It’s Christmas Eve in Texas and all is as it should be: The sisters are in the kitchen preparing for tomorrow’s feast, the young’ns (and old folks) are fast asleep, and I’m relaxing with the dogs as Christmas music plays in the background. I’m a sucker for the holidays. I love the food, the family, the lights, the music, the coldness, candlelight services, everything. I even have certain images associated with various Christmas songs. For instance, whenever I hear “The Christmas Song” I get a warm feeling and envision dancing with that special someone alone on Christmas Eve, the fireplace crackling in the background, the lights twinkling, the snow falling… I’m hopeless, I know.

Back to reality. The house is full, so this is the luxury suite that I will be occupying tonight (notice the bottle of wine on the dresser in case of emergency):

I’m not complaining. Those animal prints are badass. Not to mention the killer stuffed animal collection. I’ll sleep well tonight.

Merry Christmas y’all!

There are things in this world worth fighting for, nay, worth dieing for. Every man must find the cause which he believes in so strongly that even the thought of death becomes secondary to defending it. Only then can he truly live. I’d like to introduce you to one of the most selfless people that I’ve ever known. Even more, I want you to hear the story of his life focus, of his discovery of the one of the most vulgar modern atrocities… and I want you to join in the fight to stop it.

After being heavily involved in a grassroots movement spawned by a documentary on child soldiers in Uganda, Sean Carasso went on a six-day journalistic trip to central Africa to gain information and distribute donated shoes. He finally left four months later. Sean managed to intermittently update an online blog throughout his journey and wrote an incredible post detailing one of his experiences. Through email and the internet, that post reached over 30,000 people and has sparked a movement of its own: Falling Whistles.

Many of us have heard the stories of the child-soldiers. Invisible Children and stories such as A Long Way Gone have been groundbreaking in granting us glimpses into their tortured lives.

I had heard. Known. Cared. I had even reacted and raged. But when these boys told me of the whistles blowers, the horror grew feet and walked within me.

I cannot describe to you the pain and anguish that I feel through reading the story, or the anger at the inaction of the governments of the region. It’s heartbreaking. Often I ask myself, “What difference can I really make?” But there is hope.

Change starts with information. Read the story. Get informed. Pass it along. The first step is bringing light to the issue and not allowing ourselves to pass it over as just another “African problem.” This, and every issue like it, is a problem of which the responsibility to address lies on all of humanity.

The Falling Whistles organization is currently working with two locals who escaped, created successful lives of their own in America, and then chose to return to their homeland to help those left behind. All monies received are being sent to support their day center for children, a facility that provides for some of the most basic needs that we take for granted: shelter, water, food (when it’s available), and loving human contact. They also employ an art-therapy curriculum to help the rescued children relieve some of their buried emotional scars. This is the first step in helping these kids regain control over their lives.

We can stop this.

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Visit Falling Whistles .com and read the story now.

Two-thousand and seven descends upon us, and as I look back I take note of what changes the year past brought with it. A New Year’s kiss had, one missed… a couple of very, very interesting relationships and friendships realized, and a few of which are uniquely dear to me… two different universities, one huge change… a brake in, a burnt down house, a car landing on the roof… many key firsts… turning 20… Voodoo Fest… Texas football… my first television appearance… great philosophical self-exploration… amazing siblings… a new dog… Robert Frost… Nietzsche… Fite Nite 06… Destin, New Orleans… sublime highs and devastating heartbreak… Austin…

2006 brought so much with it, but each year continues to be the best one yet. May yours be as wonderful as I believe mine will be.

I may have failed to mention that I went to the Voodoo Music Fest in New Orleans this past weekend!!! Two full days packed with over 65 bands playing all day and night, Bourbon Street, and the complete New Orleans experience: incredible. Unfortunately, I broke my camera halfway through the trip, but I do have about 50 pictures of the trip.

The group consisted of my buddy James, his friend Josie, my friend Katie and myself. We went up Friday, stopped by Baton Rouge to have lunch with my uncle, and then checked into our hotel in the late afternoon. After unpacking, we headed to the French Quarter and then on to Bourbon Street for the first night. To make a long story short, we saw fight and arrests within the first five minutes, went to some crazy bars, so how dirty the place is, and got into our own 15-person brawl… all on the first night, which was supposed to be ‘light.’

The next day was full of all kinds of awesome concerts. Every type of music was represented, from the Brazilian Girls, to Shooter Jennings, to the mother f*ckin Red Hot Chili Peppers. Speakin’ of which, we rocked out HUGE to the Chili Peppers from the VIP early on in their set (the headlining act of the festival) which we snuck into. After the two-hour show, the Chili Peppers put on an hour-and-a-half encore, including a 30 minute jam session with The Meters and a 20 minute finale rendition of ‘Give It Away.’ Such an amazing performance!

After another crazy night–in which we didn’t leave the bars till 7am–we chilled out for the first part of the day, just lounging on the grass listening to the bands play. The highlights of the afternoon were the Drive by Truckers, My Chemical Romance, Blue October, and of course The Flaming Lips. The Lips put on one of the most unique and sensory-overloading shows that I’ve ever scene. It’s indescribable… made me feel like an 8-year-old again, perfectly enjoying the ecstatic moment and at peace with everything. Ask me sometime, because it’s too much to explain here.

Such a great trip, the stuff college is made of… Music, crazy concerts, road trippin’, alcohol, and girls… Definitely see the Chili Peppers and/or Flaming Lips if you get the chance, I know I will. I’ll never forget the experience of Voodoo Fest ’06!

If you watch tv, you might have heard of a little show on NBC called Friday Night Lights, based on the movie of the same name by Peter Berg and produce by the same. Well, in episode two, there is in fact a close-up of yours truly as a stunned football player learning of the fate of one of his teammates. Go to this link and then watch part five. Short, but sweet.