Reflecting. (2010)

I found another note for my retro series! I know you're as thrilled as I am.

Technically, this one isn't very old. I wrote it back in April with the intention of posting it during the last week of my Senior year, but instead, I tossed it. So now, I'm...untossing it.

Reflecting.

Over the past four years, I've experienced a wide variety of teaching styles through a colorful assortment of instructors. Some have left lasting impressions on me which I will cherish, others...have emotionally and/or mentally scarred me for life.


Regardless of their disposition, however, they've all played a role in getting me to where I am today. So, here's my tribute to them, my high school teachers:


Coach Howard
Redefining the vocal decibel levels within human capability, Coach Howard has kept me awake and attentive through an entire year of Calculus. He's one of the most brilliant men you'll ever meet, and not only is he a genius in mathematics, but he knows ALOT about baseball. Besides teaching, Coach Howard is a mentor to all of his students. He tells the best stories and can relate to almost any situation.


"You weren't gonna have homework, but I was out at the golf course when I tripped over this big stack of Calculus!"


Madame Waits
Truly, Madame is one of my favorite people. Ever. Between her limitless knowledge of the French culture and her great sense of humor, Madame is an unbelievable teacher. Unlike many others, she actually knows what she's talking about and then some. Because of this, most of us have come to know her as "The Fount of Useless Knowledge." Whether she is teaching a lesson or chewing someone out in multiple languages, there are no dull moments with Madame.


"This is why I teach, so I don't have to deal with adults. Because honestly? I'd kill someone."


Mr. Loope
To be completely honest, Mr. Loope is a philosopher in his own right. Give him any literary work and he can pick it apart, analyze it, piece it back together, and teach it like he wrote it. Quickly, his students learn to never question the wisdom of Dante, Shakespeare, or Aristotle. With a voice that undoubtedly resembles God's voice, Loope with valliantly defend those men and any other author with whom he is familiar. Loope is a man of strong morals and values, and much like Coach Howard, he's quite the mentor. His personal stories will bring on catharsis in his audience, something I never knew existed until his class. I will dearly miss and fondly recall his morbid humor and hatred of smiley faces for years to come.


"Instead of saying, 'You wanna piece of me?' try an AP approach like, 'Desirest thou a portion of my person?'"

You don't know me.

While sitting in Psychology today, the guy next to me (during class, mind you) had a phone conversation to this effect:

Classmate: "Hi. Yes, you don't happen to have anymore of the Halo: Reach Xbox 360 systems?"

(mumbling in the phone)

Classmate: "You do? YES! Really? Could you hold it?"

Classmate's Friend: "They do? YEAH! We're goin' to Gamestop, baby!" *high fives*

(more talking in the phone)

Classmate: "Awesome, just awesome. Oh, my name? Nick. It's Nick."

(rather loud, practically scream level noise comes from the phone)

Classmate: "Nah, dude. Nah, you don't know me. You're thinkin' of a different Nick."

(phone noise continues)

Classmate: "Really, man...I don't know you. You don't know me."

(classmate's friend bursts into laughter, phone noise continues)

Classmate: "Okay, my friend and I will be there after class to pick it up."

(phone noise peaks again)

Classmate: *sigh* "No, you don't know my friend eith...dude, it doesn't matter what his name is. You don't know him."

Gamestop employees think they know everybody, but they don't know nobody.

Opportunity.

With college now running at full capacity, it's safe to assume that when I'm not on campus, I'm at home staring at a textbook, or as is the case this week, staring at one of many blank Word documents.

I've been writing nonstop for the past three days and will continue writing for the remainder of the week. I'm honestly surprised that carpal tunnel hasn't set in yet. Typically, I shudder at the thought of homework, but it's different when I'm writing. Expressing myself through words is kinda my thing.

Granted, I'm not too keen on devoting ALL of my time to it, but it's definitely better than Calculus.

Following the this week's theme of big changes, I made the big decision to change my major to Journalism. To complement that decision, I applied for a job as a writer on my university's newspaper staff. I landed the job, not because of my charming disposition alone. It was actually this blog that helped catch their attention.

This is all very sudden, very new to me, and it will take some getting used to, but finally, I think I have some direction in my life. I believe that, for now, this is what God has for me. He's opened the doors, and I'm going through them.

I don't know how long it will last, if it lasts. Heck, this may turn out be just a small stepping stone in my life. There may be something totally different out there waiting, but in the end, I can truly say I'm thankful for the opportunity.

Saved.

Have you ever had one of those days where everything really sucks? Those days when, if you had a knife, you can instantly think of the ten people you'd cut first?

That was my Monday this week.

There was no doubt in my mind that, regardless of how the rest of the day went, nothing could possibly redeem the awful day I'd had. But, in His usual way, God proved me wrong.

On my Facebook wall, a lone message from my aunt was posted. It read:

"[Your cousin] wanted to let you know that he got saved yesterday. :)"

When nothing else on earth could've brightened my day, nothing else could have made me happy at that moment in time, God used a little boy to do just that. He never ceases to amaze me.

I love you buddy, and I'm so glad you'll be in Heaven with me one day.

Connections. (2005)

I was going through my old notes and essays again today, and lucky for me, I found yet another note I felt was blogworthy. This is the second one of my retro posts from the late middle school to early high school days. If you can get past my forced diction and overly dramatic tone, it's not half bad.

Connections.

I've recently learned you never lose a connection; it just dissapates into a frail shadow of it's former self. When friends drift apart, the friendship still exists, but it's hidden. Hidden under misunderstood anger, grudges, and unresolved conflict.

But in recalling the past, when life was good and the friendship was strong, the connection heals. It is reborn with an even stronger structure, and an awkward peace returns. As if something was missing all along, that you simply ignored and continued life without. I know, first hand, that ignoring it is a major mistake.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that sometimes it's okay to dwell on the past. Because sometimes...it's the only way to fix the future.

Facelift.

In case you haven't already noticed, my blog has undergone some major visual changes. If you didn't notice, then you should start reading my blog more.

Honestly, my decision to repaint this badboy had nothing to do with my personal style or growing desire to mix things up. In fact, I liked the old layout. I still do. But it seemed fitting that as my writing changes, as I change, so should my blog.

I can't ignore the fact that my sarcastic, comical posts are gradually becoming more and more rare. I'm tackling serious issues in my life, so naturally, my thoughts are going to end up here. Don't get me wrong, I love writing stuff that makes people laugh, but just know that "LOL" is not always going to be an appropriate response. I'm prepared for that though.

People may hate me for what I say. You may hate me for what I say. But that doesn't mean I won't say it. From here on out, it's 100% me.

Oh, and the title? It comes straight from my new "thesis" for this blog.

"In an extraordinary world created by an extraordinary God, I'm just an ordinary guy."

Heroes.

No, I'm not referring to that "save the cheerleader" nonsense. I'm talking about straight up, everyday heroes in our lives. Personally, I have several that I can name off the top of my head, and with time, I'm certain I could fill a book with the names of all the people who inspire me, the people I genuinely look up to.

Often, my view of those heroes is highly romanticized. So much so, that I tend to forget that they are, with the exception of Jesus Christ Himself, humans much like myself. They have flaws and weaknesses, and they can, they will screw up from time to time. Unfortunately for them, their mistakes carry a far heavier price. They affect every single person who ever looked up to them, and any personal shame is amplified on a public scale.

It's happened recently, and it's happened to me, to one of my heroes. But something was different this time. Something clicked, and I think I now know what makes a hero.

For one of the few times in my life, I wasn't ashamed or disappointed of his shortcoming. I was so proud and inspired by the determination and the integrity I witnessed in him to make it right.

I learned that the true test of a hero is not how he acts when he's at the peak of his game and not how he lives when his life is going great. It's those crappy times full of depression and uncertainty, the times when everyone else has given up on them, the times when they truly can't see even the slightest glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

THAT is when a hero's integrity is tested.

I've taught you well, young grasshopper.

When hanging out with my little bro (age 9), it's a well known fact that anything and everything I say can and will be repeated. And it will be repeated...in front of my parents.

My brother and I, while playing video games last week, had a conversation that went something like this:

Me: "Crap! Well, I died..."

Brother: "What happened?"

Me: "I just got pimp slapped by some guy with a massive hammer."

(He bursts into laughter having no clue what a pimp is, nor how it can slap someone.)

One week later...

Dad: (laughing, to my mom) "So, your son just said the weirdest thing..."

Mom: "What?"

Dad: (still laughing) "We were playing Xbox, and he randomly starting yelling about how someone "pimp slapped" him."

Mom: (turning to me) "I wonder where he heard THAT..."

What? I'm just prepping him for high school.

All up in my business.

Schedules are typically feared, rigidly followed, and practically sacred. At least, that's how it's always been for me.

But recently, I've been trying this go-with-the-flow approach to life, and I have to say, it's working for me pretty well. Instead of avoiding making plans so I have down time, I purposely eliminate as much down time as I can. Oddly enough? Being overscheduled rocks.

I know, I know. This will be short lived, I'm spreading myself too thin, I'll regret it in the long run, yada yada yada. Maybe I will...but maybe I won't. I realize most people don't react to being extremely busy in a positive manner, even temporarily. But I also realize that I'm not like most people.

Naysayers (you know who you are), I appreciate your concern, but this works for me.

Dr. Phil, Oprah, and Montel may have brainwashed you into thinking you should turn down plans if they're too much for you to handle, but I'm saying don't. I may not have a TV show, a clan of groupies, or a bangin' weave, but hear me out. New experiences are priceless, and you're not going to gain any new experiences if you're constantly living in fear of the clock.

Just this week, try saying yes to everything...except drugs, hookers, and anything else that's illegal. Looking back, you'll be surprised how much you've done, how much you've experienced in seven days.