Addendum to "The REAL Reason for the Whole Celebrity Deal"

As usual, there were some points that I wanted to mention in the last blog post, but didn't get the chance to do it.  So, I will express some other thoughts that will augment what I said a few days ago; maybe it'll help you to understand my reasoning even further.  If you haven't already read the previous post, please do so; you likely won't be able to understand this one otherwise.  Still with me? Then, here we go.
First off: I have a tendency to look at undertakings only as how they will benefit me.  We all know that I established about a decade ago that it's a better idea for everyone if I don't get my driver's license; as I've said for a while, me behind the wheel of a car is simply an accident waiting to happen.  What you may not know is that, at one point, I actually planned on driving.  I was going to have a neon orange car; I was going to give people rides, returning the favor that so many people had done for me in the past; and, at some point, I was going to head down to Florida to see some friends who used to live in my area.  Why did that get shot down? Simply because a trusted friend informed me that a friend of hers knew a kid who was thought to have Asperger Syndrome as well, and he--that is, the son himself--believed that driving wasn't "in the cards" for him, mainly because of the concentration required.  Up to that point, I had never thought about that being required of me in order to be able to drive; I had what you might call a "big realization" at that moment.  When I thought about how horrible my concentration had been up to that point--and, yes, it's still just as bad, if not worse--I realized that cruising the planet just wasn't for me.
That wasn't the only case; around spring 2002, I considered going to church camp for the first time since 1998.  What stopped me was another trusted friend informing me that doing so would require me spending an entire week outdoors, which just isn't for me.  That should have been obvious, but my focus on the potential positives obscured the easily apparent, egregious negative.  I'm sure that other cases would come to mind if I had the time to think of them.  My point is: With relationships, I looked at it only from the standpoint of, "How will it benefit me?" Yes, a wife would be a best friend, a lifelong companion, someone to keep me accountable, etc.,....but what could I provide for her? I doubt any woman would like being treated like a piece of technology; that is, one who only lives to serve me.  Victoria, Danielle, and Jade (that is, my iMac, iPod, and iPad) are very helpful; they have assisted me with countless pursuits, whether leisurely, important, or otherwise...but no woman wants to be treated like an electronic device.
You may be saying, "Well, then, treat her like a human being instead!" There's something you're missing, though: I don't really know how, and I may never know how.  Throughout my life, the emotions and actions of other people--mostly without any sort of syndrome or mental illness--have stymied me.  I'm not going to do it right now, but, I could tell numerous stories where someone said or did something that still doesn't make sense to me, even as a twenty-five-year-old.  In many of those cases, people have tried to explain it to me, but it still proves incomprehensible.  I have little experience with other people with A.S., but, based on what I have had, I don't fit in with them any better than I do with those without it; during the brief time I was in a group with such people, I always felt like the odd one out, which made me eventually decide to jump ship.
My point is: I'm not really capable of showing the kind of emotion that would be required for a serious relationship.  Frankly, I've even put my immediate family through the wringer several times, simply because I expected them to give me what I wanted, while being largely unwilling to do the same for them.  Though I have improved to a degree in that regard, I could still do better.  At this point, I'm afraid that, if I was ever to learn to give enough to have a relationship, I would have done it by now.
Second off: What works for others likely won't work for me.  One of our tendencies as humans is to take a rule and apply it to everyone.  That especially applies to those in authority; I remember hearing of a clash between the lead English teacher at my high school and someone/some people at the school system's administration.  Long story short, the summer reading list, which was put out by the administration, had Of Mice and Men listed for rising sophomores who were going into Honors English.  Though the summer reading itself wasn't optional--unless you wanted an "F" at the start of the year--there were seven or eight books on the list, and each student only had to read two.  However, the lead English teacher at my high school felt that all high school sophomores should read that classic Steinbeck novel; according to the teacher I had that year, she (that is, the lead) had tried to get it taken off of the list, and had all of us read it not long after the year started, regardless of whether or not we read it during the summer.
Unfortunately, it seems like many of us have a similar standard.  If you're a guy, you're expected to like sports.  If you're well into your twenties, you should be in a serious relationship.  If you're a heterosexual male, your best friends should be of the same gender.  You may think no one believes that, but I see people reacting in an unkind way to me being "different" more often than anyone should ever have to.  That right there is the meaning of the title of this blog: I simply don't think like others do.
Maya Angelou, a famous author, once wrote, "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."  That may be true for most people, but I've been known by many to remember exactly what someone said or did, even if he/she has absolutely zero recollection of it.  That right there makes advice from friends or other caring individuals a dicey prospect.  Throughout my struggle to find a life mate, I was told by numerous individuals, "You will find someone." Not "You might...", or "You could...", but "You will..." One well-meaning teacher at my high school even told me that I'd likely find my soulmate in college...but there wasn't one young lady at that school who I was even remotely interested in dating; most of the friends I had there were guys, no joke! Though such advice was meant to make me feel better--and, at the time, it did--it went on to upset me, as I watched friend after friend post news of their engagement or wedding, while my relationship status only changed when April Fools' Day came around.  Their well-intentioned advice began to become a source of irritation, because, when they said that it "will" happen, I held them to it, and was rather infuriated when it never did.  You may be thinking, "Well, it still could," but, these days, I'm not so sure.
Third off: My lifestyle is not what you think it is.  Many times, what happens in pretty much any sort of group is not what an outsider would think.  A joke among those who work at libraries--such as myself--is that people think we just sit around and read books all day.  Though I handle plenty of literature every workday, it's not even that often that I can do more than glance at the back cover!  Still, that's supposedly the assumption others have.
If you think that's dumb, you should hear the things people have assumed about me.  Instead of knowing that I living a well-rounded life and spending time doing various activities--including ones that involve housework--people assume that I pretty much eat, sleep, and consume media intended for young people.  First off, the assumed media diet is incorrect; I read, watch, and listen to plenty of entertainment that the Austin & Ally crowd wouldn't even want to try.  Second off, I'm not a hermit who only leaves his house to go to church or to work.  I go to yard/garage sales; I go out to dinner with friends and family members; I attend social functions.  In fact, much of the time I spend consuming entertainment is while I am en route to and from somewhere outside my house.  Unfortunately, those who don't know the truth probably aren't even reading this post.
Here is my final point: Starting in 2007, there was a time where I was really focused on finding myself a significant other.  There were multiple reasons, but the main two were that others I knew were getting married or engaged, and--the biggest reason--I knew that my parents weren't going to be around forever, and I was going to need someone to take care of me when they were gone.  The unfortunate truth that I was sans job at the time was pretty much an impasse for any female friend, regardless of my attitude; however, the real problem was that I was pretty much looking for a second mother instead of a wife.  Though spouses do look after each other, each one should be able to function independently, unless one or both of them has a disability (which Asperger Syndrome is not; remember?) In other words, I was only actively looking for a girlfriend--oh, how I hate that term!--for my own selfish reasons.
Now that I am mature enough to realize the error of my ways, I now have come to accept that a relationship is most likely not in my future, as I have said more than once.  Though I'm not ruling it out completely--after all, all things are possible with God--I don't expect it to happen anytime soon.  So, what will I do when my parents are gone? To be frank...I don't know. At the moment, I am trying to build up a savings so that I'll have money for any future expenses; I refuse to tell anyone outside my household how much money I have in the bank, but, by my own judgment, I think I am doing pretty well.  Other than that, I'm just going to have to trust God.  Maybe I will be off and married in the next five years.  Maybe Jesus will return while my parents are still alive, and I won't have to worry about what to do after they're gone.  I don't really know, but I do know that God has looked out for me throughout my life, so, why wouldn't He continue to do so?  In the meantime, I still have some things to work on, one of which is choosing to be happy.  Andy Andrews said that being happy is a choice, and he is right; now, I just need to apply that to my life.  How can I be happy with someone else in my life if I'm a wreck by myself?

The REAL Reason for The Whole Celebrity Deal

By now, I'm sure that everyone knows how my life changed in 2002 thanks to discovering Lizzie McGuire and its leading lady, Hilary Duff.  I've said more than once that I have no idea where I would be today without that show.  Pretty much, it woke me up to a whole world of entertainment that I had been purposefully avoiding for years, which made me a happier person overall.
Still, over the years, numerous people--including myself--have wondered: Why the celebrities? Why not seek out a real-life relationship? Wouldn't I rather have a girl I could kiss and hug instead of some woman I'm not likely to see except on a TV, movie, or computer/iPad screen?  To be fair, from 2003 to 2008, I was actively seeking out a relationship; I tried to start one with five different coeval ladies, but, every time, they just weren't interested.  Since then, I've considered asking some of my single female friends out, but past failures and my own current living situation make me quite hesitant to try that again.
Even though I'm not really seeking a significant other right now, the celebrity thing is still going just as strong as it was back when I actually was asking out girls.  It seems like it has some sort of grasp on me that just can't be lifted; even trying to give it up for a former crush was pointless, because I just couldn't stay away from the actresses' websites and other media, not to mention that the one who it was done in honor of thought nothing of it.  I'd like to think that I have throttled it back recently; as my tastes in entertainment has expanded, the focus on Disney Channel or similar media with a lovely young leading lady has gone down a bit...though I still do enjoy Good Luck Charlie, Shake It Up, and Austin & Ally.  Still, without question, the celebrities are still there.
Why are they? I wondered the same thing...until I read the book pictured above, Eyes of Justice by Lis Wiehl and April Henry.  I'm going to have to spoil the plot a bit, but, I still need to make my point: When a local TV crime reporter is murdered, her friends seek out a suspect.  Though many signs seem to point to her ex-significant other, it is questioned if she had an admirer who fell in love with her because she was on television.  Here is what one of the characters had to say on the matter:

These guys can't have normal personal relationships, so, they resort to fantasy ones.  [...] So, you take a guy who's unbalanced and lonely.  He turns on his TV; suddenly, he's looking at a beautiful young woman.  She's warm, she's talking to him, and she's looking him right in the eye.  Maybe he's the kind of guy who goes through his whole day--his whole week--and no one looks at him...but this girl on TV? She comes on every day at the same time and says hello and good-bye to him. [...] It's not even really sexual; it's romantic, idealized.

Does that not sound like me? I've always been a bit unbalanced, as anyone who has seen me during times of crisis knows very well.  Loneliness has been a longtime problem for me, too; I rarely get invited to social functions, especially ones intended for people around my age.  When it comes to Hilary Duff, even a New York Times article said of her best-known character, "Lizzie is the luminous and loyal friend any kid would want to have at a stage of adolescence when the world just begins to seem very dark."  Entertainment is commonly used as an escape from the real world; were Hilary, as well as her successors Anne Hathaway and Victoria Justice, a way to forget the reality of being a lonely, single homebody?
When people talk about Asperger Syndrome--which I have, but I do not consider it a disability anymore--one of the things people tend to ask people with it is, "What is your special interest?"  Right now, you could say family-friendly and Christian entertainment.  Still, I've known others who have had a special interest of sorts--ranging from history to medical science--without being one bit autistic.  It was just their "thing"; they have theirs, and I have mine.
You don't get involved in the entertainment industry without becoming familiar with the names, faces, and works of certain people.  I remember hearing a story about a little girl who was being tested in order to enter kindergarten, and the guy doing the testing asked her to name as many animals as she could in five minutes.  What he didn't know was that she adored animals; she named them so quickly, he ended up saying, "Okay; I can't write that fast!"  Though I'm sure that most of you could easily name ten living famous people in less than two minutes, they'd likely be big-name ones like President Obama, Tim Tebow, or Angelina Jolie.  Yet, if you asked me to name as many living famous people as I could in five minutes, I bet you anything you would be saying, "Who is that?", after right many of the names I would mention.  (Ever heard of Jade Ramsey, Lonni Paul, Jeffrey Jacquet, Erin Cottrell, Danielle Panabaker, or Kiely Williams? Didn't think so.)
Still, it isn't right for something that I enjoy to be taken away from me for no good reason.  Most of you reading this either love sports or love someone (e.g., your husband?) who does.  Would you want someone to go into your/his/her cable box or satellite dish's settings and block every single football game of the season, including the Super Bowl? Of course not; that would be rather mean, right? Well, so would taking my Disney/Nickelodeon shows and their related media away from me; I find them as important as sports nuts do the NFL.
Still, I think it's telling that I haven't asked a lady out since 2008; maybe that shows acceptance of my situation.  Frankly, the more I think about it, the more I realize that a relationship most likely isn't for me; at least, not right now.  From what I've seen elsewhere, dating takes up a lot of your time, and requires a lot of you.  I've said before that I don't want anyone taking my interests away from me, and that includes a potential significant other.  No matter how sweet and beautiful some coeval Christian woman may be, if she wants me to give up Austin & Ally and/or bargain hunting, I'm ending it right then and there.
That's probably an impasse for pretty much any possible date; I've always wondered if my single female friends think, "Maybe, if I got my own show on the Disney Channel, or magically transformed into Victoria Justice or Bridgit Mendler, then, and only then, would he ever love me."  For some, a life without romance is unimaginable; for me, it's all I've ever known.  Even as a kid, there wasn't any romance in my house, since my biological father was gone when I was a mere six weeks old.  Having celebrity "girlfriends" may sound crazy to you, but, I'm all for it.
Of course, with any interest, you have to keep it from being an obsession.  I'm reminded of the time when Steve "The Crocodile Hunter" Irwin was caught on camera feeding a crocodile with one hand while holding his baby son in the other.  He probably regretted it afterwards; I think it was a simple case of his love for animals overtaking his love for his family.  I'm just as guilty; in the past, I let my love for whoever/whatever--including some non-celebrity-related entities--overtake what should have been more important: God, my friends, and my family.  Recently, I've been trying to change that, and done my best to make sure that what should be truly important to me is; though I may love my entertainment and the people involved in it, they should never be more important than my friends, my family, and, most importantly, my Creator.
I will end by saying this: Some of you may be scoffing, and wondering why I don't use the technology at my disposal to join a site such as eHarmony or ChristianMingle to find "the one" for me.  Three things I want to point out: One, though I know sites such as that one work for some people, in my experience, they're not all they're cracked up to be.  I've known at least three people who were/have been on such a site for quite a while, and either still remain single or met their mate outside of the Internet.  Just because so-and-so met such-and-such online, and now they're happily married, doesn't mean that I would be if I joined; frankly, I think it would just be another frustration, because even online dating likely wouldn't change my relationship status.  You call that being pessimistic; I call it being realistic and say that you are being unrealistically optimistic, not to mention disturbingly naive.  Two, I've thought for a while that I'm a bit of a wild card; I have a diverse set of friends because my interests range so widely that I don't fit in perfectly anywhere or with anyone.  Some of my friends talk with me about bargain hunting; others about our recent reads; still others, the latest technology; and there are even others who will talk with me about the most recent Good Luck Charlie.  If I don't fit in perfectly with one single group of people, why would I "fit together" with just one woman? I think that's why I have so many female friends; I was meant to be a light to multiple ladies, not just be tied down to one.  Lastly, I have chosen to remain single for the time being because I'm pretty sure that not only is it better for everyone, but it's also what God wants; however, even a small amount of people badgering me about doing otherwise is likely to make me wonder, "Am I doing the right thing?"  It's like an object lesson I once saw during a retreat at a nearby church: When the kid was sure that the blue bar on the graph was the longest, he lost a bit of certainty when everyone else said the orange one was.  It turned out that he was right--the whole thing was a trick, and everyone but that kid was in on it--but it made a good point: You can't give up what you know to be right just because whoever or whatever says it isn't.  As my friends, you either have to respect what I'm doing or cease being my friend; if you make me choose another path, it's very likely could make me go down a road I'll end up wishing I never traveled.  You call that stubbornness; I call it being sure in the faith.
Any comments?

No Protesting? No Complaining? Why? It's REALLY Easy!

This was me!

Throughout my life, I have had various convictions.  That word may make you think of my Christian beliefs, but, that wasn't the case.  Instead, my convictions were about me being right in doing whatever I did, and not doing whatever I refused to do.  At first glance, it sounds okay...but it became a problem when I started applying it to everyone else, and told others they were "wrong" for not following my standards.  When you're dealing with an eccentric like me, you know the standards are going to be weird:

• Everyone must watch the Disney Channel.
• No one is to watch sports; they are to be outlawed in the USA and banished from the face of the earth.
• Everyone must play Nintendo GameCube.
• No one is to go to any place involving large bodies of water, including a beach, pool, or water park.

How many of you reading this could live like that? If you even like video games, would you play any GameCube game other than Super Smash Bros. Melee? Would you want your sports taken away from you by the federal government? Do you want every channel taken from your cable or satellite TV service except for the Mouse network, or your privilege of cooling off poolside or in the sand stolen from you?
As inane as it sounds, that was how I lived.  It's one thing to like things that others don't, or find something that is supposedly "popular" to be overrated; however, trying to make others do as you do is just wrong.  Still, I regularly protested and complained about the fact that no one else was doing as I was; I simply felt that they should.
The complaints and protests didn't stop there, though.  Many times, I would make it sound like I had the worst living situation of anyone on the planet, just because I didn't get exactly what I wanted, when I wanted it.  Sure, I had plenty of computer games...but I wanted more!  I had the chance to do household chores or run laps around the backyard to earn Beanie Babies...but I refused to put forth any effort, and then regularly lamented because I didn't have as many as my fellow-collector friends.  I was regularly shedding tears over anything and everything, without realizing how good I had it.  Some of my friends and associates back then had parents who were abusive, dead, imprisoned, destitute, or just simply didn't care about their kids.  The fact that I had a loving family, with food to eat and clothes to wear, meant I was plenty blessed, no matter how many CD-ROMs or stuffed dolls with heart tags I owned...but good luck explaining that to my greedy former self.  Back then, it was all about me, me, and me.
For the past week or two, I have been feeling the effects of chronic frustration.  It just seems like I want to lash out at someone, though I've restrained myself from doing that so far.  Still, I think that this perpetual frustration is nothing new; a psychiatric report that was done on me as a kid even said, "As a baby, he was fine, though notably fussy."  I've always had a bit of a chip on my shoulder; it was just easier to complain or protest whatever I didn't like instead of letting it go.
However, such an attitude is wrong: Philippians 2:14 and James 5:9 warn about the sin of complaining, aka grumbling.  Though that may be a big part of my past, it's not something that can't be overcome.  It doesn't really matter what kind of technology or job or relationship some friend or acquaintance might have; after all, since I "think differently," what "everyone else" has probably wouldn't work for me, anyway.  It may be easier to lament about what or who I don't have, but not only does that make me unhappy, it also causes me to be unable to see what/who I really do have.
So, it's time to stop having a complaining, protesting attitude.  It doesn't do me or anyone else any good; in fact, all it causes is strife, more so for me than others.  If I'm going to make my life better for myself, I need to start by accepting my situation in life, which isn't as bad as I have made it seem.
I will end by saying this: Some of you reading this may have been part of actual protest marches, whether on one political side or another.  No matter which side you were/are on, you probably are of the belief that, if your protest worked, it would be better for the general public, and who is to judge you for that? My protests were a little bit different: Instead of being better for many people, what I wanted would have just improved things for me, while causing everyone else to suffer.  If some super-hacker made all the TVs in the United States show nothing but the Disney Channel, our entire nation would be in a rage, and the one responsible, if he/she ever got caught, would be the most hated individual in the history of our nation, if not the world...yet, that's exactly what I wanted to happen.  People don't deserve to have their favorite things taken away just because somebody else doesn't care for them; I wouldn't want to be unable to watch Austin & Ally any more than you would want to give up your sports or whatever hobby you might have.  No matter how you slice it, my "protests" were for all the wrong reasons...and I know that fully now.
Any comments?

How "Star Wars" Changed My Life

Today is May 4, known by fans across the world as Star Wars day, based on a play of the iconic space opera catchphrase: "May the Fourth (Force) be with you." All over the planet, the saga of the deeply flawed Anakin Skywalker who eventually gets redeemed by his twin children, Luke and Leia, is well-recognized; television shows, popular songs, novels, and even other movies have made more allusions to that Lucasfilm production than probably any other media franchise in existence.
Love it or hate it, you can't deny the lasting influence of A New Hope and its sequels and prequels. Most of you who are reading this probably have a favorable opinion of the saga, but can any of you say that it changed your life? I can; just like Lizzie McGuire, Star Wars helped wake me up to something that was missing in my life...something that has since become a big part of who I am.
Let's start at the beginning: In 2000, I had my official introduction to Star Wars when I watched The Phantom Menace with my brother-in-law around Easter.  Before that, my experience with it was limited: a TIE fighter shooting game and an app that could play the theme song on my Commodore 64, a RoseArt art set that had coloring pages with scenes from the films, and, of course, the allusions in countless different pieces of entertainment.  Still, prior to seeing the first prequel, it all meant nothing to me.
In fact, I was a bit hesitant to try the franchise, only because I saw a Star Wars video game in a catalog that was rated "T," which--I assumed--meant that it was in the style of GoldenEye for Nintendo 64, which freaked me out so much, I never wanted to play it, even though my friends adored it.  When a kid in my neighborhood told me that the only human death in TPM was Darth Maul being cut in half--which, as fans know, isn't quite true--I imagined a creepy scene that made me even less willing to try it.  It wasn't until I actually experienced it that I found out my assumptions were quite off. 
In 2002, again thanks to my brother-in-law, I saw the original trilogy on video, as well as Attack of the Clones in IMAX.  It wasn't until seeing Return of the Jedi that I knew how everyone else already knew Anakin Skywalker would become Darth Vader before any of the prequels even came out.  As you'd expect, I saw Revenge of the Sith in the theater, this time with some people from my church's high school group.
Now, let me get into a completely different realm of my life.  Most people know that I'm a longtime lover of computers and television--well, certain shows, anyway--and that I am currently an avid reader.  What you may not know is that, during my middle and high school years, I was a bit rebellious and chose to read as little as possible, despite reading anything I could get my hands on throughout elementary school.  My favorite video/computer games, television shows, and the Internet were all I needed; I hardly even cracked open God's Word outside of a church service or Bible class.  My mom even once wanted me to read a book she had checked out of the library for me, and I chose to take a punishment instead of doing so, because I just didn't want to bother with that book.
That really doesn't sound like me, does it? It did happen, though.  What changed? Why did I become a bookworm again? I'll tell you what and why: In June 2005, I was at a yard sale in my neighborhood, and some guy had a bunch of Star Wars books for sale.  I'd tried my hand at them before; I once attempted to listen to a SW audiobook and quickly gave up, not to mention buying a bunch of kiddie novels--that is, the Jedi Apprentice series--and didn't get that far before quitting.  Still, they called me, so I bought two of them, just to see if I would like them.  The first one of the two I happened to read was I, Jedi by Michael A. Stackpole.  Did I like it? Well, let's just say: I was BLOWN AWAY! An original story, great writing, enthralling plot...what wasn't to like? After that, I read quite a few other SW novels, and, after a while, it lead to me discovering other books as well.  Suffice it to say: I would not have rediscovered reading if it hadn't been for I, Jedi at that yard sale.
I will end by saying this: Most of you probably already know that Disney bought Lucasfilm, and they are planning a seventh episode of Star Wars.  Numerous fans of the series have wondered what the Mouse House is going to do with the series; some are fearing the worst.  However, as usual, I think differently: As a longtime fan of various Disney productions, I think they're going to do the franchise justice.  The Mouse House has given me fun throughout the years, ranging from George of the Jungle to reruns of Growing Pains to Monsters, Inc. to Lizzie McGuire to Austin & Ally, so, frankly, I don't know of any major movie corporation who would be better suited to the job.  We'll see how the movie actually is when it comes out, though; still, I think even the naysayers will be surprised.
Any comments?

Trade-Ins: Tips and Tricks

As pretty much everyone who knows me already knows, I have been a long-time user of trade-in services.  Originally, I just traded in video games; I don't do that anymore, but I still do trade in DVDs at MovieStop and books at my local used bookstores.  With all my years of experience, I thought that I would give out some tips and tricks for those who are interested in trading in items to save money.  These are in no order:

1. If you don't want it, and you can trade it in, do so, regardless of the potential trade-in value.  You may think that you won't get much for your DVD or book, and you might not, but every cent you make on any of the items you trade in is one less cent that you have to spend to get what you want or need.
2. Don't go too crazy with trading in items.  Unless you're completely strapped for cash and need the money to buy food or pay rent, don't recklessly trade items in for credit or cash.  Unfortunately, I've had to buy DVDs more than once sometimes, because I traded them in and later wished I hadn't.  You can learn from my mistake.
3. When trading in DVDs or CDs, make sure that the correct discs are in the correct cases.  This is especially true for those who keep their discs in some sort of binder.  I once mistakenly traded in an empty case; it was a bit embarrassing.  Not only that, but I recently bought what appeared to be a two-disc "best-of" set of The Jetsons, when it turned out to be the first half of the first season.  I didn't know it until I had purchased it from MovieStop and opened it; I'll be returning it soon.
4. Don't expect miracles from your trade-ins.  The used bookstores in my area give you twenty-five percent of the list price for whatever books you trade in; you can calculate that by finding the price online, if it isn't already on the cover.  MovieStop, FYE, and other places in my area go on a sliding scale, but you can get a general idea by looking up the prices online; if it's on clearance for only a buck or two, don't expect much!
5. Don't buy something just to trade in unless you are sure it will be worth it.  Usually, new release movies on DVD or Blu-Ray are worth at least ten dollars in a MovieStop trade-in; if, by some random chance, you come across one at a yard sale or thrift store on the cheap, it would likely be a good idea.  Other than that, I would suggest buying just what you like; as prices rise and fall, and trends go and come back, you might be surprised at what DVDs you bought for yourself are actually worth.
6. Know the rules of the places you are trading in items to before you get there.  I know that MovieStop accepts DVDs and Blu-Rays, but I know they don't accept VHS tapes, and I'm pretty sure they don't do HD-DVDs either.  Those would be better suited as a donation to a thrift store.  Also, the used bookstores in my area have rules about condition--no holes in the cover, no cracks in the spines, audiobooks must have all the discs and be in good shape, etc.--and format as well: no hardbacks unless the same book is not available in paperback form.  Sticking to the rules can help you and the employees at the store save time and effort, and will make you a more popular customer.

Any questions or comments?

Confessions of a Male Shopaholic

Have you ever played a game where everyone was asked to write down his/her response to a question, such as "What is a little-known fact about you?" or "What is one of your pet peeves?", and, as each answer was read, the people had to guess who among them gave that response? Sometime during 2002 or 2003, I did just that; the question was, "What is one of your bad habits?"  I have several, but I wrote down, "Eating too much," because it was the only negative trait of mine that no one else there would have guessed.  Looking back at it now, one thing surprises me: Another member of that group wrote down, "Buying things I don't need," and her best friend thought that was my bad habit instead.
It seems, though, that said young lady--who might very well be reading this--was right on the money.  For most of my childhood and teenage years, whenever I was at any place that sold goods, I would see something there that I wanted, and either intended to buy it myself or, in my younger years, would beg my mom to get it for me.  Though I now have the maturity to walk into a store and not buy anything, I still tend to buy or otherwise obtain things I don't need.  I've found legal free music downloads online that I put onto my iPod(s), only to be offended by what I was hearing as soon as I started listening to it.  Even at yard sales, thrift stores, and similar places, I have found books, DVDs, VHS tapes, CDs, and other items--usually entertainment-related--for which I really didn't have much need.
That right there is part of the whole "garage sale" mentality.  As an article I once read in AARP Magazine--yes, I know!--said, "Stores are for things you know you want.  Yard sales are for things you didn't know you wanted."  Many times, I go to garage sales, thrift stores, library sales, used bookstores, or similar places and find items I wasn't expecting to, sometimes ones that I didn't even know existed.  If I looked, I'm sure I could find most of the same items on eBay or Amazon's Marketplace; however, the surprise is part of the fun of such places.
Buying items secondhand has actually been the start of many of my fascinations, some of which are still present today.  Most of you reading this probably know that I like Garfield, and have a large collection of his comics in book form, right? What you may not know is that, about two decades ago, my mom buying me the first Garfield Fat Cat Three Pack from a yard sale started my collection.  Star Wars is pretty much the same way; though I liked it after seeing The Phantom Menace in 1999, I really got into it in 2005, when I read the wonderful Expanded Universe novel I, Jedi after purchasing it at a garage sale.  There were other similar discoveries; one was finding the novelization of Alex and Stephen Kendrick's (Fireproof, Courageous) first movie, Flywheel, at a local used bookstore.  My mom and I both read it and liked it so much that we made a special request for the movie at our local library.  Suffice it to say: Yard sales, used bookstores, and similar places have kept me stocked with entertainment over the years.
There have been times where I have gotten killer bargains.  Just last year, I paid about forty bucks for a scanner/fax machine/copier/printer that still works quite well to this day.  Around the same time, I was able to find an audio NIV Bible, in like new condition, for a mere four bones, when the "list price" for it was close to a hundred dollars.  MovieStop once had the brand-new movie October Baby on the clearance rack for $3.99; you bet I got it! The two lots I recently purchased from eBay--one of Christian fiction books, the other of Christian rock/alternative CDs--were great deals; when I did the math, I knew that I was paying less that two dollars per book or CD.  It's times like those that make shopping fun.
Of course, there have also been opposite experiences.  One time, my mom bought a tape of Barney and Friends for the kids in her daycare, only to discover that there was no film in the cassette.  What made matters worse was that the tape was sans box, and the lady who was selling it rudely refused to negotiate on the price.  Another time, my mom bought me a computer game, only to get home and find there was no disk in the box.  More recently, I bought a wireless router without knowing that it didn't have an adapter, or purchased a DVD/CD that turned out to be just an empty case.  Usually, people are willing to refund your money when that happens; however, sometimes you have no idea where you bought it.
Let me be very serious on this final note: As a Christian, one of the things I try to avoid is idolatry.  If you asked me what that was, I would tell you that it is putting anything or anyone before God.  In years past, I thought nothing of doing that; my obsessions ruled my life--and were even more important than my friends and family--but that was just the way I liked it.  I've since matured past that, and realized that real-life relationships/friendships are more important than what only exists on television or a computer screen, but idolatry is a struggle for all of us.  It's especially the case when it comes to material things; Jesus' parable in Luke 12:16-21 tells of a man who stored up things only for himself.  Just like that fictional rich man, I have so much entertainment that I could simply "eat, drink, and be merry," but that would be selfish and sinful.  Though it's great to have a hobby, even one such as bargain hunting, I don't want to let it rule me or take over my life.
Any comments?

I Need You!

I'm going to try and keep this short to make it more accessible: I've been doing quite a bit of thinking lately; one big recent realization I've had is that the way I have been living just isn't cutting it.  You know I've talked about wanting change, and liking without obsessing, but there's one other topic that needs to be discussed: my attitude towards my friends.
Over the years, I've had lots of people try to reach out to me; the only problem was that, if they didn't do/say what I wanted, I lashed out against them.  It's been happening all my life; when I was a little kid, I missed out on buying a Charlie Brown book at a yard sale because I wouldn't read the title out loud like the lady who was selling it wanted me to do.  As time went by, it became more and more frequent; I missed out on everything from youth group outings to seeing movies at the theater to my high school prom just because I was unwilling to try it.  Oh, sure, I always had some excuse: "I already saw that movie." "Do you realize what goes on at school dances? I don't want to see that!" "I don't think I'd enjoy it."
It would seem that I have an irrational aversion to some things.  When I was a kid, I was interested in going to a theme park--shocking, I know!--and I asked my two best friends if they wanted to go.  The one guy would have liked to go, but couldn't because of medical reasons related to his severe asthma; the other simply refused because of some traumatic incident that happened on a previous visit.  When it comes to theme parks, you would think that I had a similar experience; why else would I continually refused to go? However, nothing like that happened; the last time I went, I had fun.  It just so happened that, when I got into high school and realized how long it had been since I'd set foot there, I didn't feel deprived, and decided to hate it because it took less effort; that way, I didn't have to worry about scheduling a time to go with friends.
That right there is why people were so insistent that I go on outings to theme parks: My aversion was baseless, and they wanted to include me.  It was the same way with school dances: My friends weren't badgering me about it to harass me; they were trying to help me out.  I've spent years defending myself, even claiming that a friend's allergic reaction was why God didn't want me at my high school prom.  (How can I even know that? I don't know the mind of God better than any other mere human!)
It gets even worse when it comes to changes in my lifestyle.  People have suggested all kinds of things--new ventures, possible career paths, joining social groups, activities that would enrich my life and relationships with others, etc.--and I largely refused because it required change on my part.  In short, I just wanted to keep on doing as I was doing; it wasn't worth the risk to change anything.  Sometimes, I even lashed out at them, which made them very unhappy with me.  There were even times where friends informed me about things I probably would have liked, but I just ignored them; in some cases, those friends became former friends.
All that has got to change.  If I'm going to get anywhere in life, I'm going to have to take risks, at least consider others' suggestions or offers, and address my friends when they're trying to show me that they care about me.  So, for any friends or former friends who have experienced such treatment at my hands, I must apologize.  Seriously, you did not deserve to be verbally attacked and/or ignored for doing what you did.  I'm not doing this just so I'll get re-added onto some folks' friends lists; frankly, I'd be just fine with not getting a single friend request out of this.  Even if you feel our friendship will never be restored--and, no, forgiveness does not necessarily mean reconstruction--I still need to own up for what I have done.
I will end by saying this: One of Jesus' most famous sayings is, "Healthy people don't need a doctor; the sick do."  When you look at the Gospels, you realize that everyone Jesus encountered was "sick"; though not all of them had infirmities or demons, all of them were in need of Jesus' love and forgiveness.  However, the Pharisees, Sadducees, and others were too proud to realize what they really needed, which is why Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, the prostitutes and tax collectors are entering heaven ahead of you."  For too long, I have been a Pharisee.  I was so sure that I was right about anything and everything that there was no room for disagreement from anyone; my friends could either agree with me or leave, and right many chose the latter.  Even some who stayed friends couldn't express their opinions, because I staunchly disagreed with them.  So what if I was obsessed with various actresses? Why did it matter if I was too friendly with the womenfolk? Who cares if I'm well into my twenties and still living like a child? It was not for them to judge...and that's the attitude that cost me.  I even defended it on here; I once made a post that was a purposefully vague defense of not expressing congratulations to those who were engaged, which was manipulative on my part.  I'm not the same person anymore; if you look at the sidebar on my blog, you'll see that many of the old posts--over a hundred of them!--were deleted because they were simply either too dogmatic or too whiny, if not both.  Starting a new Facebook account to wash away all the history was done for essentially the same reason.  I'm looking forward to what this new beginning brings; I'm glad to have friends who will take part in it with me.  (Don't forget to keep me accountable!)