Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Goodnight.
It is 10 pm and I am exhausted. I haven't fallen asleep before probably...2 am for months now...let's see if this works. Goodnight.
Scrobbling, Again
A few years ago I used to use Last.fm religiously, because it would always be streaming what I was listening to and recording it, and I loved looking back and seeing my different phases with obsessions with bands and finding old favorites. I also loved finding other people with similar music interests as me. It's actually an ingenious website and I'm really glad I rediscovered it. I just set the scrobbler up on my laptop, and it shows my list of top artists that I listen to since I got this laptop:
1. Arcade Fire
2. Sufjan Stevens
3. Johnny Cash
4. Radiohead
5. The Decemberists
6. Citizen Cope
7. Death Cab for Cutie
8. Broken Social Scene
9. The National
10. Portishead
11. Modest Mouse
12. The Doors
13. Grizzly Bear
14. The Antlers
15. My Morning Jacket
I only had the chance to upload half of my cd's, so this doesn't include of a lot of music that I listen to in other places because of my limited selection on my media player. I would say if this took youtube views into account, Lykke Li would be really high up there, along with Pink Floyd at the very top, if it counted record listens. So this is a very watered down version of what I've been listening to for the last few months.
Awwww I found my old last.fm!
I have the same exact music taste now. Just add a few very important discoveries.
This is my new one:
Too bad I can't just keep adding to my old one. For some reason it never let me get the scrobbler under that name ever since the first try. So I guess I'll start anew.
1. Arcade Fire
2. Sufjan Stevens
3. Johnny Cash
4. Radiohead
5. The Decemberists
6. Citizen Cope
7. Death Cab for Cutie
8. Broken Social Scene
9. The National
10. Portishead
11. Modest Mouse
12. The Doors
13. Grizzly Bear
14. The Antlers
15. My Morning Jacket
I only had the chance to upload half of my cd's, so this doesn't include of a lot of music that I listen to in other places because of my limited selection on my media player. I would say if this took youtube views into account, Lykke Li would be really high up there, along with Pink Floyd at the very top, if it counted record listens. So this is a very watered down version of what I've been listening to for the last few months.
Awwww I found my old last.fm!
I have the same exact music taste now. Just add a few very important discoveries.
This is my new one:
Too bad I can't just keep adding to my old one. For some reason it never let me get the scrobbler under that name ever since the first try. So I guess I'll start anew.
The Paradox of Asking a Masked Man Who He Is
It's crazy how Maddy walks in the door from class, takes one look at me and gives me the look and laugh that means she knows I am high. Nobody else I have ever known has ever been able to tell so instantly. Actually, I'm usually able to hide it from everyone...if I want to. I guess that comes with the territory of living in the same small room with someone, every day.
We're Kings Among Runaways
I should really be reading; I should read Still Alice. We are reading The Rime of the Ancient Mariner in my lit class and I remember reading that in my 10th grade English class and I can't wait to reread that and write my English essay on it. I remember loving it so much. I wonder if I'll see it differently now, three years later. Actually, sorry Alice...I'm going to read that instead.
Dollars & Cents
I really need to get Amnesiac on vinyl. That would sound amazing right now. But I guess my little laptop speakers will do. I can't wait until one day I have so many albums that I just have everything I want to hear.
I also need Kid A. I want to be In Limbo.
Wow I need to make a list of the albums I need to get; a dream wish because I won't get all of them anytime soon, as a poorly college student, but I will some day.
I will put the ones I have in bold, and the ones I want to get in italics.
The Decemberists- Picaresque
The Decemberists- The Crane Wife
The Decemberists- Castaways and Cutouts
The Decemberists- The Hazards of Love
Pink Floyd- Dark Side of the Moon
Pink Floyd- Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd- The Wall
Tchaikovsky- "1812" Overture
Beethoven- Archduke
Eagles- The Long Run
Arcade Fire- Funeral
Arcade Fire- The Suburbs
Arcade Fire- Neon Bible
Talking Heads- Stop Making Sense
Phil Collins- Face Value
Mozart Symphony No. 41 in C Major
Sufjan Stevens- Come on fee the ILLINOISE
Sufjan Stevens- Seven Swans
Sufjan Stevens- Michigan
Broken Social Scene- You Forgot it in People
Citizen Cope The Rainwater LP
Portrait of Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash- The Man Comes Around
Neil Young- After the Gold Rush
The Doors- Weird Scenes Inside the Gold Mine
The Doors- L.A. Woman
The Doors- The Doors
The Police- Every Breath You Take
Radiohead- Ok Computer
Radiohead- Amnesiac
Radiohead- Kid A
Radiohead- In Rainbows
Radiohead- Hail to the Thief
And so many others. This list is definitely a work in progress.
Ahhh I just put Neon Bible on and I haven't listened to it in so long. It's like greeting a very old friend.
I also need Kid A. I want to be In Limbo.
Wow I need to make a list of the albums I need to get; a dream wish because I won't get all of them anytime soon, as a poorly college student, but I will some day.
I will put the ones I have in bold, and the ones I want to get in italics.
The Decemberists- Picaresque
The Decemberists- The Crane Wife
The Decemberists- Castaways and Cutouts
The Decemberists- The Hazards of Love
Pink Floyd- Dark Side of the Moon
Pink Floyd- Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd- The Wall
Tchaikovsky- "1812" Overture
Beethoven- Archduke
Eagles- The Long Run
Arcade Fire- Funeral
Arcade Fire- The Suburbs
Arcade Fire- Neon Bible
Talking Heads- Stop Making Sense
Phil Collins- Face Value
Mozart Symphony No. 41 in C Major
Sufjan Stevens- Come on fee the ILLINOISE
Sufjan Stevens- Seven Swans
Sufjan Stevens- Michigan
Broken Social Scene- You Forgot it in People
Citizen Cope The Rainwater LP
Portrait of Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash- The Man Comes Around
Neil Young- After the Gold Rush
The Doors- Weird Scenes Inside the Gold Mine
The Doors- L.A. Woman
The Doors- The Doors
The Police- Every Breath You Take
Radiohead- Ok Computer
Radiohead- Amnesiac
Radiohead- Kid A
Radiohead- In Rainbows
Radiohead- Hail to the Thief
And so many others. This list is definitely a work in progress.
Ahhh I just put Neon Bible on and I haven't listened to it in so long. It's like greeting a very old friend.
...
Yes I did just put a post it over the peep hole on my door so no one can see it (because I have peeked through, and you can see into the room from the outside) so I could blast music on my record player and dance around the room. I used to always dance around my room, but that habit kind of went away in college since well that's not something you do where anyone can see.
Kettering.
The album Hospice by the Antlers is one of the saddest processions of songs I have ever heard, with Kettering on the top as one of the most gut wrenching songs I've ever heard. If you're sad, don't listen to it. You will just bawl.
Angst
I'm done with classes and plan to relax and do work for the rest of the day. Considering I have two three page, one six page, and two ten page papers all due withing the next three weeks, and one final exam to study for. Ugh, up until now I have never seen it written like that, and seeing it all right there in that one little sentence just made my task seem a lot more daunting than it actually is. I should be fine. I hope...
And then once that is all behind me it is Christmas Break! I can't wait to go back to my job at Staples, see my friends whenever I damn well please, spend days lounging around the house reading, music-ing....catching up on sleep, watching movies. Ah it sounds like heaven. But a lot of words and papers and work is between me and that blissful time, unfortunately.
I can't wait to go Christmas shopping. That is one of my favorite things to do every year. I love finding a gift that the person I am giving it to will LOVE, and I am usually pretty good at it. I love wrapping presents, writing out cards, ahhh Christmas. I need to make a list of people I need to buy presents for, and possible gift ideas. I'll start a rough draft here, now that I've gotten myself all excited for Christmas, here goes:
Family
Ronnie-Uhmmmmm....I'll come back to you.
Mama Bear- A book. A cardboard cut out of Oprah..
Richard- DONE! Iron Lung EP
Cousins
Maddy & Bayleigh- DONE! An easy bake oven, with cookie and brownie mix.
Caroline- I am not sure yet...
Megan- DONE! Hunger Games + Catching Fire! Another book gift...I hope people don't hate me haha.
Nick& George- DONE! Star Wars guns. I'm sure their parents will love me.
Friends
Rui- Buddha Bellies!
Simone- Need to ponder..
Maddy- DONE! A book (seems to be a trending present this year from me), and mittens and earrings.
I think, as far as I know, these are all of the people I need to buy gifts for this year. Not too bad of a load. I can't wait to go Christmas shopping with my SimSim.
I'm going to go smoke and read. I'll probably be back soon with some high ramblings since Maddy is in class and is not here to get the full brunt of them as usual, so Blog, you shall take her place.
And then once that is all behind me it is Christmas Break! I can't wait to go back to my job at Staples, see my friends whenever I damn well please, spend days lounging around the house reading, music-ing....catching up on sleep, watching movies. Ah it sounds like heaven. But a lot of words and papers and work is between me and that blissful time, unfortunately.
I can't wait to go Christmas shopping. That is one of my favorite things to do every year. I love finding a gift that the person I am giving it to will LOVE, and I am usually pretty good at it. I love wrapping presents, writing out cards, ahhh Christmas. I need to make a list of people I need to buy presents for, and possible gift ideas. I'll start a rough draft here, now that I've gotten myself all excited for Christmas, here goes:
Family
Ronnie-Uhmmmmm....I'll come back to you.
Mama Bear- A book. A cardboard cut out of Oprah..
Richard- DONE! Iron Lung EP
Cousins
Maddy & Bayleigh- DONE! An easy bake oven, with cookie and brownie mix.
Caroline- I am not sure yet...
Megan- DONE! Hunger Games + Catching Fire! Another book gift...I hope people don't hate me haha.
Nick& George- DONE! Star Wars guns. I'm sure their parents will love me.
Friends
Rui- Buddha Bellies!
Simone- Need to ponder..
Maddy- DONE! A book (seems to be a trending present this year from me), and mittens and earrings.
I think, as far as I know, these are all of the people I need to buy gifts for this year. Not too bad of a load. I can't wait to go Christmas shopping with my SimSim.
I'm going to go smoke and read. I'll probably be back soon with some high ramblings since Maddy is in class and is not here to get the full brunt of them as usual, so Blog, you shall take her place.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Sauron Vs. Gandalf
Most likely because of my recent tryst with Paradise Lost, I have thinking a lot about God lately. And the many religions that are all subjugated by this one, or more than one all powerful being(s) that created us all. I was born a Christian. So I am expected to hold Christian beliefs. However, I could just as easily been born a Hindu in India, or a Muslim. And then I would be expected to follow that religion, and their beliefs. A person's belief is all based on the toss of a coin, their location on the globe, their family, and the influences around them decide what religion they will follow. It is not a conscious decision, but more of a fate. From the second a person is born, in a very religious family, no matter the denomination, they are brain washed with that religion's believes and practices, completely unable to see another person's views without a bias. Wars are fought over trying to force a populace to believe in a religion that is different than theirs, millions have died, over something that should have, if it was utilized in the way it was meant to be, spread only peace and acceptance. Religion does the opposite of this ideal, and only turns those of differing religions against each other. It is a conundrum, that will probably never be solved. For what would happen to the world without all of these religions? It would fall to ruin, for people need order, and a set of rules, to be able to keep from falling over the ever-present precipice between good and evil.
The first book that ever made me ponder the idea that humans are inherently evil, and only order and society keep them from the evilness of their true natures was Lord of the Flies. In it, Golding represents human nature at its most basic form; in a group of boys too young to have been morphed wholly by society's expectations dropped on an island to fend for themselves. The boys eventually succumb to savagery, with a light leader leading the few that refuse to succumb to their dark side. The book provides an interesting look at human nature, and although Golding's novel is not a true story, I believe it does an effective job in displaying human nature at its most basic. Society is necessary to keep humans from succumbing to this savagery, and so is religion. For, in truth, the world is raw and cold; for many, the thought of a God sitting up in his cloud-land of heaven watching over them in specific, watching over them and protecting them, is a shield from feeling the truth of how alone we all really are on this Earth. At least that is how I used to think about it. But recently I have begun to think that although I don't believe in 'God' in the general sense, I do believe their is something 'Godly' within all of us, and that we each have the chance to seize it or push it down into the depths of our darkness. This may just be my buffer to the world, but I would like to think that there is good in all of us, along with all of the bad.
The first book that ever made me ponder the idea that humans are inherently evil, and only order and society keep them from the evilness of their true natures was Lord of the Flies. In it, Golding represents human nature at its most basic form; in a group of boys too young to have been morphed wholly by society's expectations dropped on an island to fend for themselves. The boys eventually succumb to savagery, with a light leader leading the few that refuse to succumb to their dark side. The book provides an interesting look at human nature, and although Golding's novel is not a true story, I believe it does an effective job in displaying human nature at its most basic. Society is necessary to keep humans from succumbing to this savagery, and so is religion. For, in truth, the world is raw and cold; for many, the thought of a God sitting up in his cloud-land of heaven watching over them in specific, watching over them and protecting them, is a shield from feeling the truth of how alone we all really are on this Earth. At least that is how I used to think about it. But recently I have begun to think that although I don't believe in 'God' in the general sense, I do believe their is something 'Godly' within all of us, and that we each have the chance to seize it or push it down into the depths of our darkness. This may just be my buffer to the world, but I would like to think that there is good in all of us, along with all of the bad.
Lesson Learned
I don't want to hold back in anything.
I sometimes feel like my time right now in life is the time that I will look back to in the future and yearn for. Like everyone says, these are the best years. Supposedly. I am trained to believe this after hearing it repeated so many times. I don't want this to be a time where I hold back, because I know in the future I'll regret it. I used to want to hold back in love so I wouldn't get hurt: hold back in life, just to avoid the pain it can bring. But I'm realizing that that pain is exactly what makes life what it is. What is the good in holding some of yourself back in a relationship? If you put everything out there, on the line, then you are set up to get ripped to shreds, but if you don't and you hold back, you don't risk a thing. You're safe in your little bubble of loneliness. But at least you're not hurting. But are you really feeling anything?
So I'll take the hurt that comes along with love, because what also comes with it is happiness. Just the bare naked feeling of happiness. And I think that is worth the risk.
And I'll take the falls that come with giving this life my all, because as far as I know, this is the only chance I'll get and I want to make the most out of my one shot.
I don't want to settle anymore. For just what is in front of me. I want to try harder, dig deeper, and learn and thrive and become the person I am supposed to be. I have sat around for enough of my life putting some effort into it, but not as much as I could have. For the most part, I am satisfied with my life. But I want to be more than satisfied. I want to be able to listen to the song Time by Pink Floyd when I am older and be able to say I did not miss the starting gun. I may have staggered a bit, and I may be behind some of the other runners, but I'm ready for this race now, and I will catch up, and I may even win.
Whenever I hear that song I picture myself listening to it when my life is behind me, and it depresses me. But it shouldn't. I should be able to look back on my life at its close and be happy about my time on this Earth, and I hope to do that. I've been "waiting for someone or something to show [me] the way" for far too long. Thanks Pink Floyd for being the one to show me, before it was too late.
I sometimes feel like my time right now in life is the time that I will look back to in the future and yearn for. Like everyone says, these are the best years. Supposedly. I am trained to believe this after hearing it repeated so many times. I don't want this to be a time where I hold back, because I know in the future I'll regret it. I used to want to hold back in love so I wouldn't get hurt: hold back in life, just to avoid the pain it can bring. But I'm realizing that that pain is exactly what makes life what it is. What is the good in holding some of yourself back in a relationship? If you put everything out there, on the line, then you are set up to get ripped to shreds, but if you don't and you hold back, you don't risk a thing. You're safe in your little bubble of loneliness. But at least you're not hurting. But are you really feeling anything?
So I'll take the hurt that comes along with love, because what also comes with it is happiness. Just the bare naked feeling of happiness. And I think that is worth the risk.
And I'll take the falls that come with giving this life my all, because as far as I know, this is the only chance I'll get and I want to make the most out of my one shot.
I don't want to settle anymore. For just what is in front of me. I want to try harder, dig deeper, and learn and thrive and become the person I am supposed to be. I have sat around for enough of my life putting some effort into it, but not as much as I could have. For the most part, I am satisfied with my life. But I want to be more than satisfied. I want to be able to listen to the song Time by Pink Floyd when I am older and be able to say I did not miss the starting gun. I may have staggered a bit, and I may be behind some of the other runners, but I'm ready for this race now, and I will catch up, and I may even win.
Whenever I hear that song I picture myself listening to it when my life is behind me, and it depresses me. But it shouldn't. I should be able to look back on my life at its close and be happy about my time on this Earth, and I hope to do that. I've been "waiting for someone or something to show [me] the way" for far too long. Thanks Pink Floyd for being the one to show me, before it was too late.
Old News
I have always been introverted. I love being alone a lot more than I love being with most people. However there are exceptions to every rule...and there are the few people that I love to be with. When they aren't available though, I would rather be alone with my own thoughts. I discovered an old blog of mine where I assessed this problem and talked about how I wished I could change it, but I realize now that is something that will never change, and I would never want it to. I have made it thus far, being introverted; it's not that I cut myself off from everyone, just the people that I don't want to talk to. Which is actually, most people, unfortunately. I thought college would be a cure-all for the dullness of the people that went to high school with me, but it isn't. However, there is definitely an improvement. I love college, and the amount of alone time I get. Or, time in my dorm room with my roommate who is also an introvert which is basically alone time, because she is doing the same thing.
I could not ask for a more perfect roommate. We like the same music, have interesting conversations, she's smart and fun to talk to and our personalities match perfectly. I can't imagine having to live with anyone else in a small room and having it work as well as it does. College wouldn't be as great as it is with a horrible roommate, so I'm really lucky that I got such a good fit.
One of my favorite things about Maddy is that she has a very 'anything goes' personality and does not judge others at all. So no matter how many times I bashfully walk over to the window next to her bed and smoke, she doesn't mind at all...
One thing I spent a lot of time last night doing was looking up the effects of weed because so many people have been badgering me lately about the health risks. I already knew that it was not nearly as harmful as alcohol, and this was only solidified by my search last night. So I've decided I'm not going to quit. Haha. And I'm happy with that decision.
I could not ask for a more perfect roommate. We like the same music, have interesting conversations, she's smart and fun to talk to and our personalities match perfectly. I can't imagine having to live with anyone else in a small room and having it work as well as it does. College wouldn't be as great as it is with a horrible roommate, so I'm really lucky that I got such a good fit.
One of my favorite things about Maddy is that she has a very 'anything goes' personality and does not judge others at all. So no matter how many times I bashfully walk over to the window next to her bed and smoke, she doesn't mind at all...
One thing I spent a lot of time last night doing was looking up the effects of weed because so many people have been badgering me lately about the health risks. I already knew that it was not nearly as harmful as alcohol, and this was only solidified by my search last night. So I've decided I'm not going to quit. Haha. And I'm happy with that decision.
"When they were first married, they even held hands. She savored the relaxed intimacy of these morning walks with him, before the daily demands of their jobs and ambitions rendered them each stressed and exhausted" (Still Alice, Lisa Genova). I am just beginning this book for my Aging and Society class and from the very first page I have been listening to Lykke Li's Possibility on repeat as I read and it has given the book such a haunting sadness. Because the premise of the book is already dark the sadness of the song just adds to it and magnifies it.
Speaking of this song, I always wondered how the Twilight movie managed to convince Thom Yorke to give his song for the album. I understand Lykke Li's move, before she was an already well established artist but mostly underground, and her song put in that movie probably increased her worth 10 fold, but Thom Yorke didn't need the money Twilight would give him, or at least not as badly as to let his song be associated with such a silly series as...Twilight? I can only think Thom did it as a joke, he probably means it ironically...otherwise it just doesn't make sense.
A few years ago I was watching La Blogotheque Take Away shows on Youtube, which are all reallllly amazing videos of artists performing their songs somewhere in public and I discovered Lykke Li. She played Dance Dance Dance on a street and from that first viewing I have loved her music. Her show in March is definitely one of my most highly anticipated concerts of the last few years.
I also will be seeing the Decemberists for the 7th time in January. Every time I see them I thoroughly enjoy myself (except one time, but that was only because of the person I was roped into going with...but even then it was great). I used to listen to the Mariner's Revenge Song so many times that my entire family now begrudgingly knows the lyrics to most of it. They were my first indie band love in probably 7th grade, and they have stayed consistent up until today...they are one of my oldest favorite bands, and seeing them in concert is always fun. Even after 6 times. One of the other bands that I got into at around the same time as the Decemberists was Sufjan Stevens, and I have been waiting since them for him to go on tour. I live near and go to shows in Boston, and when I was a sophomore I think he played a show in Maine, that I wanted to go to so badly, but i was too young to be allowed to take the car all the way to Maine, and there was no way my parents were driving me. Over the past five years or so I have missed so many amazing concert opportunities because of my age. But I did get to go to a bunch of amazing ones that I'll always remember, but I still wish I was older. Maybe not even just 5 or 10 years older, but much older. Or I wish I could just time travel. So I could go back in time and see everyone that needs to be seen in concert. That would take a lifetime, but I'd do it. But because I missed the Sufjan show in sophomore year, his little announcement that he was done with music after that was devastating. But then he released the Age of Adz...and went on tour and I saw him a few weeks ago....but it wasn't the little banjo playing, Christian folk singer that I had loved for so long, but instead a....hip hop artist. Or at least that was my first impression. I was angry throughout most of the concert when he only played 4 or so old songs, and then he even played them half-assedly without the old vigor. But his new sound has slowly been growing on me. Age of Adz is one of my current songs off the new album, the final line has such emotion where I see the old Sufjan shining through, but just in a new way: "I'm sorry if I seem self effacing, consumed by selfish thoughts. It's only that I still love you deeply, it's all the love I've got."
I should actually get back to reading Still Alice, because the next 15 days are jam packed with paper writing and studying for exams that this is really the only night I have to do it. Until next time, or until an hour from now when I have another thought I'd like to post...bogs.
Speaking of this song, I always wondered how the Twilight movie managed to convince Thom Yorke to give his song for the album. I understand Lykke Li's move, before she was an already well established artist but mostly underground, and her song put in that movie probably increased her worth 10 fold, but Thom Yorke didn't need the money Twilight would give him, or at least not as badly as to let his song be associated with such a silly series as...Twilight? I can only think Thom did it as a joke, he probably means it ironically...otherwise it just doesn't make sense.
A few years ago I was watching La Blogotheque Take Away shows on Youtube, which are all reallllly amazing videos of artists performing their songs somewhere in public and I discovered Lykke Li. She played Dance Dance Dance on a street and from that first viewing I have loved her music. Her show in March is definitely one of my most highly anticipated concerts of the last few years.
I also will be seeing the Decemberists for the 7th time in January. Every time I see them I thoroughly enjoy myself (except one time, but that was only because of the person I was roped into going with...but even then it was great). I used to listen to the Mariner's Revenge Song so many times that my entire family now begrudgingly knows the lyrics to most of it. They were my first indie band love in probably 7th grade, and they have stayed consistent up until today...they are one of my oldest favorite bands, and seeing them in concert is always fun. Even after 6 times. One of the other bands that I got into at around the same time as the Decemberists was Sufjan Stevens, and I have been waiting since them for him to go on tour. I live near and go to shows in Boston, and when I was a sophomore I think he played a show in Maine, that I wanted to go to so badly, but i was too young to be allowed to take the car all the way to Maine, and there was no way my parents were driving me. Over the past five years or so I have missed so many amazing concert opportunities because of my age. But I did get to go to a bunch of amazing ones that I'll always remember, but I still wish I was older. Maybe not even just 5 or 10 years older, but much older. Or I wish I could just time travel. So I could go back in time and see everyone that needs to be seen in concert. That would take a lifetime, but I'd do it. But because I missed the Sufjan show in sophomore year, his little announcement that he was done with music after that was devastating. But then he released the Age of Adz...and went on tour and I saw him a few weeks ago....but it wasn't the little banjo playing, Christian folk singer that I had loved for so long, but instead a....hip hop artist. Or at least that was my first impression. I was angry throughout most of the concert when he only played 4 or so old songs, and then he even played them half-assedly without the old vigor. But his new sound has slowly been growing on me. Age of Adz is one of my current songs off the new album, the final line has such emotion where I see the old Sufjan shining through, but just in a new way: "I'm sorry if I seem self effacing, consumed by selfish thoughts. It's only that I still love you deeply, it's all the love I've got."
I should actually get back to reading Still Alice, because the next 15 days are jam packed with paper writing and studying for exams that this is really the only night I have to do it. Until next time, or until an hour from now when I have another thought I'd like to post...bogs.
Paradise Lost
In my BritLit class we were assigned Paradise Lost. I expected it to be respectable and of important literary stature...as all school assigned books are. But I didn't expect to love it, or for it to have such an effect on me.
Somehow, while reading it, I who has never been religious decided I first wanted to get more acquainted with the story of Christianity which is my supposed religious affiliation. I wanted to read the Bible and get the full story of this satirical Paradise Lost. From there I decided I wanted to know the full story of far before that...and well. Not just the jumbled remembrances of a 6th grade class on Neanderthal's and Lucy..but the entire story. And so it began, and it started with Netflix, as many things do. Their watch-instantly selection has an amazing amount of historical documentaries by PBS, Nova, the History Channel, National Geographic, etc, and they are all very interesting. So right after finishing Season Two of Dexter I jumped right into the story of the Sahelanthropus tchadensis to us today, but everything in between. I deleted my Facebook not only because I hated facebook and everything about it, but because it was getting in the way of my documentary watching, book reading and adventuring into the lives of the very first homo sapiens and then later the Egyptians, and then the Greeks and Romans, and that is where I am now.
I used to read two books a week, on average. I hadn't read a book for pleasure in months. Ever since the start of college, and even beginning in my last senior year of high school my reading steadily decreased...and I haven't been sure when I would be able to pick it up again, steadily. I chalked it up to I was able to read that much when life was easy in high school and I didn't have to constantly be doing school work...but I realized it was because my time had been being eaten up by things like facebook...and what was facebook doing for me? Was the information that I was feeding on from it going to get me anywhere in life? Was it going to enrich anything at all except gossip? No...and I was blind to it. Some things become so ingrained in our culture that we don't even realize the true harm behind them, or uselessness. It got to the point that every time I signed on facebook I felt the moment at the end of my life when I look back on all of that wasted time...and wish for it back. There are a lot of things you can do during wasted time that I could bear looking back on when I am laying on my death bed, but sitting on facebook isn't one of them.
So with the time eater of facebook out of the way, I have been able to go on this quest, and have enough time for it between readings and homework and papers for other classes. It has been fun, and I know that it will probably take me years to really really learn everything about...everything. Maybe an entire life time. But I can't wait. I love that so many things can be learned in the world. I wish I could learn all of them, but since that is not possible I'll study for history, and psychology. And just because I have always loved books..also literature. That is what I love most about this time of my life, is that it can be completely devoted to learning whatever it is that I want, and I want to take advantage of it.
Somehow, while reading it, I who has never been religious decided I first wanted to get more acquainted with the story of Christianity which is my supposed religious affiliation. I wanted to read the Bible and get the full story of this satirical Paradise Lost. From there I decided I wanted to know the full story of far before that...and well. Not just the jumbled remembrances of a 6th grade class on Neanderthal's and Lucy..but the entire story. And so it began, and it started with Netflix, as many things do. Their watch-instantly selection has an amazing amount of historical documentaries by PBS, Nova, the History Channel, National Geographic, etc, and they are all very interesting. So right after finishing Season Two of Dexter I jumped right into the story of the Sahelanthropus tchadensis to us today, but everything in between. I deleted my Facebook not only because I hated facebook and everything about it, but because it was getting in the way of my documentary watching, book reading and adventuring into the lives of the very first homo sapiens and then later the Egyptians, and then the Greeks and Romans, and that is where I am now.
I used to read two books a week, on average. I hadn't read a book for pleasure in months. Ever since the start of college, and even beginning in my last senior year of high school my reading steadily decreased...and I haven't been sure when I would be able to pick it up again, steadily. I chalked it up to I was able to read that much when life was easy in high school and I didn't have to constantly be doing school work...but I realized it was because my time had been being eaten up by things like facebook...and what was facebook doing for me? Was the information that I was feeding on from it going to get me anywhere in life? Was it going to enrich anything at all except gossip? No...and I was blind to it. Some things become so ingrained in our culture that we don't even realize the true harm behind them, or uselessness. It got to the point that every time I signed on facebook I felt the moment at the end of my life when I look back on all of that wasted time...and wish for it back. There are a lot of things you can do during wasted time that I could bear looking back on when I am laying on my death bed, but sitting on facebook isn't one of them.
So with the time eater of facebook out of the way, I have been able to go on this quest, and have enough time for it between readings and homework and papers for other classes. It has been fun, and I know that it will probably take me years to really really learn everything about...everything. Maybe an entire life time. But I can't wait. I love that so many things can be learned in the world. I wish I could learn all of them, but since that is not possible I'll study for history, and psychology. And just because I have always loved books..also literature. That is what I love most about this time of my life, is that it can be completely devoted to learning whatever it is that I want, and I want to take advantage of it.
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