Cal's Great Journey -Tom

Cal has left. He is on his Great Journey. I miss him terribly, and I feel like all my friends are off on adventures to lands both near and far. I felt the urge to post on our blog in my moments nostalgia. I apologize that the blog will probably be significantly less funny and witty for a while. Unless I am able to get some of his stories from his great adventure and post them here for your pleasure.

 Meanwhile I sit at a desk and answer phone calls so that I don't have to be poor.

I actually quite like my job. I have gotten to meet some incredible people. And I am less poor than I was in little-town-college-land. I can actually afford to put gas in my car and that's a good feeling. 

And just so you know, I am in contact with Cal. The last I heard from him, he lit a book he was not particularly fond of on fire in his shower. (Safety first, kids, safety first)

-Tom

Forgive Us -Cal

We haven't posted in a while. Sorry

Also I'm alive. It's all good.

Mostly I'm just posting to reboot Tom and my interest in blogging.

We are less motivated people.

Oh, and he's a picture of me at a Holi Festival (Festival of Colors) looking like a thug

That was super fun after I had gotten surgery on my lung. Chalk in the lungs is cool.

It was fun though, Tom was there but I'm not sure if she wants all the pictures posted on this because she's not dressed like a thug. Anyway. Cool.

Also, my Great Journey is going to be in West Chicago, and I'm going to speak Spanish. That's awesome.

My Weekend in Limbo -Cal

   So my lung is leaking.

I don't know why, I don't really think there's any specific reason. It just is.

 
In any case, here's the story behind it;
 
   Two years ago, April of 2012, I developed a Spontaneous Pneumothorax, or a collapsed lung. However, a spontaneous pneumothorax is not like a regular pneumothorax. The added 'spontaneous' implies that it happens for no specific cause. I have never smoked, taken any injuries to the chest, and I have an excellent heart and very healthy lungs. They simply have the habit of... Leaking.

   The first pneumothorax (pneumo; air, thorax; chest.   Air in chest) happened abruptly and cause my left lung to collapse. I went an entire school day, and spent time after school to see a lecture, but when I came home complaining of chest pains, my mom drove me to see a doctor. The doctor figured it was nothing, he could hear a slight difference in my breathing that he figured to be bronchitis or something similar. Thankfully he ordered an x-ray, just in case.

   I was rushed into surgery. So much air had had leaked into my chest the pressure was pushing my heart into the center of my chest.

   I ended up spending the next week and a half in the hospital, spending the majority of my time playing Morrowind on my Xbox and eating (or not eating) shrimp penne pasta. I had two surgeries, one was simply an attempt to suck out the fluid and let the lung re-inflate itself. It did not fill itself up with air, and instead they went in for a second surgery, where they searched for a cause of the collapse. They found what they call a bleb, or a small blister-like thing. They cut that part of the lung out, stapled it back up again and gave me two more chest tubes in order to drain the fluid again.

   Finally, the doctor sent me on my way. Advised me to stay away from extreme exercise in the near future, avoid playing any brass instruments, and stay off airplanes for 6 months at least. I was on bed rest for another week at my house, but as soon as I did my time I was back on my feet, playing ultimate frisbee and marching with the drumline. 

This time I have a problem.

   I can't have a collapsed lung. I'm in college, homework matters, midterms are coming up and I'm just about to start a new block class. If I start missing classes I'll lose scholarships and punch my 3.88 GPA in the nuts.

   Of course there's also the issue of my Great Journey. This week I get my... memo of assignment, that tells me where I go on my Journey, what language I'll be speaking and when I leave. If I have a collapsed lung, no planes. No Journey. Not for at least six months. Six months from now happens to September. Which is right at the beginning of school. This means I have two options; leave at the semester (which means returning at the beginning of the second semester, or hold off an entire year to go on my Great Journey. Anyone will tell you, The Great Journey only gets harder to go on the older you get.

   

   I don't know what I'm going to do if I open my memo of assignment knowing I won't be going there. 

   Not for at least 6 months.

Thankfully, tomorrow I'll know exactly what's happening.

Tomorrow morning, when I get my follow-up x-ray I'll know.

Either it's got bigger or it hasn't.

Either way, they might operate.

Either way, at least I won't be waiting to know anymore.

FML -Cal

My lungs are leaking air into my chest.

That is happening.

This is not the first time.

You suck, Cal... -Tom

So I try to be nice. I invite Cal to Walmart because-- well he is bored. And what happens? When we come back he pad locks random things to random places in my apartment. After a good struggle to beat him up and take back the key, he walks away. Little did I know he hid the key. And made me check the blog to find it. What a butt.

There is your picture. Happy, Cal?

(Don't mind the dishes)

I swear, Cal is like a dog. When he gets bored or upset, he just becomes destructive. He hides things. He makes my life difficult. And I have to scold him like a young pup. And, much like the young pup, he doesn't listen and he just gives me a puppy face that makes me feel like I'm the bad guy. 

ITS A GOOD THING I LIKE YOU, CAL. OTHERWISE YOU WOULD BE IN TROUBLE. 

-Tom

There's a Cute Girl Working at the Cafeteria -Cal

   The title says it all really. She's blonde and she's cute.

   I've only ever seen her in the cafeteria, but she's an adequate height for me which is nice, and she makes me food.

I think I like that most about her.

   Anyway, I think I would like to talk to her at some point. I mean, I'm going of this Great Journey soon, which makes me feel a little apathetic about the lesser things is life.

Not to say girls are lesser, they're pretty great.

   But lately I have been trying to keep the important things in my life the priority. Dating probably shouldn't be a priority, but it's definitely above League of Legends.

                                                                   This is unfortunate.

   Also, Tom, the key is on your fridge. That's what you get when my blogging is interrupted by odd trips to Wal-Mart.

   I padlocked her stuff to a drawer in her apartment. It was silly. Hopefully she'll put some pictures up.

   

My Mind Right Now -Cal

I'm focused on one thing.
Just one. Freaking. Thing.

More like a concept.

The concept that what I want is out there.

Whatever it is.

And I can have it.

In theory, it is meant for me.

But reality can be a hard thing to grasp because concepts aren't reality.

And that can be hard when all your mind can handle right now is concepts.

I've entitled this concept:

theideathateverythingihaveeverthoughtiwantedisatmyfingertipsbutonlyexistsbecauseibelieveitexists

It's time for another glorious story from Cal.

(applause)

Yes yes, settle down. I recently discovered that if you lay perfectly still for about fifteen minutes your body will naturally fall asleep.

(really?)

Yes. And this was working incredibly well for me, for a while.

(what happened?)

One night, my thoughts took over. 

It was like I was living in my own mind.

For a little while, reality was mine.

I had everything I thought I wanted.

I could laugh at conversations, feel sadness, fear and frustration.

It all felt so real.

But it wasn't. 

With the tiniest twitch in my foot my mind was jolted back to my stagnant reality.

I was at a loss.

The thoughts I had weren't like a regular dream or a story that could be written. 

They were like memories.

Memories of happiness that I haven't attained.

This is why my mind has been so focused on a single concept.

I know happiness is out there for me.

I just don't have it yet.

The Feels -Tom

Well I haven't posted in a while. Cal just thinks I am too uncreative and has banned my posting abilities.

JK. He didn't. 

I just haven't had all that much to say. I do have the means to create fun web comics now, so maybe those will come in the future. And I did play a whole song all the way through on my guitar (with singing, might I add), so my goals are starting to get on a roll. But mostly college is really hard, and it's making it difficult to have free time.

Last Wednesday night I tried to pull an all-nighter to finish a book called Candide by Voltaire, and it is not a book that you should be trying to read at 5 am after you have been up for a good 20 hours or so. Any book I have to read for that class is not a book to read at 5 am after being up for hours on end. Frankly, it's just a bad idea to try to do an all-nighter and try to do anything productive at 5 am. Procrastination is not your friend. 

In short, I didn't finish it. At all.

And, I have totally procrastinated every important home work assignment that I possibly could have procrastinated on top of that. So college really sucks right now, because I am an idiot and thought "Eh, just be a hermit and fall in love with your bed instead of working hard to go where you want in life".  Beds are cool too, right? Who needs dreams?

Also, I am indeed going on an adventure come the summer to the land of Toronto. Cal has not deceived you. I am both terrified and elated to be able to spend a significant amount of time away from the land I have taken residence in for nearly 20 years. Where I am from, there isn't a whole lot of cultural diversity. Toronto on the other hand has nearly half of it's population made up of foreign born citizens and minorities. That will be a nice switcheroo.

Well, I just want to post this and maybe I will write more a little later.

Signing off for now,

-Tom

It is Late. -Cal

   It's is sleepy-bye-time.
                      Right now.
   But, nobody has posted (*cough*cough* TOM) recently so I am going to make a post.
        The Horchata pancakes were delicious by the way.

Well...

                                        They were alright.

I'm going to tell you all a story.

   Recently, my goals have not been going well.

      I have made no effort to practice piano (though I have been working on my bass guitar),

         I haven't learned Arabic (though I spent a Saturday with an Egyptian chemist),

            And I haven't been writing in my other blog all that much (but I've planned some cool stuff).

But-

   I have been preparing for a journey I will embark on soon.

      A journey that will change who I am.

         A journey that will changes those I meet.

This is journey that Tom is also preparing for.

      Her journey...

            Lies in the heart of the great city

Of Toronto.

      I do not know where my journey will lead me, but it is a journey that will change the hearts of many, and    save the souls of many more.

And I must prepare for this journey so that I don't fail my people and my purpose.

And that's my "I suck at completing my goals" excuse.

Horchata Pancakes -Cal

Yes. That's a real thing.
I'm making them tomorrow.      Hopefully.
This Friday we are having a culture day in my Spanish class, and we're assigned to make party foods. My group and I have not discussed what we will be making, but if I have my way, we will be eating

Horchata Pancakes.

You see, they're like normal pancakes... 

But there's horchata in them.                                                           

And that's pretty cool.                         

In other news, I'm way better at making my posts creatively designed than Tom.

Also one of the girls in my Spanish group is crushing on me super hard. That's weird.

Breakups -Tom

So as you now know, Cal just got through a break up. The poor kid has been having a hard time, because break ups suck. Like a whole lot.

Especially when you try to let 'em down easy. 

There is a whole lot of assuming what the other person is experiencing or thinking or feeling and trying to counter that reaction because you still care about them but at the same time you want to take care of yourself emotionally too. Honestly, there is no way to win. 

But eventually things get better. Maybe not between exes, but for each of them life goes on and better things come along. Don't let the terror of today cloud the adventure that tomorrow holds. More on this later.

-Tom

I'm frustrated. -Cal

I am writing this because I am frustrated. Partially because I should keep my goals up to date, but also because I am frustrated.

Terribly frustrated.

But first my goals. 

I have continued to work on my story and writing has been a really nice outlet for me as of late. If you want to read this ongoing story, you can find it here!

http://thejournalsofaarongriever.blogspot.com/

If you don't want to read it then don't. 

I've also decided learning Arabic would be fun. I am living with a young man from Saudi Arabia this semester so if YouTube isn't sufficient enough then I'll have Abdulmajeed to help me out. I've found videos that feature middle eastern people wearing middle eastern attire yet sounding completely American, and hopefully these videos will be of use to me.

I haven't started on learning piano yet. Oh well.

So here's why I'm frustrated- my currently ex-girlfriend is in my apartment. Hanging out with my roommates. And that's not okay. Why? Because it's not. Sure, they were her friends too but this isn't alright for her to be crying to my friends when she has so many of her own to talk to. In fact, she even went to Tom to talk about the break-up. Now maybe I wouldn't have so much of a problem with this if she was venting anywhere else, but she's in my apartment. Quite frankly, I don't want to see her right now. Not because I hate her and think she's a terrible person, but because it sucks for me too.

Our breakup wasn't necessarily a "I hate you let's break up" kind of deal. It was more of a "yeah it's probably better if we break up" thing. It had elements of "this isn't working", but it wasn't really something that has been easy for me to deal with. Unfortunately, lately all my emotions eventually mold into frustration. Anger, confuse, surprise, and sadness. Which makes me frustrated just about all the time. Especially lately. And with her in the apartment, sadness turns into frustration. Guilt turns into frustration. Awkwardness becomes frustration. Everything is frustration. 

It's frustrating.

I'm Tom. I'm a female, just by the way.

Well, here we are.

And by we I mean Cal and I furiously typing next to each other. I have no idea what he is typing just feet away from me. Because really this is an unorganized mess of a collaboration.

So as a little introduction, I'm Tom. As mentioned in the title of this post, I am indeed a girl. We figured that different names from our real ones could be fun, because creating an identity is wicked sweet. I thought abstracted names could be fun, but when someone (ahem... CAL) wants to go by MALICE, it doesn't exactly give the friendliest impression ever. So we settled for something a little more subtle. I am dating Cal's best friend and have been for a little over two years. I've known Cal the whole time, but he pretty never ever talked to me before this last year. I figured he just hated me and thought I was a complete psycho, or was terrified of social interaction altogether. But after working in a shave ice shack together where you have a lot of down time before the next wave of indecisive frozen treat consumers attacks, you get to know a person. It's unavoidable. He was deciding on whether or not to attend college and I was like "DUDE. COME TO COLLEGE WITH ME I HAVE NO FRIENDS BUT IT WILL BE SO FUN AND WE CAN BE FRIENDS BECAUSE WE BOTH HAVE NO FRIENDS." So we did. And we have friends, because we aren't completely socially awkward.

The idea of "eclecticollegiate" is supposed to be our little clever word mash-up of eclectic and collegiate, in case you have yet to put that together. Because this is going to be a mess of all of the different things we are going to try to do with our -as I like to call it "frantically static"- college life. Sounds like an oxymoron, and it is. We live like an hour away from any major city. We literally see hundreds of sheep cross in front of our dorms on occasion, so there isn't a whole lot to do in our little town. But as honors students taking a fair share of credits, we still have a work load. But what about our free time? How are we going to spend that? We are going to try things from leaf pressing and photography to fixing up an old bike or making a blog (Ha! Already started. Check that one off the list) rather than just getting by doing mundane useless activities. Maybe you could even give some input to the strange activities we should try to engage in. We need adventure. And maybe it can inspire you to be adventurous too. Don't be that kid on the computer all day, that's what we are trying to avoid here (or do be that kid. As long as you dedicate a portion of your internet exploration to us every once in a while to live vicariously through our adventure. Or just to make me feel a little better. That's fine too).

And I just became aware that Cal is going to post some goals, so maybe I should too.

• Try to create and upload web comics to accompany these posts.
• Learn at least 2 songs on the guitar. Not just the intros like I usually do.
• Make metal stamped necklace pendants. Sounds cool enough.

Our posts will be a combination of our lives, what things we try, our experiences, and hopefully we can offer a little guidance if you want to try some of the things we do for yourself. Honestly, this is a wild experiment and we haven't got the slightest clue of how it will end up. But we want to keep you posted and have a little fun with it. Be entertained. It's okay to laugh. It's good for you.

-Tom

Hi. I'm Cal.

Hi. So I'm doing this blog thing, it's kind of cool. At least it might be. So long as Tom (ha ha, that's a chick) and I can keep it going. If not, I have another blog about zombies (#nerdathon).

Anyway....    I'm Cal. That's not my real name, but Tom thinks we need "code names". At least I prevented her from calling herself "Night Thunder" (I know she was thinking it). So I guess I ought to say something about myself. Well, I'm a guy with a lot of time on his hands. I'm attending a two-year school right now, I'm an honors student and I desperately need to find something to do instead of cleaning my apartment and rearranging my room.

So Tom is going to explain what we do on this blog... Which will be a surprise to the both of us.... And I get to explain how Eclecticollegiate life became. And I'll do it so I answer all the questions you have in your head. If you have any other questions... don't.

So Tom's dating my best friend. But he lives far away.

Where is he?

Somewhere else.

Oh.

But we worked at a snow shack together and became friends, which was good because I decided to go to college at the last minute.

Last minute?

I literally enrolled a week before classes started.

That's stupid.

You're stupid.

Oh.

And now Tom and I spend a lot of time thinking of fun stuff we could do instead of being on the internet.

Like what?

Stuff. Anyway, one dreary week (this very week!) I broke up with my girlfriend.

Aww, sad.

Yes. So one evening I was talking to Tom about why life is rough and what kind of stuff we could do to cope with life being rough.

This sounds like a cry for help.

Your mom is a cry for help. Shut up.

Okay.

So Tom mentioned us creating a blog for our thoughts, activities and really just random stuff we do... Then Tom said one thing that I will later suggest becoming the theme of the blog.

What's that?

We have been looking for entertainment rather than fulfillment.

Is that bad?

Yes.

Why?

Because. And so now, here we are making a blog.

That was a fantastic story.

Yes it was.

Now I have a few goals and Tom has a few goals. Basically these are just to make sure we're doing something with ourselves. I think the main part of this blog will be us explaining how our goals are going, but I imagine there will something about our lives every now and then (maybe I'll meet a girl! Probably not from what Tom tells us. Shut up. You shut up. Hey!).

My Goals:

• Practice the piano for 30 mins, at least thrice a week (my piano teacher fired me when I was 14)
• Attempt to learn a language through YouTube (just... yeah.)
• Work on that other blog I mentioned earlier

So that's not much, but we'll see how it goes. Tom and I are both gonna work on individual goals but we'll do some fun stuff together. I hope you enjoy reading this stuff, and maybe you can start seeking fulfillment rather than entertainment as well. Unless that entertainment is from us. Then tell your friends. All of them. Even the weird ones.