LJ Idol Introduction
The first topic for LJ Idol is "Introduction" So here we go...
Despite my LJ name, I hate being called Cindy. I much more prefer Cynthia, even though ever since I was little I always wanted a different name. My siblings were named two of the most generic names ever and it always annoyed me. I usually say I am your everyday typical 27 year old female. But at the same time, I recently have had a lot of life experiences that aren't so typical.
After screwing around at college for waaaay longer than I should have, I decided to take time off and join a national service program: AmeriCorps' National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC, fondly called the N-trip or N-triple-C by its members) Basically, I served two terms (one term is 10 months) and led a team of young adults around the country doing different service projects with various non-profits. I lived across the street from a crack house in the worst part of Jackson, MS and worked with Habitat for Humanity. I lived with 800 other volunteers in a gutted out school serving as a volunteer camp in New Orleans. I froze to death every night at a camp in New Hampshire doing camp maintenance and end of season clean up. I slept on the floor of the Lutheran Student Union at the University of Northern Iowa and assessed flood damaged houses, also beginning the gutting process. At my worst, most tired and miserable moment, I wouldn't have traded the experience for anything.
When I came home, I had learned how to discipline myself enough to finish my bachelors degree in Psychology in one semester. Psychology is interesting and all but not exactly my cup of tea. I have very strong opinions on the over-medication of people with psychological issues and I just don't see it as a career path for me. I don't regret getting my degree in Psych because I did have a lot of fun and learned a ton of interesting things.
In March of this year, my youngest brother, Jeffrey, was killed by a hand launched grenade while serving in Iraq. He was just 15 days short of completing his second tour of duty. I never knew true sadness and pain until this happened and I don't think most people who haven't gone through things like this do. Jeffrey was one of the coolest people I knew and I am certain he has no regrets about how he lived his life. I have always been an emotional person in general and I think I have felt every single emotion that is fathomable over Jeff's death. I am incredibly close to my family and even more so through all of this. My other brother Chris was honorably discharged from the army after Jeff's death and he now lives about an hour away. We have never seen eye to eye AT ALL, but are definitely making progress. Despite all the sadness and how big of an event Jeff's death is in my life, I try very hard to not let it define me. I think eventually I will have learned a lot through all of this, but right now I just take it a day at a time. I generally dislike pity but I do appreciate people's sentiments, especially when I know they come from the heart.
There is soooooo much more to me, but I'll leave it at that for now. I try everyday to learn something new about myself and the world, as cliche as that sounds. I hope the LJ Idol experience will be a great one. :)
Despite my LJ name, I hate being called Cindy. I much more prefer Cynthia, even though ever since I was little I always wanted a different name. My siblings were named two of the most generic names ever and it always annoyed me. I usually say I am your everyday typical 27 year old female. But at the same time, I recently have had a lot of life experiences that aren't so typical.
After screwing around at college for waaaay longer than I should have, I decided to take time off and join a national service program: AmeriCorps' National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC, fondly called the N-trip or N-triple-C by its members) Basically, I served two terms (one term is 10 months) and led a team of young adults around the country doing different service projects with various non-profits. I lived across the street from a crack house in the worst part of Jackson, MS and worked with Habitat for Humanity. I lived with 800 other volunteers in a gutted out school serving as a volunteer camp in New Orleans. I froze to death every night at a camp in New Hampshire doing camp maintenance and end of season clean up. I slept on the floor of the Lutheran Student Union at the University of Northern Iowa and assessed flood damaged houses, also beginning the gutting process. At my worst, most tired and miserable moment, I wouldn't have traded the experience for anything.
When I came home, I had learned how to discipline myself enough to finish my bachelors degree in Psychology in one semester. Psychology is interesting and all but not exactly my cup of tea. I have very strong opinions on the over-medication of people with psychological issues and I just don't see it as a career path for me. I don't regret getting my degree in Psych because I did have a lot of fun and learned a ton of interesting things.
In March of this year, my youngest brother, Jeffrey, was killed by a hand launched grenade while serving in Iraq. He was just 15 days short of completing his second tour of duty. I never knew true sadness and pain until this happened and I don't think most people who haven't gone through things like this do. Jeffrey was one of the coolest people I knew and I am certain he has no regrets about how he lived his life. I have always been an emotional person in general and I think I have felt every single emotion that is fathomable over Jeff's death. I am incredibly close to my family and even more so through all of this. My other brother Chris was honorably discharged from the army after Jeff's death and he now lives about an hour away. We have never seen eye to eye AT ALL, but are definitely making progress. Despite all the sadness and how big of an event Jeff's death is in my life, I try very hard to not let it define me. I think eventually I will have learned a lot through all of this, but right now I just take it a day at a time. I generally dislike pity but I do appreciate people's sentiments, especially when I know they come from the heart.
There is soooooo much more to me, but I'll leave it at that for now. I try everyday to learn something new about myself and the world, as cliche as that sounds. I hope the LJ Idol experience will be a great one. :)