Inclusive Lexicon for 500, Please.

A long, long time ago - sometime last year - I was at the Utah Pride Center. I was there to support a friend's tobacco prevention organization to get LGBT young people involved in taking a stand against Big Tobacco. While everyone was standing around the pizza socializing, the conversation somehow shifted to how an individual wasn't afraid of doing something that the rest of the group wasn't willing to do (the details are obviously fuzzy...). This person ended with something along the lines of, "you guys are just p-----s" (Just trying to keep it G rated, but the word is a vulgar term for female genitalia that, today, is used as a derogatory term to tell someone that they are weak, unable, afraid, etc... if that helps figure out what was said). Another person quickly responded said, "let's unpack that word. What about this group is a vagina?"

While said somewhat in jest, the intent was to draw attention and critical thought to a commonly used word that others may find offensive, especially since it attaches a negative meaning (weak, afraid, etc) to an aspect of womanhood. This is similar to other common terms, like "gay" or "retarded." Of all the things to say, why pick something that is demeaning to a group of people? Granted, most people are using these words out of habit or because it is a common/popular term and are not intending to cause harm or dehumanize a group of people. They are used out of innocence or in an effort to fit in. But they often still make others feel uncomfortable and belittled.

Now that we have that established, I want to change pace a little and bring up the response: "Let's unpack that word." I tend to hear this phrase often when associating with "inclusive circles" and those attempting to create safe spaces. It is an effort to dissect a commonly used word or phrase and understand its true meaning and whether it was accurately used in the situation. Perhaps a better, less offensive word, could be substituted: a euphemism. So, when someone says, "that's so gay!" a common response would be, "let's unpack that word... What about this conversation/activity is homosexual? How is this topic dealing with anyone's sexual attraction? Did you mean...?"

You get the idea.

That critical thought is a soft approach to help minimize or remove future offenses. We all want to feel included and not many people want to be outright offensive. So, we talk about things.

And now to my main point: I feel that the majority of my friends and associates who are seeking to be inclusive tend to look past a few offensive words. While being quick to "unpack" how "that's so gay" can be offensive, these people are also quick to use often offensive swear words in their casual conversation and brush it off as "free speech" or "a matter of expression." Many people find swear words offensive, otherwise they would not be categorized as a swear word. Yet because it isn't directly affiliating a descriptive word of a group (i.e., retard) to a negative connotation (i.e., stupid, incapable, broken), it does not need to be "unpacked" and removed from one's lexicon for an unoffensive euphemism. Like I mentioned earlier, generally speaking, most people are not saying these things to be offensive, but many people are offended. Perhaps we can all work on being more inclusive by what we say...?

I hope I am making sense. Is this a valid concern? Is it a valid point of discussion?

Let's unpack this.

I shall call you, Evey.

9 pages in my journal today... you know something crazy is happening... especially since the last time I wrote was January 2011.

The end.


PS: I bought a new car yesterday! She's a 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid. Her name is Evey. In the words of my niece, "it looks like a spy car." She is black with dark tinted windows... Keyless entry and push to start... I feel like I am driving a luxury car! AND, if I drive eco-friendly (get a high enough average mpg for the drive), she congratulates me! It's like playing a game every time I get in the car... On the way to work this morning, I got over 40mpg almost the entire way... I got an, "EXCELLENT!" from her. She makes me feel good about myself. :)

Ten Months Later, or, To Share Or Not To Share

It's crazy to think that the last time I posted on my blog was ten months ago. Life was terribly different back then as compared to today - though many of those around me will not recognize the difference in me, my life, or anything else for that matter.

But things are pretty different.

My current feeling goes something like this: a blend of fear, anxiety, excitement, and childish giddiness are burning in my chest, while my stomach turns with a sense of hunger and stirred butterflies. I want to smile. I want to laugh. I want to cry and throw up a little bit. But, I want to talk to someone about the great things of life and the joys of Jesus and the intense aloneness I have felt in the past.

I want to share it all.

And then, of course, that leads me to a greater fear that my words will fall on ears closed and boarded up, a mind unable to understand the excitement and absurdity that is my life. 

The reel-to-reel in my mind plays it out perfectly. I dish it out on fancy plates with silver spoons. It's devoured - with the guest begging for a recipe and the intricacies its existence! And the giddy fear with a side of excitement and a glass of anxiety are no longer kept to myself, but has been consumed and absorbed by someone else. Mutual confusion, euphoria, and honest terror of what the future brings. 

The experience is one for the record books, let me tell you!

The performance in my mind enhances the previous emotions to the point where I am comparable to a teenybopper who just got backstage to her heartthrob's concert.

Yet, without fail, the fear of a miscalculated sentence or a fatefully closed mind overcomes the delight of the played and replayed scene.

What is a troubled soul to do?

If it was anyone else sharing this experience to me, I would be ecstatic to say, "Go for it! What is there even to question!?" But, since it is me who has to do the talking, the faith has yet to overcome the fear.

On a lighter note...

My life is incredible. Aside from the battle waging in my heart and soul as described above, things are going pretty perfectly. I am overcoming odds and challenging systems. And, as cliché as it may sound, The Man Upstairs is all to blame.

If you would have compared the Me of June 6, 2012 to the Me of June 19, 2012, we would be doppelgängers on the outside, but antonyms within. I guess you could say that Who I've Been has claimed vengeance on Who I Am, so that Who I'll Be can rise to fruition. It's like a Hollywood blockbuster. For real. Maybe we could call it September Came.

There is something to be learned in His wise words: "Pray always, that you may come off conqueror." (D&C 10:5) "...Lift up your heads, and rejoice, and put your trust in God..." (Mosiah 7:19) "...Walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them..." (Leviticus 26:3)

Call it snake oil, call it placebo, call it the Truth of the Universe. Whatever you want to call it, it works more than you would ever begin to imagine. Go ahead, give it a shot. I triple dog dare you.

Confused yet? Good.

PS: Ecstaticism isn't a word. I tried.

Come September

Who I Am is not Who I’ve Been

And I wonder if Who I’ve Been will return

‘Cause Who I Am is under my skin

I tend to worry in times like these

If Who I’ll Be is anything like Who I’ve Been?

If he’s like Who I am, I’ll be quite displeased.

To another dimension that others don’t see

Something needs to happen to Who I Am

He needs to go so I can know Who I’ll Be.

Come September, if Who I’ll Be is like Who I Am

Who I am is Who I’ll Be, and Who I’ll Be won’t be

At least that’s the prayer: May Who I Am be free.

[Name Unavailable for the Sake of the Reader]

I have been here before.

Same thoughts.

Same emotions.

Same expletives.

Well, maybe different expletives.

This time, more intensive.

When I say I wanna escape,

Words can't describe

The direction.

The rapidity.

The destination.

Needless to say,

Who I've been hates who I am.

Who I've been hates who I am.

Discover the paradox displayed.

Thoughts.

Emotions.

Direction.

Destination.

Decipher the obvious or let me be.

The Sorrowing of the Damned*

This is the sorrowing of the Damned: That promised grace was pulling me away from the world, so I let go and came crashing down. So much for a loving God with outstretched arms promising me mansions and a glorious crown. I feel betrayed by the One with so-called arms unfurled.

We swore by the Heavens and the throne of God that we would lie and murder to avenge our brothers who were lied to and murdered. In the name of the Almighty, we cursed our enemy and retaliate. Now we struggle by the sword for our lives & curse God for not being on our side.

I'm left here, drenched in sin - I thought for sure I would win. Living the dream promised by the Lawless One is not what it seems. All that is left is to curse the Man on High, wishing I could die. Now I'm down, I'm slammed. This is the sorrowing of the Damned.

*(Mormon 2: 12-14) During a study session on my mission, A few scriptures in the book of Mormon stuck out to me - showing me the contrast of a true follower of Christ and one struggling in the faith. The Sorrowing of the Damned is from the side of those struggling. To come (hopefully): The Cries of the Unashamed, which displays the attitude of the true disciple. 

Mass Entertainment, Society, & My Self

Welcome to Part Two of Memoirs of a Latter-Day Rogue: Mass Entertainment, Society, & My Self

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Influence. Control. Authority.

Brainwash?

We are living in a world inescapable of media influence. It is everywhere at every moment: Online, on the sides of busses and billboards, on the radio and television, on the clothes we wear and the things we say. Everywhere you look, there are money-hungry giants trying to lure you in. Being everywhere you think they are not, they capture most - hook, line, and sinker. Though I can easily deny being the subject of Mass Media's influence, it would be an obvious fallacy. One cannot live in America and be free of its control. This memoir will take a look into the one of the facets of Mass Media in America: Mass Entertaiment.

PART I: MINIMIZING INFLUENCE, or, WHY I DONT PARTAKE

Just because you can't live without the prodding influence and control of Mass Entertainment doesn't mean we can't minimize it, right?

I don't watch TV or movies (other than an occasional documentary and/or spiritual journey). Many people are floored by this idea, seeing as "watching" is such a mainstream activity. My reasoning behind my abstinence has many motivations which will be explained. Right. Now.

Subliminal Messaging. As much as it sounds like a joke, subliminal messaging is real. Granted, it most likely is not in the form of a man in a monotone voice repeating pleas to purchase a product, being played at such a quiet tone that you can't notice it. Rather, it is the verbal references the actors make. The clothes and styles they are seen in. The products being used or seen - also known as product placement. Product placement is defined as: a practice in which manufactured goods or providers of a service gain exposure for their products by paying for them to be featured in movies and television programs (New Oxford American Dictionary). Corporations pay big bucks to be seen on the big screen. If the stars are seen with a certain product, you can guarantee that product will have a high purchase rates afterwards.

Going back to the verbal references being said by celebrities and the styles they are seen in: How often are those who refrain from such forms of Mass Entertainment referred to as "out of the loop?" Media tells us what is cool to say, do, wear, and have. Just look at the trends in 12-25 year olds to see point proven.

Time Waster. The ultimate time waster is Mass Entertainment. TV, Movies, Video Games, Internet. They suck you in and before you know it, hours of your life are gone - never coming back. Wasted. What is even worse is when people get together to watch movies, thinking that it is building relationships. Since when did sitting in the same room in the dark staring at a box constitute as building relationships. It is shocking when people go on dates to movies. I just don't get it. That is time that could be spent on actually building relationships, getting things done, improving society, etc. But I guess people could say that about blogging... Hmmm...

Money Waster. Any form of Mass Entertainment is expensive.

A ticket to see a movie in theaters: $5 - 10

A purchased DVD: $20 - 30

A purchased video game: $30 - 60

This, to me, isn't even the biggest problem. Yeah, it is shocking that people would spend that much to see a movie on the big screen, but the problem I see is the money that goes into making such media. The money spent on the entertainment industry in one year could solve most of our nation's financial problems. Imagine the lives saved if that money went into prevention and research efforts. Woah. Yet, every time we pay for one of those things, we support the industry - regardless of their motive. 

Creativity Sucker. The more we rely on Mass Media for entertainment, the less we are able to accomplish creatively. When we don't know what to do on a weekend, instead of creating something or working our brain, we sit down in front of the TV, or go to a movie with friends. Instead of having heartfelt and intellectual conversation, how often do we find ourselves just talking about and quoting movies and shows? 

False Sense of Reality / Breeds Hate, Ignorance, and Stereotypes. Many people watch TV and movies to escape the world they live in. They create a new reality based off what they see. Fulfilled stereotypes, obscure views of love and friendship, the commonality of violence, murder, and obscenity. This reality is brought to the real world and perpetuated. If we had no media, I honestly feel that a lot of our struggles would dissipate after the passing of a few generations.

The next problem with this false sense of reality is that people escape to it instead of trying to fix the reality they actually exist in. Matters get worse when they are ignored, which may be one reason why our society is failing - we are avoiding the problem by watching a world that lives "happily ever after."

For the movies that don't end "happily ever after," they are most likely full of violence, greed, deceit, and obscenity. Why is it that we will frown upon the the killing of others, but turn around and pay money to watch the violence and brutality on the screen? Why is it that we frown upon promiscuity and immodesty, but will pay money to watch it on the screen? Why is it that we frown upon racism, profanity, and other forms of obscenity, but will pay money to watch it on the screen? 

Many of these points can cross mediums, from film to music to video games. It takes work to filter through everything to find what you REALLY want, as opposed to what is simply enjoyable. But when has filtering ever been a bad thing? And of course, not every point mentioned applies to all movies and all forms of Mass Media / Entertainment. One can use  their best judgement, make their own boundaries, and use their own filters. This is just my opinion, after all.

[check me out too!]

PART II: FLAWS IN THE SYSTEM

In America, there is an organization called the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). This organization is in charge of the rating system for movies. While there are some major benefits to this rating system, there are also severe flaws. A couple that writes for the Deseret News wrote an article dealing with the rating system and its flaws. Instead of re-writing everything, please read the article HERE or HERE. For those who do not desire to read it (though it  is VERY worth your time), here is an excerpt:

"What we hate about the rating system is that it does not take into account the purpose or message or the moral of a movie. Thus wonderful movies with powerful moral messages and true heroes like "Schindler's List" or "The Shawshank Redemption" ... get rated R, while amoral and deeply offensive movies that "call evil good" or that ignore moral questions altogether (or make fun of them), such as the current "Little Fockers," get rated PG-13."

(shout out to Ashlee for showing me this article)

Some content in R rated movies is the same content of hit TV shows like CSI, Bones, Burn Notice, etc., which make me wonder what the justification is to watch it on the TV and not on the Big Screen. I feel that we leave too much of our decision making up to others (MPAA, critics), and not to our personal rating systems (beliefs, values). So the next time you decide on a movie based on its rating, I hope you will rethink and research.

PART III: CONCLUSION

This memoir is not a call to repentance for anyone. It was brought about by the many inquiries of my views on Mass Entertainment, and why I don't watch movies or TV. This is a condensed version of my viewpoints. 

I hope you may find something that rings true within this memoir that will help you shape your own views on Mass Entertainment and in bettering your self. If you have any questions regarding anything mentioned above, feel free to ask.

Thank you and happy Presidents Day.

"Et Tu, Brute?"

There comes a time in everyones lives that they feel a sense of utmost betrayal, not from any outside source or being, but from the innermost crevices of our own soul.

Or maybe its just me...

O Captain! My Captain!

Through fearful trips thou lead us onward.

Through thick and thin, till journey's end.

The anchors been dropped, but rises again,

O Captain! My Captain! Thy vision is wearing.

Setting sail in daunting times,

Fear is cast in the hearts of thy crew.

The prize sought has bred tyranny and demise.

O Captain! My Captain! Return to virtue.

From fearful trip, the victors ship masks what it has done.

Success, perhaps, yet the truth cries from its grave.

O Captain! My Captain! Whom I've been taught to revere.

No longer does thy authority preserve thee.

The captain may change but the message remains,

O Captain! My Captain! Let Madame Justice carry thy fate.

For thee we call; eager now for thy reply:

Wilt thou go down with the ship or without thy soul?

The Urge To Write, or, Why A Memoir, Rogue?

When the world sleeps, I sit at my computer with the urge to write. I want to share all, but I am constantly left with an empty window, a blank canvas. Topics overflow in my head throughout my days, but when I want to let them out, they disappear. Some of the topics that arise in my overused mind are those same topics that I cannot create the words to describe how I feel, or even those that are not for the public eye. What is a self-proclaimed writer to do?!

---

Plenty to listen, none to hear.

Plenty to prescribe, none to heal.

If a flare shot through the night sky

it wouldn't be seen, but with a blind eye.

---

After the post of my first official memoir, "What's in a Name," I was asked by a few people to explain the name of my blog. The words "memoir" and "rogue" have many definitions, many of which are antagonists to my cause. For the sake of digging myself out of a hole that I have gotten myself in, I will take it upon myself to point out the true definitions I was going for. After all, I did think long and hard of a good name for the blog and my writings.

From the New Oxford American Dictionary:

• memoir |ˈmemˌwär; -ˌwôr|
• noun
• A historical account or biography written from personal knowledge or special sources
• An autobiography or a written account of one's memory of certain events or people.
• An essay on a learned subject
• The proceedings or transactions of a learned society
• rogue |rōg|
• noun
• A dishonest or unprincipled man
• a person whose behavior one disapproves of but who is nonetheless likable or attractive
• An elephant or other large wild animal driven away or living apart from the herd and having savage or destructive tendencies
• a person or thing that behaves in an aberrant, faulty, or unpredictable way
• an inferior or defective specimen among many satisfactory ones, esp. a seedling or plant deviating from the standard variety

The bolded parts of the definitions are the purpose for my choosing each word - despite the fact that some would call me a large wild animal and/or dishonest and unprincipled. 

Maybe I should have thought a little longer and harder?

---

I may or may not have just covered one of my bedroom walls with a quote right now IF I had paint. Just throw it on the wall. Like, "BAM! There's a quote on my wall!" What quote, you ask?

A quote by a gentleman by the name of Mr. Winston Churchill. It goes a little somethin' somethin' like this:

"Never give in. Never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy."

Thanks for tempting me, Sir Winston. Good day.

What's In A Name?

Sometimes I get in writing monsoons, and sometimes I get in writing droughts. The past few days have been a drought. Currently, we are in a monsoon. Two posts within 24 hours. Dang.

Now that we have that out of the way...

Though I am up and down on the spirituality meter, I like to think of myself as a spiritual guy. Yeah, I often do stupid things that God would frown upon, but I still have my faith. Most of my posts have at least a mention of something spiritual, and depending on my audience or group of people I am with, I will talk more or less about spiritual things. But when I am staring at a screen with oblivion ahead of me to fill, I feel open and willing to discuss almost anything. Almost. 

[DISLCAIMER: For the non-religious and/or non-spiritual, this post deals with my musing on what I see as spiritual matters. Regardless, I perceive the information presented as beneficial to those on every level of the spiritual spectrum to pull from, whether Atheist, Agnostic, Wiccan, Pagan, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, and/or the Religious Zealot. What I mean to say is, just because I mention spirituality doesn't mean you should stop reading. Hopefully you will get something out of it!]

Maybe if I stop going off on tangents, I might eventually get to my main points. Well, spiritual me went to a spiritual class tonight. The spiritual topics got my spirit senses tingling. Let the memoir commence:

Memoirs of a Latter-Day Rogue: What's In A Name?

A name is more than a combination of letters on a birth certificate. A name is a sacred thing. It is your identity. It is how people address you and get to know you. It is the one label that we tend to cherish above all else - One has a sense of fame and utmost value as their name is remembered by peers and acquaintances. Memories, histories, likes and dislikes, hobbies, preferences, and the epitome of THE INDIVIDUAL is wrapped up in a name. 

My name is Peter C. Moosman.

If you want to get down to the nitty gritty, you could say my name is Peter C. Moosman, Child of God and Disciple of Christ, Member of the LDS Faith, Executive Vice President of Salt Lake Community College, Citizen of the United States of America, et al.

Quite the name, eh? The interesting thing is that it is longer (and living). Yup, you got it. It changes constantly. Some of you have probably caught on to what I am saying, while others may be a little confused. Let me explain. 

Every position I hold and every mantle I carry gives me a title - an extension of my name. I have a responsibility to represent it well. It is who I am, regardless of whether it is a weekend or not, whether I am well known or unknown. I can't escape it. 

If, by some miracle, I was to leave the country and visit a foreign land (yeah, I wish!), people would EXPECT certain behavior to come from me as a US citizen. I want people to see my behavior (a positive one, of course) and have a better view of the United States than they did before they met me. Likewise, I want people to have a better view of Salt Lake Community College, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the Family of God, and even the Moosman family.

Not only do I have the responsibility to represent it well, but I must also live up to the expectation of the name I hold. When many people hear my name, they ask me if I am related to [insert name here] Moosman. I am told over and over again how I have great parents or grandparents. I do NOT want to diminish the name of the Moosman family and what it stands for: virtue, honesty, integrity, and every other positive characteristic the Moosmans have worked to uphold. 

When I tell people that I am from Utah, I am often asked if I am Mormon. When I say yes, you better believe I am expected to act just as a Mormon would act, including the busting of myths and stereotypes rather than reinforcing them. Every mantle has an expectation. Do I fall short? Do I get by? Or do I exceed expectation and revolutionize the understanding of that mantle?

Lets dig deeper.

My name is Peter C. Moosman.

Peter is greek, meaning "rock." Growing up, I HATED this name... who wanted to be a rock? My friends had names that meant "great warrior" and other amazing meanings, while I was stuck with "a stone." Luckily, as I grew, so did my understanding. I felt that my name became a calling. I was to be a rock: a firm foundation, unmovable and bold. To this day, I think of the characteristics of my name and strive to become a better person because of it.

I was named after Simon Peter, who was one of the first Apostles of Jesus Christ, as found in the New Testament of the Bible. Big deal, right? RIGHT. It is a very big deal. Peter was the chief Apostle and took over the church after Christ was crucified. He was a special man, one to be revered. He was so revered in his day as a Man of God that people would lay their sick and afflicted in the streets, having the faith that if Peter's SHADOW were to touch them as he walked by, they would be healed [Acts 5: 15-16]. He dedicated his whole self to the service of others and the glorifying of Christ. He was humble, he was dedicated, he was compassionate.

Though I will never achieve the capacity of spiritual progression and power that Simon Peter held, I do have a great namesake to be my example. I feel that with the name I hold, I am given a responsibility to magnify the name. Peter is not just a "rock," but an "unmovable, firm foundation, defending truth and goodness in all things. A bold defender of the Faith." Yeah, a big deal.

What does your name mean? How can you find strength, conviction, and goodwill within it?

Yes, the name "Peter" has quite the mantle, but imagine carrying the weight of the name of something greater: Jesus Christ. Whether you recognize Him as the Son of God or simply an influential storyteller, one who carries his name carries a hefty responsibility. This is the King of Kings, Lord of Lord, and Only Begotten of the Father we are talking about! Who wants to put a blemish on His name? Of course, nobody would. Unfortunately, I seem to mess things up more often than not... BUT I try to keep the name clean. When we slip up, we dust ourselves off and try again.

What am I doing with Christ's name...? Like I mentioned above, as I carry the name of Christ, I am given a responsibility to magnify that name. What did Jesus Christ teach? How am I living? Are the two in harmony? I am not just talking about the obvious things about attending church and wearing a CTR ring, but what about dining with the sinners and publicans? Loving the enemies and understanding the unbeliever? Recognizing the royal blood in everyone and cherishing the opportunity to learn, grow, and testify with them. 

To clarify why I am talking about having Christ's name: I believe that by labeling myself as a Christian, and a baptized member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I have essentially taken His name upon me. "My name is Peter Moosman, Disciple of Christ." Though I do not introduce myself in this manner, I do feel that my actions, character, and countenance should. That speaks louder than any words I could say on the matter anyway.

I hope I am making sense.

Now for the confessions.... I will be the first to admit that I am one of the farthest from "Poster Child" status for the aforementioned principles. It is quite the challenge to maintain perfection, you know?! Seriously though, I have had my fair share of  detours on the road to reflecting the message and morals contained within each name I hold, from the names on my birth certificate to the names I adopt through this seemingly nonsensical life. At times they are glorified, and others they are tainted. Regardless, I have the opportunity to pull from the power-source which is a name. My name. Peter C. Moosman.

The Hardest Button to Button...

The road has been an uneven one - A trial of my own device.
I chose the path more commonly traveled and it left me here alone.
The endowments of the route had a costly price.
That which seemed clear from a distance was simply overgrown.

---

**I get in these writey moods and don't always know what to do with them. So disregard if you will. Or try to somehow make sense of them.

---

A chapter ends while a new one begins.
The setting remains the same while some things change.
New characters, new plots, new challenges.
Its hard to keep up with the new and make the old hold true.

---

I can't escape the chill of winter by retreating to the warmth of a fire.

---

Wow. Ok. Move right along to the next post please! I just wrote it before this one! It makes a LITTLE more sense than what is written above. Thanks.

The only thing constant is change

When given time, a steady stream can create grand canyons out of smooth planes. The Saint can develop a calloused heart, while the Sinner can become the repentant prodigy. Alas, here I am, changed by those steady streams of life, the construction of the flesh and of the supernatural, covered in cracks, scars, and bandages - ready to keep changing.

With a new year and new resolutions, I thought it appropriate for a new look. I hope you like it. I would like to take a short moment to explain a thing or two regarding the change.

Memoirs of a Latter-Day Rogue is the title of a future compilation of writings on my seemingly peculiar musings. Though currently unwritten, each memoir will contain insight on what makes me me. With that said, I changed the title of my blog to coincide with said compilation because this blog will hopefully coincide with those musings.

If you take a gander back to the top of this here blog, you will see a bird flying near the title. Even thought it looks great and stylish, it has a special meaning. This special meaning will not be told in this post, but rather, told in a piece of literature published in 1970 - Jonathan Livingston Seagull. If you take the time to read it and apply it, I promise you that it will change you for the better. Believe dat.

Enough about me, go read the book.