Head up, nose down

Growing up as a first-generation kid, I’ve always known I was different from my peers. I looked different from everyone, didn’t speak their language and hardly understood anything for that matter. I didn’t practice the same religion, didn’t watch the game every Sunday, or knew any of the music people were always saying they grew up on. 

Being different made me feel as if I didn’t belong. (How cliché did that sound.) There was always the taunts about my ethnicity, which I even knew at my age was wrong. I’d like to say that I’ve always been mature for my age. Starting when we were young, my father had always instilled a considerable amount of discipline and modesty in me and my family. Every night we’d have to be at the dinner table or we’d be in trouble (home before dinner, always!) We’d also have to learn proper etiquette, such as no elbows on the table, don’t use your own utensils to touch the communal platter of food, etc. We’d also learned many life lessons from him, the kind that doesn’t come from pencil and textbook but more hands and sweat. It’s the kind of wisdom that’s shaped only by a soldier’s repertoire. There was one quote that always sticks out in my mind: “You were given two ears and two eyes but one mouth”. I’m sure some of you have heard this but I still try to pay heed to this saying, which means that you should listen and look twice as much as you speak.

Couple this mantra to my naturally-shy and observant behavior, you could say that I pick up a few things from people. This is why I’m always surprised (and to be more frank, exasperated) when I hear others talking about the superficial and unworldly, like how they have to wait a week before snatching up the latest product with an apple on etched on it. It’s never about material possessions or physical appearance: these things fade. Like some crazy trend. Like relationships. Like anything. That’s why it’s important to know who you are and your place. I’m not exactly sure where I’m headed with this right now, but I just hope there are more people out there who realize the same things I do. I guess what I’m trying to do is to spread a message of humility for this week. Try not to brag about how many followers you have on Instagram. Learn to appreciate everything for its worth, and not just when it’s gone. 

And actually help people instead of hoping they’ll fail.

Astrology

If there's one thing I'm fascinated about, it's astrology. Now, I don't put all my faith into those phony daily horoscopes, but sometimes they can be on point. In my opinion, astrology itself is eerily accurate. Astrology was founded approximately 6000 years ago, even predating religion! Ancient astrologers charted the movement of planets and stars and made predictions about eclipses, upheavals, famine and fortune.  They developed calendars for marking and measuring the passage of time.

I know when some people hear of the word, they immediately scoff and assume it's wrong. But it's not. If you just take the time to Google your birthday and figure out your sign, you'll be amazed at how well certain characteristics of yours are displayed on the page. I almost always make a prediction of what someone's sign is just by observing their behavior. Of course, most of this stuff is heavily influenced and isn't always correct, due to factors like domestic upbringing, life-changing events and the emotionally damaged.

Here's a basic breakdown of signs and all that jazz since I now know you're dying to figure out what your sign is. (That is, if you don't know it already =D)

                                               There are 12 signs total: (in order)

Taurus	Bull	April 20 - May 20
Gemini	Twins	May 21 - June 20
Cancer	Crab	June 21 - July 22
Leo	Lion	July 23 - August 22
Virgo	Virgin	August 23 - September 22
Libra	Balance	September 23 - October 22
Scorpio	Scorpion	October 23 - November 21
Sagittarius	Archer	November 22 - December 21
Capricorn	Goat	December 22 - January 19
Aquarius	Water Bearer	January 20 - February 18
Pisces	Fish	February 19 - March 20

They are then further divided into four main elemental signs: Fire (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius), Air (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius), Earth (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) and finally Water (Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces). Honestly you'd have thought Aquarius would be a water sign, but it's not! Sometimes there is a little overlay when it comes to the dates. People born on the ending/starting dates of an astrological sign is said to be born on a cusp. People born on cusps tend to reflect both qualities of the adjoining signs.

I was born September 20th, so I'm a Virgo. Virgos are said to be analytical, reliable, practical, critical and the biggest "perfectionist" of the signs. A lot of people say that I appear to be "cold" when you first meet me, but that's only because I internalize a lot. My mind is always racing, full of never-ending to-do lists and figuring out what my next move will be. One thing I need to work on is just to learn how to relax, and not over think everything so much!

I will never get tired of reading about astrology. There is a vast quantity of information on astrology out there, so research it up. I'm aware of how corny that sounds..

Pet peeves

A lot of things can annoy someone.

Whether it's the neglected history assignment sitting in the depths of your locker or getting up at 5:00 A.M. to put bread on the table, the list goes on. Many of these responsibilities don't belong to any one person, but sometimes a person can develop a pet peeve for them. However, most pet peeves are idiosyncratic, and on a smaller scale to boot.

The phrase "pet peeve" was coined around 1919, but it actually came from the word "peeve" in 1911. Peeve came from the word peevish, which means irritating. You can get more background information from here: http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/526328.

Personally, I have a whole list of pet peeves that I can't think of right now but I'll just pull out what I remember. One in particular is when certain [illterate] people say they hate reading. I MEAN C'MON. If you don't like to read, then how about stopping it altogether? Then we can see how well you'll get along in everyday life. Like not being able to read stop signs. Or how much that Wawa coffee costs. Ok I need to stop. But I'm not going to. I was at Barnes and Nobles this Saturday and I was just thinking how many books there are in this world. The degree is such that anyone is bound to find something they like. That's the part that gets to me, that people will judge the concept of reading just because they have to read some bland book for academic purposes. Young ones, or maybe just immature people altogether, therefore associate reading as "nerdy" and "boring". 

Just no.

You can read up in whatever interests you. Mystery, science, non-fiction, Harlequin even.

I can't even begin to describe how badly I want to buy every book when I go to B&N. 



Unfortunately, my $40 gift card did not fail to nudge my shoulder while my nose was buried in every shelf.



What's your pet peeve?

Walden

This weekend, I decided to enrich my brain by reading some neglected literary classics in my personal library. I chose to re-read Henry David Thoreau’s Walden, a story/journal that was published seven years after Henry ended his stay in a small cabin near Walden Pond.


Critics have said Walden doesn’t even have a central theme, but the meaning is quite clear: for us to follow his example of independent thinking and being. He hoped his book would establish him as the foremost spokesman for the American transcendentalist movement. Some would say Thoreau is “America’s bachelor uncle” and has a writing style to pique a reader’s annoyance. However, I enjoy all of his clever puns and allegories. Walden is unique in the way that it can’t be classified into any one literary category; it’s a memoir as much as a hand sounding the alarm.

With all that, I’ll draw the attention back to his allusions. In chapter 3, Thoreau alludes to none other than the Phoenicians from Homer’s The Odyssey. He also references The Odyssey itself, which amused me. There is also another section where he comments about idly reading The Iliad. I read this when I was younger and had no idea what half of this stuff meant. I find it easier and more enjoyable to read when I understand certain allusions, and what are the odds that Henry would make references to what I was reading in a mundane high school class? Usually I find that most classics move me to yawns, but I like to try new things every once in awhile. I’m going to keep my eyes peeled for more tiny surprises in lit! Woo.

       (THIS IS A REAL SIGN SITUATED IN THE WOODS NEAR WALDEN POND — LOCATED IN CONCORD, MASSACHUSETTS)

It comes and goes in waves, I am only led to wonder why

A lot will agree that great movies and stories include a thrilling plot, a grandiose setting or some type of mortal struggle. Most of the time, these works include the faithful sidekick of an animal, or more namely, a pet. Dogs, cats and even birds are usually featured as the protagonist's companion and even aide. Including the relationship between man and animal is very common amongst literature and film. There is enough evidence to support the theory that animals feel what we feel. Looks may obviously differ, and species at that, but the charge of emotional sensitivity in both are in tandem. And there's just something poignant about dogs. I Am Legend. Hello.

I've noticed in book 17 of The Odyssey that Odysseus' dog Argos was given a slim portion of recognition. What was slimmer still, was the time between his introduction and his "closing". The poor old canine had his last breath right after we read about his background story. Years ago Odysseus had trained this dog to his prime, then proceeded to go to fight at Troy. This left a gaping hole in the heart of Argos, as supported by the fact that the dog strayed from his usual behavior ever since. The dog now lays there "castaway, on piles of dung from mules and cattle" (363).

           (A depiction of Argos the dog from Thirty More Famous Stories Retold )

 


It's funny, because I when I came upon this, I felt like it was an apropos symbol of how the people of Ithaca might have felt when their great leader departed. This applies especially to Odysseus' immediate family, like Penelope and Laertes. Penelope is said to "waste away her nights" and Laertes is a plain mess. Isn't it peculiar how the absence of one person in your life can lead to the deviation of so many aspects in your life? Depression will inevitably set in. You stop eating, sleeping, setting your alarm fastidiously at 5:45 am every morning. You stop noticing new things and allow room in your mind for the same ceaseless, black thoughts to plague your mind. You just stop being. When one individual means so much to you, it's sensible that you should feel empty when they're gone. The only time people appreciate something is when it is no longer there.

I'd also like to note the adroit way Homer writes this part of the novel, regardless of whether or not he intended it to be. He timed it so that the dog gets to see Odysseus one last time before passing away. Some would say it's cruel that Odysseus finally makes it back to his own house and Argos fails to have the sweet taste of a real reunion. However, I find that there is beauty in sadness. And the dog did die content, for he recognized the old beggar as his master, Odysseus. 

There's nothing like gaining closure on long-festering emotional strife. Now that the wound has closed, there is room for the scar to come in. And after that, it's like life itself.


It will fade.