A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall

2006-04-07T10:40:00.000-05:00

Congraduations!

Welp it's official, I was accepted into Baylor Univeristy's Graduate School to study in Sports Management. I am very excited about the program and starting there and everything! I can't wait. Just thought I would pass the word on... peace

2006-03-03T14:57:00.000-06:00

Hoops

I have decided, after a long bike ride, that life is no more than jumping through hoops. Let me explain, your entire early life and even until you retire is nothing more than the world requiring you to jump through hoops. The end goal, let say, is retirement and happiness. To get there you must:

Properly play the retirement fund game and manage your money well, but to do that you must...
Have a long lasting job in a suburban environment, with a mortgage, loans, and something called an IRA, but to do that you must...
Meet a beautiful lady and swoon her, whilst finding a good job and daily not getting fired for 35 years, but to do that you must...
Get into a nice graduate school, while the loans pile up, and earn a graduate degree that no one cares what it was in, but to do that you must...
Go to college at a decent university, don't fail out, and somewhere in there find your life's purpose, direction, and yourself (not to mention more loans), but to do that you must...
Graduate high school with a decent GPA, and take the test designed by the devil, the SAT, but to do that you must...
Make it alive through junior high, much harder than it sounds. (Cue flashback) , but to do that you must...
Somehow not hate your parents forever as you are kicked out of the house and spend all day with stranger and careen through reading, writing, math and girls in elementary school, but to do that you must...
Have the best time of your live in kindergarden and try not to think about working the rest of your life to get back to kindergarden. Think about it... A mere half day at school yields: new songs, coloring, clay, and even a recess. We were only there a half day and got recess, I work all day and barely get lunch, but to do that you
must...
Be born and not die. This is the easiest step and credit it due to the parents.

So, where does this leave us? Do we play the game, or break the cycle? You tell me

I leave you with an asian man jumping through a flaming hoop...

2006-02-19T22:41:00.000-06:00

Mission Accomplished!

The cold was braved, the tiredness staved off, and all obstacles were overcome and i ran the race. That's right 13.1 miles of pure fun in freezing rain and 28 degree temps. It was uber hard to have up at 4:30 when it was 24 outside, but somehow i made it through and got to the race. I started out very strong and felt great. I was running about an 8:00 minute mile and feeling spectacular. Then around mile 6 my right knee began to ache and I ended up showing greatly from the pain, even though i had the energy to push harder. It was as if someone had stated a fire in my knee and was dancing around it like crazy people. But i was able to finish and that was my goal, so Yeah!!!

2006-02-16T00:16:00.000-06:00

Boo yeah!

So, a quick update while I am thinking of it. Life is generally good here in ol' Waco. The job is so much better than Dell and i finally have bosses that are nice and can laugh. (No offense to Dell, Dell Incorporated, Michael Dell, or any of it's subsidiaries, as pertaining to therein.) My roommate is in law school, sorry. Which by the way is new news!! I have a new roommate, living with us here, Benjamin Zinnecker. He and I were best buds all throughout High School and have kept up throughout college. He is engaged to a very pretty lady and you can check his blog at: Ben's Blog.

I am running a race this weekend in Austin, a half-marathon. I am fairly excited except for the freeing temp and possibility of rain. But as they say," Oh-Blah-Dee Oh-Blah-Da Life Goes On". I am also hopelessly addicted to about three shows on prime-time and have been able to watch them via my sister's DVR. One of the greatest inventions ever. And the shows are in order of my life: Project Runway (Go Santino!), The Office (Awkward, painful, and funny), and Scrubs (So good). So all in all life is good, hopefully we'll keep the love alive.

2005-12-05T14:16:00.000-06:00

Shifting Gears

Well, at a time when everything is changing and so much is said, i have said very little. Well the job and the business world were given a go, but I'm just not sure that it's for me. So the quest have begun for a replacement. Just something to pay the bills and get me to summer. After that the summer will be full or traveling and enjoying life, much more than i am now. Then is August if all goes to plan i go back to Baylor for my Masters in Sports Management and hopefully get a job doing Outdoor Recreation at a University. That's the plan now but we'll see what actually comes of it. I'm excited for the first time about something, so that is very good. It's fun to be at a time in life where i can try on a bunch of hats and see what fits. Good times are on their way!

2005-10-30T22:12:00.000-06:00

I just miss my friend...

2005-10-03T19:32:00.000-05:00

Resolution

Finally, after much deliberation and wandering I have a pretty good plan. As of now i will finish out the month here at seminary and hopefully be passing my classes. On october 25th 2005 i will withdraw from Truett Theological Seminary. On November 1st 2005 i will begin to work for Dell Inc. as Sales Representative. If i do well in the original position i will hopefully be offered a full-time position and continue my career with Dell if i enjoy the job and if they enjoy me. It's a big step for me, and I'm a little nervous about it all, but I'm also hopeful. It may be a begenning of a career or just a next step, who knows? Comment are very welcome.......

2005-09-28T14:03:00.000-05:00

Unfolding daily...

As new possibilities come around daily for what to do after this semester. I find myself at a loss and an entire world of options. I have looked at editing videos, being a firefighter, working in the business field, working at a church, working as a park ranger, and being a outdoor guide. So i turn to you, people of America, what should i do? If you were me, which you are not, just to clarify, what would YOU do? The world is an open book wanting to be read, what chapter should i turn?

Aside from the minor task of figuring out my life nothing much has changed. Just working away at this semester's seminary work with the passion of someone who doesn't completely want to be there. that makes it uber exciting. All i do these day is work, class, read, run, and sleep. If anyone wants to do something fun, please call, because i need fun and excitement! Speaking of exciting, Thursday night and almost every Thursday night we will be playing Kayak Polo in the Outdoor pool here at Baylor. You guys have to come out and play, it's open to all and super fun. Here's a link :Kayak Polo . Welp, peace out...

2005-09-18T00:55:00.000-05:00

News

Welp, it's official. Another page has turned in my life, Robyn and I have officially broke up and are now friends. While i think it was the best, still a hard one to swallow. Just thought those out there would like to know. Peace out...

2005-09-13T13:41:00.000-05:00

Hello to all!

Well, I'm am back here in blogland and have made some updates to the pages. Currently, i'm involved in a debate about what to do with my life, simply. Well, not my whole life, just the next couple of years. I'm going to classes right now at Truett Seminary, and am enjoying it alright, but don't know if i can make it through the 3 and a half years. My other main alternative is going to Fire Academy here in Waco and becomming a Fire Fighter. More on this debate is to come but for now, throw down some comments on what you think I should do. peace...

or

2005-01-29T21:56:00.000-06:00

Nothing Here

Well i was told that i haven't blogged in awhile, so here is one. Nothing really has been going on, noting big i guess. Just alot of school and life in general i guess. Here is a cool link:

GI Joe

2004-12-13T12:24:00.000-06:00

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Hello everyone, so glad to see you here again tonight! Let the show begin..............! So i began my day in a normal way, i awoke, took a final, and the proceeded to check some things off my "To Do" list. So i went to the bike shop and then i gave blood. Now i have been meaning to give blood for a long time and my teacher offered extra credit to those who did give, so i decided to take her up on the offer. As i sat in the chair, a slowely began tog et a little warm, and thena slight sense of dizziness came over me. I decided to inform the nurse of the happeneing and i was barely able to mumble out, " kinda dizzy", by the time the tunnel was closing in and i was out cold, Unconscious! That's right i was comeplelty gone from this world for 1 minutes and 10 seconds. Pretty crazy, ehhh? Well i'm okay now and the blood was still good, so all i well. But it sure did make for an interesting morning, to say the least.

2004-12-03T09:34:00.000-06:00

Greeting from Colorado!

Well, here i am. Coming to you straight from The Cloud City Cafe, here in Leadville Colorado. We made the drive safe in 14 hours only stopping for a small nap. Today we will be ice climbing at some local hot spots here, and tomorrow we are hoping to bag the tallest peak in Colorado, Mt. Elbert. It's gonna be an awesome trip and i am super excited for the good times. Welp, i'll keep you posted on all the excitement!

2004-11-29T19:48:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving

Well, it was another sucessful thanksgiving in the books. Again we headed out to the Hyatt Hill Country for the 12 year in a row to celebrate the festivities. We played some golf, ate turkey, played games, and shared a few laughs. It was a great holiday, but unfortunatly it has a dark side.

This dark side of Thanksgiving is actaully one it is over and you have returned back to Baylor, or wherever you call home. Every single person you see and meet will eventually ask the exact same question, "How was your break?". It seems harmless enough, but delivered in mass quantities it can truly be lethal. At first you expect the question and maybe even tell a few stories to your friend and then are eager to hear how theyr vacation was. Then you hear it over and over and over again, slowly but surely you answer gets shorter and shorter until all you are now saying is, "Good", in a somber monotone voice. I almost dread these question and it makes the break feel cheap and empty. This vicious monster also comes out after christmas and especially summer, even occasionally fall break.(though not often)

2004-11-14T22:19:00.000-06:00

It's Been Too Long

Well, it has been far too long and so much has happened so let's make it quick.
1. I got Crampons and Ice Axes, Sick!
2. I have a new blog just for people to buy me gifts, it's kinda funny. http://www.MCBGifts.blogspot.com
3. I went camping this weekend for class and slept from 7:20Pm to 8:00AM. It was amazing, best sleep ever. I love sleeping in the rain! (In a tent)
4. Bob Dylan is my new best friend, and I listen to his music!
5. I onsighted a 5.9, not bad ehhh?
6. Between Oprah and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, i don't have enough tissues. (Thanks Ben and Jamie for crying with me)

Well i guess that's it. We've shared a few laughs and had a good time! Thanks

2004-10-25T08:33:00.000-05:00

Big Weekend....

Well another sucessful weekend in the books. I headed off to Pine Cove for a "relaxing" weekend and was greeted to a ton of work and very very little fun. No the ideal, but i did get to see some good old friends. Good times making a fool of myself infront of 280 screaming Junior High kids, Heck Yes!
In other news, i'm sick. It's official! Runny noze, cough, pain in every single part of my body, it's all there. So to add it all up we have :
Long Tiring Weekend + Rainy Day + Sickness + Going to try and quit work again = 1 Complaining Very Tired Matthew Bates. But no worries, life will pick up soon for me, i'm optomistic.

2004-10-20T21:07:00.000-05:00

Band Names

After a long week of good times I come before you with one simple, yet amazing fact. I have stumbled upon quite possibly the most amazing name for a band that ever existed, in this era or any other. I know what you're all saying right now, "There is no way" or maybe "What about that band 'Cream', that was cool" or maybe "Who likes ponies more than Matt Bates?". Well doubters be put to shame, because the time is upon us for the final unvieling: (drumroll please) "Ghost Runner on First".
Is that rad or what? I was drinving through the famous streets of Hewitt and as i saw kids playing baseball in the streets i recalled the old days of baseball in ole' Bartlesville, OK. And that is the exact spot where the "perfect band name" came to me. Awesome!

2004-10-12T21:26:00.000-05:00

Hey guys, i hope to have this up and running soon. So i'll see ya then!