Good afternoon, ladies, gentlemen, undecided, aliens, and those who refuse to conform to society. Maybe it's not afternoon where you're at, but it's afternoon here, so nyah nyah.
Anyways, this post is to serve as a sort of update, to keep you in the loop as to how things are going, and what has happened lately. First off, my posting lately has been a tad lax (I mean come on, I'm putting up maybe a post every couple weeks if we're lucky). I'm hoping to change that in the future, and post more often, however, with school approaching and the GREs soon to follow, who knows how that resolution will go.
For those of you who only read passively, and check back just to see that there are no new posts, I have added a "Feedburner" Subscription tool. What this means, I think, is that you can subscribe to my posts by E-mail, and when I put something out on this blog, you'll be able to see, without having to check back with disappointment. So yay! Subscribe, tell your friends, and please share the word of my insanity.
Lastly, we need to talk promotion people. With my Blogger follower, I have 6 people. With the Feedburner, I hope to get some more people. So please tell your friends to subscribe, it would mean a lot to me, and might inspire me to post a lot more.
I'm working on a new post now, so here's hoping I have someone to read it.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
"Brahouna! Brahouna, Takaru!"
While reading my novel of the month, "Player Piano" by the infamous satirist Kurt Vonnegut, who also deserved an Academy Award for his appearance in Back to School, if you ask me. There is a character known as the Shah of Bratpuhr who refers to the common working man as "Takaru," translated in his native tongue means "slaves". For those of you who would like more backstory on the Shah of Bratpuhr, pick up a damn book. Or, since I'm in a good mood, I'll give you a crash course. He visits America to find ways to improve the life of his country, but finds that the more he sees, the more citizens he classifies as "slaves". In his country there is no word for citizen.
But on to today's lecture, kiddies. Why, in a world of free speech, freedom of religion, freedom to do just about whatever you want (within reason of course), should we live as proverbial slaves? Why not break free of the mold once in a while. I'm not saying we should abandon the social norms, start a revolution and raise hell the likes of which have never been seen... But I am to an extent, the more I think about it. You can go about your life through the usual 9-5 grindstone, and live a drab life, and not do anything, or you can live.
The Shah of Bratpuhr told the average everyday worker to live, as demonstrated in the passage: " 'Brahouna!' cried the Shah cheerfully. He waved. 'Brahouna, Takaru.' 'Live,' translated Krashdrahr." (Player Piano. p. 169). He cheerfully calls to the citizens, who he sees as slaves, to live. Is that so much of a challenge that we can't do it? Must we simply live our lives through our work, as the characters do in the novel? Slaves to our industry?
Learn to love life. Because without a joie de vivre, you might as well chain yourself to your work, and that's not living... That's turning yourself into a slave.
So get busy livin' or get busy dyin', either way, you're gonna end up in the same place; just a matter of if you enjoyed your trip.
But on to today's lecture, kiddies. Why, in a world of free speech, freedom of religion, freedom to do just about whatever you want (within reason of course), should we live as proverbial slaves? Why not break free of the mold once in a while. I'm not saying we should abandon the social norms, start a revolution and raise hell the likes of which have never been seen... But I am to an extent, the more I think about it. You can go about your life through the usual 9-5 grindstone, and live a drab life, and not do anything, or you can live.
The Shah of Bratpuhr told the average everyday worker to live, as demonstrated in the passage: " 'Brahouna!' cried the Shah cheerfully. He waved. 'Brahouna, Takaru.' 'Live,' translated Krashdrahr." (Player Piano. p. 169). He cheerfully calls to the citizens, who he sees as slaves, to live. Is that so much of a challenge that we can't do it? Must we simply live our lives through our work, as the characters do in the novel? Slaves to our industry?
Learn to love life. Because without a joie de vivre, you might as well chain yourself to your work, and that's not living... That's turning yourself into a slave.
So get busy livin' or get busy dyin', either way, you're gonna end up in the same place; just a matter of if you enjoyed your trip.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Getting older? Arthritis five!
Well, it happens to all of us. At some point and time, you're going to sit back, look at your life, and realize that it's passed you by, and you are, as they say, old. But old is relative. Your idea of old could be trading in your Corvette for a Volvo, could be the day you stop believing in Santa, it might just be the day you realize that you've started to grow up (mindfuck much?)
And that's what I'm going to write about today, folks: growing up. It might come to you soon, or maybe you think your years away. But sooner or later, you're going to grow up. You're going to have to face the world, and it may really suck. It wasn't until I was heading out to the Jersey shore for a weekend that it dawned on me: I was growing up. I was forced to make different, more mature decisions, my parents had all but cut me loose for the most part (in terms of me going places, etc. No more did I have to call in wherever I went), and I was financially responsible for my own portfolio.
Fuck. When did this happen? I guess it can be traced back to the old parable about the sword of Damocles. For those of you unfamiliar with this story, it's about a peasant who trades places with a king, believing the king to have a vast fortune, however, upon trading places, he sees a sword hanging above his head by a single horse hair, and immediately the food has lost all taste, and his "fortune" feels empty. That's how life is. If you focus simply on the here and now, things may seem great, but then when you get to the later years, they might seem downright shitty. Or if you focus solely on the later years, your simple pleasures of early life are lost. For those of you who couldn't figure it out, the early years are the joys of being a king, without seeing the sword. Go from there on your interpretations.
Growing up is going to happen, whether you like it or not (Sorry Michael Jackson). You're going to have to mature, face newer challenges, and begin to turn your back on earlier things in life that maybe you proverbially "outgrow", just like clothes. You wear them and then they stay the same size as you get bigger, so you get new ones. Cartoons may be funny if you're high as a kite, but they're not quite as chic when you're bored on a Saturday night**. Time for a big boy show.
But that's not me saying abandon all hope of enjoying your childhood. The key is to grow with the changes, roll with the punches, and just let life come at you as it will. But don't be one of those avant-garde people who want to be adults when they're kids, and act pompous about it. This isn't a justification to turn your back on people your own age. But also don't be the kid at the frat party, just because you don't want to admit that you have to grow up. I've seen people who look forward to living with their parents in their early 20s, simply because life seems simpler there. I've seen people who want to be independent at 16, because they feel held back by their parents. You have to find a balance that's right for you.
The sad reality is that you get older, and things are going to change. You're going to have to get a helmet to cover up your own sword of Damocles with age. Because, let's face it. You can't turn back the hands of time. So enjoy it while you can, but embrace the change as it comes. That's the way to protect your head from that sword.
Now hand me my dentures. I need to look good at the frat party tonight.
**Please note that I'm not hating on cartoons specifically. Ironically, a lot of them have very mature undertones that a kid wouldn't pick up on. MY roommate also enjoys his weekly doses of Adventure Time. It's just when cartoons are your only television intake that you might notice weird looks from people.
And that's what I'm going to write about today, folks: growing up. It might come to you soon, or maybe you think your years away. But sooner or later, you're going to grow up. You're going to have to face the world, and it may really suck. It wasn't until I was heading out to the Jersey shore for a weekend that it dawned on me: I was growing up. I was forced to make different, more mature decisions, my parents had all but cut me loose for the most part (in terms of me going places, etc. No more did I have to call in wherever I went), and I was financially responsible for my own portfolio.
Fuck. When did this happen? I guess it can be traced back to the old parable about the sword of Damocles. For those of you unfamiliar with this story, it's about a peasant who trades places with a king, believing the king to have a vast fortune, however, upon trading places, he sees a sword hanging above his head by a single horse hair, and immediately the food has lost all taste, and his "fortune" feels empty. That's how life is. If you focus simply on the here and now, things may seem great, but then when you get to the later years, they might seem downright shitty. Or if you focus solely on the later years, your simple pleasures of early life are lost. For those of you who couldn't figure it out, the early years are the joys of being a king, without seeing the sword. Go from there on your interpretations.
Growing up is going to happen, whether you like it or not (Sorry Michael Jackson). You're going to have to mature, face newer challenges, and begin to turn your back on earlier things in life that maybe you proverbially "outgrow", just like clothes. You wear them and then they stay the same size as you get bigger, so you get new ones. Cartoons may be funny if you're high as a kite, but they're not quite as chic when you're bored on a Saturday night**. Time for a big boy show.
But that's not me saying abandon all hope of enjoying your childhood. The key is to grow with the changes, roll with the punches, and just let life come at you as it will. But don't be one of those avant-garde people who want to be adults when they're kids, and act pompous about it. This isn't a justification to turn your back on people your own age. But also don't be the kid at the frat party, just because you don't want to admit that you have to grow up. I've seen people who look forward to living with their parents in their early 20s, simply because life seems simpler there. I've seen people who want to be independent at 16, because they feel held back by their parents. You have to find a balance that's right for you.
The sad reality is that you get older, and things are going to change. You're going to have to get a helmet to cover up your own sword of Damocles with age. Because, let's face it. You can't turn back the hands of time. So enjoy it while you can, but embrace the change as it comes. That's the way to protect your head from that sword.
Now hand me my dentures. I need to look good at the frat party tonight.
**Please note that I'm not hating on cartoons specifically. Ironically, a lot of them have very mature undertones that a kid wouldn't pick up on. MY roommate also enjoys his weekly doses of Adventure Time. It's just when cartoons are your only television intake that you might notice weird looks from people.
"What a long, strange, trip it's been..."
Many of you know that this Friday, August 6, 2010, I will be turning 21. Ironically coinciding with the 65th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. But that's not the point. I will have hit a milestone. Over a decade of my life will have been lived. I will have hit the last major birthday in my life until I turn 40 (hooray for a prostate exam). But fingers up the ass aside, I took some time to start reflecting on how far I've come in these last 21 years. I shall elaborate on such, in the simplest terms, and the most convenient definitions.
RELIGION
Having attempted to write this part of the blog, going on three times now, and I've discovered that I can't do so without writing a full discourse on my views of religion, so stay posted folks, I'm working on a new post.
For now, I'll leave it at: I am Roman Catholic, a bit of a spiritualist (in the sense of personal prayer, and personalized faith), and I believe in intelligent design. More to come.
ACADEMIA/LIFE
Academia. What a title. I guess here is where I'll post my academic history, my hopes and dreams for the future in school, and all that. I'll be concise. I'm a member of the Fordham University Class of 2011, set to graduate with a Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry, hopefully with American Chemical Society accreditation. I intend to pursue a Ph.D in organic chemistry somewhere. I just don't know where yet.
When it comes to subjects outside of the classroom, I'm a bit of a Jack of all trades, as my friends will attest. I have a mildly encyclopedic knowledge of music from the 60s through 80s (and if I don't know the answer, I will go out of my way to discover the answer to it). I'm a certified New York state Emergency Medical Technician, recently certified. I study politics (I'll get into that later), as well as philosophy. I may not be the best in some of these fields, but I'll never back down from a good debate on something. Overall, rather than say I'm a brainiac, a nerd, stupid, or weird, I'm just going to say that my interests are me.
POLITICS
When it comes to politics, I indentify myself as a moderately conservative Republican. The more I watch the world's politics, the more I feel like those who run the country either understand sociology or understand politics. I mean there are people who have figured out ways to help people, but they lack the drive to follow their actual goals. Or they have the drive, but not the ability to properly accomplish what they wanted. Politics is fucked up. I stick to my views, I won't force 'em down your throat, unless you open your mouth, and start spouting propaganda bullshit. If you do, be prepared for a shitstorm, the likes of which you'll never wish to endure. So be prepared.
FAMILY
Through these last 21 years, I've developed quite a rapport with my family. Although I may call them crazy, or even not wish to associate with my extended family at times, there's one thing that will always hold true. Family comes first. I'll defend them no matter what, however crazy they may be. And it always will. There are some friends of mine who I consider family, hell closer than family. They know who they are, and I want them to know that I would do anything for them.
Of course, this post has been altered several times over before this final posting, so if this product seems incohesive, that's why. I wasn't going on to rant about something that's been bugging me, or a personal burning passion. Rather, I've been wanting to do something like this for a while: a sort of out of body soul search and a look back at who I am. If I didn't post it on here, I may have just cut it out, or decided I wanted to keep it personal.
On that note, I'll close this out saying, here's a toast to all those who have come along on this 21 year journey. What a long, strange, trip it's been, and here's to the next legs of the journey. To life!
**Please note that the title/theme of this blog was taken from Robert Hunter's lyric in "Truckin' ": "Lately it occurs to me, what a long, strange trip it's been." (taken from the album American Beauty, by the Grateful Dead)
RELIGION
Having attempted to write this part of the blog, going on three times now, and I've discovered that I can't do so without writing a full discourse on my views of religion, so stay posted folks, I'm working on a new post.
For now, I'll leave it at: I am Roman Catholic, a bit of a spiritualist (in the sense of personal prayer, and personalized faith), and I believe in intelligent design. More to come.
ACADEMIA/LIFE
Academia. What a title. I guess here is where I'll post my academic history, my hopes and dreams for the future in school, and all that. I'll be concise. I'm a member of the Fordham University Class of 2011, set to graduate with a Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry, hopefully with American Chemical Society accreditation. I intend to pursue a Ph.D in organic chemistry somewhere. I just don't know where yet.
When it comes to subjects outside of the classroom, I'm a bit of a Jack of all trades, as my friends will attest. I have a mildly encyclopedic knowledge of music from the 60s through 80s (and if I don't know the answer, I will go out of my way to discover the answer to it). I'm a certified New York state Emergency Medical Technician, recently certified. I study politics (I'll get into that later), as well as philosophy. I may not be the best in some of these fields, but I'll never back down from a good debate on something. Overall, rather than say I'm a brainiac, a nerd, stupid, or weird, I'm just going to say that my interests are me.
POLITICS
When it comes to politics, I indentify myself as a moderately conservative Republican. The more I watch the world's politics, the more I feel like those who run the country either understand sociology or understand politics. I mean there are people who have figured out ways to help people, but they lack the drive to follow their actual goals. Or they have the drive, but not the ability to properly accomplish what they wanted. Politics is fucked up. I stick to my views, I won't force 'em down your throat, unless you open your mouth, and start spouting propaganda bullshit. If you do, be prepared for a shitstorm, the likes of which you'll never wish to endure. So be prepared.
FAMILY
Through these last 21 years, I've developed quite a rapport with my family. Although I may call them crazy, or even not wish to associate with my extended family at times, there's one thing that will always hold true. Family comes first. I'll defend them no matter what, however crazy they may be. And it always will. There are some friends of mine who I consider family, hell closer than family. They know who they are, and I want them to know that I would do anything for them.
Of course, this post has been altered several times over before this final posting, so if this product seems incohesive, that's why. I wasn't going on to rant about something that's been bugging me, or a personal burning passion. Rather, I've been wanting to do something like this for a while: a sort of out of body soul search and a look back at who I am. If I didn't post it on here, I may have just cut it out, or decided I wanted to keep it personal.
On that note, I'll close this out saying, here's a toast to all those who have come along on this 21 year journey. What a long, strange, trip it's been, and here's to the next legs of the journey. To life!
**Please note that the title/theme of this blog was taken from Robert Hunter's lyric in "Truckin' ": "Lately it occurs to me, what a long, strange trip it's been." (taken from the album American Beauty, by the Grateful Dead)
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