The Collective Atom Bank

I'm currently experiencing a "grey phase," where black, white, and the shades/tints inbetween have been playing a prominent role in my works. I suppose I've found a combination of things I'm satisfied with (of course, at the moment): bold/solid grey presence coupled with an Old Style typeface (Goudy OS is always a winner) in a clean, near-minimalist setting.

In short, the business card is going well.

This is amazing.

But, to be honest, I cannot truly call it a great day until this is over and we do not revert back to policies of inequality in a state I still proudly call home.

I definitely don't have the most interesting life. I'd even go as far as to say much of it is filled with mediocrity, caution, and general prudence. I've never gotten drunk/wasted because I don't really like alcoholic drinks (save for fruity ones, and even then...). I don't fly to exotic places on a whim and have never traveled out of the country; and if I should ever do so (hey, I never said I didn't want to), I'd only meander through the side streets of villages in the countryside. I don't like to plan my days out when it comes to leisure—what point is it, then, to call it leisure when you're rushing feverishly to tourist spots. Actually, I don't like the idea of meticulously planning something fun or pleasurable, do you? It's like wearing your best Sunday clothes to go dirtbiking. I don't understand it.

Which kind of leads me to my latest diatribe: vacationing. Now, the last time I had a proper vacation was probably well over ten years ago when I stayed at my aunt and uncle's for what felt like the entire summer. Went swimming practically everyday and I don't remember getting up before than 9:00am. The family went wherever we wanted and whenever it was convenient--we didn't try to jam activities during the stay. And for some reason, to me that's why it was so memorable (the good kind of memorable).

Where I can only recall that one example of a good vacation, I can think of dozens that can categorically be defined as disasters. Places that should've been fun just weren't, and I think the commonality shared between all these "bad" vacations were just the lack of time we had to actually enjoy it. Las Vegas is supposed to be fun; Yosemite is supposed to be fun; San Francisco, Washington D.C., New York, and a myriad of other places—these are supposed to yield high enjoyment and low stress. But as I've come to know them, it seems that the opposite is true. It was always about rushing and going here or there because things happened to be "here or there". And sure, I'd like to see some of these things, but not all in a few days or a week.

My optimal time to allot for a vacation? Probably as much as possible. Weeks, months, but a one week or less will not do for me. Nevermind the fact that it may take a day or two to get acclimated with time differences, jetlag, and changes in the weather—everyone wants to do a variety of things because, for some reason, we fear that it's the only chance we're going to get. I'll grant you the fact that there's no time like the first time (ha!), but if you hold off on some items on your checklist, you won't strain your body and mind trying to come up with the contingency plans you should have designed before departing. In a seemingly mile-long line waiting for a gyro. Also, this will give you the excuse to come back in the future.

For the small trips, that is. The issue of money cannot be ignored, though, which limits the amount of time we can spend away from the comforts of home. Instead of continuing to save up for that big trip in a couple of years, we leave little time between vacations that--while covering the general expenses of travel and stay--otherwise feels as though you may as well be back at your 9 to 5. You wake up at 6 in the morning to catch the sunrise, have an authentic native breakfast, go see some ruins, et cetera. Wait until you're too exhausted back in the hotel room to be able to do anything except worry that you won't get enough sleep for tomorrow if you don't go to bed now. You never truly get any downtime because what should be downtime is filled with anticipation and anxiety over what you've left to do.

Actually, that 9 to 5 is starting to look pretty good right about now.

I guess it's easy for me to say because I'm a fairly lazy person as it is, and find that traveling is often the biggest detractor for a vacation (unless travel itself is vacationing, i.e. backpacking or driving cross-country). Maybe it is because I've been on too many planes since going to college (whether they've been trips back home or to relatives') and maybe I've taken too many trips to Las Vegas in my life, but the thought of packing up and leaving my bed (I enjoy sleep, what can I say?) to places that won't give me enough time, or the frame of mind to control what I can, is a turnoff. (Plus I live fairly close, but barring this example my sentiment would be the same). I guess I just feel compelled to experience what it would be like to walk around as if I've always lived in these places, which requires not only time but the conscious rejection of a tourist mentality. And dealing with domestic destinations is a lot easier compared to vacationing abroad, as when it comes to areas around you (being geographically closer, of course) there is a certain freedom and ease based on accessibility. I can imagine that going through customs in your country and in another must suck, especially in, dare I say, times like these.

It bothers me that some people find nationality to be a prerequisite for a relationship (platonic or otherwise). I don't mean it in way that demeans who we are or our heritage, of course, but I get the feeling (or rather, I strongly believe) that there are too many people that think that just because we share one thing in common (read: something that should have nothing to do with how we choose our company) that we should obligate others or ourselves to commit to each other. This is likely a major contributor to what is known, of course, as "serial adding".

This is why I believe my circle of friends is so small and not at all far-reaching, as it's hard to be buddy-buddy with someone just because "hey, we're of the same ethnic group" or something simplistically ridiculous like that. It's as if I'm supposed to overlook the fact that we've never even had a face-to-face meeting, we share no other commonalities that would support any sort of relationship other than a professional one (assuming we even have business in common).

That's not to say I'm not open to meeting new people; I love meeting people. But I have a strong aversion to going about it like this, out of the blue. Given the nature of Facebook, to accept a new "friend" would entail giving them access to rather personal information unless you've filtered it or just took it off your profile altogether. An argument would be that in putting such information in a "public" forum/network you automatically invite others to view/access it, and while I agree with the general sentiment (pretty strongly, actually), if you have the ability to control/curb the viewing audience, then that's just more power to you—use it (or don't) as you please. Perhaps I am at fault for not preparing my own profile for outsiders, but that's only because I never had (and still don't have) any intention of letting in people other than those I know or have actually had prior communication with (in one way or another).

At times it feels like a fickle situation, and sometimes I worry as to how I come off in rejecting Facebook's friendship invitations. In the end, though, I've come to the conclusion that it doesn't really matter—I don't even know the guy.

I must say that I'm so glad Boston's getting a break from the oppressive humidity (as it has been for some weeks). I feel a cold developing and, well... that's never good, especially in the middle of summer.

One of the greatest aspects about living in Boston is the fact that even in the summer the weather can drastically change, something I would have only expected during the winter months back home (if even). I'm loving the thunderstorms and the pouring rain that's coming through right now (though I like those in general as a rather hopeful-but-hopeless romantic). Good music, nice lighting, and feeling slightly better about myself after finally doing something physically exerting other than going on 5-hour walks in and around the city.

I don't know, but I must say I'm enjoying life right about now, though that could be the song. Actually, credit should probably be given to the songs on my DAP for making me feel this way.

(Ah, and about the tags... "I Love Life" is a wonderful song off of a wonderful album, which I can't help but referencing every time I feel this way...)

The shot glass award next to a sentimental bottle of root beer makes me seen like some sort of... alcoholic--I keep noticing.

On a different note, I should take more walks on Beacon Hill on Sundays, where apparently it's customary(?) to leave stuff (shelves, luggage, electronics, etc.) on the sidewalk? That kind of a system is not new to me, but it seemed odd to see so many good things discarded when I went through last weekend, mainly how such a practice contrasted greatly to the prestige Beacon Hill has for being the multi-million dollar kind of neighborhood that it is. Or at least how I've been picturing it. Pictures seem appropriate for what I'm talking about, and they shall be taken next time for I've remembered to put the memory card in the camera.

But at the moment there is so much going on (just started working, summer courses starting next week, need to move out), and I'm growing increasingly uncomfortable using this thing for personal entries; not just because of privacy issues (I'll likely lock it from now on) but the very nature of how it's not handwritten (which by now should be obvious I have a great appreciation for).

As an update to sort of everything, I find that at the moment I'm kind of lacking pieces to go into my creative portfolio. However,the fortunate part is that the classes I'm currently taking and the creative advertising-related extracurricular activities are providing more work for me to add. Of course, the unfortunate part to that is me having to wait until the end of the semester to compile the best work I have, despite my great desire to actually make the portfolio by hand.

This and a little guidance from Computer Arts Projects is having me do things I had never considered before. My interest is expanding from digital art into actual craft work, which is a little frightening because growing up I had very little interest in it, if at all. Now I've got the X-acto blade in my desk drawer and 5"x7" poster boards I had cut at Blick; the most damning evidence of this new transformation is the blender Ad Marker, which is a substitute for the Goof Off from the linked blog post above. I hardly knew (and still barely know) just what exactly it is other than the fact that (a) it transfers laser prints in a fantastic manner, and (b) it requires a lot of ventilation. It's a solvent, it turns out.

Anyway, my creative interests seem a world apart from my finance concentration (however, I am technically pursuing an advertising minor) and such an aspect might be the only thing that keeps me sane only because you can only fail in so many other things. To be honest, this post is driven by a comp logo I had just finished for a class.

(As a side note, titling posts has become confusing to me in that I'm unsure whether I usually keep them lowercased or use proper title case.... I do like to title posts I consider somwhat important, though, so that's a constant.)

In no universe will there ever be a "good side" to being poor other than an appreciative/bitter perspective and the drive to never be so again (something which is so fleeting unto itself).

I'd just like to highlight how livid/animated I can become--just as others can--when it comes to politics. Particularly today when someone was asked why they liked a particular candidate in the upcoming election (well, primary at least). What was their answer? "I don't know." Mind you this was aired to a room of fifty people, and considering the fact that voting is especially critical this time around I've become worried.

It was the stupidest political comment I've yet heard in college. It was almost the stupidest thing I had heard in college (which is very sad and indicative of the state of things).

Now, I'm all for different stances and everything (even if we may disagree), but it's just this kind of attitude/lack of research I can't stand. How can you vote for someone without knowing anything their stances on the issues? I imagine he could have put in some sort effort to his response, but no, he didn't fucking know why he liked this one particular presidential candidate.

Upon hearing that, I instantly lost a bit of faith and gained a bit more cynicism over the thought that responses like this will result in another four years lost (irreparable damage not included).