Death Comes Late

Patrick Swayze: August 18, 1952 – September 14, 2009

In class we are talking about evaluation arguments. As an assignment we had to research a famous person who had passed away are read their obituary, which is a prime example of a evaluation argument.

Patrick Swayze played one of main roles in several movies, Ghost and Dirty Dancing have to be his most known, he also was a song writer and singer. Not only did he do things on the big screen but he also played a role as a FBI agent in a television series. People magazine named Swayze the "Sexiest Man Alive" in 1991 which I believe everyone can understand. Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in early 2008. He continued acting until 2009, when he became too ill to do so.

Patrick Swayze was a great actor and song writer and will be greatly missed. My heart and prayers go out to his family and friends in their time of loss.

Sweet Beginnings

"Remember, we all stumble, every one of us. That's why it's a comfort to go hand in hand." ~Emily Kimbrough

So... For the last couple of posts I have been telling you about important people in my life and also different thoughts I have on different subjects but I haven't really told you about what is currently going on in my life. I have met an amazing guy! Well, I guess I can't say that I met him because I have known him since we were both little, but we just started dating. It is all a very funny story really. In our lifetimes Blake and I have had a few encounters that just weren't that memorable, well at least not in a good way. When we were around 12 or so we were in a play together. We had the same part, he played it on some days and I the others, and this one time it was my day and he decided that he was going to do it. We got in a fight (verbal, no fists or anything) and in the end I won, like I always do. Needless to say, we didn't really care for each other after that. Another funny story that I must tell is that we use to work together. I have been working at Old Navy for over two years now and he had transferred from the Gap (they are sister stores if you didn't know). We still didn't like each other. He was a big butt hole with a really bad attitude and we just never got along. In the end he went back to Gap and everything was good again at good 'ol ON. So that is enough about our past, lets get to the current stuff. He and I are both Teaching Fellows at UNCW and I am/was his mentor (now I mentor him on a few different things, wink wink). He has totally changed since a few years ago. He is so sweet and kind (he basically dropped the whole butt hole thing, well at least to me). There is never a dull moment when we are together, which is all the time. We have so much fun, I find myself just smiling just because I am with him. He is everything that I could ever want in a boyfriend and I am so happy that God has finally brought us together. That's another thing. It is really hard to find Christian boys in the gay community, or at least a boy with the same thoughts and opinions as I do. Another thing that I am really happy about is the fact that I now have someone to lean on, not that I don't have friends that I depend on, but it just isn't the same. Blake and I are in the same boat and we understand each other better than anyone else could possibly dream about. Yes, there are still several things that we are learning about each other, but all of that will come in time. I can't wait for the good times ahead of us and I know that there will be an endless amount to count.

Cursed

Genesis 11
"God Turned Their Language into 'Babble'"

1-2 At one time, the whole Earth spoke the same language. It so happened that as they moved out of the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled down.
3 They said to one another, "Come, let's make bricks and fire them well." They used brick for stone and tar for mortar.
4 Then they said, "Come, let's build ourselves a city and a tower that reaches Heaven. Let's make ourselves famous so we won't be scattered here and there across the Earth."
5 God came down to look over the city and the tower those people had built.
6-9 God took one look and said, "One people, one language; why, this is only a first step. No telling what they'll come up with next—they'll stop at nothing! Come, we'll go down and garble their speech so they won't understand each other." Then God scattered them from there all over the world. And they had to quit building the city. That's how it came to be called Babel, because there God turned their language into "babble." From there God scattered them all over the world.

Have you ever realized how many different languages there are in the world? Heck, have you ever realized haw many different kinds there are of one language? In my English class we read a essay called "Mother Tongue" which was about a Asian American who's mother spoke really horrible English. Most people call that type of English "broken English" but I personally agree with the author when she proves that it isn't broken, it is just a different type. At my job I speak to people all the time who don't speak the best English. It always would irritate me that I couldn't understand them or how they couldn't quite process what I was saying to them. I used to say, "If you are going to come to our country, learn the language," now my thoughts are a little different. I totally understand the frustration that comes with not understanding someone. There is like an invisible barrier between the two people that neither of them can overcome. From now on I am going to practice tolerance when it comes to those situations. It is something that we can't change and there's no reason to get worked up over something that you can't change. I am also going to look at this curse of different tongues as a blessing. With each different language there is a different culture, a different past, and a different story and I would love to be enlightened in those differences.

Now that I have talked about other people, I want to talk about myself (something that I really enjoy). I was at one of my jobs when I started writing this post and it made me think about the different Englishes I use. For those of you who don't know I work for the University Call Center here at UNCW. I call parents and alumni and ask them to donate money to the college. Well tonight I was calling alumni, some from the years 1980-89 and also more recent graduates from the last two years. I found my English was a little different when talking to these two totally different groups of people. With the older alum I was speaking in a more formal English. Making sure that I say everything correctly and not using slang words that I would normally use. With the recent grads I talked like they were more friends or other peers. I believe that when you speak to different ages you use a different English. I know that I wouldn't go up to my Nana and say "What up girl? How you be doin'?" but I would definitely say that to one of my friends. Different ages expect you to talk and carry yourself in a different way so you have to speak different Englishes to meet those expectations.

Persecution

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experiences of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved."

~Helen Keller

To start off, I just want to say that people really annoy me! The other day my boyfriend and I went shopping at the mall and if looks could kill... I'm sorry, people need to grow up. I realize that our relationship isn't what society believes is "normal" but still that doesn't give people the right to be hateful. I'm trying to be the better man in these types of situations, even though I would rather just return the hatred. I've come to the conclusion that this is part of my growth and development. I refuse to change who I am or what I believe because of ignorance. I am going to keep going strong and being who I am and not let others change me.
For my upcoming paper for my English class I want to find an argument about gay marriage. I want to look more in detail with how people view the topic and tell people how I feel about the matter. Who knows, maybe I can even change a few "ignorant minds" in the process.

As Time Moves On

“Time goes by so fast, people go in and out of your life. You must never miss the opportunity to tell these people how much they mean to you.”~ Anonymous

In a person's lifetime they will meet a great deal of different people. Most of those people will come and go without much of an impact but there will be a few that change your life forever. I personally take relationships I have with people for granted. I never really appreciate them for everything they do for me. I would like to change that now. There are a few people currently in my life that I don't know what I would do if I didn't have them. I have already told you about Ashley in the post prior to this one so now I would like to tell you about another one of my best friends Sarah.

Sarah and I met at UNC-W and we have been through a ton in the little bit of time we have known each other. We have laughed together in the good times and cried together in the bad times. Each new experience that we have encountered has just brought us closer. Sarah was the first person I ever told my deep secret to (she says she deserves a metal). She told me that she had always known but she wanted me to confide in her when I was ready. That I believe makes a good friend. Someone who knows everything about you even when you're not quite sure yourself and helps you when you finally come around. When I told Sarah she just hugged me, there were some tears involved on my half but she was all smiles. She told me that she was proud of me and that she would always love me, we then proceeded to talk about cute boys (ha-ha-ha). That night changed our relationship the most and I am so happy that she was the first person I told. Sarah is one of the most amazing people that I have ever met and without her I know my life wouldn't be a happy.

Thank you Sarah for all that you have done for me, for what you are currently doing for me, and for all the things to come. You are one of my rocks and I hope that I am the same for you. Love you always.