So for a while now I have had a quest of producing a podcast and I can proudly say that I am closer to realizing that dream as I officially clogged my harddrvie with all manner of editing software and sound clips which should allow me to begin attempting to paste a few minutes of the most pithy and intelligent music, info, and sound bytes that you ever heard.
I also noticed, proudly, that marathons are listed as #27 on the list of stuff that white people like and so I am certainly doing my part to convey my stereotypical being. As a side note, I'm amused at the disbelief and concern from people outside the "runner" subgroup that a person would actually dedicate consistent and lengthy time towards training for an event. As if it's hard to belief that you would spend alot of time on something that you were excited about and at the very least was good for you, made you more appealing, got you out in public, allowed you to see your city/town/country.
I was talking to this resource teacher yesterday who was a good dude and a former military man and he was telling me that when he was stationed in Germany, he was mandated to carry out daily 4 mile jogs and he even went 65 minutes once in the rain. I was not very consolling because I was carrying out 65 minute jogs when I was 14 and he was in the effing military, mind you. The guy was a smoker and I just didn't understand the contrasts that he evidenced.
So, since we're stereotyping today, I'm going to go on a limb and say that a high proportion of the regular military are not interested in "being all they can be" and are instead coerced into joining because it is something to do and you can make a little money while being allowed to regularly discharge firearms. Now this may sound a little smarmy but to me it illustrated the fact that these are not the most level-headed people upon entry, many are young and immature and we're putting them into something that potentially is life-threatening and certainly an experience that will shape the rest of their existence. I know plenty of guys from the military who are now some of the most rational, friendly people so this is not about the evil that the military breeds, it's just ironic to me that there is this emphasis on how incredible our military is and how patriotism is so closely woven in to the notion of a soldier, but do we really think our people are more driven then any other force in this case. I say this is yet another issue of money and the way in which somone wishes to spend their time. If you spend 3 hours a day doing what you enjoy, being outside in your community you are considered frivolous, if you spend one hour a day doing PT in the military on a foreign base where everything around you is US military installed (supermarkets, shops, gas stations), it is considered pinnacle existence and supreme servitude.
Sorry for the rant, I will try to tone down the sobering topics for a while. I'm pretty excited about the possibilities right now.
I also noticed, proudly, that marathons are listed as #27 on the list of stuff that white people like and so I am certainly doing my part to convey my stereotypical being. As a side note, I'm amused at the disbelief and concern from people outside the "runner" subgroup that a person would actually dedicate consistent and lengthy time towards training for an event. As if it's hard to belief that you would spend alot of time on something that you were excited about and at the very least was good for you, made you more appealing, got you out in public, allowed you to see your city/town/country.
I was talking to this resource teacher yesterday who was a good dude and a former military man and he was telling me that when he was stationed in Germany, he was mandated to carry out daily 4 mile jogs and he even went 65 minutes once in the rain. I was not very consolling because I was carrying out 65 minute jogs when I was 14 and he was in the effing military, mind you. The guy was a smoker and I just didn't understand the contrasts that he evidenced.
So, since we're stereotyping today, I'm going to go on a limb and say that a high proportion of the regular military are not interested in "being all they can be" and are instead coerced into joining because it is something to do and you can make a little money while being allowed to regularly discharge firearms. Now this may sound a little smarmy but to me it illustrated the fact that these are not the most level-headed people upon entry, many are young and immature and we're putting them into something that potentially is life-threatening and certainly an experience that will shape the rest of their existence. I know plenty of guys from the military who are now some of the most rational, friendly people so this is not about the evil that the military breeds, it's just ironic to me that there is this emphasis on how incredible our military is and how patriotism is so closely woven in to the notion of a soldier, but do we really think our people are more driven then any other force in this case. I say this is yet another issue of money and the way in which somone wishes to spend their time. If you spend 3 hours a day doing what you enjoy, being outside in your community you are considered frivolous, if you spend one hour a day doing PT in the military on a foreign base where everything around you is US military installed (supermarkets, shops, gas stations), it is considered pinnacle existence and supreme servitude.
Sorry for the rant, I will try to tone down the sobering topics for a while. I'm pretty excited about the possibilities right now.
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