..3170..

as i sit at my bed, packed and ready to go to the motherland i can do nothing but reflect and reminisce about this truly amazing year

in the beginning it was a struggle trying to not just convince my parents about why i should live as a graduate in the OC but also ensuring myself that i am truly making the right decision graduating is tough, absolutely but everyone goes through it and entering the real world is eye opening to say the least its important to save money now, times are tough ...

with all the factors grinding through my thoughts i realized that i just couldnt
i could not go through this year, and all that comes with it, at home
i had to be selfish and not just as reward for 4 years of work
but i knew personally that with the goals i have in life i could not do this year on my own
it was not about being away from home but about being around those that most influenced and shaped my life
surrounding myself with that amazing support system
as much as my family loves and cares for me, i knew i needed to be around the friends and mentors that made Me-->me :o)

post graduation was a real delicate situation
for me it was the daily grind of work and saving up money
****(luckily i got to do that with freaking amazing kids!)
the emotional heartache of a long distance relationship
the battle of trying to meet the ridiculous standards of admission staffs forcing you to question your own motivation and career path
i was lucky to live with and be around...Doctors
seriously...i dont know how many times i would have the blues and then boom the Doctors come in and i would start to feel happy again
i would be down or stressed, and just by being around each other all those symptoms would go away
the commotion of real life would ease
my mind, that would travel 1000rpm would finally be able to be grounded
time would pass by in a much more beautiful way.

And 3 major things stick with me when i think of this year in Manistee

1. some of the best talks with the most amazing people in the WORLD! (whether it was art, religion, science, brochat, mantalk, sports, it was all good). the expression, empathy, and REALNESS made talking and listening hella fun! who knew??
   
2. Music! seriously another language that is universal and POWERFUL! some of my most memorable nights were pouring my heart through that Korg and Akai for hours and hours (huge thanks to Mr. Beans!). And whats even more mighty is when you share that expression with others and collaborate to create what no other group of individuals can make, your own music. its just a crazy chemical synthesis, AND THERE IS A LOT MORE TO COME...TRRUUUUUUSSSST!!!!
3. lastly i just love seeing that upward climb that everyone is doing right now in their lives. we may have things established, we may be working for our dreams, or still trying to figure out exactly how we are going to impact this world, but most importantly we are never settled with what we have now because a wise man by the name Oliver Wendell Holmes once said "the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand as in what direction we are moving"
   

there is way too much i could possibly write about this year, but for now let me just say thank you from the bottom of my heart! thank you 3170 and everyone that came in and out of that door my life would not be the same without this house and you people i cant even begin to explain how much each of you as individuals mean to me, and as a whole when together it is just out of this world

i am off to Jordan
then Taipei to meet Berty and HJ
then Korea
make my way back to California August 11th
then the big move...

till then be safe and don't be afraid to get selfish on your sweet ass :o)
Peace!