A matter of life and death.

Velociraptors.

They are nine feet long, travel in packs of twenty, and know no fear. They are masters of disguise, infiltration, and propaganda. Streamlined for land travel at over 65 mph evidence suggests that their feathers allow them to glide distances of up to 50 meters. They also boast one of the most advanced societies in the known universe. They may already be among us, subjugating us and devouring any resistance. We must unite if we wish to resist them for long enough to develop technology to rival theirs.

Do you know of anyone who may be a disguised velociraptor and/or velociraptor splinter cell?

What would you do to survive a velociraptor attack for as many seconds as possible (if you were alone, or in a group of fewer than 50 people)?

Should we attempt to resist, or would it be better to be peacefully absorbed into the hyperadvanced society of Raptoria?

If we choose to assert our independence as a race, is there any hope that we might succeed in driving off the raptors for at least a short period of time?

Do you have a particularly ingenious plan for defeating (or staving off) the velociraptor menace? If so send me an encrypted file detailing this plan, and remember, the raptors are watching your every move. Be careful.

Humanity needs you.

Write about these things.

Career possibilities.

I think about what I want to do constantly. Not just in terms of careers, but everything. Very little of it ever gets done. While that makes me worried for my future, it makes for a good writing topic to elaborate on mindlessly.

I'm one of those people whose known what I wanted to do since I was about three. Except every time I think I get it down, and begin learning about my chosen field, another one pops up that captures my interest even more. This has happened from from Heman right on up to psychology. In case you're wondering about that last sentence, it means that yes, at some point I wanted to be Heman, professionally.

Holding off on my current possible future craze, I have to say that I have been able to check off jobs in terms of what I don't want to be. This isn't because of a dislike of the parameters of the jobs in any case, but due either to inability, or irrational fear. Mathematician is one, mostly because really advanced mathematical formulae tend to leave my head spinning, and are usually involved in staring right down the universe's gullet, which freaks me out even more. Also, conspiracy theorists tend to point to them as proof positive of their raucous claims, and despite any previous statements I may have made, anything I have EVER said involving a conspiracy theory was in complete mockery of the theorists. Except about the moon landings. That crap totally didn't happen. Any way, mathematics out. As understanding too much freaks me out so much (don't get me wrong, I'd like to know everything, but this isn't Superman Red Son, and I do think that there is only so much a human can know before they go completely insane) physicist is out too. I'll leave that shite to Michio Kaku. Oddly enough, I'd still be open to the concept of a career in philosophy if any of those existed. Perhaps because that only involves questioning things as opposed to answering those questions.

Now, I can imagine myself doing a host of things. So many that I am not, sadly, going to attempt to list them here. I will, instead focus on two that have the highest probability of acctually happening at this point. The first is obvious. As you may no doubt know, I am "wordy" as Thomas Tuorto, puts it. I have no shame for this facet of my personality. In addition, I am something of a human dictionary. Lastly, my low self esteem makes it necessary for myu to put down others constantly to keep afloat on the tides of human emotion threatening to engulf me every day. As such, one career I can see myself pursuing is the lonely life of the editor (of any kind) or the verbally abusive path of the teacher of professional writing courses. I jest about the negatives associated with those careers, but in seriousness, owing to my love for language and its correct usage, I can see myself pursuing those careers.

The other career path I can see myself pursuing came to my mind this morning in epphay form. For the last few months I have been taking a college level course in culture and language. Having covered language above, I shall here focus on the culture. This course is now rapidly drawing to a close, and its completion leaves me with the startling realization that I like culture. Learning, practicing, opening my mind to, whatever form it takes, I enjoy encountering it. So I figure I may have a career in anthropology. Or whatever the study of culture is called nowadays... So yeah.

-Nolan out.
(speaking ever so humbly)

Wisdom Defined

What is wisdom? Aside from a useless ability score in dungeons and dragons (heyo!)? I have never encountered an official definition, but to me, it is the regulator of intelligence. Know a lot? You're intelligent. Know when to use that intelligence? Now you're wise. There isn't any one specific way to measure wisdom. There isn't a test for it. It is something that grows and ebbs over time. Some people are wiser than others in general, and some of us are wiser than others at specific times. It is situational for the everyday man, but sometimes, one is born who is truly wise (this can also apply to women). If it sounds corny, that's because it is a delicious nugget of valid information. And corn is delicious. And why shouldn't it be (valid that is, not delicious)?

People acquire wisdom in only one manner. Through experience. This is why older folks are often held up as wise. They have experienced more, and are therefore more wise than the rest of us. This isn't exclusively the case though. And I have to say that one of the wisest people I know of is (or was, still kind of iffy on that) very young. Kel, of Keenan and Kel/Goodburger fame is the wisest person I recall having ever seen. He didn't know much, but he always knew what to say and when to say it, be it a simple, "welcome to goodburger..." or something deeper (perhaps having to do with orange soda?) . Kidding aside, there were moments when he said some truly profound things. That's what I want to model my wisdom on. And for the mst part I think I apply this form of wisdom quite well in my life. I don't often say profound or moving things, but when I do, it's something mind-blowingly, life-changingly zen.

As an afterthought, listening is a key to being wise. By listening, the wise can ascertain if and when to share their intelligence. Too bad not many people are.

For many an age my mind, like my room had been cluttered. Stuffed with needless bits and pieces. Confused, ineffective, and nigh on useless for anything other than sleeping. This was fine, because that is what rooms are for, right? Then with a swift upheaval akin only to the fiercest volcanic explosion, everything changed. My mind has taken some time to realize that it has changed, but my room was as a result faced with a prospect that hadn't been proposed since before the elves crossed the sea. It needed to be cleaned. And so it was. No longer does the smell of decaying bodies waft about in the abode of Sean Nolan. And now I just might have a space that reflects myself. Not that it didn't before, but now there might exist a place on this earth that can reflect what I am becoming.
Now you may not have noticed that I referenced J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of The Rings three or four times in that last sentence. While this does not have a direct bearing on my room as it is currently, I must point out the fact that nearly everything in my current room is influenced by my love of those books. I began my warhammer-ing out of a need to recreate epic battles in some form or other. Most of my video games are fantasy RPG's or strategy games. My bed is elevated on plastic risers to stave off bedbugs, but I like to pretend that this was a design decision incorporated to make it look like the high tower of Orthanc. Because everyone knows that Orthanc is cooler than Barad-Dur. At any rate, now that this fantastical country is clean and orderly I can give you the unavoidable virtual tour...
The first thing you'll notice upon entrance to land of Sean, is that it, like myself, is a bit odd. Not for me the blues, greens, lavenders, whites. My room is a pastel brown. And we are thinking of repainting it. Red. Upon entrance, a sharp turn to the right reveals my dresser, wardrobe and mirror sitting behind some shelves. Or as I like to call it, "my shrine to all things hobby." Here I keep the various armies, paints, tools, glues, lights, odds, ends and bits I plan to use to eventually dismantle our pathetic current society and supplant them with. That was Sean speak for "take over the world." I also keep some clothes there. Nice clothes. It's not worth taking over the world if I can't do it in style.
After turning to the left 90 degrees upon hitting my dresser, we find my bed which, as I recall mentioning, is raised. Thusly it is slightly higher than a normal bed, making a fall out of it particularly painful as my floor is a vast expanse of textured vinyl. Next to this is my one nightstand *rimshot*. It contains my books, and anything I can't afford to forget to take on my person the next day upon waking (wallet, glasses, phone, etc.). Upon this nightstand sits a marble slab lamp. I just think it's cool looking.
Finally, after another 90 degree left turn, we reach the wall that would have been on our left coming in. This houses my monument to gaming, and a dresser with clothing in it. This monument consists of a large and sadly, immobile entertainment center and a very old tv. I know. I am an inadequate gamer.
As you can see, this room houses nearly every aspacet of my life. It takes it's inspiration from its occupants, and has even come tto reflect some aspects of its ruler. Does that mean it reflects who I am 100 percent? I doubt it. But it will eventually. Maybe through my own tangible actions. Maybe through some siphoning of my personality through more sisnster means...But it will reflect me eventually. At any rate, now that it (and my mind) clutter-free, maybe I can find out what will be reflected.