Hey ya'll. So it's been about a week since my last blog, and in that time I've been busy. I'll try to be a bit more punctual in the future. In the meantime, here's a bullet-style breakdown of the last week or so:
- I went to New York Comic-Con -- loved seeing the passion displayed by the fans and a lot of my all-time favorite writers/artists at various panels -- but there's a pungency to the passion on display there that got a little old this time. "
It insists upon itself Lois," and I ended up getting pretty tired after just a few hours. Still glad I did it.
- Had a very productive day on a campus tour of a company I have a professional interest interest in. More on that in a later (but near) post, but as usual:
no names.
- I had my Birthday on 10/19 which I celebrated with my family that night. I had gone to the movie theater for the first time in months earlier that week to see
Argo, which reminded me why I've always loved going to the movies, so I decided to see another one on my birthday with some friends. It being the Halloween season I went out to see Paranormal Activity 4 and that experience reminded me why I had not been going to the movies so much in the recent past. A lot of great work by the production team, millions of dollars in marketing spent and all for a ridiculous plot, nonsensical bad guy and terrible ending that left me pissed off as ever at the Hollywood system, and the people who support it, as I left the theater. But altogether, it was a good birthday. Just sucks that I'm now older than the guy in that song "Whats my age again" by Blink-182, now I truly am old.
|
Chilling with my uncle during Halftime at the Giants game |
- I went back to New York City to celebrate my birthday with family and friends down there. Got to go to the WSH-NYG game on Sunday which was amazing -- this was my 2nd NFL game and the first one that was actually close, and the excitement in the stands during the last few minutes of the 4th quarter was palpable. Like, awesome and really f'n loud. There's a lot to life I want to earn, and plenty more to learn -- but making events like these become a regular part of it has to now be near the top of my list. I can see how some people can be very happy working their entire lives at jobs they don't necessarily like or believe in, so they can take care of their families and live a sustainable existence and also afford season tickets which makes their week.
I also can't imagine how that sentiment must be amplified for someone's who's father passes on the season tickets to them, and then they share that experience with their kids, and so on so forth....
|
Exploring Austin, which reminded me of a Bible-Belt take on Williamsburgh |
- I took care of as much as I could before leaving for a long-scheduled trip to Texas with family on Tuesday the 23rd. Unfortunately, the day before I left I got diagnosed with a Gastrointestinal disorder, and because I was leaving the next day, had no time to get treatment for it. That kind of slowed down my productivity for the day. I've maintained a positive attitude and enjoyed the experience as much as possible, hardly thinking about the illness, but I definitely am anxious to get something for it soon.
The dietary limitations have made taking in an authentic Texan experience a little bit trickier, but all-in-all, it's been a relaxing experience and what I needed. I have handled Salt Licks pork ribs, Firehouse Itbrisket, Ruby's brisket, Due to the hurricane hitting the northeast this week I'll be staying an extra week too, which, aside from giving me time to work on my neglected blogs and read a few books that will help get me ready to vote in my first election, will give me more time to explore Texas and try out new things. Just last night I went to a country bar and I have to say I prefer that style of meeting people a lot better than the hip-hop clubs I've been to in the northeast.
Taking the Long-Cut
Regarding the current state of affairs with my job-hunt,
honestly it feels like whenever I complete one task, three more
appear in it's place. I'm also always weary of the notion that I am just going to take the first job that comes my way and render all my efforts to pursue my dream jobs mute.
Nah! I'm not really that much of a wallflower, but it is still a daily process to overcome doubts and believe in what I'm doing or I else I will basically be opening the door for that to happen. There's so much growing up that happens when you're forced to choose what you're going to do with yourself everyday. It's not like being a student or having a full-time job, which has always been a part of my life. I am constantly thinking back to my past and wondering how I could have been so... ignorant of the future. I always felt like I was open and actively seeking the truth in all situations, but there is so much I see now as insecurity and laziness that it's hard to let the past go. I get angry at myself, I wish I had listened more and tried new things when I was younger. I wish I had been more appreciative of the moments that were great...I always looking towards the next thing. What you might call one of th
ose "
busy bastards."
The worst thing of all is that I was always so determined to not be one of those people saying "woe is me I have regrets and I'll never be able to go back" at any point in his life. "
Live with no regrets," was my motto with all the wisdom of a 15-year-old with a job, along with "
To dream is to aspire but to Pursue is to Achieve" said the 17-year-old with a car and a job in a nursing home that paid $12.75 an hour. When I graduate high school I thought I had achieved: I had starred in school plays, climbed the ladder of the varsity tennis team, played in the state tournament, turned around my gpa and become a near-4.0 student in my last two years, started a screenwriting club and even got into my dream school with a full academic scholarship. Then when I went to Clark U. and by 19-years-old I thought I really had it down; I had become the co-station manager of the local TV station, had lots of friends and was regularly producing short films, had a 4.0 GPA and was managing to do pretty well with girls as well. But as good as those statistics sound when I rattle them off like that,
there were plenty of things that I didn't do so great -- I wasn't appreciative enough of other people; I was critical of them and turned a blind eye to my own problems. For a Psychology major with a decent average, I had a hard time diagnosing my own insecurities. Maybe I was afraid to admit I still had growing up to do -- since I had never cut myself a break for all the work I put into it during High School. Still, I believed I could do it all on my own, and that all that really mattered was that I followed through on the important things... and in a lot of ways I did. But I definitely got off-track somewhere between adolescence and whatever place off-adulthood I'm at right now. Maybe I just never learned how to stop and smell the roses...
|
Like this guy. |
Getting by doesn't matter, Getting there does.
The beauty of this time now, this
TRANSITION PERIOD time-of-adjustment, is that I have all the time in the world to figure myself out and pursue what matters. Yeah, I can't be unemployed forever (God knows I can hardly stand it most of the time) but there's a lot I can do to better myself so that my next adventure in life -- whether that's my next job, a new city, new girlfriend or whatever the case may be -- I'll be prepared to succeed in it so I never have to look back at my past with disappointment again.
I've always been a hard worker, and I've always pursued the truth in my professional and personal life -- but there's a lot more to life than just maintaining a loose grip on those broad strokes, and you can
never take your hands off the wheel. I think it's easy to run away from your problems when you're young and there is a set world for you to operate in like school, sports, and part-time positions. It can be so easy to maintain equilibrium in that sort of world that you forget why you're in it.
You can forget I forgot how it's meant to serve you and help you gain valuable experience - even when it sucks and gets repetitive -- and ended up getting lost in the process. I feel like I'm just comprehending it's affects on me from years ago now. Now, I'm at ground zero. Level one.
Sega Genesis. I have been humbled, I am
starving hungry and if experience comes from bad judgement, then I feel as though I am prepared to lead a team.
Fortunately, all I have to worry about is myself for now. I also want to be there for my family, who still think of it the other way around, but for now I have time for that and building a better life for myself than the one I've had over the past few year. It wasn't without it's great moments, but I never appreciated the best parts enough when they were there -- and that's because my eyes weren't fixed on the ball that was being pitched.
They were thinking about how to approach the next pitch. But that's not how you play, you have to be there, and when you get a hit -- live in that moment for as long as possible. Remember it, and don't forget how important it was when it happened. Because you might not get it again. That's my first goal when I get my next real shot at
life... to take that moment and live it hard for as long as possible.
If it's a job, love it and hold on to it for as long as possible, and avoid getting bored or feeling misutilized at all costs. If I start feeling that way, share those feelings with my superiors and peers, learn from their insights, and be willing to take criticism and advice every step of the way. It won't always be right, and it won't always be what I want to hear, but I need to be always read to hear it if I want to get anywhere.
I need to be in the moment -- push to be the best I can be and hold myself personally accountable to maintain it. At the same time I have to take the time to enjoy life and smell the roses; try new things, make new connections and always let my passions be my escape. That's how you stay in the moment, and that's how - I absolutely believe -the most successful people in the world achieve success, both professional and personally.
Batter-up, True Believers.