Vantage Point

Where I sit there is an incredible view. You can see the majority of the entire city and surrounding suburbs. It has just snowed and there are drifts of snow five feet high in some places. The wind chill is around -30 degrees. The sky is crystal clear blue. The free way is open. There are planes taking off. People are at work. This would seem to be the most inhospitable place in the world and yet here we are. For some reason the resiliency and the ability to adapt always amaze me and every once in a while carry me through the days when I think why the fuck am I living here.

It’s Time to Tackle the Big Three

While, I am not a fan of New Year’s resolutions I can appreciate the reflection that goes into people examining their life and planning positive changes for themselves in the future and if you need an arbitrary starting point for doing that I guess New Years is as good as any.

I set goals for myself every year (usually on my Birthday) and for the most part I hit them with three notable exceptions.

1.) Get back in shape. My actual goal is 210 lbs or 3 x1 hour session a week.

2.) Stop smoking. This is a no brainer, I am starting to develop asthma, it stinks, it is expensive and I have obviously proven to myself that I am not capable of doing it socially.

3.) Maintain better relationships with my friends. (I am notorious for dropping off the map for years and then reemerging for bursts only to drop off again)

For #1 in the past I have tried gym memberships, all kinds of funny stuff and I usually do pretty good for a month or two but then something will happen like a trip or event or injury and I get out of my routine and fail to get back in. This year I am trying something a little different. I bought a cheap exercise bike and rowing machine to go with a few weights I have laying around. I put a tv in front of them and now I have no excuse not to work on them right at home.

For #2 I have tried gum, patches, pills and I usually do good for a couple of weeks and then fall off the wagon. This year I feel like it will be different I feel a new maturity and outlook on life that is boosting my desire to do this internally.

For #3 As an introvert I really struggle with this one. My job, school and daily activities force me into an extroverted mindset and to be honest by the time I get home I am just kind of burnt out on people and take some alone time to decompress it is not that I don’t love people mind you it is just that I feel like the time I need to recoup has been at a premium. Thankfully I have a wonderful social director in my life who is great at helping me stay in touch with peopleJ So this year should be betterJ

Here is to making baby steps of progress.

Scaling Freedom

A note on airport strip downs and searches.

Remember Timothy McVeigh the Oklahoma City bomber? Remember the guy who drove his SUV to the middle of Time Square in NY and tried to set off an explosive? The pair who terrorized the east coast by turning the truck of their car into a snipers nest? Image for a second that because of these singular events that all cars were required to be made out of glass so people could see the occupants and the vehicles contents? Image that you had to drive in the nude so that you could not additionally hid things under your clothes? Would you do? In the name of public safety? These people have proven that our automotive infrastructure can be used against us with extremely deadly consequences.

Remember the Unabomber? Or the anthrax in the mail threat? Would you change the rules so that you had to travel to the post office to send and receive mail? Be patted down by your governments employed mail carrier? All of your mail had to be sent in clear zip lock envelopes with your personal information out there for anyone to see?

What about banks, convenience stores, department stores doing body scans so you can not steal or threaten the employees in a hold up?

Would you submit? Trade a digital image of your naked body and imprint of your license for minuet percentage decrease that you would be harmed in a burglary while you were buying a new shirt?

My guess is not. My guess is there would be outrage. That wise people would see the folly of these extreme measures and rally against the erosion of their personal freedom, but then I go to the airport and I wonder with a touch of sadness how far we will let our delusion of security letit slide.

“Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.” – Ben Franklin

Swift Exit

Sorry Taylor Swift you need to take a break. I am sick of you. All your songs sound the same. It is hard to take this innocent stuff seriously when you have been polishing more knobs then a maid at the Radisson. Take a couple years off. Make a sex tape, discover bourbons rightful place in country music’s history, learn a few different cords or just hide on the Disney channel where you belong. Give yourself time to develop as an artist and a woman and us a chance to rest our ears. I know this might be a little harsh but I don’t believe that marketing innocent BS anymore. I am now glad that Kayne interrupted your speech and feel bad he had to apologize. I was on your side at the time but this constant barrage of school girl, bubble gum, deer in the headlights stuff is too much.

Ad nausea

The only thing that I hate more then political adds during an election season is the barrage of jewelry adds that pop up during the holidays. Sirus should give these guys a cut of revenue since the more they play these adds the stronger my commitment to satellite radio gets.

Martha

I hate to say this out loud but I feel like I have to give credit where credit is due.

I love Martha Stewarts cook books. The receipes are quick easy and they taste good, almost everything i make turns out looking just like the picture. Thanks Martha Stewart.

There I said it and I actually feel better.

Organizational Behavior

There is a long standing theory that there is a cultural difference between individualistic and collective groups of people. With individualistic concerned about their own selfish interests and the collective concerned about the groups or societies.

This usually boils down to a West vs. East mentality I would like to propose that there is no such thing as collective mentality on three prongs.

1.) Even when people operate on altruistic intentions it is from a selfish standpoint they do it maybe not for reward or recognition but because it feels good. (What is more selfish then doing something because it feels good?)

2.) In the countries that are usually described as collective like India, China, Korea, Japan etc there are political and religious constraints that are enforced on the population that makes acting un-uniformly displeasing with repercussions of property loss, imprisonment, and death. Acting to avoid unpleasant consequences to your person is selfish and acting in the individual’s best interest.

3.) The surveys for most of these academic concepts took place during the period of 1950-80 against the back drop of communism a brief period over the course of our long life a species that is hardly representative in hindsight.

The first billion dollar house is in India. The worlds riches man is a Mexican. Amazing thing happen when the walls of religion and oppression come down.

I am not saying that people are bad or that we don’t help each other just that we do it in the context of lend and cooperate because I might need a hand some time. I think this trade between free people is an amazing thing I just don’t know why selfishness has gotten such a bad rap.

Wrapping?

Why drop the W? When you wrap a present you place your own personal touches around the gift so the wrap is adding your personal touches or influence around something you are giving away. Isn't rapping on the Mic the same thing your personal commentary around a subject or beat that you are passing on?

12 Days of Christmas

1 Jug og Vodka
2 New Lungs
3 Bags of Ice
4 Cans of Redbull
5 Hour nap
6 Pack of Abs
7 days off
8 inches more
9 to 1 pay out
10 camels lights
11 on the table
12 cans of soda

Prove it...

I wonder if he would cut off his bits? My guess is no and that even love you would die for has its limits.

Bruno Mars Lyrics

I’d catch a grenade for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Throw my hand on a blade for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I’d jump in front of a train for ya (yeah, yeah , yeah)
You know I'd do anything for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah) Oh, oh
I would go through all this pain, Take a bullet straight through my brain,
Yes, I would die for ya baby