Someone Knew

I’ve been thinking a lot, especially today, about what all I want to accomplish in this life. Basically, “what do i want to be when i grow up?”. The first thing that comes to mind is obviously actor/filmmaker. It’s what I truly enjoy, and I feel like I’m slowly improving with every project I’m involved with. I believe it’s the pinnacle of art forms, and the greatest way for me to express my love for my Maker’s creation, and the talent he’s “bestowed” upon me (just wanted to use the word “bestow”). Then I continued thinking about what else I want to accomplish while I still have breath in my lungs because acting sure-as-hell isn’t the only thing I want to do. There is so much more out there, and my interests are in abundance. I want to be a singer/songwriter; being able to write lyrics that aren’t hokey but provoke feelings is a serious WIN in my book. Songs can literally change peoples life, and I would love to be part of that culture of successful musicians who can get there work out there, and (you guessed it)…. Change peoples lives. Music is another talent God has given me and I can honestly say I can enjoy whatever instrument I pick up. I think I have an ear and soul for music and I want to show the world that. Next on my growing bucket list is chef/restaurant owner. I love food and that is a fact. I love how food can taste, smell, look, feel and make you feel; all with a simple addition of basil or dash of tabasco. When I own a restaurant it will probably be a Tex Mex café because Mexican food is the best food, and if you don’t agree, I’ll change your mind. One day. After I continued thinking about this topic, I of course thought of being a writer. To have the ability to harness the English language into a tame, well-paced,evoking and beautiful novel is mind blowing. I like the smell of new book pages too, and how a cup of coffee makes a book better (now I’m getting off topic. Next. ) today I decided I want to be a toy tester or conceptualizer. Walking down the toy aisle in wal-mart reminded me how much I loved doing that as a kid. All of the colorful packaging and plastic and how everything basically glows. Instant throwback to being 6 years old, playing with micro machines and thinking about transformers and legos. I want to be able to make kids feel that pure joy. Specifically my kids. Which brings me to my last goal (just for now): Father and husband. This is the most important and fulfilling goal I have on this ever-growing list. To come home after a long day at work and see smiles on my wife and kid’s faces makes a terrible day at work totally worth it. I want to be a good influence, spiritual leader, challenger, lover, friend and play-mate. I am looking forward to the day where I can wrestle my little boy (God willing) and let him jump from his bed onto my back while performing some kind of piledriver or DDP. And most of all, I’m looking forward to the day when I’m 84 years old and I’m sitting next to an old woman who’s a year and eight months older than me, who I’ve watched age beautifully for 60-something years, and we smile at eachother with our loose dentures and find joy in the things we accomplished.

Am I dreaming too big? Do I have too many things I want to be instead of focussing on just one? Will I even live till tomorrow? No one knows until all is said and done. It doesn’t hurt to dream though, does it?

Yesterday turned out way better than I expected, and it was actually kind of epic. I started out the day in Tuscaloosa and I ate some incredible breakfast at the city cafè that literally cost $3. I couldn’t have dreamed of a better was to start my day. I then drove back to Starkville to get some lunch with my RUF minister Bryan Sorgenfreihdkxnzk. However you spell his last name. He has got to be one of the most inspirational guys I know. Caught up about life, love and other mysteries, then said goodbye because I had to get to a photo shoot in Jackson. I sound kind of like a D bag when I say that. Anyway, kev and phill joined me on the adventure. We listened to a whole U2 live album. It would be an understatement to say I have feelings for that band. They just came into my life at the right time, but I guess I have Johnson to thank for that :) we picked up Laura Meek at te Bellhaven campus and trucked over to downtown jacktown for the “vintage” shoot. We shot on an abandoned street and by the train station (which I never knew even existed until yesterday). Legit. Post-shoot we went to Aaron Phillips house/pad/fortress which is incredible. Almost as incredible as the man himself. John wiggins met us there and we caught up for a little while. Something you have to know about aaron’s house is that it use to be a restaurant, club, gay club, etc. Luckily now it is a serious creative haven. It has a lot of rooms with recording studios, art studios and hidden gardens. You can arrive, crawl in a room and make stuff for hours. At least it sounds awesome to me. Kevin and I want to write and record an album there this summer. After the tour of the house, we went to la conzuela Mexican diner and talked about all the crazy times we had on film sets, and really questioned how we made it out of some of those situation alive… I really should be dead in a ditch in a border town right now, but thanks to a determined director, the crew made it out with only 4 flat tires and a few sunburns. Anyway, after Mexican food me, kev and phill had to drive back to Starkville because it was getting late. We started our Jackson-exodus with Bruce Springsteen and by the time we rolled into starkvegas, we were listening to soundtrack music and imogen heap. It was a bad degeneration and we were pretty much vegetables by the end. Long story short, starting in Alabama and ending in my bed in Mississippi I got to hang out with my fiancé, my close friends and FINALLY got to be creative again! Thank you Lord for such an incredible life.