5/31/06

I lived in Orlando with Rob Painter from Jan-May '06

George Robert Henry Dennis Shufflebarker Painter IV and I met our freshman year at Duke University, when we were singled out, together, as the two most endlessly talented and promising individuals in the entire Class of 2005.

Note: Parts of this account may or may not have been slightly fabricated.

Recently, the two of us decided to utilize a rare and fortuitous opportunity to temporarily inhabit Rob's parents' beautiful, remote property in Oviedo, Florida. (Thank you, Rob's parents!)


Our time at Oviedo was not unlike Thoreau's time at Walden. We practiced self-reliance and modest living. We grew all of our own crops, and we built our own fires to cook the crops for supper each night.








We home-spun all of our clothing, dying each garment with the vibrantly colored (but poisonous!) juice of native alafayaberries. This practice was time-consuming, but well worth it!







For transportation, we carved a small canoe out of an old oak tree. We used the scrap wood to construct a simple, but effective dock. Our lifestyle was peaceful, freed from such burdens as awaiting paychecks, expensive gas, and social awkwardness. We most delighted in our total avoidance of shameful fast food, and pathetic trips to Wal-Mart.




After getting settled, we saught jobs at a quaint, local attraction called "Walt Disney World." I would describe the place as a sort of backyard family entertainment center, with a few different games and activities for the kids. We enjoyed growing close with the small, tight-knit staff at Disney.





When we weren't working, we recorded some songs and filmed some videos, including our world-shaking rap video, "Gas Pricez." Unfortunately, our home-made movie camera's wind-up battery began to malfunction, precluding us from further creative works.















As a conclusion to our stay at Oviedo, Robbie and I conceptualized what will soon be the coolest website ever.

We're still working out some final kinks...but there's a sneak preview.

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5/15/06

Amy is getting her Master's Degree at CMU!

By the time I return from Japan, my girlfriend Amy will be a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management! She is earning her degree at Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz School of Public Policy, in Pittsburgh. (Her classes started less than a week after she graduated from her Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs.)

She is amazing.

Which reminde me - if you have any stories about Amy, quotes to inspire her, or other stuff she might enjoy, please send them to me so that I can include them in WeLoveAmy.com - a daily-updated fan site we created for her.

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