Quick Thinking: What Does It All Mean?

The existential crisis has begun, dear readers. Stepping through the doorway into my 40's and I find myself questioning everything. 

And I mean everything. 

From "who am I?" to "why are we here?" to "what the eff is going on with this world lately?" to "who will rule over Westeros following the Long Night?" 

Like I said, everything.

Could the inner dialogue be a mid-life thing I'm going through? Maybe. Could it just be I'm becoming the "old guy" who resents the world more as he ages? Definite possibility.

After all, I do resent today's youth a little bit.  

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SIDE NOTE: START
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I don't resent the younger generation because the advances of modern society they benefit from or anything. Everything they have at their disposal is at mine, too. 

I'm all for moving forward with forward thinking and technology. 

My resentment comes from the fact that their entire world is built around instant gratification. Everything from music to movies to food to sex -- yes, even sex -- can be found at their literal fingertips.

Just swipe right, baby.

The convenience is fantastic. No question. But the resulting mindset lacks the basic understanding that effort and time are required to achieve things. Important things, anyway. Not everything can be had the moment you want it, the world doesn't work that way.

When I was growing up --  and here comes the "old guy" mentality -- you'd have to wait a week to see the next episode of your favorite show. There was no binge watching. You'd have to go to the library to do research for related school work. There was no internet. You had to stash a Victoria's Secret catalog in the drop ceiling of your basement bathroom to discover your sexuality. There was no porn.

And that's what it really comes down to, I guess. The younger generation will never understand the creative thinking, planning, ingenuity and patience it took to strategically place mail-order catalogs along with small bottles of warm vanilla sugar lotion around a high-traffic home during those "coming of age years" we all experience because you never knew when you were going to need them and who would be around when you did.

And those types of skills are necessary in today's world. 

Now more than ever.

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SIDE NOTE: END
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Generational specifics aside, I don't think my current thought processes are age related. I don't think they're the result of some mid-life realization of mortality either. I think they're entirely world related, plain and simple. 

Today's world is in a weird spot, y'all. And, no, not just because an internet troll is running our country. Today's world is in a weird spot because a lot of issues and uproar involve people rallying to blame other people for whatever injustices they're experiencing. It's classic scapegoat mentality. 

And it's an epidemic hitting critical mass.

As I reflect on what I can do better to change my immediate surroundings -- and by "immediate surroundings" I mean the things in my life I can actually control -- I hope others do too. 

I think we need to all stop looking to blame others and cry for change and start with ourselves. Change our outlooks, change our attitudes, change the way we think, change complaining every day, embrace what's good, be thankful for what we have, get whatever finances you have in order, be disciplined, be responsible and, most importantly, no matter what other folks may be saying, value and love yourself first.

Especially if there's warm vanilla sugar lotion involved.

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Quick Thinking
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-- The parity surrounding this year's NFL season is setting the table for yet another New England Patriots Super Bowl appearance.

-- Crazy to think of after watching Kansas City slap them around on opening night.

-- The best song you're not listening to right now is Joy by Leven Kali.

-- Netflix's newest show Mindhunter feels like a really long episode of Silence of the Lambs and really worth the watch.

-- Goodbye, horses.

-- Quote of the Week goes to my son Declan for saying the following after he saw a picture of the Halloween costume I've been making for him over the past few weeks, "If you're going to do something, Dad, don't you want to do your best?"

-- My response was immediate, "This is my best, bud." 

-- To which he replied, "I think you can do better."

-- Gotta respect the honesty.

-- And the thought process.

-- And the fact that he thinks I can do better.

-- Little does he know the door he's opened because I can't WAIT to use that same line of logic on him when he's in a bit older.

-- It applies any number of situations.

-- Pandora's box, indeed.