I'm Bringing Blogging Back....

Hey all! I'm getting back on the blog, now that I'm away again.

I'm now moved in. I'm renting a house with a couple other people. It's right off the edge of campus. 5 min by bike to my furthest class. 20min by bike to the main shopping district. O, and they don't mess around with winter up here. When snow falls, it stays around! The end of my driveway...the last 20ft....solid ice.

I spent a good portion of the day filling out about 15 job applications. Gonna leave here in a bit to turn em in.

Classes start on Monday.

Drill is this weekend, first one since I've been back.

Lastly, a couple pictures of my room.

JP OUT!

Photo Post

©2008 JP

I'm still sorting through my pictures, and I thought I'd share one or two on here.

When taking photographs over in Iraq, I wanted to have some connection with the famous war time photographs of WWII. I wanted the pictures to look 60+ years old, but be current. It was my silent rebellion against digital cameras. Using various techniques while taking the shot, I think I have succeeded. Please note, this is a direct scan of the negative. NO PHOTOSHOP MODIFICATIONS!!!

©2008 JP

I Shouldn't Have To Explain Myself...

But repeat comments from several people have shown it is needed.

This is for all the people that think I made(am making) a poor choice in buying and driving my car.

An Ode to the Cars of Yester-year

MG MG, oh how I enjoy thee
Just wheels and an engine, you're technology free
Oh how I love, these great cars of yore
The days before, driving was a bore
Todays cars aren't driving, their mearly directed
Computers control everything, your inputs corrected
Make a mistake, the car corrects you
Not so with the Midget, it's unforgiving, honest and true
The Midget has no air bags, no front wheel drive
It's just the skill of the driver, that keeps one alive
No traction control, no anti-lock brake
No power steering, a fun drive it does make
The Midget has no radio, but that's more than fine
The engine sings nicely, the tires keep time
The shifting is manual, two hands just to run
This means no texting *GASP*, until driving is done
The Midget demands a driver's attention, his mind is not free
Could this actually make it safer, than it lets on to be?
By day, the headlights, the do not run
Nor do they turn themselves on, when gone is the sun
Midget oh Midget, you hold a place in my heart
I beg and I plead, that you don't fall apart

No in addition to safety and practicality issues, i've gotten a lot of flak about driving a "collectable" car when it's likely to rust, be broken into or stolen. Sure, if that happens, it'd suck, but life will go on, and I'll always have the memories of the car to look back on. How can I say this, when I so clearly like the car so much? Easy, my treasure's in heaven.

Matthew 6:19
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. "

I don't think God is telling us not to have nice things. I thing what God is saying here is that we are not to be so concerned with temporal things that they become the focus of our lives, and our purpose. Life is meant for living. Things are made for enjoying. Cars are made for driving, and MGs are no exception! So to all the neighsayers, I kindly remind them of the old Disney addage. "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all!"

Now if you'll excuse me, I have some driving to do.

JP Out!

LA!!!

Hangin in LA....it's pretty cool!

JP OUT!

A Rare Moment of Clarity

The Rubik's Cube.

Tonight, I've experienced a rare moment of clarity. Many things in life I didn't have an answer for finally were laid out in a way that I understood better than I thought possible.

It's like I've had a Rubik's Cube floating in my head for months, twisting and turning at it but achieving nothing more than perhaps a single side of solid color. Just enough progress to reminde me that it is possible.

Well, tonight, the twisting and turning suddenly connected it all together and I saw a 6 sided complete cube for a few moments before it began to rejumble itself. It was knowledge, perhaps to great for me. Understanding that I can't attribute to my own abilities.

It's given me much needed direction. Now, I must act!

JP OUT!

Life........is.......interesting

So I've mostly adjusted to life back home, but it's wierd how life can be sometimes. There's a part of me that actually wants to go back to that lifestyle, like the Israelites wanted to go back to Egypt. It's not that life is bad here. To the contrary, it's quite good! It's just so easy for anything else to look better, be it the future, the past, or even the thought of what could be.

All we can do is live for today, trust God for tomorrow, and ask Him to forgive our past. Cause who knows? Each day could be our last, so why waste it?

JP OUT!

Title Change

So, since I'm no longer around the world, I changed the title of the blog to reflect that. I will continue to post, but it will consist of my current thoughts and musings. Read some, think about it some, add some comments. All in all, it's just for fun anymore!

Enjoy!

JP OUT!