Everyone has those times.. you know.. one of those times where massive amounts of work need to get done, but none actually is getting done. Hence it is further delayed. One of those times; when Facebook and music (in my case the 'Illinoise' album by Sufjan Stevens) take over, and the work which seemed so pressing just a few hours ago disappears into some dark recess of your mind.
If you know what I'm talking about (who am I kidding, I'm writing to myself) then we probably share something in common. You are probably between the ages of 18 and 24 (check!), are a university student (check!), preferably in some really bewildering subject like engineering or one of the physical sciences (check!), and consider procrastination your best sport (check, check!).
Maybe it is just something about the nature of engineering. But I think I have yet to find an engineering student who sits down to work or to study and goes, "damn, I love this stuff." I know Literature majors who love their reading assignments, history majors who can't hear enough of their lectures, poly sci students who just can't wait to debate politics. But this blatant passion, just doesn't exist with engineers. If we ruled the world (thank God we don't), it would consist of cubes and rectangles. And not in the kind of cool cubist style of art. I am quite literally talking about cubes. Why you may ask? Because they are easy to construct, support and distribute weight well and are lovingly easy to model.
I'm not sure if I'm attempting to make an argument for not being an engineer. I'm merely stating the commonly held fact that our work sucks but pays well, because.. well.. somebody has to do it. I mean seriously, can you think of a job that offers more security and better pay? I didn't think so (mostly because I was the one doing the thinking).
Have I actually discussed anything in this post so far? (Hmmm.. nope)
Have I addressed anything concerning simplicity? (ahhhh.. I think not)
I'll make the assumption therefore that simplicity is pure.
Since simplicity = pure.
And since the song 'Decatur' by Sufjan Stevens is purely amazing. Then through my not so simple or logical mathematical formula, we can contrive that Sufjan Stevens = simplicity.
And since something that is pure would generally have a positive connotation, we (I really) can assume that Sufjan Stevens is enjoyable (positive) and can rationalize my choice in listening.
Now I'm actually starting to get frustrated. I attempted to define simplicity and wound with something complicated. Maybe I should just go back to fundamentals, more specifically in the form of the Random House College Dictionary.
(Ruffling of pages.. and then on page 1226)
Simplicity (noun, pl) - freedom from complexity or the possibility of confusing
(At least that was my favorite of the five definitions)
That would tell me that very few things fall into the category of 'simplicity'. Certainly not women, nor sex, not alcohol, nor the newpaper, Sodokus, Crossword puzzles, paintings, songs (sorry Sufjan, you're too complex). Nothing in this surreal world is simple. Maybe that indeed is the great truth of life.
Actually, maybe I can think of one thing that is simple. And if you are a frequent reader of this collection of writings (feeling kind of good about myself now), then you'll remember in my last post I mentioned my 'calm place'. My calm place has an unreal amount of simplicity. In this place, (and yes I know because I've been) there is zero complexity or possibility of confusion. It is pure, it is enjoyable. It is all the things I've attempted to use to define simplicity without actually being any one of them.
I'm not trying to strike some universal cord. I'm not trying to find the critical damping of life. I simply want simplicity. L O V E..
That is it.. Hit me like an arrow. Love is simplicity. In its purest least confusing form, LOVE I think is the only thing that is truly simple.
Don't just love the one you're with. Don't think you're in love. Don't think at all. Just seek simplicity and you'll find love. Whether or not thats true is debatable (maybe I'll pick up there sometime again). But my clock reads 1 AM and I think I have at least two hours of work to do before my 7:20 alarm clock. Tchuss.
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Perhaps what I am most impressed by in this post, is that although you obviously use your computer/internet to write on your blog, you pulled out a Random House to look up the definition of "Simplicity", instead of looking it up quickly online.
Thought I would argue that looking it up within an instant would have been indeed..... simpler.... dictionaries apparently bring back old school charm... which is in a way....nostalgic and disappointing at the same time.
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