And with every year, I have been writing a birthday blog post, talking about updates and life lessons I want to share with you all!
1) The Apartment Makeover Continues
My apartment makeover is one of my greatest accomplishments of 2012 so far.
I have written about it earlier at
http://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2012/06/my-war-against-clutter.html
http://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2012/07/my-apartment-gets-make-over.html
Since, then I have gotten a new refrigerator!
The old one was leaking! But I didn't have enough to get a new one! Though I tried to rely on my pride and am striving for more self-reliance, I couldn't take the waiting anymore. I just mentioned the issue to my parents, and they got a good deal for the refrigerator.
This also means my mother won't be able to buy additional birthday or Christmas gifts. That's fine! The new refrigerator is more important than anything else I could've gotten as birthday/Christmas gifts.
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My thing is this .......... in the past few years, I have allowed myself to live in 2nd world conditions. I didn't replace much stuff, kept too much old stuff!
(hey: I always had basic sanitation, showers, electricity and a roof over my head, so I'll NEVER call my past life "3rd world")
I grew up in a public housing complex (Lanakila Housing aka Puahala Homes) for the first 14 years of my life, so I was used to living in 2nd world conditions, used to living without luxuries!
I did rebel against my parents moving to the suburbs when I was a teen, and I chose to stay with my grandma back in the housing. The hood may not be perfect, but it was home! (plus, I wanted to be near my friends. It was a teenage thing!)
This was why I could never relate to my fellow UH classmates from upper-class areas who complained about UH facilities being a "ghetto". Those fools never been to a real ghetto! I've lived in one!
But ever since Colt Brennan went public about the sub-standard facilities at UH, and all the publicity about sports recruits enticed by luxury facilities at other universities (especially at Oregon, Ohio State, etc), that woke me up about how I've been too accustomed to "2nd world conditions".
Now that UH has been upgrading many of its facilities, and seeing constant renovations at so many businesses, screw it, it was time to adapt that "makeover" attitude.
I have learned to stop accepting a "2nd world" life and strive for "1st world" life.
2
In 2007, I decided to grow my hair long!
my facebook page
Someone told me to get a haircut
after seeing this photo on facebook
Part of it was observing my older brothers getting bald! I'll be next, so I better grow my hair while I still can!
Part of it was being a fan of the UH Warrior football team, which was famous for their long wild hair!
Northwest Hawaii Times, photo by Steve
Kajihiro
(unfortunately, new coach Norm Chow wanted his players to have short hair! This is also the worst football season since the von Appen days. Coincidence? As one caller to a talk radio show said "the rules against long hair is ruining the team spirit!" Take that Norm Chow!)
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Also, I wanted the opportunity to get my hair braided before I lose my hair permanently.
I got it done last Friday.
my facebook page
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Of course, some employers and schools don't want their male subordinates to have long-hair. They tell us we should shave off our facial hair? I guess they will never hire Jesus! After all, Jesus NEVER had a crew cut!
We're told he's the greatest person to ever lived,
but if you have his hairstyle, some employers wouldn't hire you?
Yeah, the so-called Christians who demand all males to have short hair and no facial hair, aren't really Christians after all! After all, you can't have the "Christian" without Christ.
Plus, this stuff about "males shouldn't have long hair" is a bunch of sexist crap that I have ZERO tolerance for.
My attitude is "either everyone can have long hair or nobody can have long hair" Screw the gender double standards!
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In the past, I did have short hair. It was always that way in high school and during my under-grad years at UH.
my facebook page
My high school ID
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You may not see it in my recent photos, but a bald spot already appears on my scalp, and my hair is thinning.
In a few years, the bald spot is most likely to grow.
Enjoy my hair while you still can!
