Just Another Day in the Neighborhood

Last night, in my seemingly tranquil neighborhood, my house was happy as can be. My dad was in bed, my mom was watching Law and Order, and I was watching YouTube. Around 10, my mom and I found it a little strange that there was a low-flying helicopter with spotlights repeatedly circling the skies. Unusual, yes, but nothing we hadn't seen before.

But, one helicopter grew to two, and kept getting closer to our house and louder.

My mom decided to look outside. Not only were there helicopters, but a number of people in the woods behind our house with flashlights.

We may have been overreacting, but we decided to call the police to see what was going on. Oh yes, the dispatcher told me, there is indeed something going on. "Are all your doors locked?", she asked. Apparently, there was an armed robbery at a gas station about 10 minutes from our house, and the helicopters and people in the woods were cops. There were two suspects, one was in custody, the other one was thought to be near our house. She told me if we see anyone on foot who is not a policeman, call the cops.

Right. The only thing that I was going to call was my bed.

This morning, it was reported that two cops were injured near my neighborhood, chasing a drunk driver. But, this happened at 1:30 in the morning, hours after the helicopters and cops were circling my neighborhood on foot. But, I find it hard to believe the two were not related. They would not have had such a high-powered search if cops had not been involved.

Whatever the cause, I am damn sure locking all the doors tonight.

Why?

It's been a week since the horrible shootings at Virginia Tech. A week filled with sadness, anger, and endless questions about why and how this could have happened.

In the last week, I have been unable to get the 32 people killed out of my mind. Most of those killed were around my age, just sitting in class, just like any other day. I can not even begin to imagine the horror they must have felt in the last moments of their lives. I can't imagine the amount of grief the friends and families of the victims are left with.

Which goes back to the endless questions. Why did this happen? I have endlessly been reading articles to try to make sense of what happened. But, I can't. I have read articles that have turned to God for a sense of comfort. But, I keep wondering, if there is a God, how could he allow stuff like this to happen?

A few years ago, I asked an acquaintance, who had recently become religious how God could allow such things as the Holocaust, September 11, or the countless other horrible things that have resulted in needless deaths throughout history, and continue to exist throughout the world? Her answer was that God created in people free will.

In the days following Virginia Tech, I asked my mom the same question. Yesterday, she sent me this article, which basically says the same thing that my friend said years ago.

What would be the answer to why God would allow something like the tsunami that killed 300,000 people? Or Hurricane Katrina? Or cancer? Or AIDS?

I probably should not be saying this, and I am sorry if I have offended anyone. But, I would really like some sort of explanation to my seemingly unanswerable question.

It's Oh So Quiet, take II

Start your weekend right with this video.

A Somewhat Simple Plan

For the past month, I have been doing Public Affairs stuff for a plant biology non-profit. This is my last week, and I am currently extremely bored. So, what better time to write in my defunct blog...to update you on what I have been thinking of for a career.

For the past couple of months, I have been thinking of Occupational Therapy. I had thought of Physical and Occupational Therapy in high school, but was turned off by the science that was involved. However now, I feel that if I am sure about the job enough, then I will work hard enough in the science classes to do well. I think it would be a good job for me because it would be helping people, creative, not a desk job, decently payed.

So how do I get there? Occupational Therapy requires a Master's in OT. Before I can apply to grad schools, I need to take two semesters of Anatomy& Physiology, and maybe a lifespan Psych class. I also need to take the GRE's, and volunteer/work experiences in two different sectors of OT.

I have signed up to volunteer in the OT Department at a local hospital once a week. This summer, I have lined up a job working at a camp that features OT, working mostly with autistic children. Last week, I worked at their spring break camp, and while it was exhausting, I enjoyed it.

I am looking at grad schools in Philly, Towson, and a few other cities. Although I don't want to stay in Maryland, the Towson program looks good for the in-state tuition, and the option of doing your six months of fieldwork abroad.

In the meantime, I will hopefully continue to work with the non-profit staffing agency before and after the summer, volunteer, take classes, take the GRE. Jess and I still talk of traveling all the time, but hopefully we will push ourselves into going somewhere in the fall.