Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Libraries attacked!


So, the news media has decided that libraries are a waste of money. OR, maybe not, they wonder aloud...
Yeah, lets save money by shutting down libraries. Why provide literature to the masses? Surely we could find other ways to save money. For example, maybe we could cut back on excess baseball fields in cities where the current fields are not used to capacity. Many cities have built stadiums that weren't necessarily needed. Its all debatable, of course. However, I cannot see how libraries can be debated. Call me crazy, but free literature should be made available to all. It is the responsibility of modern society to educate and inform. Do we really want society to be populated with a majority of mindless followers? Maybe the politicians do, I don't know. People should use libraries and make it clear to those in power that knowledge and books are something they cannot withhold. Here's a link to make your view known by July 2nd. How could anyone even debate a library's validity? I guess those who can't read, but there are audio books there. It causes me to take pause. Its not quite as drastic as Fahrenheit 451 but its a step in the wrong direction.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Life observations

I saw a similar list about life, however, I had a bit of a different slant on the whole thing.  I thought I would put my two cents worth in. 

Things we aren't taught in school
  1. No one cares about you as much as you do.
  2. Life isn't fair. Fair to one person, isn't always fair to another. Also, whining about it won't help. Rarely will anyone ask you how you feel about what happened.So what? Your self-esteem belongs to you, build it from within. Be the kind of person that you admire. 
  3. Success is dependent on you and thousands of other people.  In this reference I'm talking about career success.To be on top, others have to follow you.At the very least, others have to care about what you are doing.
  4. No matter how shy you are, you have to connect to the real world. It is next to impossible to function without connecting with someone. To really operate in society, you must connect to many. 
  5. Life can be tough. Teachers are only the beginning. Wait till you get a boss who dangles that paycheck over your head in return for menial tasks. You have to perform for less than likable people, deal with it. Of course, always know it is only a step in the process. Remember, you don't drown by being under the water, you drown by staying there. 
  6. Don't be humiliated when you have to do something you consider beneath you in order to eat. All work is valid and can lead to other opportunities. The CEO isn't necessarily a better or smarter person than the burger flipper at McDonald's. Actor Jack Nicholson was "discovered" while working in the mail room at MGM
  7. Stop blaming your boss, job, spouses, etc. for everything that's wrong in your life. You can see your experiences as anchors or the clay that made you who you are today. You have the choice to be what you want to be. Hating someone is like taking poison, expecting the other person to die. Spinning your wheels in the mud of self pity won't help you move forward. You can either accept the person in your life who holds you back, move on or deal with it. If you have been walked over, get back up and walk on. You can also try showering the oppressor with love and overwhelm him/her.  At the very least, they will be confused enough to stop, if only for a little while. Doors are there for a reason when the heat is too great.
  8. Stop blaming your parents. Your parents are individuals too. There's a good chance that they were learning right along side you as you grew up. They have dreams, ideas and opinions independent of you. They may be older but they are not always as senile as you might think.
  9. Life goes on and on and on until it doesn't. Savor it. Yes, life can be depressing. People can be  a pain. Remember, someday, if you're lucky, you will realize how great it was to be younger or where you are right now. 
  10. Personal success can't be gauged by wealth or career. You are successful if you raised kids who become responsible, contributing adults. You are successful if someone loves you for who you are. You are successful if you are happy and content. Success in the eyes of others doesn't matter because, generally, people are gauging themselves in relation to you in order to feel better (or worse).Do you really need their admiration or scorn as the case may be?
  11. Be nice to nerds. They are the great thinkers who power the world's infrastructure. Oh, yeah, they may be your boss someday.
  12. Don't judge people on the surface. Everyone has a story. The cover rarely divulges the novel within. You may be surprised to discover the layers underneath, once you get to know a person. 
  13. Don't wait until your death bed to say I'm sorry or I love you. Also, don't die with regrets. Its never too late, really it isn't. Look at Betty White, she isn't quitting even though she's in her 80's. George Burns  contributed well in to his nineties.