Recently I have realized that my life has become stagnant. I achieved most everything that I always planned on in a timely fashion and I'm only 28. Undergrad, Grad school, good job that I enjoy. Now what? Seems that maybe I have fallen back into the pack. Five years ago I made a goals list. Since then, I have misplaced said list. The list contained a wide array of things from just learning a new dance style to being a father. I say all this because I think we all need to keep goals and resetting goals in our lives in order to avoid becoming stagnant.
So in the next few months I plan to evaluate where I am and what I would like to have accomplished in the next 5, 10, 15, 20 years. Some won't get done, or they will get pushed back, but I will have something to look back on when I feel there is room in my life for something new. I suggest to all to do the same thing. Even if you don't do it formally. Then revisit that list every year and adjust as life will throw you curve balls.
Examples for the types of things I would suggest to put on the list. Cooking, relationship, education, career, recreation, eating habits, working out, weight goals, travel, skills such as sewing, mechanic, or carpentry, reading, learn an instrument, start a business, volunteer, etc...
Life is so short and goes by so fast we can sometimes move past dreams. But you are never to old. Enjoy life and experience all the things you have ever wanted. Plan for them or whatever is necessary. Don't want to look back with shoulda coulda wouldas. I know I don't. I wish everyone happiness and success.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Why wait?
Instant gratification sums up the world we live in today. Waiting is a thing of the past. Waiting is somewhere hanging out with jheri curls and virginity past 18. The wonders of technology have removed the need for patience. For the right money just about everything is available in a short amount of time. Reactions to current events occur almost simultaneously with the event. I think that this obsession with instant everything has taken away from our lives. So busy worrying about everything but what we are doing.
Really, what is the rush? Are our lives that busy? Do we need to know everything right now? Think back to life before cell phones? the internet? internet on cell phones? You know, back when people weren't constantly connected. Were things that bad then? Back when enjoying where we were and who we were with was enough. I remember the library. Doing reports and research there. Checking out books to read. Days when being a reporter was a skill rather than a hobby anyone with a computer can do. Now we get news from all kinds of skewed sources. All of it reported with an agenda. Hell, we date through the internet now. Best place to find love. Email, chat, text, and tweets seem to have replaced long walks and conversation, or handwritten love letters and notes. A nice home cooked meal? Forget it. We have fast food and microwave everything. I'm sure eating that way is oh so healthy. There isn't enough time to cook a nice meal anymore cause everyone has jobs and busy lives to lead.
The instant gratification has gotten so bad that it has spread to our government. Heard the saying Rome wasn't built in a day? Now I see media report stories that create panic or public outrage, or at least a "reported" outrage which in effect does create a wider spread and more real outrage. This helps their ratings. Fine, but now Congress and everyone who wants to be someone tries to get face time reacting to every event. They now rush legislation through or try to in response to the craze. Some of the largest and most powerful legislation to ever come through and we rush it? Important decisions that one rushes probably won't turn out well. Haste makes waste. Thanks for that one mom. But it seems everything is headed in the same direction. Got to have it now. So what we don't have the money. It makes sense to spend money we don't have on things we don't need because we want it right now. Don't we try and teach young kids things don't work that way? Bye bye layaway, credit cards are way better.
Television is on phones, on demand, over the internet, and on slingbox. You should never miss a thing today. Television on the cell phone? Is that really needed? Nope, but it is convenient and why not have everything we want at our fingertips. Surely that doesn't set any kind of bad habits.
I know I fall victim to many of these luxuries but I'm not nearly as bad as some. Sometimes I just wish we could slow the world back down. Savor our experiences. Soak in the simple pleasures of life. Realize that ten minutes really isn't that long of a time, and that the difference between that and five minutes won't kill you in regards to anything. But alas, we have already become accustomed to instant gratification in all aspects of our lives. Can we ever go back?
Really, what is the rush? Are our lives that busy? Do we need to know everything right now? Think back to life before cell phones? the internet? internet on cell phones? You know, back when people weren't constantly connected. Were things that bad then? Back when enjoying where we were and who we were with was enough. I remember the library. Doing reports and research there. Checking out books to read. Days when being a reporter was a skill rather than a hobby anyone with a computer can do. Now we get news from all kinds of skewed sources. All of it reported with an agenda. Hell, we date through the internet now. Best place to find love. Email, chat, text, and tweets seem to have replaced long walks and conversation, or handwritten love letters and notes. A nice home cooked meal? Forget it. We have fast food and microwave everything. I'm sure eating that way is oh so healthy. There isn't enough time to cook a nice meal anymore cause everyone has jobs and busy lives to lead.
The instant gratification has gotten so bad that it has spread to our government. Heard the saying Rome wasn't built in a day? Now I see media report stories that create panic or public outrage, or at least a "reported" outrage which in effect does create a wider spread and more real outrage. This helps their ratings. Fine, but now Congress and everyone who wants to be someone tries to get face time reacting to every event. They now rush legislation through or try to in response to the craze. Some of the largest and most powerful legislation to ever come through and we rush it? Important decisions that one rushes probably won't turn out well. Haste makes waste. Thanks for that one mom. But it seems everything is headed in the same direction. Got to have it now. So what we don't have the money. It makes sense to spend money we don't have on things we don't need because we want it right now. Don't we try and teach young kids things don't work that way? Bye bye layaway, credit cards are way better.
Television is on phones, on demand, over the internet, and on slingbox. You should never miss a thing today. Television on the cell phone? Is that really needed? Nope, but it is convenient and why not have everything we want at our fingertips. Surely that doesn't set any kind of bad habits.
I know I fall victim to many of these luxuries but I'm not nearly as bad as some. Sometimes I just wish we could slow the world back down. Savor our experiences. Soak in the simple pleasures of life. Realize that ten minutes really isn't that long of a time, and that the difference between that and five minutes won't kill you in regards to anything. But alas, we have already become accustomed to instant gratification in all aspects of our lives. Can we ever go back?
Cell Phone Etiquette
I have a love/hate relationship with the cell phone. The convenience it provides is a great thing. The fact that people expect you to be reachable at all time is annoying. The cell phone simply affords me the opportunity to be available if I so choose. That is all. But I was just thinking of some rules or thoughts people should consider when using their phones.
1. Multiple calls in short period of time is annoying and unnecessary. Voice mail is there for a reason. Emergency is maybe the only exception to this rule.
2. Text messaging in excess or forwarding. First make sure the person you are sending messages has unlimited texting. More than 2 forwards a week is too many. Send that ish to my email if you have to.
3. Text Conversation. If it takes more than 5 back and forth texts then just call. Is talking really that bad? Or maybe it is just talking to me is that bad. Oh, and if you are in a place that you can't talk, then you probably don't need to be sending texts either.
4. Text part 2. If you are talking to someone either in person or on your cell phone texting someone else is extremely rude. If someone is talking to you in person do you like them to just mid conversation start talking to someone else?
5. Car calls. Don't spend an entire ride with someone on your damn cell phone. No one wants to sit there in silence while you have a conversation. I hate when I see three or four people in a car all on cell phones. Why are you together?
6. Courtesy on a date is to keep your phone on vibrate especially if it goes off a lot regularly. Also, don't check the phone more than twice while on a date (that is if you are interested in the person you are with).
7. If you are on the phone with other people while in someone elses company, you don't need to be around that person. They obviously don't interest you.
8. Don't talk on the phone while having dinner with someone.
9. Blocking your number to get someone to answer the phone is childish. That ish goes strait to voice mail anyways if it says private.
10. For safety, not texting while driving or conducting a train. Your text may make it through but you on the other hand may not (I say this like I don't do it).
This is just common courtesy. Please use.
1. Multiple calls in short period of time is annoying and unnecessary. Voice mail is there for a reason. Emergency is maybe the only exception to this rule.
2. Text messaging in excess or forwarding. First make sure the person you are sending messages has unlimited texting. More than 2 forwards a week is too many. Send that ish to my email if you have to.
3. Text Conversation. If it takes more than 5 back and forth texts then just call. Is talking really that bad? Or maybe it is just talking to me is that bad. Oh, and if you are in a place that you can't talk, then you probably don't need to be sending texts either.
4. Text part 2. If you are talking to someone either in person or on your cell phone texting someone else is extremely rude. If someone is talking to you in person do you like them to just mid conversation start talking to someone else?
5. Car calls. Don't spend an entire ride with someone on your damn cell phone. No one wants to sit there in silence while you have a conversation. I hate when I see three or four people in a car all on cell phones. Why are you together?
6. Courtesy on a date is to keep your phone on vibrate especially if it goes off a lot regularly. Also, don't check the phone more than twice while on a date (that is if you are interested in the person you are with).
7. If you are on the phone with other people while in someone elses company, you don't need to be around that person. They obviously don't interest you.
8. Don't talk on the phone while having dinner with someone.
9. Blocking your number to get someone to answer the phone is childish. That ish goes strait to voice mail anyways if it says private.
10. For safety, not texting while driving or conducting a train. Your text may make it through but you on the other hand may not (I say this like I don't do it).
This is just common courtesy. Please use.
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