Abandoned

This is my hobby. For better or for worse I gas up my vehicle and drive the open road going, OOoo!! At this moment I slam on the breaks, whip out my camera and get to work.

When this happens photos like the this one are created with my camera.

An abandoned farm structure lies, well... abandoned. :/

I liked the photo in black and white... it just seemed fitting.

I can't tell you how fun this is for me. There's something about these structures that speaks to me. It's like I can feel the energy flowing from these structures. Like they were once the pride and joy of a family and were taken care of and nurtured as precious necessities. Most of the things we hold dear in life are like this; merely material and are destined for abandonment. Don't believe me? Go to your local Gamers and ask for an original 1985 Nintendo. Betcha they'll dig one out of an old box full of video game guts and dust it off and kindly ask you for $20 so you can take t home.

Amazing how everything material we have is destined for decay just like this old barn. The only things we should hold onto are each other.

That's my two cents. What do you think? Feel free to comment on the photo itself as I'm trying to improve my photography skills. Don't be afraid to be mean, I have a tough outer shell.

Harlem Shake

How can we stop this monstrosity?

Submit your ideas below. Thx!
-- MGMT

Happy New Year (Yeah I'm late, what of it...)

So I'm late. Yes...

I hope this year has started off well for you all. I'm just working on getting back into the swing of things with this blog. I plan on posting some new and exciting things in the coming weeks, I'll try to keep this thing fresh and new for you all so be sure to check back periodically!

Just remember, no matter what happens this year, don't allow yourself to slip into complacency. Keep working hard, the world needs the gifts you're sitting on!

J.R.

3, 2, 1. 1, 2, 3... What the Heck is bothering me?!

This is bothering me so much I had to blog about it.

I normally don't do this. I normally don't whine and complain about some arbitrary first world problem that others wouldn't even consider a problem. Yes I know there are starving kids in Africa, that over in North Korea they worship their leaders and have no voice. Yes I know there are people in Syria right now fighting just to not be blown up by their own crappy government. I know there are problems more significant than this, and when I reveal what's bothering me you may laugh. I'm prepared for that outcome...

Ok, so what the heck is bothering me? This... this is not only what's bothering me, it's literally killing me... (See pic below...)

Cubicles of death. Why do we do this to ourselves?

Ok, so I work full time, pretty slick gig, low stress pretty awesome work environment even better pay. That's all good, no problem there. I'm making more money than I ever have in my entire life and my coworkers are awesome. So you may ask, what the heck is your problem? You've hit the big time, you should be living it up, relishing in your success, enjoying the fruits of all those college late nighters. I've made it...

The trouble is whenever I walk in to this place (Which shall remain nameless) I want to vomit. Not because I hate the company or the work, not because my boss is a jerk (He's not in the least, he's an awesome boss and just all around great guy). I just literally can't bring myself to work full time and enjoy it. The only way I can describe it is a feeling of a very slow and painful death sitting at my desk. I literally feel my creativity leaving me. All of my motivation going out the window, sometimes I feel like I just want to end it all. Like sitting there 8 hours a day is literally killing me. And each day I wake up it's the same overwhelming feeling of dread. Sundays are by far the worst because I know that I'll have to sit another 40 hours of my life in this manmade nightmare.

When I am vocal about this here are the typical responses:

1. You're young. You'll get used to is. (Good God, I don't want to get used to this!)

2. Everybody does it. Welcome to being an adult. (I wasn't born with enough middle fingers to respond to this one.)

3. Well, stick it out. Bide your time and move on when you're ready. (I'm pretty sure feeling suicidal  8 hours/day isn't healthy.)

4. Just be glad you have a job. (I'm very glad I have a job, it just makes me miserable)

5. Yeah I felt the same way, but I just realized that it won't be forever and I'm just looking forward to retirement. (Holy crap I have to do this for 40+ years?)

6. Do what you love. (What does that mean?!)

7. At the end of the day it's about your personal happiness (True, but this doesn't pay bills.)

8. Just go for it, pick up and move, you're only young once! (I find leaping into nothing painful and foolish.)

9. Hang in there! (Yeah, I'm trying. Thanks!)

10. Are you crazy? (Yes, maybe...)

So what is one to do? I leave that question up to you because I don't have an answer. I can feel my sanity slowly slipping away, and while this may sound very dramatic I can tell you that it's real. I feel like I'm destined for so much more than becoming a 60+ year old man in a cubicle with a size 58 waist. I just sit and think of all the things I could be doing besides sitting there, sending emails and waiting for the phone to ring. I feel like I'm just throwing away the best years of my life, when I should be out exploring, learning and changing the world with my talents, what am I doing... sitting. Something has to give. There has to be more in life, and the longer I wait to find this out the worst I feel. 3, 2, 1. 1, 2, 3. What the heck is bothering me...? 

The real world. And what bothers me is that it's like an elephant graveyard. It seems to be a place where ambitious people, once full of hopes and dreams, go to die. Worst of all, I feel it happening to me...

The Male Stereotype Intro

In the universe, there's something called "Dark Energy".  No, this isn't a physics blog, but let me explain.

If you subscribe to the Big Bang (and lets not discuss that here) it says that the energy that initially caused this huge event is driving our universe apart.  In other words, all the "Stuff" in the universe is moving away from our galaxy.  

Physicists blame something called "Dark Energy" for this effect.  We can't see it but it's there and it's having huge effects on our universe.  

Geekdom aside, lets get to the meat of the matter:  We've all heard of, and are aware of the female stereotype in media, but is there a male one in the background having huge effects on our society?  In another post I'll attempt to bring some compelling evidence and links to studies done on this (If there are any that I can find).  

Stay tuned. 

NBA or WNBA? (Not Another Sexist blog post)

When I say NBA multiple names come to mind: 

Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Dennis Rodman, Scottie Pippen, David Robinson, Isaiah Thomas, and my personal favorite Reggie Miller.  

I can go on and on and rattle off the names of greats that have come and gone through the National Basketball Association more commonly referred to as the NBA.  There are so many legends in this sport alone that it can make a sports enthusiast giddy with excitement just thinking about the flashy dunks, beautiful passes and clutch 3-pointers from down town.  

Rebecca Lobo taking it to the hoop

Now I know what you're thinking... you're thinking I'm going to say that I can't name a single WNBA player worth their salt and you'd be wrong!  Completely wrong.  

Ladies, a shout out to you... some of you can ball.  Like seriously ball with the skill and precision of any of the greats I mentioned previously.  Greats like Diana Turasi, Rebecca Lobo, and Cynthia Cooper are just some of the stars in the WNBA that could most likely take good old MJ to school (Those names were non-google aided by the way).  Actually I wouldn't mind seeing the ladies go toe to toe with the guys in a good game of one on one.  

Reggie Miller, most likely taking a 3-pointer
from another area code.  Of course he'll make it...
he always does

You know... Pandora had a box a lot like this but I'm going to open it anyway.  I want to know what would happen if the NBA and the WNBA were integrated?  Yes you heard me, have both women and men on the same court side by side, teammates.  Sounds crazy?  Perhaps...

Ok, so the differences between women and men are obviously huge just in the way they're built alone.  And I can hear you saying it now.  "But Josh!  Women aren't as physically built as the men, they'd get hurt playing with them."  Or some might take this angle "Josh you're crazy it would never work, nobody would go for that... just leave things alone."  

Nate Robinson (left) at 5'9" next to
Shaquille O'Neal (right) 7'1"

I ask why can't it work?  If it's an issue of the physical differences there are small guys all over the league.  Need I bring up Mr. Nate Robinson?  For those of you who don't follow basketball, Nate Robinson currently plays for the New York Knicks.  What's so unique about Nate?  Well he's one of the shortest players in the league standing just 5'9" and weighing in at 180 lbs.  For reference, I also happen to be 5'9" (ok more like 5' 8.5"... I'm not ashamed) and weigh just 145 lbs.  

Don't feel sorry for Nate though, he's a formidable force on the basketball court averaging 11.2 points per game (ppg) and 4.5 assists per game (APG).  Hardly helpless if you ask me.  There have been other such examples like Spud Webb, most famous for his work on the Atlanta Hawks stood a tiny 5'7" and who could forget tiny little Muggsy Bogues?  Best remembered for his role on the Charlotte Hornets (Currently the New Orleans Hornets)  Standing at just 5'3" tall!  These pint sized ballers have (And had) great careers despite their physical limitations.  

So why bother doing this? Well for one I think it would add the "history" factor that I believe WNBA lacks in it's brief 15 year history, it would also give exposure to some of the league's brightest stars.  But that's just my opinion...

I want to know what you think.. so here are the questions:

Do you think the WNBA and the NBA should be integrated?  Why or why not?  

Are you really a Hockey fan and not care about basketball?  

Why does everything rotate counterclockwise?!  (Seriously it does, try flushing your toilet and watch which way the water flows)

Disclaimer:  When responding be respectful, lets not offend ladies or gentlemen commenting on this blog.  Thanks!