Dear Readers

Normally on Tuesdays, I like to educate with you a little truth.

Today, I am literally sick to my stomach - in part because of the current state of our country.

If Obama signs the National Defense Authorization Act or SOPA, I'm moving to Europe.

For this Tuesday, please do some research into the current state of our country if you aren't aware.

Knowledge is power, STOP BEING AN IDIOT.

How To Lead Someone On Without Speaking To Them ~ Truth Tuesdays

In a few easy steps and maneuvers, you can easily string someone along far past the shelf life of the relationship. Similar to placing food in the freezer, there are acceptable methods to avoid freezer burn and if done properly can effectively last years.

First and most importantly, under no circumstances are you to have any kind of closure conversation. Pawn this conversation off on your friends, procrastinate, delete them via social networking... but avoid, avoid, AVOID. Once that line is crossed, they'll most likely move on with their lives. If you never erase the possibility, it never goes away. If you share mutual friends, don't make them choose sides... if they still talk- you can find out information about them to use to your advantage.

Feel free to chase this with a Facebook poke every year, for reminders, if you plan to drag it out a few years. Unless they delete their account, and then you'll have to track them down on some other assorted internet they use, and that's just kinda creepy - which brings us to our next point : in order to properly lead them on, you can't remove all contact. You don't want to be entirely forgotten. You should reappear occasionally for brief intervals, and always leave before they do... it properly builds the pattern, and creates wonder. Ideally find a way to push their buttons and make them jealous during these times, it reminds them their feelings aren't gone. If you had a legitimate connection, you will be able to manipulate these moments to your advantage, all without saying a word.

Once you've established that you aren't going to speak to them, but aren't scared to deliberately show up where they are, you have to completely throw them off their game - they're entirely too used to the procedure. Here would be a fantastic time to make exactly one comment to them - make sure it's cryptic enough to baffle them long enough for you to escape the area. Leave them confused, and leave them lingering. Ideally, make as much of an impact as possible in the shortest amount of time.

The next time you see them, they'll be on edge, unsure of what you're going to do. Play this up as long as possible, back to the silence. An obscene hand gesture or overly close proximity well placed over your occasional appearances maintain the level of curiosity and interest. A look or a smile here and there does many great things, but warning - if they've known you for years, they might very well be acquainted with your facial expressions, so have your poker face in check. You wouldn't want them to catch onto the game too soon, and if they can read you like an open book - it might be better to keep your eyes to yourself so they don't figure it out. This is especially true if there's something specific you don't want them to be aware of - keep your soul windows closed.

As with any variety of leading someone on, at some point you should decide your endgame. The usual choices presented are: destroy their hope and break their heart all over again, make like a coward and vanish, fuck one more time, or get back together. You'll probably figure out which one you'd prefer along the ride.

Truth Tuesdays

How To Never Get Your Food Spit In From Restaurant Staff

The first and more important, exercise some common sense. If you show up between 6 and 8 on a weekend, don't complain about waiting. If you show up with more than 4 people, don't complain about waiting. If you insist on a booth, don't complain about waiting. If you want a specific server, DON'T COMPLAIN ABOUT WAITING. If you're having a large party, know how many people are actually showing up. Send out a mass text on the way, it's not that hard, and makes us be able to seat you faster.

When you get to your table, and you server is forced to go through their spiel to greet you, don't interrupt. We're probably about to tell you about deals, and more importantly, when they're introducing themselves, do not cut them off as they're saying their name to say, "I'll have a coke." When you can't remember what your server's name is later, and you're saying HEY YOU and wondering why they don't come running, don't be surprised. Take the time to let them speak. If they ask you a question, answer - don't stare at them silent.

If you order a frozen drink, it will take more time to make. Same goes for a well done steak. If you want it done right, don't repeatedly ask where it is. Trust us, we want the charge on your check. It's coming - swear. If you don't like seafood, don't order it, try it, and then send it back. Stick to what you know you like, or what you can safely guess sounds good to you. Don't eat all your food and then send it back, you look like an asshole. If you order a steak medium, there will be blood... if you order it medium well there will be some pink - if you don't like that, don't order it that way. If there's something legitimately wrong with your food, or it comes out different then you ordered it, we have no problem fixing it for you - and that will not result in body fluids showing up in your food. If you know ordering food you're going to want 7 sides of ranch with your fries, don't wait til we bring it out to ask- and then ask for each one 3 minutes apart. Other people need things. Consolidate your requests so I'm not at your table every minute, and neglecting other people.

If you plan to sit at your table for an extra hour after you're done, you better be tipping the equivalent of another table. You took up space in our limited sections and cut down our money for the night. If you want to hang out, go to the bar, they have plenty of space and no problem with loitering. Or Starbucks. When it comes to tipping, please first understand that servers are not paid hourly in many places, and under 5 bucks everywhere else. Leaving under 10 percent means we paid to serve you by tipping the other people in the restaurant - hostesses, bussers, bar staff. We don't get to not tip out because you didn't tip. If you can't afford to tip, order your food to go - you'll save money on your drinks and won't waste our time... and yes, we remember the ones that don't tip, and your service will reflect it next time. In case it's somehow still unclear, proper tipping is considered 18-20% for average service. Awesome service deserves anything greater than that. Shitty service gets 15%, minimum, and just about everything has to go wrong for that even be vaguely considered acceptable - which is not the same as your server forgot your 15th plate of lemons you're squeezing into your water and adding sugar. If you know off the bat you're a pain in the ass, please tip accordingly. The more of our time you use the less time we have to help other people, and the tips from them will reflect that.

Most importantly, be polite. It doesn't help to get mad at your server that the kitchen is taking too long to make your food - they can't help that. (Not really fair to take it out on their tip either.) It's never okay to curse your server out or mock them, they're trying to take care of your needs. If they're at another table, don't yell over to them... wait your turn like you learned in kindergarten. If you're in a bad mood, don't take it out on us. If you have to ask how much something is, you probably can't afford it - don't get mad when you see your bill that it's dollars more than you imagined it would be in your head.

Mostly though, be considerate and understand a server is also a person- and act accordingly.

Truth Tuesdays

Why You Should Pay Attention To Your Dreams (& How To Make Them Make Sense To You)

And no, it doesn't make you crazy or a new age moron. Dream interpretation goes all the way back to the Babylonians, which for those of you not so historically inclined, ballparks people paying attention to dreams as early as 2000 BC. The notion of dreams being wish fulfillment began with Freud, partially due to his explanation that most people were not capable of thinking in abstract enough thought to understand the true symbolism. Jung was one of the first modern thinkers to offer the conflicting opinion that the subconscious mind is far more complicated that Freud wanted to attest, and to offer such a simplistic view was leaving out the factors affected by individual experiences. I'm not going to waste the whole post explaining why, as usual, the more complicated view of a situation is usually the one that's more accurate. You should probably just run with it on this.

First, let's acknowledge the obvious - your brain is smarter than you are. Your sleeping brain has more neurons available to think and process than your waking brain, when it's not busy processing eyesight and enabling you to sit in front of your computer or watch asinine reality TV. I'm pretty sure that if you could take an IQ test sleeping, it would be monstrously higher. Your cognitive abilities are heightened. Your thought processes occur on a higher level. YOU ARE SMARTER WHEN YOU ARE ASLEEP.

While a good portion of dreams will be reliving things that happened during your days, (this is part of how memories transition into long term from short term) those dreams are easy to pick out and discard as having any relevant knowledge. What we're mostly concerned with here is those dreams that you wake up vividly remembering. The more detail you remember - the more important the message is. It's the question of being able to interpret the information that you are given. Let's assume that you don't have vast experience in understanding symbolism, and that you need a bit of help with this aspect.

The one thing that all people well versed in dream interpretation will agree on that you need to accept before moving on, a person is not simply the person you think it is. You must first acknowledge the aspects of that person - especially if they are acting outside of their logical real life behavior, is the details that should be most attended to. It may represent aspects of yourself, or an entirely different person all together. This is one of those things that you'll get better with after practice. Your brain is unconcerned with looks, it picks the most convenient vessel to convey it's point, which is why maybe it'll pick an ex to demonstrate problems with your current relationship. Or your old house to illustrate points about your past. Figure out the actual subject matter, and then you can progress.

Symbolism is the big thing with dreams. The best site I've found for accurate symbolism is Dream Moods, which has a supremely in depth database. The most important step to begin this process is to WRITE DOWN the dream, every detail you can remember. If you're sitting at a table, what shape is it? What condition is it in? These are all details that are relevant. Remember, your dreams can't spell it out for you- you can't read in dreams, so all that is available is pictures. In the same way that a picture is worth a thousand words, a dream picture is worth the same. And every portion of that image is relevant. Writing down every detail will help you remember things you may have forgotten, and gives you more material to investigate and interpret. While any symbolism site can only give you a rough guideline, you're going to have to use a bit of your own intuition to really understand. The standard definition of water in symbolism has to do with your emotional state of mind, and you should consider the state of the water - but if you're a lifeguard or recently nearly drowned, you might have different life experiences affecting the interpretation. Always consider how it pertains to your life first, before immediately accepting the symbolism at face value.

The most important thing about dreams to acknowledge, is the FEELING you associate with the dream. Dreams have a tone, just like a song or a movie, and that tone sets the premise for everything revealed after. Acknowledge this feeling first, and consider it grander than anything else you find out about the dream.

While we're acknowledging that your brain is smarter than you are, let's touch on the future. Your dreams have the ability to see many steps ahead of where you can actually see of your future life, they can see facts of a situation and come up with the most likely conclusion. Similar to playing a chess game with yourself, it can make jumps to realize the outcome of a situation. Dreams of this nature are designed to either help you figure out what you should do, or get you comfortable with something before it happens if it's beyond your control.

Once you get comfortable with this process, there's way cooler things you can do - like lucid dreaming and influencing your dreams to influence your waking life. But we'll touch on that later when you are a bit more in depth with the procedure. :)

Moral of the story? Pay attention to what your brain is trying to tell you!

Truth Tuesdays

How To Fix Our Government & The Economy

Yea, today I'm going there with it.

First, let's get the obvious one outta the way. If we all remember correctly, one of the major principles this country was founded on was religious freedom - which also includes freedom from being judged by someone else's religion. So foremost, everything that's still up for debate because religion is factored into the discussion needs to be immediately taken off the table. I'm talking about gay marriage, and abortion for the most part here. Gay marriage is legal in 6 states, and marrying your first cousin is legal in 26. The religious factor jumps in here with trying to protect the "integrity of marriage". That's a sweet idea and all, but marriage in this country has been failing for decades. Letting gays marry most likely IMPROVES the marriage success rate, since straight folk seem to get married for any lackluster reason these days. We already know the main arguments against abortion come from the religious sects, and really - bottom line- if you don't agree, don't have one. There's a few other instances where this comes into play, but in the interest of keeping it moving... just stop using God as a reason to tell other people how to live, if they go to hell- that's not really on you, now is it?

No one likes taxes, but it's one of those things we can't function without. So how can we work on fixing this pathetic war induced economic failing? Consider the biggest complaint from the rest of the world about the US - that we are consumptionists. And while yes, that's one of the biggest problems we have... I'm not saying give up your disposable technology. However, in the most literal nature, our biggest consumption is fat. Between fast food and lipo & diet plans, we spend more money a year on the back and forth tangle of weight than anyone else. Fix 2 of our problems at once, TAX JUNK FOOD. And I'm not talking about a light tax. I'm talking cigarette-esque tax rates. Sure, you'll pay an extra dollar for your extra mega sized fries, but how many less people will be overweight and draining on society? How many less obese people will be spending their welfare money on McDonalds? Safe to say less kids would grow up with allergies, because that's an evolutionary response to preservatives... when it becomes less expensive to buy fresh food than over processed garbage, everyone wins.

Remember the moon race? How governments spent money to advance their technology to be able to be the first? When is someone going to get excited enough to make it a race to be the first green energy country? You'd think this would be a priority. But it's somehow not. We're content destroying our planet. YOU SHOULD PROBABLY STOP THAT. The amount of jobs that would be created are ridiculous, and it'd be multitasking for a good cause. Even just the logical first step for that would be so beneficial... consider every movie set in the future. Most scenarios include super tall buildings, with train systems. This is for good reason. As the population increases, we will eventually run out of space to expand outward, and the only solution will be to grow upwards. The best ways to begin pulling us out of the soon to be dark ages, begin with massive infrastructure transportation. I'm talking about solar powered trains, connecting everything, ideally. Besides creating millions of jobs for construction, maintenance and staffing... the amount of problems it erases just multiply with time. First, you cut dependence on gas powered vehicles, and on a grander scheme it encourages tourism and cuts the DUI rates. Making this investment in our future is the best thing we could be starting right now.

On an obvious note, there needs to be a cap on political campaign spending. Period. Oh, and an IQ test to be employed by the government. The sooner we stop letting rich idiots make our decisions for us, the better off we'll be. And in a related field, stop cutting spending on education. Kids deserve the best possible chance to succeed, and they'll be taking care of us when we're old. So ideally, stop spending their education money on things that are less important, ie- everything. Also, the education playing field needs to be evened out. All schools should be teaching the same thing, and all class and activity options should be available to everyone. You shouldn't have to move to get your child the same education. Use technology to our advantage here, while there may not be enough kids in one school interested in taking Mandarin for their language, creating Department of Education online classes would enable kids to learn about what they want- instead of being forced to take things outside of their desired field just because they don't live where it's available. There also needs to be a cap on college tuition- education should not be one of those situations where you get what you pay for, let the kids who are smart enough and made an effort to earn their spot have it - not those whose parents can donate a wing.

This is just a start. I sense a part 2 coming in a few weeks.

Back On Schedule... Truth Tuesdays

in honor of NaNoWriMo, I thought we'd take today to talk about ambition. Kinda the alternative to last week's How Not To Waste Your Life, we'll call this....

How To Actually Do Something With Your Life

(no, it's not the same thing)

There's probably nothing on the planet I respect more than ambition, and for good reason. Ambition is the drive that makes you achieve things you didn't think were possible. These days, many people seem satisfied to not make big changes in their life to advance their situation... preferring to remain stagnant and placid. The problem with that? Our time is limited. I'm sure when you dreamed of your future as a kid, it didn't include working a job you hate to buy crap you don't need, right? So, how do we fix it?

First step, figure out what you want to do. I know, I make it seem so simple, when in reality, it's probably the biggest decision you'll make in your life. Take your time with this decision. You don't have to figure it out in high school (of course it would give you a head start if you did), but it's never too late to begin the life you intended to have. This requires research, and soul searching. Ideally, you find something that's a balance between a kick ass paycheck and what you love to do - and I promise you, something fits that category.

Once you figure it out, after however long that takes, you need a plan. I'm a big fan of having both a 5 and 10 year plan, allowing you to see the biggest picture, and also the steps involved in getting there. Break it all down, even if you have to analyze it down to every month. Be realistic about your goals when framing your time, so you aren't disappointed and discouraged. Ideally, this will enable you to see what you're supposed to be doing right now. Here's the big part - start doing it. Even if you encounter setbacks, and you definitely will, the most important thing is to consider the end game. Revise your plans as needed, but never give up. And never sit around waiting for it to be a better time to start. The time to start is now. NO EXCUSES. Seriously.

For most people, the plan will probably include some variety of education. Whether that's a 40 hour certificate program, or a 8 year degree, it won't do you any good to wait to start. Sometimes you have to make steps to be able to begin, that's OK - as long as your progressing. Don't forget, the journey matters just as much as the destination. Don't blindly follow your plan without assessing your current standpoint on a regular basis - you don't wanna wake up one day and realize you paid for a degree for something you actually hate doing. Practical test drive experience in the field you're considering is one of the best methods to avoid this. The most important part, DO NOT GET AN EDUCATION IN SOMETHING YOU DON'T WANNA DO. This seems obvious, right? I'm speaking to those of you that have a parent that says something like, "I'll pay for your college education - but only if you become a blah blah blah". If that's not what you wanna do - don't. Bottom line. You don't need them to pay for it, and you will absolutely waste your life if you live according to someone else's standard of success.

Maybe getting educated has never really been your thing. And that's okay. While an education will absolutely open more doors for you, it's not the only thing that matters. I go back to that word ambition here - you can find an alternative that works for you. If you're skipping the school part, figure out your talents and how to maximize them. This will probably involve starting your own business. And while that's far riskier, the rewards are also much greater. If you're crafty or love vintage, consider starting an online store for your goods. If you're a massive pothead, move to a medical marijuana state and open a head shop. Regardless of what you do, there's something that will fit your interests that you can get paid to do. Promise.

Now stop bullshitting around the internet and go do something with your life!

Truth Tuesdays

How To Not Waste Your Life

Timing is everything, right? Sometimes. But more often, it's what you choose to do with your time that really counts. Here, we'll examine how to make the most of your limited time.

First and foremost, make an impact. Somewhere, anywhere. Create a legacy for yourself. Use your talents to the best of your ability and find a way to better the world for yourself and others. Remember, if your ambitions are only selfish, you will not be remembered. Those who make it a point to positively impact the planet will be rewarded.

Know when it's time to work, and when it's time to play. Rest is deserved, but only after you've made progress. Every moment you waste is one you can't get back. The world will not wait for you to get your shit together. The sooner you figure out where your time is best spent, the better off you will be.

With the exception of things you have to, don't do things you don't want to. The only exception to this is those of you that are content doing nothing - you're doing it wrong. But you should never embark on something expecting it to be a waste of your time, find something worthy of your effort instead. Trust your gut, you know what's right for you.

While it's important to find love, don't make that your sole goal in life. Love will find you when it's right. And the old adage holds true here, when you stop looking it will find you.

If you're intelligent, it is your obligation to breed. All of the stupid people crank out babies and enjoy their welfare. Darwin would be pissed if the smarter portion of the population doesn't make it a point to balance out the numbers.

Help others. A life without some self sacrifice for the greater good is a wasted one. Your time might mean more to someone else than it would to yourself. Everyone needs a helping hand sometime, don't be the person that never did anything for someone other than yourself.

Remember, all we're given is time, and it's never a finite amount that we're guaranteed. Don't procrastinate. Don't wait for life to hand you the life you think you deserve. Don't forget that nothing is promised. Make the best of what you have, and your life will be worthwhile.

Truth Tuesdays

False information is one of those things that can cause a chain reaction of events, based on fiction. While in some cases, such as say- the Tea Party - it can be more destructive than others. Today, we cover some common misconceptions that people seem to have, that in reality are anything but fact.

You do not have to wait 24 hours to file a missing persons report, and a cop does not have to identify himself as one if undercover.

10-25% of alcohol remains in food after being cooked, so that chicken marsala you're eating technically qualifies you as off the wagon.

Swallowing gum absolutely does not take 7 years to digest.

You can't see the Great Wall of China from space, only city lights.

Goldfish remember for longer than seconds, and houseflies don't live for only a day- it's closer to 3 weeks.

There's no scientific evidence to back up that a bee should not be able to fly, some 1930's scientist got it wrong and spread the rumor.

A mother will not reject a baby bird if you touch it.

Just so we're clear, Dinosaurs and Humans never coexisted, despite that only 59% of people know that.

Waking a sleepwalker will not harm them.

It doesn't matter how long you eat before swimming, it won't cause cramps.

Humans use more than 10% of their brains, the expression began as a metaphor for accomplishments.

A penny dropped from the Empire State building will not kill a person or crack the sidewalk.

Hopefully you learned something today :)

Truth Tuesdays

How To Stop Wasting Your Money

Holy recession, Batman! But there are things you can do to combat your own personal financial situation. Remember: every little bit helps.

First, understand where your money is going. Mint.com is a great free service for this, you input your account information, and it helps you see where you have room to trim the fat.

Next, downsize. One of the best ways to accomplish this is limiting your intact of fast food and beverages, which are not only bad for your body but horrendous for your wallet. Say you have an affinity for caffeinated beverages. Instead of assuaging your dependancy with a daily Starbucks visit (up to $6 a drink), switch to buying to the packs of Starbucks drinks (4-6 dollars, for 4). Same method of buying in bulk is effective for everything from 5 hour energy shots to toilet paper. The more you buy in quantity, the more you save. While the start up capital to switch to bulk will be a less than seamless transition, do without this week to put yourself in a better situation next week.

If you're one of those that refuses to give up going out to eat, shop around for deals. Many restaurants these days are offering discounts, take advantage of them! If you have little ones, check out Kids Meal Deals, you can search by area and day of the week to find out where they can eat for free or cheap, usually with the purchase of an adult entree.

Identify your vices. For you smokers and alcoholics, this section is for you. Stress will always be a trigger, at least fall of the wagon in a fiscally responsible way. Save your liquor drinking for home (generally, paying for 4 drinks in a bar or restaurant equals the cost of a bottle- that will yield more than double the number of drinks) and drink beer while you're out, or better yet, find your area's happy hours and open bar nights. Instead of haunting the same spots daily, and overspending, branch out and find deals. You'll not only save money, but most likely make more friends (unless you're an antisocial douchebag) and get some great experiences out of it. For smokers, buy cartons instead of packs, or switch to a cheaper brand than your usual.

Consider getting rid of your TV service. Between Netflix, Hulu, Crackle, Redbox and Blockbuster, nearly everything you want to watch is available, without paying for excess channels you don't watch. There's also several great forums for free TV and Movie watching, one of my favorites is Quicksilver Screen.

Let's talk about shopping habits. First of all, STOP BUYING SHIT YOU DON'T NEED. Buying something because it's on sale that you'll never use is just as destructive as splurging on name brand items. Learn to differentiate between want and need, it's the most vital skill you can acquire to save money. Also, for online shoppers, stop paying for shipping. Consider consulting FreeShipping.Org, and avoid paying an extra 5-20 dollars per purchase. If you have to pay shipping, use the standard shipping option and not the expedited versions. You can wait a few days longer for your product, and really, you should be planning far enough in advance with your money to not need to expedite things. Never pay full price for anything, wait for sales or discount offers, or google checkout coupon codes for your favorite shopping websites.

Lastly, if you haven't sat down and made a financial game plan for yourself for at the very least the next 6 months, you're doing it wrong. Plan ahead, and you'll be more equipped to spend smarter and avoid impulse spending.

Hopefully these tips help. If you've followed my suggestions and are still having trouble, it's time to find a new job. Invest in your education and make more money in the long run.