Xtreme Cuddling

I've been thinking about my major a lot lately.  I mean, this is something that is going to lead to that thing I do - whatever that may be - for the rest of my life.  When I think about my major, I'm like, Yeah! Geography! I can learn about everywhere in the world and be a computer master and go on safaris and hug koala bears! But then I'm sitting in Map Interpretation class, and the teacher hands us big table-top maps, writes a series of 8 digits on the board, and then says, "Find that on the map."  And this is not just hunt-and-find that number on the map.  This is, figure out which each number means and translate each of them into one point on one grid on one section of that map.  It doesn't help that the teacher is so excited about his topic that he talks quickly, and I'm intimidated so I'm thinking slowly, and by the time I figure out the first thing he says, he's already done explaining some other thing.  Basically, I'm lucky to grasp every other step we cover in class.  With those odds, I'll get a 50 on our first exam. Awesome.  The thing is, I still am excited about my major.  So far this has been the first class that feels like a little too much.  Then again, this is the first real technical GIS class I've had.  What if it gets harder from here?  What I really need is to take the actual Geographic Information Systems course.  I don't know much about computers but I know I am capable of navigating them once I'm introduced to new systems.  I mean, I really liked CIS 125, but... I have a feeling that's not entirely relevent.  

To clarify, I'm not freaking out.  I'm just being honest with myself.  

Last week in forum (it was canceled this past week), Vince said, "Never let anyone tell you your job is just a paycheck."  It will change my life.  I will schedule my life around it.  Vacations, kids, relationships... It will be most of the reasons I "do" and "do not" for possibly the rest of my life.  (I'm still on the fence about how I want to do family stuff: how I raise my kids, etc.)

Anyway, I'm thinking about turning in this Success by 6 volunteer info sheet to Vince.  Better Beginnings needs workers.  The program is with United Way, which is cool because I actually wrote a couple songs about United Way for Honor's Step Sing last year.  It'll be like, "Oh hey nice to meet ya, I wrote songs for you last December" ... awkward...

I really liked the director of Success by 6, Emily Baker.  She was very relatable, mostly because she's close to our age.  It makes me feel like I can do a lot right now to benefit my future.  People want young people to step up and be leaders.  One other random thing I got from her presentation is, don't let the way you dress decide whether you get the job.  Invest in a dress or pants suit! That sounds awesome :) I want a hot suit.

:K

Law and Hors d'Oeuvres

One Mr. John Land visited us in forum, spoke on civic responsibility, of course,  and one of the first things he did was ask us, "Why are you in college pursuing higher education?"  For him, it was not a question whether he went to college or not.  In his family, it was, "You're gonna go." He didn't know what he wanted to be for a while, but he know he wanted to make $$.  But!  As a senior in college, he realized that he did not want to be a chemical engineer for the rest of his life.  So then, at a point where he was supposed to be launching into his career after finishing his major, he decided to go into something random: dentistry.  He did it at the urging of a dentist friend to just try it, because what did he have to lose at that point?  He knew he was meant for it from Day One. 

See, this the problem, people.  Don't go to college because Mommy and Daddy want you to; do it because it won't waste your time.  Whether it is because you love learning and don't want to stop, or because you have a goal in mind that you can reach through higher education, or you just want to go to college to find that one thing - go because it's right for you!  And if it's not?  Freaking don't go to college.  Mommy and Daddy don't have to live your life - you do.  My mom and dad would never have told me to go to college.  They knew I'd do well in it, but they also knew I have a brain and a purpose and don't need them to tell me what it is.  They did me the biggest favor by letting me make my own decisions.  I had the opportunity to carefully consider whether or not I even wanted to go to college. And because I got to make the decision, this whole experience means a lot more to me than if it had been "What you're gonna do, period."  Life is not about college! Or making it rain!  You're on this Earth to fulfill a purpose, not get a degree.

On that note, :) did you know that our Constitution ("In order to form a more perfect union...") is based on ancient Roman standards?  Excitement!

I'm not sure if this is just my personal note or an approximate quote of what Sir John said in forum, but this is what is written in my notebook: "Hey! No one makes you vote; this is not high school.  Grow up and be responsible."  That's probably a personal note based on what he said, because he wasn't as rude of a speaker as my brain is a thinker.  He also said that a cornerstone of democracy, presumably adopted from ancient Rome, is jury duty.  And you know what?  Only 25-40% of those originally summoned actually show up.  They have to be replaced. 

One thing that I have to disagree with Sir John about when he got to talking about volunteerism is that he is a Tennessee fan: "Orange is the new khaki.  It matches everything."  No, silly.  It doesn't.  Blue jeans match everything.  GO UK.   But then he redeemed that foul misjudgment by telling us to say yes when we want to say no.  Making a lot of money and having a "great" lifestlye is not that most rewards you.  It's always giving back. And did you know that college graduates are among the group who do the most volunteer work?  These people are out of college and volunteering more, when they are not being forced to!  College just raises an awareness and appreciation of others.  Sir John involves his company in meaningful volunteerism.  It brings the workers together and creates business connections.

He ended on the following notes:
*GIVING:
- It is more than money, but never less.
- At this point, I have the time and talent to do it.
- Hopefully in the future, I will also have the money.
- Just as it is hard to give of time and talents now, it will also be hard to hand over my money in the future. (So condition yourself now.)

*Read a book by Dave Ramsey, "Staying debt-free" advocate. The borrower is servant to the lender and not to those who need it.  It will change your family tree if you live giving back.

*You may not live what you profess, but you will certainly live what you believe.

* Material possessions will only make you feel good for a short time.  Plus, there is a limit to how much you can buy.  When you give, the rewards have no expiration date.  There is no limit to how much you can give of yourself. (I would have to argue with that last part, assuming we are all mere human beings.)

* You will get plugged in where your life leads.

Red Robin Rendezvous

So far, I'm still in Brainstorm Phase of  figuring out my civic engagement platform. And that's assuming that you know that by brainstorming, I mean that I haven't really thought about it at all.  This week has been really diverting from start to finish, because I have a secret.  That being said, the only good reason to be mysterious is to flaunt it in front of others without giving yourself away.  So I'll just do that :)
                                     ...
Last Monday in forum, a Miss Kay came and spoke with us about her workplace, a prospective place to start volunteer work for grief and loss education, The Healing Place (which is actually in league with Hospice of the Shoals."  She started out by asking us, "What would you do for a living even if you didn't get paid for it?"  That is a many-tiered question.  I love to do lots of things, but all I could draw at the moment was an honest I-Don't-Know.   "...Of course you want to make a living, but just dream a bit.  The world is waiting for you to do what you are good at.  Birds fly, fish swim - finish the sentence: I..." My only response is the one I consider Home Base: I live by faith to the service and glory of God.  Of course, I wouldn't call that "what I'm good at." 

I looove what she said about life just being a journey.  I know, oh hey, cliche!  But I like when people say things that I believe but don't often hear validated by others.  It's reassuring.  She said this life is a journey that's like trying on shoes, be it a career or anything else. Just because the shoe doesn't fit doesn't make you a failure.  I think it's so easy to miss out on life because you're trying to fit in with some kind of mold.  You avoid making awesome decisions to ensure that you're being logical and sensible, meanwhile just being ridiculous. Sometimes being what you perceive to be sensible = being wrong.   It's all right to let yourself consider a different route, try on a different shoe, and see how it fits.  You won't know it's right if you just walk by and tell yourself the shoes you've got are better.  I'd say this applies in basically everything except the actual act of getting married.  The vows you make at the altar is not a clubhouse pinky promise .  It's a covenant with another human heart and God Almighty.  Don't walk into a marriage considering divorce as an option.  Muddling around when it comes to choosing your college major and minor and job and dog and paint color and chocolate preference is fine, but marriage ain't no shopping trip! 

Having freaked out on that, time to go to forum.          

Mac 'N Cheese on the Rocks

So, you may have noticed that linked to this blog is another that we were assigned to keep about our first semester in college for Freshman Forum.  The purpose of that one was to keep records of what we learned from the speakers in the forum and to try to give an idea of how we dealt with starting our college lives.  Pretty tough goals to keep up with.  I mostly rambled and gave too much personal information. 

I actually have been kind of excited about blogging again this semester.  I would have been disappointed if Dr. Vince would have been like, "Hey, let's not do that blogging thing, nobody likes that."  Of course, this year's purpose is not the same as last time.  Now we are supposed to get civilly engaged, which is to say, we've got to get in some volunteer hours.  I don't really like the idea of literally counting the hours of service you give.  It's so incredibly superficial!  I have never in my life been asked to count the hours I spent helping someone - kind of takes away from the selfless part of it if you're doing it because you're keeping tabs on your own good deeds.  But I completely understand why it has to be under those guidelines for a class, and it really helps that we get to pick the service we become involved in.  Then there's no excuse if you're dragging your feet, because we are given the opportunity to pick something we care about.

Since, as of the beginning of last semester, I am now a Geographic Information Systems major, it would benefit my career the most to get involved in some kind of dam service project or environmental aid group.  But careers aren't everything in life, and I am afraid of old people, so I think I'm going to face my fears instead. Last year I went to a community service fair in the GUC, and one group sounded especially intimidating to me - Hospice of the Shoals.  I mean, as far as I can tell, you're going in to someone's house and talking to, reading to, feeding, and basically just trying to make someone feel a little better on their deathbed.  These are just really old people who essentially have nothing left to do but wait to go home to eternity.  You hang out with them, and then possibly be assigned someone else the next week because your new friend just died!  How terrible is that? What do you say?

After talking that up so well, you're probably like, man, I want to do that too!  I could also work in an animal shelter downtown.  I like puppies.  I'll think about it.  Time to go to the gym.

"Hats off to the bull!!" - Chevelle   

:K