Video Essay "My Life"

Watching You
“Watching You,” by Rodney Atkins. Ever since the first time I put on my cowboy boots and buttoned up my little flannel shirt I can remember one thing that stayed true all throughout my childhood and that is how hard I tried to be just like my dad. The song “Watching You” by Rodney Atkins mirrors my never-ending want to be a walking replica of my dad. As I pulled on those size five, brown leather cowboy boots and buttoned up my red flannel shirt I always knew it was time to head out and see how I could learn from my dad and shadow him all through the day. In the song it talks about how the little boy followed the example set by his dad both good and bad without knowing the difference. For me as a child I looked up to my dad in such a way that no matter what he did or said it had to be right, if only because he said it. My dad was my greatest role model and I wouldn’t trade a day spent with him for anything in the world. I learned so much from him and we learned many things together as well. I watched his every move and grew into the person that I am today because I was able to look up to someone and turn to someone whenever I needed advice or help. This song portrays the relationship between a father and son and shows how that tie offers so many things; from lessons learned, memories shared, and hardships conquered. I will never forget the times I spent learning from my dad and every time this song plays it takes me back to the time of those little old cowboy boots and my worn out shirt chasing my dad every where he went as we built a relationship that will last a lifetime.


A Good Man
“A Good Man,” by Emerson Drive. After realizing how much I had to be grateful for in my life and didn’t take anything for granted anymore I began to think about the kind of person I wanted to be seen as. As I went through high school I changed in many ways but the one thing that I believe stayed the same was my want to be “A Good Man.” As I listen to this song it just fuels the desire that I have inside to be happy with what I have been given and accomplished. I don’t waste my time with all the small troubles in life and remember always trying to be happy with whatever life threw at me. High school is kind of a blur looking back now but the experiences I had will shape continue to shape my life and direct me in the direction I want to go. From the clubs that I joined to better my transcripts to the sports I played to stay in shape and satisfy my competitive side. High school was a time when I found out who I was and I began to uncover what life had in store for me. The friends I made and the jobs I worked put everything into perspective and I realized through my experiences, that no matter what happens in life, nothing matters as long as you have the ones you love close to you. When the song says, “I don’t need a whole lot of money,” It makes me understand the feeling I had found that family and friends are priceless things in life that no amount of money in the world can buy.


If You’re Going Through Hell
“If You’re Going Through Hell,” by Rodney Atkins. Life throws all sorts of unexpected things at you both good and bad but it wasn’t until my sophomore year of high school that I realized that you get through anything if you just keep at it. The song “If You’re Going Through Hell,” by Rodney Atkins sums this lesson up in a few lyrics. The song says, “If you’re going through hell keep on going…you might get out before the devil even knows you’re there.” All throughout my life I was the type of person who would let little things bother me and when things weren’t going just like I had planned I felt disappointed and let down. However I always had my friends and family there to help me through. Just like the people that help him out in the video I had relationships in my life that could help me through. Anyone who knew me knew that family always comes first. The relationship that I have with my family is something that I will always treasure. When we are out on a sunny day working in the yard or out to brunch on Sunday afternoon, anyone can see the laughter and joy that we bring each other. My sisters and I would joke and tease as we raked the leaves that had fallen off the aspens in the front yard and my mom and dad would laugh at the site of us throwing leaves and rolling around the yard. We were always there for each other after a rough day at work or school and these kind of ties are what kept us going strong no matter what life threw our way.


Never Wanted Nothing More
“Never Wanted Nothing More,” by Kenny Chesney. Ever since I was very young I have wanted a truck that I could take hunting and ride around town in, finally when the summer of my 17th birthday came, I bought that truck. I convinced my parents to let me sell my first car and buy my truck that I could work on and restore until it reflected the truck I always wanted. This song by Kenny Chesney talks about working hard and earning what you want, until you are happy and satisfied to the point that you couldn’t want anything more. When I bought my truck it didn’t run and needed a lot of work but after hours and hours of stripping and tearing in my garage I built my own truck and was able to drive it off to school knowing that I couldn’t ask for anything more.
My truck was nothing but a broken down rust bucket when I got it but now it is a dark charcoal grey with new BF Goodrich All/Terrain Tires and a Kenwood Stereo that plays all my music loud and clear through my Pioneer door speakers. The bed is lined in a black rhino lining that I rolled on myself and the cab is upholstered in new seat covers and matching carpet. With a five speed transmission and nearly all new mechanical parts, I rebuilt my truck into my off road dream and when I hear the song play, “it was mine all mine and I never wanted nothing more,” I know that I created a lifelong dream and wouldn’t trade a moment of that hard work in for anything.


Remember The Name
“Remember the Name,” by Fort Minor. My size 10, black with red stripes, Adidas Predator soccer cleats, not only molded to my feet as I took the field day in and day out but these boots became a part of me, and my feet just aren’t comfortable in any other shoes. My soccer boots are light as a feather and fit my feet like a favorite pair of socks and I wouldn’t trade them for any other shoe in the world. Each time I laced up those studs my easy laid back personality changed to a competitive put it all on the line type of attitude and this song is always playing in my mind when I step out onto that pitch. “Ten percent luck, twenty percent skill, fifteen percent concentrated power of will, five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain and one hundred percent reason to remember the name.” This bit from the song not only explains the feeling of lacing up my boots but it gets my adrenaline flowing every time and takes me back to the atmosphere of the game.
As I slide into a tackle or line up to send the ball across the field my spikes grip the loose ground under me and hold true every time I need to plant on them. Playing soccer has always been a part of my life and I take great pride in my reputation on the field. My soccer cleats display this through their shiny yet used and broken in appearance that they get from countless hours of use and irreplaceable care that I put into polishing them before every game. Seeing these boots in my closet keeps me going back for more every time and the song “Remember the Name” by Fort Minor fuels my desire to head out and play another match every time I hear it.


Free and Easy Down the Road I Go
“Free and Easy Down the Road I Go,” by Dierks Bentley. The song “Free and Easy Down the Road I Go” is a song that will always take me back to my trip from Denver Colorado to Lincoln Nebraska to start my college life. It was just me, my pick up, and the open road. As I left Denver and headed into the flat land of eastern Colorado and western Nebraska the scenery changed from rolling hills and high altitude, to flat lands, river bottoms and cornfields. The sun was shining and the sky was clear. I rolled the windows down and cranked up the music and the first song I played was this song. As I heard the words “a pair of boots and a sack of clothes, free and easy down the road I go,” I got my first taste of being out on my own.
With cornfields as far as I could see I drove into my new home with the windows down and the wind whipping through the cab of my truck I could smell the scent of fresh cow manure and sweet country breeze. I saw irrigation systems all throughout the fields and the rows of corn looked as though they would never end. The river bottom ran along the north side of the interstate and the sounds of geese honking as they flew over head set the tone for my new home. I knew this wasn’t where I wanted to stay forever but for now it is what I call home. As the song went on to say, “some day I know its going to take me home,” I knew that even though the interstate blew by as I headed east, this road would always be there to take me home again when I decided that my time here in Lincoln was up.


I Am Number One
“I Am Number One,” by Nelly. High school soccer is different for every school but at Northglenn High School the tradition of soccer ran deep through the school and being a part of the team was like having another family. Competitive and hardheaded on the field, we were always hard on each other, but off the field we were all just a bunch of brothers living together. We lived and died as a team, every time one fell the team flinched in pain and when one was cut we all bled. Having this type of bond is what makes a team successful and when the song asks the question, “What does it take to be number one?” I know that having that tight team bond is what it takes to win. During season we lived not as individuals but as pieces of the whole and everything we did was for the better of the team. Everyone knew when we were around because of the laughing and joking that always rang out from our crowd. We ate together, studied together, practiced together, and played through everything together. This team was my family outside of home and being able to be a part of it would make anyone a better person. Being number one and winning is important in any sport but if you don’t have the right team to share it with you really haven’t succeeded. When I listen to this song I see flash backs of tackles and goals scored on the field but more importantly I see the good times and relationships that I built on the team and even if we hadn’t won the league championship the season still would have been a success.


You Make Me Want To
“You Make Me Want To,” by Luke Bryan. Life can be good and bad at times but unless you have someone to share it with none of it really matters. This song says, “I don’t know if I can ever change, but you make me want to,” and having that feeling to want to be everything you can to make someone happy is an irreplaceable feeling. When I decided to try the long distance relationship situation I was skeptical but when times got hard and I bailed out I never quit regretting it. One day this song came on and I realized how much she meant to me and I worked and worked to get her back until she finally came back to me. I was in a can’t sleep, can’t eat, lost in life state without her and this song shows the never ending want to change anything necessary to keep her happy. I realized I really didn’t have to change at all but that sensation of willingness to do anything to make it work and eventually making it work so well that nothing can come between us is something that anyone can see I am happy with. When I went through life in that state of wondering and waiting it changed me into a; don’t take anything for granted, live like you were dying kind of person that I am right now. That is where is stand in life’s journey as of this moment and I don’t want to change anything about that or ever risk losing this feeling again. So I live day to day and take in every experience like it could be my last because you never know when it might all come crashing down so why hold anything back.