The Holidays

While I don't celebrate Christmas myself, there's a feeling that you get around the holidays that I can't really explain. People are just a little more cheery, classic upbeat songs are winding their way through the cold winter air, and everyone wants to get home to their families for the holidays. I enjoy seeing the houses and their brightly colored lights, the mall santas who still bring wonder to some child's eyes, and maybe perhaps a nice layer of fluffy snow; we lack that down here.

Of course, there are two sides to every story; those that are well-off are probably going to have a decent christmastime. But how about the other side? The strong and sturdy souls who work paycheck-to-paycheck to keep their families afloat, and give their children the best holiday time they can muster. The ones who won't be having a place to go back to this holiday season. The nomads who wander the city streets, with nowhere to go. But the holiday spirit really starts to show now; as food kitchens and volunteers and shelters open their hearts to those without food or a home. At a certain time of year, people can see the real good side of humanity come out, and help out their fellow human beings. Corny or not, its heartwarming nontheless.

I would like to think of the holidays as a spiritual time as well. You have been on this earth for another length of time; lived, breathed, worked, and played. It's a good time to reconnect with yourself, and think about what you want to be when the next year comes around. Look back at the freshly written history you've written in your life's novel; smile at the good memories, accept the bad ones. But when the countdown finishes on the 31st, wipe the slate clean. It's a new beginning.

So that's my short tale of the holidays. I only want to convey a few things. Keep dear to your heart the true spirit of this time. That it's always better to give than recieve. That a present that comes from your deepest thoughts is worth more than some thing from the store. That putting a smile on someone's face is one of the best things you can do. But when the new year comes, you also have a choice. To do things differently, to do things you've never done, and to try and take a different path than the one your on now. The holidays are a time of warmth, but they also siginal the beginning of the upcoming year; where you have another chance to change your fate.

Happy Holidays; I hope you find your peace in some shape and form this holiday season. Best of luck to you in the new year.

G.

"What Keeps Us Going?" By G.

It's hard to say. The times are getting harder than ever. I've never been one to be a gloomy worrywart, but maybe this world is forcing me to have a metamorphosis. I think everyone's true worst fear is of the unknown. And what is unknown? Hell, many things. I don't know where I'm going, where I'm going to get the money to pay for the things I need, and I wonder what to do next. But I'm still here, and I think there's something that keeps our finger pressed on the play button of our lives. It seems that no matter how bad things get, there is always this tiny, but powerful glmmer of hope, Hope that this country can pull itself out of these rough times. Hope that I'll actually find my calling. Hope that one day I can truly discover myself. But hope is just that; hope. Thoughts have no force behind them unless the keepers of those thoughts choose to act upon them. As long as I continue to believe that I have the power to change something in my life or in the life of someone else, then it's worth it to carry on. To really succeed in anything, you need that combination of brains, motivation, and determination. Most people have one or two of these things, but its that missing piece that eludes them that prevents us from reaching higher. So we trudge onward. Imagine what it would be like to have all our dreams fufilled. It's these things that fuel the need to go on. And I say to you, the path to reaching anything is just one foot after another. One of these days, your going to wake up, rub the sleep out of your eyes, glance in the mirrior and see your most precious dreams be a reality. Until then, keep that fire alive.

I haven't been keeping up with Thoughts of G as much as I should be, but I'm on break for the next few weeks, and I will definitely write up some posts that are worthy of your attention. The past few I've written are disappointing to me, and were probably originated from the guilt of not writing more often... heh. Thank you for visiting this blog, and comment once in while so I know what you think of this stuff! Adios.

Ugh

Yesterday was World AIDS day, and I had planned on writing a post for it, but I obviously didn't get around to doing it due to time issues. I probably won't have time to write anything this week either. Thanks for your continued reading of the blog, and hopefully I'll have time to write some new stuff soon.

"Lost" by G.

It's a feeling that comes often now. It seems like everyone is so sure of what they want to do in life, and then here's me without a concrete plan. Is this wrong? Not wrong, but it could be problematic. It's nice to know that your feet have a solid path to walk on in life. But with that set path, that routine, there isn't much novelty or newness. I want stability as much as the next person, but I don't want my life to just be average. Two sides are always in this constant clash. The rational side, who wants peace and security, and the dreamer side, who wants excitement, discovery, even a little surprise.

We all feel lost once in awhile. We'll sit down and just lounge in our mind's fog, wondering what will happen next. We might even go through our past for a little bit, relieving old times and good memories. But it all comes back to that same point. Uncertainty. And we are always a tiny bit afraid of the unknown. But if we don't try to delve into the unknown at some point, we will never discover what potential treasures lie in wait there.

So we can't stay lost forever. Eventually our compass starts pointing us in a certain direction. We decide to take some course of action, and our lost-feeling-induced siesta is finally put to a calm end. There is nothing wrong with being lost once in awhile. As long as you eventually think things through and continue moving onward. We are going to lose our way often as we go through life; it is our ability to pull out the maps and chart a new course that determines what fate we receive.

"Perception" by G.

Perception; how you view the world. Not the official psychological definition, but good enough for my purposes today. But how you view something isn't necessarily what it actually is. If your in a dark room, you would say the room is dark. If a lamp decided to turn itself on, then you would say the room was well-lit. Yet nothing in this room actually changed, only our perception of it. And as we all eventually find out, perception is everything.

Your perception is very easily shaped; almost like some really soft Play-Doh. You probably have some assumptions behind perception too. If it's nighttime, then you would perceive things as dark. But what if that fake Rolex watch your wearing says that it's 9 A.M, and it was pitch black? You would probably be a bit confused. Well for one thing, if you didn't go off buying a fake Rolex you wouldn't have this problem. But the point is, as we live and learn, the rules that guide our perception change and grow bigger in number. But perception isn't just your physical sight you know. It's how you view the world with your eyes and in your mind.

So... how's that economy doing? Most of us would probably give a negative response. But why? It's not just because of prices or our job security. The media has a huge say in our perception of things, whether we like it or not. They can dictate which things will be shown in a positive or negative light. And even with gas prices down, all they need to do is send some impressive looking analyst from Harvard to tell everyone that the Apocalypse is coming, and even YOU will jump out of your pants. Well, isn't that just wonderful? But the Media, like many external influences, shapes your perception of many things.

Is there a "right" way to perceive? Not really. Are there things you can do to improve? You bet. The best thing you can do is to stay open. There are many ways to perceive something, and each way can teach you something different. But perception really is everything, and if you aren't careful then it can be easily manipulated. Thanks for reading; comments are always welcome of course!

Blogger'sUnite Special: "The Plight of the Refugee" by G.

Is is once again the start of another Blogger's Unite Day, in which the power of the web's numerous blogs is put to good use by spreading a powerful message for a noble cause. Now, let's begin.

One cannot easily think of the trials the refugee has to go through. But we can at least try to walk in their shoes. Imagine having to pack up and leave your home, on the spot. You don't know when you will ever see your home again as you walk away. You don't have a real place to go, and your possessions consist of the clothes on your back and little else. Staying would mean having to face persecution of many kinds, or being caught in the crossfire of conflict and war. You might even be separated from your immediate family. How would you deal with this situation?

This is the plight of the refugee, and many of them do not get the help that they so desperately need. As a refugee you would want to find safe haven by fleeing to another country and applying for asylum. However, not everyone will be able to get to a host country. Even more refugees are separated from their friends and family in the process of having to leave their homes.

People don't ask for war to show up on their doorstep. People do not request to be persecuted because of their beliefs and religion. These things happen beyond their control and tear the lives of normal people apart. They say home is where the heart is, but refugees are missing that part of their soul.

The worse parts of Humanity are what come out and displace these unfortunate people. But maybe the best parts of Humanity can redeem the world a little bit for what it has done to these refugees. As long as conflict and discrimination exist in this world, the existence of refugees will continue to be a sad reality.

So, what can you do? At the very least, arm yourself with some information. Check out the U.N Refugee Agency, or take a peek at this list for fifteen other organizations that help out refugees. You are sure to find some way that you can contribute to this effort.

I conclude this post with a simple message. Having a home is something that many of us take for granted. These people have been given a very unfortunate situation and are doing their best just to survive. Whether by spreading the message, donating time and money, or directly finding ways to help, the citizens of the world have a duty to at least be aware of problems like these and try to do something to help out our other human brothers and sisters. I thank you for reading this post, and hope you took something useful from it.

If you are interested in Blogger's Unite, visit their webpage here.

"Exertion" by Shinji

Hey everyone! Did you think you would ever see me again? Well here I am with another article. Here goes:

Every day we push ourselves to the limit one way or another. Exertion is just an everyday thing. We stress ourselves physically and mentally to do much more than we are capable of. I know I've even done it today what with getting a week's amount of programming done in one day. The after-effects can be horrible. You feel tired, you don't want to do anything... I'm surprised I'm even writing this article after being unable to write for so long! I suppose exertion unlocks what's hidden inside of you as well. Never before did I think I could write about exertion, much less exert myself at all. But the key to it is to keep pushing yourself all the time. Keep going until you can't take it anymore and then keep going some more. What I've noticed is that if you exert yourself, your limits expand. When your limits expand, you can do much more in less time because you don't have to take breaks or anything of the sort. I'm sure you all know what I mean - athletes exert themselves to train for events by running until they can't anymore. This, in turn, allows them to gradually run longer and faster without stopping or slowing down. That's the way it is for us as well. If you're not the physical type, much like myself, then go for mental exertion - get a hobby or something that is mentally intense and keep working on it. Quite a few times you'll get a headache or you'll develop a mental block but the key here is to rest very shortly and keep going at it. In no time at all, you will notice that you are capable of doing more than what you started off doing. For example, if you worked on a puzzle (let's say sudoku) and you kept going until you couldn't do a single one, in time you would be able to do the toughest sudoku puzzle possible in a matter of minutes. It's all about pushing yourself past your limits, exerting yourself that is, to realize and broaden your potential and ultimately make yourself a better person in the end.

"The Ability" by G.

So I've heard that everyone is good at something. That we each have some kind of skill that makes us unique. Well that makes everyone's self worth go up a fraction of a point, but how do we find this ability?

Well I definitely don't believe that we just have some special skill built into our brains or something ridiculous like that. But I do think that our own traits and mindsets can predispose us to certain things. For instance, someone who has been around books all their lives and reads them regularly probably has a better arsenal and command of vocabulary. This could allow them to be a good writer or a fast reader. People who started playing sports early probably have better coordination and strength. But these are very simple and static examples. We can't possibly know everything about ourselves; there is much in our subconscious that we aren't aware of. So to find what abilities we have, we need to learn more about ourselves. But how do we do this?

Well the easiest way... trial and error. You have to try many new things to learn what your strengths and weaknesses are. Once you have this information, we can try things that fit into that mold and see what we might possibly have a gift for. It's like buying a pair of shoes. You keep trying on different pairs until you find one that fits and is comfortable. You might learn that you don't have the best writing skills, or maybe you can't jump very far. But as you narrow things down, certain things might catch your eye. Maybe you have a knack for writing code, or you can throw a mean punch. Whatever it is, you acknowledge your weaknesses but discover strengths in return.

So you found a new skill... but what to do with it? The possibilities are infinite. But the only way to find the perfect shoe for your mental feet is to keep on trying them until you find the best pair. And when you do, you have gained a possibly interesting new hobby, or even a job opportunity. Maybe we will never know every last thing about ourselves, but we sure as hell can try.

"The Mission" by G.

Ya know, we don't usually do things without having a reason behind them. We eat to satisfy our hunger. We work to get the money we need to survive. We have certain hobbies because we enjoy doing them. So I suppose you could say that most of the things we do are guided by some kind of a reason; maybe even a mission. But fulfilling dreams is a bigger thing altogether, it isn't as black and white as like, eating to survive. I think that to get what we want more effectively, we need some kind of guide. A guide of our own creation. A "Mission".

I mean, most of the time we have the gist of what we want to do. But unfortunately, those dreams just sit in our head, and they never surface and shine like they should. Why? Well, life today is more complicated than it used to be. People have to work even harder to keep what they have, and time has turned into more of a scarce resource than is healthy. Our dreams lay dormant inside our heads, inspiring us for a few brief moments. But the stress and demands of life overpower this inspiration, and hence we never get that trigger to begin bringing our dreams to life. The only way we can reclaim time is to carve it out yourself.

But what if you had an external guide? Your dreams personified into a single sentence that you can look at everyday. If we choose to give ourselves a mission, instead of living life aimlessly, we have something to look up to that is all our own. Dreams can lose their way in the rush hour traffic of deadlines and worries driving around your mind at 90 miles an hour. So take them out of there and turn it into something that you can see everyday. Write it down and hang it on your wall. Make it the screen saver on your computer. Whatever it takes to get you to be constantly reminded of what you really want to do and be in life. You will find that soon enough, you will no longer need this mission on paper, because it is now a true part of you after seeing it for so long.

On a side note, I'm terribly sorry for not updating in so long, and I thank any readers who actually check my blog :D So a grand thank you to y'all.

"Self-Restraint" by G.

Just recently I was reading the news and saw yet another incident that caught my eye. A seventeen year old boy was stabbed in a parking lot; it turned out to be over some girl. Anger is one of the most dangerous emotions, but having self-restraint can prevent many things, including extremes like this one. Especially in today's world, with the various diverse thoughts and ideas of the collective, there is bound to be conflict. Many people worry about things that they can't control. But the one thing that is constant is that you are almost always able to control your own actions. We should spend less time worrying about the many factors that are beyond our grasp, and work to shape and control our own behavior. The truth is, we can't truly change other people, but perhaps by controlling ourselves other people will take notice and try to take some kind of action in their own lives. Self-restraint is a powerful skill, and just the act of witnessing it can cause people to think a little bit. If those two guys had the sense to think about what they were fighting about before anger lead one of them to use a knife, a promising future would not have been tragically cut short. It's a extreme example, but we can't deny that we all have our flaws and restraining them is better for ourselves and everyone else.

G's Thoughts

I tried to think of a actual topic, but sometimes the mind just can't spawn anything worth discussing. So I'm just gonna talk a little. Just about what's running through my mind right now. Take from it what you will.

I'm not content. There is always a battle of sorts going on in my head. There are so many things that I want, but so many things that I need also. And the state of the world isn't helping. You know how the economy is. It's almost like I can feel some of my dreams slipping away. That juvenile game known as Politics rages on. People bicker and argue about things that should not be on a pedestal. Yeah... this all kinda sucks.

But there are so many good things as well. But the best good things are the ones that are simple. I like to watch the sun rise. A new day. It almost feels like a blissful awakening. Smooth breezes and flowing streams of water. Calmness. I also take time to look away from myself and look at the plight of others, and see how lucky I really am. When you can see the beauty in things where there appears to be none, you are a wise individual.

But there are still things I want to improve. I want to decipher the secrets to genuinely good writing. If people read anything I wrote on this blog and felt some kind of connection, then that would be a victory. A piece of writing is a small thing, but the simplest things can make you the happiest. And who doesn't want to be a better person? At least that's something to strive for.

So we are at a uncertain point in time. Many different things can happen, and the paths can branch off into many different futures. But I still think that there are constants no matter what will happen. We still have to take time to enjoy the simple things in life. We should have goals, and try not to let them be dampened by what is happening around us. If it was my time to leave this world tomorrow, would I be content with myself and what I've done? We have the choice to make the answer to that a "yes".

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"Life" by G.

Yeah after countless hours of thinking (naturally) , all roads lead to this same topic. Lets talk about life. Life means many things. It's the tree in your backyard. The blades of grass that line the ground in neat or messy rows. That fly that you keep trying to shoo away but it's just too fast. The sea and the whole lively world beneath it. Life can also be the movement of a bustling city. The whirring of a computer. Even the flow of traffic snaking throughout the highways. That's life. Now let's talk about the lives of people.

When we are born, you could say that a blank book is created. This book will be filled throughout a person's lifetime. With memories, emotion, knowledge, dreams... This is your mind, alive and functioning. What a fascinating journey it would be to be able to read the book of another's mind. These books are shaped by the times, people's experiences, social and economical class, and many other things. One question that people have been struggling with for a long time is, what is the purpose of life? Well I say, why must you have a set purpose? You have a brain and a wonderfully complex mind; we could safely say that if you really want a purpose, you should try to learn as much as possible about the world around you. Make your book a more interesting one. But lets switch gears, and go from the life in our minds to life in reality.

We obviously have the need to survive. To work and earn the money to sustain ourselves, then go forth to fulfill bigger dreams. I think we all have a kind of mental picture of how we view the state of the world. I personally can't say that it's a very good state right now. Good for some, but bad for many more. What should we do? Well to get straight to it, you only have one life. What do you plan to do with it? To live the mediocre life? To stay in the bounds of what "society" deems right? I say to you, go out and do something new. Take risks. Meet People. And most of all, learn as much as you can about everything and everyone. There's so much to see and do. By setting yourself apart just a little from the 6.7 Billion people on this planet, you have already given your life a greater significance. When you are open to anything, and have no irrational fears, then your life will not be chained down.

I part with you on this note. Live well and freely. Open yourself and your mind to new experiences and discoveries. Become who you want to be.

Hey...

Hey there. I wish I had something new to post here, but the time constraints are kinda kicking me hard. I'll try to get something new this week I swear xD. Maybe you can give me some ideas by commenting or something. If you do actually check this blog from time to time, then I thank you profoundly. Hope everyone is hanging in there alright. We are going through some rough times, but this is still the one life we have to live, and we probably shouldn't waste it with over-worry. That's about it, I'm out for now.

G.

"Justice" by G.

What do you think of when you see that word? I prefer to think of that statue of “blind justice”, a blindfolded woman holding a balance and a sword. Justice with equality and without bias; that’s what the justice system supposedly strives for. But the concept of Justice goes deeper than that. Can you equate “Justice” with “Revenge” sometimes? Perhaps. I would like to believe that people really do collect some kind of “karma”, and that they will eventually pay for their bad actions. But sometimes, just by seeing the things around you, or paying attention to what’s going on in the world, there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of justice. I’ve always thought of Justice as simply punishment for bad deeds. If a person does something bad then I don’t think that it should just be let go. But that’s a more moral and simple kind of Justice. People usually think of Justice either in the courts or in law enforcement. Whether the accused will be guilty or innocent. Whether investigators will catch the criminal. But Justice can span farther than that. Individual people sometimes choose to take it on themselves to bring Justice to something or someone. But why do we feel so strongly about this? It’s simply a part of being human. Some things wound the soul so deeply that people feel that they need to take some kind of action to heal that wound. Big victories don't come often in life, but rest assured that once in awhile, Justice is served to the ones who deserve it.

"Time" by G.

Time is one of the most valuable resources. It's finite, yet required to do anything. Obviously time can't be controlled. But it can be managed. And you have the ability to make the choice on whether to use your time for one purpose or another. I don't think we understand this as kids. I used to think that summertime lasted for about a decade. Now it feels exactly like what it is; those few months. Unfortunately, the hardest goals to achieve always have the highest cost; the time you have to sacrifice. I regret some of the time that I've wasted already that I could have been working toward something instead of nothing. But while we are here dilly daddling away, time keeps ticking by. They say there aren't enough hours in a day; and for many people that's probably true. But then we come to the line drawn in the sand. People should work hard to achieve their goals and keep on living, but at the same time, you should also try to have some fun in life and continue to pursue happiness. Where do we strike the balance? It depends, and it is difficult. Initially, many people are probably on one side of the fence. All work or all play. To balance that requires some sacrifices and some management of your time on your part. But managing your time is one of the smartest things that you can do. So I'm going to go ahead and cut off my rambling with this; don't waste your time. When it's gone, its gone.

"A Whirlwind" by G.

How would you picture your mind? A lighthouse covered in mist? A club with people constantly dancing in it? Maybe a shining tower bathed in heavenly light…*snort*. Well I think that aside from all that, our minds are in a constant state of storm. A Whirlwind. Of thoughts and ideas. Of neurons firing and sending lighting-fast messages to the different parts of your body. The mind has been compared to a computer many times, but it’s obviously more complex. We don’t just make decisions. We also have emotions. Dreams. Imagination. And we can make what we dream into reality. And this is all raging in your head, right now. Now I can’t speak for others, but I’m always thinking, whether I like it or not. Sometimes I wish that I had an “off” switch for my mind. But only for a little while. My ability to think and dream is a special gift that I would rather not relinquish. But sometimes it’s hard to get this whirlwind in any kind of order. It could be so strong that it’s difficult to get the ideas you need out of it. With all the stress and worry in our lives, this isn’t very surprising. If only we could make our mental whirlwind more orderly. Maybe turn it into an assembly line and have all our thoughts lined up in neat little rows. But I would feel kind of like a machine if we thought like that. The beauty of having a whirlwind of a mind is that you never know what amazing ideas could result from it. There is some order to the chaos. But whatever you picture your mind as, don't take it for granted. Let the whirlwind get to work for you.

"Strike the Match" by G.

We live. And as we live, we think and feel. I know that we humans have many wants. Potentials that have yet to be reached. Sadly, many of us don't go to that higher level. We kid ourselves into being content with who we are now, even though we know we can be so much more. Well... you can change all that, right now. By striking the match.

Something that I stress often is that you only know for sure that you are living this one life, right now. There is no better time to reach for the stars than the present. Your goals are waiting. Your happiness and content are waiting. But Life waits for no one. I assume that since you are reading this, you have a little spare time on your hands. If you think you've done everything you wanted to do in life, give yourself a pat on the back. But for the multitudes of others like us who have yet to accomplish everything they want; listen up. The time is now for you to strike the match and change what you want to change. It's a simple choice; really it is. You are either content, or you aren't. But nothing is going to happen unless you light that fire in your own heart. A fire of motivation. And of hunger. Hunger for what you want.

"The Infomation Filter" by G.

Today I'm going to take a little detour from my usual psychological ramblings and talk about something a tad bit different. Lets talk about information. More importantly, the truth of it. Where do we get the news from? The Newspaper? The Television? The Internet? You probably do. Now, how do you think this information affects your beliefs and viewpoints on the things in the world around you? What you see and hear has a profound influence on your thoughts and ideas. But we have to remember... the information we get from these sources doesn't always have to be completely factual. Cherry-picking, manipulation, taking only those bits that will stir up a response with the people. These things are here, and very real. So in a world with a vast quantity of information, how can you ever know what is truly valid, and what has some inkling of truth behind it?

Well...you really can't. This is when your judgment comes in. Your Judgment is something that should be finely tuned and sharp. But even having that, you might come across ideas that sound ridiculous to you, because they demean your own thoughts. Then you must possess the other element; a very open and flexible mind. Because really, we can never know anything for sure with 100% accuracy. Much of our information and science is still in the stages of educated guesses and theory. But used in the wrong hands, this preliminary information can be used to influence the beliefs of a mass quantity of people. Diseases, Cures, Religion, Climate; an average person only knows and is influenced by what they see on regular media sources for these things.

So I'm really saying something that is common sense already. But it's not enough just to be mistrustful of things. No matter what you see or hear, don't immediately mark it as true. We are bombarded with info, facts, and opinions everyday. But obviously we don't see everything. It is up to us to use our judgment and not take everything at face value.

As usual, I want to hear your thoughts on this, so comment away!

"Enemies" by G.

Enemies... they aren't very nice are they? And I'm sure many people supposedly have them. But you see, enemies are extremely useful. In fact, they can actually turn out to be more helpful than your friends sometimes. Enemies can reveal things about you that we sometimes choose to deny. But why wouldn't your friends do the same? Well...

I don't know what event or misunderstanding happened to make someone your enemy, or just someone you dislike. But enemies are always eager to point out your flaws, something that most friends wouldn't do. It was once said that we keep other people's flaws in a bag in front of us, and our own flaws in a bag behind us; where we can't see them. But because your enemies highlight your flaws, you now know what they are and you can attempt to fix them.

You can also learn much from your enemies, if you can learn to get past your own pride and accept the views of others. They can show your flaws and problems like no other. You can also see their own and know what traits to avoid. But one thing that many tend to think is that just because someone is a enemy, they are automatically "bad". People have their strengths and weaknesses, and you can learn just as much from their strengths as from their weaknesses. Learn to appreciate the good in everyone, including people you would consider an "enemy".

So like they say, the enemy is the greatest teacher, and it's true to the core. And who knows? Maybe one day you will reconcile with whoever this person is. And from a great enemy you could make a even greater friend. It happens. But regardless, there is much to learn from everyone, especially the ones you dislike.

Your comments are welcome!

The Best of Thoughts of G

Hey guys/girls. Sorry I haven't written much lately. I've been real busy so I haven't had much time to compose some real meaningful posts. I just wanted to show some of our best writings off to any new readers to our blog.

"Education" by G.
"Children" by G.
"Adam and/or Eve" by Shinji
"Water" by G.

And I WILL try to put up some good posts when I can. Remember to look in our archives for more interesting stuff to read. Thanks for taking the time to visit us! Hope you enjoy your stay.

"Stop the Hate" by Shinji

Hate is beginning to consume our society. Yes, many are beginning to see the light and love more, myself included, but due to recent events my opinion that more and more hate is filling the world is strengthening. Recently Osama Bin Laden has threatened Canadians directly, saying something along the lines that we are going to be in danger if we do not withdraw our forces from the middle east. As much as I don't like them there in the first place, this is not good. I honestly do not understand why everyone can't just stop the war and make peace. But here it is, the hatred of Osama striking fear into the hearts of Canadians as well as Americans, not to mention the rest of the world. I, for one, know that Osama doing this is just going to bring on more hate. Since he said that, I have heard more and more people declare more and more hatred for people of Arab descent. This mindless, unnecessary violence needs to stop. The hate in the world can not go on, for if it does, I fear World War 3 will begin, which could threaten the existence of our society as we know it. I'm speaking out as a Canadian who wishes for the violence to end. I am sure many of you are very patriotic and see the Arabs as our enemy. I am patriotic to my country, and by no means am I showing cowardice. I am just fed up with the hate and violence sweeping the world and corrupting the minds of children. How do you think Arab children see Americans and Canadians? I'm sure they're scared of them. What would you think of if you saw a lot of men in uniforms shooting guns at your people in your country? Maybe I am wrong, maybe they see Americans and Canadians as their saviors from the Taliban. Quite simply, I cannot answer that. All I can answer is that no child should have to grow up in a war-torn country. But what can we do about it? All we can do is watch as the war moves on. My outlook on it all is that it is unnecessary and that it should be stopped in a way that both sides can agree on. The hate and the violence is something nobody should have to experience, and I encourage you all to think this: don't hate. Encourage peace and negotiation. I believe some of my fellow Canadians and perhaps some Americans will be enlightened by this, as many of you faithful readers have been motivated by all of our writings here at Thoughts of G.

PS: I apologize for the long post, but since I haven't written in forever I thought I would make a post that's worth reading.

"Matters of the Mind and Heart" by G.

This Image is © JoshAbene
We have alot going on inside our heads, you know. Little everyday struggles. The decisions we have to make. Your little angel and your little devil bickering over what to do. Today I want to highlight one of these struggles. The battle between your emotions and your rationality.

So we have the heart, the symbol of emotion. And we have the mind, the embodiment of thought and reason. These things have a big influence on who you are and how you make decisions. Some people are more emotional; others more rational. But is one side more important than the other? The answer can be surprising.

Rational decisions are ones that we make everyday, and very often. What to eat, what to wear, where to go, what to do. Should you go buy that new T.V or save for a rainy day? Should you go for a jog or sleep on the couch? Stuff like that. They can also get more complex, when you have to learn and work. Things like handling finances need a good dose of rationality... that certain people seem to lack :P But rational decisions are constant, and are made all the time.

Emotional decisions are a whole other story. These seem to carry alot more weight. Emotions can be a extremely powerful influence, and can intertwine with Rational decisions; these are the hardest decisions to make. They tug at your heartstrings in some way. Maybe a tragic event has happened in your life. Or you see injustice that isn't being dealt with. Or maybe it is a matter of love. Either way, there is something that triggers an emotion in you.

And its these hybrid decisions; ones that are infulenced by rational AND emotional reasons, that can dictate many things in your life. You need a healthy dose of both sides if you want to keep a healthy balance. Being too rational or too emotional can lead to many problems that really aren't neccesary.

So the struggle between the mind and heart goes on. They are both equally important, and you should try to cater to both sides when possible. Just remember, don't let yourself be overwhelmed. Let your thoughts & emotions work in harmony as much as possible.

As usual if you have something to say just leave a comment :D

"Perspective is Everything" by Scythe

So let us take a minute to narrow things down to a broader scope. Why does anything matter if we will ultimately be forgotten? This question has plagued philosophy since its dawn and surely will not fade before dusk. In our life, perspective is everything. It is the difference between having nothing and having everything when given the same scenario a view through different lenses. It is the difference between hope and despair, the difference between success and failure, the difference between right and wrong, and even the difference between life and death - all can potentially be derived from the same situation, and at the same time I am not going to say that blind optimism is always the way out, cause that simply is not the case unfortunately. There is that saying that we always hear being thrown around- "Ignorance is bliss". While this statement does hold some truth, it can't be used as a scapegoat as often as it has been in our society. Another key to happiness is balance. You can't have a positive outlook on everything. Even though living with such an attitude looks good on paper, it does not translate too well to real life, but what does it matter - everything we do will ultimately be forgotten, so stop wasting your time looking at your life through the wrong lens, and live it to the best of your ability while you still can.

Open Ears: Comment here.

Hey guys and girls, this is G. And I want your opinions. Like, what do you want to see from us in the future? Any changes we should make to the site? Any specific topics you want discussed? Want us to take your questions and make posts out of them? Whatever opinions you got, just put them in a comment by clicking the link under this post that says "# Comments". I wanna hear what you guys have to say, so shoot. And thanks for visiting Thoughts of G!

If you rather send us a e-mail just look at the Contact Us thing.

"Nothing" by Scythe

Perhaps you could say that I am greedy to an extent - I take away what I can from things. We can fade away to become nothing if we don't learn what we can from our mistakes as we move forward with our lives. In this dimension, nothing is created nor destroyed, only transferred. Luckily for us, when we start walking down the paths of our lives, we don't have much to lose and everything to gain. However, many people allow themselves to decimate their potential by making the same mistakes consistently and taking nothing away from them. Some will argue that they are content with their current situation in life and if they try to realize their dreams and fail that they will have another regret. One who never makes mistakes is either extremely fortunate or too lazy to try. Also, it is always heartbreaking to see someone come close to achieving their dreams only to let the fear of failure set them back. Just remember - if you want to make something, you can't make it out of nothing. Everything in this world has a foundation in something else.

"Denial" by G.

What is with people and denying every bad thing that happens in life? Oh I'm in major debt....LET'S BUY A YACHT! I saw my wife kissing that dude down the street... BUT SHE LOVES ME. Ladies and Gentlemen, it is high time to get a grip on yourselves. Now I hear some people say that some denial is healthy. And they are right. "Some" being the key word. If we had to face every single itty bitty problem in our lives at once, your brain's CPU might overheat. But it would be wise not to take that over the deep end. I know that some of our problems may seem like giant hairy monsters that cannot be overcome. But you know what... sometimes we need to grab our clippers and shave that sucker. Denial is something like a temporary Band-Aid. But it delays the inevitable. We can't always do what is convenient for our oh so delicate feelings. Burn that cloak of denial when neccesary. And take down your problems head on.

"Age is Relative" by G.

Age. And the stereotypes associated with it. Almost amusing when you think about it. Because I'm here to tell you that your physical age is irrevelant. Ooh so I won't go bald then? You might be out of luck there. No, what I mean is how old your are in your mind. Time for a little explanation eh?

I've always believed that a person is without a doubt shaped by their experiences in life. What they were and weren't allowed to do. What freedoms they had. And what knowledge they knew. Maturity is a trait that should not be blindly assigned to a certain age group. Because I think you and I both know, who you are really does depend on what has happened to you. I'm sure you've known people that either don't act their age, or act above and beyond. There really isin't anything that shocking about that. We place too much pre-meditated thought on how a person should act according to their age. So when you see people, younger or older, don't be so quick to judge.

Moving along, how do people get their widely varying levels of wisdom and maturity? I say this assuming that Wisdom and Maturity are traits we would associate with a higher age. It really is all about experiences. A person born into a rich family, who has it all and never has to take responsibility for many things, will simply not be the same as a person who had to overcome more struggles in his or her life. I think its unfair to assign teenagers or anyone else for that matter with idiotic stereotypes. You want to know something about a person, look at their character and not their age. Appearances can be deceiving, and unfortunately it is easy to just slap a label on someone. Just don't try to judge a person based on their age; it won't be a very accurate analysis most of the time.

So yes, I have seen kids that act better then college students. Its not a anomaly; the kids are just more mature. Simply put, just don't assume things about people just because of their age. Because the most important age is how old they are inside their minds, and that's one thing you won't be able to see right away. Well there you have it; another bit of loveliness pulled from some crevice in my head. Hope you come back for more sometime; and please, I love to hear your comments.

"Emotion: A Hell of a Balancing Act" by G.

It's one of those crazy things we got that distinguishes us humans from the rest of the pack. Emotions. Raising one's fist in anger. Tears falling down one's face in sadness. Jumping up in surprise, or just randomly dancing in some cornfield. Sounds all fine and dandy, but unfortunately emotions can be a pretty annoying source of trouble if not properly controlled and managed. Let's explore this a little bit.

I said in the title that emotions can be a tough balancing act. This is because if you aren't close to being in a state of emotional equilibrium, your actions and thoughts will be affected by your feelings. An angry person won't think very clearly, while a surprised person will be on high alert for a few seconds trying to find out what the heck is going on. Emotions can be a tough thing to put a handle on for some people. But if you can manage those feelings, then you have just defeated one of the major weaknesses we humans have.

I'm definitely not saying for people to get a heart of stone or become cold or anything of the sort. Being a cold person and having a rein on your feelings are two very different things. But having that kind of self control demonstrates maturity and wisdom, and will be a very big advantage to you in life.

So life is kinda like being that guy walking on the tightrope at the circus. He has to stay balanced to get to the other side. If he doesn't focus, he will have trouble reaching the end. Emotion is another thing that should be kept as balanced as possible. There is no shame in emotion, for females and males. Just don't give it a control over you that won't be very beneficial. That's my two cents for today.

"Listen" by G.

People tend to run their mouths into overdrive without much thought. But you only have one mouth. You have two ears for a reason. We miss so many things because sometimes we just don't listen. Listening can just mean hearing another person out, or "hearing" a hidden message in what people say to you. But you always learn more by using those ears you got.

Why is it that some people just never listen to other people? There are plenty of things that get in the way. A huge one is the ego. They think that they always have the answers, and don't respect the opinions of others. Usually a person you could quickly get into a argument with. Talking over people isn't the most productive thing you can do. Another one could be insecurity. Some people don't want to hear the ideas of others because they might be better than their own. Whatever the reason is, it's safe to say that listening more than you talk is the better choice.

When you listen to someone, you are automatically showing them some respect. And sometimes, people just need to vent. Simply being there and being all ears can help a person out. Usually if you are there for someone they will return the favor.

Listening can be more than just having open ears. Some people are Active Listeners, and can pick up other vibes based of what people say. Most people can "take a hint". But its definitely possible to pick up emotions and feelings when listening to people. These can help you to say the appropriate thing at the appropriate time. So listening actually helps you talk "better" in a way.

So I know you've heard this time and time again. Just a friendly reminder eh? Listen before you speak, and you will learn more; not to mention your own words will have more wisdom behind them.

Randy Pausch: Rest in Peace.

I just wanted to do a dedication to Randy Pausch, an amazing university professor and a good man who has passed on yesterday due to terminal Pancreatic Cancer. He made "The Last Lecture" which has become very famous. May he finally find the peace and happiness he deserves.

Watch: The Last Lecture

"Morals" by G.

When does one cross the line of no return? What is the division between right and wrong? Good and Evil? The definitions are limitless, but there are some common traits you can assign to them. The good side usually helps people and is selfless. The bad side is usually more selfish and doesn't put much stock on other people.

I think that everyone has some sort of morals; a code. This code has been slowly written as people have been living their lives and experiencing many different things. Good and Evil may be human ideas, but I think they are necessary for our survival. What kind of moral code a person has really depends on how strong they are on the inside. Life is gonna have stress and suffering, and it discriminates between no-one. But what seems like a petty stress to one person can take down another.

Much of the social power behind good and evil lies in perception. Back in WWII there were many propaganda posters that depicted their enemy more like demons then men, thus giving that "evil" impression. The media today has great power in twisting what they report. But back to the main idea. I think everyone has some good and evil in them. They are fighting for a constant balance. Sometimes the scale will tip in favor of one side, when something needs to be done. This could happen long term if a person does cross the point of no return. A event in their lives that is so emotionally powerful it changes some aspect of them. Balance is very important because it regulates what a person does. Being too "good" or "evil" always leads to drastic actions on that person's part. So lets wrap this up, and say that whatever moral code you have, it should have as much balance as possible. Remember that the evil side isn't necessarily bad. I consider the darker side simply to be the more aggressive and selfish part of our nature, which at certain times we do need. Just learn from your surroundings as you live, and develop your code well. I would love to hear some thoughts on this.

"Action" by G.

A man is running through a dark warehouse. He is being pursued by two armed men. He reaches a dead end, but with spectacular speed runs up a wall and does a flip. He takes out the two men with two well-placed kicks. You then reach for some more popcorn. This is just another old action movie.

What is it about the thrill that is so tempting? Action movies, extreme stunts, and dangerous sports. Many people just can't seem to get enough of it. You could say it goes back to our humble beginnings. People didn't sit in office cubicles or drive bulldozers or argue over laws back then. They were active, 24/7. Looking for food and shelter. Trying to survive. The world is a radically different place today. The middle and higher classes of people don't have to worry much about basic survival like the lower classes. Life becomes a bit of a routine, almost boring.

I believe we all have certain basic drives. To eat, drink, procreate, survive. As humankind as moved along, new drives have emerged. Ambition, Fame, and Wealth to name a few. But I also think that we have a need for action once in awhile. To move and get loose; to be free. You could say action movies are a simple way to add a bit of excitement to a mediocre life, and to give your mind something new to think about. Then there are the thrill seekers who take it up a notch. Bungee jumping, skydiving, rock climbing. Things that have a good amount of risk, but in return provide a even bigger thrill.

So yes, there is a bit of a "action" deficit in the lives of many people today. But that is only if you let it stay that way. Once in awhile we should do something we wouldn't normally do. Not to go overboard; but to feel a little bit of a thrill. It's a healthy thing for the mind. Try something new. You might be pleasantly surprised.

"The Source" by G.

A problem starts from somewhere. Its roots dig into the ground and it starts to grow. It springs forth and causes chaos. And from that single problem, more problems branch out. And one of those branches from the tree will affect someone in some way. So, now what?

A problem can be a tricky little thing indeed. Because you see, I use the word "problem" loosely. A problem can be anything we want or need it to be. To fix a problem, you must find it's source. And that is the hardest part. A problem can cause many side effects. Stress. Anxiety. Fear. Anger. These can manipulate our judgment. Our Logic. Essential things that we need to solve problems. If you try to fix what you only believe to be the source of a problem, you will only slice a branch of the tree.

We have to do our best to look at things clearly and unbiased. We are human and we make mistakes. But the human mind is a powerful entity. If we could only learn to harness our minds and have some control over our emotions, then many of our mistakes will never become problems. But that being said, problems exist, and we should deal with them with caution and a flexible mindset. Sometimes, in the spirit of trying to fix what ails us, we end up doing more harm than good.

Let's say the world finally wants to have peace. All countries disarm their military forces. Sounds good, right? But they could still be attacked. By terrorists or madmen or natural disasters in a way. They think that the source of the "problem", being a lack of peace, is everyone having a military. Do you really think that's true? Most of the time, the source of a problem is very big, sometimes to big to handle. Violence is not caused by guns. It is caused by humans. But that is a hell of a big problem to solve. Finding the source can sometimes be a problem in itself, because it can be very intimating.

So simply, to fix a problem you must find and get the source. But that is easier said than done. The best laid plans don't always translate to real life that well. But lets do our best. To really think about what we do before we do it. To look at solving problems with a fully open mind; a mind open to change. We are all capable of this. I hope one day, humanity will prove me right.

Guest Post: "Instincts" by Cielo

I know someone that might sound familiar to you. He (I'll use the male pronoun for simplicity) and I have been wonderful friends for a long time, and I trusted him more than most of my other friends. Recently, he has done things that have hurt not only me, but my closest friends as well. But, after it all, I can't believe he's a bad person. I can't believe that he has done what he did with the intent of hurting or having things his own way. I believe he makes mistakes.

I make mistakes, too. And I'm not a bad person.

Have you ever noticed that animals rarely make mistakes? Or, when they do something we deem stupid, it can be blamed on their lack of intellectual development as a species.

People don't have that kind of pardon. We screw up, and when we do, it is because of us, just how we are. How we were raised. How we think. Our level of badness. This responsibility we have to take the blame for our behavior is a lovely result of our intellectual development.

With this person, all signs point to "absolute jerk." He pretends to be someone he isn't, and when he is called out on it, he acts out. Though the mistakes he makes are worse than others', I can feel that he's not all bad.

It all comes down to this: anyone can double-cross you. I think trust is important, and in order to be happy in life, you need to have the ability to lay your life in the hands of those you care about most, and who care about you. However, even those you care about most can lie to you, hurt you.

Above all else, you must trust yourself. You must trust your instincts about people. The basis of your belief may not be something you can see, but that's alright. You can feel it. And it is only that feeling that you should allow to tell you what to do and where to go in life.

So I am going to continue to believe that this person is good. My gut tells me it's true, and there is nothing I can do about it, no matter what happens or what people tell me.

Never, as long as you live, allow anyone to tell you something that does not fall in line with your instincts. You are the only person you're going to have to be with the rest of your life, and when you can't trust your instincts, who do you have?

"Nature" by G.

Nature. It's a part of you. It's everywhere around you. And In my opinion, we have a sad lack of it in our lives. Nature has a natural beauty; a almost therapeutic effect on the mind. A breath of fresh air clears the head. A view of a bright red and orange sunset calms the soul. I am not saying to just drop everything and run into the nearest forest. What I am saying is to try and get a little more of nature in your daily life.

Modern life these days can be very hectic. Busy schedules, stressful work weeks, financial troubles; the pressures just add up. It can all be a bit overwhelming sometimes. But once in awhile, we need some time to recharge and relax. You don't need a sack of money or a rent-a-car to do this. Just stepping outside and taking a few deep breaths can work wonders. But what I long for is to visit a truly beautiful place, such as the one pictured above; China. If everyone in the world got the chance to visit a place like that once in awhile, I wouldn't have a doubt that they would find some calm for their mind and body.

Sure this is a bit of wishful thinking, but its benefits can't be denied. The simple truth is, once and awhile we need to leave it all behind and just get back to nature for a tiny bit. Whether your just taking a stroll in the park or visiting the wonders of world, it will only do you good. Anyways, hope you all have a wonderful day, or night.

"Life Is What You Program It To Be" by Shinji

A lot of kids and teenagers (even some adults) keep wanting more realistic video games, be they a Grand Theft Auto installment or a wrestling game or whatever. The reason people play video games, however, is so they can do something fake. So why do they want their video games to be as realistic as real life if they know it's fake? Pretty soon the days of the controller will be absolutely gone. Gamers will only think virtual reality is good enough while they're stealing a car, putting a guy in a sleeper hold, or whatever. In my opinion, video games are meant as a break from reality, not an alternate reality. So keep it at that. Graphics don't have to have high high definition quality. Actions can be a button press or twist of the controller.

Not to mention, I've noticed that once kids play video games, they go outside and re-enact the games. I've seen a few local children in my area play a video game (Medal of Honor to be exact, a war game) and then go outside and use toy guns to shoot one another. If that's what is being brought into this world, maybe they could be ones to re-enact violence. Even a few teenagers of today re-enact video game violence. Imagine what this next batch can do.

So let's wrap this up here. Gamers these days constantly demand more realism in the video games they play, despite video games being a break from reality instead of an alternate reality. Children keep re-enacting video game violence, maybe not harmfully but they still re-enact it, and it may become a problem in the future. Don't get me wrong, I am a gamer and I'm not against video games, but maybe some people just take video games a little too seriously.

"How far can you go?" by G.

It's six o' clock in the morning. A man wakes up, a bit reluctant, but determined. He grabs his sneakers and heads out the door. And then it begins. He starts walking; you know, to get the blood flowing. Then he increases his speed. One foot over the other. It flows into a jog. He has no particular destination. Not a physical one anyway. But there is a place he does want to reach. A state of being that for now only exists in his head. So he keeps jogging. His heartbeat thumps with a steady rhythm. And now his legs and arms start to tire. Maybe he should go back? Wouldn't want to go pull a muscle now would he? But each few feet that his body transverses brings him that much closer to what he wants. So, despite the cries of his body, he moves onward, confident that his sheer desire to make his thoughts a reality will help him pull through.

I guess you can say its a question that mankind has asked itself eternally. How far can we go? Well, we usually have these "comfort zones". We don't usually like to venture into unknown territory. Our own minds, for the reason of protecting us, give birth to a mental barrier of sorts. A mental barrier that causes physical and mental effects. In the case of the man above, it would be his mind finding excuses to stop and his body becoming a bit sore. But I will stress and always stress this simple fact. You must go past your comfort zones if you are ever to change or if you ever want anything to happen. The idea of comfort zones is there to protect you and your feelings. But sometimes we have to toughen up and take matters into our own hands. The answer to the question I've proposed has no straight answer. The answer is provided by you.

"Heroes" by G.

I've written a post about the hero a while back, but I think this topic warrants another. I've always been fascinated about the notion of a hero. When I was a kid, I would watch those action movies with the suave hero, and walk out of each one wishing that hero was me. But that's a limited view of a hero obviously. Heroes are just so... amazing. They are usually unique; are very talented and skilled. These are people of high intelligence. But the hero, he usually isn't a hero for no reason. Something made this person take action. He fights for some kind of cause.

One unifying characteristic of heroes is their bravery. Firemen, the passengers on the doomed 9/11 flights, a person who tackles a pedestrian out of the path of a speeding bus. These are all brave people. What you see in the movies is one kind of heroism. But really, you don't need a costume or superpowers or a genius level intelligence to be a hero. But you have to believe that there is a problem. Something bad that is happening that no one is doing anything about. And you see this problem growing worse by the day. And you must have the overwhelming desire to fix this problem. Whether this is a immediate thing, like a house suddenly bursting into flames, or a long-term problem, like the oppression of your country by external forces, there is something in you that makes you spring into action.

And yes, you must possess something else too. The bravery. It's the spark that lights the fire. It's what caused the man to jump into the train tracks to save a child. It's what makes people fight for something that they truly believe is right. It inspires humankind everyday to do extraordinary things. So in the end, heroes can be anyone. All you need is the problem. The bravery to do something about it. And the willingness to become the solution.

"Warfare" by G.

War. The term coined to mean the destruction of one human being by another. Why? So many reasons. Most of them idiotic. But one thing that I do want to make clear now is that idea of "World Peace" is very, very far away. When thinking about Warfare, it is easy to get carried away with dreams like Everlasting Peace and No Armies and all that good stuff. As long as there are superpowers, rare natural resources, or nuclear weapons, Warfare will always have a place somewhere.

So, why do we fight? I hope it's a good reason. I believe that people fighting for their freedom are justified. But when two countries are trying to conduct Diplomacy, and one of them suddenly perceives the other as a threat, things can get heated. But you know what? Warfare has trashed this planet. It has trashed the minds of the brave soldiers who are commanded by their superiors into the fray. There is something deeply psychological about war. And it saddens me that we continue to fight with our other fellow humans when the biggest enemy is inside us already. Our own minds. Because really, in the end, that's where all the hate springs forth. Human beings need to take back control of their minds and their selves. And that just might be the hardest battle of all.

Happy Fourth.

On this fourth of July we commemorate the day when America declared it's Independence from Great Britain. I hope everyone has a good one. Despite the actions of our government and other regrettable events, that flag will not be tarnished by them. It stands for freedom and liberty. And no Government can ever take that away. Because America is made by the people, for the people. Peace be with all of you.

"Tolerance" by G.

You are a person. You live on this planet with over eight billion other people. Obviously there will be many differences between you and much of the other people around you. This is all a given. So how do you handle the differences?

Unfortunately, we have this silly habit of having negative reactions to the differences of our fellow men and women. I'm talking about arrogance. About putting people down. Whether these differences are racial, religious, or belief wise, people don't always treat the differences in others in the kindest manner. And you know what, some people believe in crazy things. They might have beliefs that you consider taboo. Well, here's what you gotta do. Just accept it. There will always be many differences in our fellow man. When a person believes something, that belief is deeply rooted in their soul, like a old tree with its deep roots. Trying to change what a person thinks is like trying to smash a rock with a fork. Yes, there will be people who have blind faith, or people who seem to lack rationality. But we all live on this blue and green oasis together. If we have a chance in hell in co-existing with each other, we need to recognize the differences of others, and then let go of any emotional feelings you associate with that. And then, stop focusing on the differences, and try to take a look on what makes us the same.

Tolerance is something that needs to be established. We are not gonna destroy ourselves because of these petty feelings of arrogance and bigotry. I would like to think we are better than that... I could curse at the stupidity of mankind at certain times. Just remember, no matter what you think of other people's beliefs and differences, the probability that they would a. listen to you, or b. change their ways, is as slim as a soda straw. It leads to nothing but arguments, bickering, and even worse things. So just accept what you have seen. And get on with life :P Being tolerant has greater benefits, and is a pretty non-stupid choice to make. Those are my words today. Now go have yourselves a smashing day (or night).

"Hobbies" by Sir

Hey there people. I bet most of you have occupations, right? However, do you know everything about it? Most occupations are practiced because we like them. But then again there's the people that practice something just because they're bored...

It's good to have something to keep you busy, but on the contrary, I think one should be careful about what he chooses to do, and to what extent... Most occupations are inoffensive (playing ping-pong or knitting are awesome examples), and if you think about it more occupations don't do you any harm... Most can even become fully developed passions without hurting you, but if your occupations take control of your whole life, you're riding the danger boat to trouble land.

For example people who spend their lives on their computer without ever going out would eventually end up having problems... mostly physical but also psychological as they're not always used to society. Some people can accomodate but others can't always take it...

So my point? It's pretty must just to tell you if you have occupations that you love, good call! Just don't let them overwhelm you.So what occupations do you have?

The Post Spotlight

Hey guys, I've come down with a cold, and don't feel up to writing today. I just wanted to pull out some of the more older posts here on Thoughts of G that I think deserve some more attention. Enjoy!

"Momentum" by Scythe
"Absolution" by Sir
"Think Fluidly" by G.
"Music: A Everyday Miracle" by M.K Mello
"Fear" by G.

"Lying" by G.

Ah that dreaded word; Lying. You were told time and time again to always be honest. And you should be. Lying can taint relationships, wilt the trust a person has in you, and has effects that are extremely hard to counteract. But... small bits of lying are actually healthy, believe it or not. If a friend who was horrible at dancing asked your opinion about it, would you downright tell them how bad they were? You would probably stretch the truth a bit. This is one common function of lying; to prevent people's feelings from being hurt. While it might be better to tell the whole truth, there are very sensitive people who would probably be very hurt. The other common function of lying is to avoid starting conflicts. Lets say there was a person who was very passionate and argumentative about a certain thing. While you might not like that thing as much as this person, you may once again "stretch" things to avoid a argument about it. So you see, these are healthy lies. White lies that do help to preserve some kind of social harmony and, well, keep the peace. Lying becomes a problem when it goes beyond this. When random things just come out of your mouth when people ask you questions. Remember, lies have the unfortunate potential to hurt people very deeply if the lie is uncovered. Don't dig yourself into that kind of hole. Your policy should always be to stay honest, but if a little fib now and then preserves the calm, then you are perfectly ok. Your thoughts on this are most welcome!

Relax! by G.

I think you deserve a dance break, courtesy of Jamiroquai
Feel the burn people.



But seriously, I think the world moves way too fast these days, and this yields unhealthy results. Remember to take a few moments out of your day to just let loose. Trust me, your body and your mind will thank you. And besides, if we are serious all time, we would go nuts.

"Adam and/or Eve?" by Shinji

These days I have noticed an ever-increasing trend in teenage women. It's become bigger than anorexia. Bisexuality has been showing more and more in women these days than it ever has been. Is it a problem? Should something be done about it? Well, it's the girls' choices in their lives, and nothing can be done about it. It's not necessarily a bad thing or a good thing. All I know is that girls are showing it and they're being proud of it lately. If you don't believe me, let's take into consideration the song I Kissed A Girl by Katy Perry. The first sentence of the chorus is "I kissed a girl and I liked it." I'm not bashing her song or anything, it's not my favorite but it's not bad, but all I'm saying is that it's an example that more and more girls are becoming bisexual these days. Is it because they think guys will like them more if they go both ways? Maybe they are growing tired of guys and are looking for something more within their own gender? Nobody knows. Is it a problem? Not really, as long as the reproductive cycle of the human species can keep going. Yes, it would become a problem if more and more girls started becoming lesbian, because then it would be 100% against the biblical tradition of Adam and Eve, and it would also go against the laws of nature - a male and a female must mate and reproduce to keep the population of that species going. Right now, let those girls have their fun. It could possibly just be a phase that they will grow out of.

"One Life" by G.

Your living it; right now. I don't know what your beliefs and ideals are, but we can probably agree that you don't really know what has happened before you were born and what will happen after wards. So we come back to the main point. You really only know that you are living this one life right now. You have probably gone through many things, had dreams, did a few things you weren't proud of ;D So tell me, do you have any ambitions? Goals? Something you wanted so bad you would do anything to get it? You probably do. As do I. As does everyone else. But now, here's the thing. How many of these ambitions or goals have you accomplished? If you have done everything you wanted to do, then you are a damn amazing person :P . But for the rest of us, there are probably some dreams or ambitions we haven't fulfilled. Many things could have prevented this. Hardships, fears, financial matters, these might have stopped the pursuit of your dreams. But you know what? This is all I have to say about this. Do not give up! And while I'm sure you've heard that a million times, let me give you some better reasoning. You are living one life, right now. Are you really going to waste it with settling for less than your ambitions and dreams? For the people who have their wide arsenal of excuses and fears, they seem to have forgotten something. You are a human being, and you have the ultimate powers. Creativity. Intelligence. Imagination. We are capable of doing so many things, but we are hindered by so many things too. Well, it's up to you to take that weight off your chest. Life is way too short to give up on the pursuit of your happiness. You may think you have something to lose. But in the end, you have everything to gain.

"Education" by G.

And for a human being, nothing could be more important. Now technically, I could say that the only reason kids go to school is to learn enough to go to college and get a degree, where they somehow get a decent job...and voila. Sure, that's a valid reason. But really, education is something that is incredibly human. We are, after all, the only animals capable of learning complex concepts. But these days, the real importance of education is lost to the very students being taught. Learning is a core part of who we are. If we don't continue to learn and evolve, what is the point of being human? Go be a chimpanzee in your next life. But seriously, if the human race is to continue to survive the next few decades, we certainly cannot afford to be less intelligent in any kind of way. There is one thing that I would like to clarify though. Education is not limited to what you can learn at institutions. You are educated practically by your life experiences, and the obstacles you have overcome. So really, there are two main things that people will learn in their lives. The practical knowledge of subjects that they gain from schools and universities. And the important social and mental aspects that they learn, sometimes the hard way, that will help improve their character and maturity. It cannot be denied that the human race has been getting "smarter" over the years. When it comes to knowledge anyway. If only the numerous times humanity have been educated on relations with each other actually stuck. My main point? Education as a whole is extremely important. It is a core part of who you are, and it should not be blown off. But remember, learning from life experiences is just as important as what you learn in school. You can be the smartest person in the world, but if you are a unfriendly elitist no-one will really want to associate with you. Education is a funny thing...because it can be found in the least likely places.

"Like a Rock?" by G.

Damn, that guy Bob is like a rock! Huh? What in the world does that mean? Maybe Bob has tough skin. Maybe insults slide across him like kids on a Slip n Slide. Maybe Bob is someone's pet rock. Hey, these are all possible things. But seriously now, it is important to be like a "rock" from time to time. How you ask? A rock is something tough, mostly impenetrable. It does not bend or break easily. You should apply the characteristics of a rock to your motivation and determination. As we all know, these things can be broken pretty quick. It's important to be rock solid when you are trying to accomplish something. Being like a rock for the wrong things is very tempting however. Laziness is one thing that many people are rock solid about from time to time. Well guess what? It's time for a little water erosion. Weaken your resolve to be lazy or to drag things longer than necessary. Dumping a bucket of water on yourself is not mandatory. But when it comes to getting stuff done, let your resolve be like a giant boulder. No distractions or problems can put a dent in it. So try it. Be a little more like our friend Bob. Unless Bob is on steroids. That's not the kind of rock you want to be. Cheers!

"Imagination" by G.

Hey I got this random inspiration so I'm logging on here from my "vacation spot" to write a post. Cheers :)

Imagination. What an amazing power. People can come up with spectacular ideas about the world in which they live. Yet... Imagination is extremely fragile. Distractions can break it rather easily. We can only think so much before we get burned out. But you know what? It never truly leaves you. The spark. A spark that all humans share. That defines who we are. It truly is a pity that many of us don't embrace the spark of our Imaginations and use it to it's full potential . Its also a pity that many of us won't get the chance to use the spark, in a world torn by wars and famine, and a struggle for survival. I realize how incredibly lucky I am to be able to speak my mind here in relative peace. Imagination fuels the minds of people everywhere. It fuels the many great blogs that dare to dig a little deeper. And most of all, it is the mark of children, who dream about many things. Never lose your Imagination. It is one of the very few things in this world that is yours and yours alone. It is what sets you apart from the people around you. Dream, and then dare to bring those dreams to life. Speak your opinion. Think. And be happy. The only thing you know for sure is that you are living this one life, right now. Don't waste it. And don't let your spark fade away.

"Limits" by Shinji

Have you ever heard someone say they're about to be pushed over the edge? It means they're about to reach their limit of what they can take, be it physical, emotional, or otherwise. We all have limits; some people have bigger limits than others. But still, all of us have some point that, if we're pushed past it, something bad is bound to happen. If you eat too much you'll have a major stomachache. If you have too much emotional stress, you'll have a nervous breakdown. So how do we know when we're close to reaching our limits? It'll sound weird, but our minds automatically tell us, be it through pain or just a subconscious feeling. When you've had a stressful day and you're about to snap from the stress, that's your mind telling you you're near your limit. When you play sports and you start to feel weak, that's your body telling you you're at your physical limit. People's limits can fluctuate daily. If you've had a good night's sleep, for example, your limits are bound to be higher than if you had maybe 2 hours of sleep at night. When you are pushed past your limit things can be devastating. The cause of school shootings, suicides, and other destructive actions? People are pushed past their limit. Some people don't let on they're close to being pushed past their limit. Others let the world know the second they're pushed the slightest bit close to it. Usually it's the silent people you have to worry about. So the next time you do something strenuous, be it mental or physical, consider your limits and plan ahead so you don't push yourself past them.