.a simple request.

Tonight was a good night. The context of this Tuesday comes during a week where I have no classes. Our basketball team won their 13th straight game, making them 16-11. This is good news because if they win 17, Bear has to grow out a mustache for an entire week. He looks like your creepy uncle when sporting a mustache. Enough said. One of my greatest friends got awarded a game ball in the beginning of the game for scoring 1000 points in his career. Seeing his face when he found out (coach kept it a secret from him) brought incredible amounts of joy to me. I then was able to watch American Idol with some good friends, giving what is our obvious expert opinion on singing to each other. Quote of the night from American Idol: "Boy you slayed it dude, WHAT?!" -Randy Jackson. Tonight was a good night. Maybe to you it doesn't seem like a very good night because it was simple. But the good thing about simplicity is that it is not complex. Do we ever sit back and think about the simple things? We have a society that knows complexity. People are obsessed with figuring the most complex, intricate notions, which explains all of the graduate school scholars that are sitting in coffee shops reading their books that I will never understand. That is awesome for them. Society needs them, desperately...especially to explain stuff to stupid people like me. For a while now I have been an advocate of simplicity in this society of complexity. I read this book titled "Cold Tangerines" by Shauna Niequist last year. The umbrella over all of her thoughts, words, and chapters in the book was to take refuge in the simple things in life. Loved the book. It inspired me to do just that. There are many days that I forget to do that. Today is not one of those days. My simple request is for you to have one of those days.

This is Pim. Love Eachother. Be Cool.

Do You Like American Music?

I would like to start off by commending my partner in crime for writing a wonderful post on Valentines Day. I enjoyed my V-day very much and the post just made it that much better. Lately i've been listening to so much music. I believe that music proves the existence of God. One of my favorite quotes of all time comes from Mr. Kurt Vonnegut. Vonnegut stated, "Music is, to me, proof of the existence of God". Some people believe that Christian/Worship music is the only true music that can be used to glorify our creator or to feel an emotional attachment to Him. I have a confession to make, I feel Gods presence in all music and often times worship through the composition created by nonbelievers. I appreciate the God given talent that these singer and song writers use to the best of their abilities. To be honest sometimes i get goose-bumps. Sometimes music is so beautiful it almost becomes impossible to deny the nature of God inside of it. Music also brings us together. Just today i found myself in a car with Pim listening to a Pim and Bear favorite and in that moment i think we both were able to appreciate the relationship building melodies that flowed from the car stereo. It was in that moment that i worshiped my creator. I love my life and i love music. I will end with one important statement. Sometimes we all need to listen to Damien Rice.

Bear

She's Always Dressed In White...She's Like An Angel And She Burns My Eyes...

Ah, the long awaited Valentines Day. Bear was so courteous to let me write this blog on this special day yet again. This is probably because he has a beautiful girl, who I truly respect, and I could not be happier for them as they are together and well. While I, on the other hand, am one year later...single...drowning in a pool of my pathetic existence as a platonic lover to all I come in contact. (OK, that is a little dramatic, but it is the nature of this day). If you can remember from last year, you know that I hate this day, and as I explained last year it is not because I am single, but for more on that see the post "Snapple" from last year. As you probably expect, I am going to take about 300 or so words on this to explain my deep loathing for this holiday. I offer a curveball. You swung and miss. Didn't see it coming. I wish to commend this day. Although I stick to my notions that I had last year, I have found some light at the end of my proverbial Valentines Day hate tunnel. It came around last night when Bear was creating his scavenger hunt for his girl (who I am going to so lovingly call "polar bear" from now on). I was helping him with some odds and ends, and I realized...look how happy all of my friends are. My best friend is married, my other good friend is on his way, my other good friend is on his way still. I was just in a wedding with another good friend who is now on his internship...happy...married. Bear came out of his 23 year hibernation and is so happy. Love and relationship is all around me. Instead of being pissed off about it, I turn a new leaf. Call it a Valentine's Day resolution, if you will. I am happy for them, and I am happy that they had the opportunity to celebrate it with their significant others. I know this holiday is just a reminder to all us single people that life sucks, but come on...what do we really have to complain about? The economy? That's a copout. I know the girl is coming sometime. And for the girls, the guy is coming sometime. Don't lose faith. She/He will be dressed in white. Like an angel. Burning our eyes. Until then, we get to be happy for the people that we love around us, because their white dressed angel, burning their eyes was found. So here's to all the lovers! HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! I hope it finds you pure, happy, and gracious for what you have!

This is Pim. Love Eachother. Be Cool. Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

I always believed in futures

I apologize for the vast amount of time that has past since my last interaction with this blog. Activities seem to be increasing while time continues to decrease. Sometimes i wish i were Zack Morris and at certain points in the day i could call a timeout to gather my thoughts and reflect on things throughout the day. Lately i've been concentrating on the future. The Future seems to be looking brighter and brighter as it comes closer and closer. The weeks ensuing include trips to Indiana, Texas, and Massachusetts. These trips will be filled with new relationships as well as rekindled old ones. One trip includes an introduction to unknown parental territory that will certainly be exciting and interesting. In all of these future events i want to continue to strive to achieve my new years goal of good character. New situations offer new challenges and with new challenges comes growth and wisdom. I pray that in these new situations i can become selfless and enjoy fellowship with the people i surround myself with. In all things i hope and pray that Christ will be present and active. Things in life have been getting better and better recently and for that i thank my Creator everyday for allowing me to be where i am now. I think there might be something behind this character idea so I'm going to continue to work my hardest at shaping a character worth replicating. I hope these thoughts are in some way constructive and uplifting. Peace be with whomever reads this.

Love
Bear

Wii are so good.

Well, I have my own place now. Kinda. I am rooming with a good friend, in an apartment that is totally rad. I officially only have class on one day in the week and on that one day it only occupies two and a half hours of my schedule. Are you kidding me? I get to live this life. There is much joy floating about because the more I live and experience life, the more life-long relationships I see forming. I have a "home" group, a "college" group, and a "Nashville group". Along with this amazing trifecta of relational possibilities, I also have a Wii. Kinda. If you are around Tuesday nights, come out and bowl! We will create a Mii for you and everything. And Guitar Hero World Tour could not be any better with D, K, and J, and the not-yet-released, The Liptak- Three Apartment Band. I just returned from a short retreat with some amazing old friends in the middle of a wood. It is these little reminders in life that never get worn out. It is like that pair of boxers or maybe socks you have that you keep around, even though they clearly need to be thrown in a dumpster. All these situations could be passed off as "just life". But it is not "just life". It is clearly a blessing. Let us not take this life for granted, nor any little moment that comes into our vision. I am beginning to realize that this is my last time to be a "kid". Real World, Real Life Challenge is coming up incredibly quick. And if you are not in this situation right now, you will be. I am nostalgic. I yearn for those memories of jr. high, high school, when anything went. What I really need to realize is "the past is told by those who win, what matters is what hasn't been." At the end of this day, the past nor the future really take precedence to me right now. It is the now that I desire to live in. I want to make memories now that one day I can look back on and be nostalgic. I heard this quote. "Sometimes a moment stuns us as it happens, and we know that this instant is more than a fleeting image. We know that this moment, every part of it, will live on forever." What more could you want but a day, a week, a month, a year made up of those very moments that live on forever. I will tell you something about my life. Me and my friends, Wii are so good. I am going to make those moments, make those memories. I urge you to do the same.

This is Pim. Love Eachother. Be Cool. Let's Make A Memory!

So this is the New Year

It's 2009 and some new canvasses are being created on the Pim and Bear home front. It's a year of new beginnings and interesting journeys. It's a year that will see the end of formal education and the beginning of real life learning. It's a year that has already welcomed new relationships and plans on growing already strong friendships. It's a year that started off with resolutions that if held up will eventually make us stronger. I've made some resolutions and i hope to keep them. I want this year to be a year of openness. I want to strive to be a lover of all people. To assist me with this goal i have decided that i need to be in scripture more often than i am now. Not only do i want to be a lover of all people but i also want to become more loving in the relationships that i currently cherish. I want to be a better brother, son, friend, person, and most of all follower of Christ. I challenge anyone who reads this to reach for the same goal in their walk. As for Bear the next step is just the first of many interesting journeys that will without a doubt take place in 2009. Pim and I are road tripping to see a beloved friend. Let the journey of 2009 begin.

Love
Bear

Something Amazing

As 2009 draws us into a new point of view, I have a new point of view. It has been quite a long time since Bear and me have gave us your thoughts, so here is one. I used to be in the thought that it was better to always give your opinion and if you didn't agree with someone, you let them know. My recent experience has told me different. I have found a sub-culture, and not so much a sub-culture, other than the fact that they are a new group of friends. A new group of friends that is moving from a sub-culture in my life, to a very important, impactful part, that has challenged me. You see, here it doesn't matter what kind of juice you like, what kind of music you listen to, what sports team you cheer for. Everyone is different, and everyone embraces those differences. It reminded me that we all have different things that we like and are involved in. Whether you are the jock, the marching band geek (or stud), the prom princess, or the mathlete, everyone has something special that we should embrace. Why do we find it so necessary to challenge everyone with what they like? "I love Jimmy Eat World." "Jimmy Eat World sucks dude, why would you ever like them?" I just do not understand that thought now? Why not embrace each other's likings and learn something from each. It goes much deeper than music, but ill let you think of that on your own. There is one absolute truth, which is Christ. Is the rest not just commentary? As I say everytime, be yourself...you will not be disappointed. Let's embrace eachother's loves.

This is Pim. Love Eachother. Be Cool...Be Fine in 09! Love Ya'll