Sep 17 Growing up (maybe just because it was growing up in the United States of America), I have become accustomed to getting gifts. There are presents for birthdays, graduations, Christmas, and other events that society deems worthy. There are all kinds of gifts, too. There are handmade gifts, clothes, toys, service coupons (e.g., breakfast in bed), simple cards, gift cards, and even the classic dollar bill(s).
As a child I used to enjoy getting money as much (and probably more than) any other type of gift. It is of the utmost in practicality since it can be used for anything that the receiver desires. It is also much easier on the giver since it removes all of the effort involved in finding and purchasing a gift.
But I think, as a receiver of gifts, therein lies the reason why my embrace of money has declined as I have aged. There is no work on the part of the giver. Actually I should take that back because they do have to work at a job in order to actually receive that money. But a giver of money does not need to wonder about the recipient’s desires or tastes. They do not need to go out searching for an appropriate gift that will delight. I appreciate the work that is involved in all of that. (Even if, sometimes, the gift turns out to be awful. If that is the case, I indeed would probably prefer money, but I can still try to appreciate the work and attempt that the giver made.)
Which leads me to my method of dealing with monetary gifts. I can happily receive such a gift, but I also try my best to set aside that money and use it on something pleasant. In that way, I can tangibly interact with the gift that has been given to me. I find that it makes me much more thankful to have, say, a room fan rather than $50 in my pocket that will be spent over time on miscellaneous soon-forgotten expenses (e.g., parking meter). The fan can cool me on a summer night. The $50? Not nearly as well.
In any case, can it really hurt any of us to be more thankful people?
Sep 1 Is it just me or does it seem like there are a lot more acronyms around? There are institutions for this, organizations for that, degrees in something else, and (especially) the forms and titles for all types of occupations.
Acronyms are not inherently awful things. In fact they are quite convenient. They allow us to say “PC” instead of “personal computer” or “CEO” instead of “Chief Executive Officer.” They only become a problem, though, when people use more obscure acronyms as if everyone should know them. It seems to me that people assume too much. Perhaps people never learned that it is bad practice to use an acronym (when you are writing) without spelling it out first. There are acceptable exceptions to the rule when words are integrated into the language (e.g., radar). Still, it only seems blog-worthy because their use of acronyms points to a world in which everyone knows everything that is going on in your life. In fact, it seems likely to me that your audience has no idea what you are talking about unless they are as intimate with your topic of conversation as you are. So explain all of your acronyms usage appropriately.
Really I suppose it is just a matter of society’s change in communication. It is likely that the assumption of audience understanding is indicative of a decrease in the collective communication skills of society. There is someone’s thesis topic. Have at it.
Aug 27 They say that the best things in life are free. I don’t know if I really believe that, but some cheap stuff sure is good!
Aug 18 Lately I have been reading and enjoying Big Government, which is a website created by Andrew Breitbart. It is a website that advocates a smaller government by exposing the ways that the government is improperly doing things. It is definitely enlightening because the articles attempt to show the readers ways that our very own federal government (of the United States of America) are doing things that most of us would very likely disapprove of. And boy do we! (Or at least…I do.) Compounding the problem is that many of these things do not even seem legal in light of the 10th amendment!
This isn’t a long post and really I am not adding anything to the collective knowledge or opinion of the Internet. However I have been enjoying some of the videos that I have seen there and would therefore like to share:
Aug 5 Lately I feel like I have been encountering people who are getting paid under the table, which means that they are being paid in a way that attempts to circumvent tax laws. Basically whoever is paying them is not reporting that payment as wages and that means that they are not liable for their share of the tax to the government. The person being paid has the benefit of also not being subject to tax for that payment amount, which effectively means that everyone is keeping more money for themselves.
Unfortunately there is a loser in this transaction. And that loser is everyone else. Everyone who does pay their taxes loses because:
- they could be paying less
- they could receive more benefits if everyone paid their taxes
- the national debt (which at the time of writing stands at over $13 trillion - check it out) could be lower
Instead it is left to the taxpayers to pick up their slack. Yes, even though they (the ones involved in this nefarious transaction) are likely working members of society who do not see themselves as being a burden (they are making their own money after all), their presence on the roads, need for protection (e.g., police, fire), and receipt of other benefits are proof that they have an impact on us.
Integrity? Yeah why don’t we go for that. Or at the absolute very least, acknowledge and label black as black and white as white. It is not something to be proud of (and neither is stealing lunch money from a child).
</img>
</img>
</img>