While I may be happily married now, my mind from time to time will wander back to some girls I once had a crush on. It was rare when I would actually date one of these girls because my shyness would get in the way, but once I actually dated one. It was a fluke situation that I ended up with her but never-the-less I did. Her name was Carrie and she was gorgeous. She was a runner-up in the Davis County beauty contest and she was miles out of my league but ironically she actually seemed to like me. So for our first (and only) date I decided to take her ice skating in downtown Salt Lake. I picked her up, brought flowers, opened her car door and even played a CD of music I knew she liked. It was very "studly."
We arrived at the skating rink, put our skates on and went out on the ice. It was a group date with some of my friends and that lessened the tension of a normal first date. As the night went on I began to doubt myself. Now "doubt is the seed of failure" someone famous once said (that someone being me) and once you start to doubt yourself you are bound to mess up. So to make things more exciting I started telling her that I liked to make movies. She asked what kind of movies and I said "oh you know, action movies" That was a lie. The closest I got to action movies was one called "Instep" a mockumentry about a male dance group. But she got all excited, "oh action movies", she swooned, "I love action movies, do you do your own stunts?" "Yes", I lied, "every single one." Now as if that wasn't bad enough I kept going. "Sometimes I just like to do a crazy stunt just to keep myself in the game, you know I will just run through traffic or jump off my roof and what not." "Can you do a stunt now," she asked? I told her I would, for her. I said I would do the worst crash on ice she has ever seen. I warned her "you might think I died, but remember, I am a professional." She went and sat on the bleachers and I began to wonder if there was a way out of this. Maybe I could tell her there was too many people, or maybe the ice would start to crack. But in that moment standing there alone on the ice, surrounded by hundreds of families having fun, I had a very teenager thought. I must make this girl my girlfriend! If that meant flying head first into the wall, I must insure this happens. Immediately I began receiving strength and courage based off of the image of Carrie and I spending summers together, maybe growing old together, buying a cabin by the lake and living happily ever after. It was all based on this moment. I could do it! I had to do it!
So I began to speed around the giant rink and prepare for my greatest, or worst, moment. I would just take it slow but make the fall look painful. So once I felt I had the adequate speed (not very fast at all) I took my right foot and just threw it in front of my left foot. With that single motion I felt my whole body rocket through the air and with a little puff I hit the ice and slide to a stop on my stomach. I looked up and, by golly, I was fine. No broken bones, ripped clothes, or scrapped knees. I looked right at Carrie and she was clapping and cheering, so I skated over to her, so full of manliness that I think I gained three chest hairs in that single moment. She was laughing and said that I was great and called my friends over. When they arrived she began to recite my lie to them. My brother who was in the group and knew I was lying said "well Travis, why don't you show her just how great you are by going as fast as you can, and then falling." I felt a lump in my throat and said of course I would. I was afraid of nothing. Carrie and I were going to have a cabin someday and this would all be in the past. Of course I would do it!
So I began to speed around the giant rink again. I felt like I was going so fast that I would have given the flash a run for his money. Once I reached the straight-a-way I threw my foot in front of the other and felt my body rocket off the ground, but this time something went terribly wrong. His name was Billy, or Charlie, or something, and he was cutting across the rink at the same time as I was flying. I hit Billy (or Charlie) at about a million miles an hour. I slammed him to the ground with such force that I swear we should have popped out in China. But the ground stopped us, and we were just spinning on the ice. Billy (or Charlie) was screaming and I could feel my stomach grinding his face into the cold ice. Meanwhile at my pants, all the stitching said "screw this strain" and just gave out allowing a giant rip down my left leg. We came to a stop and Billy's (or Charlie's) mom threw me off her child and pulled his sobbing body off to the bleachers where he was reviewed for any signs of a lawsuit. Laying there, half awake half dreaming, I thought about my life. First about my ripped pants, this was going to be tough to explain to my mom, plus the huge hole invited a lot of cold ice against my bare thigh. I then thought about the kid. He was only probably five and I felt awful about rubbing his face into the ice with my body. Lastly I thought about Carrie, I wondered if she saw this, maybe something else happened a building collapsed or a giant robot attacked the city. Slowly I opened my eyes and I looked up and saw Carrie. She was not cheering, no clapping for the stunt man, just a look of disgust on her face. She looked at me like I hit the kid on purpose.
The rest of the date was awkward and uncomfortable. I wished I could have said that it was awkward because you could see my scooby doo boxers through dinner but the fact was, it was because I hit a kid pretty damn hard and dragged him across the ice. I dropped her off at her home. She forced a smile to me as she went into her house, but it was more of a pity smile. Her smile seemed to say, " You poor little man, we could have had a cabin by the lake, we could have been so much more but you were so foolish, you did not know how to lie"
After that she avoided me like the plague. I learned a lesson that day, to be myself. From then on if a girl asked me what kind of movies I made I always would say "male dancing videos" and I would bust out some leotards and show her what it was all about. Needless to say that also sucked, so now I just tell them I like football.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
To Carrie, with fondest regards-
While I may be happily married now, my mind from time to time will wander back to some girls I once had a crush on. It was rare when I would actually date one of these girls because my shyness would get in the way, but once I actually dated one. It was a fluke situation that I ended up with her but never-the-less I did. Her name was Carrie and she was gorgeous. She was a runner up in the Davis County beauty contest and she was miles out of my league but ironically she actually seemed to like me. So for our first (and only) date I decided to take her ice skating in downtown Salt Lake. I picked her up with flowers and took her to the car opening the door for her and even played a CD of music I knew she liked. It was very "studly"
We arrived at the skating rink, put our skates on and went out on the ice. It was a group date with some of my friends and that lessened the tension of a normal first date, but as the night went on I began to doubt myself. Now "doubt is the seed of failure" someone famous once said (that someone being me) and once you start to doubt yourself you are bound to mess up. So to make things more exciting I started telling her that I liked to make movies. She asked what kind of movies and I said "oh you know...action movies" That was a lie. The closet I got to action movies was one called "Instep" a mockumentry about a male dance group. But she got all excited, "oh action movies", she swooned, " I love action movies, do you do your own stunts?" "Yes", I lied, "every single one." Now as if that wasn't bad enough I kept going. "Sometimes I just like to do a crazy stunt just to keep myself in the game, you know I will just run through traffic or jump off my roof and what not." "Can you do a stunt now?", She asked. I told her I would...for her. I said I would do the worst crash on ice she has ever seen. I warned her "you might think I died, but remember, I am a professional" So she went and sat on the bleachers and I began to wonder if there was a way out of this. Maybe I could tell her there was too many people, or maybe the ice would start to crack. But in that moment standing there alone on the ice, surrounded by hundreds of families having fun, I had a very teenager thought. I must make this girl my girlfriend! If that meant flying head first into the wall, I must insure this happens. Immediately I began receiving strength and courage based off of the image of Carrie and I spending summers together, maybe growing old together, buying a cabin in the woods and living happily ever after. It was all based on this moment. I could do it! I had to do it!
So I began to speed around the giant rink and prepare for my greatest or worst moment. I would just take it slow but make the fall look painful. So once I felt I had the adequate speed (not very fast at all) I took my right foot and just threw it in front of my left foot. With that single motion I felt my whole body rocket through the air and with a little puff I hit the ice and slide to a stop on my stomach. I looked up and, by golly, I was fine. No broken bones, ripped clothes, or scrapped knees. I looked right at Carrie and she was clapping and cheering, so I skated over to her, so full of manliness that I think I gained three chest hairs in that single moment. She was laughing and said that I was great and called my friends over. When they arrived she began to recite my lie to them. My brother who was in the group and knew I was lying said "well Travis, why don't you show her, just how great you are by going as fast as you can, and then falling." I felt a lump in my throat and said of course I would. I was afraid of nothing. Carrie and I were going to have a cabin someday and this would all be in the past. Of course I would do it! So I began to speed around the giant rink again. I felt like I was going so fast that I would have given the flash a run for his money. Once I reached the straight a way I threw my foot in my own way and felt my body rocket off the ground, but this time something went terribly wrong. His name was Billy or Charlie or something and he was cutting across the rink at the same time as I was flying. I hit Billy (or Charlie) at about a million miles an hour. I slammed him to the ground with such force that I swear we should have popped out in China. But the ground stopped us and we were just spinning and Billy (or Charlie) was screaming as I could feel my stomach grinding is face into the cold ice. Meanwhile at my pants, all the stitching said "screw this strain" and just gave out allowing a giant rip down left leg. We came to a stop and Billy's (or Charlie's) mom just threw me off her child and pulled his sobbing body off to the bleachers where he was reviewed for any signs of a lawsuit. Laying there, half awake half dreaming, I thought about the my life. First about my ripped pants, this was going to be tough to explain to my mom, plus the huge hole invited a lot of cold ice against my bare thigh. I then thought about the kid. He was only probably five and I felt awful about rubbing his face into the ice with my body. Lastly I thought about Carrie, I wondered if she saw this, maybe something else happened a building collapsed or a giant robot attacked the city. Slowly I opened my eyes and I looked up and saw Carrie. She was not cheering, no clapping for the stunt man, just a look of disgust on her face. She looked at me like I hit the kid on purpose. The rest of the date was awkward and uncomfortable. I wished I could have said that it was awkward because you could see my scooby doo boxers through dinner but the fact was, it was because I hit a kid pretty damn hard and dragged him across the ice. I dropped her off at her home. She forced a smile to me as she went into her house, but it was more of a pity smile. Her smile seemed to say, " You poor little man, we could have had a cabin by the lake, we could have been so much more but you were so foolish, you did not know how to lie"
From there after she avoided me like the plague. I learned a lesson that day to be myself. From then on if a girl asked me what kind of movies I made I always would say "male dancing videos" and I would bust out some leotards and show her what it was all about. Needless to say that also sucked, so now I just tell them I like football.
We arrived at the skating rink, put our skates on and went out on the ice. It was a group date with some of my friends and that lessened the tension of a normal first date, but as the night went on I began to doubt myself. Now "doubt is the seed of failure" someone famous once said (that someone being me) and once you start to doubt yourself you are bound to mess up. So to make things more exciting I started telling her that I liked to make movies. She asked what kind of movies and I said "oh you know...action movies" That was a lie. The closet I got to action movies was one called "Instep" a mockumentry about a male dance group. But she got all excited, "oh action movies", she swooned, " I love action movies, do you do your own stunts?" "Yes", I lied, "every single one." Now as if that wasn't bad enough I kept going. "Sometimes I just like to do a crazy stunt just to keep myself in the game, you know I will just run through traffic or jump off my roof and what not." "Can you do a stunt now?", She asked. I told her I would...for her. I said I would do the worst crash on ice she has ever seen. I warned her "you might think I died, but remember, I am a professional" So she went and sat on the bleachers and I began to wonder if there was a way out of this. Maybe I could tell her there was too many people, or maybe the ice would start to crack. But in that moment standing there alone on the ice, surrounded by hundreds of families having fun, I had a very teenager thought. I must make this girl my girlfriend! If that meant flying head first into the wall, I must insure this happens. Immediately I began receiving strength and courage based off of the image of Carrie and I spending summers together, maybe growing old together, buying a cabin in the woods and living happily ever after. It was all based on this moment. I could do it! I had to do it!
So I began to speed around the giant rink and prepare for my greatest or worst moment. I would just take it slow but make the fall look painful. So once I felt I had the adequate speed (not very fast at all) I took my right foot and just threw it in front of my left foot. With that single motion I felt my whole body rocket through the air and with a little puff I hit the ice and slide to a stop on my stomach. I looked up and, by golly, I was fine. No broken bones, ripped clothes, or scrapped knees. I looked right at Carrie and she was clapping and cheering, so I skated over to her, so full of manliness that I think I gained three chest hairs in that single moment. She was laughing and said that I was great and called my friends over. When they arrived she began to recite my lie to them. My brother who was in the group and knew I was lying said "well Travis, why don't you show her, just how great you are by going as fast as you can, and then falling." I felt a lump in my throat and said of course I would. I was afraid of nothing. Carrie and I were going to have a cabin someday and this would all be in the past. Of course I would do it! So I began to speed around the giant rink again. I felt like I was going so fast that I would have given the flash a run for his money. Once I reached the straight a way I threw my foot in my own way and felt my body rocket off the ground, but this time something went terribly wrong. His name was Billy or Charlie or something and he was cutting across the rink at the same time as I was flying. I hit Billy (or Charlie) at about a million miles an hour. I slammed him to the ground with such force that I swear we should have popped out in China. But the ground stopped us and we were just spinning and Billy (or Charlie) was screaming as I could feel my stomach grinding is face into the cold ice. Meanwhile at my pants, all the stitching said "screw this strain" and just gave out allowing a giant rip down left leg. We came to a stop and Billy's (or Charlie's) mom just threw me off her child and pulled his sobbing body off to the bleachers where he was reviewed for any signs of a lawsuit. Laying there, half awake half dreaming, I thought about the my life. First about my ripped pants, this was going to be tough to explain to my mom, plus the huge hole invited a lot of cold ice against my bare thigh. I then thought about the kid. He was only probably five and I felt awful about rubbing his face into the ice with my body. Lastly I thought about Carrie, I wondered if she saw this, maybe something else happened a building collapsed or a giant robot attacked the city. Slowly I opened my eyes and I looked up and saw Carrie. She was not cheering, no clapping for the stunt man, just a look of disgust on her face. She looked at me like I hit the kid on purpose. The rest of the date was awkward and uncomfortable. I wished I could have said that it was awkward because you could see my scooby doo boxers through dinner but the fact was, it was because I hit a kid pretty damn hard and dragged him across the ice. I dropped her off at her home. She forced a smile to me as she went into her house, but it was more of a pity smile. Her smile seemed to say, " You poor little man, we could have had a cabin by the lake, we could have been so much more but you were so foolish, you did not know how to lie"
From there after she avoided me like the plague. I learned a lesson that day to be myself. From then on if a girl asked me what kind of movies I made I always would say "male dancing videos" and I would bust out some leotards and show her what it was all about. Needless to say that also sucked, so now I just tell them I like football.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
What is a blog? (and other questions you already know the answer to if you are reading this!)
What is a blog? My guess is, if you have found this post on this particular website then you already know what a blog is. But just in case, let's go over it. Some might say it is an online journal, others might say it is an online diary (same thing, fyi) some folks might say it is one of the new web 2.0 applications. I would place my betting chips with the last group, if I was a betting man. Web 2.0 is the newest version of the web that we all know and love. What makes web 2.0 special and unique is the fact that we are the ones creating it. These posts we do on our blogs, our videos' on youtube, and pics on Flicker is what is creating the web. Don't believe me? Try searching anything on google and see what happens. Most likely the word you searched pulled up certain web 2.0 websites. Maybe you searched a movie trailer (like the Dark Knight out July 18, 08 wink, wink), or maybe you searched a weird illness you have been having lately (irritable bowel syndrome?). Whatever you searched you may have found a youtube link, a link to someones blog, a link to wikipedia (yep that is web 2.0 also) or maybe a chat room on someones home made website. These are all web 2.0 sites. We control the internet, we control the message. Majority rules once and for all! What is great about web 2.0 is everytime I type the words "North Kansas Shoe Co." and enter it as a tagname, I become one of those links you will find when you search "North Kansas Shoe Co." (North Kansas Shoe Co. may or may not actually exsist)
So I bet you are dying to ask, "Travis, what is your favorite web 2.0 application?" Well fellow bloggers, like many of you out there, my favorite app is youtube! Why? Because it rocks! Where else can I see a video of prisoners dancing to Micheal Jackson's "Thriller"? Or maybe I want to see a practically grown man (girl?) cry for Britany Spears. You bet you're sweet cinnabon cinnamon rolls I can find those things on youtube. So go children fill OUR web with pointless videos or old action movies, homemade stunts and ninja information men.
I guess in closing, I would like you take a look at one of my favorite blogs. It is by upcoming artist Jeff Victor. His website explains a lot about him and who he works for but he also spends time doing quick sketches that are fun and different. Take a look. He's amazing. A big inspiration to someone like me, because I wish I could draw better then I can. Take a peek, you won't regret it.
http://jeffvictor.blogspot.com/
Jeff- if we ever meet, you owe me at least thirty bucks for that awesome plug...
So I bet you are dying to ask, "Travis, what is your favorite web 2.0 application?" Well fellow bloggers, like many of you out there, my favorite app is youtube! Why? Because it rocks! Where else can I see a video of prisoners dancing to Micheal Jackson's "Thriller"? Or maybe I want to see a practically grown man (girl?) cry for Britany Spears. You bet you're sweet cinnabon cinnamon rolls I can find those things on youtube. So go children fill OUR web with pointless videos or old action movies, homemade stunts and ninja information men.
I guess in closing, I would like you take a look at one of my favorite blogs. It is by upcoming artist Jeff Victor. His website explains a lot about him and who he works for but he also spends time doing quick sketches that are fun and different. Take a look. He's amazing. A big inspiration to someone like me, because I wish I could draw better then I can. Take a peek, you won't regret it.
http://jeffvictor.blogspot.com/
Jeff- if we ever meet, you owe me at least thirty bucks for that awesome plug...
Friday, January 11, 2008
Travis Meidell for dummies
Who am I? Those are the same words that are mumbled by hundreds of people with amnesia every year. Amnesia is a scary thing, I have never had it but in case I ever get hit over the head by a falling pipe or have some super powered Haitian wipe my mind clean of all my memories, I need to post some stuff about myself to prevent me from having to tattoo my body with my own history and personal information. Of course if I had amnesia I wouldn't know where to go and look for this post so I guess at the very least I will have to tattoo my blog address to my arm or something. Anywho, my name is Travis and this is your guide through my life...in thirty seconds or more. I grew up in Utah my whole life except for a short two years when I lived out in Maryland. My likes range from pretty much anything that is geeky or nerdy. To give you an idea of this, for my birthday my wife gave me Comic Con tickets. I almost passed out from the excitement. What is Comic Con you might ask? If you don't know by now, then you won't care when I tell you.
So needless to say aside from being a complete geek I was able to disguise myself as a sports loving jock long enough to marry a beautiful girl before my geeky-ness exploded out all over her two days after we were married when I moved six boxes of comics into our new apartment. Needless to say she was shocked, heh, but it was to late for her to back out! So ta-da my scheme worked and I haven't watched a day of sports since. My wife is named Tia and despite being tricked into marrying me she loves me very much and actually has come to love my nerdy-ness. We have been married for a year and a half and still get a long quite nice.
I am currently attending the University of Utah, with a pre-art major hoping to get into the graphic design field. I have found a way to also give myself an animation minor. I love animation and design. Two great fields that I am going to merge together to make me Lord of the animation/design field. It will be the most awesome thing since they combined Math and Science to make...ummm Mathotolgy?
Well there is at least another two minutes' worth of descriptions about me but I am going to save it for another day. Unlike my friends over at the writers guild I am not on strike so you will be hearing from me again and again. So when you find yourself missing Heroes, Grey's Anatomy, or whatever your favorite TV show is, just tune in here and you'll get that exciting feeling TV shows once brought you. That feeling of adventures, courtroom based dramas, romance and student assignments. That last part about student assignments is not really based on TV (although some shows sure write like it was a 5th grade assignment). It was based on that fact that my blogs will be graded, judged and placed before a jury of my peers...school peers.
So needless to say aside from being a complete geek I was able to disguise myself as a sports loving jock long enough to marry a beautiful girl before my geeky-ness exploded out all over her two days after we were married when I moved six boxes of comics into our new apartment. Needless to say she was shocked, heh, but it was to late for her to back out! So ta-da my scheme worked and I haven't watched a day of sports since. My wife is named Tia and despite being tricked into marrying me she loves me very much and actually has come to love my nerdy-ness. We have been married for a year and a half and still get a long quite nice.
I am currently attending the University of Utah, with a pre-art major hoping to get into the graphic design field. I have found a way to also give myself an animation minor. I love animation and design. Two great fields that I am going to merge together to make me Lord of the animation/design field. It will be the most awesome thing since they combined Math and Science to make...ummm Mathotolgy?
Well there is at least another two minutes' worth of descriptions about me but I am going to save it for another day. Unlike my friends over at the writers guild I am not on strike so you will be hearing from me again and again. So when you find yourself missing Heroes, Grey's Anatomy, or whatever your favorite TV show is, just tune in here and you'll get that exciting feeling TV shows once brought you. That feeling of adventures, courtroom based dramas, romance and student assignments. That last part about student assignments is not really based on TV (although some shows sure write like it was a 5th grade assignment). It was based on that fact that my blogs will be graded, judged and placed before a jury of my peers...school peers.
