I enjoy taking long, walks on the beach. <– You know that one cliché men/boys use to describe themselves?

It may be familiar, but not entirely applicable to every man/boy. And while it is not an appropriate description for some, it is a suitable one for Wallace Stevens. Minus the part “on the beach,” Stevens did get pleasure from walking in nature.

Anecdote of the Jar reflects Stevens’ interest in walking through the environment. Even when reading the poem at a literal level, the significance of nature in it is evident. On a deeper level, the poem talks about the prevalence of industrial development occurring in nature. Stevens was probably enthused to write this after walking through the wilderness or maybe even the city (that has occupied the natural world).

“What gems of painting or statuary are in the world of art, or what flowers are in the world of nature, are gems of thought to the cultivated and the thinking.”
-Oliver Wendell Holmes

So those walks must be Stevens’ way of collecting those gems.

How could you feel comfortable in your own skin if it isn’t yours in a picture? It is a product of airbrushing: flawless in every way.

Living in a society so engrossed in physical perfection is getting old, unfortunately, not for everyone. In Say ‘Chesse!’ And Now Say ‘Airbrush!’ the question whether digital perfection is beneficial for a child’s self-esteem comes up.

“Retouching was always meant for problems like a bump or a scrape, but it’s gotten to be a vanity.”
- Danielle Stephens

When airbrushing is meant for more than just a quick fix, the message “you’re not good enough” is communicated to a child. They work toward attaining an unreachable perfection only seen in magazines. Then again, those models are also retouched… proving that no one is perfect.

Plus, airbrushing deprives children of a good laugh. My seventh grade school picture for example.

Here’s beauty in a nutshell.

Insecurity exists in the absence of knowledge.
-unknown

Never lacking a modicum of apprehensiveness was the only assurance I had on the SAT last Saturday. If anything, the test was lengthy but not too painful (surprisingly). Getting a bad score on the SAT wasn’t the worst thing that could have happened considering the person next to me didn’t realize he was at the wrong school until the last minute. At least I ate a big breakfast, and was one of the few students more focused on the test than their stomachs growling. My tummy was happy and I got a good six hours of sleep, but I was not mentally prepared for the exam. I prayed a lot the night before, so I decided to settle for wishful thinking.

“Five Lies About the SAT” is just one of those articles that would have been nice to read prior to taking the exam. It could have appeased my many worries about the math portions on the test, but nothing soothed me more than knowing that I had gotten it over with.

Hopefully the second or third time I take it, knowledge will overshadow any degree of insecurity :]