The Definition of a Word.....

Courage

Things I Find Pointless....

There are a few things in this world which I feel are kind of unnecessary. The first thing that comes to mind is a new craze that has hit SMU like a tidal wave. They are called 'Silly Bandz' and in case you haven't gotten a chance to see them or the ridiculous people wearing them, they are colorful rubber bands molded into shapes of various things: guitars, octopus, van, cat etc. Now I am not one to bash things with an actual purpose, such as normal rubber bands when used for their intended purpose. But these 'Silly Bandz' are not used for a functional purpose, instead people have started wearing them on their wrists, and not just one, multiple bands all of different colors and such. More power to the inventors of these absurd.....things, because I am sure they are doing quite well for themselves right now. The other thing that really bugs me because of its impracticality is fire drills. Come on, who the hell doesn't know how to exit a building they have been in for weeks? Personally if there is a fire, there is no way in hell I am casually strolling down the hall to the stairwell. It is pointless because no one reacts the same to a drill as they would in the occurrence of an actual fire. As far as I am concerned, it is every man for himself and I am going to make sure that I am not the last one out of that blazing building.

The Best Advice I Was Ever Given....

It did not take me long to think about what and where from the best advice I have received came. The information undoubtedly came from my true hero. Those who have met him love him and those who haven't wish they had. This wise old man is without a doubt my father, or as many of you know him Joel. Ever since I was little I was never the best, fastest, biggest or strongest at anything I did, but that never stopped me. My dad was the ultimate cheerleader and supporter for me. He was at every grade school assembly (twice a week), every practice, every game, you name it, and even with all this support and encouragement there were times when I wanted to quit. Let it be known I have never quit a sport, project, anything, and it is all due to my dad. He always told me to do my best and put 100% percent effort into anything and everything I did. As previously stated I was never the MVP for any team I played on, but no one ever hustled more than I did, which is the reason I was able to participate in so many sports. Coaches were more willing to start someone with a great attitude and work ethic with decent skills than a cocky and lazy athlete who didn't try. All I wanted to do was play, I would ask coaches whether there was any spot on the field that needed to be filled, if there was anything I could do or work on so that I could have more playing time, and you know what, I almost always was one of the big contributors. My dad taught me to have a big heart and to have spirit with whatever it is I need to accomplish. There is no better role model than Joel Spencer.

Communication

It must have been around 6th or 7th grade for me, when I started having my parents drop me off at the mall with my friends to see a movie and eat dinner. It was always the cool thing to do with all the cute girls in our grade, and it seemed so normal to have my parents drop me off with a specific time to be picked up. The reason there was a specific time was because I was living in a world without a cellphone. In today's age I feel completely naked without my phone, and whenever I destroy or lose one communication with the rest of the world seems impossible even with the use of social networks. The thing that baffles me is how my parents did it when they were my age. So often when caravanning with a couple of cars somewhere and one gets stuck at a light, or as happens all the time when plans change on a whim; how were they able to communicate to each other? Did they have to go home and check their answering machines or did they not have those either? We as a society rely so heavily on the use of these mobile phones, that if all the cell phones all of a sudden stopped working, I couldn't even imagine the chaos that would ensue. Its so strange to me to see children in 1st and 2nd grade constantly texting on their phones that are nicer than mine. If this is how communication has developed in the past 20 years, what is going to happen in the next 40? Are our phones and contact lists just going to be stored in our heads? Imagine if you could call someone through your head, everyone would be walking around like they are talking to themselves.

That Was Trippy

So there I am at some lake on an island with very jungle like terrain and I am with with some friends of mine, who I could not recognize. All of a sudden we are no longer on the island but on a nice boat relaxing, drinking some beer, and enjoying a sunny afternoon in the sun. We eventually beach the boat, probably a bad idea, and go up on shore. All of a sudden a few of the crew gets killed, shot by arrows. Honestly who really uses arrows anymore? Its 2010! Anyways we then notice that there are what appear to be Natives approaching us on small wooden boats. With no other options myself and two of the people I was with, who have now changed their identity, scamper up the overgrown side of a mountain on the island to lay low and watch the natives actions. Soon enough, while remaining concealed, we suddenly have huge guns I'm assuming to protect ourselves and we make our way to a cliche rope and wood bridge, like something you would see out of Indiana Jones, over a large valley. As it happens in most dreams, the completely unexplainable happens and I am all of a sudden driving a huge convertible monster truck with a midget down some highway. Of course the dream couldn't end with some nice attractive young lady, but instead we end up crashing the monster truck and end up dying. Now what does this detailed dream that strangely remains so vague in my memory tell me?.......I should probably lay off the 'tree' right before bed.

Girls Nike Shorts?

I have been curious about this for the past 2 1/4 years while at SMU, and I doubt that I will ever truly understand. I understand it is normal for college students after the first week of school to put less effort and care into getting ready to go to class because many times I just roll out of bed myself. And its not that most girls at this school even need to spend time getting ready because many people at this school are naturally attractive, but what is with these shorts? I know everyone has seen them and every girl has at least one pair. I've heard testimonies about how comfortable they are and how they have a lining in them so you can just wear the shorts, but really? Like the girls, and I know some of them personally, that own every single color in production and still have duplicates of some colors. I think more girls wear these shorts than people wear cowboy boots at SMU. If SMU were smart they would start embroidering the mustang or the letters onto the shorts, jack up the prices and sell them in the bookstore. I'm pretty sure Mcartney's on Hillcrest makes ones with sorority letters on them, and I'm sure as shit the girls go nuts over them. I blame nike for not making a comparable piece of clothing for the guys, but please no lining!

Greatest Product Ever!

I was just introduce to the coolest thing I have seen in a while. I am usually someone that comes home after a night of partying and just throws my clothes on the floor, usually because I am too "tired" to adequately hang them up. There have been so many instances where I am attending something a function that requires khakis, only to realize that they are horribly wrinkled. So this product, it works wonders by getting rid of the wrinkles in your clothes! I grew up with a housekeeper and never really learned how to iron, nor do I posses anything related to ironing because lets be honest, I live in a frat house. But this product by Downey, all you have to do is spray it generously on the piece of clothing lightly rub out some of the bigger creases and then hang it up. Not only does it save you from looking like a slob in important situations, but it also smells clean and fresh. I had heard of stain removers and bleach pens, but this takes it to the next level of preparedness for unprepared people like myself.

Ice Cold

I was first introduced to this gem of a game right when I was picked up from the airport in Dallas earlier this year. At first I was skeptical but after being a good sport I realized the potential this game had. "Icing" as it is called, is no ordinary drinking game, mainly because you don't play it with other people. Here's the premise, take any size Smirnoff Ice and hide it anywhere you like. If you can get someone to find it without them knowing about it, then they have been iced. But the best part about icing someone is the pose that must be struck while chugging, down on one knee and visible for the phone camera. There is nothing worse than waking up at a friends apartment hungover, looking for 'the real hangover cure' in the closet and finding a WARM ice waiting for you. This game originated on some website a few friends made and it has become an internet sensation. I believe Smirnoff filed some sort of lawsuit because the website was taken down, but honestly, Smirnoff probably sells more of their product now then they did with their mediocre advertisements. If someone wants to market my product with a fun rebellious game, I'm all for it, but please drink responsibly.

A Tasty Delight

The first time I had one of these round treats, I immediately felt like I was in heaven. Not to mention the clean and almost mechanic the interior was, and yet it slightly feels like you are in the clouds. I am talking, of course, about Krispy Kreme doughnuts. This establishment really knows how to make a doughnut and markets themselves so well. This is the only doughnut shop I have seen where not only is everything done completely by machines, but you can watch the entire process while waiting in the undoubtedly long line. But don't worry about the wait even if the show bores you, because the company usually has someone, clad in their classic uniforms with the iconic hat, serve you fresh warm melt-in-your-mouth samples. These samples are pretty generous as well, considering they give you an entire doughnut! They are famous for the original glazed; however some of my favorite have to be the chocolate cream-filled and of course for the kid in me, original chocolate with sprinkles. But back to the way this company markets itself. As previously stated, this is the only shop, I have seen, that shows you the mechanical process, and that gives you warm doughnuts in line, but their uniforms and the hats they offer you, the hospitality; they have solidified an image for families. They are at a tier of doughnut shop that the vietnamese Mom and Pop shops can't compare themselves too. The only thing they can compete on is price, and if you are only going for one doughnut, the price difference is minute. So, if you haven't tried it, make sure you take the stairway to heaven.

The Death Penalty

It is truly difficult to argue against your own position on a controversial topic, especially one I feel as strongly on as capital punishment. So here it goes.... In a scenario where a suspect has raped and killed an innocent victim and the jury is on the fence whether he deserves the death penalty, my vote would go for capital punishment. There is no greater fear in life for most people other than death, which makes it the best consequence. It is similar to George Orwell's 1984, where Winston is tortured by is greatest fear in order to gain the truth. If a person takes the life of another human being, not only does he murder that person but they also destroy the lives of anyone close to that person. It is similar to the Code of Hammurabi, which has the basic principle of "an eye for an eye". If you are convicted of murder whether it be one person or a mass killing, the death penalty should always be a possible consequence. If potential murderers knew that the consequence of killing someone may be that their own life may be taken from them, it would deter a lot more violence.

Something My Mind Map Says About Me.....

There are a few things that my mind map says about me. The first thing that can most likely be clearly seen from my mind map, is that the creator was obviously a guy. It is not the content or depth that would lead someone to this discovery but simply the organization and penmenship. I find it very easy to tell between most guys' versus girls' work, whether it is handwriting or art. For one thing most of my illustrations, which took surprisingly long despite there not being very many, are somewhat sloppy, in the sense that I have a hard time drawing straight lines and such. A more important thing that my mind map says about me, is that no matter how manicured the final product is, the observer can tell that I put all my effort into it and didn't just do the minimum required. It also shows what my interests are; going out and doing things, playing sports, sleeping, and my respect for friends and especially family. I found it interesting, when making the cross connections, that some of the connections were between two completely different things that had nothing to do with each other but everything to do with me.

In the Digital Age....

It seems as though our world is evolving almost like a video game. Only 60 or some odd years ago the entertainment people took part in was so much simpler. Every aspect of our lives has grown and changed with the developing technology. Video games have gone from pong to motion censored controllers, television has gone from a few black and white channels to hundreds of high definition channels, not to mention the recent 3-D craze. But as with visual media, auditory media is also changing. When rap first hit the masses people were appalled at it, disassociating it with any title close to "music". Time went on and hip hop became one of the leading genres of music for pop culture. Well times are changing again. Rap and rock are out, electronic is in. If you haven't noticed it yet it is probably because you, A. don't like it and therefore choose to ignore it or B. are at an age where new things like this don't have an impact on your generation. But electronic music is everywhere, it is even taking over the music for pop videos. Almost every pop song that comes on MTV or VH1 has an electronic beat with the lyrics, and while it may not be the same as heavy hitting house, dubstep or other electronic genre's the roots are there. Personally the craze hit me a few years into high school and I haven't looked back. A lot of people say that it isn't music its just a bunch of error messages put together, and while the artists may not pluck strings or beat platforms, the rythm and tempo are still there. Artists have found a way to please listeners with technology!

Nuts and Berries

Eating in today's age is something that most people don't really think about, it is just a part of life that gets done, like breathing or walking. I was looking at my desk and saw a can of cashews sitting open, 3/4 eaten already. It made me think about the food we eat, and how it came to be known as edible. I started wondering how many people it took in the past to try ingesting different things in order to satisfy their hunger. How many people did it take to try all the different seeds and berries found in the forrest to know which ones were edible. The first people had no clue what type of reaction these foreign items were going to have on them. People truly must have had to try an acorn they found to see not only if it made them less hungry but also whether or not it would make them violently ill or even poison them. How would they even test these nuts or berries or seeds? For instance if they ate three different berries and two different nuts, they would have no way of knowing which of those things made their stomach twist in agony. We take what we eat for granted, especially in America. I can't even imagine what the original inhabitants would have done for a drive through building that prepares hot meals for you. This leads me to wonder what is out there currently that has yet to be tried. Imagine if there were some delicious substance in abundance somewhere that has yet to be discovered or tried; it just needs to be found.

My Greatest Fear

It took me a while to truly realize what my biggest fear in life is. The first thing that came to me was obviously spiders and all other bugs for that matter. Let's be honest, who is not arachnophobic these days? Any bug flying around, with whatever motivation they have to annoy the shit out of me, makes me uncomfortable. Simply waking up with a spider crawling on my arm or lifting up a book on my desk to watch a cockroach attempt to scurry away, makes my skin crawl. But creepy crawlies aside, there is something that scares me more than anything, and that is failure. I have spent more sleepless nights than I can count wondering how I am going to make it in this world of competition. The fact that I am expected to start my career in two years makes me a little uneasy. What if I don't find a job that can support a family or even myself for that matter? What if I don't find a job at all? These questions that can't be answered are the only ones I wish were known. If there were any questions that I would truly look to someone else for the answer it is these. It would kill me to let down my family and myself. Hopefully I can overcome these worries and make something of myself.