Category: Humanity


A Very Retail Christmas: An Open Letter

Filed Under: General, Humanity, Life, personal philosophy by Thursday's Child — 2 Comments
Wednesday, 15th December, 2010

I’ve worked in retail environments for a number of years. So I should be used to the way people behave, but I’m surprised by it every year. This is an open letter to the general populace.

The selfishness, the anger, the ridiculousness. It never ceases to amaze me how childish you people can be when you don’t get your way. When you don’t get the blue one, because only the red ones are left. When the store IS RUINING CHRISTMAS for your children because they have the wrong Spiderman action figure. Ugh.

I just want to grab you and shake you until you’re dizzy and drooling. Tell you just to chill out. Because, hey, they’ve still got Spiderman toys. YOUR CHILD’S CHRISTMAS IS NOT RUINED. Because they’re still getting presents, they’re still going to feel loved, they’re still going to just disregard them in a few days anyway.

CHRISTMAS IS SAVED, but the world is a worse place because you can’t seem to grow up. Can’t seem to see past your own nose. Can’t seem to comprehend a world outside of you. So get over yourself. Take a long look at your life, your family. Be happy. Get the other toy instead. Because, after all, it’s still going to be awesome for your kid. The world won’t collapse. Your child (probably) won’t murder you in your sleep. It’s still going to be great watching your kid tear into all those presents you bought.

No matter what, no action great or small, can ever stop the world from spinning. Remember that.

Sincerely,
Thursday’s Child

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The People We See Everyday

Filed Under: Creative Nonfiction, General, Humanity, Life, Skirts Made Me by Thursday's Child — Leave a comment
Monday, 6th December, 2010

Rachelskirts posted portraits of people in her life. I really liked the idea, so I’m stealing it.

He’s self-sure, and convinced of himself. Demanding, and controlling, a modern-day Napoleon. Tweaking and primping, and doing anything to make sure he’s still in charge. He is not a big man.

She never smiles, though she would be beautiful if she did. The daily grind, it seems, has her down. Her hair never teased, her clothes always a little wrinkled, with a few stains from her children scattered about. But she shows up every day, and works hard. Is that the American Dream?

Hunched over, white beard reaching halfway down his chest. He hobbles along, determined to get through the day. He doesn’t have anyone else, but he manages all the same. No electric help, no wheels, nothing but his own locomotion. He is a big man.

Her hair is a different color nearly every day. She’s young, and she could be beautiful, but her lack of confidence shows through every pore. She’s struggling; her eyes tell a hard, bitter story. Angry and confused, she’s just doing what she knows, and that’s to survive.

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When I Grow Up

Filed Under: Geekiness, General, Humanity, Life, Memories, personal philosophy, Work by Thursday's Child — 8 Comments
Wednesday, 1st December, 2010

When you are 5: When I grow up, I want to be an astronaut. A fireman. A police officer. A ninja turtle. A G.I. Joe. A fairy princess. A prince. Rich. Famous. Powerful.

When you are 15: When I grow up, I want to be a teacher. A soldier. A college student. An executive. A doctor. A Lawyer. Rich.

When you are 25: When I grow up, I want to be happy. Successful. Rich. A mother. A father. A business owner. My own boss.

It’s funny how dreams and goals change as we get older. They become less fanciful, more practical. And I guess that makes sense. As we get older, we have a better grasp on how things work, on how the world really plays out, and it’s less a matter of being jaded, more a matter of being realistic. Pragmatic. And that’s a good thing, for sure. I mean, not everyone can be an astronaut or a fairy princess.

I guess I’ve just found myself thinking a lot lately about dreams and goals, and how to make them happen. It struck me as funny today how drastically different they are today than they were 5 years ago. 10 years ago. 20 years ago. Today, it’s graduate school, and a PhD, some day teaching as a professor. At some future date, I would also like to open a restaurant, or at least have a giant kitchen where I can cook lots of food for friends and family.

I once had dreams of being an engineer. Of developing weapons. Making things that protect some people and kill others. I don’t now know why I was so interested in that field, but that’s what I wanted to do. R&D development for GE. Now, I can’t even imagine doing that job. I realized that engineering would drive me nuts, and as for the weapons part, I cannot imagine myself building machines made to kill people. But that was the plan. The goal. The dream.

Now, I’d prefer to trade the lab coat for tweed, the calipers for a pen, and a lathe for a poem. And I’m okay with that.

What were some of your old dreams or goals that have now changed to better fit who you’ve become?

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NaBloPoMo Day 29: Spare Change for Hope

Filed Under: Blogging, General, Humanity, NaBloPoMo, Quickie by Thursday's Child — Leave a comment
Monday, 29th November, 2010

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.

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