Progress

Progress is one of the rarest things in life to witness. If you are lucky you can even live through it. However, many of us spend countless hours and days wishing to see progress in people, places, and situations that just simply seem destined not to. Recently, I was among the few lucky people who habitate this planet, and was able to witness such a euphoric phenomenon.

I have a very close friend who I think very highly of. For as long as I've known him, he has always been known as the funny guy, and nice/proper/good guy. He was always the one to open the door for someone, or to be a VERY polite gentleman when dealing with a lady. He always treated women with way too much respect, and put them on pedestals that reached the stratosphere. The ladies have always perceived him to be "cute" and "such a good person to talk to". It actually grossed me out. Now, I'll be the first to admit, I don't demand attention from the ladies with my looks or style, and I have also been a little guilty of being some of the adjectives aforementioned. However, it was a sense of politeness he had, that I never saw duplicated. The worst part, is that every time he said something funny, and made people laugh you knew he was holding back from saying something that would make people ecstatic.

Then today, it happened. He got on the phone with a girl and was a complete jerk, and funny at the same time. I mean if I was the girl I would think this guy is an asshole, but he's pretty right and funny too. The thing with funny people, is that they're usually right about what they're saying. It was transformation before my own eyes, and ears. I was ecstatic and excited that this happened. He was as he describes it "loose". A state of mind, I highly recommend.

Life is short, what do you have to lose. Be like Petey Greene, and speak your mind. If an ex-con can inspire millions, just imagine what you can do by speaking what's on your mind, and not giving a fuck about what people think. I admit, this is easier said than done. But courage is a commodity reserved for the few.

Perspective

Many people gain perspectives from different experiences, and methods. I gained my most important perspective in a rather unique way. That would be the perspective of what I'm doing with my life.

In a somewhat dimly lit Italian restaurant thru eyes hiding behind a thick set of spectacles I gained perspective. Intense eyes magnified by the thickness of the spectacles were looking at me and challenging me. They belonged to one of my cousins for whom I have the utmost respect. We were generously sipping, consuming, embracing, and enjoying rather tasty and expensive Italian wine. After about the third bottle the discussions elevated to a new level of passion (As with anything else Italians do, their wines tend to generate a lot of passion as well). We discussed everything from where my cousin would move, to what he wanted to do with his life now that his medical training was coming to an end, and what would make him happy. Married, with three beautiful daughters, and owner to countless numbers of hours spent helping others, I felt my cousin had earned the right to take a moment back at this important fork he had arrived at in his life before embarking down a chosen path.

While most of the discussions were about him, and what he was doing, I managed to find time to self reflect in the middle of all this. "For future generations to come" were the words he uttered which sent my mind into a whirlwind of thoughts, flashes, and ideas. Those were the words he chose to describe how well his family would be taken care of (financially) from his hard work, and the fruits of his labor. Unfortunately, those same exact words made me realize that I probably wasn't in a shape to take care of myself (let alone my future children), and he was worrying about his future generations. In this smorgasbord of thoughts I realized that what I was doing with my time was far less valuable than what my cousin was doing with his time. We were both happy, but what we were contributing to society was vastly different.

Its sad but true, that the way other people live their lives to do what gives them happiness does have an affect on us. Maybe I'm getting older, maybe I'm starting do give a damn about things but the feeling I had in the pit of my stomach in that particular moment managed to stay with me until today. In recent years I've grown much fonder of things like music, books, and people who have made accomplishments. I guess in that moment I realized that I was living a life that completely satisfied my more stupid inhibitions, and pretty much ignored the interests of my higher conscious. Its not necessarily a bad thing, but I guess all people at some point have to come to this realization and make a decision. We have to either choose to realize this and satisfy our higher callings, or choose to ignore them. Although there is no incorrect answer, one decision will make more of a difference in the world than the other.

Up to this point I've randomly attended museums or read books and used it as an excuse to think I'm doing good. But when you see someone who is living a life of satisfying a higher calling it really gives you a good idea of where you are. Hopefully someone can read this, and understand that they too will have to make this decision of satisfying the higher calling or ignore it. Whatever you choose, I hope its something you can look back on many years from now and be proud.

Action Versus Word

Actions or words? It is quite like the question which came first the chicken or the egg? However, there is one little difference between the question I pose, and the former. That difference is that my question has an answer.

They say the pen is mightier than the sword, and I whole heartedly agree. The effect that powerful words can have on the massees is much greater than what a sword can ever do. If you don't believe me, just go take a look at what Hitler or Thomas Jefferson achieved with their words.

However, words without action are useless. I am of the firm belief that actions speak lounder than words. That implementing an idea is just as important if not more than the idea its self. An idea without action is waste. Its like putting on a condom and hoping for sex. Without effort, nothing will be achieved. What makes this even more true is that any one who does one thing and says another is usually remembered for what they DID and not what they SAID.

So I suggest to you that with the finite time you've been fortunate enough to be granted, use it. Think. ACT. Achieve. It is our actions which define us, and it is our actions which we will be remembered by. Consider your fortunes, alwawys know you have a choice, and Act Accordingly.

The Right Decision

How does one make the right decision? In some cases it is very clear what the right decision is. There is a clearly immoral consequence if we make the choice opposite of the right decision. If all of life's decisions were this way, it would be quite dull.

It is those decisions that make us think twice, and look back which are the decisions and choices that define us. Most of the time in these situations we know what the right thing to do is. However, our emotions take control over us, and somehow inhibit us from doing this. Whether its kissing someone you shouldn't or taking that job that forces you to move away. These soul gripping, gut wrenching decisions are the most difficult to cope with. Seldom do we make one of these decisions and not look back and wonder "what if". Unfortunately the "what ifs" are usually many. There are several paths we could have chosen, however the unfair thing about life is that we only get to choose one.

So the right decision I guess is the one that you can live with. The one that stings just a little bit every time you look in the mirror, but you can stomach it. I guess eventually you wake up one day and realize you are a masterful composition of various tolerances, and in a weird way I guess you can even call that wisdom.

Lost

Sometimes time seems to get lost as if you have no idea where you put it. Its quite amazing really, when this happens because you never think that time of all things can be like this. You never realize that at some point you can see where you are in life and wonder how you got there.

For example, at 5 AM at an airport terminal I wonder when did this happen? How did it occur? Its quite easy to give into randomized sequential chaos that we call life. Its quite easy to just become one with it. It takes great discipline to stand above it, and see control it. Its not something that everyone has the ability to do...just ask the junkie on the corner. There are times, when you wonder why didn't I sleep when I could have, and you convince yourself your a man who seizes the moment. Until that moment becomes so heavy it feels like cinder blocks on your eyelids and your muscles become stagnant.

Time...does get lost. The objective is to try not to lose it too often. It would be nice to be able to have a systematic routine that provided discipline and control in life, but it would also be bland. What to do? I really don't know. I guess seize all the moments you can, and remember them.

Memories

When you learn and you live
and you love and you give,
you start to realize that life's a trying test
yesterday's memories and today's realities
keep our emotions in check, and bring out our best
We try not to let the fragrance of nostalgia
trigger a cascade of thoughts
Yet in the end we are simply what we are
People. With yearnings built in the heart stored in the mind,
and embedded in the soul.

The Stank Profile

I've come to the conclusion that although we are all unique as humans, as cultures we have several traits that help identify us and provide a common thread for people of a certain background, creed, or location. I am not a racist, or any kind of ..-cist, however I've realized that different people have different odors...which I like to call the Stank Profile.

Where did this genius revelation come from you might ask? Well, it happened yesterday evening when I was at the Ft. Lauderdale airport Chili's restaurant grabbing a bite to eat waiting for my flight to arrive. I was eating my chips, and blackbean burger, when out of no where a gentleman comes next to me and asks if the seat next to me at the bar was available. It was so I said "Its all yours". I then returned to take another bite into my veggie heaven sandwhiched between to pieces of bread with just the right amount of hot sauce, and it happened. A nauseating odor had infiltrated my nostrils. It was highly repulsive yet familiar. Then I realized, I recognized this odor from the gym. It was the stank of an African-American man-sweat (my buddy that used to spot me at the gym, stank like this all the time after some cardio). In that instant, not only did I abandon my meal, pay my bill, and get out of there, I also realized that we as humans have a stank profile. This is the general profile of odor we emitt when our deoderants and anti-perspirants have failed us. I've narrowed them down to the following:

Indians - A combination of paprika, lemon juice, & diarrhea
Blacks (by this I mean those from the islands as well as Africa...I don't mean this in a racist way) - a combination of sweat, rotten lettuce, & stale beer
Whites (non-jewish) - a combination of burnt hot dogs, puke, and olives
Whites (Jewish) - a combination of spoiled cabbage, wet hair, and mayonnaise
Hispanic - a combination of refried-bean-fart, jalapenos, & Taco Bell meat
Oriental - a combination of burnt-oil, cough syrup, and onions

I hope I did not offend anyone by this, I was hoping to offend everyone equally. Actually, if your honest with yourself, you may even find some truth in these observations.