Basically to sum up everything I am about to write in this post into one sentence.... Life is crazy intense.
So if you wish, you can stop reading here and forget all the boring almost tedious details of my life.
S               T                  O                P      
(if you wish)

The past few days at my new school have been different, challenging and exciting. There are some major things I love about the Auraria Campus and some major things I miss about Mesa. This semester I am taking 17 credit hours (a Spanish class that is 5 credits, 3different English classes and a Special Education class). Here are some of my favorite parts of camps.

St. Cajetan’s Center

St. Cajetan’s Center

The Tivoli Student Union

One of Denver’s earliest breweries, the Tivoli is a striking architectural example of the city's flamboyant past. Originally named the Colorado Brewery in 1866, Tivoli was founded by German immigrant Moritz Sigi. Subsequent owner Max Melsheimer added the prominent seven story mansard tower and the Turnhalle opera house. In 1901 brewer John Good took over operations, renaming the building Tivoli after the famous gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The Tivoli was one of the most successful breweries in the Rockies, and one of the few to survive prohibition. A major flood and labor strikes forced its closure in 1969. When the Auraria Campus was built, a private developer leased the building and restored it as a specialty shopping center. In 1991, students voted to buy back the lease and renovate the building as a combination retail center and student union.

View from campus of down town

New view!

Light rail- I take it to and from school each day its a 45 minute ride each way. It also a great place to people watch!

The Aurarua Library what a unique bldg.

Ninth Street Historic Park

At the heart of the Auraria Campus, thirteen restored Victorian cottages and one turn-of-the century grocery store serve as a picturesque reminder of the city’s earliest days. The structures on Ninth Street Historic Park, built between 1872 and 1906, comprise the oldest restored block of residences in the city. Ninth Street houses now serve as campus offices. A self-guided walking tour at each building provides information on architecture and early residents. There is no charge for visiting the Park.

This old grocery store in 9th street is now a fantastic Einstine Bros hang out!

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My campus has it's own movie theatre!

Auraria campus is comprised of three different schools: Colorado University at Denver, Metropolitan State College of Denver and Community College of Denver (Note: no matter what school you attend you can take many classes at any of the three schools). This combined with the urban setting makes it the perfect back drop for a diverse student campus. Walking around campus I have seen students age 18-80 conversing, people of all ethnic backgrounds interacting, and every sterotype you can imagine. I saw buisness men in suites wearing Cachos, student drum circles, preppy fashionistas, a man dressed like superman on stilts, a homeless man selling The Voice (which is Denvers homeless newspapper written by the homeless, sold by the homeless, providing money for the homeless), a lady asking for signatures to legalize marajuana, and someone from Children International asking me to support a child all in the same block. It's a little well ok alot overwhelming trying to find your own spot at a place thats already crowded but its also so easy for me to get hooked on the mosaic of this campus. I am still finding my nich, trying to make friends, trying to make Metro the home that Mesa became to me for two years. I'm working on it. I'm jumping in to this crazy pool of people and learning to stand where I fit best. 

Mirror mirror on the wall...

I’m staring at my worst enemy and it’s me that’s looking back

With a nose the size of Mount Everest

And black heads like pot holes on an old worn down road

Eyes like mud puddles covered by thick dark glasses

Teeth like a jig saw puzzle

Arms not flabby but weak

Breasts much bigger than necessary

A stomach that says I love a late night snack

Scars across my hips, thighs and legs

Cover up the slight beauty of my soccer toned calves

Wide feet caused by my barefoot habit and mother’s genes

I am imperfection.

You are the only exception.

GO BIG THERE'S NO OTHER OPTION! 

So, I know I am not the best writer out there but I intend to improve. I am amazing at writing essays that allow me to do research and I've been writing poetry & short stories since 6th grade but I know I need to improve in those last two areas. That is why I am entering three poetry contest and one short story contest. The themes are as follows:

What is on your bucket list?

Flash Fiction Writing

Faith

Love

bye!

Tick Tock!

Time really passes fast, just yesterday I was graduating High school now people I graduated with are passing away it's so sad because they are so young. Most recently..... http://www.kwgn.com/news/kdvr-colorado-woman-falls-to-death-from-cliff-in-italy-20110815,0,381574.story Honestly, we weren't friends... not even casual acquaintance's. I'm truly heartbroken for those who love her and were positively touched by her life . I am forgiving and wishing peace for her friends and family. 

"Only the good die young" -Billy Joel

I watch as the sun rises above the Rocky Mountains
I draw in deep breaths from the crisp, cool air
I am twenty- a Colorado native
and this is the first time I have snuck out of my house at dawn to watch the sun set
As the sun creeps over the still snow topped peaks
it's like I can feel all my anxieties floating up into the atmosphere

Better choices

Do you know whats been bothering me a lot lately?


Up to 100 million people are homeless throughout the world, the majority of them women and dependent children.


&


Every day, some 50,000 people, mostly women and children, die as a result of poor shelter, polluted water and inadequate sanitation.


Seriously just think about that. 


To put it in perspective, the population of Colorado is around 5,024,748. Imagine if the population Colorado and 9 other states of a similar size were all homeless? To put it in perspective the United states Population is around 307,006,550. Imagine if 1/3 of our population were homeless. 


Really, I must admit it's not just these disturbing statistics that bother me. It's the fact that I (& my family) live a lifestyle that does nothing to change this statistic. We own a house that is MUCH bigger than we need and a lot of shit to fill it with. We have a bedroom that goes empty over 300 days of the year. All of our bedrooms and  communal rooms have a television set in them. We have more than enough food to feed our family and my Mom is actually pretty good about not wasting food but still a lot of it goes to waste. I have a king size bathtub that I often fill up to  the top with sanitary water that most of the undeveloped world desperately needs to survive. Oh and we purchase bottled water which is the biggest environmental absurdity. I often talk about how I want to change the world. Well it starts with me & it starts with my home. I am not sure if I can do it. Can I really give up my TV? Can I really sell and donate all the shit that clutters up my room? Can I make a conscious effort to use less water and start using a water bottle? I doubt I'll convince my parents to let strangers start staying in that empty room but I'll start small. These changes will not occur all at once. Heck, I may horribly fail but, I am done sitting on the sidelines. I choose right now to make better decisions for our world, for his world. 

Steve Jobs is the definition of brilliance.

Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do. - Apple Inc.

The girl who asked the guy

So here I am 

I'M playing the guy

I get down on one knee and say

Baby wont you marry me

'Cuz all thats guaranteed is today 

Usually its the guy who asks the girl 

in some fairy tale setting 

on the top of the world 

So here I am 

It's 2am 

the moon's shining bright 

on this 'oh dark night

'Cuz all that's guaranteed is today 

Hey baby

I like the way you get shy when I smile

Don't you know your better the me by a mile?

Lets grow old 

Together we  can go out of style

'Cuz all thats guaranteed is today 

I'M the girl who asked the guy

He took my breath away

Jeans and tees that's what he wears

I'M not the kind of girl who cares

His arms wrap around me as the whole world breaks

His smile melts my soul 

And I'M his to take 

'Cuz all thats guaranteed is today 

So what do ya say?

Dedicated to Tya

I met Tya my freshman year of college at Mesa State. She was actually the FIRST friend I made at Mesa. I was sitting outside of Tolman Hall alone and scared. I remember sitting there on that bench praying God if you are real please let me make a friend here. About a minute later Tya walked up all confident and spunky and said "Hi I'm Tya!"

The next thing I knew she was leading me through the court yard where we stopped to meet every person we passed. I went to Mesa not knowing a soul and left two years later with a girl I can call my sister in Christ. After that first day and later on in the semester she became my next door neighbor and we had English class together every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. In our dorm we had some memorable times like: watching RENT, dying my hair blue and ruining the shower (sorry third floor girls), and  the time I stole her roommates keys just so I could hit her with a pillow...she came back at me with a breakfast bar. Then in class Tya inspired me with her writings and introduced me to one of my greatest loves, slam poetry. After class we would go have shenanigans as Tya would call it - basically we went to eat lunch. Freshman year passed and summer came and went. Then sophomore year me and Tya lived in different dorms (it was weird). We didn't see each other as much but when we did it was always that much more special. Then second semester sophomore year Tya accepted Christ and we started to have similar friends. We even went on a retreat together up in the San Juan's. Then she informed me she was joining the NAVY and she had me work out with her at the gym to start getting in shape. I thought I was going to die. My abs were sore for a week but she kept pushing me and I kept pushing her.

Now, this beautiful and brave young woman is in the Navy and left for Chicago six days ago. I heard the song posted up above tonight and immediately thought of Tya. My Grandpa was in the Navy During WWII and I am very thankful for the men and women who have joined it and served our country. I love my friend Tya!

-A

You should give me your phone number so we can still be friends...

Ps. This message is one of the many encrypted messages I have left for you here. Sometimes I wonder if you do the same on yours...

Wonderingly, A

awakened in the night

Sometimes I get this horrible feeling and I wake up in the middle of the night frightened. I wake up because I am afraid that I'm not doing enough. I wake up with the feeling that if I died right here and now I wouldn't be remembered after my death for anything significant. If I died right here and now I wouldn't be content with the life I have lived. It's a terrible feeling to never be satisfied. I am always wanting something new, something different then I get to where ever it is I've ventured off too and I just want to move on to the next big thing. I need to get out of here. These four walls are killing me! I hate the normalcy of this life I am leading and being confined to this house. I want a lot of things right now but, mostly I want someone to tell me this is normal to tell me it's ok. I want to stop wanting.

Lullaby

I can't sleep because I know that tomorrow between 11am-2pm I will possibly receive a call that could change my life. I want this so bad. It would literally be the opportunity of a lifetime.

I can't sleep because for once I am excited about my new school.

I can't sleep because I NEED to plan.

I can't sleep because I don't want to miss any of the beauty that life has to offer even that it's 2am why am I still awake beauty.

I can't sleep because I keep listing all the odd hobbies/ things I get really addicted to and then never peruse. These are things I still want to do.

I can't sleep because now I feel the need to list said odd addictions I have had...

• Learning to screen print t shirts- Last summer I really wanted to start my own t shirt business (still want to) I rented every book the library offered on it. Read every online article. I could probably teach someone how to screen print despite having never done it myself. Why did I give up? It costs too much for the materials. 
• Making hemp jewelry- I actually got pretty good at this and made some pretty rad shit if I do say so myself. I know all different kinds of knots and where to buy the cheapest supplies. 
• Geocaching- Learned about it in the movie splinter heads and I'm actually still pretty addicted and involved in it. 
• Hiking the Appalachian trail- Watched the movie Southbounders which is about this lady who does a through hike of the trail which is where you hike it all in one go- stopping to sleep of course. I decided then that I want to hike at least a portion of the trail including Kahtad. I will be getting a backpack soon which will further my ambition. I got so addicted to learning about the trail last semester that I watched every documentary about it and spent five straight hours straight reading the blog entries of a lady who through hiked it. 
• And my recent obsession... Learning to play the harmonica. You have NO idea how many youtube video's i've watched on it. I hope to buy a harmonica soon. I have already looked up free tab to songs I want to play and learned how to read it. 

I CANT SLEEP AND YOUR MY ONLY LULLABY.

"how many days do we live and forget, how many weekends do we have trouble recalling? is the phenomenon of living so abundant that it warrants waste?"

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7166313n

Wish I had superior autobiographical memory.

Gosh I'm just so excited about life :)

I sit in my suburban house, windows open. The fireworks sound like the bombs that used to explode in Vietnam. For most people on this day this sound rings of freedom and patriotism but for me a former solider it just brings back memories. It reminds me of names and places that have faded away with the years. Jack 23 Vietnam, Michael 18 Iwo Jima and Seth 26 Vietnam. Though years may have passed the memories are crystal clear. Sometimes I eat a certain type of food and I am immediately back at base camp with my boys talking shit and surviving one day at a time. Sometimes a smell will ignite a memory but tonight it's the sounds and the smoke that take me back to a very different time when I was a very different man. So here I sit window partially down curled up in bed with my dog Mike as my wife and children sit out on the lawn staring at the bright red, white and blue lights filled with hope like so many others. They don't come looking for me, they know and that's ok.

saw this dude at Nebraskaland days this song is stuck in my head... (kinda funny)