Friday 30 January 2009

Of Friendship

It has occurred to me, in the fact of revelation, that the friendships I have formed once are dissipating. There is no fact I can recall to refute this, nor is there any reasoning that would suggest a logical twist for the otherwise.

I am writing these words, perhaps some of which will be empty messages, alone in a dark home with nobody awake but I. While it is true that no man is entirely alone, or disconnected as John Donne said in his seventeenth Meditation, I feel that I am at the very closest to this extreme.

What is there to say of friendship, of the interactions that this relationship begets from out of its existence? There are acquaintances I have, yes, but their importance is trivial when regarded against the definition of friendship that I hold. There will be no boring definitions of friendship here; I subscribe to the literal accounts of the dictionary.

There are many things to say of friendship: there is the physical, the emotional, the psychological, and the other -al effects of it. Those are not important in this entry. I want to talk about the loss of friendship. I want to talk about the steady deterioration of friendship.

If I am to speak of the end of a friendship, or at the very least the death of one, I should be expected to draw from my experiences a story or two of wronged friendships wherein a single moment of ill-advised knowledge catalyzed the end. There will be none of that here. It is true that men have wronged me and, as a result, have had our friendship die, but I am very much in the root of blame for these.

So generalize with me, if you will, the notion and the nature of my friendships or, at the farthest end of that spectrum, the closest of friendships. I am speaking now of the friendships wherein you tell your every story to an open end and, in mutual respect and understanding, the listener speaks of your tale and then moves to add his own. Oh, I have had these friendships, not in the degree of plurality where I could count that in the double digits, but in the exact number where I could be accountable for their thoughts.

I have no specific friendship, or the death of which, whereby I voice my opinion or my thoughts or my lamentations, holding that as the basis for my words. My life has placed friends in my life for my benefit, I can think of many and name those few, but in the very same way that life has taken them away with time.

There is no remedy for the loss of a friend in the interactive sense. They relegate themselves to the level of acquaintance and I, in my stupidity and lack of reason, reach out to attempt to bridge that gap over the ruins of a burnt bridge. It is pointless and it does not get me anywhere; I know this is true.

These friends, I would say, are too enveloped in their own minds of self-righteousness and false presumptions. Now, I will speak in specifics, though still very vague, as a result of my spite and bitterness as, believe me, it is human to do so.

I've lost a very good friend as a result of my standing in the pitiful hierarchy that is called highschool society. True, we did drift for a year but I still managed, however vain it might've been, to make an attempt to bridge the gap and at least speak. For that year, I spoke as if nothing had ever changed. In retrospect I am wrong. The friendship died, I will presume, for my inability to rise up to some sort of social norm or standing and for his inaction to preserve that friendship.

And to speak further of this loss of friendships, I will speak of the loss wherein one had delegated himself to a higher standing than was necessary. Of this, I am purported to act in such great crimes so to have alienated him from whatever standings of friendship he assumed. I thought none of this. It is his selfishness and idealization of his image that necessitated the schism of a once-strong friendship. He shows no humility, he acts without grace, and he does not see the truth that stands before him. He is beyond saving and not worth of time.

In the year that has died, or perhaps the plural of that notion, I am guilty of the crime of the dissipation of friendship. In my seemingly noble attempts to restart my life as a person who would turn from fault, I have alienated those I call friends. Perhaps they do not see it yet but I know some will be aware. It is just a matter of time before those idealistic views pass.

Of course, it is not without human emotion that I lament for those loss, or losing, of friendship. I see myself more at fault than they could ever perceive themselves to be. I am no longer social, I do not branch out, I make no attempts at reconnection (for this is a futile attempt), and worst of all, I am no longer sincere. It is authenticity and the nature of being genuine that forges a friendship and sustains it over time.

But then again, perhaps it is not I to be completely at fault. My alienation can be seen as no more a fault than their misplacement or their rejection at sincere attempts. And if they hold themselves up to be on such a higher plane, as a friend once did, then I will make no attempts to correct them. Let them enjoy their higher plane of existence before the world brings them down.

Thinking of friendships and the basis by which they are formed, I must concede the fact that certain friendships must have been formed due to ulterior motives. If I am to be called an intellectually minded person, then friendships will be formed for necessity of answers. If I am to be called easily helping, then friendships will be born out of manipulation of the altruism I sometimes hold. And if I can be called naive for sake of believing I could find lovely reciprocation, then perceptions will be formed and sustained on their action of feigned action.

I have no point in this piece of writing, as seldom I do. Perhaps it is an incessant rambling from a bitter person who no longer has what he wishes to hold so dear. Perhaps it is a calling of attention to friends I once had but have no longer, but I realize that they will never read this. Perhaps this is a wistful attempt at gaining sympathies from my readers, but I know I will never receive that sort of half-hearted ovation.

Of friendship; it is dying and there is nothing I can do to stop it.

Monday 26 January 2009

Midterms

I'm thinking about my last exam, Literature, which will be tomorrow at 1 P.M. I really shouldn't stress about it, I have all the time in the world to prepare, but I am anyway.

To the left you'll see what my study area looks like. That's the dinner table. I like to study or do homework in the dark, in seclusion. I usually have the best work ethic when I'm left alone. Also in the photo are the things that keep me awake: coffee and water.

In five years, my midterm routine hasn't changed at all. In Grade 8, I'd study a few days before the exam. Nowadays it's the night before. It's funny how I can get a firm grasp in such a short time; I guess I'm just lucky.

So Literature 12 will be my last midterm exam of my highschool years. I'm hoping I'll do well.

"And graven with diamonds in letters plain/ There is written, her fair neck round about:/ Noli me tangere, for Caesar's I am,/ And wild for to hold, though I seem tame."

Thursday 22 January 2009

Fated Time

Today, I am entirely responsible for the path in destiny, in my future, that I will take.

I've thrown away the last year and a half; a month ago, the possibility of not being able to attain early acceptance into university hit. I was told that I would get a mark of "incomplete" for my first term Spanish 12 mark. I was told that this would prevent me from obtaining early acceptance. "Fine," I said, because this would be the culmination of all the let-down I have done in the last four years.

On Tuesday I was told that, in English, a subject that I have traditionally done very well in, I was not writing to the best of my ability. I knew this was true. I knew that I could have done as well as any of the top-grade students in the class. I didn't. I let my willpower slip to the calls of lethargy and learned that I currently sit at an 84.

Of History and Literature, I have no qualms because there are no problematic issues that have arisen.

Today, I learned that I can blame nobody but my self if I am to fail in restoring my grades to their rightful place, above the threshhold that separates the A's and the B's.

To speak of Spanish, I was told that I will be able to receive a mark in the upcoming report card, narrowly avoiding the "incomplete", if I am to show that I have completed the work I said I have. "It will only take a minute," I was told.

Of English, our short-story essays were returned. I had not done mine until the day it was due. I expected mediocrity and resolved that I would get nothing more. I was surprised; I had scored a 91. To tell of truth, I was also told that I would be able to salvage an A in the course if I perform well on the exam.

These two instances are not just coincidences, I feel, but some sort of twisted providence that gives me hope. It gives me the necessity to place my future into my own hands. For the first time in years, it feels almost tangible.

Tonight, I will give my time to preparing for these efforts. I have sixteen hours before this day of judgment. An almost overflowing amount of coffee is by my side, as is my music to keep me awake and alive.

To quote Churchill:

"We shall go on to the end [...] we shall never surrender!"

Tuesday 20 January 2009

Inauguration Day

Americans, today you start a new dawn in this era of history.

Today, the world witnesses a change from the status quo. In fact, it is a change that breaks this two-hundred year old norm of the white man in the White House.

This day is a testament to the cultural revolution that has taken hold of America, at least for the time being. The whole world is watching with keen eyes; I don't believe it has been this optimistic for you since Kennedy.

On August 23, 1968 a man told America, and the world, that he had a dream. Today, an element of that dream is fulfilled.

Don't screw this up, America.

Saturday 17 January 2009

The Storm Before the Calm

Clichéd saying aside, the coming weeks (two to be exact) are going to suck. I know that it's to be expected with January ending the first term and presenting mid-term exams but that doesn't mean I can't moan about it.

01/19: Literature 12 "Pre-Exam Test"
01/20: Spanish 12 Provincial Exam
01/21: Law 12 Midterm Exam
01/23 8:30am-10:30am: English 12 Midterm Exam
01/26 1:00pm-3:00pm: History 12 Midterm Exam
01/27 1:00pm-3:00pm: Literature 12 Midterm Exam

Four exams in one week is not at all a bad thing until you consider the dates of the exams: January 19th to 23rd, the week preceding the exams. I will not be facing just the pressure of exams but the nuisance of homework that, undoubtedly, will be piled on top of studying for exams.

The Literature "pre-exam test" will be a good indication of how the midterm exam will be, I think. I predict the only difference will be the amount of writing (having two hours in the midterm compared to the one in class). It's a double-edged sword in that, one on hand, I have another test to write but, on the other, it forces studying way before the midterm (of which I am not accustomed).

My Spanish provincial will be troublesome. I know I'm probably not going to get an A on it so I'm shooting for a high B in the hopes that I can re-write it in June. Once this stress-inducer is gone, that leaves about four months to really prepare myself for a second provincial attempt in June.

Law's in-class exam won't be a problem; I just have to get all of my work done in preparation for the test. I'm planning to do that tonight. The only issue that may get in the way is that there are a number of presentations that still need to be given on Monday and if there are more "technical difficulties" then that could throw a cog into the plan.

As they say, you can't really study for an English exam. Having the need to study Hamlet more thoroughly in Literature, I think I will be well prepared going into the English exam. Literature will force me to reach those dimensions of Hamlet that English does not necessarily require so that will give me a good advantage.

History will be easy. That kind of knowledge sticks with me and I think some re-reading of information and tests will all I need coming in to the exam. All those wasted hours of staying up late and reading page-upon-page on Wikipedia will finally pay off.

Like I said, the Literature exam will probably just be an expansion of the test. I'll have at least five days to really dive into the material so I don't have many worries about it. I'm looking forward to it because, once it's finished, it'll give me a five day weekend.

One of the main problems I have when it comes to studying is poor time management so I'm going to attempt to disconnect from technology and society for a while. I'll be following the same sleeping pattern (e.g. getting up at midnight to do homework/study) so I minimize my distractions. If I don't blog often, that'll be one of the reasons why.

Good luck to all who are writing exams.

Wednesday 14 January 2009

It Lives!

I spoke too soon.

You'll remember that I wrote an entry lamenting the death of my first MP3 player and welcoming my newest into the world.

On Saturday morning, I took it upon myself to, among other things, rebuild/reformat some of the broken tech in the house. In the week leading up that day, I had repaired a bricked Mac mini, salvaged a PC from the depths of malware hell (almost like Orpheus), and even took apart an alarm clock.

On that Saturday, I repaired the broken whammy bar on my Rock Band guitar (it was simpler than thought), got my brother's ZEN to boot up (unfortunately, it was only momentary), and cleaned out my PS3 of the 10 GBs of photos I meant to sort out (mostly from the Maiden concert).

The crowning jewel of my day, however, was bringing my Zen Vision:M back to life.

I have no idea how I did this, though. The first time I tried to do this, I wiped its firmware and reloaded the current firmware but to no avail. I did this on Saturday morning and was readying myself for let down but, after some time (I had left the Vision:M on the boot screen) it booted to the menu you see above.

To be honest, I was amazed.

I now have 30 GBs of portable storage as well as an MP3 player for the car now! Goodbye CDs, hello archaic friend.

Saturday 10 January 2009

Zen

When my Creative Zen Vision:M died about a year and a half ago, I was saddened by that loss. I lost a 32GB music player as well as a companion in my everyday life, being there for me when I needed it. It sang me to sleep, it told me stories on walks to school, and it kept me sane on long stretches on boredom.

I borrowed my brother's Creative Zen for about half a year. It served me well, although it didn't have the biggest of capacities. Those 4GB of storage did well in trying to serve the same purpose but it came up short. It died in October which is, ironically enough, my brother's birthday month. It survived many scratches and many incidents of dropping and for that I am grateful.

Yesterday, I made a decision to buy my own 16GB Creative Zen. After trying Best Buy (they did not have the 16GB model in stock), I headed to Futureshop. For about $215 (tax included), I scored a fitting replacement for my Zen Vision:M. The silicon case I bought for it set me back about $22. It was slimmer and much smaller with an easier-to-use interface as well as a slot for SD cards. I've loaded it up with music and I'm quite happy. I'm hoping this one will last longer than the other two have; I'm taking precautionary measures to make sure it does.

Next up, nice headphones! Any suggestions?

Tuesday 6 January 2009

One Year Later

As it turns out, today is my blog's birthday, so to speak. I really don't have anything to say regarding the matter. I guess it's because I just woke up. It's funny though, reading through the old blog entries. I've gone from long entries of deep thought to shorter ones that ordinary people would write to sonnets and back to long entires of deep thought. I still face the issues I faced a year ago. The cast is different but what does that really mean? It's all the same... I guess some things never change, eh?

No "profound" or "deep" entry from me today; I just hope I can sustain another year of blogging.