Selling Out or The Long Game

As I ponder what topic to broach this time, I can only seem to be concerned with who I was and what I thought in high school. Considering how I find life to be a lot more enjoyable currently than back then, it is rather laughable that I keep returning to such an unfulfilled time of my life. There was a time back then where my peers and I found a great deal of people to be sell-outs despite a distinct lack of knowing what a sell out was.

About a year ago I was fulfilling my dream job as a stand in. I was doing what I wanted. Currently, I am working a less than stellar retail job to pay the bills and receive health insurance while working my dream job on the side. Of course, this leaves little time for the good parts of life (i.e. gaming, writing, love, friends, websites that you look at and not tell people about, television, etc.). In retrospect, I am selling out a bit in an effort to keep myself healthy, but I realize is that, unlike before, my sense of immediacy isn't geared towards everything. As I grew older, I learned how to be patient and play the long game. Sure, there are things I absolutely need right now, but that doesn't mean I'm sacrificing anything until I get to my goal. Far from it. I'm merely biding my time until this train gets further on down the line.

Just Remember: Where we are not isn't our last stop. We all have a way to go. We will get there in time. Some of us may satellite before then and some of us may make a straight dash for it, but we will get there.

The Post V-Day Debacle

With the season of love out of the way we can finally begin to focus on stuff. What's that? You couldn't help notice that you are still unbearably lonely and/or are starved for attention? Ugh, fine! Chances are you are consider, despite that I have spoken out against it before, getting a pet. Before we proceed any further, let me just say that buying an instrument would probably be cheaper and a lot less likely to relieve itself all over your place.

Anyway, back to our schedule shenanigans. So you want a pet. The question is "What kind?" Almost every pet has a reason why it is had. First of all, there is the Fun Pet. Your friends love this pet and always want to be around because of it. These pets are awesome because they are nothing but fun...until you are tired. Then they become ironically similar to the next grouping known as the Just Because Pet which, as the name suggests, is around just because. Your friends absolutely hate how you treat it and don't want to be around because of it. Heck, get about 13 more and several stacks of junk and you could be on the show Hoarders.

The I'm-Heart-Broken Pet is also terribly annoying for anyone around you. You baby talk it, you have professional portraits taken of it, and (when you aren't listening to your totally awesome break-up playlist) you bath it with affection...the same level of affection you wish you still had from whoever left you. Well, sorry to say, that can become very sad very fast. The only thing more disturbing is the Symbol-of-Our-Love Pet. This pet shows up generally when the relationship is growing stale or about to collapse. It is essentially treated like a child, but with two angry parents. The pet, being a symbol of your love, means that everything else done becomes a symbol too. Someone forgetting to feed it becomes a symbol of how that person doesn't care enough about the relationship. Of course, sometimes the pet becomes the Scapegoat, which allows you to both to get out of all kinds of things (i.e. eating bad food, destroying your neighbors yard, child rearing, etc.).

Just Remember: Pets are a lot of work. Unless they help out in some way, child rearing excluded as that only worked in Peter Pan, pets end up taking a lot of time and patience. If you have that, go ahead, but don't bother if you don't think you have that.

Happy Valentine's Day

To everyone out there, whether you are with someone or alone, I wish you a happy Valentine's Day. Some look at it as a day where the only thing to focus on is what they need while others focus on what they don't have. I tell you that you needn't worry. What you don't have for one day shouldn't kill you...provided it isn't some specific medication. The truth is that you have one day of the year that you get to be away from your friends to either be with someone you love or to focus on doing something fun.



Just Remember: It doesn't matter if you are rearranging the stars, watching a pulsar go super nova, having a nice meal, playing video games, going to the most romantic city on Earth (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), or watching old reruns of a great show. You can and should have a happy Valentine's Day.

Will Chocolate Let Me Finish?

Sure, this week I could have written about gifting for Valentine's Day, but I have already written a gifting entry. It occurred to me last night that while I have written about the large break-up events of the season, I haven't taken into account how to break-up with someone. Suppose you have are dating someone and the magic is gone. Everything is just dead. Maybe you feel with way, but most likely both of you feel this way only neither one of you can say it. The fact is that it needs to be said: It's over. Mind you, breaking up is never a simple thing, but there are a few methods on how to do it.

The Not So Simple Talk - This attempt is the average break-up. One person wants to, the other doesn't. It is a total surprise. No matter what, this break up is never easy to attempt when in public. Privacy is ultimately necessary for this. This is by far the bravest way to break up with someone. There are a few methods to get through this.
                         The Honest Way - Being straightforward about your feelings is how to do it. You may end up with a drunken ex on your hands in moments, but at least your conscience is clear.
                         The Dishonest Way - Think of the craziest lie you can think of...then take it a step further. You may not have a clear conscience, but at least you're free.

The Simple Talk - While fantastically rare, this can happen. You both mutually decide that it's over. This  break up can happen anywhere, but, again, it is extremely rare.

The Simple Non-Talk - Facebook, text, voice mail message, snail mail, fax, telegraph, it doesn't really matter how it is done. The simple truth is you can't bear to say the words. This option is left for cowards or for use against violent exes.

The Subtle Break Up - I've seen this one used by a few friends. This is generally used against annoying/crazy exes. It is a simple break up without being rare. All that is needed is to stop showing up. I generally disagree with this method because it is cowardly and uninspired.

The Memorable Break Up - This is by far the ballsiest method on how to break up with someone. It can be as simple as being brutally honest or as horrible as breaking up with someone at their birthday dinner. Sure, they will be upset and you will look like a complete ass, but this will surely guarantee this ex will be out of your life for good.

I don't really care for break ups. They are as volatile as black holes, drawing people in and leaving destruction. The ultimate concern with a break up is how friends become weapons. In all honesty, the one way to deal with a break up is make it a one-on-one event. Spare everyone else. They don't need that.

Just Remember: If you are unhappy, it is always best to communicate first. See what happens. Then take action when nothing changes.