Some (More) Stating of the Obvious

Hello there, my very small handful of readers! I'm sorry I haven't been posting very much, but you can't say I didn't warn you. Well, you're reading this, than it means that you're looking this little weblog, so I shouldn't be stewing to myself. Sorry. At any rate, I just wanted to bring up something that occurred to me--namely, our dependance on specified introductions upon meeting someone that we've never met before. Not that this is a bad thing. In fact, you could say that these expectations and commonly accepted guidelines are the "glue" of our society, because the provide some common ground between people who might have totally different background. Still, isn't it a bit funny that in a large percentage of people in the world will give you an odd look if you don't ask them their name upon meeting? Not that this would even be a problem in most of encounters--it's so deeply engrained in our cultural base that it would leave a gap in the introductory conversation. We expect this formality, so we put it in. Just a little something to think about--do that during whatever time you have, if you so desire. By the way, I'm back in town and have a shadow firmly on the ground, whether you can see it or not. So I'll be writing more now, and I might put in the occasional project or photo of a project.

A (Probably Unneccesary) Update

Hi, all you non-existent readers! I'm just writing to apologize about the recent inactivity of this little corner of the seemingly endless cyber-cloud. I've been really busy, and I doubt that anyone will read this until the end of August, anyway (can you hear me, Snowie?). At any rate, I'll probably continue to update this thing veerrrrry sllooowwlllyy throughout the summer, and really kick it off again in the fall, when school gives me reason to sit at the computer and do something other than write music. I'm probably not going to put any of my stuff up here, but if i ever finish some of my various projects and put some videos on Youtube, believe me that you'll hear about it. Cheers to Snowie, and a hearty wave to the rest of you. Maybe someday you'll exist... (This is certainly not meant to discourage anyone real from reading or *gasp* following this rambling weblog--any readers are heartily encouraged to comment!)

Pies, and Other Things of a Housewifely Nature...

You already know that I'm a bit cracked. But there is almost no feeling that compares with staying up baking pies after midnight. Especially when the peaches are neither brown and mushy nor too hard to juice properly. Really, they were amazing. The skin came off in 2 pieces for some of them, and anyone who's ever tried to deal with juicy slippery fruit and a not-so-sharp knife knows what I mean. It was incredible. You're probably looking at the screen and thinking I'm crazy, but if you like cooking at all, then you'll admit that there's no feeling like it: for once I didn't feel as though I was having to deal with the ingredients. It was like the thing baked itself. Even the eggs looked appetizing, and I have an entire rant on the topic of cooking with and/or dealing with eggs. And then I look back on this post about a euphoria rush from baking pies after midnight, and I realize exactly why some girls in my class refer to me as "Mommy Celia". Perfect...

Are You (Insert Category Here)?

For anyone who's been trying to finish an important research paper, I'm sure you're familiar with the number of Wikipedia articles out there that you are conveniently not allowed to use. There must be at least thousands, if not tens of thousands. Maybe even millions. But I may have found an internet-ism that is more common and copious than all of the articles-with-an-ambiguous-author-that-you-can't-use-without-making-your-teacher-very-angry put together. Mini-quizzes. It's amazing, really, how many of these little 10- or 15-question quizzes pop up for any given topic. For example, there must be several thousand that are dedicated solely to sorting people into the houses from the Harry Potter books. I was thinking about the number of these things, it put a few questions into my head. "Why are there so many of these things?", for one. Well, there must be a number of people writing them. And not only internet quizzes, either, but quizzes and tests from social circles to social workers' offices. But why the widespread interest--which, by the looks of it, borders on obsession. This was a bit of a tricky one, and I have a feeling that the answer on this one varies from person to person (as does everything else in this corner, really). If the common interest lies in writing these quizzes that inevitably land a person in some category or other, it must be because of a desire to fit people (or allow people to fit themselves) into a shape that is commonly accepted and easy to understand. This seems a bit harsh, maybe, but it's not worded in a harsh way. It sounds harsh because it can be interpreted as an accusation of dependance on categories in order to comprehend the world around us. It's not intended that way. If you think about it, we use categories all the time. "The trees are green." "My family is German." So categories aren't necessarily a bad thing. The destructive ones get publicized, of course (racism and homophobia being prime examples), and they tend to turn the word into a criticism. As ever, though, it seems a good idea to question the boundaries that we set up for ourselves, especially in our minds. Because if you take a quiz online, chances are that the only person who's going to see the answer is you. The results of these quizzes don't usually go anywhere, either. This means that the categories that you get--in the form of the results of the quiz--aren't going anywhere except into your own head, to be stored somewhere with your collection of self perceptions. Is it fulfilling to get the results back from one of these tests and see what the answers to the multiple choice question added up to be? Entertaining to see how the maker of the quiz thought of someone who would answer the same way you did? If you agree with the descriptors applied to the category, is it a triumphant feeling? That you came across in the way you intended? And here are your results: you are obviously one of the group of humans that both understand English (or have the means to translate English into your own language), that you have the patience to read this all the way through, and are probably seething at my impertinence. Deal with it. If you did actually like this, please comment, though. Otherwise you will be indistinguishable from the other readers who are shaking their heads and scowling at me. Thanks

Look at the Differences

Another boundary in "civilized culture" has just made itself clear to me, so I thought I should share it with you (the people that bother to watch the corners). Have you ever noticed how much we shy away from differences? An example off the top of my head would be the oft-repeated phrase "we're all people," because it's so commonly used as an easy way to explain differences. And it's irrefutable. If you are reading this and understanding the words, you are thinking them in English, which is a human language. We may be closer to fish than we care to imagine, but we--me, the writer; you, the reader--are undeniably human. Unfortunately, this (like everything else) can be taken to an extreme. In the extreme manifestation of the collective, members of a society tend to edge around the idea of any sort of difference. We join the search for acceptance, and in doing so, forsake our individuality. It's fairly easy to see why, too. It's much easier to accept someone like yourself, rather than to try to learn someone else and then accept them. This fear of differences is possibly the most obvious in the rampant consumerism taking place in America, as well as all around the world. If you look into any shopping mall around the country, there is a commonly accepted aesthetic standard for the way things should look. Among other things, this includes fluorescent lights, potted vines and miniature trees (many of which are fake), and small areas at the intersections of well lit hallways. But for many people, the hyperspace is a great comfort. It's a reminder that there is constancy wherever you go, whether it be London, Hong Kong, or the Big Apple. And this brings up that related question: "Is this similarity something to strive for or escape from?" I can't answer it, and I think it's not a question that can be answered the same way for any two people. Do you need the similarities? Think about it. Is your first answer an indignant "No!"? If it is, why is it indignant? Do you see a dependance on this kind of human construct as a weakness? Is it really? If it is, then are we (as a species) helping ourselves along the evolutionary scale by creating artificial similarities? Or maybe it's just the opposite--maybe we enjoy creating these hyperspaces for the purpose of our own comfort, and nothing more. But the avoidance of differences is certainly there, and is therefore another inviting corner to be explored.

What Is Music?

I just had an idea for something potentially very cool....You know (from the profile thing) that I'm an accordionist, and therefore a musician. Music is sort of my life, and I'm a firsthand witness (several times over) to the fact that it can completely change or literally save a person. Anyway, I've had some conversations with friends where they've said (joking, I hope) "What, accordion? I thought you were a musician!" At any rate, this playful comment brings up an interesting question: what exactly constitutes "music"? I really don't know how many readers I've got here: I don't really do much to publicize, preferring to leave it to people to find the corner on their own. But if you see this, I was wondering if you'd just send me a short email (cjfaux@gmail) about your personal definition of "music". If no one sends me anything, then I won't continue on this topic, except a short--and probably inevitable--rant. Still, it would be really cool if I could get some feedback on this. You don't have to tell me your name: just tell me what you want the name on the site to be. I'm being maybe a bit overly optimistic in thinking that anyone is going to reply to this, but if you do, it can be in any form you want, and anything from a seven word haiku to an essay. Whatever you like. I only ask that it not be obscene in the standard acceptability standard. You know what I mean. No cussing. Also, if I get a reply, I'm going to post it here, because that's the point. I won't give your name away if you don't want, but I'm going to post it here. I seriously want to know what you think about it. Thanks!

Go With The Flow

Have you ever noticed how time seems to fly when you engage in certain activities--beyond simply "having fun": we all know about that. These activities might include playing a game of catch or frizbee, knitting or doing some sort of handcraft, painting, or just having a conversation with someone. Believe it or not, there is a commonly accepted word for this type of activity: flow activities. A flow activity is (big surprise) defined as "an activity which results in the psychological state of flow (the link is to Wikipedia--scoff at me and I'll call you a snot). To boil it down, flow is a state of mind involving deep concentration and focus, which results in a sense of ecstasy or elation. A psychologist named Csíkszentmihályi (I dare you to try to pronounce that without making a fool of yourself--mainly because I can't) defined a flow activity as being outlined by ten distinctive criteria:

1. The challenge level and the skill level must both be high (and the challenge--or goal--must have a set of clearly defined guidelines or rules; the procedure must be laid out beforehand)
2. A high level of concentration on a specific field (allowing the mind to become immersed)
3. Fusing of action and awareness, or loss of self-awareness or self-consciousness
4.  Changed or distorted sense of time (hence, "time flies")
5. Direct feedback (allowing for a change of behavior resulting from a visualized failure)
6. Balance between the challenge of the activity and the ability of the subject
7. A sense of personal control over the activity
8. The activity is essentially rewarding, leading to an ease and fluidity of performance
9. Lack of awareness of bodily needs on the part of the subject
10. Absorption into the activity, so that all outside awareness fades

Even though not all of these criteria are required for a flow experience, they often end up going together. The euphoria is certainly there, too. When was the last time you were listening to music or reading a good book or playing catch and you realized that it was after three in the morning and you hadn't eaten since the previous morning or slept since you don't know when? It's almost like waking up from a dream, and when you try briefly to attain that sense of timelessness, it's impossible, so you turn out the light. Still, you're always sure that there will be another night where the time disappears again: you'll go with the flow.

The Insects In Us All... Part I

It's sort of interesting to think about all of the different associations that people have with the various insects with which we coexist. For example, we have an idea that our friends the mosquitoes are inherently evil creatures, simply because they use our blood in their reproduction process. But is that really any worse than our own taking the wool off a defenseless sheep to make clothing for ourselves? The need is there, certainly. We have it in mind that we "need" to have clothes, and maybe we do. But instead of making the majority of our clothing (and blankets, rugs, etc) from fabrics made of dead material that wouldn't affect any other living being, we depend on the protective coverings of other creatures. This doesn't hurt them directly, in most cases, except for some discomfort on the part of a cold sheep, but then, the mosquito bite doesn't really do much damage to humans, either. The mild anti-coagulant that mosquitoes use is not meant to irritate the skin: merely to stop the blood from clotting so that the poor mosquito won't get stuck. In a similar way, our shearing of the sheep isn't supposed to hurt the sheep, but irritation because of restraints and minor nicks from sharp shears are certainly not uncommon. When I say this, I'm not advocating for the disuse of wool, but questioning our widespread dismissal of mosquitoes as useless parasites. Think of them rather as codependents with humans, struggling in the same world to make use of the resources that are at their (and our) disposal. 

Stoplights: Part I

This could only be so long in coming: traffic lights have been a bit of an obsession for a few years. I know they are in essence just a collection of shaped and painted bits of  metal and plastic (and a few grams of glass for the light-bulb), but they can be really interesting if you take the time to look at them.
For one thing, the lights are always there, regardless of witnesses (human or otherwise). At the main square of some grotty little town, there might be a single beat-up light on a wire across the street between the fire department and the dingy gas station. Now picture that same intersection at 2 in the morning, when the 900 or so residents are in bed, and even the night policeman is slumped against his desk, which holds a weak coffee he bought from the gas station before his shift. He's not thinking of the light outside. No one else is: they're all asleep (Our policeman isn't asleep--he's dozing. There's a difference). Certainly no one is waiting for the light to turn the shade of color that would signal a foot on the gas. Humans created those strange combinations of earthen and synthetic materials, but humans only spend a fraction of their year thinking about the lights that they made, and even less of a percentage of an entire lifetime. Right now, wherever you are, maybe reading this at your desk or sitting in the dark on the floor in the middle of the night (like the insects we all are), there are still traffic lights outside, always turning from green to yellow, to red.

Fish: A Study in Identity

Are you a fish? Don't just answer "no," and snort at the foolishness of the question. Consider carefully. First of all, what is a fish? It is an organism, classified by humans as being in kingdom Animalia. In that respect, you are in the same category as a fish. A fish is also, like ourselves, a vertebrate. That's two checks right there. A fish, unlike a sponge, has a nervous system, with a collection of nerves that we humans call a "brain." Also obvious: fish move, eat, excrete, secrete, and sense their worlds around them in much the same way that we do. They use gills to take oxygen from their environment, the way we use our lungs to do the same. Although there is a structural difference there, The principle method and purpose of lungs and gills are the same. What makes us any different from a fish? People often define social interaction and relationships as human characteristics, but fish share those as well. somewhat disturbingly, they also share our willingness to kill other members of our own species, and some will not even hesitate to kill those that are bound by blood. There is the fact that "human," or scientifically "Homo sapiens" is a species name, and "fish" is a very large category of organisms, but think about exactly how different the two are, and how uncannily similar.

Tribute to Elephants

I told one of my friends that I'd post this: Sheep, this is for you, about your fellows--
Enjoy!

The elephants are walking
Each one totally in sync
With itself, and somehow
Alone in the crowd

The elephants are marching
The steady, slow beat of their feet
Is the bass, changing tone
With the texture of the grass

The elephants are ambling
Every so often,
One of them calls,
Forming an intricate lead solo

The elephants are treading
In the hot sun, each solid heartbeat
Completes a rhythm section

The elephants are striding
Each one, a single band
With perfect proportion,
They slowly pass by

The elephants have gone
Their music fades, and
Another concert is over
The savannah applauds

Corners in General

 Have you ever thought about corners? Not the reactions that they receive, but the corners themselves? It's not a topic for polite conversation--if you bring them up, you'll get a lot of strange looks, and people will start muttering about your levels of sanity. But the corners are always there, on the fringes, and if you're paranoid, you can listen to them and they'll talk to you. The look up at the ceiling, right now (if you're inside). Unless you're sitting in a yurt or igloo, there are probably corners at the places where the ceiling meets two walls. Think about that for a minute. If there's a bug on it, what can it see? Put yourself in the mindset of the microscopic fungi that are almost certainly living their private lives right above your head. If the building is new, then realize that someone was recently thinking about the joint of the walls and the ceiling. It's amazing how much space a single junction of walls and ceiling can occupy in your mind, if you let it...