Wait till the summer comes along

I feel like a little kid again in regards to my anticipation of summer. I don't know if its more how much I disliked school this semester and can't wait for it to end, or if its really what the summer holds that I am more excited about. Both parts will be just as sweet I'm sure. Unfortunately I will be taking summer school right off the bat, but at least it is a class that I will have great interest in. Just that the commute into Boise 4 days a week for just 2 hours of class will really get old. Also, even though I am not too close to too many of them, it will be a bit of a bummer to not have around all the local university students who will be leaving in the summer. But lets look more at the good things this summer has to offer such as warmth and sunshine.

So far, I can't seem to break my habit of putting on a sweater before I step outside only to find out that it is much too warm for multiple layers. I do really like sweaters, but it will be nice to no longer need one. I am so excited to have free time to do things I want without some sort of paper lingering over my head that I know I should be doing instead. Such things might include reading a book that isn't required for school, or perhaps fully recording an entire song, or some sort of writing project, who knows. I just hope I'm productive in some way. We have already had a few glimpses of how wonderful it is to have concerts at the coffee garage with the doors open and tons of people around, and it is quite an enjoyable experience. Plenty of bike riding will take place as well. There will be weddings and road trips. Even though I have already experienced a cross country road trip of my own, I can't help but be a little jealous of Caleb and Tori's month and a half long adventure across the eastern half of the country. But Joe, Diana, and I are hoping to conquer the west with a little road trip to my hometown and many stops along the way. That is definitely something to get excited about. Oh so much to look forward to. For some it has already begun, but for me, I have a little less than 3 weeks to wait, and when it finally comes it will be oh so sweet. What are you looking forward to this summer?

Some Mother's Son

Today I feel like one of those little kids who cries, "I want my mommy" whenever anything goes wrong for them away from her. Last night through this morning I felt sicker than I have in quite some time. The last time I felt this sick was probably last summer when I experienced heat exhaustion. Though that only lasted until I cooled down and threw up, and then I was back to normal. Plus I had family there to take care of me. This sickness however is not going to be cured by a little throwing up session. Luckily I already feel better than I did whilst trying to sleep last night, but definitely not 100% just yet. Last night made me miss more than ever my loving mother. There is nothing like the feeling of being taken care of when sick, and my mom was always quite good at this. Maybe a little wimpy for a grown man to feel this way, but I guess I always have kind of been a little bit of a mama's boy. I was craving like none other just the simple act of her placing her hand on my forehead to tell me if I had a temperature or not. Just knowing someone is there to look after you is the greatest feeling ever when you are sick. Anyways, just wanted to say thanks to my mom for all the times she has taken great care of me when sick, and that it is hard to get used to not having. I'll live.

Here Today

The other night I had a dream I was back in high school. It was at basketball practice and we were preparing for a big game. It was exciting. Practicing with all the old high school friends and coach Bernie with all of us working towards a goal. It was fun. When I woke up I had no idea what year it was, how old I was, what state I was in, what day of the week it was, or what I was supposed to do that day. Took me probably a good 20 seconds to sort that all out: 2008, 23 (really! already?!), Idaho (What room is this? definitely not my old California bedroom I am in... oh yeah), Monday, and I work on Mondays. The dream seemed real enough to confuse me that much. It was weird.

Yesterday I daydreamed of the future. I was visiting home for a big family gathering . It was at Aunt Mary and Uncle Lori's house as they always have been. Aunt Mary still called me Baby Shaun as she always has, and Uncle Lori gave a good long speech and prayer as he usually does, but with me was something new, a wife and kids. Crazy, I thought, seems so unfathomable, but that just may happen someday. Everyone was there, and instead of me wandering around by myself, as a single member of a big family, occasionally mingling with others, I was now a small group of people that were members of a much larger group. Pretty vivid for a daydream I suppose; I really thought it out. It was weird to imagine.

Today I will live in the moment. I will go out and enjoy the day. I will get done what I need to, and I will enjoy The Invasion concert tonight alongside countless good friends.

Weekend Update

For my latest writings go here: http://houseofsha-kim.blogspot.com/2008/04/weekend-update.html
It fit better into the shakim household blog, so thats where I posted it. Its my Idaho family blog in case you are wondering, and everything written was referring to them, so thats where it belonged. Ok, thats all.

Real dialogue from the counter of Flying M

Scene: middle age couple walks up to counter and girl orders a mocha. Boy customer then proceeds with this:

Customer: What do you have that tastes like chocolate milk?

Me: Umm, I could make you chocolate milk.

Customer: No, I had that, didn't like it. I'll take whatever she got.

(Once they left I laughed for hours thinking about this)

The smile you smile

There is this customer at work. She isn't a regular, but she does come in from time to time. She is an elder lady probably in her 60's and is always with her husband. The thing about her is that she has never smiled at me. Some people were born smilers, or maybe they are just happier than most, I don't know. But this lady isn't one of those. She just seems to have one of those faces that doesn't smile on a regular basis. Sure, she smiles when around friends of hers, but to me, the unknown server of her coffee, a smile has never been received. That may sound weird, after all, probably a majority of the customers don't, and I most surely am not always smiling back either. But I kind of know her, not personally, but of her, and we know a lot of the same people. She knows all my friends, and they all know her. So I guess I kind of feel like we should have this connection or something, but no one has introduced us (not that they really have any reason to), and so to her, I am just there to serve coffee. So I serve her like usual, maybe with an extra bit of courtesy thinking that we might know each other someday and want to have a good reputation to build off, and she isn't particularly rude at all, but she isn't nice in any way either. Then my friend Caleb (whom she knows) will walk up and she will be all smiles and friendly as ever. Then, done with Caleb, she turns back to me in her non smiling, borderline frowning face. It seems to be this way every time I see her. This kind of gets to me: I want a smile. She seems in short supply of them, but I want one. I want something about me to be able to bring out a smile in someone else, and no better person to try on than a person who is not a habitual smiler. Her husband is all smiles and as friendly as anyone, and has even introduced himself to me, but her, a smile seems to rarely crack except for good reason. So I have a goal; make this woman smile at me, and at me only. And not just one of those yeah I'm pretending to be nice, fake smiles (I don't think she does those anyways, which might be a good thing), but a real genuine I am happy you are a part of my life at this moment smile, which is probably rarely given to a stranger from anyone. I have some rules for this goal which are these:

1. I can't use the "we know the same people" approach. Thats too easy and anyone smiles in a situation like that.

2. Likewise, I can't be introduced to her. I won't allow it. Everyone smiles when introduced, or at least they should. After all, the best way to make a good first impression to people is to be smiling. No one likes a frowner.

3. She can have no preconceived notion of me being someone she should be nice to. I must be a complete stranger. I have to bring out this smile by my simple charm and nothing else. This may be difficult to uphold since she has seen me a number of times now and even in places outside the coffeeshops employee-customer scenario, but a smile was not received there either.

So there you have it, my latest goal in life, to bring a smile out in an elder lady. I hope it doesn't sound like I am trying to get a smile from an old hag or anything like that. I know of nothing but good things about this person and she is no doubt as friendly as I am. I know plenty well that I am not all smiles, especially during my commute to and from school when, after a late night of homework, I want people on the bus to just leave me alone and sit next to anybody but me. But these are just my personal experiences with her thus far, and I want to change them myself without the help of others. It should probably be a regular practice to try to make people smile, but lets just start out with this. I don't know what I will do to achieve this the next time I see her, but I hope something will come to me. Wish me luck.

Good Day Sunshine

Today's weather is hard to beat. I am glad there was something asked of me to get me out of bed and enjoy some it. It is bright blue, not a cloud in the sky, and the sun is warm, yet with the perfect touch of briskness in the air to make the sun even more enjoyable to feel. It was so nice to be outside in short sleeves sucking up the sun. I never realized how enjoyable that can be until I couldn't do it for 4 months. I walked around a beautiful university feeling quite scholastic as I made my way to its library. I was glad to have parked far away so I could enjoy the walk. I think I will take out my bike today and ride downtown.

toilet paper

I live in the upstairs of a church owned house where they use the downstairs as their church office. Seems weird to me to have a church office in the middle of a regular neighborhood, but I guess if you think about it, thats where a church should be. Anyways, yesterday I spent almost the entire day in this house. It was very nice to have a lazy day after a not so enjoyable week of school and late nights of homework, but also makes you feel like a waste of a human being by the end of it. Anyways, as I wasted a day away up here all the while planning on leaving and going anywhere at any minute, something happened; we got toilet papered. Right under my very nose. I am sure it was the church's youth group members that did it because I remember hearing a bunch of youngsters outside talking to each other. I thought nothing of this because people come and go down there throughout the day making all sorts of noises, youth group meetings seem to happen regularly. They only toilet papered the small little walkway leading to my door which leads to nothing but mine and my roomate's little upstair bachelor pad and has no connection to downstairs. They did a decent job of decorating this small path, but whats strange is that this house has two enormous trees and a nice size yard that really is the most perfect target of any tp artist. It has endless potential. They however bipassed all the trees and just concentrated all their efforts and resources on my front door path. I guess all I can say is I admire their artistic integrity in having very little resources and deciding to do one small little area really well rather than a huge terrible job. I feel a little foolish not catching them in the act; not that I would have done anything, but I guess still just my presence appearing would have given them a good scare sending them running. I even recall hearing them through my window ask each other what was upstairs as they left, and wondering where the stairs were because they had never seen any inside. I wish I could have told him, "Well, thats because there are none inside, and you just toilet papered a stranger." I suppose I could relay the message to the intended target.

Crazy Squirrel

My neighborhood has a nice population of squirrels, and this morning one managed to scare the bajeasis out of me. My front door has a few steps going up to it with walls on both sides, and my morning routine usually involves a quick sprint and a jump down these steps as I try to get out to my car as quickly as possible: partly because its  quite cold, and partly because I am usually running borderline late. Its probably the only thing close to exercise I currently get. Anyways, this morning, as I took part in this routine of mine, and made that final leap off the last few steps, I noticed out of the corner of my eye a very quick movement approaching my landing space. Luckily I landed before it got there, but once landed, it was less than a foot away from my foot and headed quickly right at my ankle as if it was planning to climb me like a tree. For a second I pictured it doing just that and stopping at my face to take a few swipes at my eyes with its little hand like claws. Maybe I did something to tick it off, or maybe it was protecting its new babies, or maybe it had rabies, or maybe it was just plain insane. I didn't know, but for that split second, I expected the worst. So I of course immediately upon landing jumped as high as my adrenaline would take me whilst letting out a small yelp of fear. I believe the poor little squirrel however was just as scared as I was, and ran away as fast as I have ever seen one move, climbing up the tree next to me and traveling far far away. I suppose he was just on his morning routine as well, and was completely unexpectant of a flying human to be landing on his route to his tree. It just so happened that on this fateful day our two routines collided in climactic fashion.  End of story

Kathy's Eulogy

So a daily customer of Flying M passed away last week, and since I was unable to make it to the funeral, I figured I should at the very least share some of my memories of her. I don't even know her full name, but just knew her as Kathy, the elder lady who came in every night for a small cup of coffee and a cookie. I once thought of her as my favorite customer just because she was so simple to serve and always tipped an undisclosed amount of change. Could have been pennies for all I know, but its the thought that counts right? My interactions with her were simple and short, but memorable nonetheless. They usually went as follows: Hi Kathy. Hello (in her low quiet tone of voice with a bit of a smile/smirk on her face). The usual? she nods. Do you want the house coffee or the coffee of the day? She just laughs and shrugs her shoulders expressing that she really doesn't care. Then says, "I'll try the ___ cookie" She would then pay, I'd give her the change, she'd stick her hand in the tip jar dropping a few coins, and then head over to the bar for a seat. Later she would come back for a refill with the same smirk and odd look in her eye and tip a few more coins. In her seat she would often dance to whatever music was playing and bob her head. I don't know how, but she seemed to be able to hear any conversation from anywhere in the room, and if religion or theology ever was the topic, she would approach saying, "Jesus told me to get up and come over here." She would then just say all I can do is praise Jesus, thats really all you can do, or something like that. Then go back and sit down. In the last two months or so we talked a few times when I was in just as another customer like her. It would usually just be small talk where she would smile and chuckle after almost everything I said, and I would smile back after everything she said even though I usually didn't understand any of it. Before I knew it she would be standing close with a grandmotherly hand on my back, almost enough to make me feel slightly awkward, but I knew it was just her being her loving self. Her glasses, her cowboy hat, her sometimes slightly hairy face, and occasional loud mumbling to herself are all things I think I will miss. I've heard stories of her riding a skateboard around which I am very sad to say I never got to witness. She brought an odd enjoyment to my job, and I hope in some small way I was able to brighten up the last six months of her life of which I knew her. Goodbye Kathy

April Fools Recap

Well the first of April started with me getting fooled royally. Here is the transcription of how it went down, courtesy of Chad Bryan for allowing me to post the conversation.

AIM IM with charlesthrice4/1/08 12:45 AM
charlesthrice: shoot man.
charlesthrice: i just read your blog.
charlesthrice: and now it's april fool's day.
Shaun King: oh really
Shaun King: it is
charlesthrice: but the one thing about your idea...
charlesthrice: the kaysha one...
charlesthrice: Well, I talked to her today...
charlesthrice: it was kind of a big talk for us.
charlesthrice: Like biggest ever.
Shaun King: wow, sounds big
charlesthrice: I mean, I'd told her my feelings before
charlesthrice: but she'd never told her feelings back the way she did today.
Shaun King: crazy
charlesthrice: bro, i think i'm going to marry her.
charlesthrice: and i think she wants to marry me.
Shaun King: haha, that would make me pretty darn happy as well
charlesthrice: it's kinda blowing my mind right now.
Shaun King: and I can't help but laugh remembering a few months back when you once again told me you were over her for good
charlesthrice: it's like i've had butterflies in my stomach ever since i talked to her.
charlesthrice: hahaha...
charlesthrice: oh man.
Shaun Kingso: what did she say, if you don't mind sharing a little
charlesthrice: Shaun...did you even pay attention to how i started this conversation?
Shaun King: dangit, april fools day
charlesthrice: hahahahahaha
Shaun King: I just got hosed didn't I
charlesthrice: oh man...
charlesthrice: The truth is...
charlesthrice: i did talk to her today.
Shaun King: i'M SUCH A FOOL
Shaun King: i am pretty much the most gullible guy i know
Shaun King: I guess I just wished it to be true myself
charlesthrice: well, i really did talk to her...
Shaun King: well thats good
charlesthrice: and the thing is...
charlesthrice: it wasn't good.
charlesthrice: cause it all just started coming out...my feelings i mean.
Shaun King: wait, so the feelings are back?
Shaun King: wait, you aren't fooling me again are you
charlesthrice: no...she totally shut me down.
charlesthrice: for good.
Shaun King: ah man, sorry bout that
charlesthrice: nah. i'm fooling again.
Shaun King: I'll never trust you again chad
charlesthrice: But the truth is, i did talk to her today! First time in a couple of weeks...but we didn't talk about feelings at all.
charlesthrice: oh man shaun......it's april fools day!
charlesthrice: you can't trust any man!
Shaun King: i'LL NEVER TRUST YOU AGAIN FOR THE REST OF THE DAY
Shaun King: oops, didn't mean to yell that
charlesthrice: hahaha...i hope so.
charlesthrice: let this be a lesson--i don't want you being had any more today! You have to be the hadder!
Shaun King: hey can I post this conversation as a blog
charlesthrice: Speaking of which--any ideas for the april fools?
Shaun King: I'll try
charlesthrice: Oh man, Please do!
charlesthrice: hahaha
Shaun King: you can also feel free to do so if you wanna show people how good of a fooler you are and how dumb I am
charlesthrice: hahaha
charlesthrice: oh man.
Shaun King: but, sadly, no ideas yet, been kind of a hectic weekend
charlesthrice: well, if you and i were sitting here face to face, you would've known. I've got nothing for a poker face
charlesthrice: shoot man.
Shaun King: yeah, I can picture your face now and can easily see the laughing deceit in it
charlesthrice: oh man...i think i'm ok with being a really terrible liar.
charlesthrice: i'm pretty gullible myself actually
charlesthrice: i was actually voted 'most gullible' in my senior class--i didn't even realize i was until i got my yearbook. Then i started asking people if i was gullible and they were like "OH MY GOSH! MOST GULLIBLE PERSON I KNOW."
charlesthrice: it was harsh.
Shaun King: wow
Shaun King: think you could convince Caleb of what you just told me? or does he know too much to know better
charlesthrice: hahaha...
charlesthrice: i think you could
charlesthrice: any chance you're with him now?
Shaun King: nope
Shaun King: I might not even see him tomorrow actually
charlesthrice: oh man.
charlesthrice: well still. you can use this by all means.
Shaun King: oh I plan on it
Shaun King: if i see Caleb can I tell him about this conversation as if its truth?
charlesthrice: oh yes
charlesthrice: please do
Shaun King: think he'll buy it?
charlesthrice: hard to say...i think he could
charlesthrice: but it's one of those things, he might think, "Why haven't i heard it from chad or kaysha?"
Shaun King: we might need to get Tori in on it, that might make it more believable
charlesthrice: and think you're trying to fool him.
Shaun King: cause it happened this late at night and I just happened to be up still for you to tell me
charlesthrice: How about I'll call tori in the morning and get her--like trick her. but after i tell her the truth, i'll tell her you and i are getting caleb and she needs to get in on it
Shaun King: sounds like a plan
Shaun King: better than nothing anyways
charlesthrice: absolutely


So thats the beginning, later on in the conversation I got him back, but we didn't get my permission to publicly display that part of the conversation. Just know it was equally good, or equally bad depending on your perception of it.

Unfortunately, nothing big ever ended up happening. Chad did get Tori in the morning, but at night, I feebly tried to get Caleb, but pretty much just ended up getting fooled myself as Caleb just acted like he didn't care, and then mocked me at the end for trying. Apparently my not so good friend Joe tipped him off beforehand. So overall, April Fools day was a big failure. Maybe one of these years I'll pull something big that will live on in infamy. Until then, live happily.