I am generally not overly fashionable.
I don't have the magic touch with clothes, and even when I try to look good going out, I generally come up with something that is flannel and looks good with jeans.
Don't get me wrong, I'm extremely proud of this fact, I like the t-shirt/jeans look, and think flannel goes well with everything. Unfortunately, I can't wear flannel to work (well, I could, but perceptions are important in my job and I'd rather not give people an "in" to criticize when it can easily be avoided). So, I wear a tie and generally look decent when I go to work.
That's right, I wear a tie. Slacks too. In fact, if I can "toot" my own horn here, most of the time I look decent when I'm at work. Ironed shirts, nice shoes, tie that actually matches...
...and I'm getting better at knowing what goes with what. I was at the store today, adding to my new collection of ties and dress shirts, and I found a pretty cool tie that I liked. Unfortunately, it was a color that would be hard to match without the right shirt (it was an orange/black/grey combination), so, I started looking for a good shirt to go with it (I had one at home, but I wanted another anyway - the point being I was buying this tie, I didn't need a shirt for it as well. Unfortunately, I didn't find a good shirt for this tie).
I did some more mixing and matching and found some other stuff I liked. One of the shirts was purple (which I actually didn't need a tie for, as I already had one at home).
In the past, prior to my being able to do the matching on my own, I'd always ask people in the store for help, "Does this tie go with this shirt?"
The answer was always, "Yes, that's a good combination."
Sometimes I'd get, "Wow, those are great colors," or, "that's really going to bring out the color in your eyes" (no, I'm not looking to bring out the color in my eyes, but whatever). My point is no one ever said, "No, that's a bad idea."
It's funny that I just realized this, because as I said, I've never been known for my fashion sense. So today, as I was coming up to the counter with a beige shirt, a purple shirt, a brown tie, and an orange tie, I figured I'd finally get the "no" that I've never been able to accomplish.
I walked up to the counter and the guy was polite, he said, "Did you find everything you're looking for?"
I was ecstatic. I said, "Absolutely! I found the greatest shirt and tie!"
He said, "Really? Yes, these two go great together!" (he was referring to the beige shirt/brown tie combo).
I said, "Well, yes, that's a good combination, but I want to be bold," and I threw down the purple shirt and the orange/black/grey tie.
I was looking right at him as his eyes moved down to the shirt on the counter and I swear his face went from happy-to-help-an-excited-customer to um-ok-this-guy-is-a-weirdo. I had to hold back a laugh, as it was perhaps the funniest transition I've seen on a human's face in a long time.
He raised ONE eyebrow, in that inquisitive look way, and as his eyes moved back to make contact with mine he said, "Wow, that is an interesting combination."
I kind of lost a little enthusiasm and I said, "Don't you think they go together? It's bold, and striking. The way the grey in the tie pulls out the purple, it's kind of striking, I think."
The guy at the counter actually turned to his buddy on the other register and said, "Mike, can you do these together?"
Mike had ALMOST the exact reaction. But Mike was a pro. He said, "Sure!"
That was probably more fun in one day than I needed, but unfortunately, some poor guy who can't match his belt to his shoes is going to be walking around with some god-awful combination because the clerk at the store said purple and orange are a great combination.
One day I will be able to create a situation where the polite fashion store worker refuses to be arrested by the fashion police. Today was not the day.
WWW.OOKEE.COM. We all know it (at least by now we should), and hopefully we've all come to understand something about each other, and we're all mostly intelligent. That being said, I'd figure we'd all understand that we're different, and as we know (or at LEAST two of us know very well), different is bad.
I like being reactionary. I'm not exactly sure why, probably because on the surface it's much simpler than being proactive, but on a more visceral level than that, it's just fun. I also like talking about things that I know will elicit reactions from others. For example, if I talk about bad government I'm not going to get much of a response from those that frequent the "Ookee" network. It doesn't really matter if I talk about bad current government or bad former (or possible future) governments, most of us have about the same attitudes about the government (practical or otherwise).
If I talk about religion in most capacities, I'll get a better response, even if it's critical of what I'm saying. I can even say something concrete but attach disclaimers to it and I'll be attacked. At times I love it, at times it's annoying, but most often it's pretty predictable. Ben Franklin perhaps said it best, "Too much agreement kills a chat" (apparently Eldridge Cleaver gets most of the google credit for this quote, I assure you it was Ben). It doesn't matter who said it, the Ookee network is great because of the fact that everyone in the group is different...
...and I stand on the fact that different is bad, despite the obvious contradiction of my last statement.
But I digress. The point of this post was about the Youth of Today, at least the way I perceive them. I could be wrong, but it's what I see.
First of all I should mention that I perceive the "difference" between the present day old and the present day young as extremely unique. In the past such a statement between the "old" and "young" would be a huge difference, 50s vs 20s, for example. Because of the 90s however, that number, at least for the present, is much smaller. The "computer revolution" happened in the 90s. Sure, computers have been around since before the 60s, but the actual ability to do things quicker on a grand scale is very recent. Even when I was in graduate school email was something only the nerds did. Now it's impossible to do anything without email. My point is that the computer revolution (or technological revolution, whatever it's called, feel free to correct me if you must) created a situation that is as unique to society as the Industrial Revolution of the 18th Century, the Reformation in the 16th (ish) Century, or the Rennassaince of the 13th Century.
The "old" will always mock the "young" for their lack of "wisdom." I hear it even now from the biggest morons who are my age, mocking the lack of common sense of teenagers. When this comes up I generally agree, because it's in reference to something galactically stupid.
But let's face it. People are people. They always have been, they always will be. Evolution doesn't happen overnight, and the youth of today are no dumber or smarter than the youth of yesterday, or the youth of tomorrow. What is commonly forgotten is that there are significantly more people now than there were yesterday. This means that there are now more stupid people than there used to be. There are also more smart people. I've dealt with the morons of youth, and I've dealt with the intelligent youth, and honestly they are no different than any other generation. There are simply more of them, adapting to problems that are different than the previous problems, but no more complicated to figure out for the average person.
The standard 18 year old of today, who pays attention to his surroundings and applies his knowledge to the problems he's faced with, is just as capable of solving problems as the standard 18 year old of 20 years ago. I will admit, the problems of today are more complex than when I was growing up, but solving those problems (as has been made clear on OOKEE) was not as simple as typing up a google search. The problem had to be researched, and that took much more time than it does today, which definitely made the solution harder to come by back then than it would be now. It's a the same solution, just found in a different way (back then it was the only way, now there is an easier way, so the old solution being different, is bad).
Getting into a good college is harder than it used to be. Getting into college in general, is easier. Writing a research paper is easier than it used to be. Writing one that is clearly unique, is harder.
No one is to blame. Society operates under the fact that whatever makes money drives pretty much everything. It's not a political stance, or an economic one, but a simple fact. Until we change the way people think about "money" or "success," that's just how it is.
There are some things that our society has done to screw things up. I don't really blame anyone, it just is. Most of it I'll blame on the fact that we (as a society) think we actually understand ourselves. While psychiatrists know their field, the overdiagnostification of mental illness is ridiculous. This kid is acting out, he must be ADD. Did anyone ever think that maybe he's just an active kid? This other kid has problems with germs, he must be OCD, or this one is fat, he needs to go on some treatment plan.
If have both an incredible amount of envy and sympathy for today's youth. They are on the brink of some of the most amazing discoveries in history. Space travel, nano-technology, curing cancer, etc., but they are also faced with the "sympathetic wise ones" who think that a good number of them have some sort of problem that will hold them back so they need some sort of extra help. This extra help is what ultimately could be the problem.
We all need to struggle. We hit our difficulties or our "walls," we overcome them, and such struggles make us better. In our efforts to "help" others by setting up support groups for every little thing, we've stifled the ability to overcome problems and come up with solutions that work for us as individuals.
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...ok, this is post is HUGE. I've got about ten different tangents to go on and I've already completely screwed up my main point and played with other tangents that I'm not even thinking about right now (but I did state my main point at least once), that today's youth are no better or worse than the youth of yesterday) ... but I've got a "self esteem" tangent, a "sociology" tangent, an "economic" tangent (which leads to the "political" tangent), and the "education" tangent (which I'll leave for TR), and God only knows what other tangents that are out there that I've already forgotten or hadn't even thought of yet. That was the point. I was trying to defend both DB (who understandably would feel attacked by the "youth" post from OOKEE -- though it was in jest), and those that are my age, who saw it as nothing but pure fun ... once again, in trying to please everyone I've pleased no one, so, since everyone is pissed at me already, you're all stupid, the Ten Commandments should be posted in all public places, the police should be able to knock you over in the street because you're ugly, and ten years from now history will say, "GW was the best president ever.
If I'm all over the board, I may is well be all over the board.
There is nothing unprofessional about honesty. I don't remember the circumstances that led me to thinking that, but I do remember it was in reference to something I had said about something and it was considered mean. It was followed by, "That's unprofessional."
Why? Why is the statement, "That's unprofessional" considered a bad thing? Sure, I understand the meaning of being a "professional," but I also understand that it has become bastardized into something that it shouldn't be. Being a professional shouldn't mean one has to worry about whether or not someone is going to be offended by something one way or the other. It is unprofessional to be loud and obnoxious while telling sexist, or racist jokes around the water cooler. That's not what I mean. I'm talking about the good natured ribbing, or joking around with people one knows and understands.
A few weeks ago my company was under investigation for a civil rights violation. Although it was not me being investigated, I was one of the people directly involved. The day before I was interviewed by the Office of Civil Rights I was talking to my boss and she said, "I'm supposed to tell you that (the CEO) wanted me to tell you, NO JOKES."
I was amazed. Huh? No Black jokes? What about the Jews? or the Poles? I wondered if it would be acceptable to comment on the breast size of the interviewer (if in fact it would be a woman). No, I figured that would be a bad idea. The interviewer was an extremely nice woman, very polite and appreciative of my time, but had probably the worst lazy eye ever. Under no circumstances am I the type that would make fun of her because of it while being interviewed (I should admit however, I did have to maintain strict focus on the other eye, in an effort to not offend...but seriously, in retrospect, what was that other eye looking at? The ground? Is there something on the carpet? Wow, we should probably get the janitor in here to clean that up, how embarrassing).
After the comment from my boss about not telling jokes I wondered to myself if the CEO actually thought of me as some sort of clown. I remember once when he explained to me that the job of administration, from the perspective of a non-administrator, must seem very dull. That administrators generally seem like dull people because they always have to be aware of the feelings of others and how any misstep could be misinterpreted.
I don't buy it.
I will believe that many dull people are in administrative jobs, and that frequently those dull people are offended by others and extremely over-sensitive about offending others. God forbid the company say something that may be offensive to someone else. I find that extremely humorous because in life, there is always someone who is offended by the things that other people do. When did it become practical to dictate policy based on what the offended want?
I don't remember getting that memo but I certainly notice that society is more and more catering to the easily offended.
Society has rules. Adults, for the most part, accept those rules. Some simple rules that most people follow:
1. Don't kill other people.Ok, everyone doesn't follow these rules, but they are basic and most people understand and will agree with them on some level.
2. Do your job.
3. Don't blame others for what is your fault.
4. Don't drink until you're 21 (frequently broken by those under 21, but that's the youth being rebellious).
5. Don't have sex with anyone under 18 (I don't know why anyone would want to, considering the side effects of someone that young - both for you and the under 18 year old - but that's my own personal rule) 6. Don't stab your friends in the back.
Where is the rule that says professionalism has to be boring? There are lines for every situation that, when crossed, can create problems. The freedom to "do what we want" is diminished depending on the situation, but it doesn't mean that one has to wear a straightjacket while dealing with people at work.
I normally tell jokes because it is a very easy way to gauge whether or not a person is approachable. Even a joke that isn't funny will generally get a chuckle from someone who isn't on the warpath or someone who is trying to be cooperative. Those that don't even crack a smile...they're the ones to watch.
Of course, there is still business sense. If you're going to tell off your boss, don't do it in an email and don't do it in front of witnesses. Any good boss will allow you to speak your mind about a policy you disagree with if it's not done in front of witnesses. The whole concept of professionalism has been bastardized into something that is just this side of draconian, but no one is willing to admit it because of the fear that saying so will itself be offensive. Sure, there is a time and a place for everything and the rules change from circumstance to circumstance, but once the rules are understood and the players are familiar with one another honesty and humor are the best possible allies for creativity and success. If that's offensive to someone (and as such "unprofessional"), then those of us who understand what I'm saying need to come up with a new word for "responsibility in the workplace," because all one does when they try not to offend is become more offensive.
Does anyone want to explain to me why we cater to people that don't speak English? Why we spend money on printing any number of different documents in God only knows how many different languages? I have no problem with the private industry doing this, I really don't. Whatever they want to pay is up to them. It's not coming out of my pocket, at least not directly. When the government uses taxpayer dollars to translate things into another language because someone is too lazy to either learn English or bring someone with them that is capable of translating, then I have a problem with it.
Learn the language. Do I have a cultural bias? Um...yes, actually, I do. Doesn't mean I believe mine is superior to someone else's, but it does mean that I think mine is important enough to put in the forefront when in the United States. Were I to move to another country, I would learn another language, it's that simple. If you move here, then learn the language. If you don't, you're welcome to live in the community that other immigrants have created (Chinatown, Little Italy, Japantown, wherever). I have no problem with that at all.
In fact, I like it. It allows me to experience other cultures in a more "pure" fashion. The food, the market, whatever. Few things are as entertaining as walking through Chinatown watching some fish guy pound the head of a giant sea bass with a wooden mallet...that's cool. He doesn't have to learn English if he doesn't want, but if that's the case, he won't be able to read anything printed in English, or communicate in English. It's not the government's responsibility to assist people who want to remain ignorant. The government is supposed to educate on these sorts of things, if the ignorant choose to pass on that education, then that's their prerogative. It is after all, supposed to be about free choice.
For those that claim that we're a bunch of cultures, mixed together...I'll not disagree with that assessment. But we need to have some sort of commonality, and communication should be where it starts.
"English is the common language of the people of the United States of America and the state of California..."That's actually not from some hard core right wing anti-immigration group. It's from the Constitution of the State of California, Article III, Section 6, paragraphs a and b.
"English is the official language of the state of California."
Go figure.
I've been sitting here all day trying to get an essay on world peace started (no, really, I'm not being sarcastic), but it was brought to my attention that Discovery is doing a thing on the top 100 Americans of all time. A list voted on completely by the public.
What a great idea. Until I saw the list. Discovery's public approved list includes (in no particular order): both Bill and Hillary Clinton, GW Bush (that's the current one), Rush Limbaugh, Muhammed Ali, Billy Graham, Tom Cruise, Ellen DeGeneress, Madonna, Martha Stewart, Joseph Smith, and Christopher Reeve (not a complete list of the moronic current possibles, but you get the idea, if you want to see the list they have so far, click here and go to the bottom where it says, "nominees, A to Z" (the Discovery Channel's site is a bit easier to figure out click here). Anyway, this moronic list prompted me to come up with my own list. My list is not complete by any stretch of the imagination. It's a list in progress, and on the whole, I'd rather come up with a compiled list that includes input, so, feel I want you to chime in, at the very least, chime in with your top 10...or better yet, your top ten that I haven't mentioned. I'll update this list eventually, in about a month (note the "beginning" in the title, I'll make it final later.
Chime in with Americans in general that might make a list, I'd like to have a discussion.
I'd identify what is meant by greatest American, but I'm not sure what Discovery is using as a basis, so, I'm not going to qualify it. You'll see what I think it means when you see my list. For now, let me get started with a top 10 (and aside from #1, these aren't yet in any order, they are just some names I'm thinking of right now, I'll check in the comments to see additions...or add my own, like I said, it's a work in progress).
1. George Washington
2. James Madison
3. Alexander Hamilton
4. Thomas Jefferson
5. John Adams
6. Nathan Hale
7. Abraham Lincoln
8. Benjamin Franklin
9. Pat Tillman
10. Jimmy Stewart
Again, this list is not up for debate yet. I need input, ideas, and if you feel passionately about someone, reasons.
There are a lot of things in life that piss me off. I'm not sure anyone ever really listens to me because I bitch about those things all the time, but the way I see it, life is pretty simple. Follow some relatively NORMAL rules, and life is great for everyone.
1) Be aware of others around you.
Don't be that jackass in the weight room who does arm curls two inches away from the DUMB-bell rack. HEY!!! moron, there are other people here. No one can do anything while you're lifting. The world does not revolve around your lifting schedule, get the hell out of the way.
And while I'm at the gym, how about that chick that needs to do some odd yoga movement in the middle of the weight room? STOP IT!!! You're ugly and the only reason I'm looking at you is to figure out how to politely shove my shoe up your rear...of course if you're doing yoga you'd probably enjoy a nice boot in your ass. Hey, weirdo, if there's no room for an aerobics area, there is no room for your calisthenics here...why don't you go direct traffic or something?
2) Follow the rules that normal people have accepted in society.
(SIDE NOTE: I use "normal" loosely here, basically in this sense I mean, "like other people." Yes, there is a "normal." If you're one of those people that thinks there is no such thing as "normal," then you're NOT normal, and as such a moron -- though I should admit, many morons fake being normal very well).
For example, there is an express lane at the supermarket. It is for people with 15 items or less (sometimes only nine or less -- but for my argument here, we'll go with the 15). If you have 16 items, I don't think anyone cares...even 17 or 18...hell, you might even be able to go with 20 and no one would really care. IF YOU HAVE A STINKING CARTLOAD OF CRAP THEN YOU HAVE MORE THAN 15 ITEMS. The "express" lane is for people who have a gatorade, are thirsty, and really don't want to wait for morons like you to buy your 8000 bottles of baby food and your stupid MS. magazine. Give me a break. If you need that much baby food you're probably too ugly for anyone except your husband to want you, and he's forced into that role so just accept it, he does.
On the flip side however, if you're not in my way or buying a million items in the 15 or less isle, I really don't care if you blow smoke rings out your asshole. Society has deemed that "15" is the express number, quit pissing me off by being selfish.
3) Follow the rules that are not written anywhere but involve a certain amount of common sense and decency.
You don't know what I'm talking about? OK, check out the gorilla in the swimsuit over there...wait, no, it's some hairy backed guy in a speedo...that's great, just what I wanted to see. The only thing I can think of that would be more appealling would be a fat woman in spandex...that's something to behold. How about the bare-midriffed belly flopper? What a wonderful world we live in where people can look like complete morons and everyone is so polite that no one says anything? Of course if I say what everyone else is thinking I get shit on for being the dick who can't accept that a person just wants to be who they are...I have no problem with a person being who they are, just do it in the confines of your own home, and shut the curtains.
4) DRIVE YOUR CAR!!!
I wrote a whole essay on this one already, just a refresher though: the pedal on the left is for stopping, the right is for going...NEVER, touch the pedal on the left if I'm behind you.
5) Carry an axe and wear flannel
Basically if you do this you'll be comfortable, most people will leave you alone because it's not normal to carry an axe and you might be construed as a psycho, and if they don't...well, you have an axe to shut them up with. The last thing you want to worry about is some moron trying to give you Paul Bunyan trivia.
6) Screw it, never mind the list, just get the hell out of my way
I'll be happier, that's all the really matters.
I'm sick and tired of hearing about how sports is about fun and not about winning. While I agree that it is important at some level for sports to be fun, I also understand that at some point the idea of sports is to promote competition. There is a winner, there is a loser. Hey, that's how life is. If you learn to win, you won't be a loser, even if you lose. I have a few ideas on how to prevent the sissies from being on the field and thereby making sports much better for everyone.
First, at a young age be sure to explain to any little kid that obviously shows no promise in the sport that they suck. The earlier this is discovered the better. Think about it. If the kid is told he's horrible, then he won't be complaining later on that he's not playing. All you have to do is tell him he's already been informed of why he's not playing, "Hey kid, you suck!" What if that kid decides to play a different sport? GREAT!!! Awesome. Now the kid might go on to do something he has some talent in. Maybe he'll be successful at that instead and won't grow up thinking he's just not talented, have horrible teenage years, then go on and shoot up a Quickie Mart when he's fired. Or maybe he won't quit the sport when he's told he sucks, but just work harder at being good. What have you done? You've created a role model. Works his ass off to do well, still isn't the best there is but his attitude makes him a winner. Seems like a win-win to me. Of course it's the parents you have to convince that little Andy isn't going to be the next starting quarterback. Maybe if you explain little Andy showed up to football practice in a dress that might change their mind. Which brings me to solution #2.
Let your kids FAIL! Quit picking them up off the floor when someone throws them down. Make them get up on their own. All you do is become this overbearing jackass who's going to have to wipe your kid's ass all the time. What are you going to do when he gets fired from his job? Are you going to call his boss and ask for an explanation? Not that it matters. Since you've been holding his hand his whole life replacing him at the Quickie Mart won't be too hard.
Third, teach that there are other things beside sports. Not everyone is an athlete. When a guy kills another parent because he insulted his kid on the ice, or on the field, I think it's gone a bit too far. Yes, maybe little Rupert should be wearing a tutu and dancing ballet, but until the coach tells Rupert he sucks, leave it alone. Instead, some of these parents think they need to take it on themselves to blame some other parent for their own kid's failings. Nice example dumbass. Look, you got insulted and HEY! daddy is taking care of business again. If dad is that pent up about this I have one simple question for him? Who's minding the Quikie Mart while he's watching his kid's game?
Fourth, learn about competition and the idea that winning IS important. Yes, sports are fun, but they're a hell of a lot more fun when you're winning. Practice isn't a social call, your coach isn't out there because he thinks you need supervision while you shoot the shit with your friends. People don't spend BILLIONS of dollars a year on sports because they think everyone should feel good about themselves. Figure it out.
If you consider yourself an athlete you have two basic choices when you lose: Learn to win, if you work hard and you lose, then the other guy was better. Deal with it. Work HARDER, get better, you might win next time...OR you could just curl up into a ball and cry about being a loser. If that's the case just quit now, ask your boss for more hours at work and collect your minimum wage/unemployment check. Either way I don't want to hear you complain about how life has been unfair. Work harder dumbass, teach yourself to win, you'll end up winning.