My good friends Ben, Chris, Nick, Jason had it right with the thought of "transcendentalism". I've been fans of the band since eighth grade and was always under the impression that their album was called transcendentalism, but as of approximately 2 minutes ago, I realized that the album name is actually "Transatlanticism" which has nothing to do with transcendentalism. I hope this was an effective attention getter.
I'M A TRANSCENDENTALIST!!! Emerson's Self Relience screams me!
I believe in fate. I believe in destiny. That may not seem to be exactly what Emerson was trying to say, but I believe that it correlates. I believe that your destiny relies on the desicions you make. That's why you must rely on yourself and love yourself.
"Trust thyself": Follow your dreams and believe that you can do it! The only thing pulling you down is yourself.
Finally, I believe that people are inherently good. We are all born as babies. Environmental factors are a large contribution to cognitive development. You have no idea what this person went through as a child or what's going on in their life that makes them unpleasant now. Deep down everyone has the potential to be the best they can be; although, some were not the blessed with the flawless coming of age like many others.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Declaration of InDEEPendence
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one to separate from what has caused them pain, stress, and grief. A decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the seperation.
We hold these truths to be self evident , that all water is equal, that all who endow in the water may not aquire as many skills as others, but among everyone thrust in the water are certain unalienable rights--life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Thou coaches shall no longer be the dictator of the individual swimmer's life--for the power of self lies within the fishes soul. Accordingly all experience hath shown that swimmers are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the strokes to which they are accustomed to.The history of the present King of the pool is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these youth. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has taken our freedom of spare time.
He has physically harmed all of his citizens.
He has altered the appearance of the upper body of all the people causing major disporportion and unattractiveness.
He has submerged a volatile aroma deep beneath the skin of his citizens.
He sits directly in our ears and doesn't come out no matter how hard we try.
He has forbidden oxygen of the lungs of many.
He has put every last one of his people at risk of death every day.
We (specifically I), therefore, declare independence from the water. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of life, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
We hold these truths to be self evident , that all water is equal, that all who endow in the water may not aquire as many skills as others, but among everyone thrust in the water are certain unalienable rights--life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Thou coaches shall no longer be the dictator of the individual swimmer's life--for the power of self lies within the fishes soul. Accordingly all experience hath shown that swimmers are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the strokes to which they are accustomed to.The history of the present King of the pool is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these youth. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has taken our freedom of spare time.
He has physically harmed all of his citizens.
He has altered the appearance of the upper body of all the people causing major disporportion and unattractiveness.
He has submerged a volatile aroma deep beneath the skin of his citizens.
He sits directly in our ears and doesn't come out no matter how hard we try.
He has forbidden oxygen of the lungs of many.
He has put every last one of his people at risk of death every day.
We (specifically I), therefore, declare independence from the water. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of life, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Furious Noise
The documentary Sound and Fury opens up the debate over whether or not parents should implant their child with new ears. The cochlear implant is something I have never heard of before, which is ironic because one of the topics discussed in this film was how ignorant hearing people are toward the deaf. Call me insensitive, but this film bothered me. I didn't understand why you wouldn't get the cochlear implant. It is simply a mechanism that gives you your sense back; a miracle really. Of course, I am biased because I can hear (quite well, I may add) and I could not imagine my life without my ears. Music is what makes me. The thought of me never being able to hear the wonderful gift music brings in saddening. I felt bad that little Heather could not recieve that gift.
This is an example of Discourse. There is the Discourse of the hearing (the majority) and a Discourse of the non-hearing. The non-hearing parents were happy that they had deaf children. They believed that the cochlear implant would turn them into robots. They had their own language and didn't seem like they wanted to be included in the hearing world at all. They did not look at being deaf as a disability, but rather a culture. Then there was the Discourse of the hearing who believed all of the best opportunites would only be provided with the full ability to hear.
The filmmaker decided to do voice overs for all of the non-hearing who were doing sign language. I personally would have preferred if subtitles were used. The film goes pretty much in chronological order, starting with Heather bringing up the fact that she would like to be able to hear. The mother checks it out, the father refuses. They check out some successful kids, and some not so successful kids. It comes to a point where they both refuse and run away from they're problems. Throughout the two main stories, there are little tidbits of outside people with opposing and supporting views. The film has a happy ending when we find out that the implant was successful and the baby was now able to hear. I was happy that they all decided to get the implants in the end.
This is an example of Discourse. There is the Discourse of the hearing (the majority) and a Discourse of the non-hearing. The non-hearing parents were happy that they had deaf children. They believed that the cochlear implant would turn them into robots. They had their own language and didn't seem like they wanted to be included in the hearing world at all. They did not look at being deaf as a disability, but rather a culture. Then there was the Discourse of the hearing who believed all of the best opportunites would only be provided with the full ability to hear.
The filmmaker decided to do voice overs for all of the non-hearing who were doing sign language. I personally would have preferred if subtitles were used. The film goes pretty much in chronological order, starting with Heather bringing up the fact that she would like to be able to hear. The mother checks it out, the father refuses. They check out some successful kids, and some not so successful kids. It comes to a point where they both refuse and run away from they're problems. Throughout the two main stories, there are little tidbits of outside people with opposing and supporting views. The film has a happy ending when we find out that the implant was successful and the baby was now able to hear. I was happy that they all decided to get the implants in the end.
Monday, December 26, 2011
How I Write (Lacking Creativity)
I was thinking about leaving this blog post blank to get across the point that I don't write.
When I was younger I loved to write. I was in creative writing classes in summer school. As I got older, my interest shifted to visual story telling: painting.
I suppose my inability to write is because all of my intelligence lies within my eyes and ears. I am a visual and auditory learner. I also have an extreme case of ADD, and cannot sit down and read something to save my life. As a result of my reading habits being almost non-existent, I do not have the natural flowing skills of a writer.
I guess the way I write is just getting all my thoughts down on paper; no organization required. My favorite writing I've done has been the entries in my notebook (I guess you could call it a diary, but I didn't want to sound like a bad Britney Spears song.) I am the queen of making lists, and I wish I could just make lists for the rest of my life, none of this analytical-paragraph-organized-paper crap. I often have writer's block, and it causes me to have extreme frustration, which turns into extreme procrastination, which ends with extreme stress.
When I was younger I loved to write. I was in creative writing classes in summer school. As I got older, my interest shifted to visual story telling: painting.
I suppose my inability to write is because all of my intelligence lies within my eyes and ears. I am a visual and auditory learner. I also have an extreme case of ADD, and cannot sit down and read something to save my life. As a result of my reading habits being almost non-existent, I do not have the natural flowing skills of a writer.
I guess the way I write is just getting all my thoughts down on paper; no organization required. My favorite writing I've done has been the entries in my notebook (I guess you could call it a diary, but I didn't want to sound like a bad Britney Spears song.) I am the queen of making lists, and I wish I could just make lists for the rest of my life, none of this analytical-paragraph-organized-paper crap. I often have writer's block, and it causes me to have extreme frustration, which turns into extreme procrastination, which ends with extreme stress.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
FEAR: It's my middle name
Hello, my name is Bridget Fear Schwefel. That's right, fear is my middle name. Ever since I was a young girl, I've passed through numerous fears. I'd be lying if I said these fears were rational and that I wasn't embarrased by them. I hope you're comfortable right now, because I have a long interesting piece of reading I'm about to dish out to you. Here are the fears I've been succumbed to over the years:
Dogs (and animals in general) : From ages 4-12 I was deathly afraid of dogs. Everytime I was insight of a dog, I immediately thought that it was going to kill me.
Large Mascot Costumes: I couldn't go to Disney World until I was 8. Mickey Mouse freaked me out. Don't even get me started on Bucky Badger. Let's just say I've been to very few badger games.
Volleyballs: I honestly was one of the only girls who didn't do volleyball in middle school. Reason being; I was afraid of the ball. The thought of a leather ball coming towards my face full speed just freaks me out. So as a result; I duck and run away when ever I see that ball coming towards my face.
Vomit: Emetophobia. Yep, I looked it up. I went to C.H. Bird Elementary and I'm pretty sure that whatever they were serving us there was contaminated because they're was always a kid throwing up. The noise is what really gets to me. When I was in 6th grade, me and my friend went to our town's summer festival. We went on the Tilt-a-Whirl. You can probably assume how this story ends.
Falling: In 10th grade, I fell backwards off of a railing 3 feet tall. That doesn't seem so bad at all, but it really hurt, not to mention I cracked my head open.
Staples: See above.
Blood: This isn't really a fear. It just grosses me out.
Being Trapped: Last Halloween, I went to the Haunted Forest. I thought I'd be okay. I was just going to close my eyes the entire time. I realized that that was not going to work after I ran into a tree and hit my head. At that moment I started breathing rapidly and bawling my eyes out. I had an anxiety attack. There a no turning back and the only way I could get out would be to forge ahead. This haunted forest felt like it was a mile long. A mile full of crying and screaming and not being able to see. This fear is derived from claustrophobia I believe. I really hate crowds, and morphsuits.
Dying Alone/Too Young: I think many people have a fear of death. A silly fear actually, once you're dead, you have no emotions. I believe these people actually have the fear of not living life to the fullest. I have many goals and many dreams, and the thought of my life ending before any of those were accomplished makes me nervous. I am also afraid of never finding my soulmate and never having kids. I do not want to be an old cat lady who dies in her apartment and no one finds her body for a week. That's my number one fear.
Dogs (and animals in general) : From ages 4-12 I was deathly afraid of dogs. Everytime I was insight of a dog, I immediately thought that it was going to kill me.
Large Mascot Costumes: I couldn't go to Disney World until I was 8. Mickey Mouse freaked me out. Don't even get me started on Bucky Badger. Let's just say I've been to very few badger games.
Volleyballs: I honestly was one of the only girls who didn't do volleyball in middle school. Reason being; I was afraid of the ball. The thought of a leather ball coming towards my face full speed just freaks me out. So as a result; I duck and run away when ever I see that ball coming towards my face.
Vomit: Emetophobia. Yep, I looked it up. I went to C.H. Bird Elementary and I'm pretty sure that whatever they were serving us there was contaminated because they're was always a kid throwing up. The noise is what really gets to me. When I was in 6th grade, me and my friend went to our town's summer festival. We went on the Tilt-a-Whirl. You can probably assume how this story ends.
Falling: In 10th grade, I fell backwards off of a railing 3 feet tall. That doesn't seem so bad at all, but it really hurt, not to mention I cracked my head open.
Staples: See above.
Blood: This isn't really a fear. It just grosses me out.
Being Trapped: Last Halloween, I went to the Haunted Forest. I thought I'd be okay. I was just going to close my eyes the entire time. I realized that that was not going to work after I ran into a tree and hit my head. At that moment I started breathing rapidly and bawling my eyes out. I had an anxiety attack. There a no turning back and the only way I could get out would be to forge ahead. This haunted forest felt like it was a mile long. A mile full of crying and screaming and not being able to see. This fear is derived from claustrophobia I believe. I really hate crowds, and morphsuits.
Dying Alone/Too Young: I think many people have a fear of death. A silly fear actually, once you're dead, you have no emotions. I believe these people actually have the fear of not living life to the fullest. I have many goals and many dreams, and the thought of my life ending before any of those were accomplished makes me nervous. I am also afraid of never finding my soulmate and never having kids. I do not want to be an old cat lady who dies in her apartment and no one finds her body for a week. That's my number one fear.
Cultural Trends: Shades
This cultural artifact is not life changing or absolutely necessary for survival, but it something that's always nice to own. Sunglasses have been a simple thing part of American culture for years, but have changed year by year. Do you remember the 90's? The size of sunglasses were the size of what regular lense glasses were. Year by year, the size of sunglasses have gotten bigger and bigger. They can be found on almost anyone, but I believe the most you see would be on the faces of celebrities. There are infinite combinations of colors, shapes, and sizes.
Let's not forget sunglasses #1 purpose: to shield eyes from the sun. But is that the main reason people buy sunglasses? If that we're the case, every person would have only have one pair. Try finding a person that only has one pair. I guarantee you probably won't find one. Sunglasses have become a staple fashion item (even though most of the time, they just make you look like a bug.)
Sunglasses are supposed to be protection for your eyes, but could it be argued that they are protection from people? When you want to be mysterious in disguise, sunglasses may be your tool to keep you hidden. Sunglasses are also a mechanism to give you "swagg." Do you ever see people wearing sunglasses at night? Normal people think, why on earth is that person wearing sunglasses? How can they see? It's what the cool kids do I guess.
When you analyze something, it opens your mind to a whole new perspective. It turns 2D thoughts into 3D. Sunglasses can be protection mechanisms, disguise mechanisms, or swagg mechanisms.
Let's not forget sunglasses #1 purpose: to shield eyes from the sun. But is that the main reason people buy sunglasses? If that we're the case, every person would have only have one pair. Try finding a person that only has one pair. I guarantee you probably won't find one. Sunglasses have become a staple fashion item (even though most of the time, they just make you look like a bug.)
Sunglasses are supposed to be protection for your eyes, but could it be argued that they are protection from people? When you want to be mysterious in disguise, sunglasses may be your tool to keep you hidden. Sunglasses are also a mechanism to give you "swagg." Do you ever see people wearing sunglasses at night? Normal people think, why on earth is that person wearing sunglasses? How can they see? It's what the cool kids do I guess.
When you analyze something, it opens your mind to a whole new perspective. It turns 2D thoughts into 3D. Sunglasses can be protection mechanisms, disguise mechanisms, or swagg mechanisms.
Political Dimensions of Language
We all love Barack Obama's enchanting voice that he uses in all of his speeches. His speeches contain different subject matter, but they're are all connected in some way. As tradition serves, all presidents give speeches about similar subject matter. History changes though. Barack Obama uses the word nation a lot, which makes sense...because we live in a nation. I found it interesting that every single president from 1973 until president has used the word America the most. I wonder why in years prior they didn't use the word.
George W. Bush used the word freedom 27 times. I believe it was because he sent so many troops to Iraq and the word freedom was his way of convincing the nation that we were okay. We're we really okay though?
George W. Bush used the word freedom 27 times. I believe it was because he sent so many troops to Iraq and the word freedom was his way of convincing the nation that we were okay. We're we really okay though?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)