Observations
Stuff I’m sure you’ve noticed but may not have thought about.
We Are Alive
…[W]e are alive and that it is gift and privilege, not right. We must earn life once it has been awarded to us. Life asks for rewards back because it has favored us with animation.
– Ray Bradbury, Zen in the Art of Writing
When was the last time you looked at the world around you and thanked–or even thought about–the splendor of existence and life? Read more…
Categories: Observations, Personal Development, Quotes Tags: happiness, Ray Bradburry
You raised my hopes and dashed them quite expertly. Bravo!
Here’s how can I usually create some intrigue when meeting someone for the first time:
Them: “What do you do?”
Me: “Oh, I’m a writer?”
Them: “Wow, really?! That’s incredible. I could never write…”
This works great, especially among members of the opposite sex. Were I not married, I’m sure this would have inevitably led to at least a handful of dates, most of which would end once they realized how terribly boring I am. (Me: “So,what do you think of the discovery o–” Her: *thunk* “Zzzzzzz…glug glug glug…” Me: “Waiter, I think my date is drowning in her soup.”)
Now here’s how I completely and almost instantaneously destroy that intrigue: Read more…
Categories: Featured, Observations Tags:
A Short Breakdown of the Free and Open Source Software Crowd
While I’m not into the FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) movement as I was in the past, I feel that one of the things new people dealing with that community should understand is the different types of people they’ll encounter. With that in mind, here are the four types for users of FOSS.
Categories: Entertainment, Observations, Tech Tags:
When Should I Start Caring?
NOTE: This post was actually written about 7 months ago, when I was in the middle of getting tested for a number of conditions. I was hurt and afraid. Its tone will therefore be considerably different than what you’re used to, if you’re a frequent reader. I decided to publish this because I felt it a fair question, one that could elicit discussion and would elicit thought.
I belong to more than a few email groups. Usually, these are for subjects I wish to learn on: psychology, health, writing, philosophy, etc. Recently I joined a particular health group because I wanted to find out more about a particular condition, one that isn’t well studied but which is being revealed as being more prominent than people once thought. I did this in order to learn, and to help others. However, the old adage “No good deed goes unpunished” proved true, as it was my helping others that cost me my ability to learn more about it. I’ll explain: Read more…
Categories: Entertainment, Life, Observations Tags:
Productivity in 2009
– Anthony Robbins, Awaken the Giant Within
My heroes have the heart
to live the life I want to live.
And all I remember
is thinking
“I want to be like them.”
Thing is, I’d been giving a lot of thought to exactly that: my heroes, the lives they live, and what it takes to be like them. At the same time, I’ve been thinking about my future, where I am, and where I’m going, starting with goals for the next year. Read more…
Categories: Life, Observations, Personal Development Tags: goals
Walmart Commies Clean
We’ve been buying furniture lately to furnish the new place. For the most part this has involved going to estate sales, garage sales, and antique shops to look for those just-right pieces of furniture. After all, we have a lot of space in the house and don’t wish to fill it with crap. And I subscribe to the theory that all the pieces in the home should be both useful and individually appealing, things which stand out on their own, yet blend in within the framework of the decor. It’s hard to do that with furniture from the big sellers, at least within our current budgetary constraints.
After seeing as much as we’ve seen, as as many prices as we’ve seen, I decided to walk to the local Walmart (which is in the same strip as a used furniture store and a Goodwill) to remind myself what crap looked like, and how it was priced. (This way I could get my bearings again.) Now, I know that going to Walmart is bad for your self esteem: when you go in, demons land on your shoulders and begin feeding on your soul. But walking around the store I saw signs which made me think that Walmart finally came clean, after a swift double-take. Compare the pictures and see if you can spot the similarities.
(On the left, a sign I saw all over Walmart. On the right, the Chinese flag.)
Yes, China’s prices ARE unbeatable. Thanks for telling us, Walmart! Thing is, it’s easy to be unbeatable when you artificially devalue your currency and peg it to that of your biggest potential economic competitor, thereby ensuring a price imbalance. But hey, at least Walmart’s finally being (mostly) honest as to where their loyalties lie. Has the company finally (un)officially admitted to becoming the commercial wing of the Chinese government? The signs point to yes.
Categories: Entertainment, Observations Tags: china, walmart
Quality: When Enough Is Enough
You know, I thought about publishing a post about a game with Fark tags and headlines, but I simply couldn’t bring myself to post it. Why? Because of something I think about too often, as I’m sure has anyone who’s ever considered their blog to be more than simply a sounding board. I’m talking about the big Q:
Quality. Read more…
Categories: Favorites, Life, Observations Tags:
Autumn Visits
This weekend, autumn came to visit. I had been waiting for it since last year, watching closely for the first signs of the season, for the cooling temperatures, the turning of the leaves, and the added cheer the season always brings. Unfortunately, it didn’t stay long. Read more…
Categories: Life, Observations Tags:
A Land Not Soon Forgotten
Just a heads up, I’ve just published an article for a British site, Calling America, titled A Land Not Soon Forgotten. (The title was a play on the title of the book Land Remembered, which traces the story of the fictional MacIvey family of Florida from 1858 to 1968.) Here’s their synopsis of the story:
A story about a young Puerto Rican boy growing up in the city of Tampa and overcoming cultural differences.
And here’s a clip: Read more…
Categories: Florida Living, Observations, Site Updates Tags:
Sometimes I Hate Firefox
I know, I know… probably has to do more with the extensions than with the browser. Read more…
Categories: Observations, Tech, Web Tools Tags:
