Life is certainly not easy.
I actually had a really bad day today. It was long, hard, stressful, and depressing. I wish that I was 8 years old right now; the prime age, the big enough but not too old age, the fun happy-go-lucky age. Instead of right now, the stressful, tense, rigid life that lies ahead. I guess I'm homesick for childhood. And all that is pure and innocent.
But I was 8 too long ago, and what used to be a daydream is now reality. The impending doom of college applications, and going to college, the grueling amount of work that lies ahead in just this year, the summer work for right now, and all of the other things I will have to do when I live by myself.
And no matter what, even if you know people doing the same thing as you, no one really knows how you feel. Because everyone interprets things differently. My friends might be doing all the same work, but we feel differently about it. So it's hard to relate to people who are conflicted or stressed. And sometimes people will just never understand how you feel.
But my cat does. I was sitting in the hallway crying when he woke up and made a little squeak noise. So I picked him up and put him in my lap so he sat like a person and he licked away my tears. Probably because they were salty, but it's the thought that counts. And when I talked to him and told him that I was sad, he made another little meow-squeak and continued to lick my tears away. And we sat in the dark hallway and he purred on my lap while I hugged him and instantly I felt a little better.
I didn't need to be told things would get better. Or that things are better if you look on the bright side. I just needed a hug, and my cat gave me one. And sometimes the unassuming, nonjudgmental nature of animals is much more comforting than words.
07 August 2011
06 August 2011
nostalgia
When I was 3, me and my dad decided to jump out of a plane with parachutes when I was 18. I don't know what was the reason behind this, but we always said we would. It always seemed so far away. I remember thinking when I was 8 that in 10 years I would be jumping out of a plane. I did this same calculation when I turned double digits (a big birthday milestone) and I did it when I was 13. And now I'm 17, and in 362 days I will be 18. It's a horribly scary thought to me. 17 is a kid, and 18's not.
Also, I would be going to college at this time. Which is the scariest thing in the world right now. How could I possibly leave? I'm still watching Spongebob in my kitchen and eating Kraft macaroni and cheese. Sure, I go to school and have philosophical discussions and talk about literature and symbology and other things of the sort, but I still like to come home and jump on my trampoline like a little kid, and discover old toys in the basement, and play games with my brother and sister. I guess I'll always be a kid at heart, but it saddens me to think it will all go away.
But I can't waste my days wishing that they wouldn't go by as fast; I can spend each one loving every moment and knowing that I can make each moment something beautiful. What would life be if we worried about what could have been or what might come? We can only see so far ahead of us, and we have to remember to live in the present and make what's happening now even more special.
Also, I would be going to college at this time. Which is the scariest thing in the world right now. How could I possibly leave? I'm still watching Spongebob in my kitchen and eating Kraft macaroni and cheese. Sure, I go to school and have philosophical discussions and talk about literature and symbology and other things of the sort, but I still like to come home and jump on my trampoline like a little kid, and discover old toys in the basement, and play games with my brother and sister. I guess I'll always be a kid at heart, but it saddens me to think it will all go away.
But I can't waste my days wishing that they wouldn't go by as fast; I can spend each one loving every moment and knowing that I can make each moment something beautiful. What would life be if we worried about what could have been or what might come? We can only see so far ahead of us, and we have to remember to live in the present and make what's happening now even more special.
05 August 2011
blind to the world
Usually I'm the last person to know anything about everything. Sometimes my friends know more about my life than I do. I am usually the last person to know the inside word, so I try to correct that by getting au courant with worldly events.
This is why I downloaded the CNN app for iPad, so I can read snips of news about the world so I know things without having to click on the hashtag on Twitter to find out what the whole world is talking about. But most of the time, news is nothing to throw daisies and frolic about. It's usually sad, depressing, horrific, alarming, or upsetting in some form or another. It's not something to read if you are already sad, depressed, horrified, alarmed, or upset. Not to knock CNN, but news is pretty down in the dumps. But I guess it's true of all news stations and websites and such. Bombings and attacks here, public riots and famine there. Everyday we are pelted with information, none of which is good.
The debt ceiling. The oil spill. Political arguments. Tsunamis. Hurricanes. Famine. Overpopulation. Trafficking. Murder. Starvation. Obesity. Stock market nosediving. Diseases and pandemics. Massacres. Terrorist attacks. Dwindling money. Unemployment. Human rights issues. Inequality. Pollution. Racism. Corruption. Rising sea levels. Deterioration of foreign relations. Hasty judgments. The impending apocalypse.
So the last one was a little melodramatic, but you get the idea. These are only a tiny fraction of the issues the world faces everyday without ceasing. And we hear about it everyday. We talk about it, and since we are humans, we feel. We feel for the people dying of famine and heat stroke. We feel for the puppies in puppy mills who are waiting on death row. We feel for the victims of natural disasters, corruption, and abuse. We feel for those who must make tough decisions. We feel for those who meander in the street at night trying to find a warm place to sleep. We feel for the people who can't pay their bills and face foreclosure. We feel for the people made fun of, teased, and for those who become victims of bullying. We feel for the trees and animals killed everyday to feed our greed for more.
We could be plagued with things like this, but really, if you can read this right now, you are better off than pretty much everyone that these issues apply to. If you are in a comfortable house with enough money to live the way you want and you have a computer to read this, you are better off than anyone struggling enough to make the next CNN headline.
But if we get too caught up in this, we can't be happy. We can't be naive and think that we live in a happy world, because there is a lot of unrest and problems in the world, as you can see. But we can be informed and also live our lives. We can live our lives the way that we were blessed. We got a great chance at a great life, and while we can feel for the people, animals, and others who are affected daily with hardships, we can also live our lives happily, with the people we love. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss.
This is why I downloaded the CNN app for iPad, so I can read snips of news about the world so I know things without having to click on the hashtag on Twitter to find out what the whole world is talking about. But most of the time, news is nothing to throw daisies and frolic about. It's usually sad, depressing, horrific, alarming, or upsetting in some form or another. It's not something to read if you are already sad, depressed, horrified, alarmed, or upset. Not to knock CNN, but news is pretty down in the dumps. But I guess it's true of all news stations and websites and such. Bombings and attacks here, public riots and famine there. Everyday we are pelted with information, none of which is good.
The debt ceiling. The oil spill. Political arguments. Tsunamis. Hurricanes. Famine. Overpopulation. Trafficking. Murder. Starvation. Obesity. Stock market nosediving. Diseases and pandemics. Massacres. Terrorist attacks. Dwindling money. Unemployment. Human rights issues. Inequality. Pollution. Racism. Corruption. Rising sea levels. Deterioration of foreign relations. Hasty judgments. The impending apocalypse.
So the last one was a little melodramatic, but you get the idea. These are only a tiny fraction of the issues the world faces everyday without ceasing. And we hear about it everyday. We talk about it, and since we are humans, we feel. We feel for the people dying of famine and heat stroke. We feel for the puppies in puppy mills who are waiting on death row. We feel for the victims of natural disasters, corruption, and abuse. We feel for those who must make tough decisions. We feel for those who meander in the street at night trying to find a warm place to sleep. We feel for the people who can't pay their bills and face foreclosure. We feel for the people made fun of, teased, and for those who become victims of bullying. We feel for the trees and animals killed everyday to feed our greed for more.
We could be plagued with things like this, but really, if you can read this right now, you are better off than pretty much everyone that these issues apply to. If you are in a comfortable house with enough money to live the way you want and you have a computer to read this, you are better off than anyone struggling enough to make the next CNN headline.
But if we get too caught up in this, we can't be happy. We can't be naive and think that we live in a happy world, because there is a lot of unrest and problems in the world, as you can see. But we can be informed and also live our lives. We can live our lives the way that we were blessed. We got a great chance at a great life, and while we can feel for the people, animals, and others who are affected daily with hardships, we can also live our lives happily, with the people we love. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss.
04 August 2011
frank sinatra brightens everyone's day
I just realized that there are only 11 days until school starts and I still have 4 books to read and 2 sculptures to make. Pretty cool 11 days coming up.
So in between reading, I was turning on my computer to blog. This was last night. And I watched a video on my home page about a construction worker who sings Frank Sinatra. It was completely enticing and I absolutely had to watch it.
So I opened it up and started reading it, and I watched the video and heard the most amazing rendition of Sinatra's songs I've ever heard. You would have thought that Ol' Blue Eyes himself was singing the song. Turns out this construction worker from New York sings to entertain himself and his coworkers outside on lunch breaks.
It didn't cause a stir until people started to stop and watch him, and eventually he ended up on YouTube, courtesy of a passer-by with a camera. He's quite good for not being a singer, and even if he was a singer, he'd still be quite good.
Soon, flocks of New Yorkers would come during their lunch breaks to hear the amazing construction worker perform. He became a hit, and everyone enjoyed it.
Despite all of the things that are going wrong in the world, something as simple as a man singing songs we all know can unite us in a magical and profound way, like nothing else. Apple, Inc. may have more money than the United States, and the stock market may be falling even lower than before. We may be entering into further foreign conflict, and our environmental situation has been better. But this man has a song to sing, and America is ready to listen.
So in between reading, I was turning on my computer to blog. This was last night. And I watched a video on my home page about a construction worker who sings Frank Sinatra. It was completely enticing and I absolutely had to watch it.
So I opened it up and started reading it, and I watched the video and heard the most amazing rendition of Sinatra's songs I've ever heard. You would have thought that Ol' Blue Eyes himself was singing the song. Turns out this construction worker from New York sings to entertain himself and his coworkers outside on lunch breaks.
It didn't cause a stir until people started to stop and watch him, and eventually he ended up on YouTube, courtesy of a passer-by with a camera. He's quite good for not being a singer, and even if he was a singer, he'd still be quite good.
Soon, flocks of New Yorkers would come during their lunch breaks to hear the amazing construction worker perform. He became a hit, and everyone enjoyed it.
Despite all of the things that are going wrong in the world, something as simple as a man singing songs we all know can unite us in a magical and profound way, like nothing else. Apple, Inc. may have more money than the United States, and the stock market may be falling even lower than before. We may be entering into further foreign conflict, and our environmental situation has been better. But this man has a song to sing, and America is ready to listen.
03 August 2011
birthday post
Howdy folksies! Today's my 17th birthday! Which is pretty exciting, because birthdays are always fun. My real birthday present was being able to go to Costa Rica, but my family and friends all gave me money for my birthday which went into the camera fund for my new SLR. But my mom got me some other things too for my birthday: she bought me a Pandora bracelet, one of the ones I really liked (it goes towards cancer research) and some gorgeous charms for it. It's one of my favorite things now because it's so special - I like each of the charms for certain reasons because they represent something to me, and it's much more special than a bunch of beads perfectly arranged on a bracelet. My sister also got me a Jack Johnson CD that I love. It's things like that that make me really happy.
But what else was great was the amount of Facebook messages I got about my birthday. I woke up and there were 12 messages. And throughout the day I kept getting more - 39 in all! It's a small gesture to wish someone a happy birthday and write a little message, but it really goes a long way and I really appreciate it. It made my day in fact (in addition to the cake my mom made and the chicken with broccoli and soy sauce!). I also got a manicure and pedicure, and my hair done too - it was a wonderful birthday.
But even the smallest things, the things that show people really care, make a big difference. People I met in Costa Rica posted on my wall and wrote a message, even though I only met them and saw them for 10 days. It's nice that they care, even though Facebook reminds them about it. It's the thought that counts.
But what else was great was the amount of Facebook messages I got about my birthday. I woke up and there were 12 messages. And throughout the day I kept getting more - 39 in all! It's a small gesture to wish someone a happy birthday and write a little message, but it really goes a long way and I really appreciate it. It made my day in fact (in addition to the cake my mom made and the chicken with broccoli and soy sauce!). I also got a manicure and pedicure, and my hair done too - it was a wonderful birthday.
But even the smallest things, the things that show people really care, make a big difference. People I met in Costa Rica posted on my wall and wrote a message, even though I only met them and saw them for 10 days. It's nice that they care, even though Facebook reminds them about it. It's the thought that counts.
02 August 2011
every step counts
It's been really hot here. Not like it normally isn't, but it's in the 100s, so we've been inside most days. So today for dinner, since we still don't really have much food in our house, we went to this pizza place, where you make your own pizza - they give you options for dough, sauce, cheese, and toppings, then they bake it for 4 minutes. And they make it right before your eyes. It's pretty fun and the pizza is really ridiculously good.
They have some TVs in there, and they were doing a special on triplets. And it caught our eyes when we saw one segment was on three triplet boys who went to the same high school my dad went to in Massachusetts, which is pretty small world-ish. The boys all played football, until one of them had a serious football accident that left him paralyzed.
And by his side are his brothers - at physical therapy, in the house, and on the football field. His brothers help him with exercises and getting around places, and he in turn comes to all of their football games and sits on the players' bench. He even started walking on a walker because of all the hard work he and his brothers did to help him.
He could have been left to sit in a wheelchair and be like that for the rest of his life. But he did something to change that. And so did his brothers. They stood by him no matter what, even if they had things to do, so that they could push him to keep going and get better.
And who knows - maybe he'll be able to walk again someday.
I see people quote things all the time about not liking things and changing them. This is the ultimate story of someone - and his brothers - who is changing the athlete's worst nightmare into something worthwhile.
It also makes you think about walking. We do it everyday. Up and down the stairs, across the street, in the park, on the beach, in stores and everywhere in between. But we don't really think about it. What if you all of a sudden couldn't walk. Someone would have to push you in a wheelchair. You would be excluded from things because they would not accommodate you, and you would lose you freedom. So cherish every step. Because every step counts.
They have some TVs in there, and they were doing a special on triplets. And it caught our eyes when we saw one segment was on three triplet boys who went to the same high school my dad went to in Massachusetts, which is pretty small world-ish. The boys all played football, until one of them had a serious football accident that left him paralyzed.
And by his side are his brothers - at physical therapy, in the house, and on the football field. His brothers help him with exercises and getting around places, and he in turn comes to all of their football games and sits on the players' bench. He even started walking on a walker because of all the hard work he and his brothers did to help him.
He could have been left to sit in a wheelchair and be like that for the rest of his life. But he did something to change that. And so did his brothers. They stood by him no matter what, even if they had things to do, so that they could push him to keep going and get better.
And who knows - maybe he'll be able to walk again someday.
I see people quote things all the time about not liking things and changing them. This is the ultimate story of someone - and his brothers - who is changing the athlete's worst nightmare into something worthwhile.
It also makes you think about walking. We do it everyday. Up and down the stairs, across the street, in the park, on the beach, in stores and everywhere in between. But we don't really think about it. What if you all of a sudden couldn't walk. Someone would have to push you in a wheelchair. You would be excluded from things because they would not accommodate you, and you would lose you freedom. So cherish every step. Because every step counts.
01 August 2011
yet another one of those articles
As you know, I read a lot of articles about a lot of different things. And it just so happens I found an article about happiness today in Parade (which I always read).
It's called Sunny Side Up: Do you know how to be happy? And some of the things are pretty surprising.
First piece of advice: people who are generally happy and cheerful don't really think about it very much; they just live their lives. Which is interesting because the purpose of me doing this was to find something. To search for something. But really you don't have to search, it will come to you. You will feel it inside of you instead of running around trying to find something that you are unsure of.
And since it's the summer, let's talk about vacations. When are people most happy about vacations? It's not during, it's beforehand. Planning vacations and imagining what it's going to be like is evidently more pleasing than the actual vacation. The anticipation is something that makes us really excited and happy inside.
Here's another fact: some of us are more likely than others to be happy. 50% of happiness is determined by genetics. But that doesn't mean you have no say in your happiness: 40% is determined by your mindset. The other 10% is based on life experiences.
Sometimes when people are sad, they'll watch reruns of their favorite TV show, even if they have seen it so many times that they can recite the lines. But the better solution is to go outside. According to a study from the University of Rochester, 90% of the test subjects felt better after spending time outside with trees, plants, animals, and fresh air.
But not all technology is bad. Listening to music on your iPod is a great way to overcome sadness and be a little bit more happy and cheerful. And it doesn't have to be a ukulele-by-the-beach song; my music you like will make you feel better, whether it's Mozart or metal. As long as you like it, you'll be happy.
And for another science-y one: taking fish oil supplements can help you to feel better. But this one's a little more chemical: fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, which help your brain to receive messages from endorphins (happy hormones). In this way, it almost works like depression medication.
Also from the research lab: you don't have to be happy to be happy. Sound confusing? It's not. Even if you are completely devastated inside, if you imagine yourself having fun, or laughing, or a scene from a happy movie, etc., you will be happier. Researchers found out that the areas of the brain that show happiness were more visible on the screen when subjects were imagining something happy. So you can fake yourself out and get the long end of the stick.
And for the last one: being optimistic doesn't make you happier. In fact, pessimists can be happier in the long run because lowering their expectations can leave them less disappointed than optimists, who hope, and sometimes expect, everything to turn out alright. So if you lower your expectations, you can be pleasantly surprised more often than sadly disappointed.
So there you have it - the myths of happiness uncovered! If you have anymore, post them as a comment right here!
It's called Sunny Side Up: Do you know how to be happy? And some of the things are pretty surprising.
First piece of advice: people who are generally happy and cheerful don't really think about it very much; they just live their lives. Which is interesting because the purpose of me doing this was to find something. To search for something. But really you don't have to search, it will come to you. You will feel it inside of you instead of running around trying to find something that you are unsure of.
And since it's the summer, let's talk about vacations. When are people most happy about vacations? It's not during, it's beforehand. Planning vacations and imagining what it's going to be like is evidently more pleasing than the actual vacation. The anticipation is something that makes us really excited and happy inside.
Here's another fact: some of us are more likely than others to be happy. 50% of happiness is determined by genetics. But that doesn't mean you have no say in your happiness: 40% is determined by your mindset. The other 10% is based on life experiences.
Sometimes when people are sad, they'll watch reruns of their favorite TV show, even if they have seen it so many times that they can recite the lines. But the better solution is to go outside. According to a study from the University of Rochester, 90% of the test subjects felt better after spending time outside with trees, plants, animals, and fresh air.
But not all technology is bad. Listening to music on your iPod is a great way to overcome sadness and be a little bit more happy and cheerful. And it doesn't have to be a ukulele-by-the-beach song; my music you like will make you feel better, whether it's Mozart or metal. As long as you like it, you'll be happy.
And for another science-y one: taking fish oil supplements can help you to feel better. But this one's a little more chemical: fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, which help your brain to receive messages from endorphins (happy hormones). In this way, it almost works like depression medication.
Also from the research lab: you don't have to be happy to be happy. Sound confusing? It's not. Even if you are completely devastated inside, if you imagine yourself having fun, or laughing, or a scene from a happy movie, etc., you will be happier. Researchers found out that the areas of the brain that show happiness were more visible on the screen when subjects were imagining something happy. So you can fake yourself out and get the long end of the stick.
And for the last one: being optimistic doesn't make you happier. In fact, pessimists can be happier in the long run because lowering their expectations can leave them less disappointed than optimists, who hope, and sometimes expect, everything to turn out alright. So if you lower your expectations, you can be pleasantly surprised more often than sadly disappointed.
So there you have it - the myths of happiness uncovered! If you have anymore, post them as a comment right here!
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