Sleep

Sleep deprivation is perhaps one of the most horrible tortures subjected to students. In addition to an inhumane workload, lack of sleep perhaps makes everything else lose meaning. Last Sunday, I came home at 3 in the morning from an internet cafe in order to finish a powerpoint presentation of John Naisbitt, a futurist (interesting title, don't you think?) who wrote primarily on the manner in which technology influences man, at the same time how man influences technology. The two-fold logic of technology wherein it is dependent on man, but at times man becomes dependent on it. Therefore man needs education in order to further the advancement of technology, while technology presents the more convenient and easy lifestyle man has been dreaming to attain. It is through technology, that the traditional forms of worship and family have been altered. There is now a "Global Village" where everyone is a kin to each other. Quite similar to John Lennon's "Imagine", John Naisbitt as well as Margaret (I don't recall her last name) spoke of the trend in the New Age, where digitalization would replace family and religion, where computers would be constantly surveying and taking note of human actions and movements, where division could be overcome(d?). In their books, Megatrend and the Aquarius Conspiracy respectively, they write about Globalization and unity and peace. But in my opinion, technology may present many wonderful escapes from the hardships of life, but would it actually make us better people?

Consider a life where all is provided, should there be a circumstance wherein these would be taken away for even a short period of time, would one be capable of handling it? Is technology really a solution to avoid hardships, then perhaps is it the same thing as avoiding life? With everything so amply provided, would we even consider to learn? As Naisbitt mentioned, "In a world that is constantly changing, there is no one subject or set of subjects that will serve you for the foreseeable future, let alone for the rest of your life. The most important skill to acquire now is learning how to learn."
Although the current advancements have undeniably made life more convenient, according to other futurists, technology makes life complex. It is true, I believe, before life seems simple, where one plants the food, waits and reaps and shares it with his neighbors. Now, with technology, the world is expected to adjust and adapt to a fast-paced, instant lifestyle where things are done in a split second time. Patience are for the fools because with it, we would seem to lack initiative.

Back to my story, I came home at 3 in the morning, fell asleep and woke up at 6 just in time to go to school for my presentation. The day remains faithfully fast-paced and loaded, not to mention the arousal of a problem regarding a deadline due the next day, Tuesday, for our video production "Chase in C Major". Turns out our editor would be busy the whole night and would only be able to accomodate us at 10 in the evening, which would obvious reflect in our work since we know he would be tired and perhaps irritable by then. I called my friend to ask for his help and thankfully he agreed. Unfortunately, when we arrived and have begun the intial process, it was realized that his program cannot provide us with features which we require. Thankfully, he suggested to install Adobe Premiere in his computer which is another editing program, the backslide is that he is uninformed as to how the program is used. I volunteered to study the program, which eventually led to me editing the whole program with my groupmate. We completed the whole presentation by 4 am, unfortunately the presentation exhibits a strobing, which our teacher later on blames on the perhaps incapacity of the computer hardware to facilitate such a large file. We are extremely grateful to my friend though since he provided us with all the bonding time with his computer when he could be relaxing. I came home at 5 in the morning, riding a jeepney from manila all the way to my house. By then, the sky was blue-violet, it was neither dark nor bright, and at that point, I fell inlove with sunrise.

The "magic hour" as photographers call it happens an hour before and after sunset, but perhaps the same could be said about sunrise. It is the time when the sky is pinkish, red, orange, cerulean; a mixture of hues all blending with each other. That now perhaps is my favorite time of day, an hour before sunrise, the sleepy hour for most who never experienced walking alone in the streets, with no traffic and great strobes of light, just the brightening sky hovering above you, revealing you the blooming beauty of today.

My lack of sleep though did take its toll, I couldn't stand straight the whole day. I feel like I am being rocked to sleep by my body. My vision, like a video camera begins its auto-focus setting, where things I want to see begins to lose focus and things I don't need to see focuses itself. Although these occur in split seconds, I cannot deny that they irritate me at times since I get worried if these are in any away contributory in the world's many attempts to ruin my perfect 20-20 eyesight.

I took the eye test earlier this year since it was a requirement in our university to take the eye examination. I was asked to stand a few feet away from the chart, and yet I successfully completed what many have failed to do, I read the chart all the way to the last tiny line. The attendant was obviously surprised, I was surprised and proud as well. Darn, life's little gifts, I shouldn't throw them away.