Oh Darling

Big fan of this song. Big fan.

You seem quite nice for a girl with good looks
And I’m the kinda fellow that’ll make you feel better when your life gets shook
So give it a chance according to your plans
I bet I’m not number one on your list to kiss, but please understand

You seem quite shy, but you’re oh so cute
And I’m the kind of girl that would love to be yours if you’d asked me to
So just take a chance, try to hold my hand
I swear I’d never let go
Just let me know if you’d be my man

I really want to come out and tell you
Oh darling, I love you so
If you’d ask me for my heart, there’s no way that I’ll say no
Oh darling, just take a chance please
So we can stay together till hell starts to freeze

You seem quite right for a boy like me
And I wanna know would you treat me well
Would you treat me like a queen
Cause I’d like to show you and make you see
That although we’re different type
We were meant to be

I really want to come out and tell you
Oh darling, I love you so
If you’d ask me for my heart, there’s no way that Ill say no
Oh darling, just take a chance please
So we can stay together till hell starts to freeze

So I gotta ask you,
I cant be afraid
I gotta take a chance at love
So what do you say

Oh darling, I love you so
If you’d ask me for my heart, there’s no way that Ill say no
Oh darling, just take a chance please
So we can stay together till hell starts to freeze

Oh darling, I love you so
If you’d ask me for my heart, there’s no way that Ill say no
Oh darling, just take a chance please
So we can stay together till hell starts to freeze

I Close My Eyes And Smile

I close my eyes and smile.
Not because something amazing just happened.
Just because.
Just because I was thinking.
I was thinking about what makes me happy.

I close my eyes and smile.
You see, I was looking at old pictures.
Old memories.
Old memories of meaningful times in my life.
I was thinking about the people who are important to me.

I close my eyes and smile.
I hear music from my earphones playing softly.
Playing meaningfully.
Playing meaningfully through these memories.
I was thinking about how our senses are intertwined with memories.

I close my eyes and smile.
Not because someone just did something extraordinary.
Just because.
Just because they were, they are.
I was thinking about what makes me smile.

Las Vegas: Exploring, Friends, Amazing Buildings, Crazy Times, Beautiful Fountains, & Ne-Yo

This past weekend I was in Las Vegas with a few friends from Denver. It was a great time! I’m really happy I went and am pretty impressed with the amount were were able to do in such a short time. I’m not going to go into all of the details, but I do want to share some of the highlights:

I got to catch-up with some of my close friends!

I love great buildings, so needless to say I was quite impressed with The Strip. We never made it off the strip, but I could have spent much more time admiring the great buildings, even though some of them were just way larger than is necessary.

We did some gambling – I did win $1 at one casino and broke even at blackjack. Otherwise, I lost, though not too much.

We watched the fountains at The Bellagio several times. Every time, they amazed me. I could have just watched the musical fountains all day.

We saw Mystere, the original Cirque du Soleil show. I really liked it – they had some amazingly talented performers. I was a little confused though with what seemed to be a lack of a storyline.

We checked out some great clubs and sampled some of the nightlife. And Saturday night we saw Ne-Yo live! It was awesome! After posting that I was in Vegas on Twitter, I got followed by a promoter for Surrender, the nightclub at Encore. I decided to text him and we ended up on the guest list to see Ne-Yo perform at Encore for his birthday! We ended up just on the other side of the roped off area where Ne-Yo was partying and in the second row from the stage where he was performing. He only performed for a short while, but it was great:

On the Way to Vegas – A Quick Update

I wrote this on Friday on the way to Vegas, I head back home today…

I’m on a plane again. But this time it isn’t for business; it’s for pleasure! I am on the way to Las Vegas! I’ve never been and I’m pretty excited! J Should be a good time – I’m going with some friends from DU. And while I have zero idea of the plan for the weekend, I have no doubt that it will be a blast.

I try to be a pretty easy going guy. Especially when I’m traveling. As I was discussing with my shuttle driver from National earlier this week, if I am having a bad day, it’s not her fault. Why make her day bad? I’ve ended up parking at The Parking Spot 2 in St. Louis the past two weeks. I like the original The Parking Spot better, but I’ll probably go back: the lady at the check-out stall remembered me and was extremely friendly. It makes a difference.

All of this was actually leading towards something though. On planes, loud crying babies usually don’t bother me. They can’t help it, and usually the parent(s) can’t either. What does bother me is people who are obnoxiously loud. Like this one 20-something year old girl is behind me. Holy cow is she way too loud. Someone should probably say something – it isn’t necessary to yell on a plane. Even on the way to Vegas.

I’m way behind on my blog again, so here is a quick update: I’m traveling a lot for work. Work is going well. I like it. I like the travel. It is also hard not spending much time at one place where I am living. But I like the perks – I just qualified for the Companion Pass from Southwest! I miss Denver and my friends I no longer see. I got to see my aunt, uncle, and cousins from Dallas last night. That was nice. I feel like I am caught/stuck between different worlds. And I am always wanting something more/to be challenged.

Things are going well though and I can’t complain. Except about that loud girl who, I am pretty sure, will keep getting louder for the next two hours of the flight…

Cardinals World Series Rally Song

The Cardinals are going to the World Series! This could be their 11th World Championship! In honor of the Cardinals making it this far, and hopefully continuing to win, I wanted to share this video:

Rosh HaShanah/Yom Kippur Reflections

Last night I went to see the movie 50/50. It was a fantastic and powerful movie.  I think what hit me was how real the story was – and how incredibly relevant it could be. I hope to never experience anything like that and I hope no one I know has to experience it either. Movies like 50/50 typically make me rather introspective. One of the things that I remembered was that I had yet to post some thoughts on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and the Jewish New Year.

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement. This period, including the days in between, is often used for reflection and exploring hopes for the year to come. Importantly, it is also a time of asking for forgiveness. So, I ask everyone with whom I have interacted in one way or another to please forgive me for anything I may have done, said, thought against you, whether intentional or unintentional, during the past year.

What a year it has been! I met some amazing people. I have gotten to be better friends with old friends and made new friends, some of whom I wish I had known much earlier. I have learned a lot. I graduated from college with two degrees. I traveled around the world. I explored my understanding and grew my experiences of diversity and inclusion. I started a new job and the next stage of my life.

It hasn’t been easy. I have had amazing people supporting me. Sometimes I have let them down or have done things I should not have done. I am and will constantly challenge myself to do better and to be a better person. I know that I repeat mistakes, but I am trying to learn from them.

This coming year has a lot of potential. The job is still new. I have the potential for a lot of travel – personal, in addition to professional. I am able to spend more time with family. I need to stay connected with my friends, wherever they may be. It will be a big challenge, but I hope my wonderful friendships can and will continue. I also need to meet new people and grow my community in St. Louis. Who knows where that will lead?

Steve Jobs recounted a quote in his 2005 Commencement Speech to Stanford: “If you live each day as if it were your last, some day you will most certainly be right.” He followed that by saying that he asks himself a question every day: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” This could be a little more of a negative outlook thank I like in some ways – but on the other had, I agree 100%. Life is short.  Make the most of it.  I hope that this coming year is one of life, happiness, health, success, and prosperity – filled with family and friends. I hope to be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life. But since I cannot know what my future holds, I need to do the best I can with the life I have.

G’mar Chatima Tova!

In Honor of Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs – what a visionary, brilliant inventor, and industry changer.

Rosh HaShanah Wishes

Earlier today I sent an email to family and some of my closest friends to say Happy New Year (We just completed Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year and according to the Jewish calendar, it is now 5772.). I know that I missed some people though so I thought I might share that message here as well.  I plan on posting some reflections during this coming week, between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.

Dear family and friends,

Shanah Tovah!

I had hoped to send this before Rosh HaShanah but my computer did not want to help – just a quick note to say thank you for being a part of my life! Here’s a little e-card I put together: click here.

As we move towards Yom Kippur, I hope that you can forgive me for anything I may have said, thought, done, acted upon, etc. against you this past year, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

I hope you have only the best things in the year to come! G’mar Chatimah Tovah – May you be inscribed in the Book of Life!