Great Quote

Saw a great quote today, though trite, I think makes a great point.

"If you've got a house, a job, and security, then shut up."

Too many are complaining amidst the loss that far too many others are suffering. Put what you have in perspective and really think about how lucky you are. If you're biggest worry is not getting to a movie on time or whether or not you should bring potoates or green bean casserole (hint: neither, bring wine) then you've got a lot more to appreciate than MILLIONS of others around the world.

Where can I get a beard waiver?

I had to share this on here because it's utterly ridiculous and may provide for laughter before the onset of discomfort concerning how serious this actually is.
In my personal research of schools I have come upon some interesting prospective student information, how schools particularly present themselves and what they choose to highlight. I have never been a fan of parochial universities like Liberty or Bob Jones (oh yes, there is a college named "Bob Jones University"), so don't believe I was actually interested in Brigham Young University (BYU), however only curious to see if they present themselves as inflexible and quacky as I have heard.
The following link leads to their FAQ page concerning their policies, procedures, and guidelines. Now, I don't know a lot about the Mormon culture in depth, however one would expect such FAQ's to concern their policies on drinking, curfew, living arrangements, etc.

Nope.

BYU believes their THREE only "frequently asked questions" concern beards, intermixed camping, and ecclesiastical endorsements.

http://honorcode.byu.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=97&id=566&Itemid=5752

I tried refreshing my browser a couple times, but these were the only FAQ's offered on their website to curious students, many of whom I imagine are dependent upon that site to find out how much intolerance of their lifestyle, or that of others, they should expect.

It blows my mind how these minds operate. Absent of the fact that BYU and many others, have strict policies, that's fine. What boggles me is that they would present themselves so ridiculously to interested onlookers as to completely disgregard the appropriate nature of valuable resources, in this case their webpage. If BYU can get away with being so dumbingly coy with their material, everyone should get x number of free passes for saying all the stupid crap that invariably comes out of our mouths at times. Yogi Berra and Dub'ya have used all of theirs.

And if you do have any free time, check out Bob Jones University. They're a trip.

Is it worth it? Work it.

I'm not a typical hip-hop/rap fan (unless i'm dancing of course), however, Missy Elliott has some great practical and simple advice in her lyrics.

**Grammatical and spelling representation provided by metrolyrics.com**

1. "Everybody here get it outta control, get yo' backs off tha wall, cause Missdemeanor said so."

This means simply, get your butt off the couch and get going. Where? Wherever. Make a day of it and do something that will provide fulfillment for yourself and others.

2. "Is it worth it, let me work it. I put my bang down flip it and reverse it."

You've come across an opportunity, whether earned or out of luck, ask yourself "Is this opportunity going to serve my interests and provide meaning? Simply ... is it worthwhile?" If it is, capitalize on it and use it to your advantage. Work it so that you squeeze more out of it than anyone else. Missy puts her 'bang' on it, you need to put your own 'pow, zap, slam' on it too.

3. "Let down your visage but don't slip up, 'cause when I was in my ship up that's when I get ripped up"

Be friendly, be approachable, be yourself; however, be cautious, be aware, don't be foolishly trusting of others.

4. "I'm underrated, glad I made it, independent, operated, I never hesitated hatahs kept me motivated."

Okay. Let's throw the cliche enlightment "When life throws you lemons, make lemonade" (which was orignally said by Joan Collins). My interpretation is that inevitably you're going to incur curveballs. Life would be too easy, and everyone would be in eternal misery as no one would appreciate the rewards from overcoming obstacles. So overcome them. It might take a couple tries, but use the forces that are against you to motivate your energy toward positive productivity.

There are more, but I don't have as much free time as this post would probably deny. Know that Misdemeanor knows what she's talking about. Next time you hear a hip-hop or rap song, listen to the lyrics. You never know they just may actually deserve those Grammy's they've been haphazardly receiving these last 5 or 6 years.

Persepctives

It's been far too long since i've last posted. I think the break I took from social networking was a nice little vacation. For about a month I checked Facebook and other blogs only sporadically. I have dedicated that time to more productive things and have acheived a greater level of perspective in these last couple weeks.
I was hit with some daunting and mere frustrating news last week that really put a new tailspin on my thoughts on my personal life. It's said that you don't really appreciate something until it's gone. Well, you don't. Think about one thing that you take for granted and imagine without fair warning that it dissapears. Though I haven't been directly affected (knock on wood) by any magnitude of dissapearance, I have had someone close to me experience such a thing. I have a new vision and a new appreciation for what I have and also the potential of what I have to gain in the future.

For some less deep thoughts...
Class for this semester is almost over! Two more classes, one more final, and i'll be 2/3 done with a graduate degree. It looks like i'll still be stuck having to take one summer course, but i've gotten on the good side of my advisor and a few professors, one of whom is a real firecracker. My business law professor is a 50 something heavy hitter that will run you over if you ever get in her way. She would be the WRONG person to get into a car accident with. As a former attorney she will eat you alive, and this is what makes her so spectacular. I have only met one other person who knows her (sorry for my French) shit as much as this woman and that is pretty amazing. Class starts off with everyone whining about the exam we took last week, the exam we're about to begin, the exam from two weeks ago, the exam that was added to our syllabus, or the final exam. After a few minutes of venting which our professor adaquately provides us via her absence, she walks in with about 12 fat binders and books and of course a stack of graded or ungraded exams. If you've ever heard "that dude" at the gym drop his weights all too loudly, you can only imagine the sound of 50lbs. of legal crap hit the table. Class has started, all right. The first thing she ever said to us about 9 weeks ago was directed at a classmate (who dropped the class after the first night) in which the professor had her fist pointed directly in front of this individual's face with the question, "Did I assault you?" .... I'm thinking to myself "This is going to be great!"
Anyway 10 or so weeks later, I am a little weary, but with great appreciation for everything I have learned in less than a semester. It's unbelieveable how much influence a great teacher can have on his/her students. I only hope that everyone has had or will have the same learning experience of a great teacher or teacher(s) as I have had this semester.

Prof's name, is Lou Ann Simpson. And she is a machine.

Exerpts

This afternoon I had the opportunity to finally touch base with a long time and great friend who I have spent far too time away from. Our conversation hit home with all too many statements I had made that I personally need to live by, as well as others.
1. Figure out what you want. What do you want out of life? It's a broad question, that I ask myself every day. Wake up tomorrow morning and ask yourself what are the three most important things I am striving for in my future. WRITE THEM DOWN.
2. Be realistic. That's great you want a ferrari and a beach house in the Hamptons (which by the way, is in no way a dream anyone should have), but you need to think realistically. Practically in economics, education, geography, economy, health, family, etc. are all factors you need to incorporate into what you want.
3. Take the steps necessary to open doors. Many people don't know what they want to do in life. I've got on average about 5 career paths that are ever changing. Look at yourself (literally or figuatively) and imagine those -realistic- wants coming to life. How are you going to get there?
Taking the steps to open doors means following the procedures that are required of you to be able to follow a particular path. For example, you want to be a doctor. You need to go to college and earn top grades and earn credits for required courses for medical school, doing so you need to study for the MCAT. Dependent upon your score, you need to apply. Upon acceptance you need to go to med. school, graduate, follow with residencies... and you get the picture. It doesn't matter if you want to become a grocery bagger, it's not going to happen unless you follow the steps to open that door. Follow all steps for all realistic and determined wants you have.
4. Believe in yourself. We're obviously going through a tough economic time. I can't stress patience enough, equally to faith. Have faith in yourself to work hard, do what you need to do, and find an open door to walk through at some point in the near future. Believing in yourself provides the truest form of support that you will need to follow through in any endeavor.

As I said, these need to hit home as much as anyone else. Sometimes a little reassurance doesn't hurt either, but ultimately the only person that is in control of behaviors, actions, and outcomes is you. I feel like I need to continue adding, but short and sweet is what I like to deliver.

20X20 Pecha Kucha

Pecha-Kucha.org

20 slides, 20 seconds each.

Subject? Anything. Just make your point.

"Would you like a sack for that?"

The first comment I ever heard here in my new home state that threw me off-guard was, "Would you like to drive up?" I was in the local grocery store, and apparently you have the option to take a ticket and have teenage bag boys load your car up for you after you drive up to the front of the store. I paused and said hesitantly... "um, I think I can carry it out right now."

So with all of my previous rantings, which I tend to do via blogs and news posts, I realize that I haven't devoted anything regarding the Mid West, even though i'm in my second year. For all friends and family back home, who I doubt read this; as I don't advertise this blog too much, this is for you.

Officially the "Hawkeye State," unofficially "Tall Corn State." This land in the middle of the country is home to about 3 million people, which is a third of the population of New York City, you can think to yourself, "that's a lot of extra space." Indeed it is. Despite living in an urban area, it doesn't feel cramped at all. When people here complain about what they categorize as "rush hour," they obviously have never been to a major city. To get from West Des Moines to downtown around 7:30-8a will take about 20-25 minutes for 12 mile drive. Take that distance and translate it to Boston, you might as well bring a book-on-tape CD, cause you'd be able to finish it, one-way. Even on Friday and Saturday nights, I have never had a problem parking around downtown. After 6pm, it's free for all parking, no paying for meters, and minimalized corporate lots. Though downtown has it's own public transportation, via trolleys, there's no need. One can peruse around the city freely and not get lost, or walk briskly from one end to the other in about a half hour. It's great, I love it. Des Moines has big city opportunities and offerings with a small city feel.
People = Friendlist group of natives in the US I have ever met. Now, I know there's the Southern hospitality, and then you've got the care-free Californians, but the Mid Westerns are completely approachable and very family oriented. You can 'shoot the shit' with anyone and practically talk about anything (outside of politics and religion) without being turned off or worry about offending anyone. Not like my daily conversations center around sensitve topics, but it's a great feeling to be able to chat openly with a far reaching span of people. Reverting back to religion, Iowans are relgious, many of them. There are six churches within five blocks of my apartment. I have to be extra careful driving on Sunday mornings as there is always 'that family' racing to church trying to get the best pew in the house. With a hundred churches in the city, I don't think crowds roll too heavy in the congregations.
Speaking of driving. The friendliest people I have met can't drive. There's no such thing as a passing lane (they freely drive 10mph under the limit in the left most lane), yellow lights mean 'stop abruptly', 5mph under the speed limit is in fact speeding to them, and for more than a few drivers - there's no such thing as a directional. Pghhhh... there's been some close calls on the road. All in all, i'd rather be stuck behind Slo Mo Joe than have to be worried about being rear-ended by some Masshole.
Iowans also love representing their colleges/universities. T-shirts, license plates, flags, banners, hats, art work, scupltures and wood carvings, trinkets, etc. are allllll over the place. Unv. of Iowa and Iowa State are the two most represented schools whose mascots and emblems are everywhere. If you look at an eagle eye view of the state all you'll see is a smear of red, gold, and black. Even the kids' cereals are named "Cyclone Crunch." The best day to go golfing? The Saturday of the ISU and Iowa football game. Nobody is on the course. I don't even have to look at the newspaper or watch the local news to find out if Iowa lost any particular weekend. If people are somber on Sunday, they lost.


There's a ton of more stuff that I have witnessed and made mental notes about, but I just wanted to share a piece of the idiosyncracies of life out here in the Mid West. Ultimately i'm surprised that many more don't sport Life Is Good apparel, because that's exactly the mentality that many Iowans have.

Exerpt from The New Hampshire Oct. 3 2008

Durham, NH - The Sigma Beta fraternity has been suspended and nine of its members arrested following a drug raid by multiple New Hampshire law enforcement agencies on Tuesday evening.The raid, which took place between the hours of 7 p.m. Tuesday and 2 a.m. Wednesday, netted a significant amount of illegal drugs, according to Durham Deputy Police Chief Rene Kelley. The drugs included marijuana, Ecstasy, oxycodine, psychedelic mushrooms and other unidentified prescription drugs as well as assorted drug paraphernalia.

I've been reading some of the editorial comments off of tnhonline.com and am overwhelmed by the amount of support for the Beta brothers caught in this raid. Most are disturbed by the tactics used by the Durham police in their "unwarranted" raid ... which is a falsity according to TNH spoken of later in the article.
I have to think, it's about time. Cripe, every student knows about Sigma Beta and their propensity to endulge in any drug grown or sold. It's a sad situation to have to hear about, but the precedent was ovedue. It's a overcast on the University, one that I don't want a potential employer, family member, prospective students, or fellow alumni to have to read about.
Greek life at UNH, and many other institutions, need to clean up quickly and implement some method to hold themselves accountable. Good to know that my alma mater will now share drug use with its infamy of the 2003 winter riot.

Shut Up and Sing

I think Laura Ingraham can be a political hitwoman when it comes to her criticism, but I love her for it. Because of her conservative leniencies I don't agree with everything she privledges herself to discuss, but she's got one great point that is continually brought up by her followers that I absolutely love. In inspiration of her book "Shut Up and Sing" I have to share in her frustration concerning celebrity entitlement in politics. Last week Demi Moore and trophy husband Ashton Kutcher stopped in Iowa, Kutcher's birth state, for all of about 18 hours to say hello to Ms. Kutcher and three towns to garner support for Barrack Obama. Drawing a crowd of camera carrying tweens, who don't even have the legal capacity to vote, broadcasted their undying support for Obama and how youth need to get out and vote for the cause. The cause of what?
This morning the news captured Lebron James, another celebrity figure, travelling around urban areas encouraging the 'brothas and sistahs' of his old neighborhood to do whatever they can to vote, pushing his vast educational opinion upon his support for a particular candidate. It frustrates me a little to know that so many people take celebrity opinions far too persuasively. It irksome that so many celebrities also feel entitled to give their opinion thinking they have the credentials to be able to campaign on their own endeavors. Of course they have the right to speak their mind (outside defamation), however, they do not have the right to push their opinions on others which I am increasingly witnessing as it gets closer to November.
Let people vote for who they want to vote for under the reasons uninfluenced by some Grammy winning artist or a bare high schoool graduate in the NBA. My ranting and raving this early afternoon was spurred by more reports and media trailings of such celebrities that are just now popping into the picture delivering their speeches and tirades, as if they were Karl Rove and been professionals in the political arena for the last few decades. I hope the majority of votes that casted on November 4th are not the effect of celebrity influence.

Another Three Years?

So since junior year of undergrad I've had this idea in the back of my head that has kept its place for many years. It continues to unconsciously pop up which is a good sign, however frustrating it may be.

The idea that I've had since undergrad is that I want to go to law school. Yes, the three year hell hole that turns every aspiring wannabe attorney into a drudge of life. Sitting in the library for HOURS with the only light of day coming from a table lamp, going through ten highlighters a week. Being one of forty people in class hoping to God the professor doesn't call on you to analyze the case study you didn't stay awake enough to read the previous night. Having to budget time in five minute increments of scheduling to do three simple non-school things; workout, eat, sleep. It would look like this: 8am-9:10am workout. 9:10am-9:15am Hydrate and shower. 9:15am-9:20am Run to class. Awesome.

I keep thinking continuously and the ambitious thought just won't subside, so this is what I'm going to do. I've been studying for the LSAT, which I need to start kicking up into high gear ASAP, for the last few weeks. I plan to register for the December test admission which will take place on the 6^th. I'll get my score in early January, and that's when I'll decide what I will do. Even if I get a decent score, I'm not going to promise myself anything, it'll just open up more doors.

It's hard to say though because I want to enter into the professional world. I want a REAL paycheck, and I want to love what I do in a challenging environment that produces results. I just described the work life of a lawyer but also knowing there plenty of careers that fit this profile that I would be able to get into. After spending two years in grad school while working full-time I'm definitely not 100% sure if I could spend another THREE years studying my ass off, being broke, and knowing that once you're in – you're in for life. No one goes through law school saying "Oh, that was fun. I think I'll paint for a living and pay off my $150,000 in debt through my acrylic talents."

No longer on the fence

Since early Spring my interest for the political race had lost its energy. I knew there were many months left and clinging to the news stories and Fox/MSNBC/CNN was no longer worth my time. So I took a break and recently started thinking about who I would come to vote for in November. I'll revert back and say during the Democratic primaries I was a strong proponant for Obama. I liked his attitude and behavior, and his absence of strong connections to lobbyists or former politicians. He was more grassroots than anything else. The one thing that turned me off while Hilary fell and Obama eventually became the obvious nominee was his obscure stance on policies. Nothing I felt was definitive. had no idea how concrete he was on abortion rights, fiscal policies, his plan for the war, ect. I just want to whisper in politicians ears "Answer a damn question."
So anyway... it's late August, both nominees have named their VPs and because of this I have made my decision. It honestly came down to the VP decision. I can't believe it, it feels lame. I thought that it was going to end up being a day-of decision like it had in 2004.
I'm happy for a female nominee, I believe it was a smart decision on McCain's behalf and I will credit him for this move. Though I don't agree with Palin's conservative stances, she at least states what she believes in. There was no speculation in the discussions surrounding her potential nomination. Reporters knew what she stood for and could then could further analyze what groups would be affected by this VP choice. I have respect for Palin that she knows what she believes in, though over the next few months i'll be curious to find how solid she is when having to answer tough questions while reaching out to many demographics.
So simply put, I think i've made my decision and it came down to the last VP nomination. Though i'm happy a woman is up on the spotlight, I don't care if she's my mom or aunt, I would never vote for someone that conservative. One more goes to Obama in November.

Officially a "vet"

I'm now an officical veteran of the MidWest. As just starting another year on the job, living in cornland, and soon to start another year of grad school I can consider myself no longer a newbie. However, I still refuse to change my license plates. You can stare at it all the way down Fluer, they're going to say "Maine: Vacationland."
Since i've been back for oh... four days, i've greatly appreciated the fact that i'm returning. Not that I wanted to leave my incredible summer, but it was so relieving to come back to a furnished apartment and an somewhat organized office. It's nice to know where the grocery store is, or the closest bar (about 50 feet away.) It's also nice to know how ripped off i'll be when it comes to buying books so I can mentally prepare myself in advance. I swear to God, I don't know how the undergrads and law students do it here, their books for the semester could buy them a small car.
So needless to say, this year is starting off (and I stress the word "Starting") pretty well. It's never easy being the new kid in town, or school, or work. This year i'm a vet. Thank God.