I absolutely hate to lose. I cannot stand it when things do not go my way at all. Losses are among the bitterest pills to swallow. Months ago, this very day, I originally thought that I would be soaking sun, seeing an old friend, and victoriously basking in the glory that is WrestleMania in Phoenix, Arizona. Endless efforts on my part to make the trip happen were fruitless, and setting all my yearning aside, I had to give up the dream. While I would have loved the opportunity to have gone, it is increasingly apparent to me that it would unfortunately have been the wrong decision. It got me thinking, though.
Just as I have experienced, our lives are full of victories as well as an unfortunate amount of losses. Winning is fun, but the idea of remaining undefeated simply is not a realistic expectation to have. Yes, defeats are an inevitable reality. But it is not losing that makes a loser. We each have our moments in the sun, and times exist when effort is insufficient. It is my opinion that past all the wins and the losses there are wins and losses. Losing and winning both occur as a result of losing and winning. Please let me rephrase that. Our actions and behavior after every loss and every victory determine the real winners and losers.
Life is full of games and battles. Whether direct competitions or goals that are set, we end up on one of two sides. It is fun to win, but it is not always easy to be a winner. Quite often the winners turn out to be losers as a result of their victories. Some inflate their own self worth and rub their victory in the faces of those who have been defeated. Others reach the top of the proverbial mountain and forget that staying there is just as arduous of a task as getting there. Each victory has the potential to bring defeat in its aftermath. Here are three of my humble pointers to limit this potential.
1. Act like you've won before. Some victories are small victories. No need to overstate and humiliate others. Respect what you have achieved, but do it with class and dignity.
2. Be gracious without being patronizing. Acknowledge those who helped you get there. Very few victories were truly won alone, so thank those who helped you achieve what you have. Also, if in a direct competition, acknowledge the work done by those you have defeated. Just because they fell a bit short does not mean they did not put everything they had into the pursuit. Respect them without belittling them in the slightest.
3. Cherish each victory like it may be your last. Quite honestly, we never know when things may turn. Life is full of feast or famine cycles. Cherish each victory. Enjoy each victory. Don't get an increasing sense of entitlement with each victory. As quickly as it came, it can go.
Now, a message to all my fellow losers out there. Failure is not final. We need to do a better job of not losing as a result of the initial loss. Here is some advice on how to win in defeat.
1. Don't fight it. The worst sort of loser is the sore loser. Don't gripe about the loss. It happens. Lick your wounds, get back up, and fight that much harder the next time. The longer you complain about the loss, the longer it lingers, and the more of a loser the loser becomes
2. Endure defeat with grace and humility. Losing hurts a whole lot. It's awful, but it's true. Taking defeat in stride showcases the true winner you are. Give the winner his or her due, but take pride in your effort. Do not let be defeated by defeats.
3. Realize that rematches are possible. Not all defeat is final. The World Series is not decided by one game. Do not dwell on that loss, but work to do everything you can to swing momentum back to your favor. Analyze and improve your own weaknesses, and exploit the weaknesses of your opponent.
4. Be willing to walk away for the better good. This might be the hardest one of them all. Sometimes we want something so badly that might not be for us to have (temporarily or permanently). I know firsthand that this is difficult, but at times we must sacrifice our desire to win to put someone else in a position to succeed. This hurts, but this by no means makes us a quitter or a loser. It may lose us the battle, but it is a true victory.
Each of life's battles has two parts: the battle itself and the battle of reaction. Victory or defeat in the first part does not necessarily translate to victory or defeat in the second part. Victory or defeat in battles of reaction can potentially carry on to our next battles. Win like a champion. Lose like a champion. Win through losing to help someone else. Keep fighting, and never give up.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Traditions: Maintaining a Semblance of Normalcy While Spicing Up Life
I have never been change’s biggest fan. In fact, I still haven’t gotten over the fact that Cardinal Fitness moved their biceps machines. It annoys me, but I get past it. When my world began to spin in 2005 I came to the realization that though I tried to put it off, change is inevitable. Things are constantly changing. In order to keep a semblance of normalcy in my world, there are traditions I adhere to. They range from the fun to the ridiculous. I enjoy them, and really that’s all that matters. Here’s a list of some of the traditions that I keep.
-Since I was very young, Heidi and I have colored Easter eggs. Not sure how this is going to work with her in North Carolina this year, but we’ll figure something out.
-Biennial Tradition: Every other March 1st, I listen to at least one minute of each song in my music library in order of artist. I have a lot of music on my hard drive, so it is interesting to sit back and listen to things that remind me of specific events of my life.
-Annual Valentine’s Day and “Year in Review” blog posts
-Annual viewing of the Matrix trilogy over the course of three days
-Biannual shaving of chest (usually done January 1st and July 1st)
-Annual growth of summer beard (just to be different from those who grow the winter beard)
-Annual Easter viewing of the 2003 Stone Church performance of AD: Beyond the Cross
-Wearing of “important socks” for any event I deem important (interviews, dates, etc). Yes, they get washed a lot.
-Annual overindulgence of Shamrock Shakes.
-Annual completion of the story mode of WWE Day of Reckoning.
-The day after the Seahawks’ season ends (whether after Week 17 or a playoff defeat) I deck myself in Seahawks apparel, then retire most of it until the NFL Draft.
-When the clock strikes 10:31 on April 4th, signifying the minute of my birth, I listen to “Everything I’ve Ever Wanted” by Day at the Fair, the theme song of my life.
-I celebrate life’s GREAT SUCCESSES with Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper.
-Annual reading of Lord of the Flies and The Alchemist. I am considering adding Brave New World and War and Peace to this tradition.
Some of that you may think is stupid. I don’t very much care. I do what I like and like what I do. Hope you enjoyed an extended glimpse into who I am.
-Since I was very young, Heidi and I have colored Easter eggs. Not sure how this is going to work with her in North Carolina this year, but we’ll figure something out.
-Biennial Tradition: Every other March 1st, I listen to at least one minute of each song in my music library in order of artist. I have a lot of music on my hard drive, so it is interesting to sit back and listen to things that remind me of specific events of my life.
-Annual Valentine’s Day and “Year in Review” blog posts
-Annual viewing of the Matrix trilogy over the course of three days
-Biannual shaving of chest (usually done January 1st and July 1st)
-Annual growth of summer beard (just to be different from those who grow the winter beard)
-Annual Easter viewing of the 2003 Stone Church performance of AD: Beyond the Cross
-Wearing of “important socks” for any event I deem important (interviews, dates, etc). Yes, they get washed a lot.
-Annual overindulgence of Shamrock Shakes.
-Annual completion of the story mode of WWE Day of Reckoning.
-The day after the Seahawks’ season ends (whether after Week 17 or a playoff defeat) I deck myself in Seahawks apparel, then retire most of it until the NFL Draft.
-When the clock strikes 10:31 on April 4th, signifying the minute of my birth, I listen to “Everything I’ve Ever Wanted” by Day at the Fair, the theme song of my life.
-I celebrate life’s GREAT SUCCESSES with Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper.
-Annual reading of Lord of the Flies and The Alchemist. I am considering adding Brave New World and War and Peace to this tradition.
Some of that you may think is stupid. I don’t very much care. I do what I like and like what I do. Hope you enjoyed an extended glimpse into who I am.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
The Fine Line between Being a Settler or a Malcontent
Quite often I think about whether I am a “glass half empty” or “glass half full” sort of person. I look at my life and worry about whether or not I am a malcontent. (Mind you, I do not worry about whether others view me as a malcontent because I am not trifled by others’ interpretation of me.) The more I think about it, the difference between being pleased and being dissatisfied is not all that great.
Our satisfaction is related to the standards we set for ourselves. Those of you who know me well know that I have long lamented falling just short on the ACT. Had I gotten one more question correct I would have gained a full ride to ONU. Instead, I got a partial academic scholarship. The amount of money that I lost by that one question eats away at me on a fairly regular basis. I understand that the money I did receive is great. I really do. Don’t think that I am an ingrate. I simply set high standards for myself and am disappointed that I did not meet them.
Four years after beginning my collegiate career with a disappointment I ended it with one as well. I missed graduating summa cum laude by 8 thousandths of a grade point. Again, I am not intending to belittle those grades. I had an objective in mind and was displeased at falling short.
After reading the previous paragraphs, you may think that I am a malcontent. Let’s look at the other end of the spectrum. A little while back I was talking to a friend of mine about her new boyfriend. She proceeded to tell me a multitude of problems about this relationship, but she ended it with “…but I’m so happy with him.” I was shocked by that last part. I could not understand how she could be happy after detailing the things she had. It seemed to me she was settling.
When I thought about this later, I compared it to her previous relationships. Things in the past were not always very good. The problems she was having were nothing compared to what she had already endured in the past. Based on those things and her own knowledge of what she can or cannot withstand, she has formulated her own standards.
Our contentment is a product of these standards. Related to the “Confidence and Ability” post from last month, our ability (or the ability of others) often correlates to the standards we set for ourselves (or for them). Our past does as well. Based on who we are and who we were, we set standards for who we aspire to be. Based on our interpretation of where we are, we react thusly. Depending on our reaction, we can be perceived as either a settler (one whose standards are set too low) or a malcontent (one whose standards are set too high).
I do not believe these perceptions are fair. As long as someone is not telling others what their standards should be, each of us is entitled to our sets of standards. We are neither settlers nor malcontents. We know both where we are and where we want to be, and we will not be pleased until we move from Point A to Point B.
Our satisfaction is related to the standards we set for ourselves. Those of you who know me well know that I have long lamented falling just short on the ACT. Had I gotten one more question correct I would have gained a full ride to ONU. Instead, I got a partial academic scholarship. The amount of money that I lost by that one question eats away at me on a fairly regular basis. I understand that the money I did receive is great. I really do. Don’t think that I am an ingrate. I simply set high standards for myself and am disappointed that I did not meet them.
Four years after beginning my collegiate career with a disappointment I ended it with one as well. I missed graduating summa cum laude by 8 thousandths of a grade point. Again, I am not intending to belittle those grades. I had an objective in mind and was displeased at falling short.
After reading the previous paragraphs, you may think that I am a malcontent. Let’s look at the other end of the spectrum. A little while back I was talking to a friend of mine about her new boyfriend. She proceeded to tell me a multitude of problems about this relationship, but she ended it with “…but I’m so happy with him.” I was shocked by that last part. I could not understand how she could be happy after detailing the things she had. It seemed to me she was settling.
When I thought about this later, I compared it to her previous relationships. Things in the past were not always very good. The problems she was having were nothing compared to what she had already endured in the past. Based on those things and her own knowledge of what she can or cannot withstand, she has formulated her own standards.
Our contentment is a product of these standards. Related to the “Confidence and Ability” post from last month, our ability (or the ability of others) often correlates to the standards we set for ourselves (or for them). Our past does as well. Based on who we are and who we were, we set standards for who we aspire to be. Based on our interpretation of where we are, we react thusly. Depending on our reaction, we can be perceived as either a settler (one whose standards are set too low) or a malcontent (one whose standards are set too high).
I do not believe these perceptions are fair. As long as someone is not telling others what their standards should be, each of us is entitled to our sets of standards. We are neither settlers nor malcontents. We know both where we are and where we want to be, and we will not be pleased until we move from Point A to Point B.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Can Anybody Find Me Somebody to Love?
(NOTE: The title of this piece is tongue-in-cheek because I heard the song this morning. It does not, by any means, imply a deeper or greater desperation on my part to have something romantic at this instant, nor does it indicate a desire to be set up by anyone. I’m quite picky.)
It is that time of the year. Winter has disgustingly set in, and “love” is in the air. It is also the time of year for my anti-Valentine’s Day blog. It is one of the many traditions I keep. For those of you wondering of my other traditions, they will be revealed at a later point this year. That’s not what this is about, though, so it is time to carry on.
This year is different. I am not going to lament previous failures nor ponder which of those failures was my fault and which were the faults of the other parties. That is both irrelevant and unproductive at this point. I am sincerely happy for those previous failures who have found love elsewhere. They deserve it. However, this is about me and not about them.
I may have finally found a common thread in all those that I pursued in the past, other than their ridiculously large eyes (admittedly I’m a sucker for big eyes). For the most part I have involved myself with individuals who for one reason or another were largely unattainable. For all my outward desire to have what others had there was an underlying aversion to commitment. Granted, I probably would’ve committed to them, but I didn’t have to, making it easier and lending proof to the notion that I valued the “chase” above the “catch”.
Things are changing in my life. I am feeling more and more grown up, and while I do not necessarily enjoy feeling grown up I do recognize it as a necessary evil. I also recognize that though I am a fairly motivated individual there are times that I need that little extra push to get from where I am to where I want to be. My weight, aversion to using the telephone, and general fear of failure were conquered both directly and indirectly thanks to some great young women in my life.
While I am actually fairly confident in my eventual success this year in a rather lengthy pursuit I have made, I am not actively seeking “love”, “happiness”, or whatever some would like to call it. It will happen, but it is more likely to happen in spite of me rather than because of me. I anxiously await the future. What is meant to be will be. What is not meant to be will not.
It is that time of the year. Winter has disgustingly set in, and “love” is in the air. It is also the time of year for my anti-Valentine’s Day blog. It is one of the many traditions I keep. For those of you wondering of my other traditions, they will be revealed at a later point this year. That’s not what this is about, though, so it is time to carry on.
This year is different. I am not going to lament previous failures nor ponder which of those failures was my fault and which were the faults of the other parties. That is both irrelevant and unproductive at this point. I am sincerely happy for those previous failures who have found love elsewhere. They deserve it. However, this is about me and not about them.
I may have finally found a common thread in all those that I pursued in the past, other than their ridiculously large eyes (admittedly I’m a sucker for big eyes). For the most part I have involved myself with individuals who for one reason or another were largely unattainable. For all my outward desire to have what others had there was an underlying aversion to commitment. Granted, I probably would’ve committed to them, but I didn’t have to, making it easier and lending proof to the notion that I valued the “chase” above the “catch”.
Things are changing in my life. I am feeling more and more grown up, and while I do not necessarily enjoy feeling grown up I do recognize it as a necessary evil. I also recognize that though I am a fairly motivated individual there are times that I need that little extra push to get from where I am to where I want to be. My weight, aversion to using the telephone, and general fear of failure were conquered both directly and indirectly thanks to some great young women in my life.
While I am actually fairly confident in my eventual success this year in a rather lengthy pursuit I have made, I am not actively seeking “love”, “happiness”, or whatever some would like to call it. It will happen, but it is more likely to happen in spite of me rather than because of me. I anxiously await the future. What is meant to be will be. What is not meant to be will not.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Confidence and Ability
For quite some time I have wanted to write about confidence and ability. Finally, I am going to take the time to do it.
At an initial glance these two things may seem only peripherally related, but I believe there is a strong correlation between the two. If there is an abundance of one but a shortage of the other, it can contribute to failure. A shortage of both leads to failure as well. Let me delve into further detail.
Having the ability to do something is extremely important, but it is equally important to possess confidence in these abilities. Humility is always a good thing, but ability without the necessary confidence is timidity. A great basketball shooter is only as good as his confidence to take the next shot. He may possess all the ability in the world, but until he puts confidence in that ability, it sits idly. By lacking the confidence to try, you immediately fail.
Confidence unfortunately gets a bad rap. In and of itself it is not a bad thing. However, a significant discrepancy between confidence and ability leads to cockiness, arrogance, whatever you wish to call it. Talking a big game does not lead to immediate failure. It is obnoxious, but it does not cause “instafail”. In fact, the cocky prey on the less confident, getting them to back down. This leads to even greater confidence inflation. It does, thankfully, lead to eventual failure. There is always someone better out there, and even if one is the greatest at something, greatness is fleeting. Trusting confidence over ability, simply put, gradually builds to catastrophic failure.
It would be foolish to eschew confidence. The key to the greatest success is balance. If one is novice or unskilled in a particular area it is best to possess confidence commensurate to ability. Likewise, if one does possess a significant amount of ability, it is appropriate to possess confidence to match the skill set. We will not always be the best in the world at what we do, but we won’t be the worst, either. The key to maximizing success is to be cognizant of one’s abilities and to subsequently balance it with matching confidence. To summarize, look at these equations.
Ability > Confidence = Timidity = Instant Failure
Ability < Confidence = Arrogance = Eventual Failure
Ability = Confidence = GREAT SUCCESS!
At an initial glance these two things may seem only peripherally related, but I believe there is a strong correlation between the two. If there is an abundance of one but a shortage of the other, it can contribute to failure. A shortage of both leads to failure as well. Let me delve into further detail.
Having the ability to do something is extremely important, but it is equally important to possess confidence in these abilities. Humility is always a good thing, but ability without the necessary confidence is timidity. A great basketball shooter is only as good as his confidence to take the next shot. He may possess all the ability in the world, but until he puts confidence in that ability, it sits idly. By lacking the confidence to try, you immediately fail.
Confidence unfortunately gets a bad rap. In and of itself it is not a bad thing. However, a significant discrepancy between confidence and ability leads to cockiness, arrogance, whatever you wish to call it. Talking a big game does not lead to immediate failure. It is obnoxious, but it does not cause “instafail”. In fact, the cocky prey on the less confident, getting them to back down. This leads to even greater confidence inflation. It does, thankfully, lead to eventual failure. There is always someone better out there, and even if one is the greatest at something, greatness is fleeting. Trusting confidence over ability, simply put, gradually builds to catastrophic failure.
It would be foolish to eschew confidence. The key to the greatest success is balance. If one is novice or unskilled in a particular area it is best to possess confidence commensurate to ability. Likewise, if one does possess a significant amount of ability, it is appropriate to possess confidence to match the skill set. We will not always be the best in the world at what we do, but we won’t be the worst, either. The key to maximizing success is to be cognizant of one’s abilities and to subsequently balance it with matching confidence. To summarize, look at these equations.
Ability > Confidence = Timidity = Instant Failure
Ability < Confidence = Arrogance = Eventual Failure
Ability = Confidence = GREAT SUCCESS!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Prepared to Succeed
For those of you keeping score, last year felt like it was incomplete. Things did not go as I had hoped for the most part. I put a lot on my plate, and I was unsuccessful in completing all of them. I now have two choices. I can and give up, or I get back on the saddle and attack these things with the fervor I had at the beginning of 2009. Just because a goal was not completed in my original timetable does not mean that it should be forever discarded. That said, these are the goals which I fully intend to complete this calendar year. Some are leftovers from 2009 while others are more recently conceived goals. For the sake of convenience I’ll keep them categorized as I had last year.
Physical Goals
-Get an abdominal six-pack. Were it not been for my own lack of drive I would already have been there.
-Continue in the workout I’ve established for myself. My original beginner’s workout brought me a long way, but it is time to take it to the next level. I feel and look like a winner at this point, but I want to feel and look like a champion.
-333 push-ups in one sitting. Like my crunches goal, some would think this is ridiculous, but I don’t like aiming low. I hate hollow victories
Maturity/Adulthood Goals
Since I am now a college graduate soon to live on my own, I need to increase my self-sufficiency. As such, there are some things I need to learn how to do.
-Take responsibility and live with consequences. The time for having cake and eating it too has passed.
-Become a better cook. I can boil water and put stuff in the oven and microwave. I'd like to be able to have one go-to meal so that I can impress my friends, family, and future significant other with my culinary skills.
Professional Goal
-Obtain a full-time teaching job. I am much closer than where I was at this time last year, but I need to press on until the goal is reached.
Social Goals
-Make three new friends. You can never have too many friends. I met this goal last year, but social worlds should be ever-expanding.
Appearance Goals
-Add another tattoo or get the labret pierced (which has always been an interest of mine) while maintaining the professionalism required of a rookie teacher. While obviously not a “need”, it would be fun. Actually, I think I’ll get another tattoo once I get a teaching position (in a concealed location on the arms/shoulders of course).
Dating Goals
-Have one fulfilling dating relationship. I know what works and I know what doesn’t work. I also have a better handle on what I do and do not want. If the right situation comes along, it’s time to make it happen.
Personality Goals
-Have patience with people. I get annoyed rather easily. I am not perfect; ergo I can not expect perfection.
-Maintain balance. I often am either too driven or lack drive. Balance is one of life’s two necessities. Time for me to make it happen.
Philosophical Goals
-Complete development of my worldview. I am in the process of composing the components for my belief system to better explain it when asked by others. Once I've completed it, I'll probably be better equipped to live it.
-Complete 25 blogs, essays, or small writings. Not all of them will be extremely heavy, but it always feels good for me to share what I have learned through my life experiences.
Miscellaneous Goals and Achievements
-Take a camping trip. I have the physical capacity to camp now and am no longer afraid of the outdoors. I wimped out on too many things during my teen years. It is time to live.
-Do something (legal) that no one would ever expect me to do. The days of being predictable and vanilla are over. Only good will happen.
Again, I have a fair share on my plate. There is a fair chance not all of it will be accomplished. I do not fear that. Failure does not faze me. I lived through the trials of 2009 to make it to this point. Now, more than ever, I am prepared to succeed.
Physical Goals
-Get an abdominal six-pack. Were it not been for my own lack of drive I would already have been there.
-Continue in the workout I’ve established for myself. My original beginner’s workout brought me a long way, but it is time to take it to the next level. I feel and look like a winner at this point, but I want to feel and look like a champion.
-333 push-ups in one sitting. Like my crunches goal, some would think this is ridiculous, but I don’t like aiming low. I hate hollow victories
Maturity/Adulthood Goals
Since I am now a college graduate soon to live on my own, I need to increase my self-sufficiency. As such, there are some things I need to learn how to do.
-Take responsibility and live with consequences. The time for having cake and eating it too has passed.
-Become a better cook. I can boil water and put stuff in the oven and microwave. I'd like to be able to have one go-to meal so that I can impress my friends, family, and future significant other with my culinary skills.
Professional Goal
-Obtain a full-time teaching job. I am much closer than where I was at this time last year, but I need to press on until the goal is reached.
Social Goals
-Make three new friends. You can never have too many friends. I met this goal last year, but social worlds should be ever-expanding.
Appearance Goals
-Add another tattoo or get the labret pierced (which has always been an interest of mine) while maintaining the professionalism required of a rookie teacher. While obviously not a “need”, it would be fun. Actually, I think I’ll get another tattoo once I get a teaching position (in a concealed location on the arms/shoulders of course).
Dating Goals
-Have one fulfilling dating relationship. I know what works and I know what doesn’t work. I also have a better handle on what I do and do not want. If the right situation comes along, it’s time to make it happen.
Personality Goals
-Have patience with people. I get annoyed rather easily. I am not perfect; ergo I can not expect perfection.
-Maintain balance. I often am either too driven or lack drive. Balance is one of life’s two necessities. Time for me to make it happen.
Philosophical Goals
-Complete development of my worldview. I am in the process of composing the components for my belief system to better explain it when asked by others. Once I've completed it, I'll probably be better equipped to live it.
-Complete 25 blogs, essays, or small writings. Not all of them will be extremely heavy, but it always feels good for me to share what I have learned through my life experiences.
Miscellaneous Goals and Achievements
-Take a camping trip. I have the physical capacity to camp now and am no longer afraid of the outdoors. I wimped out on too many things during my teen years. It is time to live.
-Do something (legal) that no one would ever expect me to do. The days of being predictable and vanilla are over. Only good will happen.
Again, I have a fair share on my plate. There is a fair chance not all of it will be accomplished. I do not fear that. Failure does not faze me. I lived through the trials of 2009 to make it to this point. Now, more than ever, I am prepared to succeed.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
The Decade in Review
I honestly don’t know how official decades work, but tonight is the last night of a year beginning with “200-“, so we will proceed thusly. This decade has had its ups and downs, but I was able to grow from an awkward 12 year old to a slightly less awkward 22 year old. Like my “Year in Review” entries, I will make a brief rundown of each year then rank them from worst to best at the end. For more detailed looks at 2004-2009, click on the year.
2000: I consider it the birth of my “Modern Era”. I had my first intense crush, really established my niche group of friends, and began to move towards becoming who I wanted to be. Going back to Stone really helped that. For the first time in my life up to that point, I was in shape and it gave me confidence both socially and on the basketball court.
2001: The first up-and-down year. This would become a recurring theme of the decade. The first half of the year was great. I concluded my career at SCCA, went to camp for the first time, and had many good times at many 8th Grade graduation parties. Starting high school was probably more difficult for me than most. I went to a new school knowing no one, and it took me a very long time to figure out where I fit in. My apprehension towards high school was at points mistaken for snobbery and standoffishness and I was the target of some very rude behavior. Back then I unfortunately lacked the ability to stand up for myself, but all things are lessons learned.
2002: This year I think I spent a greater percentage of time trying to “find myself” than any other year of the decade. I was knee deep in involvement at the youth group at PBC, decided to start being myself more at school, and tried maintaining the friendships that I had. After hearing that a girl who I wanted to date found me “boring”, I devoted a large portion of my time trying to prove her wrong. I tried gimmick after gimmick, and it culminated in the creation of my former website “Inside the Mind of Jakob Duehr”, a site that became more popular than it ever should have. I met a lot of people this year, but the most notable were Murdock and Jessica.
2003: Socially, the year everything finally came together. Though the first two months of the year was spent with a feud at Stone and the last four months were spent attempting damage control at TPHS for a situation that was only partially my fault, the year was great. Perhaps the best decision I made all year was to leave PBC, where except for a few exceptions (mainly Pastor Scott… he was always great) I was underappreciated and felt unwanted. I made the choice to return to Stone’s youth group. It was that decision that brought me closer to my closest friends and set the groundwork for that summer, the greatest summer of my life. My friends and I spent practically every day together doing something fun, and our camp experience that year was filled with the most hilarity of any single week in my life.
2004: Honestly, this year felt like each day was even better than the one before. Though I still spent the first two months of the year diffusing that situation at school, things just kept getting better. Even my mistakes and missteps led to positives. At school, for a short time I felt like I was on top of the world. I had my greatest experience at camp ever, and going to Convention that year is still one of the greatest memories of my life. I look back on that year with unbelievably fond memories.
2005: The year the wheels fell off. After a promising beginning to the year, things fell apart. Nothing seemed to go right at all. I narrowly missed out on a full scholarship at one school, was cheated out of one at another, and had to say goodbye to how life was with my friends. I fell out of favor with some people at school and fell just short of winning my fantasy football championship. Even camp was a less than amazing experience. As everything around me was changing, I had to be strong and deal with some very intense personal issues. Looking for a job that summer was misery, and when I finally did get the job it was miserable. I would get three hours of sleep on school nights. Sometimes I wonder how I made it through the year.
2006: Another up and down year. I had to take the somewhat good with the really bad. My Seahawks fell short in an extremely questionably officiated Super Bowl, I was marginally betrayed (for the first of many times) by someone I thought cared about me, and most importantly I lost a great friend to a car accident. I gained thirty pounds in a month. I even spent my Christmas vomiting. However, it was not a lost year. I had some of my greatest professors in college, had some of my best work experiences, really got attuned to my thoughts and emotions, and became friends with Stacie.
2007: This, for all intents and purposes, was actually a good year (in fact the only good year I had in the second half of the decade), but I have this lingering feeling that it could have actually been great. I made my first attempt to lose weight and failed. I had a good time taking more responsibility as a youth leader, but I think I could’ve done more. I squandered some opportunities due to being me, and I stressed myself out more than I needed to. Even with that, the year was good. I had more enjoyable classes, moved to Orland, and went to my first WWE PPV event.
2008: It was a challenging year but an extremely productive one. I was able to transform some of my failures into successes. I traded a failed romantic pursuit and an out of shape body for a sixty pound weight loss. It didn’t help at all with the pursuit, but it gave me my body back as well as confidence to attack other goals. I took the bouncing around from school to school for my student teaching and made it a very positive experience at Richards that I will never forget. I accomplished my goal of completing my Bachelor’s degree early. I admit I made mistakes throughout the year that left me weary by its end, but from failure was born success, and there became a greater balance between my confidence and ability.
2009: An extremely challenging year. At many points it felt like I was dealing with 2005: the sequel. Most things did not go as I planned. Some did, but in the past it would’ve left a bitter taste in my mouth. I choose not to let it consume me. I’d like to think it was a rebuilding year of sorts and that everything will come together in 2010. I met some great people, and I finally eliminated a fear of failure. Nothing is as bad the second time around. I realized if I can deal with something once, then I can deal with it again.
All in all, I am pleased with how this decade has turned out. I would be lying if I told you that the twelve year old Jakob would have imagined the 22 year old Jakob to be exactly as I am, but perfect foresight is a luxury which few are granted. I made great strides in becoming who I wanted to become as opposed to what I thought everyone wanted me to be. That said, here are my year rankings. Thanks for coming along for the ride.
10. 2005
9. 2009
8. 2001
7. 2008
6. 2006
5. 2002
4. 2007
3. 2000
2. 2003
1. 2004
2000: I consider it the birth of my “Modern Era”. I had my first intense crush, really established my niche group of friends, and began to move towards becoming who I wanted to be. Going back to Stone really helped that. For the first time in my life up to that point, I was in shape and it gave me confidence both socially and on the basketball court.
2001: The first up-and-down year. This would become a recurring theme of the decade. The first half of the year was great. I concluded my career at SCCA, went to camp for the first time, and had many good times at many 8th Grade graduation parties. Starting high school was probably more difficult for me than most. I went to a new school knowing no one, and it took me a very long time to figure out where I fit in. My apprehension towards high school was at points mistaken for snobbery and standoffishness and I was the target of some very rude behavior. Back then I unfortunately lacked the ability to stand up for myself, but all things are lessons learned.
2002: This year I think I spent a greater percentage of time trying to “find myself” than any other year of the decade. I was knee deep in involvement at the youth group at PBC, decided to start being myself more at school, and tried maintaining the friendships that I had. After hearing that a girl who I wanted to date found me “boring”, I devoted a large portion of my time trying to prove her wrong. I tried gimmick after gimmick, and it culminated in the creation of my former website “Inside the Mind of Jakob Duehr”, a site that became more popular than it ever should have. I met a lot of people this year, but the most notable were Murdock and Jessica.
2003: Socially, the year everything finally came together. Though the first two months of the year was spent with a feud at Stone and the last four months were spent attempting damage control at TPHS for a situation that was only partially my fault, the year was great. Perhaps the best decision I made all year was to leave PBC, where except for a few exceptions (mainly Pastor Scott… he was always great) I was underappreciated and felt unwanted. I made the choice to return to Stone’s youth group. It was that decision that brought me closer to my closest friends and set the groundwork for that summer, the greatest summer of my life. My friends and I spent practically every day together doing something fun, and our camp experience that year was filled with the most hilarity of any single week in my life.
2004: Honestly, this year felt like each day was even better than the one before. Though I still spent the first two months of the year diffusing that situation at school, things just kept getting better. Even my mistakes and missteps led to positives. At school, for a short time I felt like I was on top of the world. I had my greatest experience at camp ever, and going to Convention that year is still one of the greatest memories of my life. I look back on that year with unbelievably fond memories.
2005: The year the wheels fell off. After a promising beginning to the year, things fell apart. Nothing seemed to go right at all. I narrowly missed out on a full scholarship at one school, was cheated out of one at another, and had to say goodbye to how life was with my friends. I fell out of favor with some people at school and fell just short of winning my fantasy football championship. Even camp was a less than amazing experience. As everything around me was changing, I had to be strong and deal with some very intense personal issues. Looking for a job that summer was misery, and when I finally did get the job it was miserable. I would get three hours of sleep on school nights. Sometimes I wonder how I made it through the year.
2006: Another up and down year. I had to take the somewhat good with the really bad. My Seahawks fell short in an extremely questionably officiated Super Bowl, I was marginally betrayed (for the first of many times) by someone I thought cared about me, and most importantly I lost a great friend to a car accident. I gained thirty pounds in a month. I even spent my Christmas vomiting. However, it was not a lost year. I had some of my greatest professors in college, had some of my best work experiences, really got attuned to my thoughts and emotions, and became friends with Stacie.
2007: This, for all intents and purposes, was actually a good year (in fact the only good year I had in the second half of the decade), but I have this lingering feeling that it could have actually been great. I made my first attempt to lose weight and failed. I had a good time taking more responsibility as a youth leader, but I think I could’ve done more. I squandered some opportunities due to being me, and I stressed myself out more than I needed to. Even with that, the year was good. I had more enjoyable classes, moved to Orland, and went to my first WWE PPV event.
2008: It was a challenging year but an extremely productive one. I was able to transform some of my failures into successes. I traded a failed romantic pursuit and an out of shape body for a sixty pound weight loss. It didn’t help at all with the pursuit, but it gave me my body back as well as confidence to attack other goals. I took the bouncing around from school to school for my student teaching and made it a very positive experience at Richards that I will never forget. I accomplished my goal of completing my Bachelor’s degree early. I admit I made mistakes throughout the year that left me weary by its end, but from failure was born success, and there became a greater balance between my confidence and ability.
2009: An extremely challenging year. At many points it felt like I was dealing with 2005: the sequel. Most things did not go as I planned. Some did, but in the past it would’ve left a bitter taste in my mouth. I choose not to let it consume me. I’d like to think it was a rebuilding year of sorts and that everything will come together in 2010. I met some great people, and I finally eliminated a fear of failure. Nothing is as bad the second time around. I realized if I can deal with something once, then I can deal with it again.
All in all, I am pleased with how this decade has turned out. I would be lying if I told you that the twelve year old Jakob would have imagined the 22 year old Jakob to be exactly as I am, but perfect foresight is a luxury which few are granted. I made great strides in becoming who I wanted to become as opposed to what I thought everyone wanted me to be. That said, here are my year rankings. Thanks for coming along for the ride.
10. 2005
9. 2009
8. 2001
7. 2008
6. 2006
5. 2002
4. 2007
3. 2000
2. 2003
1. 2004
2009 in Review
In what has been one of my favorite traditions since 2004, it is that time of the year for me to give a month-by-month rundown of my 2009. I know I usually do it on New Year’s Eve, but this year I will be spending that doing a rundown of the decade. It has been quite a year. Here it goes.
January: We welcomed a new addition to the family with my sister’s wedding at the beginning of the month. Unfortunately I had to say goodbye to the two of them for a couple months, as my brother-in-law is a Marine stationed in North Carolina. Met the ever-interesting Shan, Jannelle, and Melmo and madness ensued. I also had one of the highlights of the year at the beginning of the month when Rex, Merrill and I went downtown and another highlight at the end of the month when Rob and I went to Detroit for the Royal Rumble. The Rumble was great, but Detroit is an absolutely awful city.
February: While subbing for my mom’s class, I realized I made the right decision to choose secondary education rather than elementary education. After one day of teaching a combined first and second grade class, I had the worst headache I have ever experienced. Again, I did not observe Valentine’s Day, but I did complete the 10000 crunch challenge.
March: I went to a teaching job fair, started to apply for jobs, and drank a lot of Shamrock shakes. I also stayed up for 40 hours straight once. I also hung out with Stay-C a couple times. Always great to hang with her.
April: I turned 22 and welcomed my sister and brother-in-law back to Illinois. I also embarked on a trip to D.C. and Florida with my friend Dan. The majority of the trip was great, as we saw our nation’s great landmarks as well as the Kennedy Space Center and some beautiful beaches, but I also had to endure the worst day of my life. To make a very long story short, let’s just say that I got awful sunburn, got stood up by the one person I went to Florida to see, lost my wallet and got treated like a terrorist at the airport, and endured a major personal space invasion on the flight back from St. Louis to Chicago.
May: Had the first of what would be many unsuccessful interviews with school districts. I kept filling out applications nonetheless. My brother-in-law shipped out to Afghanistan, so Heidi came back to live with us for an extended period. Unfortunately my cousin was not with us this summer, as I drove him to the airport for his flight to Washington to intern for Senator Burris. Stay-C also had a birthday party that was more fun than I expected.
June: This was a good month for catching up with old friends. Rob was actually back for the whole summer, and Merrill was back for a little while. We had some good times playing Rock Band. I got to see Pastor Scott a couple times, and it is always a positive experience hanging out with him. Had a really weird interview with a school district in which they never once told me what I was exactly interviewing for.
July: More unsuccessful interviews. Frustration began to mount. I had some good social experiences this month, though. Had great times with Rob at the Thunderbolts game as well as a trip to Cici’s where I finally got a chance to chat with my favorite Cardinal Fitness employee. I also snapped my string of awful experiences on July 12 when I had the opportunity to hang out with Melmo.
August: This was an awful month. I hit rock bottom. After the last of the unsuccessful interviews I was struck with an awful illness that kept me in bed for a couple days. Everything around me felt like it was crashing down. Reading “The Gift: You Ask and You Get” by David Dayan Fisher (shameless plug for a new friend: BUY THE BOOK NOW!!!!) really helped though. Things have happened, are happening, and will continue to happen. Much of them are uncontrollable, but reactions are a choice. I began to make the choice to react positively. At the end of the month, I moved from Orland back to Tinley.
September: I began my current position as a substitute teacher in a junior high school district. I was surprised to find I quite enjoy it, and even more surprised to find that the kids quite enjoy me! I obviously would like a full time position, but I guess sometimes dues need to be paid. I also finally got closure from an issue with a person.
October: More subbing; more fun. I was able to make it back to Richards for a football game. I can’t even begin to explain how great it is to visit there. Some of the greatest kids in the world can take pride in being a Bulldog. I also picked up SmackDown! vs. Raw 2010 and a PS3 and created some pretty sweet things.
November: I once again had the opportunity to go to Richards, this time for a playoff game. We unfortunately lost, but I loved cheering them on and really enjoyed the atmosphere. Thanksgiving wasn’t as great as I had hoped it to be, but I had a blast with Heidi and Andy at lunch that week.
December: We welcomed back my brother-in-law from Afghanistan, which is great for both him and my sister (though unfortunately it means we will be saying goodbye to both of them soon). Christmas was long but enjoyable, but by far my greatest achievement of the month was my first ever fantasy football championship. After falling short so many times, it feels great to finally succeed.
I would be lying if I said that this year was not a challenge. I would also be lying if I said this year was good, or even decent. For a lot of the year it felt like I was throwing stuff against the wall to see what would stick. My laundry list of goals for the year was only partially completed. I really need to thank the good friends I have, whether from face to face experiences or online as well as my family for being there for me. I am also thankful for the chances I had to connect with people like Shan, Jannelle, Melmo, Kacey, and David, because in one way or another you have helped to make me better (or at the least help me fix some of how I’ve been). For the most part, this year was an unmitigated failure. However, failure is not final, and it is not an option. I truly feel that the hardships of this year have set the groundwork for success in 2010. I am prepared to succeed. It’s time.
January: We welcomed a new addition to the family with my sister’s wedding at the beginning of the month. Unfortunately I had to say goodbye to the two of them for a couple months, as my brother-in-law is a Marine stationed in North Carolina. Met the ever-interesting Shan, Jannelle, and Melmo and madness ensued. I also had one of the highlights of the year at the beginning of the month when Rex, Merrill and I went downtown and another highlight at the end of the month when Rob and I went to Detroit for the Royal Rumble. The Rumble was great, but Detroit is an absolutely awful city.
February: While subbing for my mom’s class, I realized I made the right decision to choose secondary education rather than elementary education. After one day of teaching a combined first and second grade class, I had the worst headache I have ever experienced. Again, I did not observe Valentine’s Day, but I did complete the 10000 crunch challenge.
March: I went to a teaching job fair, started to apply for jobs, and drank a lot of Shamrock shakes. I also stayed up for 40 hours straight once. I also hung out with Stay-C a couple times. Always great to hang with her.
April: I turned 22 and welcomed my sister and brother-in-law back to Illinois. I also embarked on a trip to D.C. and Florida with my friend Dan. The majority of the trip was great, as we saw our nation’s great landmarks as well as the Kennedy Space Center and some beautiful beaches, but I also had to endure the worst day of my life. To make a very long story short, let’s just say that I got awful sunburn, got stood up by the one person I went to Florida to see, lost my wallet and got treated like a terrorist at the airport, and endured a major personal space invasion on the flight back from St. Louis to Chicago.
May: Had the first of what would be many unsuccessful interviews with school districts. I kept filling out applications nonetheless. My brother-in-law shipped out to Afghanistan, so Heidi came back to live with us for an extended period. Unfortunately my cousin was not with us this summer, as I drove him to the airport for his flight to Washington to intern for Senator Burris. Stay-C also had a birthday party that was more fun than I expected.
June: This was a good month for catching up with old friends. Rob was actually back for the whole summer, and Merrill was back for a little while. We had some good times playing Rock Band. I got to see Pastor Scott a couple times, and it is always a positive experience hanging out with him. Had a really weird interview with a school district in which they never once told me what I was exactly interviewing for.
July: More unsuccessful interviews. Frustration began to mount. I had some good social experiences this month, though. Had great times with Rob at the Thunderbolts game as well as a trip to Cici’s where I finally got a chance to chat with my favorite Cardinal Fitness employee. I also snapped my string of awful experiences on July 12 when I had the opportunity to hang out with Melmo.
August: This was an awful month. I hit rock bottom. After the last of the unsuccessful interviews I was struck with an awful illness that kept me in bed for a couple days. Everything around me felt like it was crashing down. Reading “The Gift: You Ask and You Get” by David Dayan Fisher (shameless plug for a new friend: BUY THE BOOK NOW!!!!) really helped though. Things have happened, are happening, and will continue to happen. Much of them are uncontrollable, but reactions are a choice. I began to make the choice to react positively. At the end of the month, I moved from Orland back to Tinley.
September: I began my current position as a substitute teacher in a junior high school district. I was surprised to find I quite enjoy it, and even more surprised to find that the kids quite enjoy me! I obviously would like a full time position, but I guess sometimes dues need to be paid. I also finally got closure from an issue with a person.
October: More subbing; more fun. I was able to make it back to Richards for a football game. I can’t even begin to explain how great it is to visit there. Some of the greatest kids in the world can take pride in being a Bulldog. I also picked up SmackDown! vs. Raw 2010 and a PS3 and created some pretty sweet things.
November: I once again had the opportunity to go to Richards, this time for a playoff game. We unfortunately lost, but I loved cheering them on and really enjoyed the atmosphere. Thanksgiving wasn’t as great as I had hoped it to be, but I had a blast with Heidi and Andy at lunch that week.
December: We welcomed back my brother-in-law from Afghanistan, which is great for both him and my sister (though unfortunately it means we will be saying goodbye to both of them soon). Christmas was long but enjoyable, but by far my greatest achievement of the month was my first ever fantasy football championship. After falling short so many times, it feels great to finally succeed.
I would be lying if I said that this year was not a challenge. I would also be lying if I said this year was good, or even decent. For a lot of the year it felt like I was throwing stuff against the wall to see what would stick. My laundry list of goals for the year was only partially completed. I really need to thank the good friends I have, whether from face to face experiences or online as well as my family for being there for me. I am also thankful for the chances I had to connect with people like Shan, Jannelle, Melmo, Kacey, and David, because in one way or another you have helped to make me better (or at the least help me fix some of how I’ve been). For the most part, this year was an unmitigated failure. However, failure is not final, and it is not an option. I truly feel that the hardships of this year have set the groundwork for success in 2010. I am prepared to succeed. It’s time.
Monday, December 28, 2009
On Uniforms, Communities, and Time Periods
And now, for something different….
My posts as of late have been pretty deep, and while I love that depth I am cognizant of the fact that it can be a little heavy for my readers (as well as for the writer). For this post and this post only, this will be a little bit of a lighter entry as it discusses two of my favorite subjects: sports and uniforms.
Maybe I’m looking at this too deeply, but I think you can learn a lot about a community by the uniforms its professional sports teams wears. As much as I hate Pittsburgh for Super Bowl XL and the continued success of the Penguins, the continuity in their uniforms across the board of black and yellow/gold symbolizes the unity present in the blue-collar community.
Conversely, take the large metropolises of the United States and you will see almost no continuity in logos or colors. Take Chicago for example. A few of the teams share red as a main color, and a few of the teams share black, but other than the Bulls and the Blackhawks, there is no continuity. Similar spectrums are found in New York and Los Angeles. In fact, if you take the ten largest cities in the United States and examine their sports teams, almost no continuity would be found outside of Houston (and their different uses of the color red could be classified as marginal continuity at best). The melting pot of colors is accurately representative of the diversity found in large cities.
I would be remiss if I failed to mention the city of Seattle. As most who know me can attest, I am quite the Seahawks fan, but my love for the Seahawks is mostly irrelevant to my love of Seattle uniforms. The city has not been afraid to take fashion risks. Sometimes these experiments flop, like the lime Seahawks uniforms they wore in a loss to the Chicago Bears this season. Others, like the current Mariners uniforms and the mid- to late-1990s Sonics uniforms were great because they stood out without being too extreme. I still personally believe those Sonics uniforms were the second greatest NBA uniforms of all time (behind the black pinstriped Bulls alternate uniforms during the same time period).
Finally, uniforms are indicative of the time period. The 1990s in particular was very experimental with its uniforms, creating color combinations and patterns (Vancouver Grizzlies) that were horribly unpleasing to the eyes. The NFL this decade has seen a shift towards sleeker, more intimidating uniforms with trimmed, modern-looking numbers and sectioned jerseys. The best part of sports uniforms is that they immediately alert the viewer to the era from which the event originally occurred (barring the use of any “throwback” uniforms) without having to know anything about the players.
Alright, let’s be honest. I just wanted to have an excuse to post these uniforms. Feast your eyes on some of my favorites.
The great Sonics uniform
These jerseys meant a 35 point victory was imminent
These didn't go over so well.
My posts as of late have been pretty deep, and while I love that depth I am cognizant of the fact that it can be a little heavy for my readers (as well as for the writer). For this post and this post only, this will be a little bit of a lighter entry as it discusses two of my favorite subjects: sports and uniforms.
Maybe I’m looking at this too deeply, but I think you can learn a lot about a community by the uniforms its professional sports teams wears. As much as I hate Pittsburgh for Super Bowl XL and the continued success of the Penguins, the continuity in their uniforms across the board of black and yellow/gold symbolizes the unity present in the blue-collar community.
Conversely, take the large metropolises of the United States and you will see almost no continuity in logos or colors. Take Chicago for example. A few of the teams share red as a main color, and a few of the teams share black, but other than the Bulls and the Blackhawks, there is no continuity. Similar spectrums are found in New York and Los Angeles. In fact, if you take the ten largest cities in the United States and examine their sports teams, almost no continuity would be found outside of Houston (and their different uses of the color red could be classified as marginal continuity at best). The melting pot of colors is accurately representative of the diversity found in large cities.
I would be remiss if I failed to mention the city of Seattle. As most who know me can attest, I am quite the Seahawks fan, but my love for the Seahawks is mostly irrelevant to my love of Seattle uniforms. The city has not been afraid to take fashion risks. Sometimes these experiments flop, like the lime Seahawks uniforms they wore in a loss to the Chicago Bears this season. Others, like the current Mariners uniforms and the mid- to late-1990s Sonics uniforms were great because they stood out without being too extreme. I still personally believe those Sonics uniforms were the second greatest NBA uniforms of all time (behind the black pinstriped Bulls alternate uniforms during the same time period).
Finally, uniforms are indicative of the time period. The 1990s in particular was very experimental with its uniforms, creating color combinations and patterns (Vancouver Grizzlies) that were horribly unpleasing to the eyes. The NFL this decade has seen a shift towards sleeker, more intimidating uniforms with trimmed, modern-looking numbers and sectioned jerseys. The best part of sports uniforms is that they immediately alert the viewer to the era from which the event originally occurred (barring the use of any “throwback” uniforms) without having to know anything about the players.
Alright, let’s be honest. I just wanted to have an excuse to post these uniforms. Feast your eyes on some of my favorites.
The great Sonics uniform
These jerseys meant a 35 point victory was imminent
These didn't go over so well.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Jimmy Football, Advertising Media, and the Mainstream Exploitation of Animals
I can’t seem to go a whole day without that “Jimmy Football” moron cluttering the airwaves, especially on Sunday afternoons. Most of the time I just roll my eyes at the ridiculous items he is advertising in his worst Billy Mays impression, but there was one item in particular that really bothered me: the Bud Light Tailgate Companion. Without transcribing the commercial for you, the item in question is more or less a bib to put on a dog so he or she can carry around condiments and like items. It made me sick. For just $4.99, you can use your dog to cart condiments to you without having to get your out of shape rear off the couch. This is unbelievable. As a society we have become ridiculously lazy, but there is not and never will be a reason that we need to use our pets to compensate for our laziness.
I tried to not let it bother me and just dismiss it in the latest edition in a long line of stupidity in the Jimmy Football ad campaign, but later that night, I saw another awful commercial. This time it was for the Yellow Pages. In this commercial, a group of people and their pets are waiting in the lobby of a veterinary facility. For some inexplicable reason an elderly woman has her bird sitting outside a cage and the bird is devoured by a large dog belonging to a young man. The tagline of the commercial then showed that the Yellow Pages can find help in any situation, including a lawyer. The act of killing the bird was heinous enough, but what made it worse was the young man’s apathetic attitude towards the loss of the woman’s pet.
Why has it come to this? Why has the exploitation of animals become a source of amusement? PETA is treated as more of a punchline than a positive, and hardcore activists are treated in the same vein as if they were lepers. Even in the case of Michael Vick (and let it be known that I do believe the man rightfully deserved a second chance), it bothers me that many were more prone to make jokes about him than be horrified at the activities that went down on his property. Maybe I’m taking these commercials too seriously, but I don’t see the comedy in them. I see the warning signs of a dangerous trend.
As I am writing this my cat sits under my bed. I would cause serious harm to anyone if they found humor if something were to happen to her, and I would never exploit her to serve my own laziness. I understand that most people would not do these things, but the message needs to get across that the exploitation of animals in those commercials as well as the Tailgate Companion will no longer be tolerated. I am not advocating veganism nor pushing anyone to attend Fur Free Friday. I personally will not be there. What I do encourage you to do is get involved in some small way, even if it’s something as small as taking extra time to play with your pet or changing the channel when that Jimmy Football idiot appears. Animals are our friends. Don’t turn your back on your friends.
I tried to not let it bother me and just dismiss it in the latest edition in a long line of stupidity in the Jimmy Football ad campaign, but later that night, I saw another awful commercial. This time it was for the Yellow Pages. In this commercial, a group of people and their pets are waiting in the lobby of a veterinary facility. For some inexplicable reason an elderly woman has her bird sitting outside a cage and the bird is devoured by a large dog belonging to a young man. The tagline of the commercial then showed that the Yellow Pages can find help in any situation, including a lawyer. The act of killing the bird was heinous enough, but what made it worse was the young man’s apathetic attitude towards the loss of the woman’s pet.
Why has it come to this? Why has the exploitation of animals become a source of amusement? PETA is treated as more of a punchline than a positive, and hardcore activists are treated in the same vein as if they were lepers. Even in the case of Michael Vick (and let it be known that I do believe the man rightfully deserved a second chance), it bothers me that many were more prone to make jokes about him than be horrified at the activities that went down on his property. Maybe I’m taking these commercials too seriously, but I don’t see the comedy in them. I see the warning signs of a dangerous trend.
As I am writing this my cat sits under my bed. I would cause serious harm to anyone if they found humor if something were to happen to her, and I would never exploit her to serve my own laziness. I understand that most people would not do these things, but the message needs to get across that the exploitation of animals in those commercials as well as the Tailgate Companion will no longer be tolerated. I am not advocating veganism nor pushing anyone to attend Fur Free Friday. I personally will not be there. What I do encourage you to do is get involved in some small way, even if it’s something as small as taking extra time to play with your pet or changing the channel when that Jimmy Football idiot appears. Animals are our friends. Don’t turn your back on your friends.
My friend Buttons reclining on my bed
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