Any major city has its nooks and crannies, and none have such vivid alleys as Chicago. There is a faded mystery to them, especially at night (and it takes a courageous soul to venture down some after dark).
Today was a particularly gloomy day, which I think adds to the melancholy.
More to come as time/money permits….
-Russ
I just wanted to say that the thing I love most about Chicago is not the variety of food, or people; not the night life nor the character of the buildings. Not even the grit in each brick.
It’s falling asleep to the rumbling of the El that seems to bring me back. The ambulance sirens, the buzz of an old stick-shift beater as it plunges through a yellow light. I love the way the city sings to me in its own unique way.
It is as though Chicago wants us all to know that we’re not alone.
-Russ
I’ve been toying with the idea of doing a photo journal on Chicago. I usually find myself in the Lincoln Park area about twice a month, and rather than get fat off the spectacular food, I think it’d be far more productive to do something creative.
My problem is coming up with a theme. Maybe the night-life? I’d really like to do something with the colors emitted by store signs and sodium lamps. Something Ken Rockwell-esque. Except with more… grit.
I guess this is where I ask everyone for suggestions… :)
-Russ
No, this is not about the book authored by the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler (though you will find much valuable advice in said book). Also, this is advice only. I hold no relevent degree, and your mileage may vary. Etc etc etc. And so on. This post is as much for me as it is for my readers.
It has recently come to my attention, mostly through externally initiated self-reflection, that there are many aspects of my life that require scrutiny. Rather than detail them, effectively transforming this into a Emo post, I want to talk about the concept self improvement itself.
Most folks in Western society think about self improvement at some point in their lives. Take a walk down the Self Help section of Borders or B&N if you need proof. I don’t think you need that crap; really, I think you only need a few things to improve your life.
1) The ability to self reflect. This is not as easy as it sounds; more later.
2) The desire to change. This is also not as obvious as it sounds.
3) People with whom you can interact.
Let us examine #1: Who here knows how to self-reflect? I’m not talking about the typical internal monologues… such as “I bought groceries today” or “TV sucks since the writers’ strike”. I’m talking about being able to identify the key traits that make up who you are.
So few people truly know what it means to be themselves that they spend their entire lives living a lie. They live the way their parents, their siblings, their life-partners think they should. They live for the expectations of others because they don’t know who they are and what they want. I can’t blame them because I’m one of them. It is difficult to figure out who you are. J. Krisnamurti wrote an entire book on self discovery and how hard it is to break through your own false expectations of who you are and what you want. For example, when one tells you to “Be yourself”, and you follow suit, you’re actually trying to be what you think you want to be. You’re no more that ideological template than a fig tree is a sledgehammer.
Instead, examine what you want out of life. Think on the things that make you happy. Do you enjoy writing? Golfing? Playing video games? Helping others? Are you sure these things make you genuinely happy?
A better question is: “Can you be happy–euphoric even–all by yourself, in a blank white room, with no stimulation whatsoever?” Can you claim happiness as a state of mind?
On #2: I can’t fathom how many times I and all of my friends have told me how much they really wanted to do something with their lives, but did not follow through. The key is not how much you want something, but how much you want to put in the effort to achieve the desired goal. For example, I would like to be a millionaire; I would not like to put forth the effort to become one.
Ask yourself what you want, and then ask yourself what you’re willing to sacrifice to get it. If you want to be a “better person”, what steps are you going to take? What are you willing to trade? I feel that the more you are willing to sacrifice, the more you truly want whatever it is you want.
Finally, #3 : You should not have to approach this alone. Real change is not easy, nor is it instantaneous. True friends will help you along the way. Just be wary of becoming dependent upon their help. As Smokey the Bear once said, “Only you can help prevent forest fires!”
-Russ
Welcome to Age of Iron. I have been in a writing rut lately, and this is my attempt at 1) breaking that rut into tiny, insignificant pieces and 2) getting a little publicity. Narcissism, go!
So, what is this blog about, you ask? Well, who are you to ask, anyway? No, that’s not right. I’m being rude.
Herein lie my whimsical rants, some tasty book reviews, and perhaps a spot of poetry. If I’m feeling up to it.
More to come soon. Stay tuned.
-Russ
