The Times Are Changing (Cell Phones)

I realize I'm only 23 and 1/2. But I've seen a lot change these past few years. Being the first generation to grow up with computers and cell phones as a mainstream product has probably been the biggest change.

A couple of months ago, I saw cell phone commercials advertise getting a new cell phone for your loved one. Such a thing would not have even been thinkable in the 50's. Usually the woman would get a box of chocolates and some flowers with a note that read "I hope you don't mind me getting you pregnant after you make me dinner." I suspect there were plenty of families in that time where all of the kids had confusing November birthdays. If you had a good relationship with your wife that didn't involve beating her with a switch no thicker than the size of your thumb (hence the "rule of thumb") you might have opted to get her some jewelery instead.

There was a time when cell phones were for rich and important people like the president or douchebag stockbrokers who talked loudly at your favorite restaurant. My parents were the first on in the area to have a cell phone. I always thought as a kid, that in the future, phones would have games and other useful purposes. I was only half right. Most of the purposes my phone serves is moderately convenient at best. I can text people instead of having a real conversation. I can play games instead of paying attention. I can surf the web anywhere instead of just finding something else to do wherever I am.

In high school, cell phones were really taking off. My friend had one of the first color phones on the market. It was the coolest thing ever. I refused to text because I thought it was stupid. Now its just a daily function and a word ingrained in my daily vocabulary. And picture phones, who saw that coming? Not me. Sure there is plenty of times I thought "I wish I had a camera right now." But integrating a phone with a camera is nothing short of genius and stupidity at the same time. As a society we can now send embarrassing photos at the speed of light so everyone can bask in the humiliation of your closest friends. We can now take pictures in an instant for updating, blackmail, and for sexual purposes as the kids are doing nowadays. We can do anything our laptops can do in the palm of our hand.

Being impersonal through a text has never been so easy. Finding information when you need has never been so easy. It's only a matter of time before my future kids get chips implanted in their brain where they can do everything our phones do, in their head. Our cell phones will be old school, just like our pants, haircuts and phrases.

Ah yes, the times are changing. Changing, indeed.

Science is a Funny Thing

Science itself is a serious subject. It has brought forth a sense enlightenment that the human mind can make things happen if used in the right direction. It's opened the mind of all people that food, technology and information are at the fingertips of most modern societies. We have become dependent on science to solve problems, find cures, bring hope, give us more convenient technologies, and in a big picture sense advance humanity to science fiction levels. At the same time, it's easy to turn our backs to science if we don't agree with facts, theories or anything that challenges our way of thinking. No other subject (besides perhaps politics) has this type of effect on the population. In a way, it's not so hard to believe.

More often than not, we find that science is abused for profit rather than the advancement of humanity. That has more to do with society, really. Somewhere out there, is a family whose loved one losing the fight against cancer. Somewhere out there, a child goes hungry because their nation lacks the scientific resources to help itself in a corrupt government system. Whereas, somewhere out there, a doctor is finishing up residency who will specialize in surgically implanting hair on bald men. Somewhere out there, a team of the brightest minds with Ph.d's in chemistry, biology and medicine, are working on a more efficient way to enlarge a man's penis. Somewhere out there, someone is revolutionizing a surgery that will make breast implants easier and affordable. Somewhere out there, someone is building a weapon capable of destroying everything which would undo the advancements thus far.

In a way, it's funny. It's become so mainstream to see ads or commercials that emphasize the male dong. 15 years ago that was almost taboo. We have slowly transitioned to thinking that global warming was a crock of shit to widely accepted fact. There is a lot more positive buzz about "going green" than there ever was without hippies having a lot to do with it. Commercials attempt to convince balding men that hair is everything. That hair is youth. That hair is the key to getting laid, getting jobs, and yes, even purchasing a sports car. Hair can do it all if you don't have it. For those who do have it, it does nothing but make them average. Ads in women's magazines boast that cheap creams and make up will erase 15 years off your face. It's important to look and feel young for as long as possible.

It blows me away to think that behind these superficial products, procedures, and promises, is a team of people who went to school for easily 6-8 years. We don't think of it often but chemists, biologists, doctors, and even physicists with masters and Ph.D's are behind it. Some of the brightest minds the country has to offer created a product through years of research (that time could have been used for something more useful) that will make my hair grow back in, a pill that will make my lips more luscious and my buttocks more firm. Things are being created that are easy, effective and useless.

Some people argue that looks are very important to some people so what harm could it do? If it's important to them, why should we care? We don't have to use the product, right? Although that may be true, it's not necessarily correct. Just because it's important to some doesn't make it useful. The 8 years it's taken some companies to develop and research a pill to make Bill's penis larger could have been spent on cancer research. It may not have led to a cure, but it would have been 8 years closer to it, logically. It has become so acceptable to embrace the superficial and the insipid in favor of individualism. Everyone deserves to look young, have large genitals, puffy lips, large breasts, firm buttocks, lose weight by pills rather than exercise (the only current, most effective, well known, method in weight loss), whiter teeth without always brushing, faster cars without using any gas, tasty foods without the hazards, sex without a catch, etc.

Suddenly, a loved one is diagnosed with a disease with no known cure. Treatments are little and not markedly effective. Its' suddenly an outrage that science has let them down. Why isn't there a cure? Why isn't there a treatment to better their odds? Why isn't there a lot of research on this rare disease? Doesn't this matter? My loved one is dying. Who is at fault? If I had to point the finger, it's at our crummy society. The industries and our society at large have put a price tag on useless sciences because it sells with fast results. It pays to make Viagra. It's good money doing less invasive breast implants. It's good money making weight loss pills without exercising. The years put into the research of these products could have been put towards curing diseases or learning more about them, tackling world hunger, relieving the stressful effects of greenhouse gases, finding alien life, advancing colonization of humans to space, learning more about our uncharted deep oceans, discovering new species, discovering new plants that could be used for useful pharmaceuticals, animal research to better understand the world around us, geology, astronomy, advancing safe technologies for travel and communications........

The problem is, the general public is not interested in all of that. As a result, it doesn't sell. There isn't as much money as we would like to think for the greater good.

In a way, we are all to blame.

Nursing School

Nursing school has been on my mind constantly. I worry at all times which one I will go to. When will I be accepted? When will I be done? I just want to start nursing school so badly. I want my career to start. I want to start doing a little more. It's just where. Where? So many choices.

Where, oh where? I need to have my life together.

Home Movies

Last week, I was somehow coerced into watching family videos with my parents and my sister. I don't hate home movies. But they always make me sad for some reason.

Watching the old videos was still fun. I never realized how young my parents really were. They had me when they were about 20. Which wasn't really planned. I'm likely the product of a cheap broken condom and even cheaper alcohol. My parents were younger than I when they had me. I had never really taken time to realize it. Watching the movies, I saw my parents had nothing but each other and a few really cheap pieces of hand-me-down furniture. They were broke and seldom had money to their name. They were just kids. But they seemed so happy. So youthful. So full of life and energy. They were glowing. In that time things were rough. They were both struggling to support our family. My dad worked graveyards at LDS Hospital for 13 years, while going to school, while raising me and my sister. My parents made it work no matter what. There was some setbacks along the way but we made it out anyhow. Unlike most young parents of my current time, my parents had to leave behind much of their youth and endure responsibility of having a kid and later on another. There was no wild parties with their friends or vacations. (at least not frequently) They buckled down and raised me and my sister. It blows me away to see parents my age today who party every single weekend, go on crazy vacations and virtually ignore their kids. Their excuse is typically that they are still young and need to live it up. Maybe I'm just old school but that just seems terribly reckless and irresponsible.

My parents 24th anniversary is coming up in June. Every year I try to come up with a nice gift for them. I wish I could just give them back their vibrant youth. Let them be young one more time. I want to give them back what time has taken away. My parents aren't very old by today's standards. They are still in their 40's and for the most part very happy. I guess the best I can do is try to be a good son and try not to disappoint, not be a disrespectful smart ass, and ask as little as possible from them. Ultimately, I would love to send my parents on a lovely vacation, or find a way to give back the thousands of dollars they have spent on me over the years.

Basically, I love my parents and I'm very lucky to have been born in their care. Many kids in the world aren't so lucky.

It's Pretty Sweet

The past few weeks have been good to me for the most part. April has really been looking up. Good weather. Good friends. Good times. Finals almost here and over. My guitar collection is flourishing.

Admittedly, I have gone slightly overboard with the guitar buying. But I'm bent on testing out all the sounds I can. I got myself an electric drum kit, which has been wonderful. I have missed music so much. I think it's one of the reasons why I've been doing so much better. It's been an excellent outlet. It helps me vent. It helps me think and clear my mind.

I still need to repair my car after hitting that deer. The quotes to fix it have been less than impressive. That will cost me a fortune. I'm debating on summer classes but leaning against it in favor of paying off my debts like I have every summer. I also wanted to take the time to spend some time with two of my really good friends before they go off to different states. One will go to med school the other law school. I will miss them dearly. Seeing them have to go has encouraged and inspired me to to do better in school. I don't want to be the last of my friends to not have a degree. It's actually somewhat frightening to think about.

I really need to work out. Every time I have tried, it has fallen through by the hands of stress. School. Work. Sleep deprivation. I have contemplated buying a bike so I can ride again. But I'm not sure yet. I need to exhibit some form of self-control on my terrible eating habits. Blah blah blah. It doesn't really matter enough to write about.

Memorial weekend is next month. I couldn't be more excited for a vacation as it is much needed. Camping. Paintball and four-wheeling. Family. It will be great, like every year.

I have been researching nursing schools and getting excited about applying in the next year. It's still a long ways away, but I try to keep my goals in sight to keep my motivation.

Yes this was pointless.

Enjoy.

Better blogs to come. I promise.