Part 5: The Destruction of a Southern Spine!

Hey everyone,

I have been pretty sick and I just haven't felt up to posting. Cough, fever, sinuses, and just general flu sadness. I know it's kind of pathetic but between work and fighting this craziness I have just been super tired. Thank you to my amazing girl friend, Megan, who was so caring the whole time.

So today I feel like being southern, so I have Darius Rucker's “Southern State of Mind” on infinite loop and I am starting to feel much better. Last time I gave y’all a chunk of the story Mary-Sue had just moved down from the north and she was renting an apartment that she wasn't really staying in. She instead had agreed to split the rent with some douche bag at her job.

One little detail I left out last time was that I happened to know this guy from earlier in high school. I hated him at the time he was a bully; he constantly harassed me. To tell you the truth he was so low on my priorities list that I do not even remember what the pathetic fly used to do to me but at the time I remembered him very well.

Any ways back to the story. Mary had all but moved in with us. She was staying every night and eating food with us. My mom had kind of pulled me aside a few times and very simply asked me why she was here so much and I am sure that I just made a bunch of excuses for her. Actually that is exactly what I did I wish I could remember any of those finer details. I hope I wasn't to belligerent with her. Now I know a lot of this seems kind of grown-up so let me remind you that at this time I was a senior in high school and only 17.

My folks did not allow us to stay in the same room when she stayed over. She had to sleep in the living room. While I got my bed. That didn’t last very long. Me thinking that I was being a gentleman always let her take my bed. She quickly took advantage of this and would kind of passively guilt me into sleeping on the couch while she got the bed. It got to a point where I very specifically remember a time where I broke down in tears because I was so tired and just wanted a bed to rest in – I know pathetic.

I feel bad for my parents and family through all of this. My parents tried so hard to get me to see what she was doing. They were afraid that if they made the wrong move they would push me away even further than I was already drifting. I knew I wasn't happy and I saw what they saw and every now and again I would break down but that is a different story.

Any ways Mary had yet to be evicted because rent was being paid but mostly by the douche bag. I had a bad feeling about this guy and I knew I didn't want him there. Mary and I decided we would make a surprise visit to make sure he wasn't doing anything that would get us in trouble. We drove over while he was at work.

We opened the door and the place was a sty. It wasn't destroyed but there was stuff every where. Including ashtrays and beer bottles. It was strictly a no smoking property. I took some time to look around further. I found pot and bongs and all kinds of stuff that would have reflected on us and not him. Legally he wasn't supposed to be there. I disposed of all of it and left a note that I'm sure was harshly written. HA, I should have called the cops. I am sure I didn't so that Mary wouldn't get in trouble. I remember the note left some kind of ultimatum and it informed him that we'd be back.

We would be back and in only a few weeks or so and what we would find would be just unreal.

-Justin

The Kick in the Rear

I consider my self a hard worker. I felt like I did a great job every day at work. I thought I was passionate but I discovered that perhaps I wasn't as passionate as I could be; I proceeded to get an attitude with my boss and he knocked me down a few levels. I was humbled and sometimes in life we need that kick to remind us that we can always do a little better than the day before.

There was one aspect of my job that I was only devoting 50% of my effort towards and it showed. So they talked to me about it and set some expectations that I didn't agree with so of course I did what every cocky little guy does and I went looking for trouble. Oh and I found it the very next day.

I had an opportunity to rub it in there face how stupid this particular work practice was and I was going to take this chance and run. Sadly enough I think at the time all of this was kind of a sub-conscious notion. We had this customer come in and ask for the cheapest item we had and I smiled ear to ear. I was going to in my mind genuinely try and use this tool that I was expected to use. I jotted a couple of notes and kind of half-assed my way through the ridiculous practice. Well, after a mere ten minute interaction the customer left with out purchasing anything. I was left with a tool with just a couple of notes on it. I felt like the customer was impossible to engage, that they were shy and behind barriers that made my job hard and that was my excuse for a pathetic job done. It was the customers fault. I held on to that tool for most of an hour waiting to roll up on my bosses and show them that I had “tried” to use this tool.

The chance rose and I approached. I held out my form and said beaming with pride. “Look I tried!” I exclaimed. My boss looked at it and smiled. I continued “They didn't buy anything. He said what he wanted and I wrote it down-”. My boss stopped me. “Why” he asked. I was confused. “Why did you write it down?” “That’s what he wanted.” I stammered, caught of guard. My boss proceeded to try and make this a teachable moment and role play with me. I cut him off. “Am I in trouble” I asked kind of harshly. “Did I say you were?” he asked. “Well no but I couldn't engage this person.” My defenses were raised. I was about to make a mistake. My boss very politely and with zero condescension continued to try and teach me something. I interrupted again. This time my voice raised and full of spite. “none of this would have worked; I was there.”

He cut me off this time and told me and another manager to meet him in the office. Oh crap I thought. I knew I made a bad choice. I just knew it and I was right too. We got in that office and he all but tore me a new one. It was the most straight forward talking to I had ever had and I could tell he was upset but he maintained his composure. He didn't yell. He had tact. It was about the time that he accused me of lacking passion that I began to cry. I knew I had passion I loved my job. I had to excuse myself. I went to the restroom to dry my face and then promptly returned. I hated crying in front of others. I apologized for being emotional and said “I wear my emotions on my sleeves.” and without skipping a beat he responded “It's okay; people that care usually do.”

That meant so much to me because I did care and I do still care. I like my job. I take pride in my work. I sat there listening while he talked to me about being passionate and doing my job fully. That it isn't my choice to decide how much of a job I can do. That it is either try my best to do 100% of the job or 0% of the job. No in between.

I had the next day off and I reflected on his words and couldn't get them out of my head. He was right and I was very wrong. I fervently believe now more than ever that sometimes we have to be kicked in the rear to do our best. We have to be guided some times and that is okay. There will always be somebody that is better or has something to teach; we just have to be open to it and recognize it when it shows it's self.

There is not a doubt in my mind now that I was trying to prove a point and that I was looking to be right and it made me look foolish. No, that isn't completely true either. I made myself look foolish. I often wondered, why is pride a seven deadly sin. What is so wrong in knowing that you are good. Well, this is why. Some one will be better and more so someone will try and help and you may just miss the point altogether. Thank you, boss. I will not forget it.

Justin

Digital Paint

It's time for Megan's corner! :D

So, before I went to school for animation, I dropped out of school for painting. Just shy of graduation too, because I realized just how little I knew about actually supporting myself with my art. I could paint a picture (little thanks to my school, actually), but didn't know how to actually make a living off of it.

At the time, I would go to school and paint realistic (or surrealistic) pictures, or draw from models, or whatever, and then, in secret, at home, using a cheap Wacom tablet and a questionable version of Photoshop, I'd draw fanart pictures. Mainly Teen Titans and Avatar, but other things as well. It was my escape.

Now, I'm drawing cartoons all the time, and I'm thinking "Man.... I just want to paint a pretty picture."

So I did.

I came across this picture on this blog and just felt inspired. So... that's what I did. Now, back to homework!

~Megan

The apartment or the first time that I should have stood up for my family but didn't!

I am sorry that I have been delayed. I wasn't really sure what was and what was not worth telling. I have decided to condense some of the exposition.

Things were going pretty well in our long distance relationship and our plans were moving forward accordingly. Mary sue had been down to visit once and things went well enough. My family seemed to like her. We went and visited the college she had picked out and then she went home. Less then a month later she moved 800 miles to live with me in Georgia.

She had chosen a small apartment complex on the out skirts of town. I helped her move in and everything was great. Except that she never stayed there. She was at my house with my family and I everyday and night. In hindsight I know that she over stayed her welcome and things were about to go badly; the powder keg had been placed. My family was tolerating it; they are so strong. I love them so dearly.

But wait, there's more! I doubt that I have ever told anyone this but this really happened. Mary had started a job at the local Cracker Barrel and become friends with some guy. A pathetic excuse of a dude whose name I really can't recall. Anyway, Mary was kinda struggling with rent and at this point I was having to support her with the money I was earning at circuit City-wait no, this was when I worked at Office Max. Alas, I was in-love and was completely ready to start throwing my hard earned money to the wind. Let me get back to the point. Her and this guy decided that since she was never there he could stay there and they could split the rent. Yes that is right you heard me. She was not going to be there and she was going to give this “dude” free rain over the place. So long as he kept a room for her and she kept a key. No guests and follows ALL RULES set down by the apartment complex.

So lets recap. Mary cannot pay her rent in full with out my 16 year old self helping and some guy living there while she isn't there but wait! If she isn't there; where is she? That's right you guessed it my house with me, my two cousins, my sister and my mom and dad. YEP!, 7 of us in a 2,500 square foot home but I loved her and I made excuses for her. My parents maintain there composure for a long time but a different bomb is getting ready to burst.

-Justin

Post-Valentine's Day Gushing (and some Ukulele playing)

Justin already wrote about our wonderful Valentine's day, but I thought I'd take the opportunity to talk a little bit about HIM. :) Cuz... that's what I wanna do, and I'm the Megan, so no arguing.

Top Five Six Things I Love About My Man

1)      He’s a geek. Of course this is number one. Just look at the title of this blog! While it’s long been known that I’ve been attracted to the specimen “Geekius Nerdicus,” Justin and my tastes just line up so perfectly. He loves video games and movies, he loves science and learning. He’s intelligent. He has a desire to cosplay as Malcolm Reynolds. He loves doing impersonations. His favorite Muppet is Beaker. Just… everything. I love it.

2)      His zest for life. This one is hard to explain. I guess… the way he lights up when he is in good company or talking about something he’s passionate about. The way he wants to spread joy to other people. Just the very manner he carries himself that is warm and inviting. His small adventurous streak that makes him enjoy concerts and aquariums and travelling and hiking. All of it. I just love it. 

3)      His patience. Good god, this man is patient. No matter how many times I phone him up panicking about one thing or another, no matter how many of my anxieties bubble to the surface, he has never once told me it was too much. He’s there for me. He is one of the only people ever in my life who has been there for me so thoroughly.

4)      His lawful good nature. Justin loves Superman because he is so much the embodiment of truth, justice and goodness in the world. He’s that kind of person. He just wants to be kind to everyone. He believes in the good things of this world and trusts in the goodness of others. He’s an optimist. He just wants the best for everyone. He’s a big ol’ bear. Oh, but don’t mess with anyone he cares about. Or else you’ll get the claws. I love that he’s so protective, and stands up for the right thing.

5)      He’s gorgeous. Oh come on, I couldn’t not mention this. He denies it, but seriously, this man is so handsome I pinch myself to make sure I’m still awake. Everything from his curly hair to his Joseph Gordon-Levitt eyes to his shoulders to his height to his arms to his feet. And when he smiles? That’s when he’s the most handsome. Hands down.

6)      He loves me for me. Everything about me. This is hugely important, because I don’t think I’ve ever have had this happen before. Justin will pause and look at me on skype, with blemishes all over my face, and my hair a rat’s nest, wearing a ratty old t-shirt and Cookie Monster pj bottoms, and he just smiles and goes “You’re so pretty!” And he means it. I know in my heart he doesn’t just love me despite my faults. He loves me AND my faults. He loves me for me. And I love him for him.

Of course these are not the ONLY things I love about Justin. I’m sure if I wanted to, I could name a bajillion other things. And I’m sure once I’ll post this I’ll be like “OOOH! NO WAIT! I WANNA ADD THIS!!” But these were the things that popped to mind first and foremost.

Oh, and as an added bonus – here I am, playing a song, for Justin, on my ukulele, as a delayed Valentine’s present. I only did two takes, and yes, the cleavage is to distract you from my blemished face and my terrible singing...and my messy room.... ^_~ <3

A Very Foxy Valentines Day

I am going to do a thing now where when I am working on a post for our site I am going to grab a song that I like and put it on infinite looper while I work. As I am sure you can guess the first time I did this it was with Rusted Root's “Send Me On My Way”. Well this time I have chosen “Killing it” by Foxy Shazam. If you have never heard of this band you should check them out. They have been a favorite of mine for the last year and I fully intend on seeing them in concert. Any ways now on to the main event the reason you are all here: Obligatory Valentines Day post!

It has dawned on me that neither myself or Megan have said why we are doing this blog. Her and I have been together for 5 months and we are a long distance relationship. So in addition to us talking on the phone or Skype we decided to take a Vlog Brothers approach as well and do a blog as a third major means of communicating ideas and video to each other and of course anybody that would like to view it!

I promise one day we will both recount how we met but right now I'd like to detail our Valentines day with each other. Megan had this wonderful idea that we should have a date even though we couldn't be with each other. She suggested that we get the same kind of take out, Set up our web cams, have dinner “across from each other”, and finally watch a movie on Netflix. Which of course I was completely on board with doing. It was perfectly dorky and a whole lot of geeky.

Thus the plans were made we were to meet online at 6:00 with sushi from our favorite places, some chocolates and one of my favorite movies Clue. It was really fantastic; I ordered a spicy crunch roll and it came with nine pieces of sushi and she got her Philly roll and California Roll.

It was the best Valentines day I had ever had and it is pretty much guaranteed that it will be a tradition to go and bring sushi home as opposed to going out. I am so very thankful for the happiness she brings me. I love you Megan and Happy Valentines Day.

Justin

Voice acting, DnD, and lead - errr graphite.

So my wonderful girlfriend Megan, you know the other person who writes here. Well she is a fantastic artist and an animator. I won't post her work because I am sure she will post her own. NO- I Got it. MEGAN! Post some of your personal favorite animations and some your own works for the world to see! Do it! DO IT NOW!!!!!!!!!......... <(^ ^)>. Oh wow I am not sure what just happened, I tend to spaz er- Well I tend to get side tracked and ramble. you know to just go off on a random side not e that really has no baring on the conversation at hand. Speaking of hands you have two of them. She is fantastic and she asked me to record a voice for one of her projects. I had expressed interest in doing that before but I never had until about 20 minutes ago. It was a whole heap of fun. Though now my voice kind of hurts but I would say that it is totally worth it! Also random note my joke was taken from me yesterday by the devious Daniel so if you see him or whatever make sure you congratulate him on his really creative video that he made! Even more random note if you get the chance to buy pencils you need to pick-up the Ticonderoga #2. It may be quite simply the greatest pencil in the history of all things. I was sitting the playing Dungeons and Dragons with my buddies the other night and every time I had to make a note or erase something I just got down right giddy. I haven't played Dungeons and Dragons in such a long time and it has been really fun so far. Our Dungeon Master has been great. We played a mini-game that let us be gods of the world we are playing in so that we could know the lore of our realm. It has been great. We randomly generated our character with dice and trait generators. I am a level 1 Dwarf Cleric. I belong to the Order of the White Feather. I am sweaty and brave. I have proficiency in singing, rope use, heraldry, and Seamanship. It is pretty neat. -Justin P.S. In before mid-night! Goal of one per day is going well!

So yeah today you get this.

I am struggling to figure out what I am going to write and I did swear to post daily so today you are getting this and my ADD has flared up because this one song is really great. You know that song with a bunch of mumbling; its real real great so today I am going to simply share one of my favorite songs. It just makes me smile! See lets listen to it together. It will be as if I am right next to you. Don't look now but I am with you. No really I mean it. No really look there is a video!

2006: The year Pluto was kicked out of the U.N. for ignoring sanctions on nuclear weapons.

The Great Plan

The year is 2006 and I have started my senior year of high school. Senior year for me was pretty great I finished all but one of my core classes and all the remained was Economics. After that I got to spend my whole day as an intern and then in my second semester I spent the whole day interning! It was great.

I had the coolest job as an intern doing what I loved. I essentially worked for my teacher in video broadcast. We spent our days teaching students, shooting the School news, going off campus to shoot movies and short films. We got to work with some really nice people in the film and broadcast industry. By eighteen years old I had a list of contacts and an easy transition set-up for college.

Meanwhile, after school I was nursing a new relationship and maintaining a job at Circuit City. You know that place right; ancient structures sit in ruin all over this great nation of the largest consumer electronic store for the better half of three decades. Some times you will see the symbol of this great empire hiding behind the words of a temporary Halloween store- Okay okay I''l stop I guess it really isn't all I make it out to be but really I did love that place.

I have of course worked in the CAMERA! Department. I helped little old ladies find simple cameras and budding filmmakers get their first camcorder, microphone and tripod. It was a job I had a lot of fun working; it is also where I first met a friend that I speak with to this day. We attempted making a feature length film together and he also gave me some of the worst advice and best advice ever. Though I am trying to avoid tangents so I'll skip that for now.

Then every day for fun I would go home and role play with my friends. The great golden age of internet role play and not that weird kinky stuff but the geeky stuff. I was a great and power giant with the ability shrink and grow on command. I had magical armor that scaled with me. It was awesome! It was what I looked forward to every day. Creating this world with my friends on the Yahoo User rooms! Anybody worth meeting hung out at the Vampire Tavern. It was a small tavern with a bar, an inn, and a lake by which of course a full moon always reflected on to. It was here that I would meet my first serious girl friend.

This a girl that I met in the heat of battle – now in hindsight the only heat was from the friction of fingers on keyboard. (Really that “T3” style of combat was intense you had to type, with out typo, your action before your opponent. Typos were the typed equivalent of a rolling a 1 on a d20.) If I remember correctly she was being chased by ninjas or something stupid like that and I intervened all giant like and stuff. Oh her name? Lets call this girl Mary-sue; Mary for short. After talking for what seemed like forever I learned her name and that she was from Wisconsin! A full 800 miles away from my home in small town GA. We didn't let that stop us though. A few weeks later we were dating and we formed a plan.

Now she was a year older than me and already out of school but not started college. Our plan was simple after a couple of months she would move to GA and get an apartment. I would finish High School, start college, and move in with her. Seriously for 17 and 18 year old plans we were geniuses; How could this ever go wrong?

-Justin

Let's Get It Started!

Oh hey, it's blogger! Hi blogger! It's me, Megan. Doncha remember me? ....okay, no you don't. xD

So, as you can tell, this is not my first foray into the world of blogging. Heck. I had a livejournal before livejournal was livejournal.... as I got older and more wary of the world (in a way), and I guess also with the emergence of facebook and twitter and tumblr.... blogging just fell out of favor for me. No one was reading, and I never knew what to say or do anymore once I fell out of fandoms. But this is an exciting new idea for me.

Since the last time I really tried to put together a blog, my life has really changed. I moved across the country. I started animation school. And then I met an amazing man. After my going on and on about this blog and that blog, Justin suggested that perhaps we should start a blog together. I love the idea. Right now, our relationship is long-distance (we'll likely explain how we met, from each other's side, in due time), but in the coming months, we'll have even more changes happening and we'll be not-so-long-distant. I'm excited.

For me, this will be my place to discuss my world and our world. I will likely talk about my struggles with anxiety and self-acceptance. I'll probably whine about classwork. I'll probably post dorky memes, or animation shorts, or doodles I drew. I want to post photos. I want to be able to share this blog with family and friends. I want to grow as a person through this. Mostly, I just want to have fun, and even if only one other person reads this blog.... that is just fine with me, because he is my favorite person. :)

Lovin' this Geek Life. Let's get it started.

Welcome!

Blog post number 1.

I am unsure as to who will benefit from this endeavor however it has been suggested to me that I might benefit from it greatly. I am skeptical to say the least. I tend to not follow through on challenges that I set out before me; it will be a miracle if there is more than a few posts on here from me.

I am currently very happy with my life. I have a wonderful family that supports me. I have met a girl, Megan, that is wonderful. I have a job that I enjoy. I have even started writing scripts and making things again. Most recently a group of my friends and I set out to make a web series. That didn't go so well but my resolve has never been stronger; that is a story for a later day.

Megan is incredible, truly an inspiration to me. She has brought me so much joy. She works very hard nearly everyday for school and student films. She is hard on herself but her drive and self motivation has been one of the biggest factors in my life turning around. No matter what our future holds I will always love her for bringing me out of the darkness. Wow, how mellow dramatic of me. Some of my story has some low points and some very low points but I suppose being pulled from the darkness is a bit rash.

Any ways, this is my story. I will try my best to tell some of it everyday. One things for sure I think it will take some time before we get to present day.

-Justin Powell