What Women Want

I am not only going to confess that I watched Mel Gibson's "What Women Want" (2000) last night I'm also going to let it all out and say I would probably recommend it to those who haven't seen it. 

Once you get past the OBVIOUS that the title itself is a nonsensical statement (as nobody in there right mind really does knows what women want) and start watching the movie it is obvious that this movie was written by a woman...and I'm not looking it up so if actually was written by man he is my new hero. As I laid there on my couch watching what I was sure going to be another ridiculous chick flick I couldn't turn it off. The movie does not harp on the falsehood of the impossible (understanding what women want) and instead delves into the communications/relationship model as a whole.

Relationships with friends, families and of course the people that we just casually see on the street everyday; just because we may not know their name(s) doesn't mean an interaction doesn't occur of some sort (twitter/facebook/myspace/TV/newspaper/radio etc).

The movie made me further realize the importance of taking notice on the people that make up your day-to-day life. It's up to me to try and listen to what they're trying to say (or what they want to say). 

"But behavior in the human being is sometimes a defense, a way of concealing motives and thoughts, as language can be a way of hiding your thoughts and preventing communication." -Abraham Maslow

Credit, Taxes, Stocks, Insurance

As someone in their mid 20's i'm faced with task that nobody can avoid, learning "grown-up" issues. These issues are not limited to but definitely pertain: Credit, Taxes, Stocks and Insurance. 

Let me list the possibilities for teenagers/young adults trying to learn these important unavoidable tasks: mentor for all 4 sections, specialized classes in a university, take workshops for all four individual sections...but let's be honest...which person in this age group has the money it takes for these worshops/seminars? 

Probably the most common way for young adults to learn these practices is to just simply "learn-as-you-go."

For financial areas as crucial to a person's life as these are it is embarrassing that schools (high schools and universities) don't require all students to take courses on these. Yes, I know that few high schools and most universities offer a class or two to choose but what student (16-23) is going to choose a finance class over some of the more recreational electives offered in schools? 

Granted, there are those few students who know the importance of finances at an early age (thoses students usually come from families that ingrain that importance) but what about the common student...the one that knows the importance of being a kid? The ones that realize that this is the only time when they don't have to worry about rent or where there next meal is coming from? 

What do they do when it's time for them to join the American working class...struggle. If you know a student that fits the bill of needing that extra "push" in the financial direction, give them a shove...because it may take a shove from you to finally get them to take a step forward.

Joy in Mudville

For all of the Ernest Thayer fans out there an introduction to the poem "Casey At the Bat" is not needed, but for those wishing for one let's just say the outlook wasn't brilliant. 

"Casey At the Bat" has been my life-time favorite poem for obvious name comparisons but also for the imagery of Mudville. The poem, published nearly 121 years ago, is filled with descriptions begging the 8-year old spirit in all of us to keep reading.

It paints a story of a heroic figure named Casey who has been waiting for his big chance to shine when it comes to the big game. Unlike most poems (especially children's poems) when his chance comes, he fails. But that's just the start of the imagery. I would like to think Thayer wrote an altered ending. That maybe Casey could be redeemed in the following season (or maybe get traded to the Giants.) 

Regardless of Thayer's relentless attempt to paint Casey a failure for eternity, at least he swung at strike three instead of watching it go by.