Friday, October 29, 2010

Most Hectic Blog Friday Ever!

It's blog Friday and my Firday is jammed packed so I doubt I will have any other time than this to write a blog and I officially have 6 minutes! Gah!
Recent News:
-I have a new job, start Sunday night after evening service.
-Gave my two weeks notice to my boss yesturday and I'm dieing to be done with the place; but I am going to use one of Sophies daily blog idea's (not sure which one yet) to make little parting gifts for all my co-workers.
-NaNoWriMo starts Monday and I officially have an idea and title for my book; only my dad and Jessica (McMillan) know what it is...but no worries it's defentley Christian :] ...and you will probably find out sooner than later no doubt.
-Tonight is the annual Rust Halloween Party!
-And finally, I think I got an unofficial/official word earlier this week. Randal came up to me as I'm walking into the church for the usual mornig prayer and said when he saw me this came to his mind, and he said "God will give you the desires of your heart as you serve him". So immediatley I went into prayer and prayed for a pony...just kidding. But I did rush into prayer and asked God what does he want me to have on my heart? And I asked him to please keep the desires of my heart in the will of God...It was a lot though and I'm still praying about it just because I don't know what to think.
Anyways, my time is up, see you on Monday!
-Toby K.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

4 days, 12 hours, 18 minutes, 16 seconds, 15, 14, 13...

My day plans have changed. Originally I was supposed to go into train for my new job here in town at Brookdale (a care center behind the Ruby Tuesday's area), but being that I would be the only one there to train they said that I can finish that part of my training later. I'm officially starting this Sunday night. I'm nervous, the reason: it's graveyard...10pm-6am...full-time. I'm going to go a little crazy but it will be beneficial in the long run. No missed services, concerts or practices. When Conference comes, I'll be able to actually go to all the services. It will take a little getting used to, but I'll make it work. So getting back on track, the day instead of being away training, I'll be home, my focus entirely on the prepartions for NaNoWriMo. I'm in my room, sitting with blankets covering me. Scattered over my bed are various journals, pens, pencils, markers, notecards, bookmarks, papers, one fully charged Ipod, and Charlotte (my dictionary...I'll tell her story later). Today I'll be tossing around idea's, plotting character and setting charts, begin research, and start clearing space off my computer so that it will be able to hold my 175 page novel. I will probably clean my room as well, seeing as when November 1st comes, it will cease to be any prioity of mine. I have clothes hanging over the drawers of my open dresser, hanging over my bed, nightstand, and desk as well, there's sneakers and hairties, lotions and towels, concert flyers and computer cords, bracelets, necklaces, scarfs, folders, pillows, and aprons all strewn throughout. The sheets to my bed are untucked and stuffed in one bundled corner of the bed. My writing tools don't help the situation, finding homes in every nook and cranny between my bed and the door. Today will defentley be dedicated to that, and tomorrow as well. Once Friday comes I won't have much time to prepare between work and the giant "Rock Opera" that were putting on this Saturday...a "Rock Opera" which we've had less than a week to plan and build and write and cast and then ofcourse perform...but I, being the nice compliant skit team member, will simply learn my lines and watch this entire operation quickly fall into place. 
---Sorry for the rant.
I am really excited for November. The leaves are turning and my fingers burn with anxious anticipation.
-Toby K.

                                              View of my bed...

Monday, October 25, 2010

NaNoWriMo (na' noe- rye-moe)

The anticipation is killing me. I'm running and typing like a mad man trying to prepare for this upcoming month...but I bet you're wondering what NaNoWriMo is, aren't you? Well it's short for National Novel Writing Month, and it is the month in which novelist, from every neck of the woods, come together and dedicate themselves to a project all about writing. And when I say "all about writing", I mean ALL ABOUT WRITING. All those participating will set out to write a novel, a 50,000 word novel---in a month. So yes, I'm declaring that I, Toby K., will dedicate myself to this endeavor and write a 50,000 word novel. I'm quite terrified. It is basically impossible to write a good novel in less then a year let alone less than a month, but no one ever said it had to be good; and I'm not writing it to in some way create a best seller, I'm writing it because if I can write this, then I can write anything. This will give me first hand experience at the stress and pressure that comes with life as a writer and I'm so excited just to do it. To take that leap...that giant pain stankingly long leap off this jagged literary cliff. It will be fun. I'm going to be ripping out my hair and my nails will be bitten to the knuckle but it will be fun.
So I'm asking you, dedicated Toby K. followers, to keep me on track. Be the thing hanging over my head when it comes to me wanting to give up...because I will want to.
My Monday, Wednesday, Friday blogs (through November) probably won't be in real Toby K. fashion since all creative energy will be focused towards NaNoWriMo, but they will defentley keep you updated on my progress and word count; and you never know, if I happen to love a snipet from my novel (whoa...take it in...My Novel! Ha, that's exciting!) you guys could be the first ones to read it. I don't plan on doing anything with the finished product unless I do fall head over heels for it, I'm just hoping this will get my wheels turning for furture products.
Be praying for me and my nimble fingers; we will defentley be needing it.
-Toby K.

(Updates: I was looking through other blogs a few days ago and realized how ugly my blog must seem- stark white, black writing, pumpkin trim and navy blue finish. Ew. So I'm working right now to create an actual layout that is more fitting to my blog, because I can only pray that my writings are not as bland as my background. I'm hoping my writings are atleast a tad interesting and if so they deserve an interesting back drop...so be on the look out for a new up and coming design.)

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Night Out On The Town

Oh la la, a suprise Saturday blog. I wouldn't often be blogging on a Saturday afternoon but if I don't now, I'll forget about all the fun I had last night and you would be missing out on some good ole' fashion Toby K. memories.
It all started yesturday after a series of random text messages between me and Joey (Joe Gash, for those of you who know multiple Josephs). The plan was a haunted corn maze, exciting right? Arriving at Joey's after a round about drive to the church and back, Marcos, Septembre, Joey, and myself all climbed into Joey's Big Red Truck and set off towards...well I don't know, but it was far off in the country thats for sure.
Oh! But lets not get ahead of ourselves. You must know that my Friday night's are never eventful...and I mean never. I work Friday nights till about 8:30 sometimes 9 and at that point everyone is already out having fun and exploring the wonders of Oregon, so I usually end up spending those nights home alone starring at the wall. So last night by the grace of God and the awesome amount of fervent prayer, my manager let me off early- for the first time in forever! It was outstanding.

Now we can back to the story---
Not after too long we began to pull into the driveway of this haunted corn maze and something seemed a little off...all the corn was cut down.
I couldn't stop laughing as we drove back towards the main roads. Silly Joey never thought to call and check to see if they were still in the corn haunting business, and they weren't. So after much deliberation we decided on Salem. We hit Taco Bell, caused a ruckus and then met up with Greg (Eckhart) at a very mysterious looking place called "WonderLand"...Aside from the strange title and unfortunate entrance it turned out to be a lot of fun. It was a small room filled with Arcade games. I don't know how much the boys enjoyed themselves but I do know that me and Septembre went to town. We worked up some much energy shooting evil robots in a "wanna be" Star Trek game and then fought to the death in a very intense game of air-hockey; okay, it was more like 6 games, but you get the picture. Around 11:30 my attention span was shot and my tired body became slugish. I stood by as Joey and Greg got a chance to catch up in conversation and then finally we made our way back to the Big Red Truck. I got my last few bursts of energy out by laughing at my darling Septembre and then curled up humming to the sounds of the radio.
Finally arriving at Joeys, I yawned myself the two blocks back home and then crashed. Literally. I even slept through all three of my alarms.
Aside from the major exhaustion of this morning I had an absolute blast. I laughed so hard that I almost peed myself, and me and Septembre were able to have a much needed girls night---even with the guys there.
-Toby K.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Gasping At Dry Land

A man walks, tugging his tie, loosening buttons, messing his hair, and pulling minature telephones from his ears. He shuffles his feet, avoiding cracks and wads of wet gum. He follows the yellow signs, looking at their letters and arrows but too familar his eyes only wander. A baby crys next to him on the E Train and he can't help but scowl. In two stops his foot is stepped on by the man with graffiti on his arm. After the third, the screaming baby is finally carried past the yellow sliding doors. The man sighs, wipes his hand over his tie, and stares at his scuffed shoe...

...and then I go blank. For some reason this blog Friday has left me like a fish out of water; my gulping mouth opens and shuts as if I could somehow swallow the words I wish to say. I write a sentence, delete a sentence, think a phrase, shun a phrare, even type out an entire stanza only to erase it three seconds later. Maybe after work today I'll come home, wipe the sweat from my brow and let my fingers do the talking as I dunk my head in a bucket of wet inspiration.
-Toby K.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Thus Saith the Lord

So this week we are in Revival; can I hear an "Amen"?
This revival is with none other than Steve Bohman. Oh! that man is a riot, he has me and Septembre falling over onto one another and has the rest of the church turning heads towards our little foxhole seats in the corner. This man...he is so filled with God that you can't but feel the Holy dripping like water from his prayers. I stand during song service, clapping hands, swaying back and forth, and just watch him praise God up on the platform. He smiles as he sings, hums when he dosen't know the words, and I can see his lips tremble ferociously as he worships in tongues. His sermons send us running to the altar with conviction and revelation. His words stick to my ears, whispering themselves back to me even days later. He's shorter than he looks and as skinny as post. He sooty hair is balding on top and his eyes are dark and rooted. When he makes eye contact, you feel like holding your hands over your soul because you're positive that he's reading right through it. At the end of service the room gets tense as he walks slowly down the aisles passing out Words like parking tickets. It's only after he walks past and begins to talk to the person behind me that I finally exhale a breath; but then he's off again, scanning rows for familiar faces, and again I clench my hands over the maroon felt in front of me. Then finally he walks onto the platform and asks for Pastor to come as we praise God, and believe you me I do- for the fact that I didn't get a Word.
Jaime, my dearest Jaime Joe, tells me every revival, "I'm praying that you get a Word".
"Oh thats funny," I say, "cause I've been praying not to get one", smirking.
"Don't do that! You're completley counteracting my prayers!", she rants and all I can do is laugh.
Oh the idea of words just frightens me. I know they're not scary (maybe nerve racking), but not harmful. That they're only meant for the positive and not to embarress. That they can really help someone, giving direction or understanding, guidance and even just simple support. But I also know that a Word...is directly from God...and that scares me. The idea that the Almighty God, the Risen King, the one who Reigns over Heaven and the Earth, the Redeemer, the King of all Kings and the Lord of all Lords, would look at me, this lowly human, and speak to me personally, is enough to send me falling to my knees.
And then I think about all the people who have recieved words and have back sliden...oh the numbers are many. I don't understand it. God spoke to them! Directly to them! And they turned away...That breaks me heart. Just thinking about their conviction, their condemnation, their pain and suffering and lonliness and it all, makes me only hold tighter to the robes trailing the Lord. He's loving, so loving...loving enough to not give me a word (insert grin).

-Toby K.

(Oh and I'm thinking about having themed days for my blogs seeing as I actually have a schedule now but I'm still in the processing of theme-ing them up. Thanks for being patient).

Monday, October 18, 2010

My Best Friend

I know I just posted a blog...like two seconds ago, but I wanted to share this with you guys without leaving my other blog with a run-on affect. Anyways, I've gotten into the habbit of laying down to bed and falling asleep to my ipod playing, and the other night a song came on that had my heart aching with saddness for the absence of my best friend. She's a thousand miles away and it kills to not have her with me. So ofcourse, being the Toby K. that I am, I set out to write her something, and I did. I layed in the dark with my phone and dictionary under my covers and typed her up an infamous Toby K. piece of work. The next day, after reading my email she called me in tears, all because of my little two paragraph shpeel. I love that. Not that she was crying...well kind of...but because I am able to impact her so much with just the words I say. I love that, I really do.

So I've copy and pasted the email below, and I hope that you too have a best friend you can feel this way about.

To Tate-
I've layed down in bed. Wrapped myself tightly in colored covers and tangled my feet between my matress and my sheets. I lay here quiet. Quiet and still. The stars lay with me, playing at my fingertips; they stay quiet too. And I begin to remember. Remember this person I once knew and now love. This person who also lays quiet with stars slumbered close to her. This person who has made a home in the middle of my heart. This person who makes friends with the darkest oceans and farthest moons. This person who kicks up her feet in the sweet cream of the milky way. This person who recieves warmly the kisses from the thorns of roses and leaves unscratched. This person I once knew and now love.
This person will always and forever be you, my darling. Be you my confidant. Be you my support. Be you my most sought companion. I love and miss you more than the world; the moon, the stars, and the galaxy's them all, for you are more valuable my love, more valuable then you know.
-Your Best Friend.


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Heres some pictures of Me and Tate during her last visit here when she came for Spring Break



-Toby K.


Scatter Brained, Can You Tell?

So I often visit blogger. Read blogs, search blogs, admire blog designs, read more blogs that were referenced in other blogs, looks at blogs with pictures, look at blogs with cakes, look at blogs with crafts, and drawings and funny stories about their dog named Pete, ect. And it came to my attention that I haven't written in a blog in an almost 3 weeks...wow. Really...wow. So while thinking of that and reading some more blogs I've decided that I am going to write a blog three times a week. Monday, Wednesday, Friday. You are all welcome to hold me to that, all wonderful four of you (insert smiley face here).


So now that we've covered that, I'm going to actually blog....so a while ago I mentioned two tales. I've told one and have forgotten most of the major details of the other...oops. The major jist of it all was that I made yummy apple cider at the Rust farm. I helped cut the apples, leaving my hands cut and bruised and sore, and then helped strain and seperate the juice. The rest was left to the wonderful Melissa who cooked up a pot or two of the deliciously infectious nector of absolute bliss. The boys did most of the hard work though crushing and juicing the apples. Non the less, it was fun. Afterwards we all gathered in the living room and I played with Little Miss Cora and chatted simultaneously with the darling Sydney who talked of school and Wyatt who mumbled about halloween costumes (incase your wondering he wants to be either: Bugs Bunny or a pirate...my suggestion be Bugs Bunny dressed up as a pirate- problem solved). It was a very enjoyable night.

A lot, a lot, a lot, has happened since. Working, going to Thursday Night Football games, breakfast with the gang and a much delusional Illy, coffee with the woman every Tuesday, good skits, funny skits, embarressing skits, outreaches and revivals; so so so much, I don't know how I could put it all down on screen...(I hope you guys caught the joke).
Anyways, I hope to share more of them with you, especially with my new blog regimen.
-Toby K.