The Simplest Lessons are the Hardest to Grasp

Rough days are not hard to come by for me ever since classes have started up again. This day was no exception.

Like many people, I am very passionate in my convictions and what I believe in. In the midst of a meeting this afternoon, a close friend and I became two players in what turned out to be one of the most heated debates the organization had seen in quite sometime.

I would be lying if I said that things did not turn out the way I would have wished them to. And to be extremely honest, I was a little hurt inside because of how close to home the issue was for me.

As the day passed I tried to forget about the incident. Just brush it off and move on to other things. The kind of quick mind transition that the young possess.

Unfortunately for me, I just could not stop thinking about it. Foolishly, I kept letting it bother me. On the surface things were fine but underneath this problem kept eating away at me like a termite does a house.

Not until I had a long conversation with a good friend and the party involved did I begin to realize what I realize now. Sure we may disagree with those that we call our friends and it may cause us some temporary but deep discomfort.

But I guess the point that I am trying to make is that maybe it is just important to realize that something else is more important. Instead of caring so much about how I felt, it probably would have been the better thing to worry more about the other party's feelings.

As much as I like to have my point accepted there is something so much more important than that. Even though I hate having my opinions chewed up and spit out by those I care about the most, I believe that friendship is so much more important than any childish debate.

It was a simple lesson to finally learn but often times the simplest lessons are the hardest to grasp. I think next time, I'll worry a little less about myself and a little more about the feelings of the people I care for - my friends.

I Have a Headache

Public Service Announcement: This post is not about anyone. The sayings in this work are simply from the mind of the writer and in no way are talking about someone. Any resemblance to any situation or happening with any person is purely coincidental. This post is not about anyone. This has been a Public Service Announcement.

I have a headache. I can't explain why I have it but I know where it came from. Call me apathetic. Call me uncaring. But whatever you call me, please remember that I will never drive myself crazy with thinking.

As college students, we are conditioned to always look at things from a different angle and from outside of the box. We are also told to do as much as we can to understand both sides of any argument.

For me, I think this works when it comes to one's schoolwork, one's J-O-B (as my friends say), and maybe mowing one's yard. However, this philosophy is not always necessarily needed in everyday life.

Anymore, I am beginning to feel as if Bill Maher was right when he made this statement about the current nature of our society, "Feelings are more important than facts. Sensitivity is more important than truth."

Though I believe that it is important for us to be considerate of others feelings, we cannot become so considerate that we consider building others up on a foundation of false hope.

I am beginning to become tired of just worrying myself to death. One of the greatest things we can do in life is to just be honest with someone. However, it is becoming harder and harder to be comfortable with doing that without someone's feelings getting hurt.

The Big Picture

Well, it is early in the morning and it feels as if I have over 20 gallons of caffeine in me right now. This is going to be a very long day.

The good thing about it is that I am finally going to make it to the gym for the first time in a week. I am going to stick with my goal of getting in shape no matter what. I have been doing well for almost 9 months but there is so much more I can do.

These past few years, I have taken tremendous steps and am starting to come into my own. I am beginning to the see the bigger picture and I like what I see. As those of us from the cornfields of Indiana branch out onto bigger and better things, it is impossible for me to not become ashamed and somewhat hurt when I hear them trash their hometown.

As I was reading a friend's blog this evening, I thought about how great it is to be from the small town and not be ashamed of my roots. Nothing sickens me more when someone tries to deny or run away from the places in which they come from.

I know who I am and I am proud of it. The Hoosier values that I have been raised with actually make sense as much as anything does in this world.

This past week seemed to go by so quickly and it provided me with some lasting memories. There have also been sometimes when I have just stopped and spent some time in thought.

I think I notice the little things more than I used to. One of those things is how I carry a conversation with someone. Within minutes of beginning one, I am able to tell how well it is going to go.

The beauty of this is when there is a connection in the communication with someone. It doesn't even have to be on a romantic level but just an actual connection where the people in the conversation are able to share something that only they can understand.

Plus, it's just nice to have someone to talk to who can empathize with your feelings and make you think about things in a way you didn't even think possible. Those are the kind of conversations that are unforgettable and can have a life-long impact on a person. Cherish them always.

Two Worlds

The first week of school is finally over! So far, school has been going very well although it is not as familiar to me as it was last year. Many of my friends have no graduated and moved on. It has been interesting but still a good bunch of my friends still remain.

My good friend Rich came down from Chicago to visit me today. I took him around and showed him the sites that my hometown had to offer. Twenty minutes later, we returned to my house to hang out for a little bit before I left for class.

This might be the first Thursday night class that I will enjoy. It is American History and Film. Tonight's first assignment: Watch Rebel Without A Cause. How awesome is that?!

Afterward, I returned home. Rich and I then headed out to hang out with some of my friends at a local establishment. It was good times as always as I made sure to introduce my buddy to all of my friends.

What has always amazed me about this process is how two worlds seem to come together when this happens. Although I think of all of my friends equally in the same way, it fascinates me how a person from one part of my life meets a person from another part of my life.

Tomorrow should be a good day. Speech Team goodbye party for Chris and a Democratic meeting will fill the afternoon. Also, some fun in Noblesville and swimming will be the order of business for the evening. I can't wait because it seems as if I haven't seen Erin and Ali for quite sometime now.

Of course, Mike will be there. LOL. Just kidding buddy. You are still the best man! Have a good day everyone!

What to Write?

I really don't have a direction in which I would like to go with this post. School has started this week and it feels as if it is made of JELL-O right now.

It has been a good couple of days so far except for a couple small things. It has been nice seeing my friends. It's such a shame that class has to get in the way.

It is the second day of school and already I am ready for it to be Christmas break. I must be wired a little differently because I seem to be one of the few people in my group of friends that is not excited about school starting.

Also on tap for tonight was my first basketball meeting with my dad. I will be coaching middle school girls basketball with my dad this winter so I am really looking forward to it.

My only worry is that I won't be able to do as good of a job as I think I am capable of. It is a big responsibility and I am approaching it with an attitude of learning everything that I possibly can. Tonight's assignment, learn the 1-3-1 Zone defense. Should be interesting.

Well, that is all for me. Have a good one tomorrow!

A Message from Joe Donnelly

I have been speaking a lot about the man that I am working for to elect to Congress -- Joe Donnelly. However, I would like to put a face with the message of a new and better direction for America.

This campaign video is courtesy of Indiana On Message! Remember to vote for Joe Donnelly on November 7th!

Ball game over! Yankees win!

Theeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Yankees wiiiiiinn! What can I say other than John Sterling's famous words. Three games are in the books in Boston as well as three victories for the Yanks!

With school starting next week, I am glad that my team is sending me off in style. As summer ends and the fall approaches, I am reminded of just how special this summer was.

I watched two good friends get married, got a new car, learned how to be a better campaigner, and made a lot of new friends within my community. As I look over the goals I made that last week of school in May, I am very happy with my progression on all of them.

That is not to say that my summer has not been full of set backs. Just as summer began this year, I lost my grandfather.

It was a difficult time for our family for a variety of reasons but we over came the adversity as we always have. I am really proud of them for the way that we stuck together too.

This first week of school will be very busy but I look to it as an opportunity. My friend Rich will be coming to visit toward the end of the week which I am really excited about.

Also, for the first time, I will be creating a campus organization. I have spent so much time running other organizations that I think this new adventure will teach me more about organizing and myself. I am looking forward to the challenge.

Waiting on the World to Change

It has been my fault that I have not updated in a couple of days. Mostly, I have been trying to savor the short time that I have left before school begins on Monday.

It will be a very different year compared with the last two since I will no longer be in a leadership position. It is a situation in which I am looking most forward to.

Even though I enjoy being the person in charge, I know that there are times when someone has to move on and let someone else have their time in the spotlight.

Plus, I am going to have more time to working on other matters such as local politics, studying, and other miscellaneous projects that I know will keep me busy.

I am looking forward to spending more time with my friends as well. Tonight was no exception as some friends and I traveled to a little place on the south side of town. It was a fun time.

On my way home, I heard a song that spoke to me. John Mayer's new song "Waiting on the World to Change" makes a great deal of sense to me. You should check it out!

Student Government Retreat

I attended the annual student government retreat today at Camp Tecumseh in Brookston, Indiana.

The bad news was that I had barely gotten any good sleep the night before. The good news was that I learned two things about myself.

Granted, I was extremely tired so this may be just the adrenaline talking but I learned today that I need to stop acting like such a know-it-all.

This covers a wide range of topics from politics to life to even people's ideas. I have gotten away from the person I once was in which I would listen to as many people as possible before making up my mind.

In many ways, I have been acting like an idea killer who is only interested in their own opinion. This will be corrected very soon and I will be back to my old cheerful self again. Quite frankly, I miss that person who never had a care in the world and was quite content with being in the presence of family and friends.

The other thing that I learned about myself today was that I have a hard time with being a follower in a group. These past few years, I have found myself in leadership positions in which I have been able to call the shots.

This year it is different as I am no longer "the big cheese" so to speak. I think this will be good for me as well. A little bit of humility never hurt anyone.

Well, I think that I will now retire to my bed for a night of sleeping. I drank a glass of my favorite McCalister's tea tonight so it is safe to say that I will experience nothing but sweet dreams this evening.

In closing, I think it is important for me to take a "retreat" every once in a while to think and evaluate how I am doing in life. For the most part I am pleased however I do know that there is much that I can improve on which will only benefit me in the future. Good night!

The Road to Yankee Stadium

It was announced today that the New York Yankees will break ground on the New Yankee Stadium on Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET. Although the stadium will not be complete until 2009, it is a bittersweet announcement for any Yankee fan to hear.

It is sad that "The House That Ruth Built" will no longer be the home of my beloved Yankees. It has served them well as the home of legendary players and coaches such as Ruth, Huggins, Gehrig, McCarthy, DiMaggio, Stengle, Mantle, Yogi, Torre, and Maris. Not to mention their 26 World Series Championships.

However, I am very excited about the new stadium after seeing composite drawings from an artist. Simply put, this new stadium will combine the roots of the old stadium with the newest accommodations of the present.

Because of this recent announcement, I have made a new goal to achieve in my life before the new stadium opens. It is my goal to see a Yankee game inside of Yankee Stadium before 2009.

I have very little doubt in my abilities to accomplish this goal. In the past, I have been able to accomplish goals that equal this newly formed one such as working at the United States Capitol and keeping my New Year's resolution to get in better shape.

So as I close, let me add this long-term goal to the list. Although I have been able to do some great things, I still have so much more that I want to do. I wouldn't live my life any other way.

Robert Frost once said, "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." Today, I begin traveling the road to Yankee Stadium.

Did I do something wrong?

Boy am I tired. Tonight, I attended a city council meeting which lasted almost three hours. Granted, most people do not see the point in even going to such things but I am not most people.

I enjoy hearing the conversations, the little jokes that are told to ease the tension in a room, and I am fascinated by the unique stories told by each person who has an issue for the council to hear.

Of course after the meeting was over, I came home to my computer to chat with some friends. As is customary at the beginning of most conversations, I asked one person about how they were doing.

They said that they were doing fine and returned the question to me. In response, I replied, "I'm doing okay. Just got home from a city council meeting."

To me the person stated, "Sounds like a bore." Did I do something wrong? Did I ask for their opinion on me going to a city council meeting? Isn't this the age where sensitivity is more important than truth and feelings are more important than facts?

Do not get me wrong, I am not mad at this person or expecting them to even like such things. I would be shocked if they did but isn't there such a thing amongst friends in which people respect what others do and are interested in.

It reminds me of the time when my friend met an important figure in our nation's government who they had a tremendous amount of respect for. Even though I disagree very passionately with that government official on a wide-range of issues, I still congratulated my friend on meeting and getting a picture with that person.

Three weeks to the day of that event, I met and got a picture with someone that I had a tremendous amount of respect for. Unfortunately, the same person did not share the same respect toward me as I had shown them.

I have never considered myself to be perfect. Most of the time, I will insult myself before I build up myself. I just wish that some would respect what others are interested in. I don't do it all the time but I will continue to try.

Beware the Idea Killer

A vast majority of us have experienced this at some point in our lives. We are lying in bed and our mind is as busy as the Los Angeles expressway with a traffic jam full of ideas.

You go over every possibility for failure. Will the cost be too high? What do I stand to gain with this idea? How will this benefit mankind?After answering all of these questions, you realize -- This is the best idea in the world!

You can see the tinker tape parades, the interviews with Entertainment Tonight, and the late night Hollywood parties with Jennifer Aniston who dumped Vince Vaughn for you. It still doesn't matter because you have now become Will Ferrell's best bro and Vince really doesn't even care anymore.

So there you are with the greatest idea in the world. You are on top of the world. No, you are the world. And since you have finally solved the world's greatest problem, all there is to do now is go to sleep.

The next morning, you can't wait to tell anyone about this great idea at your workplace, school, or beauty parlor. Finally, you see that perfect person to tell and it fills you with sheer joy and tranquility.

You tell them of your discovery and give the greatest presentation of your life. Moving your arms to illustrate a point and smiling with your wonderfully capped teeth. And then . . .

They spring it on you. As if there is a little devil on their shoulder whispering into their ear to shoot it down like an enemy pilot over a no fly zone.

After the exchange ends, you walk away in a pathetic haze asking yourself why you even asked that jerk for their opinion in the first place. But what do they know?! Einstein never did that well in school. Washington had wooden teeth! Paris Hilton has no talent!

You will go on and survive! You will show this idea killer that he was wrong and will never be able to reap the benefits of your great idea. Then you will finally show him and prove to everyone to beware of the idea killer at all costs!

Good luck my brave idea maker! You are gonna turn out alright.

Misplaced Priorities?

Our ever-changing times seem to be full uncertainties and mystifying facts. Yesterday, the United States Government prohibited passengers from carrying on such liquids as perfumes and beverages aboard airplanes.

This occurred after British policed foiled a terrorist plot to blow up numerous aircraft bound for the United States from the United Kingdom over the Atlantic Ocean. For me, this was certainly distressing.

However, as I was up early reading some articles on CNN, I was surprised yet again. In the article, the Bank of England chose to freeze 19 accounts of the 24 suspected in the terrorist plot.

Along with freezing the accounts, the Bank released their names as well as their birthdays. As I read through the names and dates of birth, I was taken back by the reality of the situation. They were all young like me.

In some cases, there were some who were younger than me including one who was born just four days after I was. It was a surreal feeling that made me sick to my stomach.

While people our age are fighting and risking their lives for our freedom in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world, too many Americans my age are more worried about their failed relationships.

While the biggest concern for many people my age in other countries is getting home safely without being blow up, the biggest concern for many people my age is becoming a contestant on American Idol.

While I campaign to gain votes for a Congressional campaign, other people my age campaign to gain votes for a band to play in Chicago.

I don't really have a purpose or a theme for this post as I usually have for my posts.

I just felt the need to share this.

Communication is Key

Remember the unhappy feelings that overcame me yesterday when thinking about my brother moving into his own place? Well, you can forget that I ever said anything! His apartment has two full bathrooms, four bedrooms, stove, microwave, dishwasher, washer & dryer, and a big screen television.

To be honest, I am not upset at all but it has definitely got me thinking about looking for a place of my own or possibly finding some roommates. You gotta love that sibling rivalry stuff.

Turning to baseball for a moment, my dad and I are about to embark on a two day trip that includes a Cubs game in Milwaukee followed by a Yankees game in Chicago. I am really excited because not only will I get to see my Yankees play for the first time but we are taking a bus which will allow me some time to read.

I will be taking photos of the trip so be looking for them to be posted within the next few days. It will be the first item of business apart from hanging out with some friends and maybe going to the movies.

The movie World Trade Center is being released in theatres this week and I am planning on going to the theatre to see it. I plan to hold off making an opinion on it until I see it for myself. Nothing is wrong with those who already have but I think the best option for me is to see it for myself before I make up an opinion.

I do know that the subject of the movie is one that is very important to millions of Americans.

I do know that I will never forget where I was when I first heard the tragic news.

Lastly, I do know that I will never forget the images that I saw on television that day and the days that followed.

As Americans, I feel that it is important for us to discuss how we feel about the events that transpired on September 11th. However, I believe that it is important that we be as willing to listen to others feelings as we are willing to share those of our own.

The important part of communication is that it involves not just talking but listening as well.

Greatness is Divided into Three Parts

My brother is finally on his way home. After a week out in sunny California, he is coming home to the cornfields of Indiana. Of course my elation has been subdued because he will soon be packing up and moving to his apartment in West Lafayette.

Despite this unfortunate event, I will rest very much assured that he will be happy and out on his own. Plus, it never hurts to have a brother who has his own place to chill and hang out. That is if he ever allows me to participate in that with him.

This blog is very much different from the others. Though the content may continue to stay the same: very dry, boring, and about myself. A quick note, the best piece of humor in my opinion is self-deprecation. No one is ever going to write you a letter of complaint for you insulting yourself. At least not in theory.

Anyway, this blog is different because of the location that I am typing from. I have got a perfect view of the full moon from my vantage point in my living room this evening.

Although I am not seeing it from my hot tub as I normally do, it is interesting and good to look at it from a very a different angle as should all things every once in a while. Not to mention that my cat Max has caused me to become stuck here since he has decided to take a nap for the seventh time today on my leg.

But this cat is much different from many of the cats I have ever known in the sense that he doesn't hate people. I have never seen a cat who likes to be held as much as this cat. This probably should be a no brainer considering my dad saved him from the streets.

But that is another story for another time as my computer is losing it's battery and I need to wash my hands because Max sneezed on them. Until next time, an original quote: Greatness is divided into three parts. One part luck and two parts BS. Good night!

Movie and Fundraiser

After taking a short break from writing, I'm back! Summer is coming to an end with the start of classes being only a few short weeks away.

As has become a tradition this summer, my dad and I went to the movies again today to watch Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.

I have to say that this has to be one of the worst movies I have ever seen. I won't go into a full review but I felt as if I was forcing myself to laugh at every joke. I have been lucky all summer in my movie choices so I guess it is only fate that I see at least one bad one.

Campaigning has been going very well. Tonight I attended a fundraiser for one of our candidates who is running in a highly competitive county race. It is such a good feeling being able to walk around at a function like that and be able to speak with everyone.

I hope the day I don't enjoy sharing the company of other people is the day that the final pieces of sand fall out of the hour glass that is my life. I don't know what I'd do without feeling that way.

Well, that is it for me. I would write more but the difficult part of blogging is that certain details have to be kept private because of the complex nature of this form of written communication. Let me end by simply saying that things have been interesting.