a day without rain

i was outside today, and i realized something that has managed to evade me for some time now. i stopped walking for a moment and looked up at the sky and was reminded of how beautiful our earth is and how lucky i am to be alive.

a little over a year ago, a friend that i had back in college passed away suddenly. sadly, that is how life works. one day you are alive and happy, and the next you are gone.

just admiring something simple like the beauty of a tree, or the happiness a dog or loved one brings you, should be a reminder that you are still alive. life is about appreciation, and the more you do it, the more you feel alive.

take advantage of the little things in life. take advantage of the big things too. you never know when something or someone will be gone. tell someone you love them and that you appreciate them, and remind people of how you feel. it is worth it. i promise.

The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil

Throughout every day life, everyone is guilty, at some point, of being let down over something insignificant going wrong. It is the smallest things that can put us in a bad mood or even ruin the day. The small bumps in the road are enough to make you steam or get flustered, but they are the very things that make a good day what is it, when it happens.

In story of Adam and Eve, the tree of knowledge of good and evil was the entity that showed the very nature of evil (indirectly) and cost the two the eutopic life in the garden. However, without realizing evil, the two never truly appreciated the good. The concept may seem simplistic, but the moral of the story is incredibly relevant and can be applied to just about anything in life.

My point is the small things in life that make you feel like your day is ruined are the very things that make your life beautiful. Why? They make you realize everything you have, and then you appreciate things when they do go your way. Without all the little wrong things, you would be so used to everything going right, that it would be just as bad as things always going wrong. It would just be routine. Boring, unappreciative routine.

So next time your day is going wrong, be thankful. That day is going to make the next just that more enjoyable. After all, you never know when your last day will be.

Dejavu

We, as humans, have an inherent desire to give advice, and most of the time that advice is an ideal solution. It seems so easy. We hear others' problems and the outcome is simple, and the solution is seemingly common sense.

So why do we never take our own advice? Life seems to be a giant, cyclical process where past mistakes are relived. Sure some people are more adaptable and others are just stubburn, but overall the concept is relevant to just about everyone.

Girls that like "bad" guys seem to always like "bad" guys, no matter what friends say. Party animals never really seem to become responsible, and people who are always late never will considerately arrive on time. We, as humans, are inherently flawed, and incapable of totally avoiding past mistakes, else at some point we would be perfect.

I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I always will---no matter what anyone says. That might sound dumb, but that is what makes me me, a flawed human.

here's to the nights we felt alive

Having just gotten in the real-world swing of the full-time work life, I have gone through a major transition in my life. No more college. No more classes. It is all work now, and the working world makes college look like a complete breeze. Though I will say I still look forward to making more great memories with my incredible friends and family, who God has truly blessed me with.

Looking back, college did provide me with incredible memories--some of which I will never forget. Those years really are some of the best years. From UTC to UT, I look back on all the parties and football games that made my college experience so unforgettable. It is so interesting, as we are taught so much within a classroom realm, but seem to take away so much more from the life experiences we have during those four plus years. The friends. The good times. The love.

Clarifying, a college education does do a lot for someone in a lot of ways. It definitely is a supplemental relationship between the studious side of college and the social life that builds a collegian's experience.

Reminiscing, I can't help but feel a touch of nostalgia for those nights with the Knoxville and even Chattanooga crowd that made the night feel so alive. Those memories that make you smile when you remember, or recall a story or even relive for a small moment in time, are the very thing that make you who you are and your life what it is. I wouldn't trade mine for the world. So here friends, is to the nights that we felt alive and, yes, tomorrow will come too soon.

The influence of one small hamster

I have always been someone who loves animals, and I'd like to think someday I could divert that energy to my own children. In the meantime, I decided to adopt a small hamster that ended up becoming something that I loved very much.

Most people I talk to about Dimmy find the idea that someone could love such a small animal/pet so much just crazy, though I really valued him as though he were my child. I played with him daily, bought him the various hamster treats, and he always had new toys. I talked about him frequently, and prided myself on the fact that he would come out of his hamster bed to say hi if I talked to him.

One day, I came home from work and noticed that Dimmy wasn't acting like his normal gregarious self. It turns out that Dimmy had aquired a nasty eye infection that was both painful and blinding. I took him to the vet, who said that he would either suffer and die, or hopefully get better after surgery. Of course I went with the latter option, and he did do well for a few days. I had to hand feed him and give him water daily with a lot of antibiotics. I had high hopes for his recovery, but I woke up one morning to find that he had died in his sleep.

I buried him that same day in a nice area in my new back yard---crying throughout the entire process. Ok I know what you must be thinking---this is too much, but he was really important to me.

It makes me realize that he was a real source of joy for me, as most pets are to their owners. A little corner in my room, which once housed a happy, fat hamster now stands vacant. That joy people feel with their pets and loved ones is the very thing that makes life so exceptionally beautiful. Dimmy gave me that feeling, and I am glad that I had him in my life for the time that I did.

Dark Corners

Why is it that you always gravitate towards whats wrong for you, and shy away from a perfect fit? Is it just too easy, or does mankind have an obession with wanting what they can't have?

Most people know whats right for them, but some little voice deep-down inside tells them that there is always something bigger and better than what is right in front of their face. Maybe it's the media, projecting an unobtainable idea of beauty and romance as something that is the status quo; setting one's expectations far beyond reach.


I have always valued a quote that I, with the rest of the human population, tend to forget. It is simply "it's not having what you want, it is having what you've got." It is so easy to assume that you need something else out there, but taking a step back can show you that you really have more than you could ever possibly ask for.For instance, I have an incredible group of friends, job and house, though life's simple speed bumps tend to produce seemingly life-altering stress.


A goal that I hope to contiously reach throughout my life is realizing what I have before I lose it, an inherent flaw in man.
So maybe you should try to do the same. Go out of your way to tell someone that you love them, or not before making a stupid, selfish move that could hurt one close to you.

Job Searching/Interviewing

Having just graduated in December, I have recently began the job searching/interviewing process. It has been an incredibly interesting experience, for the better and worse.

I had heard from friends that Careerbuilder.com was a great way to both submit your resume to potential employers and post your resume online to allow recruiters to see your credentials (if you are new to this process, you should definitely read this). Careerbuilder is a great way to network with companies that are actively interviewing for vacant positions, and I have received several opportunities from this web site, though one should know that not all employers are as credible or professional as their sales/recruiting pitch may sound. I encourage you to do research on the company before even taking an interview.

For instance, I applied for a sales position within an international company on Careerbuilder and was contacted within 48 hours by a soft-spoken lady, who I assumed to be the company's recruiter. We scheduled an interview, much to my excitement, and I decided to check out the company's web site just to see what I was getting into. I was a little under-impressed, but still had high hopes for my first interview.

I showed up for the interview at a nice office building in Franklin. I entered the building and walked by several very nice offices with glass facades and nice displays. I noticed a door off to the side, which at first I thought was a janitorial closet, as the other offices had glass entry ways. I passed by the door and noticed the company's name on the door. "This must be it," I thought and walked into the office.

My first impression was "dirty after hours club" and I took the walk of shame to the "reception" desk. I instantly realized that the soft-spoken lady who had called me wasn't the company recruiter---she was the receptionist. I was pretty sure that companies have specific positions to select applicants out, and act as company recruiters, so I began to question whether this interview was going to be a complete waste of time.

I sat down in an office chair and began to fill out pre-interview paperwork while listening to what sounded to be Bret Michaels being played in the reception area. That was it.

I decided to take a permanent bath room break and peaced out.. Come to find out one of my best friends Greg, had a similar experience where a company, who was also seeking college graduates, had him going to gas stations trying to sell predator's tickets for his second interview.