Journals12
Newest
Videographer Position! :-)
2 min read
Hey friends!
I hope everyone is doing well. I've been without a computer for almost a month, and I finally got it back today. Hence why I have posted nothing new at all!
To begin with, I am now officially the new videographer for the church I've been volunteering at for the last two years. It's an amazing feeling to be able to work with cameras, and get paid money...like real money, for doing stuff I did for free my whole life. I feel extremely honored and blessed to be able to have this job, and if there is anything unemployment has taught me, it's that I will never take any job for granted. Unemployment sucks, not only because of the lack of funds, but the lack of purpose that comes with it. You feel useless, which to me, is the worst feeling anyone can ever have. I am so thankful for this opportunity. I thank God, my family, and all those who kept encouraging me to trust and go for what I wanted. Thank you all. Sincerely.
Other than that, I'm working on reinstalling everything after my hard drive crashed. That one hurt, because there are so many things that I forgot to back up. It's a little dramatic and probably cliche, but you really do never realize how much of yourself you keep on a computer, and how much of our lives revolve around computers and internet and phones and digital media in general. It makes the mind blow. But that's the generation we are moving up into. It's a lot to think about.
So, I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying life. Talk to you soon! And as always, keep the love alive!
I hope everyone is doing well. I've been without a computer for almost a month, and I finally got it back today. Hence why I have posted nothing new at all!
To begin with, I am now officially the new videographer for the church I've been volunteering at for the last two years. It's an amazing feeling to be able to work with cameras, and get paid money...like real money, for doing stuff I did for free my whole life. I feel extremely honored and blessed to be able to have this job, and if there is anything unemployment has taught me, it's that I will never take any job for granted. Unemployment sucks, not only because of the lack of funds, but the lack of purpose that comes with it. You feel useless, which to me, is the worst feeling anyone can ever have. I am so thankful for this opportunity. I thank God, my family, and all those who kept encouraging me to trust and go for what I wanted. Thank you all. Sincerely.
Other than that, I'm working on reinstalling everything after my hard drive crashed. That one hurt, because there are so many things that I forgot to back up. It's a little dramatic and probably cliche, but you really do never realize how much of yourself you keep on a computer, and how much of our lives revolve around computers and internet and phones and digital media in general. It makes the mind blow. But that's the generation we are moving up into. It's a lot to think about.
So, I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying life. Talk to you soon! And as always, keep the love alive!
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Mini Update of the Sorts...
2 min read
Where to begin with what is new? Music! That is a big one. I've recently re-joined the Facebook universe and have posted a page for my music. I'm writing a bunch of new songs, and hopefully once I get my hard drive cleared out, I can start laying them down. For now, I have three tracks posted already. For those of you who wish to support a starving musician like myself, please check out and 'like' my page! 
Here's the link: www.facebook.com/dangraystrang…
I'm still learning about all these new methods of marketing one's own creativity, and it's becoming a bit of a mind-screw for me. But I feel that I'm in a place now where I can balance both my creative and online social lives.
Beyond that, I'm still living in Tampa and sending resumes to various places. I am working on scheduling a meeting with a friend of my dad's who knows a lot of people in the business. I'm hoping he can point me in the right direction. Hmmm...beyond that, life is moving along slowly.
I could talk about everything that's going on in my head, but I figured if you've read my poetry, you'd get a good idea of what's there. I'm also learning to re-develop my relationship with my family. We don't have a bad one, but it could definitely be better. It's tough when you're in a small space with three other people who are so much like you, and yet so different. It gets annoying. But life is still good and I'm enjoying it.
That's all for now, I'll probably come back later with a more in-depth pouring of the heart into the online world, giving you lovely people something to either relate to or bash me for. But for now, peace be with you friends!
-Dan
Here's the link: www.facebook.com/dangraystrang…
I'm still learning about all these new methods of marketing one's own creativity, and it's becoming a bit of a mind-screw for me. But I feel that I'm in a place now where I can balance both my creative and online social lives.
Beyond that, I'm still living in Tampa and sending resumes to various places. I am working on scheduling a meeting with a friend of my dad's who knows a lot of people in the business. I'm hoping he can point me in the right direction. Hmmm...beyond that, life is moving along slowly.
I could talk about everything that's going on in my head, but I figured if you've read my poetry, you'd get a good idea of what's there. I'm also learning to re-develop my relationship with my family. We don't have a bad one, but it could definitely be better. It's tough when you're in a small space with three other people who are so much like you, and yet so different. It gets annoying. But life is still good and I'm enjoying it.
That's all for now, I'll probably come back later with a more in-depth pouring of the heart into the online world, giving you lovely people something to either relate to or bash me for. But for now, peace be with you friends!
-Dan
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In case you were wondering...
1 min read
Yes. Dark Side of the Moon DOES go with Wizard of Oz. Good things...good things...
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Life is to Be Lived
3 min read
Greetings all! In my last journal, I asked for prayer due to some stressful situations, and I am happy to say, that all worked out very well. For those of you that did pray, I thank you. Of course, as life seems to always do, new stressful things have popped up.
I will not bring in the details of this, as most of them are unnecessary to share with the world. I will say that much of what Ray Bradburry talks about, I have had to apply to my life in these new situations and issues.
It seems that no matter where I go, judgement is passed on the way I approach life. It amazes me how easy it is for someone to observe the lifestyle of a person for no more than a few minutes, and then decide flat out that they disagree with them. Without making any kind of effort to really understand that person, they pass judgement on them and dismiss them like some kind of untouchable peasant. It hurts even more when it comes from someone close to you.
You could take a look at my family, my habits, the friends I keep, and write me off into a category and forget about me. That is your right as a human. But I ask you, how many strong relationships have ever been spawned from that kind of judgmental thinking? How easy it is to place on anther in categories. One could say "I am a man of science." Another could say "I am a man of religion," and some say "I am an artist." Where is it written that these things must be kept separate? Why can they not enrich and compliment each other?
I personally believe that the best way to get to know a person, to really understand them, is to literally step inside their mind and walk around for a little while. Unfortunately, the Matrix does not actually exist and we cannot literally step inside another's mind. We can, however, watch how they live, look at the things that inspire them, and--especially in the case of artists--watch what they create. But understand, that all of these things are merely a part of who they are, and not the whole of them.
We are all touched by everything and inspired by something. We all see things in new lights, and we all approach things from our own angle. We are like paintings, all made up of a mass of colors, light and dark, primary and secondary, brilliant and soft, and all of these things blend together to make us, us. Even then, we may never fully understand another human being, but perhaps it is not about fully understanding. Perhaps it is only about the attempt of understanding. If we attempt to understand someone, we show that we care. We show that we do have the ability to love and respect them. We show each other that we are not alone in this world, and we must not be afraid of life, or of being judged, or of being alone. Instead, we must embrace it. Embrace each other. Embrace art, science, religion, beauty, creation, expression, passion, love, life.
"Understanding never leads to hate, and almost always leads to love." - John Steinbeck.
"You were put into the world to love the act of being alive." - Ray Bradburry.
Let's embrace life my friends!
I will not bring in the details of this, as most of them are unnecessary to share with the world. I will say that much of what Ray Bradburry talks about, I have had to apply to my life in these new situations and issues.
It seems that no matter where I go, judgement is passed on the way I approach life. It amazes me how easy it is for someone to observe the lifestyle of a person for no more than a few minutes, and then decide flat out that they disagree with them. Without making any kind of effort to really understand that person, they pass judgement on them and dismiss them like some kind of untouchable peasant. It hurts even more when it comes from someone close to you.
You could take a look at my family, my habits, the friends I keep, and write me off into a category and forget about me. That is your right as a human. But I ask you, how many strong relationships have ever been spawned from that kind of judgmental thinking? How easy it is to place on anther in categories. One could say "I am a man of science." Another could say "I am a man of religion," and some say "I am an artist." Where is it written that these things must be kept separate? Why can they not enrich and compliment each other?
I personally believe that the best way to get to know a person, to really understand them, is to literally step inside their mind and walk around for a little while. Unfortunately, the Matrix does not actually exist and we cannot literally step inside another's mind. We can, however, watch how they live, look at the things that inspire them, and--especially in the case of artists--watch what they create. But understand, that all of these things are merely a part of who they are, and not the whole of them.
We are all touched by everything and inspired by something. We all see things in new lights, and we all approach things from our own angle. We are like paintings, all made up of a mass of colors, light and dark, primary and secondary, brilliant and soft, and all of these things blend together to make us, us. Even then, we may never fully understand another human being, but perhaps it is not about fully understanding. Perhaps it is only about the attempt of understanding. If we attempt to understand someone, we show that we care. We show that we do have the ability to love and respect them. We show each other that we are not alone in this world, and we must not be afraid of life, or of being judged, or of being alone. Instead, we must embrace it. Embrace each other. Embrace art, science, religion, beauty, creation, expression, passion, love, life.
"Understanding never leads to hate, and almost always leads to love." - John Steinbeck.
"You were put into the world to love the act of being alive." - Ray Bradburry.
Let's embrace life my friends!
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Prayer please...
1 min read
I don't know if any of you pray, or believe in it. But if you do, could you please pray for my family and some friends of ours? There are some very stressful things happening, and they seem to be happening all at once. I would really appreciate it. Thank you!
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