Are We Losing Our Vocabulary?

My friend asked me to send a link to my "favorites" on YouTube. i decided to also send him another link saying "This video is one of my favorites" but then it dawned on me, how will he know what I mean by "favorite"? They are all under the "Favorites" category! So instead I wrote "one of my all time favorites".
I wonder if it's the technology age that is forcing us to add more and more adjectives (haha 'more and more' get it?) to validate our claims. Wasn't the term "good" good enough once upon a time? Because today, if your response is "I'm good" that can be taken as a lie. You have to say "I'm REALLY good (really!!)". How'bout if you asked me about someone and i said "He's nice." Hmmm that doesn't sound to good does it? "No he's really like crazy nice! like for real! unbelievably amazingly nice!" Ok, thats better....
I'm just thinking of the day when we will be forced to elucidate when talking about friends; "Well s/he is my REAL friend, not a Facebook one!"

Finding the positive

The video i posted is very obviously a scam. with absolutely no good intentions other then to make money. (and most definitely not the o-my-gosh-i-can-really-save-the-world message that it tries to portray)

But.

It has a point. Regardless of it's commercial intention, it still somehow is able to relate a message. and that message, many of us happen to know, is true.

So why do i care? How do these ridiculously delusional scammers solidify what i was already taught? It doesn't. But it taught me something else.

This combination of power-seeking falsity with a lesser amount of truth and genuine care for another mixed in, is something we encounter all the time when we live with the people of the world. (Aside for certain times, when a tragedy of significant enough magnitude will bring out our better of natures.) Especially if you find yourself in a "Western" society. (-in the atlas of 2008- Everywhere) People will usually block out their caring-for-others conscious for the sake of pursuing their American dream without bother: Wealth, Power and status. If we choose to see everyone for their active priorities, then there is no reason why not be cynical. Of course the world is going to shat; why would anyone care enough for it not to?!
We can however see it how it is. (or how it was) before selfishness covered it, obscured it. If we work at it, we can appreciate it more.

Think about this if you're discouraged by the elections, by the situations of the Israeli government, or by your next door neighbor.

Also, look out for those moments, on the Subway,in the park, in 770... (ok, i won't push it..) Those moments when we get to witness great things. when you see the good shine through.

Amen

Ya know... somethings never change

I'm glad that somethings never change. it's a kind of comfort i guess.

Like having a late night craving for some ice cream. (In the winter yet!) i can't say its the habit which makes me most proud, but why be ashamed of it? it'll always come back every now and then. somethings just never change.

Like Ice cream ya know. Ever since they invented this magical stuff all those years ago, it's basically the same idea. Sure they've come up with a coupla new flavors since, but a good ole' scoop of vanilla still hasn't gone outa style.

Anyway, back to the present. I walk into the ice cream store and this guy's behind the counter. It blows my mind to think who long this guy's been working in the same store. As I look around the store, I realize that not much has changed in the store either. Just a little grayer perhaps, like Charlie (I don't even actually know his real name)
This guy's seen my whole life evolve (my WHOLE life. I've been there so often at every stage of it). He's been there as long as I can remember. How can I describe him? If he wasn't black I'd say he looks like the guy who looks like everybody's uncle.
As I hand him a five dollar bill I say "Ya know, I remember you here when i couldn't reach the counter.." He smiles and sighs as he hands me my change "yeah I know... I know.."
I glance at my change, two dollars! TWO DOLLARS!! I guess some things do change..

I think I should go to jail

(Quick note: After the Columbine High shooting, we sadly learnt that the tragedy “Could have been prevented” if only the boys’ diaries and essays would have been taken more seriously. So I just hope that writing this doesn’t make me a suspect. :)
So why would I want to go to jail?
Well it all started about a year ago. I was in South Carolina and I went to jail. Well not literally, I was visiting Jewish inmates for the High Holidays. Being inside of a jail for the first time was quite a jarring experience. You walk the halls and think “look at these people, for years this is all they’ll ever see.” Just these walls… and for part of the day when they’re lucky enough, they can go outside and see a few more walls. You leave the building and suddenly its literally a whole new world out there. Suddenly you’re seeing everything you take for granted through the eyes of the inmate. Things along the road that you’d never give a thought when you were driving by on the way there. Just a gas station, just a store where you can buy ANYTHING you need, a beautiful bird flying overhead, a peaceful shady park with a beautiful arrangement of flowers growing. And you can’t help but think “and those guys won’t be able to see this for another ten, twenty YEARS!”.
Do we realize how many things we take for granted every day? What would that inmate give to be able to watch the sun set into a million reflections on the water, to hear the sound of the waves, to see a child smile….. And we are lucky enough to witness these blessings every day.
So what can I do? What is the secret to appreciating what you DO have when you HAVE it? Any suggestions anyone?
Should I go to jail? Probably not a very good idea, I hear the food’s not too good there… What about Amish town?

Poem Inspierd by photo #613

Post to follow (" 'Neider" obviously)