Men across time have created great things. Either through physical or intellectual means, the majority of advances we have today were created by men. Before you get yourself worked up that this is a pro-man post, let me go ahead and squash that. I know that women have accomplished remarkable things as well. What will follow will clear this up.
Men have no problem creating, fixing, or taking care of everyday tasks. However, try to get a man to express his true feelings. Silence. That is what will follow when asked a man to share his inner feelings. Why are we like that? Is it in our genetic code that blocks us from expressing ourselves? The answer is no. The most likely answer is society.
Society dictates a lot of what people do or don't do. For a few years, I wanted to get my eyebrow pierced, but I didn't because I thought people may look at me and think, gee, that guy is a weirdo. I finally came to the decision that I am 37 years old and if I want to pierce my eyebrow, then I am going to. I have one life and I don't want to be on the verge of death thinking of the things I wished I had done in my life. Sorry, I got sidetracked...back to feelings and emotions.
For some reason, men are expected to be hard and stoic with no visible signs of emotion. Sometime long ago, well before I was born, this idea was formed. The man was the protector and the woman was the emotional one. We live in a different world today, but these gender ideas still exist. If a man does express what he feels, most likely he is drunk or high and can play it off later.
Then there is the masculinity code red...crying. Never, ever cry in front of someone. This is nonsense. If you feel like crying, then go ahead and let it out. It is not healthy to keep emotions built up in you.
I am guilty of the above, but I am working on it. It is hard to do, but if who the person you are expressing yourself with loves you, then the whole experience becomes a lot easier. Any guys out there reading this, open up to your wife, partner, kids, or whoever. You'll feel better.
Later people.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
West Virginia
When someone says West Virginia, a majority of people in the US will think of media induced stereotypes...toothless hillbillies, uneducated rednecks, family members fucking each other. Enough of this shit. This is 2011, a time when we should be intelligent enough to stop spreading these tales & images of a backward state.
True, West Virginia has its problems. There are rampant prescription drug issues, higher poverty rates and health issues. I don't think it's the people that are lazy or bad, it's the lack of resources that most of us take for granted. Lack of quality jobs, highways, medical care drive the issues. If the government would stop treating West Virginia like it is worthless and improve the infrastructure, jobs & progress will follow.
In Southern West Virginia there are the Hatfield-McCoy trails for ATV's. Hundreds of miles of trails have been made in Logan, McDowell, Mingo, Wyoming, and soon Mercer counties. These trails have produced entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry. Citizens have remodeled old homes for B&B's, opened restaurants and repair shops all catering to the visitors to the trails. If these people were lazy, would they do this? I don't think so.
There are a number of communities in West Virginia that are rebuilding its economy through tourism. Fayetteville, Tucker County, Greenbrier County to name a few. The people of these areas realize that the predominant industries of the past (logging, chemicals, coal) are largely gone and it is time to step up and make a change.
We as a people need to make a change. Stop treating West Virginia as a punch line in a joke and realize the amazing opportunities that the Mountain State has to offer.
Later people.
True, West Virginia has its problems. There are rampant prescription drug issues, higher poverty rates and health issues. I don't think it's the people that are lazy or bad, it's the lack of resources that most of us take for granted. Lack of quality jobs, highways, medical care drive the issues. If the government would stop treating West Virginia like it is worthless and improve the infrastructure, jobs & progress will follow.
In Southern West Virginia there are the Hatfield-McCoy trails for ATV's. Hundreds of miles of trails have been made in Logan, McDowell, Mingo, Wyoming, and soon Mercer counties. These trails have produced entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry. Citizens have remodeled old homes for B&B's, opened restaurants and repair shops all catering to the visitors to the trails. If these people were lazy, would they do this? I don't think so.
There are a number of communities in West Virginia that are rebuilding its economy through tourism. Fayetteville, Tucker County, Greenbrier County to name a few. The people of these areas realize that the predominant industries of the past (logging, chemicals, coal) are largely gone and it is time to step up and make a change.
We as a people need to make a change. Stop treating West Virginia as a punch line in a joke and realize the amazing opportunities that the Mountain State has to offer.
Later people.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Memories
I have found that my mind is a very powerful tool. Almost too powerful. It amazes me how months or years later I can see, hear, or smell something that will trigger my mind to a place in the past. It is almost like I don't have control over what is happening and I have to pause what I am doing until it passes.
Example one, a strawberry candle. My wife and I were staying at a hotel and she had brought this candle on the trip to give the room a nice smell. The weekend was particularly memorable and fun . Later, we decided to make the candle part of our travel accoutrement. So, every trip since then when we burn that candle, my mind races back to the original memory, triggered by the smell of the strawberry candle.
Example two, the bottle of cologne. In 1993 or 1994, Calvin Klein released a new unisex cologne called ckOne. It seemed to be very popular among the young, college crowd. I remember there being an advertisement in the Cavalier Daily that contained one of those sample strips like one would find in a magazine. I bought a bottle of the cologne in the fall of 1994, my 3rd year at UVA. That fall was a particularly good semester for me...I met my future wife in August 94 and I made several trips to JMU to visit some friends from high school. Always when going out or going to class, I would use my new bottle of cologne. During those few months, the smell must have gotten into my memory and buried itself. I have never bought another bottle of ckOne since then and I rarely smell it on people anymore. However, a few weeks ago when I was driving the bus, someone got on the bus and was wearing ckOne. Well, you know what happened. My mind took over, dug up those memories and I was transported back to the fall of 1994.
Example three, the sights and sounds. There are too many to pick out one or two examples of when a song has taken me back through time or seeing something that does the same. We have all been there, a song comes on the radio that is associated with a memory that you may or may not think was significant. Maybe it is a good memory. Maybe it is bad. Whatever the case, our mind takes over and sends us back to some point in time.
The point I am trying to make with all this rambling is to live and love. We have one life, make the most of it. Do those things you've always wanted to do, try a new restaurant, listen to new music, or whatever has been bubbling in your mind to try. Also, if you are in a relationship, love your spouse, partner, special friend or whoever means the most to you. Enjoy the time you have together. Make memories now so that down the road, that smell, sight or sound makes you remember.
Later people.
Example one, a strawberry candle. My wife and I were staying at a hotel and she had brought this candle on the trip to give the room a nice smell. The weekend was particularly memorable and fun . Later, we decided to make the candle part of our travel accoutrement. So, every trip since then when we burn that candle, my mind races back to the original memory, triggered by the smell of the strawberry candle.
Example two, the bottle of cologne. In 1993 or 1994, Calvin Klein released a new unisex cologne called ckOne. It seemed to be very popular among the young, college crowd. I remember there being an advertisement in the Cavalier Daily that contained one of those sample strips like one would find in a magazine. I bought a bottle of the cologne in the fall of 1994, my 3rd year at UVA. That fall was a particularly good semester for me...I met my future wife in August 94 and I made several trips to JMU to visit some friends from high school. Always when going out or going to class, I would use my new bottle of cologne. During those few months, the smell must have gotten into my memory and buried itself. I have never bought another bottle of ckOne since then and I rarely smell it on people anymore. However, a few weeks ago when I was driving the bus, someone got on the bus and was wearing ckOne. Well, you know what happened. My mind took over, dug up those memories and I was transported back to the fall of 1994.
Example three, the sights and sounds. There are too many to pick out one or two examples of when a song has taken me back through time or seeing something that does the same. We have all been there, a song comes on the radio that is associated with a memory that you may or may not think was significant. Maybe it is a good memory. Maybe it is bad. Whatever the case, our mind takes over and sends us back to some point in time.
The point I am trying to make with all this rambling is to live and love. We have one life, make the most of it. Do those things you've always wanted to do, try a new restaurant, listen to new music, or whatever has been bubbling in your mind to try. Also, if you are in a relationship, love your spouse, partner, special friend or whoever means the most to you. Enjoy the time you have together. Make memories now so that down the road, that smell, sight or sound makes you remember.
Later people.
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