Saturday, August 31, 2013
Who Am I? Social Entrepreneurship and Me
Who am I? Let me paint you a picture.
I am Thomas David Phillips IV. Male. 20 years old. Five-foot-Eleven (and a half). Lightly freckled skin. I have brown hair that is darker indoors, but shines with a golden hue in the sun. I wear it (my hair) up and to the side, off of my forehead, no bangs. My eyebrows are full, but not out of control – I do know what tweezers are. Should you ever look, I have dark coffee-brown eyes. I’m told they’re beautiful; a unique color that catches the sunlight and turns out flecks of amber, but seeing as it’s 4:05 AM and my mirror is not the sun, I couldn't tell you. My eyelashes are womanly. They’re long and full – and apparently a cause for jealousy. I have a birthmark, a minuscule piece of pale white skin, on my left eyelid. My right eye and right ear sit slightly lower than my left, making barbers scratch their heads when they can't quite get my sideburns right. My nose is average, save the small divot in its tip. My cheekbones are not perfectly round, and they certainly aren't chiseled. It’s a happy medium. I have two small moles on my left cheek – these, along with my brown eyes and hair, are courtesy of my Cuban mother. My lips are full, but not large. Thanks to years of orthodontics, I have straight teeth. No thanks to years of awful genetics and drinking iron-rich water, they have a less than white hue, which I feel will never be perfect. But I’m happy with my smile – I wear it more often than a frown or grimace. As far as facial hair goes, I prefer a bit of stubble– my dad has red hair, and for some odd genetic reason, that is the color my facial hair comes in -- I've started to like it. Unfortunately, I have a double chin. I have always had a double chin. It is my least favorite feature, one which didn't disappear when I lost weight, and only got worse when I put it back on. Luckily, I've learned to hide it -- I keep my head up. This facial structure combined with the size of my head gives my face a circular/square shape – one I often wish was longer, and with less chins.
I have broad shoulders, and I try to carry myself in a way masking the weight I've put on in my first two years at Ohio State. I have always been self-conscious about my weight.
I would say that I am well dressed, and try to carry myself in a respectful manner. I always wear a timepiece, most often, a light brown leather-banded golden watch, with a silver face. It was given to me by my girlfriend of over 4 years. It is an everyday reminder of times good, times bad, those now, and those had. I wear a ring on my right middle finger - the ring my grandfather wore out of Cuba. I never met him, he died before I was even a thought, but despite that, this ring ties me to him.
I am Thomas David Phillips IV. Male. 20 years old. Five-foot-Eleven (and a half). Lightly freckled skin. I have brown hair that is darker indoors, but shines with a golden hue in the sun. I wear it (my hair) up and to the side, off of my forehead, no bangs. My eyebrows are full, but not out of control – I do know what tweezers are. Should you ever look, I have dark coffee-brown eyes. I’m told they’re beautiful; a unique color that catches the sunlight and turns out flecks of amber, but seeing as it’s 4:05 AM and my mirror is not the sun, I couldn't tell you. My eyelashes are womanly. They’re long and full – and apparently a cause for jealousy. I have a birthmark, a minuscule piece of pale white skin, on my left eyelid. My right eye and right ear sit slightly lower than my left, making barbers scratch their heads when they can't quite get my sideburns right. My nose is average, save the small divot in its tip. My cheekbones are not perfectly round, and they certainly aren't chiseled. It’s a happy medium. I have two small moles on my left cheek – these, along with my brown eyes and hair, are courtesy of my Cuban mother. My lips are full, but not large. Thanks to years of orthodontics, I have straight teeth. No thanks to years of awful genetics and drinking iron-rich water, they have a less than white hue, which I feel will never be perfect. But I’m happy with my smile – I wear it more often than a frown or grimace. As far as facial hair goes, I prefer a bit of stubble– my dad has red hair, and for some odd genetic reason, that is the color my facial hair comes in -- I've started to like it. Unfortunately, I have a double chin. I have always had a double chin. It is my least favorite feature, one which didn't disappear when I lost weight, and only got worse when I put it back on. Luckily, I've learned to hide it -- I keep my head up. This facial structure combined with the size of my head gives my face a circular/square shape – one I often wish was longer, and with less chins.
I have broad shoulders, and I try to carry myself in a way masking the weight I've put on in my first two years at Ohio State. I have always been self-conscious about my weight.
I would say that I am well dressed, and try to carry myself in a respectful manner. I always wear a timepiece, most often, a light brown leather-banded golden watch, with a silver face. It was given to me by my girlfriend of over 4 years. It is an everyday reminder of times good, times bad, those now, and those had. I wear a ring on my right middle finger - the ring my grandfather wore out of Cuba. I never met him, he died before I was even a thought, but despite that, this ring ties me to him.
You may wonder what these physical descriptions have to do with "me" - but I can assure you that they're relevant. You see, the frame and lens with which I view myself are the very same I use to look at the world. Recognizing how I see and understand myself will help you get to know me pretty well.
This leads me to the three most important influences in my life: my loved ones, my education, and my future aspirations.
My family, my girlfriend and my community are three essentials in my life. They are three legs of the stool that holds up my life, and without any one of them, it wouldn't stand.
My family, the source of my name and my pride, has motivated me in my education, pushing me to excel and earn high marks. My mother, a Cuban immigrant always told me what her father told her – although people might take away everything in your life, they can never take your faith or your education. Being a fourth generation Buckeye, (on my father’s side, of course) it means so much to me to attend THE Ohio State University, working to accomplish my goals.
My girlfriend is a constant source of joy in my life, and she reminds me of the beauty that surrounds me on a day to day basis. Despite going to the University of Cincinnati, where she is a graphic design student in DAAP, she is always there for me in my happiness and sorrow, and I couldn't ever ask for more.
My community here at Ohio State, is the most recent of my additions to this list of loved ones. They are the reason I can be a social entrepreneur. People like Kristen, whom I have known since the Leadership Collaborative (#LC11), shape my outlook. They taught and continue to teach me about my strengths (Communication, Strategic, Input, Adaptability, WOO). Do you remember the frame and lens I mentioned earlier? They helped me craft them.
This leads me to the three most important influences in my life: my loved ones, my education, and my future aspirations.
My family, my girlfriend and my community are three essentials in my life. They are three legs of the stool that holds up my life, and without any one of them, it wouldn't stand.
My family, the source of my name and my pride, has motivated me in my education, pushing me to excel and earn high marks. My mother, a Cuban immigrant always told me what her father told her – although people might take away everything in your life, they can never take your faith or your education. Being a fourth generation Buckeye, (on my father’s side, of course) it means so much to me to attend THE Ohio State University, working to accomplish my goals.
My girlfriend is a constant source of joy in my life, and she reminds me of the beauty that surrounds me on a day to day basis. Despite going to the University of Cincinnati, where she is a graphic design student in DAAP, she is always there for me in my happiness and sorrow, and I couldn't ever ask for more.
My community here at Ohio State, is the most recent of my additions to this list of loved ones. They are the reason I can be a social entrepreneur. People like Kristen, whom I have known since the Leadership Collaborative (#LC11), shape my outlook. They taught and continue to teach me about my strengths (Communication, Strategic, Input, Adaptability, WOO). Do you remember the frame and lens I mentioned earlier? They helped me craft them.
And so, I believe that in the rest of my time here, I can try to work out my crazy visions for the future, my dreams, aspirations and hopes. I know I want to be a professor. Someday, far from now, I want to serve the people in the fine Ohio Legislature, I want to travel the U.S. and the world. I want to live in New York for a summer, and Chicago for a year. And ultimately, I want to raise a family, right here, in Columbus, Ohio, and pray to God that my son wants to be a Buckeye – I can pray for a 5th generation, right?
I do realize that I have been long-winded, and for that, I apologize – but anyone who bothers to meet me will soon realize that my physical presence is easily trumped by my inner communicator. I write. I sing. I talk -- a lot.
I am Thomas David Phillips IV, consider me introduced.
I do realize that I have been long-winded, and for that, I apologize – but anyone who bothers to meet me will soon realize that my physical presence is easily trumped by my inner communicator. I write. I sing. I talk -- a lot.
I am Thomas David Phillips IV, consider me introduced.
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