Campus Activities

It was an interesting day. If you were to tell me a year ago that I would one day give up participating in school activities voluntarily then I would have said that you were crazy.

My participation in school activities has been one of the most rewarding times of my life. It has allowed me to do things that I never even thought were possible.

As I informed a few people about it, someone stated that it was like the end of an era. I don't know if I would categorize it as the end of an era but it would be false for me to say that I have not been a staple in the world of campus activities at my university.

It is my belief that it is our moral duty to help our fellow man because we all have a vested interest in each other. Being involved in campus activities has helped me realize this.

Though many will scoff at becoming involved on one's campus, it has allowed me to not only figure out what I want to be when I "grow up" but it has also helped me grow as a person both mentally and spiritually.

Few causes are as noble as someone who is willing to help make another person's life just a little bit better. My accomplishments have been great even though they may not matter to most people.

Some may also say that my accomplishments are small in the grand scheme of things. However, let us judge our deeds not by their magnitude in the eyes of others but by their magnitude in the eyes of those we help.

These are just some of the lessons that I have learned through my service and volunteering. In our current society where we have lost so much faith in each other, I feel that the best thing that we can give anyone is hope.

And if in all of my years of service I have only given hope to just one person, then all of my years of service have been well worth it.

Joe Donnelly Rally on Thursday!

RALLY WITH
SENATOR EVAN BAYH!

IN SUPPORT OF
JOE DONNELLY FOR CONGRESS!

NOVEMBER 2nd @ 2:45 p.m.

UAW Local #292

1201 W. Alto Rd.
KOKOMO.IN

The Passing of a Basketball Legend

The game of professional basketball has lost one of its legends. However, unlike most basketball legends, this man never scored a point in the NBA.

Arnold "Red" Auerbach - the man who led the Boston Celtics to sixteen NBA championships as a coach and executive - passed away yesterday at the age of 89.

His unfortunate passing is very saddening to Celtics and basketball fans alike. He will be missed but his legend will live on in the minds of basketball fans and coaches forever.

Red Auerbach: 1917-2006

Hidden Talents

Happy 20th Birthday Chris!

It has been a few days so I think I might as well write today. Even though the weather has been extremely chilly today, not even the elements could stop my Hoosiers from beating up on the Michigan State Spartans.

Few things are as great as getting to watch your team win on a Saturday or Sunday. Of course, there are other things that are so much better but unfortunately I cannot think of them at present.

I also made a stop by Howard County Democratic HQ today for some phone calls (To my friends: No one cursed me out today guys). To be quite honest, as my friends continue to learn more about my campaign work, I think that they are secretly hoping that such an event will occur.

I do not blame them. The stories that I have from life on the campaign trail are so much more than humorous. Some of them are just downright hilarious.

My only regret is that so few of them get to see it, just as I do not get to see them in action. Each of us has things that the vast majority of our peers and colleagues do not get to see such as a talent for making blankets or running of youth baseball league.

Not only is it interesting to learn something new about a person but it is also a great feeling to strengthen those connections that we share with our friends.

For now, I end this blog post to finish the last two items on my agenda:

1. Clean my room
2. Win the National Championship on NCAA College Football

Keeping the Faith

Life is not fair. It is this unfortunate lesson that I have come to accept as each day passes. Many times, it seems as if each day is more difficult than the last. It is because of days like these that many of us just feel like giving up.

For the past month, I have had more of these days than not. Many times I feel as if what I do or say has little bearing on anything.

Now, I could say that I have never lost my faith in things but I would be lying if I did. Truth be told that I am often inclined to think this more times than not.

You can call it apathy but I think it is human nature to be full of self-doubt. To live is to defy those forces which would rather we didn't.

Just making it through each day is a victory in itself for me sometimes. In this life, very few handouts are given.

To achieve something in this life I feel a person has to want it bad. Even to live in this world of ours is a struggle and full of obstacles.

Continue fighting. Don't lose hope. Keep the faith.

We Deserve Better

After another great day of campaigning, I am home. The best part about campaigning is getting the opportunity to speak and converse with other people in my home town.

I can remember talking with an older woman this evening who was simply tired of the way the business of politics is conducted in this country. She told me that anymore it seemed as if there was no one out there to be trusted.

I can't say that I blame this woman especially when I saw what I saw on CNN today. I saw the story of a kid who was videotaping a Senator running for reelection in an effort to catch him making mistakes in his speeches.

Ironically, this kid was being paid by his political opponent to do this. I think that this goes beyond the ballpark of dirty politics and slams head on into 3rd grade childish acts.

I may be wrong but I think that the American people are more interested in how the candidates feel about the issues instead of dirty partisan attacks on both sides.

Though anymore it is a necessity to include such attacks in campaigning, it is quite disturbing that we have come to this when the American people just want to know what the candidates stand for and how they are going to make their constituents' lives better.

We deserve so much more than petty name calling. We deserve answers to our questions that have gone unanswered for so long.

We deserve so much more than our President blaming Democrats for all of the problems existing in our country. Pretty interesting coming from a man who said that he would be a uniter instead of a divider.

Try as best you can to get the facts and exercise your right to vote on November 7th!

Random Rant for the Day

This is just a random question but why do some of my fellow college students feel the need to talk with an accent other than their own?

I mean, I am proud of my British heritage too but I certainly have never felt the need to talk as if I am from the United Kingdom.

Be proud of who you are as a person but please stop trying to pretend you are someone you are not. Plus, your accent gets very annoying especially when it really isn't that good.

But, if you are intrigued by great speeches then I suggest you check out Charlie Chaplin's last speech in his 1940 film "The Great Dictator".

It is quite powerful and moving.

Joe Donnelly: Independent Voice for Hoosiers

In America's heartland, we Hoosiers have a great reason to be excited. With the Election of 2006 only a few days away, we have a choice about who we want to represent us in the House of Representatives.

It is an important choice. Not only will our choices have a tremendous impact in Indiana but also a tremendous impact around the country and around the world.

Over the course of this year's election, the race in Indiana's 2nd Congressional District has gained national attention. In fact, analysts are considering it one of the hottest races in the country and the choice is entirely up to us.

The person we chose will be our voice in the hallowed halls of Congress for the next two years and the choices are very clear indeed. We must choose between those who wish to continue the petty party politics of our day and those who wish to look for solutions to America's problems. This election, we will cast our vote between a message of continuing the status quo and a message of better and brighter days to come.

On Election Day, I ask you to cast your vote for Joe Donnelly. Throughout this campaign, he has continued to spread his hopeful message while gaining the support of people such as former Indiana Senator Birch Bayh and Illinois Senator Barack Obama. Additionally, the Indianapolis Star editorial board recently chose to endorse the Mishawaka native because he "brings many positives of his own to the table, including sound, moderate positions on extrication from Iraq, immigration control and taxation." Myself, I support Joe Donnelly for three reasons.

The first reason is that Joe Donnelly will be an independent voice for the people of Indiana. With the recent lobbying scandals in Washington, it has never been more important that we have a Congressman who will remain loyal to Hoosiers and not the special interests. In fact, Senator Evan Bayh stated in the South Bend Tribune on October 6, 2006, Joe Donnelly is "a good person who will fight for the people of the district."

The second reason is that Joe Donnelly will work to keep Americans safe at home and abroad. He will work to ensure that our soldiers have every resource needed in the field. He will also hold the current administration accountable for its duty to support our troops with good planning so that we can complete the mission in Iraq and Afghanistan. Moreover, Joe Donnelly realizes that our nation's energy policy is a matter of national security and will work to promote greater production of ethanol and bio-diesel sources of energy. He knows that we cannot be reliant on foreign dictators for our energy.

However, the main reason I support Joe Donnelly is that he wants to take our country in a new direction that will lead us into the 21st Century.

A new direction will lead to fair trade policies for working people. The people of our area know how important it is for our leaders to fight for good paying jobs in Kokomo. As our Congressman, Joe Donnelly will fight for working families by standing up to the corporations who continue to send our American jobs overseas.

A new direction will lead toward a more affordable healthcare system. As the most prosperous country in the world, our friends and neighbors have the right to good and affordable healthcare. As our Congressman, Joe Donnelly will work to make sure that no person is turned away because of the high cost of healthcare.

Lastly, a new direction will give us more than just words when it comes to the immigration issue in our country. Not only is this an issue of national security but it is also an economic issue. As our Congressman, Joe Donnelly will support a comprehensive reform on immigration and enforcing employment law that has gone unchecked by the current administration.

As I stated before, we have a reason to be excited and that reason is Joe Donnelly: a great man, a great leader, and a great friend to Hoosiers. This year, we have a choice to continue the path we are on or to take a new direction. On November 7, I respectfully ask you to choose a new direction by sending Joe Donnelly to Washington to be an independent voice for the people of Indiana.

Anything is Possible

Sometimes when we get the opportunity to do something really special we often times have to give up doing something else. In order to do just that I skipped both of my classes today.

Now even though I did what many of college students do on a daily basis, I am sure that my reasoning for skipping was much different than most.

Today, I am proud to say that I skipped class to meet Barack Obama. The Illinois Senator was in Indianapolis today to campaign and speak at a fundraiser for Congressional candidates Brad Ellsworth, Baron Hill, and the man I am working for - Joe Donnelly.

You can read about it at WISH-TV. I was lucky enough to be able to go because of a complimentary ticket becoming available last night. To the person who was not able to go, I am eternally grateful to you for giving me the opportunity to go.

The room was full of just over 100 people so it was a very intimate gathering of friends and fellow Democrats. There was an excitement unlike I had ever seen in the air as the Illinois Senator made his way into the room along with the candidates.

Obama made his way over to the table that I was sitting at as he proceeded to "work" the room. I stuck out my hand as soon as he was within reach to shake his. It was one of the coolest feelings that I have ever had in politics as I shook the hand of the man who has inspired millions to pursue a career in public life.

It was just as amazing that I knew a lot of the people in the room even though I will admit that meeting Barack Obama was a life-changing experience.

I have continued to be amazed that I have come as far as I have after only being involved in politics for two years now. It is one thing to be involved but it is another to have people like the candidates and former state elected officials know you by name.

To me, the opportunities that exist in this world are endless and anything is possible. This conviction of mine has only continued to grow stronger as I continue to become involved with government.

Indianapolis Star endorses Joe Donnelly!

The Indianapolis Star has endorsed Joe Donnelly in the 2nd Congressional District Race!

Read about it here!

On November 7th, remember to vote for Joe Donnelly!

The Policy of Political Correctness

I got the opportunity to talk with 6th grade students about the importance of our Constitution and government at a local middle school today.

Of course, I was very nervous because for the past three years I have been groomed to speak to an audience of adults as opposed to young kids.

At the end of the day, I am happy to say that I had a wonderful time. My presentation did not just talk about history and government. I made it come alive with music and photographs of the things that I have seen and done.

But, the most important thing of which I am also most proud of is what I told each class after I had them take a preliminary quiz about our elected officials.

After the quizzes were graded so to speak, the students were quite ecstatic with their performances. I noticed how happy they were to have answered correctly questions that most adults in our society cannot answer correctly. For example, "Who is your Congressman?"

I told them that, no matter what anyone says, they have the capability to do great things and are just as smart as everyone else. Of course they looked at me like I had bugs crawling out of my ears but as I elaborated more I think they started to understand what I was getting at.

Even though many people might not think they do, I told them that they have unlimited potential and are just as good as anyone else. I think just giving a child hope and building their confidence is a forgotten art nowadays with all of the exams and microscopes kids have to go through today. I think this provides us with a window to look at our own society's problems.

In our society today not only do we have a problem with civic participation but I also believe that within many of us there lies a much deeper problem. I think that we as people tend to judge ourselves way too much and have become so analytical of ourselves that our self-esteem has shrunken to an all time low.

I have found myself doing this at times also so I am no more guilty than anyone else. Ironically, I can remember a friend of mine voicing his opinion to me about a certain subject recently. Amazingly enough, he immediately followed it up with an apology after he made his statements.

Have we become so critical of ourselves that we have to apologize for voicing our opinions? We certainly must apologize if we become rude with our opinions because of emotion but we certainly should not apologize for making our opinions known to others.

I find this to be very unfortunate and I hope that these problems will work themselves out somehow. If not, I hope at least that the next generation will be able to do so.

Maybe they will be different by concerning themselves more with the correctness of political policy instead of the policy of political correctness.

Donnelly Rally in Kokomo Saturday!

American Values

Tonight's task is writing a Annotated Bibliography for one of my psychology classes. Although I understand and appreciate the professor's willingness to assist us in our quest to write our literature review paper, I am of the opinion that the Annotated Bibliography is nothing more than glorified busywork.

Granted college students should be able to organize the main ideas of their sources and put them to good use but, do we really need to turn it into an assignment? Especially when it is a 300 level course?

Complaining aside, I am confident in finishing it even though it will take me much longer to accomplish than usual since Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien are on tonight.

During this time of year, my late night television shows are interrupted with campaign commercials. Of course, I love watching them but there is one message that I am getting sick and tired of hearing about.

In a recent commercial, it stated that a certain candidate did not stand up for our values as Americans. Is it me or is this argument overplayed?

I am sick and tired of the people in Washington lecturing the American people about values! It is my belief that the American people have a much better grasp on the values debate than do many of the politicians in Washington.

It isn't any wonder as to why there is such a low interest in politics within our country. Participation in our society is essential to our longevity as a people however I do not blame anyone who is apathetic toward our government. I see their point.

Why should our people vote when they have no confidence that their vote will be counted?

The problem is not that we have lost touch with our American values. The problem is that many of our leaders have lost touch with our American values.

National Anthem Mistake

I found this on Ebaumsworld.com and I thought it was pretty funny.

The national anthem mess ups are pretty easy to find. Enjoy!

Giving Back

As the Indianapolis Colts begin Week 5 in the NFL and the New York Yankees try to figure out how they lost to the Detroit Tigers, I am sick at home with a cold.

I mostly have a stuffed up nose and have developed a bit of a cough but it is nothing too major. In fact, I am quite proud of myself for handling it so well.

In the past, I have resorted to acting like a 5-year-old as most of us guys tend to do when they become physically ill. This time, I have been taking it in stride by getting plenty of vitamins, antibiotics, and bed rest.

The beauty about bed rest is that it allows me some free time to think which not only helps to clear my mind but takes my mind off of the sickness. These are my thoughts.

In what seems to be a state of nothing, I tend to look around my room when I am thinking. My little statue of Abraham Lincoln caught my eye today. It was originally given to me by my mother from the time she visited Washington, D.C. as a little girl and I have kept it ever since. Time, of course, has worn it down from what it once was but it is still a great treasure in my mind.

I started thinking about a story I was once told about Abraham Lincoln and the Gettysburg Address. The story was not about the address itself but moreover how Lincoln developed a case of mild smallpox shortly after delivering it.

In the days before the Secret Service, it was incredibly easy to walk into the White House (Executive Mansion as it was called back then) and converse with the President. Many of those who entered the Executive Mansion were often times office-seekers.

While meeting with such a gentleman one day, President Lincoln was told that his case of smallpox was highly contagious causing the office-seeker to leave very abruptly. At which time, Lincoln, in his usual quick witted manner, offered a humorous anecdote.

Of course, my predicament is not quite as severe as that of President Lincoln. However, from the perspective of someone who wants to give something back to his community, I am proud to utter the same words that President Lincoln offered so many years ago:

"There is one good thing about this. Now I have something I can give everybody."

Everyone needs an Escape

BALLGAME OVER YANKEES WIN!

THEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE YANKEEEEES WIN!!!!!!!

Oh how I love those words! Last night the New York Yankees, with a 5 for 5 performance by MVP candidate Derek Jeter, took the first game of the American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers! Go Yanks!

For me, there is nothing better than playoff baseball. The sound of the bat hitting the ball is crisper, the crowds are louder, and the hotdogs seem to get warmer.

Just thinking about it makes me hungry for some ballpark peanuts and a bratwurst.

With Election Day rapidly approaching, I am glad that I still have baseball to provide myself with an escape to the stress involved with campaigning. Everybody needs a break every now and then.

This day will pretty much be a downer for me since I do not have that much stuff to do other than homework and a few campaign activities tonight.

Homework has never been a problem for me but, as the end of my "institutional" education approaches, I have been worrying about the littlest details.

For me, if one little thing is off it could mean the difference between graduation and another semester.

My own competence isn't what worries me. It is the incompetence of others in the system that some of my colleagues have experienced. Mostly they have been horror stories but I too have been involved in one or two of those in my lifetime.

Not being able to make up an economics test because my excuse of serving jury duty is one of them. That story will have to wait until another post though as the mere thought of that experience gives me a frightful headache. Until next time, have a good one!

Go Yankees!

How confident am I about the Yankees winning the World Series?

YANKEES GAME 1 LINEUP

1. Johnny Damon, CF
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Bobby Abreu, RF
4. Gary Sheffield, 1B
5. Jason Giambi, DH
6. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
7. Hideki Matsui, LF
8. Jorge Posada, C
9. Robinson Cano, 2B

Any questions? Go Yankees!

The One-Armed Photograph

In the past, I have used this blog to speak out on important topics of the day. These topics have ranged from Veterans Affairs to Education with just a pinch of Healthcare.

The time has come to discuss an important issue that affects us all. The information is mostly my own observations but I am willing to listen to other opinions on the subject.

This issue is the one and only one-armed photograph! It is here and is crowding the internet and thousands of facebook and myspace profiles. This is not a personal attack on anyone, David. Just a fun observation that I have been noticing. You are still the man!

Anyways, many people know what I am talking about. The characteristics of the one armed photograph are very simple.

Most of the time, the picture is a closeup of two people with one person's arm extending outward and being cut off on either the left or the right side of the picture.

Could they not find someone to take the picture for them? Could they have edited out the arm so it wasn't just arbitrarily hanging there out in space?

Also, within the picture, there is a certain kind of classification involved with the type of picture which I have laid out into several categories.

The Cutesy Friend Picture: This picture is of two friends delightfully smiling for the camera. Depending on how close the friends are depends on how close they position their heads together. If the heads or cheeks are touching then you have found lifelong friends.

The Oo La La Picture: This picture is very interesting because both people in it have now turned their backs to each other and press their lips together as if they are kissing the air. Whether or not they raise their eyebrows or make their eyes bigger is open to interpretation.

The "Let's be Mad" Picture: In this picture, the two people have turned toward each other and put on their most serious face. This is one of the most difficult pictures to take because right after the picture is taken, they automatically burst into laughter saying, "I can't believe we just did that!" Usually located in a bar.

The Celebrity Picture: This is a variation of the Cutesy Friend and Oo La La pictures. The only difference is that the people in the picture are wearing sunglasses that seem to engulf their entire face because the lenses are so big. Don't worry, you look like Britney Spears so it's okay! Scandalous!

Of course, this stuff is open to interpretation. If there is any kind of one armed picture that I am missing please let me know. As we continue to progress maybe, just maybe, we college students will start asking others to take pictures of ourselves.

Life does not contain Chapters

It is early Sunday morning. Usually, when such insomnia occurs, I have found that in the past I tended to surf Facebook, MySpace, and blogs. Tonight has been no exception.

Truth be told, I have been doing my fair share of reading this evening. Most of what I have been reading has been people's entries into their the great autobiographies of life.

Much of what I have read this evening has been about the beginning of one chapter and the ending of another in each individual's life. It has been quite interesting how so many people see life in terms of a book with a beginning, a middle, and an end.

Much has also been said about how the main character will act in these autobiographies especially between chapters. Most of the time, the writer clearly states to the reader that the main character will be acting differently for that portion of the book since a new chapter has begun.

I guess I see things much differently. It is my opinion that life does not contain chapters.

To me, the beautiful thing about life is that it is an endless book with no chapters and we simply do not act differently because a new chapter begins in our lives. We act differently because we learn new lessons and progress through our own stories.

It is the emotions of life that make it thrilling. To me, life is so much more than completing one task and moving on to another.

Does receiving a piece of paper from a university make us any smarter than we were before we received it? I should hope not.

Our knowledge must be judged by so much more than just tasks completed or words on a page but what we do with it and how we use it to better our world.

Of course, I have stated before that I plan to write a great book one day. I am also sure there will be plenty of chapters which will be full of the knowledge that my main character has gained throughout his lifetime. I will be honest, he will not always do the right thing and sometimes he will fail.

But the beauty of my main character is that he will continue to press on and learn from those past mistakes. Granted, his surroundings, appearance, and company may change but what will not change is the spirit in which he possesses for life.

It is this spirit which will allow my main character to live each day as if it was the last page of his story. At least, that is my hope.