Today's society is all about NOW! We eat fast food because cooking takes too much time. We text because phone calls take too long. Basically, the idea of waiting in anticipation seems to be a lost art... or is it?
I feel old just saying this but I miss the days of waiting for things. I remember waiting for Tuesday to roll around so I could beg mom to take me to the nearest record store and see what new albums had come out. Or grabbing the newspaper when I got home from school to see what new movies were coming out that weekend. Hell, I even miss smelling Sunday dinner cooking the minute we walked into my grandmother's house and counting the minutes until it was time to eat.
Lately, however, even I have fallen victim to the NOW mentality. I get fussy when my cell phone won't IMMEDIATELY do what I tell it. How dare it make me wait 3 seconds to see a picture?
I don't know if I really had a point when I started typing this (looking back, I doubt it) but even typing it has made me think and I hope it does the same for you. Next time something is taking longer than you want, try to be excited about what you are waiting for rather than mad that you don't have it already. You'll find yourself happy a lot more often.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Who Is Joseph Kony?
If you have a Facebook account you have most likely seen a post or twelve about Kony 2012. No, it's not another presidential campaign that finally figured out how to reach young people. It's a campaign to end a reign of terror in Africa.
This is Joseph Kony:
Joseph Kony is the leader of a Ugandan guerilla group called the Lord's Resistance Army. Since the late 80s Kony and the LRA have run the gambit of atrocities: murder, rape, kidnapping, torture, and even reports of cannibalism. What may be the worst part of all of this is the LRA's tactic for recruiting new "soldiers". They basically kidnap children, murder their families, and force them to fight for the group. An estimated 100,000 or more kids have been "enlisted" since this practice started in 1986.
There is a lot more reasons to hate Joseph Kony but why are we just now hearing about it? He was indicted for 33 charges by the International Criminal Court back in 2005 and has had arrest warrants pending ever since. The US has had an eye on him ever since 9/11 and even sent troops in to assist the Ugandans (not to engage Kony).
The reason it's the big buzz right now is due to a 30 minute documentary titled Kony 2012 that hit YouTube earlier this week documenting the atrocities carried out by Kony and LRA.
I agree this is a cause that needs to be addressed and a problem that needs fixing, but I also think it shows just how flighty Americans are today. Within 24 hours, thousands of people went from having no clue what Uganda was (Is it a new dubstep DJ?) to fighting for their freedom from oppression.
Fight for what you believe in, not what your Facebook friends tell you is important.
That being said, here's the video. I hope everyone reading this actually takes the time to get informed and, if they so choose, help the cause and not just jump on the bandwagon because it's the thing to do.
This is Joseph Kony:
Joseph Kony is the leader of a Ugandan guerilla group called the Lord's Resistance Army. Since the late 80s Kony and the LRA have run the gambit of atrocities: murder, rape, kidnapping, torture, and even reports of cannibalism. What may be the worst part of all of this is the LRA's tactic for recruiting new "soldiers". They basically kidnap children, murder their families, and force them to fight for the group. An estimated 100,000 or more kids have been "enlisted" since this practice started in 1986.
There is a lot more reasons to hate Joseph Kony but why are we just now hearing about it? He was indicted for 33 charges by the International Criminal Court back in 2005 and has had arrest warrants pending ever since. The US has had an eye on him ever since 9/11 and even sent troops in to assist the Ugandans (not to engage Kony).
The reason it's the big buzz right now is due to a 30 minute documentary titled Kony 2012 that hit YouTube earlier this week documenting the atrocities carried out by Kony and LRA.
I agree this is a cause that needs to be addressed and a problem that needs fixing, but I also think it shows just how flighty Americans are today. Within 24 hours, thousands of people went from having no clue what Uganda was (Is it a new dubstep DJ?) to fighting for their freedom from oppression.
Fight for what you believe in, not what your Facebook friends tell you is important.
That being said, here's the video. I hope everyone reading this actually takes the time to get informed and, if they so choose, help the cause and not just jump on the bandwagon because it's the thing to do.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
The End?
So it is 2012. Well, has been for just over a month anyway. According to translation the Mayan Calendar ends this year. That has lead people to assume everything from "Well, they must have just figured that would be a good stopping point on the calendar" to "OH MY GAWD THE WORLD IS GONNA END IN DECEMBER!" I must admit, I'm somewhere in the middle with the "I don't really know what the hell it all means" group.
Here's the facts: The Mayans were a very sophisticated culture who created a 5,125 year calendar that ends on our December 21, 2012 (their calendar and what we think of as a calendar now were organized very differently). It is believed that they based theirs around the movement of celestial bodies (i.e. sun, moon, planets, stars, etc) and the end point marks some specific alignment or configuration.
We, as humans, took that information and came up with the most self-centered conclusion possible... the entire universe is just a big clock counting down to Earth's destruction. Now there are theories that there may be a 2nd Big Bang or something universally catastrophic but most theories revolve around Earth's doom. A planet destroying comet/meteor/gamma ray or collision with another planet or being eaten by a black hole. 7% of people asked in a recent survey even thought we could be living in Planet of the Apes in LESS THAN 25 YEARS!
I myself fall into the "not sure" category. A recent study actually found that 27% of people think SOMETHING will happen. I think something will happen but not from mystical magical forces. I think PEOPLE will happen.
The human race is prone to mass hysteria when "imminent doom" is approaching (anybody remember Y2K?). I hope I'm wrong but I'm expecting a good percentage of people will start to act crazier as the date approaches. Living in bomb shelters, looting and riots, etc.
Whether any world changing or ending event happens, I am more worried about what the world's reaction leading up to that will be.
Here's the facts: The Mayans were a very sophisticated culture who created a 5,125 year calendar that ends on our December 21, 2012 (their calendar and what we think of as a calendar now were organized very differently). It is believed that they based theirs around the movement of celestial bodies (i.e. sun, moon, planets, stars, etc) and the end point marks some specific alignment or configuration.
We, as humans, took that information and came up with the most self-centered conclusion possible... the entire universe is just a big clock counting down to Earth's destruction. Now there are theories that there may be a 2nd Big Bang or something universally catastrophic but most theories revolve around Earth's doom. A planet destroying comet/meteor/gamma ray or collision with another planet or being eaten by a black hole. 7% of people asked in a recent survey even thought we could be living in Planet of the Apes in LESS THAN 25 YEARS!
I myself fall into the "not sure" category. A recent study actually found that 27% of people think SOMETHING will happen. I think something will happen but not from mystical magical forces. I think PEOPLE will happen.
The human race is prone to mass hysteria when "imminent doom" is approaching (anybody remember Y2K?). I hope I'm wrong but I'm expecting a good percentage of people will start to act crazier as the date approaches. Living in bomb shelters, looting and riots, etc.
Whether any world changing or ending event happens, I am more worried about what the world's reaction leading up to that will be.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Bacon!
So I was inspired by the new Dr. Pepper 10 commercial that asks "Have you ever blogged about bacon?" and being a guy (and a fat guy at that) I realized I had not. So here we go!
Bacon by definition is "cured meat from the back or sides of a pig". Cooked, it looks like this:
Bacon, in my opinion, is the perfect food. It can be a main course, a side item, a topping, a condiment, a flavoring for soups & stews, or even dessert! And now, thanks to J&D Foods, bacon has come to be a seasoning salt, a flavoring for popcorn, mayo, and more, as well as a flavored LUBE!
You can find bacon style band-aids, bacon infused vodka, Wendy's glorified it with their mighty Baconator sandwich, and the artery crushing Bacon Explosion! (click here for instructions on that monster)
Yes it's bad for you, yes we (and I) eat way too much of it, and yes it's mostly fat. But who cares... IT'S BACON!
So there you go, no real direction or purpose, but I have successfully blogged about bacon. Now I'm craving some bacon myself...
Bacon by definition is "cured meat from the back or sides of a pig". Cooked, it looks like this:
Bacon, in my opinion, is the perfect food. It can be a main course, a side item, a topping, a condiment, a flavoring for soups & stews, or even dessert! And now, thanks to J&D Foods, bacon has come to be a seasoning salt, a flavoring for popcorn, mayo, and more, as well as a flavored LUBE!
You can find bacon style band-aids, bacon infused vodka, Wendy's glorified it with their mighty Baconator sandwich, and the artery crushing Bacon Explosion! (click here for instructions on that monster)
Yes it's bad for you, yes we (and I) eat way too much of it, and yes it's mostly fat. But who cares... IT'S BACON!
So there you go, no real direction or purpose, but I have successfully blogged about bacon. Now I'm craving some bacon myself...
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
SOPA/PIPA
If you haven't noticed, the internet is a little dark today. Many sites like Wikipedia, Craigslist, Reddit, and others have turned their sites off for the day to protest 2 bills coming through Congress: SOPA & PIPA.
SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) is in the House of Representatives and PIPA (Protect IP Act) is going through the Senate. Both bills were written with the intent of stopping online piracy of things like music, movies, and more by giving copyright holders more options for punishing websites with pirated content. As they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
The problem is people. Copyright holders will be able to basically remove a website from American web browsers by merely ACCUSING THEM of spreading pirated content. The way the law is at the moment, websites can be shut down by the government but are allowed an opportunity to remove any pirated content first... PIPA and SOPA would remove that chance.
The intentions are aimed the right way but this puts way too much power in a few hands and could lead to websites being shutdown for censorship instead of violation of piracy laws.
Click here for more info on SOPA & PIPA and how you can make your voice heard.
SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) is in the House of Representatives and PIPA (Protect IP Act) is going through the Senate. Both bills were written with the intent of stopping online piracy of things like music, movies, and more by giving copyright holders more options for punishing websites with pirated content. As they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
The problem is people. Copyright holders will be able to basically remove a website from American web browsers by merely ACCUSING THEM of spreading pirated content. The way the law is at the moment, websites can be shut down by the government but are allowed an opportunity to remove any pirated content first... PIPA and SOPA would remove that chance.
The intentions are aimed the right way but this puts way too much power in a few hands and could lead to websites being shutdown for censorship instead of violation of piracy laws.
Click here for more info on SOPA & PIPA and how you can make your voice heard.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
2011 Holiday Recap
So this is my 3rd attempt to write a blog about the holidays but I never really know how to approach it. The holidays with my friends and family fall in the gray area where they are not boring and dull but not worthy of a trip to the ER either.
My family and friends are all very outgoing and kinda wild so there is always some partying involved. The festivities started with my friends "Tacky Xmas Sweater Party" the weekend before Xmas that led me to the mecca of tacky sweaters, KMart, and a snazzy little number I picked up for the event (not to mention the Xmas Scream PJ pants I found).
Sexy huh? And yes, it was a ladies shirt (as if the ring o' tanline wasn't a dead giveaway).
Xmas weekend was a blast. Took the girlfriend to my parents for the weekend and ended up in an epic drinking version of Apples to Apples on Xmas Eve. Xmas Day was a nice reminder of the fact that I'm not a kid anymore. My favorite gifts were my new skillet, a crock pot, and Gears of War 3 (ok, so not totally grown up either). And to top off that domesticated cake, I spent my Xmas money on... a new vacuum. May not sound exciting but I was super happy with it all!
For New Year's we headed up to Raleigh for my friends house warming/New Year's Eve party. I got started a little early and around 7pm had to slow down, sober up a bit, and start back a little later so I could make it past midnight. Lots of drinks, lots of video games, and a few rounds of Apples to Apples and it was 2012. Then we started the year with GIANT cinnamon rolls for breakfast, steak for lunch, and black eyed peas for dinner (not the crappy band, the good luck food).
2011 had some ups and downs like any year but I think 2012 has a chance to make the record books. Only time will tell...
My family and friends are all very outgoing and kinda wild so there is always some partying involved. The festivities started with my friends "Tacky Xmas Sweater Party" the weekend before Xmas that led me to the mecca of tacky sweaters, KMart, and a snazzy little number I picked up for the event (not to mention the Xmas Scream PJ pants I found).
Sexy huh? And yes, it was a ladies shirt (as if the ring o' tanline wasn't a dead giveaway).
Xmas weekend was a blast. Took the girlfriend to my parents for the weekend and ended up in an epic drinking version of Apples to Apples on Xmas Eve. Xmas Day was a nice reminder of the fact that I'm not a kid anymore. My favorite gifts were my new skillet, a crock pot, and Gears of War 3 (ok, so not totally grown up either). And to top off that domesticated cake, I spent my Xmas money on... a new vacuum. May not sound exciting but I was super happy with it all!
For New Year's we headed up to Raleigh for my friends house warming/New Year's Eve party. I got started a little early and around 7pm had to slow down, sober up a bit, and start back a little later so I could make it past midnight. Lots of drinks, lots of video games, and a few rounds of Apples to Apples and it was 2012. Then we started the year with GIANT cinnamon rolls for breakfast, steak for lunch, and black eyed peas for dinner (not the crappy band, the good luck food).
2011 had some ups and downs like any year but I think 2012 has a chance to make the record books. Only time will tell...
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Concert Etiquette
I go to a lot of live shows. Why? Because I love live music. Sadly, there are way too many people going to shows now for reasons that grate my nerves and I'm fed up with it. Not long ago, a concert was a group experience. You were not only IN the crowd, you were A PART of the crowd. Now, it's more about ME ME than US US.
First off, the "look at me's". I realize there is a big crowd of people and you are attention starved, but could you stop being an obnoxious jackass long enough for those of us who want to see the band can enjoy the show? We got stuck next to a whole group of these jerks at the Foo Fighters show in DC. They discovered the bleachers were loose and they could shake our whole row by jumping up and down. Even after several comments from others, they continued to make everyone around them feel seasick and blur any attempted pictures.
Next, the "I deserve a front row spots". These people don't seem to understand how a General Admission crowd works. If you want a spot by the stage, get there early and stay put during the show. Don't show up an hour late and think the crowd is going to part like the Red Sea so you can take your place by the stage. Why do you deserve a better spot than anyone else who got there on time? And if you leave your spot to get beer, food, etc. you lose that spot! There are no assigned seats in a standing room only venue so stop thinking you can just plow through the crowd and your little patch of floor will still be vacant with your name on it.
I realize a concert is an exciting experience, especially if it's a band you are truly passionate about. But next time you're rocking out, try to consider the people around you are there to have fun too.
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