The five o five : Friday, November 9, 2007

Keep the change

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C H A N G E
"
People are terrified of change. Change is looked at just like the knife wielding villain in the horror movies. He makes us uncomfortable. He hunts us down mercilessly and we are powerless. We run and he calmly walks behind us with a confident demonic swagger tightly brandishing his shiny blade. We fall down a few times as he nicks at our skin but our every effort is to escape the unknown fate that change has come to deliver.
"

Sometimes it just happens. I sit down in front of my computer after the difficult cold journey from my room to downstairs and a flood of ideas just flow from my brain down to my fingertips. Other times I have to shovel through yawns, crust sealed eyes and daily concerns until I get down to the fresh fertile creative soil within. It all depends on the day and the time I went to bed the night before. I talked about this a while ago, balance [The five o five : Monday, October 29, 2007], and it truly does serve as my life philosophy. Balance is an act and as with any other act or activity, the more you work at it the better you become with it. Sounds simple right? Well there's more to it then that.

To achieve balance you have to make some modifications to the way you do things already. These modifications are labeled as compromise and sacrifice. Extremely painful words meant to discourage us from a very simple concept known as change. People are terrified of change. Change is looked at just like the knife wielding villain in the horror movies. He makes us uncomfortable. He hunts us down mercilessly and we are powerless. We run and he calmly walks behind us with a confident demonic swagger tightly brandishing his shiny blade. We fall down a few times as he nicks at our skin but our every effort is to escape the unknown fate that change has come to deliver.

Why must change be the bad guy? Where were we taught this or is it some form of instinctual byproduct that evolution and modernization has yet to erase. Change equals pain in the most simplest terms imaginable). Why would I say that? If you think about it, any time you change something that event usually signifies some sort of growth. Ask any woman who has ever delivered a baby, "What was your experience like," and you may have to endure the slimy details and painful description but in the end most will say it was worth it. The same goes for sports heroes (in a different sense). Lance Armstrong had to go through a lot of changes with his cancer and everything even having to sacrifice a piece of himself to save the rest of himself [ Lance Armstrong : Wikipedia]. For a man its almost too painful to talk about but you understand. Or, what about when you were transitioning from a child to a teenager? Do you remember how a few of those changes brought pain but at the same time pride? Do you remember not knowing or understanding exactly what was happening but knew in some way it was a good thing?

Change equals pain. That's just the way it is. We can run but we can't hide. But boy do we try to hide. Have you seen the variety of dyes, creams, gels, injections, surgery's, exercises, gimmicks, gadgets and strait up crap they have out there to keep us from change (and specifically in this case getting older). We fight hard to preserve our youth as though old age was the worst sin since gluttony [7 deadly sins]. We was away our wrinkles and dye away our gray hairs. We get breast implants and Botox injections. We are willing to deal with the discomfort (or pain) of full on surgery [You Tube:Nip Tuck] before dealing with the small pinches of change.

Some changes are major. Some changes are minor. Some changes are by choice. Some changes are against our will. You can change your mind. You can change your hair style. You can change your clothes. You can change jobs. You can change a light bulb. You can change the world. You can even change your gender if you just feel like that's gonna make you feel better. In the end, however, we can chose whatever it is we want to change but when change finds us we have no choice but to submit.

C H A N G E
"
SO next time you see change coming why don't you just give him a chance. He might just be bringing you some good news. He might have that promotion you've been waiting for or that raise that you've been needing. He might be carrying that pretty little girl in his arms while pulling the 4 bed room house of your dreams. He's not a villain; He's an angel. Change, you're the best!
"

People always talk about how they are going through some changes. That normally just means they are facing some natural challenge for which they just weren't prepared for. We are deathly afraid of giving up our perceived comfortable reality for some unknown alternative. We are set on losing weight but we don't to endure the long and hard 15 minute a day work out session nor do we want to give up our McDonald's Chicken Nuggets [McDonald's dot com]. We want to get a better job and make more money but we don't to deal with starting over as the new guy in some unfamiliar high rise office jungle. We talk as though we're all for it but we run away as though it was death incarnate when the opportunity arrives.

I guess in the end we really don't want change or at least change that we didn't invite on ourselves. We treat change like an unwanted guest. He does nothing but give, give, give. Sure he takes, just a little, but that little is well worth the gifts he brings with him. But we hate him. He doesn't get the couch because we make him sleep on the floor. He doesn't eat at the dinner table because we don't want our kids to talk to him. He might tell them the truth about our embarrassing secrets. Bobby doesn't know you have dentures. Becky has no clue that you wear a toupee [plasticsurgeons.com]. Change is a low life heathen but don't you just love him?

SO next time you see change coming why don't you just give him a chance. He might just be bringing you some good news. He might have that promotion you've been waiting for or that raise that you've been needing. He might be carrying that pretty little girl in his arms while pulling the 4 bed room house of your dreams. He's not a villain; He's an angel. Change, you're the best!

After thinking about it like that getting out of bed and coming downstairs at 5am doesn't seem like such a terrible undertaking after all. I know eventually its gonna pay off. Either I'll grow incredibly rich (in money) or well off in character. Its a win win. Sometimes it just happened. I'm thankful that it did once again.

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The five o five : Thursday, November 8, 2007

Red Pill, Blue Pill

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We all have choices to make. Some more important than others. What to wear today. What to eat for lunch. Who to take to lunch. Whether or not to call off of work. Whether or not to quit your job. Whether or not to blog at 5am [explaining the 505] every morning. No matter what the options, you have to decide one way or the other. Staying neutral just allows someone else to make the choice for you.

I know most of you remember the movie The Matrix [imdb The Matrix], particularly the scene where he had to choose which pill to swallow [wavecentral.com Blue Pill | Red Pill]. If you haven't then it basically boils down to this guy named Neo [imdb Keanu Reeves] being told by this other guy Morpheus [imdb Larry Fishburn] that he's been living in a dream world his entire life and if he chose to take the right pill then he would be able to wake up and finally see the world for what it really was [youtube red pill, blue pill]. Decisions like that are the stuff of Hollywood but in real life we do have some hefty options to weigh. For those of us that have children especially, we have some irreversible selections we make every time we interact with our kids. The choices we make while they are younger transfer directly over to their "responsible adult account" or "deviant grown up fund" when they get older. Every choice is investment in some future action that we have yet to encounter.

C H O I C E S
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No matter what the options, you have to decide one way or the other. Staying neutral just allows someone else to make the choice for you.
"

Have you ever sat down and written out the decisions you've faced in the past and mapped out the alternate reality that could have occurred if you had chosen differently? If you haven't you should try it (it's kind of fun). But do it just to see if your imagination can accurately project the consequences of your actions (committed or non). If you are able to map out the past choices you've made then that allows you to better sketch out the future choices you have to make. Most of us our afraid of choices that lead to life altering end results. Some of us have had more serious decisions than others.

As children most of our choices are made for us so we start out small. What toy do I play with? Is it wise to hit that girl and run away or should I take her a flower? As we get older the choices get a bit harder. What do I want to pack in my lunch? Should I do my homework now or wait till tomorrow in class? Is it wise to hit that girl and run away or should I take her a flower? Then, when we reach our late teens it gets really hard. Should I be a band geek or a math nerd? Which one of these five girls who asked should I take to the prom [tigga99 photo]? Is it wise to hit [urban dictionary *hit] that girl and run away or should I take her a flower? And finally we reach adulthood.

C H O I C E S
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Choices are the substance of life and experience. It fills our cups with happiness and success or poison and grief. Maybe next time when you are asked do you wanna do this or do you wanna do that, maybe you'll take just a second to think about what will come with the decision you make. Who will benefit or suffer from your selection? What will change in the world tomorrow? Will you earn respect or ridicule later in life? Am I making the right decision?
"

Adults have impossible choices to make. Some people refer to life as a game because of these "Impossible Choices" but the seriousness of the game makes it more of a gamble. Which job offer should I accept? Am I crazy enough to run for public office or should I keep working as a humble janitor? Should I hit that girl and run or should I take her a flower (I promise I'm done with that one now)? These choices at this level affect not only us but those directly in our sphere of influence. You remember ENRON [wikipedia ENRON] don't you? How about Richard Nixon, George Bush, Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Louis Farrakhan, Russel Simmons, Mike Tyson, Jesus, your mom? All of these people made (or make) decisions that have an impact on all those around them. Without their keen decision making ability we wouldn't have hip hop, equal justice, peace, scandal, war, something to talk about or most simply dinner.

Sometimes decisions make them self. Sometimes we are faced with a choice with no easy out. Veterans returning from the war often bring home the tales of hard choices made and not made. Each press of the buzzer in life's game is a life saved or a life lost. My daughter asked me one day, "How do people end up homeless?" I answered simply, "Choices". Choices are the substance of life and experience. It fills our cups with happiness and success or poison and grief. Maybe next time when you are asked do you wanna do this or do you wanna do that, maybe you'll take just a second to think about what will come with the decision you make. Who will benefit or suffer from your selection? What will change in the world tomorrow? Will you earn respect or ridicule later in life? Am I making the right decision?

Its hard to imagine a future unborn but its not wise to walk around like it's never gonna get here or its not gonna affect you.

Morpheus:This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill - the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill - you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes.

Are you ready to wake up? A.Yes B.No C.Hit that girl and run away then take her a flower?

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The five o five : Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Cruise Control

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Watching: Why Are Gas Prices So High</sub>

Let me first start off by apologizing for being so rude. We have been meeting like this almost everyday for the past two weeks and I don't believe that I've told you a thing about myself. So allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Tigga76 [Ziggs Profile]. I'm a poet, writer, artist, graphic designer, public speaker, father, son, brother, man. I am in a supportive relationship and have custody of my eight year old daughter who I take care of everyday. I work for a teen theater drug prevention program [SETT] and I design web sites and fliers on the side [Sublime Designs]. I also teach a fitness class [Step FX] and I plan on going back to school to receive my personal trainer degree. Sounds like a lot huh? Well sometimes it is but then other times it pays off. So with all this stuff going on it made me wonder what is my motivation? What pushes me to do so much expecting so little in return? What drives anyone to want to be successful? Money, fame, recognition, acceptance? Let's talk about that shall we?

F U E L
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What pushes me to do so much expecting so little in return? What drives anyone to want to be successful? Money, fame, recognition, acceptance?
"

Like I mentioned above, I work for a teen theater drug prevention group [SETT] (which happens to be the easiest way to break it down because it gets a bit complicated) that is my main 9 to 5 hustle. I normally get there at 8am (before anyone else shows up at our regular 9am time) and take care of all of my personal responsibilities (checking my email, calling the bank, paying my bills online, etc, etc) before I have to tackle the challenging tasks of the regular work day (writing grants, revising newsletters, making phone calls, etc, etc). I like having a head start. I like being able to get things out of the way before anyone else arrives. It makes me feel like I'm in the lead. If the work day were a race then I'm already a quarter mile closer to the finish line then all the rest. Is it considered cheating? I don't think so. I think its called drive.

So yesterday, after doing my "first one there" routine, we eventually went out to fill up for gas (Oh. I forgot to tell you that I also drive a 15 passenger van to transport the teens home every evening) I noticed something that wasn't peculiar but it was interesting. The program normally covers the cost of the gas during the week and with sort of arrangement you rarely stop to think how much the gas actually costs. So with that sudden realization I looked up at the gas station marquee and read $3.19. Three nineteen!? I think I did several double and triple takes looking up at the sign trying to figure out was I delusional or is this really happening. For those of you in places where it is much higher, I apologize for being such a baby about this it just shocked me. But the real shocker wasn't the price that people were willing to pay for gas but how many people were actually filling up at the same time I was. I would assume that none of them would top my $90.73 grand total for my 15 passenger behemoth but I know whatever they spent was a pretty penny compared to four years ago [USA Today]. (Now just hang in there I'm getting to the point soon. If you like you can repeatedly squeal, "Are we there yet," until the end of this post. I don't have to worry about you because you're more than likely going to annoy someone other than me anyway).

F U E L
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It looks like human fuel is a lot cheaper than gas because it can be made out of anything. In school we have grades and report cards and I would assume then that making the honor roll would be the equivalent of NoS. In adult life we have paychecks. In relationships we have love. In parenting we have, "Well adjusted, productive children". At our jobs we have promotions. And so on and so on.
"

I began to think. Gas is fuel. It is an essential component to a cars' system of gears and motor to produce mobility and kinetic force thus propelling a vehicle forward (or backwards). Without it you go nowhere. So even if the price of gas went all the way up to (god forbid) $20 a gallon, those motivated enough to be mobile would line up at the gas station pumps ready to burn. YEP, all three of us. So there has to be a connection. How does gas at a service station (which ironically don't serve anymore) relate to this human term known as "drive"?

Let's look at the similarities. A car needs fuel, and in this case its called gas. Humans need fuel. But what is human fuel called. Motivation? Inspiration? Dedication? Constipation? What makes us go? (pardon the pun?). Growing up I was motivated to things "fueled" by the simple fact that I had never done it before. As a teen I would reach for accomplishments "fueled" with the idea that people thought I couldn't or wouldn't do it. As an adult I live each day "fueled" with the thought that I want my family to live a comfortable life. It looks like human fuel is a lot cheaper than gas because it can be made out of anything. In school we have grades and report cards and I would assume then that making the honor roll would be the equivalent of NoS (Nitros Oxide) [example]. In adult life we have paychecks. In relationships we have love [see, "Waiting to Exhale"]. In parenting we have, "Well adjusted, productive children". At our jobs we have promotions. And so on and so on. So if human fuel is so easy to attain then why are there some people who go places and others that sit still? Why is the four lane highway of success so barren and wide? Where are all the other vehicles? Did the price for human fuel suddenly top $3.19? Am I the only one driving here? People tell me I should only worry about myself but I want to bring some friends along (I think I have enough room. I do drive a 15 passenger.) Maybe I'll look deeper into this another time, but seriously think about it. What is your fuel? What drives you? Where are you going? And will you make it without running out of gas?

Well....We're here now (at the end). I hope you enjoyed the trip. Have a nice day, and you can stop saying ,"Are we there yet," now. Until next time. Get out and don't slam my door. See you later.

*Screeching off----------
*Vrrrrrrrrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, vrmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, _{vrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmmmmm}

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The five o five : Monday, November 5, 2007

Scardey Cat

_{Watching: zoolon.deviantart.com (Gorrilaz Music Video)}

F E A R
"
Fear is nothing more than untested curiosity. It is the unknown manifested in monster form to keep us out of the woods at night and away from top secret government bases. Fear is our emotional police force. It is meant to arrest our childish adventurous spirit and keep our inquisitive nature in check.
"

BOO! Did I scare you? No? What if I told you that your mother in law was coming to live with you? You can handle that too? What if I told you I work for the IRS? No big deal huh? What if I said this is the last entry I will ever make in this blog ever? No, no no, stop crying. I was just joking. Awww come on don't blow snot on me!

Fear [definition]. What are we so afraid of? Why does it still drive our decisions and guide our lives down a path of safety and Bleh. What do we still need it for? I remember when I was younger being afraid to (and please don't laugh at me) pull a shirt over my head because I thought, for some irrationally odd reason, that I might not come out on the other end. Fear is nothing more than untested curiosity. It is the unknown manifested in monster form to keep us out of the woods at night and away from top secret government bases [area 51]. Fear is our emotional police force. It is meant to arrest our childish adventurous spirit and keep our inquisitive nature in check. But why?

Human beings, from what I've observed, are the only creatures that are allowed to act outside of direct stimuli. Example: If a dog is afraid of something it will either puff up and try to look bigger or tuck its tail between its legs and shuffle on, whimpering, out of the way. Humans, however, can postulate [dictionary.com] a wider range of action. We can simply bluff our way beyond the situation. That doesn't mean that the most basic primal instinct isn't still boiling down in the pit of our belly it just means that we are better actors. So if we are so advanced then why do we still need the fear instinct?

Halloween passed not too long ago and I watched a variety of witch, goblin, princess, and ghost children go door to door begging for treats (or tricks) somewhat oblivious to what their costume is supposed to represent. My daughter went out as a "Glamorous Witch" (Fergie immediately comes to mind). I began to wonder if we were so fearful of being scared that we don't even want to risk scaring anything else. Think about it. There are a lot of real things to be scared of right now. There are fires burning in California [CNN]. There was a noose hanging from a tree in Louisiana [wikipedia]. Hurricanes are pounding the east coast [CNN]. Iran [CNN] is building nuclear capability along with North Korea [CNN]. The country is now at "Level Yellow [DHS.org]" security, meaning a terrorist attack can happen at any time (This is the granddaddy of them all), and finally your T.V. not work anymore once they switch to an all digital signal [cnet]. With all of this real stuff to make us cringe (with the exception of the last one), who has time to be afraid of the little things?

F E A R
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Is it because I'm a male that I am just naturally equipped to overcome fear? Are we men the real reason our ancestors ventured outside the caves into the unknown to build this modern world in which we now dwell?
"

In my house I'm almost considered superman [imdb]. My duties are to remove all that causes fear. I live in a house with two girls (my fiancé and my daughter) and so I get to be their hero. My duties include killing spiders, ants, "strange blue lights", "weird shaped shadows", and on one occasion a (very slow moving) killer slug. Whew. I always ask, though, once my job is complete, "You do realize that you are 1000 times bigger than them right? I always get the same answer, "It was gonna get me!" Is it because I'm a male that I am just naturally equipped to overcome fear? Are we men the real reason our ancestors ventured outside the caves into the unknown to build this modern world in which we now dwell? Are women our balance? Are they here to keep us from going too far? If you look at it closely it does seem to be a perfect system. Men are the "risk takers" and women are the "circuit breakers".

So it looks like fear does have a purpose. We do have reasons to be afraid but that's nothing that good old fashioned logic and rational thinking can't resolve. Maybe one day we will fully understand the true purpose of our inhibitions. Maybe one day we'll stop being so afraid (or at least stop being afraid of the wrong things). There is nothing wrong with being scared.

But I will leave you with frightening this question:

What are you afraid of? (Are you afraid to answer?)

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