the pursuit of happiness and other coping mechanisms

There are times I lean to describing myself as minimalist. This blog layout is a good example--very few images, soft blue template coloring, no videos or hyped-up attachments.Sometimes I use correct capitalization, but usually stick with the unassuming lower-case letter.

And other times I feel like one big room of dusty clutter.

I don't imagine this is different from how many feel--traveling through our days with constant, random thoughts in mind, making lists, erasing them, adding and subtracting, adding and subtracting.

Today, however, thanks to a psych faculty member here, I learned one of my coping mechanisms: Research. This is apparently what I do when marrying the clutter with the minimal, tossed with a sprinkle of avoidance.

I became Calvinist when I researched his philosophies while procrastinating on a Jane Austen paper; Lutheran after being enamored with the image of Martin himself nailing 95 papers to 95 doors, rather than finishing a book review due, and now, Lockean after performing research for a grant proposal. Long story about the thread of thought that led met o him. Suffice it to say it had to do with the pursuit of happiness as an unalienable right.

So today I am:

And, adding to my list of enamorations (yes, made word up. It's my blog, I can. Not bound by any brand awareness concerns in this corner):

Never fear, the grant will be sent off shortly. I've just picked up a few new philosophies along the way. To add to the clutter as only a minimalist can.