Things to make your day…

I figured it was time to bless others with some of the ridiculous news items that have been frustrating me.

ANNOYING ISSUE #1:

Article.  This is just one of many many articles relating to this issue.

You mean to tell me, that I can walk up into an airport, going on a business trip or just traveling for pleasure and airport security can take my laptop? Not only are they being given the power to take your personal electronic devices, but they can do so for an unspecified amount of time. I know of people who have had theirs taken for months! National security my foot! I’d call it big brother.

Now we’re stuck between a rock and hard place. We can either, have our electronic devices and all of the contents within stolen for several months if we carry on, OR we could put them in our checked luggage, not be able to use them in flight, and risk them being stolen permanently/damaged. Wonderful. Way to go USA. Why don’t I just go ahead and give you all of my money, all of my belongings, and my very being and let you decide every move I make. Why don’t you just go ahead and make my life your own personal “video game.” It’s no big secret you’re working on it.

ANNOYING ISSUE #2

There has been a recent lawsuit against a man living in Virginia. This lawsuit is… more than absurd:

New York City has it’s own City income tax (that, in and of itself is ridiculous). The man involved in this suit is a resident of Virginia. This man works from home, and does no commute into New York City for work. However, GET THIS, the server he does business through is located in a building in none other than, NYC! So, what does NYC do? They sue said Virginia resident for not paying the city income tax since he uses a server in their city.

Now, surely there is NO way NYC could win this case. On the other hand, what if they did? Where would this be limited? Does that mean if you or I do any business in any given year and the server that’s used just happens to be located in NYC, that we’ll be subject to New York City Income Tax? Just what we need! More income tax! Ugh.

Spain is sounding better and better.

Adventure…land.

 

Adventureland:

I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5.  Movies have really just been somewhat disappointing recently.

When slightly over 21 year old, James, is forced to move back to the hometown he grew up in, he becomes reunited with his old friends.  The kind of “friends” that as James says were cool “and then I hit middle school.”  When James’ dad loses his position at work and can no longer afford to put James through school at some NY university, nor fund his planned overseas travels, he’s forced to begin working the only place he can find a job and save money, the carnival.  Thus the name, Adventureland.  The movie quickly falls into a love story when James meets Emily or “Em.”  Long story short: Boy meets girl, boy messes up, boy fixes, girls messes up, boy not willing to forgive so quickly, girl moves to boy’s little dreamland, NYC.  Months later, boy follows.  Happy ever after.  

Don’t get me wrong, the movie is good.  I laughed, I felt some happiness and some sadness (likely just self pity), but when it all boiled down, I didn’t leave very impressed. 

HOWEVER, as Lance and I both had the evening off on Tuesday, The Departed came on t.v.  Now, that movie I was impressed with.  I personally don’t think you could go too wrong with a movie starring Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg, and Jack Nicholson.  The t.v. version was 3 hours long.  *gasp*  It was worth it though.

I’m not entirely sure where those random movie reviews came from, but there you have it.

Tweet… and then everyone knows.

Should I feel strange or bad about myself that I stay connected/plugged-in to social networking everywhere I go.  That is one reason I own the T-mobile/HTC G1.  Everywhere I go, if I’m not on my laptop hooked up to a wifi connection, I’ll still have my wordpress blog, my facebook, my twitter, my myspace, my text messaging, my email… all accessible at almost all times.  I even have individual apps for every single one of the previously mentioned social networking programs.

I recently met an awesome man who presented somewhat of a humbling experience to me.  This man was a missionary living out of South Africa.  He’s a man who is supported by the congregation I attend in Lewisville.  (Have you ever noticed the amazing sense of humor/personality missionaries possess.  I suppose they basically have as they walk into completely foreign lands attempting to preach God’s Word.)  Anyway, I realize how completely and totally spoiled American’s are, even in our current state of depression (which, mind you, could have totally been prevented.)  I know we’ve all come to this realization at some point, probably multiple times, but it quickly fades away.  Any time you spend an hour being talked to regarding the conditions some people must live in, you’re reminded.

My point of that little rant is that I have these fancy possessions, but do I really need them.  In the end, I do not.  However, I have come to the conclusion that I do not need to feel bad about the fortunes that I’ve been blessed with.  

However, I see another aspect to all of this; although many parent’s embrace these social networking experiences as much or more than I do, many still find it completely ridiculous.  They find it to be something that makes us LESS social, as well as spoiled for all of the gadgetry we own.  My parents are awesome enough to participate in some of these things but, perhaps, not to the extent I do.  However, my mother keeps up with her own blog, text messages me, and follows/comments on other people’s personal blogs.  My dad… well, he’s just amazing and is owner of what i’ll call the Tom Selgas network (basically, he knows anybody and everybody who could help with any/every situation).  In the end, although the older folks may find it ridiculous, I see NO harm in keeping up with people whether they be old friends, classmates, or coworkers.  I also do not see too much of an issue owning items that assist in this, though they are definitely not to be expected or cause a feeling that you can’t live without them.  Somewhere down the road, these extended networks are going to pay off.  As long as I’m able to, I will continue to blog about my ideas, update my status for the world (or, “my” world) to see, and use the many forms of publicly and privately delivering instantaneous messages to my piers.  

…Time to jet to work.  When there, I will talk to dozens of people in a day, all using the internet to form a network with new people, hoping one of these people will be the man or woman of their dreams.  When they feel as though they are failing, I will teach them how to use the amazing network in front of them to locate that one special person.  See… This new technological world ain’t all that bad.  

 

Currently Listening to: Expiration Date, by Pomplamoose.