Here it comes...

Yep, this week is a week of anticipation. I'm in the process of a massive redesign of my website, for starters. Also, I managed to start getting a scratchy throat, which I am anxiously awaiting in anticipation for it's timely demise.

Also, I am anxious that Naomi is coming home shortly, in a little over a week if memory serves. We have made tentative plans (by "we" I mean "I") to play cards and such. You see, Naomi is a special character. She brings out the "let's go out and do something fun" in me. Usually I'm content to sit at home and watch a movie or something. That's not always the best thing in the world to do. She tends to want to go do stuff. Elsewhere. Go to the park, kick ducks, maybe go get ice cream or coffee or coffee flavoured ice cream. She tends to have the influential ability to get me to get out of my comfort zone and do something productive. Which is nice.

For example. I had yesterday off from work, as I do every Wednesday. However, thanks to my hilarious prank of not stopping at a stop-sign right in front of a police cruiser, I had to use my day off to go downtown and get my ticket signed off on. I desperately wanted to avoid this because of past experiences. I just flat out didn't want to do it. So when Naomi called me, she was very sweet about asking me if I had done that yet, and of course I began to spew more excuses than Nixon, and then I felt it. The self-inflicted guilt-trip. The weird kind of self-infliction that is actually Naomi thinking that I should go downtown even if I don't want to, but she doesn't say it, but I know she's thinking it, then I feel guilty...

Yeah. So I did it. I went downtown with Josh and got my stuff taken care of, and to top it off, it really wasn't that bad. Just FYI, showing proof of insurance for a WPD ticket is much easier and faster than doing so for a Hi-Po ticket.

But, in the end, one thing still stands. My sore throat. I drank some Dr. Pepper this morning (which didn't help, but it tasted good and made me feel better; I'm so shallow) and ate an apple (which is definitely NOT nature's toothbrush) and now I'm working on my website whilst at work. I already transferred in all the new accessories, and cut out all the new price-tags, but I still have yet to face the formidable alliance of crickets and beetles in the back thanks to Mr. Ryan forgetting to let the backdoor close all the way last night. I may call in for backup on that one.

This post has exceeded the maximum limit of most peoples' attention span and will now close.

Hextember

Holy crap, it's October. Stupid month snuck up on me. Let's talk about what October means to Seth.

Cold. October is here when it gets cold. Not "snow" cold, but "freezing rain" cold. We ease in to the winter months, and can withstand below freezing temperatures in February, for example, however I have learned that October is the month where temperatures drop from 90F to about 33F and then it rains.

Candy Corn Pumpkins. The little ones made of the same stuff they make Candy Corn with. I remember those at both my Grandparents' houses. There was always one on the shelf above the sink in Grandma Duncan's kitchen, and Grandma Bolen always had a little pumpkin-shaped candy-holder full of them.

Middle school. Specifically times when Cyle and Brice and I would hang out. We always seemed to have something fun to do in October. I don't know why, but when I think of the good ole' Oct, memories of late nights of movies and sour-ropes spring to mind. And Gweedo.

Naomi. Naomi broke up with me in October once. The first time actually. It was strange because it was the first time someone broke up with me while things seemed to be going so well. Strangely, I didn't mind because she said God had asked her to. Whatever He says, I'm fine with.

Cassie's Birfday. Yes, my sister graced this world at the end of Octime. Usually her birfday fests are more memorable and fun than Halloween ever was. Except the time I dressed up as a Star Trek character, complete with the uniform and even the little logo-on-the-chest-communicator-beamer-coffe-maker thing.

Adventures. Finally, the last thing that just screams in my mind when I think of this month are the Adventures that my Grandpa and I used to go on. I'm not 100% sure that they were in October, but it was always cold, the trees (I remember) were devoid of leaves, but it wasn't snowey out. I guess it very well could have been in November, but I doubt it. We would go on long walks just wherever, and see what we could see. We'd find fish, turtles, beer cans...just anything really. It was always tons of fun and something I'll remember for a long time.

Finally, I will depart with a little knowledge of the month for you. I've done some research and found that a little town in Indiana exists that goes by the name of Ober. Taking that knowledge with the previous knowledge of the language, October literally translates into "Eight Little Indians" or in some dialects "Eight Casinos".

With that, I leave you. Have a nice day.

The wonders of music.

Everybody has a problem with attention span. I confess that I do. People like to multi-task, which is not always a good thing.

People drink coffee in their cars while listening to Ne-Yo or PCD and using BlueTooth to chat with their girlfriends.

People listen to Nickelback while blogging, and with the advent and popularity of iPods, people can now listen to Rod Stewart while biking, or Kiss while napping in a meadow; whatever the case may be.

People rarely pay attention to what they are listening to. I am not going to go down the path of "Christian music is the only good music" here, because I don't believe that is anywhere near the truth, however I do believe in music and it's power and I want to enlighten some of you who do not realize what is going on.

Music comes in two parts; the tones and the lyrics. Some only have one or the other. Tones; chords and such can carry a huge amount of emotion, even to the point of evoking tears or ludicrous dancing, but NEVER do they invoke hatred. Music NEVER brings pain. A person can associate pain with a song (for example, whenever I hear "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing", I think of Nicole, a great friend who died in a fire last year) and people can hate a style of music and build their own hatred or disgust just by hearing the music, however notes, chords, and tones can not bring hatred or pain. Music is powerful, it evokes emotion.

Lyrics are a completely different story. Bands and artists will write music about emotion, and usually about something that the artist feels strongly about. Whether an artist is singing about an ex-girlfriend, a current girlfriend, God, intentional rebellion, or even causing bodily harm of one form or another, lyrics carry a meaning. The main difference is this; lyrics CAN bring hatred, pain, or rebellion. Granted, people control their own emotions, but honestly, when was the last time YOU sat down and thought "okay, I'm in a bad mood, what actions should I take to kick this bad mood. I like Ice-cream and my friends, I'll go to braums with Josh". Seriously, people just ignore the instigator of the feelings and prefer to just feel. With this in mind, please watch what it is you listen to.

"Oh, I listen to it because they are great instrumentalists, I don't agree with the message." If you've ever said that, please pay attention to what you're saying. There are plenty of people with good messages, or at least non-violent messages that are plenty as good as x band.

"It's got a great beat and I can dance to it", but it talks about doing drugs and this and that etc...
What the heck. Listen to something that isn't so filled with hatred.

The whole point of this post is this. KNOW WHAT YOU LISTEN TO AND WHY. Listen to the lyrics. Read the lyric-sheet. Do not support something you don't stand for, if only as a character issue.

What do you listen to and why? I'm glad you asked.

Christian Rock - Do I really really need to explain this?
Other Rock - Most rock music isn't negative. I do read the lyrics though.
Electronica - It's got a good beat and you can dance to it. Very few lyrics. It evokes joy in me.
Foreign Classical - Traditional European classical bores me. Listen to Indian or Japanese music.

If music brings out hatred or rebellion in you, even if the music isn't supporting or encouraging that, please watch your attitude and maybe consider something else. You have to share this planet with billions of other people, so try not to piss everyone off.

My arm hurts.

I have a character flaw. Many, actually, but one in particular that I feel like writing about.

I have a complete and total inability to relate to, identify with, respect, listen to, care about, or deal with anybody who feels it necessary to introduce high-levels of drama to any particular environment, but especially ones where I am involved. In my mind, I really don't think it's necessary to throw a fit about one thing or another, especially when it is invoking or instigating what I call "global frustration". Also, I simply don't care. Really I don't.

I figure that if I have a problem with someone, then a) (preferably) I change my own attitude and move on or b) I discuss it with that person. I do not feel it necessary to drudge up frustrations at every available convenience.

There are exceptions. If I have tried to change my attitude and find my own attitude to be in line, and have then moved on to discussing with the other person, numerous times, and every time, nothing changes, then here come the frustrations. That's a whole different story.

Anyways, for all you drama queens and kings; shutup, get over yourself, and do something productive. For everyone else; be strong. I know you can do it!


Also, if your thermostat in your car is acting up, for the love of exploded thermostat housings and creepy tow-truck drivers, please change it.

Finally, do not; DO NOT; make your hand act like a mouse or a rat in front of a Cat with claws. For real. I mean it.

A Real Life Heist...

So, many of us, especially those of the male persuasion, tend to have a certain fondness of movies involving heists. It has even been a subject of comedians, such as Dane Cook, and something about the thrill of it just makes guys think "yeah, that'd be cool".

Well, for those of you who have a tendency to avoid (intentionally or otherwise) reading world news, let me give you a brief story of one Stian Skjold, the alleged mastermind of one of the worlds most daring acts of thievery.

According to prosecution, Stian (that's a cool name for real) was the mastermind and coordinator of a daylight robbery that managed to successfully steal two of the worlds most famous paintings by forcing themselves into a museum and holding all the employees at ay with a revolver or two.

These paintings, painted by Edvard Munch include "The Scream" and "Madonna".

Now, most of those involved have been arrested and tried, however Stian, the alleged mastermind, was acquitted. Interesting.

Anyways, I wanted to make sure that this story was told. It is very interesting, and you can find plenty about it online.

A big shout out....

...goes to Mr. F, who was the FIRST person to ever comment on my blogger.com account. Thank you, you big Italian you! Of all the people who read this blog, some random Joe (or Mario?) from another country was the first person to post a comment (albeit a single-word comment...) on this site. Thank you. With all of my heart.

So, let's begin this post.

Things are going well. Just read sethduncan.com and you'll see. Seriously. You should. You should also join the forums. For real.

So, let's end this post.

Bye.

Granny shifting, not double clutching like you should.

I have often stated that my life seems to draw quite a few parallels to all things automotive. Most recently, I have been reminded of my example relating my phases in life to shifting gears.

You see, it seems that the biggest changes in my life happen when (strangely) I get a new car and a new job all within about a month. Another situation like that has arisen. I've been offered (and accepted) a position selling cell phones for Sprint, and I have a new car on the table, ready to trade at a moment's notice. And Naomi is in Tulsa. And God changed my life plan. And I pulled out of school. And I'm finally going to be financially comfortable. You see my point?

I would say that I officially entered first gear and let out the clutch so to speak during the Christmas break of my freshman year in High-School. I changed the way I dressed, my confidence spiked, and I changed those that I spent my time around. Things got great. I loved High-School.

My shift into second gear probably occured the summer that Naomi and I started dating, I got my Stealth, and quit Taco Bell. Now, for those who are going to split hairs, yes, I've had a few odd jobs here and there since then, but the job that's going to stick in my mind for this "gear" if you will, is Best Buy.

So finally, I'm shifting into third, and really gaining some momentum in my life. In most decent sports cars, third gear is the first gear that can hit 100mph, or at least come darn-near to it. I'm planning on paying off my debt from the previous gear, maybe even getting married, getting a job that puts me over the poverty line (yippee.), and maybe even allowing myself to buy some toys. Maybe.

It excites me, really. However, the times when I shift gears also seem to bear with them painful situations. I guess life is like that. I'll always look back at first gear and remember Nicole, and that hurts. Second gear reminds me of Naomi, and our numerous break-ups, and Samantha (the Stealth), and all that hurts. Third gear; eh, I'll have to get back to you on that, but right now, I'm away from my sweetheart, she is super-preoccupied at school, i'm driving a POS RX-7 that is seriously giving Hell a run for it's money on spontaneous combustability, and I am transitioning. That is always the hardest part.

So why do I always seem to do it all at once? Who knows, maybe it's my super-developed sense of adventure (ha), and maybe it's my under-developed sense of responsibility (more than likely) and maybe it's my lack of Dr. Pepper for the month.

It's probably the latter.