Reason #5: Tea

It’s about time I talked about my love of tea. Sometimes, I feel as though tea is the only constant in life. Seriously.

My friends think I’m crazy, but I’ve had a habit of drinking tea at exactly 3:27 PM for a long time. It definitely started in elementary school, but I can’t remember which grade. I just remember coming home from school every single day and turning on the TV to watch “Arthur” and then making my cup of tea in the microwave.

Oh, and I can’t forget the cookies. Tea and cookies. That was my thing (and still is).

Now, I don’t watch “Arthur” anymore, but I do read while I drink tea (usually Calvin and Hobbes). That time – from 3:27 to around 3:45 or whenever I finish – that’s my time to relax. To take a break. It doesn’t matter how much homework I have to get done; it doesn’t matter how stressed out I am from school. I have to spare those precious minutes to drink my tea. And the rule is I cannot do anything academic-related while drinking tea! It defeats the purpose entirely. It kills the sacred bond between myself and the tea.

(Okay, I’ll admit that last sentence is maybe taking it too far… with the sacred bond and whatnot. :P)

But honestly. Life is constantly changing, and it’s nice to know that tea is still there. There’s that one quote:

“The only thing constant in life is change.” ~François de La Rochefoucauld

And tea.

Sometimes it’s the little things, you know? The fact that no matter what happens at school, no matter what happens in life… I can always drink a cup of tea. And there’s just something comforting about that feeling you get when you drink something hot – it just warms your body, all the way down to your toes, and it gives you a nice warm feeling inside… almost like hope.

It’s like drinking hot chocolate on a snowy day. Or huddling by the fireplace in a cozy blanket.

Maybe tea isn’t really your thing. But there has to be something. Something small and comforting. A candy that you really like? Chocolate? Maybe it’s not something edible. Maybe it’s just the smell of a rose. Or reading before bed.

I’m not sure what you find comforting. It’s just… sometimes it’s the little things that really make life worth living, you know?

URL for the picture:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/Meissen-teacup_pinkrose01.jpg

The Beauty of Procrastination

I have this love-hate relationship with procrastination. Here’s the thing: I don’t like it for the reason that teachers tell you not to do it – it causes more stress because work piles up over time.

But… we all do it. Procrastination seems to be the one mistake from which we never learn. The world’s greatest people have procrastinated at one point or another – probably more often than not. Is it because we’re human? Because our brains are programmed to forget the pain we felt when attempting to write that forty-page paper the morning it was due?

I honestly can’t answer that question. I don’t know why we do it. But I can tell you something your teachers probably won’t ever mention:

Procrastination is beautiful.

Have you ever overslept? Woken up at 7:10 or 7:15… and miraculously made it out of the house by 7:20?

Well there’s the beauty I’m talking about. When you procrastinate, you discover that you have an ability (more like a magic power, really) to do things fast.

If I have an essay to write over the weekend, and I start it on Friday, I’m likely to spend all weekend writing that essay. But if I start Sunday night… hey, what do you know? I’m forced to finish it in a couple of hours. More importantly, I realize I have the ability to finish it in a couple of hours. It’s beautiful.

People at school do homework during lunch on the day it’s due.

Or they do it during other classes.

Or five minutes before class starts.

BUT WAIT. I am not advocating procrastination. Really. It’s not something you should do on a daily basis. I don’t necessarily admire procrastinators.

The people I admire are the ones who are efficient. The people who prioritize and figure out the best strategies for managing their time. They don’t wait until the last minute – but they also don’t spend too much time on one thing. This is the type of person I strive to be. Living a balanced life takes skill.

But even a balanced life is allowed a hint of procrastination, right? Just to keep us human. And just to show us what we’re truly capable of now and then.

At any rate, I guess I’d better get started on that math homework. 😛

 

Reason #4: Calvin and Hobbes

Bill Watterson commented on this strip in THE CALVIN AND HOBBES TENTH ANNIVERSARY BOOK: “People will pay for what they want, but not for what they need.”

Calvin and Hobbes is one of the funniest and most intelligent creations on the planet. Honestly. Bill Watterson is a genius.

Whenever I’m feeling unhappy or upset, I can always count on Calvin’s witty comments to cheer me up. Sometimes I feel as if I know Calvin as a person… although I suppose if I did, he might drive me crazy!

You know, it must take real skill to be a cartoonist. I mean, a good cartoonist. All you get is a few panels to tell a story. To draw some people and speech bubbles. But to create these characters – Calvin and Hobbes – that have their own personalities, that are so lifelike yet so comical, that are witty yet not annoying… that just blows my mind. I can flip to any random strip and I’ll love it.

It just amazes me. I must admit, when I was younger, I did try to draw my own comic strips. I thought they were hilarious at the time… but looking back, I’m a little embarrassed by them. 😛

I guess cartoonists are just generally underestimated. Comic strips are works of art. Well… if they’re done correctly. I’ve flipped through the funny pages in newspapers now, and some of those comic strips are just horrible! They’re not funny at all, and the art is nothing to be proud of. It’s just a bunch of talking heads. But the artwork in Calvin and Hobbes is amazing. Especially the dinosaurs. And of course, Spaceman Spiff.

And another thing. About Bill Watterson. I am so thankful that he did not allow Calvin and Hobbes to become commercialized. You can read about that here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_and_Hobbes#Merchandising

Basically, Bill Watterson refused to commercialize Calvin and Hobbes because he felt that it should stand on its own as an art form, and any commercialization or merchandising would take away from the beauty. So there’s pretty much no legal Calvin and Hobbes merchandise.

The reason I am so glad Bill Watterson protected Calvin and Hobbes against commercialization is that he was right: it takes away from the beauty.

The best example I can think of is Harry Potter. I love the Harry Potter books. J.K. Rowling is a fantastic writer. But looking at how ridiculously commercialized Harry Potter has become, it’s hard to believe anyone cares about her writing style anymore. Does anyone care about how well-written Harry Potter is? How cleverly, skillfully, and fluently written it is? Or do people get all crazy and hyped up just because it’s Harry Potter?

I don’t know. I guess at the same time, you have to ask yourself: If you were J.K. Rowling and had the potential to make millions off of this stuff, wouldn’t you agree to commercialize Harry Potter? It’s not a bad thing. In fact, it’d be pretty cool to watch the whole world go crazy because of your idea. To be perfectly honest, I might choose to do it too. But… I mean… this is a bit much:

http://www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter/

At any rate, this post is getting a bit long, so I’d better wrap it up. If you’re not already familiar with Calvin and Hobbes, then I suggest you head on over to the nearest library or bookstore and go straight to the comic section… or graphic art section… or whatever section it is in which Calvin and Hobbes resides.

Trust me, you won’t regret it.

URL for the comic: http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/1992/07/31