Ramblings of a Nerd

Briefly On Micro-blogging

2009-01-30T07:27:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: This is *NOT* a rant; rather, it is an analysis of some aspects of twitter and a fleshing out of what I think is a good approach to those aspects.

Twitter is a fantastic tool. Communication, networking, marketing, and general information proliferation. I like using twitter and similar services for communicating and sharing/finding information. I may find myself using it to network and market in the near future, but that is not my aim right now, although I never mind extending my reach in the blogo- and micro-blogospheres. For that reason, I enjoy finding new people on twitter and find it exciting when new people follow me. If they have the same sort of communicating and info sharing that I am interested in, I will follow/follow back. If not, I certainly don't mind that they follow me, but I don't want info overload (at least in regard to what I'm not interested in.)

What I find silly about twitter is that people are all too eager to follow and un-follow people. I will certainly unfollow someone who seems to be spamming, mass posting useless info, or harassing, but I tend to be patient and rational about it. If I find something offensive or bothersome, I'll let them know and if they deem it unworthy to change what they're doing, then I'll unfollow. I think that is what is important about the whole communication aspect which is so integral to micro-blogging and what makes it go around. People don't call it social media for no reason.

Something that falls along the same lines, is rapidly increasing tweeting and mass-following people. These two things are generally signs of attempting to network or starving for attention. In any case, artificially increasing posts by adding outside blog-feeds or by constantly making an effort to spout random crap just to have more exposure is a poor use of time and a weak stategy. If someone unfollows me because I don't tweet enough, that is just juvenile. If I'm not posting a lot, then it shoudn't bother you one bit because you've probably got a deluge of information coming through in your stream, so when my tweet comes around, it's a snowflake in the blizzard. One the nice things about snowflakes is that they can be beautiful things if you take the time to look at them. My lack of tweeting is not a lack of interest in micro-blogging, but an effort to put better thoughts, communication, and information out there.

Mind you, I am no expert on twitter (personally, I don't think anyone really could be, which is a completely different topic), and my thoughts on it are developing daily. This is really just meant as a piece to swallow for consideration, to help others out there for their opinions on what twitter etiquette should be. I hope you find this useful and enlightening as I found it mind-clearing and self-directive.

Bush's Last Day

2009-01-19T11:27:00.000-08:00

Well, it certainly has been an interesting 8 years with good and bad. Regardless of how much bad, I would say that there has been too much criticism of the Bush administration. I agree with some of it, but a lot of it has been nothing but negative, without (positive or realistic) accompanying suggestions for changing things. Sure, Bush (and administration) have made bad calls, but no one is perfect; there are reasons for free speech, one of them the ability to critique and offer better solutions to the way things are handled.

In these last days of the Bush presidency, he has finally shown more backbone than in many of the previous years, expressing his hope that the American people will show more respect to his successor than we have done for him, and defending his approach (regardless of whether it was efficient or effective, sticking with one approach is far better than constantly debating one and not accomplishing anything through indecision,) and is therefore laudable. Even more laudable, however, is his decision in this, the last active day of his presidency, to commute the sentences of former Border Agents, Ramos and Compean. These gentlemen were sentenced to 11 and 12 years (respectively) in prison for shooting a Mexican drug-runner. They shot him in the butt. I don't think I need to say more, except thank you Mr. President for honorable action on your way out.

Old post

2009-01-06T09:38:00.001-08:00

Since I had one worthwhile post on one of the other blogs, I decided to breathe new life into it and transplant it here. Enjoy:

Global warming, et cetera, et cetera...

I think that this world has heard enough about Global warming and the lack of oil that we have / are developing. Everyone and his mother writes about it now-a-days, which is just peachy-keen. You know what it's like: "The government ... blah blah blah blah blah … running out of oil and not doing anything … blah blah … and global warming is getting worse because of all the oil … blah blah … if the government just made it easier for us to not depend on oil…" Because, of course, we all know that it is completely up to the government to change the way that we get around and how we drive and use our cars. I swear, people keep bitching about how the government is doing a lousy job when the fact of the matter is that they are doing a great job bringing about all of these damn bureaucratic regulations and laws that someone decided to complain to his senator about. Most everyone today would rather die than take blame or responsibility for anything. I have to admit, I'm pretty bad about it myself, but I do at least admit and try to not be so stupid about it.

The more you blame the government, the more governing it is going to do and the fewer freedoms we will have to make the choices that we should be making now. First of all, people need to stop complaining about things to the government, and secondly, they need to stop complaining about the government. My parents used to tell me that the best way to teach something is by example. In such a peer pressure filled society (adults are not immune to it) leading by example is the best thing we can do. The majority of the people that complain about the government are those that have blogs and write about it all the time on their blogs about how the government can improve something or make something better. Sometimes they even get it right and say that we are the ones that need to make the change, not just the government. But you know what--there are enough people out there blogging about you getting off your keister and making a difference. What the heck are they doing to change all of this? Oh, right, they're sitting there at their laptop at some Starbuck's or some other place with free wi-fi bitching and drinking their double shot latte wondering why the government has to make things so miserable for them and telling everyone that reads their blog that the government or the readers themselves need to do something. Hmm. Does practice what you preach ring a bell to you? Let's lead by example and start ranting and raving about how society and the country are going down a piss-hole. So what example does that give? It tells other people that they can be complacent with being upset and angry and write about it. That is what has been happening. That is why the blog craze has been hitting harder and harder, and why so many of those blogs are actually read by people. So now we just have this world of people who spend all of their time reading about all the precise ways that things are messed up and getting all of the perspectives so that they can make up their mind about exactly how they feel about it so that they can waste more time writing about their complaints and how angry they are. So, now that we all have hours less in our lives, and we are so zombie-fied from staring at the monitor for far too long, we're just too tired to go out and make an actual difference, so we're just going to hope that what we wrote inspires the next guy to do something.

I support writing a lot, which is why I'm doing it right now. It helps develop the brain in so many helpful ways, and it helps one sort out one's thoughts and be more logical in the way one thinks. But the point of honing one's mind in this way is so that one can act in a more logical way. There is such a thing as too much of one thing or another, and right now we've got too much festering anger, to much complaining, to much preaching, and too much sitting around and talking. People, get your rears out of those chairs and get outside and fix your bike if you're concerned about global warming or oil. Go plant some trees or flowers to help reduce the greenhouse gasses. Get on the phone and find someone to carpool with and tell them why you want to carpool without complaining about the government or anything else. Quit griping and be positive. Nobody likes to hear a whiner or someone who complains all the time. People do like positive, exciting, and active people that make a difference. It's not that hard. And best thing about it is, you'll feel better about life and yourself if you start doing and stop analyzing and thinking about it all. You'll have more energy, you'll be more positive, and you'll be happy--you might even forget why you complained in the first place, instead acting on what you can change to make this a better world for everyone.

Consolidation

2009-01-06T09:24:00.000-08:00

In part of trimming down, I am consolidating blogs, and will now only be posting to this blog, ODAAT, and MFYM (with an occasional reference or blurb on 8OC). Obviously I haven't posted much on most of my other blogs, but this is in part due to lack of commitment, over-extension, and simply too many places to say most of the same stuff. So, I have limited it to two personally run blogs, and two group blogs and therefore I'm shutting down my two rather old blogs (With this ring and A Grain of Ry). Stay tuned!

Trimming Down

2009-01-06T06:31:00.000-08:00

I was on a diet during Advent, and within 2.5 weeks, I lost 20 lbs. But that is not the kind of trimming down that I want to talk about here. Minimalism, abandoning materialism, restricting self-indulgence, cleaning house, getting back to the basics, eliminating distractions; however you name, this is the kind of trimming down I am talking about.

All too much, mankind becomes focused on one thing. While in my perception, that is not intrinsically bad--in fact it may even be natural, seeing as it is God on whom we should be focused 24/7--it has come to be bad thing. Fixations, obsessions, and compulsions are what I am referring to. They come in all shapes and sizes. A great example right now: Going Green. I am certainly no tree-hugger, but as a Catholic Christian, I find it imperative and nothing less than our responsibility to take care of what we have been given. Unfortunately, people have become entirely enthralled with this issue to the point of mule-blinding themselves to anything else.

Most of these fixations have a starting and ending point, and generally are looked upon at some point as a phenomena, and hindsight being 20/20, we all look back and think "what the heck was that all about?" or "why didn't we think if that sooner?" There is one, however, that seems to be timeless, without any sort of defined beginning or end, although waning and waxing with culture: materialism. I find it interesting that a lot of other fixations, obsessions, et cetera, follow logically (or illogically) from materialism.

Obsessions cause us to lose sight of the more important things in life. They pull us away, divide our attention, distract us. I have discovered this to be part of my difficulties with consistent focus. Sometimes I can, most of the time, I cannot. I don't actively obsess over things, but I do inactively, subconsciously. I want this, I must have that, I have to know about this or that. Following the information diet outlined in Tim Ferriss' The Four Hour Work Week (see also http://www.fourhourworkweek.com) has helped shed light on this. It clued me in to just how much time I was misdirecting to media, semi-social interaction, and empty extra information. With a clearer mind and less stress now, I've seen things from a perspective that I haven't known for a while, if ever. This has allowed me to begin to perceive the material distractions (obsessions) that I have in my life, and just how little I actually need, or even want, compared to how much I have and spend. So, I'm clearing out a lot of stuff that I have. Most of it will go to Goodwill or to someone who might want it, some may just have to be trashed. Even some things that may be useful in the future will be eliminated, because sometimes the cash savings of reuse is not worth the mental clutter it causes.

Trimming down like this will allow me to better focus my abilities in the direction that I need and want instead of allowing myself to be distracted. I already feel the difference. In fact, I am more emotionally sound than I have been in years. This is the beginning of the bee-line to streamlining my life and creating the environment and opportunities to live the dreams that Maria and I have for our family.

Look for my progress here, and individual exercises, practices, and steps that I will be taking or have taken to make these strides.

8OC post

2008-12-22T12:21:00.000-08:00

Another new post over at 8OC.

Another Rambling

2008-12-18T20:07:00.000-08:00

I just posted a rambling post over at 8OC.

I'm not sure it'll be around much longer the rate it's been going, so I figured I'd spend the time to try to revive it. If you like the blog, or even just to post, send your love (or hate if need be) through the comments. It'll help either get it back on it's feet, or seal the impending doom.

2008-12-04T11:08:00.000-08:00

Report of a virus which masquerades as Greasemonkey in Firefox: http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08%2F12%2F04%2F1536231

It collects banking and financial login data and sends it to a server in Russia. Beware Windows Firefox users!

Adventageous

2008-12-01T22:28:00.001-08:00

In my first post on ODAAT I talk about Advent and how it is a time of watching and waiting for Christ through penance which forms us into the temples which God intended us to be. I intend to practice what I preach this Advent, this Coming of the Lord, in a number of ways.

Firstly, by means of mortification. I have begun a diet which is limited to vegetables, fruits, meats, and nuts (legumes included). That means no grains, no simple starches, no unnaturally sugary foods (dairy is clear, although I find myself increasingly intolerant to most kinds.) I am also limiting drinks to water and green tea, of which I am to have between 8 - 10 glasses of the first a day, and upwards of 4 cups of tea a day. Hydration has been a big issue for me, as well as an increased dependence on caffeine and other energy enhancing substances (hence my nickname at work: Red Bull Ryan.) This mortification has multiple benefits, including increased fat burning, increased muscle building, increased energy levels (at least after the first couple of weeks) in addicion to clearer thinking, sharper focus, and better memory. These are physical and mental aspects of preparing the body for Christ, as we are all required to care for what God has given us.

Secondly, I am preparing by means of penance/prayer. I have scheduled to attend mass ever day, as well as pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and one Mystery of the Rosary every day, and go to confession once a week. The benefits, well, they'll be many.

I have other little ways, but those are the basics and give a good idea of what I'm working for.

As for now, I have to go to bed so I can make one of my other Advent goals: getting up at 5!

Tolerance... FAIL

2008-11-14T09:19:00.001-08:00

Obama is supposedly supporting tolerance and promoting equality (that's generally the ticket which socialists run on) but check this out: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-kass-13-nov13,0,1631817,print.column
Yeah, it isn't Obama, but he certainly fostered this environment. If a man fosters such things, regardless of political bindings or personal moorings, he is not capable of the position of Leader of the Free World.

Reflections of self

2008-11-12T20:26:00.001-08:00

In the past 6 months I have learned more meaningful things about how I think versus how I desire to think, than in that many years, if not more. For example, I accepted myself to be a hard-core conservative, and therefore straight-shooting Republican. Within these past months, though, my understanding of politics and my perception of the politicians has sharpened and improved. Conservatism is still my root, but I hail from more of a paleo-conservative core, dipped (or soaked; not 100% sertain yet) in libertarian philosophy. Essentially, I am a "Ron-Paulian." Although, that kind of puts the cart before the horse.

See, I liked Paul first, because he was a well spoken, stright-shooting, sincere man; he wasn't a politician either. But I had not come full circle until months later, after losing some interest in Ron Paul because of his sort of cult appeal, and because of comments (which were actually either untrue or just plain distasteful-the fact that I didn't discover for some time.) I swung back to my "Republican" roots. But it was during that time that a good friend of mine and I spent a fair amount of time together, talking often about politics and ideology. His rational, concrete view helped me to realize where my footing actually lay, and while uncovering some of the dung heap which had been right in my face (just as with everyone else's), helped me to decipher for myself what is actually happening here in our homeland. That brought me back to the 'paleoconservatarian' views which I was taken in on charisma, sincerity and novelty by Ron Paul in the beginning, but with a rational, [more] properly-formed perspective.

So, that is the first of my declarations of what I really think and feel as I discover who I am and how I work, think, feel.

Introspection

2008-11-07T10:55:00.000-08:00

I've always been a nerd. Oftentimes an outsider. Picked on and shunned even. Kids often get themselves down about that sort of thing. I have sometimes taken it personally even to this day. Perhaps there is a reason for this.

People want to be liked, but why? Some people claim that it's because of complexes, or not enough attention paid. I pose that it is an indicator of personal character and quality. Don't get me wrong, some people are not very peronable, but are otherwise fantastic and exceptional people. That being said, I think that even these exceptional people can find areas to improve upon.

The ever present notion of nerds, geeks, and brainiacs in childhood years being much less than social and ousted or made fun of is a problem. But, it is for different reasons than society poses today. You see, those things are symptoms, which we all have a tendancy to treat instead of the source. I think that these things are indicators of personal improvement that can, nay, should, take place.

Man is a social being and should work to be the best he can. Our society in some fashion or another, has tought everyone to cherish who and what they are. Great idea, terrifble execution. The refined version would be love yourself for what God has made and given you, but always mind what God intends for us to be: perfect. Perfect, like Christ. Christ was not shy, outspoken, introverted, yet He was exceptional at a great many things. I would dare say that had computers existed and they were just as integral to society, Christ would have excelled greatly at using them. However, He certainly would have devoted time to other great areas of life.

The point here is not necessarily to inspire some sort of change in society, although that would be welcome. Rather, this is more of an introduction to a deeper, more personal point: I suck. Yeah, I know it's strange, harsh, perhaps narcissistic, and even cliche, but after much thinking and analyzing, I find it to be true.

Personal development has ground to a halt in many areas. It is mostly not because I have no motivation for it, and believe me, I have been trying. The real problem is deeper than that. This is what ties into the childhood nerds. Often they find themselves defined by what others say and think about them. At this sort of crossroads I find the same to be true for myself, at least in part. Sure, over the years I have discovered some of my true self, yet apparently not enough to grow as I ought.

The 'sucking' is in a few categories, like sociability--which includes selfish and non-selfish behavior--and work ethic. For the most part, I think people would say that I am sociable, but I would say not in the way that I should or could be, and not enough. I also know that most people would say that I have a decent work ethic, but I would echo the last statement's rebuttal--I feel that I have the ability to be an 'epic achiever' as it were.

For these, and others reasons, I have found that I need to have a plan of action. This will consist of determining my desires, passions, thoughts on basic concepts, moral beliefs, moral boundaries, peronal capabilities, personal shortcomings, short and long-term goals, personal needs, and needs of those around me. I am going to be authoring my life philosophy, which will inevitably lead to my self-development through deeper thinking, even thinking about thinks which I have not, but should have already, as well as helping me define where to direct my energy and where I draw the line on things I do.

During this time, I ask that you pray that this development takes the best possible direction, and that it will take me down the path best for everyone involved.

Oops

2008-08-21T12:36:00.001-07:00

I did it again. I let my blog go. I have got to post here more often. I'm going to aim for once a week for now and then increase from there and see how that goes.

Another Day

2008-07-21T20:51:00.001-07:00

One of those tiring ones. It was good though. I was able to get some good solid work done for two of my clients as well as go to an interview/business proposition meeting. Very interesting and exciting! This one is actually genuinely interested in helping people out and not just themselves.

Interestingly enough, the meeting tonight seems to have brought a peak to trying to decide which job to take. It emphasized that you have to do what it takes, be bold, do things that you aren't comfortable in but are learning experiences. That along with the talk I had just last week about doing things without fear and the fact that this job is the only one that I have yet received an offer for may indicate something. I'm very close to making my decision, but I am willing to be patient to make a very well informed one. We shall see what tomorrow brings!

A Slow Weekend

2008-07-20T20:08:00.001-07:00

This weekend has been pretty much near dead. Sick and recovering and trying to decide where to go with things have been the themes. Recovery wasn't so bad, although I could hardly eat anything yesterday. As for deciding about the job, I think I do have my heart set on the Linux Sys Admin job, but I'm not going to be 100% sure until I have word from these other two jobs which I have an interview for on Tuesday and should hear from the other tomorrow or Tuesday.

The nice thing about the Linux job is that I was offered another part time managerial job just down the road from it. It would only be 8-10 hours a week and with flexible hours. With both of the jobs, we'd do very well and they'd both be great resume builders. I think I'm going to take on both of those if I my interview tomorrow evening (for the part time job) goes well, seeing as I've already gotten an offer from the Linux job. It's just so tough when it is a life-changing decision. You might say that it really isn't, but consider having a wife and child. Deciding to go to a job in which field I have minimal experience as opposed to a job where I have a multitude of experience frightens me. If it were just me, I would have said yes in a heartbeat. But I have to consider them: what happens if I really mess up, what about moving, and other random and probably senseless and irrational concerns. I did just have a conversation a few days ago about not living in fear, about doing stuff that we want instead of being afraid of failure, and I think that all signs are pointing to being a Linux Sys Admin, but I'm so unsure. Well, more praying and sleep and deliberation will provide the path.

Just ain't easy

2008-07-19T20:19:00.001-07:00

Blogging just ain't easy, no doubt. Especially when you get out of the habit of doing it. I'm a bit stumped right now. A bit of blogger's block you might say. I think that it's a combination of not having blogged at the usual time the past two days and being sick. So, while this could be another blog about blogging or habits, I leave it at none of those. Beside that, I'm still not feeling 100% and I'm tired, so I'm going to bed.

Yesterday

2008-07-18T12:00:00.001-07:00

So I missed yesterday, and I have to say that straight off the bat, this is to make up for it. Yesterday was a crazy day, not so much in everything that was going on, it was mostly how the day turned out.

I ended up having to go to a client's location to take care of a few problems here and there, and it was going to be quick, but I ended up being there for over 4 hours. It tired me out and I was ravenously hungry afterword.

After that, I just crashed on the couch (around 8:30) and only woke up to go up to bed.

The short of it is that I woke up sick, with very dehydrative tendancies. Hopefully I'll be able to still keep tonight's daily blog.

Choosing a Job

2008-07-16T21:56:00.001-07:00

I had two interviews today. They both went really well, and I am very excited about them. I think I have a good shot at getting both of them too.

I think that I have a great chance of actually being offered both of them. They're two different spectra though. One is a tech support, customer rep, company face, support tech managing, completely Windows based with great room for advancement and learning. The other is completely Linux based systems administration and scripting, testing, et cetera, with great room for learning and ability to move on. So, since my decision making skills are a jumble, I may have a dilemma on my hands. I have some serious deliberation to do if I am offered both.

Habits

2008-07-15T20:36:00.001-07:00

Here, nearing a solid week of blogging, I don't have anything to write. This is good, though. It brings me to the point at which I have to try--it's that point in the run where you start building cardio and burning fat.

This is where habits come in handy. Of the many benefits of forming habits, the one here that stands out is the push from the breaking point. It is that moment when the goal of creating that habit drives you to set new levels of achievement.

That is what makes habits rewarding. Sure, you get the benefit of consistently doing something. but what really makes it great is the growth that comes from meeting them.

Bedtime

2008-07-14T21:05:00.001-07:00

One of the nice things about committing to blogging every day for two weeks is that I am getting a grasp for just how late I get to bed. I've known just how late I get to bed for a while now, but remembering that I need to write a blog before I go to bed makes me value the precious time even more and adds a new dimension to its value.

Sleep is such an important thing: having a baby makes me realize this even more too. When he is growing, he sleeps most, if not all of the day. When he doesn't get his nap or doesn't sleep well, he gets grumpy and fussy, but when he wakes up from a great nap, he is the happiest baby alive.

Too many people now disregard sleep. They see it as an inconvenience. Unfortunately, while I may feel that way sometimes, I am more of the persuasion that it is one of the more important things in life. I say unfortunately not because there is anything wrong with that in itself, but when it is taken to an extreme: I sleep in way too much.

However, the point here is not how much you sleep, but when? Studies have shown that some of the most important sleep occurs from 11pm to 1am, which involves body detoxification, and from 3am-4am, which entails deep restorative (sometimes REM cycle) sleep.

Food for thought. No rant or rambling describing and explaining the need for better sleep nowadays as I'm sure we're all aware of it. Take it for what it's worth--I think it's quite a bit!

Family Day

2008-07-13T20:51:00.001-07:00

We were at my wife's parents' place most of the day again today, and it was decent fun, good food, and good quality time. A large portion of it I actually spent vacuuming out the car (this was the time between brunch and dinner when everyone was either out or asleep). But it felt great to get that done and then we relaxed and enjoyed dinner.

Maria and I were talking on the way home and she expressed how she really misses being with her family now-a-days. It's different now that we're married; they look at us differently now, of course, but it is just taking time to adjust, since it was only the year before we got married that Maria moved out of the house on her own. I haven't taken it so hard since I was in Germany for the year that I turned 18 where I expended my homesickness, then I went off to college for two years, and stayed out here in Virginia (it'll be two years since leaving college in September.) Needless to say, the situation causes conflicting interests, or at least has in the past, but I have grown more fond of her family as of late, which makes it simpler.

That was a bit of a tangent. Here again, the theme is being social. Sunday, is a day for being social, especially with family. My parents always taught me to keep it such a day, because it is in line with keeping the Christian Sabbath as the day for God. When you're spending good wholesome time with friends and/or family, it is giving glory to God because it is enjoying His creation and its fruits.

Short and sweet: Sunday should be a day to glorify God and one of the best ways to do it (in addition to going to Church) is enrich your ties with loved ones.

Something to add to this: the family is the basic unit of society. With the breakdown of the family in recent decades, we have seen a significant upswing in problems throughout society: this is a documented, statistic-based fact. Even if for nothing else, please spend time with your family--love them and share life with them--because it is one of the best things you can do to make things better.

An easy blog day

2008-07-12T21:02:00.001-07:00

I'm taking it easy in blogland today, it is the weekend anyway. The main reason, though, is that my brain won't cooperate with many of the facilities of rational function. I suppose that's what happens if you try to run on 2.5 hours of sleep, staying awake from 3:30am to 12am, a mere 21 hours later.

The day went well. I was still hoping that, and somewhat unreasonably at that, one of the companies I sent info into would get back to me today. Maybe I just subconsciously forgot that it was Saturday. But of course, they did not.

Alright, enough for now seeing as I'm falling asleep typing this

Being Social -- Social Beings

2008-07-11T21:35:00.001-07:00

Speaking of being social, tonight we went out and enjoyed a Friday nigth with our friends. Unfortunately the little one wasn't terribly thrilled by the heat, as he got fussy until we took all but the diaper off. He gets kind of Tarzan-ish and Buddah-esque. Strange, I know, but if you've seen him, you understand.

Now, being social is a distinctively human quality, again, amidst the physical creatures (although angels have the ability to be "social" they are generally otherwise occupied in the whole aeviternal worship thing.) It is quite important, and not just because it is unique to us--no, it is not like sunlight for green chlorophyll carrying plants in that its function is to sustain the plant. Being social, while immesureably important to man because of an inherent emotional need, has far greater implications.

You see, mankind was created in a communal environment. Say what you will about communism and things of the sort; that is not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about being a real community: interacting with eachother, sharing one another's lives, good times and bad, lending a helping hand or being helped, and standing up for your neighbor. That is what we are called to do.

People don't want to do this today. Society is degrading into a self-centered "what can you do for me" atmosphere. Society is made up of communities, otherwise it is a bunch of individuals. If there is not the communication and unity of being social, there is no community. You see, support groups are based on the same idea of communities: the need for social interaction for emotional interaction as the base necessity, but perhaps more importantly, the need for a learning and growing and revelation that comes from being social.

We are imperfect and part of that imperfection entails that we require sensory experiences in order to obtain knowledge and wisdom. That applies to our experiences in life--we may work and gain experience by doing things over and over, but like a blind person learning to walk, the progress will mostly be slow and may even stop because of personal limitations or inabilities. However, with someone to walk through the paths with us, we have another gamut of experience and knowledge from which we may learn and grow.

Sociability is a uniquely human quality for a number of reasons, but there is a greater one than you may realize...

Being Human

2008-07-10T21:45:00.001-07:00

Well, it may be after 000hrs, but I'm still awake so I consider this to be a yesterday's post. I just had to get that out of the way.

Now, consider what it means to be human. Some people have trouble getting in exactly what that is. They'll name activities or traits and customs. While those do cover some of the aspects, they don't cover everything. What really makes us different from all other physical beings (at least here on earth, which is contestable) is that we are rational beings. Rationality is a way of life for us--most of us anyway--and is the pinhead on which all essentially human activity stands. If you want to argue with that, you can duke it out with Plato, Aristotle, St. Thomas Aquinas, etc.

There are many activities that are inherently rational, and therefore necessarily limited to mankind in the physical realm, such as laughing, crying, and talking. Each of them requires an ability to process the world for more than just instinctive needs.

While all distinctively human activities are important, I think that one among them is a level above most: sociability.

That's for starters. Look for the explanation tomorrow (today).

Blogging?

2008-07-10T09:29:00.001-07:00

Okay, so much for getting into blogging again. It seems that anytime I want to start something like this I am able to do it for a little bit, then I get distracted or busy. But no more! This time, it's definite. I am setting a goal of blogging everyday for the next 2 weeks, this post not included, so look for something from me later on today!

Ahh, another blog

2008-07-03T05:51:00.000-07:00

Well, it's good to be back in the blogosphere. I was never 100% into blogging, although I never had a reason not to be. The dryness mostly seems to have stemmed from disintegrating interest in blogs that I had created in haste (and probably and emotional flurry.)

That's why I've started this blog. A new, fresh start. No more remnants of a languishing blogstream to stale the air!

Here's to new beginnings!