What's the kindest thing someone has ever done for you?

I thought I had appendicitis during work, and my co-worker, Brittany Walden, covered my shift and had her boyfriend, Josh Koch, take me to the hospital. When the shift was over, she came to the hospital, and they both stayed with me until I was released. That meant a lot to me!

I've got nothing to hide, ask away.

Have you ever auditioned?

Actually, no. I know I need to, but I am completely clueless as to how to prepare. My school was so small that the audition process was all cold readings (and the parts were usually given before auditions). My location is not helping either. There are no auditions even near the panhandle of Texas. But I will audition when I have the chance again!

I've got nothing to hide, ask away.

#100FactsAboutMe

I was on Twitter recently, and I came across the trending topic #100FactsAboutMe. Interested in all things involving myself (kidding..kinda), I decided to see if I was up for the challenge. After about a week of trying, I came up with 100 facts about myself. What you are about to read is 100% true, and I must say, quite interesting. Feel free to take this for yourself, and fill it out. Your friends will learn some interesting things about you, and you might realize some fantastic quirks yourself!

#100FactsAboutMe

1. I have an uncontrollable obsession with celebrities.

2. My favorite hobby is flirting.

3. I have a crush on Selena Gomez, but Taylor Swift is the love of my life.

4.My favorite Disney animated movie is Fox and the Hound.

5. I hate having a major in college. I wish I could just study whatever sounds interesting, and then graduate with whatever degree I reach first!

6. If someone I’m talking to happens to say the title of a song, I can’t help but burst out in song.

7. Justin Bieber is living my dream. I am incredibly jealous of him.

8. 3 celebrities follow me on Twitter: Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow), Lady Antebellum (@LadyAntebellum), and Barack Obama (@barackobama).

9. I’m a sucker for romantic comedies. “Chick Flicks” are some of my favorite movies.

10. I’m fascinated by other cultures and lifestyles.

11. I collect Texas Tech sorority T-shirts.

12. Three things that I love to be fresh: sheets, socks and bread.

13. I think that the lyrics are the most important part of a song. Without them, I find no meaning.

14. I’m a really good kid because I have this insane fear of getting in trouble. I just hate it.

15. I can’t pay attention in class unless I’m doing something else as well.

16. I am addicted to technology, and I am 100% okay with it.

17. I am fascinated by the six degrees of separation theory.

18. I want to own a loft-style apartment in New York City.

19. I wish I could afford to dress the way I wanted to.

20. My favorite country in Africa is Zimbabwe.

21. I love people watching. My favorite places to do so are: airports, subways, and shopping malls.

22. If I were on a desert island, I would bring a boat, a captain, and enough gasoline to get back to civilization.

23. I can keep other peoples secret, but I have the hardest time keeping my own.

24. I’m 19 years old, and I still feel like a 16 year-old kid.

25. I wish I could be 3 years old again. Those were the days.

26. I aim to make people smile. I will do almost anything to get to see someone’s pearly whites.

27. I wish that I were fluent in Italian and French. Italian because I like it, and French because the ladies like it.

28. I can’t decide if my favorite super hero is Superman or the Green Lantern. Both because I like their symbols.

29. Netflix is my best friend.

30. I think the most common told lie is “I have read and agree to the Terms of Use.”

31. I really do want kids, but I’m terrified that I wouldn’t be able to be a good enough dad.

32. I want to run for President of the United States someday, but I won’t be upset if I don’t win. As long as my ideas get out, I’m satisfied.

33. This was my mom’s high school basketball number. One time she outscored the entire opposing team by herself. She showed me the newspaper article.

34. I had a dream that I spent an entire day with Chelsea Handler on the set of Chelsea Lately, and it was one of the best dreams I’ve ever had.

35. I don’t have a favorite movie, but when people ask me, I choose one of the following: Fight Club, Titanic and Anchorman. The answer depends on the person who asks.

36. I am having the hardest time deciding whether or not I want to go to law school. I really want to be an actor, but I would love to practice law too.

37. I can’t stand diet drinks. The aftertaste is too much to bear.

38. I wore Aladdin-style pants for a play one time, and I would wear them every day of my life if I could. They were so comfy!

39. I would love to own my own record label when I am able. I would call the label “ICON.”

40. I love to buy books, but I rarely read any of them!

41. If I ever reach the age where I can no longer take care of myself, I would rather be euthanized than burden my family or be sent to a nursing home.

42. My favorite color is purple, and my least favorite color is brown.

43. I love Taco Villa because you can get a burrito and French fries in the same order, and nobody looks at you funny.

44. I constantly imagine how situations would be different if my life were a musical. I’ve decided it would be much more exciting.

45. I love writing. I have already started writing my memoirs. I am either naming the chapters after songs or women. I haven’t decided yet because they both have shaped my life immensely.

46. I want to get a tattoo of the word “IMAGINE” or of the phrase “You may say I’m a DREAMER, but I’m not the only one…”, but I have no idea where to put the tattoo!

47. I spent five years as a member of a traveling youth choir called Spirit Wind, and I will NEVER forget my experiences there. When I’m famous, I’m going to publicize them like CRAZY!

48. I want to be famous, not infamous. Let’s get that straight.

49. Fountain drinks are so much better than bottled or canned drinks. ESPECIALLY root beer!

50. I like pie more than cake. (P.S. I consider cheesecake to be pie. Look at how it’s made.)

51. I accidentally dyed my hair brown last semester (long story), and blondes DO have more fun. No one recognized me, and it made me feel insignificant. * (*I did NOT say that brunettes were insignificant, it’s just the way I felt. Don’t get it twisted.)

52. It takes about 10 seconds for me to develop a crush, and 10 years to get rid of one. (I ran into a girl on my way into class today, and now I have a small crush on her.)

53. I hate Krispy Kreme donuts. They are too sweet. My favorite donuts come from Donut Stop in Amarillo, TX.

54. When I talk to people, I get extremely close to them. I am not offended if someone tells me to back off. PLEASE DO! The last thing I want is for you to be uncomfortable.

55. If there is something shiny in my view when we are having a conversation, don’t expect me to look at you. I can’t help it; I love shiny things. The same thing goes for pretty women.

56. When I’m sick, I feel horrible for everyone around me. I am miserable, and I make sure everyone knows it. Just pour some NyQuil down my throat, and I will shut up.

57. When it comes to women, I am shallow. I will admit that looks matter, but an awesome personality wins me over every time!

58. I wish I were more spontaneous than I am. I look for friends who are spontaneous hoping that they will drag me out of my comfort zone.

59. Until I was 16, I thought that cantaloupe came from antelope. I promise I’m not an idiot; I had just never thought it through.

60. When I was little, I convinced my younger brother that he fell out of an airplane and broke his elbow. As far as I know, he still believes me.

61. My “little” brother is almost a foot taller than me, and he is good at sports. If we didn’t look similar, I wouldn’t believe he was my brother.

62. I wish my face wasn’t so chubby so that my hair could be shorter and I could wear hats. People with round faces should adopt longer hair; it looks more normal.

63. I love similes. I use them about as much as the old guy in my Mass Comm Law class interjects to say something.

64. Until I was a junior in high school, I wanted to get married. Now I never want to be in love again.

65. My top 5 favorite albums of all time (in no particular order) are: “Speak Now” by Taylor Swift, “The Beatles (White Album)” by The Beatles, “21” by Adele, “Doo-Wops and Hooligans” by Bruno Mars, “Bad” by Michael Jackson

66. I feel that I know what I want and how to get it better than anyone else, and I don’t respond well to being stifled or opposed.

67. I prefer Macs to PCs and iPhones to Droids. Deal with it.

68. If I could have any super power, I would either want to have the power of teleportation or persuasion. Probably the power of persuasion because the world would be mine.

69. If I could switch voices with any person in the world, I would choose Steve Perry, the original lead singer of Journey. His voice is awesome.

70. If you are behind me, I will hold the door for you. Regardless of your gender, appearance, status, religion, race, etc. I am a gentleman because my mom raised me that way.

71. I don’t have a favorite candy. It changes too much. Last week I liked Rolos the best, right now I’m into SourPatch Kids.

72. My favorite cereal is Cap’n Crunch, and I will eat it no matter what time of the day it is.

73. I am extremely confident in myself, yet I have low-self confidence. I don’t think that I will be successful until the latter improves.

74. I think Ryan Seacrest has the best jobs in the world! I want them when he is done.

75. When I meet a girl, I begin our friendship at 100% and they work themselves down; when I meet a guy, I begin our friendship at 0% and they have to prove themselves worthy of my friendship.

76. When I take leftovers home, I rarely eat them. It’s sad, but I always forget about them until they are spoiled.

77. I love being Texan, but I don’t want to live in Texas when I graduate.

78. I have a Twitter, and I get excited every time someone new follows me. If you want to brighten my day, follow me: @kyle_vernor.

79. As soon as I get enough money, I want to get veneers. I know that my teeth aren’t bad, but I won’t be satisfied until they are perfect.

80. My hair looks a lot like Justin Bieber’s (pre-haircut), and I always deny that I copied his style. In all actuality, I did begin brushing my hair forward because I liked his hair. So, technically, I didn’t copy his hairstyle, but I did take tips from the Biebs.

81. I wash my hair every day. Sometimes, I take several showers in a day, and I wash my hair every time. I HATE being dirty.

82. My favorite ice cream flavor is Mint Chocolate Chip, and my favorite ice cream bar is the Strawberry Shortcake bar.

83. I get my best ideas when I’m driving, but I hate driving.

84. My favorite mode of transportation is the subway. The most interesting people ride the subway, and you can meet someone new every time. I met two of my favorite people in the world during a 15-minute subway ride.

85. My face is chubby, and it really bothers me. I have even looked into getting cosmetic treatments done to tighten the skin.

86. I hate it when I tell people that I have narcolepsy and they respond with, “That’s Awesome!” No, it’s really not.

87. I’m from Texas, but my favorite baseball team is the Boston Red Sox, my favorite basketball team is the Los Angeles Lakers, and my favorite football team is the Indianapolis Colts. I’m all over the place!

88. My first concert was the Hilary Duff “Most Wanted” Tour, and I am not ashamed.

89. When I find a problem, I dedicate all of my time to finding a solution. Unfortunately, I always find another problem before finishing the others so I rarely get anything done. This week’s problem: autism awareness.

90. I think that the hottest thing a girl can wear is heels with jeans. And if she’s singing while wearing them, you’ve got me.

91. I think that Miranda Kerr and Beyoncé Knowles are the most beautiful women alive.

92. I am often underestimated, and I love it. There will never be a time that I don’t enjoy proving myself to those who don’t believe in me.

93. My favorite comedians are Bo Burnham and Kathy Griffin. I’ve met Bo and seen him perform. I’m still working on Kathy.

94. I love concerts. I wish I could go to them more often, but they are so expensive that I can’t. Come on Ticketmaster! Give this guy a break!

95. I think it’s important to look nice at all times. You never know who you will run into, and sometimes, the first impression you make is also your last.

96. I know way too many song lyrics. If it’s been on a Top 40 station since 1996, I probably know every word.

97. I don’t have any desire to smoke or do drugs, but if I had to do one drug, I would choose to do LSD.

98. I am extremely competitive, even when I know nothing about the subject. I will argue until I’m blue in the face pretending I know exactly what I’m talking.

99. I don’t feel that anything is out of my reach. I do have a deadline for myself, though. If I haven’t reached a goal by the age of 24, I think it will be more difficult.

100. I have a longstanding relationship with television. Not only could I work a TV and VCR before I could walk, but I also learned to count by memorizing channels, and learned quite a bit of reading thanks to closed captioning. Now, all I need to do is work in it, and I will have come full circle.

Ellen DeGeneres Show Internship

Today I applied for an internship at the Ellen DeGeneres Show in Los Angeles, CA. In order to apply, I had to write "My Life Story" in 1500 characters or less. This is what I wrote and I would love to hear some feedback on it.

When I tell my friends and family about this internship opportunity, I hear that it is impossible for an 18 year old from Perryton, Texas to get an internship in Los Angeles with Ellen DeGeneres. Maybe they are right, but suppose they are wrong. I’ve never been one to limit myself to the confines of reality. I am a dreamer in every sense of the word. My name is Kyle Vernor, and I am currently a Communication Studies major at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. My bucket list includes winning an Oscar, running for President of the United States, being a contestant on Big Brother and going on a date with Taylor Swift. I set my goals high and have yet to regret it. I have been interested in the television industry since I was extremely young. I decided in eighth grade that I wanted to be an actor; a dream that I cling to even though growing up in a small town left me with limited opportunities to cultivate my talent. I am extremely hard working and I pride myself on my communication skills and ability to win others over. I know that I would be a good fit at the Ellen DeGeneres show. I would do my best to follow orders with a gigantic smile on my face. I thank you for the opportunity and hope that you will consider me as a candidate for this internship.

Confidence

Confidence. It's something we all struggle with at one time or another. Whether it be weight issues or fear of what the future has in store, we've felt it. As most people know, it has been my dream since I was a little kid to be famous. I honestly don't care how I get there, as long as I do. I would prefer it to be as an actor, but lately I have been contemplating politics which seems to be a good route for me. After finishing my first year of college here at Texas Tech, the future has been on my mind quite a bit. I had always hoped to pull a Justin Bieber or Miley Cyrus and be famous by the time I was 16 but that didn't happen. As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans." That's definitely been the story of my life thus far. Every plan I've made has been broken and that's taken quite a toll on my confidence.

I spent this past weekend at my grandparents' house in Logan, New Mexico. I got to enjoy myself and bake in the sun while jet skiing. Along with the fun I had, though, comes the drive back to Lubbock, Texas. The drive takes a little bit more than 3 hours, but the road is extremely narrow and constantly winding. Case in point, it's kind of a rough drive. About halfway to Clovis I was sick of being behind the wheel. In order to ease my nerves, I popped in my Glee CD and pressed the RDM (random) button. The first song that came on was Lea Michele and Idina Menzel's rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables. I listened to it once and the harmonies were so good that I found myself pressing the back button. The next time I listened to it, I focused on the words. The song is sung from the point of view of someone who is lacking confidence because their dreams have been destroyed by life. At one point in the song, the singers sing "I had a dream my life would be so different from this hell I'm living." This line got me thinking. What if my dreams never do come true? What if I'm stuck living in Perryton, Texas for the rest of my life? I came up with the solution. People pursue their dreams too quickly. I want to be an actor, but I'm not ready. I'm not near as talented as I will be when I finish working with the incredible students and staff here at Texas Tech. It all comes down to confidence. While I may not WANT to wait, I NEED to. I'm not confident enough to completely put myself out there to be manipulated and torn apart by the media. Lindsay Lohan got into the business before she was fully confident in herself and now the media is eating her alive. Lady Gaga, on the other hand, is completely confident with the person she has become and it shows when she is confronted by the media. She maintains her composure and talks in a sophisticated manner.

When I have the confidence to, I am going to pursue my dream. Not only will I pursue it, but I will achieve it. I'm confident that I will.

You Will Never Be Forgotten

Live like you are dying. These five words have been the subject of countless songs, movies, plays and books for quite some time now. I’ve always claimed to be a firm believer in that cliché of a philosophy, but it wasn’t until recently that I realized how much I had been neglecting it.

Last night, my hometown of Perryton, TX was completely devastated when we learned about the death of eighteen year-old senior, Willy Lopez. Willy was diagnosed with a brain tumor in March of this year. In a town like Perryton, where news and gossip spread like wildfire, this particular story moved the citizens of Ochiltree County to unite quicker than anyone would have ever imagined.

At a time when the biggest worry in your life should be what you are wearing to prom or where you will be going to college the next year, Willy found himself fighting for his life, something that no resident of Perryton had even expected.

Seeing as Perryton’s population doesn’t even reach eight thousand, everyone knew him either directly or indirectly. Willy was an athlete. He was the starting receiver on the varsity football team and a huge asset to our track team. He also worked as head lifeguard at the local pool and had a sense of humor paired with a smile that could brighten up your day. I didn’t know Willy as well as I would have liked, and I will always regret not getting to know him better. The most amazing thing about Willy, though, was what a fighter he was. Willy had never had the best life, but his eventual adoption by his aunt, Kimberley Lopez, and her husband, Florentino, was a turning point in his life. Things began to look up for Willy and he was even baptized weeks before his brain tumor was diagnosed. The Perryton community fully believed that Willy would pull through and make a full recovery. He was a fighter. He always had been and a brain tumor wasn’t going to change that. I know for a fact that most of them believed in his recovery up until the moment the news broke that he had died.

The fact that Willy didn’t make it is quite possibly the most disturbing thing to happen to Perryton, TX in about five years. The impact that this young man has had on the community of Perryton is amazing. In the song “Three Wooden Crosses,” Randy Travis sings, “It’s not what you take when you leave this world behind you, It’s what you leave behind you when you go.” Willy has changed the lives of many people, including myself. Though we were merely acquaintances, I have always admired Willy’s strength. I can’t begin to imagine the impact he has had on those who were close to him.

After receiving the news last night and releasing most of the tears I had in my body, I eventually had to call it a night because I couldn’t handle the emotions that I was feeling. It wasn’t until this morning when my alarm went off and I didn’t want to get out of bed, that I realized how small my worries are. I am the kind of person who tends to blow things way out of proportion and take things for granted. The fact that I am able to open my eyes in the morning has now become a blessing, and I am so grateful for everything that I have in this life. It is sad to see such a young soul leave us like he did, but he will become immortal through the impressions he has left on those, like myself, who admire him. Though I will never be able to tell Willy how much he affected the citizens of Perryton and me personally, I like to think that he already knows.

Bieber Fever?

I don't understand people who don't like Justin Bieber. I just don't.

I am an 18 year-old, heterosexual, male college student and I seriously enjoy his music.

I mean, I understand that people have different tastes in music so some people just aren't going to be interested in him or his music, but I don't understand why so many people disrespect him as much as they do. I was introduced to Bieber's music about 3 years ago when he was no household name, but a YouTube singer. Most YouTube singers that I listen to barely catch my attention, but Bieber was different. I noticed that his renditions of Chris Brown's "With You" and Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River" were, in my opinion, BETTER than the originals. After hearing these two I started subscribing to kidrauhl (Bieber's YouTube account) and actually seeking out his music. After I had seen every YouTube video the kid had, I would impatiently await another. Once while scouring iTunes for music, something I do every Tuesday, I came across his name and bought it without listening to the preview. His first single was called "One Time." Now, I don't think that it publicized his vocals as much as it should have, but it was a good track. Then he came out with "One Less Lonely Girl," a song that has graced my Top 25 Most Played playlist. This sixteen year-old (fifteen then) had become one of my favorite current artists with the release of two singles. The only other artists to ever do that are Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga (and if you know me I LOVE them both!) I really wish that his music did his voice justice and that people could enjoy a full representation of what this kid is capable of. His voice may not be the most mature, but it is definitely one of the most mature. Justin Bieber isn't another Disney prodigy, he was signed by Usher. I'm just saying, but I'm pretty sure that Usher recognizes talent when he sees it.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if people would look past his boyish looks they would find an amazing voice. And as for those who say they hate his high voice, remember Justin Timberlake? He's about 15 years older than Justin Bieber and his voice is in the same register. Just sayin.

The Benefits of an Honors Education

I wrote the following article as a response to an article in Texas Tech's student newspaper, The Daily Toreador, that claimed that an Honors Education was more of a hassle than a benefit (http://www.dailytoreador.com/opinions/gartner-honors-college-growing-pains-felt-by-students-1.2231861).

It was published in the April 22nd issue of the Daily Toreador. There's one more off of my bucket list!

While flipping through the April 20^th issue of the Daily Toreador, an opinion article concerning the Honors College caught my eye. Being a student and employee of the Honors College, as a mentor to students new to the program, I felt that the piece was a complete misrepresentation of the program. I realize that Ms. Colleen Gartner is stating her opinion and I respect it, but I would like to throw my opinion into the ring as well.

The Honors College offers many opportunities for its students including small, discussion-based classes that allow us to form personal relationships with top-notch professors, and we also receive the opportunity to register before other students on campus. The Honors College of Texas Tech is one of the few Honors programs in the nation that has a dedicated faculty hired and paid by the Honors College itself, while also being one of two Honors programs in the nation that awards its own degrees (Honors Arts and Letters and Natural History and Humanities, which is also offered as a minor).

Ms. Gartner also contends that there is a lack of faculty who are willing to teach Honors courses, but that is not the case. Many professors simply may not have the time because the number of classes has been reduced and they are being forced to teach larger classes, or to focus on publishing and research expectations that placed upon many faculty members in certain colleges.

Because of these expectations, many colleges have very few major-specific courses offered through the Honors College, but there are core classes for every major and the possibility of contracting a class to meet major requirements. In order to contract a class, you must have the permission of your professor and sign a contract that requires you to complete all course assignments and a paper or project on top of the regular coursework.

There are still cases in which extra classes are required in order to fill the 24-hour requirement that it takes to be an Honors College graduate. The faculty, though, encourages students to take a class or two outside of their major in order to “broaden their horizons” and foster an appreciation for an array of subjects offered at Texas Tech. Last semester, I took a class called Performance: Analysis & Criticism. Though it did nothing at all for my major requirements, it was my favorite course of the semester. Whitney Neal, a senior Architecture major from Brady, TX, said, “I have to take about 20 to 24 hours of extra classes in addition to Architecture, but I like that the classes are challenging and smaller and I get to learn from faculty that are experts in their field.”

Perhaps my biggest problem with the article was its portrayal of Honors students as not being “normal.” At one point, Ms. Gartner goes as far as saying, “There are quite a few gifted students around Tech. Some of them hide within the masses in an effort to be normal…” Living in the Honors Learning Community in Gordon Hall, I have heard several reactions to this statement, most of them angry. Students don’t take kindly to being called different.

The main difference between the students who inhabit the Honors College and Ms. Gartner herself, is that we expected the work that came with the title, and the opportunities that allow us to venture beyond our majors and enjoy the experiences. In the end, we leave Texas Tech with a more rounded education than most students and employers look for that when hiring. Because of this, I think that we are able to better appreciate artists, doctors and engineers and the work that they do.

Narcissism

Narcissism (n) - excessive or erotic interest in one's self and one's physical appearance; extreme selfishness, with a grandiose view of one's own talents and craving for admiration, as characterizing a personality type.

Narcissism has such a negative connotation attached to it. But is it really that bad to be proud, confident and enjoy being admired?

I have never claimed that I wasn't narcissistic, but this brought up an interesting discussion with a friend the other day.

Do we, as human beings, really do things out of the kindness of our hearts or do we have some sort of selfish vendetta empowering us to do "good deeds"?

At first, I was dead against this notion. I'm a nice person! I do things out of the kindness of my heart! But my feelings get hurt when I don't get the "Thank you!" I had hoped for. And I always do things for girls, but rarely ever for guys. After further speculation, I realized just how selfish everything I do actually is. If you disagree with this notion and you think that you do something that is completely unselfish please feel free to disprove me. Just because I haven't thought of something doesn't mean that there isn't something out there.

My bucket list

Since I'm just starting this blog and have nothing interesting to say yet, I decided to share my bucket list with you. I realize that it is quite ambitious but I'm a firm believer in ambition [refer to the title of this blog]. I'm also constantly adding to the list.

Bucket List (in no particular order):

• Be 100% confident in myself
• Live in a different country
• Win an Academy Award
• Earn an Academy Award nomination
• Earn a SAG nomination
• Be cast as a principal role in a movie
• Learn Italian
• Learn to play guitar
• Take voice lessons
• Help those less fortunate than myself
• Take my family to Disney World
• Visit Europe
• Skydive
• Go on a date with Taylor Swift
• Go to the Olympics
• Write a book
• Write a play
• Write a screen play
• Write a song
• Have a news article published
• Graduate from college
• Go to law school
• Be on Big Brother
• Be on the Ellen DeGeneres Show
• Go to a Lady Gaga Concert
• Personally compliment Meryl Streep
• Sing alone in front of a crowd
• Hold political office
• Run for President of the United States of America
• Host Saturday Night Live
• Be on the cover of Rolling Stone
• Have a Wikipedia page
• Graduate with Honors
• Keep a planner
• Have a six pack
• Throw out the first pitch at a Red Sox game
• Be weightless
• See an eclipse
• Attend a taping of American Idol
• Be a part of an Improv Everywhere skit
• Body surf at a concert
• Get pied in the face
• Successfully use a pick-up line
• Flirt with a Celebrity
• Make a Celebrity laugh
• Get hit on with a clever pick-up line
• Have an opinion article published
• Be cast as an extra in a movie
• Live in New York City
• Make Dean's List
• Make President's List