The events over this past weekend have many of us breathing a deep sigh of relief over the fact that we live in a democratic society. Many are calling the elections in Iran a sham because the favorite to win, Mir Hossein Mousavi, lost to the incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
In their faux election, the Iranians rushed to the polls like something ripped from the headlines of the November 2008 election between John McCain and Barack Obama. In what the Iranian papers were heralding as the largest youth turn out, who now occupy two thirds of the Iranian population with an average age of 27, the young voters came out in droves largely organized through the information revelation that Barack Obama galvanized as a key tool in his bid for the White House.
If technology could bring an array of Americans together to look beyond race, sending the message of change to anyone who could click a mouse button, then it too could aid a repressed society largely inundated with right-wing propaganda, and that’s exactly what Mousavi did as he campaigned to be Iran’s next president. Mysteriously, days before the election, the same technology that brought the people together for a stronger-united Iran was now temporarily out of commission. Even without the Internet and text messaging, the people still came out for Mousavi.
Apparently in Iran, like most other nations, when you say you’re going to have an election––that is what you should have. It’s too bad Ahmadinejad had his fingers crossed when he declared there was to be a fair election because now protesters are so emblazoned over the results that they are literally trashing their own country.
This election, or actually circus, has now turned the attention of the world to a nation who previously claimed nuclear proliferation as a step toward peace and prosperity. How I ironic but not out of character coming from a man who denies the Holocaust.
Unfortunately, I don’t see this ending happily for those who matter most, the Iranian people. My heart goes out to the people of Iran as they stand up for what they believe in. Swimming against the current is not an easy task. Just ask those in China who sought to mourn the loss of a pro-market, pro-democracy and anti-corruption official, Hu Yaobang, which culminated in the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre––an event heard around the world, and one that would permanently etch the authoritarian grasp of the Chinese government in the minds of the global community. Change does not come easily, but it does come for those who seek it.
Screaming for silence until next time...
Ian
One quick look won't hurt you
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Go Ahead Talk Dirty To Her
Are you a dirty talker? Do you want to be? Some of the best-laid advice sprung from the pursed lips of a dirty talker. The trick to talking dirty may sound like an obvious one––don’t make the other person feel uncomfortable.
If you’ve been with your partner awhile and have never talked dirty, you may not want to surprise them with a colorful expression they’ve never heard you say, or you may run the risk of turning them off. The best advice here is to ask them how they feel about talking dirty ahead of time. That way she won’t be surprised when you lean over and whisper in her ear that you’d like to introduce her to your throbbing man muscle.
A great way to practice talking dirty is with a piece of erotic fiction. They’re literally thousands of authors that earn their living on writing sinful prose designed to illicit a sensual reaction. Try reading a passage or two from a piece of romance literature, and see what kind of affect it has on her. If she likes what she’s heard, then chances are she will be comfortable with more.
Another thing to remember is tone, which goes a long way in everything we do, not least of which in how we relate to one another. When you’re in the bedroom with her, think about what you’re trying to accomplish. What reaction are you looking for? Clowning around may be fun, and she may love the way you make her laugh, but do you really want her to giggle as you undo your pants? You may be surprised to hear this, but that creepy baritone accent you use to make her laugh is as much of a mood killer as your sister walking in on you.
So, be brave, have fun, and don’t worry about being cheesy. As a friend of mine once said, some of the best lines are the descriptors that get right to the point. For some people, there’s nothing wrong with just saying, “fuck me!”
Talking up a world of dirty until next time..
Ian
Looking for dating ideas?
If you’ve been with your partner awhile and have never talked dirty, you may not want to surprise them with a colorful expression they’ve never heard you say, or you may run the risk of turning them off. The best advice here is to ask them how they feel about talking dirty ahead of time. That way she won’t be surprised when you lean over and whisper in her ear that you’d like to introduce her to your throbbing man muscle.
A great way to practice talking dirty is with a piece of erotic fiction. They’re literally thousands of authors that earn their living on writing sinful prose designed to illicit a sensual reaction. Try reading a passage or two from a piece of romance literature, and see what kind of affect it has on her. If she likes what she’s heard, then chances are she will be comfortable with more.
Another thing to remember is tone, which goes a long way in everything we do, not least of which in how we relate to one another. When you’re in the bedroom with her, think about what you’re trying to accomplish. What reaction are you looking for? Clowning around may be fun, and she may love the way you make her laugh, but do you really want her to giggle as you undo your pants? You may be surprised to hear this, but that creepy baritone accent you use to make her laugh is as much of a mood killer as your sister walking in on you.
So, be brave, have fun, and don’t worry about being cheesy. As a friend of mine once said, some of the best lines are the descriptors that get right to the point. For some people, there’s nothing wrong with just saying, “fuck me!”
Talking up a world of dirty until next time..
Ian
Looking for dating ideas?
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Young Meets Old: A Father Trades His 8-year-old Daughter to Settle a Debt
Awhile-back CNN aired a story involving a 47-year-old man marrying an 8-year-old girl. The outraged mother of the child tried to get the marriage annulled; however, she came to an impasse because she was not the guardian of the young girl. Apparently, the father was motivated by a desire to settle a debt with a man he called a friend.
I was raised in North America––between Canada and the United States. I know all to well of the differences between those two countries. As I spent my youth in Canada, I was largely inundated with tales from across the globe. Once I moved to the States, in my adult life, I experienced those tales first hand through the different ideological cultures I met in my everyday life.
No matter what country I have lived in, Canada or the United States, I have always been saddened by human rights violations. Unfortunately, these violations are not new. As a boy in Canada, I distinctly remember hearing of the varying degrees of punishment between women and men.
So, what does it mean when a Saudi judge refuses to annul a marriage between a 47-year old man and an 8-year old girl? My answer is that it means the same thing today as it did yesterday––the Middle East is no closer to equality for all then Cuba is to democracy.
Instead of being surprised when we hear of these occurrences, maybe we should work harder to put an end to this madness by not being so dependent on Middle East resources. Just maybe, as North Americans, we could show those bent on suppressing others that we-will-not stoop to their level. We will rise above mere idle threats and encourage action not inaction.
Driving the vehicle of change down a two-way highway until next time..
Ian
Need romance advice, I can help
I was raised in North America––between Canada and the United States. I know all to well of the differences between those two countries. As I spent my youth in Canada, I was largely inundated with tales from across the globe. Once I moved to the States, in my adult life, I experienced those tales first hand through the different ideological cultures I met in my everyday life.
No matter what country I have lived in, Canada or the United States, I have always been saddened by human rights violations. Unfortunately, these violations are not new. As a boy in Canada, I distinctly remember hearing of the varying degrees of punishment between women and men.
So, what does it mean when a Saudi judge refuses to annul a marriage between a 47-year old man and an 8-year old girl? My answer is that it means the same thing today as it did yesterday––the Middle East is no closer to equality for all then Cuba is to democracy.
Instead of being surprised when we hear of these occurrences, maybe we should work harder to put an end to this madness by not being so dependent on Middle East resources. Just maybe, as North Americans, we could show those bent on suppressing others that we-will-not stoop to their level. We will rise above mere idle threats and encourage action not inaction.
Driving the vehicle of change down a two-way highway until next time..
Ian
Need romance advice, I can help
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
The Hypnosis Fallacy
What do you think of when someone mentions hypnosis? Do you think of a gaunt figure with long limbs, a cloak, and polarizing eyes that beckon submission? For many, the mere utterance of hypnosis is all it takes to see a sinister figure with captivating eyes, a mysterious wand, and the ability to turn people into slaves with the telling phrase, “Look deep into my eyes.” In all actuality, this mystical pocket-watch wielding creature is nothing more than a false stereotype. This representation bears no real resemblance to hypnotism. In fact, what some refer to as hypnosis is actually an amalgamation of its genesis, Animal Magnetism, combined with what some foolishly refer to as the mythical modern aspects of hypnosis.
Hypnosis has taken on many meanings over the past two centuries. Its roots stretch deep into the culture of the ancient Greeks and their worship of Hypnos, the god of sleep. In the 18th century, Franz Anton Mesmer captured popular culture by injecting his concept of Animal Magnetism, a process involving magnets, into society by proving successfully––most of the time, that his theory enhanced the body by ridding it of paralysis, toothache, depression, and urine retention.
Furthermore, Mesmer’s influence on hypnosis did not end with the introduction of his treatments. In 1778, Mesmer left Vienna for Paris where he was afforded more freedom to develop his theories that evolved into a form of musical stage-bound theatrics, which were quite popular and garnered him large crowds. Mesmer dressed in flowing robes and would touch people with his wand “urging them to yield themselves up to the magnetic fluids that surrounded them. He exhorted them that they would be cured if only they could focus on the heavenly powers within their sick bodies.”
A couple centuries later, George Kresge changed how many would view hypnosis. Kresge, who is known too many as The Amazing Kreskin is a mentalist, an entertainer, a practical psychologist, and a student of hypnosis. Kreskin added cohesion to Mesmer’s premise, which relied on belief coupled with the use of magnets to cure various ailments.
Through a myriad of stage performances, television interviews, and published works, Kreskin explained the power of suggestion and autosuggestion as the real means behind what many refer to as hypnosis. Moreover, Kreskin believes everyone is prone to suggestion without the semblance of a trance. An excerpt from his book reflects this thought, “What I believed to be so-called ‘hypnosis’, and ardently fostered the trance concept. I now tell the audience that my references to ‘hypnosis’, both historically and as I practiced it, are in the framework of the past. This is also why I use quotation marks when dealing with the subject.”
The power of suggestion is demonstrated through Kreskin’s stage performances. He starts by inviting fifty to sixty volunteers on stage with only twenty or so chairs for them to sit. With the psychological conditioning already seeded, and the participants strength in numbers alleviated, he fills the chairs with workable subjects while leaving the remainder of the volunteers on stage. Now, most hypnotists believe their subjects need to be relaxed in order to respond to suggestion, Kreskin displays the contrary.
With a wave of his hand in front of the subject’s face, Kreskin begins by asking questions, such as, “Are you awake?” Or “Are you in a trance?” After Kreskin has asked a reasonable amount of identifying questions, he turns to the audience and announces that he can make people not under a hypnotic trance even forget their name. He does this by asking a series of interrelated questions along the lines of, “Where do you live?” And, “Where do you work?” After a few carefully chosen questions, he changes inflection as he proposes, “What is your name?” Mysteriously, the subject has no answer.
In the early 1970s, Kreskin went on record claiming, “I am convinced that no person under ‘hypnosis’ has ever been asleep unless sent to that non-trance happy state by the lullaby drone of the guide. I am convinced that there is no such thing as a specific state, condition, trance––call it anything with any twist of semantics––that can be considered ‘hypnosis’.”
Kreskin backed up his claim by offering $25,000 to whosoever could disprove his theory and illustrate the existence of the ‘hypnotic trance’. Utilizing the EEG and the polygraph to prove the subjects purported to be in a hypnotic trance compared to those in an awakened state presented no change in brain waves, Kreskin refuted all who sought to take up his challenge.
In the 1980s, Kreskin upped the offer to $50,000. He was unsuccessfully challenged in 1983 and then in 1985. The latter resulted in a court proceeding, which was eventually dismissed due to lack of evidence. The following year, Kreskin raised his offer to $100,000 and so followed a second court appearance, which was soon dismissed for lack of evidence.
The following is Kreskin’s challenge verbatim:
“I now offer $100,000.00 to any Psychologist, Psychiatrist or Hypnotist who can conclusively prove under scientific conditions, that I shall clearly outline and define a specific condition, trance or state called ‘hypnosis’. Secondly, the challenger must clearly demonstrate that what can be done in the so-called state cannot be reproduced without that state. Yours truly knows of no such special phenomenon.
After going through legal ramifications of what was a pending trial, it is only justice that in the future, aside from the claimant meeting the conditions that I shall specify, they will also agree to sign a statement that should they fail to prove, and fail to win the $100,000 they must pay all expenses incurred by me in the legal preparation of such a challenge. This, I feel, is only justice.”
If Kreskin managed to prove hypnosis’ healing qualities have nothing to do with a trance induced state, what then are the healing qualities so ardently attached to hypnosis? The answer is autosuggestion. Kreskin illustrates the use of autosuggestion in his book The Amazing World of Kreskin. He refers to Autosuggestion as something that should be preceded by auto conditioning, which are a series of mental relaxation exercises.
After getting yourself in a passive frame of mind, you mentally melt and give your imagination free rein. The following sequence will aid in relaxation:
1. Sitting in a deep chair, or lying down, make yourself comfortable.
2. Reflect for a few seconds on some time and place where you were very deeply relaxed––a quiet afternoon on a beach, falling asleep in front of a fireplace after a walk in the snow, lying in deep shade on a river bank. Recall as vividly as you can the total experience.
3. Close your eyes and think of a soft, mellow color like blue or green, or the pink hues of roses.
4. After a few seconds take three deep breaths; hold the third and the deepest, and mentally repeat the color image three times.
5. Exhale and let your entire body go limp. Make no effort to move a muscle. Simply stay relaxed and count backwards, mentally, from fifty to zero––very slowly. When you reach zero, count forward from one to three. Then open your eyes.
This routine consumes about five minutes and relaxes the body for autosuggestion. Obviously similar to the process of meditation, Kreskin does not take credit for this process. He emphasizes this procedure as one that if practiced a few times a day over the course of a couple of weeks an individual will recognize the change in which they command, such as, an ability to overcome smoking habits, dietary issues, or stress-related pressures.
One last point, although some look at hypnosis as a kind of special state of consciousness in which a trance is induced so one can redress previous wrongs, relieve pain, or overcome obnoxious habits, those who do not want to be hypnotized will not be hypnotized. The ‘hypnotist’ does not hold any special powers such as an ability to move mountains and they cannot get people to do anything against their will, in the words of B. Richard Bugelski and A.M. Graziano:
“When hypnosis is defined as a heightened state of suggestibility, it implies that we are in a special state. Actually, we can be no more suggestible than we are, once we have let down the safeguards that might normally prevent us from doing whatever anyone tells us to do. If we have agreed to let someone hypnotize us, we have agreed to cooperate and follow instructions. We are not in any different state of suggestibility; we are merely less critical. Those who worry about all the harm that hypnotists might cause are misplacing their worries. There are enough persuaders around to cause all the trouble we need. Popular leaders such as Hitler could get others to do all sorts of horrible things without relaxing them and telling them that they are falling asleep. All they had to do was to promise to satisfy strong yearnings of their followers. The followers wanted to believe, and so they believed. Similarly, the hypnotized subject wants to believe; he or she does not dispute or argue, and does what he or she is told to do. He or she cannot do, however, anything that he or she cannot do without the help of hypnosis. If someone wants to quit smoking, for example, he or she can quit. If the subject does not want to quit, a hypnotist might be able to make him or her believe what is essentially true and what no one can deny: that smoking is a filthy habit, disease promoting, a public nuisance, and so on. The additional support to the belief may help the subject quit.”
Those who claim to have lost track of time because they have sat in front of a television set or been engrossed by a novel have not experienced a mind altering hypnotic trance anymore than those who bring nicotine into their bodies are held captive by the cigarette. The purpose of hypnosis is to gain control over one’s thoughts, emotions, and the physical properties of the body controlled by the mind. Although a hypnotist can act like a guide by directing the subject through the trance-like-state, commonly referred to as hypnosis, it is a fallacy because we already have the answers to the questions the body seeks without having to be put into a trance––all we have to do is seek the right question to the answers we already possess.
Sifting fallacies from fodder until next time...
Ian
Romance is for suckers?
Hypnosis has taken on many meanings over the past two centuries. Its roots stretch deep into the culture of the ancient Greeks and their worship of Hypnos, the god of sleep. In the 18th century, Franz Anton Mesmer captured popular culture by injecting his concept of Animal Magnetism, a process involving magnets, into society by proving successfully––most of the time, that his theory enhanced the body by ridding it of paralysis, toothache, depression, and urine retention.
Furthermore, Mesmer’s influence on hypnosis did not end with the introduction of his treatments. In 1778, Mesmer left Vienna for Paris where he was afforded more freedom to develop his theories that evolved into a form of musical stage-bound theatrics, which were quite popular and garnered him large crowds. Mesmer dressed in flowing robes and would touch people with his wand “urging them to yield themselves up to the magnetic fluids that surrounded them. He exhorted them that they would be cured if only they could focus on the heavenly powers within their sick bodies.”
A couple centuries later, George Kresge changed how many would view hypnosis. Kresge, who is known too many as The Amazing Kreskin is a mentalist, an entertainer, a practical psychologist, and a student of hypnosis. Kreskin added cohesion to Mesmer’s premise, which relied on belief coupled with the use of magnets to cure various ailments.
Through a myriad of stage performances, television interviews, and published works, Kreskin explained the power of suggestion and autosuggestion as the real means behind what many refer to as hypnosis. Moreover, Kreskin believes everyone is prone to suggestion without the semblance of a trance. An excerpt from his book reflects this thought, “What I believed to be so-called ‘hypnosis’, and ardently fostered the trance concept. I now tell the audience that my references to ‘hypnosis’, both historically and as I practiced it, are in the framework of the past. This is also why I use quotation marks when dealing with the subject.”
The power of suggestion is demonstrated through Kreskin’s stage performances. He starts by inviting fifty to sixty volunteers on stage with only twenty or so chairs for them to sit. With the psychological conditioning already seeded, and the participants strength in numbers alleviated, he fills the chairs with workable subjects while leaving the remainder of the volunteers on stage. Now, most hypnotists believe their subjects need to be relaxed in order to respond to suggestion, Kreskin displays the contrary.
With a wave of his hand in front of the subject’s face, Kreskin begins by asking questions, such as, “Are you awake?” Or “Are you in a trance?” After Kreskin has asked a reasonable amount of identifying questions, he turns to the audience and announces that he can make people not under a hypnotic trance even forget their name. He does this by asking a series of interrelated questions along the lines of, “Where do you live?” And, “Where do you work?” After a few carefully chosen questions, he changes inflection as he proposes, “What is your name?” Mysteriously, the subject has no answer.
In the early 1970s, Kreskin went on record claiming, “I am convinced that no person under ‘hypnosis’ has ever been asleep unless sent to that non-trance happy state by the lullaby drone of the guide. I am convinced that there is no such thing as a specific state, condition, trance––call it anything with any twist of semantics––that can be considered ‘hypnosis’.”
Kreskin backed up his claim by offering $25,000 to whosoever could disprove his theory and illustrate the existence of the ‘hypnotic trance’. Utilizing the EEG and the polygraph to prove the subjects purported to be in a hypnotic trance compared to those in an awakened state presented no change in brain waves, Kreskin refuted all who sought to take up his challenge.
In the 1980s, Kreskin upped the offer to $50,000. He was unsuccessfully challenged in 1983 and then in 1985. The latter resulted in a court proceeding, which was eventually dismissed due to lack of evidence. The following year, Kreskin raised his offer to $100,000 and so followed a second court appearance, which was soon dismissed for lack of evidence.
The following is Kreskin’s challenge verbatim:
“I now offer $100,000.00 to any Psychologist, Psychiatrist or Hypnotist who can conclusively prove under scientific conditions, that I shall clearly outline and define a specific condition, trance or state called ‘hypnosis’. Secondly, the challenger must clearly demonstrate that what can be done in the so-called state cannot be reproduced without that state. Yours truly knows of no such special phenomenon.
After going through legal ramifications of what was a pending trial, it is only justice that in the future, aside from the claimant meeting the conditions that I shall specify, they will also agree to sign a statement that should they fail to prove, and fail to win the $100,000 they must pay all expenses incurred by me in the legal preparation of such a challenge. This, I feel, is only justice.”
If Kreskin managed to prove hypnosis’ healing qualities have nothing to do with a trance induced state, what then are the healing qualities so ardently attached to hypnosis? The answer is autosuggestion. Kreskin illustrates the use of autosuggestion in his book The Amazing World of Kreskin. He refers to Autosuggestion as something that should be preceded by auto conditioning, which are a series of mental relaxation exercises.
After getting yourself in a passive frame of mind, you mentally melt and give your imagination free rein. The following sequence will aid in relaxation:
1. Sitting in a deep chair, or lying down, make yourself comfortable.
2. Reflect for a few seconds on some time and place where you were very deeply relaxed––a quiet afternoon on a beach, falling asleep in front of a fireplace after a walk in the snow, lying in deep shade on a river bank. Recall as vividly as you can the total experience.
3. Close your eyes and think of a soft, mellow color like blue or green, or the pink hues of roses.
4. After a few seconds take three deep breaths; hold the third and the deepest, and mentally repeat the color image three times.
5. Exhale and let your entire body go limp. Make no effort to move a muscle. Simply stay relaxed and count backwards, mentally, from fifty to zero––very slowly. When you reach zero, count forward from one to three. Then open your eyes.
This routine consumes about five minutes and relaxes the body for autosuggestion. Obviously similar to the process of meditation, Kreskin does not take credit for this process. He emphasizes this procedure as one that if practiced a few times a day over the course of a couple of weeks an individual will recognize the change in which they command, such as, an ability to overcome smoking habits, dietary issues, or stress-related pressures.
One last point, although some look at hypnosis as a kind of special state of consciousness in which a trance is induced so one can redress previous wrongs, relieve pain, or overcome obnoxious habits, those who do not want to be hypnotized will not be hypnotized. The ‘hypnotist’ does not hold any special powers such as an ability to move mountains and they cannot get people to do anything against their will, in the words of B. Richard Bugelski and A.M. Graziano:
“When hypnosis is defined as a heightened state of suggestibility, it implies that we are in a special state. Actually, we can be no more suggestible than we are, once we have let down the safeguards that might normally prevent us from doing whatever anyone tells us to do. If we have agreed to let someone hypnotize us, we have agreed to cooperate and follow instructions. We are not in any different state of suggestibility; we are merely less critical. Those who worry about all the harm that hypnotists might cause are misplacing their worries. There are enough persuaders around to cause all the trouble we need. Popular leaders such as Hitler could get others to do all sorts of horrible things without relaxing them and telling them that they are falling asleep. All they had to do was to promise to satisfy strong yearnings of their followers. The followers wanted to believe, and so they believed. Similarly, the hypnotized subject wants to believe; he or she does not dispute or argue, and does what he or she is told to do. He or she cannot do, however, anything that he or she cannot do without the help of hypnosis. If someone wants to quit smoking, for example, he or she can quit. If the subject does not want to quit, a hypnotist might be able to make him or her believe what is essentially true and what no one can deny: that smoking is a filthy habit, disease promoting, a public nuisance, and so on. The additional support to the belief may help the subject quit.”
Those who claim to have lost track of time because they have sat in front of a television set or been engrossed by a novel have not experienced a mind altering hypnotic trance anymore than those who bring nicotine into their bodies are held captive by the cigarette. The purpose of hypnosis is to gain control over one’s thoughts, emotions, and the physical properties of the body controlled by the mind. Although a hypnotist can act like a guide by directing the subject through the trance-like-state, commonly referred to as hypnosis, it is a fallacy because we already have the answers to the questions the body seeks without having to be put into a trance––all we have to do is seek the right question to the answers we already possess.
Sifting fallacies from fodder until next time...
Ian
Romance is for suckers?
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
The Final Moments of 2008
The last day of the calendar year is an opportunity to reflect upon a year of successes or failures. Many may not consciously consider all the year’s events, but that doesn’t take the experiences away.
For example, news agencies, radio stations, and television shows famously mark the years end by summing up a myriad of events––recapping popular stories ranging from the most exciting to the most troubling moments in our lives. After all, the human brain does not record the events in real time like a video camera; it captures flashes of memories, stored then recalled, according to our own perception of the events. Therefore, the media recall our flashes of perception sometimes giving us an unexpected reminder.
One such reminder comes from the most recognized New Years Eve events in the world, which happens in New York City. When New York’s Times Square Ball descends, a billion onlookers will chant in unison the year’s final moments echoing the demise of 2008.
As the ball drops, will you remember the high points or the low points of the year?
For me, like years passed, I will be ringing in 2009 in a bar mixing and serving drinks as the Big Orange, here in Miami, signals the end of 2008. This is also my second wedding anniversary––now, we’ve been married apart longer than we were married together. The two of us have been separated for over a year now. It took me awhile to get beyond the hurt I felt because of the separation. Like many who separate, I was initially confused. Unfortunately, the only way through the confusion into lucid clarity is to hold your head up, get out of bed each day, and breathe in and out until you find your peace wading amidst the river of chaos. As they say, time truly heals all wounds.
What about you?
Take it from someone who spent the final moments of 2007 in his Christian aunt’s garage relatively drunk, half naked, and bitterly alone. It is important to recognize the tribulations of your past, so we may laugh about them in the present and overcome them in the future. Our entire life is a collection of these moments. The past moments guide us into the present just like all that we do today will overflow into tomorrow.
Just remember, the good times and bad times of two double oh eight are about to be outdated. All we can do is move forward with life, recognizing life happens, and it’s not because of luck––but who we are and where we’ve been, which is why we’re alive today.
I hope your memories in 2009 are as beautiful as the days they come from. As my mum would say, “I’ll see you next year!” Until next time...
Ian
Try hard, love hard!
For example, news agencies, radio stations, and television shows famously mark the years end by summing up a myriad of events––recapping popular stories ranging from the most exciting to the most troubling moments in our lives. After all, the human brain does not record the events in real time like a video camera; it captures flashes of memories, stored then recalled, according to our own perception of the events. Therefore, the media recall our flashes of perception sometimes giving us an unexpected reminder.
One such reminder comes from the most recognized New Years Eve events in the world, which happens in New York City. When New York’s Times Square Ball descends, a billion onlookers will chant in unison the year’s final moments echoing the demise of 2008.
As the ball drops, will you remember the high points or the low points of the year?
For me, like years passed, I will be ringing in 2009 in a bar mixing and serving drinks as the Big Orange, here in Miami, signals the end of 2008. This is also my second wedding anniversary––now, we’ve been married apart longer than we were married together. The two of us have been separated for over a year now. It took me awhile to get beyond the hurt I felt because of the separation. Like many who separate, I was initially confused. Unfortunately, the only way through the confusion into lucid clarity is to hold your head up, get out of bed each day, and breathe in and out until you find your peace wading amidst the river of chaos. As they say, time truly heals all wounds.
What about you?
Take it from someone who spent the final moments of 2007 in his Christian aunt’s garage relatively drunk, half naked, and bitterly alone. It is important to recognize the tribulations of your past, so we may laugh about them in the present and overcome them in the future. Our entire life is a collection of these moments. The past moments guide us into the present just like all that we do today will overflow into tomorrow.
Just remember, the good times and bad times of two double oh eight are about to be outdated. All we can do is move forward with life, recognizing life happens, and it’s not because of luck––but who we are and where we’ve been, which is why we’re alive today.
I hope your memories in 2009 are as beautiful as the days they come from. As my mum would say, “I’ll see you next year!” Until next time...
Ian
Try hard, love hard!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Technology in Our Ever-Changing World
Technology runs rampant throughout our lives. New cell phones and computers designed to make our lives easier, inundate us. Not to mention, new ‘brain laboratories’ seem to be popping up designed to study ‘how’ and ‘what’ we think.
According to various studies regarding information technology, and its ready-made accessibility, frontal lobe activity is stimulated while surfing the Internet. Unfortunately, the same studies depict once the activity has been stimulated, it never digresses––making concentration on specific activities somewhat bewildering because focus is not as easily maintained as it was before the stimulation. What then, are the lasting physical effects that such conveniences bring?
The adverse physical health effects of technology are still vague; however, some studies have linked long-term exposure to radio waves from cell phones with male impotency. Similarly, laptops and PCs have been linked to physical discomfort from long term usage. Moreover, extended computer usage has been connected with tunnel vision, a side effect attributed to staring at a computer screen for hours on end. Furthermore, a more serious condition that could lead to heart attack, blood clots, has been shown to develop in the legs from sitting for long periods without movement.
Some preventative steps for reducing such health risks include: getting up from the computer to stretch ailing muscles, shifting attention periodically to relax the eyes, and trimming computer usage into multiple sessions. In addition, insuring a properly positioned chair as well as making use of a document holder, will minimize neck strain and help maintain proper posture for years to come.
Understanding the physical aspects of technology help, but it is also important to understand the uses for technology in or lives––good or bad. A closer look at technology shows that it has changed how people, young and old, now view this ever-changing world.
For years, people had strictly zoned out to the television as a source for amusement. In the last decade, people have reached out to the latest gaming devices and websites on the Internet. The Internet, which imparts a myriad of social networking sites such as Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter, has captivated global audiences by its unique appeal. These websites, which allow individuals from different backgrounds to become close friends by providing a platform for connection and grouping individuals according to likes and dislikes, create a common thread while still allowing a semblance of privacy.
Chat rooms and online dating services are no different; however, people who visit those sites do so for a specific purpose––to connect romantically. Some estimates show that the influx of web-based dating is responsible for 120,000 marriages a year; nevertheless, not all Internet activity is positive.
In somewhat bewildering news, technology has made it all too convenient for those with ill will to commit crimes, which have flourished with the induction of widespread Internet usage––crimes, like identity theft, stalking or fraud.
Overall, it should be understood that technology is here to stay. Despite the negativity that surrounds the use of technology in our lives, the manner in which we approach technology will have a direct effect on how well we live. It is like anything, too much of a good thing is a bad thing; learning healthy approaches to technology will allow each of us to reap the rewards of technology in the present while remaining healthy enough to experience future developments.
Flashing before your eyes until next time...
Ian
Have you kissed someone lately?
According to various studies regarding information technology, and its ready-made accessibility, frontal lobe activity is stimulated while surfing the Internet. Unfortunately, the same studies depict once the activity has been stimulated, it never digresses––making concentration on specific activities somewhat bewildering because focus is not as easily maintained as it was before the stimulation. What then, are the lasting physical effects that such conveniences bring?
The adverse physical health effects of technology are still vague; however, some studies have linked long-term exposure to radio waves from cell phones with male impotency. Similarly, laptops and PCs have been linked to physical discomfort from long term usage. Moreover, extended computer usage has been connected with tunnel vision, a side effect attributed to staring at a computer screen for hours on end. Furthermore, a more serious condition that could lead to heart attack, blood clots, has been shown to develop in the legs from sitting for long periods without movement.
Some preventative steps for reducing such health risks include: getting up from the computer to stretch ailing muscles, shifting attention periodically to relax the eyes, and trimming computer usage into multiple sessions. In addition, insuring a properly positioned chair as well as making use of a document holder, will minimize neck strain and help maintain proper posture for years to come.
Understanding the physical aspects of technology help, but it is also important to understand the uses for technology in or lives––good or bad. A closer look at technology shows that it has changed how people, young and old, now view this ever-changing world.
For years, people had strictly zoned out to the television as a source for amusement. In the last decade, people have reached out to the latest gaming devices and websites on the Internet. The Internet, which imparts a myriad of social networking sites such as Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter, has captivated global audiences by its unique appeal. These websites, which allow individuals from different backgrounds to become close friends by providing a platform for connection and grouping individuals according to likes and dislikes, create a common thread while still allowing a semblance of privacy.
Chat rooms and online dating services are no different; however, people who visit those sites do so for a specific purpose––to connect romantically. Some estimates show that the influx of web-based dating is responsible for 120,000 marriages a year; nevertheless, not all Internet activity is positive.
In somewhat bewildering news, technology has made it all too convenient for those with ill will to commit crimes, which have flourished with the induction of widespread Internet usage––crimes, like identity theft, stalking or fraud.
Overall, it should be understood that technology is here to stay. Despite the negativity that surrounds the use of technology in our lives, the manner in which we approach technology will have a direct effect on how well we live. It is like anything, too much of a good thing is a bad thing; learning healthy approaches to technology will allow each of us to reap the rewards of technology in the present while remaining healthy enough to experience future developments.
Flashing before your eyes until next time...
Ian
Have you kissed someone lately?
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Tiptoe Through the Tulips With Barack Obama and John McCain
Why is it the worst tunes always get stuck on repeat playing inside your mind? It's never the toe tapping jingles you like best. It's the annoying stuff like Tiny Tim’s Tiptoe Through the Tulips.
If you're like me, and I hope you're not, you obsess about the small stuff. Most of the time, it's something I've heard. As a result–I question the validity–pinning over the truth, I replay the events looking for a missed meaning or a secret code. I see the images in my mind so many times–from so many angles, all possible scenarios have been exhausted. In the end, it still sounds like a large man playing a small guitar singing a cautionary note about a late night tryst.
What do they say about walking and talking like a duck?
Over the past two years, this has been my sentiment as we have inched closer and closer to the general election. Every time I sit down in front of the hypnotizing little black box to stare at the flashing pictures, strange sounds, and late night infomercials––waiting for sleep to grab a hold of my eyelids, I am bombarded with talking heads yammering on about the latest faux pas Candidate A has gotten himself into; or, more tragically, how Candidate B is apart of an obscure religion looking to kidnap and control the minds of our young children.
Do people really care about this sort of thing?
I understand elections are grueling and meant to test the character of each Candidate running for the highest American office, but it's not like Candidate B is somehow responsible for Old Yeller getting rabies, therefore, what is the purpose of trading insults and lies?
The other day, a friend of mine proposed a novel idea. He said, "Wouldn't it be great if the candidates were banned from doing negative television commercials, Internet advertisements, and public smears."
My naivete was somewhat telling as I responded, "Wouldn't that change the face of campaigning?"
"Of course! It would turn an election into a quest for the Candidate whose issues matter most–not one who can fling the most mud."
What an idea, issues that matter most. Don't get me wrong; similar to my fellow Americans, I have continued to tune in and stay current with what the candidates have to say. But enough is enough!
Despite the entertaining moments of this three-ring quest for the presidency, I am ready to vote and be done with it. Deep down inside, I'm sure the candidates are too.
Anyway, if you're among the four people reading this article, thanks mum, and you have decided not to vote because of the mockery this has turned into–think for a minute about the millions of other people in the world who don't get such a right. Then, remember why we are here in the first place: Barack Obama and John McCain. One of these men will lead our free society through the next four years. Will you check the box that makes your opinion count, or will you ignore the truth pretending Tiny Tim sounds great in falsetto?
Making my opinion heard until next time...
Ian
A touch, a kiss, a memory
If you're like me, and I hope you're not, you obsess about the small stuff. Most of the time, it's something I've heard. As a result–I question the validity–pinning over the truth, I replay the events looking for a missed meaning or a secret code. I see the images in my mind so many times–from so many angles, all possible scenarios have been exhausted. In the end, it still sounds like a large man playing a small guitar singing a cautionary note about a late night tryst.
What do they say about walking and talking like a duck?
Over the past two years, this has been my sentiment as we have inched closer and closer to the general election. Every time I sit down in front of the hypnotizing little black box to stare at the flashing pictures, strange sounds, and late night infomercials––waiting for sleep to grab a hold of my eyelids, I am bombarded with talking heads yammering on about the latest faux pas Candidate A has gotten himself into; or, more tragically, how Candidate B is apart of an obscure religion looking to kidnap and control the minds of our young children.
Do people really care about this sort of thing?
I understand elections are grueling and meant to test the character of each Candidate running for the highest American office, but it's not like Candidate B is somehow responsible for Old Yeller getting rabies, therefore, what is the purpose of trading insults and lies?
The other day, a friend of mine proposed a novel idea. He said, "Wouldn't it be great if the candidates were banned from doing negative television commercials, Internet advertisements, and public smears."
My naivete was somewhat telling as I responded, "Wouldn't that change the face of campaigning?"
"Of course! It would turn an election into a quest for the Candidate whose issues matter most–not one who can fling the most mud."
What an idea, issues that matter most. Don't get me wrong; similar to my fellow Americans, I have continued to tune in and stay current with what the candidates have to say. But enough is enough!
Despite the entertaining moments of this three-ring quest for the presidency, I am ready to vote and be done with it. Deep down inside, I'm sure the candidates are too.
Anyway, if you're among the four people reading this article, thanks mum, and you have decided not to vote because of the mockery this has turned into–think for a minute about the millions of other people in the world who don't get such a right. Then, remember why we are here in the first place: Barack Obama and John McCain. One of these men will lead our free society through the next four years. Will you check the box that makes your opinion count, or will you ignore the truth pretending Tiny Tim sounds great in falsetto?
Making my opinion heard until next time...
Ian
A touch, a kiss, a memory
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
