Walk A Mile In Your Own Shoes

If it’s one thing my mother told me growing up it was to always be true to yourself. It might take you your whole life to figure out who you want to be, but that’s what makes life so interesting. That’s what makes each of us who we are.

We fumble through puberty, experiment through our teens, and fail so many times before we turn 30 that it makes becoming successful that much more sweet. Sure, some of us have a harder time than others, but if you know what’s true, chances are you’ll figure it out, eventually.

Speaking from experience, it’s not easy, at least it never seems easy at the time. You never know what you learned until it’s all over. We are constantly looking back at that person that walked out of our lives, upset and wondering why, only to realize that it was all right in the end.

The best part about it all is to accept the past. Know what you learned, and apply it to your life today, tomorrow, and in the future. I’m not saying you’re going to be perfect — no one wants that anyway.

Photo credit: http://pinterest.com
/pin/220817187950458342

But do know this:

Accept that you don’t know the future

And you might not get along with everyone

Know that despite the dislike, you still learned something

Enjoy your life

Don’t be afraid

But if you are afraid

Embrace it

That teaches something too

Love walks in

Just as fast as it walks out

We are who we were born to be

If you know that truth

Life is okay

To the Fortune 500 in the high rise

And the drag queen in the hot pink lipstick and 7-inch heels

To the full-time college student working two jobs

And the stay at home mom

To the professional athlete with all the glory

And the recovering drug addict who just got out of rehab

Be you. It's ok.

Photo Credit: http://pinterest.com/
pin/274086327293640932/
Totally my style.

Don’t ever stop what makes you happy. Recognize what makes the corners of your mouth turn up, what makes you laugh uncontrollably, and what helps you sleep at night.

Most of us quit what we love at some point only to realize that we love it that much more and without it in our lives nothing will ever be the same.

For some of us it’s love in another person, others is a sport, art, science, or even the simple life of having a family.

When you realize what that thing is, you begin to discover your truth.

There’s a lot of crap in the world, and you have to weed through it all to find the freshly fertilized pasture.

I’m still somewhere in between.

Lesson learned: I realized that if I’m not true to myself with my thoughts, attitude, and interests, I’ll never be happy. Here’s to today, may you all look ahead to clear skies and a freshly cut lawn. 

The Importance of Poll Voting

Voting is important, regardless of how you do it, but in my opinion going to a poll to vote is much more effective than mail-in ballots.

I spent the first 22 years of my life growing up in Oregon, where we used to go to the polls to vote. I remember when my dad was involved in politics, he let me punch the holes in the ballot on election day. But by the time I turned 18, Oregon had done away with voting at the polls and every election was turned into mail-in ballots. Voting hasn't been as exciting since.

Photo credit: http://partyhardpolitics.com/archives/1939

Having lived in California now for roughly a year and a half and also during a presidential election, I have realized how much mail-in ballots suck. I am happy Oregon has mail-in voting for one reason and one reason only: I can still vote and because I went home just before the election I was able to fill out my ballot. I wasn't on top of things here to register to vote in California in time.

Here are five reasons mail-in ballots suck:

1.) Families can persuade people to vote a specific way. If your whole household is conservative and you are liberal, there is a strong chance they could talk you into voting for the republican. This isn't exactly politically correct, or fair.

2.) It's easier for your ballot to be tampered with. Even though it is a felony to open mail that is not addressed to you, your ballot could be opened by someone else in your home and filled out without you knowing. For instance, if my family was crazy, my dad could have just opened up my ballot and voted for me without me knowing, if he so chose. Thankfully, he's responsible and let me do it myself. Props Dad.

3.) It's not private. Of course, you can go lock yourself in a closet and vote so no one knows what you're doing, but even when I vote in Oregon, I stand around the kitchen table talking about each person and measure. At a poll, you talk to no one and you stand behind a curtain. You have much more privacy. No one knows your vote but you.

4.) Voter turnout might be better, but it's not necessarily the best quality. People can talk you into voting one way or another, or people who decide they don't care could sit around with their friends and write each other in. Give the people who spent time, energy, and money campaigning the decency of your vote, (having lived through a campaign in my own family) they deserve it.

5.) With a mail-in ballot, you don't get the satisfaction of going out and being with the people. You also don't get to vote on election day. Instead, you have two weeks to fill it out and mail it back in and if you don't do that by a certain time, you have to go in and physically drop it off. You don't get the immediate happiness of going to the polls and voting and punching the hole. You lose that special feeling of voting, and feeling like you exercised your right with the rest of America. You also don't get that cool little sticker that says, "I Voted!"

So there you have it, the five reasons why the entire nation should still have voting in polls on election day. If you're really that lazy, or traveling, or what have you, then fill out an absentee ballot.

Regardless, EVERYONE should vote. As a citizen, it is your right and privilege and your vote counts as much as the next person. Be a proud American. 

Photo credit: http://lessig.org/blog/2009/05/wikipedians_please_vote_by_may.html

Lesson learned: I didn't think about it ahead of time enough, but I should have registered to vote in California this year, because then I too could have experience poll voting once again.

Fun fact: Today is my birthday, and the greatest birthday present would be to elect Obama into a second term. Vote! 

Dinner With The Enemy — My First Duck Game

This past weekend I experienced my first non-Civil War Duck game. The Quackers played USC in what many were hoping would be the big upset for Oregon, and although they were close, it was no cigar for the Trojans.

One of my friends who had attended the University of Oregon was in town for the weekend, so we purchased a pair of tickets for the game a couple months back. Not surprisingly, the tickets were around $120.00 apiece for one of the worst seats in the Coliseum. Regardless, we were excited and I knew it was probably going to be one of the biggest games I was going to see all season.

Photo credit: Maria Bruggere
View from our seats, lots and lots o' Duck fans.

Friday night we went to an early birthday dinner at Red O, which was delicious. After dinner we met up with some friends at the Beverly Hills Hotel for drinks. They were in town for the Duck game as well and had mentioned they had extra tickets in the Duck section that they weren't going to use. Gladly, we took the tickets offered and also rode with them to the game the next day. My friend was relieved to be in the Duck section for the game because she was nervous about how she would get treated sitting in a Trojan section. We had a Duck friend sitting with Trojans and a lot of derogatory comments were thrown at her and her family, not cool SC.

Mark Walhberg everyone.

I must also mention that we saw Mark Wahlberg walking into the Beverly Hills Hotel as we were leaving. He looks great in person and as his kids got out of the car he said to them, "Now, no shennanigans in the hotel." It was great, and my friend decided to be creepy and take this picture.








Although I was going to a Duck game, there was no way I was going to part with my Oregon State gear, not to mention I don't own green or yellow, yuck. I repped my retro Oregon State jersey all day. It confused a lot of Duck fans, but the SC fans loved it and I got several high fives.

We tailgated before the game as well and let me tell you, what an experience. Trojan tailgaters are no joke and because most of the people tailgate on campus instead of at cars, it creates for a totally different atmosphere than almost any other PAC-12 tailgater.

Ladies and gentlemen, your future Fortune 500 CEO's.

Beaver and Duck

Just before the game started, my friends gave me two more tickets they had for the row we were going to be sitting in, so I invited my friend to whom I gave the original tickets, to come sit with us — the seats were much better anyway.

Once they arrived our row became very diverse — there was my girlfriend; and most of the section in Duck gear, me in my Oregon State jersey, my friend in a tan t-shirt, and his friend in an SC shirt. Needless to say Duck fans weren't exactly thrilled, but it kept it interesting.





The game itself was as exciting as everyone had expected. It was a total game of offense, with both teams running it down for touchdowns every few minutes. At the end, Oregon was able to maintain nearly a two touchdown lead to overcome the Trojans, just as they had planned.

Throughout the game there were a couple of fights, typical bandwagon Duck fans, and some random dude who was escorted out for trying to get people to pray to the Rastafarian Gods. Random, right?

All in all, dinner with the enemy wasn't so bad and the game was wildly exciting. I have to say that watching amazing athletes such as De'Anthony Thomas and Marqise Lee was such a treat. I'm also glad I was able to go to the game and not only that, but I made it home to watch the second half of the Oregon State game too.

Two more great wins for the state of Oregon. Go Beavers, go Ducks, but don't expect to hear that second part out of me when November 24 hits.

Nobody's wiser than the man in the visor. Several 

people mistook our friend for the famous Chip Kelly 

as we walked through campus Saturday.