Feelings of Charity

(image thanks to www.move.org.sg)

Why can’t one thing represent two things? Honestly, I don’t care if it’s half-full or half-empty. Half of whatever is in the container is just there. Let it be, people, let it beeee.

So I’m sitting here with absolutely nothing to write about. Yes, I’m typing an article even when I don’t even know what I’m saying. Oh, that's something. Doing things even when you’re not aware of what you’re doing.

It’s pointless to start on this topic, since I’m probably going to spurt out a bunch of crap anyway…but that’s what most people do in these situations, right? It’s not the greatest thing in the world. Doing things “for the sake of it” is pretty terrible, too. You can actually connect this to a percentage of high school students and volunteer work. Volunteering was meant to be an opportunity for the volunteer to dedicate some of their time (for nothing in return) towards doing a healthy act of charity for the community and society. NOT.

Sadly, there are students doing volunteer work “just for the sake of it”. They’d respond, “But it’s to help me look good for college!” Is that what volunteering has become? Just an extra to spiff up one’s college application? That sense of pride and accomplishment in the thing called “volunteering” has been stripped to glitter and stickers to polish a high school record.

As with most of the articles I’ve written, I’m a giant beast of a hypocrite behind each. I admit: I have done volunteer work for the “sake” of it. Previously, I didn’t have much thought for volunteering. It just felt like an obligation to waste my weekend hours away to help out with something I probably wouldn’t even support, but seemed like it was necessary to help me gain entry into a university of my choice. But, that’s changed.

It wasn’t until volunteering in a marathon did I get a drastic change in my viewpoint. My duty at the site was to hand out medals to the marathon finishers and later, pass out food and snacks to those that finished. For the first time ever, it felt like I was doing something really right in my life. The joy in the racer’s faces as I handed them their medal was astonishing. Mind you, it was raining hard, and there were extremely strong gusts of cold wind. By the end of the medal-giving, I was literally completely drenched from head to toe.

The food-giving gave me an opportunity to congratulate the racers face-to-face. They thanked us, the volunteers, for being there. But we really had to thank them for finishing the race in all that weather. Their thank-you’s were so gratifying. It felt great that they had such an appreciation for me, and in return, having such an appreciation towards them.

Just finding the inspiration to move on with the world.

-the clam.

Colors in the Dark: the clam

(big thanks to dryicons.com for the image!)

It’s tough to feel missed out. Especially missing out on the view of the world. The sounds, the smell, the feel…all are terrible things to live without, but not being able to see is most probably the worst (in my opinion). I can’t imagine what it would be like to be in the position of a person who has been vision-impaired since childbirth. Never to know what a human looks like, what your parents look like, what you yourself looks like, or what color is. Yeah, color…does color exist in a dark world? It’s hard to even think of colors when you haven’t really seen it before in your life.

Blue’s a particular favorite color of mine (if it’s not so obvious; I practically live and breathe in blue *ahem*). Yeah, yeah, it’s the color of the ocean, the sky, your date’s eyes, the Democrat’s represent. But a blinded person is completely oblivious to that. What a shame it is. Blue is such a brilliant color [/ultra-bias].

It’s the kind of color where you feel relaxed. The serene feel (*plays zen music*). Coolness, too, in fact. No, not I-am-freakin’-awesome-cool, the easy-breezy-Covergirl-cool. It’s the color you think about when you think of the cold. Like a nice…yummy…Slurpee on a hot summer day… *drool*. Or, or, a glass of icy cold tropical blueberry punch, sweet dulcet juice quenching that throat… *realizes puddle of drool in front*.

Alright, er, no more fantasizing about yummy drinks. There’s no point in that. No one will know what “blue” is. Oh, how about, the frigid icecaps at the poles of the Earth. Blue is that freezing, sub-zero chilly color that makes you shiver and tremble and shake and makes you hunger for the great warmth of the--

Okay, BAD idea. Blue…well, blue is the feeling you get when you stop and think about all the people in the world, and you wonder, “Why did it have to be me?”. Everyone deserves a fair chance at the world. Even though we will never be able to look through your eyes, we still try to be as understanding as possible. It’s not a curse, and it’s not a misfortune. In fact, it’s unique. You have the imagination that no one else would ever have. You can create every possible thing in your mind, and no one would have to share it with you. It’s all yours to keep, and to change at your will. So…don’t be blue. Define it however which way you want to. Haha, so don’t feel left out. We’re the ones left out of your beautiful world.

-the clam.

Routine.

Are you the type of person who likes routine?
Knowing what you're going to do next and when.
Liking how everything is in order and what's supposed to be.
Not minding boredom.
Mind you, that's so not me.
But I have routine anyway.
Even though I actually do mind boredom.
And I actually dont like knowing what I am going to be doing at that time tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that.
But I do it anyway.
Because my life is routine.
How do I change that, exactly?
I'd want to do something exciting, like climb the world's highest mountain or save a life. Just something amazing, you know?



Have you ever felt alone in a crowded room? (- Jack's Mannequin's Dark Blue) I know how that feels.
At a party, where you're mind's set on something else.
Sitting at lunch where you're not quite acknowledged.
Or in the middle of a dance floor, without a partner to hold.
It's this real emotion. Deep and intense. But not in a good way.

I am just jumping into random puddles of ideas today.
-my.great.ESCAPE.

You're the Former, Now.

[image: thanks to www.loc.gov/wiseguide]

Man, the plague struck me next. Err, the blue-screen-of-death plague (it was more of a freeze-you-lose kind of a screen). DD got hit first, and then m.g.E....ain’t cool. Although I have to honestly say that I contributed to the downloading of freeware, and that’s how I contracted the virtumonde-wanna-confuse-you-with-long-virus-names-disease—AHH don’t point that flashlight at me. Hey, a darn lot of people do that nowadays. Why else would the economy be so bad? We’re not even giving proper credit and respect to the people who make our conveniences possible [/hypocrite].

So, I’m sitting here at a temporary laptop, typing on a very annoying keyboard, straining my eyes at the horrible screen positions, and having my left hand burn at the hot air blasting out from the side of the computer. Have I learned my lesson? *nod* Has everyone else learned their lesson? *probably not*

Were you able to see the U.S. Presidential Inauguration (live)? I’m highly guessing not. I don’t know about you, but I think this day is pretty important. But instead, people have to go to work, sit at their dusty desks, mind their business, and students have to be sleeping in class, taking finals tests and such. “Hmm…6t^3 + t^2 + 7t + 10 divided by 3t – 2 is…uhh…hey, whaddya’ know…Obama’s takin’ his oath right about now…err, 2t^2…”

But nooo, we rightful citizens of the United States of America have to go right along with our lives and then watch some crappy re-airing of the ceremony (probably on YouTube…*hinthint*). Oh, yeah, that’s perfectly fine—we’re letting a man run our country without properly seeing him giving his oath. [NOTE: I’m NOT anti-Obama. He’s a great man for the future of the USA.].

It’s so funny how quick their titles change once the next president gives his oath. “…preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. So help me god.” - “WOOH! Alright, former President, let me escort you to the helicopter that’s gonna bring you all the way back home…” So harsh, so harsh…but that’s how it goes. Must feel awkward to be President one second, and a long-gone President another second—literally.

Okay, fine. I’ve had my fair share of blurting for today. *zips up clamshell*

-the clam.

Been There, Done That

(image thanks to www.pastornet.net.au)

“It’s almost like it happened yesterday.”

No doubt about that. Just a year ago, I was go-kart riding, slamming on the gas pedal and whizzing around the lanes—the closest thing I’ve gotten to the real thing. But just a year ago? That’s hard to believe. As fast as those karts were going, time passed by just as quick.

Not long after giving thanks, it’s now time to give presents.

And after giving presents, it’s time to start a new year.

The never-ending cycle just doesn’t end.

You value your family. You value your friends. It seems like we have so much time to value everything, but we always keep on complaining “there’s just not enough time”. I sometimes wonder if it’s the world that doesn’t have time, or if it’s just us who don’t have enough time.

Humans are given the gift to live decades upon decades, and you compare that to the lifespan of an ant—who doesn’t survive more than a couple seconds before someone comes along and “accidentally” steps on it. It’s true we don’t live as long as a tortoise, but who’s to say we don’t have enough time? I mean, do you want to live 150 years? Do you want to be there when global warming kills everything in existence? Do you want to be there when Denmark becomes an unhappy place? Do you want to be there when chimpanzees take over the world? Do you want to be there when the 43rd President dies YES?

We have the best lifespan of any living (or even nonliving things…which will survive forevermore unless it’s destroyed purposely) thing on Earth. And yet we still complain we don’t have enough time…

Even I don’t have enough time right now. But then again, who ever does?

-the clam.

Indecision: The New Black

The ultimate question to answer: How do you make a decision? Honestly, I'd like to know, and if by chance you know how, please inform me. This question may seem insignificant and such, but really, how do you make a decision that can alter the course of your future? What happens when one is beneficial, and so it the other? It's seriously like getting caught between two lovers (torn between to lovers, hehe)!

On another note, I've recently been watching the movie Shattered Glass in my Journalism class, and I must say that it's a very interesting movie. Hayden Christensen does well as a two faced writer for The New Republic. In case any of you don't know, it's basically about a writer's career going way up, and then way down. Stephen Glass actually does exist in real life, and the movie is based off true events. I wonder how it is that Stephen Glass decided to do what he did (aka, fabrication), which brings me back to that thing (dead word dead word dead word) that's been on my mind: DECISION MAKING!

I think the Matrix was a lot more symbolic than we gave it credit for with that entire blue pill or red pill crud (or at least, that I gave it credit for). I was reading this book, and one of the characters mentioned how he believed in many universes. Not in that 'vampires are among us!' way, but in the way that there's another universe where there's someone just like me who this morning, instead of putting on a white shirt, put on a black one. Someone who didn't go to this school, but went to another. That sort of thing.

Does this count as being profound?

All I'm saying that I'm beginning to realize that everything you do can lead to a different outcome. What were to happen if I didn't choose Karma Police as my alias? What could've happened if I were late to school today? What were to happen if I didn't do my homework!? Decisions can really make you think for a long time. Serious as a heart attack.

Happy Halloween my dears;
KP

p.s. What if I didn't choose to be what I am being for Halloween tomorrow!?

What You'll Be Looking For

I’m just going to mention, perhaps discuss, some of the things that I think are really interesting, and stuff that I’ve been thinking about lately. One is the conformist and non-conformist thing going on. The whole thing where there’s one side that gives in to the pop culture and mainstream “media” (ahem…*c*r*a*p*…most of the time), and those who purposely try to stray away from those. But if you think about it, those two supposed black and white sides aren’t so different at all. If those people who try to be different think those other people are misguided and mislead, well, so are they. Pop culture or whatever thrives on people, solidarity, and collectiveness. Or for example, people going, have you heard about so and so, and so the chaos ensues. So, people do something, because other people do it right? Well if you think about, those who try to be different, only try to be different because of what other people do. They base their beliefs and actions on what other people do, just like the supposed mainstream jackals they so despise. Now the black and whites just become a mixed gray…

So you should just believe in what you believe, like what like. It's ok maybe for others to affect what you like and believe, but completely basing it off of someone else is not something that'll lead to much good. You shouldn't care if what you like is liked or disliked, popular or not, despised or not, but you still have to listen to others, feedback is important, especially if it's constructive.

Who really thinks that most of the new these days isn’t over bloated, exaggerated, and is propaganda anyway?

Another thing I think is interesting is the whole punk/anarchist ideology. No, not the jackass who wanders neighborhoods being a, well, jackass. The ones that actually care about the ideology behind it are the ones. I’m not saying I’m one, I doubt I’m one, not even close, haha, doubt I’d even want to be one. But it’s still interesting to know about and read about. Anarchists believe in no government. They say that any government or authority basically sucks. But there are still several forms of anarchists, of course. One that is really interesting is the non-violence part of these groups. Some believe violence is necessary to achieve radical changes. But I read about one that believed so, until she visited the Soviet Union and saw stuff there that changed her mind. Then there are the punks. One group that is really interesting is the one that believes music and ideology are what define a punk. A guy with a Mohawk and ripped jeans could be some freaky Neo-Nazi who drives a Ferrari for all they care. They’re anti-consumerist too. So apparently some of them hate it when you buy and do stuff that just means you got screwed over so someone far a way could get rich.

Something else too is the feminist movement, which is by the way great, so don’t say anything just wait. But even some feminists today hate the modern feminist movement. It’s interesting also how that has affected men, and it has, which is often overlooked. Now people say there are stereotypes against women, which is true, and cruelly unjust. But, there are also stereotypes for women as well. And sometimes, things don’t always work out the way they should. These issues could get a bit sensitive too. Many women talk about equality, which is great. But at the same time, they go and ask for favors, as if nothing happened. And men are often discriminated against as well. In domestic issues, women are often favored. Custody cases, domestic abuse cases, etc. Now I’m not saying that men have been completely overlooked and women are wrong, it’s really not as black and white as that. It’s confusing and weird. Now, I’m not sure how many would want to read and extremely long article on it, but I did, so it can’t be that long. But it’s really interesting, in my opinion, haha… So here it is, posted by HuntanPeck near the top.

Elections are coming up. Who are you going for, or were? One thing I have to point out, that just pisses me off a lot. When someone says they support them, and the best they can give me, I’d be change, a women in charge, or an African-American. It's like saying you're going to vote for them just because they're a women, an African-American, an Asian, or their last name soudns like one of those badass movie character names (i.e. McClane, etc.) You know, I don’t give a shit what race they are, if they have an odd accent, what gender they are, maybe they used to be a sewage worker (no offense to sewage workers, I’m sure they’re great) and not a lawyer. It doesn’t matter people! Please, the person who is best for the job should be the one. That’s it, doesn’t matter if they’re an inspiration or whatnot. If they make you feel good great, doesn’t mean they’re right for the job though.

To end it, something sad. Randy Pausch has passed away. Don’t know if any of you saw his “last Lecture”. It truly was moving (kinda long, but I'm sure there are shorter versions). It is the saddest, most heart-wrenching, gut-punched, shoved-up-your-___-, happy, inspirational video about dreams (maybe?) ever. It could bring you to tears even when its not sad, or at least shouldn’t be. When I saw that video, I just went ****, I’m screwed, I’m so far behind, I’ve been doing everything wrong. Then I laughed and went, yea I already knew that. Here is a man, who has no regrets he says, who is maybe content with the life he lived, which is something we all try to do. Cheers to you Randy.

^^^

"Brick walls aren't there to keep you out, they're there to prove how badly you want something."

"Don't bail; the best of the gold is at the bottom of the barrel of crap."

(this one i can't remember too well...) "I'd rather see someone who's earnest than hip, hip is short term."

-digital delay

The Unplanned

(credits to Community 4:12 at typepad.com for the image!)

Thanks for voting in this week's poll. Now, I finally have something to write about :).

Nothing ever goes as planned (at least for me). It's really hard not to get excited about something you really like. But every time I do get hyped up about something, it turns out to be a huge flop—most of the time. I mean, what's the fun in life if we don't have expectations?

But then, when I "least expect it", something drastic happens (in a good way). I don’t know about you, but this always happens to me.

So, is it better to expect things in life, or should you not have any expectations at all? It all depends on the situation. Sometimes, expectations are your motivation to keep on continuing. It's the source of energy that pushes you to carry along. What use is persisting if you have no expectations to work to?

But at times, it's better not to have any expectations. You can't always expect things to work your way. When you expect too much, chances are, the odds of having disappointment are much higher. Think about it—if you weren't expecting anything, and it does turn out to be a flop, you won't be much disappointed at all. Hoorah! if I made any sense

All in all, I try not to expect too much out of anything. If it turns out great, then fantastic. If it turns out terrible, then too bad for me. Not much to lose either way, huh? Oh well, it's not like I'm expecting this blog to become super-uber famous or anything. -smiles innocently-

-the clam.

Erringly Straying

Hopes and expectations, in a way, are very different. Sometimes they’re extremely different, comparable, but nonetheless as different as peacocks and Gatorade. I’m sure plenty of people would like to become famous, make cruise-loads of money, and all that. But to be honest, do you expect to? Do you really tell yourself that in a few years, you’ll be rich and on top of the world. Even if your hopes and dreams aren’t exactly stardom, maybe just doing what you love, meeting someone you can love, and being perfectly happy with life, sometimes, you can laugh at yourself for things as simple as that. You don’t expect anything at all to change, but that doesn’t mean you’d sure like them to.

The funny thing is, those very expectations could get in the way of those hopes, those dreams. If you don’t expect much at all to happen, there’s a good chance nothing at all will. Just because something is improbable, that doesn’t make it impossible to do. If you never expect to achieve your dreams, it means you never really tried to in the first place. Goals are achievable, well, because if they weren’t, there wouldn’t be too many albums, movies, and T.V. shows going around know would there?

Too often, those expectations get in the way of those dreams.

Hopefully, those dreams are reasonable…but then again…that’d be a bit contradictory…

Or maybe…those people decided to become whatever they are because they couldn't figure out anything else they wanted to be.

-digital delay

Faded Buttons

(thanks to "electronicsweekly.com's gadgetfreak blog" for the photo!)

It's been...exactly fifteen days since my last post. Those fifteen days were filled to the brim with events though. But that's exactly what happens in June—school starts to end for kids, summer begins, graduations are in full swing, and emotions fly. It's normal, even though the schedules are hectic. I guess it's safe to say all of us here are going through the same things (which would explain our article-shortage).

Okay, so you're wondering what the title of this post means (or maybe not, but I'll explain anyways). I was flipping through the channels on the TV. Every channel that I wanted to watch had a commercial on, so I was bored. I took a look at my remote. Boy, was it used. The 'select' button became the 's t' button instead. The '5' button was merely a smooth, blank blue button (ooh, triple b's). Those buttons were seriously over-pressed. We've had that same remote for five years though (long-lasting!). And no, we don't have plastic wrap all over it...we just...don't.

It's just like doing the same task again and again. Eventually, it'll fade, and get boring (unless your life depended on it). People always say "Try something new!", but insecurities always keeps us from doing so. You're just too used to doing something already, and moving on to something else feels too risky. But rewards don't come without risks, and that's the frustrating part of it.

That's when you have to let go of insecurities. Maybe you're not a risk-taker, but that doesn't mean you can't let go. Holding onto things too long will just make you decay--no, correct me. The thing you're holding onto--that will decay. It's going to go away sooner or later. If you let go now, you'll be less hurt later. I know this is a lot to say, because I'm dealing with letting go as well. There's always a part in life where you have to let go--it's just a matter of when.

When it's time to replace a remote, you replace it. When it's time to try something new, you hesitate...but you'll do it anyway.

-the clam.

Can Something be Everything?

(credit to n.design studio for image)

Why does everything seem to past by so quickly? Why does everything seem to journey by so slowly? There's never enough time to do what we want. Frustration butts its way in, and then you just start to go mad. Then you start to get desperate, so desperate. Desperate for something real. But what defines 'real'? Nothing's 'real' in the world, right? If something is nothing, then nothing is something. Everything is a something.

At some point in our lives, we get what we want. At other times, maybe not. But greed...greed is a termite. A nasty, conniving, little termite. It will eat away at you and your life little by little, nibbling at every bite. But there's an answer. When you're able to grasp a hold onto that right moment, you should exterminate all of those greedy little termites. After you do, you'll feel a lot more refreshing, knowing that those termites won't be back to get you later on.

Yes, the world can turn on you at any moment. Everything may seem like a complete utter chaotic orb of betrayal. But unlike the termites, you can't stop it yourself. You need to holler for help. This may seem a bit oxymoron, but even though the world is being cruel to you, it will always be able to help you, too. Billions of billions of people surround you in this giant world, and someone—anyone—is bound to help you. All you need to do is to say something.

On that note, everything is brought back to where we started—everything is a something. Your computer is a something. Your pen is a something. Your pet hamster is a something. In fact, at times, something can be your everything. Such as the person you love. Nothing...is ever a nothing.

-the clam.

P.S. Just to remind everyone—us, the Acquired Minds, is genuine only to blogspot.com. Any other 'Acquired Minds' (ex: on livejournal.com) is NOT us.

April's Theme: Pride and Prejudice

Wow, talk about a big, big drought.

This month, April, we've had only 13 articles (including this one), compared to last month's 25. Oh well, 25 will still be the record for now.

Back to the subject. April's theme was: Pride and Prejudice. I was really hoping for a lot of good articles, but as it turns out, 'pride and prejudice' is just too much of a good theme. Both pride and prejudice are extremely strong and varying things, which made it harder to write about. Everyone has their opinions on what 'pride' and 'prejudice' is.

As usual, the following is a summary for April's articles. If you would like to view any of them, locate the article title under the month 'April' on the right side of the blog, under 'Blog Archive'.

Faux Pas: Feeling like reading something random?
HELLO, Greetings, Salutations...: One word, one world.
Hard to Explain: What's the real meaning of 'malaise'?
Hypothetically Speaking: Real-world, humorous dramatization of prejudice.
The Privilege of Childhood: We all had our good, young days.
A Matter of Life and Death: Life is simple...or is it?
Now There's Just No Point: Walking blind isn't the only problem in life.
And I'm the only one to blame: Pride can speak a lot for itself.
To Here Knows When: Who and what do you consider yourself as?
Pride's Gettin' in the Way: The little pest that gets in everyone's way.
Warning: Not for Cavity-Conscious People: All sweet-tooth s welcomed!
Pardon Me: Darn, give me a break, Pride!

Even though we had only a small amount of articles this month, they had strong messages in each and every one. Quantity doesn't always necessarily mean quality!

Thanks for voting in April's polls. Let's cheer for next month's theme: Desperation and Greed!

-the clam.

Hard to Explain

What is general fatigue? Is it being dead tired, being unable to handle things anymore, or is it just not wanting to do anything anymore? Apparently, or supposedly, it’s all of those things. There’s that term malaise, which is a general medical uneasiness, which could be a symptom of illness. Then, there’s the term winder malaise, which is more of a “depressed” and “tired” kind of malaise, often associated with the conditions winter bring.

Fatigue can probably be both mental and physical. The winter malaise could be considered maybe more of a mental fatigue, perhaps. Physical fatigue is probably just being dead tired. Your body is just physically exhausted, and can’t take it anymore.

Mental fatigue is being worked out…mentally, obviously. It can be lethargy, apathy, depression, etc., etc. Your just so tired of everything around you, and you just want to get the **** out of wherever you are. Back to who knows where, you probably don’t even know. You just know you sure want to get out that stupid place, the place that just crawls up your back, and drops a brick right on it. You don’t know where you’d want to go, or what you’d want to do. Even when you sit there for hours, staring at that empty canvas, you can’t imagine a single stroke of lively paint brightening that blank slate. You don’t know where to start, and so you don’t know how you can end.

There are people out there who are just so tired of the situation they’re in. They’ve been patient for so long, and the fruits of their labor have yet to bloom. From counselors, psychiatrists, oncologists, teachers, menial workers, and many others, they all could very well be wishing it (whatever “it” is) to be over with. You don’t even have to be the one suffering, seeing suffering day in and day out is enough already.

Perhaps both mental and physical fatigues are combined. Wouldn’t it make sense to feel bogged down when your legs and arms can’t even move anymore? Or vice-versa, being so worn-out, your legs and arms don’t want to move?

But what am I complaining about, not that I’m really complaining about anything specific. I haven’t done anything special to deserve any pity, or anything else for that matter. There isn’t much wrong with my life is there?...

(canvas… thanks)

(yes, it is spelled malaise, not mayonnaise)

-Digital Delay

A Matter of Life and Death

Life is simple. Life is complicated. Life is long. Life is short. Life doesn’t make sense. Life is all we know. All experiences are personal, and different to each of us. Like fingerprints. Of course there are similar experiences that we all can relate to, but we’ll never know exactly how someone else feels or reacts. We are alone. Yet we are united in that very sense. Aloneness. There are some things we can only do alone. And there are some things we can only do together. Question everything. Then question yourself and why you question everything. Or question nothing. Maybe some things aren’t supposed to be questioned. Maybe some things just are and will always be.

And out of nowhere...

What do you want? You could look at it and say, “A triple fudge sundae would be good right now,” or “To be a genius and make millions of dollars a year!” or “To save the world from (blank)” or think about it and realize you DON’T know what you want actually or maybe all the choices above combined. Besides, weren’t geniuses insane? And didn’t Van Gogh cut off his ear? The whole bit about the artist must suffer/sacrifice for their art is a bit cliché, but true, no? But it doesn’t make sense. Why do we have to suffer to gain something or create something beautiful or do anything that makes us different? The best and worst things in the world don’t make sense. It’s also ironic. Almost like someone is watching the world and getting a kick out of the wacked out things we do with our lives. We’re all in a sitcom and we just don’t know it. And somewhere they are playing a laughter track in tune with our lives.
I just realized that I’m asking you a lot of questions. Answer them. Just say so out loud to nobody in particular. Sometimes, it’s not about someone else hearing you but hearing yourself and listening to what you have to say. You’d be surprised.

A whole lot of contradiction...

Does this article make perfect sense to you yet leaves you in deep confusion? Is it silly yet deep? Good, because that was the whole point or... maybe it wasn’t. I don’t even remember my point. I suppose I have no point and just wrote. If I die the minute after I publish this article, this bunch of gibberish would be the last thing I leave behind. For some reason, that amuses me. Okay, I just read that last part over and it sounds like I said death amuses me. Err...That came out wrong. I meant the part about this article. Okay, this is ending on an awkward note. But you know what? That’s alright. Because... well, I don’t know why exactly, but I have this feeling it is.

You can mean everything to someone and mean nothing at all to someone else.
What a sweet cynical world we have.

Love, peace, afro grease...
mourning.glory

Now There's Just No Point

What’s the point these days? All we do is walk blind, reaching for a lamp that’s not there, feeling for walls that don’t exist. All we end up doing is either falling off that ever so narrow ledge, or sitting down in the darkness.

None of us have a floorplan to follow in life. No kind of blueprint that’s been vigilantly scoured over for mistakes and errors. We’ll all knock down a house accidentally one day, or incorrectly wire a circuit, blazing a whole house down. It’s a shame there’s not much you can do about it. Perhaps, it’s more of a sham. What’s the point? Why should we try so hard? We don’t deserve this, we’re better than that.

Truth is, we aren’t. Not even close, to be a bit more precise. What have we done to not deserve such a hard time? Sure there are people who are absolutely terrific, and have done wonderful things for others. Those people deserve it, but how many of them are there out there? Clearly not enough.

Well, we can’t be so negative (haha). Again and again, what can you learn when your always right? You live and learn from mistakes. Although some obvious ones could be quite harmful, most you just have to go through. Hopefully, at the end of the day, there you’ll stand again, waiting for the next day’s hardships to slam your frame silly (or slap you silly).

So, when you're in the dark, might as well just sing, dance, and go crazy while you're there!

-Digital Delay

Pride's Gettin' in the Way

Oh the poor thing. This blog has been neglected for so long. I mean, two articles so far for half a month? This has got to be our lowest ever! (not that this blog has been living that long...it's only two and a half months old, anyway :P).

Well, to somehow revive this dusty place, I'm gonna talk about pride (in contrast to DD's next prejudice article).

Pride is the sole reason why we all do things that aren't necessary. It's the barrier that keeps us from doing what has to be done, just because you're afraid of damaging your 'image'. But it's true, and we can't live without pride. If there wasn't pride, 'embarrassment' wouldn't exist either. We do things our friends expect us to do, not something that has to be done.

But pride is just a little, taunting road that's begging you to do what it wants. If you find yourself trying to do better and better, but you don't get a response, then there's something wrong. Think of it like yelling down a cave and not hearing an echo—that's the time you should start reanalyzing yourself. You're just doing things the way that'll keep you out of embarrassment, yet, you don't realize that you're hurting yourself along the way.

Everything exists and happens for a reason, and pride belongs to that category. Pride is your little buddy that sits on your shoulder and nags you to do stuff—whether it be something bad or something beneficial to yourself (depending on the situation). If someone was tempting you to do drugs, and they start making fun of you just because you're refusing to do so, pride starts to kick in, and if you're not able to fight back, you're going to find yourself smoking and killing yourself. The reason why? Because you're trying to keep yourself looking 'cool'. If you have common sense, then obviously, that isn't 'cool' in any way. I'm sorry, but if you don't agree with me, then you'll realize the consequences sometime later in the future.

Just remember to consider pride. Think about your decision, and make sure it's a smart one—if it's going to be a good factor to your life or not. Don't tell me "Oh, but what if I don't know if it's beneficial to me or not? How should I decide?". It's in you somewhere. No one else is going to know but you, so think deeply.

Alright. That was my opinion on 'pride', and how I view it in my own perspective. You might not agree, and I won't argue. Everyone's opinion is different, after all.

My ten minutes of my cheesy therapeutic session is over. Go and do your homework, eat your dinner, play your videogames, take care of your kids, pay the bills...whoever and whatever age you are. Life always comes first!

-the clam.

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!