Science and Religion: Not Mutually Exclusive

So, I read some internet forums. While I realize that the anonymity and assurance of “privacy” encourage relatively abnormal behavior, I am always impressed by the hatred of religion that they tend to express in some internet forums. They blame and yell at the “religious-conservative-fear-mongers” for most of the woes and problems of the world. It always confuses me. I only read them to try to get more of an understanding for why there is such a disgust of religion and people who believe in God. They choose to say that they are uneducated and foolish, people who choose the “easy way out”, believing that there is a God and trying to find a meaning in this life. They frequently say that religious people do not believe in science, do not understand politics, and are pretty much just ignorant people. I have never understood this, and I want to attempt to talk briefly about it in the post.

First of all, science and religion do not hate each other. While some people would have you believe that religion and science do not get a long that is simply not a fact. In fact, I find that science actually confirms and supports my faith and helps me to know more and feel better about the beliefs that I have. Science, by discovering these new innovations, these new inventions, and new theories that are espoused every day help to confirm and grow my faith. From the discovery of the atom, to the foundations of, gasp, evolution, I feel that lots of these discoveries have helped me to confirm my faith and reaffirm to me that there is a pattern in the world and in life. My faith does not force me to believe that everything about evolution is a lie. We have seen evolution. It acts on this world. Don’t get me wrong, in no way to I think that I evolved from a monkey. However, I have no doubt that humans have evolved to be better humans, and that many other creatures have likewise done so.

Other complaints I hear are involved with miracles. While some would purport that miracles do not exist because science cannot explain them, I would simply counter that we do not have the science to explain them. Our science has not reached its pinnacle. We do not know everything about the interaction of certain elements of our universe. What if miracles were simply operating on scientific principles which we do not yet understand? Is that so out of the question? Have we grown so arrogant as to assume that we have discovered all that there is to discover?

Second of all, science is never “sure” about anything. That is the whole principle behind a theory. The definition of theory is “a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena” (http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=theory ). I think the key is that it is “well substantiated”. Theories have been shown to be true, using the limited knowledge and resources that we might have available to us. However, theories are being changed and disproven every day in our new scientific reality. Not too long ago, we were sure that the atom was the smallest particle. Hundreds of years ago, scientists were sure that the world was flat. These were accepted scientific facts. Yet, look what we know today. Imagine, just imagine, what we’ll know tomorrow. (UPDATED: When I wrote this line, I remembered that it was from something that I had read or seen. Bryan reminded me that I adapted this last sentence or two from Men in Black.)

Third, and finally, I really detest the claims that those who are religious simply “take the easy way out”. There seems to be this thought that by being religious, and believing in God, that we (those who have faith) just take the easy way out justify it with God or the devil. I do not know a single religious person who does this. I do not discourage scientific exploration, nor dissuade them from trying to understand our natural world. I would argue, actually, that the reverse is true of those who “take the easy way out”. I would argue that it is 10x easier to only believe in that which you can see. To believe that nothing governs our behavior. To believe that you can do whatever you want and there is nothing else to worry about. In my estimation, believing in a God, pushing to do what is good in His sight, and believing not only in that which can be seen, but in that which cannot be seen is much more challenging than the opposite.

I am not trying to position myself as elitist, or correct. I’m just trying to explain some of my feelings on this issue. Being religious is not easy. It’s hard. Some may find that it is not for them and I will not begrudge them this. Everyone is free to make their own choices. I would just ask that before they choose to bash my choices and my opinions, that they make sure that they understand my side of the argument.

Science and religion do not hate each other. Those who would have you believe this are either as uneducated as they claim the others to be, or simply do not understand.

Leave your message after the break.

A Couple Rants

1. BYU Students who wear University of Utah hoodies to school. Ok, let's get something straight: I'm not talking about generic red shirts, or anything like that (although, those are  pretty unacceptable during a big sport rivalry week like this one). I'm talking about those BYU students who feel it's ok to wear their U hoodies on campus. It's not. I don't care if you grew up three steps from the stadium and went to every game growing up and your family has 300 years of tradition in the school. You now go to BYU. Put the hoodie away for a few years, and pull it out again later. I don't care if you are a fan of the U, but they are the rival school. Imagine going to Ohio State and wearing a Michigan sweatshirt. They might kill you. These things matter, people!
2. Twilight: The WB Movie. I am not going to hate on the phenomenon, or anything like that. In fact, I think that Roger Ebert summed it up best in his review of the movie (here): "But I understand who "Twilight" appeals to, and it sure will." That's not an attack on the film. I think it will do very well, and that it won't be THAT bad. However, it wasn't made for me. So I can accept that. What I can't stand is the shoddy production values of the movie. Have you seen some of the special effects? They look attached to a harness. That's not ok. The action sequences that I have seen (admittedly few) seem to come straight from an episode of Charmed. Sigh. The acting -- well, judge for yourself by watching the trailer at apple.com.
3. Quantum of Solace disrespect. Disclaimer: I MAY SPILL A SPOILER. I really enjoyed the movie on its merits. I understand that Casino Royale was a great movie that set up expectations really high for Daniel Craig's next entry (arguable, the best Bond ever). And this movie probably doesn't live up to the character development expectations. However, the movie is perfect in what it is: an emotional outrage against the organization that killed the love of Bond's life. He's mad. He's upset. He just wants to kill people. And he does. I'm glad he doesn't fall in love during this movie. He was in REAL love last movie. That's not the point of this one. He's motivated to get revenge. To get those people back who killed Vesper. And in that anger and grittiness, it's believable. I like that they didn't delve too deep. It was a continuation of his anger over the death of his love. It felt right. However, the next one should continue with a new story, and some great villians. I would argue this is a good middle entry, but the next one needs to push forward in the story and create more atmosphere like Casino Royale. I'm excited, however, because I think Craig is perfect in this gritty reimagining of the Bond franchise.

I'm done. I just wanted to get that stuff out.

ONE MORE THING: I got married. It was amazing. We were sealed, had a fantastic luncheon with great food and atmosphere (Mom, you did wonderfully!0, and moved to a wonderful reception. The reception was outdoors, and GORGEOUS. The location was perfect, and the food was wonderful as well. Then the perfect quick weekend at The Rose Hotel in Pleasanton, CA. Thanks to all that were there. I appreciate the love and respect! Lindsay and I are so happy to be together, and I'm blessed to have a wonderful, beautiful, amazing, and talented wife.

Until next time.

Financial Crises

The world is collapsing! The sky is falling! These seem to be relatively familiar to anyone who spends time reading the business or money sections of your local newspaper. The current financial crisis is terrible and unexpected. It's awful to see what's happening around us, and watching the stock market crash over 780 points in ONE day was not very nice. However, there are several comments about this current situation that really bug me.

1. "Predatory Lenders"
2. Resistance to the rescue plan
3. "It's Bush's fault!"

Let me attempt to explain myself one by one.

First of all, let me clarify that I am not claiming that the lenders are completely without fault in this current situation. They should have been looking at front and back end ratios. They should have been considering that people shouldn't be buying more house than they could afford by only qualifying them at the lower rates involved with interest only options. They shouldn't have been expecting the housing market to continue to grow at the ridiculous pace it had been. They should have been more cautious. But to call them predatory? I think that's a little overboard. These lenders didn't go out to people and tell them to buy more house than they should. They simply helped people to afford it. Was that a precisely good idea? No. But can you blame these people for wanting to make money? That's at the heart of everything we do for work. We work to make money. Sometimes that means that we offer credit to those who may not be as worthy. Look at all the people with credit cards, who have no idea how to use them. I'm not saying that lenders are without fault, but I do think it's crazy to refer to them as predatory and therefore make value judgements on them. They made some mistakes that cost a lot of people a lot of money. But every indication was that the market would continue its rise. Can you blame them for saying that you could refinance after 5 years?

But I also don't want to take all the blame away from the lendees. Why are they buying so much more house than they can afford? I mean, I understand that everyone wants to "keep up with the joneses", but it was clearly a terrible idea. At some point, didn't they think that the potential huge payment waiting for them at the end of 5 years was a bad sign. That they couldn't qualify for a fixed rate mortgage. That should have said something to the people. So let's not put all the blame on the lenders. The American people should know better. We must be educated to use these blessings.

Why is there so much resistance to rescue? The 700 billion is a lot, however it is to be placed out in different phases. 150 billion immediately, 250 billion in a couple years, and then discretionary use of the rest. Why can't we do this? The housing market WILL recover. It has to. Eventually these mortgages will be worth  money again. The government is the only organization in our economy that can wait the inevitable time that it will take for the investment to pay itself back. Don't we understand that it's not tax payers dollars that will be used to pay this back? Only making 1.5% on these investments will provide extra money to eventually pay down our national deficit. But, despite that, realize that our national deficit is above trillions of dollars. We're never paying that back. So, what will it hurt? Ok, so that's not the best argument, but we need to recover our economy and the housing market. I'd definitely prefer that to a horrible depression that will rival that of the 30's and cause a need for another "deal" that will end up taxing me at 94%. Ugly.

Lastly: It's not Bush's fault. Unless you believe that the government should be involved of every aspect of the free market, you can't possibly think that this is a result of Bush's administration. Many of these loans have 10 years options. Most of these people have done this before, "flipping" houses. This didn't start with Bush, and it won't end with Bush. He only has so much power to save the economy, and when our president suggests a possible solution, he gets shot down in congress. It's hard, but it isn't Bush's fault people. The economy is a living, breathing organism. Personally, I'd prefer that the free market roams and we have the possibility of problems, than have the government run our market and create a socialistic environment. It's never worked before, and it won't work in the US. Educate yourselves, people. Bush couldn't have prevented this any more than he could have prevented Hurricane Katrina. While many would criticize Bush for his reaction following Katrina, we can't do the same here. He tried. Congress has stopped him. A plan backed by Bernake and many other economists.

What do we do now? I don't know. But I hope we figure it out soon.

You know where the comments go.

What to do in these times

This is a just a quick post to point out a wonderful article:

http://consumerist.com/5051714/what-to-do-in-these-uncertain-financial-times

This is courtesy of consumerist.com, and is a fantastic way to prepare for the financial problems of today.

I add -- Pulling all your money out of the stock market won't help it. You are going to make money, the market will recover. Selling all of your stock when it is worth almost nothing will not be any better. Weather the storm. Don't run and hide. There's no where to go. If we all pull our money out, the economy WILL collapse.

Just weather the storm.

My Rant on Hypocrisy

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/17/palins-email-account-hack_n_127184.html

So, recently I've been doing a lot of reading online. Granted, online may not be the best location to get honest and good opinions from either democratic or republican points of view, however, it's been a hot bed recently for political news. Now, I'd like to state for the record that I have both republican and democratic leanings, but I will focus here on some blatant problems I have encountered on the internet.

The internet provides an anonymity that is not available in real life. So, perhaps the commentary that I read online is not representative of how the majority of democrats feel about the republican party -- however, it's definitely swayed me in my opinion of the entire party itself. Allow me to explain.

The article above is from the Huffington Post, known to be a notoriously liberal news site. The article talks about how a hacker named Anonymous, who previously took on Scientology, recently took it upon himself to hack Palin's email address and post the contents of her email online. The accounts have since been deleted, however, the damage has been done. Now, this could be bad enough itself. Imagine the uproar if someone hacked Biden's or Obama's email address. The whole nation would be up in arms, democrats and republicans a like. It's not ok to violate someone's privacy in this way and then use it against them. The problem with this is the legal ramifications. Obviously, we don't know if it was her real email, or if it was planted now. None of this evidence is viable in a court of law because it was obtained illegally. Some may argue, "what about Bush's illegal wiretaps?" Oh, I'm not supporting those (although he does have the Patriot Act on his side, but we'll leave the legality and constitutionality of that for another post), however I am saying that this is ludicrous. And what have the reactions been online? Just a sampling:

• since the email has been hacked, the account has been deleted. which means that the GOP was prob behind this as an attempt to destroy evidence and blame "liberals"
• Why should she complain? Bush reads everyone's email -- if she's done nothing wrong she has nothing to worry about.
• Just downloaded the contents. very interesting.

There are plenty of others who decry the action, but a great majority blame her for being an "idiot" and other things of the like. It's frustrating to see that something like this is ok because it is Sarah Palin. I state again: imagine if this was Obama's email.

Anyway, let me come back to another point. The sheer superiority of the democratic party has recently turned me off to their politics and their followers. Now, this does not apply to everyone, and I'm aware of that. However, the vocal minority has truly begun to affect my feelings and political leanings. At every turn it seems to be that someone decries the morality of being a republican. No longer is it a choice what they are going to support -- it's become a matter of intelligence. According to many internet commentaries, no one can understand how any intelligent person can truly support the republican cause. While I do not agree with everything that has happened in either party, I feel it is a little dramatic to claim that any person who supports a republican viewpoint is an idiot. The facts exist: no one could foresee the complete collapse of our economy. No one could have predicted the outcome of the Iraq war. Just like no one could possibly predict the storms years ahead of time when they ravaged the gulf coast. Everything we have to do is reactionary at this point. Let's not fool ourselves: having someone else in the presidency could not have stopped the collapse of the mortgage industry nor the credit industry. Don't be fools.

It's scary to see the division being preached by the democratic party. I understand that their ultimate goal is to destroy the republican campaign, but a divided US is not better than a united country. They would preach tolerance and understanding for those that agree with them: That's the beauty of the US. Not everyone has to agree. And that's what keeps this country from utter chaos. Let's be a little more careful with how we choose to approach commentary and subjects, and decry all that is illegal. If you want to preach acceptance of all, accept all, whether or not their opinion differs from you.

I know, people will disagree with me, and I'm ok with that. My experience has lead me to this point. It's frustrating, but it's what drives this country. It's ok for people to have differing opinions on things. But let's remember: that doesn't mean that anyone is smarter or dumber. Most of the time it just means the opinion is different. There are exceptions to the rule, however, it's a good one to live by.

/rant.

The Manchurian Candidate: Wow.

So, I've been thinking about what my next post could entail. Should I write more on the yucky mess of politics? Should I write about the new iPods and the like that Apple, Inc. officially announced yesterday? Should I do some random writings about weddings? How about write about my wonderful fiancee? There are a million subjects that I could knock out today. But I think I'm going to be simple and talk a touch about a  movie called The Manchurian Candidate.

For those of you that are unaware, I have a Netflix membership. It's one of the great choices that I have made, seeing as I am a major movie buff. I love to watch them, review them, talk about them, and be entertained by them. However, I've never been much into classic movies. I think it has something to do with the audio. The audio just never seems quite right -- it just appears to make the actors very rigid and boring. It's a factor that has kept me from renting and/or enjoying many of the classic movies that make up American cinema. That's not to say that I don't love the stories or don't appreciate the actors of the bygone eras, however the rigidity and audio quality is a major barrier to getting my attention and keeping me involved in the movie. That being said, I'd like to tackle some of the messages from The Manchurian Candidate, however, I just want you to remember that my impressions may not be wholly accurate.

The Manchurian Candidate (wikipedia) is a disturbing story about Raymond Shaw (played by Laurence Harvey), a military man captured during the Korean War. He is captured and brainwashed to be an assassin sleeper agent for the communist party. His trigger is the queen of diamonds playing card, after which he can be given assignments to carry out. The original 1962 film was directed by John Frankenheimer and opened to critical acclaim. In fact, it's one of few movies to have received a 98% rating on RottenTomatoes. The man who unravels the mystery and eventually saves the day is Bennett Marco (played by Frank Sinatra). You see, Raymond's mother is behind much of the conspiracy, and is attempting to place her husband into the presidency (he is the manchurian candidate). The hopes of the communist regime is that he will be a puppet to their wishes and they will control the US presidency. However, Raymond's mother (a creepy part played by Angela Lansbury, who looks EXACTLY the same) plans revenge after the presidency has been obtained because they used her son as the assassin. Anyway, as convoluted as the plot may seem, this plays out in utter perfection under his direction. Now, let me make one qualifying statement: this is a LONG movie. It could have used some editing during some of the slower sections. It is deliberately paced, and can drag at certain parts. For example, as Captain Marco discovers the secret behind the trigger, this is played out in a scene that occupies far more screen time than it truly needs. Therefore, to truly enjoy the picture, one should go in aware that the film will move forward, however, it will drag at many moments.

Now, this is considered a masterpiece of American cinema, and I completely understand why. The implications of what this says about our society and our strengths have never been more true today. Our fight may no longer be against communists, but we have new enemies. And the scary part is that this is an effective and scary method for them to gain access to our political system. As the Manchurian Candidate, Raymond's step father does not know that he is being controlled and propelled into the presidency. This is certainly not his goal, but much more placed upon him by his controlling and manipulative wife. While the parallels my not be so direct, it is quite a timely commentary on our current political machine. Often, we grabbed people and thrust them into the spotlight and the presidency perhaps before they are ready. They aren't necessarily evil people, nor even aware that they have been thrust in such a manner, however, our system is providing for them to become candidates for the US presidency and inviting them to promise things that may be far out control of the presidency. This is a strange thing that has not been popularized only recently. In fact, many presidential candidates make sweeping promises and fail to deliver on 90% of them during their actual presidency, when they discover that many of their promises were out of the reach of the presidency.

It's not that I don't believe in the reach of "change", however, I do believe that their are limits. And I think it's important to realize that change requires concrete plans, not aloof promises. While we all may be searching for that, it's something that must be obtained with plans, not merely wishes.

But I digress. The Manchurian Candidate is disturbing on another level based on the motivations of the mother. Someone who is willing to allow her son to be brainwashed and murder people for her own political aspirations is scary. Some will do anything to reach that pinnacle of power; it's important to be aware of the internal motivations and the reasons behind the search for power. When we can realize why someone aspires to such a position, we can truly find someone who is worthy to receive such power.

Anyway, if you want an intense thriller, I invite you to see the 1962 version of The Manchurian Candidate. It's slow, deliberate, and brutally honest.

Let's be careful.

P.S. I have the best fiancee ever. She's beautiful, smart, alluring, wonderful, and motivated. And she's great! :)

Commentary follows.

The Week Long Wrap Up

This has been an entertaining week. I've gotten a lot done in the last seven days, and learned even more about random things. First of all, attending my first week of classes is always an enlightening experience. Finding out that I will be working with XLMiner (data mining and business intelligence software), Windows PowerShell (powerful scripting software for the Windows environment) and even Quicken Deluxe 2008 is exciting for me. Discussions on personal finance (personalfinance.byu.edu), change management in organizations and enterprise infrastructure creation and management were insightful and engaging. It's interesting the types of things that interest me. Most people I know would fall asleep quickly if they were subjected to such abject "torture" as this. However, I find myself intrigued -- quite a relief when I think that this is what I have selected as my future career.

My wife-to-be's birthday was on Monday. We had an exciting day of laying around, watching Just Married (an entertaining honeymoon movie) and many episodes of Friends on DVD (she LOVES it). We ate chocolate cake from Costco, proscuito, swiss cheese, and sourdough bread. It was a fun day, and one that was desperately needed by both of us. A little relaxation before the start of school is always a good benefit. It also allowed us to experience an entire day just being with each other and we loved it! That makes the wedding even more thrilling for me as we come closer to November 8. She's an amazing woman, and I feel more and more lucky every day to truly be able to call her mine. That's the thrill of a lifetime. And yes, I'm 24 (25 on the 12th), but I've never been more sure of anything in my life. It's great!

I came back to work at the lab this week. It's been entertaining. It's very crazy though. I went from making REAL money at Ernst & Young during the summer to my pittance that I receive for working at the lab. Granted, it's an easy job that allows me the freedom to do my homework and add to my blog here on the internet, however, it would still be nice to make more money and prepare to be better suited to support my future wife. It's all good still -- I'll be making real money soon. January and I get to be back in California and working at a real job and putting actual money in my bank account!

Next week is exciting. Check it:

• Tuesday, September 9th: Apple has a new product announcement at an event called "Let's Rock". Check it out here: Engadget Blog
• Friday, September 12th: I turn 25, officially. That's a crazy day.

Ok, so only two things may not qualify it as the most exciting of weeks, but I'm certainly looking forward to it.

I love technology. I just had to say that.

I can't wait for some more fun next week!

The Complications of American Politics

Recently, I've taken a turn of interest in American politics. That would seem to make sense, seeing as this is an election year, and the election has never been more in the media and on the minds of the American people. However, my interest has developed for a reason separate from the actual candidates. My interest has been piqued more by the reaction of the American public to the candidates running this year. Allow me to elaborate.

Barack Obama is the democratic choice for president. I have no problem with him in a general sense of the word. I do find some of his claims interesting (wanting to downsize the government, but increasing taxes and providing for universal health care would seem to be at odds with this, among other things) but it is not this I would like to focus on. It is more that he is being praised so greatly in all media publications. He is looked at almost like a Savior, someone who will bring us back from the brink and save us all. It is a well known fact that a president only has so much power to influence the economy and political opinion during his first term. Normally, the effects of a presidency aren't seen for around 4 - 8 years. Some could argue then that the economic results we are currently experiencing are a result of President Clinton's decisions while in office. However, this is not the argument I wish to make.

Obama, while a worthwhile candidate for the presidency, is not a "savior" of the American people. He is a good man, and will probably be a worthwhile president -- however, he is not without his faults. Much has already been said about his mysteriously absent flag pin, the flags in his campaign office, the pastor to which he listens. I'm not about to talk about these subjects, as they have been covered. However, it would seem in the media that Obama can do no wrong and that McCain can do no right. Obama is praised for his VP; McCain is made fun of. Lack of experience of the McCain's VP candidate? What about lack of experience of Obama?

Obama's speech was watched by more people than the Olympics. Why is there such an intense interest in this? The American people have been truly polarized by George W. Bush, however, does this mean that Obama will be THAT much better as a president? Let me say: the economic prosperity of the US is much more influenced by the secretary of the treasury than by the president. In the same breath, bring back Greenspan! But that's for another day.

I agree that Obama is a good man. But he's not the only hope for the American people. I think that we need to be careful in our lauding of everything that he does. I encourage people to analyze the issues and make sense of them. Don't vote for Obama just because you don't want another republican. Let's not forget that not every republican agrees with everything that Bush has done while in office. While there are certainly polarizing issues, Obama is not perfect either. It would seem that he can do no wrong, but I would contend that both candidates are human beings and are perfectly capable of making mistakes. Please, don't get caught up in the hype, and remember to evaluate the issues individually to determine what is best for you.

In the same breath, I want to state that I have not yet decided who will receive my vote. I am just disturbed that it seems that Obama can do no wrong.

You know where the comments go.

A Sweet Bedtime Story

So, I've been really busy, and thinking about what my next blog post should entail. There's lots I could tell about my life right now, including stories about my wonderful girlfriend, my stoic mother, my lost contacts, my meanderings with BYU financial aid, my experience in data analytics, SAP implementations, and plenty of other things. But instead, a short story.

A man once thought that things couldn't get better. He believed that he'd reached all that he could. He couldn't stand anymore. He couldn't stand the thought of trying again -- of attempting to make something work yet again. He had struggled through many a relationship, trying to find something, anything, that could potentially make the whole thing worthwhile.

In all his travellings, he had met many people, learned many things, and experienced many a heartache. But that's the beauty of the design of this life: you never know what's coming next. Proddings, pressings, and designs from the people that love him the most finally placed him in the right place at the right time. It may have not been the first attempt, however, it was the real attempt.

And life became more or less a fairy tale. Things fell into place. Things made sense. Suddenly, life came into a sharp focus. Everything that had been experienced made sense. Life, love, happiness -- it all the sudden became one large round where everything that had happened came together and brought happiness to his heart. And he knew that it was all worthwhile and that he would never have to search again.

Fear not -- for He knows and He is planning. Press forward, because soon all will make sense.

 

Checking In

So, It's been  little while since I had a chance to write up here on the blog. I've had so much going on. Here's the quick updates:

• Moved to Santa Clara and started work at Ernst and Young.
• Assigned to the IMAS team in Palo Alto, and worked on some big and small accounts doing data analytics and journal entries tie outs.
• Experienced three full weeks of training, including the last week of RAS (Risk Advisory Services) or now known as AS (Advisory Services) training.
• Taught about business and community at a local elementary school (2nd graders).
• Spent time learning about myself and what I am truly capable of.

Overall, it's been a wonderful few weeks. I've been having a lot of fun and learning more and more about myself. That's the best part. EY has turned out to be a great fit for me so far, and I've actually enjoyed all the people and work that I've been doing. That's the most exciting part, considering that I've committed to them full time after graduation.

I've also been looking at apartments here in Santa Clara, including some called Orchard Glen (Orchard Glen Website). I really liked them. They are great apartments, and include washer/dryer, laminate hardwood, granite, and new appliances. They run about $1600/month, which is my reality here in San Jose. But it's beautiful. However, if anyone has any knowledge of something else available for January here, let me know!

I have a friend coming in this weekend, and I'm heading to see The Dark Night on Saturday night. I saw Wanted, which was a great movie, and have also seen Get Smart and Hancock. I really need to get my reviews of those up.

Anyway, thanks to all that read. I'm going to get more ritualistic about this again. So expect more soon.

Triviality and the Link to Joy

Joy: the emotion of great happiness (wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn)

Triviality: something of small importance (wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn)

I was thinking the other day that it's the small things that get you down. Everyone tells you not to sweat the small things. It's the little things that kill. Let the small things go. The trivial things are the least important. I agree with those sentiments, but what about the other link? What about the link between trivial things and extreme joy? Don't see the link? Let me flesh it out for you.

Small thing: The way a girl looks at you just tells you that she thinks you are fun and funny, despite your retardness. Result: Joy. Pretty girls thinking you are nifty and amazing provides a sense of adventure and happiness that is hard to find in many other places.

Small thing: Inventing a word like hi-larry-ass with your mother. Result: So much laughter that it can severely inhibit your functioning for a brief period of time. As a bonus, even better relationship with your mother and the strength to help out the rest of your day.

Small thing: Watching a plant that you have cared for grow up and become a full fledged bush. Result: Just ask my mom. There's no greater feeling for her than seeing her plants grow to maturity and basking in the glow of their beautiful and ornate flowers.

While I talk to my mother a lot on the phone, I can't remember the last time that we had a "serious" conversation. The reality is that we enjoy talking about the trivial. The small things bring us so much joy. Watching how these things can truly bring us closer together, and happier in a moment of weakness is one of the true joys of my life. That's right -- little trivial conversations bring me joy. How can that be? Isn't it supposed to be the small things that we ignore?

I think the reality of happiness comes from every aspect. The small things that happen to us every day make up a beautiful tapestry that becomes our every day lives. And that's the beauty behind it. We have to remember that everything occurring around us will, in some way, influence our lives and become a part of us as we move forward. These good things that happen, the trivial small things, can often be the greatest patches that you will ever sew into the quilt of your life. Don't overlook the joy of triviality, because then you might miss something?

Something trivial to say? The comments section follows. :)

The Intricacies of the Mind

Anyone who reads this (which according to google analytics isn't a lot of you yet) probably doesn't know that I started as a neuroscience major at BYU. My plans were to graduate, go to medical school, and pursue a medical speciality in Neurology. It's an interesting thought to me now. to think that I was very involved in that for a long time. I still have a desperate fascination with the mind and how it functions so clearly differently in so many different people. That's the interesting part for me. Maybe my future lies in neural network programming, HCI (human-computer interaction), UI design or other things along those lines. However, for right now I'll have to settle for postulating.

As many would know, I'm an avid technology geek. So, of course, I was watching the WWDC Keynote with keen interest, hoping to find out more about the imminent revamp of the iPhone. It happened, and we now have a new iPhone 3G releasing in 70 countries, with GPS and a lower price point of $199 for the entry level phone (8 Gig). 22 countries will have availability on July 11th, the US amongst them. I like the iPhone. I've used one sparingly, but I find its simplicity, capability and future extensibility to be unlike most other phones currently on the market.

You may be wondering what this has to do with the mind. Let me explain: the beauty of the iPhone has always been in the spectacular engineering involved with the UI, HCI and underlying stability. Let's be honest: simply pushing an icon on a screen is an ideal way to launch an application and find information. Could there be a more simple interaction when it comes to the factors in human-computer interaction? It isn't necessary to create coordination to run your muscles and control a mouse to find an icon and double click it. You merely use your fingertip and press it. Instant activity, and instant gratification. That's the beauty of such simplified programming: ANYONE CAN USE IT! Who out there has ever picked up a WinMo device? You have to go through menu after menu to find the program you may be looking for. You have to adjust through many panes to find simple sets for brightness, and many other factors. Granted, some compete very literally with the iPhone (the HTC Touch and Touch Diamond come to mind, along with the new Samsung Instinct and various phones from LG), however apple created this simple interface. Why does the demand exist for something so complex yet simple in its creation? Because humans enjoy interacting with things that are logical.

Many humans have been blessed with an incredible spatial capacity. They can visualize and create complex maps of things in their minds. Their creativity is limitless -- they can create music, artwork, and many other things. I'm not amongst these people. While i have a great facility for creativity, I find it particularly hard in those arenas. I am very logical and procedural. And that's the beauty of the iPhone. Pretty icons indicate the programs. Logical steps are taken to facilitate the use of advanced features. It's an idea blending of the creative and logical minds, which allows it to find a position amongst the most spatial and the most logical in this world.

Whether or not you like Apple, their engineering teams are second to none. To find this lack of blending in the real world, and create a device so well suited to satisfy the needs of the procedural computer geeks and the creative art kid is from where their true strength is derived. Focus group testing, product iterations, design implications -- everything must be considered when creating such an advanced device that is designed to cater to so many people.

Anyway, that's my diatribe on the creativity and eccentricity in Cupertino, CA. Congratulations Apple on creating a convergence device that not only converges email, iPod, cell phone and internet but that also converges the minds of so many different people.

Sing your song after the break.

Digsby -- The Ultimate Windows Chat Program?

I feel bad. I've been using a program called Digsby (site) for a few weeks now, and haven't had a chance to to through a review here on my site. So, I dedicate this blog to Digsby, and hope that all will benefit. Unless otherwise noted, all pictures are from the official Digsby site.

What is Digsby?

Digsby is a multiprotocol chat client developed for Windows. It integrates all of your chat and email addresses into one simple-to-use program that allows you to chat with whomever on a variety of chat protocols. These include Gmail chat (my favorite), MSN, Yahoo, AIM, ICQ, Jabber, and even Facebook Chat (this is not perfected yet. Facebook's chat protocol is ever changing, and so updates are necessary continuously. It still works. Although I hate facebook's chat.). In addition, you can add email addresses to your account that are constantly updated through your "buddy list". It includes support for Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, and any other service that provides POP or IMAP access. It also includes support for social networking, including facebook, myspace, and twitter.

How does it work?

Digsby puts this all together in a customizable, skinnable buddy list. Alerts by default pop up in the lower left hand corner of your monitor, and include friend updates from your social network, emails, and messages. The chat protocol is rock solid, and even supports things like pictures, file transfer, voice chat, and other important protocols. It doesn't support hand writing for MSN Messenger and probably misses a few other features that the full-fledged versions might have. However, this is far from a deal breaker for me. I never use those features and find that the simplified version of chatting that Digsby provides is better and more suited to my chatting preferences.

What does the chat window look like?

The chat window in Digsby can also be skinned and changed. The beautiful thing for me is the ability to TAB conversations. That's right: no matter how many chats you having at the same time, you can open them all in one window, tabbing them for convenience. This is a life saver for anyone on the job, or anyone looking for more screen real estate. This is invaluable for people like me who hate having 400 windows open at the same time and just find it better to keep one program window open and tab the different things that you might be working on (think Firefox, or Notepad++).

Why use it?

There are a multitude of reasons to use it. My primary reason is the ability to stay on top of all things at once, without having to have separate browsers for all my different email addresses, avoiding unnecessary resource usage through multiple chat programs, or simply consolidating my online usage and tracking everything more effectively. There is a very robust preferences pane which allows you to customize the look, sound, and performance of Digsby. Want more alerts? Easy. Want less alerts? Easy as well. Adding protocols is a snap, and signing up for a Digsby profile is simple.

Are their drawbacks?

Sure. Signing up for a Digsby profile stores some information on the Digsby servers. You can use this program between computers without having to add all the different protocols again. This means that some sort of information is stored by Digsby regarding your sign in usernames and passwords. However, this information is stored and protected by the company. Also, as I said earlier, some more advanced features are not supported, and if you are avid user of handwriting, or of gaming with Yahoo messenger, this isn't for you.

Overall: Download the program. Seriously. I love it. It has changed the way I chat and the way that I interact with the web. It's free, fast, dead simple, and super effective. I would recommend this whole-heartedly to everybody on my contact list and everybody who glances at this blog.

Link: http://www.digsby.com/. Just click download now, and select the platform you'd like it for! That simple!

Leave any and all comments in the appropriate and designated location. :)

The Lifestyle of the Poor and Geeky

Little known fact by just looking at me: I'm a geek. I'm someone who absolutely loves to research, to learn, and spend time with the internet and computers. This leads me down many paths, and leads me into true geekdom. What do I mean?

Well, many people, when they buy something, decide that some research should be involved. Geeks, however, raise this research to another level entirely. A wonderful example: I am going to buy a car when I graduate from college. That's a pretty typical thing, and most people would start investigating this a month or two ahead of time, look at a couple cars, decide what they like, and head off to buy. When I decided that I was going to do this, back in February or March of this year, I began researching. I went through list after list, looking at used Pontiac G6's, G5's, BMW's, Mazda3's and 6's, MazdaSpeed3's and 6's, and even Lexus'. I had decided, about 2 months ago, that I was leaning toward a Pontiac G6, due to their styling and their prices used from '06 and '07. Of course, being a geek, this was not the end of my searching. And now, I've decided on one important factor I hadn't been entirely considering yet: Gas mileage. This has made me reconsider my choices, and I am now squarely focused on either the Honda Fit, Scion xD, or the Suzuki SX4 Crossover. And that means that I have spent hours perusing the internet, reading multiple websites with consumer and professional reviews. And I'm not even going to buy for another 6 months or more. Yea, that's how a geek operates.

You see, a geek isn't only about computers. Geeks research and consider EVERYTHING before they buy it. We research endlessly, and attempt to verify our decisions and continuously look for better deals. You'd think that would lead to us never buying anything -- but the reality is that it makes us buy more things. Because, in the course of our research, we often discover other things that we "need" or simply want. It's pretty fun. But it's not a bad thing, it's simply how we work.

The other weird thing about geeks is that we aren't made to be poor. And that's my main problem. I have no money. But I have lots of wants. And that makes the internet evil. Cause, you know what? You can find ANYTHING! It can be stressful.

Besides that, I research plenty of other things before buying. You ever need advice about a computer? MP3 Player? GPS unit? Pistol? Car? Find a geek researching to buy the same thing, and trust me, he'll fill your ears with plenty of information. Maybe too much.

I love being a geek.

Comments? As a geek, I'll read and listen to every single one. ;)

What Happened to Free Speech?

Let me preface my remarks with a quick statement: I do not endorse hate-filled rhetoric of any kind be it anti-religious, racist, overly religious, or any other form of hate. However, I have seen a strange trend recently in the treatment of "free" speech and the different definitions that we tend to employ of it.

First of all, there are the highly liberal people who decry all things contrary to their opinions. This includes opinions on gay marriage, government, health care, and other things. Anything against their opinion is called "uneducated", "stupid", "bigoted", or anything else. Mind you, most of this experience comes from the highly liberal internet message boards, where most things are decried as foul and wrong. I will never understand why people must decide that other people have no idea what they are talking about, especially when we are talking about opinions. Don't call someone intolerant who simply does not want other people's lives to interfere with theirs. Tolerance is exactly that: live and let live. It's not acceptance of everyone else's ideals or opinions. Its not even agreeing with others -- its more of an allowance of opinion.

Internet flamewars are all too common. So many people call religious people "stupid" or "blind", not understanding how they can believe in something that cannot be seen. The reality is that there is nothing wrong with religion, in any form. Taken to the extreme, it can be very detrimental and cause many problems. However, for the most part, it just involves people living and being happy, finding their own way to express themselves and obtain happiness. Is that so bad?

I've noticed a disturbing trend that decries all conservative talk as hateful or uneducated. People seem to think that to have a real opinion, it has to be against the political mold or against mainstream society. Anything that expresses an opinion contrary to gay marriage, or to socialized healthcare is often referred to as stupid, or simply intolerant. The reality is that they have their opinions. They are well entitled to write and express what they feel. Does this mean that I agree? No. Does this mean that I am entitled to rip them apart and call them stupid? No. Once again, when it becomes hate-filled and violent, that is terrible and inappropriate. However, conservatives are just as entitled as anyone to their opinions on government, political candidates, mainstream society and economics. Everyone, on both sides of the political spectrum, has messed up thousands of time.

It is my sincere hope that we can allow everyone to have their opinion. Free speech is not speech without consequences, but we should all be willing to allow others to have their opinions stated without flaming or attacking. If someone thinks differently than you, take their opinion into consideration and evaluate it for its merits. Sometimes you'll find that they make more sense than you do. Let me offer 3 suggestions:

1. Research. When someone expresses something you don't agree with, don't jump on the flamewar bandwagon. Research the opinion. Look at the author's resources. Read through point and counterpoint. Evaluate the argument objectively, finding the strengths and weaknesses.
2. Think before you comment. When we read something that we disagree with, our natural reaction is to immediately comment. However, I think it is good to let it marinate. Sit back, relax, research (see step 1), think, ponder, meditate -- don't just flame. Find a way to contribute to the conversation. Don't just hate.
3. Write clearly and contribute healthily. When you write a counterpoint, don't call the other person out by swearing, or by calling them an idiot. Write legibly, and consistently. Find a way to express yourself without hate, without inflammatory phrases. Countering hateful rhetoric with more hateful rhetoric is not a solution and does not help -- it tends to prove the author's point. If you really want to counter an argument, make sure that you know what you are talking about and express it clearly enough that people can see your logic. Then leave it up to others to decide. Don't argue more by responding to inflammatory posts, it will just make you angry.

I think if we can use some of these plans, we'll see more productive comment sections, and find more value in the internet forums we participate in.

Leave comments in the designated area.

Is the American Dream Dead?

It would seem that in our current world, many people would have you believe that the "American dream" no longer applies. In other words, many would tell you that it is no longer possible to arrive in the US, find work, work hard, be successful and overcome the difficulties that were once present in your family or your life. It would seem that with the advent of more and more welfare, the cries for universal health care and more governmental control than ever, more and more people no longer believe that the United States provides the opportunity to improve yourself and grow and better your personal circumstances. I find this to be a HUGE fallacy.

First of all, I understand that my experiences may differ from many others, but the fact still remains that hundreds of millions of dollars of scholarships go unclaimed every year. The government provides so many gifts to people willing to work and study and learn. Those people, more than ever, have the opportunity to attend junior colleges, community colleges, trade schools, vocational institutes, or many other places that they wouldn't have had years ago. I fully believe that anyone willing to put in the work and the effort can succeed in today's society. If you are willing to find something that you are good at and work to improve your skills, you can prove invaluable at anything and everything that you might be able to do.

Second, don't doubt the power of the internet. Have a desire to learn how to create web pages? Thousands of pages are available that cover very basic to very advanced topics. Want to develop other skills that are hard to find in your area? I'm willing to bet that hundreds, if not thousands of pages are available to help you learn more about the skill, find schools that are willing to help train you, connect with people that can put you in the right place at the right time. Don't doubt that you can find pretty much anything you need to find on the internet.

Third, people aren't willing to work anymore. It would seem that everyone is in such a rush to get rich, that they simply aren't willing to spend years as grunts. Before you can make $100,000 a year, you might have to make $15,000 a year. And when you have no experience or training, the sad truth is that you are only worth that much. It's not settling -- it's knowing that with experience comes money. Be prepared to scrape things together for years while you work your way up the ladder. If you have a dead end job, the experience that you have working will definitely facilitate the search for the next step.

Fourth, It is expensive to live in California. It is expensive in Utah. It's expensive in New York, Florida, or along either coast. If you can't afford it, why not move somewhere more affordable? Find a job in a place that you can afford, that you can make ends meet, and you will more likely be happy and willing to work to improve yourself. Why is it the responsibility of those who have worked hard, learned, excelled, and received promotions to pay for those who don't want to work for themselves? I understand that some people can't find jobs: that's a different story. But it would seem that too many people are content to blame contemporary American society for their problems. Racism exists, problems exist, the economy is experiencing yet another downturn -- but this doesn't mean that you can't work to improve yourself. Instead of calling for more taxes or government programs, let's work toward overcoming ourselves and being the best we can.

I know this sounds like a terrible judgement on the people that live on welfare and can't find adequate employment or a way to support their families. It is not meant to offend, nor meant to accuse anyone of not doing what they can. But the reality is that the American dream is only dead in the heads of those who refuse to believe in it. American still provides endless opportunities for those willing to start at the bottom and work their way up the ladder. Success comes with time -- it's not something that we find hidden under a rock in our backyard. I suggest three things:

1. Find something you love and discover a way to make it your life. Everyone has a passion. Some love to build things with their hands. Others love to code for computers. Still others love to play with numbers. Don't be afraid to look for jobs in these areas, even if they mean that your paycheck might be miserable as you work your way up the ladder, or create notoriety.
2. Trade schools are great, low-cost alternatives that provide you with real world work experience and skills. If you don't like the formal educational system, don't let that stop you. Get out there and find a vocational school that trains in your passion. Learn to do construction management. Learn to program. Learn to arrange music. Network and socialize with people. You'll find that your classmates are often the best sources of new jobs and pertinent information.
3. Don't blame outside forces. The only person responsible for your success is you. If you really want something, get out there and work for it. I've known many people in my college experience that are not blessed with the greatest natural intelligence -- but they make up for it with sheer determination and work ethic. They are willing to try, willing to fail, and willing to rework themselves. They often find the most successes. Remember, even Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest basketball player who ever lived, was cut from his high school varsity basketball team. If you are willing to work, you really can make anything happen.

Some might argue that my view is simplistic, and shaped by what I have seen around me in school and in my life. I won't disagree with that statement. Who I am is definitely a mixture of experiences, visions, emotions, hopes and dreams that have been with me for years. But, without those things I would never be where I am today. I could have given up long ago when I decided that Neuroscience was not my favored direction. When I lost my scholarship because I struggled through a few semesters in college. There were many opportunities to quit. But I know that my success is determined by myself. I am responsible for being who I am and for becoming the greatest that I can become.

I challenge everyone to recognize their own strengths. Find something you love and pursue it. Don't let others keep you down. Don't stop working. Don't overestimate the value of hard work. You won't start at the top. Precious few do. But the reality is that with enough work, love, devotion and dedication to something you do, you can succeed. I believe in everyone's ability. Let's work towards recreating the American dream and establishing ourselves in this magnificent generation filled with possibilities and imaginations. As my mom put it, "Just my thoughts, but I agree that the American dream is still out there.  Sometimes as we grow and change, our dreams modify.  But the truth is, once you stop dreaming, life loses its delight.  And then you die."

Comments? You know what to do.

My Rant Against Socialized Healthcare

Disclaimer: I am not a health care professional, nor a politician. While I am not a leading expert in this field, this post reflects my research and experiences on the subject of the government and the free economy. In no way do I represent myself as an authority, and I encourage all to do their research and determine what they feel is the best outcome for the United States. Enjoy.

This election seems to be a highly charged one. Information flows freely from each side, and can be disseminated in many different forms. This means that the voting population is largely alone in trying to determine which is the best course of action, and sifting through the information can become a challenge. One of the hot topics of the upcoming election is the revamping of the health care system of the United States. While there are many arguments, two primary forms of "revised" health care are generally supported. These two are socialized healthcare, and single-payer insurance. First, let me define the two for my readers:

• Socialized Healthcare: Some say the literal meaning is confined to systems in which the government operates health care facilities and employs health care professionals. (Narrowly defined to distinguish from single-payer health insurance, otherwise the definitions can intertwine). (Reference)
• Single Payer Insurance:  American term describing the payment for doctors, hospitals and other providers of health care from a single fund. (Reference2)

While not everyone will agree with these general definitions of the terms, these are the definitions that I will use during my discussion of socialized health care. Single-Payer insurance is a separate entity, and will be discussed in a later post. For now, let me focus on socialized health care.

Americans who support socialized healthcare cite the millions of uninsured Americans as the case to support a universal health care system. While I do not debate the benefits of supplying the US population with health care, I do question the creation of this system through taxation and government administration. The current law of the United States requires that an ER admit any person regardless of their ability to pay.(Reference3) This law requires that emergency service be provided to all. This has resulted in increased cost pressures on hospitals and has caused large cost deficits and frequently overruns in unpaid-for health care. Ultimately the taxpayer is responsible for these payments through either higher insurance premiums or directly out of governmental expense accounts.

I do not support the notion that these people are not entitled to health care -- actually much the opposite. I believe that access to health care is an important part of society and should be available to all. However, legislating health care as a provision to all of the citizens of the United States (or, even more difficultly, to all RESIDENTS (including non-citizens) of the United States) would require enormous expense. Many of the supporters of socialized health care cite the statistics showing the spending of the government on health care exceeds that of countries that currently employ socialized or single-payer insurance plans. This logic seems counterintuitive. Expanding a governmental entity that is already spending more on health care than any other industrialized nation doesn't seem to be the way to decrease governmental spending. Many governmental projects are rife with cost overruns and budget problems. Why, exactly, do we believe that socializing health care as a provision to every citizen will suddenly lower these costs?

Another issue I have with socializing health care is the potential conflict that it will create for doctors. Almost all of the best doctors in the world practice in the United States. And, to be frank, this is directly related to income. Practicing in the United States earns a doctor significantly more than in these socialized countries. Government is notorious for underpaying employees and doctors would become part of the problem. I would argue that most students pursuing a medical degree do so for two reasons: 1) To help mankind and make the world a healthier place, and 2) To make lots of money. Let's be honest, doctors deserve to be paid well for what they do. If we hand over the industry to the government, what happens to the drive to become a doctor? The second reason could very well be eliminated. What then? Doctors on welfare? I know, the idea sound ludicrous, but if we implement a system designed to reduce their salaries to keep down overall expenses, this is an inevitable result.

I fully support the notion that all employers should provide some kind of insurance or health care coverage for their employees. This is a cost of business. If you choose to run your own business, you should provide coverage for the people that work for you. This, however, is an entirely separate argument. I do believe that all should have health insurance.

While I support the notion that everyone should have health insurance, as I have stated, I do not precisely believe that a government-run health care system is the solution that the country is looking for. It requires careful study and creation -- it is not something that can simply be created from nothing.

So, what can we do about it?

I fully recognize that the health care system in the United States is not ideal. It is messed up in many significant ways. If socializing health care is not the solution, what is?

To find this solution, we can analyze one company that I believe is approaching it properly. For profit health care is a dangerous venture. It results in people searching to maximize profits for stockholders, and this causes an inherent conflict of interest. Maximizing profits and providing low-cost health care are inherently counter. However, there is one company that I have seen maximize these ideals: Kaiser Permanente. (Full Disclosure: I am a member of Kaiser, and my father works for the company.) This is in no way a cry of support for Kaiser, nor an advertisement for them, but more an analysis of how they approach business.

First of all, Kaiser is a non-profit organization. It is not a publicly traded company, nor ever will be. All profits made by the organization are placed back into the company to acquire the best doctors, equipment and technologies to help advance health care. Their insurance is not based on profit gaining ventures, and has been set up to provide for anyone willing to pay the premiums. Yes, you have to go to Kaiser to see your doctor. Yes, you have to see your primary care physician before being sent to a specialist. But this is not a hindrance. My mother recently required a specially crafted wrist brace to help problems she has been having with her thumb joint. She made an appointment with her primary care physician, saw her for about 30 minutes, and headed home with her recommendation. When she got home, she had a message on her answering machine from the specialist, already requesting an appointment. She made one for two days later, and was sent to the brace designer early the next week (her appt was on a Thursday). Her brace was finished 1 week later and provided to her at no cost, fully covered through the insurance. Many of you may argue that this is an isolated experience. However, growing up with Kaiser, I have always had these types of experience. Granted, others may argue that it is a result of my father working for the company. This is also not the case. There is no way to tell who works for Kaiser by viewing my medical record. This information is not provided, and those doctors do not know this information. My father isn't even a doctor, and rarely interfaces with them.

Is Kaiser perfect? No. There are many arguments that it isn't, and that the system is inherently flawed. I won't disagree. There are flaws in the system. There are flaws in every system. Proposing a fix like socialized health care provides more problems than it solves. Do we want higher taxes to support yet another government agency? I don't. I think taxes are high enough!

Do I have a solution? No. But I think the model of a potential solution can be found in our economy. Let's determine if that will work before we fund yet another governmental bureaucracy.

Updated: I found out that Kaiser does allow self referral for certain specialities.

Comments? You know where to leave 'em.

The Course of My Blogging

So, I've always managed to have a problem managing to consistently post things to a blog. I seem to get distracted, forget about it, or just basically forget to post things that I find interesting and/or fascinating. I'm hoping that I can finally shake that problem and get down to posting.

To start with, let me tell you who I am: I'm a 24 year old Master's student at BYU. I'm studying for my Information Systems Management degree and am signed to work with Ernst and Young doing IT Audit both this summer and after I graduate in December. I love technology; I seriously spend 12 hours a day researching it, reading about it, and finding out all I can about what may be coming next. However, I'm an unusual nerd: I love sports, exercising, lifting weights, basketball, baseball, football and plenty of other outdoor activities. I'm learning ASP.NET 3.5 for a website I'm designing for my mom (http://www.diannegamblin.com) and every once in awhile I really enjoy a good coding session.

It's odd that I am such a technology geek and have such a hard time keeping up with my blog postings. I know that it's hard, but I plan to keep this one up and running as long as I physically can.

Check back here often and I'll share some valuable insights from my life and teach you what I can about who I am and what I think.

See you soon!