The World of Worj

Today I went in for an interview at AMC Studio 30. I really hope I get the job. It's one of the coolest ones somebody my age could have.

Epiphany Narrative

AN: Okay, so the narrative part of this is weak, but this is the only epiphany I remember having, aside from split-second "ohhhh" moments, that are even more ill-suited for writing.

Epiphany Narrative

 

Is life a dream? In the popular movie, Inception, this question is brought to the forefront. Characters live or die by this question and their personal answer to it. A trailer for the movie said, “the most resilient parasite is an idea.” It stands to reason then, that the question of “is life a dream?” will be around for a long time, unless somebody can definitively answer it. However, nobody in life can answer that question for another person. It’s up to each of us to answer it for ourselves. “Is my life real?” The question can extend further: “am I living? Does my life or my actions have an impact?” These are the questions that can determine a person’s character, and decide their destiny.

I have been a fan of Christopher Nolan and his films ever since Batman Begins came out. Since then, I’ve avidly followed his movies, of which Inception is one of the best. I’ve seen it numerous times: at the theatre, at home, on trips, at parties… and every time, the ending of the film provokes a discussion. At the end of the movie, the main character, Cobb, spins a top. If the top falls down, than Cobb knows that he is in the real world, and that he truly has returned home to his children. If it continues to spin, Cobb will know that he is still trapped in a dream world, and that nothing around him is real. The ending shot of the top is ambiguous: it wobbles, but then spins for an eerily long time. My personal belief is that Cobb had returned to the real world, but there are plenty of proponents for either side of the argument. Whilst discussing the ending with my younger siblings for the millionth time, as we climbed out of the car and stretched after a long trip, I finally realized the ultimate truth of the spinning top: it doesn’t matter.

After Cobb spins the top his children call out to him. Cobb walks away from the top, paying no attention to whether or not it falls, and goes to his children. He decided that it did not matter if he was in a dream world – he wanted to see his children. Cobb wanted to live his life. Just as Cobb paid no more attention to the spinning top, neither should we. It doesn’t matter whether or not life is a dream, so long as you are living it. The attitude we hold throughout our lives is more important than whether or not it was justified. Our lives hold the meaning that we put into them. It doesn’t matter if the top is spinning. My life matters, because I say so! I have an impact, because I choose to! My life is real, because I believe it is. That is the hidden truth behind the spinning top.

Prompt Activity - 11th Grade English (4/8/13)

AN: In class today, we were given 20 minutes to write whatever we want about any (or all) of 5 prompts. This is what I came out with.

Prompt 2 - A nice quote about how we write stories in our heads about ourselves, what's your story, etc.

All good stories start at the beginning – the beginning of the war, the beginning of a life, the beginning of a romance… My story is just beginning. My story isn’t a thriller, or a horror story – those scare me. It’s not sci-fi either, unless you count our new fangled gadgets as bits of the future. It’s more of a coming of age story, the prequel to a grander tale. My story is “Part 1.” It’s a slice of life story, though it often includes hints of the dramatic, and especially the comedic. It’s sprinkled with humorous adventures and colorful caricatures. We write adventures with our lives.

But in the end, this story is only the beginning. The best parts of the story come when your character embarks on their quest, when they chase after their dream. The best stories deliver a grand finale, a pay off for the character building and introspective moments that created your hero. In that regard, I’m ready. I’m ready to decide who I will be, and who I want to be. I am creating the habits and attitudes that will carry me through the rest of my life. My prologue is coming to an end, so that the grand adventure can soon begin. We write continuations with our lives.

After all, when you want to change the world, what else can you do, than spend time creating who you are? I’m reminded of a phrase from a song:

“Who is the person I want to see the most?

The number of people I hold dear

In my heart is only increasing

Will I still be me?

We haven’t read enough of our story,

For us to say, “that’s it! I’m finished!

Because we will all be ourselves

That’s another way we grow stronger”

I think the point is rather poignant. If we tell the right kind of story, we’ll just grow stronger as the story grows longer. We can’t just say “I’m done,” and end our story. We write that story with our lives.

The stories we tell about ourselves reveal how we see the world, others, and ourselves. Our perceptions are bound to be slightly different, while being wrapped up in similar packages. We change the world through our stories.

 

Prompt 1 – If you could have a rewind or pause button, would you? Etc.

            John W. Holt Jr. once said, “If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not taking risks, and that means you’re not going anywhere. The key is to make mistakes faster than the competition, so you have more changes to learn and win.” This is true, and therein lays the danger of a rewind button. If we go back and do things differently, we can’t truly learn from our mistakes. We only understand the immediate impact of our action, and we never take responsibility for them. I don’t think it’s unnatural to assume that most of our life would become rewinding and redoing. We can’t do things perfectly, we’re just human. We have to accumulate as many changes as we can, and implement the ones that help us become better. If we’re not taking risks, whether it is in a relationship, a game, in writing – we’re not going anywhere, as Mr. Holt stated. The goal isn’t to run perfectly, it’s to reach the end of the race.

Prompt 3 – Are humans worth their weight in gold, etc. Would you figure this out mathematically, or philosophically, etc.

            Don’t get me wrong, math is helpful and all that – but philosophy is my forte. It makes more sense to me than a bunch of numbers and it means more to me. Moreover, words have always been the best way for me to communicate, so why handicap myself?

Humans aren’t worth their weight in gold – rather, gold is worth its weight in humans. In the end, the thing that matters the most in life is people. Our feelings, our emotions – our very souls, those are the things that have worth. Monetary value will be meaningless in the end. By default, anything that isn’t living has no worth on its own. It’s the attention, the time, the value we give to things that make them worth something. It’s the pieces of our soul we place in things that make them more than a piece of metal, or a bit of plastic. It’s our own feelings that make a photograph more than paper. It’s our own emotions that make a story touching. Gold is meaningless, but human’s have infinite worth.

 

By My Side by Hemenway (Fanslation)

Today's fanslation is "By My Side" by Hemenway. I don't know what that name means either. Yet another Naruto ending/opening. The video for the full version is right here. I really like this song, hence the reason I worked on this version. The beginning is the trickiest part: if you don't get the first two lines out, you'll want to sing the third line where the fourth goes, and then that whole section is messed up. This song was also fun to do because I don't often do background vocal stuff (which is in parantheses) and there's a lot of vocal... noises. "Ahhhh yeahh, yeahuhyeahuhyeah!" that sort of thing. Without further ado, By My Side by Hemenway.

 

 

By My Side

 

"It's okay if you don't have all the answers

Just keep on searching for them

It's about time we acted mature

I want to tell you my feelings

But my heart is screaming at me to run away and save me pain 

 

(By my side, by my side.)

 

If the place I'm looking for

Is hidden within your eyes

I want to stare into their depths

Oh, yeah

Sometimes I'll stand in awe

Because this world is beautiful

And all I need to fully enjoy it

Is the feeling of your hand

I need you here right by my side.

By my side.

 

Thank you for your honesty

Your words have changed my outlook

I think I finally understand my purpose in life!

 

(By my side, by my side.)

 

Deep in my heart, there will always be room for you

I'm sure that you know this, even now

Even if

Your griefs were to take you further and further away from me

I would never let go of your hand

So yes, right now,

I need you here right by my side. By my side.

 

(By my side, by my side)

Ahhhhhh, ahhhhhh

(By my side)

 

Please stay here, right beside me.

Ahhhhh, Ahhhhh

Always keep my hand clasped in yours

By my side.

 

(By my side)

(By my side)
Oh yeah

(By my side)
Oh yeah

(By my side)

Northwest Ordinance Petition

AN: This is a goofy little assignment I did in social studies. It's a petition asking for statehood, and the Preamble to our conjectured constitution.

In the Northwestern Aralian Territory, we have fulfilled the requirements of statehood. We have drawn up the plans to form four new states: Kesu, Tachi, Irillia, and Kugo. Because of the monetary rewards we provide for teachers and to communities that build schoolhouses, we fulfill the requirement of promoting education. Because of our excellent school systems, the best and brightest have been immigrating to our territory, making us a prime candidate for statehood. These immigrants have also boosted our population immensely. We’ve set up a territorial government, and our current Governor, P. Bagwind, has done a fantastic job. Congress appointed the Tries brothers as judges, and replaced Gregory Tries with Amadeaus Itrenz after his murder. Our secretary, Imhope Blackfeather has also done well in his role. This government was superseded by the Aralian Congress, an elected legislature. Our representative in the House of Representatives - that same Amadeaus, has been faithfully attending and reporting back to us. Because of various incentives (mainly our schools) our population has reached 72,000, according to our latest census. If accepted into the Union, the Aralian states would support the Constitution, make nobody a slave, and fulfill all contracts. The Bill of Rights would be respected as well.

Preamble

In memory of the brave Arale Beaumont, this state shall uphold all laws and ordinances of the United States of America. We are united under God, and shall seek to fulfill His will on Earth. All peoples shall enjoy every blessing of freedom, and shall work to enjoy its privileges as well. Just as Arale Beaumont tamed this wilderness and made it habitable, so shall this people tame their emotions and work together for the common good. By reverence to him, and our President, we shall be faithful citizens. In all matters of conflict we shall seek that which is just and good. We shall treat others as they ought to be treated, regardless of gender, age, or race. We do all these things in the hope that God will reveal His divine providence to us, and so that we may continue to enjoy the blessings of liberty.

"Moshimo" by Daisuke Fanslation

Foreword: Presenting my newest fanslation project, "Moshimo" by Daisuke! This song serves as a Naruto opening, which is where I discovered it. This is a translation for the full song's lyrics, which can be found here. This is written for singing, while keeping the meaning of the song as best I can interpret it. My main source is "Gendou's Anime Music," for the preliminary translation. Moshimo itself is a difficult phrase to translate, and can mean any of the following:

• if
• even if
• suppose
• supposing
• provided
• under the condition that..
• in case
• unless

In this song, I think it's safe to say that I've most often translated it as "Even if," and "if only." Without further ado, here's the English lyrics to Moshimo by Daisuke!

Moshimo

 



"I have always been chasing your shadow...

 

"The face I saw in my dream

"Was just the same as the past

"It faded, disappeared into tall grass

"I'm trying to piece together my memories and dreams

"How many years has it been?

"I left my heart behind

"In the one place I can't go back to...

 

"If only this was a dream...

"I could take back all those things!

"How can I deal with these feelings?

"I'm still chasing after the shadows of past days!

"Shrouded in gloom, day and night.

"I live in a world where you're only in my memories!

 

"A chance for me to forget everything comes,

"But I realize the greater pain's in forgetting than remembering

"Even the deepest wounds that are in my chest

"Can just sit there, unhealed and wide open

"My heart won't ever forget you

"I keep thinking of the memories you left to me

 

"If only in my dreams, I could still see you

"Then these feelings might start to ease off of me!

"I'm still chasing after the shadows of past days

"Shrouded in gloom day and night

"I live in a world where you're only in my memories!

 

"Even though you're no longer here,

"This world continues to spin 'round without you

"The memories of those past days together

"Continue to live on by my side.

"Even if it's just in a dream,

"If I could just see you again,

"I'd burn your face into my memory

 

"If only in my dreams, if I could still see you,

"Then these feelings would stop subsiding!

"Until the day we that meet again, with smiles on our faces.

"I live in a world where you're only in my memories!"

Rip Van Winkle: You Better Not Fall Asleep!

AN: This is a brief (extremely brief) essay I wrote about the short story "Rip Van Winkle," early this school year in 11th Grade English.

The short story “Rip Van Winkle,” by Washington Irving, is an American myth featuring three of four hallmarks for myths. They are; being set in an exciting and remote time or place, having magical and mysterious events, and featuring exaggerated characters.

In the beginning of the story, the setting for the book is expounded. The setting takes place both before the Revolutionary war, as Van Winkle mistakes George Washington as King George when he finally awakens, and claims to be a loyal subject to the king, and takes place some short time after the war, during a tumultuous election time, as evidenced by people continuously talking about the election. The place where the story is set is also remote, and even magical. The little town where the majority of the story takes place is surrounded by mountains, whose changing hues serve as a “perfect barometer.” These mountains serve as a major plot point, where anything is possible.

The main plot event of Irving’s story is Van Winkle’s astounding, twenty-year long sleep. While comas are possible, the events described in the story are nothing short of magical. Van Winkle goes up to “one of the highest” parts of the mountain, and hears his name called, but “could see nothing.” He eventually locates the voice calling his name as a “strange figure,” which is carrying a keg. While helping this strange man, he comes upon a “company of odd-looking personages playing at nine-pins.” They are dressed in “quaint, outlandish fashion,” and are actually ghosts. He falls asleep after this. When he wakes up, twenty years has passed. He returns to the village, but is unrecognized, and he finds that many of his former acquaintances are now gone. His son is an exact replica of himself, and his daughter is now married to “one of the urchins who used to cling to his back.” Of course, there are still many of the over-the-top characters that were prevalent in the first portion of the story, which is another hallmark of mythological tales.

These exaggerated characters are used both to populate the story, and to inject it with humor. Examples are characters such as Dame Van Wrinkle, who scalds her husband, “morning, noon, and night.” Another such character is Derrick Van Bummel, a school teacher whose wits are rather unproportionate to his stature. Rip Van Winkle himself is an exaggerated character. He has an aversion to work, yet is wiling to perform hard labor for virtually anybody who asks. He is very good natured, yet lazy.

Rip Van Winkle, while an amusing story, is important because it is one of the earliest examples of true American mythology. Mythology is a significant part of a nation’s cultural identity, and this story is especially significant because its author is one of the first natural-born Americans, even being named after George Washington. With myths like this, Americans were able to finally identify themselves as a true country. Myths can provide cultures with a sense of shared identity.

April Fool's Day!

You'll.

Never.

See.

This.

Coming.


You.

Won't.

Believe.

This.

It.

Will.

Defy.

Your.

Expectations.

Every.

Single.

One.



There is no April Fool's Joke post.

Personal Journal 7

AN: This was probably the most introspective of the journals. The works I respond to are as follows: The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis (another incredible work) and a short story about a scientist who retrieves liquid from the fountain of youth. Also, this is my last journal for 12th Grade English, until I finish my next semester.

I have several weaknesses and flaws. A large one is the fact that I don’t believe I have much strength. I believe the worst in myself. I have difficulty believing I have talents and strengths. I can be rude at times, and sometimes have difficulty catching social cues. I talk a lot – I’ve been working on being quieter though.

I believe the narrator from The Great Divorce would’ve boarded the bus. He’d already displayed that he was different from the other ghosts through his thinking ability, and recognizing faults in some of the ghosts. He walked along with one of the bright people, and his feet grew stronger. I believe he was close to total acceptance, if he wasn’t already there.

I believe the characters did not learn from their return to youth, as they wanted to find more of the elixir. They were vain, and only wanted to be young again, not thinking of the weaknesses that youth brings, or the wisdom they (should) have gained. Dr. Heidegger obviously knew that a return to his youth wouldn’t be beneficial, as he himself didn’t take the elixir. Heidegger learned that he was correct, as he watched with amusement while his friends made fools of themselves.

I have a friend I’ve recently become very close to who portrays an outer image that is, at times, vastly different from her inner one. [She] is continually this paradigm of brightness and optimism. However, I know that she suffers from depression, and fights that without the help of medicine. She has a difficult home life, but she doesn’t let this affect her outer image. She doesn’t let people know when she’s had a bad day. She does this because she doesn’t want to be one of those complaining types. She wants to be a person who uplifts others, rather than being somebody who’s weak, at times.