Well, my original plan was to write about lovely Wreck beach, and how distracting and wondrous and difficult-to-climb-up-the-stairs-at-one-in-the-morning-in-the-dark as a tribute to the newly dubbed WBP.
And then it slushed. It's raining and snowing. All at once. And it's April. I realize that "April showers bring May flowers", but I will not be in Van to enjoy those flowers. I will be home where there will most likely be snow on the ground and everything will be in shades of gray. And what does Van do to say goodbye?! It slushes. As if it isn't becoming increasingly depressing enough every single day that classes and school and thinking stretch on and on and on.
On that note, is anyone else noticing the depression that's settling in? The I-can't-do-this-for-three-more-years? Right now, it just doesn't seem logical or plausible to be able to keep trudging through classes you only half like in order to get a degree that you're only half sure about. It seems even more logical when you start to realize that what you're working towards doesn't make you happy. And then there's the inevitable choice between happiness and money. And it's all pretty heavy when you haven't even hit your twenties yet.
School has become tedious. The constant regurgitation of what we've been learning is getting really difficult to maintain. I'm bored of it all.
It may just be the time of year (I would say Spring Fever, but we can all look outside and see THAT'S not true) but it seems to me that something needs to change about higher education. I don't think anyone really wants to pay to be tested and have to do all these things. I think people are paying to learn. Why isn't education better tailored to fit the student? Why can't science kids do labs that they actually find relevant instead of doing what I understand to be 'pointless' stuff and then really long exams? Why can't we Arts students just stick to our paper writing, or presentations, or high minded discussions? When Aristotle and Plato and all the great thinkers we're taught about were first going down the path of education, I don't think they had pop-quizzes. Back then it was about speculation and learning and rhetoric and discovery. It was the sharing of thoughts, not the duplication.
When did education become standardized? And when did we stop caring that it was?
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
The Jedi Mind Trick
I am completely not an expert on this, so give me a little leeway when I say, that when a boy likes a girl, he generally doesn't beat around the bush too much. Sure, he'll feel things out a little bit, making sure he's not about to get fully humiliated, but generally... when a boy likes a girl, he goes for it and asks her out.
Now, girls are another story. I don't even think "beating around the bush" remotely begins to cover it. You've seen those movies where the football coach points and gestures a lot at a playboard(?) and makes circles and draws arrows? And those war movies in which there's a map and figurines and the leaders move them around as they make their strategies? And of course the Star Wars movies in which Obi Wan performs countless mind tricks? Well, combine all of those thoughts and add a little more girliness and you've got the basic girl mentality when it comes to the guy she's into.
Kinda scary, huh?
We like to plan, we like to manipulate. And by "like" I mean of course that it's our nature. It's fun to create the playing field, the game, and be the winner all at once. And how is it that we do this? Well, it's based a lot on common sense, really. We know that men like the thrill of the chase, so we know to rotate ourselves from being available and unavailable, warm and sub-zero, saran-wrap and... air. That's probably enough metaphors. Anyways, further than that, we also know how to flip our hair, giggle at semi-lame jokes, and talk intelligently when it's required. Attracting people is like a fun game for us. And also a hell of a challenge. Which is where the strategizing comes in.
Times of day that we can "bump" into you, inside jokes that we can bring up every so often via text, just to make conversation, and so on. No, those things do not just kinda happen. They are carefully and meticulously executed, like a sports play or a military manuever.
Sometimes I wonder, though, why we go through all this. I mean, it would just be simpler to ask a guy on a date as soon as you realize you're into him instead of stalking him for hours upon hours on Facebook and then commencing withe Operation Boy. Yes, it would, but what guy wants to be asked out by a girl when he could be enticed to do so himself? Not a lot. And I know that "confidence is sexy" but it's been demonstrated that interest is generally held longer when the person is harder to get. If the game ends too soon because it's too easy no one is going to want to play. Plus, what would we all do with our time when we're not busy trying to get someone to fall for us?
Now, girls are another story. I don't even think "beating around the bush" remotely begins to cover it. You've seen those movies where the football coach points and gestures a lot at a playboard(?) and makes circles and draws arrows? And those war movies in which there's a map and figurines and the leaders move them around as they make their strategies? And of course the Star Wars movies in which Obi Wan performs countless mind tricks? Well, combine all of those thoughts and add a little more girliness and you've got the basic girl mentality when it comes to the guy she's into.
Kinda scary, huh?
We like to plan, we like to manipulate. And by "like" I mean of course that it's our nature. It's fun to create the playing field, the game, and be the winner all at once. And how is it that we do this? Well, it's based a lot on common sense, really. We know that men like the thrill of the chase, so we know to rotate ourselves from being available and unavailable, warm and sub-zero, saran-wrap and... air. That's probably enough metaphors. Anyways, further than that, we also know how to flip our hair, giggle at semi-lame jokes, and talk intelligently when it's required. Attracting people is like a fun game for us. And also a hell of a challenge. Which is where the strategizing comes in.
Times of day that we can "bump" into you, inside jokes that we can bring up every so often via text, just to make conversation, and so on. No, those things do not just kinda happen. They are carefully and meticulously executed, like a sports play or a military manuever.
Sometimes I wonder, though, why we go through all this. I mean, it would just be simpler to ask a guy on a date as soon as you realize you're into him instead of stalking him for hours upon hours on Facebook and then commencing withe Operation Boy. Yes, it would, but what guy wants to be asked out by a girl when he could be enticed to do so himself? Not a lot. And I know that "confidence is sexy" but it's been demonstrated that interest is generally held longer when the person is harder to get. If the game ends too soon because it's too easy no one is going to want to play. Plus, what would we all do with our time when we're not busy trying to get someone to fall for us?
Friday, March 13, 2009
I can open doors... all by myself!
So, chivalry is dead.
Just FYI, on the DL, and all that jazz. I know there are guys out there who will argue that they are still polite and still open doors for ladies and always, always pay for dinner. And that is all well and good. I'm not saying that men have all become pigs and that's why chivalry is dead. Actually, all the fault lies with women who, like a few ladies I know (myself included) have given up on chivalry, gone behind it's back, put cyanide in its classy beverages, and then stabbed it a few times just to be sure it's really gone.
The other day I was walking out of a class just as a young gentleman was walking in, it had double doors, so naturally I opened one all by myself, not realizing at the same time this guy was opening the other door for me. I smiled politely, but stuck by my choice to open a door. All by myself.
I know it was just out of politeness, and that I may have done the same thing in his situation, but I thought it was kind of silly. There are two perfectly good doors, we are both obviously in a hurry, why not make use of the double doors? I realize that it could be argued that I would have been offended if he had not opened the door for me and simply breezed by. Honestly, being angry over something small like this would not have crossed my mind, simply because I don't expect chivalry in my daily life. I don't expect doors to be opened for me, chairs pulled out, compliments to flow, and jackets to be draped over the (many) puddle lurking around campus.
The whole feminist movement thing created a type of woman who doesn't man-hate because chivalry doesn't exist, but destroyed it herself so she wouldn't have to deal with it. I mean, if every woman out in the world went around expecting men to be perfect gentlemen all the time, then she would more often than not be sadly disappointed. There are some very nice guys out there, but I have yet to meet one who is Sir Lancelot reincarnated.
By destroying all the hope that there will come a man who will open doors, buy us flowers, and treat us like damsels - rescuing us, and so on - women remove all chances of disappointment. At the same time though, we're removing all chances of being impressed. I have to say that every romantic moment any guy has ever tried to create for me, I have completely destroyed, rather inadvertently or not. Most times it was accidentally, simply because I don't do the corny thing. I have become so jaded when it comes to chivalry that it impedes the ability to accept romanticism. It's a terrible thing, because every girl wants to be swept off her feet. And it wasn't just me spiking chivalry's drink - it's women everywhere.
We've been taught for so long that men suck, that they're jerks, that we should be empowered and fight for ourselves and say "screw you, I'm walking" to the shiny night on the white pony, that we almost lost the ability to accept something as simple as a door being opened for them. We'll watch old musicals and want to be swept off our feet by a song just as the starlet is, and then snap back to reality and open doors... all by ourselves.
Just FYI, on the DL, and all that jazz. I know there are guys out there who will argue that they are still polite and still open doors for ladies and always, always pay for dinner. And that is all well and good. I'm not saying that men have all become pigs and that's why chivalry is dead. Actually, all the fault lies with women who, like a few ladies I know (myself included) have given up on chivalry, gone behind it's back, put cyanide in its classy beverages, and then stabbed it a few times just to be sure it's really gone.
The other day I was walking out of a class just as a young gentleman was walking in, it had double doors, so naturally I opened one all by myself, not realizing at the same time this guy was opening the other door for me. I smiled politely, but stuck by my choice to open a door. All by myself.
I know it was just out of politeness, and that I may have done the same thing in his situation, but I thought it was kind of silly. There are two perfectly good doors, we are both obviously in a hurry, why not make use of the double doors? I realize that it could be argued that I would have been offended if he had not opened the door for me and simply breezed by. Honestly, being angry over something small like this would not have crossed my mind, simply because I don't expect chivalry in my daily life. I don't expect doors to be opened for me, chairs pulled out, compliments to flow, and jackets to be draped over the (many) puddle lurking around campus.
The whole feminist movement thing created a type of woman who doesn't man-hate because chivalry doesn't exist, but destroyed it herself so she wouldn't have to deal with it. I mean, if every woman out in the world went around expecting men to be perfect gentlemen all the time, then she would more often than not be sadly disappointed. There are some very nice guys out there, but I have yet to meet one who is Sir Lancelot reincarnated.
By destroying all the hope that there will come a man who will open doors, buy us flowers, and treat us like damsels - rescuing us, and so on - women remove all chances of disappointment. At the same time though, we're removing all chances of being impressed. I have to say that every romantic moment any guy has ever tried to create for me, I have completely destroyed, rather inadvertently or not. Most times it was accidentally, simply because I don't do the corny thing. I have become so jaded when it comes to chivalry that it impedes the ability to accept romanticism. It's a terrible thing, because every girl wants to be swept off her feet. And it wasn't just me spiking chivalry's drink - it's women everywhere.
We've been taught for so long that men suck, that they're jerks, that we should be empowered and fight for ourselves and say "screw you, I'm walking" to the shiny night on the white pony, that we almost lost the ability to accept something as simple as a door being opened for them. We'll watch old musicals and want to be swept off our feet by a song just as the starlet is, and then snap back to reality and open doors... all by ourselves.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Negligence.
Negligence.
You can be incarcerated for the above word, depending on the circumstances.
Basically, you can be imprisoned for not caring. Sometimes. It's really all in what you don't care about - you can only be punished for not caring that someone is about to kill somebody else, or something of a like magnitude.
But what about the people who don't care about the environment? The ones who water their emerald lawns during a drought, refuse to recycle, and leave lights and heat on 24/7? Where's their punishment as the words on everyone's lips seems to be "global warming"? (Actually, we're entering a period of cooling, most experts say, and everything is cyclical, but the fact that the human race has negatively impacted the planet still remains). The people who don't care about the environment don't have to answer for it, even as this exact neglect is what keeps environmental harm from being a 'social problem'.
A social problem, by the way, is generally defined as a phenomenon regarded as bad or undesirable by a significant number of people, or a number of significant people, who then mobilize against it. So, yes, a number of significant people have begun to raise awareness about the scary monster "global warming", but Gore and his disciple diCaprio can preach until they're blue in the face until enough people, hopefully a majority, take up the cause.
There are other problems in our society other than the ever-popular environment. Homelessness is one (that I've previously discussed), but one that I find fascinating is government accountability.
No, I am not going to rant about how corrupt politicians are, because I am targeting the citizen this time. We bitch and moan about 'political accountability' (so much so that it became a major part of Obama's campaign) and yes, it is essential in a democracy that the elected officials properly and honestly represent the people. What I find astounding, however, is that barely anyone (among the everyday masses) shows up to keep them that way.
Recently I was watching a documentary entitled "Why We Fight" and I wasn't aware that Bush eventually admitted in a press conference that Iraq was not necessarily to blame for 9/11. Well, I know it was an Al Queda attack, which is in no way directly associated with Iraq, but what shocked me is not that Bush didn't originally admit that, it was people's reactions to it. They were absolutely appalled that the "wool had been pulled over their eyes", and that their patriotism and united front against Iraq, questing for retaliation for 9/11, was all for naught. I realize that the most likley reason the US targetted Iraq is in the name of economic Imperialism, and now most people do too, but just the fact that no majority really questioned the motives for going into Iraq originally was shocking for me. More shocking was that people could be so disgusted with their government.
Yes, the government did use your call for justice against you, but where were you to question them? Where was the citizen to hold the government accountable? I believe that as much as it is the responsibility of elected officials to be accountable to the people they're representing, it is also the responsibility of the citizen to question them. It is part of being a "citizen" of a country to involve yourself in it, and sometimes that means keeping the government honest. I assume that eventually people did speak up, or Bush never would have admitted what he did, but it was too late, the US had become involved in Iraq, and the rest is history.
You can be incarcerated for the above word, depending on the circumstances.
Basically, you can be imprisoned for not caring. Sometimes. It's really all in what you don't care about - you can only be punished for not caring that someone is about to kill somebody else, or something of a like magnitude.
But what about the people who don't care about the environment? The ones who water their emerald lawns during a drought, refuse to recycle, and leave lights and heat on 24/7? Where's their punishment as the words on everyone's lips seems to be "global warming"? (Actually, we're entering a period of cooling, most experts say, and everything is cyclical, but the fact that the human race has negatively impacted the planet still remains). The people who don't care about the environment don't have to answer for it, even as this exact neglect is what keeps environmental harm from being a 'social problem'.
A social problem, by the way, is generally defined as a phenomenon regarded as bad or undesirable by a significant number of people, or a number of significant people, who then mobilize against it. So, yes, a number of significant people have begun to raise awareness about the scary monster "global warming", but Gore and his disciple diCaprio can preach until they're blue in the face until enough people, hopefully a majority, take up the cause.
There are other problems in our society other than the ever-popular environment. Homelessness is one (that I've previously discussed), but one that I find fascinating is government accountability.
No, I am not going to rant about how corrupt politicians are, because I am targeting the citizen this time. We bitch and moan about 'political accountability' (so much so that it became a major part of Obama's campaign) and yes, it is essential in a democracy that the elected officials properly and honestly represent the people. What I find astounding, however, is that barely anyone (among the everyday masses) shows up to keep them that way.
Recently I was watching a documentary entitled "Why We Fight" and I wasn't aware that Bush eventually admitted in a press conference that Iraq was not necessarily to blame for 9/11. Well, I know it was an Al Queda attack, which is in no way directly associated with Iraq, but what shocked me is not that Bush didn't originally admit that, it was people's reactions to it. They were absolutely appalled that the "wool had been pulled over their eyes", and that their patriotism and united front against Iraq, questing for retaliation for 9/11, was all for naught. I realize that the most likley reason the US targetted Iraq is in the name of economic Imperialism, and now most people do too, but just the fact that no majority really questioned the motives for going into Iraq originally was shocking for me. More shocking was that people could be so disgusted with their government.
Yes, the government did use your call for justice against you, but where were you to question them? Where was the citizen to hold the government accountable? I believe that as much as it is the responsibility of elected officials to be accountable to the people they're representing, it is also the responsibility of the citizen to question them. It is part of being a "citizen" of a country to involve yourself in it, and sometimes that means keeping the government honest. I assume that eventually people did speak up, or Bush never would have admitted what he did, but it was too late, the US had become involved in Iraq, and the rest is history.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Making an Ass out of You and Me.
... but mostly just me.
Don't you love that feeling? When you've got everything all figured out. You know exactly what's going on in his/her head. You, sir, have got a handle on your life.
Or do you? Oh wait, he's dating her, and what you thought was this was actually that.
And shit, there goes your life, crumbling by the wayside.
Assumptions. They're killing us.
GDL (first mentioned as GD) has made a formal request that I discuss assumptions, and, as I am oh-so familiar with these fancies, I am happy to comply.
Everyday, all around the world, millions of assumptions are made. About what people are thinking or feeling, about who they are as people, about what is really going on with a certain situation and so on. It's really difficult not to make assumptions, because often assuming is what gets us by on a day to day basis.
There are ambiguous assumptions, and these are kind of a "no-harm-no-foul" situation. You see someone on the street and immediately create a backstory for them - they come from this neighborhood, they look as though they're doing this, and so on. If this person is interesting enough, sometimes you even foreshadow for them - they're going to do this, they feel like this, and they're noticing this. It's automatic, and, as long as you're not making extreme discriminations (at least aloud) they're pretty much harmless. I mean, if we didn't make assumptions in certain situations how would math ever get done?
Assumptions become less harmless, however, when it involves people or things you are directly in contact with in your life. That's when you have the danger of making an ass of yourself, because you've got to see this person every. single. day.
So don't screw up.
That advice has probably come too late, though. Or, at least, it has for me. I've made assumptions that have gotten me in trouble so many times that I... can't even think of a rational number of times. A lot of times it involves my fantastically large ego thinking that it is beloved by many members of the opposite sex. Well my friends, it is not. You would think that said ego would have shrunk by now, but no such luck. Other assumptions have involved things such as assuming that I have studied enough, assuming that drinking every time the word "love" is said in Moulin Rouge was a GOOD idea (do you have any idea how many times in 'Elephant Love Medly' they say it - 22!), and assuming that the bus will be late because I am. Now, all of these don't involve people in my daily life, but they have all affected it quite deliberately, and I have in fact made an ass of myself. But not you, unfortunately.
In fact, I don't really understand that whole phrase, because when you make an assumption and then make an ass out of yourself, you generally don't make an ass of the person you've made an assumption about. In fact, they end up looking rational and you look like a crazy person. For example, say you think that your boyfriend is blatantly ignoring your multiple (and pressingly important) text messages, so you call, get voice mail, leave an angry message, then text lots of messages ranting about what an asshole he's being and how immature he is... then a few hours later you get a call saying that he had been out of service for the past couple hours. In a very small voice you say 'oh' and feel about thisbig. Then you essentially have to grovel, and apologize for being a crazy. Which you aren't, you just made a fatal assumption.
Not that that has happened to me with a boyfriend.
Perhaps an ex-boyfriend though... but only perhaps. I'm not committing to anything. And don't go assuming it's true - you may just make an ass of yourself.
Don't you love that feeling? When you've got everything all figured out. You know exactly what's going on in his/her head. You, sir, have got a handle on your life.
Or do you? Oh wait, he's dating her, and what you thought was this was actually that.
And shit, there goes your life, crumbling by the wayside.
Assumptions. They're killing us.
GDL (first mentioned as GD) has made a formal request that I discuss assumptions, and, as I am oh-so familiar with these fancies, I am happy to comply.
Everyday, all around the world, millions of assumptions are made. About what people are thinking or feeling, about who they are as people, about what is really going on with a certain situation and so on. It's really difficult not to make assumptions, because often assuming is what gets us by on a day to day basis.
There are ambiguous assumptions, and these are kind of a "no-harm-no-foul" situation. You see someone on the street and immediately create a backstory for them - they come from this neighborhood, they look as though they're doing this, and so on. If this person is interesting enough, sometimes you even foreshadow for them - they're going to do this, they feel like this, and they're noticing this. It's automatic, and, as long as you're not making extreme discriminations (at least aloud) they're pretty much harmless. I mean, if we didn't make assumptions in certain situations how would math ever get done?
Assumptions become less harmless, however, when it involves people or things you are directly in contact with in your life. That's when you have the danger of making an ass of yourself, because you've got to see this person every. single. day.
So don't screw up.
That advice has probably come too late, though. Or, at least, it has for me. I've made assumptions that have gotten me in trouble so many times that I... can't even think of a rational number of times. A lot of times it involves my fantastically large ego thinking that it is beloved by many members of the opposite sex. Well my friends, it is not. You would think that said ego would have shrunk by now, but no such luck. Other assumptions have involved things such as assuming that I have studied enough, assuming that drinking every time the word "love" is said in Moulin Rouge was a GOOD idea (do you have any idea how many times in 'Elephant Love Medly' they say it - 22!), and assuming that the bus will be late because I am. Now, all of these don't involve people in my daily life, but they have all affected it quite deliberately, and I have in fact made an ass of myself. But not you, unfortunately.
In fact, I don't really understand that whole phrase, because when you make an assumption and then make an ass out of yourself, you generally don't make an ass of the person you've made an assumption about. In fact, they end up looking rational and you look like a crazy person. For example, say you think that your boyfriend is blatantly ignoring your multiple (and pressingly important) text messages, so you call, get voice mail, leave an angry message, then text lots of messages ranting about what an asshole he's being and how immature he is... then a few hours later you get a call saying that he had been out of service for the past couple hours. In a very small voice you say 'oh' and feel about thisbig. Then you essentially have to grovel, and apologize for being a crazy. Which you aren't, you just made a fatal assumption.
Not that that has happened to me with a boyfriend.
Perhaps an ex-boyfriend though... but only perhaps. I'm not committing to anything. And don't go assuming it's true - you may just make an ass of yourself.
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