Aside from all of their polygamous relationships between the gods, the ancient Greeks had it all figured out. Their mythological characters outlined almost if not all of the personality types in all of humanity. Thus, it can be easily applied to any modern societal group. Our high school is no exception to this idea. The teachers, administrators, and staff of the school are representative of the gods of Greek mythology, whereas the students are the loyal (or often disloyal) subjects of these gods. Some of these subjects do garner a bit more power over the other mortals, but ultimately, the gods decide their fates. The mortals can gain the trust of the gods but only through hard work and dedication. These sacrifices must be made to earn the ever important trust of your superiors.
Mr. Ward, the head of the school, could be classified as a Zeus. Strong, powerful, and fate determining. If he doesn't like something that you do, there will be Hades to pay. Which brings me to Hades. Mr. Peterson, a disciplinary figure of the school, could possibly be seen as Hades. A lot of people view Hades as "evil" or "undesirable"; however, his punishment is necessary to keep order. If sent to Hades (AER) you will have your soul "rearranged".
Perhaps even some students could reach the level of a god or demigod. Office Helpers are the messengers of the school. In this sense they could be represented by the Messenger of the gods, Hermes.
Prometheus: The mortal who stole fire from the gods. For this he was punished. This could be compared to a student somehow stealing answers to a test. The wrath upon this student would be ruthless. Prometheus received the punishment for his actions of being tied to a rock while having his liver eaten out by an Eagle. His liver grew back every day upon which it was eaten out again. A comparable punishment in modern times would be some sort of school suspension and lots of yelling. The moral of the story is that knowledge cannot be stolen, it must be earned. In this way, the ancient Greek mythological stories show their timelessness of application.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Decisions
Decisions. We all make them, don't we? It is a completely necessary aspect of life. However, everyone has a different process by which they make their decisions. At one extreme, people check every aspect of something before they decide how they will react to that thing. On the other end of the spectrum, some individuals do things without thinking at all. I tend to have a middle-ground type of view on this subject. I do think about what I am doing when I decide something, but I also try to maintain some sense of spontaneity in my actions. Sometimes, I feel, it is necessary to go with your "gut feeling". Often times, I will think of an answer to something only to change my mind quickly and be wrong. I then find out that my first answer was actually correct. This scenario, to me, rationalizes a first-instinct based decision. However, this only works if a person has a good enough view of things for their first instinct to be correct. Sometimes people need help in their decisions because they have no clue what would be the best choice for their circumstances.
On the logical side of my decision-making, I view things the same way that one might view a multiple choice test. I set up several options for myself. One option, always, will be the one that is the most far away from what I will eventually decide to do. I employ this option to help keep my mind in check of what is right and wrong. A few options after this will still remain. I can use either a logical runthrough of all of the possible outcomes of each option, the advice of my friends, or a spontaneous method seeing as none of these choices will be the worst possible scenario (see above). When going through a runthrough, I have a semi-flash forward as often seen in literature. It is a truly weird experience. Sometimes I even just zone out completely while thinking of the consequences of my actions. I feel that my friends can give some very reasonable advice sometimes, and even if they don't, they give me ideas of exactly what NOT to do.
On the logical side of my decision-making, I view things the same way that one might view a multiple choice test. I set up several options for myself. One option, always, will be the one that is the most far away from what I will eventually decide to do. I employ this option to help keep my mind in check of what is right and wrong. A few options after this will still remain. I can use either a logical runthrough of all of the possible outcomes of each option, the advice of my friends, or a spontaneous method seeing as none of these choices will be the worst possible scenario (see above). When going through a runthrough, I have a semi-flash forward as often seen in literature. It is a truly weird experience. Sometimes I even just zone out completely while thinking of the consequences of my actions. I feel that my friends can give some very reasonable advice sometimes, and even if they don't, they give me ideas of exactly what NOT to do.
Multi-tasking
I'll just be frank about it: I am a BAD multi-tasker. I am easily distracted by small things when I am trying to accomplish anything. The smallest sounds distract me to great extremes. Needless to say, the fact that I can't listen and work at the same time does not bode well for my multi-tasking abilities. I am most distractable when I am attempting to read. My house is not incredibly acoustically sound, so sounds travel throughout the halls and walls. It doesn't help me to focus when my dad is talking in his abnormally loud voice and the sound is travelling through the walls. Naturally, if I hear the beginning of whatever he is talking about I will begin listening attentively and losing focus on whatever it is that I am trying to read. Sometimes, even, he tries to talk directly to me while I am attempting to read something, for leisure or as part of my schoolwork. He knows, I have told him, that I have trouble focusing while reading, yet he talks to me anyway. I even say, politely, "Dad, can you please stop talking? I'm trying to focus," but he just keeps talking. I feel bad just tuning him out completely and I end up trying to listen, adding another task to my mental repertoire. Eventually I can't stand it any longer, so I just leave the room. However, as mentioned, I can hear him through the walls. The funny thing is, even if he is talking to me, he will continue his lecture even after I leave the room.
I try to multitask in other ways other than listening, but I'm not very successful for obvious reasons. I guess my I have partial motor-multi-tasking in that I can do different things with each appendage all at the same time. I have excellent hand-eye coordination. A long childhood of video gaming made sure of that. I have applied my coordination to guitar playing, somewhat successfully, I feel. Sometimes I try to play guitar while watching TV or talking on the phone, but this isn't very successful. I still have trouble singing while playing guitar, but I have been working very diligently on improving this task. It is truly difficult to make my brain think of playing different pitches and rythms from what I am singing. It is a fun challenge, though, and I love doing it.
I try to multitask in other ways other than listening, but I'm not very successful for obvious reasons. I guess my I have partial motor-multi-tasking in that I can do different things with each appendage all at the same time. I have excellent hand-eye coordination. A long childhood of video gaming made sure of that. I have applied my coordination to guitar playing, somewhat successfully, I feel. Sometimes I try to play guitar while watching TV or talking on the phone, but this isn't very successful. I still have trouble singing while playing guitar, but I have been working very diligently on improving this task. It is truly difficult to make my brain think of playing different pitches and rythms from what I am singing. It is a fun challenge, though, and I love doing it.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Valentine's Day
Love: The true mystery of humankind. It seems reasonable that we would have a day celebrating this intangible necessity. But how was this day first started? One would assume that whoever this "Valentine" guy was was in love with or loved by someone. How have such commonplace Valentine gifts as chocolate, flowers, and valentine-cards come into prominence? Let's find out!
The day's origins come from the late 5th century AD. Originally, the holiday was meant in celebration of several Christian martyrs, or those who stood up for their religious beliefs even when faced with opposition. It seems odd that the holiday, as we know it now, would be based on Christian martyrs. The original theme of the holiday was sacrifice, something which some might cite as a necessary part of love. Somehow, over the centuries, the day has been shaped into something completely different, something romantic.
The shift began with such authors as Geoffrey Chaucer. Chaucer wrote a poem in honor of the marriage of British monarchs. This poem included a line about the martyr Saint Valentine, and this was taken as a day for romance. Thus, February 14th became Valentine's day.
The holiday is now seen as one of the Hallmark Holidays. This is accurate seeing as most people buy cards for their significant others as a sign of their love. As far as my grasp of the holiday goes, I have pretty much only celebrated it in elementary school where I bought valentines for EVERYONE and tried not to play favorites. I had no childhood crushes, and I therefore did not single anyone out with special lovely cards or candies. I bring this up only because I saw the new movie Valentine's Day starring many Hollywood celebrities. In the movie a young boy has a crush on a girl and buys her an elaborate bouquet of roses. I don't know if my classmates ever experienced this, but I know I never did. I never even thought of anyone in that way. But I am a weirdo. I don't know.
The day's origins come from the late 5th century AD. Originally, the holiday was meant in celebration of several Christian martyrs, or those who stood up for their religious beliefs even when faced with opposition. It seems odd that the holiday, as we know it now, would be based on Christian martyrs. The original theme of the holiday was sacrifice, something which some might cite as a necessary part of love. Somehow, over the centuries, the day has been shaped into something completely different, something romantic.
The shift began with such authors as Geoffrey Chaucer. Chaucer wrote a poem in honor of the marriage of British monarchs. This poem included a line about the martyr Saint Valentine, and this was taken as a day for romance. Thus, February 14th became Valentine's day.
The holiday is now seen as one of the Hallmark Holidays. This is accurate seeing as most people buy cards for their significant others as a sign of their love. As far as my grasp of the holiday goes, I have pretty much only celebrated it in elementary school where I bought valentines for EVERYONE and tried not to play favorites. I had no childhood crushes, and I therefore did not single anyone out with special lovely cards or candies. I bring this up only because I saw the new movie Valentine's Day starring many Hollywood celebrities. In the movie a young boy has a crush on a girl and buys her an elaborate bouquet of roses. I don't know if my classmates ever experienced this, but I know I never did. I never even thought of anyone in that way. But I am a weirdo. I don't know.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Tasty Terrific Pasta
WOW! Just thinking about the best food that I have ever eaten my mouth is watering, my palms are sweating, and I am being driven insane. It was so incredibly delicious, and I got to eat it for several days straight. I'm going to have to go get it again as soon as possible...
But I digress. The BEST food that I have ever eaten is the baked Mac 'n' Cheese at the Manhattan Diner in New York City, New York on 77th and Broadway. It is SO GOOD, anyone who even gets within 10 feet of it will be an addict for life. It's wondrous aromas swarm the nostrils and entice all to order it. The dish is made with 5 gourmet cheeses with a fsixth baked cheese forming a crispy and delicious layer on the top. When I had this meal several years ago (My first time in New York City) I was interested in being a chef for my career. This dish furthered my interest in the career with its incredible, ridiculous, and amazing awesomeness.
And here is the story of how the dish hit my mouth. It was my first time in New York, I have said. We arrived by plane to a rainy, dreary city. After retrieving all of our luggage, we found a van cab to take the family to our hotel, On The Ave. New York, also on 77th and Broadway. We were all hungry, tired, and affected by the gloomy weather. Luckily, there was a quaint looking diner directly across the street from the hotel, the Manhattan Diner. We entered the diner, tongues hanging out of mouths, and saw an incredibly large amount of pies in refrigerators lining all of the windows. As we sat down, I smelled on of the most incredible smells of my life. I asked the waitress what it was, and she said that it was the 6 cheese gourmet baked Mac 'n' Cheese. I ordered that. I awaited as patiently as possible, mouth watering. When it arrived in its rather large large dish, the bubbling cheeses invited me to take my first bite. OH MY! AHHHHH. WOOWWWW! THIS IS INCREDIBLE! Needless to say, it was amazing. The gooiness of the concoction was seen just as I stuck my fork through the top layer. When I took the first bite, though, it was one of the richest yet most tasty things that anyone will ever eat.
The rest of the meal was a blur. I remember topping the meal off with my first real New York Cheesecake and tromping back up to the hotel room feeling quite a bit like a small herd of elephants. It was so worth it. Wow. And I ate it for several days to come, because it was so UNDENIABLY the best thing that I had ever eaten.
But I digress. The BEST food that I have ever eaten is the baked Mac 'n' Cheese at the Manhattan Diner in New York City, New York on 77th and Broadway. It is SO GOOD, anyone who even gets within 10 feet of it will be an addict for life. It's wondrous aromas swarm the nostrils and entice all to order it. The dish is made with 5 gourmet cheeses with a fsixth baked cheese forming a crispy and delicious layer on the top. When I had this meal several years ago (My first time in New York City) I was interested in being a chef for my career. This dish furthered my interest in the career with its incredible, ridiculous, and amazing awesomeness.
And here is the story of how the dish hit my mouth. It was my first time in New York, I have said. We arrived by plane to a rainy, dreary city. After retrieving all of our luggage, we found a van cab to take the family to our hotel, On The Ave. New York, also on 77th and Broadway. We were all hungry, tired, and affected by the gloomy weather. Luckily, there was a quaint looking diner directly across the street from the hotel, the Manhattan Diner. We entered the diner, tongues hanging out of mouths, and saw an incredibly large amount of pies in refrigerators lining all of the windows. As we sat down, I smelled on of the most incredible smells of my life. I asked the waitress what it was, and she said that it was the 6 cheese gourmet baked Mac 'n' Cheese. I ordered that. I awaited as patiently as possible, mouth watering. When it arrived in its rather large large dish, the bubbling cheeses invited me to take my first bite. OH MY! AHHHHH. WOOWWWW! THIS IS INCREDIBLE! Needless to say, it was amazing. The gooiness of the concoction was seen just as I stuck my fork through the top layer. When I took the first bite, though, it was one of the richest yet most tasty things that anyone will ever eat.
The rest of the meal was a blur. I remember topping the meal off with my first real New York Cheesecake and tromping back up to the hotel room feeling quite a bit like a small herd of elephants. It was so worth it. Wow. And I ate it for several days to come, because it was so UNDENIABLY the best thing that I had ever eaten.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
The Square Deific
Walt Whitman, in his poem "Chanting the Square Deific", writes of a four sided deity whose four sides are necessary to it's effectiveness as a god. It's first side is embodied by such figures as Kronos and Jehovah. This side is described as relentless and unforgiving. Kronos, the Titan of time in Greek mythology, embodies these qualities quite well. Time is unchanging and impossible to hold back, relentless, just as stated in the first facet of the square.
The second aspect of the square is a gentle, calm, and forgiving entity. This is compared to Christ, Hermes, and Hercules. It is worth noting that two of these deities could be considered demigods: half god, half mortal. Christ and Hercules, being such individuals, could possibly be applied empathies towards humans, thus creating their gentleness. Hermes, as well, could have these empathies applied to his persona, or, deisona. He, being messenger of the gods, would have to go back and forth between Mount Olympus and Earth, thus being exposed to mortals more often than other gods. His interaction with humans would result in a greater understanding of their problems. This side, some might say, is the only truly necessary side. Who would not want an understanding and forgiving god? However, Whitman realizes the necessity to have a balance of good and evil as displayed in his third side of the Square Deific.
This side is represented by Satan. The side may seem an unnecessary evil, but in his, "With sudra face..." line, Whitman states the commonality of the facet. Sudra, or Shudra in old Hindu, refers to the lower working class of Hinduism. This is the normal human in Hinduism embodied, through an adjective application of the word, as something evil. However, aren't we all workers? Thus, we all have some of this side in us and the balance is justified.
The fourth and final side is the Soul in all people and deities alike. It is what binds everything together. In the line, "Ethereal, pervading all (for without me what were all? what were God?)," Whitman shows the universiality of the soul. Through this, he also returns to his reoccurring subject of Self. Having a soul, or Self, is what binds us all together. This stanza also shows Whitman's value of Self, seeing as he cites this side as the most solid and important of all four.
The second aspect of the square is a gentle, calm, and forgiving entity. This is compared to Christ, Hermes, and Hercules. It is worth noting that two of these deities could be considered demigods: half god, half mortal. Christ and Hercules, being such individuals, could possibly be applied empathies towards humans, thus creating their gentleness. Hermes, as well, could have these empathies applied to his persona, or, deisona. He, being messenger of the gods, would have to go back and forth between Mount Olympus and Earth, thus being exposed to mortals more often than other gods. His interaction with humans would result in a greater understanding of their problems. This side, some might say, is the only truly necessary side. Who would not want an understanding and forgiving god? However, Whitman realizes the necessity to have a balance of good and evil as displayed in his third side of the Square Deific.
This side is represented by Satan. The side may seem an unnecessary evil, but in his, "With sudra face..." line, Whitman states the commonality of the facet. Sudra, or Shudra in old Hindu, refers to the lower working class of Hinduism. This is the normal human in Hinduism embodied, through an adjective application of the word, as something evil. However, aren't we all workers? Thus, we all have some of this side in us and the balance is justified.
The fourth and final side is the Soul in all people and deities alike. It is what binds everything together. In the line, "Ethereal, pervading all (for without me what were all? what were God?)," Whitman shows the universiality of the soul. Through this, he also returns to his reoccurring subject of Self. Having a soul, or Self, is what binds us all together. This stanza also shows Whitman's value of Self, seeing as he cites this side as the most solid and important of all four.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Groundhog's Day
Groundhog's day hold, I guess you could say, a special place in my heart. First of all, it is the birthday of one of my closest friends. There's actually an interesting story involving his birthday in 2008. Another friend of mine, in an attempt to make my birthday-ed friend mad, decided to go vegetarian on Groundhog's day. This was purely meant to anger the friend, but it didn't even begin to achieve its goal. It's kind of funny actually. And he is still a vegetarian. Haha.
Also, this holiday is the inspiration for the movie "Groundhog's Day" with Bill Murray. I love that movie. It is so interesting and awesome. For those who don't know the concept of the movie, I will give a brief synopsis. Bill Murray, an inconsiderate jerk, is a news reporter sent to cover the story of the groundhog seeing his shadow. Stuck in the town due to a harsh blizzard, Murray's character wakes up the next morning to find that it is once again Groundhog's day. This cycle continues throughout the movie until he changes his ways and continues on to February 3rd. Throughout all of the repetitive days, Murray begins to not care about anything. He does such things as robbing a bank and driving his car off of a cliff, only to wake up the next morning back to another Groundhog's day. After what I would guess is at least a year of the same day, Murray realizes the errors of his ways. It really is an interesting concept. It makes you wonder, "What would I do if I could live the same day over and over?"
Regardless of the fact that I don't really believe in the whole "Six more weeks of winter" thing dealing with the groundhog's shadow, I still want to know if he saw it or not. I'll always look it up or at least ask someone else if he saw it or not. It's just a weird tradition-type thing.
Also, this holiday is the inspiration for the movie "Groundhog's Day" with Bill Murray. I love that movie. It is so interesting and awesome. For those who don't know the concept of the movie, I will give a brief synopsis. Bill Murray, an inconsiderate jerk, is a news reporter sent to cover the story of the groundhog seeing his shadow. Stuck in the town due to a harsh blizzard, Murray's character wakes up the next morning to find that it is once again Groundhog's day. This cycle continues throughout the movie until he changes his ways and continues on to February 3rd. Throughout all of the repetitive days, Murray begins to not care about anything. He does such things as robbing a bank and driving his car off of a cliff, only to wake up the next morning back to another Groundhog's day. After what I would guess is at least a year of the same day, Murray realizes the errors of his ways. It really is an interesting concept. It makes you wonder, "What would I do if I could live the same day over and over?"
Regardless of the fact that I don't really believe in the whole "Six more weeks of winter" thing dealing with the groundhog's shadow, I still want to know if he saw it or not. I'll always look it up or at least ask someone else if he saw it or not. It's just a weird tradition-type thing.
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