Technically today marks the start of the third week of college. I say technically because while it is a Monday and the start of a new week, we have school off for Columbus Day. I have no idea why it's an actual holiday, we don't give any presents to loved ones and there's no grand moral to be had (ex: Thanksgiving = giving thanks [gee, that was hard to figure out]). Some guy kinda sorta discovered America. And he gets a holiday? I don't recall a Nikola Tesla Day or Thomas Edison Day, or shoot even a Sir Isaac Newton Day. I think it's extremely unfair, but alas, I am grateful for not having to go to school today. Wednesday when everyone asks each other, "What did you do over the weekend?" I'll get to sarcastically say with a perky little smile, "I contracted bronchitis! How was your weekend?"
My poor aching, burning lungs. Not to mention I look like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. I must say though, my bronchitis had impeccable timing. I got sick on a 3-day weekend not to mention I have no class on Friday (when I got it) or Tuesday. I did not get sick in the middle of a very busy school week. So I have to give it props for that.
It's mildly ironic; my brother felt sick last week (it lasted a day for him the lucky duck) and was concerned about getting everyone else sick. I arrogantly said he wouldn't get me sick and it's like the illness said, "Challenge accepted." It promptly abandoned him and attacked me a few days later. At least I'm on the mend, so I should be able to go to class (cross your fingers folks!).
And here endeth the shortest blog post I have ever composed.
Until next time this is the Amazon Artiste signing off.
Showing posts with label Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Life. Show all posts
October 8, 2012
September 14, 2012
22.2
Late last night I promised a list of what I have not done and failed to accomplish, along with the counter-lists of what I have done and accomplished. When I thought about it today I discovered what I failed to accomplish and what I have not done are exactly the same things, and likewise for the other list. So it's really only two lists instead of four. That means, less work for me and less time wasted for you in reading lists about someone you don't know.
What I've failed to accomplish in my 22 years on this green earth:
1. I haven't traveled the globe or even been to all 50 states.
2. I've never gone on a date.
3. I never graduated from college.
4. I never went to high school.
5. I've never had a job.
6. I don't own a car.
7. I've never lived on my own.
8. I've never taken a road trip on my own or with friends.
9. I've never won anything of any sort.
10. I've never protested anything.
11. I can't speak any foreign languages.
12. I can't read maps.
13. I've never published or recorded anything.
14. I've never had a volunteer job.
15. I've never traveled to a different state on my own.
16. I've never competed in sports.
17. I've never starred in anything.
18. I haven't made myself a bucket list.
I know that doesn't seem like a very serious list of failures, but those are the things everyone I know has already done and then some. But here's what I have done:
1. I've been to Canada and England and most of the 50 states.
2. I may not have any relationships but I have plenty of meaningful friendships. I seem to collect international folks, disabled persons (my dearest friend has Down's Syndrome), and the eclectically eccentric (of which I am also one).
3. I may not have graduated in the standard 4 years of higher education, I am in fact starting my fifth year of college. The point is, I'm in college as opposed to having dropped out.
4. I graduated high school. I know I said I never went to high school, the clarification would be I never set foot in a physical high school. I was homeschooled my entire life and took classes with other kids in a physical building, but was never actually a part of any high school. I consider this an accomplishment and a blessing.
5. I'm self employed. Successfully I might add.
6. I have never used public transportation. Yes that's an accomplishment. I call.
7. Yes I still live with my parents. How's that an accomplishment? I'm not on the streets or struggling to pay any bills. I don't pay rent, I'm well fed for free, I have a loving support group 24/7, and I get free advice whether I asked for it or not. Plus they let me borrow their cars so long as I'm willing to run errands for them. Sounds fair to me.
8. I've driven across the country more than once.
9. I've lived in more than two states.
10. I've lived in more than two cities in some states.
11. I've lived on both coasts.
12. I won a gold medal in music. I know this contradicts with #9 in the other list, but I wasn't competing for this medal. My teacher gave me a medal because I was one of her top students and I improved drastically in one year from my former musical self. She felt the need to reward my hard work, by letting me know she saw the difference in my attitude and heard the difference in my music. I also won third place in a writing contest, but there was no prize, just the knowledge that I beat out everybody else for that position.
13. I mediated a heated protest for 3 weeks. Everyone on campus knew who I was for the rest of the year. I actually was treated with a lot more respect then than I ever have been in my entire life. It was really cool.
14. I taught myself Ancient Greek. I may not be able to speak it, but I sure can read it (well, read enough of it to get the general gist) and I can write phonetically in it. I usually end up writing people's names in it because they want proof that I can.
15. I learned all my geography by tutoring the international students. The highest compliments from them are that I'm their first stop instead of the tutoring center and they're all convinced I tutor better than the professors teach.
16. I have never received a negative review or comment about my music. Ever. Hence the successful self-employment.
17. I'm severely dyslexic but that hasn't stopped me from majoring in the English department.
18. The easiest instrument for me happens to be one of the hardest in the world to learn. If I had known that then, I would have said forget it. I didn't know it was hard, and for me, it never has been.
So there you have it. I may not have accomplished the same things my friends have, but I've accomplished some pretty neat things. I don't know about you, but I think I should get a 23rd year. ;)
Until next time this is the Amazon Artiste signing off.
What I've failed to accomplish in my 22 years on this green earth:
1. I haven't traveled the globe or even been to all 50 states.
2. I've never gone on a date.
3. I never graduated from college.
4. I never went to high school.
5. I've never had a job.
6. I don't own a car.
7. I've never lived on my own.
8. I've never taken a road trip on my own or with friends.
9. I've never won anything of any sort.
10. I've never protested anything.
11. I can't speak any foreign languages.
12. I can't read maps.
13. I've never published or recorded anything.
14. I've never had a volunteer job.
15. I've never traveled to a different state on my own.
16. I've never competed in sports.
17. I've never starred in anything.
18. I haven't made myself a bucket list.
I know that doesn't seem like a very serious list of failures, but those are the things everyone I know has already done and then some. But here's what I have done:
1. I've been to Canada and England and most of the 50 states.
2. I may not have any relationships but I have plenty of meaningful friendships. I seem to collect international folks, disabled persons (my dearest friend has Down's Syndrome), and the eclectically eccentric (of which I am also one).
3. I may not have graduated in the standard 4 years of higher education, I am in fact starting my fifth year of college. The point is, I'm in college as opposed to having dropped out.
4. I graduated high school. I know I said I never went to high school, the clarification would be I never set foot in a physical high school. I was homeschooled my entire life and took classes with other kids in a physical building, but was never actually a part of any high school. I consider this an accomplishment and a blessing.
5. I'm self employed. Successfully I might add.
6. I have never used public transportation. Yes that's an accomplishment. I call.
7. Yes I still live with my parents. How's that an accomplishment? I'm not on the streets or struggling to pay any bills. I don't pay rent, I'm well fed for free, I have a loving support group 24/7, and I get free advice whether I asked for it or not. Plus they let me borrow their cars so long as I'm willing to run errands for them. Sounds fair to me.
8. I've driven across the country more than once.
9. I've lived in more than two states.
10. I've lived in more than two cities in some states.
11. I've lived on both coasts.
12. I won a gold medal in music. I know this contradicts with #9 in the other list, but I wasn't competing for this medal. My teacher gave me a medal because I was one of her top students and I improved drastically in one year from my former musical self. She felt the need to reward my hard work, by letting me know she saw the difference in my attitude and heard the difference in my music. I also won third place in a writing contest, but there was no prize, just the knowledge that I beat out everybody else for that position.
13. I mediated a heated protest for 3 weeks. Everyone on campus knew who I was for the rest of the year. I actually was treated with a lot more respect then than I ever have been in my entire life. It was really cool.
14. I taught myself Ancient Greek. I may not be able to speak it, but I sure can read it (well, read enough of it to get the general gist) and I can write phonetically in it. I usually end up writing people's names in it because they want proof that I can.
15. I learned all my geography by tutoring the international students. The highest compliments from them are that I'm their first stop instead of the tutoring center and they're all convinced I tutor better than the professors teach.
16. I have never received a negative review or comment about my music. Ever. Hence the successful self-employment.
17. I'm severely dyslexic but that hasn't stopped me from majoring in the English department.
18. The easiest instrument for me happens to be one of the hardest in the world to learn. If I had known that then, I would have said forget it. I didn't know it was hard, and for me, it never has been.
So there you have it. I may not have accomplished the same things my friends have, but I've accomplished some pretty neat things. I don't know about you, but I think I should get a 23rd year. ;)
Until next time this is the Amazon Artiste signing off.
September 13, 2012
22.1
Yesterday I celebrated my 22nd birthday. The two weeks leading up to my birthday had me down, deep down, in the dumps. I'm 22-years-old and I've accomplished absolutely nothing with my life. Do I even deserve a 23rd year?
Most people my age are starting or even finishing their final year of undergraduate studies. I know plenty of people my age and younger who own their own car, have at least one steady job or are in a relationship. Their hobbies too are grander than my own. They travel the world or at the very least the state. They're almost all a member of some club or organization. Most of them have won an award, trophy, ribbon, or title for either a sport, volunteer job, or some competition type thing where a prize is offered. Pretty much anything that offers up a prize and someone I know has won it at least once.
They all even seem to have more friends than I do. They're invited to all sorts of parties and fun outings. They're always trying something new and grand, they're out in the world living life and having exciting adventures. I haven't any of that.
I've spent 22 years living my life and then holding it up to everyone else and comparing them together. My life has always seemed to fall short, no matter how hard I tried to improve myself. My religious group of friends all seem to walk so strongly in their faith. They're actively involved in their religious facilities activities. They go on missions trips. They go to conventions, concerts, talks, etc. and are suddenly keenly aware of God in everything that happens in their life. I haven't any of that.
My active group of friends all play at least one team sport coupled with an individual based sport. First they trash their school district, then they smash everyone else in state, and so on. They bring home records, titles, and trophies. I haven't any of that.
My academic group of friends are on the president's list, the dean's list, or even their professor's list. They're all actively involved in school clubs, school events, student government, the newspaper, class study groups, they're even good friends with the professors. I haven't any of that.
It seems everyone I know is an activist for this or that, competing and winning this or that, working here or there, doing this, that and the other thing, are friends with everybody else, and generally have a good time. I haven't any of those things.
Then it hit me. Of course my life doesn't stack up to everybody else's. I'm not everybody else. I am myself. I shouldn't be holding my life up to anybody else. I certainly shouldn't be comparing my life to theirs, much trying to make my life more like theirs. I should have my own distinct life. I should only compare myself to my former self. I should compare who I am now to who I was 10 years ago. I was a completely different person then.
Yesterday I took a hard look at my life. I looked at all the things I have done and have not done. I looked at what I have accomplished and what I failed to accomplish. I looked at who I was and who I am. I wanted to post the lists here, but it's late and I'm very tired as I've had a very busy week. So I will post them up sometime tomorrow, along with my answer to the question I posed earlier.
Afterwards, I will tell of my birthday celebration as it took me 3 days to get it all in order. =) I do prefer spreading all the festivities (and I use this word loosely) over several days because then it makes it seem happier, and keep the fun going a while longer than just your allotted 24 hours that are so standard. I'm an odd duck, an eccentric if you will and I do prefer to do things differently. Last year it took my family and I a week to cover my birthday because we kept forgetting things and remembering them later! =P
So tomorrow, keep your eyes peeled for a thorough list of what I have and have not done, what I have and have not accomplished, and who I was & who I am. It should be an interesting journey.
Until then this is the Amazon Artiste signing off.
Most people my age are starting or even finishing their final year of undergraduate studies. I know plenty of people my age and younger who own their own car, have at least one steady job or are in a relationship. Their hobbies too are grander than my own. They travel the world or at the very least the state. They're almost all a member of some club or organization. Most of them have won an award, trophy, ribbon, or title for either a sport, volunteer job, or some competition type thing where a prize is offered. Pretty much anything that offers up a prize and someone I know has won it at least once.
They all even seem to have more friends than I do. They're invited to all sorts of parties and fun outings. They're always trying something new and grand, they're out in the world living life and having exciting adventures. I haven't any of that.
I've spent 22 years living my life and then holding it up to everyone else and comparing them together. My life has always seemed to fall short, no matter how hard I tried to improve myself. My religious group of friends all seem to walk so strongly in their faith. They're actively involved in their religious facilities activities. They go on missions trips. They go to conventions, concerts, talks, etc. and are suddenly keenly aware of God in everything that happens in their life. I haven't any of that.
My active group of friends all play at least one team sport coupled with an individual based sport. First they trash their school district, then they smash everyone else in state, and so on. They bring home records, titles, and trophies. I haven't any of that.
My academic group of friends are on the president's list, the dean's list, or even their professor's list. They're all actively involved in school clubs, school events, student government, the newspaper, class study groups, they're even good friends with the professors. I haven't any of that.
It seems everyone I know is an activist for this or that, competing and winning this or that, working here or there, doing this, that and the other thing, are friends with everybody else, and generally have a good time. I haven't any of those things.
Then it hit me. Of course my life doesn't stack up to everybody else's. I'm not everybody else. I am myself. I shouldn't be holding my life up to anybody else. I certainly shouldn't be comparing my life to theirs, much trying to make my life more like theirs. I should have my own distinct life. I should only compare myself to my former self. I should compare who I am now to who I was 10 years ago. I was a completely different person then.
Yesterday I took a hard look at my life. I looked at all the things I have done and have not done. I looked at what I have accomplished and what I failed to accomplish. I looked at who I was and who I am. I wanted to post the lists here, but it's late and I'm very tired as I've had a very busy week. So I will post them up sometime tomorrow, along with my answer to the question I posed earlier.
Afterwards, I will tell of my birthday celebration as it took me 3 days to get it all in order. =) I do prefer spreading all the festivities (and I use this word loosely) over several days because then it makes it seem happier, and keep the fun going a while longer than just your allotted 24 hours that are so standard. I'm an odd duck, an eccentric if you will and I do prefer to do things differently. Last year it took my family and I a week to cover my birthday because we kept forgetting things and remembering them later! =P
So tomorrow, keep your eyes peeled for a thorough list of what I have and have not done, what I have and have not accomplished, and who I was & who I am. It should be an interesting journey.
Until then this is the Amazon Artiste signing off.
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