Happy Third Birthday Xanga...

And nobody gives a damn.

Currently Listening United/You're All I Need By Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell see related

   Well, that certainly took long enough.

So it's been damn near two months since my latest post.  I really wanted to update to give you all something new to read up here, but the bottom line was...nothing was really happening in my life that was all that interesting.  So I just sat on my hands and waited until I had something truly update-worthy to write about.

Well, I suppose that first off I should probably let y'all know that I am now seventeen years young.  That's right, no more getting kicked out of "R"-Rated movies.  That also means one year left of draft immunity, cause--call it a hunch--I got a bad feeling that if anything of measurable significance happens in Iran, it's gonna be my generation that gets drafted into service.

Yippie Ki Yay.

ANYWHO, enough of this dark subject matter.  Last Saturday was the joyous occasion of Homecoming, a celebration known to most as an orgy of bad music, promiscuity, grinding, PDA, and oh yeah, the occasional slow dance.  I was privelidged enough to be able to take the ravishing Taylor Coleman as my date, and it was she (upon pressure from her friends *cough*BEALE*cough) who persuaded me into forsaking our beloved Ohio State Buckeyes--who were engaged in an epic twilight struggle over Big Ten supremacy--and getting my timid little arse onto the dance floor. 

Thank God she did it, cause it was one of the best nights these eyes have ever seen.

The evening started off with Taylor and myself suffering a barrage of photos from both of our parents.  Once we were through that, we traveled over to the house of Beale, where more parents and photographs awaited--only this time there was an army assembled that could have occupied Eithiopia (okay, bad example).  The group was as follows:  Myself, Ms. Coleman, Jason Rau, Sarah Beale, Ben Powell, Magitha, Nathan Graham, Kylie Mitchell, Mark Hansher, Erin Mueller, Zac (I don't know his last name), Elizabeth Snowden, Jeff, Shiela Miller, Nick Harrison, and the German exchange student, Adrian.  Once we survived the pictoral onslaught we departed for the arena district Italian food paradise known as BUCA DI BEPPO. 

Getting there was a blast, considering that our entire group got separated into three smaller ones that all had varying degrees of difficulty finding the restaurant.  Once the group finally reassembled at Buca's great fun ensued.  Highlights included us pulling off the famed, "OH-IO" chant inside the restaurant and enjoying enough food to feed the population of Somalia.  Finally, we finished off our food and payed the $183 bill (and added about $35-40 in a tip), and headed back to Hilliard for some dancing.

Reluctantly, Taylor was able to pry me out of my seat watching the Buckeyes game and get me out on the bloody dance floor.  And I gotta tell y'all, it was excellent.  I mean, aside from the music (I think I would have rather listened to a bulemic with a backup band...you know, SCREAMO MUSIC), which wasn't very good, the dancing was great.  The sad thing is that my date and I were such hardcore Bucks fans, we could only leave the game for a ten minute maximum, so we soon returned to watch our team's victory.  Once that business was through, Taylor and I went back to Beale's house with Rau and we chilled for awhile there intil I had to take Taylor home.  Thus ending one of the best nights of my life.

Oh yeah, thought y'all might wanna know, Tay n' I decided to enter the ring again for a second round.  For those of you sitting at your computer, too dense to get my metaphor, scratching your head in confusion, that means that I'M OFF THE MENU.

Sorry Ladies, but I'm spoken for--and couldn't be happier.

Well maybe if...nay I won't go there.

MOVING ON.  I'VE GOT PICTURES FOR Y'ALL.  ENJOY.

Taylor and I outside my house before dinner.

Yeah, you'd be grinning like an idiot too if you were with such a radiant beauty.

Tay wanted me to take one shot without my hat--so I let her wear it.

The Gang--outside the House of Beale.

The Alternate Shot--basically I like it cause it looks like I'm attempting to kill my date.

Beale and Rau.

Everyone's favorite threatening threesome, The Angels. 

Taylor and I mounting my chariot to go to dinner...OKAY I KNOW ITS A CRAPPY CAR.  Oh yeah, since Beale and Rau don't have their license, I let them tag along.

Nick, enjoying the fruits of orgasmic Italian food.

Adrian, ROCKING THE ORANGE.

Ben & Magitha.

Nate & Kylie, by the way, congrats you two!

Hansher and Erin.

Shiela & Jeff, the second best picture of this set.

Snowgirl & Zac.

 And I'll leave y'all with my favorite picture of this set.  Taken downtown right after leaving Buca.

BACK OFF GENTS, THIS ONE'S MINE.

Until next time, take care of yourselves.

And Each Other.

Currently Listening American Pie By Don McLean see related

Well, seeing as how my last update (like 2 days ago) was utter crap, and since my last "real" update was like two months ago, I figured that I would grace ailing Xanga with the finest update in my two-plus year career.  And, seeing that this is my best, it might be the last one that this xanga ever sees.

You read that right, this might be my final post.  With work and band like consuming my life, I'm finding it harder to keep up with all this stuff.  I don't even know how many people still read this thing, I only know of a few that really care when I update, so we'll see.  How about this, if you want me to continue posting on Xanga, leave me a comment.  I don't care if it's just a little one-word quip, just a simple comment.  Whenever I have the time to check back and update, and if there's enough people that have read this and wish me to continue, I shall continue to post--though most likely not frequently.  This isn't a ploy to get comments or attention, please don't see it as that, it's just a true question as to how many people actually read this.

Now, enough of that, let's get on to the post!
*******************************************************************

Table of Contents:
(1) Mike News
(2) To all Juniors and Seniors...
(3) Friends
(4) Friends (Back-Stabbers)
(5) Colorado
(6) Colorado (Pictures)
(7) Farewell?
________________________

(1)

First off, my life has been pretty much the same as it was at the beginning of the summer, only that I've been spending less time with my friends and more time at work.  My hair has grown longer (and now is cut), my biceps bigger, my weight heavier, and my farmer's tan EVEN MORE FRIGGIN' PRONOUNED.  I'm truly living in my worst nightmare, for my life has become decicidly mundane and monotonous.  You know it's bad when you look foreward to school just so your work schedule will abate from its murderous pace.

(2)

Speaking of school, I'm about to begin my second half.  Jesus Christ, that's one Hell of a thought.  It seems like yesterday I was just another wild-eyed freshman getting off the "twinkie," absoluely scared shitless as to what Hilliard Darby had in store for me.  These last two years flew by so fast, much faster than the two before those.  In fact, that thought is even more frightening, if Freshman and Sophmore years came and went so fast, how soon will it be until I am a graduated Senior?  If any of you truly know me, you know that I would like nothing more than to stay in High School forever--well, maybe not in High School, but at least as a kid, without that damned attitude of all those that grow older, that "everything sucks" mentality.  So a word of advice to my fellow Juniors and Seniors: enjoy your youth while it lasts, don't see it as a roadblock on your way to maturity--because one day you will be old, reminiscing on your past days and bemoaning the fact that you spent them all trying to get to the point that you are at now.  

(3)

It's times like these that I thank God for my friends.  When work gets me down, and my mind is awash in a torrent of anger, they always manage to make me happier.  I can't even begin to explain how much I appreciate all of you.  And it's not that y'all do anything sepecial for me, just being able to be around most of you is a privelidge of the highest honor, and one that I will cherish.

(4)

This brings me to my next point, and this is not a happy or nice one. Recently, it seems that the new thing for groups of friends to do is to bitch about eachother and talk shit behind eachother's backs.  I find this about as apalling as a skinned panda carcass rotting in the Chinese sun.  In one group of my so-called "friends" I have been labeled a "pussy" because I try my best to mediate arguments as opposed to picking sides and prolonging the fight.  The sad thing is that after saying these things behind my back, they saw me a few days later and pretended to be the best of friends with me.  Now, I know that I'm not perfect--Hell I'm probably a heckuva lot further away from it than most--but to say hateful things behind someone's back, and then treat them like the best of friends when you see them, that is not right.  If you have a problem with someone, tell them about it and try to work it out like an honorable human being, don't just tell your other buds behind that person's back.  Friends are supposed to be there for eachother, through and through, they are supposed to make eachother better.  When you "talk shit" about your friends behind their back, then you shouldn't consider yourself their friend at all.

-Sorry, personal little rant there.

(5)

Moving on, during the final week of July my life was granted an escape from my monotonous and unforgiving work shedule by a trip to a place I have always desired to visit, Colorado.  For seven days I was granted ectasy, bliss, and a little well deserved FREEDOM.  The highlights of my trip include: Visiting three National Parks (Rocky Mountain, Mesa Verde, and Arches) in Colorado and Utah, going on a ten mile hike alone in Rocky Mountain (two miles of which were in pouring thunderstorms), driving on the continent's highest road, reaching the summit of Pikes Peak, crossing the world's tallest suspension bridge (1024 feet above a gorge), buying two knives inlaid (by hand) with Turquoise, Jet and a red stone, driving literally on the side of mountains, drinking the best rootbeer in my life, visiting ancient indian cliff dwellings, and being completely beset by nature's beauty and grandeour.

Oh yeah, and I have PICTURES

(6)

Me and my Dysfunctional family in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP).

Badass.

My Folks let me loose near a stream--and as those of you who've been to Hayden Falls with me know...BIG MISTAKE.  I actually later fell into that same stream, in front of about twenty people.

My dad at the summit of a mountain after a .5 mile trek. 

We saw some Elk out there.

I ate some, country fried Elk steaks and an Elk burger.  Tasty.

By Day II, I was ready for a ten mile hike.

I almost puked when I stopped at this waterfall due to elevation sickness.

The Loch, the first (and most beautiful) of three lakes I'd see on the hike.

Timberline Falls, to get to the end of the hike (and the two lakes above it) you had to CLIMB THE WATERFALL.

So I did.

And here's what I saw...

The Lake of Glass.  Simply Stunning.

Another waterfall, this one leading from Sky Pond to The Lake of Glass.

Finally, after five miles of hiking, I reach my destination, residing in the shadow of 13,000 foor Taylor Peak, Sky Pond.  Elevation: 12,500 feet.  Then I went back.

The Loch, as seen from Timberline Falls.

After leaving RMNP, we went to Canon City to see the Royal Gorge Bridge, the highest suspension bridge in the world. 

BEASTLY.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot.  The thing was WOODEN, so the thing literally BOUNCED when you walked on it.

Loking down at the Arkansas River, 1,024 feet below.

The next day we went to the little town of Manitou Springs and saw the Garden of the Gods, a neat little area with some pretty cool rock formations.

"Kissing Camels" rock formation.

Later that day we went on up to Pikes Peak via the cog railway where we saw a most excellent sight on the way up...

BIGHORN SHEEP.  A rare sight in the wild.

Next thing you know, we're at the top.  Sadly though, I was confined indoors for my half hour at the top due to serious mountain thunderstorms.

What a great view...

The next day we literally drove on the side of mountains on the aptly named, "Million Dollar Highway," and I gotta tell you these following pictures don't do the area justice at all.  It was awesome.

Sorry for the blur in the foreground, I was taking the pictures hanging out the window at sixty miles an hour.

It truly is God's country out there, truly.

Best rootbeer I've ever had.  It looks like a normal beer cause there's no artificial coloring or carmel, it's instead made with honey.

Mesa Verde, cliff dwellings dating back to the 1500's.

Just amazing.

The tour I went on required crawling through this tunnel, WHICH ROCKED.

On our way back to Denver (to fly home) we took a detuor through Utah, where we saw this arch.

I'm the idiot on the left.

In Utah we also visited Arches National Park, these following pictures also can't do the real thing true justice.

It stil is amazing though.

Doesn't that look like three people?  I'm naming it after a dynamic trio that I'm acquainted with (The Angels).

The apropriately titled "Balanced Rock."

Double Arch, which I hiked a mile (round trip) to see.  IN 105 DEGREE HEAT, IN JEANS!

And finally Delecate Arch, which also adorns the Utah lisence plate.

After Utah, we went back to Colorado and into Denver, where we flew home.  Taking me out of my blissful vacation and back to this drama-ridden world of teenage life.  GOD I MISS IT.

(7)

All right, my (final?) masterpiece is complete.  After 4.5 hours of work, I'm ready for bed, since I'm getting up in 3.5 hours for band, then I'm working right after that.  See what I mean?  Words of advice from the Hodgeman, DON'T GET A JOB.  PETSMART OWNS ME.

*Remember:  If you want me to continue this site, leave me a comment.  I don't care about length, just leave one.  If not, just enjoy the post, and happy trails!

~Michael Raymond Hodge

Currently Listening The Essential Isley Brothers By The Isley Brothers see related

THERE, as promised, my long-awaited update.

Kinda disappointing, eh?

Currently Listening Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd By Lynyrd Skynyrd Simple Man see related

Note:  This post has pictures, REJOICE!

There is one word for people my age that is held high above the others.  The word encapsulates a wide variety of definitions:  freedom, happiness, escape, release, bliss.  It is not just a word to us, it is an event, a holiday, nay an experience.  This sacred word of teenagers worldwide:  SUMMER.

Ohhhhh baby!  I'm free, and it couldn't have come at a better time!  If I may quote the great Alex Christman, "Last year was like a badly mixed drink"--I must agree, it was far too sweet in the beginning and was unable to sustain its sweetness and turned incredibly sour.  So now a raise a new glass to all of you, my friends, to our next year--a blank canvas with which we have an unlimited palette to paint the next year of our lives.    But, before we are handed the brushes to paint this canvas and make it our own, we are given some well-deserved creative downtime with which we can do as we please.

Okay, so enough of my metaphorical dwelling.  This has been quite a busy week, and one Heckuva inauguration to Summer 2006!  First things first:  upon getting out of Hell (HDHS), Eric, Taylor, Beale, Kylie, Tim, Jeff, and Snowgirl went out to recently departed senior Kellie Coffman's house and vandalized her car and driveway.  While it wasn't as much fun as last years prank (In which I caught Taylor, Kylie, and Beale in the act of forking my lawn and graffittiing my driveway.  And then gunned them down with Super Soakers, Coke cans, and shaving cream), it was still pretty cool.

Now, we can fast-foreward to the first REAL day of summer, Monday.  Sam's boyfriend broke up with her, so we (Logan, Adam and I), figured we'd cheer her up by taking her down to Hayden Falls.  And I gotta say, it was one excellent trip!

Sam, ready to go.

Hayden Falls, the prettiest sight that Hilliard has to offer.

Not content with sitting and admiring my view of the Falls, I quickly feel the urge to climb up alongside the falls.

Making my way up to the top of the Falls, it was a lot tougher than it looks.

Before you knew it, Logan and Adam were on their way up as well.

Next thing you know, we've conquered the climb, and pose for our photo op at the top.

A playground fit for the Gods.

And us rocking it.

Tuesday:  Logan, Adam and I return to the Falls, but this time with a new guest, Chris Tindal.  We spent most of our time scaling rock walls during this day.  And I cheated death.

The most terrifying climb of my life:  though it appears easy, there were hardly any foot or handholds, save for a couple tiny holes in the rock.  When I got out to that first step I quickly realized that there was nothing to hold onto, and also that I couldn't go back, so I was in a bit of a pickle.  Never have I been so scared.  I literally crawled up those first steps, yet I finally reached the top, alive and well.  Hodge 1, fate 0.

Wednesday: Recovered from working 6am-11am on Monday and 5am-11am on Tuesday by SLEEPING IN.  Later that night I went to the Illy:  One Year Memorial out at the bandfield.  Then, I got caught sneaking into the Omen for the SECOND BLOODY TIME and thrown out, saw Cars instead.  The main message from that movie:  SCREW THE INTERSTATE MAN.  NOBODY DRIVES TO DRIVE ANYMORE.  IT'S SICK.  SCREW THE GOVERNMENT AND SCREW THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY SYSTEM.

Thursday:  Went out to Prarie Oaks Metro Park and set out to reach the island below.

Only one problem though, our only boat, an inflatable raft, was forbidden, and so is swimming.  So what to do?

SCREW AUTHORITY.

Only problem was that Logan and Chris swam out there, and I was so fat that I got wet in the boat so that when I got out it looked like I had been swimming.  Well, a ranger caught us, chewed us out, called our parents and threatened to make us pay $275 in fines and court fees, and then do another 80 hours of community service.  Luckily, since we "didn't know" we got off with a warning and no harm done.

Friday-Saturday:  Worked like the little PetSmart slave that I am.

_____________________________________________________________________

TOUR DE MIKE INFORMATION

When:  June 26, 2006.
Time:  9:00 am-5:00 or 6:00 pm.
Where:  Xenia to I-70 overpass and back.
Length:  Around 40 miles (subject to change during ride if the majority votes to shorten).
Requirements:  A bike (Mountain or Road Bike style preferably, something with gears.  If you only have a stunt bike, contact me and I'll see if I can get you an extra) and leg muscles.
Transport:  I will be driving riders to Xenia, up to 4 people other than myself.  Kylie will be taking her Wrangler and taking bikes, she can take one person.  Logan will be driving his parents' Van and taking bikes and two passengers.  Brittany Ginaven may be driving but she can only take herself.
Gameplan:  Kylie, Trigg and I will pick everyone up and assemble the team at my place.  From there we will stop by Micky D's and eat a quick breakfast before leaving, total time to Xenia is about 1 hour.  Once we get to Xenia Station (trail hub) we will depart.  When we reconvene in Xenia we might stop by my grandma's for a dinner of hotdogs and burgers.  From there we also might stop by Young's dairy in Yellow Springs for some of the best Ice Cream on EARTH.  The last two things are time permitting only.

Hope that answers everyone's questions.  Comment if you're in or if you're out.  I'd like to have some numbers in advance.