How much entertainment do I actually need?

     I've spent a big chunk of my life enjoying the entertainment provided to me. I like sports, music, movies, video games, stand up comedy, and a handful of TV shows. I won't say the time was wasted. Entertainment has cheered me when I was down, allowed me to relax when I've over worked myself and when entertainment is at it's best it can be quite inspiring. While the activity of consuming the entertainment is passive, there can be times when it triggers action. When I was young I was often inspired heavily by comic books, cartoons and video games to draw my own characters. When I would watch football I would often end up at the park trying to imitate Barry Sanders, Ickey Woods or Joe Montana. A lot of my sense of humor is inspired by Monty Python, I still get incredulous looks when I try to explain why Mister Hilter was funny. In a way, the entertainment I enjoyed formed some of my development. 

    I'm sitting here pondering, have I consumed too much? Is entertainment just less inspiring now? Did I just get lazy? I like to create but it's hard. Life has become so full, right? Work, school, wife, kids, 5 hour marathon of The Office. Who has time to write, draw, inspire others, exercise or just enjoy the company of family? I have to know if Dexter gets caught, if Chris Johnson breaks the rushing record or  if I can save Princess Zelda again. 

    I've been telling myself over the last 12 months, "After I'm done taking classes I have to get back to creating". I know I'm not a great writer, a great artist and I will never be Barry Sanders but I have a feeling that I have the capacity create and inspire. I realize that I do need to take breaks and just enjoy some good entertainment but I really need a diet. I have to give it a shot, perhaps this is the first step. 

Humbly,

Joe Martin

Some Much Needed Downtime and a Note for Slackers

I just wrapped up another semester of classes and I'm two-thirds of the way through my BS in Business Management program at Northeastern University. Forty-four weeks of classes in a year along with work and raising a family is a grind and I need a mental holiday. I'll be taking it easy for the next few weeks to give my brain some rest and recharge my batteries for the the last 6 months left of classes starting in January. Now it's time to spend some more time having fun with my kids, enjoy some more time with my wife, catch up on some games, maybe read a book I don't have to cite for a report, not have to worry about homework deadlines and heck, I may even get some sleep for a change. I'll also be taking a look at what I've been doing and make sure its the right thing for my family.

It's important to stay productive but it's also important that we slow down from time to time. Take some time to look at what you are doing and ask yourself if you're on the right path. These little lulls in life are the best time to take a step back and assess where you can improve your life and the lives of your loved ones. It's hard to get a grasp on where you are in life when you're up to your eyebrows with work. Some of you reading this may be taking some time off for the holidays and amidst all the merriment take a pause and ask yourself if you're on the right path. Ask yourself, "Can I be doing better?", "Do I really need to work 80 hour weeks?", "Do I really need a 400 calorie coffee every morning?" Your answers are your own of course, you may be completely content and more power to you.

On the other hand if you've been spending all your time sitting around blaming others for your lack of success, get of your ass and make it happen now. Don't wait for the New Year, don't wait until Monday, and don't wait for tomorrow. None of things are promised, success isn't guaranteed but only you can maximize your potential through effort.

Have a super day/week/year/life,
Joe