A Fine Line between Funny and Offensive

Humor can be clever like a play on words or crude like toilet humor.  More often, humor is found in misery.  Other people's misery, to be specific.  Slapstick comedy's main focus is literally when a character endures some sort of physical pain.  Probably the most popular example of this would be The Three Stooges.  There isn't much more to Larry, Curly, and Mo than poking out eyes, and slapping the backs of heads.  Humor is also found in making fun of appearances, gestures, and actions.  If someone talks funny, has a big nose, or has odd interests, they become perfect candidates to be the butt of a joke.  But when do caricatures of life as a whole become offensive?  The phrase "too soon?" often follows a snarky remark, taken too seriously.  Do we need to be cautious and sensitive to everyone's feelings?  Or do people need to relax, and take things less seriously?  Offensive comedy is prevalent and isn't going anywhere.  Family Guy and Southpark will continue to push the envelop to see how offensive they can be.  It just makes me wonder if there's a line, and if so, where do we draw it?

Today's Thoughts on the American Dream

Can it ever be achieved?  I know some people seem to be lucky enough to reach that state of nirvana.  But weren't we always told that few actually make it?  The rest of us are forced to reincarnate the same ideas in attempt to live the dream, and hopefully finding the answer to life.  Or Maybe it's the question we're supposed to find, and the answer is to live.  Experience.  Breathe in the world around you and hold it in.  In anything, you'll get a little high.  And to some that's what it's all about: finding those little blissful, euphoric moments that spark throughout our lifetimes.  It seems cruel that for some, these sparks come easier and more frequent, resembling more of a giant bonfire or a neighborhood perhaps, engulfed in flames.  The rest of us are lucky if our rusted Zippo has any fluid left. 

So then we strive, in hopes to thrive.  The harder we work, the more we reap, remember?  The Hardwork leads to Success, leading to happiness and achieving the goal.  The Dream.  The Answer.  Super easy, right?  The difficult part comes when beginning the journey to achieve nirvana, happiness.  My generation has been raised on video games, cheese puffs, and the idea that watching Kevin Smith movies in your parents' basement past a certain age is still acceptable.

However, it takes more than just hard work, but you must live and experience.  After all, if you spend your whole life working, and not enjoying the process and the journey, what's the point?  It doesn't help that American civilization has bred a race of A.D.D. addled children who are the future.  The need for constant stimulation and fresh interaction drives me to search for new places, challenges, and environments.  If that stimulation isn't met boredom ensues.  Depression and laziness are quick to follow, and some how I'll find myself stuck in a hole, which is the couch in front of the TV.

I'm ready to start the journey into the unknown and discover what American has to offer.  I want to experience what many have, as well as experiences what others have never dreamed to find.  Denying that America, specifically the United States has serious problems would be wrong.  Though I believe that the country still offers opportunity to those actively searching for it.  Just not everyone reaches their goal after the opportunity is given to them.  It's incredibly rare for anything to be easy, but I'll sure appreciate it, if it ever is.

Check, please!

One of my favorite thought provoking questions to be asked is "Who would you invite to dinner?"  The guidelines are they can be dead or alive, famous or not, and can be fictional or real.  In other words, there basically are no guidelines.  There are quite a few people on my list to invite, so here are just a few.

At the top of my list, I would want to invite Tyler Durden, from Fight Club.  A oddball to say the least, Tyler would definitely have plenty of fascinating conversation topics, perhaps about making soap, napalm, etc.  Before I would order my food, I would definitely have to get his word that he didn't tamper with any of the food in the kitchen, as he has a tendency to do.  Finally, after getting a head full of preaching against consumerism and material needs, I'm pretty sure he'd insist on bolting before the check comes.  A meal I would never forget, and a restaurant I could never return to.

My other dinner guest would never yield to boring conversation.  Educating the masses with facts about bears and beet farms, Dwight Shrute from The Office would be my second choice.  He would probably be little rude and off putting, but the random useless facts would definitely come in handy at Trivia Night at the bar.  After using the gift certificate we won from Trivia to pay our bar tab, he would probably have to call it a night.  After all, he can't talk about science fiction all night.  Assistant to the Regional Manager has a lot of responsibilities.

Dwelving into the American Nightmare

Everyone has some idea of what the American Dream means to them.  However, each interpretation is different in theme and achievement.  The means to reaching the goal and even the goal itself are ideas unique to the individual dreamer.  So much so, it seems almost inconceivable to attempt defining the term.  The best you can do is search for your own American Dream, and then begin to pursue and encounter all it entails.

Traditionally, it was believed that if you worked hard and believed in yourself, the dedication and commitment would help you achieve anything.  Reach for the stars, and you'll land on the moon.  Anyone else see flaws in this theory?  Sure, hard work is crucial in most cases, but it's like when you were 5 and your mother said you could be anything you wanted, if you set your mind to it and tried hard enough.  Instead of filling children's heads with feel good optimistic crap, America should be encouraging them to set goals and provide means to help achieve them.

When I was a kid I remember wanting to be a doctor, and a fireman, and a cowboy, then a spy.  Sure some of those are a little unrealistic, I was a kid.  But we seem to see an influx of teens pushing to be rockstars, models, athletes, and movie stars.  Setting goals to be the next celebrity to be infamous for some outrageous faux paus.  But that's just what the American Dream has devolved into.  Everyone dreams of being the next wealthy bum, and stumble in the foot steps of greats like Paris Hilton or Lindsey Lohan.  Years later you'll find these dreamers stuck in their coal mining towns or working on an assembly line; frying food or changing oil.  Will the agenda of reality television and American Idol be the downfall of what was once an aspiring nation? 

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish Blue Fish

Judgement is as subconscious as most thought processes go.  Maybe second only to reacting to pain or danger.  There's it but maybe a miniscule of a second where we hesitate to decide between fight or flight.  Some just react quicker than others, they have keener motor responses.  But just quick as removing your hand from a hot surface, you notice a person walk through the door and start sizing them up.  Weighing in their finer points and criticizing them for their flaws.  I don't think we mean to judge others.  We can't help it. It's a cognitive reaction to what we see and how we perceive it.  People thrive from learning from past experiences.  It is how one moves up in the world and becomes successful.  So when we see people dressed a certain way, with their hair a certain style, the brain sorts through past files and memories to decide how to react in the current moment.  Basically it's stereotyping.  It is the quickest, and laziest way to react to an environment.

This is a great tool to have.  In dangerous situations where you have very little time to assess the situation and figure out what the correct behavior is, it could keep you out of harm.  The problem lies with the everyday situation which has a low risk of harm involved.  My assumptions about any person walking through the front door of a restaurant can easily go from helpful, harmless stereotyping, to racism and profiling.  It is probably the main reason racism will never be defeated in many lifetimes.  Only until there's been enough interracial relations to basically have one mixed race, will there ever be true racial harmony.  Then wars will be fought over cultural differences due to location, and country. 

The other big contributor to racism is the lack of understanding and appreciating cultural differences.  If taken the time to understand the different societies and cultures and beliefs, the hatred of something different and  unfamiliar wouldn't be as intense.  People should be proud of where they came from, and what their heritage is.  It helps define who they are as a person.  It isn't all they are though.  Uncountable things define and make up who a person is.  Its almost impossible not to find something in common with everyone.

Temptation

What is the level of temptation a persona can endure before that lustful desire to give in, regardless of probable consequences, takes over and pushes one to bury himself in selfish wants?  The urge to steal, cheat, kill.  Does everyone have the same ability to say no to these urges?  Or are there people out there that have no chance against the demonic tempters and the metaphorical prostitutes of life?  The best things in life will become your end, one way or another.  For instance, if your greatest passion in life was getting high and doing drugs, it'll end up eating you away.  It may have been the addiction that killed you, the dealer on the street who you owed money to, or getting stabbed in the prison cafeteria.  Whichever it is, it was still that selfish passion to indulge.

However, whether it was stress, processed food, or cigarettes that gave you cancer is not important.  It's a matter of whether or not your habits and lust for anything bad for you was worth it.  Was it enough to fulfill the emptiness that life often brings, and was it worth the consequences?  Isn't it a shame that instead of facts and definite proven results, life is full of warning labels and caution signs?  What used to be healthy for you is now bad for you, but in two weeks it'll be on the healthy list again.  Instead of certainty, we have to deal with that feeling of impulsion to jump, or give in.  To just say "yes," instead of "maybe, let me think about it."  However, it hsa to be a force so persistent and compelling that the urge to give into wants, lusts, and desires over bears common sense and clouds all judgement.  Sometimes it's just too difficult to think before jumping.

Aging and Life as the Elderly

Aging is something every living thing experiences.  Starting as near to nothing as possible, we begin to develop, grow, adapt, evolve, and mature into something worth while.  We begin with a blank slate, "tabula rasa."  With that blank slate we experience and learn, which slowly molds who we are and how we react.  I want to emphasize that learning is key.  With all the mistakes made in my life, I know that if I don't learn from them, I'll continue to find myself in the same wrecked circumstances as before.

What is old, and how do we know when we're there?  Sometimes we feel old, as in cranky, crotchety, and sore.  But is age only another human made concept of time to bring us down and hold us back?  I've always been told, "you're not old enough to do this," and "you're too old to do that."  Who is to say if I'm mentally and cognitively ready to tackle the task or activity that lies before me?  Certainly there are physical restrictions, that can impede reaching goals we set for ourselves, but I would like to figure that out for myself.  Because society is restrictive to "thinking out of the box" we have scripts we have to follow based on our age and suggested maturity level.  I find this constricting and infuriating.

I like to wonder about what I will be like when I am considered elderly.  My grandfather is 92 years old.  He survived the Great Depression, fighting in WWII, raising 3 children, smoking a pipe half his life, and many bouts of skin cancer.  Aside from what he has overcome, he has accomplished many achievements in his life, that make me respect him more than anyone else.  When I think about being old, I hope I've lived life half as much as he has.  Will I be proud of my life, people I've touched, and things I've experienced?  On my death bed, will I be worried that I didn't get everything done I dreamed of doing, or will I go willingly, welcoming the conclusion of a great life story?  Hunter S. Thompson once said "Buy the ticket, take the ride."  I'm certainly down for the trip, I'd just like to know the price of admission first!

the iPod Killed the Mixed Tape

I've talked before about the dangers of the ever evolving technology of today's society.  But before, I mentioned it more as a issue of being engulfed in electronics, as opposed to real personal interaction.  Instead of talking about the addiction and dependency on technology, I want to focus on the need to make life faster, sharper, louder, and smaller/bigger.  For some reason, it's hard to be happy with the items already in your possession.  In order to "keep up with the Jones's" you have to have what they have, plus some.  Today's hot item, is tomorrow's garbage can filler.  To prove my point, think about Christmas.  The first time you unwrap all your presents, you've never been happier.  By the end of the day, you've about worn out the glamor of your gifts being new.  By the time next Christmas comes around, last years gaming console or Tickle Me Elmo is already on the street, waiting to being taken away to their final resting place.

I want to state that evolving and growing technology is great!  I'm just concerned about what gets thrown by the wayside.  With each new exciting technology, something special gets lost, killed, and forgotten.  It is a feeling of nostalgia that I get when I think about old technologies.  Video killed the radio star.  Cell Phones killed the Personal Planner.  iPod killed the mix tape.  This is what I am referring to.  I miss having a special mixed CD for long roadtrips.  I miss going to the video store and seeing all the movies on the walls, knowing I could never watch them all, even if I wanted to.  Now you are forced to watch movies from a small selection (most of which you only kind of want to watch) off of a movie website or movie box.  Convenience is slowly becoming more and more inconvenient with each new invention.

I can't even remember the last time I wrote a research paper using the tangible resources of a library.  Thanks to the wide access and database available through computers and the internet, I don't have to experience the feel of a leather bound book, or brown, aged pages.  The smell of millions of books and literature and the embarrassment of asking the librarian for help is no longer something the masses will be familiar with.  What's next to die off and become eligible for the antique technology museum, is hard to tell.  I just hope it doesn't change too much.

My personal opinion on an specific issue...

Block Seating:  It seems to be a heated topic these days at the University of Alabama.  Many students will tell you how unfair and unpractical it is to allow organizations to have their own reserved section of the stadium, when many other students unaffiliated with a student organization have to fight for a good seat, or wait until the second have to fill in the massive gaps that may go unfilled in the reserved, blocked off seats.  Well, I'm here to argue other wise.

First of all, if you are a member of a fraternity or sorority, you have spent a lot of money to obtain all those friends!  How are you going to get your money's worth and be able to sit with all of them if you have to take the time and effort to show up to the gates early with all you friends to find enough seats for everyone?  With block seating, members of said organizations are able to enjoy their pregame rituals, until it is absolutely necessary to head to the game.  That leaves enough time to finish at least a few more brews than would have been possible other wise.  Obviously this is not entirely fair, to the student body as a whole, which is why the mandatory arrival time of 30 minutes prior to kick off has been extended to 45 minutes. 

Block seating also serves as a great incentive for dull, boring students to make an effort to participate and join a student organization.  It serves as a reward for those who work hard to make food drives, and bake sales a success.  The University also wants to encourage all student organizations to apply for block seating.  Singling out organizations will only increase the desire to join such organizations and encourage unity across campus.  Just look at the Million Dollar Band!  They always have seats reserved, and they're the most unison organization out of the whole university.

Other issues in the past are being approached and dealt with to better the system of block seating.  For example, organizations with regular poor attendance will lose their block seating.  Also, to discourage students leaving early, the amount of students leaving before the 3rd quarter will be monitored and the proper action will be taken for the concerning organization.  So before you completely write off the idea of block seating, think about what pro's there may be, instead of dwelling on the many con's that may arise.

Dreams, what are you trying to TELL ME?!

"The interpretation of dreams is the royal road to a knowledge of the unconscious activities of the mind."  --Sigmund Freud


Dreams are probably the most confusing, bizarre, and intriguing phenomenon in the human psyche. It is no wonder why Freud was so obsessed with dreams and the subconscious, but can you imagine how hard it is to examine and study that? Sometimes I have thrilling, exciting adventures in my dreams, and other times they're upsetting or just down right weird. What's even more frustrating than trying to interpret and decipher meanings from dreams, is simply trying to recall bits and pieces of the story, or the people, or the places. 5 seconds after waking up, I barely remember I had a dream, as chunks of it melt away the longer I'm conscious.

The last dream I remember fell into this formula: It was seemingly realistic, yet bizarre, and I had trouble recalling certain parts to fill in the holes in my memory. I remember being at the beach with friends, and having an enjoyable time. Everyone was partying and living it up. Suddenly, my mood took a turn for the worst, and I couldn't make myself have fun and let loose. As I walked down the beach alone, I came upon an old friend.

It was my cat Betty, who died about a year ago. I was very attached to this cat, as she was given to me by my best friend growing up. However, as I approached my cat, I noticed she was different. Berry's eyes were glowing with the intensity of white flame, and a dark shadow seemed to encompass her. Frightened, I bent down to pet her. Demon Zombie Cat, or not, it was still my long lost Cat, that I missed. As I touched the top of her head, the beach around me turned to lava and flame. A seductive Satan appeared and spoke in a lustful tone. She wanted to offer me a deal: Betty's life, for my soul. I pondered this contract, and refused. The seductress mutated into her hideous true form, screeching and grumbling. I felt the heat surround me and engulf me in flames. Then it was gone, replaced by the beach, the party, and the noise of recklessness and morning humiliation. I never turned back and returned to the party that began the journey, experiencing what I did.

I think this dream was trying to tell me that it is okay to move on. College is a great time for partying, enjoying yourself, and even making a few mistakes. However, all good times must come to an end. We can't all be a Toys 'R' Us Kid forever, and live without responsibilities and consequences. I believe I was trying to use this dream to tell myself that it is time to grow up and move on, always looking onward. It is time to be proactive and tackle the future head on!

a Monolith and an Innovator in Film

My field in Telecommunication and Film is in media and film production.  Though I never expected to pursue a career in film, I've loved watching and critiquing movies my whole life.  I have fond memories growing up, where I would frequent the local movie store (usually Blockbuster) and walk through the aisles of movies, starting with the new releases, and then exploring the rest of the genres with hopes to uncover a classic.  In the short history of film making, there are many important and crucial people who serve as foundations and have made Cinema what it is today.

My favorite monolith of American cinema (also a major innovator) is known as being the Master of Suspense.  I am talking about none other than Alfred Hitchcock.  Having directed over 60 movies, as well as the Htichcock Hour and Hitchcock Presents he was without a doubt a very accomplished director, and helped set in stone his reign over the Suspense genre.  To name only a few of my favorites, he has thrilled and frightened the world with masterpieces such as a Psycho, Vertigo, North by Northwest, Strangers on a Train, and Rear Window.  What makes him great was not the eerie storyline or morbid subject title, but how he used the camera movements and angles to create a feeling of angst and suspense to keep the viewer on the edge of their seat, wondering what's around the next corner, sweaty palms and all.  He is also know for mastering the technique known as the "vertigo effect" given its name from the title of the movie that made it popular.  Today, it is a camera trick that many filmmakers try to emulate, and perfect in order to get just the right effect for their scene.

A great innovator of modern day American cinema has a lot fewer films directed than Sir Hitchcock.  However, he has reinvented the American independent film using cinematic dynamite.  Quentin Tarantino is known for making films of questionable moral nature, brutality, crime/drugs/profanity, and all around great original entertainment!  Under his belt he has cult classics such as Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill, Inglorious Basterds, and a few more that'll make you want to create your own independent shocker!  He doesn't care what critics think, he just wants to create quality cinema and bring the idea in his head to life.  I love his quote directed towards big budget, high grossing blockbusters churned out by glossy, computerized Hollywood:  "This CGI bullsh** is the death knell of cinema. If I’d wanted all that computer game bullsh**, I’d have stuck my d*** in a Nintendo."  This defines his style, though.  Vulgar, comical, and striving to produce something great that'll push the envelop.  Tarantino is know for making the viewer feel uneasy using dialogue, subject matter, visual images, and camera movement, and in doing so has become an innovator to up and coming directors.  My favorite angle he made popular in a few of his films was used 2 years earlier by Martin Scorsese in Goodfellas, and copied 4 years later by Robert Rodriguez in From Dusk Til Dawn.  If you are familiar with these movies, you have probably noticed the same "camera in the car trunk looking out" shot.  Tarantino will be the first to admit he steals everything he does, but at least he's honest about his success!

Thoughts on Multiple Intelligences

I had an idea and presumptions of what I would find in the results after taking the Multiple Intelligences test.  However it was intriguing and even helpful in a way to see the actual results laid out and organized into specific categories. 

The product of my answers showed that I scored high in the linguistic, musical, interpersonal, and intrapersonal aspects of intelligence (musical being the highest).  I expected that to be the case, considering my high interest in music of all sorts.  Both of my parents are band directors and music educators.  I was a member of the Alabama Boy Choir for many years, started piano lessons at an early age, and started playing bass drum in the school band in 4th grade.  From there I learned to play the baritone horn, trombone and tuba, continuing through to playing in the Million Dollar Band for 4 years.  In my highschool years, I also wanted to be in a rock band and learned to play bass guitar and a little electric guitar.  I appreciate many genres of music, as long as it's good and speaks to me, whether it's rap, punk rock, blue grass, or classical.

The areas that showed a low score were no surprise either.  Spatial/visual, bodily/kinesthetic, and (last actually being the least this time) logical/mathematical.  I've always known that I enjoyed history and English in school, presumably due to doing well and getting good grades.  Math and science, however, were my 2 greatest nemesis in grade school.  They seemed to team up like an evil duo of numbers and equations.

I'm obviously not the most graceful person either.  It isn't uncommon for me to find weird bruises and cuts from bumping into things are work or around the house.  Not to mention the countless times I've gone down on my longboard, on account of poor balance and foot control.

Having your intelligences dissected and displayed in a simple and easy to understand way is helpful in a couple of ways.  Not only am I shown what I am naturally good at, which helps me to focus and excel on these areas, but it defines what my weakness are.  With this knowledge I can try to work on those weak areas and expand my skills, little by little.  I can even try using my stronger intelligences to help improve the weaker ones.  For instance, I may try applying my musical intelligence and relate it to math equations to better understand and enjoy it.

A Little Thing that Drives me Crazy is....

CELL PHONES!  They drive me nuts.  And ok, I'll admit that I have an iPhone and I use it way more than I should.  Guilty!  I know we're in the digital age, and the age of constant and immediate communication.  Everyone owns a TV, cell/smart phone, laptop, desktop, multiple gaming consoles, etc.  It is impossible to avoid new technology and ignore all the advances of the past 30 years.  However, I feel there should be some sort of etiquette that accompanies the constant rush of new electronics in modern society.

My phone is almost always on silent, occasionally on vibrate, and very rarely with the ringer turned on.  I hate hearing obnoxious distorted/canned ringtones everywhere I go.  I can't stand the sound of a mini earthquake rattling on top of someone's desk in the middle of class (and then reoccurring about every 7 minutes).  And most of all, it infuriates me when I'm at dinner or in the car with someone, and instead of carrying on a pleasant, face-to-face, personal conversation, he's jawin' back and forth with a block of plastic and silicone that's emitting tiny amounts of radiation into their ear hole.

Instead immersing your life in the digital world by playing a gameboy, texting, or Facebook stalking all day, trying looking up.  Wake up early, go hiking, and watch the sunrise.  Go a week without a Facebook status update, or a Tweet.  Maybe even start small, and make a phone call over a text.  It is at least a step in the right direction.  I'm not trying to say technology is bad, or that we shouldn't use it for all that it is worth.  Technology is fantastic, and I panic a little inside when my phone dies and I don't have access to a charger.  But what I'm saying is maybe we shouldn't have anxiety attacks when the internet goes down for an hour, or your phone dies. 

How did we get so dependent on having to be able to contact anyone and everyone, everywhere, any time?  We tend to even get frustrated when our friend's phone has died and we can't reach them.  I remember when I was growing up, if you wanted to reach someone you called their house phone and asked to speak to Johnny.  I also remember when my family got its first mobile phone.  We paid by the minute, and it was for emergencies only.  Good luck having service if you were inside the mall or Wal-Mart.  I didn't receive my own cell phone until I turned 16 and started driving myself to school.  It's sole purpose was making phone calls (not taking photos, sending texts, or playing games and music).  My sister, who teaches third grade, tells me how she takes up iPhones from 8 year old's all the time.

  In today's society, if I want to relay a message, don't worry because I'll call your cell and leave a voicemail.  In case you don't get around to checking it, I'll shoot you a quick text saying "wut u 2, bro?"  Annnd just to touch all my bases, you can be expecting a facebook message, e-mail, and a fax.  You're only safe in the grave...  but only until Apple works out all the bugs for the Ouija Board App!

Best advice ever given...

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on."

  This is a quote from the famous poet Robert Frost.  It is advice that has been given and passed on over and over again through life, in all kinds of ways.  When Life gives you lemons, make lemonade.  Even the Beatles will profess "Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, Life goes on..."  But what makes it such good advice?  Is it not just an apathetic way to brush off having to listen to other people's problems, so you can complain about your own?  To quote Fight Club "When people think you're dying, they really, really listen to you, instead of just... waiting for their turn to speak."  Now, whether or not humankind is genuinely empathetic is another thought for another post, but I think that's part of what makes this advice so significant.  We can't always depend on others to "be there for us."  Times and people change, which makes having a stable support base difficult.  The most reliable support platform is yourself.  If you don't take care of and believe in yourself, who will?


What also makes this great advice to remember is the simple fact that life does indeed throw curve balls.  John Lennon said "Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans."  (In case you haven't already noticed, I love quotes, and I don't see any shame in sharing them with the masses!)  He couldn't have said it any better than that.  You can plan out your life and think you know what to expect, but then LIFE HAPPENS and sometimes it can be earth shattering.  Plans, though helpful to have, are nothing but people trying to maintain control.  But how do you predict a flat tire, heavy traffic, a computer crashing, termites, parents coming home early, cancer, terrorism?  The answer is, you can't.  But when you're at your lowest, you can only go higher.  You have to realize that, even though things can't seem to get any worse (they still might), that tomorrow is a new day.  Think to yourself "what can I do tomorrow to change how I feel today."  Because let's face it, pitying yourself and moping will never help.  It will only make you a miserable person to be around and cause you to lose even close true friends who truly care about you.  So life goes on.  Live, Learn, and get Luvs... meaning, take everything in stride, learn from your mistakes and the lows in life, and yeah, go ahead and make some plans.  Just make sure to write them down in pencil!

The moment I realized I was wrong...

As human beings, we are all pretty good at convincing ourselves that we're right.  Even when proven wrong (and I mean undeniably wrong), its hard to admit that you were mistaken.  There have been many arguments over a specific topic that wikipedia or google has helped settle, often times in the other person's favor.  However, these are times that I've had time to think, evaluate, an decide for myself what I thought was right.  It is when I have to make a decision in a split second that I find myself hesitating, waffling, and making a rash (wrong) decision.

The last time I was in the position to make a choice that I ended up regretting, I was longboarding with a friend of mine in a neighborhood in Northport.  I had just started learning how to skate on a longboard, but had gotten fairly good, meaning I didn't fall every time I stepped on the board.  It was more like every third time.

After "bombing" a few small hills in the neighborhood, my friend Tyler and I came upon what the local kids call Dead Man's Hill.  It isn't an incredibly large hill, but the thrill came from how steep it was.  There was no way around it.  We had to try it.  Tyler and I both went down simultaneously, yet we had very different results.  At the bottom of the hill was a small wooden bridge that went over a creek.  At the very last minute, I felt fear. I just knew that the second I tried to cross the bridge I'd lose control and eat creek.  I panicked and veered left onto a side street to avoid meeting my impending doom which I was sure was the bridge.  I was quite wrong.

The next thing I knew, I was picking myself up out of the gutter and picking dirt and rocks out of my knee and arm.  What I didn't see before I decided to bail at the last minute, was a small dip in the road that drained water across the street.  Between the dip and the friction of the water, I didn't even have a chance.  The second I saw the dip 2 feet in front of my wheels, I knew I had made a terrible mistake.

The lesson to be learned from this is not to jump into things without thinking through the consequences.  Think through your options, and analyze every turn, whether you're bombing a hill on a skateboard or making some of the bigger decisions in life.  If you don't, you may find yourself in the gutter.