too much

i think it could be we have too much internet for the little time we really have. what i'm saying is, computers, electronics, the internets are the best tools ever. at the same time, at least in our culture, many/most of us lack the discipline and judgement to draw a darker line as to when we're just wasting time and getting distracted. yes sometimes it's ok, but i think it's safe to say for many of us, this happens more often than we wish.

to this day, since high school, through college, the corporate world, and even working for myself doing what i've always longed for, i've found it hard to just get online and do what i need and then go elsewhere. the rabbit trails one can find are amazing and engrossing; some of them so worth it, some of them you wish you had 2 hours back... no less, i wrote. i hope that was worth something. it helps me somehow; getting things in writing and text. and yes, i confess, maybe some of this is the fact i must have ADD and just have a hard time keeping on task without needing to see this or that or something new....but then again, did watching too much tv growing up change my default expectations of needing too much information, fast answers without thinking, and new flashy this and thats....often? after all, i do remember when the Disney Afternoon started back in the 90s when i was a kiddie. i've seen every single Goof Troop, Dark Wing Duck, Tail Spin, etc... and i watched probably most if not all the episodes of Full House, Saved By the Bell, Brady Bunch, and others.... those non-cartoons i mentioned, i hated, but my sister was watching them and for some reason i was inexplicably glued till close to bedtime. yeah, sad.

let's reign them brains in. and with that, our lives. :)

one year of self-employment

anna and i realized recently that it's been over one year that i've been self-employed! tis amazing how far God's taken us since then. last year alone: we got married, i quit my corporate job, decided the studio was going to be my main job, and anna switched jobs. there's lots more, but those are just a few of the transitions which happened in a short few months. amazing!

i've learned so much running my own business and getting to focus as a producer and recording engineer. i know i've grown tremendously in so many related areas. at the same time, i continue to realize how much i don't know and what i'm not that great at still. all i can say is that i'm thankful i can do what i love no matter the sucesses and failures.

i think i might make a holiday for myself called "quit day". or maybe "freedom land". ha. something. july 8, 2008 was the day i resigned. july 16, 2008, i walked out those office doors, feeling so free. it was the beginning of a beautiful adventure. i don't regret it. i never will.

wet dry grass

tonight, when walking barefoot in dry grass, upon hitting a wet spot, i wonder what animal peed there and how did i come to find this spot.

true story.

a revelation? muppet babies and lord of the rings??

so, a friend and i were reminiscing about the Bug Busters episode of the Muppet Babies. (yeah, go 80s or 90s or whenever that was... ) and Animal and Skeeter appear -- and as i set eyes on Animal, i actually see Gollum. i mean, totally. Gollum. insane. take a looksee (in the first 2 minutes)--> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9-WBGMkIuQ

where would we be without cheese?

yes friends, where would we be? cheese and many other milk-based products make so many amazing recipes possible. i was trying my wife's chicken thing she got at Longhorn Steakhouse and it had sour cream and this crusted parmesan on the top. amazing. and those two cheese elements plus grilled chicken made it all happen.

now with that, i'd like to address an argument against milk i keep hearing. note, i'm not going to go into any scientific or dietetic detail; i will just state my thoughts on this argument. --

many say that we are the only mammals who drink other animals' milk. thus we are defying the natural food chain for milk by collecting and consuming it. it certainly was never intended but for a certain animal's young. whether or not we truly are animals, i need to point out that we are the only ones capable and smart enough to harvest milk from other animals. yes, believe it or not, that's why you haven't seen dogs making a go of rounding up cows to lick their utters. it's not even on their minds.

that's all. let's argue on the internet if you want with comment threads. i probably won't reply. ;)

strong-arm societies

from what i can tell, unions appear to be obsolete. in fact, maybe they're just an outright hindrance to our society at this point. for instance, think of how disruptive a public transit or school strike is. the wrong people are hurt and gosh for you guys, tax money pays you, etc.... you ought to be spitting on your students & parents and passengers. and manufacturing, do you know why your jobs are going overseas? also being a consumer, you're demanding lower prices. that also means the cost to produce needs to go down. you can only inject so much cost before it's just impractical. (yes, of course there are many business-men selling our country out.) perhaps we're just not content with our wages, when they may just be fair for what the work is.

beyond that, with all the decades-worth of laws and even organizations such as OSHA out there, i doubt there is any real need left.
BUT
if unions are truly necessary still, then there ought to be a salaried office-worker's unions. then all you working in cubicles could perhaps demand compensation for all the hours you're forced to work over 40 to prove you "care" or are "dedicated". that's some abuse that ought to be fought.

no reply

just tell me no. believe me, it's ok if you do. it's the silence that's more hurtful... perhaps just plain disrespectful, selfish, lazy, inconsiderate...

i'm among the generation that's so guilty of this. it needs to stop.

box

this is an (abridged) email conversation my uncle and i had about a board game some friends made, but it turned out to be similar to something that was already patented. no less, it's still a ridiculously enjoyable game. :)

me: "yeah it's hard to come across something that hasn't already been done these days. :)"

uncle ray: "yes. i'm sure you've heard that you need to think outside the box. well, no, not really. we should be thinking as if there is no box...because there isn't one! it revolutionizes your thinking but also distances you from society, but there is true freedom there."

.....hehe, end of conversation!

we (all you people and me), always talk about thinking outside of the box. so what does that mean? ...a whole lot more than the dude stuck in the tall cardboard box we used to see in commercials for sure!

in one way, you can see it as not considering restrictions and shooting for the stars and beyond. why put limitations on something you're trying to do or figure out if you haven't already set out?

another thought is do something new, don't think about what's been done, there's still plenty to dream up and invent. don't pull a reference point for starters if you don't need one (although you may). you are a created being who was made in the image of the Creator. you have the power to come up with all sorts of wild stuff. it's a fantastic thing!

another thought among who knows how more is how we talk about not putting God in a box. i'm certain we don't even scratch upon the surface of who he is. one facet is how much we don't get how much he loves us and is so forgiving. another is just the on-going questions of life such as existence and what is all this... we always put things in the perspective of what we know, have seen; our current existence. i know i've had some outlandish ideas, and i'm sure many other people have too about this existence of ours, but if we are a created things, perhaps we're only fathoming existence in the light of our limitations and current world. i think i just said the same thing twice. we'll just leave it at that. ;)

anyway, i'm not the best writer. i just want to put some thoughts forth and maybe you'll do something better with them than i can. i'm not going to try an come to an conclusion with any of these. i just hope the following are worth reading and chewing on....

1. you ever read a "Wrinkle In Time"? or any of the books in that series? i remember in that book in particular, there were these creatures on one planet who didn't have eyes, they didn't even know of the concept of sight. when it was explained to them, it was ghastly in ways, and they thought it was more of a troublesome thing in ways.

2. a month or so ago, the youth pastor at our church did this pretty nifty sermon. i won't go into the whole scope of what he said, but he mentioned it is supposed at this time that there are at least 10 dimensions. yes, planes in which we are and there is. think about that. i get 3 or 4, but what could the rest be? the "spirtual realm"? one of those a pathway Jesus took to walk through walls?

heh, it makes me think of another book i had to read in 10th grade geometry class, "Flatland".

with that "forever" is just so abstract, confusing, or at times terrifying to comprehend, but then again, we've been bound to a time-line in our current state. it's all we've known so far.

3. (i almost want to put a further conversation about this in another post sometime) my new guitarist friend tom said something along the lines about how we are creative beings. now some of this was in the context of "christian" and "non-christian" music and how riduclous and perhaps how over-religious/legalistic the who concept has become in ways... but anyway, he was saying that sometimes he just sits down and writes something that he wants to hear. that sounds obvious right? well, yeah, i do that, and sometimes i'm the only person who likes the tune -- hey that's ok right? yes! but there are people who fall into various ruts though. one may feel like they must stay on track with what's current and popular, so people like it. another just wants to be like a particular artist. others just want to be known, they don't care what style it becomes. some have to have an agenda behind their words or they don't feel true to their beliefs and purposes...

ok, that's all from me. my apologies if you were patient enough to weed through all of that and make it to the bottom. i love words, but i am no master of them. ...or clear, concise thoughts for that matter! ;) it felt goot to express...

the perfect combo!

it occurred to me that laziness, impatience, and perfectionism are good friends.

mango

i just ate a mango and it was astounding. what's of note is the fact that when i do grocery shopping, i do try all sorts of things, but i always seem to overlook certain fruits and vegetables. to the mango growing community, i want to extend sorrys unto you. perhaps a few cents in your future paycheck(s) shall now also be from me and my mango purchases.

a more significant note: my sweet wife is to credit for the mango's arrival in our fruit dish. yes, it is true, she purchased it on her run at the grocery store. see, she is prone to do things such as drink fruit juices and eat tropical fruits. i believe this is why she had taken a course of action which lead to the purchase of this great fruit, that of which i am forever grateful. it was wonderful to consume.