"You want the moon
I need to come clean. Anyone who knows me will know I'm not the biggest fan of apple products.I could easily get nit-picky and make a long list of stuff apple is doing wrong with their products. In reality though, apple makes solid, good quality stuff. If I'm really honest with myself, I don't even have a problem with apple, what I do have a problem with however... is apple fanboys. People who insist apple can do no wrong regardless of what they're doing. I cannot stand these people. Intentionally or not, they are forcing a "If you disagree with me, you must be wrong" opinion on everyone they talk to technology about. Anyway I'm getting off track, what I am actually trying to say is this to apple fanboys: "I'm Sorry".
I have recently come to the realization that I have become a Samsung fanboy. In the last year alone I've purchased a samsung TV, tablet and phone. While I don't think I've supported samsung verbally, I have supported them with my purchases, and you know what they say "Actions speak louder than words". So for that apple fanboys I must apologize. It would be hypocritical for me to chastise fanboys when I'm doing the exact same thing with a different product.
//END APOLOGY TO APPLE FANBOYS
Now that that's out of the way, I can move on to the point I really wanted to make. As I reflect back on the numerous conversations I've had with people over what kind of electronics we should all be using I can't help but notice something: I've put a lot of energy into debates about stuff. Debates that in the long run will be a moot point. (Any generic phone from 5 years in the future will undoubtedly make even the best current smart phones look like a pile of junk) I can't help but think all that time and effort could have been better spent on something else.
Another example: different situation, same result. Back when I was in high school I was more than content to sit in my room and play video games ALL DAY. I'm not kidding about the all day thing either. I could literally play video games for days on end, no problem whatsoever. Eventually though, all good things must come to an end; I transferred to the University of Northern Iowa and moved into a magical place called campbell hall. This place effectively converted me from an introvert to an extrovert.(was I an extrovert the whole time and just didn't know it? Maybe, but I would like to think I was an introvert) Anyway my point is this: as I've become more of an extrovert some of the things I really liked to do in the past are no longer as appealing as they once were. I can't consistently sit down and play video games for hours on end anymore. It bores me. This has lead me to a new rule I try and follow whenever I can: When given the choice between people or things/stuff, always choose people.
Allow me to elaborate.
Situation 1: I'm in the middle of a Battlestar Galactica marathon when a friend calls and invites me to hang out. For anyone who doesn't know what a BSG marathon is like, take a quick look see at this here video: (actually, watch it regardless, its funny)
Following my rule, the choice is easy, go hang out with my friend.
Situation 2: I'm playing Call of Duty online and I'm reaaaaally in the zone All the noobs fall before me with no hope of victory. This time I get a txt from a person I kind of know wanting to meet up for dinner. When I was younger there would have been a serious debate internally for me on what to do. Following my rule though the choice is once again easy (it's less of a rule though, more like guidelines), I'll go get dinner with a real, live human, even if it's someone I don't really like that much.Face to face contact trumps any digital alternative.
The thing I hope to impress on you is that people are a better use of your time than sitting around by yourself. That's not to say you should avoid alone time like it's the plague, everybody needs at least some alone time, I'm talking about excessive alone time. One specific example comes from my childhood: My best friend at the time was having a birthday party in a few days. My mom was taking a trip to go see my cousins in the neighboring state, and asked me if I wanted to come. I knew that the trip she was inviting me on was going to overlap with my friends birthday, but I also knew my cousins had a new copy of pokemon for the gameboy. I really wanted to play that game, so I went with my mom, skipped the party and played the crap out of that game. But you know what, to this day, I regret that decision. If I could go back in time and talk to myself, I would do my best to convince kid me to go to that party. As an adult I have to ability to play pokemon whenever I want, but you know what I can't do? I can't go to that party, and spend time with my friends.
If you take nothing else from what I've said here at least try and remember this: Your stuff will always be there waiting for you, but moments with your friends are fleeting. Once they're gone, they're gone. And if you're ever feeling like you've got no friends and stuff is all that's left, I happen to know this Jesus guy, and he's been waiting your whole life to be friends with you.
