This past week I was heading to the gym. A place I should visit more often, but at least I'm making it. One of my weekly routines is on Monday I sit in my rental car of the week and set the radio stations to the ones I've come to enjoy. They have a few alternative stations that depending on time of day play some not so mainstream music.

So here I am in my vehicle dujour (Impala) and a Michigan artist of Sufjan Stevens comes on. The song coincidentally is called Chicago. I have his live version, but for the first time I heard the studio version. I turned it up and was taken to another place. I think behind books and music the artist has meaning built into it. However I think we as the audience should use the freedom to interpret it. If we get something out of it, then where's the harm. Driving the short drive, certain lyrics jumped out at me. Lyrics I never really paid attention to before.



"I was in love with the place
in my mind, in my mind
I made a lot of mistakes
in my mind, in my mind"


How true are these words. We as humans at many times over analyze the situation we are in. Or day dream about the situation we want to be in. I have at many points pondered about my future and where it'll lead me. When we dream we are optimistic. We put ourselves in places we'd like to be in. In these places we fall in love with our surroundings. These places real or not for the time being only remain in our mind.





Then at the same time we things go wrong, the magnitude of them grows exponentially by our thought process. We feel the weight of the situation and at times can be over burdened by it. If we were an outsider looking at the situation we'd notice the mistake but soon enough move on. The mind is a powerful thing, and at times it'd probably be nice to have an on and off switch.

"we had our mindset
all things know, all things know
you had to find it
all things go, all things go"

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!...?

Well the ball dropped and the 5 switched to a 6. What does this truly signify? People who sell calendars rejoice. Maybe maternity wards will be staffed a bit more on September 1st. The restaurant chain Black Eyed Peas has their peak day(this is only my assumption).

With each passing year we look back and reflect upon what occurred the past 365 days (plus one leap second this year). News stations showcase the top events, Billboard has the top songs, and trashy magazines talk about the marriages and splits of Hollywood relationships. Each New Year for some becomes a new beginning. Gyms will now be filled with those who created New Year's resolutions. Maybe a few more home cooked meals will replace the fast food meals of late. But, in due time things will go back to the way they were. People might resume their lazy ways, cigarettes will be re-lit, and the effort to stay in touch with others will be filled with nights of TV or surfing the Internet.

People should not look at 06' as a new beginning. Every day is a new beginning. Within that day, ever hour. In that hour, every minute. Every second. Every instance. No one should wait for a certain date to change their lives. Self will allows us to change at any moment. We may have to fight through years of routine, up-bringing, and controlling of emotions. Don’t look at these factors to inhibit your ability. Persevere, keep going.

So I don't have a true New Years resolution. Ok, I'm probably laying off sodas but that was coming up anyways. I want to do better at work too, but that was mainly due to my performance review occurred before the break. I know there will be days the next 12 months where I'll be stressed. I will have self doubt. Just as we all do at certain moments. I hope in the moments where I feel there is no way out, that knowing I have control of the situation will remain.

To all Happy New Year. If the New Year doesn't start off as you planned, don't let that stop you. The year has no significance. Your actions do.