themediamademecrazy.com

today i got decked out in my mit best, brass rat, brass belt buckle, and sweatshirt. i had an exam in statistics that i really wanted to ace so i tried to put myself in the right mindset and clothing. i went in and was done in about 45 minutes. i was the first to leave and the professor commented, “that was fast.” but i did the exam, i didn’t know what else to do and i wasn’t going to sit there reading the textbook.

i got a cup of coffee and relaxed for a minute. i went to the bus stop and as soon as the bus came, a lovely little old man turned to me and said…

“mit, that’s the best school in the country! best school in the world!”

i said…

“i know!”

i hope i passed my exam.

stacked outside doheny library:

sometimes you’re happy
and sometimes you cry

half of me is ocean
and half of me is sky.

–Tom Petty “Walls”

recently i have been attending yoga at yoga circle in lovely downtown los angeles. although i have a gym in my building, the experience of walking through downtown, and entering a space designed to be an oasis from the urban hustle and bustle.

during the final pose of the day, savasana, we are encouraged to let the mind release all daily thoughts and meditate. during yesterdays savasana, i realized something.

all urban noise has a definite meaning: a car horn, sirens, screeching tires, people screaming, subway tracks, etc. each of these individuals sounds can be constructed to create a story of the environment without any visual stimulus whatsoever. alternatively, natural sounds are delightfully devoid of meaning. Wind through trees, a babbling brook, the sound of feet crunching leaves underneath. although these sounds may have meaning, they are not designed with an intention in mind. they allow for any and all meaning to be placed on them.

so listen to something natural, and derive some meaning (sensical or not). its good for the mind and soul. personally i like the jazz styles of the fountain in my yoga studio.

With the capture of Warren Jeffs, head of the Fundamental Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS), the discussion was raised as to how polygamy can affect the population at large. Generally speaking, I feel that what consenting adults choose to do is there problem, however, the fact that he was arrange marriages between older men and 14-year-olds is pretty disturbing. However, the issue I want to raise is the abandonment of young men in order to eliminate the competition from the older members of the community. This behavior is common in elephant seals where the “bachelors” are ostracized from the herd and may never get the chance to mate. If this is prevalent in nature, what is the best solution to deal with it in human society? Once again, “the limiting factor is females” (Dawkins), and I feel that the community would serve as an excellent example for the mating habits of humans and the human demand to detach itself from primal urges.