Welcome to the Future

      I saw a sign that boldly proclaimed in bright red letters, 'WELCOME TO THE FUTURE.'

      Since I could see pass the banner I figured they were right because a few seconds later I drove straight into it. My future. Amazing.
       It looked suspiciously a lot like my present.

       Sarcasm aside, the sign was in front of a cell phone store. Apparently, their cell phones are from the future because if you went in there and bought one, then you're using super cool technology, almost like the Jetson's. Of course, back when that cartoon was drawn, I think people were hoping that by this time in history we would have flying cars, robots, and intergalactic adventures. Mmmm, we're close. We have an animated lizard that sells us car insurance and tons of sci fic movies to warn us of the dangers of making robots.

        Don't ya know that if you make robots too smart that eventually they take over the world? It's incredible, but robots of the future are nasty. I know this as fact because all the movies say so.
        Apparently, they aren't lovesick Rosies that do all your cooking, cleaning, scrubbing, and menial labor work so you can shop more.

       No wonder the robots go crazy, they got tired of cleaning and cooking. The science fiction writers never go into details of why the robots decide to take over and we always thought it was just for world domination .     Nope, it's just like I thought, scrubbing the toilet one too many times will drive you insane.

       I love technology though. Hero hottie bought an iPod touch earlier this year and between the four of us it's always in use. When I was a kid, I would make cassettes of my favorite music, then it was CD's, now I just make Playlists. All my favorite music with just a touch. Some time in the future they won't even sell music CD's.
      Of course, I should worry about the Rise of the iPods. Because when they decide to take over the world we will all be forced to listen to elevator music, or worse...Britney Spears.  All the time. Urghh.

     We make such a big deal about the future because of fear. Imagine for a moment that you knew nothing bad would happen in your future or in the futures of your loved ones, would you worry so much about it? Would you even think about it? Wouldn't it be easier to live in the present?
      'Don't Worry, Be Happy' could be true because we wouldn't be worrying about success, buying groceries, braces, and raising decent human beings.  We would focus on our present. On the moment.
  
 Instead....
  
     Those poor science fiction writers, they must just stare at their computers or their iPods, worrying about the day their devices develop the ability to laugh like an evil madman and take over the world. Wa ha ha.
      I stare at my lovely children and worry about the day they turn into...scary movie music here...TEENAGERS.
      If age ten is the movie trailer than I think I'll pass on the film. (Grin)

     There are plenty of famous and not so famous people that wrote all kinds of quotes about not worrying. Such as Benjamin Franklin (He was in that famous group). He wrote, 'Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight.'
 
     Silly guy. I don't worry about what may never happen, I spend countless minutes thinking about things I know will happen. And the last piece of advice about staying in the sunlight...he was just warning us against vampires.

    And then there are people in the not so famous group, like hero hottie, who tells me not to worry....
while he's secretly worrying (at a DEFCON 1 level,) about the fate of everything.  :)
     
    Anyway, the future is unknown; isn't written in stone: yet is determined by every past choice we have ever made. No wonder people worry about the future.
  
    But I guess I'll try not to worry too much, after all 'tomorrow is a new day.' And if I get too bored living in the present I can always drive pass the cell phone store where they're always ushering in the future with a bold and bright banner.   

    
   

McDegrees...Can I Supersize It?

       If I was living in the UK I suppose I can make my Mum proud and earn a degree...from McDonald's. Yes, I'm seriously talking about that fast food joint that sells a ton of food to children because it comes with a toy. When I was a child I didn't want a Happy Meal because of the burger, it was the toy. Why couldn't all meals come with a toy?
       'Mom, I'll eat my mixed veggies if I can get a toy.'
       Yeah, that never worked and that's why mixed veggies (a horrible combo of peas, carrots, lima beans and corn) always ended up in weird and unusual places. Such as below the rim of my plate, in napkins and in the bottom of milk glasses. If the dog managed to hide under the kitchen table, he was rewarded for his cleverness with mixed veggies, not the chicken he was hoping. (Grin)
      I'm not a big fan of McDonald's. My children have food allergies and can not consume most of their products and after a while of cooking food from scratch because of the aforementioned food allergies, McDonald's food just doesn't taste that great.
     But the toys can still be pretty tempting, especially for adults...I mean children.

     Toys and food aside, who actually wants a business degree from McDonald's? Are there teenagers working at the drive thru and deciding to working at McDonald's forever? Do they want and dream about  obtaining a degree that I would doubt is transferable into other college programs? If I'm wrong, then someone correct me but colleges are ridiculously picky about accepting credits from other schools, do you think a private university is going to look at a business degree from McDonald's and put them right into the fast track of obtaining their MBA. Of course, with how horrible Europe's and America's financial situations are right now, perhaps those MBA's in charge of our countries and large companies do have degrees from McDonald's. On the other hand, as far as I understand from a financial point of view, McDonald's isn't doing too bad, so perhaps the MBA's should have obtained their business degrees from the fast food giant, rather than from books and professors teaching them that to pay your debt you just borrow more money. Mmmm, I tried that once, it didn't work out well.
       Still, I have a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of my child growing up and deciding that she wants to work at McDonald's forever.
       I can hear the commercials now to convince parents of this opportunity. It would be like the armed forces commercials. (Disclaimer, I'm not making fun of the Armed Forces and our troops, just silly commercials.)

      'Mom, I thought long and hard about this and I really need you to understand.' Daughter says, while we're in the kitchen together. The music builds up, I have a look of doubt and worry on my face.
      'I want you to do what makes you happy Daughter, but are you sure this is what you want to do. This is a big decision and then I have to convince your Father.' I wring my hands together.
      "I want to be part of something bigger than me. I want to be part of something I can be proud of. I want you to be proud of me.' She is earnest, full of sincerity and obviously not a real teenager since she's not crying, yelling or slamming doors.
      I take a deep breath. 'I know. But are you sure you want to join...McDonald's?'
     Then the narrator comes on, convincing all parents that a degree from McDonald's in the best thing for their children and besides it comes with a Happy Meal.


       I had siblings that worked fast food, they left as soon as possible. The smell of stale fry oil that clings to everything; your clothes, your shoes, in your car; is not pleasant. The long hours, the cranky customers, the lazy workers, was never a career goal for them. So I supposed to believe that people are eager to obtain a business degree from a fast food company? Perhaps I'm wrong, a career at McDonald's might be a great opportunity in this poor economy and that's probably why the idea of a McDegree is bothering me. I could never see my free spirited children slaving away as a manager in a company that tries to convince everyone that it's a great and wonderful thing because they handed you a degree to do it.
      Call me hopeful, but as a mother I only want big and bright things for my children and working fast food, with or without a degree, isn't something that they will find happiness in.
      Even if it comes with a toy.