Like Kevin.

It’s not really difficult for me to say who my closest and dearest friend is in this world. That person is my wife of course. That is not a cliché patented answer, it’s the truth. Other than my wife my closest and dearest friend in this world is also a woman named Shellie. I was given the privileged honor of being considered as one her friends while living in Tacoma WA 5 years ago (five years! It’s hard to believe that it’s been that long.) Since that Shellie moved to Seattle, married, and is now pregnant (due July 8th) to a wonderful person whom I talked about before. His name is Kevin and today I am going to dedicate this part of my journal to him.

Webster defines Character:
3. The inherent complex of attributes that determine a persons moral and ethical actions and reactions: "education has for its object the formation of character"- Herbert Spencer.

I felt that it was pertinent that I establish that definition first before I attempted to describe Kevin. I say that because he is a man that is not in any way shape or form transparent. He is a very complex person that has many different layers that comprise his personhood. Which isn’t surprising to me at all because his wife (Shellie) is as equally complex.

Yesterday I helped my good friend Shellie and her

husband move, and today I really feel it in my arms.

It was hot and everybody got really sweaty. As you

can see in these videos and photos. Mason whom I just

met yesterday worked his off, well we all did, but man did he work.

Kevin stacked nearly the entire inside of that truck himself.

We carried all the boxes to him, but he stacked nearly all of

it himself. We all helped with the big stuff though. Shellie is

8 months pregnant and she was made to sit down and just

put her feet up. I did not take any photos or videos of her.

First I would have to say that Kevin is a man that has the strength of his character. There are so many positive attributes to his character; I find it very difficult to list them all. Kevin’s sense of morality is very well matched his perception of justice. His ethical codes of conduct are woven into individuality to the point that they cannot be dissected. It begs repeating again that it’s not surprising to me at all that Shellie married him.

KEVIN FEELS! I typed that all in capitals and in bold print because I want the reader to understand what I am trying to illustrate with words. I do not mean to sound like a broken record, but Kevin’s emotions, his feelings, are very complex to describe. Kevin is in touch with his emotions on a very deep and personal level, which makes him very. He feels absolutely everything. Kevin's compassion for the people closest to him is only matched by his love for them. Matter of fact I believe that these two emotions alone overwhelm him on a monumental level at times. My friends love for life brings excitement and joy to all that come into contact with him. One does meet Kevin, they encounter Kevin.

When Kevin confronts obstacles, situations, and problems he is very methodical is his plan of execution. Most people go about accomplishing a task with some idea how they are going to complete it. Not Kevin! He is like a grand chess player where every move is already carefully planned out. When Kevin goes about accomplishing his goals, he does so with iron willed determination. He will not be detoured from his plan, and the word “can’t” is not a part of his vocabulary. On that thought I have to add one more thing my friend. Like everything else, Kevin Feels! He feels situations, problems, and obstacles, which makes it all very personal for him.

This video of this pond was dug out by hands

and sweat. Shellie likes to joke around that the

pond nearly divorced her and Kevin. But very

amazing to look at.

This pond really is a testament to how hard the two

of them work. They deserve all of the happiness

that they can get.

Not everybody who Kevin ask ed to help
him move showed up. Those that did show
up he was very thankful for.

People like his JR high sweetheart with the dark hair.

Kevin asked that I go around and take pictures of everybody.
He jokingly requested that I get pictures of the girls kissing.

So here they are Kevin, locking lips. I am
joking. That picture isn't even them.

I am really going to miss this house that Kevin and Shellie

lived in.I used to bicycle to there house rain or shine.

We had many BBQ’s in their back yard. We walked to the

beach on the 4^th of July.(sigh) Sad.

Here is a picture of sweaty hard working Mason.

That Guy is not afraid of hard work at all. I was very, very,

happy that Mason was there to help Kevin. Because I would

have had to help Kevin do some of that heavy lifting. I mean I

did my fair share, but the huge ass stuff they did,

Kevin is a man that can apply himself to any situation and evolve. When he is confronted with a crisis his adaptable nature enables him to persevere. Kevin is the kind of person that is capable of learning everything and anything he wants. I have never seen him not finish something, or complete that which he set out to accomplish. When I first met Kevin he was working in a paint shop, making $12.00 an hour. After he married Shellie he entered into an electrician’s apprenticeship program. He is now making $25.00 an hour and has two years left on his apprenticeship program before he will become a Journey Men. The complex mathematical equations he is learning is absolutely amazing to me.

I never felt like I had to earn the honor of being considered Kevin’s friend. That is exactly how I feel about his friendship too, that it is a privileged honor. I feel that way about all my close friends, but especially so with Kevin. When I am around Kevin I have a feeling like I am in the club. I’m not talking about just any ordinary club either, NO! When we’re together I feel like he is making a part of The Fucking Club Man. Like he is one of those guys. He truly is the prime example of a real mans man. He is not a snob either, he doesn’t believe in classism, and he does not have an elitist personality. However everything that I just said above, I know that those he considers as his closest friends, he didn’t just give that friendship away. The kind companionship that he feels, the close brotherhood he offers to his closest friends. That is not something he just offers to anybody. For Kevin to make that kind of emotional investment in somebody they would need to be very special.

Kevin suggested that he should take the scenic route out West

Seattle to prevent from going down hills and shifting the load.

So Kevin, Mason, and me we’re all riding down this beach in along

Alki in the moving truck. There were a whole lot of bikinis on the

beach and we were verythankful Kevin decided to take that route.

At one point Mason got out of the truck and got us all free
ice cold energy drinks, which we all consumed much later.

Here are some photos of Kevin and Shellie’s new home.

I am very happy for the two of them.

They both deserve, especially Shellie, all the

happiness that they can get.

After the long hot day we all finally got Kevin and

Shellie moved. We could not wait to get the rental

truck returned and go home. At least I got to go

home and relax. Kevin still had to unpack.

Kevin and I get to the moving company and we could

not believe it. The gates were locked and his was inside.

Kevin handled it very well. He politely called the company

corporate head offices and they contacted the manager who

in return called Kevin and we got the truck inside and Kevin

drove me home.

If there was just one person in this world that I would want to be, that individual would be Kevin. If I was Kevin I would be smart and good looking. Which two great attributes to have. If I were him I would then have a huge affinity for life and infect other people with it. If I was Kevin I would have the uncanny ability to adapt. I could make people feel like that they are a part of something special by just being around me. I would make people feel like that they are in THE FUCKING CLUB MAN! If I were Kevin I would be able to work and succeed, and not work at failing all the time. If I were Kevin I would have a wonderful house and great big fucking dog. I am not saying all of that to put myself down. I’m just saying it because it’s the truth. I wish I was like my best friend Kevin.

I felt like a huge asshole yesterday because when we got to Kevin’s new home I went around investigating it for the 1st time. I proceeded down stairs where there is practically another whole entire living unit and I saw his wife sitting on a bed with her feet propped up. I went looking around the huge down stairs, stared out one of the window at their nice back yard, and I started crying. I’m such an asshole. Here I am crying in front of this 8 month pregnant woman, on what should be one of the happiest moments in her life.

I was crying partially because I was happy for her. I mean she has worked so hard to succeed and get that house life. She has finally done that. She has a wonderful husband and a wonderful house. She deserves to be happy. I was also crying for myself, because I had a plan for my life too. Except the plan I had did not include having to work and fail at every job I ever had. It included working hard, and enjoying the fruits of my labor.

I find it increasingly difficult to believe people when they say that I am smart. I don not feel smart at all. I mean it too; I am not saying that just to get attention. Anybody that knows me can attest to that fact. Since I was 20 years old I’ve never been capable of maintaining employment for longer than 6 months. If I could keep a job longer than that I was extremely fortunate. It did not matter how hard worked or tried either. I could not learn fast enough to keep a job. So when people tell me that I am not stupid, or I am one of the smartest people they know. I feel like they are either trying to make me feel good about myself or they do not know me very well.

I’m being brutally honest about myself here. I want to be totally transparent on this journal. I cannot help but to feel that way about myself. My entire life I’ve been beat down time after time AFTER TIME! It never mattered how hard I studied or how much I applied myself I always failed. I wanted and did my absolute best to be different and I just could not change.

I do not know how feel differently about myself.