My way

And now, the end is near;
And so I face the final curtain.
My friend, I'll say it clear,
I'll state my case, of which I'm certain.

I've lived a life that's full.
I've traveled each and ev'ry highway;
And more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

Regrets, I've had a few;
But then again, too few to mention.
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption.

I planned each charted course;
Each careful step along the byway,
But more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

Leaving the Shire

Over the course of this semester, I opened up my mind and shared with many, some of the things that I hold dear in my thoughts. I enjoyed writing about the good, bad, and ugly aspects of the world we live in, and the world that lives in us. I was a bit skeptical about maintaing a blog in the beginning of the year because I hadn't had one before and I thought it would be a lot of busy work. I am amazed at the time I put into my blog. Its different than just half-assing an assignment the night before like most tend to do at the 1A level or waiting until the last possible moment to submit work. A lot of times people could care less because their writing will only be read by the teacher grading it, and maybe the trash can. They fail to see that it's for us. The students. Their benefit. Not yours. I was motivated to write at my best because it isn't just my teacher reading it. The world can read it. I want to write with feeling and passion so people can look at my posts and say, "wow, that's a good point" or "hey, I never thought of it like that." Looking back on the semester, I can honestly say I have no regrets. I put forth the effort I could, and my writing said the rest.

"End? No, the journey doesn’t end here. Death is just another path… One that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass… And then you see it. White shores and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise." - Gandalf

To Hell With Technology

We live in a society that lives and breathes technology. Studies suggest that most, if not all of us, own at least a cell phone, television, or computer that we frequently rely on in our daily lives. So often, that many of us couldn’t begin to conceptualize how all the generations before us managed to survive! Think for a moment what it might be like if you suddenly felt the spontaneous urge to abandon all the devices that keep you plugged in with the rest of world, only to become one with yourself. Pretty scary right? “I couldn’t,” she says. “Well I could!” another says.

This is but a glimpse of what Chris was stepping into around the time he decided to leave the world behind, and step into his own life. A false sense of reality continues to be painted for us, so much that we never are able to feel what it’s like to really live off the bare necessities. I admire Chris for his courage whilst on his quest to find true happiness. I would be able to abandon all my technology. However, I would have to have a source of music; guitar, bongo, etc. and a partner. Could you make the move? 

5 Looks On a Book

Into the Wild; “Curious, Unsatisfied, Reality, Peace, Strife”

                        Let Freedom Reign

Curious – Intrigued by the bitter and cold-hearted truth of the wild

Unsatisfied – unhappy by societies standards

Reality – yearning for freedom

Peace – In harmony with the wild

Strife – survive to live, live to survive

Falling Out

 WATCH IN FULL SCREEN TO SEE LYRICS

I wrote this song about a girl that I was best friends with in high school. After agreeing we both were perfect for each other, we decided to devote ourselves to one another. Towards the end of our high school career, things began to fall apart. I decided it was best for both of us to part ways. This was my response to her when she continued to wish it all back. Back to the way things were when we were closest of friends.
The luckiest of us know what it's like to share an intimate relationship with a significant other. When one person falls out of interest however, so does the connection. Even though we went our separate ways, I am proud to say I have no regrets. But enough about love, enjoy my short song. I apologize for the terrible video quality.

Thank Me Later

Generation debt has become a major problem in our society. College graduates often face many challenges upon entering the real world. Steep tuition rates and hefty textbook prices leave many students struggling to make ends meet. Many young people are even forced to move back home because jobs are scarce, as well as the opportunities to be ‘successful.’ Most become frustrated and upset because of the extensive amount of time and money invested in their education and degree, without seeing an ounce of profit. They begin to blame anything and everyone, but themselves. However, they should be informed, if they haven’t already, that it is undoubtedly, 100 percent, their fault.

You heard it right. THEIR FAULT. Because they are the ones who decided to choose a worthless major, or one there is little to none demand for in our society whatsoever; kinesiology, biology, environmental studies, anthropology, or the liberal arts, to name a few of the most common areas of study. They are going to feel the wrath of their ignorant and selfish decisions for the rest of their life. Our society is becoming lazier and lazier, with far fewer science, engineers, or mathematics majors graduating each year. Students try to take the easy route, and think it will be fun and cute to major in music or environmental studies. I mean, what the hell are you going to do with a degree in environmental studies? Nothing. There is no demand whatsoever for it in the job market today. Nobody cares that you know about the environment. That is not a skill. You can’t get a job in, “I know a lot about the environment so hire me now,” because that is not a real trade.

Take a medieval village in the 1100’s for example. You had a blacksmith, a baker, a farmer, a banker, a carpenter, and a doctor. Wait a second, you forget to say the eccentric artist, the gold-digger wife, the personal masseuse, the playboy bunny, or the race car driver? Nope. You heard correctly. While many of these things sound like kitty cats and butterflies, they would not have helped the village thrive. It’s no mystery as to why these jobs are scarce in the job market today. They are such a waste of time! Not only are you spending thousands of dollars on classes that you will never use, but you are expecting to land a job right out of college with a degree in “I can paint a pretty picture...hire me?” simultaneously. This is what separates the kids, from the real adults. Not that I don’t like to paint or play music in my free time. I do. But let’s be real here. That’s not going to land me a high paying job anytime soon. There simply is no demand for it.

Don't be a parasite in our society, expecting everyone else to do the important jobs. Be apart of the reason that makes the village go 'round. Study accounting or financing. Be the next surgeon and save a life, or the next petroleum engineer and help bring down gas prices. All of these things ARE worth pursuing and putting your money into. Learn a real skill because this is what will  benefit our village in the future, while allowing you to live a stress free, healthy life, as oppose to a stressful, jobless, and unsatisfactory one.

 It is the upcoming generations that expect everything, yet don’t understand what it takes to produce the smartphone, the video games, and the expensive cars. Instead of taking the easy way out of school, study a real skill that is going to help drive our society and keep our economy rolling just like the little villages did way back when. It sounds harsh, but the truth is harsh. The real world doesn’t care about your feelings or your well-being.

Special thanks to Aaron Clarey.