Is There a Point?

Authors note: My inspiration for this was a movie called, The Truman Show, and how our vision is the only factor we have to define life as real, and how we hope there is some point to the madness and struggles of life.

Each day we arrive at this place of learning, to what make something of myself in life? To have a future full of opportunities, but I ask myself in midst of doubt, what is it we really want to achieve, and what is it we are going to get out of this life. What if the person next to you was just a figment of you imagination, but you could never decipher the difference.

Our perceptions are colored by our observations. We live in a virtual reality constructed by our minds, and reality is only what we perceive it to be.  Numbers, they are the same way. If I was to take a baby and teach them from the start the order went 1, 2, 8, 3 they wouldn’t see anything wrong with it, but the rest of society who all has agreed a single concept to look at the world would see the error. Numbers aren’t real, but we recognize them to be. Life isn’t real, but we distinguish reality to be.

The concept on life not being real forces you to consider the fact that then what do we have to look forward to. If vision is our only validation, then what is the point of the effort put into this life. We wish, and hope that in the end there was some reason for it all, and some meaning to my life.

Authors note: this poem is inspired by the Truman Show. It is basically about  how is this world all real or just a figment of my imagination. I am not particularity proud of this piece, but it was a difficult subject to wrap my mind around in text.

This life is all I have ever known
But I remain lost.


Each step of the way I question of reality
Is reality real?


Imagination play tricks
judgment miss interprets

I struggle to remain in tact

to keep from fraying.

Do I even exist?

Things to Think About...Later

Authors Note: I was struggling to find a topic to write about, and my procrastination was getting the best of me therefore I wrote a piece on it, and how possibly we can grow from our old ways and learn to better ourselves. 
 
I have always been a very good procrastinator and I’m finally coming to the realization that it is starting to affect my life in many ways. We all face the temptations to do other things  than the significant amounts of work we have. It all comes in a different fashion whether it is facebook, shopping, talking to friends, etc. it consumes are life. we set aside our work with the idea of, “all I will do it later”. Not necessarily a great way to live life, because then it becomes later and later and we are cramming to finish something that isn’t to the best of our capability, and then at that point you don’t feel happy with yourself or your work. Procrastination comes with so many negative effects; guilt, stress, feelings of inadequacy, anxiety.

It seems so easy to say, “just get it done with”, but when it come down to it the distractions take over. Maybe it’s just me, but it is nearly impossible for me to just sit down and get something done all at once, because at some point I give in to the temptation and never get back on task. Now I am sure as you read this your thinking that I am contradicting myself since by writing this I am not procrastinating. Well to actually finish this piece it took me over three hours, but within those three hours i probably went through ten games of tetris, and a combined hour of facebook. Since this piece is not of great length it really shouldn’t have taking me that long, but the distractions begin to take over my life and keep me from completing work in a normal amount of time.

I wonder whether its procrastination that leads to lack of motivation, or lack of motivation that sets us in to a rut of procrastination. Both complement each other to some respect, but either way what good do we get from procrastination other than failure? Procrastinators sabotage themselves from success. We put obstacles in our paths that hurt us in the long run.

Is there a resolution to this problem, or is it forever a task that we must struggle to overcome, and prevent it from controlling our lives? I am slowly coming to realize that the by trying to overcome this I am learning to prioritize better. It is a slow transformation as I am sure many can relate with, but I also think that it will better prepare me for college and the real world. It is possible that procrastination isn’t such a horrible thing at a young age as long as you manage to prosper above it.

To Strive For the Best.

In a world of millions of people, we all strive for the same thing. to be the best, to live in riches and happiness. Although who am i to define happiness to you. We all struggle to accomplish goals our entire lives. Are we all just crazy to shoot for the same dream, and only very few will ever reach, or is it the pressure and the odds against us as individuals that keeps us going? And when that goal is never reached what happens? should we just sulk about what we could have been, because the thing we have lived our entire life for is gone. Although for some they never even contemplate this idea. It is a very risk road to the top, because everyone is just waiting to see you fail. If you ever do get there, the moment you begin to loose control over it there are other waiting in line to attack the newly opened spot. As JFK once said,“We do it not because it is easy, but because it is hard”. Such an unrealistic fantasy powered by self motivation that without the difficulty it would be a task not reaching for, because it would be such an insignificant accomplishment then.

The NFL is a great example of men who have reached a dream that very few succeed in, but yet Adrian Peterson and Payton Manning is an idle of little boys around the country. As a little kid they begin crafting in there imagination the life they want is to be make it big as a pro football player. There is a slim chance at succeeding in this career field, but it doesn't change the mind of any of them. I must ask why would we bother to attempt to prevail at something with such a slim chance of success. Is it for the idea that if you do succeed you have accomplish something that was so difficult that only a few could, or because you are considered living the luxury life and high up on the social structure ladder?

Chain of Social Evolution

Every human being experiences a  point  when they need to mature and fend for themselves.  We can’t live as a carless child all of are life, but the coming of age is tough to deal with. When you do mature to that state where you understand who are and who are not the people you need to be hanging around with, but it takes courage to do something about it. It's hard to let someone go as a friend especially if they were the closet friend you had all through elementary school. Like a chain your friend ships evolve as does yourself. Your personal outlook on life, your beliefs all morph to yourself opinions.  Your opinions will never be the same as they were as a child thus the fact that if you loose common interest or beliefs it can tear apart your friendships. We all mature at different periods and begin to fend for ourselves.  If a friend was holding you back evolving into the person you want to be and getting themselves into serious trouble its very difficult to do the "right" thing. There's a difference between knowing what's right and what is wrong but actually taking action and risking the you relationship with a friend to possibly better both of your lives. The possibly part is the thing that catches most of us. Its nearly impossible to say you live with no regrets. As much as all of us would like to believe it there is always that part of our mind that wanders and tears apart every detail of a situation, and start to play the "what if" game with it.  From personal experience it is one of the hardest thing to do. Risk a great friendship to possibly better both lives, and even save a life.  Although no one views the world the same, and if you’re the one getting into serious trouble because a friend snitched on you it would be difficult to understand the caring gesture behind it.  The great deal of respect for a person that you would give up everything you have with them.

The vovux our group made is a series of word warped into a picture of a chain. Each link representing another step of evolution beginning with innocence and traveling to experienced. Everyday there's a progression of change, but we broke it down into core sections. The colors representing each stage. As an infant we are pure, white. Around the age of nine we begin doing everything to please our parents, and the progression of our life warps the personal decisions we make, and we become ourselves making the transition to self limited, and experienced. 

Living a Fairy Tale

Authors note: this piece originated from a stream of consciousness I did recently. It went in a direction I would have never thought of. The main purpose that this piece is speaking to is how when were little we think that things will be just like the princess movies where the fairy god mother always saves the day.

My sun that has always been shining

Just overhead beaming
its careless spotlight radiating down

choosing reminiscing children dancing

dressed in there princess gowns

away from sight we disappear

Our journeys start quickly…

but seems to never end.

Never wanting the sun to go down.

an ancient leaning willow.
Such a stump little fellow he- 

with branches that weep,

Due to the fade in memories.

escorting long lost adventures back.

Within Rapunzel's mane:

Like a vortex were lost.

Unable to grasp reality beyond-

The fairy tale we view

How can something so perfect leave me lost.
If all I have ever know is these grounds

May fear have bent my yellow brick road?

Just a flash back of the simple days I'm left.

I assumed I too could live the fairy tale ways;

of little girls running circles in Never Land

everyday was a sunny summers day.

I thought my happy ending would be just the same.

Each complication I must face

My fairy god mother there:

to sew the pieces back together.

I am now not foolish.

For I know these tattered dresses

I am left to sew.

Now I grasp reality.

No story lines of princesses and evil queens
the same déjà vu ending.  

Contemplate each decision-

It could be your happily ever after.

No one wants to end up living

with a happily never after.

Art is the Unspoken Language

As you stroll into the emptied  white room with the canvas spread against the walls you approach one like no other. A portrait that reaches out to you, and leaves you speechless. The words were ripped from your mouth, and leaves you exasperated with mumbling staggered fragments in attempt of what you would like to say. The reason no words emerged to you clearly, is because there is no limit to what you can say in art, therefore we should not attempt to limit it with words.

Language can only go so far, but art is the unspoken language of infinite emotions.  We were made without limits; whether you believe our creator was god, or atheistic evolution is the reason for our existence; somewhere along the line we began setting limits for ourselves. An artist expresses passion through his work in a unique point of view. I find it incorrect for students to be told to respond to art with writing. Not because I am a student and am looking to get out of work, but because art can not be expressed through words, and was intended to be that way by the artist himself. When we use the  47, 156 obsolete words of the English language we loose the passion that was put into the piece. Our world has evolved to a place where you must respond to everything with literature: why cant we respond using the unspoken language: art?

Instead of requiring students to describe how they felt when they looked at a piece of art, they should be given a choice between responding with literature, or art based on what they are more comfortable with. By making your own piece of work you can express your feelings more easily, and still show the symbolism and and message you got out of the piece.