A friend of mine recently (several months ago now...) asked why I take such a stock in professional sports. I explained that if the Rangers started to skid I was going to hurl myself off of a bridge. Shortly thereafter, the Rangers jumped off of that bridge for me, so I didn't have to worry about it. Anyways, she didn't understand why I would concern myself so much with the actions of others that seemingly have no affect on me personally. And, of course, I thought about it a bit. I think the reason that people care so much about professional sports is because it gives them a sense of hope, in different aspects.
Even the worst teams out there are reliable, because every game is a brand new day for that team. It could pull off an upset, anything can happen and when something surprising does finally take place, there is no greater pride than knowing that you were supporting them since day one. In addition, your life can be going up or down, you might be happy or sad, but your team is still going to play the games on its schedule. Sports teams will always be there for you as a way to pass your time and keep you occupied when life is overwhelming.
On top of that, athletes themselves are the closest things we have to superheros, no matter what types of lives they live outside of their respective arenas. To watch them compete, you are able to see things that you yourself are in no way remotely capable of. They pull off nearly superhuman feats, things that you could only dream of being able to do, and they do it with a calm and cool demeanor that should never accompany such an awesome display of talent. They are everything we wish we could be, and to be able to support that is as close as we are ever going to get to it ourselves.
Another friend, even more recently, asked me what we need hope for. She wondered why we can't have faith in ourselves; why we can't be happy with who we are and let that be enough. That put a lot into perspective for me, and really made me think. I mean, I would love the world to be a simple place where everyone was happy all day every day, but it does not seem plausible to me at this juncture of life. It seems like a child's fantasy that adults give up on. But should we give up on it? I believe so much in the power of the human mind and in the strength of the human spirit -- shouldn't this be the overall justification of those things? What if everything we could ever want was right here, within ourselves? Would we even want it? I guess clowns and comedians would be out of work if the world were a perfect place.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Testing Positive
So I was reading my Sports Illustrated this evening and I came across something very positive. The Milwaukee Admirals, an American Hockey League team and affiliate of the Nashville Predators, are holding a "Don't Be Like Mike Night" tonight. This program is designed to sway the youth from doing drugs by saying "Don't Be Like Mike", as referring to swimming phenom and recently reported drug user Michael Phelps. Now I love Phelps for what he did during the Olympics, it was a great feat and won't be duplicated any time soon. But the man has gotten a DUI and was photographed smoking marijuana, which are unacceptable when you are that high up in society. I realize that people smoke pot, and I realize that it's not as big a deal as all of the other drugs out there, but the man allowed himself to get his picture taken while he was doing it; how moronic can you be? You have a whole nation looking up to you, either exercise restraint or use your brain.
Meanwhile Joe Rogan writes himself a myspace blog about a letter he has sent to Kellogg's about dropping Phelps from their sponsorship after the news has come out. Mr. Rogan used all kinds of f-bomb's and referenced his own drug use all throughout this brilliant letter so that it could appeal to the average teenage stoner, but if he really cared about his cause as much as he claims, he would not make it something that the myspace public would eat up; he would have quietly sent it to Kellogg's or used his fame to set up some sort of meeting. But no, alas, America's celebrity lets the public down again, and this already famous man decided that all he wanted was more spotlight and maybe even a "High Times Stoner of the Year" nomination. While I respect the man's opinion on mixed martial arts, boxing, or comedy as a whole (he knows a lot about each of these topics and is very well-spoken about them in the public), I really do not find his spotlight hogging necessary in this situation.
Meanwhile, you have the Milwaukee Admirals organization. Selling tickets for $2 to any fan who has graduated the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program. They are giving out a weed-wacker to a lucky fan as a symbolic gift. The front office decided to make a statement with this anti-drug message to young fans. This is something that should be seen as respectful and honorable -- it should be emulated by teams from all sports all across the globe. Teaching kids to "say no to drugs" has become a phrase not worthy of thought. It is overused and overdone, and that is why the message gets drowned out in today's media. Taking it and making something creative with it is a worthwhile and admirable technique, and it is on nights like "Don't Be Like Mike Night" that I consider myself proud to be a hockey fan, as well as a morally strong human being. It helps me see light at the end of the tunnel, because even in the ethically corrupt world of professional sports there are still some people trying to make a difference.
The world is falling apart. Which voice will you hear in your head as you toss and turn each night?
Meanwhile Joe Rogan writes himself a myspace blog about a letter he has sent to Kellogg's about dropping Phelps from their sponsorship after the news has come out. Mr. Rogan used all kinds of f-bomb's and referenced his own drug use all throughout this brilliant letter so that it could appeal to the average teenage stoner, but if he really cared about his cause as much as he claims, he would not make it something that the myspace public would eat up; he would have quietly sent it to Kellogg's or used his fame to set up some sort of meeting. But no, alas, America's celebrity lets the public down again, and this already famous man decided that all he wanted was more spotlight and maybe even a "High Times Stoner of the Year" nomination. While I respect the man's opinion on mixed martial arts, boxing, or comedy as a whole (he knows a lot about each of these topics and is very well-spoken about them in the public), I really do not find his spotlight hogging necessary in this situation.
Meanwhile, you have the Milwaukee Admirals organization. Selling tickets for $2 to any fan who has graduated the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program. They are giving out a weed-wacker to a lucky fan as a symbolic gift. The front office decided to make a statement with this anti-drug message to young fans. This is something that should be seen as respectful and honorable -- it should be emulated by teams from all sports all across the globe. Teaching kids to "say no to drugs" has become a phrase not worthy of thought. It is overused and overdone, and that is why the message gets drowned out in today's media. Taking it and making something creative with it is a worthwhile and admirable technique, and it is on nights like "Don't Be Like Mike Night" that I consider myself proud to be a hockey fan, as well as a morally strong human being. It helps me see light at the end of the tunnel, because even in the ethically corrupt world of professional sports there are still some people trying to make a difference.
The world is falling apart. Which voice will you hear in your head as you toss and turn each night?
Monday, February 16, 2009
The sheer amount of people out there always fascinates me. I think about how many people I don't know that live in my town. Then I think of all of those in similar towns around me. Then all of those in my state, and in the country, and finally the world. It makes me start to wonder: is it possible to have individuality with those kinds of odds? I know I have said before that everyone has significant ideas and that those ideas separate us -- in the end that is all we have. The problem is, though, what if that idea itself is being thought of by a similar downtrodden young man at a similar point in life in a similar town in some other state. With all of the people out there, is it out of the realm of possibilities for someone to have the exact same moral code and the exact same theoretical mindset as the ones I have developed? And if these people have these things, I imagine it would not be hard for them to write about it all, and their trials and tribulations that they encounter in daily life. So how much individuality is really out there?
I often wonder how similar other towns are to mine; I imagine there are some across the country that seem like exact replicas. I want to go to these towns and know what people are thinking, know what is going on. I feel as though we can only gain insight from those who think like ourselves, and I know there are other's who are just like me. The odds say that there must be.
I often wonder how similar other towns are to mine; I imagine there are some across the country that seem like exact replicas. I want to go to these towns and know what people are thinking, know what is going on. I feel as though we can only gain insight from those who think like ourselves, and I know there are other's who are just like me. The odds say that there must be.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
So upon reading my weekly comic books as of late, I have noticed an advertisement that keeps popping up. It has got to be the smartest anti-drug ad that I have ever seen. Now I am against drugs personally and I tend not to preach this to people; I feel like everyone is entitled to their own decision, and lately I have been seeing less and less wrong with it as a recreational choice. However, like most American teens, I usually find the television ads humorous and ridiculous in the way that they portray drug users. I will never forget the infamous commercial in which two young stoners run over a girl riding a bicycle because they were too busy laughing as they left a drive-thru window. I never pay attention when I leave the window at McDonald's, solely because I am too busy checking my bag to make sure I have received what I have paid for. Perhaps they should make an ad campaign about poor service at fast food restaurants, this way I can trust that I have the correct amount of hamburgers when I pull away from the window.
That was an unnecessary digression, but alas, here is the ad:
I think it's brilliant. Why would the slugs want to snort salt? It could kill them... oh wait, cocaine kills people all of the time, but it is still a common drug. Clearly it is not as drastic as a slug snorting salt, but the idea is still fantastic. It takes common knowledge and uses it to exhibit that drugs are outrageous and wrong. Once again, I want to say that I'm not trying to preach here, I just thought this was a great ad, and I rarely see anything this intelligent used in anti-drug advertising. I felt it deserved some recognition. With more ads like this one and the "Slomming" commercial, I think the anti-drug campaign would be much stronger.
That was an unnecessary digression, but alas, here is the ad:
I think it's brilliant. Why would the slugs want to snort salt? It could kill them... oh wait, cocaine kills people all of the time, but it is still a common drug. Clearly it is not as drastic as a slug snorting salt, but the idea is still fantastic. It takes common knowledge and uses it to exhibit that drugs are outrageous and wrong. Once again, I want to say that I'm not trying to preach here, I just thought this was a great ad, and I rarely see anything this intelligent used in anti-drug advertising. I felt it deserved some recognition. With more ads like this one and the "Slomming" commercial, I think the anti-drug campaign would be much stronger.
Thoughts upon a southern drive
I wrote this during a drive to Florida, on the way to hop aboard a cruise ship. I thought it would be a good forward for a novel. So here is the forward, and hopefully the novel will someday follow.
On television and through various forms of the media, characters often undergo drastic changes after a major injury. In many circumstances, these characters come down with a bad case of amnesia and their entire memories can be lost. No knowledge of self or society remains intact, but something does stay with these people -- something that I find to be substantial. Their ability to communicate. Through all of their trauma, their words never leave them.
Upon this realization, I was struck by a lightning bolt containing equal parts of knowledge and inspiration. It is not what a man does or who he is that defines him -- the people, places, names, and faces are all just scenery along our journey towards self-discovery. Reflectively, the thoughts that make up daily life and the words that mark their documentation are what can leave a lasting impression upon both current and future generations. Impacting thinkers, intellectuals, and dreamers can create a shockwave throughout all we know and do, and each individual has a unique point of view to bring to the table. Every single living person, from the mentally challenged to the members of MENSA have ideas, and they are all unbelievably particular and powerful. This is the power that mankind needs to harness, for ideas are, and always will be, a source of greatness open to each and every person on this planet.
This is the embodiment of "potential explosion". Words are power, and we each have the ability to use them as a means of anything we so choose. Our words have the same capabilities as the rings of the Green Lantern Corps; they can be anything that we want them to be, and if we have enough will power, they can overcome just about anything.
On television and through various forms of the media, characters often undergo drastic changes after a major injury. In many circumstances, these characters come down with a bad case of amnesia and their entire memories can be lost. No knowledge of self or society remains intact, but something does stay with these people -- something that I find to be substantial. Their ability to communicate. Through all of their trauma, their words never leave them.
Upon this realization, I was struck by a lightning bolt containing equal parts of knowledge and inspiration. It is not what a man does or who he is that defines him -- the people, places, names, and faces are all just scenery along our journey towards self-discovery. Reflectively, the thoughts that make up daily life and the words that mark their documentation are what can leave a lasting impression upon both current and future generations. Impacting thinkers, intellectuals, and dreamers can create a shockwave throughout all we know and do, and each individual has a unique point of view to bring to the table. Every single living person, from the mentally challenged to the members of MENSA have ideas, and they are all unbelievably particular and powerful. This is the power that mankind needs to harness, for ideas are, and always will be, a source of greatness open to each and every person on this planet.
This is the embodiment of "potential explosion". Words are power, and we each have the ability to use them as a means of anything we so choose. Our words have the same capabilities as the rings of the Green Lantern Corps; they can be anything that we want them to be, and if we have enough will power, they can overcome just about anything.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Speaking of Michaelangelo
stockings red and spread your legsfollow them to where they meetand show me what i've paid forbite your lip and close your eyeshide the tears you feel insidefor giving up what was yours
i've watched the women come and gotthey speak of michealangelothey think all of their thoughts are all theirsi want to take one home with me
i put on my shoes and step outsidei breathe the air i know is minesee everything i owni've got a house a car and diamond ringsand i can buy these needed thingsbecause i did what i was told
"you could be holding on a rocketinstead you've fallen by the way side of life"she said "but you don't understand itthis is how i choose to live my life and that's fine""i want to take you homeand dry your crying eyes"and she said "well i just sell my bodybut you have gone and sold your mind"she's right- Outsmarting Simon, "Hub City"
This song always has me thinking. It makes me think of "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock", one of my favorite poems, written by T.S. Eliot. It makes me think of my value set; what is it and why is it there? It makes me think of the values of others and how they vary from mine. Is anyone right? Are our values anything more than just scenery?
The song brings up an important point once we get to the middle. With emphasis on the word "needed" when talking about material things, it shows the value set in accordance with the majority. He says he has all of these things because he "did what [he] was told". This is the life that most of us lead because we are told that it is what we want. This is the American Dream; setting up for family life by going through the motions, getting a good job, and buying the things that are wanted and appreciated by members of society.
The problem comes when a new character comes into play, one with an entirely different value set. This girl goes out and has sex for money, but she is a good person. This is very conflicting for the main character, because all his life he has had an emphasis put on innocence on purity while doing good, but this girl has half of that. She does not care about purity; she leads a life of excess because she enjoys it. This creates a crisis of conscience for the man and his value set, as it calls into question the life he has been putting together since the dawn of his existence.
The last verse is the major point of the song. The main character is telling the girl that she could be so much more if she would simply put fun on the back-burner and be the best person she could be. The girl, though, is happy and feels that she is in complete control of her own life by doing the things that she wants and enjoys, whether they are in contrast with social norms or not. In the final lines of the song, she says: "well i just sell my body but you have gone and sold your mind". This hits close to home for me, as it points out a very large fear that most pseudo-intellectuals have: that my thoughts are not my own.
I feel as though I am smart enough to think for myself and to not be swayed by the media. I also feel that I have strong moral fiber and try my best to do what is right. But as I have gotten older, the lines between right and wrong have gotten more skewed. As I still try to cling to my ideals, I realize that the world around me is ever changing, especially as I have begun my ascension into adulthood. It seems that adulthood and ideals don't mesh so well together though, and that is very bothersome for me. Is the girl in the song right, as the speaker says? Have I sold my mind to these morals that are actually worthless in the long run? I realize that these ideals are promoted as social norms, but behind closed doors am I the only one who actually clings to them? I feel as though anyone I ask about it tends to have their own agenda. On top of that, if no one buys into it, it doesn't matter who I ask about it because it's all going to be a falsehood regardless.
What happened to good moral decision making and sacrificing for your ideals? It's very hard to find a guide in all of this, someone to inspire me towards doing good. But what is good? Are drugs still considered bad? Is sex still something that should be limited to love, or is it a pleasure tool? The only heroes I can find are fictional characters, which I think says a lot about the world I (we) live in. Whatever the case may be, my fear of change will keep me holding on tightly to the morals of my childhood like a young boy still holds onto his blanket for comfort, even after he should have grown out of it.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Technology: Friend or Foe?
I imagine it is a tad ironic that I am writing this on my computer, but that is the very point that I am trying to dig into. So let's dive right in, shall we?
Technology is opening all kinds of windows for the youth of today, and even for the youth of yesterday. With a few small clicks and loading screens, I have created a way for my voice to be displayed to any person comes across this page. The Internet has given us all megaphones, and we can choose to use them for whichever means we want. We can create deep, thought provoking questions for others to ponder over. We can say dirty words and giggle with our friends. We can send letters to any board member or politician we choose without any inconvenience. We can even communicate with relatives that are literally thousands of miles away -- a connection that would have been impossible for many in years past. With this voice so greatly and easily made boisterous, what are we sacrificing to get there?
A friend once told me that we should all get to know our neighbors. It really got me thinking. In order to be sitting at my computers writing this blog, I am missing out on a thousand different opportunities that might await me outside of my house. How well do we get to know people when a good amount of our conversing is done through print? So much is missing; so much of reality and necessity is abandoned for convenience.
Children could be gaining a wealth of knowledge through new and exciting mediums. I myself have taken a huge interest in the Biography channel and Wikipedia, which give me every information about a person of interest that I could ever want. But in order to learn how these people were able to get to the state that warranted a televised biography or a large Wikipedia page, I am losing out on learning about what is making Frank or Jill from the neighborhood tick. I am sure the same type of scenario could be said about me reading biographies instead of watching them, so media cannot be at fault. The problem is, though, that with this information so readily and handsomely made available, it becomes more than a hobby. We can have any question answered in a heartbeat, but are we losing our heartbeats in order to do it?
I have always been against change -- I stand firmly behind the old adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". This clearly impacts my confusion over technology, since I feel that the generation before us was able to be successful without all of the things that we have. Can you imagine if the Kennedy assassination took place today? The blogging would never stop, the Wikipedia pages would be overloaded, and the Internet conspiracy theorists would unite at an alarming rate; the "factual information" regarding the killing would be everywhere, and it would be immediate. How would that have changed history? Or are we better off not knowing?
I wish I didn't need technology but I have been conditioned to depend on it. It is hypocritical for me to explain this over an Internet blog, but that is the root of the question. Is this a better way of life? One that allows us to have a podium to spew anything and everything from the privacy of our own homes while our social and oratory skills are dropping faster than the stock market in our current economical times. I'll leave you to mull it over. Is knowledge truly power or is ignorance as blissful as I have heard?
Technology is opening all kinds of windows for the youth of today, and even for the youth of yesterday. With a few small clicks and loading screens, I have created a way for my voice to be displayed to any person comes across this page. The Internet has given us all megaphones, and we can choose to use them for whichever means we want. We can create deep, thought provoking questions for others to ponder over. We can say dirty words and giggle with our friends. We can send letters to any board member or politician we choose without any inconvenience. We can even communicate with relatives that are literally thousands of miles away -- a connection that would have been impossible for many in years past. With this voice so greatly and easily made boisterous, what are we sacrificing to get there?
A friend once told me that we should all get to know our neighbors. It really got me thinking. In order to be sitting at my computers writing this blog, I am missing out on a thousand different opportunities that might await me outside of my house. How well do we get to know people when a good amount of our conversing is done through print? So much is missing; so much of reality and necessity is abandoned for convenience.
Children could be gaining a wealth of knowledge through new and exciting mediums. I myself have taken a huge interest in the Biography channel and Wikipedia, which give me every information about a person of interest that I could ever want. But in order to learn how these people were able to get to the state that warranted a televised biography or a large Wikipedia page, I am losing out on learning about what is making Frank or Jill from the neighborhood tick. I am sure the same type of scenario could be said about me reading biographies instead of watching them, so media cannot be at fault. The problem is, though, that with this information so readily and handsomely made available, it becomes more than a hobby. We can have any question answered in a heartbeat, but are we losing our heartbeats in order to do it?
I have always been against change -- I stand firmly behind the old adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". This clearly impacts my confusion over technology, since I feel that the generation before us was able to be successful without all of the things that we have. Can you imagine if the Kennedy assassination took place today? The blogging would never stop, the Wikipedia pages would be overloaded, and the Internet conspiracy theorists would unite at an alarming rate; the "factual information" regarding the killing would be everywhere, and it would be immediate. How would that have changed history? Or are we better off not knowing?
I wish I didn't need technology but I have been conditioned to depend on it. It is hypocritical for me to explain this over an Internet blog, but that is the root of the question. Is this a better way of life? One that allows us to have a podium to spew anything and everything from the privacy of our own homes while our social and oratory skills are dropping faster than the stock market in our current economical times. I'll leave you to mull it over. Is knowledge truly power or is ignorance as blissful as I have heard?
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