Just journal bloggin about dragon boat’ and Blog on Establishing Values.

These past two weeks have been pretty crazy. For starters SDSU canceling my masters program while I was basically at the end of completing the prerequisites for was pretty insulting. I’m not sure where I’ll be attending in the fall but it’s all good. Where there’s a will there’s a way! I’ll figure it out.

Last week I captained a dragon boat racing team. It was difficult coordinating the event and getting so many people committed to giving up an entire day. Not to mention I was selective on whom I actually placed on the team based on a criteria of dependability and just general people skills or “team work” skills.

The event was really a success, mostly everyone showed up on time, (Except my sister for some strange reason?) Every single paddler on my team was really was into succeeding and learning how to improve their own technique. I found this interesting because only Sherman, Jon and I were the only ones with any experience (albeit limited,) in regards to this sport. I was amazed on how you can just throw a group of people into a strange and new situation and watch them embrace the challenge and set goals to grow. I guess this would apply to all facets in life, some people get it and some don’t. I just so happened to have a team full of win on Saturday and I was very pleased with how everyone really gave it their all even though the situation was so foreign to them.

I named the team “Brown Dog” after Gunther. I actually picked the name because Linda Tu (president of the organization) e-mailed me saying she needed a name and picture ASAP. I didn’t have the team together to vote on a name or get a team picture. Above my desk there is a family photo which included Gunther. I sent Linda a picture of Gunther and said we were team brown dog with a slogan I made up. She wasn’t too happy about me sending a picture of my dog as our mascot, or as our photo, but that’s ok. I’m basically the scary cat lady but with dogs. I don’t mind if I weird others out ;-).

Our first race we lost and didn’t seem to click at all on the water, albeit none of them had ever done this before and it was our first run. I actually made myself hoarse and destroyed my voice trying to count out loud over the rest of the team to try and keep the paddle stroke synchronized in just the first race!

After a team meeting following the first race, we figured out a strategy that would work for us, it was something different than I had done when I was on Mike’s team, but the strategy we tried out in the beginning (replication of last years technique.) obviously didn’t work for our specific group, so we changed it up.

We managed to win 4 times in a row following the change in our strategy. I was very happy especially as we were a team composed of novices all from an eclectic origin. With each race we improved our time, even though on the third race we were thrown off guard with an early whistle start. We were defeated on our 6th race against the sheriff’s department; however we also managed to get our team’s best time of the day. Our time was also the 3rd lowest time of all of the races that day which I couldn’t help but just be happy about. I mean, if you’re going to be defeated, you might as well perform to your best ability to avoid any possibility of regret or remorse.

Every single person I had invited expressed anxiety or hesitancy about going to do this event, and some even tried to get out of it. However at the end of the races, every single person was fired up about racing and anticipated coming back next year to compete. It’s also interesting about how you try to get people to step outside their boundaries, knowing that they won’t regret it, yet there is always that initial resistance to trying anything new. Why is it that people do that?


In the last year I’ve changed on whether or not I’ve been able to lead a group or people without really being afraid of doing so. I attribute this really to being a group fitness instructor, because every week you’re putting yourself up against a room full of strangers and close friends all at once. It’s your literal job to motivate this diverse group of people into getting one of the best workouts in their life. It’s either do or die, get paid or get replaced. If anyone has ever wanted to teach group exercise, I suggest it, it will change your perspective on the challenges of being a leader and will only make you that much more formidable. I can tell you that before last year I would have never tried and coach a team of people in a big event like this. I would have either been too scared or afraid I couldn’t pull it off. What a difference there is in my past self and now.


For the blog – (haven’t done one of these in a LONG time)


I’ve always been the type to abandon conventional wisdom. I know many, many, close friends and family that rely heavily upon the experience and tutelage of others in their decision making, how they live their lives, their purpose, their goals and basically every single thing that constitutes who they are has been inspired by those they deem to be “wise.” These wise people I’ve noticed have a trend of originating from many social groups such as: religious figures, co-workers, bosses, friendships, cultural role models, elders, motivational speakers etc. etc…

While I do find there are people that deserve my respect for their accomplishments, and their opinions and suggestions hold more weight than the opinions of others, I’ve never been the one to actually take any advice given to me as an “answer” but instead a mere suggestion based on their own personal experience. I hold little value those that constantly preach or try to drill in a perspective or guide to live by. While there are many successful people that actually make a living out of the fact that they are successful, I consider their attempt to reform others for their own sake to be shallow. As if their own productivity is based on how many people they can convert into followers of their lifestyle.

I strongly believe that not one individual on earth truly has the ‘Answer’ or the ‘Keys’ to a happy life. They only have suggestions.

It sounds juvenile I know, even bratty or arrogant but that’s just me I guess.

Keep in perspective I don’t believe there is anything wrong with following the wisdom of others closely and trying to replicate their lives. If anything I believe it keeps many people focused an on a clear path to personal development. If someone sees a personality trait they like, then seek to adopt it! You can be or do anything of your choosing. If it ain’t broke….

Through many years of personal reflection I’ve come to the realization that people at some obscure degree are on a level playing field. I strongly hold the perspective that not one individual is “better” than me at existence, nor am I better than another.

We all exist, and all of us hold in common that our existence was never chosen to be; however unlike our similar inception we all have very different levels of success in defense of the act of being ourselves and happiness within our own paradigm as adults.

As adults we have the option of freedom of choice. While generally our decision making would be considered “free” we are not truly free until we know the given outcome to any choice we make.

For an example of the façade of free choice:

No woman would make the rational choice to be assaulted; yet how many times has this happened when they were alone doing any normal activity? The name of Chelsea King comes to mind in an example of this nature. Given the knowledge that she would be attacked if she went outside at that time and day would she have made the choice to do so?

In reality her free choice was compromised by an awful person, and she was robbed of having true freedom in her decision making. This is a graphic example, but everyone also holds this in common in that there is no true free choice unless we look at decisions from a hindsight perspective. We make many mistakes or lapses in reasoning, and only find out the correct solution after the fact in many cases. Our choice wasn’t free, it was a blind choice.

One thing that makes us freer as decision makers is education. The higher level that we educate ourselves to, the more we understand the reactions to given actions, and are able to make better choices for any situation as further insight is considered in the end result; thus making our choices that much more free.

Thinking for yourself, discovering what you truly know, developing novel ideas, and new thoughts, makes you that much more free than those around you. Value knowledge, it holds the keys to literal freedom.

Also define what you value, really sit back and ponder the meaning of what is ‘good’. You would be amazed about the diversity of the definition of good amongst different people.

For me personally, I have defined ‘life’ as being something that is ‘good’, as I enjoy life and appreciate its complexities even though I may not be capable of examining life from an outside perspective or understand “the whole picture.”

Because I have defined that life is good, I am then able to define what is bad from my own chain of thought. Things that are an insult to life are henceforth bad. Such as drugs, murder, war, disease etc.

However this could contrast another’s thought, in that they could value social interaction, and things that encourage socialization, like alcohol. In their regard alcohol would be good, while from my school of thought alcohol would be an insult to life, making it bad. We are both correct in the definition of ‘good’, however our paradigm and values conflict.

May good and evil be truly only defined in the eye of the beholder eh?

I also have decided to value work through personal discovery, as work that is guided leads to productivity, I appreciate the production of novelty and of goods. The act of self reflection and thought in itself is work, so I work has even deeper value as it correlates to the product of knowledge which I find to be an ultimate good. Things that compromise work, or cause work to lose its productive value are bad. Such as poor ethics, theft, sloth, greed, wastefulness etc.

Really sit back and think outside of your social setting, for just a moment ignore what matters to others, your parents, friends, and elders. What really matters to you? What do you value?

Just think about it. (Get it? See a theme here?)

If anything I find it very arrogant when people TELL me how I need to perform, live, or act. When others believe that they hold the solution to problem that I didn’t ask in a vain effort to make me gravitate towards a true ideal for my life. While many people have the ability to provide me with allegorical guidance, they do not have the ability to tell me exactly how to approach success or happiness. Like I said before, I don’t care who you are, what you do, or what experience you may possess, keep in mind you will never have any real power over my decision making. I reiterate, once again: “I strongly believe that not one individual on earth truly has the ‘Answer’ or the ‘Keys’ to a happy life. They only have suggestions.” – Joey. P

The null is there is no answer to any given situation. Only the action, reaction, and outcome exist with our attempt to alter the independent variable. However you slice it, this will hold true from academia to packing your lunch to working in the office.

Take lightly the advice of those you consider to be “above you” or “better” than you. There is no one person that is better than you, be them a religious figure, an entrepreneur, an educator, a leader etc. etc. You hold the answer to your own happiness within you.

Relying purely upon guidance of another in my perspective is nothing shot of being mentally slothful. I understand the burden of self discovery and definition of purpose is a deep and arduous adventure not to be taken lightly. However once you take that first step closer to true freedom of thought, of expression, of philosophy, it is one of the few addictive paths that continually bestow rewards of increasing proximity to enlightenment, the confrontation of your anima, the establishment of individuality, of self worth.

Keep in mind every one person is a unique miasma of distinctive experiences, upbringing and events that conglomerate into a living form called a human. There is no real way to know what is “best” for another, as omniscience is something that is intangible for humanity to obtain. I call upon you, as a reader that continued to examine this very blog to put some thought behind your actions; I implore, decide what is best for you.

After all, it’s your life and it’s the only one you will ever have.


Peace

-Joe


Btw, if you found offense in my ramblings that is ok, the fact that you work to defend your paradigm of thought is what I truly appreciate. Just be the best you possible. ;-)