One other thing.

This has been a good afternoon. I've been cruising along on the statistical analysis section of my thesis, had a good lunch, and a good chat with Doug and Uta.

I read over the entries I posted in January and I added some pictures. Good blogs have good pictures. (As a great example I'd like to direct your attention to 1001 rules for my unborn son. I've been following this blog since he started, can't remember how I came across it, but I love seeing updates. His tastes in music, art, and whatever, are similar to mine. I admire his sense of tradition, quirky ideas, and simple style. Also, he's just cool.) As I went about adding the pictures I had a chance to think back on what I had written.

I've learned a good lesson over the past few weeks. It goes a long way to explaining for myself why I started this blog. I have always been self-consious, critical of my own work, and determined to understand how exactly I fit in to all of the situations I come across. I think all of this is necessary on the way to becoming a content, aware, enlightened person (I mean, I guess that's what I'm aiming for). However, it's very easy to take this all too far and put a lot of unneeded and exhausting pressure on myself (same goes for most people, I suppose). When I started this blog I wasn't so intent on figuring things out completely, but more on sorting out the clutter and defining my problem and I'm identifying this as a very insightful concept. I'm starting to realize that you can't ever figure everything out completely. No matter how you try and how many hours you spend puzzling over everything in your life, figuring it all out would require more energy than one person has to spare. I mean, follow your heart, sure, but who the hell knows where their heart is going to lead them next? Why put so much effort into trying to guess what the next thing you want will be?

So, the idea behind this blog, I suppose, remains as an attempt to focus the chaotic creative energy around me. Staying positive in the place I am. Doing good work and being good to myself. Truly appreciating the people around me, but not trying at all to figure them out. Spending time with good music and activities that enrich all of my hours.

Yep. I like to write here, so I should be back soon.
Cass