From order to chaos and back. -mjs-

Full Throttle

2008-01-28T12:19:00.000-05:00

HER HANDS TREMBLING, Lexie Mercer mounted the stairs to the Hollister Racing company jet. Though she'd been calm when she assured owner Bob Hollister that she'd get the team back on track for Bristol next Saturday night, she was still furious and bitterly disappointed by Kane's finish in the race.

Half a lap. Half a damn lap.

It was frustrating beyond words, and only made the pressure of an already stressful job jump up another notch. Careers and millions of dollars were at stake. As car chief, she was already a woman in a male-dominated world. How many of those men would love to have her position with a successful team like Hollister?

While her father's role as crew chief made him, well, the chief of the entire team, it was up to her to see that his plans and orders were carried out, to keep the crew on task, to supervise the technicians and engineers and make sure the car for the next race would fare better.

She got the praise when the car and team performed well, and she felt her boss's disapproval when one or both didn't. The fact that her boss was her father added a whole new level of anxiety.

Still, it fell to all of them—her, her father and Kane— to take charge of recovery and moving forward. Back home at the shop, they had to face the team members who didn't travel with the team. They had to overcome the emotional low of not finishing the race. They had to examine the wrecked vehicle and see what parts could be salvaged.

Most of all, they had to get into the top ten. The first person she saw on the plane was James Peterson, Kane's best friend and manager. His nearly shoulder-length, shaggy blond hair framing his handsome face, he was bent over, clicking beer bottles with Kane, who, bravely, sat in the front row, so he would have to face each person on his team as they walked by him to take their own seat.

She'd admire him more if she wasn't so furious with him. She exchanged a look with James, who approached with his ought-to-be-outlawed killer grin, then glided past her, heading toward the exit. "Go easy," he muttered.

She glared at his retreating back, seeing no reason for leniency. Something had to change on this team. And Kane Jackson better be prepared to transform himself ASAP.

Thankful the plane was deserted except for the flight crew, she dropped into the seat next to her driver, who, during the TV interview following the race, had actually shrugged and said, "Oh, well" in response to his wreck. "Oh, well?"

"Rookies cause wrecks sometimes. He misjudged the passing distance and got into me. He apologized ."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, well?"

He glanced at her at last, and the force of those brightblue eyes made her heart flutter ridiculously. "I had to tell the media something ."

"Something with a bit more force and passion would be welcomed ."

"Passion, huh?"

Too late, she realized the door she'd opened. "You know what I mean ."

He grinned. "Do I?"

Chances are, you are not creative...

2007-09-21T08:40:00.000-04:00

My intent is not to be comical, nor to remind you of someone. I am most likely speaking about you.

Just because you have a pirated copy of Adobe "anything" does not make you a truly creative individual. I don't care if you can create "cool" logos are "edgy" graphics. I don't even care if you can make a living the rest of your life by creating websites and brochures. This still does not qualify you. I don't care if you can take a camera and take "great" photos, even award winning photos. You are merely taking an already developed tool and responding to the already laid out environment around you. I commend that you are able to at least notice things and capture them, but still; not truly creative. I don't care what you do that you consider “creative”. Most likely it is not.

Now, more then ever we are surrounded by powerful tools and ever increasing point and click abilities. The more that progresses the lazier and increasingly watered down creativity can become. The act of creating is no longer costing you anything. Owning a camera does not make you a photographer. Opening Illustrator doesn't make you a designer. Creating something that simply looks cool DOES NOT CONSTITUTE ONE OUNCE OF CREATIVITY. Being creative to simply be creative or relevant inherently removes any creativeness from the entire process.

A truly creative person is one in a million. Maybe one in a hundred million. Chances are you have not even met a truly creative person. People need to understand the difference between having creative inclinations and tendencies and being a true creative. The difference is immense.

Since when have you revolutionized anything? Since when has your “creativeness” been in response to a seemingly unachievable problem that you in turned conquered. Since when have you done anything with your life that changed the world, even a little; as apposed to make people say, “Oh that's cool looking.” Shame on you for taking something as powerful and unique as true creativeness and using it for watered down, self serving, worthlessness; all in the name of relevance. You are not edgy until you have brought someone to tears with your work or spurred someone to change their life. You are not trendy until your thoughts set forth a revolution that people write about for years to come. Would you give up your life if it meant creating something truly world changing? Do you understand how many people are out there creating logos, brochures and websites? I guarantee 95% of them are better then you. Maybe 98%. Will anything you have done up to this point be remembered in 5 years... 5 months... tomorrow?

So if you would, stop insulting and eroding the powerful force that is creativity and just be honest and tell people you create pretty things. Or better yet, try to do something truly creative.

Grande Quad Half-Caf Skinny Extra Hot Upside Down Carmel Macchiato

2005-11-21T14:37:00.000-05:00

"Hello and welcome to our new restaurant!" - Jesus

2005-10-31T13:57:00.000-05:00

Marbella opened in April of 2003. They say that Mallorca and Marbella are in a tie for first place. Jesus has taken great care in bringing the same great cuisine and service that Mallorca is famous for, to Marbella.

Born and raised in Spain, Jesus came to the United States to make his mark in the restaurant business. He has succeeded. Jesus is now the General Manager of Marbella and Mallorca. He has brought the famous Spanish appreciation for great food, delicious wines and festive occasions to Cleveland. He shares his passion for the good things in life with our staff and guests without hesitation.

Jesus works hand in hand with our Executive Chef, Marcelo Fadul to bring you the finest original recipes from Spain. He works seamlessly with our owner Manolo Torres to offer you a romantic ambiance and comfortable surroundings.

If you listen to radio in Cleveland, you may hear Jesus talking with talk show hosts about the food at Marbella and Mallorca. He is always being invited to appear on radio shows because he very charismatic, and because he often brings along a few plates of food from the Mallorca or Marbella kitchen for the talk show hosts. You can listen to Jesus talking about the flavors of Spain and the dishes of Marbella and Mallorca on 3 different radio stations every week. On Fridays at 4:30 Jesus in on the air on 95.5 FM (The Fish). On Thursdays at 4:15 Jesus is featured with Mike Trivisonno on 1100 AM (WTAM). On Tuesdays Jesus is on the air with Kenny Roda on WKNR 850 AM.

Hopefully you will get to meet Jesus the next time you are dining at Marbella. Feel free to call ahead (216-464-9939) to see if Jesus is working. You can even ask to speak with him and he will make sure you have a table waiting when you arrive and that your experience is memorable.
After you arrive at Marbella and are seated, ask your server to see if Jesus can stop by your table. He will be happy to see you and will certainly enjoy saying "ola." Jesus is outgoing and always enjoys a good conversation. He is always happy to sit down with our guests for a few minutes to talk about food, wine, Spain (he is from Spain) or his favorite sport, soccer.

His attention to detail is legendary. He has an almost uncanny ability to foresee a guest's needs. Many times a request is fulfilled before a diner even has a chance to ask. This talent has been passed on down the line to his assistant managers, servers, bartenders and server assistants. This service technique epitomizes fine dining. Outstanding restaurant service entails an almost fanatical devotion to pleasing people. Our entire staff takes great pride in satisfying each and every one of our guests beyond their expectations. This stems from Jesus' direction and dedication to world-class service.

And while Jesus takes his job very seriously, he is always looking forward to some time off. If you happen to be walking around the Warehouse District in downtown Cleveland at night, you might spot Jesus relaxing and unwinding with other members of our staff. During the summer months, it is not uncommon to see Jesus and friends sipping a glass of wine el fresco style at an outdoor patio on St. Clair Avenue. It is always fun to join the group and talk with the party when they are "off the clock."

As with most Spaniards, Jesus possesses an overflowing zest for life. Ask him to tell you about his homeland and you will walk away with an even greater appreciation for Spain's culture and history. Whenever he goes home to The Kingdom of Spain, he travels the countryside in pursuit of good food, good wine and good times. Needless to say, he has succeeded in this quest on many occasions.

Our most popular dish is one that is famous throughout Spain. If you haven't guessed already, our Paella is "to die for." Jesus has been enjoying Paella since he was a young boy growing up in Spain. Jesus proudly says "Our chef, Marcelo has perfected our Paella Valancian over the years. It is one of the most popular dishes on our menu. Some of our regular guests order the Paella almost every time they come." He notes, "Spain is famous for Paella. Almost all restaurants in Spain have it on their menu. My mother's recipe is very similar to the one we use at Marbella. Every summer when I go home to Spain, my family shares a meal of Paella."

Jesus is very proud of the waitstaff at Mallorca. He has spent years training the bartenders, servers and server assistant the art of first class fine dining service. His hard work and patience have paid off. Mallorca won the coveted "Best Service" Award from Cleveland Magazine in 2003. This distinction is a testament to Senor Demanuel's expertise as a restaurateur and manager.

Jesus is a big fan of seafood. He really enjoys octopus (pictured left) and other tasty treats plucked from the ocean. Jesus and our Executive Chef, Marcelo Fadul are always coming up with new and interesting seafood specials.

Jesus has the freshest seafood flown in from the East Coast all the time. A wide assortment of Crab, lobster and fish is ready for your dining pleasure. So before you decide on your entree, be sure to tempt yourself with our daily seafood specials.

If you have any questions about our Party Menus, please feel free to ask Jesus. He has hosted hundreds of parties before.

If you have questions about anything, ask Jesus. Are you curious why we named our new restaurant Marbella? Home to Sean Connery and Antonio Banderas, "Marbella" is the name of a small paradise-like city near the southernmost tip of Spain. The word "Marbella" is pronounced phonetically as "Mar-Bae-Ya."

If you have any questions about our restaurant, please feel free to ask Jesus. This web site features a section called "Ask Jesus". In this area, you can ask our Owner/General Manager any question you might have about our cuisine, wines, the Spanish culture.

Last Night

2005-10-19T14:14:00.000-04:00

I assembled my very own patio furniture. And... I liked it. Don't look for any apologies though because none are coming.

Today

2005-10-10T12:26:00.000-04:00

I ran out of gas.

Great Revelation

2005-10-07T13:54:00.000-04:00

So I have figured it out. Though even the fact that I now know what I know, my death is certain and imminent.

Every week I find myself filling up the gas tank of my car at least one or two times. Who says that our cars even use gas. I have finally realized that after so many years, nobody has ever questioned the fact that do our cars even need it? We only fill up our tanks because our mothers and fathers did, and theirs before them. (Unless they are really old and didnt have cars then) I am here to say that our cars will run regardless, they run perpetually on magic powers that our government developed years ago in the height of the cold war. And it is this fact they want none of us to know about. As we pour our gas in, it is transported to a massive central storage facility, refered to as the MCSF, located deep underground in the deserts of Montana. They use our gas to power a massive revloving communication microwave radio tower (MRCMRT) to speak with aliens throughout the universe.

I say, lets stop this now. Stop filling up your tanks, I dare you. Your car will run, it will never stop. Do this now, and join the revolution. Support and Donations are humbly accepted. Please comment me your complete servanthood and how much you are willing to pledge, and I may or may not admit you into the revolution.

Act quickly before it is too late...

*

2005-09-23T02:08:00.000-04:00

Marriage

2005-09-12T00:49:00.000-04:00

So I said I would never return?

I am back, and maybe just for this post.

I would like to say to all the single people that read this blog, stop laying in bed at night wanting nothing but marriage. Stop desiring that more then anything. Being single is an amazing point in your life.

Marriage is not, and this coming from someone who isn't married, a solution to your unhappiness. It is not a solution to your lonliness. It is not a solution to some void in your heart. If you have any of those I would say you are not ready for marriage. Shouldn't God have filled your unhappiness. Shouldn't God have filled your lonliness. Shouldn't you be living a fufilled and amazing life before you get married.

"Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry."
"Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. "
"Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife."
"But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this. "
"I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs—how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— and his interests are divided. "
"I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord. "

Obviously, out of context these verses come across much more abrasive then in, but they still make it very clear. While marriage is an amazing creation ordained by God, It does not solve the problems of your life, it creates more.

I am not against marriage whatsoever, all I am saying, and maybe to just myself, is why not wait a few years. Why not wait till you have found out who you are? Why not wait till you have found God's calling on your life? Why not wait till you are strong in your relationship with God. Why not wait till you are secure in a job and making a secure income? Why not wait till you are financially supporting yourself and able to begin supporting a family? Why rush it? Why end what could be some of the most life changing and impromptu years of your life?

This past weekend, I decided on, i think tuesday?, that i was going to goto georgetown d.c. I just booked the hotel and up and left. Georgetown is one of the most upscale and happening young adult towns in the country. I spent two nights there in an amazing hotel, I enjoyed wonderful food, and shopped at some of the best stores in the country. While I was there, I met some great people, had the Washington Post ask me to do a photo shoot and article on my hair, and just completely enjoyed myself. Simply put, I had an amazing time. I am going to continue to have these amazing times. I spent two weeks in Seattle and San Fransisco earlier this year. I plan on visiting North Carolina and the Salem Universtiy campus in the fall. Other places on my list, Rome, Spain, the caribbean, anywhere really.

Or I guess I could be married, living in a tiny apartment, living check to check, trying to make ends meet. Not able to go out to concerts because I have to stay home and put together patio furniture for a stamp it up party.

It seems that marriage is when you are ready to no longer live your life, but to live it for your wife. And I am all for that, and I know a day will come when I want nothing out of life except to make my wife happy. But not at 23! Not when I havent left the country, not when I haven't expierenced so many wonderful things that can be expierenced. Why commit to something so early and rip yourself out of so much of what you should expierence in life. If one were to get married at 30 and live a life only to 80. That is 50 years of your life together, and 12 years as a single adult. Or get married at 19 or 20, when you've expierenced 1 or 2 years of your life as a single adult! One or two years?!?! That just seems ludicris.

Honestly, its your lives. And I will be happy for you regardless, but I am tired of hearing how 30 is much to long to ever get married. NO ITS NOT. Goto any other place around here, NOBODY else is getting marriend at 19 and 20. Not in the mass that it happens in Northeast Ohio. There is no absolute need to get married, to settle for whoever will say yes to you. Who cares if you are 28 and still single. Love the life you are living, and love the God you are serving.

Live it up! I know I am going to and already am. For the first time I am so amazingly happy with where I am, with being single, with not caring about when I might meet my wife. This has changed alot from where I was. All I wanted was to meet the right girl, and that got my heart ripped out like catching it on a tree branch while falling 25 stories.

My focus is inward, selfish in a way. I want to know who I am, to know my full potential. Maybe I am suppose to be preacher and if I dont take the time to seek out God in this time of being able to give Him my complete focus; maybe I would never find that out.

It seems to me this is the ony time in our lives where we can give complete undivided focus to God. Why not use this time to become as Christ-like as possible. Won't that make me a fitting husband for when the time does come?

Ferrari here I come....Mini Van there you go.

p.s. If you find typos? Deal with it, im not a writer.
p.p.s Dont ask me if this blog is about you. That is your own heart conviciting you. I am writing this about myself, my life and my feelings. It is after all my blog.

It's done

2005-04-01T20:27:00.000-05:00

I have decided letting people have a peak into my head is not beneficial. I've had one too many, "Hey I saw your blog, were you talking about me, or that's pretty entertaining stuff." So I'm done. Not that anyone cares, or at least I hope not. Life will go on.