Imagination- Good...or bad?

Think about it...is imagination good? Is it bad? It's true, without creativity and innovation, we'd still be afraid of fire and hunting animals and gathering berries to survive. But, I'm not speaking of such times. Think about now. Think about your childhood. Mighty princes, powerful heroes who seemed to always get the girl (or if you're the Red Power-Ranger, guy), and wizards/elves have filled our eager minds with such lavish happiness. But, doesn't all this fantasy hurt us in the end? I can recall the day I found out Santa Claus was fictitious. The pain. The disappointment. The world of fantasy is nothing but false hopes...or is it? Is the mere images worth the pain? Is the temporary joy worth the stabbing pain?

Take for instance...Iron Man, Superman, and all the other millions and millions of superheroes. Is it REALLY possible for us to be bitten by radio-active, enhanced spiders, thus giving us super-human strengths and web-slinging abilities. No...in fact, I'd say the p-value for something like that happening is less than 2%. Thus, making it improbable...not IMPOSSIBLE, but improbable. But then, why do we(well, most of us, I think) like things such as these? What makes us humans like fantasy fiction....curiosity? Ambition? Innovation? Who knows...but is it really worth the let down?

Another example, my best friend Charlie dreams to be the creator of true Artificial Intelligence. Without innovation and curiosity, would he have the drive to do such a thing? Without computer-science stories/fantasy, would his dreams be possible? Though I know he will, in the end, do said dream, what about the others? What about those out there who dream of flying in space, though defying gravity is not possible for them? What about those who dream to be the President--because their mommies and daddies said they could do whatever they wish?

Sometime ago, Charlie couldn't remember any of his dreams. I know he has been getting better at remembering...but I've always wanted to ask. Was he happy that he didn't dream? Was it better to be realistic? Just another man in a gray suit? I constantly dream. Sometimes, I dream in mid-sentence...and I space off on different tangents...only to be succumbed to the reality in which I live. I for one, always wanted to be a Jedi, a superhero, the smartest man alive, etc etc etc....depends on the time. While growing up, shows like Power- Rangers, Pokemon, Yugioh, etc etc sparked my interest. But, now looking back on them, have they really helped me? Or have they let me down....somehow? Is it better to be black and white, or to have the gray- the uncertain, the ambiguity, the anticipation? Or is it truly better to be ignorant...does not ignorance create bliss?

I for one, have an 'artist' mind. I see gray, the unknown, the illogical...but should I train my eyes to see things just as they are? Should I just accept the fact 1+1=2, no matter how much my heart says...'but what if...?' Its true, even Shakespeare would agree...the heart is indeed the strongest muscle, but it is also the weakest. The heart sees the world so much differently than the brain ( to understand my reference better, see- The Clod and the Pebble, it is a poem(google it). Scientist hate everything gray...whereas artists strive on such worlds. As Mr. McCloskey put it- " A scientist will write a word, and have it mean exactly one definition, whereas a poet will write a word, and have that said word mean two, three, or more things...such as 'lies,' 'hard,' and 'cold.'" I think that's true. Many of my scientific friends hate it when I say something, and they are not able to understand the hidden truths behind my words. Charlie would say a sentence and mean exactly that. I.e.- " My cat is big." Whereas my sentence would be- " My cat is big." Perhaps I mean big as in fat...or big in spirit....or big in heart...etc etc. Don't we all have different meanings of the word 'love?' Some of us, the word love is hard to say, whereas, in others, it rolls off their tongue. Does it the word's meaning change with the amount of usage? If I say the word love' five hundred times a day, do I mean it any less than the girl who says it once? I guess that's for you to decide...

My point is this...is the high worth the low? Is the disappointment worth the distraction? Is the pain worth the healing? Just think about it...

I know for me...the high will always be worth the low. I will always follow my heart, no matter what my brain is screaming at me. It's just my nature. I am powered by my heart, my soul, my dreams...but sometimes I wonder if I should end all that...but then, just as I'm about to dissemble my world, my dreams, my compassion, my heart presents a new dream...a sweet dream...one that makes my body light...as I'm flying past the roaring comets, the rings of Saturn, the blackness of space...

-Toph

Fulfilling Days...

Sorry readers, I've been quite busy the few days :-( Hope you haven't missed me too much ;-)
Work has consumed most of my time lately, as well as the sun. Lately, I've been to compelled to stay in-doors. I have been roller-blading and running as much as possible. I just love my ipod and exercising. Gets my mind off of other things.
Also, Stephen C. and I are officially in a relationship now :) We made it official the other day --the 8th--so now I am a boyfriend. I hung out with Charlie on the 9th and we had some real fun. I just like spending time with my best guy friend. Vanessa, Nissa, and I went to McDonald's the other night and had some ice cream, since it's been such a long time seeing one another. I guess the two gals have become interested in making jewelry, so I bought one to support their new trade. It is nice. Its just a black string necklace with a red-circle pendent. I love it.
I've recently have become absolutely addicted to Ouran H.S. Host Club. I was enthused by Bleach, but Ouran just makes me laugh...from the gut. I love anime. I'm actually listening to Japanese music while writing this post. :-)
For those who don't know, I am currently saving my money so i can spend all of next summer in Japan. I'll be there for 4-5 weeks-backpacking. So, yeah, I need to learn the language, and soon! So much to do! So much to do!! I've healed 100% from my little accident and I'm feeling great.
I wish you all a great day/night, and a blissful life!!!

-toph

So get this!

Yesterday, was probably the strangest day in my life. I was hit by a car while roller-blading. Don't worry, I am okay. I just got a few bruises and cuts/scrapes. But I mean, honestly, I really think Charlie is right. We do live epic lives...I mean, I have a minor heart attack and now, I got hit by a car. The universe is just throwing every goddamn negative force at me these days. But I will triumph! Fuck you universe! lol...but not really, I love you universe, just cut me some slack.
So anyways, here's how it all went down. I was roller-blading near the YMCA in my hometown. I was gliding down this hill and there was this guy in the middle of the sidewalk. I warned the guy that I was going to pass him on the right, but later, I found out he was slightly...'slow,' if you know what I mean. So anyways, I was concentrated on not hitting this guy. The girl in the car, didn't stop at the stop sign like she should, while exiting the YMCA, and didn't see me coming. Well, of course, I CAN'T STOP ON A DIME....and she hit me. According to her, I performed three flips in the air, and landed some 45 feet away...blocking all lanes of traffic.
So, she gets out of her car and she is freaking out...like that's going to help. When I opened my eyes, my first thought was " Is my ipod okay?" I know that sounds lame, but my ipod is like...attached to my body...I use it about 35% of the day...and then I was concerned about my elbow, since it was raging with pain. I just stared at the blue sky. I mean, I remember asking myself: " Did I REALLY just get hit by a car? That shit only happens in movies..." But in the end, I really did get hit by one. So the YMCA gals came and helped me out. The police and paramedics were summoned, and I had to go to the E.R....but I'm fine, just aches and pains. I hope that girl has learned her lesson...PEDESTRIANS HAVE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY BITCH!....and fucking stop at a stop sign.
If she couldn't see me...a 6'2'' man in a white shirt, then she sure is NOT going to see a 7yr old boy walking. I'm just glad it was me who was hit instead of some boy or girl. It was just inconvenient because I had to spend a lot of time at the hospital... so I guess this page is dedicated to stop signs, and those who obey them....OBEY THEM!

-Toph

Late Night Movies...

Today, I had work from 12-6pm. It was a busy day. Only Kellie and and I worked, but we had a blast, like we always do. It was so busy that I had to stay until 8pm just to clean up the mess. It was sort of a long, but short day. short because I was constantly busy, but long also because the clock never seemed to move. Charlie is in New York City, with his gal, Kelsey, and i hope they are having a great time.
When I came home from work, I popped in a pizza in the oven and immediately went to Youtube. One of the best things I like to do is watch movies via Youtube. Thank you Google for all your wonders. I watched, not one, not two, but THREE movies via Youtube. I watched: Sixteen Candles, Robin Hood- Men in tights, and the Hutchback of Notre Dame. I had a blast with each. I went from a 16 yr old school girl, to a Straight Man who wears tights, and lastly, a crooked judge who sees corruption everywhere, except within.
As of now, it is 12:35 am, Monday, and I am talking to my Stephen (C.). Too many Stephens, lol. He is currently packing things up so he can move into his new summer cottage for the Summer semester at his school(Hope college). We spoke of Cedar Point, Pcon, and various other things. He really is the cat's meow. The cheese to my macaroni. great, now I'm hungry. :)
I bought my mom a ring for Mother's Day. It was three diamonds, each representing her children( there's me, my sister, and my brother). Three diamonds, three children. So I hope she likes it--she better *shakes fist*

Yesterday, was not so good a day, lol. I dropped $500 on my costume for future conventions and Halloween. I will be *drum roll*...........................The Green Arrow! So yeah, $500 gone. Now Charlie needs a costume...yes Charlie, you need a costume. And it better be epic....bitch, lol. In case you readers don't know, Charlie and I live Epic Lives. Shit just seems to go down whenever we are together. Like the universe is trying to fuck with us, or something. The craziest events happen. I think the biggest one would have to be the Randall Munroe affair. In short, we managed to piss off Randall Munroe( creator of xkcd web-comics). It was intentional, of course, but when we were getting his autograph, there was just a lot of confusion and dismay, and then an Ox had to show up(not a real one, a guy in a costume) and had to deliver a package to him. It was just a crazy sequence of events, but it was epic. We now have a memory tied with the legendary Randall Munroe. Beat that suckers!

-Sleep well, world,
-Topher

Saturday...

Yesterday, I went to work and had some friends come and surprise me. Charlie and Stephen G. came by and "kid-napped" after I got off work, and we went to lunch. After we ate, we went over to Stephen's house and watched an episode of FireFly and the first Pokemon movie. While we watched FireFly, one of the characters said to a man: " Are you sly? If so, I have my boys..." - implying that she has men for him to sleep with, if he was gay. Well, goddammit, OF COURSE my friends picked up on that, and now, our new thing is to say "sly" instead of gay. It's been day two, and I already think we've abused it.
Also, yesterday, I realized, that my friends and I are total nerds. We discussed the most nerdiest of things, such as the lack of technology in Star Wars holograms, despite the abundant technology around them. That was probably the least of things we've discussed. But, I learned, no matter how different our lives may be, we will always know how to make each other laugh, cry, and feel loved. My dream followed this similar pattern of events. It encompassed my friends, but in the cartoon show, Bleach. I could not save them no matter how hard I tried, and I awoke at 7 a.m. from it. I just didn't know what I could have done to save them, and in the end, I failed. After I awoke, I ran to the YMCA to clear my head, and start the day off.
Today, I went to dinner with Charlie, Kelsey, Stephen G., Dylan, and a few other people. Dinner was fun. After dinner, we went to see the movie Iron Man. Definitely better than Spider-man.It is just amazing how much fun someone can have just by simply hanging out with his/her best friends. I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Now, it is 1:53 am, Saturday morning, and I am chatting with Stephen C. and Charlie. Life just couldn't get any better. I definitely think I am starting to like, like this boy. Let me tell you readers, I probably had the cutest conversation with him yesterday. Stephen and I had a conversation, which turned into a story, about a vampire hunter saving a boy prince, and, just as we were heading to bed, Stephen said " g'night my guardian angel" --note: I was the vampire hunter who was an angel and he was the cute, young prince, who I saved-- It was just so sweet and cute that I felt butterflies in my stomach. I just hope he feels the same way. I always seem to go into things a little too much, but I hope this one works out...*I'm already starting to feel the butterflies, again...*

Live in Peace, readers,
-Toph