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Friday, December 30, 2011

What I found

I recently found some pictures of my mom and dad that I had never seen before. Thought I'd share some with you..... Also would like to let you know I am blogging from my iPhone pretty neat. All the pictures are of my mom, dad, pap, and nan(who my memoir was about).





Thursday, December 29, 2011

Some Thoughts Before Work

Just some things i have been thinking about lately. I guess you could say they've been bugging me and i am really hesitant to tell people what I actually think, so I turn to you, my trusty blog.

Recently I have been really pissed off by people's overall lack of ambition. Or if not a lack of ambition, ambition for something totally stupid. For instance, if i pissed around in high school, decided to go to some community college where i eventually dropped out of to pursue my career in the "rap game." (A really budding industry) To me that is the definition of not having a plan. On top of that, I would bounce around from part time job to part time job spending my free nights getting blitzed with anybody any age. That's just one thing i have been thinking about lately.

Another thing that has been bugging me that is actually a part of the first complaint is drinking. To put it simply i don't drink. I choose not to and i like to respect the fact that other people drink... to a point. I cannot ever totally condemn drinking. Drinking can be a social stimulant, for instance my mom becomes a much more confident, outgoing person when she drinks. Other people though, become total idiots. They brag about how much they drink, and it totally changes the person they are. That's why I avoid alcohol. I would hate to be something I am not. Alcohol also can be easily abused and with my family's addictive tendencies I don't dare tempt fate.

The final thing running through my mind is saving face. We all do it because we want to come across as the most respectable person we can, so we don't reveal the whole truth. Sometimes saving face is okay. But other times, you need to admit your wrongs because that is what it takes to keep something you love. You will lose people's respect, but you will keep what you want. To me that is something to adore in a person. Someone who is willing to tell the whole truth, no matter what it means to their reputation, as long as they keep the thing they love.

At the same time, never tell someone something they want to hear, just so they think more of you. Always speak the truth. The truth will always come out. You don't have to tell someone you don't like to party if you do like to. You can be yourself and if someone doesn't like who you are, then that's the way it is. Saving face in that case is the worst thing you can do.

The point of all this is be who you are and say what you want, just recognize that you have to live with the decisions you make and the words you speak.

"Truth stands, even if there be no public support. It is self-sustained."
-Ghandi 



NP: Fast Car- Tracy Chapman

Monday, December 26, 2011

It's Christmas Time

Christmas is amazing. I had an amazing Christmas. Spent it with loved ones which is the best part of any holiday. (Also got some amazing presents which also helps.) What's great about Christmas is it's a time where people really show who they are. Mr. Marshall went on a rant in class last week, be it it was a good rant, and talked about becoming a better listener. This Christmas I listened. Tonight I listened to my cousins talk back and forth with Joyce about the economy, politics, education reform, and climate change. It was insightful, and even though I had nothing to say I was engaged. I listened and I learned.  I learned a lot about both my cousins from their stances on the various topics and also realized how smart Joyce is, Joyce is my step grandmother by the way.

The thing about listening is that you have to listen not only to people but to yourself. You need to listen to your head and your heart. Doctors say it is about 18 inches from your head to your heart, but it seems like the two are much farther apart than that sometimes. It feels like there are miles between the two sometimes and it's hard to know what to listen to. This Christmas I listened to my heart and I put myself out there. I like to think it worked, but only time will tell.

What's sad is that people try to come in and tell you that what you did is wrong. People hate to see other people happy, they enjoy seeing other people upset so their life seems better. Recently I have heard them talk, I have questioned if what I have done is wrong, I have thought and thought, I have been called a liar, I have been ridiculed for things my heart told me was right. And what it comes down to is this, I truly and honestly am going to stick by what I have done. I will not take back anything I have said or done and I will no longer even acknowledge someone who questions my heart. My heart is one thing you cannot question. Questioning a man's heart is questioning the very principles they live by and the words they speak. If you doubt my heart, you doubt me as a person.

The other terrible thing is when you are doing something you think is so great and you can see that someone you care about is going to be brought down by it. I hate thinking that I am bringing drama into someone else's life. Especially someone who doesn't deserve it. I guess the only thing to say about that is that you have to find  someone in your life worth putting ahead of yourself. People can say what they want about me, but when they want to bring someone else into it, someone totally not in the wrong,  that is where I say no. I'll stick up for those people I care about until the day I die. Question my heart on that one.

Well Christmas is over, and a new year is approaching, but I'm starting to look at everyday as a present. Any day that you get to talk to someone who means a lot to you it's a gift. Remember you aren't owed anything in life. That's for damn sure. Another thing that is guaranteed is that you should never question whether you are "worth it." I know I have and it eats away at me. Time to recognize that who I am is who I am, and that if that isn't worth fighting for, then whatever happens happens and what's meant to be will be.

Final thought for tonight is believing. You need something or someone to believe in, and this Christmas I started believing again. Believing in myself, and believing in other people. It just took a Christmas bell to make me realize.

NP: Beautiful- Eminem

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Funniest Thing Ever

I got home from school today to my dad talking to someone on the phone. He finishes up and I ask him who it was. Apparently before my grandmother died she had a DUI. My dad got a call from someone associated with the court saying there was a warrant out for her arrest because she missed her court date today.  My dad responded by saying, "Good luck getting her." They asked what he meant. He said, "Well it's gonna be hard getting her out of that little box now isn't it?"

Only my dad could make a joke about his own mother being cremated. I think that's where I get some of my crude humor. The other, extremely witty humor. Comes from my mother.

Thought I would share that with you all.

Tears

Last night i went to my Grandmother's funeral procession and I honestly thought I wouldn't cry. I loved my grandma endlessly, but the fact that she was cremated and there was no body just took something away from it. There's nothing worse than looking down in that casket and seeing the lifeless body of a body that once had so much energy and life.

The funeral wasn't bad, aside from the fact that I knew about 25% of the people there it was good. I got to catch up with that 25% and it was nice to see everyone again. It's sad that it takes something like this to bring people together, but I guess that's just life. People are busy, and getting together is hard.

I talked to family and friends. I'd like to thank my three friends who showed up last night too. Josh Coury, Ty, and Schweins. Thank you guys. I don't know if you'll read this, but thank you. It meant alot to have a friend to turn too.
I got to see pictures of family members that they would never show except at a funeral. I saw a picture of my dad when he was in the service and I can't deny that I look a lot like him. He was a handsome young guy. I was also amazed when I saw a picture of my dad's dad, a man I never met. He was a strapping guy. He kinda looked like James Dean. It was neat to see. 

After two hours of visitation my gram's cousin who is a priest said a few prayers and opened it up for people to come up and say something about Sally. Five or ten people spoke, I was not one of them. I thought about it but I couldn't process words to say. I had so many memories with her, and I couldn't think of anything? Sad right? I wish I had. But after everyone had said their bit I went over, and looked at a picture of my grandma that I had seen at least a hundred times before, but this times I broke down. I cried and cried. The thought of never looking at her vibrant red hair again ate at me. My dad saw me crying and he brought me in and gave me a big hug, telling me it was okay. In that moment I felt closer to my dad than I have in a long time, maybe ever.

Some lyrics from J. Cole's song Lost Ones came to mind last night as I was cying. It's my opinion of crying, but J. Cole beat me to putting it in a song.

"I ain't too proud to tell ya that I cry sometimes, I cry sometimes about it."

NP: Lost Ones- J.Cole

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Snapshot Memoir

A moment in life that serves as a snapshot would have to be swimming in the pool at Hilton Head with my grandpa. We came back from the beach and jumped in the pool and just floated around and talked about investing. This moment sticks because while I didn't really learn anything about investing time seemed to stand still. It was me and my gradfather just talking and it was fun. He was so knowledgable and I knew nothing and it was nice to feel truly dumb for once. He talked and talked and for the first time in a long time I just listened. I would butt in here or there with a comment about something that was either obvious or with some point that was totally wrong. But Pap never made fun of me or mocked me for my stupidity. I can also remember what the scene looked like. The pool was really warm because we were in Hilton head for Thanksgiving, Pap was laying on his favorite yellow mat in his favorite blue Nautica bathing suit. I was wearing outlandish bright yellow and pink Billabong boardshorts. I think it's cool because people always tell me how much i look like my grandpa. I take that as a compliment because my grandfather is one god looking guy.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Emotions

Right now I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. So I will make two lists. One list is of the things I cannot stand about people, and the other is a list of things that I constantly worry about. (These are in no specific order)

List One: Things I Hate
1. Kids who screw around in high school and take it for granted.
2. People who have so much good in their life and complain how shitty their life is.
3. Wasting time. And not getting the most out of every day.
4. Kids who can't wait to go to college to drink or so that they are "entertained"
5. Guys who treat girls like shit.
6. Girls who stay with, or go for a guy who treats girls like shit.
7. Kids who chew in public like it's some cool thing to do. It isn't it's nasty.
8. People who say "i hate my parents"
9. People who only hang out with "friends" when they're stoned or drunk. a.k.a. fake friendships
10. Kids who disrespect adults.
11. Kids who don't care about their grades.
12. People who say they're too tough to cry.
13. People who make everything more dramatic then it has to be.
14. Kids who get a college degree equivalent to majoring in puppetry or underwater basket weaving.
15. Drinking as someones main activity.
16. People who need to drink to be themselves and have a good time.
17. People who don't take anything serious.


List Two: Things I Worry About
1. If I'm doing my best at everything I do.
2. If I mean as much to people as they mean to me.
3. If I take things too seriously.
4. If I put myself out there too much.
5. If my family is proud of me.
6. If I'm doing the right things.
7. If I'm living by the very things I preach.
8. If I'm making an impact on someone's life.
9. If I'm as good as him...

Sorry for all that. Just a lot going through my head recently. Feeling good now. Happier blogs to follow. Pinky promise.

NP: Soundtrack to My Life- Kid Cudi

People People

Christmas time is an awesome time of year. It's a time that really brings out people's true colors. I enjoy seeing who the really good people are in my life.

On my trip to Minnesota I have been lucky enough to stay with an amazing family. Andy, Kelly, Colton, Alea, and Aubree have taken me in like a part of the family and it has been a heartwarming experience. They got me a Christmas present yesterday for the Christmas party, and Mr. Lagnese refused to take my $150 that I owed him for changing my flight after he found out my dad was unemployed. These people are good people. I hope to stay in touch with them and maybe come visit again some day. Aubree and Alea are two of the cutest little girls in the world. Colton is by far one of the craziest. Mr. and Mrs. Lagnese hold the family together and they are just truly nice people. I couldn't have asked for a better family to be a part of for six days. They've truly made me feel like a part of the family.

Aside from this great family I'm finding other people in my life who are proving to be good people. Recently I've found people who like me for who I am. Those are the best kind of people. It helps when you want the same things as these people, and it is even better when these people truly care about you. With my grandmother passing I received texts and Facebook messages saying how sorry people were. Thank you to those people.

All I know is that I am excited for Christmas as for giving presents, not receiving them.(okay so I still want to receive some too) But I have what may be the best Christmas present in store for someone I really care about. I hope they like it :$  I think they will though.

I'm also excited because this year I don't know everything my mom is getting me. Christmas surprises are the best. I'm ready to open some presents this year and not know what they are just from the size of the box. Well it's time to get ready for church.

Until next time.  Mean something to someone, it really is the greatest feeling in the world.

"A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval."
-Mark Twain


NP: Jenny- The Killers

Friday, December 16, 2011

My Life

Well today was shaping up to be a great day. Which it was a great day, but even great days have dark spots. After skiing with Moose and his family for three hours I came back to my phone and saw a message from my mom that simply read "Call Me."

My first thoughts were that something happened with my Christmas list, but boy oh boy was I wrong.

The truth was that my grandmother died. Sometime today she had a heart attack. The doctors tried to work on her, but she was gone.

The first thing I asked was how my dad was. My mom said that he was doing well, and even after talking to him I could tell he was. He's a strong guy, I guess I get my hardened exterior from him. He told me not to worry, that she was in a better place and that she hasn't been healthy for a long time. Which is true, she had been sick for a long time.

It hasn't hit me yet that in 9 days I won't see my grandmother on Christmas. It also hasn't hit me that she's really gone forever.

The funny thing is that my grandmother recently created a Facebook and added me as a friend, the horrrible thing is that I never responded to her friend request. How selfish am I? A person I love, I can't even accept her friend request on Facebook. I want to go on and accept it now. But is it too little too late? How could I be that selfish? It makes me sick.

I hope that Grammy realizes that I love her. No matter what joking my dad and I do about her we both love her. Now I'm hoping I make it back in time for her funeral. The horrible thing is that I know when i look into the casket the face I see won't seem like the one I'm used to. She'll be all done up and that wasn't Grammy. She was never done up. She was full of life. She made bad decisions, drank herself into oblivion, and led an unhealthy life. But that's what she did. That was her. She loved her family to death.

I'm gonna miss my grandmother. When it hits me, there will be crying, lots of crying. But I'll be okay. I always am.

NP: Cancer- My Chemical Romance

Minnesota Thus Far

Didn't get to post last night because I was bust getting settled in with Moose's dad and half family in Minnesota. We flew in on a plane that was too small for us to fit on but we watched Hall Pass which was hilarious. We drove from the airport to the Lagnese's house which took about an hour and a half. After the rest of the family got home Alea, Aubree, and Colton jumped on Ryan. It was a cute sight to see. Those three little kids love him to death.

We stayed up playing Wii with Colton, which he whooped us at, and then watched Hall Pass again with Mr. Lagnese before bed. Moose and I got bunk beds, and I got the top bunk for the first time in my life. We slept until 10 o'clock which was a good 11 hours of sleep. I haven't slept that much in a long long time.

After we got out of bed we went out on the quads and rode around before we went to Alea's graduation from K.I.D.S which is basically their school's form of D.A.R.E. It was cute going to her school, sitting with Moose's family and watching Alea graduate.

I'm realizing you should admire the little things in life because when it comes down to it, life is made up of  all little things.

We went back out on the quads after that and rode around with Aubree, Alea, and Mr. Lagnese. It was a fun time, and so far I've been having a great time in Minnesota. I'm getting mentally prepared for some serious tubing tonight, and then tomorrow night.... a Christmas party. Should be fun.

Keeping busy is helping me neglect the fact I haven't done any Christmas shopping... But I plan on going when I get back. I have five people I need to buy things for.

Can't wait to get back and make some Christmas cookies with my mom. But until then I'm going to enjoy my time by the Mississippi.

NP: Jingle Bell Rock-Selected by my two adopted sisters, Alea and Aubree

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Acceptance:The Self Kind

Accepting things can be a tough thing to do. My most recent thought (a few minutes ago to be exact) was about accepting myself, and the person I am.

I have to say that I like the person I am today. I've never had a problem with who I am and I don't think I ever will. I firmly believe that I have a good set of morals and a big heart. I like to think that everyone would like me for who I am and what I stand for, but that is unrealistic.

I know though, that when I find those people who do like what I stand for, that I have a spot reserved for them in my life. If someone likes me for who I am and wants to make me a priority in their life, then they damn well deserve me to reciprocate that.

That's something worth noting as well. One's ability not only to give out love, but their ability to receive it as well. I know I have a lot of love to give out, but i question whether or not I know how to take it in. I feel loved, by my friends and family. And I hope that they feel loved by me. I also hope they love what I am, and they accept me for who I am.

As horrible as those "to be honest" things are on Facebook I'm going to do one now for myself. And I will tell you all, who I, Thomas Patrick Forse, really am.

to be honest I am a caring guy who loves to mess around, getting a laugh out of someone makes me feel good and seeing that I have hurt someone kills me. I don't need alcohol or drugs to have a good time, rather I need my basement, my friends, and some Nerf guns. My friends and i have more inside jokes than I care to explain, and most of them are raunchy things that should never be explained to a person outside our group of friends. My mom means the world to me and I hope I mean the same to her. As much as I torment my sister I love her to death, even though I want to play the stereotypical big brother role and punch her suitors in the face I instead let her learn on her own. I like seeing her grow up and become a young lady(i realize for her it is a slow process) I also love my dad with all my heart, and while he might not say I love you as much as I'd like I know that he loves me. I enjoy meeting new people and i enjoy being happy. I enjoy making others happy more than anything. I procrastinate, I get good grades, i hope to get into Fordham, and I hope to one day move to NYC. I admire my cousins. I admire my grandfather. I'm also a damn good listener, and one of the least judgmental people in the world. I say rude things, but I rarely mean them. I'm progressively getting happier and am ready for change. that's who I am. 


"It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are."
-E.E. Cummings


NP: With You- Chris Brown

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

All this... this blogging stuff.

Blogging is really becoming part of my daily routine. I'm finding it helps me get through my day, and today in English I was told by Erin Rodgers that it has become a part of her day. That literally made my day. The fact that something as minute as blogging can be a part of someone else's daily routine shows that this thing does mean something. Other people have approached me and said they like my blog as well. It's a good feeling knowing other people appreciate what you're doing, and that they recognize you.

That brings me to the topic of tonight. Pleasing others.

This is a sensitive subject for me because I firmly believe you should live for yourself, and that you shouldn't worry what others think of you. However, I also feel like there is no better feeling than making someone else happy. Being the sole reason for someone's happiness is something I try to be for people. I will put myself out there and try to make someone happy. And while it works sometimes, other times it doesn't and I'm left wondering what more I could have done.

I realize that sometimes you aren't what someone is looking for and that you can't change people's minds, but I never seem to believe that. I like to think that if I put my all into it that I can make anybody happy.

Making someone happy and being the reason someone is happy is slightly different in my eyes too. You can make someone happy by cracking a joke or doing something nice, but being the reason someone is happy, to me, is something more. It's like them having you in their life has made their day that much better. Or that you being there for them was enough for them. That they didn't need anything or anyone else.

I feel like maybe that's a constant struggle a lot of us face. We want to be someone's "everything"

That sounds like something from a movie but I truly believe it.

Anyway....
Here's a list of things I am thankful for in my life right now.
1. Family.
2. Friends.
3. My health.
4. The Polar Express.
5. The thought of believing in Santa again.
6. Friends again.
7. This blog.

That's all for tonight. I also am going to be making a New Years Resolution this year. Pretty cool idea, kinda stoked for it. Thank you all for reading. Trust me, it means a lot to me.

"We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone."

-Ronald Reagan

NP: Time after Time- Cyndi Lauper

Monday, December 12, 2011

My Favorite Woman: A Memoir

The following is the revision of my memoir...


“Nanny Days,” I know it sounds like some kind of television show or maybe some sitcom, but when I was young that was my Wednesday. Each and every Wednesday my grandmother, one of the most beautiful women I have ever known, would pull up to our house and her and I would hang out while my parents were at work. We would do anything and everything we could in those seven or eight hours that they were gone.
If I had to pick a time that stood out to me the most it would be a night where we stayed at my grandparents house in Kennedy Township. Herbst Road is a road I will never forget. The house was modest, the people who lived in it were even more modest, but the love that I have for what happened in that house and the memories of that house are anything but modest.
That night was a night my grandmother and I decided to have a movie night. We drove to the Giant Eagle in Kennedy and bought Mulan on VHS. We proceeded to buy all the sundae essentials, chocolate syrup, ice cream, whipped cream, sprinkles, and whatever else we could fit into a little basket. We bought it all and headed back to Herbst Road. I remember creating a glorious sundae, and I remember sitting on the couch next to my favorite lady in the world and watching what remains to this day to be one of my favorite Disney movies.  That’s how I remember Nan. She was a simple woman, a beautiful woman, and a caring woman.
 The kitchen table at Herbst Road was glass and you could see right through it so when we would play go fish I would drop my cards on the floor on purpose to look at her cards that she laid flat on the tale. She knew what I was doing, I thought she didn’t but she did, and she never once called me on it. That’s just the way it was.
She and my grandfather were the best together. He loved her so much and she matched his love. I only heard the two argue once in all the time I knew them… It was a night I spent over their house and their fight, ironically enough, was over a can of mousse. That was it, mousse for your hair.
Nanny days were a great time in my life, a time I won’t forget. I can’t remember what we did those days except for something that I haven’t done since I was probably six years old. We played marbles. Nan would lay down a piece of yarn she had tied into a circle and we would play marbles. I remember that fondly. I don’t remember who won or lost, but I can remember sitting on the ground with her trying to knock her marbles out of the circle. Knowing Nan, she probably let me win.
My Nan passed away a little over ten years ago. I miss her dearly, but what I love is that most times I sit down to write a paper in class or at home I always have the urge to write about her. She meant so much to me and was only with me the first seven years of my life. If someone can have that profound an effect on me I feel like I should pay them homage.  I was hurt so bad when my Nan died. I cried for a long time the day I found out she was dead. I had come down the stairs to find my mom crying on the couch and knew something was wrong. It wasn't until I got to high school that I realized how much I miss her. I do miss her dearly.
Jacqueline Spine, my Nan, was the greatest woman I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, and I don’t think that until I find someone as great as her I will ever play marbles again.
That was our thing, and someone pretty special would have to come along for me to let them in on it. I hope that Nan’s looking down on me saying she’s proud of me because that’s all I want. I want her approval. I was so young she when she died that she never got to see me play sports or excel in school, but I know that she has seen it all. It’s just hard whenever you can’t ask, “Hey Nan, did you see that?”
I preach about living life with no regrets, but I do have one. I always say that I don’t but I do. I regret the fact that I haven’t gone to see my grandmother’s grave in over three years. I think I’m going to make that trip soon, anybody willing to take me?

NP: Over My Head- The Fray

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Friends on Friends on Friends

Friends are truly the greatest gift you can have. You can't beat having a group of people you care about more than you care about yourself. I have several groups of friends.

I have my "school friends" who I love to death. I never really hang with these friends outside of school. I wish I did, but we all are so different it's hard to find commonplace on what to do and it's even harder to find a time that fits everyone's busy schedule. These friends have my back and they have mine, no matter how different our ideas of fun are we all generally like the same things.

I also have my best friends. These are the four guys I trust more than anyone else in my life, besides family of course. The four know who they are, and they know that I would do anything for them. the five of us hang out all the time and we never stop laughing when we're together. Our plan for senior trip is to go visit out best foreign friend, Moritz. If this plan follows through there is potential that it will be the best week of my life.

Of those four best friends, three of them are a part of the original group. I feel comfortable mentioning them. Dave, Ty, and Jared are my best friends in the world. The four of us are thick as thieves. I wish I had something bad to say about any of them but i really don't. They each obviously have their flaws, as I have mine, but overall they are three of the best guys I have ever met. I know that no matter where life takes us, we will remain best friends. We've had some of the funniest sleepovers and things have happened at aforementioned sleepovers that I care not to share. 


Basically I love my friends to death. 


"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson


NP: Lean on Me- Bill Withers

Saturday, December 10, 2011

A Good Day

Today was a good day, a chill day. That's all. Heading over to Graz's house for the night. Maybe some church in the morning. Then shopping with mother dearest. 


Haven't felt this good in a long time. I'm blessed to have the kind of friends I do. Loving what's in front of me. Life.  


No man means all he says, and yet very few say all they mean, for words are slippery and thought is viscous. 
-Henry Adams


NP: Good Life- Kanye West

Friday, December 9, 2011

always pushing up the hill searching for the thrill of it...

The Thrill by Wiz Khalifa, great song. Seriously though. How true are those lyrics? 

We are constantly searching for the thrills in life. We push uphill everyday towards something we want. We have setbacks but we fight for what we want. We fight harder and harder until we get what we want. Sometimes what we want we simply can't have and those are the times we can nod our heads and move on because some things in life aren't meant to be. 

But the thing for me is that I can't move on until I've exhausted all possibilities of something happening. I'm going to work for it and work for it. Maybe some people will think I'm crazy for spending the time and effort on it, but I wouldn't have started for it in the first place if I didn't think it was worth my time. 

Preaching a life with no regret and giving things your all is a tough job. I constantly question myself and ask if I'm really abiding by my own rules. 

I think I do. I think I'm a hard worker who knows that nothing in this world is going to be given to you, you have to go out there and take it. There is also a lot I don't know. I have a "thirst for knowledge" and I always want to know more. Maybe that makes me a nosy person or maybe it shows some sort of dedication. Maybe this is just me over-analyzing a simple thing in life that has no real impact and should just be skipped over, but maybe not. 

Sometimes I wonder why I wonder... Here's a poem I wrote about that very thought. Hope you like it...

I wonder...
If I'm right 
   and they're wrong
If she realizes how I feel,
   or if she even wants to realize.
How it will end,
   or if it will end.
How life can be so difficult
   when you want it to be so simple.
Why bad things happen to good people,
   and why good people let themselves be treated badly.
Why I let things go,
   when they need to be addressed.
Where I will be in four years time,
   and if I will have done my best.
Where my friends will be and how true they'll stay,
   when life takes us our separate ways.
But more than anything I wonder...
   why do I wonder?

Wrote that about three weeks ago. I think I have around 25 other poems I have written since high school started. Maybe I should go to school for writing not accounting. Seriously thinking about it. But I have kept you all for too long. I'll leave you with a quote and a song. 

Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use.
- Earl Nightingale 

NP: Don't Give Up- Eagle Eye Cherry

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Kickin it Old School

I'm a firm believer in living life with no regrets. However, I do wish sometimes that I could go back in time. Not because i regret the decisions I made, but because looking back there was more I could have done.

Oh how I wonder what life would be like if I could go back and relive my first three years of high school over again. There was so much I didn't know about and so much I did know about that I didn't look in to. Maybe i would do some things I didn't do before, maybe not. I think the main reason I would like to go back is because knowing what I know now I would appreciate how simple life was back then. Life nowadays is too complicated, and I feel like I get caught up in the daily routine and never just sit back and look at what's happening.

But then again, the choices i made back then have shaped me into who I am now, and I'm not looking for any kind of Butterfly Effect type thing to happen to me. So I think I'll accept where I am in life now, tip my hat to the old me, and keep on keeping on.

I think I'm gonna start putting a quote along with my NP at the end of each blog. Just a new addition, maybe it'll stick.

While I take inspiration from the past, like most Americans, I live for the future.
-Ronald Reagan 


NP: Yesterday- the Beatles

The Denk Tank: Pike River Mine

The Denk Tank: Pike River Mine: Late October, 2005. The remaining students vacated Rockwell and left the halls an eerie, desolate place. All but a handful of permanent ...

Mr. Denk's blog today was a great read. You can read it for yourself, but basically it was about an experience he had with some friends and how he since lost one of those friends. It's the kind of tragedy you hear about on the news but it doesn't strike you all those affected by what happens. There were 29 people killed in the Pike river Mine disaster but there were hundreds of lives affected. Not just family members and loved ones, but friends of friends and friends that you might not see every day but that you know are there. This inspired to really consider studying abroad and to live life to it's fullest. Life is too short to miss out on something like that. It also has made me realize how amazing friends are. Stay close to your friends, don't let them slip away, because the day they are actually gone is the day you will regret it the most.

Live life and love.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

At this point in my life

I am happy. I am healthy. I am surrounded by good people. But I feel like I'm missing something. I could really use some spirituality. Church never really bothered me and while sometimes I question the religion, I do believe in a higher power. Coach Palks preaches about getting to church and I think It's time I isten. I remember when I was little I didn't want to go to church and i'd hide in the living room in the same spot every Sunday and i would cover my head with the same turtle pillow. Now I am looking to get to church. That may be my only regret about not having my drivers license. i really wish I could just wake up early on Sunday and go to 7:30 mass. it would also give me an excuse to dress up which is a bonus.

Beside my lack of spirituality right now I would say I am in a good place. School is going well, work is going as well as it can, my friends are by my side, and I'm just overall very happy. Haven't said that in a while but I am. I still worry from time to time about certain things, but I don't let them bring me down. Since I was away at Thanksgiving I've had certain sayings i tell myself I'm going to live by. I think I will share them with you all. Hey if they help one of you then this blog has done it's job.

1. Do not, under any circumstances live life with regret.
2. Tell it exactly how it is, forget hurting feelings, say what you need to say.
3. Don't forget where you came from, or who you are.
4. Hold nothing back.
5. If you want something, pursue it. Don't wait around for it to come to you.
6. Stick up for yourself, even if you have to fight for it, never settle for less than you deserve.
7. Push yourself to your physical limits. No matter how bad it hurts, keep going.
8. Let people know how you feel about them.
9. Don't be afraid to go out of your comfort zone and do something crazy, within reason of course.
10. Love endlessly.
11. (As cliche as this is) Dance. seriously wish I was good at dancing because I love it.
12. Look, act, and just be classy.

The last one is one of my favorites. I just love thinking of myself as a classy person. One day, I will own a smoking jacket, i don't plan on smoking, but I'll be damned if i don't own a smoking jacket at some point in my life. Also, as classless as I view drinking right now (not all drinking, but the high school party scene kind) I have to admit that James Bond looks pretty slick ordering a martini. I know that if at any point i order a martini, that thing is definitely going to be shaken not stirred.

Rambling. A good sign.

Goodnight world

Love Always, Clark Kent

NP: Superman- Five For Fighting

Accepted

Today I got accepted to Ohio University, which brings the list to five including RMU, Drexel, Pitt, and Duquesne. This is not about getting in to colleges though. It's about the feeling you get from being accepted, or being wanted. Each time i open a letter from a college and see that i am accepted I feel good. There is something about someone or something wanting to have you.

Colleges wanting you is one thing, talking about people wanting you is a whole other ball game. hell, getting into college is easier than finding someone who truly shows they want you or that they accept you. That's what I'm searching for now in my life, acceptance. I want people to accept me for who I am and what I am. If you don't like me and you don't accept what I'm about there are plenty of other people out there so move on. I like to think I'm a pretty likable guy though. I appeal to the masses in my opinion, but hey my opinion isn't always right. Just most of the time.

NP: Homecoming- Kanye West

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Searching

I find myself searching for things constantly. Searching for explanations and just searching for my wallet. I think the human race is a race built on searching. Searching for newer, faster technology and for cures to diseases that plague the world. 

More often than not i find myself searching for... well myself. I try to pinpoint who I am and what I'm all about. And the truth is, I don't know. I have a lot of stuff going on in my head most days and I like having people there to talk to about it. When I'm not busy searching my own mind i like to search other people's minds. I like seeing what makes someone tick, I like pushing their buttons to see how far they can be pushed, and more than anything i like to ask people questions and really find out things about them. People are interesting to say the least. The best is when you find something out about someone and it is something you had no idea they felt.

 The best feeling in the world to find out about someone is to find out that you are loved. Being loved is something everybody wants. Saying you don't need love is like saying you don't need air. Knowing that someone is thinking about you is an awesome feeling. And thinking about someone can be almost as awesome. The worst feeling, in my professional opinion however, is feeling one way and not knowing whether what you feel is the right way to feel. I tend to put myself out there to people and maybe it has hurt me and maybe one day it will hurt me even more, but that's what I do. I enjoy letting people know how i feel and if that means leaving myself open to being hurt, then try and hurt me. 

I find that the only things I can hide from people is when I am hurting. I have, over the years, mastered the art of stowing away any pain I feel to the point where when I do let it out I'm a wreck. Not gonna lie, when I cry I sob. I hyperventilate and all kinds of crazy shit happens. I rarely cry though, not saying I am too tough to cry because i'm far from it. I'll cry if I'm sad, I'll smile if I'm happy, and I'll laugh if something's funny. The only time i won't show you how i feel is if I'm afraid that it will make me seem weak. I hate the idea of being weak. I guess i don't view crying as a weakness because I know that there are people places in the world who have shed all the tears they can for a lifetime. People who have seen things I hope i never have to see. They weren't weak because they cried, and I'm not weak if I cry. 

Well this blog went from searching to crying, gotta love that. Well to all my avid readers, I want to say I love you. And I want to remind you that you are never too old to tell that to someone you love, whether it's a grandparent, brother, sister, or just a friend. I love yous never go out of style. Trust me, I would know, I'm a fashionable guy. 

NP: Unwell- Matchbox Twenty

Monday, December 5, 2011

sorry i missed you

Didn't get a good blog out last night and I had wanted to. (Mom shut off the computer and told me she wouldn't make me breakfast if I went back on) I figured eating this morning was slightly more important than blogging last night. So here I am today. Today was a decent day, Model European Union sucked bad. I contemplated doing bodily harm just to leave the room, but i abstained, like i did from most voting procedures as well because i didn't know jack about any of the topics at hand. On the bright side I was among friends, except this really snotty, annoying girl who represented the UK.

After EU i was fortunate enough to go to the Pens game with my grandfather, grandmother, and my lovely sister Jenny. The Pens didn't play well, but it was fun sitting there listening to my Grandfather tell me stories about the old times in hockey. I could sit down and talk to my grandpa for hours on end and never once wish I was anywhere else. He is a truly inspiring man. A man i look up to more than anyone else in the world.

Didn't plan on my blog turning to my grandpa but it seems that's the way my mind is wandering so who am I to try and stop it?

Plain and simple my grandfather came from nothing and is today a very very successful man. He earned a full scholarship to Pitt for caddying(trust me I didn't know they did that either) And from there he worked his way all the way up through US Steel, the highlight of his career being that he was the youngest vice president of any branch of US Steel. More than what he did in his job is what he has done for my family. He set my uncle up his own finance company, which he, along with some of his wealthy friends, invest in and do extremely well with. He helped my mom while my dad went to rehab and he helps out anyone when money is tight. My grandpa is much more than just a bailout though, he's a loving person. He's a cultured person. And, I believe, he is a happy person. I want nothing more in my life than to be the third. I hope to one day mean as much to somebody as he means to me.

Recently I've began to feel a little happier. Maybe it's having a job to spend some time at, or maybe it's just me choosing to be happy. It's probably the second because who really likes their job?? Well whatever it is in my life that's making me happy I hope it stays. Life is good. And all is quiet on the western front. (Mrs. Burnett reference anyone?)

NP: 100 Years- Five for Fighting

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Kicking

Today I went to yet another Kohl's Kicking Camp, a showcase camp held at The University of Pittsburgh's indoor facility. I went into the camp a little sore and a little unsure. My quad began feeling a little sore after practicing a couple days ago up at the high school. The camp started out okay, I punted pretty well and then went on to kick offs. Kick offs pretty much demolished my quad. It went from being sore to just totally pulled. I felt like quitting but I figured i'd stick it out for field goals. Kicking field goals when your quad is pulled pretty much entails using no rhythm  and just trying to kill the ball... needless to say I did poorly and made 3 of 10. I wasn't upset with myself for how I did because I know I did as well as my leg would let me. What sucks is the idea that I know with a healthy leg I could have represented myself better. I blogged before about missed opportunities and I feel like i missed one today.

What's even weirder is the idea that I may never kick again. I could go to college at the D3 level and kick and punt at most colleges. But if I did that I would be settling for less than what I believed I could do. I wanted to kick at the D1AA level at an academically good school. I still think I can go to these schools, but playing football is an uncertainty.

The weird thing is I don't know if I actually like playing football. I like being a part of something bigger than just me, but I don't know if I truly enjoy it. I love the role I have on the team, the role of someone that everyone looks to at a certain point. Sure I might just punt the ball or kick an extra point but I like the fact that beside the holder and snapper it's me against the elements. It's about me being the best I can be. Maybe I do like kicking. Maybe.

All I know is that whatever decision I make about kicking in college, it won't affect the grand scheme of my life. I think I'm going to wait and see what happens. Just take life one day at a time. Hopefully this quad heals quickly and i can get into good shape for baseball because I think we can make a run at it this year.

NP: My Way- Frank Sinatra

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Just Blah

The title represents how I've been feeling as of late. Kinda blah. I really don't even understand why I've been feeling this way. I tend to be a pretty happy person on the outside, perhaps it is all catching up to me on the inside. The thing is that I have no reason to be anything but happy. I have great friends, great family, a good job, and overall a pretty damn good life. I wish I could just cheer up, but for whatever reason I can't. I feel like there is one thing missing from my life. I wish I knew what exactly that was.

I'm tired of having this negativity in my life though and i really hope to have a more positive outlook in the coming days and weeks. High school is quickly coming to a close and I want  to live it up while I can before i move on to a fresh start at college.

I think what bugs me the most about people is that people don't realize something good they have in front of them. They piss around with something else and miss an opportunity. This goes for any part of life, whether it be a person you miss out on, a job, a position on a team, or just a grade in a class. Missed opportunities are a sad part of life. I like to think of myself as an opportunity. An opportunity as a friend or even as something more. All I know is I need a change. What, where, when, or with who that change will occur is a good question. A question to be answered another day.

Last thing. Just something I've been seeing that just eats at me. On both of the other social networking sites I affiliate with (Facebook and Twitter)  people complain every weekend that they have nothing to do, or that they are so mad they can't party. "Oh I can't wait to go to college so I can party every weekend." What's annoying is that those people are the same people who call everyone else immature. How can you claim that you can't wait to get to college to be away from immature people whenever you want to go to college just to drink? To me that in and of itself is immature.

I've said enough for tonight though.



NP: Desire-Ryan Adams

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

This post is dedicated to people and people only. The title obviously refers to the Clint Eastwood movie, which is a classic by the way. The way I see it is that there are good people, there are bad people, there are ugly people, there are beautiful people, and there are those people caught in between. I, myself, think I fall somewhere in between.

I think that there are two main parts to people: outward appearance and the "inner" person, or the part that actually interacts with people. I'm no saint, I'm a sinner like everyone else, but i'd be lying if I said I thought I was a bad person. I don't think I'm in any sense a great looking person. I find myself to be a decent enough looking guy (In fact last night at work 3 people told me I looked like Clark Kent, not too shabby) And while I do care what I look like, I care a helluva lot more about how people view my morals and my actions. I was born with my looks, but how I act is based solely on the person I have grown to be. I like to think I treat everyone equal and that I'm not judgmental but that wouldn't be honest. I judge people all the time. I just strive to get past my initial judgment and really get to know the person. I do hate people, several in particular, but i love more than I hate. Most people would describe me as funny and a jokester. And let's be honest, that is dead on. But I'm more than just a comedian, I'm serious behind the scenes. I think a lot and I dream a lot. I try to take everything in life seriously. And i'd say that for the most part I do. (Except maybe Model UN, sorry Mr. Quinn.)

Enough about me though. i am but one out of some 7,000,000,000 people in the world. I love expressing my opinions of people, which may lead to me having no friends one day but oh well. As I said earlier people can be good or bad or caught in between. I don't think anybody wakes up in the morning saying 'I want to be a bad person today" then again I could be wrong because we have atrocities like the Holocaust and the Columbine killings. The world is filled with "bad" people but I feel that the good outweigh the bad. we have philanthropists like Bill Gates and then we have those everyday good people, like my mother (love that woman) Beautiful and ugly people are harder for me to talk about. There are plenty of beautiful people out there, beautiful in  a sense of looks. And you might expect me to say that many of those "beautiful" people aren't beautiful on the inside, but I won't. I will instead say that they have ulterior motives. There are "ugly" people in the world who do great things. Should we judge people on looks? That's a question I myself have a tough time answering. There usually has to be some physical attraction for someone to have feelings for someone else. (That last statement was very backwards and cliche, but oh well)

In the end most people are beautiful, ugly, good, bad, and caught in between all put together into a hot mess of a person. Or maybe I'm just over-complicating everything? Who knows? Not me obviously. All I know is that everybody out there, in one way or another is beautiful. And don't you ever forget that. I'll leave you with a quote that has inspired me for a long time....   "Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold."

NP: Princess of China- Coldplay

Friday, December 2, 2011

It's 5 o'clock in the morning

Okay so it isn't 5 o'clock in the morning by any means. It is actually 12 something. But work today was so long it felt like it was 5 a.m. (Plus the fact I like the T Pain song) Work was rewarding though, I was supposed to get minimum wage because i'm only in training but because I worked hard Jess said i was going to tip out also. BONUS. Maybe i don't deserve that bonus because I only worked as hard as I thought i should, or maybe, just maybe I am an overachiever... probably not though.

Work is awesome so far and i like it way more than my previous jobs because there is hustle and bustle. Basically I am always moving and always interacting with people, which is probably my favorite thing to do. Which begs the question why am I sitting in my den alone, blogging to a cyber community that probably doesn't give a shit what I have to say?  The answer to that is because I can.

I could be out partying and what not. But I choose to be at home. I choose what I choose because i am who i am. I'm sure people will say what the want about me and that's fine, i just hope that for every negative remark that is thrown around about me that I am getting two positive ones somewhere else. Then again it doesn't really matter because what people say about me and how people actually treat me are two separate things altogether.  "Talk is cheap" is a great cliche, in fact I like most cliches. cliches are used so much because they make so much sense.

Aside from work and my general complaints about people I would like to say that my day was a good one. I got to bowl with some of my best friends and I didn't have to go to school. (Not that I don't like school, quite the opposite I really enjoy it)

Now I can see that I am ranting and it is probably time I got to bed, but before I do, I ask you all one question. I'm sure it has been asked 1,000 times before but i think about it constantly... What is the true meaning of life? What are we here for? What is our purpose? I guess that was several questions but it never hurts to do a little thinking does it? boom another question.

Night blogger.


NP: 5 O'clock in the Morning- T Pain