The Chronicles of Blake – Volume XCIII

Howdy Strangers!!!

Well… I’m sorry for the EXTREMELY long delay between Newsletters. I know they are coming farther and farther apart. I know that you know that this is because my life just becomes more and more busy. I know that you know that I know that I hate beginning each Newsletter with a disclaimer. I know that you know that I know that you know that this is just hurting myself, because the longer I wait, the more I have to write. And I know that you know that I know that you know that I know that you just want to read on. In fact, if you want, you can just skip this paragraph that I just wrote.

I guess I just had to recover from the “Two Towers” for awhile and regroup all my personalities into one (un-schizophreniaize myself) so I could write one Newsletter.


I really am trying to keep these coming out. I’m not about to quit. I have to reach that amazing Newsletter 100!!! I am just 7 Newsletters away! And you know that ONE of them is just bound to be the final in the popular “Lord of the Tie” series…

Moving right along to me life…

I have titled this one the “Erika Edition,” because well… it just happens that almost all these stories have to do with Erika. It just happens that she is around me quite a bit. :D No complaints.

New Shoes - SEVERAL weeks ago (perhaps even a month), I was sitting in class next to Rich Card, with one foot up on my knee, when he (Rich) looked down and said, “Wow. You need new shoes.” I had to agree. They were getting pretty worn down on the soles and looking a bit torn up. But he left it at that. Later, I got a phone call that… Well, to make a long story short and to keep from embarrassing those involved, someone let me pick out any pair of shoes I wanted on an online site, and I now have a really nice, comfortable pair of Doc Martens! The Lord provides. Even the small things.

A New Sort of Collection – Recently in our rooms we have been working on a collection… of chairs. It is great. We just keep bringing in chairs and filling our room. Yet, somehow, there never seems to be enough. But there is always a place to sit. Where do we get these chairs? Well, if anyone forgets to bring their chairs into their rooms, or just throw them out, they get kidnapped. One day I was walking back from downstairs when I saw a CHAIR… just sitting out in the middle of nowhere. So I picked it up and started walking toward my room with it. Along the way I saw my hall leader, Curtis. He said, “Stealing chairs, huh?” I looked at him like he was crazy and said, “Of course not!” ignoring the fact that I was just randomly carrying a chair through the hall. So anyhow, right now our collection stands at 6 chairs, even though it fluctuates all the way up to 9 at any given time.

That Was Close! – One day that week I was in the library with Erika when she was working on some paperwork for one of her nursing classes. One time when she wasn’t looking, I typed in “Erika, you’re a cutie” in one of her blanks. Well…. Not only did she NOT SEE IT (which is really too bad), but she ALMOST handed it in! She caught it just in time and had a half-hearted laugh about it, changed the answer and handed it in. I got talked to about it later. But she liked it… I know she did…

Another Run-in With Science People – I have a tradition of walking Erika to her lab in the Science Building from dinner every week. A few weeks ago I went up with her, dropped her off, saw Nikki in the room with her, and with one quick movement, grabbed my Nerd Glasses out of my bookbag, put them one, leaned into the doorway, waved at them and loudly whispered, “Look, I’m a science person!” They both rolled their eyes and covered their faces as I walked away with a sense of accomplishment. A group of girls passed me on my way out and I heard one of them say, “Uh… we don’t know him.”

A Little Pick-Me-Up – So one night Erika and I were on a study date (which is the majority of our dates this semester, but I’m glad just to be with her) one night and she kept nodding off while she was reading. So I pulled out a Mega-Warhead from my pocket that Bart McNaughton gave me earlier that day. Erika doesn’t usually like these, but she ate it and… didn’t have a problem staying awake after that.

OK, I notice that these are all random stories about Erika. Well… there are more to come!

Awwww… - Now if there are guys out there that don’t like sappiness, (I was like that once :) you might want to skip this paragraph. So November 3rd was Erika and my 9-month anniversary. Nothing really about it that stands above other months (except that it has been ¾ of a year), but I thought it was a GREAT excuse to buy her a red rose. So I snuck off and did so after Nikki and I went shopping. I gave it to her at dinner… in the dining common, where she put it in a glass of water between the two of us. We did get some strange looks from people as they passed by. But I know they were all just jealous. :) Then… we went to study in the library for awhile, and the only vase I could find was a milk carton converted into a pig, fashioned by Nikki last year. So we put the rose in that on the table in the library. Then we went to the Alpha soccer game with the rose, then to the social parlor (in which we used for the first time my little tape measure stretched between us the whole way to make sure we don’t get within 10 feet of each other after 7:00), then said goodnight. Later, I went to the Collegian office where one of the girls said, “I saw you and your girlfriend with a rose tonight at the game… extra points for you!” We had a good time, though, and I am very thankful for her.

…and her providing Newsletter stories.

Glad To Help – Also that morning, I got a call from Tim Joiner bright and early asking, “I have a class on digital photography in 5 minutes and I forgot mine at home. Can I please borrow yours?” So then I ran that up to him quickly. I got the better end of the deal, though, because afterward I found a picture of Tim pointing to the camera with 3 or 4 ladies looking at the camera with a confused look. Apparently Tim was demonstrating self-timer. Hehe. It’s a funny picture.

Youth Block Classes are Pretty Tough – The teachers keep buying us cokes and food and stuff. Also last week I started doing a tradition with Bart McNaughton and Drew Beddicks. During the 10 minute break we tried to test how far we could walk and still make it back on time. Around the Alumni Building – Easy. Around the Alumni Building and Seminary Building – Still Easy. To the Top of the Parking Garage – Fun. To the Davis Field House – Stretching It, but Can Be Done. Now, I could not make all of these rounds with them, but it was an interesting experiment.

Cluck is… Disabled – In society on Friday we played a game involving the world famous Cluck the Rubber Cheerchicken in which two teams tried chucking him in some squares on the walls. It was a great game, yet very rough… especially for Cluck. He… got both his feet ripped off. But he was still cool and people accepted him for who he was. It was a good sacrifice on his part. But then… he attended the Conference Championship, in which he was lost. So Cluck the Cheerchicken is with us no more. Let us have a moment of silence for this great bringer of cheer to the hearts of millions. May he rest in peace.

Speaking of Conference Champs – That Saturday was pretty packed. But it was really SWEET! I was able to get a little work off campus raking and blowing a lady’s lawn for several hours for very good pay in the morning and early afternoon. Then I came back and went to dinner with Erika where we had STEAKS!!! REAL STEAKS! And they tasted really good. I don’t know why they decided to do delectable steaks on a Saturday night, but I was very thankful. Then we went to the Conference Championship Alpha vs. Basil game and watched as Alpha beat Basil in overtime, and I got a really cheap Alpha shirt that was rocketed into the stands. But the cool part was that Alpha won and was headed to the Turkey Bowl! So I got a nice little job, steak, conference champs, a t-shirt, and a date all in one day! Doesn’t get much better than that! :)

Then Ben – On one of those random days thrown in there, a mysterious visitor showed up. OK, so maybe he wasn’t so mysterious, as we had a Darkwing Duck welcome poster already prepared for him. But anyhow, it was Ben McKlemurry. (actually pronounced MACK-el-murry) He is from Erika’s church back home. So, uh, yeah. He was an interesting guy who gave us a fresh perspective on how weird Bob Jones life is and helped me memorize some verses for a class. Our catch phrase for the week was “…but this really is a great place,” when we caught ourselves talking about the stresses of campus life. I think he had a good time, though, and I think we showed him the stranger side of things.

Much Ado – Then came a whole BUNCH of events, kick started by artist series on a Friday evening. It was wonderful. The play was really good too! Erika and I had a good time with our pictures for the night. Instead of the traditional picture, we did a series. The first picture was of the two of us, looking away from each other, holding cardboard signs. Mine said, “Will work for artist series date.” Hers said, “Will go to artist series as work.” Then the next picture is of the two of us reading each others’ signs, then one of us laughing over it, then one of me giving her some roses, then a traditional one, then one of the two of us walking away together with the cardboard signs in the trash. It was a lot of fun. Then we went to see “Much Ado About Nothing,” which was a very good and entertaining play. We had a great night.

I Ran… Again – Then the following morning I got up bright and early and went over to the Alumni Stadium to go do the Turkey Bowl Run. This run is 5k (or 3.1 miles), and I like to do it every year. Only this year was a bit different. Early on I had tried to get Erika to run it too, but she didn’t seem too interested. Eventually I just laid off. The night before I had told Erika that she could come and cheer me on if she wanted. But then… the next morning I was getting ready and stretching in the cold weather, when Erika walked up to me in her Turkey Bowl Run shirt and number pinned on her! I was shocked!... especially that she would think of running in this “cold” (to an Alabama girl) weather. But we ran it. Toward the end, I was trucking along when I saw Dr. Mazak up ahead of me quite a ways. I shouted out to anyone who listened, “I CAN’T LET DR. MAZAK BEAT ME!” So I picked it up a bit and was slowly gaining on him as we rounded one lap of the track. Then right at the end I gathered up all the strength left in me and sprinted right past him only a few feet in front of the finish line! I beat him! My time ended up being something like 22:33 and I think I got 52nd place. Slightly better than last year. Then I gathered up a little more strength, jogged until I found Erika still running the course, then ran with her to the end. I was very proud of her for finishing! It was a fun run… followed by yummy oranges.

Turkey Bowl – Let me tell you from an officer’s standpoint… Going to the Turkey Bowl is a lot of work! Later that day after the Run, I was placed in charge of decorating the Alpha side of the stadium. It was very windy, but we got the stuff up and it looked sweet! Erika helped with that too. :) Then the night came and we prepared for the intro. Here’s how it went: about 15 of us average Alpha members crammed into the back of the classic ice cream truck, which quickly went out onto the track as the intro played over the speakers. At the cue, we all jumped out and chucked ice cream into the stands. Then we invited the cheer section over quickly and began doing the tick tick boom as another giant truck came out onto the track with the soccer team in it. When we got done cheering, we all went behind the truck and attempted to crowd surf them all off onto the field. Then we proceeded to do the tick tick a few more times and we were done. It was definitely high energy and fun. Then Omega… nevermind. It was a very intense game. Pretty even. But in the end, Alpha won off a corner kick, and we rushed the field and later ate Fruity Pebbles out of the Turkey Bowl: many an Alpha member’s dream.

… now I need to design a shirt. :) Speaking of, I did get re-elected as Alpha PR! I’m excited to finish this year as an officer!

An Awesome Break – Shortly after the Turkey Bowl came Thanksgiving Break! Instead of going home for Thanksgiving, I went down to Erika’s house in Dothan, Alabama with Nikki and Clayton too. It was a great week, and we had lots of fun! The Russells were very hospitable and did a good job of putting up with us. There were a few things that stood out:
1) When we got lost on the way down. There was a major accident on the interstate, so we decided to take a “shortcut” on a side road. I have discovered some things about Southern roads: (1) They do not run in a logical “North, South, East, West” pattern. You may be traveling on “29 West” but be going east as you follow it. (2) They are not clearly marked. Sometimes you will go 15 miles or so having no idea what road you are on. Then they make up for it by putting 50 road signs all in one place at an intersection. (3) A road might lead to a dead end, and it is left up to the driver to figure out which way to go to get to the point where it picks up again.
So yeah, it was an interesting trip, but we eventually got there at around 2 AM. As usual, it makes for an interesting story.
2) A wonderful Thanksgiving meal. It was absolutely scrumdidlyumptious!
3) When we went down to a beautiful white sand beach in Florida. It was about 65 degrees that day and slightly breezy, but we drove down to a lovely beach in a state park near Panama City, Florida. I had a wonderful time just getting to spend with just Erika. Nikki and Clayton were there too, but it was just nice to be with Erika. It’s something we almost never get. Well, we did get a lot of time together over the break, but it was especially nice on the beach right next to the waves rolling in. I found out I really DO like long walks on the beach.
-The whole break was wonderful. Even though I didn’t get much extra physical rest, it was a nice mental break from school. I came back ready for the home stretch.

A Few More Exciting Things And I’m Done…

Prayer Request – I know, I send this with every break, and this year is no exception. I am going to need major prayer about finances for coming back. I am going home in a little while, and I don’t currently have a job lined up. I am going to do my best to look, but if you know where I am from, you know that there isn’t a very good chance of me finding one… especially when I offer only a few weeks of doing it. I was really depending on a Demonstrative Need Scholarship (the only one I’m eligible for and it has really helped me in the past), but they decided not to offer it this semester. I owe about what I did this entire past summer. I am going to apply for a student loan, but I still don’t know how much that will cover. Definitely not half of it. So it seems that many things are falling through, but I know that God can provide. He has in the past through these means, but I guess He is just going to do it in a different way. So pray that God will provide if it is His will and that I will have the faith that it takes to get me through. I wouldn’t prefer to sit out my last semester of my senior year, but I should be content with doing that if it is God’s will.

How about some happy news?

Journal Standard – A while ago Mom talked to me on the phone and mentioned how the Journal Standard (our regional newspaper back home) is re-vamping the comics section. So she suggested that I give them a call. I wasn’t very optimistic, but I did it anyhow. So I emailed them some samples of my work and they liked it. They said that they would run some of them in the paper on a trial basis, and that if they like them, they will hire me on for the job. So I prepared four comics for them, and they will start printing two a week starting this Sunday. Then, a few days ago, one of the reporters called me, and I did a phone interview. Apparently they are doing an article about me the day they launch the first one! So I am rather excited. The interview went really well, and I had many opportunities to explain why I was going to school here and why I am planning to become a youth pastor after graduation. I am not setting my hopes TOO high, but I am enjoying this opportunity.

I have been trying to figure out a title for my comic strips for a few weeks now, and I had a good one at one point, but I forgot it. Over Thanksgiving I thought for days what it was. I even compiled a list of about 40 possibilities, but none of them felt right. I expressed my thoughts on the subject to Mom, and she said, “Well, a few weeks ago you wanted to call it ‘Nevermind.’” I said, “THAT’S IT!!!” So I re-discovered it, and it sticks.

Ooooohhh… Pretty! – Last night at the Collegian office it was nearing 11:55 when someone came in and said, “They are about to test out the lights for the Lighting Ceremony!” So we all ran outside and stood on the Bridge of Nations (me in my jeans, t-shirt, and fuzzy slippers on front campus. Hehe), and watched as they flipped on the switch. It was beautiful! And I was one of the first to see it, and with prime seats. I am excited to go back again tonight and do it all over again, only this time with the added bonus of being with Erika… in our PENGUIN HATS!!!

PIXRS!!!


1) This is an adorable picture of Frederick (Erika’s moose) and Snuggles (my puppy (from Erika)) on a study date in the Riley Room. They received quite a few looks from passersby. Prolly because they are a good couple with a lot in common. Is it alright for them to cuddle? I mean... that's what they were made for!


2) This is a picture of Erika and me from this past Artist series. She looked really great! The sign I am holding had to do with the series of pictures from which this one was taken. It reads, “Will work for Artist Series date.”


3) This is Reggie mounted to the hood of the vehicle that transported the Turkey Bowl – winning Alpha soccer team onto the field. Shortly after, he lost an ear in raucous cheering. My mascot animals are just getting a beating!


4) This is a picture of Erika and me on a beach down in Florida over Thanksgiving break, and I am holding a pinecone wondering where it came from, as there were no pine trees anywhere around. Oh… and for you Northerners, that is not snow we are standing in (even though it looks very much like it). It is white sand. It was absolutely beautiful!

Wow. That was… Unexpected, yet nice. – Well, we got an email today that this semester is going to end a week early on the 7th rather than the 13th. I am very excited about this, except that we have to cram 2 weeks worth of work into one week. But that also means a longer vacation!!! The reason? There has been an outbreak of Whooping Cough on campus, and they want to separate us as soon as possible. There are going to be some major changes in the schedule, but I think I am very glad for the new opportunity. Erika is coming to my house for the beginning of the break (prolly something that won’t happen very often in all reality), and she was planning to leave by plane on the 18th. My original thought was “Sweet! She gets to stay an extra 6 days!!! But the reality is that she won’t get to stay THAT long, but maybe an extra day or two, since it really won’t take away from her time being at home. :)

Anyway, it will be great!

So ends the extra special Erika Edition.

I will try to fit in ONE more mini-Newsletter to say goodbye before we leave. We’ll see… we’ll see.

‘Till then….. “Cough... cough… cough cough cough…. Good-b… cough cough… goodbye… cough cough WHOOP!!!”

-Blake “The Healthy Tired Typed-Out One” Meyer
(608) 477-1415
bjunewsletter.com
I Thess 5:16-18 "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks..."