Craftsmanship

I was going to add my own thoughts about this, but I thought the description already with it was just too good.

""What is life without craftsmanship?" the ad asks at the end. Well, it's bleak, is what. Office towers collapse, bustling thoroughfares buckle and crack. Hey, are we sure the craftsmen didn't just cut corners on materials? Especially fine are details like a sandwich disintegrating as a diner prepares to take a bite and type sliding off a newspaper page. In the end, everyone roams the wilderness naked, with nothing to do but grow their hair long and repopulate the world. Sounds sweet to me. See you in hell, craftsmen!"

Just a heads up, its German, it European, its a little risque at the end.

Cha-cha-cha-changes.

I figured it was time my blog received a face lift. My blog now features a new yet outdated font choice and colors and some pretty snazzy pin-stripes. Exciting I know.

Home sick

Its been raining a lot here in Denver the last few weeks and I have to say, its making me a little homesick for the NorthWest. Utah wasn't without its charm (southern utah's redrocks and arches are amazing), but it wasn't for me, and Denver is great but we haven't had the opportunity to get out and see what the Rockies have to offer. I miss rain, and moss and green trees, rolling hills and mountains, huge rivers and waterfalls, and I miss being just 2 hours from the beach.

I hope the weather will hold steady for the next few weeks so I can go climb some 14k foot mountains here. Maybe I'll find some amazing scenery that will trump the NorthWest, or at least hold me over till we take our next trip back.

What motivates you?

I have always been interested in what drives people to do what they do. And more importantly what drives them to do it better.

The motivations in my life have defiantly changed over time.

In elementary school is was the promise of 10 extra minutes of recess. Or perhaps the fear of receiving beatings from your classmates if you were the one that kept the class from getting the 10 minutes.

In middle school, the promise of a special meal or toy for getting an A on a test. Like a dog who learns how to sit, and roll over.

In high school, it was an off campus lunch or a pass from doing sit ups. Or the simple gratification that came from graduating and never having to think about high school ever again!

At 16 it was the promise of a car if I got my Eagle scout award, which was a close one, I actually had to forge a signature an hour before turning in my papers before the deadline. (Wasn't my fault they changed the forms on me and the guy had moved to Seattle.)

In college it was the ability to drop the lowest test score, or skip out on the final all together (this one ALWAYS got me. I don't think I ever took a final in any of the classes that offered this).

Now in the real world, its defiantly the money that motivates me. Not that I am only in it for the money (I think anyone who knows what I am getting payed would agree with me on that one), but the promise of more money for a job well done, definitely keeps me coming back for more.

So what motivates you? Is it money, an extra recess (vaca days), or possibly a tasty treat? And is there a point where money or any motivator stops motivating people? Where is the turning point when the promise of a tasty treat, kills your motivation? Does that place even exist?

Selling out

"Its like people only do things so they can get paid. And thats just really sad."

Yes I know I am selling out by allowing Google to place adds on my blog. Adds for things like FORD, SOUTHWEST AIRLINES, and HAIR CLUB FOR MEN. But hey, why not? Does selling out really make me a tool? Probably. Will people stop reading my blog because of it? Its possible, assuming anyone even 'reads' it to begin with.

The way I see it, selling out is just the natural order of things. Here I am 3 years and 160 posts later and nothing about my blog has really changed. This is just the way of the world babe. Its time I stepped up into that sweet world of getting paid to do absolutely nothing!

Actually, if you think about it, this could be a better thing for ALL of us. If I actually want to receive more than 5 cents a year, I'm going to have to start posting more interesting stuff. I'm going to have to blow topics way out of proportion and pretend to be passionate about things that no one cares about or needs to know.

Feel free to share your thoughts on the topic (I feel I can say this because no one ever comments on blogs anymore. At least none of the 4 people who occasionally visit mine out of absolute bordom (but thats okay because I'll be honest, its the only reason I read yours!)).

New Car!

Some of you may know that I have been looking for a new car. Partly because the Justy has been having issues, and partly because we have decided it would be a good idea to have a safer car for the baby to be transported in. The first thing we looked at were subarus. I drove a couple of nice ones, one was really nice. It had heated leather seats, sun roof for the driver and moon roof for the passengers. It also had wood trim and a 3.0 6 cylinder engine. However, it was a 2001 with 112k miles and they were asking $9,980.

I just have a hard time justifying spending 10 thou, on a car with more than 100,000 miles. Plus the car was nice to drive but not any fun. Long story short I decided on something that had 4 doors, good milage, and was fun to drive. So here it is. A 2004 Mazda 3 with only 39k miles and in pristine condition. We still need to get our bank to cut us a check but as soon as they do, I'll be running over there to pick up my new ride.

I don't think its any secret that I'm not a big fan of star wars, and I usually hate it when companies use star wars as a marketing tool. But I have to admit, I did enjoy this one.

I've been robbed!

I woke up this morning to find that someone had rummaged through my car. the contents of the center consol was on the floor and the face was missing from my radio. I don't think there was anything of importance in the consol except for a broken, expired visa rebate card from AT&T, which I had been using as an ice scraper. The thing that I find most interesting about it is that all of my CDs were still in the car, along with the speaker box in the back.

Even though nothing major was stolen or broken, it does make me feel a little violated. Like having a creepy guy with a mustache staring at you. After all, the car was parked on our driveway next to our house. I don't exactly like the idea of having strange people wandering that close to my house in the middle of the night.

I guess I'm just upset that they didn't just steal the whole car. Maybe tonight I'll leave a key on the dash.

In lieu of wearing a tie yesterday, I thought I would share with everyone my sweet, newly acquired kicks. They are trail running shoes with removable spikes and they weigh almost nothing. Best of all they were just 10 bucks! Gotta love Ross.

IT'S BLUE!

Thats right. This here, is a blue tie.

So to the 3 people who voted pink, I'm sorry but you picked unwisely. For the 2 people who picked blue, congrats. You are the are the smartest of the 5 people who read this blog.