Pressure.

It's all on you. It's all your fault.  It's your life to make or break.  Your time to shine, your time to crash and burn.  There is a sense of potential but an unbearable rushing sound and feeling of an immense weight on your chest and mind prevent that potential from being pure and gold.  If this semester doesn't go as planned, it will be your fault and yours alone.  Is this true?  Yes, you know technically it is, but you feel like there are always other things to take into consideration, as well.  This sounds a little like an excuse but it feels honest so, whatever at you, neasayer.  It is better to walk around with that letter grade floating around in your head than to wander around with a question mark.  Only time will tell if you can pull it off, and only you will be blamed if it doesn't.  What will you do if this bears not the fruit you sowed?  Reap it anyway, I suppose.  Embrace the life you've gone and made.  Move to Walden Pond?  I heard it's directly next to a landfill, these days.  Nothing lasts, I tell you.  Sometimes all this effort feels forced and silly.  Sometimes it feels impossible to get by in life without the product this effort all goes towards.  Sometimes you wonder about it all.  Sometimes you haven't got the time to wonder; sometimes all you can do is do.  I don't enjoy not being able to consider what it is I am doing but I go on about my business anyway because without producing some sort of valued contribution to  the "discussion" I will fail, and not just in compositional terms.  I could have been a gypsy, nomad, vagabond...I see Youtube videos of dirty looking semi-famous indie stars who travel around in make-shift tour busses with make-shift studios, close friends and heart-felt strangers...they are living the life of my dreams and all because they chased a personal passion of theirs to the fullest extent.  Should I have stepped into the academic world without first looking at the world itself as it could have been presented to me in it's entirety?  I doubt I would have been successful in that realm and if I had, without certain connections, money, skill, it would have been a miracle; but one i would have worked very very hard for.  I guess the same is true here, but with less glamour and more argyle.  Just food for thought, musings really.  Thanks for listening.

Housing and jobs.

I just spent a ridiculous amount of time on craigslist looking up the general market for jobs in the area and housing.  It wasn't really that long, but it was longer than I wanted it to be because absolutely nothing came from that action but a feeling of despair.  I even went as far as looking in San Marcos and Austin just to see what those markets looked like: all things I can't do or can't afford.  The housing was more for fun, I see myself doomed to cramped and awkward living arrangements on-campus for the rest of my natural life (which I highly doubt will extend further than the next year at this rate).  A job I really need, and have the ability to hold and acquire blah blah, but what irritated me most was the attitutde towards these jobs.  The employers were offering sub-standard jobs, jobs obviously people don't really want or else they wouldn't have to resort to craigslist.  So, they're offering these jobs and they have all of these requirements or qualifications; it seems even if you want to clean toilets today, you're gonna need at least four years of higher level education (which means four years of debt for most of us)- to clean toilets!!  It's heart-wrenching to see someone so determined to survive and sorry for past mistakes that can't realistically be corrected now, trying to get a job and be fired because, "you're not learning fast enough."  Which could be anything, really.  You could have fired me because I don't fit in with the likes of you.  But, your lack of education, and apparent lack of knowledge allowed me an easy alternative to a reason for getting rid of you.  I'm here at school to make sure no one can tell me this, but while I've been here, I've found that I'm not exactly succeeding at a rate neccesary to overcome all of those odds thrown in my face on a daily basis.  Who am I kidding? I barely am doing enough to technically be considered in school.  And now that I see how adament employers are about education, I see I have no hope of being any kind of "successful" person without it.  I want a house, a home to share with my loved ones.  According to Craigslist, I can't even afford rent if i have a minimum, or even slightly above minimum, wage job. 
So what is a girl LIKE ME to do?
How do I overcome this?
If anyone says 'That's Life' or 'Just get used to it, Just do it' I'll pull my hair out.  All of it.

Harry Benson and his good qualities.

The Seguin areas photography lovers gathered on the fifth of October in Jackson Auditorium to hear famed photojournalist Harry Benson speak of his craft.  Immediately I noticed that the man standing in front of me was significantly older than the picture on the flyer to encourage me to attend; seems men care how old they look too.  The flattering and sickening introduction Mr. Benson recieved from his grateful sister-in-law was heart-felt, I just didn't have the heart for it. 
Once the artist himself took the stage I found my heart stirring a bit more; his scottish charm and accent were virtually irresistable.  Listening to him discuss his most famous photographs, I realized many of his quirky idiosyncracies and thought-processes were probably at least partly resposnible for his relative fame.  Prime example: he was sliding up and down on a hand-rail made slippery from rain trying to get a shot of JFK, which he did get complete with the prez looking dead at him due to his trying-to get-the-shot antics.  This kind of picture might not have had such a good presentation had it not been for the eye-catching non-tradional manner in which it was taken. 
Benson's non-traditional manner aided him not just in that one picture but in his entire career. 
The photo that launched this career and brought him to America was another, non-traditional shot: one of The Beatles commencing to pillow-fight upon hearing their single "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" had topped the charts and landed them a gig in the States.  Had it not been for his intuitive sense of capture that compelled him to be "at the right place at the right time" AND get a picture of it, he might not ever had attained the status he has today as a contributer to the world of photography. 
Benson repeatedly used the line and reason for his success of "being at the right place at the right time" but I found that to be deceptive.  I felt that it was more than just the serrendipitous act of being present for something really amazing, because anyone can be around and point-and-shoot willy-nilly; it takes someone aware or what looks or translates well, what is captivating, the process of captivation...etc.  Benson was aware of these and many other qualities wheter he knew it or not (which I find hilarious; he knew it, even if he didn't know that he knew it).  I could have been in that room at the same time with The Beatles and if say, my lens simply wasn't off of my camera in time, I could have easily missed that shot. 
So maybe, intuition, good-timing and preparedness. 
Maybe that's what it all comes down to.
Analyzing someone elses success and good-standing causes me to bring my own potential status into question.  Do I have the attributes that will help me to become a ravaging success?  Do I have the characteristics to enable me to fail?  Which set of traits is stronger?
Does any of that even matter?
Is it more about what I want or what I am given?
I didn't think a silly old Scottish man would give me so much food for thought. 

How to deal with anger and frustration (or not).

College life is not known for it's moments of pristine happiness and a profound sense of peace.  College itself has had little to offer me in the way of a sense of relief, rather the classes and all of their subsequent responsibilities have given me an unsettling feeling of constant and paranoid anxiety.  Also, due to my lack of success at the collegiate, or any other level I am experiencing oceans of insecurity.  its true , this momentary self doubt is damaging to my beautiful friday afternoon. but! nothing that some possitive thinking and a bike ride cant help. i realize that in my refelection i can only hold blame with myself. to change my effects i must change my actions. thus having a work ethic and disaplin that meets the standards of  full time hard working student. this goal is achievable ...it reallly is. i know this . but its hard for me to convince myself of this when such negative patterns come in play of constint failed attempts at mediocre work and lackidasical quality for authority get in my way.and result in this self pitty and lack of worth.How do you pick yourself up, if evrytime you do you just fall again? is this a question of my strength as a character, or am i just a 19 year old student trying to learn time managment for the first time and not yet really having a clue how to do it right. the deeper i go in this self reflection, the more i realize how in order to make things successful i have to kick my own butt. "put my big girl panties on" as my mom would say and gut up. no once holding my hand to stop me from falling. and im gunna keep falling if i dont help myself. that said. How do i help myself?... well im still working on that. its hard to want to help yourself when you dont value your worth. but i know its possible and i know its friday, and i know the things in my life that make me happy , and i know the things in my life that will make me succesful... so i know that im getting up after i fall.

Excuses.

Alot of times, I don't try to do certain things because I'm in college.  No, I can't consider starting that band yet, there's no time, or point, I'm in college and nothing will come of this music thing.
Drake was in school I think before he made it big.  I've heard a line in his song about dorms and school.  He was doing that other stuff while studying or whatever.  Asher Roth was also in college, except i think he graduated.  Kid Cudi is young too, don't know if he's hitting those books. 
I don't think Wayne ever made it into higher education; he sure is high though. 
I think I have too much on my plate with writing love letters to my boyfriend and keeping up with my photography assignments. 
Can I even consider a global empire of some sort at this age?  Apparently some people can. 
I think it really comes down to doing what you want to do and not underestimating your ability. 
I want to read books and write letters and remember how to put emotion into my voice.  Lately, there is only tension where there used to be something more.  I want to learn how to appreciate the feelings I have and document them adequately again.  Now, more than ever am I in a position to express myself and I feel like there are limits to my sensation.  It's time to cut inhibitions and release my inner self.  That takes a certain level of trust in those you're expressing yourself to, be it your photography class critiquing your piece, your leadership class taking your idea into consideration or your boyfriend reading the letter you poured your soul into. 
Also, take risks when deciding what to pursue in the way of hobbys  I think.  You never know what may strike your fancy. 

You are what you eat.

How are you supossed to eat healthy at Hein, I ask you.
Broccoli and Cheese soup that looks like they used velveeta for base, pizza that is the staple of everyone's diet here, I'm sure.  French toast bar for dinner, desserts that look wayyy better than the boring dinner line and cheeseburgers whose beef don't even really look USDA approved.  Surely not grass-fed organic beef; not that I'm trying to be persnickety, I just like to display some discretion when putting foods into my body.  Sure there's a salad bar, but it's the same everyday essentially.  I see alot of iceberg lettuce in there, and everyone knows iceberg lettuce has like no nutritional value. 
I just spent $1.80 something at Walmart the other day for a 12 pack of Ramen, I know that's going to show up in my thighs in the near future.  Plus, slacker major over here decided to over eat for lunch and dinner and besides sleeping through her Algebra class did nothing between those two meals.  I think this calls for a night run when I leave this library.  Sometime I feel really guilty about how I eat and think to myself, 'Why are you grabbing that slice of pizza? Can't you like eat tomatoes instead or something? Don't you know that you haven't worked out in like forever? That pizza is not helping to nourish your body so it can be in prime condition when you're sixty, lady.'  Eating healthy not only helps me to feel better and look better, it makes me better internally.  Leafy greens to support digestive tracts and boost energy and metabolism, water to purify, cleanse and hydrate, fruits for good sugars and other good stuff.  
If it's not the eating it's the exercise, though. 
I was an athlete of all kinds in highschool and those working out ways have stuck with me into college.  I don't work out every day or even every week sometimes, but I find my way into the world of sweat at least a couple times a semester.  Another one of my goals for the year was to run/exercise at least once everyday.  That hasn't happened...
I feel guilty about that too.  I owe it to myselft to do that for myself.  There were other things I could do every day that werent' that good for me, why can't I take a lap or two around the "track" once a day?
C'mon Ashley...

Procrastination and how I despise it but do it anyway.

Lately, I've been keeping on top of my homework. 
For the most part. 
You knew I was going to have to qualify that statement, didn't you?
Well I did. 
There is this desire to achieve higher levels of success, I just forget what the big picture is here sometimes.  The other problem is, when you're caught up and relaxed, it's easy to feel able to kick your feet up, pop a movie in and take those long naps you've been dreaming about.  Then, a couple days later you feel the reprecussions of such leisurely activities.  There must be continual work being done. 
Not to mention the literal work/ job thing in your life.  I'm fortunate that my job is done in the early morning and I get it out of the way first thing, but I'm having to adjust to that earlyness so, it's kind of shifting things around in my day a little bit.  I love mornings and have never really been the type to get up early but I'd like to be, this Humane Society thing is helping me get accustomed to it.  That's where I work, by the way, the Guadalupe County Humane Society.  A No-kill shelter and very hygenic, I'm enjoying it thus far.  I work in the cat sanctuary but consider myself more of a dog-person so that's the only bummer.  Plus, they told me if I'm late again they're gonna let me go.  I'm kind of a tardy person, it is my downfall; so them telling me this is kinda weighing on my mind.  I was actually late by like seven minutes these past two days but no one seemed to notice, BUT STILL; this has to stop.
Not just with the Humane Society but with classes and homework too.  I've been a bit behind on these blogs and keep circulating, 'don't forget to blog ___ times' but still have yet to complete ALL of the required ones.  Life is easier when you do things immediately.  I know this even from the few times I've managed to accomplish things early, leads to a longer life in the end I think.  And more relaxing weekends. 
I think I'm walking around with this false sense of safety or security about my grades right now. 
SCARY.
Maybe for Halloween I should be an F on my transcript or something.
I heard that you increase your chances of success if you write your goals down.  I bought a poster board for the specific pupose of identifying my goals, painting them on there and hanging that sucker up right above my desk. 
I just haven't found the time to do it.  What with all these naps I keep finding the time for, who has time to paint posterboards?
C'mon Ashley, get it together :/

Considering Community:

I've been thinking some about the Texas Lutheran University community lately and it hasn't necessarily been in a negative sense.  

Now, for those of you who may know me, this will come as somewhat of a shock.  I waltzed into this University with the intent of transferring if not at the end of my first year then surely, after sophomore year. 

See, I grew up in New Braunfels and being so close, thought I held an understanding for TLU, Seguin, and what both of those places stood for; what they were about.  I realize my preconcieved notions were valid, but did not represent the totality of communities.  I am also beginning to realize my own potential to become a leader within these two spheres following Ghandi's urge to "be the change we wish to see in the world; thanks to the information I have received over the year

My first year in higher education raised my awareness of many realities and exposed me to many thoughts and modes of thinking that sufficiently addled my brains, allowing my to think more clearly.  I laugh typing this thinking of how to my surprise, a year later I recall all those nonsensical concepts Profe, my Freshman Experience teacher offered us that first semester and how all those paradoxes he raved about are finally making sense.  

I think about the passages from a wide range of books from Plato to Comic books.   I recall lectures from Vrooman discussing topics such as Marxism, Feminism, Post-Colonialism and more.  I discovered that I took for granted a near neighbor or ours and developed a love for Mexico, it's Spirit and it's winding, tumultuous history.  I learned lessons wherever I could and paid attention to the vibrant world around me.  I have embarked on the path to consciousness and the conversations I shared with the students here facilitated by professors who are excited to be here surrounded with a sense of care and community.  

But as of late, I've been taking many things into consideration and I believe my mind is made up that I will be beginning and finishing my Undergraduate Degree at this fine establishment.  

 

This comes with a certain level of difficulty to say for many reasons and intricate windings of understanding; but it comes with a sigh of relief.  This decision allows me to begin the process of planning for the future and my goals seem a little more directly satisfying.  Now I can commit myself whole-heartedly to the place where I am and in serve a functional purpose here.  

I am very excited to see where this path will take me and look forward to the future with a hopeful eye.  

It's about more than just what's in your head.

Sure you can be smart, but if you can't get to class or are late all the time you won't get an A (or even a B for that matter).  It's best to set yourself up to where there aren't any actions exhibited over the course of the semester that could be damaging to your grade.
It seems obvious but people really struggle with things like this, myself included. 
Time management not only means giving yourself a limited amount of time within which to accomplish tasks but to remember all the tasks in the first place, and be able to prioritize the ones that must absolutely occur within a relatively short time frame (by today, this week, this month, before 1pm etc.)
Time management is also being able to say 'no, i can't afford to do that right now if i want to accomplish this, which is more important than that.'
When people say they're busy, they don't mean they have three three classes on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and two on Tuesday, Thursday with maybe a job; that's not busy anymore.  Part of college is gettign accustomed to going, going, going most all of the time.  College students are hassled more than any other demographic for their "partying" but i feel that, for the responsible part of them who can take care of their business one way or another, they're just enjoying what little time they can, when they can.  Maybe this is me being biased, but hey, i think we all do this in one way or another. 
Most people learned this lesson earlier on in say middle or high school.  Parents and social circles can be very directive of the studying habits individuals develop.  For the rest of us, we're stuck learning this vital skill in the midst of mind-blowing education; my first year was full of stressful surprises.  I'm trying to figure it all out and I'm getting a little better but we'll see if this temporary success rate will stand the test of time.  I'll let you know...

Rogue Spades: To  Call or Not To Call?

There have been enough cases of medical professionals nder the influence of mind alteing substances while at work to warrant the current debate: shoud we randomly and periodicaly drug-test our doctors?
Dr. Leape thinks so and supports, "We have a responsibility to identify problem doctors and bring them into treatment."
In the article, "Should physicians undergo random drug testing?", Jeffery Parks MD, explains that he understands there are conditions under which we don't want our doctors to practise on us, but, does not support the motion to drug test the docs.
Dr. Parks chooses to stand on the side of the doctors saying, "This totalitarian encroachment on what a man or woman chooses to do in his or her free time is rather disturbing."  Parks goes on to say that those who are operating under the influence are rarely under the radar; at some point it becomes obvious that you have a problem.  It is the responsibility of those around you to confront the issue head-on.
While Parks does not differentiate between casual and chance participation or heavy addiction, (excessive alcohol consumption included), he does make a strong case for those socially responsible individuals who choose to partake in such activities on their own time.
The question here is whether or not the law has the duty of picking up the slack the medical professionals have left by not dealing with the problem internally, before it became so widespread as to be a matter of public concern.
Parks would make the argument that, yes, "we have a responsibility to identify problem doctors and bring them into treatment" but we also have the responsibility of protecting these Americans' right to privacy that they still have the unalienable right to enjoy.
Just because we're too timid or cowardly to call a spade a spade ourselves, doesn't mean we need to involve the law, it's reprecussions or peoples' reputations.  This can all be handled in a more constructive, sensitive, private way; we should explore alternative processes to ensure we will not implement procedures that are ultimately more detrimental to the field of medicine than the behaviors discussed here.