Judge not.

Just in case you've been living under a rock for the past few weeks - I will give you a brief synopsis of the much publicized Casey Anthony case and subsequent trial.

Casey Anthony had a daughter, Caylee. It is a fact that Casey didn't report her daughter missing for a month after Calyee "disappeared." It is a fact that during this month Casey repeatedly ventured out and acted like nothing was amiss, even to those closest to her. It is a fact that she repeately lied to pretty much everyone about where her daughter was. It is also a fact that she covered up the disappearance (and death) of her daugther in some way or another. The rest - isn't so much as a fact as really, really convicing evidence. But obviously not convicing enough to warrant a murder conviction. Yesterday Casey Anthony was found not guilty of almost every charge brought against her, except for providing false information to the police - which carries little if no jail time.

So in the wake of this surprising verdict - I did what has become my new habit whenever a huge news story breaks...I turned to Facebook to gauge my friend's reactions. I should really know better by this point. I was shocked, horrified and eventually perplexed at the reaction of some people to this trial. Mean things. Violent things. Offensive things.

It's the same people that were posting such violent, vigilante ideas in the wake of Osama Bin Laden's death. It's as if Facebook has become the new town square where instead of pitchforks and torches people pass out status updates and hateful posts...and it scares me.

Is it the anonymity of the Internet that encourages people to so boldy proclaim their ideas? Or has there been societial shift in values that says that it's OK to say whatever you want, regardless of the audience? When did we become so empowered to lay judgement on events and situations that we have little to no first-hand involvement in?

Perhaps the constant availablity of information, videos and articles on every single news-worthy event has created an over-inflated sense of ownership of current events. Perhaps people always responded this personally and strongly, yet their harsh words were confined to living rooms in front of the nightly newscasts. Facebook has redefined our culture in the past few years - yet I'm begning to feel like the vehicle of our online communications and identites is slowly taking us down roads harmful to our fellow man.

When will the movement away from the internet begin? Every advancement in online technology brings us closer, more connected (electronically - that's a huge distinction), and better informed - but at what cost? Every new service offered makes sense, it makes things easier - they're all seemingly good things.Yet if the cost for these luxuries is an ever increasing mob mentality and blanket permission to proclaim messages of hate under the banner of self expression - I'm not sure I'm ready to pay that price.

In reality, I don't know what it is. I can't say for sure why people say or act the way they do. I have my guesses - but they are just that. I refuse to believe people that post such hateful things are hateful themselves - just as I refuse to believe that someone who commits evil acts is completely evil. Instead we must seek the "why" and the "how did we get here" and hope that by finding these things out - we also find a compassion for those who judge, need be judged or are awaiting judgement.

New and Improved

I have no clue what it's actually called - but whatever is lying on my stomach right now has changed my life. It is one of those packs that can be heated up or cooled down quickly and in the week and a half that I've owned it I've used it every single day. I use it to ice my foot during the afternoons after work, heat my stomach to calm the cramps in the evenings and to cool my sweaty body during stuffy nights without air conditioning.

I considered my world rocked. And better.

If you would have asked me a week ago what item would greatly increase the quality of my life - a heating/cooling pad wouldn't have even made the list.

Other people find value in other things. There's a guy at my work that swears the iPad has revolutionized his life and a lady I know will spend days hunting down those green bags that keep produce fresh.

Maybe the world is filled with things waiting to be discovered by people. Items full of possibility to better the our lives as we go about our days - if only in the tiniest way. And we just need to find them. Be at the right place, at the right time. Ready to let one new item improve our daily routine.

Maybe these things find us.

Maybe not.
Either way....I'm taking my magic pack out of the freezer - it's time to sweat myself to sleep.

A new direction.

I've decided to pursue a new direction with this blog.

Though the past format was nice, and it fit the stage of life I was in quite well. I experienced a lot of changes the past year and found myself needing to discover new parts of this new life and new me I've created. It was good to break things down and examine the nuances of each piece of the puzzle - but the time has come to move on.

I feel as if my life is taking a new direction....outward. Though I will never cease my dedication to unrelenting self-examination, I feel my focus shifting.  I hope to examine things, life outside of myself and use this blog as a medium to do so.
Enjoy.