CULTURESPAWN

Life Lesson #4

2009-09-09T22:32:00.000-07:00

Wisdom from Thomas Alva Edison:

“Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration. Seeming to do is not doing.”

Discipline Sans Cilice

2009-09-09T22:22:00.000-07:00

A week or so ago, I had a conversation with a very good friend about what is lacking in his life (and mine), and what the missing pieces can be chalked up to. After being predictably self-pitying for a bit regarding our futures, our financial statuses, our social happiness, and our senses of fulfillment, we hung up.

The next time we spoke, we had both come to the same conclusion: the missing piece is self-discipline.

Self-discipline comes in many shapes and sizes; some people snap a rubber band to rid themselves of bad habits, while others wear cilices to purge their souls. I’m not a masochist-- at least, not a physical one (I think we all have inherently masochistic tendencies that make it common to flock toward drama despite disliking it, but I digress). My self discipline needs to come from routine.

Of late, I’ve been struggling several inconsistencies in my life borne of anxiety. My whole life is stretching in front of me, and I am inundated (and overwhelmed) by choices. What is my next step? Where should I go? I want as many options open to me as possible as I step forward into the world on my own. The clock is ticking, however, and I feel like Monk wringing his hands over a warehouse of misaligned and mixed-up day-of-the-week paraphernalia. There’s just too much to do, the task is intimidating, and I just don’t know where to begin (even though it’s bothering me to no end).

I lack discipline. I start projects and take far too long to finish them. For instance, my room has been emptied for a week because I’ve decided to attempt a sort of minimalist lifestyle, but I have yet to sort through things and keep, sell, donate, or trash all of them-- by the by, I will be selling some rather cool things (Katana sets, anyone? Mannequin? A dragon mirror?) very soon, if anyone is interested.

I lack discipline to throw myself into the projects that make me anxious-- rather than getting things done, I am Chili Pepper (el perro) chasing my tail. Take a look at Life Lesson #4, because I think this best summarizes it; being busy does not mean things are accomplished, and I wish to change that.

For a while now, I’ve started to experiment with structure and routine. I know I’m supposed to be youthfully spontaneous, and I am regarding things that don’t stress me. Stress management by being an old lady with a pocketbook schedule has become a priority, however, because I don’t want to worry where my life is going every step of the way. I want to see the road stretched in front of me rather than drive blindly off a cliff, à la Thelma and Louise (I’m feeling quite metaphorically inclined today).

Right now, I’m trying to regulate my sleep hygiene (little phrase I just learned today from my brilliant doc). [Note: Sleep hygiene is an interesting concept; you can find more information on it here.] Next, I’m going to focus on my environment and making it conducive to getting things accomplished (let’s say ‘git-’er done’ is today’s utterly random and completely off-topic colloquialism, simply because I like the sound of it) by decluttering and simplifying and maybe getting some sort of plant (I trust 'Nicholas Angel's' word that peace lily oxygenation is good for you; kudos to you for knowing the reference).

Hopefully, with enforced and conscious discipline in various aspects of my life, I’ll be able to achieve long-term goals and relax more. I’ll finish more because I’ll be less intimidated by the tasks at hand.

After setting up structure, I would ideally never procrastinate again. I think that’s the best way to make it into comic books or mythology, however, because I have never known a human to not procrastinate in some regard (sometimes, we need breaks!).

Now, everyone, raise your hand if you’re in the same boat as me (anxious, worried, stressed, and/or overwhelmed)… don’t deny it, I know you are… But don’t worry, you’re part of the club.

Life Lesson #3

2009-09-04T23:56:00.000-07:00

Wisdom from Kurt Vonnegut:

"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"

--from Timequake

Shahri (Urban)

2009-09-04T23:25:00.000-07:00

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hos-22/ / CC BY 2.0

I’m well and truly excited for an art exhibit in Los Angeles. From the Streets of Iran: Works on paper by urban artists in Iran is going to be an interesting display of graffiti and urban artwork from artists doing what is blatantly illegal in the fundamentalist country. The exhibition, curated by Shervin Shahbazi, is the first of its kind in the United States (the artists' works have previously been shown in Europe and Australia).

Graffiti is a great platform for instant public exposure that has the potential to be hugely detrimental to a political regime; even the Romans knew of the powerfuln effects of the painted word made by the people, accessible by the people in a public forum. I am interested to see what kind of artwork this produces in the context of the Iranian state.

In regard to this exhibit's USA debut, I say: Good Timing.

I use the word ‘allegedly’ before the word rigged with disdain when I speak of the tumultuous elections in Iran that caused so much grief earlier this year.

These events shook the Western World and opened a door to question propaganda practices and leadership through fear; I remember, whilst in London, opening a newspaper to learn that the Iranian embassy in Kensington was filming protesters outside its gates. Worries about this course of action ranged from worry (for those protesters’ families still residing in Iran potentially facing retribution) to things as mundane as confiscated passports. Westerners were indignant and furious initially, and things grow more silent as we slowly forget the events, month after month.

Time to make things relevant again and, perhaps, see Iranian life and problems illustrated from the point of view of someone in its streets.

The exhibition runs from September 10th through September 26th.

Crewest is at
110 Winston St.
Los Angeles, CA 90013

For more information (artists’ mini-bios, gallery hours, etc.), click HERE.

2009-09-04T13:02:00.000-07:00

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Life Lesson #2

2009-09-03T23:56:00.000-07:00

Wisdom from Tristan:

Making a significant change in your life is as simple as making the decision to change. Make no excuses, just do something rather than plotting every potential course of action-- over thinking anything will not get it done.

Street Fighter and Stir-Fry

2009-09-03T23:32:00.000-07:00

Cheapskate dates with friends sound really good right now.

Dinner and a movie on a Friday night is perfect and low-key. If you host, everyone can pitch in three or four dollars to make a really easy meal. You can rent (or probably already own) a horrible movie to laugh about over food-- something you and your friends don’t really mind if you talk over.

I’m making your life easier by giving you a half-hour recipe. I know, I’m awesome and amazing and all that.

Plus, cooking is a life skill that you will never regret learning. Just watch your fingers during the food preparation (no one wants a Wendy's case at a dinner party).

To make this recipe cheaper, replace fresh veggies with store-brand frozen ‘stir-fry’ veggies.

Bad movie recommendation: I recently had the pleasure of watching Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li. This film is worth viewing for the god-awful Chris Klein acting ('You've just inherited a big problem!' says Nash) and endless wisecrack opportunities. And it sort of keeps with the American-bastardized Asian theme of the meal. It was either the most fun I’ve had mocking a movie, or one of the worst 90-minute sequences I’ve ever spent in my life.

Enjoy.
---------------

Chilied Stir-fry (the Rachel Recipe)
Serves 4 or so

Protein
EITHER 2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts, OR 1 package tofu (for all you vegetarians out there).

Vegetables
2 small bell-peppers (seeded, cored, and sliced-- different colors, if you prefer)
1 cup sprouts
1 cup carrots (thinly sliced)
1 medium-sized onion (sliced into thin wedges)
2 cups broccoli florets

Carbs
about 2 cups uncooked rice-- if you're expecting heavy eaters, make 3. (You can always save leftover rice for the next day as long as you reheat it well enough).

Seasoning
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce (found next to soy sauce at most supermarkets)
chili powder (amount is purely based on preference).
1/2 teaspoon salt

Other
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons cooking oil (canola is great for this)

----------------
1. Find a large bowl for the rice (it should fill less than half of the bowl, otherwise you'll see overflow). Add 1 and 3/4 cups water for each cup of rice you've used. Add the salt. Leave uncovered and cook on high for 10 minutes.

2. Prepare the protein. Cut chicken or tofu into 1/2-inch thick strips, and add chili powder. The easiest way to do this is to put the chicken in a baggie and sprinkle on the powder, shaking the chicken/tofu until it is covered evenly (you might need to use your fingers to massage out any clumps). Two teaspoons will ensure your stir-fry is mild. If you want more, add more, but be wary-- when you start measuring in multiple tablespoons, you're in dangerous territory.

3. Heat cooking oil in a large skillet or wok, and add the chicken. Make sure you continually turn the chicken or tofu-- cooking too long on one side and it will dry out. Keep it moving.

4. Check on your rice. Don't stir it, but give it a rest for a moment or two... it will be going back into the microwave to cook, uncovered, on medium-low for 15 minutes.

3. When the chicken is no longer pink (or the tofu has browned), add carrots, onions, broccoli, and bell peppers. Add the soy sauce and the water. Keep the contents of the wok in motion-- don't let it sit still for more than 20 seconds!

4. Add sprouts when the water has half-evaporated. Continue frying until the water has fully evaporated, and add hoisin sauce for a few final tosses.

5. Fluff rice, and serve both up.

Life Lesson #1

2009-09-02T23:09:00.000-07:00

Wisdom from my mother:

Trying your hand and failing at something is much different than trying something new, working hard at it, and realizing it's not right for you (i.e. if something lacks any sort of sense of accomplishment or satisfaction either in the process or end result of said endeavor).

That being said, if one is certain that completion of something will contribute to health, happiness, knowledge, or quality of life, if at first you don't succeed, try again. As many times as it takes.

Keeping the Hinges Oiled

2009-09-02T23:05:00.001-07:00

I preface this entry by saying I am not donning the irritating cape of self-righteousness when I speak of the best ways to live life. My words are intended to help with bettering lifestyles, using what we have been given. If you're like me, money, time, and energy are all in short supply.

As I am the Queen of the realms of Downtime and Laziness, I’ve come to the conclusion that spending what free time I have in front of the television or computer and generally being mindless is causing my brain to slowly corrode. I can’t seem to let go of either, however-- I’ve been sucked into the addictive maws of CSI and Burn Notice and about five other shows.

I’ve sold my soul to media, as I’m sure many of us have.

I’ve found a solution, however-- there are countless preachy articles and informative pieces available to anyone that has access to Google about the importance of an active lifestyle. I’ll argue that physical activity is necessary to a degree, but giving up the relaxation-time things we love isn’t necessary.

My solution? Knitting. I knit while I watch television or stream Fullmetal Alchemist online (I fully admit to being a nerd). I’ve started making jewelry, just experimenting with beads I had from some kit I received as a birthday gift when I was eight (I fully admit to also being a packrat). In doing these things and pursuing what random interests I’ve had in the course of my life, I’ve found a deep satisfaction in accomplishing something new and creating something useful.

Now I can make an afghan as a gift for someone, with my undivided attention for my television as the main cost. Or I can make jewelry for myself. It’s especially nice to know that I can turn a profit from doing my downtime crafts on websites like Etsy or Ebay.

It doesn’t only extend to making things. I am taking the time to learn guitar properly. As I watch my beloved old movies, I put forth the effort to look up film criticisms and hunt for homages and technical details many people rarely notice. I feel like I’m growing even as I enjoy myself.

The moral of the story is simply that all interests should be nurtured. Excuses like ‘not having the time’ are rarely valid-- what little time is available to these bumblebees is squandered on rot. Interests and learning have a way of paying off later in life, whether you turn a profit from making painted lampshades or you simply can hold your own in an in-depth conversation about quantum physics.

There are never any regrets in trying too much; there will always be regrets in not having done enough. Explore like you’re four or five again-- children have a way of wanting to try anything and everything. Perhaps this bright-eyed outlook is something to emulate (although it’s encumbent upon me to stress that coloring the walls with crayon scribbles is generally not a good idea; toilet training is also a particularly nice, adult thing to maintain). Learn, and it will always be worthwhile.

Related to tonight’s post is also Life Lesson #1.

RANT: Internet Etiquette

2009-08-11T22:26:00.000-07:00

Dear Internet,

Thank you for the anonymity you provide. We can pursue every embarrassing interest we have in relative security, safe in the knowledge that our love for Harry Potter FanFiction, hentai, or Lazy Town will never be known to the people that matter. We all have skeletons in our closet, I guess... and we shouldn't really judge... BUT...

Thanks as well for making us the socially awkward people that we are-- you have become so inclusive of everything that we no longer have the courage to, or knowledge how to, meet people outside of your realm. Of course, this means the 'relationship' Joe Stereotype-Geek has built up with Danielle, that stunning 24 year-old blonde in Wyoming, is actually 13 year-old Dan's invention to embarrass the nerd next door.

Oh, yeah, and thanks for taking the time to give us a little fake mustache and glasses when we comment to humiliate those YouTube gems that have so little talent they make our ears bleed. Thanks for any forum you give us that allows us to verbally abuse people so we can feel a touch better about ourselves.

Cheers to turning us all into taunting five-year-olds sans moral compass.

Love ya, Interwebz,
Rachie

The internet gives us a Potter-esque invisibility cloak in the world, but I fail to see why this suddenly allows us to behave disrespectfully toward others. Let's put it this way-- the internet is a public place. We are faceless, bodiless entities in a digital world, free to pursue any avenue of choice.

Why, then, do we choose to have horrid manners? Anonymity provides privacy in what is a public forum. ANYONE with access can join you where you are, but no one knows who you are. People respect that privacy. When you abuse the anonymity, however, why should it be respected?

Let's be honest. How many times do you see nasty comments and abuse on any given forum or site? I don't understand why; if I'm walking down the street, there certainly aren't people swearing at me left, right, and down center. When I walk down the street, people don't scream at street performers (regardless of talent) and call them useless wastes of space. If I'm out with my friends, they will not tease me in front of strangers about scandalous things.

The point is this: when interacting with others on the internet, why do we not treat them with the respect and courtesy we normally would in person? This a simple exploitation of the faceless nature of the net.

I sincerely doubt that, meeting someone off the street (excluding those in the oldest profession, I suppose), you'd instantly ask them to see their breasts... Unless you were Joe Francis at Mardi Gras, which, let's face it, you're not.

The internet is a public place; we should behave as we would if the world could see you. Truthfully, the world can. We've all gotten the lectures on Facebook profile-checking and internet screening for jobs, so someone is watching us if we take a wrong step. Ultimately, though, we should do it to dissipate the obnoxious behavior that permeates the internet we know and love. We could make it so much more enjoyable for everyone...

And if you need a place to vent, go to an insult forum, or start your own. Just be prepared to get as good as you give... could be a good reminder that insulting doesn't make you better than anyone.

Preacher Rachel's rant = finished.

LIT LOVER: Barnes&Noble Discoveries

2009-08-08T20:18:00.001-07:00

I'm a reader, through and through. I'm curious about anything and everything, and have a great love of bookshops-- I can browse for hours and not get bored, flipping through any books that catch my eye.

I happened upon the Discover Great New Writers pamphlet from Barnes&Noble last weekend, and while I'm sure many people are aware of this quarterly publication, I thought I'd highlight a few novels that looked intriguing and worth splurging on (books are usually my 'treat' item).

I'll definitely be reading The Unit: A Novel, by Ninni Holmqvist. I have a great deal of respect for authors like Ray Bradbury and Margaret Atwood; both authors illustrate such a potentially frightening future and manage to perfectly outcome the effects of humanity in future 'progressive' and 'utopian' states. Holmqvist is reviewed as potentially being one of the next generation of authors to alert us to the potential directions of our society, and this tale of a society that determines personal value by age and success in personal and professional life promises to be chilling à la 1984.

John the Revelator: A Novel, by Peter Murphy seems to be an interesting character study of a boy's introduction to something other than his strict Catholic upbringing as he comes of age. I like that there seems to be a huge emphasis on differentiation between morality and faith, and it could be an interesting read whether you are devout or irreligious (ideally, it will be a mind-opening read with views from either side of the fence). Plus, it seems to be an interesting illustration of an impoverished Irish lifestyle.

I like story collections-- they offer me a chance to get a complete an entire tale in whatever length of time I have available. This is ideal for days that I have entirely too much work to do or am utterly and completely exhausted; reading is relaxing, but some days, I just can't finish whatever I'm perusing, and I hate going for lengths of time between story segments. Lydia Peelle's Reasons for and Advantages of Breathing: Stories looks like the ideal bedside or bathtub read for the start of the busy fall. Perhaps she's one of the few authors who can pack worlds of emotion into very little space; Kafkaesque in ability, but placed in the real-world with scenarios to empathise with.

If you want to check out the Discover author and book profiles, click here, or you can just go pick up a pamphlet the next time you're in one of the bookstores. All of the selections for this entry were found in the Fall '09 Seasonal Picks.

I'll tell you how I felt about these if you tell me as well.

GET OUT: Getty Concert Series

2009-08-07T22:29:00.001-07:00

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/50794637@N00/ / CC BY 2.0

When you live in London for a year, you tend to get a bit jaded. There is so much to do at any given time, and a lot of it costs next to nothing. Museums are free, many events are free... I was dreading not having as much access in Los Angeles to good music, particularly since I can't afford to do much of it... I am, after all, a 'starving' student. London completely drained the coffers, and I am BROKE.

That's why I was surprisingly (and probably disproportionately) excited about the Getty Museum's Saturdays Off the 405. The shows are free, and admission to the Getty is always free, and in the afternoon, so is parking. My pockets have stopped sobbing temporarily, as I fully intend to take a picnic basket when I go. The acts really aren't bad, either; Cut Chemist is one notable performance that has already occurred this summer. Tomorrow's act, The Dodos, are a band I have truthfully heard nothing about; I do like the snippet that the Getty has posted as a sample. Cue a Wikipedia lookup and YouTube screening for this duo...

Anyway, tomorrow's show starts at 6pm. Make a day of it and see some French Revolutionary bronzes while you were there and ponder whether powdered wigs will ever make a comeback. Sprawl out in the sun in that spiffy garden they have. And if you can't make tomorrow's show, they have two more lined up on September 26 and October 10. Artists haven't been announced yet, but it's a good excuse to stop reading blog posts, get some sunshine, and learn some art history (which, contrary to popular belief, is not a completely BS subject).

Find more information on these concerts here.