(Un)limited Potential [09 Oct 2008|07:40pm] voluntarilygone [ mood | unsure ] [ music | Whole Lotta History - Girls Aloud ] I saw this and though it's not quite how I feel, it's as close as I can get to succinctly describe what it is I'm feeling. My friends pretty much all know now that I'm going, those that don't won't probably even notice I'm gone. They spend half the time lecturing me about minefields and instructing me to always walk behind someone and the other half joking about me coming home with a new addition to the family. I think they're only half kidding on the latter. They're making plans to have an extra seat at the table for Christmas dinner even though I've told them that I'm pretty sure the rules on adoption have tightened up. The kid thing is just the tip of the iceberg though on what they think this trip will do for me. They know how long I've been wanting to make this trip, I'm sure they thought I'd given up on the idea, but no. Some things I can't seem to let go of, or maybe they can't let go of me. They're already making plans for me to go back. Every time I've gone away I've come back different. Things appear clearer having not been here. Priorities shift and I am reminded of what is important, and what it is I need to let go of. I suppose a part of me has delayed this trip because I've known that after it I won't be the person I was before I got on that plane. But what if I am? I'm not worried about changing, I'm worried about not changing. What, if after having seen this life, this world that I've been waiting to experience, I come back, and I'm not changed? What if I come back to my life, seeing what I've seen, and I'm able to forget it all? What if that's the change I go through? I've always been able to get through the days because I knew that there was always more to me than I allowed myself to be. My unlimited potential has been that comfort I've gone to when I look at my life and think it's not what I want it to be. It is how it is because this is what I choose for myself. I chose not to go to Oxford or Cambridge. I chose to stay in a job that paid a little bit more than the minimum wage. I choose this life. What if it isn't a choice anymore? What if this is all I'm capable of doing? I wanted to save the world. I know I can't. I'm not delusional. I thought that I could at least spend my life trying though...what if after trying I realise I can't? What then? post comment

concert [06 Oct 2008|12:51pm] suigenesis I saw Three 6 Mafia and Lupe Fiasco perform at our Homecoming concert last night! Oh my goodness! Such an amazing concert! I had so much fun!! So Three 6 Mafia held a little poll during the concert. It's from their song, "I'd Rather." So basically how it goes is: "I'd rather have sex!" Everyone's like WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! "I'd rather get head!" All the dudes and a couple of the females are like WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! "I want them both!" Everyone goes AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH RAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRR WHOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO!! YEAAAAAAAAAAHHH! YIPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!! They were a little crude but super entertaining and fun to watch. Lupe is so inspirational. But he draaaaaaaagggggeeddd at the end. I was like, "DAMN! Hurry your ass up!" 2 comments|post comment

Don't vote...what could happen? [04 Oct 2008|07:55am] _fall_ [ mood | Knackered ] So, you know. Don't vote. Seriously, what could happen? The rest of the world will probably just go on thinking what they do about the US, which coming from someone in that rest of the world, isn't a good thing. post comment

Are you registered? [02 Oct 2008|07:00pm] _fall_ [ mood | Still political ] So, unlike the UK and much of the rest of the world, people in the US have to register if you want to vote. So for those of you in the US - don't forget! Even if you're not voting for Obama you should register. Since none of my US friends fall into the white male category (apart from Tom) it's pretty likely that people fought and died to give you the right to vote. So you should exercise that right. Plus, if you don't vote for Obama and things go wrong, they'll need someone to blame. Here's the same message from Michael Moore... Friends, Our attention has been consumed with Wall Street drama and the comedy event of the season -- tonight's vice-presidential debate -- but many people don't realize that in most states if you're not registered to vote by Monday, you cannot vote for president in November. In some states, the deadline is as early as this Saturday! Will you do me a favor? Beginning right now, will you start asking everyone you know if they are registered to vote? Before you say hello, will you ask, "Hey, are you registered to vote here in (name of town)? 'Cause the deadline is Monday, and you have to be registered where you live." (Click Here to find out what the deadline is in your state and click here to find out what the procedures are to sign up and vote. If you are a college student and want to find out where your vote counts most, click here.) For the next couple of days, each of us has to do whatever we can to get people registered. Especially people who have recently moved, or students who are at college (students can vote where they go to school). Obama's two strongest bases -- young people and African Americans -- are traditionally the two groups who have the lowest voter registration and the lowest voter turnout. For Obama to win, this must change -- and it has to change today or tomorrow, not next week. So send an email to everyone in your address book and attach this link so they know how to register and what the deadline is. Call the local Obama headquarters or the NAACP or black pastors or student Dems and offer your time to register people this weekend. It's called "the ground game," and it's where we always lose to the Republicans. Each of us need to commit to doing something in the next 48 hours to get the unregistered registered. The more enlightened states allow you to register the day you vote. But in most places the deadline to register is this Monday, October 6th at 5pm. Thanks for taking the time to make sure everyone you know is registered, and for helping them out if they're not. Yours, Michael Moore MMFlint@aol.com MichaelMoore. com P.S. Tonight, the Senate passed an even worse "bailout" bill than the one the House defeated on Monday night. Only 25 Senators (and most of them for the wrong reasons) voted "No." It now moves to the House for a vote, possibly on Friday. Why did Obama and Biden vote for it? I think we all know the answer. Let's keep our eye on the ball of removing the Republicans from the White House, but let tonight be our first reminder that our work is not finished on November 4th when Obama wins. The struggle between what is best for the people and what is best in order to line the pockets of Wall Street will continue. 150 million Americans combined can't even match the wealth of the richest 400 Americans. All we have is our vote. And there will always be more of us than them. We will all need to become more politically active if we are going to get our democracy back. P.P.S. Bill Maher's new film, "Religulous," opens tomorrow. It's hilarious and it raises some important and controversial questions. Go see it if you have a chance. It's directed by Larry Charles, the director of "Borat." post comment

30 Days [30 Sep 2008|06:10pm] voluntarilygone [ mood | excited ] [ music | Yes, we can! ] I've just got over a month to go and I'm finally starting to get excited about going. You'd think, 5yrs down the line I would've been excited as soon as I booked the ticket right? Yeah, not so much. I don't tend to get excited about much. Call it a learned trait self-taught over a lifetime. Today though, today something's different. I'm almost completely set. As much as anyone can be for a trip such as this. I've had all the necessary injections. I've been to the clinic to get my anti-malaria tablets. That's a new one. You kind of don't tend to bother with that kind of thing, regardless of how many times you go to Fili. I'm a blood donor now though so gotta take the necessary precautions. I believe I have everything I need to have bought. There are a few bits and pieces, the usual stuff you need to get when you go away. Plus a few things I want to pick up in case I'm caught short and I don't where to get them. It'll be a completely unfamiliar place after all. So all that's sorted, and today when I got home - my passport had been sent back with my visa! So, yeah. Pretty much set. Now that I'm in this frame of mind I've decided to start this again. Do it properly this time. Looking back on this journal, this trip really has been a long time coming. I don't know why I let it take so long. See the highs and lows. When there was nothing more I wanted to do, when it seemed like I was asking for the world to be able to go. The person who wrote some of those words, like so much of what I used to write, it's hard to see them in me now. You'd think with everything else that changes that this would too, but it hasn't. Perhaps that's why after all this time I still need to go. This is where you'll be able to find any updates about my trip, and I'll do a post before I go about what it is I'm actually doing in case anyone's reading this thinking, 'When the heck did this come about???' Once I come back this is where you'll be able to find out what it is I got up to. Perhaps, if I manage to get online you may even get an update whilst I'm out there. Saying that, I think I may be more than a little bit busy. Hopefully. Admittedly, this isn't the trip I envisioned originally. It isn't the grand 6mth adventure I'd planned. Nowhere near. However, it's a start. It's a first step in a journey I have the suspicion will lead me to somewhere I'd never quite imagined, but always, somewhere in that part of me that wouldn't give the idea up, knew I'd reach. Voluntarilygone. I'm finally making it happen. post comment

"Yes, we can." Or, "No, you can't"? [29 Sep 2008|08:36pm] _fall_ [ mood | Political ] On November 4th, the choice is yours. Make the right one. Change you can believe in. Yes, we can. post comment

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