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It is no secret: I am back in California and I am here to stay. My brief, yearlong stint in Oregon came to an end a month ago when I moved to Los Angeles.

I decided to leave Oregon for many reasons, some of which are personal, others professional, most of which I would prefer to keep private. No matter the reason, leaving Oregon was difficult in the end, mostly because I left behind some of the best friends I have ever known.

The transition from life in Oregon to Los Angeles has been fairly smooth, and I am very excited to be in a large city again. Los Angeles has so much to offer, and I hope to contribute something meaningful to its cultural life.

So, why Los Angeles? I am now pursuing doctoral studies at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. I finished my first week of classes this past week, and I can already tell the place is remarkable. It is a profound honor to be a student there.

New city, new school, new life, new chapter!

I haven’t updated the blog since December for reasons to be shared in the next post. This post serves to indicate to the world that I am alive, I care about my blog, and I want to share something sweet that I discovered today.

At UO’s Student Recreation Center this morning, I saw a billboard, that for no other reason than being colorful, caught my attention. On it was a centered picture of the earth, circled by text that read, “Change the World.” Around the globe and text was a smattering of change-inspiring phrases, many of which found resonance in me.

I thought it would be nice to share the phrases with you here. Surely some will find many of these things obvious or cheesy, but, for some reason, I was touched by their simplicity and optimism.

Please enjoy the phrases, listed below in no particular order:

CHANGE THE WORLD
Plant something
Let in at least one car on every journey
Recycle
Get fitter, feel better
Unplug electronics when not in use
Use a mug, not a disposable cup
Have meals together
Take public transportation when you can
Spend time with someone from a different generation
Offer up your seat
Use your will to good effect
Learn to be friendly in another language
Learn one good joke
Spend time with a child
Give your change to charity
Try watching less TV
Take time to listen
Give blood
Shop locally
Smile and smile back
Be respectful
Register as an organ donor
Hug someone
Bake something for a friend

And my own additions:
See/call/write your parents, grandparents, and siblings regularly
Do at least one good thing for someone else every day
Reserve one day for leisure each week
Enjoy sunshine
Be grateful, be generous

Today begins the final countdown to the finish line, as my days as a teacher at SHCP are numbered. After today, I have only four days left, and I feel a great deal of conflicting emotions, since I am sad to leave, but looking forward to turn a new leaf. When this week is over, and after a few moments of reflection, I will write about my four-year experience at the school here in my blog. For now, I’d like to share a touching article with you, written by students to send me off and wish me well. Click on the image above to read a PDF scan of the article.