So, I went to college with this pretty cool guy named Justin. I just recently found out that he has YouTube Channel. I don’t spend much time over at YouTube, but I will start keeping up with his channel, and I think you should too. Embedded here is a recent vlog of his, and I just wanted to let you guys know about him, so go subscribe. He’s pretty awesome.
Category: Blogging
This post is really a response to Hannah Katy’s latest post about how to keep dreams alive without involving lots of zeros and dollar signs.
In the interest of full disclosure, I will admit that I grew up with money. For as long as I remember, there’s been no shortage of toys or food or entertainment, etc etc. However, I am aware that my family has not always been so fortunate, and my parents made many sacrifices and had many hardships early on in their marriage, as my father was trying to finish school and an MBA.
My father did not come into his money over night. It was earned through many years of hard work and even harder decisions. As a result, I was given every opportunity. I went to good schools, I went to educational summer programs, I was supported in my school work and given help whenever I needed it. This, then, resulted in a successful academic career. Sprinkled in there were a few jobs of my own, both with my father’s companies and with others as well.
I worked hard in these jobs, and I got my paycheck. This allowed me to get the things I wanted. Did I enjoy going to work? Not really. Who does? I mean, would you rather go to work or spend the day playing video games or whatever makes you happy? Of course not. That’s not to say, of course, that going to work was always a bad thing. Just, there are always more fun things to do.
In any event, I finished college in December of 2008. In case you weren’t aware, the economic world we had spent so long reveling in began to unravel, and property values, stock values, and jobs began evaporating. Faster, I bet, than most people could have expected (but I’m not economic expert). So, even though I dreamed of graduate school, I chose not to go. Instead, my fiancee and I got married. We settled into a little rent house, and I began a job search.
The goal wasn’t money. Not really. It was just a necessity of the world and culture we live in. The goal was to ride out the storm, and at the end, be in a position where the dream could be realized. We still aren’t there yet, but in my neck of the woods, the job market isn’t there yet either.
In the mean time, we have been able to purchase a home, take in a second dog, and live comfortably. I’m working in an industry I never expected to be in, and it’s certainly a far-cry away from English academics, where my heart and soul lie. But, it’s a means to an end. It allows me to stay out of debt, build up some meager savings, and prepare for a return to the dream that I’ve been chasing.
Money, then, isn’t some enemy. It’s a tool. And like any tool, it’s only effective if used correctly. Use the tool, don’t let the tool use you. Keep it all in perspective of your dreams and goals, and pursue money as a means to those ends. You may have to make a sacrifice or two along the way, but in the long run, as long as you refuse to be controlled by your money, your dreams are almost always attainable.
Today, I wanted to have a little fun with Meme Generator. Hit the link there to make your own. I’ve used Philosoraptor and Inception, but there are many more to choose from. Post results in the comments, and I’ll put together a post with all the best ones.
Yesterday I posted six photographs of the people in my head. Today, I’ll explain them, and give a little context.
1. Bob Dylan
Way back when I was but a budding teenager, my youth pastor at the time introduced me to the music of Bob Dylan. It was whiny and nasally and weird and I hated it. But he kept playing it, much to our chagrin. In particular, he kept playing “Highway 61 Revisited.” The lyrics were bizarre, but after listening to the song 15 times in a row, it began to grow on me. I had to have more! So I started listening, and as I grew older, the songs became that much more amazing. The lyricism of Dylan is just incredible. And when you think about how much he wrote, the mind just boggles.
2. The Green Lantern
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of the Green Lantern. A superhero limited only by willpower and imagination? That’s amazing. It’s who I want to be. And while it’s a bit melodramatic, his mantra inspires me every time I see it.
“In brightest day, in blackest night, No evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil’s might, Beware my power… Green Lantern’s light!”
3. Jon Stewart
This one is probably the greatest outlier in the series. I really like Jon Stewart, and I think he has a more grounded view of our country and politics than most of the pundits on TV. I would like to think that he gives ideas and issues a fair cop, but I also understand that he has a television show to run. But, all the same, I would rather listen to his views.
4. Peter Griffin
Don’t judge me. You know you have an idiot manchild hiding somewhere in your brain, too. He’s inappropriate, self-centered, and idiotic. But he’s a lot of fun to watch. He’s the monologue that lets you laugh at the world, because if you can’t laugh, then it all gets overbearing.
5. Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman wrote a lot of poetry. Most of it not any good (in my estimation). He also was a man of great self-conviction. He was strong, proud. He knew who he was, and he wasn’t afraid of anyone telling him otherwise. One of my favorite quotes comes from his “Song of Myself.”
Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)
6. Alton Brown
This man is like some sort of crazy food wizard. He knows all kinds of crazy food lore. He seems to know what every ingredient is, and how those ingredients can go together, no matter what culture the food is coming from. What’s more, he explains all that vast knowledge to the laity like us, and he does so while making it fun and interesting. He’s goofy and that’s just fine, because in the end, he gets results. Forget the Iron Chefs. I want to be a chef like him some day.