Last week, the House of Representatives passed a bill that plans to extend the estate tax permanently with relief for families and small businesses. The bill, HR 4154, would effectively eliminate the 2001 tax act that planned to repeal the tax in 2010 and reinstate in the next year at the level it was at before 2001. Introduced by North Dakota representative, democrat Earl Pomeroy, the bill keeps the exclusion amount the same, as well as freezing the maximum rate at 45 percent. While it keeps the tax from increasing at all, the bill does eliminate the reprieve that was planned and expected by many in 2010.
The estate tax is simply a tax on whatever is included in a deceased person's will that is passed on to heirs or to other people. My question is, why do we even have to tax these transfers? You can't even escape the "death tax" by giving away your stuff before you die! There's a gift tax for those transfers. My parents don't get taxed for giving me twenty bucks to go to the movies; why when they die, will a lot of their estate be given to the government? Shouldn't that be my money? I'm pretty sure my parents don't work their whole lives, buy a home, and save money for retirement for the government. I think they're content with sales tax and income tax and property tax, but to have to give the government the money that they saved? I don't think so.
The rates for the estate and gift tax are high! If a $3.5 million estate was given to me, the rate on it would be around 45%. For the federal estate tax. In Iowa, we also have an "inheritance tax". So basically, half of the amount will be given to the government. I hope they enjoy it and spend it wisely! If that same amount were taxed as income, the federal rate would be about 35%, and less than 10% for my Iowa tax.
Truthfully, most estates don't pay estate tax; it's mostly the richest estates. As I read more and more about taxes, especially the estate tax, I am realizing that taxes are really a lot worse for the wealthy. They might have more money, but they likely worked harder for it. I know I have a lot, but I'm not excessively money-rich. I doubt the estate will even apply to my parents', but I can't know for sure. However, I respect the fact that they had to earn that money somehow. They probably went through college, and worked hard in their careers, so shouldn't they be rewarded for that? There's a mentality in the country that the rich should pay for the poor, surely fueled by politicians appealing to the multitudes of middle to poor voters. If there were flat taxes, the rich would still pay for the poor, because 10% of their income or estate is much more than 10% of a poor family's income or estate.
Before I go into why I dislike the taxing system, I would like to say that I am not against taxing, just against the way it is done. Taxes pay for many good things in this country. Back when politicians did many things that mattered, they built things: railroads, highways, libraries, etc. Not only do these projects create a need for jobs, they are the best stimulus package the government could give. Buildings and highways need lots of materials, and building more of them spurs industry, creating even more jobs. Things just get done with the money.
Taxes also help to keep bank CEOs in their mansions, give money to ridiculous projects (rainforest in Iowa City??), and provide money for the government to do whatever it wants, whenever it wants. Well, you could write a letter to your congressman.
So, my question is, why is there such waste of money, helping to grow a massive federal deficit, even though there are incredible amounts of money going in to the government from taxes? The Iowa government has simply cut employees if it's budget doesn't come out in the black. Yeah, it's not nice to dissolve jobs, but it's not nice to have a deficit either.
I have often thought of taxes in this way. It all starts with a job; I work to earn money to live. To get to work, I have to buy a car and gas. Taxed. I get paid from my job. Income tax, social security, medicare, ... I spend money at businesses. Taxed. Oh, but then that money is income for them, they are taxed on it again. When I die, my estate is taxed before it is passed on to my heirs. How crappy. So much of our money is handed to the government, only for them to use more than what we give them to "stimulate" jobs, to stimulate the economy. If they just taxed less, wouldn't those things naturally be stimulated that much more?
I'll pay my taxes quietly, even the estate tax, but I just want to make sure that the entity that collects them is using the money wisely. Make sure that my hard-earned money isn't wasted paying for an huge bureaucracy that spends huge sums on things that don't matter. Make sure that our money is being used in ways that we, the people of this country, truly approve of.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Final Shift Discussion
No more odd this, odd that. Daily Donut from now on. End of title discussion. Anything else that was stated in previous posts remains unchanged, especially about new discussions.
I have found a good website that I think I will use as a resource for this venture. It contains a record of congressional proceedings that is published daily as long as congress is in session. I got the idea to write about this from my local newspaper, which publishes congressional votes, so that will also be a huge resource for me. While the paper does publish the votes of my congressmen, I will also use The Washington Post's Votes Database for further information pertaining to Iowan congressmen and other lawmakers around the country. Lastly, for simpler explanations of the votes (other than the word for word record) I will utilize multiple other resources as I get going.
Because the Gazette usually prints congressional votes on Sundays, and that will be my first line of information, the votes I will be discussing will normally be for the previous week. The only thing I can think of right now that would cause me to write about something earlier is something like if the Senate made a major decision on the healthcare bill that is there right now. Another reason for waiting a few days to start writing is that it simply gives me time to learn more about it, and it gives my sources time to gather the facts and put them together.
One thing I haven't discussed too much yet is how I will take my view, and whether it will be party-based. I would like to just say that I don't affiliate completely with a party. It bothers me when people refer to Conservatives as republican, Republicans as conservative. This also applies to liberal and democratic. There are plenty of Republicans out there who have proven themselves to not be fiscally conservative. Alternatively, there can be conservatives who aren't republican. This goes the same for Democrats. Some of them can be conservative; they don't all want to spend, spend, spend.
This is basically my approach to politics. I don't have to associate myself with one party in order to have beliefs. I don't always agree with the Democratic financial ideas, but I tend to side with them on the more social issues (i.e. stem-cell research). Therefore, my views on specific congressional votes won't be based as much on party affiliation as they will be just on my personal beliefs. However, much like a reporter, I will do my best to leave my opinions out when giving the raw facts. When I get to the section towards the end where I give my vote and an explanation, opinion is fair game. I debated whether or not to talk about what my opinion is, but I think it's important to get it out there. If I wanted to be a reporter, I would go work for the newspaper, not write blogs.
I would also like to add that I am only using the Gazette as a starting point, not as my main source of information. You can read the section (go to page 8B) with the congressional votes if you want. I think it is pretty neutral, though.
Next post= last week's progress on healthcare (finally).
I have found a good website that I think I will use as a resource for this venture. It contains a record of congressional proceedings that is published daily as long as congress is in session. I got the idea to write about this from my local newspaper, which publishes congressional votes, so that will also be a huge resource for me. While the paper does publish the votes of my congressmen, I will also use The Washington Post's Votes Database for further information pertaining to Iowan congressmen and other lawmakers around the country. Lastly, for simpler explanations of the votes (other than the word for word record) I will utilize multiple other resources as I get going.
Because the Gazette usually prints congressional votes on Sundays, and that will be my first line of information, the votes I will be discussing will normally be for the previous week. The only thing I can think of right now that would cause me to write about something earlier is something like if the Senate made a major decision on the healthcare bill that is there right now. Another reason for waiting a few days to start writing is that it simply gives me time to learn more about it, and it gives my sources time to gather the facts and put them together.
One thing I haven't discussed too much yet is how I will take my view, and whether it will be party-based. I would like to just say that I don't affiliate completely with a party. It bothers me when people refer to Conservatives as republican, Republicans as conservative. This also applies to liberal and democratic. There are plenty of Republicans out there who have proven themselves to not be fiscally conservative. Alternatively, there can be conservatives who aren't republican. This goes the same for Democrats. Some of them can be conservative; they don't all want to spend, spend, spend.
This is basically my approach to politics. I don't have to associate myself with one party in order to have beliefs. I don't always agree with the Democratic financial ideas, but I tend to side with them on the more social issues (i.e. stem-cell research). Therefore, my views on specific congressional votes won't be based as much on party affiliation as they will be just on my personal beliefs. However, much like a reporter, I will do my best to leave my opinions out when giving the raw facts. When I get to the section towards the end where I give my vote and an explanation, opinion is fair game. I debated whether or not to talk about what my opinion is, but I think it's important to get it out there. If I wanted to be a reporter, I would go work for the newspaper, not write blogs.
I would also like to add that I am only using the Gazette as a starting point, not as my main source of information. You can read the section (go to page 8B) with the congressional votes if you want. I think it is pretty neutral, though.
Next post= last week's progress on healthcare (finally).
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Oddities Bloggus
Violà! Welcome to Oddities Congressionus the evil twin of Oddities Humanus! Instead of focusing on the weird, just plain odd things that all humans do, I have decided to change focus (again) to concentrate the odd-o-meter on the Odd Humans (or not) that work for us in the United States Congress. These people do a lot of work, and I would like to discuss what they do for two main reasons.
Reason Number One:
All these things that our congress do can be so very complex. I would like to spend my time reading libraries of information on what has been decided recently in congress and simplify if for the readers. My goal is to compliment (I would say praise, but that would have religious connotations, and in this country, we strive for separation of church and state) some of the good work that has been accomplished. However, congress has proven itself capable of some blunders every once in a while, and those, of course, will be discussed.
Reason Number Two:
As a tax paying citizen of the United States, I feel that I have the responsibility to be informed of what my government is doing. So often, I think, people just allow the government to do whatever it wants in the hopes that it will do something beneficial. But when the government does something that is not beneficial, or even detrimental, the uninformed people have no reason to hold the lawmakers accountable. So, part of the reasons I am venturing into the political world is for my own benefit. By researching and writing about what goes on in Congress, I hope I become better informed.
Throughout this, for lack of a better term, thing, I would also like to make sure to include the votes and opinions of my congressmen from Iowa. Lastly, whenever a congressional vote is discussed, I will give my vote and the reasons for my vote. I ask the reader to give their opinion and/or vote, as well.
Please enjoy reading! I can't wait to start writing!
Reason Number One:
All these things that our congress do can be so very complex. I would like to spend my time reading libraries of information on what has been decided recently in congress and simplify if for the readers. My goal is to compliment (I would say praise, but that would have religious connotations, and in this country, we strive for separation of church and state) some of the good work that has been accomplished. However, congress has proven itself capable of some blunders every once in a while, and those, of course, will be discussed.
Reason Number Two:
As a tax paying citizen of the United States, I feel that I have the responsibility to be informed of what my government is doing. So often, I think, people just allow the government to do whatever it wants in the hopes that it will do something beneficial. But when the government does something that is not beneficial, or even detrimental, the uninformed people have no reason to hold the lawmakers accountable. So, part of the reasons I am venturing into the political world is for my own benefit. By researching and writing about what goes on in Congress, I hope I become better informed.
Throughout this, for lack of a better term, thing, I would also like to make sure to include the votes and opinions of my congressmen from Iowa. Lastly, whenever a congressional vote is discussed, I will give my vote and the reasons for my vote. I ask the reader to give their opinion and/or vote, as well.
Please enjoy reading! I can't wait to start writing!
Goodbyes Humanus
Thinking about topics to write about is difficult with a topic like this. It is so specific, that without being a psychologist, it is hard to write about things that are interesting for the reader and for the author. Some topics can turn out to be really fun to write about and, I hope, fun to read. My favorite two have been the video-based 88 Key Staircase and the story/article based Balloon Fun. These posts were about something that is interesting to begin with, and I enjoyed posing questions and discussing some of the causes and some of the events' implications. However, topics like these, I have found, take considerable time and effort to find. Yes, Balloon Fun was based on an event that was receiving widespread news coverage at the time, but something that crazy doesn't happen very often.
It isn't these posts that make me want to venture into something new. I think the reason I want to change is the fact that sometimes, I just didn't have adequate raw material to start with, and for my topic, I need raw material; it is hard to just think of something. So, I would like to say goodbye to Oddities Humanus. Stay tuned for the Irish American's new title and topic!
It isn't these posts that make me want to venture into something new. I think the reason I want to change is the fact that sometimes, I just didn't have adequate raw material to start with, and for my topic, I need raw material; it is hard to just think of something. So, I would like to say goodbye to Oddities Humanus. Stay tuned for the Irish American's new title and topic!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Homecomings
"There's no place like home"
"Home is where you make it"
"Mama, I'm coming home"
These are some great quotes. Everyone should know the first one. It's from a pretty well known movie: The Wizard of Oz. Sound familiar? The second one is also from a movie, but maybe not as mainstream as the Wizard of Oz. That quote is actually one of my favorite lines from one of my favorite movies, Joe Dirt. (Pronounced Joe Deertay, I believe) Finally, the last quote is from an Ozzy Osbourne song. It really has nothing to do with what I'm going to talk about except it says the word home in it. I only put it because it came into my head when I started writing.
These famous sayings are used a lot, but I am curious as to how much any of us actually think about these. I have to admit, I never really think about these, but recently I have been. (Wow, tonight's just a song fest! "Recently I've been" is the start of the DMB song Recently) Firstly, I'm never at my official home anymore, for I'm always either at school or working. This leads me to my second point: I have developed other homes. At times, it feels like school is my home, and often, I do think of it as my second home. Also, we are trying to sell our house and move to a better house. I wonder if the new house will feel like home? I've lived here for nine years, so the short year and a half might not be enough to transition into the new house.
In this year, 2009, people are really busy! Many years ago, a home was where a family lived, worked, and played. The kids might have gone to school somewhere else, but a lot of time was spent at home. In current times, though, "home" has become a more ambiguous term. Does it mean a house? Just a place to sleep at night? Every person's definition of what home is may be different. Does "home" constitute a building? A town? I guess that's where the crazy guy from Joe Dirt comes in. In the movie, he tells Joe, "Home is where you make it," when Joe is trying to find his parents' old house. Joe had lived in many different places, but he still felt like he didn't have a home because he didn't know his parents. So maybe one's true home is where their parents are, their origins.
For me, even though I may be at school and work for a huge part of the day, I still consider my home to be my house. School is a home in the fact that I am there a lot, and it is a community that I am a part of. However, at home, my house, I am able to relax and simply be. At school and work, I am always busy, with no time to sit and not do anything. The more I am working, (at a job or at school) the more I am starting to value that fact that I have a place to just be to myself and ignore the craziness of the world, even if just for a few minutes. I also value sleep more and more, for it is the true relaxation time. It is my meditation time where I get to clear myself of the day's troubles.
If we do move to a new house, will it feel like home? I remember when my grandparents moved about five years ago. Every time we visited them for about a year, I was surprised to go to the new house. I was expecting to go to their old house. Even now, after visiting many times, it still feels different there, like it's not really their house. When we move, will it feel like ours? I will only be there for less than two years, so it might not for me. It will help that we will move while I am still living with my parents. My brother, on the other hand, has been gone for a few years, and the new house will probably be really, really different for him.
As Dorothy put it, there's no place like home, so I guess we'll just have to adapt and figure out a way to make the new house our home. After all, home is where you make it. So mama, I'm coming home.
"Home is where you make it"
"Mama, I'm coming home"
These are some great quotes. Everyone should know the first one. It's from a pretty well known movie: The Wizard of Oz. Sound familiar? The second one is also from a movie, but maybe not as mainstream as the Wizard of Oz. That quote is actually one of my favorite lines from one of my favorite movies, Joe Dirt. (Pronounced Joe Deertay, I believe) Finally, the last quote is from an Ozzy Osbourne song. It really has nothing to do with what I'm going to talk about except it says the word home in it. I only put it because it came into my head when I started writing.
These famous sayings are used a lot, but I am curious as to how much any of us actually think about these. I have to admit, I never really think about these, but recently I have been. (Wow, tonight's just a song fest! "Recently I've been" is the start of the DMB song Recently) Firstly, I'm never at my official home anymore, for I'm always either at school or working. This leads me to my second point: I have developed other homes. At times, it feels like school is my home, and often, I do think of it as my second home. Also, we are trying to sell our house and move to a better house. I wonder if the new house will feel like home? I've lived here for nine years, so the short year and a half might not be enough to transition into the new house.
In this year, 2009, people are really busy! Many years ago, a home was where a family lived, worked, and played. The kids might have gone to school somewhere else, but a lot of time was spent at home. In current times, though, "home" has become a more ambiguous term. Does it mean a house? Just a place to sleep at night? Every person's definition of what home is may be different. Does "home" constitute a building? A town? I guess that's where the crazy guy from Joe Dirt comes in. In the movie, he tells Joe, "Home is where you make it," when Joe is trying to find his parents' old house. Joe had lived in many different places, but he still felt like he didn't have a home because he didn't know his parents. So maybe one's true home is where their parents are, their origins.
For me, even though I may be at school and work for a huge part of the day, I still consider my home to be my house. School is a home in the fact that I am there a lot, and it is a community that I am a part of. However, at home, my house, I am able to relax and simply be. At school and work, I am always busy, with no time to sit and not do anything. The more I am working, (at a job or at school) the more I am starting to value that fact that I have a place to just be to myself and ignore the craziness of the world, even if just for a few minutes. I also value sleep more and more, for it is the true relaxation time. It is my meditation time where I get to clear myself of the day's troubles.
If we do move to a new house, will it feel like home? I remember when my grandparents moved about five years ago. Every time we visited them for about a year, I was surprised to go to the new house. I was expecting to go to their old house. Even now, after visiting many times, it still feels different there, like it's not really their house. When we move, will it feel like ours? I will only be there for less than two years, so it might not for me. It will help that we will move while I am still living with my parents. My brother, on the other hand, has been gone for a few years, and the new house will probably be really, really different for him.
As Dorothy put it, there's no place like home, so I guess we'll just have to adapt and figure out a way to make the new house our home. After all, home is where you make it. So mama, I'm coming home.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
My Night With the Police, Part Deux
We had to find a restroom. Where are restrooms when you are on the road? In the gas station, of course! We got to Casey's, and as I got out of the car to go in, I heard, "Wait." It was Officer Long. We got back in the car, and I didn't realize where we were going until we were almost there. Of course, when the poor officer had to pee, we got called back to Mommy and Man. This time Mommy had called in saying that Man had done something to hurt the daughter. Officer Long, having been on the job for 11 years, realized that Mommy probably just wanted Man out of the apartment. Guess what?! The woman was right, for when she got back in the car the second time, she told me that, once again, they told the couple that as officers, they can't force the man to leave his place of residence. (which the apartment was, because Mommy had let him live there for a time)
More importantly, though, we still had to pee. "Let's try this other gas station this time," Officer Long tells me. Guppy's On The Go was the name, and peeing was the game. Eventually, though, we left, with the addition of a Mountain Dew and some turkey bites to our party. She let me try some of the turkey, and it was actually pretty good, considering it came prepackaged from the cooler at a gas station. We then proceeded to see some of the flooded homes in the area. It was amazing how different one street was from the next. We would drive down one street, and see many houses that were rebuilt, and then turn the corner, and every house was still in ruins. The best flood house she showed me was one that was being worked on. The construction crew must have been doing something with the foundation, though, because it was jacked up about 15 feet in the air! It was one of the craziest things I have ever seen in my city. The house was sitting on four columns of wooden beams, and my jaw was sitting on the floor.
Then the fun started. Officer Long told me that she doesn't normally do traffic stops in the rain, but she would for me. How nice. So we waited near a four way stop. It wasn't really a fair game, though, because two of the four ways were blocked off, and the intersection was just an L instead of a +. Within a minute of us stopping there, someone drove by and barely stopped at the stop sign, but she decided not to pursue that one; we could easily have gotten ten if we wanted. Shortly after, some chick in a VW flew by, and went right through the intersection, stopping only enough to turn under control.
On went the lights! Down went the pedal! I have never been in a car that was as recklessly (but under control) driven as that police car was. We flew to catch up to the lady, who was going kind of fast. The funny thing was that when asked if she knew why she was pulled over, she said she was speeding. Well thanks for admitting that, too, but she really got pulled over for not stopping. Officer Long was nice, though, and let her off with a warning in spite of her poor driving record.
The rest of the night was good, fun, and educational, but not quite as exciting. I received a personal tour of the county jail and the city police station. It was very good, as a citizen of the two domains, to see what all of our money funds. All things considered, it was a very enjoyable night, and I wish I could do it again. Thank you Five Seasons Leadership, CRPD and Lt. Fitzpatrick, and Officer Long.
More importantly, though, we still had to pee. "Let's try this other gas station this time," Officer Long tells me. Guppy's On The Go was the name, and peeing was the game. Eventually, though, we left, with the addition of a Mountain Dew and some turkey bites to our party. She let me try some of the turkey, and it was actually pretty good, considering it came prepackaged from the cooler at a gas station. We then proceeded to see some of the flooded homes in the area. It was amazing how different one street was from the next. We would drive down one street, and see many houses that were rebuilt, and then turn the corner, and every house was still in ruins. The best flood house she showed me was one that was being worked on. The construction crew must have been doing something with the foundation, though, because it was jacked up about 15 feet in the air! It was one of the craziest things I have ever seen in my city. The house was sitting on four columns of wooden beams, and my jaw was sitting on the floor.
Then the fun started. Officer Long told me that she doesn't normally do traffic stops in the rain, but she would for me. How nice. So we waited near a four way stop. It wasn't really a fair game, though, because two of the four ways were blocked off, and the intersection was just an L instead of a +. Within a minute of us stopping there, someone drove by and barely stopped at the stop sign, but she decided not to pursue that one; we could easily have gotten ten if we wanted. Shortly after, some chick in a VW flew by, and went right through the intersection, stopping only enough to turn under control.
On went the lights! Down went the pedal! I have never been in a car that was as recklessly (but under control) driven as that police car was. We flew to catch up to the lady, who was going kind of fast. The funny thing was that when asked if she knew why she was pulled over, she said she was speeding. Well thanks for admitting that, too, but she really got pulled over for not stopping. Officer Long was nice, though, and let her off with a warning in spite of her poor driving record.
The rest of the night was good, fun, and educational, but not quite as exciting. I received a personal tour of the county jail and the city police station. It was very good, as a citizen of the two domains, to see what all of our money funds. All things considered, it was a very enjoyable night, and I wish I could do it again. Thank you Five Seasons Leadership, CRPD and Lt. Fitzpatrick, and Officer Long.
My Night With the Police
The other night, I got to go for a ride in a police car.
No, not because I was bad. If you know me, you know that I am not like that. As this kid from work would say, I am "One of those good juniors". Being a good junior was actually what got me the chance to do the ride along. I am part of this leadership group in the city, and they set up ride alongs for anyone who wanted to do it.
On Thursday, I arrived at the police station five minutes before 4:00, right when they told me to be there. Actually, I had to speed to get there in time. Luckily, no one asked about that, and I didn't tell. So I got there at 4:00, and filled out the sheet of paper that the receptionist gave me, and waited. Come 4:15, I was still waiting. Around rolled 4:30, and I'm still patiently sitting in the PD lobby, wondering if I will ever get to go for my ride. After all, I had homework to do that night!
Finally, Officer Long came out the door to get me. She told me that she was sorry, and that she had to make some phone calls, which was what made her late. Once we got in the car, I realized that this cop was cool, and I was going to enjoy being in her car. We pulled up to her normal car in order to get some papers. I waited to see which car she would go to. In the vicinity there were a couple choices: a pickup, a jeep, a minivan, and a bright orange mustang. Yeah, she chose the mustang. I would later realize that she is a dog lover and a football fan, as well as owned a cooler car than all the macho policemen.
Throughout the ride, she was extremely easy to get along with. She answered all of my questions, let me eat (when we stopped at McDonald's for a call, only to find the people had left), joked with me about the people, gave me one of her turkey bites, and even showed me some of the flood zone. Not only was I lucky to be able to go on the ride, but I was extremely lucky to get such a cool partner.
During the ride, we saw some...odd... people, and even heard about some cases that made us either roll our eyes or raise our eyebrows. To start the night off, we sat for about thirty minutes on the side of the interstate, in the middle of the most dangerous section that passes through downtown. In the rain. The only reason we stayed was to make sure no one "crunched" the car that we was to be towed. Basically, we were there to get hit, but we survived. Right away, we went to the McDonald's case. There was supposed to be a disturbance between a mother and daughter in the restaurant, but we got there and nobody was there. I got to get some food, and then we left for a domestic disturbance.
This case was the first one that made us just roll our eyes. The reason we were called there was because a girl had called saying that a man was pushing mommy. A very valid reason for the police to arrive, I would say. However, when the officers got back (two officers go because they don't know what to expect, and I waited in the car), I learned that the man was actually mommy's boyfriend, and they were breaking up. Mommy was jealous because he was with another woman. Oh yeah, Mommy was pregnant with the man's baby, as well. So the officers told them to figure it out, as they can't make him leave his place of residence.
At this point, Officer Long had to pee....
No, not because I was bad. If you know me, you know that I am not like that. As this kid from work would say, I am "One of those good juniors". Being a good junior was actually what got me the chance to do the ride along. I am part of this leadership group in the city, and they set up ride alongs for anyone who wanted to do it.
On Thursday, I arrived at the police station five minutes before 4:00, right when they told me to be there. Actually, I had to speed to get there in time. Luckily, no one asked about that, and I didn't tell. So I got there at 4:00, and filled out the sheet of paper that the receptionist gave me, and waited. Come 4:15, I was still waiting. Around rolled 4:30, and I'm still patiently sitting in the PD lobby, wondering if I will ever get to go for my ride. After all, I had homework to do that night!
Finally, Officer Long came out the door to get me. She told me that she was sorry, and that she had to make some phone calls, which was what made her late. Once we got in the car, I realized that this cop was cool, and I was going to enjoy being in her car. We pulled up to her normal car in order to get some papers. I waited to see which car she would go to. In the vicinity there were a couple choices: a pickup, a jeep, a minivan, and a bright orange mustang. Yeah, she chose the mustang. I would later realize that she is a dog lover and a football fan, as well as owned a cooler car than all the macho policemen.
Throughout the ride, she was extremely easy to get along with. She answered all of my questions, let me eat (when we stopped at McDonald's for a call, only to find the people had left), joked with me about the people, gave me one of her turkey bites, and even showed me some of the flood zone. Not only was I lucky to be able to go on the ride, but I was extremely lucky to get such a cool partner.
During the ride, we saw some...odd... people, and even heard about some cases that made us either roll our eyes or raise our eyebrows. To start the night off, we sat for about thirty minutes on the side of the interstate, in the middle of the most dangerous section that passes through downtown. In the rain. The only reason we stayed was to make sure no one "crunched" the car that we was to be towed. Basically, we were there to get hit, but we survived. Right away, we went to the McDonald's case. There was supposed to be a disturbance between a mother and daughter in the restaurant, but we got there and nobody was there. I got to get some food, and then we left for a domestic disturbance.
This case was the first one that made us just roll our eyes. The reason we were called there was because a girl had called saying that a man was pushing mommy. A very valid reason for the police to arrive, I would say. However, when the officers got back (two officers go because they don't know what to expect, and I waited in the car), I learned that the man was actually mommy's boyfriend, and they were breaking up. Mommy was jealous because he was with another woman. Oh yeah, Mommy was pregnant with the man's baby, as well. So the officers told them to figure it out, as they can't make him leave his place of residence.
At this point, Officer Long had to pee....
Sunday, October 18, 2009
I Overrate Your Underestimation!
Recently, I have really thought that the college football polls have disrespected Iowa. The team has won every game this year, and against some tough opponents, yet was still ranked lower than teams that have losses! Some teams get preferential treatment in these polls, though. For example, whoever was good the previous year is automatically assumed to be amazing the following year. However, each year brings with it a brand new team. They might have the same system and style, but the dynamic usually changes. Some teams have managed to weather this storm of change and stay in the top echelon, like USC for this whole decade, Florida, and even Ohio State.
For the last few weeks, I have been disappointed that these teams have been so highly favored in the polls, because I believe each season should be a fresh start. As the season progresses, though, it is becoming more clear as to who is good this year. Iowa, now that they are one of the few teams to be 7-0, is finally in the top ten, where I believe they deserve to be. True, the victories haven't been pretty, by many small margins, but they've won. They won each and every game through sheer perserverance, and now, that has paid off in visible ways, with the poll voters giving them the credit they deserve. I underestimated the poll voters, but now, I realize that the season must unfold in order to discover who is the best, and now, halfway through the season, we are at that point. Shame on me for judging the poor sports writers.
For the last few weeks, I have been disappointed that these teams have been so highly favored in the polls, because I believe each season should be a fresh start. As the season progresses, though, it is becoming more clear as to who is good this year. Iowa, now that they are one of the few teams to be 7-0, is finally in the top ten, where I believe they deserve to be. True, the victories haven't been pretty, by many small margins, but they've won. They won each and every game through sheer perserverance, and now, that has paid off in visible ways, with the poll voters giving them the credit they deserve. I underestimated the poll voters, but now, I realize that the season must unfold in order to discover who is the best, and now, halfway through the season, we are at that point. Shame on me for judging the poor sports writers.
Balloon Fun
Over the last few days, I'm sure you have heard something about the "Balloon Boy", or something about the story. (CNN Thursday Denver Post Saturday) To abbreviate, on Thursday, in Fort Collins, Colorado, a weather balloon of sorts took off from the Heene home, and traveled sixty miles. During the flight, the family called the police in fear that a son, Falcon, was in the balloon. After police chased the balloon for hours, it landed, and the boy was nowhere to be found other than in the Heene attic. He said that he was hiding there because his dad yelled at him, and that it was "for the show". Now, police are looking to file charges on Richard Heene, and there is much speculation that the whole fiasco was a publicity stunt. After all, the family has been on ABC's Wife Swap, and Richard has attempted to make several science based shows, similar to Bill Nye. The weather balloon was one of his experiments, but was only designed to lift twenty feet off the ground, but the rigging to hold it in place failed, releasing it, and the Heene family, to the world.
Today, the country sheriff, Jim Alderden confirmed that the event was a hoax, a publicity stunt to put the family in a better position to star in a reality show. CNN reports: "The parents, Richard and Mayumi Heene, met in a Hollywood acting school and 'put on a very good show for us,' Alderden said. Authorities know there was 'a conspiracy' between them, he added." The speculation started on Larry King Live, when the boy said the statement about it being, "for the show", and now, it is for certain. The parents met in acting school, and this whole event was probably planned, staged out in a way that they thought would be good for their family. Unfortunately, it has turned out badly. Their front has been revealed, and now, one of them could be going to jail.
What would push someone to commit such an unbelievable act? To commit a fake for personal benefit? I can't believe that they take people like the Heenes take these things lightly. Being on TV is probably all they think about, something they devote huge amounts of time to. You can see from their history that it is something they have tried, and been moderately successful at. They did make it on Wife Swap, but not much else. Richard's feeble attempts at educational science failed miserably, possibly forcing them to drastic measures, just like other fakers of deaths and missing persons.
Remember this face? She is the infamous "Run Away Bride" Jennifer Wilbanks from a few years ago. The woman just didn't want to marry, so she ran away four days before the wedding. She then called the fiancé three days later to falsely claim that she had been kidnapped and assaulted by a Hispanic man. Well, that was a lie, and she also was charged. She could have received up to five years in jail for her little adventure, but instead got two years probation, 120 hours community service, and $2,250 to the sheriff's department.
Only a few minutes ago, I was reading about how the brains of teenagers are not developed enough to make rational decisions. This is because the frontal lobes don't completely mature until around age 25. I'm not an expert, but as an attempt to explain their behavior, maybe the frontal lobes of the Heenes and Jennifer Wilbanks never finished developing. Their decisions and actions were clearly irrational. Some people might even think that their actions were very unwise, and not worthy of the consequences. But who knows? People in today's world do many irrational things. They may not be as publicized or as drastic, but they're still simply against the "normal" thinking of what is acceptable.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Cultural Comedy
Please, watch the following video before reading the rest of the post. Without viewing, the post will make no sense.
In the United States, we love our comedy. Nearly every night of the week and weekend, you can find a comedy program or two on the "big three" networks: ABC, NBC, and CBS. For those of us lucky enough to have cable or satellite, we even have a whole channel devoted to comedy! Comedy has in some ways, infiltrated our lives, with many people recieving news through the Daily Show, Colbert Report, and the late-night shows, because that's what people want to watch.
Throughout the years, American television has done some pretty crazy things to get people to laugh. Launched in 1989 with one Bob Saget hosting, America's Funniest Home Videos shows purely home videos of people doing really funny things. The show has since had 4 different hosts, and is still running. Twenty years' worth of funny home videos, and we still love it. Long, long, long before AFV, in 1947, there was a radio show called Candid Microphone. This program was the predecessor to the television show Candid Camera, which aired from 1948 until 2004. This show was also based on videos, but the people didn't know they were being taped, which made it so hilarious! For a few more recent years, the show Punk'd with Ashton Kutcher also featured videos of people, but with pranks being pulled on celebrities.
Today, our comedy show are varied, from AFV to talk shows to sitcoms. Some of the more daring shows have pushed people to the edge in order to make the audience laugh, like Punk'd and Candid Camera, but they still have limitations. In the US, we are incredibly worried about violating others' rights, trying to keep them happy. When we collectively decide that an action was unacceptable, we have no problem with raising hell. While our television isn't as censored as some countries', there are certain words that can't be said, and certain things that can't be done, and with the varied beliefs of our country, somebody will be offended no matter what is done.
The video of the Japanese prank show pushes the poor man nearly over the edge of fear. It's hard for me to say if this would, or could, be done in the US, due to the uproar that could come from it. I've seen fake robberies, but not anything as graphic as this prank. Just put yourself in that man's place. You go to an interview, just like a normal day. Suddenly, there are shots fired, and the people around you drop "dead", bleeding from their "gunshot wounds". I would have reacted exactly the same as the man in the video.
While I understand that the prank was all in good fun, the fun wasn't so good. If that man was a stranger, with the production crew having no information on how he might react, who knows what could have happened. He could have fainted, had a heart attack, a panic attack, or any number of stress reactions. That would not have been funny. At least not in the United States of America.
Never having been to Japan, I don't know their culture and what they find acceptable. Putting someone through stress like that in this country wouldn't be taken very lightly. I confess, I did laugh at first, but then I thought of what that must have been like, and then I felt bad for him, even angry at the people who staged it. The Japanese may have a different view, though, and that is just one simple (or not) example of how two cultures can be radically different.
In the United States, we love our comedy. Nearly every night of the week and weekend, you can find a comedy program or two on the "big three" networks: ABC, NBC, and CBS. For those of us lucky enough to have cable or satellite, we even have a whole channel devoted to comedy! Comedy has in some ways, infiltrated our lives, with many people recieving news through the Daily Show, Colbert Report, and the late-night shows, because that's what people want to watch.
Throughout the years, American television has done some pretty crazy things to get people to laugh. Launched in 1989 with one Bob Saget hosting, America's Funniest Home Videos shows purely home videos of people doing really funny things. The show has since had 4 different hosts, and is still running. Twenty years' worth of funny home videos, and we still love it. Long, long, long before AFV, in 1947, there was a radio show called Candid Microphone. This program was the predecessor to the television show Candid Camera, which aired from 1948 until 2004. This show was also based on videos, but the people didn't know they were being taped, which made it so hilarious! For a few more recent years, the show Punk'd with Ashton Kutcher also featured videos of people, but with pranks being pulled on celebrities.
Today, our comedy show are varied, from AFV to talk shows to sitcoms. Some of the more daring shows have pushed people to the edge in order to make the audience laugh, like Punk'd and Candid Camera, but they still have limitations. In the US, we are incredibly worried about violating others' rights, trying to keep them happy. When we collectively decide that an action was unacceptable, we have no problem with raising hell. While our television isn't as censored as some countries', there are certain words that can't be said, and certain things that can't be done, and with the varied beliefs of our country, somebody will be offended no matter what is done.
The video of the Japanese prank show pushes the poor man nearly over the edge of fear. It's hard for me to say if this would, or could, be done in the US, due to the uproar that could come from it. I've seen fake robberies, but not anything as graphic as this prank. Just put yourself in that man's place. You go to an interview, just like a normal day. Suddenly, there are shots fired, and the people around you drop "dead", bleeding from their "gunshot wounds". I would have reacted exactly the same as the man in the video.
While I understand that the prank was all in good fun, the fun wasn't so good. If that man was a stranger, with the production crew having no information on how he might react, who knows what could have happened. He could have fainted, had a heart attack, a panic attack, or any number of stress reactions. That would not have been funny. At least not in the United States of America.
Never having been to Japan, I don't know their culture and what they find acceptable. Putting someone through stress like that in this country wouldn't be taken very lightly. I confess, I did laugh at first, but then I thought of what that must have been like, and then I felt bad for him, even angry at the people who staged it. The Japanese may have a different view, though, and that is just one simple (or not) example of how two cultures can be radically different.
Monday, October 12, 2009
88 Key Staircase
I just found this video, and I think it is amazing how easy it was to change people without them knowing it. It makes you wonder what we do everyday that is controlled by someone else?? Here it is, courtesy of Volkswagon via YouTube:
Isn't that just crazy? At the beginning of the video, the escalator is full to the point that no more people could possibly fit on it. After the stairs get done up to look, and more importantly, sound like a piano, nearly everyone takes the stairs.
Not only are there people who stop and look at the piano, take it all in, and then decide to try it out. There are also people who are presumably doing business, walking from place A to place B. These people might take the stairs normally (because the escalator is normally bursting with lazy people), but the fact that there are more people on the stairs may give them reason to expend the energy needed to traverse the stairs. Their thinking could be something like:
Wow, there are a lot of people on the stairs, and oh, the stairs look like a piano. Hey! I hear a piano. Oh, it's from the people walking on the piano stairs. I'll just take it and see what happens. What is there to lose?
If someone's really busy, not worrying about stairs v. escalator, they may not even realize that they're walking up a piano and that with every step, they play a C scale. These people are too preoccupied with their cell phone, and just see the people running up and down the stairs (attempting to play Chopin). Unconsciously, they decide that if they take the stairs, they will have fun, too.
That is why I think there are so many more people on the stairs at the end of the video. First, observant individuals are drawn to the piano, placed there by someone else. Then the non-observant, focused people are drawn to the stairs without even thinking about it, because someone else is having fun. It is almost a form of learning through observation. In one of my favorite videos (sans music), even though, there really is no string, most people step over it. Some of these people don't even look down, they just do it because they saw someone else do it.
To mix the two examples, I would like to see if people will skip a step if you color it differently and skip it? Let's try it! Unless you have other ideas... I'll take suggestions.
Isn't that just crazy? At the beginning of the video, the escalator is full to the point that no more people could possibly fit on it. After the stairs get done up to look, and more importantly, sound like a piano, nearly everyone takes the stairs.
Not only are there people who stop and look at the piano, take it all in, and then decide to try it out. There are also people who are presumably doing business, walking from place A to place B. These people might take the stairs normally (because the escalator is normally bursting with lazy people), but the fact that there are more people on the stairs may give them reason to expend the energy needed to traverse the stairs. Their thinking could be something like:
Wow, there are a lot of people on the stairs, and oh, the stairs look like a piano. Hey! I hear a piano. Oh, it's from the people walking on the piano stairs. I'll just take it and see what happens. What is there to lose?
If someone's really busy, not worrying about stairs v. escalator, they may not even realize that they're walking up a piano and that with every step, they play a C scale. These people are too preoccupied with their cell phone, and just see the people running up and down the stairs (attempting to play Chopin). Unconsciously, they decide that if they take the stairs, they will have fun, too.
That is why I think there are so many more people on the stairs at the end of the video. First, observant individuals are drawn to the piano, placed there by someone else. Then the non-observant, focused people are drawn to the stairs without even thinking about it, because someone else is having fun. It is almost a form of learning through observation. In one of my favorite videos (sans music), even though, there really is no string, most people step over it. Some of these people don't even look down, they just do it because they saw someone else do it.
To mix the two examples, I would like to see if people will skip a step if you color it differently and skip it? Let's try it! Unless you have other ideas... I'll take suggestions.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Stop. Think. Focus.
I try not to post too much about me, although I do use examples from my own life, because after all, it is the one I know best. Also, I refuse to write about blogging. I will do it right now, and never again, because it applies not only to writing, but to my life.
Thus far, my writing has been moderately unfocused. My goal from here on out is to narrow it down a little. The blog title is Oddities Humanus, and at the onset, I wanted to write about funny things that people do, and I would like to continue that, but I would like to add, or reiterate a focus of the writing. The question is: Why? Let's use the post Just For Laughs as an example. I do not want to simply discuss why these men would make dating videos, but is there a reason that makes them do it, only because they're human. Is there something present in all humans that would push us to do this?
Focus is also needed in my life and the lives of many people out there. Epidemic in high schools is the urge to get involved, which is awesome for many reasons. Incoming freshman don't know everyone who is in their class, and at a big school, they probably never will, but if they get involved in a ton of activities right away, they meet people. A wide variety of activities also helps one find things that they're good at and that they enjoy. After some time, though, kids get in a group and have friends. Most students at this point probably have a good idea of what they're good at and what they enjoy.
It is at this crossroads when one must decide (because you can't be good at everything), whether to continue involvement in a wide variety of activites, and not focus on some or all, or narrow the use of your time, and become your best at one or two. I'm not saying a student couldn't still be involved in multiple things. Instead, I am suggesting that people find what they need to be spending their time on, and focus. I think that everyone has the desire to be good at something, for their skills to be needed, and focusing our use of time helps us to fulfill that desire, and become the best we can be.
What people need, other than their job or focus activity (if in school), is a hobby. Some people build things, some people write songs, and some people excercise. I would consider a hobby anything that you spend considerable time on regularly outside of your day job. Hobbies help to be a release from the daily grind, and sometimes to release creativity that isn't used at work. Long story short, I think I need a hobby. I am involved in a lot of things, and I'm ok with that, but I would like something that I can do that I can call mine. In the meantime, I will try and keep my writing focused.
Thus far, my writing has been moderately unfocused. My goal from here on out is to narrow it down a little. The blog title is Oddities Humanus, and at the onset, I wanted to write about funny things that people do, and I would like to continue that, but I would like to add, or reiterate a focus of the writing. The question is: Why? Let's use the post Just For Laughs as an example. I do not want to simply discuss why these men would make dating videos, but is there a reason that makes them do it, only because they're human. Is there something present in all humans that would push us to do this?
Focus is also needed in my life and the lives of many people out there. Epidemic in high schools is the urge to get involved, which is awesome for many reasons. Incoming freshman don't know everyone who is in their class, and at a big school, they probably never will, but if they get involved in a ton of activities right away, they meet people. A wide variety of activities also helps one find things that they're good at and that they enjoy. After some time, though, kids get in a group and have friends. Most students at this point probably have a good idea of what they're good at and what they enjoy.
It is at this crossroads when one must decide (because you can't be good at everything), whether to continue involvement in a wide variety of activites, and not focus on some or all, or narrow the use of your time, and become your best at one or two. I'm not saying a student couldn't still be involved in multiple things. Instead, I am suggesting that people find what they need to be spending their time on, and focus. I think that everyone has the desire to be good at something, for their skills to be needed, and focusing our use of time helps us to fulfill that desire, and become the best we can be.
What people need, other than their job or focus activity (if in school), is a hobby. Some people build things, some people write songs, and some people excercise. I would consider a hobby anything that you spend considerable time on regularly outside of your day job. Hobbies help to be a release from the daily grind, and sometimes to release creativity that isn't used at work. Long story short, I think I need a hobby. I am involved in a lot of things, and I'm ok with that, but I would like something that I can do that I can call mine. In the meantime, I will try and keep my writing focused.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Luck
More left-brained people might say that luck doesn't exist, that everything is based on chance and events are only coincidence. Others, myself included, say that sometimes things just work out for some people, and can't be coincidence. Sometimes, unexplainable things happen, and sometimes in sequences that just shouldn't happen normally. People probably aren't predisposed to be lucky or not, but it sure does seem like some people just get everything to go the right way, if only for a period of time. If you think that you're in one of those phases where things happen to work the right way, thank somebody, and take advantage of it, because you never know if it will happen again.
Speak up, for everyone's sake!
Washing dishes isn't very much fun. This is a fact of life, as no one that I know enjoys washing dishes. Too bad for me, though, because it's my job if I like it or not. My problem though, and the problem of many people, is that I'm shy, at least in certain situations. I have wanted to express my feelings to my boss that I just don't want to wash dishes forever, and I am planning on doing just that very soon, but so far, I've been too shy to say anything. Alas, this is the plight of many people out there who have opinions, but are too shy or scared to do anything about it.
Everyone has opinions on everything, it's just the way we are as humans. Sometimes our opinions appear through our words and actions. Other times, and maybe more often, our thoughts aren't shared, because while we do have an emotional connection to them, there simply isn't a good enough reason to flaunt them, no current to take us over the waterfall. For example, my parents do a lot of stuff that annoys me, but it's so trivial that I don't say anything to them. Instead, I keep it inside and either let it eat at me, or decide that it's just too small to worry about and decide to laugh about it.
There are people that are not scared to express their beliefs in any situation. Sometimes, this can be a real benefit, because they feel satisfied that everyone has heard their opinion. After all, how many times have you kept something to yourself and regretted it later (an example of harmful shyness)? I know I've done it countless times. Other times, though, being too outspoken is dangerous, for people don't like the one who always has to defend their case, who never gives in. In this way, shyness can be good.
On the flip side, there is a way to be very non-outspoken. Some individuals don't speak up enough, therefore their thoughts don't get heard. What if their thinking was beneficial to the group as a whole? This is why I think it is good for everyone to be outspoken, but not over-spoken. It will never be balanced, though; the more outspoken people will be the leaders of the group, and a balance of opinions is reached.
Everyone has opinions on everything, it's just the way we are as humans. Sometimes our opinions appear through our words and actions. Other times, and maybe more often, our thoughts aren't shared, because while we do have an emotional connection to them, there simply isn't a good enough reason to flaunt them, no current to take us over the waterfall. For example, my parents do a lot of stuff that annoys me, but it's so trivial that I don't say anything to them. Instead, I keep it inside and either let it eat at me, or decide that it's just too small to worry about and decide to laugh about it.
There are people that are not scared to express their beliefs in any situation. Sometimes, this can be a real benefit, because they feel satisfied that everyone has heard their opinion. After all, how many times have you kept something to yourself and regretted it later (an example of harmful shyness)? I know I've done it countless times. Other times, though, being too outspoken is dangerous, for people don't like the one who always has to defend their case, who never gives in. In this way, shyness can be good.
On the flip side, there is a way to be very non-outspoken. Some individuals don't speak up enough, therefore their thoughts don't get heard. What if their thinking was beneficial to the group as a whole? This is why I think it is good for everyone to be outspoken, but not over-spoken. It will never be balanced, though; the more outspoken people will be the leaders of the group, and a balance of opinions is reached.
Jitters Yield Rewards
I am a violinist. As a violinist, I have a wide array of performance opportunities for me to participate in. For the last eight I have been a soloist, and played in competitions solely for a grade. For the last six years I have been an orchestra member, allowing me to play different music in a large group. Two years ago, I was a quartet member, played a fun piece, and had a great time in the intimate setting that chamber music is. The last two months, though, I have been a part of something totally new and different.
Starting this summer, I have been a part of our fall musical, titled I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change.
The show is awesome in many, many ways. First of all, it is downright hilarious. Even after seeing the whole show seemingly hundreds of times, I still laughed during the final show. Also, the way the show is written in a style that is very intimate with the actors and the audience. It is normally only a cast of four, but we used up to twelve in certain scenes.
As a musician, the music in the show is incredible. Written by Jimmy Roberts, the music varies from scene to scene. One scene may have a slow, dramatic sound, and the next may be a tango, for example. As a violinist, I love the fact that the orchestra consists of merely a piano and a violin. This means that I get to shine as the only violin, but I am not playing solo. In this show, I have been blessed with an amazing piano player that literally runs the show. She plays scene changes, decides the tempo, and generally coordinates the music.
This whole concept of show music and near-solo work is totally new to me, and is very exciting. In an orchestra, you have to blend, and don't get to play out to show your skills. As a soloist, you get to show your skills, but your mistakes are much more noticeable. I think that many people, especially performers, would agree that it is much better to be able to shine than to simply be assigned the same task as everyone else.
How does one then shine during performances? What do performers and people do to cope with the stress and excitement of the final presentation of their work? During our show, I saw the cast and crew dealing with the pressure with several different methods. One very popular way was to busy their selves with something to keep their mind off of the show. Some people brought laptops, some brought games, books, iPods, etc. Another method was to go at the performance head-on (apply directly to the forehead), by focusing on what they were going to be doing by practice and preparation. Rituals are another method of dealing with stress. Some people believe that doing something that worked when they succeeded will help them succeed again. Even though a performer may try to cope with the stress, rarely does it disappear entirely. The nerves show through when one paces, twiddles their thumbs, or bites their fingernails. It happens to everyone and is controllable, but incurable.
Why would humans feel stress when they are about to perform? Simple: we humans don't like to fail, and we especially don't like to be ridiculed for it. We would much rather succeed by incredible measures, and when we do, it gives us great pleasure. For me, it is the satisfaction that all the hard work I've done, the long hours I've put in, the sacrifices that I have made, all paid off in the end. I'm not one to show off very often, and I didn't even think of it before the show, but afterwards, many people came up to me and said that I was really good and that I was a huge part of the show. Some friends even told me that they didn't realize I was that good. These are the most valuable rewards for me. To hear someone tell me that they think I am good is nice, as they could be telling the truth, or they could just be saying that because it's customary. However, when a friend, someone who knows me, says that they didn't know I was that good, I feel like that are telling the truth, and I am very grateful.
Starting this summer, I have been a part of our fall musical, titled I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change.
The show is awesome in many, many ways. First of all, it is downright hilarious. Even after seeing the whole show seemingly hundreds of times, I still laughed during the final show. Also, the way the show is written in a style that is very intimate with the actors and the audience. It is normally only a cast of four, but we used up to twelve in certain scenes.
As a musician, the music in the show is incredible. Written by Jimmy Roberts, the music varies from scene to scene. One scene may have a slow, dramatic sound, and the next may be a tango, for example. As a violinist, I love the fact that the orchestra consists of merely a piano and a violin. This means that I get to shine as the only violin, but I am not playing solo. In this show, I have been blessed with an amazing piano player that literally runs the show. She plays scene changes, decides the tempo, and generally coordinates the music.
This whole concept of show music and near-solo work is totally new to me, and is very exciting. In an orchestra, you have to blend, and don't get to play out to show your skills. As a soloist, you get to show your skills, but your mistakes are much more noticeable. I think that many people, especially performers, would agree that it is much better to be able to shine than to simply be assigned the same task as everyone else.
How does one then shine during performances? What do performers and people do to cope with the stress and excitement of the final presentation of their work? During our show, I saw the cast and crew dealing with the pressure with several different methods. One very popular way was to busy their selves with something to keep their mind off of the show. Some people brought laptops, some brought games, books, iPods, etc. Another method was to go at the performance head-on (apply directly to the forehead), by focusing on what they were going to be doing by practice and preparation. Rituals are another method of dealing with stress. Some people believe that doing something that worked when they succeeded will help them succeed again. Even though a performer may try to cope with the stress, rarely does it disappear entirely. The nerves show through when one paces, twiddles their thumbs, or bites their fingernails. It happens to everyone and is controllable, but incurable.
Why would humans feel stress when they are about to perform? Simple: we humans don't like to fail, and we especially don't like to be ridiculed for it. We would much rather succeed by incredible measures, and when we do, it gives us great pleasure. For me, it is the satisfaction that all the hard work I've done, the long hours I've put in, the sacrifices that I have made, all paid off in the end. I'm not one to show off very often, and I didn't even think of it before the show, but afterwards, many people came up to me and said that I was really good and that I was a huge part of the show. Some friends even told me that they didn't realize I was that good. These are the most valuable rewards for me. To hear someone tell me that they think I am good is nice, as they could be telling the truth, or they could just be saying that because it's customary. However, when a friend, someone who knows me, says that they didn't know I was that good, I feel like that are telling the truth, and I am very grateful.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Focus
Sometimes, a person loves something so much that it is all they think about. For my dad at the moment, it is fixing our house to sell, and finding the right house to move into. For me, at least until Friday, it was Dave Matthews Band. We had tickets for a few months to the show on Friday, and the closer the show came, the more obsessed I became.The picture above is the album cover from their latest release, Big Whiskey and the Groo Grux King . Friday's show was part of their 2009 summer tour supporting the album, which is largely about their late saxophonist, Leroi Moore. The show was a blast, and I will never forget it, but it's not the show that I want to discuss.
"Hype" can get really big. The hype in my life for this event was enormous. I thought about the show every day after we got tickets. I listened to DMB songs almost every day. The only CD for a straight two weeks was the new one, and it was the only thing that was played for those two weeks. I was more excited for this concert than I have been for nearly everything else that I've done. It ended up being one of the coolest things I've seen, right behind Africa (Which was also this year. Yeah, big year for the Irish American).
Not only was I excited, I was incredibly focused on it. I bought songs, learned their history, the members, and listened to them constantly. I have found that I get like this when I am truly excited for something. It was the same way with my Africa trip. My computer was only used to learn about South Africa, look at pictures of South Africa, and to learn what I would be doing in South Africa. If there is one way to tell how excited a person is for something, this has to be it. When they are completely taken over by the subject, they are truly excited. Other times, they may say they are excited, but maybe not as much as they could be.
It is focus that truly shows what we enjoy, because if we didn't love it, why would we focus on it? People who are incredibly good at what they do, are likely very focused in their work. They also likely enjoy their work tremendously, or else they wouldn't work so hard. Why would you develop a skill that you don't enjoy and isn't necessary to survive? True focus, in this way, is reserved only for the things which we love.
Psych Out
Our baseball coach often tells us, "Baseball is only ten percent physical, the other ninety percent is all mental." He says this because he wants us to realize that we have to be not only physically prepared, but to be mentally prepared and in a state to win. This manner of thought applies not only to baseball, though. It applies to nearly all facets of life.
Whenever I am scheduled to work and someone asks me to do something, I might tell them, "I have to work tonight." That is usually not the case though. I don't have to work. In fact, it is more truthful to simply say that I am going to work, or that I want to work. No one has to work. Ever. If you wanted to, you could never work a day in your life, but you wouldn't be very happy because you wouldn't have anything. Saying that one has to work is a mental "psych-out". By saying that you have to work, you don't look forward to working, to the reward you will get for your hard work come payday. This is why I now try my hardest to not say that I have to work, but instead that I am going to work, or that I work.
Similarly, people psych themselves out by saying that they can't do something before try, or that they don't like a certain food before they try it. I have done this myself on many occasions. Confidence, on the other hand, can foster success. If you go up to the plate planning on getting a hit, you have a better chance of getting one, simply because you have put your mind in a state that is ready to get a hit. If you go up to the plate hoping for a hit, or expecting a strikeout, you have put your mind in a state that won't get you a hit. You have psyched yourself out.
An example of my own psych-out or psych-up:
Often, I have a lot of homework. More than often, it is so much that it is challenging to finish all of it without staying up until two in the morning. Sometimes, I tell myself, "Oh wow, I don't think I'll get this done. What is the most imperative to get done first." While it is important to prioritize, I am likely going to not do the "less" important work. One thing I do that can be both good and bad, is that I set a goal for bedtime, usually 10:00. This goal sometimes ends up becoming an excuse for not doing some work. Other times, it helps me to get work done so that I can go to bed, for I value sleep more and more these days.
How do I mentally prepare for the work? If I am in an exceptionally good mood, and not tired of doing school work, I will tell myself, "OK, we're getting it done tonight, no matter what it takes." When I take this route, I get things done, even if I stay up late. This method is normally reserved for projects that I had put off until the last minute, but I have started to think that I should use it more often. Like baseball, I am physically prepared to do the work (other than when sleep deprivation kicks in, or my mind is shot from a long day at school), but I need to get mentally prepared to be productive, even if it is a challenge.
Whenever I am scheduled to work and someone asks me to do something, I might tell them, "I have to work tonight." That is usually not the case though. I don't have to work. In fact, it is more truthful to simply say that I am going to work, or that I want to work. No one has to work. Ever. If you wanted to, you could never work a day in your life, but you wouldn't be very happy because you wouldn't have anything. Saying that one has to work is a mental "psych-out". By saying that you have to work, you don't look forward to working, to the reward you will get for your hard work come payday. This is why I now try my hardest to not say that I have to work, but instead that I am going to work, or that I work.
Similarly, people psych themselves out by saying that they can't do something before try, or that they don't like a certain food before they try it. I have done this myself on many occasions. Confidence, on the other hand, can foster success. If you go up to the plate planning on getting a hit, you have a better chance of getting one, simply because you have put your mind in a state that is ready to get a hit. If you go up to the plate hoping for a hit, or expecting a strikeout, you have put your mind in a state that won't get you a hit. You have psyched yourself out.
An example of my own psych-out or psych-up:
Often, I have a lot of homework. More than often, it is so much that it is challenging to finish all of it without staying up until two in the morning. Sometimes, I tell myself, "Oh wow, I don't think I'll get this done. What is the most imperative to get done first." While it is important to prioritize, I am likely going to not do the "less" important work. One thing I do that can be both good and bad, is that I set a goal for bedtime, usually 10:00. This goal sometimes ends up becoming an excuse for not doing some work. Other times, it helps me to get work done so that I can go to bed, for I value sleep more and more these days.
How do I mentally prepare for the work? If I am in an exceptionally good mood, and not tired of doing school work, I will tell myself, "OK, we're getting it done tonight, no matter what it takes." When I take this route, I get things done, even if I stay up late. This method is normally reserved for projects that I had put off until the last minute, but I have started to think that I should use it more often. Like baseball, I am physically prepared to do the work (other than when sleep deprivation kicks in, or my mind is shot from a long day at school), but I need to get mentally prepared to be productive, even if it is a challenge.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Corn Diplomacy
50 years ago today, September 23, two days before my mother was born, Soviet Premier Nikita Krushchev was in my very own state of Iowa! Why, you ask, would a Soviet leader be in the meager state of Iowa? Well, Mr. Kruu.... was in a little town in Iowa called Coon Rapids, on a farm owned by one Roswell Garst.Mr. Garst did some pretty awesome things during his life. The man was an executive of a hybrid seed company, one of the largest at the time, but often used the business for other motives. He traveled throughout the United States and around the world advocating improved food production, including the use of hybrid corn technology. While traveling around the globe, Garst was more than a corn man, he was an ambassador. His work helped to improve food production in many countries, and he continued selling corn to the Soviet Union during the Cold War. In 1959, Garst hosted then Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev on his farm. This trip was very diplomatic during a time when relations between the US and the Soviet Union were rather tense.
Who would have thought that corn, a mere food plant, could create such diplomacy? I congratulate Roswell Garst for using his line of work to do something so great for the world. Garst used corn to improve the lives of people that he never knew, and probably people that weren't even born yet. He also used corn to create ties between countries at odds.
This what we need in today's world: unconventional diplomacy. You know, the sort of peace making that occurs not in the aristocracy of government, but among the multitudes of people. True, Krushchev was a government man, but he wasn't brought here by the President, but by a farmer and businessman. Garst was doing what he believed was right at that time, and it was a great move. Not only had the man improved agriculture in many countries, making food available for thousands, but now he had become a true diplomat. He brought the highest level official from a rather hostile country to the US, not to discuss politics (although it did come up), but to discuss business and agriculture. However, the visit ended up being a somewhat political event, bringing the two countries together. It was unconventional diplomacy, started by corn, that worked for Garst and the US then, so let's try some now and see what happens.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Applause
I would like to take a few moments to recognize everyone out there who puts effort into what they do, even if they're only good at that one thing. You are my kind of people. Talents should be taken advantage of, and the only way to use them is to put effort into that activity. There are people out there who seemingly float through life as if nothing matters, which is totally wrong. Everything matters; we are only here for a short time, so I believe everyone should use their gifts to do something productive for everyone who doesn't possess those talents. Most of us aren't able to produce beautiful music, but the people that show up on the radio and sell lots of music are people who use their talents to provide us all with music that we enjoy. Not all of us can perform surgery, but some are, and the ones that work hard to develop those talents help all of us simpletons lead healthy lives.
Within a week, three people have quit from my work. All three of these girls have held tons of jobs. They've had more jobs already at no more than 20 years old than I ever plan on having! I find it hard to believe that job-hopping from restaurant to restaurant is often considered developing your natural talents. This is why I applaud everyone out there who put in effort to be the best that they can be. These are the kind of people who hold jobs, and who eventually get promoted!
In school, there are two, possibly three general levels of effort. At the top of the scale are the kids who try hard to be the best. They participate in everything, take the tough classes. These kids care about school, and want to do well. The next level I would say contains the highest number of people. This level would be the kids who maybe don't enjoy school, but they still do their work, and participate in activities, because they like those more than the academics. Then there are the students who only go to school because they can't drop out for some reason. Kids in this category probably arrive at the bell and leave just after the last one. They take the easiest classes possible, and some don't even try in those courses. I'm definitely not saying that all kids fall into these categories, but I think that a fair few probably do
The last category is the one that I don't understand. I could be wrong, they could be focused on something that doesn't have to do with school at all but is still productive, and that's awesome. I support that, but I still think that if they can put effort into that activity, then they can put some sort of effort into school. It's the people that seem to not care about anything that I question. Some people only show up at school, nothing else, and then if they do work, they only do it for the money, and probably don't last anywhere for very long.
For me, I need the things I do to matter, either to me or to other people. I go to school because it will help me to achieve in the future. I volunteer because it helps people, and I enjoy it. I will admit, I go to work for the money, because after all, I don't plan to be working in a restaurant the rest of my life. However, I like to think that I don't slack off. This may be because I like to have things to do, but also because I think if I am getting paid to be there, I should be helping the restaurant be the best while I am there. I also don't like to let my co-workers or teammates down, so I try to do my part, as well as whatever else I can do to help.
Therefore, I appreciate everyone else out there who puts in effort, anyone who cares about what they do. If everyone put effort into something, especially something that they are talented at, we would have an awesome place to live in. There are plenty of ways to do something productive, and plenty of people out there to help, so it's just not good enough to wander through life. So, thank you if you're doing something for yourself or others. You rock!
Within a week, three people have quit from my work. All three of these girls have held tons of jobs. They've had more jobs already at no more than 20 years old than I ever plan on having! I find it hard to believe that job-hopping from restaurant to restaurant is often considered developing your natural talents. This is why I applaud everyone out there who put in effort to be the best that they can be. These are the kind of people who hold jobs, and who eventually get promoted!
In school, there are two, possibly three general levels of effort. At the top of the scale are the kids who try hard to be the best. They participate in everything, take the tough classes. These kids care about school, and want to do well. The next level I would say contains the highest number of people. This level would be the kids who maybe don't enjoy school, but they still do their work, and participate in activities, because they like those more than the academics. Then there are the students who only go to school because they can't drop out for some reason. Kids in this category probably arrive at the bell and leave just after the last one. They take the easiest classes possible, and some don't even try in those courses. I'm definitely not saying that all kids fall into these categories, but I think that a fair few probably do
The last category is the one that I don't understand. I could be wrong, they could be focused on something that doesn't have to do with school at all but is still productive, and that's awesome. I support that, but I still think that if they can put effort into that activity, then they can put some sort of effort into school. It's the people that seem to not care about anything that I question. Some people only show up at school, nothing else, and then if they do work, they only do it for the money, and probably don't last anywhere for very long.
For me, I need the things I do to matter, either to me or to other people. I go to school because it will help me to achieve in the future. I volunteer because it helps people, and I enjoy it. I will admit, I go to work for the money, because after all, I don't plan to be working in a restaurant the rest of my life. However, I like to think that I don't slack off. This may be because I like to have things to do, but also because I think if I am getting paid to be there, I should be helping the restaurant be the best while I am there. I also don't like to let my co-workers or teammates down, so I try to do my part, as well as whatever else I can do to help.
Therefore, I appreciate everyone else out there who puts in effort, anyone who cares about what they do. If everyone put effort into something, especially something that they are talented at, we would have an awesome place to live in. There are plenty of ways to do something productive, and plenty of people out there to help, so it's just not good enough to wander through life. So, thank you if you're doing something for yourself or others. You rock!
Just For Laughs
These days, we have many varied ways of communicating, mostly through the internet and the phone. On the internet we can find people that we have never met, something that is difficult to do over the phone unless you start pushing random buttons. These services have allowed us as humans to meet people that we normally wouldn't. However, 25 years ago, the internet wasn't available, so people either knew people, met them in person, or never knew them. How were you ever supposed to find your perfect match? It probably seemed like a daunting task until one day, someone thought to make these:
That must have solved the problem...
Look at those poor guys. We laugh at them now, with their funny clothes, dirty sanchezes, and their awesome hair-dos, but there are modern versions of these guys out there. Know anybody who is on E-harmony? How about anybody that puts personal ads in the paper?
I just wonder, why would these guys use this video-mate service, and tell the lady viewers that they wear funny socks? It seems like a waste of time, but I'll give these guys credit. They are honest. Maybe it's the fact that they don't have to look at the viewer that gives them the courage to say some of these things.
Even if they are brave, or simply more outgoing in front of a camera, watching these videos is a great time for us. Nobody does video dating anymore that I know of, so it's hard for me to imagine someone actually expecting it to work. Did any of these guys actually get called? They could have thought the same thing about people in 2009, though. The idea of meeting someone over an internet connection, where you might not even see pictures, does seem absurd if you take a minute to step in their shoes.
If all of these different ways of meeting people are funny, why do people keep using them? I think it's fairly simple: people have a need for someone else who will be their friend.
That must have solved the problem...
Look at those poor guys. We laugh at them now, with their funny clothes, dirty sanchezes, and their awesome hair-dos, but there are modern versions of these guys out there. Know anybody who is on E-harmony? How about anybody that puts personal ads in the paper?
I just wonder, why would these guys use this video-mate service, and tell the lady viewers that they wear funny socks? It seems like a waste of time, but I'll give these guys credit. They are honest. Maybe it's the fact that they don't have to look at the viewer that gives them the courage to say some of these things.
Even if they are brave, or simply more outgoing in front of a camera, watching these videos is a great time for us. Nobody does video dating anymore that I know of, so it's hard for me to imagine someone actually expecting it to work. Did any of these guys actually get called? They could have thought the same thing about people in 2009, though. The idea of meeting someone over an internet connection, where you might not even see pictures, does seem absurd if you take a minute to step in their shoes.
If all of these different ways of meeting people are funny, why do people keep using them? I think it's fairly simple: people have a need for someone else who will be their friend.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Kanye...Kanye...Kanye...
What is wrong with Kanye West? I really like some of his songs, but seriously? He needs to quit trying to be an "activist". His "activism" is not really helping anyone, in my opinion. First, he bashed on former President George Bush, saying he hated black people. Honestly, the racism card is going out of style! It's hard to say this country is racist when we have voted a black man into the White House. How can you top bashing on the President of the United States of America? You can't, but you can sure try, and guess what? Kanye did. The first act gained him the hate of many Bush supporters, and maybe even some non-Bush people. Now, though, after his incident at the 2009 VMA's, he has gained the hatred of millions of young girls out there that love their Taylor Swift.
I don't know if I totally disagree with him. I do think any video Beyonce puts out is better than Taylor Swift's, but saying that on stage is absolutely inappropriate. Say something like that after the show, instead of ruining the girl's moment. Beyonce probably already has enough VMA's that she doesn't really care about that specific award. Taylor Swift, however, might only have a few, if any, so any award that she wins is huge.
I almost feel bad for Kanye West. He has to keep coming up with new ideas to stay in the spotlight. After the Gold Digger hype, his fame dwindled some, so he totally re-made his look and music into what his current music is with Stronger and Heartless. These acts that he keeps committing are hurting his image. He could be one of the best artists of our time if he didn't keep bashing on people. Instead, he's just another crazy celebrity.
I don't know if I totally disagree with him. I do think any video Beyonce puts out is better than Taylor Swift's, but saying that on stage is absolutely inappropriate. Say something like that after the show, instead of ruining the girl's moment. Beyonce probably already has enough VMA's that she doesn't really care about that specific award. Taylor Swift, however, might only have a few, if any, so any award that she wins is huge.
I almost feel bad for Kanye West. He has to keep coming up with new ideas to stay in the spotlight. After the Gold Digger hype, his fame dwindled some, so he totally re-made his look and music into what his current music is with Stronger and Heartless. These acts that he keeps committing are hurting his image. He could be one of the best artists of our time if he didn't keep bashing on people. Instead, he's just another crazy celebrity.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Favoritism
As I sit here trying to finish my homework late at night due to a night at work, I listen to some music on Pandora, I have come up with a good question that baffles me every time someone asks it. The common query: What is your favorite kind of music? Also very related: Who's your favorite singer, or what's your favorite book, favorite movie, etc. My reply to all of these is, why do I have to have a favorite? The one inquiry into my interests that bothers me, and is impossible to answer, is: what kind of music is on your iPod?
For me, what is on my iPod is, first of all, whatever I like. I try not to simply buy the music that is popular at the time (although that does happen), rather than buy a song that I enjoy. Being a musical person, I always listen to the music behind the lyrics. Lackluster beats just don't get me as excited as an intricate bass line does. People who look at my iPod might think I am strange due to my wide variety of music genres. When I say I have everything, I do not lie. My in-pocket musical library contains anything from "gangsta" rap to Sibelius violin concertos. This is why these questions about favorites are so difficult for me to understand, and to answer. How am I supposed to tell you my favorite genre when I like them all, when I listen to them all. Maybe next time I should just fool them and say Irish polka rap...or maybe not. I think my best answer to the question is music with depth.
Why do we ask others what their favorites are, though? As children we are asked what our favorite color is, or our favorite animal. The obvious answer to me is that we are simply very interested in other people. We want to know about them, and these questions are conduits for us to access their personality. I spoke earlier of my seemingly wide variety of music genres, which now, when thinking of our favorites as aspects of personality, has a much different meaning. While some people have a definite favorite conventional genre (rap, country, classical), others might not have a single favorite in these everyday genres. Instead, these individuals look for qualities in the music other than the label given to it. A good example that comes to mind is Hope by Twista and Faith Evans. Some people enjoy the lyrics and rhymes that Twista delivers much like a rap song. Other people might listen to the song from another viewpoint, focusing on the strings in the background (Yes, rap musicians do use strings sometimes) as well as the light percussion. The common "genre" on the iPods of these people would be musical music.
Questions about favorites are so difficult to answer, as well. Haven't you been asked by someone what your favorite movie is and simply been unable to answer? The category of Movie contains an extreme number of films that to pick one that is my favorite, at least for me, is a daunting challenge. Plus, it is so hard to decide what is better between a fingernail-biting action/suspense movie and a tear jerking Nicholas Sparks type movie. The way they cause emotions is so different and so profound in their respective ways, that to decide which one is "better" is nearly impossible. One solution could be to ask, what's your favorite action movie, or your favorite sad movie. Asking these, however, would be odd as well, because you still don't know which one they like more! Therefore, my friends, the question of favorites will always be asked, and you will always be expected to have an answer ready. You could do like me and say Irish polka rap, or you could just pick one of your top 5 and say that's your favorite. If you feel bad about placing that one above the others, take your top 7 (I know, it's hard to pick that, too) and pick one as your favorite for each day of the week.
For me, what is on my iPod is, first of all, whatever I like. I try not to simply buy the music that is popular at the time (although that does happen), rather than buy a song that I enjoy. Being a musical person, I always listen to the music behind the lyrics. Lackluster beats just don't get me as excited as an intricate bass line does. People who look at my iPod might think I am strange due to my wide variety of music genres. When I say I have everything, I do not lie. My in-pocket musical library contains anything from "gangsta" rap to Sibelius violin concertos. This is why these questions about favorites are so difficult for me to understand, and to answer. How am I supposed to tell you my favorite genre when I like them all, when I listen to them all. Maybe next time I should just fool them and say Irish polka rap...or maybe not. I think my best answer to the question is music with depth.
Why do we ask others what their favorites are, though? As children we are asked what our favorite color is, or our favorite animal. The obvious answer to me is that we are simply very interested in other people. We want to know about them, and these questions are conduits for us to access their personality. I spoke earlier of my seemingly wide variety of music genres, which now, when thinking of our favorites as aspects of personality, has a much different meaning. While some people have a definite favorite conventional genre (rap, country, classical), others might not have a single favorite in these everyday genres. Instead, these individuals look for qualities in the music other than the label given to it. A good example that comes to mind is Hope by Twista and Faith Evans. Some people enjoy the lyrics and rhymes that Twista delivers much like a rap song. Other people might listen to the song from another viewpoint, focusing on the strings in the background (Yes, rap musicians do use strings sometimes) as well as the light percussion. The common "genre" on the iPods of these people would be musical music.
Questions about favorites are so difficult to answer, as well. Haven't you been asked by someone what your favorite movie is and simply been unable to answer? The category of Movie contains an extreme number of films that to pick one that is my favorite, at least for me, is a daunting challenge. Plus, it is so hard to decide what is better between a fingernail-biting action/suspense movie and a tear jerking Nicholas Sparks type movie. The way they cause emotions is so different and so profound in their respective ways, that to decide which one is "better" is nearly impossible. One solution could be to ask, what's your favorite action movie, or your favorite sad movie. Asking these, however, would be odd as well, because you still don't know which one they like more! Therefore, my friends, the question of favorites will always be asked, and you will always be expected to have an answer ready. You could do like me and say Irish polka rap, or you could just pick one of your top 5 and say that's your favorite. If you feel bad about placing that one above the others, take your top 7 (I know, it's hard to pick that, too) and pick one as your favorite for each day of the week.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Did you ask?
I really don't know if there is a way to write significant amounts of anything about people and avoid hitting on the subject of relationships. But I don't know if I really want to go into it too much right now. I think a good place to start is with something that is current at our school: homecoming. It such a different general feeling than during the rest of the year. Everyone is pairing up with the opposite sex and grouping up with other "couples". The hot topic nearly every day is who is going with who, how Joe asked Jill, etc.
One item that a few of my friends have expressed interest in is the fact that their girlfriends still expect them to ask them to the dance. Yes, a man's girlfriend, for some unknown reason, still expects him to ask her to an event that they both know they are going to attend together. It's not like he's going to ask or go with someone else, yet he must put flowers in her car, or surprise her at a cross-country meet with a sign (props to N.N. for that idea, although unused. Also, no I do not have a girlfriend). Is there some romantic gene that is only present in the female gender that possesses them to desire this confirmation of a partnership? I don't know if I'm alone, but I think it would just be a waste of time and money creating a special way to ask the person you already know you're going with. I really don't have much else to say on this point; it's just too odd.
One item that a few of my friends have expressed interest in is the fact that their girlfriends still expect them to ask them to the dance. Yes, a man's girlfriend, for some unknown reason, still expects him to ask her to an event that they both know they are going to attend together. It's not like he's going to ask or go with someone else, yet he must put flowers in her car, or surprise her at a cross-country meet with a sign (props to N.N. for that idea, although unused. Also, no I do not have a girlfriend). Is there some romantic gene that is only present in the female gender that possesses them to desire this confirmation of a partnership? I don't know if I'm alone, but I think it would just be a waste of time and money creating a special way to ask the person you already know you're going with. I really don't have much else to say on this point; it's just too odd.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
To go or not?
Oddly, an event just two days ago fits perfectly as a first topic. Two days ago, my father went to the ER to be examined for chest pressure. He's fine, which is why I am ok to share this with everyone, and is also why no one should worry. One might think a person with chest pressure, a quite serious symptom, would maybe have someone take them to the hospital, and right away. Not Mr. Irish American Sr. He started feeling it around eight in the morning and didn't go to the hospital until one in the afternoon. If that wasn't bad enough, he drove himself...from 30 miles away.
This is why I would like to pose the question: why do people down-play symptoms that can be quite serious for other people? I think this is a difficult question, as everyone reacts differently to different situations. My dad reacted with worry, but skepticism, and went after a great deal of contemplation. Although I would like to think that I would go immediately, I would most likely do the same as he did. This worries me though. How many people wait to go in to get seen and end up with more damage, or even dying?
Part of the problem may be our hospital system that we have in the United States, and in Iowa. Our emergency rooms can gain bad reputations with long waits, but the truth is, they really know what they’re doing. I volunteer every week in the same emergency room that my father visited, and I know they will do everything they can to make you happier and healthier than when you entered. So I beg everyone in a serious condition who might put off a visit to the ER to just go! This is especially true for anything heart-related like chest pains. They will get you in first, without question. (That is unless someone is on the verge of death)
I guess I just wonder why some humans downplay their medical problems so much, while others totally exaggerate them. The people who downplay theirs are missing out on the chance of improving their way of life by getting treatment. The people who exaggerate them are wasting their time, and congesting the system that some people need so badly. (Enter higher health costs due to people that can’t pay for their worrying) But if I had to recommend a person to be one way or the other, I’m not sure which one I would pick. On the one side, not getting treated can hurt you and others around you. However, worrying too much can also hurt yourself and others.
Odd? I say yes.
This is why I would like to pose the question: why do people down-play symptoms that can be quite serious for other people? I think this is a difficult question, as everyone reacts differently to different situations. My dad reacted with worry, but skepticism, and went after a great deal of contemplation. Although I would like to think that I would go immediately, I would most likely do the same as he did. This worries me though. How many people wait to go in to get seen and end up with more damage, or even dying?
Part of the problem may be our hospital system that we have in the United States, and in Iowa. Our emergency rooms can gain bad reputations with long waits, but the truth is, they really know what they’re doing. I volunteer every week in the same emergency room that my father visited, and I know they will do everything they can to make you happier and healthier than when you entered. So I beg everyone in a serious condition who might put off a visit to the ER to just go! This is especially true for anything heart-related like chest pains. They will get you in first, without question. (That is unless someone is on the verge of death)
I guess I just wonder why some humans downplay their medical problems so much, while others totally exaggerate them. The people who downplay theirs are missing out on the chance of improving their way of life by getting treatment. The people who exaggerate them are wasting their time, and congesting the system that some people need so badly. (Enter higher health costs due to people that can’t pay for their worrying) But if I had to recommend a person to be one way or the other, I’m not sure which one I would pick. On the one side, not getting treated can hurt you and others around you. However, worrying too much can also hurt yourself and others.
Odd? I say yes.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Hello World
Hello all! My goal for this blog is to record and discuss things we as humans do. What things do we do that are seemingly "odd"? How do we interact in unique ways? Most of the things I talk about will probably be things that I have observed my self or possibly from news stories, YouTube videos... it could be anything. When it is available online, I will provide the reader with access so that they can see what I'm talking about. I would like to simply discuss these things with all of you readers, and maybe we will all be left wondering, why?
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