The Life of Tory Reiss – Part 1

TORY REISS PART 1--Warning: This might get a bit existential and is a departure from what Adventures in Tech normally revolves around… Tech. So feel free to browse elsewhere. I apologize if this comes across as narcissistic, but it’s a thought exercise I’ve been meaning to try for a while so thanks for the patience.

What is the Life of Tory Reiss? Life itself has often seemed a question without an answer. Something that runs quite contradictory to the curious, inquiring mind of man. He is raised with the constant encouragement to ask more questions only to realize that the answers run dry far before any thirst for knowledge can possibly be quenched.

“Dad, why is the sky blue?”

“Because God spilled some blueberries and was too busy to clean up the mess.”

“Ohhhhh! I don’t like to clean up my messes either. I like God, he’s fun.”

Ideas, both fantastic and mundane, come quickly to him when he is young, but the Lincoln logs of schooled thought pile up faster than even young arms and legs can climb. He is soon no longer surrounded by bean bags, Maypoles, and recorders but instead the ivory walls of education close in. At an early age he is given an empty label with the words, Tory Reiss, spelled out upon it. His experiences begin to lend those words context and with it comes slowly an idea of self. Yet society ensures he graduates to something grander, something more exciting, more engaging than even a newly formed pile of leaves in the back yard. A book requires nothing more than your undivided attention, the expanse of your imagination, and, perhaps most precious, your time. Yet for this modest fee, you can leave this blue-green marble for another of your choosing, if not leave it behind entirely. A textbook on the other hand demands much of your attention and time, yet asks little of your imagination for what use is that in memorizing the day in which King Louis XVI lost his head?

“Dad, want to know why the sky is blue?”

“Let’s hear it!”

“It has to do with the fact that light entering the atmosphere collides with molecules in the air, and Oxygen in particular has a diameter that scatters the radiation of slower moving blue-ish light while allowing the other wavelengths to pass through. This causes the sky to appear blue to our eyes… but to be honest, I think that’s just god’s way of spilling blueberries.”

“Well Prof. Tory Reiss, I’m glad to hear they’re not mutually exclusive. A little imagination will take you long way in this world.”

Tory Reiss quickly began to fill his label with scribbles, dreams, and far-fetched notions. It was no longer empty, but filled to overflowing with life. If experience was the blueprint and the written word an infinite foundation, than what came next was the hodgepodge of contractors arguing over what neuronal pipe should be laid where. Friends, family, teachers, teammates, and girls. Suddenly, he had a lot more help expounding upon the Tory Reiss he thought he’d begun to understand. He found joy in helping others and being generous with his time; surrounding himself with laughter and mischief. This was the time of love, heartbreak, and part-time jobs. Standardized tests wrought standardized havoc and life raced forward, towards goals laid out by anxious parents. What came next for Tory Reiss? Nothing but the standard, change. New city, new life, and goodbye old problems was the plan. Of course like any well laid plan, it bore little to no resemblance to reality and many of the bad habits of trusting others carried over while few of the early life lessons could follow suit.
College comes next.