We spent over four hours. It was fantastic.

Honestly, what sparked this blog was an experience I had with my husband while driving the long 6 to 7 hours from Milwaukee to Detroit. Our rule is that the driver gets to choose the radio station. In my case, more often than not, this means news or talk radio. On one of those recent trips, I was listening to the BBC and he questioned me on it – “why do you listen to this? It’s annoying.”

The material provides me a view of the international stories that I like to hear, and I enjoy the passion with which the English conduct governmental business. However, I have to tell you…I think the real reason that I listen is because it sounds more intelligent, and I don’t mean the accent.

Sure, the accent is proper, and therefore may sound a little “uppity”, but I mean the vocabulary. The words actually spoken. How diverse is your vocabulary or that of people you know? Do you often learn new words? Do you look up words when you hear them and don’t know the meaning?

I often find myself looking for a simpler term when I think a word is what we often call word-nerdy. At the risk of sounding uppity, I sometimes like to use the best word for the situation even if it is unfamiliar to your “average joe.”

No, I am not going to argue the value of unions or American manufacturing jobs. On the contrary, I am going to pass judgment on the next generation or two. There is no doubt that a majority of the generation of unions and manufacturing are tough, hardworking individuals who understand the value of a good job and a dollar earned.

But, did they do a disservice to the younger generations by providing endless support and comfort? Have the days of “everyone wins” and “no one fails” created a nation of wimps?

Sure not everyone grows up this way, and not everyone feels entitled, but the “I need to be valued” club is growing at alarming rates.

Since when did our college educations and our jobs become the place for fulfillment? I often hear the entitlement crowd crowing about how they need to feel that they are making a difference. They want to leave their mark on this world, blah, blah. Of course you do, don’t we all?

But, why do some expect it from their job? Why not volunteer, work with your church or community organization, contribute to a political or social cause that you value, or travel to spread good will to the less fortunate? Why should you be paid to be a good citizen or neighbor? Seriously.

Stop looking to get paid for what you should be living, and accept payment for doing a job. Stop wasting your time majoring in subjects like social welfare, generic marketing, and music, and start learning math and science.

It’s fine to have passions and hobbies. But as we continue to major in the feel-good subjects and seek fulfillment from our jobs, we continue to lose our status in the the world and we become less competitive in technology and the things that rule the world economy.

It takes money to live the lifestyles we are accustomed to, and as our commitment to research and technology declines so does our ability to be charitable. In other words, the ability to do fulfilling work will be stifled by the inability to compete in the world market.

So, to all those in the “fulfillment” generation/club, get a job, work hard, be grateful for it, and spend the money you earn on those activities that fill your emotional needs. You’ll be amazed at how much of a difference you can make in society when you have a good job albeit just a job.

Picture this: I’m standing behind his boat, up to my waist in the water, holding a can of beer and chatting away. He says “You know, you are illegal right now, BECAUSE your feet are touching the sand.” All I had to do to be “legal” was sit on the back of the boat. No feet on the ground.

Then, he took me for a tour of Tube-a-palooza. Thousands (about 3000 from estimates) of people sitting on floatation devices of all sorts drinking themselves into oblivion to avoid the feet-touching-sand law.

Somehow it’s less of a disturbance if they are in the water? Nevermind the hazard it creates having thousands of drunk people floating around. At least they aren’t disturbing the people sitting on the beach…really?!

Check it out sometime. It’s become some sort of phenomenom now in the San Diego bay. This new law has succeeded in increasing the numbers of drinkers at the beach tenfold. It has manifested into a cult of sorts, and no one wants to miss out.

Instead of enforcing the laws already on the books that apply – like disturbing the peace or drunk driving or drunk in public for those who get rowdy ON the beach – we now have a law that encourages drinking in the water with thousands of your closest friends. Brilliant.

I love California – lived there for 10 years. Always excited to go back. And, every place has its pros and cons. But, California is supposed to be progressive, liberal, tolerant, whatever you want to call it. However, besides stupid laws like this one and no talking on your phone while driving, California’s three strikes law has proven to be the biggest blunder in the history of criminal punishment.

I know I am veering off-topic from boozing at the beach, but it saddens me to know that this great state has such an ugly side. A progressive state should not have the highest incarceration rate, one of the poorest educational systems, and the highest tax rates. One cannot reconcile these facts.

In closing, I encourage my friends in San Diego to keep partying, but be safe. It is not worth it to have senseless injuries or deaths to prove a point to those who pass dumb senseless laws. Instead, get off your tubes and take action to change the law.

Maybe it’s our overexposure to advertising and product branding everywhere we look. Americans are notorious for buying junk to feed the “need something” hunger or fill some void in our lives. Hence, the success of junk pushers like WalMart and Target. Don’t get me started on that rant.

I have found a few ways to curb those urges without buying something and sometimes, they are even more satisfying. Next time you get the “need” bug, try one of these:

- go through all your clothes, shoes, collections and find something you haven’t seen in a long time. You’ll be amazed at how new it feels.

- Gather things you no longer want/need and donate to a local shelter or charity. It reminds you of how much you really have.

- Look through the Sunday sales of your newspaper, and take note of all the stuff you don’t need. It really works.

- Make a wish list. Often times writing down the things you want makes you realize how insignificant they really are. And, when someone asks you for gift ideas for a holiday, you might actually have some ideas.

- If you really want something, designate a savings cup and begin putting “extra”  money in it towards your prize.

Sure, I often say that if I am terminally ill, I’d be better off not knowing until the end. All the suffering and pain that we put people through to prolong the inevitable. All the worrying and fretting about something over which I have no control. I’ll take that ignorance…maybe…

But, what about the ills of society – poverty, illness, abuse, starvation. All of this happens in our own back yards every day, but millions go on as if it is not there.  Is it easier to go about my day without thinking about the cold and lonely homeless man, or to eat my fabulous dinner without thinking of the children going to bed hungry tonight? Sure. it’s easier, but is it really bliss?

How many people do you know that have been homeless, hungry, struggled with mental illness or addicition, lost their job. Life deals some pretty nasty blows when we least expect them.

I pose this question: When life deals you one of those nasty blows, do you want to be the person who always turned the other cheek and embraced the ignorance is bliss mentality? Or, do you want to be the person who reached out to others in their time of need and tried to make a difference?

Think of all the examples of how people use fear throughout our society:

• Governments and tyrannies use fear to control their people and other governments.

• Parents and teachers use fear to scare children into submission and make them act in certain ways.

• Crimes are committed every day based on fear and intimidation.

• Many religions use fear to direct and control their followers.

• Businesses and bosses use fear to keep employees quite and obedient.

The examples are endless, but the most powerful and most important fear is the one which lives with inside each of us. The fear we have of ourselves failing, or succeeding, or of others not approving of our behavior or beliefs.

Imagine the things you could accomplish, or already could have accomplished, were it not for your fears…

A few things I might have done or would do are:

• To dance with reckless abandon whenever I get the urge. )

• Pursued a career in international journalism and worked on the front lines of reporting.

• Moved to New York City.

• Go on to law school and work for the Innocence Project.

It’s not to say that these are regrets or even things that I cannot still do. But I think it is important to acknowledge fears, or things we have not done out of fear,  so they do not become regrets and we learn from those experiences to avoid repeating them.

When your greatest foe discovers your greatest fear, you are defeated.

2. Look through old pictures and talk about the memories.

3. Skip. – Skipping is so fun!

4. Dig into the earth and plant more good things: veggies, flowers, trees, plants.

5. Stretch. I watch my pets stretch every day, but I struggle to follow their lead.

6. Sit in silence and let the sun warm me through.

7. Eat dinner to candlelight and soft music.

8. Study geography and learn about other cultures.

9. Spend time with and listen to elderly people.

10. Avoid the daily news.

We might be a long way from the paralyzed taking their first steps, but then again, we might not. Nothing proves more promising to reaching these goals than stem cell research, including the embryionic type.

You know, the same people that oppose stem cell research for moral or religious beliefs, see no problem with the reason this surplus of embryos exists; Doctors “making” babies. If the belief is that life and death are truely the will of God (any God you choose), then pregnancy should not result from scientific interference including invetro and fertility drugs.

But, this double-standard is pervasive in the issue of life. If life and death are truely God’s will (or a natural process), then Terry Schiavo should have died 15 years before she actually did. However, lifers were out in full force fighting for her scientifically-controlled existence.

The bottom line is that there is a lot of gray area in this issue. As uncomfortable as some scientific research might make some, it may improve the lives of many who are suffering. In fact, as scientific discoveries continue proving to us every day, it does and will continue to improve the lives of the living.

Every one is entitled to their own moral judgement and religious (or non-religious) beliefs. You and your loved ones (or any other person) are not being hurt by this research. In fact, it is likely that someone you love will benefit from the findings someday.