THANATOPSIS - "view of death"

So, I finally read this poem by William Cullen Bryant. I finally read it without distractions, and I must say that it is now one of my favorite poems.

It talks about the inevitability of death. The Earth, which has nourished you and I,will, in the end, "Claim thy growth, to be resolved to earth again." The poem further tells as that in death we are all equal: though we may have been wealthy or impoverished in our lives, in death there are no differences.

In the end, the poem says: So live, that when thy summons come to join The innumerable caravan, which moves To that mysterious realm, where each shall take His chamber in the silent halls of death, Though go not, like the quarry-slave at night, Scourged to his dungeon, but, sustained and soothed By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave, Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch About him, and liest down to pleasant dreams. In simpler words: live the kind of life worth remembering by those you leave behind.

Party like it's 2012... No, party when it's 2012

Call it the Rapture or an Apocalypse, the Mayans predicted hundreds of years ago that the world, as we know it, will come to an end on December 21, 2012 or the winter solstice of 2012. Seemingly unnatural "natural" calamities stand as evidence: earthquakes, floods, and storms that occur out of season. Even the stars have changed their alignment, I think, since there is a new zodiac sign.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to frighten or sadden anybody. I'm not even trying to force anybody to believe in this "End of The World" Theory if they absolutely do not believe in it.

I don't believe that the world will absolutely come to an end exactly on the winter solstice of 2012. However, based on current environmental calamities and phenomena, I believe in the possibility of the Mayan prophecy/prediction.

I see people panic at the mere thought of the world coming to an end sooner than they expected, and I feel a twinge of being sorry for them. The lesson that can be picked up from this "end of the world" thing is that the present is more important - living in and making the most out of the present - than wondering what will happen in the future.

Now is the best time to make the most out of life. Think of it, if the world were to end soon, then we better live our lives to the fullest so that when we reach the end, we'll know that we lived a fulfilling life. No "what if" or "should have."

So when the end comes, you'll embrace it, knowing you made the most out of this life.

It's what I would call progress

I have a crush on someone. That's not really news, but this is: my admiration for this guy was not sparked by attraction to his looks. Instead, this crush grew from admiration of his honest mind. He's brilliant, smart, a Harry Potter fan, and an avid reader. He's a wonderful blogger and his writing is impeccable. He's my age and he and I are from the same country.

Where did I find him? Tumblr. What's his name? Ask me not.

He's admirable because of his passion for reading. He's not a literature major, and yet he reads more than I do. I will admit, his writing style's better than mine. His passion is what makes me admire him.

For once, I do not like a guy for his handsome face or charming smile... For once I felt something for someone using something other than my foolish eyes.

Personally, this is what I would call progress. Gone is the girl who hungered for attention and affection from a handsome man. A mature young woman taught her to turn her eye from the physical and direct them to the word that came from that physical being.

The Sheldon Cooper Juxtaposition

Sheldon Cooper is an asexual being. That is, he is sexually attracted to neither women nor men. He dedicates himself to his intellectual pursuits, to science fiction, to video games and to comic books. He's happy and content with the kind of life he has. Romance is of no importance.

That said, I could learn a thing or two from Sheldon. I may not have a relationship, that doesn't mean I have to feel lonely or miserable. I don't even have to worry about whether or not I'll ever find somebody. The way I should look at it is this: If I find somebody, then, wow, I'll be eternally thankful for that. And if I don't, then I'll be fine.

Looking at the kind of life I have right now - being a busy student working to earn a degree in order to be well-off - a romantic relationship isn't really on top of my Needs List.

I better enjoy myself right now - with reading, writing, keeping myself out trouble, being a nerd, and being happy.

Being a Sheldon Cooper in my last year as a teenager and as a young woman in her early 20s probably wouldn't be so bad.

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Famous Last Words (as inspired by'Last Words, an episode of How I Met Your Mother)

Last words - they're a lot of pressure. They count so much that you just want to be sure that all the words you say will be worth remembering.  This is why every moment counts.

What if the one we love dies, or goes missing, or goes away for a really long time - would you want your last memories with that person to be of a moment of anger or disagreement? Would you want your last words to them be words of hatred, resentment, or spite?

But do last words even really matter? I think they do. The last words we say before we go - either through death or simply when we part ways with the people we care most about - will be the lasting memory we have with other people. That is why I like jokes, though they may be corny or the punch line isn't really funny, because I appreciate the person's effort to make me laugh or simply chuckle. Somehow, through that joke, someone shed some rays of happiness in my life. And this is also why I can't be 100% serious and business-like. I always want to put a smile on people's face or crack people up. It's because I want my memories of people to be happy memories, the same way I want their memory of me to be a happy one.

Now, think about it: what were the last words you said to your parents? To your brother or sister? What about your girlfriend or your boyfriend or spouse? To your friends? Are you sure those are the words you want to be remembered by if, God forbids, you reach the end of your life?

Last words are a lot of pressure, but don't think about it in that light. Just know that every moment counts in this life. Every second counts in the ticking clock known as Life. 

'Challenge accepted!'

In the sitcom How I Met Your Mother, Barney Stinson has two words he repeatedly says which can actually be inspiring. No, I am not referring to "suit up." Those two words: CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. Whether it's trying to accomplish a list of things he is too old to do or trying to pick up a woman whilst talking like a little boy or by wearing overalls, Barney boldly says "challenge accepted" when people say something can't be done.

These words have me thinking that "challenge accepted" is a good way of approaching things. We can look at problems hurled our way as challenges we need to face head on and eventually accomplish. Why not look at things as 'challenges', the way they're defined in the dictionary? "Call to engage in a contest or combat."

When an instructor says "You can not pass in my class if you don't perform well in the prelims and midterms," just say CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

When somebody says "You'll never  find The One," smirk and say CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

When your family says "You won't get rich as an artist..." CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

When a friend says "I can't lose weight properly," take the thing she or he can't do and show her or him that it's possible by saying "challenge accepted."

And the phrase even applies to the smallest, sometimes funniest of things, as these comic strips from F*ck Yeah Challenge Accepted at Tumblr show:

Difficulties are inevitable in life. So the next time you find yourself in one, don't say "Why me?" Instead, just say "CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!" And after that, you can simply say: CHALLENGE COMPLETED.

 

Top 10 Best Photos In The History of ANTM (at least from the Cycles I've watched)

(as inspired by geekypinky's post)

A lot of people may not know this, but I am an avid viewer of America's Next Top Model. I like fashion photography and consider doing it as a hobby one day, and I'm a little bit of a fan of fashion itself. In this post, I count down the 10 photos from the various creative photoshoots from past cycles/seasons of the shows.

10. Laura Kirkpatrick, Cycle 13 - Ep10 Posing Underwater (photo by Russell James)

The water looks beautiful, the pose looks fluid, and the lighting is majestic. I would definitely try this kind of photo shoot when I get the chance.

9. Ann Ward, Cycle 15 winner - Cover Girl photoshoot 

 I usually don't pick Cover Girl ads as favorites, but Ann's photo is exceptional. It's the typical "easy, breezy, beautiful" commercial feel of Cover Girl. Her photo is elegant and breathtaking.

8.  Jaslene Gonzalez, Cycle 8 - Swimsuit Spread for Men's and Women's Magazines (photo by Tyra Banks)

This photo is best described with one word: FIERCE. Her body looks great and in control. And the eyes! Though the wind is blowing her hair, practically covering her eyes, you still see the fire in her eyes.

7. CariDee English, Cycle 7 - Black and White Scary and Sexy Shots (photo by Tyra Banks)

She embodied the purpose of this shoot which is to show a scary photo, yet at the same time still be pretty. As Tyra Banks calls it, it's the ugly-pretty. See how her nails are practically digging her body? That's what's make the shot work. Her body language and facial expression show her commitment to the concept.

6. Chelsey Hersley and Ann Ward, Cycle 15 - Walking Down Rodeo Drive (photo by Patrick Demarchelier)

Earlier today I was watching a replay of this episode on TV and all I can think of as I saw the pictures on deliberation was "wow, it's like one of those photos you see in the shopping bags for Guess or Mr. Lee or Jag or something like that." The concept is commercial fashion, but commercial high fashion. Hmmm, maybe I might want to do this kind of photo shoot when I get my very own camera one day.

5. CariDee English and Amanda Babin, Cycle 7 - Underwater nymphs (photo by David Ruiz)

I love the concept of a top view shot of someone who's floating on water.  It's majestic, almost serene. And, yes, you've guessed it: I'm thinking of doing a photo shoot like this one day.

4.  Krista White, Cycle 14 -  Posing in Shadows (photo by Tyra Banks)

 

Amazing how the shadow fits the features of her face perfectly, isn't it? There's a certain mystery as to where she's looking and you see the features of her face very well. This is the fourth in my list because of the concept  behind the shoot: finding the light in the shadow. Oh, and yes, I've been trying to do this kind of photo shoot with my camera. And, yeah, I'd like to have a photo like this someday.

3. Ann Ward, Cycle 15 - Teen Bullying (photo by Deborah Anderson) 

This has got to be my favorite photo shoot in Top model history. It's even my inspiration for next year's "creative shoot" graduation photograph. For those that don't know, the concept of the shoot is that the model's have a word (a bully word) painted all over their bodies, but at the same time they also have a "power" word painted on their body to show that anyone can overcome bullying and that words can never destroy a person. Ann was called a "giant" when she was younger, but look at her now: she's a Top Model in the pages and cover of  a prominent magazine... and her height is part of what got her there. 

2. Kayla Ferell, Cycle 15 - Teen Bullying (photo by Deborah Anderson) 

This my second favorite photo because of how beautiful it turned out. Kayla, who's a lesbian, was afraid of having "queer" written all over her body because of the painful memories from her younger years it brought back. Then again, her power word is "free" - and that's what she is: free to love and be herself.

And my favorite photo from Top Model history is:

1. Raina Hein, Cycle 14 - Disappearing Perfum Beauty Shots (photo by Brian Edwards)

One word: FIERCE. Look at those piercing eyes! And look at the control of her body! The photo looks like an ad for a magazine. Raina is in control of this photo - despite the wind and water going her way - and the first thing you are drawn into is her eyes. It's like a photo of a professional model's, not some aspiring model's. Fabulous, fierce, amazing... call it anything else that is synonymous!

And now, for a bonus photo of Kayla Ferell from Cycle 15, as photographed by Matthew Rolston:

Doesn't she look a little bit like Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley from the Harry Potter movies/books) in this picture?

INCEPTION: A dream within a dream... within a dream

Finally, I got to watch INCEPTION a few days ago. It's awesome... amazing... absolutely magnificent. The film is intelligent and thrilling - and I wouldn't mind watching it for numerous times. The film's director Christopher Nolan is now my favorite movie director.

The movie presents the idea that our subconsciousness - our dreams - heavily influence our conscious state with the way we create ideas and perceive the world. The film even shows us that people can share subconscious states, where one can either steal an idea or plant an idea in another person's mind. Our dreams are actually more complex than we think.

While watching the movie, I realized that J.K. Rowling was right when she wrote "It does not do well to dwell on dreams and forget how to live." This is what happened to Mal, the wife of Dom Cobb (played by Leonardo DiCaprio). I wouldn't want to spoil the movie's plot and twists for those who haven't watched the film, so I won't go into the details.

Now, here I am, days after watching the movie for the first time, and I still can't unwrap my head from it. I even have this idea that can not be eradicated from my mind: what if the world we're living in is just a dream? What if our present lives - our so-called earthly lives - are just subconscious projections of another life? What if somewhere out there we're in a state of deep sleep and the things we're doing right now - like me writing this piece or you reading it - are just fragments of our subconsciousness? Or what if when we die we just enter a state of eternal dreaming?

Curiosity - that's what' been perked after I watched Inception.

I'm curious. Very, very curious.

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