Oh! The places you'll go...

Credit to Dr Seuss for the title. Full poem here.


You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.




I read someone's blog today. They were moaning and groaning and grumbling about how awful their life was, and how things just weren't going their own way and how everyone should be helping them get through their tough times. During my more angsty, over-dramatic teenage moments, my mother tried to keep me grounded and reminded me that I was in control of what was going on in my life. Regardless of how awful I felt things were, I couldn't expect them to get any better without doing something by myself. Obviously, at the time, I was all resentful of her life experience and thought I knew better, but as usual, in hindsight, I know she was right.


I'm at a point in my life where I'm not really sure what awaits me. What am I going to do? How will I earn a living? Will anyone ever look at me and see an adult and not a teenager (damn you, young-looking face!)? And after 2 months of unemployment and "thinking time" I've eventually gathered my thoughts together. Thankfully, with a little more wisdom (let us not exaggerate though), I have a slightly clearer idea of what is required to enter adulthood without finding myself lost in the big bad world. I look at people I know who rely on their (parental) monetary safety net, who're afraid to go it alone and wonder how they're going to cope come September when they spread their wings and leave the nest. The time seems to come for every young'un to realise that actually, the world doesn't revolve around what to do over the weekend. The mundane can easily become the exciting.


Anyway, I'm going slightly off topic now so I'll try and veer back in the right direction. I just hope that all the people I know who are going to be all alone soon realise that life isn't going to get any easier for them if they sit around doing nothing all the time.

Two parts contemplation, one part teen angst.

I'll not beat about the bush, I've been feeling a little down recently, a bit behind the times and lonely, I suppose as a result of being unemployed (enter life lesson from mother about not being idle, not waiting for opportunity to come knocking). It kind of depresses me, knowing that I am a statistic. I mean, I'm already a statistic simply by being but this isn't the interesting kind of statistic, just the dull kind. I know that some people have picked up on my mood so I may as well confirm it here.

I remember my gran telling me when I was very young that I would always have a friend in my favourite book. Its a memory which pops into my head occasionally when I'm feeling sad or lonely or whatever, and I think that its a very good little pearl of wisdom that she passed onto me. Standing in the shower the other day (one of my most common "good ideas" places) I was thinking about the joys of a real book as opposed to e-books and audio books. I absolutely love my local library. For a lot of my last year at school I could be found sitting with various books at the big bay window. You can't replicate the experience of reading your favourite book with an e-book. The smell papery, dusty smell of the pages, the slightly rough way they feel - kind of like the sugar paper I used at primary school, way that you can just disappear into another story. I have read a few e-books. The experience wasn't terrible, but really, sitting in a library scrolling down on your phone/laptop/other medium just isn't the same. I suppose reading is my form of escapism, if you like. Anyway, what do you think? Will the e-book some day make real books obsolete?

A final little mention to someone, whose take on Depression Dog gave me a little laugh:

The Golden Age

Don't you just love to hear bitter people reminiscing about the past? When children had manners, love never died and there was no such thing as a free thinker. I occasionally hear people talking about it and it makes me wonder: when was this golden time? Whenever I speak to my mother about it it strikes me that with each generation people are constantly yearning to go back in time. Personally, I have no idea why anyone would be so desperate for things to be perfect because then life would be boring. Imperfections are what make things interesting, are they not?

I saw a comment made recently regarding (not, gross generalisation) all American movies being disgusting because of all the alcohol and swearing and "fornicating". At some point during the the discussion that followed a few people mentioned the good ole days and how everything is terrible nowadays. As far as I am concerned, if that is your opinion you may as well just give up on life because you will never have it your way and thus probably never live a 100% happy, fulfilled existence. Life is constantly moving forward, and by constantly moaning about how terrible life is you will get nowhere. Sadly, with each generation comes a new bunch of complainers and rose-tinted-glasses-wearing adults and elderly people.




In contrast to the older people who long for the past, there are the young who seem not to be content with what the present holds. Angst is understandable, but some people are just never happy. I live in a place that is stuck in the past and I can empathise when friends of mine say that they look forward to moving away, but then there are the people who feel that their whole world will end if their plan to get away goes a little pear-shaped. Is it really so difficult to embrace the present and enjoy the little things? Life is rarely perfect so you may as well make the best of your situation. Its people like these who will become the unhappy, unfulfilled people of tomorrow.

This is getting a little repetitive. I suppose what I'm really trying to say is stop whining about what you don't have and what doesn't exist and appreciate life for the wonderful thing that it is. It isn't a gift, although it's about the closest damn thing you'll get to a miracle and you've only got one shot at it.

“Carpe diem! Rejoice while you are alive; enjoy the day; live life to the fullest; make the most of what you have. It is later than you think.”  -Horace

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