Sm:)e

As I walk home from school, I like to spend my time getting lost in my own thoughts. I let my mind wander to the events that transpired during the day and the different people I talked to. Sometimes, I catch myself smiling over something funny. It brings me such joy to reminisce over my day because I feel as though I have a second chance at time. For those twenty minutes, I have done the impossible. I think back to all the clever comments I could have made, the potential people I could have smiled at, and the great conversations I had. Many times I have wished that an omnipresent person has been recording my entire life, so that, one day, I will be able to watch my life. I always wonder how someone else would perceive me, and how much of a contrast it would be to how I perceive myself. Similarly, I wish I had pictures documenting my life. Not only of special occasions, but also of candid moments. Yes, I acknowledge that sometimes I desire the pictures to admire the outfit I wore or how my hair looked, but also because I firmly believe that the picture is a snapshot of time. The camera, fortuitously or not, captures every element of the scenery and preserves it for posterity. Later, when I have the chance to look back upon the picture, a flood of memories will come to me. So, even if my mind is not capable of storing every memory, the pictures will hold the unique constituents. I only wish we would be able to capture moments for the future, to remember our past, but without interrupting the present. And so, I hope that one day I will be presented the "video of my life" because life is worth living twice!

Childhood Memories

As I hear a song on the radio or see a familiar place, years of related memories come rushing to me. I am overwhelmed by my own thoughts. I reminisce on who I was. Alluding to the cliché, "being defined by your past",  I now see the irony in that statement. It has been said that the past defines the individual. As Sedaris remarks, each person had the same “verbs” but just different nouns. Thus, no matter how different a person's circumstances were everyone essentially follows the same "path".  Sedaris is so overwhelmed by the fantastical nature of his partner’s childhood that he wishes to adopt it as his own. By doing this, he hopes to replace what he considers his monotonous childhood, with one filled with excitement. However, a person’s childhood is inherently different or "personal"and largely influences their opinion about themselves. Since time is constantly progressing there is no way to validate the emotions associated with the event. This is the beauty of the past; it is dependent on how a person wants to remember it, and, herein lies the irony in Sedaris's piece. The pursuit of seeking comfort in someone else's past is futile. Instead, he should cherish his own unique past. In the end, the past is just a person’s perception of themselves. 

What Does This Remind You Of?

Every horror film opens with a scene barely discernible by the viewer. But, the suspenseful music and moving fog hints to the archetypal location: the swamp. This may be the beginning to the movie but, as the viewer knows, the end of someone's life. It is also the end of the viewer’s suspense. People today have associated certain places with certain events. For example, the idyllic bright garden is associated with happy memories of the past; the tall, overpowering tower is the stronghold of evil. Hollywood is responsible for romanticizing iconic locations, like the Okefenokee Swamp. Today, however the beauty of each event comes when there is an aberration, rather than when it is the norm. Chet Raymo cleverly utilizes this theory. In his piece “A Measure of Restraint”, he warns people of the dangers of an uncontrollable scientific pursuit. His first two examples are stereotypical: the first is of a poor man stealing to better his life and the second is of a laboratory mishap. However, his third example serves to be his most convincing example. Here, he demonstrates how his scientific quest began in his backyard as a young child. Typically, a backyard and a young boy playing are elements of a fond memory. This scene, however, is where Raymo states his innocent desire for more knowledge began. Previously, Raymo establishes that unless a person’s innate desires are curbed, the consequences could be dire. Because this seemingly sublime memory is the origin of potential evil, this example is the most effective at proving the danger of experimenting. Rather than using archetypal places to help convey a message, the use of contrasting locations creates a poignant effect on the audience.

Unpuzzling Staples' Space

While others might say that abstract concepts like public space cannot be altered, Brent Staples proves that the color of his skin can cause people to feel uncomfortable. Staples’ unalterable characteristics such as his body language and his facial features are the basis of people's judgments; his presence alone can make people quicken their "pace" (205). In the vast expanses of outer space, Earth is the only known habitat that fosters a diverse environment. Due to this, people who want to express their unique ideologies, like Jimi Hendrix, can capitalize on their environment. However, people with similar secular beliefs associate together. Sadly, people do not always unite around a positive belief; in our country's past, and even today, people grouped together by profiling others who are different than they are. For some, their situation has been bestowed upon them by the fates, and so it is their personal decision to effect a positive change for themselves. Similar to Staples, Jeannette Walls was born into her misfortunes. She used her situation to fire a change for her future; similarly, Staples should use his innate characteristics to his advantage. 

This paragraph provided me with a unique opportunity to foster my style. Because there were certain elements that I need to incorporate in my paragraph, I took more time to process my thoughts. 

Can You See Through Your Window?

Most children have heard their parents or elders moan about how short life is. This is the paradox of life; even though life seems fleeting, it’s the longest experience anyone will have. The lifespan of animals ranges from a couple of days to hundreds of years. Despite this stark contrast, all living creatures share the spirit of life. Virgina Woolf views her encounter with a day moth as an insight into the similarities between all beings. At the beginning of her observations, and the start of a new day, the moth happily flits from corner to corner of a window. This is because the moth does not know any better. This experience is very similar to that a young child. The child repeats his/her actions with a sense of joy and purpose, because he/she are not able to see what lies beyond the “window”. Both the child and the moth are satisfied with themselves because they cannot yearn for what they don’t know. Woolf instills the belief that they have not been tainted by life’s vices.  As Woolf continues to watch, representative of years passing, the moth perches itself on the windowsill and faces the sun. At this point, the moth begins to perceive the window as a barrier. The bright, warm sun represents its enticing aspirations and the dull interior represents the moth's reality. As in our lives, death is inevitable for the moth. Woolf almost tries to help revive the moth, but she realizes that her efforts are futile. The moth’s life has come to an end. Its life serves to prove a belief: when the spirit of life has left a creature, its life will soon end. The duration of one’s life is based on the joy one find in his/her situation. But, just as Woolf views the moth’s actions as pitiful, sometimes the battle of life may seem pointless. It is each person’s responsibility to find his or her energy. There will always be a window but whether it is transparent or obscured is each persons choice.

Girls are from Venus, Boys are from Jupiter

Father-daughter relationships and father-son relationships differ greatly. This is because boys and girls are innately pyscologically different. Even if sons and daughters experience similar struggles, the way they respond are distinctive. In the two stories we read this week, "Shooting Dad" and "Arm Wrestling with my Father", it was apparent that both the protagonists struggled to accept their parent's ideologies. In the end both families reconciled, but each did so differently. In “Shooting Dad” Vowell suddenly comes to the realization that she has much in common with her father. During her youth, her and her father’s political ideology were so opposed that parts of their home had to be sanctioned as “DMZs” (153). As she grew up she gained interest in becoming a “better daughter” (155). And so, she attempted to reconcile their relationship by taking the initiative to participate in activities her father enjoyed- anything with guns. In comparison, in “Arm Wrestling with my Father” Manning confesses that he had to “assume” that his father loved him, because his father never expressed it verbally (145). Their communication was solely “physical” (145). As Manning grew older he no longer felt the need to compete. He grew stronger as his father grew weaker. However, years later father and son returned to the same activity. As they arm wrestled Manning realized that the match represented a rite of passage. When he beat his father he would become the patriarch of the family.  These two stories highlight an important difference between boys and girls. Vowell, the female, chooses to reconcile her relationship by changing herself. On the other had, Manning, the male, choose to overcome his struggle by taking his father’s position. Men have the desire to prove themselves, while women will adapt to their surroundings.