For the first time in a few weeks, I actually have something I want to share! I've been thinking about this kind of thing for the past week or so, but it all keeps getting mixed up in my head. So if it makes no sense, don't worry. No one understands what I'm saying recently. Especially not people at uni, but I think that's because they think that they're too smart.
Yesterday in Foundation Studies at uni we started a new project called 'Project 4'. They're really inventive with the names of these assignments... Anyway, this project is based around a list of truisms used by Jenny Holzer in 1983. It's a huge list, so we only have to pick one, and we then have to base our project on it.
One that stood out to me the most said, 'People who do not work with their hands are parasites'. I would have thought it was near impossible not to work with your hands - you know? It's kind of an every day living thing. But then it became clear to me that for some people, it wasn't natural at all.
I also worked out that most people have a different opinion of what working with your hands really is. One girl defined filling her dishwasher as working with her hands... Which I guess is technically true, but the dishwasher is doing all the real work for you. You'd think working with your hands when it comes to dishes would be cleaning them yourself.
Having a dishwasher is a bit like having a maid. It does the work for you. There are people at uni who 'get a woman in' to clean their houses for them. There are others who have their mommy dearest do it for them, and in some cases daddy darling does it. When those kids move out they're going to find life pretty hard.
The most shocking thing I found out this week was that not everyone knows how to use a can opener! I was talking to one girl who had never opened a can in her life. And she's in her 20's.
Of course, this is just another rant of mine, but still... Oh, and did you know that I say the work 'rant' wrong? People keep telling me so =D
But anyway, I feel sick. And I've had a headache for the past week. If anyone knows how to make it go away, please do!
xx
Friday, May 30, 2008
Monday, May 5, 2008
Why Not Then?
If there was one small thing that you could do to make someone elses day better, why not then?
Maybe I'm just crazy, but personally, I enjoy making other people happy. I know I constantly go around telling you I hate everyone - which is still true - but making other people happy makes me happy. It's not an exact science, but I promise I'll explain it to you when you're older.
Take today for example. I pretty much had the day from hell. It was the kind of day that felt messed up enough to make me want to quit anything and everything I get out of bed in the morning for. I was walking home from the bus and there's one house I always pass that has a particularly nice garden. I honestly love this garden. It's not perfect. In fact it's no where near perfect. But it is visually pleasing. It has a range of tone, texture and colour. It has a good sense of balance and the plants all compliment each other. I could go on, but I'm sure you get the idea.
On my way home today I was carrying my stuffed full backpack, another heavy bag on one arm, and my A1 core flute folder in my other hand. When I was passing this house I saw that the woman who lives there was working in her garden. You have no idea how many times I've wanted to tell her how amazing her garden is, but I've never had the chance. So I stopped. Who cares if I got home late? I sat on the grass across the footpath from where she was working and just sat down.
Yes, I know, it was a creepy thing to do - don't talk to strangers - blah, blah, blah.
Eventually she realised I was sitting there and she said hello. There was my invitation. I said hello back and told her how great I thought her garden was. She was clearly taken aback by what I'd said and told me that it was an odd thing for me to mention, because teenagers don't notice things like gardens.
Just to clear up any misgivings, I reassured her I wasn't your average teenger. I come with no added sugar and I'm 99% fat free. She thought that was funny - I was in. We talked about her garden for a while. We talked about her son and how she's hoping he'll visit soon. He helps her in her garden sometimes. He's also very important and I don't doubt that.
Eventually she asked me what my A1 folder was for, so I told her I'm an artist. She seemed to find that impressive, so I felt a little bit better about how much my day sucked. At least when I'm in a crap mood, I can still be impressive.
We then kept talking about her. Her son, her garden and anything else she felt like sharing while sitting on the grass a metre away from her garden. When I got up to leave she thanked me. I asked what for, because all I'd done was avoid going home so soon. She said it was for noticing her garden because she thought no one did.
Something that easy to make an old woman smile. Why not then?
You do it without ever realising it. Why not take the time to appreciate the work someone else has put in to something. I'm always being told that I try too hard to make people like me. I'm really not, I just can't help wanting to make people smile.
xx
Maybe I'm just crazy, but personally, I enjoy making other people happy. I know I constantly go around telling you I hate everyone - which is still true - but making other people happy makes me happy. It's not an exact science, but I promise I'll explain it to you when you're older.
Take today for example. I pretty much had the day from hell. It was the kind of day that felt messed up enough to make me want to quit anything and everything I get out of bed in the morning for. I was walking home from the bus and there's one house I always pass that has a particularly nice garden. I honestly love this garden. It's not perfect. In fact it's no where near perfect. But it is visually pleasing. It has a range of tone, texture and colour. It has a good sense of balance and the plants all compliment each other. I could go on, but I'm sure you get the idea.
On my way home today I was carrying my stuffed full backpack, another heavy bag on one arm, and my A1 core flute folder in my other hand. When I was passing this house I saw that the woman who lives there was working in her garden. You have no idea how many times I've wanted to tell her how amazing her garden is, but I've never had the chance. So I stopped. Who cares if I got home late? I sat on the grass across the footpath from where she was working and just sat down.
Yes, I know, it was a creepy thing to do - don't talk to strangers - blah, blah, blah.
Eventually she realised I was sitting there and she said hello. There was my invitation. I said hello back and told her how great I thought her garden was. She was clearly taken aback by what I'd said and told me that it was an odd thing for me to mention, because teenagers don't notice things like gardens.
Just to clear up any misgivings, I reassured her I wasn't your average teenger. I come with no added sugar and I'm 99% fat free. She thought that was funny - I was in. We talked about her garden for a while. We talked about her son and how she's hoping he'll visit soon. He helps her in her garden sometimes. He's also very important and I don't doubt that.
Eventually she asked me what my A1 folder was for, so I told her I'm an artist. She seemed to find that impressive, so I felt a little bit better about how much my day sucked. At least when I'm in a crap mood, I can still be impressive.
We then kept talking about her. Her son, her garden and anything else she felt like sharing while sitting on the grass a metre away from her garden. When I got up to leave she thanked me. I asked what for, because all I'd done was avoid going home so soon. She said it was for noticing her garden because she thought no one did.
Something that easy to make an old woman smile. Why not then?
You do it without ever realising it. Why not take the time to appreciate the work someone else has put in to something. I'm always being told that I try too hard to make people like me. I'm really not, I just can't help wanting to make people smile.
xx
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