March's Theme: Stereotypes and Living

Wow, March is already done! It's been pretty fast (at least, to me).

This month, we newly introduced themes, and March's theme was Stereotypes and Living. In only a matter of 31 days, the Acquired Minds yearned out 24 articles (not including this one) all about stereotypes and living your life.

Earlier this month, we had a poll that asked "Have you ever used a stereotype on someone?". The results were not surprising. Only one person responded "Not directly", while everyone else answered "Yes". This just goes to show that everyone, no matter where or when, has used a stereotype. Stereotypes are a very strong epidemic that's spreading like wildfire, and it'll probably never be stopped.

Okay, moving on. From musical stereotypes to a 'guide on how to pick up a chick', we have it all. The following is a summary of all the articles this month. To take a look at them, just go to the 'Archives' to the right and find the name of the article under 'March'.

Teacher Codes: Ever wondered what your teacher really meant?
Don't Make Me a Target: The fantastic world of labels.
Un-Mistakenly: Making mistakes isn't the end of the world.
Airbag: Your own life's safety net is always there.
POSTSECRET: A truly eye-opening blog.
There only exists one Hawk...: It's a bird. It's a plane. It's Lady Hawk!
Security—Gone Wild?: The many things threatening your sense of security.
Finer Feelings: The magic of appreciation.
A Tribute to the Greatest Names in Music: A recollection of exactly what the title says.
music and the world of stereotypes: Being provoked because of your musical tastes.
Mistaken For Strangers: Time is running out.
Time: More discussion on 'time'.
Pre-Life Lottery: Did YOU Win?: How you ended up where you are now.
Fear: Being afraid of what life has got to give.
"They're after me lucky charms!": Info on where St. Patrick's derived from.
A Guide On: How to Pick Up a Chick: Our first duo-article. –burp- Excuse me.
Burn Your Life Down: Being lazy is just one problem.
Feedbacks can now be Acquired: Yay! We have a new feedback email account!
Brighter Than Sunshine: Reality at its best.
But, Honestly: Contentment and happy—two very different things.
Painting a Life Canvas: Choosing the career that you want.
Stressing out about out stressing: I still can't stress that enough.
YOUnique: The things that make your own life uniquely yours.
Wonder here Wander there: Too many questions, too little time.

WHEW! That was one heck of a list. I hope you had a great March with us. Our polls have closed, and our official theme for next month (April) is: Pride and Prejudice. Ooh, this is going to be good...

-the clam.

Wonder here Wander there

There are so many questions I ask and wonder everyday of my life. So many that I forget and some that stick and often pop up in my brain again. Questions like 'What Is Love?' (Baby don't hurt me), and 'what is the meaning of life?' are rather hard to answer, yet isn't that what the mind naturally thinks up. The questions you can't seem to find the answer are the ones that really make you think; are the ones that really stick to you.

I don't know where this article comes from, and for once I'm actually happy about that. Maybe I just want to pull a digital delay and shoot for nothing and write a genius piece of writing? I don't know, but I can still be ruthless if you let me.

It's just that about five minutes ago I remembered my day. I remembered playing crazy eights and then I remembered being little. I remembered The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and again I wondered about infinity. I mean can you really feel infinite? Can you really feel like you can never end and your just... I don't know pure happy?

To me, feeling infinite is looking at your grade and discovering you in fact did get a good grade in math. It's having a day spent laughing and making memories, it's listening to a song that makes you feel, it's glancing at that horizon and finally seeing the ocean. I don't want to tell the world about these moments, and I know I am now, but honestly, it's these moments that really make me happy.

I mean, honestly, haven't you had that moment of time when you just wished that the stars stayed bright in the sky forever? That you could just forever stay on the shores staring out at the sunset? That the your favorite song of the moment wouldn't eventually get old?

I don't really know if people think these things and I honestly don't know if I'm making sense right now. I really don't. Maybe it's lack of sleep maybe it's because I'm listening to Something Corporate, maybe it's because I've been on the computer too long. But what I know is that sometimes, I wish I could feel the way a character in a book feels. I wish I could see 'the flash of anger in her eyes' or 'the loving smile he gave her'. It all seems so... fairytaleish. But then again isn't that why? It's a fairy tale. Nothing but a story.

Anyway; What goes around comes around.

Karma Police.

YOUnique

In your life, you have two choices: to be a somebody or.....to be a nobody.
Who doesn’t want to be recognized and remembered for what they are and what they do? Even though many people are judge by their looks, background, clothes, people they mix with, or race, why can't we just accept them for who they are? The real individual can be someone very different...Someone very unique and significant.

Some quotes that I go like to go by?

• "Dying is the day worth living for."
  - Yes, it's from Pirates of the Caribbean. Duh.
  

• "I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they go right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart, so that better things can fall together."
  - Marilyn Monroe
  
  
• "All we need in life is a chance."
  - Tom Brady (I am NOT a Patriots fan.)
  
  
• "When things are bad, we take comfort in the thought that they could always be worse. And when they are, we find hope in the thought that things are so bad that they have to get better. "
  - Malcolm Forbes
  
  
• "What's life without a little risk?"
  - Indeed, this is from Harry Potter 5.
  
  
• "When someone hugs you, never be the first to let go."
  - Fortune Cookie???
  
  
• " God has a plan and everything happens for a reason."
  - (I have no idea.)
  

There's a lot great quotes out there. I can probably find another fifty that I like. All meaningful.

Expect the unexpected.

...Who knew. Who knew that I would be the first one to move across the country from all my friends? Who'd figure that I would meet new friends that are just as great on this "alien planet"?

...Who knew. Who knew that my parents, who seemed very much in love at one time, would suddenly get a divorce and ruin my life? Why couldn’t I be a normal kid like everyone else, with two parents? What did I do to deserve this?

...Who knew. Who knew that I would be the target of a serial killer living on my street? Being chased by a monster, afraid for my life!

...Who knew. Who knew that my life would be at risk after a tragic accident, and I would be disabled forever?

...Who knew. Who knew that my name would be picked to be drafted to the war on the other side of the world? Who thought that this could happen to me?


There are many brilliant life stories to tell.
What's yours?
-my.great.ESCAPE.

Stressing out about out stressing.

Stress.

Stress.

Stress.

I can't stress that any further.

Being a human is such a tough job. You constantly have to worry...and you worry when you don’t even know you're worrying. Kids and adults alike, we're all stressed. Humans are made that way.

Let's take a look at an innocent little student:

"Ugh, okay...well, I have math, history, science, and English homework today...don't forget the science fair project...OH! FREAK! THERE'S A PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT DUE TOMORROW! I haven't even started...not to mention two benchmarks, one test, and one writing exam this week...why, oh why..."

Okay. Now an adult:

"What a tiring day at work...stupid boss...that machine was fixed just moments ago, I swear...I just have to take the blame, don't I, nice-guy...let's see...mail, mail, bill, mail, bill, bill, bill, and bill...FIVE BILLS?! I ain't Bill Clinton here...how am I going to pay all this...I only earn enough to keep my family alive...wow, I'm hungry...OH **** I FORGOT TO PICK UP CODY FROM PRACTICE!"

You can imagine that adult as a woman or a man...same either way.

It's completely never-ending. As a child, we only get five years of rest (more like actually learning to become a normal person), and then we have to go to school for a minimum of 16 years...then you learn more (if you choose to), get a job...find a family...settle down...do more of your job...survive with your family...get old, and...you know what happens next.

Society has made us like this. We can't do much about it. If you choose not to do well in education, you live on the street...and there goes your life. If you choose not to work your job, say bye to your family and future.

Finances, health, and contentment...these three things are like serial killers waiting to strike at the right moment. Like I stated previously before in my post before this...a person constantly worries if the career they choose will earn them enough money, earn them the right amount of cash to support their lives and family. Then comes health dancing into life. One smack from health will send your life tumbling down. Fearing that a loved one may get health problems is another stressful factor. Then contentment...I just want to restate what digital delay said. Contentment doesn't necessarily mean that a person is happy, or satisfied. A person never truly is happy, but content, yes. Even when you're dead excited about getting a new Wii, there's still a small dormant evil hiding behind your mind, waiting for the right moment to explode and pop your bubble of happiness.

Why, do you ask, am I writing an article on such a depressing, but very surreal, actual event occurring everyday topic? Well...because I'm stressed out myself. This blog was meant to help relieve ourselves...release our feelings, and let others know that they're not the only ones that are dealing with these similar problems us Acquired Minds are having. We're all people, and people behave like people, and people have the same feelings as other people.

Enjoy what's left of your day.

-the clam.

P.S. Please remember to vote in this week's poll!

Painting a Life Canvas

Hope you’ve noticed the new header. From digital delay: “…we need some inspiration.”

Proceeding to my topic…

As we all know already (from the gazillion posts here), life is a very rocky road. Even rockier than rocky road ice cream. The tons of obstacles we face, the numerous pains we endure, and the things we stand and take in the face.

But one of the most important decisions in your life is your career. You’re getting/got an education for this sole purpose. In fact, life is a canvas. A blank, white canvas. When you finally decide what to do, you’re going to paint that blank canvas. Paint it however you want. Satisfy yourself with an enriched life.

But how do you get to that enriched life? You get a career that you’re satisfied with. In this world today, pressure is the main factor fueling our beliefs. We have to get a money-pocketing job. We need to get a good, brag-worthy job. We need to get a job that makes our family proud. Are you sure that’s the job you want? A doctor, a lawyer, a businessmen?

As quoted from a very special mentor…

“A job is a job. A career is your life.”

I couldn’t agree more. In other words, imagine those two as wounds. A scratch is a scratch. A scar is your life. You can always get a scratch (you can always get a job), and you can recover. But once you get a scar (once you get a career), there’s no turning back. Choose a career you absolutely know you’re going to love doing every single day of the rest of your life, 24/7. Anything that excites your inner interests.

Pressure is a hard thing to go against. Your family might think bad of you just because you want to follow a career to be a tattoo artist. But that’s what you want to do, and if you can’t do it, you might as well throw yourself off a cliff (…don’t do that, please.).

The transition into high school is the most important time to decide. High school will be your safe haven for the time being (remember my post about shootings?...yeah, it’s dangerous. But still a safe haven nonetheless). It’s where you’re going to learn all the skills you need to be successful in your career, and all the skills to continue living your life. Take your time, and soak up everything high school has to offer. (Remember saturated solutions…don’t soak up too much, ‘cuz a human’s got a limit. Oh boy, science class is getting to me…).

Alrighty…that’s it from me. I won’t be doing the Easter informational article this time around. Hope you have a great Easter weekend, though!

-the clam.