As you know, I recently returned from a week-long trip, during which I traveled with my family over 2500 miles by car. We went to Texas and Louisiana, to visit family as we usually do for the holidays. This trip, however, was different than in years past. The Texas visit was the usual, but it was the Louisiana visit that was unusual. As you probably predicted, this is because of this year's devastating hurricane season.

Luckily, my family live in a part of Louisiana that was untouched by Hurricane Katrina. And when Hurricane Rita came around, it wasn't supposed to strike their area. But the nature of nature is that, hurricanes don't like to follow predicted paths, and Rita made a beeline for them.

Fortunately, everyone is okay, but a few of my cousins' homes were damaged/ruined. Of course, this happened a while back, so I've known for some time that they were all fine. What truly hit it all home for me was seeing everything firsthand. I saw the news reports and the pictures, but none of that compares to seeing it for yourself.

We drove through Beaumont, Texas, and it was the first stop on the way to Louisiana where you could see just how much devastation there was. Some of it had been repaired by the time we drove through, but much remained. I saw whole buildings crumpled to the ground, huge trees that had been or nearly were uprooted, and just a general mess of scattered debris all over the place. Throughout all the places we saw, throughout southern/southwestern Louisiana, much was the same. Blue tarps were on countless rooftops, as they were blown off and are in the process of being repaired. Trees are leaning at odd angles, or are completely felled. Signs, if still standing, only display fluorescent light, having lost their plastic covers to the storm.

No matter how much I saw, I never once became "accustomed" to the sight of damage that is so common in the area. It amazes me still, and I find myself in awe of nature. No matter how much we think we can do to make ourselves more safe/secure, we have no control of the weather. Nature is a part of our Earth, and it does not discriminate what is affected by it.

I was thrilled to see my family, though, and thoroughly enjoyed the visit. What is even greater is that none of them are the worse for wear. They are making the most of everything, and their only concern when we visited was whether we were hungry. Family. Gotta love 'em.

So I just got back yesterday from my trip, which went very well. As I expected, I saw much that I will be blogging on in the immediate future. But not just yet, because I have to still reorient myself back to my "normal" life. That's the problem with trips. They're a pain to plan and pack for, they're fun while you're on them, and you're usually happy to return home, feeling full of new things to remember and most likely quite exhausted from the over-stimulation of doing so many out-of-the-ordinary things. But when you get back and want to rest, you can't. You have to unpack, do laundry, put stuff away, check messages (phone and email), and generally try to catch up on the week or so of your life that you just took leave of. You get away from it all only to come back and find it all waiting for you. Go figure.

But I'm not bitter. I am glad to be back. Over the course of six days, I traveled over 2500 miles by car. I drove to Texas and Louisiana with my family to go visit all our extended family. It was great to see everyone, especially because it'd been about a year since I had seen any of them. I wish we could have visited longer, as a week isn't much time, but that costs money, and time. What makes this trip so hard, though, is the long hours of sitting in the car. Sure, I read and listen to music, so that keeps my mind occupied just fine. But my body sincerely hates my guts by the end of the trip, as it does not like being forced to stay in one place for upwards of 6 hours a day. My hips are still out of whack, and so at the moment I resent having such legs, which makes sitting in any car, especially for said lengthy times, quite uncomfortable. Thankfully, though, I'm quickly recovering. I am an active person, so that helps (whew!).

So for now, that's what I'll leave this entry to, as I continue to try to get back into the swing of things. Still lots to do. Then, once I'm all set, I'll get to write about some of the things I really wanted to write about.

Until then, cherry ho.

Today, during my lunch break from work, I walked over to Target. There is a serious lack of decent places to eat around where I work, especially when you only get a half-hour break. So I meandered over to Target and wound up getting some mozzarella sticks from their little snack center place. They weren't especially good, but hey, they were only two bucks, I was short on time, and I was pretty darn hungry. So they certainly did the trick.

As I ate and did my best to relax in the rather uncomfortable bench seat, I people watched. People watching is one of my favorite activities, because there's so much to learn by doing so, and it's also entertaining. Streams of people bustled into Target, all intent on getting that last-minute gift as time to do so slips away. It's fun to watch families in there, working very hard to manage the kids while at the same time surreptitiously buying gifts for them. And then there's the people running errands on their lunch break, hustling in with list in hand and a look of sheer determination on their faces, ready to tackle the shopping at hand. The best part for me is that I am not one of these people. I lack the stress these people have, and I'm okay with that. I've had my share of stress for the year, especially with this most recent semester's massive projects and tests that lasted throughout my last month of school.

What really made my day, though, came not from the holiday crowd itself. A young mother came to the little Target snack place, accompanied by her infant son (I would guess he was about seven months old or thereabouts). She had bought Cheetos and a coke, and he was a long for the ride in the cart. As she got her fountain drink, she gave him a Cheeto to munch on. The little guy stared at the bizarre orange thing in his hand, and apparently seemed to think that it might not actually be food. But following Mom's example, and being a toddler by nature anyway, he decided what the heck, he'd give it a try. He carefully brought the Cheeto to his mouth and tasted it. Then he used his teeth and bit off a bit. He paused, contemplating the new sensation and taste that filled his mouth. He then decided that it wasn't so bad, and continued chewing.

At this point, he became aware that I was watching him. He looked at me, then at the Cheeto, then back at me. And then he began talking wildly about this food he beheld:

"Gom du hack meh beh waligo."

[Raised eyebrows and a grin from me.]

"Baligo goni tanish. Raf rem luvas."

And the conversation continued thusly, him explaining in great detail all about the Cheeto he was nibbling away at. And the whole time, I could not help but smile. I didn't have to say a word, this little guy only needed a smile to keep him going. What a great kid.

Seeing and "communicating" with this little guy made my week. What a great feeling kids give you, and they don't even have to try.

This will be my last entry for about a week or so, as I will not have access to my computer. I imagine that I will see plenty of stuff to provide for some good posts next week. Take care, and I will catch up with you next week!

-Phil

Technology, technology, technology. It's a fascinating thing. On a day to day basis, I find myself fascinated with what new advances are made. I have mixed feelings about various new ideas and products, but that comes with the territory. I think some things are great, and others are folly. But what's been vying for my attention lately? Nothing to fancy, and in fact something altogether common these days: cellular telephones.

I remember a while back, I read a piece by Kurt Vonnegut about his reflections on how times change. What really got me was a particular comment he made, of which I can only take a stab at the gist of it (I don't have the piece on hand). He said that when he was young, neither he nor anyone else thought that the future would hold what it now does. As is a common perception, he and others thought that perhaps the future would hold flying cars, or elevated cities, maybe somewhat like the Jetson's. Vonnegut said that he never in his wildest dreams imagined that people would be walking around talking on plastic devices that served as telephones, especially when telephones already existed and worked perfectly well, and that there are so many people to talk to when you're out and about, so who needs to talk on the phone?

And I admit, I couldn't agree more. As I walk around campus, around malls, and around just about everywhere else, I see people on the phone all the time. I rarely get noticed, but maybe do get the mysterious nod (see my previous blog entry from December 8, "Greetings, Salutations, Hello?"--I really have to learn HTML so I can make that a link, sorry about that). But I digress. I have no problem with cell phones, I just find it fascinating how things change, and that no matter what we think will happen, we're more than likely wrong.

Anyway, as cell phone technology continually improves, things do get interesting. One of my favorite new features for cell phones has to do with rings. I don't mean those older annoying ring tones you could get, where you could play a whole variety of tunes in one key of "annoying and ridiculously high-pitched beep." New rings are better-sounding, thankfully. But I mean on the other end. You can now pay a small extra fee to have a different ring for anyone who calls you. This means that instead of someone dialing your number and hearing the {ring ring ring] sound, they hear whatever you decide, be it a song or what have you.

I find this both really cool, really amusing, and really confusing. Allow me to illustrate what I mean.

Really cool:
My friend tells me that he has a new ring for you when you call, and I am amazed that I could hear that from my home phone when I call him. My reaction to this:
"That's so cool!"

Really amusing:
My friend sets his ring-song to the theme song from "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly." My reaction to this:
"Listen to this..."The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly"...that's hysterical!"

Really confusing:
I call someone who I am unaware of having a peculiar song-ring. My reaction to this:
[Wondering if perhaps I dialed the wrong number, then realizing I didn't]... "Holy shit, now my own friends are putting me on hold before they even talk to me. We really are living in the 21st century."

And when I think about it, I think it's kinda cool that you can put the music for the ring. That way, if you call someone and can't get through, at least you'll have a tune to listen to instead of that dead-pan ring.

But it had better be something good.

Today I was musing about what I think is the latest, and arguably the greatest, music video of 2005. I am a music lover down to the bone, and rock 'n roll is my beat. From the time I was young, my mind was being filled with random facts and music-related ideas and such. Even though I did not grow up when rock 'n roll was introduced, and I sometimes wish I had (imagine the excitement of some of those records being released!), I have experienced somewhat of a similar progression of music.

I grew up listening mostly to Oldies, since that's all my dad ever has on the radio. When I got my first radio, I had to listen to Oldies on there, too. After a while, though, I reached a point where I knew all the songs on the radio, and had grown tired of listening to many of the same songs being played over and over again on the air. Of course, it was great, and I loved the music (and I still do), but I craved so much more than what radio was offering. At that point, I did not have tapes, CDs, or records of my own, and no way to afford them, so what did I do? I switched radio stations.

Next on my list was the classic rock stations. At the time, it was partly because I didn't know what else was out there, and also partly because due to parental factors. Classic rock was a way for me to listen to music new to me, but nothing that would be too offensive to my parents. Basically, I could easily get away with it. So it was that I was introduced with Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Boston, and the countless other bands in this esteemed category. To this day, classic rock remains some of my favorite music of all time (especially Pink Floyd).

Well, eventually I reached a point where I knew most of what was played on the classic rock stations, and again I my insatiable hunger for rock 'n roll flared up. I found solace with the hard rock station, which brought me more into the 80's, and some 90's and more recent music. Enter Metallica, Iron Maiden, Nirvana, and everything else from hair metal to grunge to alternative rock.

Later on, in high school, some friends got me into the punk rock scene, where I discovered a whole new idea of rock. Dropkick Murphys, Mad Caddies, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Flogging Molly, Rise Against, and so many other talented bands became a part of my life, expanding my idea of rock and again showing me just how diverse rock can be. So many of the new music I have heard has shown me that the best thing about rock is that it can vary so much, and that no one perception of it is correct.

Most recently, I have found the progressive rock/heavy metal era has not actually ended. It is very much alive, though not so much here in the US. There are so many bands out there, making rock 'n roll and doing a great job at it. One of my favorites is Dream Theater, who continue to rock after being together for 20 years.

After having continued through this phase of listening and learning about so many different kinds of rock music, I have found that there is not one that I prefer to another. I enjoy all variety of rock music, and as long as a band has the feel of some rock in their music, I enjoy it.

And so, now that I have gone off on my tangent and personal history, I return to the subject of this blog. I was saying that it is a music video that I saw that astounded me. Generally, my favorie videos are those that show the band playing the song. I like 'em simple, what can I say? A lot of times, I don't see the point of some of the weird themes and action sequences that get thrown into the videos. Occasionally there are some good ones, though.

The one that gets my vote for best video 2005 is... OK Go's "A Million Ways (To Be Cruel)." The video that is out was apparently not even supposed to be released. The band got together in one of their back yards and filmed themselves doing a whole synchronized dance in front of a camera. They set the camera on the tripod and just filmed the whole thing. The first time I watched this, I was in hysterics. It is one of the funniest things I have ever seen. The first few times you watch it, you have no idea what they're singing about, because you're paying too much attention to the dancing. I am still amazed that they took so much time to put it together, as after seeing it, it became clear that it was well thought out.

After seeing the video several times, I became more familiar with the song, and am now quite attached to it. And so, because I enjoyed this so much, I wanted to share with you this incredible video. To view it, please go to the website listed below (sorry I can't get the link working, I guess I need to break down and learn HTML--anyone know an easy or simple way of learning that, by the way?). When you go to the site, the video can be found in the middle of the page on the left (you might have to scroll down a bit). Ok, so here it is:

OK GO

I hope you enjoy the video as much as I did.

Every now and again, as I drive around town, I notice different housing subdivisions emerging. It's neat to watch the city grow, but sometimes I think it grows a bit too fast. That, and some of the new subdivisions popping up are built incredibly cheaply. I don't claim to be a housing expert or real estate agent, by any means. But I can tell when people take pride in their work.

I guess what I find frustrating is the increasing amount of "Californication" I see around me. For today, I'll focus only on the houses, and save some of my other thoughts on this for another day. I know that in the past, there were "track" (or is it "tract"?) homes, in which people could choose which model house they wanted and have it built. I'll admit that while it isn't entirely original, at least houses differed in terms of color, brick choice, etc. It was the same floorplan and square footage, but otherwise the houses looked different. That, and there were quite a few homes to choose from.

Recently, I've seen whole areas in which each house looks identical to its neighbor. How boring. It takes away the fun of going over to neighbor's for a visit, to see how their house is different, or what have you. It also takes away the fun of cruising a neighborhood (e.g. on a walk, bike ride, or a drive) and looking at all the different houses. All the stucco patterns are the same shade and style, and each roof is the same as well. Generally, the yards are miniscule or practically nonexistant. With a yard that small, how can one raise kids? When I was young, I loved having a back yard to go romp around in, with a playground and sandbox, and grass. To this day, I love having a yard and absolutely need something more substantial than a 10 square foot area around the porch.

I know that much of the sameness in the housing industry is from a contracting company wanted to build as many houses as possible for the cheapest price. I personally am willing to pay a little bit more for quality and uniqueness. Also, I think that people look for the square footage in the house itself and believe that they need something huge. Huge used to be a relative measure of wealth. Wealth does not have to be shown in such terms. If you're healthy, doing what you love for a living, and/or raising a family, and are happy, then you're wealthier beyond any monetary measure.

We all have a tendency to sometimes let our materialistic world get to us. It's okay to enjoy material things, but it's good to aim for balance. Rather than all aim to be just like others and have things that others have, we should enjoy everything we have that is ours, and share it with ours. After all, it is our differences that bring us together. I use my friends as an example: the fact that we are so different from one another makes us enjoy being around each other, because other people bring new adventures, ideas, and ideas of life to our own. If I met someone who had experienced everything I had, in more or less the same way, and also had most of the same material possessions, and shared most all my interests, I might find this person somewhat boring, save in the sense of having someone to agree with me on things. But I enjoy more someone who challenges my sense of reality, and makes me think about life in new ways.

Looking back at what I just wrote, you might now be questioning what exactly that had to do with houses. I'm afraid I don't have an answer for you, except that it's got something to do with the point I was making. In any event, I think it's a pretty good point. And now I will offer some form of conclusion.

I find that people are becoming increasingly dependent on what is familiar to us. We need to push the envelope, break any bounds of what society thinks that life should be in this day and age. Live in a house that can truly be called your home. Do what you need to do for you, not what others think you should do. Take advice willingly, but ultimately the decision is yours.

And you thought houses couldn't be base for some philosophy. Think again.

So last night I decided to go out with some friends after having worked most of the day. And holy cow, did I have a good time! A whole bunch of us went bowling for a few hours, until around midnight, and then we went to Denny's to hang out and grab a bite to eat. I rarely stay out that late anymore (oh my gosh, I must be getting old!), but I figure I earned it. I had a really good time. And in addition to the bowling and the food, there was the added bonus of entertainment at the bowling alley. I'll explain.

We were a big group, bowling league-style in two lanes. Adjacent to us was another group doing the same. The group next to us was the entertainment, but they weren't aware of it. A few of the guys and girls were fine, and seemingly normal people, so other than being average bowlers and cracking a few comments too loudly, they weren't all that amusing. It was the people they were with, specifically two brothers, that were the Real McCoy.

These two brothers were both fairly heavyset. I am never one to judge, but I do appreciate it when you wear clothes that fit you. I'll put it this way: these two guys were plumbers, and not by trade. Every time they went up for a bowl, their pants would slide down and everyone would experience a sight none of us wanted to see. The younger of the two was wearing a shirt that was too tight, and did nothing to make him look muscular or manly. But he sure was convinced that he was the studliest guy on Earth.

One of the best things about these two was how they bowled. I love watching people bowl, because you learn so much about people that way. Well, at least about how good they are at bowling. I've seen some pretty amazing bowlers, who put me to shame. Everyone has a unique style of bowling. No one way works for everyone, it's entirely personal preference. These two brothers, in their "man's man" style, had their own special bowl, as you might expect. I shall now sum up their bowling philosophy in a single sentence:

"Throw the ball as hard as you can down the lane, and you'll hit some pins."

Even after seeing them bowl time after time, I was continually amazed at how few pins they actually did hit. With the amount of muscle they put into their bowl, you would've thought they were trying to push an SUV uphill. Still more dumbfounding was how they never did seem to be able to hit very many pins. Many a frame went by with only one pin being hit, and then a gutter ball, all with their patented "Muscle Master 6000" bowling throw. However, the story gets better.

I must admit, these guys talked to us a bit, and they're actually pretty nice guys, if a bit socially awkward. They tried to talk to the girls and really impress them, but their efforts were feeble. They would do better trying to impress less, and instead just being themselves. I say this because they were very unnatural in their behaviors. What it comes down to is that you cannot try to be like someone else. You have to be like you. But I guess everyone has to learn that in their own time.

Anyway, I admired these guys for at least having their own bowling style. They were very consistent as far as that went, which was good. But get this: they were embarassed about their bowling. Me, I'm not much of a bowler, so I really don't care what others think, and more often than not, I revel in my lack of any real skill. I just like to go out and have fun. But these two valliant brothers wanted to have some form of saving grace for their masculinity. Yep, you guessed it: beer. The whole group didn't finish one pitcher amongst them, but they were very quick to blame their poor bowling on the beer. I quote this line from the younger brother to one of the girls in my group:

"Eh, my game isn't great tonight, like yours. But that's what you get for mixing bowling with alcohol."

I am not making this up. He actually said this. Pretty funny, huh? Yeah. I thought so too.

(By the way, the picture is of a guy who's bowling backwards! I'd like to see that, it's pretty sweet.)

On any given day, there are a whole lot of things that are on my mind and could be termed "concerns" for me. Most days, I like to ignore them, because doing so allows me to live what I'd like to think is a more care-free life. The less responsibilities, the better. That doesn't make them go away, but I find that I can just take care of things as they come. What's the point in worrying about something? I'll deal with it when the time comes. It certainly makes me feel somewhat happier.

This morning, in the process of making my sack lunch, a new and strange thought came to me. I was making a cheese sandwich, and was opening a brand new pack of colby cheese. I love cheese, and when it comes to Colby, I love slicing it into thin strips and putting it on a sandwich. The thinner, the better, so that way I can pile what seems to be "more" cheese. It's really fun.

Back to the point. I had a brand new pack of colby cheese. For this particular brand, the cheese comes as a brick-shaped sort of half-moon. The packaging for it, however, is atrocious. First, you have to rip along the little dotted line that spans the length of the cheese, and then you can open the little zip-loc part. Here's what gets me: the zip-loc part also spans the length of the cheese. If you only open the package from that angle, the only way to get the cheese out is if you grab it whole brick and pull it out. I'm not about to do that, lest I spoil any of it before I get to eat it.

The really impractical thing is that if you don't yank it out, you can only inch the bag around it a little bit to slice it. And then you'd slice whole long strips spanning the length of the brick. This takes entirely too much effort, and being the perfectionist I am, I just know that if I tried to cut it this way, I'd screw it up.

It didn't take long for me to come up with the world's best solution to this problem. I simply used my brute strength to split apart one of the zip-lock ends, thus rendering it useless and enabling me to tear the bag from the side. Overjoyed at this success, I was able to slice the cheese properly. Yet another victory for me. And when I had finished, I placed the cheese, still in its disgraced packaging, into a real Zip-Loc bag. So much for the retail packaging scam saving me time and bags, I had to use one anyway.

I miss the old days of uncomplicated plastic wrapping around the deli cheese. Oh well. At least I still get my cheese.

As the semester draws to a close, I am left with a mess, of sorts. I have lots to study and work on, and that means that I have lots of junk lying around. I'm the sort of person who likes to have lots of space to work. Give me a table that is designed to seat 6-8 people, and I will easily fill it up with things I am using to get my work done. Mind you, it's not that I need to use the space, by any means. But I like to spread out. It makes me feel more organized. Usually, though, it winds up being a paradox. Instead of increasing my efficiency, the spread makes the work take longer. I have to take the time to organize my stuff somehow, and that adds to the overall time of geting things done. Regardless, I'm still happy.

Quite often, I'll start a semester very gung-ho about staying organized, believing that it will make me a better student if I'm more organized. This mindset usually lasts for about a week. At that point, I find other ways to amuse myself. Well, that and real life kicks in, in which there is homework and study. There is no time to be extremely organized if one wants to have a life in addition to an education. The only time I've found that it's good to be very organized is in a work setting, where I can use company time to organize myself. At my last job, it always gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling to be able to tell my boss that I really was being productive when he would come to tell me off.

So anyway, my organizational skills are, to say the least, superb. If you don't believe me, consider the following. Given that I have given up on spiral notebooks in return for simple folders and spirals, I have managed to reduce the amount of space used in my backpack. This saves me time when it comes to packing up, it saves space, and it saves my back from an awful fate of crippling from hauling around too much stuff. Notes are taken in spirals, eliminating the need for putting dates on papers and filing them in the binder, not to mention being able to keep them in one place. Everything gets filed into my backpack, in some sort of randomized order. On my desk, papers lie all around, and random papers can be found throughout my spirals and folders. However, given their size, I am able to rank them in order of importance. Smaller papers are not as important, whereas large papers are. Handouts from classes for lecture or advertisement are placed on the day's notes, and if it gets messed up, it's no big deal. What it comes down to is a theory of mine that, if it's not important enough to put in a decent spot or to actually remember, it's probably not all that essential. Granted, there are times where this isn't true, but it's true most of the time.

Now, keep in mind that I am no slob. I may seem unorganized, but really I have made a trade-off between focusing on what I'm learning and how I wanted to maintain a flawless organizational system. Before I went to college, I was always organized, but college took away some of the motivation for staying this way. First off, there are no grades for this like there was middle and high school, and second, there's no time. I spent so much time keeping everything neat that I was losing time on the studying end. I lightened up lots, and have been happier ever since. So this happens to be my particular system, and it works for me. If someone were to try to find a specific something in my backpack, they would probably fail. If that someone tried to describe how it is I organize myself, that person would probably die trying, especially if I was there to watch.

My favorite part of this whole deal is that, usually, at the end of the semester, I'll gather all my stuff together, organize it, and file it away so that I can use it for reference in the future. In the beginning, though (and this is what really kills me), the second I have everything in its place, I forget where I put it all. I'll go for quite some feeling confident that I know where everything is. That is, until I actually need to find it and use it, at which point it escapes me. After letting this frustrate me over the years, I have finally come to terms with this, and expect it. I still forget where I put everything, but at least I know that it's normal for me to do so.

In the end, I suppose that this odd quirk of mine makes my life a little bit more interesting (or strange, I'm not sure which). Lucky me.

One of my all-time favorite hobbies is reading. My life consists largely of reading, in a variety of forms. Of course, I generally read everything except the things I am supposed to, such as for classes in school. It's amazing. Any time I have to read something for school, something else will miraculously make itself known that is far more interesting to read than my school stuff.

But anyway, I read a lot. I love reading books especially. I also read newspapers, online articles, emails, blogs, magazines, random papers I find lying around, comics, reviews, and just about anything else I manage to get my hands on. So to recap, I read a lot.

Currently, I am reading "The Bourne Supremacy" by Robert Ludlum. I admit that I saw the movies before reading the books, but hey, at least I am reading them. I was fascinated by the movies, and the books have me even more captivated. So far, as I consider the two different versions, movie and book, I must say that I like them both. The books, of course, are better. But I still really like the movies. The movies stray quite a bit from the story told in the books, but given that the author worked with the people who made the movies (the new ones, that is, starring Matt Damon as Jason Bourne), I see the movies not as a butchering of the books, but rather as an alternative direction the story could take. I think that's pretty spiffy.

Anyway, back to my point. When I get into a good book, the captivation I mentioned above is practically literal (pun intended). The book holds me hostage, and I am its captive until I have finished reading it. I love getting lost in a book. One of the best things about it is how it fuels my imagination, and when I'm not reading (but also sometimes when I am reading), I picture myself as a character from the story. I'm sure you can see where this is going.

From time to time, since I have been reading the Bourne books, I have become an assassin suffering from amnesia. My life is in danger, and I find myself able to do things without thinking, and without knowing how I came to possess this immense knowledge I have. I speak multiple languages, am familiar with a variety of cultures, know people whom I don't know I know. I find that I am an incredible martial artist and have an unsurpassed skill with weapons of which I can't pronounce the names. I am a deadly shot with a gun, I know the workings of a lot of governments, and I know exactly how to get what I want. All this, and I'm clueless as to who I am and how I came to be here. I love the whole premise for the story.

The beauty of this is that I am able to escape my reality at will, exploring new vistas and broadening my horizons. Plus, it's fun, relaxing, and adventurous. And it's never the same twice, even if you're reading a book over again.

That's it, I can't talk about it anymore. Time to get reading.

-Jason Bourne

Wait, that's not my name. Or is it?

As of late, I have noticed a weird tradition that has developed in the world of social greetings to strangers. Being a college student, I am privy to this latest trend on a day-to-day basis, but I have also noticed it in a variety of public places, such as malls, stores, restaurants, etc.

To begin, I must note that this is something I have noticed as a guy and find it directed at other guys. I'm not sure about the guy to girl or girl to girl social greetings. Most women I encounter and greet with a friendly "hello" also greet me in return. However, this is not the case with guys. When I'm walking anywhere, and I make eye contact with another guy, we acknowledge each other by simply nodding our heads. And for the life of me, I can't figure out how this came about or what the heck it means.

One of the oddest properties of this nodded greeting is that it effectively renders the vocal cords useless. If one tries to voice a greeting, the most one can do is produce a low-toned gutteral sound that has virtually no meaning. In fact, this grunt probably has the opposite effect, and makes one seem socially incompetent. Sometimes, when I do try to actually offer a real greeting, I receive strange looks that seem to mean "what the hell is wrong with you?" or "dude, you're really weird." It leaves me baffled.

The nodded greeting also has other subtle meanings. It is important to acknowledge another's prescence to establish the fact that you are at least a semi-decent person. This includes being a non-discriminating person on any levels. Well, that's definitely good. Also, if you perform the nodded greeting, you are not a threat to the other guy's "guy" status. Maintaining this balance is also important in the world of guys.

Each time the nodded greeting is performed, its significance changes. It is dependent on mood, social order, and level of weariness. Given this fact, it is extremely inconsistent. Add an unusual facial expression and you might cause the earth to suddenly fall out of orbit.

So there you have it. This complicated society we live in must also have a complicated way to do a simple thing like say "hello." Be careful, our lives hang in the balance.

Today (Tuesday) started out as one of those days where, after waking up, I instantly felt that it was a good day. This happens to me every now and then, and I admit that I do enjoy it. For some reason, I just feels good. I'm not sure why it happens, but it does. This year, it has happened at odd times, especially when I'm feeling down, which was the case for me today. It's like a wake-up call telling me, "Phil, don't worry, be happy. What matters now is that you're alive, and there are things to celebrate in life." And despite how grumpy I may have been previously, I cannot resist the temptation to let loose and feel that sense of freedom.

I didn't really notice this seemingly bizarre mood of mine until I was on my daily commute to school. I burned a CD before I left, with songs I have on my computer, but didn't have on disc (Thrice and Anathema). In the car, I cranked up the stereo and quickly lost myself in the music. I admit that, when it comes to driving, I always have music on, and I'm always singing and drumming to the music. Sometimes I "dance" to the music, but I've got nothing on Chris Tucker. As I was driving contentedly along, I came to a red light, and an older gentleman pulled to a stop behind me. I realized, as he stared blankly ahead of him, that I must be quite a sight to see, rocking out and singing, driving with the windows down even though it was in the mid-20's all morning.

Later on in the commute, a lady pulled up next to me at a red light, and she had her dog in her lap. I'm guessing it was a Pekinese or something, but whatever the breed, it was a cute little dog. The dog and I exchanged greetings, which consisted of me staring at it, and it staring at me, and then me laughing. I couldn't help myself. But then the music kicked back in, and it was back to rocking out once again.

Man, what a day.

Yesterday, I was talking to a friend and we got into a discussion about marriage and live-in partners. I posted some thoughts on this a while back, but I had some new thoughts to add, and so figured I would take the opportunity to do so today.

The whole idea of barring same-sex couples from getting married is, to me, just plain wrong. Those who want to see it through claim to want to protect the "institution" of marriage. They also want to do away with any domestic partnership laws. Many of them have shown just how hateful they are by not doing business with companies who offer benefits for domestic partnerships, thereby perpetuating the "homosexual agenda." Take a look at James Dobson, head of Focus on the Family, who recently severed ties with Wells Fargo Banks because Wells Fargo allows domestic partnership benefits. Um, okay. I think we're lucky that businesses have realized that having these benefits for employees tends to make employees happier, more productive workers.

The thing that really gets me is that marriage is not something to take lightly. If there are couples of any sexuality that want to marry, that's a pretty good sign of their desire to commit their lives to each other. However, I am not one to say that everyone should get married. I don't think there's anything wrong with living with your significant other. I am not one to judge. And neither, apparently, is the religious right. But they should be, if they truly were working for a fully moral cause. Last I checked, most religions mandate that couples live and sleep apart until they are actually married. Seems fishy to me that they're not making a stink about this. Plus, domestic partnership benefits offered by states and businesses are also beneficial to straight couples. But apparently, the "institution" of marriage is the only important thing. Nothing else matters. Forget being a good human being. That's obviously not as important as having to be straight in order to get married.

In the future, if we work hard to have our voices heard, we can recognize more holes in others' arguments, and fight for equality.

I have found life to be a roller coaster ride, of sorts. It has its ups and downs, its twists and turns, it definitely moves too fast, and the loops make for one wild adventure.

Sometimes I think that life would be better if you didn't have to grow. Growing causes so much pain, and not just physically. It's painful to become an adult, and have to deal with society's declared "adult" responsibilities and such. It takes away from the fun that could be had in iife. On the plus side, there are always mistakes to be made. I can honestly say that I have made many mistakes in life, and I hope to make more. Why would I want to do this? Why would I want to experience the pain and frustration that comes so often from the mistakes that I make? I'm not sure, exactly, but I do know one thing: I know I'm alive. I was not meant to be perfect, and I never will be. So what the heck, I may as well celebrate it.

Another thing about the beauty of not growing is that kids have so much fun. Everything is a game, and you can laugh at yourself without thinking twice. As adults, we all have a tendency to worry what others will think about us, and how we might screw up and look stupid. Kids, at least until later elementary school and middle school, just plain don't care. They know that the best thing you can do in life is not take life too seriously, and see the light side of everything that happens to you. I always try to remember that no matter how miserable I sometimes get, if I step back and look, I'll be able to find something that, while not necessarily funny at the time, I will be able to look back on it and laugh.

I have found that the simplest things in life are the most amusing, fascinating, and educational things. I still love to play and do as many carefree things as possible. So deep down, no matter how much I doubt myself and how much things sometimes bog me down, I know that I am still a kid at heart. And if I ever feel like life is too much, all I have to do is run to the park, where the swing sets will liberate me from the shackles of adulthood. To see them instantly puts my mind at ease, and to climb on and beat gravity is one of the most exhilirating feelings in the world.

Don't believe me? Try it. You'll be glad you did.

After my previous entry, I figured that today I would stick to something a little less harsh. That, and today I am feeling tired and don't have too much on my mind.

Being fairly new to 360, and having never blogged anything before, I have found it quite a learning experience. First, it was a matter of learning what it was that I wanted to write about. I had a difficult time finding things to talk about, feeling that everyone else had far more interesting things to say than yours truly. I'm still fairly certain that this is true. However, it has gradually dawned on me that I can write about whatever I want.

What has amazed me even more is that there are people reading what I write. Many of the things I have written about already are things I have thought about extensively, but have not really shared with anybody. There is a part of me that does not want to write about things I feel strongly about, so as not to offend anyone. I think I've lost a friend or two already from my list, given some of my entries, which saddens me. And then there's the other part of me that wants to be heard, and understood. And many of you who are reading this have shown me that it's okay to express my thoughts. It's just another way to learn, this exchange of ideas. If someone agrees or disagrees, I think it's great! We'll all be that much wiser in the end.

Well, now that I've got that off my chest, I will return to my usual observant status so that I can have more new and exciting and funny things to share with you. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

-Phil

I decided to write today, albeit somewhat late, about intelligent design and evolutionary theory. I am not intending to degrade any religion. I have religious beliefs of my own, and I hate to hear people say demeaning things about it. That said, I am not questioning religion or its truth for anyone, I am just presenting my own perspective. I hope that it is interesting and informative. If you agree or disagree, I'd love to hear thoughts or comments about it.

Today, I thought I'd stand on my soap box, because I've been quite frustrated with education and the religious right's obsessive desire to butt in on it. I am referring, of course, to the introduction of intelligent design into the school system (in Kansas for the moment, but the argument has been introduced into more school districts), as an alternative "scientific" viewpoint to Darwinian evolution.

The people who support the inclusion of teaching intelligent design are by and large fundamentalist Christians (as far as I have seen: this, generally, to me, is the religious right). I have no quarrel with anyone's choice of faith, but I do have a problem when they want to push it onto everyone else. They say that they aren't, but even they know that they're lying through their teeth. Intelligent design has the concept of a god written all over it (hence the idea of a "designer"). Public schools are free institutions, and as such, in this great free country of ours (where one of our most cherished freedoms is that of religion), no one religion has a place in our schools. Private schools funded by religious organizations have every right to teach intelligent design as an alternative viewpoint to evolution. Heck, they don't even have to teach evolution. It's their school. But apparently it's not enough to teach only those who want to share their beliefs. They want to teach everyone else about it too. Public schools are possible thanks to taxes, which are collected by the government and then put toward community stuff. The US government has no religious affiliation, so therefore intelligent design has no place in public schools.

One of the biggest problems with intelligent design supporters is their blatant admission to being closed-minded. Most of these people posses only a limited knowledge of Charles Darwin and his theory. For example, it's a little known fact that Darwin himself was religious, and that he never questioned the church's teaching. He did not set out on the H.M.S Beagle with an idea of evolution already in mind. He reported what he saw. So his name is smeared by religious people who hate the idea that it's possible that their ancestors were monkeys. I think, too, that this idea makes them think that their life has no real purpose in the grand scheme of things. Well, when I think about it, life really has no purpose in the grand scheme of things. Will my own life change the shape of the planet? It may (hopefully) impact my own people, but not the earth itself. It does have purpose in the here and now. And really, isn't that all that matters?

I also feel that intelligent design does not have much to back it up, save for one religious document. Supporters are doing their best to make it seem more scientific, but the arguments are pretty weak. It seems to me that it is simply creationism, with a little more thought and a snazzier title.

One common argument intelligent designers use to make their argument is that evolution is only a "theory." I suppose, then, that their personal belief in god (the designer) is 100% true. The problem with this argument is that an idea can only be termed a theory after at has shown, time and again, that it explains the data. I don't think the religious right is out questioning the theory of gravity (yes, it's a theory), or the theory of relativity. So many things we assume to be true are theories, so if we question the theory of evolution, we should question these other ones as well.

Intelligent designers claim that organisms are simply too complex to have been formed by natural selection or random mutation. Have we forgotten that it takes thousands, sometimes millions, of years, for things to change? The world is a young 5 billion years old (or thereabouts). Believe me, it's had time to go through changes.

Human life, when compared to the age of the earth, is pretty well nil. Human existence, as we know it, has only existed for some 6,000 years, give or take. I would like to remind intelligent designers about the previous rulers of the earth, the dinosaurs. Or do they think all those huge creatures in natural history museums didn't really exist? The dinosaurs roamed Earth for upwards of 175 million years. Humans have not even lasted a fraction of that. That said, we haven't had much opportunity to see very much change, so I can see, in some ways, why intelligent designers don't think things change.

But a quick look at our teeth might be in order. Humans today eat large amounts of processed meat. As a result, we don't use our molars nearly as much as in the past when hunting and rough meat was a major part of life. Ever wonder why so many people have to get their wisdom teeth removed? It's because our mouths are getting smaller, and can't fit them anymore. And why is that? Simple, we don't need them. There are some people too, whose wisdom teeth never even come in. This is no mutation, this is practicality. Personally, I think it's pretty cool that we change over time. It is the ability to adapt to ever changiing conditions that allows us to continue to inhabit this earth. A person living 500 years ago probably could not handle breathing the polluted air we have today (i.e. they'd probably get pretty darn sick), but we have no problem with it because our bodies have adapted in order to deal with it. In short, we have evolved. Not noticeably, mind you, but we have nonetheless.

I feel that evolution could apply even to modern medicine. For example, HIV is something humans contracted by eating chimps in Africa. The blood found in the meat transferred the virus to humans. Humans and chimps, according to geneticists, have 95% similar DNA. We are very similar. However, HIV is devastating to humans, and harmless to chimps. I am left wondering why. What is it in their DNA that renders HIV harmelss that humans lack? Perhaps, if we look into our histories and see where exactly humans and chimps parted ways in genetic code (referred to as "split" in anthropology), perhaps we could find out what we're missing. It could be a pretty useful thing to look into. I'm no expert, this is just a humble idea, but I think at the very least that it has some potential.

So there's some of my thoughts on the subject. I hope if made for an interesting read. I want it known, as I mentioned at the beginning, that I am not degrading any religious beliefs, for I have my own personal beliefs. This is just my perspective, and I wanted to share it. Thank you for reading.

So today, I was driving around town, and happened to pass through one particular intersection that is extremely technologically advanced. Believe me, the equipment is state of the art. These are no ordinary traffic lights.

Well, actually, the traffic lights are ordinary, but what makes them extraordinary is the camera system that was set up recently. These cameras take pictures of cars that run red lights. They are intense. For quite some time after they were installed, I never knew if they were actually working or not, as they never exhibited any sign that they were. Of course, that might be due to my morning stupor or my evening exhaustion, depending on when I drive through said intersection, and what I have on my mind. If I'm lost in thought, or absorbed in my music and am head-banging and singing, I suppose it's only natural that I be oblivious to the cameras.

But I like to think that they were just not in use, or that I never saw it. But this week, I've seen them work on several occasions, mostly two to three pictures at a time. And I know what this means: there are lots and lots of naughty drivers on the road. Still, I could not help but wonder what caused me to notice that these cameras really do work, and I think it is actually that it's dark out when I drive home now, thanks to daylight savings time. It's easy to see a flash when it's nice and dark. Lightning jumped to mind the first time, but my quick mind realized that it wasn't even cloudy, so that wasn't probable. That was about the only guess that jumped to mind, but on the second flash, I was looking in the direction of the camera.

One thought that popped into my head today, as I watched the camera flash, was the following: I wonder if these camera things will cause someone to have a seizure? I'd heard that seizures are sometimes caused by strobe lights, so I figured a flash from a camera might have a similar effect. But after a simple google search, I learned that this is not overly common, and can be treated with medication. Bummer. I thought I'd found a loop hole to get rid of the cameras.

Another thought that crossed my mind was what exactly it would be like to get a ticket in the mail with a picture of your car running a red light. The law states that the car owner receives the ticket and must pay it, whether or not that person was actually driving at the time. I imagine that there will be much less time devoted to traffic violations in court with this new system. It's pretty hard to defend yourself when you don't receive the ticket for the violation until days, or a week, or x amount of time, after committing the crime. I can picture it now:

Judge: Is it true that you committed this heinous violation, with full knowledge of your actions, on the night of October the 23rd?

Me: Well, sir, you have to understand, I actually don't remember what I was doing that night. I mean, was that a Tuesday, or Friday, or what?

Judge: That was a Wednesday.

Me: Oh. Can't have been me. I'm never on that side of town on Wednesday nights.

Judge: So you're telling me that someone else drives a blue Nissan Sentra with license plate 524RGT, and shares your name?

Me: Whoah. That's just like my car. Weird. Like an evil twin or something!

Judge: I have not the time to deal with your absurdity. I hereby sentence you to pay this fine within the next 48 hours. Also, you must remember to never do this again, or you will pay double.

Me: Whatever you say. It'll be really easy not to repeat what I don't remember doing. But sure, to save me time from asking silly questions and coming across as even more of an idiot than I do already, I'll go along with that.

Judge: Good. Court adjourned.

Well, maybe it wouldn't play out exactly like this. But still, I thik that if we stuck to the good old-fashioned way, people could know immediately what they did wrong (or right, depending on the situation; I mean, if you have a tailgaiter about to kill you in their giant SUV, and it's only yellow barely on to red, I might consider running the light in order not to die). Seems to me that technology isn't meant for everything, and this is one such thing.

After all, we're only human.

Holiday spirit seems to be a popular topic for blogs these days, and I realized I hadn't yet posted my own two cents on this topic.

As the holidays approach, be they Channukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, or any other holiday of equal importance to you (depending on faith; I listed the ones I personally see the most of in my life, but there are probably more I'm leaving out), it is important to keep some things in mind.

First, these holidays have absolutely nothing to do with the weather. We here in the northern hemisphere equate these holidays with winter, snow, and hot chocolate with marshmallows, but our neighbors in the southern hemisphere enjoy these same holidays in the middle of the summer. Someday, I hope to spend some time somewhere on that side of the earth (perhaps Australia, New Zealand, South America, Africa) and see what it is like for these holidays. Okay, that's just an excuse to go traveling and see the world, but still, would Christmas lights be the same if it didn't get dark until 8 or 9pm?

Second, a word on gift giving. The best gifts are not those found on wish lists, or those with the biggest price tag. Many say that simply having a family and friends in your life is a gift, and to spend time with them is also a gift. Of course, this is true. But giving gifts is still a very fun and nice thing. So when you're out searching through the bargains and holiday sales, keep not the money in your pocket in mind, but that special person for whom you are buying. The best gifts I have received, and the best gifts I have given, are those that just jump out at you when you see them. If you see something and instantly, that special someone jumps to mind, then chances are that will be a very good gift. Then, when you present said gift, that person will be delighted not only by the gift, but even more, to know that you know him or her so well, and that you think of him or her even when you're not hanging out, living together, working together, or what have you.

Third, as people become increasingly frantic about buying gifts, spending time with family (which can be stressful for everyone), keep a smile on your face and a laugh in your heart. You can't please everyone, but you can sure try. Offer up compliments to strangers, be a courteous driver, talk to your neighbors. Do something nice for someone you may not like. The holidays are as much about improving the self as anything else.

Fourth, step back and look at the world through eyes that are not clouded by the hazards of everyday life. Chances are, you'll see something very beautiful. Take a walk in a park, play in the snow, sit and stare at something for so long that it becomes not merely an object, but a true part of this world we call our home. It's easy to forget that nature is a force of its own that does not answer to our own world of people. Watch leaves fall from trees, watch wind blow leaves around, stare up into clouds as snow falls quietly to the ground. And if you can, watch not from indoors, but from outside. No matter how cold or windy, getting lost in nature warms the soul, and you will realize that you are as much a part of this earth as everything and everyone else, and that this is truly where you belong.

Finally, take a break from worry, fear, stress, and everything else that taints this game we like to call life. I often hear people say that we must do all we can to make this world a better place. And when I think about this, I realize that the world already is a better place, and to see it, all we must do is open our eyes.

Don't blink. You might miss something.

Over the years, I have noticed a serious decline in the quality and originality of chips (the food variety). I often wonder if I'm the only one who's tired of all the Frito Lay. I mean, they seem to have seriously cornered the market on chips! And to top it off, their chips are so greasy that you miss out on the real flavor of the chip.

I generally stick to original flavor, so as to avoid having to ingest that oh-so-popular preservative: monosodium glutemate. Most varieties of flavored chips, especially those made by Frito Lay, are chock full of that stuff. Occasionally, I enjoy eating them, but all the flavors are artificial. Oh, would I like some cheese-flavored chips, they taste just like nachos? Forgive me, but I'll decline. How about some odd-flavored "ranch" or imitation "sour cream"? Thanks, but I'll pass.

But then, who would've known it, that a new kind of chip was introduced into my life. Terra is the name of the company, and they make a line of chips called "Red Bliss." These chips are red potato chips, and they are flavored with (gasp!) real flavors! They use stuff like olive oil, vinegar, and roasted garlic. After being so used to chips simply being salted, it was a very pleasant surprise to come across these chips.

I'm serious. Eating these chips is practically the highlight of the day. Next time I have a bad day, I'm going straight to Red Bliss.

I went out to breakfast today, or brunch rather, at a favorite local spot. While I was eating, the owner/chef's son was talking to his family about how he's having a hard time finding the right woman. His parents' advice was to seriously 'network', especially at their church. His mom was very convinced that he would meet a lovely young lady at church, and he wouold be extraordinarily happy as a result.

Now, not to say that there's anything wrong with what she said, but my experience has been very different. I've always been left with an impression that when you're not looking, things will work out better in the end. Creating the ideal candidate in your head is okay to a point, but then, when you meet people, you try to shape them into your ideal. The result is that you never really get to know the person, but rather the person you want them to be. To me, this means that you don't get to know that person for real. The whole idea of having a partner and being really happy is that you like that person exactly the way he/she is.

Not to say it's bad to have standards, either, but honestly, if someone did not meet some of you 'qualifications,' would you really like that person? At least you could say you got to know the person. Qualifications for partners is different from friends, so that's also important to keep in mind.

Of course, I say all this, and I'm single. This could be why, but I have my doubts.

Today is arguably the BIGGEST day of shopping of the entire year (the one that could be argued is the day before Christmas, when apparently stores sell more of their inventory than any other day of the year), as stores everywhere have huge sales on all their inventory. As such, it is the one day that I prefer not to go shopping. Having to pay a bit more for stuff later on is worth it to me not to have to deal with the masses of people that surface to shop, and the hours spent waiting in line. The only reason I have ever gone to the stores on this day is to people watch. If you don't believe me, you should try it. It's absolutely stress-free (or mostly), costs nothing, and is downright fascinating.

A few years back, I learned of a holiday started by "Culture Jammers" called Buy Nothing Day. It usually happens the day after Thanksgiving, though this year it seems to fall on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The idea behind it is to not give in to the corporate schemes. Instead, spend the day with family or friends, really living and enjoyiing what you already have in life. For me, it's a convenient fit, and more coincidence that I take part in this ordeal. But I like my reasoning too.

I'm not one to simply jump on the bandwagon of either the shopping or Buy Nothing Day, but I like the idea of Buy Nothing Day because of it's basic philosophy of simply living. I like the idea that you can be happy without having to buy stuff. What can I say, I'm a simple guy.

Today, I thought I'd write down a few things that I'm thankful for. I don't have much time, as today is going to be crazy busy, so I'll make it brief.

I am most thankful for family and friends, who make my life what it is. The struggles of daily life are made easier with them around, and I couldn't do it without them.

I am thankful for each day I live, as there's something exciting and fun to see or do or learn each day. And being in college certainly helps in this area.

That said, I am also thankful for the two days off from school, so I can play major league catch-up on all the homework and studying I have to do.

Well, I said I'd keep it brief, and so I have. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I wasn't sure what to write about today, until I saw this news piece: some guy on wife swap whose wife was swapped for a gay man. Here's a brief on it:

[www.foxnews.com/story/0,2...](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,176244,00.html)

I find the situation both humerous and reprehensible. For the most part, I think the show's actions were in poor taste. The show should be held responsible, not for damages, necessarily, but for such poor taste. Personally, I don't like the idea of the show, but that's just me. I know it's television, and they'll do what it takes to get ratings. But this bothers me from both the end of the straight guy as well as the gay guys.

First off, I find it offensive that they would consider a male partner in a gay relationship to be a 'wife.' It reinforces stereotypes about gay people that are already bad enough. Many people think that there has to be a butch and a femme character in every single gay relationship. Even my parents thought so, when I told them I met a man who introduced me to his husband (they thought he was the 'wife').

Second, I find the whole idea in very poor taste on both sides. I can imagine that the straight guy didn't take kindly to having a gay guy to live with, but I've seen no mention of the guy gay having to live with the woman. Chances are, he doesn't care, but I doubt very much that the media will ever bother to find out how he felt about the situation.

On the other hand, this situation is somewhat humerous. I don't know how the show works for sure, but I'm guessing that you have to apply for it in order to actually be on it. People aren't exactly picked randomly. I think you actually have to seek it out (that's how it works for game shows; correct me if I'm worong on the Wife Swap thing). With that thought in mind, I think people are asking for surprises, and this guy sure got one!

So anyway, enough of the soap box, and I have to end it here. Lots to do tonight, tomorrow's going to be a crazy day!

As you may have noticed from my photo, I'm a Dilbert fan. But more than that, I enjoy other works by Scott Adams, including his books about survival in the work place and such. In addition to all this, Scott Adams has written two non-humor and non-work-related books: "God's Debris" and "The Religion War." "God's Debris" was first published as an e-book, and then later in hardback. Scott Adams describes it as a "thought experiment." I have, for some time, been intrigued by the idea of this book, but had not gotten around to buying it. Recently, he put it up online for free, so yesterday I figured, what the heck, I'd give it a shot. The book is about 130 pages (give or take a few), and I just finished it.

The book read very smoothly, and I quickly found myself lost in it. There is not much in the way of story, but it presents ideas that are fantastic to think about (not fantastic in a negative or positive way, but just fantastic). I'd never given much thought to some of the ideas presented, but found myself fascinated. Having just finished, my mind is sort of in overload mode. I think I'll have to read it again at least 2-3 more times to really catch a lot of what is said.

I won't say that you should go out and read this right away, but rather will direct you to read Scott Adam's disclaimer and leave it up to you to decide (that way, I leave it fully up to you) whether or not to read it. I'll put the link below, and be sure to read the whole page before downloading the file (it's in PDF format) (the section is called "why is it free?".

[www.andrewsmcmeel.com/godsdebri...](http://www.andrewsmcmeel.com/godsdebris/)

If you do read this, or have already read it, I would be interested to see what others thought about it.

I was feeling a bit down today, feeling like life has been frustrating, overwhelming, and tiring, and that I wish things went more the way I want them to. Obviously, life doesn't work that way, and I'm not sure it would be all that great if it did. I'm generally a very upbeat, energetic, and overall happy person. But I do, on occassion, get down, and that always throws me off.

But what really helped get me through the day was a simple smile. I always smile at people I see, whether or not I know them. It's just something I do. I never gave much thought to it, and never thought much about how it impacted the people who received my smile. I was walking outside today, and a person passing by smiled at me, and I suddenly felt my spirits soar. All at once, the only thing that mattered was that someone out there thought to smile at me. There was no ulterior motive behind the smile, it was just a smile. And the effect it had on me was profound. The rest of the day was great!

I realize now that everyone experiences these feelings from time to time. But when those feelings hit, getting that smile certainly makes things seem more manageable. So I will keep smiling, and know that this simple gesture can brighten someone's day. It feels good to know that I can make a difference in the world.