Just what I think

Why do people dream? Why do we have illusions of grandeur? I feel like I should be doing greater things than what I'm doing now. But the real oddity is that I don't feel like I'm letting myself down, but others that expect so much of me. I guess it's good that I've got people to depend and desire to see me succeed, but what happens to them when I fail? I don't have expectations for other people. I don't wish them in big houses with fancy cars and great spouses. I wish them to be happy. Nothing more, nothing less. Whether it be an anchor for some sports channel or living in a cardboard box...if they're happy then I'm happy for them. Why can't everyone just take that approach? It's not that hard. I don't know why people can't just let others live their lives. I mean everybody is different, so naturally people's definition of success does vary; so who's to say what success for me is or should be?

But on the flip side there are things that I want to accomplish in my life which I don't believe would ever lead to me being successful or accomplished. Small stuff like playing some musical instrument, actually having a golf game that works repeatedly. Nothing serious, just things that I would like to possess as part of my life portfolio. Because now having gone through a significant portion of college I have come to realize that portfolios are the basis for life. (sad but true)

Anyway, the thing is...I'm going to be me no matter what happens, and whether that breeds success or complete failure I'm still gonna be me.

Alright, so 40 million copies have been sold, great actors from around the world have been assembled and one famous director have come together to make the best movie of the century.

I know it's not out yet, but I'm already declaring the best movie ever!

It's Da Vinci Code!!!!!!!

Here's the trailer. So enjoy and I'll see you at the show.


Get this video and more at MySpace.com

Well,

The sad day has come. I was getting food late one night and I got back to my apartment, parked my car in the same spot that I had a hundred times before, and went inside to get some work done before I had to leave for class the next morning. Harmless enough I know, but the next morning it happened.

SOMEONE STOLE MY HOOD ORNAMENT!!!!!!!!!!!



Poor, Poor, Hood ornament, if you can read this...I'm sorry for abandoning you. I will try to find you, but I'm afraid you've been turned into a necklace for some poser white kid.

A tear comes to my face when I think about the ornament that I've gazed upon driving down the roads of my past. Now, however, I will never look at that ornament again.

Curse you who steals another man's ornament. I vow revenge.

Coming in to this class I had no idea about blogging. Didn't know what it involved, why people did it, and what made it so enjoyable for so many people. I'm not completely sold on the whole blogging thing (maybe I'm not fully integrated into the network) but I think this class has taught me how to become a better writer. I have explored different tones of writing, and I think this class has allowed me to write more closely to the way I talk and think. This class has helped my sarcastic side come out in writing. And I also found that I could write some humorous things as well. So for coming in with nothing I think I'm leaving with a lot. And here are some examples of work that I've done.

Posts that I think are good:

Men vs. Women

I think this post is good because it stirred up a good debate. I also think it has hints of humor which doesn't usually come out in my writing. I think this post is pretty good for these points. I think it has some good points and I think I was able to get some good thoughts out. I don't know what inspired this post, but I think that what came out is something that was good and I think other people wanted to read it.

Another good post was:

Teammates

This post was good because someone else said so. I think this post is actually a good reflection of what I was thinking. This post seems to be a good job of getting things from my head to my fingers. And I think that is very important for people to be able to express things from their head to their fingers. And I think this post is an example of that. This post came together very well and I think it makes people think a little bit. And that's the important part I think.

What is going on

Mainly, I like this post because of the discussion that it started. I think this post is another example of me getting thoughts out without losing the original thoughts and feelings I had. I think that's the most important part for me in my writing. I didn't lose the sense of the moment from the time I thought about this post til the end of the writing of it. I think this piece is put together well and really hits at who i am and what I think.

Posts I don't like:

National what?

This post is awful...the things that make a good writing, in my mind, aren't evident here. This post doesn't really do anything. It really doesn't even express an opinion. It's just there. And it isn't looking good there. But, no one can say anything about it because it doesn't question anything or pose any question for anyone. That's why this is terrible.

Alright, I'm impressed

This is another post that is bad for the simple fact that it doesn't do anything. It's just a post. It doesn't serve anyone or any purpose. That's why this post is terrible. It also contains a hint of sexism that I certainly didn't mean to intend. But, again this post is bad because it doesn't do anything. That makes it really, really bad.

Here's some posts I thought were good that I placed on the class blog:

reading response

This post got some good comments, and I think it responds well to what we were trying to discussion about blogging as journalism.

lack of decision

I might be the only one, but I think this post is funny. And I also think it remarks to the inability of college kids to make big decisions in their life. I think it's funny because it's true and I think there are some words to live by in this post. And I always like that from posts.

Thoughts about good blogging

This is another post that I think I really came out and just said what was on my mind. Blogging has allowed me the privilege of letting go as a writer and letting thoughts flow from brain to fingers and this post is an example of that. I wasn't writing for anyone, but what came out was exactly what I would have liked to express to someone had they asked. And I like the comments. I think people like the post and that's half the battle. People don't have to agree, but if they like the idea or the final project then I can deal with that.


Here's some comments that I've thrown on other people's posts:

uplifting

This comment was good because it doesn't talk about blogging. Sometimes people really need to vent, and I think I was kind enough to comment that even though we all hate school that it will be over soon. I hope I conveyed some positive feedback. That's what this comment does for me.

music

As crappy as this last comment is by me I think that it actually gets to the heart of blogging by sharing information previously unknown by Marissa. Hopefully she discovered a new band to listen to and my friends just gained a fan. This interaction thing is magnificient.

Hey,

This will be one of those "journal" posts about nothing in particular and just some mindless ranting at one a.m. So here it goes.

We were young, we had fun, we didn't have a care in the world and we were living free in the moment. And then came Monday. I've always been one to proclaim that I really am the biggest 12 year old I know. I've always been a kid and tried to hang on to all the things kids do. I've never been in a hurry to grow up or get my life started. That time will come. But then I think about the friends I have that are quickly becoming alcoholics and can't wait til Friday and Saturday nights so they can wake up and not remember Friday or Staurday nights. And the friends who are currently in any state of marriage. Whether it be planning for a wedding, having a wedding, or celebrating a wedding from a few years back I've got friends that are now living squarely in the real world.

Am I then part of the real world? Do I have to grow up because my friends bring their new babies to events that I'm at? I know that a time will come when I will want to enter the work force and find a real life for myself, but in the end these days of college and being independent and free have served me quite well. I really don't want them to stop now.

Oh well, I guess you win some and lose some...

This is the one post that I'm going to tell you about the great friends I have and the wonderful things they bring to the music industry.



The first band that I'd like to talk about is a band called "bent left" the guys all came from my high school and they are a very political band in the punk music scene. They try to travel cross-country during the summers and play and record in Kansas City during the school year. They are a great group of guys that love to party and play music. They are the best and they are the greatest friends a kid could have. So If you're into punk you really need to check them out and seeing them live is the best. Here's a

great review

I found of an album of their's.



The other band I'd like to plug tonight is a group that is based in Provo, Utah and tours the west during the summers. Their lead singer is a good friend of mine and they are really talented. They have been together for quite a while and have a couple of albums out. Their sound is pretty different, at least I think so. But they're fun to listen to and they are really good people too. Their website is found

here

. If you are ever randomly in the Utah or California you should see if you could catch a show. I think they are taking a break for now because their lead singer and the only member of the group I know personally is getting married so they have life getting in the way of their music right now. But if you could pick up their album and give it a listen I think you will find it enjoyable.


cross-posted at

Just what I think

A few weekends ago some friends of mine persuaded me to join them in going to a bar in town. I had never been to this bar or any other bar for that matter, but they said the music was great and I would have a ton of fun. So I thought, "what the hell?" and joined them on their way to getting drunk.

This place had piano players taking requests all night and they played anything that I could think of. It was great to hear the music and hang out with friends after a long day of writing papers, but after a while I started to glance around the room and think of what I was seeing.

I guess I should preclude this rant by saying that normally I am the fly on the wall with nothing to say and not really into drinking until I can't stand. so I started to look at all the people that were there and trying to guess why they were here, now. It seemed like my friends were there to drink a tough week away and forget the projects, papers, and assignments that college kids must face. A couple of people from the group I was in were clearly there to flirt with any guy that would buy them a drink and then ruin the guys night by letting them go home alone.

But it was clear that everyone in the bar was there for some specific purpose and wasn't about to let anyone or anything get in the way of accomplishing whatever they had on their mind. Some people came for the music. Others came to drink themselves under the table. Some came to find a soulmate. And others were just there because that was what their group of friends were doing that night.

It was strange to see all these people in one place for some specific reason. But, in the end they are all just people looking for something. I would like to hope that I'm not out somewhere just looking for something, but have some sort of purpose behind my actions.

Are we all just searching in the dark for something, or are we continually striving towards becoming better people? I would hope for the latter, but who really knows?