Which one, though, I'm not sure.
Paul Simon's Al has a romantic flair, but he's a copout. He's like James Bond before you get the results back from the clinic. He's your "long lost pal." But maybe he's lost for a reason? Or maybe I do need to find him again. I mean, I do need a photo-oppurtunity and to stop wondering where my wife and family are. I need to get up and find them! Then again, I hate calling anyone anything because I hate phones.
Then there's J. Alfred Prufrock. T.S. Eltiot (!) 's homeboy. Frankly, the man's a bore. I feel sorry for him. And then, I realize the parallels and feel a tad sorry for myself. And then I have a good cry, listen to NYSNC, and call up my best girlfriend to talk about boys for an hour. Then the sinking realization of my actions attacks me like a waffle iron attacks postmen, and I regret I sold my gun for a kitten and a dream. Unfortunately, the dream involved eating small, cute, fuzzy marshmallows, so the kitten didn't last long. Suffice it to say, I am neither Hamlet, Prufrock, or Richard Simmons, and I'm incredibly thankful for that.
Finally, there's Al Sharpton. Al came to speak tonight and was absolutely incredible. Sometimes he didn't make much sense, but he was a great speaker. I loved part of his speech that basically equated to "Al Sharpton: Fighting For Your Right To Go To Hell." It, like most things, made me want to get started teaching. After seeing Maya Angelou and Mr. Sharpton, I think I've got enough evidence to counter any black kid who says "I can't succeed." Both Angelou and Sharpton were inspiring, well spoken, and intelligent. And they *gasp* communicated well! Why, it's almost as if communication skills are important! I think I've found a teaching tool ;). But anyway, Al wanted to stand for something. What do I stand for? I'm not brave enough to directly achieve social change. I can't even ask a girl out. BUT I'll do my part through years of service corr...educating the youth of the future. That ought to be enough.
So which Al am I? I don't really know. I want to be an individual. Dylan Meggs, a character who makes an impression upon you. I don't think I'm there yet. I use words in fairly witty ways, but I'm not defined. That might take a few years. I've got time to develop. Hopefully I can have fun doing it.
Oh, by the way, this morning my Physics teacher started getting angry at buoyancy. It wasn't an experiment or anything. It was as if the concept infuriated him. What did buoyancy do to him? I guess he is German, and therefore naturally prone to anger. But I still wonder what the therapy session would go like....
Prof. Spanier: And zen zee ice... zee ice floated upon zee water! And I... I ...
Therapist: It's ok, Stefan, take your time.
Prof. Spanier: But it ez how zeze thingz vurk! I cannot fight zee physics!
Therapist: We'll fight it Stefan. We'll fight it. Together.
Prof. Spanier: NOW IS ZEE TIME IN PHYZICS 101 VEN VE DANCE!!!
(I sure hope some of you caught that reference. Anyway, no new list items. Better luck tomorrow, eh?)
Tuesday, October 25
What Have We Learned?
New post over at Fiction. It's been awhile, but it was a fun little exercise. I hope you like it. (Post comments on this site if you don't mind. I would like to know your thoughts though. I mean know them. Yes, all of them. Well, maybe not... ok, that was just uncalled for. Why the hell would you even stick a rabbit in you-? You know what, I changed my mind. I don't want to know. About the rabbit anyway. That poor, poor little... Anyway, let me know what you think about the piece. Which is ironic, for a piece about not thinking, but hey, it's what I do. For better or worse.)
Sunday, October 23
I need to start dramatizing my days. I'm tired of analysis, I'm thinking it's time to be creative again. I'm almost tempted to start my villain novel, but it's just not time. The longer I hold off, the more defined the message and story I want to convey will be. Perhaps I'll do a few more character sketches, I dunno. And this is just a passing whim, because I'm inspired.
I know what I need. I need a mantra, to remind me of lessons I've learned. So I'm going to start a list and eventually compile it into something like a daily mantra. I know, I know, I've had this very idea before. But I keep finding times when I think "I would have been better off if I'd just remembered what I've already learned." So I'll try to follow through this time. Hence, off the top of my head...
1. Be Happy. Happiness is its own reward, to you and the rest of the world. You may have to repeat this life again, if the circle holds true, so make it the best you can. You'll thank yourself later. Or you won't. But...um... you know what you mean.
2. Make Happy. Try to make others happy. You'd like them to do the same, right? So start a trend!
3. Be Positive. Even if you're wrong, no one can fault you of having a positive attitude. You can still be realistic and positive.
4. Don't Judge. If someone's not bothering you and they're happy with themselves, just be glad they're happy.
5. Don't Feel Insecure. Every person plays a role. Just because you didn't make someone laugh doesn't mean you're a failure. Just because your stomach is soft instead of hard you're not repulsive. Just because others are better than you at everything you do does not mean you are worth less than they are.
6. Improve Yourself. There's always room for self-improvement. Always.
7. Be Happy for Others. Don't feel threatened by the success of others. Be happy for them, enjoy their work.
8. Don't Worry So Much About The Future. The future is always tomorrow, never today. If you worry about something that never gets here, you'll worry forever.
9. Don't Be Afraid of Other People. Most people are at least somewhat nice, and if they're not they probably should be. Ask for their help, interact with them, be nice to them. Avoiding them doesn't help anyone.
10. Don't Stop Trying. Don't fall into complacecency. Keep things new, keep things interesting. Keep things challenging. It's the only way to keep things alive.
I know what I need. I need a mantra, to remind me of lessons I've learned. So I'm going to start a list and eventually compile it into something like a daily mantra. I know, I know, I've had this very idea before. But I keep finding times when I think "I would have been better off if I'd just remembered what I've already learned." So I'll try to follow through this time. Hence, off the top of my head...
1. Be Happy. Happiness is its own reward, to you and the rest of the world. You may have to repeat this life again, if the circle holds true, so make it the best you can. You'll thank yourself later. Or you won't. But...um... you know what you mean.
2. Make Happy. Try to make others happy. You'd like them to do the same, right? So start a trend!
3. Be Positive. Even if you're wrong, no one can fault you of having a positive attitude. You can still be realistic and positive.
4. Don't Judge. If someone's not bothering you and they're happy with themselves, just be glad they're happy.
5. Don't Feel Insecure. Every person plays a role. Just because you didn't make someone laugh doesn't mean you're a failure. Just because your stomach is soft instead of hard you're not repulsive. Just because others are better than you at everything you do does not mean you are worth less than they are.
6. Improve Yourself. There's always room for self-improvement. Always.
7. Be Happy for Others. Don't feel threatened by the success of others. Be happy for them, enjoy their work.
8. Don't Worry So Much About The Future. The future is always tomorrow, never today. If you worry about something that never gets here, you'll worry forever.
9. Don't Be Afraid of Other People. Most people are at least somewhat nice, and if they're not they probably should be. Ask for their help, interact with them, be nice to them. Avoiding them doesn't help anyone.
10. Don't Stop Trying. Don't fall into complacecency. Keep things new, keep things interesting. Keep things challenging. It's the only way to keep things alive.
I found this strangely poetic, beautiful, funny, and a wee bit disturbing. It's amazing the things humanity can think up.
