Year of Lipstick

This blog post is coming to you live from: my dorm room.

The proof you crave. I just thought I would include this picture. I thought it was funny.

This post is entitled "Year of Lipstick" for many reasons. First and foremost the title represents an activity I am committed to and thus learning how to be committed to other things in my life, but more on that later.

My best friend Courtney can be seen at many fancy events wearing a classy shade of lipstick. In the true fashion of friendship, I promptly copied her idea and went and bought myself some lipstick at my local Wal-Mart. Naturally I chose the cheapest lipstick and wound up with a tube of Wet-and-Wild brand lipstick. It is a great color, but cheap as it is, my lips look like the dry Sahara desert if I don't but a little chap-stick underneath. Ladies, a word of advice, don't skimp on the limp, and by that I don't know what I mean. I'm a sucker for a rhyme. JUST DON'T BY CHEAP LIPSTICK AND YOUR LIPS WILL THANK YOU.

Moving on. I bought myself some lipstick for the fancy occasions in my life, but every time I wore it out I found myself getting more attention (mainly from the ladies but a compliment is a compliment). In turn, the lipstick gave me more confidence. It made me feel prettier, so I kept wearing it. People like me better when I wear the lipstick! Soon I began to use the phrase "year of lipstick," proclaiming to all that this current school year I would wear lipstick everyday, and so far, I have done fairly well. I committed to the lip color and soon twisted my fun and mostly shallow statement into a deep and profound ( I mean I am trying to be profound at least) metaphor for my life.

I am stating that if I can commit to wearing lipstick everyday and making that small decision in my life, other things that I need to commit to will also fall in line. If I can stay committed to a small thing, that small thing will manifest itself into bigger things and my life will explode into one that is truly committed to important things. Such as:

1. My Faith and the constant pursuit of a renewed mind

2. A significant other (but where oh where can he be?)

3. My school work that is the foundation to the rest of my goals in life

4. My friendships and the intentionality I want to have with all of them

5. My year of transformation

The list can go on and on. 

These are my freshly colored lips.

Here the lipstick can be seen at a fancy event. Doesn't my good friend Kaitlyn look so beautiful?

This year I will daily continue to transform myself and let God mold me. I will not get discouraged because as Ephesians 1:8 says, "he has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding."

So what reason do I have to not love this life that I have been given. 

Wear lipstick, feel better about yourself, and stay committed!

K. Jack

You are Now Being Redirected

This blog is coming to you live from Farallon, Panama, inside my room in the Upton's home.

I am just writing this blog quickly to inform you that if you would like to continue following my blog for the summer, I have created a blog specifically for my summer activities.

Click here for the link!

I created this blog for the supporters of my trip and so forth. I just didn't want my blog title to be "I'm a Creep, I'm a Weirdo" to be  displayed to all who wouldn't normally be reading my writing and I did not want to change the title of this blog. Thus, I created a summer missions blog. I love you all! Keep reading if you dare!

K. Jack

Welcome Summer

This blog is coming to you live from the Tinus private lobby.

there it is. and by it I mean me.

I finished my first year of college this week and moved out of my room today. Overall, I could have done a lot better school-wise, but you know what is weird, I'm just trying to get MY DEGREE. I don't know, when I think about that, it really freaks me out. So much has happened since the last time I blogged.

Since we have chatted last I have made new friends, went to a banquet, stopped the war on terrorism,read the Book of Mormon, when to a National concert and lots of other stuff. 

I also thundered up.

stood in front of a large glowing cross with my best friend Courtney

and I already told you about the concert

Tomorrow I leave for chorale tour, which includes an entire chorale traveling on a bus across the U. S. and stopping along the way to Washing D.C. and New York City. I mean, I am excited I guess, but I just want to go home. I just don't know what else to blog about, I'm all blogged out.

Bliggity Bloggity Bloop.

K. Jack

My Portfolio

This blog is coming to you live for the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Library

Just me, in a library.

So upon returning from Spring Break, Oklahoma Christian University has proved to be relatively uneventful. Last week was WPA (women pay all) week, and boy let me tell you, I payed all. Monday was ice skating, Tuesday a movie, Wednesday frozen yogurt, Thursday a sock hop, and Friday was a Rwandan cultural night. When I say I payed all I actually mean everything was free except for the two sodas I bought at the sock hop. I also talked a big game and informed all those around I was about to "blow the week up" and "have a date every night." Both of those statements were false. I had a date two of the nights, and didn't even go to some of the events. So much for the potential explosion my week could have been.

In other news, if you ever need to write a really large amount of words in a short amount of time, come talk to me. I had a rough draft of a paper due this past Thursday, and I just waited, and waited, and waited to begin. It was due at 5:00 pm Thursday evening. Want to know what time I started? 1:00 pm Thursday afternoon, and I was done by 4:00! Granted, it was only six pages when I was aiming for ten, but hey, it was a rough draft! Get off my back.

Also, I caved. I downloaded the "instagram" application for the iPhone and am loving it! Just so you know, I will never give instagram credit hereafter for the photos I will take. I will save them to my phone and upload/tweet/print/publish the photos as my own creation with no outside help whatsoever. That is probably illegal, but who is counting! I mean arresting, I mean...

Here is some of my original artwork:

I call this one: Kendall Maddog Mayes

I call this: Karissa Teaching

Well there is my portfolio. Making it big, instagram style.

K.Jack

A Flaming Hot Blog Post

This blog is coming to you live from: my home.

I have that spring break glow.

Disclaimer: The contents of this blog may offend some/ make others feel uncomfortable. It deals with a rather serious event that recently occurred in my life and I plan on making light of it. I also plan on speaking bluntly and just want to forewarn any who may not want to read such material.

Spring break started a bit early for me this year. By early, I mean I left the night before I planned to leave, so not anything radical, but early nonetheless. Of course, I had a reason for departing early. Unfortunately it was because there was a fire in my home. 

Around 8:00 pm I received a hysterical call from my mother that brought me news of the fiery inferno that was my home. I knew I had to get home as soon as I could, but I still had a day of classes and exams. Obviously I was quite shaken up and not thinking rationally. I was not concerned with the seven hour drive I had ahead of me; I was just wondering how to tell my professors, "Hey, um, I just got a call that my house was set on fire by a crazy person (I will get to that detail) and, um, I was wondering if I could get excused from class/exam tomorrow." I was, thankfully, taken complete care of by my wonderful friend Amy Kelly. She made a few calls and off I went into the night.

To make a long story short, my mom married this guy, guy went crazy, mom filed for divorce, guy went crazier, mom and brother got a rent house, all of our stuff was still in the old house, then the old house was set on fire. You can put the pieces of "whodunit" together yourself.

So upon arriving in Jonesboro around 4:00 am I went to our new house (which we were so lucky to have seeing as our other house had been engulfed in flames) and caught up with my mother on the evenings events.

Our backdoor had been kicked in and three separate fires set inside. One fire was on my mothers bed, another on a pile of dirty clothes in the hallway, and the last one by the back door on some photos and newspapers. Investigators determined it was indeed arson and a investigation is currently underway. 

The first picture is of the bathroom and you can really see the soot and smoke damage. The next one is of the hallway ceiling.

The top picture is my mothers bed and the bottoms picture is the hallway.

 For legality sakes, I cannot say who we all feel set the fire (apparently that is slander), but being readers of above average intelligence, I feel confident you have a good idea as to who may have had a motive. 

Anyhow, the whole situation sounds terribly sad, and it is, especially after being inside my home and seeing the damage and smelling the smell and not being able to take anything out with out detoxifying it first, but over all it was a positive thing. I mean, if my house was going to burn what better time than spring break? Because it happened Thursday night, I even got out of my Friday classes and one ridiculously hard exam (although I will eventually have to take it)! Also, no one was hurt only material possessions were lost ( about $80,000 of material damage, but hey who is counting). 

I am a bit bitter though. I'm bitter because of the state it has left my family in, and the hermit-like state it had induced for me. I want to see my friends, but I also don't want to leave my mother or our house in general. 

Speaking of friends. They are the best. I had so many people checking on me and making sure I made it home safely. I cannot thank those of you who were looking out for me enough!

On a lighter note, I have now watched all of the movies that were nominated for best picture this year and they were all phenomenal. 

The most fun part of having your house burn down is being able to use it as an excuse/response for anything. For example:

Teacher: Clay (my brother) can you please stop talking.

Clay: Oh sorry, I was just telling my friend here how my house burnt down last night.

or maybe:

Cop: Mam, did you know that you were speeding?

Said Mam: Yes officer, but my house was set on fire tonight, and I'm just trying to get home to be with my family.

or how about:

Jane: Hey want to go see a movie?

Sue: I would, but my house just burn down! 

You get the drift. 

Well that is all for know, leave a comment if it is your burning desire.

K.Jack

Inside Out

This blog is coming to you live from the DAH. (Which I'm not sure what DAH stands for, but it is the building in which my next class is contained within.)

looking fly as ever.

So, what does it say about the rest of your day if you start it out by putting your underwear on inside out? I happen to be victim to inside out underwear at this very moment. However, my day has been moderately nice. I made it to class, finished an annotated bibliography, and am going to spend this night doing fun things. Speaking of annotations, my research partner for my bible science and human values class is my good friend Thomas Smith. He actually hates me a lot, but we worked on the bibliography together. The plan was for him to send me his half this morning around 9:00 am and I would piece it together. I finished my half last night and sent it to him for him to review, and unknown to me, he pieced the bibliography together and turned it in. So there I was about 10:00 am in Chem Is Try, with no bibliography from Thomas. I was freaking out. I sent him a series of about 20 hateful text messages. I tried to call, but to no avail because his phone was off. At about 11:00 am I receive a call from him saying he had turned it in and then I felt like the biggest jerk in the world. So I sent him a series of parallel text messages all centered on the theme of love because of his wonderful ability to be a team player in our study of genetic engineering. 

Now I will include some photos of some events from the past few days of my life.

This is my latest purchase. It serves as a schoolclothes/sleepclothes hybrid

It has been lovely weather (apart from the past week) here in the OKC and I have enjoyed some park time with my pals.

Look who I met. His house once made all of his families meals if you know what I mean.

Just wanted to provide a closer of image of my hybrid clothing.

Well, I guess that is all.

K. Jack

Wizardry

This blog is coming to you live from MY HAMMOCK.

You know you like the proof.

It is February (as I am sure you have heard by now) and it is 72 degrees here in Edmond, Oklahoma. 72!!! As much as I do enjoy the cold, I love being able to regulate my temperature easily while outdoors, so here I am, hammocking.

Yesterday was the good old day of love, the day where it all goes down, the red day if you will. If you won't then it was Valentines Day. I must say, I was quite the wizard yesterday. By saying that I mean I was the wizard of love. So many people do not like the holiday because they are single or don't have anyone to "love" them. I think all of those negative feelings are crap. I DON'T HAVE ANYONE EITHER AND I LOVED MY LIFE YESTERDAY. I made all my little baby broskis a card and a small gift and for all the others I love I made some special valentines that look a lot like the following.

So there they are.

Mid-hammock my friend Josh McCoy came to visit.
K.Jack