My three college Lessons

     I almost got a zero Stupid sunscreen video...Number one lesson always read directions. In college there are many things one needs to know. That is why directions are everywhere--you just have to find them. Whether it be your syllabus or your teachers homepage, There are important instructions to each and every assignment. Sometimes the teacher may give them verbally. You must be sure to listen and write these down for they may not repeat themselves.

Lesson Number two...This is a number of things but it all relates to time. The time to do homework, the time to hang out with friends, and the time for your hobbies. Make sure you understand the length your homework is and begin it when you have the chance-there is no feeling like that of being free until your next class period. It is important to hang out with your friends. You do not want to suffocate yourself with school. Moreover, Hobbies can give you some alone time for those moments when you just want to be in solitude.

Final but most important...Never be afraid to express your thoughts and opinions with your teacher. Sometimes they are appropriate to talk about in class, but when they are not feel free to visit your teachers during THEIR office hours. Teachers enjoy their job by hearing students and the growth in knowledge and maybe more importantly in wisdom. In my life I have been told numerous times that plagerism is bad, but not until this year was I ever told that teachers want to hear our individual opinion not someone else's. I think that makes a big difference.

Why Do We Work?

     Work is an interesting thing. Motivation to work is drawn from different reasons, but the most important motivator I think is the enjoyment for what you do. I disagree with one thing Tom Malone says in that physical work is well motivated by external motivators such as money or beatings. I believe both physical and knowledge based work are done best if the individual has enjoyment with the work he/she does. We work for money. However, if we want to be our best we should work for our enjoyment.

My Grandfather

     The Tuesdays with Morrie book that I read with the class was my grandfather's book. My sister had bought it for him after he was diagnosed with cancer. This book has more sentimental value than even my San Francisco 49ers jacket. The reason being is because this book is what my grandfather was for me. He always helped me enjoy the little things and taught me so many things in life such as love and compassion. He was the closest person to me before he passed. My grandma used to say that he was lucky to be able to spend time with his grandchildren. However, I believe we were the lucky ones. My sister said it best with the message she wrote on the first page of the book which says, "To our Morrie who has taught us so much about life-Love, your family." The one thing is, I cannot forget the moments I had riding home from school, at my basketball games, and at the dinner table for thanksgiving. Mitch had a second chance to relive those moments. However, my last moment was February 2010.

I'm Lovin' It

The second American chain I saw in Europe only to Starbucks

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

AKA Disney Castle

Inside one of many Cathedrals across Europe

This one is in Germany

Home to FC Bayern Munich 

Innsbruck, Austria going into the Swiss Alps

Venice, Italy

St. Mark's Square

In Daniel Craig's First Bond Film

Casino Royale

Bell Tower of St. Mark's Basillica

If you can read Italian good for you

For those of you who can't this is the plaque outside of Marco Polo's home

The Roman Coliseum 

Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy

There is an amazing Gelato shop right next to it

Florence Cathedral 

famous for its unconventional dome

I don't need to say what this is

Funny story, I was on the top of the Empire State Building 

about a year and a half after this picture, and my sister called me 

to say she was on top of the Eiffel Tower.

The Louvre

Famous Statue of David

Notre Dame Cathedral

:No Photos allowed inside

London Bridge is falling down!

The Tower of London

    To me, traveling is a form of success. I have been all over the world. A change of venue is a great way to see things from a different perspective. I have learned many things from traveling. One main thing is that the grass is not greener on the other side. All of these countries have amazing cultures, but they have their quirks just like ours. I have been blessed with amazing grandparents that sent me on many trips abroad. They understood the importance of traveling and seeing the world for what it is. I started with the McDonald's sign in German, because it symbolizes my traveling in one easy phrase, "Ich Liebe Es", A.K.A. "I'm Lovin' It". That picture is perhaps one of my favorite, because at that moment those were the words that described how I felt. Even though I couldn't read German I instantly understood the sign and felt a connection with a country on the other side of the planet. I am still traveling. Traveling to my goals and everyday is a new experience and "I'm Lovin' It".

Cheesy Salesman

This is remarkably cheesy yet extremely hilarious!

Title sells itself

    The first ad does exactly what it needs to do which is entertain me in hopes that I buy the cheese. I was having issues with displaying it on here. However, just click the view on YouTube button and all should be fine. By the end of that first commercial I found myself compelled to buy the cheese. It had me laughing so hard that I would buy it just because. That is why it probably won Best Commercial for 2010.
     The second video uses the same ad scheme which is comedy. However, in this one it is a personal advertisement. Advertising this way seems to have an effect to encourage someone to buy the product in disregard to its use or relative need to the consumer. I saw this video a while back while I was surfing the web, and when I heard about this blog this was the video that stuck to me. If you can make me laugh then I am buying.

Turkey? Sorry I am not Hungary.

Hagia Sophia
Istanbul, Turkey

     Turkey is one of the most culturally enriched places that I have visited being that its capital Istanbul lies in two continents, Europe and Asia. The Grand Bazaar is full of trinkets. However, it truly is the land of magic carpets. I felt like almost every other store sold hand stitched carpets, some of which take years to make. Each one told its own story, a story passed on through families. 

     Aside from all of the aesthetics, its hard to see why Muslims and Christians have failed to get along for millenia. I never realized how similar our beliefs were until I went to Turkey, a country that is about %95 Islamic and %5 other. Our paths diverged when Abraham had his first son Ishmael with his wife's servant Hagar. He slept with Hagar because Sarah, his wife, was not bearing him any children and she was growing old. Though she was old she eventually gave birth to Isaac. Since Isaac was born from Abraham's wife he was the one to whom his legacy was given. being first born, Ishmael and his mother had a difference of opinion and from then on there was controversy between these two blood lines. Christians/Jews take their beliefs from Isaac, and Muslims take their beliefs from Ishmael. Though the two are thought of as different, their core beliefs are both  in God/Allah and the teachings of Moses.

    The two fought over Jerusalem for many centuries. also, during the dark ages of Christianity, Muslims had a long and fruitful Golden Age--They were prosperous tradesmen and created a steel for swords that is presently known as Damascus Steel. The steel has many favorable attributes which have yet to be recreated even with modern technologies. visiting Istanbul and much of Turkey has revealed history to my superficial eyes. There are radicals in both religions; however, they are fighting a war that has long been dead.

Salaam Alaikum,

Jeremy Lanier 

The Giver

This article Meaning of Utopia by Yves Charles Zarka describes what a Utopia is to him and talks about Sir Thomas More's book "Utopia" which he describes as an attempt to conform society into a type of "Utopia". I have yet to read "Utopia", but I think if you have this article would mean a lot more. He also mentions Plato's Republic which I also want to read now. However, Zarka does not agree with the possibilities of any of these utopias.