rebel against society.

Sitting at my parents' house where I spent most of my life growing up and being innocent in the world. Looking through old family portraits. I'm in love with this world. Misunderstood souls. Lost souls. Free thinkers and creative minds. All waiting to be found. We're living in an artificial world. Trying to see the real and the fake. Life goes on. People and places come through life like the blink of an eye. We often take moments for granted, both the good and bad. Thinking back, over the last year i've seen and done many things. I've been to the inauguration of Barack Obama, arguably the most powerful person on the face of the Earth. I've traveled far and away to concerts to see artists i've always loved and ones that I've found a new love for. I've seen some of the greatest artwork ever created. I could spend countless hours just walking around some museums again to see works by Picasso, Salvador Dalí, El Greco, Van Gogh, and even Andy Warhol. I was mesmerized. I got to experience a life outside of the US for the first time. I marched and protested in my first environmental rally. I grew from all these experiences. Being lost and in a new state of mind is inspiring. Little things like photographs, artwork, poetry, music, and books all tell a story. We often don't realize it at first. But to think that some creative spirit once captured life and got to express those feelings and show us the way they saw it is mesmerizing. I keep a journal full of thoughts and ideas. Late nights and early mornings. I feel the most alive. I want to further pursue a greater love for photography and writing before this year ends. So many things, so little time. good times. bad times. Moving like a roller coaster. Up and down, highs and lows. These are the moments that help further shape my life and I'm forever grateful. We are the world.

A better tomorrow...

Recently, I've opened my eyes more to important issues that I was always been hesitant to learn about before. One of the issues that has started to grow onto me is the environment that surrounds us. Issues like recycling, climate change, and finding more effective ways to take care of the planet have all made me realize how careless we could be. Thanks to my really cool friend Meg, who helped me see some of these types of things. I always wondered how one person could affect the world as a whole, but by just being that one person you're already making a difference and taking an initiative that most are either too afraid or still in denial about a problem even existing. Me becoming more involved with Students for a Sustainable Campus group at school and my Earth Science class will both end up being life changing experiences for me this year. My love for venturing off outdoors and photography and experiencing new things have all made me appreciate all of this more as well. Next week, I'll be attending a conference called Power Shift in Pittsburgh with friends and thousands of other young people to learn more about these problems that face our generation and the future we hope to live in one day. Think of me as I prepare for this journey that lies ahead. Do the things that make you happy and take the risks that leave an impact on how you look at life.