Sunday, September 25, 2011

September is Ending...Yay!

     Well, the weekend is ending, thank goodness.  I can only be so productive on Sunday apparently because I've designated Saturday as "College Football Only" day.  Therefore, my Sundays are productive - even though I have NFL on the TV and am not actively watching it.  I never thought I would turn into a "sports guy" but it just sort-of happened. First step, watching football; next step drinking a beer I suppose (ha ha).  In all honestly, I've always preferred college sports over professional one.  For me, it is where the real talent is and it is more about playing for fun instead of a paycheck.
     To give an update on the whole graduate school process, I am still waiting on my official scores from the GRE.  The funny thing is, I completely switched my reason for going to graduate school.  Let's just say that I'll be following the English degree I earned instead of the Political Science degree.  I am considering the education field and am very certain that is what I'm suppose to do with my time.  The only thing I wish I had of done differently, but I'll never regret, is that my English concentration should have been literature and not professional writing. (Let me clarify, professional writing is AWESOME, but Literature is so... interpretative.) I have switched up graduate schools to account for my new developments with graduate school.  Some schools include the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Appalachian State University, Western Carolina University (GO CATS!!!), San Diego State University, and a couple of schools on the west coast and in the southeastern part of the U.S.
     I don't feel like I'm wasting my degree in Political Science.  On the contrary, I use it every day in one way or another.  I still help out friends and former co-workers with issues that may not be their realm of expertise (and just happens to be mine ha ha), fact-check certain statements made by members of Congress, "discuss" the debates as they happen on TV - and afterwards...sometimes into the long hours of the night via Facebook and Twitter, I monitor the dealings of the UN since I still hold a passion for it, and I provide campaign advice or assistance across the U.S.  For me, I have come to realize that politics for me is more of a wonderful hobby and there is more I could be doing to impact the world.  Who knows, maybe one day I'll be able to serve in some position of the political realm whether it is the Secretary of Education, Ambassador to a country, or even a member of Congress (or their chief of state).
     In the meantime, I will continue writing my application essays and get them sent off and, hopefully, I'll be accepted into a program that focuses on the same things I do: a great education, a cornerstone of learning as much as possible, and the ability to impact the future generations in a positive manner.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

The end of Summer...or something like that

     Well, it has been a while since I've posted anything (sorry about that).  Nothing new is really going on so I felt no need to update the blogs.  I have made it a goal to write at least one blog post per week - we'll see how long this lasts.  Anyway, there are only a few things I want to just discuss and then I'll get back to wasting time via the regular social network sites.  For those that don't know, I am a very political person.  I can't understand why the candidates for the GOP who are trying to seek the nomination to be the next President are so...shallow? I mean, they are lacking in what the country needs.
     I think my favorite GOPer is Michele Bachmann.  I mean, she sticks to her rhetoric and doesn't answer the questions!  If you are going to be in a debate, you can't ignore the question being asked of you because you don't like it - or don't have an opinion on it.  There is the businessman, Herman Cainn.  I love it when he reminds people that he is, "the only one on the stage that is not a politician"...well, we know that already! The only reason why we know that us because you don't have a clear understanding on any of the issues being asked of you!  As for the whole Romney/Perry cat-fights, it really won't matter in the long run because I don't think either of them will be the nominee.  They both have their own flaws: Romney and his whole "Romneycare/Obamacare" is not going to be sold to republican voters (or it may...we did have Bush for two terms and we all know how that ended) and we have Perry that thinks Social Security is a ponze scheme, had talked about seceding from the union, forces vaccinations on young girls without parents involvement, implement a "Dream Act" in Texas (which I think is wonderful but you have to think about the Republican constituents voting), and the list goes on and on.  If I could just make one more point....how many Presidents have come from Texas and how many have been "great presidents" to our country?  Yeah, I thought so! (by the way, the answer was two presidents come from the lone star state, hence them being true Texans - two others became president from Texas but were born in New England, and I would argue only one of them has been a "great president".)
     I think the GOP should nominate Jon Huntsman, Republican governor (former) from Utah.  I mean, while he is still timid and not to confrontational with his opponents, I do think he would be the best choice for Republicans.  His background as an ambassador to China shows his foreign policy credentials, the governorship adds to his ability to lead, and run, a state while promoting jobs, upholding education, etc.  As much as I would love to see Huntsman become the nominee, I see him bowing out by the end of February. Okay, enough on GOP politics.
     Whenever I haven't been focusing on the political realm that has consumed my life, I re-took the GRE and did much better.  I have three graduate schools I'm going to be applying to whenever I get my official GRE scores.  I plan to go to Graduate School to obtain a Master's in Public Administration (Don't roll your eyes; of course I would get my master's in something political). The sooner my scores come back, the sooner I apply, and the sooner I can get back into the classroom! The graduate schools I'm considering are: 1)My alma mater - Western Carolina University; 2) My alma mater's rival - Appalachian State University; and 3) University of North Carolina at Wilmington.  I was considering Clemson University but I thought about it long enough and felt like it wouldn't be a good fit for me.  Oh well!
     As summer comes to a close, I hope the fall will expedite my arrival of GRE scores, I'll be able to take re-control of SPSS (don't ask....it's statistics software), and I'll be able to apply to graduate school - and get accepted - in time to start classes next semester.  In the meantime, I will be drinking lemonade, playing my Xbox 360, and reviewing policies and proposals by various GOP candidates trying to beat Obama next year!


Oh yeah, I'm on twitter too! twitter handle ~ timoteohines