Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Boxes

I'd like to preface this by saying that I usually first write this out before I type it here to edit myself. But I feel like this is something that shouldn't be edited and should just come straight out. (Also Josh this isn't the blog post I mentioned in my e-mail.)

I don't like boxes. I'm not talking about those physical boxes, but the immaterial boxes that we put people in, that we even put ourselves in. I don't fit in most literal boxes and if I do I overflow. Because trying to fit someone into being one single thing just doesn't work. And even if you can fit someone into a single box, who says this box is the same from one person to another. And for this same reason I don't think that you could properly even Venn diagram a person. Now this is because not only are people more than one thing, but people are just more, more than the sum of their parts. Now in saying all this I am reminded of the movie The Breakfast Club but in particular this quote "You see us as you want to see us... In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain ...and an athlete... and a basket case... a princess... and a criminal... Does that answer your question?" Now this just shows that this is not a new or an original idea and yet people are still doing it. 

Now, I'd like to explain what is bringing me to talk about this. And because I can only guess that my Twitter may get passed around due to me now having it in a way linked to a university club I am part of. 

So here's the situation. Me plus three other people sitting in a Tim Hortons around 10:30-ish and being election time in the United States, the topic of politics came up. So being Canadian, we were discussing which of the presidential candidates we'd vote for. Now in saying this we only limited this to Dems and Repubs, we left out Green and Libs, so it was Romney vs Obama. But unsurprisingly we all agreed that Obama should win, but that's not the part that sparked this but it was one of the post discussion comment made by one of the other people there. "Only I just think he's a little too pro-choice" paraphrased of course because what the exact words were. What I took away from it was that even though we share a religion, our beliefs are different, we are in the same box, but different boxes at the same time. At that time I mentally was curious to know what they would think if they found out that I am pro-choice, or that I am pro allowing gay marriage to happen.  I said "mentally curious" because I did not actually mention any of this. I have a problem discussing in person what my beliefs are with people that I'm not like super close with. This is because I can actually handle the internet trolls and criticism more than irl trolls and criticism. My mom and my close friends know more of the specifics of my beliefs, and that's just fine with me.

Post Script: A question: If you are American who do you plan on voting for, if you aren't who would you vote for? Leave your answers in comments below.

Post-Post Script: It appears that I have made just over $1.00 in AdSense money in September, so thank you. I will be posting more so I can get that up to $100 so Google will actually send me that money.

Friday, January 11, 2013

2013


Ok I know that I am late in this, but I am going to talk about New Year’s Resolutions. But I don’t believe in NYRs because they are usually hard to stay true to. It’s just like me trying to do NaNoWriMo this past year, I got one page double sided and I kind of gave that up. But I do believe in goal setting.

So I set myself three goals for 2013.
First Goal: I have a bunch of books that have not been read. And so I will be reading, I want to say 20 books leisurely this year; if I do more I will be happy. But the hard part will be choosing which to start with and the subsequent order.
Second Goal: I want to increase the amount of photos I take worthy of putting into a portfolio. And I want to put together a proper portfolio though I know it will be filled primarily with 2013 photos. The hard part for me will be making time and actually going out and taking photos.
Third Goal: Simply enough to continue doing this. By the end of 2013 I hope to have posted twice as many blogs as I did in 2012, which I don’t really see as being all that hard to do especially since I have plenty of ideas.

Goal update: 
Books- 2 started
Photos- Unsure
Blogs- 2nd posted.

Post Script: The goal updates will not be consecutive but periodic. 

A late review


Ok it being later in the year than I had hoped and for that I feel as though I must apologize, but I will not apologize, this is because my absence is due to a desire to spend time with family because family is important. So, I am not sorry that this is late.
This is the blog that I intended for Pre New Years because this is my look back. Where I bring up amendments, additions and extra comments I have in association to the things I have written here over the 2012 year. Let’s dive right in.

So I started my 2012 blogging with talking about entering a photo into a contest followed the next day with how it did and me whining about it doing poorly. But that did not deter me, because they did an autumn showcase and I did enter again I still did not win, but this time I did not feel so bad about not winning. Here is the photo I entered. In my opinion a much better photo which I also framed and matted better than the first.

I also discussed starting the blog again, though I still don’t share it on Facebook, and I have stopped posting it to Twitter to prevent judgment from people I know IRL.
I then proceeded to talk about Twitter and communication. And this has not really changed a bit. I got blocked by a Twitter user that I followed because I was unable to properly convey my point in 140 characters, and me being, well, me. I proceeded to send several tweets consecutively in an attempt to get my point across. So I essentially spammed the Twitter user, got blocked and this was still even before I could entirely get my point across. I regret the spamming and getting blocked, but I don’t regret trying to stand up for something I believe in.

Then came two blogs which I have nothing to add to at this time.

Ahh, Boxes. Chronologically the first blog of 2012 I found myself proud of and what I actually referred back to in posts written after this one. Now looking back I can’t see if I mentioned this anywhere but I do believe that it is possible to both inside and outside of a box, not only that you can be in multiple boxes, or that you are in more than one box.

Looking back at the next post I made I realize that “Assumptions” and “Boxes” could have been merged into one post because they have some complementary ideas in them.
I then proceeded to talk about Christmas for five non-consecutive posts; I’ve got to say Christmas was great, and I’m not going to do any sort of haul post because I took a photo and put it on instagram http://instagram.com/p/T06a7PhQBe/

I also talked about using public restrooms which I still wholly stand behind.

I wrote a response to a YouTube video about me being scared about sharing the blog, I think that with the being a New Year I will start sharing this on Twitter again. Still a bit frightened about what some people on Facebook will think though.

For my birthday I shared 23 bits of unsolicited advice which I really enjoyed doing and next birthday I may very well share 24 bits.

Post Script: Double blog today. Also I need to get back into a blogging schedule. So sorry if this gets a little scattered.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Christmas.


Now I'm gonna go deep with you guys. I'm gonna talk about what Christmas really means to me. So I'm gonna split it up into two parts. The religious and the personal.

Now I will concede that Christmas was put where it is to probably disrupt the pagans celebrating the Winter Solstice, but I don't think that gives it any less meaning than it had before. And by saying that I believe it gives Christmas more of a "symbolic" sense rather than a religious one, which is something I disagree with. It is Christmas because it commemorates the birth of Christ after all. That is where most classic Christmas traditions come from, now I'm talking about things like the tree topper being either a star or an angel, gift giving, the basis for so many of the Carols, and much more. Then again not all traditions are based in Christianity. But then again it is the Christian Christmas that has mostly unified the winter holiday for at least the Western world, bringing together both Christians and non-Christians for a holiday that is now positively seen as being non religiously about family and generosity.

And with that unintentional segue I'm now going to talk about my more personal view of what Christmas means to me. So here I am sitting in Starbucks thinking about Christmas and several words pop into my head, and to start off I will list off some of these words. Happy, Family, Cheer, Generosity, Over Indulgence, Gifts, Together. For me this year I won't be having my Christmas on Christmas day but I will be celebrating on the 28th or 29th because for me Christmas is the time for me to be with family, that is my mom and my brother. Now we won't all be together until the 28th. I will be commemorating Christmas with some of my family in town but that is just not quite the same thing. Christmas is a celebration to be shared with family and those you love as well as those who love you. Now Christmas is a special time of the year, no matter your religion or any other distinguishing factor and for this I'd like to share another quote from a song, "Christmas, it makes way for Spring"- Relient K (Boxing Day). Now look at that quote however you wish. But how I see it, it is true both metaphorically and literally.

Post Script: Have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Christmas traditions.


After today just one more Friday until Christmas and there are just so many things that I could talk about. And as I am writing this I am not even sure what I should talk about. And yet I do know what I am writing next week as well as my posts for pre and post New Years.

But Christmas traditions seems like it would be interesting to talk about. This is of course based on the diversity that this allows. And I'm not just talking family traditions, but personal traditions as well. I am saying this because I know that I have Christmas traditions that my mom doesn't have and vice versa. Let me give an example. Me: Christmas music starts in my headphones on November 1st, Mom: No Christmas stuff until after December 1st (except shopping), Family: Only stockings can be opened or explored before everyone else is awake.

I feel like Christmas traditions whether personal, familiar, or otherwise are crucial to giving Christmas that special feeling that helps distinguish it from other holidays. You get similar food at Thanksgiving, gift giving happens at both Birthdays, and Valentine's Day, families get together for reunions, sweets come on Halloween. So it's not the typical things that happen on Christmas that separates it from other holidays it truly is the traditions that are held by people and families that make Christmas what it is.
Sidebar. In writing this my mind went to a line in a Christmas song, "What's December without Christmas Eve" Peppermint Winter - Owl City
I get overly excited when November hits so I can start the happy sounds of Christmas music. After my birthday I know things will get sparkly and greener despite most of the leaves having already fallen off the trees. December means it is now socially acceptable for me to watch the animated "How The Grinch Stole Christmas". My house is filled with the magnificent smells of Christmas baking. These are all Christmas traditions that fill me up with the joy of Christmas. It truly is not December without Christmas.

So what are some of your Christmastime traditions?

Post Script: I feel like I should explain that my focus on Christmas and not the other holidays of this season is because I don't fit into them.