Shades of Love

Shades of Love

Melissa Dallago

            Love is the greatest, most wonderful emotion that mankind has; it motivates us, it consumes us, it drives us to distraction, it is both a sickness and a cure, it is unconditional, it is nurturing, it is everything and all that truly matters. 

            Love comes in many shades, kinds and variations; it is a universal emotion that each and every one of us understands.  It brings us together, drives us apart, conquers vast divides, and empowers us to perform unimaginable feats. 

            Love of family is the strongest and most enduring kind.  The love of a parent for a child is intense, protective, grand, and perhaps the most powerful force on earth.  It has been said that loving a child is like having a piece of your heart existing outside of you.  The love between a parent and a child is intense, everlasting and above all unconditional.

            Love between siblings is equally as powerful and binding.  There will always be someone who understands you, loves you, accepts you, and has been with you through all of your highs and lows.  The love between siblings is also unconditional, because even if you don’t see eye to eye, you still love them because they are family after all.

            Love between friends is supportive, understanding, and compassionate.  It endures no matter the distance or time that passes.  Friends bonded together are true to each other in good times and bad.  They offer a shoulder to lean on, a person to laugh will, or just a quiet presence of someone who cares.

            Love between humans and animals are another special pairing.  Our pets are our friends through thick and thin.  Their love is unconditional and a strong bond of mutual affection, soft fur and times of play and laughter abound.  It is truly the love of an animal that can teach the meaning of unconditional love and acceptance.

            The love between two people who find their way to each other on their journey through life is one of partnership, mutual respect, endearment and a deep passion for one another.  To share a true love with another is to achieve a wonderful bond, one that hopefully is unbreakable and forever. 

            These are the different shades of love that we experience as we travel through life, but one shade of love that defines them all is “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails.”  It is love in all of its forms that bind us together. 

Technological Nightmares

I have always considered myself pretty savvy when it comes to technology.  I understand the fundamentals of how computers work and I can function in Microsoft Windows 8 without an issue.  I was proud of myself on the day I set up my first Wi-Fi network, although it took me half a day of scratching my head and reading the directions repeatedly, but once I got it up and running my internet hummed along quite nicely. 

I’m even capable of hooking up a small entertainment system that includes a DVD player, cable box, gaming system and television without too much trouble.  I was able to install, play and thrive in an online computer videogame.  My addiction of choice was World of Warcraft, which I played incessantly for over five years.  I have since retired from the online realm and have re-engaged in “real life”, as we gamers like to say, because it is infinitely more interesting than the pixelated world created on my computer monitor (see I do know techy words!).  Based on these achievements I thought that I was advanced enough in technology to be able to survive in the environment; at least I thought I was until this past weekend when I felt like I was starring in a Star Trek episode exploring where no man (excuse me, woman) has gone before. 

Right after Christmas my boyfriend David and I decided to upgrade to a DVR system to record our favorite shows, and TiVo was our service of choice.  At first it seemed like it would be very easy to install TiVo and upgrade our system, but boy were we wrong.  This “simple project” has since evolved into a living technological monster that lurks in the wires and Wi-Fi system in our electronics; it is the proverbial “ghost in the machine”. 

In going through this process I have learned just how much of a technological nincompoop I really am, which trust me is not good for one’s ego.  Just in the past week I have learned about N-routers versus G-routers, Z-waves versus broadband, infrastructure networking upgrades, bytes, bits, data, fiber optics, broadband, terabytes, petabytes, yottabytes (yes it’s a word, Google it if you don’t believe me), gigabytes, terabytes, TiVo, Sonos sound systems, calibrating Wi-Fi routers, USB cords, fire wires, parallel ports, upgraded, downgraded, quad cores, Fios, and the holy grail of internet speeds, 75 megabytes per second.  I’ve learned so much that my head is ready to explode! 

We’ve also had the old standby of screaming in frustration over a pixelating television screen, spending hours and hours on the telephone with customer service trying to “just make the damn thing work,” and cursing streaks that would make a sailor blush!  My head is spinning from the technology nightmare that we have entered. 

The outcome after all of these efforts is that TiVo does in fact work, but our picture quality is horrible and our Wi-Fi is on par with an asthmatic ninety year old trying to run a marathon.  Our Smart phones have become dumb, our Wi-Fi routers now suffer from an acute case of attention deficit disorder (huh, what, you wanted to actually go on the internet now), and our security system has taken an extended coffee break; basically nothing is working right, but at least we have TiVo.  Whew!

In my opinion its rather comical how in our technologically advanced world when you try to upgrade one portion of your system, everything else is knocked out of whack.  The systems don’t want to play with each other, let alone share, electronics just decide to stop working for no apparent reason, and sometimes I feel like my Droid DNA is just throwing a temper tantrum on par with a three year old.  I am now afraid to push any button, let alone the infamous red one, in case I hear an announcement that “this system will self-destruct in 15 seconds”.  The bottom line is we are not out of the technological woods yet, but we are hopefully seeing a light at the end of the tunnel; its either that or an approaching blue screen of death!

Throughout this whole endeavor, David has been valiantly fighting the technological monster that is lurking in our house.  He has beaten it into submission several times, but it has not yet been vanquished.  There is still plenty of reboots, re-configuring and recalibration going on to keep him busy.  I’ve pretty much just given up hope that our system will just work, but my honey, being the networking and computer genius that he is, has not yet given up on beating the monster once and for all, that or at least declaring a truce. 

The moral of this rant is this: no matter how much we like to consider ourselves as technologically advanced with our smart phones, laptops, z-waves, and what have you, when it comes to actually trying to make these wonders of modern technology work and integrate into our lives, we are no better than primordial man trying to make fire.  We like to think that we are the masters of technology, but I think, like in the movie The Matrix, we are slaves to the machines.  Ain’t technology grand!  

Tolerance

                                                           Tolerance

We recently had a group of protesters in Safety Harbor that caused quite an uproar between people of opposing political viewpoints.  This is what I posted in response to some of the comments that were being made....

The old adage, "it takes all kinds to make the world go around" is especially appropriate to the events that occurred in Safety Harbor yesterday.  I will tell you from the beginning that I do not agree with those people at all.  If I had been in the Harbor yesterday and came across their table I would probably have quipped some snarky remark such as there are more horses’ asses in the world than there are horses and moved on.  I would have been upset with their statements and signs, but I also know that nothing that I could have said would have changed their opinions and beliefs.

For the record, I used to be a staunch supporter of George H.W. Bush.  He could have done no wrong in my eyes.  I supported him blindly, and was a good little Republican Party member.  I used to proudly state my political opinions to everyone who would listen to me, and there were numerous occasions when I went toe to toe arguing with protesters who were protesting the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and then one day I picked up a book that opened my eyes.  That book was 1776 by David McCullough.

To those who may not have read it, it chronicles the struggles of our Founding Fathers as they tried to find a way to create a country from nothing; a country that was based on independence, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  I will acknowledge, although not discuss it here, that of course there were economic reasons for independence, and of course there was the issue of slavery, that frankly is a terrible blot on our history, that the Founding Fathers took into consideration, but more importantly they had a grander vision.  The country that we proudly call the United States of America is a result of their hard work and dedication to creating something bigger and more meaningful; a country based on those principals stated in the Declaration of Independence and the preamble of the Constitution. 

After finishing 1776, my appetite for knowledge grew and I devoured every book and article I could lay hands on; no subject was beyond my reach.  I took Benjamin Franklin’s advice, “[that] the only thing more expensive than education is ignorance” to heart.  I even struggled with economic theory when the housing bubble popped and I realized just how bad our economy truly is.  I don't profess to be an expert on any subject, but I am comfortable enough with my knowledge to be able to make rational decisions.  In other words, when the proverbial "s***" hit the fan, I didn't run around screaming my head off that the sky was falling, but instead I turned to books written by scholarly authors, read the actual bills being put forth by the House and Senate (even though they didn’t), and picked apart the executive orders being created by Bush and Obama.  I educated myself to the best of my ability about the subjects at hand, and that is where my belief, as the Founding Fathers believed, that an educated populace is the best hope for our country.  I also grew up politically speaking.  Instead of attacking someone for not agreeing with me, I developed a tolerance for those people that some may deem as "yahoos".  My political opinions became something that I guarded very closely, and I still do. 

I'm sure that I will be attacked by those who disagree with me for what I have said in this post, but before you vilify me, the author, I ask that you just pause for a moment with your hands poised over the keyboard and try to take in the spirit of what it is that I am writing here.  I do not agree with group that was here yesterday, but I do respect their right to speak their beliefs.  I agree to disagree with them, and move on with my day.  Others will voice their opinions to their faces, and I respect them as well.  We certainly need to stand up for what we believe and not be cowered by those who happen to disagree with us, but it is my opinion that through patience, respect and tolerance of opposing beliefs that are based on reason, facts and frankly reality, that a middle ground can be reached and true progress can be made. 

Just so we're clear on my political stance, I am a registered Independent who voted for Obama.  I did not base my decision on party affiliations or the bromide spouted by the candidates.  I voted for Obama after much deliberation, research and thought on my part.  I will also proudly say that I am a staunch supporter of education, reason, common sense, and active involvement in the governmental process.  We need to speak our opinions and beliefs; yet we also need to be respectful and tolerant of each other because after all wouldn't you agree with me that it is through the debate process that the work of our society really gets done!

I will close with a quote from my favorite Founding Father, Ben Franklin, "The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all men, charity.”