NJ survival skill: aggressive driving July 15, 2010
Posted by highofseventyfive in documenting life.Tags: 80 mph, driving, parkway, turnpike
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so i think i’ve changed my mind. i DON’T like driving. i like driving to the beach (195 is chill). i like driving around in between the hills and fields of hopewell township, lancaster, and other such open spaces. i like driving to Lake Champion because 287 is pretty chill too, and there is this crazy twisty turny road like on a cliff above water thats fantastic. I like driving to Lake Saranac because i know the way by heart and its absolutely gorgeous driving in the mountains.
i DON’T like driving on the parkway, turnpike, or other such nonsense. if it has more than three lanes, count me out. those roads are ridiculous! everyone is going 80 and if you by chance choose the wrong lane you are stuck with all the trucks and it is so intense.
i think i seriously have more gray hair from this drive. and my back is still so tense. being hyper-alert for 4 hours straight is cuhrazy craze. New Jersey drivers have a special survival skill that they must learn and that is aggressive/defensive driving. man oh man.
at one point i was listening to some old cd’s to remind that its summer. one band that always reminds me of summer time is Sugarcult. So i’m listening to this face-paced punk music and i’m just thinking, man! this a video game or something! i’m a race car driver and this is just nuts. sometimes i like to pretend i’m in a video game because if i thought about the real danger too much, i think it would freak me out and i wouldn’t be able to drive anymore.
part of me is actually surprised i made it back in one piece and didn’t crash my car or anything.
oh the things i do for my friends. now i’m going TRY to rest and get to sleep, another long day at work tomorrow.
ooooh 5am. sometimes, i just really wish i skipped you.
a night in lancaster county April 10, 2010
Posted by highofseventyfive in documenting life.Tags: driving, intervarsity, lancaster, scenic route, sonic
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white knuckles. white stars. millions. hilly roads that look like they are just going to end, or disappear right in front of you. not being able to see because of how dark it is. roads that wind back and forth, left, right, up, down. pulling over to let the car in front get a “head start”. open road. free. ignoring the speed limits yet ridiculously alert. speed. brakes. fresh air. horse poop on the road. GPS signal fading in and out. Jesus. quiet. loud music. singing joyful noises to my savior. switchfoot. breathing deeply. contemplating a job as a professional race car driver. high beams. sunroof open. not sure whats next. absolutely sure I can handle it. thankful for good tires. thankful for a good car. thankful for an adventurously expectant life. LIFE. LOVE. GOD. Filled to the BRIM. hoping the doors aren’t locked. bed. rest. spirit has rested, now body needs to catch up. yes. door is open. yes laptop is here. yes explosions in the sky is playing. yes. Jesus yes, the answer will (hopefully) always be yes. I’m for you. I’m for this. I’m for real.
LIFE!
and a night in lancaster county. the end.
risk management March 14, 2010
Posted by highofseventyfive in just thoughts.Tags: cell phones, driving, risk management, texting
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so, I know talking on your cell phone while driving is dangerous. I know texting is even worse. However, I seem to believe I am invincible.
My mom is always pestering me, and i KNOW there are like, actual laws against it. I’ve watched shows about the dangers of texting while driving.
I still do it.
BUT THEN– I read something on the InterVarsity staff website that says because I am a resource of IV, (staff members being the resources of the “company”) it is a risk management policy not to talk on a cell phone or text while driving.
Its funny that all these other sources could hit me over the head with reasons, but now I finally feel like I have a reason good enough to stop. Because IV told me so.
hahah ooooooooh am I brainwashed or what? 
sunday. January 4, 2010
Posted by highofseventyfive in documenting life.Tags: church, driving, getting inked, Joshua 1, new years resolutions, tattoos
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i had an eventful sunday and will record it here:
breakfast with parental units.
church.
pastor gay started a series called “get inked”. the idea behind it, having the Word indelibly printed on our hearts. i like it. he mentioned the commitment level of someone who gets a tattoo. it made me think of my own tattoo, and the pondering and prayer before getting it. and how during it, all i did was pray, “God! This is FOR YOU!” haha, i had to keep reminding myself cause it hurt alot. anyway, he talked about Joshua 1, and verse 8
“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
i really liked the way he compared reading the directions of a board game to taking the Word to heart. think about it. you read the instructions of a new board game. and the first time you’re just reading it but you have no idea what it says, so then you repeat it again, kind of mumbling and trying to look at the board between phrases to see whats supposed to be happening. then the next time you repeat and sorta mumble it again, trying to memorize and have it make sense. and maybe after that you actually explain the rules to the other players.
the Word should be so imprinted on our hearts that we can mutter it under our breath as we play the game (of life).
we were given the chance to “ink” our thumbs and put a print up on a board, marking a commitment to God for the new year to be in the Word. I’m already reading every day, so my commitment was actually to get healthy, so that both parts of me match 
that i’m spiritually and physically healthy.
i find that i turn to food to make me feel better some times. but really Jesus should be my everything, He should satisfy. My clothes are starting not to fit. My self-image and self-worth starts to start warping away from the one God has given me. Some people gain the freshmen 15. I didn’t. but I gained the first year OUT of college 20. and its not cool. Plus, exercising is good for me, and makes me feel good, more energy. I like listening to sermons on my ipod while i cycle. its kind of my fun little secret. everyone else supposes that i am listening to music, but in fact, i am getting fed some spiritual yummies! sometimes i wish i could share it with them.
so i went to the gym.
took a shower, watched a bit of the eagles game, and then went to visit my boss’ church. it was fun! but then I couldn’t find my keys. turns out they were in my ignition. doh! thats the first time i’ve ever done that.
so he and his wife drove me all the way home (from fairless hills) to my house to get my spare key and come back so i could get in my car.
i had a nice time chatting with the mrs. and getting to know them more as brothers and sisters in Christ than just my boss and his wife. it was a nice mistake to have made.
home and to bed, i had a headache, and needed to get up early for work today at 4.
——–
i can’t believe its really starting. its full throttle ahead, green flag. now i just have to DO IT. yep, fund raising.
Jesus, prep my heart for this roller coaster!!
and this is eternal life: November 18, 2009
Posted by highofseventyfive in documenting life, just thoughts.Tags: Bible, driving, eternal life, hershey, Jesus, trips
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so this week has been terrific. I feel so alive. I keep reminding myself of John 17:3 which says,
Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
Eternal life is not some final destination. Eternal life is THIS: knowing God. wow. So this week, I’ve been praying and keeping at the front of my mind, that THIS, right now, is LIFE. life abundant. and that eternity is already in motion. Am I living “eternally-minded”? Am I KNOWING God, the best I can?
He’s been giving me good rest so far this week. I’m not tired. I had such a relaxing car ride back from Hershey today. the turnpike was terrible, but i was in the zone and praying and Loren was quiet and it was just so relaxing! I felt so rejuvenated after that time.
And it was kinda funny, we went to chocolate world. and so there i was, IN a candy factory! like my dream, lol. and I couldn’t decide on what to buy, but thats mainly because i only had $7. I bought a Reese’s Fastbreak. I love those.
now i’m back, going to Panera’s for a yummy bread bowl with Caroline and then large group at Rider! to sleep for another lovely day in the Kingdom on thursday.
woooohoooooo!
what a week September 24, 2009
Posted by highofseventyfive in documenting life.Tags: debates, driving, graphic design, interview, mute math, paper mill playhouse, veritas forum
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well, today i worked 9-5, then 6-9. i can’t really keep my eyes open.
all this week have had to get up pretty early. yesterday i had an interview at the Paper Mill Playhouse.
it seems like a really really perfect job for me. luckily, the person interviewing me was nice. i had gotten lost, and she rescheduled me for 2pm. so i spent pretty much an entire day in north jersey, then rushed home to get to rita’s.
tomorrow i’m working in the morning at rita’s, then i get to see mutemath at the TLA!! i’m really excited. meeting jess tack there, which should be terrific as usual!
saturday, working again at rita’s. then probably going to church at night.
sunday, church, (apple picking?) and a meeting at church.
i have to call starbucks back tomorrow, they got my resume and called me, a good sign!
i didn’t read my bible today. but i listened to a debate in the car about the resurrection. one guy saying, yes there is enough evidence to prove the resurrection really happened, and another guy no, there’s not and it didn’t really happen.
its very interesting. i’m still not finished with an hour + something part 1 of the debate, because the cd kept stopping, and so i’d start it over then i’d hold my finger on the fast forward button (since its an hour long thing, but only one track) and it would get almost there or halfway there and just turn off. oh my old ghetto cd player.
(i know, i should just use an itrip but mine is broken)
i really like listening to debates now. after reading tim keller’s book, i hopped on to the veritas forum, and listen to a debate and talk he posted up there, and i played it at ritas. it was just the right thing. it wasn’t a sermon, so people couldn’t get weirded out. it was a two sided thing, so a listener does not feel pushed, but can remain a bystander and listener. like, the girl i was working with said, “hmm! i would have never thought of any of this stuff, its pretty cool!” and so christianity and the existence of God snuck in there, in a “cool” way.
its making feel pretty smart to listen to these things, like biblical validity, and the resurrection, and the existence of God, and alot of piper sermons lately. i have been finding it easier to tackle some topics in conversation with people. i can’t wait to take the rider kids out to do some surveys or evangelism soon. i’m itching!!
my car’s been acting up too, but i think thats because i’ve been running it pretty hard lately, with all the interviewing and freelancing. yesterday it was really scaring me when i was making turns it would get all lurchy and weird.
only jesus yo April 7, 2009
Posted by highofseventyfive in profound thoughts.Tags: 000 paths, 84, bhudda, canada, driving, Jesus
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bhudda said there were 84,000 paths to enlightenment how many of you would want directions while driving from a religious pluralist? can you imagine, you’re driving, and you say “i don’t know where i’m going, i want to get to canada”, you pull over at a gas station, and you ask, where to go and they say, “just pick a road, drive on it, they all go to canada” NO! some go to mexico, some go in the water, some go to new york, some go in a circle, some go to florida, some go to a dead end. no, “just believe” we don’t live our lives like that, we don’t just pick up a map and say they all go the same place, cause they don’t! and in our spiritual lives why do people say that? not all roads lead to salvation!
