Domo Arigato, Mr. Obamo?

So for those of you who are not familiar, an auto-pen is a device used to create a signature. It has been used for decades and used by many presidents and high-ranking officials. Now with that being said, I am going to talk about what I read in the Democrat and Chronicle (D&C) today.

The article was titled "Obama's signature: Is it genuine?" Now immediately I picked it up and began reading because I thought to myself...well...why wouldn't it be? The article elaborated on it and explained exactly what I did above and then went further and discussed the fact that he employed such an "auto-pen" to be used on signing an provisions on the Patriot Act, therefore, "signing" a bill into law.

I don't like this at all. In fact, I feel very scared about this thought. Nervous even. Why on earth would anyone allow that to happen? Allowing a machine to "sign" a bill into law. That shows to me that he doesn't care enough about the provisions that he is signing into law to do it himself. Yes he was overseas and he claims that's the reason why he did not sign it himself, but allow me to ask this. In the age of technology, there is this thing call "faxing." Try it maybe? It will at least let us know that you still care.

Also, I just believe that something as important as a bill should have a hand written signature on it. I just feel it's necessary. Now if one is sending a "memo" through the office or any other small stupid shit like that, I think it can be appropriate for an auto-pen to be used. Not on something of this importance. I find it very unprofessional that it was done like that and many others share the same opinion as well.

You can read more into this yourself by searching it on any search engine or look at these links I provided for you below:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20066922-503544.html

http://dailycaller.com/2011/05/27/obamas-autopen-signs-patriot-act-extension-before-midnight-deadline/

http://beta.news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/autopen-not-obama-signs-patriot-act-extension-law-151951990.html


Also, I want to also make it known that the D&C is a newspaper that tends to lean to the left, and was impressed that this made the paper and quite happy to see it. Especially after my last blog post.

And with a closing thought, I think more politicians should be real and I also think that politicians should have some balls. Don't lie, tell us what you really plan on doing, and be a go-getter. We need one.

Speaking of balls, check out this clip. Personally, this is a perfect example as to why I really like Dick Cheney.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYY1oDDYS18

WE NEED MORE PEOPLE WHO CAN DO THIS. I know it was an old video but I think it's a perfect reminder.

So thank you very much for reading my post, hope you enjoyed. And as usual, if you wish to comment, please do so :).

FOX News, my news network

I enjoy watching the news as often as I can, I like knowing whats going on. But I hate hearing the people who ONLY report from the left. Wait, let me re-word that. I hate networks who report ONLY from the left and CAN'T ADMIT IT!

Jon Stewart (Comedien, The Daily Show), recently had an interview on the FOX News Channel (FNC). Here is the interview if you would like to watch:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwyUdBp-cck

Now I found it very interesting, while I believe that Chris Wallace isn't the best debater on behalf of FNC, I feel Jon did an excellent job making an ass out of himself.

On March 9th, 2011, Stewart made this statement: "...[Fox New is] a biased organization relentlessly promoting an ideological agenda under the rubric of being a news organization."

Then on March 31st, 2011 he stated: "...[Fox News is] a relentless agenda-driven 24 hours news opinion propaganda delivery system."

While I do believe that FNC has a bias, I want to provide you with the point that everyone has some sort of bias, and FNC ADMITS to be a more conservative organization! While they do offer their opinion, they provide the viewers with a VERY sound and accurate report of the news (fair and balanced) as well as the FULL STORY.

Now I will say this, I enjoy watching Jon for his comedic value, so I will admit that some people need to lighten up a bit. Most news is negative now-days and its nice to be able to laugh at some of it. Do I agree with what he says? Most of the time I don't, but I do have to say that he is funny and he is an entertainer. But you are wrong about FNC Jon. Stay to what your good at and don't get involved in politics in a serious manner. Stick strictly with the comedy.

Now I believe that they are fair and balanced because of the fact that they have several liberals come in and talk on there network and provide their opinion. For example there is: Juan Williams, Bob Beckle, Alan Colmes, and many many others! They also provide the "counter-weight" to MSNBC, CNN, and other multitudes of liberal media. FNC needs to report from the right side of the spectrum, no one else does. Therefore keeping things "Fair and Balanced."

Now as a short reminder here are the ratings for News organizations.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/01/cable-news-ratings-top-30_4_n_817182.html#s233787&title=1_The_OReilly

http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/cnn-fox-msnbc-ratings/2010/03/29/id/354175

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/06/24/cable-news-ratings-for-thursday-june-23-2011/96490/


http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/category/ratings


In every single report, Fox News Channel was the most viewed. I'll let the numbers do the talking.

Fox News doesn't just tell the "other side of the story," they provide the ENTIRE STORY. Both sides of the story. Right and Left. Now does that mean that they express them equally? Hell no. But they admit that. So CNN, MSNBC, other various "left wing" news organizations, learn something from Fox, and don't pretend to be something that you are not. Fox News is truly "Fair and Balanced," and that is why it is my news network.

A Closer Look

Top 10 Movies of All Time - Revisited

I got pretty tired the other night so I am going to go into why I like these top ten movies.

#10: Forrest Gump

Ah, a classic. This movie I am sure is on many peoples "Top Ten" lists, and rightly so. Tom Hanks was fantastic in it, and all of the supporting actors and actresses were great as well. Simply put, this movie was perfection at its finest. If you haven't seen it, you not American.

#9: Tommy Boy

Easily the funniest movie of all time (in my opinion). Chris Farley died wayyy too young and I believe that this movie perfectly sums up what his acting capabilities. Truly played the "loveable idiot" to a tee. And David Spade also had a great performance as the "colleague who doesn't want to put up with his shit, but does anyways, and finds that he is more than just a colleague, but as friend as well" kind of guy.

#8: Gran Torino

I'll tell you what, when this movie came out I wasn't sure what to expect. I knew it was going to be at the very least "decent" because Clint Eastwood was largely associated with it. But I must say, the movie was phenomenal and it had an ending that NO ONE expected. Great movie!

#7: A Beautiful Mind

Here is a film that I believe actually affected me. Great film about a man named John Nash that has a brilliant mind and sets out to find a mathematical theorum that is "unique" and one that he can call his own. It also goes into his struggles with mental health and later, him winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

#6: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Best "spaghetti western" in my opinion. Great storyline that is filled with unlikely alliances, unexpected twists, great music, great acting, and of course (with an great Clint Eastwood film) great movie quotes. A must see and considered one of the best of all time by most!

#5: The Green Mile

Another GREAT Tom Hanks film. Still the only movie in EXISTENCE that can make me cry like my grandmother watching a lifetime movie. Well not that bad but it brings a tear to my eye every time I watch it. Truly a heart-wrenching story that had me watching from beginning to end.

#4: Animal House

It was VERY difficult for me not to put this movie higher on the list. Fantastic movie, has me laughing the entire time because a lot of it reminds me of a lot of my friends. If you haven't seen this movie, you are a communist. See it. Now.

#3: The Godfather Part I

Here is where it gets tough. The Godfather series is my favorite series of all time. I promised myself that I would only put one Godfather movie in my top 10 to give other movies a chance. Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, and everyone in the series really contributed to a masterpiece.

#2: A Bronx Tale

Well I saw this movie for the first time last week, and it immediately made its way to my #2 spot on my top 30 list. It beat out many of my favorites. A true must see. Robert De Niro plays a worrisome father who is trying to look after his kid when a local mobster begins to influence his son. I'm not going to give away any more but YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS. Not seen by many people!

#1: The Untouchables

Ah, my favorite movie of all time. I love the storyline, I love the quotes, I love everything about this movie. I can watch it on loop to be honest. Costner, Connery, and De Niro. A stacked cast about trying to take down Capone by a hand picked team. Has some of the BEST movie quotes. Watch it. Now. Here is the trailer!

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1450115097/

Thanks for reading!

Top 30 Movies of All Time (Nick Addition!)

Top 30 of All Time! Enjoy!

30. Se7en
29. 300
28. Gladiator
27. The Prestige
26. The Magnificent Seven
25. Reservoir Dogs
24. Scarface
23. The Butterfly Effect
22. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
21. Caddy Shack
20. The Pursuit of Happiness
19. The Blues Brothers
18. Walking Tall
17. Taxi Driver
16. The Truman Show
15. Rain Man
14. Million Dollar Baby
13. Goodfellas
12. The Great Escape
11. One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest
10. Forrest Gump
9. Tommy Boy
8. Gran Torino
7. A Beautiful Mind
6. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
5. The Green Mile
4. Animal House
3. The Godfather Part I
2. A Bronx Tale
1. The Untouchables

Father's Day

Family has been the number one most influential force in my entire life, without question. So when days like Mother's Day and Father's Day come around, I try my best to make it mean something to my parents.

I am completely blessed with the best parents I absolutely could EVER ask for. They are funny, respectful, hard-working, awesome, motivated, etc, etc. And I love them both to death.

My father is the hardest working person I know. He is also the most self-less. He puts everyone before himself and that itself is hard to find in many other people. he has taught me much of what I need to know as I go through life by using different quotes to help motivate me such as:
-"To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice The Gift." - Steve Prefontaine
-"Do well unto others, and others will do well unto you."
-"Always work hard at everything you do."
-Etc.

He has been much of the reason why I am as accomplished as I am today. Whether it be with sports, school, or interacting with people and my work ethic. It all goes back to my mother and father.

My father is also one of the funniest people I know. He always has a way to bring a smile to my face. Just today I made a smart-ass remark to him in conversation when I said "Does a bear shit in the woods?" and he replied "As someone who has hunted bear before, I can tell you a bear will shit wherever the hell it wants."

Now I can keep going and going. But there is wayyy too much that I can say. So I will end it with this. I love you Dad and thank you so much for everything you have done for me. Happy Father's Day

-Nick

The Photobomb Compilation, Volume I

Ok so I was looking through my pictures today, and I got to say, I am pretty frickin good at photobombs. Here is my finest work.

So there it is, my photobombs and all there glory. More to come in Volume II

Can't lose what you never had!

Well! No angry rants today! Look at that, pretty crazy stuff right? And I have nothing to write about! Lets see where my brain takes us.

So, now I know she (the girl I am interested in) does not read my blog. Hahaha if only she knew that I like her that much :/.

Also, gay marriage, here is a question for you. Who is the best man? I mean it. (And yes, believe it or not, I am indifferent on gay marriage, there are much more pressing things out there that need our political attention than this, go ahead and get married, doesn't bother me any lol).

Here is a math question for you. I ran to the bar (which is 1.2 miles away). I drank 8 shots of Red Stag, two shots of Soco, 3 Jack and Cokes, 2 Soco and Cokes, and a sprite. I carried someone (lets say for easy math...this person weighs 100 pounds) almost to there house 2 miles away and walked 2.3 miles home. Am I in the positive or in the negative on calories? (Hypothetically speaking of course and I have NEVER done this before....ever...)

I hate paint.

And I hate dumb people who think they are smart. (Stop ranting Nick. See this hard for me to do.)

Also, make your night better and watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPkMUU9tUqk&feature=player_embedded#at=20

And this ridiculous post alone is probably going to make my views plummet (except for you hardcore fans! Yes you!), cuz this post flat out sucks.

But on a very serious and very emotional note...

Everyone, please pray for my aunt Mary tonight and tomorrow morning. She is going in for emergency surgery at 10am and will need every prayer she can get. Thank you everyone and please keep her in your thoughts and prayers ♥

"Shovel ready jobs....not as shovel ready as expected...lol"

Well if you haven't seen the video that the title suggests, I would suggest you watch/listen to this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVonk_OqEUU

Now, do you see anything wrong with this? Anything? Well if you don't allow me to elaborate...

Now as you remember Barack Hussein Obama said this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPAvjSockt4

Now...do you see the problem? Lies. All he does is lie. "Yes we can!" Was one of his campaign chants as he was on the rise, and now all the American people are saying is "No YOU can't." The only shovel ready job that is currently being worked on the shovel that will be needed to bury reputation as a leader in this country.

You blew the $800,000,000,000 dollar stimulus package, unemployment rates are climbing, your approval rate is dropping (actually recent polls showed the Mitt Romney is ahead of you if he were to run against you RIGHT NOW, how do you feel? A fucking idiot can beat you in 2012).

Here is an excerpt from an article written by Mychal Massie (if you don't know who he is...visit http://www.wnd.com/speakers/mmassie.asp):

"At a time when many Americans can barely afford Burger King and a movie, Obama boasts of spending a billion dollars on his re-election campaign. Questioned at a recent appearance about the spiraling fuel costs, Obama said, “Get used to it” – and with an insouciant grin and chortle, he told another person at the event, who complained about the effect high fuel prices were having on his family, to “get a more fuel-efficient car.”

Now...does that raise any red flags? I think that it is CLEAR that he is unfit to run a country, not only in views, but in attitude. He is an elitist who sees himself as better than everyone else, he views himself as the "expert" on the issue, and he is an arrogant/pompous idiot. I don't normally "name call" when it comes to politics but the proof is in the pudding. You are a jackass. Plain and simple. You are LAUGHING about your failure on getting unemployment rates down. LAUGHING.

Ok for a real laugh, lets compare what pops up on google when you enter "George W. Bush" and "Obama" shall we?

VS.

Seriously? "Obama kicks door"? "Obamas bracket"?

Looks like the only thing Google is concerned about is YOUR STUPIDITY. That's all people are searching!


Also, you want Israel to return to its 1967 borders. Why so it can get attacked again? So people who are currently living outside those 1967 borders have to move? Israel is our ONLY ally in the middle east, and your complete lack of respect towards their leader, and their country is unbelievable. I am not going to get too involved in this just because a lot of people have read about it already and its old news, and I may blog further about it later. But really?

And lastly, the reason why I wrote my title like I did above. I wrote it like that to show exactly how childish Barack Hussein Obama actually looks if he were to text that to someone. To put it into perspective for those who might not be "politically-savvy." Unbelievable how childish it is right? I'm not the only one concerned I hope. Who will save us? Idk my bff Barack? Nope. Get him OUT in 2012. We can't afford another term with him.

I bet you this guy could beat him in the polls...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4o-TeMHys0

Please share your opinions and make any statements you deem necessary. Thanks!

-Nick

Facebook

Well, lets just cut to the chase. I have some mixed views on Facebook, as I am sure many do as well. But there are many pros and cons to Facebook. This is my take on it.

PROS:

Social Networking:
Just like a sports team, jobs, and other organizations, Facebook allows you to network yourself with people all across the world. You can catch up with an old friend from high school, someone you met at a leadership conference, your current friends, family that you don't see very often, colleagues, etc.

Event Planning:
Lets face it, as much as you don't want to admit it, you wouldn't remember your old high school friends birthday party if it weren't popping up in your news feed saying "GEORGE'S 21ST BIRTHDAY EXTRAVAGANZA!!!!" It comes in very useful when you need to remember dates, or when you need to plan something of your own!

Finding new interests:
Whether it be a new hobby, new friend, etc, you can find just about anything on Facebook, as well as information concerning just about anything.

News/Politics:
With Facebook REALLY starting to take off now, more and more organizations are using it to get there names out there. Whether it be businesses, politicians who want to get there agenda out there, or even news agencies to report on the most up to date information.

Miscellaneous:
There are leaps and bounds more that you can do with Facebook. Its a great way to meet new friends, as well as stay in touch with current ones. Its great to stay in touch with family that you see and don't see a lot as well. It can help you find a job, people with similar interests, etc. Overall, it is a great tool if you have the time to commit to it!

CONS:

Time Commitment:
As I said above, it is a great tool if you have the time to commit to it. However, if you do not have the time to commit to it, it can damage your career, your relationship not only with your significant other, but with your friends and family as well, it can negatively affect your GPA/school work, etc. Facebook is very time consuming and within Facebook's very complex site, there are multitudes of other games and tools that you can use to devour even more of your time. Just like there are alcoholics, and drug addicts, Facebook can be an addiction as well. So use with caution.

Social Networking:
Now, you may be saying to yourself..."I thought he listed that as a positive?" No you haven't drank too much tonight and you are seeing correctly. I listed social networking as both a positive and a negative. Often, Facebook can shed a light on you that you may not necessarily want. For example, if you have a picture of you funneling a beer or doing a keg stand, people may not want to hire you or want to associate themselves with you. Or if you are someone who is always swearing on your statuses it probably doesn't reflect well on your character.

Facebook Can Be "Caddy":
Now everyone has heard the term "Facebook official" (unless your over the age of 40). It seems like everything these days HAVE to be on Facebook. So if you are in a relationship, everyone knows. If you break up, everyone knows and wants to know why. If you are in a fight with someone, everyone knows. People get mad and "de-friend" people. It just can be a caddy and annoying.

Lose Touch With Reality:
With technology at its current state in our society, its easy to remove yourself from the real world and enter the digital world. Especially with the development of cell phones/texting (and now iPads/tablets). its just another way to interact with people without...interacting with people. We are slowly slipping away from talking to people and speaking face-to-face, and to be quite frank, its scary. How often do you text your best friend? How often do you call him/her? You may surprise yourself.




So with all of that being said, I am sure I am missing plenty of different points, but I hit the ones that came to mind. Feel free to discuss! Enjoy :)

Unemployment Rates

Anddddd back to the politics.

Unemployment rate is currently 9.1%. The "Hope"-ful President Barack Obama has continued to move our country in a socialist direction. He and others on the left continue to fumble with our debt and fail on our budgets. The national debt stood at $10.6 trillion dollars when he took office, and now it has almost hit the $14 trillion dollar mark (to be exact...$13,908,426,908,138.93). Let me write that out for you. That is: $14,000,000,000,000.

Barack....may I ask...what the FUCK are you thinking? Seriously. Then you go off and criticize and dramatize congressman Paul Ryan's budget plan and say its going to negatively effect old people and those with autism? Listen to what is actually being said and stop bashing the right for our attempts to go back towards capitalism and trying to take steps toward reducing our debt.

Now...to get to what I really wanted to talk about before I got side-tracked on my little rant there (sorry...). As you all know, next year, the 2012 election for the Presidency is going to take place, and I am assuming the Barack Hussein Obama is trying to be re-elected. Now with that being said...you might ask...what does this have to do with the unemployment rate? Well let me elaborate!

With the current unemployment rate sitting at 9.1%, it probably doesn't look the greatest and will probably be used against him when he runs for re-election in 2012. Coincidentally, at the same time this is going on, they are not having as many soldiers come home over the course of this summer as they do usually. Again, you may ask yourself...where are you going with this? Well, if you were not aware, they can not terminate an active duty soldiers job while he is overseas, therefore, when they come back, they get there jobs back and the people who were taking there places get laid off...making the unemployment rate go up even further. Now, I have a sneaking suspicion that this planned somewhat, that it is thought through. With elections coming up, he wants to keep that unemployment number as low as possible. If this is the case (that he is holding the return of soldiers to better his chances of re-election), I find that completely unethical. I hope that isn't the case, but at this day in age, and the way politics are these days, I wouldn't put it past them.

Now with all that being said, I am not going to just bash on the left. A lot of these so call "republicans" are only republicans by name. We need some politicians who are REAL republicans to better balance this system. Not the B.S. republicans like Mitt Romney who helped write the template for Obamacare. Republicans, get your heads out of your asses. And America, wake up. Speak up. This is our country, and keep it that way. if you want to see something done say it.

Thank you very much for reading this post and I may have skipped over some things, so if you have any questions or you are confused about anything, please don't hesitate to post. Trust me, my English is not perfect, that's why I am a Physical Education major. Hahaha.

-Nick

That one person.

Think to yourself, who is that one person that you would do just about anything to be with? Whether your taken and it happens to be your girlfriend, whether your single and it is the person that you want to be with, or any other circumstance I happen to be missing. Just how much would you do to get to that person? Sacrifice habits? Time? Would you give up on someone else that is interested in you? Would you visit them? Even if they were far away? Or if they were your next door neighbor?

I am sure there is one person that comes to everyone's mind when I ask this. What would you do? What have you done to try and be with that person? What will you do? There is that one person that everyone has in mind. Everyone. Doesn't mean they are the one that you are going to marry or anything like that, but someone you are interested in. Someone that you like NOW.

I may see this girl once or twice this summer, but it is most definitely going to be the biggest highlight of my summer. The "big thing" one looks forward to over the summer, that is going to be mine, seeing her. I don't even think she reads my blog (hell not many people do), and I am not sure if she would even know that I am talking about her is she read it (although I think she would). But I am, looking forward to, more than anything, seeing her this summer. Seeing that one person.

Top 10 Favorite Beers, Liquors, and mixed drinks

Beer:

1. Yuengling Lager
2. Samuel Adams White Ale
3. Guinness Draught
4. Labbatt Blue Light
5. Corona Extra
6. Budweiser
7. Yuengling Black and Tan
8. Magic Hat #9
9. Molson Canadian
10. George Killian's Irish Red

Liquor:

1. Tanqueray Rangpur
2. Southern Comfort
3. Jaegermeister
4. Jameson Irish Whiskey
5. Jim Beam Bourbon
6. Jack Daniels Sour Mash
7. Grey Goose Vodka
8. Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
9. Patron Expresso
10. Crown Royal

Mixed Drinks (just stuck with 5 on this one...lol):

1. Long Island Iced Tea
2. Gin and Tonic
3. Soco and Coke
4. Jack and Coke
5. Vodka Tonic

Attitude

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.”

-Charles R. Swindoll

Training

Well as of about 2 weeks ago I am completely moved out of my rental house In Brockport, NY and back to my hometown of LeRoy, NY. One thing I have promised myself for the summer was to get back in to competitive running shape. I am starting to get older now (21 years old), and I believe that if I wait much longer, I won't be able to see what my absolute best performance could have been, because I don't believe I ever reached my full potential. Granted, I think I am a very well accomplished runner with a whole variety of awards and medals (128 ribbons, 28 medals, 4 plaques, and 2 patches), I feel there is much more to be accomplished. My main goals are to look lean and gain my athletic build again, run my 400m sprint under 50 seconds once more, and run my mile in under 4:30. We'll see how well I do and I don't plan on stopping til I get there. Also, I want to work on my cycling and get a bit more into that. Tomorrow morning (well....morning for me...which is like 10:00am), my training is going to start with a long, slow, distance run. I am going to continue this through the weekend, run the Saranac 5K race on Sunday with my father, then an easy run on Monday, and speed work on Tuesday (primarily hill running, and intervals). Wish me luck! And until next time, be logical.

"Woman overcomes total memory loss to graduate from college"

I find this very inspiring, was browsing articles today and found this.

"Woman overcomes total memory loss to graduate from college
By Liz Goodwin

On her first day of community college, 45-year-old Su Meck threw up two times out of sheer terror.

Going back to school as an adult is scary for anyone. But Meck, a homemaker and former aerobics instructor from Gaithersburg, Maryland, had a very special reason to be apprehensive. She suffered total memory loss at the age of 22 when a ceiling fan fell on her head as she was cooking, leaving her in a coma with a brain full of cracks. When she came to, she remembered nothing about her past, and had the mental capacity of a young child. Meck woke up to a life she didn't remember having, that of a young mother and wife living in Fort Worth, Texas. Family members remember her looking at them with a chilling lack of recognition after the accident.

"It was literally like she had died," her husband Jim told the Washington Post. "Her personality was gone.

"It was Su 2.0. She had rebooted."

So even though she had studied at Ohio Wesleyan University, where she met and married her husband, Meck did not remember a single day of her education. As far as she was concerned, she had never set foot inside a classroom. But Meck triumphed--she graduated with her associate's degree in music with a 3.9 grade point average last Friday.

"I didn't know what to expect," she told The Lookout in an interview of going back to school. "I didn't know how to act or what to do. How I basically got through this whole ordeal is watching other people and mimicking what they do. I wasn't sure if I was going to really be able to do that in a classroom."

She asked her three children--two of them college-aged at the time--how to take notes and how students are supposed to act.

"I didn't understand the whole concept, like do you write down everything the teacher says? How do you know what to write down? It was really, really scary," she remembers.

Her youngest child, Kassidy, was just starting high school and helped her mom with her remedial math course. Meck couldn't even multiply numbers--she relied on addition, which she had learned from examining her children's homework when they were younger. "My daughter was fabulous," Meck says. "She was a huge help, especially with the math."

Meck initially kept her condition a secret from her classmates and professors, who she says were very kind and helpful. But she was haunted by the feeling that at any time, she could be "sitting there and not knowing if I was doing it right." She was baffled when her professors told her to buy blue books for her exams. Scantrons also escaped her: She remembers circling the letters instead of filling them in.

Meck finally told some of her peers and instructors about her condition in her last year at the college. She had never told anyone outside of a small circle of close friends and family before.

There was also a more insidious fear: That she wouldn't live up to the person she used to be.

"I was an excellent student before ... and that was kind of rough because it was like, 'Is everyone expecting me to be this before person? Because I can't be that person. I'm not that person.'"

Meck plans to enroll in Smith College in Massachusetts next fall as a transfer student, and eventually get a masters degree in library science. She hopes to work in a music division of a library. She was a talented musician before her accident, and once shortly after the total memory loss she sat down at a piano and played Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer," her mom told her. She has never been able to do that since, and struggled to re-learn piano in college.

One downside of her condition being out in the open now is people are very curious about what she was like before the accident, which frustrates Meck.

"You can ask Jim that, you can ask my family that, but you can't ask me that. Because I don't know," she says.

Her children, however, grew up only remembering the post-accident Meck. (Two of her children were very young when the fan fell on her, one was born after the accident.) She learned to be a mother again through "trial and error," she says, and her children also adapted. Her son became very adept at remembering their parking space, since Meck's short-term memory was also impaired at first.

"They didn't know that mom was any different," she says. "I guess Benjamin [the oldest child] talked about, 'You're different from other moms, but not in a bad way.' All the other moms would sit and drink coffee, but I would sit on the floor and do the puzzles, because I had never done puzzles before ... I was just a different mom I think."

Her husband, however, did remember what she was like before she lost her memory, and Meck says that was hard. "I am definitely not the same person he married," she says of Jim. "It's been rough. It couldn't have not been. It's not all Disney endings--It's life, it's not always perfect."

Today is their 26th wedding anniversary, but Meck doesn't remember her wedding day. She says they're thinking of picking a new day to celebrate, one that she remembers."

Beer Mile

Alright, for those of you who are not familiar with my lifestyle, I greatly enjoy running. I also great enjoy drinking beer. This is something I found today while browsing Facebook, and let me tell you, it looks like a riot. I found a new calling in life. And the best part? THEY HAVE OFFICIAL RACES.

"Official Beermile.Com Rules

1. Each competitor drinks four cans of beer and runs four laps on a track
(Start - beer/lap, beer/lap, beer/lap, beer/lap - finish).
2. Beer must be consumed before the lap is begun, within the
transition area which is the 10 meter zone before the start/finish
line on a 400m track.
3. The race begins with the drinking of the first beer in the last meter
of the transition zone to ensure the comptitors run a complete mile
(1609 meters).
4. Women also drink four beers in four laps (past rule lists only required
ladies to drink three beers).
5. Competitors must drink canned beer and the cans should not be
less than 355ml (the standard can volume) or 12oz (the imperial equivalent).
Bottles may be substituted for cans as long as they are at least
12 oz (355 ml) in volume.
6. No specialized cans or bottles may be used that give an advantage
by allowing the beer to pour at a faster rate. ie "super mega
mouth cans" or "wide mouth bottles" are prohibited.
7. Beer cans must not be tampered with in any manner, ie. no
shotgunning or puncturing of the can except for opening the can by
the tab at the top. The same applies with bottles - no straws or
other aids are allowed in order to aid in the speed of pouring.
8. Beer must be a minimum of 5% alcohol by volume. Hard ciders and lemonades
will not suffice. The beer must be a fermented alcoholic beverage
brewed from malt and flavored with hops. For an abbreviated list of valid
beers and exceptions, click here.
9. Each beer can must not be opened until the competitor enters the
transition zone on each lap.
10. Competitors who vomit before they finish the race must complete
one penalty lap at the end of the race (immediately after the
completion of their 4th lap). Note: Vomitting more than once
during the race still requires only one penalty lap at the end."

Some thoughts

Haven't posted here in quite a while. Some changes in life sense I have last wrote.

1) I am now a senior in college and will soon have my Bachelors Degree in Physical Education and Adaptive Physical Education.

2) I am applying to go on a cross country (as in Trans-America) trip on a bicycle through my fraternity (Pi Kappa Phi). It is a bike trip that goes from the West Coast to Washington D.C. and it raises money for people with disabilities. I'll have to raise a minimum of $5000 but I think my fundraising goal is going to be $8000 dollars (I'll keep everyone posted on this).

3) I am currently getting back into shape to run competitively once again and things are going well but the process is very frustrating. I am struggling doing things that I once didn't have a problem with. But things are starting to look up and I am doing well once again.

I am sure there is much much more that I am missing right now but to be honest, I am exhausted. But to end things here are two funny fails to represent the fails of the week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne3OMr1_Pxo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ud0SL_wNwk

Happy reading!

The struggles of a college education

So here is something that really grinds my gears. That people come into our country and get free educations at college...when people such as myself (and I know I'm not alone) have to work our asses off and bend over backwards to even stay in college. Keep the education here. I'm not saying hand it to us, but if you are handing out free educations, give it to people who need and and people who will REMAIN IN THE U.S. I love the thought of helping others, but sometimes we have to draw a line and sometimes you have to be selfish. And I mean no disrespect with this statement. Feel free to leave thoughts and opinions here as well. It just blows my mind.