The Art of Blogging

Blogging is awesome. If you have gotten this far, and are still reading, clearly I had your attention earlier. The 21st century version of a public diary has enabled millions of people to communicate thoughts, feelings and ideas to other people all over the globe. Blogging can be done from the comfort of one's bed, a coffee shop, a desk at work, a desk at school, a plane, train, or automobile. It can be done from anywhere.

Broadcasting anything online is what some may consider a risky venture, but I have always been of the opinion that if you post anything online at any given time, you ultimately wanted it to be public, no matter what the repercussions. It is human nature to talk about other people, and it is even more natural to want to know about other people, yet I find myself most fascinated with myself. I never have, and probably never will care about what anyone thinks about ME. That is not to say that I will not put strong effort into any piece of work I do for somebody else's approval, however, it does mean that if you care to gossip or discuss my personal life amongst yourselves, go for it.

I am one of the happiest people that I know, and the people who matter to me know it, with or without a blog. With blogs, there is no magical fine line to be drawn between permissible and unacceptable. Anything written here is fair game for anyone to discuss, disagree and dissect.

Blogging allows people to express themselves freely, and uninterrupted. It enables a message to be delivered in the form that people might not get whether it is via twitter, Facebook, or a giant plane in the sky. Controversy can be caused, but this controversy can be controlled, whereas a controversy amongst people and some loose cannons can run amuck easily in an uncontrolled atmosphere like Taco Tuesdays.

If you want to keep something private, keep it private, if you have a problem with someone or something, address it, and if you just have something to say, blog it. Just remember, what you say can follow you forever, like this one thing: In second grade I confessed to committing adultery: I thought it meant acting like an adult.

THERE ARE NO ACCIDENTS - NOT MY WORDS, BUT THEY'RE WISE

http://domainnamesales.com/sevenmile/2012-02/there-are-no-accidents/#content

Oops... They did it again

The more you say something, the more people will believe it. It’s baffling how often the phrase “Don’t fuck up” is uttered; yet so many people continuously fuck up. The context of this very simple, somewhat sarcastic non-euphemism is not something that needs to be dissected in order to properly comprehend. The value of those words is precisely what they are worth. Now, with the presidential election heating up, or cooling down depending on who the flavor of the week is, it has become obvious that a good candidate is not present. If someone wakes up one morning and says that he or she is going to attempt to run the free world, my response to that person would be: Don’t fuck up.

In the feeble group of republicans who are trying to defenestrate Obama, the egregious gaffes that have been committed by each of these unqualified people have made me wonder if these people are consciously trying to disregard that universal piece of advice to not fuck up. The hateful ad campaign that Rick Perry released regarding a “war on religion” that he claims Obama has waged, in which Perry attacks gay people who serve in the military, should be the mistake that costs him the election. This action on his part may also destroy his political career.

In today’s robust media driven age, it is critical for people to be very careful about what they say. Politicians are scrutinized more than ever. Although hateful words are equally hurtful when they are said by anyone, Rick Perry’s remarks express his desire to lose this election. It may be the case that Herman Cain’s disturbing sexual allegations are just part of the political process. It is not the case that each of these soon to be former candidates listened to the simple words of wisdom. They fucked up.

The Truth Can't Kill You: So Swallow It

If you have read the news recently, most articles written about almost any topic have a lot to do with fear. Globally, topics regarding the European debt crisis, the turmoil in Africa, disease control in Asia, unemployment in the United States, and the potential complete cancellation of the NBA season all have one common theme: fear. It is human nature to have fears. There are several fears that affect people from all walks of life, of course, fears are not limited to people.

Why is fear the driving topic of news stories that carry many conversations in this day and age? Furthermore, what are people most afraid of? The answer is simple, but this answer creates a much bigger question. (A question that cannot be answered in one blog post.) The answer is that people are most afraid of the truth. If we are to base news on real events, and the people who report the news are simply stating facts for the rest of the world to digest, fear of the truth is in fact the biggest fear of people.

Op-Ed articles are written to stimulate thought and debate about the news, yet most of them involve the theme of fear as the force of the opinion piece. The pundits writing these pieces form opinions around current events and the impact that they may have on society. The impacts discussed are usually a negative event that could transpire. The situations addressed are all based on issues that have occurred in similar situations or how similar things could happen unless something is done about the current situation.

We are faced with the daunting task of absorbing this fear that is placed in front of us, and we cannot help but live in fear of the truth. Fear of truth does not only present itself in the form of a news story. Even if you lived in a bubble, completely insulated from news, our biggest fear would still be the truth. Is it that we don't want to know what is true, or is the truth sometimes too unbearable for us to live with?

If things were more like math, where 1+1 always equals 2, the truth wouldn't be so bad, it's the fact that emotion plays a huge part of what makes us afraid of the truth. What if it made us upset that 1+1 equals 2? Would we be afraid of that truth? What could we do about it? There's very little to be done once you know what is true. Only some things can be changed, and even in some cases, when those things appear to be variable, those things often are not.

If you accept reality and are true to yourself, only then will you no longer be fearful of the truth. If you really put some thought into it, the only time that you can actually fear the truth is when you had some control of an outcome, and if that outcome is controlled exclusively by your efforts, you will never be scared of the truth as long as your efforts were really efforts - otherwise you have already lied to yourself and that's a much bigger problem.

The Legacy of Steve Jobs

One of the greatest innovators in American history has died. He left this world a much better and more connected place than anyone could have ever imagined. The man was brilliant, he was a minimalist at heart with a multitude of ideas. He had the impact comparable to a religious leader to the world, of course with less controversy than religious leaders usually carry.

Steve Jobs is someone who will never be replaced, he pursued his passion by dropping out of college after one semester to start Apple out of his garage. He will be remembered for repeating excellence. He started with the Apple computer, he revolutionized the computer industry for consumers and developers, he then changed the music industry altogether with the invention of the iPod and iTunes, he then revolutionized the mobile phone industry with the iPhone line and then most recently, the iPad.

He reinvented the way we communicate, create and consume. He saw where the world was going; he chose to look where people will be to develop a new product instead of what already exists. The millions of people who have bought Apple products have come to rely on his products.

His death was inevitable. He battled pancreatic cancer, and fought very hard until nearly the very end. He even knew when to step down as CEO of Apple. He relinquished his position almost two months ago, he epitomized brilliance. The sad passing leaves a legacy so great: a visionary, a family man, and a company that has become a staple to most of the world.

He was the pioneer of our time. His products have changed the way we work, play, and communicate. His charisma left every audience in awe, his influence permeated corporate America while being an entrepreneur who never saw a barrier as a wall. He will be missed, but his impact lasts forever.

Is Talent a Needle in a Haystack?

I recently had a discussion with a peer regarding athletes who had either served time for crimes that they committed or were guilty of immoral activity, especially extramarital affairs. Sports is a form of entertainment, nothing more and nothing less. The admiration that one has towards a team or individual player is based on what one sees and perceives; not what he or she does in his or her private life. We admire accomplishments that we see, and look up to the people who do good in the public eye but are sometimes horrible family people and have bad habits that society has deemed unacceptable.

We often find ourselves fascinated by people performing to the best of their abilities, which makes me wonder what is it that makes us so happy about these spectacles? We pay to see people do their jobs: we go to the movies, plays, comic shows, watch sports, while we complain about the work that we do that nobody really pays to see. In fact, we usually work for people who don't show their thanks, unless something amazing happens.

Being inspired by watching one person pursue his/her dream is what motivates us. It makes us want to find our talents, to play to our strengths. We also need to be playing to the sources of our personal greatness: what truly fuels our hearts.

I started out talking about one's image, and the way that people are perceived. Performers, athletes and public figures no matter how much money they are making, or who is watching them are generally following their hearts and pursuing their dreams. What goes on behind closed doors should make it easier to decipher the good people from the talented people. It's rare to find both, but if and hopefully when you do, well, that's just fabulous.

close your mouth and let me eat: what goes in me shouldn't affect you

Everyone else was perplexed but me at yesterday's Labor Day barbecue. Once again, one of the biggest barbecue days of the year fell out on a Monday, a day that I consciously do not eat animal products in observance of Meat Free Mondays. I enjoy the “concerned” conversations that people start with me regarding my dietary choices, especially when I’m enjoying perfectly grilled fresh peppers without a bun (I don’t eat the bun because of my sensitivity to wheat).

Of course everyone has their opinions and questions about my dietary restrictions and preferences. Let it be known that I do enjoy meat and animal products, and my reasons for not eating animal products one day a week is quite simple, healthy and has some positive affect on the environment. I did nothing to demand attention. I wasn’t broadcasting my requirements, I was merely adapting to the available foods such as potato chips, vegetables, and some white wine. Somehow people kept approaching me and basically my entire gastrointestinal life story came out freely because I wasn’t embarrassed or afraid to show people that feeling well is paramount to “enjoyment” of foods that make me feel crappy – pun totally intended.

Not eating wheat or dairy is not challenging, dealing with people who are flummoxed by my restrictions is the biggest challenge that I actually embrace. I see it as an opportunity to educate people about the prevalence and growing amounts of diagnoses of food allergies and sensitivities. Additionally, my meat-free Mondays have become a great topic of conversation with people who have never heard of it – I start out by telling people that meat-free Monday is something that Paul McCartney started (it gives it a lot more credibility off the bat). I realize that my choices my sound different to some, but I truly enjoy my eating habits and feel AMAZING when I stick to the foods that I am able to eat while avoiding the foods that poison my body.