Gifts

"Right on, doctor."

This is immense. Mr. Michael Warnecke and Mr. Joel Limbauan are reppin' suits on this fine Wednesday. Straight up immense.

SO. Last week, I complained and whined about the whole "blue suit" mixup. Well my friends, I am here to tell you, the complaining and whining was a bit premature. After that post was posted, my friend and teacher, Mr. Matthew Weathers, sent me an email reminding me of something:

"Hey Morgan, 

I have your blog on my Google Reader, so I check it out every month or two. I saw your latest post (http://emliv.blogspot.com/2012/05/sportz.html) where you said:

Today is the last Wednesday of the semester. Typically, I wear the powder blue, 1984 Los Angeles Olympics suit. Today, I forgot. And it's really too bad.

But a year ago, you did it on the Wednesday of finals week: http://emliv.blogspot.com/2011/05/finale.html - so you still have a week."

He is completely right, I have made this mistake before. No surprise there. Here's a side note, Mr. Weathers is one of the greatest teachers I have ever had. He teaches "Nature of Math," an general education, entry level, math class. Yes, it is entry level, but throw Mr. Weathers into the mix, and the class becomes the primo education event of the year. Let me show you a video that explains why:





I was taught math by a YOUTUBE CELEBRITY.

And he reads this blog and fixes my previous misconceptions about blue suit habits.





Something big happened this week. I live with three dudes: Mr. Joel Limbauan, Mr. Ben Jacuk, and Mr. Michael Warnecke.  I have lived with these three dudes for the entirety of my Biola career, three years. In these three years, there is not a posed picture in existence of just the four of us. There are countless photos of three of us, different combinations, different additions, but just the four of us? Doesn't exist. Next year, living situations are changing. I am moving on, into a house that will definitely be a complete change in scenery. Fact is, now that I am moving, if the three dudes who I have lived with for three years and myself do not take a picture together, we have no physical proof of our massively incredible and memorable three years as roommates. So we had a photoshoot. Because we just had to.

I am exceedingly glad we did this. These dudes are family, they will be as long as we're alive. And before this lil photoshoot, there was no proof this little unit existed.

Just look at us, we're weirdos. We don't belong together. We're completely different, different interests, different styles, different ways of living our lives. But we live together. And it works. Somehow.

Imma miss these dudes. BIG. Way too many memories, laughter that exceeds skyscrapers, stories that fill libraries, experiences that define life.

Yikes, I'm getting all nostalgic.


One of the greatest things about this blog is this fact: these memories will never be lost. Many of the memories are contained within this strange blog I keep up and when reread, welcome to the time machine: right back in the moment, remembering the experience like it happened five minutes ago.

And THIS, my friends, is why this blog exists.

This semester is over. It's finished. Summer is here. Does it feel like it? No. Should it feel like it? I guess. Where did the semester go? It took off running, got faster, and then BOOM, finished the race. Incredible. So many things happened that if I tried to list them all, I would have an empty list because I wouldn't know where to start. So many great things happened this semester. New classes, new assignments, new friendships, new conversations, new experiences, new memories.  It's been a blast, every second of it.

And WHAT?! Leaving TROP?! This place has been so good to us. The pool is heaven sent (as is the balcony), the atmosphere is super dope, and I told my roommate I wouldn't mind living here for 20 years (that may or may not be true).

The weird thing about semesters is how drastically different each one is from another. The ebb and flow of people and connected friendships are incredible. This semester was COMPLETELY different from the last, both GREAT in their own individual ways. Because of this consistent track record, I have no problem believing next semester is going to be a complete surprise, full of new new new. I pumped, excited, and maybe a tad nervous, about what is to come, but you know what the best part is? I have absolutely no reason to worry because I trust a God that leads my roller coaster of a life in every which way. I know He's in control, in the good and the bad, and I am thankful for the learning experiences in it all. Next year's going to take a fierce learning curve; BRING IT ON.





To all of you who I have spoken with this semester, thank you for exchanging words. Conversation is a gift and the fact that we have been able to talk with each other this semester is incredible.

To all of you who I have joked with this semester, thank you for sharing laughs. Laughter is a gift and that fact that we were able to connect on a humorous level this semester is incredible.

To all of you who I have studied with.....  oh wait, that never happened.

To all of you who I have shared life with this semester, thanks for living it up with me. Life is a gift and the fact that we have been able to do cool, bizarre, fun, serious, outlandish, random things with each other this semester is incredible.

To all of you who I have collaborated with this semester, thank you for boosting my creativity. Collaboration is a gift and the fact that we have been able to create new, fresh ideas and content together is incredible.


You people make this college experience the best a person could ask for. We're just getting started.





LES GO.

sportz

I just got this as I was walking out the Production Center: "Going to play tennis, guy?" I wish I was.

I CAN NOT BELIEVE IT. Today is the last Wednesday of the semester. Typically, I wear the powder blue, 1984 Los Angeles Olympics suit. Today, I forgot. And it's really too bad.

So, instead, which this is pretty cool, I'm going to give the links to all the other "blue suit" days.

And this picture, straight from '08. That was a long time ago. I guess.

Here's your linkz from oldest to newest (so funny to see how writing/personality/blog/humor style have evolved):

Dec 2008: http://emliv.blogspot.com/2008/12/1984.html
Dec 2009: http://emliv.blogspot.com/2009/12/azul.html
Dec 2010: http://emliv.blogspot.com/2010/12/iron-cally.html
May 2011: http://emliv.blogspot.com/2011/05/finale.html
Dec 2011: http://emliv.blogspot.com/2011/12/blues.html

This is pretty funny too. Sub 2008, probably 2007:

As you probably can tell, I've been messing with this media-type stuff for a while.


Speaking of messing with media-type stuff, I made this this week. And there's a story behind it:


So, on Sunday, I wanted to take a quick dip in the Tropicana pool because it was really warm and the pool was literally calling my name, like, I could hear it. I own a GoPro camera that is waterproof and I hadn't tested those waters, so I decided it was time. I grabbed, I went, I jumped. I dove into the pool and something went askew. It could have been because I was holding the camera, it could have been because I'm terrible at diving; whatever the reason, I dove in and hit the square top of my head on the bottom of the pool. Didn't feel good, didn't feel pleasant. Honestly, it hurt pretty bad. But here's the thing, the SECOND I hit my head, I thought to sophomore year at Royal High School. A good friend of all of us, Mr. Tyler Broberg, was at a family reunion, having fun in a pool. Somehow, he was knocked unconscious while sliding down the water slide, flying into the pool without a soul knowing what had happened within that slide. Tyler was trapped under the water for quite some time before being noticed, drowning to his death. Tyler was genuinely (and this still holds true) one of the nicest people I have EVER met, leaving a legacy that still lasts today. And his life was cut short. When I hit my head on the bottom of the pool, I immediately remembered the drowning, the events that followed, and every emotion of me, my friends, and the families surrounding this horrific accident.

So, the video that follows is an interesting one. It is an abstract representation the joy of the pool, my friend Tyler's death in the pool, the terror of the pool, and the emergence of hope through it all.





HEAVY.



On a lighter note, last Wednesday was a good one. My good friend, Mr. Kelii Miyata, tells me about a concert featuring contestants of the television show The Voice, one of which is my new friend Mr. Pip Andrews (this is when this blog is great: this is when we met: http://emliv.blogspot.com/2012/05/maze.html).  This is an event that couldn't be missed! So I headed out to beautiful Hermosa Beach with the lovely Ms. Jess Harrell to the famed Saint Rocke to watch all these fine folks play music. There was something so great about this little concert and that is: every person singing (I believe there were about 12 that switched off, did about 2 songs a piece and rotated around) was up there TO SING. They all KILLED the vocals. Everyone was so so so solid, the vocals were loud and clear, and it was in a word: excellent.  Not to mention the so so so so solid musicians who backed up the so so so solid singers. These guys could jam like I've never seen, spillin' chord progressions, changing keys on the fly, and GROOVING the whole way through. 3 top musicians: bassist that looked like Mr. Kelii Miyata in 20 years (like, spitting image), beast of a cajon player with gnarles barkley dreads, and the drummer who put his cymbals at full arm extension + drumstick away from his kit, the dude was flying. Such a great show, such great people, such a great night.  Good to see everyone again.

Side note: Kelii and I go back, way back. Here's a video of us surprising our 2009 gradating class with a little jam...







Friends, one of my favorite bands, mewithoutYou, has just released their new record title "Ten Stories."  A year ago May 14th, mewithoutYou played at Biola (which was absolutely 100% incredible) and a year later they release this incredible incredible album. I have listened to it a few times through and the blend of old and new mwY sounds, old and new mwY styles, is SPOT ON. They killed it on this record and it is quickly going to become a classic in the world of music. Below is one of the tracks called "Fox's Dream of the Log Flume," featuring Haley Williams of Paramore; it has rather quickly become my favorite song on the album, it's been stuck in my head for DAYZ. Enjoy:







And then this commercial is just great. So clever, humorous, brilliant. But does it sell product? I don't know. I probably wouldn't buy the purple squirts.







This has been a great post, haven't had one these in a while. I hope you enjoyed it all! Every part! Every video! Every story! I hope you just enjoy this blog in general. If you don't, sorry. I just write this thing because I always have. But the whole point of writing is to entertain you, Internet user. Without you, this would just be a lonely website on the wave of millions, but you, lovely reader, make it worth it.

So thanks.



Enjoy a glass of ice cold water. It's a warm one.

Big Fan

The weather has been just beautiful lately. It's been so so nice. There's something about great weather that makes days great, days that are great even when they are full, stressed out days become great simply because the weather is great. I'm a fan, a big fan.

School's winding down. It's incredible. How it got to this point, I will never know; how time can fly so fast, I will never know (how many times I talk about time flying so fast on this blog, I will never know. Too much.). It really is quite remarkable though. It was just Christmas.

But at the same time, last week seems like months ago.


The other night at 1 AM, Mr. Michael Warnecke saw his lantern that he had been given. He asked me if I wanted to launch it. I said "Let me grab my camera."



Now, you probably are thinking to yourself, "THAT WAS SO DANGEROUS." In a sense, it was. There was due warning on the package and we took all the precautions to make sure the lantern experience did not turn sour. And as you can see, everything went perfectly fine without even a chance of a hiccup. AND GUESS WHAT?! The lantern is FULLY biodegradable, so no worries about our lovely ecosystem. Let's just say this, the lantern was a great 1 AM spontaneous event. I'm a fan, a big fan.


A few days ago, I finished working on the TANKTACULAR video, an event that Hungry Mind Entertainment throws (you may remember SWAGTAC: http://emliv.blogspot.com/2011/10/dress-it-up.html) once every blue moon. This was my second shot at this type of event and, boy, was it a good one. Doesn't need a whole lot explanation because the video speaks for itself. I've got one word for it though: MADNESS.




Unreal.




Lastly, I have a video for you that is inspiring because it's the story of a kid who uses art and bikes to make a BIG difference in his community, and I'm talking BIG. Scraper Bikes give kids a new passion. And it's awesome.





And friends, that's it for today. It's been a great week.

Here's a final note. My sister posted this on her facebook this week. Sums up our family pretty well.

This rocks.



Eat some granola and raisons, they're good for you.

Maze

Hey! Hey. It's May! It's May. How is it May? Not a clue. These weeks just go go like the po po in a highway pursuit. So. Intensely. Fast. On April 27th, or something, Ms. Megan Vesevick posted an image that tickled my funny bone. I immediately reposted because I had not laughed that hard at an image is a very very long time. The image is below. And it is hysterical. You may not get it; if you don't, I'm sorry.

HA x 1000.


This week was registration for next semester's classes. When this happens, you know you are in the final stretch of the semester. The final hundred meters. The final lap. Ironically, this semester has been one of the most difficult for me to plan, but what I have thus far (subject to change, likely to change), lies below.

Know what else is strange? My degree audit.

I have taken classes that don't count for anything. Yes, they don't count for anything. You may call me an over-achiever, but I beg to differ. I'm just taking advantage of college opportunity.


All that said, I'm looking forward to next semester. This is what I've been telling people: "If next semester is anything like this semester, we're in for a wild ride." There is no hesitation there. It's going to be wild.


Yesterday was Ms. Amanda Cooper's birthday. The night before, Mr. Ben Jacuk and I were talking and thought it'd be a good idea to take her out at midnight. I guess it was a good idea because it actually happened. Ms. Brittany Watts, Ms. Veronica Luckey, Mr. Joel Limbaun, Mr. Ben Jacuk, Mr. Kris Yee, and myself celebrated with Ms. Amanda Cooper for Ms. Amanda's Cooper's 23rd birthday by going to the infamous Jax Donuts. Naturally, we made a video. And naturally, we got lost. And naturally, the batteries ran out. But, naturally, the video still is rad. Enjoy, naturally.





I don't have much more to say.

Oh, I got to hang with my bud Mr. Kelii Miyata this week. That never happens because we are very similar in a certain aspect: we work really hard and all the time. But we figured out a loophole, if we work together on the same thing then we all win. Kelii asked me if I would help film a music-video-esque film for Pip, a recent contestant on The Voice. I can't tell a whole lot about it, but I can show you a picture:

The experience was awesome. Great making new friends while creating art. Doesn't get much better than that.


Have a blast of week. Run through the sprinklers. If it's warm, of course.