When you find a body of water that has been stagnant for a length of time, it begins to die. It molds, it stinks, and it becomes infested with unhappy things. Temporary remedies might save it for a short time, but eventually, the only thing that can bring it back to life is movement -- a connection to open, living, breathing water.

It’s so easy to work your 9-to-5, eat the same meal every day, and listen to the same CDs you’ve had since 1982. It’s easy to put off job interviews for sleep, and even easier to squash desires for lack of motivation or time. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve done those things. Unfortunately, becoming stagnant is probably the worst thing a person can do. It’s when you cease to live and start falling victim to all the things that can consume you. That’s when you start believing that the only thing a person like you is capable of is living a life that’s unchallenging, uninspiring, and unfulfilling. Just an quick remedy so that you don’t have to think harder.

This might be your first time seeing Redefine. We’re an independent music, art, and social commentary publication that has been printed since January 2005, and this is our first issue with revamps. We’ve changed our previously semi-glossy paper to a high-quality newsprint to increase our circulation. We’re also donning a CD compilation that is inserted into about half of the issues, and have changed from bi-monthly to quarterly to allow more time to produce a better publication.

These were all difficult changes, but in the nature of mobility, some things are necessary if our publication is to continue moving forwards. Consider this a challenge to everyone to do something out of ordinary the next time you’re feeling stagnant. Instead of watching TV, go volunteer at a soup kitchen. Instead of hanging out with the five friends you always see, talk to a group of strangers. And then tell us about it.