Senior Writing
WARNING: these are subject to change as the year progresses.
Isaac Cortez
September 29, 2015
English 12, Gonzalez
Struggling To Reach Perfection
My name is Isaac Cortez. My life has prepared me for this moment. The pain i’ve endured, the long hours of insomnia that occupied my mind, the heartbreak. I am only 24 but i’ve sure as hell have gone through more than most will in their lives. It is almost time to go out. I say a little prayer before and give thanks. Adrenaline begins to make my body its home. I hear faint chants of my name. These people came tonight to see me almost religiously. Who would’ve thought that the little kid from small town Lindsay, California would end up about to go out and perform in front of live television for millions of people to spectate. I am notified that I have about 2 minutes until show time. I begin to remember the closed minded people who have doubted me. I begin to remember every single day spent in my room, at whatever house I was living at, at the time perfecting my craft and my artistry. The next two minutes were contained with recollections of pain, loneliness, self-doubt inflicted by others, neglect and unacceptance. I promised myself that one day, everyone who doubted me will never forget my name. That they will be honored and boast about how they’ve met me. The lights begin to dim as I am led to the stage. It’s show time.
This vision, almost an oracle, is what I know to be true. In 7 years, I know for sure that my music career will be bigger than anything anyone in my town has ever done. I know I will change the lives of thousands, maybe even millions, of people. Being from a small town Christian based family was not all it seems cracked up to be. It had its perks and downsides just as most everything in life. However, I did not ask God to be kinder to me. I simply asked for more strength to endure the tribulation that was my life.
My community definitely impacted the qualitative and quantitative aspects of my aspirations and plans for the future. Being from a small community that isn’t very culturally diverse, I yearn for the experience of a culture shock. I yearn for artistry and originality. It is hard for any individual to be self expressive in any creative way in the Lindsay, California area. We are very close knit and practically everyone is in some way familiar with one another. This may seem not too bad, however I dreaded this. I genuinely enjoy being able to go out and encounter various faces throughout my day. I enjoy and appreciate people from all different walks of life. I enjoy and appreciate people of different views, religions, political standpoints, ethnicities, preferences, and philosophies. It is being able to experience new people and perspectives that has made me want to travel and share my craft and impact the lives of those of whom I am fortunate enough to come across.
I grew up in a household dominated by one of the two most common religions here in the Central Valley, Christianity. This background would design and layout most of the struggle that came along with my personal and emotional life. The problem for me and my required religious standing was that I identified with being gay. I hid this part of myself for about 16 years. While family members would lecture me however, I knew that out there were people and an industry that was welcoming of all types of people just as much as I was welcoming of them. I began to delve into the world of music heavily and art as a means of self-expression. I would sing along to songs that captured the essence of my struggle and emotions. Artists such as Lady Gaga, who promoted self-love, Beyonce, who promoted self-confidence, and Nicki Minaj would all go on and form my aspirations and love for true art and performance. Of course, I would have to sneak these artists around my house as if they were a secret and lustful lover not welcomed by a spouse.
I understood why these artists and my preferences were not welcomed in my household. What I did not understand however was how my mother and father who were drug addicts, alcoholics, and absent for alternating periods of my life were still loved by my family yet my way of life was not. There were many nights of neglect, abuse, and tear soaked dreams shared with my sister and I. Though, we never once wondered why these things had happened to us. We just knew this to be the way of life. Constantly moving schools, having no long terms set of friends, and being forced to be mature at a young age was all I knew. As well as hiding my true self and having my grandmother and sister to raise my siblings and I. I did not mind because I feel that it has shaped me to be the ambitious and driven as I am today.
September 29, 2015
English 12, Gonzalez
Struggling To Reach Perfection
My name is Isaac Cortez. My life has prepared me for this moment. The pain i’ve endured, the long hours of insomnia that occupied my mind, the heartbreak. I am only 24 but i’ve sure as hell have gone through more than most will in their lives. It is almost time to go out. I say a little prayer before and give thanks. Adrenaline begins to make my body its home. I hear faint chants of my name. These people came tonight to see me almost religiously. Who would’ve thought that the little kid from small town Lindsay, California would end up about to go out and perform in front of live television for millions of people to spectate. I am notified that I have about 2 minutes until show time. I begin to remember the closed minded people who have doubted me. I begin to remember every single day spent in my room, at whatever house I was living at, at the time perfecting my craft and my artistry. The next two minutes were contained with recollections of pain, loneliness, self-doubt inflicted by others, neglect and unacceptance. I promised myself that one day, everyone who doubted me will never forget my name. That they will be honored and boast about how they’ve met me. The lights begin to dim as I am led to the stage. It’s show time.
This vision, almost an oracle, is what I know to be true. In 7 years, I know for sure that my music career will be bigger than anything anyone in my town has ever done. I know I will change the lives of thousands, maybe even millions, of people. Being from a small town Christian based family was not all it seems cracked up to be. It had its perks and downsides just as most everything in life. However, I did not ask God to be kinder to me. I simply asked for more strength to endure the tribulation that was my life.
My community definitely impacted the qualitative and quantitative aspects of my aspirations and plans for the future. Being from a small community that isn’t very culturally diverse, I yearn for the experience of a culture shock. I yearn for artistry and originality. It is hard for any individual to be self expressive in any creative way in the Lindsay, California area. We are very close knit and practically everyone is in some way familiar with one another. This may seem not too bad, however I dreaded this. I genuinely enjoy being able to go out and encounter various faces throughout my day. I enjoy and appreciate people from all different walks of life. I enjoy and appreciate people of different views, religions, political standpoints, ethnicities, preferences, and philosophies. It is being able to experience new people and perspectives that has made me want to travel and share my craft and impact the lives of those of whom I am fortunate enough to come across.
I grew up in a household dominated by one of the two most common religions here in the Central Valley, Christianity. This background would design and layout most of the struggle that came along with my personal and emotional life. The problem for me and my required religious standing was that I identified with being gay. I hid this part of myself for about 16 years. While family members would lecture me however, I knew that out there were people and an industry that was welcoming of all types of people just as much as I was welcoming of them. I began to delve into the world of music heavily and art as a means of self-expression. I would sing along to songs that captured the essence of my struggle and emotions. Artists such as Lady Gaga, who promoted self-love, Beyonce, who promoted self-confidence, and Nicki Minaj would all go on and form my aspirations and love for true art and performance. Of course, I would have to sneak these artists around my house as if they were a secret and lustful lover not welcomed by a spouse.
I understood why these artists and my preferences were not welcomed in my household. What I did not understand however was how my mother and father who were drug addicts, alcoholics, and absent for alternating periods of my life were still loved by my family yet my way of life was not. There were many nights of neglect, abuse, and tear soaked dreams shared with my sister and I. Though, we never once wondered why these things had happened to us. We just knew this to be the way of life. Constantly moving schools, having no long terms set of friends, and being forced to be mature at a young age was all I knew. As well as hiding my true self and having my grandmother and sister to raise my siblings and I. I did not mind because I feel that it has shaped me to be the ambitious and driven as I am today.