New York City

Why is it that often times we fail to see the little parts of life?
Is it because we're not looking for them?
Or is it because there so subtle that is hard to see them?
For the past several years, I've traveled to New York City and until yesterday, I had never noticed the little things that make New York.
What struck me the most yesterday was the sounds of New York City.
Whether it is the screeching of the subway or the whistle of cars passing by, New York City has it all.
In a way the sounds of New York City were like listening to an untold story.
Each story was unique and is always changing.
Those who live in the city can never hear the untold story because they are always surrounded by it.
The next time you're in the city look and listen for the untold stories and you might be surprised by what you find.

 

The Blame Game

Blame is always a game.
No one ever comes out on top.
Yet it's never the same.

Blame is never tame.
Yet it never seems to stop.
Blame is always a game.

Those who blame others are never named.
Yet those who are blame are left to mop
up others shame.
Yet it's never the same.

Those who blame others never find fame.
All they find is loss when seeking the top.
Yet it's never the same.

Those who blame others never find shame.
They stand atop a hilltop towering above all, commanding them to drop.
Blame is always a game.
Yet it never stops.
 

Words of Wisdom: Fence

Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up.

 

Robert Frost

 

Before you tackle an idea, belief, or object you must understand its foundation. Everything in this world has a greater purpose. If you built a wall on your property would you want someone to take that wall down?It took time and dedication to build that wall. If you destroy that wall, then, what was the point of that person taking the time to build the wall in the first place?

 

Words of Wisdom: Education

Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.

 

Benjamin Franklin

 

There is a difference between telling someone how to do something, as opposed to actually teaching them how to do it. In life you learn through doing. If you sit around you do not accomplish anything. You are in control of you're future and you're present, it's up to you to embrace it.There is no right or wrong path to go down. This is your life, you're one moment to make an impact forever.  

 

Mr.Devlen

I remember walking in my sophomore year into my high schools television production.
I did not know what to expect from the program, much less the teacher.
Mr. Devlen always had a sense of humor that always lightened my mood.
He soon became much more than a teacher, he was a mentor.
I remember our very first project, an auto biography.
The day he assigned the project, I ran home and started writing a script forum.
Never before was I so eager to start a project.
That weekend I began shooting footage for my project.
On Monday morning, I uploaded my footage to the computer and started to compile it.
Within a week or so I was done with my project and was eager to start the next project.
Most of the students were still in the process of working on their projects, so I had wait for them to be finished before we could start the next project.
Later that week, Mr. Devlen told us that he wanted us to come the following week to start to learn how to run Flyer News.
He had told us to come in at 6:30 in the morning or at 6:45 at the latest to help prepare for the broadcast.
I came in at 6 that morning eager to start learning; the only problem was no one was there yet.
When the floor manger arrived she showed me how to operate the studio cameras.
For the next 3 to 4 months I mastered how to use the studio cameras.
I wanted to try something new but I was to shy too ask.
I eventually subtlety hinted to Mr. Devlen that I wanted to try something new.
He brought me into the control room and had some of the upperclassmen teach me how to operate the different positions.
Till the end of the year I learned how to technical direct, run the teleprompter, run audio and run the video technician station.
At the end of the year I decided that I would become a technical director (a person responsible for changing shots during the show).
From junior year till the present I have remained in this position.
In my junior year Mr. Devlen made the most significant impact on me.
I came up with this idea for a segment were I analyze famous quotes.
When I told Mr. Devlen about the idea, he was enthusiastic about it and encouraged me to make one.
From that day on I began producing my own segment "Words of Wisdom".
It was during my junior year that Mr. Devlen realized my passion for writing.
He taught me to embrace my writing.
I'd bring in pieces that I wrote and he would give me some feedback.
He soon began calling me a "Word Smith."
Now in my senior year he is leaving.
TV won't be the same without him.
He built a program from the ground up and his legacy will surely never be forgotten.
Ultimately, if you had the pleasure of knowing Mr. Devlen, he taught us to embrace who we are as an individual.
The reality is TV production may not be for everyone but that does not matter because Mr. Devlen will help you find a place in this world, even if it's across the world, he will stick with you till the very end.


 

Passenger 487

               No one wants to hear the full story.  All they want to do point fingers and hold someone accountable. I was never given that opportunity, because society saw me as psychotic. Society only knows what the government tells them. The government manipulated my words and used them against me. No one will accept the truth but I swear to you I had no involvement whatsoever.

            I remember the afternoon of December 3 vividly. The night air was crisp and the ground was covered with a thin layer of snow. I was headed down to Delaware for a business trip.  When I bordered the train that morning I had trouble finding my seat. I took out my ticket to see what seat number I was sitting in: 487. I found my seat and began to sit down but as I sat the chair broke underneath me. I asked one of the attendants whether it be possible to change seats.
            “I’m sorry sir, but all seats are full. You’re going to have to remain in that seat.” she said

            “That’s okay mam, just thought I’d ask. The train ride is only a few hours anyway.”

             As the train pulled away I watched as the day slowly faded away.  As time passed I grew  tired and slowly fell into a deep sleep.

            When I woke up, the whole world was a blur. As I stumbled to my feet a spike of pain shot up my back. Once I could see clearly again, I realized that I was outside.  A few yards away from me was the train left in ruin. Shrapnel from the train was lying everywhere. Most of which was barely recognizable. I slowly stumbled over to the train to see if anyone was there.  The doorway of the train was crushed inward so I had to find another way in. I made my way through the back and checked to see if anyone was inside. There were no bodies or any sign of life I was the sole survivor. As I exited the train I tripped and fell, as I got up I noticed my hands were stained with blood.  I looked in front of me and there was a trail of blood. I followed the trail until I came to something written in blood in the snow. At first I couldn’t make out what it said, and then horrified I realized that it said: 487. That was the last I remembered before I blacked out.

The Lucky 7

We live in a world were money controls everything. To some men, the accumulation of personal wealth is their sole philosophy. They live and breathe for money as if it were a dire passion. Money transforms good men into capitalistic scrooges. Is it society’s fault that we have created such men? Or is it the individuals fault? The question then becomes, to what extent will these men go with their wealth? Will they spend it all on themselves and nothing on the welfare of others? Or will they share their wealth, so that others may find happiness in this world?

Dear Diary,

I grew up amidst the age of rock and roll, drugs, sex and rebellion surrounded me. As much as I didn’t believe in their philosophies, I had to conform to them in order to “fit in.”   For the most part I did pretty well in school. I wasn’t a straight A student but I tried my hardest. Money was never an issue for me. During high school I got involved with the wrong crowd. After graduating high school I joined the army.  I hoped to get rid of the bad habits, which I had acquired from high school. The army made me into a stronger man and a more decisive thinker.  After serving four tours of active duty, I retired from the army. I then resided in Los Angeles where I would spend the rest of my life. 

After retiring from the army I began to drink. At first I only drank occasionally but I soon became a heavy drinker. I felt that because I served in the army, I was entitled to do whatever I wanted. I felt owed for my service.  Greed consumed me like a black hole, and before I knew it a majority of my money was gone. It was when I started getting in debt that I began to drink even more heavily. I remember blaming the government.  It’s the government’s fault that I am in debt! They owe me for the sacrifices I made! But blaming the government never got me anywhere. This caused a downward spiral that ultimately caused me to become homeless.  I spent months in rehab. During rehab there was an old man, John, who was recovering just like me.  John was unable to stop drinking. I went through a period of withdrawals and I managed to stay sober for two months. While in rehab, they did different tests on my body and told me I had to see a specialist. My appointment was scheduled for May 3, 1975.

…

As much as I regret it, I was once consumed with spending my money. I spent money feverishly until my circumstances began to change. Through these circumstances I began to see life in a different light. Maybe it was because my life was beginning to rapidly change and I had fewer moments to spare. Or perhaps, God had become a major part of my life and because of that I became more generous.  But regardless of the exact circumstances, what I can tell you is that on May 4, 1975 my life changed forever. I became a new man, with a new mission to change the world for the better.

 

I was out for a morning stroll when I ran into a homeless man who was asking for money. I did the best I could to try and avoid him but he called me over.

“Sir, would you mind sparing some change?”

I looked at him with disgust. Who was he too ask me for money?

  I said to him, “Go get a job.”

 As I walked away he said softly “I figured you’d say that. You’ll never change.”

I turned back.  

“Who are you to judge me?”

            He said, “You need to wake up and smell the roses. There is goodness in you. You just haven’t allowed yourself to see it.”

             As I began to walk away I realized that the homeless man I was talking to was John from the clinic. I turned around to go back and speak with him, but he had disappeared. I walked away I began wondering, what did he mean that there was goodness in me? It has always been about me and only me.

            It was May 3, 1975 and I had been called in for a doctor’s appointment.  I remember thinking that there could not be anything wrong with me. I’ll admit that I had a few beers here and there but nothing that could amount to anything.  As the doctor came in his face was blank and emotionless, yet I could sense there was something wrong. His face was wrinkled from age. Every now and then, he would glance down at my file and begin to speak but seemed unable to find the words.

I finally asked the doctor, “Just tell me what’s wrong with me Doctor.”

“Um well you see, you have…”

“Just tell me what’s wrong with me Doc.”

Sweat began pouring from his forehead. He avoided eye contact with me and slowly began to say, “You have…” when a nurse came in and said that they required his assistance in another room. He leaped at this opportunity and was out of the room. A few minutes later a different doctor came in.

“My name is Doctor Westport, and I presume that you are anxious to find out why you were called in today.” 

I nodded.

“You have liver cancer and have six months to live.” 

I sat there in utter disbelief. How could this happen to me? What did I do to deserve this?  The doctor informed me that because of my excessive drinking, I had destroyed my liver.

“It’s not my fault! It’s the government’s fault that I drank! I served to protect my country and what did they give me? Not enough money to live on once I left!”

I left the office in disbelief.  For the next few hours I walked around the city aimlessly. I kept telling myself that this was just a horrible dream and that I’d wake up any moment. However, the day prolonged I still was unable to come to my senses. The last I remember is that I walked into a bar and ordered a drink.

            I woke up the next day hung-over.  The night was a distant memory. I stumbled over to the kitchen and started making breakfast. I turned on the TV to watch the news. As I was fixing cereal for myself, they began announcing last night’s Powerball numbers Like many other times, I had went out the last Sunday and bought a ticket. I had never won anything more than twenty dollars.  According to the news station the winner has not come forward to collect the 5 million dollar jackpot.  On the bottom of the screen they displayed the winning numbers. I casually took a cursory glance at the screen and then returned to eating my breakfast. I took a second glance and all of a sudden I realized that the numbers on the screen seemed oddly familiar. They were the same numbers that I always used for the lottery!

 I began frantically searching through my apartment for my ticket. Clothes were left scattered all over the floor. In the kitchen sink there were piles of dirty plates waiting to be cleaned. They gave off a peculiar scent, like rotten cheese. Beer bottles were scattered everywhere. Many of them had been thrown against the wall, leaving broken glass everywhere. I stumbled over to my desk where there was a heap of papers that were cluttered randomly. I looked through them and found the ticket. I glanced back at the TV to make sure I was not just seeing things and sure enough I had won the lottery!  

Dear Diary,

 I only had six months to live. Six months to make up for all the lost time. Six months to change as a person. Was it enough? Or was I too late? What was it that brought upon this sudden change of heart? Was it because my life on this earth had shortened? Or was it because I genuinely wanted to make a difference in this world?

The next day I went searching for the John. When I first met John I saw him as a failure. I didn’t think that he had anything intelligent to say. When I saw him that day on the street, it didn’t make sense what he had told me. I realized that there are people who are in worse situations than I am in. I felt as if it was my duty to help improve their lives now. I wanted to thank John for helping me to realize that I can change as a person and that I can make a difference in this world.        

 I asked around at the community center but no one seemed to know him. I looked in the surrounding areas of LA but had no luck. Since I couldn’t find him, I decided to start volunteering at the soup kitchen down the street where I last saw him. My hope was that maybe I would somehow run into him but I never saw him again. I wanted to honor John. So I donated some of my money to rebuild the community center and named it after John. I then created a foundation in his name, which sought out to help wounded veterans get training for new jobs.

Towards the end of my life I wondered, what would have happened if I had not won the lottery? Or not gotten sick? Would I have changed or would I have remained the same? I realized that life is about the time you have on this earth and how you choose to live it. It comes down to the opportunities that we are given. We can either choose to make a difference or we can ignore the opportunities completely. John made me realize that I did have goodness in me, and that it was just a matter of time until I would be able to see that.