With so many discussions about what we should or should not be doing I frequently wonder what people think I may be doing "wrong". Not that I really care but admittedly I have found myself defending my choices in case the other person does have that opinion. So today I'd like to share the things I do that may be perceived as "wrong" by some.
I am doing something wrong because:
- movie & sushi at home is a great Friday night
- I don't want to sit at the beach in the middle of the day for hours
- I smoke
- watching TV is something I truly enjoy
- hanging out is better than a Yaletown "club"
- there's nothing wrong with a responsible hunter and I would go myself, and participate in the rest.
- I read the Province instead of a "real" newspaper
- "still" single
- no interest in desperately searching for a husband
- I still don't know if I want kids
- I have no desire to join a gym, its not about exercise it's just the gym part
- won't even step foot in a Starbucks unless I have to
- don't drink red wine and no real interest in wines.
Now the question is... am I ashamed of these things therefore I believe others will judge me? OR Have my experiences shown me that other people "look down" on those things? Might as well throw a third question in there. Do some people "look down" because they secretly feel the same way and are ashamed themselves?
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
The (not so good) $1 Menu
I recently purchased an item I normally wouldn't due to cash flow issues. I have been using a more expensive version for awhile and noticed it really did work better. So today's topic are things I believe truly are "You get what you pay for" And to begin, the item I am referring to in the first sentence.
Kitty Litter
- The $20 container vs $10 container is a huge difference. In smell, ease of scooping and how long it lasts before you have to switch all of it out.
Draft Beer
- Unless the place is crazy successful or it's a one off thing there's now way the cheapest draft beer will be the best. And I'd be willing to add beer in general. It's not just about taste but the side-effects. Cheap draft beer will always leave you feeling worse than not so ghetto beer.
Candles
- I've tried to avoid buying $1 store tea-light candles for a while now. Besides them burning for only half the amount of time as regular priced candles, I've had them "burn" through the little 'dishes' they are in. The wax went everywhere, lovely.
Keyboards
- I went for the cheapest keyboard I could find when mine suffered some liquid damage (yeah ok it was beer, but not mine!) and I hated it. I didn't even want to go on the computer which was shocking simply because of they keyboard. Sucked it up and got one only $10 more than the first but the difference was astonishing. Though the first one had a volume control on it which I miss.
Lint Sticky Roller Refills
- While I do use the cheaper ones I can find at the $1 store I have had very bad experiences with some of them. Given the choice I would definitely pick the name brand.
Freezer Bags/Saran Wrap
- Try as I might to save money on these things it really is the brand name versions that do the trick.
Burnable Media (DVDs & CDs)
- You can usually find really good deals on burnable discs but they should be a brand name of sorts. At least one you recognize. I once purchased 100 CD's for the price of 30 in Futureshop and they were garbage. By the time I had gone through them I realized it would have been more effective if I had purchased the brand name ones in the first place. Seeing as I bought them one off when I had something really important to burn and didn't want to take the risk.
Jewellery
- Yeah it would be nice to have real silver, gemstones, gold... take your pic. But you can't always get what you want, you can try however, to have a temporary fix with the cheapo stuff but don't expect it to last for too long.
As you can see I have purposefully left food items on here as I think it deserves a mention of it's own. At the same time there are food items I prefer the store brand of, but again for a different time. I'm sure there are things that I will think of later so there's a chance another list will come along.
Kitty Litter
- The $20 container vs $10 container is a huge difference. In smell, ease of scooping and how long it lasts before you have to switch all of it out.
Draft Beer
- Unless the place is crazy successful or it's a one off thing there's now way the cheapest draft beer will be the best. And I'd be willing to add beer in general. It's not just about taste but the side-effects. Cheap draft beer will always leave you feeling worse than not so ghetto beer.
Candles
- I've tried to avoid buying $1 store tea-light candles for a while now. Besides them burning for only half the amount of time as regular priced candles, I've had them "burn" through the little 'dishes' they are in. The wax went everywhere, lovely.
Keyboards
- I went for the cheapest keyboard I could find when mine suffered some liquid damage (yeah ok it was beer, but not mine!) and I hated it. I didn't even want to go on the computer which was shocking simply because of they keyboard. Sucked it up and got one only $10 more than the first but the difference was astonishing. Though the first one had a volume control on it which I miss.
Lint Sticky Roller Refills
- While I do use the cheaper ones I can find at the $1 store I have had very bad experiences with some of them. Given the choice I would definitely pick the name brand.
Freezer Bags/Saran Wrap
- Try as I might to save money on these things it really is the brand name versions that do the trick.
Burnable Media (DVDs & CDs)
- You can usually find really good deals on burnable discs but they should be a brand name of sorts. At least one you recognize. I once purchased 100 CD's for the price of 30 in Futureshop and they were garbage. By the time I had gone through them I realized it would have been more effective if I had purchased the brand name ones in the first place. Seeing as I bought them one off when I had something really important to burn and didn't want to take the risk.
Jewellery
- Yeah it would be nice to have real silver, gemstones, gold... take your pic. But you can't always get what you want, you can try however, to have a temporary fix with the cheapo stuff but don't expect it to last for too long.
As you can see I have purposefully left food items on here as I think it deserves a mention of it's own. At the same time there are food items I prefer the store brand of, but again for a different time. I'm sure there are things that I will think of later so there's a chance another list will come along.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Whose reality is it anyways?
Perception truly is everything, so is it fair for me to presume that what someone else perceives cannot be reality? Is my viewpoint so informed and clear to state that I am right and they are wrong? I certainly hope so at least some of the time. I'd like to think that I possess a level of awareness and understanding to know when reality is really reality.
Countless times I have been listening to someone's perception of a scenario or person and thought, "you just don't get it" or "this makes no sense" or "how could you possibly think that way?" Then again I'm sure people have thought the same thing with something I've said. So who is right? Does it matter?
In many cases I think it does matter if you believe the other person needs a reality check. If someone's perception is obviously skewed by their emotional state, looking at it from an objective standpoint you should be able to see what they can't. Yet how do you explain to someone else that what they are seeing isn't reality? But again how do we know that it is reality.
I recall once listening to someone describe paint colours in a home. I saw the colours for myself and what we saw was the complete opposite. The complaint about one colour being too brown I saw as more of a green and vice versa. But who was right? I used previous experiences with the same person to figure out who was seeing things correctly. One particular example is seeing a shirt on them and remarking how well the colour suited them. Yet the disagreed completely and suggested a completely different colour that supposedly looked good. I have to trust that my perception would be more accurate than their perception. It is usually the case that others see us for us while our brains will skew things in our own head.
The best solution I have found so far is to pick my battles. Take a stand when I truly believe someones perception is flawed and allow them to believe a false reality when it isn't hurting anyone. It's just hard to figure out whose reality is flawed and when it is time to let them know.
Countless times I have been listening to someone's perception of a scenario or person and thought, "you just don't get it" or "this makes no sense" or "how could you possibly think that way?" Then again I'm sure people have thought the same thing with something I've said. So who is right? Does it matter?
In many cases I think it does matter if you believe the other person needs a reality check. If someone's perception is obviously skewed by their emotional state, looking at it from an objective standpoint you should be able to see what they can't. Yet how do you explain to someone else that what they are seeing isn't reality? But again how do we know that it is reality.
I recall once listening to someone describe paint colours in a home. I saw the colours for myself and what we saw was the complete opposite. The complaint about one colour being too brown I saw as more of a green and vice versa. But who was right? I used previous experiences with the same person to figure out who was seeing things correctly. One particular example is seeing a shirt on them and remarking how well the colour suited them. Yet the disagreed completely and suggested a completely different colour that supposedly looked good. I have to trust that my perception would be more accurate than their perception. It is usually the case that others see us for us while our brains will skew things in our own head.
The best solution I have found so far is to pick my battles. Take a stand when I truly believe someones perception is flawed and allow them to believe a false reality when it isn't hurting anyone. It's just hard to figure out whose reality is flawed and when it is time to let them know.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Shoulda woulda coulda
I really enjoy discussing the idea of "ignorance is bliss" as lively conversations will generally ensue. I for one agree with the statement. Living a life of ignorance could really result in bliss. If you are completely unaware then nothing can really affect you right?
Now while I agree I don't subscribe to it myself. I like knowing, learning, asking - sounds like my profile, check - and generally being aware. According to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs self-actualization can only happen once all the other needs are met. Those who live in that blissful place never really get to the top. Yeah they may excel at things but is there a passion or a need driving it or just the ignorance of going along for the ride/doing what one "should" do.
I truly do believe that you will never fully experience the good without the bad. Which would in turn imply that those who never experience the bad will have a hard time appreciating the good. This isn't to say that these people won't be happy, I'm sure they will be, but they will be existing on a surface level. A level of no awareness, no introspection, no desire for understanding. Like functioning on auto-pilot. Sure the plane can fly but what happens when it comes time to land or an evasive maneuver is required? In a sense you would be "flying in the dark".
All of this brings me to the point of what we "should" be doing or the feelings of failure that can occur when we are living up to expectations other than our own. I myself realize that I am not where I thought I would be at my age, but then again how could I have really known? So many things will take place in our lives that will forever change our paths. Do we struggle to fight against them and realign ourselves with the "should"? Or do we embrace them and use them as a tool to move forward? To become better than our previous "should". Besides where does this "should" come from?
The "shoulds come from society, our friends, our parents and our environments. The fact that I am 29 will generally elicit a "should be in a relationship". But I'm not. And of course there are times where I feel sad and alone but at the same time I am actually quite content with it all. I should be in my career right now. I'm trying I really am and I may just get there (with my upcoming interview) but it took me a while to find my path. And during that time I got to have a "once in a lifetime" opportunity working for the Olympic Games. I would not trade that for anything in the world. Yet I know that in the minds of some I'm not doing what I "should" be doing.
We shouldn't allow ourselves to become slaves to the expectations that other have of themselves. We should be striving towards achieving happiness in our own lives. Not necessarily forcing yourself to be happy with just the things you have. But finding the things that make US happy. Happiness is different things to different people so why do we try to achieve the things that make others happy?
Now while I agree I don't subscribe to it myself. I like knowing, learning, asking - sounds like my profile, check - and generally being aware. According to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs self-actualization can only happen once all the other needs are met. Those who live in that blissful place never really get to the top. Yeah they may excel at things but is there a passion or a need driving it or just the ignorance of going along for the ride/doing what one "should" do.
I truly do believe that you will never fully experience the good without the bad. Which would in turn imply that those who never experience the bad will have a hard time appreciating the good. This isn't to say that these people won't be happy, I'm sure they will be, but they will be existing on a surface level. A level of no awareness, no introspection, no desire for understanding. Like functioning on auto-pilot. Sure the plane can fly but what happens when it comes time to land or an evasive maneuver is required? In a sense you would be "flying in the dark".
All of this brings me to the point of what we "should" be doing or the feelings of failure that can occur when we are living up to expectations other than our own. I myself realize that I am not where I thought I would be at my age, but then again how could I have really known? So many things will take place in our lives that will forever change our paths. Do we struggle to fight against them and realign ourselves with the "should"? Or do we embrace them and use them as a tool to move forward? To become better than our previous "should". Besides where does this "should" come from?
The "shoulds come from society, our friends, our parents and our environments. The fact that I am 29 will generally elicit a "should be in a relationship". But I'm not. And of course there are times where I feel sad and alone but at the same time I am actually quite content with it all. I should be in my career right now. I'm trying I really am and I may just get there (with my upcoming interview) but it took me a while to find my path. And during that time I got to have a "once in a lifetime" opportunity working for the Olympic Games. I would not trade that for anything in the world. Yet I know that in the minds of some I'm not doing what I "should" be doing.
We shouldn't allow ourselves to become slaves to the expectations that other have of themselves. We should be striving towards achieving happiness in our own lives. Not necessarily forcing yourself to be happy with just the things you have. But finding the things that make US happy. Happiness is different things to different people so why do we try to achieve the things that make others happy?
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Vow #2
The summer of 2010 will forever go down as the summer I reawakened my nerdness. The summer of Dr Who and Twitter. The summer of looking for sites, blogs and podcasts that have a nerd/geek spin to it. It will also be the summer that I vow to go to Comic Con. At least once before it's too late.
I've known about and been interested in Comic Con for awhile now. A place where many of the things that I enjoy come together. Now I know it started as a Comic Convention, and even though I didn't really read them outside of Archie I do remember watching X-Men when I was really young. I watched Get Smart & Bewitched when I was 8 or 9 and I'm guessing they would have had an attendance there nowadays. So it isn't that big of a stretch to think I would want to go.
Best idea would be to try and hit up the San Diego one. I could incorporate the West Coast road trip into it and end up in San Diego as I'm pretty sure that I would want to save the convention for the end of the trip. I would seriously consider going down in cosplay but I would most likely stick to some sort of "wenchish" idea. Unless of course I discover some sort of character that I absolutely fall in love with... hmm I could probably do River Song. If she's still applicable by the time I make it there.
Alright! So plan is; save money and plan to hit up Comic Con. I'm crossing my fingers that it will be for 2011!
I've known about and been interested in Comic Con for awhile now. A place where many of the things that I enjoy come together. Now I know it started as a Comic Convention, and even though I didn't really read them outside of Archie I do remember watching X-Men when I was really young. I watched Get Smart & Bewitched when I was 8 or 9 and I'm guessing they would have had an attendance there nowadays. So it isn't that big of a stretch to think I would want to go.
Best idea would be to try and hit up the San Diego one. I could incorporate the West Coast road trip into it and end up in San Diego as I'm pretty sure that I would want to save the convention for the end of the trip. I would seriously consider going down in cosplay but I would most likely stick to some sort of "wenchish" idea. Unless of course I discover some sort of character that I absolutely fall in love with... hmm I could probably do River Song. If she's still applicable by the time I make it there.
Alright! So plan is; save money and plan to hit up Comic Con. I'm crossing my fingers that it will be for 2011!
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