The Things That Move Me

--Preliminary shout out to Callie Jo! LET'S HOP!--

Now on to tonight's blog, which is brought to you by AMERICAN BEEF and AMERICAN BEER (or American Amaretto for Buzzard)...and the number 13. :)

Tonight's blog is educational, to say the least. It's probably educational, to say the most, also. Oh well.

Tonight's blog is also lengthy. Please stay tuned. It's worth it, I promise.

I want to share with you a few of the things that move me. I mean, the things that really move me. There are lots of things that move me, but there are a few that are worth noting.

Wow, that little paragraph was all sorts of grammatical homicide.

Anyway, TO THE LOU...I mean...list. To the list.

NUMBA UNO: MY LEGS

HA! But seriously, there's something to this. For those of you who don't know, I ran cross country all through high school. I ran a lot. 400+ miles a season for four years. It was awesome. During that time, I really learned a lot of valuable lessons that I still try to live by. I think I can wrap this up fairly succinctly by providing a quote that my Coach (one of my favorite people ever) told me one day when I was feeling inadequate out on the course. She said, "Michael, you ran your heart out for me and the team, and that's all we can ever ask you to do. You gave it your best. That's all I'll ever want from you." (Now is the important quote that I want to leave you with) "One of my favorite people said this, and I want you to remember it until the day you die: 'To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the Gift.' - Steve Prefontaine." That is something I have remembered every day. I try to live by that quote, and sometimes I come up a little short. But, in the words of Katie Scarlett O'Hara: "...tomorrow is another day," and just one more opportunity to give whatever you choose to do your very best. 

So, in a roundabout way, my legs really do move me.

NUMERO DEUX: MUSIC

I know that there are LOTS of people that say they are truly moved by music. I really hope that they are, because music is one of the most beautiful things in the world. (It is in my opinion, anyway.) Music is one of the very few things that really reaches into the core of me and touches my soul. It can make me laugh, cry (and I never cry), scream, and always, ALWAYS sing along. Music is just a mandatory aspect of my life. It is part of who I am. For as long as I can remember, I have sang along with the radio. Even if I don't know the words, I'll pick up the melody and sing right along. Sometimes I'll do that a little too loudly, and you know what? I don't care. Music is universal. It reaches out to everyone. It is the language of the human race. The only thing that I view as more universal than music is a smile, but that's another blog post. 

I've been involved directly with music since the 3rd grade, when Mom bought a piano and signed my sister and I up for lessons. It's a skill I still exhibit to some people to this day. My involvement really stepped it up a notch in the 5th grade, when I joined band. I played the Baritone. It is possibly the least glamorous instrument in the world, and I hated it at first. Slowly, I gained an appreciation for Barry (my baritone's name) and we had quite the ridiculous relationship. I was in band until I graduated high school, and I miss it every day. During high school, I even picked up a few more instruments. By the time I was done with band, I could play the baritone/euphonium, trumpet, tuba/sousaphone, trombone, valve trombone, timpani, and the drum set at basketball games.  :)

I joined choir in the 7th grade, and singing has actually become a bigger passion for me than band. (Sorry, Barry) My experiences with choir have really opened my eyes to the joy that music can bring somebody. I was in showchoir in high school, and the concert choir at my junior college. I have sang everything from Earth, Wind & Fire's "Shining Star" to Josh Groban's "To Where You Are" to Franz Schubert's "Ave Maria" to Alexander Gretchaninoff's "Holy Radiant Light". I was even the lead in my junior college's musical my sophomore year. Just call me Professor Harold Hill, and stay out of "Trouble". :)

Anyway, music. Number deux. Moves me like none other. Moving on!

NUMBER THREE: ART

This is a really broad topic, I know, but allow me to expound. When I say that "art" moves me, I mean...well, I mean pretty much all forms of tangible art. Photography, paintings, sculptures, architecture, the list goes on. Just the idea that the human mind and the human soul can pour out so much unique creativity and beauty is a beautiful thing. And for decade after decade, century after century, millennium after millennium, to constantly change and alter and expound (I've used that word twice in one paragraph. I need to read a thesaurus now and then...) upon what's been done before in so many different ways! It's fascinating to me. I wish I had an ounce of the creativity that some of the people I know have. It's truly an enlightening experience for me to go to a museum and see what others have been able to create with nothing more than their talented heads and a little inspiration, be it Divine or secular. The human brain: fascinating. 

NOMBRE QUATRE: THE FLINT HILLS

I know I talked about this in my last post, but I can't help it. The Flint Hills of Kansas is one of the most beautiful and interesting regions in the entire country. We, as citizens of this illustrious place, are inhabitants of one of the most diverse and important places in the nation, Agriculturally speaking. WE GOT DA BEEF, MAN. And the WILDLIFE, jeeeez. And the birds and even the BUGS. The BUGS in this place are SO COOL. Aw, man. I'm getting all excited. I know most of you reading this also hail from the Flint Hills in some form or another, so I'm just preaching to the choir, but DANG. Love this place. 

Visual reference for those of you who may or may not have ever been here:

This isn't even the full majesty of the Flint Hills, and it makes me all giddy. LOVE this place!!

(By the way, this photo is once again not mine, nor do I claim it to be. It can be found in the flickr photostream of one Dennis Toll at http://www.flickr.com/photos/flinthillstallgrass/ )

NUMMER FEM: AGRICULTURE

Number five (Nummer Fem in Swedish) deserves its own blog post. I'll compile my thoughts on this and get back to you tomorrow.  :) Until then, let's move on to the conclusion of this ridiculously long-winded posting of things that move me!

I said at the beginning of this post that I would be educating you. Most obviously, I have educated you about some of the things that move me. Covertly, I hope I have moved you to acknowledge and embrace the things that move YOUUUU. Take note of what moves you. Make a list of the things that move you, and do your very best to expose yourself to something on your list every day.

It's a cold, hard world we live in. We all need a little time to feel...something...for us. It reminds us, even if it's for just a wee little bit, what we're here for.

Peace out, yo!

Michael Dean

I Love The Flint Hills

And this picture is why. I found this picture tonight on flickr when I was doing my daily perusal of the site. I fell in love with it straight away. This photo embodies everything that I love about the Flint Hills all at once. The old loading chute, the grass, the hills, the huge sky, and the sunset. Good Lord the sunset. Sunsets in the Flint Hills have a beauty that can rival a sunset anywhere else in the world.

The only thing that could make this photo more beautiful would be green grass. I can live without it, though. I've saved this photo to my computer. Not to use for anything, but just to look at on days like Saturday when it's freezing cold and snowy. It just makes me 17 different kinds of happy.

That's all I really have to say tonight. I just figured I would share a bit of what makes me happy with the rest of you. Enjoy!

By the way, this photo isn't mine, nor do I claim it to be. It's property of a flickr user named earlycj5, and the photo link is right here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/earlycj5/3335363813/in/set-72157622279299642 . The user's photostream link is right here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/earlycj5/ . I encourage you to check out his stuff. It's pretty neat.

Anyway, I'll most likely be back tomorrow with a "real" blog. I think I might have an actual topic. Get excited!

Have a great night and an even better day!

Michael Dean

Deuces!

Well hey there!

I've finally done it. I've taken the step from "just legal" to "old man." I'm now 22 years old. The big 2-2. Deuces. How do I feel about it? What is my thought process at hitting this momentous age? What am I thinking?

It sucks. I hate it. I'm old.

Well, okay. I'm not old, but I feel old. 22 seems so much older than 21. It doesn't help that I'm wayyy behind where I planned on being, as far as my life is concerned. I'm supposed to be preparing for graduation and the "real world."

Instead, I'm lying on my bed in my parents' house on a mandatory hiatus from school. Job hunting like a fool and finding zilch. Oh, and apartment hunting. Blehhhhh. Life is just a bit stressful these days.

But, what doesn't kill us only makes us stronger, right? Right. Positive thinking is pretty much the key to my sanity these days. I stepped out of the box and added something to my life for Lent this year. A couple things, actually. At least one positive reassurance per day, and I'm going to start going to church again. I know that Lent is only for 40 days and nights, but I'd like to think that these little changes will soon become permanent additions to my daily life.

Especially the church thing. 

Religion and I have a very interesting relationship. Any of you who know me may be surprised, but I'm actually a very religious person. I just have a scholar's brain that forces me to learn, as well as believe. As a result, I have a very strong faith that is tempered with some fact-based knowledge. I don't want to say that my religious philosophy is right and anyone else's is wrong, but I like to think that I'm approaching this beautiful mystery of Christianity in an acceptable and logical manner. 

MAJOR SELF-ADMISSION TIME:

Actually, my faith is a big-time crutch for me. Any time things get stressful, and even any time they don't, I'm praying in some form or another. Whether it be for strength, guidance, or just as a reassurance that I'm not going through something alone, JC and I are tight like tigers.

Anyway, sorry for bringin' y'all down. And for using an apostrophe twice in a sentence, both times for the wrong reason. Let's get back on subject, shall we?

......Hmm...I've addressed everything that was in my brain, I think. Maybe.

Heck I don't know. Oh wait! I found something else to talk about.

I need a date. Not just any date. A fantastic, fun-loving, loves-to-dance-while-drinking date. A loves-to-dance-while-drinking-and-wearing-a-dress-and-maybe-boots date. I know the thought of a girl wearing a dress and boots at the same time can turn the stomachs of many a poor blog-reader, and I apologize. But this date is for a wedding. My friend Alison is getting married in a couple months, and the announcement I got in the mail this week said "Michael & Guest". That means...*dramatic chord* the pressure is on for a date. At least, it is in my head. 

This wouldn't be so bad if I weren't inept when it came to women. Don't get me wrong, I've had relationships and dates and stuff in the past, and I've got loads of friends who are girls, but when it comes to addressing a girl and asking her out, I'm as useless as a space heater on the 4th of July in Phoenix. 

Sorry, I like making those kinds of statements. It makes me feel complete and whole. And clever. Ha.

So if anyone has any suggestions for a date, or any suggestions as to how to land a date, my ears are more than open! :)

Aanyway, I think that's about all for this installment. Quick recap:

1) I'm old. 

2) I'm going back to church.

3) My crutches are cross-shaped.

4) Women make me wobble like a Jell-o mold on Labor Day. (Sorry, I couldn't help myself.)

And one last quick announcement: I think I'm going photo-ing this week. I'll be sure to post some of the best photos on here for your enjoyment.

Deuces, y'all! (Ha! Get it? Deuces! Haha...I'm such a nerd.)

Michael Dean

Feh.

Mini-update:

I've got pages to say, but my brain doesn't want to organize my thoughts well enough to publish them. Don't you hate it when that happens?

Looks like it's random blog time!

I'm sure most of you reading this have seen my flickr photostream. If you haven't, here's the URL (be sure to right click these links and open them in a new tab):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/Michael_Dean

What you probably didn't know is that I spend about 85% of my time online looking at OTHER people's pictures on flickr. I have found some AMAZING shots, many of which have inspired techniques in my own photography.

I would just like to take this time to share one of my absolute favorite photos with you, along with an expression of how it makes me feel.

The photo:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2597/3874488436_a2bed378d7_b.jpg

The expression of how it makes me feel at this point in time:

JESUS IS IT SUMMER YET?! I'M READY FOR MARGARITA SEASON!!!!

That is all. Have a good night! :)

Michael Dean

Laissez le Bon Temps Rouler!

Hey there! It's Mardi Gras! Well, it was until about an hour ago.

Anyway, how are you guys (guys? girls? person?) doing tonight??

I'm doing pretty well, myself. I didn't accomplish a whole lot today, but I woke up before noon for the first time in a week and a half! Woo little accomplishments!!

I also have a newly formatted blog and header, thanks to Justina. Thank you, Justina! (She's the one who is willing me her photography equipment, just for clarification.)

Right now I'm watching Fight Club on AMC instead of celebrating my favorite holiday of the year. That kinda happens when you're home for a semester away from your party animal friends. Oh well. C'est la vie, right? Aaanyway, Fight Club is a fantastic movie. It stars Edward Norton and my Idol. Brad Pitt is my Idol. More to come on that little psychosis later.

Hmm..random blogging for the win, I guess. Anyway, I've got a LOOONG day ahead of me, so I'm going to hit the sack sometime, and I shall blog tomorrow evening about the events of the day. (Hint: it involves multiple hours in a hospital waiting room. Fun, right?)

Hmm...again. I guess that's it. I'm outta here. Comment! Tell your friends! Ruminate with me!!

Hasta luego, and remember, laissez le bon temps rouler!!!

Michael Dean

Post Script:

Here's some more photography. Enjoy!

This is my cousin's daughter, Ella. It was taken last October at my cousin Adrienne's wedding. She's a cutie, and I loooove this picture of her.

Have a good one!

MD

GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLL(s)

Well hey there! As it seems I'm viewer-less, I'm not sure who I'm addressing, but what the heck.

So I didn't post any photography on Friday. Fail-tastic on my part. Oh well. There's plenty of time for that photography business.

Today(tonight), I share with you my short-term life goals list. And complain about my former fraternity. More to come on the latter...later.

I'm a wordsmith, I tell ya.

Firstly, the short-term life goals. Tonight, I made a list. It's not a very long list yet, but it's a list, all the same.

It's a list of, obviously, short-term life goals. THIS LIST INCLUDES (bear in mind, I'm aiming HIGH with this list.):

-Use the Bowflex I'm about to borrow from my cousin at least three times a week. 

-Run at least a mile at least four times a week.

-Get a full-time job. (I've got school to pay for come August, ya know)

-Find a house/apartment to rent when I get back to Manhattan.

This last little bullet brings me to the second topic of conversation for the evening: my former fraternity.

Until tonight at approximately 10:00 p.m., I was a member of a fraternity that I loved very very much. Didn't love all the guys, but that's to be expected.

Now I am not.

Those jerks.

And now we're done with the fraternity rant. :)

And now, some PHOTOGRAPHY! *pauses for deafening cheers from adoring fans*

I am an amateur photographer with a good point-and-shoot camera, and I like to think that I take some nifty pictures. My friend and I have an on-the-side photography...well, I hesitate to call it a "business" because we haven't made a dime yet, but hey, whatever. She's much better at photography than I, and has a nicer camera. Not that I'm jealous or anything. It's not my style. Anyway, I'm writing myself into her will. Actually, I don't think she has a will, so I'll write the whole darn thing for her. And I'll make sure to put in there that should she meet an untimely demise (and even if she doesn't), I shall inherit any and all photographic equipment that she possesses. Immediately.

I'm a go-getter. I get things done.

I'm also a rambler. It contradicts my go-getterness terribly. So I guess I'm a go....meh. I'm not really concerned with labeling myself at this point in my life. It's silly.

ANYWAY, back to the photography. Enjoy!

I took this a couple weeks ago while getting lost. It's one of my favorite photos that I've taken. It's about 5.5 miles north of my house and maybe 4 miles east. I love it, and I hope you do, too.

Sleep well, readers! Reader? Mom?

Nah, not Mom. She would think rambling aimlessly to the whole Internet is ridiculous. Which it kinda is, but oh well.

Hasta luego!

Michael Dean

Well Hi There!

Hello! Welcome to Cud Chewin'! A place where I come to ruminate over life's little adventures, and talk about my daily experiences for the entertainment of y'all! (Hopefully. "Entertainment" can be interpreted rather loosely, in this setting.)

For anybody who may happen upon my bog that doesn't know me (not likely for these first few blogs), my name's Michael. You can call me Michael, Michael Dean, whatever you like. I'm a 22 year old kid on a hiatus from school (we'll talk about that sometime) in a little town in Kansas. I'm a senior at Kansas State University in Manhattan, majoring in Animal Sciences & Industry, hence the chewin' of cud goin' on around these parts. Upon graduation, I plan on.....hold on. Wait. Wait just a second..........okay. I think we're good. I had a momentary sense of impending adulthood, and it scared the crud outta me. I really don't have any plans for after graduation yet, but I've got some time, right?

Anyway, speaking of time, I've got a fair amount of it on my hands these days, and I figured, "Hey, why not start a blog? It's not like I don't already waste my life on these here Interwebs." Here I am, in all my ramblin' glory. In this here blog, I'll be talking about all sorts of things. My daily experiences, my photography endeavors, and pretty much the ins and outs of my life, which is quite the contradiction of terms. What do I mean? For instance, I am a pro-choice registered Republican whose iPod has the tendency to jump from George Strait to George Gershwin with a little Miley Cyrus on the side. In one day, I have been known to work cattle, play the piano, bake a cake and clean my guns. I have an infatuation with John Wayne and Sandro Botticelli, and can't get enough of their respective works of art. Do we get the picture?

Seeing that it is 4:03 in the morning, I think I'm going to wrap this up for now, and I'll be back later in the day with a further explanation of what you can expect from this blog, along with some photography. It's my prerogative, right?

Y'all come back!

Michael Dean