Blog of Josh Hall

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Reduce, Recycle, Reuse.  Those are the 3 Rs that I learned when i was a kid, and I’ve been able to do the first and third pretty easily.  There’s always been a lack of a recycling program everywhere else though.  Since I’ve moved to the city, I’ve lived in 3 places.  Lothrop Hall on Pitt campus, Crawford Square apartments, and now my house.  I actually forget what we did with the garbage in the dorms, I think just throw it in a closet…At Crawford Square, we just had a dumpster and there was no recycling in the city, it was all on the individual to do it.  I was under the impression that had not changed since I bought my house, but I just saw an article about being able to recycle paper now, which lead me to look up the city’s site on recycling, and I learned that it’s unlawful for me not to be recycling. 

So I got all excited to start recycling.  It only picks up every other week, but at first I thought that would be frequent enough.  Then I looked at items I was throwing away, and it’s at least 95% recyclable.  Now that we don’t even have to separate recyclable materials, I could totally just be tossing my normal trash to be recycled.  Which leads to the next problem:  Blue bags are required for recycle items.  Where the crap can i get blue bags?  Walmart bags are white now.  Given my first problem, I actually need large blue bags.  Walmart and Giant Eagle do not carry any, regardless of size.  So I’m kind of stuck to break the law.

That’s a little crappy and useless.  Here I am willing and wanting to recycle and take advantage of my city programs, but it’s poorly executed all around.  It’s not nearly frequent enough, it’s certainly not enforced, and at the point where you can’t find blue bags anywhere, it’d be ridiculous to enforce it.

Am I missing some place to get blue bags?  Normally, I think, people just have blue garbage cans.  at Kallie’s apartment complex, they have a big can that’s blue right next to the huge dumpsters.  1 can for at least 30 apartments.  Either way, cans aren’t acceptable for disposal.  I learned the hardway.  They won’t touch my garbage if it’s on the curb in a can.  Anyway, I can’t find a blue can even to test that theory.

This was an idea I’ve had before, and probably many other people, but John Neely brought it up the other day and I thought I’d blog about it.  Along my rants of cable and TV, why do we only have 3 options for cable service?  Why does everything have to be lumped into packages?  We obviously have the technology in these digital boxes to order PPV channels at will, so why can’t we do the same with every other channel?  My point being, I don’t want the home shopping network, or the disney channel, or BET, or couple dozen other stations.  how about I select what channels I want to watch and you bill me for that?  How about you give me a 30 second preview of what the channel is running, and then charge me if I want to keep on watching it.  Apparently they’re fine with me skipping commercials if they’re offering me the DVR.  When are large companies going to start caring about meeting the needs of the customer, or when is a small company going to come along that offers what I need?

I’m a moody person.  I think I’ve always realized this, but only recently I’m learning how much my moods, and changing of moods shape my life.  I don’t know if it’s something I should work to overcome, or something I should learn to accept as part of me…Where is the line that defines the difference between a low self-esteem and a constant desire to be more than what you are?

I was thinking that I have never given my full attention and devotion to any 1 thing for an extended period of time.  Sure, I’ve felt inspired from a book and changed my outlook on life and sometimes my behavior, but whether I’ve lost focus and drive, or was so successful in integrating that change that it now feels normal, I’m not sure.  Part of the necessity to read books is the mnemic ability to keep yourself accountable.  I don’t think I posses that skill.  That doesn’t mean I’m not going to read, but it possibly means that I don’t know how to read effectively.

At church on Sunday, I couldn’t keep focus because there was a gentlemen a few rows in front of me that was taking notes, it seemed at least, and he filled at least 5 notebook pages.  I want to know why these people take notes.  Is the simple act of writing it down enough for them to gain an extra level of retention or comprehension?  Do they save the notes?  Do the ever really refer to their notes later? How much later? Will this strategy work for me?

That’s the real question though. We all have our own tricks and skills and downfalls. At what point do we accept our abilities and deal with what we have? Do we believe that we can maintain a constant state of better ourselves in our lives? Someone could dedicate their life to improving themselves in all areas, but even then they’d probably fail to do anything worthwhile because they spent their whole life learning.

Sometimes, I’m in the mood to read. Sometimes, I want to improve my abilities to understand and comprehend. Sometimes, I’m so sick of it all I just want to give up and do nothing. Sometimes, I just want to sit around and talk about it all. Sometimes, there’s no time for any of that.

From Time Magazine:  http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/0,28757,1852747,00.html

My favorites:

#6 – the svalbard global seed vault:  total awesomeness.  EVERY plant seed in the world is kept here.  "just in case"  I LOVE IT.    http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1852747_1854195_1854118,00.html

#16 – The moving tower scuplture thingy:  It just further enhances my amazement…ok, LUST to go see Dubai.  http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1852747_1854195_1854134,00.html

#24 – bionic contact lenses:  SCHWEEET. 
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1852747_1854195_1854152,00.html

"You’ll be surprised at what you can get done in an organization when everyone stops caring who gets credit for it."