Here's to the business owners who get up early, watch the stock market, analyze data, and wear fancy suits. Here's to the guys who host meetings over computers and have someone fix them their coffee. Here's to the ones who obtained their MBAs from the nation's best colleges and bring home paychecks that easily cover their former tuitions. Here's to you business man, with just one question...
How do you live that way?
Seriously. I used to want to be a teacher, and I still may do that for a couple of years with Teach for America. But, once I had reached my breaking point with the education system, I switched to the one career that actually brings home a salary smaller than that of teachers: journalist. I may never live in a three story home out in the country, wear designer clothing, and eat $18 salads, but I think I will survive. What do I get in exchange? Maybe I will spend time on Capitol Hill, interviewing the nation's most powerful (and idiotic) people. Maybe I'll fly out to the Super Bowl and rush into the winner's locker room after the game for a post-victory interview just as all the Champaign is flying. Maybe I will expose the nation to the hardships of some small country and set up a relief effort. Or maybe I'll sneak into the deepest jungle in search of some deadly beast, just to get a good idea of its true nature. Hey, it beats teleconferences!
I know that journalists sometimes work weird hours, and I know that my income my first year of employment will probably will be less than my entire student loan debt. I also know that when I look back at my life, I won't be thinking, "Man, I wish I had done this or that." I'll have the opportunity to experience all of what life has to offer, all through my career.
Even if I never get to travel outside of the state of Alabama for any incredible story, there is still the greatest thrill of all: knowing that someone somewhere is reading what you are writing and having some sort of reaction to it. So, no offense to Donald Trump, but I will pass on the big business, big bucks route of life and will instead take the one that leads to adventure. Because you only live once, and I intend to do it right.
Happy trails!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Three Weeks In and Lessons Learned
This is typically more religious than I like to go, but I just can't get it off my mind.
Somebody that I am too tired to look up at the current moment once said that everything you need to know, you learn in kindergarten. There is probably an element of truth in that statement, but I am going to go out on a limb and say everything I need to know I learned in the past three weeks.
Today is the 20th of January. Just three weeks ago I was welcoming in the new year with no clue as to the direction it was going to take me, and this point was driving me crazy. My interests were in so many different places, and I can honestly say I have never felt so much like my life had been turned upside down. Everything I had planned was going down the drain. Slowly and mostly silently I was falling apart.
Fast forward to last week. Growing up I had one best friend. Yes, one. I had several friends, and a couple really good friends. But "best" implies that there is none better, right? Therefore there can only be one best friend, and I had found her. Jessica Deaton and I sort of operate as two people sharing one brain. Since we started college, we sort of drifted apart. We always had little to nothing in common, and this point seemed especially emphasized when we found ourselves only together on occasional weekends. Little did I know she was all I needed all along.
Last week we were sitting in IHOP in the wee hours of the night (or morning?) eating strawberry banana pancakes (the kind with bananas on top, not cooked in). We sat and discussed how our lives had been, dishing out everything that we knew no one else would understand. We both felt like we didn't know what we were supposed to do in life or who we were supposed to be. As I've said before, I know why I am in Huntsville, Alabama in the I grew up here and the college is cheap aspect, but I don't know why I am here in the everything happens for a reason aspect. If the universe followed my plan, I should be in Knoxville, Tennessee, but I am not. Well I haven't figured out all the specifics yet, but it turns out all I needed was reconnection with the other half of my brain to figure some things out.
I've spent much of the past couple of weeks asking people close to me what they could see me doing for the rest of my life. I am fairly certain most of them just had no legitimate clue, but everyone came up with the typical, "Do what makes you happy...""Follow where God leads you...." sort of thing. Not helpful. But somewhere between fighting over the cheesy part of the eggs and making fun of how much sugar Jessica had in her coffee (or coffee she had in her sugar) my best friend helped me discover what I want to do, what I have always wanted to do. It wasn't that she knew to pinpoint to the exact career I would be most happy in, but that she knew what concerned me the most about my career choices and helped me hash them out. She understood why it was hard to commit to a career that would scarcely allow for a family life. She knew that graduate school was a definite option because of my love for learning, even though that does not make sense financially. And she understood that above all, I wanted to find what God wanted me to do, while trying to reconcile that with what I want to do. I hope, but don't know, if I helped her as much as she helped me, but I know in one sitting at IHOP she changed my life.
Fast forward to last Sunday night. The greatest man I know is an 18-year-old United States Marine. He was able to come home for a visit this weekend, just in time to alter my life once again. After what was possibly the oddest movie I have ever seen in my twenty-year existence (Youth In Revolt) we were driving home discussing the next time he would be home. He didn't know, of course. Signing up for the Marines is essentially signing up for a life of uncertainty. He didn't know where he would be headed after his training at his current location was done, and calmly explained this point to me. Finally all I could say was, "Well you've got the 'someone else is in control' thing figured out a lot better than I have." I simply cannot comprehend how you live without knowing what you'll be doing the next month. I want my problems solved now. I want to know where I'll be going to school next year, and I want to know NOW. But I don't, and I probably won't for a while. But every burden seemed to fall off my shoulders when he hugged me and told me it was going to be ok. And something in the way he said, "You do the same," after I told him to take care of himself seemed to imply there was more behind that than just a friendly gesture.
There's a line in one of my favorite songs about a girl who runs off from the small town life in search of what she's looking for. Her mom tells her as she is leaving that home is where the heart is. In one of the closing lines, Lady Antebellum sings, "Then I realized there's something momma always knew: Love is what I really had left to find." Why do I have such a newfound confidence in that everything is going to work out for the better? Because I have found what I am looking for. Through my closest friends, I've discovered peace with myself and peace with God that surpasses whatever life throws at me next. Wherever I go this fall, I will be happy because I've got my friends and I've got my God, and in the end that's all I really need, all I really had left to find.
And for those of you who are curious, it's journalism. I haven't decided the specifics yet...
Somebody that I am too tired to look up at the current moment once said that everything you need to know, you learn in kindergarten. There is probably an element of truth in that statement, but I am going to go out on a limb and say everything I need to know I learned in the past three weeks.
Today is the 20th of January. Just three weeks ago I was welcoming in the new year with no clue as to the direction it was going to take me, and this point was driving me crazy. My interests were in so many different places, and I can honestly say I have never felt so much like my life had been turned upside down. Everything I had planned was going down the drain. Slowly and mostly silently I was falling apart.
Fast forward to last week. Growing up I had one best friend. Yes, one. I had several friends, and a couple really good friends. But "best" implies that there is none better, right? Therefore there can only be one best friend, and I had found her. Jessica Deaton and I sort of operate as two people sharing one brain. Since we started college, we sort of drifted apart. We always had little to nothing in common, and this point seemed especially emphasized when we found ourselves only together on occasional weekends. Little did I know she was all I needed all along.
Last week we were sitting in IHOP in the wee hours of the night (or morning?) eating strawberry banana pancakes (the kind with bananas on top, not cooked in). We sat and discussed how our lives had been, dishing out everything that we knew no one else would understand. We both felt like we didn't know what we were supposed to do in life or who we were supposed to be. As I've said before, I know why I am in Huntsville, Alabama in the I grew up here and the college is cheap aspect, but I don't know why I am here in the everything happens for a reason aspect. If the universe followed my plan, I should be in Knoxville, Tennessee, but I am not. Well I haven't figured out all the specifics yet, but it turns out all I needed was reconnection with the other half of my brain to figure some things out.
I've spent much of the past couple of weeks asking people close to me what they could see me doing for the rest of my life. I am fairly certain most of them just had no legitimate clue, but everyone came up with the typical, "Do what makes you happy...""Follow where God leads you...." sort of thing. Not helpful. But somewhere between fighting over the cheesy part of the eggs and making fun of how much sugar Jessica had in her coffee (or coffee she had in her sugar) my best friend helped me discover what I want to do, what I have always wanted to do. It wasn't that she knew to pinpoint to the exact career I would be most happy in, but that she knew what concerned me the most about my career choices and helped me hash them out. She understood why it was hard to commit to a career that would scarcely allow for a family life. She knew that graduate school was a definite option because of my love for learning, even though that does not make sense financially. And she understood that above all, I wanted to find what God wanted me to do, while trying to reconcile that with what I want to do. I hope, but don't know, if I helped her as much as she helped me, but I know in one sitting at IHOP she changed my life.
Fast forward to last Sunday night. The greatest man I know is an 18-year-old United States Marine. He was able to come home for a visit this weekend, just in time to alter my life once again. After what was possibly the oddest movie I have ever seen in my twenty-year existence (Youth In Revolt) we were driving home discussing the next time he would be home. He didn't know, of course. Signing up for the Marines is essentially signing up for a life of uncertainty. He didn't know where he would be headed after his training at his current location was done, and calmly explained this point to me. Finally all I could say was, "Well you've got the 'someone else is in control' thing figured out a lot better than I have." I simply cannot comprehend how you live without knowing what you'll be doing the next month. I want my problems solved now. I want to know where I'll be going to school next year, and I want to know NOW. But I don't, and I probably won't for a while. But every burden seemed to fall off my shoulders when he hugged me and told me it was going to be ok. And something in the way he said, "You do the same," after I told him to take care of himself seemed to imply there was more behind that than just a friendly gesture.
There's a line in one of my favorite songs about a girl who runs off from the small town life in search of what she's looking for. Her mom tells her as she is leaving that home is where the heart is. In one of the closing lines, Lady Antebellum sings, "Then I realized there's something momma always knew: Love is what I really had left to find." Why do I have such a newfound confidence in that everything is going to work out for the better? Because I have found what I am looking for. Through my closest friends, I've discovered peace with myself and peace with God that surpasses whatever life throws at me next. Wherever I go this fall, I will be happy because I've got my friends and I've got my God, and in the end that's all I really need, all I really had left to find.
And for those of you who are curious, it's journalism. I haven't decided the specifics yet...
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Warning: This is, and is not, about sports. All should enjoy.
First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women
-Book by 16th-century Scottish priest John Knox, published around the time Elizabeth 1 was coming to power. Alex, I'll take "Ways to Piss Off the Queen" for 1000.
My dad and I were watching the Army High School All-American Bowl this morning. As we sat and watched the superior talent, we discussed the universities most of the kids would be attending. We scoffed when a player choose teams like Alabama or USC, labeling them as "typical" or sarcastically calling them "really hard choices." Then I began to defend them.
"You know Dad, I can kind of commend those kids that choose schools like USC or Texas, or any big program in the SEC. Those kids are entering programs with other superior talent, yet they are willing to try and succeed. The kids that attend schools like Baylor or UConn (with weaker programs) just want to remain a big fish in a little pond."
My dad probably responded to that. I don't know, because I was dumbstruck by the hypocrisy of my own statement. My fatal flaw finally was revealed to me.
The summer following my Senior year of high school, I had a job in the press box for the Huntsville Stars baseball club. It was my favorite job I have ever held. I refused to call it "work." I was just having fun. That summer I met a sports reporter from the Huntsville Times. He was a UT graduate. I asked him if writing about sports took away from being able to enjoy the game, a concern I'd never heard anyone actually express. He said no, it only added to the experience.
I am not sure of the exact moment I decided I could not be a sports journalist. I love sports. I love writing. I generally shy away from advanced technology, but the technology in a broadcasting booth is so exciting to me. And I don't just love sports the way anyone who sacrifices their Saturday afternoons to 18-23 year olds running into each other on a football field loves sports. I analyze the plays, I concentrate on the statistics, I put myself on the field or court making decisions. I imagine I get the same feeling that doctors get when they are about to do major surgery. Nervous passion. But you see, I never stay bad at things a long time. Not because I have superior abilities, but because if I am not good at something, I quite. I stick to what I am naturally good at, in fact, what I am naturally the best at. I did speech from 5th to 12th grade. I didn't win every year, but there were only two years I wasn't a finalist. Many years, I despised the preparation for that speech. I liked writing it, but not delivering it countless times. Yet I stuck it out because I was one of the best. I was the junior varsity captain of my volleyball team my sophomore year, the leader and one of the best players. The next year, when it was likely I would be on varsity but not a starter, I didn't even try out. And I loved volleyball. But I don't like to play second fiddle. I keep myself a big fish in a little pond.
And that's exactly what I did when I dropped my consideration of sports journalism. Why did I quite?
I don't really know that I want to write about sports for the rest of my life. I know I want to write for the rest of my life, but I enjoyed writing and researching my article about how conservatives can win in 2012 as much as I enjoyed researching and writing about the Heisman trophy. What I do know is I am no longer afraid to pursue that career. I doubt many men have the raw passion for sports the way I do, and I can talk shop with the best of them. Sure, sports are about as important to the state of the nation as wool socks, but they are what make me come alive. Consider this the first blast of the trumpet...
-Book by 16th-century Scottish priest John Knox, published around the time Elizabeth 1 was coming to power. Alex, I'll take "Ways to Piss Off the Queen" for 1000.
My dad and I were watching the Army High School All-American Bowl this morning. As we sat and watched the superior talent, we discussed the universities most of the kids would be attending. We scoffed when a player choose teams like Alabama or USC, labeling them as "typical" or sarcastically calling them "really hard choices." Then I began to defend them.
"You know Dad, I can kind of commend those kids that choose schools like USC or Texas, or any big program in the SEC. Those kids are entering programs with other superior talent, yet they are willing to try and succeed. The kids that attend schools like Baylor or UConn (with weaker programs) just want to remain a big fish in a little pond."
My dad probably responded to that. I don't know, because I was dumbstruck by the hypocrisy of my own statement. My fatal flaw finally was revealed to me.
The summer following my Senior year of high school, I had a job in the press box for the Huntsville Stars baseball club. It was my favorite job I have ever held. I refused to call it "work." I was just having fun. That summer I met a sports reporter from the Huntsville Times. He was a UT graduate. I asked him if writing about sports took away from being able to enjoy the game, a concern I'd never heard anyone actually express. He said no, it only added to the experience.
I am not sure of the exact moment I decided I could not be a sports journalist. I love sports. I love writing. I generally shy away from advanced technology, but the technology in a broadcasting booth is so exciting to me. And I don't just love sports the way anyone who sacrifices their Saturday afternoons to 18-23 year olds running into each other on a football field loves sports. I analyze the plays, I concentrate on the statistics, I put myself on the field or court making decisions. I imagine I get the same feeling that doctors get when they are about to do major surgery. Nervous passion. But you see, I never stay bad at things a long time. Not because I have superior abilities, but because if I am not good at something, I quite. I stick to what I am naturally good at, in fact, what I am naturally the best at. I did speech from 5th to 12th grade. I didn't win every year, but there were only two years I wasn't a finalist. Many years, I despised the preparation for that speech. I liked writing it, but not delivering it countless times. Yet I stuck it out because I was one of the best. I was the junior varsity captain of my volleyball team my sophomore year, the leader and one of the best players. The next year, when it was likely I would be on varsity but not a starter, I didn't even try out. And I loved volleyball. But I don't like to play second fiddle. I keep myself a big fish in a little pond.
And that's exactly what I did when I dropped my consideration of sports journalism. Why did I quite?
- I would have to get my start as a journalist- True, but this would be the non-cutthroat, honest, exciting journalism that I would actually enjoy.
- It's a man's job- And now we're back to the fish/pond analogy. I didn't want to be a sports journalist because I am terrified of being a little fish in a big pond. I am terrified of losing, of having to keep pushing and pushing to make it to the top. Shame on me!
I don't really know that I want to write about sports for the rest of my life. I know I want to write for the rest of my life, but I enjoyed writing and researching my article about how conservatives can win in 2012 as much as I enjoyed researching and writing about the Heisman trophy. What I do know is I am no longer afraid to pursue that career. I doubt many men have the raw passion for sports the way I do, and I can talk shop with the best of them. Sure, sports are about as important to the state of the nation as wool socks, but they are what make me come alive. Consider this the first blast of the trumpet...
Friday, January 8, 2010
Cheating
The following blog I wrote in August of 2009, when the introduction was actually relevant. I am copying it here (which may or may not be illegal) from my other blog so I can dedicate that one completely to sports. That way, if some day I am interviewing for a job at Sports Illustrated, they can look at my blog and not have to shuffle through other random stories to find their way to my sports brilliance (or lack thereof).
Enjoy!
http://afilyaw4.wordpress.com/
Enjoy!
http://afilyaw4.wordpress.com/
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Life is ordinary, and that's ok
For Christmas I got a book. Well actually I got six of them, but one of them was titled "The Pocket Muse" by Monica Wood. Wood is a writing teacher and she compiled this book with random quotes, tips, pictures, and prompts to inspire creative writing. Thoughts float around in my head all day, so normally I have no trouble thinking of things to write about, but the book still is quite interesting.
Today I flipped to a page with with an interesting quote:
"My students were middle-class kids who were ashamed of their background. They felt like unless they grew up in poverty, they had nothing to write about...I felt sorry for these kids, that they thought their whole past was absolutely worthless because it was less than remarkable."
-David Sedaris, from an interview in January Magazine
The page ends with the prompt, "Write about a less-than-remarkable aspect of your life."
How interesting. With far-fetched bestsellers like Harry Potter and Twilight, and imaginative classics such as Fareinheit 451 and Frankenstein, it's only natural that we are attracted to tall tales of whimsical circumstances. However, we are also comfortable with our own familiarities. Maybe it's not so bad to celebrate our ordinary lives.
I may be bending the rules a little bit, but I was actually inspired to write this as I was looking back through my old posts. As typical, most of what I noticed was mistakes-typo here, misinformation there. Of course, I went back and corrected most of them, but some I just left because a "the" instead of a "to" is just not worth the effort. Most of the time however, I can't stand mistakes in my work. Yet mistakes could be what unites all humanity. We all make them, we all regret them, we all avoid them with ferocity.
I am going to celebrate them.
First of all, in my post titled, "And the winner is..." I originally said that there were 840 Heisman voters, 145 from six regions. If you're a critical reader, you will have noticed by now that 145 times six is 870, not 840. I knew that. I am math tutor!
In the same blog, I said that Colt McCoy was less likely to win the Heisman trophy because Sam Bradford (last year's winner) was from the same conference: the Big 10. This was a doozy. I hate the Big 10. Bradford plays for Oklahoma, McCoy for Texas, both teams in the Big 12. I would argue the Big 12 is one of the top three best conferences; I would argue the Big 10 is one of the worst! I sincerely apologize to fans of the Big 12 and hope to never make this mistake again.
Today I flipped to a page with with an interesting quote:
"My students were middle-class kids who were ashamed of their background. They felt like unless they grew up in poverty, they had nothing to write about...I felt sorry for these kids, that they thought their whole past was absolutely worthless because it was less than remarkable."
-David Sedaris, from an interview in January Magazine
The page ends with the prompt, "Write about a less-than-remarkable aspect of your life."
How interesting. With far-fetched bestsellers like Harry Potter and Twilight, and imaginative classics such as Fareinheit 451 and Frankenstein, it's only natural that we are attracted to tall tales of whimsical circumstances. However, we are also comfortable with our own familiarities. Maybe it's not so bad to celebrate our ordinary lives.
I may be bending the rules a little bit, but I was actually inspired to write this as I was looking back through my old posts. As typical, most of what I noticed was mistakes-typo here, misinformation there. Of course, I went back and corrected most of them, but some I just left because a "the" instead of a "to" is just not worth the effort. Most of the time however, I can't stand mistakes in my work. Yet mistakes could be what unites all humanity. We all make them, we all regret them, we all avoid them with ferocity.
I am going to celebrate them.
First of all, in my post titled, "And the winner is..." I originally said that there were 840 Heisman voters, 145 from six regions. If you're a critical reader, you will have noticed by now that 145 times six is 870, not 840. I knew that. I am math tutor!
In the same blog, I said that Colt McCoy was less likely to win the Heisman trophy because Sam Bradford (last year's winner) was from the same conference: the Big 10. This was a doozy. I hate the Big 10. Bradford plays for Oklahoma, McCoy for Texas, both teams in the Big 12. I would argue the Big 12 is one of the top three best conferences; I would argue the Big 10 is one of the worst! I sincerely apologize to fans of the Big 12 and hope to never make this mistake again.
Next, I noticed in "I Hope You Had the Time of Your Life," I made the statement, "Now I am fairly certain you are thinking, what does this have to do with the New Year?" If I saw this in a book, I would probably write the publishing company and the editors personally. First of all, the sentence as a whole is a statement, not a question, and therefore should not end with a question mark. Next I was not refering to the specific New Years holiday, and as a result, "New Year" should be "new year." And last, I probably should have set the interrogative part of the sentence apart in quotation marks. Next time I am about to correct someone's grammar, I am going to think of the epic failure that was this sentence.
The entire blog "Mixing Things Up a Bit..." was possibly the weirdest thing I have ever read. I promise I am not on drugs, but I do not know what inspired that. Once again, I apologize.
I could point out several other little missed commas or misplaced modifiers throughout my posts, but you get the picture.
I would venture to say that Peyton Manning's favorite thing to do is play football, but sometimes he throws an interception. Donald Trump probably enjoys his highly successful business ventures, but he sometimes get side tracked by pointless arguments with even more pointless celebrities. Brooks & Dunn are widely considered the greatest duo in country music, but I have heard a recording in which Kix Brooks sang the wrong words in "Place Something Country."
My point is all human beings make mistakes, sometimes critical ones. Some mistakes are no laughing matter, but if they're just a slip of the tongue or temporary lapse in brain activity, let's stop stressing about them. Laugh it off and move on.
Normally I would finish with a re-read of what I'd typed, a push of the spell check button, and a preview to make sure everything seems ok. Tonight, I am not going to do that. Tonight, if there are mistakes, I am going to celebrate them, because mistakes are inevitable, and mistakes are ordinary.
I hope your life is as ordinary as mine.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Wake Up and Smell the 21st Century
This morning I clicked Internet Explorer to see the headline on MSN, "Could this man be the future of the Republican Party?" with a picture of Bobby Jindal's youthful smile. As I clicked through the several pictures of possible candidates for the Republican nomination in 2012 I saw several I liked and several that made me want to cry. But really the article was written by MSNBC affiliates, therefore obviously slighted liberally. Few things annoy me more than liberals telling conservatives (or vice-versa) how to run their party, although these days the conservatives need as much help as they can get.
That's when I realized who held the key to conservative victory in 2012: ME!! I've got the plan for the Republicans, although I would no longer put myself into that category. Pay attention Mitt Romney; Sarah Palin, stop reading now and go wave at Russia.
Seriously, the conservative action plan is not hard if they would pay attention. Obama got elected for three reasons. (1) He is the opposite party of George W. Bush. (2) Voting for Obama was the thing to do. (3) People liked him- not his platform- but him as a person. He was likable, personable, and well-spoken. Yet the Republican party is stereotypically a bunch old, grumpy, rich guys, but with my plan, we can be the party of the future. All they must do is follow these easy steps.
1. Stop blaming the media. Rush Limbaugh has over 13 million listeners, and Limbaugh's listeners are more highly educated and vote at higher rates than the general public. Fox News averages the largest audience of any cable news network, and plays host to 9 out of the top 10 cable news shows. You still lost the election. Get over it!
2. Get the right role models. Who are the leaders of the Democratic party? President Barack Obama; Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi; the late Senator Ted Kennedy; Secretary of State and former Senator Hilary Clinton; etc. Who are the leaders of the Republican party? Journalists Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, and Bill O'Reilly; Radio show host Rush Limbaugh; former Governor of Alaska and current idiot Sarah Palin; former Governor of Arkansas and preacher Mike Huckabee; etc. Get the picture? Until conservatives stop rallying behind commentators who distort facts and spout off at the mouth but overall have very little power, they will never be able influence the American people.
3. Stay focused on what's important. While Democrats scramble to pass as many far-left, socialistic in nature policies while they can, Republicans are quitting their gubernatorial posts to plan for elections and making appearances or hosting shows on FoxNews. Remember that what makes a party great is what it does for the American people. At the very least, speak out against the policies being pushed by your counterparts in Congress so the voters can look back at who told us so. And stop doing things like making an African-American chairman of the RNC to reach the minorities. The minorities will vote for you when you do something to help them. The Republican party does not need to get "hip" but they do need to get with it!
4. Wake up and smell the problems of the 21st century. This is an area in which the voters, as well as the politicians, could vastly improve. First off, it is not 1973 anymore and abortion is not going to be banned, so move on. At best, a pro-life/pro-choice voting record could give a glimpse of a candidate's character, but if you're voting for him based simply on this fact, you need to get over it and see the problems of today.
Second, the conservative philosophy of helping those who cannot help themselves is the best plan for how to run a government. However, in fear that they will be giving the government too much control, conservatives have ceased to act on any problem. Newsflash: children cannot help themselves, they need your help. Fixing the problems of education could do more to improve America than any other single issue. It is impossible to fix the problems in America without first fixing the education system, otherwise the others will continue to occur. Yet you have to hunt to find a Republican talking about it. This needs to vastly improve in order for the party to regain the trust of the American people.
Third, drop the religious act. Remember Jimmy Carter? Good Southern Baptist, BAD president. Just because someone has a divinity degree does not mean they can run a country. Next time you want to elect someone because of his deep religious philosophy, just remember that absolute power corrupts absolutely and sooner or later he'll have his own cronies and skeletons in the closet. And if you're going to hoist God as the head of your party, you better be walking the walk. Civil unions will ruin marriage, but the 50% divorce rate among Christians won't? Marijuana should remain illegal, but King Limbaugh can do drugs? Taking prayer out of schools led to their fall, not the total lack of adequate funding? Please, set the act aside and simply do what's right.
5. Anyone can find the flaws. It's your job to fix them. Probably because the Republican party lacks a serious political leader with power, the majority of times you hear from a conservative, he/she is talking about everything wrong the Democratic party does. Guess what. I can do that. As a politician, we put our faith in you to come up with your own solutions.
I know that government run health care is overwhelmingly socialistic, but that does not take away the problems we face in the medical system. It does not change the fact that 70% of those with medical bills they are unable to pay have health insurance. So what are you going to do about it? I've heard that the fair tax hurts the poor, the flat tax hurts the wealthy, the sin tax and fat tax denies freedom, and income tax is a just a tax on production. So how exactly are you going to raise funds to support the military and children?
If you are a die hard conservative, you are probably about blow your top thinking, "BUT LIBERALS DO ___________." I don't care. The conservative party must be different. They must stand up for their basic ideals, yet insert some common sense into that. The country is still pretty hungover from Bush and love sick over Obama, but given time these ideas could just culminate in a Republican victory. Just follow the steps above...
And nominate Mitt Romney....
That's when I realized who held the key to conservative victory in 2012: ME!! I've got the plan for the Republicans, although I would no longer put myself into that category. Pay attention Mitt Romney; Sarah Palin, stop reading now and go wave at Russia.
Seriously, the conservative action plan is not hard if they would pay attention. Obama got elected for three reasons. (1) He is the opposite party of George W. Bush. (2) Voting for Obama was the thing to do. (3) People liked him- not his platform- but him as a person. He was likable, personable, and well-spoken. Yet the Republican party is stereotypically a bunch old, grumpy, rich guys, but with my plan, we can be the party of the future. All they must do is follow these easy steps.
1. Stop blaming the media. Rush Limbaugh has over 13 million listeners, and Limbaugh's listeners are more highly educated and vote at higher rates than the general public. Fox News averages the largest audience of any cable news network, and plays host to 9 out of the top 10 cable news shows. You still lost the election. Get over it!
2. Get the right role models. Who are the leaders of the Democratic party? President Barack Obama; Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi; the late Senator Ted Kennedy; Secretary of State and former Senator Hilary Clinton; etc. Who are the leaders of the Republican party? Journalists Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, and Bill O'Reilly; Radio show host Rush Limbaugh; former Governor of Alaska and current idiot Sarah Palin; former Governor of Arkansas and preacher Mike Huckabee; etc. Get the picture? Until conservatives stop rallying behind commentators who distort facts and spout off at the mouth but overall have very little power, they will never be able influence the American people.
3. Stay focused on what's important. While Democrats scramble to pass as many far-left, socialistic in nature policies while they can, Republicans are quitting their gubernatorial posts to plan for elections and making appearances or hosting shows on FoxNews. Remember that what makes a party great is what it does for the American people. At the very least, speak out against the policies being pushed by your counterparts in Congress so the voters can look back at who told us so. And stop doing things like making an African-American chairman of the RNC to reach the minorities. The minorities will vote for you when you do something to help them. The Republican party does not need to get "hip" but they do need to get with it!
4. Wake up and smell the problems of the 21st century. This is an area in which the voters, as well as the politicians, could vastly improve. First off, it is not 1973 anymore and abortion is not going to be banned, so move on. At best, a pro-life/pro-choice voting record could give a glimpse of a candidate's character, but if you're voting for him based simply on this fact, you need to get over it and see the problems of today.
Second, the conservative philosophy of helping those who cannot help themselves is the best plan for how to run a government. However, in fear that they will be giving the government too much control, conservatives have ceased to act on any problem. Newsflash: children cannot help themselves, they need your help. Fixing the problems of education could do more to improve America than any other single issue. It is impossible to fix the problems in America without first fixing the education system, otherwise the others will continue to occur. Yet you have to hunt to find a Republican talking about it. This needs to vastly improve in order for the party to regain the trust of the American people.
Third, drop the religious act. Remember Jimmy Carter? Good Southern Baptist, BAD president. Just because someone has a divinity degree does not mean they can run a country. Next time you want to elect someone because of his deep religious philosophy, just remember that absolute power corrupts absolutely and sooner or later he'll have his own cronies and skeletons in the closet. And if you're going to hoist God as the head of your party, you better be walking the walk. Civil unions will ruin marriage, but the 50% divorce rate among Christians won't? Marijuana should remain illegal, but King Limbaugh can do drugs? Taking prayer out of schools led to their fall, not the total lack of adequate funding? Please, set the act aside and simply do what's right.
5. Anyone can find the flaws. It's your job to fix them. Probably because the Republican party lacks a serious political leader with power, the majority of times you hear from a conservative, he/she is talking about everything wrong the Democratic party does. Guess what. I can do that. As a politician, we put our faith in you to come up with your own solutions.
I know that government run health care is overwhelmingly socialistic, but that does not take away the problems we face in the medical system. It does not change the fact that 70% of those with medical bills they are unable to pay have health insurance. So what are you going to do about it? I've heard that the fair tax hurts the poor, the flat tax hurts the wealthy, the sin tax and fat tax denies freedom, and income tax is a just a tax on production. So how exactly are you going to raise funds to support the military and children?
If you are a die hard conservative, you are probably about blow your top thinking, "BUT LIBERALS DO ___________." I don't care. The conservative party must be different. They must stand up for their basic ideals, yet insert some common sense into that. The country is still pretty hungover from Bush and love sick over Obama, but given time these ideas could just culminate in a Republican victory. Just follow the steps above...
And nominate Mitt Romney....
Monday, January 4, 2010
I Hope You Had the Time of Your Life
Well it's four days into the new year. I have yet to do the cliche blog about resolutions and new beginnings, so let's get this show on the road.
Resolutions have not been on my mind much this time around. But, in my avoidance in finishing my training for work, I have come up with a pretty good one. Let us begin with a story...
A couple of weeks ago, my family noticed we had some visitors, the kind that are furry, eat cheese, and have long tails. Doing the only thing normal individuals would do, my dad set mouse traps. Then one day we were eating and I heard one snap. Then it hit me: We had just killed something. Regardless of the fact it was just a mouse, it still really bothered me. So I made an agreement with my parents. If I could catch a mouse humanely, I could take it and let it go in our big field. And that is exactly what I did.
My dog kept staring at her bowl one night, and upon further investigation, I found the four legged punk was eating my dog's food. This was NOT ok. I took one piece of my dog's dry food, put it on the floor, grabbed the plastic liner out of one of my mom's baskets, and waited. Sure enough that dumb little creature came out for more, and after several failed attempts, I caught it. The rest is history. The mouse was saved by grace, and my mother will forever think of me as her rodent-saving daughter.
Now I am fairly certain you are thinking, what does this have to do with the New Year? Good question. In a possible attempt to get someone to adopt me, my mom told everyone that story. And every one's question: Why? Why would you save a rat? (For the record, it was tiny, meaning it was not a rat, just a baby mouse.)
I have friends who are Marines. I have friends who hunt. I see no problem with participating in those activities. But for some reason I could not do it. EVER. Something was born inside of me, something with a great respect for life, for breathing, experiencing, living. I cannot take that away from anything (with the exception of spiders. I hate those things!)
I have in no way had a boring life, far from it. But I do often find myself jealous of those people with wild tales of adventures they've experienced, even if some of them are a bit far fetched. I am quite a coward, but I admire people like the Crocodile Hunter and the guy from Man vs Wild.
Josh Gracin has a great song titled "I Want To Live." I think it is an accurate representation of how I feel. Check it out.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs0ppEpC5gY
My point is that I have a deep respect for life, because I feel like I'm not properly living it to the fullest. That's my New Year's resolution. To live my life, live like I am dying, live like I have one day to live, whatever cliche you can come up with, I am going to do it.
"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
-Howard Thurman
Resolutions have not been on my mind much this time around. But, in my avoidance in finishing my training for work, I have come up with a pretty good one. Let us begin with a story...
A couple of weeks ago, my family noticed we had some visitors, the kind that are furry, eat cheese, and have long tails. Doing the only thing normal individuals would do, my dad set mouse traps. Then one day we were eating and I heard one snap. Then it hit me: We had just killed something. Regardless of the fact it was just a mouse, it still really bothered me. So I made an agreement with my parents. If I could catch a mouse humanely, I could take it and let it go in our big field. And that is exactly what I did.
My dog kept staring at her bowl one night, and upon further investigation, I found the four legged punk was eating my dog's food. This was NOT ok. I took one piece of my dog's dry food, put it on the floor, grabbed the plastic liner out of one of my mom's baskets, and waited. Sure enough that dumb little creature came out for more, and after several failed attempts, I caught it. The rest is history. The mouse was saved by grace, and my mother will forever think of me as her rodent-saving daughter.
Now I am fairly certain you are thinking, what does this have to do with the New Year? Good question. In a possible attempt to get someone to adopt me, my mom told everyone that story. And every one's question: Why? Why would you save a rat? (For the record, it was tiny, meaning it was not a rat, just a baby mouse.)
I have friends who are Marines. I have friends who hunt. I see no problem with participating in those activities. But for some reason I could not do it. EVER. Something was born inside of me, something with a great respect for life, for breathing, experiencing, living. I cannot take that away from anything (with the exception of spiders. I hate those things!)
I have in no way had a boring life, far from it. But I do often find myself jealous of those people with wild tales of adventures they've experienced, even if some of them are a bit far fetched. I am quite a coward, but I admire people like the Crocodile Hunter and the guy from Man vs Wild.
Josh Gracin has a great song titled "I Want To Live." I think it is an accurate representation of how I feel. Check it out.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs0ppEpC5gY
My point is that I have a deep respect for life, because I feel like I'm not properly living it to the fullest. That's my New Year's resolution. To live my life, live like I am dying, live like I have one day to live, whatever cliche you can come up with, I am going to do it.
"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
-Howard Thurman
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