Truths

It's been a long time.  For the sake of succinct intros, let's just say that I've been busy.  Not really busy in the kind of way that leaves you satisfied with what you've accomplished...no definitely not that kind of busy.  I've been busy in the way that's been frustrating, annoying, and just downright...lame.

I guess that's not entirely true, my normal stuff has kept me busy; it's just that interspersed into that "normal" busy stuff has been lame stuff.  I find that I'm saying "stuff" a lot.  It's good, because it's a general descriptor of things.  Not eloquent, not high-brow, but solid.  Stuff.  Stuff happens.

Since the last time I blogged on this, less triathlon/athletic oriented blog, I have moved and traveled and gotten hit by a car.  Of those three things, I would certainly eliminate two if it were possible.  Traveling is always good, especially when it's to someplace cool, like home.

Going home for me is always special.  Maybe it's like that with most people, I am not sure.  So saying that might not be that unique and/or cool.  Well, my parents probably think it's pretty cool to hear me say that but given that only about 5 people check out this blog I am not sure who actually sees me say: "Hey world, my home is pretty cool!"

Maybe they will once I become famous.

It took me a pretty long time to realize that my home was cool.  I definitely didn't know it growing up before high school because, let's face it, I was basically a baby.  I was 12, but I was a baby.  I took for granted those little things that homes provide.  Ohhh, food whenever I want it?? I DESERVE that.  I grew up a little bit and went to public high school.  But guess what, I wasn't really that cool! Hard to believe, I know.

It took me over 3 years to discover who I wanted to be and who I maybe was in high school.  I was an athlete, sort of. I was a thespian.  I enjoyed genuine friends, not stupid fake ones.  But my parents definitely weren't cool yet.

I went to college and continued discovering myself.  I discovered alcohol (no I never did in high school).  I discovered staying out late and being responsible for me and myself.  My schedule.  I discovered REAL education. I learned. I swooned. I grew.  But no, home was definitely still not cool.  On my day of graduation I wanted nothing to do with my parents and family.  I was rude.  I only wanted to hang out with my friends.

When I look back on that, I am pretty displeased with myself.  Ashamed.  Think about it this way: your BEST friends in college or in your youth, they COULD last a lifetime. They could.  It's not usual.  But it can definitely happen.  My family has ALWAYS been there for me.  They ALWAYS will be. My mom and dad's first son was graduating from their alma-mater and he didn't want anything to do with them.  Pathetic, son.  Pathetic.

But I've only grown to appreciate those facts since moving on to a more semi-adulthood stage of life.  I am definitely the age of an "adult" or a "young man," but on the inside I am still a teenager in a lot of those ways.  But one of those ways I am NOT a teenager is that I WILL appreciate and respect my family for who they are, what they have accomplished, and how much they love me and I them.

So yea, I traveled home to New Orleans two weeks ago and thought about that kinda stuff.  Plus, when driving 20 hours you have a lot of time to think and talk.

The other thing that was pretty lame was my incident with a vehicle.  Not going into too many details, suffice it to say that the driver was "running late to a dinner."

Besides the fact that the driver was incredibly nice and was the one who called 911, I wanted to point out some things that this (and other incidents like this I've been involved with) brought to mind.

What. IS. the. Fucking. Hurry.

Seriously, where are people going that it matters SO MUCH that they can't hold on for one second and ensure the safety of those around them?!

(keep in mind I am not saying this about this specific incident, this is more of a general statement on people)

Everyone is so involved in themselves and their own schedules that it's IMPOSSIBLE to drive for 5 minutes without staring at your damn phone and checking your emails, your facebook, your texts, your tweets, your instagrams, your snapchats, your...SHIT.

Who. Cares.

Give it a rest.  Driving in and of itself is an incredibly dangerous activity.  Operating a 2 ton vehicle within inches and feet of other multiple ton vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, businesses, curbs, medians, lights, signs...etc is a terribly difficult thing to do SAFELY.  Yet people are willing to compromise on that and make something even more difficult because they have to check FUCKING FACEBOOK?

Ugh.

It's really disappointing, actually.  We've evolved so much as people yet we can't just put the phones down and enjoy the simple fact that we are driving around an incredible machine (even if you drive a POS it's still incredible) that takes us from place to place and all we have to do is put a little gas in it?

It's only been in the past 4-5 years that driving a vehicle has become so much less safe and it is entirely due to smart phones.  They are solely at fault here.  Well, them and people's attachment to them (I am not absolving myself of this, I am very attached to my phone).  But it shouldn't be an attachment while you are driving. Period.

Slow down. Realize that YOUR life and YOUR schedule are just that: YOURS.  There are hundreds and thousands and millions of people out there.  YOUR schedule matters little to them.  So just relax, be patient, get off your phone, and be SAFE.