Earning my drivers license

So I got my drivers license this semester. Not many people believe me seeing as earned my pilots license over the summer of last year but I would say that the hardest part of the test was making sure that I had all the paperwork that I needed to actually take it! I went to the secretary of states office in Joliet and the people there were actually pretty nice. They were welcoming and were in a way fun with our conversations. It's surprising how different reality can be from stereotypes. I did both the written and the practical test on the same day and got my license! It was a rather simple process and if you have to go to the DMV for any reason, I'd recommend the one in Joliet.

Working in groups

https://www.natoma.com/blog/content/2017/12/4/
journeying-through-servant-leadership

Working in groups can be a great thing. However, it may also be just as bad. It goes without saying that I had to work with groups in the army, often with different people from different backgrounds. Despite our differences, it always seemed to work out. We always managed to complete our tasks on time or early and we were always productive. Like clockwork, if you will.  There seems to be a rather large difference here in college. I often find myself struggling to get done with work in groups due to a lack of motivation among my peers, and perhaps even a lack of leadership. I often wonder what the difference is and I believe that it is the strength of leadership within the group. In the army, we had appointed leaders who earned their ranks and positions who were able to motivate their troops. Whereas here in college, it is up to each one of us to step up and lead those around us.

WeAreLewisU

I had the honor of running the WeAreLewisU Instagram page for a week. It is a page where random students are selected to post about their daily lives and their experiences. I found it fun to be able to show others a bit more of my personal side and that of other students who have run the page before me. Make sure to follow it! @wearelewisu

Learning from others

Just the other day I had the privilege of flying with a friend of mine in an aircraft that I am very unfamiliar with. He is a stage ahead of me so the maneuvers he was performing are maneuvers I will be doing in the near future. It was an eye-opening experience and humbling to be able to learn from him and observe how he flies his aircraft. It reminded me of how important it is to be humble because we can learn from others around us, whether they are ahead, behind or at par with us.

Staying cool

https://twinsandablog.com.au/milo-3-in-1/

Staying cool is important. No not like that but being able to take a step back from our responsibilities and cool down at the end of a long day. We all have our own ways of doing this including eating, sleeping, watching a show or having a relaxing drink, whether be it a cocktail or a warm beverage. I find it important for me to at least have a little time to myself to unwind at the end of each day. My daily routine includes a warm shower after finishing whatever work I had for the day, then watching a show with a nice cup of hot Milo from Singapore. For those of you who don't know what Milo is, it is a light chocolaty malt drink straight from heaven! This routine is often followed with me going to bed. Do you have a daily routine to cool down? If so, what is it?

Verizon advertisement: Answering the call

The advertisement released by Verizon features audio played of various individuals who have previously been rescued by first responders. The individuals each call the people responsible for saving their lives and identify themselves with them by explaining what the rescue was as the rescuers are not able to remember each and every person they have saved in the past.

The audio of each phone call is accompanied by the pictures of the moment each caller is rescued. This addresses pathos. It attempts to make the audience feel sympathy for the callers but at the same time, proud and delighted that this opportunity was given to them to get in touch with the people who saved their lives. Having still pictures rolling in the background allows the viewer to really get into the atmosphere and plays with the viewer's thoughts giving them a better feel for what the atmosphere was like.

The advertisement addresses logos by linking the first responders with the people they have rescued. It shows the importance of our first responders. The very first firefighter called responded immediately with “oh my God. You kinda caught me off guard here.” as the caller identified herself as someone he rescued 4 years ago. This shows that our first responders are greatly unappreciated and receive hardly if any, acknowledgment or appreciation from the victims they have rescued despite doing what they do for a living and saving lives every day.

Verizon, being a service provider, secures ethos at the end, with the line "They answer the call. Our job is to make sure they can get it". Through this, the company is stating their involvement with first responders. They are portraying themselves to the audience as a vital part in saving lives by connecting those that need urgent help, to those who can help. 

            

This We'll Defend

My stepdad served the US Army as a ranger.
My dad served the Singapore army as an armor infanteer then as a police officer.
I have served the Singapore army as an infanteer, and this commercial hit me hard.
I feel like the men and women in uniform of this country are represented poorly by media, especially news providers. They are not just robots who are produced in a factory. They are not programmed to do something and follow without emotion. They are very real human beings who live their own individual lives. They are real people that have flesh covered in skin. They feel, physically and emotionally, like everybody else.

The nation's flag means so much to us. It's not just a piece of cloth. It's more than just a simple symbol. It represents victory and pride. Power and our strength. It represents us.  It is the last thing we see on the coffin of a fallen brother or sister.  Protesters who burn the nation's flag here are extremely lucky that the government considers it "freedom of speech". That's all it is, luck. I understand that they are upset with the government, but an attack on the flag is NOT an attack on the government. It is an attack on your home, your family, and friends. It is an attack on you.

This commercial was created by Grunt Style, an organization run by veterans who design apparel. The commercial was originally supposed to be aired for the super bowl but they couldn't make the financial commitment.