Ehhh.... Just because.
Reading: The bookstore has become
a day center for suburbanites who live in cars. This recession is still very real.
Music: Tried out Giant Steps. It's my introduction to what all these musicians call "real" jazz. Coltrane's music feels different than I expected. It's like wearing a tailored suit, casually, just because you want to, for the very first time; my new blue jeans. I expected the experience to feel awkward and pretentious. I expected to feel like I was trying too hard to look grown up. Instead, it just feels comfortable. Like I've matured enough to be ready. I don't think I would have appreciated this as a teenager.
Sites: Much of the Midwest I know is flat and dry. Michigan seems greener, lusher, healthier.
Travel: Supposed to visit two friends abroad. I would like to. Bills and the economy give me every reason I shouldn’t. I can’t tell whether that’s an excuse for avoiding risk or an honest reflection of the realities around me.
Commerce: To me, working your way up towards running (e.g. CEO or COO) or investing in a company that 1) heavily relies on one major customer or source of revenue or 2) is mostly dependent on a product or service of declining utility (e.g. dial up internet service), runs against common sense. But note: lack of common sense does not, in this case, translate to lack of smarts or logic. Common sense simply just means thoughts that are common. For someone to, completely of their own choice, choose to invest their resources and efforts in 1 or 2, requires that they are completely dedicated to that company simply for its own sake. The reasons may vary. Perhaps they really believe in or have an inherent appreciation for what the company does. Maybe they already own a lot of it. Perhaps they understand, better than anyone, how they might add to the company or turn things around (Apple, for example). Perhaps you like to gamble or see this as a rare shot for wild success. Or maybe you understand something about the company that others don't.
Writing: Sometimes, when writing articles in Microsoft Word, I freak out a bit at how they come across. For some reason, longer sentences feel a lot more clustered and claustrophobic on a Word document than they appear when published on websites. The worst thing would be for the audience to not understand what the hell you are talking about to begin with. The second worse thing would be to lose the audience somewhere along the way. But sometimes, that extra word or two can mean the difference between another article and an experience they can go confirm (or disprove) out in the real world. When you get it right, it's a joy of its own. When you get it wrong it just makes you want to do better.
Self-Compromise: I like to keep my mind agile and experiences fresh. In the past this wasn't an issue. I've generally had a knack for engaging with people, food, and scenes far enough from my experience and mindset for expectations to subside (that sounds hella pretentious, huh?). Can't afford to get this through travel right now. Decided to make a habit of visiting places locally that were new enough to me to have no expectations about. Started with a new place to eat and a new place to read today. The restaurant I came across regularly brings in performers from Atlantic City. And they have some odd linguini-tuna dish I want to try. A good start so far.
Sheesh: I tried clocking the amount of minutes spent complaining. I couldn’t keep up. So I tracked how long he speaks without complaining. Some days it’s less than one minute. I know he means well. He really does.
Music: Tried out Giant Steps. It's my introduction to what all these musicians call "real" jazz. Coltrane's music feels different than I expected. It's like wearing a tailored suit, casually, just because you want to, for the very first time; my new blue jeans. I expected the experience to feel awkward and pretentious. I expected to feel like I was trying too hard to look grown up. Instead, it just feels comfortable. Like I've matured enough to be ready. I don't think I would have appreciated this as a teenager.
Sites: Much of the Midwest I know is flat and dry. Michigan seems greener, lusher, healthier.
Travel: Supposed to visit two friends abroad. I would like to. Bills and the economy give me every reason I shouldn’t. I can’t tell whether that’s an excuse for avoiding risk or an honest reflection of the realities around me.
Commerce: To me, working your way up towards running (e.g. CEO or COO) or investing in a company that 1) heavily relies on one major customer or source of revenue or 2) is mostly dependent on a product or service of declining utility (e.g. dial up internet service), runs against common sense. But note: lack of common sense does not, in this case, translate to lack of smarts or logic. Common sense simply just means thoughts that are common. For someone to, completely of their own choice, choose to invest their resources and efforts in 1 or 2, requires that they are completely dedicated to that company simply for its own sake. The reasons may vary. Perhaps they really believe in or have an inherent appreciation for what the company does. Maybe they already own a lot of it. Perhaps they understand, better than anyone, how they might add to the company or turn things around (Apple, for example). Perhaps you like to gamble or see this as a rare shot for wild success. Or maybe you understand something about the company that others don't.
Writing: Sometimes, when writing articles in Microsoft Word, I freak out a bit at how they come across. For some reason, longer sentences feel a lot more clustered and claustrophobic on a Word document than they appear when published on websites. The worst thing would be for the audience to not understand what the hell you are talking about to begin with. The second worse thing would be to lose the audience somewhere along the way. But sometimes, that extra word or two can mean the difference between another article and an experience they can go confirm (or disprove) out in the real world. When you get it right, it's a joy of its own. When you get it wrong it just makes you want to do better.
Self-Compromise: I like to keep my mind agile and experiences fresh. In the past this wasn't an issue. I've generally had a knack for engaging with people, food, and scenes far enough from my experience and mindset for expectations to subside (that sounds hella pretentious, huh?). Can't afford to get this through travel right now. Decided to make a habit of visiting places locally that were new enough to me to have no expectations about. Started with a new place to eat and a new place to read today. The restaurant I came across regularly brings in performers from Atlantic City. And they have some odd linguini-tuna dish I want to try. A good start so far.
Sheesh: I tried clocking the amount of minutes spent complaining. I couldn’t keep up. So I tracked how long he speaks without complaining. Some days it’s less than one minute. I know he means well. He really does.
