A Part Apart

Jimmy Valentino classified survival so simply and purely; he claimed that one would find the meaning of life with daily laughter, thought, and tears.  Valentino's basic statement reminded me of the phrases stamped on the outside of Lululemon gift bags.  Hanging from the shoulder of a college student or supported in two hands by a elderly lady, Lululemon's statements define simply what the company assumes to universally bring joy: "Do one thing a day that scares you", "Dance, sing, floss, and travel", "Children are the orgasm of life". Some of the statements seem to be surface level; however, there is an overall philosophy in these quotes that is challenging, declarative, and disputable: "Do it now, do it now, do it now!"  The emphasis on living in the present and "doing" in the present is evident in Lululemon's give presence campaign.  One photo on the campaign website reads, "Living in the moment could be the meaning o

           One concept that I’ve always struggled with is the idea of letting people go.  I struggle with this not because of my dependence on the other person but because of my need to classify human relationships and identify my feelings.  My thoughts about other people adapt very gradually…very cautiously…because I feel unstable when I do not understand myself.             My time in high school introduced me to a girl whose feelings rapidly intensify and diminish. In this classmate, my locker partner, I see my own perspectives manifest in tears, bear hugs, and squeals.   Although they sometimes appear unusual, my locker partner’s emotions are always relevant.   In fact, they are often such relevant emotions that I was formally taught to ignore them.   Fear of fire drills is one example.   During my first school fire drill, I was a hysterical component of a chaotic kindergarten class.   Following this disorder, teachers spent countless lunch periods walking my classmates and I

I have always found water to be fresh and magical; ironically, much of water’s sorcery is derived from its archaic and common life.   I attempted to express the magnificent ubiquitous quality of water in dance choreography during my sophomore year; my piece focused on the ability of the substance to take on a variety of forms as well as reflect these forms throughout the world.   I spent an early spring morning last year mesmerized by sea foam clawing at sands; I then spent a Tuesday night watching waves lull beside a northside beach.   These two moments allowed me to see the same body approach me with aggression and with tenderness; however, water’s thrashing crests, peaceful stretches, and repetitive crashes are not esoteric expressions for me or for specific beaches. Water demonstrates the same qualities in all parts of the earth. Human relationships are likewise mirrored everywhere.   Although each relationship contains its beautiful nuances, it is innately human to experience c

"We still haven't figured this out yet," you claim.  You act surprised. I'm not sure why.  You may be impatient for another's theories to satisfy your incompetencies or eager to transition to the next, perhaps more significant, goal. However, there is no goal, no fun, no purpose to a life that is lived without examination and missing the challenges that entertain open-ended figuring.  Humans innately possess a desire for knowledge.  Siddhartha identifies such in his journeying, but it is also made overt by young, formulating minds. For example, toddlers explore in preschool how other humans interact to body language, words, and play.  Adults likewise experience frustration and miscommunication in human interaction, which demonstrates that there is still uncertainty about human interaction; man is eternally trying to figure out its world. Still, 250,000 years following the our species's first figuring, humans may not realize that knowledge is ephemeral; it is

This past summer, I met a sweet schoolteacher who relayed her success in gardening with her students. She proceeded to share images with me of third graders digging in topsoil and plucking at tomatoes.   A community garden seemed to be a wonderful and interactive tool; however, it was not until my reading Candide that I was able to wholly appreciate the teacher’s stories. At Candide ’s conclusion, the protagonist and his friends/mentors finally established a positive lifestyle centered around the cultivation of a garden.   The idea to do so was derived from a neighbor’s pure happiness. “’I have but twenty acres,’ replied the Turk. ‘I cultivate them with my children; our work keeps at bay the three great evils: boredom, vice, and necessity.’” The purpose of this dialogue was to promote work ethic and, through such, free will.   Although Pangloss concluded that “man was not born for rest,” it is a division of labor and pursuit of individual interest in work that sustains a society

In tribute to the style of Voltaire’s teachings:             A modern gadfly must exemplify characteristics of the great Socrates: challenge beliefs, contemplate deeply, and wholly assess situations under the purest of lights.   It is integral to the assumption of such a title that one is engaged in the world and, therefore, insightful.   It is also important to note that, due to interrelated world affairs, humans across the globe offer perspective to modern situations. Further, the far reach of technology is the most efficient form of involvement and expression. A modern gadfly, in today’s interrelated, technological world, must have also have influence in the media as well as in countless nations. There is only one source that fits these requirements completely: Fox News.             Fox News is a well-known company that presents unbiased information that is representative of all ethnicities, religions, and cultures.   Through it’s many technological resources, Fox News impact