Memory

"As far as I can remember..." ~

"Way back then..." ~

"Remember when...?" ~

All very typical phrases used today. ~ We live in the past as much as the present, and sometimes even more so. ~ Do you ever think back to when you were younger and smile at your own innocent naivety? ~ Or do you ever yearn to be "back in the day," when things were simpler, clearer, easier? ~ I certainly do. It's as if time if only bogging me down, turning its endless wheel over and over until life becomes a dreaded monotony. ~

Yes, yes, there is a word for this symptom: boredom. ~ A luxury when one is busy, true, but a curse when it descends like an evil cloud of doom. ~

But really... What makes us such easy prey for the past? ~ Why does it have such a powerful grip on all of us? ~

I believe the answer might lie in the future. ~ (Gosh, prophetic much?) ~ In essence, the present is the future of the past. ~ We often do not realize that the bright new future we were so looking forward to when we were younger is happening... right now. ~ All that planning, all those years when we thought, "Everything will be better in the future!" ~ That's today. This moment. Right now. ~ And yet we do not have that feeling of awe anymore. ~ Now that we are older, "wiser" and the future versions of our past selves, we once again have a new future to look forward to. ~ Whether it be tomorrow, next week, or in five years' time, we always think that there will be something better waiting for us. ~ And while this is true to some extent, we must remember that we ourselves are the ones that will determine our future. ~ Think of where you are right now. ~ How did you get here? ~ The answer is simple: By what you did, what happened to you and how you responded, by your past. ~ Now think to the future. ~ Where do you want to be? ~ Are you headed the right way to get there? ~

Personally, it's hard to tell. ~ After all, how many of us are psychics? ~ Not me, that's for sure. ~ So the answer is yet again to simply plow on. ~ But does that not defeat the whole purpose of "constructing your own future?" ~ Oh dear, this appears to be a vicious cycle. ~ Now, how to break it? ~

I believe that a plan is in order. ~ Have not many countries followed successful Five Year Plans? ~ Look at the disastrous American economy. ~ Wouldn't a Plan have maybe prevented or at least alleviated the damage done? ~ If you have a goal, and a way to reach it, and do not veer from your path, then naturally your chances of reaching that goal increase. ~ Realistic, carefully thought-out and, this being very crucial, flexible Plans are the true route to success. ~

Why flexible? ~ Well, think back to the failed Schlieffen plan. ~ It was too precise, too dependant on a smooth carry-out. ~ Ultimately, it failed because of this. ~ Nothing ever goes exactly the way we believe or hope it will, so why force it? ~ Leave wiggle room, but still make a detailed plan. ~ Balance, in the end, is key. ~

Special thanks to AB for tolerating my writer's block self, and the extensive conversation that ensued which has helped to improve this post. ~ I have great friends, truly. ~

Betrayal

Betrayal is a mockery of trust. ~ It takes up the feeling of loyalty, which is so hard to come by in this God-forsaken world, and just tears it up, stomps all over it. ~

Betrayal is not just hurting someone. It's hurting someone you know, someone who loves you and whom you trusted. ~

Betrayal is a cold-hearted beast with the face of an angel. It creeps up on you when you least expect it, and then, when it's too late, you know you're a goner. ~ You've been hurt by someone on the inside. ~

Taking advantage of a stranger is one thing. It'd be human - after all, we're all still specimens of Darwinism, i.e. survival of the fittest. ~

But when you betray someone - that's just inhuman. Breaking previously forged bonds, shaming respect and innocence, shredding integrity. ~ No wonder betrayal was a crime worthy of hanging back in the day. ~ That feeling of being stabbed in the back by a loved one leaves bitter hate in one's soul. ~ The sweeter the love, the darker the hate. ~

Betrayal cannot be overlooked lightly. ~ Forgiveness is so much harder to bear than hate. Why not nurture the need for revenge, that all-consuming yet oh-so-satisfying hellish flame within every human soul? ~

For all of us are just one betrayal away from the dark side. ~ Betrayal is the Sarajevo assassination of our otherwise peaceful lives, the spark that can set off a World War of catastrophic consequences. ~

Oh, woe. ~

And that is why it hurts to love. When you fall for someone, betrayal will undoubtedly be starring in the near future. ~ We humans are ruled by our emotions, and love is as dangerous as hate, for love is but a bittersweet prologue to betrayal. ~ It sets a pastoral scene for the brewing storm, the twister ready to engulf your heart at any minute. ~

So I shall guard my heart. ~ Love with caution, or not at all. ~

Blurb of Joy

School has been extremely stressful lately. ~ What with Christmas break approaching, teachers are all in a hurry to get marks in. That haste shows up on our faces as deep, dark pockets under our eyes. ~

So amid all this stress, I try to look on the small, happy details of life. ~ Most unlike my pessimistic nature, but then, desperate times call for desperate measures. ~ (Realpolitik.) ~

First of all, I've managed to inspire two people to start their own blogs. ~ This is one of the best feelings a writer can have. ~ These two brilliant people have writing styles quite different from mine, another bonus. ~ They're creating a little niche for themselves in the digital world. ~ As much as I sound like a mother hen writing this, this makes me so proud! ~ I shall be co-writing posts with them in the near future, something for both you and me to look forward to! ~

Also, December means Christmas. ~ Truly the most wonderful time of the year. ~ I celebrate by listening to carols. ~ I've discovered a particularly touching one - "The Cat Carol," the unlikely yet heart-warming story of a Christmas miracle. ~ As well, I enjoy listening to the saucy "Santa Baby," which always brings a smile to my face. ~ And of course, the classics, including, but definitely not limited to, "Jingle Bell Rock," "Winter Wonderland," and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree."

Ah, time to get back to work. ~ Look out for my next post, which will be coming sometime very soon! ~ (A little marketing never did anyone any harm, right?)

Thoughts on Marriage

After interviewing seven intelligently well-spoken young adults with the question "What are your thoughts on marriage?", I compiled their various results and present them here for scrutiny. ~

Some find marriage "redundant" and "overrated," while others stick with the orthodox "important" and "good." ~ Another affirms that entering marriage is like experiencing "a different world." ~ Still another states that marriage is "scary." ~ Obviously, opinions differ greatly. ~

One that particularly touched me was through a boy's direct statement: "Personally, I wouldn't want to spend my life alone. To my buddies, I say it's because I don't want to make my own sandwiches. Real reason? I think it would be pretty depressing coming home after work to an empty house..." ~

What a true point. ~ A house without laughter, without love, is just an empty shell. ~ Spending life alone is not a pleasing thought. ~

Then there's the more misogamic point of view: "I see no point for it. Women use it as a way of security. [Some people] just haven't been in a [steady] relationship. It gets too disgusting, like mishy-mushy, you know? Fades after two weeks." ~

Eek. ~ Another good point. ~ Hormones induce a feeling of love that seems to be genuine. However, once the honeymoon phase is over, reality sinks in and you might discover that your partner is not as perfect as he or she seemed to be. ~

Two of the boys I interviewed both treat marriage as a sacred rite: "I think when being in a marriage, I am responsible for both of the family members. When I commit to love someone, I should just love that [one] person." ~

As well: "Marriage is something meant to legally combine two individuals as one spiritually. The two people undergo an occasion that will mark their anniversary, their legacy, and the fact that they are bonded together with the promises they will have to swear in front of many." ~

Truth be told, I agree most with the two following people: "I think that couples don't need such a ritual, and many couples today are choosing to not marry. [Marriage] should be thought of as just a practice. [It should be] a choice made by the individual, not one that is forced upon the individual by society." ~

As well: "It makes more sense if [marriage didn't exist], since after that initial act, you are obligated to remain faithful. But if you loved that person to such an extent anyways, the ceremony isn't really needed." ~

To me, marriage is simply a legal act. ~ We have built it up to a true bond, something that will overcome all, that in itself will be the glue that holds a couple together. ~ But in our society, infidelity is more common than true love. ~ Sure, there are the happy old couples living together after all these years, but do we truly understand the difficulties of marriage? ~ Do we want to risk the pain that comes with marriage, when it would be so much simpler to deal with a break-up? ~ I'm not saying marriage is bad. ~ Only... is it good enough to carry through with? ~

In the end, one girl sums it up pretty well: "You're basically dedicating yourself to one person that you probably don't know completely. But I think that if you get a good marriage, it's going to be really worth it. So... I want a good guy." ~

Special thanks to you seven who so graciously accepted to be interviewed. ~ Seriously, all the conflicting emotions I had and still have over marriage were presented in your views. ~

Dihydrogen Monoxide

It's hot out. ~ Scalding, really. ~ Your tongue is parched to the extreme. A dull throbbing pain in your throat prevents you from swallowing. ~ You rush in to the cool air-conditioned house, but even that does not soothe your burning need. ~ In haste, you run to the sink and open the faucet. ~ A cool stream of liquid bursts forth. ~ Shivering with anticipation, you take a gulp. ~ Instant relief. ~
Sounds like a drug, doesn't it? ~ In truth, we undoubtedly are addicted to this precious, unique solvent. ~ Polar, small, high surface tension, high heat capacity... Its wondrous properties are endless. ~
Water. ~ *Cue heavenly angels singing.*
For once, perhaps, I am not exaggerating. ~ Really. ~ Water is indispensable. We use it to drink, to travel, to dissolve other substances, to clean, to wash, to calm, to play... When is water not important? ~ What makes Earth such a unique planet within the solar system and possibly even the entire universe is precisely its numerous large bodies of water. ~
Water has also taken on symbolic meaning in literature. ~ Rebirth, in the case of a fetus surrounded by the mother's amniotic fluid. ~ A pure quality, as in the cleansing and washing away of the old ways of life. ~ Rejuvenation, as in the fountain of youth. ~ Water is so mysterious, so beautiful, so tantalizing. ~ In Pirates of the Caribbean, Jack Sparrow, in his usual devil-may-care way, says "my first and only love is the sea." ~ Indeed, I suspect many a sailor has fallen in love with this wild, untamable lady and been lured into her depths. ~ She is beautiful, true, but dangerous. ~
I've often gazed longingly yet with certain fear into deep water, wondering what it hid in its depths. ~ The strange underwater worlds has inspired so many myths and legends that it would be a shame to unveil its true self. ~ Yet science plows on. ~ Off topic here. ~
The miracle that is water, this transparent fluid that may become a source of worry due to the endless contamination we force upon it, should forever remain a priority in our minds, something to cherish and something to keep pure. ~ After all, when the pure is soiled, what hopes do we, the tainted human race, have of ridding ourselves of the dirt that we accumulate on our hands? ~

Unique

I've recently thought about uniqueness and it really got the gears in my head turning. ~ My original theory is that we are all unique because though we do to the same things, have the same hobbies and even occasionally think like many other people, no other person is exactly the same as us. No one else has the exact same combination of everything as we do. ~

But then, none of this really amounts to much. You might be unique, but so is everyone else. ~ Being unique begins to sound like a given, something not even worth thinking about. ~ But that can lead to all sorts of speculation. ~ Most of us need a purpose in life. We want something to live for, something to look forward to, some reason we exist. ~ But if we are not all unique, then how do we do this? ~ Uniqueness is important after all, and it must be reaffirmed continuously for us to feel good about ourselves. ~

I've recently listened to a few concerts, and one that really stood out to me was the performance of the highly talented Jan Lisiecki, piano virtuoso at the tender age of fifteen. ~ It makes me wonder if maybe geniuses such as this young pianist are more unique than the rest of us? ~ Were Einstein, da Vinci, and Walt Disney all so exceptionally talented because of their uniqueness? Is uniqueness not the root of originality, and therefore new ideas? ~
So maybe that need to feel special stems from a greed for recognition. ~ Is it not nice to be acknowledged for one's superiority, for one's genius? ~ We all want so desperately to be unique. ~ And some of us succeed, whether it be in the standard way, like Lisiecki, or in the unusual way, like Lady Gaga. ~ Just strive to be yourself, though that might prove to be toughest challenge of all, and that's how you'll come to be at peace with yourself and your quest for uniqueness. ~

The IB Theory

I've revealed it. ~ Not that anyone who knows me personally doesn't already know about the torturous program in which I'm enrolled. ~ Yes, I'm in IB. ~
Moving right along, I've recently developed a theory on the International Baccalaureate program. (Incredible, I didn't even have to check the spelling of that.) ~ As any IB student knows, the homework load dropped upon our fragile young shoulders is substantial. And by substantial, I mean HUGE. ~ Now that I'm "officially" in IB, I have come to terms with this reality within my first week of school. ~
Have the rest of you IB children not realized how completely over-compulsive, paranoid and unstable the character of IB is? ~ Uncertainties must be expressed in the sciences to express the sad fact that we humans are not perfect. ~ It seems as if Group IV is an opportunity for us poor lifeless kids to have a social life. ~ In literature, there has not been a single book or play in which someone has not had a symbolic death. ~ The study of history is strangely concentrated on genocide, over-exploitation, and slavery. ~ In math, one can only rely on the trusty TI-84 as we take the plunge into paradoxes and the possibility of a non-existent infinity. ~ And remember, failing is all right, because it'll still be above the class average. ~
So why does IB put us through this misery? ~ Here comes the theory. Yes, I just made you read an entire prologue to my theory, my thesis. ~ Which is the following: IB cruelly forces us to undergo hours upon sleepless hours of reading, analyzing, writing, rewriting, editing, re-editing, then re-re-editing, to push us to our deepest, darkest, most morbid limits. ~ And upon reaching that extreme, we release our true inner potential to think. ~ Indeed, all the great works of old sum up as being revelations of the dark side of human nature, only attainable by stretching one paper-thin with exhaustion, bad news and sheer despair. ~ Sounds eerily like IB, doesn't it? ~
So as we all board this train that will carry us to IB hell, praying to the fickle IB gods for salvation, let's take comfort in this simple fact: anything that life throws our way will be nothing compared to the horrors we will have studied and experienced on our International Baccalaureate journey. ~