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!