Mystery Character

This 28-year-old stud has brown hair, brown eyes, and is one of the most eccentric sons of a bitch I’ve seen. But don’t let his Jew-fro and glasses fool you, he has the body of an overweight dad, who tries to fit in too often, and a laugh that wont get out of your head. Even though his chilled out attitude towards life isn’t a turn on, his boyish charm will always get you. There always seems to be an uneven beard growing on his rounded chin no matter what role he’s playing. And is he always confused about something or is that his natural look? Still, his pasty skin and plaid collar shirts have never steered him wrong.

Fish out of water

Attending a Latin Catholic Mass has encouraged me to explore other cultures. Today I attended the Sunday mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph in downtown San Jose and then was invited to go to lunch to what I consider the best Mexican food I have ever had.

My initial thought before going to the mass was its just going to be another church service only just in Spanish. But contrary to popular belief, the passion of all the people attending and of the priest is what made this experience so unforgettable. Everyone in attendance was dressed up in all formal attire, even the children, and nobody talked while the priest was talking, showing the most respect in church I have ever seen. I also thought I was going to sit by myself, being an outsider and everything, but since the service was so packed I got to sit in between a 50 year old dad and his family of one son and two daughters. His kids kept looking at me, wondering why I was there, but before mass started the dad, Michael, asked why I was attending, and when I told him I don’t speak Spanish, he asked it in English, and I told him what my assignment was.

After mass was over and the stampede of people were trying to get out of the cathedral, Michael asked if I would like to know where the real Mexican food is. So I called my brothers and they met me at El Tlaquepaque off Willow Street in San Jose. I introduced them to Michael and his family and we sat next to him while we all had lunch together. All of us agreed it was the best Mexican food we had ever had, then again we were all white. When Michael and his family got up to leave, I said thank you, and he said see you next Sunday. I just might go back and do it all over again next Sunday.

Later after I woke up from my four hour nap, I told my brother what happened, cause that’s what we do, tell each other everything and I found out some of them go to the Sunday night mass. They were very interested in what I had to say because they understand the seriousness that is going to Saint Joseph, and were glad I got the experience I did. They invited me to go to their “spot” after church, apparently everyone that goes to this church has a spot to go to afterwards. I have to say this was definitely one of the greatest assignments I’ve ever done, it truly opened up my eyes to a completely different lifestyle that I didn’t know existed.

Words of the Week

1.Imbibed
2. Sir Thomas More “Utopia”
3.These in such like notions has that people imbibed. Partly from their education, being bread in a country whose customs and laws are opposite to all such foolish maxims…
4.To absorb
5.They were imbibing far to many pitcher of beer.

1. Sagacity
2. Sir Thomas more “Utopia”
3. They have a particular sagacity, founded upon much observation, in judging of the weather, by which they know when they may look for rain, wind, or other altercations in the air….
4. Shrew and wise
5. The sagacious old man hated Christmas.

1. Dexterous
2. Sir Thomas More “Utopia”
3. He was very dexterous at unraveling them.
4. Skillful with the use of hands and mid
5. The hairdresser is very dexterous in her line of work.

1. Abhorrent
2. Sir Thomas More “Utopia
3. “is that to be compassed in a way so abhorrent to my genius?”
4. a feeling of repugnance or loathing
5. He looked a the girl abhorrently as she passed him by.

1. Impudence
2. Sir Thomas More “Utopia”
3. When it did not grow up to impudence, as baring a great resemblance to his own temper; and he looked on such persons as the fittest man for affairs.
4. Not Showing due respect for another
5. The man had little impudence for his superiors.

1. Pestiferous
2. Sir Thomas More “Utopia”
3. In France there is yet a more pestiferous sort of people….
4. Bothersome or annoying
5. Furlough days are becoming more and more pestiferous in California State Universities.

1. Exhort
2. Plato Symposium and Phaedurs
3. Where for let us exhort all men to piety, that we may avoid the evil and obtain the good, of which love is the lord and the leader….
4. To urge by strong argument, advice or appeal
5. Governor Schwarzenegger finally exhorted the importance of education.

1. Magnanimity
2. Plato Symposium and Phaedrus
3. I should be strangely forgetful, agathon, replied Socrates, of the courage and magnanimity which you showed when your compositions were about to be exhibited…
4. Generous or noble
5. The mans’ magnanimous virtues were thought highly of among his peers.

1. Encomium
2. Plato Symposium and Phaedrus
3. Now I love to hear him talk; but just at present I must not forget the encomium on love, which I ought to receive from him and everyone.
4. Lofty praise or tribute
5. Students had a day or encomium for their alumni.

1. Wantonly
2. Plato "Symposium and Phaedrus"
3. He appeared to me wantonly ambitious of showing how well he could say the same thing in two or three ways.
4. Gratuitously cruel; merciless
5. His actions were wantonly as he killed the man with his bear hands.

Your Favorite Writing

Growing up in a household where my father is from Oklahoma, I was taught at a young age on how to act like a gentleman. Little did I know, my father, when he was in college had joined the same Fraternity I currently am active in. Sigma Alpha Epsilon teaches their brothers the meaning and guidelines of how to become a true gentleman with their creed, "True Gentleman," which just so happens to be my favorite writing.

The True Gentleman - "The True Gentleman is the man whose conduct proceeds from good will and an acute sense of propriety, and whose self control is equal to all emergencies; who does not make the poor man conscious of his poverty, the obscure man of his obscurity, or any man of his inferiority or deformity; who is himself humbled if necessity compels him to humble another; who does not flatter wealth, cringe before power, or boast of his own possessions or achievements; who speaks with frankness but always with sincerity and sympathy; whose deed follows his word; who thinks of the rights and feelings of others rather than his own; and who appears well in any company, a man with whom honor is sacred and virtue safe.”

- John Walter Wayland (1899)

As you can see this paragraph describes what a True Gentleman is, and even though this is almost impossible to achieve, its give my brothers and me something to strive for. It also sets us up for doing other things outside of our creed. An example would be walking on the street side of a lady, walking anyone home who needs it, treating everyone with the utmost respect, an so on and so forth. For the past three years I have become a better person, a stronger person, and have become closer to being "True Gentleman" than I ever have been. That is why this piece of literature is not only my favorite but it defines my life.

All About Me

My name is Kristopher Derick Adams born and raised here in San Jose, CA. Yes it's Kristopher with a K because there are 4 other Christopher's in my family and my mother wanted me to be the outcast for some reason. I am a junior here at San Jose State University majoring in Public Relations with an emphasis in Radio, Television and Film and a Minor in Political Science. I am looking to become a broadcaster in sports, hopefully in baseball but I'm down with all sports. In the future I'll be working for the New York Yankees either as an announcer or their PR guy. If you couldn't tell already I am a HUGE Yankees fan, and if you have a problem with it go see all 27 World Series trophies we have. I have joined a Fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, where I am a 3rd generation legacy. Some of the things I am most proud of are achieving the rank of Eagle Scout in my Boy Scout Troop in 2007, graduating high school, and joining SAE.

Things I am not proud of are not spending enough time with my little brother and not continuing to play baseball here in college. I live my life by one word and that is Respect. I currently am dating someone and she definitely keeps me in check. I am the current ANCHORMAN of the Delta Gamma Sorority. Things I love to do in my spare time are working on my car, cooking, eating, watching Alfred Hitchcock movies, kicking it with friends and driving. My grandfather, the late Jack Adams, is, right now, the most influential person to have ever entered my life. And I am one of the loudest, most outgoing and enthusiastic person you will ever meet. I think everyone has a story to tell and I’m down to talk.