Tracks In The Dust

18 Feb 2013

Okay… New Rule

There was a time when it was easy to know all the rules. There was the golden rule, the simple rules that made up the rules of “etiquette” that Miss Manners would teach us. They were a guide to how to react, how to look at things. How to make sure that others felt comfortable with you and who/what you were.

But these days no rules seem to be the rule. The more you can shock someone, the more you can be out of the normal trend of things – the more people may notice you. And it may not be because you did something good, it may be quite the opposite. Be shocking enough or do something that will make people be “aghast” with the way you did it. In popular culture that means you will get noticed, you will be part of the buzz or covered on TMZ or tabloid shows on television. You will show up on some magazine as the “newest” thing.

In these days it seems that it means it has to be notched up. In order to get attention above the normal for this week, one needs to be out-of-bounds even farther than those before us. Of course to make it all work you have to add the Internet. Just do it on YouTube and have it be viral and you will be a star for next week.

It’s like being “change junkies”, even our youth here in the US are thriving on the difference. That seems to have always been the thing…but the notches have turned up higher than before. The shear out-of-bounds rules of the 50’s when kids came to school with blue-jeans on (dungarees) and people were struggling with hair cuts and music. The rules were also changing then for the youth. Now they have become so much more accelerated don’t you think? How can our youth out-do the popular culture which is coming at us all 24/4 on any URL you wish to Google.

So we end up heading toward the potential for a more complicated life. Like working hard to keep track of the “new-rules.” If we are going to be sure we are aware of them, it could prove to be not so simple. All of the media around us and our children’s peer groups screaming it.

My advice to my kids: Be aware of the new rules, but keep it simple. That is going to be my motto too. Just take it one day at a time, understand that you don’t have to make things be bigger, louder, meaner, faster, or on the fringe. Take care to understand the rules will change, and change is good… but don’t let those rules rule you. You can stay in control of things with the simple rules and let that drive your spirit with the power and grace.

Posted in Learning Lessons Along the Journey Of Life and tagged Change, Definitions, Doubt, Golden Rule, Google, Grace, Opinion, Pop Culture, Popular culture, Reality Check, Slow Down, The Golden Rule

17 Feb 2013

2 Comments

Go Ahead Take The Leap

What are you waiting for? There has to be those times when you make “the leap”.

A leap of faith perhaps or just a leap from one place to another. Getting out the routine, moving to another place, taking a chance when you haven’t in the past.

There is that inner-voice that can tell you to wait…. something else will come along. But then when do you listen and when don’t you? Can you catch the meaning of it? Sure, it is easy to review all of life’s missed opportunities and regrets. Sigh… There are times that I know I wallow in them.

After all, standing still can feel comfortable. Its familiar. It allows you to maintain control. But really it could mean that you aren’t in control. That comfortable spot you are in could be controlling you. Keeping you from making the leap you need to make…embracing the change. It could be that you remember the failure or the hurt. You find yourself playing-back “old tapes” (as it used to be called before the digital age). Those old things can be like an anchor. You have to learn your lesson, you don’t want to repeat things that are destined to happen again. But you have to recognize your opportunity too.

So those times will come… it is important to recognize then – then it’s time to say “go ahead and take a leap”. Make a move and see where goes next. See what happens.

TAKE THE LEAP!

Posted in Learning Lessons Along the Journey Of Life and tagged Advice, Chances, Change, choices, Faith, mental-health, moments, Moving, Opportunity, Postive Thinking, Reality Check, Regrets, Taking Chances, Trust

15 Feb 2013

Not My “Demographic”

Over the years we have all been marketed to. Likely millions of products and services, piles of entertainment choices of music, books and movies. Mining the “popular culture” that has become the goal of companies wanting your attention.

One of the things those marketing strategists focus on is taking a look at is who things appeal to; Like what age bracket, what ethnic group, what income bracket, where you live and work.

Once they have “their demographic” target, they create the plan. The plan to appeal to that target, whether it is a teen, a tween, the young or the senior market among others – there is a place to aim the message or the talent.

Maybe this happens to you: My wife and I will see things on television or in advertising in magazines or the web and wonder “who the heck would ever want that?” Sometimes the media makes it seem that “everyone” is paying attention (but they aren’t) . They make it appear that every one is tuning in to the next “reality” show to see someone win or lose, or tune in to see things like Honey Boo-boo disgust us so we can feel better about our own lives.

As I get older I realize that these things aren’t designed to appeal to me (or my wife or others in my generation). This is not new actually- it has been happening since the dawn of the advertising age. From the earliest days of entertainment, from the beginning of the newspaper or selling soap, from Elvis or the Beatles to Justin Bieber. There is a plan on who will and will not “get it”… it will be something parents shake their head at (Elvis and his pelvis, John & Paul and those haircuts) , or kids wont ever understand about their parents . It just happens.

Are you part of the Generation X, Y or Z? Are you a baby-boomer? In the scheme of things in your busy life it likely doesn’t matter at all to you. But someone is thinking about what you want- so they can be sure to supply it and make their mark on the world by gaining profit or recognition. They are out there.

I remember when I was a kid The Who singing “My Generation” and thinking it spoke for the voice of my peers. Listening to it now, it seems old and archaic – like “either burn out or fade away” of the 60’s… or something.

In the end I have learned, I need to accept change as a challenge of my generation, like with each generation before and after me… all of whom are getting older and looking at those other demographics and wondering in amazement… who on earth would really like these things/why is that so popular? who would every buy that?

Accepting change is always the challenge of a generation- when it is happening so fast, maybe change itself is something the new generations find so appealing now?

So fellow bloggers and Internet surfers, what is that is that for you?

What is it that just is too hard to believe anyone should be interested in but seems so popular What is that makes you ask the question “why” does that exist? (LEAVE A COMMENT)

Who cares? You just don’t get it (maybe it’s not your demographic).

Posted in Learning Lessons Along the Journey Of Life and tagged advertising, Beatles, Change, Generations and Age Groups, Justin Beiber, Justin Bieber, Life, Marketing, Marketing and Advertising, Self-Awareness

13 Feb 2013

1 Comment

106 Billion People Since the Beginning of Time

Microscopic view of sand on the beach

We’re significant. We are in motion through time and we are able to influence the future right now in everything we do.

It may sometimes seem that we are like a small speck of sand on the beach. It has been estimated that a total of 106 billion people have been born since the dawn of the human race (depending on which scientists you want to believe).

But in the process of our lives, we have an opportunity to impact each person and thing around us. Often we may not take it seriously. For some it is maybe a religious search for meaning, for others maybe it is as simple as while we are here we live as we live and then we’re done. (Not my perspective btw).

So you can just get overwhelmed by the sheer thought of it, or you can suck it up and get going. Each moment as you see someone in the street, at work or school. Whether you are meeting them for the first time or maybe the only time, you can influence their perspective on you, on life or just change the moment and send them in a new direction. You may never know you did it, but it can happen. Something you say, something you do, something in your attitude may change how they look at the day or at life itself.

But with your self-absorbed you, you can miss it. You can forget that in the core of your being you can be part of the purpose of life, part of the trigger that sends things going another direction.

Like the concept of the movie “Butterfly Effect“ or Ray Bradbury‘s short story”Days of Thunder” – where one little incident in the past (a butterfly dying when someone from the future kills it) can change everything about the future. You have the same effect. Call it the YOU effect. You can change things about the future in a chain reaction that will go on forever. It could be your part in changing the world. It doesn’t have to be some huge thing you do for “all of mankind” – it is the simple stuff you do everyday.

Don’t stop to look back now- make each day and moment count in the simplest of ways through grace and hope.

In the end, remember that Eternity Matters Most.

Posted in Doing Things That Will Change Your Life and tagged Acceptance, Compassion, Eternity, Grace, life is precious, Meaning of life, Philosophy, Postive Thinking, Ray Bradbury, Self-Awareness, Sprituality, Time

12 Feb 2013

2 Comments

No Drama Zone

There are days when it isn’t welcome. The drama and urgency of others hits you square in the head. You just want to leave it alone, let it be something someone else needs to know, someone else needs to deal with.

It’s really not that you don’t care, close family and friends deserve the critical points that make up drama in their lives as much as anyone. We all have those moments, those days, those situations that put drama in our lives.

Sometimes it seems it is self inflicted – we can attract drama in our lives like a magnet. We even are unaware and unconscious about it coming and are surprised when the drama arrives. Things do go another direction than we expect, things find their ways into our lives that just make things so much more difficult than we are expecting, than we are wanting.

But there are times when our friends and family want to share drama. Even more unexpected than our own, it comes with the needs and wants of their expectations, which sometimes just.. aren’t… yours. You just can’t deal with it and you take a deep breath. Because after all it is a loved one… you have compassion for their plight. You understand your dilemma but it just isn’t something you can deal with at that time. Maybe some other day, but not today.

So then you feel like you don’t care. It tips the scales on the things you are dealing with at the moment, and makes it even worse in some ways because you want to be there for them. But it is that moment when you can not. It feels wrong.

As a person who cares about things (like most of us do), especially your family and close friends… it feels frustrating -yet is probably better for them that they know there are those points in the day, week, month. moment that it just has to be a… NO Drama Zone.