Tag Archives: San Antonio

The Six Flags Story

4 Mar

Scott at bottom right and me standing behind him.

I had meant to put this story up ages ago, but I kept forgetting about it. Only recently did someone remind me about it, and I’m glad that they did. Sometime a few years back, my friend, Scott, and me, used to go to Six Flags pretty much every weekend. We had one of those season passes and it was always a great break from college. Or maybe just part of the experience.

Scott and I always did pretty dumb things together from the start. This actually goes way back to middle school where we first met in 6th grade. It was just a fluke that we ended up together, considering we both graduated early, etc. Either way, after one particularly good night doing the college lifestyle, the next morning we decided to go to Six Flag’s Fright Fest. It was still relatively warm and there weren’t too many people yet, so we decided to hit all the good rides first.

Scott wasn’t feeling too great from the night before, and I recall him throwing up a few times on the way there. He decided he should get something on his stomach, and so he bought some popcorn from the vender right after the gate. By the time we made it to the first ride, The Poltergeist, it was obvious he was feeling considerably worse. We looked really out of place next to all the little kids in their Halloween costumes, but we pushed on. I’m not sure why we thought it was a good idea to go on one of the faster rides right off the bat, but we did anyway.

About half way through the ride, I could see Scott’s face and he obviously was not doing well at all. So, by the end, he was fighting with the restraints and I kept screaming at him to not puke on me over and over. He held it in and wormed out of the chair restraint and jumped out out of the ride right as it pulled in. Immediately, he ran over to the edge of the platform and threw up a disgusting mixture of last night and gross leftover popcorn for the day before. I was dying laughing — it’s always good to see a bro in pain, after all.

What we didn’t realize is that immediately below the platform was a little girl exiting the ride. This poor girl was soaked in vomit, covering her princess outfit. We both realized we just ruined some little girl’s princess dreams; she’ll be scarred for life on one of the great’s American holidays. I’m truly sorry, but it was one of the best coincidences in history, and my favorite Six Flag story.

Back to Work

16 Jan

Emily and I at a club in Houston. I absolutely miss the stupid fun nights we used to have!

Well, leave was fun. I pretty much had a complete blast, but now it’s been a couple of weeks and I’m right back in the thick of it until May. May cannot come soon enough. Every day I wake up and wonder “What am I doing?” At night, I actually hate going to sleep because the thought of tomorrow sounds so awful and I want to avoid it at all costs. I have progressed to a point in between apathy and just existing.  Now, I know that might sound like a desperate sign of giving up, but I mainly am just trying to coast through to the end of this. Right now, if I failed out of the program and was re-rated, I would be happy. I would, however, be more happy if I made officer. Still working on that process, but as before the Navy, it’s a complicated one.

That said, I’ve been doing pretty overall. My grades are okay and I’m still making enough effort to get by, even if I don’t really care about what I’m learning right now. I really did need that leave to give me a break from this place, and it was everything I could have imagined. I got to see Emily, Lizz, and Logen in Midland; Stephanie, Christian, Jesse, Rob, and my aunt and uncle Cathy and Dennis in San Antonio; Kayla, Brennan, and Andi in Austin; Emily, Jason, Eleina, and Dee Dee in Houston; my relatives and my grandma in Dallas. I almost saw my middle school friend Pierce in Houston as well, but his girlfriend got bit by a rabid animal. That’ll happen. I even almost made it to a New Years Eve party to see Tully and the gang, but I missed that. Heard he broke his arm being hammered. Ouch.

HIGHWAY TO THE DANGER ZONE.

This weekend has been a needed relief too. I don’t know how I will string together my sanity to get through Power School, but I’d like to personally thank MLK for having a dream, so that I could sleep in and have a dream myself. I managed to just hang out and have a good time this weekend, not working too much, and seeing a little of the Charleston sights with (my boy) Kapoi. We hit up the USS Yorktown, which I have been wanting to do for a while. Pretty badass. We had planned to see Ft. Sumter but it was way too cold to deal with that ferry ride.

Today was just sleeping in and work, but tomorrow is another fun exam over things I don’t care about. About one or two exams a week every week until I get out of here. The only good thing is that I will have a good amount of padding points wise to scrape by. I already threw the honorman out of the window, so I’ll be shooting for passing. (I’m not just good, I’m good enough.)

I’ll try to keep updating this, but man, I really don’t do anything. I feel like the weeks blur by and it’s all a game about passing time. When you sleep as little as I do now, you’re never really awake and never really asleep.

Fitness

6 Nov

This was the before photo, but it was already after months of improvement

This really has been echoed in the past by a lot of attempts to get in shape that really failed miserably. The main factor in my failure was doing little to no cardio (eh, who am I kidding, it was just no cardio). As well, I didn’t have a gym so I thought that if I did a billion sit-ups and push-ups a night I would be in shape, but I couldn’t even manage to keep that up regardless. So, last year, literally Jan 1st 2010, I decided that I would start going to the gym and working out. The results have been pretty incredible in a year — or at least, I think so. The real motivation were the comments I kept getting from friends and family describing me as “able to drink a lot of beer” or “having a lot of fun in college” when they pointed at my stomach pudge. Gross. Well, I guess, thank you family because it worked and it was actually in a good time frame, considering I joined the Navy soon after. Mentally, I had already been mulling over the option and so it helped me get the routine started.

This was in mid-October, still work to be done

Initially the January through April period I had just bought a lot of stuff to do at home because I was embarrassed about going to a gym. One, I looked pretty awful, and two, I had no idea what the equipment did or how to use it. I had never been to a gym, never ran on a treadmill, or did a lat pull down. And, my gym at the time was provided as part of my tuition at Trinity University, so that meant I would have to see close friends, most of whom I felt where completely ripped and would think I was a fool. I realize now that most people who are working out actually really like helping other people and giving pointers. After all, getting in shape is kind of like a club. We’re all addicted to it and we want to get more people to join in.

I opted to take bi-weekly progress shots to help me get motivated as well, and that was, at first, horrific, and later, much more pleasing to reflect upon. The first time I went to the gym I got on the treadmill and tried to do a mile at 5 MPH, which was impossible. I couldn’t breathe and thought I would die. Yes, I’m serious, I was that out of shape (thankfully though, I was only 218 lbs at my fat kid peak, so it wasn’t awful on my frame). I still remember the moment I did a ten minute mile. I felt like a champion — and I told a friend who quickly noted that she could do that in middle school. Wow, I was a total joke.

My arm in early October. Neat.

Through a mixture of weights and cardio, however, I am now, almost a year later, in the best shape of my life and really content with my progress. (I can run 7 miles a day easily and I’m usually doing around 40 miles a week, with a day off for just lifting and rest.) The process of getting here kind of sucked. Protein shakes and targeted exercises, lots of pushing myself to limits I couldn’t even imagine being able to go. It really does suck. But if you push through it, I guess anything is possible. The hardest part of it all was starting and then staying motivated.

Get into my belly

I’m actually not sure what I should do next. Get a six pack? I actually think those are kind of gross. I wouldn’t mind getting larger pecs or arms, but I feel like being bulky isn’t really good for the Navy. And although the Jersey Shore says being a juice head is a good goal, I’d rather be slim and trim. Currently, I’m about 170 lbs of raw steel and sex appeal. I can always make better my best and I never plan to let it rest, so it looks good for the future. All this said, I still eat fast food at least three times a week. There is nothing in this world that will ever stop me from eating delicious 99 cent chicken sandwiches  from Jack in the Box. I could eat this 3 times a day every day, and, in college, I usually did.

12 July 2010

12 Jul

When I was getting some food, I saw a pretty girl eating alone. I asked to eat with her and she never touched her sandwich, so I asked why. Here is the exact wording of the conversation:

Girl: I have this thing where I can’t eat because my brain tells my body I’m too fat.
Me: Oh, so you have an eating disorder?
Girl: No way! That’s dumb!
Me: You literally just gave the definition of anorexia.
Girl: Oh, but I don’t throw up or anything.
Me: No, that would be bulimia.
Girl: I don’t know what you’re saying so just give up.

I got up and left. At this moment, I don’t think I’m ever going to talk to another person again.

20 April 2010

20 Apr

Note: Below is my senior article I wrote for the Trinitonian (Trinity University’s newspaper) sometime around April 20th. This is the unedited version.

College. It’s really over? It’s hard to reflect on something like this when I’m still writing papers, still walking around campus, and still trying to avoid the garbage they call food in Mabee. Everything is still the same; only after I’m done will I think, “Man, I should have told that story about that one time where everyone got drunk and the rent-a-cops were everywhere and…” – but let’s be honest, that’s a story that I don’t need to tell any of you. Just from the amount of drunken nights where the only memory I have came from photos tagged on Facebook the next day, I know that invariably all of you have been in the same situation at least once. If not, I assure you that you will be.

Just how many days have been a struggle to wake up for class because I was still a little drunk? How many nights have I tried to study and ended up partying with one of you?

Instead of telling you party stories that you can make for yourself, here’s something that happened while attending Trinity that I honestly think can never occur again. It was 3 AM and both of us in the car were coming back from a party. After stopping in Jack in the Box to eat some nasty filth, my friend rolled down the window to order. Suddenly out of nowhere, a human/creature grabs my friend’s hand, slams in a crumpled, wet dollar bill, and screams, “Make change!” Compelled to not be murdered or raped, we scrambled to give him four quarters to get him off our backs. When we finally found enough, he yells to us, “That’s what I get for trusting the cops!” and bolts away into the night. How could I ever forget that?

Somehow, through all of the parties and close calls I made it. I am going to be done and graduated in just a few weeks.

So I want to leave Trinity with another inspiring true story from my life. As a sophomore I went shoe shopping with my friend Cory. While waiting for Cory to take thirteen years to pick a running shoe, I started talking with the sales lady. As it turned out, she was a proud Trinity graduate from 2006. She told me she majored in communication. Awesome. I am a communication major. Surely, I would not end up selling shoes after I graduate. Right?

Now it’s almost May and I’m broke, I have looming debt, and I have no career – let alone a job – in my immediate future. I used to joke that I would end up working at GameStop as an assistant manager. Now I joke that I’ll be working at Jack in the Box as the taco cooker. My joke has changed because GameStop now seems like a viable option. Four years. And there is where I am at right now?

There is a moral here in both of these stories: Trinity can be full of incredible experiences – drunk nights, good times with friends, and even perhaps something that happens in a classroom. No matter what those experiences may be, they are something to remember and something that as you are leaving Trinity, you will learn mean so much more now than ever.

13 November 2009

13 Nov

Alright, so, as usual, I’ve been neglecting this. A lot of this comes from the fact that I’ve been so busy with school and just getting through life that I’ve been too busy, but also because I’m just forgetful.

Not too much is new anyway. I’m working like a dog, especially this weekend, to get through a big set of obstacles that in the long run of things are more like a hill before the looming threat of finals. Great!

Eventually I bought one.

It’s surprising to me that it’s November, especially being that it’s about 80 degrees outside. Huh? I’m all for the mild winters, don’t get me wrong. I hope it stays hot and sunny forever, and then I can skip over that whole cold thing. It is weird though.

I’m in the process of freaking out about what I’m doing after I graduate. It’s a hard thing to think about, especially since I have no idea. I know my professors and contacts will help me out, so I’m not completely worried, but the future is definitely a looming uncertainty, at least at this point. It’s also hard to transition from the mentality of a college student to a professional. I don’t even own a suit, and my lfiestyle is not very professional at all. I’m not sure who I’ll end up or how I’ll be. It’s probably not much of a worry though. Looking back, big changes always seem to go well enough for me.

I'm so cool I took a picture of how cool I am

On top of all this worry, I have Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. Alright, alright, I know it’s a game but the thing is absorbing my soul. I just can’t stop playing it. It’s fun and highly addictive. This is certainly the best video game ever made; it’s hard for me to put it down. The problem is that I’m so busy I end up partitioning my time favoring the video game.

I think things will change once I care about my job and have fun doing things. And get paid. It’s a completely different mentality than school is. I’m so burnt out on it, I just want to get done and move on to the next big adventure.

30 January 2009

30 Jan

You could imagine that doing nothing in Midland would give me the time to update this more. Surprisingly, a lot of things have been happening that have taken all of my time. First off, and most importantly, I leave Texas for Australia this coming Sunday, Feb. 1. I don’t even know what to think at this point. I am really excited, and really happy to finally get to do something exciting like this. But, at the same time, I am terrified of leaving Texas. As much as I want to think I am educated, I don’t really know the ways of the world, and I’m afraid of not being accepted for who I am. I’ve already been told not to mention I am from Texas, but this is probably impossible as I obviously sound like a Texan. That, and I don’t think I will compromise who I am, even in a foreign culture.

My group is full of yankees for the most part. There are some that are from South Carolina, but even this is odd and foreign to me. I’ve talked to one from my group, an admitted vegetarian and environmentalist. I mean, you just don’t find that in Texas. I’m not saying that I disagree with her viewpoints, though I have to say my own viewpoints are much more enjoyable for me. It is my hope to eat all the native animals that I can, as food is a big part of my life. And the only environmental policy I have is “Don’t Mess With Texas”, so I don’t know if that matches up well enough. I’m mentioning this because it shocks me I am so different from yankees. These are people who are from my country. What could Australia be like? Maybe the people will think I’m ignorant and arrogant. I hope not.

My goal with this trip is to make friends and experience culture. I don’t want to compromise who I am in the process, though. But, I haven’t left, so I don’t even know what I’m getting into yet.

Otherwise, my stay in Midland has been full of work. I’ve been working full days typing entries into a big database. It’s sad and horrible, but now I am done. And, my boss gave me a big bonus for my work. I’m confident I’ll have a few dollars to blow on things I want to do, not just the bare essentials. Some of those things include the “Northwest Trip”, a ten-day camping trip throughout Northwest Australia. I am pretty excited to do that. Because of the currency difference, it’ll only be about 450 dollars. I think I can manage that.

Work was boring, of course, but it was good being back with the guys from ViaMedia. Josh, Benjamin, and Max are good guys, and I’m glad to have met them. We got together a few times and played poker. I lost twice, but I won everything on the last game we played. Poker has started to become an addictive thing. I’m playing it online all the time, albeit with fake money.

Hell. Yes. Bromance 4 Life.

I spent a weekend in San Antonio with the Trinity guys. I took a lot of photos, but it was basically a summary of my entire experience at Trinity. These guys are the friends I hope to have for the rest of my life. I’ll miss them when I graduate, and I’ll miss them when I’m in Australia. I hope all of the alcohol I bought them is proof enough of my friendship! God knows, they’ll be drunk for a semester on an amount that size.

Finally, I’ve been working out a ton before I leave. Partly because I found out I was 204 lbs. I used to be 145 lbs before I started college. Way too much beer and Jack in the Box, that’s certain. I’ve lost over twenty pounds, but I still need to do more. My goal is to really push myself in Australia, so that I can be 160 lbs of raw steel and sex appeal upon my return. We’ll see!

I guess I’ll update this next when I’m in Perth. I’ll miss Texas, but I’m ready to jump into something new!

6 September 2008

6 Sep

As usual, not too much is new. Putting things off.

At Bays with Emily

I’ve been going to the bar a bit more, but nothing major. I hardly meet anyone. Trinity is a pretty stagnant community and most of the people who come to stuff from outside the bubble are emo Mexican high school kids. Sort of sad.

A lot of work to be done this week. I haven’t started. So far, my highest grade has been a 73. What? Excellent!

Also, I want to go to Australia. But it’s expensive. I’m not sure what to do. It’s a sad situation. We’ll see.

And, I would rather just have job stuff work out. Leave this place. I’m done with it.

14 August 2008

14 Aug

Josh putting on a funky face disguise

I’m home from work sick today. It’s not really a big deal, but I happened to get it from my coworker Josh. Currently, adding to my sickness, I have a bad sunburn from a shoot in Ft. Stockton on an oil rig that makes me look like a raccoon (because I was wearing glasses all day). Sort of embarassing.

Work is almost over. Next Wed. on the 20th I’ll be quitting work and moving back to San Antonio for another year. I also have the deviantART prospects finally coming through (or so it seems).

I found a very special girl recently. I think things will be good. I think about her all the time, pretty much nonstop.

22 August 2007

22 Aug

Living the high life in the dorms

Alright so… back in San Antonio. Let’s hope this year is safer than last year. Lots of good prospects, as soon as school actually starts and I stop partying so much. Nothing else is new though. Roommates with Dan, the guy who broke my hand, and we’re all set up. Nice place really.

← Older Entries

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.