Mind of Migel from the 12/6/07 Ionian

I’ve found that time has a way of passing in funny ways. One day it seems like it will take forever to get of high school, then seemingly a moment later and college is almost over.
At the risk of writing a ‘fluff’ column, in this edition of the Mind of Migel I would like to take a break from discussing controversial issues like Iona’s drinking policy or hard-hitting news like the emergency state in Pakistan, which looks to have nearly resolved itself since our last edition.
The other day I filled out a card which was essentially an application to graduate from college. Like every other senior, I received the standard email reminding me to do so before the end of November. I kept reminding myself to do it, yet somehow it didn’t get done until the day before I left for Thanksgiving break.
When I filled out the card I had to pause for a moment and reflect that, “Wow this is actually happening.” Not so much the fact that I’m graduating from college, just the nature of how incredibly fast time flies by. Didn’t I just move into the first floor of Loftus a couple days ago? I admit that when I’m not doing schoolwork or putting together the Ionian on a deadline night I tend to be off in my own little world most of the time. Yet, there always seem to be things which can knock us back into reality.
For me, that moment came during my family’s Thanksgiving dinner (technically it was lunch.) I had worked eight hours the day before and came in to work from 8 a.m. – noon on Turkey Day itself. From there we rushed up to my Aunt and Uncle’s house in upstate New York for the big cheerful feast.
The only problem is that it wasn’t all that cheerful. There were only six people there and the most prominently missing person was my Grandma. Despite having just turned 90, she is always in great spirits and loves to see all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. But on that particular Thursday she was too weak to come join the feast due to a recent surgery and radiation treatment to combat cancerous lymph nodes which needed to be removed.
While we certainly did have some fun despite Grandma’s absence, there was a noticeable sense of foreboding among everyone about her condition. With Christmas just around the corner, I really am selfishly praying she gets better if only so I could spend some more time with her.
I really don’t like to get too personal with these columns, but with the ever-rushing passage of time heavy on my mind I figured I’d vent some of my feelings over that with you. With the holiday season here already it seems like now is as good a time as ever to dole out some ‘fluffy’ advice. If you’re going home to a family that really does love you after finals and are expecting some pricy presents this Christmas, be grateful for it. I know I am – and the fact that so many kids in this world don’t have parents should make us all feel more grateful.
In the midst of the rush of Christmas shopping, studying for finals and everything else don’t forget to take some time out and give thanks for what really matters in life.

Mind of the Migel from the 9/20 edition of the Ionian

These days, it seems everyone is a critic of President Bush – and often for good reasons.
The latest charge being levied against him is an odd one which you wouldn’t expect to be a negative: loyalty.
Detractors are claiming that while forging a friendship with the president of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf, Bush saw many positive traits in the man but failed to see the makings of a dictator.
For the better part of the past month, it’s been nearly impossible to avoid the media coverage of Musharraf, who declared emergency rule in Pakistan Nov. 3. Since then, Musharraf has suspended the country’s constitution, imprisoned opposition leaders, closed down several newspapers and TV stations and refused to give an exact date for when general elections will take place.
Nov. 16 marked the first instance where a U.S. official (John Negroponte) attempted to persuade Musharraf to end the emergency state and he hasn’t succeeded yet.
In the wake of September 11, 2001, Pakistan pledged to help Bush hunt down and dismantle al Qaeda and the Taliban. It was at that time that the unlikely pairing of the two heads of state began. Bush saw a powerful general who used reason and claimed to practice democracy. Musharraf saw a potentially huge ally that could supply him with the aid he needed to stay in power.
Since their first meeting, Musharraf has been to the United States several times. In 2003 it was to visit Camp David – a perk reserved for the President’s closest friends and allies. Indeed Bush and Musharraf became close following 9/11 as the latter vowed to step down as leader of his nation’s army and give way to democracy. That, of course, has not happened.
How did Bush misread his most trusted friend in the Middle East so badly? Dubya is a man that believes strongly in “personal diplomacy,” meaning he makes connections with people like Musharraf and then stick with them. The problem is that Bush “personalized” his relationship with the leader of Pakistan, and with Musharraf essentially implementing a semi-dictatorship, his relationship with Bush is under fire as well.
Bush’s loyalty has come back to hurt him in the past. When cabinet members Colin Powell, Donald Rumsfeld and Alberto Gonzales didn’t work out he proved incredibly reluctant to fire or even chastise them. In this case that decision isn’t up to Bush; but according to a Nov. 18 New York Times article, the administration is looking into having Musharraf replaced by another general. It’s interesting that didn’t happen sooner, especially given Bush’s penchant for nation-building and the fact that Osama bin Laden is still on the loose.
You’d think some people would learn their lesson – that’s clearly not the case with this administration, which is content to keep making the wrong choices until January 20, 2009 – the last day of Bush’s term.

The Mind of Migel 11/8 Edition of the Ionian

National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week is upon us here at Iona. Students can see this in programs and events which have taken place during the week and will continue through tomorrow. The week-long effort, which spread information about the dangers of drinking, prompted me to do some thinking about the college’s alcohol policy.
Binge drinking, in case you haven’t heard yet, is an ongoing problem at every single college in the nation. Alcohol is a substance that, like most substances, can lead to some serious problems if you don’t know enough about it and how it will affect you. For that reason, events like Alcohol Awareness Week are not only necessary but are also beneficial additions to student life at any school.
Many of the events are fun and require participants to do nothing more than don a pair of “beer goggles,” try to walk between a couple of orange cones on campus and make a good-natured fool of themselves in the process. There’s also the traditional mocktail event, during which students are served healthy doses of virgin pina coladas, among other alcohol-free drinks. It’s a not-so-boring way to get the message across that alcohol can be every bit as dangerous as you don’t want to believe. (One in three college campuses are dry for a reason.)
Having said all that, I think it’s important to note that all forms of drinking aren’t necessarily bad – if you’re of age. In fact, some academic institutions have managed to negotiate their alcohol policies so as not to alienate upperclassmen who can legally drink, while also preventing their campus from turning into a scene from "Beerfest."
Colleges comparable to Iona, such as Marist and Providence, allow 21-year-old students to drink on campus. They don’t promote it or encourage it of course, but they deal with it. In addition, Manhattanville College has a pub on campus which is strictly enforced to ensure only seniors can get in. If Iona were to adopt similar policies, it could greatly reduce the number of off-campus parties as well as the level of binge drinking on campus in general.
A pub on campus would serve as something of a reward for students that are of age and couldn’t drink on campus earlier in their college careers. It would also cut down on the number of students who trek to downtown New Rochelle and back each weekend in search of the latest bar to hang out in. Sure, walking back form the Backyard Pub at 2 a.m. might seem smart at the time, but in hindsight it is about as smart as waving a red flag in front of a bull.
Dry campus policies force droves of underage drunks into a downtown community that didn’t ask for the burden, but must deal with it due to the complete lack of bars adjacent to Iona. The whole situation has created an atmosphere in which students of age don’t feel safe in the one place they should. Iona is a home for students for four years, yet many feel offended by the characterization of college students as a bunch of alcoholics – and rightly so. College is about a lot more than drinking for most students. But, that doesn’t mean that 21-year-old Iona students shouldn’t be able to enjoy a drink when they want to.
Just a few tweaks of the college’s drinking policy could dramatically change the environment for students and create a more enjoyable college experience for everyone.

The Mind of Migel from the 9/27 Ionian

If you picked up one of the
New York papers this week you
more than likely saw the face of
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad staring
back at you. Ahmadinejad, the
president of Iran, made some
big news when he came to the
Big Apple to appear at the U.N.
General Assembly and to give a
speech at Columbia University.
The Ivy League institution
received criticism for allowing
the supporter of Iraqi insurgents
a platform to voice his convoluted
beliefs.
Ahmadinejad has made a number
of enemies while staying in
New York. He requested to visit
Ground Zero and explain why
the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001
occurred. He was, of course,
denied any such visitation.
His visit brings up some interesting
questions about the
American concept of free
speech and who can claim its
protection.
Columbia has long been
thought of by academics as one
of the nation’s leading institutions
for journalism and, therefore,
a defender of the First
Amendment.
In addition, Columbia is
known as one of the most prestigious
colleges in the country.
Why then would they see fit to
play host to what many call the
most dangerous man in the
Middle East?
Columbia President Lee
Bollinger asserted that the
speech was to serve academic
and educational interests. But
that begs the question: could
what Ahmadinejad had to say be
considered academic? If so, then
it makes me wonder: when did
the ramblings of an ignorant dictator
become educational?
Bollinger defended his decision
to allow Ahmadinejad to
speak by claiming that his talk
would spark debate within academic
circles and that to deny
him the right to talk would be to
deny him freedom of speech. He
is correct about both. But does
that mean that he was right in
allowing Ahmadinejad to appear
at his college? No.
Sure you could say that by listening
to Iran’s president,
Americans can gain insight into
the mindset of Islamic fundamentalists;
or even that it is a
great opportunity that certainly
no other college could offer
their students.
But how many other colleges
would want to play host to an
event such as this?
In Bollinger’s introduction of
Ahmadinejad he was pointedly
critical of the head of state,
referring to him as a “petty
and cruel dictator,”
and calling his views on
the Holocaust “astonishingly
uneducated.”
Indeed the
speech that followed
proved Ahmadinejad to
be just as petty and ignorant
as any might have thought.
He defended his views
by saying, “More research needs
to be done on the Holocaust.”
Normally, reading a comment
like that wouldn’t do much to
faze me. I could shrug it off with
the excuse that “he’s just a poor,
ignorant person from the Middle
East – he doesn’t know any better.”
The problem is that he does
know better.
This is a man that is selling
arms to insurgents in Iraq, helping
to fuel the fire surrounding
U.S. troops fighting over there.
This is the same man that many
suspect of nuclear arms proliferation,
human rights violations
and attempting to bring about
the destruction of Israel.
He defended his regime during
his speech and made several
allusions to his right to speak
before the gathered crowd.
“We must allow people to
speak their mind, to allow
everyone to talk, so that the
truth is revealed by all,”
Ahmadinejad said.
The reality of the situation is
that we are not required to do
anything for a cruel dictator
helping to fight against our own
men and women a continent
away. We did not have to allow
him to speak his mind and, likewise,
we do not have to take
what he says seriously. Of all the
negative feedback Columbia has
received since the speech took
place, perhaps the best was from
Israel’s President Shimon Peres.
“If a university is a platform
where lies are permissible, then
it is not academic ... So all of
yesterday’s show was
wretched,” Peres said.
Yes Ahmadinejad has the right
to speak in America; but, that
doesn’t mean he deserves it.

The MInd of MIgel: from the 9/13 issue of the Ionian

More than six years following the devastating tragedy that occurred Sept. 11, 2001; one has to beg the question: have we as a nation already become desensitized to the horrific events of that day? Or are we still living vigilantly, as if our soil had just been attacked? Perhaps the answer lies somewhere in between.
It’s easy for people to get discouraged over the governments handling (or mishandling) of the War on Terror. Rather than pursue Osama bin Laden the perpetrator of the attacks a any cost, the fight was taken to Iraq. It is here that the Bush Administration has opted to pursue the business of nation-building instead of hunting down the people responsible for the deaths of nearly 3,000 people.
Like I said, it’s easy to get discouraged over the results (or lack thereof) of the war thus far. But that doesn’t make anyone less patriotic. As Mark Twain put it, “Patriotism is supporting your country at all times and your government when it deserves it.” Having said that, I believe it is critical that we remain committed to the cause of fighting terror – wherever it may be. Sure Iraq was a mistake; but the fact is that we are there now and we’ll probably have to stay there for a while until we can bring our troops back home. Am I happy about that? No, not at all. But the fact is that a withdrawal would be disastrous. Last I heard, the American people didn’t give up on a job before it was finished. Americans usually don’t just forget things like a natural disaster or a stunning attack on our own soil. Then again, from what I’ve seen lately in the news it’s not that hard to become distracted from things that really matter.
When Miss South Carolina screwed up on national television, delivering an absurd answer to a relatively easy question in Miss Teen USA, she got to go onto the Today Show. Why? So a beauty queen made a fool out of herself on TV…so what? Is it really worth putting her on the cover of a newspaper or letting her tell her ‘side of the story’ when that coverage could have gone to educating people about what’s going on in Iraq? Or maybe the space could’ve gone to a story about how almost three quarters of New Orleans is still in ruins following Hurricane Katrina.
The reality of the situation is that our generation has its work cut out for it. But since when has that stopped any group of Americans before?
The only mistake in this global war on terror is that we still have the gloves on. If you want it to end, it’s not going to be pretty.
Unfortunately, from what I see in people today is that if it’s too hard, folks don’t want to do it. Does anyone today think about how the New York City subway system was built more than 100 years ago? People just take for granted that it’s there. No thinking about the inordinate manpower hours and all the work that went into it.
The same goes for this War on Terror. Does anyone truly understand what its like to walk in the boots of our soldiers? Do you know how you would react with Improvised Explosives and bullets flying? Be honest, most of you don’t, but you certainly do have an opinion as to how it could be done better, don’t you?
9/11 united us all for a brief fleeting moment…and then it got hard. As the years go by we should keep focused on fighting this war (remember when it was still a ‘just’ war?) but make sure we’re doing it the right way.

The MInd of MIgel: from the 9/13 issue of the Ionian

More than six years following the devastating tragedy that occurred Sept. 11, 2001; one has to beg the question: have we as a nation already become desensitized to the horrific events of that day? Or are we still living vigilantly, as if our soil had just been attacked? Perhaps the answer lies somewhere in between.
It’s easy for people to get discouraged over the governments handling (or mishandling) of the War on Terror. Rather than pursue Osama bin Laden the perpetrator of the attacks a any cost, the fight was taken to Iraq. It is here that the Bush Administration has opted to pursue the business of nation-building instead of hunting down the people responsible for the deaths of nearly 3,000 people.
Like I said, it’s easy to get discouraged over the results (or lack thereof) of the war thus far. But that doesn’t make anyone less patriotic. As Mark Twain put it, “Patriotism is supporting your country at all times and your government when it deserves it.” Having said that, I believe it is critical that we remain committed to the cause of fighting terror – wherever it may be. Sure Iraq was a mistake; but the fact is that we are there now and we’ll probably have to stay there for a while until we can bring our troops back home. Am I happy about that? No, not at all. But the fact is that a withdrawal would be disastrous. Last I heard, the American people didn’t give up on a job before it was finished. Americans usually don’t just forget things like a natural disaster or a stunning attack on our own soil. Then again, from what I’ve seen lately in the news it’s not that hard to become distracted from things that really matter.
When Miss South Carolina screwed up on national television, delivering an absurd answer to a relatively easy question in Miss Teen USA, she got to go onto the Today Show. Why? So a beauty queen made a fool out of herself on TV…so what? Is it really worth putting her on the cover of a newspaper or letting her tell her ‘side of the story’ when that coverage could have gone to educating people about what’s going on in Iraq? Or maybe the space could’ve gone to a story about how almost three quarters of New Orleans is still in ruins following Hurricane Katrina.
The reality of the situation is that our generation has its work cut out for it. But since when has that stopped any group of Americans before?
The only mistake in this global war on terror is that we still have the gloves on. If you want it to end, it’s not going to be pretty.
Unfortunately, from what I see in people today is that if it’s too hard, folks don’t want to do it. Does anyone today think about how the New York City subway system was built more than 100 years ago? People just take for granted that it’s there. No thinking about the inordinate manpower hours and all the work that went into it.
The same goes for this War on Terror. Does anyone truly understand what its like to walk in the boots of our soldiers? Do you know how you would react with Improvised Explosives and bullets flying? Be honest, most of you don’t, but you certainly do have an opinion as to how it could be done better, don’t you?
9/11 united us all for a brief fleeting moment…and then it got hard. As the years go by we should keep focused on fighting this war (remember when it was still a ‘just’ war?) but make sure we’re doing it the right way.

Culture SHock

I think that college kids, as a culture, are becoming obsessed with sites like facebook and myspace as ways of expressing themselves and their values.

Here is a video which shows this as an example.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z6g1L9umNI

How many times can we ‘cross the line?’

“Sometimes I wonder, and then again – I wonder.”
It’s a phrase my mom would often use during my childhood, to describe anything at all. The quote would relate to a stupid comment I had made, someone cutting my mom off on a highway, or maybe even the things we would see on TV.
This is, after all, a wondrous world which asks many questions of us. I find it funny, therefore, that amidst the hustle and bustle of finals, term papers, and Christmas wishes, the one question on my mind is: how many times can we cross the line? How many times can we – as a society – repeatedly lower the standards of taste without there being any real repercussions?
Of the many important news events to take place during the course of this past semester, (such as the Democrats retaking both congressional houses, the ongoing war in Iraq, and yours truly being elected junior Homecoming Prince) it seems like they are the topics getting the least amount of coverage as we near the end of 2006. Rather, it is America’s obsession with celebrities which has overtaken the spotlight in recent weeks.
From Britney Spears and Paris Hilton’s drunken exploits to Danny DeVito’s appearance on The View to Michael Richards’s racist remarks; it appears we will never be able to get enough of celebrities at their worst (or maybe that really is their best.)
Just how de-sensitized to this stuff are we? There’s so much boundary breaking and line crossing that oftentimes when we do reach an ethical quandary it will just go by the wayside as we set the bar even lower. It will take a long time, however, for someone to set the bar lower than Britney Spears did last week. I thought we had somehow heard the last of her out of control life? Maybe after she dumped K-Fed she could get it together for the sake of her kids – or maybe she will react in the complete opposite way. Perhaps it’s too early to tell if her “sans panties” excursions were simply a sign of her crying out for help; nevertheless Britney (a mother of two) pretty much lost whatever dignity she had while attempting to get out of that car.
Perhaps the oddest part of it all is that while many laughed at Spears’ expense, no one has really condemned Britney and told her to get out of the public limelight (at least not yet.) But will anyone ever tell Britney to give it a rest? In fact, should anyone be chastising her? Yahoo.com revealed that her name was the most searched term on the Internet this past year. Spears undoubtedly will also profit in some way from her recent publicity stunts. This is part of an alarming trend which has seen celebrities profit off of their unethical public behavior.
After Michael Richards made his now infamous tirade against blacks at a stand-up comedy club, the sales of the Seinfeld DVD’s soared through the roof. In addition, a copy of Simpson’s book went up for sale on eBay and reached a high bid of $1,600 before the site removed the book.

If we keep paying attention to these celebrities and their out of control lifestyles, what does it say about us? Perhaps we are no better then them. That’s not for me to say, but what I can tell you is that if we continue to subscribe to these lifestyles

News is the Info u need to survive

While struggling to think of a topic to discuss in this column, inspiration struck me in an odd place: class.
MCO 377 is not exactly the most heartwarming course one can take at Iona College. In fact, my fellow students and I left our first two class sessions somber and depressed with the realizations of a grim future fresh in our minds. Students can see that Professor Tom Callahan takes pride in scaring the life out of his students as he lectures on the plethora of perils that await after graduation.
So after hearing a barrage of discourse on the war in Iraq, Hurricane Katrina, global warming, the lack of affordable health care plans, sky high oil prices and the genocide in Darfur – just to name a few – what conclusion did this class reveal? The fact that no other generation will enter the work force (the “real” world) facing as many challenges as our generation.
While many students might shrug and say “So what?” to a statement like this, it is important to understand that despite the many risks facing us, we do have the power to change the world for the better (as clichéd as that sounds). It is also important to understand that in order for that to happen, people must be informed about all of these threats and recognize that they are taking root today – perhaps without us even realizing it.
Being informed could be the best defense mechanism we have against the many challenges that will come after graduation. Not necessarily the challenges that were listed above, but even smaller ones such as getting a job, buying a home and eventually raising a family will be impossible without staying informed of what’s going on in the world.
Yet, have media members been doing a good job in recent years? Professor Callahan (among many others) would say no, and he is right. In this crazy and mixed-up world, the media chooses to devote most of their coverage to “news items” like the relationships of celebrities Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.
Why is it that most media outlets don’t choose to broadcast facts like the continued devastation occurring within parts of New Orleans lingering from Katrina? What about the fact that Osama bin Laden has still not been found and is likely hiding in Pakistan - when was the last time anyone heard his name in a news story?
The fact of the matter is that there are many competing interests at work among media groups. While some of them certainly do try and tell the news as they see it and as it really is, they might come under scrutiny from their superiors who often act in favor of their own personal interests.
In order for a democracy to work, it is essential that journalists and media practitioners be able to do their job and provide citizens with as much information as possible on a variety of subjects. Without this notion, American citizens wouldn’t be able to make informed decisions which could shape our world for years to come. Knowledge is power – and the world will depend on our knowledge to deal with the challenges that are sure to arise.
However, it is only if we come to hold our journalists and newscasters responsible to do a better job that any true flow of information can occur.
Isn’t it ironic that at the apex of the digital age many Americans wouldn’t be able to answer some simple questions about current events in the world today? More often than not, this isn’t because those individuals aren’t scholars; rather these people are informed about the wrong events.
Put simply, if Americans were better informed by the press perhaps President Bush’s approval rating wouldn’t be plummeting more each day – and perhaps more foreign countries would still be our friends and not protest our actions each day.
While attending a class that actually makes students think for themselves like they do in MCO 377 might seem boring or annoying for the short term, the long-term goal is to shape free-thinking minds that will be able to survive in their post-Iona lives.

Craziness

This past weekend will go down as one of the craziest I have experienced in my three years at Iona.
The chaotic atmosphere created by the massive flooding inspired dumb-struck memories which I will never forget. The tragic death of Adam Lynch united the college community to remember a fallen brother in a time of sadness. On top of that, the terrible massacre at Virginia Tech was yet another reminder of just how fragile life really is.
With so much happening it was difficult to try and focus on just one thing to rant about. I couldn’t help but think that the surge in news items was a reflection of the fact that sometimes events in life are so big that they can’t be put into words.
Sunday felt like walking through a legitimate dream: it didn’t seem possible that a natural disaster of such a scale would ever touch our cozy little part of the country. But then, this weekend saw many things happen which wouldn’t normally fall into the realm of possible.
After watching many people come to terms with the damage caused by the flood (including dozens of cars filled to the brim with water) and others come to terms with the loss of a friend in Adam Lynch, it seems almost trivial to debate things like Don Imus vs. Al Sharpton or the Yankees and the Red Sox.
You could also say it would be trivial to run around in freezing sewage water, yelling at the top of your lungs. Yet perhaps it is these human things which get us through the tough times.
Maybe that can explain the wild and crazy reactions of some students during the flood on Sunday. It was almost like a cathartic form of healing after the long, somber week.
Taking a walk down White Oak Street in the early afternoon to find an array of cars submerged in water isn’t an everyday occurrence in New Rochelle – but it provided a nice break from the usual college activities. In between capturing the event with my trusty camera phone, I felt that every now and then it’s necessary to accept that there are some things we can’t control. Sunday was one of those days.
It was a day to sit back and say, “This is insane.”
Monday, on the other hand, was a day of sorrow for the entire nation. It was a time to pray for the thirty-plus individuals that had their lives ended by a madman at a college campus not very unlike Iona. Sometimes bad things happen to good people – and in this case it looks like we may never know any reason for the tragedy.
I don’t know whether or not things happen for a reason, but I do know that this weekend did happen. It wasn’t a dream – no matter how much we might wish that were so. Virginia Tech students were massacred; the Northeast region was thrashed by a powerful storm, and Iona is still mourning the loss of Adam Lynch.
We may never know why these things happened, but life goes on and as the saying goes, ‘time heals all wounds.’ The Iona community will move on – and hopefully there won’t be another weekend like this for some time to come.

What a death can teach us

I found out today that an Iona student died last night. It was a pretty profound shock to think that someone just a few years younger than myself could be dead. It is a real reminder of just how fragile this thing that we call life really is. It is another reason why we should cherish every breath we take and every second we have on earth.

Comfortably Numb

This is definnitely a STRESSFUL time of year for me and, I think, many other college students. It is the time of year when preparing for midterms, presentations and term papers is a common ritual for college students. But with the incredible weather we're having as of late, my mind continually wanders to one thing: summer.
Sure, I don't know what I'm going to do for a job this summer; but at this point I don't care -- anything will do, and just about anything will be better than my last job. I'll take what I can get as long as it means that I'll be home for a fewcarefree months
I'm sick and tired of being talked down to by "professors" that think they know what they're doing. I'm sick of half of my friends because they think they're my friends when in fact all they can do is talk about their own dumb lives. (That probably doesn't make sense but I don't care, it's my blog lol.)
I love Iona and I love my house in New Rochelle, but after nine months of hard work, I think I could use a break -- I think we all probably could. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to Easter Break.
Oh well, I guess I should stop complaining. Life could be a lot worse; but sometimes, it doesn't really seem that way. With the warm weather here it's a chance to take my mind off the truckload of work that I have due in the coming weeks -- and trust me that's a good thing.

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.

-J.R.R. Tolkien

Domincan Withdrawal

I can't deal with school right now. I spent the last week in paradise enjoying free food and beer and I don't think I can view life the same ever again. I'm definitely going through withdrawal -- but eventually I guess I will be able to go back to the way things were and buckle down and get my work done. But I really don't want to.
It's funny how a trip like that can change your perspective on the world. I left from JFK as a 21 yr. old college kid who works really hard to get a lot of stuff done each week. Then for that one week, I met some incredible people and made memories I will never forget. Perhaps most important however, Ididn't have a single care in the world. Isn't that how life should be? Shouldn't we all take more time to appreciate the things we have and the ones we love?
Obviously, as a student-journalist, I know that this is just my own ramblings on how life SHOULD be and that my life will never be that way. Yet, enjoying a week in the Dominican Republic with 20 of my best friends taught me a lot of lessons, and did a lot to alter the way I view the world -- for the better I think. I hope.