Maybe This Will Help

If you've seen the new Batman movie, you will understand this.

There's more to people than their personality and looks and even being alive. What people stand for is way more important than anything else.

This is why girls fall for Batman without going on a date with him. They love what he stands for: liberty, justice, and sweet rides.

So, sure, you might think it weird to be oddly attracted to someone that doesn't feasibly make sense. The fact that you actually have no shot on a personal level with this person is outweighed by what they mean to you.

For example, I love Barack Obama. I've never met the guy, and a relationship would never work out. But I love what he has done for millions of people when it comes to reviving hope and interest in our government. Though he may be a horrible guy (he's a politician, remember) what he stands for in America right now makes people look past his flaws.

So there. I'm blinded by the light, wrapped up like a douche in the middle of the night. But heres the thing...I DON'T CARE. If I can't have the person, can I PLEASE settle for the symbol?

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I Gots Skills Boi

These are some skills that you will need to be successful in life.

I'm sorry to say that bow staff skills did not make this list.

My forte is #9.

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Baby Stuff

I can't wait to have kids so I can buy every single one of these things.

The great part is that each of these were developed by parents with good intentions.

My baby, for instance, will be strapped with Bluetooth as soon as it pops out. That way I can give it verbal commands from across the country, if need be.

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Party People

I know I go to a party school, but I've only been to a few, and thrown just one of my own. Yet I found this to be absolutely hilarious.

I could think back and label at least 3 people that fit each of these descriptions.
Hopefully my fellow party people will find this funny as well.

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Young and Restless

So I’ve been on this tear lately about finding a name for my kids. I feel like I am under some pressure to pick a good one, considering the originality of my own name. But the search has brought on other revelations.

I did some math this morning as I was thinking about how old my parents were. So…I’m 21 now. I have to find a girl to make a wife (2 years minimum), settle into career (1 year minimum), then there’s the pregnancy (10 months). So I’ll be at least 25 by the time I have my first kid. Not that bad, right?

Well, this is what I am thinking about. I’m a man, so if I have a son, I want to be able to play his sport with him in the front yard. Whether it’s throwing a ball around, or shooting hoops, I want to be physically able to do that stuff. But I’ll be 40 when my first kid is 15. That’s old.

Whenever I think of being 40, I picture Just For Men gel and medication for a mid-life crisis, not lifting weights with my teenage son.

So maybe this exercise was meant for me to realize that 40 really isn’t as old as I’ve always thought it was. To be honest, I stopped keeping track of how old my parents are, and I don’t think that they mind. But I think they were at a good age for me: old enough to be parents, but young enough to be cool. I don’t want to be the dad that is as immature as his teenager, but I also don’t want to be the guy with gray hair that is up reading the newspaper every morning before the kid catches the bus.

I hope I’m not alone in these thoughts of my future parenthood. I have found that it is quite a motivator when considering things like diet and exercise and how you live your life. Because I know for sure that most of you are at least slightly competitive people.

And I will never unintentionally lose a game of 21 to my kid.

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Nostalgia

Alright, so I just took two hours out of my day to go and read every single wall post on my Facebook and Myspace pages.

If anyone is looking for some insight as to how you've changed over the years, and even who your true friends are, I would highly suggest doing that. I must have laughed at least a hundred times remembering what was going on back in 2006...which was two years ago, by the way.

Sure, I feel old. I got to see my birthday wishes from my 19-21st birthdays. That's intense. But I also got to see relationships evolve one simple sentence at a time.

So I want to thank all of my friends that have hung around me all this time. It takes a lot of patience, and a strong stomach, to deal with me sometimes and I appreciate it. Hopefully I will be able to continue to make you laugh as much as I can.

Love.
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Revelation

Ok, so something hit me yesterday...and it wasn't at football practice.

I actually SMILED thinking of someone. How weird is that? I think I finally figured out what I need in a girl, and I've never felt so good about it before. I could actually think about how perfect things would be.

All this time I've been going in the wrong direction, looking in the wrong places, agreeing to the wrong terms...now it's all me. I actually get to decide what's good enough.

I know you might not think this is a big deal, or even worth blogging about. But if any of you have felt this before, you know how big of a deal it is.

Just thought I would share.

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This Weekend

This weekend I experienced the first death in my extended family with my dad’s dad getting killed in a car accident. Now, before you sympathize, know that I haven’t seen or spoken to my grandpa for about 10 years. My grandparents got divorced around the time I was in the 3rd grade. My grandma remarried a man that led to her getting an accounting degree and took her around the world on mission trips. So, to my juvenile mind, the other guy was just bringing Grandma down.

So not only am I dealing with his passing, but with the shame of having such an opinion of a man that I didn’t even know. Yet I especially feel bad for my father. He was down in Florida for the first month and a half of the summer, and stopped by to see his dad.

He wasn’t home.

It had been two years since my dad and grandpa had spoken, and from what I heard, it wasn’t the most memorable conversation. So, again, my dad is not only dealing with the death of his father, but also the fact that he was minutes away from speaking to him one last time, but couldn’t make it happen.

So, yeah, I’m definitely in one of those states that I’m trying to make the most out of everything, and not take advantage, and all that stuff. But I know that it will eventually fade. Hopefully I won’t end up like my grandpa, years removed from my family, and dying alone. To me, that’s the worst way to go out.

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Question the Cliche

While I was ironing my clothes this morning in a dark room (didn’t want to wake mom) I was thinking of a phrase that a lot of kids my age use: “Live for the moment.” And since my best analytical thoughts come to me before 7 a.m. I thought I would share them with you.

Does living for the moment not sound selfish? If you aren’t living with the future in mind, your satisfaction will only last as long as your moment. Right?

I mean, I look forward to entering the working world, living with my wife and kids, to my retirement, and even to see my grandchildren grow up. I use those events in my future to inspire my actions. So really, I’m not “living for the moment” but rather “living for the life.”

I understand the present is fleeting, but so is the future. I would hope that foresight is much more rewarding that instant gratification.

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The Dark Night...No Words

Instead of trying to write a clever review for Dark Knight, I thought I would simply provide a conversation that I had about the movie with a fellow, knowledgeable friend of mine. Enjoy.

lnbomb: what did you think?

neelybomber: well, there was a lot of hype
neelybomber: and i mean A LOT of hype

lnbomb: yeah... but im sorry... i feel it lived up to every bit of it
lnbomb: i say 9.9 tho
lnbomb: cuz the only thing i didnt like
lnbomb: is that they didnt kill the joker
lnbomb: it was redic that he stayed alive
lnbomb: when he gave the speech about being "like gravity... it just needs a push.... " he shoulda unclipped himself and died

neelybomber: i actually thought they were gonna let him fall like in the first batman movie

lnbomb: yup
lnbomb: me too
lnbomb: and it seems like they had that speech for that very reason... but removed it... my brother said it might have been because they felt it insensible to kill him.... but I was like screw that...
lnbomb: i dont think its a matter of that at all
lnbomb: one thing is for sure however.... they better not try to revisit it
lnbomb: because no one would be able to touch ledger's performance

neelybomber: i agree
neelybomber: but in a way, the joker will live forever...

lnbomb: true..... that movie def made me even more aware at what was lost when he passed

neelybomber: yeah. i can def believe that that role caused his death

lnbomb: ohhh it was so spectacular
lnbomb: he stole the movie

neelybomber: i didn't even recognize him...which was the best part

lnbomb: yup
lnbomb: but the whole story was so well written aswell
lnbomb: and i think they pulled twoface in as early as they did because they don't have any intentions of revisiting the batman series anytime soon..... which i think is for the best

neelybomber: yeah. i liked the katie holmes look-a-like

lnbomb: LOL
lnbomb: yeah totally
lnbomb: HOWEVER, there was a slight hint at catwoman.... did you catch it?
lnbomb: but i dont wanna see that garbage

neelybomber: what was the hint?

lnbomb: when he was talking about the new suit... and he asked if it would protect from dogs... and he said it should from cats at least

neelybomber: haha...you might be looking too far into it

lnbomb: no way.... there was no point to that conversation otherwise.... but like i said... i hope it was just a nod to the series... rather than a possible seed
lnbomb: kinda like it was a huge nod to the fanboys when he said " you want to be able to turn your head?"

neelybomber: haha, yeah ok
neelybomber: you still have leave room for coincidence tho

lnbomb: oh and i do... im not that sure in my own thoughts hahahah

neelybomber: quite the movie

lnbomb: for sure
lnbomb: i probably will see it again in theaters

neelybomber: i'll just get it on blu-ray. one of the speakers in the theater blew out when the tumbler came out
neelybomber: so it sounded like there was distant gunfire for the rest of the movie

lnbomb: hahahaha

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r.i.p. heath ledger

Kids Love This Man

Despite any policy issues, kids will be won over again and again by things like this:

Saying he is "sympathetic to late night comedians' struggle to find jokes to make about me," Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill) today issued a list of official campaign-approved Barack Obama jokes.

The five jokes, which Sen. Obama said he is making available to all comedians free of charge, are as follows:

Barack Obama and a kangaroo pull up to a gas station. The gas station attendant takes one look at the kangaroo and says, "You know, we don't get many kangaroos here." Barack Obama replies, "At these prices, I'm not surprised. That's why we need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil."

A traveling salesman knocks on the door of a farmhouse, and much to his surprise, Barack Obama answers the door. The salesman says, "I was expecting the farmer's daughter." Barack Obama replies, "She's not here. The farm was foreclosed on because of subprime loans that are making a mockery of the American Dream."

A horse walks into a bar. The bartender says, "Why the long face?" Barack Obama replies, "His jockey just lost his health insurance, which should be the right of all Americans."

Q: What's black and white and red all over?
Barack Obama: The New Yorker magazine, which should be embarrassed after publishing such a tasteless and offensive cover, which I reject and denounce.

A Christian, a Jew and Barack Obama are in a rowboat in the middle of the ocean. Barack Obama says, "This joke isn't going to work because there's no Muslim in this boat."


Nothing beats humor and originality.
McCain has neither.

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What time is it?

Oh my God I’m gonna play football.

I’ve been a band kid my whole life. Though I’ve always really enjoyed watching football, I never really thought I would be capable of putting pads on and hitting someone. But now I get to see what I’m made of.


I have two younger brothers that both played for the high school in town. They did quite well, actually…both of them all-conference, both offered to play in college. So when this high school announced that they were having an alumni football game, of course my two brothers were going to play.



I’ve always been the good older brother that went out to play catch whenever they wanted to, and be sort of a punching bag for them…all for the good of the team. So when I joked around and asked if I could play too, I was surprised to hear my brother say, “Yeah, sure.”

Crap. What have I gotten myself into?

So Tuesday was the first “practice.” It was just a 7 on 7 drill with the high school team. No pads or anything. But for some reason I was still kind of scared. I didn’t want to be “that guy.” Luckily when I was on defense, a guy came straight at me with the ball and slipped on the grass. Of course, I pushed him in the chest when he came at me, so it looked like I knocked him off of his feet…I felt better after that.

All I’m thinking about is how sweet of a picture it would make having me at quarterback with my two brothers in the backfield.

I’m extremely proud of my little brothers and have always been jealous of their success. So it would definitely mean a lot to me to be a part of something that they take seriously, and are very good at.

I just hope I don’t break anything.

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Nature vs. Nurture

No, this isn’t what you think it’s about. But you might be able to apply it to multiple conditions.

My mom was watching a documentary on kids with Tourette’s last night. (Only for a little bit, though, Dad wanted to watch Big Brother.) And I couldn’t help but get frustrated at some of the things that were happening with these kids.

I have some friends with what I suppose you would call “low level” Tourette’s, where it’s just some sort of physical movement that they don’t have control over. But the kids on this show were barking, and screaming, and talking in weird voices, and swearing…and claiming that it was a completely different person, and they have no recollection when the go into a tantrum.

Now what I found interesting was that when I looked into the history of Tourette’s, it has only recently become a more common occurrence in children.

(This is where I become an insensitive jerk)

I told my mom last night when we were watching the show that the kids were making most of it up themselves in order to get attention. She was obviously appalled, but funny enough, the next section of the show talked about how the kids are acting out on their own. They followed three kids with Tourette’s to a “summer camp” for other Tourette’s sufferers. Oddly enough, their “tics” were reduced dramatically.

Now there are two options for this: they aren’t under the “stress” that they are put under when dealing with unaffected kids at school, or they know that they won’t get attention from these kids that are employing the same tactics.

I know that seems cold, but think about this. Our society has recently been diagnosis-happy in the last decade or so. We’ve seen the evolution of things like A.D.D., learning disorders, and now Tourette’s. Is it a coincidence that these cases are exponentially growing? I don’t think so.

Instead of making your kid concentrate, you say he has A.D.D. and give him some Ritalin. Instead of taking time to teach your child to read, he has to have a learning disorder. And instead of having control over your kid’s overactive emotions, you allow them to act on every thought, and claim that it is Tourette’s.

You think back in the ‘50’s they would allow some kid to run around barking at people and shouting profanities and claim that they have no control over it? I don’t think so. We have just become so sensitive to such disorders that saying things like I am saying now are appalling and offensive.

Now don’t get me wrong, there are some kids that have legitimate mental problems, and those should be sought out and treated. But realize that if you tell a child that they have a condition, they will learn what they are allowed to do, and take it to the limit. I just wish parents would try good old fashioned “shut your mouth” tactics before calling up their therapist.

Send your complaints to neely.d.adkins@gmail.com

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I'm Saving Myself

I don’t know, I guess it’s the hardest thing I’ve had to do. At least, that’s what everyone else thinks. I have even had people that think I’m lying about it. (Of course, if I was going to lie about this at all, wouldn’t it be the other way?) But how many people share my beliefs?

From what ex-girlfriends have said, I’m definitely part of an endangered species. Which is cool in some ways, but sucks in others. I’ve always wanted to marry someone who has lived their life at least somewhat like mine, and has saved themselves for the sanctity of marriage. But where do I look?

Apparently, I shouldn’t do any searches in Texas.

But this is a different issue entirely. How do we teach kids how to act when it comes to sex? It used to be up to the parents, but lately it seems that the crappiest people are becoming parents, so I’m not sure we can trust those people with that responsibility. So now it’s up to the schools.

But of course, the parents want a say in what the schools are teaching their kids. If you teach abstinence, you leave out methods of protection. But if you teach safe sex, then that comes off as giving permission to have sex, as long as you’re protected.

A vicious circle.

So this is my observation. There are A LOT of young mothers out there. So the question is what are they going to teach their children? Will they spare their child of their experience by teaching them abstinence, or be proud of their life and tell their daughter to just “be careful?”

The weirdest part about this is talking to girls that lost their v-card when they were 15 or 16, and they all said that they were “in love.” Oh yeah? I get the mental image of the middle daughter in Dan in Real Life that calls Steve Carell a “murderer of love.” I can see these girls rebelling and “going out” with some 18 year old boy that has his license…(I just pray for a daughter so I can own a shotgun)

I remember when I was young and was head over heels for a girl, but the limits of these relationships are shifting to the extreme. I would be excited if I got a note from a girl I liked. Now pre-teens won’t settle until they have stolen each others’ innocence.

Ridiculous. How long will it take until no one has respect for themselves anymore?

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My Newest Friends

I never got a chance to blog about the friends I made at Rothbury. I went in determined to meet some new people, but after the first lonely day, I was somewhat deflated.

Luckily, my neighbors were actually really cool people. Even though Jared went to Western, I was able to look past that...for a couple of days. And I don't think Autumn is capable of NOT being friendly. So I was lucky to be put next to these guys in the midst of all the hoopla.

Thanks for saving my weekend, guys.

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The Things That You Have Come to Fear the Most

So I just got done watching 300. And it was funny to see how the use of fireworks and elephants were so intimidating back in the day.

People are naturally scared of things they've never seen before.

My grandma has never been on the Internet. Think about that. Even though 93% of Americans are connected to the Web, probably 99% of America has been online: either at school, or a library. She has no desire to be connected to the rest of the world. She just wants to watch her soaps and go to thrift stores.

Which made me think.

As the complexity of our society evolves in the future, will the simple life be more and more attractive? I know that I've thought about moving into the hills of Ireland and being a shephard for the rest of my life. Something about being removed from the pressures that have been created in the world is ridiculously appealing to me. And I'm still 21.

At one point in early human history, the only thing you worried about was finding your next meal. Then you wanted to make a friend...of the opposite sex. So you're priorities were simple: Feed yourself and your loved ones and get some sleep.

Now we've complicated life with money. If you think of all of life's responsibilities, a vast majority are rooted in the desire for money.

I've opened a topic that I could go on forever with. I'll just tell you to watch Wall-E for more insight into our future.

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7-11

Don't forget your free Slurpee today!
I need to get in a car and drive half an hour to find one.
So...Happy Birthday 7-11!

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You Need Help

So do I.

If you think about it, everyone needs some therapy. It's just that some people have it already, but not in the form of a professional.

A therapist is nothing more than a person, who doesn't know you, that sits and listens to your problems. Most of the time, you talk your way through them anyway. So basically, they are there acting as a more complicated game of Pong: bouncing back your information, and keeping the dot moving.

So instead of wasting money on that, why don't you find something a little more convenient? Take writing for instance. You can learn a lot about yourself by just sitting down and writing. If you've ever kept a journal, you already know this. You don't just learn from writing, but reading what you wrote a long time ago gives you insight on your problems.

But what is the best alternative to expensive help? A friend.

I've noticed that if you just take someone that you "know of" and can establish that they are good listeners and are willing to help, you can basically throw anything and everything off of them and they can provide a practical opinion. The best part about it is that since they don't know you that well, they aren't affiliating the problems with the people you are talking about. Perfect!

Of course, usually the opposite sex is the ideal candidate for such a position. I find that most of boys' problems stem from girls, and most girls' problems stem from everything. So they need a MAN to handle that kind of thing. (jp)

So thank you, my friends, for being there for me. But also thank you to the friends that need me too. Makes me feel all important and stuff.

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Another change

I think I've found my niche.
It's life.
Technically everything is life, so the category doesn't make much sense.
But I tend to get the most out of posting things about love and relationships, and other things that people gain insight from.
Hopefully this sticks.
Keep sending in those requests.

neely.d.adkins@gmail.com

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Stuck in a Desert

I learned that I truly don't have any survival skills.
But for some reason, I think I could hold my own out in the wild.
I've watched Bear Grylls for long enough to know some tricks.

Any Man vs Wild fans in the house?

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Nananana, Nananana, Hey Hey, Snoop Dogg

Wait. Neely’s moving? That’s weird. He usually doesn’t do that.

HA!

So it’s that time again. I get to find all of my things and pack them up into a box or two and throw it into the trunk of my car. It’s kind of depressing, really. I don’t really own anything of value. It’s not that bad, though, considering I can fit everything I own into the back seat of my Grand Am. I would make a good nomad. (Which I kind of consider myself anyway)

I’m 21. I’ve lived in 13 different houses across 6 states. I attended 3 high schools before sophomore year. Yet I only have 757 Facebook friends. Lame.

It’s funny talking to people that have lived in the same place their entire life. When they hear my story, they always say that they are jealous. “I wish I could live in as many places as you.” Really? I would think about that for a second.

The longest time I spent in one place was 8 years in Florida. Every other time I’ve been uprooted within less than 2 years of being in one spot. It’s definitely harder than you think to leave what you’ve made somewhere and start over.

So if you’ve ever wanted some insight on my personality, lemme shed some light. Since I hate being alone, I had to develop a personality that got people’s attention right away. I wanted to leave my first day of school (which I’ve counted as having 19) with at least one new friend. That’s where I developed this need to make people happy, if even at my own expense.

But this does come full circle. Sure, I can make friends and stuff, and I can do a decent job at giving them what they want. But when it comes to finding a girlfriend…that’s when it gets tricky. Instead of having my energy spread around to all my friends, it’s all funneled to one person.

So yeah, if you’re saying, “You know, Neely and I used to be tight back in the day, but ever since he went to school, I haven’t heard from the kid.” I’m sorry. I have finally figured out what I told myself I needed to learn a year ago: I can’t dedicate every ounce of energy to making someone happy, and not get anything reciprocated. I lost the desire to go out of my way for someone, because there was really no point. I was tired.

But I’m back! If there’s anything good about moving, it’s that it IS a fresh start.

Papa’s got a brand new bag…and it’s packed with all my clothes.

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Am I a People Person?

So this weekend has kind of opened my eyes to a lot of things, especially when it comes to interacting with people.

Of all of the 50,000+ people that were within that three mile radius, about 49,000 were the kind of people that I would never talk to. They come from a different background than I do, have different beliefs than I do, even dress differently than I do. Yet, despite all of those differences, I could sit and talk to them for hours about Dave Matthews and John Mayer and how oddly good Snoop Dogg's show was. It was a weird phenomenon that I have never experienced before...and unfortunately it took me until Saturday to realize it.

I started to use my media credentials to start up conversations with people, and it was the best idea I had all weekend. I learned that no matter how weird you think someone is, you have something in common that you can talk about.

I suppose what got me started thinking about this was a comment that was left on one of my blogs about not making a friend because everyone there was weird. It struck a chord, because it was true.

Everyone deserves a chance, and it's not fair to stereotype people and assume that you would have no potential of being friends without talking to them first. Even if they are trying to sell you rolls, or beans, or mollies, or headies, or whippets...doesn't mean there isn't a personality within that salesman.

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7 Reasons for Rothbury's Return

1.Lax Security
There was an amazing amount of illegal activity during this festival weekend, but I don’t think even a quarter of it was cited by the authorities. I’m not a party pooper at all. I’m just saying that if people are able to openly consume and sell drugs without being punished, why wouldn’t you want to come to a place that allows you to do so for four days straight?

2.Good music
Four days worth of music is a lot to book, but for the first festival, I think the acts were solidly picked. There was a good mix of genres that were all well accepted by the massive audience. It’s amazing to be at a festival where you can watch Sam Beam from Iron and Wine, then head over to check out Snoop Dogg, then stick around to catch 311.

3.Good People
This is probably due to the first two reasons, but the audience that the acts draws are typically non-violent individuals. Security’s main function, in essence, is to identify the few troublemakers and make sure that they are not going to cause a problem. After four days of walking around in a mass of 50,000 people, there wasn’t one of them in a bad mood.

4.Good location
Double JJ Ranch is in the middle of nowhere. Which is good (unless you are in need of a Wal-Mart to develop photos). The festival site is in a forest and the campsites are all on empty fields. There’s the Wildcat Lake just inside the grounds, and Lake Michigan 20 minutes away. When John Mayer can break out of his hallucinations and realize how great the festival is…that says a lot.

5.Good weather
This last weekend was certainly a fluke, with all four days sunny and 75. But western Michigan is a good location for a summer concert with temperatures not likely to get about 85 degrees, and also provide a cool breeze at night. There is just enough sun to get you tan, but not enough to make you too sweaty.

6.Good prices
Though $250 may seem like a lot of money to pay for a concert, when you consider that you are paying for a campsite and four days worth of music…it’s a great deal. I was less than 50 feet away from John Mayer and Dave Matthews, and that alone would have cost me more than what I paid for the whole weekend. It’s a great option for a July 4th weekend getaway.

7.Contract
Of course, all this talk is irrelevant to why Rothbury will return next year. Double JJ Ranch and Madison House are contracted for at least one more year of Rothbury. So make plans now to attend next year, especially if you want to sleep in a cabin and get backstage.

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Rothbury Nonsense Pt. 1- A Photo Diary

Here's a collection of random photos from Thursday and Friday of Rothbury Festival.


This is what I like to call the most annoying thing on the planet. There are several pads connected to the middle of this thing that make a noise whenever you hit it. Most of them are monkey screams, some are bongos, and there's one deep bass pad. The irony is that people act like monkeys when they interact with this.

They come up to it cautiously, and slightly tap the pad. Then they see that it makes noise, and they try to make some sort of musical pattern out of it. Then other people hear the first person, and they approach it the same way. Eventually, all the pads are full, and instead of trying to play together, they all try to play their own thing. This quickly turns into everyone at every pad slamming their pads as fast as they can to make as much noise as possible.


This symbolizes the nature of our government. We made it, and took pride in it. Then we enter it, and it seems to be a fun time. But when we want out, there's no way to get out without ruining what we've created, so we settle for being trapped in a ball...rolling around out of control.


At least that's what the hula hoop lady told me.


There was a Guitar Hero bus that had a stage set up in front of it. You faced off against someone else on at least Hard, and the winner won a t-shirt. Of course, knowing how I play Guitar Hero...I walked away with a hat.


It's hard work walking around all day. Especially when you start drinking at 10 a.m. and start rolling shortly thereafter. Then, to top it all of, it's such a beautiful day and the grass is so soft and green. So leave this girl alone. She's got it bad.


This guy was at least 6'4 and was definitely making a scene. The back of his shirt says "Spirit of the wild." And, to me, that's basically what he embodied.


Good news from Rothbury: EVERYONE IS STAYING REGULAR. This guy showed up every morning at 9 to take our poop away. He was pretty cranky when I asked him about his day though. I don't know why. The sun was out.

More to come soon. I promise!

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An Angel Among Free Spirits

So I was fully expecting to make a friend here, and we would join hands and skip down the pathways from show to show.

Didn't happen.
Won't happen.

Everyone is tripping or tipsy.
Not my gig.

HOWEVER. There are employees that aren't allowed to engage in those activities. Which brings me to Kristin.


Voila. THE most decent girl at Rothbury. And she's watching the garbage.
The halo is no coincidence.

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Rothbury: Day 1

It's officially Friday in the quiet village of Rothbury, Michigan. The night sky is clear, and the stars are shining brightly. The atmosphere is peaceful with the sounds of a babbling brook, sleepy bugs, and...Disco Biscuits?

Lots of good music today! And the best part is...I've never heard of any of these bands. Check them out, and I'm sure you'll find something you enjoy.


Greensky Bluegrass is not your traditional hoe-down gig. Though they front the stage with a stand-up bass, mandolin, and slide guitar, the audience expects nothing but good tunes and rock and roll...and they aren't left wanting. The only downside to this group...they're from Kalamazoo.


Underground Orchestra, from Los Angeles, had the whole crowd grooving. With the electronic melodies backed by a powerful bass line and the additional percussion, their blend of sounds went unmatched today.


Perpetual Groove may look like a bunch of old guys from Georgia (which they are), but their name is not misleading. It's a funk/rock fusion that Miles Davis would be proud of...in the 70's.

Zappa Plays Zappa was truly the most eclectic act of the afternoon. As I came closer to their stage, I could have sworn I heard dueling jazz xylophones...though I could have been experiencing a second-hand hallucinogen. These guys brought it, and the crowd definitely couldn't get enough.

Finally, Disco Biscuits truly could not have been appreciated more as the first band to play in the dark at Rothbury. They drew the biggest crowd of the day (basically because you could hear their music all the way in my tent: which is way far away) and they were roaring well into Friday morning. They had a nice mix of disco, obviously, funk and jazz. They even slowed down for a ballad. Great show!

Now I have been taking pictures and documenting other happenings here at Rothbury, but unfortunately the closest photo development store is 20 minutes away and, well, it's 12:30 in the morning. I'll repost this tomorrow with pictures of the bands.


The "everyday shenanigans" post will have to wait until tomorrow. But you really don't know what to expect until you see these pictures.










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They have me surrounded

Okay, so I made it across the hand to Rothbury!

I definitely should have thought about what time I left today. I am so far away from the entrance that I can barely stand it. I feel like I'm at fat camp.

Anyway, I'm not allowed to have a digital camera. So I stopped by K-mart and bought a couple disposables. This is something else I should have thought about.

I've already gone through half a camera after walking around the camp site for about an hour. There are some characters here and I feel out of place with hair that isn't on my shoulders...or that has been washed lately.

Other than that, my tent is pitched in a corn field...which is surprisingly comfortable. And I don't think I will see a shower head for the next four days.

So much for making a friend.

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Debating...but I have no choice.

I really should have posted this earlier.
Here are my two options for driving to Rothbury.

This takes 3 hours and 15 minutes.


However, I am going all the way south to Lansing, then coming back north when I get to GR. As much as I'd love to do a tour of the biggest cities in Michigan, that seems a little ridiculous to do all that driving.


This one takes 3 hours and 28 minutes. But it's not a freeway, and straight through farming country.


I don't mind driving on roads that are only 55, because I normally don't drive 55...obviously. But I don't have very good depth perception, so I'm that guy that is hesitant to pass a tractor going 15 mph if I can see an oncoming car off in the distance.

I just hope this doesn't take me all day for choosing to view the splendors of the Michiganderan Farmer.

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ps- If you would like to call me, that'd be great. I have nothing to do for the next couple of hours. Thanks.

Ageism and Technology: The Struggle of American Youth

Ok, so I consider myself a pretty smart guy. I can figure things out pretty easily and am a fast learner. Sure. I play on Facebook a lot, and I know how to convert songs from my iTunes to my iPod.

HOWEVER, this does not make me an IT professional. In fact, I only learn to do things that I use every day, i.e.- blogs, media players, paint, AIM. And there are still aspects of those things that I haven’t mastered yet.

But for some reason, because I am a kid in college, everyone over the age of 35 ASSUMES that I am a computer wiz, and could take apart an XBOX and put it together again before they get back from the grocery store. I don’t think so.

Yeah, I can connect your camera to your computer. Sure. I can set you up with a sweet Myspace page. No problem. But there are some tasks that we traditionally (sorry for such an ironic word) reserve for people called “IT guys.”

I don’t mind doing things. I’m always willing to do whatever I can to help. But I will not stand for such a blatant stereotype of my generation. You cannot just hand me $300 worth of software and routers and say, “Make it work.”

Whew.

On that note, I’m considering an IT minor. Anyone wanna do it with me?

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My Diet

That's right. My name is Adkins and I have my own diet.
It's pretty successful, actually. 100% of people who have tried it have had success.
And it's so simple, you can do it too.

I lost 40 pounds over 4 weeks last summer. I saw this video and decided I needed to so something.




So listen up.
It's called "caloric intake."

First, go here and figure out what your daily caloric intake should be. It will give you the surviving amount, the weight loss amount, and the extreme weight loss amount.

Guess which one I go with.

My "extreme weight loss" number, just to give you an example, is around 1500 calories. So, I aim for 1000, knowing that I can cheat if I have to.

Second, choose what you want to do. For me, it was giving up pop (a 20 oz is generally 280 calories) and riding my bike to work. I play tennis and basketball about three to four times a week as well. So there are a lot of activities that burn calories in addition to my diet.

Next: prepare to suffer. Usually the third day is the worst, which is where I think I cheated big time. BUT, I felt guilty and ran like 3 miles that night. Just know that you can always trade out exercise for calories.

Now I'm not suggesting you starve yourself. Drink LOTS of water, and eat something small every four hours. This will definitely curb your appetite. If you are doing extra exercise, your metabolism will become more high maintenance anyway, so find your favorite low cal snack to munch on. Fruits and veggies are usually the best.

You've probably heard this before, but in order to be successful, you can't treat this like a "diet," but a "lifestyle change." A diet is a temporary change in your food intake to achieve a goal, then stop. If you make it a lifestyle change and learn to appreciate the results, and how easy it is to maintain yourself, you will be better off in the initial stages and after you've lost your weight.

Hope this helps you guys as much as it helped me.

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Disclaimer: I am in no way a medical professional. I am speaking from personal experience about a lifestyle change that was extremely successful for me. Everyone's body has different needs, and I do not guarantee any results like mine.

New Title

I've chosen a niche. It's called juice.
I like juice, and everyone should drink some everyday.
Since most my stuff is pretty juicy: whether it's advice, opinion, or linking to current events: I figure the title is fitting.

Hope you enjoy it, and tell your friends.
Taking requests here and here

Love you guys.
Especially you :)

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Ok. Hi?

So I have this problem. I can’t be nice to people without coming off as a creep. If I go for a while without talking to a girl, and I say, “Hello, beautiful,” that somehow comes off as, “Hello, Clarice.”

Since there’s no possible way that I genuinely think this person is beautiful, or that they should know that, I hence have no right in saying such a thing… since she has a boyfriend… and it’s not me. So this is where I make my decision.

I posted about love a while back, and made reference to unrequited feelings. Unfortunately, the only help I can get with this is from TV and movies. So, I’m obviously tanking.

Even though this is a Jim and Pam situation in my mind, it’s not working. And really, I’ve been putting it in the back of my mind because it’s too embarrassing to think about. And even too embarrassing to write about.

I’ve been running uphill for as long as I can remember with this chick, and she wants nothing to do with it. But my big, stubborn head has made me press on…despite all the advice I’ve been given.

All I can say is that I’m trying my best to fight it out, because I think that it’s something worth fighting for. Even if I find someone else to move on to, you know, that isn’t dating someone else…I still think that this says something about my stance on love.

You can’t stop it, and you can’t force it…but sometimes you do have to ignore it.

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I Didn't Make the Cut

I only get down on myself when I see people like these guys. With sources like Ripley's Believe It or Not, and Guiness Book of World Records, it's getting harder and harder to believe this stuff. But it seems that there are legitimate people with super powers out there.

They have yet to come up with a name for my condition, so you'll have to wait for that list.

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