The Chess of Life

Twas on a night like in the stories, one that’s filled with many worries

It thundered, crashed, and lightning whickered, the shingles shook and lights would flicker

The sky clouds opened and water they spat, falling in shower like weary drat

Darkness set and light would fade, shadows sat where their objects laid

None to be seen, and no one to know, was that just a spooky wind blow?

The night was dim and full of woe, for in each shadow was lurking foe

It was simply that which is unknown, it troubles us until our senses are thrown

When heavens crash and hell arose, that’s when our heart truly shows

Not who we are day to day, but who we become when blue skies turn grey

What side we choose in such a fright, for whom will we enlist to fight

A fight for all of our mankind, a fight where none are left behind

We fight not against human brethren, but against the angel fallen from heaven

He grabbed the reigns chariots charged, on to the gates his army charged

Swords drawn and arrows aimed, victory for darkness he doth proclaimed

His army is all and his sword is sin, only through light can resistance win

So on charged Lucifer, king of the damned, clashing with Angels who life they demand

But God came prepared, for many fights he has fought. We are his army and his bidding we ought

With book in left and cross in right, we stand ready for this fight

No sickness offers threat of blight, for we are shining in his light

This weapon powerful in any engagement, for it stopped the damned in pure amazement

Two chess masters playing a game with no end, one with regard for rules to bend

Another whose power he oughtn’t rebuke, even in the face of the darkest duke

So on we fight our masters battle, sinning and forgiving in an endless rattle

Each day we trade the side we stand, each day we convict without remand

We march unto the battleground, destinies born and true love is found

In our strife to reach his hearth, we are stuck fighting on this earth

A land where fighting never ends, a land that is far from pretend

On the field of battle with sin we rush, under the might of his holiness crushed

But on that dark and stormy knight, Lucifer was struck by a beam of light

And from the field of battle he fell, his wings were torn and He rang his bell

Out he was cast to the dungeons below, to rule with those whom to hell they go

The trumpets rang and orchestras played, the power of His army thus displayed

Every woman, child and man, side by side we are in his hand

We fight one fight, we fight it together, our sides are changing with the weather

Until that day our leader comes, all our actions make one great sum

And on that day it shall not rain. On this day we’ll fear no pain.

When He who created comes to reclaim, We’ll all walk together from wealthy to lame

No more fighting and no more satan, just a bitter sweet sensation

This life we’ve known and learned to love, we’ll leave it all for whats above

We’ll make new friends and see some old, walking along the streets of gold

But until this day I say to you, On His path you must stay true

And fight the fight that’s set before us, Do it without a single fuss

So take your sword and take your shield, His holiness is yours to wield

Swing it high and slice til low, crushing all satanic foe

Do this not with edges sharp, but with words and magic harps

Fight with life and fight with prayer, fear not death or any despair

For He is with you in this fight, and all his strength is all your might

Look not above at dawning clouds, do not fear the enemy crowds

For thine is the army of a thousand angels spears, cower not to the duke of fears

Precision Analytics to be Published on VV

So I have done very little topical analysis since I graduated, and this has discerned me greatly. One of the greatest contributing factors to my pontifications, over talkativeness, and argumentative (previously moreso) personality has a lot to do with the Debate circuit in high school. Yes, it is true, I gave up playing sports in high school so that I could join the debate team. Some people thought it was a stupid choice. Well, it may have been, but I was ranked in the top 140 at the 2010 National Tournament of Public Forum Debaters, I was ranked second in the State of Texas  UIL, and I lost taking first place to someone I had already defeated earlier that day. I had never dropped a round against the reputed Churchill High School until my senior year to a very worthy opponent, also ranked Second in the State in his respective division. But even to this worthy opponent, my record was 1-1, as I had a defeat against him earlier in my debate career. My senior year I was the alternate to Nationals once again in LD Debate, as well as Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking. I turned both of them down and gave my slots away so I could begin a new career in preparation of college. Additionally, I also received a single Bid to the National Tournament of Champions. Normally, a single bid does not even qualify a student to debate at the tournament. However, I applied as an At-Large applicant, and was accepted. Again, I turned down the ability to compete for my future career, where I had job training.

So anyways, needless to say, please feel free to use this as a source for ascertaining knowledge. Realize, I am not in of myself going to be able to write you a card that you can use. However, I do have a compodium of about 80 pages of evidence cards from my Debate years. I classified, organized, and put them all together, indexed it, and cited my used cards. If you would like to purchase this, I would be willing to sell it to you for a price. Contact me for info on that, if you are interested.

Additionally, I will do my own independent research on the topics, write analysis that you can use to put the topics in perspective for your own use, or you can use the rhetoric and logic in your own case. I give full consent for the use of my logical analysis in your case, and to be done so with the citation of this information being credited to Precision Analytics in your casework. I do not give consent for this information to be reused for sale, profit, or for any monetary gain. All analysis and information published on Vociferate Voice will be accredited to either VV, or Precision Analytics.

You may find this topical analysis on the soon-to-come "Precision Analytics" tab on the Tab Menu above. 

Shine

The following is a poem that I wrote my senior year of high school in honor of a student named Alexander John-Cade Pugh. I had seen advertisements around the school for the scholarship program, but was apprehensive to enter into the contest or write anything, as I had never met him. As I went through his memorial website that was created and supported by friends and family, I felt inspired to write a piece of creative writing for him and his family, and so I did.

This poem was selected as an award winning poem by the scholarship foundation, and a shorter version  went on to be published by Creative Communications in their Poetry Book. So, without further ado, below is a public version of this poem for the public to enjoy, and to celebrate in the life of Alexander Pugh.

Shine

Amongst the rosy depths of earth God blesses us with children's birth

Upon a shining star he sits and watches birthday candles lit

A breath of God is the wind of life, and takes away our earthly strife

Faith portrays a picture of love, from the Lord our heavenly dove

With the holy spirit and the son of man, sins are washed from this land

His forgiveness shows his love projected, a love thus left uncontested

Amongst the rosy depths of earth, The church remains his homely hearth

The rainbow stretched on the clear blue skies is His promise against all mans demise

Within his garden were broken ties caused in spite by devilish lies

For one and two betrayed in lust, but He reveiled his undying trust

And with the promise of his trust, his hand he gave in spiritual thrust

Those who take him by the hand will be lead to his golden land

In that place where no one cries, for his grace speaks no earthly lies

No man dies and no man flies, No man drinks and no man sinks

No one hurts through sue of court, no ones trust is ought to thwart

In this place where love is shown, a place where hearts are nurtured, grown

In Gods land we wish to travel, where our finest hour is yet unraveled

The things that God made us to be, the image of the holy three

A place where we walk hand in hand with no threats of earthly remand

From terror, fright, and earthly wallows, Our fears are taken to be swallowed

Among the rosy depths I see, a baby born revealed to me

That even though my sins committed, my entrance to his land permitted

That if and only if I see the path that he laid out for me

A path of smooth stone with beauty breeze, a place where travel is oh so ease

No lions, tigers, bears, or burglars, For Jesus is our watching herder

A step off course may seek concession, for His ears are open for confession

A place more holy than the promise land, where love is always in demand

No place for hearts intentions cruel, or tongues who wishes deathly duel

'Tis a place where sin is fantom, banned by Holy Mary's anthem

Sung aloud by graceful voices, in the air our song rejoices

Before our feet upon this ground, there is no other path around

For only he can pave this path, ne'er be covered by evil wrath

This path is ours to walk together, like the bird who glides on feather

The brave birds feathers flap in conjunction, 'tis the only way to function

Alone it cannot be sustained, the birds flight will thus be maimed

On this path walk you and me For there is no better company

And thus he scripts our holy instructions, so that we may share in his constructions

His test is simple it seems to me, with open eyes its easy to see

He wishes us to love one another, to treat the world like our brother

He wishes us to see our hearts as vintage, that which is his holy image

He wishes us to hear each other, not to drown our ears or voices smother

To touch the lives of all mankind, to leave our grudges back behind

There is no place in this land where hatred is a supply or demand

The only commodity is the hearts desire to spread good intentions like a fire

'Tis bought and sold without a price, tis not bartered by the dice

It isn't something we are owed, but something that by our hearts are sewed

Piece by piece our heart is made to shine like sun upon the jade

Heaven is the place to be, hand in hand, you and me

A place where all are sent to be in the best of company

A place among the rosy depths of life, away from sword, bow, and knife

A place where satan is not free to sin, where angels play the violin

A place where life is but a flower, blossoming wide in a holy shower

A land thats free of man kinds guile, at every turn you'll see a smile

Fields of green and rolling hills, apples pies on window sills

In this paradise you see faces shining bright with glee

This place is not one of fiction, 'tis spoken of with true conviction

It gently rains and softly snows, with breezy winds that come and go

'Tis a sight I hope to see, A place where I am meant to be

At his side in his arms, listening to the angels charms

At the table of his feast, with people from the west and east

Sharing bread and sipping wine, In great company such as thine

This land I speak of is called heaven, reached through sacraments of seven

A destiny so lovely oh so sweet, with fields of growing winter wheat

A place where we are called to serve, a destiny we all deserve

A place where we glow bright upon the shining of his light

A place where are called to witness whether each has met the fitness

Upon this predication you see, Love for all is the only fee

Pay it now and feel it then, a feeling unknown until just then

For this is that which is divine, a land where we are called to Shine.

Life is a Journey, Take a Hike.

Have you ever stopped to think just how happy you are in life? Sometimes its hard to see. In fact, often times when we stop and look at reasons why we should be happy, we start finding ways to tell ourself we are not happy. This is both unhealthy, and very much untrue, as happiness is a decision that we have to make through the actions of our lives.

This year has been rough for me. Nine months ago I watched as my relationship went downhill, catching subtle hints and clues up until the dreaded day of the breakup, seven months ago. My initial reaction was to wonder how I was ever going to be happy again. Now, of course I do not mean to be dramatic or anything, but when someone has made you happy for so long, it can hurt. You lose that source of liveliness in your life, you start questioning not the 'if" of your future happiness, but the 'how', and 'when'. What do we have to do? What can we do to make us happy? How can we get over the rough times faster?

Well, I found my happiness not too long ago. Two weeks after my breakup, my ex had found a new boyfriend. Well, when I saw the guy, I immediately no longer felt bad. But that didn't make me happy, instead that settled some sort of inner confidence that only fed into a false happiness, a happiness that actually fueled contempt and resentment. So I began trying to understand, "What will make me happy?" Well, I enjoyed school, so I took up more hours. Work too, I loved my job and decided to go on with more hours. It got so bad, I took 23 Semester Hours in the Spring of 2012, and worked about 25 hours a week.

Well, needless to say, any mixture of feelings I had were diluted with immense amounts of stress, lack of sleep, mismatched priorities, and poor judgement. I wasn't going anywhere positive. Then I cracked. I couldn't take it. I was working too much, I was taking too many classes, I didn't enjoy my school anymore, I had made waves with a fraternity on campus with pretentious losers trying to wreak havoc on my world, I hated my major, couldn't stand my professors, had only a few friends and had no where to turn.

I used to smoke cigars as a social sort of thing. I don't consider myself a smoker, but cigars are like wine, they have a certain taste, rolled from different leaves...its a connoisseur type thing. Well, in all my stress I go to the point where I would smoke through several large cigars in a day. I blew quite a bit of money on cigars, until one night it was very bad. I was out pissing and moaning in my resentment over my breakup that had happened a few weeks prior, and I had been smoking. I stood up, and immediately  I felt as if a needle pierced my heart, my heart started beating faster, and I was feeling light headed. My knees buckled, and I put one arm out to stop from falling and I made my way to a chair, and collapsed in it.

I picked up my phone, and sent a text to one of my buddies down the hall, who came to help me out. He helped me back to my room and got me to rest. The next day I went to go see the doctor on campus, who said I probably had come close to nicotine poisoning if I hadn't been used to smoking so much, so often. It was then that I gathered all my cigars and lighters, walked to the cafeteria on campus, threw them all away, and got a salad and an ice cream.

Ill tell you now - That was NOT happiness, and nothing I did to relieve the stress, or even to try to get over the relationship was working. Then I realized - The only thing keeping me from being happy, is me. So the end of the semester came, I packed my bags, and said Adios to the old school, and decided to transfer.

My first advice is - Don't do anything stupid. Its not going to help, and it will only make the recovery worse. Instead, focus on you. Find your hobbies and indulge in them. If you can't find anything to make you happy, then start meeting new people, because someone will interest you. Find someone to talk to, and to tell your story. Sometimes its easier to talk to someone you don't know. They won't judge you, they will tell you the honest truth of their opinions, they and they won't hold it against you.

Secondly, don't drink or smoke your way out of a problem. It is simply a stupid, expensive, and incredibly unhealthy process that is dangerous to your safety. You are wasting away precious time and life you could be spending doing something productive, or fun.

Third, talk to someone who is going through something similar, or who has a similar experience in their past. I have been doing this myself, and have been seeing more and more that I am happiest when I am around other people, helping other people, and doing things that can make other people happy, rather than being selfish or self interested.

Fourth, be yourself. Be who YOU are, and do what YOU want to do. I talk so, so, so much. Seriously, I talk a lot.  I talk about a lot of different things, and I talk about historical facts that very few people care about. But you know what? It is who I am, and it is what makes me who I am.

Fifth, don't wallow in pity. Don't exclude yourself from dating or talking to people. You certainly shouldn't jump into a relationship right off the bat or even very soon, but I have to say that after seven months, I miss having that special sort of connection. Just as well, you should remember that just because you go on a date with someone, it does not mean you are dating. Take someone on a date periodically, either the same person or someone different, and see how the interaction goes as you progress through your recovery. See if you are ready to meet someone, or maybe you are done with the recovery but you still just seem uninterested in a relationship anytime soon. While I never tried this, I wish I had, and recommend this to anyone wishing to go through a longer recover of around 6-12 months. This is mostly for the unfortunate souls who experience the loss of a fiancé, or a spouse.

Finally, don't forget to ask God for his help. God is a fundamental part of our lives, and he has a plan for us no matter what we decide. Sometimes you need to just trust him to take the wheel. It may seem like he is trying to run you off the road, but often times he is helping you take a shortcut. Just remember that backroad shortcuts can sometimes be bumpy rides! But that is life. Life is a journey, filled with pot holes, road debris, road rage, upset drivers, unpaved roads, and more. Life is an adventure, but it requires bravery, fortitude, endurance, and faith. Trust in God, and you may not even need to find your destiny or future right now. Let him take you for a ride, and show you. Go on an adventure, and find happiness in your own personal way, and ask God to help you.

Life is a Journey. So take a hike.

When Times Are Cold

Aloft the mountains atop the trees, Snowy glaciers ought to freeze

Upon the scape and beyond the hills, a rush of breeze brought with chills

Cold as ice and deathly bitter, to hibernation runs each critter

Though we know its mother nature, flaunting to us her arctic stature

Tis merely a season of earth’s rotation, a variable in the world’s equation

But seen as though it ought to stop, for nary grows a single crop

Doctors called and sickness befalls, and so we blame that which follows Fall

As needles though the bitterness stings, time ticks by until the spring

And upon its coming, its welcomed arrival, no more strife or struggled survival

Dead trees wake and flowers bloom, to happiness from a solemn gloom

And on press us to no less ends, then to continue new with lively amends

New times, new days, new months and years, old friends come to share the cheers

For false reasons Misunderstood she sits, cold as ice with teeth in grit

While her icy sheets begin to shatter, no longer must her jawbones clatter

She looks at all that people see, flowers, bushes, and many a tree

Rain and shine and rainbow glamour, voiceless is she to even clamour

Aye, she’s cold and even bitter, and causes hiding for each critter

Many through sickness feed the buzzard, especially from her deathly blizzard

For hardly can you even protest, that in his wit he made contest

Alas there is no reasonable contention, for this is a divine dimension

Did you possibly think He could mistake, a creation only he could make?

I proclaim to you a simple thing; in your ears it ought to ring

Nothing amongst the land made by He, wasn’t from his mind, but was all foreseen

To find a flaw a most weary endeavor, to outsmart the greatest mind so clever

Not just in a blossoming glade, but even in winter a beauty He made

And in this cold and bitter period, the reasons to excite are surely myriad

Coldness brings about the senses, and weary muscle cease to tenses

Yet tighter grip and closer bring, than fall or summer, even spring

Those who grow and whose great esteem, to be a lifelong pair, a loving team

To enhance these feelings that are so fond, to tighten them more, a threaded bond

With Thanks and Giving and Christmas too, these feasts bring closer every two

To thank and give and to rejoice, a time where actions are louder than voice

Gifts of scent and sweets and gold, but something more simpler is yet so bold

A special time when we are cold, the simplest gesture never gets old

A gesture simple yet so becoming, few better ways to express thy loving

In all the times and all the seasons, purpose He gave for his own reasons

For when other time is it oh so cold, those you love you tightly hold

As long as you like this time you’ll use, to show your affection with such great excuse

And here I say it so you have been told, what to do when times are cold

Hold each other close and snug, there’s nothing as warm as a heartfelt hug