Things That Will Never Be the Same

Well, I'm not going to talk about all the technological, cultural, political, environmental or other such matters that people have belabored in discussion of this sort of topic. But instead, the more simple and random silly little things:

A great song, after accidentally listening to it on repeat for hours during a specific mood or situation.

The excitement of sneaking fast food, junk food, and candy as a child.

Almost any movie nowadays after seeing its trailer.

Patience when waiting for deliveries. (Can you believe 6-8 weeks used to be the standard for many different products?)

Advertising, with the internet.

Information and time waste, with the internet. (Okay this is a little technological but the time waste part is especially interesting.. or tragic...)

Playing the game for the first time knowing that Aeris dies.

Realizing that your ear muscles exist and that you can move them.

Your opinion of that one guy once you find out he's secretly a professional ballroom dancer.

Your life after you find that awesome shortcut of any sort, keyboard or driving route or in getting to know someone, or to a major life goal or...

Important to Know Both

People will frequently express things that they consider important, but won't place enough emphasis on the opposite or flip side of the matter. For example:

It's a valuable skill to be able to create conversation, but it's also crucial to know how to end it as well.

It's important to make and follow goals, but it's also critical to know when to drop them.

Be careful not to overcook pasta, but also know when overcooked pasta can fit the sauce perfectly.

You should properly respect family and friends, but also know when they are detrimental to your health or life and should be disconnected.

Work hard and play hard, but also know when it makes sense to work half-assed or not play at all.

And so on.


(Just a couple quick thoughts to wrap up the last post (it really was coincidental that I got around to this exactly a month later). Overall, it was pretty productive to have the realization and make the effort to cut the complaining even without full completion of the goal. Would certainly recommend turning on personal alerts for specific unnecessary behavioral expressions.)

No Complaining for a Month

I've decided to stop complaining. For one month, about anything. Actually I decided this a week ago and have kept up with it, so I only have three more weeks to go. I mean complete elimination of all forms of complaints, about the job, about traffic, lines at the store, the economy, social culture, the condition of the world, everything. Just to see how it goes. And whether it has any productive effect, or is even a good thing overall.

Feel free to join me, at least for a week, or even a day. And we'll talk about it.

Making Time 2

So a few weeks of random activity later, here were some of the big but not-so-obvious time wasters that I had noticed riddled throughout my daily schedules:

• Not sleeping enough. Tiredness resulted in some 30-40 minutes of random dozing during the early morning hours, and some incalculable reduction in productivity throughout the rest of the day.
• Spacing out while in transit. Given the insane amount of time many of us spend getting to and from work, school, practice, random excursions, etc., it would only make sense for some of that time to be applied to meditating or thinking.
  
• Random routines, needless internet browsing, little unproductive habits and patterns that may not even be consciously initiated. Including excessive email/mobile device checks.
• Entertaining pointless/useless/lame ideas, fantasies, conversations, etc. either with myself or others.
• Excessive cynicism and conceit.
  
• Standing in front of the mirror and re-styling my hair over and over again until the perfect look was achieved.
• And most seriously, not having a plan or goal. For how to get somewhere, like a target profession or a desired travel vacation, or a bar across town.
• And even more seriously than that, realizing and knowing of these such things, and not acting upon that realization.
  

Making Time

How frequently does some form of "I don't have time..." come up in conversation or in your mind? If you're like me and probably billions of other people, all the time.

I'd like to invite you to join me in an experiment. For one day, let's carry around a pen and a small pad of paper or an electronic device and be mindful, jotting down every instance when we are wasting time, or even possibly wasting time, if it's not clear-cut. It may involve time-wasteful habits, actions, thoughts, or anything. Afterwards we can review the list and figure out how to develop or eliminate all the junk.

I hope we come up with something. I'll report back with my results in a bit.

Worrying about Difficult Things

Think about all of the difficult times, ordeals, and tasks, life-altering and trivial alike, that have riddled your unique history. How did you feel during the period of time building up to the trials? While actively working through it? After it was over?

How do you feel when a new issue arises? Is the concern about failing to overcome the problem, or dealing with it poorly, or suffering through the process, or the effort required, or something else? Even though you've conquered millions of difficult things before, getting you to where you are now, why does each new thing still trigger a similar response?

Perhaps the worry encourages the best series of actions that have the greatest result. But maybe we need to be more confident that we will continue to be resolute and resourceful, and overcome, as always. Whatever happens, something will happen, you will make it so, and thus it will be satisfactory.

I'm Back, Part III

With so much going on during this phase of life, it's been difficult for me to put together worthwhile blog posts that I'm willing to have eternally branded to my name. However, this is definitely something that I am interested in developing, and will be making a serious effort on the daily or weekly basis to write. I know a couple of my previous comeback attempts had failed for one reason or another (and I'm sure there were very good reasons..) But this time I will succeed. I promise.

Traveling

After my recent trip to Japan, I've discovered that I actually like traveling a lot. I used to be indifferent to travel because of the complex logistical details, cost, and other unpredictable hassles involved. Now I realize that I learn and grow at an accelerated pace when in a totally new and different country, with interesting cultures, communities, and people. Observing how a city operates, how people relate to each other, how businesses are run, all of those details are incredibly interesting. And then meeting the people, trying to understand their attitudes, ideas, and opinions, it is all a pleasant surprise and exciting change of pace. And then finally trying to live in the new location, learning how to be proper, how to communicate, how to navigate, how to have fun, all involve aspects of living that are usually inactive when at home.

Traveling not only increases knowledge and experience with a new location and culture, but it instills an awareness of the nature of the world, how much activity is happening all over it, how the various parts are connected, and how one may fit into it as an individual. Many times one may feel insignificant, his problems trivial, his attitudes and opinions unfounded, his way of life needing adjustment. It's fascinating.

"You're worth it - if white."

I read this article a while back: You're worth it - if white. L'Oréal guilty of racism.

To simplify, a division of the cosmetics company in France was selecting primarily white models for their shampoo promotions. When the discrimination issue was uncovered, they were fined 30k euros and one of the senior figures received a 3-month prison sentence.

This incident got me thinking about the concept of company reputation. Nowadays with the improved ease of spreading information, company reputation can and should be the primary and critical public relations device. How will hearing about a case like this affect consumer behavior? How much illegal and/or immoral activity is happening all over, but is going unnoticed? We need more undercover reporters and corporate journalists out there. To take corporate liability to a whole new and appropriate level. We'll also need some system in place that punishes reporting inaccurate information. Complex details aside, it is definitely a direction to strive towards.

Drama-seeking self-made martyrs

I saw this funny comic a while back.

It was originally drawn in Korean, and someone translated it into English. While it applies the classic "oops!" joke, I found it interesting because we all probably know a few drama-seekers that find those types of special roles and purposes for themselves. Maybe we all slip into those positions every now and then. Or on a daily basis. I blame movies. Or maybe humans are just silly like that.