summer

no i didn't die yet; i'm still here, still writing, still thinking.

i'm at the long beach airport, about to fly to san jose. earlier this summer I went to hume lake, and met a bunch of cool people from san jose. a friend i met at hume 4 years ago lives near all these people, so i thought it fitting to visit them before i head back home to arizona.

i wanted this summer to be my summer..to do whatever i wanted really. and after graduating, i wanted to chill. so i chilled this summer.

i learned something new about myself this summer: i don't do too well when i just chill.

so i'm ready to go back to school and continue on the pursuit of becoming a dentist. this summer was fun though. i landed a sweet job at Trump National Golf Club, in rancho palos verdes, california. it's basically an elite public golf course. i got to work literally right above the beach, have more than 90% of the days be cool and breezy, drive incredible cars (including a $200k mercedes), and work with some hilarious people (i never said they were 'good' people, but totally hilarious). my boss was one of the most erratic people i've ever met. one day he'd be joking with you, then the next he'd totally freak out on you. definitely keeps me on my feet.

i also had the privilege to live with my cousin. i will say that i learned how to live with people better :) haha. up and down and up and down...that's what we were. but i loved it! by the end of the summer, i would just say things to make arguments and see if i could stand against his debating genius, although i failed most of the time. i don't think he knew it either. i had to keep from laughing when i'd do it to be honest :)

(now i'm in the car driving to eugene/portland, oregon!)

and this was a first for me; actually the first 3 for me. this summer was the first time i've ever asked for a girls number. not a, "hey we've been friends for a while, can i have your number?" it was a "i have no idea who you are but can i have your number?" three times. yes i'm the man. the first one was a waitress at Islands, and all the buzzard bait cyclists were with me, and convinced me to get her number. the second was a bridesmaid at a lebanese wedding at my work. without a doubt, the most beautiful woman i've ever met; and i got it...yeeee boyyyyy. and the third was a girl at my work. she's peruvian; the valets call her "snake charmer." think about it. so i got hers too. since i didn't do much besides work and sleep, they were basically the only girls i saw the whole summer. i gained more courage with ladies ;)

"but I ain't giving up; love will come back around."
my faith has been weird this summer. sometimes it was effortless, sometimes i didn't even want to think about it. more-so the latter unfortunately. work and things filled my day, and i didn't make time to hear and wait and reflect. it caught up. i feel almost turned off to it right now. i'm not sure what did it for me. i know i'm called to give me up and let Jesus live in me. i don't have any doubts about anything. i think i'm just hyped up on myself or something. i want the faith of a child. not worrying, not freaking out about what rule i'm breaking..but just living and being. i want to feel Him near again.

Song of Hope - Robbie Seay Band (chorus)
------------------------------
I will sing a song of hope
sing along "God of heaven come down, heaven come down"
just to know that you are near is enough
God of heaven come down, heaven come down

I will sing a song of hope
sing along "God of heaven come down, heaven come down"
just to know you and be loved is enough
God of heaven come down, heaven come down
-------------------------------

i learned to play the guitar this summer. i can check that one off my bucket list! i actually love it. it's somewhat easy also. my fingers were red the first week or two, but they're flaky and calloused over now :) i don't know many chords either, but so many songs use the EXACT same chords, it's ridiculous. there's a greenday song, and a hillsong song that uses the same chords. also third day and rihanna. i enjoy it much.

with all this said, the best part of the summer, by far, was spending time with my grandparents. living with my grandparents was absolutely hysterical. i think they have more youth in them than i do. they were the funnest people to spend time with. the reason i didn't make a ton of friends this summer is because i could spend time with them at home. i should have kept a quote journal from their endless bickerings. when they talk, it's either them bickering and grandpa telling her to take her broom for a ride around the canyon, or them having "love talk" and (after me letting them know i can hear them) grandpa saying "millie, little ears are listening." SO incredibly awkward. but seriously funny.

i hear dental school keeps people busy. i'll be taking boards next summer, but i hope to go back for a few weeks and live with them and work at trump. that would be ideal. until then, i guess i'll keep blogging about life as it happens. later days.