Andrew's Parlor
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About Me

You wanted to know where this strange person is coming from, right? Well..you've clicked the place to find out. :-) "What's New In My Life" is on the bottom of this page, so scroll down if you want to skip to that.


Currently, I'm twenty-one years old. I'm about 5'8, with dark blond hair and green eyes.



I was born in Southern California. I was raised in Santa Fe Springs, then moved to El Segundo. I currently attend Cal State Long Beach. I have one more year until graduation, after which time I hope to attend graduate school at USC, UCLA, or a school of equal accreditation.  The areas below will give you an insight into my personality and life philosophy.


 


Personality


People tell me that I am a very nice and very giving person.  I try my best to be the kindest, dedicated, and most moral person that I can be.  I do my best to be as sensitive and as helpful a person I can be to others.  I feel that there are not enough sensitive and helpful people in the world


            When it comes to my values and convictions, I am assertive, though at the same time I realize that I have to pick and choose my fights when it comes to activism (to be elaborated below).  I am very patient when it comes to people unless someone decides to cut of me off on the road.  Then I tend to get a little ticked, as most people would.  An essential part of my personality is that I have zero tolerance for racists and bigots.  This is regardless of any one person or any one organization.


 


Religion

When it comes to religion, I have my own personal spirituality, which does not follow along with organized religion.  I used to be a fundamentalist Christian, until I realized 1) my sexuality and shed my beliefs regarding it and 2) that the Bible was created by a bureaucratic group of theologians after the Council of Nicea.  I am always willing to listen to other peoples points of view regarding religion is an interest of mine but any attemps to forcibly convert me will likely result in me not talking to you again.  I have no tolerance for self-righteous curmudgeons that believe their belief is right and everyone elses is wrong.  To me, that is the sign of a narrow and arrogant mind.


            I believe in the possibility that there is a God out there that watches over us, and at times intervenes when we need help.  Two instances I recall is one some time ago in which I was riding my bike through a vigorous rainstorm.  I ran into a tree branch which resulted in my already damaged rear fork being bent beyond repair and my back tire flattening, almost causing me to be flung clear of my bike.  A young man walking by helped me to his home and offered me his bike.  When I purchased my new one a few days later, I let him have the old bike for dismantling or repair.


            The second instance is when I was on the wrong side of town at 11 p.m. at night.  I had no idea where I was going.  Then a voice in my head said, Follow the street signs.  They are your guide.  I did, and got home fine.


            I am a follower of Jesus' teachings, since I agree with pretty much all of them (love your neighbor, lay up treasures in the immaterial instead of the material, etc).  The ones in the New Testament that I do not agree with are the ones that Paul speaks of; homosexuality obviously being one of them.  I consider homosexuality to be a natural developmentpossibly natures way of attempting to curb the populationand feel that writings condemning it come out of ignorance and fear.  People fear what they dont understand, and hate what they fear.  So those are my religious beliefs in a nutshell.


Politics

I will say right off that I am a registered Democrat.  However, to the displeasure of some of my colleagues (not that I care what they think) I am a split-ticket voter, meaning that I am just as likely to vote for the Republican as the Democrator other party, if I dont like either candidate running in one particular office.  I believe in voting for the person, and not just for the party.  When it comes to discussions and debates regarding political issues, I always listen to both sides and then draw my conclusion.  I believe that it is possible for the other side to have a very good argument if it is well thought-out and provides evidence, even if I dont agree with that person.  The French philosopher Voltaire said, I may not agree with what you say, but I will fight for your right to say it. I recognize that every person has their own opinion and that when two people dont agree, they should just agree to disagree.  The reason so many wars happen in this world is because of narrow-minded malcontents forcing their beliefs down others throats.  If more people just agreed to disagree, our planet would be considerably more peaceful.


            On the liberal side of things, I am a social liberal.  I believe that men have very little say in a womans choosing of whether to continue a pregnancy or not (as long as it is within the first three months).  I am against the social censorship of sex-related materials, as long as only adults view them and not under-age children.  I believe that the drinking age should be lowered to eighteen, because if a man/woman has the right to vote and be selected for service at eighteen, he/she should have the right to drink at eighteen.


            I believe that gays and lesbians should have the right to have civil unions.  In regards to marriage I think it should be fully allowed, but I also feel that pragmatism should play a part in activism.


            On the more conservative side, I believe that prayer should be allowed in schools as long as the student leads.  If a person is offended, he or she does not have to pray.  I am against the Democrat notion of gun control.  I believe the laws mean well, but they dont work because the criminal underworldbeing the criminal underworldwill always find a way to circumvent gun sale restrictions.  I feel all people should have the right to carry a concealed weapon as long as a background check is performed and the person does not have a criminal record.  Fiscally, I believe that more effective money management should be taught in the public school system.  In my opinion, the reason that so many young people are in debt is because they dont know the notion of saving.  They spend, spend, spend and after they are done spending, they have nothing left.  I am fortunate to have a father that taught me to save.  If people would learn how to save and not spend their paycheck all at once, the government would likely save money in terms of welfare and loans.


           


Friendship

The most important ingredient in the recipe of a persons life should always be his/her friends.  A persons family is always important, but family is always vulnerable to discord and fragmentation through life events, such as divorce, death, inner disputes, as well as other unforseeable happen-stances.  Without friends, a person becomes a lonely island, unfulfilled and incomplete.  With friends, essence, joy, personal growth, and quality increases a thousand fold in a persons life.  I knowit took me nearly twenty years to find my first long-term friendship.  I don't believe I could ever have too many friends.  More are always welcome. 
J


 

The Second Heart
I thought of just calling this section Romance, but being one that likes metaphorical titles, I thought of this. 
J  I believe that in this unique relationship, love and commitment are the two inseperable requirements.  I have never engaged in sex for its own sake because when the time comes in which I engage in that intimacy, I want it to be with someone whom I admire, respect, and love as my other heart overall.  In fact, as I write this, I am reminded of something Jesus said: "Do not be like those that pretend piety.  They pray openly in the streets where everyone can see them.  Assuredly, I tell you, they have their reward.  But when you pray, go to your own room, all alone, and lock the door behind you.  He that hears all of your secrets will reward you openly." (Matthew 6:5).

There are many that choose to only pursue physical pleasure for its own sake.  I believe that we all have our own philosophies and our own life goals, and that because we are separate human beings, we have our own separate ways of doing things.  Because of this, I respect other peoples decisions to live their lives as they choose.  However, I know that if I pursued sex just for sex, that it is the only reward I will receive.  But, if I do it out of love and respect, it contributes greatly to the spiritual and mental growth that takes place within a relationship.  The psychological rewards are boundless.  They include togetherness, shared perseverence, cognitive and spiritual growth, and, even through the natural conflicts that will eventually occur, a great happiness.  If a person goes into a relationship because he or she likes the other person and that person likes him or her, that relationship has the potential to last a lifetime.  It is on this note that I conclude this page of my website.


 


I hope you've enjoyed. J



While I'm working, reading, or just simply relaxing, I like to listen to music. My top favorite artists are: Eric Clapton (www.claptonone.com) and Bob Dylan (www.bobdylan.com).

The reason I like these artists is because of the interesting thought-provocative poetry used and their individuality.

Bob Dylan throughout his life continuously professes his individuality no matter what anyone says. I myself am that way. To use some examples: The first time he changed to electric guitar at Newport Folk Festival, the audience booed and booed. But he still kept playing. When he became a Christian in 1979, he was extremely criticized and ridiculed ("And you will be hated by all for My name's sake" Matthew 10:22), but through his songs, such as "Gotta Serve Somebody" and "I Believe In You" (both can be found on the album "Slow Train") he shows that he believed in God, no matter what anyone said or did. It is of these traits that I admire Bob Dylan.

Eric Clapton, like Dylan, also has his individualistic traits. He was part of several bands, three of which he set up, and then went solo. His hit song, "Layla" (which is my favorite from him) shows how a person's feelings for someone else can go unrequitted. The song initially was meant for Patty Boyd, in which he nicknamed "Layla". He has always loved playing guitar. His most recent album is "Reptile", which I personally think is an awesome album.

WHAT'S NEW IN MY LIFE RIGHT NOW:

Well , now I am on summer vacation. I have a job at the CSULB Annual Fund. Not the best job ever, but hey, it helps bring the money in. :-) I'm planning to make this summer a blast, with reading, tv, and a li'l partying. I also recently applied to the Writer's Resource Lab on campus. Hopefully, they'll decide to hire me. That's allf or now folks. :-)