Rick's Journal (Replies Welcome)

Entry #98 (Pet)

Pets can be a great addition to our lives as long we care for them. They are a companion we sometimes need when other people cannot be there for us. While other human beings might not be as understanding or can be plain mean, our pets will always be there for us through the highs and lows because their loyalty is an incredible thing in our modern society.

When we are in a bad mood, we can often talk to our pets. While this might not result in much since they cannot respond and give us their opinions, we shouldn't underestimate how much venting can do to alleviate the pressure building within us. It certainly doesn't hurt that pets are normally more patient than humans so they could actually stay and listen for our entire rant.

Dogs, being one of the most common pets, have an added bonus of walking their owners. Normally, we'd think up of excuses as to why we shouldn't exercise like we're too tired or we'd wait for better weather. With dogs, we don't have a choice in the matter and that helps us get more exercise than what we'd otherwise get. Therefore, a healthy dog also results in a healthier owner.

Another bonus with getting a pet is the reduced chance of a child getting bad allergies. It's another one of those situations where early exposure makes a child better adapted to those things like giving kids peanut butter early on to stop them from forming allergy. The fact that pets bring in a lot of things like dirt and pollen means children get immunity to quite a few things in the outdoors.

That's it for the ninety eighth entry.

Entry #99 (Pet)

Having an animal also means a lot of responsibilities and many people tend to forget that. Pets are more than just animals we having living at our homes. They're a family member who we should take good care of and deserve kindness and respect like any other human being. Before anyone gets a pet, they should recognize that they are potentially adding another family member.

For those suffering from mental illnesses, a pet can be a difficult dilemma. While it's true that pets can have incredibly positive impact on the recovering of illnesses, they also deserve a home where they can be loved and cared for. Those dealing with difficult issues often struggle to take good care of themselves so, if they decide to get a pet, they are basically making a commitment or it would be very unfair for their pet.

Of course, responsibilities that come with pets aren't all bad. For young kids, a pet in the family can teach them valuable lessons about life like having a set schedule for walks and feed the pets. With schools teaching very limited life lessons, pets can do a tremendous amount in helping children grow and mature into strong, responsible adults.

As mentioned in the last entry, the loyalty of certain pets is incredible. We can experience the worse stumble in life and find ourselves homeless but our pet will remain by our side through the highs and lows. Even if we have no one else to count on, we know our pet won't abandon us because, to them, we are the only family they need and families should always stick together.

That's it for the ninety ninth entry.

Entry #100 (Money)

Today, we live in a world that has great emphasis on money. Those without money find themselves struggling in life as they cannot afford even the most basic things like food, clean water and shelter. Even in a supposedly wealthy west, we see problems in the two extremes of the spectrum. There are those who have little or nothing and then there are those with too much.

Those who are buried in debt find themselves unable to escape the downward spiral. They struggle to pay their monthly amount which only sees them accumulate more debt. With the growing debt, they are also stuck at their jobs because they need money to keep the debt collectors at bay. As a result, they never have a chance to escape the situation and become slave to their debt forever.

There's nothing more damaging to one's mental health than a sense of hopelessness. The feeling of no escape can put tremendous stress on one's body and mind. It certainly doesn't help if the person hates his or her job. To put the nail in the coffin, any attempts to seek help for these mental issues are met with the stigma that shames those who dare to make their problems public.

The answer to this problem can be difficult since everyone's situation is different. Those with families have a tougher time breaking out of the cycle since unemployment affects more than them. Even for those who are single, it's easy to be caught up in a negative mindset where they see no positives about life whatsoever. Even if it's light out, they only see the darkness that never leave their side.

That's it for the one hundredth entry.

Entry #101 (Money)

Yet, people wonder why having too much money is a bad thing. It's true that money can make our life easier. For instance, we might not like to cook for a specific day so we can eat out. If something broke, we don't have to worry too much about repairs or replacing the item altogether. Life is easier when we don't have to worry as much about our budget when it comes to making decisions.

The issue lies in some people wanting too much money. They want to afford yachts, mansions and others items that symbolize success in our society. If we ask these people why they want these items, they don't have a good reason other than rich people have them. There are two major problems regarding what these people want that can be easily overlooked.

First, we have to wonder how we can make that much money. For people who don't have millionaire or billionaire parents, their journey to become the 1% isn't as simple as one might think. There are sacrifices along the way. There are those who have to work at least 10 times harder and smarter than everybody else and then there are those who break the laws or do unethical things to get to that state.

Secondly, these people have never thought about what happens after they get a yacht or whatever they wanted. Do they get a bigger yacht so they can show off to their friends? When will they be satisfied with what they got? Or are they always pursuing something that's bigger and better? Are these people really in a better situations than those who are slaves to their debts?

That's it for the one hundredth first entry.

Entry #102 (Money)

In our society, it's so easy to get caught up with how much money we have. In conversations, a person's success is often dictated by their salary. The larger the number, the more "successful" this person appeared. I'm sure I'm not alone when I was compared by my parents with other people my age. Maybe other people have graduated and started working at a good paying job. Maybe they are close to graduating and already secured a position at well known companies.

The comparison doesn't end here either. As we settle down and have a family, we begin comparing ourselves with other people around us. What sort of thoughts go through our head when we saw our neighbor driving a more expensive vehicle? How do we feel when we see our neighbors affording fancy things while we can barely pay for our monthly expenses?

We humans have a natural tendency to compare ourselves with others. We have this competitive nature where we want to be superior because, in the past when the environment for humans are far more harsh and less forgiving, it's those at the top who survive. Despite the advances we made in society, we still have a part of our brain that tries to convince us that we must stand at the very top and that top is now associated with a lot of money.

Competitiveness isn't always a bad thing. It can be a catalyst to change because we are tired of being who we were. Yet, a change in the wrong direction would have terrible outcomes so we must make sure we know where we should be headed. Do we really need a more expensive car? Do we really need all those fancy gadgets to show off to our neighbors? Is one's significance only weighed by how much money that person is worth?

That's it for the one hundredth second entry.

Entry #103 (Money)

The difficulty with life is finding a balance regarding money. Having too little and we struggle to afford the most basic things we need in life. This can come especially hard when we have people who depend on us. We feel shame and guilt when we cannot provide for those people when, in our society, we are expected to give them what was seen as the most basic of needs for a human being.

When we have too much money, we find ourselves in a situation where most of us cannot go back in our lifestyle. After living in a house, we'd never be satisfied renting someone's basement. After driving a brand name car, we cannot tolerate a second hand car that might have problems we must deal with every single commute. Most of us cannot handle a situation that seems inferior to what we got a taste of.

Both situations see us trapped in a cycle we don't want to be part of. That's why we must do what we can to find a balance. Otherwise, we'd be trapped and feel miserable. How do we find that balance? It's different for all of us since we start at a different place in life. Despite starting at different places, we all yearn for the same things in life because we're humans and some things are absolutely necessary for us.

The most obvious first step is definitely related to a person's job. We work to earn the money for expenses and that's generally how we make a living. Our choice of this job can have enormous impact on our future but we tend to very lax as to what we pick. Then, we pay the price later down the road because, while our financial situation is acceptable, we found ourselves lacking something which money couldn't buy for us.

That's it for the one hundredth third entry.

Entry #104 (Technology)

Technology has changed our lives in dramatic ways and the rate at which it's changing is also unprecedented. As a result, we find ourselves unable to adapt smoothly to what our world is becoming as it's clear that many things in society simply cannot keep pace with the breakthroughs we make in numerous fields that take advantage of computers and the internet.

Our inability to transition smoothly is generally seen with the generations that grew up with most of the new technology. The introduction of smart phones and various social media are only made possible by the progress we made in the last few decades. Yet, our youths of today aren't prepared to transition into adulthood when their childhood is vastly different from that of their parents.

When I was attending high school, phones were still relatively primitive compared to what we have today. We still needed to talk to other people to communicate plans or ideas. Computers and emails were widely used but laptops were still harder to carry around than the smart phones we easily fit in our pockets today. It was a very different world back then.

Nowadays, you only need to be on a bus to see how much the world changed. Most people on the bus are either on their phones or listening to music through their phones. Smart phones have played such a vital role in our society that some youths today couldn't even imagine a world without such a device. With technological advances continuing without any signs of stopping, we should expect more changes in the coming years.

That's it for the one hundredth fourth entry.

Entry #105 (Technology)

Technology has changed how we communicate with one another. Instead of needing to talk face to face or through a phone, we can simply text our friends. Texting is so easy to use and it seems more efficient if we have small matters to discuss. Once we get use to texting, we will struggle to live a life without it. That's probably why youths today complain that they cannot live without their phones.

While texting is easier to use a lot of the times, it also gives people a way out from talking to others. Why would we choose to talk face to face regarding some serious topic like a breakup if a simple text is all we need? The issue with this is that a text, however honest it might be, doesn't have the same impact as a person saying something in person. Are we running away from confrontations we don't see favorable then?

Technology has played a critical role in how we communicate. Our youths are so integrated to using social media and phones that their communication skills with other people is hindered when they must do so face to face. Chances are the first few interviews they have will be in person with supervisors and managers but nothing is preparing them for those sort of interactions.

When interacting with a person when we are present, we not only have to pay attention to what we and the other person say but there are also body language and a different environment from what we are used to. Social media allows us to avoid seeing the other person while we can be in a place we are comfortable with like our own room. Given how different society functions from the world portrayed by social media, it's no wonder many of our youths find themselves lacking the skills to properly socialize with others.

That's it for the one hundred fifth entry.

Entry #106 (Technology)

Technology always changed the opportunities available to us and nowadays it mostly affect our younger generation. When I was a kid, places like fast food restaurants were mostly hiring youths and young adults. The minimum wage jobs were usually seen as the stepping stones for the younger generation to gain valuable experience while also making some money on to side.

Nowadays, our world is changing so rapidly that automation is taking over a fair number of jobs. These jobs were normally taken by the younger generation but, as automation slowly become more widespread, such opportunities are becoming fewer and fewer. Suddenly, those who need experience the most to get further in life find themselves struggling to get the ball rolling with the first job.

We have all encountered the situation where workplaces hire people with experience but people need to work so they gain the experience. Some people might suggest going to college or university but student loans become such a huge issue and the opportunities that normally help students pay off loans are taken over by automation.

It's becoming clear that technology is changing the direction of where society is heading. Manual jobs or jobs that don't require any additional education than what you gain from high school are steadily disappearing. Our youths and young adults are facing unprecedented challenges regarding their future and the ever changing technology won't make their adaptability any easier.

That's it for the one hundred sixth entry.

Entry #107 (Addiction)

When we hear the word addiction, there are a number of different scenarios that might cross our mind. One of the most obvious one seems to be a homeless person who lost everything due to his or her drug habits. Another scenario might be a person who goes to the casino often and lost most, if not all, of his or her savings believing he or she will win it all back one day. Of course, there are other addictions involving shoplifting, alcohol and numerous other things that can get us hooked.

Addiction isn't always easy to overcome and usually end poorly for the victims and their families. If an addiction gets worse enough, even society as a whole doesn't want to deal with the victim. Yet, we mustn't forget that, oftentimes, the victims were once ordinary people no different from any of us. They just made a poor judgement one day, got hooked and couldn't ever look back. For some of them, addiction was supposed to serve as an escape for the bad things happening in their life.

To make it worse, we often have what we normally perceive as good things that can also make us addicted. For instance, some pain killers and cold medicines contain components that are very addictive. We might be taking these for a good reason initially but we eventually grow reliant on them. It seems like danger is everywhere and we only need a few missteps and we can fall into the trap without an exit in sight. Meanwhile, our society promotes a certain addiction but it isn't even perceived as one by most people.

In our society, we are bombarded by ads telling us what we should buy and how we should live our lives. These ads are pushing us towards an addictive activity called shopping. It's true that a few people do go over the top when it comes to shopping but majority of the people in Canada and the USA are caught up in buying expensive things they don't need. This is getting so bad that most households accumulate debts they might never pay off. Instead of being seen as an addiction, we call it a norm nowadays.

That's it for the one hundred seventh entry.