Being a HUG at Gallaudet…What This Means for Me: Resources in DC

Why DC? Is DC a good place for university students? Is there any benefit to Gallaudet being located in the U.S. capital? My answer: yes! Here are some great educational resources available for DC students (including YOU!):

Consortium Program:

There are more than 15 colleges and universities in the DC area, including Gallaudet University. Most of these schools are a part of a larger consortium program called the “Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area.”  (See http://www.consortium.org/main.asp). There are several benefits to partaking in a consortium program such as the one in DC. For one, if the college or university you attend does not offer certain classes that you need for your major (especially in cases where you are specializing in a certain field or are self-directing), then you can enroll in the courses you need at one of these other 15 schools to get the education you need. Second, if you want to supplement, diversify, or enhance your educational experience, you can take advantage of this opportunity by taking courses at other institutions such as American University (AU), George Washington University (GWU), Georgetown University(GT), and many others.

This same program benefits students in another way as well. The DC consortium provides allstudents access to the libraries at all 15 universities involved. This means that if you have a research paper due on an in-depth subject and there are not enough books, media, or articles available at your school’s library on the subject, then you can simply order your materials online through your university’s library and receive your books or media from another library at your library within 1-3 days without ever leaving your campus. Through this program, you would have access to Gallaudet’s in-depth supply of ASL/Deaf Culture books, Georgetown’s abundant resources relating to law, and GWU’s reserve of media on politics and history just to name a few.

Culture:

Washington is a city of a little more than 590,000 people within about 68 square miles (District of Columbia proper) and is part of a larger metropolitan area consisting of about 5.3 million people.

It is also home to more than 10 memorials (including the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Jefferson Memorial), over 50 museums (including the Holocaust Museum, the American History Museum, and the Air and Space Museum), and 6 major National Parks ( including the National Mall, the U.S. National Arboretum, and Theodor Roosevelt Island). There are also famous and important government buildings such as the White House, Capitol, and U.S. Naval Observatory (home of the Vice President and location of the Nation’s atomic clock). There are more than 15 major colleges and universities in DC. The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is also located in DC and offers free programs every night 365 days a year.

All of these resources provide a great background for higher education. Students studying medicine or biology can go to one of 16 medical facilities or the Natural History or American History Museums for research. Historians have a plethora of places to learn more about American history. Students of language or linguistics can visit Gallaudet or Georgetown University or the Library of Congress for educational resources. Government students can schedule a tour of the White House or Capitol and the list goes on.

Even better, almost all of these resources are free to the public.

So, yes, DC forms a wonderful backdrop for learning and education–that is, if you take advantage of what DC has to offer. I see so many students come to Gallaudet and not get out and explore the city. I hope, if you come, you will see the sights and make the most of your stay in the Nation’s capital.

Happy exploring!

*Some of this information (mainly the demographic numbers) was retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington,_D.C. *

Being a HUG at Gallaudet…What This Means for Me: Safety in DC

Many people worry about safety in DC. I do not think that it is an issue. Crime has dropped almost 50% since the early 1990s and what crime is left is mainly connected with drugs and gangs in the north-eastern part of the DC metropolitan area (such as Prince George’s Plaza on the green line). So, if you stay out of drugs and gangs, you should not have any issues. Being with one or more other people can make it even less likely, but you can venture out on your own if you wish during the daytime.

Everyone should practice taking safety precautions no matter where they are. DC is no different. Look around you, keep valuables concealed, and don’t talk to strangers–you know, basic common sense safety precautions. If you need help, find a police officer or a professional who is working at a nearby store.

Other things you can do to make yourself less of a target is to act like you know where you are and where you are going (even if you don’t). As difficult as it can be, do not acknowledge or talk to homeless people on the street (unless you are with a group of people whose sole work at the time is to do missions or random acts of kindness). You can even make yourself look more like you are a native DC-er simply by walking on the right side of the sidewalk or by standing on the right side of an escalator and walking up/down the left side of an escalator.

You will notice that DC is different than most cities. This is probably and primarily for safety reasons, I assume. You do not have to do these things to stay safe, but anytime you look more like a DC-er, the less likely people are going to bother you. If nothing else, this will help to explain some strange behavior you may encounter in DC.

Some differences that you may notice are: people do not look at each other usually while walking down a sidewalk or through a mall, but they do keep their heads up. People do not talk to strangers on the bus or Metro–not even to say “excuse me” or “hello.” Native DC-ers ignore homeless people most of the time. Many people who live and work in DC listen to iPods or Mp3 players while they walk to their destinations. People either read or listen to music on Metro or the bus, otherwise, they silently look straight ahead or look down. You will not see many children on Metro during the week. On weekends, you will see a few more, but mostly from tourist families.

Caucasians generally take the yellow line on Metro and African Americans generally take the green line on Metro, especially when going out of the District of Columbia. I am not sure why it is this way, but do not feel as though you cannot ride on the yellow line if you are African American or on the green line if you are Caucasian. You can. I just want to inform you of the general “rules of thumb” in DC so that you will not be alarmed when things do not happen the way you are used to them occurring.

You will not find most of this kind of information in a City Guide or Tourist Book. Most of this you find out yourself through experience or find out through friends. I never knew any of these things when I first came to Gallaudet, but it sure explains a lot of things for me that happened on my first two trips into the District (the first was a mission trip my senior year of high school and the second was for my acceptance interviews at Gallaudet two years later). It isn’t always easy to adapt to DC life, but it is worth the ease of mind to know what people in DC expect of you and to know that you are safer. Of course, these expectations do not apply to tourists, but it is quite funny to watch a DC-er’s face when someone does not follow these “rules.”

All in all, DC is a safe place, especially if you stay around tourist attractions. If I go to museums, the National Mall (not a real mall), or the store, I feel just as safe going alone as I do going with friends. I have never encountered any problems during my two years in DC. I just go enjoy myself, take the usual safety precautions, and act like I know what I am doing and where I am going. You can do the same. Practice good safety and go explore the city. It will be worth it, I promise!

*Some of this information (mainly the demographic numbers) was retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington,_D.C. *

Being a HUG at Gallaudet…What This Means for Me: Transportation in DC

For students who are new to the DC area or are thinking about transportation issues while deciding on a school, this is for you. DC is a busy place. More than a million people live, work, visit, and go to school here every day. So, how do you get to DC and how do you find your way around? Here’s a blog that might help you.

While in DC:

DC has a wonderful and intricate transportation system. Metro is the probably the best in-district method for getting around the city. The subway (Metro) can be used to get to school, restaurants, museums, church, and most any other places you want to go (see www.wmata.com). There is also the Circulator Bus that makes several loops around DC and only costs $1 for each ride, which is cheaper than the city bus (http://www.dccirculator.com/index.html).

Getting to DC:

To get to DC, there are three airports that are the most accessible. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is accessible to Metro on the yellow and blue lines (less than $5).

Baltimore Washington International Airport is also easily accessible to DC. Once at BWI, you can take an airport bus to the MARC train station then take a MARC train to Union Station on the Metro red line (about $6). However, the MARC only operates on weekdays (see http://www.mtamaryland.com/services/marc/). If you do not want or cannot take take MARC, you can take the Super Shuttle directly to campus for about $37 not including tip (see http://www.supershuttle.com/default.aspx).

To get from Dulles International Airport to DC, there are a few options. You can 1) take Metrobus from the airport to the Metro stops at Rosslyn (Blue or Orange line) or L’Enfant Plaza (Yellow or Green line) (about $4-$6) or 2) take Washington Flyer Coach from the airport to Metro’s West Falls Church on the Orange line for about $13-$21, depending on whether you get a one-way or two-way ticket (see http://www.washfly.com/flyer_bus_schedule.htm).

Getting to Gallaudet University:

To get to Gallaudet once you are in DC, you can take Metrorail (subway) to the Union Station or New York Ave./Florida Ave./Gallaudet stop and get on the Gallaudet shuttle, which takes you to Gallaudet (all week) and KDES and MMSD (weekdays). The Gallaudet Shuttle is free of charge (see http://www.gallaudet.edu/af/transportation_shuttlebusservices.xml). You can also take a taxi from Union Station to Gallaudet for about $8-$15, depending on the time, traffic, and luggage.

Other information:

If you plan to attend Gallaudet University and you are not sure whether to bring your own vehicle, then here are some issues you might want to consider to make your decision easier. As always, there are pros and cons to having a car in DC. If you have your own car, you can take weekend roadtrips to surrounding states, get to church and a grocery store easier, transport your heavy items from the store to your room easier, and not be constrained to the limited time schedule offered by the university shuttle service and Metro.

However, parking is expensive and limited. It costs almost the same amount to park your car legally on-campus or elsewhere as it does to pay parking tickets every day that your car is parked illegally. In DC, you cannot repeal traffic tickets. Traffic makes driving on the roads take more time than taking Metro, especially during peak or rush hours. Gas is more expensive in DC and stations are hard to come by in the downtown area.

A possibly cheaper route to go might be to take public transportation during the week and if you want to run to the store or take an out-of-town trip to Mount Vernon (George Washington’s home) or Annapolis (a cute, historic riverside town that is great for shopping and relaxing) for example, then look into other rental options such as Zip Car that costs about $10 an hour or about $70 a day and split the cost with friends who tag along (see http://www.zipcar.com/?redirect_p=0).

Being a HUG at Gallaudet…What This Means for Me: Applying

3 Steps to becoming a HUG:

Step 1: Narrow the search for the best-pick, best-fit university

Step 2: Check out Gallaudet online

Step 3: Apply

Okay, so you have checked out Gallaudet and it looks like a good school. You have nightly dreams of being one of those smiling faces on Gallaudet’s webpage. You’re all for getting your hands dirty in total immersion into Deaf culture. You love the colors buff and blue–in fact, its all you wear–and the bison just so happens to be your favorite animal. So far, so good.

Now what?

Well, sending in your application seems to be the best action to take at this point. Applications can be found at http://admissions.gallaudet.edu/Admissions/HUG/. When sending in your application, be sure that it is postmarked by January 16th. The application process is a little lengthy. You must write three essays, send two letters of recommendation, send in your high school/college transcript and SAT scores, and send in all other forms or documents they have posted on the website.

I would encourage you to start early on the application process. I decided last-minute to graduate early from junior college and go ahead and apply to Gallaudet for the following semester, but it left me only 6 stressful days to fill out and send everything in by the postmarked date.

What is the HUG program exactly?

The HUG (hearing undergraduate) program began in 2001. It provides hearing students with the opportunity to attend the world’s only Deaf liberal arts university as regular undergraduate students. The program is competitive and only accepts hearing applicants up to 5% of the incoming undergraduate student body.

To be considered for acceptance, you must send in the application and required forms by January 16th and be willing to come to Gallaudet in either January or February for two interviews–an entrance interview with a small panel and a sign proficiency interview called the ASLPI (American sign Language Proficiency Interview). If you are accepted, then you only have a short time (2 weeks) to decide whether you want to commit to attending Gallaudet. You should be notified around mid-march if you are accepted.

Although there are many hoops to jump through, I encourage you to go for it. Send in your application and see what happens. Who knows? Maybe you will be one of the lucky 5%!

Being a HUG at Gallaudet…What This Means for Me

Being a HUG at Gallaudet…What This Means for Me

So, you are a hearing undergraduate who is thinking about attending the world’s only Deaf liberal arts university, Gallaudet? Great! You are not sure what to expect? That’s normal. You do not know what the future may hold for you as student at Gallaudet? Me either! I always wondered though if….Ah, never mind. Well, even though I do not know what is in your future, I can share my experiences with you and maybe, in the process, help you to see whether Gallaudet may be an important part of your future as it was in mine. Perhaps this series of blogs will help you–a HUG–feel more at ease about what to expect at Gallaudet University.

I always like starting at the beginning. So, I hope you don’t mind. Let’s see…the beginning of your experience at Gallaudet would be, um, looking it up online, checking out what it has to offer, considering whether or not this is the place for you. You’re off to a great start!

I went through this same process, only, for me, it took me almost two years before I even typed “Gallaudet” into my web browser. I always thought that Gallaudet was a school exclusive for people who are Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing. I had heard of some brave hearing people attending summer programs there, but it seemed like only the best-of-the-best went to these programs. I also felt a certain reverence towards Gallaudet–almost as if it was the hallowed ground for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing people–and for me, a hearing person, I believed that to tread on these grounds would be to commit the most abhorrent crime of the 21st century.

You can relax now. Those are all misconceptions. Hearing people do go to Gallaudet University (and not just for summer programs). Hearing students come as visiting students (one semester), undergraduates, and graduates. Some hearing people are near native-like signers and others have hardly signed a day in their lives. 

Also, while Gallaudet does have a sense of pride and deep, rich, significant history about it, it does not mean that hearing people cannot partake of the Deaf-World there. It simply means that we should feel honored and show respectfulness towards the Deaf community for welcoming us into the heart of their community to witness their culture in action and learn from them in the same way that we can learn from other cultures and minorities from around the globe. It is a rare and exhilarating occurrence to experience culture–any culture–first hand. So it is with Gallaudet.

I say all of this so that, when you do begin to consider Gallaudet as an option for your future, you will not feel reluctant or have any insecurities like I did. Think of Gallaudet as a “study abroad program.” It is no different than any other school you are considering except that it offers a rich cultural experience, second language immersion, bi-lingual education, and specialized training for those wishing to communicate or work with people who use ASL. In addition, it is located in one of the best cities in the U.S. for fostering education: Washington, DC.

So, if you have a passion for learning, for working with people who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing, for Deaf culture, for ASL, and for getting your hands dirty in a complete immersion program, then roll up your sleeves because you are in the right place.

Tea Anyone?

“Our government is in hot water. People are steamed and a revolution is brewing!”

Yesterday, I went to a local tea Party on the town square. It was great to see so many people turn out for the event. For me, I have been unhappy with the way our government has been run for many years (and even more so the past couple of years when I started getting involved in politics).

Like I have mentioned before, I am a Conservative, an Independent–not a Republican. To me, there is something wrong with a nation that only supports a two-party system. Not everyone is far-left or far-right. There are people in the middle, too. Are those people ever represented? No. They never have the chance to be.

A person no longer wins an election based on his/her background, expertise, wisdom, integrity, or knowledge of the Constitution. They win because he/she has the most money. They win because they stifle the media from representing their counterparts. They win because they have cheated their way to the top. They win because people have to vote against who they DON’T WANT in office instead of getting to vote for who they WANT in office.

This is wrong.

This needs to stop.

But how? I feel like some minuscule, obscure student–one in a billion–who is helpless and unable to make any difference. Yes, I can vote. I can blog. I can tell my friends about the injustices in the world. There are just not enough people like me who are fed up with the Feds to do anything about it—until now.

I really hope these nation-wide Tea Parties are successful. I hope that politicians are convicted of their wrong-doings, their abusiveness, their callousness, their apathy. I hope that an internal revolution takes place that makes our Country a more fair, free-enterprise, safe, less dependent, healthier, Constitutional Republic. I hope that my hopes don’t dissipate in the apathetic society I live in today.

The reason I support the Tea Parties is because I am disgusted with all the careless, frivilous spending in Washington. I understand that in the short-term, I am going to get tax cuts and breaks. But later, taxes will rise–they will have to in order to support so much spending. I will feel as though I cannot become a successful individual because if I make over a certain amount, I will have to pay more taxes.

As a result, there will be more dissension, more distance between the wealthy and the poor. Successful people will hate the less fortunate for getting off with paying less taxes and the poor will hate the rich for taking advantage of them. Class warfare will become worse.

I do not want the government to treat me differently than the wealthy just because I am in the middle-class. I do not want the government to take care of me. I want the government to protect me and protect my beloved Country–that is all. I want everyone to pay the same taxes–rich and poor. To me, the most logical thing would be to have everyone pay 2%, 3%, or even 4% in taxes. Even more logical, I think that taxes should only be levied on things bought, not on what a person earns. Want a house? Pay taxes. Want a new car? Pay taxes. Earn a million dollars by inventing some new gadget? Keep it; spend it; save it; invest it.

The government has no business taking my money (through taxes) and then giving it back to me (through a “stimulus check”). Let me keep it. Let me spend my money. I earned it. I should be able to spend it how I want and how I need. It makes no sense for me to like giving the government a $10 bill and then getting only a portion of it back. It is just like those unfortunate kids who trade their dime for a nickle because they think it is worth more because of the nickle’s larger size.

The government has no business taking some successful person’s money (the money earned by someone who followed the American Dream) and then giving it to people on welfare–to people who sit on their lazy bums all day and don’t want to work. OK, you say “well, what about those on welfare who can’t work or who have lost their job?” I say, let the community take care of it. Sure, it isn’t the easiest thing to ask a friend for help. But it is SO MUCH BETTER to ask a friend for help and return the favor when times get tough for the friend then to ask the government to do something that they were never entitled to do in the first place and be indebted to them for life. That is not the American Dream.

The American Dream is founded on the freedom to do whatever your heart desires. If you want to be a successful businessman, do it! If you want to be the best teacher in all 50 states, do it! The American Dream does not stand for higher taxes–a punishment for doing well and dreaming big. It is an unlimited, no-barrier success continuum that every American has the right to pursue.

That is what the Tea Parties are about. That is why I went out in support for them. That is why I want them to succeed.

So for any of you who are tired of the way our government is run, for those of you who want to pursue the American Dream, for anyone wishing to see a change in the way taxes are levied and the government is run, stand with me. Vote for politicians who stand for these founding principles of our Nation. Sign petitions and call your Senators and Congresspeople to advocate for what is right. And most of all, pray that our United Sates of America changes for the better.

A Kiss, A Scroll, and a Lantern

A kiss, a scroll, and a lantern–what do these three things have in common? Purity.

When I came home from school after my LOA, I had the wonderful pleasure of attending a play called “The Princess and the Kiss and the Squire and the Scroll.” It was directed and written by Becky Clayton and adapted from Jennie Bishop’s books: “The Princess and the Kiss” (for girls) and “The Squire and the Scroll” (for boys).

Many of my dear friends were going to be in the play, so I decided that I wanted to go in support of them. Because several of these friends were excellent actors and even some had traveled to Europe to perform, I knew that the play would be good–just not THIS good. For two hours, I sat enchanted and completely enthralled in my seat.

Mrs. Clayton did a superb job of directing. I loved how she matched each person so magically to their character. Because I had grown up with most of the actors in the play–them either being about my age or being the sibling of someone my age–I knew them well and had to force myself not to squeal with laughter each time they said or did something that would refer to something subliminally, whether known or secret, that they said or did in everyday life.

The play was wrought with danger, filled with romance, and complete with positive messages. The play was set in the days of royalty and castles in far-away lands. It was quite possibly the best fairy tale of all time. There was a fire-breathing dragon (made by my friend, Sam), live sword fighting scenes (with sparks flying), and even a catapult machine.

Most of all, there was a sweet story of a mother and father teaching their daughter the value of a kiss–her first kiss–and how she should save her kisses for that special someone who would one day make a commitment to her to never leave her and to love her for the rest of their lives. And, there was an equally beautifully story of a family from a neighboring country teaching their son to hold on to the Light of the lantern and to the precepts of the Scroll, which were his only saving grace.

In the play, the son and daughter come together and form an endearing friendship and loyalty to each other that later blooms into a love that no romance, good looks, strength, or money could buy. They learn the value of the Scroll and its power to defeat the enemy and protect them from harm and they realize that, without the Lantern, they are directionless and without hope.

“Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms….Stand firm then, with the belt of truth, …the breastplate or righteousness, …and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace….take up the shield of faith, ….the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God (the Scroll)” (Ephesians 6:11-17).

“I (Jesus) am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). “Then Jesus told them (the crowd and his disciples), ‘You are going to have the light (the Lantern) just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before the darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Put your trust in the light (Jesus) while you have it, so that you may become sons of light (Followers of Jesus Christ)” (John 12:35-36).

For the Lantern! And the Scroll!!!

Science Vs. God

You know that feeling when it seems like God keeps mentioning the same thing to you over and over through different people, readings, events, or whatever, but that one particular message is always popping up in some form or fashion and it suddenly hits you that God is trying to tell you something? That’s the feeling I got yesterday.

It started when a friend of mine wrote a note on Facebook. She was talking about God’s mercy and grace and how God had changed this one man’s life for the better. Well, a friend of hers who is an atheist started saying some mean things to her about the story she told. She could have stood on her own, but I hate to see friends persecuted alone so I wanted to “stand up” with her on the message she was trying to convey.

When I started typing up a response to the atheist, I knew that he would probably respond in the same way that many atheists have towards me in the past: he would probably insult my intelligence, tell me I was a lunatic (just like my friend), and that I was not even worth having a good debate with. Well, he said all of those things and, as a response to a personal testimony I gave of God’s mercy in my life and my grandmother’s life, he also asked me if I wanted to ask him to kill me so that I could be with my Creator since “We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). However, even though this is true, Christians have been called by God to be messengers in this world–to be in the world but not of it.

After I read the atheist’s threatening response, I started thinking. I know that I have blogged several times about freedom of speech (or the lack thereof) and about responses that I have received because of my writings or blogs that are similar to those of this particular guy. Admittedly, I was a little overwhelmed with the extent of this guys hatred towards me that would go so far as to threaten my life. But, after a while, God kept bringing some things to mind. What He was trying to show me can best be explained with a story–a story that a friend reminded me of last night. At the risk of having some nasty replies to this story, I am going to go ahead and post it. It goes like this:

There once was a young Christian man who attended a college philosophy class taught by a professor who was an atheist. The professor told the class that he was going to explain the problem science has with Jesus Christ. He asks the Christian to come to the front of the class for a discussion–a demonstration. The professor begins by asking the boy several questions to establish the fact that this boy does in fact believe in God, believes that God is good, believes that God is all-powerful, and that he believes that God can do anything.

The professor then asks, “Are you good or evil?” The boy responds that the Bible says that he is evil. The professor starts getting excited. He comes up with a situation–there is a sick person who needs help–and he asks the boy, “Would you help him?” The boy replies with a “yes” and the professor exclaims, “So you are good!” And, again, the boy says that is not good.

The professor goes on to say that anyone who helped the sick person would be good. He said that most people would try and help if they could, but, he said, God doesn’t help. The professor elaborated, “What if that sick person was a Christian? What if he prayed for God to heal him and God never intervened? Is God still good?”

The Christian answers “yes” but answers “no” to the following question when the professor asks him if Satan is good. The professor asked the young man where Satan came from and he answered, “From God.”

“That’s right. God made Satan. Is there evil in this world?” The professor asked.

“Yes, sir.”

“Who created evil then? If God created everything, then God created evil and since evil exists,according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil. You believe in Jesus, right? Science says that you have five senses to help you identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen, heard, touched, tasted or smelled your Jesus? If not, then science says that your God does not exist. All you have is your ‘faith’. That’s the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only ‘faith’.”

The student during most of this exchange has remained mostly quiet, answering questions but nothing more. But then he asks the classroom, “Has anyone in the class ever seen, heard, touched, tasted, or smelled the professor’s brain?”

The class laughs and replies “no.”

“So, according to the established rules of demonstrative protocol, science says that the professor has no brain. So, we have to take it with faith that the professor DOES in fact have a brain. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey, Professor?”

“Well, if you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, then yes, I do.”

“Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes?”

“No,” the professor replied.

“Since no one has actually SEEN this process of macro-evolution, are you then believing it with faith? Are you then teaching your faith, which is your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?”

The professor was silent.

The student then asks the professor, “Is there such thing as cold?”

“Yes, of course,” the professor replied.

“No, sir, there isn’t. You can have lots of heat, more heat, super heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat, and no heat, but there is no such thing as ‘cold’. We can hit 458 degrees below zero, which is ‘no heat’, but we cannot go any colder than ‘absolute zero’ because objects can only be studied when it has or transmits energy and ‘heat’ is what is used to measure energy. Absolute zero is the total absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Cold is not the opposite of heat. Cold is just a word that we use to describe the absence of heat. Is there such thing as darkness, Professor?”

“Yes, without darkness, we would not have night.”

“No, sir. There is no such thing as darkness. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, piercing light, but if you have no light, if you have an ABSENCE of light, then you have what we call ‘darkness.’ You cannot make darkness darker or night night-er.”

The professor began to wonder what the student was trying to say and so he asked him. The student replied, “Your philosophical premise is flawed so your conclusion is also flawed. You are working with the premise of duality. You say there is life and death and a good God and a bad God. You are explaining God as something finite, something we can measure. Science cannot even explain the process of thought. We know that it uses electricity and magnetism but we have never seen or fully understood these processes. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life; it is the absence of it.

“Now, one last question. Is there evil in the world, Professor?”

“Yes, we see it everyday. There is the daily example of man’s inhumanity towards his fellow man. There is crime, violence, and many other manifestations of evil in the world today.”

“Evil does not exist, Sir. Just like with life and death where death cannot stand alone, evil cannot stand alone either. Evil is not the opposite of good. Evil is the absence of God. Evil is a word just like ‘darkness’ and ‘cold’ that people created to describe the absence of something. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when people do not have the presence of God’s love in their hearts. It’s like the cold that comes with no heat or the darkness that comes with no light. When there is no God, there is what we call ‘evil’.”

El fin.

I do not know if this story is real or what happens after the student made his point about evil. But despite the fact that the story may not have really happened and despite the fact that I got the story from an email, there are some revealing truths in what is said between the professor and student. This story depicts the messages God has kept bringing to my attention the past few days. I hope that no matter what you believe–whether you agree or disagree with this story–that you think about it. May it challenge you in your faith as it has in mine.

The West Wing

I am so excited! I finally had the opportunity to see the West Wing of the White House this semester. Many thanks go to my friend for making it happen!

The first time I went at the beginning of this semester, it turned out to be the epitome of a perfect day. It was slightly cool, the sun was shining brightly, and the sky was a cloudless, gentle blue. I went with several friends from home who were here visiting DC. We got a tour of the East Wing first and then we got a tour of the West Wing.

I have been on the East Wing tour several times already, but it never gets old seeing the bold elegance displayed in the architecture and interior decorating that permeate every detail of the East Wing.

This was my first time, however, to see the West Wing–the Oval Office, Rose Garden, Press Briefing Room, South Lawn (from the inside), and so many other neat things.

So here, I will share some pictures from that first time in the West Wing. The second time I saw the West Wing, I chose not to take pictures because I was completely drenched from head to toe. I am not kidding. My clothes were dripping and my feet were practically swimming in my dress shoes. Oh well, it was quite nice getting a better view of the Oval Office the second time around and getting to see my friend’s family again, making the trek through the pouring rain from the Metro stop to the White House well worth it.

Me in front of the White House

The West Wing (Front Entrance)

The Rose Garden was much smaller than I expected, but it was beautiful nonetheless.

The Outside of the West Wing, looking from the Rose Garden

The Press Briefing Room

 After the White House tours, my friend took us to see his old office where he worked last year and to look around in the Eisenhower Office Building next door to the White House. Here are a few pictures from there:

This was President Nixon’s office during his Presidency. He did not like working out of the Oval Office, so he moved his office here. This is also where the Watergate scandal took place.

Alice in Wonderland Staircase

I thought these stairs were interesting. They reminded me of something you would see in “Alice in Wonderland.” These were also in the EOB.

Well, I hope you enjoyed the mini tour! I wish I could post pictures of the Oval Office, but cameras are not allowed in that part of the West Wing. You can see photos of it on the White House website though. I think Mrs. Laura Bush did a great job decorating and picking out colors

*First published on November 24, 2008

Change

Now, “change,” though a popular buzz word now, is not a word I am fond of on many levels. The idea of change does not bode with me. I resist change. Being an Independent, the kind of “change” Obama wants to bring about is not the kind I would like to see in our Nation. Being the daughter of a mortgage broker and real estate agent, I am not looking forward to the “change” in the housing market that is going to come with this new stimulus (spending) package. “Change” can also mean those heavy coins that weigh down your wallet and that cause people to look at you like a complete idiot when that is all you have to pay for a value meal at your favorite fast food joint.

There is, of course, good change as well. Moving back to Texas 8 years ago changed me from being a shy, quiet girl into a young woman who is unafraid to meet new people and loves to visit with new and old friends alike. Changing schools, transferring from my alma matter junior college to Gallaudet, brought about awesome opportunities for me in school, politics, sightseeing, friendships, and in many other areas of my life. My change in major resulted in a new-found realization for me–while I love language, what I love most about it is the linguistics of language. Change can be a lot of things both good and bad.

This is a semester that reflects that truth. Many changes took place this semester that had me excited: I was taking new classes in a field I had never studied previously, I was taking my first-ever consortium classes through Georgetown University, I am only two semesters away from graduating with my BA degree, and I got some neat opportunities to work in the White House during President Bush’s last days in office, see the Oval one last time, and see the We Are One Concert before Inauguration. There were also some other changes that had me not quite so excited. I was sick–the whole semester. You must understand something. I NEVER get sick. Well, “never” meaning a once-a-year cold that lasts a week.

It was not a never-ending cold. It seemed as though, from my symptoms, that I just got one illness after another. I would start getting over a “cold” and then get a “sinus infection” and then get the “flu” after that. It has been the most bizarre illness I have ever had. At any rate, it kept me from going to class. I missed so much school in fact that I could not catch up. I prayed about it and my family prayed about it for weeks, and finally, I decided that it was time to come home. Now, I was not throwing in the towel and saying that I was never coming back. I was simply agreeing with what my body was trying to tell me: that I needed rest.

Within a week, I wrapped up my life at Gallaudet and flew home last Saturday. It was not easy leaving behind my dear friends at Gally or withdrawing from some of the most incredible classes I had ever taken in my college career. It was easy, however, to leave Gally’s cafeteria food and dilapidated dorms.

It was not an easy decision to leave school. I have never taken a LOA. But it was time. God has been teaching me several things through all of these changes in my life. For one, He is in control and He is sovereign; He allowed me to get sick for some reason maybe just so that I would slow down and look to Him for the answers and not to my own self. Second, He has been showing me that I need to refocus–re-discover my purpose in life. I have had several friends bring things to my attention that made me stop and think about why I am doing what I am doing. The primary reasons I came to Gallaudet are no longer the purpose behind why I go to Gallaudet. Is that a good change? Is that a change that God wants me to be making? That is what I need to consider.

I think this break, this LOA, will give me an opportunity to rest and get well and figure out what God’s purpose is for me. I may not find the answers, but I want to be confident that I am under God’s hand of protection, that I am where He wants me to be, that I am doing what I am doing to serve Him and further His kingdom–not my own.

So, here I am, left with these “changes.” I am just thankful that God does not let one of these happen without His consent and that He is in control of every one of them.

*First published on March 2, 2009