I'm sick of celebrities

It will never cease to amaze me that people are so interested in the lives of celebrities. These people have nothing to do with us and yet our society is consumed with following their every move. On Yahoo right now the top news story listed is that Uma Thurman got engaged. How is that news? I understand that the definition of news is really just information about a recent event, but I feel like people have come to understand news to be information that should be important to them and has impact on their life. I guess it is news for all those guys out there that were planning on proposing to Uma but for the rest of us, is that really "need to know" information. Also on the Yahoo page I noticed that today's top 4 searches are Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Nicole Kidman, and Madonna. Amazingly more people are interested in those celebs, than are interested in things that would seem to me to be more important like finding a job, choosing a presidential candidate to vote for, getting out of debt, or what happens when we die.

Some of you may be thinking that I am just jealous because these people are rich and famous and get everyone's attention. Those of you that know me well can probably imagine what I would be like in their shoes. Do you really see me tolerating people following me around taking pictures of me, let alone enjoying it?

If you enjoy reading about celebrities, fine. You have every right to do so and there is plenty of material for you to read. But let me finish by saying this. Actors are pretenders. They pretend to be things like doctors, lawyers, teachers, coaches, astronauts, soldiers etc. By pretending to be a real person they have become more important to our society than what our troops are doing in Iraq. It just sounds pretty ridiculous to me.

The Finer Things

As my school quarter winds down and I complete all my projects and tests I always start to feel much more relaxed. So I've decided to revisit a post from a while back in which I just listed things I really enjoy. With the stress of school relieved I am going to take advantage of this brief time period in which I can be a positive thinker before the misery of Summer in Riverside consumes me.

Some things I really enjoy:

An ice cold Dr. Pepper straight from the can or soda fountain makes pretty much every situation better.

The feeling of handing in a paper or project knowing it is going to get an A.

The realization that I just learned something, or thinking back on an experience and realizing that I am now more knowledgeable and wiser because of that experience.

Being part of a play in a soccer game that goes perfectly; a series of passes precisely made, the right movement by those not in possession of the ball, completed by a shot that is placed just right leaving the goalie with no chance at making a save.

Similarly in the heat of competition realizing that unless a change is made the competition will be loss. Then finding the intensity and the drive to make that change and turn the tide of the game.

Playing Rockband - I know I have no musical talent, I can't sing well at all, and I am not really even that good at the video game. But while I'm playing I get a small taste of my dreams of being a rockstar.

Playing baseball - Running down a fly ball where the only chance of making the catch is to slide for it. Making the catch is great but getting there and having a real chance at making the play is what I enjoy. Also, making a quick scoop on a fast grounder, or having to leap to snag a line drive out of the air.

These simple joys need to be a part of everyones life. They may not happen everyday but I think they need to be experienced on a regular basis. As you think about the simple things you enjoy also think about how often those things occur. It may be that it is not as often as you would like, I suggest you remedy that.