Something to think about...

Took the bus to work today as usual.. My daily commute to work goes on one bus, and after a few stations I switch and take a different bus; the station I stop at is infront of a Starmart supermarket...

At the bus stop, I was feeling kinda hungry, and since the next bus comes after 15 minutes I decided to go in and get something to eat. Went inside, got a nice big slice of pizza. As I walked out the door I was about to open up the box of pizza and I see what I assumed to be a homeless guy on the side of the supermarket. He had a huge beard like he hasn't shaved for months, dirty clothes, and it was raining so he was sitting on the side of the supermarket hoping not to get wet; obviously homeless or at the least very poor. I waited till I passed him to eat my pizza since it seemed like he was looking straight at me; I didnt want to eat infront of him, the guy looked so hungry after all.

Went back to the bus stop, finished my food and saw the bus coming down the road. Now I was thinking about this guy; it was cold and wet, hes just sitting there with everything he owns in a little shopping cart next to him; a few clothes, an old plastic bag with some stuff in it, and what looks like a broken umbrella. Guy obvioulsy hasnt eaten in a while and looked really tired and powerless.

The bus was coming closer, and I had to be in the office in 20 minutes. But I thought, what the hell, shouldn't someone help him out? I thought about going in to get something for him, but decided, nah, I'll be late for work.

Late for work? What does that mean to me? Walking in 10 or 15 minutes late into the office. This guy is sitting here, hungry, probably starving. I think a few minutes late for me isn't that big a deal compared to what he's feeling. I walked on over to him and asked, You hungry? He looked at me and it was like he couldnt comprehend what I was saying. I pointed at my stomache, "Want something to eat?" He looked at me, sorta suprised, or maybe wondering why someone was asking him this, and said yeah. I told him ok, wait a minute.

I went inside, as the bus passed my stop and left. I got him a big slice of pizza, then decided, what the hell, let me get him two. And a big bottle of water.

Got all of that stuff and went back out. It didnt cost much, didnt cost much at all, $2.50 dollars... And I gave it to him. He looked at me with the biggest look of gratitude and said, thanks, in a low muffled voice... I just smiled back and walked over to the bus stop...

The second bus came soon as I arrived at the stop. Got on and looked at him as the bus drove away... Something moved inside me. Ive always been thinking my situation could be better, and I need more money, for this or for that. Always trying to do what I can to make more money. And I look at this guy, just a small thing we don't even think about means the world to him. Were living life so easily yet were not satisfied... And do we ever think about helping others on the way? Sure if we see someone on the side of the street we might throw him some change, but have you ever gone out of your way to do something? I felt like a tear was about to drop. Why haven't I ever done something like this before? I know I was good when I was a child, and I loved to help people but things changed; everyone is for himself now, its a material world after all...

Do we ever think of helping others? I felt the wierdest feeling today after helping that guy. Its not about how much money you spend, its about what you do. It was such a small thing to me, but it meant a lot. I guess something changed inside of me... I'm promising myself to try and help out one person every day at least.

I hope you all read this and try to do something. Or maybe start thinking about making a difference in your world and not be so selfish anymore. If you already do this, great. If you dont, well, heres to a new start.

Im not writing this to show off or whatever. I think I experienced something today and I hope this makes one or two of you think about doing the same.. If it does then you never know whose life you can change...

So Google buys YouTube...

Dammit dammit dammit! Now if you're wondering why i'm running around kicking myself, its because this is scenario is something i've been going over in my head for the past 3 or 4 months. Not exactly google buying youtube, but the fact that I need to come up with some crazy zany idea that will get sold to some huge capitalist net-business like Yahoo or Google, and make me millions.

Now these guys who made YouTube, founded it in Feb 2005. The service was launched in December 2005. So effectively, its been running less than a year. Now with over 70 million videos being watched every day on YouTube, Google decides, hey, that looks like a good business idea.

1.65 billion dollars later, it's theirs.

Yup, thats right. Not a million dollars. Not a few million, not even a few hundered million. A straight out cool 1.65 billion dollars.

I'm not here to go into the financial details or how its gonna profit google or whatnot. Im here to talk about those two guys who run the business, Chad Hurley and Steven Chen. How must they feel right now? Well, its pretty obvious, they just released a video of themselves talking on YouTube and they can't stop giggling.You can see it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCVxQ_3Ejkg

Just picture how they must feel. One day they probably had trouble getting together enough change to get a decent meal (well, maybe not, but you get the idea). The next day, theyre billionaires. BILLIONAIRES. Thats ridiculous.

Don't get me wrong, i'm nto hating on them. I can actually feel their joy. It's just a bit overwhelming trying to grasp how big this situation is. And this is me talking. I wonder how they must feel.

Anyhow, i'm still working on my super-secret internet project that I will be launching soon. Size-wise, its not YouTube, but i'm planning on selling it to Google (or Yahoo, or MSN or whoever is willing to actually buy my dumb idea) for a few million. Hell, a million will do. You know what? I can do with a few hundered thousand.

Way to go Chad & Steve. You guys are like... Well, I don't even know the words to describe it. I guess all I can say is well done :)

Where are we going to...

I guess this post is more or less aimed at those people in their mid 20-somethings, early 30's... More or less graduated out of college, started having a taste of what the real world is like. Because obvioulsy when we are in our teens, or still in college, we have no idea what the real world is about. It doesn't really matter to us what will happen when we leave college, as we cannot concieve how the real world works.

But now that we've reached that age, we start seeing what the real world holds for us. It doesn't really matter what college degree you have; whether its from an ivy league college or otherwise. People aren't as friendly out here; unless they want something from you.. We aren't all going to grow up and become billionaires. Or even millionaires for that matter. Were slowly starting to realize this, and we angry, were furious.

Am I the only one who believes this? I don't think so. I've spoken to numerous people who share my view; but they're keeping it inside. Its a shock to us. Where are we going in our lives, what are our expectations, where do we really want to be? Turned down job offers, lower than expected salaries, broken down friendships, failed relationships.. Where are we going to? We don't even know where we will be.

You look at the people around you, the close friends you've made. You worry because you realize that these people aren't as trustworthy as you originally thought, they might not be the great people you once thought. You wonder where the friends you lost touch with are, and begin to wonder whether these are the people you should have stayed close to; they were the ones that are the most important.

The innocence of being in school or college; innocence is probably not the perfect word, probably being naive is more like it. Naive to what the future holds for us.. We don't see pain, hardships or tranquility. But we see it when we get here. And even after a night of partying, or a full day of having fun, or whatever it is you do to fill your void, you come home at the end of the day and realize, the void is still there. It still exists. At times you laugh with joy with utmost force, feeling you will be eternally happy. And suddenly you turn around and feel insecure. You see things changing, and you accept it. Then you turn around feel insecure; you hang on to the past, and realize its futility as it drifts further and further away, with nothing you can do about it.

I think the mid-age life crisis is moving back. Moving back 20 years or so; its us. Were filled with rage, filled with anger. Yet were filled with sadness and pain. We see the people around us; single moms, broken homes, homeless people. Is this the world our college lives were keeping us away from? Was that the bubble we lived in, they kept us there to keep us innocent? Naive?
Where are we going to now? You feel insecure about not knowing where you are going to be in a few years. But then get scared because you don't even know where you are now..