Tiny Desk Conclusion

12:37pm: an eclectic, butter-haired girl stumbles into the paradox classroom of Fluid Reader and Texts; The grainy wood floors, and off-white walls imply that the room is aged. Countering this, Neon blue lights reflect on the elevated parts of each individual’s face; noses, cheeks, and foreheads. In front of each student is a mechanical notebook, that when students habitually tickle, giggle in response with clicks and clacks. The footsteps of the chronically belated girl contribute to this oxymoron. In the quiet room, the embrace of each foot with the floor is an intentional tip-toe, yet inevitably a stomp. She sits and fumbles with her backpack for a minute, searching for necessities, in this case, caffeine and a computer. The song of the day slowly eases her half-asleep brain, oozing with soft-blanket temptations of her bed, into an awakened state. It is difficult to be punctual, and to conform to conventional time standards, with an unconventional internal clock. In all of my past blog posts, I explored the idea of identity, especially those that are seemingly contradictory. Continue reading “Tiny Desk Conclusion”

Youth

Childhood is Crayola crayons, gooey hands, muddy shoes and swing-sets. It is ABC’s, singing into oscillating fans, and bruised knees. Childhood is often a time defined by experimentation and investigation. It is safe to say that child’s existence is driven by Saturday morning cartoons and the idea that as soon as they stumble out of the doors of that Twinkie-shaped bus, they will be free to explore and play. Adults, on the otherhand, often fill time wrinkling foreheads, checking bank accounts, and making beds in the morning. There is an extreme pressure for adults to maintain an extreme sense of professionalism and realism in their everyday life. Adults are often not encouraged to ask questions, and just do. This polarized, rigid expectation is unhealthy and detrimental. In many cases, this imposed expectation causes adults to obtain a form of escapism, whether it be drugs, or even simply a favorite television show. This idea is most likely is engraved in us because maturity is improperly linked to adulthood. In reality, a youthful mindset has nothing to do with one’s level of maturity.

Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, otherwise known by Lewis Carroll, was born on January 27, 1832 in Daresbury England. After attending Rugby School, and Christ Church (Oxford), Carroll started taking an interest in photography. Many of his photos focused on children because he liked the way that they approached life. He also grew especially fond of the dean of Christ Church’s daughter, Alice Liddell. Alice was the inspiration of both Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Continue reading “Youth”

Wonderland and The Spirit World

Films and literature have a complex and ever-changing relationship. In modern day, it is common for a popular work to be translated into a movie/television series/book/etc. In literature and cinema, there is often a reoccurring idea of revision and interpretation. Whether it be a movie or a novel, it is inevitable for a work to not be recycled into something new, or re-vamped. This idea is extremely controversial. When misinterpreted, appropriation is likely. On the other-hand, if the interpretation matches, or even surpasses the original, the audience might favor the new work. This idea is evident in the different movie interpretations of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Continue reading “Wonderland and The Spirit World”

The Landscape of Loneliness

Picture this: A sole child sits beside a fireplace hearth, bangs plastered to her greasy forehead. Two sticky hands (probably coated with flakes of glue from school earlier that day), tinker with a mountain of multicolored Lego blocks. The only sound comes from the clinks of plastic blocks, the tapping of rain on the living room window, and the faint sound of the radio playing in the kitchen. Despite playing in solitude, the child giggles with excitement.

Flash forward fifteen years, the same girl, is in a room packed with her peers; A dimly lit room buzzes with the sound of wide-eyed, babbling ‘baby-adults’ (otherwise known as college students). Red cups in hand, they converse-or rather attempt to, over the blaring music. Others give up, and choose to simply sing or dance along. Shoes slosh and stumble in beer puddles distributed among the concrete floor. There is a subtle stench of sweat throughout the room. Luckily it isn’t noticeable over the aggressive jolts of the habitual shoulder shove and collision.

Whether it be during the night, or during the day, the typical college student may seem as if they are never truly alone. After experiencing both individually focused, and socially charged periods in my life, I have come to the conclusion that loneliness is relative. Continue reading “The Landscape of Loneliness”