Monday, February 17, 2014

Camera Eye


                                                              Camera Eye   
  
The climb is strenuous, but well worth the view. The sun shining through the trees, the sound of the trickling in a distance. I look down I see yellow Nike’s hitting the ground stirring up the dust, sweat dripping down my stomach, my shorts flowing in the wind. I am running so fast, I don’t dare look back down the hill. I get to the rocky steps, and raise my legs higher when I meet a new rock. There is a narrow path coming up, I slow down and walk through the path, gathering my speed I race up the next set of rocky steps. 
Finally, I reach the top. The view is breath taking, I sit down and dangle my feel off the edge. I pull out my phone and capture the red, green, yellow, and orange trees below lining the mountain. The sun is beating down on my bare skin, not an ounce of shade is at the top. I barely lean over and see the people running up the trail, racing to the top just to see this magnificent view. I reach down beside me and pick up the small, orange leaf and throw it into the wind, not knowing where it will all. I watch it until it is carried to the bottom of the trail below. I look beyond and see people still running past me, don’t they see this beautiful view? 
I quickly jump to my feet and join back in the run. After running through the people I make my way out front and have a chance to look down, I am on sand, racing through the sand leaving a trail behind me. I look up, the trail is ending, I slow down and stop dead at the end. No wonder they were still running, this is unbeatable. I sit down next to the group on the edge and just stare out into the openness. The run was well worth just a glimpse at what the earth provides for us to see.

Camera Eye



My seventh grade year, about 6 years ago, she was sick, headaches were the symptom.  I was with family across the country.  Seizure after seizure, then strokes started coming.  Doctors are confused, none of them have a clue.  At some point they scream “code blue”.  She wakes again, somewhat out of her mind. But awake and alive she is.  They keep her until all seems to be cleared, and still unsure of the reasoning – release her to go home. 
Days pass.  She wakes with no feeling in her legs, falling to the floor when she tried stepping out of bed.  Is this another stroke?  Terrified they go, back into the hospital.  Nurses are confronted, hospital to hospital.  One has an idea, rare disease he said.  The answer is CNS.  Too many medicines prescribed, all having different side effects.  From here she is moved to rehab where everyone says don’t count on walking again.  I finally get to see her.  Depression hits, why was I not there?  I transfer schools, be as much help as possible Danielle, this is your job.  Things are looking up.  She doubts all negative comments.  She will walk again. 
Independence seems to be erased from her mind, where it once was number one.  Needs more help than ever, but more ashamed than ever.  Eighth grade.  I was childish.  Being at the immature age, I thought of myself only, and left.  We were arguing, she cries.  What did I do?  Back across the country, things are okay.  Three years pass.  Physical therapy every week, she will walk again.  That, though, is something she does not see.  Once independent, now feeling helpless.  None of us see, none of us understand. 
I visit for my 15th birthday.  It is the last I will see her.  We argue some, but not so major.  I must be home from friends early, but why.  She has shot herself.  No. No. No.  They are lying, she would not leave everything behind.  Let me talk to her.  No reply.  I want to talk to her.… It is true. 
Her birthday is today, and never will I forget.

This camera eye is the story of my Mom’s last 4 years, to her last few moments.  It changed my view on a lot, but mostly life itself.  Take in every moment like it’ll be your last, as cliché as it might seem.  CNS stands for Central Nervous System Vasculitis, a very rare disease that can pop up at any time, and random.

Camera Eye Eagle


Camera Eye

A day one dreams about with people chatting in the pews bricks covered the walls stained glass windows surrounded the room with the light shining through them so beautifully and bright that it seemed as if even God was even proud of him

a key woman was now leading the group composed of all the most important people that had helped him reach the mountain top

Grandparents Parents Aunts Unlces Cousins Friends Role models Sister Mom Dad

The woman telling the crowd about his journey as they smiled back sometimes laughing he could tell they were all proud of him but it wasn’t at easy as she made it sound

just a young naïve boy in a gym with his peers important adults dad with the people in the group he might be joining watching not knowing if he was going to take the next step he walked across the bridge but still unsure if he was going to cross the bridge in reality or would this be it
and afterwards in the car a Dad telling his young son that it was his choice but commit to it

Two years later in the car again the boy wanted to tell his dad the disappointing news but the words wouldn’t come out until finally the world stopped turning and he finally said it
and the Dad waited until the car stopped to tell his son to wait until the trip that was already paid for was over to decide in a calm and receptive voice making the boy feel like he would still be loved even if he quit

The boy now standing a young adult having to bend down to the height he once was so the little girl could place the blue neckerchief with the emblem of the eagle he worked so hard to receive around his neck
and Mom with a warm smile placing the medal with the eagle emblem on his shirt a moment that one will never forget.

the family patriarch sat in the pew looking at his note card trying to find the right time to go up and tell the crowd how proud he was of the young man trying to hold back the tears he didn’t want people to see it was unacceptable for men to cry and the time was over before he could collect himself to go speak

Mom sensing the disappointment in his voice about the patriarch not saying anything told him he was too proud of him to speak

What a magnificent moment his entire body was filled with warmth joy accomplishment pride he had made it he had accomplished the greatest challenge of his life the journey was over everyone was proud of him
           
What once a boy now a young man What once a Dream now Reality.


This camera eye is about the day I received my Eagle Scout award in Boy Scouts. I talked about where the Journey started and how I almost quit along the way. I also talked about how indecisive I was at deciding if this was something I wanted to do. I wanted the reader to realize how great of a moment this was for me and how it wasn't something easy to accomplish.

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Camera Eye

brick walls flag pole green grass large sign stating the name of the building long yellow colored  automobiles drive on the black pavement with the white lines marked on it

tear drops drop from the gloomy sky painted in blues purples and grays the fluffy marsh-mellows seem to have sprung a leak

children's faces match the gloomy sky as they enter the brick walls

loud obnoxious laughing is what is heard throughout the largely packed hallways that are decorated with big letters that sparkle when the light hits them just right squeaky sneakers echo about as the laugher continues
          empty stares follow the young adults don't remember a certain face from before
a loud shrill fills up the hall and soon empties into nothing but one still remains lose paper jackets hanging out pencil toppers and pens hang about as the stranger is lost
lost
Bare empty nothing plain 

the letters do not sparkle like they did before and the lost stranger somehow aches for the empty stares doors slams and random voices announcing the weeks activities being to flutter around and fill the emptiness 

Large bright neon colored papers with black bold print sports figures hang across the white halls with large gold medals around their necks big trophies collecting dust particles from over the years banners all stand perfectly still behind glass cases 

a deep manly voice yells out and the strangers voice responds then the deep voice's figure appears and moves the stranger finds the way to a large brown door with strange numbers and random letter. the lost stranger is no longer lost but is not wearing a wrist watch which seems to be problematic

the stranger enters only to be greeted by a friendly voice and announced to a group of surrounding young adults the blank stares return and the stranger lets a smile across her face almost showing that the stares are slightly comforting and in a way welcoming



Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Sunday?





                                   Culmination of the passion Christ

                          Many Christians celebrate Jesus Christ's resurrection on Easter Sunday.


               The Easter date depends on the ecclesiastical approximation of the March equinox.

                                        

                              Fun.. Bunnies.. Eggs.. flowers.. Worship.. Celebration..

                                                   
                                                        Easter Egg Hunts

      
        The Council decided to keep Easter on a Sunday, the same Sunday throughout the world.

                                Easter eggs are an international inside joke

                       


                                                    Works Cited

                    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_egg_%28media%29

                                  

Newsreel


Passion


The Southeastern Conference has asked ESPN to help the league
find better start times for basketball games in hopes of 
increasing the league’s overall attendance.



 expansion of natural filtration for drinking water


Decadent Desserts For Your Other Half On Valentines Day


strong and barely controllable emotion




 https://www.google.com/search?q=passion+definition&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

 http://www.courier-journal.com/

Monday, February 10, 2014

Same Love

News Reel

Same Love

Why NBA center Jason Collins is coming out now

And I can't change. Even if I tried. Even if I wanted too. 

I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay. 

I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I'm happy to start the conversation. I wish I wasn't the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, "I'm different." If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I'm raising my hand.

Reaction to Jason Collins shows how far public opinion has shifted


Jason Collins is the first, but he won't be the last.


Mizzou's Michael Sam says he's gay
I am an openly, proud gay man.

But when the NFL is involved, it's a first -- and potentially a landmark moment -- in the history of American sports.

I might not be the same, but that's not important
No freedom till we're equal, damn right I support it



Works Cited
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/news/20130429/jason-collins-gay-nba-player/
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/macklemore/samelove.html
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nba/news/20130429/jason-collins-gay-nba-future/
http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/10429030/michael-sam-missouri-tigers-says-gay