middle.of.july

The idea that the fourth is long gone and the start of school at the end of August is fast approaching is almost paralyzing some moments. Still onward I press. I am working nights this week and I can only describe the experience as confusing. As I look at the clock now shortly after 4pm it is impossible to really understand that I will be awake 12 hours from now heading into the last hour of an 8 hour worknight. At least I have the work I say to myself when I pull up into the driveway after the sun is up and wave to my roommate just heading out to work. OK, so I didn't actually wave and he was actually already on his way to work but this is a more poetic image. I suppose I should figure out a way to sleep all day and work all night but is no way to spend a summer. Is it?

optometry?

Almost as a way to remind myself I say this now. I am planning on becoming an optometrist. The road is long and not entirely smooth and yet my heart is filled with excitement. What does the future hold for me and those around me? "God knows the plans he has for me..." Here goes the next step.

map.to.your.head

"I need a map of your head translated into English so I can learn to not make you frown."
- Clean (Make Yourself) - Incubus

That line always makes me laugh and then think about how true it is that we just don't really understand what goes on in the minds of the people around us. He is singing about the mind of a woman but I think it applies in a much more general way. There is so much that we don't understand and most of it seems to be trapped in the minds of the people around us. How much more do we wish we had a map to the mind of someone who knows all and understands the whys and hows for every action and circumstance in our lives.

the.low.fare.customer

In recent years the "low fare" airline has come to dominate the airline industry news. As it turns out this has had several consequences. The most obvious result is the current affordability of air travel for most middle class families and individuals. That has drastically changed the demographics of the passengers. Certainly the middle class families that saved to fly and see Grandma seem to make up a large portion of the flying public today and their frequency of travel has increased. Now the groups who would have never considered the ability to fly will save up and fly to visit Grandma. This has intensified the number of angry passengers who feel that they are paying good money and deserve something. Don't believe me? Just watch "Airline" on A&E with their coverage of Southwest passengers. Southwest is of course the airline that pioneered the low fare, no-frills, airline. They have maintained profitability where others have failed but air travel will never be the same. You can always tell which people fly often and know that this time they will have to put up with the insanity the "low fare" creates.

Some might say that it is far too easy to split people into groups and we are certainly all guilty of classification based on preconceived notions. I for one am grateful for the low fare trend especially when it come to convenient and reasonably priced travel between Boston, Long Beach, Oakland, and Washington DC. Those just so happen to be the cities I travel to. I don't know if that is because JetBlue flies there or if I want to fly there and JetBlue has obliged.

Speaking of JetBlue, there is an airline that gets what today's price conscious but feature focused consumer wants. I am loyal for now. The only thing that could sway me is the launch of Virgin America (that assumes of course that I can afford to fly them).

no.april.fools

Here I am on April 4th sitting in the only Starbucks I can really stand to spend time in watching the snow fall. San Diego sounds better and better every minute.

carne.asada.bol

So little sister, this is for you...



It actually saddens me that life in Boston has turned Chipotle into a delicious Mexican treat. I suppose that is what happens when you can't get the real thing.

well.that's.how.it.goes

I just had a conversation about the mid to late 90's trend of using no spaces, no capitals, and straight lines as a design aesthetic. That got me to thinking about this blog (neglected since last summer though it may be) and the way I have designed it. I suppose the holdover from the 95-99 design style stems from the fact that the last time I really designed anything was during high school and specifically for LHHS MUN and a particular square program and other documents. We all thought they were fantastic (and I might add that the current LHHS MUN design is certainly inferior, regardless of taste) and I still think it was. The logos, the promotional videos, the over the top production values (ok, so production value may be pushing it...) and the assurance that we were on top of our game.

The years have passed (only two more until my 10 year reunion) and the confidence and ease have morphed into a cynicism and resignation to the daily grind. Sure I am far more confident that I can meet and handle myself in the urban social situations I encounter but the creativity and belief that everything was possible has wanned and doubts abound. I often wonder if I can make ends meet (interesting turn of phrase that is), what the future holds, will I lose my hair, what about my closest friends?

Don't get me wrong, these questions don't always consume my thoughts but they are there and from time to time demand attention. I am forced to comment, if only to myself what I truly believe. That there is a hope and a future. That regardless of situation there are still options. Even if I do lose my hair I can still have people in my life that I love and care about and who return the favor.

How can I be sure what makes this possible and why do I even bother? Ah, there is the rub. On my own it does look hopeless, a never ending descent into cynicism and depression. Am I alone, hardly! Do I know all the answers? No. Do I believe that there are answers? Yes. Nothing in my life has confirmed that there are answers (even when I don't see them right away - or ever) than all the upheaval and change that has happened since those heady days at LHHS. Hard times? Naturally. Happy times? There have been some of those too. Confusion, despair, hope, fear, love, hate...? Of course. All through that I have to say that the freedom to ask questions that I think I should already understand the answer to is more of a gift than I am worthy to receive.

Well, that's how it goes...