changing face of marrrriage

My parents have always encouraged the preaching of faith to their children, especially when we were all young. By enrolling my siblings in a catholic school, my parents then became more involved in the Church and kept the faith in the house. Every night at dinner we would say prayer and my parents would say prayers with me as they tucked me into bed. My dad always wrote “G-O-D” on my forehead before I laid my eyes to rest. My family was filled with love but as my siblings were all older than I, the faith began to diminish in the house as they grew up. Soon, only me and my parents were the ones attending church. Regardless, my parents taught me about Jesus when I was younger and I even had a “holy corner” in my room.

The study performed about those with a college degree are less likely to marry does not affect me. I think that maybe possibly that fact is the effect that someone with a college degree is more grounded and has their priorties straight rather than the actual relationship with the partner. They probably see the negative effects of divorce more so than the personal side of it. I do not necessary feel compelled to establish the domestic church in my home but more so just an overall enviroment of natural love.

Dating and Marriage

Currently in my life, being at an age of eighteen years old, I have do not fully see myself being committed to marriage in the future. However, if so, my intentions in marriage, I agree with the article, is for open communication. One in which the two spouses can freely say, act, and do as they feel. A partner should not hide anything from their spouse, nor be scared to talk about anything with their partner. Marriages are commitment, and that is what I personally fear for myself, as I am not a committed person in my life. I try to stay away from commitments as I like flexibility and the option to change my path whenever. I enjoy the part of the article in which they discuss shared spirituality, even if not necessarily Christian-based. In my philosophy and reading of the book, “Remember, Be Here Now,” they discuss how you subconsciously surround yourself with those who on the journey toward a deeper meaning of life. I know my husband would have to be on the same journey as me, and as I previously have said, our vibrations will align and we will live in harmony.

Communication, commitment, and share of spirituality definitely reflect how society should be, but not necessarily currently is. Some marriages have secrets, others have cheating, and some have different religious views. I feel for Christian values, these three aspects of marriage are necessary to fulfill a fully Christian marriage.

Dating

I am not a proposer of “anti-daters”, but I at many times see no point for the label “dating.” It seems that our culture has turned having a boyfriend into an accessory. I easily see many relationships in our culture being rushed into too, as one thinks they need a significant other, when in reality, they do not. They are not fully aware of the commitment they are being put into, and also not fully knowing the other person. I see where this can be labeled as “practice for divorce” as the relationship soon dwindles away over conflict or debacle. We even see this “rushed into, for the moment, and crash” relationship in our media; take for example Kim Kardashian. However, some dating relationships are true. Real relationships are not rushed into, but they naturally happen. Two people’s lives begin to cross paths and their energies begin to vibrate off one another; thus creating a relationship.

I agree with Freitas and King as they go against “anti-daters” as having a fear of mistrust. I think it is valuable to have trust in other people, not just a significant other, but in all relationships, such as friendships. If you had a fear of trust, how are you going to create a relationship with anyone in your life. I think with dating, you really find yourself through your significant other. You begin to prioritize what is important in your life. You really are your true self with your “other”. If you at all feel your self being fake or embarrassed, you are not with a person who should still in your life, at all. I have seen true and fake contemporary boyfriend / girl friend relationships. I have seen the relationship when in doubt the two share a bond a deeper than friendship and fully understand each other on another level. Unfortunately, I have seen this same relationship at an unhealthy level where each person has become dependent on the other at such a young age that they do not know how to survive without each other and are not open to new experiences. I have also seen the relationship behind curtains where one significant cannot act in certain ways, do certain things, or go places without the other’s permission or attempts to hide half of their ego from their significant other.

Hooking up plays a large role in our youth society. It is a part of “going-out”. Many times in colleges, people find themselves going to a party, hanging with friends, and hooking up with a person. What is considered hooking up though? I believe just kissing a person is considered hooking up. I see no harm in kissing. But hook-ups should not end there, that night. If you have hooked up with someone, you have shared a part of yourself with them. Although it many cases it happens that the two involved will not speak to each other after, or accounters will be awkward. Hook-ups should not just happen, but after being somewhat connected, either in conversation, before the hook up – something that leads you to the hook-up, rather than thrown into a room with the person.

L0v3333

I feel love is an overriding theme in all music. Many songs, or whole ablums are produced around this theme of love. While some are full on expressions of sappy love songs to the one they love or can’t get over, many songs potray love differently. Either family-related love, or love of life, the love of god, or what love is to them.
As I read the article, the search for a soulmate seems like such a high priority in everyone’s life. Everyone’s goal is to find their soulmate. The article explains how you need not to be just with your soulmate alone, but friends and family. I search for not a soulmate, but one I truly care about and enjoy having in my life as I see them beneficial to my overall well being. They bring me joy and understand me. Love to me is there, it is not forced. You do not find it, it finds you. In my book, Remember, Be Here Now, one page illustrates love, it goes:

1-2-ME
& You finally understand the message you communicate with an other human being has nothing to do with what you say.
It has nothing to do with the look on the musculature of your face.
It’s much deeper than that, much deeper!
It’s the vibrations that emanate from you!

To me, this analyzes love as the universe’s vibrations and energy you give one another. Cat Stevens, a favorite of mine, says in a song, “I listen to the wind, to the wind of my soul”. I believe with you love you should listen to your soul and not be focuses on finding that “perfect one”, because nobody or anything is perfect – fact.

However, you must have love within yourself to give love and be given love. Ben Harper says “All that I am, is all that I give. With or without you, my life I must live.” He says you have love but also illustrates that you cannot base your life about your soulmate, you must live your own life too. In this sense, I believe is being totally you, and continuing to do things you normally would if you didn’t have the other person in your life. For example, if you love, say, making birdhouses, but your boyfriend doesn’t like you to spend your time like that, but rather with him, you cannot stop making birdhouses. You need to lay down, this is my life, this is what I do. I believe the best relationships are ones in which each partner recognizes the personal time needed for each self. “You do You” not “change who you are for me.”

I think your partner should always be there for you, Jerry Garcia says, “When I had no wings to fly, you flew to me.”

A absoulute favorite lines of songs are at the end of song, silently coming on, in accapello it goes, “Better get your life together, better do it right, better make sure everyone in your life knows it, make sure they know it, take time to tell them.” I think this is very important to not let your love go unnoticed but if you have it, show it. If you truly love your partner, tell me, don’t be embarrassed.

One Phish song is a song for Joy; a person and literally, joy. They say, “We want you to be happy.” These words I think should be the main goal in any relationship. You want the best for the other person. My ultimate goal in life is to make everyone happy. I want my partner to be happy. I want you to be happy.

identittttty

I really truly believe I have found myself and know who I am. I genuinely love my life and realize I am blessed. I am myself and no one else. I really have found my interests and focus in on how I want to spend my time and enjoy my life.

ART FIZARRRT
I love art and have really enjoyed it my whole life, since I was in preschool. You can see in my kindergarten graduation video of me saying "I want to be an artist when I grow up." Next year I plan to go to a highly noted art school - Rhode Island School of Design. A major factor that has put me in this position in my life are the weekly art classes I began taking in third grade. Every wednesday, I went to a local art class in Doylestown. My teacher, Ms. Amanda Layer, really taught me the basics of drawing at a young age. Art is like anything else you do in your life, such as sports, math, playing piano. People say they are not good at art, I say no you are, you just don't do it. Art is something to be taught, and practice really improves your skills. I continued taking classes through eighth grade and Amanda helped me put together my portfolio for the Mount art scholarship. With out I could have not received the scholarship. Art is my largest factor in that makes me me. I really stopped and got rid of any extracirricular activites as they were not as important as art to me. Freshman year I played soccer and track. By sophomore year, I had quit track to spend more time doing art. My junior year, I had made my roster consist of 4 art classes. By senior year, after a week of tryouts, I quit soccer. I realized I did not really enjoy it and rather spend my time going to art classes and especially work on my college portfolio. By not doing soccer, I went to three art classes a week. Something I would not have been able to do with soccer. I also know I would not have been accepted or even gotten done my early application for school. This year, I have 5 art classes. I just dont understand why people do things that dont make them happy. Why would someone take AP calc if they do not enjoy math. You only stress yourself out. I love art so i do art. On average I spend about 5 hours a day doing art. Through art, I have really found my real interests.

RISD

MUSIC
Music is a large factor in my life and really creates who I am. It is not that I play music. I played piano for a couple years of my life and as much as I wish I stuck with it, I did not (art overtook). Being the youngest of five, I have always been in the presence of genuinely talented music. Always riding in the car with them, I always listened to their music. Never did we ever listen to the radio. Nobody was into mainstream, Q102 music so I have never been. I learned at a young age the importance and value of good music. I was introduced to bands such as Phish, at a young age, not really knowing the celebriality of them until only a few years ago. I began to listen to them again and realized I knew almost all the songs from continually listening to them as a child. This past weekend I just threw in a mix CD from when I was in second grade. The songs compiled were of Beatles, Pink Floyd, the Temptations, and many more. I knew every song by heart in second grade, I think that is unlike most second graders. I played it in class everyday and my teacher loved it. I burned her a CD when I graduated eighth grade. With having older siblings, I somehow found myself listening to music before my peers. Artists such as Jack Johnson, who is so famous now, I have been listening to since fifth grade. All my years I have always been made fun of because I did not know a single "top 20" song that my friends sang along to. I was a misfit in CYO dances while everyone was singing along. They said I listened to weird music. I said I listened to good music.
Music to me is something that you cant find a liking for on radio stations. People only claim to like the songs played because the radio stations are forcing them down your ears. You have no choice in the songs that you are listening too. You only like them because everyone else does. To me, music is about your own personal liking. I am constantly on the prowl for new artists that interest me. I download too many cds. Everybody knows how much I love my iPod. I have over 15,000 songs. When I meet new people, I always manage to end up communicating with them about music. I am truly interested in their tastes and any new suggestions they can give me. Music is also a strong influence on my art also. This first semester of the school year I used the subconscious visualizations of music as my concentration for twelve pieces. I did this by listening to a song and transferring the image i produced in my head into a piece of art. I also play music every time I paint. I love that I am allowed to play my iPod in the art room here at Mount.
I'm sorry I'm talking about music a lot but I have a lot to say about it. Music is also present in my life through live music. Going to concerts holds a special spot in my heart. To go somewhere and see a favorite band live is magic to me. I really found myself through going to concerts as no one cares who you are. Everyone just comes together to enjoy the same thing. Also, music large in my everyday family as my brother is part of a band - Long Miles. (YOU SHOULD CHECK EM OUT!) But together as a family we support my brother and I spread his music. In addition, my cousin is a rockstar in his genre- alternative rock you could say. Anthony Green, and his band is Circa SUrvive. His solo work is epic.
Music is part of a recipe that creates one's interests. How does one know that they truly like an artist if they've just listened to their top hit on the radio. To fully appreciate an artist I need to listen to their whole Cd, if not a couple. I really like classic rock. Grateful Dead, Neil Young, Crosby stills young and nash, Simon & Garfunkel, Cat Stevens, along with much modern alternative rock. Rather than spend my time on Facebook, I spend my time finding and creating playlists when on the computer.


Suite: Judy Blue Eyes

BOOKS
Two books have strongly touched me and I really feel I would not be where I am, right here, right now, with out them. The first is "The Secret." If you have not already, I suggest you read it. I read it the summer before my eighth grade. I have been meaning to reread but i lent it out to a friend recently as I wanted to share the book's wisdom and actual "secret." The book is about the secret to life and it really is. It is all about how you think positive vibes, positive energy will surround you, ultimately adjusting the universe to what you desire or what to accomplish or anything. Its main message it has implanted in my life is the notion to always say or think, "I am happy and grateful I [insert anything]". You always talk in the present / have done something tense. For example, you say "I am happy and grateful I received a 100% on the test" even though you have not taken it yet. The way the secret works is it does not grant you that 100% but realigns your ways to study more, or to happen to choose the right answers. I really feel through this exercise, I feel, AND KNOW, how many things have fallen into place in my life. Two major events are receiving the art scholarship here at Mount, and being accepted into RISD. For months in eighth grade, every night before I went to bed, I would write down "I am happy and grateful I received the art scholarship to Mount" even though I had not yet. Even after my mother told me I did not get it, I still wrote it down. One day I got a phone call from S. Kathleen discussing the decline of the first offered scholar and I was next in line. Ultimately, I feel my real desire for the scholarship over shown any negatives and there was a reason the first girl declined. The beginning months of this school year I wrote about 5x a night, "I am happy and grateful I was accepted to RISD" or "I am happy and grateful i GO to RISD". I became very doubtful of my acceptance and was even handing in more transcripts the morning I found out I got accepted, but i still wrote this every night. I really believed I was getting this things and through my positive energy received them. I really have found the secret of life. The secret into myself.
Most recently, this other book has really influenced me, today, right here, right now. I got the book for christmas, its called, "Remember, Be Here, Now". Its a book from a llama who found the meaning of it all. I highly suggest EVERYONE READ IT. It focuses in on buddhism and the whole though process of You are Here, Now, In this moment. My background of my blog is a page of the book. YOU ARE ENLIGHTENED. I have really been enlightened within the past month through this book. My mind has been opened. I know meditate everyday, something that is necessary in one's life. To focus, and to not get caught up in the rush of life. Through this book I know live in the moment to every extent. For example, right now right here, I am writing this blog. I am not multi tasking on the internet. Right here right now, I feel the warmth of my fire. One line really stands out to me is "Later Never Exists". You never know what will come later, it just happens. It is not there yet, so stop worrying about it.



Remember, Be Here, Now

I'm sorry this post has been more of a stream of consciousness than a well written organized paragraphs but I just can go off about finding identity. I feel I see so many people, of all ages, just rushing around not really knowing what they want or who they are. I really focused in on finding myself and I am more than grateful I feel I truly understand myself and my Identity, especially being a young age of 18. Some people don't find themselves until they're almost done with life. Which is better than never though. I know my three topics were pretty cliche, Art, Music, Books, but I have my own way in each that have each factored into myself. Through this interests, I really have freed myself from all extracurricular nonsense in life. I know what I enjoy and I spend my time doing things that benefit my life and well being. For example, I cannot stand to watch reality tv. That is not you, how is watching someone's pointless drama (Kardashian's, cough, cough) in anyway beneficial to your life. The same goes with social networking to me. I do not do Facebook nor twitter. I see how it is a way to connect with people, but i feel they have turned into a way for people to publicize and fashion their lives to other people. If you want to make a connection to me, talk to me in person, call me - don't write on my wall in front of the entire world to see.

sexual media advertising

Advertising and the media is a process of manipulated ones brain to lure one into preceiving that they need the product being shown. In reality, no one needs the product, but the advertising makes them want the product. Advertisements basically say, "if you buy this, you will look like this" or "this will be your life" or "this will solve all your problems". Many advertisements in today's society use sex as a tool. Many people are drawn toward sexual thoughts and relate them to happiness which thus relates to the product.

One example are the ad's for Hudson Jeans. Mick Jagger's daughter is the model, displaying no top and only the jeans. Ironic i find it is the fact the ad is for an article of clothing, yet the model is not fully dressed. I feel this advertisement is not approriate especially as I have seen it in many fashion magazines. Magazines that are available to any one of any age. This is a photo that I bet no parent would want their child to view yet there it is. It sends a message to girls saying wear these jeans, you will look like this, you will have this man. Apparently Hudson jeans finds it necessary as sex is large symbol of their company. I find it unnessary as you can advertise jeans without using sexual pictures. Put this girl in a shirt and on a plain black background -- I'd then want those jeans. There is strong stereotyping. The photograph, as previously noted, stereotypes the girl who wears hudson jeans as a blonde sexy bombshell. I think this impact is strong to those who are drawn to sexual attention. I can easily see many women finding interest in this photograph.


This adverstisement is more of an ad with not a direct sexual graphic but with a sexual twist. It is an ad for a new Audi car; the Quattro. The slogan is "designed to thrill" which in thus could potray many different aspects of thrilling, such as driving fast, but of course, Audi used sex as the reference for "thrill." The image consists of many cranes and engine like drawings, but in the shape of a breast. THe advertisement itself does not even show a picture of the new Audi car. I do not find it completely unappropriate as it is not directly featuring a real life flesh object of sex, such as a naked girl on top of car. But I find it unneccessary a car company has to use the sexual twist in order to sell their new car. The advertisment is clearly directed to men who share a love of cars and women, so why not connect the two? Why does it have to reference a breast though in order to sell the car. Why do they not make the drawing into something more opened to not just the perverted man, but to the women. i'm not sure what they could make it into, something like a steering wheel. Or they could simply have the picture of the car itself and say "designed to thrill." I think this advertisement directly relates this car with sex, so the consumer subconsciously relates this car to sex.