The Hair of My Chinny-Chin-Chin.

While on my trip... I stopped by a shop that sells men's grooming products.  My main reason was to change up my normal shaving routine... I'm putting a razor to my face every day, so it's worth thinking about.  Luckily, this place not only had a wide range of disposable and multi-blade razors, but also held an impressive collection of straight and safety razors.  Some of my older audience may be more familiar with those, but I'll break it down for the younger guys and gals...

Straight razors look like knives.  You apply it straight to the face and go at it.  Reminds me of old westerns and adventure movies.

Safety razors are double sided and require single blade inserts.  The only things you ever have to replace are the inserts themselves.  The safety guards themselves last a lifetime.  Reminds me of that "simpler time" your grandpappy keeps talking about.

I've Got Some Exploring To Do.

No worries people... but I'll be taking a break from posting for about a week. My plans for a "vacation" with a good friend of mine are finally coming into fruition, as I will be busy relaxing and enjoying the sights and sounds of the San Francisco Bay Area for a few days. Next week I'll be coming back full force though, as I just finished a couple books that I'd like to react to and expand on.

Thanks everyone for the support!

Baby We Were Born to Run...

Yesterday, I made the mistake of eating at a pizza buffet for lunch.  I probably ate the unhealthiest pizza I've ever come across... the grease sweat was just dripping.  So in an effort to make up for that carb and calorie infested mind-fart, I decided I'd go for a run.

And boy... did I run...

As soon as I stepped out the door, I started running down the hallway.  Then to the street.  Then I ran down the block.  One block became two blocks.  Then five blocks.  Then ten.

I ran uphill.  Downhill.  Upstairs.  Downstairs.  Wide open roads.  Narrow alleyways.  Cut around corners of buildings.  Guided around winding sidewalks. 

I couldn't stop moving. 

Wealth... Simplified.

This series is dedicated to showing how ridiculously simple life can be.  A direct opposing response to our desire to complicate things when it's completely unnecessary...

To become wealthy...

1. Spend less than you earn.
2. Repeat.

Simple.

Generation "Now" (Link Love)

I found a refreshing post today that highlights one of the issues us Gen Yers deal with.  Growing up with a lot of things coming our way at hyperspeed, sometimes we can be impatiently waiting for "our real life" to begin.  Here's some perspective on living the dream.

Thinking Through Producing and Consuming.

I've come across a lot of material lately that discusses the ideas of anti-consumerism.  Whether the motives are to leave less of a carbon footprint, be thrifty, or fight the establishment, the premise of consuming less is valid.  I can't speak on behalf of the American population, but I know that I'll continue to take steps to consume less while being more mindful of the things I do consume.

The other side of the coin is production.  There is the argument that if I'm not consuming, than I'm producing, and if I'm not producing, I'm consuming.  So the logical step would be to increase my production due to the decrease of my consumption.

There in the Future...

And now... a haiku:

The here and now will

determine what is left for

there in the future.

Happy Mother's Day Mom.

I love my mom.  There... I said it. 

She's put up with my antics all of my life (which some will say is a remarkable feat) and I'm truly grateful for that.  She also can show super-human patience at times, at levels I will probably never attain in my own lifetime.  I get my sense of hospitality, my ability to love unconditionally and put others first, and my pride in my heritage from her.  She pushes me to reach my potential and find my place in this world... yet never hesitates to let me know that I don't have to be so independent all the time...

And though I'll follow the custom of celebrating mothers for one special day out of the year, I surely do not need a holiday to remind me how amazing she has been or to show her how much I appreciate her.  I'm glad that she chose to have me and guide me through this crazy world... Hopefully I turned out to be somewhat close to what she had hoped for when she made that decision.

Thanks for being you, Mom.

Acting Superior to Others is an Empty Endeavor.

On the occasional weekend, I work security for a few clubs in the city.  It's nothing too fancy; you make sure drunken idiots don't harm themselves or others throughout the course of the night.  Last night was no exception.  The drunken idiots came... so we had work to do.

It is definitely an interesting job.  You meet people at their most primal form.  There are your alpha males... either showing off how much money they have (or can borrow) or how muscular they are.  And of course the females... either looking for attention via the lack of clothes being worn or "letting loose" from that stressful week of dealing with "The Man" (work or relationship).

Weight Loss... Simplified.

This series is dedicated to showing how ridiculously simple life can be.  A direct opposing response to our desire to complicate things when it's completely unnecessary...

To lose weight...

1. Eat less calories than you burn.
2. Repeat.

Simple.

How Live Jazz Speaks.

Tonight I type this entry from a small coffee shop hosting a jazz band.  At some moments they're a little rough... but for the most part entertaining.  I surprisingly got in some higher level reading while the music took over the background.

I have some trouble listening to jazz recordings, but I love hearing it live.  And jazz is meant to be heard in that fashion.  The music itself is in the moment.  If follows a few rules, but works around them, creating the ability to feel new and different while still maintaining a sense of familiarity.  I liken it to conversation; when recorded it personifies a time or moment where it can be it's own entity, whereas when live it demands a choice of interaction.

The Beauty of Benchmarks.

Today, I took a fitness test.  I get graded on how well I complete push-ups, sit-ups, and a 1.5 mile run.  For my job, it's essential that I at least hit the minimum required standards for my age group.  However, they also have a rating system if you go above that initial mark. 

I like to push myself when it comes to this kind of stuff (blame it on my history with sports), so every time the test comes around I check my scores.  And this is why I love benchmarks... Every time I test, I get to see if I have progressed, stayed about the same shape, or have faltered.  Then, I plan out what I can do to either get back on track or improve. 

Check Your Source.

Many of us have rules for ourselves that help determine the path we carve out during our lifetime.  These rules are formed from what we've been taught as well as what we've learned from our own experiences. 

The problem is that we are so quick to gather and store information, that sometimes we don't step back and take a valid look at the source.  For instance, there have been those who have gone through very extreme experiences that will leave a stain on anything that may resemble a similar environment.  Sometimes they don't even know the situation that they were in was an unhealthy one or a rare occurrence and accept it as the standard. 

Health Care Reform (Link Love)

If you are interested in information on the Health Care Reform Bill, here is a summary of the basics.

Sudden Winds

And now... a haiku:

Sudden winds of change

feel only of a light breeze

to the prepared few.