Driven

When bipeds began wondering about our wonderful Earth, they had to adapt through learning. They had to face predators like 12 foot gigantopithecus and the wooly mammoth, while adjusting to conditions such as blistering cold temperatures or red-hot droughts. These times were not easy and not every cousin survived. The Neanderthals, for instance, could not overcome the ice age that once covered much of the northern hemisphere, hence leading to their extinction. But the ones who survived took learning as a tool and used it as a way of survival.

Those survivors: Humans. Through their (or our) learning they figured ways to store water, food, and procession of societal ways to stay alive. Granted their tactics were more barbaric, but this was just the early stages of the homo sapien. So what separated this creature from the one before it? The answer is simple: creativity.

With the use of fire, humans were able to think, dream, and hope. Ultimately this quality has been passed along to us through the use of time and perseverance. Reflecting on those traits, (we) humans have organized societies, created organizations, influenced political agenda, and even pushed the limit of good vs. evil.

Other incredible feats include the ancient Egyptians, who built pyramids in ways we have trouble understanding. One-hundred ton stones were shifted and re-located in unkown ways by ancient societies. Empires larger than continents were formed through force and will. So, what does this have to do with us?

We are extremely capable, but not beyond our imagination. I say this because our imagination has no limit. We can envision a world with nothing but fiction, a place where our dreams have no sense of time, a wonderful prospect of ideality. It is our imagination that has given us electricity, the wheel, motorized engines, computers, and endless possibilities.

We must remind ourselves at times that we have to expand our boundaries, go beyond the norm, and break the rules. Complacency is the easy way, but challenge will present the reward.

Think about your life, your story. Is it all that you imagined and everything you hoped? If not, why not start writing you best-selling novel? There is no better time than now. Eleanor Roosevelt puts it well when she says "The purpose of life is to live it, to taste the experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience."

Always make time to dream, never lose sight on your potential, and dream the dream that connects us from our deepest roots of our ancestors. This is your life, live it!

Focus

Yes, I know it is a car I drive, but that's not what I'm talking about!

Focus, motivation, discipline...Where does it come from?

I happened to have a 5 page paper due in 3 hours that I had only halfway finished due to what else, procrastination. But when the clock was winding down and the gap narrowed, I seemed to hone in on my project, as if nothing else mattered.

Why is it that in crunch time we can block out everything else... our world around us ceases to exist, and it's nothing but us in the moment. Back when I played sports I can remember being "in the zone" so much that nothing but the game would effect me. Coaches, players, the crowd could be screaming; but if it was during live play I heard nothing. The human brain is a wonderful, most mysterious thing.

I think this speaks to the drive and determination of each one of us. Inside of us something clicks; and doesn't it feel good? I think sometimes I forget what it's like to accomplish a difficult goal and have an incredible feeling of satisfaction afterwards. That paper I wrote (in a mo-fo'in hurry yesterday)...best paper I've written in about 2 years (and the longest).

I guess I love a challenge, even though I tell myself otherwise. It's like I tell myself the easy way is the way to go, but my body says make it interesting, challenge yourself. Hell, I already challenge myself in video games. I get pissed off when I blow teams out in Madden, because I feel it is a wasted game. So what do I do; I play every game on the hardest level (All-Madden) and I am so much more satisfied when I win. It sucks to lose, but I take it in stride (and reset the game :-)).

What if everyone was incredibly motivated to do something...what kind of world would this be? Just a thought, but it is interesting to think about.

I constantly struggle to find what makes me tick, and that is part of my apathy, and if I let it, it will be my downfall. I think we all just need a niche (sorry no accent mark) that we can rely on. That's what is great about our society...our ability to pick and choose what's interesting and make that a part of our life.

Let me give you a "real world" example with a company called "Patagonia." Their turnover rate of employees is at an incredible 4%, an extremely low number for a major organization. When they hire employees, they hire people who believe in something, whether it's saving a mountain or rescuing kittens. Patagonia's employees are allowed to adjust their schedule when necessary, and they go out into the world and make a difference. At the actual store, where they sell adventure/outdoor clothing gear, the employees actually tell the truth and will recommend or not recommend certain gear for people. They are not out just for the mighty dollar. Employees are encouraged to take their beliefs in society and are even justified in extreme circumstances. One statement from their company policy is about supporting employees who get arrested in non-violent protests regarding a certain topic.

It's that kind of thinking, and that kind of family-like organizational setting that has made the company so successful. People there have found their niche.

So I guess the question is...What makes you focus? What makes me focus? We're all inspired by something, but what is it?

If you know answers to those questions, awesome. If you're like me and still unsure, I wish the best of luck to you. That niche is out there; just keep searching, you never know what may come up.

I made it...

You heard it from me...I made it. You are probably wondering just exactly where I made it to. The answer: Anywhere!

As I typed in 37 different combinations of my e-mail accounts, my e-mail names, and passwords to try and get to this particular blog I realized something: You have to be patient and persistent at the same time. I know the cliche': "You have to work hard to get what you want," or something similar to that saying. Well it is essentially true, although sometimes I just wish it wasn't that way.

In all actuality I came on here to get away from writing a paper that I have to finish by Tuesday (Yeah I felt that writing this would be better, you're not my boss). Now that I am here I wonder how I manage facing adversity. Hell 75% of the time I am just confused and the other 25% of the time I am just complacent. Maybe you are not like me and have all the pieces in place, which I can respect; but I am a Scattergories player...?

I think it's the confusion, the adversity, the unknown that keeps me on my toes, and has other people asking "wtf." Right now as you have read this you are already asking yourself "where the hell am I going with this blog?" and I am here to tell you that it doesn't matter. Sometimes you just have to be random; whether it's purposeful or not. Hold on to this verbal roller coaster there may never be another one quite like it.

All my pants are different; but each one makes for a great leg pocket, however the length is always an issue. I always thought pants were more fun in the dark, maybe you don't like them. But if you don't like your pants, what do you think about your shoes? your shirt? my fragmented sentences?

What is more to you grasshopper is a language of poetic injustice served amongst the froth that shines forth like an imbred fairytale.

Okay now I am just getting weird...but this randomness must continue.

Pajama pants are for living in; why must we only wear them at night. If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it of course you are dumb for asking that question...honestly who thought of something that stupid. Guess what? The sun doesn't rise and it doesn't go under a cloud...the Earth's axis is of course rotating around the sun (which never moves; just burns like a kindling flame of external love like all things that must extinguish but fear not for that is far). I guess the cloud went under the sun and the Earth sets in the morning and it rises in the evening, so suck it moon.

Sure we are locked down by gravity but not sucked in by it...why did I think of that sentence. You're never too old and you're never too young for eventually we will be cyborgs and you will be invisible to guns.

Guns don't kill people...stupid people eat worms. It's not my fault I was born this way it's your fault you eat lima beans. I would like to declare my own country and invite my friends over for treats. I would have my own holiday and be in charge of tiny ants.

I am amazed you have read this far, it's a testiment to your persistence and your patience, I certainly hope you are not confused.

It's all culminating into one, it's time to defuse.


You made it. I am guessing you were confused, and I am guessing you are still confused. Well my friends that is just life. Even if your entertainment is askew, and things make no sense, hopefully you can see things to the end, it's life my friends, and it is nothing more than crazy fun nonsense;-).

Back to school...