Hello Friend, It's Been Too Long

My time on the Island has come to a close. By Sunday, I'll be on the road back to Macomb for a few days before heading back up the MSU and moving into my own place. It's a little weird packing things up around here, because honestly, the time has just flown by. But at the same time, I'm more than ready to get off this Island and head back to civilization.

If you scroll down to the left of the screen, you'll see a list of goals I established for myself while here on the Island. The only one I really didn't accomplish was seeing a ghost. I checked out some "haunted" places up here but unfortunately didn't have any luck with seeing or capturing anything on tape.

This last week up here might have been my favorite. I had a lot of fun with Sarah and the Harbison family during their stop on Mackinac and I'm looking forward to having more fun this weekend when my mom and dad come up Saturday to help me move out. My parents, of course, will be driving up the precious cargo of Tony (he can't get enough of this place) and Sarah Harla (two visiting Sarah's in one week! Oh my!) It should be fun.

After that, I'm home free. I'll be back in Macomb Sunday. Hope to hear from all of you soon!

I don't mind if you don't mind

Nine days left on the Island. Five working days left. I've had a great experience this summer, but I'm ready for it all to be over with. I'm also very proud of what I've done here. Although there are certainly things I don't agree with about the paper (as there is anywhere, really), it's been a great learning experience. I'm proud of the fact that Monday through Friday I was never late past the 8 a.m. start time, whether I was hungover like a monkey at his bar mitzvah party, or sober as a fox. I've also done a lot of grunt work and have been in (for at least a little while) every Saturday of the summer. Sure, you're more judged on what you produce at a job, but it's also the little things like being on time and getting your hands dirty that really spell out character and dedication, and those things can go a long way anywhere. Granted, I still have five more working days to totally eat those words I just typed.

One of the things that has really surprised me about the Island is the politicking that goes on in certain circles. It seems that City Council and the Mayor dare not speak a bad word in the public about the place. It seems that a lot of people are afraid to speak down on the Island. Sure, the place has its issues and problems, but in the public eye, listening to a lot of people here, you would think the Island is perfect. The inner cliques remind a little bit of one of my favorite movies of last year, Hot Fuzz. For those of you haven't seen the British action-comedy, it's about a small-town London village with a cult group of superior citizens who kill anybody looking to bring bad publicity to the place, covering it up as an accident. Then comes hard-nosed cop Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) who proceeds to beat the crap out of the cult of killers. Hilarious movie and it reminds me somewhat of Mackinac, minus the killing and badass cop. Or was that carriage accident last week planned?? Dun, dun, dun...

Anyways, my remaining days here will be characterized by visitors and lots of partying. Below are a few video segments put together from last weekend when Brad and Tone visited:

An official investigation of the East Lansing Paranormal Society (ELPS):


Brad vs. Horse

The times they are a changin'

It's August 3rd. I have 16 days left working on the Island, and I'm offiicially ready for it to end. I'm not ready yet to leave the Island, but I'm ready to be done working on the Island. I hope that makes sense. I've literally had no down time this summer. As soon as finals week was over, I moved up here and started working. I'll be leaving the 19th back for home and will have to turn around 3 days later and head back up to MSU. Busy, busy, busy. That's kind of why I wish I could just stop right now and lay around and be lazy on the Island for the remainder of the time.

The next 16 days should fly by, however. They'll be characterized by a steady string of visitors, starting tomorrow with Brad and Tone. After the 19th, I look forward to a world where I can sample the Baconator at Wendy's, buy CDs again from a Best Buy, not pay over 3 bucks for milk, and relax and have a nice BBQ with my great friends to cap off another summer of our lives.

My time is limited here on Mackinac, and in a way I'm grateful for that. I'll soon begin my final semester of college. It's been an interesting and fun-filled journey this far, but in the words of Bob Dylan, "the times they are a changin'."