A Good Man is Hard to Find

I recently read an article written by a woman that deals with older people who are in their finals weeks of life, due to a terminal illness. She gave a list of the top 10 regrets people have, and it was meant to inspire people today to live well so they don't end up with these common regrets. One of the regrets was that people wish they would have done/worn/liked what they wanted, not what their friends or a majority of people wanted. This someone reminded me of the grandma, who lived her life trying to be and act a certain way. In the end, she ended up being a hypocrite. When she got in the car, she had to look her best. At least for me, when I go on a road trip I don’t exactly care what I look like. I just want to be comfortable. When she realized she was wrong about the road they were going down, she wanted to save the embarrassment and decided to not say anything. It ended up costing her life, and the life of her family. I found it odd that she didn’t even care when her son and grandson were being sent into the forest. After shots were fired, she just continued to beg for her own life. To me, she seemed very selfish in the story. This story was interesting to me, especially when the killer was talking about his view of life, and how he didn’t want to be hypocritical like the grandma. While I don’t see eye to eye with serial killers, I did find that part very intriguing.

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

This was another story I really liked. We all get caught up at some point in life, wishing we were older, not thinking about the consequences of our actions, etc. While things did not end well for Connie in the story, we all have had situations that are bitter to think about, and we can’t help but say, “What was I thinking?” For most Americans, after you turn 21 there really isn’t much to look forward to, and it’s all downhill from there. Time really does fly and a story like this made me reflect on my childhood and teenage years. I have learned a lot in that span of time and can only imagine the things I will have learned twice as long from now. I did like how there were underlying meanings in the story. It makes it more interesting after you read, and allows for further analyzing of the story in general. Sometimes it seems like we are naturally inclined to always want something else. When were older, we long for youth. When were young, we long for age. The same is with people and money, relationships, etc. Especially in college, a lot of people get caught up in the party scene, just like Connie got caught up going to the drive-in. At the end of the day, everyone has a realization of themselves, where they are at in life, and what they need to do. I enjoyed this story because it reminded me of what it is like to be young and naïve. You truly don’t know what you don’t know.

One of the Last Convo Partner Meetings

Today I met with Ibrahim, and it was nice to meet on a day when my time wasn't limited, and I didn’t have to run to a class or a meeting right after. We had a nice discussion at the Bookstore, where we talked about his plans next semester and his family. He got accepted to Texas A&M Commerce, and he and his sister will likely move to Dallas. He doesn't want to live on campus, so this would be about a 20 minute drive for him. He did express some disappointment, as there were a lot of people on campus and he did not seem excited to go there. Today he talked to people at TCU, where he found out that he passed the necessary language scores, but could not get in because of his grades from school back home. He told me that back home, there is no pressure to get good grades. As long as you graduate, you can do anything you want. The representative from TCU is expected to give him a call tomorrow and let him know if they will reconsider him. I can tell he loves it here in Fort Worth and really would enjoy to go to TCU. He also said that we wasn't sure if he was ready for the academic rigor that would ensue from starting school. He noted that we wouldn't mind some more "vacation" time, which I can understand.

     He also told me about his sister, who is getting her Masters here at TCU in Nutrition and Health. He said she spends a lot of time reading and doing homework, even though her night classes are only twice a week. We also talked about holidays, and he told me about a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner he had, hosted by a Fort Worth family that invited many international students. He said people here celebrate almost anytime they can, even giving an example of when he brought donuts to class and his teacher got extremely excited. He also told me about his younger sister who is 14, and already could speak as well as him before he came to the United States. After hearing about his experiences here, she is excited to come here someday too.
            I will be meeting with Ibrahim next Tuesday since I do not have a final that day. I plan on giving him a Christmas gift, and already know what I am going to put in it. I thought about getting him one prior to today, but I haven’t known anyone that didn’t celebrate Christmas so I wasn’t sure if it was okay to give them a gift. He told me his other conversation partner did, and he loved it! That makes me happy, and I will definitely be getting him something.

Blogging Topic- Pivotal Moment

It's summer. The sun is beaming down, warming your skin. Most people go to the pool, lay outside and tan, or go play a pickup game of basketball or football at the park. Well I was doing something different. The first time my mom pulled into the DMV and dropped me off, I knew this was going to be a wonderful start to my summer. Fortunately, I had some friends in the same class. The driver's ed teacher was short, chunky, and had a lower IQ then most people in the class. That was fine with me, as I joked around, didn't pay attention, and had to guess on every question when it came time for the test. Then there was the actual driving part, where we were randomly assigned a partner and instructor. I was only in 8th grade so boys weren't a huge part of my life. But I knew one thing- this boy was someone I should avoid. I felt bad, as he was really short, overweight, and glasses overbearing his head. I decided this was a good thing, as I would be more apt to concentrate and be attentive to the instructions. The drivers ed instructor also had a weird smell to him, so I instantly dreaded being in a car with these people for an extended period of time. I drove first, and everything went fine. Following me was my partner, and I was not able to rest easy until the car was in the parking lot 40 minutes later. He ran stop signs, couldn't see over the seat to look behind him, and drove 25 mph on the highway. I knew that day that my irish luck had definitely been used up for the time being. After experiencing driver's education for a summer, and finally getting the freedom that came along with driving a car by myself for the first time, I was a changed woman. If only I knew how much trouble that car would be getting me into in high school, I probably would not have been as enthusiastic.

Fishing-Blogging Topic

Whether its trout fishing in a calm lake, or fishing for sharks in the Atlantic, I always enjoy the art of fishing. When your sitting on a bucket, staring at the calm water in front of you as the day is just starting to heat up, you wonder why you signed up to go in the first place, and right then, a little tug on the line changes everything. You automatically perk up, tug on the pole, and reel. Given that you sucessfully reel the fish in, your mood swings dramatically within that small speck of time. When I was younger, I caught a fish and had my dad take it off the line. Being impatient, I cast it out as far as I could, making myself look stupid as there was not bait. Not a moment after my dad expressed anger, I felt a tug and reeled in another fish.While some fishing experiences have been lucky, others have not. There is nothing like being on a boat for 4 hours and not catching a thing. Even though we usually go deep sea fishing in the morning so the rest of the day can be spent on the beach, I am never a happy camper as I step onto the boat half asleep. But as soon as we are out of the bay, I come to life as it speeds forward, motor roaring and water splashing, with the promise of a great morning ahead. The thrill of catching the big fish, and my struggle to reel them in, is enough to make me go deep sea fishing every year. Not only do I enjoy the sport, but I enjoy spending time with my dad. I have always been a daddy's girl, but I still don't bait my own hook. Fishing can reflect the way of life- whether it be calm, chaotic, going your way, or not going your way at all. Either way, it can be memorable when spent with the right family and friends in company.

Blogging Subject- Family Vacation

I wake up to chaos as my mom tries to pack way too much food for the day long trip. My little sister is whining as usual, and I start to question why I ever showed enthusiam to go on a family vacation in the first place. But as soon as we get to the beach, I am relaxed. I was on an airplane by the time I was 6 months old, and saw the beach for the first time then too (even though I dont remember). I have always been fearless to travel, explore, and enjoy nature. Today wasn't any different as I basked in the sun and went out to enjoy the feel of the grainy sand on my toes, the sharp shells in the first part of the water, and the feeling of the waves almost knocking me over as I get farther and farther away from the shore. The best is when the tide extends and I am standing in knee-deep water, but I can touch the buoy. Forgetting all of the pandemonium that surrounds my life, I get a chance to relax, reflect, and remind myself that there are bigger things than me in life- like this ocean. When I was younger, I would avidly search for crabs and snails by the rocks, as building sand castles required too much patience. While I am there, I am strictly on a lobster and steamed clam diet, with the exception of a sandwich at the beach. Since I can remember, I have been going to Cape Cod, Massachusetts every summer. The joy of getting to see relatives that reside on the east coast once a year, plus the joy of that ocean I have always known, have kept me wanting to come back. If I have children someday, I hope they too have a favorite and familiar vacation place, where they can relax, regroup, and enjoy some good seafood too.

The Red Convertible

In the “Red Convertible”, a boy loses his older brother after he had gone to war and lost part of himself. It was debated whether or not the older brother jumped into the river knowing he was going to die. I personally think he did, and I found the last paragraph to be pretty powerful, as he talked about the headlights being on as the car went into the water, and eventually the headlights turn off after the wiring goes out. There were two things I thought of while reading this story. The first was my younger sister. In a story like this you can see the impact an older sibling as on a younger sibling. I tend to forget that, which made me realize how important it is that I stay a good role model for my younger sister, and make sure I keep in contact while I am away for college. The second thing that came to mind was the suicide of his older brother, as I had a good friend commit suicide in high school. In this story, a part of his brother died after going to war. It always makes me wonder what gets people to kill themselves, and how heartbreak or war really can destroy part of a person’s soul. Recently, an elementary school teacher at my former elementary school killed himself. He was divorced, with two young kids, and was a war veteran. I never had him as a teacher, and feel horrible for the young children that have to hear that their teacher won’t be teaching their class anymore. I responded to this story because I was able to make connections with it in my own life, whether they were positive or negative connections. After reading this story, I am more aware of the positive role I need to play as an older sibling. I am also more thankful for the troops that serve our country each day, as their lives are not easy, and they are still heavily impacted after their return from war. I am blessed to be a college student pursuing my dreams, and am thankful for the opportunity to wake up and enjoy life every day I can. After reading this story, I encouraged my family to send more care packages to my neighbor that is in the army. I also plan to participate in more activities on campus that involve writing letters, sending packages to troops, and even suicide awareness charities. This story definitely related to experiences in my life and served as a reminder to how I can positively react and help others!