"In this universe, everyone gets a handful of puzzle pieces. If there was one moment of peace where we put them together...we'd know what the meaning of life really was."
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
Grad School BrainDump
So I’m relatively caught up in the current pressing events of life right now (i.e. homework, lesson planning, projects.) I have a paper due Thursday at 11:59:59pm so that’s okay. i can work with this. But that gives me time to look at other things.
I’m getting my master’s project in motion. As of today. Apparently, I should have been taking classes that AREN’T the ones I chose. Strategizing classes is no longer “What do you want to know more about?” but more “What do I need to schmooze the right people and have the right things on my list to build a strong Committee.” I didn’t know that.
I’m also not good at building relationships. Frankly: I’m shy. I don’t hang around very much—I head home to start working on things without getting distracted. As for study groups…see previous statement. I’m TERRIBLE when it comes to asking for help. Especially from teachers. I want them to think I’m smarter than I really am—that I can do it all on my own.
As such, committee building is sort of a terrifying, somewhat painful experience for me. I don’t know who to talk to or how to talk to them.
Looking back at my academic career, there are so many things I would have done differently: I would have chosen classes that will actually better get me to my goal instead of acting like the unfocused jack-of-all-trades I am. I would have forced myself to cultivate relationships with instructors and other groups so I wouldn’t be struggling with that now. I would have asked more questions and found my way around much faster.
But the past is past. No edits allowed.
I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t have tried to jump straight into grad school from undergrad. Sure, it was the best choice financially and all. And I have really grown up a lot as a student, a writer, and as a human being. But sometimes I wonder if I couldn’t have done some of that growing and learned some of these life lessons BEFORE jumping into grad school all haphazardly.
Am I mature enough as a human to succeed? I’m going to do my best, to be sure. I’m not a quitter.
But sometimes I wonder if I’m not just in over my head.
This is so incredibly powerful. This is why I study English. This is why I want to write. This is what words are FOR.
Look at the amazing things that are being done just by the outlet of art. The power of video, of writing a message on Facebook, of the reblog button on Tumblr. Youtube, Twitter, all of these things. This is literature; this is communication. This is discourse. Maybe it’s not always perfect or beautiful, but it is, without a doubt, the most powerful resource available to us. The world can be changed.
Look what we can do as humanity if we use our words.What do you believe in? What can you change, just by using the capacity for language you were given by God?
”It doesn’t have to be like this. All we have to do is keep talking.” - Pink Floyd
Kony 2012
(Source: steveagee)
Grown-Up Things
So I’m moving! Kind of. I’m moving LITERALLY two buildings away from where I am now, in the same apartment complex. The difference is that I’m switching from a “Living Community” contract to an “Apartment” contract. This takes me out of the Roommate Roulette for next semester. (Yay!) This also means that
A) I get my own room and my own bathroom sink (big yay! PRIVATE SPACE!)
B) I’m upgrading to TWO bathrooms and ONE less person to share with. (but less storage space…no utility/laundryroom space, less kitchen space, etc.)
C) I pay roughly $250 less than I am now.
Now this last point is where I get to what I like to call the “Goodnews Badnews chain.”
Good News: It’s cheaper! Yay!
Bad News: My parents are - er- allowing me to pay for it all myself
Good News: I’m going to be mostly financially independent from my parents in a still relatively “safe” environment (meaning if I need help, I may still be able to get it easily)
Bad News: I will be broke. A lot. Lol.
So…now I’m scrutinizing my bank account history online, looking at every last detail and thinking things like “budgeting” and “Bargain prices.” and “do I eat every bit of food I buy? Can I stop buying some things to save money?”
I think this means I’m a grownup now.
O.o
What If…
We treated people we like in reality like we do our fandoms?
Me: You guys were SO CUTE as Gamzee/Tavros today!
Boyfriend: lol
Me: Actually, you’re just cute. Can I ship you?
Boyfriend: Umm…shouldn’t we ship you/me?
Me: Oh, okay. Then you two can be my AU pairing. Whee!
Boyfriend: … …
Me: :DDD
Real people don’t like that very much, I’ve discovered.
Idenities & Communities
What is humanity?
What are we doing here?
What is the Earth for?
What should we do?
How should we treat each other?
What is love? What does it feel like?
How can we be happy?
How can we be safe?
It’s a shame we don’t have a simple answer for all of these.
… … … … or do we?
Concerning College Diets
You know those stupid things that say “you know you’re in college when [BLANK]”? (Or y’know, any of the “You know you’re X when Y” memes floating around…)
Well…
You know you’re in college when “Fancy” experimental cooking involves seeing what random condiments go well in various Green Giant Steamer Bags.
Tonight? Ranch dressing on top of the potato/snap peas/whatever these red things are bag. Mmmm.
Uhm. Do you think it will work?
It always amuses me that when people AFK in Minecraft, they look like their necks are broken. Here, it looks like amdusias hung himself. XDDDD
People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.
I’m a writer! I write with ink and parchment!
I don’t have a lot of time but 37 seconds well used is a lifetime!
In all of history there are only 12 notes, from Beethoven to the Ramones to us. 12 notes. There are only so many ways to tell the same story.
A good friend once told me we are memories. Without them we equal nothing.
Think of a wonderful thought; any happy little thought and keep moving forward.
Time keeps on ticking…ticking…ticking…to the future. All in all you’re just another brick in the wall.
You already have the information. All the names and dates are inside your head. What you want, what you really need, is a story.
Space, the final frontier. Energize.
I’ve got a bad feeling about this, Luke. I’m your father.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
We are what we see. We grow up seeing hearing falling in love with everything around us, and everything around us is given to us, to our minds and imaginations to do with what we will. We are given Disney toys and Transformers. We had lightsabers and action figures.
Will you tell us not to use what we know, what you have taught us?
I may edit this when I think of more movie quotes. For some reason that well is running a little dry today. :P
