Reality Bites...

Good evening,

I know I've just recently updated this blog, but I've got more to say. The fact that there are constant thoughts racing around my head like the Indie 500 is both a blessing and a burden. I guess it just depends on whether or not you like to read this blog ;)

This afternoon, I was flipping through channels while lazily laying on the couch and came across the movie "Reality Bites". Now, if you were born anytime before 1990, you have heard and more than likely seen the coming of age generation X flick starring the infamous Winona Ryder. Although I do enjoy the soundtrack to that movie, while watching this afternoon I realized that somehow their documentary-making, sexuality-questioning, musing-philosophical life isn't really my reality... biting or otherwise. While their posteducation reality consisted of waiting for the results of AIDS tests and choosing between two very different love interests... my post education reality consists of singing with the elderly and choosing between coffee or green tea every morning. While chuckling at the horrible mid-90's stereotypes of the characters, I thought a bit about the differences in realities... mine and those of the people in the film. The biggest difference, aside from location and lifestyle of course, is perception. I think that one's perception of reality has a lot to do with how we interpret and react to reality.

I was watching a made for TV movie the other day (Yes, I realize that this entry makes it seem like I watch far too much television. Yes, I realize that is true) starring Tom Cavanaugh (the actor who played 'Ed'). The characters in this movie set up a psychological experiment where they dressed a woman up in typical homeless garb (dirty teeth, ratty clothes, shopping cart full of cans..etc) and had her approach people on the street. Only instead of asking for money she was asking if she could give money away. The people on the street still avoided her and turned her down saying they didn't have any cash on them. A prime example of how our perception is far more real at times than reality itself.

I think that idea can be directly applied to our 20-something lives. This is a weird time... a great time... but a weird time. 20-somethings across the world have finished school, found their calling, and set sail into adulthood. Upon our maiden voyage we have two options... we can embrace where life has taken us or we can yearn to be somewhere else. If we choose the first option, we see our reality in a positive way. Our life is now and we live it with positive perception. If we choose the latter, the perception of our lives would be incredibly different. We would spend the duration of our current lives wishing we were somewhere we are not. We would spend our 'now' waiting for our 'later' to start and that reality would, in fact, bite.

Alright, I think I have worn-out my welcome here tonight. Besides, it is nearing 12:30AM and I am fairly sick of hearing the "1-800-LUV-CHAT" commercials in the background. Someone should tell whomever writes the scripts for those after-hours commercials that I have no intention of calling for a good time, even if there are "tons of live, hot girls in my area".

Goodnight moon,
Tempa