Archive — Mike Blackaby
28 Jun
ALL THE COLORS OF THE…HAIR?
In my attempt to be accepted and admired, I had made many changes in my life: I switched my clarinet for a set of drums; I replaced my mushroom haircut with a “spikier” one; I started buying jeans instead of sweat pants; and I traded in my Star Wars books for…uh…harder-to-read Star Wars books. I thought I had tried everything, but still the ladies took no notice of me! I thought I had run out of options when I got an idea…an awful idea…I got a wonderful, awful idea! I would dye my hair!
20 Jun
Wake Up
I am currently in a hotel in Malaysia, but I clearly remember the talk my father gave me the night before we left for the airport. Like most international flights, they know you have plenty of time to sleep on the airplane (despite being sandwiched between two extremely large people, having no leg room, and being assaulted by the sound of four crying babies), so they always make the departure time as early as possible. On this particular flight, that time was 6:45 a.m.
16 Jun
Into The Light…”
Being trapped in a dark room is a terrifying experience. The sensation of total blackness overwhelms you. You can’t tell which way is up and which is down, where you are going and where you have been, or even what lies just ahead of you. The less we see, the less we have control over. A dark room is filled with uncertainties, and it is not a place we want to find ourselves in.
2 Jun
Chariots of Fire…
I hate exercise. On the other hand, I also hate the thought of being 500 pounds, so I occasionally attempt physical activity. I like hockey, tennis, and snowboarding, but the one form of exercise I have never understood is running.
21 May
Three Feet Under…
I remember the first year I started working for the Town of Cochrane for my summer job. They put me on a little John Deere mower and it took me forever to learn. However, after a few weeks I started to get the hang of it; then I started to get cocky. I would pull into the yard and kick up a dust storm as I spun into my parking spot on the gravel road. I would roll up my sleeves, put on my sunglasses and jam to my iPod as I sped around trees and playgrounds, cutting grass like a pro.
12 May
The Perfect Gift
Mother’s Day comes every year, and yet I still seem to forget it every time. This, however, has not always been the case. When I was five years old, I was determined that my mom would have the best Mother’s Day ever, and what could be a more perfect gift than breakfast in bed?
9 May
A Hero is Born
I love superheroes. Last Halloween I dressed up as Batman (unfortunately they never make superhero costumes in adult sizes, so my friends encouraged me never to don my juvenile caped crusader outfit again!). I grew up watching the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and they even appeared as the theme of my birthday party once or twice. I have often wished I had powers like the X-men or a secret identity like Superman (people still seem to recognize me with my glasses on!). The thought of fighting the forces of evil makes my heart race with excitement, and a couple of years ago, I had a chance to live my dream…
28 Apr
Out Of Control!
I hate flying. I have had opportunities to fly overseas several times, and the air travel has always been miserable. At first I thought this resulted from the severe lack of anything to do while in the plane, but I have recently discovered this is not the only reason. The real explanation is that I’m scared. It’s funny, because I participate in much more dangerous activities everyday (such as riding shotgun while my brother drives), but every time a plane hits turbulence I start to panic. I struggle grasping the fact that an unknown pilot is deciding my destiny while thousands of feet in the air!
23 Apr
Got Milk?
I had two very disturbing experiences the other day. The first happened while I was at band practice… . My other experience came when I returned home that night.
16 Apr
BEATLEMANIA!
I love music. I started learning drums about eight years ago and have been privileged to play in numerous bands during this time. I also enjoy playing guitar and currently play in a rock band called Fading Rebel and love it! My interest in music led me to start reading a book I found in my school’s bookstore called The Gospel According to The Beatles by Steve Turner. It is a fascinating book about the spiritual journey of the Beatles and what part religion played in their lives. As I was reading the other day, I came across a controversial comment John Lennon made during the height of their success, where he claimed the Beatles were “more popular than Jesus.
