Happy Thursday folks...hope you've enjoyed the week and gearing up for the weekend. I have some very exciting news in the life of this post-grad: In addition to my current jobs I have added Comic Clerk to my resume. Last Wednesday I traveled to Million Year Picnic in Harvard Sq at 7am to fulfill my clerk duties. Much like the new releases of records on Tuesdays and theatrical films on Fridays, Wednesday is the faithful day when new books are released. In addition to talking comics, organizing comics, breathing comics and sleeping comics...I'm getting paid. Can't beat it.
I partook in a bit of culture this weekend, enjoying Boston Ballet's rendition of Cinderella. It was an amazing performance at The Wang Theater, and made even better with some killer seats ten rows back from the orchestra. The Boston Ballet preformed the show with a 1920's art-deco influence, modernizing the age-ol' classic. The dancing was phenomenal, and struck a chord as my sister is a ballet major at a school back in the Midwest. With a meal at CPK before... and after the show (don't ask) a better Saturday afternoon could not be asked for.
Before entering Suffolk I took myself on a forty-nine day backpacking trip through Europe. I graduated high school in Chicago on a Saturday, flew to Boston for Suffolk Orientation on Sunday and headed straight for London that Tuesday. By happenstance, I was born in Milan, Italy and having only lived there for a few months before moving to the states, I always had this drive to return. In my senior year of high school, I decided that I would travel to Europe the next summer. After visiting and applying to colleges, getting into Suffolk and others, I put all my energy into planning this trip.
The summer of 2004 turned into an amazing ride through six countries in seven weeks that I began and finished on my own. There has not been a collective of experiences that has taught me as much about myself, people as a whole, and life, as this trip did. Though I was traveling on my own, I met over 150 people throughout thirteen destinations. Some of the most memorable being the Italian jugglers I met in Barcelona. These five kids, ages 15-18 were riding their bikes to Paris for an international juggling festival. I spent ten hours with these cross-world peers of mine. After a long conversation with one of the girls, I realized that even though we had grown up on opposite sides of the world, we very much had similar outlooks and philosophies on life. I made the off handed comment, inspired by the Spanish port we were enjoying..."We're all in the same boat" She understood what I said, but not what I meant. After explaining the indium, she responded, "Ahh...Siamo Nella Stessa Barca" It was my phrase in Italian, and being one of the most beautiful things I had ever heard, I of course had her teach me how to say it. In this impromptu language lesson, she used my left forearm as her slate and I have since commemorated the event with a tattoo of the phrase between my left elbow and wrist.
One regret many assume I have is not studying abroad in college. Anyone who has studied abroad assumes its the regret of others that they haven't. I never once wished I had spent a semester elsewhere in the world, but that is only because of my own travels and the promise I make to myself to explore the world independently. One can never truly appreciate the size of the boat, through the stories of others or the books one reads. It is by actual lived experience that any ounce of understanding comes one's way.
If you're reading this and have yet to enjoy the conversation of another in a place you've never been, let that be my one piece of advice...whether its in college, studying abroad, or throwing yourself into another environment for any amount of time, take time to understand other people by experiencing them. If you have explored yourself through your interactions with others, take the time to remind others to do the same. Until next week - enjoy life -- cheers
Monday, October 20, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
And with the diploma came...
Happy Thursday rabble rousers...hope you all are enjoying the week. With hours dedicated to ice cream, clothes and comics there was little to complain about the past week and a half. I spent my last entry catching you up on my Suffolk past with the anticipation of filling you on what I've been doing since crossing the stage over four months ago...
As I wrapped things up at Suffolk I started two brand new money-making-endeavors. These positions began alongside my last Suffolk role as a Conference Coordinator for the Summer Program office. My first job put me behind the world renown dipcases of Ben and Jerry's. There's something about scoopin ice cream in the summer that just doesn't seem like work. Don't get me wrong, blood, sweat and tears have gone into happiness of many-a customer. Especially when I took perch atop the Ben and Jerry's truck I was manning on the Esplanade come 4th of July, and slipped and fell, crashing down on what was luckily, a closed ice cream cooler. This job has yielded positive results as I've begun shift-managing at both the Newbury St. and Harvard Sq. locations. (find me rockin' and rollin' with a straw fedora, mention this blog and get 10% off...no joke!) As fall has begun to slip in, with cold feet on hardwood floors and nipped ears on cross-bridge bicycle rides become daily routine...good tunes, Chunky Monkey milkshakes and straw hats bring a little summer all winter long.
While I love my summer vibes, it is fall fashion that puts a hop in my step. At the same time I took up the mantel of "scooper", I also began my learnings in the inner-workings of small business. Uniform, a mens clothing store in the South End of Boston welcomed me into their ranks. A small shop that collects pieces from numerous clothing lines from L.A. to Amsterdam, Uniform has shown me what a personalized shopping experience can do for both the customer and the store. I still have a long way to go, but when part of my job was getting to know the regular customers and what they liked, I knew that my past experiences of working the stock room at The Gap were going to be of little use.
Between the two jobs, I'm putting plenty of hours in, supporting my self in an apartment in Cambridge and continuing to learn everything I can...including what's to know from my weekly stash of comics.
I've found that many of the people I've gotten to know in college are expecting these life changing scenarios to present themselves, and for their daily lives to begin to fit into a 9-5 work week. Those of us I can visibly see are the most happy are those who are embracing change, not holding on to the past, put also not dropping whats important to them, in order to make room for "the next step".
I've always wanted to put myself back in the classroom as a teacher or professor. Most recently I've wanted to teach philosophy to upper-level high school students. These are things that I very much want for myself...but not when I'm 23. When I explain this to many "adults" I usually responded to with the understanding that I'm "taking time off"...the best teachers I've had are those who have lived experiences that they bring into the classroom. And I would never want to teach anybody anything if I could not relate to it myself. At age 23, I want to enjoy not working 9-5, living in Cambridge, going to shows on weeknights and saving money for pending travels, see next post! So no...not taking time off, just enjoying life, which if anything, is the most important thing college taught me.
In response to my good buddy, Gonzo, and his comment to the last post, I've retitled this here venue to something a bit more appropriate. It's not quite what he recommended, but I hope he digs...till next time when we tackle foosball dinner tables, past travels and the weeks events -- enjoy life, cheers.
As I wrapped things up at Suffolk I started two brand new money-making-endeavors. These positions began alongside my last Suffolk role as a Conference Coordinator for the Summer Program office. My first job put me behind the world renown dipcases of Ben and Jerry's. There's something about scoopin ice cream in the summer that just doesn't seem like work. Don't get me wrong, blood, sweat and tears have gone into happiness of many-a customer. Especially when I took perch atop the Ben and Jerry's truck I was manning on the Esplanade come 4th of July, and slipped and fell, crashing down on what was luckily, a closed ice cream cooler. This job has yielded positive results as I've begun shift-managing at both the Newbury St. and Harvard Sq. locations. (find me rockin' and rollin' with a straw fedora, mention this blog and get 10% off...no joke!) As fall has begun to slip in, with cold feet on hardwood floors and nipped ears on cross-bridge bicycle rides become daily routine...good tunes, Chunky Monkey milkshakes and straw hats bring a little summer all winter long.
While I love my summer vibes, it is fall fashion that puts a hop in my step. At the same time I took up the mantel of "scooper", I also began my learnings in the inner-workings of small business. Uniform, a mens clothing store in the South End of Boston welcomed me into their ranks. A small shop that collects pieces from numerous clothing lines from L.A. to Amsterdam, Uniform has shown me what a personalized shopping experience can do for both the customer and the store. I still have a long way to go, but when part of my job was getting to know the regular customers and what they liked, I knew that my past experiences of working the stock room at The Gap were going to be of little use.
Between the two jobs, I'm putting plenty of hours in, supporting my self in an apartment in Cambridge and continuing to learn everything I can...including what's to know from my weekly stash of comics.
I've found that many of the people I've gotten to know in college are expecting these life changing scenarios to present themselves, and for their daily lives to begin to fit into a 9-5 work week. Those of us I can visibly see are the most happy are those who are embracing change, not holding on to the past, put also not dropping whats important to them, in order to make room for "the next step".
I've always wanted to put myself back in the classroom as a teacher or professor. Most recently I've wanted to teach philosophy to upper-level high school students. These are things that I very much want for myself...but not when I'm 23. When I explain this to many "adults" I usually responded to with the understanding that I'm "taking time off"...the best teachers I've had are those who have lived experiences that they bring into the classroom. And I would never want to teach anybody anything if I could not relate to it myself. At age 23, I want to enjoy not working 9-5, living in Cambridge, going to shows on weeknights and saving money for pending travels, see next post! So no...not taking time off, just enjoying life, which if anything, is the most important thing college taught me.
In response to my good buddy, Gonzo, and his comment to the last post, I've retitled this here venue to something a bit more appropriate. It's not quite what he recommended, but I hope he digs...till next time when we tackle foosball dinner tables, past travels and the weeks events -- enjoy life, cheers.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Welcome back ramblers...
Welcome back to Senior Struts - and now that I've graduated, I'm searching for a new title...any thoughts? I'll be unvailing the new header next week...
After graduating Suffolk four months ago I've returned to this venue to recount my adventures post-graduation. For those of you new to these readings, allow me to introduce myself...
My name is Drew Allison and I attended Suffolk for the past four years. After visiting over fifteen campuses from Boston to San Diego, Chicago to Seattle, I settled on Suffolk.
As most of you know, or will soon find out, picking a college is much like digging for that proverbial needle. Not only that, there are a slew of needle-looking-pieces-of-hay to distract you. When I visited Suffolk in the October of my senior year, three things immediately grabbed my attention: I had never been to Boston, and growing up outside of Chicago, the prospect of full-time city life was appealing enough. But other cities had done the same, so it was up to the school to complete the sell. I was able to sit in on a philosophy class after my campus tour. Its funny calling them "campus tours" when there are more non-Suffolk buildings along the route than university facilities. But that was it...Suffolk only makes sense in the context of the city. The connotation of Suffolk was different for every person on that tour, and yet, works so well for so many different types of people.
Back to that philosophy class I mentioned...it was an entry level ethics class with one of the full time professors. As I sat, waiting for the class to start, I was invited to a weekend paintball game...yep, this Mid-Western highs school senior was suddenly apart of this East Coast community. This coupled with the amazingly interesting lecture and discussion had added to the overall good-vibe I had gotten from Boston, and Suffolk. Between the school-within-a-city vibe, friendly folks, and stimulating philosophical discussion...I was hooked.
I moved to Boston in the fall of 2004 from Chicago and lived in Miller Hall up until one month ago. After my freshman year I was hired as an RA (Resident Assistant) and began working for Residence Life and Summer Programs, a relationship that would last three and a half years. Also in my sophomore year, I was hired as a Trustee Ambassador and tour guide with the admissions office.
I was lucky enough to enter college knowing what it was I wanted to study. Even knowing this, I was still tempted to pick a "practical" major and entered Suffolk with a focus in advertising. Day one I went to the registrars office, picked up a change of major form, and headed to the philosophy department. The only other thing I knew, besides knowing I wanted to study philosophy, was that I did not want to spend my whole life competing, constantly trying to outdo others for a chance to move upward in my profession. Naive perhaps, but I still hold this belief today. Competition is inescapable, but by minimizing it, I've improved my quality of life exponentially. In my sophomore year I declared a film studies minor within the communications department, and incorperated my film interest into my final undergraduate philosophical endeavorer. I spent the past four years studying numerous fields of philosophy, focusing on phenomenology and what I called "the philosophy of film", completing my studies with a year-long honors thesis.
As I wrapped up my career at Suffolk I sincerely felt as though I had something to say. And not just an homage to remembrance, but an insight that was universal yet readily overlooked. I feel that too often people spend days of celebration merely remembering what had come before, never taking a moment to sit and appreciate a day, such as graduation, for what it is. It was with the motivation to remind everyone to enjoy the day that I applied to be the student speaker at graduation. The auditions were on reading day, the last day of the semester before finals, and if you are a philosophy major with a thesis to defend, the most important week of the year. The early morning adrenaline burst must have been enough, as that afternoon I got the call, awarding me the responsibility of the only student speaker at my graduation. I could not think of a better way to sign off at Suffolk. With four years worth of friends and mentors, and my family in front of me, it was a tough day to top.
Well I think you have a good idea of where I've come from, and in the next weeks I'll give you an idea of where I am now, and where I plan to be. If you have any questions, comments, or thoughts please leave a message! Until next time...enjoy life -- cheers
After graduating Suffolk four months ago I've returned to this venue to recount my adventures post-graduation. For those of you new to these readings, allow me to introduce myself...
My name is Drew Allison and I attended Suffolk for the past four years. After visiting over fifteen campuses from Boston to San Diego, Chicago to Seattle, I settled on Suffolk.
As most of you know, or will soon find out, picking a college is much like digging for that proverbial needle. Not only that, there are a slew of needle-looking-pieces-of-hay to distract you. When I visited Suffolk in the October of my senior year, three things immediately grabbed my attention: I had never been to Boston, and growing up outside of Chicago, the prospect of full-time city life was appealing enough. But other cities had done the same, so it was up to the school to complete the sell. I was able to sit in on a philosophy class after my campus tour. Its funny calling them "campus tours" when there are more non-Suffolk buildings along the route than university facilities. But that was it...Suffolk only makes sense in the context of the city. The connotation of Suffolk was different for every person on that tour, and yet, works so well for so many different types of people.
Back to that philosophy class I mentioned...it was an entry level ethics class with one of the full time professors. As I sat, waiting for the class to start, I was invited to a weekend paintball game...yep, this Mid-Western highs school senior was suddenly apart of this East Coast community. This coupled with the amazingly interesting lecture and discussion had added to the overall good-vibe I had gotten from Boston, and Suffolk. Between the school-within-a-city vibe, friendly folks, and stimulating philosophical discussion...I was hooked.
I moved to Boston in the fall of 2004 from Chicago and lived in Miller Hall up until one month ago. After my freshman year I was hired as an RA (Resident Assistant) and began working for Residence Life and Summer Programs, a relationship that would last three and a half years. Also in my sophomore year, I was hired as a Trustee Ambassador and tour guide with the admissions office.
I was lucky enough to enter college knowing what it was I wanted to study. Even knowing this, I was still tempted to pick a "practical" major and entered Suffolk with a focus in advertising. Day one I went to the registrars office, picked up a change of major form, and headed to the philosophy department. The only other thing I knew, besides knowing I wanted to study philosophy, was that I did not want to spend my whole life competing, constantly trying to outdo others for a chance to move upward in my profession. Naive perhaps, but I still hold this belief today. Competition is inescapable, but by minimizing it, I've improved my quality of life exponentially. In my sophomore year I declared a film studies minor within the communications department, and incorperated my film interest into my final undergraduate philosophical endeavorer. I spent the past four years studying numerous fields of philosophy, focusing on phenomenology and what I called "the philosophy of film", completing my studies with a year-long honors thesis.
As I wrapped up my career at Suffolk I sincerely felt as though I had something to say. And not just an homage to remembrance, but an insight that was universal yet readily overlooked. I feel that too often people spend days of celebration merely remembering what had come before, never taking a moment to sit and appreciate a day, such as graduation, for what it is. It was with the motivation to remind everyone to enjoy the day that I applied to be the student speaker at graduation. The auditions were on reading day, the last day of the semester before finals, and if you are a philosophy major with a thesis to defend, the most important week of the year. The early morning adrenaline burst must have been enough, as that afternoon I got the call, awarding me the responsibility of the only student speaker at my graduation. I could not think of a better way to sign off at Suffolk. With four years worth of friends and mentors, and my family in front of me, it was a tough day to top.
Well I think you have a good idea of where I've come from, and in the next weeks I'll give you an idea of where I am now, and where I plan to be. If you have any questions, comments, or thoughts please leave a message! Until next time...enjoy life -- cheers
Thursday, April 10, 2008
The End?
Spring...has sprung. Is there much more to say about that? Well yes, frisbee at 5pm in the park, be there or be square. After ten months of research, outlining, drafting, editing, re-editing and re-re-editing, my senior thesis is in the books! While there still may be weeks left in the semester, relaxation has commenced...With San Francisco but five days away, and the Langorne Slim show this evening, life does not get much better than this...oh wait, I watched Empire Strikes Back last night! This viewing was a direct result of a lightsaber sparring match I had with a resident of mine a few nights ago (see pictures bellow).
Not much else to update, just enjoying the days as they come. Apartment hunting, job searching, existential exploration...sometimes I feel like a neo-urban cultural circumnaviagtor of experiences...with a rockin' soundtrack. enjoy life...
Current Song -- Breakin' Up -- Rilo Kiley
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Over done, not cajun style...
Good morning...This post has been a long time coming, and I due apologize for the lack of presence throughout the month of March. But here we go with some heavy duty updates...Since I've been here last, I've enjoyed all those shows I listed before, geeked out at a comic book convention, and have reached near completion on the year-long thesis. We've been uber-busy at admissions as well (hence the lack of posts) with tons of events for incoming students. Its been great having so many prospective students on campus, nothing better than being busy at work...
As always, there are some amazing shows on the horizon! Saul Williams, who you may know as a spoken word artist is playing at the Paradise next Tuesday in support of his hip-hop record. If you are a fan of TV on The Radio, Williams is in the similar vein. Folk/blues/raw/rockin' Langhorne Slim and dirty/funk-filled Aggrolites are playing at The Middle East next Thurs and the following Tues respectively. Excellent evenings of relief in the midst of final papers and real-world planning.
I just found out that I will be doing an awesome trip to San Francisco with the admissions office, working a national college fair. While I'm there, Rilo Kiley is playing downtown. I love that city, I love to talking to people and I love that band, it is truly a win, win, win situation.
As you've heard throughout the year, I've been diligently scribing away at my honors thesis, and we are all happy to hear that it is nearing completion!! Come Monday, the paper will be finalized and
turned in for review. To describe the excitement to come would fill a novella and still would not come close to fully articulating said excitement...perhaps I will embark on the great American Novel. Thoughts?Back to footnotes, bibliographies and title pages...be back soon, I promise! enjoy life...
Current Song -- I Love To Dance -- Langhorne Slim
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