Let's Consult Our Handy-Dandy Socials

With the world at our fingertips sometimes we forget how far apart we still actually are. This is a concept that a lot of people come face-to-face with when using social media. They have “friends” all over the country, or even all over the world, and yet typing a message to them is the most they are able to do. It begs the question for as many people as we claim to know, how many actual friends do we have. Moreover, for as much as we talk to people through these social media sites, how socially inept have we become. If I were to move into a shack in the woods and live for 10 years never speaking to other people, once I finally made it back into the population, I might seem a little socially awkward. It is something that has to be addressed when homeschooling a child. It is true that a parent may be able to teach their child everything it needs to know for college by the age of 10. However, without the social interactions of public school, that child may not develop socially the way it needs because you, and its siblings if applicable, are the only people it has interacted with. Being socially inept does not benefit the child, no matter how smart they are. And, sure, most children find social media by the time they are teens but learning social interaction via social media is akin to learning to play golf from video games. Even with virtual reality, the video game helps your avatar in so many minor ways that all you have to do is swing the controller and might even sink a hole-in-one. However, the subtle nuances of how to swing a golf club are not taught and it is nearly impossible to make the ball go where you want it, if you are able to hit it at all. When all you can do is type messages or send pictures to other users, you don’t learn the subtle nuances of social situations and therefore find it more difficult to interact in a socially vast world. It also must be noted that even if we have been out in the world, constant use of social media for all of our interactions can numb our social senses and make us more inept. All of this to say that social skills cannot be taught, they can only be learned and are necessary in a world of a social species such as ourselves. Making friends, job applications, gaining a significant other, and even just seeming relatively normal in society means learning those social skills from a young age and maintaining them through practice. The only way to truly learn them and practice them is to actually talk to people face-to-face. While there is nothing wrong with social media for a bit of fun, there is also great benefits from getting out in the world and enjoying the company of others. It is also a good idea to make sure the young ones don’t get on too early and that they are forced to leave socials once in a while to hang out with a friend or two. In the end, it all culminates to how difficult it can be to live in the modern world where, with one or two devices, we think ourselves to be sociable. But that is just one man’s opinion. Thanks for listening to me ramble. I appreciate it. See you next time.

Life's a Game and We're All Playing

Now, while I do love spinning that little number wheel and driving my car along the colored path, getting married, and having kids, I am not actually talking about that particular board game. Although, as a child we giggle while paying bills, gaining money, etc. in the game, and depending on what version, possibly meeting Hello Kitty, it is a true enough reflection of what life is. As youngsters, it is just a fun time, but as adults, we quickly learn the board game is a joke gone wrong. The adage is adulting is hard and I, as an adult, fully believe that. Working, paying bills, going to school, if you still are, dealing with people, all while trying not to end up in a padded room. It is difficult. The only solace I have is I know everyone—big, small, poor, rich, famous, and even bloggers—are playing the game. Some of us will be the bragging sore winner at the end claiming we knew what we were doing, even though it is clearly sometimes just luck, while others, sadly, won’t make it to the end of the path and our cars will be found on the side of the path that many never think they will take. So where am I going with all this. Well, honestly, I don’t know. I guess I am just trying to point out that if life is just a game maybe we should stop focusing on every single move and whether we are winning or not and just play. Twirl the spinner, move your piece, and hope that even if you don’t win, it was a fun time anyway. Also, remember that sometimes it is going to be a bumpy ride, but we should strap in anyway because Cinnamoroll might be around the corner. But that is just one man’s opinion. Thanks for listening to me ramble. I appreciate it. See you next time.

Coffee-Flavored Milkshakes

Venti, half-caf, triple-shot, caramel, mocha, soy, no foam, extra whip, extra hot, upside-down, caramel drizzle, with seven pumps of caramel syrup and seven pumps of mocha syrup, double-blended Frappuccino. No, I have personally never heard this order, but it was one of the longest coffee orders I could find via the Internet. Or was it? You see, to me that does not seem like a coffee order. In fact, if I was to actually do the math on that order, I would probably find coffee at the lowest percentage in the mix. I argue that this is a very complicated milkshake with some coffee as an ingredient. Now, do I think that anything more than black coffee is not coffee. No. However, I do believe there is a scale of coffee to something else and, at some point we have to quit lying to ourselves and just admit that our morning cup of joe is a full-on dessert and not a coffee drink. There is nothing wrong with that. In a world of free will, it is our choice to have dessert anytime we please, and as long as we are footing the bill for this so called “coffee” we can make as much of a milkshake as we want without any repercussion. Although, on the other hand, maybe stop boasting about how much of a coffee drinker you are when your morning drink order has coffee as the last and least ingredient. But that is just one man’s opinion. Thanks for listening to me ramble. I appreciate it. See you next time.

The Earth is Not Flat Right?

Since the dawn of humanity, we sapiens have been extremely curious about the world around us. Over time this has led to some of the greatest discoveries of all time. Different elements on the table, electricity, where Fez from That 70’s Show is from, but one of the biggest problems we still face through our methods of discovery is the groups of people that condemn others just because they have a novel idea. For instance, the first time a scientist proposed the Earth was not the center of the universe, the scientific community ousted an individual named Copernicus. How about the first time it was proposed that we actually evolved from a more primitive species? The religious groups of the world started throwing around the idea it was being proposed we evolved from monkeys and said that was crazy and only the Lord can create life. In the modern era, the notion that self-driving cars will ever be more than fiction is still hotly debated, even as select big companies have proven it to be possible. Now based on the title, one might think that I am leaning towards the idea of a flat earth being real. I am not. We have definitely proven the Earth to be spherical, and anyone who believes otherwise is a few continents short of a globe. However, what I am saying is that people who were later proven right, started out with what seemed like insane ideas. Of course, every idea is not going to be a ringer, and believing in concepts that have already been proven wrong is a step in the wrong direction, but maybe the next time a science fiction thought is attempted to be made reality, perhaps we should all listen. In other words, instead of laughing at a man holding a kite in a thunderstorm, maybe help him find a safer way to hold it and be on the front line when a new fact is proven. But that is just one man’s opinion. Thanks for listening to me ramble. I appreciate it. See you next time.

My Follow-Through Sucks

New Year’s resolutions are a tradition dating back to the ancient Babylonians that would pray to their gods that they may succeed in one manner or another. Usually this meant moving up in class, beating their next opponent, gaining extended knowledge, or even just good crops the next growing season. In today’s time, it usually means a weight loss or financial goal. The key word for me is “goal.” When you set a goal, especially one that is very high-barred, there is already tremors of failure. I personally do not set resolutions, if only because the crushing sound of defeat after six months is just too much for my ego. So, instead, I opt for accomplishments. In other words, every time I manage to get something done I celebrate, and I don’t worry about what I didn’t get accomplished. That way it is only good times when something actually gets done, and, with my procrastination habits, sometimes it does take a while. However, I encourage everyone to follow this method. Because it definitely is more fun than being depressed about what you didn’t get accomplished. Although, for some, it may be difficult because they are that successful and accomplish so much they would celebrate every day. Although celebrating every day, greatly accomplished or just muddling along, is a goal I fully stand behind resolutely. But that is just one man’s opinion. Thanks for listening to me ramble. I appreciate it. See you next time.