After a 2 year life filled with entertainment and an undisclosed number of pirated songs, my dear 4th generation iPod suddenly and inexplicably died. It’s last few months were good, and despite it’s new incarnations (i.e. iPod Video, ipod Photo, etc.) it remained functional and entertaining the whole time. So I’ll have to drop 300 bones on a new one quite soon. Here’s the scary part.
It was painful. Oh so painful. Perhaps I’ve developed a soft spot for the thing, but I was rather upset not only by it beaing broken, but by my reaction. The damn thing was like a 3rd arm. A music playing, backlit 3rd am. This has made me realize how dependant we’ve become on our gadgets. Be it cellphones, iPods, or otherwise.
I wondered what it would be like not having a cell phone for a day. Given the way I’ve adjusted my life since getting one, it would be tough not to have one. The average day I figured between getting to and from school, coordinating with friends and classmates, I make about 7 calls a day. Althought the calls arent generally over 3 minutes, were I using a payphone, that would still be $3.50 a day to communicate outside the home. Damn.
What was it like for people hundreds of years ago? No phones, no music besides what they could sing? Sure, they didn’t mind, but then again, they would probably consider an iPod an evil box of the Devil. But by our standards, it would suck to be them.
So as I sit here, taking a break from painting my deck (which my dear mother has promised me a sizeable amout of cash to do), I’m using the zenith of caveman technology; the Sony Discman. Although different, it satisifies my continous disillusionment fix. Quite frankly, I probably don’t need a new iPod, but I’ll end up doing it anyway.
So I’m looking at this site and am like…what’s going on? No posts in like, forever? So naturally I must fill this major void in my life. I must post on Jalenack.
Problem is, I don’t exactly know what to post about. What commentary do I have about this wide world? What purpose am I serving here? What is the meaning of life?
In history class we have been studying the Industrial Revolution and how it radically changed the lifestyle of those affected by the shift to industry. One of those shifts came in the arts. Throughout the ages art has always been produced to serve a purpose. The KING comes to you and says, “Hey you lousy underling, paint this picture of me and MAKE IT GOOD or I’ll chop off your head!” so you oblige, quite happy with your head and wanting very much to keep it attached to your shoulders. Mr. Bishop comes to you and says, “Hey you sinful servant, make this sculpture to glorify God or you’ll go to hell!” so you make the sculpture hoping very much that you will not have to endure flames for all eternity. Then suddenly, sometime surrounding the beginning of the Industrial Age, someone produces something out of the blue, something for themselves, something because they enjoyed making it. Gasp! No pending death, no firey threshold, no MONEY? No, because they enjoy the process. Hmm…a novel idea, doing something for the sake of doing it-doing something for the measly reason that it’s enjoyable. Thus, art for art’s sake was born
**Note to those heartless critics (I know you’re out there)-I KNOW above processes did not occur exactly as I depicted them…but please, just try to adhere to my attempt at comedy**
Now to my point, or rather the absence of my point. Just like those novel artists in the 1800s, I am creating art for the sake of creating art. Maybe not quite art, but the idea is the same. I am posting for the sake of posting. I am expressing my love of saying what I want to say, regardless of what I have to say. Yay for me!!! (hmm…maybe too carried away there, but w/e-it’s my post)
Doing something for the sheer enjoyment of it is a relatively new development to society. It may have been around before, but did not become quite widespread until after the Industrial Revolution when society, especially the middle class bougeoisie, began to aquire excess cash and leisure time. People began to go out to the opera, watch ball games, pay attention to fashion, etc. And why? Well mostly because they could, but also because they enjoyed such things. It was a source of pleasure. And ever since then our proposed aim is to spend time this way…pursuit of happiness and all that jazz. However, how many of us city (or suburbia) dwellers actually follow through with this. I know for the common overacheiver, such as myself, most of the time is spent working, toiling to reach the ever present GOAL, which most of the time just propels us to more work and punishment. Maybe you do enjoy your work, but think of when someone asks you the question “Why?” How do you answer? To make money, to get that A, to get playing time. That’s the right answer…working hard for a cause is one of the most wonderful, one of the most fulfilling things you can do. My request is you take each of those cases where you could be asked WHY you are doing something and see whether you could pull off the radical answer, “because I enjoy it.”
We could all use a couple of those racked up.
Everything has changed. My life is completely different than it was a year ago. And maybe even a month ago. It’s all happened since the day of my 16th birthday. This past winter break was so happy and peaceful. And while I didn’t accomplish half the things that were on my agenda the day school got out, I felt better than I’d ever felt before.
I’m appreciating many of the things I disliked in the past. I love paintings. I enjoy visiting museums. I don’t have to be dragged on walks. My ridiculous pickiness with food has lessened a lot, but I’ll admit it’s still present. Above all these though, I’ve discovered an intense love of language.
I adore every second of French class. It happens to be far and away my hardest class, but still I love it more than any other. I’ve written more essays for that class than I’ve written in English class. Often I’ll find myself translating everything I say into French, and occasionally the French comes out unconsciously. Writing a good French essay is bliss. I feel like everything that gets on paper is poetic and clever.
This feeling can be largely attributed to the staggering benevolence of my French teacher, Madame Selvin. Some of my fellow students can’t stand her - she gives out buckets of homework, and expects so much all the time. She understands her students more than any other teacher I’ve ever met. She knows we procrastinate on large projects, she knows when we are giving ficticious excuses, and she knows when we’ve put a lot of effort into our work. Every day in the past few weeks, a former student of Madame Selvin’s comes in during class and has a mini reunion with her. I know there’s something special about her when I see this daily occurence in her class, and in none of my others. It makes me feel lucky to have her at our school.
Essentially, I have finally discovered the painting that’s been hanging on my wall since I was six. For all my previous years, language has just been a tool. A method of communication, but nothing more. And now, thanks in part to French class, it’s become an essential part of my life. If you browse through the archives of my posts, you’ll be able to see some profound changes in writing style and mindfulness of language.
I’ve also had an entirely different change. This one’s in the social arena. I’ve developed an incredibly special relationship with two people. The three of us have reached this beautiful plateau where nothing is held back. Anything I feel, good or bad, can be confided in them. I don’t need to worry about their opinion. If we’re in complete disagreement over something, we don’t have to comtemptuously hold back our feelings or bicker about it. We know we’ll still love each other the next day. Not having to worry about that is fantastically blissful.
I’ll meddle in love now. All of the relationships I’ve ever been in have had something held back. And that’s obviously to be expected of middle and early high school. There was always a level of emotional intimacy that couldn’t be reached. Now I’ve penetrated a different and deeper region of my heart. This girl, she’s one of those two friends I mentioned. I don’t fancy her. I’m not obsessed with her and I don’t worship her. But I love her so damn much. And I have since that sweeping birthday that changed me so much. I used to constantly worry about every action I took with a girl. Everything had to be calculated and inspected for emotional hints. That sky-scraping barrier has been undone now. My mind isn’t nagged with tension and nervousness. Even if perhaps she’s not in love with me, I’m happy.
That’s all for now. I don’t really expect a lot of comments on this post. It’s not one of those discussion-oriented that Jalenack usually possesses. I felt like I had to write this down, if only for my own well-being. This is the most personal I’ve been here, and oh does it feel good.
At last it has arrived—2006. Happy New Year to all!!!
And now back to your business. School starts on Tuesday (at least for Albany) and I’m sure all those out there with jobs are back to the grindstone tomorrow or the next day as well. Resolutions have been made, and whether they will be kept or not is a test of endurance. Days will go on as they have before…at the moment cold and rainy. Not that this is bad–it just seems like New Years sweep by faster now, and any time now they will become just days, regular old days. Sure maybe they’re spiced up with some music and dancing, but it passes and January 2 plops you right down where you were before. If you think about it there is nothing special about the 1st of January…its just another first of the month, just like any other 12 AM is the first moment of the new day. But we have come to choose this particular day as the one on which we make our celebrations and resolutions…and so here go mine.
Time continues. The old year has passed like the one before and the new one will with equal or greater speed. So what am I going to do about it? MAKE THE BEST OF IT. or try to anyways. My resolution for the new year is to take charge of my life, to find some direction to urge myself onto. Time may pass, but I don’t have to spend the time waiting for something or someone to come around the corner to add a spike to the flow of time. I want to try some new things, meditate on the meaning of life, take control and not let my activities control what I do. Call me ambitious, but I’ll do my best. Looking at it maybe I should have chosen something simpler-like making my bed every day 
Soooo, what are your resolutions for the next 365 days?
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wish you a most excellent 2006
Each year I look forward to Christmas. A time of harmony and togetherness. The time has come around again this year. ‘Tis the season, right?
Not for radicals like Jerry Falwell. Instead of celebrating and enjoying the holiday, he is politicizing Christmas. He has started the “Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign.” Its aim is to ensure that Christmas is endorsed by our government and corporations. If it isn’t given the attention it deserves, they’ll sue. I’m pressed to think of a more ridiculous way to spend one’s holiday.
Why do does it all matter so much? Can’t they just let people enjoy the holidays in whatever fashion they please? They accomplish no great deed by polarizing Christmas. When Tim Wildmon, president of The American Family Association, was asked about people who don’t believe in Christmas, he “They should know that they are living in a predominantly Christian nation.” Did he actually say that? I don’t understand how one can just dismiss the diverse beliefs of our nation in one sweeping generalization like that.
I’d rather not talk politics though. The holidays are a rudimentary part of the year. They let people celebrate life and the coming of a new year. Most importantly, they let families share special time together. This time is sacred. Should it really matter what banner this time is spent beneath? It doesn’t matter what holiday is celebrated, only the quality of the time it sanctions.
People like Falwell make me not want to observe Christmas. They make it sound like I have some duty to celebrate Christmas. I am not a Christian, nor will I ever be. But I have always loved the Christian holiday. I love the smell of Christmas trees, the family togetherness, and the loving memories it creates. And really, that’s all I care about. The fact that its root is Christianity is of little importance to me.
The holiday of Christmas can be appreciated in three spirits. The first, religion. It is a time to appreciate God’s gifts and renew your devotions for the coming year. That’s okay, but it doesn’t work for me. The second, commercialism. Egged on by aggressive marketing from corporations, Christmas has become as much of a giant marketing bonanza as anything else. Material desires don’t work for me. The last, as a time for family. This time is rich and nurturing, like the blood of an umbilical cord. It gives families the time needed to share their love and develop the wonderful bonds needed to drudge through another year of life. This is the spirit I covet most.
[...] there are some words that have come through the long and hard process of developing some color, and our immediate response is to drop them from our language.
I have finally found the latest shitburger that upsets me so much I cannot help but post an angry rant. For some reason, there are some words that have come through the long and hard process of developing some color, and our immediate response is to drop them from our language. Here are a few examples of words that are no longer usable, or whose meanings have been altered to make them difficult to use:
Factory-replaced by Plant.
Handicapped-replaced by Physically Challenged
Swamp-replaced by Wetland
What the fuck? Supposedly a “factory” suggests a building with looming smokestacks billowing forth vile and odius pollution. I don’t know if you’ve looked lately, but that’s what it is!!! A plant is a beautiful green organism that I have growing in my yard, how dare you defile such a pristine word with an image such as that!!! Changing what you call something ain’t gonna change the thing itself, and if people know better, it shouldn’t change how people think of it, either.
I looked up the definition of “Handicapped.” Know what it is? “Having a condition that restricts one’s ability to function physically” That sounds pretty close to “physically challenged” to me. If “handicapped” is offensive, how could “physically challenged” not be? How can it even be consitered changing the word if you’re simply changing the word to its definition?
The swamp thing arises from these environmentalists who are wishing to save these areas of wetness, and them not wanting to carry around signs saying “Save the Swamp!” Swamp apparently carries an image of a stinky, bug-ridden bog more than the desired marshland of abundant wildlife. …Fuck, i actually agree with this change. Probably should have thought ahead a little better.
Anyway, it still leads me to my point which is that just because a word becomes politically incorrect is no reason to drop it from our language. These words tie into us reading the book “1984″ for English class, in which the negative Utopian society tries to create perfection by writing a new language that inhibits independant thought in every way. Newspeak, the language is called, contains only words that are absolutely necessary to function, any words that express thought or feeling have been dropped. Personally, I’m all for getting my feelings across, and words that have a little emotion behind them assist me greatly with this. Down with Big Brother!