When I was 11 years old I tried to hack into my dads old phone. Upon telling my mom what I was trying to do, instead of punishing me, she explained what Cyber Security was instead and how I can get started on it by pursuing a degree in computer science and earn certificates along the way. Later that same year she signed me up at the local college to begin my journey to my ultimate goal, becoming a cyber security expert. The way my mother explains it, “if you’re as smart as you are and like hacking things, you might as well do it as a professional and for a good cause”. So, a childhood curiosity has quickly become the core focus of my education. My other goal is to become a paid soccer player, or football player everywhere else in the world. I have participated in several sports since I was in kindergarten. Jujitsu for several years, wrestling, competition swim, football (American football) but I naturally enjoyed soccer for the team aspect, the competition, and the limits that it pushes my body to. Just like my computer science goal, my mom completely supports my athletic goal to become a soccer player. I understand that being a professional athlete is a temporary venture so as much as I put my brain energy toward coding, I put my physical energy toward maintaining my body and being competition ready. The way these 2 goals intertwine is even if I have to go overseas, I can use the funding from soccer to finance my education, or if I can manage to get an athletic scholarship and I don’t become a pro athlete, I can at least fund my masters degree. Soccer is a tool for me to continue my education as I know this will be a long journey that is an expensive journey, but I believe it will all be worth it in the end. My mom is investing, often times, her last dollar toward PC equipment, or books, or even club soccer fees and hotels when I have to travel. She pretends it doesn’t impact the family budget, but I know it does because it’s simple math that it does. So I thought I’d share my goal that answers some of the questions that one may have, I have my mom a promise; “I’m going to buy a home with enough land to build a second home, so you and the babies can always be close to me” the babies are my 2 severely autistic siblings. I am pursuing being a cyber security expert for the longevity, a soccer pro to fund my long term career, and after it’s all said and done, I’ll give my siblings a job at my cyber security firm so my mom doesn’t have to worry.

When I choose a drink at Starbucks , it’s often dictated by the seasons. I’m the fall, I love a Zebra Hot Chocolate, some may not know what this is as it’s the “old name” for a Black & White Hot Chocolate. Typically, I order the Egg, Bacon & Gouda breakfast sandwich with this when I get out of class. The combination of the two really get me comfortable, just full enough, and back in the zone. The first time I ever had this drink I was 4 or 5 years old, it gets fairly cold in Sonoma County, so my grandma took me to get this Kids Zebra Hot Chocolate after school while I was still using a child’s booster seat and it’s been part of my cold weather routine ever since. Over a decade later and I’m making the same order every fall. During fall I also have soccer practice, games and tournaments. While I’m practicing, busy warming up, or on our way home from a win or a loss, my mom always opens the Starbucks app. She gets the soy caramel macchiato with an added shot of espresso, a cake pop and a Bacon Gouda Breakfast sandwich for herself, and she always gets me the zebra hot chocolate, which she refuses to call a black and white hot chocolate so she must explain what it is every time, and of course my bacon Gouda breakfast sandwich as well. By the time I’m done with practice or my games are over, it’s cooled down enough for me to dig in, as I prefer warm, not hot. Starbucks is a staple for our after soccer routine and when I know I have an out of town tournament, I can guarantee 2 Starbucks trips that day, one got the ride there, and one for the way home! I now have siblings, 3 years old and 4 years old, and they’re almost ready to try my drink of choice. Right now when we pull up to the Starbucks drive thru, even if fussing or rowdy, they realize where we’re at and wait patiently for their cake pops. When they’re old enough to have a kids zebra hot chocolate, I will have successfully given my siblings the gift of so memories to come, memories where you can remember the taste and remember the smell. The most vivid memories of fall, in Northern California, a kids zebra hot chocolate, crisp air, and a little breakfast sandwich for the tummy.

Driving Under the Influence, DUI, is the act of driving while under the influence of a mind altering substance, not limited to alcohol. The ultimate effect on society is a less safe place to live, walk and drive. Persons committing a DUI have driven into homes, onto sidewalks, and crashed into other vehicles and persons. The loss of life, injury and damage to property are effects that DUIs have to innocent persons directly, but there are also indirect victims, like mourning family members and friends. Since the victims of DUI are not discriminative, victims that may have unhealthy coping mechanisms could also fall to addictions with prescription pills after rehabilitating from an injury caused by an intoxicated driver, or alcohol and other drugs to cope with losses, depression and anxiety as a secondary injury from being a victim to a DUI driver. Aside from direct victims and their family members, dependence of the DUI driver could also feel the effects of a DUI incident as well their caretaker or parent could be incarcerated or lose income from a criminal record. The ramifications of DUI penalty could exacerbate addictions and make home life intolerable. The societal, macro, effects of DUIs contribute to overloaded jails, prisons, and probation work loads. Another macro effect is the general risk to all drivers on the road, drivers need to be aware that people often drive under the influence and practice defensive driving as a result. In a utopian society all cars and vehicles would have Blood Alchohol Content monitoring devices and monitoring for other mind altering substances. However, more tangible DUI prevention would be to eliminate parking at bars, wineries, and clubs so only car pools, taxis, and uber drivers can transport and remove the ability to drive to common areas where drinking takes place. One more way to prevent DUI occurrences from happening is to make ride services like Uber, Lyft and others free for persons that are intoxicated by any substance, and subsidize it with public health and safety funds. The last way to prevent DUIs from occurring is to educate people on how mental health is directly related to substance abuse and allow free withdrawal medication, support and reward system for those that seek help.