Day 7- Talkin' About My Generation

Day 7 of Summer---

Today, I was watching Girls, and I realized how much I empathized with what they were going through. 

For those who don’t know, Girls is a show on HBO which I have heard referred to as “our generation’s Sex and the City.” It follows 4 women in their early twenties as they discover themselves in New York City. 

I’m not super familiar with Sex and the City, but there are some major differences between the two eras and the issues they follow within the women’s lives. In the episodes of Sex and the City that I’ve seen, a lot of the episodes revolve around the women’s romantic lives, or lack thereof. There are often segments about their distaste of work, their family issues, or something else, but they seem so sure the whole time. That everything is going to turn out well for them, one way or another. That they are independent women in control of their own destiny. 

Girls feels so much more unplanned. The women in the show have no earthly idea what they’re doing. Life just kind of comes at them, and they do their best to combat it. And while one of them has a definite idea of what she’d like to be, her goals are much more free form. And pervading the show is the sense that things aren’t the way that they were supposed to be. 

                        See? They're just sitting on a bench. Like it's their favorite thing.

I have found in my own experience, and in those of my friends, that we are in perpetual shock that life becoming an adult is not what we were promised. I’m not sure what’s more startling: the idea that we thought that growing up and becoming independent would be easy, and that we’d be able to become who we would be immediately, or that idea that someone somewhere along the line made us believe that. 

Among my friends, most of us have no idea what we’re doing. We have ideas. We have concepts. We see things we’d like to do, and they type of person we’d like to become. But the steps between here and there have been obscured. And it seems that no other generation has been so wholly lost, or at least that must be what it feels like for each maturing generation. 

Then again, in being lost I believe our generation is found. In our not knowing about jobs and destinies, we have been more able to focus on interpersonal communication, and discovering, at least, the way we would like to seem to those who don’t know us yet. Our generation is more philanthropic, more likely to volunteer. We value each other and our lives behind the scenes, not necessarily defining ourselves by what we do, but by who we are. 

In a world that seems to shift so suddenly, to be ever moving, there is little else that can be expected but for one to grab onto anything possible, and to follow that until one is thrown, to catch onto the next foothold. Like one massive, racing carousel. 

This is not meant to categorize one generation or another, or to say that one is better than another. It is to say that I, at least, have little idea what I’m going to do with the rest of my life, and it is comforting to find a show where the characters feel the same way.

 

Day 6- I be on my Suit and Thai Ish

Now I'm caught up on my posts! Yay!

Day 6 of Summer-


Tonight, I decided to make Pad Thai for dinner. I had no idea how much actually goes into making it.

This was the first time that the limes decided to rear their heads since the smoothie incident. I couldn't find the half I already had, so I decided to cut another one. The smell of lime was as strong as the time before, and I remembered my training. Or so I thought.

                                                            See? They're laughing at me.


The first squeeze went into the cup. The second and third went all over the tiny cuts on my nails. It seeped into my skin, burning everywhere. And I squeezed what I thought was all of the juice out, and it was only two-thirds of what I needed. And in wringing it out, I managed to spray lime juice all over my face. Which really was excellent.

But that was nothing compared to the the peppers. The recipe called for red hot Thai peppers. When I went to the grocery store, I couldn't find those, so I got these curly green peppers that said they were warm to medium heat. Oh ho. No.

At first, I thought nothing of it. I figured the peppers would be, as advertised, warm to hot. When I cut the pepper, it was fine. Nothing exploded, nothing sprayed. When I deseeded them, still nothing happened. I was beginning to actually believe in my ability to cut produce. Then, I made a horrible, horrible mistake.

I picked up the pepper slices. With my hands. And, I don't really remember doing it, but I must have touched my lips. Fire is not enough to describe it. It was like acid. It began on just a tiny portion of my lips. But as I formed the words to describe how much pain I was in, the bile spread, until it had covered my mouth.

At that point, there was nothing to do. I stuck my face under the faucet. That didn't help. I put an ice cube to my lips, which only helped when it was actively numbing me. And I was making chicken. So there was nothing I could do. I had to let myself burn.

After a while, a long while, the pain began to fade. And while it still crops up every once and a while, the pain is mostly gone. And if I had let it be in the beginning, it may have ended soon. So the moral to this blog post is probably to just let yourself feel what you feel, no matter how horrible, because the sooner you accept the reality of your feelings, the sooner you can begin to heal and start to recover.

And also, that Thai food is amazing and complex, but totally worth it.

                                                              See this? Nom nom nom. 

Ancient Greek Tally- 6/102

Day 5- Rub a Dub Dub

When I started to clean and organize my room on Saturday, I found many things that I had forgotten I owned. Two such items were rose scented bath confetti and jasmine bubble bath. So last night, in an attempt to relax, I decided to have a mammoth, marathon bath. It had been months since I'd had an actual bath.

                                            http://everystockphoto.s3.amazonaws.com/flickr_cyron_photo_22871_o.jpg

                                       Because bubble baths all look like this, right? Wrong.

It made it more than just a bubble bath. I set up my computer so I could catch up on my television shows. I was determined not to just soak. I was going to luxuriate.

I began with the red bath confetti. A word to the wise: confetti is a very particular word, and it engenders particular ideas about your product. Unless it is light, clean, and belongs in a pinata,  do not label something confetti. It came in a little plastic tube. I thought they were little red circles, but when I dumped them out into the water, it turned out that they were hearts. Awkward for my bath, but I accepted it. And I figured that they'd just float around on the top of the water. They smelled good, like roses. But they didn't just float around. They stuck to the walls of the tub. They stuck to me. And they disintegrated into a rose-smelling, red goop, which felt like ick and tasted worse. I didn't mean to taste it. It just happened.

At that point, I just wanted to make it go away. But it was EVERYWHERE. My legs were red,  and somehow the bathtub wall was covered in it. The rose smell had gotten worse, and I couldn't breath. I couldn't even watch Game of Thrones. It was that bad.

All I wanted to do was have an actual bubble bath. But I knew that if I added the bubble bath now, I'd be sitting chin high in a pile of red nastiness that pretended to be bubbles.

                                   http://www.everystockphoto.com/photo.php?imageId=2433827&searchId=25e5e90d76496350236380e908419f15&npos=34

                                              And who wants to take a bath in this? Anyone?

So I emptied the bathtub and scrubbed myself clean of the horrible goop. And then, I filled it again, this time using the jasmine bubble bath. This was the answer to all my bathtub prayers. It foamed up just like in the movies, like in the baths of yore. And was finally able to relax and watch my shows, covered in mountains of white fluff. The only drawback, other than falling asleep in the tub in the middle of the night: when the bubbles popped they became this weird kind of lotion, and I ended up having to take a shower afterwards, when all the hot water was gone. So in the end, it wasn't relaxing at much as bracing, but it was fun. And fun is fun.


Ancient Greek Tally- 5/102

Day 4- Grades

Day 4 of Summer---

So, for people at my college, today was more than just Memorial Day. It was Grade Day. Today, the most momentous Monday after final exams, but before graduation, we received our final term grades. And, as with nearly any announcement of something long awaited, some were happy, and some were sad. And most were simply relieved that, no matter the outcome, the semester was over. 

I was fairly pleased with mine. Technically, it's the worst that I've ever done in college, but my grades were just fine, and I think they're fantastic considering the semester that I endured. But whenever anyone brings up the idea of grades, there's always the debate over their worth, and their actual meaning for students, and their application in real life. 

Does this make sense to you?

I generally have liked grades. I have always understood the way that school and classes worked. However, I had the good fortune of being raised in a family where education is the most important thing. Everything my family did when I was a child was geared towards excellence in school. Some families have athletics, or social traditions. We had education. 

On college campuses, there is a self-contradictory truth. On the one hand, no one wants to be the ultimate nerd, always doing work and constantly worried about grades. I’m not saying I agree with the stereotype. I’m saying it exists. On the other hand, many students at my college have large scholarships to be concerned about, honor societies they want to get into, parents with high expectations. And there is the ever-present idea that you are competing against thousands of other college students around the world for a handful of jobs. The pressure on grades, while not immediately apparent, pervades all of college life.

This pressure is sometimes helpful, and sometimes not. For those who operate well under high stakes circumstances, knowing exactly who expects what of you, and what you need to do to get it, can be comforting. For those who crack or fade out under pressure, it can often be too much. The opposition, the forces all seeming to converge on you at once, can be overwhelming. This can lead to an all-of-a-sudden breakdown or simple inaction. Sometimes, there is so much to do that the only thing that makes sense is for you to take a nap.

                                         And naps are nice, aren't they?

But there's something that isn't always acknowledged. It can be thrown around during the panic time of exams, or during the summer when there's nothing left to talk about. But it's valid, and it needs to be said: There's more to life than grades. 

For those who are not so great at school, this is an important thought. Just because you're not good at math, or at long papers, or at presentations, does not mean you're not a good person, and it does not mean that you aren't or never will be worth anything. This doesn't mean you can give up on school, or on improving in the areas where you are weak. School and grades are important. But who you are as a person is equally important. And that is what will last you. In 20 years, or even 5, will it matter what grade you got on your history final? What will matter is the way that you carried yourself. That you worked your hardest, were honest with those you came into contact with, and tried to make yourself and the world you lived in a better place. Your smile, your sense of humor, your morals mean as much as any equation, and it's important not to lose sight of that. 

For those that are good at school, college can be a time when one loses focus on reality. Classes are incredibly important. They are the purpose of college. But great grades does not a great person make. An A in English will not make up for a lack of kindness or consideration for others. If your grades are the best thing about you, then you're missing part of the experience of developing your personality as a young adult. Memories, while sometimes made amongst books in the library, are often made outside the classroom. And it is strings of memories which make up a lifetime. Of course don't give up on your grades, or your great work ethic, but remember to take care of yourself, so that you can keep achieving at a high level. This requires time to cool down, and to let loose. Also, to be remembered: if your grades are the most important thing to you, that does not necessarily mean that they are the most important thing to those close to you. Be excited for yourself, but be respectful. 

College is a brief period in life. It began. It will end. And at the end of it, grades will matter. However, that's not the only thing that will matter. The knowledge gained in college cannot be confined to a classroom, and character is formed in finding ones' self and in determining what matters. If grades matter to you, then earn them. If they don't, do what you need to do to set yourself up for the future you desire. The perceptions of society, and of those around you, will fall silent in the face of your success. You simply have go out and be successful, however you determine that to be.  

Day 3- Smooooothies

Day 3 of Summer---


So this one's a bit late. Woops.

So my mom has had a Nutribullet for a while now, and whenever I'm home, we make these fruit smoothie things. Just fruit, because apparently that's what one does. No ice cream, no milk, nothing. It's like juicing, but we peel all the fruit before it goes in.

So I went grocery shopping, and I got everything that I thought might be good in a smoothie. Strawberries, bananas, cherries, white flesh peaches, black plumcots, and then I wandered by something, and on a whim I bought it. Limes. Limes are good, right? There are always lemon-lime flavors in everything. And, confusing them with kiwi, I thought that strawberry and lime were together in all sorts of flavors for foods. So, I bought a few of those, too. Also, on my mother's request, I bought organic baby spinach. Again, because that's simply what one does.

These choices have led me to two maxims that I believe apply to smoothies and also to life.

1. A little bit of lime goes a really long way.

2. Spinach really does go in everything.

For the first, I should have realized what I was doing as soon as I cut one lime open. I could smell the tart, excellent citrus smell as soon as I broke its skin. I had decided to use one lime, in addition to a bunch of cherries and strawberries. And spinach, which I still was not sold on. My mother convinced me that I probably should just start with half of a lime, and I could add more later if I needed to.

See, I had forgotten the taste of wild lime. I was used to manufactured, sugary lime tastes, like in starburst and skittles. I had forgotten the sharp, tart unforgiving tang of actual limes. And so, I blended it all up, and took an experiment sip. I'm still not sure if my mouth has gotten back to its original shape yet. It was SO sour. It may have been better with just a quarter of a lime, but even after we added another half-banana, it was undrinkable. We even added some sugar, which COMPLETELY defeats the point of a natural fruit juice, but made it drinkable, at least for a few sips. It ended up in the garbage disposal. Way, way too much lime.

                                           I can feel myself puckering just looking at these.
This concept holds true in real life, if the world 'lime' is replaced with 'change.' Any time I have ever tried to do a radical change, I ended up doing all sorts of new and different things for a few days, and then burning out. That new idea ended up in the metaphorical garbage disposal, and I went back to what I was doing before. That's why, this summer, I'm trying to start slowly, with a bit of Ancient Greek a day, gradually becoming more organized and more fit. If I demanded that, say, this blog was done on time everyday, as well as everything else I had ever dreamed of doing this summer, I would have no blog, no drive, and no Ancient Greek. And that just won't work for me. A quarter of a lime at a time, if that.

For the second rule, baby spinach gets put in every smoothie. Every single one.

Starting out, baby spinach sounds gross. And it looks gross. And it sounds like vegetables, and so no one wants to eat it. I certainly didn't. Looks gross+sounds gross= I don't eat it. However, it turns out that baby spinach is really, really good for you. Spinach in general has tons of iron, vitamin C, calcium and potassium, as well as being low (as in practically no) calories. (from http://home.howstuffworks.com/spinach3.htm). And baby spinach is smaller and milder in taste than  regular spinach.

I was wary at first, the spinach turns the smoothie green, practically no matter what else you put in it. Green things are scary to drink. Also, it ends up as little flakes, which you'd think would be unpleasant to drink.

                                                    Does that look good? It actually is!

The thing is, it's really, really good. It tastes just like a smoothie, and it's really good for you. Which leads me to my practical application. Spinach is like all the little things in life that are good for you, like getting enough sleep, exercising, eating well, etc. They're things that you may not want to do at times, in favor of things like late nights, lazy days, and quick eats. But like spinach you know that they're good for you, and they don't drastically change your life. The things that flavor your life are the other things, the people you're around, the things you wear, where you go during the day, like the fruit that you'd put in with the spinach. So, like spinach, we should put lots of the things that we're sure are good for us into our lives, and let the other things file in around the necessities. I can't wait to try new fruits, and experiences, around my daily Greek and sleep.


Ancient Greek tally: 3/102

Day 2- Roller Coasters

Day 2 of Summer---


Today, I finally moved out of my sorority house. My brother's birthday is tomorrow, so rather than driving straight back home, I went to King's Dominion, a local amusement park, beforehand.

I was way more tired than I could have guessed. I ended up leaving after a few hours, but I did ride a few roller coasters. Anyone who enjoys wooden roller coasters can agree understand me when I say that roller coasters are some of the few things that I believe actually change a person. Not permanently, and not even for long. It's gone before you even unbuckle your seat belt to leave. But while you're on the coaster you can feel the anticipation building in your stomach. Actual butterflies, no matter how many times you've been on the ride. And when your stomach drops down the first hill, when you're staring at the impossible angle of your descent, there are few that can resist cracking a smile. The hills lift you out of your seat, and you smile again. No matter what else is going on in your life at that moment, the only thing that matters is that your hair is whipping wildly away from your face, and the wind is hitting you so hard that it practically burns your face.

                              Unless you forgot to put on sunscreen. Then you're actually burning.


There's practically no feeling like it. And if you think about it, roller coasters in general are pretty impractical. Once upon a time, someone decided that he wanted to design something that would propel people into the air, thrash them around, and sometimes make them puke. I can just imagine the notes.

"I think it'd be cool to go up into the air and then come back down really fast. And not die."

"I want to be flipped upside down in the air, held up by thin sheets of metal and slight bits of cloth."

But here we are. Roller coasters are a way of life for many Americans. They symbolize summertime, leisure, and childhood. The ups and downs, sharp turns and unexpected twists combat the twists and turns in our own lives, if only for a minute or two. And so, improbable or not, impractical as their inception may have been, roller coasters seem to be essential in allowing individuals a release from their lives. Movies and books can offer somewhat of a release, but there is always the internal monologue of the viewer, reminding themselves of parts of the book that relate to their lives. But there is no where in average, everyday life, where you plummet down a hill, then fly back up. There is no experience like a roller coaster, and therefore there can be nothing to compare it to.

I'm pretty glad that I got a chance to ride a few today. I think I'll be going back. I could use a release.

Ancient Greek tally: 2/102
Exercise: Yes
                                                 

Day 1- Beginnings

     So this is my first post on this blog. The idea behind it is that I have 102 days between today, the day I took the last final of my Sophomore year, and the first day of school, September 2nd. This semester, this year, didn't really go to plan. And so, in my mind, I have 102 days to work on the issues that hindered me this semester, as well as get as much as I can out of this summer. I have a job that I'm really excited about, a few trips that I'm really looking forward to, and hopefully I'll return to school refreshed and ready to take on Junior year full force. So, here we go!
----
Day 1 of Summer:

As soon as I got out of my last final, I expected to feel relief. Joy. Happiness of some kind. Instead, I slowly shuffled back to my room. Drained. Disappointed. There wasn't time to appreciate the sudden start of Summer. Instead, I sat on my bed for perhaps 10 minutes, listening to my sorority sisters celebrate the end of their finals week before I took a day nap. Four hours later, I began to pack up my room. I'm still working on getting everything together. My father is coming this evening to bring most of it home, and I'll bring everything else back tomorrow.

                                                     It's not going super well. Whatever.

Then, one of my close friends and I went out for Thai food. And I'm going to end this semester, in at least one aspect, the way I began it. With the movie "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers." It's a really spectacular older movie, with Classical references that I deeply appreciate.

I have a few goals that I really would like to accomplish this summer. I go to a private college in Virginia, so most of my goals relate back to being prepared to take all the opportunities it gives me next semester, and setting myself up for success academically. The others are really personal development goals:

-Do at least 1 hour of Ancient Greek a day.
-Read ahead in my books for my classes for next semester.
-Pre-plan all of my programs for my Sorority office.
-Exercise every day.
-Organize my time.
-Pre-plan all of my programs for my Habitat office.
-Write a blog entry every day.

That's 102 hours of Ancient Greek. 102 blog entries. I'll be keeping tally. I also hope to take a moment to notice the small things, and appreciate the wonderful life that I've often taken advantage of. Here's one of my favorite quotes, which I think is fitting to close out this entry, and to define my overall goal for my 102 Days of Summer!