Intro

Cameron Crowe fans will understand the wording of the title of this post. I’m placing bets that Luke will get it first. Thank you, Luke, for keeping the dream alive.




Wednesday

Last Wednesday evening I took off with Jason for Naperville. What’s in Naperville you ask? His wedding. We had great conversation on the way up. He told me he loved me, I told him that I was sorry, but I just didn’t feel that way; he said he was marrying Jill to cover up his feeling for me, and then called Jill, “David” one evening at her parent’s house (that last bit is true).

We discussed the current state of affairs in the Christian world, agreeing that a Christian subculture should not exist. I mentioned additional grievances I had against the modern day church, further cementing my argument as to why I do not go. We made rather good time in our travel, though we would have made even better time if it was not due to a detour. iPhone (yes, iPhone, not “My iPhone.” iPhone is an entity. Do NOT piss iPhone off) helped us out and was a great companion for this trip.

We get up to Jill’s parent’s house where I am introduced to her mother and father, two of the kindest and most hospitable people that I have ever met. They allowed Jason and I to stay in their basement for two nights, which saved us money as we didn’t have to get a hotel room. Wednesday was a relaxed day of meeting Jill’s family and getting to know them.




Thursday

Jason and I get up at 9 AM. We have some coffee, and Jason proceeds to jump rope. Jill’s father and I discuss cycling in which he further piques my interest in the sport. Jason and I then leave for Starbucks as we needed a place with Wi-Fi.

We get to Starbucks, I order a skim latte, or a non-fat latte as they call it, and we have a seat. Sure enough, they have Wi-Fi. Sure enough, it’s AT&T only, and not T-Mobile. T-Mobile said that they had made an agreement with AT&T to grandfather in current T-Mobile customers, however I could not log on at all. One of the employees was kind enough to call around to find us a Starbucks that still had T-Mobile, and after doing some offline work, we head to another Starbucks.

Ah! Internet at last… at least for Jason. Only one person can be signed in at a time under a given account. If I had a crossover cable on me, I could have logged in on one computer and shared the connection via the crossover cable. Alas, I did not have one. I really didn’t need it as I could check my email on my phone, so I cranked away on a site that Brett and I have been working on.




The Rehearsal

Jason leaves, goes out to his car to make a phone call, and a while later come dashing in saying, “I lost track of the time. We have to go!” We zip off to Jill’s parent’s where I learn that the rehearsal is a dress rehearsal. I had absolutely no idea. All that I have are the t-shirt and jeans that I am wearing. I really don’t mind being the odd man out, though. I see it as an opportunity to be a trailblazer, a trendsetter, or at least that’s what I tell myself to make myself feel better.

As it turns out, Jill’s father is about the same size as me, and finds clothes for me in no time. The day is saved! I ride over to the rehearsal with Jill’s father, mother, and friend Joanna. We have a quick rehearsal that Jason’s brother, mother, and crew are an hour late to due to a misunderstanding, and off we go for dinner.




Dinner

We pull up to a country themed restaurant where we sit in a secluded room, enjoying each others company. I couldn’t have anything on the menu due to my diet, so at the request of John and Cole, I ordered a dish for them to share. It was a lovely time, and I greatly thank Jason’s father for the occasion.

Finally we head back to Jill’s parents. This time I rode with Jason and Jill. I had brought a cooler of food with me that I prepared so that I could stick to my conditioning diet, and fortunately had left it in the car. I quelled my hunger by munching on some food as Jill and Jason made a quick stop at a nearby Wal-Mart. We get back to the house where Jason and I workout before bed.

And there was peace and rest on the second day.




Friday

The big day. Jason and I get up and begin looking for a hair salon so that we can get last minute hair cuts. We get a bit lost, but finally come upon two salons. One was too expensive and the other was closed. We decide on a salon titled, “The Ginger Root.” We set an appointment, jet over to the hotel that Jason’s family was staying at, pickup John, and head back to the salon. Two very nice women cut our hair, though I just got mine trimmed as I am growing it out. We drop John off and head to the church, quickly getting dressed only to find that Rock’s tux is way too big. However, Jill’s mom can sew and her and another lady save the day.




An Old Friend

In the dressing room, a long-time friend of my parents walks in and says, “Which one of you is Fendley.” I look at him, and say, “Fendley?” He responds, “Are your mother and father Dennis and Linda?” I say, “Yes,” and he proceeds to ask me if I remember him. I sure do. I grew up in the church that he and his wife are still pastors of to this day. In fact, My dad used to teach there.

He says, “Where do you go to church?” I tell him that I do not go to church. “Could I talk you into coming back?” he says. I told him that I am a big fan of George Barna’s, “Revolution,” and that I read through it quickly. He made a comment that Barna was a bit out there and asked if I believe it 100%, to which I replied that I do. He told me that he was going to try to get me to come back. I told him that he is more than welcome to try.

He asks what I’ve been doing and I tell him that I own a company currently doing film and web development. He said that he’s been interested in hiring a company to do high-quality, professional video on occasion, and would love to talk sometime. I give him my cards, but little does he know that my benefactor, and long-time friend, co-founded his church, and was driven from it for political reasons in years past. We all head out to take pictures, some serious, some fun, and head back inside for the wedding.




The Wedding

The wedding was short, sweet, and beautiful — perfect. Jason’s brother John cried a bit when it came to the vows, which were quite lovely. Jason and Jill escape in their limo, returning later to take their photos together. I meet up with the absolutely amazing Brian, where we chat about various topics, especially our shoes. I had these awesome black and turquoise shoes on that Jason and Jill had so kindly bought for all of the groomsmen.




The Reception

The reception was wonderful. I got to see some old friends, we took some more pictures, and the building we were in overlooked the Fox River. We had champagne, wine, toasts, and an open bar that I sadly couldn’t indulge in due to my conditioning project. I had the best salmon of my life with asparagus and rice. No really, it was the best salmon I’ve ever had — absolutely amazing. Perfect. I counted the day off as an indulgence day and had some cake which is absolutely forbidden from my diet, but the slices were thankfully thin. After some dancing, Josh and I took off and met Jason at his hotel to transfer some of his belongings out of his car as I would be driving it back to Champaign.




The Journey Home

After getting a bit lost, and Josh and I’s two and a half hour drive turning into a four hour drive (which would have been longer if it was not for the sincerity of a man at Dunkin’ Donuts), we finally made it home.

In reflection, I had a great time. I thank Jason, Jill, the parents, and all those involved for letting me be a part of it. May God bless and protect Jason and Jill in their travels; may they have an eternity filled with joy and happiness.

Heather Salm and Micah Boyce were married yesterday. I must say, it was one of the coolest wedding I have ever been to. Not only was it imbued with joy and happiness, but it featured such incredible music. Never have I seen so many talented musicians perform in a single wedding. I truly wish the best for Heather and Micah.

On a more humorous note, Luke gave the funniest speech that I’ve ever heard at a wedding. You really have to hear it for yourself to fully appreciate it. That man can write… and I’m jealous! I really need to write more. I truly am my own worst enemy.

I got to hang out with my hopefully-future-roommate, Matt, at the wedding. That man is 110% awesome and then some. I’ve been scoping for apartments as I think it will be much easier if my roommates and I all move out at the same time, otherwise there’s issues with the deposit that I’d rather not deal with. I’m hoping we can check some apartments out very soon — maybe this week.

I have a meeting with Josh tomorrow at 6:15 AM! I’m using him as my alarm clock so that I can get my body back on a sleep schedule. We’re going to go over a web site concept that he has been working on, and I’m going to apprentice him in the art of web design and development. He definitely has the mind for it, and I really hope he sticks with it.

I love Sam Yergler — I really do. Lately he has really been an inspiration and encouragement to me, let alone a source of some of the funniest stories I have ever heard. He is so easy to talk to and so understanding as well. I have never felt judged by him. I think we all could learn a lesson in selflessness and encouragement from him, and I hope that we remain friends for the rest of our lives.

This week is a week of finishing up projects. With the company restructure hopefully getting full approval this week, I’m hoping to be in a position to contract and hire more freelancers so that I can begin to focus on animation — more specifically writing our first animation. I have a concept that I am very excited about, and I can’t wait to reveal it in due time.

Alas, I must go and do my daily workout for The PCP. I’ve made a lot of progress, and I’m becoming more and more excited as I see the results. By all means, please feel free to offer words of encouragement! I sure could use them as it’s only going to get harder.

Micah’s bachelor party was last night, and it was a lot of fun. I almost didn’t go because I had been physically feeling up and down prior, but I was feeling better so I went.

Everyone else played Halo 3, drank, and ate junk food. I wasn’t interested in playing Halo 3, though I did play half a game with Luke, and I couldn’t drink or eat any of the food there as I am on a very strict diet. When we had a toast to Micah for his new, exciting future with Heather, I really appreciated how Luke respected the fact that I was on a strict diet and couldn’t partake in the drinking. It really helps to have friends that encourage you instead of pressure you — especially when it comes to long-term, life changing decisions such as diet and exercise.

I talked with Patrick today about life after the PCP. We both plan on easing up on our diets once winter rolls around, then resuming them in the Spring and Summer. This allows us to enjoy some of the more “guilty pleasures” of life in the Winter while retaining peak condition in the Spring and Summer.

I’ll cross that bridge when I get there. I still have a long ways to go.

I’m in the process of restructuring many things: my company, my blog, my life.

My Company

While it hasn’t been officially approved, my company and I are looking to restructure so that the company is more expandable and profitable. It’s a delicate task, but I feel that it is important. With our current direction, we’re going to be tied down to living from paycheck to paycheck with no room to expand. Our new direction allows us to function like a real company with assets and eventually employees.

My Blog

I love to write, I really do; but what keeps me from blogging more is a lack of discipline. For some time I have been indecisive as to what direction to take this blog in. I have decided that “Essence” will be my forum for my thoughts and musings. It’s win-win — it’s therapeutic, and if someone can take something away from it, then so much the better.

My Life

For several years I have battled having a lack of energy. I am on the road to recovery. The first major wave of energy came when I went Pescetarian the first week of the year. After about three weeks, my energy levels were considerably higher. The second wave came shortly after I started The Peak Condition Project with Chen, Patrick, Corry, and Sean. I’ve decided that it’s time to get in the best shape of my life. The Peak Condition Project is my answer.

Last year I asked a lot of hard questions, mainly those regarding life and spirituality. While I feel that I have more direction now than I did then, I’m still asking those hard questions while keeping an open mind. I’m listening to a Buddhist podcast and loving it, while at the same time retaining an open heart towards the words of men like Rob Bell. My goal is not to “craft my own religion,” but to find truth.

For some time I made the excuse that I did not have time for a relationship. I’ve realized that my life is only going to get busier, and that if it’s important to me to have a relationship, I must sacrifice the time. It’s worth it; it’s important. I have some prospects, and I’m keeping my options open.

My roommates will be moving out in August. I adore them, but it’s time for them to have their own place separate of me. I’m looking to move in with my good friend’s Matt and Nathan. I adore these guys, and we would have a lot of fun living together. We may take over the lease where I am right now, and we may find a new place. It’s up in the air.

I’m going through big changes in my life, but I’m excited. I’ve had a good life, and it’s getting better all the time. Here’s to a very bright future.

A new layout, a new beginning.

Get ready, things are going to be a little different around here.

The Gimp is a great program for what it is, but it is severely lacking when compared to the likes of Photoshop. Google has announced that it is funding Codeweavers and their iteration of Wine, the Windows compatibility layer, in order to further promote Linux by offering in-demand, high-end, commercial software.

It has been reported that Photoshop runs quite well under Wine. Does the future of application deployment lie in virtual machines and compatibility layers? Or will there always be demand for native versions of these applications?

Last year I bought the first MacHeist which contained a copy of TextMate. TextMate is by far one of the best editors that I’ve ever used, and as an OS X only app, has been the envy of other platform users.

But it still can’t touch VIM. VIM is my editor of choice. While TextMate boasts a great UI and killer bundles and customization, VIM has had this for 15 years. Just take a look around [vim.org](http://www.vim.org “VIM”) — there’s a script for nearly everything. This very post was written and submitted with a VIM plugin.

My number one reason for switching back to VIM: keyboard orientation. If you write a lot of code like myself, you don’t want to keep reaching for the mouse or even the arrow keys. VIM’s setup and design keeps your fingers happy right at home. It’s also available for many platforms. I invite you to check it out at [vim.org](http://www.vim.org “VIM”).

It’s been a rather long time since my last post. A lot has happened — most good, some bad. Life occurs in seasons, and in these past few seasons I have been able to reflect and grow.

A new beginning. From henceforth, this site will be informative and educational in order to give back to a community that has offered so much to me over the years. You may still find the occasional personal piece, but expect a much more defined direction.

It is 4:07 AM, and I am sitting in the office all alone. Not a hint of daylight in sight, the sky is beaconed by street lights, and towers pulsing as if calling out to some unknown entity light-years away.

Paranoid, I can not find peace in music as doing so would cloud my senses, making myself prone to those who would dare sneak up behind me.

Yes, this moment is dark, yet there is something beautiful about it as well. I imagine myself the last man on earth, left to explore a world in which cities run themselves. Not a foreigner in a strange land, but a man in the place he calls home; silent chaos in the world he sees everyday when he opens his eyes. This city — autonomous. Yet, I know I must plan my travels carefully as there is limited supply of fuel to carry me from town to town.

The sun is gone; a mystery left to be resolved. This planet — forever dark. All alone, forever night, I am left to experience and remember the lives of those that once gave this world life. Life still exists through the plants and the trees, but all mammals have gone. To where, I do not know.

In solitude, I feel immortal.

I find it rather humorous when Windows advocates try to debunk Mac OS X, and it’s affiliated software, by ragging on it due to a recent security exploit found.

This is hypocrisy at it’s finest, and any true digerati knows that there is no such thing as flawless code and security.

Enough said.