I spent a whole weekend in a household with a baby. Said baby was just over a year old. Walking but definitely not durable yet.
You learn a lot in that environment. Mainly how to walk on your tip toes before 7am and that Aldi sells a baby food line. The other thing required of you is to be on baby watch at all times. Even if it's not your "turn" or "responsibility," the subliminal question of "Where's the baby?" is always present.
Nowadays we've gotten pretty advanced with our kiddo safety. Baby gates, wall outlet protectors, leashes etc. Personally, I think riding in the front seat unconstrained as a little chico established my free spirit side.
On baby watch duty, one of the key locations to beware of are the stairs. And rightfully so. As a youngster is learning how to navigate up and down the stairs, they need a chaperone to redirect them should any hiccups or imbalances arise. That got me thinking, in comparison to the infant's height, that's a pretty large obstacle to climb. To put it in an adult's scope, that may be equivalent to us hopping over a chain-link fence or getting onto a rooftop. Achievable with mild assistance.
In life, we're faced with the same scenario. We all come across things that socially, physically or morally gets in between us and our goals. For many of us, especially us guys, we think the best plan of action is to figure it out ourselves. Problem solve and then carry on. While I do embrace the problem-solving ability, I think we need to humble ourselves and realize that a helping hand is okay.
Maybe it's a shrink, maybe it's God or some version of religion. Or perhaps it's simply a community aka your friend group. Whatever your source of relief, don't let your pride keep you from seeking that healthy and needed help with whatever hardship you're facing.
Just like the little tyke climbing to his destination with a spotter to keep him upright, we often times need someone in life to help keep us morally balanced and onward to where we want/need to go. Yep.
New in my life: A cool byproduct of Juan's tomatoes being taxed at the border may be a garden eh? Prevent zone defense wins championships I think? This chapter looks Brite.
Keep smilin'
Thursday, March 30, 2017
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Full Moons are a Bit Cheeky
Why wouldn't rice cakes be next to the rice? I realize in the scheme of things, I could have worse worries, but every two weeks when I need my fix, Wanda at the grocery has to tell me they're in aisle 6 with the crackers. Just a cracker wandering down the cracker aisle. Straight up.
Upon my decent of the rice cakes, I find my options: certified organic, cheddar, caramel, lightly salted and original. In that moment I flash back to the documentary I watched the night before of a man chasing an antelope in the African safari in hopes of feeding his village. I go with original flavor.
Why do I have 5 choices of rice cakes? Because I've earned the right? Because I filed my taxes on time? Because I support my local Girl Scout troop? Good karma? Nah. I just happened to be born in a specific geographical region of the world. Lucky me.
I was watching a captivating Patsy Kline documentary the other night and they took a short break in programming where I had the option to call in and donate dollars to a lady wearing a headset in the background. I flipped to the next channel and the preacher man was telling me to tithe my money to avoid the misery of purgatory. Most stoplights I feel the guilt of not carrying cash to give to the homeless selling newspapers. We have social influences literally and figuratively on every corner.
Amongst our social medias, political rhetoric and general news of our day, it's difficult to really know what to deem as important. Cat videos are a good start, but to say we have options is an understatement.
So where do you focus your attention and money? With all the noise, there is a certain level of stress when attempting to make the correct conclusions all day long. What if you screw up? What if you text the wrong response to bae? Life goes on.
I propose that there is only one initial decision you need to make when you climb out of bed. The decision that you are going to happy today no matter what happens to you. Whether you get dumped, fired from work, in a car wreck or a bird poops on you. Shake it off and keep on keepin' on. Program your brain to default to cloud nine despite any shade (negativity) thrown your way. Because if you live in the same culture I do, you're going to have a run-in with something/someone trying to bring you down.
Amidst all of the social exhaustion with in our daily routines, this choice to stay on the sunny side is almost always going to be the correct plan of action. Ensure your mindset knowing you're going to be smiling when your head hits the pillow later that night.
So as you are sitting in that unnecessary traffic while the sun comes up tomorrow, decide that regardless of how your day unfolds, that you are going to be a positive human come days end. It's easier than choosing the best flavor of rice cake.
New in my life: David Bowie sings a song about changes. It takes about 3 weeks off of social media for people to send out the search party. My inner hipsta is kaleing it.
Keep smilin'
JM
Upon my decent of the rice cakes, I find my options: certified organic, cheddar, caramel, lightly salted and original. In that moment I flash back to the documentary I watched the night before of a man chasing an antelope in the African safari in hopes of feeding his village. I go with original flavor.
Why do I have 5 choices of rice cakes? Because I've earned the right? Because I filed my taxes on time? Because I support my local Girl Scout troop? Good karma? Nah. I just happened to be born in a specific geographical region of the world. Lucky me.
I was watching a captivating Patsy Kline documentary the other night and they took a short break in programming where I had the option to call in and donate dollars to a lady wearing a headset in the background. I flipped to the next channel and the preacher man was telling me to tithe my money to avoid the misery of purgatory. Most stoplights I feel the guilt of not carrying cash to give to the homeless selling newspapers. We have social influences literally and figuratively on every corner.
Amongst our social medias, political rhetoric and general news of our day, it's difficult to really know what to deem as important. Cat videos are a good start, but to say we have options is an understatement.
So where do you focus your attention and money? With all the noise, there is a certain level of stress when attempting to make the correct conclusions all day long. What if you screw up? What if you text the wrong response to bae? Life goes on.
I propose that there is only one initial decision you need to make when you climb out of bed. The decision that you are going to happy today no matter what happens to you. Whether you get dumped, fired from work, in a car wreck or a bird poops on you. Shake it off and keep on keepin' on. Program your brain to default to cloud nine despite any shade (negativity) thrown your way. Because if you live in the same culture I do, you're going to have a run-in with something/someone trying to bring you down.
Amidst all of the social exhaustion with in our daily routines, this choice to stay on the sunny side is almost always going to be the correct plan of action. Ensure your mindset knowing you're going to be smiling when your head hits the pillow later that night.
So as you are sitting in that unnecessary traffic while the sun comes up tomorrow, decide that regardless of how your day unfolds, that you are going to be a positive human come days end. It's easier than choosing the best flavor of rice cake.
New in my life: David Bowie sings a song about changes. It takes about 3 weeks off of social media for people to send out the search party. My inner hipsta is kaleing it.
Keep smilin'
JM
Monday, January 2, 2017
Make Up is the Original Photo Filter
Looking at your cell phone during every break in life has become a national past time. I’m not judging, I do it regularly. Commercial break, check twitter. Bored in a meeting, flash through Instagram. Sitting at a stoplight, check my texts. It’s a very easy way to fill the minute or two gaps in time and there is never a lack of something to look at.
I quit facebook almost two years ago now, and every day feel like I get a pang of desire to start cutting out the other #socmeds (social medias). My main reason was when I looked at facebook and asked myself, “What is this doing for me?”. Sure, it’s great to check in on old friends, remember birthdays, and check to make sure your ex found someone with a larger belt size than you. But in the end I found it making me feel divisiveness towards people who didn’t agree with my politics, habitually complained about this or that, or only posted about some Ponzi scheme makeup business they got into.
More importantly, all these platforms can leave you feeling inadequate…and I would venture to guess that incompetent feeling may be the reason you posted something once upon a time (again, guilty as charged). That perfect picture of you sipping drinks on the beach; the well-filtered photo of your kids and spouse next to the perfectly lit Christmas tree. You crop and filter and adjust to capture the best in the frame and you can block out all the disarray on the periphery. And when your followers or friends or online acquaintances scroll past your picture we all want them to think, “Wow, they’ve really got it made.”
With so much of the passing minutes and seconds taken up with the quick scroll through the well-curated social media feeds, it can all be a little overwhelming. The main point being is in a time when most of the information we absorb is from the Twitbooks and Instasnaps (#getoffmylawn!), it’s easy to get pulled from reality where things are chaotic and disorganized and unfiltered. We've made it a habit to view people through the lens of their social media persona. More and more I find myself having to make the conscious decision to step back and realize that everyone else’s offline life is likely much the same as mine: generally happy but not perfect.
I’m not one to make a lot of New Year’s resolutions, but if I can better separate myself from my phone and online connections in 2017, and make more time for my wife, dog, friends, mailman in those trivial minutes and seconds in life, I’ll consider it a success.
New in my life: my next house will have a carpenter’s workshop, real trees are the only trees, winter can end anytime now.
That's all from out west- TA
This rendition of NVCJ is brought to you by Travis Arp. Trav is a well-accomplished writer, dwelling from the greater Denver area. His interests include craft beer, hiking and appreciating a good cut of meat. (No joke, he has his doctorate in meat sciences.)
I quit facebook almost two years ago now, and every day feel like I get a pang of desire to start cutting out the other #socmeds (social medias). My main reason was when I looked at facebook and asked myself, “What is this doing for me?”. Sure, it’s great to check in on old friends, remember birthdays, and check to make sure your ex found someone with a larger belt size than you. But in the end I found it making me feel divisiveness towards people who didn’t agree with my politics, habitually complained about this or that, or only posted about some Ponzi scheme makeup business they got into.
More importantly, all these platforms can leave you feeling inadequate…and I would venture to guess that incompetent feeling may be the reason you posted something once upon a time (again, guilty as charged). That perfect picture of you sipping drinks on the beach; the well-filtered photo of your kids and spouse next to the perfectly lit Christmas tree. You crop and filter and adjust to capture the best in the frame and you can block out all the disarray on the periphery. And when your followers or friends or online acquaintances scroll past your picture we all want them to think, “Wow, they’ve really got it made.”
With so much of the passing minutes and seconds taken up with the quick scroll through the well-curated social media feeds, it can all be a little overwhelming. The main point being is in a time when most of the information we absorb is from the Twitbooks and Instasnaps (#getoffmylawn!), it’s easy to get pulled from reality where things are chaotic and disorganized and unfiltered. We've made it a habit to view people through the lens of their social media persona. More and more I find myself having to make the conscious decision to step back and realize that everyone else’s offline life is likely much the same as mine: generally happy but not perfect.
I’m not one to make a lot of New Year’s resolutions, but if I can better separate myself from my phone and online connections in 2017, and make more time for my wife, dog, friends, mailman in those trivial minutes and seconds in life, I’ll consider it a success.
New in my life: my next house will have a carpenter’s workshop, real trees are the only trees, winter can end anytime now.
That's all from out west- TA
This rendition of NVCJ is brought to you by Travis Arp. Trav is a well-accomplished writer, dwelling from the greater Denver area. His interests include craft beer, hiking and appreciating a good cut of meat. (No joke, he has his doctorate in meat sciences.)
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Antique Roadshow or Bust
In the olden days, if you were in dire need for your ship to sail quicker, you'd toss off loot or humans into the ocean to lighten the vessel and increase your speed. Walk the plank Randy.
In my experience, women's personal bathrooms tend to be dirtier than men's. There's a stereotype that women do the cooking and cleaning. I thoroughly enjoy cooking and cleaning. Before you go into judgement mode, I also enjoy using a chainsaw, drinking Busch Light and talking about guns.
With my cleaning OCD (or JoeCD eh?) I'm not a big fan of clutter. They know me by name at the local Goodwill. That's an exaggeration to make a point, but as creatures, a lot of us tend to collect and save too many items during our short time here.
These regarded items we hold so dear, after our demise, eventually will get sold, given away, burned, thrown away or passed along for someone else to justify having an attic. Fact is, they are just things and it's okay that we like and save them, but every once in awhile it's a healthy practice to lighten the load and get rid of some our chronic unnecessities. Practice minimalism with your possessions.
With that point though, there are keepsakes. There is gear we've acquired over the years that is sentimental and near to our heart. You're probably thinking of your's at the moment. That 1989 Scottie Pippen jersey? Your grandmother's necklace? Your old man's shotgun he gave you? If it brings you enough happiness to garner those things, I say go for it.
From time to time, I go through my phone and delete contacts. It's usually people I can't remember who they are or that I haven't talked to since the '73 title game. So if you text me and I reply "New phone, who is this?" you'll know. Was there any harm with their name being in my phone? Not really. But just like I really enjoy taking a plastic bag full of old tee shirts to Goodwill, I feel great about removing stagnant or unhealthy relationships from my line of communication.
Someone somewhere did a social study that showed you naturally replace half of your friends every 7 years. That's depressingly refreshing, but I'd encourage you to preemptively rid yourself of those loose acquaintances that are moving houses and heard you happen to have a truck. Don't worry, just like the remembrances you have in storage, you are going to inevitably keep your souvenir squad of friends that bring utility and good vibes into your life.
It may sound malicious but what I'm lobbying is that you just take an inventory of your rolodex from time to time. You'll feel better and your ship will sail a little faster. Yep.
It may sound malicious but what I'm lobbying is that you just take an inventory of your rolodex from time to time. You'll feel better and your ship will sail a little faster. Yep.
New in my life: Daniel Norris for president. I take a notebook to coffee shops. Jalapeño Cheddar summer sausage is a necessary food group.
Keep smilin'
#goAtLIFE
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Scars and Wrinkles Make a Telling Resume
I've been ignored a few times in the past couple months. Some of the ignorances have been committed by friends, some by work acquaintances and others romantically. The pride part of me thinks "I'm not the kind of person people ignore", the free spirit in me thinks "I could care less", and then the human part of me just gets bummed. How I react when someone doesn't get back to me, is usually a mixture of all three. To clarify, this isn't a cry for sympathy, more so a public digesting of an emotion.
I'm a pretty solitary dude. I enjoy silence immensely. But no one likes getting the busy signal when reaching out to people within your circle. In these situations, it's easy to take the cold-shouldering personal, but I'd rather just keep it fresh. You see, whether it's a co-worker, your Tinder match or seeing what amigos are up for drinks, you're better off hanging out with the people that are excited to hang out with you.
Along with this disdain of society, comes the "fear of missing out" or FOMO for all you acronym users. And the leading supplier of this FOMO is America's favorite past-time, social media. Many of us have been there, sitting at home scrolling through a social platform on the interwebs, and you see a happy, fun, better-than-your-situation picture of all your posse doing something that is right up your alley. That angst you feel rising in your gut, is the same set of emotions that an ignored text brings.
Naive and selfish aren't bad words. They've just been given a bad reputation for those of us who carry those qualities too often.
Now I'm not a doctor nor am I a psychologist, but I've found that making myself comfortable in my own bubble and ignoring the mainstream medias takes away some of the brief negative emotions described above. With television and social media filling a void these days, a lot of us have forgotten some of the habits and hobbies that we genuinely enjoy doing. Put down the phone and do something that requires brain activity. Make yourself too positively busy to worry about what the rest of the world is up to. Be a little selfish and naive. Feel good about it.
This seems old school because it is. I'm describing a lifestyle where people talk to and enjoy the folks in their presence. A scene where your amusement and gratification come from the story you're living instead of the attention you get on the internet. I'm not telling you to banish socializing online, but I am encouraging you to spend less time on there or maybe even giving it up for a few days. I know, crazy thoughts.
New in my life: The children are no longer hungry. Patchouli is a formidable scent. I quit checking Instagram at red lights.
Keep smilin'
#goAtLIFE
I'm a pretty solitary dude. I enjoy silence immensely. But no one likes getting the busy signal when reaching out to people within your circle. In these situations, it's easy to take the cold-shouldering personal, but I'd rather just keep it fresh. You see, whether it's a co-worker, your Tinder match or seeing what amigos are up for drinks, you're better off hanging out with the people that are excited to hang out with you.
Along with this disdain of society, comes the "fear of missing out" or FOMO for all you acronym users. And the leading supplier of this FOMO is America's favorite past-time, social media. Many of us have been there, sitting at home scrolling through a social platform on the interwebs, and you see a happy, fun, better-than-your-situation picture of all your posse doing something that is right up your alley. That angst you feel rising in your gut, is the same set of emotions that an ignored text brings.
Naive and selfish aren't bad words. They've just been given a bad reputation for those of us who carry those qualities too often.
Now I'm not a doctor nor am I a psychologist, but I've found that making myself comfortable in my own bubble and ignoring the mainstream medias takes away some of the brief negative emotions described above. With television and social media filling a void these days, a lot of us have forgotten some of the habits and hobbies that we genuinely enjoy doing. Put down the phone and do something that requires brain activity. Make yourself too positively busy to worry about what the rest of the world is up to. Be a little selfish and naive. Feel good about it.
This seems old school because it is. I'm describing a lifestyle where people talk to and enjoy the folks in their presence. A scene where your amusement and gratification come from the story you're living instead of the attention you get on the internet. I'm not telling you to banish socializing online, but I am encouraging you to spend less time on there or maybe even giving it up for a few days. I know, crazy thoughts.
New in my life: The children are no longer hungry. Patchouli is a formidable scent. I quit checking Instagram at red lights.
Keep smilin'
#goAtLIFE
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