From time to time, when tensions are high or I can sense an imminent, pervading uneasy energy, I do a little meditative exercise. Usually, it is a visualization or relaxation ritual; something easy to refocus my mind.
As exam time draws near, I will begin to show you what I do, and also some more advanced techniques for meditation and you can use it however you see fit.
So, in preparation for that, this week's blog will have you contemplating your "happy place" either real or metaphorical or imaginary. Please answer each of the following questions, using detailed, descriptive imagery-laden diction.
Where do you like to go to escape from the pressures of your life? (It doesn't have to be a real place). Why THAT place?
What is your best childhood memory? Describe it in detail.
Where and when do you feel your absolute best? Why?
What is the most soothing sound you can imagine?
Which colors affect your mood the most? How do those colors affect it?
When during the day do you feel the most at ease? Why? What is it about that time of day that provides comfort?
(60pts-400 words)
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First off, I want to apologize for the length of this. I like the topics.
ReplyDeleteWhen I’m feeling uneasy, I sleep – that’s my safe place. First of all, it means I’m in my bed and that is honestly my most comfortable place. No one can yell at me, no one can tell me to leave; no one can look at me weird… It’s just weird I’m me and no one else can enter it. My door is shut, my phone is on the floor, my computer is off… it’s me and my bed and my safety and relaxation. I can easy leave everything behind. When I sleep, I dream of myself and the person that has made me so happy during my freshman year. Let me explain -- I know these dreams are torturous but I also know I cannot control them. Contemplating of my escape from the pressures of my life, I realize that when I sleep it’s the only time that I can get away from everything. I dream of the person that makes me feel complete, and yes, I’m aware of how absolutely lame that sounds. Everyone scolds me for these dreams as if I’m one to control them, but I can’t. And when I am asleep, it’s the only time I’m happy, I feel free and I can finally breathe without worrying if I finished something, if I’m disappointing someone and if I’m messing up something.
My best childhood memory… I can’t think of one. My dad was arrested, my grandmom died, my family moved from shelters to garages to a trailer, my first best friend, my dog, died. Oh! Cheerleading. When I was introduced to cheerleading, everything changed. My sister and I became closer; I found the one thing I was amazing at; the feeling I got on the competition mat absolutely completed me. My first practice made me feel like I actually had something going for me after the life I was leading. Cheerleading basically made me who I am.
As I was saying about my great escape, I feel most at ease when I’m asleep. No one can make me feel bad about neither the things I control nor the things that I cannot. I’m not wasting my life away snoozing, but I can’t explain how much better I feel when I’m in dreamland compared to when I’m awake.
I am obsessed with the sky. Sunrises, sunsets, clouds, the moon, the stars… they all fascinate me. I could lie on my trampoline all night long and just stare at the sky. Better yet, I could lay on the beach for the rest of my life and be filled with such satisfaction. I love the sound of the waves. Last summer whenever I was down, my cousin could take me to the beach at night and we would just sit and watch the waves at the sun went down and observed the sky as the stars shined. The sound of the waves washed my worries away and once again, I felt at ease. As I think about it, if I could, I’d go to the beach whenever the pressures of life would pile on top of me. When I’m there with the sound of the waves crashing on the shore, I feel all of my problems being taken back with the edge of the wave.
I think I have the stereotypical brain functions when it comes to colors affecting my mood. Easter colors, the dimmer yellows, purples and greens, make me happy; but not as easy as the highlighter colors because they make me think of summer and that right there brings me such ease. The darker colors make me feel that I need some serious introspection when I’m surrounded by them.
Once again, I feel most at ease at night time. That means I can be alone in my bed and not feel bad about the thoughts I’ve had during the day or the dreams I’ve encountered the previous nights. Don’t get me wrong, I love the people I’m surrounded by and I would love to be with them all the time, but I feel more like me when I’m wrapped up in my bed at night, about to fall into the dreamland where I can leave my worries behind and imagine how I wish my life was.
I don't have a happy place. I like to think that I am perfectly comfortable at any place, and that the only thing that can change my comfort is my company. But, when I don't like my company, I simply go find somewhere else where nobody can bother me. This usually means that I end up very, very far away from anywhere, and get in trouble when I decide to come back. On one occasion I was dissatisfied with the state of affairs in my household and was in the next county within minutes. Anywhere will do, so long as it's quiet and serene. Once I found myself an abandoned munitions factory in the woods and chilled there for a bit; at other times I need not go far to find solace and solitude. Usually the places I stop at are secluded, hidden in some way, and near water. Trickling water is the sound that I find most soothing in my experience, just above the hollow heartbeat of the earth in caves (it's also more accessible). The colors of my surroundings don't matter so much - they suit my mood. Green is sometimes more therapeutic than red in balancing the disturbances in my mind, for example, but I find that black and white are the two colors that I find most useful to me trying to find balance. You ask what time of day I find most comforting, Ms. Bunje, but really the times of day that I appreciate most are those that are closest to nighttime, because night is my time. I can see fairly well in the dark, and most people are sleeping when the sun goes down and before the sun comes up, so I find comfort in being able to move about freely without anyone bothering me - either because they can't see me, or aren't awake to know I'm there.
ReplyDeleteAnd, uh, I'd rather not delve into childhood memories: I'm sure that you can understand that desire to avoid those times. Every memory is poisonous and tainted with evils endured, I am sad to say truthfully.
First off, I got carried away... as usual. Second, this did make me feel a lot better. Third, it just sounds cool to have a third point...
ReplyDeleteIt's green. It's soil. It's Earth. It's one of my happy places. I love fields that go on. Particularly soccer fields. I visualize a soccer field one of struggle and representation of what you really can endure. Yet the green grass that can get so muddy and make you slip up, is the grass that can help you reach success or bring you to your diminish. That grass is what keeps you alive yet it's what you will die in. It pretty much is life: the end horizon, with that goalkeeper leaning in, staring you done, is your goal. You either fall down and stay down until you're six feet under or you get up and keep on going though you're hurt. It sounds like my happy place also reminds me of the pressures of life but it reminds me that without them I'd be nothing. Like the game never even started. When I'm on a field, alone, syncing with the beats of my ipod, I get lost with no worries because the Earth and Skies assure me. Ironically I suck beyond sucking at playing soccer, and running. Yet I love them both.
My other happy place is sort of awkward and creepy. I wasn't going to share what it was but it has helped me since I was a child. Walk-in Closets. My family always had some sort of mini walk-in closet. I was always found in those closets. I would curl up, in the dark or dim closet, and well take in the words of a book I would be reading. It's almost like I literally fall into the story. Sometimes I'll just listen to music when I'm sick of the world's own beat and want my own. I even keep pencils, and sketch papers in there in case I get an idea. My closet in a way is my Narnia. I love it and for the time being it's security. The one light bulb in the middle of the ceiling, hanging there lonely, and the pile of clothes or items I'm sitting on are the only things I have to worry about. I mean how many Manars can it possibly take to screw on a light bulb?
Everyone is running around. My sisters are in a hurry to get their uniforms ironed. My mom is sharing a colorful set of words, and telling them that if they don't hurry they will miss their science field trip. I was witnessing this from the kitchen window sill and enjoying my banana. I was wondering how come my uniform wasn't ready and why I wasn't getting ordered around. Secretly I did not care, anything to be late for school sounded delightful. My oldest brother and sister had already left and my other two sisters were getting shoed out the door. I specifically remember my mom running after them and giving them their lunches. When my mom came back and looked at me with a look that told me, I was definitely not going to school that day. My mom went to check on my dad and sure enough they were both getting ready to go out. Before I knew it, I was put into my favorite denim jumper and my mini afro was getting pulled back into a nice clean pony tail. Soon walking out the door, I was still asking where are we going or if they were fooling me again into going to the doctors, again. I got nothing but smiles in reply. After a restless hour car ride, we arrived. It was an old building, it wasn't crappy. It was just so full of memories from simply looking at it. Still confused but more excited, I listened to my parents explain that this is the house where my dad was raised in and he finally bought it back. The inside was horrible and it stunk. Renovation supplies were everywhere and the wall paper was literally falling in motion everywhere. In the middle of the house, there was my favorite uncle with his arms open for a hug. My mom's brother, and my grandmother have came to help. I was the little helper. For the first time ever I got to peel wallpaper and draw on it without getting yelled at. This is my favorite memory because I was very very young. I don't remember such detailed memories and emotions from my pre-school days. I felt like they knew I would love renovating and help out while look through old things that were left behind by generations that lived in that house. It was one of those rare connections that my parents would know exactly what I would like to be doing, plus they NEVER let me miss school for just anything.
ReplyDeleteI never feel at best. Ever. I don't have anything that I'm good at or outstanding in that I would feel at best. I'm pretty much a failure at all academics, and even my art is ridiculed by most. I'm not sure what it is, but there is something that's really missing and when I find out what it is then I might then feel at best. Other then that my highest point would be to just be a okay, and have everyone be a okay. Everyone satisfied. No competitions. No envy or jealousies. Just satisfaction and a good time is pretty much the better thing that I can attempt to offer. Other then that attempt, there is no absolute best for me.
The waves crashing, the sands shifting, the palm trees swishing, and the cars zooming. Alexandria, Egypt. At night, hours before dawn when we chill on the beach, some Arabian music getting played at a distance. Lukewarm sweet tea in a crystal cup, the best way to have it, and the salty air surrounds your cup rim with sea salt, so the tea seems even sweeter. If the winds pick up and hit the hedge of the cups, they all whistle. It's like a concert in it's own way, and the subtle joke or laughter just compliments it like clapping in a concert. Then I am absolutely relaxed, as my ears beg for more.
ReplyDeleteColors that mean something. My favorite color is green because I feel like it feeds my eyes. It's so real and natural that it really can't lie. It makes me relaxed and happy. Most colors would anyway, except red. I'm not sure why but though I'll wear red, and it looks good, I get this weird vibe from it. The usual depressing colors like brown or black are actually pretty happy for me. The blackness is vast with endless possibilities. Grayscale sketching all depends on black and though it's just one color, you can draw out all the emotions from it. Brown is just soil, and and it reminds me of roots which leads to hard work and family. I really could go on because I get attracted to any color. They're all beautiful, I love them all. Except red and yellow. Red is death, and yellow is sickness. Though at times beautiful, I'd still like to keep away from them.
Late night, is my time to enter Manar's world. Lock the door behind me, until that alarm sounds and lets me back into reality. Not to sound anti-social, but it's my time to think, relax, and have an attempt not to worry. It's my personal big F U to society, it's my time. Time to fabricate and stitch together my thoughts. It's quiet from people, their drama, and all the above. Even if I'm texting someone or having a conversation, I'm still at ease with the darkness. The spotlight that attracts humans my way isn't always my favorite thing. I mean I love it when there's a crowd of conversations, but for a limited time only.
Alexis, two or three years ago, gave me a handmade gift for Christmas. It was the word “Japan”. On it, she wrote:
ReplyDeleteJ is for Japan, where all our adventures will begin. Our success, future, excitement and lives start here <3
A is for Alexis, your best friend, who will always be here for you to be your partner in crime
P is for the many people in your life. They may disappoint, drive you crazy, but in the end, they care.
A is for anime. Only one way we’re going to change the world forever <3
N is for Nagasaki who reminds us all to believe in love and the pursuit of dreams.
Alexis, in one word, then, summed up my happy place. I’ve never physically been to Japan, but it’s the mysticism and magic of the word that gives me faith in destiny. I think of Japan as this place where my soul is free, where I’ll have best friends who support me [Alexis, apparently, deserved her own category when she wrote this, since she’s obviously too special for People :P], where I’m able to do things just for fun, and where my dreams will manifest. Japan doesn’t have to be this far away place; when I’m upset with where I am, then yes, Japan is this wonderland far away, waiting for me. However, especially recently, I’ve found myself looking at the people around me and loving where I am. That’s why Japan is my happy place -- it can be anything I need it to be, and serves as a constant reminder of a better tomorrow.
My best childhood memory? Please! I didn’t even have to think about this one. I don’t have a specific memory, but collectively, the best moments of my childhood were the ones spent with Alexis. I sat here for ten minutes trying to think of a specific incident, but we did so much I can’t pinpoint anything. Whenever I’m upset or feeling jealous of Alexis’ new friends, I always call up the memory of us staying up at night, writing our stories (which we never seem to finish…) and talking about life. It was usually during this time that I would tell her my insecurities, and basically how difficult and selfish of a girl I was. What I love about these moments though is that, even when in my head I knew I was dead wrong, Alexis somehow switched the words to make me feel like I was alright. Ahaha, I remember telling her how I loved this dress at Kohl’s, but no matter what size I tried the arms were too tight. Instead of telling me I have fat arms, Alexis said something like, “Maybe the rest of the world just has arms that are too small.” I’m crying now just thinking about it, because I don’t think Alexis realized just how much I needed her.
I feel my absolute best when I’m with Ryuji -- some of you know him as Dan Talasnik (shut up JV no more teasing!). I don’t want to get a million “do you like him?!” or anything like that, so I’ll abstractly tell you why he makes me feel the best. Abstractly :D. Whenever I feel horrible about myself, I find it easier to blame my shortcomings on one thing. From about probably eights year old ‘til now, I thought “If I had green eyes, I would be the most beautiful girl in the world.” Aka, it was because I didn’t have green eyes that I was ugly. Ryuji is colorblind in every angle you look at it. He thinks my eyes are green. :]
It goes without saying then that greens, olives, tans and browns are my favorite colors. They make me think of nature. Sitting in a room surrounded by these colors, my mind recollects the sounds of wind, rain, trees. I don’t worry about the test I failed, or the boy that called me a name. I think about being in my natural surroundings, as an earth goddess. Basically, these colors help me put my life into perspective; against the universal truths of mother nature, my petty worries are meaningless, and my priorities should be changed to make sure I’m growing just as beautiful as a weeping willow.
Regarding time, I feel the best when I wake up in the morning before everyone else. I feel special, as if the world stopped just to say hi to me. :]
When I find out my mother could have married Buzz Aldrin I yelled at the moon. When my employees steal my food I flip a desk over and scream, “Where's my sandwich?” striking fear into their hearts. And when I've had an incredibly hard day, I come home, put on a slanket, and enjoy my night-cheese. Okay, I don't actually do any of these things, but to escape the pressures of life I watch the amazing Liz Lemon do them on 30 Rock. I guess you could generalize that and say I use anything that makes me laugh to relieve stress, and that is very true. But lately I've been taking trips to 30 Rockefeller Plaza, to the set of TGS with Tracey Jordan, where the writers each have particular personality oddity, the actors are ridiculously self centered, and Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) is in charge of it all. In the past two months or so, when the stress has gotten especially bad, I've gone through the first three seasons (I've seen them all before, mind you) on Netflix instant streaming. I've been watching it so much, in fact, that I've even begun saying “that's a deal breaker,” the occasional, “What the what,” and even sometimes a, “I want to go to there.” Comedy in general is just a great way to relieve stress. There's a reason why people say laughter is the best medicine, because sometimes everyone needs a good laugh. Shows like 30 Rock, and, just recently I got into Arrested Development, are a smart kind of comedy. I can watch them, laugh, and still be intellectually stimulated. So it may not be the conventional place of relaxation, but I go to 30 Rock, NBC Universal, New York, or maybe the Bluth model home in Orange County, or possibly even Lawndale High with Daria and Jane, to relieve the pressures of the day.
ReplyDeleteI remember the summer after first grade my family went to the South West for a month. At one point in our trip we went to Boulder Rock, Colorado. The area was beautiful, and we stayed in a lodge that seemed to be empty (in actuality, there were two other groups staying there, but I don't remember seeing them). Boulder Rock was like a mountain oasis in the desert, but remained very remote, in fact it was one of the last places in the continental United States to receive mail. The only other building in the area was a diner, a few minutes walk from the lodge. This is where one of my greatest childhood memories happened. My mom, my sister Sandy, and I walked to the diner for lunch, simply watching all the birds and wildlife that took refuge in the oasis. When we got to the diner we had, as Sandy and I described it, “the best chicken ever,” on the patio, and watched all the different humming birds taking water from the bird feeders hanging from the side of the building. It was the most humming birds I've seen in one place, and they were all different colors, green, blue, and red. My sister and used to fight almost constantly, but right now we weren't; they best way to describe it was tranquil.
I feel my absolute best when the weather is perfect and I can go somewhere outside, away from everyone. I used to go to Vermont every summer; the house we would stay it was nestled up in the mountains, away from everything. I could breathe in the fresh mountain air, explore the fields full of colorful wild flowers, and walked the gushing stream, listening to the water flowing over the rocks. Nature makes me feel so relaxed, like I'm centered, nothing pulling me one way or the other. The most soothing sound I can imagine is the rustling of leaves in the wind with water running through a stream in the background. Nature is also where my most relaxing color comes from. Green is mild color and reminds me of nature. Blue is also soothing. Red and orange tend to just make my head hurt, which just ends up aggravating me.
I feel most at ease when I first get home from school. Since I was in elementary school I would always give myself the time from 3 to 4 o'clock to just do what I want. Now I often use this time to take a nap, but either way it's time for me to relax.
Stephen: “I could breathe in the fresh mountain air, explore the fields full of colorful wild flowers, and walked the gushing stream, listening to the water flowing over the rocks.”
ReplyDeleteIf you go again, I’m coming in your suitcase! ^_^ Seriously though, I find nature relaxing too. It’s just so peaceful to get away for a while. Sometimes, when I’m sick of dealing with my brother or just generally angry at the world, I’ll go outside and just chill. As I live in the sticks, aka Lower Bank, we don’t hear a whole ton of traffic, so, when I’m far enough away from everything that I can no longer see the house and the roads are quiet, I’m as at home as Chris McCandless in Alaska (minus the sad ending).
I close my eyes. Warmth still finds its way in. I feel like a lantern dancing across the evening sky when complete darkness still escapes even the deepest shadows. Purples and blues surrender their boundaries, making a million colors and one all at the same time. The toxic aftertaste of artificial scents can’t be found in the air. There’s just a glimpse of the universe before anyone existed. I lean on one of the horses, letting my cheek rest on their back and my fingers stroll through their hair. I’m well aware that I’m getting splotches of dirt on my skin and my clothes, but I don’t care. I won’t have to notice the thick distinctive smell of horse until I go back inside.
ReplyDeleteMy horse has been one of the major constants in my life. I’ve lost so many people that I’ve loved and relied on that going back to the horses feels safe. I would be a completely different person without them. Sure they know how to get under my nerves and it can be frustrating at times, but the good moments eradicate every second of the bad. Many of the better moments of my childhood are connected to horses. Jumping horses with all its danger, recklessness, and rush poked holes in my world, exposing a totally new universe to me. The fear, the feeling of your stomach falling and your thoughts dissolving, became something I hungered for. It’s something that still finds me as I feel a horse’s pace quicken and muscles tenses while the jump rushes forward.
The rest of my favorite memories are from when my family traveled. Walking around New York City, wandering through the museums in D.C., and swimming in the ocean in Florida among others stand out in my mind. A part of me loves to feel like Houdini. I feel refreshed by new people and new places. Unfortunately I can’t travel anywhere near as much as I’d like to, so I find new worlds in my room. I turn off all my lights but my lanterns. I light incense (as if you didn’t already know I’m a hippy) and sometimes candles. I lay on my floor and watch the smoke twist in the warm light. Music (my great love and savior) flows over everything. I write poetry, think, or just let myself forget I exist at all. I usually only do this at night, because night promises that the world can transform without you noticing (as terrifying as that can be there’s something magical about it). I love deep colors, midnight blues, ocean emeralds, and eggplant violets (anything but pink or white). When I can’t reach my happy places, my ipod is my best friend. I speed walk to my locker everyday to get it, and I always put my headphones on before I do anything else. If listening to music ever becomes a crime that earns you immediate capital punishment (don’t ask how that would happen), then it would be a risk I’d have to take.
(Sidenote: Good Luck Everyone! I believe in us!)
From Hannah to Kristie: I really like how you find the sky and everything fascinating because I am like that too. I think we are both nature people- some people find math and science intriguing while you and me both like natural things like waves. There is nothing more soothing than the sounds at the beach, even the seagulls don't bother me except when they eat my food.
ReplyDeleteDeanna,
ReplyDeleteI smiled like such a big idiot when I was reading your blog. :]
It's so cute! And oddly refreshing to read about.
PLUS! I was in gym with Dan today, laughing at him because he was left-handed, and we somehow got on to the topic of how he thinks your eyes are green. Haha.
Then he got irritated cause he thinks we pick on him too much..maybe we should stop.
Or not. :P
Stephen!
Remember that one time you tried to get me to watch 30 rock?
Well, I laughed really hard at that episode but I've never been able to watch it again..I should try again. Moving on..
I really liked how you said that laughing can bring you to a happy place. It's such a simple answer, and yet I didn't even think of that at first. Also, it came as no surprise to me that green was one of the first colors you mentioned. It goes well with your eyes, anyway. :]
Manar,
A walk-in closet isn't that creepy of a happy place! It sound perfectly normal to me, considering that mine is a bathtub. xD
Besides, that shouldn't matter anyway. It's YOUR happy place, and no one else's. Feel free to do whatever you want in there.
I think I have clutter-phobia. Actually, come to think of it, I’ve had it for as long as I remember. In fact, I’ve been told on numerous occasions about how I couldn’t sleep as a child unless my room was neat. Even now, I can’t start my homework, I can’t eat, I can’t even think straight if I’m surrounded by the smallest amount of clutter. If all my papers from school get jumbled and out of order, my life is put on hold until I categorize them. Call me crazy, but clearing things helps me clear my mind. Whenever I feel stressed or under pressure, I make a list. Seeing everything laid out neatly in front of me not only helps me realize that my problems aren’t so bad, but it also helps me function smoothly. That said, whenever I envision my ‘happy place’ it always seems to be a small, neat, dimly lit apartment with my favorite song [ at the moment ] playing in the background. I haven’t exactly figured out why I always lapse into that thought. Perhaps I want to live there when I’m older, or maybe it’s just easier to visualize a neat apartment more than anything else. Either way, the thought alone is enough to calm me down and get me to focus. If I can’t seem to being myself to that place, however, my bathtub seems to do the trick. Call me crazy again, but I can do everything in my bathtub. I read, do homework, think about life. The water is never running [ unless I want it to ], but just sitting in the tub fully clothed proves sufficient. I know...its weird...but it’s my happy place. :]
ReplyDeleteNow my childhood was jam-packed with happy memories. There’s so many to choose from, but the ones I remember the most included either my mother or my father. When I was around 6, every Saturday I would always wake up early to watch my mother help my father get ready for work. I remember being so proud of myself because I woke up early enough to see my father before he left. However, I always fell back asleep on my parent’s bed before he even got the chance to say goodbye. At around 8, my mother would wake up my sister and I and we would walk to the football fields near my house. She’d bring only a soccer ball, and we’d spend at least two hours chasing one another and laughing loudly. Whenever my mom caught me, she would tickle me until I couldn’t breathe. I remember always trying to get her back, but she either never laughed, or she told me I was too fat to catch her. Oh mom, the wonderful things you said to me. xD
Narrowing down a time when I feel my best is harder, because I seldom ever feel at my worst. If I’m ever laughing, or enjoying the weather or the company around me, I feel at my best. If I’ve just finished a huge project or a reached a goal that I’ve been working towards, I feel at my best. I wake up every morning with a fresh new start on life, and I plan my days around feeling and doing my best at anything. Feeling any less is simply unacceptable in my eyes.
One of the most soothing sounds for me is actually not the most soothing sound for most other people. I love the sounds of rainstorms. Not just the rainstorms where there is a lot of rain. I mean the ones where there’s wind knocking over trees, lightening striking the ground, thunder hurting your eardrums kind of storms. I love nature just as much as the next person, but I find myself admiring just how powerful these forces can be more than I do experiencing its beauty.
ReplyDeleteColors are an interesting thing for me. One day, the color black can inspire more than anything, another day, and the color black makes me want to cry my eyes out. The color yellow can remind me of warm summer days, and then other times it just irritates me with its brightness. I think it goes to say that my relationship with colors is the other way around. Colors don’t affect my moods; my moods affect my feelings on certain colors.
Finally, I always feel at ease either early in the morning or late at night. Mornings always gift me with a whole new day to make my own, and I often wake up excited to begin a new adventure. At night, I tend to lose myself in the stars and the dark sky. I usually spend a lot of time reflecting at night, and simply having the time to do that makes me feel at ease with my surroundings. (:
From Hannah to Sarah L: I think it's really awesome that you hunger the little rush you get when attempting something new and dangerous. If you know me at all you'll pretty much know that is how I live my life. Some people are too scared of fear, it bothers me.
ReplyDeleteFrom Hannah to Deanna- I know I ways agree with everyones blog and all, but ive never agreed with a sentence so much-The sentence in your last paragraph. When I wake up at sleepoverrs or just at my house and everyone else is sleeping I feel really important and I feel just like you said, like the world is saying hi to just me. If I wake up late I feel like everyone had a head start on their day and the world is too busy to say hi that morning. I never knew anyone else felt like that!!!!!
ReplyDeleteTrees blur past the window to my right like a blown glass watercolor. Cars, trucks, vans, and tractor-trailers blaze past the left window, and even though I, too, am moving 60 miles per hour and towards one of the many sources of pressure, be it home, school, or soccer, I am still. I am between two places. I may have a destination in mind and the GPS may be professing this at every exit, but for the moment, I feel myself to be a transient, a nomad, a wanderer. My seat is reclined and my mind is clear.
ReplyDeleteIt is during these rare moments when I am in the car and have put my homework on hold for just a few minutes, or it is too dark to work, or I have homework that cannot be done on-the-go, that I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and recline my seat, that I am relaxed.
Still, there is another place I go to escape the pressures of life. I pull on my goalkeeper gloves and step on the field for a rapid-fire drill. Basically, all fifteen players line up eighteen yards from the goal and shoot, one after the other, usually three times each. My heart pounds. Sweat drips from my forehead. Mud splatters across my jersey. There is no doubt that I am stressed, and yet I am completely at ease. I am, for once, on top of the world, even though after forty-five shots I have the appearance of a monster from the depths of hell. As I drip mud, sweat, and sometimes blood, I am at my best, and I know that, I feel that.
When my team does these shooting drills, I have one focus, and that is the task at hand. I can’t dwell on the last ball that slipped behind me or celebrate the last physically impossible save, and I can’t think about how the next shot will come. Likewise, I can’t think about the test I just failed or the homework I have left or the AP exam tomorrow. I think about that shot, that ball, that moment.
(Those last two paragraphs answer questions 3 and 6 also)
Fifteen-years-old counts as childhood, right? Well, it does now. Around this time last year, my soccer team had a Region I League game in New Hampshire. Rather than all drive to New Hampshire separately, seven girls (including me), each with a parent, piled into a fourteen-passenger van donated by one family’s church. In the advertisement-plastered van, we embarked on our journey north. Before long, we had run through every imaginable rendition of “Alligator” and “Boom Chicka Boom,” and sung “The Washer Woman” at lightning speeds. Having proven our mental speed and acuity, we took on the challenge of endurance: “99 Bottles of Pop on the Wall.” Yes, pop. We are a group of athletes and Katie’s a squeaky-clean Mormon- she doesn’t even joke about those things. We did it. It may seem so trivial and frankly stupid, but we had hundred times as much fun as we expected from an eight-hour trip.
Nights like tonight produce a powerful sound. This power does not come from a crescendo, but an impact. I am the only one home, the turtle tank is running, the dogs are rhythmically snoring, and the heater (it’s fricken cold) emits a slight hum. The tapping of the keyboard only adds to the rhythm of the ensemble. Entice my dogs to play to the point of exhaustion and then spend an evening alone at my house and you will feel a sound more soothing than an ocean breeze or a wave breaking on the shore or a flock of springtime birds in the morning.
ReplyDeleteI like orange. I like it a lot. I like the way it fills the air on a bright summer day. I like the way it adorns the trees on a brisk autumn morning. I like the way it spots the ground in spring as flowers begin to blossom. I like the way it makes me smile, the way it elevates my mood, the way it makes me want to dance, and twirl, and sing, I like orange.
If that is the case, then the reciprocal of orange is purple. Purple is a generally well-liked color, but it brings me down. It makes me sad, gloomy, and glum. This may be juvenile- actually, it is juvenile- but purple summons forward thoughts of my dining room. The dining room of the Sayers’ house is the one room in which there is no running or jumping or throwing or playing. It is not that those rules fail to apply to the other rooms in my home, but they only ever take effect in my dining room. I am convinced that this is because my dining room is purple, and purple is a fun-sucker.
Gwen:
ReplyDeleteYou'd be surprised, but a lot of people are really comforted by small, confining spaces, so you're not alone. I think it's because small places give a sense of boundary and security. It's the same reason a lot of people need to have a sheet or blanket covering them while they sleep, even when it's really hot. The confinement is comforting. I don't know if that's why you like to sit in your bathtub, I just thought it was interesting.
Sarah L:
ReplyDeleteYour description of being with your horses is so peaceful. I think we all have that one thing we can rely on, that we've always known, and that we can go back to when times get hard. I love that you rely on something as cool as horse riding, seeing that it makes you feel so great.
BY HANNAH
ReplyDeleteSince I'm not the best at controlling my feelings and actions, I need a place to go to where I can just relax- this place is my mom's grave. Most people go there to cry, I go there to be happy. Whenever I feel sad or stressed out, I put on my running shoes and leave. About a mile down the road is an airport, the airport where my grandpop used to work and fly planes, and then another half mile down is the cemetery. Past all of the trees and other grave stones, towards the back, lies my mom. She has a gray stone that says “Beloved wife, mother, daughter, sister, and cherished friend.” There's usually weeds growing that cover it, but I always yank them up out of the way. Surrounding the stone is a collection of purple flowers, my mom's favorite color, that I add to every once in a while. I just lay on the ground on my stomach, staring at the stone, and relax. I forget everything except for all of the happy memories that my mom and I had together. Something about that place just makes me feel safe and that everything is going to be ok, just like my mom used to make me feel.
My best childhood memory was when I was about six or seven and I lived on 22nd Ave. in Ocean City. The night before this happened my mom went to work at around 8pm and I cried for two hours because I didn't want her to leave. She knew I was upset, as I was every time she left for work, so she planned a big surprise for me when she got home. It was about 4 in the morning and I was finally fast asleep when I felt her wake me up. She told me to put on some warm clothes because we were going for a walk. I got out of my bed and somehow became wide awake. I loved spending time with my mom, no matter what time of the day, or morning, it was. She grabbed my hand and took me for a walk on the beach, which was and still is my favorite place in the world ever since. We talked about how I missed her when she went to work and I just remember watching my mom tear up because it probably made her sad that she had to leave me, too. The next thing I knew the sun was rising and it was an amazing sight to watch with my mom, sitting in the sand together. To anyone else this may not seem so special, but to me it's the best memory in the world.
PART 2: When I was walking on the beach that night I could hear the sounds of the ocean in a different way than what I wold usually hear during the day. The earth was quite and the ocean waves along with my moms voice were the only two things I could hear. To this day, the sound of those waves is my absolute favorite. It could soothe me then and it can soothe me now just because it brings back great memories.
ReplyDeleteColors don't really have an impact on me because each color can probably provoke something positive or something negative. The color purple reminds me of that book, which isn't the happiest book, but also the color purple was my mom's favorite color so it's something positive. Red reminds me of the sunset and it makes me feel warm, but it also reminds me of blood. Blue reminds me of every soccer team I've been on because for some reason our jerseys are always blue, but it also makes me feel sad because I could be feeling blue. It just depends on how I am thinking that day I guess.
During the school year I feel most at ease right when the 2:35 bell rings. Not because I get to go home- because I get to go play sports. Playing sports makes me feel proud because I am doing something to help myself, a team, and my school. I like competition and the feeling I get when I know I played an awesome game. Because I'm really comfortable playing soccer and lacrosse I just feel like I won't mess up. In school sometimes I don't raise my hand because I'm afraid of being wrong, but during sports I know that I am making the right decision because it just comes naturally.
BY HANNAH
Frankly, I usually do not have enough pressure in my life to necessitate a happy place, but when I do need to just get away, I simply play video games. I’m sure that makes me sound like a loser, but what is more fun than tying two helicopters together, flying up in one, jumping out of it, skydiving until it is possible to land in the other one, and gaining control of it before it crashes? I obviously cannot do these things in real life, so the next best thing is video games. When the pressures of school or my family get to me, I just sit down and use gaming to facilitate my escape. Like I said, though, I usually do not have much pressure to deal with (the way I like it, usually), so I just end up playing for fun.
ReplyDeleteAs far as my best childhood memory, I can honestly say that I do not think I have one. My life is remarkably devoid of ups and downs, usually keeping me content without producing anything monumentally happy or devastating. There have been happy periods and there have been not-so-happy periods, but nothing really stands out as far as pure joy is concerned. If best means most important, though, I suppose I have one. In fifth grade, I went to the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. I was there representing three counties in South Jersey, which was pretty cool, but I was also one of the only fifth graders there. Everybody made a big deal about it, which felt good, but after it was over it all faded quickly. I gained a reputation as a walking dictionary (not necessarily a good thing), but that was about it.
The time when I feel my absolute best is really cheesy, but it’s basically whenever I’m talking to somebody that’s really similar to me. A lot of people like me (and a lot do not), but it isn’t often that I encounter somebody that I feel understands what I’m thinking completely. When there is somebody like that, I feel happy. People need to belong, and often I feel like I do not currently, and have never, belonged to anything. People who are like me don’t come by very often, but when they do, they make me feel… normal.
The most soothing sound I can imagine is the sound of birds chirping. When I wake up early and go outside, I hear complete silence, except for the occasional intrusion of a bird’s call. At this point, I could go sit somewhere and just fall asleep. However, I haven’t been having much time recently to go and just relax, due to the stress of having five AP classes. When I can, however, listening to the early morning sounds of Mullican nature is the most soothing thing in the world.
Colors have never affected my mood that much. The color red gives me confidence for some reason, but staring at the color blue does not make me somber. Colors make things look cool, but they don’t make me jump for joy or start crying. I must say, though, that I cannot stand the color yellow as paint for a room. It looks hideous, which is why I was pretty frustrated when my mom painted my gaming room yellow. Overall, though, colors really don’t affect me that much.
The time of day doesn’t really affect my mood that much either. When it gets to be night, I get tired, but that’s about the extent of the impact time has. Basically, things around me don’t affect my mood too much. I am pretty content with who I am, and something as petty as the color of the seat I am sitting in does not change that. It’s nice to know my happy place, but I think it’s even better to know that I am my own happy place. I think we shouldn’t need the environment around is to be perfect in order to be at peace. Being happy, at least to me, is just accepting who you are. Everything going on outside is just a bonus.
Gwen C:
ReplyDeleteIt's not crazy to want things to be orderly. It's certainly not the way I like it (just look at my binder), but a lot of people prefer cleanliness to clutter. Also, what do you have against left-handed people? I'm left-handed too...
Jourdan S:
ReplyDeleteI love the sound of being alone at home too! There are so many noises that are always present but we never really notice or think about them until we are the only ones home. When I listen to the sounds of my house it's almost like I'm getting better acquainted with my home, and that's comforting.
I’d like to say that my place of escape is my room but the truth is, my room is just the place I escape to do homework. Homework is probably the last thing that alleviates my pressure.
ReplyDeleteSince the sun was starting to shine brighter, I’ve been going outside a lot more. Even though the last couple of days have been frigid cold, I found time to at least enjoy the weather before the drop in temperature.
So, that’s where I escape; nature. Ever since last year, when Transcendentalism was introduced to us, I found the method of escape in my circumstances. Most of my family doesn’t enjoy nature. Filipinos don’t like to be outside. I know my family hates going outside because they don’t like getting darker. I think it’s the whole ideal that Filipinos believe in that the lighter your complexion, the better you look. It’s a trait that Filipinos find intriguing since many of them are tan to begin with. I was explaining this to Jessie this afternoon.
Anyways, back to nature. I enjoy going outside and just being by myself biking in the bike trail behind my house. I enjoy listening to the wind blow through the trees as the birds talk to each other. It always seems like everything around me, when I’m outside, is syncopated to make music. I like that place because I just love to get lost outside. Sometimes I bike miles and miles away from my house and when I distance myself enough, I forget about everything else that’s going on. When that happens, all the pressure’s off.
My best childhood memories coincide with my great escape. The best memories I had was when I was in the Philippines. Recently, my friends from the fourth grade just found me on Facebook and it reminded me so much of how much I miss it there. I don’t just miss the people. But I miss it’s natural environment. Of course, the city is horrible, but once you get past that and go into the provinces, the place is phenomenal.
I remember we went to this place called Villa Escudero. I remember that they had this area near the waterfalls where there were picnic tables. It sounds dangerous, but the waterfalls are calm and they flow into a shallow river. The river flows pass the tables which are made of stone. While you dine, the water just flows through your feet. It’s really exciting. I think I found it even more exciting since I was very young back then.
(Here’s what I’m talking about if you actually want to see it: http://www.laguna-tourism.techcellar.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/villa_escudero1.jpg )
Lucas,
ReplyDeleteIt's nothing against left-handed people...it's just Dan. Hahaha
And I have other things to laugh at you about. Like the way you get my attention by waving your hand at me. Or that you know a lot of facts...but you can't apply them to anything. :]
P.s..I like that you're a walking dictionary, you come in handy.
So, I must say that I feel my absolute best when I can connect with nature at a level where I forget about everything. I think that’s why when I live in the city after High School, I’m still going to make an effort in going to places where I can feel at one. I feel that when I can disconnect myself from the rest of the world, I can feel my absolute best. If I feel just completely me, then it is best.
ReplyDeleteThe most soothing sound I’ve heard is the sound of waterfalls. It’s a continuous sound that’s always on replay. It never ends which is why I probably think it’s comforting. I can always count on it to be there. I think waterfalls and waves are definitely the things that can sooth me the most. I think that it’s not just the sound themselves that makes me relaxed. It’s the thought that these things are loyal companions that will never fade away.
The best color that soothes me is the color blue. As a child, I’ve always loved blue. I grew older and learned to love the other colors but I feel that blue is the most calming. It is the color of the ocean and the sky. Blue is known to be a calming color. Even though sometimes people described to be “blue” to signify that they are sad or gloomy, I think that blue is just a nice crisp color that will forever be a classic.
Finally, the time of day that I feel most at ease is the morning. I think the best time is around 7 AM. Why? I think that time has significance because not everyone is awake yet. The sun is still just peeking in and preparing itself to shine. There’s always a mist or coat of slight fog that enraptures the outdoors that gives it a nice cool feeling. The morning just feels like a refreshing reminder that the world is still going to go another day. The morning just feels right because it can predict the rest of the day.
Sarah: “Jumping horses with all its danger, recklessness, and rush poked holes in my world, exposing a totally new universe to me.”
ReplyDeleteAwww, Sarah, I was nodding my head the whole time I read your response (and not just the part about the horses—I love music and deep colors too)! I really liked the bit about jumping. For the majority of my life on horseback, I was scared to jump. Actually, for the first few years I rode, I was quite the timid rider, believe it or not. But over the past few years, I’ve grown so much as an equestrian, and the end of last season I’ve finally started to feel like I could jump without being super nervous. This season, after a long hard winter of ride-preventing snows and frozen ground, I’ve finally gotten back to schooling over fences again. I don’t know why, but something about jumping finally clicked. I’ve always been really bad about getting ahead and/or left behind, but now (and I’m not sure why—it’s not like I’ve been practicing all winter) I jump with Rusty 95% of the time. It feels just amazing to fly over a fence in unison with your mount. Now, I’m like you, I feed on it. Rusty had such an attitude this winter, and we had so few lessons, that, even when the ground was thawed, we just did a ton of dressage, and I was starting to think that that was where my path as an equestrian was headed. Now, I want to show jump (and do dressage, and hunters…). But show jump? Yup. Weird, huh?
Deanna N:
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, since when do you fail tests? Also, it's really good that your best memory came back that quickly. I had quite a tough time deciding what mine was, and it is great that you were able to share so many good times with someone. It's important for everybody to have someone like that. Unfortunately, a lot of people don't.
Jessie
ReplyDeleteIt's weird how different riders end up jumping. I think I was actually a lot gutsyier (and proabably a lot less safe) about it when I was little. My mom used to make we wear this heavy duty protective vest that could probably stop bullets and my dad refused to watch me ride. Anyway that feeling of complete unison is really the greatest reward. "On horse. One rider. One body. One mind" It doesn't always happen a lot, but when it does it's worth it. Last fall I went to Steph's jumping show and I decided to let Donna go as fast as she wanted to. We won almost every class and had the fastest time of the day by a lot. My heart felt like it would jump out of my chest the whole time and I had to scream at the end. (Any non-equestrian reading this thinks I'm insane). I was extremely happy for the rest of the week, cause that's just the effect riding can have.
Stephen W:
ReplyDeleteI agree that laughter is extremely important. It's great just to be able to take time to relax and forget about everything and to just laugh. I've never watched 30 Rock or Arrested Development, but similar comedy brings me relief as well. I suppose I'll have to watch an episode or two in the near future.
Where do I go to escape the pressures in my life?
ReplyDeleteTo tell you the truth, I don’t really go anywhere, physically or mentally. I remember we were talking in class about how some of us had a quiet place to go. For Bunje, I remember her quiet place was room 204. Where’s my quiet place? Sure, I can find a place noiseless place but that wouldn’t really be my quiet place. If I’m feeling pressured, I don’t do anything. I simply live my life, doing what I need to do whether it’s chores, homework, studying, or jumping over the moon. If I’m feeling pressured, but have to do something, I do it. But let’s say that I’m feeling pressured, and I don’t have anything to do. Let’s say I’m free. Well, in such a case, I guess I’ll just do something relaxing, whatever that might be. Maybe I’ll play some Starcraft, shoot some hoops, watch some TV, whatever. My problem is, though, that I deceive myself into a sense of freedom when I actually have something to do; I procrastinate. So, to escape pressure, I relax when I can, until I have to work. Yes, procrastination is a bad habit, but upward and onward!
What is your best childhood memory?
Uh. Oh, this is tough. Ah, I remember. It was the end of eighth grade. School was out. I was coming home from my last eighth grade bus ride. Her bus stop was first. When it was time for her to leave, we both stood up, and we hugged. Then she kissed me on the cheek (I’m trying to remember if it was left or right, but I can’t. Oh well!). She silently turned around. She walked towards the front of the bus. I stood in awe. I watched her step off the bus. When she finally left my sight, I sat down wondering, “Did she just kiss me? I think she did.” I remember the kiss was wet, soft, and unexpected. The kiss overjoyed me. I must have been happy, flustered, and excited for at least the next hour. I felt elevated. Now was that the best childhood memory of my life? I have no idea, but it was certainly a wonderful one. (And to clarify any misconceptions, I don’t like her like that anymore.)
Where and when do you feel your absolute best? Why?
Right now, there is only one thing that will make me feel my best. All I want right now is to do my absolute best in pole vault. I don’t want to simply reach a new, higher height. I want to feel like I did my best and know that I did best. Now, it may sound like I would do my best if I try my hardest, but that isn’t the case. I try my hardest every day, but never can I say, “I did my best.” You need perfect form and technique in pole vault. I know I can do it. I know it’s in me to perform. I just have not yet, and it’s frustrating. The day I do my best at a meet is when I will feel my best. Hopefully, that is very very very very very very soon.
What is the most soothing sound you can imagine?
Right now? Right now I wish I was at a track meet. I wish that I had just finished my best vault. I wish to be hearing the voices of my friends saying, “Good job Simon! Nice jump! Way to get shit done! That’s what I’m talking about Simon! Let’s go, Simon!”
Which colors affect your mood the most? How do those colors affect it?
I don’t know why, but lately, I’ve been highly fond of the color red. Lately, I’ve just been admiring the beauty and boldness of the color. Red is a powerful color. Red makes me feel powerful.
When during the day do you feel the most at ease? Why? What is it about that time of day that provides comfort?
For this, I’ve decided to imagine a day in the summer, because my days currently are hectic and unorganized. These days, I almost always feel pressured. In the summer, when I have nothing to do and can spend my time the way I want, I think the time when I would feel most at ease is in the morning. I can imagine myself voluntarily opening my eyes to a bright, sun-filled room and immediately feeling relaxed and hopeful, hopeful for the glorious day ahead of me. I would take a deep breath, lay for a bit, and finally get up when I feel ready. When I feel content.
Deanna,
ReplyDeleteThis was my reaction to your blog:
"XD NYAW."
Okay, that might be the only teasing that I'll do...for now. But I still think that you know that I know that everyone knows about you know who, you know what I'm saying? Anyways, I have noticed a lot that you wear a lot of colors with earth tones in it. I think that's why whenever I'm around you, I feel all peaceful and what not since my favorite place to be is outside in nature. Also, the whole thing about Dan being colorblind and always seeing your eyes as green made my heart turn into mush.
Gwen,
ReplyDeleteI used to be just like you before I hit junior year and barely have enough time to even make my bed. I think though that because I've adapted to such an environment such as the current disgusting state of my room, I haven't been able to function properly when my room is neat. I feel like a room that is too organized feels like it hasn't been lived in. It's just like those beds that have like a million and one extra pillows on it. It's pointless and it doesn't feel real. But I do agree with being able to write stuff down to understand the gravity of current situations. I do that so much, it's not even funny.
Lucas,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the video game thing. I remember when used to be obsessed with playing video games. I could play for days without eating, sleeping, and stopping only to go to the bathroom. But yeah, they're a great way to relieve some pressure cause anything can happen in them. I remember wishing and praying that I had the abilities of the characters in Final Fantasy. But we all know that's not happening.
Also, it's not cheesy to find someone who's similar to you and feel great about it. I'm always happy when I have "twin" moments with other people cause they think the same things that I do.
Sarah L
ReplyDeleteYou’re such an interesting person. You fascinate me. You’re a little bit of this and a little bit of that. The fact that you find new worlds in your room is totally awesome.
I like traveling too. New places don’t make me “feel refreshed,” but I enjoy being able to say, “I’ve been there. I’ve done that.” Though I don’t travel much either, I don’t find new worlds in my room. I’m not as imaginative and creative as you! I don’t ride horses either, but you make it sound so exhilarating. And now I want to try!
Kristie A
Some people say that sleeping is a waste of time, and I’m one of them. I tell myself that sleeping is a waste of time, but yet I can’t help but enjoy it like you. Sleep, I would have to say, is probably one of the most peaceful experiences (unless you’re having a nightmare, of course). Heck, even watching a person sleep is peaceful (no creepy feelings intended). As great as sleep is, I don’t think you should view it as an escape from life though. I think the idea of sleeping to escape sounds too dismal. Rather, I prefer to look at sleep as a tool for relaxation, healing, and preparation. I sleep to facilitate a better life, not to escape a pressured one.
Gwen C
Nah, Gwen, you’re not crazy. You’re just honest. And cool! When I read that your happy place is the bathtub, I couldn’t help but laugh with you. But now that I think about it, I can understand why a bathtub is a good place to escape to. I mean really, a bathtub is comfortable, peaceful, different, and best of all, if you need to go to the bathroom, the toilet is right there! It is a place that you can call yours and feel special while doing so. Ah, Gwen, I love ya. It would be so great if you were my sister.
What the heck. For some reason, I thought tonight was Wednesday. I just realized its Tuesday, even though I kind of already knew. No wonder there were blog posts...
ReplyDeletePart One:
ReplyDeleteMost of the pressures in my life are a result of numerous worries about school, problems at my work, and just constant fear of the future. Still, once I come home, I feel like I have some “me” time before more problems occur. I will describe to you what my “me” time usually consists of. Once the bus finally arrives at my house, the last stop, I snap out of my snores and clumsily trudge down the steps (I’ve already fallen down them twice this year. At least no one was able to see since I’m the last stop!) and walk down my extremely long driveway which feels miles long (especially in the heat) At most times I don’t even walk, but run quickly because more than once cars drive by and say inappropriate things, and one of my biggest fears is that they’ll one day decide to drive right up to my house before I can get inside. Once I get in, I take in the fact that it’s actually quiet in my house. I get home before everyone else, and once my family comes home, I can hardly hear myself think. I open the door to my disaster of a room and slip off my shoes and throw them anywhere and quickly slip on some pajamas. Now feeling comfortable, I skip to the kitchen and grab a bowl of sugary cereal. It’s either Captain Crunch, “Cinnamon French Toast”, “Lucky Charms” or “Sugary Sugary Bad for You Cereal”; whatever my mom decides to pick up for me at the market. I then slowly make my way to the living room, pieces of cereal fall from my overfilled bowl onto the floor. I plop onto the couch and flip the TV onto some cartoons. Usually I put on “Boomerang” (which is a channel that airs super old cartoons like “The Flintstones” and “Yogi the Bear”) Not only do the cartoon entertain me, but the old ones have some of the best entertainment and wacky animation that I like to study by freeze framing screen shots. My brother, a little seven year old made of pure energy, slams the door behind him and rushes to my side almost spilling my cereal. Some of the old cartoons don’t quite hold his attention so we move to channels like “Nickelodeon” or “Cartoon Network”. Even though cartoons now are fast paced and completely random, I still enjoy them and it’s good to see what kids like so I can keep that in my mind if I ever storyboard for someone’s or my own cartoon someday. So, basically my place of relaxation is similar to that of a kid waking up on the weekend for Saturday morning cartoons. Now that I read over this first part, I seem like a total cartoon creepy weirdo, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Two:
ReplyDeleteAlright, this may seem corny and predictable, but honest to God, my best childhood memory was when I went to Disney for the first time on my eighth birthday. First off, c’mon, it’s Disney World! The happiest freakin’ place on Earth! (Even though you have to pay a lot for that happiness) When you’re there as a kid, you’re treating like royalty and it seems like a fantasy land. I know now that everyone is paid to smile all the time, but as an innocent kid, I truly believed that everyone was just excited to see me and interact with me. It was my birthday at the time, so I was treated even more like royalty. They even gave me my own very special plastic princess crown. I was in heaven. I can remember in detail of the night where I had my birthday dinner in Cinderella’s Castle. I don’t know if they even do this now, but my birthday was announced and everyone in the restaurant began singing to me. It was an incredible moment to me as a child.
I’ve recently joined the art center in Hammonton, and frequently just go to the studio and draw. It’s a place where I just feel calm and happy. The funny thing is that I’m the youngest person there; the only members are seniors. Still, I think that’s what I like about it most. In this generation, art is so mainstream and digital. Not that I have a problem with that, but I like to go traditional once in a while, and some of the seniors there are incredible at painting and pastels. Each time I go to the art center, I learn new things, and whenever I learn something new, I feel at my best. Those people there have become my friends, and they treat me as an adult. I even joined one of their “café discussions” on a weeknight, and it was nice to have a deep discussion with people who had so many stories to share. When they all tell me that I have a future in art and that I’m going places…it makes me feel like I’m on cloud nine.
Whenever I need to relax, I listen to jazz music. Even if it’s a jazzy beat you can dance to, it still soothes and comforts me. I’m accustomed to most colors; I don’t think any really give me negative feelings. The two colors that really cheer me up are yellow and orange though. The time of day where I feel most at ease is the moments right before I fall asleep. Even though I know that tomorrow will be another struggle to get through, I at least have that couple of minutes where my only goal is to fall fast asleep. It’s also the time where I have sudden inspirations for doodles. This year was also the year where I found myself reading “Harry Potter” before bed; it was my favorite part of the day. So, there you go. The majority of things that relax and calm me are very strange, but they do the trick!
I’m riding in the car going who knows where. Tristan is sitting next to me doing something stupid, Mom is sighing and muttering that we’re going to be late, and Dad is at the wheel. As for me, I’m somewhere else entirely. An earbud rests in my right ear; the other hangs from a white umbilical cord attached to my electronic bestie, an IPod touch. A song flows into my head, mixing with my sea of thoughts. I’m transported out of the car far, far away. I could go anywhere, either in synch with or contrary to my mood. Let’s say I’m thinking about someone. Perhaps I’ll listen to “Behind These Hazel Eyes” or Teardrops on my Guitar”. If I’m feeling lonely and depressed, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” might be a better choice. Sure, the sentiments in these songs aren’t the happiest or most relieving, per se, but they transform my multifarious thoughts into words and beats that mesh with my emotional state; expressing myself through the music, living in the moment, in the sound, rather than expounding every single detail of my current situation in my head and driving myself to the brink of insanity, is relieving. It’s the same reason I write poetry, to create a pressure release in which I leave my body and live in the words. Other times, I’ll use music to totally separate myself from my current situation, and the songs take on a surreal air, a sort of beautiful dream that I never want to leave. Let’s say Mom is reminding me of the irrationality of my equestrian dreams, or perhaps I’m just bored. Either way, I might put on something of the likes of “Breakaway”, “Fireflies”, of “My Wish”. Suddenly, I’m in an immaculately groomed arena miles away. “What About Now” is playing through my mind as I steer my trusty mount over a hunter course, jumping in synch with him, both of us moving with grace and determination. Then the lights dim, the scene shifts, and I’m in a shad belly jacket and top hat, still seated atop my copper coated Thoroughbred. We’re in the Olympics, entering the dressage arena at A at an animated extend trot, then smoothly shifting to passage, in tune with “Walking on Sunshine”. Next thing I know, we’re at HITS (“Horses in the Sun”, a big show) on the Hudson, with “Gone” running through my head. We clear the giant liver pool, then the triple oxer, and finish the course over a line of three one-stride verticals. We left every rail up, and our time bested the fastest rider yet. The crowd cheers, but as the song fades so does the dream. Music has taken me far away, to places I’ll probably never be, but never the less it feels so good… until the song ends, the dream shatters, and I’m left to face reality.
ReplyDeleteOne of the best childhood memories (more, really a set of memories) that I can think of is my family’s biking trips to the Delaware-Raritan Canal when I was approximately ten years old. I have so many fond memories from the few times we biked there, always with my cousins and their families. For the majority of each ride, we biked parallel to the water; you can only imagine how beautiful both the natural scenery and old buildings we passed were. My cousins and I waded in the canal more than once, going home in soggy clothing. I always brought my camera (I was the little photographer back then), and one time we met (and I photographed) a friendly cat we called “S” because of the mark on his back. Once, we saw a cluster of yellow wild flowers with blossoms that “popped” when touched; another time, we stopped for ice cream after biking for miles (our trip that time totaled 26 miles—a record I’m proud of) and saw a man with a mohawk that made him look like a rooster.
I remember stopping at a small café/general store along the path and getting lunch and a special soda called an egg cream. After lunch, my cousins and I went outside and found a small field near some black walnut trees. A man was juggling fallen green black walnuts (they look sort of like tennis balls when unripe), and he helped us learn to do the same (albeit with a bit less skill ^_^). One of my favorite parts of the trips was the campfires at the end. We cooked all sorts of goodies, from veggie burgers (and real burgers) to corn on the cob.
ReplyDeleteI can think of two main places where I feel absolutely amazing. The first is the more or less obvious—on horseback. More specifically, I feel amazing—free and careless—over fences, moving with a horsey over a course of jumps as the wind streams through him mane, losing its race against us. I also love dressage; the feeling of being able to influence a horse subtly and smoothly to move in a certain way—ride a balanced circle (and that’s harder than it sounds), extend the trot, do a flying lead change, etc—is one of oneness, of perfect harmony. The other place I feel at home is in the car. I can’t yet drive alone, so the next best thing is to go for a ride with Mom. Mom over Tristan or Dad because Tristan ruins the mood (annoying as younger brothers can be) and I’m just generally a bit closer with Mom, and we share more interests and opinions than Dad and I (who, of course, I still love to death). Anyway, we could travel for twenty minutes or five hours and I’d remain content. As much as I find comfort in the constants in my life, I love traveling. Mom says she gets tired of driving, but for me, the “road rolls out like a welcome mat”, and I could drive on it for hours on end. The scenes flashing by as Mom’s Highlander’s wheels roll over the asphalt awake my heart and passion for life. “There! Look at the leaves in Bridgeton! They’re out a week before those in Lower Bank are destined to emerge!” “Check out the rolling hills in PA! Imagine riding across them!” “Awww! That quaint little general store is adorable! We should stop and take a look inside!” What can I say? My love for riding in a car doesn’t exactly mesh with my personality, but I get a feeling so thrilling, yet so relaxing at the same time, from of the experience that it’s impossible to deny.
I fancy natural sounds, and, yet again, I’ve only managed to whittle down my favorites to two: the sound of the rain at night and summer’s night musicians, aka insects (cicadas, crickets, and katydids) and birds (whip-poor-wills and owls). I love going to and and snuggling under the covers, particularly in the summer, my window open a crack, as a steady rain falls down, washing my worries away. Night bird and insect song stirs my soul, reminding me of my heritage as a Lower Banker and transporting me to the natural world where my petty human worries no longer matter. Despite this, it’s mornings that put me most at ease. Mornings come with fresh air, dew drop-flecked lawns, and gentle sunrises. They also bring a sense of fresh hope. While I encounter stumbling stones as the day proceeds, or go to bed wishing I made better choices, mornings are a clean slate. They come with an energizing burst of vigor and the tantalizing promise of events yet to transpire.
As far as colors go, I’m a big fan of darker hues. I love deep navies and chocolate browns, midnight blacks and sooty charcoal greys. I find them calming and sort of noble, like an English rider in show attire (black breeches, black gloves, a deep-colored coat—of course, there are variations). I also am affected by the “shiny object effect” (“oooohhhh…! shiny!), and so I love silver and shiny diamond/cubic-zirconium type stones especially, as well as gold and other shiny precious metals and stones. These sorts of colors (and the shiny effect each has) make me feel inspired and confident.
Deanna:
ReplyDeleteI smiled like a goofball (I suppose that's like saying "I smiled like myself," but you get the idea) when I read your blog, especially the part about him think your eyes are green. Now don't take this as me making fun of you, but you know when you (or at least I do this) watch a chick flick and the guy says something super romantic, not too gushy, just super-duper sweet, you (or at least I) get this warm and fuzzy feeling in side and just can't help but smile. Well that just happened.
KTG:
ReplyDelete"First off, c’mon, it’s Disney World! The happiest freakin’ place on Earth! (Even though you have to pay a lot for that happiness)"
Whoever said the best things in life are free lied, unless they won some sweepstakes for Disney tickets. I love, love, love Magic Kingdom. When my Nana let us use her timeshare in Orlando, my family bought a three-day pass to Disney World. The plan was to go to three different parks within Disney World. JOKES. We spent the first day in Magic Kingdom and then my parents tried to take me to Animal Kingdom the second day. After about two hours, I was tugging at my dad's arm saying, "Let's go back to Magic Kingdom," and I begged and pleaded all that night so that on the third day, we went back to Magic Kingdom. Labeling a trip to Disney World as your best childhood memory is not cliche; it's universal.
Gwen:
ReplyDeleteI can relate to your liking of te sound of thunderstorms. My brother and dogs (he'd love me grouping them together) get really scared during thunderstorms, but I think they're comforting. My dad and I will press our faces against the windows on each side of my front door and watch the wind rip off branches and send trashcans flying and listen to the rain as it boars holes in the ground, but what we both love most is when lightning strikes really close and the thunder shakes the whole house and we can feel our eardrums vibrating. For me, it's so awesome, as in the actual definition of awesome, that it's almost soothing.
PART 1
ReplyDeleteIt may be cliché, but when things are really starting to get to me, I go to my bedroom. I feel like my bedroom is the only place that I can call my own and nobody else’s. I’m surrounded by my stuff, my clothes, my pictures, my everything. It’s my own little, secluded place. Mine. Nothing can come in if I don’t let it. Once in my room, I like to just lie in my bed. By just resting in my bed, where I sleep every night, I reminisce about the good times, or imagine situations I wish would happen. This is what I do every night before bed. It’s calming, soothing. It’s a momentary escape. Sometimes during the day though, I’ll even take a nap. By doing this, for that one hour, I can feel like there is no pressure. There’s no weight on my shoulders. It’s just me and my pillow, passing the time in a relaxing state. This type of relaxation is the best way to escape all the stress of school, swimming, and just life in general.
My childhood is something I like to look back on often for it was such a carefree time. I had such an awesome childhood, filled with so many great memories. The ones that top them all though are the ones from those summer days. Like I’ve mentioned before, my family is really close. My grandmother has thirteen grandchildren, all between the ages of twenty seven and five (however ten of us are between twenty two and seventeen) so we’re really close. Anyways, we all pretty much grew up together, except two of my cousins live in Florida. Every summer, my cousins that live in Florida, Allyson and Melanie, would come up to New Jersey for a week or two. This time that they were visiting would always be the highlight of my year. We would have big sleepovers at grandmom’s house with all the cousins, or we’d camp out. We’d go to Wildwood to the water park or Ocean City. But it didn’t matter where we went. Some of the memories that stick out most significantly are those when we were just all sitting around grandmom’s dining room table. I could go on and on detailing specific memories, but they’re those types of moments that other people just don’t understand. However, these moments sum up the greatest part of my childhood.
Times like now, I feel great. I feel so relieved to know that there is no longer any pressure on my shoulders. This euphoric feeling usually only comes during the summer time, since the rest of the time there is some type of pressure with school. This is the best feeling in the world though, just to know that I’m free to do whatever I want. If okay if I sleep in. It’s okay if I want to watch TV. It’s okay to roam around on Facebook for hours. There’s nothing due. I can finally just relax.
When I hear soothing sound, I immediately imagine lying on the beach, listening to the waves. Cliché once again? Yes, but as I said before, when I’m on the beach, it’s the summer. No pressure. No stress. I’m free to lie down and relax. Most times I even sleep for a bit. The sound of the waves and the breeze just has the ability to make me feel so relaxed. The heat probably has something to do with the soothing feeling as well. Every muscle in my body just feels like they’re melting to become a part of the sand. Nothing beats the calming feeling of lying on the beach, listening to all its sounds, even the calls of the seagulls.
The colors I love the most are cool colors, like purple, blue, and green. They just seem so soothing to me. On the other hand, colors like red, orange, and yellow make me feel almost startled. They’re alarming and a bit uncomfortable. They all affect my mood in different ways. The soothing colors obviously calm me the majority of the time, putting me into a happy place. While the others, like I said, have the ability to make me feel uncomfortable, and possibly on edge.
PART 2
ReplyDeleteEvenings are when I feel most at ease. If it’s a school night, this alleviating feeling comes as soon as I’m finished my homework, when I no longer feel stressed. However, if it’s not, it’s just when it begins to become dark outside when I feel calmest. I think this is because I’m a night person. I don’t like mornings, ever. Nights are so much more relaxing, probably because the night is the time for sleeping and I love the relaxation sleep provides. But even if I’m not sleeping, at night, I’m so much more at ease. The moon and the stars are so less overwhelming than the sun. They just put me into a tranquil state.
Kristie: It’s good to hear that our methods of relaxation are very similar – sleep. I love it when you sleep over and we just sleep until noon, not moving a muscle. Everyone else is up at nine, ready to carry on with the day’s activities, but not you. That must be why we’re best friends.
ReplyDeleteGwen: Clutter phobia. This just adds to the list of all the others phobias we named in bio that you have. Anyways, you do have a point. It makes sense that clearing a room can clear your mind. I do feel better when I clean my room, however I don’t feel uncomfortable when it’s not. I somewhat wish I had this phobia though. Maybe my room would be cleaner and my parents would be happier. This phobia ultimately may not be all that bad. Also, it’s interesting that you mention the sound of rainstorms as soothing, because I agree that they can be. However, I don’t think anything beats the sounds of the beach.
Lucas: A best memory can be one you see as most important. After all, if it comes off as important, it must have some sort of significance or meaning to you. This “good” feeling you described would constitute it as a good memory, I suppose, to answer your doubt, even if unfavorable situations like being called the walking dictionary resulted from it. In the moment, it felt good and that’s all that matters with good memories.
PART 1
ReplyDeleteLike Kristie, I would say sleep would have to be my go-to getaway. During sleep, you literally escape reality, and when your eyes slowly begin to roll back, they suddenly enter a whole new world. A magical and beautiful world where there is no homework, no stress, and no pressure. It’s pure tranquility. I could honestly go on forever describing the impeccable beauty of sleep, because it’s practically my favorite hobby. But I feel as though “sleep” is too generic of an answer for a “happy place”. There is another happy place of mine, and although it’s not exactly a phone call away, it answers when I need it the most.
My home. My life. My stage. Wherever or whenever I perform, I’m at home. There’s an aroma about performing that is certainly indescribable; I was born to do this. I’m at ease. Nothing in the world matters but my audience and I. I take a deep breath, letting out unnecessary energy out of my head. For once, I’m at peace. As the curtain slowly opens, an array of lights becomes visible on my pale skin. The lights make it impossible to see my audience; I stare blankly at a room full of darkness. When the lights come up, I am no longer Chrissy Hartzell. I’m Veruca Salt, Dolly Levi, Nicely-Nicely Johnson, Blossom the Sharpette, and etc. The premise of acting is to believably portray another character. There’s a sense of escape when dealing with acting. For maybe two hours, you aren’t yourself. You don’t live in 2010 anymore. You’re a gangster in the 1920’s. You’re a mermaid out in the ocean. On stage, you can be whoever you want, whenever you want. That, in itself, is fascinating. The stage, in its power and glory, allows every single one of its guests to enter its world with open arms. When I’m onstage, my mind literally goes blank; I am now the character. Chrissy is stored in some faraway cabinet for the time being. Acting is not only a relaxation method, it’s a drug. I’ll admit, I get high off acting! I’m addicted to this harmless drug! I’m rejuvenated after every performance, as if I went bungee-jumping and came back alive. It’s simply just something you have to feel to believe. Stepping into someone else’s shoes for an hour is more invigorating than one can imagine. Shakespeare said that all the world’s a stage, and I’m not denying it. The stage is the ultimate metaphor, and more so, it’s the ultimate getaway. As some people are one with nature, I am one with the stage.
During most of my dreaded classes, which include Calculus and Chemistry, I tend to float off into my inner thoughts, particularly those nostalgic thoughts of my cherished childhood. This is another escape route from my reality. Anyways, as I go deeper and deeper into my childhood memories, I always end up digging up the same memory: my favorite reminiscence of Bonna and Joe. Bonna and Joe were my babysitters for nearly ten years, and since my single-parent mother worked constantly, their house became my second home. I grew up at Bonna and Joe’s, and I frequently enjoy going to their house in my mind. A particular memory I have at their house was when Joe took my sisters and I on a stroll through the streets with his pony Banjo. The most beautiful black and white pony, Banjo was covered with 1800-esque equipment in order to properly drive him. Joe hooked the old fashioned cart to the pony, and my sisters hopped into it. I, on the other hand, got to sit on Joe’s lap. Joe, steering the pony, directed Banjo out of the pasture, out of the 20 acre ranch, and into the street. He drove Banjo three miles up the street and all the way to the local ice cream shop. On the way, my sisters and I proudly waved to neighbors as we became Miss America for a day. The clicks and the clacks from Banjo’s hoofs on the road created this euphonious sound that I will never forget; I attempted to imitate the newly-formed beat. This was probably the epitome of my childhood: riding on a cart down our street, eating ice cream, and enjoying life. I cry just thinking about it.
PART 2
ReplyDeleteSwitching from childhood to the present day, I switch back from the ranch to the stage. I feel my absolute best when I’m on the stage and doing my thing. I am not a confident person whatsoever, but when I’m up on stage, an alter ego is formed. I suddenly become extremely confident, ready for anything to tackle my ego. When I’m feeling confident, I feel my best, and the stage is usually the place where that occurs.
As for the soothing sound, i’d have to say the beautiful sound when you listen inside of a seashell. You know, when you were a child and thoroughly believed that a conch shell held the sound of the ocean? (I still believe that) Anyways, it is indubitably the most calming sound known to man. Because of this, I’ve became obsessed with conch shells. I’ve gotten one from every beach I’ve gone to, and each sound gets more and more euphonious. When I’m feeling overly stressed, I take out my conch shell from Jamaica and press it to my ear. Instantly, it relocates me to a tropical island and a clear blue ocean. I think I’m attracted to the sound because it’s a means of escape. I can get away for a while and listen to the distant and therapeutic sea in the palm of my hand.
Moving from sounds to sight, colors affect my mood dramatically. In fact, I used to wear those mood rings that determined my current mood (I think that was during my emo period of life). Anyways, I believe that the division of black versus white (not racially, silly!) has a lot to deal with my mood. Light colors make me feel giddy and high-spirited, while dark colors simply make me depressed. I guess this also has to deal with the seasons. I tend to associate light colors with summer, and dark colors with winter. I am a happier and jovial person in the summer than I am in the winter, where I’m usually depressed and gloomy. So, If I’m feeling down, I’ll probably wear all black. Happy as pie? I’ll wear all white. Why? I’m not sure, but it’s always been that way.
Finally, the time of day where I feel most at ease would definitely have to be a night, particularly right before I go to bed. I feel as though everything is rush during the class; I barely have time to sit down with myself. When I’m snuggled up and nestled in my bed, covers and all, it’s my only time with myself. I think about the day, how it went, and what I could do to improve it for the following day. At the end of the day, even if it was the worst day ever experienced, I always have the next morning. So, I close my eyes, release all negative energy, and fall asleep. That moment in time is always a favorite in my book.
I wrote this last night, and I’m about to embark this AP exam. Before I leave for school, I would just like to say how this blog helped me to discover my center. Last night, while I was shaking in my boots, I wrote this blog. After, I was not only more relaxed, but I was confident. I had found my center. I let off some steam last night, which thus released all of that horrible pressure. I am so ready for this exam! Thank you for this blog! Talking about my passion and discussing my childhood always brings ease to my soul. The extent of this blog reflects the extent of my interest in this blog, and as you can see from above, I was pretty intrigued.
^Haha, that was me this morning. I just came home, and I couldn’t post it because I was late for school. By the way, sorry this blog is so long!
It took me awhile to definitively decide on a place that I escape the pressures of life in. My main difficulty in this is that I can call almost anywhere home. I don’t need a place to release pressures because honestly just distracting myself with absolutely anything can do that all the same. But there is one plays I’ve gone to my fair share of times that instantly makes me feel incredibly zen. I discovered it when I moved to my current house, but I didn’t REALLY discover it til a few months ago. In daylight, a simple Shaner playground stands with sand on the ground, swings lining the fences, slides, those bridges you run across and some monkey bars. The nostalgic aura of the place alone releases inhibitions and pressures of the almost grown up world and puts you in a place where you can just be free. That was plain to see at a cursory glance. But it was not until I couldn’t sleep one night and decided to go for a walk that I really found this place. It’s open and serenely lit by the moon, it happened to be a full one that night. The stars twinkled magically and I sat on one of the swings for about an hour just gazing up at them. It was beautiful and I felt like nothing could touch me in this special place, one that everyone knew but no one had known quite like I did. Ever since, I’ve been going to that special place whenever I can’t sleep to completely clear my mind.
ReplyDeleteI can’t say any one childhood memory has been the best. I’ve done some pretty amazing things as a kid. I’ve been to Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii twice, and a number of states. I’ve skipped a grade, eaten at some killer places, made some amazing friends and participated in some great plays. But none of these are my favorite childhood memories. I’m more of a believer in appreciating the little things. Honestly the happiest moments I can think of are just baking brownies with my mom, doing a dance recital in a bunny costume, going to my Grandma’s and having Saturday Night Movie Nights with my family. Not fantastic or mind blowingly awesome, but happy and simple (and not to mention delicious.)
Again, appreciate the little things. Where I feel my absolute best? Borders with a latte, a cookie and some friends. That’s really all I need, all I’d ever need to make me happy. It’s got everything that is near and dear to my heart. It feeds my caffeine addiction in form of Rasberry Mocha kisses or Blackberry Crème Lattes. It has delicious ooey-gooey triple chocolate cookies that automatically make me feel warm and smile. Lastly, my favorite people just complete the experience with hilarious conversations about the day or the odd advertisement in the magazine we’re reading. Even doing homework there isn’t so bad because it’s the whole ambiance of just easy going coffee shop folk.
Most soothing sound? Good music. Any form. I mean sure the ocean sounds nice but I can’t listen to waves crash forever. I can however, leave the Express playlist on for hours upon hours and completely feel relaxed. It’s upbeat, sad, slow, indie, rap, it’s the perfect mix of songs that are just fun to listen to. It may not be soothing technically but I like to believe it’s soothing to the soul.
To colors, I honestly don’t think colors affect me. I think brightness and moods of places affect me but if a creepy room is red or blue, it’s still a creepy room. A red shirt is a shirt. I know blue is supposed to be serene, but so can any color in my opinion.
Finally, I feel most at ease and comfortable at night just laying in my bed. After a long day at school, it’s nice to just lay back in a soft a plushy bed and know a new day is dawning and no matter what happened today that it can be dealt with later, but now you can sleep it all off.
Simon: “I stood in awe. I watched her step off the bus. When she finally left my sight, I sat down wondering, “Did she just kiss me?”
ReplyDeleteAlright, you knew this was coming: “awwwwww!” How cute! I think a kiss can definitely be a “best” memory. Tiny instances like that that send your head spinning and let shivers loose down your spine are worth keeping in your heart.
Chrissy Bear
ReplyDelete“My home. My life. My stage. Wherever or whenever I perform, I’m at home. There’s an aroma about performing that is certainly indescribable; I was born to do this. I’m at ease.”
Although I didn’t choose it, I completely agree with you here. There’s something about not being yourself that lets you release everything. You can’t be stressed on stage, when those lights hit you and it’s your cue, it’s time to shine and everything else must be let go. It works well enough that generally when you come back to you, you’ve got suych stage hight thats still nothing can touch you.
Ps. I believe you mean aura, not aroma of the stage haha.
JV
“So, I must say that I feel my absolute best when I can connect with nature at a level where I forget about everything.”
I agree that there’s something about just being outside that can drastically ease your mood. I love just going on a bike ride, with the wind in my hair, riding down new streets and not worrying about what lies behind. It’s an amazing feeling, something I’d also definitely miss in a crowded city.
Lucas (ie. Loosecis)
“The time when I feel my absolute best is really cheesy, but it’s basically whenever I’m talking to somebody that’s really similar to me.”
It’s not cheesy Lucas. We’re people and as people we want to be around other people. It’s nice feeling accepted. My answer to this part was pretty similar, I feel like being your absolute best shouldn’t come with some ridiculous adventure like going on a spontaneous road trip, but just being with friends.
Silence. Ironically, it's both the place I want to escape from and the place I want to escape to. I want a busy life, a bustling life where things happen and they happen fast. I will keep up. Do this? Done. But as I always say, too much of one of the equation is too much for the brain. I need a balance. And thus, I seek out silence whenever I am stressed. Anywhere will do as long as I hear absolutely no decibel of sound--nothing. Also, there must be absolutely nobody around. The constant chitter-chatter of some people, especially those of high schoolers, vexes me to the point when I just want to vanish. Plus, being in a silent room with other people is just plain awkward, and I hate awkward situations, though I find myself in them all the time. I may find comfort in the dark, deserted stage: the easiest place to sneak into during school because of its proximity to the band room. Or I may find it in a random classroom (very helpful after school during that two hour wait before band). But nothing--and I really mean nothing-- beats my roof. I used to call it my "fire-escape" as a child, because I knew if my house was on fire, I'd have a way out. Outside my bedroom window, I can take one step out and find myself on a slab of roof top. The one time my mother found me there, she told me it was dangerous because it was just a piece of roof jetting out from the wall with two wooden pieces holding it up. However, I rationalized: My father built it out of concrete and shingles, I am just barely 100 pounds, and I've been out there countless time before--there is no way I'll ever give up this place. Plus, out there, the chaotic racket of my house is undetectable, the blow of the wind is beautiful, and it's rather impossible to do homework thus the only thing I can do is relax and listen to tranquil music. In fact, I fell asleep out there one night, and woke up scared to death because I may have rolled off! But like I said, too much silence arouses insanity and I cannot stay for long.
ReplyDeleteNow, my best childhood memory can be summed up in two words: safety scissors. When I was four, I owned the most harmless pair of pink scissors in the world; they could barely split paper into two, let alone a person. Let me explain, because that sounds a bit odd. Before kindergarten there are only two instances that I can remember clearly: the time I first thought "Am I really here?! What is this...life?!" and the time I threw my safety scissors at my sister. I scaled up the shelves that held our television set, which at the top neared the ceiling. My sister was standing around on the floor so to get her attention, I tossed the safety scissors at her. Immediately, she panicked and shielded herself as if she was about to be killed. Somehow, which I can't quite explain at this moment, this was the most hilarious thing that could ever happen. I nearly fell to the ground in tears of laughter. I laughed for over fifteen minutes! Afterwards, I told my sister, "I will remember this for as long as I live, and remind you about it in a year, two years, ten years!" And I have. And I still remember it today! Although...right now, it's not as funny as it was thirteen years ago.
I feel my absolute best the seconds after I finish nice long run. After my freshman year, I immediately made two drastic decisions that called for a dramatic change in my lifestyle. One of them was my choice to run Cross Country. Running reminds me (one) of the vow I made to myself to improve my overall life for the better and (two) my undeniable strength. The rush of blood throughout my system, my overall happier mood, and the instant glow of my face--few of the many things I treasure from running. Since February, when I realized that school had to be my main priority if I hoped to survive, I've had to give up running on a daily basis--but just momentarily. On the very top of my "TO DO AFTER AP TESTS list," is to run, a lot. (Also, on my list are several other verbs: run, sleep, read, fight, dance, watch TV, and find a job)
ReplyDeleteLove songs are the most soothing sounds I could ever hear. Even though I'm the most skeptical person about love (which I have yet to believe exist in any type, shape or form), it's beautiful to imagine someone caring for you with their life. I highly doubt that would ever happen to me, but it soothes me to hear songs like my favorite song in the world that makes me cry every time I hear it: Humans by The Scene Aesthetic. Just lovely.
I don't truly have a favorite "color," but rather a favorite style that corresponds to a ton of colors. I love sleek grays, ghostly whites, glistening glass. In general, I love elegance. But not that "warm elegance" filled with beiges, tans, and pinks. That edgy elegance you imagine when you think the offices of secret CIA officials. The colors that usually come with this are shades of blacks, grays, translucent, silvers, whites, and any other primary color to add some flavor. It all excites me because I want a life that epitomizes that air of confidence, beauty, and inner-power--one covered with black blazers and pencil skirts.
And without a doubt, the time I'm at ease the most is that late at night when I can't seem to fall asleep, so I delve into my favorite shows. Something about dramatic show makes me relax and forget the world around me.
Chrissy: "On the way, my sisters and I proudly waved to neighbors as we became Miss America for a day."
ReplyDeleteI love this image. I'm sitting here picturing little Chrissy in a cart smiling with an ice cream cone. You're blog, for some reason inspired me, it helped me to realize what my center is. So thank you :) By the way, you should try wearing white when you're upset, because it should make you happier. I wear brighter colors when I'm upset, and it makes me happy.
KTG: "It’s also the time where I have sudden inspirations for doodles." So do you get out of bed and draw?
Anyway, you're blogs always make me laugh, and this one made me want to go to Disney! I never knew you went to the Hammonton Art Studio, I think it's so cool how thats your happy place. You really are going somewhere in art!
Deanna: I enjoyed how you brought your best friend into the blog. I know that when I'm with people I love, I seem to always have a good time. Also, the fact that your happy place was so abstract, was different from all the other blogs. Which is what made your blog so fun to read.
Taylor: “Even doing homework there isn’t so bad because it’s the whole ambiance of just easy going coffee shop folk.” Somehow, I study so much better in a quaint little coffee shop settling than I do at home. And I’ve never realized that until I went there to buy a book but ended up staying there to read. I really wish I can live in a place where there’s a café right around the corner of my home, dorm, or apartment when I go to college. It would just complete me!
ReplyDeleteJessie: I’m practically the opposite of you in regards to your love of car rides. I absolutely hate them, especially long ones where I get car-sick, throw up, and feel generally miserable. But it’s strange because I love other kinds of rides: bus, train, subway, and airplane. I guess it’s because car-rides just happen so many times that it’s repetitive and boring. But bus rides (not school buses, I mean the city-bus) are just exhilarating because you do not know where you’ll end up. And plane rides are my favorite! Maybe I just crave different means of travel.
Simon: “I simply live my life, doing what I need to do whether it’s chores, homework, studying, or jumping over the moon” Hahaha, jumping over the moon! At first I was like, Oh it’s just an exaggeration! But then I remember you did pole-vault and I said, “OH it all makes sense!” I believe in you Simon! Now that the stress of AP tests and work in general is gone, you can concentrate in what you love. And in due time, everything will just work out fine!
Stephen- I absolutely loved your opening! It was hilarious because I was lost and thought you were serious. I could absolutely agree on the fact that sometimes comedies are the only things that I would need to relieve stress. I also love the way how you put your sister and you would fight but at that diner, everything was okay. Sometimes outside sources interfere with our lives in a way we can't help, but they change us temporarily or even sometimes forever.
ReplyDeleteSimon- You are sooo cute! Almost all your blogs have me at "aww" and I always seem to be able to almost hear you actually telling them. The thing that amazes me about you is that you appreciate little things, and you are very considerate. Not many people would think much a of a kiss on the cheek, but things like that do matter and you make them matter with your way of saying them.
Sarah L.- I love the way you describe the feeling with your horses. Jessie and I were recently talking about how majestic and beautiful horses are. I love horses, but unfortunately never I had the opportunity to learn to ride. Therefore when people like you describe it in such a way I feel closer to my love for them and I get overjoyed that others are enjoying that talented animal!
I go to a four-walled room completely enclosed by a blank ceiling. It’s dark, not as bright as my sister’s room. She has a two windowed bedroom, and the sun shines right against it so all that golden gleam spills all over the place whereas I only have one, but just enough for the daytime light to make everything in my room visible to see. It’s moderate. It’s perfect. It’s also quiet. When I come home, from all the pressures I get from school and right after I stuff myself with food, I head right upstairs to my room. My brother’s still at school (he’s the cause of all the havoc that happens in this house) my sister is doing her own thing (no contact of me whatsoever), dad’s at work, and my mom takes a nap at that time so I have a good hour and a half of peace till the havoc forms. I’d also call this the time of day where I feel the most ease and comfortable. Even if I didn’t have a room, anywhere quiet will do. Just the stillness and a glimpse of daylight, if I’m not outside in it, is all I need.
ReplyDeleteMy best childhood memory is the moment I was with Mickey Mouse! I used to watch Toon Disney (where it’s all Disney cartoon shows like that Goofy Show and Disney’s House of Mouse) alot so it was a dream come true when I went to Disney World during my fourth grade summer (I think). I remember waiting in line, to take a picture with Mickey with my cousins. The floor was sparkly dark blue, and the walls were red and white but I don’t recall anything else because my eyes were fixed on Mickey. And when I finally got a picture with him, all I kept thinking was ‘I met Mickey!’ I don’t remember every little detail of my time there but I know I had a blast; it’s not everyday you spend your time on the sun and sight see and go on rides and meet cartoon characters… especially Mickey (hehe). Sigh, I hope I get to experience it again this summer.
The soothing sound I can imagine are the sounds of nature. The wind, the waves ebbing and flowing, the rain, even thunderstorms is what I consider to be soothing. Anything that basically has to do with nature. I strongly enjoy the sound of the wind, because when I hear it I visualize myself in it. I feel my hair blowing away from my face and it becomes so powerful that it makes me fly. As I float on air the wind carries me to be lost into my own little serene world of nothingness. Yep, the sound of the wind is amazing.
I like the colors of the rainbow. All those colors together in their structured order makes me happy. I don’t have a favorite color, none really makes me favor one over another for some reason. (I think I mentioned that in my OP) It’s the same with what colors effect me. Since I can’t pick one, I choose all! Anyways, the unity of all those colors like unity of races gives me a sense of acceptance and makes me feel like myself. It also gives me a sense of security, those colors aligned like barrier where nothing harmful can come through it. This is a odd way of looking at it, you’re probably thinking, but I like the light and without the light we wouldn’t have all of those colors in a prism which would take away my happiness and that normal safe feeling. ROY G BIV definitely puts me in a cheery, mood and plus its pretty to look at.
The shimmering, dazzling water drifts forward over the fallen trunks and various pebbles. The trees lean in as the wind whispers secrets to each and every one. The sun smiles down as it sets along the golden sky. The birds and other wildlife can be heard rustling throughout the dense forest. It’s so quiet but at the same time it’ filled with life; the trickling stream, the chirping birds, and the sound of the breeze brushing against the leaves at the most upper part of enormous trees. It’s a place I visualize when I can’t actually be there. The streams that I kayak down during the summer are the places that bring peace to my mind. It’s where I feel most relaxed, it’s where the rest of the world disappears, and it’s where my worries simply float away. I’ve always been a person who has loved nature. It’s always helped me think but in the most peaceful way possible. It’s not like that crowded thinking where a million thoughts rush through your head; instead it’s relaxing and I’ve always found answers to my problems by sitting side by side with nature. Floating down any one of the streams nearby brings nature together and even helps me pull myself together. I feel as though nothing else exists.
ReplyDeleteMy best childhood memory would have to be the road trips to Florida that I went on with my family. There were the stops at random places, the accidentally setting the car alarm off fiascos, and even the occasional arguments over who got the back seat because it looked so comfy. It may not sound like much but it was a time when I can remember feeling truly happy. It brought my family closer together and it was our crazy family adventure. At the time being crammed in a tiny van to drive all the way to Florida with my family seemed annoying but now it’s something that I look back on as a significant part of my childhood. If I could go on a trip like that again I would in a heartbeat.
I feel my absolute best when the sun is out and I’m with my friends. Honestly the weather has a crazy effect on me. When it’s rainy, dark, and cold out I feel tired and sad. And when it’s sunny out I’m usually happy. The only thing that can outweigh the weather would be my friends. When I’m around them I feel completely happy and I lose most of my worries. Now when it’s a nice day and I’m with my friends, well then I’m at my all time best and life’s good. It doesn’t really matter where I’m at as long as those two factors are part of my day then everything is good.
The most soothing sound I can think of is a toss up. There’s the sound of waves crashing along the shore and then there are the birds in the morning. Both remind me of the seasons and good memories. The beach waves remind me of the summer and make me feel calm and at peace. The birds are something I hear every morning as I wait for the bus. They remind me that spring is here and it makes me feel happy and energetic. The colors that have the biggest effect on me would be turquoise and mint green. Turquoise always makes me feel calm. Whenever I feel angry or frustrated usually seeing this color makes me feel slightly calm. Mint green just relaxes me and makes me feel happier and more creative. They both sort of spark my imagination. Something always instantly comes to mind when I see these two colors whether it’s a memory or just an idea. The time of the day when I feel most at ease is in the late afternoon when the sun is setting. I love the transition from day to night and I feel that any worries I had for that day go away with the sun and they don’t return until the sun does. For a few hours I can relax, enjoy my surroundings, and forget any and all problems for a little while.
Sarah L: Wow I love the beginning of your blog! It’s so descriptive and relaxing. It absolutely grabbed my attention, I couldn’t stop reading it. And I definitely would be breaking the law too if listening to music ever became a crime. I don’t think I could live without it honestly.
ReplyDeleteJourdan: Car rides are relaxing to me too. Oddly enough I find my bus ride to be relaxing at times. I hate the one hour ride but during that hour I sit, listen to my iPod, and am completely lost within my own mind. I can’t say I feel relaxed on a soccer field like you, but it’s really great that the sport you play also provides one of the biggest comforts for you.
JV: I agree that nature is a great place to escape. I’m surrounded by it out here in Jenkins and while I hate being far away from everything, I love the nature part. Staring out at the lakes and the vast woods is so relaxing and peaceful. I always go outside during the summer and just sit there and listen to the many sounds of nature.
Lucas: Oh please! Have you seen me in chem!? I got a 48 on a test before T_T. With other classes, I always seem to do well, but for some reason, chem is my kryptonite. It’s the only class I’ve ever taken where I actually freeze up on a test and want to cry. But anyway, regarding your blog, Mullican nature? Is that like, ghetto nature? Haha, just kidding! I have to say though, I agree with your need to belong. I love my best friend Dan, but he’s nothing like me. So when I find myself upset and wanting someone to talk to, he doesn’t understand. That hurts. I don’t know you that well to know if I’m like you or not, but if you ever need anyone to talk to, I’m a decent listener. :]
ReplyDeletePooja: That’s sooo cute! At that age, I can only imagine how great it might have felt to meet a character you adore. I used to watch Toon Disney, and Mickey’s House of Mouse was my favorite show. Goofy is still my favorite character though :P Also, your favorite colors are the colors of the rainbow? I’m not surprised. :P
JV: Go transcendentalism! Now I know what you mean when you commented on my blog about nature. We have more in common than I thought. You know what that means -- picnics this summer! I remember you saying on a previous blog that you feel we’ve gotten closer, and I agree. We should definitely have fun this summer now that AP exams are finito!
Ever since I was a child, I loved to explore. There is a little forest behind the elementary school at the end of my street. Slipping behind the gate or crawling under a broken piece of fence and I was home. Adventures awaited me in the depths of these woods. There was a little circle hidden in the middle with a chopped down log, a perfect place to sit. While the surrounding trees protected me from the whether, they also hid me from the world. Near the little hidden circle is a stream. In the winter the stream would become a quick paced, large river. But, no matter what time of the year it was, sitting near the water, listening to it bounce off the banks on both sides—I was at peace. It has been years since I found myself back in those woods. Even since the black bear incident, my parents had forbid me to go adventuring through the woods, not to mention as I grew older I saw how extremely dangerous it was to venture into the woods alone. I miss it there.
ReplyDeleteNowadays, I escape the world by running into my room and shutting the door. I turn off my computer and cell phone and just lay in my bed and think. My room is a mess, so I am not going to describe it in much detail, but I can sit and stare at the wall for hours while my mind wonders. Most of the time, my mind wonders to a time when my Mommom was around. I was extremely close to her, even though she passed when I was eight. I went to her about everything.
My best childhood memory is sitting on her lap in the living room on a Saturday morning. She was the only one to get up early with me and watch cartoons. She would cook me a warm breakfast and sit in her chair. It was a big, blue chair. It had a large, odd shaped back cousin with a six inch thick cousin for the seat. The arms were large as well, the wooden design was a bunch of swirls that all turning into one large center. I would sit on her lap and talk to her about love and life. Even though I was a child, she never gave off the impression that the things I was saying were irrational or childish. She helped me, listened to me, and than kissed my forehead.
When I am not picturing my Mommom still being alive, I dream of the beach. Not the sand or the boys or anything like that. I love the sound of the waves crashing. I have wanted to live near the ocean my whole life because of that sound. It is one of the only things in the world that can make me stop dead in my tracks to listen. It is also the only sound in the world that calms me down from my highest upset. I can sit near it and breathe in with as the wave comes in and breathe out when the wave goes back out. It relaxes me and allows me the clear mind I need to make my hardest decisions.
With high school, so many things have changed. I used to feel my best in the morning when no one was awake. The house was quiet and I could do whatever I wanted. Now, I am too tired to wake up early on a week-end. I feel the best at night. The sounds of the grasshoppers and the wind blowing make it even more enjoyable. I love that no one is awake, so there is no noise louder than the ones of nature. Nature can be so beautiful if you just give it a chance.
Along with the change of high school, I not longer feel my best at home or at the karate school. In fact, I am most comfortable and calm in room 410, right in the Oakcrest halls. It may be Mr. Jungblut’s room and where I practice chess and bridge, but maybe that is why I feel may best. I am always learning, always accepted, and always cared about in that room. I am among friends and similar people when I am there. I can speak my mind and everyone listens. I feel accepted for the first time in my entire life. I love it there.
ReplyDeleteUnlike chess, however, black and white are not colors that affect me. I am usually affected my neon or bright colors. Instead of cheering my up with their brightness, they irritate me, mostly because they are too bright for my eyes to focus on. Colors like brown and green calm me because they are neutral colors, you can even say colors of nature.
I suppose you can take from this that I am extremely close to nature or that I am a tree hugger. That is not the case though. Something about nature has always been calming to me. I somehow find comfort in its mysteries. The wind blows and the trees sway, meanwhile I see that everything is going to be okay. The rivers flows and the waves crash and I just feel okay. Nature has always been there, while people come and go. It is the only constant in my life. Something about that makes me hold on to it. Something about that safety, that security it gives me, keeps me calm and I know everything is going to be okay. Every since I was a child, I have loved to explore. Even when I get busy and do not have the time to look at it in amazement, when I have the chance again—it welcomes me back with open arms.
The familiar is calming, it is heart warming. Familiarity helps keep you grounded, helps to keep your morals in line. However, I constantly run away from the familiar.. Or am I being pushed? Either way, in order to escape the pressures of everyday life, I must discover the foreign. I feel at my prime in a new environment. Any new environment. I love watching what’s around me, figuring out the place’s blueprint. Sometimes, when I’m at a lack for anything foreign, with absolutely NO WHERE to go, I will sit on my bed with a magazine. Even if I’ve already read it, I will look over it again, this time with caution examining details, things that I never realized… foreign ideas. My only answer to the “Why?” would have to be, I think I like feeling uncomfortable. No, I’m not talking about physically uncomfortable, because I really can’t stand being physically uncomfortable. I mean, uncomfortable in the sense, that I am not with what’s familiar so in a way, I have to figure it out by myself.
ReplyDeleteSomething that seems so foreign to all of us, yet was only a few years ago… well maybe we’re still there, was our childhoods. My best childhood memory must have been the cherry picking in my mom’s home town. I remember being lifted up by my cousins and putting as many cherries as I could into a little woven basket. If any of the cherries were connected, I would put them on my ears and pretend they were earrings. I’m smiling so hard thinking about it. It was the feeling all together that I loved. I was in Italy; in a field, the summer sun caressed my skin, and the those cherries were the sweetest ones I’ve ever tasted. I remember that I wore a red sundress that day, all of it just seems so far away… I remember we all made wishes, because it is tradition to make a wish on the first cherry of the season. I was mad, because I had already had a cherry, but my mom told me that it didn’t count because that was America and we were in Italy. I don’t remember the wish, but I do remember being happy.
Speaking of happy, I love feeling fabulous, and I seem to always feel my best in the morning. No, not the Five A.M school morning, but the wake-up-when-you-feel-like-it-on-a Saturday morning. I love, waking up from my bed feeling so fresh and like everything is new. Today, could amount to anything. That optimistic feeling, is probably the reason why I enjoy this time of the day so much.
My favorite sound use to be water… that is, until my house flooded three times this year. Now, I would have to say the most soothing sound in the morning is almost silence, the sound of the wind or the birds. At night, the most soothing sound is the city. I love the sound of cars and beeping and all that nonsense. Have you ever stayed in a hotel in New York City? Yea.. That sound.
Pink and yellow make me happy. Whenever I’m upset, I’ll wear those colors to make me feel better. Black, makes me feel confident. Something about it makes me feel invincible. And for some reason forest green makes me sad. Sky blue, on the other hand comforts me. One of my favorite teachers taught me to close my eyes and picture sky blue when I was upset one day. Since then, sky blue has always helped to calm me down.
I feel the most at ease around eight at night. I love when Family Guy’s on TV. and I’m full from dinner. Those nights when I don’t have homework and I can finally, for once, relax. Maybe the timing is coincidental, with dinner being near it as well as Family Guy being on TV that time. Anyway, It really relaxes me, and lets me rethink whatever occurred during the day, and what needs to go on tomorrow. This is a feeling of familiarity, its comforting, it’s heartwarming. While it helps me relax, the only way to escape the daily pressures, is through the foreign.
Kristie:
ReplyDeleteI like your safe place, your dreams. I often find comfort in my dreams, not because they are happy and full of bliss, but because all of the stress of every day seems far away. It is a safe place, far away from the every day stress.
Lucas:
Your blog this week seemed very you. Not in the sense that all your other blogs did not sound like you, but this sounded like the Lucas I picture from the little I have seen you. "Frankly, I usually do not have enough pressure in my life to necessitate a happy place, but when I do need to just get away, I simply play video games." It sounds just like Lucas to be calm and not cave under pressure.
Kale:
I love how much thought goes into your blogs. You always seem to put your heart into them. I have known you for about four years now, since I met you in Mr. Wood's class. (Do you remember those days?!) You seem very confident in yourself and what you deserve and I like that. You have become more realistic I see as well. I just enjoyed reading your blog because you do not care what anyone thinks about the things you say. You say them and mean them no matter what.
My feet make contact with the trial as I embark on my hour run. Mountain over mountain, I manage to victoriously run over, over these mountains that I have become accustomed too I find new discoveries in the landscape that make me smile for its aesthetic beauty. There is a slight wind but the sun beams down as sweat occupies the back of my neck. My legs burn with sensation that makes me want to continue. Running along this I find solace in the deserted trails, nobody in my way but natures wonders. I found this place in Arizona, my center, the place that nothing entered my mind all the pressures disappeared and I was just simple old Brynne. Along with running in Arizona, running at the beach also eases the tension in my life. Why run at these beautiful places? These places are for relaxation not running? Doesn’t running add more unwanted stress? I have been asked these questions at least a dozen times, and it doesn’t bother me but the answer is never simple. I hate relaxing, I always have to be doing something and it’s funny but running actually relaxes me. I find relaxation in seeing how far I can go. When my feet hit the trial or the sand I forget everything the pressure is off as I go for 8- 10 mile runs and never sure where I will end up. I feel free, invincible, and beautiful and most of all I don’t feel stressed for being someone I am not. I don’t feel bad for all the mistakes I have made, the people I have hurt or the messes I have made. I just feel different; it’s a feeling that is indescribable and during the runs I get a closer look of the beauty of the places than I would just sitting and tanning. Running is my vice, my place where nothing enters but pure bliss.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking on the beach the most significant memory that I seem to recall is my summers I spent with my whole family at the beaches in Sea Isle. It was all my family like my cousins, aunts, uncles would all gather for a week at the beach to spend time together. Anyways every time we went there my brother, Cousin Cory and I were always amazed by this guy. He had skill with the sand; it was an art that everyone on the beach was in pure awe of but at the same time envious. He arrived at the beach everyday of that week with his tools and would work all day on his creation. I remember he wore this sun hat the type that has straps attached to it. He was pretty intense, but at the same time he didn’t mind the admiration from his beach fans. I feel his purpose was solely to spread the beauty of what one can do with the sand. One of my favorite creations was his turtle because yet it was simple it was cultivated and created so meticulously that it was breathtaking. He also made a Skee ball alley out of SAND; we played for hours with it. It was so much fun but my cousin being sort of competitive thought that we could create a better creation out of the sand. So being stupid kids, we decide that the task of the day would be making a prototype of Disney Land in the sand. Yes, it couldn’t be a super castle or something it had to be Disney Land. We worked all day, with hardly any breaks as my cousin being a dictator would bark at us if we moved an inch. I remember I was crouched over the sand my knees burning, as I dug a hole that connected to another hole that would act as a secret portal or some nonsense my cousin convinced it would appear like. It was arduous labor but it was fun to just get away from everything and just make something that we thought resembled “Disney Land,” we stayed there after hours trying to make it perfect but all and all it was just amazing to see that we could create something with our hands. I remember it as my best because it was the one place in my life where I felt connected to something proud and I felt comforted by the connection and bond we all shared, we were all in our own sanction nothing affected us. It was the best day because I felt a part of something bigger than myself even if it was just sand and a bucket and shovel.
I feel my absolute best when I am giving advice on fitness and nutrition. Seems boring to the normal person but to me it’s rewarding. When people come to me to help to give them advice, I feel they are idolizing my ever word. I feel confident and sure of myself because I feel it’s my element something that I have a strong connection to. I mean I have made a lot of unhealthy decisions in my life and I think that is why I find it my duty to inspire people to change their lives. I also felt the best when my coach told me to take over coaching all summer. I felt such a rewarding feeling in encouraging my teammates to get themselves back into shape, letting them know that the impossible is something they can achieve easily. That there isn’t a limit to anything and mind over matter. I love coaching, I do I might not have experiencing but I feel my desire to motivate people is where I feel best.
ReplyDeleteThe most soothing sound I feel is the start of the bath, or the shower. The sound of running water, I don’t know gives me warmth and comfort. Sometimes I lay and bed and since my bedroom is next to the bathroom I often hear my brother turn on the faucet. I feel soothed by the warmth of the water and it’s the one time I feel safe and relaxed. I guess the colors that affect me the my mood the most if it’s a positive way definitely bright colors. When I wear bright colors, I feel like a ray of sunshine, like nothing will get me down and most of all I feel like motivating others. When I see the sun, I have to smile, the shining yellow makes me shriek with happiness inside. The color that affects me the most is orange, I feel that it represents being outgoing and it’s loud but it represents who I am. I just love orange! Dark grays and blues make me unbearable sad that is why I don’t function well during the winter.
The best time of the day for me is the early morning, I love when it’s like 8 ‘ clock in the morning. I feel getting up at this time I can get things done without being rushed, I can eat breakfast, make my bed, run, work out before 10;30. It also is so early that my house is mute though I am loud the silence comforts me. I feel I can quietly go about my morning without anyone in my way. I like being alone in a complex sense. Though I am really never at ease, I feel that I love the morning especially 8 because I feel more productive and I love following a routine. The more I can get done the better and that’s why the morning gives me comfort because I feel that I can achieve what I need to do without tiring out. A good morning leads to a promising afternoon and possibly a relaxing evening!
Shirley- That is so cute about running!! I know that is a wonderful feeling and you were getting so good at running. We definately need you this year, so you better make it a to do to run!!! I am so glad that you are glad that you are happy and that cross country was benefical to you!! Anyways I think that listening to love songs is also really cute and sometimes I wish life and love was really like that!
ReplyDeletePaola- I seriously got chills when I read your childhood memory. It was so cute but I can imagine you putting the cherries on. You probably thinking about a perfect outfit that would go on it. I feel that everyone has this one place where they just glow and shriek with happiness and maybe that is Italy for you. I think it is also really cool that your mom is from Italy and you got that once in a lifetime experience. I hope your wish comes true and I am glad that you were soo happy!
ReplyDeletePooja- That is so funny about Mickey! I remember all those crazy shows with Mickey in them. I feel if you havent met Mickey your life isnt complete, okay I am being a little excessive but Mickey is essential to a good childhood! I love the sound of thunderstorms, while others our frighten I feel comfort. I dont know why because it represents danger but to me it brings me warmth and I just want to stayy in my bed and curl up!
ReplyDeleteTaylor P:
ReplyDeleteFirst off, luckyyyy (for the second paragraph). Second, I really like, despite all the things you did in your childhood, that you appreciate the little things you have. It really makes life your living worthwhile. I believe in appreciating everything all together whether the big or the small, just putting it out there. I liked your blog, it was entertaining!
Britney O:
Ah, your intro makes me wistful. I agree nature is a great place for peace and quiet, sometimes I wish I was actually there in the forest experiencing wherever you picturing. It really does sound nice. All this talk about nature is making me want to go camping… now that exams are over. You should come join me… all’s invited!
Shirley N:
Aw, Shirley I never would’ve guessed you’d find love songs soothing. I mean I believe in love and destiny and all that junk (just not as extreme) but I on the other hand find love songs not so soothing, haha. Oh, and I know you’ll find somebody and that skepticism will be erased, just have to believe :]
I have struggled for a few days now trying to answer the first two questions of the blog. So in order to overcome this battle, I figured I would start from the last question and work my way to number one... So here it goes.
ReplyDeleteI love the mornings. To me, mornings almost signal rebirth. Whatever happened yesterday is in the past. Waking up for school in the morning is no problem, in fact most days I don’t even need an alarm. I love being able to conquer the world in the mornings because you wake up refreshed and ready for anything. My absolute favorite time of the day is 9 a.m. This is the time when I am the most energetic and upbeat about everything. If you ask anyone whose house I have slept over, they will tell you that I never sleep and I am up early in the morning usually before them. I take pride in being able to enjoy the whole day and not just the afternoon or nights. Another reason why I love the morning is because I absolutely hate nights. I hate the idea of darkness. No I am not afraid of the dark, but I hate seeing what people become during the night. It’s as if when the sun goes down people transform into someone they know they can hide in the darkness.
The color that makes me feel the most at ease is light blue and bright green. From when I was younger, I have always had an interest in looking at the sky. I loved finding figures in clouds and just staring up wondering what was beyond our earth. I would run outside and lay looking through the trees to the sky and just feel at ease. Light blue has always been my dream color bedroom, but I have been shut down many times when I have tried to do so. Despite the fact that I do have bright green, I wish I had light blue because whenever I see that color it creates this peaceful notion in my head that I am floating in the sky secluded from everyone else.
Last summer I lived at my friend’s house. She happens to live about four blocks from the beach and every morning I would wake up early and run on the boardwalk. After my run I would sit on the beach and listen to the sound of the waves crashing onto the shore. When I was there I felt like I was on top of the world. I did not need an Ipod or anyone telling me what to do. It was me time and I loved have the chance to reflect on the events occurring in my life.
I feel my absolute best when I am playing field hockey. On that field, I completely transform into this different person and forget about everything going on in my personal life. This is one of the few places I can really focus and give one hundred precent of my effort toward the task. The comforting feeling I obtain on the hockey field is something I can’t receive anywhere else. I feel like I belong playing field hockey. The feeling of belonging is what pushes me through the days and weeks to know that I will get to belong on that field.
ReplyDeleteOn monday when I read the blog, I asked my friend what my best childhood memory is. (It is sort of sad that I had to ask.) She responded, “Gymnastics, since that’s your only memory.” In a way, a sad way, she’s absolutely right. When I think of my childhood, all I can remember is gymnastics. However, I always reference gymnastics so I am going to venture outside the box for once. Every summer since I was very little me, my dad and my brother would travel to the Poconos for a long weekend for the ultimate camping experience. We would go hiking in the mountains and through the creek, spend time tubing and next to the campfire. The best part about the trip was that my dog would get to come along for the experience. Every morning I would sit on the porch reading a book in the crisp air and just feel right at home. I hate living in the city and love sitting in the woods secluded from the world. I looked forward to this trip every year. Recently, we have stopped but I can remember having the time of my life camping.
To escape the the pressures of life I find myself outside. Outside staring at the sky trying to escape. In some extreme cases I ride my bike to Hess and just sit on the swings thinking about the time spent on that playground and across the street at Perfect Balance Gymnastics. One time I fell asleep on the swings without a care in the world. I felt free. Normally when I am unfamiliar with a place i pick out a specific place that I know I can escape. In school that is normally 204. I always feel safe whenever I step into that room.
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ReplyDeleteI don't have a "happy" place. There is not one place where I go and become happy. I actually don't seek happiness at all. I want to discover peace. Ultimate and perpetual peace. It's only after peace that I can feel happiness. So to escape the pressures of my life, I take my ipod and find a small, empty and dark place, preferably my room since I'm always in there, but it really can be anywhere that fits. This isn't the place where I find peace, it's merely a sort of "bridge" I use to get there. Anyways, when I go to my room, I go to the corner where my bed sits and either sit or lay down, turn my ipod on to my "peace" playlist, close my eyes, and off I go. Being encompassed by the soothing sounds of slow, flowy trance songs helps me take myself into a different state of mind. I have no worries, no problems, no pains. Everything just flows along with the beats of the music, but it's still silent. It's difficult to expalin, but it feels silent. I'm not in the same place everytime, however, sometimes I'm on top of a mountain soaking in the sun and overlooking the world, sometimes I'm floating in space like an astronaut, and other times, I just drift off into sleep right away. It has taken me a long while to accomplish this state of mind thing, but it works for me.
ReplyDeleteAs for my best childhood memory, I would have to say next to kite flying would be the first meteor shower I experienced. It was in November when I was 11 years old. We were at a family friend's house for our going away party before we left for Pakistan and the group of us kids sat outside on the deck. I remember looking up and seeing a bright, fireball-like streak in the sky. At first I thought I must have stared at the sun too long that day, but then after a while I saw another one and I got excited when I realized I was watching shooting stars cut through the darkness of the sky. At that moment I was so amazed at the sky that I don't think I payed attention to anything but the sky for quite some time.
Where and when do I feel my absolute best? I honestly don't know. I think it just happend with the moment with me. It's not as if everytime I sit and draw or paint I feel my best, but I do think I am the most calm and free when I do. It is one of my ways to release or calm down because drawing and painting just allows me to let everything come out with my hands while my mind clears itself up. I always feel a hundred times better after I take a few hours to draw and paint, however not always do I feel my best, but it's close enough. Perhaps the most soothing sound I can imagine is the sound of falling rain. No matter what mood I'm in it has the power to soothe me. It's not loud, it's not annoying, it's just soft and completely serene.
Color-wise, although I don't have a favorite color I prefer dark, earth-toned colors. They aren't obnoxiously bright or too light and they blend together within each other well.
I'm usually awake all night, everyday. After midnight, I feel so much at ease, I feel like it is the only time of day (or night) I can breathe. The stars are speckle the blackness and the moon glows in the sky like a lantern. This is the time when I get most of my drawings and paintings done, but it's also the time I think the most. I can sit for hours without being tired and just think. ( that is when I'm not in front of my laptop screen). I can concentrate so much better at night than I do during the day. I love the dark, quietness and stillness of everything when all is alseep. It makes me realize how many excess sounds there are during the day and how if it was as quiet as the night, I'd probably be able to concentrate more. At night, everything is just slow and relaxing, and it may sound odd, but i love it that way. I'm not depressed or anything though, I just find it closer to peace.
Kaitlin - Recently, I've figured out your love for sleep. On the weekends, I find myself snoozing rather than going out and I love it. Like I explained in my blog, I love the complete getaway from reality that sleep gives me. And your right, that's probably why we're best friends. I love that our relationship doesn't have to be about where we go and the things we do, but the similarities we share. :) Love ya!
ReplyDeleteBrynne- First off I would like to compliment on your vocabulary and imagery in the beginning of your blog. While I was writing my blog my brain was fried from today and I could not muster up anything intelligent.. Kudos to you :) The imagery makes me want to go for a long run with you and talk for hours like we use to. I absolutely agree with your favorite time of the day. The mornings make me a different person and allow me to get things done without a rush. I remember sleeping over your house and we would be awake waiting for others to wake. I believe it is important to savior all the hours in a day.
ReplyDeleteJourdan - I love your paragraph about orange. It's short and sweet and it actually makes me find more and more love for that color. It's been my favorite since the summer because of it's relaxing feel and the mood it gives me; and it makes me look tanner; and I want to thank you for making me love it more!
ReplyDeleteKelsey - Whenever I read your blogs, I feel myself learning a little bit more about you. I see you in a different light, but not in a bad way. With your safe place, I love it. I agree with 204 giving you that safe feeling - it does with a lot of us. I love that we've been able to feel at home while we're in school. I notice myself feeling like I'm surrounded by my family in room 204 and 230 and I can't explain how happy that makes me!
ReplyDeleteWhen i want to escape the everyday pressures of life, i just imagine myself on the race track. It may seem simple, but the race track is the only place i feel at peace with the world. Its the only place where i can feel completely alone and focus. This happy place actually stems from my best childhood memory, this memory being my first time in a racecar. I started racing back in 2005 in quarter midgets (go-karts) once i got strapped into the car i knew i found my place. The feeling that i got from driving was pure ecstacy, it was my drug and i was addicted. I felt my best on the race track and i felt even better when i was in the winners circle. Racing was like no sport i had ever attempted, it didn't emphasize a team, but rather an individual. Racing taught me to be a good winner, but also a gracious loser, it has helped me in so many other aspects of my life from school to relationships. Not surprisingly the most soothing sound that i can imagine is the sound of a running engine. This sound reminds me of every aspect that racing brings along with it. When i listen to this sound it brings me to the race track, it reminds me of being strapped in my car with one lap until the checkered, it transports me to a completely different world where i am in control of every aspect of my future. If i were to choose one color that i felt affected me the most it would be red. Red seems to embody emotion, whether my mood is good or bad red always seems to accurately represent how i am feeling. The time of day when i feel most at ease is probably the evening. The evening is special to me because the day is at a close, i can look back at my accomplishments and faults and figure out how to improve myself for the next day.
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ReplyDeleteKristie: I can agree on the whole sleeping and dreaming thing, cause I can relate to it. Sleeping is one of my favorite things to do. Not just cause I'm a lazy mo fo, but because it really is a time to be free and not have to really think about it. I love seeing what my dreams will be when I wake up in the morning and if I remember them.
ReplyDeleteManar: Your blog was really long, but I kinda wish it was longer! I loved it and I really love how deep your thoughts are. You are so insightful and you describe things so perfectly!
Stephanie: Your happy place sounds so relaxing; I love the woods. It's like a secluded, quiet place away from society with its own protected edges, and all the animals and trees are there to keep you company. We can both relate to this being a happy place!
Maryam:
ReplyDeleteAfter I read your blog, I began to think. No one can just go somewhere and instantly become happy, they need to first be at peace. Similarly, my iPod brings me peace, too. I love the sound of only one song blasting inside my head without distractions. It allows me to think, but not too much, and everything always flows with the beat of the music, just like you! ☺
Kelsey:
I love the mornings for the exact same reasons! But I totally love your analogy with nighttime and how people transform. I hate when people are completely different on the weekends than they are during the week and at school. All it shows is a lack of confidence. We pretty much thought the same for this whole blog, so that’s probably why we’re best friends. I hope Karen doesn’t transform under the cover of darkness… ☺
Paola:
I love Family Guy, too! It’s so relaxing to watch, be entertained, and laugh all at the same time. The feeling you described of being full from dinner and having a free night from schoolwork sounds amazing right now. (Probably because I’m really hungry!) I also love reading magazines; I could read them for hours without ever getting bored! It’s like entering a perfect, glamorous world. ☺
Simon- "If I’m feeling pressured, I don’t do anything. I simply live my life, doing what I need to do whether it’s chores, homework, studying, or jumping over the moon."
ReplyDeleteI can relate to this. Before I started doing what I do now, I did nothing when I was stressed. I just went with the flow because I thought eventually it will go away and all I can do is try to move on. But then as the pressure increased and came more often, I had to find an escape, so after I do what I do, I go to my peaceful state. I guess it works for you because you're Simon, but with four AP classes this year, I wouldn't have been able to deal with it.
JV- Let me just say that place looks awesome! I'd love to go there. It looks so calm and the waterfall just completes the relaxing atmosphere the place has. But about your blog, I know how you feel about going outside and enjoying nature. In crew when we're sitting on the flat water on one of the days where nobody else is there, I sit there and take in the scenery of the luscious green trees, bright blue sky, flat silky water, and the complete silence. It's pretty amazing...that is until we have to start practice again.
Gwen- "At night, I tend to lose myself in the stars and the dark sky. I usually spend a lot of time reflecting at night, and simply having the time to do that makes me feel at ease with my surroundings"
Same here, same here. Although I don't really lose myself, rather I take an adventure through the night sky, but it's almost the same thing. But anyways, like I explained in my blog, I also spend my nights reflecting and thinking about a lot of things that swirl through my mind during the day and which I don't have time to think about then. The nighttime is just and overall thought-provoking time.
It doesn’t matter where I physically go when I want to escape the pressures of my life; all I have to do is plug my headphones into my iPod and listen. Music is the one thing that calms me when I’m angry, happy, miserable, whatever, I can always find a song that will match my mood and make me feel better. It doesn’t matter if I’m at home, in my car, or anywhere else, the instant I can empathize with a certain song is the instant I begin to feel better about my life. I’m in love with the guy who created the first iPod because without him, my entire music collection would not be portable, and I would not be sane.
ReplyDeleteI don’t have one specific childhood memory, but from the time I was born until now I will always remember Sunday family dinners. Every Sunday afternoon, my grand mom visits one of her kid’s houses and cooks a huge, elaborate meal. Somehow, everyone finds out where dinners is that night, and we have a full-blown feast with about twenty people. Detail is never spared; my grand mom cooks the appetizers through desserts and everything is always delicious. This will always be one of my favorite childhood memories because my family is the center of my world and I love spending Sunday’s with them.
Oddly enough, I feel my best when listening to music. Here’s the situation: I’m driving down the road on a sunny spring day, the temperature is seventy-five and there’s a little bit of a warm breeze. I have my sunglasses on, my hair tied back, and my car windows are rolled down completely. All of the sudden, my iPod is on shuffle and it plays a song that relates directly to my life that day. I turn the volume up and start to sing at the top of my lungs without a care in the world. I feel my best while singing and driving because I’m unstoppable and completely in control. No one can turn down my music, and no one can slow me down. Absolute freedom is the best feeling in the world.
On a perfect spring day, I’m lying in the grass sky gazing, trying to match shapes with clouds. In the nearly silent air, all I can hear is faint rustling of the trees, birds quietly chirping, and the natural flow of a river. There is a perfect balance of silence and noise that makes the trees bearable and the birds soothing, instead of annoying.
Traditionally calming colors such as light blue, pale green, and lavender always put me at ease. Even though I hate going to the doctor’s office, whenever the waiting rooms are cool, pale colors, I feel calm, cool, and collected, and as though I can take on the world. Whenever I see one of these colors, it’s like my brain reminds my body to take deep breaths and relax; my muscles slacken and my worries drift away.
Sometimes I don’t like waking up in the morning, but the morning is my favorite part of the day. I love knowing that I have an entire day to cross things off my To-Do list, and I love not having to rush around while getting ready for school. Ideally, I like to drink my coffee and watch the news every morning before I start my day. I think that I also like morning the best because, even though this is cliché, the morning symbolizes a fresh start, and I’m all about fresh starts. It’s a chance to apply the lesson you’ve learned from the mistakes you made the day before.
Well, first off, I think it has already been established, quite a few times, that my favorite “happy place” to go to whenever I'm feeling pressured by everyday life is, obviously, my bed. I love sleeping. I don't know if that's just because I always feel tired, or exhausted after a busy day, or just depressed(sleeping a lot is a common symptom of depression, according to wikipedia...but their source here is some doctor guy somewhere in a book that probably knows what he's talking about, so I guess I could take it, but whatever), but I just really like sleeping. Though I don't even know if it's sleeping that draws me to my bed anymore (because, as most of you will attest, I will sleep just about anywhere), but I don't really care anyway. It's my bed and it works as a “happy place,” sometimes, so I'm fine with it, I guess.
ReplyDeleteBest childhood memory? HA! That's a joke; I have no good childhood memories(well probably, but none that make me happy when thinking about them). My childhood was, and still is, horribly stressful, painful, and traumatizing-ful, and so thinking about anything even remotely positive from any time before three years ago is sure to bring up some negative secondary image that'll just completely numb any positive feeling I might have.
When do I feel my absolute best? Sleeping, probably. But I guess if I have to pick a time where I'm conscious, it'd be anytime at all wherein I'm actually awake, well-rested, and active. Though with five AP classes this year, I haven't felt even remotely that way since August.
Soothing sound? Uhh, how about nothing? No sound at all—well maybe a little—like the calm buzz at a library or a movie theater when everything is silent before the movie begins to show, save for a few whispers. That's about it.
Colors? Hmmm...? Well I guess green affects my mood more than anything—human eyes are more sensitive to green than any other color anyway, or so I've been told (by wikipedia). Green makes my mood go down: it's the color of vomit, green eggs and ham, and, worst of all, the New York Jets, the most disgusting, putrid, evil group of people to ever call themselves a sports club of any sort anywhere! Yuck!
What time of day am I most at ease? Easy, noon. Specifically, noon on a sunny weekend. I crave the sun, especially after being locked up in school for 7+ hours everyday, and I feel like I'm slowly developing that seasonal depression where my life starts to suck as soon as the sun goes down or days start to get shorter. That's pretty much it.
Simon
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the whole procrastination thing. I've got to be the biggest procrastinator in the world. Too much pressure especially just makes me want to drop and abandon everything I have to do. I hate it, but hey, it reduces tension (barely...for like five minutes).
Chrissy
HEY! Just what do you think you're doing using sleep as your happy place!? That's mine! You're lucky you changed it to your stage or whatever otherwise there would've been some serious—uh....--mean things said!
Brynne
You're lucky you can enjoy something and work at it at the same time like running. There's, seemingly, no downside to it (besides being tired at the end, I guess, but that's a given). You can't screw up with running, as far as I know, so you can never really take a step back with it, unlike everything I like to do. Tennis, football, school, video games, life, all suck from time to time. I can never just try to enjoy myself because then I end up screwing up and blowing up unless I can get up and pressure myself to work up till everything's up to snuff again. Oh well.
This is gonna be super long, sorry!
ReplyDeleteWhen life gets too pressuring, and everything seems to bother me, I have a few places I like to go. One is my bed, another is outside in the warm sunshine, and a third one being any friend's house, or anywhere my friends are, for that matter.
Let me begin with my room. It is always at least a little bit messy; kinda like me. As of right now, I have about twenty empty waterbottles littering my floor next to a large pile of clean clothes. During the crew season, I am too lazy to really clean my room, but surprisingly, I'm okay with that. I have a spot on my floor under one of my windows where I have my husband (one of those chair pillow thingies) and a ton of pillows. I can sit there and listen to music, sleep, or read something. And then there is my bed; a twin bed with electric blue zebra print sheets and a black comforter. Hella comfy. Whether I'm sleeping or just being a lazy bum, this is the place you'll most likely find me. I can lay there and text, lay there and read, lay there and do pretty much anything. It's so great. And since I am alone in my room, I do not have to worry about anything at all. All my worries escape me.
I love the outdoors. You can be all alone outside and still you are not alone. The warm sun on my skin, the wind through my hair, and the sounds of birds or water grazing my ear drums. If I feel pressured, I can lay in my backyard, or simply go to practice (a good place to unleash some anger as well). And when I'm with my friends, anywhere at all, I am so carefree and goofy that even the biggest problems will seem so outta touch. Laughter cures everything!
I have a lot of great childhood memories, but one of my favorites is from before I was old enough to go to school. My dad took me to work with him -- being a truck driver he couldn't do that too often, but my sisters and I loved it when he did. This time, it was just him and I, without my sisters. So, naturally, I felt pretty special. We headed out to Barnegat, where we ran into my Uncle Al, and decided to stop for a meal. The restaurant had a lot of windows, facing the beach. The handrails and window trim was painted a cute but tacky sea foam blueish green, and I had ordered a grilled cheese. I remember being extremely happy, and as we walked along the littel boardwalk I felt adventurous. I like this a lot because I was too young and naive to realize that moments like this are hard to come by, where everything is so perfect, and yet I somehow understood, and still have not let go of this memory.
I feel my best everywhere and anywhere. I always try to look, feel, and do my best; I have always believed in being the best you can be. And you can always be better. I always try to improve myself, and if others around me notice it and say something, I can feel so much better. It doesn't matter if I'm at Shop Rite or school, the lake or the Schulkyll; I feel confident and happy with all that I do and can be.
Kyle, since when did you call dibs on sleep? Pshh.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most soothing sounds ever, besides music in general, has to be the sound of rowing out on the open lake. Of course sometimes it sounds messy. But those days when the lake is perfectly calm, and our strokes and catches are in perfect time... those days are the most relaxing days ever. You can jsut get lost in the rhythm of the strokes, the light splashing of the oar in the water, and the sound of the oar lock clicking as the blades turn. Sure, I'm just a corny crew kid, but anyone who rows will at least understand where I come from, if not fully agree with me.
ReplyDeleteI love colors! Neon yellow being my favorite. Colors don't have a huge impact on me, however. Sure, seeing my favorite bright colors may make me smile, but seeing dark depressing colors doesn't really have an effect. What effects me more would be the effect that the colors have on others around me. If everyone is dismal due to depressing colors, I may very well be slightly dismal as well. Electric colors, loud noisy, in-your-face colors, may help people around me to feel mroe excited, which I will blend in with.
The time of day where I feel most at ease would have to be either my bed at night, as I forget all my problems and just sleep, or the bus in the morning, simply because at that point I do not give a crap about anything but more sleep. Nothing goes through my head as I sleep, and so I attempt to clear my head while I am laying (or sitting) there awake. The comfort comes from the lack of necessity to actually do anything; the laziness, the care-free-ness, and the idgaf mentality. :)
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ReplyDeleteEver since I can remember, I loved escaping through the means of novels. If I was stressed, I would just jump right into the world of Hogwarts. If I was depressed, I would fight along the side of Peter, Lucy, Edmond, and Susan. Books have always been my portal to happiness. I can love who I want. I can choose what character I want to be. I had complete freedom. Books are your best friends. A book gives you exactly what you want out of life. They make you think, with their many themes and idea, when you want to contemplative about life. They give you hope, with their happy endings, when you just need something to get you through the day and wake of the next morning.
ReplyDeleteMy happiest memory is one of my father and I. He would sneak out of his job, during his lunch break, to pick me up from pre-school. Then he would walk me the three blocks home. We talk about everything and I mean everything. What I learned that day? What grades did I get? How was my best friend Katherine? He would feign such excitement and interest, that, till this day, I remember feeling important. Then when we got the Post Office, which was a block from my house, we raced to the street light. He always let me win.
I carry those sweet three blocks with me wherever I go.
I feel the best in School. School is my playground. I talk to people. I laugh. I get great advice (even if said adviser was really mean to me and called me a “lying sack of crap”). It is , one of the few places, where all my actions are my own. I control who I hang out with. Who I like. What I eat. How I dress. It’s my only REAL life. I know, I m pathetic.
I love the sound of laughter. Be it my dad’s rumbling deep laugh or my baby sister’s squeaky one. Laughter symbolizes light. Laughter symbolizes happiness. Laughter symbolizes all that it right with the world. When I hear laughter, I feel at ease. I feel loved. I fee carefree. Colors on the other hand, have a more significant impact on my mood. To understand this you must know an interesting fact about me; I was born with an artist’s heart. My hands on the other hand are a different story. They are clumsy and can never truly express what I am feeling at the moment, in an attractive manner. Hence, my relationship, my connection, to colors. I love them all. There is no color that doesn’t make me happy. They are just like beautiful words( Except there is no way that they can be ugly or hurtful). Sometimes there is pain involved (depending on the artist), but even said pain is beautiful because it is some one’s original thoughts. All thoughts are beautiful just as all the colors that go into those thoughts are.
Night time is where I feel the most content. At nights, only you and your thoughts remain. You can daydream (or I guess night dream in this case). There is only silence. No one disturb. No one to yell. No one to judge. The dark engulfs you and covers all your secrets, your fears, your hidden desire. The night to me is a blanket that hides all my insecurities but always allows me the privilege of free thought independent of anyone else and any distractions.
And that my friend, is in a shell what I like and who I am.
Thank you; you have been a great audience. lol
Brittany- “The beach waves remind me of the summer and make me feel calm and at peace” I love hearing the waves. In my blog I wrote about how they were my favorite sound. However, I have not just used them to remind me of summer. If you have the chance during the winter go walk on the beach. It is the most calming sound you can ever hear. Just a suggestion :) From your introduction I actually wanted to jump on a kayak. I could feel a sense of comfort from your description!
ReplyDeleteKyle-
ReplyDeleteYour blog didn't come off as a surprise. Of course, it was very you. You answered each question in the plainest fashion, trying to avoid any emotion. Come on Kyle, everyone thinks sleep is a happy place: it's when you're relaxed. I feel as though that is too cliche of an answer. Wake up and smell the roses! However, I was surprised to see that your favorite time of the day is noon, instead of midnight, where you are SLEEPING. I'm sure the real Kyle isn't such a bad guy. But unfortunately, the Kyle I know is evil and cruel to me, especially since I am the helpless victim that hasn't done anything to him!!
To Kyle S.
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean about sleep. Sleep is the best escape ever. It allows you to separate yourself from reality and do to dream. I used to be just like you, whenever I most even mildly upset I would run to my bed and hide from the world, in my subconscious. Its pretty amazing how human can do that, isn’t it?
To Lauren :
Family just makes one feel so safe. Wait. Correction. Family and food makes one feel so safe. Hahaha. As for music, I know exactly what you mean. There is always a song for your mood, and it’s just nice knowing that you are not the only person feeling the way you do. No one can deny their addiction to their IPOD
Roo-
ReplyDeleteReading is another one of my getaways, as well. Whatever or whenever I'm reading, I virtually get lost in a story. I step into the situation, while blurring out reality. It's such a calming and tranquil hobby, in my opinion. I respect your admiration for books. I feel as though all kids should experience this benefit of reading once in their lifetime. I also loved the descriptive and effective imagery you used to describe your favorite childhood memory. I actually pictured you and your father's seemingly beautiful and special relationship. It's the little things that we remember, and they all add up to one big generality. In your instance, your dad was the man!
Roo- There are some things we completely agree on, and others which we have different perspectives. Talking to you for like four hours tonight I have realized how much we have in common. “Laughter symbolizes light. Laughter symbolizes happiness. Laughter symbolizes all that it right with the world. When I hear laughter, I feel at ease. I feel loved. I fee carefree.” and “I was born with an artist’s heart. My hands on the other hand are a different story.” These two statements explain my life. I also love the last sentence of your blog. You are such a clown. :) (I hope our plan works)
ReplyDeleteMaryam (mur mur)-
ReplyDelete"I don't have a 'happy' place." I'm having a hard time believing this. Mare, you really do not have a happy place? You really don't have any center that eases your tensions and stresses? Therefore, you've should have gone crazy by now, because I know I would! Something HAS to make you relaxed. But I guess some people prefer peace over happiness. I always believed the two concepts walked hand in hand, but I guess not. Anywho, your blog really got me thinking about my own happy place, and kind of inspired me. Kudos!
To Brynne:
ReplyDeleteYou ARE my life coach. You are the best person to get advice from, whether it be about how many calories are in a bagel or what I should do about life in general. I seriously don’t know what I do with out, girl. You can motivate anyone and that why you will be the best Cross Country Captain to exist.
Chrissy!
ReplyDeleteHELPLESS VICTIM!? Yeah right! Whenever life is going great for me, whenever I'm feeling good, like nothing can ruin my day, here comes Chrissy. Chrissy, the destroyer of my soul and sanity and any happy moment inside of school hours. If anyone's the helpless victim here it's me! And no, I'm not gonna smell your (probably chloroform-laced) roses. I don't trust roses offered by evil demons looking to ruin my life.
This may sound like the lamest thing I've ever said, but when I want to escape the pressure of my life, I want to go to the band room. I want to go there because well, band has served me some of the best memories and people of my life, and it has given me tools that I would have otherwise never had. Band taught me strength, and a feeling of victory and pride, confidence. I have horrible self esteem, but just being in the band room makes me feel like a leader, it empowers me. I feel ready to tackle anything when in that room. That room also gave me Steven. That room gave me Pulse, that room gave me conducting and drum major and all the amazing memories of the last three seasons. In that room I remember Marple Newtown, I remember band camps, everything. In there, even the bad things don't even matter, because all the good things outshine them, and that's so rare in my life, in my eyes. My eyes, where I see the good in everything but keep the bad in the back of my mind to haunt me, I look at the band room and I see beautiful memories that I never, ever want to let go. That feeling of happiness, I don't think I will ever find anywhere else.
ReplyDeleteMy best childhood memory was probably the first time I played a piano. When I was just a year before kindergarten, I remember every week driving up to ocean city, just by the shore to a beautiful tan house with blue shutters, where I would for two hours play with my sister's music teacher's kids. The grass was lush and vibrantly green, the sun always blazing hot and the air thick with summer. One hour, my sister would play violin, the other hour, the piano. At the time, I didn't much want to say anything. I was pretty much a silent, shy kid and I didn't want to do harm to anything. But one week, instead of my sister coming back to our big black Cherokee, my father left the car, and as if there were a magnetic pull, I followed. The house was cool on the inside, very clean, very spacious. And there, my sister was sitting at a beautiful white grand piano, the top wide open. My sister's music teacher, was tall, skin fully tanned, her hair a strawberry blonde. She smiled at me with her pearly white teeth and I just clung onto my father tightly. He knelt down, guided my hand towards the keyboard of the gorgeous piano, and I pressed down on a key, and a noise floated out of the grand. My heart skipped a beat, and a light shone in my mind, as if I had opened my eyes for the first time. Music.
The place and time I probably feel the absolute best, is in front of my band, conducting on the stand, on a field, competition time. Conducting to most people is just, waving your hands, but to me it's something completely different. Conducting is making music to me, hands become an instrument and I become the wielder of a beautiful sound that is 70 instruments combined, with flags waving, everything. It's just like every other instruments. There is a need for control, much trial and error, but in the end it's all beautiful. I feel beautiful. I am up in the air, my hands pushing notes through the air, making them either swell or back down or attack or be gentle. Color moves throughout the air as well, I am in a trance. I am beautiful and empowered and channeling all the passion and emotion that is in each and every note played, and I am the best I can be. I am strong, my passion is conveyed. One of my instructors told me once to conduct as if the audience was deaf, so that even they can hear the music from the picture I paint. I love painting that picture, I love making music a sensation rather than just sound. That's just about the only time I feel invincible.
ReplyDeleteThe most soothing sound I can imagine is a thunderstorm. When someone gets a massage, it's not all gentle. The person giving the massage pushes along muscles, maybe even pressure points to induce pain but then make it vanish, to soothe at the same time. Thunderstorms, do the same to me. The rain is so soothing to me, it's a constant rhythm that makes my mind hazy and relax like it's being massaged, and then the thunder, exhilarates me, pushes on the pressure points of my mind and I am in complete bliss, all the pain and pressure goes away and my mind is relaxed.
I'm pretty sure red and black effect my mood the most. In my room, the walls are black, so that's when I feel the most artistic, the most reflective. My room is just about a different world, so black brings me into my mind, where my thoughts move a mile a minute and I can create and feel and breathe. Red on the other hand, brings the passion I need to do all the things that black makes me do. Red brings passion to me, strength. It empowers me and makes my heart swell. Both can present positive or negative results, but they're the colors that bring out the most in me I'm sure.
From about 6 PM to 3 AM, I am the most at ease. Granted, this is about the time I'm doing homework, and it's a pretty wide range of time, but different hours of this time period give me different emotions. At around six o clock, I am most at ease because everything is over, my night begins and I can be with friends, I can party and unwind and do what my mind wants, as opposed to what it's forced to do in school. As it gets later in the night, when my "party time" ends, I reach 10 o clock, where my mind begins to create. There's something about the quite and peace of late night/early morning, a birth of a brand new day, that I feel the need to create and relax and think. This is usually the time where I paint, draw, read, do anything. It may sound strange, but it's that part of the day that's beautiful.
Uroosa -
ReplyDeleteHah I am so with you about books. There's something about seeing into another person's imagination that's just, beautiful and it's an amazing thing to feel. That's one thing that fascinates me and makes me want to be around certain people, because their minds are so different than mine, that it's like seeing in a different world I would have otherwise never experienced, and that's how books are as well. Unfortunately, I never have time to read anymore because of school. Hopefully with AP being over, that will all change for us! :)
Kyra -
ReplyDeleteI noticed a lot of people mentioned their room when talking about places they go to to relax lol. It's interesting seeing how different everyone's room is, because it's kind of like looking into their mind, it's what their mind looks like if it were real. As for outdoors, for some reason, although you weren't talking about camping or anything like that, I didn't expect this at all. I guess I'm so used to everyone being so technology driven, that the "outdoors" doesn't exist anymore hahaa.
Kyle -
ReplyDelete"Soothing sound? Uhh, how about nothing?"
I literally laughed when I read this! But I respect it all the same. Silence is beautiful, silence is a sound. And I kind of agree with you. Silence is a powerful thing. It can be a meaningful part of a conversation, a suspense-builder in music, and a relaxer. I'm glad you said this because I didn't even think of it! Thanks! lol.