Roast Mutton

HI!  ....sorry too much energy.  I'll try to keep it under control.

I'm literally laying on my bed in my Lord of the Rings themed room right now.  The newest addition today was THE Gandalf poster.  (Gandalf the White to be specific.  Wouldn't want to leave you guessing.)  I seriously have a special light on it and everything....well it's actually rope lights, but whatever.  College kid ya know.  Moving on.  Definitely listening to The Hobbit score while I write this.  Hopefully I can get done by the time the music ends.  I'll keep you updated on the song currently playing. Right now "My Dear Frodo" is in progress.  It has some really freaky low sounds in it.  Lets hope its not coming from the house.

Well that is entirely enough Middle Earth themed talk for one day.  There have been a large number of things on my mind lately so hopefully I can pin a few down on this page before they get away.  HOLY POOP a really loud noise just came from my closet.  Not going in there for a few days.

Cue "An Unexpected Party" ...sure hope I don't get any surprises tonight. Especially from my now forbidden closet.

Anyway, I am a couple weeks from a pretty big milestone, somewhat depressing, but a milestone all the same.  It's been nearly a year of the single life for me.  Definitely a different change of pace.  I haven't been single this long since I joined the dating scene.  Middle school?  Yeah don't remember that.  Don't get me wrong though, I'm totally not complaining.  This last year has been like going to bed after a really hard day at work.  The break was needed.  I've finally had some time to decide what I want out of life, to decide who I want to be.

Cue "Misty Mountains"  If you don't remember, this is the song where all the dwarves are singing three octaves lower than a pack ...er....herd of elephants.

Now that I have a grasp on who I am, I hope I can find someone else that likes the me I want to be.  I am a little scared to get into it all again, but hopefully its a pretty smooth road ahead.  Having someone to lean on and trust when you are weak is such an amazing thing.  Wish me luck!

Another big event coming up is my 21st birthday.  Of course its on a Tuesday.  Do I just take the entire week off of work? Decisions...  It isn't like I have any money to spend on booze anyway.  Again, broke college kid here.  Maybe I'll just go to theater by myself, buy a beer, and watch the new Wolverine movie or something.  Sounds good.

Summer is flying by fast.  Don't forget to slow down and enjoy a day or two.  Personally, I'm trying to go fishing as much as possible and lay under the stars whenever they are out.  I hope you all are having a great summer as well!

I'm leaving you as "Roast Mutton" is playing.  Umm weird.  I promise I won't cook your pony over an open flame.  Sorry, got weirder.

Peace!

Devin

The Candy Shoppe Part 1

It's been a while...a really long while.  I feel like a seven year old in a candy shop with no idea what colorful explosion of flavor I want to sample first.  So, in the likeness of the 'candy shop' theme I've pulled out of thin air, I'm going to start writing as if I was shopping for candy.  The first thing I come to is the first thing I will write about.  I promise.  Candy shop promise.  (Yeah that's a real thing now. Special handshake coming soon.)

I'm literally just coming down off a sugar high of orange Sunkist and Dr. Pepper.  My burps taste like at least 15 of Dr. Pepper's 23 flavors.  At least.  Normally I would feel pretty down at this time of night...all the deep thoughts and such...but my positive lifestyle is starting to take over rather effectively.  Not much gets me down anymore and I'm really starting to enjoy that.  It's not that I blow things off or ignore them, I just accept every situation for what it is rather than try to change it.

These last few months have been a blast.  Things are definitely headed in the right direction.  (Not that I really know.  I'm just assuming.  Having confidence about it is a good thing too...I hope.  Anywho...)  My life has been blessed with a plethora of positive opportunities lately.  Hopefully I'll get to share a little more on that topic in a follow-up post sometime soon, but right now I am gonna stick to my candy shop promise.

The first candy you try isn't always the best.  Same thing goes for thoughts in your head.  Some leave a sour taste in your mouth and others are bittersweet.  Recently I've been tasting a lot of that bittersweet.  For me, it is a sign of learning.  Usually an important life lesson will come out of it.  Recently I've had to overcome one of the greatest challenges I've ever faced.  On and off for years I crushed on someone.  (Candy crushed? Just kidding.)  It's always been an intense feeling.  Definitely not a crush based on only physical attraction. I've never been around anyone that has made me feel as carefree and alive.  As great as that was, I've known in the back of my mind for quite some time that it really needed to end. It just wasn't going to happen between us two.  Feelings don't always flow both directions.  Real life and imagination don't meet up all the time.  I'm amazed it took me so long to sort it all out.  Usually I know when to give up, but this piece of candy was everlasting.  Unique.  Relentless.  Tidal waves of emotion at each layer.  How do you spit out and discard something that makes you feel so boundless?

It wasn't easy but here I am on the other side, alive and well.  Man that was a good piece of candy.  I enjoyed the places it took me, and the things it made me feel.  I look back with fond memories and also understand that there will not be another quite like it.  Moving forward, I hope to find a new flavor.  Something just as unique and delicate.  A flavor that could last a lifetime and make me feel larger than life.  Infinite.

I hope that one day you too can find your piece of candy.  Cherish the steps it takes to get there.  Don't forget where you've been.  Remember the flavors you liked most and use them as a road map through the candy shop.  I sincerely believe we all have a perfect match out there somewhere.  It's up to us to find it.

With love,

Dev!n

Summer's commin'

How to begin?? Well, it has been a while...Summer is only half a semester away!  Lets get going.

A few days ago I found myself once again on the side of the road with a flat tire.  Just my luck.  The last flat tire I had was right after I got dumped 8 months ago.  Instead of getting all worked up about this, I took it as a good omen.  Maybe just maybe something good will come out of it this time!  Already got the tire fixed for free which is a start!

I hope all of you are enjoying the weather. NOT.  It's been awful down in Missouri.  There wasn't even a chance of snow today, but I somehow walked out into the middle of a ten minute blizzard. The thought of summer has never looked so good.

While we are on the topic of Summer....ohmygosh.  I don't think I've ever been so excited.  There are so many great things to look forward to!  Definitely going to spend some much needed time with very close friends.  It looks like another great DCI season too!  I'm turning 21...which is kind of a big deal...I guess.  If you haven't noticed, some really big movies are coming out in May.  Probably the best start to this season.  Iron Man 3, The Great Gatsby, and Star Trek.  Whooo!

Now that is a poster.

Sorry I didn't have much to say.  I hope you have something to look forward to this Summer as much as I do.  It's about the only think that is getting me through this semester. 

Cheers to the future!

- Dev!n

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...in February.

Snowmygod! Snowmaggedon has begun! Queue the snowpocolypse...

Sorry about that...just have a little something on my mind.  OH YEAH!  I'm leaving school in the middle of the week!  Trying to avoid getting buried under two feet of snow. Well that's not the only reason.  I'm also leaving because I need to see a chiropractor before I start getting really cranky.  Sometimes I turn green when I get angry...just ask...people. 

After I get my back all fixed up and a belly full of Chinese food, it'll be time to be a kid again.  Can't wait to go sledding and all that jazz.  It's gonna be a great four day weekend!  Hopefully I'll get to resurrect my old childhood fort.  We are talking tunnels, walls, windows, towers, and a Keurig here.  Go big or go home.

 Best of luck to you all in the great snow storm "Nemo"!  Can you believe they name them now?  Pretty soon they will start naming tornadoes too.  "Here comes Laquisha!  She is a strong independent tornado that ain't never stopped for no house."  Hah...whatever.  Sorry for that waste of words.

Be safe everyone!

-Dev!n

   

Roses are red...and expensive

Hmmm...just one of those lazy days.  Time for a new blog!

Who had a test on Valentine's day night?  THIS KID!  That's about how great my week was.  It's not like I had a date on Thursday or anything.  For real though, I didn't.  First time in a long time.  Instead I took myself out to McDonalds for a shamrock shake. 

Then I went to the animal shelter and ended up playing with puppies for a couple hours.  There is nothing in the world like laying in the grass while three or four puppies jump on you.  I thought that was going to be the high point of my week, but it wasn't!  (There is a bird running laps on my porch right now. No joke.) On Friday I spent the night at a movie with some awesome friends and got a letter from my best friend in the world. 

After all that I can't even try to be grumpy.  The people in my life are the best.  I'm so happy to have their support and friendship. 

Welp that was short and sweet!  Time to do some laundry...yay.

Enjoy your next week!

-Dev!n

Down the Road

It took me quite a while to gather some thoughts for this next post.  Hopefully you reading these words will be as meaningful as me writing them.

I woke up this morning to the golden sounds of Matchbox Twenty.  My morning schedule resumed like usual...despite the fact it was already noon.  Facebook...shower...snapchat...facebook...twitter.  I think you get the idea.  Let me just say that my twitter feed is an absolute casserole of nonsense.  Still can't figure out why I follow some people.  (By the way...Thousand Foot Crutch followed me the other day....no big deal.)  Anyway, I saw that Matchbox Twenty is going to be playing pre-game for the Super Bowl XLVII.  HOW DID I MISS THAT?

A little picture to help out your imagination.

Later on I listened to a song that just fit my mood.  Its called "Down the Road" by Kenny Chesney.  That song always puts me in a great mood.  It also makes me realize that there is always something 'down the road'.  Go figure.  You don't always know what that something is gonna be, but you can be damn sure its will be there.  Sometimes things are obstacles...and sometimes they are joy and happiness.  Kind of reminds me of Mario Kart or Crash Team Racing.  You can go down the road at any speed you like...hell you can even go backward!  But not without consequences. At some point you will have the option to get some kind of 'power up'.  In a perfect world everyone would get the same opportunities.  How far we go is determined by how we utilize them.  Do we choose to only use our abilities to help our self?  Or do we focus only on taking opponents down?  You and I are faced with these decisions every day.  Should I go home after work to make myself happy, stop by the animal shelter and literally be the best part of those animals days, or bring everyone else down because I had a bad day at work?

I think we too often pick the negative options.  To a certain extent, negativity is an easy emotion.  You don't have to work hard to feel negative.  For me, being negative may have been easy, but it was not satisfying in any way. 

Lets all focus a little bit more on our choices.  We will all move down that road of life together.  The good experiences we have should always out-weight the bad.  Its up to us to make that happen.  Help a struggling friend or neighbor out!  Take care of yourself, but be sure no one else is falling behind.  We can't all come in first place, but we sure can finish together.

That's all I have time for today...its football time!

Be good, be happy, be love.

- Dev!n

 

So dang...

I am so dang happy.  I am so dang random.  I am so dang excited for this weekend.  I am so dang inspired.  I am just so dang motivated!  I am so dang Dev!n it's not even funny.

Enough about me!  What are you "so dang" about?

Music has really been driving me lately.  I wish I was making it, but listening can be just as good.  Anyway, several songs really got me going today.  On my way to work "Raise your Glass" by P!nk was on.  The chorus goes a little something like this:

 

So raise your glass if you are wrong
In all the right ways, all my underdogs
We will never be, never be anything but loud
And nitty gritty, dirty little freaks
Won't you come on and come on and
Raise your glass!

 

 

My mind started thinking as I was shouting lyrics out my sunroof.  I thought, 'Why don't we just celebrate life everyday?'.  There are so many reasons to be happy, so many reasons to rejoice.  Who cares if you aren't the best?  That is a GOOD thing.  You have something to live for...to work towards.  (I just sneezed on my laptop.  Yummy.)  Accept who you are and wave your glass in everyone's face!

 

This guy knows what's up!

 

 

The other song that really got me today was Jason Mraz's "I Won't Give Up".

 

 

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up

 

 

I could post the whole song because it's so dang fantastic, but I shall resist.  Basically this tune was pure inspiration to me, like a shot to the soul.  Try looking at things in a different way...you don't need to think of the song as if it was meant for a lover.  Sing this song to yourself!  Try it.  While I was singing along I texted myself.  "I won't give up on us." Deep right?  I think everyone needs a conversation like that with themselves.  When the song ended I got my text message.  It really hit me and I believed it. 

 

Your turn.  Believe in you!  Prove it to yourself daily.  Look you in the eye, raise a glass and just celebrate who you are.  Trust in your decisions.  Be you completely and whole-heartedly. 

 

With love,

 

Dev!n

 





I've Been Everywhere, Man.

I've been meaning to write for the last coulple weeks, but life has just been too dang exciting.  Not sure if I have any witty comments left in me so this will probably be as dry as my 3 month old loaf of bread. 

January is almost over.  Wait what?  That was waaaay to fast.  At least I spent time with some awesome people.  Lets get right down in it!  So a friend invited me up to the University of Northern Iowa to see STOMP.  If you don't know what that is, take this moment to go here and read up: http://www.stomponline.com/index-us.php  Seriously.  Do it.

Needless to say, I was kind of excited.  By the time the trip rolled around I had to pick up two people.  One person in Southwest Iowa and one at Iowa State University.  By the time I got to UNI I had already put in about 5 or 6 hours.  Yaaaay driving!  My friend at UNI lives in an all-girl dormitory so I definately got quite a few strange looks walking around in my PJ's the first night.  I met some really neat people and got the chance to get to know my friends even better. 

I woke up the next morning to someone poking the hell out of my back.  I'M NOT A TYPEWRITER! ...or a pedofile for that matter.  I enjoy pronouncing pedofile like peeeedofile by the way. Anywho it was a very exciting day.  We ran all over Cedar Falls, visited the pet store, ate some wings at BWW, and took hilarious pictures.  I may or may not have birthed a child in one photo... These adventures included dancing competitions inside AND outside of cars.  Seriously.  I looked back and my friend was dancing in the middle of an intersection.  (I think she won.)

STOMP was that same night.  Coincidentally I did stomp during the show.  Definitely reccomend it to anyone that enjoys music.  Great stuff.  I even got a picture with some of the performers after the show!  The next day we were off to the University of Iowa.  Talk about a long trip.  After everyone was dropped off I had driven over 900 miles! Wouldn't have traded that trip for the world.  I feel so much closer to some of my old friends and even made some new ones. 

Well...thats it.  Why are you still reading?  My writing is awful yo.

Peace,

-Dev!n

Reflections

This post is entitled 'Reflections' for good reason.  The past year has been a long one and I would be lying if I said it wasn't a struggle.  It's time for me to look back one more time before it all gets put in the history books.  Just thinking about last year leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.  I experienced the highs and lows of my life in those 365 days.  There is really no other way to describe it than to jump right in so...off we go! 

Twenty twelve started off like a really good dream.  I'm not talking about ponies and buttercups here...this was a really really good dream.  I had everything: great friends, a loving family, and a girlfriend that any guy would be jealous of.  This was quite litterally, my life. 

Now this dream of mine hits a high point pretty early on...right around Valentine's day.  Everything is going my way.  School is rolling along pretty well, biology sucks, and I'm in love.  Wait did I just say that?  Go figure!  A teenager who thinks he is in love.  Crazy.  When I look back though, that really was the truth.  I had completely fallen for someone.  Don't confuse me for a starstruck teenager.  This definitely wasn't a 'make-out in public' relationship.  We were grown-ups!  We knew each other on a much deeper level.  Nothing could stop us right?  ...right?  I think there is an echo in here.  Echo!

So I set that up pretty good right?  You know the bad part is coming, but you have no idea when or how its going to happen.  Yay foreshadowing!  Lets put it like this.  I'm up high on cloud nine and I've somehow decided it would be fun to hop on this slide right next to me.  It is obviously going to take me to an equally fluffy and white cloud so I just get on and let it take me away.  The funny thing is...slides are one-way trips.  Good 'ole gravity and what not. 

I stayed on that slide for five months, watching all the pretty clouds float on by.  In reality it wasn't the clouds that were floating by, it was me spiraling downward.  I never liked those spiral slides.  Cheeky Bastards.  Anyway, this is where the dream goes sour.  Remember when I had it all?  Well, I took 'it all' for granted.  I thought I had somehow earned my happiness and nothing could take it away.  Nothing could be further from the truth. 

The day I got dumped was the day the slide ended.  You see, there was no fluffy cloud at the end.  Not even a ball pit.  Just open air.  I fell fast.  That feeling of falling has always woken me up from a bad dream, but not this time.  I was living in a true nightmare with a world that seemed suddenly against me.  Nothing on earth would be better than to wake up from this haunting reality. 

My twentieth birthday rolled right on by.  Summer was trickling away.  You couldn't have paid me enough to stop crying and moping around.  Sometimes money isn't the trick though.  When I hit bottom several things happened.  I recieved three phone calls in the span of a week.  The first was a close friend of mine, the second was my mother, and the third was my grandfather.  These people were quite litterally the angels that pulled me out of a bottomless pit.  Now usually I don't buy into magical fixes, but let me tell you, this was the stuff of legend.  I talked, I listened and I cried during all of it.  This is the first time I can ever remember crying with my mom.  See saw her son lying on the floor broken and started putting him back together before he even knew what was happening.  That day changed me.  The flaws are still there, but so are the good things. 

After I pulled myself back together, I did some thinking.  I analyzed everything that happened, that brought me down so far, and figured out that while I was at fault for some shortcomings, it wasn't all on me.  This isn't a blame game.  This is a time for learning.  An event that shook my world has actually made me stronger, wiser, and maybe, just maybe a better person. 

Friends and family are now the center of my world.  They truly are angels.  I have learned not to take those angels for granted.  Sometimes we need to show others what they truly mean to us.  Keeping to yourself is a slippery slide.  Believe me, you don't want to take the slide.  Remember to keep your loved ones, your angels, close.  They can take you higher than even the clouds in the sky. 

With love,

-Dev!n

Short and sweet!

This was one of those days you want to remember for a lifetime. Just like that time when you won Garth Brooks tickets or kissed in the rain. Plain 'ole good memories.

I stepped into a new world today...and I liked it. Reminds me of Katy Perry's one song...yeahh. So needless to say I got to spend time with great friends. It feels like I'm finally living in the moment again instead of observing everything from a distant window. That was deep.

The only bad thing about all this is that it keeps getting harder and harder to say goodbye. I LOVE my friends. I would go through hell and back for each one of them. How do you say goodbye to someone like that? Hmmm something to ponder.

Like the title says, I'm keeping it short and sweet. Not sure how sweet it was, but I have the short part down!

Peace,

-Dev!n

G'day Ladies & Sirs! Enjoy the free muffin.

Welcome! Where to start?  It has been several years since I've actively blogged.  When I say several...I mean more than 3 or 4...something like that.  Here goes nothing!

Worst intro ever.  Get used to it.  My full name is Devin William Lyons.  Not Lions, but it sounds the same! Rawr.  Most of the time I go by 'DevDev'.  It's a nice nickname.  Sounds youthful, fun and down-to-earth to me.  'Big D' just makes peoples' minds...well...wander.  Awkward.  Moving on!

There are some reasons behind me posting these glorious combinations of words, the largest of which is a need to speak my mind.  I don't think I have ever had a close enough friend to share everything with.  Part of that is just because I am who I am.  Definately not sure the word introverted comes close to illustrating me.  Basically this is an opportunity for myself to talk about everything on my pea-brain mind instead of holding it in.  (Maybe a few witty comments inbetween the lines.)

Again, welcome! I appreciate all of your time spent here. You rock! Here is a muffin for your troubles.

-Dev!n