Things are looking up! Or, more specifically, *I* am looking up. It's an interesting view, to say the least.
My classes are slowly wrapping up. I've one more essay to put together properly, which will be difficult because I work a lot this weekend. After that, it's a matter of reading, writing, and fretting over my impending exams, which take place between April 22 and April 26. It should be an interesting, albeit stressful, time.
However, before the 22nd, I do have some time to properly engage in bettering myself. My goals for next week are all about, I s'pose, ethically responsible living. In this stream, I'm going to commit... research!
1) I want to research a few new age diets: the 10 mile diet, those body cleanses, and properly strict veganism, for example. I'm only in the research phase of these, but I think, by choosing to pay this extra attention to how I eat, I will be able to learn new habits. I'm already vegetarian, specifically because it makes me pay attention to my diet and consider what I'm eating, but I've been vegetarian long enough that I've been able to develop some lazy, bad habits, like pre-made salads and carb loading. Not only do such quick fixes weigh heavily on my wallet, but on my conscious, as I know it depletes my energy and produces a lot of garbage. I've been playing around with the idea of a cleanse since high school, but didn't trust myself to do it properly, or that I could live off water for even the few days such limitations are prescribed. Maybe I'll start with another diet and work my way up? I don't know... thus, the research.
2) I already have a few good shopping habits, in that my biggest splurges are delicious food indulgences and the occasional bit of body modification, though I -usually- plan ahead on those latter expenditures. However, I'd like to develop a better awareness of which companies do what and support whom. I expect I'll find more conspiracy theories then I will hard data, but I also know that there are many useful, if arguable, lists already available. PETA, if memory serves, tends to have a list available of companies they find respect animal rights. Admittedly, I don't know how much faith I'd invest in PETA's decision making process when excluding companies, but I will respect the standard involved when they approve a company, at least as it pertains to human rights. So, step by step, bullet by bullet, a list shall be created!
3) Just now, in thinking about getting informed, it occurred to me that I would like to renew my subscription to Macleans. This is less ethically minded, but being in the know leads to responsible decisions, yes?
But it is not only looking to the future that has my gaze upwards, o no. This week has been something of a success as well:
i) Experimented with some delicious drinks. The strawberry ice cream root beer float was nowhere as bad as everyone seemed to expect, but neither was it as good as I had hoped. The peach schnapps mixed with iced tea drink crystals and 7Up in lieu of orange juice, however, comes highly recommended, even to those of you who aren't so desperate for mix.
ii) I stumbled into a fantastic and fulfilling situation last night. Prof. Hunter, my introduction to analytic philosophy prof, invited the class out for drinks to celebrate the year's end. Only about seven of us were able to go, but the conversation was grand! Philosophy from a variety of streams, school politics, the education system, the sin of underestimating children, and even hockey (of course, eh?). It's rare that I get a chance to chat up fellow students in such a way. Not only do I not pursue such occasions, but I'm an introvert by nature. I will say that one of the greatest benefits of chatting with fellow students is that there's a shared language. Specifically, when with peers in the same class or program, you can easily refer to a whole grand concept in the short form of referring to a certain writing or author. Admittedly, something can be lost in such short hand, and it does run the risk that it limits what people will actually discuss. However, I'm yet to see this risk come to fruition. I will say, though, that I dream of a day when I am so familiar with so many authors, that I can play a game with a friend/victim, wherein we entertain an abstract argument using only author names. Basically, one person would assert a name, the other would consider that author's theory, and mention the name of an author which refutes an aspect of the original author's works. And then, the first player would, in turn, consider the name they've been given (while not knowing, necessarily, why it was chosen), and name an author which refutes part of that author's theory, and so on and so forth.
iii) Things I plan to get a start on tomorrow is my goal of doing yoga more (ideally, every morning, even if only a basic stretch), and start on one of my Must Read Books. I'm going to start with Dawkins' "The Selfish Gene", because it has taunted me from my bookshelf for far too long!
So that's where I am. So many things to read, so many things to learn! I feel enriched just thinking of it all!
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