My credo; my apology

Greetings!

I plead the fifth as far as my absenteeism goes this past semester. I won’t bore you with the dull details - know that it was abuzz with schoolwork, friends loved and lost, corruption at its best and some biting drama.

Keeping it to the point - this post is a wrap-up of sorts for my freshman year.. I’ve made it through!

You can access links to all the articles I wrote for the State Press during my bout with the Opinions desk.

Enjoy - and look forward to a post detailing my summer quests!

-B

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THE STAT3 PR3SS TOP 3:

1)  Denial plagues an uproarious country

My, that Middle East! I wrote a series detailing the rebellion in the Middle East and Africa - my favorite journalistic project thus far. Gaddafi is quite the character - and an entertaining news development to follow. (Added later: As if to prove my point further, BBC reported today that Gaddafi now uses rape as a war tactic and has been disseminating Viagra to his soldier to boost their sex drive. My, oh my, Gaddafi!)

2) Caring about matters other than royalty

My seething hatred for the frivolities of the royal wedding at its finest.

3) Profiling a killer wrong way to react to a tragedy

Following the shootings in Tucson the stereotyping and scrutinization that Loughner underwent by the media - was in my opinion, unnecessary and unjust. This was my first article of the second semester, and was rather controversial.

You can access my compilation of articles for the State Press here.

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To access photo albums of the past year, add me on Facebook.

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New year, new me

Firstly, I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year. I am a bit slow on the uptake- rather than drawing out my resolutions in advance of Jan. 1, only now I am sitting down and mulling over what I’d like to achieve this year. In retrospect, my procrastination has been rather advantageous- I have had the chance to peruse my peer’s goals and have gauged what is both outlandish and feasible. More than anything else, whatever I choose to do in 2011, no matter how minimal- I want to do with gusto, not half- heartedly.

1.     Dive into the literary classics – Although I would consider myself well- read, I want to not only introduce myself to, but the dissect the minds of our brightest: Plato, Plutarch, the Bronte sisters, etc. The list is infinite. To put a number to it, I’d like to complete Jane Austen’s works, read Machiavelli’s The Prince, finish Anna Karenina and in the book club that a group of friends and I have amassed, I’d like to read eight miscellaneous works.

2.     Become the master of my finances – To explain my irresponsible spending I often blame my whims, and not my left- brain tendencies. By the end of this month I would like to have a concise budget that will allow me to save, making the impractical traveling plans I have for myself realistic. The more daunting task following that will be to follow this budget. (For those of you who have had the pleasure to go the mall with me will laugh at this.)

3.     Web design #FTW – This past semester I’ve become a social media fiend, I’ve acquired my beloved MacBook Pro and the only missing puzzle piece is my web designing capabilities. I idolize Mark Zuckerberg’s internet prowess, and although I know I won’t star in the next rendition of Social Network , I do know that the internet has infinite opportunities. I want to be well versed in HTML and CSS by the end of this year- and will hopefully be in the process of purchasing my own domain name and building my website by the time that 2012 has peeked it’s ugly head. Hopefully I’ll have gotten my website up before the apocalypse.

4.     Veg head – My bouts with vegetarianism have been anti- climactic thus far. Upon taking it on I had expected that various foods and vegetables that I hadn’t known existed would bestow themselves upon me. Summarily, I do know WHY I’m a vegetarian, but I don’t know HOW. I’m surrounded by culinary genius (my father is FANTASTIC, and Gourmet Gab is a favorite blog of mine) and I’ve bought myself a Steeler’s apron; it’s high time that I effectively use my tools! Whether it be dabbling in cooking classes over the summer (or with my father), or by hitting the books and starting my own garden- I am going to denounce the brownies and welcome the broccoli. Bring on healthy eating habits!

5.     Location, location, location! As most of you know, I am a caffeine fiend- and can’t live without my daily dose of Starbucks. Although I refuse to attend Coffee Addicts Anonymous, I do plan on making my “issue” a Catch-22 of sorts. Although my attendance at Starbucks is unavoidable, when given the opportunity, I want to support local cafes and shops. Rather than feeding the corporate machine, let’s support the underdog, shall we?

Although I could go on for hours as to how I’d like to improve myself, I’ll leave you with these five. Although they are hard to gauge, and I prefer the black and white- I can’t continue to live in this way. Life is an aura of indefinable hues, and although it disconcerts me that I cannot give them a name, they’re thrilling. Isn’t that why I’ve chosen this circuitous route- one that isn’t navigable, even with a map? I’ll draw the map as I go, in an assortment of colors. 

Start the new year off right: Add me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter.

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- John F. Kennedy

(via unrequitedwishes)

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A Semester in Review

My first semester of college has come and gone before I’ve even had the chance to digest it all. What did I learn? Do I know where I am going from here? I’ve got an endless stream of questions in my periphery that I’m either to overwhelmed or lazy to answer. Rather, let’s take a look into what has passed- and what I await in the future, before I analyze what is present.

Come and Gone

This was my mission, inscribed on my first blog post (ever): “My Mission- While I “bevel and emboss” myself, I will, at the same time, give a voice to minority- enlighten the world of the many, many, infinite things they do not know (and I don’t know).”

Of course, I haven’t met these standards yet- as insurmountable as they look- but I have overcome a few stepping stones.

1.       Diane Sawyer. The movies and lectures were the competition and Diane Sawyer was my prize. Although I had orchestrated in my mind a day of grandeur- and a sentimental moment between Diane Sawyer and me that never did happen- it was an opportunity that I will always prize. Behind the layers she was once what I am now- a young woman with outlandish dreams that is willing to take up anything and everything- if only for people to know her name. While I know that hers and my specific dreams are light- years apart, she and I share many similarities. To educate, to enlighten, to give voices to those without the capability to cry out; we both hope and care to do.

2.       The State Press.   My first article, Tag Team for Education, was the first time that I had seen my work in print, EVER. I was a kid in a candy store, giddy and beside myself. It’s an honor to be writing for the State Press, gaining a tantamount of experience. I am reaping far more than I give to the newspaper by learning how to gauge what students are interested in reading, as well as broadening my horizons by writing on subject matter that I wouldn’t normally (see article on Gender neutral housing). You can view my articles this past semester here, here, and here.

3.       Arizona Students’ Association. This was cause for a lot of needless stress throughout the semester- and I’m not sure, really, what my consensus is now that I’ve interned with ASA. I believe in what our goal was in the onset, however, I don’t agree with some of the tactics that were used. Before I delve further into a situation that doesn’t need to be broached, I will leave ASA in the past knowing that I learned how to stand my ground, and make what I believe not an afterthought, but a declaration. On a more personal note, a lot of the people that I met via ASA are invaluable, including my new roommate, Alex (mini shout- out). SHE’S GREAT.

4.       “Brain Sex.” Ah, the musings! Before I got consumed with classes and work, I used to have a few minutes to spare here and there for thoughts on life – and its comprising parts. It’s broad reach aside, I miss the context that my blog used to portray (my thoughts and conclusions of the journalistic world, my mere existence, etc.) rather than the updates on my daily life that I now leave you with.

College is the leaping pad where some of the world’s most prominent figures, like Mark Zuckerberg (TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year), have made their mark. Better yet, the “marks” commonly arose from bouts of brain sex! There is far too much that I want to ponder, and know- that my threshold for learning has become endless. Expect more updates on my musings in the following months..

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In conclusion to what has passed- and rather than boring you with my words- this slide show will give you a pictorial insight unto the past semester.

Expect the second part of this update on my future conquests to follow VERY SOON. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and have a Happy New Year!

Find me on Facebook

Brittany Morris

- Aristotle

Turkeys and the Apocalypse

Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for. -Epicurus

Fellow readers, the holidays are amongst us and I couldn’t be more frazzled. Let it be known that I find this to be most ironic; with Christmas right around the corner I should have a cup of Truffle Hot Cocoa steaming beside me whilst immersing myself in my newest book. My books are neglected and my cocoa lays dormant in its powdered form. Finals have crept upon me far too soon and all the while I have to plan for next semester’s activities. I’m breathless merely thinking about it- and I will do you the gracious favor of not giving you the gory details.

Instead, I’ll relay to you my most recent revelations on life- and I’ll also admit that this particular revelation is either plausible or outrageously otherworldly. Last week, during Thanksgiving, I was given a few moments to contemplate on the impending apocalypse with old friends. I always take pleasure in congregating with them and hashing out the complexities of life.

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Firstly, I want to give many thanks to Erick Duarte, a frequent participant in these drawn out investigations. At the time (at some point during Thanksgiving Break), he had been proclaiming his vestige to meat, no matter the information that I relayed to him about the corruption of the meat packing industry. Despite common belief, you can enjoy Thanksgiving without eating turkey. After I had mentioned this, we delved further into the fact that Americans consume far more turkeys and meat in general, than the average human in other countries on a yearly basis. As stated in one of my more recent State Press articles, the meat packing industry is dipping its toes in places it shouldn’t be- and disregards evolutionary fact and the wiles of nature.

On a larger scale, Americans are VERY good at this. We abuse and force conformity- rather than being flexible ourselves. I hate to think that I’ve become the cliché college student, but I find myself doubting our governance and am adopting a persona of independence that I wish my fellow citizens would do, as well. We abuse, don’t reuse and take for granted the smaller pleasures in life. Insatiable, we continue to want – rather than being comforted with the many opportunities and comforts that others will never have the gratification in seeing.

To further prove this point, Epicurus, an Ancient Greek Philosopher, (figuratively) entered the conversation- and his theories on human nature and greed. Roughly put, his theory can be mirrored in a person’s ability to hold their alcohol. The longer someone drinks- and the more they drink, the larger the tolerance the drinker will build. Similarly, the more we offer to our fellow Americans, the more tolerance the consumer will acquire to receive- almost to the point that nothing is ever enough. Rather than having a threshold that can be met or exceeded; whether it be through another’s love, success or money, our brink is infinite. Simplicity is a rarity – a long lost dream or the quest of a hipster. Take for example, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Was I the only one that witnessed how easily these two prime examples of consumerism dwarfed the excitement of gathering around the table, and taking joy in one another’s company?

We’re all guilty of this, me included. To keep myself grounded, I think back to Epicurus and his threshold theory; rather than making mine surmountable, each passing day I look for ways to bridge the gap. While our thresholds may be infinite, the Earth cannot withstand our abuses or insatiability forever. Put the wallet down, walk amongst the foliage and prize the possessions you do have. Better yet, prize the relationships you have- the experiences you have been granted and hope for a future that isn’t limitless, but allows you to find happiness in the simpler things.

Not what we have But what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance.-Epicurus

Think this post is outrageous, or are you hungry for more philosophical theories? Email me.

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It is impossible to live a pleasant life without living wisely and well and justly. And it is impossible to live wisely and well and justly without living a pleasant life. -Epicurus      

Of all the things which wisdom provides to make us entirely happy, much the greatest is the possession of friendship. -Epicurus

Riches do not exhilarate us so much with their possession as they torment us with their loss. -Epicurus

The misfortune of the wise is better than the prosperity of the fool. -Epicurus