Time Is Against Us (Ode To Mickey Callis)

**This one goes out to my dear friend Mickey Callis and everyone affected by him leaving. Summer 2009 will not be the same without Mickey but we're gonna live it up the best we can on his behalf. He wouldn't want it any other way.**

We all have those memories that we can remember just as they were yesterday, regardless how long ago they actually happened. Soak up those memories for everything they are worth. These memories stay with us as long as we would want them too. When they say "Things forgotten are sure to repeat" they are not entirely right, so hold onto those memories as long as you can, forever if you can.

Today was a hard day for me and a few of my friends, we had to say bye to Mickey. Here in just a few hours he will be on a plane to basic training in South Carolina. Today was the last time I will see Mickey until atleast November, the last time I will have an actual conversation with Mickey for atleast nine weeks. It's a very, very harsh reality for me and the ones there with me today. I'm not one to cry, I am one to be sad, and I am one to be the shoulder for those who can't help but let out their emotions. It did not help my mood to see Secoy, Kasey, and Britt not take it so well, but I can't blame them.

It's gonna be a real shitty time without him. Mickey is a great guy, just as big, maybe a bigger inspiration to me than he claims to me to be to him. I never would have thought that going to hang out at my cousin's after prom party would lead to me making so many new friends, especially a friend like him. I've only know Mickey for about two months but it seems like we've been boys for years.

I refuse to say goodbye, that's just not the way it is. You don't say goodbye to someone you plan to see again, I had to correct him on his last blog that had "goodbye" in the title because everyone he tagged in it is gonna see him again, atleast I'll be sure I will. When's the last time you actually said "goodbye" to someone? It only seems appropriate to me to say to someone who is about to die, but at the same time you don't want to say it because you don't want it to happen, so it is usually never said. I'm not gonna say goodbye to Mickey because I know I'll be seeing him as soon as possible. He's going to basic training, not war. He will be back.

That doesn't change the fact that he is leaving for a long ass time...

There is just never enough time... We all do what we can, but no matter how much we do, we always feel as if we didn't do enough, didn't do as much as we wanted to. It didn't take long at all for us to develop the good friendship that we have, but as we are becoming the good friends that we are, it is time for him to go. It's shitty, but that's the way that it is. It's unfair, as life is. It's as if we did something, in becoming the friends that we are but never got the chance to live it out to the fullest, never got enough time to kick enough times, never got enough time to really enjoy it.

I've made so many new friends through this group lately. Of course I'm closest to Secoy that I am to the rest of them, that's fam, then it would be Kasey since I've gotten to know her for a few years now but it didn't take me long to develope this friendship with Mickey, as if we clicked the first time we kicked it. He's a goofy ass dude, but so much deeper and intelligent than meets the eye. I could always count on his input on my blogs, very shortly after they are posted. Loved how Mickey is the reader that he is. The biggest impact on my life has been the impact that I have had on others. I'm just glad that I have made an impact and he let's me know it. That is huge inspiration.

The clock never stops ticking... And it always moves at one speed, fast. If your not careful time will blow right past you. There's no such thing as a "New York Minute" obviously, time flies by for all of us, we need to enjoy every minute of it to the best of our abilities, don't miss out on anything. I feel as if I did. Since I realize the friendships that I have with these people now, I wish(yeah i said wish) that I would have started to hang out with them sooner. Opportunity is taken or it is missed, that was a missed opportunity but not missed entirely. Like I said in an earlier post "wishing is wanting something that you most likely will not have" and I can't change the past so I didn't get what I wished for.

As you reach the end of one of your books in your series of life (post #17) it would be wise to carry a camera. It is great to replay memories in your mind but it is better to actually see them, to better keep them alive. Don't waste an opportunity to make the most out of your life, don't waste the opportunity to create a memory. Time is against everyone, it is our mortal enemy. Unless your on the winning end of a game, time ticking means opportunity lost if your not taking full advantage of the moment.

I'm gonna miss Mickey big time while he's gone, but he is not the only one. There is a similar feeling towards some of my other friends who I will not likely be seeing or talking too for a long time. It's just different becuase Mick is one of my good friends, someone I make an effort to hang out with and he's being forced into this position, it just makes it all the worse. But we're gonna make it through no problem, anything for Mickey.

Dear Mickey,

Thanks for being the guy that you are. I haven't had many friends as good as you and have had many less inspirations like the one that you are. I'm gonna miss you while your gone big time, but I'm gonna live it up for you for sure and I'm gonna make sure all of our friends are doing the same thing. I know you wouldn't want us to be sad over you not being around. I'm gonna continue to hold it down, keep blogging and definitely keep you posted through the mail because I know you'll be looking forward to it. Regardless to the short amount of time we had between now and the first time we hung out I know you see me as just as much a friend as I do you. You have no idea how much you input and words are inspiring and appreciated. I'll be writing and expecting your replies, but I understand, so will everyone else so it's okay if it takes some time my dude, nothing but love. I hope you get the opportunity to read this before they take away your life over there lol. If not, you'll get it in the mail for sure. Your last day, as sad as it may have been for all of us, only showed that we really love you for who you are bro, don't let the drill sgt. drill the "Mickey" out of "Richard Mitchell Callis". We all know damn well that's impossible anyways. Keep doin' you bro, I'm gonna keep doin me and I'll be in touch. Don't forget me, or anyone else while your out there...

Your boy,

-->Alex Richey<--

This Imperfect Life

It's a lovely summer night...

I've been waiting on this since like what? Blog 10? Lol it feels damn good outside right about now. It's maybe a little cooler than I'd prefer but still, at the moment I'm really enjoying myself and being outside on a summer night is really the only time I can enjoy myself, by myself.

I feel like as I get older that it becomes easier for me to be okay with me to be alone, not like a loner but like right now. I used to absolutely hate going and doing something with friends then coming home, drove me crazy but now I've got to the point were I'm totally ok with it.

So until yesterday for a week I was without my cellular, it wasn't hell but it definitely was not pleasant. It didn't kill me but I definitely would not want to do it again. During the time I only talked to a few people, the ones that I see or talk to on a daily. I was without text messaging so I was without talking to a large amount of people. This made graduation set in very quickly. The reason I didn't blog about graduation the day of or any day soon after is because it never really hit me, but those several days without my cellphone cut off communication to most of my friends and I was without my classmates the entire time. I then got a sample of what it is soon to be like. It didn't necessarily sadden me because it is expected but it was different. Like, I could live without these people but I wouldn't necessarily want to and it most likely would not be the same life. It's amazing how one thing as simple as a cell phone can change so much of the way your life is.

Now as I sit here and do what I usually do when I'm alone, I think about how perfect and imperfect things are. If you didn't catch that, when I'm alone I reflect on life. The gears are always turning, I'm always thinking. I've had a really tough life, I've dealt with plenty of adversity and hard times, but have managed to pull through. Now I feel like karma is in my favor and the hard life that I had growing up with things falling apart and promises being broken, now it seems like things are only going in a positive direction. Of course things can be great but never perfect... But I'm far from complaining.

I owe so much to my closest of friends, the ones I have had the past few years and some for even just a few months, the ones that have been the true friends. The ones I can relate to, the ones that can help me through the ups and downs that I have been through because they understand where I'm coming from with it. The people that didn't have to be there but were.

Brandon Frazier; always a dude that I have looked to for advice, a man who I have chosen to follow a similar path and with good reason. Someone I can look up to but also not put on a pedestal. Always more than meets the eye, one of the best friends I've ever had. I don't need an essay to show how big a part of my life this guy is.

Jeantrell Byas; the muscle, the quiet one. The one person who can understand anything and most likely relate to it all as well. The one to go to when I or any of our friends really needed to talk to someone about something. Everyones' shoulder.

Robert Myers; Biddy, a little late on responsibility lol but it's all good.. Maybe the most chill person I know but always there to lighten up a situation, always able to make a place way more fun, but surprisingly thats not all he is about. Just like the other two of the tripod that I learned to call fam he is as deep and as intelligent as they come. A little man, a huge presence.

I didn't think I'd make it through my senior year without these three but I did just fine. It was hard at first but they aren't the type of friends that would allow me to throw it all away when they know that I've put in a lot of work, that I've gone through too much to let it all be a waste. The tripod, and as trell put it, I'm the little handle on top that swindles the camera around. These three were the first to ever make me feel like I belonged somewhere.

Also I can't forget...

Kelsey Becker; practially my sister for like six years now ever since we had a personal journal in the 7th grade to write notes back and forth too. That was cute... My prom date, both times. One of the most beautiful people I have ever met and I'm sure, will ever know. It helped having her in school with me for those years, even when high school came and we never shared classes. My "American Sister" lets not go there lol...

Michael Chrisman; Crispy. Probably the first person that ever got me to try new things. Got me to like soccer and got me into church, wow. The friend I needed when all the real friends I had were away. The biggest smart ass in the world, without a doubt but you get used to it. Christian, Chrispan, Crimson, and even Cheeseman, however you get his last name messed up, that's still my dude.

Chris Smith; brother bear. He has his nickname for a reason. He's just the type of friend to come to the rescue when someone needs it. Been friends since the diaper days and still good friends today. Hopefully the separation of college don't change that. I could never forget the nights when it was us and the tripod, talkin bout how McDonalds stole his ideas, or having the time of our lives during movie night.

Mickey Callis; the hero. Only a man that I have known for a very short time but time well worth it. Now as he goes away to basic training in less than a week I can only wish for more time for him to be around but we all know that wishing gets you nowhere as I know is truthful here. Just an all around great guy who I'm gonna miss for the time he is gone, especially while he can't talk to anyone. A man making a sacrifice by joining the army, a hero in the making.

John Gray; the animal eater. Maybe the best dancing that I've ever seen on a white guy in my life. The life of the party, maybe the funniest man alive too. First time I met him had a "J" shaved in his chest, wow. Qualifies for class clown but doesn't take away from the person that he is. Just one of those people that I own plenty of good times too, especially when I needed them the most.

As I sit out here and watch the wind blow through the flowers in my back yard I think about my future. The flowers have bloomed just as my life soon will. I'm about to go away to school, I'm about to do something with my life.

The life I have lived, as hard as it may have been, after I look at what it has come to at this point, I realize that it has been a damn good life. Through ups and downs I cant think of anything that is a legitimate complaint at this point. I somewhat want to have a girl in my life to share my current happiness with, because I'd really like some affection in my life but it's okay.

I think that right now is the best I have felt in a long time. I'm not broke, my friends are all here, i have a new car that I love, I don't have any problems that I can think of like drama or anything, life is just pretty good right now. Never perfect, but damn good. I just graduated with an honors diploma that I wasn't sure I was gonna get and I got a scholarship worth 104k, damn right I feel like I'm the man.

I feel like I'm a prime example of someone who has made it. I'm not done yet but I'm not turning back. I'll be the first Richey to go to college. If I can do it, I'm sure as hell not the only one.

Life will always be imperfect, remember that. But it's possible to have that perfect imperfection. In my mind I am living my life to the best of my abilities and it is the perfect state of mind for this life. If things continue to get better, maybe one day I'll be writing "This Perfect Life" but that day hasn't come yet.

Something in life will always be amiss and you gotta learn to accept that now so it doesn't keep your from being as happy as you can be. You can probably pick out plenty of things now that you would like to have different but honestly that doesn't matter if your happy. I'll think about this blog tomorrow and even if I feel like I did a good job, I'll notice something I left out, that's the way it is.

Just live your life as perfectly imperfect as you can, life is way too short to try to reach perfection. You'll die trying to get there. So if your happy, just hit the cruise control, there is no point in accelerating to the end of the road, it may be a dead end. Don't rush into the end of a good time, there is always days we wished last forever, but one life is much longer than one day.

A good life, will last a lifetime...

-->Alex Richey<--

(perfected)

The Greatness of Self

So I had a couple inspirations for today's lesson... This is about being great in your own way.

So I've been listening to a lot of Big Sean lately and he has a song on the mixtape UKNOWBIGSEAN titled "Say You Will" which is basically about getting his record deal, and getting his music out there. He doesn't want to be another rapper left on the shelf who was told by their label that they would make him big. In the song there is a line where he says "I don't mean to sound selfish, but I'm not an artist that's selfless..." This stuck out to me because this is some real shit. Music is this man's career and when almost nobody knows about him, it doesn't seem like his career is the best it can be.

We all want a promotion, a raise. We all start at the bottom of the totem pole and try to work our way up. It's ambition, it's natural. It's the invisible hand theory that everyone working together to be the best that they can be, will in turn improve everyone else. So why would we settle? Why be selfless?

Another inspiration for today's lesson is that ironically, when i walked into church today they were talkin' about stuff just like this. Maybe it was like somekind of sign, I then felt the need to talk about it.

Let's face some facts, most people in this world are selfish and ambitious, but there's nothing wrong with that. Think of all the great things we have in this world, your car, your t.v., the computer that you are reading this on at this very moment.. All created for pure ambition. Sure, the people resonsible for making them are doing us all great favors, but who benefits the most? They do! How many people drive that type of car, watch that type of t.v. or use that same computer? Thousands? Millions? And how many millions of dollars do you think they have because of that? This is the invisible hand theory, the company that created your most prized possessions benefitted just as much or more than you did on your purchase, or your parent's purchase of that product. Of course, you are happy and so are they, pushing each to do more.

Here's the relation to greatness. Think about your favorite athlete or necessarily the best.. Lets take LeBron James for example. Most of us think of him as the best basketball player in the world right now, some even consider him to be the best ever. Why do you think he's like that? Why do you think that when LBJ walks into a room, he is the man? Amition. Ambition is not necessarily just selfishness but it is very close. LeBron is the best because he wanted to be the best, and he had a little help in the gene pool of course. He could still be 6' 9" and sittin' at a desk, but he decided years ago that he wanted to be like Mike, maybe better. Here in a few years it won't be like Mike anymore, it will be "I wanna be like LeBron." Me calling him selfish and ambitious doesn't necessarily have to do with what he does on the court, the man has like 20 triple doubles (can i have one?!?!) but the reason he is "King James" is because he made the choice to persue that.

And Michael Jordan was the same way. Been retired nearly 10 years and he is still collecting greenbacks. As great as LeBron and Kobe are they shouldn't have to be compared to him. People are as great as they can be. Comparisons to the latter should all be set aside because who are we to judge the best someone can be? When someone is performing to their greatest ability then they are doing great at it, regardless it is the very best or not. But still, they are most likely doing it for themselves. Sometimes you hear about people putting their lives on the line, but it's very rare.

Sometimes this "living small" acquires great recognition. When you step down and help someone else rise up to be the best they can, sometimes credit is given where it is due, but that should not be the intention for the one receiving. Most cases of greatness that we see are cases of pure ambition or selfishness. Not necessarily saying it's a bad thing, just saying it's the way it is. It would be nice to see an anomaly every once in a while though.

Do you recall who is considered to be the greatest human being to ever live? The one man that people in this world strive to be like more than anyone else? The one person that can NEVER be duplicated, not even close? Still guessing???????? Does Jesus Christ ring a bell? Now don't go thinkin' "this guy done went all religious on us..." because that's not the case, I'm just stating a fact. This blog has nothing to do with my relgious views. I'm just saying.... There was never such a perfect person, and never will be. One man who lived without sin, we all sin everyday. Once again, there is nothing wrong with that! I'm just sayin'... This is reason for the LeBron/Kobe/Mike comparison... To each his own, because there is no real duplication, regardless as to how close one may come. But do we know why Jesus is considered to be the most perfect person ever? Do you realize that everything done was out of pure selflessness? Do you ever read the bible or listen to a lecture at church where it was talking about Jesus ever being selfish or ambitious? (Don't worry, I can received emails at anytime of the day)...

I'm not trying to make saints out of regular men and women, not trying to tell anyone to try to be like Jesus, just showing proof that it is possible to be great by being selfless.

There is nothing wrong with some selfishness, I will be the first to tell anyone that you have to love YOURSELF before you love another and have to make yourself happy before you do that for another.

We are not perfect, we are only human beings. Each and everyone of us selfish and selfless in our own way, but each and everyone of us capable of being great in our own way...

Shoutout to Mickey Callis because I'm pretty sure that regardless of whatever award is in store for you that army=selfless. 10 days left my dude, make them count. I'm definitely gonna miss you and my biggest regret of my senior year is not getting to know you sooner.

We each have one life to live, one life to do something great with it. LIFE IS SHORT. Don't miss out on your opportunity to be great in whatever way you may be doing it because regardless of being selfish or selfless, your not the only one affected.

-->Alex Richey<--

(Soon to be perfected)

Singing With Passion

Alright so it's late, I should probably go to sleep because I graduate in about 13 hours and I know I just wrote one like two days ago but I could not resist.

I just got home about an hour ago from the kenny chesney concert and from Ihop. Long ass day but pretty much awesome. But here I go rambling, to the point.

So there was several performers at the concert, the main focus being kenny chesney who had a kick ass performance. As good as it was, it was not the one that i thought was the best though. I'd never really been much of a fan of sugarland, the music isn't bad but I'm usually into that fun country and most of her music was always too serious. I realized how serious today. I'd never seen something done with so much passion as when she sang the song "stay". It was just amazing.

The girl sang her heart out, looked almost like she was close to crying, it gave me goosebumps. I just feel like that one song, maybe just the chorus to it made my day better on some real shit, just incredible. I just wonder how much better the world would be if everyone did things with as much passion and love as she put into this song. It makes me want to put passion and love into everything i do.

Kenny Chesney did a hell of a job too. He didn't have a song that stood out to me on a passionate level like she did but he did have a kick ass performance. I was really impressed when he continued his performance even through the rain, i dont think lil' wayne would do something like that. It just shows that he cares about what he is doing and wants to do the best job possible.

i feel like success changes people sometimes, I know it does. Not every performance was great tonight but some were and you can tell that the money did change these people. They are still doing it because they love it, not because it pays the bills as well. I dusted off Kanye's "graduation" this weekend. Not because I'm graduating today even though it may have helped but because it is such an amazingly passionate album. Everytime I play it, it just makes everything better and i feel like I need to be happy with all this uncertainty ahead of me.

You cant really see this in acting, the passion. Sometimes i guess so, but these people get paid to be fake so its just not the same. Music and writing is where the real passion is at. Sometimes sports as well but you can just see where some athletes get lazy because they get paid to play and get paid a shitton. I will admit though, some are deserving of it.

But here I am again just rambling about my opinions on who is passionate and who is not...

The lesson I have taken from tonight and hope to pass on to other people is that in everything you do, do it with passion. You may just rub off on another and they may just be somewhat more passionate in everything you do. Regardless if you are the best or most popular at what your are doing, you will be noticed for putting your heart into it. As unnoticed as you may feel, you are gonna have an impact on someone. Passion, like many other adverbs is contagious. If you put passion in to whatever you do, you have done your best, you can not be disappointed in yourself because your best is not as good as someone else's. You are not at fault for being the lesser, they are at fault for being the better. Someone is always better at something. That's the way it is and will always be and there is nothing wrong with that. Don't overlook that your better, can also make someone else better as well.

just remember: "your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your character, and your character defines who you are.."

think with passion, and become a passionate person

I hope this puts the passion into everything that ya'll do.

-->Alex Richey<--

(soon to be perfected)

Epilogue of High School

So it's a little after midnight, I still consider it thursday but technically it's friday. Here in just about seven hours or so I'll be waking up to walk into Clarksville High School for my very last day in there as a student, considering the next time I will be in there I will be graduating.

Yesterday(wednesday) I took my very last high school final exam ever and today(thursday), I sat in a high school classroom for the last time in my life as a student. It's funny how things are now that I look at them in a past perspective. Even though I had planned on writing this blog for a few days now the feeling of the reality of all this happening had not really hit me until about two hours ago.

I really didn't know what was going through my mind but it just seemed to be an undeniable nervousness. I know exactly what to expect of what I'm about to go through this weekend but earlier tonight I spent about 30 minutes feeling scared. However, in my mind I was not, just my body was reacting in that way. I couldn't stop shaking, I don't know why. It was an involuntary action, like a shiver but I wasn't cold, no goosebumps. Maybe it was bringing all that stuff home from school today, the locker that had been mine for the entirety of my senior year, now empty with only the words "Alex Jordan Richey Class of 2009" written in it. So unreal...

I've stopped the nervous shakings but I still feel the urge of convulsions... some what like a cold chill but not so much. I'll be fine in the morning, it's just weird to think about it; "It's all over". When it comes tournament time in sports you hear things like "time to leave it all on the field/court" well now it's time to leave it all in the school. Everything we have done up to this point is no longer relevant up until the point we graduate. It's time to grow up and no longer worry about the drama we went through, the sports we played, the trouble we got in, the grades we made.. Unless of course these are things that you HAVE to take with you, like perhaps your playin a college sport or your still with your high school sweetheart. Goodluck with that one coming out of my school though.

I've been doing a lot of thinking (uh oh), about how I'm going to take this, how others will do the same, what to write in this blog and what to call it. Also, a way to relate this situation that we are going through to something simple and easy to explain. This took a lot of thinking but I'm good at that so I'm pretty satisfied with what I came up with.

High school is not a chapter of your life, don't make the mistake of thinking so. How many good books are actually just good books? Umm zero except for a very select few, they are all good series. Think about Harry Potter, the Series of Unfortunate Events, the Ender's Game books, all great series' and I'm sure there is more I'm leaving out. Here's how I'm relating it to life... High school is a book in the series of life, not a chapter in the book of it. Life is way too long of a story for high school to be a chapter, or even four chapters, it's a story in itself. This is why I named this "epilogue". An epilogue is a concluding part added to a literary work, usually a novel(dictionary.com). High school is about over, we will soon be closing the book so and these are the final pages of it.

For me it's been a pretty good book. Full of ups and downs just as anyones' would be but what's not to expect? At the end of the day, the protagonist comes out on top, just as I am about to do. Tomorrow I'll be recieving a scholarship that is worth about an estimated $26,000 a year for four years. Hell yes I mean that. That's just one, I'm getting more money as well. Also, I found out wednesday that I'll be recieving an academic honors diploma which I wasn't completely confident that I would do but I did it.

Anyone writing a review on it I'm sure would be satisfied with what they read and would have plenty to write about in the review. I'm not feeling an autobiography of high school though so that probably won't happen lol...

It's just crazy to think about how I look back and I remember the last day of highschool my freshman year pretty well. I don't remember my finals or really the order of my classes but I could tell you exactly what I wore, I could tell you exactly what I did after school. Me and Mike hung out about an hour afterwards waiting on a ride because it was about 94 degrees outside and we wasn't down to walk to his crib. We hung out it the cafeteria on the steps for a while and hung out in Ms. Badger's room who I didn't even personally know at the time but has come to be one of the most influencial people I have ever met. Man, I really miss those days, miss being best friends with mike but still today despite all the time we don't spend together, when we talk we still act like brothers. Today on my last day of school me and him skipped third period together and went and sat on the steps of the cafeteria, just like we did our freshman year on the last day and just talked and reminisced about it all... We were both kind of just caught off gaurd at how fast it has all came and went...

Congradulations Class of 2009, all of us.

I just have one question,

How good was your book?

-->Alex Richey<--

The Countdown.

So as of just a few days ago I am officially a University of Evansville student. Putting in that deposit and filling out that form was just like a huge relief, a just lift off my chest because it has been stessful getting to this point, becoming official. Feels very liberating.

But at the same time it's just an empty feeling.

I'm sure I can relate it to what my 18th birthday is gonna feel like here in a couple of weeks since there will be no real advantages to me turning 18, except the club I guess (wowee)... What I'm sayin is I don't feel any different, I haven't actually moved in yet and I still have like 3.5 months so I'm sure it will hit me right around then.

You figure I would just be overjoyed but I'm far from that. I find trouble being happy nowadays with this feeling of dramatic change creeping up on me. I can't even remember the last time I was really happy, I don't really remember a time being extremely sad either it's just been all empty, emotionless. It's just reality having trouble setting in, and I'm not living in a dream world because this is not the way I want to necessarily be feeling.

When I first decided I wanted to attend UE all I could think about is the positives. The getting out on my own, the make my own rules, be my own person, take on some responsibility, COLLEGE lol, all that good stuff... Now that reality is starting to set in, not entirely but some is surely, I'm starting to realize negatives at the same time. There is not enough negative to make me change my mind but it has given me many nights of little sleep because of the constant consideration of what I will be missing. And then the actual realization....

I'm scared.

Is that so wrong? And it's not the scared of going, but the scare of leaving.. Know what I mean? I'm totally stoked to go to UE but I'm not totally stoked about leaving home anymore, not like I used to be.

Oh mann, I couldn't wait to get out of here, it was all I could think about of talk about. I was getting so sick of this place. I didn't think to stop and realize that I actually love it a lot. It's just some of the people I don't like being around. I see too much failure and I can't stand being surrounded by it anymore and I just wanted to get away.

Then I get to thinkin bout some of the things I'm gonna miss, the things that keep me up at night.

Well, its mainly the people of course. Like, I havent done a lot this year since my crew all went away to college so i just kinda laid low but I still do a little here and there and of course I have some friends. It's mainly the people that I hang out with the least, my graduating class. I really don't hang out with many of these people anymore but when I think about these are the people that I have been going to school with for up to 12 years now and that stops at the end of this year. Some of them, like Ty I have known all my life pretty much and we prolly won't talk a whole lot after graduation because we are going separate ways. It's kinda a harsh realization but it's reality, things like that happen and there's not much of anything to be done bout it, not really any point of trying either. Some of the other people I'm graduating with this year though, like the ones I hang out with if I'm ever with clarksville people. I realize that I've been trying to get closer to these people because I notice that this is our last year together so it's almost like a waste of time. I probably won't talk to many of them after June 1st. Growin up is a killer, and I'm at death's door.

Of course its not just high school it's always much more on my mind.

I think about one of my best friends, haven't even known him for a year but michael chrisman is my dude. Well he's a junior, he's still in high school after this year, whats gonna come of us? I mean I'm sure he'll make it up to Evansville occasionally like I did for brandon cuz thats what homies do. I'm sure I have nothing to worry bout but its just one of the many things I consider.

Then there is family, not so much my mom or dad because that's unconditional but my two closest cousins in particular. I miss Mckenna everyday with her being at western and we usually spend time together when she comes home but what about when I go to college too? What about when we both get out of college and we're adults with jobs? I don't know of many cousins that hang out a lot as adults and the thought kinda scares me.

And not to forget to secoy. We've gotten to be much closer as cousins lately and I don't want that to stop. That's one thing I have always wanted is to be closer to my family and now it's happening, I don't want that to be taken away. Hopefully because we are family, we can stick together. It's probably something I really don't need to worry about but at the same time I do. And through her I have all these great new friends that my friendship with them will be short lived because the majority of us are graduating and going on to do different things.

There's just so much that I realize that I could be missing when I go away, and even when I do come back, I could possibly forget these people, or be the forgotten one. We all want our friendships to last forever but people get weeded out by life. It's involuntary, you don't want it to happen but it does, and there is nothing you can to about that. You start to see what's necessary, what's actually important and you don't even notice that your doing it, your involuntary conscience does it for you. Just weeds them right out...

It starts to hit you, the things that your gonna miss. Your family of course and the relationships that you may have with people, may they be ones of significance or just friendships, I know that I'm missing out on both. You gotta make the right choice though and UE is the one for me. I mean I'm sure I could keep a relationship together over the distance but it takes two to do that. It's okay though, prolly won't be missing too much if they were too scared to try, but ya never know how something will go if ya never give it the chance to happen right?

I guess I should go ahead and get started on my goodbye's, because they actually will be goodbye's. Only a few "see ya soon's"... I'm gonna miss ya'll.

-->Alex Richey<--

Men vs. Women

It seems that my life is consumed by relationships. My own relationships, the counseling that I may provide for others, all the pointless relationships, or relationship drama that I hear everyday. I mean this is something we can all relate to I'm sure. What would life be like without the drama of relationships? It gives us all something to talk about. And one thing that prevents many relationships from working is because so many people assume the typical. Know what I'm talking about?

Try this on for size...

Ladies, think of a guy, not your dream guy, just your typical guy. What do you think of? Is he a player? Is he a cheater? Are all of his words nothing but lies and all he wants to do is get in your pants? What is the word you use for a guy whenever you hear about one of your friends getting cheated on or played? Maybe even yourself? He is just a typical guy right? Right.

And guys, same thing, think of the typical girl. This is probably a bit more difficult, because of another problem with us, and I use "us" loosely because I'm not like the rest of the pack. The typical girl, lets see, guys are most likely to say that she is possessive, very controlling, always thinks that she doesn't make you happy enough? And she always seems to think that there is another girl? Does she jump to conclusions? Does she think that the only thing on your mind 99.9% of the time is sex? With her or even some other girl? I'm not even talking about girlfriends necessarily here but you can factor that in as well.

Here's the stone cold truth about both sexes, the typical is not the ideal. That's obvious to all of us I'm sure, and some that may seem typical to one may or may not seem that way to another. That's just the way it is, some people bring out different sides of others. That's the one you want to find, the one you are willing to change for. Not so much change who you are but to improve yourself, because you feel improved just being with that person. Ya know, that one who makes you feel beautiful or handsome, even if you look like crap. We all look that way some days…

Being a guy of course I have to give my discussion on females first.

There is a lot about the typical girl that guys have problems with. It's difficult to pick somewhere to begin. Well, females, I'll start with ya'll thinking way too much about too much stuff. When you get to thinking, and with nothing to interrupt your thinking, you get to thinking about all the wrong things, and start assuming all the wrong things as well. Assumptions get relationships, those between significant others and those between just about anybody else, nowhere. I'm sure everyone has experienced a situation like that. Like why do ya'll always think your man is cheating on you? He might be a good guy, you just think he is typical because that is what you’re used to dealing with and once you get an upgrade you don't know what to do with it right? Don’t let your all powerful “woman’s intuition” get in the way of something that could be great. Why do so many of you typical girls think that ya'll are in full control of your man? You think just because you date a typical dude that he is only going to bow down because of what is between your legs. He may actually want to make you happy on an emotional level, but no, you’re too typical to notice that. Once again, that woman’s intuition gets in the way.

What is up with so many of these typical girls jumping to ridiculous conclusions? Why do ya'll think that just because the guy is hanging out in the presence of other females that he is just going to be typical and do whatever he can to get some? Most females would be amazed to find out that sex is not the only thing on the top of every guys mind. But no, you women are just too typical and naive to find that possible. Yes, these other typical females are going to want your man for the simple fact that most typical women are cold-blooded and want to turn them into typical men and make them cheaters. What is it with females? I’m sure that Satan was one.

And tell me something... Why do all you females love you some guys that are going to treat you like you are nothing to him? Why would you want a man that does not treat you right, whatsoever? I hear about girls saying that all dudes are the same but all the dudes they date are nobodies. The girls want to blame it on every other guy because they chose to date one who isn’t worth anyone’s time.

That's another thing that has just never made sense to me. As I quote the hilarious Chris Rock from his stand up show "Never Scared". "You would think that women would rule the world, but they don't, they don't! You know why? 'Cause women hate women. Women hate women! You do!"

That right there is some real talk. Because most of the time, women really do have power over their man, if they just learned to work together, we might have a world ran by women. But no, you girls just can't get along for anything! It's always something with girls and it really is the most typical characteristic about them. There isn't one girl who doesn't have some kind of dirt on everyone of their so called "friends" and just can't wait to spread the gossip to someone else. I'm pretty sure that all females do it, no matter how "drama-free" they claim to be, those are the ones that are usually saying things about other ones. I’ve never seen so many people be “besties” one day then worst enemies the next, it's like one of those couples that keep breaking up and get back together and everyone is just tired of that rerun. And somehow, each of those girls when giving their story as to why they are mad at their best friend, make it sound like the other girl was the stupid one with stupid drama. Ha, females kill me!


Okay, okay... I think I'm done. Well actually I could go on about that stuff for a long time but I'm not going to do that. I might just be giving females another reason to hate males, and I wouldn’t want to do that.

I'm sorry ladies but someone had to do it. Might as well of been me. But I can't go and say all these things about females, well typical females and not say anything about typical males. I despise them just as much as the typical females. And let me just say that I can't stand the effect that typical guys have on girls, it gives guys like me, and others a bad name just because I have a penis. Some guys really do think with the bigger head, honestly. I can't count the amount of times I have heard a girl say that "all guys are the same" and I'm like "naw, you never dated a guy like me." It's not a pick up line it's just a line of honesty, it’s just the way it is.

We guys say that the typical girl thinks way too much (as stated above). I will back up this conviction 100% but the reason we think this is because the typical guy doesn't think nearly enough. This may very well be the reason that I am stating so many things wrong with females. It is not necessarily the females’ fault, it is very possible that typical guys are to blame. This is most likely the reason that females think that all guys are typical. The reason that a lot of girls get cheated on or played. I don't speak on behalf of all guys here because I don't have this problem, but I am a guy so I do know how it works. Guys don't consider the consequences their actions may lead to, sometimes they just don't care. I'm too nice of a guy, I don't think I could cheat on a girl and lie to her face about it; I guess I just care too much. Sorry for being different. I mean, not being typical.

I don't see why the typical guys have to have multiple options on females as well. I mean, it makes sense at first because I can understand trying to figure who you want, but some of ya'll just keep them around too long. That's what gets guys called players. The typical guys get all of the other guys deemed to be players and pigs and whatever words that females may create to describe the males they hate so much.


In all honesty, coming from a man, I very strongly believe that all of the problems with typical females are the consequence of actions by the typical males. If there were no examples of the men who females believe that all men are like, then those females would not be the way they are. We men are the ones to blame. Not necessarily we, but those men are to blame. It is true, they do exist, but so do the really good ones who will climb to the top of the tree to pick the good apple, because girls are like apples, the best ones are up top, and the hardest to get to.

The typical guys hurt the chances for the good ones. If we did not have typical guys then we may not have the typical girls. The only question that can be asked of the males is “why?” and a question cannot be asked of the females, only a statement of “don’t think all men are alike”, because they’re not, and not are girls are typical. There are millions of “typical” guys and girls, and not one “perfect” guy or girl. True, no one is perfect, but it is possible to find the perfect one for you.