Blogger Distractions

I haven't really blogged in a while. Things around here have been a bit crazy. I'm someone that likes a bit of routine in my day; not where everything is scheduled and scripted, but a general routine to help the day move along nicely. This last week didn't have any of that. On top of that, my mind's been focused on other, more important things and my blog had to be put on the back burner. Other things like being on twitter and blip.fm have also been set aside for the most part.

Luckily, my other blog, Hoi Polloi Music, had posts scheduled for 1 1/2 week out so it just kinda ran on it's own.

Now that things have calmed down, somewhat, I can ramp back up again. I have made notes for several posts that I plan to do over the next few weeks, so will have a regular post starting up again tomorrow.

Thank you everyone who reads my ramblings and who find the time to comment.

Thursday Morning Quote - May 28th

"We must overcome the notion that we must be regular... it robs you of the chance to be extraordinary and leads you to the mediocre." - Uta Hagen

Happy Memorial Day

I want to say Happy Memorial Day to all the men and women who serve in the US Armed Forces. You may not agree with sending them to war, the war itself, or the commander-in-chief who sends them. But, they are doing their job of protecting and defending us and for that I am grateful.

No more "Yeah, But"

I don't get people that have a negative view of things in life. I call these people the "YeahButs" because this is the phrase many use to add their negative viewpoint to something. Let me give you an example (from a recent encounter with a YeahBut.)

Me : Supposed to be great weather for the 3-day weekend.
YeahBut: Yeah, but unfortunately it'll be wasted since I've got a lot to do around the house.

Ok, what was the purpose of that?

I would hate to go through life with this attitude. It seems so destructive and unhealthy. I struggled to figure out the reasons why some people see the world through this negative view. I think one argument has to do with age old debate nature vs. nurture debate. Some people just grow up in that environment and the behavior becomes learned. Others go through something in their lives, a divorce, death of someone close, or just a series of bad luck experiences which shapes their viewpoint. Still others just seem to be negative for no reason.

Whichever one it is, there are exceptions to this argument. How many stories do you read about or see on TV, where someone has gone through something traumatic and still maintains a positive outlook? This leads me to the final conclusion that some people have either consciously made a decision to reject the pull of the "Yeah, But" negative view and still look for the positives or are just predisposed to lean positive.

We need more people like this. We need people that more ready to jump on board, look at the positives and provide constructive criticism/insight. We need to not allow the YeahButs to make the rules, define our goals and control our destiny.

If you are a YeahBut, stop and look at what you are a doing. You're holding yourself and other back from achieving yours and their full potential. Life only give you so many chances, don't throw yours ways because of your negative view.

Thursday Morning Quote - May 21st

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle

Monday Morning Quote - May 18th

"For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin.....
But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid.Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life." - Alfred Souza

Jumpin Jive - Cab Calloway and the Nicholas Brothers

Watching this (which was done in a single shoot) reminds me how classy the old Jazz Masters were.

Take My Junk, Please

Just had a garage sale this morning. Several things about garage/yard sales amaze me. First, it is amazing the junk that people will buy (shower curtain liners?). Second, people will walk away from a great deal because of $1. Someone would not buy a perfectly good DVD player for $20 and would only pay $19. But the same person paid $2 for a dirty stuffed animal. Third, why do people ask if I have anything else to sell? Ssh, I've got stuff in my house that I didn't want people to really know I was selling. Yeah, I'm sarcastic.

I actually like garage/yard sales for the pure fact that I can get rid of STUFF. I've become a person that does not want to keep things I don't use. I used to be a clutterer. Not dirty, but just stuff everywhere. Every book I owned, every receipt (organized in a file box for absolutely no reason what-so-ever) and old knick-knacks that I really didn't like, but someone gave it to me. But now, I purge. I like a clutter free dresser, nightstand, counter and table space. I like a closet that I can move the clothes out the way easily, I like... well you get the idea.

If I had my way, the driveway would have been filled with twice the amount of stuff. But like all good relationships, there is compromise.

So it's spring! Clean out those closets, garages, basements and attics. Open the space around you. You'll feel better for it.

Thursday Morning Quote - May 14th

"What most people need to learn in life is how to love people and use things instead of using people and loving things." - Unknown

The price of ignorance

I can't stand ignorant people. Let me make a distinction to clarify this statement. I define stupidity as not knowing something. I define ignorance as willful stupidity or choosing not to know.

I believe ignorance is created completely by fear. A racist does not like African-Americans or Latinos for no real reason, except they do not and do not want to understand them. When I say "understand them", I mean they don't want to accept they are just the same as you with a different color wrapper. They love, feel, strive, are happy and sad just like you. A sexist wants to feel superior to women because they fear what women can do. We both have equal capacity, but women can do things men can't and men can do thing women can't. This does not make on sex the "stronger sex". Guys, let it go. We need each other equally.

Now ignorant people intellectually know their view is not correct, but make the choice to ignore that intelligence. It's so gratifying when the ignorant person gives into intelligence and lets go of the fear.

It's my view that no one is "superior" to another person. A person can be superior in a skill, in intellect or wealth. But that does not make you superior to the person.

We can only solve our local, national and global problem by getting past this fear and using our intelligence the way it was meant to be used. Otherwise, we'll focus our attention of things that don't matter while we neglect the things that do matter and end up destroying ourselves.