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.

Change

"Just because everything is different doesn't mean anything has changed." ~Irene Peter

I am a big believer in change. I'm not a big fan of change, but I am aware that it happens. Have you ever heard the saying that something is a "double-edged sword?" Well change is one of those double-edged swords. In some cases you would rather everything stay the same and then there are times that you would kill for things to be different. Change never works the way that you think it will, that is one thing that life has taught me. When you think that things are going to change dramatically they never do and when you think everything will be okay, that's when it blows up in your face. I think the biggest example about how I thought that change would be different would be a story about my best friend and I. When I told Ashley that I was gay I thought our relationship would totally change for the worst. I know what you're thinking, "If she is a true friend then why would being honest and truthful be a bad thing?" Did I happen to mention that Ashley was my girlfriend at the time? I think that might answer that question. Anyhow... so I had to tell my girlfriend and the person that I love that I am attracted to men. I thought she was going to hate me, never want to see me again for as long as we lived, and even slander my name, but she didn't. She opened her arms and hugged me. Yes, she was hurt, but she was happy for me. All she cared about was my happiness and for that I want to thank her. Now, we are still as close as ever. We talk to each other on a daily basis and our friendship is ever growing. I know for a fact that if Ashley hadn't been so understanding about the whole situation that I still wouldn't be able to look at myself in the mirror. Ashley, if you read this (and I know you will because I'm going to tell you to... ha ha) I just want to tell you thank you for everything. You are one of my truest friends and even though some things have changed, they have all changed for the better.

Lets start Blogging!

Hey Everybody! My name is Trent and I am a sophomore at UNC-Wilmington. For my English 201 class we are blogging to turn in assignments and basically do as we wish. So here is mine, obviously. There will be some posts that are assignments for class and others that I do on my own so bare with me please.
For my English class we also had to find two other blogs that we enjoyed. One that I found is called SmittenKitchen which is all about food and that is something I enjoy very much! There are recipes and the author talks about their experience with the delicious food. I will be trying a few of those out myself. The other blog that I found interesting is another persons blog on blogspot.com. According to his site his name is Lee and he loves to take photographs which is what his blog is all about. He takes photos from some experience he had that day and then writes about it. I thought is was really cool and I might do that myself.
So... I'm done talking about my English class now lets get better acquainted. As I mentioned before my name is Trent and I'm a student at UNC-Wilmington. I'm a Math Education major and I'm starting to wonder why in the world I'm putting myself in that terrible situation. I love education and I enjoy math but I'm not sure if I will be the best "Math Teacher," but we shall see. Another important thing that you might need to know about me is that I am a gay Christian. I just recently "came out of the closet" and I am so happy that I did. My life is so much happier now that I am no longer in hiding. You might be wondering "Why did he have to hide?" so I'll also answer that question. I grew up in a very religious home and I have always been highly religious myself. Now however, I have recently found my faith. I personally do not believe that being gay is a sin and I have two reasons that I believe shows that it isn't. The first is that you don't choose to be gay. There is a big difference in sexual preference and sexual orientation. I personally didn't choose to be gay, I wouldn't change the fact that I am, but I didn't choose it. I don't see how you can be condemned for something you had no choice over. My other reason that I believe that being gay isn't a sin is because not only didn't I choose to be gay but I also can't change the fact that I am gay. Some people believe that you can go to therapy and it can be changed I have even heard about people going through electric shock therapy to change it. Every person that I have heard about that has gone through these "experiments" says that they do not work. So how can something that I didn't choose and something that I can not change be a sin? It's not and that is what I believe. I am reading this book by Mel White who is also a gay Christian called "Stranger at the Gate" and in the few chapters I have read I have learned more about myself then the rest of my 19 years combined. And I would suggest that book for anyone else who is or was struggling with homosexuality.
Well that's enough for one post... enjoy.