Christopher’s Neighborhood

Stop... aaaaand breathe.

Bishop
Aug 29, 2009
2 comments

Holy Fuck.

The store is being remodeled by myself, three coworkers, and a small team of carpenters. We do this business overnight so for the past two weeks, my days have felt like indistinguishable smudges across the calendar. This blows, yet, at the same time, I feel kinda honored to be playing such a big role in literally reconstructing the innards of the store. Tearing down shelving, constructing temp riveteering, displacing product, replacing product, constructing permanent riveteering, attaching cedar paneling, cleaning the god-only-knows-what-this-shit-is from under the old shelving units... these activities make up my time at work. Granted, I get almost 40 hrs a week, but it translates into a paycheck whose value is attributed to a lot of hard goddamn work. One more week (I believe) and we should be all done.

I'm moving again. I found a better living situation with my friend Rob and his brother in Carlsbad. Four bedroom house, two car garage, artistic/creative/driven roommates, and my room has a near-panoramic view of the pacific ocean and its horizon. I'll be moving in October, but slowly moving my shit over there throughout September.

I've realized that living with my current roommates isn't conducive to the lifestyle I want to lead. Yeah... they smoke dope and hold good conversation and the house is so damn close to the beach... however... if I want to continue down a road of creation, artistic expression through writing and music and visual art, I need to surround myself with people who carry the same passions. Not just stoners who work, eat, smoke, and sleep.

Things are moving quickly and I feel like I'm just waiting for them to slow down... I still want to study for the GREs and apply to grad schools in the next year or so. I want grad school to be the sparked powder keg in my writing career. If that doesn't happen then the Peace Corps or WWOOF. I believe that having either of these two experiences will not only build life experiences and turn me on to so many new things, but if I were to return to the desires of grad school, I'd be so much more likely to be admitted because of the things I've done.

Anyhoo... Such is life that I forget to stop and smell the path I'm treading.

Pocket Log

Bishop
Jul 29, 2009
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A receipt from Lou's Records- $1.62... I bought some plastic slips for my old vinyls.

Three signs from work... Fuji, Granny Smith, and Red Delicious Apples

One white Bic Lighter

36 cents- a quarter, dime, and a penny

Two coupons from Stater Bros.- $2 off Mitchum deodorant and $1 off Ball Park Franks. I'm not planning on using them.

A Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt card with two stamps out of nine.

This weeks work schedule... worked Tuesday 11:30a-6:30p, Wednesday 3:00p-10:30p, Thursday 7:30p-3:00a (yup... I've been working a lot of these shifts). And then I work Sunday 5:00a-1:00p.

A depleted Starbucks gift card.

Chapstick classic

A scrap of advertising with Harry Potter movie times scribbled over the ad.

Another receipt from Lou's Records- $29.86... I bought two new records (CocoRosie, La Maison De Mon Rêve, and The Stone Circus) and some more plastic slips. I had more records than I thought... not to mention I've been adding to the collection.

Two pay stubs from work.

A receipt from Stater Bros.- $6.50... Deodorant and hydrogen peroxide

My keys

A second copy of my work schedule. I'm not sure why I have two.

A third receipt from Lou's Records- $16.27... I bought some AWESOME records today. I picked up James Taylor's Mudslide Slim and Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass's The Lonely Bull. The third album I purchased because of its cover. The cover bears a hippie duo wielding acoustic guitars and one of them sports some wicked-voluminous hair. They call themselves Batdorf & Rodney. Batdorf & Rodney are fucking sweet. A guitar duet with occasionally accompanying drums and bass and organ. These guys were a perfect find.

QotD: Biggest Obstacle in the Last 24 Hours

Bishop
Jun 11, 2009
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What's the biggest obstacle you've had to overcome within the last 24 hours?
Submitted by ILoveYouMr.Dragon.

This new car thing, to abuse a cliche, was too good to be true. Sitting in the dealership across from the salesman, next to my dad, I spoke with a credit union's representative over the phone about financing a bright red, 2003 Honda Civic EX. The representative, given all speculations of the vehicle, told me that I could finance the car for a five year term. This five year term would ensue sixty monthly payments of $onehundredfifty. Thrilled with the deal, I sell my car to the dealership as down payment and purchase the '03.
Come Monday, I receive a call from my credit union that knocks me on my ass. The new correspondent I'm speaking with tells me that I can only be financed for a two year term. This would bring my payments to $fourhundredfifty a month. Fuck that. I need more cushion in my life. For me to exert so much of my time for money only to drop it on a car... well... it just doesn't feel like me. I don't particular care for cars in my life. I can identify many cars, find beauty in their design and speed... I maintain my own cars and keep them clean-ish, but I don't hold much value in cars beyond their intrinsic value as a means of transportation (and a sentimentality attached to my own vehicles).

So, push come to shove, the past twenty-four hours have consisted of tread marks across my opinions and a sudden down-shift in my emotions.
I'm kinda feeling in limbo... like nothing can be done until I settle this.

QotD: Emergency Contact

Bishop
Jun 4, 2009
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Who do you write down as your Emergency Contact? Why did you pick this person?

I've always written my Aunt Julie as my emergency contact. Ever since I was filling out permission slips for my parents to sign, I wrote her name down. I'm sure it was because my mother told me to. Aunt Julie did live a few houses down from us and ran a daycare from her kitchen and backyard. She was always around to answer the phone... except Tuesdays because the Carlsbad Shopping Mall had entertainment for kids midday.

Up and Running

Bishop
Jun 3, 2009
3 comments

Yay. I'm moved in. Internet is up and running. Wireless isn't but I think we need a new router anyhow. Kaya and Lolo aren't getting along, but I didn't expect them to. Not at first. I need a new bed. The couch I have isn't nearly comfortable enough. I also need a desk. A small one... with drawers for my shit. I like my room. It's almost pieced together the way I'd like it. Beads, nag champa, bong, books, a mirror, and a couple posters; it's beginning to feel like my room.

Preacher Enmarius

Bishop
Jun 1, 2009
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"Would you be our Preacher Enmarius?" Hans held the joint below his lip for a moment before hitting it again. "That is, if you're willing to." The joint trailed between us as Hans handed it to me.

"What's a Preacher Enmarius?"

Hans's chest pumped with a chuckle and he cleared his throat, "No. Would you marry us? Be our preacher?"

I choked on the inhale at my mistake and began to laugh with stars glimmering through my vision. "Yes. I would be honored to marry you two." I handed the joint to Hans.

"You can become a preacher online. It's just some paperwork and, like, thirty bucks. We don't want a religious ceremony and all the preachers we know are affiliated with a church." He drew from the joint and bellowed out a lungful of contemplation, "you were our first thought."

I paused with my face toward the fluorescent lights above me. The smoke swirling around us created movement in an otherwise still moment, Hans was fixed looking at the beer in his hand. "Yeah, man. Fuck God. And thank you for thinking of me."

Grades

Bishop
May 23, 2009
1 comment

Class	Description	Units	Grade	Grade Points
LTWR 475	THE WRITING PROCESS	3.00	A	12.000
LTWR 545	ADV CREATIVE WRITING	3.00	A	12.000
SOC 315	GENDER IN SOCIETY	4.00	A-	14.800

Term Statistics - Spring 2009

	From Enrollment	Combined Term Total	Cumulative Total

Total Grade Points	38.800	38.800	414.500

Graded units towards GPA	10.000	10.000	136.000
Graded units not for GPA			1.000
In progress units

GPA**	3.880	3.880	3.048

Woo!

So... not only did I nearly score a 4.0 for this semester... I was able to pull off a 3.0 from my six year college marathon. This assures me that I did the best I could while maintaining the lifestyle I've led.

picture book!

Bishop
May 14, 2009
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The pictures I included in my memoir:

Leucadia

Bishop
Apr 28, 2009
4 comments

Wooo! Tax Refund!

The one time a year I gladly accept the illusion.

So I've been given the opportunity to live on the coast... like, West of the Interstate 5 coast... like, stroll to the beach coast... like, somewhere I want to live before I die coast.

The opportunity is seemingly perfect. The rent's cheap, $475/mo + utilities, I'll be moving in after graduation so I will be working 4-5 days a week, my flat-mates are people I trust, I can bring my cat, I'm picking the new room colors and the carpet is being cleaned, I'll be living in one of the most bohemian/art-fart towns in San Diego...

oh, and I can WALK to the beach!

The downsides: no internet... it might be something that I will eventually get for the place, but as of now... no internet. Also, the house is right next to the interstate, so the noise will be there. I've always lived in quiet neighborhoods or in rural areas, so the loudest noises tend to be wildlife or arguing neighbors. The room is also pretty small... especially considering how spoiled I have been since I moved to Fallbrook in this grand salon of a bedroom.

Anyhow... June is my date for move in and I can't wait.