::From the Big Sky to the Big City::

Switching It Up

2009-06-17T19:20:00.000-07:00

How many blogs does a boy need?

If anyone out there actually follows me, know this:

I've moved on. The 310 is no longer my hood, and thus, I felt it necessary to start fresh. Try something new. My acceptance to TFA has spawned a new avenue for sharing my thoughts and experiences, so find me at:

ARelentlessQuest.blogspot.com

HOPE TO BLOG YOU THERE!!!

My last...

2009-05-09T01:43:00.000-07:00

"Farewell my sweet,

Well the time that was coming,

The road has begun to move beneath my feet.

Good things come to an end.

I hope through the pain,

The heartache and strain we can still remain friends."

Fitting, I haven't blogged in over a month and nearly fifty days before graduation. For, on my last night in Malibu, as I lay here on the Pointe couch--a place where I've spent so many nights over the past year--I'm overwhelmed with feelings of sadness, contentment, and denial. Call me emotional, but never could I picture the day that I would be leaving the "27 Miles of Scenic Beauty" with a degree from Pepperdine and some of the most important people known to my functioning existence as a human being...

...that day is tomorrow.

50 Nights...

2009-03-08T17:23:00.000-07:00

Now that Spring Break is over, and graduation is staring me in the face, I finally mustered the motivation to write my first real song. While I've been trying for quite some time, nothing seemed to flow and to be honest, I was just embarrassed by the way they would turn out--sappy, cliche, emo (insert another undesirable adjective). It's not quite perfected, but hopefully by this Friday it'll be performable at our 50 Nights Till Graduation Party...hope to see you there.

Shea

Start spreading the news, I'm leaving today...

2009-01-02T18:50:00.000-08:00

In reference to a previous post, I have come to realize that Philadelphia is "cool, but not for me." Instead, New York City has so thoroughly blown my mind that I cannot wait to pack up and move.

Thanks to those who helped me fully encounter the East:

Landi: rep that MSU hoodie till death...thanks to you and Maryann for the hospitality.
Firm: I think I have your watch. Thanks for sharing your sister's massive West Village pad. I owe you for coat checks and cab rides.
Mr. Simmerman: your Wikipedia knowledge is vast and your future in NYC bus tours is bright. Keep spreading the love. See you in Feb.
AJ: Thanks to you and your family for that pizza dinner...next year we will be dinning at Ray's.
Sheets: Tell Mama Carroll thanks again for the chow and the toddy!
The Philly R5 Conductor: Without that free ride that got me home, I may have been slain on the streets of Phila.
France: The Statue of Liberty. It's real, and I thank you.

You'll Be the Death of Me...

2008-12-15T11:06:00.000-08:00

I gotta watch my shows.

And as if I didn't have too many to follow as it is, True Blood is my new pick thanks to the glories of On-Demand television. Although initially I couldn't wrap my mind around why anyone would choose to waste 52 minutes of their lives every Sunday watching a series about mythical creatures, I have since come to appreciate the raw thought and creativity that go into each episode. Yes, it's raw. Nudity, graphic language, and adult content. But that's life and by golly, I'm an adult. Delving into issues of racial discrimination, substance addiction, and relationship problems, True Blood doesn't fall short of providing real life application AND sheer entertainment.

Looks like I'll be wasting 624 minutes of my Christmas Vacation catching up on the Golden Globe nominated first season.

Thou shalt not crave thy neighbor.

(note: my last post was very emo)

This is what I know...

2008-12-01T19:56:00.000-08:00

Things are rough.

Life is hard.

A good song is a good friend.

Thanksgiving Day BROS...

2008-11-24T23:24:00.000-08:00

In the past four years, never have I been home for Turkey Day. And while at times I wish this could be different, the day on which we give thanks has--in the past--produced some pretty unforgettable times.

2005: Heen and Tooth flung their bodies down to LA for some wild times in the back of Steve. LAPD, Captain Mo, and some $100 seatbelt tickets--not to mention the waitress at the hookah bar.

2006: Another interesting Holiday spent away from the family...this time, about 6,000 miles away (obviously a rough--and uneducated--estimate). While studying abroad, me and a few friends decided to trek up north for the long weekend; Norway our destination of choice. We hung at the Olympic Village, played some Hearts, and feasted on rice cakes and peanut butter for a memorable Thanksgiving meal.

2007: As a more traditional Thanksgiving, I met my Mom, Dad, and brother in San Diego to share the day together. We ended up having dinner at Jesse's girlfriend's sister's house. Nothing wild. Drinks. Board games. Surf.

2008 (tomorrow): The bros are coming! The bros are coming!

Tooth, Heen, Soj (in spirit) and Pulse be coming to Malibu to celebrate the festivities...

Still, as a time to reflect on the things we are thankful for, the majority of us say that our friends and family are what we cherish most. This being the case, I cannot begin to express how grateful I am for the times spent (both at home and abroad) with my bros and the fam...the people that keep me going.

Happy Turkey Day.

Eat. Drink. Be Merry. Give Thanks.

Don't fear your best friends...

2008-11-16T17:02:00.000-08:00

I recently took a battery of psychological tests for my Testing and Assessment course, and although they indicated that I don't have any serious psychopathological disorders (yet), I did take from them some pretty meaningful insights about who I am. One theme that permeated each of the four tests administered was my appreciation for close, personal relationships. And while this isn't something that really surprises me, I think that I've recently taken for granted those whose friendship and daily interactions directly effect who I claim to be as a human.

As of Friday afternoon, I had:

No working vehicle--Steve broke down on my way to class earlier that morning and I had to abandon him on PCH. He remains in a coma.
No wallet--it has been missing since last Saturday.
No money/cash, except for the $37 in my checking account.
A check waiting to be picked up at work in the Palisades (with no way of getting there--see #1)
$150 of dues to pay by the end of the day.
People ready to help and make my day a little better.

In the wise words of Michael Franti:

"Don't fear your best friends, because a best friend would never try to do you wrong..."

Thanks Carpet Hole.

It's Never Too Late...

2008-11-11T16:54:00.000-08:00

"Of course, now I'm too old to be much of a fisherman, and now of course I usually fish the big waters alone, although some friends think I shouldn't. Like many fly fisherman in Western Montana, where the summer days are almost Arctic in length, I often do not start fishing until the cool of the evening. Then in the Arctic half-light of the canyon, all existence fades to a being with my soul-- and memories and the sounds of the Big Blackfoot River and a four-count rhythm and the hope that a fish will rise."

I really need to learn how to fish.

Got Beef?...

2008-11-10T15:44:00.000-08:00

This is Lauren Hall:

Lauren Hall is a hater. Yes, I have a blog. And no, people don't read it. But at least I don't look like this.

Philly Baby!

2008-11-07T18:56:00.000-08:00

Something strange is in the air...I can't quite put my finger on it, but I think a sense of, what my German Professor Dr. Lerner would call "wunderlust," has come over my body. I need to explore. I need to travel. And as my time at Pepp is coming to a close, I can't help but wonder where life will take me after my four years of college are up.

Obviously I've had some sensuous locals floating through my mind, and needless to say, I've been rather influenced by a select few (Sheets and Landis, that means you)...but as a town where the newly crowned Champions of Baseball reside, and my favorite TV show, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, is filmed, how could I not want to move the City of Brotherly Love (aka Philadelphia)?!

(Never seen the show?...wrap your minds around this:)

I've never experienced the East Coast. But see, "they call Los Angeles the 'City Of Angels'; and I didn't find it to be that, exactly. But I'll allow it as there are some nice folks there. 'Course I ain't never been to London [I mean I have], and I ain't never seen France [been there too]. And I ain't never seen no queen in her damned undies, so the feller says."--Big Lebowski shout out. BUT, I think it's about time to explore this great country we call the United States of America (OBAMA 08), and rest on the hunch that tells me that Philly is the city for me...until I think of a better place to live.

Our President Elect...YES WE CAN

2008-11-06T21:30:00.000-08:00

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled - Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It's the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he's fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation's next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House. And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics - you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to - it belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington - it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.

I know you didn't do this just to win an election and I know you didn't do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime - two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor's bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you - we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years - block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek - it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers - in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House - a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, "We are not enemies, but friends...though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection." And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn - I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world - our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down - we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security - we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright - tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

For that is the true genius of America - that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing - Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America - the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves - if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

Teach for America

2008-10-26T12:03:00.000-07:00

As the deadline of November 7th quickly approaches, I've been struggling to complete my application for Teach For America. Because the acceptance rate is so low and the selection process so tedious, I want to be certain that all of my submission materials are looking prime and in tip top shape before I make the plunge. Although the task is daunting, and I'm entirely unsure as to whether or not I'll even be accepted, I know the cause is worthy and one that would allow me to in some way give back to the education system that provided me, unlike so many underprivileged kids in the United States, endless opportunities to thrive.

If you're unfamiliar with the program, Teach for America aims to eliminate the achievement gap that persists in many low-income communities around the nation. It is certain that this among one of our nations greatest social injustices:

"In America today, educational inequity persists along socioeconomic and racial lines.

Fourth graders growing up in low-income communities are already three grade levels behind their peers in high-income communities.
About 50 percent of them won't graduate from high school by the time they're 18 years old.
Those who do graduate will perform on average at an eighth-grade level.
Only 1 in 10 will graduate from college.

These educational disparities unfairly limit the life prospects of the 13 million children growing up in poverty today, impacting their earning potential, voter participation, civic engagement and community involvement. Moreover, these disparities disproportionately impact African-American, Latino/Hispanic, and Native American children, who are three times as likely to live in a low-income area" (www.teachforamerica.org).

TFA places qualified college graduates into over 29 urban and rural areas and provides them the tools necessary to combat these inequalities in education. Nationally, the acceptance rate is only 20% with thousands of applicants applying each year. Interestingly, during the previous year at Pepperdine , 40% of students who applied were accepted. I think my chances are solid.With sites all over country, I look forward to the prospect of making the move to somewhere outside of the Southern California bubble, with the Bay Area, Philadelphia, Denver, and Chicago being sites that I'm highly considering. I'll be sure and provide updates on my application process, and hope that I get the chance to positively impact the lives and communities of those whose educational opportunities are far from equal. For more info, visit Teach for America's website, at www.teachforamerica.org.

It's Me, I'm a Blogger...

2008-10-25T11:28:00.000-07:00

Well, I never thought this day would come. I have my own blog (it is the 21st century, right?). In retrospect, if ever there was a time to create a site to keep friends and family updated on my current events, thoughts, pictures, and videos, it probably would have been three years ago when things seemed to be a little simpler and I had yet to be swallowed by my collegiate years. Better late than never I suppose...