a good weekend

Friday night Dad and I went camping in northern Ohio. The rain, incessant, cold, unbreakable, continued unabated throughout the night. We tried to keep a fire going, but the wood wouldn’t catch; we had enough time to roast a few bratwurst and ate them cold with sodas and water. The fire sputtered and sizzled as we broke out cheap cigars and sat smoking until the cold numbed us and our teeth chattered and our fingers ached. We crawled into the tent and played a game of chess—I won in about twelve minutes due to my father making a ridiculous move leaving his King open—and then we slept. The hard was ground, and I tossed and turned, and I had forgotten a pillow, and the foot of my sleeping bag became puddled with water. When dawn came we got up and used a small gas grill to cook bacon and pancakes, and then we went canoeing on the placid and crystal-clear Mad River. Most of the river was cocooned in trees, and even in the midday it became chilly.

Saturday night I spent the evening at the house alone. Beforehand I went to Jessie’s work and got a large iced caramel macchiato—vanilla, caramel, espresso in chilled milk—so I didn’t fall asleep until 3 or 4:00 in the morning. It was good, though: I spent the time hammering out fifteen intricate pages in a potential novel entitled “The Toothless Kiss of Skeletons.” I have been doing considerable research in order to make the story believable.

Monica came over Sunday and we made spaghetti and then sat on the porch and talked. That night I went to my Thai friend Sa-Rah’s birthday party at Gambill’s house. Lots of people showed up: Sa-Rah (obviously), me (obviously), Gambill (again, obviously; it’s his house), as well as Jessie, Katie M., Deshay, Caleb C., Brian W., Kyle, Avon, and Kugler—and maybe some others, I’m not sure. Sa-Rah fixed pineapple fried rice for dinner, Jessie made cupcakes, and Kyle built the fire. People left in droves, and by 9:30 it was just me, Gambill, Jessie, Kugler, and Sa-Rah. Gambill’s small dog with throat cancer ate chocolate and we tried to induce vomiting but it just got mad and started hissing and growling at me.

the lehman house [17]

from Sunday night

The First Day of Fall Semester '09. Also the first day of autumn. I worked 9:30-1:00 in the Hilltop with Nate, Rob, and Rebecca L. I ate lunch with Sa-Rah, Jessie, and Deshay before class 1:30-2:45, "Church Growth & Planting." I went home and smoked a cigarette, went back to the Hilltop where I hung out with Jessie. Bullard joined us, then Brian W., and then Bullard's sister Lindsay. Alex R. is trying to squeeze in with her, and we warned her of his creepiness. Mandy H. was working in the Hilltop, and she made me an americano and a chai latte for free. I went back home, and Rachel came over with her boyfriend Keith (a much better Keith than Sarah's). Everyone went out to a hookah bar in Clifton, but I stayed home. Sa-Rah told Jessie that I look cute with my new haircut.

Tuesday. Two classes today, "Jeremiah" with Dyke and "Daniel" with Lloyd. I had dinner with Sa-Rah and then hung out with Mykaela and Brian W. at the Hilltop. Rachel and her boyfriend Keith came by the house again, and everyone but me played a drinking game. They were being loud so it was hard to sleep.

Wednesday. I worked 9:30-1:00 followed by class with Larry Travis. Sa-Rah and I went to Chipotle for lunch, discussing the political and religious and she was sad because she's been unable to talk to her Asian "boyfriend" for a while. I napped until 4:45, woken up by Jobst stopping by on his way to House Church. I made coffee and we sat on the stoop and talked. He left and Sarah returned, and I went to the Hilltop and hung out with Lorraine and Ashley M. Sarah and I ran to Kroger and by the liquor store in Western Hills to snatch tequila. Monica's in town for a wedding, is crashing at our place for a night or two. She came in around 11 PM, and we were up until 1 AM laughing and catching up.

Thursday. I woke at 9:40 and smoked a cigarette in bed. Monica headed off to Chapel with Julie. Julie doesn't affect me at all anymore. I see her every morning when I work: she and Tim come in for lunch. It's strange: nine months suicidal over a girl, and now I feel nothing when she's in the same room as me. I'm sure the same will happen with Courtney, though her wedding in October in the CCU Chapel may throw me down an emotional landslide. Who knows? All I know is that I'm DEFINITELY getting drunk on their wedding night... At 11:15 I went to school and ate in the Golden Eagle with Gambill before class with Dyke. I worked 4-7:30 with Stephanie, Sarah, and Matt S. So much laughter. I love working with Sarah. Mandy H. came over to do laundry, and once Monica rolled in, we hit up the tequila and clove cigarettes. I was drunk by the time Rob came over from class. So much laughter, though it became Defcon 1 when Mandy and Rob got into it over laundry. I played shitty songs on guitar so as not to stare. "Fuck" or a derivitive was used every five words. They left fuming, and Monica and I felt awkward before bed. 

Friday. I puked from 4-9 AM. Mandy worked my 9:30-1:00 shift so I could get more sleep. I covered her 12-3:00 and was feeling slightly better, though still pretty drunk. Nate was upset that I missed work. We had a "discussion" that was 1/2 serious and 1/2 joking about responsibility, and then I was left to work and sober up. At least I got to work with Ashley M. and Allison, who are both really cute and fun. Rob said, "Don't be shy: go for the freshmen." They're 18 and legal! After work I went home, and Dad and I went camping in Urbana. It poured rain and it was cold and we couldn't get a fire lit, so we went into the tent and played chess and I won.

Saturday. Dad and I woke around 8 AM after a night of incessant autumn storms. We went canoeing on the Mad River, ate lunch in the canoe. Back at the Lehman House, Sarah and I hung out for a bit and then I went to Aroma's for coffee and to see Jessie. She has lice and is NOT happy about it. Sarah went to Keith's and I spent the evening writing. I talked to Mandy K. before bed, but only for like ten minutes. She was at a surprise engagement party for her sister Sarah. "It's hard to be genuinely joyful and happy for her. She's only 20 and he's 28! It happened so fast. And I'm envious of what she has. I want to be in love, too." I lied in bed and knew that if God told me to do something, anything, with the promise of being with her, I would unquestionably do it. Before the call ended, she said, "It's so nice talking to you, Anthony. Please call again soon."

Sunday.  I woke at 10:30. Monica came over from the Riley's: the wedding yesterday went well. We fixed spaghetti for lunch, then sat on the front porch and talked for two hours. At 2 AM she headed back to the Riley's where Tim J. picked her up for her drive home to northern Ohio. I headed over to Gambill's house. Sa-Rah fixed Thai food and we made a fire. Lots of people were there: Sa-Rah and Gambill, of course; plus Jessie, Kugler, Deshay, Katie M., Avon, Kyle and Brian W. Good times. 

school has started

So I really suck at updating. Partially this is due to my hectic schedule, where balancing Work and Play and School becomes a daunting task. However, it is also due to the fact that not much exciting is going on in my life. I mean, yeah, I have three classes—Daniel, Jeremiah, and Church Growth and Planting—and I’m working about fifteen to twenty hours a week, but honestly, my days are spent writing and drinking coffee and hanging out with friends. It’s good that school has started; it gives me something to do, people to see. I’ve started working extensively on my newest book, and I’m almost done with “Chapter One.” I put it in quotations because the book doesn’t actually have chapters; the chapters exist only on the outline in an effort for me to be able to keep my thoughts organized. I’ll try to think of invigorating things to post over the next several days…

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Monday. Genna called me last night: "I don't want to be friends." That's A-OK with me. I worked 8-11:00 in the dining hall with Rob, then got lunch from Chipotle. I napped until 4:00, finished the third season of "Arrested Development," and when Sarah got back around 5:00, we went down to the Beer Sellar on the river in Newport for beer and pizza.

Tuesday. I worked 8-11:00 yet again. I spent the afternoon at the Hilltop hanging out with Lorraine, Nate, Bullard, Brian, Sarah and David. Sa-Rah came in, and we sat and talked for two hours. I did research on the bubonic plague for a possible book entitled The Toothless Kiss of Skeletons. Dwellers of the Night is selling about five copies a day.

Wednesday. I worked 8-11:00 and went to 1/2 Price Books in Kenwood for some books on writing fiction. I went to CVS for some notebook paper, and an old woman accosted me and kissed me. She said she loved me. Oh, Price Hill! I spent the evening at the Hilltop, visiting with Lorraine, Karen R., Nate, Bullard, and Brock. Back at the house Sarah and I sat on the front porch smoking cigarettes and drinking beer.

Thursday. Another shift at the dining hall, and at 5:30 Sa-Rah, Katie M., and Kugler and I met up at Alumni, and we went to Chipotle for dinner. Kugler has it bad for Katie. I swung by the Hilltop before heading home to see Nate, Lorraine, and Julie B.

Friday. I worked 8-11:00 and hung out at the Hilltop for a bit. I caught up with Mykaela, hung out with Bullard, and laughed my ass off with Nate. I ordered a latte and drank it in preparation for a long night of writing: I was up nearly to the crack of dawn and hammered out 27 pages. Writing is exhausting but invigorating at the same time; so much energy courses through my veins that my hands literally shake. 

Saturday. Genna called me last night: "I had sex with Spencer to hurt you." I told her it didn't work, and she got pissed. I went by Tri-Health to visit Sarah and use the internet. When I got back home, Genna texted me, wanting to meet up, so I chose a public place (in case she tried to murder me): Applebee's. She had nachos and I had beer. She spouted on and on about drama in her life, was super rude to the waiter. She kept going on about her sexual escapades. I just wanted to leave: there was no desire to be around her, and just hearing about how she's spread her legs under every tree made me feel nauseas. She wants to make me jealous by talking about sex with other people, but I don't really care. She and I never slept together, and for that I'm thankful. Once I escaped her presence, I went to Vineyard Westside with Sarah, sat with Nate & Kirby and Julie B. Sarah, Ams and I went to TGIF for dinner. We ran by Aroma's to see Jessie, and her buddy Aubrey was there. I mentioned Mandy K. in passing, and she asked if I still like her. I just smiled. She said, "Oh, you do, huh?" when I went to bed, I called Mandy K., and we talked for an hour, about nothing and everything. She's home in Chicago, facing her dad's death every day, taking care of her mom through this whole thing. She is a wonderful girl. I want to marry a girl like her (or her, even!) one day.

The Last Day of Summer. I dreamt that I was at Courtney's wedding, seeing her get married, and she was so happy, and I sat in the corner and wept: all I'd wanted had been taken. I woke depressed and sat out on the back porch and smoked a cigarette to calm down. Sarah let me borrow some money so I could run to Wal-Mart and get some shampoo. Deshay's back from Venezuela, and she came back by the house to pick up the stuff she left in our garage on May 15. I spent the evening at the Hilltop and on the patio visiting good people: Gambill, Bullard, Kevin, Mykaela, Ashley M. Jobst came by wanting to do a communal smoothie; I nipped that one in the butt. I talked to Mandy K. before bed, this the 1-month anniversary of her father's death, and she was pretty torn up. She's also struggling with the fact that her younger sister is in love with a boy and soon getting married, and she wants that so desperately. Love. Marriage. A family. I want to give that to her, but I can't. 

summer has ended

Summer has finally came to an end, and hopefully so have my sporadic updates. Working at the Girl Scout Camp ended on August 1^st, and right afterwards—literally—I came down with a bad case of mono and spent about two weeks in bed. The pain became so immense that I couldn’t eat or drink and dropped fifteen pounds in just two days. Now that I’m back to eating, I’ve gained it back (making up for lost time). A week ago, my girlfriend and I broke up. This week is Early Week. All the new freshmen have moved onto campus, and so have several of my upperclassmen friends. I’m not living on campus, but my house is just down the street. I come to campus often, especially to the coffee shop, and hang out with friends. I’ve got to see several friends again—Kyle, Gambill, Bullard, and my Thai friend Sarah. I actually just spent a good hour and a half sitting at the café bar chatting with her about her summer. Sarah has gone, and now I am just sitting at the bar alone hammering out a blog post. I’m working fifteen hours this week in the school dining hall; not my dream job, but the dining hall is short-staffed so we coffee shop workers are filling in to keep the grinds running smoothly.

I’m excited about school beginning again. I’ll be taking a decent class or two: Daniel & Jeremiah.

I haven’t been working on a book for a while—I finished the Dwellers of the Night manuscript several months ago—and have been toying with an idea involving the bubonic plague. The story would be called “The Toothless Kiss of Skeletons.” I’ve been doing lots of research, but the storyline is flimsy right now. Have to work on that a bit, maybe go to a bar and sit down with a pen and paper and just start throwing out ideas.

the lehman house [15]

Amos smoking his pipe at Nate's place

Monday. My throat’s getting better, but the virus has crawled into my right ear and is murdering me. My left ear keeps making popping noises. I didn’t head back to Cincinnati till about 5:00, spent the evening with Sarah, watching “Arrested Development.” Genna and I have our breakup talk tomorrow.

Tuesday. I barely slept at all last night, my right tonsil so swollen that it was hard to breathe. I went to Dayton to see Joe, and he put me on steroids. Within hours the pain was gone, and I could eat and drink! I’ve lost 15 pounds in five days, all due to mono. When I got back to Cincinnati, Genna came over and we had our breakup talk. Why did I break up with her? She’s controlling and manipulative (or at least tries to be), she’s mean, she’s given me no care or compassion since I’ve been sick, and this shows a lot, and I just don’t like her anymore. The conclusion: we aren’t going to work out. Points she made: I’m disrespectful (but without any actual examples, this one seems a bit shady), I’m dishonest, and I’m not mature enough for a relationship. One of those (#2) is kinda true. She cried and yelled and I was compassionate. As she left, she looked back and snapped, “I’m probably going to fuck my ex Spencer this weekend.” I didn’t get jealous, and that pissed her off. She hates the fact we never had sex.

Wednesday. I’M SINGLE! I never thought I’d write that with such enthusiasm. But you know what? Being single DEFINITELY has its perks. I woke early, took my steroids, and went to visit Jessie at work. She’s glad I broke up with Genna. Mom got back from a stint in Georgia and wanted me to visit her, so I did. All of us—Mom, Dad, Grandma, Ams and I—went out to eat at La’Rosa’s. It’s nice to be able to eat again; I love me some steroids. I got back to Cincinnati around 11:00, watched TV with Sarah, and went to bed.

Thursday. Genna went psycho on me over text messages. I ignored her. I’m not obligated to deal with her shit anymore. Jessie and I got lunch at Thai Taste. “I miss Sa-Rah!” she kept exclaiming. Back at the house I cleaned and relaxed. I spent most of the afternoon working on my sermon for Sunday (preaching at Kyle’s church). The sunset was beautiful: storm clouds laced with shafts of dying light.

Friday. Genna called me late last night: “I’m trying to find ways to hurt you.” I told her Good Luck. My nonchalance pissed her off. Jess Lynn called, and we talked for a bit. “Why do you always date the crazy ones?” she asked. Six girlfriends later, I wish I knew. She invited me to come to Liberty to visit her. Trista G. called me and we talked for a bit. I went by Tri-Health this evening and fiddled around online until Sarah got of work, and then we went to ½ Price Books at the Kenwood Mall. She went to see a movie with her friend Justin, and Ams & I went to Nate’s new house for a bonfire. Rob, Mandy, Mandy’s sister Bethany, and Amos were there. Good times, lots of fun.

Saturday. I slept in till noon and did laundry. Gambill came by. It was good to see him. We sat in the living room and talked for about an hour. Around 8:00 Ams and I went to the Hilltop. It was CRAWLING with new freshmen. I finished my sermon for tomorrow, hung out with Kugler and Bullard. Bullard’s sister is a freshman; Ams said I should go after Bullard’s sister like he went after mine. “Um, no.”

Sunday. At 8:30 I met Kyle at Restoration Hall, and we headed north to Northern Hills Christian Church where I preached a sermon on Kindness & Goodness for $200. Back home I had chicken and potatoes for lunch and then joined Gambill to help Jessie move into Alumni. Mom and Dad came over: we set up the window blinds and I mowed the yard. Genna started texting me, really mean shit, so I told her to stop. She begged me to talk with her on the phone, and I promised her I would. I called Mandy K. for a bit, it was good to talk to her for a while, so good to hear her voice. Her dad died three weeks ago, and she *seems* to be handling it together, but it’s thrown her world into chaos. I ate dinner and went to the Hilltop Opening Meeting from 5:30-8:30. They need a few shifts covered in the dining hall this week, so I volunteered. Back at the Lehman House, Jessie and her friend Aubrey came over, and Bullard and Brian W. joined us, too.

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such a winner

Monday. Today’s my one-month with Genna. I took Jobst to a medical clinic near Hyde Park. His appointment lasted about two hours, so I went to Starbucks in the Rookwood and sat on the patio drinking a latte and reading N.T. Wright, and I perused Joseph Beth Bookstore across the plaza. I sat in the erotica section and read a book on—you guessed it!—hauntings in Eden Park, Coney Island, and downtown Cincinnati (and even at Mother of Mercy, where both Genna and Courtney went to school). Once his appointment ended, Jobst and I got lunch and coffee at The Anchor. I took him back to his apartment and cleaned all of Lehman House and  did some writing. Come evening I felt sick, so I went to bed.

Tuesday. My throat is KILLING me. I didn’t do much today: Genna came over and we watched “Batman Begins” and episodes of “The Office.” I spent the evening watching TV with Sarah & Ams.

Wednesday. I went and visited Jessie at Aroma’s. Got a free coffee and some online time. I told her I’ve been feeling sick, gave her my symptoms. “Headaches. Ocassional nausea. Aching body. Exhaustion. Hot and cold flashes. And my throat hurts like hell.” She says it sounds like mono. Yikes. I went over to Genna’s, and we got dinner at Nick & Tom’s.

Thursday. I had a visit with Joe G. at 10:00. He says it’s either strepp or mono. “Your throat is drenched in bacteria.” He gave me some meds. Grandma, Mom and I went to China Garden for lunch. I just had ice cream ‘cause it feels good on the throat. I swam for a bit in the pool and fell asleep on a floatie. I returned to Cincinnati and around 7:00 I went over to Genna’s. She was being really mean, in a foul mood, and I almost left early.

Friday. I picked up my last check from work and spent the morning watching TV with Sarah. The brakes on her car went out, so I let her use my Prizm to run errands. I napped until she got back and then helped her clean out her old car (she bought a new one two days ago). We found two machetes in her trunk. Joe called and gave me the news from my medical tests: “Mono. And a pretty bad case.” But my immune system is better than most, so I hope to make a quick recovery.

Saturday. My throat’s 10x worse. Awesome. I slept most of the day. Genna came over, was being really mean. She cussed me out three times, said I don’t treat her right because I wanted to just lay around rather than go out on the town with her. WTF? I’m sick as a DOG. I told Ams, “I’m going to break up with her.” “Good,” she said, “’cause you should’ve done that a long time ago.”

Sunday. I came up to Dayton to spend some time with Dad. Throat feels a bit better. Dad and I had lots of good talks. Genna called and asked me if I still liked her. “No,” I said. And then she told me, and this is understandable, to go fuck myself.

the lehman house [13]

Top Cats in Clifton

Monday. I only worked until 9:30, and then Willy let me go home to rest my back (I somehow threw it out). The rest helped, and the throbbing’s gone down to a minor aching. Genna visited me for a bit, then went out to dinner with Courtney. “Does it bother you?” she asked. I told her it doesn’t, not really. Sarah went to Keith’s and I watched a movie before bed.

Tuesday. I worked 6-4:00, a ten-hour shift. Tim served raw meat twice at dinner yesterday, so he got fired. Now Willy’s working his shifts, and I’m working longer so she can get a nap in between work and dinner. Genna came over for dinner and rum, and we walked around campus and went to the Hilltop and sat on the patio drunk and happy.

Wednesday. I was sick all day, just sat around. It rained nonstop. Isn’t it pathetic that this is all I have to say?

Thursday. I did breakfast at camp alone. I got back to the house around 4:00 to find Mom, Sarah and Amanda doing yard-work. At 7:00 we hosted a Tupperware party. I had two margaritas and a shot of tequila, was feeling pretty good. I was the life of the party! Funny how that happens. After everyone left Genna and I danced in a monsoon.

Friday. I worked 10-2:00 to cover for Nate and felt sick all evening. I went to Aroma’s and visited Jessie for a little bit.

Saturday. My last day of work at Camp Whip-Poor-Will! I worked 6-2:30 with Willy and T.J. We cleaned everything up, served the counselors two meals, and then got the hell out of there. I celebrated with a cigarette and beer on the front porch. My neck hurt really bad. Genna came over and we sat around and talked and Amanda did Genna’s hair, and then we went to her friend Maggie’s going-away party in Clifton at a bar called Top Cats. Ams and Sarah came, too. We spent most of the evening sitting on the patio talking about zombies, vampires, ghosts, demons, and the supernatural. Genna took about eleven shots of tequila and rum paired with several beers. She’s hilarious when she gets drunk.

Sunday. I spent the morning writing, and then Genna & I went to Nate and Kirby’s church, Vineyard Westside. It was good, and my Catholic girlfriend thoroughly enjoyed it. The sermon was on trusting God with our finances. We ate lunch at the house and then went boating in Brookville, Indiana with some of Genna’s old friends. I got sunburned, but it was fun and relaxing, especially bobbing in the lake water while swimming. Drama erupted between everyone the moment we docked, and Genna and I got the hell out of there.