Dear Blogger...

I must say I was surprised when I realized that it has been a month and a day since my last post. And that wasn't even a real post. I must apologize for my neglect. Please forgive me!

My life has been wonderful(ly busy). I am happy. I stay busy (which is the reason for my negligence).

Recently, I have been trying to decide whether to switch my major from Electrical Engineering to Chemical Engineering. I think that I would like to get into nanotechnology and solar energy. That's where the future is going, and I find it really fascinating. I have been doing well in my Chemistry class. I would like to get onto a research team in the Chemical Engineering Department. I think it'll probably be a while before they'll let me on (I've asked several professors). I need to get more experience. But I applied to be a TA for Chem 105, so we'll see how that goes!

I recently started a new group on Facebook called iSayHi. Here's the description I put on there:

You know that awkward feeling when you're walking toward someone you don't know on campus and you're the only two around. You're both terrified of each other, both trying to decide "should I say hi, or just walk by?" Lots of the time it's the later of the two.

Or, when you're in line at the check-out just waiting there, and someone comes up behind you. You both stand there awkwardly waiting, wondering "should I say hi, or wait for time to pass by?"

Or, in the Library, or at class, or at the bank? The list goes on and on of times where things can feel awkward with people you don't know. And it's so easy for us to just think, "I'll most likely never see them again, why bother?"

iSayHi is simply a group of people who want to lighten the mood of their surroundings. Essentially, we're just committed to smiling, waving, and talking with people in these awkward situations.

Who knows, you may make a new friend, or you may never see them again. The point is, either way, you'll likely brighten their day and influence their lives for the better.

Members of iSayHi aren't super courageous. Sometimes it can be hard to break the ice in these awkward situations, but, as a good friend of mine often says: "They're normally just as afraid of you as you are of them." Generally, it's not that they don't WANT to talk with you, so why not take a stab at brightening their day.

I can personally say that doing this brightens my day as well! It makes me happier, and the stresses of school go down as I include in my busy life the brightening of others.

iSayHi members aren't crazy. Don't make things MORE awkward by making a big deal of it. We're being friendly, not freaky. For example, if I am nervous when walking by someone on the sidewalk and I pass by them without saying "hello, how are you." Then, 3 seconds later decide that I should have said hello, it would probably be kinda crazy of me to turn around and say "Oh! HI!!!" So, the principle isn't "Say hi to every single person you come within 20 feet of." It's more like "be friendly to everyone you can." Please be normal friendly people.

On a religious note, the Lord will trust you more with errands to run for Him, if He knows that you'll brighten the mood of someone who's been praying for a sign that someone cares.

I hope you feel that you can join this group and improve the mood of your surroundings. I promise that if nothing else, your mood will improve, and you'll become braver and braver with time.

Please share stories and experiences, and invite people to participate in brightening their surroundings and joining iSayHi.

I feel pretty good about it! I am actually taking it pretty seriously. I want to make a difference in the lives of other people. So, in an effort to get the attitude into more people's minds, I'm in the process of designing a logo (if you have ideas, please let me know!) and we're going to put it on bracelets, t-shirts, and fliers. I would like it to take off, where lots of people are just trying to be happier people and helping others to be happier.

What else has gone on in my life, Blogger, since I last posted on you? Well, I'm directing a portion of a Broadway review called "Sing for Something." It's raising money for cancer research. The potion I'm directing is about 10 minutes of Les Miserables. I'm enjoying it pretty well.

There's something else that has happened that's wonderful, but I want to save that for it's own post. So, other than that, I think I'm all through with that! I hope you're well!

Apologetically yours, (And THAT'S the Bright-side of life)

Kent