The Relationship/Camera paradox
Wow, I have neglected you, dear livejournal you. My life has had some strikes and gutters since we last spoke, but as of late, I have been as happy as I could conceive.
I broke up with Erin just before Thanksgiving. This signified an end to a relationship lasting just about a year and 9 months. By far the most intimate relationship I have ever been in, as well as the most influential. My personal philosophy since leaving for college has constantly been doubted and reconsidered, with the occasional epiphany and alteration of views. One of these shifts happened while I was with Erin, and another just after we broke up. Rest assured, I am still the same person with mostly the same views; I just have further defined what I truly beleive in.
To update you with what I am doing, I guess I will start with school. I am in my 3rd year at UCSB studying Political Science, and Philosophy with an emphasis in ethics and public policy. I hope to use this schooling as a springboard to get into law school; where I have wanted to go since the tender age of 15.
This summer, I was flown to the Fijian Islands to work at a bottled water company called Vitiblu. Production just started while I was there, so expect some bottles on the shelf next year or so. I worked full time as the sales integrator where my primary duties were to find cheaper materials that would suffice for our products, and a way to more efficiently produce them. My trip paid off generously. I found a cheaper adhesive for box packaging that alone saved the company ~$2,000/month. Living in a third world country, working at a brand new company, and experiencing a totally new culture, I was able to grow a lot during my stay.
Along with my studies at school and international escapades, I have taken a very active role in my fraternity. My term as President ended with the calendar year, and was replaced with a position as the VicePresident of the InterFraternal Council. I wish to take everything I can from my actions in life, and firmly beleive you can take just as much as you put in. For this reason, I try to make changes for the best.
I financed my first new car last September without having a co-signer. 2008 Nissan Altima Coupe's look pretty fly on the road. Keep an eye out. In order to pay for it, I had arranged for a position as a law clerk in downtown Santa Barbara for when I was to return- I still work there today. I am still trying to decide if I bought my car in order to drive to work, or if I got a job to pay for a car. Either way, they basically cancel each other out.
Throughout this entire time, I was with Erin. We met less than a month after I finished my pledge quarter- I even still had a shaved head! Throughout the trials and pursuits of our relationship I had come to many small conclusions about that life that, when corroborated, influenced my ideals and philosophy. Needless to say, she was a very important figure in my life.
I have had a camera since I was 16 or so and like to document the times I have in life that were enjoyed. During our relationship, I documented a lot of the times Erin and I enjoyed. Through a shaved head and a ponytail my pictures portray both of us growing, and ejoying that time. Now, after the breakup, I guess I am glad to have these photos, but they aren't the most pleasant to see pop up in my random photo screensaver. There isn't much I can do about this problem short of deleting the photos (which I have learned not to do). So, I have drafted the Camera/Relationship paradox. Don't take kissy pictures - allow your significant other to do that. I will continue to acumulate photos, and slowly the chance of an Erin picture popping up becomes reduced. Until then, I will only warn those camera owners from saturating his/her computer with pics from a sweetheart.
As life progresses, we often think to ourselves about the choices we have made. What if I didn't decide to go abroad, what if I stayed with that girl? What I take from all of this is that the most important thing in life is experience. Do any and all that you can in the temporary, but at such a young age, avoid decisions that are permanent. This is not a stone-solid philosophy of mine, but it is something that always is considered. No wonder why I probably never will get a tattoo. It is those opportunities one is faced with that MAY have had become permanent choices that will always remain in his/her memories alongside the question 'What if?' It would be wrong to assume that in the future, one will never be able to reconsider that choice, but it would be even more wrong to assume that he/she will have that chance. Point being: choices stick. Know that you made up your mind with that decision for a reason (or many) and, granted that enough thought was put into it, it is what will ultimately benefit you most in life. At least, I keep telling myself this. No regrets.
I broke up with Erin just before Thanksgiving. This signified an end to a relationship lasting just about a year and 9 months. By far the most intimate relationship I have ever been in, as well as the most influential. My personal philosophy since leaving for college has constantly been doubted and reconsidered, with the occasional epiphany and alteration of views. One of these shifts happened while I was with Erin, and another just after we broke up. Rest assured, I am still the same person with mostly the same views; I just have further defined what I truly beleive in.
To update you with what I am doing, I guess I will start with school. I am in my 3rd year at UCSB studying Political Science, and Philosophy with an emphasis in ethics and public policy. I hope to use this schooling as a springboard to get into law school; where I have wanted to go since the tender age of 15.
This summer, I was flown to the Fijian Islands to work at a bottled water company called Vitiblu. Production just started while I was there, so expect some bottles on the shelf next year or so. I worked full time as the sales integrator where my primary duties were to find cheaper materials that would suffice for our products, and a way to more efficiently produce them. My trip paid off generously. I found a cheaper adhesive for box packaging that alone saved the company ~$2,000/month. Living in a third world country, working at a brand new company, and experiencing a totally new culture, I was able to grow a lot during my stay.
Along with my studies at school and international escapades, I have taken a very active role in my fraternity. My term as President ended with the calendar year, and was replaced with a position as the VicePresident of the InterFraternal Council. I wish to take everything I can from my actions in life, and firmly beleive you can take just as much as you put in. For this reason, I try to make changes for the best.
I financed my first new car last September without having a co-signer. 2008 Nissan Altima Coupe's look pretty fly on the road. Keep an eye out. In order to pay for it, I had arranged for a position as a law clerk in downtown Santa Barbara for when I was to return- I still work there today. I am still trying to decide if I bought my car in order to drive to work, or if I got a job to pay for a car. Either way, they basically cancel each other out.
Throughout this entire time, I was with Erin. We met less than a month after I finished my pledge quarter- I even still had a shaved head! Throughout the trials and pursuits of our relationship I had come to many small conclusions about that life that, when corroborated, influenced my ideals and philosophy. Needless to say, she was a very important figure in my life.
I have had a camera since I was 16 or so and like to document the times I have in life that were enjoyed. During our relationship, I documented a lot of the times Erin and I enjoyed. Through a shaved head and a ponytail my pictures portray both of us growing, and ejoying that time. Now, after the breakup, I guess I am glad to have these photos, but they aren't the most pleasant to see pop up in my random photo screensaver. There isn't much I can do about this problem short of deleting the photos (which I have learned not to do). So, I have drafted the Camera/Relationship paradox. Don't take kissy pictures - allow your significant other to do that. I will continue to acumulate photos, and slowly the chance of an Erin picture popping up becomes reduced. Until then, I will only warn those camera owners from saturating his/her computer with pics from a sweetheart.
As life progresses, we often think to ourselves about the choices we have made. What if I didn't decide to go abroad, what if I stayed with that girl? What I take from all of this is that the most important thing in life is experience. Do any and all that you can in the temporary, but at such a young age, avoid decisions that are permanent. This is not a stone-solid philosophy of mine, but it is something that always is considered. No wonder why I probably never will get a tattoo. It is those opportunities one is faced with that MAY have had become permanent choices that will always remain in his/her memories alongside the question 'What if?' It would be wrong to assume that in the future, one will never be able to reconsider that choice, but it would be even more wrong to assume that he/she will have that chance. Point being: choices stick. Know that you made up your mind with that decision for a reason (or many) and, granted that enough thought was put into it, it is what will ultimately benefit you most in life. At least, I keep telling myself this. No regrets.