A Broad Generalization

The more I become entrenched in the day-to-day happenings of our political system, the more I become aware of the main distinction between the Democrats and Republicans. I will be happy to admit that I am not in any fashion to be considered a political guru nor do I have any political experience besides the usual set-ups of local community governance, but I feel with the abundance of media coverage and availability of information, I can be confident in my opinions. My conclusion is this: the Republican effort is to ensure the welfare of those who belong to a certain group (i.e. whites, Oregonians, businessmen), while the Democrats' effort is to ensure the welfare of everyone in America.

This may sound a bit derisive of Republicans, but I do not mean that they don't care about all Americans. Rather, it is that they feel that it is not everyone's responsibility to ensure the welfare of everyone else. It can be looked at as a Socialism v Capitalism argument or maybe a State v Federal argument, but the issue can really be broken down into us v everyone. What I mean by this is that there isn't a consistent group or representation of who Republicans care about, each person has their own communities to which they are involved: family, neighborhood, county, peer group, etc. These smaller groups and the welfare of them are more important than that of the entire nation. In contrast, the Democratic viewpoint makes it so that each person, from Albuquerque, NM to Augusta, ME have the same rights and opportunities.

I feel that both views have validity, but each should be imposed when the issue deems it so. For specific issues, local government works fine. But now things are a bit more complicated, a bit more widespread. In the age of large, dominant corporations that span nationwide (some 'too large to fail'), then a nationwide element must step in. Hence, governmental intervention. In doing so, local groups will be upset, claiming no relevance on their part or 'why am I paying for something that doesn't involve me'. In fact, this seems to me to be the big issue with the Health Care reform, in that Republicans do not want to have to pay for others' care. Whether or not the reform actually calls for this is another debate (mostly about scare tactics and fearmongering), but it does seem to just boil down to my group v the nation as a whole.

What I find interesting about all of this is the ability of those in their groups to call for outrage on national policies when things are going ok in their community, but will call for action when that same group (or individuals therein) come upon misfortune or serious problems. I hate to say it, but it makes those rallying against a national welfare initiative to seem prejudiced or discriminatory against others. The reason for denying help to others boils down to the fact that one assumes he (or those like him) are better than the others; that his wealth is more important, that his health is more important, that his time is more important than that of anyone else.

Personally, I am fine with egocentricity, as I am a big supporter of the Objectivism movement, but at the same time, I am aware that I am part of a community, and at its largest level is a nationwide commonwealth. This means that certain issues require nationwide action. The battles and arguments arise from these Republicans and Democrats' differing views on which issues require nationwide action. Unfortunately, these arguments can turn quite vile and often devolve into bickering with much more denigrating generalizations about political ideologies than the one made here. My only hope is that somehow people will try to see things from the others' point of view and keep an open mind on issues and how they relate on both the local and national level. But I am also hoping for a Buffalo Bills super bowl win. I will not be holding my breath for either one.

Check Yo' Self

I am a big fan of the self check-out aisles in grocery stores. It is very quick and easy and can even help save some embarrassment when all you are buying is a box of tampons or some wart cream (just examples, not experiences). However, due to the technological nature of this process, the self-check is not for everyone. I wish I could stress this more to shoppers everywhere. Just because the line self-check line is open and available, it is not the most convenient option.

I don't want this to sound like a corny Foxworthy rip-off, but I would like to make a few assertions. If you still have a VCR as your main platform of video entertainment, then the SCO (self check-out) is NOT for you. If you have no idea what email is, SCO is NOT for you. If you have trouble lifting items or locating bar codes on packages, SCO is NOT for you. If you have a basket full of produce or non-bar-coded items and do not work in a produce or produce supplying industry, the SCO is not for you. If you have a full shopping cart of items (shit, a shopping cart alone and not just a basket) and do not have a complete set of octopus arms, the SCO is not for you. This list could keep going for a while.

The point is, those SCOs are convenient because it allows for the more tech-savvy of us to speed in and out of a store without complications. Notice that these stores still have plenty of actual manned aisles that provide full service for its customers. Most people know their role and will choose aisles accordingly. I rarely see an elderly person in the SCO. The most common offenders are the late aged housewife or immigrant worker who unfortunately pays with single dollar bills, loaded one by one into the bill acceptor. Yes, it is a bit of a stereotype, but the technological know-how for efficient use of one of the machines just isn't there. Sure, they can fumble through it and will eventually see a receipt print out, but the rest of us could have all gone through in that same amount of time (us being the inevitable line forming behind them).

In this society of warning labels for hot coffee, I feel there should be a sign under the SCO aisle numbers explaining that they are not for everybody and to please use these only if properly prepared to do so. I don't want to be a complete elitist, we all have our gaffes with these things now and again, but it should not take more than 5 minutes to complete the check out. If it does, you have picked the wrong aisle. I think people have an awareness of their technical prowess and should be able to decide where they should go. It is just that allure of speed and anonymity that draws them to the SCO. But like iPhones or HDTV installations, this technology may be a bit too advanced for some. Either educate yourself, or let somebody else do it for you. Just please spare me from my 10 minute wait for buying some milk.

OK OJ

I am not a coffee drinker. For some reason, it is just not that appealing to me. I do not drink tea or any other caffeinated drink to get me going. Instead, I rely on a nice, tall glass of orange juice every morning to be my breakfast beverage. I love a good glass of OJ, especially on the occasion I can get it freshly squeezed. So, being a daily imbiber, I can tell when my OJ is good or not and when something is off.

Such is the case when we start getting into the many variations of orange juice available from many of the national suppliers. My preferred brand is Simply Orange, but Tropicana and even Minute Maid are good alternatives. I get mine sans pulp (easier to throw back quick) but I dont mind pulpy juice (re: fresh squeezed). However, it seems that the new trend among these big brands is to add vitamins, minerals or other adjustments to lure in the health conscious consumers. First of all, I'm pretty sure OJ is pretty healthy on its own, with plenty of its own vitamins for your health. But secondly, and my main beef, is that these additives or variations greatly impact the taste of the juice. As I said, I love a good glass of OJ and I know what it should taste like; delicious. Adding Vitamin D, E, or Calcium gives the juice an odd twinge, maybe even an alkaline taste that just puts me off. Understandably, the 'low acid' version also has a less desirable taste, almost dulling the orange flavor.

In my opinion, if you want extra vitamins and minerals, take a pill. Hell, take it with your OJ in the morning, but don't mix it into my juice. I think it is more of a marketing concept, adding vitamins and minerals, or labeling the juice as 'kid friendly' with these additives, but I feel like it affects the taste too much. Obviously they wouldn't make these items if they didn't sell, but let's realize what's what. Orange juice by itself is great enough, nature's goodness. It doesn't need to be modified. Just squeeze the orange into my glass and let me drink it. I will worry about getting my RDA of Vitamin B12 on my own.

I won't even bother discussing juice from concentrate.

The nice thing about London...

I just got back from a nice and much needed vacation in northwestern Europe. Of the places I went, London made a great impression on me, simply in comparison to how things work in large US cities. First off, I will say that London is an expensive city to visit (and to live in I imagine), but it is a large metropolitan area, so it should not be much of a surprise. At least there are plenty of pubs to have a good beer in to drown your woes. This brings me to the first thing I liked: the pub pours. I guess there had been some previous commotion about buying pints a while ago, in that people started to complain when they felt skimped. Well now when you order a pint, you get a pint glass filled to the very brim. I watched the bartenders pour the beers and they would make sure that the liquid touched the rim every time. You pay for a pint, you get 16 full ounces of your beverage. I just thought that was fair as could be, much appreciated.

Since I was doing the tourist thing though, I often felt more like a coca cola than a beer when I got thirsty from walking mile after mile. Apparently in London (as well as the rest of Europe), the Coca-cola (and other soft drinks) are made with real sugar, not the high-fructose crap that we get here in the states. There was a slight difference in taste and I felt it was definitely for the better. A small thing, but something I could get used to.

I mentioned walking a lot in London, which I did, and I did so with relative ease. The sidewalks were nice and wide, clean, and easy to know where to cross the labyrinthine streets of the city. At every crosswalk, there was a label written on the edge of the road that told you to look left or right (or both) depending on the traffic. It was just a nice reminder for the pedestrians without being a distracting part of the road. Speaking of the roads, despite them being slimmer than the US roads, seemed to flow just as well. One thing I noticed they do that we could use over here is an altered traffic light pattern. Instead of the normal green-yellow-red-green system, London's lights added a yellow light in between the red to green change. This gave the drivers a quick warning and even gave them a head start. It seemed to jumpstart the traffic and got it moving faster. I am not sure if this would be helpful in the US, but I think it would be worth a shot since anticipating lights is something I already do.

Finally, I liked how the restaurants and bars included service in the tab. Tips boiled down to a pound or two if you were feeling generous. There was no adding an additional 20% to the bill, what you saw is what you ended up paying. I understand the US system is nice because it encourages better service for a better tip, but in reality, those tips get pooled anyway, so leaving less or more doesn't quite do that way of thinking justice. Instead, having the service included makes it much easier for all. If there is bad service, stop going to that place, don't just rely on a small tip to get the point across.

I would happily return to this great city if offered; there is great architecture, free museums and great parks, not to mention plenty of theaters and great restaurants. In the meantime, I will have to look for ways to bring the things I liked from over there to over here in the US. Spreading the word is a good start.

Water?

This little piece is not much of a deep insight, but more of a marketing complaint. Like other consumers across the world, I am a fan of Vitamin Water and its competitors. It is light and tastes great without being syrupy or too sugary. Plus it throws in some of those vitamins and minerals that every nutritionist, medical advisor and parent insist we get. All in all, a great beverage.

My problem is that the term 'water' in the name of the product is kind of misleading. I mean, if you look at the ingredients, it is pretty much the same stuff that is in Gatorade or your pouch of Capri-sun, just in a different ratio. In fact, besides the carbonation, it similar to sodas as well. Now, I know Vitamin Ade or Vitamin Drink doesn't have the same ring to it, but whenever I see 'water' in a title or brand, I see clear, pure water, not watered-down colored kool-aid. Perhaps it is the term 'Vitamin' that allows the association of color with the drink. Vitamin C is orange and B12 is red, etc. It just doesn't seem right. I bet they could keep the drink clear and they just use the color to make it more attractive. That being said, I guess it is still better than drinking the equivalent amount of Gatorade or other sugary stuff, but I still feel it is akin to calling a muffin 'baked wheat' because it has flour in it.

On a side note, does anyone else think the 'Tiger Woods' gatorades have an odd taste to them? Like the aftertaste of a sweettart or something.

On an even further side note, did you know that it is now preferred to only put one space after a period? I've always used two spaces, but I guess even writing has gone into economy mode.

How is this popular?

Last night, I tuned in to NBC around 10 pm. Nothing else was on, so I decided to give the new 'Jay Leno Show' a look. I never cared for his version of the Tonight Show due to the poor jokes and Jay's awkward timing and cadence. I liked Kevin Eubanks, but I guess only really because he seemed normal and pointed out when one of Leno's lines tanked (often). Luckily, he made the cut and is in the new show. In fact, other than the set and titles for segments, most everything is the same. Hence, it still blows.

I guess from the response of Conan's new spot leading the Tonight Show, we can deduce that whoever is watching late night talk shows (not late, late night) only want dumb easy jokes that are often sex-related. It reminds me of Two and a Half Men in talk show form. Conan is a bit on the irreverent side, with a quirkier sense of humor. Apparently, this is not identifiable by the majority of the TV viewing audience.

My guess is that Leno's gig just stems from the fact that he is a familiar face and people are used to seeing him deliver horrible lines and engage in mediocre interviews. The familiarity brings comfort despite the actual content. He may have a good line now and then, but even when he does, he immediately starts the next joke while the 'laughing' is taking place. Lucky for him though, his big name draws actual competent funny comics who will come and do some good material. Jim Norton was on last night and I think I laughed more in his first two minutes than the rest of the hour. Along with better comedians comes the better A-list guests. But even A-list guests don't mean A-list material. Last night, Leno did an interview with Cameron Diaz (not a fan) and Tom Cruise via satellite from whatever over-budget movie they were currently shooting. They did some kooky Q&A thing which was garbage from the start. It was typical dumb questions, involving their previous work and quoting familiar lines, but the last question was what inspired me to write this rant. Apparently, Cameron's first Tom Cruise movie she saw was "Top Gun". The last question Jay asked was (knowing Tom is still a pilot), "What are you better at, flying or sex?". Seriously, what the fuck kind of question is that? It is such a softball, nothing question that it made me want to fist my television. Yes, you read that right, fist my television. Only more of the same type of drivel continued to spill from my set, so I was more than happy to just turn it off.

It will be interesting to see if 'The Jay Leno Show' continues in its nightly spot for more than the next few months. Though, just be examining the retardery of the Americans in the news and all around, I would bet that Jay's job is safe. I just think it is a shame that this kind of run-of-the-mill, mediocre at best 'entertainment' is being produced. But I guess there is a big enough market for it and some people actually do enjoy it, so people might as well make a buck off it.

On a related note, I want to point to some probable irony within his show. One of his pieces, "Jaywalking", interviews people off the street and asks them common knowledge questions. The whole point of this segment is to highlight how stupid and ignorant people are when it comes to history, news or just plain knowledge. In thinking of this show's demographic however, it makes me wonder just how many of the viewers actually know the answers to the questions themselves. But the piece remains popular, as it's always easy to laugh at others stupidity. Too bad I'm still not laughing.

Geographical Hyperbole

For those of us living in the United States, we proudly consider ourselves "Americans". As a whole, we make up a wide variety of shapes, colors, attitudes and beliefs. I feel like this is an understood point. However, if you were to pose a similar statement in the context of politics, I feel the clarity of understanding disappears.

I do not doubt that those that consider themselves "Americans" have great pride in their country. I also agree that everyone living here in the U.S. has a right to call themselves an American. My issue arises when these Americans speak out to say that someone or something is not American, or 'anti-American'. What I have noticed is that this is coming up too often when discussing or debating politics and the issues. For such a 'melting pot' of histories and traditions, labeling these actions or ideas of other American people as 'anti-American' seems to be an intrinsic fallacy. What makes them un-American? Is it simply the fact that they differ from your own point of view or your own vision of what America is?

I feel like this type of reasoning is a result of what I would like to call 'geographical hyperbole'. Too often I hear the off-hand quote of 'this is America, it isn't (other foreign country)'. While this is inherently true, I don't think people realize the great totality that comprises what is America, not just their small area. It is not just your town or community. It is not just your nearest city and the accompanying suburbs. It is not just your state and your neighboring state. America is a collection of 50 states (and more territories) , thousands of cities and neighborhoods, and more than 300 million people, all of which are just as different as the next. There is no chance that there could be a collective agreement amongst all of these different pieces. There are so many different lifestyles, choices and ethics that are part of America, it is almost foolish to declare your individual situation as the benchmark for what America is. This may come as a shock, but all Americans do not speak English. Not all Americans own a house and a minivan. Not all Americans go to church and not all Americans believe organic food is best.

I also feel that this 'hyperbole' is a result of people not having experienced the rest of America outside of their comfortable home. If you have lived in the same place your whole life, how can you judge what is American? You can give your knowledge and experience to add to the pie, but you have no right to start excluding ingredients. When Americans are polled, every response is an American response. No matter how small the percentage, each response came from an American and thus is so. No one deserves to be discredited simply by majority rule.

This all may sound very idealistic and maybe even socialistic, but I say it not in a matter of policy or ethos. I say it as a matter of knowledge and consideration. Ignorance may be bliss, but it also makes you ignorant; and if you are ignorant on the base level of what makes up your own country, how can you be expected to be heard when you have a point to make about America?
It is perfectly fine to be ignorant and have whatever opinion you want in the privacy of your own home, but if you are attempting to be part of society and make decisions for what is best for that society, then please, educate yourself as to what actually encompasses that society. Your views may be shared by those immediately around you, but there are miles and miles of others beyond you that still make up the great land that is America.

Mmm... Donuts

So the other day I was doing a normal stretch of highway driving when I had to quickly switch lanes to get around a car. I did my usual cursing and haterating, up until I passed the front of the car and could see the front tire. This genius (of course in a Toyota Corolla) is driving down the highway with one of those mini spare tires (a donut in hip car speak) on his car. Surprisingly, yes, it was a man driving, but still, what the shit are you doing on the highway with one of those tires on your car? Do people not know that these little wheels have a much lower speed tolerance, and due to their smaller size, can just overall fuck with how the car handles? Just by him driving his hunk of crap down the highway doing his (maybe) 45 mph puts the rest of us drivers doing 60 or 70 (or more) at risk of clablobbering this clown into something that will cost much much more to repair.

I understand that times are tough and not everyone can afford a full spare tire or many of the correlating repairs, but for godsake, keep your donut-laiden vehicle off of the major highways. You can putter along normal roads all you want and do your 45 wobbly miles per hour there. When you take your POS onto the highways, though, you put a lot more at stake. It's bad enough there are grandmas going 45 in their Cadillacs, but at least they have Cadillacs that won't crumple into scrap metal if they are hit. Plus, say the genius in the donut-mobile has to swerve around said Cadillac himself. The donut car is already tilted on one side due to the smaller wheel, so it's got a headstart on rolling over.

So, you drivers with donut tires, I can guarantee that wherever you need to go, you can get there by normal roads. It may take a bit longer, but you shouldn't be in any hurry since you saved all that time by not maintaining your vehicle.


PS - While I am in a ranting mood, here's a small piece of advice for ANY woman attending a wedding, ball, or well-dressed get-together: there is no Bluetooth earpiece on Earth that works as an accessory to your evening gown. NONE. Take the fucking earbud out and talk to the people in front of you. I just wish I had taken a picture of the lady this paragraph originated from. It was incredible.

The Laws Law

Ever hear the term 'nanny state'? It refers to the type of governance where everything is overly monitored, protected and regulated. It is a hyperbole used by those who are not pleased with an area's legislation, finding it impeding on basic rights of privacy. Though it may be a stretch from actual reality, the direction of civilization's progress is heading further toward that than the opposite.

I myself am using this all as hyperbole for my most recent gripe of the state of things. I have been noticing recently (though I'm sure it has been this way for how knows long) that each and every major incident in the national news sparks a cry for some sort of regulatory action. Now don't get me wrong, I am all for laws that improve society, but I feel there is a time when action is needed and it is rarely after the very first occurrence. Things like the amber alert system or the surgeon general's warning on cigarettes, these laws came about after a trend was noticed and enough instances required a better solution. The important thing to know is that these regulations were a result of problems occurring over and over during a given amount of time; i.e. something needed to be done.

Recently though, it seems the solution or 'easy fix' to a given catastrophe is to delve into the reasons for its cause and make new laws so it won't happen again. Take the horrible shooting at the Holocaust museum a few months ago. It was one crazy happenstance with an agreeably tragic outcome, but reviewing the case, the building and other factors won't necessarily keep it from happening again. I could understand if there were multiple shootings occurring, but to me this just seemed to be a freak incident that any kind of rules would do nothing to prevent. Another example is this weekend's helicopter crash near New York. Again, a horrible tragedy, but does that one crash (out of how many hundreds of flights per day) necessitate a complete overhaul of the air traffic control system around that area? In this case, I would understand if planes were exploding all over the Five Points, but this seems a bit extreme. Even the recent metro crash here in DC seems like a very out-of-the-norm accident. Yes, the DC metro is quite old, but I feel the metro system should be re-evaluated on that point alone, not because a freak accident finally brought it to everyone's attention.

The examples above are just a few out of the many national and local happenings that get the population in a stir. Arguments can be made for the above examples since they are at a national scale, but I think the outcry just comes from the typical fear of 'maybe that could happen to me'. Well, here's an rude awakening: shit happens. It happens to everyone. But if you take a step back and realize just how many people are in this country alone and how many activities go on day to day without any tragedy happening, then you can see how the chances of any of these horrible occurrences happening again is quite slim.

Another part of this whole situation that I don't think people quite get is the fact that even if laws are in place and new regulations are made, crappy accidents can still occur. The percent chance may be less, but it can still happen. I just don't think it is worth the time and effort (as well as the hassle to those wrongly caught by these new laws) to spend on new laws and regulations just to reduce the chance of a catastrophe happening from .0003% to .0001% (percentages are not based on actual statistics, dear nitpickers).

Our media today makes sure we have access to each and every tragedy or accident or incident around the world. I feel just the awareness alone of a single incident is enough to cause people to think and make sure something similar doesn't happen again. When it comes to companies or administrations who are at fault, their PR department alone will do enough to rectify the situation without legislative involvement. For us common folk, you now know what is possible out there in the world, but at the same time you should try to realize that you dont have to worry that 'it could happen to me'. It won't. When the same thing happens 10 or 15 times, then maybe go to your town hall meeting. But it John Q. Yokel gets hit by a meteorite and dies, we don't need to form a committee to study meteorite trends and forecasts. Crap happens and a lot of times, even preventative measures won't help.

All Good

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the All Good music festival and campout in Masontown, West Virginia. All Good is similar to other music festivals like Bonnaroo or Coachella, but a bit more on the smaller side, with headliners being those like Ben Harper and former members of the Greatful Dead. It had a very hippie vibe, but I must say, it was some of the most fun I have ever had.

What amazed me the most is the entirety of the societal functions of the festival. As you drive up the mountain road to the festival site, there is a meager 'checkpoint' where volunteers search cars for glass bottles and fireworks and any other illegal materials they can find. The trouble is A) there are thousands of cars to go through and B) the cars are so filled with camping equipment, coolers and bags that it is impossible to properly search or scour anything. This means that as long as the contraband is properly stowed away, anything can make it within the gates. Once we parked and set up our campsite, I was immediately immersed in what I was to expect the rest of the weekend. Beers were cracked, and the recognizable smell of cannibis was already wafting our way. We walked from our site a ways to where the music stages were so we could catch the last act of the first night. Along the way we were offered a variety of things that you normally would not be offered anywhere else while walking around (read: drugs). Fireworks were being let off in the background. Some people had dogs (which were also forbidden) with them, which I think were allowed if they were there as 'guide dogs' or helped in some fashion (which they really didn't). People had little tents set up selling everything from grilled cheeses to to glass pieces. We even stopped at a tent that was selling bloody marys and quickly grabbed a few to help the mornings hangover.

So, with all these goings-on that would normally be illegal in a public setting, things moved along without any noticeable problems. I don't think I saw any fights, no issues of property theft, no OD'd junkies in the corner. Sure, there were some pretty fucked up people all around, but most everyone had their shit together (I did see one guy passed out with some security around, but it was 2 am on Saturday, the peak time of the festival). Things went fine and everyone survived.

This experience only deepens my feelings on the laws our society has about personal freedoms. 15,000 people got along just fine in a small area that is saturated with drugs and alcohol. There was security around, but it was not a firm presence. We listened to great music with plenty of people around us under the influence, but there were none of the problems that you would expect to see if you listened to proponents of strict drug and alcohol laws. There were no riots or assaults, no obscene debauchery. It just worked fine.

Sure, there were a lot of 'hippies' present, with dreds and tie-dye shirts, but the vibe overall was of fun and freedom where everyone is equal and accepted. People came and went as they pleased, ate and drank what they wanted and bought and sold everything you could imagine without incident. I think the overall idea of the music festival keeps the good vibes together and is why this ideal may not be applicable to the real world, but it makes it seem like it still could. There's always going to be some bad eggs that ruin the fun for everyone, but limiting freedoms for everyone because of a few seems inherently wrong.

I know that the laws are in place for a reason and act as protection of the greater good. But this music festival made me take a step back and look at our personal freedoms and the lack of them in our public environment. I just found it sad that this utopia of music and living has to be reserved for a few days at a time in remote campgrounds across the country.


PS - Man, that last entry was a bummer and was totally not what I expected to be writing for my 69th entry. Giggity.

Helplessness

This past week, I had to do what I would say has been the hardest thing I've done so far in my life. I had to put my 5 1/2 year old cat down. About 2 months ago, he was diagnosed with a large and growing tumor beneath his stomach. The vet gave the option of surgery, but due to its placement, the chance for success was very unlikely. So as an alternative, he was prescribed some fluids and steroids and plenty of attention. He lasted 2 good months before his body started breaking down and finally, his quality of life just disappeared.

It is quite sad that he was taken away at only 5 1/2 years old, but the real blow to my stomach was the simple fact that there was nothing I could do to help him out or get him through this condition. In those final days with him, I found myself overwhelmed with a sense of helplessness. Something that I cared for was dying and I had no course of action to help at all. All I could do was sit with him, try to make him comfortable and wait for the inevitable. Many tears were shed.

What this brings me to is something I am quite scared of. Yes, this was just a cat, but he was a part of the family. Luckily for me, I have not had to deal with a lot of death in my family. There have been grandparents and great grandparents that have passed, maybe some long distant cousins or relatives and even the family dog, but this time it was much closer and a lot more real. What I am frightened of is that day when one of my immediate family must leave us. I am not talking about a tragic accident or incident when all of a sudden they are gone. Rather, I mean when one of them is diagnosed with something and it is only a matter of time. This period of waiting is no doubt tragic for that person, but for all those that love him, it is just as heavy. It is so hard to see that person (or animal) passing the time knowing full when that the end date is near and there is just nothing you can do to avoid it. You try your best to cherish every minute left, but we all know time does not stop for anyone. It will come.

This is just what happened with my cat. It took a liking to sitting underneath the toilet in my powder room, right next to an air register that blew cool air on his stomach. I would sit on the toilet and just be around him, hoping my presence would give a touch of comfort to him. But that whole time, it tore me apart knowing that my presence was the extent of the help I could give. I even entertained notions of being guilty for his condition, simply because of my inability to help. A silly notion, but grief can manifest itself in odd and often illogical ways.

In the end, the tears kept flowing and the pictures and memories were reviewed and life went on. It is slowly getting easier to deal with his absence, but I still have that dark stain in my head of the memory of those last few days. I wanted to hold on to every day I could with him, but with that came the evidence that there was still nothing I could do and I was only prolonging his destiny. The last thing I wanted was for him to suffer or be in pain. So, I had to let things run its course and realize that life will continue without him. He will always be missed and all I can do is hope he forgives me for both my actions and inactions. Perhaps more importantly though, I need to forgive myself.

Shower?

While the thought of traveling is fresh in my mind, I'd like to bring up something that I'm sure most everyone who has spent a few nights away from their own home can relate to. No matter how well I know the person who is allowing me to crash at their house, there is a place in their home that makes me a bit uncomfortable. This place can be escaped, but with a simple question it appears and lets its presence be known. After you wake up and exchange pleasantries, it comes: "Do you need to take a shower?" Being the type that showers daily, I respond, 'of course', and it begins.

I walk in to the bathroom and recognize the pieces: the sink, the shower stall or tub, the towel bar with a (hopefully) fresh towel waiting for me. However, this isn't my bathroom, these aren't my hand soaps and these aren't my slightly damp floor mats. I'm sure my anxiety revolves around the fact that I am naked in a 3x5 ceramic rectangle with unfamiliar knobs and hygiene products all around, but I feel like there is a larger explanation on hand.

I think it stems more from the fact that these bathrooms are often the most personal of spaces that A) only one person occupies at a time (unless you share, giggity) and B) is covered all over in the sweat, skin cells and just overall being that goes along with the cleaning of the self everyday. I think that imposing my hygiene regiment on this space takes an extra bit of willpower. This anxiety is lessened when the host has a nice guest bath that is otherwise never used by the owner, but often enough the bathroom available is the one and only in the residence and you must adapt to the surroundings.

And most of the time, this one bathroom is clean as can be without anything that would make you feel uncomfortable, say like a sinktop full of lotions or a saucer sized chunk of mold on the back of the shower wall. These types of things would make any user feel odd, but even in their absence, there lingers this urge to get in and get out.

I noticed this feeling is not present when staying in hotel rooms, perhaps the reason being that the hotel room is technically yours since you're 'renting' it for the night. It's only when using that bathroom that is mainly utilized by the host that the discomfort sets in. You don't want to mess up things they have lying around or touch a hanging wash cloth because who knows what the last thing they touched was. It's like that old kids' game where everything you touch is lava and you need to get through wherever you are without anything touching you.

Now, with all these questions, it may seem that this tension is debilitating or may prevent the shower from being taken. This is not the case, the water flows, the water drains, all is well, showers need to be taken. However, it does make me realize the power of perceived personal space. We get used to and accustomed to our private rooms where we clean and sanitize ourselves. We each have our routines and methods that differ from everyone else and those private rooms may not easily accomodate the routines and methods of others. Thinking on this reminds me to respect others' private spaces but at the same time realize that their ritual space should in no way hinder me from a simple shower. It also reminds me to clean the shit out of my bathrooms before having guests over.

Home sweet home

I have been doing a bit of traveling lately, which will be my main excuse for the recent lack of postings here. I spent some nights in nice hotel rooms as well as a few on couches of good friends. I felt I was due a good spot of vacation, some time away from my daily routine and work schedules. I did have a great time whilst away, seeing sights and enjoying things that I don't normally do. I also got to visit with friends I have not seen in quite a while. Just what I needed, right? Well, after about the fourth day out, I began to conjure wishes of being back in my own house, back to my familiar surroundings. There wasn't a certain thing in particular that drove my desires, but rather I just wanted to be back inside my sphere of comfort, of the known and familiar that I am accustomed to in my day to day life. I didn't want to actually go home, I just wanted that feeling of home to be there with me.

I thought about it more as the few days passed, and I couldn't understand why I thought the way I did. I fully enjoyed being out and about; I enjoyed new experiences and meeting new people. During these times, the above was not a problem. The problem came in those down-times between events, the time when I was left on my own to think (or sleep). No matter how nice a hotel room is or how nice a place your friend has, it just cannot give the comfort of the place you call home. This might be the definition of homesickness, but when I hear that word, I think of a kid at summer camp who is having a miserable time and just wants to go home. I, on the other hand, was having a blast and wanted to do more. It was only in those times of lull that those empty feelings set in, longing for my own haven that I am used to everyday.

Perhaps this is normal, to desire to be in that most comfortable place, a circle of safety and ease. I realize those 'down-times' I mentioned earlier are just reflections of the 'down-times' I spend in my home, alone with my thoughts. It is my space and I have no anxieties or worries when in my own surroundings. While I am in a foreign place, I will be faced with certain anxieties, small as they may be, that inhibit the comfort that my own home could offer.

I guess my big question is whether my current lifestyle is the central reason why I feel this way. I am sure there are seasoned travelers out there who rarely see their own homes and function perfectly well at all times when wandering the earth. Does the fact that I have a daily routine of work, eating, and household activities really affect my attitude toward traveling? Shouldn't I be able to separate those feelings, knowing what I am doing and when I will be returning? Maybe I am just a homebody who can act like a voyager now and again. Or maybe these feelings are perfectly normal and the desire to be in one's 'home' is just a natural condition of our existence. Of course there are the essentials to surviving such as food, water and shelter; needed for physical well-being, but I think we also must be aware of items that are essential to one's emotional well-being. These would be things like 'home' and friends and family. These things give comfort and assurance, and can be a foundation for emotional stability.

Maybe that's all I was searching for while I was wandering around, a reminder of that stability that awaits me when I return. My brain could only process so many new experiences and people before it had to stop and refuel on the assurances and permanence of the thought of the comforts of home. Being in the transient state of travel, not having my own sanctuary, I needed that knowledge that if I really needed to, I could leave at any point and return to my safe place.

This all sounds a bit more exaggerated than it really is. I was never in that bad a state of mind that it affected my attitude or behavior. Rather, it was almost a subconscious notion that was just there in the back of my thoughts. But as miniscule as the worries were, it was always comforting to know that I did have a place for myself that I could return to. My home is not only the place where I reside, it is in itself an idea that can bring peace of mind. It is a vision of comfort that can relieve the mind of the weariest of travelers.

Not too scabby...

Do you remember scraping your knee or elbow or shin or any various body part when you were a kid? The memory is most likely not very clear in your minds, but you know it happened at some point. Now, do you remember the crusty scab that would develop as that wound was healing? I'm sure you do. Acquiring one of these injury shells is a part of being a kid. Yet, these scabs were multi-purposed: they became something to fiddle with when things got boring, something gross to flick at squirmy classmates, or just a visual memento of your great activities. They might have even become a curiosity-fueled snack for the interested naive youth. In any case, scabs were a part of growing up and the healing process that most kids needed after a good day of play, be that capture the flag or smear the queer or anything else that occupied the day.

Now scabs are interesting in their own right, how they develop, etc.; but I realized the other day that A) I rarely accrue them anymore as an adult and B) if one does develop, it is no where near the size or as interesting as I remember. I still play soccer as I continue to accumulate my years, so I will occasionally come home with a skinned knee or a scratched elbow. The healing process still works, but I no longer get to carry around a quarter sized red and black trophy for my tribulations. Instead, I get some general reddening and maybe a little bit of crusty healing goodness. Perhaps this is where a further education in human anatomy and medicine might come in handy, but I think there may be a difference in how my wounds heal now than when they did when I was a young'un. I just have these images of big coin sized scabs and being yelled at by my mom for picking and playing with them. I haven't had one of those in a long long time and I wonder if I will ever see one on me again. I guess the only way to find out is to go try and get one, but self-mutilation was never my thing.

On the other hand, perhaps it is all a matter of perception. When we are young, everything seems bigger and more important. As we mature, we are able to grasp the size and scale of the world a bit more easily and those things that seemed huge as a kid are now not quite as significant. Perhaps the little 'scablets' I notice now are those same human mini-shields I came across as a kid.

In either case, it makes me realize that yes, I am old. The aging process doesn't stop, but luckily either does the healing process. Maybe I am just too busy in my current state to pause and appreciate the things I would have heartily focused on as a youth, and I could re-acquire these multicolored souvenirs if I actually wanted to. Nonetheless, gone are the carefree days of playing outside for hours on end and the eventual cleaning and healing from said activities. Instead, we get to focus on BMIs, cholesterol levels and how well our liver can recover from last night. As odd as it sounds, I miss those scabs. As unattractive as the word and its connotations are, there is something about these skin shells that make me reminisce about that great time that was our youth and will always bring back memories of many defining moments of that ever constant growing process.


Note: It was a conscious decision not to include any images in this post. We all know what scabs look like and some readers may not share my comfort in discussing the topic.

April Tools

As everyone is well aware, today is April 1st, aka April Fools' Day. It is the one day of the year you can pull shitty pranks on your loved ones or coworkers and get some good laughs in returen instead of multiple punches to the face. We all expect to hear fake news stories or see funny websites playing up the spirit of the day. Last year's YouTube prank of Rick Rolling all the videos was classic. The Taco Liberty Bell? Another classic. But for all the great pranks, there are plenty of worthless attempts at chicanery that make us all glad this only happens once a year. For example, waking up to hearing the girl you have been dating for 6 months claim she is pregnant? NOT FUNNY.

You know what? In hindsight, that was actually a great gag. It accomplished exactly what it was supposed to and was completely believable. That's the beauty of good April Fools jokes, the complete believability. The joke has to be so unexpected that the reveal is actually a relief to the participant. However, as soon as one realizes that all day they could be presented with these falsehoods, they become skeptical of everything. The believability only last so long. The tip: strike early and only once. You know, fool me once, shame on me, fool me twice, blah blah blah.

So here's today's April Fools' joke from your editor. This post has nowhere else to go. I wanted to write about how it seems the Japanese take practical jokes way better than Americans and how it has something to do with culture and our sense of self-entitlement, but I really don't have any evidence to support it other than a few online videos I have seen. I was also going to write about how you have to have a certain sense of humor to enjoy the day and debate why people sometimes just don't get it. But alas, none of those hypotheses made much sense to me, so I will end this musing early. However, do feel free to check out a fellow writer's attempt at a better explanation of the siginificance of April Fools' Day.

http://loki07.blogger.com/2009/04/Meaning_of_the_day.html

March Gladness

Today is one of the greatest holidays celebrated by man. Screw gift giving or remembering fallen heroes, today's holiday has evolved into a day given for one reason: getting frakkin S-faced. Today, everyone has an excuse to slam Guinness after Guinness, do a car bomb or three and drink Jameson like it was the mother's milk. It's a happy day for all (excluding those poor dry souls who for whatever reason can't touch the sauce) and can and will be celebrated with ease all over. Sure, everyone wears green and there is always that d-bag who actually pinches people not wearing the color of the day, but the libations even make crap like that insignificant. It's drunk day!

Two words make this day even better: green beer. Sure, it's just an empty gimmick, and often it's the crappiest of beers that get the green treatment, but who cares? It's a holiday! Plus, you can get plenty of hearty Irish food all around to help soak up those brews. Just give me a giant bowl of mashed potatoes and maybe a sausage link or two and I'm good for an evening of pounding odd tinted brewdogs.

The one problem with this great day is that since St. Patrick's Day is always on the 17th of March, more often that not the celebration lands on a weekday. This means the chap who celebrates the occasion must pay for it come morning. This year makes it even rougher with the NCAA tournament starting on Thursday the 19th. Basically, we are looking at a week of distractions: super Tuesday, hangover Wednesday and basketball Thursday and Friday. Employers may as well forfeit any notion of productivity.

Anyways, today is meant for celebrating, and with all the crap currently surrounding us: economic troubles, war, job loss, Dancing with the Stars, and octomoms, everyone could use a beer or seven. So a toast to Saint Patrick, to blessed alcohol and to large bottles of Advil.

Slainte!

Bonus Sleep

Usually with these posts, I nitpick about something I have a gripe with and then elaborate on how I would attempt to fix or deal with the situation. Topics range from everyday occurrences and items to the latest news headlines. I do not discriminate when I denigrate. Today, however I want to discuss something I actually really enjoy, even though to some it may seem like more a nuisance than a hidden gift.

Let me set the scene. It's the dark of night and you awake with a start. You lie awake for a second immediately ruing the fact that your day is about to begin and you will soon leave the comfortable warmth of your lovely bed. You roll over and attempt to focus your eyes as to read the digits on your alarm clock. However, when your eyes finally shift the light coming into your retinas into something more distinguishable, you find that it is not 6:30 am, but rather it is 4:16 am!

Now some would be bothered by the fact that they woke up early, they may not be able to get back to sleep, they think something may be wrong or stressful to make them wake up so soon, etc. I, on the other hand immediately do a mental dance of joy, knowing that I do not have to leave my cocoon at this time. Instead, I can lay my head back down and drift back off into the world of dreams. It's almost as if I woke myself up to make myself happy that I get to go sleep more.

What brought me to write about this subject is that this phenomenon happened just the other day (as it does every once in a while). This time, though, I caught myself thinking about how much I enjoyed the fact that I can go back to sleep. I woke that night and my clock read 2:15 am. At once I was thrilled to have another 4 hours of wading through dreamland before me. When I finally awoke to the familiar beep of the alarm, I lied awake and thought about the night's event. I was puzzled as to why waking up in the middle of the night made me so content. I mean, it's no secret that I love sleeping, so why would I be more happy about the prospect of sleeping then the actual sleeping itself? I would think I would be upset that I was interrupted while enjoying one of my favorite 'activities'.

The more I thought about it, the more I likened this occurrence to other things I like doing; things like eating a nice meal or going to parties or events with friends. What I realized is that with all of these things, the build-up to the event is part of the total experience. I remember when I was a kid, I would get so excited in anticipation for the latest video game release. I would look up info about it, draw pictures of it and imagine myself playing it nonstop. When I finally got the game, I did everything I had planned to do and enjoyed every second of it. Well, this anticipation of sleep is just like that, just like driving to that new fancy restaurant, just like getting dressed for a party. We look forward to the event and then relish in our expectations.

Now sometimes, we can be let down if the outcomes do not match the expectations. But with sleeping, I always know what I am going to get and I am very very rarely let down (We can all be rudely awakened or have horrible nightmares). Therefore, the prospect of sleeping is as enthralling to me as the actual sleeping itself. Geez, I sound like quite the lazy slacker with this type of love for sleep, but that's just the way it is. In fact, I am happy with the fact I am happy about sleeping, for I know that every night, I get to enjoy one of my favorite activities. And even if I am gently reminded of that fact in the middle of said activity, well, I can't be mad at good news.


PS. Notice I say sleep is 'one of my favorite activities'. I am not a total lethargic mess; but I do happen to fully enjoy the natural pleasures: sleeping, eating, shitting, and copulating. But those can be saved for another post.

Human Litter

So I assume everyone is now familiar with the story of the lady in Calitardia who gave birth to an octet of offspring, setting records and blah blah blah. The kicker was that this brainlord already had 6 kids and was keeping them all in a shack owned and occupied by the birther's parents. This has been a national story, sparking outrage and debate over rights to life, decision making processes, government involvement and communal ethics. Some say she had no right to bring these children into the world when living in such a desperate situation, while others say she has all the right to do what she pleases with her uterus. She may be irresponsible or she may be an icon for the love of life. You know what I say? WHO GIVES A SHIT.

This is a typical response from me. This situation boggles the realm of common logic. It makes no sense why an unemployed, living-with-her-parents, previously disabled mother of six would implant 6 more embryos in her yooch and try to bring more strain upon her living condition. It makes no sense other than greed and stupidity for a doctor to agree to the process. The whole situation just reeks of selfishness and stupidity. So what is the common man or 'concerned' housefrau to do about it? Nothing. Stupid people are all around us and usually the dumb choices they make pique the interest of the normal people everywhere else. Thank the media for bringing attention to the sheer ridiculousness of the whole thing and allowing us to gawk and gossip our opinions and beliefs. But should this incident start a process of legislation or rule making for such a sensitive topic as the right to life? Hell no. This was an extreme outlier in the world of baby-making. Sure you may get a copycat or a similar situation again, but this is minor compared to the fact that hundreds of children are born each day in a normal situation. The whole damn story is a media fueled aggrandizement of a ridiculous outcome with some people who care more about what they want what is best for others. (I mean look at these doctors here. They are just happy about the medical accomplishment and the publicity, not the fact that these kids are going to have a tough life). These type of people do not appreciate what society is or how society works and live in their own small world. And for all I care, they can stay in that world.

And in reality, that's exactly what will happen. Sure, people in Whittier, CA will have brush-ins we these people and the poor city government will have to deal with giving some needed care to these poor souls, but the rest of us will go about our lives with the memory of a talking point and nothing more. This is the same crap we deal with all the time. The polygamists in wherever they were, the kidnapping in Utah, shit, even Elian Gonzalez; they all involve the lives of children and therefore all touch the hearts and minds of concerned parents are people around the world, inspiring debates and movements to make sure things like that won't happen to them. But come on, does this stuff really happen often enough to warrant action? Wack stuff happens to wack people. If you're aware of these situations, knowing you wouldn't ever want that to happen you, chances are that they won't. The visibility and coverage of these crazy situations implant the idea that these things happen right around us and could actually happen to us. This is a joke, almost as bad as actually calling within 15 minutes of seeing an infomercial.

Just realize that these crazy stories of unbelievable situations are bound to happen when you have 300+ MILLION people living in a country where the most preposterous sells and coverage of it is instantaneous. You're bound to get a zany happenstance now and again, but remember that our society functions adequately enough day to day that people such as this baby turnstyle are good for a talk or two but mean nothing in the large scheme of things.

On a side note, for those of you who watch the tv show "Fringe" like I do, I want to bring up John Bishop's 'half-nipple theory'. He proclaims that animals should give normally give birth to a number of offspring equal to 1/2 the number of nipples the mother has. I only bring this up because I had the horrible (?) mental image of this woman above covered in 16 boobs. Now that would be something to talk about.

If you call in the next 15 minutes...

"Ha" is my immediate reaction.

You can say I watch a good amount of television. In knowing that, you can also say I watch a good amount of commercials. It's unavoidable. Now 'watch' may be not quite right term when it comes to me and commercials, but nonetheless, I am familiar with all the ins and outs, the gimmicks and catches, and what I think is a good grasp on the reality of selling.

Most commercials are your typical ads that just show the product and people using/interacting in either a comical or dramatic fashion. In those special cases though, you have an 'infomercial' type ad that gives you that instantly recognizable blue screen at the end with a big phone number and web site address. We've seen them, and we should all know that they produced and taped a long time ago, made clear by the almost annoying frequency of airplay the same ad receives. This brings me to the most laughable of all commercial enticements. Given our knowledge of how airing commercials work, they ad wizards still come at us with the usual line, "If you call within the next 15 minutes, we'll double your offer!", or some such nonsense. Who do they think they are convincing with this line? The best example is the notorious 'Sham wow' commercial, where the guy actually says, "call now, because we can't give this offer all day'. HA! I wonder if people actually call and ask if they have made the 15 minute deadline. Of course they are going to give you that offer. They will give it to you all day everyday if it means you give them the $19.95 they so desire. Honestly, who falls for this? Even if it's just a simple "call now and we'll double your offer", it is such a garbage trick that it makes me ill to hear it coming from my entertainment box. Stop trying to fool me, my dear television, I give you enough love and buy enough of your advertised products that I don't need to be fooled into thinking I'm getting a great deal.

I wonder if it is just understood now that this is how these mini-infomercials should be composed. All of those products slung around by that portly bearded guy get doubled or tripled when you 'call now'. My bet is that these wonder products are stacked mile high in a warehouse somewhere and for the big fat American consumer, 2 (or 3) is always better that one, so why not give em away as fast as possible. I will admit, I have purchased advertised items off of the commercials, so I'm not claiming the ads are totally ineffective. The products are crappy, but at least they make you feel like you should want one and could make your life better. That, for some reason, I don't mind. Don't give me blatant falsehoods, rather just pound it into my skull why my house needs your junk (wow, that line could be really misconstrued taken out of context).

On a side note, having actually bought one of these wonder products, it is amazing what the ratio of shipping and handling costs are to the cost of the product itself. These geniuses conveniently put the S&H costs in the tiniest fonts in the very corners of that ending blue screen, but those costs appear bright and centered on that final bill. I recently bought an item for the magical price of $19.95 and then paid $15.90 in shipping and handling to get the shit to my house. Some deal. But I did order in that imaginary 15 minute window, so my order was doubled. How great.

YOU FAIL

No, this is not about those 'FAIL' pictures that are all over the 'nets. This is about an article I came across that summed up a lot of the reasons why people suck. The excerpt below is from buffalobeast.com; the article is an editorial piece about the 50 most loathsome people in America. I greatly appreciate it's brutal honesty and am moved to put one of the entries on one of my entries (giggity) just because I could not agree more with it. I encourage you to read the rest, as they are dead on, only pointing out more everyday foolishness and hypocrisy. Here's the link:
http://buffalobeast.com/134/50mostloathsome2008-p1.html

I now give you #43. The 'charges', 'exhibit' and 'sentence' are part of the writer's legalese-ish setup. Note: this entry may seem to blatantly call out the more conservative types, but I think everyone; left, right or center, can be accused of some of the below mentioned items.

"43. You

Charges: You think it’s your patriotic duty to spend money you don’t have on crap you don’t need. You think Hillary lost because of sexism, when it’s actually because she’s just a bad liar. You think Iraq is better off now than before we invaded, and don’t understand why they’re so ungrateful. You think Tim Russert was a great journalist. You’re hopping mad about an auto industry bailout that cost a squirt of piss compared to a Wall Street heist of galactic dimensions, due to a housing crash you somehow have blamed on minorities. It took you six years to figure out what a tool Bush is, but you think Obama will make it all better. You deem it hunky dory that we conduct national policy debates via 8-second clips from “The View.” You think God zapped humans into existence a few thousand years ago, although your appendix and wisdom teeth disagree. You like watching vicious assholes insult each other on TV. You support gun rights, because firing one gives you a chubby. You cuddle falsehoods and resent enlightenment. You think the fact that 43% of whites could stomach voting for an incredibly charismatic and eloquent light-skinned black guy who was raised by white people means racism is over. You think progressive taxation is socialism. 1 in 100 of you are in jail, and you think it should be more. You are shallow, inconsiderate, afraid, brand-conscious, sedentary, and totally self-obsessed. You are American.

Exhibit A: You’re more upset by Miley Cyrus’s glamour shots than the fact that you are a grown adult who is upset about Miley Cyrus.

Sentence: Invaded and occupied by Canada; all military units busy overseas without enough fuel to get back."

Written by Allan Uthman & Ian Murphy
with contributions from John Dolan, Eileen Jones, Alexander Zaitchik & IOZ

Oh, 2009

Another new year is upon us and millions of people across the globe are making resolutions to do something different in the upcoming 365 days than they did in the past 365. The typical New Year's resolutions are all known by now: lose weight, stop smoking, do charity work, etc. These are all great goals, but most attempts crumble by January 3rd. Some have the resiliency to stick it out for a month or two, and on the rare occasion someone actually makes it to the end of the year with their eyes on the prize. More commonly though, the resolution becomes another idea swept under the rug by old routines, complacency and laziness. This is why I have resolved to no longer claim resolutions.

To be honest, I can not recall any previous resolutions I may have made, which I think only strengthens my point. This does not mean I am lacking in the aspiring goals department. I just choose to rise to action when the appropriate time calls. In other words, I do not have to wait until January 1st to change my ways. I understand this is easier said than done and is quite a lofty ideal to stick to, but it is the best way to get things done. Realize what the problem is, set a goal, and *key step here* entwine this activity into your daily routine. For me, if I don't have a planned time to do a daily activity, it usually slips through the cracks somewhere. Excuses are abundant and things change from day to day, but the clock never lies (unless it is my watch which is constantly slow... which reminds me, I need to go to the watch guy, something I planned to do last year).

This brings me to my next point, that if you need to make a resolution, make it something that is a one-time or limited affair instead of an ambitious year-long try. For example, I want to put up some shelves in my house. This is going to require a few devoted hours, but it can be done in a day and bam! my goal is accomplished, and we all know that a goal accomplished is a nice warm feeling inside. It may not match up with losing 50 pounds, but I will take an accomplishment any time I can.

In all, I can't really gripe with the people who make great resolutions, as they are at least identifying their personal problems. But January 1st is not a magical day that will get them on track to solving said problems. It is just another day, just like the other 364 over the course of the year that gives them the perfect opportunity to change. The real magic is willpower and, as mentioned above, routine. Old habits die hard, but new habits can be started just as easily. I just completed my first entry of the new year! I can feel the warmth...