Big update, big news, good times. Sorry it's been so long.
Time to write something, I suppose. It's been forever and a day since I wrote my own words, about my life, in this thing. I hear that's what you're supposed to do in a journal.
Plus, I was just at another terrific concert (Bela Fleck and the Flecktones - Byham Theatre...oh man, it was amazing) last night with Jason and Dwight, so that seemed like a good trigger for the update. (Though by that logic, I should have updated after Coldplay a month ago...)
Big news first - I'm switching majors/departments/careers/passions (though most of you readers know this already). It's something I really should have done a year ago - I think I've got a post to that effect back then. But basically it's like this. Engineering is a big interest, but it's not my passion. It's not that I'm not good at it - when I do the work, I'm as good as if not better than most of the people I know. The thing is, the deeper I get into it, the less interesting (and thus the harder for me to get down to working) it becomes. So rather than let things get so bad that I (possibly) might have even gotten kicked out of school, I did some real soul-searching to find out what kind of work really gets me excited. What's really challenging, and mentally engaging, but still interesting enough to me that I would love to do it for the next 50 years?
Well, I wouldn't say I've found the answer to my whole life, but I've definitely found my passion - something that will get me through school doing what I want to do and preparing myself for what I want to do in this world. Those of you who knew me back in high school know I was a big Model UN fiend - the best thing I ever did in high school. And I loved every bit of it...poring over dense history books and page after page of national statistics and briefings on big, important problems in the world and coming up with papers and my own position on how to deal with them...being at the conference table, debating the problems, talking in groups, at length, about this stuff, hammering out deals, making friends in the process, being the rallying point behind a big move by a lot of people to present a solution....debating, wheeling and dealing, compromising, finding a real solution and responding to new developments, chairing the committee and being the one to encourage debate as well as engage in it, even if it's all just pretend for now...everything. Even the daily nitty-gritty of running the club itself. I still think the most encouraging thing I ever heard from anyone was when I was chairing a big committee at the McKeesport high school's conference, and our super-stressed secretary-general walked in, saw that I was having a healthy debate and exchange of ideas when all the other committees had degenerated into bickering - and I was doing everything alone - without any help from the other staff people assigned to my committee (who never showed up the entire 2 days) - and she said "Zavo, you're the only one here that I never have to worry about."
Because of my work habits and my increasing lack of interest in the minutiae of ECE, I haven't really ever had that feeling doing any of the work for that major. But in the history classes - at the one Model UN conference I went to (and really stood out in) - I've always been that way...on top of everything, going the extra mile, really putting my heart into the work. This is it. And it just sucks that it took me three years of adequate to subpar to terrible grades to realize it. But this is what I want to do - I want to be a negotiator, a diplomat, someone who does this kind of stuff for real. Politics - national or international. I want to make my mark on the world there - and a big one.
So, in a matter of weeks I will officially be a major in History and Policy, with an additional major in International Relations, and a minor in Engineering Studies (to save the credit I got back when I was still doing well in those big engineering courses) and I feel great about it. Andy and Matt were in a few weeks ago when I had first made the decision, and they said I already looked like I felt better about myself. Today, writing this, telling the world about it, the Flecktones playing the shit out of their instruments on my speakers, I feel like I'm on top of the world.
Next step is for me to do it. But I'm confident.
Okay - that's the real update-worthy part. What else has happened since the end of October?
Dwight, Jason and I got together and cooked a magnificent meal again for my parents - they came home from a long week in Europe to shrimp scampi (Mafia style!) with fettucine, basil risotto, and great company.
I got a guitar for Christmas - nothing special, just a Squier steel-string scoustic...but I'm learning. I've been plucking away at the bass with some success too, and the idea of the three of us playing in a band is sounding like less and less of a joke - even if we still decide to use Kalyan's name - The Nervous Sheep.
Dwight and Sarah have been dating for something like 6 months. I only mention it because it reminds me of how long it's been since I updated - they had just gotten together when we saw Ben Folds and Duncan Sheik. Jason's got himself a new girl too...this crazy redhead freshman named Whitton. She's all kinds of cool. I've come to the conclusion that between these folks, Matt, Andy, and the other people who live (officially and unofficially) at Roselawn 6, and everyone else, I've got basically the greatest friends in the world. I get closer to them every day. You people keep me going - I dunno what I'd ever have done without you.
Dwight's going to be in Pittsburgh all summer, and so's Jess - Andy's girlfriend who needs to update her journal. Jason's likely going to be working in a lab in State College, too....I fear this summer will be the death of us all. I guess we'll find out just exactly how much fun it's possible for a human being to have. I get to spend my favorite time of the year in my favorite city with my favorite people in the world. If things work out (I dunno yet, though) Dwight and I will kick off the summer by spending the first week driving his car back here from Oregon. He called me all the way from Colorado over spring break to invite me along - I really appreciate that. It means a lot.
I can't really think of anything else to write here. If I forgot something you think I should have included, leave a comment. Or just leave a comment anyway. I never seem to receive as many as I like to read.
I promise it won't be another 6 months between updates.
Plus, I was just at another terrific concert (Bela Fleck and the Flecktones - Byham Theatre...oh man, it was amazing) last night with Jason and Dwight, so that seemed like a good trigger for the update. (Though by that logic, I should have updated after Coldplay a month ago...)
Big news first - I'm switching majors/departments/careers/passions (though most of you readers know this already). It's something I really should have done a year ago - I think I've got a post to that effect back then. But basically it's like this. Engineering is a big interest, but it's not my passion. It's not that I'm not good at it - when I do the work, I'm as good as if not better than most of the people I know. The thing is, the deeper I get into it, the less interesting (and thus the harder for me to get down to working) it becomes. So rather than let things get so bad that I (possibly) might have even gotten kicked out of school, I did some real soul-searching to find out what kind of work really gets me excited. What's really challenging, and mentally engaging, but still interesting enough to me that I would love to do it for the next 50 years?
Well, I wouldn't say I've found the answer to my whole life, but I've definitely found my passion - something that will get me through school doing what I want to do and preparing myself for what I want to do in this world. Those of you who knew me back in high school know I was a big Model UN fiend - the best thing I ever did in high school. And I loved every bit of it...poring over dense history books and page after page of national statistics and briefings on big, important problems in the world and coming up with papers and my own position on how to deal with them...being at the conference table, debating the problems, talking in groups, at length, about this stuff, hammering out deals, making friends in the process, being the rallying point behind a big move by a lot of people to present a solution....debating, wheeling and dealing, compromising, finding a real solution and responding to new developments, chairing the committee and being the one to encourage debate as well as engage in it, even if it's all just pretend for now...everything. Even the daily nitty-gritty of running the club itself. I still think the most encouraging thing I ever heard from anyone was when I was chairing a big committee at the McKeesport high school's conference, and our super-stressed secretary-general walked in, saw that I was having a healthy debate and exchange of ideas when all the other committees had degenerated into bickering - and I was doing everything alone - without any help from the other staff people assigned to my committee (who never showed up the entire 2 days) - and she said "Zavo, you're the only one here that I never have to worry about."
Because of my work habits and my increasing lack of interest in the minutiae of ECE, I haven't really ever had that feeling doing any of the work for that major. But in the history classes - at the one Model UN conference I went to (and really stood out in) - I've always been that way...on top of everything, going the extra mile, really putting my heart into the work. This is it. And it just sucks that it took me three years of adequate to subpar to terrible grades to realize it. But this is what I want to do - I want to be a negotiator, a diplomat, someone who does this kind of stuff for real. Politics - national or international. I want to make my mark on the world there - and a big one.
So, in a matter of weeks I will officially be a major in History and Policy, with an additional major in International Relations, and a minor in Engineering Studies (to save the credit I got back when I was still doing well in those big engineering courses) and I feel great about it. Andy and Matt were in a few weeks ago when I had first made the decision, and they said I already looked like I felt better about myself. Today, writing this, telling the world about it, the Flecktones playing the shit out of their instruments on my speakers, I feel like I'm on top of the world.
Next step is for me to do it. But I'm confident.
Okay - that's the real update-worthy part. What else has happened since the end of October?
Dwight, Jason and I got together and cooked a magnificent meal again for my parents - they came home from a long week in Europe to shrimp scampi (Mafia style!) with fettucine, basil risotto, and great company.
I got a guitar for Christmas - nothing special, just a Squier steel-string scoustic...but I'm learning. I've been plucking away at the bass with some success too, and the idea of the three of us playing in a band is sounding like less and less of a joke - even if we still decide to use Kalyan's name - The Nervous Sheep.
Dwight and Sarah have been dating for something like 6 months. I only mention it because it reminds me of how long it's been since I updated - they had just gotten together when we saw Ben Folds and Duncan Sheik. Jason's got himself a new girl too...this crazy redhead freshman named Whitton. She's all kinds of cool. I've come to the conclusion that between these folks, Matt, Andy, and the other people who live (officially and unofficially) at Roselawn 6, and everyone else, I've got basically the greatest friends in the world. I get closer to them every day. You people keep me going - I dunno what I'd ever have done without you.
Dwight's going to be in Pittsburgh all summer, and so's Jess - Andy's girlfriend who needs to update her journal. Jason's likely going to be working in a lab in State College, too....I fear this summer will be the death of us all. I guess we'll find out just exactly how much fun it's possible for a human being to have. I get to spend my favorite time of the year in my favorite city with my favorite people in the world. If things work out (I dunno yet, though) Dwight and I will kick off the summer by spending the first week driving his car back here from Oregon. He called me all the way from Colorado over spring break to invite me along - I really appreciate that. It means a lot.
I can't really think of anything else to write here. If I forgot something you think I should have included, leave a comment. Or just leave a comment anyway. I never seem to receive as many as I like to read.
I promise it won't be another 6 months between updates.