There was rarely a time this weekend that I wasn't completely surrounded by some kind of noise. I went to North Carolina to see the Tarheels play. On the drive, instead of paying attention to the landscapes and just enjoying the ride, I found myself sending lots of texts or worrying about what's on the radio. When I finally did see something worthwhile (a whitetail buck standing ironically outside of a Gander Mountain), all I could think was "I should have taken a picture". It's ridiculous. Why wasn't I simply enjoying the moment instead of lamenting the fact that I wasn't able to physically immortalize the moment?
On the contrary, when I went to the bar before the game and then entered the arena for game time, I embraced the traditional concept of noise. I didn't worry about taking tons of pictures or texting, but rather talking, cheering, chanting, shouting, and taking in all of the things hitting my senses at once. It was almost overwhelming. Sure, the TV screens and music were still in the background, but I wasn't being distracted or sucked in by what they had to offer. I wasn't thinking about Facebook; I was thinking about my family and friends around me, having a great time, and that made me wonder whether I really need all of these noisemakers, or if they are just distracting me from all the things that are really worth my time.
Will I give away my phone, throw out my laptop, and live a shoeless life hiking the Appalachians? Doubtful. But hopefully I'm now more conscientious about what's substantial, and what's nothing more than noise. I realized that I don't have to keep my nose buried in my phone, especially when I'm at a bar with hot bartenders and $4 Jagerbombs.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
A Boy and His Blog
Hi all, my name is Mike Rowe and I'm a senior. My major is computer science and my minor is technical/professional communications. I like being active (especially outdoors) and doing things such as running, rock climbing, skiing, playing soccer and ultimate frisbee, and the occasional competitive round of ladder golf. I am a big fan of the cold weather and getting mad at my friends/family when they yell out half of a puzzle in Wheel of Fortune, then try to take credit for it when I get the whole thing right.
This class is required for me, but I chose this section because it sounded more interesting that traditional literature. I like trying different things so this should be an exciting class. The last book I read was "Family Guy and Philosophy" by J. Jeremy Wisnewski. It looks at Family Guy from a philosophical perspective, and picks apart every aspect to figure out why it is considered funny. I've always been interested in music and my collection has everything from current radio hits to the most obscure stuff you'll probably never hear. I especially like listening to classic rock and techno and playing guitar. I like movies that really evoke emotion, whether it's something extremely funny, scary, sad, or thought-provoking. I don't really play video games (surprising for a computer science major) but I do enjoy occasionally wasting entire days playing browser games like Treadmillosaurus Rex or destroying my roommates' kill/death ratio on Call of Duty.
I don't read very often, but when I do, I usually read online articles and stories or text books for classes. I own very few books for "leisure reading". I used to read a lot, but since college I feel like I either haven't had time to read or I couldn't really find anything interesting enough for a long read. In my opinion, literature is anything that is written, whether it is an ancient manuscript or a blog by a college student in an Intro to Literature class. Hopefully I can leave this class with a better understanding and appreciation of literature (and maybe a few donuts).
This class is required for me, but I chose this section because it sounded more interesting that traditional literature. I like trying different things so this should be an exciting class. The last book I read was "Family Guy and Philosophy" by J. Jeremy Wisnewski. It looks at Family Guy from a philosophical perspective, and picks apart every aspect to figure out why it is considered funny. I've always been interested in music and my collection has everything from current radio hits to the most obscure stuff you'll probably never hear. I especially like listening to classic rock and techno and playing guitar. I like movies that really evoke emotion, whether it's something extremely funny, scary, sad, or thought-provoking. I don't really play video games (surprising for a computer science major) but I do enjoy occasionally wasting entire days playing browser games like Treadmillosaurus Rex or destroying my roommates' kill/death ratio on Call of Duty.
I don't read very often, but when I do, I usually read online articles and stories or text books for classes. I own very few books for "leisure reading". I used to read a lot, but since college I feel like I either haven't had time to read or I couldn't really find anything interesting enough for a long read. In my opinion, literature is anything that is written, whether it is an ancient manuscript or a blog by a college student in an Intro to Literature class. Hopefully I can leave this class with a better understanding and appreciation of literature (and maybe a few donuts).
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)