They've Done It Again

Summertime tends to be a prime-time for me to head to the theaters and catch a few shows.  So last night, Ms. KJGrl and I ventured out to witness Pixar's most recent film Wall-E.  I had heard nothing but good things from reviews, which always leaves me a bit skeptical as the columnists who write said reviews are often polar opposites of my tastes, but away we went nonetheless.

And I must say, it was fantastic.

Now be warned, this has nothing to do with my high regard for Pixar studios or my more than unhealthy love and respect for Steve Jobs.  Instead, I feel that the studio has indeed done it again and produced another Finding Nemo, only this time we follow the trek of a cute little robot.

I highly recommend the film and be sure to keep track of the jabs at Wal-Mart, Global Warming, and Fat People that come along the way.

P.S. Wall-E totally has the Mac boot up G Major chord.  Leave it to a Mac to work after 700 years...

Dance Monkey, Dance

Today I had the pleasure of witnessing what happens what the Big Wigs come to the local grocery store that I work in during the summer.

All of the managers worked today.  And each one has their own little dance.

One likes to smile and shake everyone's hand

One likes to judge though normally quite bland

One chef is clumsy, and frantic, and nuts

The other, a vet, hates all of this fuss

And then there's me, a part-timer caught in the middle

Expected to work and ne'er to fiddle

But I laugh to myself in my own special way

As I wonder why we're not this good each and every day...

A short post; see, I can do it!

Oh the Summer Wind

Things that I learned while on my mini-road trip:

a.) Trying to post after a full day and a filling dinner from an iPod Touch is QUITE difficult.  Sorry for the typos

b.) I'm sounding preachy lately.  Slap on the wrist and let's have a bit of a lighter post today

c.) The "Bible Belt" is full of Adult Superstores and Gentlemen's Clubs.  I guess you have to have something to do after Church on Sunday....

So I gotta tell you: I LOVE Summertime.  The long days, warm nights, and even the thunderstorms make me very content.  Inversely, the month of February is always such a drag.  The nice snow from December has turned into the brown/green muck on the side of the road, temps fall through the teens and single digits, and there's little to no sunlight.  Ever.

Yeah, I know there's plenty of studies that you could show me and say "Look fool, somebody's already said OVER and OVER that sunshine is good for you!"

I guess I'd just like to reinforce the point.  

So here's to Summer 2008 in the Northern Hemisphere.  Heaven on Earth: a hammock by the lake, sunshine, county music (or NASCAR- it's okay to judge me) and a cool drink/breeze.

Ahhhhh......

Defining the Legacy

I write this evening from sunny and muggy North Carolina and I will use this fact as the reason why there was no post yesterday. Oh well, blame me if you like.

While traveling and spending some time down here, I've had the chance to think about what purpose and legacy of life teally mean. (c'mon, I'm a recent graduate and haven't had an emo posting in a while)

I guess legacy and purpose are really what one makes of them. We all take pride and find satisfaction in different ways, so maybe only we ourselves can determined if we are doing what we are supposed to be doing.

Comments?  Thoughts?

Well I'll only be whistlin Dixie for a few more hours now. Hopefully I'll have nothing to distract me tomorrow night. Until then, all my best, friends.

The Way We Write It

I always have Saturdays off during the summer.  So I generally do my best to head to the east, to a town along Lake Ontario, for good food and great company.

Being a proud Buffaloian (Go Sabres!), this provides approximately 5 hours in the car for iPod karaoke and more contemplative thinking. (Note: I did not say Deep contemplative thinking)

On the news today there were featured stories about the 2008 Ugliest Dog champion as well as a frightening story about a "pregnancy pact" (check it out on CNN if you haven't heard about this yet- very scary)  I realized after browsing the news site that the media news corporations provide us with a extensive amount of information.  However, they get to dictate exactly what we find out and how in fact we find out about it.  Journalism at its best I assume.  I can hear Uncle Ben from here screaming "with great power comes great responsibility"  Super Duper.

But as I drove today I stumbled upon the notion that this is not just true of our news reporters but all story tellers known to humankind.  Therefore, is history itself not completely open to interpretation?  How frightened are you that George W. (the W stands for wonderful *sarcasm {cough} *sarcasm) Bush could be remembered as the "Crusader against Terrorism, who saved the World from Saddam Hussein!" rather than "(Insert clear and apparent truth about the last eight years)"

I guess I kick myself now for blindly assuming as a child and young adult that History was fact and simply clear cut when in fact it's all in who we choose should be the scribe for our human workgroup and in fact the way that we write it ourselves.

Sunday to Tuesday will feature a brief jaunt for me down South but I hope to be posting all the same.  Please continue to check back and thanks for all of your support and comments!

Go Green!, um, if you know where Green is going....

So yes, I'll admit, yesterday's post was a bit lengthy.  I'll try to contain myself today.

For those of you who have known me, or at least known of me for the past year, I've been very big on all of this Go Green and Clean Up the World stuff.  This was particularly the case at our dear College of Fame.  I met with all sorts of different folks in administration to talk about what the college was doing to be a bit more environmentally friendly.

When I arrived home for the summer it finally dawned on me that I was not alone by any means in this crusade.  Companies around the US are all trying to put different labels or campaigns out letting us, the consumers know, that they are "Doing Their Part in Making America Green."

Well, in the case of The College of Fame (COF) and American Corporations as well, I think it's more along the lines of "Saying Our Part in Making America Green."

Here's the thing: Press conferences, meetings, email notices; I think we've all become a bit apathetic towards it all.  Yeah, it's great that you're saying all of this, but what are you actually DOING about it.  What can I see, witness, be part of, that will prove to me that things are moving in a greener direction.

I like recycling.  I'd like my car to run on something other than fossil fuels.  But I'm realistic and know that progress takes time.  But at the same time, I want to be sure that progress is in fact what is occurring, not just another song and dance routine.

Sometimes when I get done posting I wonder if I've really said anything at all.  I guess I'd just like to know where Green is actually going...

Mowing Grandma's Lawn

Okay, so two things to start:

1.) I'm going to do my best to post daily (over the summer at least, and when I'm not away)  But sometimes I get lazy, sleepy, or hungry and I forget.  Yesterday is one such case.  I'd say I was sorry, but I might not be.  (Do you know people like that?  Say they're sorry ALL OF THE TIME and you wonder if something actually ever bothers them?)

2.) I had a great talk with a good friend, Mr. Nadal last night.  And Mr. Nadal was commenting on my blog and how it is not a place where I'm simply posting what I did all day (Exhibit A: like I woke up, rode my bike, did some exercises, took a shower, ate too much, and then cried because all of the boys hate me!)  Moral of the rant- if I ever become ridiculous about what is going right/wrong in my life, please slap me over the Internet.  Many thanks.

On to the topic of the day:

So before getting sleepy and hungry yesterday, I took a jaunt over to my Grandmother's on my bike to mow her lawn.  Not entirely ideal mowing conditions (cloudy at 60 degrees) but when Grandma calls, Grandma calls.  So off I went.

As I bagged the trimmings and go chlorophyl all over the bottom of my favorite pair of jeans, I was thinking about what "old" people are all about.  Note: I will avoid the term "old" as often as possible and for once, attempt to choose the PC path of the label of senior, or senior citizen.  Have you noticed how we as a nation and culture tend to try to throw our seniors away and try to give them discounts and social security to try and keep them quiet?  

Here's what I'm getting at: I think that everyone, young and old, have a story to tell.  And I feel that far too often we ignore the wisest story tellers available by assuming that all seniors are decrepit, senile fools.  Think of the learning opportunities that we pass up by fearing/avoiding senior citizens.  Exhibit B: A seventh grade social studies teacher is presenting the storming of the beaches at Normandy during WWII.  We've all sat through lessons like this when the teacher presents a chart showing how the Allies pushed up the beach and eventually saved the day from the evil Nazi regime.  Super Duper.  But think of how students could be sitting on the edge of their seats as a witness or participate to this battle recites his or her story.  I ask you to consider the benefits to all of the parties involved: the senior gets time to socialize with a younger generation and share what they have witnessed, the students interact with a member of an older generation and possibly gain respect towards them, and the teacher has accomplished multiple teaching standards through the lesson set up.  Furthermore, by bridging generational gaps, we may avoid stereotypes and fear associated between young and old interactions.

Unfortunately of course, as time goes by, the story tellers change as generations pass on.  Sooner, rather than later, the Baby Boomers and Flower Children will be able to tell how they witnessed the Civil Rights era and raised families during the turbulent 70's and apathetic 80's.  Then eventually it will be our turns to tell our grandkids or anyone that will listen to this senile old fool at least, how we sat in different places all across the nation as planes struck the Twin Towers, Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania.

Okay, deep breath.  See what happens when I get going?

I'll finish with a quick side note: have you ever seen an old couple holding hands at the mall or walking or whatever.  I'm a dude, but i gotta say that's wicked cute and I really enjoy it.

P.S. You may have noticed that you're not necessarily getting the King's English in this blog.  I ask that you forgive me for my random, sometimes illegible, attempt at grammar and sentence structure.

P.P.S. Please always feel free to comment on anything that I post and don't hesitate to ask me what I think about something such as "Hey SPaps, what's the deal with the name of your blog?"  Or "How do you type with boxing gloves on?" (Sorry Strong Bad- I couldn't resist)

Responsibilities and sticking to them

So before I begin today's rant, I feel that I need to provide a bit more information about my general day-to-day routine.

Being a broke, pre-grad student who finds himself in the throngs of summer vacation, it would only make sense for me to hold a part-time job.  And this is in fact the case.  What is it that I do you ask?  I stock Dairy shelves at a local grocery store.  Not bad work really- I'm in a 40 degree cooler on the hottest days of the summer and I'm allowed ample amounts of time to consider our world and what in it I observe.  Most of the topics that I will examine in this blog are in fact brain children created in that dear cooler.

So today I was thinking about the state that schools and school districts find themselves in with regards to interactions with Parents.  I know what you're thinking- I'm just some dumb kid who has no idea about Parents.  You're probably right, but I will complain nonetheless.

It seems that schools and school districts find themselves in a Catch-22 these days.  Parents become upset if the students are exposed to content that is not deemed "appropriate" by the guardians, yet they are also quick to point the finger at the educational institute when children seem naive to sensitive subjects happening all around them in the world today.  What is a teacher to do?  Whom ultimately suffers?

It is the belief of this wannabe intellectual that this has a tragic effect on a child's entire education.  By ignoring sensitive subjects in school due to fear of scrutiny, I believe that we are creating a generation of conformists and brain-dead robots.  Sensitive subject matter when presented correctly with accurate research provided from multiple view points allows students to begin to think for themselves and formulate their own opinions.  I think that there is a general lack of this sort of teaching in our USA education at this point in time.

I intend to dive much deeper into education as I progress with this blog, but I think this is enough ranting for one night.

Before I conclude however, I must thank those parents that are thinking right now "You've got it all wrong, I'm in fact encouraging my child to question opinions and the norm!"  In many cases these are the same guardians that are encouraging school budgets (when put together correctly *ignoring bureaucracy*ahem) as well as being active with teachers and support staff in the schools.  You are in fact the all-stars of education; the ones that bring it all together and you know what, your child will be better for it years down the line.

Alright, enough for tonight.  Thanks for putting up with me; at least today wasn't too emo....

-SPaps

Okay, Take Two

Apologies for the first attempt at this whole blogging thing- I'm really not totally crazy all of the time; just when I have to make decisions.

Anyways, June has been rolling by and something has been on my mind ever since Hillary dropped out of the dems race to the White House.  I understand that being noticed costs money (Maybe that's why nobody reads my blog!) but should our politicians really be spending this much to make the public know who they are?  Think of the millions of dollars that could have been spent elsewhere in our troubled nation (education, cough, education) but instead Presidential nominees reach deeply into the pockets of others as well as their own.  Just a thought.

And what about the attention that the media draws to it?  It this a good thing or a bad thing?  Do you think that the average Tom, Dick, or Harry grows tired of hearing about superdelegates and primaries and babies being kissed all the time in March when the election isn't until November?  Perhaps the media's coverage of the election leads to the general apathy that we find come November.

Don't get me wrong- I realize that this is a HUGE election what will influence the US far past whomever finds themselves residing on Pennsylvania Ave next January.  But couldn't we be going at this in a different way?