Technology Is A Double Edged Sword

It is hard to remember a time without cell phones or social media that has us connected at every point in our lives. I mean, really try and think back to the time when it was possible not to be reached every second of the day. It may be easier for some, but for me it is a big fuzzy line. It just happened one day. Some say you can still achieve zero contact, but a weird thing happens when people are unreachable. People get angry. "why didn't he pick up? I know he isn't busy." This weird transition that we made happened almost over night. People no longer can just be out of contact. It is unacceptable if they are. That brings with it a lot of great things and a lot of awful things.

One of the consequences of our "Always Reachable" age is that divorce is at an all time high in America. I think that Facebook, and social media sites as well as cell phones play a huge role in destroying marriages. Back before social media people met each other but usually were highly restricted to the town or surrounding area where they lived. You met someone, got married and had a family and that was that. Now, there is an unlimited amount of people at your fingertips. Ex's can find you, you no longer have a small pool of people to pick from, and the ease of being able to find someone has increased exponentially. The biggest thing out of all of those reasons though is that you have so many different people to choose from. People can control who they talk to and don't have to answer a message from someone, but just the sheer number of relationships at our fingertips is overwhelming.

There are also benefits to these changes as well. Market and business expansion has increased at an astounding rate because of increased accessibility and new markets are growing daily. I can order a product from China and it can be on my door step tomorrow morning if I choose that way. 50 years ago that was unheard of. The expansion beyond America was unheard of. Now people are no longer just people, they are moving business machines that can connect with their clients at any point they want. Completely and 100% able to adapt and get the data they need for their changing business environment. It is an incredible opportunity that we have as mobile business stations. We can make deals from anywhere in the world and expand product to previously unreachable markets, all from the screen of a smartphone. Another large impact that cell phones and social media has had is an increase in safety for people, especially children. Parents can track their children and at all times have a way to be in contact with them. This can be more dangerous than you would think. It has the potential to lure parents into a false sense of security. Extending the leash a bit too far can have terrible consequences. It also is positive because it provides the parent with the knowledge of what their child is up to. There are pros and cons to the increase use of technology, we just have to be smart enough to not get trapped.

In the end technology is going to advance regardless of what is good or bad about it. We have the amazing opportunity to harness it and be more effective businessmen, increase safety for ourselves and our children, and connect with so many different unique people. But we can also destroy ourselves and those around us if we are not careful with the technology at our fingertips.

College: Is It The Biggest Scam In The United States?

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College education in America is a bad joke. Instead of preparing the next generation of leaders for the jobs of tomorrow, the college education "industry" has become a giant money making scam. We constantly preach to our high school students that they "need" to go to college and we tell them to not even worry about how much it is going to cost because a college education is "always" worth the money. Then we lend them outrageous amounts of money so that they can pay the gigantic bills for the "education" that they are receiving. But the truth is that the quality of education at America's colleges and universities is absolutely abysmal these days. Nearly half of the nation's undergraduates show almost no gains in learning in their first two years of college, in large part because colleges don't make academics a priority, a new report shows.  Students also spent 50% less time studying compared with students a few decades ago, the research shows. We already have hit the 1 trillion dollar mark for student loan debt earlier in the year. College tuition has increased at a rate 6% higher than the general rate of inflation for the past 25 years, making it four times as expensive relative to other goods and services as it was in 1985. How then can we say that the higher education system is working? Students pay way more for sub par education that is getting worse each year. With these institutions bringing in so much there is bound to be a drop off in effective teaching and corruption can flourish. Professors seem to no longer care about connecting with their students but are more focused on writing their books or doing their own research. I have come across this numerous times throughout my education. Asking a question is almost frowned upon. The only advancements that I see being made are embracing of new technology. With that move toward advancing technology, basic things are being looked over. E-books are incredible devices and I am a big proponent of them but not so far as to lose the ability to write reports or do basic research. Everything is at our finger tips now and that can be a problem. Students have to realize that a 4 year degree now is not worth what it was 25 years ago. Yes, it cost much more but the added benefit it provides does not in most cases seem to support the financial burden that is placed on those who borrow for school. I recently performed a job shadow along side another associate who had a Masters degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Leadership. I am still working on completing my associates degree and we were both looking at the same job. Now, granted maybe that degree would give him a step up in the hiring process, but maybe it would not. I know a handful of people who have worked hard at getting degrees but did not get into work environment to gain that experience and they are not even consider for positions because they have no experience. I am finding more and more that experience is valued much higher than a degree in that field. There are always exceptions to this rule and people who have gotten degrees and gone on to do amazing things that the degree launched them to. As a whole I feel those are few and far between. The list of people with degrees that cannot find a job in their fields continues to grow though. Over 317,000 waiters and waitresses have college degrees (over 8,000 of them have doctoral or professional degrees), along with over 80,000 bartenders, and over 18,000 parking lot attendants. All told, some 17,000,000 Americans with college degrees are doing jobs that the BLS says require less than the skill levels associated with a bachelor’s degree. That should alarm you. How can these people getting degrees only be able to land these kinds of jobs? The system is broken and is no longer preparing people for the "real world" it is preparing them by giving them a piece of paper and a empty promise. The more I dive into the field of insurance and talk to people who are working at a high level and make a very good living, the more I hear that they did not go to college. They worked hard, got the designations and certifications in their field and got the work experience needed to succeed. It just seems to me that more and more students are diving farther into debt to get that coveted degree, and then when they graduate they cannot find anything more than a high school graduate level job. The sad thing is, is that school tuition is just going to increase, books are going to increase, and the focus of actually producing high level professionals is going away. Schools are focused on profits. They are businesses and I firmly believe that they would take a student who can pay cash with horrible grades over a student who is an A+ student but needs financing. They want to see their bottom line grow. Is there a way to fix this? I think we can, but it is going to take a gigantic shift of focus to achieve it. This shift is something that I don't think will ever happen because there is way too much money tied into higher education in America. Is a degree worth it? Possibly. But do not bury yourself in student loan debt that can never be paid.

When does our age fulfill us?

"And we learn as we age, we've learned nothing" - Brand New

Is there ever a point in your life when you can look back at an earlier age and feel like you actually knew something then? I feel as though I can look back at when I was 18 and realize I knew absolutely nothing and had no idea about the way things worked. And my 18 year old self could look back at 16 and realize that person knew nothing. I am almost an entirely different person now then when I was 18. So that is what I am getting at. Can we ever get to an age where we can look back at an earlier age and say "you know I had it all figured out then and still do now. I haven't changed much at all." It is kind of a sobering thought because at the time we think we are on the right path or that we have a good grasp on our lives. Years later you can look back on those times and realize that you were so childish and foolish and really did not know much about what life was about. When I think back to 18 I wanted entirely different things than I do now. I had entirely different friends, and different ideals. In fact, if I were to pass my 18 year old self on the street walking I may not even recognize that person. This is another one of those things that blows my mind. How can I in the span of 4 years become such a different person? Is it the influences we have around us, or is it maturity? I think it might be a combination of both. It is also weird because we can't see this change or progression or maturity as it is happening. We can only see it after some time when we reflect on our lives. I also enjoy this weird phenomenon because it shows me how much can happen in such a short time. These things really get me thinking about my life and how grateful I am for the things I have. If I had gotten what I wanted 4 years ago I shudder to think about where I might be at now. I mean, it could be wonderful, but it is so weird to think about where one choice might have taken me. I am glad to be where I am, even if I know nothing right now. Just some thoughts for your afternoon.

Decisions, Decisions

There is a fork in the road up ahead with two roads, one to the left and one to the right. When you run into that fork, which way is the correct way to go? This is kind of like that choice Neo had in The Matrix, you know the red pill, blue pill scene. Not a fun time. There is no real way to answer that question and no one wants to end up in the rabbit hole. At one point in our lives we are faced with the question of which way do I go with the decisions at hand. Whether it is a choice to move to another state to pursue a new life or to marry someone you love. It can be scary. In fact I think it has to be scary or there wouldn't be a tough decision to make. One of the things I like to do when facing a big decision is consult every angle in my head. I know to the people who are not analytical that this can seem like a ridiculous way to go about things but there is some real value in it. It really helps me to see every scenario and be able to focus on those that are the best possible outcomes. Tough decisions can be broken down to help you get a better understanding of the working parts. I also like to consider the advice of people who are close to me in my life. I cannot overstate this. Often we put on blinders when it comes to our own life and we just force ourselves to not see what could go wrong. I know that I can offer good advice when people come to me with questions but in my own life I have a lot more trouble. Usually a good friend can point out exactly what is going on and guide you back on the right track. Remember that most of these decisions are going to affect more than one person. It can have a huge impact on a lot more people than you may realize at the time. Consider the impact that is unseen as well as what you can see clearly. Making big decisions in life can be a really rewarding experience if you take into consideration all the aspects of the decision. They can also backfire on you and you have to take the tough road. Choose carefully.

Life Lessons

"To be great is to be misunderstood" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

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I think the biggest inspiring and teaching moments in my life have come when I least expected them. What really set me on the course I am on right now as a trip that I almost did not take to Chicago a little over a year ago. It is a pretty unique story and one that I am actually pretty proud of. I was in Chicago visiting my aunt and uncle because my cousin was getting married. My life had been on crazy crash course *alliteration aside*, and this trip came because a trip I was planning to Pennsylvania fell through. See those little decisions again popping up everywhere. I had been feeling for some time that I was on a stupid course and not really going anywhere. I was chasing things that were going to get me no where and I couldn't right the ship. The problem was that I wasn't doing anything to make it any better. I had a dead end job that I made a pretty good living on but by no means was I going to make Albertsons a career. Or at least I hoped not. I wasn't in school at the time and just was kind of drifting along through things. A great deal of painful things happened to me in my personal life and a random text message to a girl I use to be close with made me realize she was the one I was going to marry. That alone was realized on that trip and could be the ending of this story right there but so much more happened that it really is amazing. I saw the way my uncle had achieved success and how he had worked so hard to achieve it that I really took stock of my situation and realized I had to make some huge changes or I was going to be unhappy almost constantly. I decided that I would give myself a year and get back into school and really push hard at attaining some of the things that I wanted out of life. So I moved back home, got rid of a lot of negative influences in my life, got back into school and started really applying myself. In that years time I managed to get into the company that I had been working so hard to get into: Scottsdale Insurance Company. I also did well in school and like I said found the girl I wanted to marry.




I tell you all this because I think we get lost in the shuffle of being "stuck" so often. I know that for me I felt like this was all I was ever going to be and I had a really bad attitude towards life. I had such negative factors pushing me in the wrong direction that instead of fighting those things I just became as cynical as they were. The first step in really pushing yourself to be better is to just go out and do something about it. When you make a plan or want a new job you have to go get started or nothing is ever going to change. It is super easy to say something and then never do anything to make that situation better. I also think that you can't be afraid to fail or make the wrong choice. That was always what I would tell people who asked me what the most important thing to being a manager was. Having the ability to make the choice that might backfire on you, but in the end pulling the trigger is what sets people apart. When I look back on these moments I realize that I was not expecting the things that inspired me to happen. I think those moments make a lasting impact because when you look back you can see how things might have been so different. The times I seek out inspiration are the times that I usually end up messing things up because I push too hard at what I think is right, when it really is wrong. So for those of you that feel stuck, remember that there is always a different path to take. It might require more work and a bit more pain to get there but it is worth all that because it takes you away from the rut you fell into. So make a goal that you can attain and stay focused on it and with a little bit of hard work you might just achieve it.

A Short Thank You

It has been a pretty incredible weekend for things in my life. I haven't really had a chance to write because of some of the things that have been going on. From the feedback I have gotten people want this blog to be more a positive thing and I don't think that it is negative I just have strong opinions that logically make sense to me. I enjoy trying to bring my opinions to people and I appreciate all my readers, even if you think I am just ranting all the time. So I will try and bring some more insight to you guys and make this a bit more positive. I want to connect and help and maybe even inspire people and I think I have the ability to do that. Thank you all for the feedback and I look forward to continuing to write. It means a lot everytime I get comments or texts about my blog and I enjoy debating with people. So if this means something to you or you want to tell someone about it, if you share it with someone it really means a lot to me. I know that my goal of reaching a large audience can be far fetched, but people seem to be responding to some of my ideas more than I thought and every time I hear about someone reading my blog it really makes this all worth it. So thanks to everyone who reads this and if you do like it, share it with someone, or link to it. Have a good day guys and I look forward to continuing to write.

Obamacare Is Upon Us

“Fathom the hypocrisy of a Government
that requires every citizen to prove
they are insured…. but not everyone
must prove they are a citizen.” -Ben Stein

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Obamacare was passed today by the SCOTUS as a 5-4 vote. This is an unsettling time in American History. Supporters of this are praising it as the best thing to happen to the healthcare industry in years and that it will help those who need the care but can't afford it. The problem with the law is that it is proposing to bring healthcare to an estimated 30 million uninsured Americans while driving healthcare costs down. Sounds really good on paper doesn't it? How can we increase healthcare and drive its costs down? Where is the money for the support of this coming from you might ask? I mean we can't just give healthcare to an extra 30 million people like magic right? So here it is. An assortment of tax increases, health industry fees, and Medicare cuts are going to help fund Obamacare. So yes, healthcare might end up being cheaper for those who are not insured right now and cannot afford a private healthcare provider. But for those of us that are insured by private healthcare, costs are going to rise. This is due to the fact that under this law your employer or healthcare provider is going to be paying more. They pay more you pay more, pretty simple. So not only are we seeing a tax increase, but we are seeing a rise in healthcare coverage costs for the privately insured. But it doesn't really stop there. "Beginning in 2014, the federal government will impose new fines on citizens and legal residents who do not obtain government-approved insurance. Those without insurance will pay a tax that is the greater of a flat fee, or a percentage of family income. The flat fee will be phased in over several years. In 2014, the penalty will be $95 per adult in an uninsured household, increasing to $325 in 2015, then to $695 in 2016, after which it will increase annually in line with consumer inflation. For uninsured children, the fine will be half the amount applied to uninsured adults. If greater, households pay 1 percent of their income in 2014, 2 percent in 2015, and 2.5 percent in 2016 and thereafter in lieu of the flat per person fee." source This is taking a fundamental belief in the foundation of America and tearing it away piece by piece. We are no longer following the Constitution and the way it was originally meant to be upheld. America was founded on freedom. If I choose not to have healthcare then that is my own choice. I am a free citizen with rights and if I want to take the chance of not being insured, so be it. Now that everyone is forced to get healthcare, a basic right is taken away. No big deal right? Pretty much wrong on every account. When one fundamental element is starting to be infringed upon then where does it go from there? What this really looks like to me is an enormous tax hike that was promised not to be a tax hike. Obama himself stated that it is "definitely not a tax increase" back in 2009 Video Here BUT the 5 Supreme Court justices had to call the law a tax increase to make it constitutional. If it walks, talks, and acts like a duck its most likely a duck. At least that's what I've been told. The progress toward socialism is going to leave us with less choices for doctors, increased wait times for specialists, and a downgrade in overall medical care. If you are going to be covered under this and have no insurance now it may look promising for you. Consider the fact that it is going to be a government subsidy. That is most likely going to mean that you have a very small network of physicians who will treat you or your child and that quality of care will be sub par. When has any government run program been better than what private companies could do? It may be better to have to pay out of pocket fees because at least then you know you are getting good treatment. You do not have to look far to see how socialized medicine has negative effects on quality. Canada is a good example. So where does this really leave us? One step closer to a socialist society that is eliminating our freedoms one by one. Obama pushed for this and it is his signature law that he put in place. Let's hope the "definitely not a tax increase" tax increase doesn't hurt too bad. Eh?

How Verizon Is Screwing Every Cell Phone User Over.

Protest of Verizon

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Verizon use to be a loyal company filled with people who seemed to be interested in growing their company and providing excellent service. As a result they became the industry leader in cell phone coverage and the biggest cell provider in the United States. I spoke about them often and was always first to promote them when anyone asked. But today they are releasing their shared data plan options that is going to set the industry back and is making prepaid services such as Cricket or Straight Talk that much more appealing. The biggest hit a loyal customer is going to face? Loss of their unlimited data plans and the huge increase in data pricing. Anyone grandfathered into an unlimited data plan will lose that service if they choose to upgrade their phone. These shared data plans are not going to save Verizon customers money and their executives have openly admitted that. The only way to benefit from these plans is if you have a large family all on one plan. The reason this is going to be bad for consumers is because these data plans are going to be coming out on all cell providers in the near future. I can almost guarantee that you can say goodbye to the unlimited plan that Sprint is offering and AT&T already did away with unlimited data and is considering similar shared data contracts. This is the worst because it takes loyal customers that have been with Verizon and have paid their hard earned money to make them #1 and screws them over.This is the problem with big business in the country. As a small company they have to be about customer service and once they have you they become just as corrupt as those before them. When are we going to have a genuine company that isn't about the bottom line as much as they are about making their customers happy? I sent an email to Verizon expressing my displeasure about their services and how they are treating people. I am still waiting for a response, but I will update this blog with their response. Our cell phones are becoming personal computers and data usage costs cell phone companies almost nothing. They are just jumping in because they see a way to make money. Similar to how texting use to not be unlimited, they saw an opportunity and pounced. The other problem that long time customers of Verizon face is that there is no where to really go on the "Big 4" of network providers. AT&T doesn't offer unlimited data and like I said is considering these type of plans, T-Mobile has horrible network ratings and is not really a factor. Sprint is the best choice, but with horrible network speed, spotty coverage, and no 4g service they are one to consider as up and coming and not ready to take on a huge customer base. If you are a loyal customer and want a product that you deserve then you should be pretty upset about this. Unlimted money for Verizon, limited product for you.

Changing Times

When people grow apart it is one of the hardest things to happen to you in life. Especially if that person was one of your best friends. I find that some of the hardest things to do in life are to realize for yourself that things are never going to be the same between you and someone who was super close to you. People come and go for reasons unknown but a lot of the time it is to get you through a certain point in your life. Without those people I don't know if some of the situations I encountered would have turned out the same. I have watched so many people in my life grow older and realize that the person they were so close to in high school just doesn't have the same interests as you anymore. It is a natural progression, but one that society seems to have a hard time accepting. Whether it be you marry someone your best friend doesn't care for, or you move out of state, or you just grow closer to someone else who shares your values and opinions. People change. Period. And for good reason. As I said before, being stagnant is a death wish. Not being able to let go of a person usually has a lot of negative things associated with it. I think that if we could learn to realize that people are ever changing and ever moving we would be able to let go of those in our lives so much easier. The person you knew in 6th grade hopefully isn't the same person they are today. Likewise, the person you were in 6th grade hopefully isn't the same person you are today. With our world ever changing it is incredible when someone says they have known each other for 30 years. It is hard enough to find someone I would want to talk to for more than 30 minutes let alone 30 years. But when you do find someone who has the same values as you late in life, they typically are worth holding onto. This all comes back to people being terrified of change and instability. People would take stability over radical change even if that change was going to end up positively. We need to change that thinking. This weird human condition baffles me. I recently had someone go through a rough situation and I was thinking about what would be the hardest part of it all. My conclusion was that it would be waking up without that person in your life because they have been there for 5+ years. I mean what do you do for your day to day? I think that is why people hang on so long, they aren't sure where to go with their daily lives because it has been so centered around that person or that job or that lifestyle. It's like when people quit smoking they have to relearn a lot of their day. Those commercials where the person stops smoking and has to relearn to drive and basically how to be a human are ridiculous but in a way make sense. They show how we as humans become dependent upon certain things and when we finally walk away from those things, or they are taken away we cannot function properly. Losing people hurts, but in the end I think you have to remember the good times with them and take all that you can with you. Everyone teaches you something, the wise person uses what they were taught to better themselves.

Off The Beaten Path

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I have always wanted to visit Israel. There are a lot of different reasons why but mainly because it is the site of so many historical events for 3 major religions. I think just seeing some of the old architecture and relevant buildings would be an amazing thing. For some reason that is one of the few places I would ever want to go. Travel has always been a lot of people's wants and desires but I have never really caught that bug. I am not sure why I haven't but I am content staying at least for the most part in the United States. I know that there are breathtaking things that I am missing out on, but I can rarely find the time or finances available to even take a vacation to San Diego let alone out of this country. I never really found the need to see somewhere else when I believe we have so many things in the United States that people are missing out on. Just driving through the countryside in North Carolina, or in Ohio is astoundingly beautiful in its own right.

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These are just a few of the views that the United States has that go unnoticed everyday by people looking to escape this country and see other things. I would love to take a month long trip around the United States. I would not take to the typical tourist spots. I would want to find those spots that give me those views above. Seeing the true beauty of this place I call home would be astounding to me. Take some time and think about what there is available to people in the US and try to find a way to get away from the stress of life and be a part of something off the beaten path. It may be well worth it.

Spanking Children: Why you should do it.

Spanking

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 VS. 

                                           

Timeout

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There seems to be a huge debate about whether or not spanking a child is consider an appropriate form of discipline. Let me be clear, I believe that a child not only should be spanked, but that it is required in the upbringing of a child. Many parents now disagree and this seems to be a hot issue of late. There are articles in favor of a pro spanking attitude and of course articles against spanking. Both claiming hard evidence that either works. So which is it? I believe a lot of that depends on the parent and child and the motivation behind the discipline. I believe that spanking a child every time they misbehave is wrong. It undermines the disciplinary action and shows that the parent really has no control over the child. Likewise, I find that timeout for every situation and discussion of the issue with every situation fails as well. You are the parent and if the child is acting out they don't always need to discuss it with you. A blatant attempt at acting out or being disrespectful needs more punishment then "why did you do it son?" There is also a big difference between a spanking and child abuse, let's be clear about that. I hate when people compare the two and say they are the same thing. Obviously, if the parent is out to hurt the child then spanking is wrong, but that parent really isn't in the business of helping the child anyway.

        A swift spanking with disciplinary action in mind and not to hurt the child is a far cry from leaving a bruise or a broken bone. So everyone who will make that argument just don't because anyone with half a brain can realize the difference. I think the blending of these methods, along with other techniques is the way a parent should raise their child. The reason I feel so strongly about spanking a child is because of the way it was successful in the past. It was also successful in my life and taught me the lessons it was intended to teach. Children respected their parents and they knew that it was foolish to test their parents patience and understanding. Look at our generation today. The lack of respect, work ethic, and overall ability to be successful should make a lot of people against spanking realize that these "new age" methods are not working. Be the parent and take charge of your child instead of having a discussion and telling them that what they did was wrong and then letting them go back out to play. Again, these things all go back to the ability of parents to care and make sure their child is doing what they should be doing.


      So if you are a parent who believes that timeout is the only way to go then please consider how our generation is now, compared to how children acted in say the 40's and 50's. I would say they had a few more things right back then than we have now, and if you disagree look at how you were raised, maybe you could have benefited from a spanking or two? Spanking a child builds character and discipline. Only using timeout as a form of punishment teaches children that they can get away with things and undermines respect and discipline. What if timeout doesn't work? What if the kid just never learns from that form of discipline? I know the argument can be made the other way as well, but that's why I believe a blending of methods is important. I am talking to the people who will never consider spanking. If the child doesn't respond to timeout and discussion, what then? If you keep repeating the same things with no response, you are responsible for that child being a terrible person in life. That is why our kids are so disrespectful and acting out younger and younger, they don't understand respect. They feel entitled. Show them that they are not entitled and hard work is what pays off. If you love your kids then prove it by showing them how to be a better person and more respectful. That means spank them when they are being little brats.

Small Annoyances

Found a new huge pet peeve of mine today. I absolutely hate when someone texts or calls you and you know they are trying to find out some information whether it be if you are attending a party or If you bought a certain gift for someone. Something along those lines. Here is the part that pisses me off: when they act like the care about you or your life and ask you a question, Like "how have you been" or "I have been wondering about you." why does this make me mad? Because they would have never called to ask me that if they weren't looking to find something out. I don't understand the need to try and make yourself seem like a person who is genuinely interested in me. Instead of just calling it like it is, and avoiding that bullshit of acting like you give a shit about me and my life you have to fake it. I would rather have someone call me and just say "so are you coming to the party or not" don't try to interject your attempt at caring into that conversation. It looks horrible and it makes the fact that you don't care much more obvious. Instead of trying to pretend that you are someone who values my life just be a normal person and don't try to show me you care enough about me for 5 minutes out of every year. Just had to get that one off my chest. I think that the more I write the more I hope people gain some sort of perspective on how to act, or at least how I think 99% of society should act. There are right and wrong ways to go about your life, regardless of what anyone tells you. Try to find the right ways and go with those. I truly appreciate those who read my blog and take the time to think about the things I write about. Leave me some comments on some things and see if we can't find a good discussion. Thanks to everyone who reads these. I'll keep writing. Get at it.

Awesome Moments #1

Ducks in the lazy river. 

This would be the coolest thing to happen. Hands down. Just thought I would share this with people.

Teaching Youth

My Dad and I 

There are only a few people in my life I consider to truly be a hero. One of them is my dad, Wes Herda. He worked and continues to work his ass off so that my family is taken care of and hardly ever asks anything in return. He taught me what it means to sacrifice yourself for your commitments, and he taught me the value of a hard work ethic. I owe where I am at in my life and how I've been able to be successful because of his love and commitment to me and my family. What really defines a hero to you? Is it success? Or is it moral values? It is great that people find value in celebrities, but it drives me nuts when parents get upset because celebrity x set a bad example. For any parents reading this, YOU ARE THE ULTIMATE EXAMPLE. If a kid has a good head on their shoulders and parents/parent who showed them a moral and honest way to live than celebrity opinions and mistakes mean nothing. I truly believe that almost every problem we have in society can be fixed. It doesn't take throwing money at the problem and it doesn't take therapy sessions and pills. It takes a real man and woman who raise their child with love and who actually give a shit. I'll leave you with this example: before when a student failed a class the child was at fault and the parents punished the child and applauded the teacher for being a good teacher. Now, a student fails a class and the child suffers no consequences and the parents sue the teacher for being a bad teacher. Care about your kids parents, punish them when needed, love them always, take an interest in their interests and they will not turn into a drain on society.

Jerry Sandusky Rant

I know this is been in the news everywhere and people are talking about it. I figured I could weigh in with my 2 cents. It is awful what he did to those kids and it is a horrible crime and he should be punished to the very extent of the law. I think it is worse however that people are forgetting about the victims of the crimes he committed. Everywhere I read people are making excuses for him and why he should be let go or that the trial wasn't fair. I understand we live in America and people, especially lawyers are going to try everything but at what point does this become about the victims and not Jerry Sandusky. He got his day in court and he got hung by the jury for lack of a better word. Let us the American people get this story out of the news and let the victims of this crap finally have some peace. I know that we are going to drag this shit out because it is a good news story and people like gossip, but seriously we have MANY MANY other things to deal with in this country then to keep bringing up this story and rehashing demons for the victims. I don't think they can even turn on a tv and not hear something about this useless excuse of a man. Everyone wanted Sandusky to get what he is getting and from here lets move forward.

                                                  Source AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar





Plus, it is ludicrous that people are blaming Joe Paterno and almost all of this crap on Penn State. I hate that because he worked for the University and things happened on their property that would have been impossible to guess about that they are lumped into this crap. Jerry Sandusky was the cause and problem behind all of this and the University is a big scapegoat for it. That would be like someone doing this at your place of employment and then your entire company is sued and at fault. Ridiculous.




The disappearance of the Ray Gricar the Pennsylvania DA that decided not to prosecute Sandusky in 1998 is also interesting.




Here is a good read for you.

Ray Gricar Mystery

The Best Laid Plans Build The Weakest Foundations

What would you do if you couldn't fail? I read those words on a shirt the other day and thought about what they meant and it pissed me off. That alone right there is the problem we are having in America. People need to realize and be taught that failure is a big part of life. I think too many kids these days grow up with the notion that everything they touch should turn to gold and when it doesn't it is society's problem and not theirs. Big mistake. All that does is give us the current state of affairs we find ourselves in. Not Good. It would be ridiculous to think about all the things you would do if you couldn't fail because then anyone can do anything they wanted. The world needs more than astronauts and fire fighters to keep on spinning. Failure breeds success. You may have wanted something so badly in your life and never attained it, but if you went as hard as you can after it then you can't hang your head. You learned the value of risk taking and hard work and that is something that a school book or a professor cannot teach you. Why I think people fear failure is that they don't learn from it. Being stagnant is a death wish. That's why I have that lightbulb in there. Thomas Edison failed so many times before he got it right. Ok ok, I know that example is fucked out and over used but it is a good way to put it. All I'm saying is that in my worst moments when I have failed miserably is usually when I can look back and realize that's when I grew. I watch too many people settle for safety in life and it isn't really living. If I never failed than I would never be where I am today. If you never take a chance in this life you never really experience things. Even if you never attained your goal, but you took the risk of getting there you are far better off than the person who just never went for it at all. Find reasons not to be an idiot...

Fragile?

From what I understand, not too many people realize the fragility of the personal relationships they have. Think of your wife, husband, girlfriend. boyfriend or even a best friend. What makes them that person in your life and not a stranger you pass on the street? There are countless little decisions that make you have that bond that you have with them. Now imagine if you changed just one of those decisions, what would change if anything at all? You may think that nothing would, but I disagree. I like to think that if you changed one decision than you may unravel everything that you have built. In my life, there are the huge decisions that are obvious. If my parents had never chosen to move to Phoenix, AZ then this blog probably wouldn't be being written and nothing in the context of it would be the same. But what about the little decisions? I can trace my life to these small moments that now in retrospect are enormous and life changing but at the time have almost no thought involved. What if my parents hadn't chosen to live in the house they did, and instead bought a house 3 streets away? My sisters don't know their husbands then, and I don't have the nephew that I have, I don't know my lovely girlfriend Breanna, I wouldn't be working where I am, and I would never have had the same interactions I have had. The reason being? A lady by the name of Jeanie Goodrich would have never invited us to Phoenix First Church of the Nazarene. But then I think about the decision she made... What if she never asked us to go and see what it was about? What if we had already found a church to attend? Or what if my parents just never had faith in Christ that they have? You change any 1 of those incredibly small insignificant decisions and you change your life entirely. At the time you don't realize the impact of these decisions. That blows my mind that things are so fragile and so intricately worked. I think that is why I value people so much more than others. If I care about you then I will do whatever it takes for you, and I find more and more in my life that people like that are very few and far between. People find people as fillers or time passers and don't value their opinions and personalities and amazing qualities. That alone breaks my heart. I would give up 100 time passers for 1 person I could never forget and our culture doesn't value that anymore. I think people need to sit back and think of those who they love and care about and if they are really honest with themselves start to treat them as fragile as the situation is. Love and cherish those you have, because 1 change in the decision making process makes them strangers.