I saw this quote on Twitter from someone I follow. I'm not sure if this is his own quote or if it's a quote from someone else, but it really got me to ponder upon it a lot. The quote goes: "A mathmetical formula for happiness: Reality divided by Expectations. Two ways to be happy: Improve your reality or lower you expectations."
To me, it's not just about being happy but it's also about being successful. Being successful can be pretty difficult to obtain, unless, of course, you were born with it or it was handed down to you. But for the millions of people out there, who I think generally want to be rich and successful, how do they plan on getting it? Education is one way of getting it.
Currently I am a trainee at a financial company, hoping that it will help me to save up enough money for college next year. It is hard to believe that I am close to being in the financial industry, considering that I am ridiculously obsessed with filmmaking and that's all I want to do, but in order to get there I have to make some sacrifices. Don't get me wrong, though; I like the financial company I'm with, but sometimes I just have to cry over it. One night after training, I came home depressed. I was depressed because I missed working in a studio, working with a team and a camera, and just missed making short films. My dad noticed it, so we had a talk. He asked me if being a part of the financial company was really what I wanted to do. I answered: it's not really what I want to do, but I'm doing it to save up for college. Now, my dad does not want me to go to the college I want to go to mostly because it is a private school. Private schools are expensive. (I choose that school because I know that film production takes a lot of time and requires a lot of attention, and having other classes not pertaining to film can distract me. All I want to focus on is film, and that is why I want to attend and all-film school.) Instead of comforting me, he pretty much scolded me for having too much expectations. I should lower my expectations, he says.
I told myself that I refuse to lower my expectations because by lowering it, I might as well be stripping my dreams off of myself. And now, I'm pretty much a bum, just staying at home, sleeping in, eating the kitchen, ruining my eyes by staring at the computer the whole day, and all because I'm waiting to save money to go to that private film school I want to go to. And to make things worse, I can't find a job...and I'm still a trainee at the financial company! How am I supposed to save up, right?
So what now? Did my dad prove me wrong? Should I lower my expectations? If I do, that will eliminate my dream of going to a private film school. But now, the other part of the quote is starting to make sense. If I don't have a lot of expectations, my reality would be a little better. At least, way better than being a bum. If I didn't want to go to a private school, I would be attending college right now just like my friends and high school classmates are. At least, I would be doing something. Maybe it is my passion/obsession for filmmaking that is causing me to have a high expectation. I want to be a successful filmmaker, and I know that's not going to happen soon.
I probably lost you. Don't worry; I got lost in my own words too. I guess I fall in the middle of the quote, which would be 'or'. I don't know what to do. I am a confused high honors graduate who is now a bum at home.
That is all.
XD
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
I defered my college application...again!! :(
I will be lounging around in the house for another 4 months! I can't bear it!
Why did I defer my application again?
Well, duh, money. Sad, sad thing...
I'll be paying for college on my own. I'll be getting financial aid, but that's still not enough. I have to come up with $10,000 or more! In the 4 months that I won't be having my precious education, I'll have to find jobs to support myself when I move out. Can I at least get 25% parental support? AT LEAST 25%?!?!?
It's frustrating that I have to put off college again! Sometimes I wish college education is free, just like high school. But, nah, that's not gonna happen.
Why did I defer my application again?
Well, duh, money. Sad, sad thing...
I'll be paying for college on my own. I'll be getting financial aid, but that's still not enough. I have to come up with $10,000 or more! In the 4 months that I won't be having my precious education, I'll have to find jobs to support myself when I move out. Can I at least get 25% parental support? AT LEAST 25%?!?!?
It's frustrating that I have to put off college again! Sometimes I wish college education is free, just like high school. But, nah, that's not gonna happen.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Can Failure Be An Option?
There is an old saying that goes “try and try until you succeed”. The underlying message is that you would have to fail before you succeed because by failing, you learn what you need to do in order to be successful. Many people have gone through that, and it does not matter that they failed; what matters is that they rose to their feet and tried again. Failing is a learning process. Who would think of taking that away? It seems unrealistic that failure would disappear and everyone would succeed. Believe it or not, that concept is slowly becoming a reality, and, of all places, it is starting in our schools.
In a video posted online called “Freedom to Fail” discussing an essay he wrote in the book New Threats to Freedom, Michael Goodwin mentions that our education is in crisis, and the reason for that crisis is something called Social Promotion. What it does is it lowers the standards of passing so that students can do very little and still pass. In other words, no one would fail because the tests and homework are brought to the “Easy” level. Students would think everything is easy. It never prepares students for the real world.
In the 2008-2009 school year, my school introduced something called the Minimum F Policy. No student could ever get a score lower than 50% with that policy in effect. For students who had a hard time getting good grades, the policy was a lifesaver. For students who put 100% of their effort to their work, the policy was unfair. It was a discouraging policy for both types of students at my school. Those who normally did not like to do work did not do work because they knew they would still pass. The mindset of those who usually put effort into their work changed to “if they are passing by doing nothing, then why do I have to work hard to pass?”
I tried to avoid the trap of the policy. I stayed up all night to do my research papers, memorized vocabulary words, and read. When I got to school the next day, there would only be a handful of us who actually did work, but the whole class passed. Students took advantage of the policy to be at the same level as the hard workers. Social promotion makes it hard to identify the “hard workers” from the “hardly working”. With social promotion, “nobody rises above” (Goodwin) and it becomes almost like language inflation: if “good” is used to describe everyone all the time, those who do more than “good” is never “better”.
We need to get out of our comfort zone and see for ourselves if we can succeed without relying on social promotion or anything of the same concept. We cannot expect for something or other people to pave the road to success for us. They say failure is not an option, but if success results from failure, would you mind failing first?
In a video posted online called “Freedom to Fail” discussing an essay he wrote in the book New Threats to Freedom, Michael Goodwin mentions that our education is in crisis, and the reason for that crisis is something called Social Promotion. What it does is it lowers the standards of passing so that students can do very little and still pass. In other words, no one would fail because the tests and homework are brought to the “Easy” level. Students would think everything is easy. It never prepares students for the real world.
In the 2008-2009 school year, my school introduced something called the Minimum F Policy. No student could ever get a score lower than 50% with that policy in effect. For students who had a hard time getting good grades, the policy was a lifesaver. For students who put 100% of their effort to their work, the policy was unfair. It was a discouraging policy for both types of students at my school. Those who normally did not like to do work did not do work because they knew they would still pass. The mindset of those who usually put effort into their work changed to “if they are passing by doing nothing, then why do I have to work hard to pass?”
I tried to avoid the trap of the policy. I stayed up all night to do my research papers, memorized vocabulary words, and read. When I got to school the next day, there would only be a handful of us who actually did work, but the whole class passed. Students took advantage of the policy to be at the same level as the hard workers. Social promotion makes it hard to identify the “hard workers” from the “hardly working”. With social promotion, “nobody rises above” (Goodwin) and it becomes almost like language inflation: if “good” is used to describe everyone all the time, those who do more than “good” is never “better”.
We need to get out of our comfort zone and see for ourselves if we can succeed without relying on social promotion or anything of the same concept. We cannot expect for something or other people to pave the road to success for us. They say failure is not an option, but if success results from failure, would you mind failing first?
Sunday, November 14, 2010
The use of the word "Gay"
Today, I was surfing my Twitter page, and I found a tweet from...well, that's not important. The tweet included the word "gay" and it wasn't used for what it really means; it was used to describe a person who is afraid of doing something.
I don't have a problem with the person who tweeted it. In fact, I look up to that person, and it just really surprised me to see "gay" used the way it was used in that person's tweet. It was almost derogatory, and maybe it was.
What's wrong with that? In my opinion, when "gay" is used to describe someone or something that people don't like, it can be offensive. You'll never know when you describe something as "gay" and there happens to be a person around you who is gay and may take some offense, and they won't say anything about it. Using the word "gay" as an adjective for something that sucks, something that isn't good, or someone who isn't good, something that people don't like, or someone that people don't like, implies that gay people suck, aren't any good, and aren't liked.
This case is exactly like that of the word "retard". It should not be used to describe something that isn't liked because it is offensive. If you're using the word "ritard" with and "i", then that's a different case because it's a musical term that means "to slow down". There is a movement called Spread the Word to End the Word, which is a movement to encourage people to stop using the word "retard". To stop using the word "gay" should also be a part of this movement, and maybe it already is. I'm not sure, but people should be encouraged to stop using those words because they can be derogatory.
I know people are entitled to their own opinion, but people need to stop using "gay" the way it is being used today. We just don't know how many gay people are brought down and belittled by just describing something as being "gay". It might even be contributing to their depression or thoughts of suicide.
XD
I don't have a problem with the person who tweeted it. In fact, I look up to that person, and it just really surprised me to see "gay" used the way it was used in that person's tweet. It was almost derogatory, and maybe it was.
What's wrong with that? In my opinion, when "gay" is used to describe someone or something that people don't like, it can be offensive. You'll never know when you describe something as "gay" and there happens to be a person around you who is gay and may take some offense, and they won't say anything about it. Using the word "gay" as an adjective for something that sucks, something that isn't good, or someone who isn't good, something that people don't like, or someone that people don't like, implies that gay people suck, aren't any good, and aren't liked.
This case is exactly like that of the word "retard". It should not be used to describe something that isn't liked because it is offensive. If you're using the word "ritard" with and "i", then that's a different case because it's a musical term that means "to slow down". There is a movement called Spread the Word to End the Word, which is a movement to encourage people to stop using the word "retard". To stop using the word "gay" should also be a part of this movement, and maybe it already is. I'm not sure, but people should be encouraged to stop using those words because they can be derogatory.
I know people are entitled to their own opinion, but people need to stop using "gay" the way it is being used today. We just don't know how many gay people are brought down and belittled by just describing something as being "gay". It might even be contributing to their depression or thoughts of suicide.
XD
Friday, November 12, 2010
Pacquiao or Margarito?
Well, the fight is tomorrow night, and no doubt tons and tons of people are gonna be watching. It's gonna be exciting to see Pacquiao take on a much taller, much heavier boxer, and it's gonna be exciting to see Margarito in the boxing ring after his controversial fight against Mosley that involved him cheating by putting plaster or something in his gloves.
I'm rooting for Pacquiao, and I may be biased because I'm Filipino too, but I'm rooting for him because of his condition and his unbelievable moves. I don't think his streak will end in this fight, but if it does, he will get back up just as fast.
A lot of people think his head got too big, that he's arrogant now because of his succesful fights against many boxers and also now that he had been elected to Congress in the Philippines. I think that his heart still belongs in the boxing ring and he's gonna prove it.
Tomorrow night is gonna be exciting!
XD
I'm rooting for Pacquiao, and I may be biased because I'm Filipino too, but I'm rooting for him because of his condition and his unbelievable moves. I don't think his streak will end in this fight, but if it does, he will get back up just as fast.
A lot of people think his head got too big, that he's arrogant now because of his succesful fights against many boxers and also now that he had been elected to Congress in the Philippines. I think that his heart still belongs in the boxing ring and he's gonna prove it.
Tomorrow night is gonna be exciting!
XD
I'm new to this and all that so...
Yeah, I never actually knew what blog or blogging is until now. Yay for the wonders of search engines and navigating through the Internet and accidental click of a button lol.
For a teenager, I should have known a long time ago what blogging is. I guess I'm not so technologically caught up.
XD
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For a teenager, I should have known a long time ago what blogging is. I guess I'm not so technologically caught up.
XD
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My sanctuary
Filmmaking is such a wonderful art. It's amazing what goes on to produce a film, and every aspect of filmmaking (scripting, storyboarding, preparation, directing, producing, editing, etc.) is like a paintbrush that creates a wonderful product.
I attended a Magnet high school, which wasn't my zoned school, and I majored in Communications. In junior year, I took Broadcast Journalism I, and never did I think that I would fall in love with it. I was lucky enough to be chosen by my teacher to be the Producer for our school TV announcements. At first, I refused. The second time he asked, I refused again. The third time, I said "Okay, but only for one show"...I ended up being the producer for 5 months, and in my senior year, I was the producer for the entire year.
The Producer is basically in charge of everything, and I loved that I was the producer even though I carried a lot of pressure and stress, and my days would usually include meetings, lots of running around, lots of yelling, lots of arguing, but I loved it. The studio at my school is very dear to me. If the walls could talk, they'd totally agree with me saying that there were a LOT of yelling, shouting, arguing, ordering around, bossing around, running around in there. Even though I had a lot of pressure and stress on me, I considered the studio my sanctuary (which is ironic because a sanctuary is supposed to be peaceful :D). It was my home, it was my bedroom. It was the room I wanted to be in every single day.
Everytime I stepped into the studio, no matter how down, tired, exhausted, and frustrated I was, I always felt this positive burst of energy. Everytime I stepped into the studio. I could really not help but smile everytime I was in there, and all the negative feelings I had would just simply go away as if they were never lingering around me. It's that feeling that told me that this is what I want to do, and this is where I want to be: working in a studio.
XD
I attended a Magnet high school, which wasn't my zoned school, and I majored in Communications. In junior year, I took Broadcast Journalism I, and never did I think that I would fall in love with it. I was lucky enough to be chosen by my teacher to be the Producer for our school TV announcements. At first, I refused. The second time he asked, I refused again. The third time, I said "Okay, but only for one show"...I ended up being the producer for 5 months, and in my senior year, I was the producer for the entire year.
The Producer is basically in charge of everything, and I loved that I was the producer even though I carried a lot of pressure and stress, and my days would usually include meetings, lots of running around, lots of yelling, lots of arguing, but I loved it. The studio at my school is very dear to me. If the walls could talk, they'd totally agree with me saying that there were a LOT of yelling, shouting, arguing, ordering around, bossing around, running around in there. Even though I had a lot of pressure and stress on me, I considered the studio my sanctuary (which is ironic because a sanctuary is supposed to be peaceful :D). It was my home, it was my bedroom. It was the room I wanted to be in every single day.
Everytime I stepped into the studio, no matter how down, tired, exhausted, and frustrated I was, I always felt this positive burst of energy. Everytime I stepped into the studio. I could really not help but smile everytime I was in there, and all the negative feelings I had would just simply go away as if they were never lingering around me. It's that feeling that told me that this is what I want to do, and this is where I want to be: working in a studio.
XD
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