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Pinterest, The Musical

The internet is pretty busy these days. (Hey! Over here. Stay with me.) There’s a fierce battle of eyeball real estate going on; somehow, I won you over to my blog. I promise to be quick.

Have you noticed attention spans weakening at a frightening pace? I’m as bad as anyone. Lately, I’ve felt less like Greek Homer and more like Springfield Homer.

SIDE NOTE: I may or may not have just spent 20 minutes on Youtube watching old Simpsons videos.

The internet is just absolute madness: eons and eons of digital stimuli. Remember not knowing the answer to things? That was awkward. What once took a lifetime of information to collect, can now be searched and understood in less than five tweet-seconds.

But I can’t help but wonder about the negative long-term effects of all this big data and short segmented behavior. If things keep going the way they are (and one can only assume it will) humans may just become the most annoying creatures of all time. A Keurig will even be too slow. Maybe that’s why, in the movies, when people discover how to travel through time, they always escape the future and prefer the past. Terminator, obviously, just wants to chill.

Pinterest

Pinterest is a worthy case study and is my favorite example of short-term focus. (more…)

Adventure: Not All it’s Cracked Up to Be

Adventure is weird and complicated. Like ordering a martini for the first time or Thai food, it’s not easy. It’s sexy, sure. We escape the familiar in favor of the unknown. We leave our friends and family behind. We buy maps (or iPhones) and plot new courses.

My wife and I have only five days left of our six-month stay in California. From here, we’ll pack up and drive to Idaho for a few weeks and then drive, finally, to Rochester, New York, where we’ll settle.

The idea of living in three states in one year sounded fun, initially. A couple of fair-skinned gypsies in a Prius-charriot awaiting adventure—that was us.

All I’ve ever wanted was adventure, and truth be told, I’ve had my fair share.

I’ve back-packed through Ireland; I’ve driven to the Grand Canyon on a whim; I’ve rode through a carwash on a razor scooter… Adventure is in my blood.

Is adventure good for blood?

Fake Adventures

I grew up idolizing movies like Indiana Jones, Star Wars, and The Mummy where characters traveled to the ends of the Earth, or universe, to conduct business. I’d watch TV shows like The X-Files and swoon. The monster-of-the-week storyline, on the search in a new area, fascinated me (and still does).

But it’s all fake. It’s exciting, but truth be told, if I met a new monster every week and I’d be dead by now. I’d be digesting in some mutant’s stomach and that’d be an awkward funeral.

Then there is the whole social media thing. All the fake adventurers. I recently read an article about the “Instagram Envy Effect,” which, really, is just how it sounds. Instagram captures everybody’s good moments, new moments. The rest of us watch and wish we could have those moments. Really, it’s all just fake. We post the interesting moments and leave the rest hidden, like reality TV.

I bring the Instagram article up because social media—as well as movies, music, and books—teach us some falsehoods about adventure. They tell us adventure has no downside. That it’s all just fun all the time and YOLO and pose!!!

Warning: Adventure is not all it’s cracked up to be.

Here are some tips to make sure you never, ever have an adventure.

Issue number 1:

You’re basically always packing. I’m not sure how you feel about packing, but I’m not a big fan.

Issue number 2:

Friendships are rare. It’s hard to get close to people when you’re always on the go. It’s not like the comic books where the hero has all the friends. The real-life hero, the traveler, is awkward at parties, unable to connect—not sure if he even wants to.

Issue number 3:

It gets harder and harder to leave. Maybe I’m getting older, maybe the traveler’s heart is just failing to pump like it used to, I don’t know. Maybe a six-month vacation wasn’t a very good idea. All I know, is that it’s getting harder to leave.

My friends, my family, my town. Sometimes, adventure just kind of sucks.

The memories are worth it, and that’s what I’m holding on to, for now.

the gang 043

What are your thoughts on adventure?

Media-Thon Monday (4)

Well, I know I promised I’d try this every week. I think every-other week will do.

So here it is, your moment of Media-thon Monday zen.

Chicago Airport_Fotor

Littering is SO 2012

This guy started a campaign on Instagram to rid the world of litter. It’s stuff like this that gets me excited about the potential positive impact of social media in the world. But be warned. This campaign carries a high-user side-effect of “humble brag.” It is hard, though, to argue against cleaning up the streets.

Like any super power, social media should be used wisely. I’m interested to see if this campaign really catches on.

I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody’s Business

The band I Can Make A Mess—side band of the lead singer of The Early November—just released a new album. I haven’t quite heard the whole thing, though I’ve been quite obsessed with the new song, “Lions.”

Check it out, what do you think? Catchy as a virus?

One Step Closer to Harry Potter

Yes, I haven’t even started my first semester and I’m already bragging on the University of Rochester. Check out this great video, and link to an article about it here, on invisible cloaking devices.

Pretty dang cool, if I’d say so myself (which I just did).

Prancersise, yes it’s real

Don’t forget your ankle weights!

What do you think, are you ready to Prancersise?

Well, that’s it for now! Check out the previous edition of Media-thon Monday HERE.

Exploding Heads and Other Obstacles

Friday morning I woke up with the worst of a weeklong cold. There was coughing, sneezing, and liquids draining in ways I never thought possible! Like an imprisoned Instagram filter, everything just seemed mucusy.

Remember that movie Scanners? You know, the one where that guy’s head explodes?

That was me. All I wanted was a blanket to hide in and fifteen more hours of sleep. Thankfully, I had to take a five-hour road trip to Seattle. (That was sarcasm). In effort to find any way out I could, I pleaded a case to my wife Megan:

“If my head is going to explode, it will be in the car.” She hates gore. “You will have brains all over you!” I exclaimed.

“Suck it up,” she said, “you’re going.” I sneered and coughed louder.

We planned to travel so I could interview for the University of Rochester. These interviews solidify entrance and also help acquire scholarships—my primary concern. Rochester offers Skype interviews if the off-site interview is too far away. An all too alluring temptation, but the in-person experience can never be replaced.

Truthfully, I was ready to give up. I didn’t care if I interviewed or attended another course ever again. Everything flew out the window. I wanted my bed. I wanted Netflix. And I didn’t want my head to explode.

Obstacles.

Obstacles orbit life’s milestones like the rings of Saturn. From a distance, they appear solid, intimidating, and flashy. Most will turn back; others will just get stuck gazing at the rings. (I’m not even sure what Saturn (the planet) looks like. I only know it has rings!)

But what happens when we stick with our gumption, stay focused, and approach the goal? We find the rings aren’t solid at all. In fact, they’re made of dust.  Obstacles are like this. They test our endurance and our commitment. Sometimes we get scared and turn away; sometimes we push forward with less motivation than we assumed we’d need.

In the heat of the moment, I would’ve given in. I would’ve “given up the diet while reading the dessert menu” as author Peter Bregman says. Thankfully, my wife saw through Saturn’s rings and recognized the planet.

So we went. My head didn’t explode. In fact, Saturday morning, I woke up refreshed and ready. The interview went amazing and I even got to see a couple old friends. Thanks to Megan for pushing me. I guess it also helps to have someone keep you accountable.

Now watch that Youtube clip again, you know you want to.