Every so often, I reflect on how much I have changed. I make a mental list of new experiences, knowledge, and mistakes. During one of these reflections, I was trying to count how many all-nighters I had pulled as an International Baccalaureate student. Then I had an epiphany: IB is an abusive relationship! The more I extrapolated on this metaphor, the more I was surprised how well it fit. IB puts us through so much work and stress; we’re always threatening to leave or IB’s threatening to kick us out. We stay in this relationship because we believe that, one day, we will get married! We will get the IB diploma!
But until then, we have to take care of our lovechild, named EE. And though our parents and Advisors criticize the way we raise little EE, we insist that can do it. We can feed EE to grow into a healthy 3500-4000 word paper. And though we still have to work endless hours at CAS (a job that pays nothing), we can raise IAs too.
And all the while, our friends tell us that IB isn’t worth it. That what we have is an unhealthy relationship. But we say they are wrong. Despite the battle scars and droopy bags under our eyes from sleep deprivation, we still believe IB is fantastic. IB will take us places, send us to college, and allow us to experience the world.
Our friends tell us we should date the nice guy: AP. He’s not demanding. He gives us choices. Multiple choices. But we don’t want AP. He’s boring. Unexciting. Doesn’t like change. He’ll want to stay in Tallahassee. Settle down and start a family, go to soccer games and dinner parties. Fuck that.
11 December 2008
10 August 2008
FTC4
Sorry I didn't have this earlier. I almost didn't make it to my own Finer Things Club meeting but luckily I was able to leave work an hour early and have in-depth chats with my lovely dinner guests. Ironically at another Chinese restaurant. Main focus was... Olympics, of course. The spectacle that was the opening ceremony. What it means for China's reputation and national identity and people. Ian gave us great awkward hobo restaurant scenarios. Travels. Meaning of life. Sophie said something about Jews being especially slutty. Pokemon versus Digimon. Digimon won BTdubs. 90's cartoons versus "New Millennium" cartoons. What are we going to call this decade in later decades? What's the name for our generation? X? Y? G?
Damn, I forgot to take pictures. Oh, and Ian, send me that stuff about meaning of life email.
More stuff I wasn't there for. What'd I miss, guys?
Damn, I forgot to take pictures. Oh, and Ian, send me that stuff about meaning of life email.
More stuff I wasn't there for. What'd I miss, guys?
11 June 2008
Reflection
I thought I'd spend some time reflecting on everything that's happened this school year. You know those TV shows about teenagers in high school in all the cliques and drama? Ridiculous. But sometimes I find myself caught in similar drama and think, "You have got to be kidding me. Reality doesn't work like this." And it really didn't until this year. But I think it says something about how close our friendships are, that despite what happens, we're cool.
Here's my top 5 most memorable things about this year.
5. Pink Elephant.
4. Jay's IB-300. This was kind of really brilliant.
3. Pangaea. One of the most fun and successful collaborative productions Rickards has ever seen.
2. Finer Things Club. It's incredibly satisfying to have a serious conversation with the same people who love "Your mom" jokes.
1. Group 4. Great excuse to hang out every weekend, karaoke and spend time with "the family". The actual science part of it was quite a bit of work. I slept a lot and the final video turned out great.
Honorable mentions include going into my IB theater oral prepared for the wrong play (so far, biggest fuck-up of my life), whore cake, spring break beach trip, Dr. Williams' "3 snaps in a circle", Greer's trading clothing week, spending time after school in the parking lot talking with friends, playing spades in class, those Planet Earth videos, spanish with Okey and Halina, skipping school for starbucks, parking lot hopscotch, Traveling Foreign Teenagers, pulling all-nighters to finish essays, inside jokes, Skeert (which is one of those fads you think would blow over by the next week, but skeert), "Sex in a ___", Swissabella, "That's what she said",bunny map, loud sex talks in Sindhu's class partyvan...
What's your top 5?
Here's my top 5 most memorable things about this year.
5. Pink Elephant.
4. Jay's IB-300. This was kind of really brilliant.
3. Pangaea. One of the most fun and successful collaborative productions Rickards has ever seen.
2. Finer Things Club. It's incredibly satisfying to have a serious conversation with the same people who love "Your mom" jokes.
1. Group 4. Great excuse to hang out every weekend, karaoke and spend time with "the family". The actual science part of it was quite a bit of work. I slept a lot and the final video turned out great.
Honorable mentions include going into my IB theater oral prepared for the wrong play (so far, biggest fuck-up of my life), whore cake, spring break beach trip, Dr. Williams' "3 snaps in a circle", Greer's trading clothing week, spending time after school in the parking lot talking with friends, playing spades in class, those Planet Earth videos, spanish with Okey and Halina, skipping school for starbucks, parking lot hopscotch, Traveling Foreign Teenagers, pulling all-nighters to finish essays, inside jokes, Skeert (which is one of those fads you think would blow over by the next week, but skeert), "Sex in a ___", Swissabella, "That's what she said",bunny map, loud sex talks in Sindhu's class partyvan...
What's your top 5?
24 May 2008
FTC pt.3
The Finer Things Club last night started off pretty intense. It really has to do with who's there and the atmosphere and the mood that can induce deep intellectual discussions. The group consisted of me, Bella, Jay, Okey, Rosie, and Michael. Ian was too busy doing once-in-a-lifetime stuff like chasing tornadoes. No internet at Sahara so we couldn't skype him in.
We started off talking about art, high art versus low art, what is art nowadays? how can you draw that blurry line between art and bullshit? etc. There was this art student who induced pregnancies and subsequently abortions on herself, then used the blood to make art. She didn't really use blood, but it was meant to stir controversy and promote discussions about abortion. I recently read an article talking about this exact thing, how artists are trying to send a message in their work, but using unethical or inappropriate tactics. There was a man who found a starving dog on the street, chained him to an art gallery and let it die. I can see this as art. I can see this as a very strong and emotional comment on homelessness. The dog might have died anyway on the street but the very fact that each moment of it's death is there in plain view is just so much more direct and effective.
This reminded me of when Ian showed me "Primitive Welcome". It was cool but I didn't get it.The he explained his meaning behind it. It got me thinking; What is the interpretation of art by the viewer? By the artist's intentions? My opinion is, this can be skewed either way, but the artist's intention is so much more valid. For example, in Fahrenheit 451, we were taught that this book was about censorship. Lockhart went on and on about censorship and how it's the cause of all misfortunes for the character and the root of his dystopian community. Alright, I could see that. But I felt as though that was not the focus of the book. Months after reading Fahrenheit 451, there was an article published where Ray Bradbury, the author, insisted that the book was not about censorship, but how television destroys literature. So what is the story about? I hate the idea of a "personal interpretation" because that just opens up too many windows for bullshit.
Then Shakar and Saiem showed up. We were at a total lack of decorum and I gave up trying to bring everyone back to FTC mode. It turned into a fun relaxed dinner so it was still good.
Anyway, art... yeah. What do you think?
We started off talking about art, high art versus low art, what is art nowadays? how can you draw that blurry line between art and bullshit? etc. There was this art student who induced pregnancies and subsequently abortions on herself, then used the blood to make art. She didn't really use blood, but it was meant to stir controversy and promote discussions about abortion. I recently read an article talking about this exact thing, how artists are trying to send a message in their work, but using unethical or inappropriate tactics. There was a man who found a starving dog on the street, chained him to an art gallery and let it die. I can see this as art. I can see this as a very strong and emotional comment on homelessness. The dog might have died anyway on the street but the very fact that each moment of it's death is there in plain view is just so much more direct and effective.
This reminded me of when Ian showed me "Primitive Welcome". It was cool but I didn't get it.The he explained his meaning behind it. It got me thinking; What is the interpretation of art by the viewer? By the artist's intentions? My opinion is, this can be skewed either way, but the artist's intention is so much more valid. For example, in Fahrenheit 451, we were taught that this book was about censorship. Lockhart went on and on about censorship and how it's the cause of all misfortunes for the character and the root of his dystopian community. Alright, I could see that. But I felt as though that was not the focus of the book. Months after reading Fahrenheit 451, there was an article published where Ray Bradbury, the author, insisted that the book was not about censorship, but how television destroys literature. So what is the story about? I hate the idea of a "personal interpretation" because that just opens up too many windows for bullshit.
Then Shakar and Saiem showed up. We were at a total lack of decorum and I gave up trying to bring everyone back to FTC mode. It turned into a fun relaxed dinner so it was still good.
Anyway, art... yeah. What do you think?
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