5 Words x 3
Alright, I'm late to the game, but I did my 5 Words Meme. Here's a little preview of what's behind the cut:
Chris - Drugs, Unflappable Optimism, Movies, Em, Houston
Ryan - Caring, High, Philosophical, Relaxed, External
Em - Head Space, Late Nights, Cats, Loving the World, Technology.
Chris
Drugs
Quite an interesting word to start on. I'd say my fascination with drugs comes directly from my fascination with the mind. The aspects of consciousness, how to move the mind in a real way, and becoming an adept cerebro-naut have always been things I've thought about. That being said, I wouldn't say I'm all together an advocate for drug use. Some people benefit from them, some people don't. If you asked me if my experiences have been overall positive, I'd probably have a giggle fit.
Unflappable Optimism
I think in order to fairly defend optimism, you have to note what it is not, and it is not delusion. When someone says the glass is half full, they are speaking just as truthfully as the person who calls it half empty. I must also admit that amongst what some people may call "unflappable optimism," that I also try to be a pessimist. I think that anything worth considering is worth considering thoroughly. To take the glass a step further, a pessimist would say "we only have this much water left," whereas an optimist would say "we still get to drink this much water." I think optimism has the propensity for creativity, and pessimism for pragmatism. You'd be a fool to try to go without either one.
Now, in order to get our optimism to be 'unflappable,' it's vigilance and practice. Don't get lost in the complications. Simply remember to be optimistic, then be so. Especially after taking a beating from reality. It helps us process our experience and move on with its benefits. Some experiences take longer to process, and that's fine. I think the ability to do this more efficiently comes from knowing what we want for ourselves, so that getting back on track is its own incentive.
Movies
While I have never considered myself a movie expert, I seem to surround myself with them. This is great for me because I get to see a lot of great movies that I would otherwise not. So I have a wide taste in movies. I love everything from Dumb & Dumber to Dr. Strangelove, from Love Actually to Disney's Robin Hood.
Em
Em and I met through a mutual friend back in 2000 while I was living in Denton and she in San Marcos. It took us a couple of months to shed our then-current relationships so we could date. And we did, on an off for about 3 years before We married in 2003. That's the history, but doesn't tell you much about Em. I think the things that initially attracted me to her are the things she is most self-conscious about. First, bitch is sexy, am I right? Second, I love the way she can always turn a room. If she chooses to engage, the people she spends her time with always have a great ammount of fun. She thinks in a way that is hyper-creative, and even her laugh can turn something funny into something hysterical. Once I got to know her, I learned about her immense capacity for compassion, her unquenchable curiosity, and a unique intelligence that could benefit anyone. Also, she can't help but be cute when saying a cuss word. She's one of the most endearing people anyone could ever hope to meet.
Houston
Hopefully, if I live my life correctly, I'll never find myself living in Houston again. I lived there for 7 years. I don't like the weather, I don't like the drivers, and I don't like what the city has to offer. It's really not as bad as I make it sound, but I have chosen Houston as one of my nemeses. Lucky for it, there are people I love in Houston, and for them I will go back and visit.
Ryan
Caring
I'm like Just Brakes. Seriously, it's important that the people I love have what they need. If you need help getting through this crazy ride called life and think I can help, let's go. I am generally curious, and try to be available, so I may come find you, too. I love chatting over coffee, drinks, pho, etc... And don't worry, I try to balance all this with a habit of reading people's signals. I care about privacy, too.
High
People get high for all kinds of different reasons. Some people use it as a sort of anti-depressant, some use it to gain more objectivity in their lives, and some people just like to get high. I've probably fallen under every category you can think of at one point in time or another. "I don't need to get high to have a good time." Me neither, but you know what's a really good time?
Philosophical
Living the philosophic life means holding ones actions and mind to a certain intellectual rigor and honesty. I want to learn new things about myself by being shown that I am mistaken. I want to gain new understandings. I want my decisions to be backed with the best intent I can manage. It could be some strange OCD tendency for all I know, but reason has governed my life.
Relaxed
I do try to be a bit of a Chill Evangelist. Don't get me wrong, I'm still all in favor of exuberance and passion and all the good things that propel us through life. But I find most people complicate beyond what is necessary. I think a lot of my relaxation comes from the foundation of things I've discussed above, but it mostly comes from the tendency to not take things too seriously, especially myself. And perhaps tendency is the wrong word since I have to do it consciously sometimes. But yeah, chill the fuck out!
External
It's all happening. Right now. You can waste time in your head later.
Em
Head space
Keeping my head-climate at a temperate 72°, mostly sunny, with a slight breeze is a constant challenge, but it's worth it. This is a good example of those cerebral acrobatics I eluded to earlier. I find that when your mind is calm and aware, you process more detail, and you process it more accurately. Of course, I'm extremely prone to distraction, so this will always be a work in progress. Alas.
Late Nights
I have an interesting brain. I have ADHD, which also gives me trouble falling asleep. I usually need a couple hours to myself a night to wind down, decompress, and process the day's events. It seems to work out pretty well for me, though, because I really do relish this time.
Cats
It's true, I'm a sucker for cats. I love the atttiude, the cocky playfulness.
Greg, how come you don't like cats?
I don't not like cats. I just-- I just prefer dogs. I mean, I'm just more of a dog kind of, you know-- Come home, wagging their little tails, happy to see you kind of--
You need that assurance? You prefer an emotionally shallow animal?
I--
You see, Greg, when you yell at a dog, his tail will go between his legs and cover his genitals, his ears will go down. A dog is very easy to break, but cats make you work for their affection. They don't sell out the way dogs do.
Loving the World
I am kinda that way, yeah. I know, big talk after the dog/cat thing. It's not something I strive for or anything like that, it's just like being in love with a person. Empathy has always been something I've felt, focussed on, sought out in others. Even for people who don't try to be good, because I don't know what brought them to that point. It's a little idealistic, and completely non-falsifiable, but I think that if we could all live each others' lives, we'd all make the same decisions.
Technology
I love science. I'm fascinated by all the wonderful and horrible things that appear to be on our horizon. And I'm all about the progress of gadgets. God I love gadgets.
And scene. .