Motivated to Succeed

12:20 PM - Hopped on the bike after some homework and studied for my midterm tomorrow while I was on the bike. I hate tests! Felt good to get a ride in. Have felt really "blah" because I feel so fat and lazy. Wanted to go outside but while i was on the bike, I saw snowflakes out there! A bit too cold.

Total Time: 1:00:34  Total Distance: 20 miles

11:15 AM - Drove down to Albany early for Advisement Day. My advisor is going to be my professor this summer for my summer course and also in the fall when I do Student Teaching. Crazy to think I'm this close to my Master's Degree! Really meaningful meeting today. We actually talked for close to forty minutes, not about my coursework, but my teaching pedagogy and philosophy which is driven a lot by social and educational justice. He played songs from Tupac Shakur which seemed to throw some of his colleagues in the building for a loop at 9:00 in the morning. One that he gave me a printout of the lyrics to and which really hits home since I have been doing the Sponsor a Scholar program in Albany is "The Rose that Grew from Concrete". Talk about some powerful lyrics. It's not about how beat up and torn the rose is.. it's the fact it came from that. When I look at the kids I work with I realize their potential and they are truly amazing kids.. and to think of the backgrounds that many of them come from, the adversity they've overcome, and to think how far they might go in life. Now that's what I'm talking about!

Total Time: 1:00:30 Total Distance: 20 miles

You try to plant somethin in the conrete, y'knowhatImean?
If it GROW, and the and the rose petal got all kind of
scratches and marks, you not gon' say, "Damn, look at
all the scratches and marks on the rose that grew from concrete"
You gon' be like, "Damn! A rose grew from the concrete?!"
Same thing with me, y'knahmean? I grew out of all of this
Instead of sayin, "Damn, he did this, he did this,"
just be like, "DAMN! He grew out of that? He came out of that?"
That's what they should see, y'knowhatImean?
All the trouble to survive and make good out of the dirty, nasty
y'knowhahatImean unbelievable lifestyle they gave me
I'm just tryin to make somethin..


When no one even cared
The rose it grew from concrete
Keepin all these dreams
Provin nature's laws wrong
It learned how to walk without havin feet
It came from concrete


Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete?
Provin nature's laws wrong it learned how to walk without havin feet
Funny it seems but, by keepin its dreams
it, learned to breathe FRESH air
Long live the rose that grew from concrete
when no one else even cared
No one else even cared..
The rose that grew from concrete


Did you hear..
Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete?
Provin nature's laws wrong
It learned to walk without having feet
Funny it seems but by keeping its dreams
it learned to breathe FRESH air
Long live the rose that grew from concrete
when no one else, even cared


Keepin all these dreams
Provin nature's laws wrong
It learned how to walk without havin feet (to breathe the fresh air)
It came from concrete (to breathe the fresh air)
(to breathe the fresh air, to breathe the fresh air)


You see you wouldn't ask why the rose that grew from the concrete
had damaged petals. On the contrary, we would all celebrate its
tenacity. We would all love it's will to reach the sun.
Well, we are the rose - this is the concrete - and these are
my damaged petals. Don't ask me why, thank God nigga, ask me how!
Hahahaha..

9:10 AM - Didn't sleep much. Spent 10 hours yesterday working on a project. Got it done though (or as much as I can do by myself) so that was good. Exhausted. Only got six hours of sleep and woke up to my dad singing country music to the dog at 6am. I don't know which sung better my dad or Aggie! Haha.  Hopped on the biked and read more from my review book for my huge Content Specialty Test coming up in a week and a bit. Not too much pressure, just 4 hours and 90 m/c and an essay question about the history of the world since the beginning of time until about a year ago? Hmm no pressure! Eeek! I'm about 1/5th of the way through the reviewing portion. I will aim to take one of the review tests sometime this week too to see where I stand as far as m/c questions. I hate those kind. I had a midterm earlier this week with those type of questions on it and I completely bombed it. I am just a much better writer and I like to justify my answers rather than just circle a correct one or one I kind of think is correct.

Total Time: 1:00:28  Total Distance: 20 miles

God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that you try. - Mother Theresa

9:00 AM - Got up early before observation hours and went on the bike. Ended up doing an hour and read my review book for my huge test next week for 45 minutes, and then last 15 minutes read from Team of Rivals. The start of Chapter 5 was particularly interesting. From page 140,

"The America of 1850 was a largely rural nation of about 23 million people in which politics and public issues - at every level of government - were of consuming interest. Citizen participation in public life far exceeded that of later years. Nearly three fourths of those eligibile to vote participated in the two presidential elections of the decade."

Reading Goodwin's work, it makes me wonder about where our country evolved from and where it is headed. The history books are filled with stories like she recounts here of radicalism, energy, and raw desire. It just seems like a lot of what was once important has been cast aside. Instead of taking a direct stance in deciding how and who should run this country, it is almost as if people don't care aside from complaining when politicians that turn out to be 'bad eggs' are elected. e.g. When Bush was not only elected, but reelected, many Democrats and Liberals/Independents were quick to bash Republicans for electing such a moron to office. But while I voted for Kerry in 2004 and for Obama in 2008, I feel like there are a lot of people that are all talk and no bite. What happened to the fervent energy that surrounded Vietnam and the oil crisis of the 70s? It's as if the potency of Americans' political voice has been lost in an age of technology and fashion. It is almost sickening to see at work how many of today's young generation feels as if the hottest trends for clothes and hairstyles and/or the next edition of the iPod or MacBook is of higher concern than the poltical, economic, and social issues that are bringing the country to the brink of failure. I am a Liberal and I guess I cannot criticize too harshly, but I find that the more I read, and the more I learn, the more I begin to take a conservative approach to some ideas. I feel there needs to be blanket reforms in health care, education, and social justice, and yet I feel alone. As my peers spend the nights boozing it away and dancing to riskay music at night clubs and texting their "BFFs", I feel like I more closely identify with the 30 and 40 something crowds. Am I just growing up too fast? Are my fears coming true?  I only hope that in the near future steps are taken so that we can remember the founding ideals of this nation and we can better embrace the multiculutural gifts that being American entails. As much as I hate to say it the American public seems to be "dumbing down" and has lost the gutsy doggedness that characterized our forefathers.

Total Time: 1:00:34  Total Distance: 20 miles

3:00 PM - Cloudy, wind of 12-15 mph. Brisk and cold. Temperature around 40 degrees. Wanted to get another ride in for my higher mileage day since I work late until 5 or 5:30 tomorrow and Saturday and won't have a chance for a long ride. Headed out on the back roads. Was surprised to see I was biking pedal to the metal and averaging only about 15 mph! Oh well. It was still fun. Good to get out on the roads. Just like in running, you have to be prepared for anything, so it was probably good to get another ride in less than favorable conditions because it will help me in the long run when I get ready to do the century ride. My toes were frozen by the end of the ride!!

Total Time: 1:23:00 Total Distance: 21.25 miles  Average Speed: 15.4 mph

5:30 PM - Worked all day. Zipped home as soon as I could and went out in the nice weather for a ride. Somewhat windy again, but sunny and temps in the low to mid 50s. Wore two shirts, including the one Emma's mom bought me. Glad I did because the last 30 mins the sun was gone and it was downright chilly!!!! Side note, you would have never known we are in a recession based on the sales at work. Though with free drink coupons and 40% off an item, that will make people spend. So it's not like we are even making a profit, but it's the "total sales" that count. Weird. I will never understand the business world. Went out into Charlton and Milton and back via Jockey Street. What a good ride. Legs were a little tired though from yesterday!

Total Time: 1:38:02 Total Distance: 26.25 miles  Average Speed: 16.1 mph