Seeing the Forest Despite the Trees

I like to think I am a spontaneous person, I certainly don't like to plan anything too far in advance. But that's probably just self-justification for a general lack of self control. It certainly sounds better. I like to think that my belief system allows me to see the bigger picture of life, and I guess in an academic sence it does. But for someone who is supposed to have such great perspective, I have a hard time getting past the here and now. A couple of examples; I play a game all the time, it literally consumes my days and has for months. It is moderately entertaining, just enough to keep me coming back day after day, but in the long run I know it means nothing. In fact, in the short run it means nothing. I know I shouldn't play, it keeps me from doing other things with my time, I think it is even affecting my eyesight. But if I were to stop playing, I'd start doing something else that would keep me distracted. It's been the pattern in my life for a long time. It'll be a game, or a book, TV shows, movies, the internet, etc. Some of it benign, some of it bad. The point is that I'll do the things that I absolutely have to do, and then my spare time I fill with something, anything, to keep me distracted. I get in a rut. For someone as self-proclaimed spontaneous as I am, I sure do feel comfortable in a routine. Now I have done some random things in my time, I've picked up and just left a couple of times, did something different for a few months, but I always come back. And even when I am 'gone' the words are the same, they're just played to slightly different music.

Now recently I got this crazy idea to go teach english in Japan, do something really different. What I've found is that it is not real easy, or real legal for someone of my qualifications and financial status to do. There is one program that claims all you need is an ESL certificate for about $1K. But everything else I have found says that you need a Bachelor's, and the certificate is optional. One of the biggest things with the degree is that work visas are most easily procured by those with a degree, or three years experience in a given field. There are some places that will hire 'under the table' so to speak, but I would be looking over my shoulder the whole time. Besides, by the time I pulled together the money for the certification course, airfare, and a month of survival funds I'd have paid for almost two semester's worth of tuition. The thing is, I don't know if I'm being realistic or cowardly. The thought of saving and planning for that kind of thing makes me want to forget the whole thing, despite the fact that I felt really strongly about it when I first had the idea. Add to it that just about everyone I've told thinks it's a great idea makes me rather confused about the whole thing. If I had the wherewithal to go shortly after I had the idea, I probably would have done it.

There is something to be said about going through this recognition of my shortcomings, but why does it always seem like I only do so right before bed? I'll get up tomorrow and crawl out of bed with just enough time to get to work, got through the motions there until I am fed up, and by the time I am home will not be thinking the same thoughts I am now when I have the power to do something about my situation. Oh Bother! Here's to climbing out of my rut in the daytime.

Is it the 'Year of the Cougar'?

The Lunar New Year (AKA Chinese New Year) is fast approaching. For the last 4 years, my friends and I have celebrated, in our own way, Chinese New Year. It usually means staying up all night before our celebration working on our paper mache parade dragon. Then the next night we take the dragon down to BYU campus, parade around the WSC and then go out to a local Chinese restaurant. It is always very fun. Part of our tradition is to do the dragon mixed with the animal whose year it is. This year it is the year of the boar or pig. I forsee it being done in pink.

But I was wondering if perhaps this isn't the year of the Cougar. Only time will tell, but the '06-'07 athletic year is shaping up quite nicely for Cougar fans old and young alike. Major sports like football and basketball are seeing a renaissance of sorts. The football team put up a year that hasn't been seen in these parts for a long time. Basketball too is on pace to one of its better years ever, but that season has yet to play out. So too have the other sports the BYU is known for including: Cross Country, Volleyball ( men's and women's), and Softball. Men's Soccer, though a club sport has improved greatly since joining the semi-professional league.

Instead of a giant pink pig-dragon, perhaps we should do a Dark Blue Cougar Dragon and bring the new lunar year in with a roar!

Go Cougars!