Monday, March 30, 2015
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Thought for Thursday - A Dumpster Diver's Story
So the other day, I went running through apartments in my neighborhood as I sometimes do when I've woken up too late to go to the gym.
On this day I saw a sight I had seen before during this early morning ritual - a dumpster diver, sifting through someone's trash.
I began to get upset since loved ones had been the victims of identity theft more than once. So I decided to confront him.
I asked
"How long have you been dumpster diving?"
"3 months, since I got laid off" he replied
"Does it pay well?"
"$100 - 150 a day" He said then added "People throw way all kinds of crazy stuff from electronics to appliances to gold and silver, someone gets mad at their ex and throws out a perfectly fine gold watch"
"OK" I said at a loss on how to continue.
"Gotta do something to keep food on the table" he added.
As I was leaving I thought about how he might have things figured out to a greater degree than most. If he can make $100-$150 a day from about 2-3 hours of work (@$50-$75 an hour) maybe he's on to something. I got the vibe from his demeanor this is not the guy going on an all-expenses-paid by you shopping spree at Macy's. He's just another person trying to get by.
This also made me think about an NPR interview with a company CEO that dumpster dives in his spare time.The really strange thing is there are even online communities of dumpster divers too.
What do you think? Would you dumpster dive if you could do that for a few hours a day or would you take a minimum wage job working 8+ hours a day?
Monday, March 23, 2015
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
30 things (about 2015) I would've been shocked by 30 years ago....
So the other night I happened to go to Dave & Busters and one of the games I played was Galaga. It
had been a while since I played and that got to me thinking about the
first time I played Galaga (released in 1981). It had to have been
about 30 years ago - maybe 1985 or earlier. This got me thinking what it
would be like to attempt to explain the world today to my 6 year old
self. Here's my attempt to explain 30 things that 6-year old me might
need an explanation for:
1.In the future you'll be able to play Galaga on a super-small computer/phone/camera/boom box.
2. To clarify, in the future, everyone will have a mini-super computer in their pocket that will double as boom-box, a camera and a telephone. However, headphones you can connect to this super-computer will still be huge.
3. In the future, instead of rap music being an underground form of music only listened to by black people - EVERYONE (to a degree) will be into rap and it will be very popular, so popular that a skinny white woman from Australia will be (debate-ably) the reigning rap queen.
3. Speaking of, in the future Queen Latifah (who you've never heard of since it's 1985 but will hear of in 1988 trust me) - will be momentarily be a daytime talk-show host after an illustrious rap career. Yes it will happen.
4. L.L.Cool J will become an actor - playing of all things a cop on TV. In fact Ice-T will play a cop on TV too...I am not kidding.
5. In the future, everyone who wants to be on TV will be able to be on TV - and even a lot of people who don't want to be.
6. In the future the Soviet Union will collapse and we'll be friends and simply call the country Russia. Then after about 20 years or so after being friends someone will shoot down a plane-ful of innocent people and we'll pick up right where we left off being enemies again.
7. In the future we still won't have peace in the middle east. (sigh)
8. In the future we will have really big & really flat TVs
9. In the future, they will take every great movie from the 1980's and make it over with better special effects but, most of them will suck.
10. In the future Phil Donahue will be replaced by a black girl named Oprah and many women in America and beyond will look up to her. She will also become the first billionaire TV host. Yes that's billionaire with a "B".
11. In the future, Ice-cube that hard-core rapper out of the west will do kids movies.
13. In the future, you'll be able to use the phone anywhere and I mean anywhere as long as there is something called a "cell phone tower" nearby. No cords to hold onto. (Again this is the mini-super computer - it will be a big part of life).
14. In the future - there will be flying cars but no one will be able to afford them or figure out where to park them yet.
15. In the future - people will be much more excited about electric cars.
16. In the future, Michael Jackson will change races and marry Elvis Presley's daughter
17. In the future, there will be a black president...OK, really he's mixed, which in 1985 just means he's black.
18. In the future, if you have a really cool idea you can go on a TV show called Shark Tank and get thousands or Millions of dollars for it.
19. In the future, Arnold Schwarzenegger - The Terminator/Conan the Barbarian guy will become governor of California...no, I'm serious.
20. In the future some vitamins will be able to be turned into gummie bears - yes it will be awesome.
21. In the future there will be robot cashiers at grocery stores - but it won't be as awesome as it sounds:
22. In the future, parents will be so scared by the news that you'll have to schedule "playdates" instead of just going across the street to the neighbors and asking Mrs. Avery if Jarrod and his brother can come out and play.
23. In the future you'll be able to have a computer in your car but, it won't be as cool as Kit from Knight Rider. Close but, still not as cool.
24. In the future you'll be able to print food. No really.
25. In the future you will be able to practice jumping off a bridge to your death and then being saved at the last minute - people will do this for fun.
26. In the future they'll be really close to having a computer do the driving for you. Again, not as cool as Kit.
27. In the future you'll be able to make a lot of money by doing absolutely nothing but being semi- articulate and creating drama in front of a camera
- this will be called Reality TV. Similar to the Sally Jesse Raphael
Show but different at the same time because there's no live studio
audience.
28. In the future, people...lots of people will pay money for filtered tap water rather than drink it from the faucet. No, I'm serious.
30. In the future most arcades will be closed down because you can play video games at home with your friends while they're at home - I know it sounds impossible. On top of that the arcades that are still open will be awesome and have 3-D games much cooler than today but usually there will be an old-school (because you'll be old then) version of Pac-Man or Galaga or both so the adults can reminisce on when they were young.
Now for those born in the 1980's I know I missed a bunch of things that have improved/changed since the 1980's. If you're willing share what else has changed for the better or worse since the 1980's please do so in the comments. Thanks!
1.In the future you'll be able to play Galaga on a super-small computer/phone/camera/boom box.
2. To clarify, in the future, everyone will have a mini-super computer in their pocket that will double as boom-box, a camera and a telephone. However, headphones you can connect to this super-computer will still be huge.
3. In the future, instead of rap music being an underground form of music only listened to by black people - EVERYONE (to a degree) will be into rap and it will be very popular, so popular that a skinny white woman from Australia will be (debate-ably) the reigning rap queen.
3. Speaking of, in the future Queen Latifah (who you've never heard of since it's 1985 but will hear of in 1988 trust me) - will be momentarily be a daytime talk-show host after an illustrious rap career. Yes it will happen.
4. L.L.Cool J will become an actor - playing of all things a cop on TV. In fact Ice-T will play a cop on TV too...I am not kidding.
5. In the future, everyone who wants to be on TV will be able to be on TV - and even a lot of people who don't want to be.
6. In the future the Soviet Union will collapse and we'll be friends and simply call the country Russia. Then after about 20 years or so after being friends someone will shoot down a plane-ful of innocent people and we'll pick up right where we left off being enemies again.
7. In the future we still won't have peace in the middle east. (sigh)
8. In the future we will have really big & really flat TVs
9. In the future, they will take every great movie from the 1980's and make it over with better special effects but, most of them will suck.
10. In the future Phil Donahue will be replaced by a black girl named Oprah and many women in America and beyond will look up to her. She will also become the first billionaire TV host. Yes that's billionaire with a "B".
13. In the future, you'll be able to use the phone anywhere and I mean anywhere as long as there is something called a "cell phone tower" nearby. No cords to hold onto. (Again this is the mini-super computer - it will be a big part of life).
14. In the future - there will be flying cars but no one will be able to afford them or figure out where to park them yet.
15. In the future - people will be much more excited about electric cars.
16. In the future, Michael Jackson will change races and marry Elvis Presley's daughter
17. In the future, there will be a black president...OK, really he's mixed, which in 1985 just means he's black.
18. In the future, if you have a really cool idea you can go on a TV show called Shark Tank and get thousands or Millions of dollars for it.
19. In the future, Arnold Schwarzenegger - The Terminator/Conan the Barbarian guy will become governor of California...no, I'm serious.
20. In the future some vitamins will be able to be turned into gummie bears - yes it will be awesome.
21. In the future there will be robot cashiers at grocery stores - but it won't be as awesome as it sounds:
22. In the future, parents will be so scared by the news that you'll have to schedule "playdates" instead of just going across the street to the neighbors and asking Mrs. Avery if Jarrod and his brother can come out and play.
23. In the future you'll be able to have a computer in your car but, it won't be as cool as Kit from Knight Rider. Close but, still not as cool.
24. In the future you'll be able to print food. No really.
25. In the future you will be able to practice jumping off a bridge to your death and then being saved at the last minute - people will do this for fun.
26. In the future they'll be really close to having a computer do the driving for you. Again, not as cool as Kit.
28. In the future, people...lots of people will pay money for filtered tap water rather than drink it from the faucet. No, I'm serious.
29. In the future there will be this incredible thing called the internet that changes the world as we know it. Kind of like Skynet but not as evil -
most days. No one will really mail letters anymore except for at
Christmas & your Birthday because there will be this thing called
email where you can get on your mini-super computer/phone/boombox/camera
and communicate with anyone who also has a mini super computer which
will be most people. It will be an incredible time but unfortunately
there will still be people who want to hurt each other just because they
like to pronounce tomato differently or because they go to a different
type of church
.
30. In the future most arcades will be closed down because you can play video games at home with your friends while they're at home - I know it sounds impossible. On top of that the arcades that are still open will be awesome and have 3-D games much cooler than today but usually there will be an old-school (because you'll be old then) version of Pac-Man or Galaga or both so the adults can reminisce on when they were young.
Now for those born in the 1980's I know I missed a bunch of things that have improved/changed since the 1980's. If you're willing share what else has changed for the better or worse since the 1980's please do so in the comments. Thanks!
Monday, March 16, 2015
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Thought for Thursday: I am in control. You are in control
So, as I was re-reading some of the great work of Nathaniel Branden earlier today I came across a passage, or maybe it was a sentence exercise, that made me ponder about the concept of being in control.
I came to a sudden realization that "I am in control" which may seem very obvious to some and quite impossible to others. For the last several years I would have to admit that I have subscribed to the latter philosophy.
For far for too long I've held the belief that people at my job control me, but they do not - I have the right to quit at any time. I will likely suffer immediate financial consequences once I quit yet I still have that freedom.
I've also held the belief that my family's approval controls me - this is incorrect also, I being an adult with an arguably sound mind, have the right to make decisions on my own without consulting my family for final approval. Even though these decisions may impact my family directly or indirectly I still have the right to make these decisions as it's my birthright as a being born with free will.
Lastly, I have felt that I have been under the local community's control but, the truth is: so long as I am abiding by the law and not encroaching on others rights or hampering their free will, I can go by my own mores and norms.
I am in control, and by default you are in control of your life. Enjoy the freedom you possess and don't compromise it for anyone.
As a side note, A few months back, I got the urge to send notes to a few living authors who I feel have helped me on my journey. One of them was Dr. Branden. I received an email back form his assistant that he received my message on 11/20/14, Dr. Branden unfortunately passed away on 12/3/14. I feel blessed that the message reached him while he was still here in the realm of the living. God Bless You (which he would've found funny since he was a firm atheist) Dr. Branden and thank you again for your insight.
Monday, March 9, 2015
Monday, March 2, 2015
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)