lately...

lately I've been pondering the meaning of the word "friend" and who meets these requirements. the technical definition of the word is:
n.
1. A person whom one knows, likes, and trusts.
2. A person whom one knows; an acquaintance.
3. A person with whom one is allied in a struggle or cause; a comrade.
4. One who supports, sympathizes with, or patronizes a group, cause, or movement.

Of these dictionary terms I find the first and third to be true in the sense that a Friend, a real friend, is someone whom you know, and they know you. The ones that can tell you how their day has been, whether good or bad, without the fear of appraisal(or judgment) by you of their mental wellbeing. :) it's not the fact that they "know you" as an acquantance, but the factor of trust as in the first definition. This short discription does not do justice to what it actually means.
My definition: someone in which you can confide in, depend on, and trust with your life. But most importantly, that you have these qualities in yourself AS someones "friend". If you wonder why you have no friends that match this description on some, if not all, of these points, the reason is probably that YOU aren't one. I find it harder and harder to find someone that won't talk about others when they aren't around for pure conversation sake. It's like all they can think about is others faults, as if they themselves have none. Oh, yes, I'm talking about me too. I've often found myself biting my tongue because I was saying things about others I wouldn't want said about me. So this is what I think should be done: 1. don't talk about someone else unless its for they're benefit. 2. Pay attention to what you are saying about someone else. you might not want it said about you. 3. Dont GOSSIP!!! If you heard something "from the grape vine" don't spread it around. If you want to know, work up the nerve to ask the person about it. They will appreciate it. believe me. 4. Most of all. If someone needs something, do it. Help them cause you would want the same. I guess what I'm trying to say is... be the kind of friend that you would want to have. It seems to be working for me. Thanks for listening to my ramblings. This is The jAkE. signing off.

people

I think that the people of this planet are nothing but egotistical lunatics who only want whats best for themselves meaning: screw everyone else. Women are the ones that drive the men to be pigs because no matter what you do for them, they will always, always stab you in the back sooner or later. Men have this sense of being able to do no wrong as long as he buys her stuff and caters to her physical wants (oops sorry, I meant needs) this is not so for the mental and emotional fragility of a girl can never be determined because they can hide things so well, whether its their nature I'm not sure, but when you least expect it they will blow the lid and dump you. you know why? because they've had problems for probably a very long time but keep it from you for what reasons I dont know but they do. men on the other hand are almost always the opposite. Telling you how it is and letting you know exactly how they feel at any given moment no matter how inopportune the timing.this creates a delema because the girl never wants to hurt the guys feelings but she also hold the pain inside and wont let it go.if only women would have the common sense to tell it how it is, things would be alot smoother and many, many break ups would be consoled. but that my friends will never happen because nature does not change. but there is hope because people CAN change. they are usually ust to prideful,and too prideful to admit their pride. This has been the ravings of a person that has changed and it still didnt save the relationship. so really all I have just said failed for me maybe because I didn't do what needed to, or more likely, she could not be trusted. Faithfullness is a rarity in todays relationships, if you are involved with someone, be faithful and wholehearted to them, they deserve much more than that, but its a start.

The things I leared.

Yesterday and today I was helping this man in Phenix City with this project he has been doing for a while. He is 79 years old and he just had shoulder surgery so he needed some help. well anyway, we (I) were (was) building a closet that he had mostly built on the side of his house off of his bedroom. today I put up paneling, built three big shelves and... laid the carpet. today I busted my be-hiney! But the point is, now I'm glad I went to work with my Dad since I was little, and I paid attention. And I'm glad I've gotten to work with him too, and he has taught me so much. I know how to built most things (houses excluded) and I can fix most things (cars excluded). I am very thankful for the thing that he's taught me, patiently, over the years. It'll pay off alot in the future. So thanks Dad, for putting up with me. :D Moral: Pay attention to things going on around you. even if you think you may never need a skill or ability to do something, but if you don't learn, you'll wish you had. The downside is I am so dog-tired that I'm about to pass out just writting this....dhf;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; wha? oh sorry. dosed there for a second. My forehed hurts.

No such thing as bitter-sweet.

Imagine a girl with only one best friend in the whole world, and she is the only one the first girl will trust. Something happens which shakes their relationship in a horrible way. the first gil cannot forgive the second for " stabbing her in the back".The friendship is ruined and every time they see each other after that it is a series of awkward moments that niether can seem to overcome. When actually, the "situation" was all just a missunderstanding. But girl #1 could not swallow her pride and bitterness, ruining an otherwise potentialy wonderful thing. I personally know the girls in this story. They now are friends again after discovering the truth about what happened. But how they wish they could make up for that lost time that was spent in anger. Life really is too short to spend bitter. No matter who the person is that your bitterness is directed towards, it will effect every relationship you have, and you probably won't/don't even realize it. So much potential can be wasted on anger, or grudges, or even envy(a whole different issue). I've had my own bouts with bitterness, and believe me, it's not something you want to have to live with. I know it might seem like I'm preaching to the choir, but some things need to be said as many times as it takes until it's heard, and listened to.
Most people are too proud to admit they're wrong, but admiting you're wrong doesn't make you a "sissy" or something. Ego placed aside, (yes girls too) with the Lord's help you can be free of the bitter spirit that's binding you. I love all you guys, and just so you know, this isn't aimed at anyone in particular, I just thought I'd share it. Peace out hombres.

"We need to all hang together, for if not, we shall surely hang seperately."
-Ben Franklin

"bad mood poem"

The thing that drives us can't be found,
on the street or in a town.

It's not the place you go to find,
a quiet rest and peace of mind.

Niether the things we want to do,
for those things we don't get to.

Don't think the world's under your thumb,
cause if you do, you're pretty dumb.

It's not the places that we see,
or all of the fond memories.

Just when we think it's all planned out,
thats when our dreams go down the spout.

Music, songs and sweet melodies
are in the end just a covering,
for in the end, you know, it seems,

It's really fear that gives men wings.

So long no post= sorry.

The las couple of weeks have been so hectic, I'm having a hard time keeping my head on straight. I went to my slightly-younger cousins funera... I mean, wedding last week and that went well. I played a song for her (my cousins) cousin to sing on guitar. It was more of a classical style that waht I usally play so it was a nice change. That also went well. The wedding was at a place called Spiegel Farms in South Carolina. It is an old horse farm which has been turned into an event place, but mostly for weddings. It was outdoors adn very classy and elegant.
So after that I got to enjoy another nice work week down here in Georgia, where I'm now painting outside in the blistering heat. yay. cant you feel the enthusiasm in the words that im typing? So then this past week my uncle from Canada was here along with a bunch of relatives from SC for my Grandaddy's 80th birthday. And so a bunch of the cousins got together and shot guns at each other. Just kiding...but no really. we did. LoL. But anyway, we all had a good old time on saturday doing yard work. My Grandaddy lives out in the country in Harris county adn has about6 acres of land to mow and weed-eat. not to mention all the other things we did for an 80 year old man that he cant do for himself. So that was a very nice present for him I think.
This morning I had to get up at 4 am to take my brother Josh to the airport in ATL. So I got to drive three hours almost straight before I was even awake! Cool huh? And so the rest of the day I have been so out of it. I dont remember ever being this tired before. (accept that time I stayed up for two nights straight in Ohio with a friend of mine and then slept 15 hours) But thats another story.

Life's a garden. Dig it.

Today...sheesh.

Today started out good, sleeping in late, etc... Well I went out to my Grandaddys house to mow his lawn (5 acers) And I spent twoo hours getting the stupid thing in running order and I started to mow the front yard and halfway through the blade belt broke. So great, I came out here and did everthing to this mower and then this? Well, it just so happens that my "significant other" works on river road which just-so-happens to be on my way back from harris county. So I droped by to say hey to everybody and so it turned out better than I had expected.
Oh yeah, and last week I almost had my finger ripped off bye a sliding railroad tie. long story short, I was helping move it into a truck and it rotated, and caught my index finger between two ties. I felt it binding just in time to get my fingers out before they got squooshed off. But it did get my right index enough to disjoint it at the middle knuckle. So I pushed it back in and finished loading ties.(A little more carefully.) And I still dont have full use of it. It'll come back though. Well I gotta go. I really dont know why I'm writing this because no one reads them obviously. So note to self; Don't be a loser.