What a friend shared with me

Every day is the day!

My Life

When I meet someone for the first time, two streams of thought run through my mind:

1) What can I learn from this person?
2) What can I teach this person?

We are all teachers and students, always and forever.

However, if both criteria are unrealizable, I bid that person adieu.

~Anthans

Wow

Why do good things keep happening to me?

~Anthans

I'm going to be very busy...

for the next 7 weeks. But I'm still going to try and keep this going everyday.

~Anthans

Throwback Thursday: A Detour

It's official: I'm going far far away, once again. This time, Japan: an isolated nation filled with cutting edge technology, rich culture, and Pokemon.

As usual, the above video is related. It's the theme song for everything I'm feeling at the moment. I'm going to a foreign land, thousands of miles away, where everyone will look, sound, and perhaps smell different than me. Even the chorus line, "Lordy don't leave me, all by myself" is relevant to how I'm feeling. It reminds me of the fact that I'm going to be away from all my close friends and family for at least a year. And maybe more, depending on where my journey takes me.

A year ago I started looking into opportunities that could take me abroad; teaching English was the most popular way to do this. I began to investigate opportunities located in Korea, Mexico, Spain, China, Costa Rica, Guatemala and of course, Japan. At first I was hesitant about applying to these programs. What if I didn't like it? What if I was wasting my time? What if I don't make enough money to pay off my student loans while I'm teaching? What if something happens to my family while I'm away? What if, what if, what if. After months of careful research I found the ideal program for me in Japan: The JET Program.

I applied to the JET Program along with two of my close friends. After assembling all the application materials and writing our Statements of Purpose we sent out our deliverables and hoped for the best. We knew our chances were slim though, considering how the program had a low acceptance rate of about 15%. After months of waiting the three of us found out together that our days of toiling away at the application process were not going to be awarded. Neither of us were given an interview for the position and it was a dark day for everyone. "How could they not accept me?" was what we all thought to ourselves. Nobody I knew could understand why, after reading my Statement of Purpose, they wouldn't take me in for at least an interview. The universe works in mysterious ways.

After a day of living in remorse I was able to snap myself out of my "the world is ending" pattern of thinking. After all, my next plan of action was to apply to another program in Japan just in case I didn't get into JET (but I won't mention the name of the company here). That company has accepted me for a full-time position beginning in May and it's going to change my life forever. I'll elaborate more on this tomorrow. For now, have a read of the Statement of Purpose that didn't get me into the JET Program. I may not have gotten into my Number 1 Program, but sometimes life throws us a detour and it's up to us to make the most of it. For now, I am happily content.


JET Statement of Purpose
(November 2009)

I walked into an elevator in Japan occupied by a local Japanese couple and wanted to go to the third floor. I faced the Japanese couple and said, “san, onegai shimasu.” They looked at me confused, unsure of what I was requesting. I repeated again, “san, onegai shimasu.” They looked at each other, laughed, and then pressed the number “3” button on the elevator. At the time I couldn’t understand why they were puzzled. The answer came after I woke up.

       I have never been to Japan. The story above was a dream I had recently: my first in Japanese. I started learning Japanese this past August from a book called “The Everything Conversational Japanese Book.” For the past three months I have been teaching myself how to speak and listen in Japanese. “San, onegai shimasu” sounded like “three please” to me in the dream. After asking a friend what I did wrong he told me that I forgot to add the word “gai” to my request, which would have indicated the floor of the building. I had only been learning Japanese for a week when this dream occurred and my subconscious brain was already practicing and making mistakes while I was asleep.

Learning about different cultures of the world is just as important as learning about our own. I realized this last year after living in Hong Kong for four months as an exchange student, and also while traveling to nearby countries like Korea and the Philippines. After becoming interested in JET I began teaching myself Japanese in order to prepare myself for another cultural immersion in the near future. As an aspiring JET participant I want to promote cultural exchange on all levels, to facilitate deeper levels of understanding between Japan and America.

Japanese is not the first language I have tried learning on my own. My heritage is Mexican-American but my parents never taught me Spanish; I had to learn it on my own. In college I took Spanish courses that were not required of my major: business. I was shy to speak Spanish and struggled with learning it. However, after making many mistakes and learning from them I was able to pass a third level college Spanish class, attaining a lot of practical usage while living around the greater Los Angeles area. Therefore, I am acquainted with the difficulty and frustrations that accompany learning another language. This will allow me to better relate with my students in Japan as an ALT.

As a member of a renowned speech organization, Toastmasters International, I have learned how to speak properly when delivering speeches. Not only will I be fearless when presenting material to students in class but I will also be able to teach them techniques such as enunciation and how to speak with confidence. Prior to being a Toastmaster I developed an outgoing persona as a student leader with the Latino Business Student Association (LBSA). I spoke at meetings, assisted fellow students with homework, and helped plan events. Engaging in these activities helped me get out of my comfort zone and helped me become a leader.

I enjoy meeting new people everywhere I go, especially while traveling. In Hong Kong I met people from all over the world, including Japan. People from Japan spoke to me in English; however, it wasn’t as easy to communicate with them compared to somebody from China or Korea (where English is also a second language). Based on these interactions I could tell that the Japanese could use more help with their English education. When I found out about the JET Programme and its mission of promoting international exchange I immediately recognized myself to be well suited for it. Compared to other teach abroad programs JET has the best reputation for providing support and memorable experiences to its participants. In today’s global economy the world is becoming smaller and cultural awareness is becoming more important. As an internationally conscious individual I feel it is necessary to embrace this movement.

My desire for wanting to participate in the JET Programme is simple and straightforward: I’m dreaming of Japan, and based on what you first read, I’m not exaggerating. 

~Anthans

Sometimes...

good things happen.

~Anthans

Comfort Zone, revisited

We may not always be upfront about it, but we all have a soft side for pop music. It's the music of our time, right now. It's what's happening, this instant. Some people have very specific tastes in music that don't include pop music, and that's their freedom; however, I find it difficult to understand how anyone could pass up on a great new song like the one above by Lil Wayne. I know homeboy's in jail right now, but that doesn't discredit the fact that he's a musical mastermind. If you're familiar with Lil Wayne's music then you'll notice that his new song "Knockout" sounds completely different than what he's produced in the past. Rock with rap? Yes, and it sounds great! Keep an open ear and you'll hear what I'm talking about.

I didn't used to be open to very many things. As a kid all my hamburgers and hot dogs were always plain and vegetables were foreign objects to my stomach. Like my dad says, "Variety is the spice of life." It took many years of peer pressure, bravery, and life changing experiences to get my mind where it is today. The only music I liked as a kid included classical music and songs that I heard from my favorite Nintendo games. A lot has changed since then. Now I order food with everything on it (except for pickles) and keep an open ear to everything I hear. Rather than being stuck in one mindset with blinders on I like to try everything out, at least a few times. Once for a trial run, twice to see if I like it, and three times to see if I want to continue with the activity. Try this method at least once, then twice, and next a third time.

I recently warmed up to all different genres of rock: soft, alternative, metal, classic, etc. Before that I was anti-rock. Can you believe that? How narrow minded can one be to say that they are anti-everything-in-a-category. It's a good thing for video games like Guitar Hero though; they can influence your life in ways you never thought possible. My advice: keep your horizons open and you'll eventually discover everything the world has to offer.

~Anthans

One of those days where you...

-Wake up after McDonald's breakfast hours.
-Change your clothes and nobody knows outside the house.
-Eat the same thing at least three times during the day.
-Clean up the files in your computer.
-Wonder what that smell is.
-Lay down but don't fall asleep.
-Get to know your pet better.
-Preplan your next conquest.
-Recover from recovering.
-Get back to something you've been putting off for weeks.
-Listen to the same three songs over and over.
-Wonder if anybody else in the world accomplished anything today.
-Get back to something you've been putting off for months.
-Catch up with an old friend.
-Realize how far you've come with something.
-Count the keys on your keyboard (106 on my Mac keyboard).
-Discover what a "chevron" is.
-Help a friend.
-Don't give a damn.
-Realize how far away you are from accomplishing something.
-Watch 2.7 hours of television.
-Wait for the day to end nine hours ahead of time.
-Refresh your email 28 times too many.
-Wait around for something to happen.
-Wonder if your friends are having as much fun as you.
-See yourself in the mirror twice.
-Wonder what on earth that smell could be.
-Hope that tomorrow is 100% different than today.

~Anthans

Progress Bars

Progress bars are aesthetically pleasing to look at. When we see them our minds are filled with delight. Whether it's downloading or uploading, a progress bar will be there to remind us of how far we've come. It could be for a song, movie, software program, or loading sequence. Progress is a fun thing to measure. Computers usually generate them for us, but we could also produce them on our own. How far are you in your studies in school right now? 85%. What's your progress until you advance from a brown belt to a red belt? 32%. How is reading your latest book going? 58%. Progress, progress, progress.

If you could, I'd suggest attaching a progress bar to the most important things in your life. This could include your progress in reaching your ideal profession, your advancement towards buying your first house, and perhaps your progress in becoming better at a sport. Measure it however you want, but just remember to put in on paper or MS Paint. It will look visually pleasing at first; however, you won't be completed satisfied until you see it reach 100% completion. Afterwards, set a new goal, and start working towards that.

~Anthans

Life is a Craps Shoot

Look at all the happy diverse people in the picture above. Equality: it's finally here!

Life is a gamble. Ever since the day you were conceived there were odds being placed on you as to whether or not you would reach your mother's egg. You're probability of being born was somewhere in the neighborhood of 20,000,000 to 1. How unbelievably improbable! Why did you even bother in the first place? You'd have a better shot at winning the lottery.

Since your arrival into this world you've been faced with other probability affairs as well. Such events have included your likelihood in being picked for a sports team, your acceptance into colleges, your chances of ending up in prison (depending largely on your ethnic background), your adoption into an organization, your candidacy for a job, and your odds of getting into a car accident on a daily basis.

Whoever didn't take statistics in school is missing out. Luck is almost as important as skill and it's why we have so many different superstitions floating around to accommodate for it. The rabbit's foot, wishing wells, and women blowing on our dice are all myths that have no way of ever being proven or disproved. Instead of disqualifying any of these old wives' tales I'd say you'd be better off embracing them. Skill can only get us so far in life and sometimes we need to call upon luck to be on our side.

Come on 11!

~Anthans

Throwback Thursday: This must be the "Macaroni Poem"

Opportunities come our way in unexpected forms. For example, four years ago I came across a Kraft Macaroni & Cheese box with a contest for kids on the back. It was a contest to find "the cheesiest" kid in America and kids could enter by writing of a poem centered around this theme. "Hmm," I thought. "That sounds like something I can do." But then I read the age requirement and saw that I was too late to enter by about four years: the age limit was 15. But then I remembered that I had a younger sister who was 14 at the time. "Hot shit!" I exclaimed when I realized this fact. I was already into poetry myself at the time so I decided that it would be a splendid idea to write the poem myself and then enter the contest under my sister's name. Before telling her what I planned to do I sent out the poem without her consent anyway, just in case she rejected the idea. Fortunately she was OK with it, but even if she wasn't, there's nothing that would have stopped her from accepting the throne of "The Cheesiest Kid in America." The prize for winning the contest was a chance to have your face appear on Kraft Macaroni & Cheese boxes across the country, and about $5,000 in scholarship money. The scholarship money was the real prize to me.

So as I brewed the homemade cheese for my delicious macaroni noodles that day, my mind began to concoct a poem that could make everyone know that my sister was indeed, the cheesiest.

When Art met Kraft

(circa 2006)
By Melanie

When people ask me why I’m the cheesiest,

I simply respond “It’s not the easiest”

Because sure, there’s lots of Mac brands to buy.

But when it comes to Macaroni, Kraft is the one that I will stand by.

My Kraft Macaroni is the food that matters only,

to me when it comes to what’s for supper.

Better than the leftovers stored in last night’s Tupper…

where, I can still see sitting in the fridge.

I just want a meal that’s meant for kids!

Kids like me who value quality pasta,

and one that’s great but won’t necessarily cost ya’.

I think the theme of the poem was "arts & crafts." Even for me that took a minute to register. And I wrote the damn thing! They must have known someone of higher intelligence wrote a piece like this. It's probably why they didn't give us the scholarship money and why I never saw my sister's face on thousands of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese boxes.

~Anthans

Dante's Inferno

The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri, Inferno, is one hell of a read. I only read it because I saw the commercial above for "Dante's Inferno." It's a new video game that was promoted during this year's Super Bowl and it caught the interest of millions of Americans. Even my dad – who does not play video games – was captivated by the awesome display of visuals in this commercial. It made me want to play a demo of the game, so I downloaded it on my friend's XBOX 360.

I've never played God of War, but the gameplay in Dante's Inferno is similar to that. The demo begins with the main character, Dante, defending himself against a wave of attackers on a dock. After you kill off these nuisances the game progresses and you find yourself being stabbed in the back by an assassin. This is a pain in the ass, seeing as how you just fended off 50 men. Your death takes you face to face with Death where you find yourself fighting for your life, again. It's very strange. Once you defeat Death you are bequeathed with his massive Scythe; the same one you see in the trailer. Meanwhile, as all this is happening, I keep demanding to know, "When do I get to go to Hell?" I think that was the big appeal of this game. We all want to explore our notions about Hell to see how Dante's Hell matches up with the one we have pictured in our head. The human psyche has been obsessed with the afterlife for thousands of years. It doesn't surprise me that there's a video game now devoted entirely to exploring this unknown kingdom.

Eventually you do find yourself in Hell (in the game). Your passage is guided by a fallen poet, Virgil, who leads you through the Nine Circles of Hell to try and find that hot chick in the white dress, Beatrice. The dialogue throughout the game is spoken in meter much like the book and every corner you turn is filled with vile wretches. After I read the book I reflected back on my gameplay experience and saw how the two stories lined up: they don't. That's OK with me though. I'm not a historian nor am I a paid critic. In the book Dante does not die, fight with Death, or acquire killer fighting abilities. He just makes his way to the bottom of the Earth, talks to some souls along the way, and then sees Lucifer's feet. It's intriguing the way he describes his experiences, but it doesn't compare to fighting off demons with Death's Scythe!

Overall, I'm appreciative of Dante's Inferno. I consider both works, the book and the game, to be outlets of entertainment.

~Anthans

The War on Fatigue: Part 2, The Solution

Pushups. Loud music. Yoga. Cold Shower. Running.

Fatigue is a problem that plagues us all. It gets in the way of us exercising, completing homework, applying for law school, starting a business, traveling the world, starting a music career, investing capital, going to the beach (to relax), and finishing the many projects we started long ago but can never seem to find the time to complete now. No wonder there's a $10 billion dollar industry revolving around The War on Fatigue. And that' no red bullshit.

Everyone wishes they had more energy. More energy = more time. More time = doing more things. Doing more things = living life more. And who doesn't want that? It's like my friend Josef once said to me about our intramural basketball team: "[We need to] pass more, shoot more, score more, win more." "More" of everything tends to be favored in life. The more the better.

I'm somewhat of a purist when it comes to substances entering my body. Generally, I try to stay as far away as I can from products overwhelmed with caffein, ginseng, and sugar. Diabetes is rampant in my family and I don't intend on encouraging Type 1 or 2 to become a part of my daily routine anytime soon. Whenever I need more energy in my day all I need to do is one simple activity: dancing. It'll snap you right out of whatever funk, slump, or chump mood you're in. Just get up, put some music on, and dance like your on the stage of Soul Train! Do this for about five minutes (if you're physically able to). By about the third minute you'll be telling yourself, "Man, I wish I was doing something sedentary like writing a paper or drawing a cartoon." When the fifth minute comes you'll be gasping for air; five minutes of straight dancing can do this to you. Benefits from dancing include:

• Trying out all your latest dance moves
• Getting to know one of your favorite songs better
• Working up a sweat
• Feeling rejuvenated

The first three benefits are more like convenient side effects. The real benefit you should be after though is the last one: "Feeling rejuvenated." It seems counterintuitive, but using up energy to dance will actually create more energy in your body and will zap your brain into becoming more alert. Think of all those beats you just hit! Your mind was really working at full capacity, that is, assuming you were trying to dance on beat.

You can use this fresh burst of energy towards whatever you like. Just don't get sucked into thinking that you're tired again. Then you're going to have to get up and dance to The Backstreet Boys all over again.

Problem solved. Don't buy energy. Create your own.

~Anthans

The War on Fatigue: Part 1, The Problem

Red Bull. 5 hour energy. Monster. Full Throttle. NOS.

Energy drinks have invaded our blood streams and drink manufacturers around the world are cashing in on it. Prior to Red Bull's debut in 1997 the world got by just fine without energy supplements: they just used coffee every morning. Well, it was either coffee or cocaine. Both tend to have overlapping ingredients as some energy drinks – the Red Bull in Germany – have shown us in the recent past.

When did everyone get so busy all of a sudden? Perhaps this point of view is biased, as I myself am not so busy at the moment. Nonetheless, today everyone seems to need a 5 Hour Energy fix or Monster hit before they can undertake any task, which might include physical and/or mental duties. Writing a paper, working a night shift, working a day shift, driving in traffic, paying attention in class, and working out. Doesn't anybody just smack themselves awake anymore? Or how about doing a few pushups? If you're strong willed and determined, you can overcome an addiction to any substance that companies are shoving down your throat.

Remember when cocaine and heroin were legal? Boy, those were the days. I certainly hope that energy supplements don't follow the same path and become outlawed. Although I don't use energy supplements myself, I sure do like what they do to other people. They keep them wired and exciting. I like being around those kinds of people.

I have a solution to solving The War on Fatigue. I'll explore it in detail tomorrow.

~Anthans

Hiatus

(Picture related)

Even while in remote locations like Las Vegas and Los Angeles, I still found the time and energy to blog 46 posts in a row this year. I consider this to be one of my greater feats in life as it has helped me immensely with other things. I did not write anything in the last two days and I have a good excuse, too. I'm not lazy, I'm just taking a much needed hiatus. Last week took A LOT out of me; you could say I gave it my all. I'll be back on the daily grind again though, starting tomorrow. Read ya then.

~Anthans

Throwback Thursday: I'm so Sorry

Apologies and excuses: we've all succumbed to these at some point in our lives. When we fall short of meeting a goal or expectation then apologies and excuses seem to make their way into our rationale of explaining our way out of things.

Although I was an avid student in college, I did not always meet my assignment deadlines on time. The following written work is not one of my proudest moments; however, I think it is worth sharing anyway. It is an apology letter I wrote to a TA for one of my General Education classes at USC explaining why I was so late in turning in an assignment. I drafted the letter in Word before I sent it via email, which should give you an understanding into the severity and seriousness revolving around a letter like this.

Appology Letter:

(circa late 2007)

Xxxxx,

Attached to my final essays you will also find my Research Paper that I never turned in. After I missed the deadline to turn it in I wasn’t really sure how I was going to get it to Professor Xxxxxxxx. He doesn’t have an e-mail or a number to be reached at. I figured that he would only frequent his box in the anthropology department that one time on Friday so I’ve been hesitant on where I should turn it in to.

If you could, I’m asking very kindly, please hand my research paper to Professor Xxxxxxxx. I know I will be graded down significantly for this, and there’s nothing I can do about that now. I am deeply sorry but I just want to turn it in finally to him. Thank you.

~Anthans

Competition

"Competition brings out the best in people — it also brings out the worst in them."

-Tommy

Competition among strangers is one thing — among friends is another story. Most of us play games just for fun; however, when titles, pride, and status are on the line, a simple game can turn into a complex battle of egos. Whatever the outcome may be, just remember that it's just a game.

~Anthans

Plan B

Plan B will always be preferred to Plan C, and Plan C will always be preferred to Plan D, and so on and so forth.

Plan A, as most of us soon discover, does not always work out. This is when Plan B surfaces. However, after you've been working towards putting your Plan B into effect for a while you'll notice that your Plan C starts to turn into your Plan B and that your Plan B starts to feel like your Plan A. Assuming you've gotten over it by now, your Plan A should feel like a distant memory. It is but a mere fact: let it be. Plan B should be your new Plan A.

Currently I'm in disbelief. It's not denial; it's my inabilty to accept a positive turn of events after a long drought. None of my plan A's have been working out within the last year. And because of this, any good news that comes my way seems to be out of the ordinary. My new Plan A (previously known as Plan B) might actually work itself out.

Your Plan B should never be resorted to unless you've tried everything in your power to carry out your Plan A first. The only way a Plan B can truly be called a Plan B is if you never try to live out your Plan A. Otherwise, B is the new A, C is the new B, and so on and so forth.

~Anthans

Pivotal Moments

The picture above is related; it represents the hope that glimmers behind a silhouette of despair. The tree's leaves have died for the winter whereas the sky behind it is full of color and life. The tree is an obstacle in my path and the luminous sky is the destination I desire. This is the same poetic vision that continues to surge through my mind as my eyes gaze towards the horizon. 

The next 2 days could decide the next 2 years of my life. 

~Anthans

Party Points (PP's)

Life is one big party, or at least it should be. Our lifespan on this Earth is finite and we only have so much time to blah blah blah... (insert everything you've ever heard about living life to the fullest here).  Today I'm not writing to promote any of the usual Nike "Just Do It" ideology but rather to explore a concept I like to call "Party Points," or PP's.

Party Points, although intangible, are something that we all accumulate. They can be accrued through exercise, studying, doing taxes, working on a project, or any other activity that we should be doing. Every task you complete and every goal you accomplish should be rewarded with PP's. Some tasks are easier to accomplish than others and they will earn less PP's than a task that requires more time and energy. When we have accumulated enough PP's we can redeem them for something we enjoy. Perhaps it could be for a party, the bowling alley, or maybe just a trip to the beach. The choice is yours; they're your PP's.

You'll know how many PP's you've accumulated based on your gut feeling alone. It's that feeling we keep bottled up, ready to explode at any moment after preparing for 2 weeks straight for some meaningless final exam or job interview. That feeling of near implosion is your body telling you that you need to go Buck Wild and redeem your hard earned PP's! The outcome of whatever you have spent 2 weeks preparing for does not always have to be positive, i.e. you don't always have to win the job, do well on the exam, or win the game. As long as you gave your best effort, the PP's you gained during those intense two weeks can be redeemed towards any of your favorite activities. I personally like to apply PP's towards their namesake: parties!

If I haven't earned enough PP's to go to a party then my body will tell me so. Everything going through my head as I think about getting ready for the party will "not feel right." You've had this feeling before I'm sure. It's a feeling of unworthiness. It's a feeling of guilt that we should be doing something more productive. It's an indicator that we have not earned enough PP's to let ourselves enjoy a night out. Continue to work steadfastly towards your goals and you will soon accumulate enough PP's.

If we allow ourselves to party or go out without the sufficient amount of PP's then the effect of guilt and unworthiness will have a double whammy effect on our body and mind. However enjoyable the night was before, the next morning will bring back old feelings of responsibility, deadlines, and commitments. The time and energy spent on a night out could have been applied towards earning more PP's for yourself. This will work against your health (physical, mental, etc.) You'll tell yourself that you should not have gone out the previous night and then you will realize that you're more behind than ever with all of your projects and tasks.

Regret and unworthiness: nobody wants to feel these. So why do it to yourself? Don't go out unless you have earned enough PP's for yourself. Work hard, play hard. There is a universal balance in everything in life. Try to find the balance in your life by applying the quantization of PP's to your current situation. Have you put in enough work to go out and have a good time? Yes? Great! Go out and enjoy yourself. No? Then stay focused on the task at hand and stop wasting your time on YouTube, Facebook, Reddit, Twitter, Myspace, Skype, AIM, StumbleUpon, and my blog!

~Anthans

Rambles

I like how iTunes has a play count tab. My current top song is The Beatles - Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds at 90 plays. I've had my computer for almost a year but Lucy wasn't added to my library until 11/7/2009. Do the math.

If I could I'd make all lights come with a dimmer function.

The middle scroll on my Apple Might Mouse sends me on a roller coaster of emotions. 50% of the time the little ball works and the other 89% it won't respond to my caresses!

Whoever drew the above drawing had one hell of an imagination. Speaking of hell, I'm reading Dante's The Divine Comedy. Video games usually have a strong influence over me. "Aint no sunshine when she's gone."

I've been accumulating a lot of Party Points (PP's). I can't wait to redeem some next week. I think they're going to expire soon. I'll explain how one can accumulate PP's tomorrow.

I've been reading some interesting blogs. Apparently other people like doing this, too. The good ones are hard to find though. I'd appreciate it if someone pointed me to one that is engrossing.

I always like it when a song builds you up and then..... it breaks it down! It's like in Ke$ha's song, Tik Tok, "...you bring me up, you break me down."

I feel like I'm throwing away a lot of ideas by typing a storm of unrelated thoughts. I'll stop myself here before I get too carried away.

~Anthans

Giving In

I was going to write about how easy it can be to give up and how I was going to quit the night but then I came across the picture above. Giving up is easy, and nothing achieved that easily is ever that promising. 

~Anthans

Throwback Thursday: Trends of Three

In college I took a philosophy class called "Mind & Self" and it was one of the most thought provoking classes I've ever taken. I don't remember too much about the class, but I do remember how confusing the texts were. Simple ideas like "happiness is the greatest good in life" took chapters to explain! The reason why it took so many pages to explain these ideas was because the philosopher's had to formulate their ideas from scratch. They would start off simple, then provide examples, and next add more to their philosophy, followed by providing counter arguments, giving more examples, and then providing more counter arguments. The rhetoric from these philosophies encouraged me to write out one of my own theories in a similar manner. Try to decode my Trends of Three philosophy.

Trends of Three – a Philosophy

(circa 2007)

When a claim is made to the word “always,” one must take into consideration of what qualifies for such a term. The main concern with the word “always” lies with people and their actions being labeled as realized behavior. Behavior may be associated with a person when a person completes three similar consecutive actions. Only then will the claim of “always” be rightfully attached to a person’s namesake of acting in a particular behavior.

Three acts are necessary for usage of the world “always” because two, one, and zero acts are not sufficient. Two acts would be a grantor of determining a pattern, as in plotting points of a graph to form an equation. Behavior requires an additional act and is less predictable to that of a pattern. One act is not sufficient in determining behavior because there is no telling what a person might do on a second instance. And zero quite obviously does not qualify for determining behavior because there is no evidence of any kind; a false claim. Therefore, the usage of “always” may only be applied to refer to a person’s behavior when Trends of Three occur. 

~Anthans

Growth

I visited Fresh & Easy a few days ago to purchase some ingredients for a new dish I was making when suddenly I came across some fresh produce. This was produce that I had never seen before: they were plants! I thought to myself, "why are they selling plants here?" The plant pictured above is the one I saw. It was nicely planted in a small black plastic container and had plastic around it, similar to a bouquet of flowers. As I stood there looking at it I slowly began to envision it sitting on the window sill of my room. I thought to myself, "That plant would bring a nice biological vibe to my room". I immediately picked it up and took it home. The thing only cost 50 cents. What a bargain!

The only thing written on the item said, "Fresh herb." It reminded me of the kind of herb I would collect in a video game to heal myself. This, however, was not that kind of herb. When I came home I decided to finally smell it. To my surprise I discovered that it was a mint plant. You can never mistake the odor of mint because it's something you put in your mouth everyday.

The only recipe I'm familiar with that calls for mints is a mojito. It's hardly the time in my life to be making any of those right now. Given this, I have decided not to consume the mint plant. Starting tomorrow I'm going to put it in the ground so I can reconnect it with mother nature. It already had the chance to grow on me, now it can grow on the soil again.

~Anthans

This one goes out to all the Night Owls

I'm a night guy – always have been and probably always will be. There aren't too many of us nocturnal folk around; if there were then I probably would have seen you by now. My day usually starts around 10:00 AM and ends around 2 or 3 AM. It's still a standard 16 hour day. On the contrary, my day has a 4 hour delay in starting compared to most people's 6 AM beginning.

Anyway, the song above has been constantly replaying through my computer and my head lately (I'm also a repeat guy). It's called Nighttime by an electro-romance group from Miami called Afrobeta. When you listen to this song it will make you want to embrace the night in ways you never imagined. The ending in the video is worth seeing, too. Have you ever had a night like that? Have one.

~Anthans

Jhqnxztl

According to my friend, Joe, the title of this blog is how you spell the word "inconsistesizing." It's a word he made up when we were at a cool fountain in Vegas one day. It wasn't any ordinary fountain though: the water came from the ceiling. The ceiling was painted like a sky and the water that fell form above was supposed to simulate a storm indoors. On the ground level there was a pond filled with a few rocks and a wooden bridge to cross over. It was very Vegas. When the show began the rain drops started to fall. It was peculiar the way the rain drops fell though. All across the lake the rain drops kept dropping in the same spot. There must have been about 30 rain dispensers up above. I mentioned this to Joe and we both thought it was odd how rain drops could consistently hit the same spot in a pond, over and over again. It didn't look natural. However, as time progressed, the rain drops began to spread out. Joe said to me, "Hey look, the rain drops are inconsistesizing." I immediately knew what he meant. The rain drops were no longer consistently hitting the same spot. It was the perfect word to describe the situation.

~Anthans

Preplanned Music vs. Unexpected Music

Music is ubiquitous: it surrounds us everywhere. How and when it enters the ears is not always in our control. You may be at home relaxing to jazz heard from your media player on your computer or you might be at a dance club doing the boogaloo to the latest Lady Gaga song the DJ is playing. I like to think of these contrasting scenarios as Preplanned Music and Unexpected Music.

Preplanned Music is music that you have complete control over. It's the songs that you program onto your iPod, play from your Windows Media Player, and request from your local radio station. The outcome is predictable in these situations and you know exactly what you'll be hearing. Boring!

Unexpected Music on the other hand is music that you didn't plan on encountering. Who knows what types of songs you'll hear with Unexpected Music! It could be Sting, Akon, Deamau5, Squeeze, Keith Sweat, Bob Marley, The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Ashley Simpson, Bill Withers, The Notorious BIG, or Heidi Montag. Wow, what a lottery! I love Unexpected music, especially when they are songs that sound tolerable. These types of songs aid as catalysts in providing the most memorable memories. Remember that time you got pantsed in 7th grade gym class in front of everyone during country line dancing? Brooks & Dunn - Boot Scootin' Boogie will always remind of you that once glorifying instance when everyone found out you still wore tighty whitees and weren't in with the boxer crowd yet. Brooks & Dunn provided the soundtrack for this character building moment in your life and you'll be reminded of it every time you hear Boot Scootin' Boogie. The same goes for prom dances, first kisses, proud victories, tremendous losses, dark struggles, and successful recoveries.

On a related note, I'm pretty sure that a lot of groups of friends have their own theme songs. Britney Spears - Womanizer and Ke$ha - Tik Tok are pretty popular among groups of guys right now. They most likely heard their anthem from an unexpected source. Perhaps it was at a regional chess tournament. Who knows. But can you imagine trying to force a theme song onto your possy? It wouldn't fly. Possy theme songs, along with nicknames, should never be preplanned.

Unexpected Music comes in other forms as well. The most common medium is the radio. If I hear a song on the radio that I especially like I make sure not to download it at home. The reason why I do this is because I want to preserve the special feelings associated with the song. The Black Eyed Peas - Meet me Halfway was a song I fell in love with the moment I heard it. Most songs that I hear and like usually compel me to want to go home and download them. This results in the song being immediately added to my current playlist on my computer. The consequence of this compulsive "I have to have it now!" attitude results in a high frequency repetition of the song and it will slowly start to lose its appeal. Meet Me Halfway was so dear to me that I did not put it on my playlist at home. Because of this, every time I hear it on the radio now, it's still special. The same goes for Ya Boy - We Run LA, Bob feat. Bruno Mars - Nothin' On You, and New Boys - Tie Me Down. If you haven't heard these songs yet, don't go looking for them. Just turn on the radio and wait to hear them. You'll appreciate it more. I always do. Sometimes good Unexpected Music comes your way.

~Anthans

Ambidexterity

Ambidexterity – it's just another one of the many goals I plan to conquer in life. Like most people, I'm a righty. However, a few years ago I was playing basketball and severely injured the base of my right thumb. It was swollen for months. This interfered with a variety of things, including using the mouse for my computer. At the time I decided it was a good idea to teach myself how to use the mouse with my left hand. It's one of the best things I've ever forced myself to do. After my right hand recovered I never went back to using my right hand for my mouse ever again (except when I use other people's computers). It's amusing watching someone try to adapt to a mouse that has the buttons switched. Nine times out of ten they will resort to using their right hand for a mouse with left-handed settings. It's incredible.

Since then I've developed a left handed preference for doing other things as well, including shooting a basketball, holding a drink, eating, and occasionally writing. My left-handed writing isn't nearly as good as my right hand still. But one day I think it would be pretty hip to be able to write two different thoughts on two different pieces of paper with two hands. Somehow I don't think our brains would allow that. But who knows, maybe I'll be the first to break that limitation.

Most people who are right handed tend to have stronger right limbs. In spite of this, after my basketball incident I feel that the power in my body has finally reached an equilibrium. I no longer have a weak side.

Sometimes bad things happen in life and it's up to us to make the most of them. This has been an example of one of those situations. And why the hell not? The biggest lesson I learned from this is that we all have two arms and two legs (most of us). We should use them!

~Anthans

Comfort Zone

Olives. Green olives! I tried them today for the first time. I consider the act of trying green olives as an encroachment on my comfort zone. My horizons have been expanded and I have come to the following conclusion: I will never incorporate green olives into my cooking again. Ever.

The above picture will live on as a testament to another one of my failed trial and error situations. But at least I tried the green little bastards.

I blame the Olive Garden. Green olives, which are their mascot, looked so scrumptious when I used to see them on the kids' menu. But ever since I started ordering from the big persons' menu last year I've been craving to see them again.

Tonight I found a recipe that incorporated olives: Chicken Veracruz. It sounded fancy. When it came time to add green olives to my dish though I accidentally spilled some olive oil juice on my hands. I nearly yacked. What a repulsing smell. And then I had to console myself into thinking that putting a dish with that kind of scent in my mouth would be a delicious idea for later on. After I finished preparing the meal I made a Chicken Veracruz burrito and began to consume. Right now I'm having a hard time bringing myself to finish the other 90% of the burrito.

If you ever come to my place, make sure you don't ask if Chicken Veracruz is still on the Menu. It's not even on the Secret Menu.

~Anthans

Throwback Thursday: iThought

I used to be anti-technology and very selective about the brands I purchased. Apple and all of their gadgets used to be my enemy; however, now they're my friends. I still choose not to rely on technology so much, i.e. GPS, MP3 players, LCD TV's, etc.

My narrow minded thoughts once produced the following poem, which I recited a few times in front of large groups of people.

iThought

(circa 2005)


There's a new product out there right now
Have you heard of it? It's called iThought
And it's been brought for all of you who have sought
The nextest bestest fastest catchiest contraption
Surely to be the next new fashion
Passion that will no doubt make it happen
But it is you, the consumer who needs to take action
So this transaction can bring you that Satisfaction

Just when I thought I had it all
When I finished consuming all the "I" products at the mall
iPod iboom iMovie iTunes
iBall iSocket iMac Please STOP IT!
iThought that after I had consumed all these
Pleasure would come with the easiest of ease

iThought that perfection could be as real as peace
Striving to attain it the way you would tame a beast
Where in conquering it may appear friendly and docile
But nonetheless, Still the 99th percentile

iThought I would never realize the Day
When my eyes would be repulsed from the ads on Sunday
Feeling indifferent towards sales
Not closely examining the Cell Phone they told me was to scale

iThought about my empty pursuit of materialism
Be that as it may, no better than imperialism
Never satisfied and certainly never pleased
Nor gratified at the very least

iThought I would always be wanting more
Wanting the latest model from the costliest store
To be forever fascinated by fancy Brand Names
Getting ripped off and feeling an absence of shame

iThought a lot of the plot
Concentrated on controlling consuming robots
And then I thought,
Others too could be taught.

~Anthans

The Absence of Thought

Milk

I'm the tallest, lankiest, and oddest shaped person in all of my family. My known extended family includes aunts, uncles, grandparents, distant cousins, and bastard fathers. None of them are above 6 feet tall. It begs me to ask the question: where did my 77 inches manifest from? The only answer I could come up with was milk.

I've been drinking milk since I was a child and the effects have been astonishing. I have so much height – I'd rent some of it out if I could. If you saw me get out of my small car you'd think I'd attended clown college; you'd be waiting around all day for 9 other Bozo's to come through the sunroof. I've got so much height that my Mom had to tell the principal to install clearance signs all over campus, just so I could know which classes I could take. My height has never done me any good. Anybody I meet whose smaller than me always manages to find a way to look down on me.

Thanks a lot, milk.

~Anthans

Test Drive

Today I took a test drive at a Nissan dealership and received 5 free gold coins through a promotional offer. This is the conversation that took place afterwards between me, my Dad, and my sister, Mel.

Anthans: Oh hey Dad, I went to the Nissan dealership with that offer you showed me and took a test drive.
Dad: Did they give you the five golden dollar coins?
Anthans: Yeah, but I already spent four of them.
Mel: Typical.
Dad: What car did you drive?
Anthans: I drove an o'10 Altima. I figured it'd go well with my story.
Dad: What was your story?
Anthans: I said I was graduating soon from USC and that my parents were going to get me a car for graduation. I asked the salesman what he had under $30,000.
Dad: And they bought your story?
Anthans: Yeah, I think so. But now that I think about it, I think I should have driven something more stylish. Did you know that Nissan sells the Skyline in America now?
Dad: They do?
Mel: That sounds better than the Altima. Why didn't you drive that, stupid?
Anthans: Hey! Driving the Altima was still pretty cool. And it's still a big tease compared to what I currently drive.
Mel: I think any car is a big tease compared to what you drive right now.

~Anthans

Distractions

Have you ever found a little game on the internet that seems harmless to play for a couple of minutes? And then those couple of minutes turn into a couple of hours. Next you find yourself trying to pick apart what seems to be a simple game. But then you view leader boards and find some unbelievable scores! Then you begin to look up tips and strategies online, which leads to you watching walkthrough videos! Before you know it, you've wasted an entire day on a game like One Button Bob.

Don't go to this website. You've been warned

http://armorgames.com/play/5286/one-button-bob

~Anthans

Good News Bears

I don't usually have any good news to report – today is different. That is all. Good news!

~Anthans

PS Hopefully I don't MIIISSSSSS!!

Throwback Thursday: Auction Questionnaire

(Picture sorta related)

Three and a half years ago I did a favor for a friend by participating in a dating auction. I had never been in a date auction before and had no idea what to expect. This is the questionnaire I filled out at the time. Oh, I had a girlfriend at the time, too. It was for charity!

AUCTION QUESTIONNAIRE

Due August 10, 2006

All participants must answer these questions.

1. Name: Anthans
2. Where are you from: P-Town (Pomona), California
3. Age: 20
4. Occupation: Student @ USC/Campus Cruisader/Poet
5. Favorite Colors: Brown and White
6. Favorite Movie: The Wedding Crashers
7. Hobbies: Writing, Poetry, Dancing (all types), Tennis
8. Favorite food: Eggo Waffle Cereal
9. Craziest thing you have ever done: You don’t want to know, or do you?
10. Your ideal date (your Perfect Date): Dinner and dancing
11. Pet Peeves: Flaky people
12. Boxer, Briefs, or Boxer Briefs (bikini, thongs, or grannys): All at once!

I think the only that has changed is that I'm not 20 anymore. 

~Anthans

Materials

I hate to be materialistic here, but that's exactly what I'm going to be.

"Before you settle down and have a wife and kids, make sure you get all your kicks out and buy all your toys. Because once kids and pets come into your life, you're no longer #1."
-My Dad

I like fantasizing about the things I will one day own. This will of course be achieved through hard work and determination. To me, happiness and fulfillment are more valuable assets than material things. However, the feelings of happiness and fulfillment of your life's goals can't haul you down the freeway at 120 mph. Some of the things I desire are not even that exorbitant.


My Life-Mas List:


-Lotus Exige (imported from England)
-Amazing sound systems with kicking bass for upcoming cars, dwellings, and computers
-Clothes for days
-Grand Piano
-Laser eye surgery
-Every spice, utensil, pot and pan I need to cook anything from around the world
-King size bed
-Expansive assortment of hats
-Music making software/hardware
-Food for days
-Controlled temperature wine cabinet
-Private jet
-A bill of currency from every country
-Scuba gear
-Plush couches like the ones in fancy nightclubs
-A blog that more people read
-Soy bean futures

~Anthans

Buttons, Levers, and Dials

Buttons: I love pushing 'em. We all do. Humans are fascinated with pushing buttons. I'm pushing on buttons as I type these words right now. We push buttons on our phones, in our cars, and even on the piano. That's all the piano really is: a long arrangement of buttons to push. Life is full of buttons. Even people have buttons. I'm sure you've heard somebody say, "I'm going to cut your fucking head off if you keep pushing my buttons." Of course you have. Buttons mean a lot to us. They mean so much to us that developers like Apple create devices like the stupid iPad and equip them with the capability of having an unlimited amount of buttons! See, buttons are everywhere.

Levers and switches are another hot commodity in our daily routine. The parking break, the light switch in your nook, and slot machines in Lost Wages are just a few that come to mind. I feel empowered whenever I can bring light into and out of a room. Sometimes I point or snap my fingers at the bulb as I flick the light switch. It gives you a sense of entitlement. Let's see your cat do that while snapping its paws.

Knobs and dials are another significant motif of society. If you have a car that hasn't had it's radio stolen twice before in front of your house then you probably work with a dial everyday. We have the power to control the volume on our car stereos. It's magical. Knobs and dials also tend to control mood lights, tape decks, and the settings on your favorite vibrator. The dial can be a very useful apparatus. Have you ever been listening to "urban" music in a rundown neighborhood and suddenly your car was surrounded by amiable locals? You then suddenly realized that the music you were playing was in fact the same music of the regional sea of faces around you and not music of your own heritage. Volume knob control comes in handy at a time like this. Instead of muting the music or turning off your engine you could simply fade the music down with a twist of your volume knob. It makes it sound smoother to the keen ear. This diffuses the situation of getting into any unwanted cultural exchanges. And then you tell yourself after, "that's the last time I'm going through that locality without doors on my car."

~Anthans

Buzzer Blog

I'm 6' 5" but don't live up to the hype of my height. Kinesthetic intelligence was not integrated into my design and sports have never kept my interest for too long, or too high for that matter. I played varsity tennis in high school and have never risen to a higher level in any other sport, especially basketball. People usually approach and comment on my tall stature, and then immediately ask if I play any sports. After I tell them that I like tennis they always, always, always elude to me playing basketball. It's inescapable. They always ask. And I always reply, "Yes, I do play basketball." Shortly after I say, very softly, "but not very well."

When I step on the basketball court to play a game the opposite team always perceives me as a threat. There is no doubting this. They always talk amongst themselves or directly out loud about how everyone should watch out for me. After the game starts they commence their neighborhood court watch program and then abandon it as soon as they figure out that my tall stature was deceiving. The ball suddenly becomes stolen from me, my shots are blocked, rebounds are recovered by people who are shorter than me, and neither person on the opposite team or my own take me seriously. All the above was true until I really tried, which was just last week.

I currently play for a beginning intramural basketball team known as The Owls, and our record is 1-1. We lost our first game, 59-32 or something embarrassing like that. Not to make excuses but our team only consisted of five players, the entire game! That meant no subs and running the entire game on our own. It was a 40 minute brutal test of stamina, but somehow, we finished it.

Our next and most recent game brought us into a different scenario. The next team we were supposed to face off with was a no show. Fortunately this time however we had more than five players on our team. We decided instead to have our own 4 on 4 game and played a game until 13. That whole game I pumped out every maneuver and shot I could muster. It resulted in at least four or five points and plenty of rebounds and blocks. I was known as the LTMVP, the Losing Team's MVP. My team still lost, but nothing will summarize my actions better than the shot I took during the same time a buzzer was going off in the background. The same goes for this post. It's 11:59 PM and I'm making the buzzer shot for this daily blog to count.

~Anthans

Feel Good Ltd.

Music playlists are among the many things I love creating and naming. I have created a playlist called "Feel Good Ltd." which plays off the Gorillaz' song, Feel Good Inc., and it includes a series of songs that are uplifting and inspiring. The above song, United State of Electronica - Climb the Walls is included in that playlist. This songs snaps me out any rut I'm in. Have a listen.

~Anthans

Throwback Thursday: Living in the Past

Here is another installment of an article I wrote for USC's Daily Trojan. It didn't make it into the paper but that doesn't mean it wouldn't be read by people. Enjoy.

Living in the Past

(circa fall semester 2006)

            It seems as if capitalist companies will always have some form of control over our lives, from the computers we use, to the cars we ride in, to the cell phones that connect us. Technology just continues to get better and better, as our reliance on it also seems to increase as well. What happens though when these products let us down and we become at the mercy of the companies that bestow them upon us as we remain helpless to abide to the terms under their contracts and warranties?

            The effect that derives from this tyranny is misery and drudgery, for in the past month or so I have been forced to live in the past. And no, I didn’t build a car that could travel back in time like from “Back to the Future” or bend the space time continuum like Hiro Nakamura from the new hit show “Heroes” on NBC, but my cell phone screen did short out on me.

            Having a cell phone without being able to see what I was dialing or who was calling me was like something out of the dark ages or life during medieval times. Their lack of enlightenment and electricity was the equivalent to my inability to see the numbers I was dialing, the calls I would receive, and the lack of saved numbers that used to be at my disposal.

            But it didn’t hit me just how much I had traveled back in time until I had started to get used to the limitations that now entrenched my phone, as I would soon find out.

How many of us can remember the good ole’ days when saying “Hello is so-and-so home?” and asking, “who is this?” were used on a regular basis?  Such phrases are outdated as we wouldn’t catch ourselves twice using them today, especially in this modern day age of cell phones and after the advent of caller ID in the mid 1990’s.

            Another retro practice I saw myself executing was the need to write phone numbers on hand, rather than being able to punch them into the address book of my once beautifully lit cell phone screen. Who still carries phone books with them these days? Certainly not myself, although maybe I should have since most people’s numbers I had acquired over the past years were never memorized but were instead stored into a database I felt I could rely on.

I was naïve to rely on technology so much.

One other difficulty that I was forced to grow accustomed to was the uncertainty surrounding my mobile phone to be able to function as a mobile. Let me explain this. Because I could no longer see my screen I was never sure whether my cell phone was charged or not, as I would constantly need to connect the charger to an outlet.

There never was a guarantee that my cell phone would be charging, for sometimes cell phone chargers break down on us as well and need to be fidgeted with. This inconvenience left my mobile phone immobile, as it constantly needed to be plugged into the wall as it left me feeling like having an ordinary house phone of which I was accustomed to having in the past.

When it comes to cell phone companies these days, it’s hard to get out of a quick fix, especially when the terms and circumstances of the agreement you made over a year ago are stacked against your favor. I was unable to change my living conditions and held to remain in the past because I was stubborn enough to wait to be eligible for an upgrade with my cell phone provider, Cingular Wireless.

            Cingular Wireless is an excellent cell phone provider; I could hardly hold them in contempt for my blasting into the past. My real scorn though is and will forever remain with Motorola. I didn’t have the popular Razr that is so often seen pressed to people’s ears on campus, but I did have a similar prone-to-breaking-down equivalent.

            I strongly advise against purchasing a Motorola cell phone to anyone in the future; their cell phone products have been known to fail on people. Common breakdowns include loss of screen image, earpiece malfunction, and faulty buttons that quite often press themselves.

            At one point in time three out of the four people who live in my apartment (including myself) had a malfunctioning cell phone; they were all Motorola.

            I have recently come out of my dark age and have again acquired the means to telecommunicate with others. I now have a Sony Erickson and have decided to permanently say goodbye to Motorola.

Their assortment of different colored phones and sleek looking products are not enough to keep me as a customer; having a phone that works is far more important than having one that is perceived as being cool.

~Anthans

Days of the Week

A conversation I had with my sister:

Anthans: Are you sure today is Wednesday?
Mel: Yes, stupid.
Anthans: I thought it was Throwback Thursday already.
Mel: Why do you keep calling it Throwback Thursday?
Anthans: Because that's what it is.
Mel: OK, well what do you call today?
Anthans: Whack-ass Wednesday?
Mel: Haha. How about Monday?
Anthans: Mundane Monday.
Mel: Well, what about Friday?
Anthans: Fucking Friday.
Mel: (childish laughter over profanity). And Saturday?
Anthans: I refer to it as Gladurday.
Mel: Oh yeah, cause you don't want to be sad.
Anthans: Mmm hmm.
Mel: Last one, what about Sunday?
Anthans: Sunday.
Mel: Yeah, what about Sunday?
Anthans: I just said, Sunday.
Mel: That's it?
Anthans: Yeah.

~Anthans

Post Script: She didn't ask me about Tuesday. I think we all know what Tuesday is: that's Taco Tuesday! Everyone knows that.

Google Maps World Explorer

Google Maps is a groundbreaking tool (litterally). Everyone has used it at least once. It has been around since October 2004 and it has helped us reach so many of our destinations in life. What a "moving" thought.

The Google Maps you and I use today is nothing what it was 5 years ago, or for that matter, 1 year ago! I always notice whatever subtle changes Google applies to their mapping system on the first day. That's how often I use it!

On May 29, 2007 Street View was unveiled. It was a Tuesday. I remember because I was at work that day planning my escape route home. I was in traffic mode and zoomed out to check on traffic going to Sin City when suddenly I saw a little camera icon floating above Las Vegas. I clicked on the icon immediately and found myself instantly immersed in the streets of Vegas! The strip was at my 360˚ disposal. I could see the fountain in front of the Bellagio; it was the real deal. Next I found myself strolling the streets of New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and several other major cities. This was all made possible with the simple drag and drop of one little Orange Man. As the months went on more cities across the United States were photographed. When they were, I went exploring.

If you refer to the map above you will see how far Street View has come. Every so often I would check on its progress of photographing every street in America. Nevertheless, the more the blue lines continued to spread across cities, towns, and rural countryside the more my stomach began to turn. It gave me goosebumps knowing that we have colonized this entire beautiful landscape. It reminded me of poison spreading throughout the veins of an animal. Sick shit.

When Street View expanded to different countries I began checking out those places, too. See the Eiffel Tower without buying a plane ticket? I'm there. Zoom to Europe! Zoom in on France. Zoom in on Paris. Boom! Eiffel Tower. Simple. What's next? They added Japan now? Hot shit I'm there!

And with this advancement in technology I find myself getting lost in it, or rather, found. Google Maps and Street View have made our world even smaller. I have no doubt within the next few years the entire planet will be photographed. It probably won't stop there either. I imagine that the ocean depths will be charted one day as well.

~Anthans