Cheerio Mates (That's not a title for breakfast eating buddies)

     Now I know you have all been holding your breathe, nearly having your lives claimed by asphyxiation, and desperately begging, "Where is Rusty?  When will he relieve us of this torture?"  (Actually, most of you probably don't care...but just let me live in my make believe world, alright).  Here's the deal.  I know that, after being chased down by the news reporters who inspired me to make my last post on Oct. 2nd 2005, I pledged to return with a stronger commitment to the responsibility of sharing my life with you via "online journaling", and to post with greater frequency.  However, this extended absence is not due to a lack of commitment on my part (truly, concerns to fulfill your greatest aspirations have been at the forefront of my longing...sort of...almost...well, I thought about it once or twice...or maybe just now).  Anyway, the point is that I have not forgotten you...totally.  I will never forget you...without remembering you once again.

     Beneath a mound of homework, school responsibilites, and fertilizer (okay...maybe I exaggerated the truth a little there...I didn't have that many school responsibilities), my tired diminutive body lay squirming for a lungful of oxygen.  Through all the homework and fertilizer I have exerted myself for the past 4 1/2 months.  The task has proven a grueling one, but alas, I have emerged into the light (head first)!  I am currently tackling, quite possibly, the most demanding semester of my higher learning tenure (I guess of my entire scholastic occupancy for that matter).  Paper after paper, homework assignment after homework assignment, snack pack after snack pack (I haven't even had much time to eat real food...and by "real food" I mean the meals that are readily available to those who occupy this fine institution), I have continued with my mind set toward the goal...whistling while I have worked.  That goal, my comrads, is one in which its reality is about to be actualized.  That's right, I'm talking about graduation!  Can you believe it?  Me neither!  Though I still have about 2 more months of "shaking off" to do (I'm still about waist-deep), I will soon be walking free with a 4 year degree sealed in 5 years of incompetence in my hand!  Its a glorious day that is much anticipated!

     So, I come to you now with mixed emotions.  On the one hand, I'm sorry that I could not have been there for you all in the past 4 1/2 months (to save you from holding your breath!), and regret to announce that, while you may revive your lungs for the moment, you may also be enduring yet another 2-month long sustained inhalation.  On the other hand, I am joyfully stimulated and blissfully consumed with the expectation of graduation!  And, while I wish you didn't have to suffer another two months (though I'm quite positive the suffering will be minimal), for the sake of pedagogic liberation I must sacrifice the pleasures of "online journaling" and focus my attention on removing the bottom half of my body from this mound.

     Now, for those of you who patiently tolerated the bordom of this post to gain the lesser ounce of a thought that it contained, I commend you, for I barely made it to the end myself.  I leave you with my love and good wishes, and look forward to the day when we are once again intimately acquainted through the luxury of "online jouraling" (don't ask why I put that phrase in parentheses every time I write it...for some reason it just seemed appropriate to do...at least for the moment)!

R-to-the-usty O. Davis

Good morning, afternoon, or evening!  No matter the hour you may be indulging this posting, I hope that you are doing well, and that your life is joyously blessed!  Now, some of you (not mentioning any names...especially ones that start with a "J"...and have seven letters...and contain the spanish letter "ll" [pronounced ayae with long vowel sounds for the "a"]...and rhyme with toe nail...) may be saying that this post is a little overdue in regards to my last post.  But let me remind you that while I did promise to post more often and more regularly, I did not declare that it would be every day, nor every week for that matter.  So, for those of you who's tolerance level for boredom is so low that my postings exist as pleasurable events in your life, this just means that your anticipation of utter exhilaration has more time to swell as you await each post, allowing each posting deliver the utmost satisfaction to you!

Now, on to the topic.  Since my last posting, my life has been dealt many twists and turns.  I originally wanted to share a tale with you all about how a certain young anonymous lad was almost taken to jail on a late night/early morning in Lake Wales a couple weeks ago, but Jonelle has already shared that story with most of you, so I'll spare you the monotany (though it would make a great bedtime story for your kids, or maybe an insomnia stricken roommate).....So anyway, that's enough about the past...

Basically, between now and my last post, I have been completely satisfied.  Now, I want to note that this satisfaction is not deriving from my circumstances--my status (you know...single, married, divorced...), or my finances, or my whereabouts (not sure if that's how you spell it).  If this satisfaction depended on my circumstances, I would be miserable, for I do not have all (or any really) of the things that I would want.  Rather, this satisfaction is simply a result of the Spirit of God loving on me and touching me in places so deep that even I could not reach, speaking to me through His creation, and wooing me with His love!  Though I do not have everything I want here on earth, I am fulfilled with the Lord's power and love in my life!  And I'm realizing all the more that this satisfaction is a choice every day, every hour, every minute.  I can choose to focus my eyes on the treasures and pleasures of this life and be left disappointed and longing, or I can choose to make the kingdom of God--His glory, His peace, His joy, His service, His presence--my primary concern and experience the bliss of freedom from the grip of all that brings death!  The same is true for all of us, and if we are to live passionately for the Lord and have all that is ours in Christ, we must be on constant watch of our hearts!!  The second we let our guard down, our life can be sent off the Path.  So, pray for me and you, that we may be mindful of these things, and not be bound by the cares and concerns of this life!  That does not mean that we are not engaged in them, but we simply are not held down by them!  Praise God!

So now I want to leave you with a deep, meaningful word!  I want to you to know that my saying this signifies a special place in my heart that you hold!  Until next time...

Hakunamata (what a wonderful phrase, it means no worries for the rest of your days)!

Love you guys!

Davis Returns to Xanga!!

So, along with the rest of the blogging world, we were puzzled?  What happened?  Where had Davis gone?  What was with all this absence?  Was he just not capable of living up to the measure he had set for himself?  So we set out to investigate, not realizing how close our answers were.  While traveling southbound on Highway 27 in Lake Wales, FL (after eating a healthy lunch at world famous Fat Boys), we (the field crew) were nearly put out of commission when a red undersized motorcycle of some variety mistakingly ran an 18-wheeler into our lane and off the road into an RV Sales complex and did not stop for the accident.  In our effort to identify and inform the roadway villian, we buried the accelerator and caught up to him turning into the Warner Southern College north entrance.  To our disclosure, the one strattling the bike was none other than Davis!  Our distress turned to delight, when we realized the opportune situation we had stumbled upon. 

We approached Davis and informed him of the previous events.  Then, with careful hesitation, we posed the questions that had held us and so many others captive:  "Where've you been?  Everyone at Xanga has been looking for you."  The response: "Oh yeah...Xanga." [short pause, our open-mouthed faces looking around]  "What?  That's it?  You simply forgot?  How could you forget the satisfaction it brought you on that late August night when you were desperate for someplace to release your energy, the success of your only post, and not to mention all those friends who depend on you to keep them 'posted' on your life?"  [Davis appeared to have been dumbstruck and was frozen]  Ah ha!  That was it!  That was the real answer!  It wasn't that he had forgotten about Xanga itself.  No, he had forgotten about what Xanga had meant for him--the mental stimulation, and the social responsibility!  So he dropped his head a little as he reflected on the memories of that night of August 1, 2005, remembering the pleasure and the duty he undertook of informing his subscribers on how his life is unfolding.  Then he said, "How could I have done this?  What kind of failure have I become?  I've let my friends down.  I thought for sure that I could be a blogging great.  They've probably all given up on me by now."  As his disappointment settled in, we encouraged, "But...it's not too late."  [short pause]  He lifted his head, wiped the tear off his cheek, and with regained hope in his eyes he said, "You're right!  Maybe I can win them back.  After all, it's only been a few weeks.  Besides I don't have that many friends anyway.  And the one's that are subscribers, I talk to everyday.  Maybe they didn't notice so much.  Tell my friends, all five of them...I'm coming back!"  And with that he rushed off to the Pontious Learning Resource Center.

So, there you have it.  There it is.  To all the disappointed and devastated, the brokenhearted and betrayed--get your reading glasses, find your computer, kick your feet back, and exhale.  The suspense is over.  You can now look forward to a refreshed, more responsible blogger in Davis.  As Davis himself once wrote,