Happy New Year!

Another year has come and gone. For many the year has been filled with a vast amount of events that have touched every aspect of our emotions. Some have brought insight into our lives for the better; others have pushed us out of our comfort zones to new heights that some may have never thought possible. While other events would be better off forgotten about all together. No matter what the mixture, I hope that through everything one may have faced or gone through this past year that lessons were learned and growth was achieved.

I am expecting and believing 2013 will be a great year with many spectacular events and surprises (good surprises). With the planning of the Fullerton College Centennial and kick off this April, new and improved buildings coming to completion this Spring and ready for use in Fall 2013; along with a variety of other events planned for this year, it is sure to be a year to remember at Fullerton College. As students the hope, at least for me, is that the excitement and energy that will be happening at Fullerton College will overflow into my personal life.

 One can either embrace the events that are in front of them or choose to ignore them. Be adventurous and become involved and embrace the Fullerton College centennial and everything that will be happening this year. Make new friends, socialize on campus and make life fun! Life is what we make it, dull & boring, miserable, or an amazing adventure! “Sometimes we become so focused on the finish line, that we fail to find joy in the journey.” – Author Unknown. The choice is ours!

Have a great New Year and we will see you when the Spring semester starts on February 4, 2013.

Until next time!

Joey McIntosh

 “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt

Will You be Here for 2013???

With all the speculation and hype of the world ending in 2013, is it really true? I wonder how it will happen, an asteroid, alignment of the planets, or a massive super volcano explosion. So many choices, the possibilities seem endless. Whatever it is as long as I don’t suffer I’ll be happy.

But wait, here is something no one has asked, that I know of, or seen an answer to about the end of the world. Will the world be destroyed all at once or in sections? If it is supposed to happen all at once, which time zone will it happen in? Pacific Standard time zone, Eastern, Central, or one of the many other time zones we have out there. Also, did the Myan calendar calculate for leap year? If they didn’t is the timing off or can it still be considered accurate?

What makes the end of an ancient calendar so special and hold so much control over what people believe will happen? We don’t think twice when our regular calendar ends; it just cycles over and over again with a different year. Throughout time each civilization has had their own form of a calendar, even now we use two forms of a yearly calendar; a traditional January through December and then our fiscal calendar of July through June.

This entire hype reminds me of the Y2K scare back in 1999, for those of you old enough to remember, when everyone thought the computer systems were going to collapse when the new millennium happened. In my opinion the same is true for this prophecy; there are too many unanswered questions and variables on how the earth will end. I say live life for the moment and enjoy everyday as best one can.

Happy Holidays to everyone and I will see you next year!

Joey McIntosh

 "Every day should be passed as if it were to be our last." — Publilius Syrus

Is blood thicker than water?

What is this referring too and is it accurate? Many may be thinking, duh blood is thicker, just like syrup is thicker than orange juice (only thing coming to mind…don’t judge). But for this I am looking at it from the perspective of relationships and bonds we form with others. When it comes to this analogy of bonding, some believe it applies that the bond with family is stronger than those outside, such as friends. Others feel it refers to the bond one has with both family and friends; then there are those who consider this statement relates to anyone they are close too, and does not need to include family.

In my personal opinion I feel the latter. To me, those who are there for me no matter what, accept me for me and there for me through all my ups and downs determine who I consider to be in my blood group. Personally most of the people in my blood group are a select core group of friend(s), my sister, and maybe a second family member. The remaining majority of my family is water and I can do without them in my life. As cold as this may sound, we all have certain people we feel this way about, mine just happens to include some family. Now I like to take this a step further and have a group of friends/acquaintances that I am close to, not blood theory type, but also not in my water group. I’ll call them my blood thinner group, they are the ones I socialize with see every now and again while enjoying their company, but do not share any intimate or personal life information with them like I do my blood group.

Our relationships are like circles and those closest to us usually try to protect us, so just as you would pour a circle of blood then water outside, the blood would prevent most if not all of the water from penetrating. That is why it is so important who we choose to trust and allow into our inner circle [blood group].

Until next time!

Joey McIntosh

"One loyal friend is worth ten thousand relatives" — Euripides

Your my Best Friend by Queen: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN_HVup9oOg

It’s almost over!

It has been a fun and interesting semester, one that has gone by very fast with our 16 week calendar. Some may be done with your finals, others finishing the last round today and I wish you the best of luck. If you have a final after today, that’s not very fun but don’t worry I’ll be right there with you. I have a final tonight at 7pm, tomorrow at 7pm, and an online assignment due Saturday; yes I have been procrastinating on this one.

Although after we are all done with our finals, hopefully most can rest or enjoy a nice vacation with the eight weeks we have off to get ready for the Spring 2013 semester. Spring semester always goes by super-fast, at least for me. With all the events that will be taking place it will definitely be fast paced, yet full of fun and excitement! Our Fullerton College Centennial pre-celebration will begin with an Art Exhibit opening at the Fullerton Museum, Men and Women of Distinction, Commencement, and of course Teacher of the Year.

Speaking of Teacher of the Year, be sure to keep an eye out for the forms to nominate a professor you had this semester so they can hopefully be recognized as an outstanding leader. This award is not only something that Fullerton College and our District recognize, but their name is sent to the State Department of Education! And unfortunately many might be hoping for an award for worst instructor of the year (I know I’ve had a few), but they won’t let us do that. L

Anyway, I wish everyone the best of luck on any remaining finals you have and a wonderful Holiday!

Until next time!

Joey McIntosh

"It's important to learn what works for you so at the end of the vacation you really do feel like you had a break from your work," — Mark Walker