New Technologies

The two images at the top of the screen are my recent technological movements forward. One of my last post was an angry explosion on my brand new LG Shine phone that broke out of nowhere and no refund was given to me. Since then, I patiently used my three year old LG CU30 I think is its name, while waiting to be able to purchase a new phone. Finally the day has come and I was able to purchase a new one. Given all the cool phones like LG Shine and other multiple media phones are anywhere from $200-$500 I decided if I'm getting screwed, I'm getting screwed right! So I bought a blackberry-tons of technological opinions have been thrown my way, but I love it. It does a great job. The netbook is going to help me with school, given will and I have been sharing a computer, I felt once the school year hits the two of us don't need to be trading off on computer time because we'll both need to be glued to them. We all know will has dominance over the computer, I mean, if push came to shove he could easily cast a spell on it and I wouldn't be able to use the thing anyway. So I've caught scrutiny and opinions over my little dell, but here's what i have to say: I ISSUE A CHALLENGE, MY DELL WILL LAST LONGER THAN ANYONE ELSE'S COMPUTER! IT WILL NOT BREAK AFTER A YEAR, NOT HAVE FAILURE, AND WILL ALWAYS RUN FASTER THAN ANYTHING!!! The reason I say this is because computers are like cars in certain aspects: you drive the things to death like a mom dropping off 4 million kids and making 18 stops a day and what happens? The things tear up. But look at older people, the retired kind that buy a car and keep the thing for 20 years: hmmm, it's because they're not driving the things to death, they're simple with them. For me, I'm like that with a computer: I use word, email, and web walking- mainly gmail, usc student sites, facebook, and online bill paying. That's it--no downloading a million things, no games, none of that hitting F2 stuff or going into control panel for who knows what, nope not my bag. I'm simple with my computer, and my simplicity will make this thing last forever...well, I hope anyway. Ok computer savy humans: go ahead-rip me a new one!

Seriously?

I think it's funny how over time, what was once a very serious matter becomes trivial; I've also found as the older I climb the latter in age matters that seemed to exist as a default have birthed a new reality. Allow me to explain....

Sports. At ten years old a foam navy blue Nationwide sponsored hat, along with long white socks with a blue stripe, navy blue pants, a v-neck Nationwide shirt, and black nike cleats were a big deal. Dixie Youth Baseball games were serious. Chatter on first base, or pitching from the mound, nearly every breath taking was strictly monitored. Every game meant the world and practically consumed the entire day's mental capacity. Thinking back, it was as if the smallest action of disobedience, human error, or lack of effort in any form could be fatal to the team and even myself. I can remember how all of us (teammates) had to hold back the tears if we so much as struck out or made an error; I mean holding back the tears at a literal level. Those games were serious, and everybody new it. Kirk Stevens was the classic threatening coach who credited you with a lap for anything you did right or wrong. Famed "politics" existed during actual drafts of players. When I think about it, the structure of the game was so serious, it's a wonder we didn't get paychecks.

Now I look at myself as a 24-year-old left center fielder playing for a church league softball team. The structure is definately organized but errors are certain, Strike outs always happen, and the majority of the teams are out of shape and rarely hold practices. The games are unquestionably less than serious, but arguably much more fun than the games as a ten-year-old. Now I find myself stepping into the batter's box and yelling out to the crowd "hey mom!" or "I'm swinging for the fence this time," and not only is it accpetable, things like that are encouraged.

I used to think turning on a light switch yields to seeing lights go on in a house, that idea changed when I rolled down to the D.R. I used to think turning on the tv automatically meant you could find ESPN, that idea changed when I moved into my first apartment and could hardly afford to pay attention, and rarely did. Little things like asking mom to pick up fruit roll-ups or wondering why in the world she wouldn't go somewhere to make the brakes stop squealing. Now-a-days I understand the why's and the simple pleasures of life have turned to large luxuries.

Time changes things.

There is no way!

Sometimes we experience something that seems "like it came from a movie" or "from a tv show." That chimerical point of view has lately had me thinking. Movies and TV shows are depictions of real life, perhaps "jazzed up" or given supernatural circumstances, but the base of humor, interaction, relationships, etc- all come from the same base: real life. So I have a real life story for you:

I had been working at Innovative Courier Solutions for several months, probably around a year or so. I work with a group of guys-you know, the type that drink beer on the weekends, know how to fish, know how to get there hands dirty, where polo shirts and standard issue kahki pants or shorts and are constantly hot, even during winter time. I on the other hand, have lived sober forever, haven't fished in over ten years, and wore fashionable clothing that constantly reached outside the boundaries of the traditional polo shirt and kahki pants. Clearly, I was easily identified as 'the different one.'

Now don't get me wrong, being branded as peculiar is nothing new to me, nor do I find it uncomfortable. However, in the business world, I caught on that if you wanted to be appreciated it was advantageous to 'fit in.' So I came up with a plan, I would figure out how I could keep my peculiarity (to maintain my image of standing out) but also fit in with 'the boys.' Every group of boys has 'different one,' to name a few: Egon, Donantello, the Blue Ranger. It was often that my boss (we call him Billy) referred to me as Jake (much more manly name in some circumstances) and would call me a 'strapping buck' because my work ethic was often blazing and I wasn't afraid to get my hands dirty and provide physical help.

One day at work, I was trying to cut something with a pair of sissors (because of course I didn't have a pocket knife, for those who are counting we're up to minus 3 man points) and as I was cutting, Billy walks up and says: "Why don'cha use a knife like a real man?" Now, I thought to respond, "Oh, well uh, I forgot mine today" but that'd be lying so I went with the next best answer which naturally was, "Yeah, I know, I gotta pick me up a new one." Evidently, this was my chance, a pocket knife was a clear answer to fitting in...

I new going to a "manly store" like outdoorsman anything was out of the question, I always tuck my shirt in and wear glasses, there's no way a nerdy fellow like myself would ever survive in a place like that, and although my Eagle Scout status seems impressive, they'd find a way to pick on me. I decided to casually make the approach at the sportsman section at wal-mart. I arrived. I tried to seem like a I knew everything about what I was doing; I started naming different brands, and saying things like, "yeah that's not a bad one there" or "well i'm just not a (insert brand name here) type a guy." I made my purchase quickly: a titanium steel colored pocket knife made by gerber with one of those hook things that you can latch on to your pocket so everyone can see: This guy is a manly man.

So I plan it all out, I'll be at work on Monday with my knife in my pocket, I'll be ready to go. My excitement was similar to that of a 12 year old boy scout going to camp for the first time. I headed into work and acted normal (I belive dressed in classic polo shirt and kahki pants), more than likely talking in a slightly deeper voice that normal and odds are against it that I shaved that day. I believe I was also equipped with (our office favorite team) Gamecock ball cap. Needless to say, I was ready. Only twenty minutes into my day, Chuck (a co-worker) turned to me and said, "Hey man do you have a knife?" You can only imagine the excitement I had, I couldn't believe it! It was like something you'd see on TV! It was great! I calmly hid my raging excitement and less than casually reached my hand in my pocket and said, "yeah, here you go."

He complimented me immediately on the knife's fine luster and asked where I had purchased such a fine tool, I quickly answered saying, "well it might surprise you (trying to express that I didn't go to the classic 'everything store') but i found this one at wal-mart, not a bad price either."

I have since become very "fit it" as the unusually dressed, sober one, who is also slightly a manly man. Oh and by the way, I lost the knife months ago and am back to using scissors.