Coronation

I got into a philosophical music arguement with a few coworkers today on Michael Jackson's legacy. Its obvious he was a creep, but I think thats what happens to all musical legends (see Phil Spector and his recent escapades). Regardless, yesterday the world witnessed the passing of a legend and probably one of the most influential musical figures we will witness in our lifetime.

To keep this short, I think a lot of people base MJ's career off of a handful of songs (Beat It, Thriller, Billie Jean, Bad, Black And White, etc). I will admit, everything he made after Thriller was complete garbage. If you just look at Off The Wall and Thriller (a perfect album), that should be enough credentials to make you a musical legend in itself. Almost every song off of these two albums are amazing, and you all should listen to them.

The Last 4 Years, In 1000 Words Or Less (or Highways To Nowhere, Pt. II)

If its cool with you, lets cut the cutesy introduction and get right into the meat-and-potatoes of this entry.

The last four years of my life have been, hands down, the best four years of my life. Alot of people come into college thinking that they are paying tuition to learn about mathematics, sentence syntax, physics, and the philosophies of men who have been dead for thousands of years. I think people miss out on the opportunities to grow and reinvent themselves. The man I am today is 10x wiser, stronger, clever, and sexier than the boy coming into college not knowing how to do his own laundry.

I had a lot of regrets in high school. Coming into college, I had the mindset that I wanted to make the most out of my time in Santa Cruz. 

I did.

And I can say that I am graduating with no regrets this time around.

I don't mean to brag, but I'm graduating with a damn high cumulative GPA and, unlike a lot of graduates this year (unfortunately), have a great job that I am starting at in 6 days. I resurrected an organization that was on the verge of extinction and have put it on track to becoming a campus powerhouse in a matter of 1-2 years. I was hired as a CA, which saved my mom the stress of working 2 jobs.  

Over the last 4 years, I've had my share of horrible friends. Sometimes their actions and words weren't really thorns in my side but knives carved in my back. I know some people still question why I left so abruptly, but I guess thats for them to keep pondering if they haven't figured it out yet. The past is the past, and although I am not a religious man, I thank God every day for leading me to real friends and people I can see myself getting old, fat, and happy with. I know that Sigma Lambda Beta was the right choice for me because it led me to meeting my best friend, Brian. If you ever wonder why I work so hard for my Fraternity, its because of this. A true friendship is hard to come by, and I am thankful that our organization helped us meet.

Over the last 4 years, I've also had my share of heartbreaks. This is taboo for guys to talk about, but I am really comfortable with it now. I came to college in a three year relationship that ended very ugly. The women I've dated from freshman year until about a few weeks ago have been for my better and worse. My four years have culminated into meeting the amazing girl I am with right now. I can't think of a better way of ending this chapter of my life then meeting her and transitioning into a newer, exciting chapter. From now until my graduation, if you see me on campus or around town and I have a huge smile on my face or I'm very upbeat, its not because I'm leaving or because I found a job. She's the one responsible for it. I am happy because she makes me happy, and I am upbeat because I am excited about all the time we are going to spend with each other during Summer.

I never really wanted to leave Santa Cruz, but I definitely feel that my time here needs to come to an end. As a kid, I always fantasized about being young, wealthy, and happy while living in a big city. I guess my dreams are coming true, as I am moving to San Jose in a matter of weeks. I always thought this part of my life would be scared...I don't really know how I feel. If anything, I feel colossal; I want to hit the ground running and make a name for myself in San Jose. 

Give it 10 years. Maybe 15 years tops, and San Jose will be renamed San Ricardo. Trust.