With Stars in My Eyes
Throughout my life I have yearned to discover the vast range of possibilities that the universe offers. This yearning alongside impulse led to experimentation in the domain of the unknown. Impulses are merely spikes in curiosity that engulf and overtake me. My curiosity in manipulating science and understanding my own emotions[as well as those of others] drove me to explore. Pursuing these impulses and fulfilling curiosities is what led to the most impactful knowledge that I retain today.
When I was younger, at the mere age of three, I created what I called “the light contraption”, as a result of mentally connecting types of motion. It was just a leather string in a pulley attached to the wheels of an RC car at one end and an older style light dimmer with a knob at the other; I stood there with the controller in my hand amused by how I could control the brightness of the light in my room without even touching the switch. This experience endowed the recognition that fulfilling these simple curiosities(such as circular motion here) can discharge a plethora of opportunities. The impact followed as I adopted this recognition into my personality because I realized that important learning and opportunities emanate from curiosity. My insatiable curiosity essentially paved the way for all experimentation deriving my appreciation for physics as well as theatre.
In exploration of chemistry and applicable reactions, I wondered whether I could make a rocket bike without complex engineering(as goes into designing a jet engine). Being a bit of a wild child to say the least, I wanted to experience the wind in my hair and use science to “amplify” the speed of my bike. In doing some research I came across a video on youtube by The King of Random:
In watching this video and other videos I had found something that seemed to have a fair potency in producing thrust, so called “rocket candy”. As recommended, I purchased some Spectracide stump remover which is 100% potassium nitrate. When mixed with a 60% potassium nitrate, 40% table sugar mixture I had concocted the rocket fuel. I nearly filled a five inch long, three inch diameter PVC pipe with the rocket fuel, attached a fuse to it, and taped it to my bike. After putting on all of my old hockey equipment, I lit the fuse and held my breath in the suspense of what would follow. In the end it was more of a giant smoke bomb than a rocket, but I most definitely learned that certain chemical reactions yield fairly consequential results.
The impulse to use chemistry to make a fast bike allowed me to discovering the underlying nature of more complex reactions.
See this webpage for the full chemical reaction between potassium nitrate and sugar: http://people.bu.edu/straub/courses/demomaster/no3periodic.html
I had searched the internet to further inquire about what I had come across in conducting this somewhat risky endeavor. This impacted me as it opened my eyes to see that chemical reactions are not simply things getting hot, but a atoms interacting and forming different compounds by the sharing and transfer of electrons. The fact that things so small as atoms and their electrons could create these grand and observable reactions was one of the first big steps in the direction of a career in physics. My observation of the unmitigated potency of manipulating small things essentially set me down a path towards a career in quantum mechanics. The planting of this seed led to major decisions and influences described in my piece, The Vastness of Expression and Discovery: The Amalgamation of Active Inquiry.
In my journeys within the art of acting, I have learned that impulse drives me as all actions and choices are driven by motivations which are inclusive to impulses. These actions define me as well as my character more than words quite literally because they are integral to how experiences, thoughts and emotions function within us. There are many forgotten stories across history, and those within the present. Acting allows me to explore what inspires others(whether real or fictional on the basis of real people) in a very personal way. An actor’s job is to temporarily live the lives of other people and go on an unparalleled adventure for themselves, each other, and bring an audience to share in the journey of discovery with them. In working on monologues for private acting courses, or in a few plays and short films, I have learned to truly appreciate the characteristic achievements, suffering, ideas, and love that exist in people other than ourselves. I can also go on an adventure that may not be easily possible otherwise within the shoes of another through acting.
Acting served as a platform of intrigue to me. Throughout my childhood it had been a desire of mine to be on Disney Channel and draw the wand ID. I came to realize that the experience of acting was much like an opportunity to go on an adventure in the life of another and I came to love the relatability of Disney sitcoms, but I had always told myself(mostly based on lack of support from friends being called “unrealistic”) that I couldn’t ever make it to that level in the industry so why try. Ironically, my goals augmented with my age and in the eighth grade I came across the impulse to audition for the school play, Don’t Rock the Boat, and was cast in a lead role as Captain Tom Butterworth. This impulse led me to engage in the role to attempt to explore the motivations of a young aspiring captain who has ambitions in the cruise industry. Identifying personally with the ambitions allowed me to take my first step into understanding the imperativeness of respecting characters as people being brought to life. This experience allowed me to understand and uncover the meaning of individual fluorescence instilling confidence in myself.
The value of experimentation has substantial ramifications for me as when I fulfill these urges, I entice and even cultivate the basis for risk, and ultimately discovery. Our parents teach us not to run along street curbs because we could fall and skin our knees, but we do it anyway. The desire to run along the curb has shown me to continue to take leaps of faith to find what’s on the other side of a cloud, lush in revelation, the jump is just too provocative and exciting to ignore. I feel that the 10th Doctor puts it best in the Doctor Who episode, The Satan Pit,
“‘Oh! Oh, in a second, but then again… That is so human. Where angels fear to tread. Even now, standing on the edge. It’s that feeling you get. Yeah? Right at the back of your head. That impulse… that strange little impulse… that mad little voice saying ‘Go on… go on… go on… go over, go on’”(Davies).
You can only really understand if you watch the clip, so skip ahead to 1:23 in this youtube link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhbwAYzZlaU
This clip of the 10th Doctor shows this natural human nature regarding the extra step to find an answer. When something catches my eye or seems distinct I have to interact with it to go beyond asking the questions of how and why, and jump. This is because I have that impulse that makes it a need of mine to know. This need ingrains in and dedicates my mind to the opportunity and therefore creates incomparable knowledge as I dive into the unknown head on; this head on nature implies that I am focused and devoted, increasing the likelihood of impactful learning.
Within the continuum of possibility present in each moment of my life, I simply wish to know, to find, correlate, associate, to love and be loved. There are an infinite number of ways that anything can happen or come into existence and forging existence whilst understanding and embracing all that is and was. I have come to find the beauty of this radiant fluorescence of individuals quite incomparable to any other across all of space and time in this monumental field of continuation that we call the universe. Understanding the means to maximize my impact in life experiences I will use impulse to explore with stars in my eyes.
Works Cited:
Jones, Matt. “The Satan Pit.” Doctor Who, season 2, episode 9, BBC, 10 June 2006.
Straub, John. “Trends in Reactivity and the Periodic Table.” John Straub’s Lecture Notes, 0AD, people.bu.edu/straub/courses/demomaster/no3periodic.html.
Thompson, Grant, director. How To Make Sugar Rockets. YouTube, The King of Random, 22 Oct. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=12fR9neVnS8&t=195s.
Unknown. “A Quote Describing Curiosity as Exploring and Experimenting in the World.” Wordpress, Sunshine and Chaos, 19 Jan. 2014, sunshineandchaos.wordpress.com/2014/01/19/sunday-quotes-curisoity/.
