Music. For many people music is a sort of escape from the world around them. People can simply pop in some headphones and tune the world (and their troubles) out. To me music helps me cope with whatever is going on in my life. One person who I believe has influenced my life the most is Eminem.

Eminem or Marshall Mathers or The Real Slim Shady or Rap God or whatever you choose to call him, is one of the realest rappers out there. Many of his songs are about the real struggles he has faced and recovered from throughout his life. This is one huge aspect that draws me towards his music. He has gone through more than most realize and writes all his music based off that strength he has gained, that aspect gives me hope if nothing else.

If one day I woke up and saw the headline “Forever in our memories, Eminem. Your legacy will forever live on.” and the #1 trend on Twitter “#RIPSlimShady”, I would absolutely be crushed. Much of his music I find comfort in because of how authentic and raw it is. Many people don’t connect to his music for the simple reason that they haven’t experienced what he had, yet I have experienced some of that pain and so the connection is very much present. If he were to die, it would hurt more than I can express.

Without question, the song Mockingbird is hands down my favorite song. By far my favorite lines from the song are:
“We did not plan it to be this way, your mother and me
But things have got so bad between us
I don’t see us ever being together ever again
Like we used to be when we was teenagers
But then of course everything always happens for a reason
I guess it was never meant to be
But it’s just something we have no control over and that’s what destiny is.” These words have so much meaning and passion beneath them and I connect so strongly to them for various reasons.

Eminem has greatly influenced my life so far, it would be such a shame to lose such a talented rapper at any time.

 

If I had won the Powerball, in complete honesty, I feel as though I wouldn’t be completely selfish with the money. I don’t believe anyone can really be 100% selfless if they had won, but I do think people can be less selfish.

For example, If I had won I know I would donate some of the money to cancer research, some to the Red Cross, and some to shelters so people always have a place to go. With the money that’s left, I would help pay the rest of my mothers way through med school and then the rest would go into savings not only for me but for my sister, Taylor too so we wouldn’t have to worry about going into debt in college.

Although many of these things are quite selfless, I think in a way they are all very selfish. I’m donating the money because I love the feeling of helping others who need it, and no amount of money could stop me from making those people smile. Also, by putting money in savings for me and my sister, that’s strictly because money has constantly been fought over in my house and I don’t want me or Taylor to hear about it longer than necessary.

So if I would’ve won the Powerball, yes my life would change in ways, and yes I would be selfish in my ways; but my goals and morals will stay the same. Money is just that, money. I don’t see the reason behind hyping it up as more than that. I would still go to college, get a job, have a family, etc. Winning the Powerball wouldn’t change anything except the numbers in my bank account.

Around the year 1970 my mothers parents had fallen in love. They both lived in a lovely culturally enriched country but it lacked many opportunities to succeed. They lived in the city of Manila located in the Philippines. Once they were married and had my mother and uncle, they decided they wanted more than what the Philippines could offer their children and were set upon the idea of moving the the United States of America, and they did.

Growing up, Filipino tradition still greatly influenced me. Every other year we would fly back to the Philippines to visit family and every year we celebrate the holidays just as my grandparents would in the Philippines.

Personally, I love growing up knowing where I came from, knowing this part of my heritage, and being able to keep some traditions alive even here in Texas.