Since going back to the basics, this week has ended quite well.

Some people hit bottom and hit a wall before they can change for the better.

I was lucky enough to only hit an emotional wall.

I weigh more and my head is full of grey hair at 25.

So I needed to make a change in my life outlook and my personality, or I'd probably have a heart attack very soon.

So, the basics are important.

I feel bad for saying that I didn't have any friends.

I do have friends, Aaron and Joe, who have always been there.

The problem is I haven't always been there for them.

Being lonely is mostly my own fault.

I've always been a loner, I like to do things myself, on my own.

But good friends are a must, because you can't always do things on your own.

So with a core group of friends and a new attitude, I feel great.

It makes me want to change everything, including getting my weight under control.

Switch to new glasses...

Get a different haircut.

I just feel like I should change something physical to emphasize to myself that I'm changing for the better.

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Well, I've had some pretty sweet conversations the past few days.

Joe, Aaron, Bec and I have formed a little group.

Individually, we all have our own issues, so we're going to work together to try to be better people.

So, I woke up this morning with the attitude that I was going to be nice, despite how I might feel or what happens.

I feel pretty good today.

Hannah has been the biggest help though, and I'm quite happy to have her friendship again.

We have all decided life is about the basics; it's about love.

Love for people, despite how we might feel or think.

And it's not always easy, but it's necessary.

It's necessary for me if I'm going to become a better human.

Love the naysayers.

Especially today.

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I heard someone say yesterday that whatever you see yourself as, other people don't see you as you see yourself.

So what do people see when they see me?

My freshman year of college, someone tried an experiment during Thursday Night Devo.

Devo: short for devotional, a small Bible study more or less.

Not the band.

Everyone had to tape a sheet of paper to their backs. Once that was done, we were supposed to go around to each other and write something positive about that person on their back. We couldn't sign our names, just write the comments.

When the time was up, we were supposed to grab the paper and read the comments. I remember that people had a hard time writing a nice comment on my paper. I was a very pompous, arrogant man. I ran the college paper, and I thought I was always right. I was rude, abrupt, and insensitive. I was a great many things that weren't very nice.

So I worked on my attitude and character. With the help of friends, and one friend in particular, I learned what it was to be unselfish and kind at all times.

A year later, that same experiment was tried with the paper. This time around, the comments written on my back made me cry.

The comments were some of the nicest things ever said about me. The uplifting comments filled both sides of the paper. That piece of paper was proof that I had changed for the better.

I still have that paper.

So now I wonder, if people could write on my back nice things about me, what would be said?

I cringe, because I don't believe I'm a nice person anymore.

I heard the Pastor from my hometown church plead with his flock to choose to surrender to Jesus.

Choose the Cross.

Jesus had a choice; he didn't want to die on a cross, but he made the choice to suffer. Choose to take up your cross.

He said it's not always easy to take up your cross when times are tough.

Pastor, sir, I'm here to tell you it's not always easy to take up your cross when you're a success either.

I don't know why I brought that up, but it's been weighing on my mind.

I've been speaking again to the wisest girl I know again. She was giving me good advice when she was a high school freshman and I was a college sophomore.

It's good to have access to that wisdom again.

These are just ramblings. If you make any sense of them, let me know.

I'm an assortment of feelings right now.

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Yesterday was my 25th birthday.

Thanks for all the love friends.

It was this time last year I was covering the chaos at the Wood County Republican Executive Committee.

Chaos that still goes on to this very day it seems.

Blogger by day, Applebees host by night.

Reports on my blog in July played a role in choosing the new head of the West Virginia Republican Party.

That may be an egotistic thing to say, but I know from sources that state committee members were reading the blog at the meeting.

In late August I was hired for a brand-new publication based on my blog posts. That publication was the Marietta Register, where I became one of the paper's first reporters.

In late September I was hired by my friend...who we will call Jerk...to be his assistant news director for Results Radio.

I quit Applebees that same week.

I took an involuntary break from the newspaper in November.

Also won a West Virginia Broadcasters Association award for my live reports from the Washington County general elections.

I was invited back to the Register staff in March, where I now serve as city editor.

The best year if my life to date.

At 19 I thought I had screwed it all up. I had to leave college due to letting my grades slip and I thought I was doomed to work retail and fast food all my life.

I had even signed papers to join the U.S. Marine Corps.

All the while I kept writing, with a hope that I could eventually be a journalist.

Well, I am one.

So now I have to come up with a new goal.

Something like not fucking up relationships with girls.

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How was my weekend?

Well, the Mayor of Marietta threw a hot dog at me, in jest I assure you.

It was in foil, and therefore still safe to eat.

I did the announcing for the 7th annual Marietta Riverfront Roar.

I was only supposed to do it for two hours before the races, but I was liked enough to be the main announcer for the weekend.

Six hours on the riverside, hanging with the play-by-play announcer for the APR Powerboat Superleague.

Basically, it's Nascar on water.

I'm not much of a race fan period, but watching the event up close is exciting no matter who you are.

My arms and head now glow red from a nasty sunburn, but I got to eat for free.

I had the perfect place to watch the fireworks.

I called every girl I knew, but no one could come.

Apparently I'm too ugly or my personality is too ugly.

Maybe it's a combination of both.

One of reporters for my newspaper came and joined me halfway through.

It's nice to know that not all females are repulsed by me.

My plight is similar to that of Bill Lester.

Bill Lester isn't real, but I will slowly introduce you to him.

The birthday is Wednesday.

25 and single.

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"There are people on the streets getting diseases from Monkeys. Yeah, that’s what I said; they’re getting diseases from monkeys. Now there’s junkies with monkey disease, who’s touching these monkeys please. Leave these poor, sick monkeys alone, they’ve got problems enough as it is."

Tonight I'll be showing the flag at the Marietta Merchants and Artists Walk, and all this weekend at the Riverfront Roar.

The first event is when the city closes down Front Street and thousands of people and tourists check out the shops while artists and musicians do what they do along the streets.

The second event is basically Nascar on the river. Not really my thing, but I get free beer tonight, so I'll go hobnob.

The past two weeks have been great, hanging and partying with random people and old friends.

Late night swimming with pretty girls, Samuel Adams Summer Brew, sleeping in the backseat of the van.

"They’re turning kids into slaves just to make cheaper sneakers, but what’s the real cost, cause the sneakers don’t seem that much cheaper? Why are we paying so much sneakers when they’re made by little slave kids? What are your overheads?"

The quotes are from "Just Think About It," by Flight of the Conchords. A fun show, but moreso amongst friends.

My birthday Wednesday, July 18 and I'll be 25.

I don't need any gifts, I've already been given the best year of my life.

This time last year I was depressed, cranky, wasting away as a host at Applebees.

This year I'm typing this up from one of two offices I have, where I work on things like this, or this.

Many good things in store. I wonder if making a relationship work will be one of those things?

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Well, I think I've done everything I can do, shy of building a new blog.

I won't be doing that, I'm comfortable here.

Thanks for all the advice.

Again, I don't want to really hide who I am.

I stand behind all I write. Plus it's well known that I write under this name.

"Holywriter" was never meant to be a mask; just a clever gimmick.

I'm also not worried about my employers, since they both know, read, and approve of the blog.

I'm not worried about being sued for libel.

I won't be using this blog for journalism; I have a newspaper and a radio station to do that in.

I just want a place to talk about my personal life candidly.

I want a place I can say "fuck" in.

Simple as that.

I'm off to Rollin's house to hang out, take it easy.

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