Today I’ve been doing a bit of reflecting. I’ve been thinking about what is going on in Haiti right now and also about what is important in my own life. I just wanted to take this opportunity to say a few words about Haiti and then to share some information about myself, which I’ve been writing in preparation for an online resume and portfolio I’ve been working on. No sardonic attempts at satire today, my friends. Just a few sincere words and then a personal bio to let everyone know more about my life, my interests, and my dreams.
What is happening now in Haiti is hard to bear and impossible to understand. I can’t help but consider the philosophical problem of evil and wonder why these types of things happen. An estimate is putting casualties in the tens of thousands. That’s three times the tragedy of 9/11 and we can’t even blame the terrorists. This tragedy has got me thinking about many things, like why people can cry during the notebook and simply change the channel during this earthquake. I cannot help but try to imagine myself in the position of the thousands of real human beings who lost their wives and kids and parents in the last 48 hours. I wonder how it would feel to walk down the street you grew up on and see your neighbour’s bodies covered by blankets. In the end, I keep being led back to the question of “Why?” What reason is there for so much pain and suffering?
Of course, I know that asking why is useless. There is no reason and their doesn’t need to be. Nonetheless, its a hard thought to deal with. If anything good can come of this situation, perhaps it can help give those of us who are unaffected a different perspective on life. Perhaps it can help people like myself be grateful for the things we have and the things we take for granted; such as family, food, a decent house, and access to healthcare (even if it is a bit too expensive). When you see a child being pulled out of a pile of rubble, all of a sudden unemployment, taxes, and all the other garbage Glenn Beck rants about seems pretty insignificant.
A shot from Haiti (Reuters)
Although it is certainly important to try to improve our country, recent happenings in Haiti have served as a reminder to me that in the grand scheme of things, we really haven’t got much room to complain. That being said, I want to encourage everyone to keep Haiti in your thoughts and to hope for the best. I think this is a good opportunity for everyone open their eyes, look around, and realize all we have to be grateful for. Having food, friends, a cozy place to sleep, and all of your limbs is really quite the little blessing. Pray if you do that, help if you can. Thats really all I can say for now about Haiti.
The rest of this post is about me, so stop reading now if you’re not interested.
During the last two days, I’ve been working on an interactive, online portfolio and job resume, in hopes of getting hired soon. That online resume is not ready yet, and I’ll certainly post about it when it is. But, I did finish writing the “about me” section and that is what I would like to share today. I realize that some people read this blog who don’t know me particularly well, and that my attempts at satire, dry humor, and the generally sardonic tone I take on can sometimes be misconstrued as my honest opinion – which is almost never presented here.
So, for anyone who cares, here are some sincere words about what I think is valuable in life, what my dreams are, and what I am passionate about. Enjoy, and feel free to comment or email me if ever you have any questions. Here it is, straight out of the “about me” section of my newest work:
the important stuff:
A nice canal in Brugge, Belgium
I’m not a fan of representing people with numbers, titles, locations, occupations, and statistics. Here’s some of the more important info about me:
I’m passionate about traveling, writing, music, programming, meeting new people, learning, and sharing good times with great friends. I love coffee and exotic foods. I like philosophy and reading books which can alter a persons perspective of life. On a sunny day I like to ride my unicycle or relax in the park with a glass of wine. There are two truly defining moments in my life where I learned how lucky we all are to be alive and what kind of things are important in life.
First, there was the road trip I took with my friends to Tennessee. We drove for 12 to 16 hours a day, spending short yet fun nights in hotels accross the country, until we finally arived at Bonnaroo — our destination. There we spent four days hanging out, meeting people, and watching the best musicians in the country perform live. After an exhausting stay, we packed up and headed home. This was an amazing experience. It helped me open my eyes to the size of the world and showed me the importance of having some of the best friends a person could ever hope for.
Eating olives in Almeria, Spain.
The second experience that changed my life and helped turn me into who I am today was when I studied abroad in the spring of 2009. I got to spend 5 months living in a small city in the Netherlands called Maastricht. This opened my eyes more than I ever could have imagined. Experiencing the world from outside of the American perspective shaped me dramatically and will forever reserve a special place in my heart. During my stay I travelled through Spain and Italy and visited Germany, Belgium, and of course the Netherlands. I lived in an amazing student house with students from all over Europe and the rest of the world. I learned things you cannot read in a book. Studying abroad taught me what it means to be alive and it is the best thing that has ever happened to me.
my dreams:
On a boat in Brugge with Özüm.
Living without dreams is like watching a movie with your eyes closed. Here is what I want to do in the future:
First, I’m planning to graduate from college. This isn’t terribly ambitious, but it is important. After college I dream that I will be able to either work for myself as a freelance web developer or that I will establish a trusted relationship with a great company that will allow me to telecommute rather than coming in to an office every day.
Once I have a steady income without being tied down to a physical location, I want to see the world. I want to travel on a budget through South America and Europe. Eventually I want to have my own company and make enough money that I don’t have to worry about anything. I want to buy a sailboat, learn to sail, and cross the atlantic. I want to buy my own house with lots of beautiful land — maybe in Spain or Italy. I want to have cherry trees and grape fields. I want to fall in love, settle down, and start a wonderful family in a beautiful country. I want to make my own art, to write songs and books and learn to paint. I want to learn lots of laungauges and meet people from countries I’ve never heard of. I want to do all these things and so much more…
Well, that’s all there is. Thanks for reading and best wishes to Haiti.