the blog of Jerry Bolton
Family
Discussion of family life.
…abracadavers
0Current Tunage: The Classic Crime – Abracadavers
Where once they were promising, they now deliver on that promise in spades. “The Silver Cord” is my choice for record of the summer… though my Deepspace5 & Mars ILL order ain’t in yet.
I haven’t much to say. In five days I’ll be a husband and that’s pretty much the most exciting thing in the universe right now. I’m not nervous, just happy and stoked to almost be done with all this planning… but much more so, I’m happy and stoked to be married soon – to Stephanie nonetheless! What a blessing and how much more than all I could have asked for or imagined up.
In other news, I’ve writ my first new poem in ages. You can read it on my poetry blog… which is most easily found through the link on the right.
Read, enjoy, comment, dominate. Love.
…all eden’s wealth arrayed before your eyes
1Current Tunage: Thrice – Child of Dust
Beautiful harmonies.
Two weeks remain. Fourteen days.
…dead signal (seeing-eye fruit bat)
0Current Tunage: Thrice – Phoenix Ignition
Old favourites from old thrice.
Hey.
I’m well as well can be. If a bit sore, tired, and full of thoughts. I’ve been learning a lot lately, mostly about what’s yet-to-come and about what lies deep within. Challenging days behind, challenging days ahead.
Random, point-form thoughts of late:
- The last thing I deserve is grace, and yet it is grace that permeates my life.
- I’ve been contemplating the idea of a career in law.
- This coming school year will be my most academically demanding to date.
- Orange Julius makes me salivate.
- I’ve lived in my room for ~12 years straight. It’s strange to be leaving soon.
- Wedding showers are fun.
- I am a huge fan of Magical Todd and Nomeus. They are brothers and fellowsoldiers.
- I haven’t seen her in more than 24 hours and I think I’m losing my mind. The previous sentence would have made me gag severely not so long ago.
Some news:
Taking a bit of a sabbatical from these computer machines, more or less for most of what remains of the summer.
In any case, I do hope to update from time to time when I do chance upon an opportunity – though my honest expectation is that such times will be scarce.
If you need to get in touch, call or gmail me.
(And if you haven’t RSVP’ed yet, do it quick before I start my campaign!)
…will soon be swallowed by the sea
0Current Tunage: Thrice – Lost Continent
I’ve been rekindling my love for Water in the wake of Air & Earth. Thrice ftw.
Happy Canada Is Awesome Day.
Too much going on to speak of, both because the content is massive and because some of it is classified. There’s a lot in store for the next four weeks – weddings to attend (2? 3?), cottaging to relaxify to, swimming to be done, and whatnot. It’s going to be packed … it already is packed. I’ll try to drop in from time to time to drop my thoughts.
I recently finished Timothy Keller’s The Reason for God and it is one of the best books I have ever read, and I don’t say that lightly. I would recommend it to any adult reader, with almost no reservations. In many ways its like Mere Christianity for the 21st Century – a beautiful and nuanced apoligetics textbook for the coming millenium. The first half deals with the most common objections to assertions of God’s existence, and the second half is a simple yet complex case for not only the existence of God, but for the spiritual superiority, soteriological exclusivity, intellectual primacy, and explanatory excellence of the Christian worldview via the Bible. My short review is that Keller develops many of the classic arguments in some extremely challenging and, if it were possible, convincing ways – and that this book is a skeptic’s worst nightmare (even skeptics like me!). So, with my highest recommendation I say: check it.
…random thoughts before i turn twentyfour
0Current Tunage: Jon Foreman – White As Snow
Beautiful solo work from the frontman of Switchfoot, one of my perennial favourites.
1. During the moments leading up to 2007 I “prophesied” that I’d be engaged by the end of 2007. It came true, and I was more surprised than anyone.
2. The sacrifices of our God are a broken and a contrite heart; against You and You alone have I sinned. Would you create in me a clean heart, oh God?
3. I have to get up for work in 6 hours. See you tomorrow.
…oftentimes, i can’t make it alone
1Current Tunage: Mae – Sometimes I Can’t Make It Alone
I think, upon some reflection, that for me, it’s alltimes I can’t make it alone. As the original Zelda stated: “It’s dangerous to go alone. Here, take this!”
I am going to write a poem about driving “home” (here) from home (which is wherever Steph is).
I’ve been learning a lot more from being Engaged than I thought possible. Like, for instance, that a lot of what is learned about being Engaged (and how to do it well) doesn’t have an expiry date (ie. the wedding day). It’s actually a lot of useful, practical, and transcendent stuff. As a general rule, at least.
That being said, I think the most potent lessons have been the ones about how wonderful it will be to not be Engaged anymore. Not having to travel to each other, not having to use the telephone or IM to keep up to date, not having to leave each other (in general), and many other things.
Yes, I think the best lesson to learn from being Engaged is that getting Married to each other is the best idea you’ve ever shared.
If all goes as planned, we’ll learn the same lesson from being Married.
Those are my “I’m up way later than I should be” thoughts tonight.
…re: posting
1Current Tunage: Death Cab For Cutie – Someday You Will Be Loved
Taking a break from “Narrow Stairs” (the new record) for a bit. It’s very good though. In the meantime, “Plans” (album previous) is on again.
(steph is a teacher)
(i have a severe schoolboy crush on her)
(its not really a secret)
(i also have a grown-up crush on her, and i’m marrying her)
(i guess that’s not really a secret either)
(this was fun, lets do it again)
…re: not posting
0Current Tunage: Death Cab For Cutie – I Will Possess Your Heart
i blame the wedding
or something
bbl
kk?
…breakdown in three quarters
0Current Tunage: Frodus – Out-Circuit The Ending
In the dust of the least design I will take to the sky
Pictured is Durn. Weilding “Jin’Rokh, The Great Apocalypse”. Now at rest.
3 / 4
One to go.
Commentary: It feels so good to be done. Third year was difficult – not necessarily in terms of the content studied. Difficult in every way but scholastically, and so academics were thus rendered difficult as well. I feel like I’ve been stretched every way possible, and yet I know this is just the tiny, visible peak of a monstrous iceberg.
This year is significant for many reasons, but few of them relate to school. This year marked the beginning of my first real relationship in ~4 years. Real, in this case, meaning “she is actually, in fact, interested and reciprocal; capable of making her mind up and being clear about it”. I apologize if the previous sentence comes off as bitter, as I’m not much bitter anymore, just glad to not be tired in the same way I was when that sort of thing bothered me (ie. right before meeting Steph). To add encouragement to healing, I found myself engaged shortly thereafter to someone I oft refer to as “Miss MyUniverse”, among many other things. I freely admit my human propensity towards bias and preference and subjectivity, but I honestly and holistically would submit my Fiancee as the best woman in all chronology, geography, and my unchanging opinion. Bar none. If you disagree, I will fight you and your ignorance (gently).
Consequential to these remarkable and unexpected developments, focusing on academics has often been the last thing on my mind this year – and my marks will likely show the proof. I do expect to pass everything (some by the skins of their teeth), for which I am thankful and admittedly quite surprised in a couple of cases. Papers and topics for them filled my head throughout the year, and I feel some of my best writing ever was done – and some of the most mediocre as well. I discovered I rather dislike open-ended English essays, and rather love open-ended Philosophy essays. I nurtured a growing passion for poetry (which hasn’t really manifested itself in much writing for my poetry blog as of yet, but I’m sure it will come. Finally, I took to calling myself a “Philosophy and English joint major” where before I had called myself an “English and Philosophy joint major”. The reasoning is simple: I get excited about Philosophy. Almost always. English Literature, (especially the historical, remembering names and junk stuff) not so much.
Without further ado:
Annual Thirty “Best” Things of 0708 school year:
[IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER]
01. Going with Al & Shane & Gord to Barrie to commit random high-jinks.
02. Doing 2v2 Arenas with my friend “Serida” in the Fall (August-November ’07).
03. Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Wii – a more ‘epic win’ could not be conceived.
04. Getting myself into a real, honest-to-goodness relationship with someone-awesome.
05. Getting engaged to that same someone-awesome.
06. Thursday nights studying Colossians here at the house with my TCF small group.
07. Playing Dustin Kensrue’s “Blanket of Ghosts” with Todd at TCF Coffee House in honour of Robert Jordan. RIP.
08. Five months of unemployment (which was, simultaneously among the worst things).
09. No classes on Thursdays.
10. Getting both of my characters in WoW to level 70.
11. Quitting World of Warcraft in December. Again. For good this time. (It’s even uninstalled.)
12. Regular weekends in Toronto visiting Steph and so many other friends.
13. Trips way up North (South Porcupine) for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Premarital Counselling Round 1.
14. Mondays hanging out with Todd, talkin’ life.
15. Early Modern Philosophy with M. Neumann, and, more importantly, T. Anderson.
16. Acquiring a second family. /wave
17. TCF Retreats Fall & Winter.
18. Our new boarder – my friend Shane!
19. Finding my old green toque. Wearing it.
20. Walking the pooch (Nuka) late at night during warmer months.
21. Dangerous prayers.
22. Installing Covenant Eyes. Reaping the benefits.
23. Opening a PC Financial account. So. Good.
24. Studying Metaphysics, Epistemology, and 20th Century Continental Philosophy.
25. Joining up as a staff writer for The Phantom Tollbooth.
26. Not getting Windows Vista, a Mac, an iPod, a metal water bottle, a blackberry, etc. XP really is better…
27. Playing Team Fortress 2 and DotA with my brothers, friends, and enemies.
28. Having a sweet, sweet beard. Getting rid of a sweet, sweet beard.
29. Renos on my room being finished after a decade in limbo.
30. Stephanie.
Sleep soundly in silence
Knowing that we will never return
To what we once were
What was now is a distant memory
I guess that I should thank you
For freeing me from my naivety
-Project 86 “Breakdown in 3/4″
Annual Ten Most Important “New-To-Me” Records of 0708 school year:
[IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER]
01. Sev & Dust – “Back To Dust”
02. Thrice – “The Alchemy Index”
03. Project 86 – “Rival Factions”
04. As Cities Burn – “Come Now Sleep”
05. Matthew Good – “Hospital Music”
06. He Is Legend – “Suck Out The Poison”
07. Dashboard Confessional – “The Shade Of Poison Trees”
08. Lovedrug – “Everything Starts Where It Ends”
09. August Burns Red – “Messengers”
10. Oh, Sleeper – “When I Am God”
This is the sound that drives you to deny
These are the words that remind you we’re alive
This is the voice that haunts you in your sleep
Outdated, forgotten, we’re yesterday’s obsolete
-Project 86 “Breakdown in 3/4″
And my general plan now… is to rest. And work my (posterior) off. And contribute more than my share of the wedding planning. And have phun with friends. And read books I want to. And write lots of music reviews. And blog posts. And and and… get married.
Yes.
[the finale/finally]
2Cold Focus; Warm Smile; Full Heart
So tired of - So many False Starts
I wanted to know who you are,
and now I know -
How is it you focus me,
Gently?
Gentle Focus, Love:
Pleasant Cancer
please make
a dream awake/
/new reality;
rewrite mathematics -
one plus one equals
I just:
Want a) the impossible
Choose b) the complicated
Pursue c) the perfect
and
find you) all of the above
come with your
Eyes Like Oceans
(awash)
for drowning
these waters of certain hand
So
for now,
this letter is for you:
I
and
forever,
this word is for "I":
Do
(Checkmate:
One last time out of the hypothetical!)
Our Cord
of three strands
Create: Christ, Wife, and
Husband:
"As Christ loved..."
so for you I
Resonate.
Resonance-
A halo for your digit, ninth from the right
take it (and) take me (and) mine be - glory;
Stephanie, be my wife.