Be the change you want to see

Funny how I remember blogging all the time when I used to actually use my MySpace. Then I slowly stopped. I couldn't tell you why I did but I just did. I always used to write in my diary and then I started to write less and less. And again, I couldn't tell you why. However, one of my new years resolutions was to write more. And I intend to; I miss it. People make jokes and criticize bloggers all the time, and while I am guilty of doing the same from time to time, I also think it is a neat thing to be able to sit and write about an experience or a feeling and have others share. It is like freezing a moment of your life - something that was going on or an emotion you had that you can return to relive whenever you read the entry.

So here I am, making my first attempt in a while to blog again. It is 1:10 a.m. and I got home from work about 45 minutes ago. As much as I complain and whine about Applebees's I really have had such a good time working there. I love my co-workers and I meet the neatest people from time to time.

Tonight, for example I stayed for a coworker or mine because she wasn't feeling well. Toward 10 p.m. a man sat in my section. After the initial introduction and placing of his order I later returned with his food. As I put his food down he said "I am so jet lagged, I just got back from Berlin." I stopped, mildly impressed and interested and asked why he had been in Berlin. Well, what started as an innocent question turned into almost an hour discussion with this man I had just met. He told me he had been in Berlin for a film festival. Now, I don't know too much about film festivals but from what he told me, the film festival in Berlin is like the best of the best, the "creme de la creme" as he put it. He said he had seen probably abou 45 movies in the last few days and been out at parties until two/three in the morning. Apparently, from what I found out, he does some kind of work in the film industry and gets flown around to different festivals/premiers/parties. He told me about a party he was at recently where the Stones and Madonna played and Julia Roberts, Kate Winslet and Michelle Phiefer were on the guestlist. Talk about amazing! He knows the guy who produced Slumdog Millionare and had quite a few interesting facts to tell me about that movie. He also knew the director of the movie The Wrestler, knows people who sit on the board for the Academy Awards and has over the years just built up this network of writers, producers, actors and directors from all over the world.

It was so amazing and his life sounded so exciting. He was very down to earth and fun to talk to. For a some time we reminisced over past Academy Awards and talked movies. He really knew his stuff . Somehow we started talking about traveling to Europe and he told me he had been to India, all over Latin America and Europe, some parts of Asia, and really encouraged me to travel as well. He gave me his business card and went on his way.

I have so much to be thankful for in my life. I have a job to support myself, family and friends, get to go to school and write for a great newspaper yet I feel like I am just missing out on so much. And talking to this guy really just reminded me how much is out there - the people to meet and places to go and things to do! I feel so excited and overwhelmed for what the future holds for me. I am transferring (I think) in the Fall and have made a pact with myself that I am just going to do something spontaneous and out there before I go. It may be my last chance for a while and I haven't really have done anything on a large scale. So this summer I plan to just travel, preferably Europe. Whether it is with an organization or group or just friends, I want to and need to. I want to live and experience life. For the past few years its been all about school and working and just going about my daily routine. I am only 19 and I almost feel like I'm already stuck. The world has so much to offer and I want to find out and take advantage of it.