It has happened to everyone. Whether you're at the office, at home, watching television or having a conversation with a loved one, you've had a momentary lapse of concentration and a random thought pops into your head. It could be the solution to that mathematical theorem you've been working on or remembering where you misplaced your keys.
If you're anything like me, most of these random thoughts happen at a time when you're really not thinking about anything at all. Riding on a bus, taking a smoke break, falling asleep, etc. However, the most notable of these times is not often mentioned in politically correct circles: sitting on the crapper. Everybody does it. Crap, that is.
I came up with the idea of writing down those random thoughts while on the crapper, well, on the crapper. I wasn't thinking about anything in particular nor was I concentrating on what I was about to do (I eat a high fibre diet so little effort required). I'm fairly certain that it's not a new idea and I'm fairly certain that I'm not the only one doing it. There are probably dozens of others out there this very instant writing down their crappy thoughts while you're reading this.
Some thoughts are funny while others are strange. You may even have thought some of the same things yourself. I have no control over what comes into my head. Here are three:
My Million Dollar Pledge:
If I won the lottery, I would pay off all my debts. I would pay off the mortgages and debts of my family and all of my friends. I would buy places for my friends who currently rent. I would buy a ranch and rescue as many animals as possible from the local shelter. I would take my girlfriend on a five-star getaway. Finally, I would get myself fired from my job in the most spectacular fashion possible.
Can pubic hair be transplanted to your head?
Hair is hair is hair, right? I'm no expert but I surmise that it would be possible to transplant pubic hair to your head. The wonders of medicine have figured out how to move hair from the back of your head to the top and front of your head, so why not from one head to another? Okay, technically hair doesn't grow on the head of your one-eyed monster, but it does make for a funny pun.
How I know my cat loves me:
People who don't have pets often don't understand the bond that develops between man and beast. There is a trust that is not completely dissimilar to that between parent and child. My kittie trusts that I will feed her, play with her, and always be there for her. I trust that she won't suffocate me in my sleep.
* * * * *
I'm sure in the following days and weeks to come, I'll be visiting the crapper and having more crappy thoughts. I'll post them as they come. In the meantime, feel free to comment with your own thoughts. Here's hoping you have a craptacular day!
Monday, 28 March 2011
Saturday, 26 March 2011
Why Aren't Winter Tires Mandatory By Law?
For those of you who are lucky enough to live in parts of North America with eternal summer, you will undoubtedly find that this post doesn't concern you. For the rest us who have to suffer through the 3 - 5 months of Snowmageddon, read on!
I've heard many of the arguments from both sides of the winter tire debate. As a winter-tire-convert, I am obliged to give my opinion FOR winter tires, rather than against, simply because I have experienced the advantages of using them.
The basic fact is this: winter tires are specifically engineered to provide better traction in snowy, icy, and wet conditions than summer or all-season tires. Having said that, I should stress that simply having winter tires doesn't mean that you shouldn't be careful in those wintry conditions. Driver ability still plays the largest part in staying safe on the road, regardless of the road conditions.
The only places in North America that I know of where winter tires are mandatory by law are in the province of Quebec, areas in British Columbia, and on school buses in New Brunswick, all in Canada. Studies have been done and the statistics indicate that since implementing that law, the number of reported accidents during the winter months has reduced year-over-year. Is that simply a coincidence? Possibly, but doubtful.
So why aren't more provinces and states following this example? In my opinion, using winter tires is just as important a safety feature as having two working headlights or seat-belts, both of which are mandatory by law. It is a piece of safety equipment which is often overlooked when considering a "winter safety" check. I'm not sure why that is the case. Perhaps the cost plays an important factor in the decision to buy or not to buy a set of winter tires. To that end, might I suggest that governments subsidize the cost?
Without a law, I know that people need some incentive to push them to purchase winter tires. How about a discount on car insurance for those of us who use them? With insurance rates as high as they are, wouldn't we all love a discount?
Personally, though, I don't need any extra incentive when it comes to the safety of me and my family. I'm going to take any advantage I can, cost or no cost. How much is the safety of your family worth to you? Can you really put a price tag on it?
Maybe you think that this has nothing to do with cost or safety and that my entire argument is flawed. Possibly....but I can guarantee you that when the time comes and you can't get up that snowy hill, or when you brake but your car slides through the intersection, or when you spin your tires incessantly but still can't get out of that parking spot, you'll change your mind.
Money or safety might not be an incentive, but embarrassment is.
I've heard many of the arguments from both sides of the winter tire debate. As a winter-tire-convert, I am obliged to give my opinion FOR winter tires, rather than against, simply because I have experienced the advantages of using them.
The basic fact is this: winter tires are specifically engineered to provide better traction in snowy, icy, and wet conditions than summer or all-season tires. Having said that, I should stress that simply having winter tires doesn't mean that you shouldn't be careful in those wintry conditions. Driver ability still plays the largest part in staying safe on the road, regardless of the road conditions.
The only places in North America that I know of where winter tires are mandatory by law are in the province of Quebec, areas in British Columbia, and on school buses in New Brunswick, all in Canada. Studies have been done and the statistics indicate that since implementing that law, the number of reported accidents during the winter months has reduced year-over-year. Is that simply a coincidence? Possibly, but doubtful.
So why aren't more provinces and states following this example? In my opinion, using winter tires is just as important a safety feature as having two working headlights or seat-belts, both of which are mandatory by law. It is a piece of safety equipment which is often overlooked when considering a "winter safety" check. I'm not sure why that is the case. Perhaps the cost plays an important factor in the decision to buy or not to buy a set of winter tires. To that end, might I suggest that governments subsidize the cost?
Without a law, I know that people need some incentive to push them to purchase winter tires. How about a discount on car insurance for those of us who use them? With insurance rates as high as they are, wouldn't we all love a discount?
Personally, though, I don't need any extra incentive when it comes to the safety of me and my family. I'm going to take any advantage I can, cost or no cost. How much is the safety of your family worth to you? Can you really put a price tag on it?
Maybe you think that this has nothing to do with cost or safety and that my entire argument is flawed. Possibly....but I can guarantee you that when the time comes and you can't get up that snowy hill, or when you brake but your car slides through the intersection, or when you spin your tires incessantly but still can't get out of that parking spot, you'll change your mind.
Money or safety might not be an incentive, but embarrassment is.
Thursday, 17 March 2011
The More We're Connected, The Less We're Connected
I was at a restaurant not too long ago with my lady, and after having placed our orders, she got up to use the restroom. I took this opportunity to do some people-watching and happened to notice a mid-20s-something couple sitting a few tables away. Ordinarily, I wouldn't have paid too much attention to them. They seemed like regular folk out for a nice dinner, just as we were. But what was peculiar to me was that neither one was speaking to the other. They weren't fighting or anything of that sort. They were simply consumed by what was on the screens of their smartphones. Seriously? At the dinner table? At the same time?
Whatever happened to "How was your day today?" or "Anything interesting happen at work?" Ok, I admit that these are rather mundane conversation starters but the point is, there sits a young, good-looking couple obviously out on a date. They couldn't have been together long enough to be jaded like an old married couple, completely ignoring each other whilst sitting at the dinner table on a night out.
Call me old-school, but when I'm out with my lady, I like to show her a good time, engage her in conversation, tell her she smells nice. It wouldn't even cross my mind to whip out my phone or pda or netbook or whatever and start doing "work" in front of her. I mean c'mon people, get a grip. Unless you're on-call or someone really, really, really important like the president of a nation or the dude in charge of NORAD, whatever it is that you so desperately need to check on your mobile can wait until you get home. At the very least, wait until your date leaves the table to use the restroom (:-p
Seriously though, is what you're looking at on your mobile that important? 99% of my friends have smartphones. When they whip them out to look at something while we're out at a restaurant or party or whatever, 100% of the time the stuff they're looking at isn't important at all, not even in the least. It's almost like they fear the world will end if they don't check what's going on in cyberspace every few minutes.
This may not seem all that serious to you and I admit, it isn't really THAT big of a deal. It's just a little discourteous but like I said, I'm old-school. However, what is becoming a big deal is that people suddenly believe that they can miraculously "multi-task" while using their smartphones. I've got news for you: PEOPLE CAN'T. They may think they can, but they can't. How often have you started a talking with someone only to have him or her whip out their mobile and start doing stuff on it in the middle of your conversation? Have you noticed how they suddenly become Rain Man with one-word answers like "yeah", "uh-huh", "ok", "sure".....? Or maybe YOU'RE that person.
To illustrate my point, think back to how many news articles you've read about car accidents involving drivers who were talking on their mobiles. Or how many stories you've heard about someone walking into traffic because they were so engaged in what they were reading on their mobile that they weren't paying attention. But the best one, which gets my vote for a Darwin Award: Teen girl falls into manhole while texting. WHAT? Yeah, that's right, a friggin' manhole. How do you NOT see a manhole? Here's the article if you are so inclined.
There are laws in many states that ban the use of handheld devices while driving. It's a law to protect you and other people from your own stupidity. In my opinion, this law needs to be extended to cyclists, inline skaters, pedestrians, and anyone else who thinks that they can "multi-task" in public on their mobiles.
I know that the world has changed and continues to change everyday. I know that technology is advancing faster than ever before in human history. I know that smartphones and cyberspace and our connection to it is here to stay. I get all that and it's a great thing. But like everything else in life, moderation is key. C'mon people, have some common sense and show some courtesy.
Perhaps we need a few more open manholes to get the point across.
Whatever happened to "How was your day today?" or "Anything interesting happen at work?" Ok, I admit that these are rather mundane conversation starters but the point is, there sits a young, good-looking couple obviously out on a date. They couldn't have been together long enough to be jaded like an old married couple, completely ignoring each other whilst sitting at the dinner table on a night out.
Call me old-school, but when I'm out with my lady, I like to show her a good time, engage her in conversation, tell her she smells nice. It wouldn't even cross my mind to whip out my phone or pda or netbook or whatever and start doing "work" in front of her. I mean c'mon people, get a grip. Unless you're on-call or someone really, really, really important like the president of a nation or the dude in charge of NORAD, whatever it is that you so desperately need to check on your mobile can wait until you get home. At the very least, wait until your date leaves the table to use the restroom (:-p
Seriously though, is what you're looking at on your mobile that important? 99% of my friends have smartphones. When they whip them out to look at something while we're out at a restaurant or party or whatever, 100% of the time the stuff they're looking at isn't important at all, not even in the least. It's almost like they fear the world will end if they don't check what's going on in cyberspace every few minutes.
This may not seem all that serious to you and I admit, it isn't really THAT big of a deal. It's just a little discourteous but like I said, I'm old-school. However, what is becoming a big deal is that people suddenly believe that they can miraculously "multi-task" while using their smartphones. I've got news for you: PEOPLE CAN'T. They may think they can, but they can't. How often have you started a talking with someone only to have him or her whip out their mobile and start doing stuff on it in the middle of your conversation? Have you noticed how they suddenly become Rain Man with one-word answers like "yeah", "uh-huh", "ok", "sure".....? Or maybe YOU'RE that person.
To illustrate my point, think back to how many news articles you've read about car accidents involving drivers who were talking on their mobiles. Or how many stories you've heard about someone walking into traffic because they were so engaged in what they were reading on their mobile that they weren't paying attention. But the best one, which gets my vote for a Darwin Award: Teen girl falls into manhole while texting. WHAT? Yeah, that's right, a friggin' manhole. How do you NOT see a manhole? Here's the article if you are so inclined.
There are laws in many states that ban the use of handheld devices while driving. It's a law to protect you and other people from your own stupidity. In my opinion, this law needs to be extended to cyclists, inline skaters, pedestrians, and anyone else who thinks that they can "multi-task" in public on their mobiles.
I know that the world has changed and continues to change everyday. I know that technology is advancing faster than ever before in human history. I know that smartphones and cyberspace and our connection to it is here to stay. I get all that and it's a great thing. But like everything else in life, moderation is key. C'mon people, have some common sense and show some courtesy.
Perhaps we need a few more open manholes to get the point across.
Tuesday, 15 March 2011
When the Money is not Enough
At first glance, you're probably thinking that this is some post with advice on how to get a raise at your current job or how to change careers in order to make more money. Au contraire, mes amis, this post is not about acquiring more money at all. The meaning of the title will become apparent as you read on.
From as far back as I can remember, I was brought up to believe that wealth = success = happiness. How is that achieved? My parents taught me that I had to do well in school so that I can go to a good university so that I can get a good job. Believing in that philosophy wholeheartedly, I delved into my studies, finishing grade school and high-school with straight A's, and graduating with honours from university. I landed a senior position in the IT department of a large corporation bringing in a 6-figure salary. By all accounts, I have reached that pinnacle of wealth = success = happiness, as I have been taught all of my life. This is where I ask the question: Why am I so unhappy?
Don't get me wrong, I am extremely grateful for all that I have. I am healthy, I live in a nice condo, I drive a nice car, I have opportunity and the monetary means to travel and indulge in my hobbies. Where I am not happy is in my career. Why is that? I did everything my parents taught me. Mom always knows best, right? Could it be that they were wrong all along?
No, I don't believe they were wrong. Misguided, perhaps, but not wrong. See, they were brought up the same way, as were my grandparents, as were my great grandparents. So naturally, they taught me the same life lessons they were taught in the hopes that I would lead a "normal" life. They were "successful" and "happy", so how could they have been wrong?
I imagine that for some people, they would look at what I do and the salary I take home and say that I'm crazy for feeling this way. But it should be noted that it was not always like this.
When I first started out as a young IT professional, I loved my job. I would work 10 hour days, 6 days a week. For the first time, I was living on my own, feeling the freedom that only a large paycheque could command. I bought whatever I wanted, I paid off all my student loans within a year, I purchased a car, a condo, and I ate at nice restaurants 3 or 4 times a week. Life was fantastic.
Then one day, about 2 years ago, I had an epiphany. Chalk it up to maturity or experience, but I realized something on my way to work. I was waiting in the lobby of my office building for the elevator and happened to have a glance around at some of the other employees that were also waiting. Many of these faces I've seen before, some I see daily. However, on that day, for some unknown reason, I saw something different. Everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) that got into that elevator with me looked absolutely miserable. Their eyes were expressionless, their faces sullen. It was as if their spirits had been broken because they knew that for the next 20, 30, or 40 years, this is what they would be doing. The finality of that realization hit me.....I WAS ONE OF THEM!
I never looked at my job in the same way again. Slowly but surely, the amount of money I was making was becoming meaningless because it was earned out of dissatisfaction with what I was doing as a "career". Call it greed if you will, but now I want more out of my job than just a paycheque. I want to feel good about what I do. I want to get up in the morning excited about going to work. I want to go home at night knowing that I made some meaningful contribution. I don't have that and for the last 2 years, I've been working like a robot for that paycheque, no more, no less. I am alive, but I am not living.
So, what to do when the money is not enough? This is where I am today. I have made no decisions yet, but I do know one thing: I will NOT be doing this for the next 20, 30, or 40 years. Giving up the next third of my life doing something I loathe for money is not an attractive prospect. However, being broke isn't attractive either. Herein lies the conundrum.
If I had the answer to wanting my cake and eating it too, I would be a gazillionaire. I know I am not alone. I only know of one or two people who absolutely love what they do. They are not wealthy or successful by the same standards as I was brought up to have, but they are happy and satisfied.
Ask yourself, what ELSE would you rather be doing? Better yet, when you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Are you that person? I'm not.
For me, wealth may signal success, but it definitely does not equal happiness. Oddly enough, the things I love to do the most, the things from which I garner the most joy and the most satisfaction pay little or nothing at all. The key, it would seem, is to figure out how to parlay those activities into a career. Then, and only then, will I consider myself truly wealthy, successful, and happy.
From as far back as I can remember, I was brought up to believe that wealth = success = happiness. How is that achieved? My parents taught me that I had to do well in school so that I can go to a good university so that I can get a good job. Believing in that philosophy wholeheartedly, I delved into my studies, finishing grade school and high-school with straight A's, and graduating with honours from university. I landed a senior position in the IT department of a large corporation bringing in a 6-figure salary. By all accounts, I have reached that pinnacle of wealth = success = happiness, as I have been taught all of my life. This is where I ask the question: Why am I so unhappy?
Don't get me wrong, I am extremely grateful for all that I have. I am healthy, I live in a nice condo, I drive a nice car, I have opportunity and the monetary means to travel and indulge in my hobbies. Where I am not happy is in my career. Why is that? I did everything my parents taught me. Mom always knows best, right? Could it be that they were wrong all along?
No, I don't believe they were wrong. Misguided, perhaps, but not wrong. See, they were brought up the same way, as were my grandparents, as were my great grandparents. So naturally, they taught me the same life lessons they were taught in the hopes that I would lead a "normal" life. They were "successful" and "happy", so how could they have been wrong?
I imagine that for some people, they would look at what I do and the salary I take home and say that I'm crazy for feeling this way. But it should be noted that it was not always like this.
When I first started out as a young IT professional, I loved my job. I would work 10 hour days, 6 days a week. For the first time, I was living on my own, feeling the freedom that only a large paycheque could command. I bought whatever I wanted, I paid off all my student loans within a year, I purchased a car, a condo, and I ate at nice restaurants 3 or 4 times a week. Life was fantastic.
Then one day, about 2 years ago, I had an epiphany. Chalk it up to maturity or experience, but I realized something on my way to work. I was waiting in the lobby of my office building for the elevator and happened to have a glance around at some of the other employees that were also waiting. Many of these faces I've seen before, some I see daily. However, on that day, for some unknown reason, I saw something different. Everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) that got into that elevator with me looked absolutely miserable. Their eyes were expressionless, their faces sullen. It was as if their spirits had been broken because they knew that for the next 20, 30, or 40 years, this is what they would be doing. The finality of that realization hit me.....I WAS ONE OF THEM!
I never looked at my job in the same way again. Slowly but surely, the amount of money I was making was becoming meaningless because it was earned out of dissatisfaction with what I was doing as a "career". Call it greed if you will, but now I want more out of my job than just a paycheque. I want to feel good about what I do. I want to get up in the morning excited about going to work. I want to go home at night knowing that I made some meaningful contribution. I don't have that and for the last 2 years, I've been working like a robot for that paycheque, no more, no less. I am alive, but I am not living.
So, what to do when the money is not enough? This is where I am today. I have made no decisions yet, but I do know one thing: I will NOT be doing this for the next 20, 30, or 40 years. Giving up the next third of my life doing something I loathe for money is not an attractive prospect. However, being broke isn't attractive either. Herein lies the conundrum.
If I had the answer to wanting my cake and eating it too, I would be a gazillionaire. I know I am not alone. I only know of one or two people who absolutely love what they do. They are not wealthy or successful by the same standards as I was brought up to have, but they are happy and satisfied.
Ask yourself, what ELSE would you rather be doing? Better yet, when you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Are you that person? I'm not.
For me, wealth may signal success, but it definitely does not equal happiness. Oddly enough, the things I love to do the most, the things from which I garner the most joy and the most satisfaction pay little or nothing at all. The key, it would seem, is to figure out how to parlay those activities into a career. Then, and only then, will I consider myself truly wealthy, successful, and happy.
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