Stubborn Fireflies
Jun. 14th, 2007 10:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
morrigirlTonight while I was walking home form the laundromat a firefly landed in my hair. For a while it just sat there like a little electric barrette flashing among the locks. I loved it! It was beautiful. I was sorry to have to shake him loose when I got home.
Had a weird experience at the laundromat tonight. Ten minutes before the end of my dryer cycle this middle aged Italian guy who I had never seen before in my life sat down next to me and said "You're always reading. Whenever I come in here I see you reading." I looked up from my book, kind of giggled and smiled hesitantly and then went back to reading. Take note fellas, it's never good to start a conversation with an aloof stranger by admitting you've been watching her...unless you're, like, Antonio Banderas hot.
The guy didn't take the hint and kept on talking to me so I figured "what the hell" and started talking to him. He was a perfectly nice Bronx bred Italian man named Mike. 50 years old, twice divorced, single (yes he made sure I knew all of that within the first five minutes) and apparently I reminded him of his third fiance who died at the age of 41. A bit strange, but, ya know, he didn't try to touch me or get to close so talking to him was a perfectly fine way to waste ten minutes. When I got up to leave he made sure that I wrote down his number and asked if he could take me out for dinner one night. I told him I'd have to clear it with my boyfriend first. His face kinda dropped when I said that. He quickly bade me farewell after that and I walked home thinking "God, I hope he's not following me." I've never understood guys who ask you out on a date after talking to you for ten minutes. You don't know me. At all! Do you really want to spend money on a person you don't even know if you really LIKE? Call me old fashioned but I like to establish SOME form of relationship with a person before we go out on a date.
Today at work we were discussing the difference between what a college provides versus what it produces. Colleges generally spend a lot of time publicizing what they provide: financial aid, sports facilities, rigorous programs of study. But, people are actually more interested in finding out what a college produces; what types of graduates they send out into the world, what kind of jobs alumni end up working, who they become in the world.
And that got me thinking about Knox and the graduates it produces. I tried to think of any unifying characteristics that all my college friends possessed; something whose roots were planted firmly in the Knox experience. And that lead me to ask what is Knox's greatest strength as an institution of learning? That's easy. Ask any Knox student what they love best about the school and they'll all say "The people." Knox attracts an astounding array of individuals from different states, countries, of different religious and political persuasions. It's the only school I have ever seen where the conservatives can correctly argue that the campus is too liberal and the liberals can just as correctly argue that the campus is too conservative. Compared to many other schools, it's got a good balance. And everyone is so FRIENDLY, oh my God. It took a lot of work to be an outcast at Knox. it is a very social campus and by extension a very active campus. Almost everyone at Knox is involved in extracurriculars and most are involved in several at a time. Just look at me: I was involved with the theatre department, the radio station, ASK. I had friends who were involved in the choir, GIN, Terpsicore, debate and forensics, Philosophy Club, SAI, sororities, fraternities, EVERYONE was active in SOMETHING. And Knox made it easy for us to be active. Anyone could audition for and get cast in a play or a dance concert or the choir. Anyone could have a radio show, anyone could start a club. Not all colleges are like that. There are many where only theatre majors can audition for plays, and only music majors can sing in the choir. The atmosphere at Knox is one that encourages you to be social and involved in the community. And that is what I think Knox produces: people who are socially active and involved in their communities. It produces people who believe they can do whatever they want and don't take no for an answer. Just think about it - How many grads do you know who regularly pick up new hobbies, learn new skills, and get involved in activities for no other reason than that they want to? How many possess that stubborn nose to the grindstone attitude that they are going to accomplish what they set out to accomplish come hell or high water? I think that on the whole Knox turns out graduates with enough self-knowledge and emotional strength to know what they want and the social savvy required to get it. We are people who say "I am going to do this. End of story."
Speaking of people, I've noticed I've been reaching out to more of them lately. Been commenting on journals I don't usually comment on, communicating with people though MySpace and Facebook, two sites I had practically NO use for until last month. I've just felt like...talking! Like connecting with people, saying hello, interacting. Because, as strange as this may sound coming from the hand of a person who considers herself fairly anti-social, I love people. I do, I think they're fabulous. They do the most wonderful things. They cry and they hurt people on purpose, and they laugh and sing and watch soap operas. They race after strangers who have dropped their scarves, they attempt to exterminate entire ethnic groups, they dye their hair really bizarre colors after particularly bad break-ups. They take bathes in public fountains, they share sandwiches during their lunch breaks, they swindle others out of money. People are infinitely fascinating. I love them.
And I love you. I know I say that a lot but I really mean it. There are so many acquaintances who have become my friends based solely on our LJ interaction. So many friends I would have never met through other avenues. I adore all of you and you mean a lot to me. Don't forget it :-)
Had a weird experience at the laundromat tonight. Ten minutes before the end of my dryer cycle this middle aged Italian guy who I had never seen before in my life sat down next to me and said "You're always reading. Whenever I come in here I see you reading." I looked up from my book, kind of giggled and smiled hesitantly and then went back to reading. Take note fellas, it's never good to start a conversation with an aloof stranger by admitting you've been watching her...unless you're, like, Antonio Banderas hot.
The guy didn't take the hint and kept on talking to me so I figured "what the hell" and started talking to him. He was a perfectly nice Bronx bred Italian man named Mike. 50 years old, twice divorced, single (yes he made sure I knew all of that within the first five minutes) and apparently I reminded him of his third fiance who died at the age of 41. A bit strange, but, ya know, he didn't try to touch me or get to close so talking to him was a perfectly fine way to waste ten minutes. When I got up to leave he made sure that I wrote down his number and asked if he could take me out for dinner one night. I told him I'd have to clear it with my boyfriend first. His face kinda dropped when I said that. He quickly bade me farewell after that and I walked home thinking "God, I hope he's not following me." I've never understood guys who ask you out on a date after talking to you for ten minutes. You don't know me. At all! Do you really want to spend money on a person you don't even know if you really LIKE? Call me old fashioned but I like to establish SOME form of relationship with a person before we go out on a date.
Today at work we were discussing the difference between what a college provides versus what it produces. Colleges generally spend a lot of time publicizing what they provide: financial aid, sports facilities, rigorous programs of study. But, people are actually more interested in finding out what a college produces; what types of graduates they send out into the world, what kind of jobs alumni end up working, who they become in the world.
And that got me thinking about Knox and the graduates it produces. I tried to think of any unifying characteristics that all my college friends possessed; something whose roots were planted firmly in the Knox experience. And that lead me to ask what is Knox's greatest strength as an institution of learning? That's easy. Ask any Knox student what they love best about the school and they'll all say "The people." Knox attracts an astounding array of individuals from different states, countries, of different religious and political persuasions. It's the only school I have ever seen where the conservatives can correctly argue that the campus is too liberal and the liberals can just as correctly argue that the campus is too conservative. Compared to many other schools, it's got a good balance. And everyone is so FRIENDLY, oh my God. It took a lot of work to be an outcast at Knox. it is a very social campus and by extension a very active campus. Almost everyone at Knox is involved in extracurriculars and most are involved in several at a time. Just look at me: I was involved with the theatre department, the radio station, ASK. I had friends who were involved in the choir, GIN, Terpsicore, debate and forensics, Philosophy Club, SAI, sororities, fraternities, EVERYONE was active in SOMETHING. And Knox made it easy for us to be active. Anyone could audition for and get cast in a play or a dance concert or the choir. Anyone could have a radio show, anyone could start a club. Not all colleges are like that. There are many where only theatre majors can audition for plays, and only music majors can sing in the choir. The atmosphere at Knox is one that encourages you to be social and involved in the community. And that is what I think Knox produces: people who are socially active and involved in their communities. It produces people who believe they can do whatever they want and don't take no for an answer. Just think about it - How many grads do you know who regularly pick up new hobbies, learn new skills, and get involved in activities for no other reason than that they want to? How many possess that stubborn nose to the grindstone attitude that they are going to accomplish what they set out to accomplish come hell or high water? I think that on the whole Knox turns out graduates with enough self-knowledge and emotional strength to know what they want and the social savvy required to get it. We are people who say "I am going to do this. End of story."
Speaking of people, I've noticed I've been reaching out to more of them lately. Been commenting on journals I don't usually comment on, communicating with people though MySpace and Facebook, two sites I had practically NO use for until last month. I've just felt like...talking! Like connecting with people, saying hello, interacting. Because, as strange as this may sound coming from the hand of a person who considers herself fairly anti-social, I love people. I do, I think they're fabulous. They do the most wonderful things. They cry and they hurt people on purpose, and they laugh and sing and watch soap operas. They race after strangers who have dropped their scarves, they attempt to exterminate entire ethnic groups, they dye their hair really bizarre colors after particularly bad break-ups. They take bathes in public fountains, they share sandwiches during their lunch breaks, they swindle others out of money. People are infinitely fascinating. I love them.
And I love you. I know I say that a lot but I really mean it. There are so many acquaintances who have become my friends based solely on our LJ interaction. So many friends I would have never met through other avenues. I adore all of you and you mean a lot to me. Don't forget it :-)
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no subject
Date: 2007-06-15 03:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-15 02:40 pm (UTC)