You Win Some, You Lose Some

My good friend Will Pierce decided to get out of the usual hustle and bustle of Auburn University to come visit Nashville this weekend. It is a 5 hour journey that he has been averaging 2 times each semester. It is great to have him come up and you can always count that Mike, Will and myself will be able to be entertained for hours on end. Friday night I introduced Will to Predators hockey. Over the past year or two I have developed a passion for watching the Predators tear it up on the ice. We watched game 5 against the Detroit Redwings, and even though the Preds lost, we still had a blast. Mike, Will and I really did enjoy hanging out. Saturday I played with my new camera for the first time. We all met up at the Parthenon to throw the baseball around and goof off for a few hours. Then we headed downtown for the evening. I treated the boys to a great dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory and we even saw a few familiar celebrity faces walking down the streets. Will had to head back home early today, but Mike and I are looking forwards to the next time he comes in town. Never a dull moment. The Predators played game 6 against Detroit but lost in a 0-3 battle to end the series... You win some and you lose some but playoff hockey is one of the most exciting times of the year. The end of the semester is creeping up. I have a strong feeling this summer is going to be great!

Outside

I'm sorry to those of you who were concerned with my last post. I have always used writing to help when the bad times seem to be rolling. I appreciate your emails and messages checking up on me. So, I wanted to make a post telling about how great things are going right now. The weather is absolutely beautiful here in Nashville. Campus is looking extra nice because the CMT Awards were hosted here on monday night. Nothing can beat sitting in the green grass under the shade of a tree. An apple never tasted as good. New camera equipment is starting to come together so I can have the set up I am needing. Will Pierce is coming to Nashville on friday night to stay the weekend with me. You better believe that having my bestest of buds come in to town is going to make for a great weekend. So, I decided to take some time for myself since I am ahead on all of my art projects. After lunch I am heading to the lake to fish the banks a bit. I hope everyone enjoys their thursday and look back for another update in a few days!

When I Get Where I'm Going

"Yeah when I get where I'm going
There'll be only happy tears
I will shed the sins and struggles
I have carried all these years
And I'll leave my heart wide open
I will love and have no fear
Yeah when I get where I'm going
Don't cry for me down here

...But when I get where I'm going
And I see my maker's face
I'll stand forever in the light
Of his amazing grace
Yeah when I get where I'm going
There'll be only happy tears
Hallelujah
I will love and have no fear
When I get where I'm going
Yeah when I get where I'm going"

I just wanted to share some words that I have been listening to these past few hours. Despite feeling terrible the last 2 days, and despite seeing a part of my world crumble a bit, I must keep walking through these days even though it feels like the world is raining down upon my head. There are always a million things I could say or do to change how my days go but this crazy bit of my mind says that everything happens for a reason. I am holding on to that notion for fear of thinking it was my fault. I followed my heart and though it feels like a dead end right now, I must keep on keepin' on.

I've got the entire world ahead of me and to have stumbled now only makes me stronger. Of course having been dealt such a blow hurts, but I will continue to be a shoulder to cry on when the weight of the world gets simply much to heavy for you to hold. I know that I don't have all of the answers and I know that rough seas are ahead but you must build your vessel strong and thorough to make it to calm waters. So my advice to whoever has a heavy heart these days: take pride in what you consider your foundation, seek the pleasures of your heart, surround yourself in the fruit of your labors, adventure is the joy of finding the right answers, life is all about taking risk for the better. Here I am, 20 years young, I can't imagine how much more in life there is for me. It's very possible that in the next 10 years I will be reading this surrounded by wife, kids and a loving family that I know was worth all of the heartache I experienced on my adventure that I call life. Yeah, it feels good knowing that I get a smile on my face each time I think about when I get where I'm going...

Spring

It really is something special when you live amongst the concrete jungle of the city to get outside and enjoy a nice local park. There are several in very close proximity to my apartment. Yesterday some friends and I went out and set up a slack-line to play on and we also played some frisbee golf. It sure was great getting to sit underneath a tree and eat a delicious apple. This was one of the last few times I will get to be with Josh, Pete and TJ all together. They are graduating in May and are heading different directions. I am thankful to have had them guide me through my days here at Belmont.

Last night Taylor and Lauren were in town so we decided to set up a studio in my living room and shoot pictures of each other. Mike and Erin joined in the fun and Shannon Leigh was here right by my side to get her picture taken as well. It was fun and I am glad Taylor and Lauren got to spend some more time in Nashville.

Carolina Blues

I just arrived back from a great weekend in North Carolina. I will make this post pretty short. We got in to a camp site friday night around 11pm during a rain storm. So Dan and I set up our gear and tried to keep everything as dry as possible. Saturday we woke up and made our camp site a little bit more durable for the conditions. We went and climbed some water falls and did some hiking around the river. We also saw some hikers that were doing the AT. The Appalachian Trail is a trail that stretches more than a thousand miles from Georgia to Maine. It takes at least 6 good months of vigorous backpacking and trekking to complete. My hat goes off to anyone who even attempts it. Anyways, saturday night was a cold, wet night. It isn't alot of fun standing in the rain next to a fire that won't stay lit. But TJ, Clint and Dan did a great job of keeping it going for as long as it did. I tried to stay dry under a tarp that was protecting my tent. It poured pretty much the entire night which made for a muddy, cold, wet time. But when we woke up this morning, the weather couldn't have been any better. Just what I was needing to keep my spirits high. Dan, Clint and myself went and did some trout fishing and then we packed up our gear. Before Dan and I hit the road to come back to Nashville, we went and hiked a small part on the AT to a fire tower that has one of the best views of the mountains. It was Dan's first time up to the tower so he got to carve his name into the wood like TJ and I had already done on previous trips. It was nice to share the fire tower experience with Dan. I believe it helped to complete the trip for the three of us. Anyways. Here are a few pictures. Sorry I don't have any more, but I really did not want to get my phone out in the rain. Enjoy this week coming up!!!

-Joel

Covered In Rain

How about this weather we are having in Nashville? I really do like rainy days especially when I am in the art building for 8 hours on campus. You can always count on hearing the rain hitting the roof and watching people run around with their umbrellas and rain boots. I doubt the weather is going to be amazing this weekend in North Carolina, which is where I am heading to tomorrow and staying in the woods until sunday afternoon. Yes, that is right... It might be raining cats and dogs but it isn't stopping me from getting outdoors. I've got good enough rain gear and a nice fresh tent to keep me dry. It is going to be quite the adventure. I'm not taking my camera because I don't want to risk it getting ruined but I will have my camera phone to document my adventures as usual. Last time I was out there was 2006 and I enjoyed every second of it. School is going great these days. My paintings are shaping up pretty well and I am happy with a few of them actually. Jim, my painting professor, has really lit a fire in me to just enjoy what I do and do what I feel comfortable with. And as many of you know, I am always pushing new ideas and boundaries.

Well I must start getting my gear ready for North Carolina. I appreciate you taking the time out of your day to visit my blog! Best wishes to all and I will let you know how my trip turns out!