Submile Serenity
Ah...
No, wait, that's not enough
AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH..........
My piano recitals were last tuesday, and the moment I finished my last song I felt a huge burden leap of my shoulders and dissolve into nothingness.
For you see, that was the day that I successfully completed both my piano audition and recital. Usually, they aren't anything to worry about, but this year I made the mistake of deciding to play several more songs than usual for both. Couple that with the fact that my busy (though not as busy as Laurian's) schedule and laziness prevented me from practicing alot and I was pretty worried in the days before my recital and audition (particularly the recital, since I didn't so well last year).
Thankfully, the recital went well (I didn't so well on one song, but everyone there was making so mistakes it didn't really matter).
I'm so glad that's over, and this whole experience has taught me a lesson; I will devote more time to the piano.
Today in math class I may have appeared a little (take out the "little" if you want) obsessed about my grades. The thing of it was that I calculated my grade to be a 99.4. Now, I don't mind getting a 99 in pre-calc, that's not what annoyed me. However, if I had gotten just one or two more points my grade would have gone up to a 99.5, thus making it 100. I hate coming so close to something just to not reach it.
On another, today I saw Rocko's Modern Life on TV. I haven't seen that show in ages. I liked it as a little kid, but today I was cracking up watching it (especially since now I can understand more of the subtle humor). I'm feeling kinda nostalgic now, especially since we were talking about the Power Rangers in Physics. I used to be crazy about that show.
No real thoughts from me today, but below is a poem a wrote a little while back. It talks about life and its many facets. The language may be a little large, but, look at it this way, it's an excellent verbal SAT review.
Vitae
Our existence is one of great ambiguity;
We know not how mankind came to be,
Nor can we formulate a definitive reason as to why we exist.
Yet, we venture on,
Like blind and ignorant babes,
In a land full of beauty and bliss, trials and tribulations,
Never knowing what the new day will bring.
Vitae.
Life.
Being, as we are, an infinitesimal speck among countless others,
It is hard not to deem ourselves a mere rivulets made inconspicuous by gargantuan rivers.
Trepidation and uncertainty often overwhelm us,
As we find ourselves thrust into new situations.
These emotions, augmented several times over by feelings of insignificance
And by fear of the unknown,
Wreak havoc in our minds.
Daunting tasks tower over us like insuperable mountains,
As we feebly begin working to traverse these impediments and attain success.
We try not to capitulate to our qualms,
But, deep down, we worry that all this work is for naught.
Vitae.
What worrisome lives we lead.
The antithesis of this labor, however,
Annuls the sorrows of drudgery.
For if we do achieve victory,
We bestow upon ourselves a quiet satisfaction,
Knowing that we have pushed ourselves to the limit,
Have striven with all our might to surmount the mountain,
And are now at leisure to reap the benefits of our toil.
Within ourselves we have found untold strength,
The will and determination to thrive,
And a confidence no ordeal can break.
Vitae.
What fulfilling lives we lead.
We derive delight from such victories,
But can still find elation in many other sources,
Being in the presence of the ones we cherish most,
Engaging in activities we love,
Or merely finding time to relax and luxuriate in wondrous serenity;
All of these let us drink of the glorious elixir that is the joie de vivre.
Sublime joy, though people may find it from disparate sources,
Is so potent as to make us forget all our troubles,
Casting them into the dark recesses of our mind.
Inundated by pleasurable emotions,
Our only thought is of how fortunate we are to be alive in this world.
Vitae.
What mirthful lives we lead.
Mirth can lend itself to sorrow;
Maybe, as it is said, we know not what is best for us,
And in the pursuit of ecstasy,
We set ourselves up for eventual despair,
Despondency supplemented by wistful reminiscences of happier times past.
Conversely, the mercurial nature of life may be the culprit,
And we may find ourselves besieged under a torrent of malevolent occurrences,
With our faculties of reason unable to conceive a suitable reason why.
Regardless, dejection claws into the soul,
Searing through our hopes and dreams,
Making life a harrowing, calamitous experience.
Certain wounds do heal with time,
Yet some currents of anguish run too deep
For salvation to be granted by such means.
And so, we struggle against harsh, unforgiving rapids,
Yearning, praying, for some recourse,
But, to our dismay, seeing none.
Vitae.
What miserable lives we lead.
Ambivalence a propos our self-worth
Engenders chicanery.
Embellishing our coups,
Prevaricating in order to eschew castigation,
-Even appending superfluous sesquipedalian lexis to our doggerels-
In the hopes of masquerading a deprivation of ingenuity,
Will have pernicious consequences.
For the inveiglement of people is rather ephemeral,
And upon ascertaining the truth of the matter,
They will deprecate us as charlatans, perfidious scoundrels.
Why did we engage in such acts?
Could we not have the courage to face up to our wrongs?
Why did we not accept our own limitations?
We swear never to do it again,
But soon find ourselves implementing mendacity once more,
Endeavoring yet again to appear more preeminent to others.
Vitae.
What deceitful lives we lead.
Life is a concoction into which all these ingredients are cast,
In varying concentrations, depending on the person,
But still all are present.
Each facet helps characterize the others,
For we can only grieve if, before, we rejoice,
And we only genuinely feel the pangs of defeat after experiencing the thrill of victory.
Encounters with all of the facets of existence help us grow as humans,
And we learn to take the good with the bad,
To hope for the best,
While simultaneously preparing for the worst.
Over time life ceases to be a concern,
And we no longer dread its spontaneity.
We may never know what tomorrow holds in wait,
But that simply means that being alive will never be a tedious affair.
Thus, in blissful ignorance we amble through life,
Until it is time for us to bid adieu to this world,
And let death’s cold embrace take hold of us.
Vitae.
What an incredible thing life is!
No, wait, that's not enough
AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH..........
My piano recitals were last tuesday, and the moment I finished my last song I felt a huge burden leap of my shoulders and dissolve into nothingness.
For you see, that was the day that I successfully completed both my piano audition and recital. Usually, they aren't anything to worry about, but this year I made the mistake of deciding to play several more songs than usual for both. Couple that with the fact that my busy (though not as busy as Laurian's) schedule and laziness prevented me from practicing alot and I was pretty worried in the days before my recital and audition (particularly the recital, since I didn't so well last year).
Thankfully, the recital went well (I didn't so well on one song, but everyone there was making so mistakes it didn't really matter).
I'm so glad that's over, and this whole experience has taught me a lesson; I will devote more time to the piano.
Today in math class I may have appeared a little (take out the "little" if you want) obsessed about my grades. The thing of it was that I calculated my grade to be a 99.4. Now, I don't mind getting a 99 in pre-calc, that's not what annoyed me. However, if I had gotten just one or two more points my grade would have gone up to a 99.5, thus making it 100. I hate coming so close to something just to not reach it.
On another, today I saw Rocko's Modern Life on TV. I haven't seen that show in ages. I liked it as a little kid, but today I was cracking up watching it (especially since now I can understand more of the subtle humor). I'm feeling kinda nostalgic now, especially since we were talking about the Power Rangers in Physics. I used to be crazy about that show.
No real thoughts from me today, but below is a poem a wrote a little while back. It talks about life and its many facets. The language may be a little large, but, look at it this way, it's an excellent verbal SAT review.
Vitae
Our existence is one of great ambiguity;
We know not how mankind came to be,
Nor can we formulate a definitive reason as to why we exist.
Yet, we venture on,
Like blind and ignorant babes,
In a land full of beauty and bliss, trials and tribulations,
Never knowing what the new day will bring.
Vitae.
Life.
Being, as we are, an infinitesimal speck among countless others,
It is hard not to deem ourselves a mere rivulets made inconspicuous by gargantuan rivers.
Trepidation and uncertainty often overwhelm us,
As we find ourselves thrust into new situations.
These emotions, augmented several times over by feelings of insignificance
And by fear of the unknown,
Wreak havoc in our minds.
Daunting tasks tower over us like insuperable mountains,
As we feebly begin working to traverse these impediments and attain success.
We try not to capitulate to our qualms,
But, deep down, we worry that all this work is for naught.
Vitae.
What worrisome lives we lead.
The antithesis of this labor, however,
Annuls the sorrows of drudgery.
For if we do achieve victory,
We bestow upon ourselves a quiet satisfaction,
Knowing that we have pushed ourselves to the limit,
Have striven with all our might to surmount the mountain,
And are now at leisure to reap the benefits of our toil.
Within ourselves we have found untold strength,
The will and determination to thrive,
And a confidence no ordeal can break.
Vitae.
What fulfilling lives we lead.
We derive delight from such victories,
But can still find elation in many other sources,
Being in the presence of the ones we cherish most,
Engaging in activities we love,
Or merely finding time to relax and luxuriate in wondrous serenity;
All of these let us drink of the glorious elixir that is the joie de vivre.
Sublime joy, though people may find it from disparate sources,
Is so potent as to make us forget all our troubles,
Casting them into the dark recesses of our mind.
Inundated by pleasurable emotions,
Our only thought is of how fortunate we are to be alive in this world.
Vitae.
What mirthful lives we lead.
Mirth can lend itself to sorrow;
Maybe, as it is said, we know not what is best for us,
And in the pursuit of ecstasy,
We set ourselves up for eventual despair,
Despondency supplemented by wistful reminiscences of happier times past.
Conversely, the mercurial nature of life may be the culprit,
And we may find ourselves besieged under a torrent of malevolent occurrences,
With our faculties of reason unable to conceive a suitable reason why.
Regardless, dejection claws into the soul,
Searing through our hopes and dreams,
Making life a harrowing, calamitous experience.
Certain wounds do heal with time,
Yet some currents of anguish run too deep
For salvation to be granted by such means.
And so, we struggle against harsh, unforgiving rapids,
Yearning, praying, for some recourse,
But, to our dismay, seeing none.
Vitae.
What miserable lives we lead.
Ambivalence a propos our self-worth
Engenders chicanery.
Embellishing our coups,
Prevaricating in order to eschew castigation,
-Even appending superfluous sesquipedalian lexis to our doggerels-
In the hopes of masquerading a deprivation of ingenuity,
Will have pernicious consequences.
For the inveiglement of people is rather ephemeral,
And upon ascertaining the truth of the matter,
They will deprecate us as charlatans, perfidious scoundrels.
Why did we engage in such acts?
Could we not have the courage to face up to our wrongs?
Why did we not accept our own limitations?
We swear never to do it again,
But soon find ourselves implementing mendacity once more,
Endeavoring yet again to appear more preeminent to others.
Vitae.
What deceitful lives we lead.
Life is a concoction into which all these ingredients are cast,
In varying concentrations, depending on the person,
But still all are present.
Each facet helps characterize the others,
For we can only grieve if, before, we rejoice,
And we only genuinely feel the pangs of defeat after experiencing the thrill of victory.
Encounters with all of the facets of existence help us grow as humans,
And we learn to take the good with the bad,
To hope for the best,
While simultaneously preparing for the worst.
Over time life ceases to be a concern,
And we no longer dread its spontaneity.
We may never know what tomorrow holds in wait,
But that simply means that being alive will never be a tedious affair.
Thus, in blissful ignorance we amble through life,
Until it is time for us to bid adieu to this world,
And let death’s cold embrace take hold of us.
Vitae.
What an incredible thing life is!