Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Discovering New Stuff

Do you ever think about all the different things going on around us? 
Every person with a whole entire life of things you know nothing about!
Today I learned about something I never knew existed.
It is called Steampunk and here is how the Urban Dictionary defines it:

1. steampunk



Steampunk is a subgenre of speculative fiction, usually set in an anachronistic Victorian or quasi-Victorian alternate history setting. It could be described by the slogan "What the past would look like if the future had happened sooner." It includes fiction with science fiction, fantasy or horror themes.


And if the term 'speculative fiction' is new to you as it was to me, here is a definition of this:

"Speculative literature is a catch-all term meant to inclusively span the breadth of fantastic literature, encompassing literature ranging from hard science fiction to epic fantasy to ghost stories to horror to folk and fairy tales to slipstream to magical realism to modern myth-making -- and more."


Speculative Literature Foundation


HOW COOL IS THIS????

And I heard about this on a podcast of the How Stuff Works Website

I LOVE THOSE SHOWS!!!!!!!!  They are awesome!
If you want to expand your world go check it out!!! 

When I couldn't listen to radio streaming on my computer at work I started exploring podcasting to my ipod.  CATHY!  I am finally using the ipod you gave me!!!!!   lol
Podcasts are free   They are fascinating  You can learn about anything you can imagine.  For me it is like sitting around the cafe table at Starbucks and eavesdropping on all kinds of interesting people while I do my boring accounting work!

Another show I like is 'How Much Do We Love..."  which is just a lot of fun.    And one of the things they like to talk about are "Extras in the movie of your life"  These are people whom you encounter during your life.  These are not people you really know well.  Here are some of mine:  My neighbors.  I do not know their names nor would I recognize them in the store.  Here is what I know about them.  They put their trash cans out before we do.  Every week.  No matter how early we do it, they do it first.  It is like THEY KNOW!  Also they line them up in a special order and then my sister is compelled to mirror the order so we look like the two most OCD houses on the street.  One of the guys also sweeps the driveway every morning and washes his car every sunday morning even if he has to do it IN THE GARAGE because it is raining.
Another extra is the gal who is always working at the Jack in the Box near where I get on the freeway.  I always grab a soda on the way to work (YES EVEN AT 5:30am)  and she knows how I like my soda:  Extra Ice.  LOTS OF ICE  EVEN IF IT IS SNOWING OUTSIDE!!  We are 'friends' of a sort!  There is the usher at church who is always so friendly.  There is the gas station guy who sometimes gives my sister a free lottery ticket (I think he likes her).  These are people we do not 'know' yet they are an everyday part of our lives.
Who are the Extras in the Movie of Your Life??? I want to know!!!

So here is the thing.  Life is draining.  It is exhausting.  It is boring and it can become colorless.  There are crappy things happening to all of us.  Furfriends and family leaving us.  Children who are hurting.  Marriages struggling.  Jobs that are uncertain. 

Don't forget to look up and around.
There are SO MANY amazing things going on out there!
Discover something new!

GO FOR IT!

2 comments:

ltlrags said...

I have too many extras to count cuz I talk to everyone around me (drives Kody crazy). There's the pharamacy people who get my prescriptions without asking, and all the grocery clerks (one of whom told me she had a boob reduction). But my favorite recent extra is Bob, the security guy at work who has something funny to say anytime you talk to him. I feel sorry for the people who walk by and never say anything to him.

critterlover said...

Neat thought. I suppose I have extras, I've never really opened my eyes and paid attention. Most of the people I know, I think I know pretty well. People I work with, my next door neighbors, regular customers in the store. I suppose a good "extra" example would be all of the wonderful compassionate people at my vet who know me and my gang very well and are always so caring. They even tell us when they have a Great Dane pup that came in for adoption. HA! Like I need another. LOL.