Calvin's+Page

Calvini Pagella

"Ten forces that have shaped who I am today." What an ambitious task. My number one 'force' would undoubtedly be an undying thirst and hunger for knowledge. For as long as I can remember, my Father would tell me that "knowledge is power". A lot of people hear this and understand its surface value meaning: That to be powerful, one must be smart. However, this goes much further and deeper than simply gaining intellect to prevail in life. One doesn't have have to be exceptionally 'book smart', or 'street smart', to be powerful: One must only know more than his opponent to gain an edge. Now obviously the more one knows, the better off someone would be. But knowledge being power is only as effective as one's curiosity and drive. My second force would be my curiosity. Because I've had this instilled notion that knowledge is everything, I've naturally been curious, about everything. I want to know why things are the way they are, how they work, who did something, what ever it is I don't know, I try my best to learn about it, and fulfill the worst void in the world: Ignorance. The third force (and I don't mean to brag when I say this) would be my ability to learn things at a quicker rate than most. The average human requires repetition of seven times before they truly grasp something, whereas I might only require three, and in some instances, once is sufficient. So, the first three forces, when compounded, are the basis for the drive of my personal intellectual quest to fulfill the void of ignorance. My family would be my fourth force, considering I've learned much about family dynamics, being humble, delegation, leadership as well as the importance of sticking together. A wise man once said that "the sum of the collective effort is greater than the efforts of the individual" which is paramount in dealing with issues that are far larger than one person could singlehandedly conquer. My fifth force would be my interest in the arts. Because I've always had an affinity for music, art, theater and whatnot, I believe it has contributed to my creativity and my ability to think in a more open and free flowing nature. My sixth force is music. without music, I dont know how I'd get through the day. My personal musical activities taught me a lot about dedication, as well as doing the mindless work (even though practicing is NEVER mindless) to prevail and advance in the end. Coming in #7 would be jazz. Jazz is set apart from music and the arts for many reasons. Jazz is what drives me musically, as well as I love to make music with other talented individuals. There is rarely a time when a jazz tune or lick isn't pulsating throughout my noggin, which also contributes to my creativity. Jazz is an art form that truly requires emotion and feeling, and for me, its the best way I know to 'verbalize' how I'm feeling, or whats going through my mind. The eighth force would be technology. Technology has helped me with my quest to eradicate inner ignorance. My ninth force is undoubtedly my ability to drop my technology like a hot potato and still prosper. I attribute this to my love for the wilderness and the outdoors as well as preparedness. My involvement with scouting has allowed me to enjoy the wild on a more regular basis, sans educating me of it. For as long as I can remember, my father would take me and the family to different locations where we set up camp and enjoyed the weekend without modern conveniences, and this gives me a sense of being able to cope with any situation, because if all else fails I will take my stuff and go live in the woods. The tenth (and possibly one of the more important) force is overlooked on a daily basis. Literally this Force is what keeps us grounded. Gravity. Its a marvel that Modern Physics still cant really explain //what// gravity is. Gravity is what allows us to grow vertically, as well as build muscles. I mean, gravity has //literally// shaped us all, and very few people associate it with shaping them. without gravity, centripetal force (of the earth rotating) would fling us into space and velocities so high, we'd burn up leaving the atmosphere much the same as rockets or the space shuttle burn up upon re-entry. Now my ten forces may be a little unorthodox at times, they are what shaped me, and will continue to shape me as I grow.

TPCB P.-)

Calvin, I knew before I clicked on your page that your paragraph would keep me interested, and it didn't disappoint. I really liked the part about being able to leave technology behind and go enjoy the beauty of the wilderness. This past summer I went to camp for a week and left my phone at home; it was refreshing to not have the distraction of technology or connection to the outside world. I also identified with your love of jazz; through being a musician along side you for many years, we have shared many moments in jazz which have benefited us both. I also really respect your love of physics. Life is about finding something that really interests you and learning everything you can about it. I think you have certainly found your niche.

Drew

Calvin, I'm not surprised that you would have something like gravity as one of the forces that has shaped you, nor am I surprised that jazz is another force. I know your love for Jazz runs deep because you're always playing it at every chance during band. Jazz and music are both important to me also, being able to play with you from elementary school to now has been fun. Family is also extremely important to me too, having a group of people behind you is important for any person to have, even if you don't always agree with them. You're an interesting and sometimes complex person, but that's who you are.

Kirsten