My new camera!!

 Well today my camera arrived in the mail today and I couldn't be more excited. My friend Marilyn and I have been talking about it and she said she feels like she's more excited about it than me! I think it's true. I've been wanting to get into photography for a little while now, it's something that up until now I did as sort of a minor hobby just using my phones camera.

   I have a few friends who are also into photography, one of which being my friend Marilyn who kind of inspired and encouraged me to pursue it. The camera I purchased is a Canon EOS Rebel XSi / 450 Digital SLR Camera with EF-S IS 18-55 mm lens. I friend of mine recommended it to me when I was first looking for a camera. He said that it was a great camera and would work well even in the hands of a beginner. My friend Marilyn, also reporting good things about it so I'm SUPER EXCITE :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

  I found an affordable on on ebay last week and I had the winning bid, my first actually. I've had my ebay account since 2010 but never used it, so it was essentially my first time using but I won the bid so that was really neat. I had a previous bid on another item that same day which I had lost, but my second bid I WON!! So now that I have another camera aside from the one on my phone, I'll be using it unless a super quick photo op pops up and my phone is the quicker option.

   I was considering maybe getting a degree in photography, not entirely sure though for now it's just a hobby I suppose! Although one unfortunate thing, for the type of photography that I normally like to do, there isn't much of that here in the city.

22 Years and Counting!!

 Well tomorrow, 3/11/2015 will be my 22nd birthday. But it's a bit of a bitter sweet moment I suppose. I'm getting old lol. My older sister just had her 25th birthday this past January (She's getting SUPER old). It's funny because growing up you seem to always live in the moment. You talk sometimes about what you want to be when you grow up, that sort of thing. But many people don't actually think about what happens when that time comes. 

I'm am interesting individual. My mother used to tell me I was akin to Peter Pan because I never wanted to grow up. And I suppose to this day, a part of that is still with me. Don't get me wrong I am an adult and I am aware of and do take care of my responsibility. However, I can be super childish :) But that's something about myself that I would never want to change because I LOVE it!!

I'm that 21 year old who would go to Chuck-E-Cheese. I would play in the McDonald's Play-Place if I wouldn't get into trouble. And yes I am still very much a HUGE fan of swing sets, as well as riding mechanical animals outside of convenience stores!

As time passes you begin to look at life more carefully. Opinions change, views change. For some they have their entire life planned out from early on, and for some people those plans actually work out! And then you have the people like myself, who aren't entirely sure where they're going. It's not always a bad things to be truthful. But overall I trust the Lord with my life and everything in it. As written in the song "Walk by Faith." "I will walk by faith, even when I cannot see." That's what we often have to do in life and in our walk with  God.

I want to take this time now to thank Him for everything. For 22 wonderful years of life. For always being there for me and never giving up on me. Whenever I felt abandoned and alone, the mere thought of His great love for me was enough to bring me back. "For He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." He has done many great things for me and I pray he will continue as I move forward in life on a path that glorifies Him. Doing that which is right in his eyes. Moving forward to live and even better and more dedicated life to Him is what I'll do from my 22nd onward. 

And thanks to all those family and true friends who have been there for me or have supported me and any way. Just knowing that people care is always enough. I hope to make many more great friends like you in the coming years of my life, exploring other aspects and things in life. Having people like you in my  life brings me a great joy like no other!!!

Location, location, location!

I've been thinking recently, it's time for a change in my life. I've made some changes to my life in the recent months that have been astronomically good for me. But I've been thinking and I'm about ready to make a few major changes to my life. 


   Of course we have the dreaded career question which I'm still a little uncertain about. I'm considering becoming a photographer, I LOVE photography!! For around a year or so I was considering becoming a dental assistant or dental hygienist. I forget which one (if not both) require a degree. My other yet currently last career choice was to become a mangaka. However being one from America has it's struggles. 

  Anyway on to more exciting news, I'm MOVING!!! Yeah, pretty soon!!! ...Kind of. Well here's the deal. I've lived in Kansas City my entire life. And to be completely honest I'm pretty bored of it. I have a few friends who live in smaller towns and they're always envious of me because I live in a bigger city. But between the noisiness and all of the hustle and bustle, I'm ready for a change. So soon I may be moving to Joplin!

   A few years ago there was a tornado that ripped through and destroyed most of Joplin Missouri. They're actually still rebuilding it to this day, but most of it looks pretty good. It's a decent sized city with a bit of a country feel. It's actually pretty close to the country, so that makes sense. Most of my family actually want to move to Texas. My older sister, Jocelyn, is in medical school and would like to move to Texas or California. The rest of my family...just really like Texas.

   If everything works out by the end of the year I'll probably be moved to Joplin and I'll probably buy my own house too, unless I decide to get an apartment instead. ( To be honest I really don't NEED a house to myself right now, I don't need that much space for one person.) Weeeeeell that is unless I'm able to get a horse around that time. Yeah I forgot to mention that I plan to get a horse as soon as I can also. Sooooooo I suppose owning a house would come in handy then, because I'd have much more room. Oooh oooh plus then I can finally get my SIBERIAN HUSKY!!! And he (or she) Would have ALL the room to run around as they pleased!
I plan to get a few other dogs also, but I want to start off with a Husky. What should I name it?

   I never really thought much about moving to another state, it would pretty fun to be honest. I have considered studying abroad or living in another country for a couple of years that would be pretty neat as well, but that's a MUCH bigger decision. I've been in Kansas City for 22 years. 22 YEARS!!!! Yeah I think I'm ready for a wee bit of change. Lord Willing, I shall do so. We'll just see how things go!
   

Past, Present and Future.

Yesterday I did something interesting. It's the kind of thing you hear about many times in your life, but often don't think of doing it yourself. It was on my Bucket List so I decided, hey let me go ahead and get it out of the way. So last night I wrote a letter to my future self. 

I've heard of many people doing it before so I was interested in doing it myself. To be honest I wasn't entirely sure what to write. So I guess as a basis I told future me about how things are now as a reminder from the past, as well as remind future me of the things I wanted to accomplish within the next few years. The envelop is dated 3/11/2023, for those of you who know me 3/11 is my birthday. And 2023 will be my 30th. There are many things I hope to accomplish by then so it should be fun to receive a present from my past self on that day.

But then however I decided to take things a step further. I did something that I haven't really heard of anyone else doing before, so it was essentially my own idea. I decided to write a letter to my future wife as well.

Now this one was a bit trickier than the first. I know who I am, and what I plan to accomplish. It was a bit easier to write one to myself, but my future wife? Well if I'm being honest there is someone in my life that I'd eventually like to marry. No we aren't dating or courting or anything of that nature. But if it be the Lords Will then maybe, you never know. I'm a man of great faith. Anyway still do to uncertainty my future wife is addressed as such or just Mrs.Kendall Ford. 

Writing this letter was...interesting to say the least. Neither letter was very long, no more than around 3 pages on lined notebook paper. But for me it wasn't the length, but more-so the words in which were spoken. I'd much rather the letter to my future wife remain a surprise to everyone, and to be honest it's something that I want to be special just for her and her heart only. 

I hope to forget the contents of the letters soon so that when the day comes it may truly be a surprise. The letter to Mrs.Kendall Ford is dated as you can see for our Anniversary of the same year. I considered setting the date for my birthday also, but I thought that our anniversary would be more special. I'm not too bad when it comes to keeping track of things, so I'm hoping that I don't have any trouble keeping track of these letters. I pray that on that day she opens that letter I may have fulfilled all that I sought to in our marriage, been everything I've needed to be and make that a very happy and special anniversary.

A Voice Like No Other

   This morning something interesting happened. I heard a voice. That's it, it was as simple as that...although it wasn't. It was someone singing, I couldn't quite tell who it was or what they were singing, but it was one of the most incredible things I've heard. It was simply angelic, seriously. Whoever this was, they are seriously WAY better than 98% of professional singers I've heard. Throw out the name of any celebrity, singer, band or anything and this person would mop the floor with them easily...easily.

ICED-COFFEE ICED-COFFEE ICED-COFFEE ICED-COFFEE!!!

    Alright, so I'm going to come clean. I have a little bit of an addiction...it's now as bad as it sounds. But it's homemade ICED COFFEE!!!!! 

   Okay so my friend Ashley got me started on homemade iced coffee and for like the last 3 days I've been drinking like 3-4 cups back-to-back it's CRAZY! Yet so delicious!! Fortunately unlike most people, caffeine doesn't affect me...at least not very well. 

   I could drink a 2-liter of coke late at night and be out like a light within minutes. The coffee is good none the less. The other day I drank a cup earlier in the day, then another 2 cups with my dinner...that's right dinner. Oh delicious iced-coffee where have you beeen all my life?

Hahaha Materhösen

   It's funny sometimes what fiction can show us. Sometimes things from a childs perspective. Sometimes lessons people just don't think about. Many things, lessons and whatnot are often forgotten. And sometimes it's the most valuable ones that are lost, simple yet they go forgotten. For some people never to be seen again.

   The other day I was watching Cars 2. And it was a pretty good movie, my first time seeing it. It was drastically different from the first, yet still enjoyable. I loved the whole **SPOILER ALERT** 
spy concept for the movie, I thought that to be very interesting. This time around Mater was front and center. He received a lot of attention in this movie and for a good reason. A simple minded-yet somewhat complex tow-truck. Often looked at as missing a few screws, played a very big role in the movie.

   Maters best friend and racing pro, Lightning McQueen was set to take part in various races around the world. Showing off a "new" fuel called "Allinol" along with many other races.

   First stop, Japan!!! 

Ok, we're starting to get there.

The location of the first race was in Japan. Like tourists, they were very excited to see the sights! But it was also at this point that things began to take shape, and the part where the lessons begin.

While they are there McQueen who is pretty popular gets attention from some other cars and is even interviewed a little. All the while his best friend Mater is being well...Mater. And McQueen sees that to be a bit of an issue. Mater is a character who speaks his mind, and doesn't really care much for what people think of him or the way he acts. And sometimes this can lead to trouble. 

McQueen is trying to be a good friend and prevent Mater of making a fool of himself, but sadly at the same time he's actually more concerned with Mater not making HIM look bad in front of the other cars and racers. At one point, Mater eats and entire dish of "Wasabi" thinking it's pistachio ice-cream.

And of course in "classic" Mater fasion, something silly was bound to ensue.

After Mater starts drinking from a "waterfall" of sorts displaying McQueen's Number and Logo, McQueen thinks that Mater has started leaking oil and that goes off into a whole other situation.

As he begins the look at the situation of embarrassment, McQueen tries to convince Mater to act differently as they aren't in "Radiator Springs" anymore.

Later on after meeting a spy, Mater tells the gang he's got a girlfriend which no-one believes. And things get even more heated when due to Mater's action during the race, cost McQueen his near victory. After which McQueen blows up (not literally) on Mater for what he did and costing him the race. Also telling his "Best Friend" that he doesn't need or want his help' He then proceeds to tell Mater to go home.

Over the course of a few other races other things happen and later McQueen finds out that Mater left, but never made it home. Later throughout the movie as McQueen talks to many of his friends and new cars that he has met, he begins the see the error of his ways.

But there was one part in particular that really stood out to me. In one scene Mater is being given a disguise. But a few of the dents he has may prevent it from being perfect, even knowing that he refused to have them fixed. Each dent meant something special to him as he obtained them with his best friend.

In this movie Mater played the role of the caring friend. He saw something in that friendship that Lightning McQueen did not. He knew he was a bit goofy, but that was just the way that he was. And he liked things that was. He liked being Mater, the goofy tow-truck from Radiator Springs.

Lightning McQueen knew he was wrong for trying to change his O'l chum, and wanted to apologize for it. Mater even risked his own life to save his friend. *Starts listening to "How to save a life"*

Sometimes it's easy to get wrapped up in our own thing and forget about those around us. For many when in a new place it's pressuring to want to fit in and be perfect around these people you don't know. But it's those friends in life like Mater who while may not be perfect, are some of the most sincere people you can ever meet. Regardless to whether or not they look silly, they are always themselves and do whatever they can to help their friends.

Always putting themselves second...or last for the good of the group, or even just a single friend. lending a helping hand whenever they can. He saw the depth and true meaning of their friendship. These people are in our lives for a reason, those few great, caring, loving and genuine friends. Just remember that whenever possible, be that friend. Be the "Mater" of the group. I'm not saying be foolish at times or for lack of a better word "stupid" at times. But just be true to yourself and others.

As the years pass there are always people you lose touch with for any number of possible reasons. People get married, have kids, move away, get jobs in other cities or are sometimes just going through things. Busyness is just a part of live, but even so we can't forget about those people who have helped us get to where we are now. Those people who have been there for us. Who have created those "dent memories" with us to always share. Even if or when no-one else is, be that person. Be a Mater friend.