Found

   Over the years I mentally created a list of things I wanted. Not passing items I saw in a store window. No, they are things I just want deep down. While they are random, there's a thoughts behind each one. Here's what I've found so far. 

{Red Highlighter}

You see every color highlighter out there. Blue, green, yellow, orange, pink, even purple. But no red. Why is that? My only guess is because red is the color teachers often use grade papers. Red corrects the mistakes, it shows the bad, thus landing it with a bad connotation. I went into Staples for the purpose of getting one and was delighted to find they had them. I haven't used any other color since. I guess I'm making up on all the lost time with no red highlighter!

{Red Rain Boots}

Red again! I have one simple reason for wanting red rain boots. I had a pair when I was in the first grade. Ever since I've just wanted them again. You'd think this was a pretty basic color for rain boots but it actually took me awhile to find them in a store. They're very useful for quick outings in the snow too.

{Triangle}

It's a shape. It's an instrument. How can you go wrong? I finally got to use one in music class during the 6th grade. I just loved it. While drafting this post I realized I put no effort into getting a triangle. I looked on Amazon and easily got one. It's not symphony quality but it does the job. 

{Telescope} 

This has to be the number one thing of all time that I've wanted. Who doesn't want to look up into space from their own backyard?  I always go outside when there's a possibility of seeing a space launch or a meteor shower. I did some research and purchased this one a couple weeks ago. I can't say my dream has really come true yet because I haven't tried it out. Being a total amateur make me a bit hesitant about using it. I just have to put the time in and get some astronomy knowledge in my brain. I might do a post in the future on how it goes. 

I Was Wrong

"I was wrong."

How frequently do you hear that? I don't hear it very often. It seems like no one wants to say it. It's usually in the statement "I admit I was wrong." Few want to admit to a mistake. Why is that?

Pride? That shouldn't be the case. Will you ever be rewarded for upholding such pride? Pride can likely lead to something bad. Or the person may think they're genuinely right. Can you ever doubt your first ideas? Can't you be edited? Accept you may not have all the facts or know the true feelings and motivation behind each disagreement. The emotion arguments produce the most is anger. Anger makes you assert your point without taking anything else into account. That certainly won't get you anywhere. A person may stop speaking to you because they feel there's no reasoning to be done.

I invariably have the desire to fix things. I'm always hoping the other person feels the same way. It's difficult to know what to say when the other person just won't budge. Friendships I never thought I had to affirm end. I never stop thinking about what I could have done differently.

This is the little bit I've learned -
Do whatever you can to preserve the friendship. Don't deny any fault of your own. There's nothing wrong in taking a fall yourself.

The Flashlight Club

One day this past week I couldn't charge my iPhone or iPod because my two USB cables stopped working. So I was faced with a challenge since I usually fall asleep listening to music. I remembered this small radio which probably came from my grandma's house years ago. Nifty little thing. I've always been impressed that you can listen to the radio for free and 24/7. Good thing for me! 

I've jokingly said to my mom she needs an iPad Mini to use when she can't fall asleep. It was hard for me to imagine what it was like to fall asleep in silence and no little box of light to stare at. It finally hit me- that's what she's done her whole life. Not all that long ago there were no smart phones and computers. Besides T.V. and radio, what could one hear at night? Nothing!

That shows it's possible to live without it. Plenty of people do and don't feel devoid of anything. Sure it's nice to carry out business and stay connected with friends (an overused phrase) but how much time do we spend doing necessary things? You get this profound feeling once you turn off the screen. The whole world of the internet is gone. It's not a physical thing. 

You don't have to get rid of all technology because people in the past lived happily without it. Just see if you benefit from spending a little less time with it. Read this blog, take care of your work, see the new photos of your nephew on Facebook and go do something else. 

Don't Break Your Own Rules

People always seem to be quick to tell you what to do. For kids, parents and teachers have all the control. For adults, their boss, spouse, friends and everyone in between call the shots. Everyone has their own idea of what you should and shouldn't do. It can be irritating. But what about when you decide for yourself what not to do? 

Only you know your whole situation, all your strengths and weaknesses  When you've resolved something yourself  it's worth following though on especially when it's clear what needs to be done. 

If you break your own rules- what's stopping you from failure? 

Temporary Insanity

   How much longer can what's popular on the Internet now stay popular?  Does each thing have an expiration date set to expire? Content on the Internet is obviously fast pace and changing each day. A news story attracts most of its readers in the first few days or even less.  A video might get passed around for a weeks time. All websites they reside on and more needs to be questioned.

   Most of us have social media websites we visit regularly. For the past three years Facebook has been the top choice for many. I signed up for Facebook in 2006 when a friend invited me. I didn't think much of it. I literary only knew one other person on the site so there wasn't much I could do with it. I let my account lie dormant while spending time where my friends were, Myspace. There was a good four year period when that's what most people used (maybe you were Xanga type of guy.) While everyone was searching for a new layout for their page and leaving "pc4pc!" comments, Facebook was gaining popularity with the college kids it welcomed. I'm not going to go into the whole history of Facebook, that's not what this is about. But why did people totally switch from one thing to another? I know its full of inaccuracies but in the movie The Social Network,  Mark Zukerberg asked how The Harvard Connection would be different from Myspace or Friendster. The answer was that girls would want to date guys from the school and because of exclusivity. That's just two things Facebook became to have making it stand out. There are more answers to that question and you can see the differences between the two now. Cut to today and only a tiny fraction of users remain on Myspace.

   Just in the same way, what's next? How much longer can the popularity of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or even YouTube continue? Each of them have been established as some of the top go-to places. Not to say that the whole population is divided between these, because there are a lot of similar places to talk with friends, upload pictures and watch videos. There isn't a clear answer. Each can adapt to the interests of the users if they are willing to.

   One reply could be that because the Internet is improving and becoming more and more advanced is the reason why things can't last. Websites that were created in the early 2000s don't stand a chance in their original form. The features and layout of YouTube are ever-changing since it started almost eight years ago. Very likely it will soon have its first video with a billion views. Yet those who make money uploading videos on the site for a living are sensitive to the fact that YouTube won't be around forever. They have other pursuits and create content elsewhere. Some are part of a company, like Maker Studios, that produce content immune to the popularity of YouTube. People want to secure material in something more reliable than a single website.

 
   Indeed none of these websites will suffer a fall unless another rises above them. If and when this takes place is anyone's guess. I'm certainly not the only person to examine this. Are you questions them too?

Influence

   The fall time and all holidays that it encompasses has been talked about nonstop for months now. 

I'm finding this year to be the most extreme for many reasons. It's not enough for a store to sell holiday things during the month they occur, now the seasons must be celebrated too. 

  
   My whole life I thought summertime was what people enjoyed the most. But going back to August I kept hearing about "getting ready for fall" and people actually anticipating it. Why? Seasonal everything. One thing is clothing. Obviously the fashion world prepares for the weather changes and new trends, but now people can't wait to put a sweater on. Think about that.  You want to be so uncomfortably cold you have to put on a sweater? That's what you look forward too? Boots aren't worn when they're needed, they're just a fashion accessory. 

  
   Another thing that's really being pushed is fall time drinks. Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts can now get consumers to come in more frequently with the offer of seasonal drinks. You can get either pumpkin, caramel, or mint flavored chemicals added to your expensive coffee.

   Your home also must be ready for the change. The season offers stores the opportunity to sell an untold amount of decor items. There used to be a time when the only leaves you saw were on the ground, and the only pumpkins were edible ones. This is in addition to all the holiday decor available.

   Media is an aid to commercialism. It's just adapting to this change and giving its support. But now things have become more "social."  Social media can be used for the further outreaching of advertisement in order to get you to buy seasonal stuff. It now comes to you on the most personal level possible Internet-wise.

   I can't help but take note of the degree to which this manifestation of the pervading influence has burst forth upon us. What can be hyped up next?

Wait and See

   I'm always been one to get some great deals on clothes and other things. For a long time I wanted some way to share these impressive finds. My latest buy is worthy of this humble blog.

   Going all the way back to July, I saw a girl wearing these really interesting shoes. The next month or so I saw them in Dillard's. To my dismay they were $89. I obviously didn't want to pay that much. As time went on and I was in the store again they were reduced to $69. I almost did consider getting them because I thought they were so cool. But I held back. Eventually I was there in  September and saw there was a big shoe sale going on. Excitedly I found the shoes and they were marked down to thirty something dollars. Not too bad. Alas they were only left in sizes 5 to 7. Too small for me. All hope seemed to be lost!

  I was there late last Friday and they had their usual amount of shoes on sale. And me refusing to accept defeat, I looked for them. And to total surprise, I found just one pair. In an 8 too. My size! The sale price was still $30, fine with me.

Gianni Binni. Originally $89.99

 Also I found these awesome shoes with a good amount of other shoes all for $9.99.
All designer, I mind you. Crazy!

Gianni Bini. Originally $49.99

When the total for both came to $21.83 I thought "what!?!"

..for some reason unknown to me...the woman who checked us out voided the price of the first and gave them to is for $9.99 also. Possibly they should have been marked down more because they were from the summer.
 

Never pay full price!