Ignorance is Bliss

Today is Fool's Paradise Day! A "Fool's Paradise" is something that is oft used in literature (a word that I can't not pronounce in a fancy voice) to say that someone is basically blissfully unaware of how false the supposed perfection they are partaking in actually is. That only sounds complicated because I'm horrible at defining it with definitions. So instead, I'll try with theoretical situation!

Think of it like pyrite (Fool's Gold). It's not real gold, but if you don't have the geological know-how to discern that on your own, or if you don't go get it appraised by an expert, you may never know. And you can horde all that fake gold in your house or even build your house out of it. And it will be shiny and pretty and you'll be so happy thinking that your whole life is gold, sunshine, and puppies with day-long lollipops stuck to their heads because that's probably adorable. In this scenario, you would be a fool in a fool's paradise.

You can celebrate today by NOT being trapped in a Fool's Paradise. See, I would say go ahead and do it, but they are dangerous things. You might think "Oh, I'll just stay a day and be done with it.", but before you realize it you've been there for years! Trapped with the rest of the Lotus-Eaters! Your only hope is if someone too smart to be fooled comes by and drags you out of it so you can go home again!

But, I mean, hey... your choice right? I think I'll just spend today putting extra effort into not being put into a Fool's Paradise. I prefer the real kind.

Thanks for reading!
~Kyle

Pounds of Pennies

Today is One Cent Day! There is a lot that can be done with one cent. Not literally, of course. For example, you can pay a single penny for someone's thoughts. Can you even comprehend the great deal in that transaction? No. You can't. That's giving someone something that you find on the ground with no real use by itself, and trading them for their entire life. That's crazy! Granted, no one really respects the rules of the trade anymore, and some people just outright turn the offer down.

Okay, so there are a few uses for pennies out there, but most of them entail using more than one. Today being ONE Cent Day, I find it offensive that you would even think of using more. No, we're just gonna have to get creative here. I, for instance, am going to go try to get a job today so that I can say that I earn at LEAST a cent. ... That was a stretch. Sorry. Here's my favourite saying about pennies to make up for it.

"In for a penny, in for a pound."

Wait don't freak out! I know, I know. "Pounds are a measure of weight, Kyle! What does this mean?" Well, in some well-known areas of Europe, (We'll say England, for example) they have a unit of money called a 'Pound'. Crazy I know. I still don't know how to react over there when someone says "I've lost twenty pounds!" Anyway, the phrase means that you are committed to your completing an action once you've started it, no matter how much effort or consequence comes with it.

Example 1: Scenario - Guy is robbing a bank
Robber says "Give me all your money!"
Teller says "The cops are on their way and we have your face on camera!" (Dumb thing to say, btw)
Robber says "Give me that pen, too! And break it so I get most of the chain!"
Teller says "What? Why?"
Robber says "In for a penny, in for a pound!"

There is no Example 2, I'm saying that that one is funny/good enough for 9:30 in the morning. Time to go get a job! Might as well stop at a bunch of other places to see if there are openings, too. I'm fully committed to my current course of action no matter the amount of effort I might have to put forth into fully completing it. (See why they made a phrase to replace all that?)

April Fool's! That kind of was another Example... Now I'm just procrastinating.

Thanks for reading!
~Kyle