Things have been veering a bit at tumbledry lately. Recently, I’ve decided I do not want to write about technology, computers, and the web. Not for a bit anyways. I’m too busy to deal with this all (though you may be getting some tech updates as I am currently employed in developing a section of my school’s website), so I am going to return to our roots here and share my life. Things are moving along at a rapid clip. Thus, it isn’t a big deal to me if I bore everyone and my traffic drops from the 100 or so kind souls who visit a day to none (0). When I read back to these years, I want to understand how Alex was, and not how the current development of web-standards were. This sets my goals nearly diametric to most of the blogs I regularly visit, but such are things.
Friday night was one of the best times I have had in a while. I was nervous. It wasn’t a petrified kind of nervous - but I certainly could feel my stomach tying into knots. Being yourself is so important, and can be difficult when you are proofing everything in your head before it comes out of your mouth. But somehow, somewhere between my house and I-94, I stopped the thought-check. She made me feel completely at ease, like I really could be myself. For the next five hours, I got to know one stunning person better. The veil of formalities and meaningless small-talk was lifted, and the fresh air that flowed was as refreshing as the warm night waters of the St. Croix.
Accoutered with perspective, understanding, and an acute sense of what is realistic (and certainly, what isn’t), I feel good. Plain and simple.
This past Sunday, Valley Fair came together in a twelve-person gathering of fun. The new coaster, Steel Venom (say it like the monster truck rally announcers), proved a great ride. You start out horizontally, with your feet dangling. Then you are accelerated to 60mph in a matter of a few seconds, and sent spiraling straight up. Gravity takes over, and you slide down the spiral, backwards across the original launch area, and then you are greeted with a surprise. Out of nowhere (you are going backwards, after all), you pivot 90 degrees and see the ground dropping away as you fly up. This goes on for three cycles. One caveat: the coaster stops dead at the top of the final backward ascent, and this sudden jarring can be painful on certain areas of the male anatomy. A sign saying “Crotches, Beware!” should probably be posted.
Anyhow, we stayed for about eight hours, soaking up sun and flying around on rides. Group count: me, Steve, John, Adam, Erin, Kayleigh, Karin, Jimmy (whose birthday it was … I wonder if that should have been discounted admission), Nils, Sigrid, Tommy, and Jeremy.
Best food of the day: peanut butter M&M’s.
Most expensive: Dippin’ Dots.
Best deal: Free ice water.
Coldest wait: Thunder canyon, shady with constant stream of water falling on you.
Most girly giggles (from John and I): Tilt a Whirl.
Worst wait: Excalibur, they were putting on a second car.
Best thrill: Wait at top of Power Tower.
Brightest hair color: Purple.
Adam, Kayleigh, Erin, and I returned here, and in the course of the discussion came across a useful method for judging interest from the opposite sex: dangling. How does one dangle? It is a conversational hook (or barb, depending on how you look at it) where one mentions something in passing and omits details. If the person is curious about details of your story, this is good. If they don’t care, they either are not nosy or really don’t care. Foolproof? Hardly. Logical? Not really. Entertaining? Mostly.
Next year, I look to double attendance by incorporating more people. (You heard it here first.) Two dozen in ‘05!
A few weeks back, I picked up Book 1 (The Magician’s Nephew) of the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Years ago, I received the entire series as a present and voraciously tore through the seven volumes. Therefore, this July, what began as a casual opening of Book 1 ended today with the completion of Book 7. What is it about these books? The style is conversational, gentle, and fit for children; nevertheless, the trap of stripping language bare in order to accomodate younger readers is avoided. But, it isn’t really the literary style or the deeper symbolism that held my attention then and now. The fantasy is so well anchored with insight into the human condition, you see the world around you more clearly by looking at another.
My Dear Lucy,
I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still. But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. You can then take it down from some upper shelf, dust it, and tell me what you think of it. I shall probably be too deaf to hear, and too old to understand, a word you say, but I shall still be
your affectionate Godfather, C.S. Lewis
Above is the inscription in the best known book in the series, The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. Do make a point to journey through all the books, though. The final two chapters of The Last Battle paint one of the most beautiful pictures my mind’s eye has ever had the privilege of seeing. Today, upon reading those words again, they were more applicable and more real than they had been before. Like C.S. Lewis says, some day we will be old enough to read fairy tales again. I think, at that point, those chapters will hold an even deeper truth for me.
Matt Online - Matt Online! He’s a funny writer, he really is. Oh, and we are getting him a domain name soon. Expect great things from my good friend with whom I have no quarrel!
