NYC Scare

Yesterday I was one of many to find out about the false emergency in NYC that forced thousands of people out of their work buildings and high rises. What caused this unfortunate scenario to take place? Some idiot at the D.O.D. who took it upon himself to take update the Air Force One file photo without consulting President Obama or any NYC official. Can you imagine the memories that must have come flooding back into peoples' minds while witnessing this? Further, I wonder how much energy, money, and resource was wasted after NYC sent emergency units down to the area? I just don't understand how AT LEAST the Mayor of the city was not even informed. It reinforced in my mind the lack of communication and unity there is in the government at all levels. How many federal departments have essentially gone "rogue" without consulting anybody else and, therefore, creating little responsibility or accountability for what they do. The system is rotten and needs an overhaul desperately. Get rid of the dynastic families (Bushes, Kennedys, Rockefellers, etc.) and get new blood into the system.

Spring Game

As many of you college football nuts are aware, spring games across the nation have been played recently or will be played soon. Like many things in life, each spring brings hope of new things. That is no different from our beloved football teams. As the old saying goes "hope springs eternal". Yesterday was the annual spring game for my favorite time: The Ohio State Buckeyes. Yes, our players and coaches have been getting a lot of flack in recent years (some deserved, some not) for not being able to pull out a big game win. While I would like the Bucks to go out and win every game every year in convincing fashion, it is entirely impossible to do that. But don't tell our fans that :)

So what we do have is the ability to believe in what we have. Sure we lost a few top players who were great to the program and will prove to be great NFL players. But losing the old and bringing in new blood allows for more heroes (and villains) to be made. I think that is what this team needed desperately. The old guard was proving to be ineffective and often time lacked a certain emotion in games. Mental lapses and inter-squad turmoil pervaded this past season, and we still almost beat a darn good Texas squad in the Fiesta Bowl. Now we have new players, new breath, new life. These players are pieces of highly recruited classes of which many of the others were not. Generally speaking, the talent is more potent now than it was then and it has already shown via the spring game. Will OSU go on to win a national title this year? Maybe. This team is young and loose which is a refreshing departure from the uptight squads of recent days gone by. In any case, my hopes are certainly high for this team, but I've learned one very valuable thing over the years: One game at a time. Go Bucks!

The overuse of the words "literally" and "surreal"

Have you ever come across a person who used a word in the wrong context or meaning multiple times in a conversation? Sometimes even misusing multiple words and their proper usage? Maybe even you have yourself? If you can at least concede that you have and remedy the problem (or maybe you already have), then consider yourself in the minority. These kinds of abuses of the English language are particularly common amongst the high school and college-aged youth. However, it's also prevalent among those in the entertainment industry to whom many in the younger generations look to and often emulate.

The two words that always get misused far too often are "literally" and "surreal". An example of such lunacy came to my attention while I was waiting for an appointment. The office only had entertainment genre magazines, so I explored a particular magazine article that had published an interview with the newest "pop-tart" who has her own T.V. show, concert tour, and a B-list former mullet-wearing celebrity father. In the interview, she was asked "what's the first thing you do when you get out of bed?". She replied, "well normally my mom or dad pours me some cereal and I'll listen to some music to get me going. But today I had to do it myself and it was really surreal!" Really? Making your own breakfast is surreal? Let's look at Webster's definition of surreal for a moment. Webster's defines surreal as: "marked by the intense irrational reality of a dream". Is making your cereal that much of a dream? Really? Now if the cereal had little dancing leprechauns coming out of the box, then I could at least see why the use of "surreal" might be applied.

The second of these overused words is "literally". I hear this particular verbal mangling on a daily basis it seems. One of my more memorable encounters with such a damaging misuse was in--of all places--a bookstore. I was browsing through the "Essays" section of the store when I overheard a conversation from a group of young girls. I couldn't tell if they were in high school or older, but they were in that range in any case. They were talking about what they did at lunch and one of them mentioned eating a "really good" sandwich from the cafeteria. Another replied with a similar sentiment but added "I literally sat down and ate the sandwich too". Maybe it's me but isn't literally sitting down to eat a sandwich self-explanatory? Can you metaphorically sit down and eat a sandwich? Come on ladies, you can do better than that. Here's Webster's definition: "in effect; actually". Would the sentence mean any less if you took literally out of it? NO! You don't need the word!

I oftent think that people who do misue these particular words do so because they don't know any other way to describe a situation. So if something seems like it could be surreal or literal, then they throw it in as if to sound more intelligent. Also, they probably see particular celebrities use those words often, and therefore do the same. My advice? Build a vocabulary and quit watching celebrities. Maybe even read a book! There are many other words to describe situations than literally or surreal, and if you want people to take what you are saying more seriously, I would suggest finding dropping the words all together unless absolutely needed. (End of Rant)

Quote for the Day

"The main part of intellectual education is not the acquisition of facts but learning how to make facts live." -Oliver Wendell Holmes

Am I In?

I'm posting today out of curiosity. I received an email from the UNR grad school today saying that I was "recommended for admittance into the graduate school". Now there are a few ways to read this: First, I was actually accepted into the program. Second, I was only recommended for the program. Third, I was recommended by one of my personal recommendations. To bring you up to speed on the third point, there was a snafu about one of my final recommendations getting lost. So, I had to ask the professor to resend his rec to UNR. I don't think it has anything to do with that at all because why would I get an email telling me that I was recommended by somebody who I asked to recommend me to the program in the first place. It seems very unecessary. So, I am left with the conclusion that I am either accepted or in the process of being accepted. If I wind up not being admitted, then that would be a serious case of grad school blue balls don't you think?

Square One

My new life out west has been a fairly sobering one. I came from a place where I knew everything and many people. Some would say I was crazy to leave that kind of comfort and security where I came from. I understand this point of view and don't blame people who opt to stay in those kinds of situations. In most cases it's probably the smartest thing to do. However, I didn't trade the comforts and securities of the known for the trials and uncertainties of the unknown because I wanted to escape. I did it because I wanted to educate myself in the "real world".

Most of my life has been sheltered and privileged in a world that many would consider aesthetically pleasing and relatively fertile with opportunity and gain. There are certainly benefits to this for which I am grateful every day, but it is also a handicap in some ways. Having things given to you with little struggle doesn't fulfill my sense of reward or achievement. What have I really done? It's not to say I haven't worked hard and earned whatever rewards or accolades I've achieved in life thus far. I could have had my college tuition paid for with my savings, but I wanted to earn a scholarship, and did. And this brings me to my point: I don't want to spend my life relying on people/things that I haven't earned without ever knowing I could do the same thing.

Former President Theodore Roosevelt said, "I wish to preach, not the doctrine of ignoble ease, but the doctrine of the strenuous life, the life of toil and effort, of labor and strife; to preach that highest form of success which comes, not to the man who desires mere easy peace, but to the man who does not shrink from danger, from hardship, or from bitter toil, and who out of these wins the splendid ultimate triumph." When I read this, it blew me away. It is something I wish more of my generational peers would read rather than expect things to fall into their collective laps. The idea of the "strenuous life" is, I think, a primary reason why I came out of the Midwest and to the West. Because I could start fresh and, in essence, live the strenuous life. I could learn what it is to struggle, to truly earn something, to achieve at a base level. This, I believe, will be beneficial to me because I will continue to learn how to work hard for what I want and how to achieve it from nothing. Combine that with the actual networks of people I know and benefits I've been so lucky to have, and it will make for a smart and effective way to live.

Thankfully I have a strong and amazing woman to help me along the way :)

For those interested where our money is going....

http://www.wallstats.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/WallStatsDATlarge.jpg


Where do the "teabaggers" think we should cut? Yeah......

Quote for the Day

"And whoever becomes master of a city accustomed to living in freedom and does not destroy it may expect to be destroyed by it, because in rebellion it always takes refuge in the name of liberty and its ancient constitution." -N. Machiavelli

Day 7: Checks

The last day before Em gets home. It was actually quite a productive day in that I did a lot of work around the house, finished up some odds and ends, cooked a good meal and got some surprises for her return. The biggest surprise was the nice little pay check I got from Uncle Sam and Vector. It was a nice little windfall for the coming months :) I did make my first sale today with some guy that was passing out lawn pamphlets. Random, but I'll take it. The nicest part of the day was taking Goose on a long walk. It was late in the afternoon and the sky was beginning to dim. There was little trace of wind or chill, but just enough to make it feel good in your hair. Goose was pleased with himself because he barked at cars and probably felt like he was fending off some kind of danger, therefore affirming his masculine sensibility, haha.

Day 6: Zombie Jesus Day

Today is Zombie Jesus Day, or more commonly known as Easter Sunday. This day celebrates the resurrection of Christianity's savior, Jesus Christ. But I find this day to be pretty funny. If you read the quote just before this entry, you'll get some of what I'm saying. But, let us travel back in time for a moment to the day this event is believed to have occurred. We're outside a tomb in the Holy Land the day Jesus died. It's fairly common, even expected, for loved one's to mourn and cry at the tomb/grave. But not today......today you see a guy you saw die rise into the clouds never to be seen again. Let's take a moment, think about this, and let that sink in. The normal course of things would have that a person/animal/thing dies and that's the end of it. That's the normal cycle of life and we know not to expect anything else. So what must have been running through the minds of the people nearby? I can only think of what I might say: "Holy shit look at that dead guy!"or "What the f*ck!" Why? because that's not supposed to happen when you die. In fact, in the history of mankind, the scenario of Jesus rising from the dead has never repeated itself with anybody, and science can't replicate it either. So, do we believe spontaneous reanimation can truly occur once dead? NO! Unless you're a zombie, which appears to be the case. I wonder if this story would make a good movie--here's the plot: Boy is born in a ghetto to a single mother because the father wanted a paternity test after she claimed she was "still a virgin". The father subsequently leaves the picture never to be seen again. Boy grows up, lives through his awkward teenage years and starts a gang. His gang is very loyal to him but one of his most trusted followers betrays him to a rival gang. He later dies at the hands of this rival gang and some how comes back to life, after clearly being "capped" many times, and takes revenge on those who ended his life. The End. Sounds like the plot of a crappy movie right? Yeah, I thought so too.

Quote for the Day: The logic (or lack there of) of Easter

" 'Let's go decorate eggs for Jesus!' 'But what do eggs have to do with Jesus?' 'Oh, don't worry, there's a bunny involved.' "--Jim Gaffigan

Day 5: Fences

Today Mike and I are going to finally put up the fence that we've been gradually putting together. The sun is out, but there is still some residual moisture from rain/snow. So, until then I'm going to get cracking on some leads and maybe something will come of it. It would be great if something did, because I'm dying here! Something! Anything! On another matter entirely, Goose got some more sticky crap in his fur which is really starting to become his signature and the bain of my and Em's existence. Where the hell does he find this stuff? Thankfully it was not as bad as last time and only some fur had to be removed. But this stuff was not as dense or hard as the last stuff. It was almost like he rolled in honey. It had that kind of consistency, only darker colored. I think I'll start calling these situations "goose butt" situations since it always winds up on his butt somehow.

Quote for the Day

"If it's sent by ship then it's a cargo, if it's sent by road then it's a shipment."
--Dave Allen

Day 4: Grilled Cheese

Today I was depressed to wake-up and see snow on the ground again. Although it melts quickly, it only reminds me that it's going to be cold outside. That kind of feeling doesn't motivate me to get out and run like I want to. I should probably do it anyway, but that sting I feel on my face from the cold wind is a great deterrent. So, for the time being, I'm going to make a grilled cheese for lunch and share it with Goose. Speaking of, "Goose fishing" (as I like to call it) is a very entertaining activity for those of you desperate to see a small dog get angry after failing multiple times to capture a furry object on a string. The rest of my day is going to be planning demos and seeing what else I can find job related. Maybe I'll hang out with Mike later.

Newsweek article about the "end" of Christian America

I found this article very even-handed in spite of it's rather slanted title. Jon Meacham is one of my favorite authors and his book American Gospel was really great. I think this article is a good read for both people of faith and non-believers alike. Enjoy!

http://www.newsweek.com/id/192583/page/1

Day 3: Pamphlets

I think I'm beginning to feel like I'm in a daze. Although I did get my first paycheck since starting my new job, I feel like I don't know where to go now. I've used up most of the list of names I have and none of them seem to be leading to other potential buyers. Hopefully Mike and Em can come through with some names. Further, my day kind of started off with more stress than I would like after receiving and email from the UNR grad school about a missing rec letter. If that determines the fate of my admission, I'm going to be pissed. Later, I actually went to the UNR campus and helped one of my co-workers pass out pamphlets for summer work opportunities where I work now. Although this job suffices for the time being, give me a 9 to 5 anyday.

Review: 3:10 to Yuma

3:10 to Yuma is a remake of a western film from around the middle of the last century. I must admit that I was expecting a stereotypical western where there's a hero-villain struggle and good triumphs over evil. However, there was no clear distinction in this movie between good v.s. evil. There were bad guys and everybody else. Even the "protagonist" was not exactly your classic hero. He was in debt, relatively poor, lived on less than suitable land, and had a fairly strained relationship with his son and wife. But that is what I like to see because it is reality. The heroes don't always win. People struggle, and this is what we see in the movie. For me, there was more of an authenticity to the movie as a result.
As far as characters, I think the two primary characters were obviously very interesting. They were deeper than just good or bad and were where they were due to circumstance. For me, the most interesting character was Wade's main follower (off-white coat and blond beard). He seemed like he always had something to prove, maybe to even become Ben Wade. The guy had a fierce passion to be loyal to Wade, even threatening to kill fellow members of the Wade gang. I can understand this kind of loyalty, but not to his obsession. Overall, it was a well-done movie and would recommend to others.

Quote for the Day

"Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling that it brings" -Anonymous

Day 2: Windy

When I got out of bed this morning, I heard a lot of loud banging in the back yard. It sounded like somebody was trying to break in, although nobody was. So I walk into the kitchen and find Goose shaking in the corner and some tree limbs sticking through the doggy door. Apparently this kind of wind has jet propulsion or something because I've never seen such powerful gusts. But things got more entertaining when Goose and a neighborhood cat got into a staring contest. The cat won the battle after a hiss and a snarl. Goose promptly ran for cover. Some guard dog eh? Can't even protect me against potential feline threats. No wonder the neighborhood dogs laugh :p

Cathartic

This has become my sanctuary of sorts just to let off steam and get what is on my mind into words. Maybe cathartic is the right word? I kind of lost track of my entries after moving to Seattle, but having now moved to Reno, I find myself with more time, reason, and desire to keeping up with it. Goose (the dog) is playful and jovial as ever. Although I'm sure he senses that Em is gone for a little while, he'll soldier on and explode with happiness and high fives upon her return. My food experiment for tomorrow is to try a recipe with scallops. I've been craving some for a while, but I only now caved. If it's successful, I'll make some next week :)

Day 1: Lonesome

Today Emmy goes home for a week to visit her family in Ohio for Passover. I'd be lying if I said I was anything but sad at the moment. When you spend so much time with a person and then suddenly they are gone for even a brief period of time, it's kind of stressful and certainly doesn't make for a good day. In fact, I admit to getting misty-eyed on the ride back home. Staying in the house we share feels significantly more empty than it otherwise normally would. I suppose that speaks to what a vibrant and uplifting presence she has. I'll have to dive into my work and other odds and ends in order to keep my mind off the fact that she is not around for the next few days. A temporary routine would be in order.
I think some of the added stress is coming from my new job. I started less than a week ago and it's as if I'm scattered already. But I don't think it's just me. I think they are a little contradictory in what they are asking and maybe a little less helpful than they think. First, we were to make an initial list of people to contact in the area to give a demo to and potentially make a sale. Since I moved to the Reno area roughly a month ago, I really haven't made all that many contacts. So I went with who I knew and it's been kind of a slow start to say the least. I asked what I could do better and they said to consider asking neighbors. But that is contradictory to their policy of 1) making sure the person we ask to perform a demo for is ok with it, and 2) that we don't knock door-to-door. What if asking the neighbors fails? We aren't supposed to call our recs yet because they haven't shown us the proper way to go about calling. Further, they don't tell us certain techniques and deals that we can present until AFTER our intial meetings. Is that really beneficial or productive for us or the business? I don't think so. I think they should start out with a beginner's list for new employees. On the list would include 5 to 10 names to whom the beginners could call and actually practice making a sale instead of wandering around without any direction.

Dylan on Obama (interesting take)

BF: You liked Barack Obama early on. Why was that?

BD: I’d read his book and it intrigued me.

BF: Audacity of Hope?

BD: No it was called Dreams of My Father.

BF: What struck you about him?

BD: Well, a number of things. He’s got an interesting background. He’s like a fictional character, but he’s real. First off, his mother was a Kansas girl. Never lived in Kansas though, but with deep roots. You know, like Kansas bloody Kansas. John Brown the insurrectionist. Jesse James and Quantrill. Bushwhackers, Guerillas. Wizard of Oz Kansas. I think Barack has Jefferson Davis back there in his ancestry someplace. And then his father. An African intellectual. Bantu, Masai, Griot type heritage - cattle raiders, lion killers. I mean it’s just so incongruous that these two people would meet and fall in love. You kind of get past that though. And then you’re into his story. Like an odyssey except in reverse.

People Watching

Have you ever found yourself staring at people in random public places and wondering what their story might be? I'll be the first to admit that I've made judgments based on appearances, but it makes me wonder if that is just a natural reaction as opposed to something malicious. There certainly are people who judge others consciously and without regard for who that person might really be, but I find that whenever I find myself "judging", it feels like more of a subconscious event. Afterward, I feel question who that person might really be. Maybe they are a skilled musician, a genius, a total idiot, or maybe we were absolutely right? We are told that judging is wrong and in many ways it is. But at the same time it has a basis in something, and is probably a primal remnant from when we relied on it as a survival mechanism. In this sense, judging and stereotypes are one in the same because they are based on some kind of basic truth about whatever or whomever is being examined. Yet, we feel bad about what we initially think about something or somebody whether it is right or wrong. If our conclusions are wrong, we scold ourselves in our minds for even reaching that conclusion in the first place. If we are right, we still feel bad because we realize what we did and remember that it's wrong based on societal norms. Are we just fighting nature on this?

To Emmy:

I was going to find a poem or saying that might reflect how I feel about missing you while you reluctantly venture back into the Midwestern abyss, but that would feel like a cop-out and who would know better how I feel than me, right? As we were briefly talking about last night, I've grown quite fond and accustomed of the little quirks and nuances that make you who you are. Whether it be a high-pitched squeal after a pair of cold fingers touch you, loads of French Vanilla cream in your coffee, the way you find something related to music in everything, and your ability to find a bargain even in the darkest recesses of Reno. That, my dear, is pretty amazing. So yes, I will miss waking up to see you (or hear you :P), making your coffee, our showers, and making you fritatas among many thing. But most of all I am just going to miss your quirks and sneaking in kisses when I can :) Love you and miss you most!

Unicorn