The Artful Scientist

Today I did the ASSIST Evaluation at the Aberdeen Test Center, which is a military proving grounds. It was sweet. I volunteered to participate in a field experiment involving soldiers and facial recognition and real-time processing software. They also test high explosives on site, and you can hear/feel the bomb and artillery detonations from miles away. Inadvertently, the bomb explosions every ten minutes were definitely the coolest part of the day. That was very weirdly soothing.

I got to play an Iraqi student and a soccer player. All in all, very cool. I also got to hang out with my peoples and play ball and stuff.

I also got to think quietly. Waiting in very long lines can sometimes force one to do this. It is those quiet times that come that make you wonder what it is that you are doing in life. Loving? Thinking? Socializing? Living like an animal day to day in this world? Why do I do this or why don’t I do that. How am I living back at home?

THESE are the things that I am thinking. What do I do here in Maryland that I LOVE that I totally ignore at home? How can I change them? Should I change them? After going on and on about how this is the perfect community and all, why not change things? Here are a few of my notes on my progress, thinking, and whatnot:

WRITE MORE:
I love to write. Writing is my thing. I scribble, blog, doodle, technically write, etc. I love to write. I love to think. I must tie these things together better. By writing more, I can say things better. I can use the right word, just like my favorite authors write up thought processes. This comes with lots and lots of practice. Years even. Write letters, books, manuals, essays,etc.

By writing more, I think better, and become more interesting, which feeds the other values. I can have a tangible life. I can have output things that others can read and think about. Writing lives forever. WHO writes? Not many people do. That doesn’t mean that I can’t write. I can love deeper. I can express myself in weird poems to technical manuals. Everyone can read.

READ less:
Why less? I can’t take up ALL of my time, input, and thinking by reading about it! I have to write about it! I have so much stuff in my head, let me get it out there. Admittedly, this stuff came from reading a lot, but I am referring to where I am NOW. I can also read less as to not overwrite my passions. I push to avoid redundancy. How many books have I read about time management? Am I effectively managing my time?? Then why another book about time management??? And, by reading less, but very pertinent books, I can of course build vocabulary and in turn not overwrite or define my experiences with too much reading. Very important for me.

SOCIAL MORE:
Social life is definitely a huge thing here in my experience so far in NIST SURF. Point-ful socialization is a big part of every big thinker and successful person’s life. However, letting intellectual thought overtake your social interaction can break that very point. As one person (Proust) said: he does all of his intellectual work within himself and he doesn’t let that stop him from talking to anyone, as will I follow this wise concept.

I do this now, but I have to remind myself of this ever so important fact of social being. Also, socialization should be very open. It should be your closest physical friends that you can share ANY idea or opinion and get good feedback from. Not necessarily knowledge, but the sharing of experiences can be highlighted here. Onto comfort. This is important so that you aren’t filtering your thoughts and mind at any level because you are nervous or hesitant. And finally, platonic. You may or may not have a platonic relationship with someone. Not with your parents or significant other, but a good, platonic, true friend or friends. Platonic in the sense that Plato meant it. Not shallow, but a relationship that extends beyond the bounds of physical and even the mental world. One of spiritual closeness.

LOVE MORE:
Following on with the idea of socializing, then comes loving more. How can you love more? And why? It can be very different for everyone. Spending real time with your loved persons is key. Real, free, true time together, with no regrets, no appointments, and no obligations. Just fun life experiences. Funny how you learn that only when you are away from your loved one.

VARIETY MORE:
This involves sports and new people for me this summer. Play a new sport, go outside more, and meet new people. Of course, it’s easy in an environment of forced socialization. I’m in a hotel with over a hundred similar young students who are up for that kind of randomness. How then in the real world? Simple: do more stuff like that! Join a group, find that person that you need, and communicate. It really is simple, but I don’t do it enough at home. This is one of those times that I just say to do it. Get out there. Don’t ignore your other obligations, but do more to expand, every day. It’s hard when you have routines, too. It’s also hard to share good wisdom about improving this area because this is a largely self-motivated part of life, but one that gives the biggest and best results.

Well, that is where I am for now in the areas that matter most to me. These 2.5 weeks have been a fantastic part of my life.

Thanks for listening.

Related posts:

1. The Daily Priority
2. Three more weeks
3. Not Working
4. Debates of Saccaka and the Areas of Life
5. How to remove yourself and your thoughts from this world