The Chronicles of John Trammell

     While on winter break, I noticed a job opening for the Front Desk & Game Room of our student union on campus.  I applied with good hopes.  I had received a call yesterday while in class that they called in regards to my application.  I called back to leave a message.  As I was sitting in the lecture hall waiting for my Government and Business Relations class to start, I got a call.  I went outside to take it.  The man who called told me that they had filled up the position, but there was another opening.  They had openings for Maintenance.  This would be the fancy word for being janitors.  I had declined.  I am not going to go down that deep from my last job to be a janitor.  With this the struggle to get out there in the world continues.  It fucking sucks!  The only thing that seems to be slowly pushing forward to end this struggle is college.  Other than going to school, currently I have no money.  Have not made money since September 2011, and its slowly taking its toll.  I

           This past weekend, from January 18-20, was the 20th Annual California 4-H South Section Teen Involvement Conference (TIC).  This was my 11th conference in attendance, and unlike the past 5 years, this year was a little different.      Since I was the youth president for the 2006 conference, I had stayed active with the teens to plan their conference.  I was considered an adult volunteer right under the Teen Council Adviser, who is named Tony.  He has been the adviser for over 15 years towards TIC.  Over the past year, Tony had seemed to drop off the face of the planet when planning TIC.  Normally, I have worked with the teen council officers while he dealt with the official contracts for any services we needed for the conference.  With the lack of communication, I had ended up dealing with everything.  It became a big challenge.  I contently felt I was over stepping over Tony to get the things done, but in the end, it was the only way things were going to be done.  The

     This past weekend, January 4-6, 2013, I had traveled up to the 4th Annual California 4-H Winter Retreat at the Nevada State 4-H Camp, Stateline, NV (next to South Lake Tahoe) with the California 4-H Technology Leadership Team, the California 4-H State Ambassadors, and the 2013 California 4-H State Leadership Conference Support Staff.  The main goals of this winter retreat are for the teams to come together to improve their teamwork, leadership, and communication skills while bonding and working together to plan the next year's state leadership conference that will be at UC Davis in July.  Most of the group meet at the State 4-H Office in Davis and carpooled in fleet service vans that can fit 12-15 people.  To save room, and to get up there before the group to explore, I didn't travel up with the group. Instead, one of my best friends, Daniel Rogers, drove myself and Neal Woodall up to Tahoe as he did last year.  We were able to get up to Tahoe an hour before the group.

     One comment, which tends to be quite popular with the older adults, could be taken as an insult to us younger adults who are still working hard to get somewhere in the world.  This comment is, "When you are in the real life...".  Real life?  What is real life?  Based of those who make these type of comments must think that college students aren't in what they call life.  I fell this comment, or phrase, can be quite insulting depending on the person.   You might be asking what brought up this comment.  Winter break ends on Sunday, meaning that I return to school on Monday.  I had posted on facebook that my winter break was going to end with a bang with a trip to San Diego and South Lake Tahoe.  A friend of mine made a comment to enjoy it while it lasts, because in real life, I wont be able to have this type of fun often.  Right away, I felt a little offended, which rarely happens.  Yes, I live with my parents; yes, I have no job (currently looking); yes, I am in colle