My Greatest Hits

"thank GOD for giving me this moment of clarity, this moment of honesty...the world will feel my truths" - Jay-Z

I'm stealing this from LOST, where Charlie writes out the 5 top moments in his life. Only difference, none of these are in any particular order and theres more than 5.

1999 - Senior Kairos Retreat. This was a retreat where some seniors go on a spiritual retreat and learn and it changes you. What changed me was the letter that my Mom and Dad wrote to me. Each letter was read out loud to the whole group. At the time my parents and I were just not really getting along and those words in that letter surprised the hell out of me and moved me. Everything my parents were telling me I finally understood.

2002 - Battle of the Bands. That performance that we put on that day.... I haven't felt so free in my life. That was another moment of clarity and I think I don't have had as much fun than those 15 minutes. Not to mention my performance was flawless from what I remember...

7th Grade - I was the defacto leader of my basketball team because I was the only one that could dribble and handle the ball well enough to run the offense but I was also one of the taller kids. So I played the season out of position as a point guard when I should have played the power forward. We were down by 2 points with 11 seconds to go in the game... I remember it like it was in slow motion I brought the ball up the middle of the court, got a pick from a team dribbled past the double team to my right, then went left to avoid another guy and crossed-over right to and as the last guy on there team came to stop me I shot a double clutch bank shot a few feet off the right post. Crowd goes crazy - OVERTIME. We win not because of me but because my teammates had confidence in themselves. That was more satisfying than making that shot.

2001 - My college girlfriend. After the first time and we got back together, which would be the last time we would be together. She gave me the biggest hug and told me, "I'm so glad your parents made you." That felt euphoric and I still consider it the biggest compliment I've received.

Last year - The time I spent with my then-girlfriend. There was so many moments I can look back on. The first time she called me Aquaman and I felt like I was superhero. It sounds funny, but she made me feel special.

2005 - Graduate Student of the Year. I emailed Dr. Kiesner and told him the day before the dinner where I accepted my award that I didn't deserve it. He told me to shut up, accept it graciously. He said I more than deserved and this award was going to change my life as I lived one of great impact. I still wonder if I deserved it but if he believes in me, then I know that I've done something right in my life. He told me the next year that he would give it to me again if it was allowed...

2005 - When Sunsetronics.com was officially successful. The culmination of all our hard work and having a sense of accomplishment.

2003 - Graduation day. 4 years of hard work and so much experience gained all coming together in that morning. One of the happiest moments of my life. Thanks to that cheering section I had in back. I heard all my friends and they were LOUD and it made me feel like I did the right thing by going to LMU over the schools.

I need more of these... I feel like this list is so much shorter than and my life has been full of close calls. Moments that never lived up to what they should've been or disappointments. Don't get me wrong there was alot of good moments, great moments, but very few these pure moments.