It’s almost 1:00 in the morning. I’m getting up for VCU orientation at 6:00 AM. I should be asleep. But as I lay here in bed with my laptop with what I can only describe as some kind of heartburn like out of one of those stupid acid reflux commercials featuring the people who resemble different foods. But I digress.

Besides the fact that I’ve eaten so horribly lately and caused stuff like this to happen, the other reason I’m awake is I have a lot to think about. In just about a month, I’ll be a college student. I’m living at home the first year, but everything is still going to change. I’m a little anxious.

Tomorrow will be interesting. I listed History as my major on my application because I submitted a portfolio of related stuff I’ve done over the years (if you know me well, you know what I’m talking aout… the newspaper articles and whatnot). I don’t want to major in History. I want to do either Graphic Design or Film. I’m not sure which yet, but I know I’m not going into History, and I’m going to consequently be sitting through introcutions to what classes I need to take to support what they think is my major of choice.

This summer, though it’s been the best I’ve ever had, has felt so weird. It’s so strange to think I’m not in high school anymore, and I keep forgetting I’m not going back. By the way, all you teachers and guidance counselors that told us that high school would fly by, I have a bone to pick with you. It seemed like an eternity and a half. Freshman year seems like it was in the Dark Ages.

I’ve been in Nags Head on the Outer Banks with Jen and her family and Allie for the past week. I’m still there as I’m writing this. I just packed my car and we’re headed out in about an hour as soon as everyone else is ready. It’s been a really great week. I haven’t been this relaxed in a long, long time. See, when my family and I go to the beach with everyone like my grandparents and cousins, we’re always doing something. Going, going, going. We go out to dinner every single night, go see the sights and attractions, shop, and what have you. We haven’t done that at all down here and it’s been so nice. I’ve been down here more times than I can count… I’ve been coming at least once or sometimes twice a year for nineteen years, and I can’t remember the last time I just chilled on the beach for the whole week. It was the nicest thing just to do so something unstructured and unplanned. We were in this little oceanfront cottage in Nags Head as opposed to the huge Corolla houses my family and I usually stay in. This was much more fitting and it didn’t seem so overwhelming of a house. I loved it.

Still, I’m looking forward to getting back home and hanging out with a lot of people I haven’t seen in a good while when I get there!

This really is turning out to be the best summer of my life thus far.

The following was supposed to be published more than two weeks ago. It wasn’t. I’ll update about the Outer Banks and whatnot in a day or two.

   School’s over. Not for the summer, but forever. High school at least. I’m now officially a graduate of Deep Run High School. It’s both exciting and unbelievable at the same time. I can’t quite believe that it’s actually over. We’re all moving on to bigger and better things. It’s funny how everything has changed since graduation. People who I never really spoke to and who never really spoke to me come up and say hi when I run into them at random places. It’s happened at least five or six times. It’s almost like we feel as if there is no reason not to talk finally. I guess there’s just a different aura at school and things are different now that we’re plunging into the “real world.”


    In the end, I’m glad I’m staying in Richmond. I’ve lived here my whole life, but I’ve never really explored much outside the Short Pump area. Hanging out downtown, at Pony Pasture on the river, and the other places I’ve gone, I’ve really discovered how much I truly love this city.


    I start my first classes at VCU in almost exactly two months, but before that, I’ve got some awesome things lined up this summer. First off, I’ve finally got a job. I’m working in the Information Systems section of the Attorney General’s Office downtown. I’m doing things like deploying and imaging hundreds of new computers for office deployment, repairing employees’ workstations, and doing general troubleshooting with them on various everyday issues that may come up. It pays really well, and I have a set schedule working two full (8:30 AM - 5:00 PM) days on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I like having all my nights open.


    I’ve got a bunch of different trips this summer as well. First off, I’m writing to you now from Toronto, Ontario in Canada. I’m up here with Alex and her family for her orientation at University of Toronto. Soon after I get back, I’ll be headed to the Outer Banks with Jen and her family and Allie, too. I also might be going to Young Life camp in Lake Saranac, New York at the end of July.


    Just as an update, I know several of you have asked about the podcast I used to do, “Evolution of Thought.” The main reason I stopped recording it is I didn’t have any time near the end of school. I was also awaiting my new computer. I’m now armed (and dangerous) with my new MacBook Pro, packed with built-in podcasting and website creation tools. Macs make pretty much everything easier and are so much more intuitive than PCs. Expect the podcast to be back in the next couple weeks, and to return with a bang. The features in some of this podcast software are going to make us sound very professional, and with a built-in webcam and condenser microphone we have the ability to do on-the-go podcasts anywhere and even do some video podcast editions.


    One more thing. I’m pretty sure I’m going to do away with TrevPix.com as my photo sharing site. I’ve bought a new .com name that I’ll tell you the name of when I get it up and running. I purchased a .Mac hosting account and will hopefully be able to store my entire photo archive on their servers. It will be much easier than before and the site will be far more interactive and easier to upload to. My photos, blog, podcast, and video sites will all be tied together into one site when I get it finished in the next week or two.