Blurb #1: Living Life To The Fullest

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Hello, World!  That’s a bit of a generic way to return to my online writing after over a month of taking off, but I am happy to tell you that I will be returning to publishing regular content for you to feast your eyes on and enjoy.  In fact, starting today, my blog will feature a new section, creatively entitled “Brandon’s Blurb,” where I will feature weekly publications including the latest events, opinion pieces, reviews, and new music and media to discover.

Thought of the Week: Living Life to the Fullest
I currently sit typing 2,000 feet in the air on a jet airliner, making my way back to good ole’ Pennsyltucky.  I’ve had an amazing week in Orlando, Florida, where I visited Disney and Sea World.  However, the most exciting part of my trip was not in urban Orlando but the small town of Crystal River, where I was given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to swim with manatees.  To read more about my experience and how you yourself can have this experience, visit this article.

Because of my trip to Florida and the many major events that I have experienced over the past few months, I only find it appropriate to make the focus of this article something I try to do every day: live my life to the fullest.  All of my life, I have been waiting to graduate, waiting to escape the land where the latest movie theater can be found an hour away.

However, something has hit me over the last few months: my life is going to drastically change in five weeks, and I am going to lose all that I have taken for granted.  All of those little things that I have not taken the time to admire, campfires on a summer night, road trips, midnight bowling with my best friends, will all soon be a thing of the past.

Don’t get me wrong, I am excited to begin the next chapter of my life and cannot wait more than anything to move to Pittsburgh.  I’ve just come to realize that all too often, I have wished away time.  Now that my childhood is coming to an end, I wake up every morning and think of how I can make the most of my day.  I choose to focus on the good things in life and blur out that which I do not enjoy to think about.

This simple mindset can help you bring out the best things in life and make you appreciate all that you have.  You’ll soon come to realize that your greatest memories do not have to be those in life that are most extravagant; it is the small things in life that tend to mean the most to us.

Book of the Week:

One of the things that has helped me realize this is a small book I received in the mail from Carnegie Mellon, ironically a week after I purchased the digital version: “The Last Lecture.”  I am nearly finished with this reading and would highly recommend it to everyone.  It is a book written by Professor Randy Pausch during his final days with pancreatic cancer.  Despite the fact that he knew he was dying, he continued to hold a smile on his face and urge people to not feel sorry for him.  In it, he gives people amazing advice on living their live to the fullest with the qualities needed to achieve their childhood dreams.

Video of the Week:

This week’s recommended video is Randy Pausch’s last lecture, entitled, “Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.”  Despite the fact that it is a lengthy hour and fifteen minutes, I would recommend watching every minute of it, as it will really make you think.  Just the body language used by Professor Pausch is amazing from his position!

Songs of the Week:
Here are some of the songs I have most listened to this week that I would highly recommend adding to your playlists.  My goal with the songs of the week is to include great songs that I have discovered, which you have most likely not heard on the radio.

Harlem by New Politics

Out of My League by Fitz and The Tantrums

The Sound of Sunshine by Michael Franti & Spearhead

San Fransisco by The Mogli’s

Summer Paradise by Simple Plan

Quote of the Week:

“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.”- Randy Pausch

Closing Thoughts:
I hope you enjoyed this first edition of Brandon’s Blurb and continue to read future editions!  In addition, I hope that you too are living your life to the fullest, especially if you are a recent high school graduate in the same transition as myself.  If you happen to be a student going into CMU, I am looking forward to meeting you this fall and encourage you to comment below, send me a Facebook friend request, and like my page! 

Please submit your feedback below.  This can include anything you would like to share from your favorite music to your opinion on this issue to a topic you would like to see covered in a future issue.