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project 2501 Apparently someone thinks that I am involved with the girls' soccer team at the local high school. I'm not, but that didn't stop some woman from leaving me a long message on my answering machine telling me the times for the games this weekend. More than once I listened to the name that she said at the beginning of the message, but I'm not sure what she said. It sounded vaguely like my name, but one would think that they would have better records before they started calling people. That strange phone call was what started my day. I had heard the telephone ring, but I wasn't about to answer it. I couldn't think of anyone that I knew that would call at nine in the morning. On the other hand, I do have that woman to thank for getting me out of bed early. I didn't want to waste today like I did Monday. Besides the weather has gotten warm enough to get a one arm tan as I drive around town with my car window rolled down. After a quick trip to the library for some more books on Europe followed by a stop at the grocery store, I was back home grilling. There was still a slight chill in the air, but not enough to keep me off of my porch. In fact I almost fell asleep lying outside. ... I finally got around to renting Ghost in the Shell and I wasn't disappointed. Now if only American animators could produce something just as powerful, but that'll never happen with the spectre of Disney blighting the land. Time moved so slowly this afternoon as I sat on the porch and paged through one of the books that I had picked up from the library. While most people in the neighborhood were at work, I could just lounge around and stare off into space. It was probably the first time in days that I actually let myself relax and it felt good. For about an hour or so this afternoon, I managed to forget about everything and it was something that I needed. It isn't as though I've been under a lot of stress lately, but sometimes a person just needs to free his or her self from everything around them. I've never been one to look that far into future as far as my life is concerned and I think that most of that comes through in the journal. For me my life can shrink down to a single moment in time where nothing else exists. Suddenly tomorrow temporarily is beyond my grasp and I don't see that as a negative either. A person has to learn to enjoy life and be part of the moment now and then. There may be times when it isn't as extreme, but very seldom do I make plans that go past a few months in time. For example, beyond my trip to Europe in July, I don't have anything else planned for the rest of the year. If someone asked me what I was going to be doing in September, I wouldn't be able to give them an answer. ... I often wonder how I survive in a world where everything is accelerating. True, the Midwest is not nearly as fast paced as it is on the coasts, but we aren't completely immune to the effects of technology. People are always looking for latest gadget or device that they can add to their lives. They want to be on the edge. They want to push the boundary. They want to look hip. Of course I can't truly say that I despise all of this technology and the baggage that comes with it, because there are days when I want immediate gratification just as much as the next person. I like having access to information from all around the world through my computer. I like being able to order things without leaving my house. I like watching films about space and the future. Maybe I took too much of the quasi philosophy of Ghost in the Shell too seriously, but I do wonder how much of our humanity we sacrifice with our technology. I don't want to be part of a world where people and machines blend that closely. ... It may not have been the most active of weekends, but any time away from work is good enough. Oh, my job is tolerable enough, but I could easily see myself walking away from it and never giving it a second thought. Quite simply my job is not the focus of my life, nor will it ever be. Most of my time and energy is going towards things that I like to do such as travel.
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