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?

Episode 12 of the Unobjective Intelligence podcast (The Will Young show) is here!

This week:

• I’m stepping up and calling out the parents out there who are letting there kids try to kill people, steel cars and commit crimes. I’m telling you why myspace, the internet, video games, hip hop and all the other crap that everyone blames for our kids problems are NOT the problem.
• We’ll talk about why the “cool train” is a load of crap.
• Finally, I’ll let you in on a little secret about business owners profit margins.

If there is something you’d like to hear on an upcoming episode of the Will Young show please shoot me an e-mail.

You can download the UI podcast by using iTunes with 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 your computer to play in whatever MP3 player it is you use. Sometimes it will show up in a player on this post. If it does, feel free to listen to it there.

Episode 11 of the Unobjective Intelligence podcast (The Will Young show) is here!

This week I’m talking about:

• How it is people feel differently about certain events like political rally’s, natural disasters, mass shootings, etc based on life experience, or opinion.
• I’m talking about what I call the “Obama Affect”. I don’t want to spoil it here…YOU HAVE TO HEAR THIS!
• Why I believe in 2 years. Citizen Journalism will have overtaken the journalism industry.

If there is something you’d like to hear on an upcoming episode of the Will Young show please shoot me an e-mail.

You can download the UI podcast by using iTunes with 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 your computer to play in whatever MP3 player it is you use. Sometimes it will show up in a player on this post. If it does, feel free to listen to it there.

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.

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).

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.

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.

---

Links mentioned in this weeks episode:

Relationships:

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.

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

Ok, so I should forewarn you that this is going to be a bit of a rant.
Some of you derive great joy out of my rants, others think I should just shut up. Either way you’ve been warned, the choice is yours whether to read on or not.

I ran into a former schoolmate a while ago, who I hadn’t seen in quite awhile. She was telling me about her life up to now and in the midst of doing so she mentioned how she met her fiance, who by the way seems like a nice guy. She used a statement that makes me cringe: “When I saw him it was love at first sight.” Listen folks, the validity of that statement is so null that I really have no choice but to giggle when I hear someone say it. Think about it, love by definition is an affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests. With that in mind it’s hard for me to believe that love at first sight is possible. You mean to tell me that the very first time you SAW this particular individual you had admired him, wanted to give him everything he needed and had a bunch in common? How the heck do you know all that just by looking at someone? It’s just not love. At least, I think it’s not.

I could be wrong, but is it possible your love at first sight is nothing more than an intense physical attraction at first sight? I mean I get the point it’s a heck of a lot easier to say love at first sight then it is to say an intense physical attraction at first sight, but really by saying love at first sight you’re lying to yourself and those around you. How can you love someone you don’t even know?
Of course the problem with love is it has so many definitions that it’s hard to keep them all in line.
The love I’m talking about here is the unselfish I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I’m willing to die for you and I’ll love you until death do us part type love. The love that says we have a lot in common, even though we have some things we disagree about. The love that says I’ll provide for you for the rest of our lives, and will do my very best to fulfill every need you may have, and certainly try hard to give you everything/anything you may want. The love that says, when I look at you I can’t think of anyone else on the face of the planet that I should be spending my life with.
Not the love that is an unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another.

What’s the difference?

An example of the later would be that I love mankind. I want the best for my fellow man, and will do whatever it takes to help them.

An example of the I’ll love you until death do us part love is when one day (hopefully) I find the women that God has placed on this earth for me to spend the rest of my life with. The women I make a family with. The women I go to bed with every night, and who will hold my loyalty UNTIL THE DAY I DIE. The women that I will confidently know that there is no one else on the face of the planet I’d rather spend my life with.

I’m not saying all love at first sight is actually lust at first sight, because not everyone looks at a person and is so lascivious that they want to rip the persons clothes off and get them in the sack. That’s lust, and not everyone feels that when they see someone they’re initially attracted to.

I think we take love to lightly. I mean look at the divorce rate, it’s higher than its ever been. I have friends who have dated, slept with, hooked up with and been engaged to more people than I can count on both my fingers and toes and each time it seems like they say “When I met him/her it was love at first sight.” Really? Love at first sight huh, then why on earth are they no longer in the picture? You see, if it’s truly love, then it will last forever. If it’s not then, well, it won’t.

I often get made fun of for and get frustrated with my process when it comes to courtship (p.s. dating, when done for nothing more than pleasure is a complete waste of time, don’t date random people just for the comfort of having a boy/girlfriend or for sex/other physical aspects of love, if you don’t think you could marry the person you’re attracted to then you are wasting both of your time…and don’t tell me “Well how are you going to know unless you date first?” You’ll know…trust me!).
I’d be lying if I said I’ve never had an intense physical attraction at first sight, because I have…a lot actually. However, there have been only a few girls who I’ve taken the time to get to know past that physical attraction. I’m EXTREMELY careful with throwing the “L word” around, because truthfully once love comes into the picture the entire relationship changes. I take love seriously (maybe too seriously which would explain why I haven’t had a girlfriend in quite some time) and I’m not going to give a part of my heart to a women, and allow her to give a part of hers to me, if in the end we’re going to go our separate ways. You can fairly well tell when you’re attracted to someone and desire to court them or when you’re attracted to someone and it’ll never be more than a friendly attraction.

The bottom line is this:

- Just because you see someone and you think they’re attractive it’s not LOVE at first sight. It’s nothing more than an intense physical attraction at first sight.
- Be careful how many people you give your heart to or by the time you get married you’ll have very little left to give to that person.
- Don’t date without a purpose. If your purpose is sex or other physical things, then you’re an idiot. Your purpose should be courtship, and eventually marriage.
- Know what you’re looking for. Pray about it, think about it, do whatever it is you do to determine what you’re looking for in a relationship and in a spouse, and do not settle for anything less.
- Don’t tell someone you love them if you barely know them. I mean yes, it’s ok to tell a friend you love them, but if you know that your relationship is progressing forward with the potential to move past friendship, the words “I love you” take on an entirely new meaning. The word love, and the phrase I love you, carry a deep significance, and should be used wisely.
- Most importantly remember that love and marriage are life long commitments. If you can not and/or are not willing to make that commitment, then remaining single is probably the best route for you. I will tell you that personally I believe there is someone for everyone out there, and you just have to remain patient in your search for that person.

That’s some sappy stuff, but it’s been on my heart since my conversation with my schoolmate, and also a situation with a roommate.

Love is a serious matter. Get to know the person you “love” before you tell them you love them. You won’t be sorry.

Ex animo,

Will

When I moved at the beginning of March, I turned in all my cable equipment back to our local cable provider, Brighthouse Networks (herein refered to as Suckhouse, just because it makes me feel better). I had just received my bill, which is always for the coming month, and not the previous month. With this in mind, when I turned my equipment in I asked what I should pay of the bill, because I didn’t use the entire month of service and was told to pay the full amount, which was like $124 and some change. So I made my credit card payment of $ 125 and drove on, figuring perhaps there was something I didn’t know.

Imagine my surprise (not really) when I get a statement at my parents house that says they owe me $79.76. Upon my receipt of this statement (only a few days after it was sent out) I called Suckhouse Networks to inform them of my new address and asked if they could mail the check to my address. That was in early March.

Before I continue, $79.76 may not seem like a ton of money, but when we’re on the verge of a depression nearly $80 is a significant chunk of change! Besides being a good amount of money, as you read on you’ll see why this incident, coming from a company who prides itself on superb customer service has me so ticked off.

When I made the call in March the lady I spoke with said that it would take 4 to 6 weeks for me to get something back from them. So I’ll say around April 16th, I called to find out what was up. The girl I spoke with that time told me that the check was mailed on March 21st, and she doesn’t know why I don’t have it, and she would send a note to accounting and someone would contact me. So after not hearing from anyone by April 25th I called again to get information and was told that the check would be in my mailbox no later than May 2nd and given no further information. I figured the check was coming from St. Petersburg as that was where I had my Suckhouse Networks account. So I started calling on the 30th of April to get more information at which time I was basically told that it was a waste of time to call until on or after May 2nd as that would make it exactly 6 weeks since the check was processed. Well it didn’t come on the 2nd (not that I was shocked, although I was pissed off). So I called Suckhouse Networks AGAIN, this time the lady said “Well you know how the mail works sir,” in a giggling manner, as if I was stupid for thinking the mail would work in my favor. So I waited all weekend and got nothing. Needless to say when I got home yesterday after work and STILL had nothing I was so ticked off that my head was ready to explode. I called and the guy said it was useless yelling at him because I need to talk to the accounting department only they wont talk to customers you’ll have to get a customer care supervisor to act as a middle man (which is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard of). So I called this morning, finally got someone who seems to somewhat sympathize with my irritation, or at least she was incredibly helpful. She talked to accounting and finally got accounting to admit that the check must be lost. The accounting lady allegedly told her to tell me that check would be canceled a new one printed and mailed out today. Well, I called around 3 pm today just to confirm, only to find out that it’ll take 5 to 10 business days to first research what happened to the check, cancel it, and then I have to wait another 6 to 8 weeks (which apparently was what I should have been told all along that this process takes) before I can get my $79.76. So now I’m waiting for a phone call to determine if there is anyway to bypass the 6 to 8 weeks after the 5 to 10 business days of research and have the check next day aired to me at my job.

She promised she’ll call back. We’ll see what happens.

Long story short, if you live in the Suckhouse Networks service area my advice to you would be to go with your local satellite provider, or if your telephone company offers fiber optics in your area go with them. Whatever you do, avoid Suckhouse Networks. If you’re a Suckhouse Networks customer, don’t pay them for 6 to 8 weeks and when they call to ask why, tell them you read on unobjective intelligence that it takes them 6 to 8 weeks to send out payments to customers so you thought that taking 6 to 8 weeks to pay your bill was more than fair.

You better believe that once I receive this check my “war” isn’t complete. I’m in the process of drafting several letters, all of which will probably be thrown away. HOWEVER, I’ll feel really good about the whole situation once I’m done writing them. I’m also going to be filing a report on Rip Off Report and contacting JD Powers (apparently Suckhouse Networks has been ranked highly in customer satisfaction…pssh) to inform them of my DISSATISFACTION.

This probably seems dumb to anyone reading this, but posting this entry, along with writing these letters is excellent therapy for me.

Do you have a horror story about waiting for a company to pay you? Please share, leave a comment.

**UPDATE** (5-7-2008): Just got off the phone with Barbara, a supervisor at Brighthouse, it looks like they are just going to cut me a manual check and I should have it by the end of next week. A resolution…finally…hopefully. Trust me, you’ll hear about it if not.