I had an appointment at the hair salon today. As I drove to the salon, people on the radio were endlessly chatting about American Idol. Once I arrived, all of the stylists and fellow customers were all abuzz about their favorite performer. Everywhere I go, people constantly talk about this show and the people on it.

I don’t watch it….except, of course, when Barry Manilow is a guest. Even then, I don’t watch the live show; I’ll let my trusty TiVo record it for me.

I understand the popularity of the show. What I don’t understand is why people get so caught up in the dreams of other people and yet are so unwilling to do anything about their own dreams. Most people I know get up in the morning, go to work, go home, have dinner, veg out in front of the TV (perhaps watching the aforementioned show) and go to bed so they can get up the next day and do it all over again.

They live for the weekends, which are taken up with all the errands and chores that they didn’t have the time or energy to do during the week. When I ask people about their dreams, they often give me blank stares. They either don’t have dreams and goals or do little toward accomplishing them.

I’d like to remind everyone:

The way you spend your days is the way you spend your life.Tonight, while the rest of America lives vicariously through other people and sits in front of their televisions eagerly awaiting the outcome of a popularity contest, I will be preparing an audition and making changes to my web site.

I wish the contestants on American Idol every success and joy in life. However, I am much more interested in the pursuit and attainment of my own goals and dreams to be too concerned with theirs.