The Short Life of a Cicada (& Me)

If I ever write a novel, I want it to be of this same title. Apparently, a cicada lives for one summer and 7 years buried underground. That is a long time. In that one crucial summer, the cicada lives by hanging on to apartment windows and crying out for everyone to hear. While their difficult life does stir pity, it's hard to feel bad for them when they're constantly crying out (very loudly, I might add) at odd hours of the day and night. They accomplish very little and the cycle starts all over again.

Lately I haven't been able to fall asleep (not due to the cicada, don't worry). I've mostly been thinking into the wee hours of night until I finally fall asleep. Humans on average live more than 60 years, some even to a 100 years. That's much longer than a cicada's lifespan. However, when we die, how many of us are remembered? In death, we are no different from a cicada even though the opportunity that we have is incomparable.

I want to accomplish something, I'm not sure what yet. I don't really care for fame or riches (just enough to occasionally splurge on Kate Spade and TopShop), but to be remembered positively for something that I did. Even now, I really hope that some people in this world were uplifted or happier because of me. 

Let's change the world together. Let's take advantage of the fact that we've been born humans and not cicadas. How sad would it be to the end life the very same way as a cicada with people simply grumbling about the ruckus they caused.  

Brilliant, Adventure Time!

Since I've been in Korea, I've been falling way behind on TV. I finished rewatching six seasons of Gossip Girl before I got here but I have no way of watching other TV like the new season of Project Runway or my favorite, Adventure Time. Yesterday, late last night, I couldn't sleep so I caught up on 3 episodes of Adventure Time through online streaming. I wish I had written 3 whole posts about each episode but a las. Season 6 is back on point! I am so excited about the upcoming episodes after some disappointing ones.

I will always be advocating Adventure Time so just in case you forgot, here's a short little paragraph explaining why I enjoy this show.

I started watching Adventure Time four years ago as a freshman. I was captivated by the art and the characters even if it felt like my intelligence was going down. I'd dabbled in some other Cartoon Network shows but none of them really captured me like Adventure Time. I wasn't a serious watcher until sophomore or junior year. I'm not really sure when the surging love for Adventure Time took place but I'm sure it was somewhere between season 4 and season 5. Season 5 was amazing in every single way.

We all have a childish side that we repress at most times. Maybe that was the first hook to my long term love with Adventure Time. As I matured, the show was maturing with me. There was such smart dialogue and quirky, fun lessons that were extremely profound. The characters that were so one sided had such an intricate backstory.

I hated most of the characters at first and watched mainly for the art. I'm not sure why but this show struck me as such a boy's show and something that I shouldn't be watching. However, over time, there is a side of empathy that just makes you feel for the characters, like Ice King or Marceline.

Adventure Time is always able to fit a story of epic proportions into a neat little 10-12 min slot. I appreciate the way you can watch any episode out of order. There are some key episodes but the facts we glean from them aren't necessary to understand the next episode. This really encouraged me to continue watching through the stressful years of sophomore, junior, and well senior. Other TV shows were just too much of a hassle to keep watching for 45-60 mins every week. It's overwhelming when you have ten or eleven episodes you suddenly need to catch up on. With Adventure Time, there is never that burden.

You grow with the characters and find such thoughtful meaningful advice tucked in this strange, post apocalyptic world. I was disappointed in most of season 6 because it seemed like the producers/writers/everyone at Adventure Time were working too hard. The beauty of this show is that it feels so effortless and that after a 10 min adventure, you have learned something profound. It's a sudden realization that is slowly built through dialogue and plot that isn't always harping at you with every scene change. The fun and moving aspects of the show are back in harmony and I cannot be happier.

Walking in Familiarity

Hello again! It's quiet evenings like this where I really wish I brought Alfonso (my macbook) along. My grandma's computer is so loud and my grandparents sleep so early, but for now this will have to suffice. 

The rainy season has started in Korea and it's much more tolerable than the heat. Today I enjoyed an evening walk with my grandma under the foliage of tall trees and already blooming flowers. My umbrella was quivering under the pressure of such pitter patter as we walked along the mossy stones and pavement alike. It was really wonderful just to be there with my grandma and reflect on past, present, and future. I used to live with her when I was a child and she raised me before I left for the US. She's perhaps the most important person in my life and there was nothing better than strolling outside. In moments where there was nothing to say, the rain provided such rich ambiance. By the end of our walk, my arms and legs were dripping rain water and rain had seeped into my shoes. My socks were damp and pressed to my feet. It was uncomfortable and kind of cold but rewarding in a sense. There's something special about just sitting/walking whilst nature is taking its course. I really do need to spend more time absently reflecting outside.

We have become people who hate everything about the word "natural." Sure the words natural and organic sell when going to a grocery store or buying cosmetics, but deep down we have become so estranged to everything that is natural. The food industry really disappoints me and oftentimes, I want to run away and live on a farm and make sure food is being grown (I used the word developed at first, that's how estranged I've become) in a humane way. We are what we eat, and so far that includes a lot of chemically enhanced corn.  

I decided to stop using my grandpa's phone on the bus. It's about a 30 min ride one way to my class so I've been perusing Facebook and catching up on news. While that too is important, there was something inexpressible about observing the surroundings and taking the short time to be mindful.

I was very torn on which orientation group I wanted to be part of. Half of me wanted to do a more rigorous outdoor canoeing/hiking orientation group. I missed out on the camping trip that is available to 50 random seniors so it sounded like a fun opportunity. However, I'm not much of a hiker and I don't own any gear whatsoever. I was late to register especially since I'm here in Korea at the moment. The outdoor groups are very small and so when I went to register they were already gone. Luckily enough, my second choice (the one I was torn between) was still available! So now I'm all set to go wander around farms and learn about food productivity and how to be sustainable. I can't even tell you how excited I am for it! 

College is coming very soon. I have about half a month left and then I'm shipped off to Massachusetts. I'm nervous but excited at the same time. My mom just left for the States and it's the first time I've ever been anywhere so long by myself. It's good practice for when I'm in somewhere unfamiliar, unlike my grandma's house. 

I guess we've already established that I'm not like most people in how I think, act, or behave so here's a little list of the things I'm MOST looking forward to come August 22. 

1. Having a little room that is fully half mine. I can't remember if I put that I wanted a single or not. I really wouldn't mind either way. I'm so excited to have a little sanctuary, a home away from home. I sort of have an idea of what I want to decorate said room with but I'm going in with an open mind and a willingness to embrace anything. 

2. Just budgeting my time my own way. Maybe to some people this means constant parties and whatnot, but to me it means something completely different. It means that I can listen to jazz and eat crackers next to Alfonso (he loves crackers too) inbetween class or just wander off to a bookstore at 5pm without telling anyone. I can skip meals or indulge haha (more likely) and do as much yoga as I want without bothering anyone. 

3. Classes! Although I have tentatively signed up for class from 9-4 everyday... I'm looking forward to a new way of learning and only taking classes that I want to (horticulture yo). 

4. Meeting new people! :D I'm kind of worried about making friends. I wasn't worried before but after being in Korea I'm kind of worried. I haven't made any friends in either of my chinese classes. Sure I can smile and laugh with them during class, but I've never had much of a personal conversation with anyone. I just think back to open campus though (when I visited in April) and it's a way more reassuring feeling.