Gratitude

Giving thanks. Not necessarily something that everyone remembers to do, and even completely disregarded in many places and ways by too many people. Why do some decide not to make it a part of their life? Why should it be? Spock and all his logically-based Vulcan race are smart, high-tech and peaceful enough yet they don't seem like the type that would let something as sentimental as expressing a 'thank you' enter into their thoughts.
Some may assume that they can express gratitude without actually spending the mere air and seconds to say a sincere 'thanks' or maybe some may postulate that conveying such a trivial feeling is unnecessary. This assumption and postulation may be repeated and people they encounter are probably unaware of this habit. The giver may develop a negative perspective towards the ingrate if incessantly not thanked. Not only can this damage one's countenance, but also one's methods of dealing with others because of the initial derogatory impressions of the other.
Showing that one is grateful for something is a sign of selflessness. Many things that can be obtained in this world are of little consequence and anything can harm our character if it's not received with thankfulness. One would begin to forget about truly important things, which don't include a nice car or large house, if one didn't have a mind of thankfulness for the crucial AND not-so-crucial things. When this happens, the feeling of doing something for someone else is not one that originates in such a state of ingratitude. Peace and harmony are ultimately a result not of selfish, power-hungry saturated thoughts, but of the opposite. Therefore a race such as the Vulcans are about as realistic as... an unrealistic ideal race similar to humans.
Saying 'please' and 'thank you', which we have been taught since wee laddies 'n' lassies, obviously bears a greater purpose, more than just to busy ourselves with manners. Cooperation among mankind is begun and driven by selflessness, and at the base of this is expression of appreciation for one another's efforts to help. Thanks for reading :)

Puzzles. A puzzling problem I'd rather not decipher...

There are always going to be jobs in everyone's life whether it's their chores at home or career or occupation. Some people may not mind what they do as far as an occupation, but thinking of doing something like that in their spare time because it's fun???... This is exactly what puzzles are. Fitting little shapes together is so elementary yet old people do it and young toddlers don't have the capacity to sit still long enough let alone be able to spend the time to put anything more than those 4 piece puzzles together. I'll admit that sometimes the pictures are cool that you make once the puzzle is complete. But is it really worth the hours put into it? Why do they put the cool pictures on the quadrillion piece puzzles anyway? I'm not sure if that's enough motivation for me. One could probably just go out and, even including the time of the job interview, get a job and work enough hours to buy a picture that is even better than the one on the box. So why do people still like to put together puzzles?
Well, I guess you'd never see someone who enjoys associating with people all the time or has a time-comsuming job sit down and put a puzzle together, unless maybe it helps their brain relax from the pressures or something. Puzzles might be a form of diversion of the mind to simply pass the time, because maybe that mind may think that even work is better than being bored or truly relaxing. When someone doesn't have the time to sit down and do a puzzle they are probably involved in... a life! (no offense to those people who somehow really like to put puzzles together...) Typical lives are full of either hard or moderate work and play, but why would someone want to add to their work or do something that shouldn't be considered play? In my experience, my family and I try doing puzzles just long enough to figure out that what we usually do isn't actually so boring after all, so we return to those typical activities. I guess it takes a special kind of person to like to take the time and whatever effort required to engage in such a... monotonous activity.
Putting puzzles together might actually not be so bad, or even preferable, if one was at least paid to do it. However there probably isn't a job out there that pays enough to get someone like me to do that anyway. Other than that I think I'll wait till I get older to indulge myself in a rousing round of trying to put thousands of pieces, that you could swear all fit, together.

Analytical Tribute for Veteran's Day

There are undoubtedly people in the U.S. that not only disagree with the war in Iraq, but also look down upon the soldiers' sacrifices who serve there. Whether one believes in the war or not, it still represents the U.S.A. and the freedom we try to uphold for the lives of every citizen, through the lives of soldiers. The Viet Nam war comes to my mind, and how horrible the survivors returning to their homes in the states were treated after enduring agonies that would leave them perpetually scarred. Media mainly controls what the U.S. citizens see and hear about what goes on in the world. So why is the majority of the media so negative when it comes to international conflict (not only international conflict)? The new crews, newspapers, etc. are essentially tearing down the very symbol of the government that makes it possible for them to have the freedom of speech.
Is it what makes the most money? If news businesses did not thrive so well on negative reports, then they would not incessantly publicize them. This must mean that most of the general public fuels the news reporter's eyes for chaos, destruction, and especially death. Ultimately the broadcasting stations abandon the abundant positive effects of this nation's struggles for what? Money. When wealth has such a heavy bearing, even to destroy the very standards of the greatest nation on Earth, it is obvious that the system is corrupt. I guess the natural human is inclined to give their attention to negative things, and when this happens people will not only pay attention but will also pay money in return for the attention they get from their neighbors, critics, and especially other politicians. In the end is it an attempt to put others down who may think the war in Iraq and how we tried to protect freedom in Viet Nam, is/was a good thing? This country does so many great things, but republicans, democrats, etc. always have to concentrate and focus on what is wrong with the other and how stupid they are for not having the same views. In this process of hate and resentment the great aspects of this country are all too often overlooked and lost.
The United States of America is the leader of nations and for untainted reasons. Our founding fathers did not have money and wealth in mind when they said people should have the freedom of speech and the many other amazing liberating feats of the constitution. Neither should we. Dwelling and searching for excellent effects that our soldiers have on the world can only lead us to the outstanding vision that the U.S. was founded to accomplish.

Music. What kind of connections do you like to make?

Back in neanderthal times (for all those evolutionists), between hunting or gathering, you may spy a cave man grin 'n' shuffle to a beat he made by hitting two objects together. Then came along the vibrations from wooden flutes, maybe even with grass reeds, producing various pitches. Music has probably been a hallmark of progression throughout human existence as far as mankind goes back. With such an important place in society one might be able to discover the reason why it seems like humans can't live without music. So, why DOES music have the power to mess with our emotions, making us happy or sad?
It has been proven that the human brain generally makes the most connections, or lights up most when listening to music. The many factors involved, such as whether it is minor or major, the tempo, the different instruments used and chords being played, etc. whether we are aware of it or not, makes the human brain flare up like a light bulb with connections, but why are these connections so pleasure-instilling causing us to enjoy tunes so much? Maybe it shares a joke's prime directive, meaning that maybe the connections we make when we hear the punch line of a joke, which causes us to laugh, are the same, but subtle and meaningfully personal connections are wrought from music. These bridges throughout the brain may cause secretions of neurotransmitters that accommodate the neurotransmitter of pleasure as a result of accomplishing such a connection, making us prefer the certain types of music that we connect most with.
People like to relate to things such as music, because it lets them know that they are not alone in feeling happy or depressed. On this foundation I conclude that the relation between the human and the music is the key to enjoying music from a light Mozart to one of Kelly Clarkson's alternative rock (she sings that kind of music, right?) songs. It all has to do with the experiences we take with us when we listen.