Proud of My Friends

I don't say it enough, so I thought I would take some time to say what friendship means to me and how proud I am of my friends. I won't be able to cover all of my friends, for I have many and it would take up a large amount of space, but I wanted to single out 3 of them.

What does friendship mean to me? Well, Websters Dictionary defines friendship as the state of being friends. And it defines friends as "one attached to another by affection or esteem, a favored companion". To me, friendship is all of those things and more. It means knowing that, no matter what has happened in your life or how long time has passed, they will always be there for you. It means being able to talk about anything and everything whenever or wherever. It means that they won't judge you no matter how stupid you are or how brilliant you. They include you in their lives, they praise you and criticize you, they keep you honest and humble, and you do the same for them. And above all, they appreciate honesty, though it isn't always welcome, and they delve it out in equal measure. That's what friendship means to me. My friends, like my family, mean the world to me, but they don't hear it enough, so I thought I would take some time to praise three of them for achieving some important milestones in their lives.

First, there is Casey. I met him at work over 3 and half years ago. We discovered that we had a mutual interest in RPG's and video games and that we shared a similiar philosophy on life. He's smart and funny, and a great guy to talk too. He's more physically active than I am and inspires me to be the same. What I'm proud of him most for is finally proposing to his long time girlfriend. She accepted and they are getting married next year! I am incredibly happy for them. Having been married for a long time, I highly recommend it and am so happy that he finally took the "plunge". I know that they are very happy together and that they will have a wonderful married life in addition to their wonderful unmarried life. I'm proud of you man!

Then there is Steve. He is a new friend that was introduced to me by Casey. While we haven't worked together, we have had many an occasion to socialize in a purely social sense and in a gaming sense. Everytime we meet socially, he is always one of the very first people to welcome me and make me feel like I belong. Like Casey, he and I share a common interest in RPG's and in video gaming. He too is highly intelligent and shares a similiar philosophy on life. He is a great conversationalist and highly entertaining to talk to! He has also proposed to his long time girlfriend and will also be getting married next year. I'm very excited for them as they are perfect together! I'm proud of you too man!

Lastly, but not leastly, is my best friend John. John is one of the most wonderful, funny, and honest people I have ever met. We have known each other for almost 20 years. I know that I can always call him no matter how much time has passed and that it will seem like we just spoke yesterday. His sisters, their families, his brother, and his parents (rest in peace dad), are all my family as well. I've always been welcome at his house and he at mine. He has had some challenges in the relationship department, but he has finally found someone that compliments his personality and his attitudes. Though they are still in the dating phase, I have no doubt that he will one day marry her. I'm proud of you man for finally finding that "someone"!

For all of my other friends, new and old, I'm proud of all of you as well. I don't say it enough, but thank you all for accepting me as I am, putting up with my excentricasies, and being there when I need to hear the good and the bad. Know that I love you all VERY much and that you are always on my mind even if I don't say it or show it all the time. Be well my friends!

Hiatus...I'm aloud so shoosh!

I'm back!! I took a hiatus over the summer and have finally been able to get back to voicing my opinion. I'm old, I'm aloud so shoosh!

My wife and I took some much needed time off together and spent most of our summer doing fun things together. By far the best part of my time away was our trip to Oregon. We took a train for the very first time! Choo-Chooooo!! I highly recommend this mode of travel. Forget airplanes or driving, take a train! Sure you have to plan a couple of extra days into your trip for the travel, but it is sooooo worth it! We got what's callled a roomette for the L.A. to Oregon leg of our journey and it is something everyone should do. A roomette is a very small room with two seats that face each other and a collapsible table in the middle. There is closet that is THE smallest closet I've ever seen! you can hang two, maybe three, coats in it and that's it! There is some elbow room to put a carry-on or two, and that's it. For sleeping arrangements, there is a fold down upper bunk and the two seats slide together to form a lower bunk. When the bunks are made, you have a 2 foot by 1 foot space to stand in, and that's all. Cramped, but comfortable. The price for two people is under 1000 dollars and it includes the following: a steward, who sees to your every need, including extra pillows and towels! The steward also comes to your roomette a couple of hours before each meal to get your dining reservation (and you have to have reservations, or the wait time is killer!) All meals are included in the price. For the roomette there is a hallway bathroom and shower, which is never busy. And, the best part of all; no driving! The price also includes a dining car that only those in the sleeper cars have access too that offers a $5.00 wine tasting every afternoon, a theater with a choice of two movies, and a library/game area. The coach passengers have no access to any of these things. Then of course you have acess to the coach areas with the regular dining car and the observation lounge and snack bar.

It's a very peaceful journey. Next year, we are going to get an actual room, which has more space and it's own bathroom. That'll be nice. All-in-all, I highly recommend train travel. You get to your destination so much more relaxed and without having to put any effort into it while being waited on!

So that's part of where I was the last few months. I've also been working pretty hard and spending a lot of quality time with friends and family. Now I'm back; back to writing and back to gaming and just plain back!

Cracker Jack Box or DMV?...You be the Judge!

What is with people these days?!!!!

My wife and I went up to the mountains this weekend to a small town just for the fun of it. While we did enjoy ourselves immensely, there were a few things that happened during the ride there and the ride back that makes me question if some people should be driving or not.

On the way there, we got stuck behind some guy driving a big dual wheel truck. The speed limit is between 40 and 50 miles an hour on the winding mountain road heading up. There are are no passing lanes, but there are several opportunities to hit a turn out in order to get off to the side of the road. This guy averaged 20-30 miles an hour all the way up and he refused to pull off at a turn out to let those behind him pass. Did he fail that part of the DMV test or what?! Most likely, he reached into a cracker jack box and said "look honey, my prize is a driver's liscense!". If I had a bigger truck, I would have pushed him off to the side so that the rest of us could have passed him!

As we got ready to leave and head back down to our house, we ecountered a few people that should be removed from the gene pool. The first two people decided to drag race on their speed bikes right in front of a cop!! Hehe, that went well! The next guy decided that 15 mph around a hairpin turn meant 2 mph! The third was a guy in a motor home who decided that instead of using a turn out to get out of the way, he would pull over in the next town....5 miles a way!!! I could have walked their faster!!!

Despite all of that, their was one moment which I thoroughly applauded. It seems that their were some Harley riders up their for the day having a good time walking around town and enjoying the day. When they went to leave, they started up their bikes and set off the car alarm on a nissan altima that was parked next to them!! I was dying!! That's friggin hilarious!!!

Yeah, about that...STOP WHINING!

As you may have guessed, this particular post is about whining and whiners. I have no particular targets in mind, so what brings this on you might ask? Well, I have pretty big ears and as I experience each day, I hear conversations that go on all around me. Some of these conversations are nice, simple, how's your day kind of conversations, but the majority seem to be people complaining about something. My gut response to that is to turn around, look them in the eye, and calmly say "Stop Whining!" At least as calmly as you can shout anything.

So what constitutes whining? What makes a person a whiner? Websters Dictionary defines whining as: to complain with or as if with a whine . What is a whine? It is a high pitched, annoying noise that grates on one's nerves. So, in simple terms, whining is the act of complaining about something so much that your voice takes on a nasal, high-pitched quality because of the constant repetition of the complaint. The constantcy with which some people whine becomes, not only predictably boring, but viewed with trepidition as they start to really build up steam for their whining fit.

What to do about it? My gut response? Shoot them. A more practical response? Council them. Council them you ask? Yes, council them. When someone comes to you with a whine or complaint, stop them in their tracks with a simple statement: "So fix it." In most cases this stops them in mid whine as if they can't believe that you just said that. What's not to believe? It seems a very simple solution to me. If something in life is in your way, causing you angst, then do something about it. Don't spend all of your energy lamenting the unfairness of the universe in its galactic conspiracy to make your life miserable. Spend some of that energy in coming up with a viable solution and spend the rest of that energy in actually implmenting the solution.

What if I'm afraid of the solution, you ask? What if the solution brings a drastic change in your life or lifestyle? My response: So what? Who cares if it changes your life or lifestyle? If that's the solution, then obviously its time for you to make that change. Obviously there's some force in the universe (call it God, call it fate, call it time) that is pushing you in that direction. The pressures that are building up and causing you to whine so much are obviously building to a crescendo. Before that crescendo hits, do something about it. Release that pressure. Get it out of your system so that you can stop torturing the rest of us with your whining and start having a happy life and a good time! Everyone is entitled to these things (not at the expense of others), but you have to get up and go get them!

What about the people who's whole lives are built around whining? What about the ones who are only happy when they are complaining about something? Shoot them, we don't need them anyway!

Friendship

So I'm sitting here at work and I'm noticing the empty space behind me. A space where a dear friend of mine used to sit. He moved on to a better paying job with full time benefits, which he really needed to do because he was getting no love here in that direction, but it still leaves me with an empty space at my back instead of the friend I had come to rely on. I knew I was going to miss him, but, until today, I didn't realize how much. Of all the people in the office, he was the one I related to the most and looked forward to seeing each day.

In the process of feeling sad that he is no longer around, I came to an epiphany. Friendship has no distance, no time, and no space limititations. I may miss my friend, but we are still friends. That, really, is all that matters, and, because that's all that matters it does take the sting out of his abscence. I won't get to see his sleepy or smiling face each day anymore, but, because of some mutual hobbies and interests, I'll still get to talk to him and hear him laugh from time to time. That's what really brought me to realize what friendship is really about. It's about the links people create with each other and about the experiences they still share whether or not they are in close proximity of each other.

When the ephiphany hit, I slapped myself in the head because my best friend John and I no longer live near each other, but we still talk ALL the time. We've been friends for almost 20 years now. Obviously, distance be damned! I'm still as much a part of his life now as when I lived near him and he is still just as much a part of my life. We also have a special link that I think is wonderful. If we go for any length of time without talking, when we do talk, it's as if no time passed. We pick up right where we left off. I know that he does not judge me, but accepts me as I am, and that's what friendship is all about.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that statement is true for all of my friends. Whether or not I see them all the time has no bearing on our friendships. They are still my friends. So Casey, no matter the distance, you are still my friend and always will be. I wish you the best of luck in your new job and I hope that you will find what you are looking for. In the meantime, I will talk to you by text and see you on WoW!! Peace!!!

Hello, Goodbye, and a Smile

Those that know me, know that I work in a very high energy customer service environment. In this environment, we are taught (and teach others)that saying hello to a guest, saying goodbye to a guest, and smiling at a guest are sure ways to show them that you care and are engaging them in a geniuine interaction which they will remember for the rest of their lives. This is COMPLETELY true! That being the case, why should we just use this technique when we are at work? Something this good should be shared with everyone we meet!

Saying "Hello" should always be accompanied by looking the person in the eyes as you say it. This shows them that you mean it and are including them in your day. It doesn't cost any effort at all and it makes the people you meet feel that something fun just happened. Sometimes it can make the difference in a person's day! It could also make you feel good, especially if they say "Hello" back! It's a simple way to spread good will without being pushy or fascist about it. Maybe, if more of us say "Hello" to each other, we will make life a little bit more fun ad a little bit more exciting!

Goodbye sounds pretty final, but it doesn't have to be, especially if you follow it with "Have a good day" or "See you later" or some such thing. It seems small, but it makes a big difference. Saying Goodbye also gives us a bit of closure, even if its just during a casual encounter. It gives us a sense of having completed something. "Goodbye! Have a Great Day!" sounds so much better and more fun than saying nothing at all.

And a smile? What more do I need to say? Smile! It lights up your face and shows people that you are having a good time and that nothing is going to get you down. Never be afraid to smile and never be afraid to laugh! Either one is good, but both together can change a persons day from bad or boring to awesome!

So remember, say "Hello", say "Goodbye" and SMILE SMILE SMILE!!!

Phil-O-Sophy

Websters Dictionary defines philosophy as:
1 a (1): all learning exclusive of technical precepts and practical arts (2): the sciences and liberal arts exclusive of medicine, law, and theology(3): the 4-year college course of a major seminary b (1)archaic : physical science (2): ethics c: a discipline comprising as its core logic, aesthetics, ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology
2 a: pursuit of wisdom b: a search for a general understanding of values and reality by chiefly speculative rather than observational means c: an analysis of the grounds of and concepts expressing fundamental beliefs
3 a: a system of philosophical concepts b: a theory underlying or regarding a sphere of activity or thought
4 a: the most basic beliefs, concepts, and attitudes of an individual or group b: calmness of temper and judgment befitting a philosopher

The last 2 definitions are what really matter and it occurs to me that, as you go through life, you NEED a philosophy, or creed. That is you need something to live by, some sort of code or moral standard that gets you through the day and helps guide your opinions and drives you to achieve the things you want to achieve in life. I've had several philophies in life, but the one I live by the most and is my current creed and motivator is this: "Life is too short to........." To what you might ask? Well, that really depends on the situation you find yourself in.

It could go like this: "Life is too short to be so angry". That simply means that you should not waste your time on being angry, frustrated or upset all of the time and that you should't bottle those feelings up. If you bottle them up, you are asking for a HUGE explosion as the absolute WRONG time. It could be very embarassing. So let it out as it occurs. I sometimes have a reputation for being a hot-head or being too passionate about things, but that is simply me blowing off the steam of whatever has me worked up at the time. Once I've vented, then it's in the past, and what's in the past is done and over with and should no longer matter.

Perhaps it could be: "Life is too short to dwell on the pas". Meaning, if it happened yesterday, forget about it and concentrate on what's happening today. The past can be used as a warning of things to avoid or as a reminder of something hilarious, but it should never be used as a script for the future. The future is ever changing so not all past experiences will fall into any category of the future. My generation is called Generation X by noted psychologists and we've often been categorized as people who can't make up our minds about where our lives are going until we are middle age. Maybe that's true, but it also means that we don't let our past keep us from trying new things in the future as they come up. Many of the people in my generation have switched careers a few times before settling on what we really want to do in our lives.

Or maybe it will be: "Life is too short to be so scared". Why go through life terrified or worried that bad things are going to happen? Or why be so afraid to try new things? Or why worry about what everyone else thinks of you to the point of being so perilized that you never achieve YOUR dreams? LIfe is wayyyyyyyyyy to short for that! Something scares you or makes you afraid, face it! Challenge that which makes you afraid and it will not longer make you afraid. You'll beat it and move on with your life.

As you can see, for me, "Life is too short....." can mean many, many things. Whatever it happens to mean that day, I use it as a driving force to push me into the next step or phase of my life. I live free, I live happy, and I push forward at every opportunity! Remember: "Life is too short to wait!"