Self-Direction
Work Ethic
Hot Springs Pool Work Passage
Hotsprings Pool Reflection
Jake Edwards
During my two years of working at the hot springs pool in Glenwood Springs, I acquired many skills, from some basic knowledge of chemistry and how to handle and use hazardous materials such as chlorine and corrosive acids as well as the general security necessary to be handling those agents in the first place. I learned some basic plumbing skills and filtration systems/methods including sand trap and ozone. Some biology was entailed as well, helping me appreciate the risks, and benefits of microorganisms in an aquatic system. But most importantly, I learned a greater work ethic and the importance of consistency.
Firstly, at the pool, I ,learned some basic chemistry, mostly concerning the pH of the systems we operated. Basically, pH is the ratio of acidity to basicity in a liquid such as water. For example, a pH of seven is considered to be neutral, whereas lemon juice is remarkably acidic, making it corrosive. And a substance such as salt water or chlorine is a base. Bases can cause buildup of sediment or solids, and acids can be used to remove those buildups, so having an important chemical balance is key in aquatics. The use of these chemicals however, needs to be controlled very carefully, seeing as too much or too little can cause major injuries or death to the human body. Both the acids and the bases we used could be potentially harmful at in certain scopes. We used lots of hydrochloric and bromic acids to clean base buildup such as calcium from much of the components in our system, and to control high levels of chlorine in the water. The danger of acids goes without saying, Not only was it absolutely necessary to wear protective clothing, but to shield your respiratory system as well. The danger of the chlorine needed to be carefully considered too. On one instance, The ten thousand gallon chlorine tank we had ruptured and sprung a slow leak, and although it sat in a secondary concrete seal, we had to continually bail out that secondary barrier for several weeks until the new tank arrived and was installed. I remember that you could only work near the chlorine for so long because the vapors would begin to choke you after a while. So it was extremely important to make safety your top priority.
Secondly, I found an opportunity to learn some of the essentials of plumbing and filtration systems. At the pool, I learned the ins and outs of an aquatic facility’s plumbing, specifically pumps and filters as well as a slight introduction to geothermal energy. We had three main types of filter systems at the pool, for different capacities, jobs and target functions. First of all, we had the standard round filter, which is similar to the air filter inside a car, except much larger and made from a more dense type of “felt” material. These filters were mainly for low yielding systems such as hot tubs or other standalone water systems (ie. Small pools, water slides, hot tubs, etc.). Next, we had “sand trap” filters, which utilizes the cleansing capabilities of soil (sand) to clean the water just as it happens in nature. These filters are also mainly used for low capacity gobs such as water slides. Lastly, we had an “Ozone” filtration system. This system is highly effective, highly efficient, and high capacity. This system uses electricity to sterilize the water. By passing incredibly powerful electrical arcs through the water, bacteria, viruses and other pathogens are killed almost immediately before the water is pumped into the pool. Of course, the water is combined with a small amount of chlorine (about 2 parts per million) is added to prevent those organisms from thriving in the pool, and to oxidize bodily products in the pool such as ammonia.
In the same way, the biology of natural spring water can prove to be just as useful, if not more so than purified water at a facility such as the hot springs pool. By this I mean that the rich mineral water that rises out of the volcanic spring at the mouth of the glenwood canyon is ideal for the growth of independent cellular organisms such as algae. This can be beneficial because the algae can help filter particulate from the water before it is introduced to the mechanical systems. Of course, we don't want algae growing in the pool, but it can be helpful nonetheless. Furthermore, since the new field of research into alternative energy has yielded new ideas of bio-fuels (some of which are algae based), the rich nourishing chemistry of springs such as ours could very well become an invaluable asset to the energy technology of the future.
Finally, think that the best knowledge that I obtained from my working at the Hot Springs pool was work ethic and appreciation for every dollar that I was paid. In a large aquatic facility, there is very little latitude for apathy or error. Much of the time, the most important aspects of the pool's function are in the hands of between one and four people. Consistency in your actions and a positive working attitude are imperative. You must work diligently and efficiently, react swiftly and inventively and above all else, remember that reward only comes with sacrifice.
On the whole, I feel that my two years of working at the hot springs gave me many skills that will aid me well in the future, including basic technical knowledge of some specialized chemicals and how to treat them. In addition, I learned some basic plumbing skills and knowledge of filtration systems such as the conventional “felt” filter, the sand trap and the ozone, with some help from the indigenous algae. And finally a better work ethic, a higher appreciation of work and the acknowledgment to the necessity of consistent action, I gained a lot more than just money from the job.
Jake Edwards
During my two years of working at the hot springs pool in Glenwood Springs, I acquired many skills, from some basic knowledge of chemistry and how to handle and use hazardous materials such as chlorine and corrosive acids as well as the general security necessary to be handling those agents in the first place. I learned some basic plumbing skills and filtration systems/methods including sand trap and ozone. Some biology was entailed as well, helping me appreciate the risks, and benefits of microorganisms in an aquatic system. But most importantly, I learned a greater work ethic and the importance of consistency.
Firstly, at the pool, I ,learned some basic chemistry, mostly concerning the pH of the systems we operated. Basically, pH is the ratio of acidity to basicity in a liquid such as water. For example, a pH of seven is considered to be neutral, whereas lemon juice is remarkably acidic, making it corrosive. And a substance such as salt water or chlorine is a base. Bases can cause buildup of sediment or solids, and acids can be used to remove those buildups, so having an important chemical balance is key in aquatics. The use of these chemicals however, needs to be controlled very carefully, seeing as too much or too little can cause major injuries or death to the human body. Both the acids and the bases we used could be potentially harmful at in certain scopes. We used lots of hydrochloric and bromic acids to clean base buildup such as calcium from much of the components in our system, and to control high levels of chlorine in the water. The danger of acids goes without saying, Not only was it absolutely necessary to wear protective clothing, but to shield your respiratory system as well. The danger of the chlorine needed to be carefully considered too. On one instance, The ten thousand gallon chlorine tank we had ruptured and sprung a slow leak, and although it sat in a secondary concrete seal, we had to continually bail out that secondary barrier for several weeks until the new tank arrived and was installed. I remember that you could only work near the chlorine for so long because the vapors would begin to choke you after a while. So it was extremely important to make safety your top priority.
Secondly, I found an opportunity to learn some of the essentials of plumbing and filtration systems. At the pool, I learned the ins and outs of an aquatic facility’s plumbing, specifically pumps and filters as well as a slight introduction to geothermal energy. We had three main types of filter systems at the pool, for different capacities, jobs and target functions. First of all, we had the standard round filter, which is similar to the air filter inside a car, except much larger and made from a more dense type of “felt” material. These filters were mainly for low yielding systems such as hot tubs or other standalone water systems (ie. Small pools, water slides, hot tubs, etc.). Next, we had “sand trap” filters, which utilizes the cleansing capabilities of soil (sand) to clean the water just as it happens in nature. These filters are also mainly used for low capacity gobs such as water slides. Lastly, we had an “Ozone” filtration system. This system is highly effective, highly efficient, and high capacity. This system uses electricity to sterilize the water. By passing incredibly powerful electrical arcs through the water, bacteria, viruses and other pathogens are killed almost immediately before the water is pumped into the pool. Of course, the water is combined with a small amount of chlorine (about 2 parts per million) is added to prevent those organisms from thriving in the pool, and to oxidize bodily products in the pool such as ammonia.
In the same way, the biology of natural spring water can prove to be just as useful, if not more so than purified water at a facility such as the hot springs pool. By this I mean that the rich mineral water that rises out of the volcanic spring at the mouth of the glenwood canyon is ideal for the growth of independent cellular organisms such as algae. This can be beneficial because the algae can help filter particulate from the water before it is introduced to the mechanical systems. Of course, we don't want algae growing in the pool, but it can be helpful nonetheless. Furthermore, since the new field of research into alternative energy has yielded new ideas of bio-fuels (some of which are algae based), the rich nourishing chemistry of springs such as ours could very well become an invaluable asset to the energy technology of the future.
Finally, think that the best knowledge that I obtained from my working at the Hot Springs pool was work ethic and appreciation for every dollar that I was paid. In a large aquatic facility, there is very little latitude for apathy or error. Much of the time, the most important aspects of the pool's function are in the hands of between one and four people. Consistency in your actions and a positive working attitude are imperative. You must work diligently and efficiently, react swiftly and inventively and above all else, remember that reward only comes with sacrifice.
On the whole, I feel that my two years of working at the hot springs gave me many skills that will aid me well in the future, including basic technical knowledge of some specialized chemicals and how to treat them. In addition, I learned some basic plumbing skills and knowledge of filtration systems such as the conventional “felt” filter, the sand trap and the ozone, with some help from the indigenous algae. And finally a better work ethic, a higher appreciation of work and the acknowledgment to the necessity of consistent action, I gained a lot more than just money from the job.
Code of Ethics
Ethics
Firstly, I think that in order to establish any realistic sense of ethics, we need to first discover what it is that we refer to as ethics. By definition, Ethics means a “code of conduct” particular to a specific school of human principles. The interesting part about this definition is that for the most part, it leaves most of the defining up to the individual. Like the classic “one man's trash, another man's treasure” analogy, something that could be perceived as absurd or horrible as one individual, could seem completely rational and alluring. Ethics in my view, are not so much different from this principle. We really have no true way of factually defining “right” and “wrong”, because any action that is believed to be “right” simply because they seem like good ideas is based out of your opinions alone. Anyone can say that anything is “right” but regardless of whether it is just their opinion, or the popular opinion of the entire human population, it is an opinion nonetheless. Sometimes, unfortunately these ethics that were established with constructive intentions can get out of control and turn more into self righteous arrogance. Take the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, or the Salem Witch trials for example, these cutthroat activities occurred because a system of belief in basic laws of “right” and “wrong” it seems will always (sooner or later) turn from a motivated group of positive thinkers into quite literally witch hunters. This is not to say that any view we may have on those events are true or not true either, simply that they are opinions. Expanding on this idea, the very collective development of ethics themselves, such as a group of ethical practice (i.e. religions, politics, etc.) can often times be influenced in just such a way by certain people that the group can be “hijacked” so to speak and the collective goal can sometimes be shifted away from discovering their own relation to ethics and existence, to a merciless mass of angry people who justify their actions with their Ethical beliefs.
Changing direction slightly, the world we live in definitely seems to have been affected and still is by the ideas we call ethics. When we have ethics, the idea is commonly focused on applying those ethics to your self and your life in an effort to change either yourself, or the environment around you. Do we really know what, if any change we could make to provide a stabilizing force in either yourself or the existence in your vicinity? Even if we are convinced that the way we do something is the “right” way, we could still be (in some way) participating in an ethical rampage such as the crusades, inquisition, and witch trials. It seems as though when we try to pick apart life's paradoxes, we can unintentionally leave ourselves with an even more poor of an approach than we had before, somewhat severing the purpose of seeking ethics in the first place.
Just as I touched on earlier, Ethics are most commonly dictated by perspective. We are all experiencing the same life, but through different eyes. No one is right about everything they say, nor are they wrong, because right and wrong can mean very different things depending on whose eyes you are observing life through. However, I personally believe that ethics should be explored with a more unconditional method. We have to be willing to confidently share your personal perspective based thoughts and be open to the perspectives of others, and not criticize or judge them, but accept them as another part of the same system you are part of. I suppose ethics is on a larger scale, a question of one's life goals; what they wish to have done or gotten in touch with by the time they die. When you are on the brink of death, and you know that it is finally time to cease existing as a physical entity, will you have the satisfaction of feeling that the gift of life you were given was used wisely? Will you know that the time and energy you spent with the people and actions you were fortunate enough to participate in were not done so wastefully?
I think that ethics can definitely be a good medium for expressing the change that you wish to see accomplished, if you truly are in touch with what you want your life to mean. There is surely an “action” element as well. What I mean is that when, where, why, and how you perform your actions is the ultimate calling for any ethical manifestation you can enable. If we wallow in our opinions and analysis of life, we can often miss the opportunities that we come into contact with us, losing our true ability to change the world. In short, I think that the most important part of any ethical pursuit is discovering what your real goals are in your lifetime, and applying those goals in the areas you can, when you can, rather than getting lost in the oxymoronic “right” and “wrong”. Wasted time is worse than any “wrong” decision you can make.
Firstly, I think that in order to establish any realistic sense of ethics, we need to first discover what it is that we refer to as ethics. By definition, Ethics means a “code of conduct” particular to a specific school of human principles. The interesting part about this definition is that for the most part, it leaves most of the defining up to the individual. Like the classic “one man's trash, another man's treasure” analogy, something that could be perceived as absurd or horrible as one individual, could seem completely rational and alluring. Ethics in my view, are not so much different from this principle. We really have no true way of factually defining “right” and “wrong”, because any action that is believed to be “right” simply because they seem like good ideas is based out of your opinions alone. Anyone can say that anything is “right” but regardless of whether it is just their opinion, or the popular opinion of the entire human population, it is an opinion nonetheless. Sometimes, unfortunately these ethics that were established with constructive intentions can get out of control and turn more into self righteous arrogance. Take the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, or the Salem Witch trials for example, these cutthroat activities occurred because a system of belief in basic laws of “right” and “wrong” it seems will always (sooner or later) turn from a motivated group of positive thinkers into quite literally witch hunters. This is not to say that any view we may have on those events are true or not true either, simply that they are opinions. Expanding on this idea, the very collective development of ethics themselves, such as a group of ethical practice (i.e. religions, politics, etc.) can often times be influenced in just such a way by certain people that the group can be “hijacked” so to speak and the collective goal can sometimes be shifted away from discovering their own relation to ethics and existence, to a merciless mass of angry people who justify their actions with their Ethical beliefs.
Changing direction slightly, the world we live in definitely seems to have been affected and still is by the ideas we call ethics. When we have ethics, the idea is commonly focused on applying those ethics to your self and your life in an effort to change either yourself, or the environment around you. Do we really know what, if any change we could make to provide a stabilizing force in either yourself or the existence in your vicinity? Even if we are convinced that the way we do something is the “right” way, we could still be (in some way) participating in an ethical rampage such as the crusades, inquisition, and witch trials. It seems as though when we try to pick apart life's paradoxes, we can unintentionally leave ourselves with an even more poor of an approach than we had before, somewhat severing the purpose of seeking ethics in the first place.
Just as I touched on earlier, Ethics are most commonly dictated by perspective. We are all experiencing the same life, but through different eyes. No one is right about everything they say, nor are they wrong, because right and wrong can mean very different things depending on whose eyes you are observing life through. However, I personally believe that ethics should be explored with a more unconditional method. We have to be willing to confidently share your personal perspective based thoughts and be open to the perspectives of others, and not criticize or judge them, but accept them as another part of the same system you are part of. I suppose ethics is on a larger scale, a question of one's life goals; what they wish to have done or gotten in touch with by the time they die. When you are on the brink of death, and you know that it is finally time to cease existing as a physical entity, will you have the satisfaction of feeling that the gift of life you were given was used wisely? Will you know that the time and energy you spent with the people and actions you were fortunate enough to participate in were not done so wastefully?
I think that ethics can definitely be a good medium for expressing the change that you wish to see accomplished, if you truly are in touch with what you want your life to mean. There is surely an “action” element as well. What I mean is that when, where, why, and how you perform your actions is the ultimate calling for any ethical manifestation you can enable. If we wallow in our opinions and analysis of life, we can often miss the opportunities that we come into contact with us, losing our true ability to change the world. In short, I think that the most important part of any ethical pursuit is discovering what your real goals are in your lifetime, and applying those goals in the areas you can, when you can, rather than getting lost in the oxymoronic “right” and “wrong”. Wasted time is worse than any “wrong” decision you can make.
College Plan
To start my personal journey, specifically into college, I will most likely attend a local community college (ie. CMC) to accomplish my prerequisites and having some time to think about what I truly want to pursue with my future before introducing myself into a more broadened enviroment to choose and obtain a major. As I mention in my "Career Plan", I have thuroghly considered the engineering and technology fields. Partly, because I enjoy using my hands and having something concrete from my efforts. There also seems to be gold in the hills of improved technological systems in the future of humanity. With alternative energies on the rise, and a more renewable lifestyle becoming more and more common by the day, why not help to build this new world?
In my career plan, I also briefly mention that I also have interest in developing my artistic abilities further, being that art is so sacred to me, and having the honor of participating in any kind of culture is worth a million words. Although I am still new to the medium, Painting has caught my attention significantly over the past few months. I started to truly take art seriously when I began to draw more often between middle and high school. And drawing is still an excellent way to express the soul, but there is something unique about creating an image with the use of liquids over a period of several months or years. The flaw is that unfortunately, many independent artists today seem to struggle economically.
So, to sum up my plan more simply, I say that I want to first learn more of myself before I endavour to learn about specified areas of profession. I plan to use that time to simultaniously eliminate my prerequisite requirements at a more local and affordable location before finding a credible school with programs that appeal to my interests, wether it be science and technology or fine arts.
In my career plan, I also briefly mention that I also have interest in developing my artistic abilities further, being that art is so sacred to me, and having the honor of participating in any kind of culture is worth a million words. Although I am still new to the medium, Painting has caught my attention significantly over the past few months. I started to truly take art seriously when I began to draw more often between middle and high school. And drawing is still an excellent way to express the soul, but there is something unique about creating an image with the use of liquids over a period of several months or years. The flaw is that unfortunately, many independent artists today seem to struggle economically.
So, to sum up my plan more simply, I say that I want to first learn more of myself before I endavour to learn about specified areas of profession. I plan to use that time to simultaniously eliminate my prerequisite requirements at a more local and affordable location before finding a credible school with programs that appeal to my interests, wether it be science and technology or fine arts.
Career Plan
To be frank, I don't think that I truly have a concrete plan for my career, but I feel that the important part of my career will be wether or not that career is contributing positively to the world, and wether or not I am using the gifts I was blessed enough to recieve for the betterment of mankind and the world on a whole. At some point, it is important to ask what it is that you truly feel you are meant to do on this earth. And although the answer will probably not immediately come to you, it is essential that we move foreward rather than sweeping our challenges under the rug. My career will depend a lot upon what I choose to move further into when I persue further education.
That being said, I have thought substantially about going into the engineering or technology fields. In this day and age, our species faces a new stage of civilization. We have reached the point that we have to choose between putting our energy toward a cause that engulfs much more than just what human beings want, and a much more lazy careless path that we have been walking down for hundreds of years.
On the other hand however, I have been given an aptitude for the arts. I enjoy creating things that have not been created beofre, whilst still using the techniques and ideas i have gained from others to assist the effort. But the most important parts of pursuing a career to me are what that career is contributing, utilizing my inherent abilities passionately, and ulitmately being able to leave this body with the confidence that I was able to take action.
That being said, I have thought substantially about going into the engineering or technology fields. In this day and age, our species faces a new stage of civilization. We have reached the point that we have to choose between putting our energy toward a cause that engulfs much more than just what human beings want, and a much more lazy careless path that we have been walking down for hundreds of years.
On the other hand however, I have been given an aptitude for the arts. I enjoy creating things that have not been created beofre, whilst still using the techniques and ideas i have gained from others to assist the effort. But the most important parts of pursuing a career to me are what that career is contributing, utilizing my inherent abilities passionately, and ulitmately being able to leave this body with the confidence that I was able to take action.
Personal Responsibility and Knowledge
Utah Backpacking Trip
In the 2009-2010 schoolyear, I went on a backpacking trip with suzy and a handful of other people, with the goal of backpacking in grand gulch for a few days. Since the trip was so hastily prepared and the group was so small, it was important to take action on the trip when it was needed. However, it was rather interesting getting a feel for the logistics that are involved in taking a long distance trip, especially budgeting and working with one another to find solutions that "fit the bill" circumspectively. We ended up getting caught in an unexpected snow storm near monticello and camping at the natural bridges park for the night, being at least -20 degrees farenheight. Since taking a trip up grand gulch was essentially out of the question by this point, we based our extended plans on the things we could think of as activities. we camped close to arches national park on the second night and the next few days involved several small hikes and plenty of driving, but being in a small group made things very easy and honest among the other participants and me. One of the greatest rewards of getting out of your usual enviroment is that much of the social blocks that happen for one reason or another seem to disolve when people are coexisting as people rather than seperated souls drifting past one another in a town.
Autobiography
I am Jake, I am a discerning individual, I am an Artist, I am searching for my life's calling, I am an outdoors enthusiast, I am a musician, I am gratified for life.
I am unable to think of any more “I am” statements.
Parents & Siblings
My Father was born and raised in a suburb of Philadelphia, named Garrett Hill. During his later teens, his parents divorced and he lived with his sister for several years. Eventually, they moved to Boulder, Colorado where he lived for about three weeks, until he decided to move to Arizona. The details following that are unclear, but he spent time in Oregon as well, before returning to Flagstaff,
Arizona, where He majored in Forestry at Northern Arizona University. There he met my mom, and they married shortly after. They moved to Espanola, NewMexico in the early nineties, where he worked at a local sawmill for several years.
After my brother and I were born, the sawmill closed and my Father was forced to seek new work and a better place to raise his family. We moved to Dolores, Colorado when I was seven years old, right after my little brother was born. In Dolores my Dad worked for a company called “Fire-Ready” for two and a half years, until he decided to start his own Fire-Ready office in Glenwood Springs,
since they had two major fires within the last decade. After about four years of Fire-Ready, the franchise owners proved to be non supportive of their offices and were concerned primarily with charging ridiculously high royalties.
We separated from the company in 2008 to start our own forestry business. The economic recession hit almost simultaneously to the creation of our new company. Business plummeted and my Father once again had to look for new work. He was accepted out of eighty applicants for a job with Colorado State University's forestry
program. Currently, he lives in Ft. Collins and returns to Glenwood Springs periodically to visit my Mom, my brother and I.
My Mother was the youngest of four children from Towson, Maryland. After graduating High School, she attended various colleges and hitchhiked across the country and had various jobs until she landed in Flagstaff, Arizona where my parents married. In New Mexico, my parents had me in early 1994, and seven
years later my brother was born in the same room of the same hospital that I was.
While we lived in Dolores, she worked as a adult education teacher in the nearby city of Cortez. When we started managing our own business, she did most of the desk work for both our Fire-Ready office and our private business, High Country Forestry. She and my brother will move to Ft. Collins within a year after I graduate.
My Brother was born in Espanola, like me. Although I probably won't see him as frequently in the near future, I am glad that he has the privilege of spending his adolescence in an environment with a competent school system, clean flowing water and many other luxuries that I wasn't fortunate enough to receive when I
was at such an early age.
Birth Story
On the eleventh of April, 1994 my parents were at home watching “Blazing Saddles” when my mom's water broke. They rushed to the Hospital, where I was born the next day at 1:03 AM.
Pivotal Moments
I'm sure that everyone, myself included, has more life changing than they can count. But, there is definitely one part of my life that positively impacted my life in a tremendous manner. When my family and I moved to Colorado, my surroundings were changed drastically (for the better) from Espanola.
The town of Espanola is infamous for it's drug trafficking and gangs. It is located relatively close to Santa Fe and I-25, providing Mexican drug cartels a base of operations and distribution in northern New Mexico. Heroin was probably the most common drug moved through Espanola. The heroin fatality rate there was six times the national average. We lived out on a county road that people would come to tweak and dump dead and rabid animals. On several occasions, I found empty hypodermic needles at the end of our driveway. My mom and I would always find decaying dog carcasses near a river where we went for walks. The local water
table was supposed to be managed by the Army Corps of Engineers, but I constantly had intestinal Parasites. The schools I attended weren't incredible either. I recall finding a .22 long rifle caliber cartridge on the playground at school once.
Many of the families there had been there since the Spanish Empire
had colonized the area in the 1500's. Espanola and the surrounding area was the capitol of the Spanish colony at the time. Because the families had been living there, generation after generation for so long, most of them viewed us as “new”, although we had lived there a solid 8 years. They were distrustful and suspicious of us, and white people in general. Consequently, not many of the kids I went to school with trusted or respected me.
Recently, I heard that the nearby Los Alamos National Laboratory that developed the World's first nuclear weapons, despite it's respectable reputation, was rumored to have conducted chemical, biological and radioactive experiments on human subjects in the past. Since our knowledge of radiation and it's effects were substantially limited at the time we experimented with and manipulated radioactive material in Los Alamos, the laboratory supposedly dumped radioactive material freely. Coincidentally, the Los Alamos area has one of the highest thyroid cancer rates in the United States.
When we moved to Dolores, I already had several friends there whom I had known since before we could speak. That move represented a true transformation to me. I have no idea what kind of person I would have become, had we stayed in New Mexico.
Strengths, Talents and Gifts
I would say that my greatest strengths are in the arts. Things like Drawing,Music, and creative endeavors always came easy to me. I have also always had a passion for working with my hands. I have always enjoyed building things, fixing things and improving on things. I suppose that I haven't really thought dedicatedly about my strengths prior to writing this, though.
Spiritual & Religious Beliefs
Personally, I dissent from popular religion because I believe that Religion is an instrument constructed by ancient monarchic governments to keep their people in“"check” so to speak. In modern times, it is the norm to distrust someone who claims to have supreme knowledge or judgment regarding god. Such people are
liberally dismissed as jokers or lunatics, yet these concepts held back the masses from overthrowing self interested and oppressive governments throughout a large portion of recorded history.
That being said, I believe that it is a very necessary and undeniable right to be able to worship or be in touch with whatever energy or
being is sacred to you. I feel that we all need to find out own spiritual paths, otherwise people get caught up in who is right and who is wrong, or vice versa.
My personal belief is that our lives are just erratic “snaps” in time. Since the time we spend as living conscious beings is so limited in comparison to the infinite abyss of time and space in our ever-expanding Universe, I believe that the life we are given is a very sacred and prestigious gift, not necessarily dictated by a god, but in my opinion by raw chance. I definitely feel that everyone should be allowed to explore their own ambition concerning spiritualism.
What is Beauty?
To me, beauty is a quality or characteristic found somewhere in everything. It is a word to describe or emphasize something that you are passionate about, or holds significance to you. It is a state of blissful perfection.
What is Friendship?
Friendship is a positive bond between two people who share a mutual interest in each other. It is difficult to define the word “Friendship”. Friendship is earned over time, and can range from a mere acquaintance to an unbreakable coalition.
Characteristics of a Good Parent
Although I am not a parent, and haven't experienced what it is like to be raising a child, I think that some of the most important qualities in a parent would have to be the abilities to be balanced and consistent in all of your actions, while trying as best you can to not let your anger cloud your judgment. A good parent provides reason and explanation to their children, and leads them by example.
A good parent listens to their child's needs, and does their best to meet them, at the same time recognizing the difference between commodity and necessity. A good parent does not ridicule or belittle a child's opinions or requests.
What I am Grateful For
I am grateful for the gift of life and all of it's mysteries.
I am grateful for friends.
I am grateful for family.
I am grateful for music.
I am grateful for freedom.
I am grateful for my Dog.
I am grateful for Art.
I am grateful that I live where I do.
I am grateful for the ability to speak.
I am grateful for the ability to listen.
I am grateful for the ability to create.
I am grateful for consciousness and existence.
