| Back in Carrollton |
[Nov. 20th, 2006|11:13 am] |
Too much has gone on since the last post to even begin to explain things. If you want to get in touch with me:
Check out my myspace: http://www.myspace.com/acousticbullsht
Or email me: tbackus at gmail.com
Or call me: 678-378-7559
Much Love. |
|
|
| Still in Carrollton |
[Aug. 24th, 2005|02:35 pm] |
Since my last post, I have been extremely busy. I am working at the Honors House on campus at West Georgia and saving up money. I have also been doing landscaping and odd jobs. After having all of my money stolen I realized that I needed to get on the ball and start making some dinero. In a matter of about three weeks I was able to save up almost $1400 dollars just working my tail off. I then took some of my money and put it into short term investments: two vehicles that I am fixing up and selling. I have a total of $800 dollars into my 1988 Honda Civic and my 1990 Acura Integra. I paid $100 bucks for the Civic and the Integra was given to me as a junk/parts car by a neighbor. I promptly began searching Ebay and buying parts. As new parts arrive, I fix the cars little by little.
( Details for the Mechanically Inclined )
I just thought I would give update on my daily activities; Carrollton is so boring that I had to pick up a hobby. I've also been working on two motorcycles recently, an old 1972 Honda XR 100 (my friend Phil's bike that he is going to let me have until I leave for Australia if I fix it) and a 1996 Suzuki DR 650 (Ben's new on road/off road trail bike).
When I am not at work or working on my cars, you can usually find me hanging out at the square; I mean really, is there anything else to do in Carrollton? I need to get out of this town -- I am leaving in about two and a half months for Australia. I am just waiting on my visa application to come back before I can buy the tickets and I'm off. |
|
|
| Stuck in the Middle with YOU |
[Jun. 30th, 2005|03:17 pm] |
|
It turns out my departure has been pushed forward. The vortex is trying to keep me in Carrollton. Long story short: I'm out $500 and have a new-found distrust towards coke fiends. I know I probably should not have invested any trust in the thief, but she was an old family friend asking for a place to take a shower. No time to dwell on the past, I have been working to save up enough money to get out of here and I've already made most of the money back that I had lost. Now I am just waiting until I can afford a ticket to Australia and I'm gone. Hopefully I will not see any more setbacks; this town has known my presence for too long. I need to venture out and experience new lands. For now I am working at the Honors House at the University of West Georgia for the Honors Program and the Advanced Academy. I work every weekday from 1 until 5 pm, answering phones, copying documents and files, and doing whatever else needs to be done around the office. When I'm not chilling in the air conditioning at the Honors House, I am landscaping on the side to make some extra money. I am trying to work as much as possible and spend as little as possible and so far I'm doing well. It looks like I will be stuck in this one horse town until August, so for those of you who will miss me I will be in town for another month or so. Lets hang out, I'll probably never see half of you again. |
|
|
| The Square |
[May. 28th, 2005|06:09 pm] |
Days go by... nothing exciting. I've been wasting all of my time up at the square hanging out at either the Corner Cafe or lounging on the couches of Gallery Row with an iced coffee. As the days get hotter I seem to be consuming more milkshakes and smoothies, too. My days are so empty without anything to do: school is out and my best friend Ben is in Germany, which leaves me with the square, Robbie, and the other miscreants that enjoy torturing themselves with the oh so mundane meeting place. To top it all off, the cops keep coming up here to try to kick us out. They continue with empty threats of ticketing everyone for loitering. I am thinking about writing to the city manager and mayor to stop the police harassment. Apparently there is nothing better to do in Carrollton than run off teenagers. I still think its amusing that they only ask us to leave, and not the adults that spend their time reading books outside of the coffee shops. Are they not loitering by the same standards? I think cops just don't like teenagers.
As for now, I am hobbling around in a cast because I got into a dirtbike accident last Sunday. No broken bones, but I have to wear a blue fiberglass walking cast for two weeks due to the soft tissue damage. Thats what I get for wearing the wrong equipment; next time I will definitely ride with my military safety boots (steel toed combat boots). Next week I am going to try to go ride some more after I get my cast off. Dave just cleaned up a really nice track behind his house in the woods and it is a great ride with lots of hills and even a creek to cross! Hopefully me and Phil will start riding soon; we are due to fix up his old Honda 110 trials bike so that I can ride it. Its a really fun little bike, and its street legal which is a bonus. For the next month or so I will just be hanging out in good ole Carrollton, and visiting friends in the vicinity (Milladgeville).
I am leaving to go see Ben and Eva in Germany on July 1st. I can't wait to hang out in Deuchland for a month. It will be more eventful than the square, to say the least. I will be there until their wedding on July 25th, then I will be flying out to Australia directly from Europe for school. I will probably stay in Australia for a few years before (if) I come back to the states. I know one thing for sure, I will not be returning to live in Carrollton; I may however come to visit my friends. I just can't wait to get out of this country for a while. I will miss all of my friends, but I need to experience the world. |
|
|
| It's a vortex. |
[Mar. 31st, 2005|01:08 am] |
Ok, this is it. I seriously need to get out of this one horse town. Everything is always the same; this place wreaks of bullshit and drama. Just four more weeks of school and I'm free! This semester has blown by and somehow I've managed to keep fairly decent grades without going to class too often. Its not all bad; my dad just bought a new(ish) truck that I get to drive around when he's not at work. Its a dark blue 2000 Nissan Frontier, Desert Runner. It's definitely one tough machine. When I'm not driving everyone around, I hang out with Ben (and Eva) or Robbie. I've also been hanging out with Broderick recently who just moved back from Atlanta, as well as spending time with the kids at the square. I am severely addicted to Gallery Row, the new coffee shop beside the Corner Cafe. I have to give props to Bill Anderson, the owner, for opening such a successful and vibrant shop; it really livens up the atmosphere on the ole' Adamson Square. Speaking of which, downtown Carrollton is gaining class: Millers Pub and Eatery just opened up on one corner, and the new Rome Street Tavern and Grill recently started serving it up just down the street. The Square has an impressive new face these days and I must say the new restaurants are incredible.
In other news, I've come to the conclusion that most girls suck. I really don't understand women, yet somehow I am able to piss them off with extreme ease. It is always more difficult to make up with them after you've found and pushed thier buttons and got them extremely mad at you. I have a knack for pissing girls off; in fact, I was voted "Most likely to piss off the entire girls wing in less than 5 minutes" for Academy superlatives. Gotta love the Advanced Academy, or hate it. I don't know why but in the past few weeks I've managed to piss off every girl I'm remotely interested in, and all of their friends and so on. Maybe I will have better luck in Europe and Australia... in fact, I'm sure of it.
For now, I have two exams in the morning that I should be studying for, in Biology and Precalculus. Until next time... |
|
|
| Plans |
[Feb. 2nd, 2005|03:05 am] |
Well, the semester is off to a start and I can't seem to gather up a bit of motivation. I have skipped a bunch of classes already; I really need to get my shit together and start studying. I have been sleeping a lot, hence missing classes. I just don't really care that much right now. I should be working my ass off to secure a 4.0 for this semester which would help me get into a good school. I am seriously considering going to Queensland University of Technology or the University of Queensland, Australia.
After this semester is over I will be done with high school and ready to move on. This country sucks; I came to this realization while traveling - there is a lot more out there then most Americans will ever know. So, the plan is to travel this summer and end up somewhere cool, probably Australia. I am going to Barcelona, Spain for a few months, then I will be taking a train to Dusseldorf, Germany for Ben and Eva's wedding. After a few weeks of hanging out in Deutschland, I am going to Poland to stay with Karolina near Warsaw. Europe here I come. Hopefully I can find a reasonably priced ticket to Australia that connects through Malaysia.
In the mean time, I need to finish out this term with good grades. Also, I will need to get rolling on my web-design company to be able to afford my world travels. I just bought my domain name and I am going to design the site whenever I have some time. I will be doing business as Exordium Design. Exordium means the start or beginning, especially of a speech or web. I think it is a killer name for a graphic/website design company.
By the way, I turned 18 last Monday, January 24th. So, that's cool. |
|
|
| Down Under |
[Jan. 6th, 2005|10:26 pm] |
Right now I am sitting at a computer in the beautiful but extremely hot and humid Australia! I've been here for about two weeks now, and I will be leaving to return to The States on Sunday night, arriving late Monday after over 30 hours of flying. I know, that doesn't quite add up: there is a significant time gap; Australia is 15 hours ahead. I have had tons of fun here, but I will be glad to be home. I really miss everyone, and for the first time am a bit homesick. Its funny being in a sub-tropical paradise and missing your best friends. Whenever I go out with my sister to the mall or to parties to hang out with her friends. I sometimes feel an absence of familiarity; So much is different here: the people, the climate, and the physical aspects such as geography and driving on the wrong side of the road.
While I have been here, I have seen and done many amazing things. The day before yesterday, for example, I went to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and saw tons of native Australian wildlife. I even got to pet a kangaroo and a wallaby. There are so many strange and fantastic animals here. After we left the park, my sister and I went down to the beach for a swim and both ended up getting stung by blue bottle jellyfish. They are nasty little buggers. Turns out the northern winds sometimes drag in pods of jellies.
On a lighter note, I have looked everywhere, but have not been able to find the bush. Everyone talks about the bush, but I can't seem to find the specific one they are talking about. Every time I see a shrub, I make sure to ask the locals if it is the bush, but they all seem to think I'm crazy. :) |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Dec. 19th, 2004|02:32 pm] |
I am in Kuala Lumpur right now, on my way to Australia to visit my family. I have a 26 hour layover and decided to go out and see the city. I am sitting at a computer in the Sony store in one of the largest shopping center's I have ever seen! I am in the mall located between the Petronas Twin Towers (Tallest Building in the World). The Mall is HUGE! I am overwhelmed... there are thousands of shoppers here in this 6+ story two winged mall from hell. It is crazy.
The trip here was pretty long, a 21 hour flight interrupted by an hour stop over in Stolkholm, Sweden for refueling. The food was on the plane merely decent, but Malaysia Airlines fed us well, and they were suprisingly technologically advanced. Every passenger had an LCD screen in the headrest in front of them, with headphones. You could watch movies, listen to music, and play a slew of old super nintendo games with a built in game controler/phone/remote control. I was impressed. The flight was really long though. We flew for about 8 hours, stopped in Stockholm and then flew the remaining 12 hours to Kuala Lumpur. I would have killed myself if it weren't for the entertainment in the headrest in front of me. Though the choices were limited, and all the music stations were horrible.
I've already checked into my hotel at KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) and I am venturing into the city to see the sights. It cost me about $12 US to get up here and the trip back will be about the same. I rode the express train from the airport to the town center for $10 dollars and then took a connecting train here. Public transportation is amazing. I got off the train inside the mall on lowest level, but I haven't gone outside yet. It only took about 35 minutes to get from Inside the Airport to Inside the Mall. My first goal was to find a computer and check my emial, and get food. I just ate at Burger King because it was cheap, but I plan on finding some good local cuisine. The Malaysian currency is Ringots, which are way less than US dollars. The exchange rate is 3.72 Ringots to 1 US dollar. So, I cashed in 53 Dollars and got RM200 to use while I am in Malaysia (I still have to do some last minute Christmas Shopping and buy food while I am here.)
By the way, this place is a tropical paradise. There are palm trees everywhere and its warm and humid. They also claim to have some of the world's best beaches. I plan on going to a few gardens and stuff while I am here today if I have time. I'm also going to visit the Menara Tower (4th tallest in the world) and of course walk outside to check out the view of the twin towers. Hopefully I will come back with some good pictures. |
|
|
| Static |
[Nov. 17th, 2004|01:42 am] |
My day to day routine is so mundane. I need a change of scenery. My activities include going to class and sleeping. It seems that I am in a constant cycle that I cannot break out of. I attend my classes, do my homework, eat occasionally, and sleep away the rest of the day. On the weekends I visit friends and hang out, but I never actually "do" anything. I am so frustrated! I need some radical change. I can't wait to go to Australia for Christmas and Spain for the summer! I am so bored with the normality of everything; Carrollton is so static.
I am also frustrated with the fact that my English vocabulary is constantly decreasing. I am having a hard time remembering words and speaking with any eloquence. I guess the only way to fix that would be to read more often, but I cannot find the time. It is actually funny because I can remember some words in Spanish, but not in English and have to ask my room-mate how to say things in English! As my Spanish vocabulary increases, my English decreases. I feel stupid. I cannot carry on an intellectual conversation without pausing to think about what word to use, or substituting the end of sentences with "etcetera." I feel as if I cannot think; as if my mind is numb. All I want to do is sleep. I have no motivation. I procrastinate everything to the last minute and then put little effort into everything. I need inspiration. Where is my muse? I am reminded of J. Alfred Prufrock: "I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each. I do not think that they will sing to me."
"Do I dare
Disturb the universe?"
Am I alive? Truly living? Or am I just going through the motions: internally dormant, waiting -- but for what!? Where does this mundane road end? And why do I continue, incessantly, onward down this path that leads nowhere? Or does it? What will the future unfold for me? I know not who I am or who I will be! I have no clear path, no direction. I travel, endlessly; but to what avail!? Where does this illusion stop and the real world begin? Is there a real world? How will I know when the hour is mine? What clock will toll? Why? Confusion overwhelms me. No, Frustration! Both. I can't take it anymore. I feel so alone. |
|
|
| "The Death" |
[Nov. 3rd, 2004|12:15 am] |
|
I feel sooo sick. I definitely have "The Death." I've been to the voodoo hut (campus heath services / infirmary) twice. I am now a walking Pharmacy, but I don't feel any better. I have no energy, the worst sore throat of my life, headaches, body aches, nausea from time to time, a chest cold, and an upper respiratory infection. I know: it sounds like great fun, or maybe mono. I need to go get another test done... All the tests done by the witch doctors indicate that I am fine, including mono: negative, strep: negative, anemia: negative, hypoglycemia: negative. Then again, mono takes a long time to show up in the blood. Oh, and I am slightly hypoglycemic, but only if I skip a meal. Yeah, so I just feel generally shitty and fatigued. I can still function, but I feel like I'm in hell. Two nights ago I had to have Robbie drive me home because I was dizzy, nauseas and had a fever (along with my usual symptoms). Cristina and Raquel took care of me and were worried enough to suggest that I go to the hospital. I of course declined (insufficient funds and presuppositions about hospitals). Today I lost my voice off and on, only able to speak after a cup of hot tea. Somebody shoot me please... or just tell me the miracle cure. I called my dad and asked him to pick up some echinacea; maybe that will help. Anyway, I feel weak and tired and need my rest. My bed beckons... gravity's calling me... |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Oct. 20th, 2004|01:51 am] |
|
Wow, I never update. I am way to busy. Now to catch up on some much needed sleep -- It seems to be a commodity around here. Hope everyone is doing well. Leave comments so that I know everyone is still alive :) |
|
|
| Road Trip |
[Aug. 13th, 2004|01:12 am] |
I ended up returning early from my road trip to Mexico, or rather, to California. Its a long, complicated story, so I think I'll start at the beginning.
( My Trip, Insufficient Funds, Hippies, Hobos, and Plane Rides. )
I never made it to Mexico, but I still had an adventurous time on my crazy road-trip. |
|
|
| Mexico |
[Aug. 1st, 2004|07:36 pm] |
|
I am going to Mexico on Monday (Tomorrow) for two weeks. I will return just in time to move into the dorms and go back to school. Our road trip will take my friend Juan and I to Michocan, Mexico to see the Volcanoes and Ruins, and to hang out with Juan's grandparents. Then, we will drive back up to California and then visit some friends in Oregon. The trip should be really exciting, as we have no real itinerary. All I know is that we will have fun and be back before school starts. |
|
|
| Long time, no update. |
[Jul. 13th, 2004|05:13 pm] |
|
I really haven't updated in a long time. I'm not on the computer much anymore, other than for work. I've been doing web-monkey'n recently. I've got a few sites in the making as we speak: I'm working on a site for the International Leadership Institute and one for North American Technologies. The former is a Christian leadership ministry, while the latter is a printing and mailing company. I am making about $50 per hour as a webmaster, which rocks, but there just isn't enough work in lil' ol' Carrollton. Bill Anderson, the owner of Gallery Row (which is an awesome coffee shop on the square) hooked me up with both of my contacts for the sites, so I greatly appreciate that. He's a really awesome guy - and he knows more people in Carrollton than I do, which is scary :P . I'm not really doing a whole lot else: you can usually catch me on the square, at either the coffee shop or the Corner Cafe. So, if you're in town stop by. Hope everyone is having a great summer. |
|
|
| Still Bored |
[May. 26th, 2004|07:43 am] |
>
WARNING | | AcousticBullsht is radioactive. Wear protective clothing at all times. |
From Go-Quiz.com |
|
|
| Summer |
[May. 13th, 2004|05:07 am] |
|
Finals are over! Its summer! Carrollton is just as boring as ever... |
|
|
| Finals |
[Apr. 26th, 2004|11:53 pm] |
I've got way too much work to do in the next couple of days; it's insane. I have been practicing my procrastination skills this week. For example, I had a paper due today at 5pm and started writing it at 3pm. I finished the paper in 2 hours and turned it in just on time. Granted it wasn't a great paper, but I only needed a B on it to get an A in the class, so its not that big of a deal. Now I have to write another paper for my Humanistic Psychology class; its due tomorrow at 3:30. I have written one sentence. Tonight is going to be a long, sleepless, coffee-filled one. I also have to study for my oral final in Spanish, and do about 50 pages of my Spanish workbook. Woohoo! I am "the procrastination MASTAH." (Yes, Whitney wins). After tomorrow I have to start cramming for exams and read two books for Humanistic... I rock.
Enough talk about school. This weekend was very eventful, yet unproductive. I had planned to do homework and such, but it didn't happen. I ended up hanging out with Nick and some friends. No details, because everyone already knows too much. Lets just say that we had way to much fun and did a lot of stupid stuff. For the most part I stayed out of the stupidity and didn't get into any trouble, so thats cool.
The Academy Recognition Ceremony (Academy Awards) and Graduation was pretty fun. I cracked up at many of the senior statements and had a lot of fun playing the guitar for the recital. I also met a girl named Whitney (she totally had pink hair). She is a friend of Erin (Matt O's sister) She seems to be pretty cool and is fun to talk to. She's been helping me procrastinate on AIM since last night and I'm cool with that.
Well, I'm running out of precious time, so I'm going to grab some coffee from Cowboy's and start working on all this school related stuff. (Because that's fun, right?) |
|
|
| Stressed |
[Apr. 14th, 2004|01:55 am] |
|
I'm a little depressed right now but I don't really want to disclose the details publicly. I don't want to play all my cards just yet. There's a lot going on and I'm kinda stressed out. I just feel completely alone, as if no one is paying attention to me at all. I am confused about some things and I'm also afraid that I'm going to screw things up. I've been thinking and writing music. That's about it. |
|
|
| Ultimate |
[Apr. 9th, 2004|01:09 pm] |
|
Ultimate Frisbee is really fun! I've started getting into playing on a regular basis and I love it! The teams are really well made and the game is always intense. Last night we were 3-0 ! My team worked together and played an awesome game. Matt and Vishal could practically have done it alone, with a little help from Ben, Anne, Zaki, Tom, and I. The entire team was great! I think that playing Ultimate with friends has brought us closer together as a community and taught us how to work as a team. I've also met some really cool people out on the courts, such as Lesley. (She makes awesome rice crispy treats and is an amazing person.) ULTIMATE!!!!! (Sonic BOOM!) |
|
|
| School |
[Mar. 30th, 2004|04:46 am] |
I really need to kick it into gear and work really hard for these last couple of weeks. I have all A's and B's, but I would like more of the former and fewer of the latter. I need to do really well on my last tests and finals in order to pull A's in all of my classes and a B in Spanish. Hopefully that will happen! I really need to keep my GPA up.
I hear buzzing... Holy Crap! The CCFL's in my case have attracted bugs! There are insects inside my computer. I've got computer bugs that I have to get out. Maybe I should put a side on my case, that would probably help keep them out. Hopefully they won't fry anything.
The last few days I've been learning how to make style sheets and learning some php and MySQL. Hopefully they will help me to create more aesthetically pleasing web sites that are also more dynamic. As for now, I have been coding for a while and am very tired. I'm off to bed. |
|
|
| navigation |
| [ |
viewing |
| |
most recent entries |
] |
| [ |
go |
| |
earlier |
] |
| |
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
acousticbullsht's journal