Cure for Writer's Block (finally!)

This is my essay for my music history class. Instructions:

Personal background, academic and avocational interests, major area of study.

What is music? What music do you prefer to listen to? What role do you want music to play in your life? Do you play music?

Any other pertinent info regarding your enjoyment or discontent of music.

This was big for me because I had not been able to write anything meaningful in about two months. This assignment opened the flood gates of my memory, and I have not stopped writing effectively for two straight days. Thank God!

My name is Adam Ganucheau. I was born in Jackson, Mississippi, and my hometown is Hazlehurst, Mississippi. I have a wide variety of interests ranging from music to outdoor activities to spending time with family and friends. I have selected Journalism as a major. I have always loved writing, and I know of no better way to do what I love than a career in this field. I hope to one day become an editor or writer for a big-time newspaper or magazine. I also hope to one day publish a novel. Writing is a fairly new life ambition for me, so I am still attempting to choose the path I want to take that brings me the most happiness.

To many, music is a culmination of sounds and rhythms that forms a song. To me, music is more than that—music is a way of life. A mere stroll through campus proves that music makes the world go ‘round. The footsteps of the passerby, the dissonance of distant sirens, the chirping of birds, the swirling of the wind, the rustling of leaves, the rattling of construction crews, the screaming of young children, and the conversations held by different voices all combine to form a song that can only be described as spectacular. If there was no music in this world, humans would have neither creativity nor depth. We would be nothing more than a mass of flesh and bones that serve as robots to society. Without music, there would be no communication. Sounds and syllables that we know as words would remain sounds and syllables that could not possibly be processed by the human brain. Without music, there would be no hope to be released from despair. Without music, there would be no point in breathing another breath; in essence, there would be no point in living. With music comes life, and in life comes music, and I am a firm believer in that statement.

I have been truly blessed with the ability to enjoy and create music since I was a fetus. My parents can attest to that bold statement by telling you that I would kick when I heard a song inside my mother’s womb before I was even born. Since the age of five, I have taken classical piano lessons and proved my abilities by winning numerous awards for festivals across the state of Mississippi. I have worked one on one with the piano great George Winston on a couple different occasions. I joined performance band in fifth grade playing trumpet. Since then I have competed and placed in many competitions and clinics, both individually and with a performance group as a whole. Music has always been one of the most important things in my life, and I do not know what I would do without it. Many people ask me why I choose not to study music in college and pursue a career in music. My answer is simple: I do not want to lose the intimate and personal feelings I have for music. Music is my release—my way of becoming one with the universe and forgetting all things in this mad world. If I get overly stressed with school or just life in general, a thirty-minute piano session is enough to put my mind and soul at ease. I fear that if I become too involved in music, I will lose sight of the benefits it gives me and that I will take it for granted. Some might say that I am keeping what I love on the side, but I do not view it that way—I am keeping it right where it needs to be.

My musical taste has changed tremendously in my lifetime. As a child, I started taking classical piano lessons playing classical music and church hymns. Neither of these genres particularly interested me, but my parents forced me to stick with it. I loved country music. Growing up in small-town Mississippi most likely had a substantial role in deciding to choose that as my musical preference. As I got a little older, I started listening to more pop and country pop. As I got even older, I dropped country altogether and liked mostly pop and r&b. Sometime during my early high school years, I finally developed that appreciation for classical music and church hymns that I had been basically pounded with since first grade. I played classical music in my leisure time and actually led worship at my church playing hymns on piano. I have slightly drifted away from those two, but still enjoy playing them on occasion. Also during my high school years, I developed an intense appreciation for blues music. I studied blues greats and began writing my own blues songs. I have since drifted away from that a bit as well to write more easy listening- type music. My first semester at Ole Miss has broadened my musical horizons as well. I am now open to any and all types of music, but I still believe that I have yet to reach the peak of my musical taste. These days, it does not even have to sound appealing for me to be interested in who wrote it and what their story is.

Today, I continue to play music. I play basically any piano music I can get my hands on and I still attempt to write songs on the piano as well. I am no longer taking lessons, but I occasionally return home to play at church. I have used my trumpet-playing abilities to help pay my way through college. I am a member of the Pride of the South Marching Band here at Ole Miss, and am participating in University band, a concert band, this semester. As is evident, music plays a huge role in my life. I hope that taking this music history class will further broaden my scope of musical taste and allow me to better understand music as not just sounds and rhythms, but as a way of life.

Have Some Haitian Humility*

Americans are sometimes the most selfish people on this planet. Sure, we do what we can to help those in need. We throw a twenty in the red bucket at the supermarket during the holidays. We go on mission trips with church or community groups. We change the light bulb for our elderly neighbor. What we fail to do, though, is actually care.

Just over one year ago today, the catastrophic Haitian earthquake rocked the small country. To refresh the memory: 316,000 fatalities occurred; 300,000 were injured; and 1,000,000 were made homeless. To put that in perspective, Hurricane Katrina only killed about 1500 people. The worst part about the earthquake, however, was the incredibly poor shape the country was in before the natural disaster. As implausible as this may seem, imagine yourself as a small Haitian child for a second. This earthquake hits, your home has been destroyed, and your parents are missing. This exact thing happened to tens of thousands of Haitian children.

When Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, lives and homes were destroyed as well. People volunteered to help with cleanup and recovery as well as donate a specific amount of money. The same efforts were carried out for Haiti. Being blessed with a country like we live in today, we were able to recover from Katrina in about a year. Sure, there are some things that just could not be replaced in a year, but the Gulf Coast was livable. Today, one year after the first tremors occurred, Haiti is still in ruins. The earthquake was reported to have destroyed or damaged nearly 75% of the building structures in Haiti. In one year’s time, a mere 5% of that rubble has been cleared.

Can you imagine living in a tent for one year? We as Americans can hardly stand to sleep in a tent for one night. The worst part is, these people have no clue when help is going to come their way. Oxfam recently released a report on the recovery of the country. Currently, the recovery project is at a standstill due to “indecision on the part of donor countries”. How the hell can there be any indecision on our part? The answer is simple: because we do not care. Americans have it way too easy and sadly, we don’t even realize it.

To be fair, what are we supposed to do? It is nearly impossible to find time in our busy schedules to go to Haiti and clean up some rubble. It is an imposition to adopt a Haitian orphan, although you may be moved to do so. Many of us can’t afford to pay bills let alone send a hundred dollars a month to Haiti. What we can do is humble ourselves. Realize that even in our worst days or situations, we are so much better off than what we could be. We can also write letters to our Congressmen, urging them to make every effort to better fund the relief project in Haiti.

It is time to stop this selfishness that we have become so accustomed to. Can you honestly say that you have thought about Haiti once in the last six months? I sure know that I couldn’t until now. One of my greatest fears is that this country has lost sight of the fact that we are blessed beyond comprehension. Is it too late to change our worldly, self-centered views? I certainly hope not, but it sure isn’t looking too good, is it?

"Enjoy What You Do"

Ah, the subtle things of life.

As I grow older and wiser, I am beginning to realize just how extraordinary the subtle things are. I received a package in the mail today. It was from Mom— an “exam box” full of candy and little goodies to get me through rest of this dreadful week of finals. Scattered throughout the package were some of God’s greatest gifts known to man— pieces of Dove chocolate. Dove chocolate has always been sort of this weird connection between me and my mom. We both love the candy and we usually eat it while we are together; like I said, weird.

Anyways, on the wrappers of Dove chocolate pieces are proverbs or maxims that have always struck me as being very corny. You know, like, “Live life to the fullest” or, “Smile, it makes the world better”. Today, at a time in which I am literally at one of the most stressed points of my life, I was deeply contemplating a decision I have coming up that will undoubtedly write the script of my life. I obviously don’t want to make the wrong decision, possibly jeopardizing my life goals and ambitions.

In the recent days, my stress levels have contributed to the dryness of my face. That is, I am always putting my face in my palms. I am tired, I am worried about my grades, I am scared about the possible outcomes of classes if I do poorly on a final, and I am worried about this decision. Today, while all of these things are looming over my head, I pick up a piece of Dove chocolate and unwrap it. As I naturally do, I read the maxim before I eat the chocolate. This particular wrapper said, “Enjoy what you do”. The proverbial bullet had just hit me in the head.

While I do not yet want to elaborate about the details of my future decision, I do want to emphasize the fact that this wrapper literally made the decision clear for me. It made me think about where I am at in my life and where I want to be. Am I enjoying what I am doing? The answer was clear: hell no. It is truly amazing what can happen when something subtle is exposed to you. Had this not happened to me, I might have made the wrong decision in the next few days and I might have been screwed for the rest of my life.

These subtle things in life are what gets me through. After my experience today, I have learned that the small things in life that might seem meaningless to some are life changing to others. This wrapper would probably just be a piece of garbage to the average person. To me, it was a recipe— a recipe that will hopefully make something that was once bitter into something very sweet. My life is bound to change very soon for one reason and one reason only: because I will enjoy what I do from now on.

I'll Have the Unhappy Meal, Please*

Think about things that we, as Americans, want in today’s culture. There are two things that come to my mind: we want to spend the least money possible, instant gratification, and to be treated with respect. Theoretically, what better gives us those three things than a fast food restaurant? These places are the epitome of the American way of life. They have always had the cheapest meals available, the fastest possible fix to our ever-growing appetites, and the optimal friendly customer service. However, things are starting to drastically change.

If you don’t feel like cooking and you are on a college budget, places like Wendy’s, McDonald’s, or Burger King are the ideal places to go. Though we might want something a little more healthy or enjoyable than these fattening foods, the low prices of these fast food places allow us to look past our more expensive desires. However, the prices at these establishments are steadily rising. I remember when I could get a burger, fries, and a Coke for about four dollars. Now, I spend over seven dollars to get the same thing. For what I am spending on fast food greasiness, I could sit down at Applebees or Chili’s and eat something that has actual taste and is a little more healthy.

Strike one.

I also remember when I could walk into a fast food restaurant, order my food, and it would be in my hand in no more than two minutes. Sometimes it still happens, but these restaurants seem to have generally lost sight of their sole purpose: to be FAST. Nothing annoys me more than having to pull up and wait on my food in a drive-thru. I know that there are a lot of customers, but it is your job to get my food to me as fast as possible. Anyone who has ever gone to a fast food place in Oxford knows exactly what I am talking about.

Strike two.

I am a very social person. I love to talk to people, even if I have no clue who they are. As could be expected, I always try to make small conversation with people that work at fast food restaurants. Nothing big, just a, “Hi, how are you today?” I can recall several times in the past that the employees would respond with a warm response and a friendly manner. I’d be damned if I was ever treated like that in fast food restaurants today. Most of the people that work at these places seem to have no social skills. The least they could do is pretend that they actually enjoy life. Just a LITTLE personality would do. And when you give me my food, at least tell me to enjoy my meal or have a nice day. Instead, I have to worry about you going in the bathroom and killing yourself because that’s the vibe you just gave me. Friendly customer service should still be a main goal of these establishments, and I just do not understand why I can’t get it.

Strike three.

Basically, the three things that Americans want and expect from fast food restaurants are not happening. The prices are steadily rising, making it pointless to waste money on unhealthy, worse-tasting food. The speediness of getting the food is sinking to an all-time slow rate. The friendly customer service is almost always nonexistent. There is almost no point in even spending my money on these places anymore. If this kind of nonsense continues, they will no longer be put up with by Americans. If nothing else, we Americans will get what we want no matter what. It will truly be interesting to behold the future of fast food restaurants in America.

New Trend or Bad Idea?*

As we get closer to the end of the semester, everyone knows what dreadful week is approaching—finals week. Something that comes even before finals week, as most of us are experiencing now, is a plethora of last-minute quizzes, tests, and papers to give one last push to that final grade. It gets stressful, and anyone who has ever been in college will attest to that. So stressful, in fact, that people are taking drastic measures to get those grades as high as they possibly can and to get away from that stress through partying.

The problem that is becoming more serious in today’s colleges and universities is the abuse of ADHD medication by students that don’t have ADHD to enhance grades. Common ADHD medications such as Adderall, Concerta, Ritalin, and Vyvanse are being abused across the country.

Here’s how it works.

In ADHD patients, whose brains are determined as “hyperactive”, these medications work by altering the way signals are transmitted in the brain. In essence, the drugs slow brain activity down to allow ADHD patients to concentrate on important tasks, improve in social situations, and reduce family problems.

In non-ADHD patients, the drugs take an incredible affect on not only your brain, but your body as well. Obviously, a non-ADHD patient’s brain is not hyperactive. Therefore, its signals are not meant to slow down anymore than they already are. For those of you who have never taken these medications, you are probably wondering why people take them. They allow you to focus on basically anything you want to focus on. For example, if you have a big test the next day, you can study for literally 6 hours straight without a break. They also allow you to stay up later. If you know you don’t know the material for your test the next day, then you can easily pull an all-nighter to get the highest grade possible by taking ADHD medication.

This is where it gets scary.

Another trend in colleges today is taking these medications to party longer. “Hey, let’s go see how much we can drink since we can stay up all night through this ADHD medicine!” You might as well just party at the hospital because that’s where you are going to end up. When you drink in excess, your body shuts down at a certain point. (Throwing up, passing out, etc.) When you take ADHD medicine and then drink, your brain is receiving two contrasting signals: to stay up and to pass out. When that happens, a great number of bad things can happen. (Alcohol poisoning, blackouts, etc.).

Doesn’t sound too bad yet, does it? Keep reading.

Side effects for an ADHD patient taking these medications include fast or uneven heartbeats, fainting, increased blood pressure, headache, dizziness, diarrhea, loss of appetite, loss of an interest in sex, and long-term sleep problems. For non-ADHD patients, these side effects can be greatly increased. When taken with other drugs like alcohol, these medications can cause long-term medical problems that often cannot be fixed.

Still not convinced?

ADHD medication is very much as addicting as cocaine, meth, LSD, heroine, and any other controlled substance. There have been numerous reports of people without ADHD dying of overdose on ADHD medication. There are special rehabilitation clinics set up across the country designed specifically for ADHD medication abuse. It is a felony to possess these drugs without a prescription in your name. You might as well be carrying weed around in your pockets because you can go to jail just as long and be fined just as much.

How stupid could you possibly be to take this stuff? It will not get you a better grade. If anything, it will get you a worse grade. It will not let you have a better time at a party because you will most likely not remember a thing about it. Think about it. It’s a logical decision to not take it. Study on your own and make good grades without the help of a controlled substance. You will feel better about yourself at the end of finals week and you will know that you are healthy. Don’t conform to this trend because it truly is a very bad idea.

We Got the Blues*

Mississippi is known for its rich heritage, profound history, and warm hospitality. Mississippi has produced many people who have accomplished great feats. Perhaps the greatest of these feats is helping define the way music is today. Mississippi artists are some of the key contributors in the invention of blues music. As students in the state that is said to have done this, we have an unbelievable opportunity at our disposal that we should probably make the most of. You may be thinking that Blues music is outdated and no longer relevant to our musical culture. Well I am here to tell you to think again. Blues music is still very relevant to us here at Ole Miss, mostly because of the region of the country we live in. We are students in Mississippi, so why not enjoy and come to appreciate the state’s culture? I am going to answer three questions that may be thinking as you are reading this.

Question: Why does it matter that we care about blues music?

Answer: It is the absolute backbone of what music is today. When you are jamming to Lil’ Wayne, Theory of a Deadman, Michael Jackson, or any other artist or band of the last couple decades, you are really jamming to blues greats like Robert Johnson, Howlin’ Wolf, or B.B. King. Blues artists like this created the general structure of the songs you listen to today. Without these blues artists, there would be no songs like there are today.

Question: What can you do to appreciate blues music?

Answer: Listen to it. After all, that is how you appreciate music, isn’t it? At the University of Mississippi, we have the Blues Archive. It is the largest collection of recordings, videos, articles, and books about the blues in the world. Yes, I said largest in the WORLD. Bet you didn’t know that, huh? It is kind of wrong to NOT stop by and see what it’s all about. Located in the third floor of the library, the blues archive is open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday-Friday.

Question: How do I experience even more about the Blues?

Answer: Oxford is located about an hour from the Mississippi Delta, where the Blues is said to have been born. Throughout the Delta and the rest of the state of Mississippi, there is something called the Mississippi Blues Trail. It has about a hundred stops on it at every historically blues-related place in the state. In the delta, however, is the majority of the Trail. Have a Saturday to do something entertaining? Drive to some of these places and learn more about the rich culture we have in this great state.

College is all about learning more and broadening your horizons, right? Why not experience something like this when it is basically at your fingertips? Oxford has a modern blues artist playing at a bar or restaurant almost every night. If nothing else, go listen to them. Blues is still a huge part in Mississippi culture today, so let’s embrace it. Take pride in your state and its culture. Listen to some old blues while you study. Check out the Blues Archive on campus. Make the short drive to some of the stops on the Mississippi Blues Trail. You will not be disappointed. You will be able to say something people from other colleges could never say—that you had a blast when you got the blues.

Political Etiquette is Gone*

With the election last Tuesday, many things have stirred up controversy: who won, who campaigned most effectively and least effectively, and citizens’ reactions to the candidates who won.

It seems like candidates are doing anything these days to get a vote. By “anything”, I mean ANYTHING. Turn on your television about a week before any election. For those of you who either don’t care about elections or are completely oblivious to politics, you might be surprised. For the sake of moral appreciation, I won’t mention any specific candidates in this next little rant. In commercials, candidates are portraying their opponents to be classless, low-life individuals who would “ruin the country, county, city, district, etc.” It is unreal to me that someone could resort to those measures just to win an election. Flashback to third grade: you like a boy/girl, but the boy/girl you like is currently infatuated with someone else. Naturally, as an immature third grader with NO morals or standards, you criticize the person that the boy/girl is infatuated with so they will like you. Yes, I just compared today’s political candidates to third graders—because that is the fairest comparison I could think of. COME ON, candidates. You want to win an election? Do it fairly, and do it with integrity. It makes me sick to my stomach to see personal bashing in political advertising.

The blame doesn’t stop at the candidates, though.

On Tuesday, I walked into my polling place to find about twenty people outside campaigning for their respective candidates—nothing out of the ordinary. What happened next made my skin crawl. One woman bluntly stated, “(candidate) is a racist liar that cares only about his people.” Uhh, wow. I am nearly 100% certain that this woman has never spoken to that candidate or gotten to know him personally. Heck, I am almost certain that this woman had never even researched the candidate’s stance on issues that affect our government today. Little things like that are the things that are causing our country to slowly decline. Our country was founded on moral principles that were implemented in our Constitution to allow the country to prosper forever. It is illogical that someone, like this woman, would bash another person that much just to see their favorite candidate win.

Another thing I have noticed in citizens is that there is no sense of privacy anymore when it comes to politics. I was in a restaurant the other day with some friends and one of my friends asked me who I voted for. This is where some moral questions arise. I was raised to never, EVER ask about the way someone voted in public. To me, it seems completely intruding to inquire about such a thing. I realize that just because I was raised a certain way doesn’t mean that other people should have been raised that way too. However, is it not common sense to know that some people might consider their vote to be private?

What has the election process in the United States come to? It has resorted to personal bashing of candidates and straight up lying about candidates. It has come to a certain sense of ignorance within the general population and an invasion of privacy and respect within the general population. Where is the integrity that our founding fathers built this country on? Where is the pride in our freedom that people are dying for every single day? Where is the respect for each other’s morals and principles that has been a standard of humanity since humanity existed? If this behavior continues, we will no longer be worried about which party has the majority of Congress. We will be worried about which country is about to overtake our corrupt government. We will be worried about what our children will have to go through. We will be worried about things that could have been avoided had we taken the time to think about what really matters.

"Let It Be Me"

I love it when a song makes me lose all sense of self and think about something that doesn’t seem real. How can I possibly explain it? It’s like my soul floats out of my body and I am seeing the world for the first time. Rebirth— there’s a decent descriptive word— opening my eyes and seeing the light of the world. There is so much for me to experience and see that I know is out there. At least I think it is out there. I think humanity is trapped in this cocoon, like a caterpillar. When we finally break free from the powers that hold us back, we open our eyes to beauty. Beauty within ourselves and beauty within the world. The caterpillar hatches from the cocoon and is a beautiful butterfly. Instead of walking on the ground, it can fly wherever it wants. FREEDOM. Right now, I am in the stage where I am realizing that it is possible to break free, and I absolutely cannot wait any longer to get out. Look out, world, because I am coming. I am not planning on wasting anymore time examining myself in the metaphorical “mirror”. I am ready. I have been ready. Whatever is about to happen is undoubtedly about to happen. “Let It Be Me” by Ray LaMontagne just opened my mind to this incredible idea. Can I even call it an idea? I just experienced the second out-of-body experience of my life. Both times involved music. Things can only get better from here. Nothing is going to get in my way now. Nothing, nobody. Try and stop me.

A Day in the Life*

To start off, I am not officially representing the band in any way, form, or fashion. I was not told to write this article by anyone affiliated with the Pride of the South, and my purpose is not to bash anyone for any past comments that may or may have not been made. It was fully my decision to write this article. The Pride of the South and all its entities works countless hours to give a good image to the university, its alumni, its students, and its fans. Their work seems to go unnoticed all too often, and that is something that simply cannot happen. Maybe after reading this article, people will respect the members of the band and everything they do just a little more.

The following gameday weekend schedule came directly from a member of Pride of the South. Under the current situation involving the band, he wishes to remain anonymous.

Friday:

4:00 PM- 4:15 PM

Start of rehearsal. All band members participate in a 15 minute warm-up.

4:15 PM- 6:00 PM

All band members report to the practice field. On-field conditions vary daily. This semester, the average temperature around this time every day has been about 90 degrees. Main objectives for this time period include: learning and memorizing new music, plotting of new marching moves, tedious repetition of these moves, multiple run-throughs of all moves learned that day, multiple run-throughs of a whole show (three songs), and multiple run-throughs of all shows (four shows). For just under two hours, all this must be done while carrying an instrument at a 10 degree angle that weighs about as much as a full backpack, in 90 degree heat with no breaks.

6:00 PM

Gameday itinerary is reviewed by all students. Typical itinerary includes specific times to be in designated places. (More on that in a second.)

6:30 PM

Band members leave the band hall and return to their homes.

Roughly 7:00 PM

Band members must prepare their accessories to be as presentable as possible for gameday. All instruments must be waxed to have a good shine in the stadium, shoes must be cleaned and polished (have you ever tried to polish white shoes?), and uniforms must look neatly pressed.

Roughly 8:00 PM

Band members finally have free time to do as they please. After four grueling hours of hard work, the urge to go out is almost nonexistent. Besides, they must be in the Grove at 9 AM for the Walk of Champions.

Saturday:

8:00 AM

Band members wake up and eat a good breakfast. Without a good breakfast with plenty of water, it is almost guaranteed that they will pass out later that day.

8:30 AM

Band members put their uniforms on and go to the Grove.

9:00 AM- 9:30 AM

Band members begin warm-up and play multiple songs as the football team walks by.

10:00 AM- 10:25 AM

Band plays their pregame concert in the Grove.

10:25 AM- 11:00 AM

Band members march from the Grove to the stadium. Wear a wool uniform for just 5 minutes, and your body feels like it is melting. Try doing it for 6 or 7 hours.

11:05 AM

Band marches into stadium and performs the pregame show.

11:21 AM

Kickoff of the game. Band rushes to their seats in the southeast corner of the stadium (where the sun is beaming down on members the entire length of the game; still wearing wool uniforms.) Band plays previously learned songs for the fans and players to feed off of.

Roughly 12:00 PM

Band goes back onto the field and performs a different show. (Still wearing wool uniforms.)

Roughly 12:30 PM

Band goes back into the bleachers and plays some more. (While wearing wool uniforms.)

Roughly 2:00 PM

Game ends, and the band stays in the stadium long after most fans and play three or four different songs.

Roughly 2:45 PM

Band members finally return home to take off the now soaked wool uniform. Uniform must be cleaned of any dirt or dust, and instruments and shoes must be wiped down.

Roughly 3:00 PM

Free from band activities for the day. However, the urge to go out is very minimal after strenuous physical activity for seven hours.

This rough estimate of a schedule is obviously not one that anyone would wish to partake; most people would rather be partying on the weekends. The Friday schedule is exactly how it is each and every day of the week. Granted, it is a band member’s choice whether or not to be in band. In fact, many band members do not receive any form of scholarship. They go through these incredibly long days just to earn respect for not only themselves and the band, but for the university. The least we could do is be a bit more respectful for their mission: “to be the center of school spirit at athletic and other University-related events, while giving the student an opportunity to participate in a large and important activity on campus… to enjoy our involvement with the U of M Band through striving for excellence with other fine people while representing the university.” We have a very talented band. Why not appreciate what they do? Chances are you know someone in the band. Show your appreciation to them. If you feel so inclined, donate to the band. If you do not want to do either of those things, the least you could do is give them the respect that they fully deserve.

Socioeconomic Classes

I was watching Fox News on a rainy Sunday about a month ago. A reporter did a story on how the downward-sloping economy had caused many jobs to be lost—old news. The interesting part to me was how the same people that lost jobs were not able to find new employment causing them to obtain a lower class lifestyle. Yes, maybe there were untold circumstances that prevented the unemployed people to not find new employment. I wanted to find out a little more information on what a class really is. Russell Long, a professor at Del Mar College, defines a class as, “people who occupy the same layer of the socioeconomic hierarchy.” I thought back to the situation that Fox News portrayed, and I realized that these types of situations occur every day. Should the current economic classification system be changed, remain the same, or be done away with all together?

I know my answer to the question. Now I need a more professional perspective. How would the upper class feel about my topic question? In my mind, the upper class would most logically want the current economic classification system to remain the same. According to Professor G. William Domhoff, a professor in the Sociology Department at the Univeristy of California at Santa Cruz, the wealthy people of the upper class have advantages of being ranked in this class. Domhoff says that the wealthy people design and build institutions that allow the wealthier people to showcase their abilities, handle corporations which allow the United States to continue to be a wealthy nation, and lead Washington with the help of rich person-led institutions. In addition to these more professional advantages to being a member of the upper class, members of the upper class also have luxuries that members of the two lower classes cannot afford. In Domhoff’s book entitled Who Rules America Now?, he elaborates on some of these luxuries including: private schools for children to get the highest possible education, exclusive clubs for only the highest-paying members like golf and tennis clubs, and participation in unique sports like yachting, sailing, and fox hunting. Between the professional advantages and personal luxuries, members of the upper class logically would want the current economic classification system to remain the same. My less than professional thoughts on what the upper class’ answer to my topic question seem to have been dead on. Domhoff clearly proved in both the internet source I found and his book that the upper class should not want to change a thing.

What about the middle class? I believe the middle class would mostly want the economic classification system to remain the same. As accurate as I would like to think my opinion is, I know I must find out what the experts think. Beth Potier of the Harvard University Gazette reports that the middle class is in trouble. Potier conducted an interview with Elizabeth Warren of the Harvard Law School in which Warren said that a middle class lifestyle is becoming more and more impossible to achieve with a middle class income. Warren continued to say that families are going bankrupt trying to make the lifestyle that they should be able to afford with the income they receive. Like the example I gave in the introduction of the people that lost their jobs and the middle class lifestyle they were accustomed to, this situation occurs all the time. Warren makes the point clear: the middle class should logically want a change. But Warren’s statement contains contradictory points. I know plenty of families that would openly consider themselves as middle class. The same people that would consider themselves as middle class obviously live very comfortably. The middle class obviously has mixed opinions about my topic question. My initial thought was not incorrect, just incomplete.

The lower class should be a very opinionated group of people. I can recall a handful of times that I have seen very poor people either on the news or in person that have complained about being declined employment or education because of their economic statuses. Personally, I think that the lower class would want to change or do away with the current economic classification system. DeNeen L. Brown of the Washington Post gives a few everyday examples of poor people trying to live normal lives. Brown says that a car is needed to get to the grocery store. Even when they can get to the store, the prices of basic foods like milk and bread are often very high. Sometimes the prices of necessary food items are too high to afford with the income of these lower class people. Brown goes on to mention the high price of real estate, education, and clothing as well. In summation, Brown states that the income of a lower class individual is much lower than what is needed to fulfill a comfortable lifestyle. In some cases, poor people cannot make their way up in the economic class rankings. Brown is one of many people who would argue that the lower class would definitely want to change or do away with the economic classification system.

In my research I found answers to my question through experts. My personal ideas about how each economic class would respond to the question were mostly correct. The answer to the topic question varied with each economic class. Though some of the people in each class may have different opinions, the experts made it seem clear that each class does have an overall opinion on the topic question.

World of Music

Music can be heard everywhere: in the streets, in a restaurant, in a vehicle, and at some events. Music is not just something that is heard by the common person. In fact, music is something much greater than that. Music is defined as something that has life, something that has feeling, and something that has the ability to affect everyday life for all human beings.

Certain things are said to have life. The first example of life that comes to most people’s minds is a human being. A human being moves, breathes, and has a set pattern of living. Like a human being, music has these things which most people classify as “life”. Music moves by the change of tempo, or beat. Music breathes by the use of rests, or pauses. Music has a life pattern with the use of sometimes steady, though sometimes varying, tempos. Like humans, music has the ability to become alive just with the use of nature. A human naturally knows how to use muscles and joints to move. Of course, music does not know anything, but there is a sense of true nature when a song is played. All this adds to making music become seemingly “alive”. Something that goes hand in hand with life is feeling; another thing that defines what music truly is.

Feelings are an important part of all aspects of life. Humans have a wide variety of feelings that are spectacular. Psychiatrists go to school for several years and are paid to interpret human feelings. Like humans, music has feeling. With the use of varying tempos, beats, and volume, music can have true feeling. A human has different moods and feelings, depending on the current situation. A human can go from being sad to being happy in a matter of seconds. A human can go from being mad to glad in matter of minutes. Just as feeling of a human can change quickly, the feeling of music can change as well. A slow, depressing bar can change to an up-beat, beautiful melody with the use of cresendos and acceleration in a matter of seconds. Feeling plays a huge role in the overall definition of music. Like feeling, the ability to affect people is something that defines music.

Specific things in life affect human beings positively and negatively. Graduation from high school or college or a promotion at work affects a person positively. The firing of a job or the loss of a loved one affects a person negatively. Like these specific things that affect a human being, music can affect a human being. A song heard while on a first date or a song heard at a birthday party can affect a person positively. A song heard at a funeral or a song heard as a traumatic experience occurs can affect a person negatively. Music can also bring out the life or death of a human being. A bright song can inspire a person to help out a friend. A dull song can cause a person to fall into depression. Music does affect human beings in certain ways.

Music can be heard nearly anywhere. There is a wide variety of music in the world. At the same time, music can take a wide variety of effects on a human being. Without life, feeling, or the ability to affect a human being, music would be completely meaningless to every human on Earth. Music shows true nature through life, true change through feeling, and true meaning through the ability to affect a human being.

Untitled (written 01/01/10)

I find myself looking for more each and every day

I need to gather myself for a while, I need to fly away

When I think about it longer, I think I need to stay

So tired of trying to fight myself, I will change today

I will stand strong against the evils that often slice through my soul

I will mount up on the stallions, wearing spurs and boots of gold

This attitude must get me through the blackness compatible with coal

I must be wise and powerful, as a man in the age of old

There is only one thing that can help me, and I realize it isn’t me

I am sick and tired of the person I used to try to be

I need to branch out and meet expectations, as a sweet fruit-bearing tree

I am not this person I act like I am, I am not really me

I hate this fake person I have slowly and steadily become

I want to ignore the attitudes and feelings of the ignorant some

When I think about those ignorant some, I wonder if I am one

Wow, I am one, it has come to the point I never thought it would come

Putting this thought aside, I know what I have to do

Place my old self in the past and in the future become anew

Maybe in the future I won’t feel so down and blue

Time to spread the wings and fly place of which I never knew

Dreams

There are a wide variety of wants that people have for their lives today: material possessions, personal experiences, and even intangible things such as friendship and love. At the simple contemplation of the previous statement, one could infer that those “wants” could be considered “dreams.” After being asked recently what my personal dreams in life are, I hesitated. To this point in my life, I have, to a certain extent, “lived in the moment.” I have gone with the flow all my life. As I think more and more on my life concept, I realize that maybe this is not how I want to live. Instead of going with the flow, I want to strive to go against the flow. Be original. Be myself. In effort to go against the flow, I have decided to follow up on the question that I was earlier asked: “What are your life dreams and goals?”

At first, I immediately thought about the typical answers to that question: graduate from college, get a good job, start a family, etc. As I thought about it for about another day, I almost became sick to my stomach. I had given the question at hand possibly the worst answer I have ever given to any question in my life. Well, yeah, I want to do all that— who doesn’t? I want to do so much more than that, though. I want to do things that not only please me but things that please others, as well. So, not like anything I have ever written before, I have made a list of dreams I have; a list containing things I want to fulfill before I die:

1) Spend the rest of my life carrying out my passion: music. Whether it be professional or just a hobby, I want to keep music near the top of my life ambitions. There is nothing better than sitting down and listening to music after a stressful day. While listening to music is enough to ease life’s stress, playing and making music is even more inspiring. I cannot describe the feeling of peace I get when I get lost in music, whether it be listening or playing.

2) Travel. I contribute this dream to my parents. Looking back on the countless family vacations since I was a child seems to be my inspiration for travel. I want to visit all fifty states in America. I want to visit many countries. If it was possible, I would absolutely love to visit every country in the world. The first place I would go in the world is Italy. The food is amazing, the people are hospitable and friendly, and the countryside is beautiful. Other places I dream to go are: Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Portugal, Greece, and England.

3) Start a charity. One thing I love to do more than anything else is to help people. I adore being called the “sweet” guy. There are so many people or groups that are in dire need of help. There are also many opportunities to help people. By starting a charity, I could know that these people or groups were taken care of. I hope that when I get older I can find the perfect chance to start a charity.

4) Accomplish physically difficult feats. I want to climb Mount Everest. I read a book about the physical tolls that climbing the tallest mountain in the world takes on your body. I want to complete a triathalon. I want to discover unfound shipwrecks in the deepest oceans. I want to ride every roller coaster in the world. I want to sail across the world with a friend. I want to fly a fighter jet, drive a fire truck, and own a jetpack.

One might say that this list is really short. What can I say? Bear with me. This “going against the flow” thing is all new to me. Like the rest of the world, I want these things- some material possessions, some personal experiences, and some intangible things. Making this list has and still is making me better realize that life is too short to continue to go with the flow. I now can say that I think I answered the question as best I could- at the present time. Maybe in the next few weeks or months of my life, I can better answer this question. Oh, and by the way, I would LOVE to thank my really great friend for asking me the question. You may have just changed my life.

The Storm (written during a tornado warning)

The storm is raging more and more out of control

I feel the barometric pressure pushing down on my soul

Only now a barometer can’t measure the feeling

My heart is slowly breaking, there’s no hope for healing

The clouds and the rain define how I think

The lightning and thunder cause my stomach to sink

The winds circling, twirling, swirling about

Makes my eyes a flash flood, no way to swim out

The sirens are whaling, the trees are swaying

My mind like a heavy object not capable of weighing

And when I think this storm must soon end

Another siren blares, and my mood descends

To a new all-time low, that only I can explain

So much to lose, so little to gain

All I can do is to hope and to pray

That this tornado will not carry me too far away

That the storm will blow over, without leaving a mark

That I may be happy on the future mission I must embark.

"It Is What It Is"

Preface

On June 26, 2010, the way I viewed my life was changed. At around 8:00 pm, a knock on the door came to me and my friends at a cabin on the Mississippi River. Being deep in the backwoods of Isaqueena County north of Vicksburg, Mississippi, and at least an hour from the nearest gas station, we wondered who could possibly be at the door at that hour. I reluctantly answered the door to a shirtless, sun burnt man with worn sandals on his feet. This man introduced himself as Matt Gavasto, a 33-year-old Pittsburgh native who had kayaked from north of Pittsburgh to north of Vicksburg where we were staying. Immediately interested in this stranger, I let him inside and offered food, drink, and a place to stay for the night. As we became more and more acquainted with this man, he told numerous stories ranging over about a six-hour period. This short story is a collection of the most interesting of stories he told to me and my friends that night, as well as I can remember them, and the way they affected me personally. The reader must understand that it is impossible to fully obtain the mojo of this man without being in his presence, but I will do my best to convey the all-around epicness of his character and personality. Throughout the night, he must have said the phrase, “It is what it is,” twenty times. Looking back, that phrase pretty much sums up that character and personality.

Chapter One- The Introduction

“I saw your cabin from the river, so I made my way towards it to ask for a place to pitch my tent and stay for the night. As I got close to the river bank, I stood up to get out of my kayak. As I was just about to step onto the bank, I lost my balance and flipped the boat. All of my stuff went into the river. I have flipped before, but it was especially bad this time because my thousand-dollar camera was ruined.”

As my friends and I continued to listen to this guy’s unfortunate event, he explained that his whole trip was being logged with that camera. “This camera meant everything to me. It signified one of the reasons I came on this trip. It had every stop I have taken along the trip.”

We realized that this was, indeed, a tragedy to this guy, but we were naturally very interested in his trip. When I asked him why he embarked on this incredible journey, his answer was interesting, to say the least. “I have always been an adventurous kind of guy. Since I was 18, I have been traveling around the country. I followed the band, Grateful Dead, when they were on a summer tour. I, along with about a hundred other people I did not know, went with the band wherever they went. We got to the next city by hitchhiking with total strangers. When I think about it, I have no clue how or why anyone ever picked me up. I had long, messy hair down to my shoulders and a beard that I didn’t keep up. I wore dirty tie-dye shirts and old sandals. I was a hippy in every essence of the word.”

I immediately realized that this guy was going to be full of crazy stories, and I wanted nothing less than to stay up all night and listen to what this guy had to say. I stepped up to the plate and asked the guy if he wanted to sleep on the extra couch we had at this cabin. He was thrilled. “I was hoping that you guys would ask that. (Laughs) Usually people aren’t kind enough to do such a thing. Let me go take down my tent and get some of my stuff from my campsite.”

Chapter Two- The Anxiety

Doing the amiable thing, we offered to help him. I must admit that I, along with my buddies, were a bit nervous going down to the river with this stranger to his “campsite”. He could have had a gun and done us away in thirty seconds. Earlier that day, in broad daylight, we were scared to go down to the river bank in fear of alligators or snakes. Now, we followed this guy down the bank through tall grass like we had done it all our lives— in total darkness. The levels of anxiety and fear that were running through my head were sky-rocketing. We finally got to his “campsite”; sure enough, there was a tent and kayak near the edge of the river on a flat surface—just how he previously described. The first thing I noticed was how small the kayak was. It could not have been more than seven feet long. It was painted bright orange, and had boxes and bottles and bags tied down to the front of it in front of the single seat. While I had no more than glanced at the kayak, Matt had halfway taken down his tent and was folding up tent poles. I noticed he had a headlight similar to a miner’s. “You guys are probably thinking that this is a silly thing to have. I know from experience that this headlight can be the most useful tool to a camper. It provides light and your hands are free to do stuff like taking down a tent.”

The one thing about the kayak that really stood out to me was the picture of an older couple in a dry box tied to the front of the kayak. I asked him about it. He spoke while he continued to tear down the tent. “Yeah, those are my parents. Unfortunately, they have passed. My mom died about five years ago. My dad passed this year in March of cancer.”

Then he said something that surprised all of us. Like a wise old man in his eighties, he stopped what he was doing and looked us in our eyes. “From experience, guys, I can tell you this— spend time with your parents. If you do nothing else productive in your life, make sure that your relationship with your parents is strong and lasting because they will be gone before you know it.”

As he went back to working on the tent, unaffected by the powerful words that had just come out of his mouth, I stood there in sheer unbelief. Not only was this guy going to have intriguing stories, he had enough life experiences to give us advice that he thought we needed to hear. Now I, being the preacher’s teenager that thinks I know everything about life and how I should live, was at first annoyed by the fact that he would be giving little life pointers to us. As I would later find out, I was wrong. I snapped back into reality and stated that he was very quick at taking down his camp. “Yeah I have obviously had practice. This is, uh, (pause) day 43 of this trip.”

I almost had a stroke when he said that. I asked if he knew how many miles the trek had taken, and his next answer made me dizzy. “One thousand, five-hundred, fifty two, and a half miles.”

This guy had the exact amount of how far he had come. I questioned how he knew where he was while he moved along down the river. “Well for most of the trip, I had been using just a generic road atlas. Along the way though, a man gave me river maps that have really helped me nail down exactly where I am. I’m not trying to sound cocky, but I really was doing just fine with the atlas.”

He got finished packing up his tent and grabbed the waterproof, plastic, body-bag looking thing that he obviously kept his belongings in. This is the point when my nerves were completely shot. “Here comes the pistol to kill us all,” I thought.

He pulled out a camera. (Whewf) He unscrewed the lens and showed us the little parts with his light. Then he placed the parts of the tent in his bag, put the camera back on top, and sealed off the bag. He went over to the kayak and made sure it was staked into the ground, and moved back towards the cabin. The anxiety I was having very soon turned to comfort—something that I could not exactly explain.

Chapter Three- The Comfort

We got back to the cabin, thankfully. My legs were torn up by mosquitoes. We sat around the kitchen island and I offered him something to eat. He gratefully took me up on that offer, and I went to the fridge. While I was opening the packaging of microwavable pizza rolls and trying to fight myself from scratching my legs, I asked if he used bug spray on his trip, thinking that he is about to die of Malaria or West Nile. I had been out for maybe fifteen minutes and was eaten alive. He had been out for 43 days and he seemed to be unaffected. “That is the good thing about being outdoors for so long. I don’t know whether it is an immunity that your body builds up after a while or if you just don’t feel them; all I know is that I got to throw away the bug spray can after a few days. When you are contained to just the kayak, little things start to get in the way. So anytime you can get rid of something, it creates just that much more room.”

I grabbed the pizza rolls from the microwave and handed them to him. He continued to talk without eating them yet. “Three hours ago, I was depressed as hell. Yeah, we’re all guys here, so I can go ahead and tell you. I was so depressed when I found that my camera was dead that I just sat on the bank and cried for a few minutes. I gathered myself and walked up to your cabin and was even more discouraged when no one was here. I went back down to the bank and screamed as loud as I could. Most of the time, being on the river alone can get crazy. You have no one to talk to and you see no civilization. I have figured out that talking to yourself to keep yourself company or even screaming as loud as you can to release fear or stress is a good way to keep yourself from losing your mind. I have learned from this trip that I have many personalities. (Laughs) After about an hour, I walked back up to the cabin. I noticed a truck there the first time I tried to see you guys, but was too mentally distressed to think anything of it. The second time I came up, I realized that there was a good chance that someone would be coming back here tonight. What REALLY made me think that, though, was that I could hear the air conditioner.”

I realized something else about this guy— he was a genius. I would not have thought about that small detail of listening for an air conditioner and recognizing the fact that someone would not leave an air conditioner running at a vacation home when they were away. He continued. “Three things I never do when I go to a house on the river. First, I do not ever use an outside faucet to get water or to shower off. Second, I do not ever pitch my tent or build a fire in someone’s yard without their specific permission. And lastly, I do not ever check door knobs to see if they are unlocked. I apologize to you for any disrespect, but I did two of those things this afternoon. I used your faucet to shower, and I set up my tent and a fire in your yard. I do not know what got into me. I guess I was depressed about the whole camera incident and could not even think clearly.”

Chapter Four- The Realization

I realized a few things about this whole visit at this point. Matt was full of amazing stories, he was full of advice (which I still resented at this point), and he was a very smart man. He admitted using our water before asking. That, to me, showed that he was a very honest person. He could have gone the whole visit without telling us that, and we would never have known. This was also the point that I realized something else, however. I realized that this whole thing was the biggest coincidence of all time. My group of friends and I just happened to be at this cabin in a two-day period of the year. The cabin is owned by a wealthy man who lives in Colorado. It is used as a vacation house/hunting camp MAYBE twice a year. Matt needed us to be there on that exact day. If he would have been there the day before, we would not have gotten in until about midnight, and he very well might have moved on. If he would have been there a day later, we would have gone back to our homes and the cabin would have been deserted. I thought about it a little more, and realized that it was greater than coincidence— it was something I could not even fathom. A chill went through my body as I sat in the kitchen as this guy talked. I had no clue what was going on until this point. It hit me— not only did Matt need me and my friends to be there that night, but I needed him for a purpose I could not explain.

“I heard you guys pull up and hung up on the girl I was talking to on the phone. I ran up here and saw that the lights were on and suddenly my day was completely lifted. I saw you, Adam, answer the door and that was when I knew I had a place to stay for the night. (Laughs) No, really, I know that younger people can relate to me better than older people.”

I cut him off and asked how old he was. He looked straight out of college, no older than 25. “33.”

We obviously were all shocked and he just smiled and said, “Yeah I get that a lot. I look younger than I am. It must be the adventures. I have done a lot of crazy stuff. I have biked coast-to-coast. I have hitchhiked across the country four times. I already told you guys about the ‘Grateful Dead’ thing. This trip really was more for my parents. My dad died a death to cancer, and it was really stressful and sad for me. He was always supportive of my travel. He actually told me not to do this trip; told me I would surely die. When he died, though, I felt like he was telling me to go, go, go. I have wanted to do this trip for about 14 years now. I finally got the chance and, well, here I am. I thought it was really interesting how you asked about the picture of my parents. I brought that along as sort of my good luck charm. I know that they are looking after me. Right after I got to the Mississippi, a bad storm came up. The banks of the river were really steep and there was nowhere for me to get off to avoid the lightning. Finally, there was a place that looked relatively shallow. I got out, and it was much deeper than I thought. I ended up flipping the kayak on top of me. It kept me out of the storm so I just hung out underneath for a while. As I was just floating there, I looked up and saw my parents. I brought them along because I knew they were looking down on me. This kind of scared me how they actually were looking down on me at that moment; I knew I would be okay.”

Lastly, I realized that this guy had been through so much. He was obviously a pretty mature guy. He brought his parents along on this “big boy” trip. That must have taken a lot for him to want to decide to do that. He gave a few more life pointers, and I slowly started to respect that he was trying to help us out by giving us good advice. In fact, by the end of the night, I was actually anticipating advice because I found it to be so helpful.

Chapter Five- The Confusion

Another realization that I had— he was not clear about his stance on religion. A few times he mentioned religion. The first time he mentioned it, it was something small and very disguised. The next time he started out by saying, “I don’t want to offend anyone.” In my little experience, that is usually a precursor to offending someone. He said that he thinks religion is a crapshoot of what life really is. He thought that religion put a cramp on how life should be lived. Now, I am a committed Christian. I believe that the Bible states the exact way I should live my life. Granted, he did not know this. Nevertheless, when Matt said that religion negatively affected life, I was offended. Later, though, I realized that he did not mean that he was completely against religion. I took his words to mean that he thinks that religion has caused people to think that some things are wrong when they should not be considered wrong at all. Looking back on his beliefs, I can respect them. The last time he mentioned religion, I was shocked. Late in the night he said, “I have trouble believing in a God. But on this trip, I am starting to realize that he is up there looking after me.”

I tried to figure this out, but I was obviously very confused. The next morning, I found out that Matt was raised a Christian. The only thing that I could think of was that he had drifted away from Christianity, but God was pulling him back into it. Of all the things Matt talked about over an eight-hour period, that was the only thing I ever silently questioned him about. Luckily, this confusion I had did not too terribly stray my mind away from the other things Matt had to say.

Chapter Six- The Advice

This is the part I had originally had problems with. As I discussed earlier, the first advice came on the banks of the river as Matt told us to spend time with our parents. Not that I have anything against my parents, I just always assumed I had things fairly figured out. So, as would be expected, I quietly grunted when he went on a small rant. In a harsh subject change, Matt said, “Not to sound too ‘preachy’, but I feel like you guys need to hear something else. Never. Get. A. Credit. Card. People always tell you to get just one credit card in college and make small charges on it and pay them back on time to establish good credit for when you need it. That is insane. Buy a used car, finance it, and make your payments on time. I know from experience, credit cards can ruin your life. My dad had a credit card. What started with a five-thousand dollar debt turned into him having to file bankruptcy. That is when I moved out. I lost all respect for my dad when that happened. I couldn’t even talk to him. (Pause) There are only three things in life you should ever have debt on. A car, a house, and college.”

This may seem irrelevant to the reader, but it was right on the money for me in my life. I am about to go to college. Everyone knows that college is a drain of the pocketbook. He gave me some advice that I truly feel that I needed. I am going to need to either buy or rent a house or an apartment during and after college, and that is something I have been slightly worried about. Again, some of the advice he gave will really help me in the near future. His words not only were good advice, but they gave me a level of comfort that I have not had in a while.

The final piece of advice that I remember Matt giving was one that probably most affected me personally. “Get out and travel. Do not ever pass up an opportunity to go on random adventures with your friends. I have found that travel and adventure are two of the only things that have ever made me truly happy in life.”

After my friends and I pondered that piece of advice, we were immediately filled with questions about his travel.

Chapter Seven- The Travel Stories

When I asked him what his favorite destination has been, he was obviously well-prepared for the question. “I don’t know if you mean best location or best people so I will answer both for you. The best location in America, hands-down, is San Francisco. Just the overall beauty of the scenery and electric feel of the atmosphere makes it the best place. I am completely against hate. I hate, hate. In San Fran, one of the coolest things to me was the laid-back personality of the city and its people. Most places around the country, people are publicly against gay and inter-racial relations. In San Francisco, it seemed that no one thought twice about anything. It had the best feel of anywhere I have ever been. Now the best people in the country may come as a surprise to you because it surely came as a surprise to me. Kentucky. The people in Kentucky are the friendliest people in the world. I don’t know what makes them so friendly. The poverty rate in Kentucky is proven to be lower than a lot of other places, and usually, from my experience, poor people are more friendly because they have been through more and can relate to you. The one thing I hated about Kentucky was the trashiness of the place. Even the yards of the nicest homes had trash in them. That’s another thing about me. I hate litter. In my yard, there is not one piece of trash. If I find out you littered in my yard, I will hunt you down. The world is such a beautiful place, and I think it is pointless to ruin that. On all of my trips, I clean up after myself; you can’t even tell I have been places because I am so good about that kind of stuff.”

We asked him what the nastiest place he had stayed so far on the Mississippi River trip. “Within my first week on the water, it started to rain and it was getting pretty late, so I knew I had to find a place to stay pretty quickly. I saw a bridge in the distance, so I thought I could at least get a relief from the rain under it. By the way, it rains under bridges too. At the beginning of my trip, I thought I could park under a bridge when it rained and wait a few minutes for it to pass over—wrong. Anyways, under this bridge was so nasty. Pieces of garbage and nasty water had stopped up into this huge mass. The smell was terrible. Smelled like monkey crap. One of the things I have always hated most about zoos are the monkey pits because their crap has this distinct gross smell. Anyways, I saw this tunnel under the bridge. I had nowhere else to stay, so I knew I had to stay there that night. There was this small gap that was just long enough and tall enough for me and my kayak to fit in. The smell was so bad I gagged constantly. I heard these voices down the tunnel, and every time I closed my eyes, I would see this little kid looking at me sitting Indian style. It was by far the creepiest thing I have ever been part of.”

I asked how many indoor places he had stayed in his whole trip. “This is only the fourth in my 43 day trip so far. The first wasn’t even really indoors. It was on a patio of this hick bar in Kentucky. I had to actually stay up with all of the bar people until they closed. This really ugly mother of three was hitting on me all night. She kept telling me she was going to come scratching at my tent that night. I told her that I was happily married and not interested. I am single and am all for getting with pretty girls, but I have standards. She definitely did not fit into those standards. The second was actually the Memphis Yacht Club. It was not as cool as it sounds. I actually had to sleep on the laundry room floor. The guy who let me stay there came in at 4:30 am to do his laundry and woke me up. The guy finally got finished with his laundry and I had gotten back to sleep and he woke me up at 6:00 am to tell me he was leaving. Needless to say, I could have slept better in my tent. The third was in a hunting lodge with some people that seemed really into what I was doing. The night was going well and it was getting pretty late. As people were getting off to bed, the owner of the place pulled me aside and told me that they all had guns and knew how to use them. I got really offended but couldn’t say anything to the guy because he was giving me a place to stay. I went off to bed and left before they woke up the next morning. And this place here is really nice. It is definitely a happy ending to a really bad day. It’s always nice spending time with cool people.”

And with that, we went to sleep. At the beginning of the night when Matt first walked in, I immediately assumed I would lock my bedroom door and sleep with my more valuable belongings under my pillow. After getting to know him, though, I wanted to hit myself in the face for even thinking that I needed to do that in the first place.

Chapter Eight- The Effect

That last comment was especially amazing to me. “It’s always nice spending time with cool people…” This guy, who I had come to really respect for being so awesome, had just called me cool. I felt like the 8-year-old kid who got to meet his favorite baseball player before the World Series. The feeling was indescribable, really. This guy had lived the life. He had everything paid off, worked a fairly laid back job for decent pay, and traveled wherever the wind took him. When everyone finally went off to bed, it was probably around 2:00 am. After a long day, I should have fallen asleep when my head hit the pillow. Instead, I had much trouble getting to sleep. As I recounted the events that had just happened, I faded into this trance, something unlike I had ever experienced before. I knew for a fact that Matt’s visit was more than just a coincidence. As I thought about it more, I realized it was more than providence— it was something so much farther than what I could even begin to understand. This trance, for lack of a better word, kept me awake for at least another couple hours.

During that couple of hours, I re-evaluated my entire life. Something that Matt told us was to do whatever makes us happy. I thought long and hard about little things in my life and asked myself if what I did really made me happy. Half my memories did, in fact, make me happy. But as I looked back on others, I realized that they did not make me happy. I thought about Matt’s life. He was and is, by far, the happiest guy I have ever met. Granted, this guy could have made everything up just for a place to stay, but it really opened my eyes to a few things.

First, as I just mentioned, I need to make life decisions that make me happy. I have always considered other people and their feelings and beliefs, but I need to start considering my feelings and beliefs a little more than I have. Second, I need to live life a little more. I have had many experiences in my life that I have been fortunate enough to have been through. I thought I had lived life pretty good up to the night I met Matt. I heard about just a handful of the thousands of things that he has experienced and been through, and I realized that I was just a boy lost in this huge world. There is so much out there for me to still take part in and experience, and that gives me this sense of hope and encouragement that I cannot even describe. Third, I need to grow up. I am about to go to college, and I had thought that I was ready for the real world. I have learned now that I am dead wrong about that. Matt shared some helpful pointers and stories that I had never thought about. Lastly, I have realized that life is about to hit me in the face and knock me to the ground. Matt shared some of his ups and downs in his life. I have heard about mid-life crisis and unfortunate events that can crack the hopes of even the strongest of people, but for some reason, Matt’s testimony stuck to me.

Life is like the river. It seems to be flowing smoothly until you float around the bend and a barge is waiting to sink your kayak. Our job is to paddle as fast as we can to get out of the barge’s way and arrive to shore safely. Thanks to Matt, I now feel like I have a better sense of life than I ever did before. This one guy has changed the way I view everything. It has been nearly a week since Matt got in his kayak and we waved him off as he pushed off into the Mississippi. I am still acquiring more and more from the whole visit as the days go on. I hope to always remember the night of June 26, 2010, as the night that my life turned around. With a little bit of luck, maybe I will become half as cool as that guy is. Then, I could honestly deem my life successful.

Closing Remarks

When Matt originally planned his trip over fourteen years ago, he hoped to go from a small river flowing through his hometown of Apollo, Pennsylvania, to the Ohio River. From the Ohio River, he hoped to get to the Mississippi River. From the Mississippi River, he hoped to get to the Gulf of Mexico. When he came to the cabin I stayed at for the weekend, he was on day 43 of his trip; just over 1500 miles of sitting in his kayak. He hoped to be to the Gulf somewhere near Venice, Louisiana, in just ten days after leaving us. If all went well, he said, he would be celebrating July 4^th on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. I have no doubt in my mind that he will accomplish his massive feat that only a few people would dare to even think about. I hope that when he tells others about his trip, he includes me and my six other friends in his story. All we can do is hope that he makes it safely to the Gulf and hope that we may have had some sort of positive effect on him as he did on us. “It is what it is.”

If You Sell It, They Will Come

In the recent uproar about fan attendance at Vaught-Hemingway stadium, there have been many different voiced opinions about what should be done to get the attendance numbers up. When I read Romero Miller’s plea to the Rebel fan base, as well as Todd Wade’s response to that plea, one thought stuck in my mind; no, it wasn’t that Miller and Wade are hoping for more than is possible, or that the students at Ole Miss would not do anything to change what they have been doing for the last 20 years. The thought I had was the easy solution—sell beer in the stadium. But wait, easy solution, or complicated process?

Problem 1: NCAA.

For one reason or another, everyone who follows college sports has this underlying hatred for the NCAA. The NCAA is known for making rules and regulations that seem to take away from college sports in one way or another. The power-happy organization has long banned the sale of alcohol in a stadium on campus of any member school. This presents the first obstacle in my theory to increase attendance. Just last year, the NCAA allowed beer commercials to be aired during the broadcast of college football games. Many people were under the assumption that the NCAA would NEVER allow that to happen. I view this as a sign of what’s to come. Sooner or later, the NCAA will have no other option than to allow beer sales in stadiums, so why not start now?

Problem 2: Lafayette County.

Another flaw in my theory is the Lafayette county beer sales law. I won’t get into this too deeply in fear of straying away from the subject at hand, but this would obviously put a cramp in what would clearly be the solution to our problem.

Problem 3: University of Mississippi.

The final and probably biggest problem with my theory is that the University would “get bad PR”—here we go again. Again, in fear of straying from the subject at hand, I will not go into great detail. As we all know, in the recent months, the University’s officials have done everything possible to give a better image to the school. (Cough, cough, Colonel Reb, FDWL). From the faculty and staff’s perspective, yeah, maybe being one of the first NCAA schools to sell beer at the stadium would give the University of Mississippi a bad image. Are you freaking kidding me? We ARE Ole Miss. We know how to party and have a good time. No matter what you take away from us or what you prohibit, we will always be commonly known as the party school. I suppose seeing my professors drinking in the Grove doesn’t hurt my case either.

Say that we COULD get through these three problems.

The majority of fans, students and adults alike, either don’t show up for the game or leave the game early for one of three reasons: 1) To sit in the Grove and drink; 2) To sit in the Grove and socialize with the people who are drinking; or 3) Because they have already drunk too much to sit in the sun any longer.

Put multiple beer vendors in the stadium, and these three reasons to leave are immediately eliminated. Solutions: 1) Grab a beer and socialize with your friends while watching the game and being loud. 2) If you don’t drink, socialize and be loud with the people that usually leave at halftime to drink. 3) If you are too drunk to sit in the sun any longer, now you at least have the option to throw another one back to cool yourself off—while being loud, of course.

It’s obvious. If beer was sold at the Vaught, more people would come support the team that badly needs support, and people would stay until the game was over. In addition to fan support, the school would receive thousands and thousands of dollars more in profit every Saturday. If, by some miracle from heaven, we could get through the NCAA, Lafayette county, and the University itself, we could change the way Ole Miss fans view football. The in-stadium experience would change, and more fans would come.

The Dangers of Freshman Year*

Freshman year has always been regarded as one of the most fun but most stressful years of our lives. Sure, we have been warned about the common freshman dangers of attending a big university, ranging from living in a freshman dorm, gaining the ever-dreaded “Freshman 15,” and sleeping through every other 8 a.m. class.

I, along with the 3,000 others, have been a freshman for about four weeks now. We had been warned that the period of adjustment from high school to college would be rough, but some of us are obviously not taking heed to these warnings. I am starting to notice a few trending patterns that we freshman are setting and, to be honest, they can only lead to serious consequences.

Everyone likes to have a good time.

That is common knowledge.

What isn’t common knowledge, however, is that there is a fine line between having a good time and getting work done.

I live in Stockard, which is widely known around campus and even the state as being the wildest dorm on campus.

It is scientifically impossible to go out every single night and still get school work done to the best of our abilities. College is about having a good time with friends, but not at the expense of the real reason we are here—to study.

For those of us that party every night, our grades will suffer if they haven’t started to already. At some point, we must find a balance between work and play, before it’s too late.

Everyone likes to eat.

Whether we are up late at night studying or just getting back from the Square, our nature tells us that it is okay to stuff our faces at two in the morning.

As amazingly tasty as that foot-long club sandwich, four-piece chicken tenders, or deep-fried pizza sticks may sound, we must draw the line at some point. What we fail to realize is that a bag of chips or a pack of cookies will always suffice for those late-night cravings.

And for those so inclined, the Turner Center has very flexible hours to meet the needs of anyone who wants to exercise and burn off that southwest burrito and chicken sandwich from last night.

If we continue to eat at this pace, that “Freshman Fifteen” we have been warned about will turn into the “Freshman Fifty”; and that’s just not acceptable.

Everyone likes to sleep.

Better yet, everyone LOVES to sleep. What many of us freshman are coming to realize is that the snooze button is God’s greatest creation.

I have hit that glorious button at least twice every single morning. A few times, I have hit it in excess of ten times - this is what is killing many of us.

For those of us foolish enough to register for 8 a.m. classes, hitting the snooze button is like breaking the Eleventh Commandment. If you’re like me, you use your phone as your alarm clock.

Turn the “snooze” slider to “off”. That will not only motivate us to wake up on time, but will allow us to get a better, more productive start to the day. It has been proven by the University that those who attend class regularly will have a higher overall GPA at the end of the semester.

It goes to show: you snooze, you lose.

We have been warned; we are being re-warned. The choices we make now directly influence our futures. Cliché, but true.

We are still ahead, and we can still do what needs to be done in order to be successful in school, in the social setting, and in life itself.Let’s try to work on getting our grades up, even if it means having to take a night or two off from going out.

Let’s try to keep our bodies healthy by not loading up on late-night meals. Let’s try to wake up and get to class. Trying is the first step, and we have the tools.

Let’s do this before it’s too late.