How it continues...

I found work with a temp agency. The upside: decent pay. The downside: I worked only two days last week and won't work again until next week. I got cut from a crew because I different company brought in workers.

I'm at least not near flat broke. My family bought my Nintendo Wii from me. I have money for food and gas. I get a small paycheck friday and soon some income will come in from half.com.

God continues to provide. It's hard sometimes, but life is still good. I especially could see that this weekend spending time with friends. It was a good birthday weekend. I don't think I could have asked for a better birthday.

Where It Stands

I continue to have crazy dreams. I'm still looking for a job. I need more community.

That's the nutshell version of my current life. Here's a bit more detailed version:

I got out quite a bit this past weekend and hung out with friends. It was good times. I'm broke to the point where I can barely buy myself food and was blessed enough to be able to work something out with the man who owns the house I'm living in so that I can do labor around the house to pay for rent. So that's a plus. How God will provide everything continues to be a mystery to me but I know that he will. I'm getting some more income soon because my family has willingly bought my Nintendo Wii from me in order to help me out in my current situation.

I find myself needing to live with other people who believe what I do. I continuously remember what I friend asked me before I moved here. She said, "Are they Christians? Because that's important when you're finding a roommate. It's the same when finding the person you marry." So I need a change. It's been good here and God has been teaching me to grow in different ways but I definitely need a lot more community.

I helped on a film project acting as a drunk guy who hits on a woman in a dilusion sequence. Fun times and met some nice people.

I've also recently discovered how many people that know me have been praying for me and knowing that in itself has been a great blessing. What saddens me, though, is how few of those people are living here in LA. It makes it hard to not ask questions like "Where is the love here?" when it feels as if it is all coming from the outside.

Sometimes we make small sacrifices to do the things we love. Sometimes we make large sacrifices. And sometimes we make even larger sacrifices to chase the things that we feel God wants us to do. But in the end, it's all worth it, because God has a plan and His plans are always good.

Another day ... another dollar ... or not.

July 6. I've been here a month. Still no job. Another month will mean another rent. I need a job. I need an income. I've been searching hard. Nothing has come about. Pray that God provides.

Solitude

Heavy sinking, the ball drops to the floor.
The ocean rocking, the sea shell reaches the shore.
The feeling arches, despair taking control.
In this moment, hope releases all hold.

The memories ache, the world spins,
Where do I go when there are no more wins?
In a sinking feeling with the shadows,
There I do remain.

These fearsome beasts with their icy hold,
Grasp my limbs and force me to the fold.
From the bottom I wait for it to come,
Hope to surface in the rising sun.

The world awaits my soon return and rise,
Tracing yet another line in which it cries.
But there is no return from this dark presence,
When the world is void of all but one.

What happens when they all have said goodbye.

One by one the days go by...

No job yet. Finished the map for my novel: a world called Urph. It's coming along well when, but I have to convince myself to write sometimes. I finished the book Lilith by George McDonald. With the right screenplay it could be made into a pretty good film.

Went for a short hike at Griffith Park today which showed me how out of shape I currently am, but it was a fun hiking and driving adventure. It could be worse, but the amount of time I spend alone is too much without a job. But in the mean time I'll just keep writing as I search.

And so I write...

One week back in LA. So far no job. As I'm searching for one I'm also revising and continuing my novel: The Seal. It's about a young boy who finds his way into another world from his bedroom. This world is called Urph. I'm nearing the 50,000 word mark and currently have 135 pages double spaced in 10 pt. font. When I get access to Final Draft I will also be revising my full length script: Our Finest Hour.

But mainly, I'm praying for a job by the end of my first month here.

Arriving in LA

About a week ago I arrived once again in Los Angeles. Currently I'm living in a house in Sherman Oaks with some other people. It's been a pretty good living situation so far. I've been searching for a job and a place to take my final biology course to finish my degree. In the mean time while I've been free I've been writing, especially working on my novel that has been in the works since high school which is now nearing 50,000 words.

But mostly I'll be working at trying to find a job soon so I can pay for rent and the last class I need to take. Since I'm an out of state student, it will unfortunately be quite a bit more expensive.