A cluster of boulders sit just off the shores of Burlington Bay, Lake Ontario. They are strong and dark, and they cast reflective shadows on the lake. A single semi-submerged smaller boulder is separated from the group. Day after day, waves thrust at it yet it strongly remains, isolated from the others.
That lone rock does not make the photo look disproportionate, but rather adds to the beauty and uniqueness of the landscape. The rock causes the viewer to regard the larger boulders with more scrutiny, enhancing their appreciation of the photo in its entirety. The boulders look mighty and powerful, as if they have won many battles. The lake surrounds them, encompassing each inch of the solid. The lake’s waters are vast and never-ending. They seem a place to melt into your own happiness or sorrow, and let your fears and worries sink to the very bottom as you float away to a place of serenity.
I took this photo because I was intrigued by the outlier that was separate from the close collection of boulders. It was not a sunny day, but rather a mystical one, graceful and beautiful in its grayness. As a photographer, I had options of positioning the camera a certain way in order to capture either the vastness of the lake, or the rockiness continuity of the land. I chose the water, and it proved well in this photo.
In my opinion, noticing the silence and stillness of the landscape I realized how unappreciated this scene goes. Realized how many people must walk by this lake and not give the boulders a second glance. When admiring a landscape such as this one, one is reminded of the beauties of the world that so often go unnoticed, like a flourished sunflower, a towering tree, or a cluster of boulders just off the shore.
I wonder about happiness. The exploration of happiness may not be a worldwide challenge, but may rather be an individual curiosity. What is happiness? We take happiness for granted, associating it with the attainment of something or being somewhere in life. But what is the real, true meaning of happiness? Does it have a meaning? The term “being happy” is so broad that if asked of your happiness, the question seems overwhelming. You can be happy in the moment, or happy all your life. However, the things you do to be happy in the long run are made up of a serious of good, bad, and right actions. Quoting Gretchen Rubin, author of the Happiness Project, “Happiness is feeling good, feeling bad and feeling right, all in an atmosphere of growth.” I completely agree with that statement. Being happy is growing from your experiences, aiming for a goal, in the midst of good, bad, and right actions. A person’s happiness is not solely measured on their destination, but rather the journey they take. We would not be happy if we arrived at our goal instantaneously, nor would we be content striving with no goal. A melody’s goal is not to arrive at the last note, but the song would still not be the same if that last note wasn’t played. Gretchen Rubin’s book, The Happiness Project, really got me thinking about happiness. Rubin explores happiness, challenges the text book definition, and looks for ways to revise and heighten her happiness in all sectors of her life. Her book has taught me a number of lessons, but one really stuck with me. Happiness is growth. This lesson has been mentioned before but it is so important for it to be shared. Many people think happiness is arriving at something, being a certain kind of person, or having something. However, that is just another one of the misleading theories that pull us in the wrong direction. Happiness is the process, the journey to these goals. Rubin devises her “happiness project” and works on improving certain parts of herself to in turn make her happier. Inspired by her book, I tried this, and immediately, I felt better. Not because of the thrill I knew I would get after completing my happiness project, but just growing in that way and making myself happier. After reading 100 pages of Rubin’s book, I decided to put together my own happiness project. I worked out 12 traits that I could work on that could add to my happiness, including energy, friendship, work, fun, and the ethics. I decided to work on energy during the month of April, so I would have the discipline to pursue my harder resolutions in the months to come. For each trait I thought about mini-resolutions that would bring me to my goal. For example, for Energy, I said that I should: Sleep more, eat more fruit, get more fresh air, and get organised. Every day I look back on my resolutions to see which ones I have kept, and which ones I haven’t. One could ask me, are you happy? This was a question Rubin pondered too in her book, as am I. I am still the regular Imaan, I haven’t changed my life drastically, or put my footprint on the world. Was doing little things every day like getting more fresh air and eating more fruits really making me happier? I’ve heard many times that success is made up of the small things we do everyday, and that statement seems suitable for this situation. Through my own happiness project, I am able to consider myself, improve myself and make good decisions in an atmosphere of growth. So, yes I am happier. I am happy that I am working on my happiness. I am smiling because I am striving to achieve a truer smile. My happiness project, similar to Rubin’s, does not always make me feel happy. On the days when I am feeling bad, I berate myself for not following my resolutions. When I look back on my resolutions chart, and see the failed attempts to change some of my day-to-day action, my mood darkens. I will quote Rubin again, as she says, “Happiness doesn’t always make you feel happy”. It is the combination of the elements of goodness, disappointment and feeling right that define happiness. Through my happiness project, I know that I am also making other people happy. So pleased with my own project, I share my experiences with everybody I meet. I aim to inspire and motivate people to take on their own happiness project, so they can feel the intense satisfaction I do when I fulfil a resolution. There is a glow I have attained which shows my growth, and there is a distinct joy I extract from that growth. This blog post has given me happiness, for I am sharing my happiness project to those who are close to my heart. In the months to come, the goals to aim for, and the resolutions to meet, I do not hope for success, I only hope for progress. I hope to enjoy the process of striving to achieve a greater happiness.
What are you doing right now? Right, you're reading my blog. What else did you do today? Watch a movie, checked out some videos on YouTube, and surf the Internet. Have you ever felt like you don't have fun the old school ways?
We are in a technology era, and it is fabulous. We have the sleekest, most advanced computers, the best high definition televisions and the highest megabyte iPods. All of these new gadgets offer us entertainment, and most of us enjoy it. However, sometimes it is refreshing to pass your time doing something else that doesn't involve technology, like painting a picture or breaking into song. Many a time I have to remind myself of things I can do that don't involve a computer or a television, and maybe some other people have to remind themselves of that too. For this reason, I have put together a list of 10 fun things to do that are old-school and get you active, both physically and mentally.
1. Surprise a friend with an at-home visit-Nowadays, if you want to connect with a friend you can text them, call them, IM them, facebook them or email them. What happened to actually seeing them and talking to them with them right in front of you? This fun thing to do calls for you to surprise a friend by walking to their house and surprising them with your presence. You'll be shocked by how much they'll enjoy it. The person you are visiting will appreciate you taking effort to see them, and you being there will allow you to do things like go for a walk together, cook a meal, or take part in something going on in your neighbourhood together.
2. Get involved in your community!- Every community, big or small, always has public events for the neighbourhood. If you're feeling lazy one day, go on toronto.ca and check out what's going on in your community! There are workshops, events, dances, concerts, sports games and street fests. These events allow you to enjoy yourself on your own watch, by yourself or with friends and family! There are a wide range of activities that are available and there are also many facilities that parks and rec have to offer. Whether you are a single ready to mingle, a teen looking for something fun to do, or a family going on an outing, your community is bound to have something that will catch your interest.
3. Educational games-Now, although the name of this activity sounds dreary and tedious, they can actually be extremely intellectually stimulating and fun. A Rubik's cube, a puzzle, or sudoku use a different part of your brain that will increase your sharpness and better your logic. Some other educational games can include optical illusions, crosswords, trivia, chess and board games. Some people find educational games refreshing from the rest of their day because they are using a different part of their brain.
4.Plan an event-If you're tired at home, and have a lot of free days ahead of you, plan an event! Plan a party or a movie night, with friends or family! Get somebody to help you so you can plan it together, and come up with a theme for the event, the main activity, resources for food and refreshments, and decide where it will be. Everybody likes going to a party, or any other event, so they'll be sure to come. Want to be unique? Plan something out of the ordinary, like a rock-climbing party or a Hawaiian party in the dead of winter. The thrill of the party will have you on the tips of your feet, spilling with ideas. The reward? A good time with friends!
5. Read-Reading is one of the best and most productive use of your time. Reading allows you to step into someone else's shoes, learn about great leaders and events in history, enjoy a fictional story, acquire new knowledge, and so much more. There is literacy for every type of person. There are books, magazines, blogs, newspapers and articles that can be found for every interest. Read about an athlete you are amazed by, or a leader who you are inspired by. Read classic tales from time and time ago, as well as new stories by new authors. There is so much variety, so one cannot ever say that reading is boring, or that literacy is uninteresting. Through reading you can really enjoy yourself, and also learn new things.
6.Practice your passion-Everybody has a passion, whether they have realized it or not. . Your passion could be anything; from drawing sketches at night to looking at animals in a forest. Each person's passion is different, but the one thing they all have in common is that it's one of the person's favourite things to do. . Find your passion, and practice it every day. If it's art, paint a picture. If it's cooking, try and master some dishes. If it's soccer, get on the field. Whatever your passion is, you will enjoy it, and soon enough you will look forward to doing it often.
7. Break into dance/song-Have the house to yourself? Turn up the music, and break into dance, or song! Go crazy, and dance and sing the way you would when nobody's watching. You'll feel a sense of looseness and craziness that you won't get any other way. If singing to Kelly Clarkson is your thing, then go for it! Same goes for dancing to random hip hop!
8. Take a walk-This is more of a cool-down or warm-up thing to do than a fun thing to do, but it still qualifies. Whether you're going for that 6 a.m. power-walk, or just taking a stroll through the park in the evening, simply taking a walk is a great way to calm your brain down and enjoy the nature that surrounds you.
9. Go out for a meal-Any day can become more exciting with a dinner at a restaurant or brunch with friends! Plan to go out for a meal to a restaurant or something, and enjoy some good food with mutual company.
10. Play your sport-When it's a beautiful day outside, you don't sit around inside all couped up! Most people have at least one favourite sport or activity. Whether it's basketball, hockey, soccer, tennis, yoga, dance or justplaying catch with a couple of buds, go for it! . Even if your sport requires a large amount of space, like a skating rink, a swimming pool or a gym, parks and rec Toronto do provide those facilities. Being active is extremely important, especially among the younger generation who are more likely to become obese because of lack of physical activity. Heavy sports and activities like basketball and soccer get your heart pumping and work up a sweat, while lighter ones like yoga or aqua fit help you cool down and calm your mind. Best of all, these activities and sports are fun!
Aah the teenager. Age 13 to 19. A mom's worst enemy and a kid's child goal. Teenagers are amazing; they transform, change and inspire. They not only change physically, but they change into PEOPLE, a mental change. Teenagers have a mind that no parent can decipher and they have the energy of a cheetah on the run. But what makes teenagers the way they are? Who knows. I'm sure studies have been written but this post will display my personal analysis on why our type is just so crazy! (that can be a good or bad thing :))
So, I'm a teenager, age 13 to be exact, so it's probably justified that some of the observations I make are at least somewhat accurate. The changes a teenager goes through are bad and good, just as any change is. I have done some research on this topic, but my knowledge is limited. Let's see if I can make something of it!
The first change in a teenager is quite obvious. I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-A-N-C-E. Teens want Independence. They want Independence from their families, and in their responsibilities. Teens take on more challenges and try to overcome more problems on their own rather than when they were a child. They learn to let go of mommy's hand and cross the road by themselves, and they continue to be this way. Just like any other change, this change has its good things and its bad things. It's excellent to be independent and to acquire skills of leadership, but it is important not to become a person of arrogance and to maintain that humbleness you had as a child.
More and more, teens begin to question their parents knowledge. There is a cycle that goes from Mom knows best,to Mom knows a lot, to Mom knows some, to Mom knows none. This yearn for Independence in a lot of cases turns into a mistrust in many parent-teen relationships. On the contrary, this change is important in everyday life. As teenagers, we develop a sense of individuality, and become better at making our own decisions. There must be some mental change at this time because we begin to shape our future by ourselves,with no one else molding it for us. We learn responsibility, which is displayed at home, such as in Babysitting. We learn about the powers of money and the power we have in our families. This yearn for independence is good as long as it is not taking too seriously as to damage any relationship within the family.
There have been two distinct social issues I have noticed as part of becoming a teenager. Teenagers have a strong desire to look good, and be praised for it. They want to express themselves through what they wear, and how they act. They are worried about not developing normally (e.g. weight, height etc.) and they want that brand of clothing to wear.
Teenagers also aspire to be part of a group, to belong somewhere, to have their own identity. They no longer want to be known as their father's son or their mother's daughter. Many teens join dance classes, clubs and groups for this reason. Social status is very important in a teenager's life. This is also good and bad. Good, because it is important to look after yourself and maintain a healthy reputation, but bad because it can sometimes become too much of a priority in life. I'd like to quote an inspirational speaker who came to my school, Andrew Tibidabo, who said that we should "bring back the kindergarten spirit!" This is absolutely correct. In kindergarten, we didn't care about what we wore or if we fell down in gym class. Then BOOM here come teen years and suddenly you're embarrassed because you didn't return the ball in that volleyball game! Bring back the kindergarten spirit, and work on becoming YOURSELF and not what other people want you to be.
Becoming a teen is great. You get all these new privileges, mom and dad don't treat you like a kid anymore, and you have the best times in high school. Yet you still have to be home by 10. Well, that's what I meant by not thinking TOO much about the Independence thing. You're parents can still enforce rules on you, ya know? I, myself, am an observer. I observe the way people act around other people, and their reactions. Teens are a great example of my observations. The good things: We learn to go on new adventures, we find out who we are, we acquire important skills for the future. The bad things: sometimes we give too much importance to material things, or take life for granted. We also sometimes abuse the rights that are freshly given to us.
So there you have it, what I think of the transformation from child to teen. Now, every teen varies, I can't exactly predict how you are can I? No, but I can justify that my consensus to all these observations are that Teens are amazing creatures. Just after kids, just before adulthood. It's the time to be free, to learn and to try and not to make too many life-destroying mistakes. Hey, and as some famous guy- who I can't quite remember- once said, it's all about the journey!
We've got Jay-Z, L'il Wayne, Eminem and the like. But what is the effect of these songs on the youth of our society? In this day, teens and kids as young as eight or nine years old are singing the lyrics to songs they have NO realization of what they truly mean. Take Britney Spears' "If you seek Amy". This song topped the charts for a while, and embedded in the lyrics was: F-U-C-K- me. A seven year old heard this song on the radio and started singing it *in school*. It is quite obvious how what we think are trendy tunes are actually influences on the younger generation.
What makes these songs so popular? The artist? The melody? The lyrics? The message? As a teenager myself, I would have to say that all of these things play a part in making a song succesful in the music business, but are certainly weighted differently. Kei$ha's new hit "Blah Blah Blah" offers no genuity in terms of lyrics, yet has such a great melody that people will sing it happily.
However, lyrics have made quite a comeback, and not all in positive forms. Guys and Girls in Grade 7 and up will sing songs that contain sex, violence and swearing with what I believe as almost "pride". My theory is that people who sing songs that are vulgar and pertain to sex and drugs show off that they can talk that badly. *THEY GET ATTENTION IF THEY TALK BADLY* That is their incentive; attention. Nobody wants to sing a song about birthday cakes and faeries do they? Course not. At least not at my school :P. No, people will sing songs like "don't trust a hoe, won't trust a hoe, never trust a hoe, that won't trust me" I'm not even reffering to high school, this is just Grade 7 and up!
Now, if we incorporate these thoughts into everyday life, we can make some intersting connections. Personally, I think carefully about what lyrics I sing along to, and even if I do sing along to some not-so-appropriate songs, I know that I won't make decisions based on these influences. But this is just me. There are many people in society who inadvertently DO make decisions based on these songs. Take school dances for instance. If a dirty song comes up, like Sexy can I, or Lollipop, kids are going to dance the way the song flows! That, in my opinion, is how "the grind dance" originated. This could also be related to the attention component of it, because there is a lot of attention drawn to those who do dance that particular way, and it may not all be a good kind of attention. Even the nicest, most decent kid in grade 8 could make bad decisions based on what they hear on songs.
I really think it all comes down to attention. On facebook, there are so many references to music! This is generally not a bad thing, but in some cases it is not used correctly. For example, a person on facebook named their birthday picture album "birthday sex". You can see how this is not a good thing! No matter what angle you look at it from, naming ANY album birthday sex is incredibly innappropriate, especially at such a young age.
Now, just so I'm not contradicting myself, listening to music isn't a bad thing! Heck, listening to Eminem and L'il Wayne isn't a bad thing! (To be completely honest, I am a huge fan of the two and have all their songs on my ipod) The important thing is just to make sure that you don't get too carried away with all of the junk they sing. You can appreciate a song without bad mouthing, and you can enjoy a tune without grinding! Just keep a few things in mind: Don't sing these kinds of songs in front of your parents, because it's going to lead nowhere good. Secondly, don't post innappropriate lyrics as your facebook status! (It gets annoying, and people know you're just trying to get attention). Fireflies and Halo and stuff like that is fine, but stay away from the whole 50 cent thing. And the last thing, DON'T BUY EXPLICIT VERSIONS OF SONGS ON ITUNES! Honestly, what benefit is it to you? Bitch or chick? Exactly.
This blog was just to let the gals and guys out there to just be aware of what's going on, and make good decisions when it comes to influnces from music. Parents, if you're reading this, this is just to let you know of what you're kids are exposed to. Hey, hopefully you've raised 'em right and they don't have any issues with this!
Now, don't leave my blog thinking that music of the 21st century is a terrible, terrible thing and that (if you're a parent) you will never let your kid listen to music again, or if you're a kid, think your committing a crime! MUSIC IS AMAZING. I love music. I sing it, I dance to it, I express myself with it. Just use it well, and for the right reasons!
Just live you're life!
-Rihanna
(See now that's a song you can post as your facebook status ;) )
For those of you who go on facebook alot, perhaps you are aware of the very popular zynga application Farmville. Farmville is an application that allows one to create their own farm, from choosing what size they want it to be, to what colour fences they want. There are a variety of crops and trees to plants, as well as many different animals to herd. The main objective of the game is to get to the maximum level, which is level 70.
There are two different values of money that can be used on this game, farm coins and farm cash. Farm coins are very easy to earn, and it is what you obtain whenever you harvest a crop, help out a neighbour etc. Farm coins on the other hand are a little more difficult to get. As you go on with your game, and plant more crops and get to higher levels you will gain more farm coins. Certain things you do on Farmville will get you a ribbon or a prize, which will usually be a reward of some type.
People on farmville also have their obligations. In order to succeed on farmville you must grow many crops, and pass all the levels. The crops, however, have different times they are ready to be harvested at. Strawberries will take as little as 4 hrs. while cotton takes as longs as 3 days. As you may have already observed, this game has been designed to keep you coming back, because you are forced to come back within the day or week or something depending on what you have planted so you can harvest your crops. You can see now how this can be extremely addicting. I used to be one of those people who disregarded all the farmville invites, gifts and so on thinking it was juvenile and a complete waste of time, but later on I had my own farm, and I was quite enjoying it.
Next thing you know I am worried about my strawberries!! I think I actually stressed out my parents because I wanted to get home so I could harvest my strawberries so they wouldn't wither...see what this does to you?
I recently checked out a website : farmvillesecrets.com and there was a video about this master farmville guy who had what he claimed the BEST FARM EVER. He started boasting in his video about how he had the "million dollar villa" and several awards in farming. I really badly wanted to tell him that it really doesn't help him at all at life.
So I was trying to think about the pro's and cons of going on farmville....let's think
Pros: ...why am i having trouble with this??? Cons: learn nothing about actual farming, ruin eyesight, become less social, become obsessed about non-existent strawberries..
So there you have it. Farmville is an addicton. Sure, it's ok to have fun on it once in a while, but don't let it control your life! My cousin recently got mad at me for not harvesting her blueberries properly...
Oh and to all those people who are so very annoyed by the constant gifts and requests such as "so and so sent you a cow!" or "yee haw, join me on the farm!" there's a disable button :P
So, i'm starting a blog. As a result of my mother, the great and all talented Salima Virani, who suggested I write a blog, and my noticing that I spend too much time with unecessary electronics and such (cough farmville cough)
It is currently 10:19 P.M. as I write this...and it took me a very long time to decide upon a title. My father suggested ImzyPimzy's TimBits and Musings. Now seeing as this could at some point in time be seen by somebody who is important (e.g. Toronto Star), I decided against it. I also did not want to have a hindi title, as my dad had also suggested.
As you can see, this blog is enitirely random. It can be anything from where the best cheese is or the importance of zippers in our lives. Small chance it will gain fame for it's content. Big chance I will enjoy the blogging.
Ha! I did it! I wrote a post! Hopefully that didn't sound too long and cumbersome..and if it did, well who asked you? ;)
