It’s a shame that I do not have any grandiose stories to tell. What I do have is a scenic backyard. The funny thing is that this backyard harbors all my creative. Writing has always been my passion – my backyard is the place where I write the best. I am not sure if it’s the scenic field, the mysterious forest, or the way the light hits the patio in the late afternoon, but this place resonates with all m internal curiosities. I am sitting on a beach chair as I write on a pap of paper and midnight black pen; I get a waft of the chlorine from the pool and it takes me back. Back to the days when everyday was a great day and I was too ignorant to not have a smile plastered on my face. Then I glance over and see honey bees pollinating and although I have a phobia, I am glad they are doing their job. Without them there would be no vegetation that harnesses my creativity. I still long for the days day where its seventy degrees with a light breeze and there is just one cloud in the sky, just so I know I am not dreaming. The cool touch of the stone patio feels like the cool sand between my toes in Jamaica, but also resembles the relief I get when taking off my ski boots in Colorado. This backyard can take me anywhere – it’s rather absurd. I never run out of ideas when writing in this realm; I have poems ranging from pine cones to the blue sky to contrasting the aesthetics of the landscape during the four seasons. I believe that I can create here because there is not the hustle and bustle that manifests itself in every other setting of my life. This feels more genuine than sitting on a desktop and the million distractions it provides and simultaneously writing the most important essay in your life – not exactly my cup of tea. Perhaps my imagination needs serenity for it to be birthed.

Nature is not my only infatuation. The suave nuances of a smoky café are the perfect realm to harness my autodidacticism, or self-teaching. If it is not the Wall Street Journal Weekend Edition, then most likely I am submersing myself into an agglomeration of facts provided by the vastest information source we have – the internet. I find it requisite to teach myself anything in which I find a spontaneous interest. Whether it’s piano, fianchettos in chess, quantum electrodynamics, fishing, iambic pentameter, or anything sandwiched between – educating myself is a vital notion. Without knowledge there is nothing one can truly appreciate given their unqualified ignorance. When I teach myself something, I find it easier to remember; I also have a depth of understanding that I would not obtain otherwise. Also, it gives me a satisfaction that I accomplished a task independently. Freedom from dependence on others is a trait that I cherish. I make an effort to utilize my teaching skills on a diverse number of subjects. I know higher education will not only harbor my intrinsic abilities but will also develop them.