1 year later...

It's been a year since I graduated. 1 year since school life became nothing but a woken dream. 1 year since my last finals, 1 year since my last cut, 1 year since my last formal education.

To normal people, 1 year is something that's really long. A lot can happen in a year. In a year, one can find a new love, one can find a new career, one could be born while another could die. A lot has happened the past year since I finally stepped into the real world. And in that 1 year, there was one thing that I did learn...THE REAL WORLD SUCKS.

The past year, I've done civil service work, I've made as well as lost friends. I've found a career that I love. I've been to places I've never been to before, seen things I've never seen. I've been reunited with long lost friends, as well as met some of the greatest people one can ever meet in a lifetime. I've gotten my heart broken, said goodbye too many times. I've been at the top of the world, at the top of my game, only to have it easily ripped out from under me. I've beet at my best, and I've been at my worst. Quoting that old Pizza Hut TV commercial introducing their new thin crust pizza called "the Edge" *ahem* "I have been to the edge and back."

Now it comes to that point in the story where I reflect on the things that happened the past year, all the learnings, insights as well as incites (no pun intended). And one thing remains true to this day...THE REAL WORLD SUCKS.

During school, you knew what you had to do to get by. You knew that at the end of the day, all you needed to do was pass. All you needed to do was submit your homework, pass the quiz or at the very least, show up for class most of the time. However, here, now in the real world, it's not like that. You don't know if you're doing okay till it's too late. You don't know if you're earning enough to get by till you finally get that eviction notice from your landlord.

You see, in the real world, your grades and how well you did in class and how much you sucked up won't really matter. Sure, you could've gotten straight-As, all your teachers loved you, voted class valedictorian or something but when push comes to shove, your transcript won't do jack shit for you. In the real world, all it comes down to is what you're made of. Getting up after being kicked repeatedly on the ground. Bouncing back, when you've fallen and so on and so forth. The real world is a dog eat dog world my friends, bretheren, countrymen. And to get by, you need nerves of steel, lava running through your veins and lastly (sorry if I'm being sexist) muy grande cojones (um..this is Spanish, so don't go all conyo and stuff by saying "co-dyo-nes").

Everyone will have crappy work days, I should know...the past few months have been really tough on me, and to think...I got into a job that I actually enjoy. Think about all those people that never learned to enjoy their work...they might be having a hell of a lot tougher time than I am, huh?

You see, no matter what happens during work, no matter what happens during the day...at the end of the day, it's only a job. When you get home, lie down, put your feet up and watch a couple of hours of cartoons, read a good book, drink, have sex, whatever lifts your boat to help you relax. When you have days where nothing good happens...when you step out of the office/hospital/classroom or whatever, look up, SCREAM IN YOUR HEAD: "I'M (enter name here), I LIVE FOR THIS SHIT". Start playing "Eye of the Tiger" by the Survivors in your head...coz you should never say die. Coz when you say die, you're already over and done with since you gave up. Never say die, iron eagle. Never look back, never say die. And when you fight on, and persevere, you're no longer on your way to the danger zone. You're already IN the danger zone. Wearing your flight suit, with Goose as your wingman and Iceman covering your tail.

You're the voice, try and understand it. Make a noise and make it clear. We're not going to sit in silence, we're not going to live in fear.

Days will be tough my friend. And sometimes, you find yourself with your back to the wall, and you have nowhere else to go. But you have to hold on...for one more day. And things will go your way if you hold on for one more day.

I don't think I have anything else more to say. Towards the end, I did nothing but babble on about this and that, but maybe, just maybe...one of you got my point. So this I say to you..*ahem* "Carry on my wayward son. There'll be peace when you are done. Lay your weary head to rest. Don't you cry no more."

PS
I made a shitload of obscure pop-culture references there towards the end. They're in this order:

1. The Survivors - Eye of the Tiger
2. King Kobra - Never Say Die
3. Kenny Loggins - Dangerzone
4. Top Gun (Goose was Tom Cruise' wingman and Iceman was Val Kilmer whose "flying is as cool as ice")
5. John Farnham - You're the Voice
6. Wilson Philips - Hold On
7. Kansan - Carry on my Wayward Son