Hey guys - sorry I've been sort of ghosting it lately. With the way things have picked up, I'm doing my best to get on just to check my Nation.

 

[TL;DR - Ol' George is busy as fuck and happier than a pig in shit]

 

I've sort of talked a little bit in the past about my University undertakings in various threads on here, might've even made a thread about it, I don't remember - since this Semester started I've been drawn into a literal shitton of research projects, with even more possibilities opening up for the future. I'll go into more detail about it here just in case anyone might be interested; I encourage any and all academic discussion. Bear in mind that I'm a Freshman and the University tried to shut me down when I had to meet with my adviser to approve my first project.

 

I got involved with one project under my Chinese Professor, and much to my surprise, I basically became the de-facto leader of the Project - so I'm overseeing (and doing most of the work) for making it happen from the ground up. We're researching the effect that our University's Study Abroad in China program has on Student's learning the language - measuring retention of students who take the class and comparing results between students who do go China with those who don't. I've done everything from setting dates, assessing materials that we'll need, setting up meetings, literally writing a grant proposal, etc. etc. just for this one project. 

 

Because my Major is Psychology, and I plan on pursuing a higher degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, I was able to meet with and become a member of a research team working on related projects under one of the Professors here whose job is 90% just teaching Graduate Students in the I/O program. They thought I was crazy the first day I came in because I'm a Freshman - the youngest person besides me is a Senior getting ready to graduate; the rest are all Grad students. 

With that group I'm not doing as much work, but I'm involved at some level in even more projects;

- Investigating the similarities and differences between how humans evaluate resumes compared to the software currently used by most businesses.

- Bullying in the Workplace (this was the first one I signed up for); how individuals react when they're in a leadership position and witness one subordinate bullying another. 

- Ethical dilemmas in Corporate settings and warning signs thereof; what businesses could look for as "red flags" that they're about to go Chernobyl. 

 

I told my two Mentors about the research I was doing under each of them and now they're also trying to get me to be the middle-man for them and (I guess) workhorse for a collaborative project involving Chinese and Industrial/Organizational Psychology. On top of this I have work that I do for my regular classes (I'm taking the max amount of classes), involvement with the Accelerated Research group that I'm in - which is a bunch of students from varying backgrounds working on a bunch of different projects, Chinese Club, and helping out my local Boy Scout Troop when I can - I recently filed the paperwork and am officially an Assistant Scoutmaster now for the Troop that I was in for six years. And just to put the cherry on top - my Chinese Professor recommended me to a program offered by the Taiwanese Government to go over there this Summer and get paid while I take more Chinese classes.

 

Right around this time two years ago I was getting over an experience where I tried to drink myself to death - I'd all but given up on life and just wanted it all to end. I was certain that my life was going to be utter shite and that I would be stuck towing the line for a family that hated me. I didn't think I'd actually go to University, and if I did, I figured I'd end up dropping out and being even more miserable.

It's been around two years since then and I don't think I've ever been this happy before. Basically, I'm doing more as a Freshman than most of my colleagues do for their Senior capstones - and I've already been told that I have options to apply for PhD programs both in my home-state and in China/Taiwan once I graduate.

I always heard people in those cliche infomercials say it gets better, and really, it does.

 

There's a lot more that I don't really have time to write out here, but if this post draws any interest I'll try to keep you guys up-to-date on what I'm doing. I might be lukewarm participation-wise, but I haven't met a single one of you guys (and gals) who weren't absolutely great, and I'm proud to say that New Mongolia has been forged with IRON.

 

EDIT: I think I might've posted this in the wrong place, but I've been up all night working on projects and relaxing a bit before a busy Monday so sue me

Edited February 29, 201610 yr by George Jarvis

Professional Life:

I believe I've hit and crossed 'fast-growth' phase in my job at current employer, I've had good growth but now things are steady and stable which means they're too slow for the ambitions I have in my life. My family was very very poor when my dad was young, he worked his ass off, broke the cycle of poverty and provided us with a good life. I studied and worked my ass off from the top uni in my country, they take in 100 people out of at-least 10,000 applicants.  I want to work my ass off, break out from the upper middle class and want to move to the 1%.  I do not think I'll be rewarded accordingly where I am. However, demons in my head preventing me to look for jobs outside. I waste my time Dota 2 and recently HoTs with my school friends, who are atm all over the globe so Dota and HoTs is a good way of talking about life while playing the game. Oh and this community is a good time sink as well.

 

Have to battle the demons. 

 

Personal Life:

An aspiring DJ, deck collecting dust. Gotta get back in the game. 

Good for you, you have exactly the right attitude to life. 

 

There is a cracked article that I feel really sums up something very important, despite being on a comedy site. 

http://www.cracked.com/blog/6-harsh-truths-that-will-make-you-better-person/

 

It has a very important introductory paragraph 

 

"For the rest of you, I want you to try something: Name five impressive things about yourself. Write them down or just shout them out loud to the room. But here's the catch -- you're not allowed to list anything you are (i.e., I'm a nice guy, I'm honest), but instead can only list things that you do (i.e., I just won a national chess tournament, I make the best chili in Massachusetts). If you found that difficult, well, this is for you, and you are going to fucking hate hearing it. My only defense is that this is what I wish somebody had said to me around 1995 or so."

 

Now every person I know who is happy can do this. Every person I know who complains about their lot in life can't. Its not the be all and end all, and certainly its not some great secret to life, but it is something that is quite important to remember. 

 

For me, right now; 

 

1. I'm getting married in November to a fantastic woman 

2. I'm buying my first house, with completion being on Thursday

3. I have a very good job, where I am the youngest person on my paygrade in the office

4. I am making good progress in learning a new language (my first 2nd language)

5. I just started hitting the streets for my first involvement in political campaigning

6. My ariel gymnastics routine is really starting to develop.

Question: What are you doing with your life?

Answer: Whatever the hell I want at all times... it's great.

Professional Life:

I believe I've hit and crossed 'fast-growth' phase in my job at current employer, I've had good growth but now things are steady and stable which means they're too slow for the ambitions I have in my life. My family was very very poor when my dad was young, he worked his ass off, broke the cycle of poverty and provided us with a good life. I studied and worked my ass off from the top uni in my country, they take in 100 people out of at-least 10,000 applicants.  I want to work my ass off, break out from the upper middle class and want to move to the 1%.  I do not think I'll be rewarded accordingly where I am. However, demons in my head preventing me to look for jobs outside. I waste my time Dota 2 and recently HoTs with my school friends, who are atm all over the globe so Dota and HoTs is a good way of talking about life while playing the game. Oh and this community is a good time sink as well.

 

Have to battle the demons. 

 

Personal Life:

An aspiring DJ, deck collecting dust. Gotta get back in the game. 

I know those feels a bit - I can sit down and spend like 6 hours at a time playing EU 4. In my MSCI classes we referred to these as "Black Holes." 

I wish you the absolute best bro. Follow your dreams and if you enjoy something throw yourself into it full-force!

 

Good for you, you have exactly the right attitude to life. 

 

There is a cracked article that I feel really sums up something very important, despite being on a comedy site. 

http://www.cracked.com/blog/6-harsh-truths-that-will-make-you-better-person/

 

It has a very important introductory paragraph 

 

"For the rest of you, I want you to try something: Name five impressive things about yourself. Write them down or just shout them out loud to the room. But here's the catch -- you're not allowed to list anything you are (i.e., I'm a nice guy, I'm honest), but instead can only list things that you do (i.e., I just won a national chess tournament, I make the best chili in Massachusetts). If you found that difficult, well, this is for you, and you are going to fucking hate hearing it. My only defense is that this is what I wish somebody had said to me around 1995 or so."

 

Now every person I know who is happy can do this. Every person I know who complains about their lot in life can't. Its not the be all and end all, and certainly its not some great secret to life, but it is something that is quite important to remember. 

 

For me, right now; 

 

1. I'm getting married in November to a fantastic woman 

2. I'm buying my first house, with completion being on Thursday

3. I have a very good job, where I am the youngest person on my paygrade in the office

4. I am making good progress in learning a new language (my first 2nd language)

5. I just started hitting the streets for my first involvement in political campaigning

6. My ariel gymnastics routine is really starting to develop.

I like that a lot. Thanks for sharing Brother. Congratulations on getting married; it sounds like you really have a great future ahead of you!!!

What language are you learning?

 

1. I was nominated and just applied for my University's Outstanding Student award.

2. I'm applying for (and pretty much guaranteed) a Scholarship to go to the PRC next Summer.

3. I'm applying for (and pretty much guaranteed) a Scholarship to go to the ROC this summer.

4. According to my Mentors, I am doing insanely well in my learning Chinese.

5. I've been told by my mentors and peers that when they look at me, "I see a future." 

6. I'm slowly staving off my crippling loneliness and feelings of nihilism; life really is good.

 

Question: What are you doing with your life?

Answer: Whatever the hell I want at all times... it's great.

 

That's the goal right there. Absolute freedom. 

Just an update - today I had another meeting with my Chinese Professor/Mentor and she told me that she's got connections with a nearby Chinese School that wants to send some High School kids with my group to Taiwan this Summer. They started referring to me as 哥哥 [Older Brother].

 

Over the past less than a year this woman, who has been a student at 3 different Ivy League Schools since coming to America from Taiwan with nothing but the clothes on her back, has shared her life story with me and talked with me a lot about the things that I never really thought I'd talk to anyone about. We've both cried a little. I told her that I was honored that she considers me a decent person and her response was "I don't think you're a decent person - I think you're an excellent person." She did a presentation this Morning for Women's Month and talked for a little bit about how she got where she is, how she dealt with being kicked out by an abusive husband and left with nothing but the clothes on her back and a trashbag of belongings - because, as he told her, everything else, including their two children whom she didn't see for another 12 years, were his - and she shared this: "I have found two durable pillars in life: Faith & Education."

 

(Oh and I've been applying for Scholarships and an award that I got nominated for)

Contemplating what it's like to die. Universe heat death theory. Thinking "if I'm dead, am I conscious of nothingness or does everything cease...". What will happen after I die that I'll never know?

 

 

Professional Life:

I believe I've hit and crossed 'fast-growth' phase in my job at current employer, I've had good growth but now things are steady and stable which means they're too slow for the ambitions I have in my life. My family was very very poor when my dad was young, he worked his ass off, broke the cycle of poverty and provided us with a good life. I studied and worked my ass off from the top uni in my country, they take in 100 people out of at-least 10,000 applicants. I want to work my ass off, break out from the upper middle class and want to move to the 1%. I do not think I'll be rewarded accordingly where I am. However, demons in my head preventing me to look for jobs outside. I waste my time Dota 2 and recently HoTs with my school friends, who are atm all over the globe so Dota and HoTs is a good way of talking about life while playing the game. Oh and this community is a good time sink as well.

 

Have to battle the demons.

 

Personal Life:

An aspiring DJ, deck collecting dust. Gotta get back in the game.

I know those feels a bit - I can sit down and spend like 6 hours at a time playing EU 4. In my MSCI classes we referred to these as "Black Holes."

I wish you the absolute best bro. Follow your dreams and if you enjoy something throw yourself into it full-force!

Good for you, you have exactly the right attitude to life.

 

There is a cracked article that I feel really sums up something very important, despite being on a comedy site.

http://www.cracked.com/blog/6-harsh-truths-that-will-make-you-better-person/

 

It has a very important introductory paragraph

 

"For the rest of you, I want you to try something: Name five impressive things about yourself. Write them down or just shout them out loud to the room. But here's the catch -- you're not allowed to list anything you are (i.e., I'm a nice guy, I'm honest), but instead can only list things that you do (i.e., I just won a national chess tournament, I make the best chili in Massachusetts). If you found that difficult, well, this is for you, and you are going to fucking hate hearing it. My only defense is that this is what I wish somebody had said to me around 1995 or so."

 

Now every person I know who is happy can do this. Every person I know who complains about their lot in life can't. Its not the be all and end all, and certainly its not some great secret to life, but it is something that is quite important to remember.

 

For me, right now;

 

1. I'm getting married in November to a fantastic woman

2. I'm buying my first house, with completion being on Thursday

3. I have a very good job, where I am the youngest person on my paygrade in the office

4. I am making good progress in learning a new language (my first 2nd language)

5. I just started hitting the streets for my first involvement in political campaigning

6. My ariel gymnastics routine is really starting to develop.

I like that a lot. Thanks for sharing Brother. Congratulations on getting married; it sounds like you really have a great future ahead of you!!!

What language are you learning?

French

Good for you, you have exactly the right attitude to life. 

 

There is a cracked article that I feel really sums up something very important, despite being on a comedy site. 

http://www.cracked.com/blog/6-harsh-truths-that-will-make-you-better-person/

 

It has a very important introductory paragraph 

 

"For the rest of you, I want you to try something: Name five impressive things about yourself. Write them down or just shout them out loud to the room. But here's the catch -- you're not allowed to list anything you are (i.e., I'm a nice guy, I'm honest), but instead can only list things that you do (i.e., I just won a national chess tournament, I make the best chili in Massachusetts). If you found that difficult, well, this is for you, and you are going to fucking hate hearing it. My only defense is that this is what I wish somebody had said to me around 1995 or so."

 

Now every person I know who is happy can do this. Every person I know who complains about their lot in life can't. Its not the be all and end all, and certainly its not some great secret to life, but it is something that is quite important to remember. 

 

For me, right now; 

 

1. I'm getting married in November to a fantastic woman 

2. I'm buying my first house, with completion being on Thursday

3. I have a very good job, where I am the youngest person on my paygrade in the office

4. I am making good progress in learning a new language (my first 2nd language)

5. I just started hitting the streets for my first involvement in political campaigning

6. My ariel gymnastics routine is really starting to develop.

this is really inspirational Ice, thanks!

 

 

French

 

Now THAT is a hard language to learn. how long have you been at it? 

 

 

Contemplating what it's like to die. Universe heat death theory. Thinking "if I'm dead, am I conscious of nothingness or does everything cease...". What will happen after I die that I'll never know?

 

I know what you mean. Depends on if you're religious or not.

 

French

 

Now THAT is a hard language to learn. how long have you been at it? 

 

A year and 3 months. Mixture of private tuition and evening classes at the local education centre. In the evening classes I am alongside people who are in their 3rd year.

 

My reading is pretty much there, my writing is moderate, spoken and listening is beginning to get there. Pronunciation is ok, speaking is somewhat stuttered and bad (depends how tired I am), its the listening that is hard (but much better than it was six months ago). 

 

I also work partly in French, so I need to be able to read French documents and emails. 

French isn't that hard as a language if you know a roman language before learning it. Learning french from english though is kind of difficuly. There is the fact that modern english was modified greatly by the invasion of England by the Duke of Normandy, but still the french influence in english isn't as notable.

 

My birth language is spanish, but I've been speaking English since I was 2 or 3 years old. I usually tend to think in english and I can understand the struggle with French. We have to take mandatory classes at my school, but I never really learned much until I went to France during January. I went with a group from school and we all stayed separately with familles d'accueil. I don't know the word in english nor spanish, but kind of a host family. Not exactly that though. I stayed there for 4 weeks, interacting daily with French people, learning not only about their culture, but also of the way French people speak. You may receive a very academic french, but there are some things you won't learn in class.

 

For example, and this goes to everyone who reads this that doesn't know french, to say something in its negative form, you use ne  (verb)  pas/que/jamais/rien/etc. However, when speaking, most french don't say the ne. For example, to say I don't agree, you write Je ne suis pas d'accord, however, when you say it, you say Je suis pas d'accord. This is a tiny difference that affects a lot in your understanding. For me, in spanish we usually say no before the verb to make it negative and I had a hard time learning to differenciate between affirmation and negation in France.

 

If I may suggest, to practice your oral comprehension, you can listen regularly to French radio or music and try to understand what they are saying. The best way to learn a language when you have a bit of the basics down is by immersion though. 

Spoken French is quite hard because there are so many shorthands used in spoken french. Not just dropping words and shortening words, but merging them together. 

 

Ils ont (They have) becomes Ilseont when spoken. Also, unlike English homophones were there is always a difference in useage to seperate them (so I saw, I am sawing) in French they are perfectly happy to have "Je suis" (I am) and "Je suis" (I follow).

 

 

And "il porte un porte au port, et il porte une chemise" is also a legitimate sentence (He carries a door to the port, and he wears a shirt). Porte being either wearing, carrying (when conjugated in the 3rd person singular present tense), or a door. 

To be honest I am not doing much with my life to be proud of. I am a medically retired Army combat medic, so right now the Army pays me for the rest of my life. I should be going to school with my GI Bill, but I just want to relax for now without much stress.

 

I have big dreams, big ambition, that I feel I can't  fulfill with working any kind of regular job. My friend wants to start a youtube gaming channel with me centered around Veterans. I like the idea, will allow me to make my gaming and comedy worth something. It also hit me however, that through it I can also drag with me advocacy of topics like Veteran suicide and homelessness, then it expands further into why not all homelessness and hunger? Poverty, disease, and many things more.

 

I have friends tell me such a thing would be impossible, too many upstarts, but I feel like through it all I could make a difference in my own way. I don't know, should I forgo my dream for something more sensible? 

If you are financially secure and want to aim to do that, that is great. The key I think is to actually be doing it rather than talking about doing it. I've lost count of the number of people I've known who say they are writing a novel (apparently in the UK at any one time its about 2.5 million people) and when asked about it "its going really well," and then "how many words have you written" it becomes "well, I haven't exactly started writing....."

 

Obviously I know that it might be that a person is doing background research and is genuinely making progress without having written the first word, but that is harder to fit into an illustrative example so sue me bitch.

 

Plus if you can go back to studying after, a CV that says "I was a combat medic, then spent a year trying to see if I could make it as a comedian/activist, couldn't so came back to school" isn't a bad one.  

Playing the guitar, writing a novel that will never get finished, living in my moms house (Not the basement), writing a rock opera that likely wont even get halfway done, learning a bit of Spanish, trying to lose 180 pounds, trying to learn Tai Chi, and trying to resolve past issues.

 

 

Contemplating what it's like to die. Universe heat death theory. Thinking "if I'm dead, am I conscious of nothingness or does everything cease...". What will happen after I die that I'll never know?

 

That really depends on religious belief I'd think. If you believe you have a soul, but there is no heaven, then you would probably be conscious of the absolute nothingness. And if you are talking about the act of dying itself, I would assume its like doing a large amount of drugs at once, as your body goes so do the higher functions, the brains chemical inhibitors would probably cease, so your brain would be flooded with dopamine and serotonin, and surely your veins would be pumping with adrenaline. And if the human pineal gland really does secrete DMT while we sleep, you could probably be pretty sure that would be in the mix.

To be honest I am not doing much with my life to be proud of. I am a medically retired Army combat medic, so right now the Army pays me for the rest of my life. I should be going to school with my GI Bill, but I just want to relax for now without much stress.

 

I have big dreams, big ambition, that I feel I can't  fulfill with working any kind of regular job. My friend wants to start a youtube gaming channel with me centered around Veterans. I like the idea, will allow me to make my gaming and comedy worth something. It also hit me however, that through it I can also drag with me advocacy of topics like Veteran suicide and homelessness, then it expands further into why not all homelessness and hunger? Poverty, disease, and many things more.

 

I have friends tell me such a thing would be impossible, too many upstarts, but I feel like through it all I could make a difference in my own way. I don't know, should I forgo my dream for something more sensible? 

Thank you so much for your service Sir! 

To be honest I am not doing much with my life to be proud of. I am a medically retired Army combat medic, so right now the Army pays me for the rest of my life. I should be going to school with my GI Bill, but I just want to relax for now without much stress.

 

I have big dreams, big ambition, that I feel I can't  fulfill with working any kind of regular job. My friend wants to start a youtube gaming channel with me centered around Veterans. I like the idea, will allow me to make my gaming and comedy worth something. It also hit me however, that through it I can also drag with me advocacy of topics like Veteran suicide and homelessness, then it expands further into why not all homelessness and hunger? Poverty, disease, and many things more.

 

I have friends tell me such a thing would be impossible, too many upstarts, but I feel like through it all I could make a difference in my own way. I don't know, should I forgo my dream for something more sensible?

Mate, if you want to do it, do it. Then give us the link. I'd watch it.

 

 

French

 

Now THAT is a hard language to learn. how long have you been at it? 

 

A year and 3 months. Mixture of private tuition and evening classes at the local education centre. In the evening classes I am alongside people who are in their 3rd year.

 

My reading is pretty much there, my writing is moderate, spoken and listening is beginning to get there. Pronunciation is ok, speaking is somewhat stuttered and bad (depends how tired I am), its the listening that is hard (but much better than it was six months ago). 

 

I also work partly in French, so I need to be able to read French documents and emails. 

 

 

That is really awesome - keep at it! I took German for 3 years but I never really got immersed or used it, so I've forgotten nearly everything. Like all skills, practice makes perfect!! 

I think it's a very difficult language to learn, so serious kudos to you for learning it. And yeah picking up on the way natives speak the language really is one of the hardest parts of learning languages that I've come across - that's why spending time in the country where they speak it primarily really helps. Dealing with the language at work will really help you out; and the feeling when you see a word and you think "Oh hey, I know what means!" is absolutely amazing. 

 

To be honest I am not doing much with my life to be proud of. I am a medically retired Army combat medic, so right now the Army pays me for the rest of my life. I should be going to school with my GI Bill, but I just want to relax for now without much stress.

 

I have big dreams, big ambition, that I feel I can't  fulfill with working any kind of regular job. My friend wants to start a youtube gaming channel with me centered around Veterans. I like the idea, will allow me to make my gaming and comedy worth something. It also hit me however, that through it I can also drag with me advocacy of topics like Veteran suicide and homelessness, then it expands further into why not all homelessness and hunger? Poverty, disease, and many things more.

 

I have friends tell me such a thing would be impossible, too many upstarts, but I feel like through it all I could make a difference in my own way. I don't know, should I forgo my dream for something more sensible? 

 

First off - thank you for your service. Seriously. My Brother is an Army Mechanic. I understand what you mean about relaxing for a while, and sometimes it really helps to just take a step back and evaluate where everything is and where you want to go from where you're at. 

As Icewolf said though - the biggest step is moving from the planning to the doing. It sounds like you have a really great idea and if you're as passionate about it as you say you are than I personally challenge you to pursue it with everything you've got! And if you do, keep us posted!! 

 

Playing the guitar, writing a novel that will never get finished, living in my moms house (Not the basement), writing a rock opera that likely wont even get halfway done, learning a bit of Spanish, trying to lose 180 pounds, trying to learn Tai Chi, and trying to resolve past issues.

 

 

Contemplating what it's like to die. Universe heat death theory. Thinking "if I'm dead, am I conscious of nothingness or does everything cease...". What will happen after I die that I'll never know?

 

That really depends on religious belief I'd think. If you believe you have a soul, but there is no heaven, then you would probably be conscious of the absolute nothingness. And if you are talking about the act of dying itself, I would assume its like doing a large amount of drugs at once, as your body goes so do the higher functions, the brains chemical inhibitors would probably cease, so your brain would be flooded with dopamine and serotonin, and surely your veins would be pumping with adrenaline. And if the human pineal gland really does secrete DMT while we sleep, you could probably be pretty sure that would be in the mix.

 

I have a lot of friends that play instruments - I've never been able to though lol. What's the novel about, and won't it get finished?

To be honest there's really nothing wrong with living with your parents, and it sounds like you're really challenging yourself to make some big changes - that takes balls. I can't even begin to list the amount of people I've met who would rather avoid their problems than face them. As long as you keep your goals in mind and keep pushing yourself, you can't go wrong. 

 

I like how so many of us are learning foreign languages - if I ever have to work on something collaborative I'm going to hunt you guys down  

Sorry for the inactivity.

 

Another update on my life - today I was officially recognized as an Eagle Scout by the Boy Scouts of America. It was fun. I spent some time with my family, had a nice chat with my old mentor, Tony, who really pushed me in the right direction, and then went out with my Best Friend. 

 

One thing that really sticks out to me about Tony is how humble he is. He's completely unassuming. He worked for the Government for several years, but he doesn't really talk about what all he did. Well, he was sitting across from my Chinese Professor (she came and brought her husband - wonderful man and I'm extremely grateful to call her my Teacher), and it came up that he had been to China. Before you know it the three of us were discussing Chinese Language and he was speaking the Language - for all these years I thought he just knew English, German, and Portuguese!!! I feel an immeasurable amount of respect for him - and I'd go to the ends of the earth for him; and every time someone told him how much of an impact he had on my life he would just look away and smile and say "Nah... He had it all along." --- How lucky I am to know such a great and humble person. 

 

When I went out with my best friend we started hitting up other friends who might want to come out with us - most people were flaking since it's Sunday night so I messaged a girl that I've been friends with for a while. Mind you, I first met this girl last Semester - since then we've been talking and doing different events together (we're in a University Organization together) and every time I have to go to the Office she works at I bring her cakepops, her favorite food (idek what the appeal is lmfao). Tonight we really hit it off, and we ended up just standing around and talking for over an hour. Tomorrow I have to go by the Office she works in again and I'll be bringing her a piece of cake from my ceremony - not as good as cake on a stick she says, but better than nothing lol. I ended a very unhealthy relationship in October of 2015, since then I've totally avoided romance. But this girl seems... different. 

 

I'm not trying to get on a soap box or brag to you guys - I guess my life has just changed so much here lately that I really felt like sharing it; maybe it'll change someones outlook. I would encourage everyone to really look at all the people around them, and appreciate them. It might seem weird (it was for me at first), but connecting with people and telling them you appreciate them/care about them really does make the world a brighter place.

God knows I don't deserve the life I have now - so I want to help others now while I can. 

The novel's a fantasy one, about 22 pages in. I don't think it'll ever get finished because I got a touch of the depression, like a magic eight ball that only ever says "Outlook not good". And if you want to play an instrument, here's how you do it. Step one, Play shittily for a month, step two play less shitty for a year, step three... congrats! You don't make peoples ears bleed anymore!

 

 

This is some advice for anyone learning a language

Join a teamspeak with whatever you are learning as their primary language. Close to whatever country they speak it as you can get without actually being there.

Nice. I completely forgot that I posted in this thread two days ago.. 

So basically, I woke up at 8am on Sunday (the 13th). 

It is now Wednesday, the 16th. 

 

I have had a total of 4 hours of sleep.

 

I'm setting up a Doctor's appointment soon - I show signs of having an anxiety disorder and it didn't really hit me until like 5 people told me that I'm going to die if I keep going like I'm going.