“I’ve got feelings for you.”
At some point, this expression became exclusive to fuzzy wuzzy romantic feelings and all the other feelings got relegated to the back of the line.
I mean, why can’t I tell the woman on the train who wreaks that I have feelings for her?
Or my friend who brought me chicken soup when I was sick?
Or the venture capitalist who told me my idea won’t amount to anything?
‘Cause I have feelings for all of them.
And instead of saying..
STINKY LADY: “Hey lady, you smell like you’ve recently filed a class action suit against soap?”
HELPFUL FRIEND: “With friends like you, who needs health insurance.”
VC: “You’re a f**kin’ douche bag.”
…I’d rather say, “I have feelings for you.”
…to be continued…
I love my (blank) cause it’s really like a (blank).
CAT PERSON
“I love my cat because it’s really like a dog. When I call her, she comes to me. She plays. She snuggles. It’s amazing.”
DUDE
“I love my girl because she’s really like one of the guys. She likes to watch the game, drink beers, and she’s always down for a game of Madden.”
DOG PERSON
“I love my dog because it’s really like a person. It’s like he knows what I’m thinking and feeling. We’re just so connected.”
…to be continued…
[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]
“Been Dreamin”
I never did jump from an airplane
I never did run with the crowd
I never did dance with a lion
I never did smoke in the round
But now that I know I’ve been dreamin’
Now that I’m back on the ground
You are the only one for me
You are the only one
And I’ve tried to leave
Oh yes, I’ve tried
I never did bow to the kingdom
I never did put on a play
I never did shout from the rooftops
I never did hide in the haze
But now that I know I’ve been dreamin’
Now that I’m in it to stay
You are the only one for me
You are the only one
Cause I’ve tried to leave
Oh yes, I’ve tried
[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]
“V”
Late last night
I found love
And it was sweet
As apple pie
Late last night
I found love
And in her mouth
I felt alive
Am I ever gonna see you again?
I chase her down
For many years
I call her name
I call it loud
I chase her down
For many years
I want her then
I need her now
Am I ever gonna see you again?
“ One thing I learned from being a basketball player: it’s not about who’s winning at the end of the first half, it’s about who’s winning at the end of the second. ”
Jmw.
“ I write my ideas in pencil and my dreams in pen. ”
Jmw.
As a child, if my mother ever used a word or referenced a person or event that I was unfamiliar with, I’d always ask, “What does that mean?”
“Go look it up,” she’d say.
“Oh, just tell me.”
“No. Go look it up.”
I would then head into my older brother’s bedroom where an unabridged dictionary and full Encyclopedia Britannica were waiting with the answers. It was all there. Everything about everything.
It recently dawned on me that this subtle choice was arguably one of the most empowering lessons my mother ever taught me. She met my curiosity with a method of discovery and analysis, not answers. Simply, she trained me to seek knowledge out for myself.
Tonight, I shared this anecdote with a friend of mine who is an amazing mother of two beautiful children, both of which are entering different phases of their academic lives. Her eldest daughter is gearing up for college and her son is preparing for pre-school. As we powwowed about the kids and education, it dawned on me:
If I was a parent, I would teach my kids how to use Google as early as possible.
I can only imagine the things I would know today if my questions weren’t answered by static text on a printed page but rather ‘how-to’ videos, interactive animations, elaborate photos, realtime discussions with experts, and networks of millions of other kids just like me who were all seeking answers to similar questions.
If we want our children to grow up smart and strong, we need to teach them how to make themselves smarter and stronger, every day. And with modern technologies like Google, iPhones, and tablets, there is simply no excuse why we can’t make this happen on a global scale. Right now.
Thanks, Mama. Because of you, my future will always be looking up.
“ The key to a successful relationship is the relating. Once you stop doing that, it’s over. ”
Jmw.
[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]
“ You have great style when you can make a tee shirt and jeans memorable. ”
Jmw.
