Friday, February 13, 2009

Twas Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th is always associated with black cats, unfortunate luck and that creepy movie which is coming out on the same day as its namesake. Yet, this Friday the 13th, I am going out for Valentine's Day. Its a little weird, but with my schedule its how my weekend worked out. But this whole idea of Friday the 13th got me thinking about why we as a society are so superstitious about this one day.
Largely, the theories behind Friday the 13th are related to religion. Some theorize that the day Christ died was Friday the 13th, denoting that it is a day of evil and the death of all goodness. Throughout this religion and looking at Christian art, there are many different representations with 13 being an unlucky number.
Not only in Christianity, but in mythology, the number 13 has chilled people. In some tales, particularly at the banquet of Valhalla, the thirteenth and uninvited guest was the God of Deceit. As well, there are many ties with the infamous thirteen is pagan rituals.
If one dives further into this topic, they can see that historical "villians" have names containing thirteen letters, such as Jack the Ripper. (4+3+6=13) There are many examples of the ill-representation of the number in popular culture, myths and movies. Though I believe that all these examples as to why Friday the 13th is feared are merely coincidence. It takes much time and effect to think of this reasons. For example, my sister's name contains 13 letters, yet she isn't a mass murderer, nor a psychopath. See for yourself. Is Friday the 13th all that bad?

Information from: http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/4885/fri13.html
Thank you!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

With this new semester, a change of courses has been ushered in, and I am slowly embracing this whirlwind. Amongst these classes is Writer's Craft. Being an aspiring writer, this seemed like a course written with me in mind. In the first few weeks, we have worked on the rudimentary aspects surrounding writing. As a part of this process, we have read many articles and one that has been on my mind was one about embracing the plateaus that life brings.
Often, we spend the majority of our time setting goals, going through actions to get to another level. The whole routine is an example that what we have is never enough. The new car, the wardrobe, the hairstyle... Every month, fashion magazines have a new trend, basically rewriting the fashion laws and making what was said last month null and void. It's a perpetual state of false needs, which is the basis of consumerism. In this aspect, I agree that at certain times, it is okay to stop and smell the flowers. Instead of chasing the fads in a circle, taking a breather and staying level can be a good option.
However, at the same time, I feel myself that without a goal or something to strive towards, I am idle like a bump on a log. Not to reach to equates to no results. When we pass by the homeless, its easy to write them off as "lazy" or "not trying", instead of looking at the situation with a holistic view. You find that the people that succeed are those with lofty goals and ideals in mind. Possibly, the reason why these people flourish is the drive they have, not the goal.
So the saying remains written in stone, "stopping and smell the roses". But how practical is this in our fast-paced, dog-eat-dog world. If you rest for one second to stick your honker in a flower, someone else is waiting to leapfrog over you. Especially in these difficult economic times, jobs are limited and employment is a commodity. One needs a job to survive in all honesty. In some rights, we do need to set goals and be ambitious, as to keep up with the Joneses, it is a vital part of life. But at the same time, we also need to be able to weed out what is important. Not always it is necessary to have the latest and greatest. It's personal choice, but I believe we will see a vast alteration in what we hold as important in our lives, particularly in the next five years.

In a Nutshell...

Mood: The all encapsulating "meh"
Loving: Being able to relax and unwind before a busy weekend. I feel for my friends like Lindsay who have dedicated themselves to a bit too much :)
Hating: People in general
Want: no school tomorrow, but sadly I have to go for half the day
Need: to stop smearing my newly polished nails
I wish: nothing today, I'm feeling pretty fulfilled
Background track: the new season of Survivor in HD, the only way to watch TV
Today: overall uneventful
One thing I wish I did today: go to Licks for a homeburger :)
One thing I wish I hadn't done today: sat in the drama room and be bitter, which was exactly the opposite of what I intended to do
Yesterday: same old, same old
Tomorrow: my make-shift Valentine's Day, because I am going out with the girls on the 14th
My Week: opened my eyes to a lot of things...

Monday, January 26, 2009

Scribbles

With exams past, and the future seeming like a blank slate, I can't wait to grab my crayons and get to work. While some were satisfied with the simplistic eight colours, I needed all 92 that Crayola had to offer as a child. I prided myself on my ability to stay within the lines, mix shades and add some pizzazz to the bland outlines.
I thrive off of creativity and the ability to feed my imagination. Every week, I grab the Ideas section of the Toronto Star before anyone else. I tend to stick to the front page, not bothering to crack open the paper, unless I am intrigued by some tidbit. "Ten Things We Learned This Week". They are random, useless, pointless, and humourous. Yet, I look forward to reading it every week- religiously, you might say. It has sparked a curiousity, a thirst to look beyond what everyone else is focused on and to seek what is not important but interesting. So often, I think in life, we are pushed to get the right answers. Math, science and sometimes the most subjective, english, have strict and rigid answers. There is no appreciation for thoughts outside of the box. While the box offers comfort and the security which comes with being in the crowd, I love seeing the other perspectives that life has to offer.
Photographers often have multiple lens to capture light and highlight aspects of a picture. Writers can do this as well. By looking at a story at different angles, one can often gain insight into what others see. While I do not aspire to be an artist, I think that everyone has an artist- even just a bit- inside them. I was not born with a silver paintbrush in my mouth, but I still love to see the beauty of life and the odd quirks on humanity.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Happy Birthday to Me


There are those certain points in time when we all realize the importance of those around us. With the winter blues, most days seem mundane, or for lack of a better word, "blah", yet the special ones which past by so fleeting remind us of the goodness that winter still has to offer. Although January has brought us many days of frigid weather, the impact of friends and fellowship can live the heart toasty for days to come.
Anyone who has come into contact with me, knows that my birthday has passed on January 16th. Under the assumption I was going to dinner with my boyfriend, I floated through the day, slightly saddened that this milestone event was being overlooked by my friends and family. As my boyfriend and I rode around town aimlessly, waiting until our 7:30 reservation, I was hit with the worst news a birthday girl could get- he forget his wallet. As I nagged, yelled, whined, fretted and rolled my eyes, I bitterly drove us back home to retrieve this absent wallet. Awaiting me there were my friends and my family, hidden in the stairwell, and poised to surprise me.
My mother has always taught me to count my blessings, rather than to look for the faults that life seems to illuminate. So while it may to easy to look at the dreary weather present, or curse the wind chill, remember to make the most of the situation. While my lemons may have been the forgotten wallet, the lemonade ended up being sweeter than I could have imagined. Those around us are often underestimated in the grand scheme, yet take the time to appreciate them and value each singular moment they have to offer.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

On Fire

I having been feeling uninspired. This drought has plagued me for the last several weeks, thus explaining my lack of posts. For a writer, this is certain death. Though I try with all my might, I can not put my fingers to the keyboard. I will write aimlessly yet eventually delete it knowing that my thoughts run dry and worthless. After the countless hours spent on projects and essays galore, it seems that the creativity has been zapped from me and replaced by words such as "tendencies" and "pertaining to".

Though the holidays are lit with excitement and youth, January brings no warm memories for many. While we associate the Christmas season with white snow, it seems that on the first of the month, the snow turns brown, slushy, the kind that sticks to your shoes and is dragged around into clean carpets. The decorations are stripped from the trees, which will later be thrown to the curbs or packed away into the basement. Instead of marveling at the gifts, people anxiously await the mail, hoping that the fortunes have blessed them with the Visa win what you buy.

So it is no wonder that I lack the strength to bring my fingers to the keyboard to write to the mass. It is simply that time of year again. Until the snow melts, I fear for the worst. Inspiration is coming, and I'll be on fire! But for now, we shall endure the cold.