End of an Era

So, this week, 3 things ended this week that meant a lot to me. This is my chance to reflect on those things in a place where people can read it. First off is the first season of Glee. Now I know that really shouldn't mean that much to me. It's a tv show. But it truly is the best show I've EVER seen. It seriously has something for everybody. Attractive cast, singing, all different kinds of music, good stories and lessons to learn. Everybody I've talked to that has seen it loves it. The only people who straight up won't watch it are the people I know personally that are possibly closet cases. I know that Glee has already been signed upto 3 seasons, but I'm really not looking forward to a whole summer without it. I seriously want to be friends with everybody on that show. Especially Kurt, Puck and Brittany. Kurt is just awesome. I think everybody needs at least one really good gay friend. I never get to talk to Mitchell, so I think Kurt could fit the bill. Puck is a jock, but he throws losers in dumpsters and knows how to play guitar and sing. You can't really beat that. It one episode, he and Finn went around slashing tires. That's my kind of friend. And Brittany, well, she once said "Did you know dolphins are just gay sharks"? She's apparently dumb as bricks, but she dances awesomely, sings and says gems like that. That'd be a fun person to have around even if it was just for immature laughs. But, really Summer without Glee is gonna leave my Tuesdays painfully boring.
Another that eneded was my niece's first year at Painted Rock. Seeing Ava as a kindergartner was just awesome. She seems so big and yet so little at the same time. I remember when she was born. I was in my 2nd period class and had to rush to the hospital and saw my newest little friend. But now she's SO big and going to be a first grader. It's kinda sad to see her grow up, but I'm so proud of her. Every Wednesday I'd read with her class. They'd call me "Uncle Buncle" because that's what Ava has always called me. I got to see each kid grow a little bit and learn and accomplish different things. They'd write stories and read them to me and it was just the cutest thing ever. I wish that Ava would have the same classmates every year just so I could watch them all grow up and be friends together. I'm definitely going to miss those kids. One of the feelings I'm going to miss the most is the way it felt when various kids would bring up their reading folder to me and ask me to read with them. I guess since I was only there once a week, they wanted to get in some reading time with "Uncle Buncle", but it was such a flattering feeling to have kids want to read with me even if they are only 6.
And lastly Handbells. I know most people don't even know what handbells are, but I've been around them my entire life. That's not an exaggeration either. My parents would bring me when I was a baby and then I started ringing when I was 4. Most Wednesdays out of the year for 20 years would be spent at my church ringing, sometimes singing. I've made a lot of friends and had a lot of people only know who I am because I was the "bass ringer" in the handbell choir. I remember this one time we played at a Mormon church and afterwards people actually wanted their picture taken with me. It was a pretty awesome feeling. We've had BBQ's and gone to baseball games and done weddings together and even lost somebody super close (my cousin Carrie Fipps), but the bell choir was always there for each other. I've always loved playing handbells in front of people and getting compliments after. I've had old people tell me they want me to play at their funeral. A little morbid but still meaningful. However the last year of handbells is exactly why I'm leaving. It's been a huge ordeal to put the bells in the church (they're heavy) and they make us play like on the side of the church. Like we're not important. Our church doesn't respect us at all. There's this lady named Pam that complained about our bells being kept in the chapel area that we never use. She said it made our chapel look like a storage area. But then we had a food drive and kept food in there and it seriously looked like a hobo-nest and apparently she was okay with it. Pam is such a bitch. And then in the choir itself there has been a lot of drama amongst the choir. Everybody is pissing each other off and some people are just bitching about shit that's none of their business. Like one person would try to correct everybody's playing even though it's not their part at all and said person wasn't a director in any way. I'm truly glad I won't have to put up with it anymore, but I'm sad the choir isn't good enough to leave on a good note with a good concert. 20 years of handbells is over and it truly is an end of an era.
-HBK

Giving blogging another chance.

Hey Everybody. I haven't blogged in awhile. I used to blog on myspace, and at one point or another I was also on Xanga and Livejournal. So, I'm blogging now because one of my co-workers (Jack Briggs) said he would read one of my blogs so he could see what's going on in my mind and whatnot. So what does Kris Jaus think about? What goes on in one of the most interesting mind in the world? Well it's definitely an interesting journey full of self-contradictions, fun, tragedy, heart-breaks, and memorable experiences. I guess this blog will just talk about where I am in life, some of my goals, and what's going on with me right now.
I work at Starbucks in the UTC Mall which is in La Jolla. I've been there for three years. Let me just say that being a barista at a high volume store is definitely not my cup of tea (or coffee). I cannot stand being there. I don't like the customers that come in and act as if their cup of coffee is the most important thing in the world. Customers seriously act like their beverage is more important than the feelings of the people on the other side of the counter. I might not like all of my co-workers that much, but they are real human beings with real stories and feelings. Three years is a long time to work for a company. I did three years at Starbucks, but that was following 4 years at "The Body Shop", which was truly a nightmare. I am so glad I'm not in that place anymore. It was run piss-poorly by managers and district managers who didn't know sh*t about taking care of their employees. So, now that I've filled you in on what I've done, I'll tell you what I want to do.
I want to perform. For the longest time I wanted to be a professional wrestler for the WWE. I wanted to go in front of audiences everyday doing stunts in the ring and off of ladders and using all of my energy for the purpose of entertaining the millions of WWE fans in the world. Well, I never became big enough to be a professional wrestler. But my love of being in front of people hasn't diminished at all. I want to be on Broadway. Well actually I'd like to be in a touring production of a Broadway show so that I can see the country while doing what I love. I want to be on the stage and sing my heart out for the people who are fortunate enough to see shows regularly and for the people who have to scrimp and save and see one show a year. But it's more than just singing. I want to be famous. There's so many people that want to be famous. I'd like to make money so I can support a family and live the lifestyle that I want and give my kids everything they need and could want. I'd like to afford a house where me and my wife could make each room themed like a different land at Disneyland. I want to be famous to the point where people will recognize me and ask for my autograph while I'm at Disneyland. I want people to want a picture with me. That part of it is for me and my ever-changing self-esteem issues. The other part of me that wants to be famous is to share my successes. When I've seen shows on stage, I've seen people who LOVE what they're doing. They're giving people a night out and giving people a break from what they do. When I saw The Little Mermaid on Broadway, I saw a character on stage named Flotsam. Just a sidekick eel to the main villainess in the musical. But the person who played him (Tyler Maynard) had absolutely one of the best voices I'd ever heard. He is one of my singing heroes. Him and Frankie Valli. No joke, just seeing that show gave me a new lifetime goal of playing a sidekick role and just to sing a song called "Sweet Child". I want to be Flotsam. And if I get there one day, I want to share my success with everybody. I want to let them know how thankful I am they came to see me. I want people to be able to talk to me after the show and tell me their goals. If somebody was able to one day come up to me after a show, and tell me they loved my character, or loved me or my voice, or even if they said that they loved Ariel, but me and Ursula and Jetsam scared their kids...I'll know that I made it. If I can bring not only my family happiness, but countless other families happiness at the same time (while maybe signing some autographs and taking pictures), I'll truly feel happy.
I can tell already it's going to be a long road to get there. Sometimes it might be too hard for me. But, I guess that's life. Maybe I'll never reach that goal. But it IS a goal and will always be there for me to try for.
-HBK