So College & Other Such Life Updates

I'd lying if I said that it hadn't been awhile since my last post. Much has changed since my last post from over a year ago. Most of these changes have been for the better. If I went through all the changes in my life that have happened in the past year it would probably go on for at least 20 pages. No one wants to read an essay, so I'll try and keep it somewhat to the point. This should also motivate me to post on here more often so I don't have to spend an eternity catching everyone up.
I'll pick up where things left off in the previous post. If I hadn't updated this post you might have thought everything was doom and gloom. For that period of time in my life, it was. But looking back a year later everything I was so worried about and fussing over really means nothing in the grand scheme of things and my life is better because of what happened. What wasn't said after I had posted that post was that my parents had decided to pull me from my school a month later after I made that post. At first, I was furious. I questioned why my parents would do such a thing to me. I was sad and deeply troubled and angry. I went through the summer being angry at my parents wondering why they would take me away from my friends with such a short period of time until the end of the year. I finished out my junior year of high school reluctantly. For a period of time, I refused to do schoolwork until I was put back into school. This was a foolish move on my part. Summer of 2015 came and went as I worked at my first job as a lifeguard at Water Country USA. It was a great learning experience. It taught me how to deal with the public and develop some people skills. It also opened my eyes to people that were different than me. Some of these people were international students from different cultures that I had to learn to work with. All in all, it was a great experience that taught me much about the world. August 2015 came and decisions had to be made of where I was going to go to school for my senior year. It was decided upon that I was to go to school at Liberty University Online Academy. This was a way for me to finish high school online and have a dollar for dollar tuition match scholarship for my time at where I'm now at college at Liberty. That senior year would be full of new great experiences, as well as some experiences I wish weren't the case. I'll start with some of the positives. The first was that I made a few new friends that I'm so grateful that I did. My life is better because of this. That year taught me how to manage my time as well as gave me so much free time to work on some projects that I wouldn't have had the opportunity to do otherwise. The first of which was a documentary on an organic farmer that won best directed at a film festival. The film festival was sponsored by Canon and as a result, I won a $2,000 lens. In January I had another opportunity to showcase one of my films in a film festival that premiered on the big screen in Hampton. It didn't win, but I was impressed that my work could go that far. As the spring of 2016 approached I had the opportunity to work on a short film with one of my friends. Because of this online school, it allowed me the free time to do this as well as develop my relationship deeper with one of my homeschooled friends Wyatt as the year progressed. With the film shot, it was time to graduate. I graduated from Liberty University on the football field in May 2016. It was such a good experience. It made me realize this was the path I was supposed to be on. This was the point in time I realized I wouldn't have had such a good year with meeting some new forever friends as well as the experiences I had. One other small detail I should mention is that I got accepted into Liberty in January 2016. It was very exciting! It gave me something to look out and forward to! Summer 2016 came and it was back to work at Water Country. That summer was the least fun out of the two summers at Water Country. It felt like I was working for the whole summer and didn't have time to see many of my friends before I went off to college. This isn't to say that I didn't have any time to see any of my friends. I did have a chance to see often the people that matter most to me. Prior to going to college, I applied for a production job at Liberty. After a lengthy interview process, I got hired to do production at Liberty. I am essentially getting paid to do what I love producing events, football games, and basketball games. If you would have asked me a year ago if I would have had this opportunity I would not have believed you. I'm so thankful for this opportunity.
I'll spend the last part of this quite lengthy post talking about some of my initial thoughts going into college. After the first few weeks many of the friends I thought I had from high school turned out to be not as genuine as I thought they were. One of them eliminated all contact from me, another turned to alcohol, and yet more of the people I thought were my friends ended up being as such. At first, I was crushed. I thought to myself "all these people that I thought were my friends, but it was one lie" With that being said I am extremely grateful for the select few friends that I do have. I'm so thankful to have them in my life and I wouldn't change the friends I have now. They're so real and genuine and I can count them for anything. Friendships are great things and to have a great friend is something that is to be treasured. I've learned that even more after being at college. It's also been nice learning how to be independent and learning how to do all these adult things. I'll share my thoughts on college itself in a later blog post as this post has gone on for far too long already.
Until next time
-Michael

Fall 2014 Update

It has been forever since I've posted here. But I feel as though I want to keep the readers of whoever reads this updated on what's going on in my life. I'll pick up where I left off back in May. After prom and after school ended I wen't on vacation to Smith Mountain Lake for the first week of my summer . During the rest of the summer I interned at my local church where I learned a lot about graphic design and picked up some knowlege on some video editing tips. This past summer I also saw Lindsay Stirling in Concert. That was an absolute blast. We also wen't to the beach where I had perhaps the best week of my life. This fall I entered Junior year and with that came a lot of new challenges and some that I've never experianced before, some good, and some that I will never want to experiance again. I have a feeling it will be a good learning experiacne for me. Also wanted to update all you loyal readers on the Washington D.C videos that I've been talking about for the past two years or so. The second season has completed production and are just waiting for some of the finial videos to be edited by another member of the production team. The videos I have done were completed last July, but still working on getting the rest of the season finished from my other producer friend. Two trailers have been released for this upcoming season on my YouTube channel. Very excited for this year as we tackle the presidential homes in Virginia. Unfortunatly Victoria and Caroline won'e be joining us but there are some new faces. As I said before, this year is totally different, and while it is different, I hope it brings good things.

Until Next Time
-Michael Lemley

Life Update August 2013: New beginnings and things that never change

It has been almost a month since my last post and many things have happened since that time. This summer has been fantastic and I've learned many things about myself and where I need to go in life and how I can get there. Next week school will start again and while I will miss the pleasures of summer it's time to get back to work as there is much to be done. Our monuments project will pick up again as we still have to make brochures and then continue onto more museums and then onto more monuments. Now that I think about it I'm getting excited again! I love working with everyone and overall I'm excited about the road to come next year and by the end I hope to look back at everything I accomplished. Onward...

Michael

Summer 2013

It's summer. The wonderful time of the year filled with beautiful weather (for the most part) as well as water, pools, vacations, spending time with friends and the like. So far this summer I've been to my school's graduation as well as a few graduation parties. Afterwords I went to Smith Mountain Lake located in southwestern Virginia on vacation for a week. It was very relaxing and refreshing to spend a week there. Upon returning from the like life has been fairly bland for the most part and I've just spent my days in front of the computer watching YouTube videos. I really need something to do with my time and make it more productive. I want to try and finish all 120 episodes of Lost this summer but I don't want to do it all at once. I also miss all my friends. Most of my friends have graduated and have moved on with life and the ones that I do have left I miss very much and think back to the great times we have had...So for now summer is very bland and I wish I could do something more with my time. I know I have many things just over the horizon it's just a matter of them coming to me, or me going to them. There are a few things that I'm really excited about and some things and memories and events that are in the back of my mind that I miss very much and I wish I could relive them again soon....Things are changing.....

-Until Next Time
Michael

Fantastic Culminating Experience

Today put a good close on things. I was happy I had this last day. The day started out with breakfast at a pancake house which was really fun. It was really fun to eat with everyone for one last time (for this year at least) After that we went to this museum that I personally have never heard about before but it was pretty cool. Even thought there were some parts of the museum that could have been spiced up a little bit to say the least all that mattered was the fellowship that we had together. That's probably going to be the hardest part over the summer is not being able to have these experiences day in and day out. Sigh..But next year will be here before we know it and then will start this whole process all over again going up to DC and such. Soon.....(and I do need some time to rest and relax :-) All in all it was a great close to things and I'm glad we had all these great experiences over the past year. Everyone who was involved is amazing and I would not have worked with anyone else. :-) I can't wait until we do this again and from the looks of it summer we won't be completely distanced...:-)

Finishing out the school year.....
Michael

Wrapping up the year (Last Thoughts)

Wow. Just Wow. This year has been simply amazing. I've made so many memories and made some new amazing friends and overall just have had just an amazing year. Granted the year had it's shortcomings but overall it has just been fantastic. Today was the last day I had to be on a film shoot with the seniors on the tech team before they depart to go the beach. This was the last time I would see them before graduation and the last time we would be together to film this movie. It was really bittersweet knowing that I would not have these moments with these exact opportunities ever again. I really am going to miss all these memories that we have shared. I am ready for summer after Monday and ready to begin a new chapter and chart a new course. I love these memories we have had and I will cherish them forever and remember the times that we shared together knowing that those were once in a lifetime opportunities.

Until the end of the year....
-Michael

Washington DC Filming Wrap

It's a wrap! Over two months of production later and it has come to a close! I remember when these videos were just a thought and I was just thinking of the opportunity to do these videos and how awesome they would be...My expectations went through the roof. The experiences I had in Washington DC were better than my wildest dreams and I could not have asked for a better group of people to spend doing the videos with. To those of you who worked on the videos with me...Thank You. You guys are simply amazing and I love being with all of you. Now starts the editing process that of which includes a long editing sessions. But once the videos are done they will be worth it. All in all it was a great experience that was awesome beyond my wildest dreams!

-Michael