The Chronicles of Blake – Volume XCIX (ninety-nine)

Hello There All My Faithful Newsletterinarians!!!

Greetings from BJ in this next-to-last Newsletter that I will ever write! I have been asked what the future of the Newsletter is. Well… I will not be sending out any more after the end of this year. Erika will be carrying it on. JUST KIDDING! She’s a bit busy for that. So if you are on the Newsletter and you want to keep updated on my life, you can keep checking up on my website every once in awhile. It will probably not be too frequent, but I will try to let everyone know how I am doing every once in awhile. You may also want to look me up on facebook.

AND SPECIAL NOTE… my new email address will be bmeye656@gmail.com after I graduate. At some point, my current email address will be depleted.


Post-Graduation - So what are my plans after graduation? Well, I kind of addressed it in my Lord of the Tie Newsletter, but not everyone could catch it. I am currently seeking God’s will by going down to Atlanta to help out in Pastor Wood’s church, Grace Baptist, as a lay Youth Leader. I will be living with Mr. and Mrs. Baker, a family in the church, who are very kind people who I am very grateful for, and I have already been spoiled by them. I will have my own big room above the garage with a comfortable bed, a desk, my own bathroom, refrigerator, microwave, etc. I’m getting the royal treatment! I get along with them both very well. They reflect my personalities perfectly. Mr. Baker is a little more quiet, but has a sense of humor. He is a drug dealer. Well… he works in a pharmaceutical company :). Mrs. Baker is a very random and fun lady who is a computer guru who works from home saving the world’s computer problems… seriously. I praise the Lord for the way he provided for me a place to live. That will help me out IMMENSELY to help me pay off my school debt sooner.
My new address will be:
977 Ivey Chase Place
Dacula, GA 30019
I’m still on the job hunt, but I think I’m zeroing in.

Collage Fun – So I have really been getting into a new arena of my art development: COLLAGES. And I started doing them for a very strange, yet legitimate reason: I didn’t like them. I would watch other artists work on collages and think, “That’s easy. That’s not real art.” So I tried it myself to gain an appreciation for it. Well… I went antiques shopping and found materials for my first one, which turned out very nicely. It was entirely based on a poem about an abandoned house and what that house has seen. Then… I was gearing up to do a second one about main street. But when I went to the antique mall, I found this pre-1920’s picture of a young man and his wife, and tucked behind their picture was her obituary. It was really sad… she died when she was only 20 of pneumonia after influenza, less than a year after she was married. The obituary gave other details of her life too. So… I instantly changed my mind and spent the next hour searching for things that would have told the story of her short life. So I found some baby pictures, postcards, a hymnal page, letters, cards, etc., and compiled them all together. It was all tied together with the verse from James 4:14, “What is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time then vanisheth away.” It was a very fun piece, and it is really cool, because it causes the viewer to read my painting like a story and get to know her. Definitely the most fun I have ever had on a painting.
Oh… and for the hymnal page for the collage, the library staff allowed me into the locked “Special Collections” room at the library to find it. It was a dark, creepy wood-paneled room that had hundreds of very old books behind glass cases. I eventually chose a hymnal from the late 1800’s to scan a page from. That was a really neat experience.

So… what are some other things that have been happening lately?

The Price is Right – So the Russells (Erika’s family) came up recently to hear Ashley’s masters recital, and afterward we all went to Olive Garden and fellowshipped. I sat right by Kara and Erika and across from Mr. and Mrs. Russell. We had a good time talking, and I continued to do so as everyone got their food and ate it… except for me. Sure, the waitresses kept coming back and reassuring me that they were on top of it. But when I did get it, everyone else was done and watched me eat. At that point, the manager came out and apologized and said that my meal was free! Then it tasted better! It was a very good meal, and they were very nice to give it to me free. I must say, though, that it was definitely the best free meal that I have ever eaten…. Mmmm… Chicken scampi. Now I’m hungry.

Very Sad Play – Erika and I went to go see “Anne Frank” in Perf Hall a little while ago. Massa did a good job in his role as… the business guy working for Mr. Frank, and Erik Matthia did a very good job as a Nazi soldier. His accent was very authentic (he’s a missionary son from Germany). It was a very sad play. Well… most of it. I thought it was strange that I wasn’t as sad at the end as I was at the point in the play where the one lady was telling her husband that if he was ever hungry to hold her tighter. That part was really sad. I’m not sure why that was the saddest part for me. Maybe I was hungry then too. But it was. It was very good. This play was a little bit different than others. This time, Erika took ME out on a date. It was flip-flopped for one night. She paid for me and brought me and everything. She was a very good dater. Wait… she always is, but … ya know.

Some Strange Circumstances – So one day I was going into chapel, and walked in the door of my aisle and realized that it was hair check day! Not only that, I realized that I was beginning to walk down the aisle of the most difficult hall leader to get past! (Now… normally I don’t have any problem with hair check. It’s just one of those things like when you are driving the speed limit and see a police vehicle and instantly hit the break out of reflex just to make sure. I really usually am quite checkable) I panicked. My first thought was to stop and turn around and go out the door and head down another aisle. But that would draw attention for sure. Then I thought, “WAIT! I just got my hair cut last night! Of course it checks!” So I began to walk down that aisle. I walked right past him, said “Hi,” without incident. I was happy at that point that I did get my hair cut the night before. So I was happily bouncing along, when WHAM, some hall leader that I didn’t know came out of nowhere, grabbed my arm and said, “Give me your ID card.” I smiled, because I thought he was joking at first, then realized he wasn’t joking, and said, “OK… I did just get it cut last night. What is wrong with it?” And, they are not allowed to tell us what is wrong right there. So I went to my seat kinda bummed. After chapel I went to go get it checked by the Dean of Men staff, and the guy that looked me over started laughing and wrote on my slip, “He’s OK.” So I walked out of there demerit-less! That was strange circumstance #1.
Strange Circumstance #2 – This past Thursday I went to go pick up my graduation robe, tassel, and cap where they were distributing them, in the FMA. I went up to the first table and gave the girl my ID number. She punched it in and… nothing. She said that I wasn’t on the list. So she kept trying… nothing. So she talked to her supervisor, who called the records office. And… I wasn’t on the list of graduating seniors. They kept asking me, “Are you sure you’re graduating?” I responded, “Well, that’s the plan anyhow.” Then they just said that I would have to wait until tomorrow and get things cleared with the records office if I was going to graduate. So I left and was in agony all night long wondering, “Did I forget to take a class? Am I going to be able to graduate? Am I going to have to take summer school courses?” It was very stressful. But the next morning I woke up at 6, got ready, practiced my sermon (because I had to preach at 9), and headed over to the records office first thing at 8 when they opened. And… they told me that the reason I wasn’t in the database was because when I checked in, someone was supposed to tell me to go to a table where I was supposed to fill out an order card for a diploma. Well… that never happened. The lady said that it actually happens quite a bit. SO, I am walking for graduation, but I won’t get my diploma until June in the mail. So that was strange (and stressful) circumstance #2. I thought it was really strange that my graduating is based on filling out an order form instead of the completion of my requirements. But I’m very very glad I get to graduate after all! Even though Erika was getting excited that I would be able to stick around another year, and Mr. Vierow was excited that I would be able to help in the prop shop another year.

Alas, the time came when I had to do it. I passed Reggie Razorback on to the next person in society for the next few years. I planned to give this citation in society, but we ran out of time, and everyone was leaving, so I just announced that I was passing him down. But later I sent the citation to everyone in society so they could know the history of Reggie:

“Citation of Reggie Razorback – Sir Reginald James Razorback the first, was born into the alpha theta pi razorbacks Bob Jones University literary society early in the January of the year 2005. Created during the slow times of the play “Cyrano de Bergerac,” he was formed of the Styrofoam, Great Stuff, Lightweight Spackling, Spray Paint, and White Glue in the bowels of Rodeheaver. His first Friday society was both eventful and traumatic, as he received a direct hit to the face in Razorback Dodgeball. Since that time, he has suffered worse injuries, such as losing both ears from falling off the top of the triple, breaking both his legs, losing his tusk, and being trampled during the Tick Tick Boom at the 2007 Turkey Bowl. In each circumstance, the white glue was not far off, and he gained quick recovery. He has suffered many hardships through these past three and a half years, but has always faced them like a trooper while making cameo appearances at dating outings, soccer games, basketball games, saving tables at society lunches, championships, society meetings, rush, and even pages 121 and 123 of the 2007/2008 Vintage!
For years he has been faithfully saying his pledge to the shorts on his stick. And judging from his cuddly, yet intimidating exterior, it is easy to see why “Chicks Dig the Pig.” And this year, as his creator and owner is graduating, it is Reggie’s wish that he himself still remain a part of society as a permanent senior, much like Robbie May. He would love to be adopted by a responsible member who is dedicated in society and who we know won’t smash him with the spirit stick on the track or karate chop him in half for a halftime show. So it is with deepest pride that I present Reggie Razorback to Aaron Armstrong.”

One Time in Charleston – The Collegian staff took a trip down to Charleston, SC two Saturdays ago. We were kinda sad because it was forecasted to rain all day. But we got down there and it was BEAUTIFUL… ALL DAY!!! And when it is beautiful in Charleston, it is absolutely amazing! Seriously, walking along and going into the alley’s and looking in through wrought iron gates at peoples’ walled gardens was just like a garden of eden for me. Residential Charleston on a warm sunny spring day was just paradise. The only thing that would have made it better was if Erika was there too. We got there and began our leisurely stroll through a big park. Somewhere along the line I splashed Sherri, a friend all the way back from Freshman speech, with the fountain she was sitting on. It was OK, though, because it was a little breezy and sunny, so she dried off quickly. I was watching my back all day, though. Later, we just walked around in the area getting lost among all the beautiful scenery and trees and houses and stuff: a painter’s paradise! It was really a lot of fun! I would want to live there someday if it didn’t cost $4,000 a month for an apartment. We also went to eat at Hyman’s seafood restaurant, a very famous and historic restaurant at Charleston. This is the place celebrities go to eat when they are in Charleston. Then they sign a plate when they are done with their meal and hang it on the wall with other plates of large groups that frequent there. For example, the table where we sat had an engraved metal plate that said “Barbara Streisand ate here.” Another Collegian table was one the Beach Boys ate at, etc. So, we were finishing our meal and they gave us a plate to sign. So Krissa gave it to me, and I did the design in the center, and afterward, everyone else signed it around the logo. Afterward they hung it on the wall. It was TONS of fun to take that day off and relax and enjoy beautiful Charleston. And I had my bouncy ball all along the way.

BEST Newsletter Picture Results are IN!!! - So, the winner for the absolute bestest Newsletter photo of all time is… a TIE!!! Well… the winner is not a tie, but actually a picture. Actually TWO pictures!!! I had a very good response for this poll and found that the two favorite photos of all time are:
#3 – the picture of Blakdo looking over his new shiny sword, and…
#5 – the sweet picture of Blake giving Erika a bouquet of flowers for artist series with a cardboard sign tucked under his arm begging for a date.
CONGRATULATIONS TO BLAKDO AND ERIKA for being the reason for these two pictures being so popular!
There was actually a 3-way tie for Second place to between #7 (Blakdo peeking around a tree in the Shire), #10 (Blakdo finding the ring underwater), and #15 (the Graves 205 Christmas Card). All 3 Lord of the Tie pics ranked among the top!
There were some creative comments left:
-“ All of the pictures of Blake are absolutely adorable!!!!!!! But, I really like #5 because Blake and I had a wonderful time at Artist Series, and I am always very glad to be his date!” - Erika [I like that comment]
- “Definitely #10 [Finding the Ring]. It was the original inspiration for me to take up reading the LOTR analogy of your life here at BJU, which I have read every word of (as of today). Truly brilliant; a masterpiece.” – Dave Massa
- “# 15 [the graves 205 Christmas Card] will always bee my favorite. Everytime I've looked at that picture I have broke out in laughter. 14 [stealing the room board] was a very close second.” – Rich Card
- “I think I have to go with #5 just because I'm sentimental and into all the romance. It's a very cute picture of the two of you. =)” – Laurie Card
- “I always thought #6 [Erika and me behind bars] was a very cute picture of you and Erika, but it better be the last time we see anything like it! Actually, I agree with Erika. All of your pictures are adorable. (That is strictly an unbiased opinion!)
By the way, Kade and Chip voted too. Chip liked #1. Kade didn't.” – Mom
- “I thought picture 2 [sleeping in the cupboard] was really funny. The rest are cool too. :) And you and Erika make a very cute couple. :) Oh... at first glance, I thought picture 9 [hair diffusing] was supposed to be a progression from longer hair to shorter hair. That was weird.” – Vanessa Parrott
- “#5 [artist series] is cute, #10 [finding the ring] is cool... probably my favorite, #15 [graves Christmas Card] is funny. They all made me smile, though. :)” – Joy
If you would like to see the contest, vote, or read over the rest of the fun comments, you can find them at http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=95#nucleus_cf

PICTURES!!!


1) Erika passes the Frisbee to me as I play “fetch” in the park.


2) This was the event of the signing of a plate to be displayed at Hyman’s Seafood restaurant in Charleston, on the wall of plates signed by famous patrons.


3) The passing down of Reggie Razorback to Aaron Armstrong in the Dining Common after society.


4) The bear was so nice to pose and smile with Erika and me. We named him “Periwinkle.”

Right After Graduation – So this year is kinda different than other years as far as plans right after graduation. This is what will happen: I will graduate on Saturday May 3, then later that afternoon I will load up my stuff into the Explorer, which will be driven down to Atlanta, and our family will drive down to Florida for a 4-day Disney Cruise in the Bahamas. Now… before you get confused or pass judgement, let me explain why. This year happens to be my parents’ 25th wedding anniversary. This year also happens to be the year Brady is getting his senior pictures taken by me :). This year happens to be the year I graduate from college. And this year just happens to be probably the last time we will be able to do a big family vacation together with all of us. Mom and Dad have been wanting and planning to do this for years, and this was our last chance to end strong with a big vacation. SO… that is what we are doing. I have really been looking forward to this and the relaxation it offers. Then after that, we will head over to Walt Disney World! Yay! Erika will actually join us for 2 of those days, and we are really planning to pack in all the best for her. Needless to say, I am REALLY looking forward to that! Then… she will leave :( as we spend a few more days there and head home. I will go home and come back down to Atlanta for the summer. Also this summer, Erika will be working at the Wilds! I am very proud of her. You have no idea how much I would love to work there again. But she is living my dream for me. So, since I am in Atlanta, I will try to go up and visit her a few weekends as much as I can afford. SO, I guess you can see that this may not be as sad a departing as last year… plus, I am planning to come back to BJ eventually… but for now, I’m just happy that I’m…

GRADUATING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Trust me, I’ll send out ONE (1) more before then. Write you later!
-Blake