I thought they said chapters not sections!

I'm Back

Have you ever been faced with a situation so overwhelming that you simply couldn't handle it? Yeah, I haven't either. I'v spent the last two weeks driving accross country with my dad, and working like mad to get construction finished on my house. I've learned an aweful lot in the past two weeks. You shouldn't drink a lot of coffee if your trying to stay on the road for as long as possible. If you're going to get a flat tire, the best place to do it is in Austin, Minnesota so you can go to the spam museum while your getting it fixed. I learned that sometime you can learn more about your family in an intensely stressful week than you could in nearly eighteen years of normalcy. I learned how to scrape the paint off of hardwood. and vynil. and lynnoleum. and plaster. Mostly i learned that, in a very hyumble way, there is nothing I can't handle. When I am at my tiredest, when my defences are down, when i'm weak, God fills that void, more than my own strength ever could. I can spend all morning hauling pianos and book shelves, and somehow when evening comes and i feel like i have nothing left, God gives me the strength to handle the pipes bursting beneath the sink. With the two weeks I've had school shoulod be easy, and all the trials and triumphs that I've had leave me with one realization. I can do alol things through christ who strengthens me.

T

New Features

Hey there everyone,
A couple of new features on the blog worth checking out, first we have the promote the Dwyers sidebar, with their new releases. The weekly updated poll, and down at the bottom we have a slideshow of some of my favorite pics. a legit post should show up soon.
T

Beauty

It is sometimes the case that certain women are recognized universally as being beautiful. This is a shame. Their beauty is purely plastic and external. The most fundamental type of beauty is the disputed type. Let us say that I find someone very attractive. Hypothetically. It is more of a testimony to my affection that others I know do not find her as attractive. She is attractive to me. She is not so much beautiful on her own. She is beautiful in respect to me. My love makes her beautiful. Lest you think that I’m saying beauty is relative, I’m not. Beauty is not something that is indefinable, but it is personal. Others might not find her laugh infectious. But it infects me. Others might not get lost in her eyes but eye do. The standards do not change. Men do. If others found her as attractive as I do, I would doubt my feelings. I would think that they were superficial. But she has a disputed beauty. Yet she is indisputably beautiful to me. Hypothetically.

-William Bernard Martin
Selected Shorter Writings

Updated

Hey there everyone, sorry if my pre-departure nostalgia was a bit too heavy, I had a lot on my mind and wanted to get it out. Anyway as you might have noticed there are some updates to the site including the beard poll on the side, and as soon as I figure out how it works, a slideshow at the bottom.

About a year ago I wrote this statement of faith for my college application, after smoking a cigar and reading Chesterton, my two primary muses. I hope you enjoy:

I believe in God, the father Almighty maker of heaven and earth. I believe in God the Creator and God the Redeemer. I believe in a God who is transcendent in his greatness yet immanent in love. I believe in God’s Son, begotten not created, and that he used a cursed cross to crush a serpent’s head. I believe that Christ was fully God and fully man, and I believe that I will never fully wrap my head around that. I believe that He was a prophet, priest and warrior king. I believe that the Apostle’s Creed is an accurate human portrayal of the inerrant truths found in the Word of God. I believe in the Holy Ghost, that He proceeds from the Father and the Son, equal in power and glory, and that with the Father and Son, He is to be worshipped and glorified. I believe that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one God in three persons, as real and as mystical as shamrocks.
I believe that God loves the babes of those who love Him, and that he has welcomed them to be washed and feast in His name. I believe that God gave men wine to make their hearts glad, and cigars to put hair on their chests. I believe that the Westminster Confession of Faith is not the Bible nor is it the sequel, but it is close. I believe in loving the sinner but hating the sin. I believe that Roman Catholics are Christians, even if Pope Benedict does not think that I am. I believe that the government is God’s minister for good, no matter how often they attempt to throw us down wells and shred our multicolored coats. I believe God hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass. I believe that many of the prophecies uttered in the books of Daniel, the Gospels, and Revelations were fulfilled in 70 AD. I believe that as an image bearer I am chief among creatures and as man I am chief among sinners. I believe that Christ died for all men but not every man. I believe that laughter is war and that not all Rigor is Mortis.

My father

Its 4:30. Time to go to work. Six days shall you labor. 13 hours a day. The seventh day is a day of rest, but much is expected of my father even on that day. My father's build comes from a time when men were men. His thick chest and graying beard are those of a Norse soldier, not of the feminine stock that today passes for men. My father is stalwart. My father is what God requires of man. He is a creator. An artist. An educator. A defender. A laborer. A servant. A husband. A father. He is my best friend. My father is Loves His Lord and his creation. He glorifies God and he will enjoy him forever. He blesses those around him with strong drink, and good cigars. My father's singing reverberates off the roof and dances in our ears. I love my father. I am leaving him. But he has molded me into someone like himself, and I will make him proud.

This is my ADG bio that will be going up on the website soon!

Name: Tyler Antkowiak
Title: Content Developer

Superpower: Creative Giant. There are few artistic disciplines in which Tyler has not dabbled, from painting and sculpture, to music and theater, to creative writing and poetry. Such a diverse blend of talents and skills could only fit into large package, and Tyler’s broad 6’6” frame make him a prominent member of the ADG team.

Alter ego: Philosopher King. Tyler is happiest smoking a fine cigar and talking about philosophy. When not working at ADG Tyler loves nothing more than reading influential philosophers and proving them wrong. He spends his time wondering if Existentialistm exists, and considering why there are no Nihilists.

Inspirations and Addictions: Irish Rock, NC Wyeth, and GK Chesterton. Tyler finds inspiration in the mysteries of God’s good creation. Tyler finds the perfect blend of addiction and inspiration in contact sports.

Drink: Caramel Machiatto with 3 extra shots of espresso.

Favorite Thing about working for ADG: Tyler grew up at ADG, and he’s extremely grateful for the culture of creative cultivation that has been so fundamental in his upbringing and outlook on life.

Story: Ever since Tyler was a wee tike (well… he was never wee) his creativity manifested itself. More often then not, to the chagrin of his father, ADG founder Jeff Antkowiak, this usually meant paint on the carpet and gouges in the kitchen table. The atmosphere at ADG creative has done nothing but intensify his rogue artistry. Tyler has won several art contests on a state and national level, and brings that competitive creativity to any project put before him.
From his humble beginnings as the office intern at age twelve, Tyler has moved from trash boy to an important part of the team. He loves creating, whether that means writing copy for brochures, cutting video, content development, or graphic design. His list of skills only grows from the guidance and instruction he receives from the ADG team.

In His Words:

What does it mean to you to serve the client?
“Its easy to sacrifice honesty and integrity for simplicity. It’s much easier to give the client exactly what he asks for, rather that attempt to advise them in creating something that will really benefit them. It is fundamentally important to maintain artistic integrity, even if that means a little friction with the client. Anything besides artistic integrity coupled with a sincere interest to see the client succeed is a disservice.”

How do you gauge the success of your work?
“The staff at ADG is so brilliant and creative. If the guy in the nest cube over looks at my desk and is impressed with what he sees then I know good things are happening. ”

What’s the most important thing for the client to know about you?
“Most kids aspire to being firemen or police officers in there formative years. I wanted to come work at ADG. This is my dream job; and that is going to come through in what I produce.”

I was cooking bacon at 4:30 this morning.

Selah

The Irish Know Best

And I love her so
I wouldn't trade her for gold
Walking on moonbeams
I was born with a silver spoon

Hell I'm gonna be me
Gonna be free
Walking on moonbeams
And staring out to sea

And if a door be closed
Then a row of homes start building
And tear your curtains down
For sunlight is like gold

Hell you better be you
Do what you can do
Walking on moonbeams
And staring out to sea

'Cause if your skin was soil
How long do you think before they'd start digging
And if your life was gold
How long do you think you'd stay living

And I love her so
I wouldn't trade her for gold

The End of an Era

Today was my last day of classes at Rockbridge Academy
I still have to turn in a paper, deliver a speech, take a math test, and a literature final.
That is all.
13 years.
Here's a tear.
And now its gone.