oh i do believe

"Always be proactive in life--it's critical. Whether it be personal or professional, always anticipate the unexpected. Don't resist change.” ~ Michael Hering

“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows achievement and who at the worst if he fails at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt

It's been a while since I last made a blog post on VOX. I've been investigating other blogging tools, such as Six Apart's TypePad, and I'm thinking about making the switch to a more robust blogging platform.

What are your thoughts on the blogging tools that are available out on the web? Does anyone have any suggestions?

Which are your favorite sites for shopping online?

My favorite online shopping site is most definitely Amazon.

The toast I gave at Dustin and Candace's wedding today--two of my best friends.

Hello everyone and thank you for coming. I really would like to thank Kent and Michelle for hosting such a fantastic wedding and giving us this wonderful evening.

For those of you who don't know me, my name is Michael. I don't remember the first time I met Dustin, since I believe I was about two at the time, but we've been good friend ever since I could first remember. We grew up as next door neighbors all the way through High School, and were roommates for most of college.

When Dustin asked me to be his best man I felt so honored. When thinking about my duties of best man one of the first things I considered was how to tackle this toast. Being someone who works in IT I decided to consult the internet, and after looking on the web for a few hours I found some really good stuff... But then I remembered I was supposed to be looking for best man tips!

As far back as I can remember Dustin has always been a man of amazing character. He's been loved by all who have known him and I know he will make an excellent husband to the new Mrs. Lopes, who I think we can all agree looks absolutely beautiful today.

Dustin, you've been a great friend to me over the years and it has been an absolute honor to be your best man today. We all have had some great times together and I'm really looking forward to the years ahead. I truly wish you both all the happiness in the world.

Ladies and gentlemen, if I may ask you all to stand, I'd like to toast Dustin and Candace, or Mr. and Mrs. Lopes.

My greatest wish for the two of you is that through the years your love for each other will so deepen and grow, that years from now you will look back on this day, your wedding day, as the day you loved each other the least, and may the saddest day of your future be no worse than the happiest day of your past.

Cheers!

06 Tiny Vessels

Death Cab for Cutie

Death Cab For Cutie, Tiny Vessels (Off their album Transatlanticism)

This is the moment that you know
That you told her that you loved her but you don't.
You touch her skin and then you think
That she is beautiful but she don't mean a thing to me.
Yeah, she is beautiful but she don't mean a thing to me.

I spent two weeks in Silver Lake
The California sun cascading down my face
There was a girl with light brown streaks,
And she was beautiful but she didn't mean a thing to me.
Yeah, she was beautiful but she didn't mean a thing to me.

I wanted to believe in all the words that I was speaking,
As we moved together in the dark
And all the friends that I was telling
All the playful misspellings
and every bite I gave you left a mark

Tiny vessels oozed into your neck
And formed the bruises
That you said you didn't want to fade
But they did, and so did I that day

All I see are dark grey clouds
In the distance moving closer with every hour
So when you ask "Is something wrong?"
I think "You're damn right there is but we can't talk about it now.
No, we can't talk about it now."

So one last touch and then you'll go
And we'll pretend that it meant something so much more
But it was vile, and it was cheap
and you are beautiful but you don't mean a thing to me
yeah you are beautiful but you don't mean a thing to me (x2)

Show us something tiki-themed.

.tiki

Video:  Show us the first video that appears when you search your name on YouTube.

Michael - Franz Ferdinand