What this world needs is more trophies

Why don't people give out more trophies?? I think the world would be a much better place if trophies or at least blue ribbons were more common. I'm certainly not advocating more competition or contests. I'm talking about surprise trophies.
Surprise trophies given out by a secret government organization, now that's a brilliant idea. Life is fun and fun should be rewarded. We waste so much government money, why can't some of it be spent to establish a "talent recognition czar"? Everybody's talented and passionate about something, and the "ATR" or Agency for Talent Recognition could help encourage others to follow their dreams. Nothing says, "You can do what you want and be happy" like a trophy on the wall. I urge you to write your congressman in support of the ATR today.

Democracy in Action

While visiting the largest state capitol in the country recently, I got a chance to see a session of the Louisiana senate. It was a powerful moment, an opportunity to see the gears that drive this great nation forward.

Democracy in Action

But as I sat there watching the senators listen half-heartedly while checking their facebook pages, I began to wonder. Will democracy continue to evolve? I think that this generation's technological advances should change how our country is run. Everything else has been transformed by our ability to communicate around the world faster than we can think, so why not the foundations of Democracy? I'm not just talking about changing the outdated rules that allow a presidential candidate who received the majority of votes to be declared the loser, like some sort of bizzaro election.

Bribery in Action?

I wonder, will there ever be a day when there are no congressmen, and each bill is voted on by every American from their living room? That would require us all to be well informed and educated, so that day may be far away. But perhaps the day when Senators are seen as interpreters isn't too far away. Imagine a world where our senators break down each bill into basic language and post them online with a list of pros and cons, or thinking points. And then his or her constituents advise their senator how to vote through an online poll. It seems to me like this would distribute the government's power even further among the people and fight corruption. It's a lot harder to bribe millions of people, asking them to listen to special interests. Who knows how technology will continue to change our world, but hopefully it will shed more light on how our government is run.

Why is the Old World more Romantic?

I saw a beautiful forest the other day and I thought, if this were in Ireland I'd be struck dumb with beauty, but I wasn't. Because I was in New Jersey it was merely a beautiful surprise. What perceived mystique do foreign places hold?? Why does foreign beauty seem more potent than local beauty?After some thought, I realized that this land is not the land of my ancestors, mostly. I'm 1/16th native American, but the other 15/16ths of my great ancestors spent their lives and energies caring for far away places. There are no hills in America where my ancestors built a castle before the birth of christ. The ancient history of this land is not my history. It is the history of another people who were destroyed a few hundred years ago and replaced by immigrants. We have no Roman Colosseum or Egyptian pyramids, or Great Wall of China. We just have a trail of tears and Plymouth Rock.
I think that is what draws me to places like Europe and Asia. They have a strong, uninterrupted connection with the past. Citizens of the old world stand on the same dirt their ancestors plowed 8,000 years ago. They encounter ancient relics of great civilizations that used the same land and gave birth to their grandfathers. There, history runs deep. I can't wait to explore those places for myself.

washrag update

About a month ago, I received a washrag with special instructions. I was told to use this everyday object in the service of others at a church service. A seemingly simple task, but it turned out to be harder than I thought. How was I going to use a single washrag in the service of someone else? Who could possible have their needs met by a washrag?
I had no idea how to use my washrag properly, so I decided to carry it with me in my pocket searching for inspiration. I've found that if you start looking for something, you will usually find it, although it might not be in the way you expected. I never did find a way to use the washrag directly, but keeping it in my pocket made me much more aware of those seeking help. Constantly searching for ways to help others using a washrag quickly became just searching for ways to help others. Ultimately the washrag helped me become a more thoughtful person, constantly reminding me of my search. I've joined two different charity groups since receiving that washrag, and I feel more productive and happier. But this doesn't mean I'll stop looking. The search for others in need is a great adventure and has opened me up to many possibilities and much growth.

Liberty Enlightening the World

She is beautiful in more ways that I can describe. In fact, it would be folly to spend more than a few words trying to describe her beauty. Even pictures cannot capture the inspirational joy she gives all who visit her island.When I visited America's greatest symbol, I got a glimpse of how America must look to foreign eyes. I often forget that America is a far away land to most of the planet. But when I was surrounded by people from all over the world who came to behold the most powerful symbol of freedom ever made, I glimpsed America from their eyes. She is beautiful and full of hope, America. We owe it to Lady Liberty to keep her that way.
I think the Statue, a modern take on the Roman Goddess Libertas, is so moving because it connects us to the past in the same moment that it implores future action. It's not often that our past, present, and future converge in a single moment, but when they do it's a moment you'll never forget.

Why New York City is Great

What's so special about New York City? Sure it's big, really big. The biggest city in America. But there's a uniqueness about the city that has nothing to do with its scale. New York City isn't just a typical city done bigger and taller. Unlike other mega-cities like Tokyo, Mumbai, or Mexico City, New York City is incredibly diverse.New York City is a city of extremely successful diversity on a scale not seen anywhere else in the world. For this reason, it really is the heart of America. It proves to the world that diversity and freedom can exist on a grand scale. And isn't that what this country is really all about??New York City is giant, successful, and full of people from incredibly diverse cultures who speak dozens of different languages, hold many different beliefs, and live peacefully together. It's one of the greatest experiments in the history of mankind. I love New York City.

The Definition of Success Part II

I've already discussed that I believe all success is achieved by reaching two goals, happiness and changing the world for the better. It seems obvious that when making career decisions, these two goals must always be met. I also believe that almost every decision we make should be made with these goals in mind.

conflict

But what do you do when these goals conflict? If creating change in the world means sacrificing your happiness or pursuing happiness means maintaining a, questionable at best, status-quo? Spock would say that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or one. So we should sacrifice our own personal happiness for the greater good. And he is right, but we're not all Vulcans, and we can't ALWAYS put the good of the many ahead of our own personal needs and comfort. I can't put the world ahead of me all the time without going crazy or burning out. I admire Mother Teresa but I can't be her, at least not yet. Yet I still try to analyze every action and decision I make to see if i'm meeting both goals. And if I have to decide between personal happiness and world betterment, then I try to make sure the overall balance swings toward the greater good of the world. If I can do that, in the end it makes me happy and so ultimately successful.