Munificent Banter

A trove of semi-useless rhetoric and/or random musings and exploits, with a mild amount of profanity just for good measure.

Wednesday, August 03, 2005

"Closed for my protection"

With big plans come big thoughts. Thoughts that I suppose I subconsciously protected myself from thinking, but now realize that I have to work through.


Absence does make the heart grow fonder, but it also makes the mind wander. My meanderings have brought me to things that need to be discussed and hopefully resolved.


Neil always seems to shed some light on complex emotional situations.



"Open Secrets"


It went right by me-
At the time it went over my head
I was looking out the window
I should have looked at your face instead


It went right by me-
Just another wall
There should have been a moment
When we let our barriers fall
I never meant what you're thinking-
That is not what I meant at all…


Well I guess we all have these feelings
We can't leave unreconciled
Some of them burned on our ceilings
Some of them learned as a child
The things that we're concealing
Will never let us grow
Time will do its healing
You've got to let it go


Closed for my protection-
Open to your scorn
Between these two directions
My heart is sometimes torn


I lie awake with my secrets
spinning around my head
something that somehow escaped me-
Something you shouldn't have said
I was looking out the window
I should have looked at your face instead…


I find no absolution
In my rational point of view
Maybe some things are instinctive
But there's one thing you could do
You could try to understand me-
I could try to understand you…


- Neil Peart (Musician, Writer)


posted by Scott @ 1:48 PM   0 comments  

Wednesday, July 20, 2005

"See... you're a planner."

Yeah, I definitely am.


It's amazing how organized and anal I can be with some aspects of my life, and yet completely chaotic and unconcerned with others.


For instance, talking to my mother about my organizational skills she would probably reflect on her visions of my bedroom when I was young. Who am I kidding, now too! Pretty much every private room in my house is organized chaos, which is how I like it, most of the time. I have a nearly photographic memory, so it's easy for me to remember where, when, why, and how I put things in a specific place.


Talking to any of my coworkers or bosses, you would get a different impression altogether. Not pristine, but certainly well organized and available at a moments notice.


What does that have to do with the strange mating rituals of the pygmy people of the Congo? Uh… nothing, but there is a point to the post, I promise.


So, I have been making some life altering plans of late, keeping much of the details as secret and concise as possible so as to avoid hearsay, confusion, and to keep people from dropping eves.


The Setting


Surprisingly, much of what I had thought through in my head is actually possible, feasible, was a hell of a lot easier to set up than I ever thought possible, due much to the help of my family. I will still need to coordinate these plans with other families, but have a feeling that it will go just as smoothly with them as it did with mine.


The Timing


Timing is everything. Although the setting was easier than I'd imagined it would be to achieve, the timing is going to be a bit more difficult. Due in part to the coordination of schedules of people, places, and events. Each of which will have an effect on when the entire plan will come to fruition.


The Crux


Currently it's a perpetuum mobile, which isn't really a big deal, as it's just beginning. It is a bit frustrating, but no more than getting some peanut butter stuck to the roof of your mouth.


Hopefully it will start to solidify in September, as there are many aspects that have to be concrete. But, I have to have faith that they will work out.


Digression


Anyway, being vague as usual, but it'll be more than worth it for everyone involved, and certainly for one particular, pivotal, person. We've already had many moments that I will remember for the rest of my life, and only hope that this is one she will cherish to think of for the rest of hers.


He is the best man who, when making his plans, fears and reflects on everything that can happen to him, but in the moment of action is bold.


- Herodotus (Greek historian)

posted by Scott @ 3:50 PM   0 comments  

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

"Yeah..."

So messed up, all I can do is quote. Sorry.


It's crazy how you can get yourself in a mess sometimes and not even be able to think about it with any sense and yet not be able to think about anything else.


- Stanley Kubrick (Director, Screenwriter)

posted by Scott @ 4:19 PM   0 comments  

Wednesday, June 08, 2005

"Adolescence, in essence, is all about... trust."

Sometimes Gordie really does have some unique insights about things, and sometimes his ramblings teach rather than simply amuse.


What builds trust? Well, it seems to me that a few things can be combined to form and build trust. Integrity, responsibility, understanding, and security.


Integrity: Do what you say you're going to do.


Responsibility: Don't play the blame game and don't make excuses. Just accept what you've done, admit to it, and do what you can to fix the damage you've caused.


Understanding: Realize that your outlook on things may not be shared, accept that there are other points of view that are equally as valid as yours, and acknowledge them graciously and with accurate consideration.


Security: Say what you mean to say, and mean what you say.


I am borrowing quite a bit of this from and article Ronda Gates (M.S., R.Ph, C.L.C.) wrote, but I think it's important enough to quote her.


It takes time to develop trust in someone, especially for people who have been hurt before. Who do you trust? What are the characteristics that support that trust? If the relationship is important to you what are the small steps you can do to restore betrayed trust. If you have been in a relationship where trust has been damaged and want to rebuild trust try my 1 to 10 scale to rate the trust in four different areas.



  • Give a number to where your level of trust is now;

  • the worst it has ever been;

  • the best it has ever been and

  • how you would like it to be.


Like many people you may notice that where it is now is higher than the worst it has ever been. if that is so, what did it take to move your trust up the scale. The answers to that question are part of what helps you to build trust in a person. Now for higher math. Take the number for where trust is now and subtract it from the number of where you would like it to be. For the sake of example, let's say your goal is a 10 minus your current of level, 6. That means you have four levels of trust to go to get where you want. Instead of trying to jump from 6 to 10 in one shot, break it down into more manageable chunks. What small, day-to-day things would take to go fro

m a 6 to a 7, a 7 to an 8 and so on?

posted by Scott @ 4:44 PM   0 comments  

Friday, May 13, 2005

"Way to go a-hole!"

The vote demonstrated again Bush's willingness to live on the political edge ? to accept achingly narrow margins in Congress and at the ballot box to pursue ambitious changes that sharply divide the country.


It still feels like the Democrats, and/or basically anyone with a triple digit IQ, is waiting for their balls to drop to say something about the downward spiral of our country.


Might as well just call Bush Nurse Evil, cause we all know he couldn't have become a doctor even with all Daddy's money and clout.

posted by Scott @ 11:06 AM   1 comments  

Friday, March 25, 2005

"Today was the worst day of my life!"

I just love hearing that phrase from people.


Yeah… okay.


You know what, if your life was so bad today then let's compare it to someone else and see how your day stacks up.


Here's what Nijah did today.


Nijah is 4 years old and lives near Darfur. Today, she had to carry her little brother, Nibraz (13 months old) who is malnourished, up to the northern part of the Chad/Sudan border after their parents, uncle and older brother were either killed or went missing in an attack by the Janjaweed militia on their village, Ab-Layha.



Suddenly your day isn't so bad is it?


http://www.darfurgenocide.org


As is the style thus far, an appropriate quote.


Self-pity is easily the most destructive of the nonpharmaceutical narcotics; it is addictive, gives momentary pleasure and separates the victim from reality.


- John W. Gardner (Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare under President Lyndon Johnson)


posted by Scott @ 12:16 AM   1 comments  

Monday, March 21, 2005

"The best defense is a good offense"

It's more government spending on offensive weapons, yay!


Does anyone else find this offensive (pun intended)?


Doesn't anyone remember what Mr. Miyagi said?


Best way no get hit, no be there.

posted by Scott @ 3:41 PM   1 comments