http://bjunewsletter.com/ Blake Meyer's BJU Newsletter en-us Nucleus CMS v3.32 © Weblog http://backend.userland.com/rss http://bjunewsletter.com//nucleus/nucleus2.gif http://bjunewsletter.com/ http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=97 (VOLUME ONE HUNDRED (100))

My Dear Newsletterinarians,

This is a letter to you.

All good things must come to an end, and the Newsletter is no exception. Here I reach the wonderful VOLUME 100, the FINAL Newsletter! I have enjoyed writing this for 4 whole years, and enjoyed every… well, nevermind. I have really enjoyed my years here and have DEFINITELY enjoyed writing the Newsletter! Once upon a time, on the 29th day of August, 2004, I wrote the following email to my parents and a few friends back home:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Blake's Not-So-Consistant Newsletter (Vol. 1)
Well, I'm here!
We had some problems getting here (alternator in camper went out, but God got us through it), but Troy and I got here safe.
As you have probably figured out, my e-mail address is bmeye656@students.bju.edu
This is my mailing address:
Blake Meyer
P.O. Box 40135
1700 Wade Hampton Blvd.
Greenville, SC 29614
My Phone # is:
864-271-5000 ext. 7842
Everything is rolling out great! Troy and I got dorm rooms (excuse me "residence halls") right next to each other in Johnson, which is the dorm we wanted. Then, I got an awesom roomate. His name is Micah Smith, and he's a junior (I have yet to meet my other roomate). We've already talked a lot, and right now I'm eating pizza with him and his friend. Yeah, this college stuff is really tough.
I am already unpacked and I have my schedule all figured out. It is packed, and don't have much free time. I have to meet with my advisor tomorrow and register on Tuesday. I also have two meetings tomorrow, take a tour of the stage, and talk with my work supervisor. Stage Crew sounds like a lot of fun, and I will get to learn the Stage and Auditorium inside and out. The stage crew is even having a party on Wednesday.
Micah has already been a great spiritual help. I was telling him how hard it was to leave Kaylee, and he told me that we need to sometime leave our comfort zones, such as family, in order for God to work in our lives.
I'm starting to get the hang of things, though.
Well, I need to get going. I'll try to send another one of these out later.
-Blake
prayer requests:
-I won't get overwhelmed by my tight schedule
-I can still fit in time for work
-finances
---------------------------------------------------------------------

My, what a geeky, clueless Freshman I was! Well, now I am a geeky, clueless Senior just about to graduate!!! I get kind of annoyed and skeptical when grown-ups (which I am not one of them) say that time flies by so very quickly. But now I am getting old enough to see that it is really true. It seriously seems like just a few weeks ago that I was standing outside under the oak tree outside the entrance to Johnson at 10:00. I was crying as my family left, including 2-year-old Kaylee waving goodbye to me over Mom’s shoulder saying, “Blake, come with us. We’re going home.”

And that is what I spoke of in this first Newsletter, released just DAYS after school started. That was what Micah was comforting me about. I’m not quite sure what prompted me to write the Newsletter, but I did so to keep better in touch with my family and friends back home, since we didn’t have facebook (wait… we still don’t) and certainly not cell phones yet. It seemed like such a good idea, that I kept doing it, until it became the Pinnacle of Journalistic Excellence you see before your eyes today.

The Newsletter has not only changed my life in a good way, it was actually a pretty important strange habit of mine. Erika can explain:
“Well everyone, Blake asked me to write a reflection about how the newsletter has been instrumental in my life. Well, when I was still in high school there was a big ice storm which caused some people to be stuck on campus because it was too dangerous to go home. And, my sister Ashley e-mailed my family Blake's newsletter because he had good pictures of the damage the ice did. He also had a picture of him in the corner of his room wrapped in his Coke blanket eating oreo cookies. So, then I came to school as a freshman. One day in the Dining Common he passed by Ashley and me, and she said, "You should meet Blake. He likes penguins." And then later she sent me his newsletter. And as I read through I thought, "Wow! This guy sounds really fun." Then I got towards the end and he had a devotional thought, and I thought, "Oh, a fun and godly guy!" And, he had a really cute picture of him and Kaylee and I thought, "He's really cute too!" So, for a few more editions Ashley continued to send his newsletter. And, then I gained the courage to write and ask to be put on the newsletter list. I faithfully awaited the new editions and read through them very eagerly. Each newsletter I read taught me more about him, and the more I read, the more I liked him. So, by reading his newsletter I learned lots about Blake, and by the time I started doing things with him and Nikki I felt like I already knew him. I slowly began being cited in the newsletter, and, well, you know the rest.” -Erika

So… if you happen to be a single guy reading this, take note. The good girls out there are looking for a guy who can Newsletter. It is neat to think back to how the Newsletter has evolved. It used to be “The Not-So-Consistent Newsletter” until it became consistent. Then it became “The Chronicles of Blake” (long before the Narnia movie came out). Then it became not as consistent anymore, but kept the second name. It has gone from half-page to 5-page documents. The first picture was included in the October 23, 2004 volume with a picture of Troy and me holding up a sphere at the Coke headquarters in Atlanta. From that point on, I included pictures (which has been more popular with people than the text :) Later, it got its own website at bjunewsletter.com with Tim Joiner sponsoring it. It has gone through many different themes, like No Backspaces, Early Edition, Our Hood, Pirate Editions, and the ever-popular Lord of the Tie series. It has definitely become a fun, growing, and important part of my college life. I’m very glad I took the hundreds of hours doing it. These books will be a keepsake that I can read again and reminisce about my undergrad years, and even maybe hand down to children and grandchildren who will wonder how in the world I was ever so psycho. Well… I’m sure that if I haven’t grown up yet, I may never grow up.

Now a quick break for a NEWSFLASH of recent events:
-I went to artist series with a very beautiful girl. The play (Henry V (pronounce “V” as “the Fifth”)) was amazing and very well done. But even as good as the play was, it was only secondary to... nevermind. I’m sure you know what I was about to say. :)
-I was able to get off and go play in the park with Tim and Ashley and Erika the other day. We played lots of fun Frisbee and had a picnic dinner of KFC.
-The Commencement Concert was PHENOMINAL! I loved it. Among the best were symphonies based on Tom Sawyer, Lord of the Rings, and The Wind in the Willows. But even as good as the concert was, it was only secondary to... nevermind. I’m sure you know what I was about to say… again :)
-On Friday night, the night before graduation (in which I stayed up really really late), I had to finish my Wilds project at stage. While I was there, the Props Crew threw a party for me. We went up to the top of Rodeheaver and looked at all the beautiful sights of campus and Greenville from above. While up there, Mr. Vierow gave me wise counsel as parting words to Read my Bible and pray that God’s desires would become my desires. Then we had a small testimony time. After awhile we went down again where I signed my name on the ladder of graduating seniors. Then all the Stage Crew had food and pop. WHILE I WAS EATING MY FOOD PEACEFULLY, they surrounded me and GRABBED ME!!! They carried me out front of campus and THREW ME IN THE Triple-G FOUNTAIN! Seriously! They all ran away after I splashed them. But then I had to finish my Wilds project soaking wet. But hey, how many people can say that they swam in the Triple-G fountain?

Ahhh… there were definitely difficult times here, but there are many many good times that came. The highlights include many of my wonderful roommates (Rick, Micah, Woody, D.J… who can forget them?), Gold Rush, My Fort, Working Backstage for Artist Series, Painting the Peter Pan, O Henry Christmas, and Wait Until Dark Floors, My Many Friends, My Great Teachers ( Jaeggli, Olinger, Reimers, McGonigal, Miller, Bopp, Roberts, etc. etc.), Chapping for Rich and Laurie, Doing Comics for the Collegian, Alpha Winning 2 Turkey Bowls, Developing my God-given Artistic Skills, Being an Alpha Officer for 3 Semesters, and definitely Dating Erika… and also definitely Writing Newsletters!
I have grown so much in my relationship with God too! I came to school majoring in Youth Ministries, knowing I wanted to have fun ministering with youth, but I was not that serious or committed about it. My, how that has grown! Now, I can’t ever imagine myself NOT working with youth somehow. Ever since I worked full time at church as the intern, I realized how much of a passion I had developed for coming alongside and helping others grow. Then last summer I worked at the Wilds. Instead of always finding myself a better person, I am finding the contrary. As I learn more about the holiness of God, the more un-holy I am finding myself. That is why I need to wholly trust in Him… because He is holy, He has it figured out, and I don’t. One MAJOR lesson I learned in college is the absolute need and security of trusting wholly on God. His plan will be accomplished.

FINAL PICTURES!!! (even with a bonus)

Graves
1) This was taken in Charleston… in a graveyard. But the tree looked so nice and happy, so I got my picture taken by it.

picnic
2) Yes, it was a while ago, but this is Erika and me picnicking at Bible Conference. I just thought it was a really cute picture of us, as many are.

Cute
3) One final Kaylee picture. And it’s just cute, and I have little to do with that part.

Duel
4) So after Artist Series, Erika and I got into a little fight. A duel, rather. I was clearly the underdog. This makes a good final picture of the two of us.

Final
5) The final picture. A more serious, contemplative, yet fun picture of me on the beach going off into the sunset, saying goodbye to the Newsletter.

Does this mean Blake falls off the face of the earth? No, it does not. I will still be here. I will still be using my new email address (bmeye656@gmail.com). I will still be updating my website with pictures, etc. The discontinuing of the Newsletter only means that I will no longer be sending out the Newsletter email to this select group of names. But please do keep in contact. I am looking forward to what will happen next.

Can you believe that I have been in school for 17 years in a row? I think it’s time for a break. It’s going to be different. I’ll definitely need to trust in God to lead me.

One more time for cheesiness sake:
Happy Traaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaails to you…
Until… we meet… again!
Happy Traaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaails to you…
Keep smilin’ until then!
Who cares about the clouds when we’re together?
So sing a song and bring the stormy weather!
Happy Traaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaails to you…
Until we meet… again!

Thank You for the opportunity to write these 100 Newsletters!

-Blake, The Newsletterer

This time I really do mean it when I write…

THE END
]]> General http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=97 Sat, 3 May 2008 07:08:27 -0500 http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=96
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!!!

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

Hyman's
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.

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

Periwinkle
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
]]> General http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=96 Thu, 1 May 2008 06:34:44 -0500 http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=95 banner

Hey Everybody!

I have enjoyed sending out and posting Newsletter pictures for you all to enjoy for the past 4 years. Some of you enjoy the pictures more than the Newsletter, which is fine. But as the Newsletter comes to a close, I am curious as to which picture you think is the BEST OF THEM ALL...

Cast your vote for your favorite Newsletter picture of all time and LEAVE A COMMENT as to which one is your favorite and WHY! Here are the Nominees:

evil
1) The rivalry between me and Kade the evil cat has been mounting over the years. This is part of the reason why.

bedtime
2) AACS week comes and there are no places to sleep. Well… I found one!

shiny
3) This is when Frodo… eh, BLAKDO received his cool sword.

warped
4) A TOTALLY random picture of Troy, me, and Chris.

flower
5) A picture from a series of Artist Series pics in which a dateless guy and girl with cardboard signs find the perfect date.

shire
6) Erika and me… behind bars.

behind bars... wait. switch with last
7) Fond memories of Blakdo in the Shire.

corny
8) One of the very first pictures of Erika and me together. Kind of a corny picture.

diffuse
9) A strange day indeed when we had a “diffusing party” at Tim and Ashley’s.

ring
10) Blakdo finds a ring.

angel
11) One of my very first and better known movie roles.

elixir
12) Blake receiving the Wonderful Elixir of Love from Dr. Dulcamara. I guess it worked after all.

fly
13) Me flying above the set I painted for Peter Pan.

crime
14) Getting caught red-handed.

merry christmas
15) The Graves 205 Christmas Card.

So please leave a comment about your favorite. Thank You!!!
-Blake]]> General http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=95 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 19:58:03 -0500 http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=94 banner

The Chronicles of Blakdo – Volume XCVIII

Well, Hello My Fellow Newsletterinarians!!!

Greetings One FINAL TIME from Bobjonesle Earth!

Giving in to popular demand, I have bring to you the third and final installment in the “Lord of the Tie” series. It is a bittersweet event. The life of Blakdo [pronounced "Blayk-doe"] has become quite a part of me. I share with him a deep connection. I am very interested to see how it all ends, but I just don’t want the story of Blakdo to end. I want to keep on knowing what will happen to him! It pains me so, to see him go through all these trials and hardships. Will he make it? Will he destroy the tie? Will he die under the burden? We’ll just have to see...
And just a little disclaimer: In this story, the forces of Bobjonesle Earth are portrayed as a dark army and tower and spider and stuff. But it really isn’t that way. I really do love this place and do not have qualms about it or anything. But I did need conflict for the story and similarities to Tolkien’s work, so… dark armies. And… I am not really dealing with demerit problems or failing grades, btw. But a lot of the other struggles are true.

Just a word of caution for enjoyment purposes: You may want to read the first and second lengthy installments, “The Fellowship of the Tie” and “The Two Towers.” [paste http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=67 in the browser for “Fellowship of the Tie”][ or http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=88 for “The Two Towers”]

If you have ever read the Lord of the Rings or seen the movies, you may enjoy it more than those who haven’t. However, I think anyone can enjoy them as fine literature at its finest. I am doing this Newsletter in the style and following the general story and situations of The Lord of the Rings. This is different than LOTR in one major way; it IS to be read as an allegory of my life here at BJU. It may not be a perfect allegory, but every situation has SOME sort of truth to it! So with that, I leave you to enjoy:

Catching the Ring

“The Return of the Spring”
One final semi-original “special” work by Blake Meyer

Here is where we left the Fellowship (minus Davidomeer): Blakdo donned his helmet and joined in the ranks to help the people fighting the d’Orcs at Deep’s Helm. It was a long drawn out battle between the evil and good of Bobjonesle Earth, and many were slain on both sides. But morning came in the midst of the battle as they were loosing, and they looked up to the sun rising above the valley walls. “Argh. It’s Monday. I hate Mondays,” said Blakdo. But then they saw Reimersdalf appear over that horizon and do some sweet tricks on his horse when all of the Riders of Dothan joined behind him, and they all ran down the slope and finished off the d’Orcs that were there. “Hmmm… Maybe this Monday will be different.”

After the battle was won, everyone was rejoicing and feasting and honoring Reimersdalf and the Riders of Dothan for their valiant rescue. Blakdo thanked all of the Riders in turn: Mr. and Mrs. Russellidaria, Karalida, Stephanillariniahrillianoverandem (the Riders of Dothan sometimes choose long names), the Shadow (but not the encroaching shadow of evil, mind you), etc.

Blakdo looked over at Reimersdalf once again… only… he looked different. Only a little different, but different, nonetheless. He went over and spoke, “Something about you looks different, Reimersdalf.”
The great wizard looked up at him, “Reimersdalf… Yes… That’s what they USED to call me. I am now come back from the lands beyond under a different person. You may now refer to me as WOODALF the White.”
“You keep doing that. In fact, you did that in the last story. Why don’t you just stick with one name? For example, I am “BLAKDO.” I was born with that name and I will die with that name. That way no one gets me confused with someone else.”
“Oh… You will never understand…”
With that, Woodalf the White stood up on a mound and announced, “This battle is won, but…”

Blakdo immediately began jumping up and down and shouting “Hooray! Hooray! It’s over!”
But Woodalf looked at him solemnly and said, “The battle’s not even half done. Actually, not even one-tenth of the way done. In fact, not even that. Remember, you still have that tie hanging around your neck.”
Blakdo replied, “Woodalf, you’re so depressing. I was happy, and you ruined it. I thought that I was done with this tie.”
“But the reality is that you still have a lot of work to do. It must still be destroyed where it was forged in the land of Barge-dor under the ever watchful eye of Adminad-dur. There is also a lot of planning still to go. For example, what are you going to do after you destroy the tie? Where will you go? How will you survive?”
Blakdo let out a big sigh as he contemplated the truth of what Woodalf has said. He was not entirely sure. They walked on. And on… and on…

At some point or other, another person popped out of the bushes and bound up Blakdo and the Fellowship (minus Davidomeer). “You know, this happens an awful lot around here.” Said Blakdo. “Who are you anyhow?”
The stranger replied, “My name is Bradamir, son of Garythor, the Steward of Georgiandor and Arlenador, Stewardess of Georgiandor.”
“Wait a second, those are my parents! It’s been awhile since I’ve seen them! That makes us… BROTHERS!!!”
So they walked and talked. Along the way, Bradamir explained that his parents are actually resident to the Winslowshire, but that is why they are only Stewards of this distant land. They did not actually live there. Just supported it and upheld it.
Bradamir was having a wonderful time. He enjoyed the antics of all the residents of Bobjonesle Earth. At first, Blakdo was a little afraid of what he would think of the craziness of MerEDDYdock Alexanderbock and Timppin, the wise dry jokes of Jaeggli, the quiet thoughtfulness of Nikkolas, the deadness of Davidomeer, the radiant beauty of Erikdriel, the off the wall craziness and talking of Richagorn… but Bradamir didn’t seem to notice. In fact, he seemed to fit right in. As they were walking, though, Blakdo eyed a long red piece of material hanging from the neck of Bradamir. Of course, Blakdo was terrified, given the restrictiveness of his own tie.
Eventually they came to a certain point, a line in the land where things were just… different. At this point, Bradamir turned to Blakdo and said, “It has been wonderful here at Bobjonesle Earth. Now I must return to my family at the Winslowshire. However, I will come again. But not yet. Not yet.”
With that he walked off into the distance. After he was good and gone, Blakdo looked down and saw THE VERY TIE BRADAMIR WAS WEARING! So Blakdo picked it up and bore the burden that Bradamir only had to temporarily endure.

As they were walking (they seemed to be doing that a lot), it began to rain. Blakdo and his friends pulled out some pieces of material stretched over metal rods to keep themselves from getting wet. Some stranger along the path (not a d’Orc, just some elf-dude) thought it looked really cool, so he recorded the picture onto his own journal, “The Greenvindell News,” and circulated it all throughout the elven region. It was encouraging to all of them that Blakdo was alive, well, and dry.

Richagorn, once again was leading and talking, leading and talking… he eventually led them all to a place in a boundary of trees that separated the forest from Bobjonesle Earth. “Here is my home. Would you all like to come with me and see it?” They all did, but as they began to cross the boundary line, the thought struck all the men at the same time: “We can’t cross out of Bobjonesle Earth with Erikdriel and Nikkolas with us. We need someone else who is older and wiser and female to chaperone us.” Richagorn replied, “But my wife just graduated from this world a few years ago.” But the spirit of Davidomeer whispered in their ears that this was not right and that she was not approved by the Adminad-dur. So… they all voted that Blakdo should at least go, while they all waited within the boundary. Blakdo, Richagorn, and Laurililian had a wonderful time feasting. Then afterward, they relaxed by playing a game with numbers, in which Laurililian and Blakdo first ganged up on Richagorn, but in the end a defeated Richagorn helped Blakdo out in defeating Laurililian in an epic 3-way duel. Eventually, the relaxation ended, and he had to return once again to Bobjonesle Earth, where the tie became much more constricting once again. But it was just about to get worse…

Daculas-tirith

What Woodalf had said earlier to Blakdo really stuck in his mind, “What are you going to do after you destroy the tie? Where will you go? How will you survive?” The thoughts and possibilities all ran through his mind, but it was just hard for Blakdo to put them all together and decide.
They eventually reached the wonderful land of Georgiandor, and the spectacular walled white city, Daculas-Tirith. This is where Woodalf usually resided. They were guests at the palace of the Bakerdin family. It was a wonderful time for Blakdo away from the rigors of his journey through Bobjonesle Earth. While he was there Woodalf showed him the city and he talked to much of the merchants and vendors and put the thought in the back of his mind that if he was ever going to come out of Barge-dor alive and make a return journey after destroying the tie, this would be the place to go. He met the people there who wanted him to come and be a type of leader and helper of the younger adults.. At the prospect of this, he became very excited! What an opportunity! But he was notified of a problem that had arisen. He was summoned to the palace where Woodalf explained the dire situation:

“Years ago this entire earth was begun. The leader of Bobjonesle Earth, at his tower in Adminad-dur forged 9 ties. Two of them he gave to the race of elves. 3 of them he gave to the race of Dwarves. 4 of them he gave to the race of Men…”
“… and one of them he gave to the race of Hobblits!” chimed in Blakdo.
“NO, that does not make sense. That would equal 10 ties.”
“I never was that great in Trigonometry.” Said Blakdo
“Nevermind,” Woodalf continued. “Anyhow, these ties had a power about them, controlled by the one ruler of Bobjonesle Earth. As long as he was in power, the ties were required to be worn by all those under his rule while they were at Bobjonesle Earth. But especially these 9 ties…”
Blakdo asked, “But how did I get this one?”
“Good question young Hobblit. The ties forged by the great ruler had a paisley design. It was fashionable at the time, but it quickly came out of style and they were discarded… INCLUDING the ONE RULING TIE… The one you now wear. This one was not destroyed. It was placed in a Goodwill store where Bobbo Jonesins, purchased it on a whim. Then when he left, it was left to your possession to destroy. It must be destroyed if the dark forces are ever to be squelched and life will return to normal. YOU MUST MAKE IT through the realms of Bobjonesle Earth and destroy it. You have COME SO FAR already. Do not give up now. Complete your journey now.”
“WOW!!! This is the ONE tie? That’s pretty amazing. And hey, I like paisley, by the way.”
“To each his own… But that is not the end of the story.” Continued Woodalf, “There have been forces gathering for years in the land of Barge-dor. They are now complete. An army innumerable. An army of Evil Bad Gradelins and d’Orcs and Projectians and Demeritrolls that are now being unleashed to take your tie by force and completely hinder you from completing your journey to the end. That army is almost upon us. Tomorrow they will begin by attacking this city, where they think you dwell. You must flee NOW. You must flee ALONE to Barge-dor and complete the last stage of the journey to destroy the tie. The negative threatening forces are upon us. ”

Blakdo had to express himself, “I don’t know if I can take this anymore. It is too overwhelming. I have no time. I have never been so overloaded with responsibilities and tests. I am already behind in my plans. I have journals to write. I want to see my family. I’m not getting any sleep. I want to spend more time with Erikdriel, who I love. I just want to get on a large ship and sail to the grey havens. Will I ever be able to return to Daculas-tirith or the Winslowshire alive?”
“There is no telling. You must do your best.” Advised Woodalf.
“I wish this had not come to all of this.” Said Blakdo
“So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

Contemplation

With that, Blakdo returned out of the gates of the city to face the last stage through Bobjonesle Earth alone. Before he left, however, Erikdriel met him at the gate. "Be careful," she said, "No one has ever gone to Bargedor and came out alive." Then she gave him a nice, long... handshake. He forced himself to turn around, and when he did, he could see the darkness far ahead of him over the coal black forms of the mountains and wrought iron completely around Adminad-dur. From underneath the darkness from miles away he could see the dark armies of Gradelins and d’Orcs and Projectians and Demeritrolls spilling out like ants in formation heading right toward him. However, instead of running away, he headed right toward them.

Blakdo had a very difficult time avoiding the ever-spreading, ever-searching Bad Gradelins and Demeritrolls. It amazed Blakdo that all of them were out searching for HIM. He eventually reached a long staircase up to the top of the Alumzad-dor mountains. It took him a day or two (for he could not tell whether it was day or night anymore. It was always dark), but he eventually reached the top. He was now in the land of Bargedor, under the all-seeing eye of Adminad-dur. He had to be extra-careful now. His excitement was grounded, though, when he saw a gigantic tunnel opening right before him. There was no way around it. He had to go inside to reach the inner mountain in which the tie was forged. He began stumbling in through it (for that was all he could do anymore. His strength was quickly depleting) and quickly found himself tangled up in sticky webs all around. Then, he couldn’t move! Then the panic set in. It got even worse when a gigantic spider began creeping toward him out of the darkness. Then it began to speak, “Hi, my name is Shortlob, the big spider, and I, uh, have a bunch of papers and projects for you to do for me if you are ever going to reach the end of your journey. But remember, you don’t have much time, so do them as fast as you possibly can…. Here’s a computer to help you out. Oh, and one more thing. Here is a really big book for you to read once through ever year from this point on.”

***

“The men we have available to fight the dark armies are insufficient!” declared Richagorn to Woodalf, the Bakerdins, Erikdriel, and Nikkolas. (MerEDDYdock Alexanderbock and Timppin were out playing basketball with Jaeggli)
“We are aware of the situation. We have every man that we could find on our side” Counseled Woodalf, “And there is one solution… one army that can help us defeat the dark armies of Adminad-dur.”
“OH NO! YOU go get them!”
“There is none that wields the power, except for you, Richagorn!” With that, Woodalf revealed a really shiny sword that would help Richagorn out somehow.
“OK, I’ll do it.” Replied Richagorn, “As long as I get that sweet sword and get to take some friends. Brrr. Is it cold?”
“Yes.” Replied Woodalf, “It is a result of the darkness in the land, along with all the deadness. Go swiftly. Wield the sword. The dark armies are upon us. We will need your help.” With that, Richagorn, Jaeggli, and Nikkolas ran to get the needed and dreaded army.

***

Blakdo began to work on the projects in Shortlob’s lair so he could get on with his journey. However, after working on them for some time, his computer crashed. Another ploy of torture for Shortlob, no doubt. But eventually, he did get them done. They were very difficult and time consuming. Things that Shortlob just loved to do to withhold his prisoners. But Blakdo had to say that he was a better Hobblit because of it. After he finished the last of the projects and tests and readings, the webs were loosed from around him, and he ran straight ahead through the darkness. He could sense the spider following after him, but he escaped just in time before he could do more. He was now on the other side of the tunnel, now deep within the heart of Bargedor.

***

Richagorn, Jaeggli, and Nikkolas approached the opening of a cave deep in the mountains. Out of it came lots of shrieking noises and strange smells. “I’m not going in there, commented Jaeggli.
“Well, technically, you don’t have to. You are faculty. But you need to anyhow.” Then they all bravely ran on. They found themselves in the middle of a vast room by themselves. It was just creepy. Then out of nowhere, a great army of kids in armor appeared, floating all around them, taunting them and making lots of noise. Of course, they were not all bad, but as a group… nevermind. There were thousands of them, more than one could count. Innumerable to the mind of men.
“Who are you?” asked Nikkolas.
The leader of their group, a very tall man, stepped forward, “We are the Acclaimed Army of Captive Servants, also known as AACS. How may we invade your land?” Richagorn pulled out his sword and offered a deal. “If you fight for us, this will set your captive servants free.”
The leader replied, “I like that idea. When do we start? Oh, and… nice sword.”

***

Blakdo found himself at the slope of the great mountain at the base of Adminad-dur, the place where the tie was forged! Looking up, he saw the fire spewing out of the top. He had to constantly be dodging the clearing dark armies of Gradelins and Demeritrolls and d’Orcs and the ever watchful Eye. His strength was almost completely gone, and his life quickly expiring. He looked back on the four years this journey had taken him, and saw all the trials that have come. But somehow he had survived them. It seemed horrible to give up now when he was so close… but the end was right in front of him! The tie was more of a burden than ever, and drug him down to the ground. It looked so good to him to just lay there with the tie constricting him. He had gone so long with no sleep, inadequate food, and water… But still, he slowly stumbled up the slope, barely clutching onto his feeble life. Up… and up… he climbed. He saw the entrance: a large, looming, arched open door with the fires of the mountain, where he must destroy the tie, right behind. He stood, trembling, looking into that great doorway… only a few feet from his destination… and he fell as if lifeless to the earth in exhaustion.

***

When Richagorn, Jaeggli, and Nikkolas arrived at Daculas-tirith, there was a massive battle taking place at the gates of Daculas-tirith. The armies had already conquered 3 levels of the city and were almost to the fourth. Outside the gates, the earth was covered in one black blanket of dark creatures as far as the eyes could see. Richagorn started walking boldly toward them with his sword. Some looked his way and started laughing. How could this man think of defeating even three of them? But then from behind him came the AACS, millions of them pouring out from behind the hills and sweeping over and killing off the negative influence of the dark armies, COVERING the landscape of Bobjonesle Earth. Things were starting to look up for mankind.

***

shire

Blakdo just laid there with his face in the dirt on that rocky crag. “I… just… can’t go on… any longer…” was all that he could muster to think. It sounded so good, so he just laid on the ground, with the melting heat bursting forth out of the opening just feet in front of him. As he lay there, visions started clouding his mind: visions of the Winslowshire, and running carefree in the sun. Visions of running along streams of water. Oh, it has been so long since he had heard running water! Visions of a whole week of hearing important leaders speak, that seemed to only be as a day in his mind. As his life was coming to an end, he began to think back on the many many lessons he had learned since 4 years ago when he started his journey from his comfortable home in Winslowshire. Visions of playing in the tree groves of the Winslowshire. He had visions of all the friends he had made. Visions of self-improvement and growth. Visions of sitting in the grass, having picnics in the sun with Erikdriel. ERIKDRIEL! He had never seen one so beautiful and wonderful as her. He thought back to the wonderful times they had shared together and the ways she had brought him through many trials. He thought of how much he wanted to see her face again… with her smile and dimples. He wanted her and everyone else to have a wonderful life too, free from the choking constraints of the tie and the dark negative influences of the threatening dark army. He had to destroy it. He could hear Erikdriel cheering him on.

With that as motivation, he gathered all the strength he had within him. He rose up and started stumbling toward the opening in the mountain. A Bad Gradelin saw Blakdo’s movement out of the corner of his eye and started chasing him down. But Blakdo reached the ledge over the molten pit from which the tie was forged deep within Adminad-dur, and with his last ounce of strength, threw it in!

***

The powers of darkness were dwindling, with the AACS killing off most of them, sparing the good people, and they themselves inhabiting almost every place possible to be in Bobjonesle Earth. But there were still many of the dark army’s forces still reigning strong, putting up a fight. But then, the earth began to shake and rumble. Suddenly a giant crack in the earth came from the land of Bargedor and weaved its way across the battlefield and swallowed up the last of the dark Gradelins and d’Orcs and Projectians and Demeritrolls!

Everyone began rejoicing in their victory, and the members of the Fellowship (minus Davidomeer) had fought together and were giving each other victory hugs. But then, they heard a huge explosion in the direction of Bargedor. They looked on in horror as they saw the last of the Adminad-dur mountain, the very one Blakdo was on, erupt as fire filled the sky. “Blakdo…” whispered Erikdriel. “He truly was a noble soul.” Continued Woodalf.

THE END

***

What? Didn’t like that ending? Oh… nevermind. Here is the REAL rest of the story: Later, Blakdo woke up in the biggest, most comfortable bed he had ever been in. Light was streaming in the windows. He could hear the sound of rushing water and birds chirping. IT WAS THE RETURN OF THE SPRING!!! He looked over and saw an angel radiantly beaming in the sunlight. He asked, “Am I in heaven?”
The angel spoke, “Don’t you recognize me? I am Erikdriel…” [and you (especially Erika’s sisters) are entitled to think this is sappy] Anyhow… “I am Erikdriel, and you are not in heaven, but close. You are in Greenvindell, and you have passed all the tests set before you! You have made it through all the realms of Bobjonesle Earth! What a Hobblit!!! I am a lucky elf to have someone like you.” :)
Blakdo could not contain himself in his happiness. But he had to ask, “Uh… how did I get here? I thought I was dead.”
Erikdriel replied, “You were, but you were only MOSTLY DEAD. So we brought you to a miracle man, and he gave you a pill, and… well, that’s another story altogether.”

Days later, Richagorn was being crowned king of Georgiandor. Then he approached Blakdo, the Hobblit, who began to bow to his new king. Richagorn said, “No. You have saved us all. We have you to thank for freeing us this spring. AND in appreciation for your South Carolina Press Association First Place award for humorous illustration or cartoon, stand where EVERYONE can see you!” And immediately all eyes were on him as they bowed. To be honest, it made Blakdo kinda self-conscious and weird.

So after that, there was a ceremony in which his bestest of friends all watched him as he prepared to move on. They followed him to a dock, where a very large ship that played a song about wishing on stars prepared to take him away into the unknown beyond. All of his friends cried as he sadly said goodbye to all of them. To each, he offered these words of comfort, “It is alright. I may one day return to Bobjonesle Earth. But for now, I am needed in the distant land that I know very little of. I just know that it will be a good place. I do not know when I shall return, but hopefully quickly.” With that, he slowly walked away, turned and gave one last smile to them, and walked onto the ship away from Bobjonesle Earth… tieless.

THE END (for real)

Noble Hobblits

EPILOGUE- And years later, he returned, went through some more realms of Bobjonesle Earth, got marr… uh, completed, and moved on happily ever after. These things are written in his LONG journal, entitled “There and Back Again,” (also known as the BJU Newsletter) chronicling his life through thick and thin of Bobjonesle Earth. But… it really was “Happily Ever After.”

So how was that? (besides “LONG”) But it was SO much fun. I had a wonderful time writing these three stories, and it is nice to see that Blakdo turned out alright in the end and that he actually did make it.

Here are the Picture explanations:
1) Blakdo catching a spinning falling ring.
2) Blakdo racing Woodalf’s horse to Daculas-tirith and winning.
3) Blakdo pondering his path with the help of his friends, Richagorn and… an elf.
4) Fond memories of the Shire
5) Blakdo receiving recognition for his achievements

Well, I hope that your journey was enjoyable! It was long in the works. I will really miss writing these Newsletters! I love writing them (obviously)

-B.J.R. Tolkmeyer]]> General http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=94 Fri, 11 Apr 2008 07:40:42 -0500 http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=93 Or ye can grace your presence on the other location at bjunewsletter.com.

Hear ye, Hear ye!

This is the story the daring and heroic adventures of the brave, noble, and chivalrous knight of the sphere table, Sir Blakeney of the kingdom of King Stephen the first. But we warn thee at this point. It is not for the jellied of heart. These adventures involve the slaying of dragons and ogres and such. And that is just in his dreams! The challenges of the yellow-walled kingdom and the prospects of the future weigh heavily on the armored heart of Sir Blakeney the Valiant. Let’s begin our story:



Once upon a time in a land far away in a country all its own, lived a poor peasant boy who loved writing long letters very much. However, there were many other things fighting for his time, because being a peasant boy is hard work. They must scratch a living also. So one day he sat down to write one of his letters and realized, “Wow, it has been a LOOOONG time since I sent out one of these. The ink in my well is pretty much dried up!” It was a good thing that he had been keeping notes that whole time, though. There is no sense in stopping at the point he was at, because he still had 4 letters to write to reach the magic number 100! So he thought back on all his “recent” events…

And decided that it would be just WAY too much work to make a themed story out of it. So… from this point on he decided to just tell them straight in their own humorous way.

And he decided to stop referring to himself in 3rd person.

…Starting NOW.

“One of Us Has to Change” – So, one day I walked into one of my art classes and stood looking at Mr. Bopp (my Advanced Painting teacher), who was looking at me in the same way: Kinda confused. I had decided that morning to wear a different combination: Khaki pants, brown shoes, a white shirt with blue and brown square design, navy blue tie, and a navy blue sweater-vest. He just happened to be wearing: Khaki pants, brown shoes, a white shirt with blue and brown square design, navy blue tie, and a navy blue sweater-vest. The exact same thing! Well, the designs were slightly different. (His squares on his shirt were a bit smaller and there wasn’t a stripe across his sweater-vest) It was kinda cool, but I didn’t know what to believe: whether great minds think alike or that I am dressing like an old person.

(DISCLAIMER: if Mr. Bopp is reading this… I don’t really think you’re old. 57 is perfectly a young age.)

Special Olympics – One day… actually a long time ago, it seems, I had the opportunity to help out with the Special Olympics Basketball Tournament. It was volunteer, but I absolutely love helping out with these things.

During one of the games I was keeping time for, there was this guy named Anthony. Anthony was a bigger guy who liked to show his moves. Of course, his “moves” were very basic, but he thought they were pretty cool. (afterward I complemented him and made mention of the number 23 on his jersey. I said, “You look a lot like Michael Jordan out there.” He replied, “Yeah, I’m almost as good as him. I just can’t dunk.” He was a great kid. We all loved him.) Anyhow, he was out skipping as he dribbled in the middle of a game and tripped over his feet as he fell on the ground. There was a little girl guarding him at the time about half his size. When he fell, the ball slowly started to roll away, and her teammates on the bench started shouting, “Grab the ball! Get the ball!” But instead of going after the ball, she stopped and helped Anthony get back up. By that time, one of Anthony’s teammates had grabbed the ball and made a basket, but she was more concerned about him. We were all just sitting there in silence watching, wishing that we had recorded that moment on video. It was very sweet.

So why do I enjoy helping out with Special Olympics so much? It really re-adjusts my focus on life. It makes me see how frivolous it is to complain about the little things that go wrong in my life. Yet these guys and girls have very rough lives, yet don’t complain. They are so innocent. They have a wonderful time because they don’t have the problems that we so easily get trapped up in. They are a wonderful example to me.

A Very Nice Night – OK, after reading the title for this one, I realize that it has been a LONG time since I have written a Newsletter. In my defense, I am more busy than I ever expected with planning this “post-graduation” stuff. It’s like this is important or something. Actually… more on that later. SO, there was a night last month that was very important for Erika and me: February 3rd was our one-year anniversary!!! So we did a combination with Valentine’s Day and Tim and Ashley and Erika and Me all went out to eat at this nice little Italian restaurant called “Portofino’s.” That was followed by a nice evening stroll at downtown Greenville and Falls Park. I had a good time. I think Erika did too. I must say that I am a very fortunate guy to be dating Erika for over a year now. I can definitely see how our relationship has grown in that time. I am thankful for her encouragement and how she keeps me in balance. :) It’s also very nice that she is really pretty. Not just any girl has dimples like her. :) She is just all around a wonderful girl and I am very thankful that God has brought us together and that she is such an encouragement to me as she keeps me in line (which isn’t always easy. Ask my mom)

While I’m on the Subject - So the first time I tried this, it worked: I always wondered, “If I try to drop a letter into the correct nightmail box from the second floor, will it work?” So I thought I’d try it. I sent Erika a Valentine (I’ve been sending her one pretty much every night since Valentine’s Day. One day my roommate, Jacob, asked, “You DO realize that Valentine’s Day was over a month ago, don’t you?”) and decided to drop it from the second floor. AND… it MADE IT! IN THE CORRECT BOX!!! I, and the floor hall leader, was very impressed. Now, I have since then not been able to replicated that event, but it was quite amazing at the time. And you are probably sitting there thinking, “This guy is TOO easily amused.” And if you think that… you are right. Which explains why I have taken the bouncy ball and popper that my family sent me EVERYWHERE for the past few days so I can play with them. And Erika keeps trying to take my toys away while I am in formal public programs. Hold on… where was I? I don’t know. Oh well. Apparently I am easily distracted too. So yeah… nightmail box… cool.

Quote of the Month: Blake: “Erika, just say what you’re thinking, “Blake, you’re a trip.”” Erika: “You’re more like a marathon.”

Glad I’m Not Them – One night on the way home from church, Clayton and I saw something very interesting and morbid. Two Chicken trucks passing each other. Only, one of them was stuffed full, and the other one… had completely empty cages. I can just picture those poor chickens (in the full truck), “AAAAAA!!!” Poor chickens. But I’m glad they give their lives so that I may enjoy chicken tenders, chicken wings, chicken noodle soup, NOT dining common grilled chicken, KFC, marinated chicken, BBQ chicken, parmesan chicken, ranch chicken, chicken nuggets, etc. Now I’m hungry and don’t feel so sorry for those chickens after all.

OK, I think you are all starving for something substantial again.

Well… - The reason I was riding with Clayton that night was because… I los… MISPLACED my keys… and my coat….. …. And my umbrella. For a few days there, I was a walking… thing-loser. I don’t know what came over me, except that some of Jacob’s ability to forget things rubbed off on me. Anyhow, that Sunday afternoon I woke up from my nap, got ready for church and choir practice… and couldn’t find my keys. So I looked EVERYWHERE! I tore my room apart. I called Nikki. I ate a few pieces of candy. I COULDN’T FIND THEM! I began to worry. In the process of looking for them, I found that I was also missing my coat and my [gasp| magic umbrella (that is not so magic anymore, but definitely not at all magic if lost). I didn’t find them, so I rode to church and back with Clayton in his cool car. When I got back I thought I’d ask people from my prayer group, and found my coat and my keys hanging nicely on the closet door of one of the room’s closet. I had taken them off in prayer group the night before. Oops. THEN the next day, I found my umbrella leaning nicely behind a door at Perf Hall, right where I had put it a few nights before when Erika and I went to see a play. In these situations I felt like a living parable of the lost keys, the lost coat, and the lost umbrella. And there was much rejoicing on their return.

My Most Famous Artwork Yet – One day, a long time back, Mr. Vierow approached me and said basically, “There is a portrait that goes with the Barber of Seville set, but there are 2 problems with it: (1) It doesn’t look like the guest artist, and (2) it’s really ugly.” So, I had the opportunity to paint this portrait, not knowing anything about it besides that it will be plainly seen for almost all of the play. I did not tell him that I am horrible at portraits, and took the challenge. However, I worked on this for several days, having a BLAST, adjusting it, working from a portrait that was about 25 years old, etc. Eventually, it was done, and I hung it on the wall. It was definitely the best portrait I have done so far! (but that’s not saying much)
The night I watched the performance, I watched as it was the main focus of the ENTIRE opera! OK, maybe not, but it got considerable attention by all the main characters, even at one point having a mustache drawn on him and turned upside down by an angry woman. It is by far my most-seen well known piece I have done. But more on that Artist Series later. Oh… nevermind. It was very good. I was laughing for most of the time. I would give “the Barber of Seville” 3 thumbs up if I were a 3-thumbed sloth. But everyone knows that you don’t go to Artist Series to watch the performance. You go to get all dressed up and take a date. I must say that I had a very pretty date that night, and although it was very cold, we had a wonderful time! If I were that sloth, I would give Erika 3 thumbs up too!

That’s Encouraging – I preached my third sermon in Pulpit Speech recently and had NO NEGATIVE COMMENTS!!! OK, OK, so they ran out of time and didn’t get to that part. But it sound’s good. Saved by the bell.

Alexander Meal – OK, so all the Alexanders are prolly thinking, “That was SUCH a long time ago!” Well… they are right. But I felt that this was definitely worth mentioning, because, well… let me explain first. Erika and I arrived at the dining common and Edgiee and Danielle got there, as far as I can remember, then Hanna came and announced… No. Let me back up. Erika and I were planning to eat with Edgieiee and Danielle and Hanna and Emily for supper. But then we received a frightening email from Hanna saying that Emily… HOLD ON! I’ll let you all read it:

“I'll be there!! Just a side note: We might not have an Emily there tonite, because she is on her death bed today, poor thing.” –Hanna

“Well, come on Hanna, get her off of it quick! We all know that a death bed is NOT the place to be when one is feeling sick... people DIE there!
aww.... poor Emily...” –Edgyee

“Yeah, seriously... One time we had a death bed at my house, and Mom was always saying, "It's OK to sleep on any bed, except for THAT one." So we never did... thankfully.
You better not let Emily stay there for too long. Maybe switch her to a "sick bed." -Blake

And these email kept going on right until the minute we were supposed to meet. However, Emily was not able to join us, so we had a moment of silence. We had a great meal (well… dining common… which is still good… if you… nevermind) together, then afterward Hanna was able to get Emily to switch beds. She’s fine now.

And Then There Were None – So Erika and I got to see a scary suspenseful play in Perf Hall called “And Then There Were None” by Agatha Christie. It was very scary… and… suspenseful. But VERY good. Basically, I was scared whenever the lights went out… not that I would be murdered, but that the bear would attack me. But more on the bear in the NEXT Newsletter.

PICTURES!!!! FINALLY!!!!

Bear Hug
1) This is my big buddy, Bear. That is what I have named him, because I found him and took him home. He is giving me a very big hug because he likes me.

BARBARO
2) This is the portrait I painted of Dr. Bartollo from Barber of Seville. It actually looks brighter in real life. But yeah, this is the one.

Huge Eye
3) Ummm… something I found in the prop shop.

Wow!!!
4) This is a picture of Erika and me from the opera Artist Series. She was very cute. Well… she still is. But she was very very cute that night!

Coming Soon to a NEWSLETTER volume near you! (there’s a reason they are called “volumes”) I am splitting this Newsletter into two, because you really want to get this ASAP (riiiiiight…) and don’t want to be reading this for more than 3 hours. Among some of the things coming in the next Newsletter:
-Brady Comes to BJU
-Party at Rich and Laurie’s
-Shot at Being a Greenville News Model
-What am I Doing after Graduation?
-My Absolutest Craziest week
-Bible Conference… Need I say more?

“Ummm… How Did You Get HERE?” – Here is where I get the title of this Newsletter, “Sir Blakeney’s Big Adventure.” SO I completed my correspondence course in Adolescent Psych in mid-February. So I read the instructions on what to do with the materials: “Please return to the Press Distribution Center.” SO…. I took it one day to what I thought was the press distribution center: the main office of the Press. I waited in line to talk to the receptionist at the desk. She said that I was at the wrong place. Then she gave me the most confusing instructions I have ever heard: “Go out of this office, walk along the building until you come to the cleaners. Behind the cleaners there is a door. Walk through it, and you will come to a spiral staircase. Go down that, and there will be a big open door. (You will only be in the building for a few seconds) Walk through it and go all the way across the parking lot. There will be another door. Go through it. There will be a person there who will take your materials for you.”
So… I did my best. I followed the building. BUT… behind the Cleaners there were 3 or 4 doors to choose from. Each of them had security locks on them. I was confused. So I walked back and asked 2 ladies which one to take. One of them kindly walked back with me and showed me which one… which actually opened up (without an alarm going off)! So I thanked her and walked down this really dark scary spiral staircase. But at the bottom of that, ALL THE DOORS WERE CLOSED and had signs and warnings that alarms would go off. So… I notice that this HUGE caged door was opened, and I walked through it. I then followed this LOOOONG aisle past the 7 levels of the Candy Cane Forest, down the length of this ginornious warehouse full of wonderful books (I was thinking about stealing one of the “Ethics” curriculums, but changed my mind)(I hope you caught that. I walked for several hundred feet, just hoping that I would find someone and not get arrested by Public Safety for trespassing. I eventually saw a girl with her back to me, typing on the computer, just out in the middle of the warehouse: the first living creature I had seen in ages. So I said, “Excuse me…” She jumped and turned around, and it was Tina! I know Tina! So she took my stuff and asked, “How did YOU get in here?” “Are we going to have to change the locks?” I promised that I had stumbled here through pure innocence and oblivious-ness and much confusion. She offered to show me another way out, but I went back the way I came. So that day I saw much more of the world I live by. And… I even had the opportunity to help the Press find a way they can prevent future break-ins and improve their security system! I can’t say THAT every day!

That is all for now. I will be back sometime soon… I hope.

-Blake
(608) 477-1415
bjunewsletter.com
I Thess 5:16-18 "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks..."]]> General http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=93 Sat, 22 Mar 2008 12:52:15 -0500 http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=92
The Chronicles of Blake – Volume XCVI (ninety-six)
Or check bjunewsletter.com for some incredible kicks

Hello All My Wonderful and Faithful Newsletterinarians,
This Newsletter will be one big Poem
About snow and paint and vegetarians.

But alas, that would take me to long
So Erika suggests I make it a song.
A song of trees and of flowers and of apes,
Of beanies and of scary places and of grapes.
But still, that would take me too long.
Why not just ditch the idea of song?
But I like it so much, it has always been my dream.
So I will attempt it, though cheesy it may seem. Please don’t be a critic. It’s harder than it looks.
If you don’t like it, you may get back to your books
Of Hobbits and Giants and Spaniards and kings,
Of Cats in Hats and elephants and other such things.
These are all in the books that I am now reading.
It satisfies the longings for fiction I am needing.

“Apology” – an original poem by Blake Meyer
Sorry for sending this out a little too late.
I have had some hard weeks, although they were great.
I’m not too busy with homework, but work nonetheless.
I work quite a lot making sweet Alpha dress.
And comics and paintings take a lot of my time,
And cut somewhat into my time for this rhyme.

“The Snot Day” – an original poem by Blake Meyer
Two Weeks ago on the sixteenth of January,
The snow came down and made the southerners wary.
I was on extension when the flakes did come down,
So we left rather early in a van somewhat brown.
We met for society later that night,
And knew that a snow day would only be right.
But alas, it did not come to pass,
As we still had to drudgingly go to class
Through slush and snow and lots of things wet.
But apparently it was nothing to fret.
It was alright though, because my load was easy.
I wore a bright tie that some thought was cheesy.
I wrote myself a note that gave my IQ away.
The typo in my title proudly read “Snot Day.”

“Woody’s Stuff” – an original HAIKU by Blake Meyer
Woody’s stuff is there
All around the room it’s spread
But now he got it

“She’s Got an Arm” – an original poem by Blake Meyer
For my watercolor class we had to try some new things,
And mix things in paint and see what it brings.
We were encouraged to try all kinds of techniques
And see what works and what’s really weak.
So I thought, “Why not try to throw a snowball
And hit a spot of paint on the canvas to sprawl?”
So I dabbed on a spot of crimson red,
Made a snowball, but gave it to Erika instead.
She tried to hit it without any success.
I found that it was tough, I have to confess.
It took many tries, but we finally got it.
But by that time we were both pretty frostbit.
It created a sweet effect, though, and I was glad to show
That small dab of paint all splattered by snow.

OK, just a little break from the lovely poetry to write about some other things. Call it free verse if you like.

It is with a heavy heart that I write that a wonderful friend who I really respected, Jan Stees, is now with the Lord. She is one of the original founders of our church back home in Shannon, and was very highly respected among the church members and the community. She has been there all the years I have been at Shannon Baptist, and I knew her for her godly example that shone through in everything she did. She was a Sunday School teacher and Children’s Church teacher for me, and 2 summers ago when I interned, I got to know her and Bill (her husband) much better. I had many opportunities to help her with her Junior Sunday School class, and I got to see her servant’s heart there. And since I live 45 minutes from church, Bill and Jan let me stay overnight many nights at their house right next to the church. I was able to see that they were just as godly at home as they were in church. Every morning after breakfast, the two of them had their devotions and prayed together. It was wonderful to see such an example of the believers, their wonderful marriage, and their bountiful fruits. For the past year, she was really struggling with cancer. The Lord took her home on Saturday. He saw that her work here on earth is done. Now she is worshipping God face to face in Heaven. We will all really miss her.

Last week for prayer meeting, we did something different. We had Matt Weathers (former student and lifeguard at the Wilds this summer) give a testimony of his teaching English / Missionary work in China. I have to say that he was probably one of the most excited people I’ve ever seen, almost to the point that he looked silly. (But he didn’t care. He was sincerely and passionately excited about serving Christ) It is something I would like to see more in others and myself. This was followed on Sunday by a passionate sermon from a man going to southern California to plant churches. In both guys, their excitement for Christ’s love was contagious. I realized that this is something that is mostly lacking in my life. Sure, I’m excited… some times. I am involved in ministries. I do my devotions. But I am not nearly as excited about serving Christ as these two guys. I definitely don’t show it enough. I don’t really see Christ’s sacrifice for what it really is. This excitement is something that was at a peak after this past summer, and it has gone gradually downward until now. I am now striving to show a renewed passion for Christ and let it permeate my life. It is hard at times, and I fail. But I will strive to keep on going and growing.
If you could keep me accountable to this, that would be great!

OK… Back to Poems!!! Yay!

“They’re Here” – an original poem by Blake Meyer
It was another cold day after the day with the snow.
Alpha met for society and they did not know
That this would be the day that a new fad was born
That looked good on Robbie and Gomer and Bjorn.
I made an announcement: “The BEANIES are here!”
And at that time the room filled with cheer.
“If you want to stay warm and have ladies notice you,
Then grab yourself a Beanie and stop feeling blue.”
They then rushed right over, and bought almost all.
They put them on their heads and were having a ball.
Since then I have seen those tassles in every place.
And beneath those sweet beanies, a smiling face.

“Hairspray” – an original poem by Blake Meyer
There was a time when I worked on a painting
That was a bit strange, but no reason for complainting.
I had to use hairspray to see what it did.
So I brought it to art to try on my grid.
As I was walking I saw many strange looks.
After all, it seemed I should be carrying books.
I saw Joel McAllister who looked down with shock.
I just replied that I was taking it for a walk.
I used it and such, but had no bag to carry,
So I took it in my hand to the library.
There I left Erika for awhile to grab some things for a test,
And decided that going to my close room would be best.
On my way I saw in the coffee shop, Eric, Mike and Tim,
And decided to wave “Hi” with my non-hairspray limb.
I stood by the window and looked inside
And pretended to do my hair, in a mirror, with pride.
In the very end I did finish by making their day
By raising the bottle and giving my hair a good spray.

“Rain” – an original poem by Robert Louis Stevenson
The rain is raining all around,
It falls on field and tree,
It rains on the umbrellas here,
And on the ships at sea.

This is the poem on which I based my new piece:
A painting that shows that the fun in rain will not cease.
It shows men in hats carrying strange yellow umbrellas
That stop the rain from soaking them fellas.
It really is was lot of fun…
One of my favorite paintings that I’ve ever done.
It took many hours of careful brushwork,
But in the end it was worth it, a wonderful perk.
My thanks go to Kara Russell for finding a poem that was better
It was an inspiration for much, including a Newsletter!

“Salisbury Steak” – an original poem by Blake Meyer
Last night I went on dinner date with my wonderful girlfriend
It is the longest on Tuesdays that together we spend.
With delight we noticed that it was Salisbury Steak!
And you’re prolly thinking, “Ewww. Give me a break.”
Why would we be so happy for this amorphous meal?
Well, exactly 52 weeks ago I made Erika a deal.
Well… not EXACTLY, but I poured out my heart
And discussed the possibility that dating was smart.
She laughed at my antics, and agreed with my thoughts…
It was a wonderful night I have thought of a lots.
One thing I remember was the uneaten food on my plate.
I was so nervous that nothing I ate.
What was this concoction that scared anxious Blake?
It was none other than that Salisbury Steak.

“Running in the Rain” – an original poem by Blake Meyer
Also last night I had an urge to go running,
So I changed into clothes that made me looks stunning.
I went downstairs in my warm-ups and shoes
And my first look outside did give me the blues.
It was raining quite hard. It was windy and cold.
I had to make a decision: was I really that bold?
I decided, “Why not? I’ll just quickly dash.”
So I sprinted out the door as cold rain did splash.
I was quickly soaked from my head to my toe
As I finished and came back in the rain cold as snow.

POETIC PICTURES: (these pictures are utter poetry in themselves)

I don't know
1) This Christmas I finally acquired this picture. Ummm…. Nevermind. I don’t know.

Brrrr
2) This is a picture I took of myself on the snot day.

SuperBlake
3) This is my day job… saving the world from some foe

Paradise
4) This is Erika and me. Is paradise supposed to look this way?

“There Go My New Khakis” – an original poem by Blake Meyer
One last poem before I am done:
You might find this one amusing, but for me not much fun.
Looking back I now laugh, and think it quite strange,
But at the time it was testing, something I would surely change.
I was painting in the classroom, on that momentous day
And hung up my smock as I wandered away.
At the end of the hour I painted some more
And decided it safe if the apron I wore.
When all was done and I had to leave,
I took off my smock and I couldn’t believe
That somehow someone’s red paint came to be
On the back of my smock above my left knee.
As I had moved all around in the large painting room,
I spread that red paint and further sealed my doom.
Now it covered my entire upper lap,
And there was nothing I could do to cover that gap.
I didn’t have time to change into clean pants,
So by going to chapel I was taking a chance.
Many people did stare as I walked right on by.
I really did look like I had blood on my thigh.
I had to sit funny so I wouldn’t stain Joy.
I’m sorry she has to sit next to this bizarre boy.
I made it through chapel and changed by and by.
It’s a very good thing that I’m not very shy.
Those poor khakis will never again prance.
This is the sad story of my ill-fated pants.

THE END

OK, it’s done. You can stop rolling your eyes now. I hope you have a greater appreciation for poetry. I wonder if this bumps my Newsletters up a notch as a finer form of literature… You know… more CULTURED.

maybe not.

-Blake, Poet Extraordinaire
]]> General http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=92 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 14:13:23 -0600 http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=91
Hello Everybody Once Again!

I am reporting back for writing this thing after a brief break at home. Well, maybe it wasn’t so brief, what with all the pertussis scares and such. But it seemed brief. In some ways it is wonderful to be back, with great advantages (like Erika). In other ways… not so wonderful (like classes). Well… maybe those aren’t too bad. Let me explain. No, that takes too long. Let me sum up. No… maybe later. FIRST, let me tell you all about my totally awesome Christmas BREAK!!!

As y’all know, we came home a week early. That was cool in itself. Then, in doing so, Erika was able to have one extra day at my house!
I must admit that I was praying for snow, so she could experience it when she came. AND DID WE GET SNOW!!!

I’m Dreaming… - So this break was WONDERFUL! We came home as soon as we could after all our final exams were all done. This time, I had an added bonus that made the ride home better. I had Erika with me, and had the opportunity to show her around where I live. She thought that the 15 hour drive home was ridiculous. She was also kind of in a culture shock seeing the flat land for MILES around interspersed with farms here and there. She has grown up almost all her life in the city in Southern Alabama, and doesn’t quite know why anyone would live in such a little tiny community where the nearest Wal-Mart is 35 minutes away. Also, as we went North, the temperature kept declining at a rapid pace, until it was eventually around 14 degrees or so. We could almost hear her wince as the meter dropped every degree. This was a mere 12 hours after leaving lovely Greenville Spring weather.

Of A White… - And there was LOTS of snow!!! ALREADY!

Erika’s Accomplishments – This will be a great section. Erika was able to do a lot of “firsts” over break, and had a wonderful time. She was there for about 6 days, and we sure packed everything in. We wanted her to get the complete experience.

-Christmas Tree Hunt- The first day back, we slept in (because we got home around 5AM) then went Christmas Tree Shopping!!! This is an annual family tradition that they saved especially for us when we were home. So we got all bundled up (Erika more than others) and headed out. We passed a bank on the way that showed the temperature: 11 DEGREES!!! (Fahrenheit) Erika was thrilled. Nice and crisp. Then, when we got out, it started snowing! Eventually, we found a tree and Dad got showered by snow as he cut it down, got some hot cider, and left.

-“I’m never drinking that stuff again”- One of our “field trips” to show Erika some of our culture was to the barn where Dad works. She LOVED it! Well… maybe not. We started out by feeding the calves. She got to feed one of those cute little things. Then we went inside and gave her and Clayton a tour of the barn. We went into the parlor and let her “milk” a cow. Well… a few squirts of milk anyhow. She was a quick learner. Then we went to the Milk House where we opened the huge bulk tank and took turns looking down at the many gallons inside. When we left she exclaimed, “I’m never drinking milk again.” She liked it. :)

-One day we decided to go out and try sledding. It was an extremely foggy day, but we didn’t care. It was also getting to be dark. So we bundled up Kaylee, Nikki, Brady, Clayton, and Erika and headed out to Lake Le-Aqua-Na around sunset. Erika has never been sledding before, but let me tell you… she was a pro! She was doing tricks that baffled us all! One time she was sledding down the hill very quickly with a severe right slant. We were all afraid that she was going to hit a picnic table, then she disappeared behind it and I started running down to help her out when I saw her sliding down sharply to the LEFT! I was very confused. I don’t know how she did a 215-degree turn, but apparently she did without getting off the sled or re-directing it. She just held on for dear life. It was a scary hill!
One other time she went down and just started spinning about halfway down. Everything that happened was shrouded in a big cloud of snow. I hopped on a sled and went down to the rescue. I found quite the sight: she was pathetically sitting on the sled facing backwards toward me, one boot was missing, her gloves were off, she was missing her scarf, her hood was down and her hat was off. It was something to behold! I laughed as I asked, “What in the world happened.” She was just as confused as I was and replied, “I have no idea.”
But in the end, she had to agree that it was a wonderful activity that she would love to do again.

-While she was there, we experienced about every type of winter weather from fog to ice to snow to sleet to freezing rain. We saw it all. People were beginning to blame me for praying for all this so Erika could enjoy it.

-The last day she was at our place was quite the eventful day. We just hung out most of the day, then we went to Freeport, where she got a pretty drastic haircut. But I really like it! She looks very cute with it. A trip to Illinois is not complete unless you visit Culver’s, the greatest fast food chain in the world. So… we visited Culver’s. We ordered Butterburgers, Cheese Curds (a first for her), and a turtle frozen custard sundae (a very healthy meal). She was very impressed and vowed never to visit a Chic-fil-A ever again (yeah right). After that, I drove her down to Milledgeville, where I grew up, and showed her my old famous creepy house (which was abandoned and for sale), my old school, the neighborhood Christmas lights, etc. It was a wonderful time for me. I haven’t been there for over 10 years, so it was a warm-fuzzy nostalgic trip back to my childhood. Then we went to church that evening and went back home.

-As we were driving all around the place that evening, she said to me (in so many words), “I really was skeptical about coming up here to this tundra, with the snow and small towns and everything, but I’m really beginning to like it.” I just smiled. I really like it too.

Not-So-Pleasant Trip - The next day she had to leave. I really didn’t want her to, but she had to. She was rather nervous, because she has never really flown commercial before. She had when she was like 2 months old, but definitely not by herself, and many things have changed from what she remembers :). SO I was going to be there to help her out. We drove to O’Hare, and I helped her get her bag checked (where the FIRST time we were very rudely treated by the employees, followed by many others). Then I stood in line with her to go through security and help her find her gate. We got to the end of the line and the security guard told me that I couldn’t go through yet, but that I simply had to go get a gate pass to go through, and he would let me skip the line and go right through once I got the pass. “Easy schmeasy.” So, I simply told Erika to go ahead and go through, and I would be there shortly. So I went back to the rude lady and asked her where to get one. She snapped at me that it was not allowed. So I asked the lady next to her. This lady snapped that she was not able to do that, and told me to go to the main service desk. So I talked to a guy there, and he snapped that I couldn’t. So I talked to another security lady. She snapped that it just depended on who I talked to. So I went over to the main desk one more time to explain that I just wanted to help my girlfriend, who has never flown before, and say goodbye to her. Mean lady #1 saw me, went to the mean guy #1, and together they chewed me out. I was very gracious during this whole time (otherwise they would have called security), but they weren’t. They didn’t apologize or anything for the other guy misleading me. So after a good lashing, they walked off, all the while talking very loudly about me to each other. I called Erika and explained that we could not say goodbye. It was a very sad call. But she had found an area where we could see each other through a window. So we said goodbye while talking to each other looking through a window, about 75 feet apart (and another lady snapped at me for standing there too). Then I had to guide her via cell phone while standing at a map in the lobby, because they had switched her gate without changing the info on her ticket (in which she got snapped at for not knowing). So, needless to say, it was not a pleasant experience for either of us, and it has scarred us for life. Erika was nervous to start out with, but her imagination was not nearly as bad as reality. Eventually, she got on the plane and left. (and we got lost trying to get out of O’Hare) I guess they don’t know that some people don’t fly very much. Well, I did learn a lesson: Never to fly again… at least not with American Airlines.

Well… maybe we will have to at some point. Only THAT time, I will say goodbye before security and not trust anyone if they make anything sound easy. And maybe I will give the grumpy people flowers or something.

I’m glad to finally vent about this. Thank you for listening.

After Erika – After that it kinda slowed down a bit. I was not able to find a job that would keep me for only a few weeks. However, I was able to shovel some walks (as it snowed, like every day and accumulated about 5 feet of snow), babysit Kaylee (even when she was sick) and work at the church for a little over a week. This break was different in the fact that I did not have to worry too much about my school bill. I paid what I could, but I got an email that the Lord had provided $3000 to my school bill and that that added to my loan would get me back! That was a definite answer to prayer. I give God all the glory for somehow getting me through 4 years of college and not having to sit out AT ALL! I figured I would have to at some point, but God had other plans.

I was able to do some preaching and teaching while I was home. I love it whenever I got an opportunity to do so. I still have a long way to go in message delivery skills, but I love doing it. I was able to preach my sermon on Romans 3, which is a very difficult sermon in the sense that it is very deep and above my head theologically, but it has had such an impact on my life!

Christmas Day – We had a wonderful semi-traditional Christmas day, with Kaylee waking us all up at the earliest possible time (something like 5:30-6), all of us going downstairs to watch her bounce off the walls as the rest of us collapsed into heaps on the floor. A few hours later, when we woke up, we opened presents as a family. Among my favorites were: An mp3 player from Mom and Dad, the “Amazing Grace” movie from Brady, a squealing piggy-bank from Nikki, a tangle-thing from Erika, and a toothbrush from Kaylee (in which she was ECSTATIC to give to us). Later, we got everything cleaned up, and Mom’s side of the family all came. It was a crazy fun-filled food-filled day.

Kaylee never ceases to be cute, even though she is more grown-up every time I see her. Right now, she gets very excited about Kindergarten and her assigned jobs in class. She loves to just sit and talk, play with Chippy, and she LOVES to play games. Especially Hide and Seek and her Snoopy game. Yup… still cute. I even got the opportunity to read her some bedtime stories a few times.

Chippy – I think it is only appropriate that if I am going to have a completely random Newsletter that I mention our completely random cat, Chippy. I must admit that he is actually a cat that I like. Here is the reason: instead of looking down on us, he actually looks up to us and is grateful that we saved his life. Mom originally found him sick and huddled in the middle of the road during a rainstorm. She brought him home and nursed him back to health. Since then, he has been extremely grateful to us. He has also grown to be the lion he is today, but he still remains very meek and grateful. He snores. He doesn’t meow (only an occasional squeak). He loves boxes. He forgets everything in 0.36 seconds. But his biggest talent is being able to sleep anywhere. He will crawl up on ANY surface, find a comfortable position, and fall fast asleep in less than 3 seconds. It is quite amazing. Anywhere… in a shoebox, under a Christmas tree, on someone’s foot, upside down, on a sleeping person, on someone’s head, etc… Truly amazing. So he was a bit of entertainment over break.

Eventually I Had to Leave – So… we were going to leave. That day was very rainy and all the snow melted. I might note that the snow only remained while I was at home. When I left, it left. Just coincidence. Anyhow, we were slated to leave on midnight on the 8th. However, it was extremely foggy (with 0.00 visibility) and Dora the Explorer was in the shop. In the process of routine maintenance our mechanic found more engine problems, and we were delayed until 6PM the following evening. It was OK, Clayton and Trevor were at our house, so we had fun with them watching movies and playing games until it was time to leave. We finally left. We drove through the night without incident, and got to school at about 10 AM. It was a good trip and I even got a few hours of sleep (which is rare for me in vehicles). We were supposed to be there by 10 the evening before, but the University worked with us. I was just happy to be able to see Erika again. We did not have much time time to catch up right away, but we made up for it by going to Tim and Ashley’s and relaxing for a few hours on Saturday.

New Roommate – I found out upon arrival that Woody was gone, but we got another roommate to take his place. Well, in fact he only takes up about half of Woody’s place in terms of stuff. Anyhow, his name is Jacob. He is a new freshman. He likes funny quotes, trivia, practical knowledge, any knowledge, studying, military, organization, and long walks on the beach (for any of you eligible girls out there). We get along quite well.

Now, all we have to do is get rid of Woody’s stuff so we can unpack.

Pictures!!!

nap time
1) Here are the 3 beings that sleep the most in our house. Kade (the evil grey one), Brady (the larger of the three), and Chippy (showing that he can sleep ANYWHERE, and I mean ANYWHERE!) And yes, this is a real picture. None of them are posed or have any idea it is being taken.

brrrrr
2) This was taken at that right moment when Dad cut down our Christmas tree, it thumped down, and he got a shower of snow. He didn’t like that too much.

cute
3) This is one that Erika and I took on Wednesday night, the night right before she left. See? Cute haircut.

sledheart
4) Erika and me night sledding. I was a bit more of a fierce sledder.

Prayer Request – As many of you know, who have even made it this far in the letter, that this is my last semester. After this I really don’t know what I’m going to do. I think it would be wisest for me to stay here in Greenville and get a good job to pay off my debt. So far I have a lot of options, including jobs and housing and such, including a possible GA-ship painting sets and Living Gallery pieces. Please pray for wisdom. I have a lot of very big choices to make, and I want to do God’s will.

Blake’s Contribution - Hehe. I’m sitting next to Erika here in the Riley room on a loveseat, and she has to put her feet on some books so that her feet can touch. :) It’s really cute.

Erika’s Contribution- (So, this is Erika’s side of the story. My feet really can touch, if I slouch very slightly on the couch. But, after about two hours of that, my back started hurting. So, I had to get a book to rest my feet on so I can sit up straight. I’m sure all of you other short people understand. And, to all those people who have been waiting to hear from me, well, you just did. This is the first time that I have actually typed something in the newsletter. My thanks to Blake for allowing me to steal his computer for a moment. He is a terrific boyfriend!!! ER

-Blake]]> General http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=91 Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:47:12 -0600 http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=90
Hello Newsletterinarians and Chroniclians!!!

Well… I’m done. I just thought I’d send out one more Newsletter before the end of this semester. Wait! It IS the end of the semester!!!

In case you didn’t read the last Newsletter, Bob Jones University is getting out a week early because of measures to stifle a whooping cough outbreak here on campus. Yeah, it really is rough… All my classes were canceling projects, making tests easier… The biggest change was that in Pulpit Speech, we didn’t even preach our second sermon! But this past week I have been doing a lot… a lot of sleeping, a lot of things I have needed to do all semester, a lot of relaxing…
Oh, I did do some studying for finals too (which were also this week). But it has all been crazy.

This has to go down in BJU history somewhere. From what I’ve heard, this has only happened once before, somewhere around the 1950’s when they had an influenza breakout. Classes were canceled and stuff… but they didn’t get to go home for Christmas break early!!! I submit the idea that our senior class present should be a statue or something commemorating Pertussis (the intellectual name for whooping cough). Maybe a big bronze statue of someone coughing.

I thoroughly enjoyed having a week of every other email beginning with, “Due to the recent situation…”

To educate you all, here is a lesson on how to pronounce “whooping:” (as learned through a medical-guy)
- NOT “whupping” as in “hook”
- NOT “hooping” as in having mad basketball skills
- NOT “woopin’” as in what you get from your dad when you have been bad.
- CORRECT: “Wooping” as in “School”

While I’m on the subject, Erika and I had a scare with the whooping cough last week. She is a nursing student, and all of them were required to get checked out. So she went through and got the antibiotics and everything. She had had the immunization shot before she came to school, but just had a little tiny cold. She made it through fine, but when she saw me, she said, “At least I’m not coughing.” And SHE FORGOT TO KNOCK ON WOOD! Later that afternoon, she was coughing quite a bit. She told me, “I have to turn myself in.” So I was pretty sad, not only because she was no doubt going to have to be put in isolation for 5 days, but because the last time I saw her was right before my LOAN MEETING, where they were going to tell me how poor I am and how unlikely it is to come back next semester. A double whammy. So I went to my loan meeting, and afterward, ERIKA was standing there in the back as we left!!! I was very excited! So… Erika did not get isolated for whooping cough! I am very grateful. But I’m sure she is more grateful… even though it looks like those isolated people look like they are having a great time!

Hmmm… other big things that happened this week…

I threw Stonehenge out of my room. He is now in a happier place. The reason being, he was right in front of the window, which is right by the sink, and Woody kept rubbing up against it when he was getting ready and getting grey dust (product of the spray paint) all over his clothes. I told Woody that it was his own fault for rubbing up against it, and for looking in the mirror so much, but for Woody’s sake, I threw out Stonehenge. I miss him already. >>sniff<<

One more thing… I got my book bound!!! This is my entire Junior year in Newsletters! I tacked the complete set of Wilds Newsletters on the end too. In the end it was 118 pages, which is 12 pages less than my Sophomore year. All of my bound books put together consist of exactly 300 pages. That is 300 pages of wonderful goodness and fun!

Keep praying that God will provide enough money for me to come back next semester and that I will stay strong over Christmas break.

PICTURES!!!

Bowl Cut
1- Me… with the Turkey Bowl on my head… in society.

Blue Screen
2- You may have wondered how I created that picture of me swimming beneath the water to pick up the ring 2 Newsletters ago. Well… this is how. It’s OK, you can laugh.

Cute Couple
3- Erika and me at the Lighting Ceremony. It was really beautiful. We had a lot of fun in our penguin hats.

Hehe
4- Hehe. I took this in Wisconsin. Those people are in grave danger. You can see it by the looks on their faces.


Well, now I must go. I had an absolutely WONDERFUL semester! Some of the highlights:
1) Getting back to school despite a severe lack of finances. To GOD be the glory!!!
2) Getting back a day early to spend time with Erika.
3) My first semester coming back to a girlfriend… and a great one at that!
4) My Birthday Party with just Nikki and Clayton and Nikki… and getting my very own pair of SCRUBS!!!
5) A smashing good time with Erika at the Alpha Celtic Dating Outing, and getting to plan it!
6) Whoa. I just had Déjà vu. Weird. I think I’ve done this before.
7) Shelling out some great paintings!
8) The most wonderfullest artist series yet! Much Ado About Nothing… with… Erika.
9) Alpha winning the Turkey Bowl, and getting to help out with it… and even getting to jump out of the truck and throwing ice cream at the beginning.
10) A great Thanksgiving Break… with Erika… long walk on a white sand beach.
11) Getting a spot in the Journal Standard this past Sunday. That was cool.
12) Going to the lighting ceremony… with Erika.
13) Passing Poetic Books!!!
14) Getting to take Erika home with me. :D
15) I just needed one more to make it 15. There are more cool things… but these are the highlights.

So we are leaving in about 2 hours. I can’t wait to be home! Erika is really looking forward to the cold weather! (hehe. right.) So goodbye to all my college friends, for a little while.

Hey, I’m also thankful we didn’t have to hold hands at a final chapel this semester and sing that depressing “Till We Meet Again” song!

So long! I can’t believe it’s done.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!!!

Signing Off,
-Blake “The Newsletterer” Meyer ]]> General http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=90 Fri, 7 Dec 2007 12:54:43 -0600 http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=89
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!!!

Cuddly Date
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!

Artist Series Series
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.”

Role of a Lifetime
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!

By the Sea
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..."]]> General http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=89 Fri, 30 Nov 2007 15:33:45 -0600 http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=88 banner

The Chronicles of Blake – Volume XCII

Well, Hello My Newsletterinarians!!!

Greetings Once Again from Middle Earth!

This is something I did once before, and received rave reviews. But I left you hanging. Giving in to popular demand, I have bring to you the second installment in the “Lord of the Tie” series!!!

Just a word of caution for enjoyment purposes: You may want to read the first installment, “The Fellowship of the Tie.” [click on link to see the page or paste http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=67 in the browser]

If you have ever read the Lord of the Rings or seen the movies, you may enjoy it more than those who haven’t. I am doing this Newsletter in the style and following the general story and situations of The Lord of the Rings. This is different than LOTR in one major way; it IS to be read as an allegory of my week. It may not be a perfect allegory, but every situation has SOME sort of truth to it! So here we go:
“The Two Towers”
Another semi-original “special” work by Blake Meyer


Here’s where we were: “Suddenly they all stopped and looked up. It was Schnaitalf! He looked down at them all and shouted, “YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!!” And with that he slammed down a stack of Greek tests #3 as the Bridge crumbled to bits.
Blakdo started to fall, but caught on to the ledge and hung there suspended for a few moments. Eventually the Fellowship decided it best to help him out and offered words of encouragement as he struggled and just hung there… for a very long time. Eventually he scrambled to his feet on the other side, but barely after the long struggle. It took a lot of strength from Blakdo. But he looked ahead and saw the light through an opening… A short rest was in sight.”

Schnaitalf looked exhausted after the struggle and smiled as he saw that Blakdo had made it through the awful terror of the Greek tests and Alumzhad DuRume 312. Suddenly, from below, a giant whip of fire came up, wrapped around Schnaitalf’s ankle, and pulled him to the darkness of the pit below. The Fellowship was in shock and overwhelmingly sorrowful with the loss of this great leader within the Fellowship. Blakdo was sure he would never see him again. Blakdo and the Fellowship ran up ahead, dodging the arrows of the Gradelins. Blakdo only suffered minor wounds from the whole event of the Greek powers and Gradelins, but it was his heart that was hurting... and his neck, from the increasingly burdensome tie.

They continued on… several days… walking… walking… walking… Richagorn was walking the Fellowship (minus Schnaitalf) through the woods, giving them all good advice and stuff. It was usually him and MerEDDYdock Alexanderbock that did all the talking. It eventually became evident that Richagorn hadn’t been shaving as much as was required, and he shouted out, “I DIDN’T SHAVE TODAY!!!” Suddenly Smittylan the elf jumped out of the woods and his minions had them surrounded. “You wouldn’t REALLY take us as prisoners, would you?” Asked Richagorn. “Try me.” Replied Smittylan. With that, everyone was led away through the forest.

Eventually, the trees became a more welcoming sight. They were looming large and darkly structured, many different bold colors of red and green and blue brightly shining through the leaves in the canopy above and beyond. “This would make a great painting series,” Blakdo thought as he was immersed. He passed some beautiful 5-leaved star-shaped yellow flowers and thought they were pretty. He stooped down and picked one and gave it to Erikdriel. “Oh, thank you, Blakdo! These are my favorite!” He blushed and kept on walking, secretly hoping that he could date Erikdriel, maybe see if she could see “Much Ado About Hobblits” with him. But it was well-known that lady elves are too good for Hobblits. (but she somehow found this one very charming and funny)

Blakdo would often look over an see Erikdriel and get pretty distracted talking to her. One day he had his eyes fixed one her, and as he was walking backwards as she turned and walked away. He kept talking and walked RIGHT INTO A MUD HOLE! It covered his entire right shoe and half of his left shoe, and splashed up all over his pants, and even into his shoe. All because he was distracted by Erikdriel.

Along the way they had scrounged up some food for eating from the forest floor. (a large noisy forest that seats many thousand and has scary wallpaper flowers) But they eventually came to a place where many people were gathered eating small portions of delectable food. Smittylan was kind enough to let them indulge. Blakdo and the Fellowship ate their fill… then he trashed the food they had found along the way, because he was filled and satisfied by the gracious vendors.

Eventually they came upon the most beautiful land Blakdo had ever seen! The tint was bluish-grey on everything, and there shone a dim light through the trees. They were led up the stairs to a high palace of immense beauty. Before them sat an empty throne. As the Fellowship stood there looking at it, Erikdriel walked forward and sat in it. “This is my home, my realm,” she said. “Welcome to Graveslorien! May it be your journeying home as well.” Then she started talking and everybody was hearing voices in their heads and it was really freaky.

They enjoyed their time in Graveslorien. Smittylan turned out to be an OK guy, just doing his job as a Graveslorien guard. One day Blakdo was out on the slopes of the enchanted forest picking more of the yellow elanor flowers and chatting with elves who knew Erikdriel, when another elf came up to him. “Hi Blakdo,” she said. He was kind of confused. “I’m Vanessallaparrot. I have been keeping up with your journey for quite some time now by reading your bi-weekly journal documents!” He was honored to meet someone so enduring as to read so many of these random documentations that he was sure no one read. But then Sarahleran, another elf, came up and asked about his journal entry from last week. She quoted from the section where he was talking about the problem of simultaneously carrying Grab-n-Go and laundry, “Now I just eat it before I take it over. Problem solved.” She asked the question, “So did you eat your laundry or your grab-n-go lunch?” Blakdo graciously answered that cotton wasn’t his flavor, but the Dr. Pepper and pizza was.

One evening when they were in Graveslorien, Erikdriel approached Blakdo and walked with him down to a secluded spot (which never actually happens in Bobjonesle earth) where there was a well of water. She told him to look inside the well. In the water he saw himself many years from now handing someone fried potatoes through a window. “This is what will happen if you fail at your task,” she said. This really scared him. He replied, “But this tie is such a burden. I just want to get rid of it.” Erikdriel thought for a moment and said, “Let me help you with your burden.” This made Blakdo uncomfortable, so he replied, “You know that if Davidomeer was here, he would have said that it would not be allowed. He was a noble keeper of the Law of Bobjonesle Earth.” She looked relieved. “You are right. With the tie, I could have been the most powerful ruler on earth, but since it is not allowed for you to give up the tie, I have no more desire for that power. I have passed the test.”

Once the Fellowship’s strength was restored and they were done mourning the loss of Schnaitalf’s presence, they knew it was time to leave Graveslorien. Of course, Blakdo had to make sure that his living quarters in Graveslorien were spotlessly clean before he left, and spent only 2.5 hours cleaning up (while the others spent all day cleaning theirs) (it helps that he was already extremely organized) and took a nap right before Smittylan inspected it and passed him, giving permission to leave! Then Erikdriel and elves gave them all useful parting gifts (including a bit of spending money for Blakdo! He was very grateful, even though he had no idea who it was from) and sent them on their way down the river. It was a very sad time for all, and the Fellowship hated to leave beautiful Graveslorien and the elves. But as the boats began drifting away, Erikdriel knew she couldn’t let them continue without her, so she jumped in her own boat and followed. Blakdo was VERY happy for her decision to continue on with him through the often-difficult Bobjonesle Earth.

Leaving on Boats

A few days later they went ashore to avoid a waterfall. Blakdo was very worn out by this time and a bit seasick. So he went off by himself. At least he THOUGHT he was by himself. Pretty soon he heard a stick snap behind him, and there was Davidomeer standing behind him! “What are you doing?” Blakdo asked. “I like your tie. I want to wear it,” replied Davidomeer. Blakdo answered, “No, it is my burden to carry. You have your own ties. Wearing two would just be strange and unnecessarily warm.” There was a bit of a scuffle, but suddenly Blakdo disappeared as the paisley tie camouflaged him against the forest floor. Davidomeer then realized what he had done and wept in anguish, “I am sorry my little Winslowshire friend! I’m sorry for any past demerits I have given you!” Suddenly they both heard a thumping, thundering noise approaching. “Orcs!” Blakdo cried. “No, those are no ordinary orcs,” said Davidomeer. “Those are the d’Orcs of Boltonuman. Run for your life!” The d’Orcs came over the hilltop and Davidomeer held them off for a little while, but was wounded in the battle. But then MerEDDYdock Alexanderbock and Timppin came and tried to fight too. But the d’Orcs carried both of them off and disappeared off into the distance. The rest of the Fellowship heard Davidomeer’s last words, “I am leaving the Fellowship to be a GA. Don’t mourn me, please. Hasta la vista… Muero honorablemente.” (being roughly written and interpreted from Davidomeer’s ancient tongue, “See ya later… I die honorably.” The Fellowship (minus Schnaitalf, MerEDDYdock Alexanderbock, Timppin, AND Davidomeer), once again, ran on with heavy hearts after the d’Orcs. “Truly he was a brave man,” remarked Nikkolas the elf.

It was obvious that they needed to get running after the super d’Orcs, marked by the white hand of Boltonuman. This proved to be a difficult feat. The Fellowship was varied in its athletic abilities. Jaeggli the dwarf was really built for running. Richagorn was used to sports, and was alright. No one would let Nikkolas run because of her health issues. However, Blakdo and Erikdriel were quite the avid runners! They would run and run and run to stay fit and find their missing friends. Erikdriel began to run farther than she had ever run before at one time, and Blakdo also did so. He ran 6.5 miles at once the first day, 7.5 miles the next, and 9.5 miles the next day, running farther than he ever had on Bobjonesle earth! He would go ahead and spy for the remaining Fellowship (but his secret intention was to build up strength to dunk a basketball). Erikdriel was very impressed.

Finally one evening as he was crossing the open fields of Bobjonesle Earth ahead of the others, Blakdo knew that he was gaining on the d’Orcs. He rounded a corner behind the rocks and noticed a fire flickering in the distance near a line of thick woods with many hideous creatures around it. Then he had a great idea! “I’ll disguise myself as a d’Orc and rescue MerEDDYdock Alexanderbock and Timppin!” he thought. So he reached into his pocket and pulled out a gift from the elves: a large pair of black, plastic-framed glasses with masking tape around the bridge in the middle. “I’ll look just like a d’Orc!” he thought to himself as he walked up into the group with the disguise.

At first he walked in on a lecture on how to attack. And they looked at him and laughed, not knowing that they all looked the same. Later, Erikdriel joined him inside the group as all the d’Orcs were gathered around eating the evening meal. However, they either did not see her, or they were just intimidated. The whole time he was among them, Blakdo searched for MerEDDYdock Alexanderbock and Timppin, but could not find them. “I guess everyone who comes in contact with d’Orcs becomes a GA.” he told Erikdriel. Then he heard something from among the group, “I want your herbed meatloaf!” “No! You can’t have it!” “Oh yeah?” Then, a great fight ensued. He watched the brawl in horror, and something small caught his eye. He saw MerEDDYdock Alexanderbock and Timppin run from the group and run into the woods! He tried to run over and stop them, but his knees hurt from all the running. Eventually, Richagorn, Nikkolas, and Jaeggli caught up to them, observed the massive d’Orc fight, and ran off into the woods after the GA hobblits.

It was dark in those woods, and the Fellowship had a hard time finding their way. A few hours later, they were walking along and were struck to the ground by a bright white light. “Boltonuman,” they cried! But when the light was dimmed down a few notches, they sorta recognized a familiar face. Richagorn shouted, “Schnaitalf!!!” The wizard looked at them, “Schnaitalf… That’s what they USED to call me. I am now come back from the lands beyond under a different person. You may now refer to me as Reimersdalf the White.” Jaeggli said, “It is about time. We need you!” And they all took off to where Reimersdalf led them… to the land of Dothan. They were escorted to the capital city by the Riders of Dothan themselves. (Actually, the trek to Dothan was a few weeks away into the future. But for sake of storytelling, it… just happened here.) Blakdo was very excited to see this place that he heard much about from Erikdriel.

The tie was becoming more and more burdensome as Blakdo went along, and he became more and more weary. He asked Reimersdalf, “Doesn’t anyone get proper sleep or rest here in Bobjonesle Earth?” “No,” replied Reimersdalf. “It is impossible while on this journey.” Never before had Blakdo longed for Winslowshire and the sleep he enjoyed there. When he DID sleep, he had a dream of finding a ring in a river a long time ago. He thought it was really pretty, so he kept it. He thought maybe he could use it in the future or something.

Finding a Ring

Anyhow, they quickly arrived and met the king of the land, Dr. Zakhem. “Wow. You are all very BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE!!!” he said... about 100 times in one paragraph. The Fellowship (minus Davidomeer, Timppin, and MerEDDYdock Alexanderbock) knew he must have been lying, because they looked really bad. But they were grateful anyhow.

That night the Fellowship had a dinner of the Council of Red, where they had a good time looking over the past summer and looking ahead to the strategies ahead for getting the tie destroyed and ridding Bobjonesle Earth of all its evils. A large epic battle was inevitably on the horizon, and Zakhem took measures to get his whole city to flee to a mountain refuge: Deep’s Helm. During the whole council they were serenaded by a large choir singing songs about a Forrest or something. The music sounded sorta creepy, but really good!

The Fellowship (minus Davidomeer, Timppin, and MerEDDYdock Alexanderbock) ran along for many more miles and miles and days and days… The whole time following the obvious trail left behind by the d’Orcs… Eventually, they came upon the great fortress Rodeheavengard. Blakdo sat there looking over at the high structure, the highest manmade structure in all of Bobjonesle Earth. He thought, “Wow, this would be a fun place to work!” But Reimerdalf noticed his intentions. “Do not cross into there,” he warned. “I used to be a great wizard near those walls, making all sorts of beautiful works right alongside of its wise graduate wizard assistant, Boltonuman. We existed in harmony, until one day when he moved up on me and turned to the dark tower. Since then, the works being produced from there have been dark and evil. Works such as “Rigolettomin” and “Henrydon IV.” I have since turned to the likes of you, Blakdo, who work on restoring fainting couches and mirrors and large banners and such for the good work, “Much Ado About Hobblits.” Boltonuman has separated ways from us. Beware of his cunning words.”

So the Fellowship (minus Davidomeer, Timppin, and MerEDDYdock Alexanderbock) camped on the hill overlooking Rodeheavengard. In the middle of the night Blakdo woke up and felt the pull over towards the great tower. He walked through the darkness for a little while with Nikkolas to find a magical document to allow them passage by ship to the Grey Havens beyond, but they could not find what they were looking for. Eventually, Nikkolas went back to the group as Blakdo wandered farther away to a smaller building hidden in the darkness where there were many others walking around, fixing things up, many who Blakdo knew very well… including Reimerdalf (who seemed to be heading up this strange effort), Tracybok, Tinadell, Sarahden (who introduced herself as the sister of one of Blakdo’s Hobblit-mentees from the summer before), and… Erikdriel… in pants! Was this a dream, or a vision of happiness to lure him away from the group? It certainly was getting his focus off of himself and more towards helping others. Suddenly, the tie was not quite as restricting. Yes, he realized he was outside the borders of Bobjonesle Earth, which also explained why Erikdriel was wearing pants instead of the typical elven-skirt.

He stood there by the Cornerstone of the building looking for someone to explain what was going on. This was all too good to be true. He walked over to a man who led him to a place where they could fix a certain illuminating fire ring… The man looked nice enough. As they were working, Blakdo asked, “So can you explain all this to me? I have many questions…” The man kept working, digging in the dirt. For some reason the tie seemed to pull to this man. Once in awhile, the man would glance over and eye the tie. This made Blakdo very uncomfortable. Suddenly, the man stood up. “I am Boltonuman the great white wizard!” and made a lunge for the tie. Blakdo dodged to the side, as Boltonuman stopped and looked behind him in terror. “Ents!” he cried. Blakdo responded, “No. Those are no mere Ents. Those are FIRE ENTS!” They were usually dormant creatures, but their natural home had been destroyed by the white wizard. Now they were enraged! Boltonuman ran scratching away in utter terror, itching and scratching as an epic battle ensued, defeating Boltonuman and his minions and forever surrounded Boltonuman in his dark Rodeheavengard tower. And the fire ring was left unfinished. Too bad. So Blakdo went back to the Fellowship (minus Davidomeer, Timppin, and MerEDDYdock Alexanderbock) and slept.

But the next day, as they examined the ruin surrounding Rodeheavengard, they found something very valuable: Timppin, and MerEDDYdock Alexanderbock! They grabbed those two troublemaker GA’s and swiftly ran them over to where a battle had already started. The Fellowship (minus Davidomeer) was finally back together again.

When they reached the fortress of Deep’s Helm, it was far into the night and pouring down rain. They saw below them, in the crevice of the mountain, thousands upon thousands of d’Orcs and Orcs and Sporcs, rushing in upon the men and their lines. Blakdo ran down to help them along with Richagorn, Jaeggli, Timppin, MerEDDYdock Alexanderbock, Nikkolas and Erikdriel, but Reimersdalf rode off in the opposite direction. “Chicken,” Blakdo thought. He donned his helmet and joined in the ranks to help them. It was a long drawn out battle between the evil and good of Bobjonesle Earth, and many were slain on both sides. But morning came in the midst of the battle as they were loosing, and they looked up to the sun rising above the valley walls. “Argh. It’s Monday. I hate Mondays,” said Blakdo. But then they saw Reimersdalf appear over that horizon and do some sweet tricks on his horse when all of the Riders of Dothan joined behind him, and they all ran down the slope and finished off the d’Orcs that were there. “Hmmm… Maybe this Monday will be different.”

Deep's Helm

Then Blakdo took a much desired nap before treading on. He knew that even greater dangers awaited him as he approached Barge-dor and the all-seeing eye at Adminad-dur.

[To Be Continued…]

So how was that? Long, I know, but a lot of fun and informative (at least to me :). It stuck more to the story than my original, at least. Kinda. :) Once again, I must give some sort of credit to the great writings of J.R.R. Tolkien, for his masterful works.

Here are the Pics explanations:
1) This is Blakdo and the Fellowship leaving Graveslorien, with inset pictures of Blakdo and Erikdriel.
2) This is the dream/flashback Blakdo had about finding a ring in the river. Nothing of real consequence.
3) This is Blakdo confused while on the battle lines at Deep’s Helm.

Well, I hope that your journey was enjoyable! See ya later!

-B.J.R. Tolkmeyer
]]> General http://bjunewsletter.com/index.php?itemid=88 Mon, 29 Oct 2007 08:00:06 -0500