Tuesdays are just like MONDAYS!

I was ready for bed when I showed up for class Tuesday. Just saying, it is D'Days. Ryan did a good job filling in and I feel as though the class enjoyed his style of teaching. As far as peer reviews go... they weren't very helpful. However I am excited to do the presentation and get to know some of my peers better. All in all, Tuesday wasn't all that bad. Go Yotes!

My thesis:

Video games adversely affect student's study habits and steal time away from the lives of young minds. 

I've been doing homework for about thirty minutes and decide it's time for a study break. Falling into those comfy couch cushions I grab my sticks and start playing some Call of Duty online... three hours later I've realized that none of my homework is done and it's midnight. Oops. 

When first assigned this essay I had many topic ideas but was having trouble singling one out. Then we did our class exercise and I knew I had found the right one! My paper would be over the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy of the military. I started my research and had everything organized and then... refer to the above paragraph. Yep, I decided I should change my topic. You see, the whole military policy doesn't affect me and so I don't feel it's a strong subject for me. On the other hand, video games do distract me quite often. This paper is going to talk about some of the ways in which video games are a rising problem and hopefully some viable solutions to the said problems. Other than that... 

...sorry I was in an intense game.

It Is What It Is?

I personally didn't enjoy reading this piece, 100 People Who Are Screwing Up America. Bernard Goldberg  seems to be just as opinionated as the people he refers to in his work. Through my eyes this seemed like the age old conflict between Conservative Republicans and Liberal Democrats. While some people might enjoy this topic,  I do not. In my opinion, the conflict between political parties, outside of specific platforms, becomes misconstrued and overridden with personal objectives and biased beliefs. This excerpt we have read for class is a perfect example. 


Apart from my opinion... This book did have some funny pieces in it. It was also interesting to view some of Bernards opinions of people (the man seems to have a knack for finding the worse in people). All in all, I think Bernard is a good writer who voices his opinion strongly. Perhaps reading this book in full would shed more light on the matter, but from the pages I've read thus far I'm not interested in pursuing the rest. 

Eh

Peer Editing/Review... yep.

I enjoyed reading the two papers I was privileged to and the feedback I received was helpful.

Now that the class assignment is done I'm going to blog about what I want, bwahahaha

Why did we come to college?

I came here to pursue an education and transform myself into something greater. There are so many distractions along the way though... Between greek life, intramural sports, late night movie marathons and  everything else I began to wonder if I was pursuing my main goal. After some thought I've decided that I am. Education is defined in wikipedia as any act or experience that has a formative effect on the mind, character or physical ability of an individual. Read that definition again and you might understand my perspective. While ultimately it's the degree, and the knowledge, that I'm seeking I am beginning to see my experiences in college are going to shape me even more. So here's a salute to college, homework, and everything else in college that isn't homework.

Tomorrow? Maybe not...

I was asked today, "If you were gone tomorrow, how would the world change and who would notice you're gone?" How does one answer this question? It's times in life like these that require a deep reflection on who you are, what you've done, and how other's perceive you.


For the majority of my life I have been a very selfish, arrogant, and ignorant man. These words are harsh and cut to the bone, but it was after some trying times and the facing of some harsh realities that I was able to face these difficult truths. Identifying what needed to change in my life was only half the battle; proceeding with those changes was the uphill part. However, it was through the battle, an inner battle which others can't see, that I was able to find out what I'm made of and who I would become. The transformation from an immature boy into a more well rounded and caring man is irreversible. 


While my accomplishments are small compared to those of men like our founding fathers, the vetrans of WWII, and the participants of the civil rights movement I do feel as though I've impacted this world. There was a time when I would volunteer my summers to mission work on reservations, youth camps, humanitarian work in Mexico, and recovery aid for disaster areas. These habits developed in my youth carried over to my service in the Marines. As a firefighter I would work for four days and then have three days off; during my time off I volunteered in the local events as an ambassador for the Marines. I was able to help in local concerts, the annual stock show and rodeo, at a boys and girls club, and many other various events. The point is, I have had an impact on peoples lives and I believe that impact has been for the better. There are people throughout this world that will miss me when I'm gone. 


I wish I could say everyones perception of me was a good one. Like I mentioned earlier, there was a time in my life when I was a douche bag. Unfortunately, my interactions with certain people in my past has led to burnt bridges. There are also people who have great opinions of me. All in all I can't speak for others but I'd say there is a wide spectrum of how people see me. To reference a Proverb from the Bible: Let others lift your name and let not your own lips sing your praise. 


To conclude this lengthy blog, I'm positive I would be missed should I not exist tomorrow. For how long, that will be determined by the magnitude of my deeds... which I will not judge. In the end, I am but shadow and dust.


"You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor." -Aristotle

Freedom?

Since today we have received the 'freedom' to blog about whatever we want I figure I'll talk about freedom in general. First of all what exactly is freedom?


I believe that seven letter word is very relative and changeable from person to person. As Walt Whitman would define it, "Freedom- to walk free and own no superior." That is a broad description but a very accurate one nonetheless... perhaps as a teenager I would have described my liberty through more lenient rules... a later curfew and the choice of when to do my chores. The diference between the two ideas of freedom are based on the individuals experience and understanding of the world and therefore freedom is whatever you believe it is. 


What are the costs of freedom?


"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same." -Ronald Reagan


The above statement makes me ponder on how I've fought for freedom in my lifetime. Serving in the military is definitely one form in which I have protected freedom but I think it is the more subtle ways in which we need to serve liberty. In order to accomplish actual liberty we as a nation need to truly understand what it is... therein lies a problem. Is the general idea of freedom today that which we see everywhere; security procedures, 'big brother' scanning our conversations, rules as to what we can and cannot say and read in school, burning the flag as a 'symbolic' act, allowing illegal (extra emphasis on the illegal) immigration to overrun our country... Regardless of personal opinion I feel it's fair enough to say our 'freedom' in America is being trimmed by the government more and more every year. So what is the cost of freedom? Maybe all of the rules and protocol, standards of society are the costs. Or maybe... just maybe, the cost is going to be stepping out into the unknown. Perhaps this world needs to be reshaped and it is time for some radical changes to our complacent society.  Did the patriots of the late 1700's foresee today's America? More importantly, is the majority of America satisfied with the freedoms we have today? 


These are just some things I've pondered over the last few years and I don't pretend to understand all of the different aspects of freedom in today's world. I do feel like my freedom is threatened by people I've never met before and taxes I never agreed to. Personally, I want to decide, or at least have a more crucial part in deciding, what taxes to pay and what laws should apply to my life. All in all I believe in smaller government control and less federal intervention. And with that I must say that America is nonetheless a great country and my love for her is unending.

“Freedom and love go together. Love is not a reaction. If I love you because you love me, that is mere trade, a thing to be bought in the market; it is not love. To love is not to ask anything in return, not even to feel that you are giving something- and it is only such love that can know freedom.” -Jiddu Krishnamurti (Indian philosopher)

When to quit?

"It's the possibility that keeps me going..."

The short segment of the Notebook we have read stirs up painful memories for many a person, including myself. There have been a few people in my life which have dealt with the sinister disease of Alzheimers and it is never easy for all who are involved. Between the crying, as mentioned in this story, rage as result of the confusion, and complete emptiness that spreads over the afflicted  the aforementioned disease is quite evil in my opinion. Luckily, love conquers evil and it lends strength for those of us who refuse to quit.

T@kiNg iT f0r Gr@nTed

I have just read through an english assignment about Frederick Douglass and his experiences learning to read and write. First of all, I want to start off by saying wow. To think that I have many a time procrastinated and complained about reading assignments and writing assignments when this man, Mr. Douglass, had to 'dodge the bullets' just to catch a couple of minutes of reading. I honestly feel a bit ashamed of myself and hope to treat these gifts of literacy with a little more respect in the future.


Living in todays world reading and writing seem natural to me. Personally, I know that I've taken for granted many things that seem common place today. Normally I would not have read the writings of Frederick Douglass and that's one reason why I am learning to appreciate the college experience more. Unlike Mr. Douglass, my life has been fairly easy and simple which in turn has made me complacent. Coming to USD is definitely stretching me and also making me look much further than my own norm. This  piece of literature and also the piece "When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine" have made 'homework' much more exciting for me. Learning the different cultures of the world and getting these brief looks into history is something not to be taken for granted and I'm going to hold myself to a higher level of appreciation.

War is Peace?

I'd really like to know your thoughts on living through a war. How much did it impact your life? How aware of the war have you been the past seven years? Did you agree/disagree with it? Were you even old enough to understand what it was about?


Growing up I have had friends whose dads left for months on end and sometimes they never returned. Much of my generation has felt the impact of this ongoing war. Between the tightened security procedures throughout the country and the mass media coverage I think it is impossible to be unaware of this global war on terror. As for me personally, I do feel it is America's responsibility to be the worlds 'big brother'. There isn't a more noble purpose for our people than to try and restrain the evils that plague this world and to give help to those who can't help themselves. While all aspects of the war I will not agree with I do say that as a whole I believe the American people have made the right choice in this conquest.