Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Goodbye College
After I finished my final exam in French 107, I stepped outside onto the steps of Memorial Hall and turned on some music on my ipod. I decided that it would be a good idea to take my shoes off and walk straight up the Green on the grass to Delaware Ave, a sort of personal symbolic farewell gesture. Memorial was where my first college class met 6 years ago, and now it's where I finished. And it feels pretty damn good.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Checking In, a Week Without Facebook
Hello again friends. It's been a week since I probably lost contact with you. My past week without a facebook account has been both productive and fruitful, mostly for my mental state.
I've recently gone into what I call "Zen master" mode. I had an eye-opening realization this past week: life is beautiful simply because it is life. The fact that you are having experiences, both good and bad, makes life beautiful and worth living. You are completely in control of your own happiness and feelings. If you don't want something to make you feel a certain way, then just don't let it. If you can remember that in all situations that life is beautiful because you're living it, no matter what hardship or strife, you are one step closer to true happiness and nirvana.
Now, if we factor in the "human factor", we can see that this is a very high goal to strive for. Some would say that Man is beautiful because he is flawed, or because he can be aware of his flaws. I argue that Man is beautiful because he can realize that his flaws are still beautiful. For example: I was recently counseling a friend with some relationship/dating advice. He was upset over something that could possibly have been nothing, but it could also have been interpreted as frustrating and telling about how the girl felt about him. Instead of traditional advice, I posed this question to him: "People are complicated. Are you prepared to deal with that?" This question opened his eyes and made him realize that he need not worry over small things or potentialities. Things can go well, and things can go poorly, but they can always be beautiful experiences no matter what happens. Living is beautiful, no matter what.
Switching gears:
I'm sitting in the Scrounge here in my last full week of classes at 9 AM while writing this post, and I'm amazed at the massive line for Dunkin' Donuts. I know the line is probably out the door right now at Newark Deli and Bagel. People really like coffee, bagels, and breakfast sandwiches. On one hand, I'm amazed that coffee shops ever fail to stay open, but on the other hand, it really speaks volumes about the power of combining manipulative marketing and low prices on today's American consumerist society. Dunkin' Donuts doesn't really make good coffee. Because I only drink coffee black, I realize what coffee actually tastes like. I have no problem with people who use copious amounts of milk, cream, or sugar in their coffee, but they aren't really good judges of who has good coffee. Caffeine addiction aside, people flock to the staple coffee and breakfast because they don't care how their coffee tastes, and because of the advertisements, although none of them would ever admit it. As a generally economically conscious American, I'm a big supporter of buying local and sustainable. Dunkin' Donuts, per customer served, probably has a higher level of sustainability than Newark Deli and Bagel, since NBD uses Styrofoam cups and take-out containers for their food. Dunkin seems to use mostly recycled paper and plastic for their cups and wrappings, and they don't use styrofoam for anything. However, their coffee is terrible, and I've heard that their food isn't great either. The bagels are only so-so. Rant over.
That's all for now. Maybe more once it really sinks in that this is my last week of college.
I've recently gone into what I call "Zen master" mode. I had an eye-opening realization this past week: life is beautiful simply because it is life. The fact that you are having experiences, both good and bad, makes life beautiful and worth living. You are completely in control of your own happiness and feelings. If you don't want something to make you feel a certain way, then just don't let it. If you can remember that in all situations that life is beautiful because you're living it, no matter what hardship or strife, you are one step closer to true happiness and nirvana.
Now, if we factor in the "human factor", we can see that this is a very high goal to strive for. Some would say that Man is beautiful because he is flawed, or because he can be aware of his flaws. I argue that Man is beautiful because he can realize that his flaws are still beautiful. For example: I was recently counseling a friend with some relationship/dating advice. He was upset over something that could possibly have been nothing, but it could also have been interpreted as frustrating and telling about how the girl felt about him. Instead of traditional advice, I posed this question to him: "People are complicated. Are you prepared to deal with that?" This question opened his eyes and made him realize that he need not worry over small things or potentialities. Things can go well, and things can go poorly, but they can always be beautiful experiences no matter what happens. Living is beautiful, no matter what.
Switching gears:
I'm sitting in the Scrounge here in my last full week of classes at 9 AM while writing this post, and I'm amazed at the massive line for Dunkin' Donuts. I know the line is probably out the door right now at Newark Deli and Bagel. People really like coffee, bagels, and breakfast sandwiches. On one hand, I'm amazed that coffee shops ever fail to stay open, but on the other hand, it really speaks volumes about the power of combining manipulative marketing and low prices on today's American consumerist society. Dunkin' Donuts doesn't really make good coffee. Because I only drink coffee black, I realize what coffee actually tastes like. I have no problem with people who use copious amounts of milk, cream, or sugar in their coffee, but they aren't really good judges of who has good coffee. Caffeine addiction aside, people flock to the staple coffee and breakfast because they don't care how their coffee tastes, and because of the advertisements, although none of them would ever admit it. As a generally economically conscious American, I'm a big supporter of buying local and sustainable. Dunkin' Donuts, per customer served, probably has a higher level of sustainability than Newark Deli and Bagel, since NBD uses Styrofoam cups and take-out containers for their food. Dunkin seems to use mostly recycled paper and plastic for their cups and wrappings, and they don't use styrofoam for anything. However, their coffee is terrible, and I've heard that their food isn't great either. The bagels are only so-so. Rant over.
That's all for now. Maybe more once it really sinks in that this is my last week of college.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
R.I.P. Facebook, Hello Life
Today, I permanently deleted my facebook account. So far, it's been a very liberating experience. No longer do I come home from work(at which I had been on facebook for hours) and sit on facebook instead of being productive. I came home from dinner, had a snack, changed over my laundry, and then did some reading and smoked the hookah on the balcony with Matt. Deleting my facebook account is something that I've wanted to do for quite some time, but the catalyst today was this blog post that I saw on digg.com today:
http://www.rocket.ly/home/2010/4/26/top-ten-reasons-you-should-quit-facebook.html
While I agree with this blogger's stance on facebook's lack of ethics, the post really only acted as a catalyst, fanning the flames of my already burning desires to do away with facebook from my life. I spent entirely too much time on facebook, and I cared entirely too much about other peoples' perceptions of me on facebook. The one thing that I will miss out on is the chance to "network" online with other theater professionals, but.... NEWS FLASH ::: The world went 'round before facebook ever existed, and my world will continue to turn now without it.
I've decided I need to spend more time living my life instead of projecting my life onto others via social networking. I'm going to continue to use Twitter, because the character limit and sheer stupidity of the majority of its user-base severely limits my ability and desire to project myself onto other people. Coupled with my blog here, I'm pretty sure that I'll obtain a healthy dose of internet socializing while not allowing myself to get sucked in or carried away. Life needs to be about life, not about facebook, or how other people perceive you (especially on the internet). I already feel like I am spending my free time better, and it's only been roughly 10 hours since I deleted my account.
Now, on to more fun matters. I've made it a daily task to check the theatre job websites at around noon when the new listings arrive each weekday. In fact, on weekends, very often I am sad that I can't compulsively look for any openings for audio positions. I've been sending out plenty of resumes, cover letters, and applications, and I have a feeling that it will pay off for me soon. Staying in Delaware wouldn't be the end of the world, but it's time to get out.
However, when I'm working on productions like this on(http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2010305020011) it becomes harder to say goodbye to what I recognize as the place where I am beginning my professional career. The REP's production of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui is quite possibly the best production of the year, and even though there isn't very much sound from a board operator's perspective, I still find great joy in providing my services to the production in making sure that the communications and monitoring systems are up and running for each performance. Do yourself a favor and come see it if you are around or can get to Delaware easily.
Ummm, Dear Diary, that's all for now. Whatever.
http://www.rocket.ly/home/2010/4/26/top-ten-reasons-you-should-quit-facebook.html
While I agree with this blogger's stance on facebook's lack of ethics, the post really only acted as a catalyst, fanning the flames of my already burning desires to do away with facebook from my life. I spent entirely too much time on facebook, and I cared entirely too much about other peoples' perceptions of me on facebook. The one thing that I will miss out on is the chance to "network" online with other theater professionals, but.... NEWS FLASH ::: The world went 'round before facebook ever existed, and my world will continue to turn now without it.
I've decided I need to spend more time living my life instead of projecting my life onto others via social networking. I'm going to continue to use Twitter, because the character limit and sheer stupidity of the majority of its user-base severely limits my ability and desire to project myself onto other people. Coupled with my blog here, I'm pretty sure that I'll obtain a healthy dose of internet socializing while not allowing myself to get sucked in or carried away. Life needs to be about life, not about facebook, or how other people perceive you (especially on the internet). I already feel like I am spending my free time better, and it's only been roughly 10 hours since I deleted my account.
Now, on to more fun matters. I've made it a daily task to check the theatre job websites at around noon when the new listings arrive each weekday. In fact, on weekends, very often I am sad that I can't compulsively look for any openings for audio positions. I've been sending out plenty of resumes, cover letters, and applications, and I have a feeling that it will pay off for me soon. Staying in Delaware wouldn't be the end of the world, but it's time to get out.
However, when I'm working on productions like this on(http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2010305020011) it becomes harder to say goodbye to what I recognize as the place where I am beginning my professional career. The REP's production of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui is quite possibly the best production of the year, and even though there isn't very much sound from a board operator's perspective, I still find great joy in providing my services to the production in making sure that the communications and monitoring systems are up and running for each performance. Do yourself a favor and come see it if you are around or can get to Delaware easily.
Ummm, Dear Diary, that's all for now. Whatever.
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