Thoughts: Keeping in Touch

Silence can be one of the most uncomfortable things for humans. It's strange, unusual, not something that we're used to in the world we now live in. If you walk for more than two city blocks in the afternoon, I bet you hear people talking to each other or they're on cell phones. If they're not talking, they've got earbuds crammed in their ears and they're drowning out the world with their new favorite songs.

I too find silence strange, but I embrace it. I enjoy it.

When I first moved into this house, I was having a really hard time breathing in my room, especially at night. I started to then realize just how dusty my room gets and there's no air circulation in here either. My mom had an air purifier that she wasn't using anymore and she gave it to me. Ever since the moment I plugged the thing in, it's been whirring away and I've seen a significant difference. There were two things about the purifier that I didn't enjoy. The first was that it's not silent by any means. In fact, it makes quite a racket. The second thing that I didn't like, and the reason why I turned it off for the first time tonight, is that it acts almost like a fan, sending a bit of cool air into the room.

It's already freezing in this room as it is, and I didn't want any extra chilliness in here so I turned it off and was immediately stunned by how quiet my room is when it is turned off. I can hear the fabric of my hood gently rustle when I turn my head to either side. I can hear the clicks on my keyboard but I'm partially convinced that now I can hear my keystrokes, I'm making a much more profound punch on each key.

But, when I sit perfectly still, the thing I hear most loud and clear is myself, my thoughts, me.

Think about all the things you do to busy yourself, how many ways you have of keeping in touch with people, how to stay informed with what your friends from high school are doing or what your sister's new cat's name is going to be. It is wonderful to have so many technologies that make it easier to stay in touch with others, though I doubt you have as many ways of keeping in touch with yourself.

You are the only thing you have your whole life. Your body, your mind and your soul. Don't simply get used to what you have, transform yourself into the best you you can be! Take time to listen to what you need. Unplug the things what whir and blow cold air.

Relax and examine yourself in silence.

Happy Holidays!

Working retail during the holiday season is a bitch. There's no nice way of putting it. Thankfully I work for a company that is eco-friendly, both environmentally and economically. I take pride in the work I do and am happy to make sure that each customer is going home with the right products to suit their needs. At the end of each transaction from the middle of November until Christmas day, I would close my conversation with the customer with: "Happy Holidays!" I did this not only because I don't want to offend anyone, but also because I myself don't have Christ in my Christmas so wishing someone a merry one seems out of place.

It wouldn't be fair to classify myself as a Christian as I don't believe that Christ is my savior, someone else maybe, but not mine. I consider myself a spirtualist as I am very aware that what God is is much larger than anything any one group of people could define, so I find bits of truth as well as faults with each religion I research. Unfortunately, many people are much more close-minded than myself and I encountered several of them this season.

As I wished this woman "happy holidays," she made a big stink about how no one says "Merry Christmas" anymore. She went on a rampage about how we're in American and therefore we should all be celebrating Christmas. Since customers are miraculously always right, even though they can be very, very wrong, I agreed with her that it can be upsetting to always have to be so politically correct, but I did not wish her a Merry Christmas or agree that Christmas should be the only holiday celebrated.

With all of that said, I hope that whatever it is that you did or will celebrate is absolutely wonderful!

Something Sophisticated (an attempt)

If I don't see you more than once a week then each time I do see you, you say: "So, what have you been up to?" and "Why don't I ever know what's going on with you?" and sometimes you even say: "Why don't you send me an email every now and then to let me know how you're doing?"

Depending on how I'm feeling that day I could answer you with a few variations but typically I'll say: "If you'd follow me on Tumblr, you'd know." A couple days ago I realized that's a lie. I've since felt uneasy posting some things on Tumblr and other things I post would probably give my grandmother a heart attack, so I'll just hope she never finds it.

Needless to say, I need somewhere to throw thoughts, hope someone catches them whips them back. I don't mind if it's a curve ball. I can handle it; it would be preferred. Yes, I have a LiveJournal too, and I even had a different Blogger account once upon a time.

Things are different now. I'll keep-up with my Tumblr account as it's become a great community for me and I've met some outstanding people, one for certain I'll cherish my whole life. I will put other things here though: things I've been pondering, tidbits of things I find interesting, but mostly it'll be a good way for you to get to know me. You, the guy who sat next to me in Ms. Craemer's Algebra II class. You, the barista that doesn't mind my pickiness with pastries. You, my sort-of cousin as your aunt is my dad's ex-wife. You, Sister, checking this blog every three months when you remember that it exists and you have a couple minutes after changing a diaper. You, ex-girlfriend/ladyfriend/guyfriend/boyfriend who stumbled upon this and are not certain if you want to know what I'm up to but are now intrigued by my pointing you out. And you, someone who stumbled upon this blog and enjoyed what you read.

So, instead of date night, watching another Food Network Challenge, or doing some cleaning, I've created a new blog. What a successful day.