Why I Write

     I write for multiple reasons. It really depends how I am feeling at the moment when I pick up my pen. I could be writing to remind myself to do something later in the day or even recording a thought that I that was worth keeping.
     Lately though I have been recording the happenings, thoughts, and people that I have come across during my Great Yellowstone Adventure. I still am writing things down I do not want to forget. And that is really why I started writing in the first place. I do not want to forget. And I in return to not want to be forgotten. Almost everyone wants to be remembered, it's an odd thing about us humans and I can't explain it.
     And the best way to be remembered in this world is to leave behind gifts or heirlooms for the next generation. I am doing just that by writing in my journal. I intend to fill that book up with adventures, thoughts, people, etc. in the hopes that who ever I leave it to will better understand me as an individual.

Home Sweet Home

     I am now home. I have been for the past few days as some of you have noticed actually haha. It feels so good to roam around the land that I call home.
     I am feeling both sad and happy about me coming home. Happy because I am now surrounded by family and old friends that I have not seen in the last four months. Sad because I left the tight knit group that after a time I considered my family as well. I left the adventures and experiences I had with them. Every person yearns for those things and leaving them really was not easy. It had to be done though I know that for sure. I miss my fellow Yellowstoners very much and I believe I will for as long as I consider them a part of my family. Thank God for facebook and other ways to communicate, otherwise I am sure my bonds with these people would just wither away over time.
     I also have no intention of forgetting them. While I was in Yellowstone, I bought a Journal with the distinct goal of writing down all of the adventures, experiences, and people I came across. And I have done exactly that. Everyone and everything is now immortalized in my journal and therefore my mind. I will not, I cannot, forget my Great Yellowstone Adventure.
     Now that I am home the question of "what's next?" seems to popping up a lot. And rightly so Honestly I would like to be able to find another job soon and work on becoming more independent as well as getting some schooling out of the way. At this point in time, that is my plan. If things prove to change or force me to take a different course I will try my best to do so as painlessly as possible.
     For now though, I think I will just take a couple more days to relax, catch up with friends, and enjoy being home. Also, these posts will become a regular thing again. Three times a week just like before :) See you all next post!

Two Months and Still Adventuring

     Once again I come to you all to tell you of the adventures and happenings that I have experienced here in Yellowstone National Park and beyond. Let me start off by telling you about work.
     My work here really has not changed much. There are good days and there are bad days, luckily more good than bad. The only real change around here are the faces I see come and go. People that I have come to consider good friends are either now gone or going to be in the next few weeks. This saddens me. But, I have been making new friends as well. As more people keeping coming here for work, I find myself feeling less lonely here. When it is my time to leave I know I will be very sad to leave my friends here. Thank God for Facebook.
     My latest adventure has been my best yet I think. Last weekend I joined a group of my friends on a hike called the Mary Mountain Trail. This has been my longest hike here in Yellowstone by far. Coming in at 24 miles (27 or so if you include all of the wondering we did trying to find the trail again after we had lost it a couple of times) The whole trail was mostly flat with some uphill and downhill areas. We also came across just about every type of terrain imaginable. Hiking the trail made me feel like I was on an epic quest of some sort. The land was so beautiful.
     We started for the trail head at about 4:30 AM and were able to see a magnificent sunrise along the way to the trail. We got to the trail head about 6:30 AM and were on our way. Our first wild life encounter was a huge herd of elk. They were so close and every time we got closer they would run over the next hill making their eerily beautiful sounding calls. I had never heard an elk call until then and now I am glad that I did. It some how makes me appreciate them a bit more.
     We also came across dozens of male bison scattered all over the landscape. Needless to say, those bison in the way of our paths were given a very wide birth as we passed by. We even ran into a lone coyote and even though we did not see any wolves they indeed had been where we were not too long ago judging from the prints we found. Many skeletons of elk and bison were found along the trail as well. Some bleached from the sun and others with still a bit of meat on them!
     After we had past the half way point of the trail (the halfway point being May Lake) things were pretty uneventful., but nonetheless beautiful and awe inspiring. I am glad that I took my camera along for the trip because the pictures I took really are the only way I can show you what I have seen . I have posted the photos from this adventure on my facebook here http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150953027938909.437299.660493908&type=3 .
     Towards the end of our journey we were weary and out of water and food. Not a very good thing if you are on an all day hike. And the face that the last part of the trail was pretty much dessert with hot thermal features here and there did not help at all. Luckily we reached the end of the trail before dying of thirst or starvation.
     After Mary Mountain I am a bit hiked out, but I have already been making plans for my next big hike which I will share with you all after it happens.
     This most recent weekend of pretty chill though. Mainly it consisted of a trip to Bozeman where my friends and I ate sushi, shopped for some needed items for Yellowstone, and watched the new Batman movie. Which is freaking amazing by the way. Oh, and I even got to ride in the bed of a truck to Bozeman too! :D Needless to say I was so excited to do so and I was even more excited to find out that it is perfectly legal to do that in Wyoming and Montana. The weekend also consisted of me having dinner with someone that I have grown rather fond of here. I am hoping a second meeting will be in the future soon.
     Things are changing here and I will do my best to make the best of these changes. whatever they may be. I hope that you are doing well at home and that the future holds good things for you. I love and miss you all! See you next post! 
    
      

Mountains and Grizzlies

     Since my last blog entry many things have been going on here in Yellowstone; Some good things and some not so good things.  Let me start with the good things.

     Well, my weekends here have been amazing! I have been camping twice already and each time has brought new adventures for me. The hikes I have taken of late have also been epic. My first trip was to Grand Teton National Park and let me just say now, the scenes there are gorgeous. I had a hard time putting my camera down to do anything else.  You may have already seen the pictures that I took on that trip on my Facebook. I am especially proud of the black and white photo that I recently posted there. I may have it printed and framed when I get back home.  The people I camped with are amazing. I have come to know them well since I have met them here and I feel so blessed to have them in my life. Even if they do get a little crazy at times ;) We say many specimens of wild life and even saw an antelope.  Which I am told are not all too easy to find. Bison were also on that list of things we saw. In fact, while we were visiting a place called Mormon Row, there was a huge herd of bison in a nearby field. Needless to say we did not get too close to them, especially since there were many calves around. The calves were so cute though.  That was a great way to start my camping experience out here I think.

     My last weekend also consisted of camping, this time though we decided to go back country camping. This was my first time doing any back country camping here in Yellowstone and I was excited. We found a pretty awesome campsite in an area called Sentinel Meadows. Just the name made me feel like I was in a whole different world where civilization had never touched the beauty that I saw before me. Again, you may have already seen the photos I took of that trip. I seem to have a habit of posting my photos sooner than I do these blogs. Perhaps it is the fact that posting photos is a bit easier to do. Anywho, it was an amazing trip and I am glad that I went. Although: I will say that I was not pleased with the fishing there. The ranger that told us about the area said that the fishing there would be good. I did not see one fish while I was there.  We were kind of hoping to fry up some fish for dinner but, no such luck. It was a good thing we brought tons of snacks. Besides the horrible fishing Sentinel Meadows was an amazing experience and I hope to go back country camping again.

     This weekend has been quite enjoyable for me. I think that after the last two weekends of camping, I am willing to take a break from that for a bit before I go again. Yesterday (my Saturday) my friend and I decided to go climb to a place called Avalanche Peak. And on the way there I saw my first grizzly bear! :D It was pretty amazing. It was a bit far away so I couldn’t get any pictures, but still, it was epic. So, basically we climbed a mountain.  And let me tell you; It was one hell of a climb. I had never been so exhausted and weary on a hike. It was steeper than anything I had ever climbed in my life and just as traitorous. There were times I thought I was not going to make it back down the mountain. Our ascent lasted for about 2 and half hours or so and like I said, every second was tough for me. Somehow though, I did it. I made it to the top and I have the photographic evidence to prove it ;) The view was so worth the climb. I wish we could have stayed on the top for a little longer. Unfortunately my friend needed to get back to Old Faithful to work the dinner shift :P  So, our descent began, which only took about 45 minutes since we literally were running down the mountain like a couple of mountain goats ;) We even were able to sled down part way because of the snow that was still around. That was an experience that I will never forget.  Once we made it back to the car we drove back to Old Faithful just in time for my friend to make it into work on time. The only problem I had on the ride back home was that my stomach was not being friendly to me at all for some reason.  I literally was not able to focus on my surroundings because the pain was so bad. And on top of that I had gotten a splitting head ache that started about the same time the stomach pains started. The car ride home for me was not pleasant :P We saw some male elk on our way back that I barely remember seeing because I was pretty out of it at the time. When we got back, I went straight to bed and took a several hour nap. Thankfully that nap worked wonders for me and when I woke up I was feeling much better than I was before. So much in fact, I was actually able to eat again. The rest of my day was pretty chill. I tried some new ice cream with a friend, (I got ice cream called Huckleberry. It was amazing!) went to the employee pub shot some pool and threw darts with a couple other friends, and to finish off the night we all took a night hike. And today I sit here just chilling writing my blog for all you wonderful people.

     Now, onto the not so good things that have been going on here; work is where all of the trouble seems to be coming from. Go figure right? :P First, people have been either quitting and leaving Yellowstone all together or getting fired for some reason or the other. Most have been leaving because of family issues or personal ones. Or just because they think things are getting too tough for them to handle. This has resulted in the kitchens being understaffed and not able to work at full capacity. This just makes things horrible for us who stay and try to make the best of things.  More than once I have thought of joining those who seem to fleeing. I do not think I will do that though. I came here to work till September 16^th and I will keep that promise I made before I came here. Even if I am the only person on staff left I will stay till the bitter end. 

     Other than those things I just mentioned my time here has been an experience of a lifetime. I am so glad I decided to come here. I have met so many new people, done so many new things, and seen so many things that I thought I would never be able to see in my lifetime.  I do miss my home, family, and friends dearly, but when the time comes for me to leave a piece of me will stay here in Yellowstone.   

Adventures

     Phew! I finally have some time to write an update for you all. I wish that these little posts of mine could be a bit more reliable and frequent, but really, as long as I can actually write this every once in a while, all will be well.
     Things here in Yellowstone have not really changed much. Buddy is still hanging around, the EDR food is still terrible, and work is barely bearable. I have had a few adventures since I last posted here though. My latest hike took me to a knew area of the park that I had not yet explored.
     One night after work a few friends of mine decided that a night hike should commence. The night was so warm and the moon so bright that it was almost like taking a hike in the day time. In fact, Many times we found that we did not even need our flashlights since the moon gave off so much light. We walked through Geyser Basin, which basically is our backyard, and into Biscuit Basin, Another geyser filled basin part of the park. Once through biscuit we started to hike up the roots of the mountains that surrounded us and out basin of geysers. Along the hole hike we encounters sights that would put the same sights in the daytime to shame. Unfortunately, I did not bring my camera. Even if I did though, I don't think my photos would have done justice to the grandeur and mystery that each sight brought to us.
     Anyway, once at the roots of the mountains we hiked up a narrow trail along a large and formidable sounding river. If not for the moon and the loud sound, I do not think I would have been able to know the river was even there. After about a mile and a half up the narrow and sometimes rough path we finally made it to our destination: Mystic Falls. My goodness what a sight to see! The falls were situated in a crevice carved out of the mountains themselves with enormous amounts of water flowing through it. The moons rays allowed us to actually see the falls in the night and somehow the moonlight gave the falls, and the rest of our surroundings for that matter, a mythical and unreal feeling. Like were were somehow transported to another world. This place seems to have that effect on people.
     There were many springs along the way up the mountain too. Some of which we were able to inspect up close. Once we had had out fill of the views we started out way back. We had hiked about six miles and been out for nearly 3 hours before we made it back to our dorms.
     My next adventure was basically the same as the one I just told you about. Except that this time I brought a camera and it was daytime. Even during the daytime the hike was still spectacular. I have already posted the photos of that hike on Facebook if you would like to see. Here is a link (put link here). Another difference about this hike was that there were many more people along the way. I still find it astounding to see so many people here.
     My latest adventure actually took me out of Yellowstone and into the state of Montana. I was invited on a banzai trip to a place called Chico Hot Springs. Since I had the time and the money for such a trip I thought it would be a nice change to get out of the park. And for the most part it was a nice change. The drive to Chico was very scenic and beautiful. Driving through the Rockies gave me so much to take photos of, but once again though, some force beyond me made sure that I had forgotten my memory card for my camera -_- I really need to double check these things.
     Once at Chico we got our accommodations for the night in the Inn where these famed springs were located. After some sleep and a hearty breakfast, we headed straight for the springs. Now, these springs are actually just man made pools, but the water/heat is being pumped into the pools from natural springs located underground. Even though it was not what I expected, it nonetheless was satisfying. The springs were so warm and tranquil that I did not wish to leave anytime soon. Although at one point I did feel like a lobster in a boiling pot of water. In fact, I am sure that I even looked like one once I finally came out.
     Once out lunch was finished we made our way back to the park. The ride back is where things went a bit downhill for me though. Apparently, I had caught some sort of illness while at Chico. I do not know what really though. It would have been some of the food or a bug going around. Again though, I am not quite sure what it was that hit me. All that to say by the time we made it back to the park I felt like crap. So much in fact, that I had to call in sick for work :P I hate doing that, but I do not think I would have been much use at work had I gone. After having the rest of the day and half of the next to rest I am feeling much better and am back at work. Overall, the trip was fun. I may have to make a planned trip sometime soon though. Hopefully soon I can go to the Tetons. Everyone who has gone there tells me it is even more grand than Yellowstone is.
     Anyway, those have been my latest adventures. I hope that you all have enjoyed reading about them and stick around to read more of them. I am not sure when my next post will be, but most likely it will be after my weekend (Tuesday and Wednesday). Alright, I better get some sleep. I am going to be meeting a friend for lunch at the Old Faithful where we both work. Hopefully I will have my first taste of bison tomorrow. If so I will make sure to tell you all how it is.
     Okay, I am really going to sleep now. Goodnight everyone! See you all next post!! 
   

Missing EVERYONE!!

      At the moment I am feeling quite lonesome. Sure I have friends here, but it is the presence of friends and family from home that I crave right now. I know it sounds sappy and such, but it really has been eating at me for the past few days. Work seems to do a good job of distracting me from that fact, but as soon as I finish my shift I realize just how far away from home I really am. My hikes and adventures with my friends here take an edge off the loneliness, but again, as soon as I sit down and take stock of where I actually am I get a bit bummed that my closest friends and family are not here to experience all of the amazing things there are here.
     I honestly did not think I would miss everyone back home this much. I knew I would to a degree, but not this much. And the fact that I still have about 3 and a half months here does not help.  the only contact I have had with friends and family at home is either through Facebook, or through writing letters using the USPS. The letters I have received thus far have really brightened things up for me here. I absolutely love reading them. Receiving and writing letters are another thing that seem to take the edge off of my low point moods.  
     Despite all of that, I am doing alright here. I think I will be able to survive until my time here is done. I have been trying to find some good hikes to go on for my next days off and I think I may have found one. Which means that you all will be getting a whole new batch of photos to look at soon. I love taking pictures here. The land is so beautiful that all you have to do is point and shoot to get a good photo. I hear the Tetons are much more pretty though, so I am going to have to take a trip there very soon to find out for myself.
     As usual work is crazy. Lately people have either been sick or just not showing up, which means we all have to pull a little extra to survive a night. And sometimes that little extra and put some of us over the edge. I know I almost lost it tonight. If it were not for my amazing manager and my awesome co-worker I do not think I would have made it tonight. Some of the people I served were great too, so that helped as well. I love talking to people who are willing to chat it up a bit. Just the other night I met a women from Salem, Oregon just like me :) And tonight I met a cool British couple and some friendly Australians. Among other nice people too. Overall, the work sucks sometimes, but there are some bright spots that keep me going. I just hope those bright spots don't stop.
     Well, it is pretty late/early so I think I am going to get some sleep so I can actually make it to breakfast on time. Remember that I love and miss you all and that I wish you all could be here with me. 

Working Like a Dog

I know that this post is a bit late and being posted at an odd hour. Things have been way busier then I expected and I can hardly find time to even think. Let alone find time to write these posts. This really is the first chance I have gotten to breath and make sure that I am still alive. So, without further ado, let me tell you all that has happened since my last post.
     Well, all that has really been going on is work. for the past several days I have been working like a dog in the kitchens of the Old Faithful Inn. the first few days of real work was tough. learning how to make the dishes and where ingredients is stored really was tough to learn. Luckily though after asking a bazillion questions and running around like a chicken with its head cut off, I have managed to stay afloat. After yesterday's shift, I feel like I am confident on how things run and my job as Pantry in general. There still are questions that I ask and I am still learning. But, like I said before, I am managing to stay afloat.
     At times my job can be pretty intense, and I don't mean the good kind. This is definatly the most fast paced job that I have ever had. Things never seem to stop. And then there are times that things never seem to speed up. One minute I could just be standing there waiting for an order and then take a break, and then come back to my station to find that everyone in the world has ordered either some kind of salad or dessert. Thankfully I do not have to deal with this craziness alone. I have a co-worker and usually this is my saving grace when there are too many orders for myself to fill.
     On the whole though, I am content with my job. I do my job and everything else in between. I do my very best until the job is done and I think of nothing else when I am on duty. As long as I am focused on my work, time flies and it feels as if the past nine and a half hours went by in a couple of minutes. This is my life for the next four months. Might as well try to make the best of it.
     On a non work related note, I actually was able to go stargazing with a new friend of mine that I have made here. She works in Pantry as well and so we see each other whenever our shifts overlap. We were able to see everything in the in the sky. I don't think I have ever seen that many stars in the sky. With the help of my friends star chart we were able to   locate six or seven constellations and the North Star. We even were able to see the Milky Way! It looked like just a streak of cloud in the sky to me, but when I asked my friend what that was her answer just blew me away. Planetariums do not do the real sky justice. At all.
     Today and tomorrow are my days off thank God and I will be spending them doing what I do best. Going in hikes so that I can take some amazing pictures for you all to see. My new friend and I have picked some really great trails to hike for both of my days off and I am very excited to start them. It is supposed to be cold when we are going to hike so I should probably bring a coat. 
     I have also been able to take a short hike and grab a few pics for you all to see. I am uploading them as I write. If you would like to check them out then go to my facebook page located here: http://www.facebook.com/david.valdivia.77 They are in The Great Yellowstone Adventure album.
     Well, I think that is pretty much it for now. Like I said before things are busier here than I thought so when I start working again I do not know when I will be able to put up another post. I will try my best to post when I can though.
     Know that I miss all of you and that you are all in my thoughts while I am here in this wild and crazy part of the country. See you all next post!
    

I Love The Smell of Sulfer in the Morning

     My goodness, It has only been a few days since I arrived here in Yellowstone and I am having an adventure of a lifetime. There are so many things to do here that it is hard to decide on just one thing to do. It's a good thing that I have four months to do everything that I can think of before I leave.
     Well, as some of you may have noticed on my facebook page, I have finally gotten around to uploading some of the photos I have taken here at the park. Here is a link to that: http://www.facebook.com/david.valdivia.77 . Even when I look back at those photos I still have a hard time believing that I was and still am actually here. Every morning I wake up to the sight of geysers literally in my backyard and the smell of sulfur. The sulfur smell does not really bother me, in fact it reminds of the Fourth of July.
     The weather here has been as bipolar as the weather back home. One day it is 80 degrees and then the next it is almost cold enough to snow. Wyoming, you are starting to remind me of home just a little too much ;) The landscapes here are so gorgeous. Plenty of trees that also remind me of home and hot springs and geysers that contribute many pillars of steam throughout the landscape. It really is a remarkable site.
     My actually job here is better than I expected. I officially work in Pantry. Basically that means I spend my whole day in our high tech kitchen slicing, dicing, cutting, and occasionally cooking things. The people I work with are pretty awesome. The chef I work for is such a great person, I couldn't have asked for a better boss. Today I work and I think that it is going to be as busy as ever because the Inn that I work at is now opening for the season today. Wish me luck.  
     I have started writing letters and will deliver them ASAP. finding time for both my letters and the blog has been proving to be difficult, but not impossible. I just need to manage my time a little better. Which should not be so hard once I get a schedule that does not just go as far as the next day :P
     Oh! And we have a bull Bison that hangs around the dorm that I live in. Apparently he thinks this is his turf and just chill with people walking around. I have been told though that it would be wise to keep my distance seeing as bison can be pretty dangerous. I think of him as our mascot of a sorts. People have even given him names. Some call him Buffalo Bill, others just Phil. My room mate and I agreed to call him Duke. My first day Duke was literally only a few yards away from the porch of my dorm where I was walking and he surprised me. I could not believe a bison was just sitting there. I still can't believe it when I see him.
     Well, I better be going, I have to be at work in a little bit and I want to take care of a few things before I do. I will talk to you all again when my next post comes around, which should be Monday. I miss you all! Bye!
   

Finally Here!

Well, folks I am finally here at Yellowstone National Park! Today has to have been one of the longest days of my life :P
     This morning Dad, Tim, and I set out to the bus station where I would then depart on the last part of my journey to my new job at Yellowstone. As we came to the station we could see other people with packs and luggage of their own. This was a good thing to see and reassured me that I was not alone on this unknown voyage. The bus ride to the entrance of the park was uneventful, but scenic. I do not think I have seen any mountains like the ones we drove through today. We also got to some bison and elk on our way to the Old Faithful location where I am now.
     So far, I have met people from all walks of life. Mostly I have run into some pretty cool characters who I will be working with. This is good. And they all come from different states. It is good to find someone from Oregon or even the Pacific North West though.
     After we got to our location the next few hours we had to kill consisted of actually exploring where we are. I am liking this place. Everywhere I look there is steam coming from the ground and geysers going off every other minute. It truly is a great thing to see.
     And after a long day of traveling and lame speeches I visited the employee pub with my new friends. Needless to say, fun was had by all. Did not get drunk though, so don't worry mom I am fine ;)
      And now, I am sitting in bed with my computer updating this blog for the day. I am tired and just want to fall asleep forever. By the way, now that I am here in Yellowstone I will be updating this blog three times a week. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I will post an update just like I used too.
     Well, it is getting late here so I think I am going to call it a night. I wish you all a very fond farewell and I will see you next post. BYE!!
     

Over The Misty Mountains Cold

     Hello everyone! Sorry for the lateness of this update, but the place we have decided to stay the night somehow has only begun to enter the twenty first century and it is by pure luck I am updating this blog now. Anyway, it has been a long day and I am tired so I will keep this post short and to the point.
     Well, we set out from Spokane, Washington at about 9:00 am and traveled for about 6 hours. The actual trip was uneventful just like the first leg of our journey. Except that the scenery was much more enjoyable to see go by. Plus I saw some excellent specimens of local wildlife. Such as a couple of bald eagles, an antelope thingy, and some deer at our first rest stop. Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures of this part of the journey, but I assure you, I will be taking plenty once I get to Yellowstone. Oh, and we went through the Rockies on our way here :D I have never seen them before and I am glad that I did. I do not think I have seen any geological structure as grand and epic as them. Again, didn't take any pictures though :P
     Once we got into Bozeman and checked into our hotel we had the rest of the day to kill and what we decided to do was to go out to eat and see a movie in celebration of my little brother's (Tim) birthday. We went to go see The Avengers, which was a pretty awesome movie. Definatly what I thought it would be from what people told me.
      And now, I am here updating this little old blog of mine and just about ready to make the last part of my trip. To be honest I do not think I have been this excited/nervous during this whole trip until now. As my destination gets closer the more excited/nervous I get. This trip up until now has been quite blissful, but now it feels more real than anything. Besides the location and nature of my destination I do not know what lies ahead of me. Whatever it is, I am sure that it will prove to be an adventure of a lifetime.
     Well, I better be getting some rest now. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day for me. Wish me luck! :D See you all next post! (Which should be in Yellowstone if all goes well)

The Great Yellowstone Adventure

The Yellowstone Adventure that I have been blabbing about for the past few months has finally come and the first leg of my journey is now complete. My brother, Dad, and I set out from our home in Salem, Oregon at 9:00 A.M. and drove for about 400 miles towards Spokane, Washington where we are now resting for the rest of the day and night.
     The trip thus far has proven to be pretty uneventful. With the occasional sightings of wildlife on the side of the road, dead and alive. Our stops were limited to food, resting, and refueling. I will say this though; Northeastern Oregon has some of the best scenery I have yet to see. Plenty of trees, the Columbia River, and many grand rock formations. Washington on the other hand has proved to be unimpressive in my eyes. Really all I have seen are vast expanses of flat and sometimes low flowing hills. Those kind of scenes never inspire my inner photographer.
     The second leg of the trip will start tomorrow where our next destination is Bozeman, Montana. It should last as long as today's trip and should be as smooth. 
     Anyways, I thought that I would give you all a quick update before today was done. I will update this blog once again once I get into Bozeman and once I get situated in Yellowstone I will update this blog three times a week, just like I used to ;)
     Okay, I better go now. I am hungry and there are some places that look like they deserve a visit. See you all next post!

Haha, My Bad

     Hello everyone! I am sorry that I have not done a very good job of keeping up with the blog, but I really felt like I should take a break from it for a while. And I also apologize for not letting you guys in on my little break haha I am hoping that I will not make the same mistake twice.
     Anyway, I intend to update the blog three times a week as I did before and I now intend to just update you all on what has been going on in my life since I left.
     This past weekend was fantastic as many of my fellow Salemites have seen. The weather hear has finally come around and we enjoyed 70 ish degree days and finally were able to get out and about in the sun. I spent my sunny weekend just walking around our beautiful parks and downtown. The rest of the week has been pretty boring with little islands of excitement. I am hoping that I will be able to think of more things to write about seeing as events in my life are few and far between as far as I can see. I am sure though that things will get rollings once my trip to Yellowstone starts.
     Well, I better be going. I probably should get some sleep. Bye!

It's Just One of Those Days

     Today, I woke up and I already knew how my day was going to play out. Knowing at all how my day is going to be before it even starts is not a very good thing. To me at least. I am trying to find things to do to keep myself from going insane while I wait for my departure as well as trying to scrounge enough money to actually get to my destination. Which, has proven to be a little harder than I first thought. This has been my main worry and even though I do not leave for about a month I cannot help but panic sometimes at the thought of not being able to get to Yellowstone.
     I know deep down though that things will turn out alright and that I will indeed make it to Yellowstone on time...Even though I believe this I voice my worries because it is therapeutic. Even guys need to vent from time to time you know.
     Another thought that has occurred to me is that I will be in a landlocked state and will have no access to an ocean or sea of any kind.  When I first thought of the very idea of not having an ocean nearby I was quite worried. I have always felt comforted having the coast never be to far away from me. I love the coast very much, if I could I would choose to live there. I always feel more relaxed and down to earth when ever I am at any ocean/sea beach. It can be quite therapeutic for me. And not being able to visit any of the beaches here in Oregon during the summer, when it is the best time to visit, makes me a little sad. Despite all of this, and after some thinking, I believe that I will be alright in Wyoming. True there are no oceans or seas to speak of in the area, but I will be surrounded by the most beautiful landscapes in the country. And really that is a fair trade. Plus, the fact that there are lakes around will help.
     Well, I think that is enough ramblings for one day. I hope that you all are having a good day that you your weekends are even better. I will see you all next post.

BLARGH!

     Now that I just have to wait for my departure time for Yellowstone I find myself with much more time on my hands. And for me this could either be a good thing or a bad thing. So far, it has proven to be a good thing. I have finally have time to actually get things done around here. My writing projects are actually getting done, I am reading way more than I normally am able to, and I have all the time in the world to research any part of history I want.
     Normally one would think that if they are doing whatever they want, things are all fine and dandy. Well, they would be right. However, I can safely say that even though I am doing things that I enjoy at anytime, I am getting quite bored of it. I am sure that I just need to get outside and go for a walk and this feeling of stale boredom will go away. For a little while at least.
     I think that a new activity or hobby should be in order to kill the time that I have before my departure. Perhaps I could learn a bit of guitar? What better skill to learn for when I have friends around a fire. And chicks dig guitar players right? Or I could read up on some Yellowstone history. You know, I will be the first in my family to even set foot in Yellowstone. It might be well worth a look to find out a little bit about where I will spending a fourth of the year. Oh, I got it! I should learn a bit of astronomy so as to impress everyone with my knowledge of the stars. Chicks like knowledgeable guys too right? ;)
     In any case, I need to find something new to do in my life or I will go crazy. I may only have a little over a month before I leave, but it seems SO far away now. I hope that I can make it without losing my sanity. This blog is doing a good job of keeping my sanity though and for that I am grateful. The Bookshelf however seems to only cause me stress, but I know that stress is well worth it when I see my go live for all the world to see.
     I think that I will wrap this up and see what I can find in regards to hobbies/activities. Hopefully I can find some good stuff. If you have a fun suggestion, feel free to leave a comment below. Alright, I shall see you all on Friday. Oh and watch out for The Bookshelf's latest review, which should be up this coming Monday. Or at least that's the deadline I set for myself. Okay, enough self promoting, I will see you all next post! Adios!

Lift Up Your Hearts

  Just a little something that I came across a while back on one of my research binges I tend to have. This speech is among my favorites and  reminds me why I love history so much. It was given by Winston Churchill in June of 1941. Winston Churchill, in my opinion was not one of the best speakers, (Churchill was known to have a distinguishable lisp whenever he gave speeches) but this is one of his exceptions. And I think that it is his best. I  Hope you guys enjoy it as much as I do. 

On My Mind

     A prominent subject in my life these days has been arrogance. Now that I know how to recognize it in myself and others, I am noticing it a lot more than I would like to. Arrogance for me has never been something to be proud of. As most of us are in our early teenage years, I too was arrogant. I thought I knew so much more than others and because of my supposed superior knowledge I thought that I was a genius surrounded by idiots. This feeling frustrated me to no end and only fueled my anger and arrogance towards others. Needless to say that those who I treated with such disrespect thought of me as a very dis-likable person to say the least. As I grew older and realized that being arrogant only gave others who really were smarter or wiser than you a free pass to bring you down verbally, I decided that I should drop the arrogance gig and to bluntly put it, grow up.
     Now, that does not mean that I am totally arrogant free. I truly try to keep arrogance out of my attitude menu, but there are times that I can let it slip. A perfect example is when I really do know more about something or an area of interest than others. History is the first thing that comes to mind. When I have a discussion about, let's say the reasons why the North won the Civil War, with another person that knows just the basics. Now, most of the time I find myself educating them rather than making them feel like crap for not knowing that factories and population were a factor in the Civil War. But, when the person I am talking to tries to make an argument with the little knowledge they have, I usually let loose the cannons of knowledge I have reserved in my brain for such occasions. Do I win these conversations? a majority of the time, yes. Do I feel good about it? Not really.
     When I see the same kind of arrogance that I display from time to time, I try to defuse it before it gets any worse. There are some people out there though that I swear love to be arrogant, and pick conversational fights that have really no relevance whatsoever. Those people I try to ignore.
     I know arrogance is going to be around as long as there are people on this planet, and that I am going to have to deal with it. All I can do is try to be as unarrogant (is that even word?) as I can be and try to help others to do the same by setting an example.
     I think that that will be a good place to wrap this up and bid you all a great day and that you have a great Easter weekend with friends and family. See you next post!

Be Prepared!

     Since the last time I put up a post I have been preparing for my departure to Yellowstone National Park. So far I have taken care of the formal paper work and collected documents that are essential if I am able to work there. I still have yet to gather enough money to travel to Yellowstone, but that is a work in progress and I am sure that I have been given ample time to do so. The more that I get done for this new venture of mine the more real it starts to feel. I still have a hard time believing that any of this is even happening.
     On a different note, I am quite pleased with the launch of my new blog The Bookshelf. I really am not discouraged at the page views at this point, or even the comments. Both of which are quite few at this point. But, I have noticed that it makes a huge difference about what you think about those things when you actually enjoy what you are doing. I know I have said it a zillion times, but I really do love reading and writing.
     Well, This preparing for Yellowstone has been taking up a chunk of my time this week so there really is not much to post about except for that. Nothing newly exciting here yet. I guess I am grateful for that in a way. Being too exciting tends to make me go a little crazy. Alright, I think that is enough for one post. I hope that you are all having a good week and I will see you next post.

BIG NEWS!

     This weekend has brought some amazing news and completions for me. The biggest piece of news is that I finally found work! :D I have been offered a job at Yellowstone National Park! That's right, I will be spending my summer working and playing at the most famous national park in the world. I still can't stop get over the excitement of it all! This means that I will not be attending spring term of college. I do intend to come back to college. When exactly I will do that I have no idea. Like I have said before on this blog, I want to concentrate on work a little bit before I head back to school. So, in light of my new opportunity, my week is dedicated to preparing for this adventure I am about to embark on. I do not have to report to the park until May 15th so I have time, but I do want to have it all done ASAP so that I can just sit back and relax while I wait for my flight. Again, I am SUPER excited and can't wait to get going :D
     And don't worry. I will be bringing my computer with me so Eye of The Beholder will still be up and running as usual. You will indeed be able to hear of the happenings of my time in Yellowstone.
     The other news I wanted to tell you all is that today I have finally finished that "special project" that I have mentioned a few times here on the blog. My project was actually another blog, but this blog is different. The blog that I have created is dedicated to review books :D It is called The Bookshelf and I am so excited to have the first review up today! I have a fixed schedule for when  I am going to be reading and reviewing. And my audience will be a deciding factor when it comes to the books I do read and review. I have been meaning to get this off the ground for months and now that I have had time this past week to read and write my guts out, The Bookshelf is now a reality :) I encourage you to check it out and see it for yourself. Just click here http://bookshelfreview.blogspot.com  Please feel free to comment about what you thought about it as well. Every comment helps me to become a better writer ;)
     Well, that really is all of the news and stuff I wanted to tell you all. I am going to be SUPER busy, but in a good way. Alright, I better get going, I promised myself I would be productive today and so far I am doing a pretty good job of it ;) See you all next post!      

Time to Spare

     Well, this Spring Break Friday will be spent as many of my Fridays are spent. With some friends (and brothers), and a lot of video games. Competition always gets intense so I can pretty much guarantee it will be a fun night.
     Anyway, things here have been pretty relaxed and cool since my last post. It being Spring Break and all I am not surprised that things have been going this smoothly for me. I have found a lot of time on my hands as well since school will not be back until Monday. I am semi excited for school to start in a couple of days. I am excited because it will finally give me a schedule so that I can get my sleep pattern back to normal as well as something to do when I am bored. Oh, and the fact that all of my classes are history classes and are online make next term look just a little bit more attractive to me. The reason why I do not want school to be back in the next couple days is because I won't be able to concentrate on my special project that I has been in the works for about a week now. I will announce what that special project is hopefully by the end of break. I think you all will enjoy it. I also will not have too much time to do two of my favorite things; reading and writing...Wait a minute, that's all I am going to be doing with my history classes. I guess this term won't be too horrible I guess. I would prefer that I write and read what I want to read and write about, but hey beggars can't be choosers.
     Speaking of reading, last night, after reading for 5 days straight I finished the The Hunger Games book. And I must say I rather enjoyed it. I am excited to get on to the second book. I always appreciate a good story. Finishing this book has reminded me that I am actually juggling between multiple books at the moment, which can be a good thing, but also a bad one. It is good because I love to have more than one story to have going on in my head, but it is bad because sometimes if I read too many books at a time then I tend to forget some major details or even forget that I am reading a particular book at all. Now that these books that I have been reminded of any books that I started I am starting to organize said books and get reading right away. Again, I don't think I will have as much time to do so once school starts, but promise you and myself that I will read them.
     As I am writing this post there is a huge carpenter ant on the wall to my left...He is just sitting there like he is taunting me or something. I hate this time of year when those monstrous ants start coming out of the woodwork and making my life just a little bit more difficult. As soon as this post is finished that ant is going down!
     Well, if I want to take that ant out anytime soon I just better wrap this post up now. Before I go though I want to ask you, what is the most annoying insect or bug in general that you have come across and hate with a passion? As you have just found out with me it is the carpenter ant -_- Now, I will bid you all farewell and hope that the rest of your week treats you well. See you next post!

History

Many of those who know me know that I have a great love for history, especially American history. I never have really explained why I love it so much, so I think that I will take the time to do so now.
     When I look back I can see that my interest in history started with what my father and I talked about pertaining to history. He and I have talked about the politics, tragedies, and wars that have shaped this country for a a better part of a decade. Our conversations always felt like we were reminiscing over bygone days or horrible memories that were somewhat painful to bring up. Talking about America's history with my father filled me with fascination and awe. I got the same kind of feeling I get when I read about an epic tale or legend from a time long gone. Except with history, the events and people we discussed actually happened and existed. I think that is what really got me hooked. The reality of the things we talked about along with their results is what made me wonder and become even more curious.
     As the years went by and I started going to public school, I was exposed to even more history that I just could never get enough of. So, as any young historian would do, I used the power of the internet to quench my thirst for knowledge of America. Very soon I was finding myself reading articles about details of past wars, movements, and historical figures. In fact, I still do that from time to time.And the more that I have learned on my own, the easier my history classes became. And by the time I came to college, my history classes were a piece of cake.
     I love history mostly because I am just naturally attracted to anything that has to do with history. I also love it because I think it is a very important tool. I think history is important because we can learn from the mistakes that we have made throughout it. It's a reminder of where we all came from and a good indicator of where we may be headed in the future. And history can even give us a better understanding of why and how this country came to be the way it is today. Personally I do not think that a person should go on through life without at least a basic knowledge of this great country's and the worlds history. But, unfortunately this that is not the case. However I do enjoy explaining certain aspects of history to those who do not understand or have heard of them.
     Bottom line; I love history and I do not see myself getting tired of it anytime soon. 
     Well, that seems to be all that is on my mind today, so I will be getting back to working on my little project I mentioned earlier. Don't worry, I will explain everything soon. See you next post!
   

Mr. Lonely

     As you all know, it is now Spring Break and I hope that you are all taking advantage of this time to sit back, relax, and do whatever the heck you want for a week. Especially us college students. Lord knows we deserve a week of freedom. I will be spending my own Spring Break doing what I love; reading, writing, and spending time with my good friends. This weekend I have done exactly that to start off this years Spring Break. It does my heart good to be able to spend time with those I can truly call my friends.
     On a more personal note, I have been feeling quite lonely lately. This emotion always seems to catch me off guard. With me, loneliness seems to come and go. Some days I will be as happy as a clam and others my thoughts are all jumbled and I cannot focus because of those lonely thoughts. Even though these thoughts do plague me from time to time I have done a pretty decent job from letting them get the better of me. But, to be perfectly honest I miss having that romantic/intimate companionship. It is a good feeling to have, knowing that the person I love, loves me in return. Knowing that that person will be there for me no matter what, acting as my support and comrade in everything I do and knowing that I would be willing to do the same for them. That's all am really asking for. For the time being though, I just need to keep on moving forward and bettering myself and my life for whoever I deem worthy to give my love to.
     Well, I really must be on my way, I have a fun project to work on that I think that you will all enjoy. More on that later though ;) I hope that you all have a wonderful day and that you start off your Spring Break in whatever way you see fit. See you next post!
    

Spring Break?

I am actually quite proud of this photo. So crisp and clean.

     Yesterday, we had a pretty large snowfall. Or at least large by Oregon standards. On March 21st it snowed all day and by the next morning 5-6 inches had accumulated over the part of town where I reside. I don't think that I have seen so much snow in the years that I lived here in Oregon. Needless to say I took this opportunity to take a nice early morning walk and to hopefully add some pics to my personal photography portfolio. So, on March 22nd I got up at 6:30am (an ungodly hour to be up I know, but I think it was totally worth it) and took a little stroll around my neighborhood. The simple walk that I was expecting to have turned out to be an Arctic expedition. Even though it was a partially cloudy day, the snow on the ground alone made it slow going. I did not get far from my house but, I was able to get out long enough to enjoy the out of season winter wonderland and snag several photos that I am quite proud of.
     And after my little walk My brothers and I promptly made some pretty awesome snowmen. I think it is safe to say that a good time was had by all. I hope that you guys enjoy these photos as much as I do. And with that I will bid you all a good evening and I hope that you all have a great weekend. See you all next post!

I love shots of trees like this.

My brothers' snowman: "Square by Nature"

My snowman :D

Silly old me. My inner child really came out that day XD

Just reached the top of the hill in time to see the sun rise.

  

Oregon: Where the Sun Don't Shine

     Phew! Finally, I am done with the torments and worries of this term of my schooling. It feels nice to finally have nothing to worry about needing to be turned in. Or having the pressure of 1,000 whales on your back from a piece of paper telling you what to do. With finals behind me I now have all of Spring Break ahead of me to enjoy. Or at least I think it is Spring Break. With all of the snow we have been getting here today I am not quite sure that spring will ever come. It has literally been snowing all day today and I do not see any sign of it stopping. I do like snow from time to time, but when it impedes with the natural order of the seasons and the weather associated with said seasons I tend to get a little miffed. This unnatural weather does not bode well for our upcoming summer. I swear, if this summer turns out like anything like the summer we had before (those of you who live in Oregon know what I am talking about) I am going somewhere where the sunlight is much more abundant.
     Speaking of more sun, i have found a job opportunity working at Yellowstone National Park. Thanks to a good friend of mine I was told of jobs there and how to apply. Fascinated with the prospect and possibilities of working in one of the most famous national parks in the world, I applied as soon as I got home from finishing up my last final. And today I got an email back saying that I should know whether I got the job or not in about 2 to 6 weeks. I am really hoping that I would get the job. Getting it would mean that I would be going on my biggest adventure yet! And I think that is why I really am wanting this job so much. The money would be great, but what I really want is something new to happen with my life right now. A new adventure is something that I think will do me some good. And what better place to have a new adventure than at Yellowstone National Park! :D I shall keep you updated on anything that is related to this amazing opportunity.
        Other than that, life as me has been busy with school work and as a result pretty boring. I have made some new friends along the way in school and that I am always grateful for. Oh, and I feel that I must mention this: I love Twinkies! I could take out a whole box if I had the chance! I may have a problem, but I can't help it! To me, they are golden nuggets of goodness sent to earth by God as a gift to man.
     Anyway, it has been a busy few weeks and I am glad I am able to have time to relax for a bit before I get back to the school. I am also happy that I can get back to updating this blog regularly. I never that I would enjoy writing on here as much as I do now.
     Well, I better be off. I have the sudden urge to play Mario Kart and if that desire is not dealt with all hell will break loose. Well, all hell breaks loose anyways when I play that game so we shall see how it all plays out ;) Ok, I will talk to you all later! See you next post! :D

Odd, But Good

     Well, today seems to be an odd day for me. What else is new? Not a bad odd though, this morning I found myself in a more than usual chipper mood. In fact, I still am as I am writing this post. I don't know if my coffee had an extra shot in it or my inner Oregonian is finally deciding to show its appreciation for the torrential rain we have been having lately or even if I am just glad that I am shaking off the cold I had before. Maybe it has something to do with it being the Ides of March...if that is true wouldn't it be a bad thing? Oh, geez I hope no one stabs me today O_O In any case, I am not complaining. I even was in a good mood while taking a writing quiz I had today. Again, odd, but good.
     This term is wrapping up quickly and I have already prepared my classes for next term, And to my great delight I have all history classes lined up for me :D This excites me to no end and I am very much looking forward to learning as much as I can from these classes. And even better, the classes I have signed up for all have to do with parts of history I know little or nothing about, which means I will be cramming my head with so much new information! Russian, Pacific Northwest, and Ancient history here I come! I do not think words can describe how ecstatic I am about these classes. I am a history nut and I am proud of it :)
     My search for work still is ongoing. Well, as ongoing as it can be with this huge rain cloud known as finals hovering over my head. Like I said in my last post, I really want to find something soon and I do have a deadline. I am hoping the deadline will be an incentive to get my ass into gear. I think it will work, it usually does. The ever growing need for a car also helps. I just need to keep my eyes peeled and leave no stone unturned.
    Well, I better be going now seeing as my next class starts in a bit. But, before I go I want to share one of my favorite quotes with you. For those of you who actually know me, I am sure you know why I would like this particular quote and for those who don't I think you can guess why just by reading it.   
 
 “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” -Mark Twain

     And with that bid you all a good day and hope that the rest of your week brings you good fortune.
     
     
 

Dead Week, Colds, and Cars

Holy flying monkeys, things have been getting crazy around here since I last put up my last post. I said in my last post that I would not be able to keep up with my regular blog posting schedule until after my finals (that has not changed) and it seems that finals are the least of my worries now.
     Dead Week is proving to be a little less formidable than I first thought. I think it is due to the fact that most of my classes have only essays for me to write as a final, which I actually enjoy doing. My Writing class though is not one of those classes. Unfortunately I am having to memorize a bunch of terms that I may or may not remember once I am done with the class. Plus, I am sure that I have an essay due sometime soon...I may have to check my binder and see. Anyway, school is school and I will be glad when Spring Break comes along to save me from this term.
     My plans for next term are simple; I plan to just take an online coarse, probably a world history class, and use the rest of the time I have to find work. I figure that if I do take an online class I will have more hours and opprotunites to be able to work and more hours equals more money. I just feel that it is time for me to focus on getting myself out there and finally getting some work again. Also the feeling of being a totally broke and carless young man never is fun, especially when it limits your adventures/visits with your best friend(s) to almost none. My ultimate goal is to finally get a car of my own and the way to get started with that is to find work and get money saved up. I am hoping that I will find something by the middle of next month, hopefully sooner, and have enough to by some wheels before the summer is out. However, December 31st is my dead line to reach my goal and I do intend to get there.
     On top of Dead Week I have been cursed with a very annoying cold for the past two days. And I know I risk sounding like a pansy when I say this, but really, I cannot function if I have a cold like the one I that is plaguing me right now. It being Dead Week though, I had to force myself out of my warm toasty bed and into the cold and crazy world to attend my classes. Except for the excessive amounts of sneezing, my nose running like Niagara Falls, and being extremely tired, my day at school was not too bad. Hopefully this cold will be totally gone in the next few days. Lucky for me I have been blessed with a pretty kick ass immune system. 
         Well, I better be wrapping this up. It's already getting hard to keep staring at a bright screen and trying to type letters onto it. Perhaps some time away from my computer will speed up my recovery process. Alright, well hopefully I will be back with another post tomorrow and if not, well than I ask for you good people to be patient and hope that you all understand the crazy time I am going through at the moment. I hope that you all are having a great week and that you reach the end of it unharmed. Later! :D

Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen!

     Today, I thought I would share one of my favorite speeches of all time with you. This speech was given by Dwight D. Eisenhower just prior to the D-Day invasion on June 6th, 1944. It never ceases to inspire me and I hope it does the same for you too.


     Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon a great crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers in arms on other fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

     Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle hardened, he will fight savagely.
But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man to man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our home fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to victory!

     I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory!
Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.

-- Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower

Busy, Busy, Busy!!!!!

Hey everyone, I thought I would just let you all know that this term of college is wrapping up form me in the next couple of weeks and that I am going to be super busy during those weeks. So, that means that I may or may not be getting chances to post long and intense blog posts like I usually do. I know, it is tragic, but this crazy time should only last until March 17th, which is when fall term ends here at school. If I do indeed get a chance to write something, most likely it will be a short and sweet update of what is going on. Maybe even a mini rant. We will have to wait and see. Anywho, I better be off and get all of these essays and projects completed. I hope that you all are having a great start to your week and that it only gets better. See you in future posts!

Decisions, Decisions

     As the title of this blog suggests, I have been having to make some pretty big decisions concerning my education and what direction I want my life to be going. I am not all too thrilled about all of this responsibility and pressure that comes with these decisions, but hey that's life. I am going to have to just suck it up and choose which path to take as best I can.
     As far as my education goes, I am thinking that I may just have to ease on the gas pedal so to speak. The past several terms I have been so concerned with taking as many classes as I can to be able to graduate and move on. This mentality has both helped and hurt whatever classes I have taken in the past and I really did not think I was getting as much out of those classes as I should. Even though I was getting pretty decent grades, I just did the work and sped through the classes just wanting it all to be over. It is because of this why I have decided to drop a class from my current schedule. I figure if I am not going to get what I want out of the class then why continue, even if it would help me graduate. 
     I have also been preoccupied with the notion of getting work while taking the full load of classes I am taking now. Honestly though I do not have the confidence or multitasking talents to be able to do both, I know that some do, but I do not. I am actively looking for work now, and my search will only get more extensive once this term is over. I do not intend to just drop college where I am now, I have worked too hard to just leave it where it is now. I plan to just take one or two classes that are able to contribute to my graduation and work around that schedule with any job that I may find willing to do so. I feel that speeding through my schooling will do me more harm than good, so I will take it in sips rather than big gulps.
     On a related note, I engaged in some pretty deep conversations concerning how I view humanity, race, spirituality, religion, and life in general. Yeah, I know. Pretty heavy stuff to be just bringing up in an everyday conversation. But, in this case the one I was having a conversation with was asking me questions for a class and thought I would help out, not initially knowing how detailed they would get with their questions. Had I known I would have said no in a heartbeat. Needless to say, I was extremely emotionally and mentally drained for the rest of the day. I had no motivation whatsoever and it didn't help that I had an essay due the next day. All that to say, I won't be talking about discussing anything too heavy on here or anywhere else for a little while.
      I am at a cross road in my life and I intend on going one way or the other. Which way I go depends what going down that road will do to me the further I follow it. I am hoping that I have the wisdom to choose the right one.
     
    

People are people

People are people

I do not see black, white, or brown

I just see people

 I am blind to race, creed, and religion

I just see people

Do not expect me to judge a book by its cover

People are people

 

A Very Odd Day

     As I write this, the college I attend is on a partial lock down due to the fact that we have received a shooting threat. Why it is not on total lock down is beyond me. Now, things are going as they usually do everyday; the tutoring center is still open, the food court is still serving food, and people are still coming for classes almost acting as if there wasn't even a threat of any kind. If all of the students are hiding their fear than I applaud them because I cannot see any. Fear is like a virus, it can spread fast and easily if not contained causing more damage. If we all just stay alert I am sure things will turn out smoothly. Despite that, I personally am scared out of my wits and almost at the point of being overly paranoid. I keep on expecting to hear not so far away gunshots at any moment.
      The faculty of my school are hurrying back and forth between offices, making me feel even more uneasy about today's situation. The college's President's office is practically a fishbowl which is allowing me to see the huddled group of faculty, campus security, and cops. No doubt discussing how they should take care of the threat. I am being as alert as I can and keeping my ears and eyes open. That extra kick I put in my coffee this morning should help me out for a couple of hours.
      I never imagined an event such as this would happen in my little corner of the world. But as I read the news this morning it only confirms how naive I am about how the world can be in this day and age. An Ohio high school was reported to have an actual shooting not too long ago this morning. With five students reported to be shot, one of them now dead. I do not find this comforting at all, in fact this just amplifies my fear. I keep finding myself starring at everyone that passes by me, looking for any evidence that may lead me to believe that they are the ones who are going to eventually shoot up the place. Now, I know that I am judging like crazy today and usually I am not like this. I could care less what one looks like or what one does with one's self. But, when the safety of myself and those around me are threatened, you bet your ass I am going to be scoping people out. Well, at least until the threat has passed, then it's back to non judgmental David.