In a famous quote by José Ortega y Gasset, the Spanish philosopher proclaims, \"Yo soy yo y mi circunstancia\" (1914). José Quintans, master of the Biological Sciences Collegiate Division at the University of Chicago, sees it another way: \"Yo soy yo y mi microbioma\" (2012). You are you and your..? -Maria Viteri, Class of 2016 The length requirement was 1-2pgs. Mine is Times New Roman size 12 and takes up exactly 1pg with the last two lines on the second. Should I add more or is it effective as it is? Also, this is submitted as a PDF so the strikethrough and italics will be there. Please comment, thanks for reading!
Yo soy yo y mi colección de palabras.
More often than not, within a minute of meeting someone I will have asked about their name, school (if applicable), favorite food, and favorite quote. With time I may forget the first three but will always remember the fourth... Arguably because I will have scribbled it down within the next minute.
The way I see it, words are a rare commodity in the sense that they reveal just as much about the listener as they do the speaker. Over the years, I have abandoned collections of seashells, Pokémon cards, and US quarters in favor of quietly amassing a modest library of quote diaries. Ranging in size and content, some are philosophical ("Do or do not... there is no try." -Yoda), others are witty ("College has given me the confidence I need to fail." -Jarod Kintz), and still others are just plain ludicrous ("Semicolons are transvestite hermaphrodites." -Kurt Vonnegut). Nonetheless, I value these minute slips of insight because they force me to think. Every quote in existence is a small piece of history with a unique background, cause, and effect. It is this aspect of quote collection that piques my interest, as piecing together the story behind every individual snippet forms an enigmatic sort of puzzle. As such, I consider it a genuine source of entertainment to uncover the stories behind each quote.
With each new string of words comes a journey filled with obstacles and triumphs. Travelling through time and setting, each quote invites us on a scavenger hunt boasting of impressive cerebral athleticism. While historical framework plays a major role in the synthesis of a quote, most of the intrigue faithfully resides elsewhere. Along with its location in time and place is a quote's location in space- by which I mean the speaker's mind. A quote's ability to activate my inner psychic mind-reader is unfailing; for example, how can one resist speculation of the mental milieu in which Albert Einstein proclaimed, "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former"?
To me, my collection of quotes has amounted to more than an interesting pastime or evidence of a lacking social life. Though I may or may not have become known as "That-One-Girl-That-Hounds-You-For-Your-Favorite-Quote-With-A-Not ebook-In-Hand" and may or may not be slightly neurotic with regards to the prim upkeep of my quote diaries, my collection has inevitably become a window to my eccentricity individuality. It has borne witness to my dedication and testified for my enduring fascination with things not quite understood. No matter how much time and effort I may spend investigating the Curious Case of an Anonymous Quote, there will always be questions left unanswered, puzzle pieces that only the imagination can fill.
Perfect.
It is my ardent belief that an active mind is the most treasured possession anyone could ask for and that vigilant maintenance of this liveliness is key. Only then does the mind allow for imagination and innovation, the agents of progress. However, at the core of creation must lay a stimulus. While others may wrestle with Rubik's Cubes or play Sudoku to actuate their minds, for me the finest mental workout exists in the archaeology of quotes. Although I do not have a single definite favorite, I live by the idea that "an opportunity becomes an experience when you seize it". I am myself and my collection of words.
Now as promised, before the minute ends, what is your favorite quote?
Think about it.
