it this Wednesday. If she decides to buy it I'll be able to keep it until I'm ready to leave town and I won't have to pay for a spot to park it once I get to Florida. The flip side is that I'll have to find a rental car to get me and my stuff to Florida at the end of the month, but I'm hopeful that a quick trip will make the endeavor cheaper.

They've hired my replacement at the Athenaeum. While I'll still work for the Foundation on a very part time basis doing design projects, there will be a new Administrative Assistant starting this Monday. I have a lot to do before I go so the next few weeks will be particularly busy as I try to get all of my stuff done while training the new person and managing the "stuff" that goes along with moving.

I don't anticipate packing being a major project. I moved to Indianapolis with just two car loads worth of stuff and though I've added to my belongings since I've been here, there's a lot I don't need to take with me and I think paring down will a big part of my work. I've already started packing a few of the things I'm not going to need the rest of my time here and I'm getting a more accurate idea of how much I'll really be taking.

Probably the hardest part of this entire transition is leaving my job at the Art Institute. I've really found a part of my soul there and it'll be difficult to leave the students and the work that I enjoy so much - but I'm hopeful that I'll be able to get back into something similar after I move. There are other schools and other art opportunities in Florida that I don't even know about and I look forward to finding them, and the work I've been doing here has been a great training ground.

As always, I'll try to update regularly on here and I welcome prayers (or anything else you want to send my way) - and I'm grateful that despite the changes in the world around us, God always stays the same.

Losing Sleep

Kevvo — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 03:55:00 GMT

Today I made the mistake of downloading a game I've been looking for the last few years - SimCity.

For those who don't know, SimCity is a game that consists of creating a city. You build a power generator, zone plots of land, build roads and generally try to keep the citizens of your city happy based on the cues you get from the occasional newspaper headline. Power plants burn out, water pipes need to be laid, and the options you have evolve based on evolving technology - and all of this has to be managed on a budget. Frankly, I'm not really sure how you can tell if you've won - but I've killed many hours watching the ebb and flow of city life on my computer screen.

But I always had to play someone else's game - until now.

The reason downloading it was a mistake is because I've fallen victim to the addiction. Fortunately, it's housed on my old Powerbook so I won't have it in front of me all day long... but it makes for some long nights. I look forward to growing tired of it again.

Until then, I guess I'll just be tired.

Say What You Will About Me... I Know Cool!

Kevvo — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:26:00 GMT

I posted in my entry yesterday that I've become obsessed with the P22 Foundry deck of Typography playing cards from 2004 - well, I just wanted to post what got me moving in that direction.

I saw this web site first and was blown away by how beautiful these cards are - then I went to the designer's web site and I became even more impressed. Creating these cards was her graduate project and an effort to simplify and create a dynamic way to view the basics of Typography. Not only are these lovely and functional, they're actually educational!

Now, I realize not everyone who visits my site is as interested in Typography as I am, but I had to share... and on the off chance that someone would like to buy these cards, I'll encourage you to contact Michelle (the designer) to place an order. They're not currently in print, but she promises it will happen this year... I'm giddy at the prospect*.

*And I assure you, when I get my deck it will be posted on here!

I told you I know cool!

Anyway, I'm off to class now. I'm currently without the internet at my apartment (again), but it looks like I may have found a buyer for my Jeep and I've nearly wrapped up my lesson plans for this quarter. I'm still working on the job part, but I'm optimistic about my prospects... I think things are coming along nicely in anticipation of my move (just four weeks from tomorrow!).

My Latest Obsession

Kevvo — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:19:00 GMT

Since I've been teaching Typography at the Art Institute, I have to admit it's become a bit of an obsession for me. I started out thinking it was something that was necessary and fundamental to design, but not terribly sexy... then my eyes were opened...

Typography can be SO sexy!

Case in point: I was doing some research online this morning for playing cards that were focused on Typography (yes, this is what I consider a good time). I came across some cool examples (that I might share here another time) and this set that blew me away! Each card features a different font from the P22 Foundry and they're designed by a variety of designers. Here are just a few of them:

Unfortunately, it's out of print. That may be the reason I've become obsessed with finding this deck but I did manage to buy the newest deck so for now I'll content myself with those - but if anyone is able to find the original set from 2004 I'm VERY interested. I've heard they're kind of expensive now so it might not be an option... but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

I've always thought I was an illustrator who designs...

Is it possible I'm actually a designer who illustrates? (Just in case, I've created a new blog entry category - "design.")

Another One Down

Kevvo — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 20:26:00 GMT

Today I completed another sketchbook.

I began drawing in it on 27 July, 2007, but it's not the only sketchbook I've used since then and I haven't been that faithful to my goal of sketching every day*. It's got sketches for freelance projects, mural projects, and personal projects. It contains the preliminary sketches for the Commitment Ceremony invitation I created a couple years ago as well as the newest logo on my resume. There are even a few pages of notes I took at a conference.

* After all, it's only 100 pages so if I were on task I'd have it used up in less than four months!

So what do I do with it?

I'm not really a person who likes to hang on to things, but it chronicles some important thoughts and moments from the last three years. Plus, one day I'll be well-known and this sketch book might go for a hefty chunk of change on ebay!

While I think about the possibilities, here's an example of what the book contains:

I don't remember what this guy was sketched for - but this is the most "complete" version I have on the page. Do you suppose he's telling a fishing story?!?

Oh My Gosh!

Kevvo — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:57:00 GMT

When I was growing up, I knew a lady in the neighborhood who would get very upset if someone would say "oh my gosh" because she knew that person meant to say "oh my God." I was left with the mixed impression that there was nothing more blasphemous* and I was afraid to say anything else for fear I would find out I knew other bad words.

*She also wouldn't allow us to play He-Man because there was only one "Master of the Universe" and she much preferred we play with guns... hmmm...

Since then, I've done some studying on the subject and while I recognize it's not the ideal way to reference God, I've also come to the conclusion that it might not be the worst sin** in the world, either. What's ironic is that oftentimes these phrases are used in a moment of heated aggravation and they may the closest thing to a prayer many unbelievers will ever say. What's more, when people use these phrases, they support the exclusive authority of God (you don't hear people throw Buddha's or Mohammed's names around so commonly).

**Scripture tells us that all sin is equal but I believe that when people make thoughtless utterances God weighs their hearts and intentions - but these are points better left for another discussion.

Regardless, taking the Lord's name in vain is a sin:

You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name. (Exodus 20:7)

It ticks God off, that much seems pretty straightforward. The reason it's such a problem is that when we use His name out of context, we misrepresent Him. His name is not intended to be used in a fit of angry condemnation and it's not intended to be an absentminded response to bad news - it's not a swear word.

However, I think the real problem comes when Christians become so consumed with using God's name correctly that they miss the spirit of the command - we're not to misrepresent God.

But we do it all the time.

Every time we cut someone off on the highway with a fish bumper sticker on the back of our car... every time we ignore the cashier who's serving us as we spend our time chatting on the phone while wearing our cross necklace... every time we avoid eye contact with the homeless person because we don't want to be late for church... in all of these instances we misrepresent God.

And as believers our violation is worse... we know better!

Spirit... Part II

Kevvo — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 18:58:00 GMT

After posting a few days ago about "Spirit," the cat who lives in/near my apartment building, I saw it again today... only this time I got a picture!

Now I can put to rest any rumors that I made the cat up.

(Yes, that's food that I purchased at the grocery store yesterday - that's how I was knew to grab my camera and I was able to keep Spirit around long enough to get the picture. I purchased food so I would have something on hand in case I ran out of milk, which is what I usually serve it... and, yes, I still don't know what it is...)

Three Times!

Kevvo — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 04:24:00 GMT

Living in Indianapolis it's a common understanding that the tap water here just doesn't taste good. When I first moved here I brought my Brita filter with the hope that I could improve the taste - but it didn't make a difference... even when it was cold. On occasion I've boiled water and I didn't notice a funny taste, but I've always had something mixed in with the water* so any "water flavor" would be disguised anyway... and boiling water every time I want to drink is a lot of work!

*Tea, cocoa, ramen noodles...

I decided early on that I would have to buy my water in gallon jugs that I could keep in the refrigerator and this system worked pretty well, but if you drink a lot of water this can be an expensive endeavor. At the same time, I would order water when I was at Starbucks and I noticed how tasty the water was. I eventually made friends with the baristas and now I no longer have to buy water - I just take my empty water jugs there and get them refilled** (this only happens during the late shifts when the place isn't full and the manager's not there - I'm not sure if they'd get in trouble, buy why take the risk?).

**Not only does this save money but it's also more environmentally friendly. Recycle whenever you can, kids!

But I've often wondered why Starbucks water tastes so good?!?

Yesterday, I got the answer: a student at the Art Institute noticed my Starbucks cup and mentioned how hard they are to find***. The conversation moved to the topic of water and how much I like the water I get at Starbucks and that's when she dropped the bomb - Starbucks filters their water three times!

***In addition to re-using my water jugs, I also buy re-usable drink holders for both my hot and cold beverages. They cost a little more up front, but they reduce A LOT of waste - especially if you go to Starbucks more than a couple times a week. The cup she was noticing is a cold Venti cup that's insulated so it doesn't sweat when cold drinks are put into it - as I understand it, they've sold them twice and both times sold out. I was fortunate enough to catch on on the second run. So nice!

Okay, so I've searched online and I can't find any "official" Starbucks web sites that will verify this, but I found a few other sites that made the said the same thing. If anyone out there can authenticate or disprove this claim, I welcome the effort. Until then, I'm choosing to go with the "three filter" story... and I'll continue to enjoy my delicious Starbucks water!

Spirit

Kevvo — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:37:00 GMT

There's a stray(?) cat that lives in/near my apartment building who I have affectionately come to know as "Spirit"...

Okay, so there are so many problems with that sentence!

First, I don't know if the cat is stray or not: It seems healthy enough, but then that could be the result of others who are like me and continue to feed it. Plus, it has all it's claws so it would probably be able to bag a mouse or a bird if it got hungry enough. I have no idea how old it is or if it's got all it's shots and I've learned the hard way that one needs to watch out for fleas with strays... so far no fleas.

*I used to feed milk to strays during college until I had the unfortunate experience of bringing fleas into my apartment one night on my pant legs. I discarded my pants on the floor beneath my bed and woke up with flea bites all over my legs. I washed my sheets but had more flea bites the next day because I'd neglected to wash the pants... ugh!

I don't know where it lives. I see it in the courtyard of my building or sometimes in my hallway. Does that mean it lives with someone in my building - possibly someone in my hall**? Perhaps, but if that's the case then I think they might want to be a little more careful about where their cat is going (did I mention the fleas?).

**I've never actually seen anyone let the cat in, but I know there's a cat that lives across the floor from me. I'm not suggesting the cat would be able to go through the door, down three flights, and open the front door to allow Spirit entrance, but perhaps one of the people living with the cat takes pity on Spirit... they do leave food in the hall sometimes!

I don't know what it is! Yes, it's a cat, but whether it's a male or female I've got no idea. This one is kinda my fault because it exposes itself on a regular basis when it's looking for a belly rub, but I'm typically so consumed with trying to make it purr that I don't think to investigate it's nether region to see what it may (or may not) have.

Finally, I don't know it's name. There's no collar and I've never heard anyone else address it so I don't know what I'm supposed to call it. So I call it "Spirit."

What I do know: it's an orange tiger cat with big orange/brown eyes and it's usually leery when it first encounters a person but that wears off fast once it identifies you. It's forever looking for affection and sometimes a bite to eat, and I never know just when I'll see it. It likes tuna and milk. I could see it every day for a week and then not see it again for a week and a half. That's why I call it "Spirit" - it reminds me of the Holy Spirit Who comes and goes as He pleases with no warning.

That's also why I don't have a picture - never enough notice to grab the camera and by the time I retrieve it, it could be gone.

The Season's Changing...

Kevvo — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:54:00 GMT

It seems to be my story for many years now that I can't stay in one place for too long. Since college, the longest I've lived anywhere was for two and a half years and my average is closer to two. To recap, I moved from Georgia to Michigan to Florida to Michigan to California to Michigan to California (and all over) to Georgia to Pennsylvania to Indiana... all within the last twelve years...

And here we go again.

For the last few months I've been engaged in a long distance relationship with someone who lives in Florida. We've done the best we could to make sure we've been able to see each other at least once a month, but the pressures of distance and the cost of travel have worn on us and since late last year we've been discussing what our options are.

The fact of the matter is that I'm the most easily transplanted. I've only been in Indy for a little over a year and a half so I don't have a lot of roots yet* and I'm able to do freelance art and design which is work I can do from any location. Florida, especially the southern area, tends to attract a high number of HIV+ people so there's likely to be a lot of opportunity for me to work in the HIV field, and the Art Institute has locations all over the country - two of them within a few miles of where I'll be living - so I'm hopeful I might be able to transfer. I've missed living near the ocean since I left California the last time and I'm at a point in my life when I'm looking forward to settling down and creating some permanence.

*Make no mistake, I don't have a lot of roots but the relationships I've formed are priceless. The hardest part about this will be saying good-bye to the people I've met and shared my life with here. On the plus side, I've already made plans to be back this summer and I know that the friendships that have started won't be ending anytime soon.

I will be moving to Hollywood, Florida, on March 26. At this point there are still a lot of details to be worked out and there's a lot I need to do to prepare**: I need to sell my Jeep, try to line up a job, finish my exit plan at the Athenaeum, finish the quarter at the Art Institute, complete some freelance projects, get rid of my furniture, pack/discard my stuff, and who-knows-how-many other projects that I'm not thinking about right now.

**I'll try to be specific about each of these things in due time, but if you want to help with any of it I'd be grateful!

As always, I'll keep people posted with updates here and I welcome and encourage all of your prayers. There's a lot of opportunity to be found in this and I look forward to what the coming season will bring.

Peace of Christ,

A Snowy Surprise

Kevvo — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:43:00 GMT

It seems that once the snow starts falling around here it just doesn't want to stop... of course, it's February so what can I expect?

I woke up this morning to find a few more inches of snow covering everything - and I had flashbacks to the nightmare drive to work last year. I've found that it's not the roads that make driving a challenge, it's the other drivers that make it a challenge. There's something about the snow that causes people to forget how to drive... or be courteous... usually...

Today was a pleasant surprise!

As I was driving in this morning I saw people stopping when the lights turned yellow, allowing other drivers to cut into the line of traffic ahead of them, and even stopping to allow a pedestrian to cross the road so she could avoid the plowed up snow bank. It was amazing! Drivers were putting politeness ahead of their schedules and everyone made it to their destinations safely.

The snow was a little late for Christmas... but it wasn't too late for a Christmas miracle!

Winter Has Arrived!

Kevvo — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 04:36:00 GMT

It's February in Indiana and after the mostly mild January we've had, it was time for the snow to come*... and it did. There had been predictions that we would wake up yesterday with eight inches of snow already on the ground, but it was almost noon before we actually started seeing anything. It fell in big wet flakes that stuck to everything and by the time night came, Indianapolis was a winter wonderland.

*I figure, if it's gonna be cold we might as well have some snow to show for it. It's usually about this time of year that I'm sick of the snow and ready for it to be gone, but we've had so little of it that it's actually a nice change of pace - especially when it's snow like this!

Here are a couple of pictures I took that show the snow on the trees in the courtyard of my apartment building:

These pictures were taken when I was on my way out the door to visit friends for dinner and cards - what better way to spend a cold snowy night, right? We enjoyed a delicious dinner courtesy of Bruce and then we played euchre and spades until the wee hours of the morning. Here's the group of the evening, Mark, Dwayne** and Bruce:

**Dwayne was my partner for the evening and despite a slow start with the first game of euchre, we managed to win the rest of the games of the night. This picture was actually taken as they were trying to persuade me to play one more hand of spades, but it was already way past my bedtime and I needed to get home! Besides, isn't there some sort of wisdom about "know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away..."?!?

The evening topped off a really great day and the drive home on the snowy streets was perfect. I slept well and woke up to this view out my kitchen window:

Though I had work to catch up on today because of my play day yesterday, it worked out well as this is the kind of weather I enjoy watching from my window as I stay in my jammies all day!

Invisible Question Marks

Kevvo — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:05:00 GMT

Since I've started teaching Typography, I've gained a greater appreciation for type as an element of design and the written (and spoken) word as a form of art. I came upon this video that combines the two cleverly and even if you don't know anything about typography or care vary much to look at letters, I think the message contained in this short 2:45 clip is worth hearing (seeing):

Prompt: What's the Nicest Thing Anyone's Ever Done For You?

Kevvo — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:20:00 GMT

Wow... I haven't done one of these in ages!

I'm trying to post more regularly these days so I'm falling back on a tool I haven't used for more than a year - Imagination Prompt Generator. It's a great way to come up with an interesting topic to type about without needing something specific to say - kinda like creative writing assignments back in high school!

It's hard to pin down the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me - there have been a lot of nice things! I'm not even sure I could narrow it down to the nicest thing anyone's done for me this year... so I'm going to opt for the nicest thing anyone's done for me this week (bearing in mind that it's only Tuesday!)...

Jeremy started out as a friend of a friend who happens to know a lot about computers. I've got a laptop that I've had for a few years and it's still running just fine but it's not been running at it's peak for quite awhile, so he was recruited to help me out. Bear in mind, prior to his helping me with my laptop, our entire relationship was based on two short meals...

Anyway, Jeremy works nights so I went to his home a couple weeks ago at about 8:00 in the morning (after he had just finished working an overnight shift) - the plan was that he was going to install some memory and upgrade my operating system... we both figured it would be a couple of hours, tops. Plans changed though when he discovered that my laptop didn't have enough space to run an updated operating system... oh well, we could still back it up and install some memory, right? The memory was installed but when the laptop was restarted, it required a force shut down. What's more, when Jeremy tested the computer to see what might be the problem, we discovered it had a damaged hard drive. Fortunately, we figured all of this out by 8:00 - TWELVE HOURS LATER...

Fast forward two weeks and I've purchased a new hard drive. I went to Jeremy's again at 8:00 in the morning (after he had just finished working another overnight shift) with the goal that he would simply install a new hard drive and show me how to back up my laptop effectively. Again, a couple of hours... tops.

The hard drive swap was flawless and he removed the memory that was causing the forced shut downs (we were flying along) and he even upgraded the operating system (possible now that the hard drive was bigger)! We went to back the computer up and everything came to a screeching halt!

It seems the first time you back up a hard drive it takes a long time because it has to be partitioned. That didn't mean a lot to me except that we had time to go get lunch and come back - hopefully it would be done by the time we returned.

... it was 8:00 before I left his house - another TWELVE HOUR DAY!

Jeremy's work on my computer would have to qualify as the nicest thing anyone's done for me this week as he worked for hours with no sleep and few complaints - and the only thing he charged me was the cost of lunch (which he didn't even ask for!)... and in the end I have a more pimped-out laptop and a new friend. I totally got the sweet end of this deal!

Thanks, Jeremy!

I've Lost Everything!

Kevvo — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:15:00 GMT

... well ... not really everything!

I just lost most of my contacts (email, addresses, phone numbers, etc.) and emails from the last few years.

The upside is that I had the recent fortune of having my laptop's hard drive replaced and my operating system and software upgraded. I received an external hard drive for Christmas so I was able to back up most of my files and I have a lot of other files on my work computer. I even borrowed some cleaner and polished my laptop up! Overall, it was a good - if expensive and time-consuming - project.

If only I'd managed to back up my mailbox...

Now I have the exhausting task of replacing all the lost information that it took me much of the last three-plus years to gather. I know there will probably be plenty of information I won't have any way of recovering, but I'm confident that when I'm done I'll have a much more organized and thorough database to work from. However, if you're reading this, please feel free to shoot me an email so I can make sure I've got your info...

... and I'm backing up my mailbox daily right now...

The Book of Joe

Kevvo — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 18:25:00 GMT

I've actually been meaning to review this book for a few days now since I finished it on my flight to Florida last week... I just wanted to have the time to put into words what I thought about the book, but I realize the longer I wait the darker my memory becomes so I'd better put something down before I'm totally useless!

The Book of Joe by Jonathan Tropper was recommended to me and I read it without knowing anything about it - and I fell into it right away. It's the story of a small-town guy who makes it big when a novel about his hometown becomes a best seller and a subsequent movie is made. In the novel he scandalizes the town with a thinly-veiled retelling of their darkest secrets, and then he has to face those same people when he returns to be by his ailing father's bedside.

Anyone who wasn't on the top of the heap during high school will find something to relate to when they see their own experiences mirrored in Joe's resignation to being content with his social standing and the not-so-flattering aging of those who were popular lends a quiet vindication that life will trump in the end. It didn't help that the hero of the story was about my age and that he hailed from a town that placed sports at the pinnacle of achievement - a little bit of my story, too! The whole time I kept thinking I couldn't wait to get out of town... and at the same time I couldn't stop watching what was happening...

The writing style is alternately funny and somber and very present in the moment. There are a few clichés I could have done without, but I let Tropper take me where he wanted to and when I was done I was glad for the ride. Actually, I wonder if it's a little of the truth behind the clichés that made them so uncomfortable.

Some of the language is a little too honest for me to recommend it to everyone, but it's also the honesty (and humor) that made this such a compelling read. This book has romance, violence, sex and sports! If you're looking for a guilty pleasure, look no further... and let Jonathan Tropper take you to Bush Falls!

Two Years

Kevvo — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:17:00 GMT

It's been two years since I posted my first blog entry on this site!

Two years is a long time and a lot can happen in that time. As I look back over the last two years: I started out in Pennsylvania doing freelance work after having just lost my job as the Graphic Designer for a screenprinter... I took part in the Penn State Pride celebration, and more specifically, the Commitment Ceremony that generated so much controversy that spring... I moved to Indiana and worked on expanding my portfolio... I became a cyclist... I got involved with Indiana AIDSWalk and The Damien Center... I started teaching at The Art Institute...

Who knows what the next two years will bring? I look forward to the changes and challenges but also the continuing growth of my walk in Christ and the opportunities I'll have for teaching, illustrating/creating... and posting here...

Before I wrap up this entry and while I'm feeling all nostalgic, here's a picture that was taken on my most recent trip to Orlando:

Sarah is someone I met when I was with Camfel my first year - she and I trained together, spent our first semester touring in neighboring regions, and became great friends. When I was having a rough time during Thanksgiving, I went to Vermont and spent it with her... and when I was getting ready to leave Camfel (or so I thought), she was the one I wanted to do my last show with. When I found out she'd be at Disney World the same time I'd be in Orlando I couldn't pass up the chance to see her again and here we are... on her birthday... Happy Birthday, Sarah!

Okay, enough reminiscing... time to move forward again! ;-P