The Highest Purpose of Intellectual Cultivation is to Give Man a Perfect Knowledge and Mastery of His Own Inner Self

Believing that I am not shaped as a women by my abilities alone; has forced me to learn things I'd otherwise not pause to wonder about . Finding within myself, through my life experiences that the decisions that led me to where I am at, are the most valuable learning tools I have. But most importantly though; going forward in life and the choices I make everyday; will ultimately be what gives the definition to my character. What we do and the way we proceed in life when no one is watching us or in our presence, is who we are as humans beings.

The best feeling in the world is simply being comfortable with who you are,trusting just yourself and being able to make a choice with out a second guess. Finally reaching a common ground within I am able to find comfort in forgiveness. Most importantly within myself as well as the world and all who inhabit it. Those whom I have allowed to break away pieces of me, pieces I may never get back; but pieces that I can adapt to live without. I never really knew how much a grudge weighed till I let go of it. Forgiving but never forgetting, and in a biased manner just because I can.

Everyday that I live I am faced with a new challenge and everyday I have a different way of handling the stepping stone that I stumble on before me. Just simply having the faith in myself that my conscience simple decision I made just this very day; will ultimately lead me into the path of my own destiny. Sometimes I even ponder the word fairy tale when thinking of my destiny.


Something happened to me in 2011 and although I try everyday to I over think it or write about it; it will just remain what is gracefully my thought. Just mine, the up thoughts and down. Learning to be at one with me, Allison Fair; is a magical, limitless provoking feeling.

If someone asked you; if you had one year left to live, how would you spend those 365 days of your life?

The options are always limitless.


I have spent my time in South West Florida, just a month short of 4 years. I feel like since 20 years old I've grown to know all the answers and that I've mapped my life out, the exciting part is that it's only just beginning of my journey. Oh and just what an incredible journey it will be. :-)

My Thoughts on My Life, Quickly Before I Go Cast out.

I know my day is going to go well when I open my eyes and have a craving to walk down to the beach and stick my fishing pole in the water. It's as if every time I go fishing even if I only catch something very small or even nothing. This is inspiring to me. 

I woke up feeling good and just wanted to remind myself of some things positive so I never forget: I'm imaginative, with visions that are sometimes unreal. When I find myself doing something I enjoy, I work my hardest to keep enjoying- crushing all obstacles. Unfortunately if my brain isn't stimulated, I turn impossible. I'm inspired by anything different and have never been a play it safer. I'm a thinker and can never get over the feeling I get when my thoughts become tangible. I'm very thankful today, and now I'm leaving to go fishing!

My Plan to Make a Difference

When I previously worked with ARC my focus was on the cats, socializing with them and cleaning up their houses. Today I unexpectedly found myself with a different plan on how to donate my time, a plan that I feel is different than just helping with a chore or loving on a cat. I have the ability to actually make a difference, not only in a dogs life but hopefully a families too. I especially feel for the dogs at ARC this time around, these dogs were never given the chance to show their potential and it is my goal to change that. As a volunteer I was taught what it takes to train a dog with behavior issues, which is the leading reason why people bring them to ARC in the first place.  As an volunteer I will build a relationship with one dog, who's trust I will gain, and over time my goal is to train the dog  to abide by the basic behavioral rules. If  I can train just one dog to be obedient this can increase the chances the dog has to get adopted into a steady home with a good family. If I have the ability to increase the odds of a dog getting a family, and a family getting a dog, then I know I've made a difference and I've done my job. I will be updating on my progression with my new friend.

Donating My Time to The Animal Refuge Center

Today I reunited with the Animal Refuge Center again since it's been quite some time. Just donating my time and being there reminded me how rewarding giving back to my community really is. I was very impressed by how much the ARC establishment has expanded it's entities. Considering the circumstances of the economy and ARC's disbelief in euthanasia on it's dogs and cats; the number of animals has almost tippled since I've been back. Mind you, these dogs and cats undeniably live a pretty good life at ARC, spending their days in  air conditioned living facilities with the great staff members and volunteers always there to tend to each animal's specific need. These are some pictures of the new members to join ARC's huge family. These guys I'm sure won't have a problem finding a good home I wanted to take them home myself. =]

Can Selfishness Be the Ultimate Key to Success

Do you ever wonder if  President Obama had to be selfish growing up in order to get where he is today? Do you think he had to give up having a social life, girlfriends, and even things he loved to do? When we want to go somewhere in life or do something, it always seems that we must give up something else we like doing to accomplish that. Weather its staying home on a night all of your friends are going out for drinks, or not being able to spend time with the person you love because you have other more important priorities. Does our own selfishness determine where we will end up? Being selfish I’ve come to find is something that’s becoming more and more of a ritual in my life every day. I’ve always tried to find a balance between going for what I want and still being able to have fun on the side, which up until this point has not seemed to bring my full potential out. I think selfishness could drive me to do good things, manage my priorities and stay in tuned with what it is I really want out of life. I would like to consider myself as a go getter, doing things for me and my community; only things that will benefit my life in the long run. I wish I could say that I have the ability to be stretched very thin, but at this time I don’t. As people, I’m learning we must give up things we care about to lead better more fulfilling lives. Is this the case for everyone? Is being selfish the key to getting to where you want to go in life? I think I have thought of my new favorite saying; if this is not going to benefit me now it probably won’t in 5 years; I must learn it’s okay to let things go.  My key to my success is selfishness. If people can’t see the point in this then they are not people to be involved with.

Couldn't Have Been Written Better: Nathan Bartman's Reflection

Bartman, an FGCU student writes inspiring reflection on Episode of 30Days. 

Title: Cocoon of Empathy

Date: 10-25-10

Author: Nathan Bartman

"The episode of 30 Days followed the emotional transformation of a resistant individual into an empathetic individual. This individual, well-spoken, well-educated, a lawful citizen who contributed to his community, displayed an absolutely uncompromising attitude toward the national immigration problem, tinged with shades of exclusivism and prejudice. After he acclimates to his new life as poor, inner-city, illegal immigrant, he begins to see things differently. While he does not change his opinion at the end of the episode, he certainly has gained a strong, emotional bond with the people he lived with—not the immigrants he lived with, or the illegals, but the responsible, trustworthy, caring human begins. This bond will undoubtedly give him something to reflect on, which gives him something to consider when he is ruminating over national problems in his future.
I appreciate the man whom the filmmakers followed. He broke my expectations of a prototypical, angry, emotional, ignorant, racist conservative (not to pick on conservatives—it's just a cultural stereotype), and represented himself with eloquence (in more than just one language), with lawfulness, and with reason. At worst, his sin might have been a lack of empathy, or a stubbornness regarding his emotionally-loaded opinion.
This entire endeavor reminded me of the religious attitudes I kept throughout my adolescence, intensely interested in philosophy, religious studies, comparative mythology, and the arts and humanities in general. I was extremely critical, and consequently dismissive of organized religion, specifically of Christianity simply do to its overwhelming influence on Western culture. In addition to several (retrospectively minor) incidents which confirmed my negative expectations, I had mentally cut myself off from any alternative conceptions. Everyone managed to offer me deficient or otherwise wanting responses that lacked any sort of subtlety that my particular intellect thirsted for, and begged unadulterated fundamentalist.
Yet when I found that I discussed my concerns and interests with well-educated, thoughtful men and women, of different religious backgrounds, open and caring, they all were concerned with the same issues, all held similar opinions, and all of them rejected a literal, fundamentalist interpretation of their texts and traditions. By allowing other people into my lives, I was changed by them. “'I do not forget,' wrote psychologist C. G. Jung, 'that my voice is but one voice, my experience a mere drop in the sea, my knowledge no greater than the visual field in a microscope, my mind's eye a mirror that reflects a small corner of the world'” (237).Loeb gave me something interesting to think about when he suggested that a “good society . . . honors our individual gifts and encourages our particular callings” (259). I haven't lately been thinking in terms of what society has to offer me. Maybe that is a fault that I can improve on in terms of lacking an appropriate appreciation for all those advantages I have that others would (literally) die for. So it's interesting to conceive of a society which maximizes individual opportunity and happiness, quite accommodating to the populace. In the end, I am simply grateful that I am allowed to live in a place which will constantly challenge me socially, ethically, and emotionally, making me ever stronger and more capable of being who I want to be, and helping those issues which touch my heart."- Nathan Bartman

Are You Illegal?

Illegal immigration is such a controversial subject that this country has been riding on for decades. The views I've gathered for myself on the subject have always been the same. I can admit I've pretty much jumped on the band wagon, doing little research I assumed the conservative way of looking at illegal aliens is just how it is and always will be. Up until yesterday I hadn't really put much more thought into this until  I was approached with an opposing view on how this issue can be looked at. In Paul Rogat Loeb's book titled "Soul of a Citizen," I came across a thought that opened my eyes to a whole new light, as Loeb would write it, "Widening the circle." I never thought to imagine myself in the shoes of someone less fortunate than myself, and the empathy that comes with doing just that was a bit hard for me to swallow. After viewing an episode of 30 Days and watching cameras following a Minute Man while he lived in the shoes of a family of illegal aliens living in L.A; I was astounded by how he took the whole process. The realism of the pain some people must endure brought a tear to my eye. The episode left me feeling selfish for not recognizing how much we all take for granted. In reflecting on my opinion on the video I stumbled across another reflection of one of my peers, I thought it was beautifully written and I wanted to post it, for myself and others to think about. This was written by Nathan Bartman an FGCU student whom I don't think he could have stated the way this video made him feel any better, I agree with him with the up most respect for the way he put his thought into words.

Do You Ever Wonder Why?

       I have always been told by teachers growing up that there is no stupid question and my father has always said to me, “Smart people ask a lot of questions,” so I’m just going to run with it; hoping there is some validity to those statements. In my days here on earth I have always done just that, every person I converse with either mentions my strong ability to ask questions and challenge subjects or they get annoyed with the fact that this is in my nature and tell me to stop, or rudely tell me I ask a lot of stupid questions. I find myself constantly challenging people’s thoughts with my own subjective conclusions usually in my head (unless I know someone well), but the questions just seem to flow freely from my mouth; sometimes uncontrollably to anyone and everyone. Lately though I’ve been having a question eating at my brain; it is just now that I want to put it into words or at least try to explain my way of thinking on the subject. Although I’ve never been into philosophical ideas and as a matter of fact, I would almost rather get hit by a train than sit through a philosophy class, (metaphorically speaking of course); I am being biased when I write that I’ve been asking myself a significantly broad unanswerable question with a never ending absolutely unreachable answer. Every day, the question, “Do you ever wonder why?” warps my brain. I ask a lot of questions in my day to day conversations with people and the word, “why” has always been one of my favorite questions to use when responding to people’s actions or thoughts. If I can reach an acceptable answer to my question why, it allows me to understand and process the reasoning behind people’s actions, also how they think and in a more general sense, why things are the way they are. I don’t know if this is human nature but; every day I spend a lot of time racking my brain, asking this unanswerable question to myself. It’s feels as if I have so many unanswered questions about life, why it is the way it is and why different people do the things they do when given a circumstance. I have actually gotten myself into trouble asking this question too much and I don’t believe it’s that I’m trying to be nosy; I just really would like to know why? When asking why, the question is usually followed by an, “I don’t know,” or some meaningless non profound answer. The question seems so simple, but to me it’s one of the most complex questions we can ask. Am I just constantly questioning myself and other people? Or is everyone walking around asking themselves the same question? There must be answers to all of my why followed circumstances somewhere out there just waiting to be shared with me, but like I said I’ll let the philosophers do the unanswerable question asking  and hopefully I can make some of my own conclusions, someday anyways.

G is For Gina

    This year, I found a new friend. We always say that we are the same person in different bodies which is a true statement to me thus far. I met Gina at Fort Myers Beach through a mutual friend, whom we left by herself; while embarking on a mission to get free jet ski rides. I've always been called, "the wild child" by my parents and friends and unexpectedly I stumbled upon someone just as wild, if not more wild; to run with me. When it comes to girls I'm pretty selective because Ive been chewed up and spit out by so many girls who I thought I could trust. The more I get to know Gina; the more I realize I could leave my life in her hands, and come out with nothing less than a small band aid to show for our time spent with each other. Gina is my companion, friend and motivational guard when the going gets tough and the tough get going. I knew I could find a friend out of the 10% of normal people here in this town I like to call Heaven's waiting room, and I'm thankful I found the one who I know will always be able to keep up with me. We rep young money, and we know it. <3

Oh..People

    This town that I live in, I can say with 85% certainty is a shit hole. Of course every town has its glamor, and I'm not one to judge but when 50% of the population are elderly people and 40% are drug addicts that leaves the other 10% to be people like me; normal people who work hard and have ambition.
     It's sad to say this but when my parents got divorced when I was six, I don't think I've ever seen a person flee as fast as my mom did to get away from the cute little old people, who can no longer seem to grasp the concept of driving. I was raised in California with my mom (where I was taught to drive) and the two years Ive got under my belt here in the sunshine state I find myself with constant rage while I'm on the road. I think that after 70 we all need to be tested each year from then on, on our driving abilities; doesn't that sound like a brilliant idea? We also have the snowbirds who cant seem to manage our Florida roads either, I won't even bother to get into our friends from Ohio! Like really people, get out of my way.
    I'm pretty sure when I speak of the drug users, it's safe for me to say that I can only speak on behalf of South Florida. I'm no saint and Ive spent my time with drugs, but Ive started to notice in the past year or so that I'm finding more recreational drug users than I would have ever thought possible; and I'm not just talking about weed. I don't think I have ever encountered, or came into contact with as many prescription drug users in my entire life, than Ive seen in my two years here. almost every week another doctor is getting busted for basically ruining people's lives in my eyes. All for a quick buck!  It disgusts me to the point that I don't even want to embark any further into it. I just always know that I am who I choose to surround myself with, which I still can't say is perfection. Then again what is?
    This is starting to get long and I could go on forever but the truth is, I'm attending a new school (which I love) and am starting to find that 10% I have been looking for, for the past two years.I'm glad to say I'd rather play tennis with my roommates then snort a line of something off a table. As I said earlier, I'm not one to judge even though it seems to be all I'm doing; I'm just looking for normality and I will find it, maybe under a rock somewhere.
     

  

How cool

This being my first post to my very own PERSONAL blog, I'm a bit excited to put the thoughts that go through my noggin on a day to day bases into something that can be shared with others; who might feel the same as I do or differently. I have both Facebook and Twitter accounts, but the whole uprising of social networking these days is making my head spin with enthusiasm to dig deeper. I wouldn't consider myself a writer, although I do enjoy putting my thoughts onto a piece of paper or even onto a social platform for that matter. I'm about half way into my junior year at Florida Gulf Coast University as a Mass Communications major looking to get into Public Relations. Like I said before I'm not a writer, I enjoy writing and have hopes that it could lead me into something interesting someday so please if anyone does happen to stumble upon my blog I would love and appreciate very much, some criticism at the least. Just remember I am new to this whole blogging thing so be nice to me!

Oh and P.S. My name is Allison, I'm almost 23 years old and I live in a town considered to be Heaven's waiting room. Oh Joy, I know.