I went up to Baltimore on Saturday for the Horrorfind Weekend (a big horror fest with big name horror movie actors and icons). I went for one reason…Bruce Campbell. He was going to be there signing autographs and promoting both his paperback edition of If Chins Could Kill and the 25th anniversary of the original Evil Dead. With him came the rest of the original cast members, Ellen Sandweiss, Betsy Baker, Sarah York and Hal Delrich.

To my surprise, the woman I am now dating happened to be a huge Brisco County, Jr. fan and was delighted to come with me. We got there after the festival started, but luck seemed to be on our side the entire day. First of all, we got a parking spot right in front of the hotel entrance, then while we killed time in the restaurant area, Ellen et al (sans Bruce) came and sat at the table beside ours for about an hour. We ended up with great seats for Bruce’s Q&A session, as well as the Evil Dead cast script reading/reenactment. Immediately after that, we went right up to the Ladies of Evil Dead table and got autographs & pictures with the ladies and Hal. It was smooth sailing all day.

…until we had to wait in line for Bruce’s signing.

We had to kill time for 3 hours, walking around the hotel and sitting outside before our number group was called to get in line for Bruce. Even then, we had to wait another chunk of time before we got to meet him. But in the end, it was worth it. We got a book and about six 8×10s signed. By that time, Bruce had already stayed 2 hours overtime in order to sign for everybody who had a ticket. He was such a trooper, and we let him know. He was still hilarious when we got to him and joked around with us for a while.

By the time it was over, we were completely exhausted and certainly ready to leave.

I was so happy. I finally got to meet a third member of my all-time heroes list. I’ve met Bruce Campbell, Chris Isaak and R.C. Sproul. Now, I just have to meet Johnny Cash, J. Scott Campbell and Harry Connick, Jr. I wish I could have met Elvis and Bruce Lee before they died, but c’est la vie.

Anyway, Saturday was an awesome day. Bruce, my baby and me… Does it get any better than that?

I shared the fundamentals of Christianity with someone last night, and I don’t know what to think of the outcome. What can I do, when the person thinks we basically believe the same thing, when I know we don’t? Or when the person relies on material other than the Bible to base faith on? How do I argue against that? It’s easier debating other “Christians,” because we have to submit to what the Bible—and only the Bible—says. Last night’s discussion ended in temporary peace, but what about the future? How will these differences creep up and eventually become major issues in our lives? Luckily, I seem to be the only dogmatic one about this, so I suppose there’s hope for gradual change. Maybe not. Or maybe the whole point of our friendship is this conversation we’re having now, and nothing more. I shudder to think.

I just read today’s Table Talk devotion, and it concluded with these words… “If you make a serious effort to share the Gospel with others, you will experience rejection. Many of those you speak to will ridicule you and will laugh at the truths you hold dear. But by God’s grace, you will have success, too, for God has His elect, and all those He chooses, He predestines and calls. Press on in your proclamation.”

I will. And I do. Praise God.

My baby took me to an Elvis movie on the Mall in DC last night. We brought blankets, a picnic dinner and a swingin’ sixties state of mind. She told me to take dating tips from Elvis. He was so smooth. I told her I had more romance in me than three kings of rock & roll, and that if she was going to be my baby, she’d better be ready. Elvis may have died 25 years ago, but he was reincarnated in me and I’ve got 26 years of pent-up romance just waiting to be unleashed on one lucky lady.

Beside the singing summer lake
Where the blue sky covers a luscious green
Where the treetops waver and the grass fields roam
Where the world has left us all alone
We sit together on a checkered sheet
Crystal glasses, cool water filled
Rich life speaks of nature’s song
Her shoes are off, her smile’s on
The geese glide through the deep blue sky
I present her with a simple gift
She sets the flower in her hair
There’s more than birds in the air
There’s something there in the air

I did some house (read: apartment) cleaning this weekend. I boxed up all my decorative toys lying around on various shelves and bookcases. I boxed up all my comics and TPBs. I gleaned my book, video game and DVD collections. I removed child-like posters and pictures off my walls. I boxed it all up, made a list, and am now preparing to sell the items off or otherwise get rid of the whole lot.

Why would I do such a thing? Simple. For a woman. I am currently dating an amazing woman with serious long-term potential. Though we don’t share a common love of cool comic book art or Transformers, we do share many other—personally more important—interests and hobbies. Not since college have these interests been cultivated and encouraged by someone close to me. My love of art, old/foreign movies, traditional music, and the outdoors are only part of the simple pleasures that we delight in. We’re two solitary, socially shy individuals, who’ve found like minds in each other. There are no façades and there is no “maintenance.” Our relationship is simple and honest. And it fits so well.

As I now set aside my childhood (materially and psychologically), I do it with a glad heart. I hold no loyalties to my material possessions. I consider it all expendable. The only things in life that matter to me are God, family, friends, my calling and the woman I love. I would give up everything I own for any one of these.