On Sunday night we got some Chinese food, and the above fortune was what I got in my fortune cookie. Today I was told my writing contract with Microsoft wasn’t going to be renewed (it ended in June). Props to you, Mr. Fortune Cookie Writer, you nailed it. I’d buy you a beer, but I’m trying to watch my expenses because, well, you know…
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you’ll notice that for comments, I’m now using DISQUS. It’s a system that makes it much easier for people to comment, because rather than registering with this blog to comment, people can post a comment using a variety of credentials; Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, OpenID, or DISQUS. I’ve managed to get the old comments imported into DISQUS, but as far as I can tell, you can’t log in to the old WordPress commenting system any more – to post a comment, you’ll need to log in with one of the authentication methods offered. Your old comments aren’t associated with your DISQUS comments unfortunately; they stand alone. I’m not happy with that, but ultimately I think this new system will make it easier for people to comment, which is the goal.
“The current trend of over-parenting began in the early 1980’s when baby boomers – who ended up having fewer children, later in life – started having kids, and it has continued down the line. At first, Baby on Board signs in car windows proudly announced “precious cargo” inside. Today, however, it is not enough to wait until the baby is born. While pregnant, parents start their single-minded search for ways to create an über child – and there is no shortage of products to help them, including ‘prenatal education systems’ that claim to give Junior an intellectual, social, creative and emotional advantage. Once the baby is born, the race to keep him or her ahead of the pack intensifies – with baby videos, baby ballet, gymnastics before they can walk, and parents’ near-fanatic devotion to finding the right pre-school.”
I really like documentaries – though I don’t watch as many as them as I’d like – and when I find one that impacts me, I feel compelled to share it with others. This is one such documentary – it’s called Hyper Parents & Coddled Kids. Years before we had Logan, I’d feel a sense of bafflement watching the extremes that some parents would go to in order to get the very best for their kids. Sure, you love your kids, but does it really make sense to financially strain yourself to the point of breaking in order to get your kid a marginally better education or a vocal coach for what amounts to a hobby? Or how about spending $4000 on a birthday party for a one year old, as shown in the photo above? And thinking that turning one is, in the words of the mother, a “milestone achievement”? Talk about a warped perception of reality – making it to one year old isn’t an achievement in our modern world, it’s an inevitability. Aging is a biological certainty, not an accomplishment worthy of lavish praise. Celebration, yes. Praise for something that happened without effort or sacrifice? No. There’s a big difference between the two.
Now that I’m a parent, I understand more keenly the desire to provide the best options for your child, but I still think there are limits to how far parents should go…and when it comes to letting your kids go through the bumps and bruises of life to learn independence, I’m in complete agreement. As a parent, I want to make a big deal when Logan accomplishes something – but making it to age one isn’t one of those things. I love my son unconditionally, and will tell him so every day, but I won’t lie to him and puff up his ego to the point where he feels like he’s the Chosen One every day of his life.
Anyway, if you’re a parent of a young child, or one day plan on being a parent, I’d highly encourage you to set aside 45 minutes to watch this documentary. It’s truly fascinating because it shows the impact that this style of parenting has on the kids as they grow into stressed out, needy, dysfunctional young adults who can’t cope with life on their own after being conditioned for decades that they’re special, wonderful, and great at everything they try. If you like the documentary, or this post, share it with others.
“Time denial isn’t just specific to chronic latecomers, most everyone falls prey to this mentality at one point or another. Yup, even you my friend. So stop judging the dude in the next cubicle. You know the drill… You’re right in the middle of something that has your complete attention, all the while your next commitment is creeping up on you. You glance at the clock, trying to squeeze in another few minutes to finish that email – or frag that alien with your rocket launcher – thinking that no matter what, you have time because it “only takes” 15 minutes to get to the office.”
One of the blogs I follow regularly via RSS to email updates is called Refocuser – it’s a great blog written by a guy I admire. He wrote up a great post this week about the struggle that some people have with being on time – and one of those people would be me. I’m one of those people who’s always “just” in time – and my definition of that is within 5 minutes of the given meeting time, but I know for some people that’s unacceptable. The Refocuser blog entry focuses on time denial; the fact that most people who are habitually racing against the clock do so because they underestimate how long it takes them to get places.
In addition to that, I think there’s a certain amount of self-centeredness that those of us who are always late have to take ownership of. When we’re late, it’s usually because of one thing: we place a higher value on whatever we’re doing than the meeting we’re supposed to be going to. That means that when I’m working on an article, doing email, or even sleeping, I’m placing my own desire to do my own “stuff” ahead of being on time for an appointment. That’s been something I’ve tried to be cognoscente of since learning that a few years back (from an episode of Opera of all things), but it’s not an easy thing to conquer.
As a person whose faith is extremely important to him, I’m very careful about “faith bashing”. I don’t believe that people should be criticized, mocked, belittled, or attacked for what their spiritual beliefs are. I may not agree with your spiritual viewpoints, and you may not agree with mine, but so long as our respective faiths don’t impede the rights and freedoms of others, we should be allowed to hold them and express them however we wish.
Radical Islam, however, troubles me greatly – I believe it may be the single greatest challenge the world will face over the next 50 years. I loathe fear-mongering, but I really do think that as the power of radical Islamics grows, the Western world will have to respond – and I fear that the conflict will not be one easily resolved. The video above is an eye-opening opinion piece on the very real danger that radical Islam presents to the world. Note that I’ve used the word “radical” preceding “Islam” here, because the Islamic faith as I understand it – and I’m truly no expert – doesn’t promote the same types of things that the radical Islamic extremists do. If your faith means you’re going to wear a head scarf as a woman, that’s fine – but if your faith means you’re not going to treat patients as a dentist unless they’re wearing head scarves – even if they’re not Muslim – then you’re discriminating against that person.
I should note in closing that I’d never heard of this Pat Condell fellow before this video, and based on what I’ve seen of some of his other videos, I’d disagree with him quite severely (I think he’s the “attacking atheist” type), but in the video above, I think he has some very valid points.
Happy New Year everyone! I can’t believe it’s 2010…growing up, that date seemed like “the space-age future” – you know, complete with flying cars and whatnot. It’s amazing that the year is now 2010…the start of a new decade, a decade in which my life has changed for the better because now I’m a father. 2009 was a rough year for many people in the world, but I’m thankful for the blessings that were given to me in 2009: a healthy son, the continuation of a wonderful and strong marriage, a great writing contract with Microsoft, amazing volunteers that help me do a job I enjoy tremendously, and amazing friends and family. I couldn’t ask for anything more. May 2010 be a year full of blessings, prosperity, and good health for you and those that you love!
As a person of faith myself, I respect the right for others to believe what they wish – but I also believe that everyone should look at faith systems with a critical eye, asking questions, and seeking the truth. Scientology is a religion of secrets…and this video exposes how truly bizarre some of those secrets are.
Wow…if I had an excess of money and nothing better to spend it on – which is pretty much impossible – I’d definitely snap up one of these Ki homes. Talk about gorgeous design from top to bottom! I’ve never seen such heavily Asian-themed home design before…the photos of the landscaping look like my photos of Japan. I’ve heard of micro-communities before, but this is a new one to me: there are only lots, one home per lot, in this whole development. Maybe they’ll build a sushi restaurant on the way in…
“The life story and work of Nikola Tesla. He invented AC electricity, Neon Lights, Radio transmission, The Electric motor, Wireless electricity transfer, Remote control, Hydraulics, Lasers, Space weapons, Robotics, and many, many more things.”
Today would have been Nikola Tesla’s birthday, and Google has put a spotlight on the work of this very brilliant, but very perculiar man. I read a book about Tesla recently, and while the book was quite awful (here’s my review of it), Tesla remains an interesting figure in history. The 10 minute video above is a good summary of his life, and it certainly shows the dark side of Thomas Edison.