"America’s present need is not heroics, but healing; not nostrums, but normalcy; not revolution, but restoration; not agitation, but adjustment; not surgery, but serenity; not the dramatic, but the dispassionate; not experiment, but equipoise; not submergence in internationality, but sustainment in triumphant nationality."
— Warren G. Harding, 1920
Candidate and soon-to-be President Harding not only invented the word "normalcy" in his campaign speech of 1920, but also touched on a sentiment that rings true today…. both for America as the election draws near and also, well… for me. (Except the national versus international part - that's just about America).
Healing, restoration, adjustment, serenity… all concepts that will hopefully play a role in my near future. I plan to take fewer classes during longer semesters (when it takes more time and energy to secure fewer credits) to pursue other endeavors… like sleeping. And also spending more time with family and friends, reading, writing and maybe even being bored for an hour. I'm dying to be bored for an hour. I'll research which museum has the best new exhibit but secretly know that I'm just going to sit on my couch doing nothing instead.
Have just been reflecting on the past year - it's been a whirlwind (and a good one), but thinking back I'm not nearly as proud or appreciative of the classes I've taken or anything related to work as I am of the time spent during coffee breaks with a friend between meetings, conversation over a beer after class and summer barbecues at the house. At the very least, the past year has taught me to value time. I've learned what's important to me by being constantly forced to choose between competing priorities. It turns out dinners with Kaila trump just about everything else, Krugman's weekly column is more important than most emails, taking the long way to the subway doesn't mean I can skip the gym (that one's not relevant to my point. It's just a fact.) and election forecasts are more crucial than GPA. So with winter and spring class registration coming up, I'm planning my return to normalcy. And I can't wait.
— Warren G. Harding, 1920
Candidate and soon-to-be President Harding not only invented the word "normalcy" in his campaign speech of 1920, but also touched on a sentiment that rings true today…. both for America as the election draws near and also, well… for me. (Except the national versus international part - that's just about America).
Healing, restoration, adjustment, serenity… all concepts that will hopefully play a role in my near future. I plan to take fewer classes during longer semesters (when it takes more time and energy to secure fewer credits) to pursue other endeavors… like sleeping. And also spending more time with family and friends, reading, writing and maybe even being bored for an hour. I'm dying to be bored for an hour. I'll research which museum has the best new exhibit but secretly know that I'm just going to sit on my couch doing nothing instead.
Have just been reflecting on the past year - it's been a whirlwind (and a good one), but thinking back I'm not nearly as proud or appreciative of the classes I've taken or anything related to work as I am of the time spent during coffee breaks with a friend between meetings, conversation over a beer after class and summer barbecues at the house. At the very least, the past year has taught me to value time. I've learned what's important to me by being constantly forced to choose between competing priorities. It turns out dinners with Kaila trump just about everything else, Krugman's weekly column is more important than most emails, taking the long way to the subway doesn't mean I can skip the gym (that one's not relevant to my point. It's just a fact.) and election forecasts are more crucial than GPA. So with winter and spring class registration coming up, I'm planning my return to normalcy. And I can't wait.
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