I need to POT TY

This is what happens when you ask to use the bathroom the wrong way in Marine Corps bootcamp. A recruit is supposed to ask for permission to speak. When allowed to speak the recruit is supposed to say, "This recruit requests permission to use the head, sir!" Well, this recruit said he "NEEDED" to use it. And yes, this was my life for 3 months.

A Profound Understanding...

A friend told me some time ago, "Some people come into your life for a season. Other people come into your life for a lifetime." I've thought a lot about that this week. I suppose mostly as a mechanism to deal with what's going on in my own life. In any case, I've had absolutely amazing people come into my life. People that have taught me life lessons, and even allowed me to learn more about myself. A lot of these people, however, have gone their own way. Still, the lessons I've been taught through them have stayed with me. I wouldn't be the person I am today without these "friends for a season." I think it's important to realize that your friends move on, more often than not in a direction that's completely different than your own. That doesn't mean we shouldn't make friends. I think more than anything it should illustrate the importance of enjoying friends to the fullest while they are still in our lives. Life goes by pretty fast if you haven't already noticed, and before you know it the the people that have become so dear in our lives are suddenly gone... Be it through death or just the road they embark on is different than our own. I have another 9 months or so in the state of Utah before I begin a new chapter in my life in Tennessee. Over the 5 years I've been in Utah I've made my fair share of friends, and sadly I'll be moving away from all of them and will have to start from scratch. Technology can facilitate a way to keep in touch, but that's ultimately not the same thing as being able to spend time with people. The doctorate program I'll be attending doesn't require a degree and so I've more or less chosen not to finish earning it. I'm 21 credits shy of said degree. Perhaps that's irresponsible of me. In a lot of ways I agree with that, but at the same time I want to spend as much time with the friends I have and make as many new friends as I can as well. I've spent the past 4 months cooped up at school for 40 hours a week and working 40 hours on top of that. Am I going to remember 30,40,50 years from now that I received a meaningless degree (I'll be getting my doctorate in 4 years anyways), or am I going to remember the special time I was able to spend with friends old and new alike? I think the latter is more likely. And who knows, perhaps somewhere in the mix I'll find friends that will be with me for a lifetime.

Rocky Balboa

A movie has to be pretty good for a sequel to be considered, let alone to be made. The sequel often times has to be even better than the original for a 3rd movie to be made. That's why there are so few trilogies out there. Despite all that, there are 6 "Rocky" movies! Rocky VI was released in 2006... 16 years after Rocky V. What attributed to its success? Why did Rocky, a fictional character, become as iconic an America staple as.... Apple Pie? I think it has to do with the fact that Rocky, like all of us, take punches. While Rocky's beatings were far more literal than ours ever are it doesn't remove the fact that sometimes we get beat up as we go through life. What makes Rocky Rocky is that after he takes his beatings from opponents that are often times bigger and stronger than he is... he carries on, often times stronger and more determined than at any other point in the movie. That's why we cheer for Rocky, because ultimately we want to be like him. Maybe not in the sense that we want to hop in the ring against an Apollo Creed, rather we want to be able to take life's punches and come out of it stronger and more determined to accomplish our own goals.

I've found myself in various "life beatings" throughout the years. Some have been more difficult than others. Some have taught me more than others. More often than not, greater lessons are learned from the more severe "beatings." At the present I find myself in the middle of one such beating. I know that when it's over I'll come out of the ring a better person, but knowing that doesn't take all the pain away. But like Rocky, and as I've always done, I'll take the punches... and after I've taken my hits I'll carry on more determined and more focused than before. In short, I'll be a better... more complete Adam. Those that put their money on Rocky made out pretty big, so too would anyone willing to put their money on me!