Editorial Opinions
This page was inspired by Brian Malerich's homepage, the chiding of my room-mate and friends, and Agatha McGee's 'dark age dyspepsia'
Submitted 6/7/99
Where Does Love Fall?
Hardly anybody finds true love, but everyone has an equal chance of finding that one person who fills the void in your life and makes all your cupideous dreams come true. I think that everyone deserves to be given the chance to love and be loved in return. Now, whether or not these people ACKNOWLEDGE their worthiness of having such a chance DETERMINES their outcome.
People who are full of themselves and expect everybody to adore and pay attention to them still deserve the chance, but they are blowing it! They can't look past their manicured nails and air of self-importance to see the opportunities that are right under their plastic surgery-enhanced noses!
Then there are the meek, mousy people of the world who will sometimes feel the surges of energy and emotion for a second and dream such wild and crazy notions such as, "I think that girl likes me," or, "Did he just look at me?" Yes, these are the nerds, geeks, and wallflowers.
I consider myself a hopeless romantic...
[Pardon me if I digress into a different realm of discussion here to make a nonsensical point. Declaring yourself a hopeless romantic can only be done when one has been established as such by another person. One cannot simply decide that they are a hopeless romantic, they must be called one by another person. This leaves a true hopeless romantic at the mercy of his/her friends, family and the occasional onlooker. A true hopeless romantic does not care whether he/she has the label. In fact, a true one does not wish to have that declaration of hopelessness tacked onto their person, for fear of scaring of potential suitors/mates. This is the heart of the hopeless romantic; for no matter how much one rejoices at the bliss of other couples, he/she always yearns to have such happiness himself/herself. I have been called a hopeless romantic many times, so I am at liberty to proclaim myself such, but I do not do so often (only at plays, movies, and when discussing literature or relationships). So, you see, this really has no point with my editorial, but in a way it does. A prize goes to whoever can guess what my point was!]
...This might fall into the "geek" category, but I prefer it would not. A hopeless romantic does not only deserve to fall in love as much as everybody, but has a RIGHT to fall in love, be loved, and be happy. This is a hopeless romantic's disposition and should be stated as such. In fact, this is the reward of his/her existence! To fall in love is only natural for a hopeless romantic, but to BE LOVED IN RETURN is the very fruit of their labor, the coup de gras, the icing on the cake!
In conclusion to this "hastily thrown together editorial," I would have to say that those who say, "I can't imagine anybody who would want to go out with me," and are afraid of love still reserve the right to their chance, but they are not anticipating it enough to recognize it. Attitude is everything! If you think nobody will like you, then you are probably right, for it is difficult to form an attachment with a person with such a low self-esteem. On the other hand, the snobs who believe they may choose whomever they want as a "significant other" mistake the matter entirely. It does not matter how much money your have or how stunning you look. For, if you don't have what it takes inside, if you don't have a decent personality, integrity and honesty, then you do not deserve someone who does have those things.
I don't have the cure for the common cold relationship, but I do have a word of advice. If your relationship is based on sincere truth, faith, and compassion, then may God bless you. But if other motives are playing a hand in your game of emotions, then I suggest you reevaluate what exactly is compelling you to be with that person.
Oh, one more word of advice: Be patient!!! Good things come to those who wait.
Submitted 3/15/99
Easy-Mac: symptom for the destruction of the world
Easy-Mac, the product made by Kraft is the beloved Cheese and Macaroni grossly transformed into the microwavable, three step process that allows the children to make their own nutritionally-deficient meal while mother is working. What's wrong with this picture? For starters, Kraft Cheese and Macaroni was created to be a simple meal supplement for "housewives of the 60's" to make life a little it easier. With the "women's lib movement" the mothers decided to gain freedom. Well, if they had had a divorce with children involved, and the mother needed to work to support the family, then what will happen to the kids? Daycare. And what will the daycare worker give her charges to eat that will please their little tummies as well as her own wallet and schedule? Kraft Cheese and Macaroni. And what will the mother who bravely decides to take care of the children AND work at the same time give her neglected offspring for supper after she rushes home from work and right before she collapses in bed? Kraft Cheese and Macaroni.
You may be thinking, "Okay, lady, where is this going? What is so wrong about Mac-n-Cheese?" Well, hold you're horses, I'm getting to it! Kraft Cheese and Macaroni started out as an ADDITION to supper, not the ENTIRE meal! Easy Mac is going too far. It is saying that mothers (or fathers) don't need to spend the time preparing a quality dinner for their families. It is saying that CONVENIENCE is the most important factor in maintaining the standard of living. Whatever is easiest, whatever allows you to feel good is the message Easy Mac sending to America.
And so is the product that has a single serving of cereal and milk pre-packaged in a box. Breakfast used to be the most important meal of the day! What happened? I'll tell you what happened. Mothers have to go to work now, and they can't even afford the time to set out a box of cereal and the gallon of milk for their children. Wouldn't you think kids now-days know how much cereal and milk to put in a bowl? This product is saying that parents are leaving children home that are too young to even prepare a bowl of cereal and pour milk in it! Either that, or today's children are so conditioned to having everything pre-measured, pre-made and pre-wrapped for them, that they don't even know how to put the milk in the fridge or close the box of cereal after they're done using it!
We spend our days thinking of ways, fiddling around with technology, and designing products that will allow us to have more time in the day to have fun. America has gone after that unattainable goal in vain. Perhaps we have succeeded in shortening the time it takes to complete certain equations or to cook a pot roast, but the most we have accomplished is freeing up time only to fill it with more work. We've only got 24 hours! You can't add to that! Why in the world would you want to create more time in the day, just so you can work more? After nearly 40 years of having the computer, has life really gotten all that more simple? No. After having "ergonomically-developed" offices and equipment, has the workplace gotten all that more enjoyable or easier? No. In fact, all that new research on what will make employees more content with their jobs, they aren't more happy, they are just putting more hours in at the office to buy a new toy for their home entertainment system. America: land of the FREE? Forget it. We're tied down by the chains of convenience.
I'm surprised that Easy-Mac doesn't come with a microwave-safe, disposable bowl and measuring cup to make sure they get the right amount of water. Better yet, why don't they just give you the pre-measured amount of water with each packet?