Sunday, February 28, 2010

Just some random rambles...

Here are just a few things I've been wondering today:

1) Why is it that the producers of Doctor Who couldn't get a better animation team than the people that created Reboot way back when to do the latest Doctor Who cartoon adventure? (By the way, their writing of American vernacular is just as horrible as our attempts at British lingo, so don't worry so much about doing them injustice. We're all making the same, understandable mistakes...)


2) Do you remember when Tootsie Pop's slogan was "How many licks does it take to the center of a Tootsie Pop? The world may never know..."? Well, did you notice that, eventually, those commercials had numbers in the top corner that told you how many licks it took for some people to get to the center of said Tootsie Pops? Well, I guess the world knows now. Hope they had another slogan in their arsenal after that one. Oh, wait, I haven't seen a Tootsie Pop commercial since...nice going, Tootsie Pop advertising guys.What may the world never know now?


3) Why in the world--someone tell me, please--have our morals gone so horribly downhill? I acknowledge that, perhaps, feminism has killed the chivalry that provokes men to dress up in armor and battle dragons for the sake of a maiden's favor, but a little common courtesy should have survived. If the door you're walking through is going to slam in someone's face, hold it for just a second more, and, sure, treat women with a little respect-laden chivalry by paying for the movie and making her feel secure.

I'd already been on an internal rampage about this subject this week, and then, to top it all off, a few nights ago I heard some people I know talking about how they should get a friend of mine whose girlfriend is away to sleep with them because he's too uptight. And I do know that they would give me all the statistics of how that sort of thing is a tension reliever--the same stupid excuse drug and alcohol users also give, but guess what? I am very easily stressed, and I'm not nearly as easily stressed as other people, but we deal with it. We do yoga, or find a creative outlet (such as, let's say, blogging) to vent our frustrations, and we take control of the situation until we resolve it. I know I could get verbally assaulted by a dozen politically correct wackos nowadays for saying this, but it's my right to free speech, while I still have it, and I'm going to use it: Using drugs, alcohol, and sex as a crutch is a VASTLY definitive sign of WEAKNESS. Also, it is most certainly NOT okay when people have "recreational sex" with different and random people every night. I don't care who told you so. You should respect yourself enough to make something that you do for it's "romantic" qualities stay "romantic".

And do you know what else? The fact that men are "more animal-like" than women is absolutely no excuse at all, though I've heard it plenty of times. I have news for you guys who believe and use that pathetic excuse for your lack of self-control: Somehow, it is scientifically proven that women think about doing the deed more than men do, and we still find it perfectly possible to contain ourselves...or at least we used to, until threesomes became the most popular 25th anniversary gift for married couples (yes, I read that somewhere, and I am so impossibly ticked off). So what makes you guys in this Animal category so weak that you can't keep it to yourselves? I have two friends that were forced to end relationships this year over sexual pressure that they were strong enough to refuse (you go, girls!), but they really liked the guys, and it was a shame see the fun they had hanging out end just because these guys couldn't get over the fact that we're not a race of monkeys whose only purpose in life is to reproduce. If you can't handle being with a girl and respecting her as a person without having to "get her in bed", then you might want to think about how to become a bit more of a man, because you're certainly not man enough to be with a girl of that quality.

To those of you out there who are mature and kind enough to respect other people, thank you, thank you, thank you very much. I can't wait for you to find the girls that are good enough for you. Please do look for them, because they are desperately looking for you, too. Distance and time are a pain, but once you overcome them, you'll be glad you waited and searched. I promise you that.


4) Is the whole "Geronimo" catch phrase going to get really old, really fast in the new season of Doctor Who with Matt Smith, who already has points against him for having no visible eyebrows and not being David Tennant? AH! The world may never know!!! :)

Thursday, February 25, 2010

This always happens. Every semester...

...without fail, I always have one class that I fear and dread for some reason or another. This semester it was Aesthetics and Interpretation, which I've mentioned before, but I'm not writing this post to complain about how very stupid it is that we have to write a twenty-page paper and read countless ramblings of deceased philosophers just so we can ruin a perfectly entertaining story by dissecting it and analyzing it. Oh, no. It's worse than that.

Upon responding to the essay questions assigned for our take-home midterm exam, I realized that I have somehow come to not only understand but appreciate the process of "reading between the lines"!

"That's good!" some of you might say, or "Isn't that the point?" those more cynical among you might scorn, but-but-but let me explain something! I have been fighting this acceptance of logic in art for years! In my world, logic in art was "the man" to whom we should stick whatever "it" is!

What's worse is I've realized that these old, dry philosophers whom I've previously abhorred are not very different from me!--Well, to be respectful, I'll say I'm not that different from them.--Think about it! What do I do here? I write my ideas and musings down for people to read and agree or disagree with, and maybe even apply to their own lives. What did they do? They set guidelines for people to either agree or disagree with and apply to their own lives and arts if they chose to. So, you know what that means?...Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Nietzsche, and all of those men and women philosphs were...wait for it...it's worth it, I promise you...................BLOGGERS!

Short and sweet, but there it is! Thanks for stopping by! :)

Monday, February 22, 2010

Drama, drama, drama-rama

Drama: A word normally associated with high school and the immature goings on of adolescent Barbie-girls. Most average, slightly responsible or mature people, especially of college age, tend to avoid drama, or at least look forward to Drama's departure from their lives by the time they turn twenty. I'm nineteen. I am one of those people counting down to the Drama Departure, but there are some who have warned me that the duel with Drama is never-ending.

After that lovely introduction, allow me to get to the story behind it. I experienced the resurgence of a drama that I thought I had closed the book on today. To set the juicy stage, I should give you a bit more background information. The main subject of this tale, the Dramatist, if you will, is an ex-boyfriend of mine. Also involved are two of my friends, one of whom has a class with the Dramatist. That is about all the information necessary to get me through this story and to the point behind it.

Today, I was sitting quietly in my room, playing with my new phone, when I received a text from a friend who I meet once her class has ended to help her avoid being intercepted by the Dramatist. Her text explained that he was being particularly abnormal today, and she requested that I be sure to meet her after class as she was feeling nervous. According to her, the Dramatist had shown up to class, uncharacteristically addressing her as "turd", insulting both her and a nearby friend of hers, and telling her to wait for him after class because he wanted to talk to her. He brandished a flower and apparently shook in his for a time during class. Now, allow me to tell you at the risk of exposing my very poor taste in men that this Dramatist is completely and exactly that: he makes everything into a show, and is sadly very rarely completely honest or genuine. His shaking was probably nothing more than an attempt to get my friend to notice him and become sympathetic towards him. It only succeeded in frightening her all the more.

Near the end of the class, I was joined by another friend who had received similar texts from our friend who was cornered in the classroom. We waited to quickly be reunited and make haste towards lunch, but this did not go as planned, however, as the Dramatist managed to position himself in front of my friend as they exited the classroom. I made eye contact with him, and he smiled at me, raising the flower slightly.

My friend joined us as the Dramatist took a stage-like position directly in front of us. He used every technique we had all learned in our public speaking class as he addressed us with a well-rehearsed speech, making eye contact with each of us as he continued on. After a small spiel, the Dramatist looked me in the eye with what I know he intended to be a warm smile, but I am far too familiar with his tendencies towards manipulating people to interpret it as genuine. He presented the flower to me, and my heart started beating at double its normal pace as I quickly became very nervous and scared. He told me he had originally bought the flower for someone else, but thought it was better to give it to me. Praying for the right words, I told him how I have come to feel about him: I am afraid of him, he is very dramatic and volatile, I never know when he is lying or telling me the truth, and he forgets to consider the needs of others far too often. I asked who the flower was originally for, and suddenly his story was that it was meant for no one--he didn't know--but he thought I should have it, and he was sorry it was kind of old. He'd throw the dried out bloom away if I didn't want it. I responded by telling him what I'd told him more than a hundred times before. I appreciate the thought (or the afterthought, I suppose), but it would be wrong of me to accept it. I suggested he find someone who didn't look to be having the best of times and give it to them, just to brighten their day a bit, because, while he argued that his problem was lack of love for himself, I stand by my theory that his true issue is lack of love and regard for other people. The conversation ended after an awkward pause, and he apologized for being so dramatic as he left. By this point I was shaking just slightly from adrenaline or fear, or both.

Once my friends and I were safely outside, I began breathing normally again. I asked them if anything I said had been too harsh as I did my best to put everything in the right words, and they assured me that I hadn't been offensive, and I was glad, after reflecting on what I said, to find that I agreed with them. I felt more mature than I expected to feel, and I regretted nothing that I had said.

If anything can be categorized as the dreaded Drama, I believe this story qualifies exceptionally. However, it makes me wonder, if I came out of this feeling more enlightened and assured in my increasing understanding of attempting to handle difficult situations in the best of ways, is drama perhaps a very necessary part of life? For as much as we resent it, is it possible that drama can sometimes be very imperative life lessons? In high school, drama could be summed up in the passage of rumors and feelings or reputations being unjustly hurt, but there was always a recovery. As we grow up, it seems, drama becomes more than rumors and reputations, because those things matter a little less in such a big pond. Adult Drama, as I am finding may be a more fitting description, seems to be more of a building of maturity with a much larger impact on our character. For as much as I would love to avoid drama, I think I might have to agree with a notion made by my pastor yesterday in church: sometimes we are led into difficult situations so that we can become better people because of them. Now, I'm not Jesus being tempted by the Devil, but I am growing, and, for as insignificant as this moment will be in my future, I think it is the beginning of a very important turning point in my passage from childhood to adult....much like my buying a cell phone on my own for the very first time a few days ago!

I have always dreaded growing up, but when I look back at my childhood and think of how so many of my peers say the tragedy of growing up is losing the wonder of childhood, I feel as though I have lost nothing that I cannot live without, and the wonder is only increasing with my understanding of people. Like a toy not played with given away by mom without being missed, I think my childhood is something I'm ready to release, though I do very much plan to keep the memories close to my heart, and I never intend to fully grow up. It runs in my family.

So, next time we find ourselves experiencing a petty "high school" bit of drama, maybe we can maintain our grasp on maturity if we remember that a life without drama is like a sky without thunder...and I do love a good storm. :)

Saturday, February 20, 2010

I think WAY too much

I've always been frustrated by philosophers. Yes, they come up with some interesting musings, but they think about things so much that the beauty and mystery is sucked completely dry from even the most creative arts. I have a class in which we read about reading: how to read so that we can extract every subliminal message from what should have been a form of entertainment. To further our analytical prowess, we read philosophical documents that delineate what every character and plot should be in every type of story. We discussed this so much that the class eventually wondered if there is any longer such a thing as an original idea since these renowned men of the past insist that only through these guidelines can we hope to create a lasting piece of literature. I think that is highly discouraging and unnecessary, and I do not very much appreciate my creative passion being reduced to a few lines of concrete rules.

But, you know what? For as much as I complain that philosophers are just over-thinkers with too much time on their hands, I am certainly no better. I think WAY too much, and it can sometimes get me into unnecessary trouble. For instance:

Last week, I entered a funk that can be attributed to seasonal depression, hormones, mundane routines, or whatever, and I decided that the safest thing to do was to keep to myself for a while until the funk subsided, but I am not an introvert. Being on my own only made me feel more depressed and lonely. I decided that a visit to my parents' house over the weekend would be my cure, and, in some ways, it was, but then came the aftershock. Once I began feeling better, noticing what a beautiful day it was, or finding the sublime in a simple song on my iPod, I realized that some things hadn't gone back to normal. I was still feeling awkward among my close friends with whom I spend most of my time. Because this strange feeling went unresolved, I became reclusive once again so I could reanalyze what could be happening. I drew my own uneducated conclusions, and I simply accepted them, basing the rest of my actions off of them for the rest of the week.

I am a hypocrite. And I'll tell you why. I have told my friends several times that if they have a problem with someone, it is best to talk it through with that person before the rift between them gets worse as they get more and more annoyed with each other. I'm sure you can all see that I did not take my own advice in this case. I told myself that I would observe how things went for a few days, something I'd basically scolded my friends for doing in the past, and when I was certain that my theory was correct, then I would act. What do you think happened? Things got worse, and I alienated myself even more as I accepted that the friendship might be diminishing.

It was only last night that I truly realized I was doing this, and I was extremely disappointed in myself. I quickly sent a message to my friend asking if there was anything I had done to make things awkward so I could work on it--something I should have done over a week ago, and, of course the response was along the lines of, "You've been so distant and sad lately, and we've been getting really worried about you, but we weren't sure how to help :(."

What an utter fool I am to think that I am so mature that I know everything others are thinking, just like the crime I accuse the philosophers of committing. A whole week of depressed awkwardness was solved with just three Facebook messages and could have been avoided altogether!

So, here's the message for all of you who may be holding your feelings and hesitations about your friends or significant others to yourself: Don't wait more than three days to communicate with people, because you're really hurting both yourself and them, and life, especially the college experience is far too short to waste time on high-school-level drama that we all know better than to submit to.

I have a friend who gave up negative emotions for Lent. I was a bit shocked and skeptical at first, but I've noticed how much happier he is lately. Now that's a philosophy I'll stand by.

Hope you all have a great day! :)

Friday, February 19, 2010

Religion...that's right--I'm going there...

Allow me to begin this post with an apparently vital piece of information: I'm a Christian. Now, before you all click away to participate in the Yahoo vs. Google War (Google wins, by the way), just let me define this belief system that so many people dismiss as a pushy, Bible thumping, "religion" that is nothing but a televangelist annoyance. In my perspective, and to put it in words that I've found to be the most accepted by people, Christianity is a broad faith, and it simply implies that the Believer is a person who feels that God exists, and believes that He did send Jesus to die for us. It's almost that simple. Yes, we Christians try to live with morals as our guides, but I know Christianity is not the only religion that supports that. Society itself, through school programs and television promotions, asks adults and children alike to practice responsibility, abstinence, courtesy, and other values.

So why, if the only true difference between a Christian and the common good person is their faith, are people so very flustered and perturbed when I admit that I'm Christian? And why, if all this is true--which I believe it is, so that question is wholly rhetorical--do I have to take it upon myself to choose my words so very carefully, like I did above by avoiding the phrase "religion," to make people of other faiths or agnosticism feel more comfortable when this is my blog about my views and my core beliefs? I can honestly tell you that I don't have the answer.

What brought this on? some of you might be wondering, since I seem to be going off on a rant here, and I feel perfectly comfortable telling you. The honest truth is this: last night I was asked by a friend to join him and what, in basic terms, was a Bible study. I probably wouldn't be able to count the number of people that would be groaning right now, and I was right there with them! I have a very deep devotion to my faith, but I'm not too keen on hearing complicated verses and applying them to my life, even though many of them are very applicable. It gets dull, and I find it very hard to pay attention. I used to dread church, escaping, if I could, to my grandmother's house, or even volunteering at the nursery just to avoid sitting through the pastor's lectures. Bible-based speeches can sometimes tend to be very dry and lack-luster, and I can't really blame anyone who bases their judgment off of that, but look deeper. I went to this event anyway because I've been trying to expand my circle of friends a bit, and the frustration I'm venting now about having to censor myself was already bubbling over, so I thought this might be a refreshing place to stir up some new acquaintances.

As it turns out, I was not disappointed. I met students who were in fraternities, some from sororities, one that I've known for a while from having had classes with him, and some I've never seen before in my life, and all of them were welcoming, and none of them were what you'd call Bible-thumping eccentrics. The service, for lack of a better, more fitting term, was even enjoyable. We sang a couple songs that were thankfully upbeat as compared to the usual hymns of a church, and we colored. Yes, colored. It did have a point to it: that we were to consider what God might be asking us to do with our lives and think about how to be patient with His timing, which is something that I wrestle with a bit since I'm extraordinarily impatient to begin living the life I have planned. But none of this was boring at all! I can even tell you that I looked at the clock and said, "Wow, it's almost over already!", and my friend scolded me for watching the clock when I should have been paying attention, but I was able to rebut him by admitting that I said that because the time went by quickly and painlessly.

And, most importantly, I was able to speak very freely, not having to pick and choose words at all about my religion. Because, fellows, that's what it is. That's what it's always been, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it! I have three friends that I know for sure are Christians, but the rest of them roll their eyes every time I say the word, becoming more accepting when I call it a "faith", however, because that is the "cooler" thing to believe in. I have another acquaintance that used to tell me that calling God "the Universe" was more likely to get people to listen to me. "Tell 'the Universe' what you want and those things will come to you," he would say in a cultist tone, and people would look at him in awe as if he were so intelligent, but what was he really doing? Lying to dress up the truth. Why, may I ask, would you "send thoughts to the Universe" when you could be speaking personally and privately with the One who created the universe? I don't know about you, but I'd much rather the quality assistance of the CEO than that of the person working in the cubicle from 9-5.

But whatever you believe is fine with me, and I'll completely respect it, because if it makes you feel secure and comfortable, then I am so happy for you. That sense of comfort is why I'm a Christian, and I truly believe many religions are connected. I call it God and angels, just like the ancient Greeks called it Zeus and the lesser gods, just like the Hindus call it Vishnu and his lesser gods. If you believe the same thing as I do, then I am glad and would be happy to be your friend, but if you have another religion that I am unfamiliar with, I have complete respect for you and would love to learn more about your perspectives, and I'd still be very happy to be your friend. God did say that it is not our place to judge, and for that reason and the fact that everyone is their own, beautifully unique person, I will not judge...but please don't assume that this means that I will lay aside my beliefs just to accommodate you, because that wouldn't be fair.

So, in blissful conclusion, I am not asking anyone reading this to "convert to Christianity lest you be spurned by the Almighty God!" He doesn't spurn anyone unless it's absolutely necessary, and it hasn't been since the Old Testament. What I am asking of you, however, is that you not scoff at me or show me pity when I admit to you that I am a believer in God and Jesus Christ, because I cannot tell you how much this faith has gotten me through and how many examples I could give you as proof to my perspectives. I am not asking you to become Born Again, though if you should happen to, I'd be glad to hear of it, but I'm merely asking that you practice what parents, society, children's books, and the Golden Rule itself requests of you: respect others, and treat them as you would want to be treated.

I greatly respect and thank you for reading this, and I hope you have a fantastic day. :)

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Tada!!!

Let's try this again. Here's what you can expect:
1) I know the title is very pretty (thanks, mom!), but I'm not going to be weaving a tapestry of prefect words every time I write, and I'll tell you why-- I think that's a bit pompous. While I take pride in making pretty lines in books and the occasional poem, I'm more here to talk to anyone who would like to read. I'll probably post some short stories or sample passages from books to get some feedback, but I'm here to communicate.
2) I may also post articles about issues that get me steamed up enough for me to write something about them. They will be opinionated, though I promise to try to quell my bias to about a 4...I understand if you don't agree, but that's why this is a blog and not the New York Times! :)
3) I may even make this into a bit of a journal. Who knows!
4) I probably won't update everyday. I've been awful with that in the past (hence the "Let's try this again" up there), and, let's face it, if all I do for three days straight is eat, sleep, and go to class with no deviance at all, do you really care? I'll spare you.

Hope you like it! Thanks for stopping by!