I'll be ME and you be YOU!

Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television. Choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players and electrical tin openers..... Choose DIY and wondering who the fuck you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind numbing, spirit crushing game shows, stuffing junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pissing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked-up brats you spawned to replace yourself. Choose your future. Choose life..... But why would I want to do a thing like that?

-Ewan McGregor in the movie Trainspotting


When I read this quote, it just spoke to me. In this life, we really do have the power to CHOOSE, but how many of us truly use it?

Yeah we choose whether or not to go to sleep early, or wake up early. We choose what we have for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sure!

But the choosing I am talking about is the choices that leave their mark on our lives.

So in the clip above Ewan McGregor chooses heroin over anything else, and yes that is a fucked up choice to say the least, but the message, in my opinion, is do what you want. Do what makes you happy.

We are only here for a blink of an eye, and in that blink of an eye, we worry far too much about insignificant things.

We worry about money.
We worry about who likes us and who doesn't.
We worry about what so-and-so thinks of us.
We worry about being rich.
We worry about being good people.
We worry about death.
We worry about our children.
We worry about our pets.
you get the point...WE FUCKING WORRY!

But for what? It is my belief that rough times, work themselves out in the end. With or Without our worrying.

Bad shit happens, so that we could appreciate the good.

Things fall apart, so that better things can fall together.

I have always tried to just be me. Nothing more and nothing less. I don't pretend to be something or someone I'm not, because any person who falls for that kind of bullshit doesn't belong in my life anyways.

Luckily, I have great friends and great family surrounding me. They love me for who I am. I don't have to try extra hard to impress them.

To those of you, who aren't quite as fortunate as I am, just be yourselves, and those people who matter, the ones who truly love you and accept you for who you are will come out of the wood work. I promise you!

And the ones who never belonged there in the first place, will disappear leaving behind no trace of ever existing in your world. That disappearance, is a wonderful thing.

It is a remarkable feeling to look around you, and know that every single person in your life belongs there. Every single person gives more than two shits about how your feeling, and how your living. Because they know that you would, too, go to the end of the Earth to help them when trouble arises.

So to end this rather Emo post, I want to thank my whole family, and each and everyone of my friends for always being there, for caring, for loving me unconditionally, and for allowing me to always just be me!

To those still on the fence, trying super hard to fit in. Just One Time be Courageous Enough to just BE YOU!

You will be Liberated, You will feel better than you have your whole life.

Or don't, the CHOICE really is yours.

The Key to Life

When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy.’ They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.
~ John Lennon

A friend of mine shared this quote with me, and it has been bouncing around in my head ever since.

John Lennon had a way of delivering messages about life and the world that resonated well with people. When he spoke, his passion, and belief in what he was saying, pierced through the hardest of shells and straight into the heart. He was an idealistic human being, who refused to live in reality. I can not fault him for that, look around, reality is a shitty place to live in.

This quote, is golden!

The key to life truly is happiness. So many of us worry endlessly about being normal, or having great careers, or being filthy rich. But ultimately the only true possession we need is to just be happy.

Life is far too short to worry endlessly about insignificant things. Money, by the way, is a very insignificant thing to worry about. Sure, we need money to survive, we need it to buy food, and clothes, and shelter. But being rich, doesn't equal having a great life. If you're a miserable person, all the money in the world will not make you happy. Will not cure your misery. Will not bring you up from the trenches.

We have to be content with the things we do have. We have to appreciate them. I'm not saying don't have aspirations and dreams. Because those are vital tools to life as well. I'm saying while having those big aspirations, and monster dreams, take time to also appreciate everything you do have.

Look around. There are lots of people who have nothing, and are happy as clams.

The same friend who told me about this quote also told me a story about her visit to Cuba.

She said, As poor as those people are in Cuba, and trust me they are dirt poor, and have nothing. They still danced in the streets, and were happy.

You don't see that here in America. You don't see people delighted to just be able to take a breath every morning. You don't see people truly appreciate the precious thing we call life.

Instead they complain about having to wake up early, complain about their jobs, complain about not having ENOUGH money. Complain about traffic, and the weather.

Never once do you hear them say, I'm alive, I have my family, my friends, my health.

Let's be HAPPY America. Let's be grateful for what we DO have, and aspire and dream for the things we don't. Instead of embellishing our feeling of entitlement.We are not entitled to anything in this life. Our next breath could be our last.

SO, LET'S JUST BE HAPPY!

Disney's Life Lessons

Today I am taking 10 of my favorite Disney Movie quotes and elaborating on how it explains life.

1.The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it.
-The Lion King

This first quote appeared in the modern classic Disney Movie The Lion King. To me the meaning of this quote rings true for life because if we don't learn from our mistakes and misfortunes then we are doomed to repeat them. We can not just sweep everything under the rug and flood ourselves with distractions. We must face our adversity head on, and the end result, when the dust settles we will be that much stronger for doing so.

2.Take it from an old spectator. Life's not a spectator sport. If watchin' is all you're gonna do, then you're gonna watch your life go by without ya.
-The Hunchback of Notre Dame

This quote comes from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. This quote screams to take life by the throat. It screams to go out and live your life, and don't just sit on the sidelines and watch others accomplish great things, and reach for their dreams. Get your ass up, and in gear and do something with the big dreams that are stored in your brain. Life was meant to be lived. How many of us truly live though?

3."HAKUNA MATATA"...it means no worries - The Lion King

Ahhh!!!! Timon and Pumba are two of the most lovable characters in Disney history. They do not let me down with these few words. Life is far too short and too precious to worry all the time. No matter what the circumstances, or situation, we must all learn to truly embrace Hakuna Matata! Life would be more harmonious with a less worrying.

4.You think the only people who are people, are the people who look and think like you. But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you'll learn things you never knew you never knew." - Pocahontas

Pocahontas tackles the tough issue of inequality. It preaches acceptance, and this world could definitely use a WHOLE LOTTA ACCEPTANCE! At the end of the day people are people, yellow, red, blue, black, white, polka-dot it doesnt matter. People are people, and we should accept everyone equally based on color, race, sexual preference, etc. etc. Acceptance is key when it comes to peaceful living.

5.Reach for the sky! - Woody (Toy Story)

In true Walt Disney fashion, Woody from Toy Story's trademark quote "Reach for the sky," truly personifies the dream big and go for it motto. What better message could be displayed to our children other than reach for the sky, and maybe one day you'll be able to touch the sun. (Be careful though, that mother fucker is hot!) Ultimately, we need to encourage our children and adults alike to reach for the sky, and risk failing to accomplish our biggest and brashest dreams.

6.A lie keeps growing and growing until it's as plain as the nose on your face.
Pinnocchio

Pinnocchio is the Disney poster boy for anti-lies. This quote is simple and to the point. If you lie, eventually it will catch up to you, and everyone will see you for the liar you are. Nobody likes a liar, trust is a major factor when we connect to people as friends or as romantic partners. So just keep it real, and keep it honest!

7."This much I knew. If you are what you eat, then I only wanna eat the good stuff. - Remy"
Movie: Ratatouille

Being a fat kid, I love this Ratatouille quote. This quote is saying, go for the best in life, and know that you DESERVE the best in life. Our lives are short, and we must enjoy it while we can. We must know that if we don't push for what we deserve, if we don't absolutely know, 100% that we deserve the best, then we will be doomed to a life of mediocrity. We all see Bitter Old People everyday, do you really want to end up like that? Or do you want to look back on your life, and know you ate the best food, drank the best beverages, and most importantly, LIVED THE BEST LIFE!

8."Ohana means family, family means nobody gets left behind. Or forgotten." - Lilo, from Lilo and Stitch

Lilo and Stitch took on Family. A very big statement to make too. Family is everything. Our family will always be there, always love us, always help us up when we've been knocked down. Family members are the first friends we have, and the ones that truly last a life time. Don't turn your back on them, don't forget them. In this country we have a tendency to shove our parents into old folks homes when they are at the end of their lives. Let's change that tradition, and take care of them like they did us. Let's send them off with luxuries, and good living that they gave us growing up.

9.Mufasa: Simba, let me tell you something my father told me. Look at the stars. The great kings of the past are up there, watching over us.

This one holds very true. When live is not going the way we want it to. We could always look to God and Jesus for guidance. If we're really lucky, we could also turn to family and friends who have passed on into eternity for guidance. I have my guardian angels up in Heaven looking over me, and I thank them and God everyday for another successful day on this Earth. Spirituality is more than religion. Spirituality is knowing that there are angels up there ensuring our safety.

10.I have no use for people who throw their weight around as celebrities, or for those who fawn over you just because you are famous.
Walt Disney

This is a direct quote from Mr. Walt Disney himself. And it is yet another equality statement. We are all equal, we are all humans. We have beating hearts, blood flowing through our veins, we cry, smile, laugh,and yell. We bleed, our bones break, and they heal. We are all brothers and sisters in God's eyes, and we should treat each other with the respect and love that we expect them to treat us with.

So this was my ten quotes from Disney Movies that explain life. There are hundreds of other quotes that detail the same. IF you know of any others that I didnt use, hit me with it and elaborate on what you think it preaches.

Quote of the Day: Winston Churchill: Courage!

Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.
- Winston Churchill

Today's quote is another of my favorites. I think in its simplest form of interpretation this quote rings very true.

When we delve in a bit deeper its meaning is amplified.

In this life we tend to focus way too much on the negative and not nearly enough on the positive.

Our society has a sick attachment to kicking people while they're down. As a society we love to watch people squirm,and fail. We love watching other people suffer, because it makes us feel better about our own trials and tribulations.

The problem is, if we would learn to focus on the positive and not the negative, we woldnt need to watch people suffer to feel ebtter about our own pathetic lives. We'd realize that simply waking up in the morning and filling our lungs with oxygen is a success all on its own.

Why must we always dwell on negative, and ignore the positives because they're not good enough.

This quote elicits that as long as we continue to move forward even a failure can bring success.

I know what you're thinking, I'm just blabbering on about things that escape the realm of common sense.

But think about it...

Even when we fail at doing something, we still gain something. Whether it be experience, strength, knowledge, or even just learning to appreciate every small success, we gain something.

We progress forward. As long as we fall forward when we get hit, it still counts as a gain.

Life is far too short, and precious to spend it dwelling on something we could not change.

Lets enjoy life, enjoy every opportunity we are given to succeed or fail. Life is about opportunities, and living.

Let us be the minority who do linger in the bliss of small successes, because at the end ofo ur lives those small succeses will add up to something monumental.

I've watched people pass on from this life at both young and old ages. Some of them lived every minute of every day, and others allowed themselves to be complacent.

Let's not allow ourselves to be complacent. Let's push for something special.

If you do this, I promise you that at the end of your days, there will be a smile on your face as you revisit each and every memory stored in your happy bank.

Love yourself enough to be happy. It's worth it.

Quote of the Day: Sigmund Freud

"I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection."

-Sigmund Freud

Today's quote is dedicated to one of my heroes. Someone I've looked up to my whole life.
The man who created me. He who taught me values, and morals. Right from wrong.

My dad has always been there for me. Not just for me, but for everyone in our lives. He never wavers from helping us with our problems, or issues.

He has lived a life filled with dignity and honor.

I am who I am because of his teachings, and his life style.

He is an amazing husband.

A looked-up-to brother.

Successful in his career.

Upstanding citizen.

Passionate about the people he loves.

He is one of the most genuinely, good hearted, men roaming this Earth.

I want to take this opportunity to Thank You Dad, for always being you. For believing in me. For allowing me to always follow my dreams. For giving me advice, for listening to my problems. For being a father, and a friend all in one. For loving me unconditionally, and never judging my decisions, whether or not they are right or wrong.

I only hope, I can one day become half the man that you are. To take care of my family and friends as well as you have. To find a woman to love, as much as you love mom. To be an honest, hard working, Man!

You are who I want to become.

I love you.

Quote of the day: Brought to you by abraham Lincoln

"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."

- Abraham Lincoln

Today's quote goes hand in hand with yesterdays post. I have learned that if we do not seize the day, and take advantage of every opportunity we are given to take a breath, then we are doing a grave injustice to ourselves. We must live each day as if it were our last, I know this reeks of cliché, but the meaning holds true.

Far too many of us complain every morning that it's too early to wake up, when we should instead be ecstatic that we were afforded yet another day to truly live. Far too many of us take life for granted, we're going to tell our families that we love them tomorrow, sweep the girl of our dreams of her feet tomorrow, take our vacation time tomorrow, save all of our money for tomorrow, but more times than not, that "dream" tomorrow never comes. That is why we must learn to live in the moment. Don't pass up opportunities to do the things you love. Don't hesitate to take a little vacation time with your family or friends. Don't leave for tomorrow what you can easily do today.

This quote says it all. How many times have you heard an older person tell you, "Man, if I were your age..." Well with all due respect, you were my age, and you had every opportunity to do with your life what you pleased. As a society we should aim to erase the elderly from feeling this way. I for one, intend on doing everything I can to live a full, happy life. So that if I get the pleasure of reaching that golden age, and I'm talking to my grandkids, instead of "Man, if I were your age.." I will instead say, "WHEN I was your age..."

I heard this other quote from, of all things, NFL Total Access, "Youth is wasted on the young." Sadly, I'd have to agree with that. Young people are the worst when it comes to taking life for granted. There some exceptions, but the majority feel as if they'll live forever. The reality is we should enjoy ourselves while we still could. While were young enough to enjoy it. What good is a million dollars going to do you, when you're 80 years old?

So my challenge to both young and old, who happen to read this blog is simply, Live Your Life!

Worry less about what's going to happen tomorrow, and more on what you could control today.

Rainy days come and go, but life is only a one way deal. You only get one chance to live. Don't waste it on the fear of what MAY happen in the future.

Check in tomorrow for another Quote of the day.