Lifesavers

The people in this picture saved my life. Not literally, but they changed me in a way that I will forever be grateful. I made decisions as a student that I thought would bring me satisfaction and joy, and, needless to say, hindsight is twenty-twenty. I ventured from a position where I was constantly supporting others to the point of exhaustion at the expense of my happiness and self-respect to a position of leadership and respect. But, when I met these people by joining the Leadership staff of UCLA's Student Wellness Commission, my entire view of myself changed.

Upon entering UCLA, I was convinced that as one student among thousands my contributions to the campus would be lost amongst many. As a senior, graduating from one the most well-respected, highly-ranked institutions of higher learning, I received one of the most meaningful compliments a person can receive: "Can you just stay another year? You know, just be a super-senior... we don't want you to leave."

To know that an article of my creation, SWC's Body Image Task Force, had not only inspired people to  look at the way the media, family, friends, and the environment influenced their views on "the self", but would exist for future generations of Bruins to learn from and further, is extremely empowering. When younger students confessed that without my encouragement and advice they would never have pursued  "that" major, or "that leadership position", or "that dream", I was humbled.

I worked diligently and was able to change the landscape of the UCLA campus in my own small way, while earning the appropriate respect that I deserved.  I could make people see the beauty inside themselves that was just waiting to escape and make a lasting impression on the world. I could debate cultural norms and society's expectations, and the hypocrisy that came along with these aspect's of our existence, and learn (what a concept!) about myself and why I am the way that I am.

So thank you to my Bruin family for returning my self-respect to me. I am not sure how many of you know what you mean to me; I probably should have been more upfront with my absolute love, bordering on obsession, for you all.

Humbly yours,
EmBoss

Muni stands with Boston... What about the rest of us?

“We stand with Boston.” I was on the Muni in San Francisco, when I noticed the bus had inscribed this instead of the usual “Go Giants” on the screen of the bus. Interesting, there has been scant media coverage about the most recent terrorist attack on United States soil a mere months after the tragic bombing. It seems almost as if the media has decided that the Boston Marathon bombing is no longer relevant news. Instead, our magazines are filled with news about celebrity gossip and what women should be wearing this fall. Does the media think the people do not care or is tragedy now irrelevant?

The media has a duty to the public. This duty includes truthful, accurate news. Kim Kardashian’s baby does not qualify as news. It is the medias duty to educate the public. Why do Americans lack geographical knowledge and understanding of global events? The media does not see fit to provide us with actual news; instead we read dribble about the latest in celebrity gossip. Well, Americans want to read gossip rags you might argue. My response is: try harder media. You managed to convince legions of women that they need to be a size zero and in a heterosexual relationship in order to be worthwhile to society. Why can you not use those same skills to discuss economic struggles in Greece or stimulate discussions about racial and gender equality in the United States?

So, thank you San Francisco Muni for reminding me about the Boston bombings. Thank you for reminding me that the tragedy is still affecting families throughout the U.S. And, thank you for reminding me that life is precious. 

Thanks,

EmBoss

Commuter Life

I created this blog months ago with the intention of documenting my "gap year" between my undergrad at UCLA and my future in medical school. Sadly, and yet no surprising at all, it has taken me until now to actually post a single thought.

But today was different. I was on my usual commute from work, which includes a trek across the legendary Golden Gate Bridge. As usual, I was reading my Kindle (a particularly fascinating read by Jeff Burkhart aka "The Barfly") and listening to music. I noticed some tourists boarded our commuter bus and sat in the available seats on the bus. They eagerly looked out the buses grimy, smudged windows at the traditional Victorian three-story beauties, dogs with their heads out car sunroofs, and the unusually fog-free San Francisco sky, while the rest of us "jaded commuters" decided our newspapers, our emails, and our iPhones were more interesting than the world outside our bus.

The tourists hopped off through the back doors, which the bus driver graciously opened for them: something highly unusual for us regulars. I was suddenly struck by the momentousness of the fact that I was about to traverse one of the most famous sites in the entire world and I was buried in my electronics.

I was letting the world passively pass me by. I was not appreciating the strikingly beautiful fall sunset nor the tourists who were delighting in a city I love and call my home. With that thought I vowed to pay more attention: more attention to others in my life, more attention to my own actions and their implications, and more attention to my surroundings. I must be an active participant in my own life so I am able to experience the joy in the little moments, which hopefully steamroll those other moments I wish had gone away!

Cheerio,
EmBoss