Media & Me

The media always fascinated me, a fact which has puzzled those around me for as long as I can remember. I loved observing media. I bugged my older siblings to play the video games I loved; luckily for me, they also did not tire from the joys of the Super Nintendo very quickly. My constant companions were books, pens, and a notebook. I doodled and wrote, creating my own print media in every spare moment I had. Even when I didn't have paper, I still managed to draw.

My best friend at the time was also an artist, though she was much more serious about her work than I would ever be. To me, drawing was simply a vehicle for expression; she hoped to craft this skill into a career. I joined a site called deviantART on her urging. My brother became a member shortly after. This site exposed me to more art styles and, through those, ways of thinking. I began seeing art everywhere in my life. Suddenly, previously mundane things were beautiful or at least were capable of producing beauty through only minimal coaxing. Even supposedly antiquated practices that I enjoyed, like crocheting, were capable of art.

When I was growing up, I lived thirteen miles out of town with no car to call my own. With all that free time at home, I became hooked on the internet. Facebook, deviantART, and MSN Messenger became familiar avenues through which to contact others. Though these didn't help me overcome my shyness, they insured that I never became completely closed off from the world.

My main connection to the world was through music. Choir and band exposed me to a unique medium that you had to take and reproduce for yourself. This process fascinated me, and submerging myself in it helped me take my mind off the negative aspects of my life. Escapism became my primary goal with music. I learned how to sit down and let go of myself to the point where I could improvise on the piano. Whenever I was too stressed to concentrate on anything, I slipped away to the band room and caressed the ivory keys.

Throughout my life, I sought for expression through many forms of media. Without this fascination with media, I wouldn't be anywhere near as sensitive or aware of the world as I am today. For this, I can only be thankful.