It's what's on my mind...

Tonite, I get to photograph another concert. Blue October is invading Wink Arena. I have no idea what songs they have song, but I know this is a money maker. Im going to shoot a whole bunch of pics and then they are going to use them for a collage. Bad luck has struck and I'm hoping she's strong enough to pull through it, I know she is, she just has to be motivated.

The Curveball worked! The Curveball worked!

Current Mood: hopeful

So I stopped by the Torch office this afternoon to drop of my pictures for the paper. As I was doing so, one of the girls in there asked me if those basketball pictures on my facebook where going into the paper, and I said yes. She's like you cant put those on there, they belong to the Torch. I was like, no, I took them with my camera, they are mine, in my possession. She said I cant put them on there because the Torch pays me for them and that they belong to the Torch. So we started getting into it, and eventually with Eddie (sports writer) backing me up, I said, I'll take the one off that you put in the paper, but the rest are mine. This is how I make friends here, by taking pics of them and tagging them. The two fighting me where like pfff, and Eddie was like Ben's right, we don't use them all, they are his. So I dropped the pics onto the desktop there and left. I'm proud of my pictures, they are what I do, what I'm good at. They don't know all of the hockey ones and football ones are on my facebook as well, but they don't have to, I took them, they are mine.

I then walked up to Westview dinning, its a buffet style school dinning. I went to hand the guy my id so he could swipe it. In doing so, he pointed to my hat and said, "they got their ass kicked last night, they totally suck." (my hat I wear is a Ferris hockey hat). In reply, I said "I know, I knew they where going to, and I wear this because I have school pride and it makes it so I don't have to do my pride." " UofM has one of the best hockey teams in the nation, they recruit better, they are coached by a legened and they just have more skills then the Bulldogs." " I've watched UofM play more hockey games then Ferris and I know how things work down there. They play hard, they win hockey games. Red Berenson has his guys fired up, and Ferris didn't have a chance, and to top it off, they where playing Yost Arena." Then the want to be sports guy shut up and I went on my way to get lunch.

Tonite I watched the Winter X Games. Actually I've been watching them all weekend. I find it so fascinating that people can do what they do. 1080's, double back flips and double front flips, all of these grinds and twists, I just wish I could do that. Instead I just go out and enjoy myself allowing who ever is with me to get a chuckle while picking up my garage sale after I wipe out. Then there was these guys doing back flips on snowmobiles, oh my word would that be sweet. Its just sweet to watch. I would love to go there sometime and photograph events. that would be a great time.

Winter has arrived with a full head of steam and I love it! It's about time! Just wish I could get out to the hills more often. Hopefully I'll get out more this season.

Time to hit the sack, g'nite

Current Location: FSU
Current Mood: accomplished
Current Music: My Wish- RF

~my wish~
I hope that the days come easy and the moments pass slow,
And each road leads you where you want to go,
And if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose,
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.
And if one door opens to another door closed,
I hope you keep on walkin' till you find the window,
If it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile,

But more than anything, more than anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

I hope you never look back, but ya never forget,
All the ones who love you, in the place you left,
I hope you always forgive, and you never regret,
And you help somebody every chance you get,
Oh, you find God's grace, in every mistake,
And you always give more than you take.

But more than anything, yeah, and more than anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

This is my wish
I hope you know somebody loves you
May all your dreams stay big



~she's everything~
She's a yellow pair of running shoes
A holey pair of jeans
She looks great in cheap sunglasses
She looks great in anything
She's I want a piece of chocolate
Take me to a movie
She's I can't find a thing to wear
Now and then she's moody

She's a Saturn with a sunroof
With her brown hair a-blowing
She's a soft place to land
And a good feeling knowing
She's a warm conversation
That I wouldn't miss for nothing
She's a fighter when she's mad
And she's a lover when she's loving

[Chorus]
And she's everything I ever wanted
And everything I need
I talk about her, I go on and on and on
'Cause she's everything to me

She's a Saturday out on the town
And a church girl on Sunday
She's a cross around her neck
And a cuss word 'cause its Monday
She's a bubble bath and candles
Baby come and kiss me
She's a one glass of wine
And she's feeling kinda tipsy

She's the giver I wish I could be
And the stealer of the covers
She's a picture in my wallet
Of my unborn children's mother
She's the hand that I'm holding
When I'm on my knees and praying
She's the answer to my prayer
And she's the song that I'm playing

[Repeat chorus]

She's the voice I love to hear
Someday when I'm ninety
She's that wooden rocking chair
I want rocking right beside me
Everyday that passes
I only love her more
Yeah, she's the one
That I'd lay down my own life for

And she's everything I ever wanted
And everything I need
She's everything to me
Yeah she's everything to me

Everything I ever wanted
And everything I need
She's everything to me

Current Mood: hopeful

I did my presentation today, it didnt go too bad at all :) Our project was the Big Rapids High School. i did the site portion of the work. My part of the presentation went well, about 8 mins. I got a lot of complements. My teacher even complemented me. I did a site analysis by color rendering a cad drawing for about 14 hrs. All is well, that final is over, only a couple more to do!

Current Mood: accomplished
Current Music: PTI

Tonite I went to our weekly Torch meeting. I was actually excited to get there and see the paper after the concert last week. When I got there, I was so excited. I had 8 pictuers on teh front page of the paper. Full images and color, front page!! It was pretty sweet. The a & e editor took my photos and make a collage out of them. It was so cool. That makes 65 photo publications for the semster! heck yes! The new paper starts next semester with plenty of hockey games and basketball games and school events. Im excited, I want to get a binder to put all the papers in it that ive been published in sence the begginning of the school year! Go me!

So last week Thursday I went to the Josh Gracin Concert here inside Wink Ice Arena (basketball court). As I walked in, I was figuring that my Torch pass wouldnt get me into the concert for free, so I went and bought a 8$ ticket. When I entered the gymnasium, the far and left side bleachers where out for people to sit in and the floor was wide open for the general audience to stand. I walked over to the far side where the Josh Gracin fan club was selling merchandice and got my camera and monopod out. As I was standing there waiting, one of the ladies that works for Music Industy Managment Association, the people putting the event on, asked me who I was and what I was doing there. I told her, I'm Ben Kramer, I'm the Torch Photographer. She mentioned the reporter there covering the article for the paper and then she told me to stay here and shed be right back. About 5 mins later, she returned with a press pass for me. This meaning I could go anywhere I wanted in order to get pictures. When the opening band came out, I got my camera set up with my shutter speeds so that I could get lots of light and a crisp photo. About 5 mins before Josh Gracin came onto the stage, I got to acutally go up on stage. This was awesome! I was on the right hand side as he walked out and sung his first three songs. After a bunch of pictures, I went down and onto the floor out in the center, so I could get head on shots of him and his band. It was pretty awesome. I have two really cool pictures taht turned out. One was when Josh was between me and the spotlight, his whole body was outlined in white. The other was when him and his pianoist played one of thier slow songs. I got the picture to be just of his chest and the piano and up on the piano player. The rest was all black, it was awesome. After 170 pictures later, I was pretty happy with what I got. This by far was one of the coolest photo things I've done yet. Being on the sideline at the fooball game was pretty sweet this season, but being in the corners of the hockey rink, down on the ice is still my favorite. The closeness and quality of pictures that turn out are awesome, and hockey is the best sport in the world!

NICOLE!
I know you don't like American Choppers, but you should definetly watch an upcomming episode. Next Monday at 10pm on the Discovery Channel, the American Chopper crew is building an Eragon bike! Its a two episode show, back to back, and they are unvailing it in Holywood. The best part is that it's going to be able to breathe FIRE! So yea, I know you like those books and want to see the movie, so I thought I'd let you know about it. I'm going to watch that over MNF ;)!

The week has been so crappy already. School is starting to piss me off. I wish I would have done something totally different about 4 years ago when I walked out of high school. AH! So yea, hopefully the snow will fall soon and the semester will be over and the holliday season will be here and things will get better. On a better note, I had the best drink in the world at Red Robin yesterday. It was a raspberry limeaid and I cant describe the flavor of it, but it definetly hit the spot!

ps. i love my girl very very much!!

Current Location: 121 W. Mass
Current Mood: chipper
Current Music: I Dare You.. Shinedown

well, I've made it, the starting of my fourth year of college. I think all of my views are pros, accept one con. My only con is Nicole is still in GR, but I'm closer, only bout 50 mins away now. HOLY FUCKING WOW! meal plans, wow yumy! they rock a hell of a lot more then cooking food, and I even have ate healthy. I eat spinich and tomato wraps, usually roast beef or hard salami, sometimes I toss in a bit of turkey. Then I add some vegs with ranch sause, yumminess and fruit punch. Its so cool. Living isnt bad, I have my two rooms and my bath all to myself, which is very nice, not being confined to a little box. I like this university, its a really nice campus, and i love the northern michigan feel. There are trees here turning colors already, yay for fall. yay for football season, its not one of my facorite sports but when its like this and my girl wants to go watch, thats awesome!! im also excited for d1 hockey, i saw sweatshirts in the bookstore that says ferris state hockey so i think im going to ahve to get one! Ferris has under armor shirts with their logo on it! holy balls thats awesome and they make polo dress shirts with the bulldog, that fabric is so sweet, those are on my things to get too i think! wow! so yea, thats bout it, classes are the ususal, shitty, but not bad. i love my girl and our baby frost and miss them both!

Current Location: 121 Masselink hall
Current Mood: Nicole loves me!
Current Music: the sound of my fan

I have different openions of this up and comming school year. I really want to be there right now, my summer job sucks ass. No hours = no money. Hopefully next summer I'll be successful. Hoping to plan for my future job somewhere. I want to watch D1 hockey, oh I love hockey. Sports and general, but being able to walk to the ice rink will be awesome. I remember walking down to Yost with Nate, it was a really cool feeling, the atmosphere. I want to finish my studies and get out of college, it sucks, its prolly worth it, but I hate it. I feel I will do good this semester, actually have a chance for a deans list or something. But I'd be away, not far away, but away. I enjoy where I am, I love it. To be there and to be free is priceless. To be doing what ever it is taht I want, to go out and do the fun things. I like being close, far isnt good but its the worst. I dont know, all I know is that right now, life sucks, and I'm sad. I want it to get better, its what im dreaming for what im hoping for what im wishing for.

Current Location: GLSW
Current Mood: sad
Current Music: Everything I do, I do it for you

I wish I could just win the lotery or keno or something. I havent worked at GLSW in a week, and gettting up early sucked, even 9am sucked.. I wish I had the money so I didnt have to work and I could do what ever I wanted to do everyday.

Current Location: GLSW
Current Mood: determined

works been slow lately, and it sucks bigtime, i need money. doug is upset because he thought id even get over time working here, which would be very nice. him and dj had a lil meeting and he came back and told me that if i wanted i could look for a new job, i said no, i want to stay here and learn as much as possible, besides i have a lil over a month left. the pres of the company came over to me today and asked if i wanted to help the set crews on the big jobs, i said yes. i get to wear scrubs and go out and learn even more! more hours, more money! maybe overtime! this is the best news ive heard from here sence doug said something about them wanting me back next summer.

"The Rules: The first player of this game starts with the topic of "5 Guilty Pleasures" and people who get tagged need to write an entry about 5 Guilty Pleasures as well as state this rule clearly. In the end you need to choose 5 people to be tagged and list their names."

1. Sleep: I love to sleep. First rule of being a college student is taking naps and I have taken that task to the max!

2. Sports Video Games: Sports video games to some are the stupidest things created, but to others, they are so much fun. I totally enjoy creating my own team and logos and colors and people and then playing through seasons with them. At LTU Nate and I played NHL hits for about 25 hours straight, playing a whole 120 game season, it was so fun!

3. Doodling: I tend to sit in class and write out addresses. I make up streets and cities and zip codes and such. I also doodle the names of myslef and Nicole as they would appear on the envelope.

4. Random Sketches: Someday I want to design my own house. I sit in class drawing floor plans of houses, of rooms that I like, things I want in them and such. I just have to get that nice job to help pay for this excursion, and I have to get the ideas pasted by you know who;) Idea #1 = approved! YAY!

5. Nikon D70= I love my camera, second love of my life. I'm not as bad as Nicole and her computer, but I have my moments. Baseball is up and comming and I'm excited about that! We went into Best Buy yesterday, and I saw a printer for $500 that I want. It prints, up to 17" x 48"!

Current Mood: working

13/03
8:33pm

Anyone out there watch Deal or No Deal yet? I guess it was a popular show before, but we first saw it down in Florida. I like it, personal opinion, has anyone else seen it?? Half hour till 24 comes on! Jack Bauer rocks!

Current Mood: okay

01/03
2:12pm

We are leaving for Florida tomorrow. We as in my parents, my sisters, Timmy, Nicole and myself. The whole build up to this trip has been something else, and the fact that everything has fallen into place just before we leave is amazing! It shall be interesting.

Dad just finally got the time off to go yesterday. His job has been screwing him and everyone else there over. He's trying to find a new public relations job at the moment. But he's going, which is sweet, because if he didn't get to go, I'd be driving a hell of a long time. Dad works 5am- 1pm tomorrow and then driving basically until 8am the next day, wow. So yea, Nicole and I hope to encourage him with a couple energy drinks.

Nicole had a misshap at work, but not after a couple stressful hours, she's cleared. One more day of work for her tonite!

Timmy lost yesterday, 8-3, meaning we get to leave as soon as Nicole and I get back from GR tomorrow afternoon, meaning we'll be leaving around 4ish. If he would have won, we would have had to stay until like 9 or 10 that night. It was the first round of districts.

I'm going to be packing for two tonite. I have a lot of the stuff around,I just need to do some laundry and get my electronics and little things around. One more class, One more night sleeping at home, One more drive into GR, then a 22 hour drive down to N. Ft Myers. YAY! Fun in the sun.

We get to golf down in alligator land. We get to play ball, and get Timmy warmed up for the up comming season. I want to see if Nicole will go play with us and hit some balls. Going to the markets, and to the beaches. Going to enjoy the relaxation of no school or work for a whole week!

Adios from Michigan for a whole like 8 days I think haha! Hope to come back and do some skiing!!

Current Mood: grateful

01/03
1:59pm

I figured out how to use the colors and such! Yay for me!

Current Mood: happy

27/02
11:30am

Four more days! Seven more classes! One more day of work! Two nights of packing and washing! and the two whole bestest things about this week are I get to see two of my bestest friends (hopefully) on Wednesday! and I get to go with my wonderfulness to Florida and be with her for a week and a half, to enjoy and relax and be amazingly happy. And yes, I need pictures because I need to do a final project for my photoshop class and I want to use pics of Nicole and I!

Life is good, I actually like one class that I didn't at the beginning of the year, and one I liked, I like less.

You can be wealthy and be happy, just don't step on people or risk your happiness for wealth.

Current Mood: hopeful

12/02
11:01am

I'm so tired! I need a nap! Those things taht Nicole would laugh at me for taking everyday when I was talking to her while in Thailand. Yes, first rule of a college student, you are allowed to take a nap. And I want to use that rule and sleep.

Current Mood: sleepy