100 Things
Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes

I have had an evolving list of things that I would like to accomplish in my life prior to my departure from this world.  While some are from the gut, some from the mind, and some from the heart; they are all things that I would hope to do.  I have taken things off that I have accomplished, I have even removed some that as I grew older I realized were not important anymore to me.  Here is my current list in no particular order.

1. Write a Book and have it published

2. Win an Academy Award (Best Original Screenplay)

3. Buy a round-the-world air ticket and run away

4. Photograph the world

5. Get Married and stay married to a wonderful woman

6. Raise a child to be proud of.

7. Die Happy

8. Fly a Glider

9. Run and Finish a Marathon

10. Build my own house.

11. Learn Japanese

12. Join the peace corps

13. Get a PHD in something

14. Be the guy to start a Nascar Race by saying "Gentleman Start Your Engines!"

15. Skydive

16. Walk the great wall

17. Listen to the Dalai Lama Speak

18. Learn to Ballroom Dance Properly

19. Write a Will

20. Learn to play a musical instrument (REALLY WELL)

21. Learn to ride a unicycle and juggle at the same time

22. Create my own website

23. Visit the old and new list of wonders

24. Teach someone illiterate to read.

25. Find a four leaf clover

26. Stage dive and crowd surf

27. Be in four places at once.

28. Be debt free and stay that way.

29. Experience weightlessness

30. Make a hole-in-one on a "Real" golf course

31. Learn to flair bartend

32. Be in a major motion picture, and preferably my own.

33. Tour all of the major museums in the world.

34. Watch the ball drop in NY.

35. Give to a charity, anonymously

36. Learn to be a locksmith

37. Perform a Maximum Break in Snooker

38. Make a full court basketball shot.

39. Solve a mystery.

40. Be world champion at something!

41. Be a voice actor

42. Be inducted into a hall of fame

43. Master the art of coin bouncing

44. Drive a formula one car

45. Learn Patience

46. Hear a song I wrote on the radio

47. Drive from NY to LA or vice versa

48. Learn to juggle five balls

49. Forgive my father

50. Own a business that is on the fortune 500 list

51. Find a sunken/hidden/buried treasure

52. Ride in a cop car during a high speed pursuit

53. Create my own drink and have it named after me.

54. Take off and land a plane completely on my own

55. Create Magic

56. Learn to fire a sniper rifle.

57. Outrun a race horse in a 100 yard dash.

58. Drive a Zambonie

59. Swim with sharks (Physically and Metaphorically)

60. Break a world record

61. Raise a bonsai tree.

62. Have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

63. Own a really great movie collection

64. Win a Nobel Prize

65. Learn to free run

66. Play in the world series of poker and break even or better

67. Solve a millennium problem

68. Read BBC's "Big Read" list of books

69. Learn to cook...really cook.

69. Come up with an original joke to make the world laugh

70. Have the Irish Day

71. Own a really good car.

72. Make a time capsule.

73. Have groupies

74. Discover a celestial body and have it named after me.

75. Throw out an opening pitch

76. Have my face put on a stamp

77. Learn a martial art

78. Learn the way of the sword

79. Donate money for a park bench with my name on it.

80. Live in a monastery for a year

81. Bet a C note on 22 Black and have it hit.

82. Take apart a car completely, and put it back together…and have it still work.

83. Make someone else's dream come true

84. Have a perfect game of miniature golf

85. Chop a tree down in the woods with no one else around, and find out if it makes a noise

86. Overcome my fear of foods

87. Save a life, even if its my own

88. Learn to think like MacGyver

89. Learn to draw

90. Perform in the close-up room at the Magic Castle.

91. Ride the biggest rollercoaster in the world.

92. Quit working for 'the man' and never look back

93. Start a secret society

94. Backpack across Europe

95. Create my own philosophy

96. Own one really great suit

97. Be at an event that will go down in history

98. Visit the Arlington Cemetery.

99. Live life in every breath

100. Help someone finish their list.

10:11 PM - 0 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Toy Story 3
Current mood: embarrassed
Category: Romance and Relationships

A lifeless object that wants be more than just merchandise. A toy sitting in the rows of other profiles, websites, and cubicles; wanting and hoping that someone with a shopping cart would come along and take them away, give them meaning, and let them experience more than the drudgery of day in and day out boredom in a world full of shelves.

Then the mystery shopper comes along and spies the toy, making broad strides to get to the plaything before anyone else can. And before anyone realizes it, a physical transaction is made and a bond cemented.

They enjoy each other, the toy giving its all, and the person relishing in their newfound happiness.  Words of affection are rained down upon the toy, and time is spent and invested in the toy.  All is right…and as it should be.

But a toy is just a toy, and a person is just a person. How long can a person play with a toy before getting tired? How long can a person show affection to a toy before moving on?

And at the end of the path there comes a parting.  The plaything back to the toy chest, with all of the others, forgotten about with little remorse. Sold at the next garage sale of life, discounted and damaged; being sold by someone who doesn't want it anymore, yet is trying to get the most for it.

Toys are just that…toys. Lifeless creations that know how to do one thing…entertain.  And when the show is over…they have to become toys once more.  They have to go about and back toa their quiet existence, and wait.

But who is really the toy, and who is really the human? 

Is the toy the one who knows what they want, and will do anything to get it? Is the toy the one who savors the time and words spent in the relationship? Is the toy the one who isn't supposed to feel hurt at being discarded…but in reality does.  That's pretty human to me.

Is the human the one that is only feigning affection and emotions?  Is the human the one who only knows how to mimic words like a programmed creation.  Is the human the one that doesn't care at the end of the journey?  Is the human the one that is lying to the toy and to themselves? That sounds like a toy to me.

I feel like a marionette.

5:02 AM - 0 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Ramblings...
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes

I once thought that words had meaning in only the capacity that man in all of its fickleness gives them worth. But like the good book often reminds the fearful, words thought are as powerful as words spoken.

So why do we think them? Why do we hope and dream? When in reality most hopes, dreams, and thoughts, are often discarded, washed away, taken, or destroyed.  And its that reality that we must stand up against, pick through the waste basket of life's lives and take back what we dare.

And while hopes are merely electrical stimulations of the mind interacting on the chemical level of our very consciousness, we cling to hopes and dreams as if they are going to happen.  How often do we pull the proverbial wool over our own eyes when we are already blinded by the darkness that defines our very world.

We live in a suspended reality that only extends to the level we choose. Most of us normal day to day creatures of habit live a in blissful state of ignorance, and because of that choose to hide in our cardboard boxes we call homes reinforced by paychecks that ultimately are spent on check-stand impulse reading investing time in trade papers without ever reading a word but submerging ourselves into others existences.

So how do you catch the intangible thoughts of the world, and in a quiet desperation try to sort through that plethora of restless aspirations, goals, desires, hopes, dreams, and all manner of selfish plates ready for consumption, and find a meal that fills your soul's sail with the howling release of life of the human existence?

Do you get down on your knees and speak to an invisible dead man; that if seen in any other light, or through any other form of media, people would classify you as mentally insane for talking to yourself?   Do you trudge through the very existence of life's stumbling blocks, and pretend that everything happens for a reason, when you, nor anyone you could ever hope to find, or even the smartest computers, could ever hope to guess?

Chance and faith are the two sides of the Frisbee that is our planet earth.  Twins like the eyes that never touch, but see everything from separate but equal views.   And we simply, fruitlessly, endlessly, try to blink away the very bad and negative things that invariably will happen in a world of incalculable odds.

And so it goes the everyday goings on of the world, and the shepherds of the Eden, are the most ignorant, destructive, and unhappy group of primates to grace the surface of this juggler's sphere.  We are the heralds of our own destruction, welcoming it with open arms, with our backs turn and our eyes wide shut!

But what of I?  To strive with all my might to make the writing on the wall, that no one will ever hope to understand?  Or rather save the machinations and destructive forces of the world one less physical shell of a soul to remove?

The chicken scratch of indelible marks…what will the other intelligences think when they see them...if they see them…if they even look?

11:18 PM - 0 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

From a Certain Point of View......
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Life

Walking through this story called life its amazing what we see, don't see, and what we think we see that we actually don't.  There have been numerous studies on the level of perception, or lack thereof, that people actually have. And with all of the problems that we have trying to figure out our own points of view, when do we really understand that there might be more viewpoints than our own?

Star Wars fans might tell you that something told from "a certain point of view" is actually just a way to cover up a lie. And who is right? Each point of view has its own level of factual validity for the person it belongs to. 

History is simply people's points of view on paper.  While the point of view that gets written, and more often taught, is that of the victor.  Its also society's way of showing the world what is perceived right, and what should be perceived as wrong…but those are just points of view.

Relationships succeed and fail because of points of view.  When two people share the same point of view, there is peace and harmony amongst the couple.  Its when those points of view change, its when one doesn't look at the other's point of view that problems grow and develop.

How often do we really look at other's points of view? How often do we search for different points of view for ourselves?  And how often do we imagine a point of view to meet our needs?

Part of the problem is that points of view carry many things with them. Hate, judgment, fear, pride, dishonesty, greed, is a just a sample of the baggage that viewpoints carry.  And enough suitcases will bog down even the strongest of men.

One point of view is that there might be to many.  To many points of view all trying to see the same thing.  To many interpretations of what actually is. Some people will see one thing, some people will think they see another, and the few that see the truth, will be bullied and convinced that they are not seeing what they need to see, but what the world wants them to see.

There are times that I wish I was a blind man, but because I can see, I feel like a cripple.

8:26 AM - 3 Comments - 8 Kudos - Add Comment

Pearls Of Wisdom
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Life

They are those things that parents often tell their children to help them grow into healthy, mature, and responsible adults.  And while children don't always listen to their parents, let alone remember what they say…I have put together here some of the many little pearls that have been passed onto me. 

Currently listening : Family Tradition By Jr. Hank Williams Release date: 01 January, 1990

3:17 PM - 3 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

This Blog Is A Lie
Current mood: cynical
Category: Life

A lie is an untruthful statement made to someone else with the intention to deceive. To lie is to say something one believes to be false with the intention that it be taken for the truth by someone else.

Everybody lies. Some are just better at it than others. Parents lie to their children. Children lie to avoid punishment. Men and Women lie to hide themselves.  Husbands lie to their wives, and wives lie to their husbands.  Lawyers get paid to lie.  Doctors lie to ease the pain. Artists use lies to tell the truth, while politicians use lies to cover the truth up. Magicians lie because people want to believe in something more than the ordinary.

Although the Bible commands, "Do not lie to one another" (Leviticus 19:11; Colossians 3:9); Jesus lies (John 7:8-10), the Lord sends a lying spirit to the prophets of Ahab (1 Kings 22:22), God tells Samuel to lie about his purpose for going to Bethlehem (1 Samuel 16:2). So what does that tell us about lying and whether it is right or wrong? Kind of makes swearing on the Bible a little on the pointless side…don't you think?

And when friends and lovers lie to each other, and the foundations on which that friendship or love is based is suddenly shown to be nothing more than lies, then people get hurt and their ability to love and trust in another is destroyed.  And if people suffer enough lies, they will become nothing more than a shell of a person, an automaton, a zombie.

So, if it's a white lie, a regular lie, a lie of omission, perjury, bluffing, or anything that isn't completely truthful; regardless of the reason, the point of view, the fact that everybody does it, or that the world runs and is based on them, its wrong.

Oh, and…I was lying about this blog being a lie.

Currently watching : Liar Liar (Collector's Edition) Release date: 19 October, 1999

11:07 PM - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Its A Small World
Current mood: grateful
Category: MySpace

"It's a small world, but I would hate to paint it." – Steven Wright

Its funny how people find each other.  Revolving MySpace doors opening and closing all the time to the random possibilities that are out there  We understand so much, and yet see and comprehend so little in the vast nature of what is really going on.  The bubbles within bubbles….

A person can't pick the people that come into their life.  We can't even begin to fathom how many people we will run into in the course of our journey on this planet.  Some people we will like, some we will hate, some we will forget, and some…some we will love.

We point click move select copy paste erase and click some more.

And losing them over the years has always been painful.  Parting for decisions both right and wrong, good and bad. Knowing you will probably never see them again in your lifetime, makes the parting difficult. And its that pain that causes us to forget, that the spinning door is on autopilot.

And while Disney's ride amusingly and annoyingly shows us the diversity that the world has to offer; it also shows us that most of the world will never reach and interact with each other.  A world of interconnectedness that scientists call chaos theory, but in reality is only connectedness in the memories of the brain. 

Currently listening : Classic Disney: 60 Years of Musical Magic By Disney Release date: 27 May, 2003

7:58 PM - 4 Comments - 10 Kudos - Add Comment

Don't You Forget About Me...
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Life

Saturday...March 24, 1984.  Shermer High School, Shermer, Illinois. 60062.  Dear Mr. Vernon...we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was that we did wrong, what we did was wrong.  But we think you're crazy to make us write this essay telling you who we think we are, what do you care?  You see us as you want to see us...in the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions.  You see us as a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal. Correct?  That's the way we saw each other at seven o'clock this morning. We were brainwashed...

I like to think that somewhere inside of each of lies the characters found inside that notable Saturday in detention. Each of us has one or more of those personalities early or late in life come to the foreground and take over.  That character is then influenced by all of the other characters standing behind them.

I have been an athlete, I have played sports and enjoy many of them to the fullest. Life has forced this character to the background, and I am glad.  I have gained a competitive edge, a keen sense and understanding of rules, quick reflexes, and an understanding of what its like playing team and individual sports.

I have been a brain, and the brain has given me a passion for understanding the world around me.  It has given me the love of reading, the thirst for knowledge, and a never ending quest for answers.  I have learned that life isn't about knowing the answers, but merely knowing where to locate the answer.   The brain has taught me precision in my computing, it has given me decision making skills, and has shown me how to tackle problems.

I have been a criminal.  I have in my time as all of us have broken the rules, thrown caution to the wind, and violated the law of the land.  The criminal in me has taught me magic, cons, swindles, riddles, puzzles, and how to cheat.  It has taught me that breaking the law has its consequences only if you get caught.  It has landed me in jail, given me tickets, and opened my eyes to the world that is on the wrong side of right.

I have been a basket case.  I have discovered through much trial and countless errors, that being silly, irreverent, random, unpredictable, bizarre, weird, and a whole other host of adjectives, can allow you to overcome any social situation you might want to encounter.  It's a comfortable escape to leave the world of perceived normal, and drift into the oblivion of the universe.  Its what keeps people guessing, and has helped me to define my self, and create all of my rough edges.

And while I hope and pray I never become the princess, I know it is that character standing behind me that has shaped my views on art, culture, literature, and relationships. The princess has given me my morals, my ethics, my civility, and my social graces.

We all have a club inside of us….living out the detention of life.  The characters that make up our lives are our emotions, feelings, likes and dislikes, our faceted flaws.  We need them, and all too often we don't realize that there is more than just one character inside of all of us. We just need to give them a little screen time!

But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain...and an athlete...and a basket case...a princess...and a criminal.

Does that answer your question?

Sincerely yours,

The Breakfast Club.

Currently watching : The Breakfast Club Release date: 29 April, 1998

1:30 AM - 5 Comments - 8 Kudos - Add Comment

What Is and What Should Never Be
Current mood: The Opposite of Nostalgic
Category: The Opposite of Nostalgic Life

I am writing about life and all its splendor, chaos, and possibility. Life and all that we know of it is weird, crazy, and random.  Its also made me wonder as to the nature of reality, life in the universe, and what the future holds....

While I know that past events in Earth's history has shaped the planet we live on today, life has always found a way.  But what happens when life stops on this planet?  What happens when intelligent life stops, either becuase we wipe ourselves out, or nature and the universe decides to put a comet in our path? 

What then?  Are we as some would suggest the only life in this incredibly large universe and then when we are gone there will be no one left to observe the granduer of the cosmos? Then what?

Why do people strive to make a mark in the world, why do some choose a life of reclusive anonymity? When eventually through it all...life will be turned into dust. 

So my predictions for the future are:

The cure for all of the worlds diseases will be discovered by a young scientist in this decade.  However the scientist will not share this secret with anyone till they die, becuase they realize that the cure will be gobbled up by governments and fought over and sold, so that in the end more people will die trying to aquire the cure, than those actually cured by it.

Time travel will be discovered in the next 20 years, as will space travel beyond our galaxy, but unfortunately it will only lead to paradoxs that eventually destroy the very nature of reality as we know it.

One day a geek will run the world.....and life will be better....for a while.  But odds are he will fail a saving throw and be assassinated.

The answer to life, the universe and everything will be discovered by a girl sitting on her own, in a small cafe in Rickmansworth, and then the world will come to a horrific end....and it will be lost for ever.

And in the end the tortoise will have his day.  He will finish the race, and truly not care that he finished first, last, or anywhere in between.  But rather be satisfied that he in fact just finished. 

11:51 AM - 3 Comments - 9 Kudos - Add Comment

Fusion
Current mood: Fused

Fusion. 

1. The act or procedure of liquefying or melting by the application of heat.
2. The liquid or melted state induced by heat.
3. The merging of different elements into a union.
4. A nuclear reaction in which nuclei combine to form more massive nuclei with the simultaneous release of energy.
5. Music that blends jazz elements and the heavy repetitive rhythms of rock.
6. A style of cooking that combines ingredients and techniques from very different cultures or countries.
7. The act or procedure of liquefying or melting by the application of heat.
8. The mechanism by which both eyes blend slightly different images from each eye into a single image.
9. The growing together of two or more teeth as a result of the abnormal union of their formative organs.

While there are many types of fusion that happen in the universe; from food, music and dental hygiene, to weapons of mass destruction, none is more powerful than the fusion of hearts.  We often overlook the power locked inside of our own mind to control the distribution of emotional fluids to the parts of brain and body that harness the power of emotions; namely love.

Once it hits you, it doesn't let go.  It doesn't want to give up the wonderment, and pleasure that the joining of hearts, minds and bodies can create.  It a blessed thing, talked about in song, book, movie, and poem.  But while many have come close to describing in its fullest the very nature of the fusion of hearts, I haven't until recently discovered a definition I like.

Wanting to be the very best you can be, for someone else.

That in all its simplicity is the best definition I have ever found.

12:29 AM - 1 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment