There's a lot of attention on US troops. Some negative, such as protests at soldier funerals. A lot of positive, pictures and messages saying, "Support our troops!". It's an internet meme now. That's how many of those messages are out there. Understand, I don't want to bash the troops. I don't support the invasion of the Middle East, but that's the fault of politicians, not the soldiers. I agree that the men and women serving overseas deserve respect and admiration. And for those that die... there's a reason we say, "Lest we forget." (A phrase that I remember repeating in Canada.)
But there are other things that we should remember.
Lest we forget...
Abuse is intolerable, so is neglect; discipline is a must.
Lest we forget...
Music is meant to be felt, not heard.
Lest we forget...
Humans are not immortal, they are not gods. From dust we came, to dust we go. Swiftly.
Lest we forget...
Reading without enjoyment is meaningless.
Lest we forget...
Existing is life without a meaning; living is meaning to exist.
Lest we forget...
There is always a choice, we are powerful, and we should be responsible with our choices.
Lest we forget...
"Luminous beings are we; not this crude matter."
I'll expand on this list as my thoughts flow, freeze, and thaw. Think a moment, however. What else should be repeated, lest we forget?
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Techno Craving
I miss being able to post what I was listening to or watching while writing my blog post. That was one feature that I appreciated on MySpace. I'm listening to some techno right now. You can blame Tiesto for that. I susbscribed to his YouTube channel and I've been hooked on the last few songs that he's posted. Still, I think I need to branch out a little more in my techno. So I'm sampling a few things by Armin van Buuren, Kyau & Albert, and a few other random bits. Not sure if I've found anything that's supremely enthralling, but there are some catchy beats. We'll see what my search turns up. Lemme know if you have any suggestions. No need to mention David Guetta, though; I already listen to his music.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
The spirit is willing, but the flesh is... bruised.
"The spirit is willing, but the flesh is... bruised."
I posted that on FB and G+ the other day. As I commented, that was in reference to running. I decided to raise the bar the other day. Why not? I can do anything (in my man-pants), right? I'm still young. I'm still immortal. My wife decided that she was going running outside since it was such a nice day. I said I'd join her. I figured, just once around Holmes Puddle. It's not that bad; just two miles.
Two miles can be a really long distance. I've known it in various forms. First, as the Milk Run. In grade school, I was introduced to this run. I think it was a cancer fundraiser of some sort. End result: the entire school, students and staff, ran/walked this two miles and had a lunch-sized carton of milk at the end. Then I got older and it became part of Spring training in gym class. Had to run the Milk Run (3k, approx 2 miles) four times in the semester, or run the Block Run (1k) eight times. I don't like running to begin with, so I'd rather run four times instead of eight. Fast forward to college and my introduction to The Puddle. I don't consider Holmes a lake. I grew up surrounded by real, minimum-one-mile-wide lakes. Calling Holmes a lake would be like calling Kim Kardashian a celebrity; when you know the real thing, you want to call a spade a spade. Now, I've done some stupid things in my time. One of which was walking around Holmes shirtless in the morning after staying up all night. Not my best idea. I think the "I'm going to eat a stack of pancakes, have an energy drink, and a Mountain Dew all in a six hour span or less" idea was better. And let me tell you, it's really weird taking a step and wondering if you're going to fall asleep before you take the next one. My one satisfaction is that the gravel still did not look comfy. Needless to say, that trip around Holmes was two miles times infinity.
Back to the present. Prior to this latest attempt to turn my legs to jello, I have not done any serious distance running since I last ran around The Puddle with my wife. That was sometime last summer. She's been running regularly at the UNL Rec Center. I've been sitting on my ass at home. Guess who's got more stamina. And that's my running history, in brief. Riveting, yes?
I posted that on FB and G+ the other day. As I commented, that was in reference to running. I decided to raise the bar the other day. Why not? I can do anything (in my man-pants), right? I'm still young. I'm still immortal. My wife decided that she was going running outside since it was such a nice day. I said I'd join her. I figured, just once around Holmes Puddle. It's not that bad; just two miles.
Two miles can be a really long distance. I've known it in various forms. First, as the Milk Run. In grade school, I was introduced to this run. I think it was a cancer fundraiser of some sort. End result: the entire school, students and staff, ran/walked this two miles and had a lunch-sized carton of milk at the end. Then I got older and it became part of Spring training in gym class. Had to run the Milk Run (3k, approx 2 miles) four times in the semester, or run the Block Run (1k) eight times. I don't like running to begin with, so I'd rather run four times instead of eight. Fast forward to college and my introduction to The Puddle. I don't consider Holmes a lake. I grew up surrounded by real, minimum-one-mile-wide lakes. Calling Holmes a lake would be like calling Kim Kardashian a celebrity; when you know the real thing, you want to call a spade a spade. Now, I've done some stupid things in my time. One of which was walking around Holmes shirtless in the morning after staying up all night. Not my best idea. I think the "I'm going to eat a stack of pancakes, have an energy drink, and a Mountain Dew all in a six hour span or less" idea was better. And let me tell you, it's really weird taking a step and wondering if you're going to fall asleep before you take the next one. My one satisfaction is that the gravel still did not look comfy. Needless to say, that trip around Holmes was two miles times infinity.
Back to the present. Prior to this latest attempt to turn my legs to jello, I have not done any serious distance running since I last ran around The Puddle with my wife. That was sometime last summer. She's been running regularly at the UNL Rec Center. I've been sitting on my ass at home. Guess who's got more stamina. And that's my running history, in brief. Riveting, yes?
Monday, February 20, 2012
Old Music and Sweet Savings
Just two things to write about tonight. I need to get to bed soon so this post will be short. But two things of note happened today.
First, I heard a lot of "older" music: "All The Small Things" by Blink 182, "Iris" by The Goo Goo Dolls, "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol, and a few more that refuse return to the surface of my submerged memory. I find it significant that most of the older songs that I heard today came out in the late '90s and early '00s. Either the radio stations were feeling nostalgic or they recognize what those of our generation already know: most music today sucks; our generation did better. That's not to say that all of the newer artists are terrible. I think some that have lately risen to prominence, such as David Guetta and Bruno Mars, are quite talented. But the majority stink.
Second, my Asian fiscal sense is quite satisfied after today. Smug, really. Malisa and I went shopping today to get a few essentials for me. Needed a couple heavier coats (after $8 and 6 years, Steve&Barry's coat needed to retire) and some snow/hiking boots; also came away with a pair of snow pants and a book. Everything was on sale. The coats were severely discounted ($600 --> $145, $150 --> $35) and those make up the majority of the smugness. The amount of money saved is rather nice, though. As Russel Peters said, Asians are cheap. And proud of it =D.
First, I heard a lot of "older" music: "All The Small Things" by Blink 182, "Iris" by The Goo Goo Dolls, "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol, and a few more that refuse return to the surface of my submerged memory. I find it significant that most of the older songs that I heard today came out in the late '90s and early '00s. Either the radio stations were feeling nostalgic or they recognize what those of our generation already know: most music today sucks; our generation did better. That's not to say that all of the newer artists are terrible. I think some that have lately risen to prominence, such as David Guetta and Bruno Mars, are quite talented. But the majority stink.
Second, my Asian fiscal sense is quite satisfied after today. Smug, really. Malisa and I went shopping today to get a few essentials for me. Needed a couple heavier coats (after $8 and 6 years, Steve&Barry's coat needed to retire) and some snow/hiking boots; also came away with a pair of snow pants and a book. Everything was on sale. The coats were severely discounted ($600 --> $145, $150 --> $35) and those make up the majority of the smugness. The amount of money saved is rather nice, though. As Russel Peters said, Asians are cheap. And proud of it =D.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Life is heavy as a mountain; work is a feather.
I have not posted in some time. Almost a month. This is not a felicitous sign. That's right, I said "felicitous". Blame it on the books I've been reading. I've been reading through the Foreigner series by C.J. Cherryh and that word is liberally sprinkled throughout. Fun reading =D.
Well, there have been a few interesting events since I last wrote. For instance, I got asked at Subway if I wanted world piece with my sandwich. I said I'd have a piece. Upon exiting, I was immediately asked if I could spare a Mountain Dew (I happened to be carrying a 12-pack of Livewire). The speaker was a young man who seemed to be decently well-off. I'm not sure if he was homeless or if he just had the balls to ask. Seeing no reason not to, I spared a Dew. If he was in dire straits, at least they're livelier now; if not, he had the balls to ask and I don't feel bad.
And in job news, I've been answering phones and questions regarding unemployment. If you didn't already know, you do now. Some of the work is interesting, some is repetitive, some is repetitive, and some is a bit frustrating. The two most common questions (paraphrased) are: "Where is my money?" and "When will I get my money?". The money actually belongs to Uncle Sam, and I sometimes feel like telling callers that they're not entitled to a penny and they can "take this scroll and stick it... somewhere safe," as Ryze (a game character) says. But who knows, there may be a position change soon. Or a job change. Gotta fill out some applications.
Anyways. I feel hungry and I've got a little shop browsing to do tonight. Later.
Well, there have been a few interesting events since I last wrote. For instance, I got asked at Subway if I wanted world piece with my sandwich. I said I'd have a piece. Upon exiting, I was immediately asked if I could spare a Mountain Dew (I happened to be carrying a 12-pack of Livewire). The speaker was a young man who seemed to be decently well-off. I'm not sure if he was homeless or if he just had the balls to ask. Seeing no reason not to, I spared a Dew. If he was in dire straits, at least they're livelier now; if not, he had the balls to ask and I don't feel bad.
And in job news, I've been answering phones and questions regarding unemployment. If you didn't already know, you do now. Some of the work is interesting, some is repetitive, some is repetitive, and some is a bit frustrating. The two most common questions (paraphrased) are: "Where is my money?" and "When will I get my money?". The money actually belongs to Uncle Sam, and I sometimes feel like telling callers that they're not entitled to a penny and they can "take this scroll and stick it... somewhere safe," as Ryze (a game character) says. But who knows, there may be a position change soon. Or a job change. Gotta fill out some applications.
Anyways. I feel hungry and I've got a little shop browsing to do tonight. Later.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Getting Caught Up
After a very long hiatus (for which I apologize profusely), I'm back. I had meant to write blogs on a more regular basis, but I've been lazy. That, and I often feel that I don't have anything worth writing about. Setting that aside, here I am. And I'm going to make myself put some thoughts down in writing. It's good for the brain, it's good for the heart. I would have said soul, but I don't believe that a person has one - s/he is one.
Musically, nothing's terribly new lately. I'm still mostly on the same musical page as I was a couple months ago. Tiesto's put out some new songs lately like Maximal Crazy and a Mission Impossible Remix. I've also been listening to a little David Guetta. Without You has been surprisingly catchy. One non-techno song that I'll recommend is Hey Mama by Mat Kearney. It's upbeat, it's lyrical, it's soulful, and it's fun. Definitely more interesting if you watch the music video. It's also kind of sweet and/or sensual. Not sensual in a let's-go-get-it-on sense; just a quiet, blatant, relaxed attitude that's almost lazy in its affection. And there's nothing wrong with that.
In regards to the more serious aspects of life (wait, are there any?), I'm no longer going to prison on a regular basis. My parents don't get to laugh at me about that anymore. Now I'm working at an Unemployment Insurance call center. At first, I wasn't sure what to expect other than a lot of talking on the phone. Definitely been doing that and my throat doesn't thank me at the end of the day. What I wasn't expecting was the relaxed attitude and general friendliness of the place. I work with some great people. There's Jason, the regular go-to guy who seems to know everything, almost always wears jeans, and never blows his top. He always talks calmly, softly, doesn't care if you ask the same question multiple times, and doesn't care if you ask him questions three callers in a row. And there's Hallie. She's an older lady who's a couple cubes down from me. Eats healthy, spends some time walking every lunch break, and she has some interesting stories to tell. The other thing I'll add is something that happened one day at lunch and still amazes me. Someone had put a container of bread pudding on the table and Hallie said, "You should have some; it's really good." I said that I would and she turned around to wash her dishes. Maybe a minute after that I scooted my chair back, turned, and found a bowl being handed to me. I don't think she even turned around. So I sat back down and had some bread pudding. If that doesn't tell you a little about my workplace, I can't describe it to you. And taking phone calls hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be. I was a little nervous during my first call, but it's been smooth sailing after that. Most people are polite, many call me "sir" (which is more than a little weird). I've only had a few callers that were irate or unreasonable and I've managed to deal. And no, I won't put you on the phone with my supervisor. Get it through your head.
Let's see... other news? Nah, not really. For the moment, life's good. Sun is warm, grass is brown (it's winter, what do you expect?)... wind is cold. Enjoy it.
Musically, nothing's terribly new lately. I'm still mostly on the same musical page as I was a couple months ago. Tiesto's put out some new songs lately like Maximal Crazy and a Mission Impossible Remix. I've also been listening to a little David Guetta. Without You has been surprisingly catchy. One non-techno song that I'll recommend is Hey Mama by Mat Kearney. It's upbeat, it's lyrical, it's soulful, and it's fun. Definitely more interesting if you watch the music video. It's also kind of sweet and/or sensual. Not sensual in a let's-go-get-it-on sense; just a quiet, blatant, relaxed attitude that's almost lazy in its affection. And there's nothing wrong with that.
In regards to the more serious aspects of life (wait, are there any?), I'm no longer going to prison on a regular basis. My parents don't get to laugh at me about that anymore. Now I'm working at an Unemployment Insurance call center. At first, I wasn't sure what to expect other than a lot of talking on the phone. Definitely been doing that and my throat doesn't thank me at the end of the day. What I wasn't expecting was the relaxed attitude and general friendliness of the place. I work with some great people. There's Jason, the regular go-to guy who seems to know everything, almost always wears jeans, and never blows his top. He always talks calmly, softly, doesn't care if you ask the same question multiple times, and doesn't care if you ask him questions three callers in a row. And there's Hallie. She's an older lady who's a couple cubes down from me. Eats healthy, spends some time walking every lunch break, and she has some interesting stories to tell. The other thing I'll add is something that happened one day at lunch and still amazes me. Someone had put a container of bread pudding on the table and Hallie said, "You should have some; it's really good." I said that I would and she turned around to wash her dishes. Maybe a minute after that I scooted my chair back, turned, and found a bowl being handed to me. I don't think she even turned around. So I sat back down and had some bread pudding. If that doesn't tell you a little about my workplace, I can't describe it to you. And taking phone calls hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be. I was a little nervous during my first call, but it's been smooth sailing after that. Most people are polite, many call me "sir" (which is more than a little weird). I've only had a few callers that were irate or unreasonable and I've managed to deal. And no, I won't put you on the phone with my supervisor. Get it through your head.
Let's see... other news? Nah, not really. For the moment, life's good. Sun is warm, grass is brown (it's winter, what do you expect?)... wind is cold. Enjoy it.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Current favs
It's been a while since my last "Current Favs" post. Therefore, it's time to bring it back! Here are this week's favs.
Play It Loud by the Black Eyed Peas
I heard this song while I was shopping with Malisa. It was playing in... Express(?) and I was bored. Then I heard the first line: "I pledge my allegiance to rhythm and sound." I was hooked after that because it fit into my veritas: music is life.
Brighter Than The Sun by Colbie Caillat
When I heard Colbie Caillat's first songs come out, I wasn't terribly impressed. Granted, her songs are well written and the woman can sing well. The songs just weren't in a style that I liked. This one's more upbeat and it's got a lively message.
Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO
This is just a fun song and the music vid makes me grin. 'nuff said. =D
Hey Mama by Mat Kearney
At first, I thought this song was done by Jack Johnson but it didn't seem to be quite his style. Took me a couple of days to figure out who sang it. Was kind of like an itch that's just out of reach - once you're irritated enough, you'll find a way to scratch it. Then there's just endorphins and a smile.
Play It Loud by the Black Eyed Peas
I heard this song while I was shopping with Malisa. It was playing in... Express(?) and I was bored. Then I heard the first line: "I pledge my allegiance to rhythm and sound." I was hooked after that because it fit into my veritas: music is life.
Brighter Than The Sun by Colbie Caillat
When I heard Colbie Caillat's first songs come out, I wasn't terribly impressed. Granted, her songs are well written and the woman can sing well. The songs just weren't in a style that I liked. This one's more upbeat and it's got a lively message.
Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO
This is just a fun song and the music vid makes me grin. 'nuff said. =D
Hey Mama by Mat Kearney
At first, I thought this song was done by Jack Johnson but it didn't seem to be quite his style. Took me a couple of days to figure out who sang it. Was kind of like an itch that's just out of reach - once you're irritated enough, you'll find a way to scratch it. Then there's just endorphins and a smile.
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