Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I hope that you have/are having/will have/had a great day.

I wanted to take the opportunity to make a list of some of the things/people I am thankful for. Taking the time to recognize the things/people in life that you truly appreciate really helps to keep you grounded at least me anyway.

Enjoy your holiday!

First and foremost I am thankful for my family. My mom, dad, and 2 sisters. You know it’s quite hilarious how growing up when you’re younger you always find a way to despise your immediate family members yet as you get older you come to realize just how terribly important they are to you and how thankful you really are to have them be a part of your life. I have a very loving and supportive family that I truly appreciate having around.

I am thankful for my job. I am with a large company that has an incredible mission and really believes in the power of the employee. Plus given the fact that like 8 or 9 percent of the population is unemployed right now I am thankful to be employed and that it looks like I’ll be employed through this current economic downturn.

I am thankful for the wisdom shared on a daily basis by fellow bloggers and all around interesting and incredible people like (and don’t be offended if you’re not listed here): Anne Jackson, Chris Elrod, Crystal Renaud, Pete Wilson, Carlos Whittaker, Alex Mclean, Eve Annunziato, Seth Godin, Jay Smooth and a few others (all the blogs I read on a weekly/daily basis are listed on the left under the link ‘Blogs that I read‘). Each of these folks pour one, if not more thing into my life on a daily basis. Be it parenting skills, life skills, social skills, biblical wisdom, advice, or even just a smile with a stupid you tube video. I can honestly say that in way form or another each of these folks, of whom I’ve never met, except Chris, have impacted my life and I am truly thankful for that impact.

I am thankful for being alive. For those that don’t know I had a brush with some EXTREMELY HIGH blood pressure issues just a few months ago. I am very glad I caught it early and was able to make the necessary lifestyle adjustments to get things headed in the right path. I’ve lost nearly 50 pounds since all this went down in August and I eat out way less, and eat way healthier. While my blood pressure is still experiencing issues it has dropped and I’m not on medicine that helps to regulate it.

I am thankful for Mrs. Dash. Now that I have been diagnosed with severe hypertension I have to watch my salt intake and Mrs. Dash has become my friend.

I am thankful for not having to sit on the crapper all the time. (TMI I know…but oh well) Now that I have lessoned my intake of disgustingly greasy fast food the amount of time I spend on the toilet has also lessoned freeing me up to do many more exciting things.

I am thankful for my roommate, Ken who annoys the mess out of me but, still challenges me on a daily basis to strengthen my belief system. Of course his stress level is so high any more we do nothing but argue these days I am thankful for his presence in my life.

I am thankful for the new friends I’ve made this year and for the friendships I’ve strengthened. Those that know me well know that my mantra when it comes to friends is: Too many equals lotsa drama. So, you know that if I take the time to call you friend, and we are truly friends that you are very important to me and that I value your friendship.

I am thankful for the ability to make an impact on future generations. I’ve recently started working in the school system again and I am having a blast. I never thought I’d say that I am loving working with middle schoolers but, I really am.

Finally I am thankful for you. (Cheesy I know) I have managed, with your help to evolve Unobjective Intelligence into what I’ve always envisioned it being. An outlet for me to ramble uncontrollably, for you to inevitably argue with me and for me to take a deeper look at the things that effect my life and the world around me. It has opened doors for me and in some cases closed some doors. It has allowed me to fine tune my journalistic skill while still maintaining that which is important to me: my opinion. Thank you for sharing in this conversation called life with me!

Every once in a blue moon I like to post an entry like this because it helps me and others to realize who exactly I am.
This week I started a new job, and I think that there are some folks in my training class who grossly misunderstand who it is I am. Furthermore, I’ve been chit-chatting with some folks from my church who seem to misunderstand who exactly it is I am. I’m under no sort of obligation to share this, but I think our idea of self is often clouded when we allow the influence and opinions of others to creep in. That’s why I post these types of entries, not because I don’t know who it is I am, but because sometimes I need a reminder of who that person is, so that my intentions (motives) for doing life stay pure to their cause.

With out further ado…

Hi I am Will and…

• it is next to impossible for me to follow trends. In fact, most of the time I go against the grain just because it seems second nature to me.
• I used to and sometimes still do have a retched temper. I’ve learned though (but not through personal example) that a temper gets you no where but a hospital bed or a jail cell.
• I don’t think that because I listen to hip-hop or other music generally considered “not good” by those who feel morally superior makes me a bad person.
• I serve a REAL God. I recognize that is hard for many to understand, so let me clarify. My God gets pissed when I screw up. My God lets me know, and helps me figure out just exactly what I need to do so I don’t replicate the screw-up. My God sometimes has to say: “Hey IDIOT, get your head in the game, or I may have to get it in there for you!” Yes, my God has called me an idiot before, but He does it out of love. My God and I have gotten into verbal confrontations and in the end He usually wins. (He’s a pretty good debater) Basically, my God reminds me on a continual basis that I’m a screw-up, but that it’s ok, because He’s working to help me live a better life. He’s also ok with the fact that I’m a screw-up, even though that’s not the way He intended for me to be.
• I just realized that politics in this country are a joke and really have no desire to be nearly involved in them as I once was.
• I believe that despite popular opinion ALL music has some sort of theme or lesson that it is attempting to teach.
• it is very difficult for me to accept credit for much of anything. Actually I DESPISE having my name mentioned in any form of affirmation.
• I am a judgmental bastard who is working diligently everyday to change that.
• I’m single and despite whatever I may say about it I hate it. NOT because I need someone to make me feel good about myself but because I can’t bare the idea that I have absolutely no idea how to look for the person who it is that God has out there for me. (You can spare me the comments about her coming to me, because it takes two to tango and if I’m having such a hard time finding her, whats to make me believe shes not having as equal of a time trying to find me.
• I watch shows like The Hills, Gossip Girl, 90210, The Ellen DeGeneres Show and other television shows that cause many to question my sexuality or say that I’m less of a man as a result. Well for one you can see the point above, and for two, good television is good television whether you’re in possession of a penis or a vagina. GET OVER IT.
• drama in my life drives me nuts but, drama on television, on the radio, in magazines, the movies or Hollywood excites me beyond explanation.
• with me it’s what you see is what you get. I don’t have anything to hide behind, and really have no desire to do so. If you’re offended by my words and/or actions or anything else about me, I would: A.)Let me know, and then B.)GET OVER IT.
• I’m deeply opinionated but unlike many other deeply opinionated folks (at least the ones I know) I accept the reality that others have opinions too.
• I’m a compulsive work-a-holic. It drives me.
• I used to believe that I couldn’t function well if I wasn’t stressed to the core. I’ve since realized that that is the furthest from true.
• I’m paranoid beyond belief. I don’t even like being at my church after dark because of the neighborhood it’s in! :-/
• censoring myself is something that I am completely uncapable of doing outside of the arena of my job (and it’s actually quite difficult there too).
• text messaging, e-mailing, myspace/facebook messages, twitter messages and various other online tools work better than talking to me on the phone for communicating with me because, well see the above statement.
• have a passion for the written word and for speaking it in public in front of many people. Speeches come natural for me and the ability to speak without a script isn’t difficult for me. Not bragging or anything, it’s just something I’m proud of.
• I like to eat.
• my best ideas and thought processing occurs on the toilet or in the shower.
• I have many aquaintances, but few <a href=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendship” title=”Friends” target=new>friends</a>. The friends I do have though know that I’d give most of myself for them.
• I’m not a fan of fantasy worlds. I like to live in reality as much as possible, even if reality is sad or depressing. Why sugarcoat things?
• I don’t think that motivational speaking is in my future as I have a hard time trying to tell people what they want to hear. Most of the time what I feel they need to hear just flows out of my mouth a lot easier.
• I’m not afraid to admit that I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing here. I am however slowly learning everyday what my purpose in life is and how to carry that purpose out. I’ve still yet to figure out why I’ve been given that purpose.

There you have it, that’s a brief look into some of the things that are often misunderstood about me. Hope it sheds some light on who I am.

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.

 

 The Unobjective Intelligence Podcast Episode 12 [51:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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.

I said Monday that I was working on some minor tweaks here at UI. The (semi) end result you’ll notice is to your left.

I moved the about me section over to the left, as well as made a navigation area. I received a couple messages telling me that folks, for whatever reason, couldn’t figure out to click the banner up top to return to the main page, so you can now do so by clicking ‘Home’ on the left side. I’ve also put my blogroll and links on the left.

In addition I added the ‘Get At Me’ section which features links to the social-networking and other sites I am connected to so that you can add me or whatever. There are a few more that I need to get up there, but I’ve got to find a button for them first.

These changes are in response to feed back from you, so if you have any further feedback, please shoot me a line.