Opinions in a Whirlwind

I love opinions; in fact, I think opinions are blessings in disguise and a gift to humankind. They have the power to open people's eyes, enlighten the soul, teach the ignorant, and more importantly, provide insight into the mind and logic of your companion.

However, over the years, I have learned (with a few drops of wisdom shed upon me) that there is a time and place for everything. I'm quite aware that many people in this world have very strong opinions about various different subjects; and over the years, I've also learned that people will not always get along.

Though it may seem like an elementary principle, I think it's an idea that people so easily forget. Man was not meant to get along with everyone or to agree upon everything--think of how boring the world would be. However, man was not meant to be cruel and unreasonable to his brother either, especially over a difference of opinion.

Negligence

I have, by any and every standard, neglected my child. If Child Protective Services existed in the blogosphere and was informed of my carelessness, I would be considered an irresponsible and unfit parent. So, I apologize to my readers (if there are any), and I apologize to my baby (this blog).

I should scorn myself for unconsciously (or shamefully purposely) ignoring this blog and "forgetting" to write. What can I say, it's been a rough couple of months.

But, as it is Christmas day, and a new year is about to begin, it appears that it's time for a reflection of the past year. I'm thankful for much, regret very little, and hope for much more in the upcoming more. But importantly, I'm blessed to have the most amazing people in my life. What can I say, God has a lowly daughter in more ways than one.

Goodbye 2011, hello 2012. Here's to hoping this year is even more amazing than the last.

Daily Aztec Article: Does a Coach's Drug Test Hurt School's Integrity?

Well, my friends, I did it. My first article officially published in the Daily Aztec.

Here it is:

A new women’s track and field season underway: check. Head coach Shelia Burrell coming back for a second season: check. New assistant coach’s past drug test: check, well, positive.

Dorian Scott, an Olympic Jamaican shot putter, has been named the new women’s track and field assistant coach at San Diego State. Scott was a member of the Jamaican team for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, placing 15th in the shot put event. He previously coached at his alma mater, Florida State, before coming to San Diego.

In 2006, however, Scott tested positive for marijuana in a competition at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Cartagena, Colombia. Scott was given a “public warning” for his offense by the track and field governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federation, and as a result, had his gold medal taken away and national record erased.

Now, I am not here to judge Scott’s coaching abilities; on the contrary, his past athletic history suggests he may be the most qualified candidate for the position. Obviously, having a coach who has participated in the Olympic Games could serve as an advantage to the track and field team. Nonetheless, I must question the kind of ethical and moral example a coach can serve to student athletes, if he himself violated drug policies at a competition.

SDSU has a strict alcohol and substance abuse policy for both students and student athletes. According to SDSU’s university policies, a student may be suspended or expelled from the university by violating university drug policies. SDSU athletes are subject to drug testing and must adhere to the university’s three-strike positive drug policy if they wish to continue competing.

Upon Scott’s new position, SDSU could unintentionally be lessening the importance of being drug-free, especially for student athletes. Though his actions would be frowned upon by the university if he were a student, it doesn’t appear to be a problem as an SDSU employee.

Obviously, a positive test for marijuana is not as serious as using other drugs, such as steroids. But Scott is now in a position of higher authority in an environment where athletes who are guilty of using marijuana can be suspended from athletic competitions and from the university.

Scott may, however, be able to use his past personal behavior as an example of how not to act for student athletes. His poor choices may warn students about the negative consequences that come along with abusing drugs, especially those students participating in athletic events. Hopefully, the team will strive to model his athletic abilities rather than try to mimic his personal choices.

Perhaps Scott’s mishaps would be overlooked if he wasn’t the second track and field coach hired in less than three years to have committed an athletic drug violation. In 2009, SDSU hired former U.S. hurdler, Larry Wade, as an assistant coach for the track and field team. In 2004, Wade tested positive for a banned steroid, 19-Norandrosterone, and was served a two-year competition ban. At that time, Wade’s employment was met with criticism, including harsh sentiments from Doug Logan, then CEO of USA Track and Field. He compared Wade’s new position to the university hiring a plagiarist in the English department.

Logan’s statement is as truthful as it is pointed. Would SDSU consider hiring a fraud as an academic professor as it would for an athletic coach? A professor who was a well-known plagiarist to the world would have a difficult time establishing both credibility and integrity inside the classroom. After all, how could a student take a cheating or plagiarism policy seriously after being lectured by a hypocritical professor?

It would be unfair, however, to disregard Scott for the assistant coach position based on his past offense. Though it is a concern not to be taken lightly, all eyes will be on him to ensure a positive working environment. Let’s just hope Scott tests as a new “positive” — a fantastic coach and inspiring role model for the team.

http://www.thedailyaztec.com/2011/09/coaches%E2%80%99-drug-history-hurts-sdsu-integrity-2/

Morning from Hell

Damn my forgetfulness.

Only I would drive 45 minutes to school (because of annoying morning traffic), only to realize I forgot my paper sitting in the printer. Oh, you know, the one I spent all night writing. Because my forgetfulness first began when I neglected to upload my paper into Google Docs, I had to drive back home to receive it, OR, get an incomplete.

So, I ran back to the parking structure, got in my car, started driving only to eventually be stuck in construction traffic, arguably worse than rush hour. Upon driving BACK to school (paper secured safely next to me!), the "Feed Me" gas sign my car likes to flash when its hungry turned on. And of course, because my life sucks, I could not find a parking spot when I arrived to school. I crossed my fingers my car wouldn't stall right then and there as I followed someone to their car to steal a parking spot.

I finally got to class 15 minutes before it ended.

And that, my friends, is the morning from Hell.

Nothing but a Forgotten Dream

I stumbled across something very interesting the other day—well, I had somewhat of a desire to search for it, and so I guess it was more intentional than coincidental. But, that’s just all mindless details.

When I was 18, my arrogance for my own writing abilities far exceeded its true potential. I’m not very confident about how or what I write anymore (and rightly so, though this humble realization came with many painful awakenings), but at the time, I thought my writing could conquer the world. Actually, I was confident it would.

And so, at 18, I attempted to write my first novel. Well, started I should say, or tried to start. The idea came after my grandfather died, a rather remarkable man whose story was never shared, a story I barely knew myself. And so, a seed was planted in my mind, which soon grew to a young idea, and eventually into a sturdy beginning to a novel that I was certain would become a classic. (Arrogant, I know.)

Well, ladies and gentlemen, I found it. I found the first and last chapters to this “award-winning” novel that I began when my life was just beginning. And although I must admit that my writing has improved in many ways since I was a child, (as apparent from the first posts on this blogs, and silly poems such as this one that I wrote as a kid), I must say that I was rather impressed with what I had to say. In fact, I was actually inspired…inspired to finish telling this untold and startling story.

I will admit that no one has yet to read it, and so, my satisfaction and motivation to pursue it, may actually be nothing but blindness and ignorance towards its stupidity. I’d share it with all of you on this blog (since it’s really not that much), or even explain the plot line (though it is rather undeveloped), but with my luck, some aspiring writer out there will find a publisher, expand on my “brilliant” idea, write a book, and show up on the New York Times Bestselling list, leaving me with nothing but this blog.

If you’re really that interested though, maybe I’ll tell you, someday—maybe. Probably not; depends who you are. But, if any publishers out there would like to take a 21 year-old’s 18 year old self’s story idea and make it into a real book, you know where to find me…or find my blog at least. I would definitely love to show it to you, as undeveloped as it may be.

But anyways, why am I telling you all of this? Because somewhere along the road of enlightenment I discovered a broken dream I forgot about long ago. And though that aspiration is now nothing more than a memory, I must say that rediscovering the first steps you made long ago remind you of how you got to where you are. Besides, I like re-reading things I've written, even if it is cringing and unbearable. It shows how much your writing has matured, how much you have grown, and how much life has changed.

And even if I never finish writing that book, or whatever it would've turned out to be, I'm glad it's no longer a forgotten dream, but rather an old dream replaced by different ones.