Club SEBU

Peace before everything; I don't want any trouble. I recognize that it has been quite some time since the last post, but have no fear, we are back... Well, not exactly. This post will not have as much substance as some of the past posts, but there are several posts that are currently marinating and should be ready shortly. This is where the priority piece becomes relevant. Considering the initial purpose of these posts (procrastinating), it would not be wise for me to spend too much time here when I have more pressing tasks to take care of. Thankfully, there is less than a month left in school, which will open up more time to post and complete books that I said I was going to complete on April 8th.  Sorry all... As I briefly mentioned above, I have been working on a few different posts and WILL have several ready to release in the coming days. Thank you for your patience, and I will see you soon. Until next time, Long Live The People

Nothing like a semester break...but now it's back to business. Reading, homework, activities, studying and exams. I have always had an interesting relationship with exams dating back to my early years of elementary school.  I liked them, but not in the way you might think. I liked to make exams. I created my first exam before I had taken my first real exam in school. Yes, I created an exam....Hold the applause. Before you get too carried away with applause, let me be honest about the magnitude of this "exam"... I had a children's almanac growing up that I used to look through from time to time.  When I say time to time, I mean daily...and each year I would get a new one to dissect. For whatever which reason, I decided one day that I wanted to design an exam for some students to take and evaluate what they have learned. The only problem was the students were my siblings, and I had not taught them anything to test them on.  Nonetheless, I was sti...

Art, music and sports are wonderful activities, but they are not substitutes to academics. Sure, they are compliments to one another, but even the most artistically, musically, and athletically inclined will need to know some of the bare necessities as it pertains to academics. I often hear of scenarios where some gifted students will be pushed towards or pushed along in one of these creative fields as a form of "help"... "They are just so gifted anyways, they can make so much money this way" they say... Although I can't determine the exact reasons why, I can speculate, and this type of premature advancement taking place appears to bare harsh ramifications. It is easy to say that those students would likely choose not to partake in the educational components that may be attached to these art forms so why bother... But once again, this premise does not hold much weight. Even in the event that one of these students becomes overwhelmingly self-suffici...

A friend of mine shared a piece of their writing with me a few minutes ago and it got me thinking about how I haven't been able to post in a while. After small conversation regarding the piece, I started thinking about how we all have thoughts to share and sometimes bottle them up, then let them fester out of control. Although there is good reason to let thoughts marinate until they are ready to share, overcooked meals don't taste very good either. Does that make sense? The idea is at some point, sharing is the next step.  Paralysis by analysis is a real place and some of the greatest ideas go there to never see the light of day. Just think...somewhere, someone is thinking of very similar ideas, but could be waiting for someone else to say it before they engage in the conversation... If no one ever speaks out, we can only hope that those dialogues occur on their own, which is never guaranteed. Meaning anyone who needed those words isn't guaranteed t...

Remember the lunchroom in school? You know, the heart of cliques, the epicenter of gossip, and the hub of grade-school dramatics... But above all else, the lunchroom was the first free market system most of us were introduced to, where the prices of each good were determined by the people. Whether through cash or trading and bartering, lunch transactions always ran rampant during this period of the day. Personally, there were not many prices I wasn't willing to spend for zebra cakes.  Cheez-its were also very high on my demand list. It was always about what you didn't have, and how you could obtain it. These trade talks could last several minutes, and only became more complicated as other parties were interested in some of the goods. What started as a simple chocolate chip cookie for a bag of Cheez-its deal between two students in a '1 for 1' trade, quickly turned into a hostile bidding war between too many hungry adolescents. And before you know it, the...

I had to. Boot up your social mediums and prepare yourself to see the countless recurrence of this phrase. Now, I could pick the low hanging fruit and bash the cliche "new year, new me" phenomenon, but I decided against it. Is the phrase played out? Possibly... But nonetheless, what works for you, works for you, and I wish you all the best. It is indeed a new year, and if you would like to be a new you, do that... If you want to be the same? Do that too. If you want to make some adjustments, and leave others as they are...you can always do that as well. Regardless, in whatever you choose to do in this new year, do what is best for you.  Don't forget those who have helped you along the way.  Seek improvements you could make, but also appreciate the work you have done up to this point as you embark on a new 365-day challenge.  Determine the best approach and devise a strategy to achieve your destiny. Each year is a new experience, filled with new...

One of the most commonly used phrases when something is flying through the air into a mass of people. Heads up. I'm sure that many of us have noticed the irony of everyone putting their heads down when they hear heads up, or maybe I am the only one who thinks about that... Nonetheless, it is an intriguing phrase. Regardless, calling 'heads up' is just a suggestion that increases awareness of whatever is coming your way. Furthermore, keeping your head up is more common and necessary than sometimes meets the eye.  It does not have to be a literal object making its way towards you...it can be much more. Figuratively speaking, there will be several things 'thrown' your way that will require you to be alert.  Knowing how to maneuver through these challenges can and will be difficult at times. No matter what though...keep your head up. It is much easier to be engaged when things are going well, but the true test is when they are not going your way.  Thos...

In the first week after quarter 1 of my reintroduction to school, I was given an opportunity to compile more material for the blog.  I was not able to write too much throughout the semester, but I am still here. The semester was a learning experience that I don't take for granted.  There are several lessons that I picked up that will propel me into my future, not only with academia or a career, but also in everyday life. Some of these lessons include: Never assume that you know which classroom is yours if you haven't fully retained that information to memory.  It's not fun walking into the same wrong classroom multiple times in a day or semester. Furthermore, not everyone knows the campus like you may think.  Be aware that some directions, if followed exactly how described, can get you more lost. If you decide to ride your bike to class, be aware that that is a physical activity, and the first few weeks of the fall semester may still be warm.  Pac...

I frequently talk about my niece and nephew because they have quite the personalities. In the most recent episode, my sister informed my siblings and I that our niece had determined what career path she had decided to follow as she continues to grow. This revelation came with video evidence, where my niece was asked which career she preferred; a princess or a dinosaur. With no hesitation, she confidently said 'dinosaur', as she continued to hoard whatever food she was devouring in her chipmunk-like cheeks. Although this may not be a rare career choice at this age, it never ceases to amaze me just how unique the statements can be. With her conviction, I probably wouldn't challenge my nieces' assertion in fear of a dinosaur-like response.  She knows what she wants. So why is this important to me? I find it terribly intriguing that a two-year-old has such a grasp on decision-making at a time where it is easy for people older than them to write them off.  N...

I pretended to be a track and field athlete for a year of college...oh what an experience it was. I only participated in field events because that's where my expertise was... Or because I was not the fastest and that was the only place where I thought I could hide my slow-twitch fibers. Considering the fact that even the events that I participated in needed speed, I will let you conclude why my career on the track was cut short.  One thing I learned on the track more so than anything, is that you cannot.. I repeat... You CANNOT hide speed, or in my case, not having speed at all. On the basketball side of the world, there are ways for me to disguise my lack of straight away speed.  These ways include the amount of direction changes in a game, the smaller dimensions of the court compared to on a track, and running away from heavy footed post players I've had to avoid my entire playing career so I don't break any bones. The thing with track is there is only o...

I learned this was my fate at the age of 11. I was in the middle of my annual back-to-school haircut, when a man in his mid-20's came into the shop to cause trouble. I say cause trouble because he did not stay long, or get his haircut... He walked in, said a few hellos, then vanished. Right before he vanished, he came up to the man who was cutting my hair, they spoke, and after he looked at me with a puzzled stare. He backed up to make sure that I knew he was trying to get my attention. I looked up at him, and he said, in a confident and matter-of-fact fashion, "Oh no...he's not going to have that hairline very long...you can already see the Batman symbol in there". Before I could jump up and challenge him to a duel, he was outside of the shop and on his way to another barbershop to probably ruin another child's day. When I returned home, I went to the bathroom and took a good hard look into the mirror.  I had some self-talk to do. ...

Aligned with the theme of youthful mistakes from the last post,  Stomach Bug in my Knee , here's another mishap... In this story, I didn't fake a sickness but I almost caused a real one. To start this story with a vague and ambiguous opening statement, we had a project in school where we took home a potato. I am sure there was a more involved lesson with the potato before we took it home, but clearly, I did not grasp the applicability of it. So, for me...I just had an extra potato at home that I would eventually eat once my mom cooked it, and I was okay with that.  I felt that I was participating in that weeks' grocery shopping and was proud of it. We all put our potatoes in small paper bags, and I shoved mine into my book-bag then got onto my bus. Somewhere between putting the potato in my book-bag and sitting on the bus, I completely forgot that the potato was in my possession. Roughly 15 minutes later when I arrived home and got off the bus, I followed my ...

I raised my hand in class as a young elementary student and asked if I could go to the nurse's office... When asked what for, I complained of a stomach ache that was inhibiting my learning. Once my request was granted, I slowly walked to the nurse's quarters, as I tried to develop symptoms of the sickness I claimed to have caught a few moments earlier. I entered the nurse's office, was greeted and said that my stomach was bothering me.  She graciously let me rest on one of the beds to see if it would get any better, which I was sincerely appreciative of... Not because of the concern for my health, but because this bought me a few more moments of quiet time to think up a story that will ultimately make or break my claim. I laid on the bed, staring at the ceiling with my hands on my stomach, contemplating whether or not I should just throw in the towel or continue on this risky and dishonest path. At that naive age, I felt that I dug the hole too deep and had to c...

Throughout my undergraduate career, I rode my bike everywhere.  It was the single greatest investment I made while in college. Now, before I continue, I would like to preface this by saying there may not be any substantial takeaways from this post, but it has been on my mind for a couple weeks now. This post will be more on the 'rant' side of the Club SEBU spectrum... Continue reading at your own risk... As stated above, riding my bike is a past-time of mine that I thoroughly enjoy. Since I have started school again and have been treated to some good weather, I have revisited this past-time and indulged in some bike-riding to and from campus. What is a relatively short ride is also a sincerely calming one... That is until I get to campus... As I approach the sidewalks, I am always met by a host of students walking around from point A to point B. No problems there... The problems arise when I am on the narrow sidewalks and realize that 95% of the students a...

Hello again...it's been a while, but don't you worry. Speaking of worry, school is back in session, and of course...don't you worry. Literally.  Don't. You. Worry. Grab your book bags, pens, and pencils, and don't you worry... I promise the teachers and the students are both humans, just give them a chance.  Don't you worry... Okay...enough with the "don't you worry's", but you really don't need to.  Getting back into the routine can be difficult at times and that is understandable.  Just stay the course...it will only get better as you move forward. That being said, make sure you are giving an honest effort while you are moving forward.  This way you can ensure that you are improving throughout the year. When things go right, try to make them better... When they go wrong, try to make them better... Pretty simple, but I must admit it can be challenging at the same time. Naturally, one of the two suggestions above...

Public speaking has consistently been a fear of many. Often times we fear speaking because there may be others who are actually listening to what we are saying, and if heard, those words can be forever connected to the speaker; a daunting and typically unfavorable realization we endure. Words that may be cherished by the speaker, and genuine in their intent may be taken out of context or deemed irrational. A passionate thought that likely could be influenced by the current climate it is expressed in could come off as 'overly emotional', leading to a lack of confidence in delivery.  Lack of confidence can be magnified when the possible rejection in a rebuttal is acknowledged. Every word bares a vulnerability of one's mind that we would rather not share at times. We choose not to share them because they may be a snapshot that could change within an hour, or even within minutes.  With that, too often we chose silence. Unfortunately, silence does not fix any fault...

This is our 50th post and it is nice to reach this milestone. We appreciate your viewership. As a token of our appreciation here at Club SEBU, we have decided to run down all of the previous posts, providing a brief summary containing the focal points of each. I am going to try to keep each synopsis to only one sentence, but forgive me when I likely go over that quota. I have a tendency to over explain... I also hyperlinked each post so if you are like me and have forgotten what each title means, you have the luxury of refreshing your memory with a simple click of a button... Without further ado, I present to you This is 50 . -- 1. The Real is Back. Revamped. Refreshed. I returned back from a very long hiatus; only to share long-winded stories that make me laugh more than they make anyone else laugh. 2. Never Forget the Roots This is all of the old blog posts from the college version of the Club SEBU blog; raw and unfiltered.  Forgive me and my youthful ways... ...

...the time where everything seems perfect. No arguments, no disputes, no issues. This phase is most commonly used when discussing relationships, but can be used when referring to a new job, new team, or any other setting where people from differing backgrounds come together as one. Typically, the honeymoon phase is viewed as an unavoidable step, with the power to make or break any relationship. Since we hear so much about this phase, it can become a daunting task to enjoy the simple joys of life as we are shadowed by the constant question of "well...what if this is just the honeymoon phase?" If you think hard enough about this phase, it may come true, which probably was not your original intentions at all. Your thoughts become actions. What happens when rather than overthinking and worrying, we remain encouraged by the new opportunity and look forward to ways we can harvest a longer lasting phase?  How can we avoid this seemingly unavoidable period of time? If ...

I couldn't have been any older than 7 or 8 years old during this story... I also couldn't tell you what made me so upset on this particular day of my childhood... A group of friends and I were enjoying a regular day of elementary school, when out of nowhere we were engaged in a full out verbal altercation.  Once again, I have no idea what the argument was about and am certain that it was not as hostile as I am detailing, but I was angry nonetheless. Just like all grade-school battles, this was going to be settled on the blacktop. Whether it was a foot race, swinging contest, or football games...whenever an issue reared its ugly head, playground was the answer. We reached the playground and our battle of choice was basketball.  Surprise, surprise... I figured that I had an advantage in basketball for some odd reason, but let me detail the disadvantages I had so you can truly understand this poor decision... For starters...I did not hit a true growth spurt until ...

So, guy meets girl... Or girl meets guy... Or person meets person... Whichever way you spin it, you are approaching the first date. You've just met each other, so naturally nerves and anxiety are sharing a prolonged high five at your expense. You've already told your respective group of friends that this "is not a big deal", consequently wasting your Phone-a-Friend option if it suddenly becomes one...so you are on this island alone. You prepare yourself by completing your necessary hygienic routine and then by putting on one of your finest outfits...one that was most likely laid out on the bed before placed over your freshly cleansed skin. This is serious work. Anticipation calls for action when you sit down across from that special someone as you prepare to embark on the beginning of a truly amazing journey... Or the beginning of a slow and embarrassing hour that your group of friends will make fun of you about for years to come. You are both seat...