Many years ago I was asked a question. A question every single one of has answered since we were children. What is my favorite color? Then I was asked a far more difficult question; Why? This question left me on an island without an immediate answer. I knew that I was to learn something. I wasn't as much concerned with the question as I was the meaning of it. My favorite color is blue, that part was simple. But why? I had never paused long enough to consider that there may be a reason this color was the most pleasing to me. After a moment I considered the best course for finding the answer. I started by imagining all things blue that I enjoyed. First there was an endless, clear sky in which a lone bird would be free to fly wherever he deemed fit. Secondly I recalled the brilliant Florida waters in which I surfed during the few years I lived in Tallahassee. I have always felt the most at peace in the water. Perhaps as the bird would feel at peace while in the wide opened sky. I knew I had found my answer. Blue, in my eyes, is a representation of not only my favorite color but emotion also; peace. We all have a favorite color, perhaps you may want to ask yourself why?

A Bookmarked Irony

As I sit tonight watching a t.v. program I am reminded of a topic that is both near to my heart and unfortunately rarely given much thought. Two men are discussing a business deal for a book publishing company. One man on the program is a voicing his concern that books are becoming obsolete. It saddens me as I find myself knowing all too well his point is a valid one. I am a writer. It has long been my dream to have my words appear in print. I seek not fame, nor fortune. I aim only to do what it is I was meant to do. As a man of few talents (if you have had the unpleasantness of hearing me sing you’ll agree) I believe that in this life we were all given a purpose. Perhaps my purpose in this life is to remind people of the importance of books. It may seem to some an unimportant legacy to leave, but if writing is the talent my creator chose to give me who am I to argue?

The issue of whether or not I will fulfill my dream of becoming a published author becomes forefront in my mind constantly. It would seem that I now live among a world consumed by convenience that comes from the mind numbing technologies that arrive almost daily. More and more we as a society tend to fill each moment of our lives as though if we paused, even briefly, the breath would escape our bodies and we would cease to exist. I hold no ill will towards the current technologies, I certainly use them myself, however I wonder at price to our actual life do these technologies come. At thirty-three, I feel old. The rapidity at which technology has grown has made me feel this way. In 1996 I was a highschool senior. If a student was found with a pager ( look it up kids ) they were suspended from school. Now my twelve year old niece is allowed to have her cell phone in school as long as she doesn’t text in class. Sadly she also knows more about social networking sites than I do.

Were then is there room for dreaming of becoming an author of a published book? To understand the question one must understand what a book is. A book is a collection of pages, those things that come from your printer, and then bounded together by a cover. A book is not something found on Kindle though don’t try telling them that. A book is a piece of history, something that can be held or proudly displayed. Books are commonly found in libraries. They are the things stashed away behind the computers that meet you as you walk through the door.

Again the argument arises that a "book" read on a devise allows for convenience, such has holding your place. In a true book you use an ancient devise called a bookmark that rarely cost more than a dollar. Today a "bookmark" is used for holding your place on a website. In 1978 I was born. There was no internet. There were no household computers. Many people were still without television. We entertained ourselves by reading books. In thirty-three short years, books have become a relic. Many publishing companies have closed. In a few more years a "book" will be a history learned about on a computer in a classroom. As I watch society drown in endless technological advances, I must wonder if we should "bookmark" ourselves and ask how quickly are we willing to let our lives go by?

Hello readers,
   Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is R. Jay Hahn and it is my supreme honor to be a new member of Finding Nino. Since this is my inaugural blog I find it only fitting that I take this opportunity to introduce myself.

   Who is R. Jay Hahn? To begin with I am a man well traveled. I have lived all of my life in America and either lived in or visited many of the countries fifty states. In my travels I have met many people from all walks of life, each with different backgrounds, principles and stories. More importantly it has been a privilege to learn a little bit about life from each of them. America is often referred to as a "melting pot". For those not familiar with the phrase it means that my country is made of every demographic the world has to offer. I too am a melting pot. In 1978 I was born and adopted, never knowing my biological parents or my nationality. I do not feel cheated by this. Instead I feel blessed to be able to consider myself a small part of all those whom I have met and learned from. For this reason I decided when I became a writer that I would write about peace and harmony among all people. It is my hope that one day I will see a world without bias or hatred. I do not see a reasoning for the discontempt of a fellow human simply because he has a different belief or background from my own.

    Currently I reside in Virginia with my Wife and attend Penn Foster College where I am enrolled in freelance writing courses. I am also the founder of the website New Day’s Peace. When I discovered Finding Nino, I found a site much more elaborate than my own, created and run by people younger than myself, but most importantly I found a site which fit well with my own ideals. I knew from the moment I first visited Finding Nino that I wished to be a part of it and with the launching of this, my first post, I am honored to say that my small part has begun.
   So who is R. Jay Hahn? I am a man well of many tastes, a man of peace with a love for others. I am a man of varied beliefs and a man of principle. I am a melting pot.