Heaven's not a place you go when you die, it's that moment in life when you actually feel alive.

My paper from a writing class:

Whoever decided Christmas is a quiet, peaceful time had clearly never met my parents. Needless to say this will not be the most heartwarming Christmas story, in fact it has little to do with the holidays at all.

My parents aren't the type to sit at home all day so instead they chose the safe, family activity of 4-wheeling. This being my first time I was excited with a slight twinge of fear that I had attempted to push further into the back of my mind for the time being.

Once I took off, it was a rush. Within minutes the fear had subsided and was replaced with even more excitement. It pulsed within me, begging to be let out. To go faster. Jump higher.

A small hill approached and my fingers clenched the throttle even tighter, then slipped.

In a flash I felt gravity cease to exist. The world was neither up nor down. The sand pushed itself closer and with the force of a tidal wave, connected with my side.

The sky was filled with a large, dark object overhead. It loomed almost in place with patience for the quick second that gravity would return. I thought of others who had died with the same bad luck. What I had assumed to be the most painful and terrifying moments of their lives, yet I felt nothing.

All was calm and serene. The fear from earlier seemed far away. There were no words in my mind, only the simple feeling that there was nothing I could do. Not hopelessness or any desperate attempts at waging war with fate. For once in my life there was nothing I could do, nor was there anything I had to do. Having control over life ripped away was peaceful, easy.

Many people spend their lives in search of a moment of freedom. Somehow it is assumed that with a greater sense of security in life, you will also gain a bit of peace. Yet in my experience, peace isn't a lack of conflict it is the acceptance of it. It is not the power to stop an atom bomb from detonating, it is the moment when it's could is billowing towards you and all panic is lost. There is nothing.

That day, I walked away from one of the most violent moments of my life and the most peaceful Christmas I could have had.

I saw this today and it made me happy.

Via Happy Thing's Tumblelog.

Little boxes..

I've recently started to notice that facebook is slowly becoming more of a "fill out this questioner for ads to be tailored for you!" than a means of communication. But I also think most of the internet is like that.

We're basically turning into a generation of people who would rather stare at a screen and 'like' a friend's comment than walk down the street to talk in person. Or spend time in a room full of people while everyone stares at their phones. Then fill in little boxes which make up our lives.

And we wonder why our lives aren't exciting.

Interestingly enough though, the more technology grows the more I've noticed people slowly turning against it. For all of the kindles, it's just not the same as reading a book. And no matter how many songs itunes sells (or piratebay..) it's not the same as going to a concert (and god forbid, not just watching it on youtube.) I've slowly gotten bored of the idea of ebay and twitter.

Photo shoots from earlier in the year.

More pictures!

Shawn Ingersoll:

Ryan Arnold:

The Neon Trust:

Jay Brody:

TyFoto:

Photo shoots from 2009.

Some of the better photos to come out of 2009 (that are still on my computer).

Lil C Photography:

DJ Meier:

Ryan Arnold:

More from him further down.

Michael Earl Jones:

Timothy Michael:

More from DJ Meier:

Derek Hurley: