"The opposite of love is not hate, it is indifference."
I watch a lot of documentaries in my free time. You could say it's one of guilty pleasures, but really I don't feel guilty about it. I love watching documentaries, especially nature documentaries like Life and Planet Earth. The reason I like watching documentaries is that it satisfies my curiosity. For example, I started watching a series called Human Planet. It's a series about how humans work with and conquer nature in order to live in the most remote and extreme climates like the Himalayas or deep in the jungles. That just sounds so interesting to me and makes me want to know more about it. I tend to be curious about lots of random things and documentaries also help expose me to the world teaching me things I never knew.
Human Planet trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HiUMlOz4UQ
The more I fight it the harder it gets to deny it
Monday, February 14, 2011
at
10:35 AM
“I laugh, I love, I hope, I try, I hurt, I need, I fear, I cry. And I know you do the same things too, So we're really not that different, me and you.” -Colin Raye
Chivalry. That is a word that’s rarely used nowadays. Last semester in my Men/Women discussion class we actually discussed chivalry and what it constitutes in society today. I said that chivalry means being a gentleman and self-sacrificing. I was then asked by the moderators of the discussion what I meant by that to which I replied that it just means thinking of others, not only towards women. The classic example of being chivalrous is opening the door for someone or giving up your seat for someone who needs it more than you do. The question I asked myself today was does chivalry still exist and to what extent. I don’t think that chivalry exists anymore, at least in terms of how I define it. There is no more self-sacrifice in my opinion because there is always some benefit to yourself in being chivalrous. Most people act “chivalrous” because that is either the social norm or because it is the polite thing to do and they just don’t want to appear like an asshole. Think about it, in fine dining, the proper thing to do is the pull out the chairs for a lady and then push their chair in after they take a seat. Guys only do that because that is the social norm in that setting. They did it to gain favor from the woman showing them that they have class. I bet that if half the things people consider to be chivalrous wasn’t expected of guys in certain social settings that most would forget to do them. Maybe this is just the cynical part of me showing when I say chivalry doesn’t really exist, at least true chivalry.
Chivalry. That is a word that’s rarely used nowadays. Last semester in my Men/Women discussion class we actually discussed chivalry and what it constitutes in society today. I said that chivalry means being a gentleman and self-sacrificing. I was then asked by the moderators of the discussion what I meant by that to which I replied that it just means thinking of others, not only towards women. The classic example of being chivalrous is opening the door for someone or giving up your seat for someone who needs it more than you do. The question I asked myself today was does chivalry still exist and to what extent. I don’t think that chivalry exists anymore, at least in terms of how I define it. There is no more self-sacrifice in my opinion because there is always some benefit to yourself in being chivalrous. Most people act “chivalrous” because that is either the social norm or because it is the polite thing to do and they just don’t want to appear like an asshole. Think about it, in fine dining, the proper thing to do is the pull out the chairs for a lady and then push their chair in after they take a seat. Guys only do that because that is the social norm in that setting. They did it to gain favor from the woman showing them that they have class. I bet that if half the things people consider to be chivalrous wasn’t expected of guys in certain social settings that most would forget to do them. Maybe this is just the cynical part of me showing when I say chivalry doesn’t really exist, at least true chivalry.
It’s similar to altruism, which I just recently learned the word for. Altruism is basically the selfless concern for others. That concern can manifest in many different ways in helping others. I honestly believe that there is no true selfless action and that there is always some underlying reason for the action even if it’s not immediately obvious. It can be anything from trying to get on someone’s good side, trying to get a compliment, or even to just feel better about yourself. Again, may just be my cynical side poking through…
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I set fire to the rain
Saturday, February 12, 2011
at
5:47 AM
“I start to feel like I can’t maintain the facade any longer, that I may just start to show through. And I wish I knew what was wrong. Maybe something about how stupid my whole life is. I don’t know. Why does the rest of the world put up with the hypocrisy, the need to put a happy face on sorrow, the need to keep on keeping on?... I don’t know the answer, I know only that I can’t. I don't want any more vicissitudes, I don't want any more of this try, try again stuff. I just want out. I’ve had it. I am so tired. I am twenty and I am already exhausted.” -Elizabeth Wurtzel
So it's 5:11 when I'm starting this post that I've decided I'm actually going to finish. I have like over 20 drafts just sitting unfinished that I doubt I'll ever get back to, but we'll see. Anyways I've decided that before I go to sleep I'm going to actually update with a post about something. About what I haven't quite decided yet so we'll just have to see where my train of thought leads this post. I started out this semester with high hopes and a good sense of purpose, but I can say that now I don't have any of that. I'm no longer excited about this semester and I'm back to where I was last semester and last year. The thing is, I have a pretty good idea as to why I'm in this funk right now except I can barely admit it to myself let alone others. I just wonder to myself will I be able to accept this thing and do something about it or just keep it to myself like always and just let it pass me by. I honestly don't want to regret anything and I feel that that fear is what really gets me a lot of the time in making my decisions, even minor ones like what to eat for lunch. I don't want to pick something and then regret going down that path because there is no turning back. This just leads to my incredible indecisiveness for everything. This is one of the hardest things to change about myself and I feel as though I'll never get over this. This and being more self-confident/proactive about my life. It's hard to change who you are no matter how much you want. I just feel as though these are the obstacles that are standing in the way between me now and the me that's actually legit 100% happy and content with his life for more than a day.
So it's 5:11 when I'm starting this post that I've decided I'm actually going to finish. I have like over 20 drafts just sitting unfinished that I doubt I'll ever get back to, but we'll see. Anyways I've decided that before I go to sleep I'm going to actually update with a post about something. About what I haven't quite decided yet so we'll just have to see where my train of thought leads this post. I started out this semester with high hopes and a good sense of purpose, but I can say that now I don't have any of that. I'm no longer excited about this semester and I'm back to where I was last semester and last year. The thing is, I have a pretty good idea as to why I'm in this funk right now except I can barely admit it to myself let alone others. I just wonder to myself will I be able to accept this thing and do something about it or just keep it to myself like always and just let it pass me by. I honestly don't want to regret anything and I feel that that fear is what really gets me a lot of the time in making my decisions, even minor ones like what to eat for lunch. I don't want to pick something and then regret going down that path because there is no turning back. This just leads to my incredible indecisiveness for everything. This is one of the hardest things to change about myself and I feel as though I'll never get over this. This and being more self-confident/proactive about my life. It's hard to change who you are no matter how much you want. I just feel as though these are the obstacles that are standing in the way between me now and the me that's actually legit 100% happy and content with his life for more than a day.
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There's a snake in my boot
Saturday, January 8, 2011
at
2:10 AM
“They keep saying the right person will come along, I think mine got hit by a truck.”
Day 21 Look back. Why did you choose this challenge? Do you think it says anything about you?
I chose this challenge because I saw it on a friends blog and decided to do it as well and because the posts are more thought provoking even if I haven't been giving them as much thought as I should. Really I just enjoy thought provoking things. I like to think about things that I normally wouldn't have thought about. It forces me to really step back and look at myself from a different perspective while other times it reinforces my views on things.
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Je ne suis qu'un soul man
Friday, January 7, 2011
at
7:52 PM
"The best way to waste your life is by taking notes." -Chuck Palahniuk
Day 15 What do you believe in? And not just God or atheism.
I have not figured out my own beliefs. Partly because I don't know all of the beliefs to see which one I feel fits me and partly because I don't see the need to declare my beliefs. If anything the one thing I believe that the essential things that every belief teaches us to just be good people. The deities may be different and the exact details of what is good and bad, but all in all essentially we are taught to be good and by doing so we will be rewarded. If we can all agree on at least that, do the details really matter that much that we need to hate and hurt each other? I think not, but what do I know?
Day 15 What do you believe in? And not just God or atheism.
I have not figured out my own beliefs. Partly because I don't know all of the beliefs to see which one I feel fits me and partly because I don't see the need to declare my beliefs. If anything the one thing I believe that the essential things that every belief teaches us to just be good people. The deities may be different and the exact details of what is good and bad, but all in all essentially we are taught to be good and by doing so we will be rewarded. If we can all agree on at least that, do the details really matter that much that we need to hate and hurt each other? I think not, but what do I know?
Day 16 What are you passionate about?
I don't know what I'm passionate about. I've been looking for it and haven't come across it yet. I figure if I'm not sure if I'm passionate about something then chances are I'm not. To be honest I feel sort of empty without at least one thing in my life I have passion for. I'm hoping going through college will help me find it.
I don't know what I'm passionate about. I've been looking for it and haven't come across it yet. I figure if I'm not sure if I'm passionate about something then chances are I'm not. To be honest I feel sort of empty without at least one thing in my life I have passion for. I'm hoping going through college will help me find it.
Day 17 Who was the last person you kissed? (If you are still with them now, pick the person before them.) What would they say if they saw you now?
Well...this is an awkward question.
Well...this is an awkward question.
Day 18 Talk about your extended family. Why do you think they are the way they are?
I don't really know much about my extended family to be honest so I can't say much about this...
I don't really know much about my extended family to be honest so I can't say much about this...
Day 19 If you could be anywhere in the world, but you had to be there for a certain cause, where would you be and why?
I would pick Vietnam. One, in order to learn more about my heritage and culture and two, to help out my home country. I don't know what cause though, but it would definitely be there.
I would pick Vietnam. One, in order to learn more about my heritage and culture and two, to help out my home country. I don't know what cause though, but it would definitely be there.
Day 20 Again, pick a song that projects the mood of your week or day.
Soul Man by Ben L'Oncle Soul. Yeah it's in french, but I just love the melody and feel of the song. Plus I actually translated the lyrics to see what it was about and I kinda liked the lyrics too. An overall positive feeling song.
Soul Man by Ben L'Oncle Soul. Yeah it's in french, but I just love the melody and feel of the song. Plus I actually translated the lyrics to see what it was about and I kinda liked the lyrics too. An overall positive feeling song.
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Everybody in the club gettin tipsy
Saturday, January 1, 2011
at
3:21 AM
"The happiest people are those who think the most interesting thoughts. Those who decide to use leisure as a means of mental development, who love good music, good books, good pictures, good company, good conversation, are the happiest people in the world. And they are not only happy in themselves, they are the cause of happiness in others." -William Lyon Phelps
I'm a giant fail. Oh well, better late than never.
Day 10 Did you have a good day or a bad day? Where do you think that defining line was?
Today (whenever Day 10 was) was a good day since I spent all of it with friends. I went ice skating, then watched Mean Girls, then played cranium. Afterwards I went out to watch Black Swan and got my mind blown by that. So it was a great day in terms of winter break. The defining line would just be the fact that I got to hang out with people. I'm a people person, but not large crowds.
Day 11 Do you feel protective over someone?
I do feel protective over my friends in general just because they're my friends and I care about them, but I do feel more protective over some than others. I won't say who though because where's the fun in that? =)
Day 12 If you could trade places with anyone for one week, who would it be and why?
I wouldn't want to trade places with anyone for a week just because I don't see a point. Why be someone else for a week? I'd trade forever, but that's just cause I'm greedy like that heh.
Day 13 Where do you see your best friend in 10 years?
I see my best friend getting into the swing of their careers in 10 years. Probably married too since people seem to be getting married quite young these days, but I dunno.
Dat 14 When you are stressed, what can you use as an outlet? Why do you think it helps you?
When I'm stressed I tend to become a social recluse. I go for a drive, get my ipod and headphones, walk around taking pictures, then go read a book with my music. Basically it's just to calm myself down. I love driving so that definitely helps me calm down. The right music helps my mood and so do taking pictures and getting lost in a book.
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