It is not everyday that I sit down and reflect on how grateful, thankful, and lucky I am. Don't get me wrong, I know that I am, but I don't think that any of us find the time to really sit down and meditate on it- although we should all probably make the time. . . With the Thanksgiving holiday here and gone, I have had time to reflect on all that I am thankful for and its a lot, from the trivial to the grand.
I wanted to clear out some of my Tivo today so I was watching some old episodes of Nightline. One in particular really made me to sit down and reflect on how lucky and thankful I am. You can watch it here: http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/
It was the story of a 12 year old boy named Daniel (pronounced Don-yule)who was diagnosed with brain cancer last year. Daniel had surgery on his brain last year. His tumor covered almost a fourth of his brain. Even though they had taken it all out, his chance at survival was slim- they gave him a year. Obviously, he had a very aggressive form of cancer. But there was a small, tiny glimmer of hope available at St. Jude's Hospital in Tennessee. Daniel decided to go for that small hope, but there was no guarantee that the treatment would work and it was almost certain that it wouldn't. The odds were so against Daniel that that his doctor, when being interviewed, said that he could not even bring himself to say out loud what the rate of survival was. Daniel and his family knew this, but you should have seen this little man. He was sooooo extremely positive and courageous. I am 25 years old and have known a lot of people and have yet to encounter anyone, older or younger, that was as courageous as him. When asked by the interviewer how he could stay so positive, Daniel's response was "What are you going to do? I can't change my situation. And I am kind of glad that its me and not some other kid who wouldn't be able to handle the situation." I started balling when I heard this; it touched my soul in a way that I cannot describe. The pure resilience and strength from someone you would not expect to have it was mind blowing! Daniel ended up making it to his 13th birthday and so far (as of three weeks ago) the treatment has worked on him. However, like all kids with cancer, he has to get checked every 3 months for the next year and then every 8 months until he turns 21 to make sure that he is okay. I have never really had a hero besides myself or my parents, but seriously, this little boy is my hero. I strive to have his outlook on life and his strength- with strength like his you can do anything!
Anyways, as I was watching this episode on Daniel, thoughts were running through my head of how trivial the things I worry about are, about how thankful I am that myself, my family, and those that I love have never (knock on wood) had to go through anything like that; that we are all happy and healthy and have food in our bellies and a roof over our head. One of my wishes for myself and for the people that I love are that we can stop to look beyond ourselves each day. I really think the world would be a better place. And my wish for Daniel, even though I know he doesn't know me and that we will never meet is that all of his dreams come true and that he lives a long, happy, and fulfilled life full of happiness and contentment.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
grind my gears
this is a rant blog so if you don't like cuss words or rants in general then stop reading NOW!
what the fuck do people NOT get about keeping quiet in a fucking library?! i seriously do not get why every fucking time i come to do work here, and no matter where i sit, some fucktard near me has to fucking have diarrhea of the mouth. maybe their idiot parents never took them to the library when they were a child, maybe they are hard of hearing, but u know what i honestly do not give a fuck what the reason is! most people going to school here are at least 25 years old. shouldnt they know by now that a library is a place to study not a place to yap their chompers about their latest crush- who by the way will never like them because no guy likes a girl who wont shut the fuck up!! i fucking hate IDIOTS who talk in the library. go fuck yourselves assholes!
and this is a little note to all the artards who listen to their music on fucking high, i hope ur hearing goes early for you that way when ur sorry ass is in court you wont be able to hear anything and will never object and make an ass out of urself every fucking time ur pathetic piece of shit excuse of a self enters the courtroom!
and for my favorite asshole of the library, the "security" guards. why dont u worry less about whether or not my drink is in the proper container and stop staring at every female you walk by (heads up asshole, she will NEVER go for you. EVER!) Concentrate a little more on patrolling the garage and lots so that assholes dont scratch or ding peoples cars?! and yes, as a matter of fact, i did open the fucking window because surprise surprise this library is like a fucking oven! there wasnt another person within a mile at the time, do u think it grew arms and opened itself? wait, on second thought, u probably do.
wow, i feel better now.
what the fuck do people NOT get about keeping quiet in a fucking library?! i seriously do not get why every fucking time i come to do work here, and no matter where i sit, some fucktard near me has to fucking have diarrhea of the mouth. maybe their idiot parents never took them to the library when they were a child, maybe they are hard of hearing, but u know what i honestly do not give a fuck what the reason is! most people going to school here are at least 25 years old. shouldnt they know by now that a library is a place to study not a place to yap their chompers about their latest crush- who by the way will never like them because no guy likes a girl who wont shut the fuck up!! i fucking hate IDIOTS who talk in the library. go fuck yourselves assholes!
and this is a little note to all the artards who listen to their music on fucking high, i hope ur hearing goes early for you that way when ur sorry ass is in court you wont be able to hear anything and will never object and make an ass out of urself every fucking time ur pathetic piece of shit excuse of a self enters the courtroom!
and for my favorite asshole of the library, the "security" guards. why dont u worry less about whether or not my drink is in the proper container and stop staring at every female you walk by (heads up asshole, she will NEVER go for you. EVER!) Concentrate a little more on patrolling the garage and lots so that assholes dont scratch or ding peoples cars?! and yes, as a matter of fact, i did open the fucking window because surprise surprise this library is like a fucking oven! there wasnt another person within a mile at the time, do u think it grew arms and opened itself? wait, on second thought, u probably do.
wow, i feel better now.
Friday, November 21, 2008
my favorite list
oprah's favorite show is coming up soon and it inspired me to share with my small group of readers a few of my favorite things at the moment.
1. www.TuckerMax.com
I barely got introduced to this website this week, but already I am completely addicted! Tucker Max is a Duke Law graduate who instead of becoming a lawyer decided to create a website all about himself. Basically, Tucker shares stories about his life. I must warn you that while extremely funny and amusing, the stories can at times be extremely vulgar. But give it a chance.
2. www.goop.com
Goop.com is the brainchild of Gwyneth Paltrow. It started out as weekly newsletter, but I believe they know have archives on the actual site. The categories and topics of the newsletter range from things to do in different cities, things to make in the kitchen, and what to wear. Really cool stuff. I plan on implementing some of the Thanksgiving recipes this year.
3. Midlake
Midlake is a band from the small, shitkicker wearing town of Denton, Texas. I haven't quite figured out who to compare them to, which is one of the reasons I like them so much. They have a cool ep on itunes that is only 2 bucks and well worth it.
4. Starlite Mule
The starlite mule is a delicious drink at one of my favorite restaurants, Starlite. The drink is actually called a Moscow Mule. I have yet to make these at home because I want to buy copper mugs so I can drink it properly, but the recipe looks easy enough. The ingredients needed are: 1 1/2 ounces vodka, wedge of lime, and cold ginger beer. Directions are: Pour the vodka into a copper mug or an iced glass. Squeeze the lime over the vodka, and drop the wedge into the mug. Fill the glass with the ginger beer.
5. Sunflower Seeds
Maybe its because they remind me of simpler times when I would be a the sports plex watching my brother's baseball team, but whatever the case, they are damn good!
6. True Blood
One of the best shows on tv right now. Vampires, seduction, shape shifters, and Louisiana. If you don't have HBO, get it.
7. And the Hippos Boiled in Their Tanks
This is a book written by both Jack Kerouac and William S. Burroughs. Even without the note at the beginning telling you which author wrote which parts, you are able to tell. This book is so good that some nights I lay in bed reading instead of working on my International Trade in Developing Countries article.
I wanted to make this a top ten list, but I really can't think of anything else that is a favorite right now and I don't just want to put things up here for the sake of meeting a quota. . . So enjoy these simple pleasures of mine.
1. www.TuckerMax.com
I barely got introduced to this website this week, but already I am completely addicted! Tucker Max is a Duke Law graduate who instead of becoming a lawyer decided to create a website all about himself. Basically, Tucker shares stories about his life. I must warn you that while extremely funny and amusing, the stories can at times be extremely vulgar. But give it a chance.
2. www.goop.com
Goop.com is the brainchild of Gwyneth Paltrow. It started out as weekly newsletter, but I believe they know have archives on the actual site. The categories and topics of the newsletter range from things to do in different cities, things to make in the kitchen, and what to wear. Really cool stuff. I plan on implementing some of the Thanksgiving recipes this year.
3. Midlake
Midlake is a band from the small, shitkicker wearing town of Denton, Texas. I haven't quite figured out who to compare them to, which is one of the reasons I like them so much. They have a cool ep on itunes that is only 2 bucks and well worth it.
4. Starlite Mule
The starlite mule is a delicious drink at one of my favorite restaurants, Starlite. The drink is actually called a Moscow Mule. I have yet to make these at home because I want to buy copper mugs so I can drink it properly, but the recipe looks easy enough. The ingredients needed are: 1 1/2 ounces vodka, wedge of lime, and cold ginger beer. Directions are: Pour the vodka into a copper mug or an iced glass. Squeeze the lime over the vodka, and drop the wedge into the mug. Fill the glass with the ginger beer.
5. Sunflower Seeds
Maybe its because they remind me of simpler times when I would be a the sports plex watching my brother's baseball team, but whatever the case, they are damn good!
6. True Blood
One of the best shows on tv right now. Vampires, seduction, shape shifters, and Louisiana. If you don't have HBO, get it.
7. And the Hippos Boiled in Their Tanks
This is a book written by both Jack Kerouac and William S. Burroughs. Even without the note at the beginning telling you which author wrote which parts, you are able to tell. This book is so good that some nights I lay in bed reading instead of working on my International Trade in Developing Countries article.
I wanted to make this a top ten list, but I really can't think of anything else that is a favorite right now and I don't just want to put things up here for the sake of meeting a quota. . . So enjoy these simple pleasures of mine.
Monday, November 17, 2008
halfway there.
im halfway to the top of my Everest. i seriously never thought i would see that coming. just last week i was in the kitchen with D nearly crying because i felt so lost and defeated. but now i am beginning to see the top of it and man, it feels good! i can already tell that this week is going to be extremely hard. the paper is due on tuesday and i want to submit at least 2 more drafts before friday so i am going to be very busy, very tired, and very stressed.
speaking of the trio, finals begin in two weeks. i will be done december 15th and will officially be one year away, 2 semesters, away from graduating and becoming a lawyer! i seriously cannot believe that. it doesnt seem real. it so strange to say the words out loud. i dont think, no i know, that i dont give myself enough credit for all of the blood sweat and tears that i do, but it feels so freakin awesome to know that i am doing something and about to enter into a profession that in reality, only a small percentage of this population do. it excites me to know that i am following one of my passions. i think that next semester is going to be amazing. i am really looking forward to two of my four classes- intro to mediation and trial practice. both of them are going to be extremely useful and practical. it would be a awesome if i could get off the waitlist and into wills and trusts.
it is only 10 more days away from thanksgiving. one of my favorite holidays. its going to be a great day spent with friends who have become family and last chance to relax before the hell known as finals begin. . . i know its more than a few days early, but i am so thankful for the life that i have. i am so blessed and so are all the people that i love. i really couldnt ask for more.
speaking of the trio, finals begin in two weeks. i will be done december 15th and will officially be one year away, 2 semesters, away from graduating and becoming a lawyer! i seriously cannot believe that. it doesnt seem real. it so strange to say the words out loud. i dont think, no i know, that i dont give myself enough credit for all of the blood sweat and tears that i do, but it feels so freakin awesome to know that i am doing something and about to enter into a profession that in reality, only a small percentage of this population do. it excites me to know that i am following one of my passions. i think that next semester is going to be amazing. i am really looking forward to two of my four classes- intro to mediation and trial practice. both of them are going to be extremely useful and practical. it would be a awesome if i could get off the waitlist and into wills and trusts.
it is only 10 more days away from thanksgiving. one of my favorite holidays. its going to be a great day spent with friends who have become family and last chance to relax before the hell known as finals begin. . . i know its more than a few days early, but i am so thankful for the life that i have. i am so blessed and so are all the people that i love. i really couldnt ask for more.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
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