Fireflies (And So Do Tomatoes When I Dance)

I had so much fun doing "Give Up Ham" that I had to try again. Tonight I was walking home and listening to Owl City. All of a sudden, these glowly lights blinked around me. At least a dozen fireflies. I was so happy that I put on "Fireflies" by Owl City and danced down the street. Thats what inspired this song. Enjoy. (Also, here's the instrumental of the song, so you can sing along. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O047ckcmlMc)

Fireflies (And So Do Tomatoes When I Dance)

Somebody ripped out their eyes

When my IPod played “Fireflies”

Please don’t hurl

As I dance down your street

A crowd began to gather there

Screams floated everywhere

They called me cruel

But couldn’t help but stare

You’d like to pretend you didn’t see

The dance moves that shook me

Im sorry to say

But there are some things you just can’t un-see

Who knew that retinas could bleed?

Im in danger of getting mugged

If I don’t stop messing up

The human race’s happiness

A gunshot just missed my head

Someone advised me to eat some lead

I can feel my life hanging by a thread

You’d like to pretend you didn’t see

The dance moves that shook me

Im sorry to say

But there are some things you just can’t un-see

Who knew that retinas could bleed?

(When I move my feet)

I take a few quick steps back

(Feet, take me away from here)

Cause I see the mob plan their attack

(Feet, take me away from here)

Im kinda tired and have sore feet

(Feet, take me away from here)

This is the very last thing I need

If I shake just one more time

The big guy with the knife

Will end my life

And leave me in a deep well

(I hate deep wells)

But I have to flail my arms

And march to the beat of my heart

Even if you

Don’t see it as art

(Its art)

You’d like to pretend you didn’t see

The dance moves that shook me

Im sorry to say

But there are some things you just can’t un-see

Who knew that retinas could bleed?

(Its time to leave)

I have to move my two left feet

Oh please ignore my dancing

Im sorry to say

But there are some things you’ll never un-see

Im sorry I made your retinas bleed

(Its best you can’t see)

You’d like to pretend you didn’t see

The dance moves that shook me

Im sorry to say

But there are some things you just won’t un-see

Who knew that retinas could bleed?

Who are you and what have you done with my disaster zone?

Recently, I returned home after a week of camping with my church. My state of exhaustion had long since peaked and was, at that point, nicely settled into a dull tug on my eyelids. I was tired. Every hair on my head, every bone in my body, and every sinew that lifted me up one stair at a time knew that I was already asleep.

I stumbled down the hall and plopped the bags down on my floor. My FLOOR. Even through the sliver of a crack that my eyelids were open, I could see that something was amiss. Or, more accurately, nothing was. The entire abode of mine was spotless. Yes, the very same one that had been known specifically for its many spots. My room once had so many "spots" that it appeared to not have any at all. I liked it that way. All of humanity would have written it off as an irredeemable space and just decided to forget about it, but I could live in it. It was mine. the chaos served to keep everyone else out. It was my version of a lock on my door. And to my scattered brain the non-sensical placement of my belongings made perfect sense.

I had it down to a simple rhythm. Throw stuff on the floor, desk, chair, bed, and anything else that remotely resembles a "flat surface." Wait until one or both parents explode, attempt murder, or pursue legal action against me and my room. Then I'd clean it up just beyond the passable level and watch as glorious chaos slowly descended again.

It was heaven. I loved it. But then my mom was left staring at it for a week. I hope you can hear the letters "D" "O" "O" and "M" being spelled out clearly here.

I'm fairly certain my mom didn't clean it. Sure, it was dirty when I left and when I returned it was clean. But I still find it hard to believe that this is the same room. Here's what I think happened...

My mom brought in a helicopter. Using chain saws they separated my walls from the rest of the house. Then they airlifted my room out of the country. In its place, they put a cleaned replica, which was attached with staples. (I have yet to find the staples.) So somewhere in Guatemala some poor family is living in my room and talking about the "Good ole days" when they were starving in the wilderness.

My mom won't confess the use of a helicopter. She's still sticking to her, "I cleaned it" story. Its ok, though. Guilt will win out eventually. Just give it time. Until then, I have to finish throwing random things on the floor and waiting for legal action.

This most assuredly counts

Its here. One whole year. Meg and I are having our 1st Anniversary. I like how that sounds. MY anniversary. Its all the better since I have many more to come. Well, we do.

A year ago today, I woke up depressed. It was the worst morning of my life. I told Meg that we couldn't date right then. When I got off Facebook, I was so mopey and sad. I thought I'd have months or even a year to wait. But she was my best friend. And I wanted her to be mine so badly.

In my distressed state, I decided to go for a walk. A very long walk. It was a few miles and I was gone for well over an hour. I needed to think and pray. So I did both. By the end of the walk, I was finally coming to grips with things. I would wait because thats what God wanted from me.

Then I got home and logged onto Facebook to tell Meg about my attitude change. My life changed forever in that moment. I had misunderstood the answer. We could actually date. I was so happy. I can't even describe it. We were so relieved and so nervous. My hands shook the rest of that night. That was 365 days ago. Not much has changed.

Sure, we've grown up and learned a lot. We have been mad at each other. Some bad things have happened, but so have many good things. I can't think of a better way to spend my life than like this.

Dear Meg,

Be mine. Forever. Ok? Ok. I love you.

Love,
Nate

Give Up Ham

I love A Rocket To The Moon. They're one of my favorite bands. Unfortunately, one of their songs is entitled, "Give A D***" Which makes it hard to sing along to. So with the inspiration of a certain girl's idea, I went to work. These are my reworked lyrics. The meaning may or may not have changed slightly in translation, but at least it can now be comfortably sung. Enjoy the silliness. (Note: I wrote this in about an hour, if that adds to its impressiveness.)

Give Up Ham

                                           

She likes the taste of honey glazed

Spiral cuts leave her amazed

She even eats it with gravy sometimes

It tastes good like she knew it would

She always has to make extra one

Just to let me have a bite

(Just one!)

I test her love

When I ask for another try

Now I wonder

If it’s worth the black eye

She bakes ham all night

And eats all day

She’s gaining a slightly larger waist

But she doesn’t know of my plan

Oh when she sees the truth

Then I’ll be dead

Im dreading that hambone to the head

But she doesn’t know of my plan

To get her to give up ham

She doesn’t eat any other meats

Only ham and the same goes

For a guy like me

I threw out all of my turkey

Bacon and the moldy bologna

But that was not enough

So she burned all my meatloaf

I tested her love

When I asked for one last bite

But I know it was worth

The black and blue side

She bakes ham all night

And eats all day

She’s gaining a slightly larger waist

But she doesn’t know of my plan

Oh when she sees the truth

Then I’ll be dead

Im dreading that hambone to the head

But she doesn’t know of my plan

To get her to give up ham

Someday she’ll try

To give up ham

Cold turkey

Someday she’ll find

She doesn’t need it

She just needs me

Until then, Im stuck eating ham

For a while, Im just…hmm

She bakes ham all night

And eats all day

She’s gaining a slightly larger waist

But she doesn’t know of my plan

Oh when she sees the truth

Then I’ll be dead

Im dreading that hambone to the head

But she doesn’t know of my plan

To get her to give up ham

And someday she’ll hear of my plan,

Then maybe she’ll give up ham

Feel free to listen to the song while reading this. It fits, I promise. And now I shall leave you with an obscure lyric that seems to be worthy to be penned here today.

"If I could read your mind, Girl, would I find any trace of me at all?"

Thats all, I guess. Fare thee well, Faithful Readers.

A Falling, My Failing- A song of my pride

Events recently forced my pride to cry out an objection or two. I don't like being shoved to the side and forgotten. Especially when I feel qualified in a certain area. I should get the respect I deserve, I think. All thought of why I'm doing what I'm doing leaps out the window and I just feel hurt.

Its silly, I know. So I wrote a song. This song is to me, and no one else. Allow me to mock my pride. Maybe I'll finally learn Im not the center on which the universe pivots. We can only hope.

So here it is...

A Falling, My Failing

Maybe it was the anti-freeze

That was given to me

By someone that I’d

Never have guessed to

Sign my

Death certificate

And all that goes along with it

By now you’ve forced me to choose

It’s either me or it’s you

Someone has to lose

Some esteem of mine

And that look in my eye

That will end up vanishing too

I’ve been staring down

The places that I’ve been

Since I fell down those stairs

Way back when

These nails and those tacks

Buried so deep inside my back

Only caused me suffering

And gave me a new name

That feels much the same

It was my ripped-out pride

That left the scars

Stinging and behind

Where I’ll start

When I need to remind

My broken heart

Just what it is I’ll find

In myself

Nothing else

But the living hell

My pride

Failed to describe

I’ve been staring down

The places that I’ve been

Since I fell down those stairs

Way back when

These nails and those tacks

Buried so deep inside my back

Only caused me suffering

And gave me a new name

That feels much the same

They say that pride

Comes before a fall

I guess that’s the truth

After all

I still have this broken heart

And wounded pride

From the time

I’ve spent falling from grace

I’ve been staring down

The places that I’ve been

Since I fell down those stairs

Way back when

These nails and those tacks

Buried so deep inside my back

Only caused me suffering

And gave me a new name

That feels much the same

I’m much the same