Adventures in Indy

Well what can I say, except that it has been too long. I have missed updating this blog with random musings and thoughts off the top of the dome, although obviously not enough to actually update it. I cannot say why this happened exactly and trying to would essentially be an excuse. This as we all know is counter to everything this blog stands (or at least is named) for. So instead of rehashing the last two months lets fast forward to the here and now, shall we?

I am living in Indianapolis now, which I have been told is the 12th largest city in the US. Way bigger than I thought, and a HUGE step up from sleep Stillwater, Oklahoma. I'm living in downtown too, which I'm not going to lie, is pretty awesome. The apartment I'm in is pretty nice and I'm not paying much which is perfect because I'm not getting paid much either! The interesting thing for me is having roommates again. Except for 2 brief periods during undergrad I haven't really had a roommate since about 9th grade or so, and that was my brother who was in 6th grade. So this is kind of like an experiment, reintroducing me to the world of shared bathrooms, living rooms and kitchens. So far so good, I like my 2 roommates and it helps that we all are working at the same place. Walking to work is a definite bonus as well, because getting exercise and saving gas (money) is always good.

The job is still somewhat of a mystery to me. I mean it has only been one day and we had mostly HR stuff and IT training, so I guess I shouldn't expect to know every corner of my job yet. But it is still exciting/worrisome/anxiety-inducing to not fully grasp your role in your office or even the big picture outline. "Patience is a virtue," or so I have been told numerous times in the past few weeks. Man, cliches sound so much better and more profound when I say them.

Per usual, here is a funny video for you to enjoy while I turn in to get some sleep before tomorrow:

Life is Like a Burrito

I know what you are probably thinking. This blog post is just an excuse to put up a picture and talk about Chipotle. That is not (totally) correct.

Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE Chipotle. I eat there at least once a week, and it is pretty much my favorite restaurant in Stillwater. I went there on Friday actually, and had a chicken burrito. I asked for extra rice and beans and the guy said something to the effect of, "Let's make it a challenge." Now I thought at first he was talking about challenging my ability to down a Chipotle burrito. How foolish. But no, after heaping on two huge scoops of rice and two huge scoops of black beans, he proceeded to add extra chicken as well. My eyes became wide in anticipation. He then passed the burrito-in-waiting to the girl next to him and said, "Good luck!" with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Then I knew. He was challenging her burrito-wrapping abilities. Would she be up to the task? She added hot salsa, cheese, and lettuce per my request and then began the gargantuan task of wrapping it all together. Amazing she actually was able to get it started without much trouble. But as she began to seal the ends the tortilla's structural integrity failed and a gaping hole was opened. Undeterred she completed the wrap and asked if I wanted it rewrapped completely, double wrapped in a second tortilla, or left that way. Appreciative (and in awe) of her burrito-wrapping skills I decided to leave it alone and not make her redo anything. Instead she wrapped the ginormous burrito in foil (it took two sheets of foil by the way) and I had her draw an arrow so I would know which side was up so to speak. The burrito must have weighed 2 or 3 pounds, and it was amazing. And yes, I did eat the whole thing in one sitting, did you even have to think about asking that?

But I digress.

It is simple really, because life is like a burrito. Consider that you hold a burrito in your hands, just as you hold your life in your hands. Burritos often come wrapped and protected by a foil covering, much the same as our lives can be sheltered by the foil of our own insecurities and defense mechanisms. The tortilla of a burrito is akin to our capacity to live; the larger the tortilla the more food can fit inside, and the larger our capacity to live the more things we can accomplish. In a burrito we can add any number of ingredients to suit our tastes, just as in life we can have as many (or as few) things going on, depending on our interests. Burritos are different for each person just as our lives are different depending on what we choose to include. Some may enjoy larger proportions of rice in their burrito in the same way that some may enjoy larger proportions of work in their lives. And some people eschew rice (and work) altogether. The possibilities are endless! For me, my life (burrito) is filled up with my job, my class, my family, my creative component, my job search, my personal life, sleep, running, my fraternity, my internships, and many other things I am not even considering at the moment. At any given time when you bite into a burrito you may taste a variety of ingredients, just as in life at any given moment you may have a variety of things going on. It fluctuates because in burritos and in life, no two bites are ever the same. Sometimes when I eat a burrito I feel that every bite is all rice and beans. Where is the salsa, the cheese? Sometimes my life feels like all I am doing is working and going to meetings. Where is the personal life? You see, burritos are (to me) a true metaphor for life. Especially when you consider that all the while you are eating a burrito you are trying to keep it all together so that no food falls out. How many times in life does it feel like we are trying to keep it all together so nothing is dropped?

So next time you eat a burrito (preferably Chipotle) reflect. Reflect upon your life and all that goes into it. Enjoy the taste and savor your life. Life is like a burrito and I'm eating it!

PS: After eating a large burrito, dancing is a great way to burn of some calories, especially if you dance like this kid (which I do...when I'm drunk)

New Rule for the Book of Life

You may or may not have noticed that last week I added a rule to "Carl's Rules for the Book of Life" on the right side of this blog. I had intended to blog about this new rule the night I added it however life got in the way. In a way me slacking off actually lends itself to the topic of this entry because the newest rule is a quote from legendary UCLA Bruins coach John Wooden. He won 10 National Titles in 12 years, so this man knows a little bit about success. I own his book, "Wooden on Leadership", which chronicles his Pyramid of Success that he used to build his program at UCLA and by which he lived his life. The book is a great resource and is filled with tons of valuable quotes and stories. I knew that I wanted to use it for my own rules, but didn't know what quote or lesson to use at first. And then, in the midst of what has been a pretty exciting time of my life, it hit me--"Nothing will work unless you do."

Simple, to the point, and brutally true. In my life the times which I have been a success have usually been predicated on the effort I have dedicated to being a success. And now that I am in a relatively successful period I need to reaffirm this maxim because I know how easy it can be for me to let it all slip away. We have been on break for the last week and I have done the bare minimum required for my job, have allowed myself to slack off on my schoolwork, and have not utilized the free time to organize my environment. Now I know the value of relaxation and fun as it relates to my quality of life, however I think it is pretty obvious in this situation that I have done a poor job managing my time and motivating myself. Applying Rule #3 to my life is imperative for me to finish this semester off strong, to set myself up for continued success, and to enjoy the fruits of my labor.

So in honor of John Wooden, I am going to try and get caught up on some of the work that I have not been doing. And while I do that I encourage you to enjoy this video that highlights my favorite actor of all time showcasing his rapping abilities:

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

On a Roll!

Well what can I say? I am on a roll! This has been a very eventful and successful last month or so. First I get to interview for a job with the NCAA near the end of February. Then my mom, brother, and assorted other family and friends come to Stillwater to visit and catch the OSU-UT basketball game (we won by the way, but it wasn't as cool as this). Then I flew out to Seattle to interview for jobs in Res Life, and did 25 interviews, including 9 second interviews, and hit up a fair number of socials. I also won a Wii playing trivia (which I just got in the mail and hope to become as good at Wii as these guys). I experienced some of Seattle, met a lot of great people along the way and saw a lot of old friends as well. When I got back OSU went on spring break, so now I have time to ease back into things. And yesterday I was offered a position with the NCAA! What, jackpot!! So now I am just waiting for my background check to clear so it is all official and I will be set and ready to go with a job for next year!

But while that is very very exciting, and trust me, I could not be happier, I am also very excited about something else. It is crazy, and I am crazy, but I'm putting it out here for anyone to see: I met a girl and I like her. I may not have progressed very far since middle school in terms of dealing with females, but meeting someone is a start! I'm not going to go into much detail on here about that (other than she seems amazing), but let's just say it has been the icing on the cake of a very successful stretch in my life!

Oh and did I mention it is March Madness and the Cowboys are in the Big Dance!!!

Enjoy!

Back on Solid Ground

So it has again been a long time since I last posted. I have an excuse this time! I am not sure if that is allowed on this blog, but I was out of town for 7 days and had limited computer access and divided attention. You see I travelled to Seattle, Washington to do a bunch of job interviews and to attend a professional conference. My focus was definitely on the interviews more than anything and I had a very successful in the respect. I did 25 interviews in 3 days, and of those 9 were second interviews, meaning they liked me at least enoough to talk to me again. What, jackpot!

Overall the conference was great too because I emt some great people, and caught up with old friends. I really enjoy conferences because it is nice to get away and refreshes me. I do not however like returning from conferences because as much as I would like it, the world does not stop when I leave, and thus I have a pile of work to catch up on. Oh well, that is what I have to do during our Spring Break. Whick sucks, but what are you going to do?? Soon enough I hope to know where I am headed for next year so I can really focus my attention on finishing things off well here at OSU.

In the meantime here is an impressive video which I wish I could duplicate, both in talent and randomness:

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

My Bad

Okay so a) I am sorry it has been so long since I updated this, there is no excuse I should play like a champion, and b) I am frustrated because Blogger is not cooperating with my desire to post funny youtube videos. I had to add, edit, and delete my last post multiple times before I gave up and decided to start from scratch. So let me try this video thing again...



And again...



And yet again...



Ahh, now I feel better. I will start posting Photo Recall pics later, for now I have family in town visiting. So enjoy one last video that combines my love for ping pong with my passion for excessive celebration...

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Photo Recall - Day 36

Best. Staff. Ever. Mead Hall '05-'06 aka Diversity Personified!

So It's Been A While...

Did you miss me?

Judging by the limited number of visits the blog has received during my week-long absence, I am going to guess no. It's all good, I probably deserve it. I should update more often and make this more interesting, right? Well, that's the goal at least. Sometimes (as you surely have noticed) this blog becomes a hybrid between a personal space (for venting, catharsis, etc.) and a public forum (for ranting and trying to make others laugh). In any case, I am back, and now I have to get everything caught up, so bear with this post, it is probably going to run a bit long. Let's see, where did I leave off? Friday January 30th was my last post, and a lot has happened since then. In the interest of patching this all together in the most coherent way possible I will do a day by day synopsis, along with a new Photo Recall pic (because I am waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay behind in that experiment now too).

Saturday Jan. 31st
I had my comprehensive exam on this day. What is that? Well, it is an exam that is a comprehensive, which contrary to the actual definition of the word "comprehensive", means "something covering a bunch of stuff that takes a lot of time to prepare for and is mandatory for you to pass if you want to graduate with your Master's degree". High stakes on this one. Of course this meant that I began to study at 1am the day of the exam, stayed up (thank you Amp Energy Shots...) until 6:30am, slept for about an hour, woke up and showered, drove to Panera for breakfast and last minute cramming, and then started the test at 9am. A recipe for success (pending I actually pass) if I have ever experienced one (I haven't). That was one of the poorer decisions I have made recently, which is saying something because I think in general my life is a web of poor decisions that I spin for myself and then eventually get caught and tangled in until I suffocate from all the stuggling and tightening grip of the web and a giant spider comes to devour me. Or something like that.

Photo Recall - Day 28

Tope and I at the RA Banquet my senior year at ECSU. Special guest: Garrett's hand, rocking out.

Sunday Feb. 1st
A day of rest, I slept forever.

Photo Recall - Day 29

I love this dog.

Monday Feb. 2nd
I went running in the morning for the first time in a few days. The pain was a nice kick in the butt however, when compared to the kick in the junk I took from the scale after my workout. It turns out that not sleeping, eating at all hours of the day (and night) and eating crap are not healthy and will cause you to gain weight. Consider yourselves warned. I gained around 6 lbs. in a week, so now I am up to 218. For reference I weighed about 195 my senior year (while I was still playing soccer all the time). My goal is to get back to 200. This is not the way to do it.

Photo Recall - Day 30

Am I looking down, scared because I am losing strength and am about to fall, or am I checking my deodorant to see if it is actually working? Both actually. Pull that rope tight! I need tension! Oww! Not that tight, I want children!

Tuesday Feb. 3rd
I received some bad news about a program I advise. Not surprising in hindsight because of the lack of support given to this program and the students who worked hard to put it on, but kind of depressing. Worse than the actual news was breaking it to the student leaders who have already worked a lot on it. No bueno. I also was getting sick. It starts in the morning when I have a headache (I attributed it to the bad news) and ends with me feeling feverish and passing out on the couch in my office because I don't have the energy to make it to my apartment. For reference my apartment is about 50 yards away from my office. So yeah, I didn't feel good. I made it to the meetings I had to be at and canceled the ones I could.

Photo Recall - Day 31 (1 month done, 11 to go!)

What Mom? I can't hear you over the thousands of people walking around during Walkaround at OSU's Homecoming 2008. Cheese!

Wednesday Feb. 4th
Another day fighting the sickness. I think I had the flu, but I'm not sure. It didn't last long enough for me to go to the University Health Services and get checked out (it would have had to be about 18 days of sickness for that to happen). I felt like death on this day, but still made it to the necessary meetings and then napped when I had free time (if you can call rolling around in a cold sweat semi-conscious with Henry trying to lick my face, a nap).

Photo Recall - Day 32

Ladies and gentleman, allow me to introduce a rare species, the man-toad. Seen here in it's natural habitat, this creature (half-man, half-toad) is placed in a defensive stance, ready to hop off into the dark night of Austin, Texas at the soonest sign of danger. My mom does not appear to be alarmed at the sight of this ugly man-toad, even posing for a picture with it. I am just waiting for National Geographic to come calling for this picture, as it may be the only visual evidence that the man-toad exists and lives among us.

Thursday Feb. 5th
I still felt sick on Thursday, although I could also tell I was turning the corner because I didn't feel feverish anymore. Headaches and the sniffles, yes, but I can handle that. I had begun my day with office hours and occupancy, along with starting my reading for class (for that night) when I received great news for a change. I applied in December for the NCAA Internship program, which is highly competitive (check the link), as well as a change of pace from my current career track of residential life/student affairs. I hadn't heard anything yet and had kind of put it out of my mind because I had been sick, when I received a call from a strange number. Usually I ignore unknown numbers but I picked this one up for some reason, and it was someone from the NCAA offering me an interview. What, jackpot! I fly to Indianapolis (where the NCAA's National Office is located) to interview with about 40 other finalists for 19 spots in the program. I am getting more excited the more I think about it because it is such a unique opportunity and would be an amazing experience. I also wonder what would happen if I switched into the field of Athletics Administration, especially since I have been so focused on getting a job in student affairs to this point. Who knows...

Photo Recall - Day 33

I have no idea what is going on here, or why the picture was taken even, but this is Dan and I in our cousin Leonardo's room in Colombia. We are true millennials and could not go even a day without connecting with others (email, facebook, espn.com, etc) through the internet. Thankfully Leonardo did not mind us barging in each day to use his computer, because otherwise someone might have gotten hurt as we all were getting a bit bored and stir crazy in our Grandma's (Mama Flor) apartment.

Friday Feb. 6th
Now that I have gotten the good news about the NCAA interview I also got good news about the other part of my job search as i schedule a couple of phone interviews, as well as a mock interview to get some practice in. The call on Thursday made me snap out of my funk (mainly the sickness) and realize all the work I have to do before I go through all these interviews. So much to do, so little time. I thrive under pressure so I think it will be okay, but I need to start prepping. I spent today in both of my internships, and spent time during both researching the governance structure of the NCAA. I also got a call that night from a former OSU football player who went through the NCAA Internship process last year and offered me insight and advice on the whole deal. This all got me pumped up and I spent the late evening (and early morning) updating cover letters and applying to a bunch more jobs. A night well spent (for once). And a bonus: I watched the finale of "Bromance" online and Luke won! Can this day get any better (without me becoming Brody Jenner's best friend)???

Photo Recall - Day 34

This picture was taken from the field at Ole Miss' football stadium, before their game against Vanderbilt. This shows part of the student section (Hotty Toddy, gosh almighty!). How did I manage to get on the field? Let's just say I know some pretty important people.

Saturday Feb. 7th
Today I slept in. Not! I felt a lot better today (only coughing now) and tried to go to the gym at 9am. Then I realized the gym didn't open until 10am (rookie mistake I know). I worked out (basketball and racquetball) and then showered, ate at Quizno's (delicious), got a haircut, filled up my car with gas (as opposed to the other things it could have been filled with) and hit the road to OKC. Destination: Men's Wearhouse at the Penn Square Mall. Mission: Buy a suit (maybe two). Result: I bought two suits and two pairs of dress shoes, both buy one get one free. Did I get good deals? Abso-freakin'-lutely (that looks weird typed out, but is very fun to say out loud). Did I spend a ton of cash money? Hell yes. Enough to wear I still get a queasy feeling when I think back to when they told me the total price of everything. But it is an investment (so I have been told) so I shouldn't worry too much. And I look pretty fly (for a white guy) if I do say so myself. I'll try to post pics when get the suits back from the tailor next week.

Well that was my week in short. Sorry for being gone so long, I promise it won't happen again (for awhile...). Here is the final Photo Recall, enjoy!:

Photo Recall - Day 35

This picture is from an exhibit at the Benis Art Center in Omaha, Nebraska. I wandered around downtown Omaha for a few hours by myself and ended up here at one point. I actually really enjoyed this particular artist's work, I am not sure why. It seemed to mesh well with my aesthetic tastes I guess. This artwork was about 12 feet high (for reference) and was only one piece of the whole room, which was filled with pictures and wall paintings like this one. Sadly I did not meet Warren Buffet during this trip to Omaha, nor did I gain any of his astute financial instincts or wisdom, so I am still broke. I did get this cool pic though.

Photo Recall - Day 27

Before I get to the Photo Recall I'd just like to point out that I have my comprehensive exam tomorrow morning, which I must pass to graduate with my master's degree, and I have still not studied. i have a problem...if only I had written about procrastination at some point before this, maybe I could have taken steps to keep this from happening...

With that being said here is today's pic:


Stephen Russell and I at the end of our senior year at ECSU. We used to have a radio show together on Fridays from 3am-5am, "Fair Enough w/Steve & Carl". Good times.

Photo Recall - Day 26

First day of Spring RA training 2007, my first year at OSU. I have borrowed the Legend's famous orange mohawk randomly, not expecting there to be photo evidence. Why did he have the mohawk there in the first place? Well Eric never needed a reason for anything, but there was a basketball game that day and of course he, Zachary, and James all had to leave immediately after training ended just to get their front row seats. Ah the good old days.

I wish I could love like this...

See more of the internets best videos at CollegeHumors Web Celeb Hall of Fame.

Photo Recall - Day 25

These are the people I work with (yikes!). Okay so this image might have been doctored just a tad before being inserted into this Demotivation Poster, but it's still hilarious.

There's an ice box where my campus used to be

I'm so cold, I'm so cold, I'm so cold, I'm so cold...

Okay not really, but by Oklahoma Standards it is pretty cold. And icy, which means that life in Oklahoma has ground to a standstill. I am used to snow days coming from the Northeast, but ice days? What, jackpot! It's like have another weekend except it's in the middle of the week. What have I done with this unexpected free time? What haven't I done is more like it!

-I haven't studied for my comprehensive exam that is on Saturday (I have to pass to graduate, no big deal).
-I haven't applied to any jobs.
-I haven't spent hardly any time in the office.
-I haven't started writing my paper due on Thursday.
-I haven't cleaned (my apartment could use some upkeep and my office needs a lot of work done)
-I haven't taken down my mini Christmas tree (it has been more than a month since Christmas, I probably should let go...)

"Productivity" has never been a term associated with myself, unless connected with the term "low", but this is getting ridiculous. At least I am being unproductive with free time I guess and not during crunch time when I have to get things done. We will have tomorrow off as well because people here do not know how to drive in ice or snow and also don't know how to put salt/dirt down to mitigate the dangers associated with ice. I'm okay with that I guess, I can still get around and all my meetings are canceled!

Okay now it's time to go a bit deeper. Time for me to philosophize a bit (is that a word?) about life. To put down Rule #2 in Carl's Rules for the Book of Life. Cervantes (the guy that wrote Don Quixote, a book about a crazy guy on a skinny horse chasing windmills in Spain---and I guess some other stuff) wrote, "The road is better than the inn." Is this true? If given the choice to leapfrog time and space and arrive at a desired destination (whether it be a job, a family, or a higher tax bracket) would you do it?

As a kid/teenager/undergrad I might have said take the destination. Why? Because sometimes it easy to be so focused on where you want to be that you lose sight of where you are completely. As a kid I wanted to be an adult because I wanted to be able to have more freedom. To watch more TV, to eat more junk food, to be able to bring drinks into the living room without spilling. As an early teenager I wanted to be 16 so I could drive. As a later teenager I wanted to be 18 so I could graduate, buy lottery tickets, and vote. As an freshman in college I wanted to be a senior so I could buy and drink alcohol (legally) so I could graduate (again), so I could make some money (still hasn't happened by the way), and so I could have a "real" job (also hasn't happened yet). Now what? Am I still looking forward to new destinations?

The answer, as is often the case when looking at things like this, is both yes and no. Am I excited to move forward to a new milestone/chapter/era in my life? Yes. But at this point would I fast forward to get there quicker? No. Thinking about this reminds me of the movie "Click". Adam Sandler's character obtains a remote which allows him to control time. Inevitably (after some fun) he fast forwards himself to what he believes are important goals or times in his life. In the end he realizes however, that life's destinations aren't as worthwhile without the journeys it takes to get to them, and he regretted all the things he had missed.

That's kind of where I'm at now in my life. I am grateful to have reflected on this now and not 20 years from now. As much as I would love to see how it all turns out I can't sacrifice all the other things that are going to happen along the way. Sure, I'd love to be married some day, but without the process of finding the right person and building a relationship and sharing a bunch of memories, that marriage would not be as fulfilling.

So write it down, Rule #2 in Carl's Rules for the Book of Life:

"The road is better than the inn."

And in other news, here is my

Photo Recall - Day 24:


This photo was taken during my first year at OSU during a snow day. As you can tell there is not much snow (I think total we got maybe 6 inches, although people who have never been around snow now remember it to be more than a foot haha), but the chance to sled was too good to pass up. I managed to pile 8 people into my Honda Accord, including one whose legs were sticking out of one of the rear windows and we drove around looking for a decent sledding hill. Oklahoma is known for rolling plains, so there wasn't much available, except for the hill at the archery range. There we sledded the afternoon away on cardboard boxes and on plastic/rubber lids because of course there were no sleds to be bought (D'oh!). That is Kristen, my first partner in crime, getting a big push down the hill. From the look on her face you know she was not ready. Oh well!

Photo Recall - Day 23

A street performer in Bogota. Give him a few pesos and he will do a dance. Kind of entertaining to watch actually.

Photo Recall - Day 22

Ah high school graduation. Look at my cherubic face! Amherst Regional High School, class of 2002!

Photo Recall - Day 21

From my trip to Colombia, in the older part of Bogota with los Andes in the background.

Photo Recall - Day 18, 19, and 20

So because I again missed a day here is Day 18, as well as Day 19 and just to get ahead, Day 20. All of them were taken from the same day (within minutes of each other as I recall), during an end of the year staff retreat with my Bennett family. This was the end of my first year in Oklahoma and we just had a blast down in Texas on Kristen's land. Anytime I can convince someone (Eric) to run around while I shoot at them with a paintball gun for some free Jack in the Box tacos (16 to be exact), it is a good time.

"It's my dick in a box!"

"It's easy to do just follow these steps: 1) Cut a hole in the box, 2) Put your junk in that box, 3) Make her open the box, and that's the way you do it..."

The crew that made the trip. Notice Amber is rocking the Rule #76 shirt...
Clockwise from the left: Kristen, Me, Eric, Melissa, Roger, James, Amber, and Zachary in the middle.

Rule #111 - Never, ever reveal your true identity.

You are probably wondering about 3 things so let me clear them up right now. 1) I have been really busy with school and work and, okay so this is an excuse so I am going to stop. I should be posting more, I haven't been, it's time to make up for it, 2) I chose Rule #111 (see above) because sometimes I wonder if I should err on the side of keeping to myself or if I need to do the opposite and open up(more on this idea in a moment), and 3) boxer briefs.

What does this rule really mean? Well if I were to look at the context of the movie it would obviously refer to the necessity of an alias if you were to crash someone's wedding. Duh. But as much as I love the movie Wedding Crashers this blog isn't really about that. I mean sure, it provides a nice context or inspiration for some of my posts but this blog really is deeper than all that. This blog is a way for me to express things about myself, whether through words or pictures, that I don't always tell people in my day to day life.

This is the crossroads I find myself at. I need to use a blog to express thoughts that I don't readily share with others in my life (family and friends included) but on the flip side I do put myself out there a lot. I do this mainly through humor and off beat randomness. That is a big part of my life for sure, but I also wonder if it is really a front. Not intentionally conceived but more of a subconscious defense mechanism. I know there are some times when I definitely feel like I am not being true to myself when I continue to go on and on about things, just to try and make people laugh or to get some sort of reaction. Yet I still do this.

Why can I not be who I am and not rely on witticisms and quick remarks to ensure I feel accepted? Perhaps I have been attempting to not reveal my true identity so to speak. But I don't think who I am is anything to be embarrassed about (well except for the embarrassing things). So I'd like to be more open with people. To push past whatever insecurities I have and just be me. This blog is a first step for sure because I probably wouldn't have really sat and reflected on what has been bugging me lately if I didn't have this as a vehicle. So thank you those of you who actually read this. Whether you are a close friend, an acquaintance, or my mom (Hi Mom!) just knowing that there are people out there that come here to see what is on my mind is a great thing. And maybe when we cross paths in the real world you can see me as more than just a cut up or a slacker.

So I now render Rule #111 moot in my life and want to use this opportunity to launch a new feature in this blog. I think that Wedding Crashers as my muse has been a good idea but I want to take this blog to a new level and not limit myself. So without further ado you will notice on the right side of the page that I am going to be coming up with my own rules: Carl's Rules for the Book of Life. Some will be originals, some borrowed, but all will be important things for me to keep in mind and at heart (don't worry, I will still reference the Rules of Wedding Crashing from time to time, I can't give it up completely...).

Rule #1 - "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who matter don't mind and those who mind don't matter" (Dr. Seuss)

Photo Recall - Days 15, 16, and 17

Hello again!

So I am a slacker and haven't posted in a few days. Did you miss me? I figured nobody noticed but I have had a few people ask me why I haven't updated this recently so here, to make up for the slacking are 3 photos in 1 post, with a childhood theme. Enjoy the embarrassing pics of me!


As a wee baby in the arms of my dad. I look very bewildered, probably because I realize (even at this early age) that now that he is a father my dad's hair is all about to turn gray (Just for Men be damned!). Which it did, probably within a year or two.

On the swingset, sippin' on gin and juice, er, kool aid? Gotta love the '80's kid wardrobe by the way. Also notice I am with my favorite toy at the time, my doll, which had a plastic head and a plush body for some reason. I am not sure why this was my favorite toy why the lack of congruence between head and body did not freak me out, as it does today.

Hey, how you doin'? That's right ladies, here I am, probably around 3 years old and striking a pose already! High shorts? Check. Striped t-shirt? Check. The look and the attitude? Check and check. Too bad I peaked at age 3...Maybe this outfit should make a comeback?

Photo Recall - Day 14

I have to send this entry in from my phone because I am traveling back
from a wedding in Texas. This is Henry and I sometime after Halloween
after I dressed him in a friend's dig's costume (notice the cowboy hat
and saddle). This is the first time I dressed Henry up in anything.
And also the last time (so far).

Photo Recall - Day 13

This is from the last game I saw at Fenway Park (obviously on June 24th, 2008). It has been too long already, but there is always next year (especially if you are Cubs fan). It happened to be Jerry Remy Day, celebrated in honor of the great Red Sox color commentator and former ballplayer. They gave him a new car and there were a bunch of Red Soz greats there. The bonus was that the Red Sox also won, ending my streak of attending Red Sox losses at Fenway (and proving that they could win when I am there so I won't have to stop going to games).

Photo Recall - Day 12

I'll be honest, I have no recollection whatsoever of this photo being taken. Of course that is because here I am just a wee baby, around a year old, during my first trip to Colombia. I am being held by my grandmother Mama Flor who is probably wondering why my head is so big.

Photo Recall - Day 11

This photo is also from my trip to DC last year, and considering the inauguration of Barack Obama is right around the corner I thought it appropriate to highlight this picture (which I think is an awesome shot of the White House at night)

Rule #107 - Know when to abandon ship if it ain't floating.

To me this rule is all about knowing when to give up (I know, not rocket science). While this is a very simple concept I want to write tonight about giving up because it is not something I like to do. Even when all signs point to giving up, I don't. Don't take this the wrong way, I'm not trying to make myself sound like a master of perseverance or anything like that, it's quite the opposite really. I truly believe there have been and still are times in my life when I should have recognized I have achieved the point of diminishing returns. That point in time where I am involved or committed to so much stuff that I can no longer function at a high level. Things start slipping through the proverbial cracks. I can't focus on everything so some things get more attention than others, usually depending on what is most pressing at the moment.

This is how I live my life. The fact that I procrastinate doesn't make this better obviously, but more or less I manage to get things done. The cost of operating like this however is not a small one. In order to do everything at the last second and focus on whatever is the most emergent of my issues I sacrifice many things. Essential things, like sleeping, eating healthy, having a social life, and yes, walking Henry (sorry pup). It gets to be so bad that when I do have "free time" I invariably spend it sleeping and doing nothing of value whatsoever. I know a lot of people do that (weekends for example), but for me it is pervasive. Literally every free moment is spent napping or being a couch potato. So how do I reconcile this? Truth is I don't know.

I was planning on using this rule to rail on the lack of commitment I see everywhere in college. Students commit to things all the time, whether it is a social group, a relationship, or leadership positions. And my experience recently has shown that half the time people then back out, often at the last second, because it is the path of least resistance. Counterintuitive to everything I just talked about in my own life. I keep going (at great expense), they could care less how their decisions affect others and drop out as quickly as they joined. And when people do quit things they don't do it in what I would consider an appropriate manner. Maybe I am old-fashioned (translation: old) but if I were to drop something I had committed to I would tell, face to face, whoever I needed to know. In a relationship, I would tell the girl to her face. In a club I would announce it at a meeting so everyone would know why. But what are people doing? Texting break ups! Emailing resignations! And most damning, not saying anything at all like a coward and waiting until they are asked where they have been to offer their (weak) excuse. Look, I know you are busy. We all are, me as much as anybody. Be a man and fulfill your commitment and if you can't then be a man (sorry for my male-centric language ladies, please insert "be a woman" where necessary) and say it to my face.

So what is the solution here? I guess I need to change with the times and realize that commitments today are as flimsy as Paris Hilton's morals. But I also need to adjust my personal values to ensure I am not harming myself in the long run. To bring it back full circle (it's what I do) if my ship is sinking then it is time to save myself (at least from the trouble and stress that comes with being on a sinking ship)

Also, here is my Photo Recall - Day 10


At Chipotle in Washington DC during my trip to lobby congress on behalf of the National Association of Graduate and Professional Students. As you can tell I look satisfied--this was taken after eating an amazing burrito. I enjoy this picture because it is the first time in a long time that I had eaten Chipotle, and was before we had one built in Stillwater. Actually, upon returning from this trip was when I learned that there was going to be a Chipotle in Stillwater. Also notice that you can see the paunch that results when one downs a 1lb. burrito in about 5 minutes. Infortunately that paunch has decided to stick around...

Photo Recall - Day 9

Hanging out with Sly Stallone aka Judge Dredd at Planet Hollywood in NYC during senior year. If I recall correctly this was taken during the Spring semester during a trip to see the Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. I would like to be this thin again...

Photo Recall - Day 8

This is my brother enjoying a painting at a museum in Bogota, Colombia in December of 2007. The artist is Fernando Botero, a Colombian painter famous for his use of corpulent figures in his art. This is probably not the first time Daniel has sniffed someone's butt.

How Would I Describe Myself

Now that you have undoubtedly viewed the above youtube clip (if you haven't go ahead, it's only 11 seconds) you understand where I am going with this. How would I describe myself? Well to play Dwight Schrute's game I too will use 3 words (however jackhammer is not one of them):

1) Inquisitive

2) Caring

3) Entertaining

Why am I blogging about this you might ask. Well first you have to realize what my circumstances are these days. I am graduating May 8th with a Master's degree in Educational Leadership. This much I know. But I don't know much of anything else. I don't know where I will be living in 6 months, what kind of job I will have, and most importantly I don't know how everything is going to play out in between now and then. In my mind life is a journey not a destination, but man is it difficult to keep that in perspective. At times I am most worried about the destination and not how I will to get there.

That is why I started this entry by thinking about how I might describe myself. My job search has officially begun and now it is time to get ready for all of the twists and turns this process is sure to have. Soon I will begin hearing back from schools (I hope...) that may want to employ me and at the very least want to interview me. I would bet all the money to my name ($45.78 in case you were wondering, -$1,234,567 if you factor in credit card and loan debt) that someone, from some school, will ask the question above. So it is worth considering now. To be honest with you when I had the idea to write about this I figured it wouldn't take that long. Truth be told I sat and stared at the keyboard for what seemed like an hour thinking about what 3 words could possibly begin to describe me. It was a hard but worthwhile experience that will help me in the future (especially if I'm asked this question during an interview...).

Now I am not going to sit here and bore you with why I chose those three words (or why I chose to pass over "jackhammer") because that isn't the point of all this. To quote Lao Tzu, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." This is simply my first step as I journey forward, and I need to focus on each step along the way. And through this blog you will be coming with me. I hope you enjoy the ride, I know I will.

Photo Recall - Day 7

This is one of the proudest days of my life. You see this past May of '08 my (beautiful) mother graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a Phd in Special Education. That's right, she is now Dr. Mom. The back story here is that she had been working for many years on this degree, mainly because she sacrificed so much be there for Daniel and I. So when she put her mind to it and pushed to finish her dissertation I was extremely excited and happy for her. I wouldn't be who I am today if it weren't for her and so this picture is very special.

Photo Recall - Day 6

This picture is a relatively recent addition to the photo collection as it was taken just this past summer. Steve, Ian and myself were in Chicago on vacation in June and had the chance to take in a Cubs-White Sox interleague game from the bleachers at Wrigley Field. Pretty cool right? Trust me, it was, but that isn't the best part. Despite having to sit through a rain delay the game was close the whole time with the White Sox in the lead. But the Cubbies mounted a late comeback and a walkoff home run from (he's not Your-ramis, he's not My-ramis, he's) Aramis Ramirez to center field ended it dramatic fashion. Fans were so pumped that beer, soda and yes, even frozen margaritas were hoisted skyward in celebration. That is why we are a bit soaked in the picture. I look like I am drunk but really I am trying to remember what is going on because a piece of ice from one of those flying frozen margaritas clocked me and gave me what I can only assume was a mild concussion. But it was well worth it.

Photo Recall - Day 5

Now I know it appears that I have taken a horrible spill but in reality this photo was staged. It was taken during my junior year at ECSU when Sara, Allison, Steve and I went skiing for a weekend. I actually didn't fall a single time, not because I am a good skier, but because I played it safe and didn't try to do anything crazy (I'm a wimp). Hence having to stage the photo you see here. It was quite the weekend, at least the parts I remember haha. Good times.

Rule #66 - Smile! You're having the time of your life.

I'm sitting here reflecting on the start of my final semester at Oklahoma State. As is typically the case part of me feels like my time here has dragged on forever (the part that is thinking about work and class and job searching) and part of me feels like it was just yesterday that I moved into Bennett Hall after driving cross country in my cramped Honda Accord with my brother (the part that will miss the school and the people and the culture). The fact is that in exactly 4 months I will be walking across the platform at graduation with my Master's degree and walking away from this chapter of my life. Where the next chapter will take place has yet to be revealed but in these next 4 months I need to savor the time I have here and enjoy the memories that have made this experience so worthwhile. That is where Rule #66 comes into play. If I get too caught up in trying to find a job, or trying to finish my classes then I will be losing sight of the big picture. I must smile my way through 2009 because I am very fortunate to be where I'm at and to be living my life.

Photo Recall - Day 4

This picture was taken during one of my first times playing Guitar Hero (the original version) in Fall of 2006. It appears I am really rocking out, however the reality is I am probably playing the game on easy. This took place in Brandon's apartment in Scott Hall.

Photo Recall - Day 3

This is Henry as a puppy right after I got him in June 2008. He is about 2 and a half months old. We road tripped together down to Austin to visit my brother so he could meet Henry for the first time. We picked up my cousin Joe along the way in the Dallas area. Henry couldn't sleep through the night and would bark and jump on everyone sleeping in my brother's apartment, especially Joe. Here is one of his more docile moments.

Photo Recall - Day 2

This is how gringos like Dan and myself roll in Colombia. I don't seem to mind that much, but look at Dan's already pained expression. Taken in December 2007 in Bogota, Colombia.

5 Songs I Really Really Like Right Now

In case this is the first time you are reading this blog you should know that, like me, this blog is very random. I mean, I post pictures of my shoes, spend 12 hours cleaning my apartment and blogging about it, and I talk about wedding crashing a lot, even if I have never actually crashed a wedding (truth be told, and I'm all about truth, I have actually only been to one wedding before). So it shouldn't shock you that as I was brainstorming ideas for blog topics the first thing that came to mind (other than explaining how life is like a Chipotle burrito, stay tuned for that one) was my current top 5 favorite songs. Not my all time top 5 favorite songs mind you, that would be too hard, but simply the songs that I currently look forward to listening to the most, whether it be on the radio or on my iTunes. So without further ado, here are 5 songs I really really like right now:

• Fancy Footwork by Chromeo
  
• Angel by Flipsyde
• The General by Dispatch
• Universal Mind Control by Common
• I Believe in a Thing Called Love by the Darkness

An eclectic mix of course, some old, some new, but all good. If you have not heard any of these songs I suggest checking them out. Do you trust me? Okay, don't answer that, but if you have some time to kill and are looking from something to do you could do worse than finding these songs on Myspace Music or iTunes.

Before I go to try and get some work done in the office (I go back to work tomorrow) here is a rule of wedding crashing which might be my favorite, other than the title of this blog of course. Also see why I think dating is way too complicated for me. Enjoy.

Rule #82:
Always think ahead but always stay in the moment. Reconcile this paradox and you'll not only get the girl, you might also get peace of mind.

Photo Recall - Day 1

I believe this picture was taken by my mom during junior year of college at Eastern Connecticut State University. My brother Daniel is also pictured, then a senior in high school. This was in my old room, 310 Mead Hall. We are about to go to an awards banquet if I remember correctly, and the polo Daniel has on is mine. I lent it to him so he would at least have a shirt with a collar on for the event. This may actually be the last photo where I am definitively taller than Daniel. The outfit I am wearing was one I acquired during my stint working at Express in the Crystal Mall in Waterford, CT during my junior year. And yes, I do look good.

Photo Recall

So I was thinking the other day that I do not take enough pictures. I bought a very nice digital camera this past year to capture the memorable moments in my life, but yet I still don't use it that much. I am not sure why that is but it seems that no matter how much I say I want to take pictures, I forget to. I almost included it in my New Years Resolutions, but decided at the last second not to. Well, in a bit of revisionist history that would only be fitting in the US, I am going to pretend that, "I will take more pictures this year," was one of my resolutions. So there.

In the interest of making this not only a lofty goal, I want to do an experiment and challenge myself. Even though I think I do not take enough pictures, I have over a thousand photos saved on my computer. Each of them has a story (some more interesting and memorable than others). So my experiment is to not only attempt to take more pictures, but to post a photo a day, for an entire year (so from January 4th 2009 until January 4th 2010) along with a caption or story about it. If I miss a day here or there it won't be the end of the world, I will just make up for it the next day. They may be old photos, recent photos, or really old photos. Some will be more compelling than others, but like I said, each has a memory attached to it. I want to share this with you all, so please enjoy.

With that in mind I am going to select the first photo for this experiment.

Procrastination

To work or to shirk (my responsibilities that is), that is the question I am repeatedly faced with. Nine times out of ten I shirk, resulting in in stress, a sense of guilt, a loss of productivity, the possible creation of crisis and the disapproval of others for not fulfilling my commitments. Pretty dumb, huh? I agree. Why then am I constantly struggling with my urge to procrastinate?

Merriam-Webster Online defines the verb "procrastinate" as follows:

To intentionally and habitually put off.

I disagree with part of this definition, at least as it relates to my own behavior. I would not use the word intentionally to describe how I put things off, because rarely if ever do I intend to ignore or put off work. I almost always intend to get things done, keep my apartment clean, and generally stay ahead of my work. But as Steinbeck wrote in "Of Mice and Men" (adapted of course from Robert Burns' "To a Mouse"), the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. But don't get distracted by my awesome use of quotations from 9th grade English, I am not without fault. The word I would substitute for intentional in the Merriam-Webster definition is consciously. I realize that I should be responding to emails/cleaning/studying/writing a paper/whatever else is on my to do list, yet I end up doing something else. A conscious decision usually, but never my intention. I don't expect anyone to understand, but I figure I ought to at least try to explain if I want to be a highly effective person. As Stephen Covey wrote, "Seek first to understand,then to be understood."

(I know, I know, you are probably amazed at my ability to throw in quotes to support my blogging. Don't worry, I would be amazed too, and trust me, this is only the tip of the iceberg)

I need to understand procrastination better, Merriam-Webster just isn't cutting it. Which is why I would like to introduce you all to Professor Piers Steel (cool name, although if his parents had named him "Cold" or "Blue" I would have been even more impressed) of the University of Calgary in Calgary. He is a psychologist who has spent years studying, you guessed it, why people put off until tomorrow what they could do today. I read about his work in an article from the Telegraph (it's a newspaper in the United Kingdom) that my brother somehow found and emailed me (thanks Daniel). Steel argues that procrastinators (who apparently make up about 20% of the population, who knew!) are not lazy, which is huge for me, because I may be many things, but don't call me lazy. The vice procrastinators are afflicted with is that of impulsiveness. Now after reading this I knew he was onto something because I cannot help impulse buying things in the checkout line at Walmart. But what really got my attention was that he came up with a mathematical equation for why people procrastinate (and he actually did a study of college students, so I feel like there is empirical data to support this man's work, never mind the fact that I did not read the results of his study myself and am taking the word of a British periodical...).

U=EV/ID


The 'U' stands for utility, or the desire to complete a given task. It is equal to the product of E, the expectation of success, and V the value of completion, divided by the product of I, the immediacy of the task, and D, the personal sensitivity to delay.

Now perhaps I am a bit of a nerd (okay I am) but this makes a lot of sense to me. In my own reality I wait until the last second to do things because I believe that I can still get it done without having to do it immediately. In fact I have trained myself to operate this way, and unfortunately have been positively reinforced to believe that I can not only finish things at the last second, but also be successful and achieve at a high level when doing so. Lazy people in contrast, are not bothered by whether they can finish a job--they just do not want to do it.

So am I a bad person for postponing things with delayed rewards (like work) in favor of things that offer immediate rewards (like TV and the internet)? I would like to think not. But as I am maturing in my life I recognize that although I have managed to be successful up to this point with an attitude of procrastination, if I want to continue being successful (and I do) then I need to work on changing. It is going to be a hard thing for me to overcome. You see, even writing this blog about procrastination has allowed me to put off doing more productive work (i.e. work from my to do list).

Thank you for helping me put off my work, I couldn't have done it without you.

Enjoy this funny Youtube video, the Second Semester of Spanish Spanish Love Song: