Sounds I hate

"Spit ... (silence)... spit ... (silence) ... spit ... (silence) ..."

Somebody needs to get busted up.

Busy

Thanksgiving was great. No time to chat. Lots to do this week.

Things to do ...

Before I leave for Thanksgiving break, I MUST accomplish all of the following. Hold me accountable, friends.

-Read "Henry IV," Part 1, Acts 1&2
-Read two short stories for American Lit.
-Write two editorials and one column
-Conduct three interviews for my in-depth story about feral cats in Waco
-Gather materials to build a portfolio for my Advanced Reporting class.
-Contact my professional references about letters for said portfolio.
-Read a packet for my Editorial and Column Writing class.

This is what I will be doing for the next few days. I'm not avoiding you - I'm just going to die if I don't get caught up.

Love, Brian

Yeeeehah!

Kodak 8mm movie film arrived in the mail today. I'll see you guys in a few months, when I run out of money.

New pictures at The Photo Hat.

Lights! Camera! Antiques!

Yes, you guessed it.

While shopping for records at antique stores yesterday, I came across an 8mm movie camera. That's right. Film, baby.

I found a place online that still sells film for this thing. It's archaic ... seriously ... all the information I found online dated this sucka between 1940 and 1945.

All the gears work, and the aperture and focus rings are as smooth as butter. It's like a little wind-up clock.

I'm ordering B&W film for it, because B&W is much cheaper to process. All I need now is a short film plot, a few actors ... and, of course, a splicer and a projector.

I'm bringing back silent movies - so watch out.

Illumination

It happened again last night.

About two years ago, I caught sight of a mysterious stranger in the mirror, standing where I should be.

Well it happened again last night. I washed my hands and glanced at the mirror. I didn't recognize the face staring back. It's like I wasn't real. I saw a reflection of pink flesh, tangled hair and empty eyes - not of a person.

For a second, I was incomplete - a soul looking at a body. My subconscious became the conscious, and I saw how mechanical a human is. The nerves, the blood, the coordination, the motor skills ... these things are physical, but not real.

We seldom escape ourselves, and we seldom see the souls of others. It's tragic. We see teeth and smiles and moodiness, but we don't see people.

We need to dive below surface-level conversation and physical judgment. We need to connect with a living, wanting, hurting, fluid, transcendent soul. People are intended for deep fellowship and understanding - the joining of two kindred spirits.

It's not as easy as it sounds.

An Indian

I really like Indians.

The Revelation

by William Carlos Williams

I awoke happy, the house
Was strange, voices
Were across a gap
Through which a girl
Came and paused,
Reaching out to me --

Then I remembered
What I had dreamed --
A girl
One whom I knew well
Leaned on the door of my car
And stroked my hand --

I shall pass her on the street
We shall say trivial things
To each other
But I shall never cease
To search her eyes
For that quiet look --