The Art of Persuasion: Give Me Your Money or I'll Kill You

Now that is persuasion.  Okay, so I never did that.  Well, not seriously, anyways.  Either way, it's hard to remember a situation like that, but I know something happened that was like that.  Probably going to McDonald's when they wanted Burger King, or something, I don't know!

(I do know that McDonald's is better than Burger King, though)

I remember, actually, now!  I was with a person that wanted to spend the night at my house.  I didn't feel like having anyone over that night, so I respectfully declined.  It was after this that he went on a tantrum, saying that I have to let him stay over and that I was being selfish by not having him over... somehow.  Either way, I wasn't havin' none of that stuff!  I told him straight up, "No!" and that was that.  Sort of.  I guess that wasn't persuasion, but it's close enough, right?

I remember trying to persuade my parents to buy me things or take me places when I was younger, as well, but that's just a given.  I don't know, this one is a bad blog, but I can't really think of anything to write, right now...

Oh, my Canon AE-1 Program is being given a tune-up right now, so I'm happy about that!  But that's really all I have to say...

Who am I?

See, that's the line that you hear told in such a cliche manner in so many movies and books.  It's not a good line.  As a matter of fact, it's a horrible line, and no person in their right mind would say that to his or herself with sincere seriousness.  If a person did, then they need to learn to get a grip.

Who you are IS a real idea, though.  To understand who you are is a bit of a hard thing to do as you change and grow.  You go through experiences that make you seriously question who you are and what your meaning is in everything.  Your meaning in anything is actually meaningless, to be honest.  You're a byproduct of nothing and thus have no influence on anything in the universe.  If you feel like you mean something to anything other than people, then you're clearly arrogant and pretentious.  Life is meaningless, but it's relative, so in a way it has meaning as long as you make it meaningful to yourself.

Finding out who you are is a long-winded process.  It requires patience, time, and perseverance.  You can't have an epiphany and then just immediately figure out that you are this person with these likes, dislikes, and moral feelings; it's just not possible!  When you're 16, you can feel like you know yourself, but it's not possible, to be honest.  You have your whole life ahead of you.  Of course, you can pinpoint certain things about yourself that you feel you are.  Finding them is mainly just encountering a new experience, and reflecting upon it.  After quite a few experiences, only then can you start to evaluate them all and make a final decision.

That's just my two cents, at least.

I was Tested by Nature!

Actually, was I?  I suppose a lot of times when I was younger I was.  It was back when I had an imagination that I wasn't ashamed of; when I could swing a stick around with a friend and act like some dude with a sword without feeling like a complete idiot.  That sure is fun, you know.  I still imagine stories that have to do with embarrassing, nerdy stuff like that!  But that's because I'm a nerd, honestly.  It doesn't change the fact that it's fun, and anyone that stops hasn't grown up, they've just lost something important!  Sorry, over dramatic.

Either way, I was young, and I would go out in the woods to just play around.  Summer, winter, spring, fall, I would go whenever.  I would carry around a stick and act like the coolest dude in the world that kills tons of orcs and goblins and whatever.  Yeah, nerdy, whatever, I was ten.  Anyhow, I was out there almost every waking day.  I would just walk around the woods, hopping streams and climbing trees.  Regardless of whether it was cold or not, I would be out there, exploring my heart out.

I did that for years before I was that age, and I continued further...  Until they killed the woods to build a new neighborhood.  That made me sad.  I went over to the other side of the woods after that!  I didn't know it was so much bigger and fun!  And then I'd get in predicaments where nature would hurt me and where I'd be sad from everything or something or I don't know.  Either way, it tested me.

Christmas Break Extravaganza!

So, Christmas Break came and went.  Or is it Winter Break?  Whatever, it came and went.  Did much happen?  For some people yes, for others (mainly me), no.  I had Christmas, went to Iowa for a few days, came back, and did absolutely nothing.  Well, not nothing, but quite a bit of nothing.  See, I don't have many things to do anymore, and double that considering the fact that it's so cold outside.  So, so cold.  So... cold...

So! I'll get to what I have to say about Christmas.  I was at home the night before, doing nothing but lazing about and wanting to do something.  Alas, I did nothing.  Surprise, surprise.  I went to sleep, and the next morning, my gift-opening commenced.  Ripping and tearing, and clawed about my new presents with mostly indifference and genuine surprise.  Okay, so I wasn't that indifferent.  I was happy to be getting new stuff, but it still wasn't the most exciting of Christmases, I'll tell you.

A quick interjection: Where in the William H. Macy is my power icon on my computer...?  I have no idea when I'm going to run out of battery or anything.  Whatever.

Anyhow, I opened up my presents and got a nifty case for my XH-A1, which was nice.  I also got a tripod!  Which has since been sent back due to a small error of it being completely broken.  Fun!  So then I got a little coin jar that counts what money you get as it's placed in.  I also got Lost, season Five.  Say what you will, but I love Lost...  Also, a giant book of film stuff.  It's very nifty.  I think that's all...

Well, after that I went to Iowa where my cousins live to stay for a few days.  I opened more presents, where I got a new coat and an awesome green laser pointer!  Then I left, which was good.  I hate family.  After a week or so, I went to The Mighty Fighty Whale Sharks Formal Dinner, where we watched my short highlight reel for the team.  Then I hung out with my girlfriend on New Year's Eve...  And that was basically it.  Oh, I got nice little sound-canceling headphones from her!

Buuuut that is it.  What a boring break.