1/31/12 Reflection on the two epigraphs in chapter 3

        
         I think both of these passages are very strong and meaningful. The first passage by Leo Tolstoy talks about how routine life is considered the "quiet life". In life people are stuck doing the same old obligations every day. People get up go to work, manage money, take care of the house, and see the same people every day. This at times can get very tiring every day. The passage says that some people need more than just the quiet and routine life. Some people have to go on new adventures and explore.

        The second passage talks about how people have this feeling inside that makes them want to go out into the world or try new activities. People want to escape the normal life with rules, laws, and judgements. People need an outlet to let their stress out. The passage talks about how that freedom is found to the west. Like in early American history the colonists traveled west to find themselves a new life.

        Chris McCandless found both of these passages to be very important and special. He longed to leave his "quiet life" and find himself a new life and new adventure outside with nature. He did not want to follow laws of society and often in his travels he did break the law. He wanted to be like the people in the past who lived and survived outside. I think he traveled west because the American colonists traveled west and found lots of land, riches, beauty, and happiness. He did not want the riches though.  He wanted to use nature riches. Chris McCandless had an urge to seek out more in life and that is what he did.

1/31/12 - Reinventing Myself

         If I had the chance to reinvent myself I don't think I would change my name or how I look or how I act. I actually like the way I am. I think I am a good and nice person who gets along well with others.  I used to hate my name because it was so common, but now I cannot imagine being called anything else.  I would like to try new things and go on adventures. In high school I started playing the viola because I heard a girl from my church play the viola and I thought it was so beautiful. After I heard her play I instantly wanted to learn how to play. Just like McCandless liked nature and spiritually connecting with the outdoors I always thought string instruments were pretty sounding and I felt connected to their sound. That is one way how I reinvented myself. I became a viola player.

         I have always wanted to travel to many different countries and learn about their unique culture. In the future I plan to go traveling to many different places and experiencing many different customs and traditions. I get an energy boost when I see happy people and people walking around in their natural habitat. The history of the country is also very interesting to learn about. I like to know what people did in the past and how they lived in the past. One thing that I would do differently from Chris McCandless would be that I would not travel alone. I would go with at least one other person so that I would have a person around me that makes me feel safe. If I went alone I would feel scared and lonely.

         I feel that what the idea of reinvention can be a good idea. Some people reinvent themselves for the better and some reinvent themselves for the worse. I think Chris reinvented himself to make himself happy.  He was happy during his life, which is very important to find in life. I do not think I would do anything like what Chris McCandless did like walking to my destinations, leaving my family, and living in the wilderness, but I think that reinventing yourself can show yourself and other people that you have many talents and are a unique person. Some do invent themselves for the worse though. An example of reinventing yourself in a bad way is to commit crimes or abuse drugs.

1/26/12 My Opinion of Chris McCandless

 
          Chris McCandless was an person who was intelligent and had a lot of deep thoughts. I think he saw the world in different ways and was a very caring person. He had a kind soul because he helped less fortunate people and discussed problems with society and peoples relationships with eachother. He did not like people’s negativity about life. Chris was thankful for everything he had and wanted to prove that he could live happily with the bare minimum. I think he wanted to truly understand how poor, starving, and disgraced people lived. Maybe he wanted to show that he cared for them in his own way by not being greedy and negative. He did not want to waste any food because he knew that other people were starving in the world.

        I think he also wanted to show himself and others that nature was essential for life. He probably thought that the early humans lived in nature and that he also could stray from modern society and live in and with nature.  Maybe he wanted to show society that life could be lived in nature and that other people could eat, find shelter, and find water in nature.

         Chris McCandless had a strong connection with nature spiritually, because he cared about all living creatures lives and tried to make sure that no life was taken and then wasted. He was happiest when he was wandering outside.  I think he was idealist because not all people in society today are going to understand what he believed in. I think his hopes were too high for other people to understand his ideas. Maybe he just wanted to see it work for himself. 
        
        When I first read this I was angry at Chris for doing this.  He could of lived the long life that was given to him.  Not all people in the world are as lucky as him to be in good health and have food, clean water, and shelter.  He was given the gift of life and I thought he should take care of himself and his life.  However later, when I thought about this I saw it threw his eyes that he was doing was was best for himself and his happiness.   People in the world strive to reach happiness and not all make it there.  Chris McCandless found his true happiness outside with nature and himself and therefore lived a good life.   He did not try to kill himself. So he was not wasting his life. He was just trying to find himself and his part in the world.  He said he enjoyed his life and was not too upset about his death.  He truly lived his life for himself and proved that a person can be happy with the bare minimum.     

        

1/24/12 Nature

          I enjoy nature.  I love looking at it and being out in it.  I think the earth and nature are beautiful and should by admired and enjoyed.  I do take comfort in nature.  Nature offers a safe and pleasant environment.  I believe that people should return and enjoy nature like humans did in the past.  In the past people lived with, hunted in, and relied on nature.  They learned how to connect and work with nature.  Not a lot of people now a days go outside anymore to connect with nature.  Today people are so caught up with the new technology and stay inside to use that technology.  I agree that technology is very beneficial to human life, but it would be ideal for people to find a balance between technology and going outside to be with nature.  Also people keep destroying nature with new developments, buildings, and roads.  People should try to limit how much nature they destroy.  
          I want to be more connected with nature because I think going outside and observing nature is healthy, relaxing, and fun.  Most of the time though I am inside the house focused on technology like tv, computer, or video games.  When I look out the window, I see how beautiful it is outside and that makes me want to go outside.  Being outside can be annoying too, because in the summer it can be too hot and in winter it can be too cold.  Also in the summer there are a lot of pesky insects that bite and fly around people.  However even with a few negatives, nature always gave me this happy feeling and made me feel relaxed and safe. I think people do have a spirital connection to nature because it surrounds us.  We live in and with nature and it is our home.  People should protect, love, respect, and admire their home.    

1/21/12 Materialism and Greed Today?

I think that people today are always excited for the next new technology and they have to have it.  The new iphone or ipod has even more apps and giga bites.  People want the latest technology.  I agree that technology like computers, video games, and ipods do distract people and take them away from other important tasks like doing work or being with family.  Then again I also believe that new technology is beneficial for our society because advances in technology help with better mecdical care, ways to communicate, ways to find information, and many other beneficial advances.  In the story the man was getting consumed by greed and how he wanted more land.  He totally forgot about his family and friends.  Now the family will have to find out the hard way that Pahóm is dead.  He became selfish.  People need to be careful about how much time and effort they spend on material objects.   

1/19/12

Since the fall semester I have not changed too much.  I am still a kind and caring person.  I am hard working and try my best to get good grades.  I also still love caring for animals and I enjoy art.  I still play the viola.  Something that has changed about me is that I have changed my POE from art to psychology.  I enjoy psychology and am taking the class inorder to see if I really like the subject.  I have gotten used to the college and like the freedom it gives.  I have become more independent and responsible.  I also do not procrastinate as much on work.  I think I am becoming a stronger person.