Today was very productive. Hooray. I have gotten so many things done that I have been planning on getting done. Next week I am going to begin my job and get a laptop. Then with the wonderful tool of a computer at my disposal I shall Rule the world.. I mean.. uhh.. Rule my world. I will finally have the outlet that I need, somewhere I can put all my idle thoughts without fear of encroaching on someone else’s hard drive space. Someplace I can brainstorm all my worlds I am going to write into existence. Somewhere I can analyze and note the things about the real world and how to do my best with the time I am given in it.
Speaking of this world. There has been something on my mind. A theory about this world. Is it possible that the productivity of individual humans can stretch far enough to the point where there are numbers of people who can’t find a job simply because every thing imaginable has already been produced, and not only produced, but is being produced in ample quantities such that everyone could be supplied with the products, and produced in a quality that will not be matched by newcomers. It is difficult to articulate. But what I am trying to get across is that it is possible for the corporations to become Too efficient. Not only in the idea of Monopoly, but in not being willing or not needing sufficient manpower to support the population.
That being said, and in light of the current economic status of the world, are we in this type of a crisis, are we nearing this type of a state, if we are how do we undo the damages? Never the less. Humans are resourceful beings, we will figure out a solution.
29 March 2009
26 March 2009
Not going to settle
The last few days have felt rather unproductive. It is all my fault. I sat down and I played video games... Gosh darnit..
Many people in the world would undoubtedly stare at me for a moment then laugh at my attitude. But I am serious. I have so many dreams and desires, and the least of those desires, yet easiest to achieve, is to sit and get a high score on some flashing screen. It boggles my mind to see how much I have changed in the last three weeks. And not necessarily for the better. I'm letting priorities slip. I am letting my needed physical upkeep get swept aside. I am not drinking enough water, and am suffering headaches. I haven't been working out like I should, and so I am loosing muscle mass/weight, which for me being the skinny 5’ 5” 125 lb that I am, is not a good thing.
When you are on a full time Mission for the church, you don’t have so many things to distract you from the necessary. All of the sudden you have tons and tons of time to just think. Now I am so accustomed to having think time that I don’t know what to do with all the distractions. I want to enjoy them. But then I know that if I do, I might just push the limits and enjoy them too much and lose the self control that I have enjoyed for the last 2 years.
Life is a frustrating journey. But one that is well worth it.
Many people in the world would undoubtedly stare at me for a moment then laugh at my attitude. But I am serious. I have so many dreams and desires, and the least of those desires, yet easiest to achieve, is to sit and get a high score on some flashing screen. It boggles my mind to see how much I have changed in the last three weeks. And not necessarily for the better. I'm letting priorities slip. I am letting my needed physical upkeep get swept aside. I am not drinking enough water, and am suffering headaches. I haven't been working out like I should, and so I am loosing muscle mass/weight, which for me being the skinny 5’ 5” 125 lb that I am, is not a good thing.
When you are on a full time Mission for the church, you don’t have so many things to distract you from the necessary. All of the sudden you have tons and tons of time to just think. Now I am so accustomed to having think time that I don’t know what to do with all the distractions. I want to enjoy them. But then I know that if I do, I might just push the limits and enjoy them too much and lose the self control that I have enjoyed for the last 2 years.
Life is a frustrating journey. But one that is well worth it.
22 March 2009
Quotes
To take any principle of truth and separate it from all other related principles is folly. If you try to make any principle of truth stand alone, it will crumble and combine with an admixture of the philosophies of the world and become wholly abominate.
(Example, See Government welfare)
I am already at a disadvantage trying to be a writer because I am a Man. Men, by the physical laws of the universe, do not understand Women. The reverse is not true, Women seem to have no problem understanding Men. I don't understand how to write characters in my book who are Female.
(Idle thoughts)
It takes more than some flashy powers to make a real hero. Some people have mistakenly confused the two and equated flashy powers to heroism.
(More Idle thoughts)
If you expect all people to act in a logical fashion all the time, or if you demand that every ones actions have some sort of logical backing, you are going to be confused at least half the time.
(in response to my little brothers confusion at some of the actions of others)
in this economy, you are going to have losses. You might as well make those losses mean something, and you can't let them mean anything if all you are doing is trying to cut them.
(in response to overhearing a few business owners discussing the matter of cutting losses and laying off possibly hundreds)
They did what with my Dads Tax money?
(AIG)
Video Games have lost their touch.
(I wont play them anymore without friends.)
there is no longer just introverted and extroverted, Society has now developed Public introversion and a private extroversion through technology. Notice how few people walk by one another without saying hello to each other but how many are perfectly fine with holding a conversation by phone with someone who isn't present.
(Observation from a restaurant booth)
Anywho.. I think I like these short pithy sayings. I don't feel like going into long intellectual explanations on obscure topics right now.
till later...
(Example, See Government welfare)
I am already at a disadvantage trying to be a writer because I am a Man. Men, by the physical laws of the universe, do not understand Women. The reverse is not true, Women seem to have no problem understanding Men. I don't understand how to write characters in my book who are Female.
(Idle thoughts)
It takes more than some flashy powers to make a real hero. Some people have mistakenly confused the two and equated flashy powers to heroism.
(More Idle thoughts)
If you expect all people to act in a logical fashion all the time, or if you demand that every ones actions have some sort of logical backing, you are going to be confused at least half the time.
(in response to my little brothers confusion at some of the actions of others)
in this economy, you are going to have losses. You might as well make those losses mean something, and you can't let them mean anything if all you are doing is trying to cut them.
(in response to overhearing a few business owners discussing the matter of cutting losses and laying off possibly hundreds)
They did what with my Dads Tax money?
(AIG)
Video Games have lost their touch.
(I wont play them anymore without friends.)
there is no longer just introverted and extroverted, Society has now developed Public introversion and a private extroversion through technology. Notice how few people walk by one another without saying hello to each other but how many are perfectly fine with holding a conversation by phone with someone who isn't present.
(Observation from a restaurant booth)
Anywho.. I think I like these short pithy sayings. I don't feel like going into long intellectual explanations on obscure topics right now.
till later...
19 March 2009
Must I have an opinion?
So I was driving my little brother home and he asked me my opinion on a subject that is kind of touchy and rather controversial among the household. And for the first time in my life I decided, I will not have an opinion about this. This was immensely liberating. If you have never tried this, look for the right opportunity to do so. You might like the results.
I had been pondering about this the last few days. It came up particularly because I was thinking about people who are famous and how, for no other reason then that they were famous, they were sought after for their opinion on a wide array of ridiculous subjects that all too often they have no expertise in. Another example of this could be seen in Jesus. How many times was he asked questions simply for the intent of trapping him or creating controversy. Many times he simply, and very tactfully, had no opinion.
What if this was a practice that more people should employ. Especially in this day and age. Rather than run our mouths and come up with so much confusion about the broad range of subjects, politics, economics, religion, science, ect… we could speak less and listen more, it is a humbling experience, but most of us don’t really have the experience or understanding to make an educated assessment in most of these fields. Am I going against our right to free speech. I would like to think not. I still am an advocate of those who actually know what they are talking about to get up and speak. I am also an advocate of asking questions continuously so that you can know what you are talking about. But above all these, I am also an advocate of humility and wisdom.
It is like my Dad said as we were driving home, we were listening to the radio which was broadcasting a story about wither or not the economy was on the rebound, “if you put a dozen economists in a room and ask them how the economy was doing you would get 24 opinions.” Perhaps, it is best not to bring that number down a bit…
~ Stephen
I had been pondering about this the last few days. It came up particularly because I was thinking about people who are famous and how, for no other reason then that they were famous, they were sought after for their opinion on a wide array of ridiculous subjects that all too often they have no expertise in. Another example of this could be seen in Jesus. How many times was he asked questions simply for the intent of trapping him or creating controversy. Many times he simply, and very tactfully, had no opinion.
What if this was a practice that more people should employ. Especially in this day and age. Rather than run our mouths and come up with so much confusion about the broad range of subjects, politics, economics, religion, science, ect… we could speak less and listen more, it is a humbling experience, but most of us don’t really have the experience or understanding to make an educated assessment in most of these fields. Am I going against our right to free speech. I would like to think not. I still am an advocate of those who actually know what they are talking about to get up and speak. I am also an advocate of asking questions continuously so that you can know what you are talking about. But above all these, I am also an advocate of humility and wisdom.
It is like my Dad said as we were driving home, we were listening to the radio which was broadcasting a story about wither or not the economy was on the rebound, “if you put a dozen economists in a room and ask them how the economy was doing you would get 24 opinions.” Perhaps, it is best not to bring that number down a bit…
~ Stephen
15 March 2009
Like an open Book.
Most people don't like to be read like an open book. it is a human flaw. We all have little things in our lives, little dark secrets. For those of you who read the last book in the Harry Potter series, you might recall that even Dumbledore had some shady bits in his past. I won't go into the long detail of what particularily brought about this train of thought, I just tried to write it out and explain it to myself and I can't even understand it all.
Like I said though, it is a human flaw. Many of us just wont bare the shame of repentance, of letting out our flaws out for the whole world to see. Many of us won't put out an honest definition of our selves into the world. Many of us won't talk about our emotions. We are all afraid of getting hurt. But hurt is some of the best stuff that gets us to grow.
It is quite interesting to me then when you do run across someone who has that abilitiy to really comunicate exactly how they feel or why they feel it, especially on difficult subjects. It is quite interesting to run into people who can be an open book. I kind of wish that I could be an open book. To some people I have been able to be so. There was a particular missionary in my mission with whom I could share basically anything and he would not think critically of me nor publish my faults arround. The difficulty is being able to do so when there are those who will think critically of you and do whatever to spread rumors.
What makes a person an open book? The first thing that comes to mind is constancy. A person who is an open book will undoubtably not change his oppinion depending on who he is arround. He is ultimately, to use the Bible phrase, not a respecter of persons. Second, he will not restrain emotions but will be fully concious of them, not forcing them or making a show, but none the less, he will not deny the fact that he feels a certain way and to some extent bounded by wisdom, he will figuratively speaking wear his emotions on his sleve. Anyway, hopefully this topic will become a common theme that will be addressed later.
But that is all for now. Hopefully I can begin to form habits and a routine that I will enable me to do all the things that are needed. Till later
~Stephen
Like I said though, it is a human flaw. Many of us just wont bare the shame of repentance, of letting out our flaws out for the whole world to see. Many of us won't put out an honest definition of our selves into the world. Many of us won't talk about our emotions. We are all afraid of getting hurt. But hurt is some of the best stuff that gets us to grow.
It is quite interesting to me then when you do run across someone who has that abilitiy to really comunicate exactly how they feel or why they feel it, especially on difficult subjects. It is quite interesting to run into people who can be an open book. I kind of wish that I could be an open book. To some people I have been able to be so. There was a particular missionary in my mission with whom I could share basically anything and he would not think critically of me nor publish my faults arround. The difficulty is being able to do so when there are those who will think critically of you and do whatever to spread rumors.
What makes a person an open book? The first thing that comes to mind is constancy. A person who is an open book will undoubtably not change his oppinion depending on who he is arround. He is ultimately, to use the Bible phrase, not a respecter of persons. Second, he will not restrain emotions but will be fully concious of them, not forcing them or making a show, but none the less, he will not deny the fact that he feels a certain way and to some extent bounded by wisdom, he will figuratively speaking wear his emotions on his sleve. Anyway, hopefully this topic will become a common theme that will be addressed later.
But that is all for now. Hopefully I can begin to form habits and a routine that I will enable me to do all the things that are needed. Till later
~Stephen
10 March 2009
Efficiency of the television
The Television is very good at it's purpose, to Draw attention so that it can secretly advertize stuff to you while you are not thinking about it.
So, Today I basically crashed. Today was the first day in which I just abandoned my aims of trying to get a job and sat down with my mom, who is taken a bit ill from the weather, and watched some of the movies I have missed over the past two years. I've been kind of apprehensive about doing so up to this point. I think it has something to do with the fact that I still have pressing matters on my mind so I don't feel I quite enjoyed them as much. Surprisingly Ive done quite a lot in the last few days of being home. I applied for college, and filled out my FAFSA form. I've almost completly filled up my MP3 player, and I am quick on my way to fixing up my bike to give me annother option for transportation. Sadly it became rather cold today and so the idea of biking without a proper jacket is a bit more frightening than I would like.
What I find is the biggest challange is trying to find time for all the essential things that you need in a day, Study of the scriptures, excersize, proper grooming ect... I am sure that if I could get a good routine down that I would be able to do all of this but so far I havent been able to make a routine. Every little whim gets in my way.
Well I guess I have something to work on, like all of us. Luckily tomorow I do have something to keep me occupied. There is a Job fair tomorow and I guess I will be attending.
Till tomorw.
~Stephen
So, Today I basically crashed. Today was the first day in which I just abandoned my aims of trying to get a job and sat down with my mom, who is taken a bit ill from the weather, and watched some of the movies I have missed over the past two years. I've been kind of apprehensive about doing so up to this point. I think it has something to do with the fact that I still have pressing matters on my mind so I don't feel I quite enjoyed them as much. Surprisingly Ive done quite a lot in the last few days of being home. I applied for college, and filled out my FAFSA form. I've almost completly filled up my MP3 player, and I am quick on my way to fixing up my bike to give me annother option for transportation. Sadly it became rather cold today and so the idea of biking without a proper jacket is a bit more frightening than I would like.
What I find is the biggest challange is trying to find time for all the essential things that you need in a day, Study of the scriptures, excersize, proper grooming ect... I am sure that if I could get a good routine down that I would be able to do all of this but so far I havent been able to make a routine. Every little whim gets in my way.
Well I guess I have something to work on, like all of us. Luckily tomorow I do have something to keep me occupied. There is a Job fair tomorow and I guess I will be attending.
Till tomorw.
~Stephen
09 March 2009
First Monday Home
A two year mission for the church has to be one of the more rigorous tests of any individual. You go out every day in search of “The Elect” but first you must sift through all the buffeting persecutions of everyone else before you can find any one worthwhile to converse with. It is an experience that many do not have the privilege to enjoy because most don’t go on such a mission. Granted I do know of several people who have been on “Missions” for other churches, but most of the ones I’ve encountered only had a duration of a few weeks. In the same way that most people don’t voluntarily take themselves from home for two years to go on such an undertaking, most don’t have the interesting experience of coming back from wherever to their home town after the two year stretch and try to live again.
The journey back from mission life to regular life has so far proved very awkward. A lot of this is due to the fact that there are several things that haven’t changed, yet I have, and so the way I perceive things has also changed. I come home and find I left behind a bunch of childish projects of merely fleeting desire. I find in my packed boxes toys that now hold no interest to me. The way I interact with friends has changed, My desires matched up very nicely with the interests of my friends before those two years, but now my desires are a bit more skewed from theirs.
All the while, I am now starting to deal with how the world of technology has moved on without me. My Palm Pilot which I thoroughly used before my mission now seems to be unwieldy and slow. The power button doesn’t work, and no one is capable of fixing it. I now am on Face Book, which is a nightmare to me because of all the ridiculously useless features. These Features also keep asking me for my cell phone number which I don’t have. Yet everyone is on it and so it is still one of the easier mediums through which to find and contact everyone that I want to contact. And now I would like to start Blogging all my frustrations and Joys of this journey back to normal life. So Far, I still need to find employment and get enrolled in school. So I’m off for my adventure.
The journey back from mission life to regular life has so far proved very awkward. A lot of this is due to the fact that there are several things that haven’t changed, yet I have, and so the way I perceive things has also changed. I come home and find I left behind a bunch of childish projects of merely fleeting desire. I find in my packed boxes toys that now hold no interest to me. The way I interact with friends has changed, My desires matched up very nicely with the interests of my friends before those two years, but now my desires are a bit more skewed from theirs.
All the while, I am now starting to deal with how the world of technology has moved on without me. My Palm Pilot which I thoroughly used before my mission now seems to be unwieldy and slow. The power button doesn’t work, and no one is capable of fixing it. I now am on Face Book, which is a nightmare to me because of all the ridiculously useless features. These Features also keep asking me for my cell phone number which I don’t have. Yet everyone is on it and so it is still one of the easier mediums through which to find and contact everyone that I want to contact. And now I would like to start Blogging all my frustrations and Joys of this journey back to normal life. So Far, I still need to find employment and get enrolled in school. So I’m off for my adventure.
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