-Won 2 Frisbee championships. Co-Rec and Mens. We played from 5:30pm to midnight basically. 5 consecutive games. 

-Eileen Phan made cupcakes.

-I got a postcard from my sister. 

-Parents came down for culture show weekend. 

-I didn’t mess up the show like I thought I would. 

-Saw Dennis and Deacons. 

-Jose bought me a Four Horseman shot. I actually took it. 

A little boy was playing with a lighter on a summer afternoon while his mother was grilling chicken in the backyard. His father was mowing the lawn. 

A line of little black ants were racing down an interstate visible only to them. It was like rush hour; all of them so ready to work. 

The little boy flicked the flame meter from “-” to “+” and lit the lighter. He swept it in a line and offered them all salvation from their work. Most staggered and fought, others immediately curled into a ball and accepted their fate. 

But while there was chaos for a moment, the ants were back in order as if nothing had happened. The boy burned, and even went to get the hose to drown them all. But when the food was ready, the ants continued to march like they had a job. 

And so the boy decided to give up and help set the table. He couldn’t help but wonder, “Maybe God gave up too.” 

I’m up on Melancholy Hill—And I’m never coming down. 

And I wont forget you.

He was packing his bags and said, “I don’t like the guy I’ve become.”

He said, “I used to be the guy that bought skittles and picked out all the reds for her.” 

He turned to her and said, ”I ship out next month.” 

He said, “Will you marry me?”

And she said, “No.” 

There was a kid from my high school that was genuinely very nice. He was a cool kid, a bro, and a stoner. He was always high, and you could always expect to see him show up drunk to social events. 

I was actually a little disappointed to wind up in the same school as him. 

Anyways, he immediately joined a social frat as soon as he came here. For three years he binged on alcohol, weed, and sex. 

Then… out of the blue this year, he contacted one of my other friends and wanted to speak to me. He has been completely sober from all of the aforementioned vices. He is now engaged and hardly even kisses his fiance. 

He is a completely changed man. He says he will only drink if he feels like God tells him to, and that it is okay. He cannot smoke and drink like he used to. He handed my friend a copy of the New Testament. It is one of those little ones that the old grandpas pass out on the drillfield. 

He told us how he was looking for a new path, and he met a girl who was also looking for a new path and then God himself spoke to her while on a break from homework. And when he told the girl that she should speak to his religious friend and that she refused, for some reason their religious friend turned the corner and just happened to be wandering by. Things took a huge swing, and he found himself going to church. 

I have more respect for him now. I always knew he was a nice guy, but he seemed like trash before. Now, for some reason, I have so much respect for him. He now speaks with a passion. Instead of an empty, apathetic “whatever” look he had before, he now has a purpose, and he invited us to War Memorial Chapel for the 8:00 service. 

Oh I saw you at the picnic last summer, 

You were perfect, sweet as sugar, 

Funny how I’m always seeing you again,

Its amazing having you in my life now and then, 

Last week I saw you at Chipotle, 

You were just sitting there, glistening, remotely, 

And the guy interrupted and said, “mild, medium, or hot?”

You were still on my mind, so I don’t even remember what i got,

And now I’m just sitting here, with a roll of 1-ply, 

I peer below and play a little I SPY,

How many corn kernels I can find?  

I want to learn how to drive stick. 

I want to get my pilots license. 

I want to get a motorcycle. 

I want to ride in a blimp. 

I want to open a bar. 

Heck, I want to open a club. 

I want to learn how to fix bikes and open a bike shop. 

I want to learn how to fix cars. 

I want to go surfing. 

I want to own a pool table…and get good enough so I won’t scratch the 8 ball everytime. 

I want a jet ski. 

I want to be part of a heist. 

I want to drive stick during the car chase ensuing the heist. 

I want to see the Northern Lights. 

I want to go to Australia, New Zealand, China, Vietnam, and pretty much everywhere I haven’t been. 

I want to be an Earth Bender.

I want to be able to control my Ki and fly like when Gohan taught Pan. 

I want to be able to boardslide on my snowboard, or do a grab.

I want to be able to backflip. 

I want a Dragonite. 

I want to go to space.

Jack stepped outside for some fresh air and a smoke.  A couple was kissing with cigarettes dangling and forgotten in their hands. Outside, the muffled beats of hip-hop and girls yelling their drink orders over the music seemed calm. Click. Click. Click. His lighter wasn’t working.

“Need a light?”

He looked over to see a guy with an un-tucked collared shirt holding a lighter with a bright yellow flame in one hand. The other hand was around the girl’s waist. Like a city pigeon being offered food, Jack stepped in closer for a light. Taking in a deep and slow breath, he made sure the cigarette was catching before he withdrew.

It didn’t catch all the way, but the top was burning brightly. He rotated the cigarette around so that the burning tip was facing the bottom and took another long drag. The embers glowed bright, dancing with the tobacco inside until the entire cigarette was lit.

The girl said something and opened the door to go back inside. The music blared for a split second and subsided. It was just the two guys. The other guy started packing a new box of cigs.

Jack looked over at his savior and started the obligatory conversation. “The weathers sure is nice here.”

Without missing a beat, “Yep, it always is.” The guy paused for a second and then asked, “You’re not from around here?”

“Nah, east coast. Just visiting for the week.”

“Oh. Ok, Okay. What school you go to?”

“uh, UVA. You?”

“UCLA, man.”

“Cool. LA’s so nice, it must be great living out here. You been here long?”

“Umm, yeahiguess so. Grew up here.”  The guy was distracted, at least Jack thought so. He was opening his pack and drew another cigarette. He started to light it.

Then the door swung open, and the guy’s girlfriend came back out along with the burst of body heat, the smell of sweat, and a measures worth of Ke$ha. The girlfriend said she was going to the car, and the guy started to go with her, but then turned around.

“It’s great living here, but I’ll never make it to the east coast, man. Once you’re here, you’re set. There’s no reason going anywhere else!”

And the guy put out his new cigarette and hurried to catch up with his girlfriend.

Jack glanced over at the crumpled Marlboro, and noticed it fell right on the Marilyn Monroe Hollywood Star. What a waste. Jack breathed more life into his cigarette and made sure his lived a full life before putting it out. Then, he went inside. It was time for some Vodka Redbull.