Rorschach Reality

Take a look at the photo to the right. What do you see?

Now, what if I told you that there really isn't anything there but an inkblot?

Quite a few people would argue that if somebody showed you this picture asking them to find something, then there would need to be something in it to find. But who would decide what was there to be found, if there isn't anything definite in it to begin with? the person who smeared the ink on the paper? the people being subjected to it? or the person presenting it?

You see what you want to see in it, nothing more, nothing less. You want to see winged figures, you see winged figures. You want to see insects, you see insects. Yet, neither are there.

My point here is that there is nothing definite in this world and it is all open to perception and opinion. There's no saying that the winged figures you might see in this picture are beautiful or ugly, because they only exist that way to you. They might be the most hideous things this world has ever seen to somebody else. But in another aspect, those winged figures may not even be there to someone else.

Nobody is right to say that the winged figures are really winged bugs, but neither are they wrong. So who's to say that you're right or wrong?

 They "call" paranormal experiences and religious visions hallucinations. They "name" thoughtful, maybe slightly morbid thoughts depression. They "diagnose" big concerns as anxiety and other sides of ourselves as schizophrenia or multiple personality disorder. But, like I stated earlier, all there is to it is opinion. There is no right, no wrong, no normal. Just opinions.Which means that people we label "bipolar", "depressed", "ADD", etc. might not have anything wrong with them at all. They might just be a bit different than what professionals might consider normal (which they can't really define, anyhow). So what's with all the criticism?

People always give me strange looks when I say things that go over their heads, but I could give them strange looks for their not understanding. Instead, I just laugh. I try not to let their closed minds get to me, and shrug off their laughter.

Who cares what they think, anyways? Most of the time their thoughts aren't even worth caring for. So shrug off society, Quiet Rebellion, and go farther than they ever will. So long as you aren't bound by the small range of a closed mind, you will go places others will never see, no doubt about it.

All we really are are tendencies, thoughts, and memories (watch What the Bleep Do We Know and The Secret and you'll know what I mean). We see what we want and witness what we believe. So use it to your advantage. Go out and take the world by storm with amazing insights and ground-shaking ideas. Go show them what this world can really do; wrack their minds. Do what they can't.

On a tangent to this, realizing that we aren't really anything more than our thoughts, tendencies and memories with a pinch of beliefs, why isn't our society a bit different?

We go to school, more school, then work and work until our retirement for a supposed "greater good". But what is the goal that we are trying to reach? We all die before it is reached, and our lives are molded by the system into a mostly-meaninless existence working so others can do their own work. What is done? The wheels keep turning. Society as we know it seems to keep moving. But where is it going?

We don't accomplish much, and the destination is always on the horizon. Well, at least, when we don't look outside the system that has been pre-determined for us since before we were born. If we take a step outside the boundaries and venture into adventure, so much more can be gained. We can learn things that a cubicle-dweller will never see, things that won't cross workers' minds, things that even philosophers might not imagine.

The government and it's ways seem to ignore this fact and force the omission of this possibility from the knowledge it's people are allowed to have. The thing that the gears don't know is, though, that we could gain so much more from a freer people. Some of the best of things could be invented if a great mind was set out upon the world to see the problems that need to be fixed. Correction: if an open great mind was sent out upon the world. We could see the changes for the better in the "greater good" much sooner. In our own generation and lifetime, if not in our children's.

We could reach enlightenment, we could find out what love truly feels like, what adventure and real freedom are made of.  Things that may only be read in books could happen to us if we sought it.

Reality check: it might not be so possible to live well while abondoning the ways of conventional society. However, we can always go our own way along the path. Our minds can always stay open, our thought broad. We can still learn what everybody needs to know while we go to college and work. The horizons are far off and vast; our minds will never run out of room for the things they are open to. Just do what you want to do and do it the best you can.

Make the paranormal normal and the impossible possible. You'll see what life is really meant for.

Good luck until next time,

Valentine's Day

Kids are cruel beings. Very cruel. I don't care how innocent adults might think they are; kids are some of the most cut-throat things on this planet. As a first-hand witness, I know they'll do anything for a good time, a good laugh, whatever it is they desire from others. They'll use what people confide in them, anything. That's just one reason I hate Valentine's Day.


As the show choir at school was selling singing Valentines, I watched people get sung to and asked to the sweetheart dance. I watched as others were flattered and embarrassed all because somebody thought enough of them to send them something.
As the Agriculture department sold roses, I watched girls receive bouquets in delight. I watched as they blushed when they read the cards that came with them, wondering who their secret admirer was.


Others bought personal gifts for their loved ones, and I watched as they took it with a smile.


I got candy from my parents and watched the world pass me by in a flurry of "love" as I got nothing from the peers I had hoped I would. Even as the show choir gave a few free performances, I didn't get any. I felt left behind and forgotten, knowing that I probably didn't even cross their minds as the day came and went, wondering why it was so. But I guess I was used to it. I had never gotten anything in the years past, so why would this year be any different?


Even as the choirs gave free performances, I didn't get one. The show choir girls came in and asked for the teacher to send someone up to be sang to, and somebody suggested a redhead, but all of the others unanimously nominated another. The one that I would imagine to be one of the most anti-romantic. Then the teacher chimed in. So the curly-haired student walked reluctantly up to the front and maintained a look of terror with a hint of hatred on his face. He walked back to his desk and put his head down when it was done.


Watching this was like an epiphany. As far as I had previously known, only girls did this sort of attack on others, but I was wrong. Apparently guys do it too. They go after the weak and kill them off any way they can, emotionally, physically, or socially. This time the one with the curly hair was the victim. I found myself shaking my head on the inside a long time after, feeling bad for the socially awkward boy.


I dwelled on the Valentine's topic all day, until the pep assembly came. I hoped it would help take my mind off the topic, but it was more like a slap to the face. The dance company performed to one of my favorite songs, one that I keep close to my heart. The song that I had told one of the guys (one that might know I like him) dancing was my favorite. And he was dancing with the girl I dislike most. I owe a big thanks to him for making Valentine's Day all the worse for me, and I have a hard time listening to that song now. So thank you, my false confident.


What a waste of red ink on calendars, what a great opportunity to ruin others. Valentine's Day. Oh, how I hate it. How I hate the feeling of being forgotten and left behind, how I hate knowing that there are tons others who probably feel the same.


But how I hope that people will open their eyes and see me, see others. How I wish that they could actually appreciate us, maybe even love us. How I know that probably won't happen, at least for now.


Sigh, until next time,

Rejected Reality

Constantly we are asked to share what we feel, what we think. Sometimes we'd rather not say for whatever reason, but we are pushed to answer anyways. If we're lucky, it all goes over well; the other person doesn't care and/or accepts what you have to say. But for us not-so-lucky ones (and more often so), our thoughts are denied and labeled wrong, invalid. They are out of range to a closed mind, and shut out of acceptance.  

So my question for the ones who wanted to know our thoughts in the first place is: what makes somebody's  feelinds wrong? invalid? unacceptable?

It's how you feel, and nobody can change that but yourself. It's not a chain of thoughts or logic; your feelings come from your heart, not your head, and they are what makes you you. It makes me sad to say that some people fail to accept that, fail to accept others for what they are and how they feel. They have no right to judge that what you say is indeed a false statement; if it's real to you and you believe it, it's not a lie, but a truth to you in it's entirety.

And it is one of the most frustrating things in the world to feel: to know that somebody else denies what you feel as true. Nobody is right all the time, but everybody is right sometimes. That's the truth that a lot of people love to label a lie. But it's not, so don't let them fool you into thinking so.

Feel all your own, think independently of others. Stand alone with the rest of this Quiet Rebellion, cut your ties to their lies and blossom as a wholly original you. Don't listen to what they have to say, most of the time it's not important anyways.

What I can tell you is that you'll never be happy if you're tethered to other people. The vine never reaches the sky because it depends on the wall. Be independant of that wall and listen to what your heart and head tell you. They'll take you farther than the illusioned map others have painted for you.

Untill next time, good luck,

Careers and Conformity, Relaxation and Rebellion

You know what? Life sucks, and then you die. (For most, anyways.)

Have you ever thought that living life to today's society's standard just might not be a way to live at all? They teach us to go to school, then more school, find a job, earn money, pay taxes, get married, have kids, then send them off to do the same thing. Is there much room there to allow for exploration? expression? enlightenment? life learning? or even pure enjoyment? We all look forward to the weekend, but it's right back to the grind the system has set up and depends on. Right back to serving our duties to a government that hardly listens to the people that work for it; right back to doing as expected.

So why don't we break out of the conformity? go on a spirit journey? run away for a bit before settling down? draw, paint, or write before we do our homework? choose not to go to college but pursue an opportunity in entrepreneurship instead? Does it just not occur to people? Are they really that closed-minded?

I find it quite sad that they seem to be. I miss seeing an admirable sense of adventure in people. . . and I'm trying to make my own. So, my fellow rebels, go out upon the world and look for an adventure to chase! For the sake of the natural curious and adventurous human nature, use the day's opportunity to make this world a more interesting place. Go do something that scares you and somebody else, too. (Not too far! I don't assist in suicides!) Do something that will open the world's eyes. Make a difference, I dare you. Spread the word. Let's start a full-on Quiet Rebellion!


Until next time,

Enlightenment and Explanations

So. I figure that my minions loyal enough to actually read my last post deserve an explanation to it. The following are the thoughts behind the Commanments listed in my last post.


1. Be Maddie, Madeline, you.
Be yourself, and all aspects of yourself.
I'm known as both Maddie and Madeline, and I must fill the position of both. And the outcome probably would have been worse if I was pretending to be somebody else, anyways. Somebody has to be me, and I'm the only one who can.

2. Start with self.
Work from the inside out and start small.
I can't change anybody else, but I can always try to influence them by being an example. Just by smiling myself, I can make somebody else smile. And nobody can love you if you don't love yourself first.


3. Make the paranormal normal.
Accept it for what it is.
The weird, freaky and impossible happens everyday. I might find it strange, but it is still there. And because of that, I should accept it as a part of this crazy world and understand that it is normal to somebody else. Hell, I'm probably pretty strange to alot of people myself. Everybody is different. That's just how it is.


4. Don't forget your towel.
Always take your comfort with you.
I never go anywhere without my iPod. Never. Plugging an earbud into one of my ears provides relief for me in awkward situations. I believe that it is important to make yourself comfortable and happy no matter where you are, no matter the circumstances. You are responsible for your own happiness.


5. Do something that scares you everyday.
Leave your comfort zone. You'll get more out of it.
In reflection, I guess I'm a pretty quiet and mellow kind of person. I don't do much for fear of the consequence. But I'm also an adrenaline junky. By doing something that scares me, leaving my comfort zone, I'll get more out of my life: better and more crazy stories to tell, more memories, more of those euphoric adrenaline rushes. If you don't step outside, you'll never experience the wonder.


6. Live through it, Laugh about it, Love doing it.
It's going to happen, might as well enjoy it.
I know it's going to happen. There will always be something to dread, stresses, problems. But there are also going to be things to look forward to, fun times, enjoyment. So, in the mean time, why not make your own instead of waiting around for it to come? You'll survive; you'll remember what happened. So why not look back at it with a light heart? You can't change the past. And life is a wonderful gift; you should love it, no matter what.


7. Care, but not about what others think of you.
You'll be happy so long as you have someone to love. You'll never be happy if you're trying to satisfy others.
If you're trying to be what others want you to be, you'll never be yourself or happy. And you can't change their thoughts, either. So why try to? Going against this Commandment would be going against Commandment 1 and the Third Impassible Truth. It's just an unnecessary worry and stress. You don't need to worry about others, anyways. They can do that plenty fine.


8. Continue to wonder and to question.
You'll never really find anything out if you don't.
I am an artist, and frankly, this kind of thing fuels creativity. Not to mention it is the key to having an open mind, which is Commandment 10. It seems to be one of the things I'm all about.


9. Normal is boring.
You don't need to be normal, everybody else is.
Nobody can really define normal, anyways, so don't worry about it. You wouldn't be you without the quirks involved.

10. Keep an open mind.
Enlightenment won't come to a mind that is closed to it.
If you are open to it, you can receive so much more. So an open mind means a greater understanding and more chances to be enlightened. And, as an artist, this final Commandment is fairly important to me. If I don't see it, I can't draw it or express it.


And, as an ending thought, enlightenment is important to me, and I only wish more people kept their minds open for it.

Happiness Project

Don't even get me started on Mr. Harris, but he gave us an assignment to make a Happiness Project, complete with a mission, motto, symbol, role models, truths and comandments. Just another part of his self-help regimend. (And this is English class!) I actually found it kind of interesting... so here are the highlights of my Project:

The Mission: Quiet rebellion; be different and accepted, happy all the same.
Motto: You may be in the crowd, but you'll always stand out.
The Five Impassible Truths:

• You were made for chasing dreams.
• Self-contradiction is inevitable.
• We can change no one but ourselves.
• Silence gets you nowhere; it's what kills you.
• You'll never be able to grab water.

The Commandments:

• Be Maddie, Madeline, you.
• Start with self.
• Make the paranormal normal.
• Don't go anywhere without your towel.
• Do something that scares you everyday.
• Live through it, Laugh about it, Love doing it.
• Care, but not about what others think of you.
• Continue to wonder and to question.
• Normal is boring.
• Never forget.

These are just some things that I believe, and I hope you can tell that some of these are metaphorical. I plan on looking at these every day, and I hope that you yourself will start your own Happiness Project; you'll like it. I found it pretty enjoyable and a good use of my time.

Until next time,

First Post

AHA!! New blog. Tis makes me... feel free? I'm sure this will be a new way to let it out to the world. So here it comes, world! Quiet Rebellion is about to be unleashed!