He's no Politician...or is he?

If he would agree to hold office of any kind, I would most certainly elect my brother, David. He is unlike the politician. He says what he thinks, regardless of whether people would think he’s wrong or get offended. He is brutally honest. Sometimes people don’t like that, but I prefer brutal honesty over caring lies. He is determined and hates wasting time. When he has free time, he spends it making the most insignificant projects or tasks into developed plans and ideas, making use of unproductive time in any way possible. More importantly, he doesn’t like to wait around to get things done. When he has an idea in his head, he will almost immediately put that plan into motion. If his toaster were to break, he would probably find a way to not only fix it, but also make it eject his toast across the room to his plate, and have it fixed and ready in time for breakfast. He gets things done, and doesn’t stop until they are. If he sets his mind to it, you can bet it will get done.

            I think those traits would make a good politician: someone who is honest in what they believe, instead of trying to please everyone in an embarrassing attempt to gain votes; someone who spends all their time invested in a cause, instead of wasting time on campaigns and speeches; someone who will follow through with their ideas and decisions, and not make empty promises to advance themselves politically. I think my brother would be a great politician, because he is the exact opposite of a politician. 

2 wild and crazy guys

The word wild has been used to describe many things. It seems the meaning of the word changes with the way each person uses it. It’s not what the word wild means, but what it means to you, and what you feel it describes. Certain things may seem wild to one person, and not to others. That same thing may not seem wild to that same person years from now. Wild things become civilized, and civilized things become wild. Your perspective is what determines what is wild.

            Picture a young child, running about on a playground. Eager to try each amusement, he runs about from swing to swing, climbing up metal ladders to the slides waiting above, and trying with all his might to keep his two-fingered grasp on the monkey bars. Around him, there are dozens of other youngsters, all mimicking his actions. To the young boy, the intricacies of the playground seem wild and surreal to him. New shapes and objects seem out of this world and strange. But the chaos and confusion of the playground itself, seems quite civilized to him. He knows where his friends are, where the swings are, how to get from one location to the next quickly and safely, and how to navigate through the herd of swarming children. His mother on the other hand, sees nothing but chaotic wilderness. The wild playground is unnerving, and stressful for her, knowing her young son is in there amongst the madness. Her idea of civilization is a neat desk, stacks of papers, and a hot cup of coffee. Their ideas of wild are infinitely opposite. Isn’t that just wild?

HW - the destroyer of GPAs

Ahhhh homework… I am probably not the best person to ask how I feel about homework. Last year, my poor work ethic had gotten me into some trouble, and it seems I’m beginning to fall back into the same rut. Homework has been and perhaps always will be my biggest downfall. When my work is completed it is generally thorough and correct, although it is rarely completed, and it’s a miracle if it is on time. (as proven by these late blogs)

My problem does not lie with the amount of homework. I think it has more to do with how the work is spread out. You see, teachers tend to give homework in moderation, thinking students have a little each day, and then they get though all of it. I don’t work that way. I prefer to have a large lump of homework and get through it all at once. And although you may think I prefer this so that I will have free time when I’m done, that is simply not the case. Working with a larger sum of work allows my brain to warm up. It needs a blog or two to stretch and shake off the cobwebs. It needs to build up speed and shift into higher gears before it can provide the best, most intelligent work I am capable of. And once I’m going, I don’t like to stop. I’d rather work through two whole days writing papers or doing math problems, and push my brain to its top speed, keeping it there until I run out of gas than constantly turning it on and off for just minutes a day. It’s not reaching its potential. It’s being insulted with petty busy-work. It doesn’t learn things in the slow-moving, tight-muscle, first-gear state of being. It simply does what it needs to.

This blog didn’t exactly answer each aspect of the blog specifically, but my brain got into second gear and it wouldn’t let me slow it down to read the blog topic. It has a mind of its own, and apparently a point to make. 

Solitude

Unlike most people, I generally enjoy spending time alone. Alone time is not time spent being lonely, but rather being alone with my own thoughts. Being alone is a way to escape thoughts and opinions of other people, who often feel they need to voice those opinions. Being alone is relaxing, and is healthy in moderate doses. You can’t be alone all the time, but in moderation it helps to keep your life and the world around you in perspective. Some nice quiet time each day spent alone with your thoughts is a great way to grow a little each day.

            I believe you should find the right balance between craving attention from others and being content in solitude. The optimum ratio is different from person to person, but the extremes on both ends work for no one. We all need companionship and belonging. Humans are pack animals; it is our nature to connect and converse with other people. But those who spend too much time around others tend to lose sight of themselves and begin to mirror others instead of being original and unique. It’s good to spend some time alone, exactly how much time is debatable.

♪ Music ♫

Music is vastly important to me, and for many reasons. Music is so deep and meaningful, whether it was intended to be or not. A specific song can mean incredibly different things to two different people, and that’s ok. That’s what music is all about. Interpret it as you like. Let it reinforce what you already believe, or reveal to you a new way of thinking, as long as you let the music move you and leave an impression on you. Whether you like classical orchestras, rock and roll, the blues, techno, jazz, country. hip-hop, or any other genre of music, let it bring meaning into your life. Don’t use music as white noise to keep your brain idle. Use it for the exact opposite. Music should make you think, motivate you, or even anger you. Let it affect you.

            For me specifically, my favorite music is any song that makes a statement, or forces any certain emotion particularly well. The more changed I am after listening to a song, the better that song is in my opinion. Contrary, music that I can’t stand listening to is, unfortunately, what is mostly on the radio today, the techno dance songs about partying all night. These songs feel lazy, uneducated, and filled with ignorance. Above all, they are immature. These songs do not motivate or inspire me, they simply remind me of how childish society can be.