in which xiy avoids public speaking and (successfully?) philosophizes

I had to present the NHD board today, which was basically a study in how quickly I could put the APUSH class to sleep (i.e., not a very long time), because I suck at public speaking and presenting things and there was such a lot to say and not very much time to say it. It's hard to fangirl over dead French revolutionaries when one stumbles over one's own words far too often. :|a

And this is why I like the Internet! Because my writing skills are so much better, see. I should just retreat into a cave with a good wi-fi connection and never come out again, but then again I wouldn't ever see my friends. That's not good, but perhaps my friends could visit me. I would be like Thoreau camping out in the woods, only I don't care at all about finding myself (because the self is very good at evading enlightenment) or cutting myself off from the world, hence the occasional friendly visit and Internet connection. Scathing criticisms of society could still work, I suppose, though I doubt anybody would care.

Interesting, isn't it, how Thoreau, despite being a recluse by a pond for two years (which reminds me, I was given the entirety of Walden last Christmas by this one Chinese college kid I don't know very well that my parents invited over, and I've been meaning to read it), had to rejoin society and actually write for his message to be known. If he'd stayed by the pond and never left, then nobody would know or care, except for maybe Thoreau.

At any rate, I think I could live pretty nicely in a well-stocked cave for awhile, though the nights would probably get pretty cold. The stargazing opportunities would be endless, though, if it were on a mountain. If it were on a mountain, the frostbite opportunities would be equally endless. I would probably fall off of the mountain and break something major, in which case I would have to retreat to civilization (assuming that civilization ever found my broken body, etc) for awhile. I could publish the book and call it Mountain and then get famous. Or something.

Or I could learn rock-climbing and/or proper balance, get a few goats, and start up a successful cheesemaking business and thus fund my enormous Internet bills. Perhaps I could learn hang-gliding with the extra money. That would be cool. Imagination is a wonderful thing.

Listening to Muse right now. It is pretty, but quite sad.


Not sure any of this post makes sense.


xiy