Lets face it. I'm not perfect. In fact...far from it. Maybe further from it then most people. I keep discovering things that I am far below average at and it makes me laugh/smile/awkwardly sad to think about some of them. They are all small and pretty insignificant and in many cases hilarious. Obviously, there are other things, but for this entry, we are going to stick with these. Otherwise I could go on for days. Literally.The first thing I suck at:
1. Grocery Shopping
This should be easy. I'm a single guy who doesn't really cook, to be honest, almost ever. To make things seemingly even easier on me, I used to work at Cub Foods...for almost three years. However, the problems begin immediately. First of all, I hate going, so that almost makes me in a pissy mood. Second, I ALWAYS fail at getting a cart or even a basket...I just walk in. I have to go back to get one later in the trip when I realize I can't just carry all this around the store. Second, I wander around like a lost child at Disney World who is looking for the Tea Cups ride. I never make a list (Be Prepared? I wasn't a boy scout, obviously) so I gallivant around trying to remember what I want. I end up looking at things like soup for a long time and then deciding not to get any. By the time I get to checking out, an hour or two could have passed and I have 60 dollars worth of groceries. At least I don't suck at checking out. After I get home (likely dropping a bag or something) I always remember something that I forgot to get. Shopping should not be this much of an ordeal!
2. Spilling
This has become such an urban legend that I hesitate to put it on this list. Yes, I spill often. No, I don't spill at EVERY meal. However, it is often in the most ridiculous way that I spill. Anyone can accidentally tip over a glass. Not everyone can spill a drink because they brought it up to their mouth to take a drink...even though they have a straw and manage to spill all of it all over themselves. That takes talent!
3. Using glue and scissors
This one is just silly. My Mom can tell you stories about how when I was really young how I struggled with cutting and pasting. I would cut zig-zags all over the place to insane levels. I'd always use to little or too much glue. It apparently even worried my pre-school teacher...like my ability to cut and paste would affect my development or something. Sadly, I went throughout the rest of school being below average. I even did a terrific art project once and ruined it be cutting badly. Luckily, these skills are rarely used anymore, with everything becoming so paperless. I couldn't be happier.
4. Making my bed
I never seem to do it right and always ends up looking like crap. It's okay though. I gave up making my bed years ago, but on the rare occasion I do it, it looks like a crazed man came in and tried to make his bed look like a Sears catalog ad. Back in the college days there was nothing I hated more then just trying to put the sheets on my lofted bed. It was horrible and to this day I still have no idea how I ever accomplished putting sheets on my bed.
5. Writing interesting blog posts
Okay. That was supposed to be a joke, but I was bored today. Maybe one of the other things I suck at is "being productive at work", but I think that is okay.
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Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Friday, July 20, 2007
Working in Politics...
I've been looking for something different, something new to do in April.
I've been talking about it a lot lately, I know. I just think it is a good opportunity for me to...well....do anything. My lease is up at that point and Brent will be married. So, I'll need to do something different for living arrangements anyways. I'm not married. I don't have any kids. I am looking for a different job, and this seems like the perfect opportunity to do something. Anything. Chances like this may not be around later in life.
There have been more then a few ideas on what to do. Go back to school. Get a teaching certificate. Work on various art related projects. Travel to a different country and work there for a while, or teach. Work for LEGO in Denmark. All these things are very possible, but all seem unrealistic in some ways. Going back to school would mean not working full time. I can't afford that. Ditto with doing art full time. Teaching in a different country would be interesting, but I'm not sure that is what I want to do. Working for LEGO in Denmark WOULD be interesting and cool, but there would be a lot or logistics to that, including learning a whole new language before going there.
One of the other options was to work on a political campaign. Problem was, I had no idea how to make that happen. Luckily, I know someone who does. My friend Alex Kurt, whom you might recognize from the listings of blogs to the right, is currently working on the John Edwards campaign for the summer. While e-mailing I asked if there was anything I could do next spring....when I am free to do whatever. He said that there likely WOULD be lots of positions open. Minnesota, being a swing state would certainly be looking for field staff. I have marketing and communications experience, so I'd be a good fit, I think.
This got me excited. The corporate world is taring me apart in a lot of ways. I don't want to climb any ladders and most of the time I end up feeling really out of place because my attitude and thought/belief structure don't usually line up with corporate objectives very often. Politics is much in the same, but at least I might be able to try and make a difference. That sounds terribly naive, and I'm sure we would all like to think that, but it is encouraging to know there is at least a chance. Honestly, it would just be something different. I just want to work on something where there is a clear goal, and that goal ISN'T money. I'd like to work on something that ends up with tangible results and something I could possibly care about and enjoy not only doing the job, but even talking about it with others.
So, I'm going to give it a shot. Besides, I always really wanted to know just how corrupt our political system is anyways. Lets just hope I don't lose myself in it.
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I've been talking about it a lot lately, I know. I just think it is a good opportunity for me to...well....do anything. My lease is up at that point and Brent will be married. So, I'll need to do something different for living arrangements anyways. I'm not married. I don't have any kids. I am looking for a different job, and this seems like the perfect opportunity to do something. Anything. Chances like this may not be around later in life.
There have been more then a few ideas on what to do. Go back to school. Get a teaching certificate. Work on various art related projects. Travel to a different country and work there for a while, or teach. Work for LEGO in Denmark. All these things are very possible, but all seem unrealistic in some ways. Going back to school would mean not working full time. I can't afford that. Ditto with doing art full time. Teaching in a different country would be interesting, but I'm not sure that is what I want to do. Working for LEGO in Denmark WOULD be interesting and cool, but there would be a lot or logistics to that, including learning a whole new language before going there.
One of the other options was to work on a political campaign. Problem was, I had no idea how to make that happen. Luckily, I know someone who does. My friend Alex Kurt, whom you might recognize from the listings of blogs to the right, is currently working on the John Edwards campaign for the summer. While e-mailing I asked if there was anything I could do next spring....when I am free to do whatever. He said that there likely WOULD be lots of positions open. Minnesota, being a swing state would certainly be looking for field staff. I have marketing and communications experience, so I'd be a good fit, I think.
This got me excited. The corporate world is taring me apart in a lot of ways. I don't want to climb any ladders and most of the time I end up feeling really out of place because my attitude and thought/belief structure don't usually line up with corporate objectives very often. Politics is much in the same, but at least I might be able to try and make a difference. That sounds terribly naive, and I'm sure we would all like to think that, but it is encouraging to know there is at least a chance. Honestly, it would just be something different. I just want to work on something where there is a clear goal, and that goal ISN'T money. I'd like to work on something that ends up with tangible results and something I could possibly care about and enjoy not only doing the job, but even talking about it with others.
So, I'm going to give it a shot. Besides, I always really wanted to know just how corrupt our political system is anyways. Lets just hope I don't lose myself in it.
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Tuesday, July 17, 2007
The Internet: Who Really is Clogging the Tubes?
I promise to try and make it through this entire post without referencing former Alaska Senator Ted Stevens, which is pretty hard for me, honestly.
I love and crave good conversation with smart people. It makes me happy. In fact, it might be one of my favorite things in the world. Luckily I have friends who gladly oblige me in this desire and can converse on any number of subjects. Luckily, over the last few days I have had a few of these treasured conversations. Chase and Erik proved that they could provide some smarts in a conversation, providing hope for the future (and if you know Chase, you were as surprised as I was! Ha.) and then an e-mail from two smart people , Mike and Colleen, (with spectacular blogs of their own!) sparked a conversation about inventions.
A little back story on my thoughts on inventions. Think about what inventions have had the most impact on our lives in the last ten years. Got them? Oh, you need more time? Okay. I'll wait. Still not much? Well, that is probably because we don't truly invent much anymore. We refine and perfect and add, but rarely do we come up with something brand new. There really is no one to fault for this. The good money is in consumer entertainment. That is where our technology and new ideas are being funneled to right now, which is fine, but it isn't revolutionizing anything. We are just making life more entertaining, which is good in a lot of respects, but it isn't advancing us as a race much.
The "inventions" that we have seen in recent years have been very focused on consumer demand. There is an exception to that though, an exception that might actually change the world we live in. That's right. Al Gore's Internet.
Mike was telling me about how he was thinking the other day about how the Internet will likely be remembered as one of the most important inventions in history. I completely agreed. While I don't think it can have nearly the impact that the Printing Press had in the 15th century, I do think the Internet will and already has to some extent change the way we do almost everything. Education, business, communication, travel and shopping have already been completely changed by the Internet and will likely keep changing and improving the speed, effectiveness and means of how we go about living.
However, I'm not sure we have completely tapped the expanse of the Internets potential, particularly in business, education and government. In fact, much of the way we use the Internet on a regular basis hasn't changed in years. Right now the Internet is stagnate. We aren't using it that differently then we have been for the last 7 years.
Honestly, I blame the baby-boomer generation. Right now, they are in command of the world, so to speak. They are our business and government leaders and for the lack of a better phrase, they are slowing us down. While most are actually very competent users of the Internet, the average baby-boomer does not use it the way, say I do, or you do. Mostly, they see it as a way to forward funny e-mails or schedule a meeting (that will take place in person, not online) or order that book off of Amazon.
They don't know that maybe the best way to educate children might not be the way they were educated or even the way I was educated. We were educated and tested on how well we could memorize and how well we could apply that knowledge. Now, we don't need to know what the information is, we just need to know the best and fastest way to find it and then discern if that information is truth or not and THEN apply that information to what we need. We need to embrace the 'apply', because we can find literally any information out there that we need. Everything is available. You just need to know how to find it and use it.
However, this idea hasn't been fully embraced yet, and likely won't be until a decade or so down the road. That day will come, and when it does you can search for this blog and remember that 10 years ago I knew it was coming, and the Internet will be able to show you that I was right.
Assuming that no one mistakes the Internet for a big truck and dumps a bunch of crap on to it.
You knew I wouldn't be able to last an entire post!
={+}=
I love and crave good conversation with smart people. It makes me happy. In fact, it might be one of my favorite things in the world. Luckily I have friends who gladly oblige me in this desire and can converse on any number of subjects. Luckily, over the last few days I have had a few of these treasured conversations. Chase and Erik proved that they could provide some smarts in a conversation, providing hope for the future (and if you know Chase, you were as surprised as I was! Ha.) and then an e-mail from two smart people , Mike and Colleen, (with spectacular blogs of their own!) sparked a conversation about inventions.
A little back story on my thoughts on inventions. Think about what inventions have had the most impact on our lives in the last ten years. Got them? Oh, you need more time? Okay. I'll wait. Still not much? Well, that is probably because we don't truly invent much anymore. We refine and perfect and add, but rarely do we come up with something brand new. There really is no one to fault for this. The good money is in consumer entertainment. That is where our technology and new ideas are being funneled to right now, which is fine, but it isn't revolutionizing anything. We are just making life more entertaining, which is good in a lot of respects, but it isn't advancing us as a race much.
The "inventions" that we have seen in recent years have been very focused on consumer demand. There is an exception to that though, an exception that might actually change the world we live in. That's right. Al Gore's Internet.
Mike was telling me about how he was thinking the other day about how the Internet will likely be remembered as one of the most important inventions in history. I completely agreed. While I don't think it can have nearly the impact that the Printing Press had in the 15th century, I do think the Internet will and already has to some extent change the way we do almost everything. Education, business, communication, travel and shopping have already been completely changed by the Internet and will likely keep changing and improving the speed, effectiveness and means of how we go about living.
However, I'm not sure we have completely tapped the expanse of the Internets potential, particularly in business, education and government. In fact, much of the way we use the Internet on a regular basis hasn't changed in years. Right now the Internet is stagnate. We aren't using it that differently then we have been for the last 7 years.
Honestly, I blame the baby-boomer generation. Right now, they are in command of the world, so to speak. They are our business and government leaders and for the lack of a better phrase, they are slowing us down. While most are actually very competent users of the Internet, the average baby-boomer does not use it the way, say I do, or you do. Mostly, they see it as a way to forward funny e-mails or schedule a meeting (that will take place in person, not online) or order that book off of Amazon.
They don't know that maybe the best way to educate children might not be the way they were educated or even the way I was educated. We were educated and tested on how well we could memorize and how well we could apply that knowledge. Now, we don't need to know what the information is, we just need to know the best and fastest way to find it and then discern if that information is truth or not and THEN apply that information to what we need. We need to embrace the 'apply', because we can find literally any information out there that we need. Everything is available. You just need to know how to find it and use it.
However, this idea hasn't been fully embraced yet, and likely won't be until a decade or so down the road. That day will come, and when it does you can search for this blog and remember that 10 years ago I knew it was coming, and the Internet will be able to show you that I was right.
Assuming that no one mistakes the Internet for a big truck and dumps a bunch of crap on to it.
You knew I wouldn't be able to last an entire post!
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Monday, July 16, 2007
Summer: Less of the Ol' Blog...
The heat has distracted me from my regular blogging schedule for whatever reason. Literally tens of people read my blog and I feel I need to feed their need for whatever I give them. I feel reading my blog is the dietary equivalent of a two dollar frozen pizza. It sounds like a delicious idea, until you've devoured all of it and want to never have anything to do with it again.
So, for those who still remain, I give you my salutations. You made it. Unfortunately, there is no prize. Maybe I could fashion some Yogurt lids into medals. Props to you if you just got the source of that joke.
So goes life.
Okay, honestly, I promise to get back to writing. I know at least one of you demanded it, albeit drunkenly. The drunken masses have come together. I shall relent to them and blog more again...at least twice a week. Except when I don't feel like it, or if I'd rather play Ultimate Frisbee, which I'm happy to report is happening very often this summer!
I think we are all on the Internets and the Googles too much anyways.Go outside! That includes me. I hope everyone is well, wherever they might be.
={+}=
So, for those who still remain, I give you my salutations. You made it. Unfortunately, there is no prize. Maybe I could fashion some Yogurt lids into medals. Props to you if you just got the source of that joke.
So goes life.
Okay, honestly, I promise to get back to writing. I know at least one of you demanded it, albeit drunkenly. The drunken masses have come together. I shall relent to them and blog more again...at least twice a week. Except when I don't feel like it, or if I'd rather play Ultimate Frisbee, which I'm happy to report is happening very often this summer!
I think we are all on the Internets and the Googles too much anyways.Go outside! That includes me. I hope everyone is well, wherever they might be.
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