To start, let me say that this will not be a post commemorating those lost on that day ten years ago. There's certainly a time and place for that, and I appreciate those who do. But that's not my purpose in writing here.
A few months ago, I spied a Tweet from The NewsHour saying they were looking for people in a certain age range for a special project... I believe it was around 17-27, but that could be off. Anyway, since I'm in that age range, I responded. A few emails later, I was asked to prepare for a taped interview, and given a set of questions to answer. I could go refer to those questions now, but I'll just play it by ear and say what I feel has to be said.
In the past ten years, our country has seen some gains and losses. Ups and downs. Victories and defeats. But nothing has managed to pull us together like that chilling morning. We realized that we were weak. We could be damaged. We were not invincible.
And that made us stronger.
By seeing that we need to rely on each other, we realized that when we do, our strength is exponentially increased. Even something as simple as sitting together and being there for one another has incredible worth. But through the past ten years, something has changed.
We're fine with the relying on others part. Someone else will clean up after us, or someone else will answer the professor's questions in class, or someone else will protect me when I can't. And, sometimes, we all need someone else to do that. The problem is, we've forgotten how to be the one that can be relied on.
Of course, this is a generalization. There are those out there willing to step up and go the extra mile when others can't. But those people (which I'm not claiming to be) are few and far between. The allure of mediocrity is difficult to pull away from, and too many of my generation have given up. We need - not should, but need - to break through the routine of skating by and be willing to deliver above and beyond.
Because otherwise, what is there to honor? What are we trying to protect? If we give up and just skate by through life, hoping someone else will pay for our actions, we're missing out on so much and settling for so little.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Unintentionally Ironic Topic
Sometimes inspiration hits like a freight train. And sometimes it hits at 1 AM.
I'm more comfortable with the latter, to be frank.
I've been itching to write about this for about a week, and the topic has been forming in my mind for a while. The problem has been actually getting it down in a communicable form. (Again, the irony here is palpable. OK, that's enough self-criticism.)
This generation - The one I'm a part of; probably the one born between about 1980 and some time in the past 10 years, but I'm not sure - has an enormous hunk of potential. It's almost palpable. But for the embarrassingly large majority of us (myself included, all too often), it's left hidden. Hidden by fear. Hidden by pride. Hidden by insecurities. Hidden by embarrassment. Hidden by an unwillingness to try something, fail miserably, brush ourselves off and try again tomorrow.
I'm not sure what the exact cause of this is, but the symptoms are all around us. Overwhelming waves of apathy emanating from high schools and college campuses nationwide. Cringe-inducing essays among college students. Facebook News Feeds clogged with "im booooooored" messages that somehow get dozens of Likes.
This isn't a new trend, of course. Shakespeare warned against it in Measure for Measure through Lucio, saying, "Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt." History is littered with examples of hard workers who made a difference because they were willing to try. (Thomas Edison's quote about not failing, but finding 1,000 ways it doesn't work, comes to mind.) I'm having a hard time remembering any historical figures who got where they were by waiting for excellence to smack them in the face.
So what's the solution? Well... If I knew that, I'd be shouting it from the rooftops. I don't think there is one blanket solution for this problem. Here's what I think would help, though.
1. If you're a fellow college/high school aged person reading this, I'm encouraging you to stop being afraid and go do something. You know what I mean, right? You've been thinking about picking up guitar, or writing a novel, or auditioning for a musical, or reading the complete works of Shakespeare... Do it. Starting today. Find out what you need to do to do it, and then get started. The world isn't going to send you a signed invitation asking for your talents. There are other willing people out there. They may not be as talented as you, but they're willing to put their pride on the line. Be one of those people. Be willing to look like an idiot today and a genius in ten years. Or maybe just a more learned idiot. Either way, you'll be losing one major thing: Regret.
2. If you're of the older crowd (By which I do NOT mean you're old, OK? Just clearing that up), let me encourage you to demand more from my generation. Performing our duties competently and on time is a bare minimum, not a glorious achievement. Also, cookies are always nice.
3. If you're a human being, support each other's efforts. If someone's worked up the nerve to broadcast themselves to the world (and they're not just doing it as a stupid attention-seeking ploy), give them some constructive feedback. Let them know you're in your corner. Stepping out on a limb is lonely business sometimes. Remind them that you're with them.
Sometimes inspiration hits like a freight train. But that doesn't do any good unless you're willing to go with it.
I'm more comfortable with the latter, to be frank.
I've been itching to write about this for about a week, and the topic has been forming in my mind for a while. The problem has been actually getting it down in a communicable form. (Again, the irony here is palpable. OK, that's enough self-criticism.)
This generation - The one I'm a part of; probably the one born between about 1980 and some time in the past 10 years, but I'm not sure - has an enormous hunk of potential. It's almost palpable. But for the embarrassingly large majority of us (myself included, all too often), it's left hidden. Hidden by fear. Hidden by pride. Hidden by insecurities. Hidden by embarrassment. Hidden by an unwillingness to try something, fail miserably, brush ourselves off and try again tomorrow.
I'm not sure what the exact cause of this is, but the symptoms are all around us. Overwhelming waves of apathy emanating from high schools and college campuses nationwide. Cringe-inducing essays among college students. Facebook News Feeds clogged with "im booooooored" messages that somehow get dozens of Likes.
This isn't a new trend, of course. Shakespeare warned against it in Measure for Measure through Lucio, saying, "Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt." History is littered with examples of hard workers who made a difference because they were willing to try. (Thomas Edison's quote about not failing, but finding 1,000 ways it doesn't work, comes to mind.) I'm having a hard time remembering any historical figures who got where they were by waiting for excellence to smack them in the face.
So what's the solution? Well... If I knew that, I'd be shouting it from the rooftops. I don't think there is one blanket solution for this problem. Here's what I think would help, though.
1. If you're a fellow college/high school aged person reading this, I'm encouraging you to stop being afraid and go do something. You know what I mean, right? You've been thinking about picking up guitar, or writing a novel, or auditioning for a musical, or reading the complete works of Shakespeare... Do it. Starting today. Find out what you need to do to do it, and then get started. The world isn't going to send you a signed invitation asking for your talents. There are other willing people out there. They may not be as talented as you, but they're willing to put their pride on the line. Be one of those people. Be willing to look like an idiot today and a genius in ten years. Or maybe just a more learned idiot. Either way, you'll be losing one major thing: Regret.
2. If you're of the older crowd (By which I do NOT mean you're old, OK? Just clearing that up), let me encourage you to demand more from my generation. Performing our duties competently and on time is a bare minimum, not a glorious achievement. Also, cookies are always nice.
3. If you're a human being, support each other's efforts. If someone's worked up the nerve to broadcast themselves to the world (and they're not just doing it as a stupid attention-seeking ploy), give them some constructive feedback. Let them know you're in your corner. Stepping out on a limb is lonely business sometimes. Remind them that you're with them.
Sometimes inspiration hits like a freight train. But that doesn't do any good unless you're willing to go with it.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Some Words
I'm writing a blog instead of vlogging because some of my college suitemates and friends are watching a movie in the common area and being rather loud at times, which would interfere with my recording. I'll come back to that.
Over the past few days, I've been told several times that I'm either smart or talented or something like that. "Josh, you must have a high GPA." (I do, but that's beside the point) "Josh, you're really good at Jeopardy." (That's because I watch it a lot) "Josh, you sure look funny." (Wait, I don't think anyone said that. Hmm. Maybe.)
Anyway. People say I'm talented. And it may be true. I'm still not convinced, but we'll go with it. I have two problems with this situation.
First, I don't have to work as hard as some would think at most of the things I'm talented at, so I feel awkward when people praise me for it. As a credit to my upbringing, perhaps, I find it natural to go to class, do the reading, pay attention, study hard and perform when asked. I've been taught to excel, not to fit in, and excelling means giving your all. I also have some amount of knowledge in most fields due to who knows what. Probably a combination of watching Jeopardy, West Wing, Monty Python and Whose Line.
Second, most of my talents are in fields that most people find intimidating. Math, theatre, physics, etc. But when it comes to things most people seem to consider easy, like small talk, I fail abysmally. Or, at least, in my opinion, I do. I may not, but I tend to feel that way. Also, the things I excel in require thinking at a higher level and being as specific and detailed as possible, so I find it hard to make the unspecific generalities that small talk seems to require in most situations.
Another thing. I'm not sure where this fits, so I'll just put it here. I feel at times that I'm "socially inept" because I try to avoid gossip/slander as often as possible, which seems to have become a popular pastime of the social circle I'm running with these days. I'm hoping to change that soon. I also try to avoid being rude as much as possible, so I may seem like I don't want to interact. 80% of the time, that isn't true. I just usually don't have the nerve to initiate the conversation.
I promised I would come back to the movie watching. Being loud and self-serving isnot rarely my way. That doesn't mean other people can't be. But does that mean I can't be annoyed when they are?
Anyway. Time to play computer games. With my headphones on.
Over the past few days, I've been told several times that I'm either smart or talented or something like that. "Josh, you must have a high GPA." (I do, but that's beside the point) "Josh, you're really good at Jeopardy." (That's because I watch it a lot) "Josh, you sure look funny." (Wait, I don't think anyone said that. Hmm. Maybe.)
Anyway. People say I'm talented. And it may be true. I'm still not convinced, but we'll go with it. I have two problems with this situation.
First, I don't have to work as hard as some would think at most of the things I'm talented at, so I feel awkward when people praise me for it. As a credit to my upbringing, perhaps, I find it natural to go to class, do the reading, pay attention, study hard and perform when asked. I've been taught to excel, not to fit in, and excelling means giving your all. I also have some amount of knowledge in most fields due to who knows what. Probably a combination of watching Jeopardy, West Wing, Monty Python and Whose Line.
Second, most of my talents are in fields that most people find intimidating. Math, theatre, physics, etc. But when it comes to things most people seem to consider easy, like small talk, I fail abysmally. Or, at least, in my opinion, I do. I may not, but I tend to feel that way. Also, the things I excel in require thinking at a higher level and being as specific and detailed as possible, so I find it hard to make the unspecific generalities that small talk seems to require in most situations.
Another thing. I'm not sure where this fits, so I'll just put it here. I feel at times that I'm "socially inept" because I try to avoid gossip/slander as often as possible, which seems to have become a popular pastime of the social circle I'm running with these days. I'm hoping to change that soon. I also try to avoid being rude as much as possible, so I may seem like I don't want to interact. 80% of the time, that isn't true. I just usually don't have the nerve to initiate the conversation.
I promised I would come back to the movie watching. Being loud and self-serving is
Anyway. Time to play computer games. With my headphones on.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
A New Year And A New Format... Probably
Well hello there.
It certainly has been a while, hasn't it? Two months this time. I have no excuse other than laziness... Sure, I was busy with school, but everyone's always busy with something. I had time to write up a little something and say hello to all of you. So I'm getting around to it now! (Hooray!)
But you're probably wondering about that title. Well, let me get right to it, then. For a few weeks now, I've been kicking around the idea of vlogging; That is, video blogging. I have the camera for it, and the YouTube page for it... Now all I need to do is get around to actually doing it! And, I suppose, a new year is just the thing to kick it off. So, this Saturday, I will post my first vlog to kick off this grand experiment. I'll outline the details of it in the vlog itself, so you'll have to watch for yourself to see what it's all about, but it should be fun.
Does this mean I won't post here any more? Probably not, but as you can see from my recent history of blogging, I didn't post here very much to start with. So, expect posts from Livin' The Stereotype as often as you used to.
And... That's all for now!
Three random things:
1. I attended a fantastic White Elephant party earlier and made off with four bottles of sparkling cider. I was quite pleased. (Also, someone at that party is to blame for me writing this. You know who you are.)
2. Wow, this last semester was busy. I managed some good grades, but I was quite stretched indeed during that time.
3. I'm going to Disneyworld next week! This is very exciting.
It certainly has been a while, hasn't it? Two months this time. I have no excuse other than laziness... Sure, I was busy with school, but everyone's always busy with something. I had time to write up a little something and say hello to all of you. So I'm getting around to it now! (Hooray!)
But you're probably wondering about that title. Well, let me get right to it, then. For a few weeks now, I've been kicking around the idea of vlogging; That is, video blogging. I have the camera for it, and the YouTube page for it... Now all I need to do is get around to actually doing it! And, I suppose, a new year is just the thing to kick it off. So, this Saturday, I will post my first vlog to kick off this grand experiment. I'll outline the details of it in the vlog itself, so you'll have to watch for yourself to see what it's all about, but it should be fun.
Does this mean I won't post here any more? Probably not, but as you can see from my recent history of blogging, I didn't post here very much to start with. So, expect posts from Livin' The Stereotype as often as you used to.
And... That's all for now!
Three random things:
1. I attended a fantastic White Elephant party earlier and made off with four bottles of sparkling cider. I was quite pleased. (Also, someone at that party is to blame for me writing this. You know who you are.)
2. Wow, this last semester was busy. I managed some good grades, but I was quite stretched indeed during that time.
3. I'm going to Disneyworld next week! This is very exciting.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
The Wandering Mind
Hey, everyone! I'm back! ...Hopefully.
It's been a while, huh? A little over a month... About 5 weeks? Well, let me fill you in with what's been going on. About five weeks ago is when rehearsal for my school's production of Into the Woods really started picking up. As in, there were several days in the past weeks where I would, between class, work at the library, homework and rehearsal, work 16-hour days, at least. Probably an average of two or three of those a week. Hence, there's been little chance to blog. But, the show wrapped up last week (after four fantastic performances, plus two half-shows for local school kids), and now I have time.
Other than the musical, life has been relatively uneventful. (No time for anything else!) I got Rock Band 3 yesterday, and it's exceptional. Oh, and my car window got stuck in the down position after one of my performances one night! THAT was fun. Other than that... Ah. There is one thing that's been going on.
After the final performance on Sunday, I went with some fellow cast members to a recent graduate's house to hang out. In the process, I agreed to join their D&D group. This is no monumental step, since I've been a part of two other role-playing groups in the past. But a few moments ago, something struck me that I'd like to talk about.
We all have ideas about how the future's going to turn out. For example, before I went off to college, I figured I'd join the theatre department and that I'd find a group of people to, if not play D&D, at least hang out and play video games with. Little did I consider that these two groups would be the same. That's not what really caught my fancy, though. I was struck instead with a simple question: Why not? In my experience with theatre people, they're the type to have similar interests to mine. Not all of them, of course, but a disproportionate amount. I'm not sure I have the right answer to my question, but I do have an answer.
When I imagine the future, I like to divide the events I'm predicting into separate strings, only rarely connected with others when necessary. The truth of the matter is, though, everything is connected to something else. I wouldn't have met that person if I hadn't taken that class, and then I wouldn't have met their friend, etc., etc. (Before you start wondering, I'm speaking hypothetically here)
...I'm not sure where I'm going with this. (I haven't done this for a while, OK?) But we'll see how this sounds: No matter how disconnected and alienated you feel because of what you're going through, it's bound to weave into something someday.
Yes? Yes. All right. If you'll excuse me, I have several unimportant things to do.
Three random thoughts:
1. w00tstock 2.10 will be in Dallas this Wednesday, and I'm going to be there! So very excited!
2. I have to strongly recommend Rock Band 3. I know there's been a lot of games coming out lately, but this is a really good one. The keyboard performs like a dream, and I'm actually being challenged by a rhythm game again! It's glorious.
3. I think I've developed an addiction to Sonic's Happy Hour. But, considering the fact that I haven't been drinking much water lately, this will probably help keep me hydrated. Hooray!
It's been a while, huh? A little over a month... About 5 weeks? Well, let me fill you in with what's been going on. About five weeks ago is when rehearsal for my school's production of Into the Woods really started picking up. As in, there were several days in the past weeks where I would, between class, work at the library, homework and rehearsal, work 16-hour days, at least. Probably an average of two or three of those a week. Hence, there's been little chance to blog. But, the show wrapped up last week (after four fantastic performances, plus two half-shows for local school kids), and now I have time.
Other than the musical, life has been relatively uneventful. (No time for anything else!) I got Rock Band 3 yesterday, and it's exceptional. Oh, and my car window got stuck in the down position after one of my performances one night! THAT was fun. Other than that... Ah. There is one thing that's been going on.
After the final performance on Sunday, I went with some fellow cast members to a recent graduate's house to hang out. In the process, I agreed to join their D&D group. This is no monumental step, since I've been a part of two other role-playing groups in the past. But a few moments ago, something struck me that I'd like to talk about.
We all have ideas about how the future's going to turn out. For example, before I went off to college, I figured I'd join the theatre department and that I'd find a group of people to, if not play D&D, at least hang out and play video games with. Little did I consider that these two groups would be the same. That's not what really caught my fancy, though. I was struck instead with a simple question: Why not? In my experience with theatre people, they're the type to have similar interests to mine. Not all of them, of course, but a disproportionate amount. I'm not sure I have the right answer to my question, but I do have an answer.
When I imagine the future, I like to divide the events I'm predicting into separate strings, only rarely connected with others when necessary. The truth of the matter is, though, everything is connected to something else. I wouldn't have met that person if I hadn't taken that class, and then I wouldn't have met their friend, etc., etc. (Before you start wondering, I'm speaking hypothetically here)
...I'm not sure where I'm going with this. (I haven't done this for a while, OK?) But we'll see how this sounds: No matter how disconnected and alienated you feel because of what you're going through, it's bound to weave into something someday.
Yes? Yes. All right. If you'll excuse me, I have several unimportant things to do.
Three random thoughts:
1. w00tstock 2.10 will be in Dallas this Wednesday, and I'm going to be there! So very excited!
2. I have to strongly recommend Rock Band 3. I know there's been a lot of games coming out lately, but this is a really good one. The keyboard performs like a dream, and I'm actually being challenged by a rhythm game again! It's glorious.
3. I think I've developed an addiction to Sonic's Happy Hour. But, considering the fact that I haven't been drinking much water lately, this will probably help keep me hydrated. Hooray!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Stretching
I used to think the stereotype of the lazy college student was just something played up by sitcoms and bad movies.
Used to.
Of course, not every college student is the unmotivated slacker. But this semester, more so than last year, I've been seeing it more and more. Being unwilling to take on responsibility, either for fear of conflicts with other plans or because of a self-seeking attitude, is glaringly shining through to me.
Have we (that includes college students and non-college students) allowed ourselves to be so self-absorbed and contented with mediocrity that we refuse to stretch ourselves in even slightly uncomfortable ways, even though they may lead to staggering growth? Of course, I'm not free from this problem. (After all, I certainly didn't post a blog last week...) But does that mean I shouldn't say anything about it?
So try stretching yourself. Be willing to fail, but not willing to quit. Commit whole-heartedly to as much as possible, but don't kill yourself. Whatever once-in-a-lifetime opportunities are around you, grab hold of them and hang on for the ride. It may not always be fun. It may not always work out like you would plan. But it's a lot better than doing nothing.
Used to.
Of course, not every college student is the unmotivated slacker. But this semester, more so than last year, I've been seeing it more and more. Being unwilling to take on responsibility, either for fear of conflicts with other plans or because of a self-seeking attitude, is glaringly shining through to me.
Have we (that includes college students and non-college students) allowed ourselves to be so self-absorbed and contented with mediocrity that we refuse to stretch ourselves in even slightly uncomfortable ways, even though they may lead to staggering growth? Of course, I'm not free from this problem. (After all, I certainly didn't post a blog last week...) But does that mean I shouldn't say anything about it?
So try stretching yourself. Be willing to fail, but not willing to quit. Commit whole-heartedly to as much as possible, but don't kill yourself. Whatever once-in-a-lifetime opportunities are around you, grab hold of them and hang on for the ride. It may not always be fun. It may not always work out like you would plan. But it's a lot better than doing nothing.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
No Boring Sunsets
This week, I posted a Facebook status as I appreciated what I referred to as a "relatively boring sunset", saying that I still thought it was spectacular. I think that even the most average sunset is still worth watching. The colors contrasting, yet merging seamlessly, while the scene constantly changes as the sun dips below the horizon... It's poetic. I guess you could say the only boring sunset is the one you don't notice.
And about 9 times out of 10, I don't notice the sunset. Either I'm inside during that time, or I don't take the time to admire it. There it is, a free show for me to see, and I ignore it. Of course, this isn't just true for sunsets. I'm sure there are wildflowers I overlook, rainbows I am oblivious to, and amazing cloud formations I'm too focused to see.
But there's something more important I think we all ignore. Each other. I'm not saying we go around ignoring everyone, but I know I can't say that I appreciate everyone for their full worth. This would probably be impossible, but I could certainly start appreciating more people. Instead of being satisfied with a peripheral knowledge of my fellow college students ("Oh, so that's your name and major? Cool! We know each other now!"), I can start learning about who they really are. What make them smile. What they really want to do with their lives.
Of course, there are some people who don't want to go that deep. That's fine. That's on them, not me. But I need to step up and dig deep. After all, there's no such thing as a boring sunset, and I want to see as many as I can.
Three random thoughts:
1. Wow, once-a-week posting is liberating. I'm so much happier with this situation. I may shift back to twice-a-week posting eventually, but this... This is nice.
2. I pre-ordered Halo: Reach. I'm pretty sure this is the first game I personally have pre-ordered. I'm pretty excited.
3. The War Of The Words is still going strong! Have you filled out your bracket yet? (Just kidding, there's no bracket to fill out... This time) Seriously, though, go check it out and vote for your favorite words!
And about 9 times out of 10, I don't notice the sunset. Either I'm inside during that time, or I don't take the time to admire it. There it is, a free show for me to see, and I ignore it. Of course, this isn't just true for sunsets. I'm sure there are wildflowers I overlook, rainbows I am oblivious to, and amazing cloud formations I'm too focused to see.
But there's something more important I think we all ignore. Each other. I'm not saying we go around ignoring everyone, but I know I can't say that I appreciate everyone for their full worth. This would probably be impossible, but I could certainly start appreciating more people. Instead of being satisfied with a peripheral knowledge of my fellow college students ("Oh, so that's your name and major? Cool! We know each other now!"), I can start learning about who they really are. What make them smile. What they really want to do with their lives.
Of course, there are some people who don't want to go that deep. That's fine. That's on them, not me. But I need to step up and dig deep. After all, there's no such thing as a boring sunset, and I want to see as many as I can.
Three random thoughts:
1. Wow, once-a-week posting is liberating. I'm so much happier with this situation. I may shift back to twice-a-week posting eventually, but this... This is nice.
2. I pre-ordered Halo: Reach. I'm pretty sure this is the first game I personally have pre-ordered. I'm pretty excited.
3. The War Of The Words is still going strong! Have you filled out your bracket yet? (Just kidding, there's no bracket to fill out... This time) Seriously, though, go check it out and vote for your favorite words!
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