The Journey Will Be Long

Dwight and I went over the route we're planning to take on our now 4 day drive out to Los Angeles, and we're really excited! We were gonna try and make it to LA in 3 days, but decided that if you're gonna be driving literally right by the Grand Canyon you're pretty much required to go a bit out of the way and see it. The planning has, however, made me realize how expensive traveling can be. The Lord will provide as He always has. Already He's placed an incredible friend (Danielle Greenwade, aka "Danewad") in Dallas for us to stay with, but the two other stops on the way are looking like hotel stays. I'm also praying that gas continues to stay low since we'll be using quite a bit of it.

It looks like our three stops will be Dallas, TX, Albuquerque, NM (home of the East High Wildcats. Yeah... High School Musical. I'm a complete loser), and Grand Canyon Village, AZ. If anyone knows somewhere we could crash for the night in the 2nd two locations, that would be amazing. You can also help to fund my move to the big city by sending any amount of money (nothings too small and nothings too big) to my house here in Birmingham:

Robby Stone
1108 Iredell Circle
Birmingham, AL 35209

Shameless begging. How did that happen?

Seriously, though, the main thing we'll need are your prayers. They're much more valuable to me than money. I can't wait to see what this trip out there has in store! I'll definitely keep you updated with photos and descriptions of everything we come across! I need to settle down. I still have 3 weeks before I leave.

Robby

God is so incredible.

One of my worries with moving to LA is that I don't have anywhere to live. I've been checking Craigslist everyday for various possibilities, and I can't tell you how discouraging that can be (look at "rooms and shares" on Craigslist in LA, and you'll see what I mean). I've also been looking through the listings on a site that Bel Air Presbyterian Church has for people looking for roommates. I had seen a couple potential possibilities that could work, but nothing really seemed right.

I was checking it out today, and a listing popped up for 2 guys who need a roommate in Studio City (the main area I was wanting to live). Rent looked good, location looked great, the place seemed nice. So, I emailed the guy and let him know I was interested right before I checked to see if he was on facebook. Of course, he was on facebook, and I noticed that we had a mutual friend. My friend Ian Smith had lived out in LA for a while and then moved to B'ham and worked with Booster Enterprises with me. He's an awesome guy, and I thought it was incredibly ironic (or just God being amazing) that out of everyone in LA this guy looking for a roommate knew Ian. I called Ian and he told me the guy renting out the room was awesome and he'd let him know we were friends. I then decided that I didn't want to miss this opportunity, so I called the number that was listed on the website, and ended up talking to the guy for about 20 minutes. Ends up he's an incredible Christian from Nashville, TN who's been out in LA for about 5 years. He leads a Bible study every Wednesday night. He's going to be a youth pastor out in LA. And the set up in the apartment he's living in is perfect for me. Unreal. I told him I'd take some time to pray about it and maybe have my friends come look at the place, but I had such a peace about living there that I immediately emailed him to let him know I wanted the spot if his roommate was ok with it. So... I have a place to live! And not just that, but a solid, Christian friend to live with!

I cannot express how unbelievably blessed I feel right now. Not only because God has placed this awesome living situation in my lap, but also because I really feel like He's confirming this decision to move to LA. I've been trying to keep my desire to pursue performance from clouding my views as to whether or not the Lord is leading me to move to LA, and this really has encouraged me that I'm moving in HIS direction. I'm just so humbled by how Christ is working through this situation and so excited about the faith that He's building in me!

God is so good. I don't deserve it, but He's so good.

Keep praying! I know there will be struggles ahead, but I'm confident that Christ is in control.
Robby

Life is funny...

I figured it was time to tell all of our faithful blog readers... yes, all none of you... that I will be moving to Los Angeles, CA in February. This decision has come after a lifelong struggle with my dreams of pursuing a career in the entertainment business. And I'm being serious when I say lifelong struggle. Since I can remember, I've always wanted to do something in performance, so I figured now is as good a time as any.

Though the idea of moving approximately 2,000 miles across the country, far from my incredible family, friends, and familiarity, terrifies me at times, I really do feel like the Lord is leading me to take this leap of faith. I just feel like He has so much to teach me and so many new ways to mold me into His image. I'm sure I can't even imagine how challenging this journey will be for me emotionally, physically (driving to LA will definitely have it's effects), and spiritually, but I trust that Christ will sustain and guide me... even if He guides me right back to B'ham in a few months.

I could definitely go into my list of fears and concerns, but I'm trying to remind myself of the power and sovereignty of Christ and not dwell on worries. However, I do think it's healthy to have a realistic view of what life will be like for me out there and the kinds of struggles I will face. There are many, but God is good. I just ask that anyone who reads this pray for a few things:

- That, by the grace of the Lord, I would be given strength to withstand the temptations to compromise or be weakened in my faith (Everyone, no matter how strong, is susceptible to sin. I realize that God alone can save me from that).
- That I would truly be a light in the lives of the people I meet in LA, and they would see something different in me.
- That I will find a solid church that will help me to grow in my relationship with Christ and allow me to have uplifting fellowship with other believers.
- That God will reveal His plan for my life and how He wants me to serve Him in order to bring Him glory.
- That I will have so much fun just getting out there and trying something new!
- That if I'm supposed to let go of my "dreams" and come back home, I would do it.

I'm hoping to provide updates on life in LA and the journey out there (Dwight Castle and I will start the drive to LA on Feb. 2, and then he'll take a one-way flight back to B'ham... yeah... it's gonna be hilarious). I'm sure there will be days of ridiculous and hilarious stories and days of loneliness and homesickness. I guess that's all part of life, though. I look forward to the journey ahead and what the Lord has in store. Your prayers and encouragement are sure to be an invaluable source of strength and comfort.

Robby

Does John have a lazy eye?

Yep. I think he does.

Or maybe Jackie is so beautiful that his right eye just always migrates toward her. That must be it.

Or he's thinking... "dang, that baby is so stupid" as he's looking at it (with his right eye) in disgust. More likely than the Jackie thing.

Actually, he's probably just wondering when he can eat his ham and cheese sandwich and carrot sticks that he brought with him to the Olan Mills studio for lunch. Keeping an eye on it over there in the corner. Making sure Sue, the photographer's assistant, doesn't sneak a taste.

I'm frustrated...

FedEx is expensive. The end.

Ok. I'll expound. I just sent out two packages through FedEx, and it was far too expensive. The best part about it was coming back to my computer and checking on what it would have cost to send it through USPS... about a 10th of the cost. I'm not even kidding. How the heck does FedEx get away with that?! Is there something I don't know? Oh well. It was a semi-important delivery. Well... potentially important. It will probably end up being a big waste of money, but there's always that chance. I've got you wondering what it was, don't I? Just guess. Some of you will know (that is if anyone even reads this anymore).

Anyway, I need to just get over it. Money isn't important... except that you need it. Everywhere. I hate that. I've just got to learn to be more of a bargain hunter. USPS all the way from now on! Maybe I'll get a second job...

The dictionary on my computer is awesome. How great that you can highlight a word and immediately find out what it means. Amazing. Though I was pretty positive what it meant, I wanted to make sure I used the word "expound" correctly at the beginning of this post. I did. Definition:

- Present and explain (a theory or idea) systematically and in detail (Example: "he was expounding a powerful argument" or "he declined to expound on his decision")
- Explain the meaning of (a literary or doctrinal work) (Example: "the abbess expounded the scriptures to her nuns")

I love that they used nuns in their example. I love nuns. Well... nice nuns. When I worked with Booster Enterprises, we spent 2 weeks in a private Catholic school run by nuns (Saint Rose Academy), and they were amazing. I need to go back and see them one of these days. I just tried to find a picture of them on the St. Rose website, but there weren't any. This will have to do...



I'm not saying the nuns were dogs... that picture was just too awesome to pass up. They were actually very well put-together, classy women. More like this:



Alright. I'm gonna go forget that FedEx screwed me.

Promoting USPS,
Robby

Rumors

A lot of crazy information is spread through little things called rumors. The funny thing about rumors is that you can't be sure whether they're true or not. A lot of times you hope some rumors are false, but a lot of times you also hope other rumors are true. It's all very confusing. For example... I hope the rumor that Carrie Strug is now a man is false, while I hope the rumor that there are no cats in America is true. However... I'm pretty sure the one about cats isn't true. Jeremiah, Dwight, and I hit one in Jeremiah's car the other day. Both right tires. Bump, bump. Oops. It wasn't our fault. I can't help it if a cat with a brain runs underneath two large tires (well... I guess it didn't really have a choice with the second tire. But he could have avoided the first). I mean, we could have swerved and hit the oncoming car in the other lane, but I just don't feel like a little tan colored, cuddly cat with some white stripes and a nice, soft fluffy tale and a collar that said "Our Baby: Missy" was worth that. I bet it was trying to catch and kill some poor defenseless animal anyway, so technically we saved a life. Cat for a chipmunk? I'd call that a good trade.

Anyway... back to rumors. I'm thinking about starting a few of my own. I think they're pretty good. Here's a few of them.

"I heard that Janet Jackson is taking a trip to London for Christmas... and that she's an alien."
- I'm pretty sure everyone will believe this one because we all know how much the Jacksons love London... and we all know they're probably aliens.

"Dragons actually still exist. They're just really shy."
- This one is most likely true, so I don't feel bad about spreading it. Actually... it's probably important that people know this for reasons of personal safety.

"Tyra Banks is actually a parrot."
- Yeah. I'm not sure this one will take off.

So, thats about it. I remind you that rumors are typically a bad thing and shouldn't be spread... unless they're helpful rumors like mine about dragons. Seriously, people, be careful.

Keeping you safe and informed with useless news/speculation,
Robby

Oh...

And I guess I was "leaving, leaving, leaving" in the post before the post I just made. Make sense? No. Oh well.

I'm gonna make a purchase...

... and it's gonna be a trampoline.

Yeah. I found one for $40 on Craigslist, and I just don't think I can pass that up. It's not everyday you find a cheap tramp, and I really want to bring back some memories from my younger years when I would jump for hours and hours. Plus... I can't think of a more fun way to get in some physical activity. I could also use some improvement in my acrobatic skills if I'm actually gonna try my hand at the New York entertainment scene (Yes, that's right... I'm thinking about moving to NYC or Nashville within the next year or so to pursue my dreams of singing/ performing), and I feel like this would be a great step towards that training.

Having a trampoline behind the house that I, Dwight Castle, and John Lambuth live could be disastrous, but it's definitely worth the risk. However, I don't think Dwight has medical insurance, so we might not let him use it. Just kidding... maybe. I can only imagine what our neighbors will think when they see guys in their 20's jumping on a trampoline. Not that our perceived image to the neighborhood matters too much to us. In the first week we lived here I filmed a portion of a music video in the driveway with me and 5 of my friends dressed in full gangster attire as residents of our street drove by and wondered how their neighborhood had gone downhill so quickly. We also spent an afternoon doing stupid human tricks in the front yard. Yeah. I'm sure they think we're a bit off.

So, thats it. My thoughts behind making a purchase that I may or may not regret. I'll try to keep you updated, and Jeremiah and I both hope to start being more consistent in our blogging. The previous post before this one was made in May. Thats pretty sad. We'll do better. Well... I'll try. I can't promise anything for Jer. He's a bit occupied with wedding plans at the moment, so he might be MIA for a while. Yes, thats right. If you haven't heard, Jeremiah Wade Sizemore is getting married.

Until next time... hopefully not next year,
Robby

Oh, yes!

It's true. I'm back. I know, I know... it's been ridiculously long. But good things are worth the wait, right?

So, I just spent my first full day at my new job. Guess where it is. Wrong. Bryan Johnson's studio. I'm honestly still not quite sure how it all happened, but I'm so glad it did! I love being here, and I'm excited about what's ahead. I think I'm gonna be famous. Can't be sure yet, though.

Anyway. As you might be aware, there's a pretty incredible group of people that work here, so I should have some fun things to write about now. They'll most likely be pretty ridiculous things, but fun things none-the-less. Today our conversation went in an interesting direction, and we were forced to clarify a few things about a commonly used word... "Leaving." Simple though it may seem, this word has many seriously implications when used in different ways. Let me explain:

If you say "I'm leaving." What exactly does that mean? How long are you leaving for? See... confusing stuff. Therefore, I'm going to help unveil the newly developed method for deciphering exactly what one means when using the word "leaving."

If someone says "I'm leaving" using the word "leaving" only once, then that means they are simply leaving their current location for a short period of time (Example: A lunch break).

If someone says "I'm leaving, leaving," then that means they are going on a short weekend trip or family vacation most likely around 5-7 days in length.

If someone says "I'm leaving, leaving, leaving," then they are planning to be gone for an extended period of time lasting over 2 weeks in length.

If someone says "I'm leaving, leaving, leaving, leaving," then you can be sure that they are moving from their current place of residence to a new residence in a different city. In order to use 4 "leavings" one must be moving at least 1 hour away from their current residence.

If someone says "I'm leaving, leaving, leaving, leaving, leaving," then they are planning to die. Simple as that.

I hope the explanation of a this tricky little word will benefit you in some way.

Alright. I'm leaving. Well... I might be leaving, leaving. We'll see. Have a great one, and it's good to be back!

Robby

81 - still alive

Part of the reason we haven't posted in almost a month, is because Robby and I haven't been in the same place for a really long time and that tends to reduce the amount of ridiculous stuff we come up with. But even that isn't a good excuse, so here's a brief recap of my last month.

- Went to the beach with Chris Oakley, Josh, Caleb, Laura and Laura (or Jaura and Caura if that makes more sense...) to celebrate Leap Day. It was a lot of fun and Chris and I threw the football 1300 times in a row without dropping it. Spectacular, I know...

- Spent almost every night in the basement building random objects. I want to post some pictures sometime...

- Took apart my bed one day when I ran out of wood...I have been sleeping on a mattress on the floor since then.

- Went to LA to see my wonderful sister. It was so great getting to hang out with her and see the life she has been living for the last few months. It was a trip of contrasts as we experienced the highs and lows of that area.

- Got to spend a night and morning with John and Amanda Roberts in Pasadena. It was great hanging out with them fun to get a taste of what their life is like in California.

- Spent some time in Malibu with Jay and Katty Wolf last weekend. Katty was actually on "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" last night...it was pretty entertaining and kind of a crazy story. You can watch it here if you want.

- Went to Vegas to meet up with Bryan, Caleb, and Josh for a photography conference. It was a lot of fun hanging out with those guys, and we met all sorts of interesting people. That city is crazy and it tends to wear me out. Bryan's blog has some pictures from the trip.

- Had $491 dollars taken from my bank account by some car rental agency in Italy. I haven't been there in over a year but they just keep charging my account randomly...so that was fun to try and sort out.

- Now I'm back in Birmingham catching up. Caleb has a big concert tonight for his Grey Haven thing that I will likely go to in a few minutes.

And thats about it...oh yeah, and watching the tournament. Always exciting.

- j(w)s