Despite popular belief I think that change is probably one of the greatest feelings to experience.

I am about to experience some insane changes in my life over the next few weeks. One HUGE change actually, which will put in to play a series of other changes that will affect my life. Once things get to a point where an announcement can be made, you most certainly can expect me to make the announcement, however right now it is still in the midst of process, so I must keep my mouth shut.

I am freakin thrilled about this change though as it honestly is the greatest lifestyle adjustment that I’ve made in quite a long time, more on that later though.

Do you embrace change, or does change scare you?

I am pretty much the last person to find out about the viral internet video hits. Mostly because I hate google, and try to spend as little time as possible on any site related to them.

Crystal posted a video of Matt Harding a.k.a. ‘Dancing Matt’ on her blog, and I traveled over to his blog to find these 3 videos.

All I can say, is like most I’m pretty jealous of this guy. Look how much fun he is having!

Dancing 2005

Dancing 2006

Dancing 2008

Recently my “church”, which happened to be a ministry of another church decided to up and go plant themselves as an official church.

Now, I know what you’re thinking…”So you’re now going to actually be a part of an official church.”

Well no, I’m not. You see, initially I was, but the more I actually sought the guidance of the one who I allow to make those decisions for me, the more I realized I was not doing what He wanted me to do. So, I decided not to move along with my “church.”
Since then my life has been turned upside down. I started attending a Catholic Church, which wasn’t too weird as I had been studying Catholicism for several months (I’ve actually studied quite a few other religions), the folks who I consider deep spiritual mentors had recently converted back to Catholicism, I made a new friend who was Catholic and I took all this to be a sign that perhaps this was the route I was suppose to take. Despite numerous prayers, and not (to my recollection and understanding) receiving any guidance from the one who makes those decisions for me. I rode with it. Well, after awhile, I started to realize that perhaps there were signs and He was telling me this wasn’t the right route to be taking. Needless, to say I haven’t been to a church in well over a month.

So now I have a plethora of thoughts running through my head:

• Have I allowed myself to become attached to the idea of Church? Why?!?
• Why is it that my “church” which for the most part was several other folks “church” have to go and screw with things. For instance, I loved the fact that I could spend my weekends (the only days of the week where the normal grind allows me to) sleeping in, and still get fed spiritually at 8pm Monday night. Why does that have to change!?!?
• Who on Earth made this mandate that “church” has to happen at 10:30 am on Sunday morning? Like seriously, I know good and well that there are many pastors out there who would be perfectly content with church at 8pm on Tuesday night. Yet, many do nothing about it. WHY THE HECK IS SO RIDICULOUSLY EARLY ON A WEEKEND MORNING THE STANDARD!?!?!?!
• Why do I feel like the majority of people who have went along with this idea of being a “real church” doing so just because of the trend factor involved?
• Why have I told myself that God doesn’t want me to be a part of this church, even though I know different? Furthermore, why is God allowing me to take his name in vain to convince everyone that my refusal to step on the “cool kids train” is His idea? Why is it that I have found it ok to lie, when I know damn well the only logical reason I have come up with for not wanting to be a part of this incredible thing is because I feel that so many are involved for the wrong reasons!?
• Why the heck am I so judgmental!?!?!?!?!?!?
• Why the heck can I not find a single place where I can just do me? (Not even my “church” that is now becoming a “real church” that I’m not…at least for right now…going to have anything to do with)

My friend Crystal had a live prayer meeting a few nights back, and I asked for her and those in attendance to pray specifically for my situation, and ever since, God has really been kicking me in the butt. Mainly about the taking His name in vain (which I guess answers one of the questions up top), but also about being so dang judgmental and actually do what He’s telling me to do.

Yet…I’m finding that I am very afraid of doing what He is telling me to do.
The thing is, I truly believe in the mission and vision that my friend, who happens to be the pastor of this church that I have been trying desperately to not be a part of, has been given. I believe in the reach that this vision/mission is going to attain. I believe that most folks involved in the process of helping carry out that vision/mission are doing so because they too truly believe in it too. Unfortunately I believe there are others who are simply there because of the cool factor, and for whatever reason I have let that piss me off to no end. I’ve let it jade my opinion of a friend who has done nothing but support me, and who I hold in high regard. I’ve let it jade my opinion of the folks he has prayerfully decided to help him carry out that mission. Worst of all, I’ve let it encompass a great portion of my life. Essentially I’ve wasted a lot of time being a selfish bastard who will not listen to God, because I’m way to judgmental. The sad thing is, while I know I’m overly judgmental (which given that fact that none of us really have any right to judge any sort of judgment is overly judgmental), I also know that I am right in many cases. (And for those sticklers out there…being right means I can prove it)

That’s why I’m so damned confused.

I know what I’m suppose to do, yet I don’t do it. I do what I’m not suppose to do instead, in an attempt to make even more excuses for what I am actually suppose to be doing.

In the end it boils down to me wanting a place where I can do me. Sadly, the one place where I feel like that might be possible, the one place where God has told me He’s making it possible, is the one place I fear it’s not possible.

Pray please. For me, I am so stinkin conflicted, it is driving me nuts. I’m in the stage of just listening now, so maybe if some of you talk to God for me, perhaps He’ll find a way to sucker punch me in to believing what He has to say.

The latest edition of the Unobjective Intelligence podcast (The Will Young show) is ready for your ears.

I’m at 10 Episodes! Thank you for downloading, listening and providing feedback! Here’s to many, many more episodes!

This week I discuss:

• Why I think this relentless pursuit of your dreams is unhealthy.
• How standing up for what you believe is sometimes not a good idea.
• I’ll lay to rest with a fitting memorial the Campaign 08′ update (it just wasn’t working the way I envisioned it)
• Finally, I’m talking 3rd party politics and why they are a joke.

As always if there is something you’d like to hear please shoot me an e-mail.

 

 The Unobjective Intelligence Podcast Episode 10 [40:53m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

You can download it using iTunes using the link on the right, or for those who don’t use itunes, simply click the button that says ‘RSS Podcast’ and download the latest episode to download to your MP3 player. OR…if it shows up you can use the player above (most of the time it doesn’t work though).

I wrote on July 3rd about I finally decided to pursue my dream of a career in radio broadcasting. I was going to attend the CSB School of Broadcasting and they even offered me a 1/2 paid scholarship.

Unfortunately I learned this morning that there is absolutely no way that I am going to be able to come up with the other half. I’ve tried every outlet imaginable and it’s just not going to happen.

So…so much for that idea.

I believe that sometimes we’re not meant to pursue all of our dreams. I think if we WERE meant to pursue every dream we had things would be nuts. We’d probably all be in financial ruins and life would be completely abnormal. I know that most would disagree with me. Most folks believe that you should passionately pursue all of your dreams until you achieve them. Come on folks, the reality is my pursuit of this dream would have left me in financial ruins. I’d be in deeper debt than I already am from the loan I would have (if I could have gotten approved for it) had to take out, I would have spent years working my way up a ladder making next to nothing (thus pushing myself in further debt), to one day attain my goal in this particular field, still not making a whole lot of money. Sure money isn’t everything, not when it comes to pursuing your dreams, but honestly, bills HAVE to be paid, food HAS to be bought, fuel HAS to be put in the car, debt HAS to be paid down and a home is NEEDED for survival. So sure, money isn’t EVERYTHING, but it sure does play a significant role in everything.

Anyway, I don’t know whats ahead. I’ll still podcast, which gives me ample opportunities to live out parts of my dream. I’m also contemplating starting a production, or DJ business on the side and teach myself different aspects of the trade. Who knows. My dreams not dead, but this avenue of pursuit more than likely is.

I have not had to even think about work since Thursday, July 3rd, 2008 at 3:30 pm and I’m not going to lie, it’s been pretty freakin sweet.

I’m what you would consider a work-a-holic, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to work.

Up until recently, if you asked me what my idea of a good time was I’d tell you a 12-hour work day. That’s all changed in the last 12 months though. I, like most Americans, now have a job that I absolutely detest. However, also like most Americans, at least the ones fortunate enough to have a job, realize that the likelihood of me finding anything new is slim to none. So I’m pretty much stuck in that place between needing to survive financially while having a job that allows me to do so and being completely dissatisfied with my current job.

Needless to say, this malcontent with my current job has me desiring every opportunity possible to not work. It’s a new concept for someone who at their previous job averaged 60 to 70 hours a week.
I think though, scratch that, I KNOW that where I am at right now, is exactly where I am suppose to be.
Before I was always working, had little time for friends and family and had even went as far as saying “Who needs a significant other, I’m married to my job,” and I didn’t see anything wrong with it. Of course I had become extremely unhealthy, in a physical sense. Obviously waking up at 5 am, being at work by 6 am and working until 7 or 8 o’clock at night, meant that making a healthy dinner was out of the picture. Most nights I’d grab a $ 4.99 large pepperoni pizza, gobble down the whole thing, go to bed, and wake up to start it all over again.
I had become what one would consider a bit of jerk. Ah, who am I kidding, I was more than a bit of a jerk, I would bite peoples heads off all day if they didn’t do things the way I wanted them done. At any rate, it actually got to the point for a little bit that my subordinates would actually elect who they would send in to the office to see what I had for them to do for the day. The worst part about my new found attitude is that I didn’t see it. Of course I was reminded of it on a daily basis, but I refused to believe anyone.
Finally, I ended up quitting. With one weeks notice to boot. I had talked myself into finding a plethora of reasons for despising my job and then I just left. Truthfully, it was probably the healthiest, best decision I’ve made in my adult life. If I had continued on the path I was on, I would have undoubtedly had a heart attack in my late 20’s or early 30’s. I was stressed to the core, sick continually, fat as heck (and for those who don’t know, when you’re not eating healthy and stressed you actually gain more weight than you would if you weren’t stressed and didn’t eat healthy, of course if you weren’t stressed you’d probably eat healthy, so it’s sort of a vicious nasty cycle :-)), and I had really forgot that I had friends and a family.

Now, I’m in a much lower stressed environment, actually the stress in my current job is so low that I create my own stress just so I feel normal, which is in no way normal behavior. However, what I do now, is not what I want to be doing. Actually, it’s not anywhere close to what I want to be doing.

I’ve learned though that I have to embrace this particular point in life as a learning experience. I’m being taught that there is more to life than working. I’ve reconnected with my family, I’ve gained true, long-lasting friendships that I never thought were possible before. My attitude and approach to life in general has changed immensely. (Of course some would argue that I am still a bit of a jerk…and I’d agree…I am still a BIT of a jerk, but I’m nothing like I used to be). I’ve learned to take pleasure in simplicity and to embrace the opportunities to simply do nothing.

…nothing

That is seriously all I’ve done since my staycation started. But generally speaking my staycation has consisted of me NOT waking up to an alarm clock, and not knowing what the day has in store.

I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I would encourage you if you’re a work-a-holic to embrace the weekends, that’s where it all starts. True work-a-holics have no idea what a weekend is. You’ll find when you start to embrace those two days off (no matter when they fall in our week) that you’ll start to see there is more to life then work.

I’m so over being a work-a-holic that I may lead the drive for America to become a 4 day work week country, like many other countries around the world!

As for the rest of my staycation, who knows. I’m open to anything.

Pictures so far:

The latest edition of the Unobjective Intelligence podcast (The Will Young show) is ready for your listening pleasure.

This week I discuss:

• Relationships, and how I feel the internet is positively changing the way we approach them.
• Why getting involved in your community is important, and how you can get involved in your community.
• And I’ll give a very brief campaign 08 update.

As always if there is something you’d like to hear please shoot me an e-mail.

 

 The Unobjective Intelligence Podcast Episode 8 (July 6, 2008) [39:48m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

You can download it using Apple’s iTune’s using the link on the right, or for those who don’t use itunes, simply click the button that says ‘RSS Podcast’ and download the latest episode.

Los’ entry that started it all. He makes a very valid point, check out some of the comments too.

Jeff Jarvis’ Article.

Abstract of the article in the Journal of Adolescent Research. (NOTE: To read the full article you have to buy it)

Article in the New York Times that talks about the above study.

Maxwell Payne Article.

Kristin Stanberry’s Schwab Learning Article.

eHow’s guide to maintaining healthy online relationships. I didn’t mention this one in the podcast, but I figured it was worth listing anyway.

Community Involvement:

The Corporation for National and Community Service.

The USA Freedom Corps.

Campaign News:

Glassbooth - Find out what candidate shares your ideals and philosophy.

McCain’s Straight Talk Express bus now a plane

Shake-up in the McCain campaign

McCain calls shake-up part of “natural evolution”

McCain/Obama talk about Patriotism in Parade Magazine

Obama talks about his consistency on Iraq

AP Analysis: McCain Struggles to regain footing

Senator Obama speaks about Patriotism

Obama endorses faith-based social programs in Zanesville

Senator Obama talks to Relevant magazine about mental distress not justifying abortion

John McCain press release regarding the Colombian Hostage Rescue

McCain camp’s comments on Obama’s Iraq comments

McCain traveled to Mexico to push free trade

Well folks, I finally grew a pair and decided it was time to pursue my dream.

I’ll be starting classes later this month at CSB School of Broadcasting to train for my dream career in radio.

It’s funny how things work, 4 months ago I requested information and I really loved everything about the school. Especially how classes are taught by industry professionals who are out there doing this everyday, and how the equipment is modern, and many other great deciding factors. Then, they disclosed the price of admission. It’s nearly $ 12,000 for the 16 weeks worth of courses. Needless to say, I put my dream on the back burner again, as there was/is no way I can afford to shell out that type of money at one time. I put all the paperwork away, and would read through the e-mails they sent out then delete them.

Well, a couple weeks ago I got an e-mail about a ‘Free’ Podcast Seminar open to the public. I knew that free meant I’d have to go through a tour and sales pitch for the school, but didn’t mind because I wanted to learn more about podcasting since I recently started the UI Podcast, and it wouldn’t hurt me to learn about the school. For whatever reason, that day I told myself mid-way through the seminar that this was where I belonged. This was the industry I needed to be in, and my dream career was the path I needed to take.

Long story short, things have worked out (yes, even financially) and my dream is going to become reality. It’s funny Anne was talking about how Nashville, where she and her husband (who consequently has some pretty serious musical talent, you can listen to his stuff by checking out his myspace) recently moved is a place where people go to chase their dreams. In talking about those dreams she said “most of the time, those dreams take sweat, blood and tears to achieve. it requires living simply, working wherever and whenever you can so that in the few hours you have left, you can spend them working out whatever that dream is.” That was actually the topic of the essay I wrote in order to get the scholarship I received which covers the other half of my tuition.

I can’t wait to pour my blood, sweat, and tears in to this dream. I can not wait to work my butt off, and start as low as a human being can start in this industry and work my way up. I can’t wait to get my first job in the industry that is completely unrelated to what I actually want to do (which by the way, my goal is to be a show producer, or board operator and eventually work my way up to having my own show). I can’t wait to have to work 8 hours a day during the day, or night and pour the 12 hours a day into a job that starting out is going to pay absolute crap.

You know why I can’t wait?

Because it’s my dream. It has been for as long as I can remember. And I’m finally living it.

I get asked on numerous occasions why I immerse myself in the online world of blogging, social-network services, online chats and the like.

Carlos posted a great entry that sums it up, please check it out.

I commented back with this (I’m posting, so you’ll have a better idea of why this entry resonated with me):

Well written and I couldn’t agree more.

I feel like what was once my small, semi-dedicated circle of friends has expanded through this vast world of online relationships. I’ve “met” people that I wouldn’t have otherwise had the opportunity to meet, that have let me in to their lives and who I’ve let in to mine. To me it’s not a “network” of people whose names I can drop, it’s a family. It’s people who are willing to lend a hand from 900 miles away even if it’s through an AIM chat.

Thank you for this concise and poignant statement. It resonated with me immensely.

I know that there are many out there who say that online relationships are unhealthy. I’ve always, and will continue to beg to differ. I think it is very possible to maintain a very healthy lifestyle, and maintain very healthy relationships even if a large number of those are online. Let’s face it, we’re living in a new world.
I could go on for quite a while telling you how Alex has inspired me with his dedication to his ministry and to the people of his community and to his family, or how without thinking twice he answers my e-mails when I have questions that in the grand scheme of things are completely a waste of his time. Or I could tell you how both Carlos and Heather have given me not only a sound biblical example of parenting, but a realistic “We don’t have all the answers but dang it we love our kids and we’re trying our hardest to be the best, Godly parents ever” example of what a parent should be. I could tell you how Anne and Crystal have reminded me on numerous occasions that the only way you’re going to get anywhere in life is to remain transparent, and to constantly be on guard when it comes to matters of the heart. I’d probably also mention how Chris, reminds that you do not have to agree with someone to know that they are right, that they are wise, and that they are thinking about things well outside the realm of anything you could possibly grasp. (Consequently, I’ve met Chris in real life, and he does the same in real life as he does online.) I’d probably even tell you about Pete who reminds me continually that life DOES indeed come at you fast, and the only way you can deal with it is to fully embrace what is thrown at you.

That’s just SOME of the many people I follow, you can always check them out in my blogroll, and in time I’ll be adding some more of the blogs I read either via their feeds or online that are not currently up there.

The point I’m trying to make with this, is that I’ve grown physically, mentally, emotionally, relationally and spiritually as a result of the blogosphere. I’ve also done a lot of growing as a result of my “real life” relationships, but I can not and will not allow others to write off relationships formed via the internet as if they lack substance, because, well they clearly do not.

Thanks again Los for sharing your heart.

Wednesday night my good pal Catie, shot me a text to invite me to join her in indulging in all there is to indulge in at Seffner’s finest, and probably one of the top 4 BBQ restaurants in the Tampa Bay Metro area, Hungry Harry’s. Well, being a fan of BBQ, especially Hungry Harry’s BBQ, there was absolutely no way for me to turn down the invite.

During the course of our over-indulgence we started conversing about how people learn what it is they know. Specifically how it is that some folks only believe what they’ve been taught, mostly by books, or in the majority of cases what has been spoon-fed to them in a manner that keeps them sheltered, if you will, from reality. It’s almost as if they’ve set up a barrier from that which is “real-life” and that which they choose to see as real-life: the text book version of life, or the version their parents have told them they need to be a part of.

This bothers me for many reasons. I don’t think it’s possible for someone to attain a significant amount of knowledge from books. Also, while I do believe it’s possible to gain a greater knowledge from other people than you might from books, I still do not believe that it’s possible for you to still gain a significant amount of knowledge from other people (teachers, pastors, celebrities, friends, family, etc.) either. I’m positive those avenues for learning do play a role in the formation of your mindset, but if those are the ONLY items that play a role in the formation of your mindset, then you’re not really in touch with reality. Lets face it, text books are outdated, furthermore, I know many college graduates who have told me that they abandoned the principals learned in their textbooks in favor of what actually works, which is in most cases the opposite of what the textbook said. Our world moves too fast for you to only live off of the words in a textbook, or the words of someone else.

I’ve even said the goal of this blog is for the reader to leave here thinking about something, even if your only thoughts are “Man, that guy is a complete idiot.” The reason I say that is because if that’s the only thought you leave here with then I hope that will get you thinking about why you thought that, which will get you thinking about why you think what you think…and do you see what I’m getting at? The underlying goal is to get you using that thing at the top of your skull in a healthy, productive manner. If you read something on here, and the first words out of your mouth, are “He’s right.” Then I’ve screwed up. You see, I believe that if ones words, whether those words be spoken or written are extremely powerful, obviously with power comes great influence which isn’t necessarily a bad thing unless that influence is the only influence that one has in their life. You’ve got to form your mindset, your knowledge of life on a variety of things including, but not limited to people, news, current events, life experiences (both of you and the people around you), your morals and ethics have to also play a role in this definition of what you “know.” You can’t hear something, read something, or see something and your first thought be “That’s right.” Inevitably you’re wrong!

So my challenge to you, my “call to action” is that you would think about all it is that you know, and think about ways that it can be impacted by recent events, even if those events do not seem to directly impact you. Now understand me folks, I’m not telling you to completely forget everything you’ve ever been taught by your textbooks, parents, pastors, teachers, friends and family. I’m merely suggesting that perhaps you could think about ways that you can challenge yourself to confirm that what you think you know is indeed what you really know.

I’m confident through the process you’re going to realize that you thought you knew, but you really had no idea.

Ex animo,

Will