Applying: SWF seeks LIFE

I don't do well with free time.
Summer truly isn't my season.

So far, this summer, I have worked for my father (cleaned a refrigerator, mowed the lawn, done general cleaning) and earned a bit of money, gone to a baseball game, read, and --- the reply from most members of my generation - I have gone on the computer, as I am doing now.

Today, I realized that some of my sort-of-sneaky bad mood that has been hovering for the past week was due to my frustration at not really having a life back here in this town. I miss going to classes, having places that I need to be, things I need to do. True, I'd don't think I'd be too excited to receive any homework at this point in time -- that's not quite what I mean. Many of the people that I would like to see are not in town. True, I have become reacquainted with the part of me that likes to read for fun, and that's been nice.

Anyways, starting tomorrow, I will actively seek out things to do. Today, I recognized my frustration early on, and in reaction to that -- I went on a run, took a shower, ate breakfast, mowed the lawn, went swimming, then went to a memorial day party, and NOW, I feel like I've done something with my day. Let's hope the trend continues.

After further consideration....

So, I think I mentioned that I wrote an actual post down while I was in no-internet land, but upon rereading it, I found it pretentious and dull and have therefore decided not to post it here. The basic gist was: Sometimes the shortness of my attention span when it comes to projects bothers me, I'm a snob about coffee and tea, and my daydreams sometimes come out like Hollywood-movie montages. That's all!

It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.

As some of you may recognize, the title of this post comes from Harry Potter (and the Sorcerer's Stone). I watched most of the first movie with my family tonight, and oh-DEAR did it bring back memories.

I have such vivid memories of sitting at my father's feet in my grandmother's apartment as he read us the end of the first book (he read the first three, I believe, out loud to my sister and I) -- the chapter that ends with "It wasn't Snape. It wasn't even Voldemort." -- and then the next one that starts with: It was Quirrell.

I was so completely taken aback! And I remember being excited out of my wits when they won the Quidditch cup in the third book, falling in love with the idea of the game as well as the idea of all the amazing creatures that were there -- and watching, in a way, as the books became so incredibly powerful in our world. That's something that fascinates me, really. The right ideas, the right delivery, and the right timing for it to come to the public -- all of those had to be in place for these books to take off with such a bang.

And then, watching the movie -- I remember so well seeing it for the first time, and being so overwhelmed by how wonderful I thought the music was. I still think it's wonderful.

It's just crazy to go back and see how much those books had an impact on me when I was younger. I'm happy they came out when they did.

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Books are pretty darn amazing.

Hey ho, back in the 'Ville

So, I'm now back from a weekend-and-then-some jaunt to D.C. and other side of PA to visit various relatives. The trip was fun and informative (see a previous post!), and also quite tiring. I wrote -- yes, actually wrote down a post yesterday (in the land of no internet and no cell phone service) that I would like to write up soon, but not tonight. So, that's to come, and I just wanted to let everyone know.

Also -- I've discovered (or, well -- let's call this a hypothesis: based on evidence I've gathered yet not quite proven) that a person acting childish, or at all young, is highly dependent on how people treat the person in question. For example, I am very likely to act very young (or younger, anyway) if my parents are treating me as someone younger (not necessarily in a condescending way), but I am more likely to act older if that is the way I am treated. However, this does not go for all situations, one exception being when a person is having that Hollywood-famous conversation of "You always treat me like I'm a kid!!!" -- which, as the films tell us, is an extensive and frustrating conversation that will get you nowhere.

With that, I'm off to bed -- or, off to my novel. : ) Thank you, GB! The contents of your bookshelves astonish and awe me!

My (one) Grandma's Wisdom

I was going to tell you the context, but I think it’s funnier if I don’t.

--“We’re going to have to PAY someone in a suit of armor to get rid of it.”

--“Well, I wasn’t here to tell it where to go, you see – and you cannot let grape vine decide for itself.”

--“Well, rosebushes are man-eating beasts, and I’ve worked with them for 50 years, so I can say that.” ☺

Remarks:

1) Washington, D.C. is very much like another country -- or certainly a very distinct culture.

2) Pool is a good game to play when you want to discuss things (and feel English, if you please).

3)Learning to "let go" may be something that is hard to take seriously, but it is even harder to actually do.

4) It turns out, control (over what's going on in our lives, over what people think of us, over what's going to happen) is one of our favorite, favorite illusions, and we do not like it when the fact that it is an illusion is made clear to us.

5) Going a day without email, cell phone, or Internet use may be a healthy thing to do, but if you don't do it, it's no judgment of your self-worth.

6) Money makes people act strangely.

7) Even though it is often used as such, guilt is not a very good motivator.

8) The number 8 is my favorite number.

9) No matter how good or bad or righteous it might feel, comparing yourself to other people is not the way to assess yourself.

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With any luck, I'll understand half of one of these by the time I'm sixty. I'll let you know how it goes.

Isn't it weird?

Isn't it weird how there are some places in which we are totally comfortable being a certain way, but in other places, totally not?

Let me explain. I often do that -- give a weird, obscure statement that is a generalization of a specific case in my head, but then I have to make the specific case anyway...

SO! For instance, I am completely comfortable being alone in my dorm room at Mills (which I realized today I will never be in again. Probably. Certainly will never sleep in that bed again. It just -- won't be my room. Ever. Again.) (this is slightly sad) -- I'm totally comfortable being alone on a plane, I'm fine with being alone while walking the dog around the neighborhood. But right now, I'm alone in my house -- and it's weird!!! Why? Dunno! I've been alone here before..maybe it's because I thought people were going to be home earlier. Oh, well. And -- other places it would be weird to be alone in: my high school, at the gym, or in a pool.

Weird examples. Sorry. :D I'm trying to think of another example (I mean, another emotion or something) to illustrate this point more, see if my conjecture holds true...that'll be pretty easy. It just has to be weird to prove the conjecture true. And, well -- it's not that hard for life to be weird!

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Oddly enough, I can't think of another example. Prolly 'cause I got distracted by tumblr. Oh, that website is a tricksy one!!!

I hope everyone's having a fantastic summer so far -- whether you're about to go visit family, start a new job, embark on a new book to read, or explore the land of relaxation just a bit further. :D