Just Thinking About Life

Every now and then I think about life. This time last year I was a different person than I am today. It upsets me that we go through life unsure of who we are or why we do the things we do. Perhaps that's why I like sociology so much. Perhaps that is why I do puzzles.

Looking back to some of the things I wrote last year around this time, it's clear that I have grown. Last year I think I was a little depressed. I wanted to be a savior, even when I couldn't be. I like being able to put a smile on someone's face. It's who I am. I can't change that. I find pleasure in discovering new things and learning about all the different things that make people unique. I like learning about the similarities and people watching. I find it funny how most people are truly honest when their hearts are broken, probably because they don't care how others feel as long as the pain inside stops hurting for just a little bit. Most of all, I can't understand why everyone is always in a rush to grow up!

Someone once told me "Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional." And I couldn't agree more.

I understand that we should be preparing for our lives when we are older, but since when does that consist of taking away the joy and excitement we all had as kids? I spent my days off outside playing and now on school breaks all I see is my two younger sisters studying because they have an exam the Monday after. Even in terms of relationships and jobs kids seem to be growing up too fast. But in order to get hired anywhere they want experience. Growing up my only responsibility was school. It just seems that today's youngsters have too much to handle all too quickly combined with the fact that we are all in such a rush to grow up that we skip out on the little things in life that mean the most. 

Additionally, we are so built on this idea of having to be jealous, having to compete, and having to be at war, but the truth is we are all the same. Underneath all the differences we are all serving the same purpose. I mean sure I've gotten hurt over the years too- by countless idiots- girls who said they were my friends and turned the cards, boys who I gave my heart to, only to have it cheated and torn, manipulated and taken advantage of. But what about all the good things that happen in someone's life. Doesn't that shape up just as much of who they are? I'm friendly, patient, and know how to have fun too. But no one would see that unless they took the time to see and really got to know me. Instead of trying to grow up so fast, I think we should all do what makes us happy, what makes us "US" and never forget to smile!

Right now, I'm fighting for what I believe in. I'm defining my career, myself as a person, and more importantly figuring out who I want to be. I used to think that I was a punk, but I realized that's just an act. A way of reaching out to someone who I actually want to be with that I do what I want, go where I please attitude. I'm relying on the fascade to give me a security in which I lack. I'm not always strong. I don't always get what I want. But I think that is all because I've always stood in the way! Always listened to what everyone else had to say and didn't follow my heart. It's funny how we preach to others what the right thing to do is- when we can't even take our own advice. I've always been one to regret nothing. I feel it teaches you something in the end. But I'm also realizing you need to look forward and think things through. People won't always agree with you, but you have to do what you want to do. Stand up against the world. When they push you- if you don't like it PUSH BACK!


Do you ever think about the future? What do you see? I know what I want. I know what I wanted. I think we all seem to forget about the little things that matter in life. We're so in tune with finding all the problems we never actually think about the good. So here is my challenge for you: think about it, what makes you "you"? Now initiate the change! =)

Maybe one day the nerds will save the world!

Today, especially in adolescence, those of us who are misunderstood are thrown into a category. Loser. Dork. Nerd. Geek. And for the longest time I myself was thrown into these categories. Not only was it deemed uncool, but people didn't believe that I, a girl, could be into the latest video games or the latest issue of Transformers. People didn't believe I collected and played in tournament games of Yu-Gi-Oh and first generation Pokémon. Rather they figured I was just making it up to fit in or get attention from the guys. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve walked into a local comic book store and been asked if I’m shopping for my boyfriend. This seems to assert that as a woman I have no place within nerd culture. And this saddens me. ☹  

I take pride in the things I love. I dressed up as Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter books a dozen times. I made my own version of the Quibbler to read upside down. I used to study on weekends and curl up with a good book just for fun. I love watching reruns of Card Captor Sakura online. Or playing Saria's song on my Ocarina from King Richard's Faire. I enjoy my weekly D&D nights at my boyfriend's. And I enjoy going to conventions like Temple Con and this past year's RI Comic Con. Just cause I am a girl doesn't mean I don't know just as much about this stuff as the guys! And thus this is the controversy of the "fake geek"!    

   

Particularly, from an outsider point of view, sure this behavior might be considered weird, but why? Nerds are generally more focused on specific things they like. They are generally book smart and tend to know more about computers and their mechanics. I think the issue is rooted in an old concept of what a nerd is: big glasses, weird clothes, an obsessive fondness for inane things, and social awkwardness. These things aren't just for nerds anymore! The issue is that the traditional nerd domains have been embraced by a larger audience. Because of this, some can't accept that a girl can be into the same things as men and don't appreciate her for having the same background knowledge. Truth is, everyone has the potential to be a geek in some way.  But there are varying degrees. It's an identity about what you love and learning more.

    

I found these videos online and I think they are perfect for explaining what I mean! 

★ http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=J0ggK9-TBVY&NR=1    

★ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i35Zr2ECdk&feature=player_embedded

I'm On The Internet

Social Media is ever rising. Everyone wants to share with everyone everything they can about any topic they know about. Among these social media websites are the infamous Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter. Symbiotic relationships, the idea that we NEED these technologies in order to grow, have developed further as new technologies are introduced. This pace of development is contingent on technological knowledge.

Among the media there also exists Instagram and other photo editing sites, Youtube, blogs, email, Tumblr, Stumble Upon, Pinterest, Linkedin, and more. We all have this general idea now, an adapted version to say the least, of how to communicate with each other in the public sphere. It used to be sensible to write a long letter to someone to catch up or call them on the phone if you needed or wanted something. Nowadays with unlimited applications and availability- practically everything you need is at your hands (or rather at a screen).

As a society we are embracing technology without fully understanding the long-term ramifications. Technology is such a major part of our lives that new problems for society will continually emerge. This in itself is a distraction from our own personal goals and gains. Instead of using them as a source we become so involved that even in our day to day lives we lack the communication and interactions skills we once had.

In class we were asked to blog about blogging. That is what it means, how we do it, etc. Rather I have found my focus to be more so on why these websites are important and how they play a role. I particularly never had an interest in blogging. I see the benefits it has to offer however and am obviously willing to give it a try! I think the best feeling is going to be knowing that people will read and probably care about what I have to say! That alone excites me! =) My only concern is (and I guess always has been) that I have a lot to say but never think anyone wants to hear about it. I am interested however in trying out Tumblr, a blogging platform,  as well! Perhaps I will have some thoughts on that to follow in a post.

In my search I stumbled across this article. It proves an interesting read on what we should be reading and how we should be writing when we blog. http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/30311/10-Amazing-Blogs-About-Blogging-to-Start-Reading-NOW.aspx For me I find the most honest thing you can do is to be yourself and talk about your own interests. Not everyone is going to like what you have to say, but not everyone is going to hate it either. And the most important thing to consider is how you present yourself.

Happy Blogging! =) 

Was is it but a dream?

I always find it interesting that so many different versions of the same story can exist. Such is the case with the Disney Alice in Wonderland films. Of course both depict the book written by C.S. Lewis in quite the same way, but the way they are illustrated is very different.

Alice in Wonderland tells the story of a little girl who falls down a rabbit hole into a nonsensical world. In the most recent adaptation, directed by Tim Burton, a 19-year-old Alice returns to Wonderland (or as Burton calls it, Underland) and embarks on a quest filled with adventure, humor, violence, and terror. When the film hit the screens in 2010, critics claimed that it was untrue to the spirit of the original work, seeing it as more Disney than Carroll. However, while his storyline and stylistic elements cannot be found in the original tale, I believe Burton addresses many of the same themes as Carroll.

Today, many of our favorite novels have hit the big screen. The hardest thing however  in doing this is that sometimes the novels change our images of what we had imagined or how we expected the adaptation to result. Those who say a book is a book and a movie is a movie, just don't seem to understand the conventions. I think personally I would much rather sit through a movie that got the story just right than sit through a movie that changes specific aspects and twists the original. 

Another adaptation lies within the game Alice Madness and Alice Madness returns which in themselves present a twist to the original story. Alice McGee's Alice (or as she has been referred to in other re-tellings the Alice Through the Looking Glass; aka evil Alice), tells the story of young Alice Liddell and how she lost her family in a fire, blamed herself, and was sent to an insane asylum.

Then of course there is the historical viewpoint of the story where Alice is based off an actual person within the family Carroll had become friends with. He would take the children out on fishing trips and tell them the story of a girl who fell down a rabbit hole.Many biographers suppose that he was romantically or sexually attracted to her as a child, but no evidence has proven such. There are however, at least three direct links to Liddell in the two books: the stories are set on her birthday and half birthday, the stories are dedicated to Alice Pleasance Liddell, and the acrostic poem at the end of Through the Looking-Glass which spells out her name.

I don't know which story is true, nor do I have a favorite. I tend to like them all and I find it interesting how people try to twist them into something more positive. It's like people hate living in a world where reality exists and I can't fully understand that.

Books, Books, EVERYWHERE!!

In the last few days of class we have been talking about the importance of the book and whether or not we should say goodbye to the physical form and hello to the digital versions. In my last post I wrote to you about the importance of imagination and stories. In all honesty, despite writing to you on the highway of the internet, I believe I would rather have a paper copy of a book in hand than a downloaded version. I love to read and write and analyze. In some ways I believe moving forward with innovations is great, but what happens when our day to day lives come to rely on nothing more than digital interaction?

I must have over 100 books of my own and several comics and magazines. I used to love going to book fairs and buying books! I love recommendations and I still love the new book smells!! If I know I will love a book I will buy it! If I see a book and I don't know what it is and it's at a yard sale and looks interesting I will buy it. I'm always trying to add to my collection! I love to get caught up in the pages and close the cover in satisfaction after reading all day. And more importantly, I love that I don't have to stop cause I have a headache from reading off a screen! =]

It's like this article says and I couldn't agree with the author more- nothing beats the original! http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jun/17/opinion/la-oe-barbour-kindles-20110617

If I had to choose between a kindle or real books- i'd rather have the real thing. It's more interactive, easier to share, and holds so much more personality.