Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Impact


"We must rapidly begin the shift from a "thing-oriented" society to a "person-oriented" society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered." 
-Martin Luther King, Jr.


I'd like to challenge myself along with anyone else who reads this... Improve circumstances for someone else. Go out of your way to make someone's life better. Stand up for injustice. Assist the weak. Whatever that means for you, do something to make the world a better place for those around you.

ТЮРЬМА


Не могу выезжать. жизнь – не моя. моя жизнь прекрасна и свободный. Я авантюристa. Мне нужны новое зрелище...новые страны, новие люди. каждое мгновение должно быть захватывающим.

я скучаю университета.   Путешествия. Удовлетворение.

Мне 21 лет. это моя время. 

Blaze

Because of Hurricane Irene, the electricity in my house has not worked since either Friday or Saturday. I'm not sure which. When I returned home Sunday afternoon, everything was off.

It finally got fixed tonight. I drove by my house from the store on the way to visit Nicole, and noticed that lights were on in the house. My initial reaction of "oh thank goodness, finally" was quickly replaced by "oh NO" as I realized that the powerlines were sparking. I continued down the street, monitoring the scene in my rearview mirror, and was startled to notice showers of sparks raining down and smoke pouring from the lines as a few small explosions happened.

I had to act quickly. After the house survived the hurricane, here it was about to perish in a blaze caused by the electric lines running down the street?

Because I had called to report my outage earlier, the number for the electric company was still in my phone. I spoke to a representative, who informed me that I needed to go tell the nearest crew ASAP and that from there someone would also contact the fire department. Her voice emphasized the seriousness of the matter as she explained "if something is not done quickly, we could have a large-scale fire on our hands."

I raced over a few streets to the electric crew currently at work. The Dominion Power representative was still on the line with me. As I reached the work crews and looked up, the lines overhead began to spark. Only a moment later, the sparks stopped as flames began racing down the power lines. I told the lady on the phone that the lines were the same where crews were already working, and she informed me that she would call me back if anything important came up.


So scary.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Infinite

"After the dance, we left in Sam's pickup. Patrick was driving this time. As we were approaching the Fort Pitt Tunnel, Sam asked Patrick to pull to the side of the road. I didn't know what was going on. Sam climbed in the back of the pickup, wearing nothing but her dance dress. She told Patrick to drive, and he got this smile on his face. I guess they had done this before...Anyway, Patrick started driving really fast, and just before we got to the tunnel, Sam stood up, and the wind turned her dress into ocean waves. When we hit the tunnel, all the sound got scooped up into a vaccuum, and it was replaced by a song on the tape player. A beautiful song called "Landslide." When we got out of the tunnel, Sam screamed this really fun scream, and there it was. Downtown. Lights on buildings and everything that makes you wonder. Sam sat down and started laughing. Patrick started laughing. I started laughing. And in that moment, I swear we were infinite." -The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

I have loved this quote for the past few years since reading "The Perks of Being A Wallflower" for the first time. I thought it was one of the most beautiful quotes ever, but had not personally experienced something that I knew could be described by it.

Until last night.

Sitting around with friends, listening to music together--EXPERIENCING music together. Talking. Relaxing. Drinking. Just being ourselves. It was comfortable, and satisfying, and perfect.   And I could finally understand it. For sure.

Break

This is so appropriate today that I'm going to link to it, even though I posted it two months ago.


Splinter

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Shake

I experienced my first earthquake yesterday while at work.

At first I noticed things moving a little, but since I am dizzy so often anyway I thought maybe it was my eyes/brain playing a trick on me. I looked around to where my other coworkers were standing, and they had confused looks on their faces as well as though they were wondering the same thing. As I scanned the store, I realized everything on the walls had begun to sway.

Luckily it was not very strong where I live, so the moment quickly passed and everything returned to normal.

I never expected to have that experience here in Virginia.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Improvement

I'm challenging myself, as well as anyone who reads this.

Don't be content.

Don't let things remain how they are...whatever that may include.

Learn. Grow. Create.

I spend so much time complaining, at least inwardly, about people being stupid. I need to stop judging.

But at the same time, that should be a sign for me to never stop learning.

These next two weeks, I'm going to expand my knowledge.

Anyone who reads this, take that challenge as well.

Also, feel free to share your knowledge. Maybe we'd all benefit if people would take more time to teach each other.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Zwei Herzen

"Zwei Seelen und ein Gedanke,
Zwei Herzen und ein Schlag."

- Eligius Franz Joseph von Münch-Bellinghausen

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Practice


"Just remember, the same as a spectacular Vogue magazine, remember that no matter how close you follow the jumps: Continued on page whatever. No matter how careful you are, there's going to be the sense you missed something, the collapsed feeling under your skin that you didn't experience it all. There's that fallen heart feeling that you rushed right through the moments where you should've been paying attention. Well, get used to that feeling. That's how your whole life will feel some day. This is all practice. None of this matters. We're just warming up."

Chuck Palahniuk

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Unless

Here's some Dr Seuss...




"Mister!", he said with a sawdusty sneeze,
"I am the Lorax, I speak for the trees.
I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues,
And I'm asking you, sir, at the top of my lungs..."

Friday, August 12, 2011

Check this out...

Some friends of mine just released a music video. Check it out :)

[0PT-0UT : Queen of Lies]


Here is more information about their band :)

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Wrong


Today I woke up in the wrong city. The bed was warm, comfortable, safe, my own. The placement was all wrong. It was in a familiar room, but not the one I wanted.

Breakfast, although tasty, was made up of items far too familiar. Nothing new. Nothing exotic. Nothing craved.

The first signs of society I glimpsed further emphasized this feeling that something was off. I knew these people well. Maybe that was the problem. Maybe I needed to be surrounded by strangers, people whom I did not know and whom I could not understand. These people all spoke the same language—my language. Where was the challenge in that?

The familiar road led me to a well-known little building where I would pass my day. Work, but not of the variety I needed… no intelligence or thought required. Simply press the buttons, pick up the receiver, hold robotic conversations with the masses. Repeat. All. Day. Long.

The later hours, although filled with the sort of people referred to as friends, were not as stimulating as I hoped. Wonderful, familiar faces. Activities to keep me busy and allow socialization. And yet, I could picture where I would like to be spending my evenings. And although wonderful, these people did not share my dreams. Half of them were content simply being here…not expanding knowledge, not exploring new horizons. But how inspiring can such company be?

Today I awoke in a land not my own. A stranger in my own town. Maybe one day I’ll be in my true home.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

alledaagse

Ek mis jou.

...en ek kan nie glo dat ek die geleentheid gehad het om jou te ontmoet nie.

Culture Crossing

I just found the most interesting site. I can't recommend it highly enough :)


http://www.culturecrossing.net

Time

Время-- никогда не правильная скорость...всегда слишком быстро или слишком медленно...

Wednesday, August 3, 2011