Attitude Adjustments Saves Lives

Today when I awoke the sky was grey and it was cold outside. How many people have had a morning like that? All I wanted to do was go back to sleep and forget about all the obligations i had that day. Unfortunately for me, my commitments will not wait if I decide I don't have the will power to meet them.

I stumble out of my bed and stare at a ghastly image in the mirror while I try to convince myself it is going to be a good day. I jump in the shower and as I jump right back out, I realize that it doesn't matter what I tell myself, today, I just feel bad.

Well during my drive to school a thought occurs to me, 'this is my life and I am in control. Life is too short for me to be unhappy about living it'. And so there I go saving a life, MY OWN!

Many people, I imagine, have days like this and I am writing today to let them know that you can save a life by enjoying yours. Every moment wasted on an emotion or feeling that doesn't create a situation in which a person can really feel alive is a waste of life.

Today, I awoke and felt like life itself was just one giant test that I could never pass, and I felt like that because my body was weak and my mind was tired. Now, I have given my mind strength with this mantra of saving a life, and I really feel much better... although a cup of coffee probably will not hurt. Good Luck!

Perhaps the best part about being young is the ability to handle hazardous activity. On October thirty-first this year, I drank just a little too much liquor. This shall be a brief recollection of my Halloween.

My day starts off with getting into character, and because I plan on suiting up as a zombie this year, I sleep until noon. I had lost half of my day but thanks to some Starbucks, creating a good costume took no time at all. So now it is two in the afternoon and I am a pretty convincing zombie by now.

At this time, I find that I have an urge to go get some more fake blood from Wall-mart. As I search across the vast expanse of consumer products, children run away from the sight of me. I guess I really didn't realize how good my makeup looked. When I have found what I have come to find, I hastily leave the store.

Okay, fast-forward to midnight, now James Bond, Medusa, Dracula and myself are driving to the Halloween party! I remember thinking about how fun the whole thing was going to be with everyone in costume, drinking and having a good time. Well perhaps I could have thought that way if I would have remembered the rest of that night, but upon showing up at the "symposium", I thought it would be a good idea to gulp down about 400 ml of grey goose vodka. Bad Idea.

Either way, I didn't remember anything after that, including, almost being strangled to death, punching my best friend in the face, falling asleep in the bathroom or trying to enter the wrong car when my designated driver decided it was time to leave. The moral of the story is... "Don't Drink!"

Modern Philosophy

Recently I have read The Symposium by Plato. For those of you who have not yet read this excellent piece of literature, to summarize, Plato describes a night of drunken conversation between Socrates and some comrades. By definition a symposium is a drinking party or convivial discussion, in the story the discussion held is about love. Each man in the party gives a monologue expressing his praises of the god Love.

I find in my studies of humanity a sad fact. Why, in our modern world, do we, an "advanced civilization", find it more pleasing to discuss the lives of the rich and famous, rather than higher philosophical advancement? So many people would say that conversation involving philosophical value is over their heads. This is not true.

Truth boils down to every day experiences; this meaning that truth affects every action. therefore, every individual human is called to better understand their own philosophical prerogative. I am asking every reader of this blog to strive for a better understanding of their perspective of the world.

 

Zombie Land?

I have always been fascinated by the concept of a zombie. Imagine a modern world where almost all human life has been reduced to mindless blood thirsty animals. These creatures endlessly drift around familiar sights, such as New York City or the streets of Piccadilly Circus in London or even your local mall.

The protagonists in the "zombie story" usually stumble around their home towns searching for other survivors or to find a place to protect them from harm. In most of the cinema I have seen, however, the safe place is eventually breached, and the survivor they have found has already been bitten and "turned" into a zombie.

The more I examine my interest in zombies, I notice that there is an unnerving similarity between these tales of fiction and the way the world is today. You see, the zombie plot is based on the idea that once a human dies, he comes back to life and infects other people by killing them. Thus, creating more zombies and less humans. Now, this is obviously fiction but, I believe that all fiction has a basis in an interpretation of reality. 

I asked you to imagine a world inhabited by mindless creatures, I bet that it was not hard to accomplish. Zombies are everywhere. They drive down the interstate on their cell phones causing car wrecks. They send young men and women across the Atlantic to die in a war. They're in your churches falling asleep, and they're even in your neighborhood Starbucks waiting in line, thinking of nothing, talking to no one.

They want to infect you, too. The zombies I am referring to, have died and given up their dreams and now, they're hungry for yours. Think about it. You may not see it, but thats how the infection gets strong... through ignorance and through apathy. With so people in this world and with so many problems its easy not care about what is happening in the world. But, just like in the zombie story, if you think you're safe you should look behind you.

Don't believe me?

American Political Awareness

On September 19, I decided to have a cup of coffee at Starbucks. I had attended class that morning and wanted to go somewhere to relax.

While driving to my impending $2.79 espresso, I turned my radio on to a news station I like. The voices on the radio unenthusiastically explained, in their normal featureless way, the current events of the day. As I listened to reports about the deaths in Iraq and the healthcare crisis, I realized how incredibly numb I have become towards the news.

I passed a car on my right, and took the exit leading to Starbucks. A feeling of loss gives me a chill as I lock my car door. While walking up to the entrance, I gave a vacant glance to the newspaper stand outside the door, it was yesterday's paper. I thought to myself, if any sign should hang above this stand, it should read "Here lies the source of man's decline".

Approaching the girl at the register, I decided not to announce my disdain of lack of consideration. After all, it would be rude to tell her that when I was a manager there, I had always made sure my customers could purchase today's newspaper. Instead, I ordered my drink and she began to "small talk".

She asks about my day and I tell her that I attend Volunteer State Community college. She thinks that is "Awesome". She inquires what will my major be, I tell her journalism. All the while, I can't shake that feeling I had had while listening to the radio. I talk to her politely but I'm "not all there". 

Finally, with no warning, a question comes out of my mouth: "Mind if I ask you a few questions about some of the things in the news lately"? I knew how strange I sounded, but I also knew how strange I felt, so I continued after she agreed. I didn't tell this girl that I had been listening the radio and I hadn't told her how frustrated I was.

The question "So why do you think our country is at war with Iraq?" began our long conversation. The interview left me with no answer to that question. However, I did find it interesting that despite being unaware of the details of the Iraq war, my new friend felt a need to state that war is necessary. I wanted to argue but I didn't, it was only an interview, after all.

Leaving that conversation, I think it is safe to say that most people don't care about what is going on in the world. People are growing apathetic.

With all of this media and communication technology, today's generation, including myself, is missing the frightening truth. I had my conversation at Starbucks, because I wanted to be more active in seeking a way to understand politics. What I discovered is that our government is only as wise as the people in it. 

With so many bits of information coming at us, it may be impossible to analyze and comprehend what it all means. I'm not saying that Americans are dumb or that Americans need news suppression but, the media outlets and advertising outlets are a waterfall of information drowning a thirsty people who can only drink a cup at a time. As Americans. we must care about the politics of the world because, in the current political environment, our government's decisions will directly affect the individual.