Stolen Car...

The most amazing thing happened yesterday. On my birthday - a few weeks ago - my boyfriend's car was stolen. Since that point we'd pretty much given up seeing it again. Then, last night, I was driving to the Scientology New Years celebration at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, and there was my boyfriend's car - right on my mapquest route! I don't know what the odds of that were... but they are pretty crazy. Anyway, not only was it a fabulous celebration, but my boyfriend got his car back! What a way to ring in the New Year, huh?

So... Happy New Year! I hope everyone's 2008 starts out well and continues that way!

Politeness

Why, first thing in the morning, do people have to be rude? Just because they are tired? Well, everyone else is too. I am not excluding myself - I have had my fair share of being mean and ornery, but at the end of the day, what have you accomplished? Just irritating a bunch of people. Maybe making them a little more irritable and making people around them irritated. So, we should all just chill. Get enough sleep, get up with time to get to work, etc, so we are not so darn grouchy. I think just doing that would make the world a better place.

Sprinklers... Yes... Sprinklers

Why am I posting about sprinklers? I took my morning walk this brisk, clear AM and noticed the amount of sprinklers that are placed at the bottom of sloped lawns. The bottom. Meaning the down part of the slope. California is facing a drought and people have installed idiotic sprinklers that will waste water. It's gravity folks. Install them at the top of the lawn, and the water will move downward, watering all of your grass. Why make the sprinklers work twice as hard, have them on twice as high, when you could be lazy, cheap and environmentally friendly?

Generation Jerk

I just saw the Sixty Minutes episode on my generation - the Millennial Generation. It makes us out to be a bunch of self-centered a-holes. I can't say I'm offended, since I have met people of my generation and know that some of them are in fact self-centered jerks, however I hate being grouped into some category that a bunch of people who aren't like me are in. It's like being flipped off on the freeway for not letting someone cut you off.
Anyway, here's some info on what people say the difference between Gen X and Gen Y are in the workplace. It's interesting, less insulting and says (basically) that Gen Y has good workers, but are self centered. I suppose that I do agree with that - but the article also says that Gen Y both works well in groups and is individualistic. Not sure how that makes sense. I'd love to see something that doesn't contradict itself - but so far not so much. The closest I've gotten to a non-contradicting piece is this link to opinions from high school students on their generation. A lot of the in sites here are sad, but true. Families are farther apart, work has become more important then family. Organized religion doesn't appear as important as spirituality, though what spirituality is seems confused. Also, belief in the political system is down. There is a need for change, but no definite direction to change in.
I suppose (and this is from me) that it's because it seems as if our parents and grandparents have done everything already - people rallied for peace in the Sixties and there's still war, people fought the "war to end all wars" in WWI and WWII and there's still war. The government still lies, people still try to make a buck, even if it means the destruction of an entire planet. However, there is a sense of optimism. Maybe we can band together and make it better. The planet isn't the same as it was 40 years ago, there's technology now and maybe that can help us. Things ARE changing in this world.
I can say that personally, I feel that family is incredibly important. I count myself as having amazing parents that, while divorced, still always put aside time to do things with me and help me along in life without coddling me. I never felt they were hanging out with me because they felt it was a duty - I always felt they wanted to spend time with me.
This is a world of change. I hope that my generation can stop looking at their own wants and desires for a just a moment and look at what we can do to change the world.

Disastrous Fires in California

I just wanted to extend my sympathy to all those affected by the fires in California. I know I am very minimally affected due to the smoke and ash surrounding the city I live and work in - Glendale. I hope all the people who have been affected are able to continue to hope, dream and love. Have a safe week.

My candle burns

I have been trying to find this poem for ages - it was my favorite in Junior High and remains one of my top 10 faves. Ahem:

"My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends--
It gives a lovely light!"

-- Edna St. Vincent Millay

It's a bit morbid, but beautiful at the same time. I love the imagery of a candle burning at both ends. It brings to mind both an actual candle burning at both ends - which I've always wanted to try doing, but I would need something to hold the candle in the middle and then something for wax control. It also brings to mind a teenager, or even a working mom - both the partiers and the brave people trying to make it in this world. This poem has been so thought provoking that I remember it from when I was 13 or so and it's stuck with me since. 13 was only 8 years ago - but that's a long time for me.

What an inspiring piece of art.

Quote

I saw the "Buddhist thought of the day" on google and I thought I'd share it:

"War can only be understood and put an end to if you and all those who are concerned very deeply with the survival of man, feel that you are utterly responsible for killing others. What will make you change? - J. Krishnamurti"

It reminds me of that quote "Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee."

Food for thought.

Conscientious Objectors

I saw a news article today on Yahoo! that made me think. It's about a lieutenant in the army who has refused to deploy to Iraq - as he feels the war was started on a false premise that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction - which they did not have. I have to say I agree with what he says, and - though I'm more likely to be anti-war then some of you out there - I think you might too. Check it out. I put the permalink in, so this story should be there no matter when you look at it.

Also - as a side note to the story above - I watched Dan Rather's HDNET show the other night and he featured a soldier who refused to deploy and filed conscientious objector status. I am pretty sure (though I'm not a war historian) that this war is the first one in which a soldier and/or officer has ever filed for that status after willingly joining the military. As far as I can tell, it's because neither of them agree with this particular war - though they may be willing to fight others that made sense to them. This seems to be the new protestor - the soldier or officer in the army. During the Vietnam war the majority of objectors were people who didn't want to get drafted and hippies. It seems that America isn't willing to make the mistake of fighting a pointless war again, and even those who are commissioned to fight the war are realizing it. I say kudos to them.

Happy New Year

Wow! 2007 already! I've got all my resolutions written and am ready to begin the new year. I hope everyone out there has a happy and safe new year.