Holy crap, it's been a while? I mean, I can't even remember the last thing I wrote (and yeah, I'm too lazy to go look it up right now). But that doesn't mean I haven't been writing! I've been working on some other things right now. If you're lucky, I might post a sample chapter up here or something...
But anyway. There have been a few things going on since I've last talked to you. The Super Stars Program I was working with has kinda fizzled out for the summer. This was the last week of summer for the kids, so I think they were spending it with their parents, maybe on vacation. Or at least that's what I hope they're doing.
Last night I hung out with my Big Brother, Chris, before he left for Athens. He graduated in the spring and is now headed to UGA for grad school. It was good to get to hang out with him one last time before he leaves, but it's pretty sad that he's going.
Other than that I'm going to start RA training next week. That'll be exciting... I'll let you know how it goes. Maybe we'll get some sarcastic stories from that. But who knows! I actually just had a good idea for a story... I'll to get to work on that and let you know how it goes.
-Beast
Friday, July 31, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Super Stars
So during the summer I have been working as an RA and have been taking classes. But this month I'm not taking a class and instead got a summer job working for the Super Stars program.
The Super Stars are kids who live in at-risk areas of Baldwin county. What the mentors do is look after them in the afternoons. For the summer at least, this just means we go throw the football around and go swimming. Not a bad gig, right?
Well the first day I was there, within the first five minutes a fist fight broke out between five of the kids. I was not expecting this at all, and thankfully Chris was there and broke it up quick. Afterward he looked at me and laughed, "Didn't expect that, huh?" I quickly learned that this is a normal occurrence for the Super Star kids. But though they regularly get in trouble, they really are good kids. They just need a little guidance.
Now, when I say they live in the at-risk areas Baldwin county, what I really mean is they live in the very worst part of the county. Probably the worst place to live I've seen. They've told us about drive-by shootings and drug dealers like it's nothing special. Three of the kids came back one day and told us about a time when they found a bag of crack on the ground.
I don't really think it matters who you are, but if you grow up in a place like that, I think you're bound to have a troubled childhood. That's why I really enjoy working with these kids. For most of the summer I've been talking to people who've traveled abroad and I've felt like I haven't really done anything special this summer. But now I feel like I'm actually doing something with my time. And no matter how bad they might act, I look forward to going to Super Stars the next day.
One of the kids, Triston, is 12 and he is probably the coolest one of the bunch. Though he's not the oldest, he seems to be the maturest. As we talked he's told me about gangs and drugs and such that goes on, and how pretty much all of the kids get involved with it in middle school. I guess if you're surrounded with things like that, then you would mature faster. But even though he has pressure to do all these things, he constantly tells me how much he hates it. It's things like that which make the Super Stars program important to me.
So tomorrow when I go into work, I'll be looking forward to hanging out with the kids. I'll look forward to it because for every day I hang out with them, it's one less day they're vulnerable to the ways of drug dealers and gangsters.
The Super Stars are kids who live in at-risk areas of Baldwin county. What the mentors do is look after them in the afternoons. For the summer at least, this just means we go throw the football around and go swimming. Not a bad gig, right?
Well the first day I was there, within the first five minutes a fist fight broke out between five of the kids. I was not expecting this at all, and thankfully Chris was there and broke it up quick. Afterward he looked at me and laughed, "Didn't expect that, huh?" I quickly learned that this is a normal occurrence for the Super Star kids. But though they regularly get in trouble, they really are good kids. They just need a little guidance.
Now, when I say they live in the at-risk areas Baldwin county, what I really mean is they live in the very worst part of the county. Probably the worst place to live I've seen. They've told us about drive-by shootings and drug dealers like it's nothing special. Three of the kids came back one day and told us about a time when they found a bag of crack on the ground.
I don't really think it matters who you are, but if you grow up in a place like that, I think you're bound to have a troubled childhood. That's why I really enjoy working with these kids. For most of the summer I've been talking to people who've traveled abroad and I've felt like I haven't really done anything special this summer. But now I feel like I'm actually doing something with my time. And no matter how bad they might act, I look forward to going to Super Stars the next day.
One of the kids, Triston, is 12 and he is probably the coolest one of the bunch. Though he's not the oldest, he seems to be the maturest. As we talked he's told me about gangs and drugs and such that goes on, and how pretty much all of the kids get involved with it in middle school. I guess if you're surrounded with things like that, then you would mature faster. But even though he has pressure to do all these things, he constantly tells me how much he hates it. It's things like that which make the Super Stars program important to me.
So tomorrow when I go into work, I'll be looking forward to hanging out with the kids. I'll look forward to it because for every day I hang out with them, it's one less day they're vulnerable to the ways of drug dealers and gangsters.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Whoa It's Been A While
Did you think I forgot about you? No, I didn't. I promise. The thing is I just don't know what to write about. I mean, right now I'm just tired and chilling. Actually, I am working this awesome job that I'm planning on writing about later. But for right now all I feel like doing is this dumb 50 Questions quiz...
Random Questions:
1. What time did you get up this morning? 9ish.
2. How do you like your steak? Medium Rare
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Transformers II
4. What is your favorite TV show? Lost
5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Tough one... somewhere on the water or in Europe. Maybe on the water in Europe. The Mediterranean sounds nice.
6. What did you have for breakfast? Didn't have breakfast.
7. What is your favorite cuisine? Hmm.... I like a lot. That's a thoughie.
8. What foods do you dislike? The kinds you find deep in the heart of the Amazon. Like termites and ants and stuff.
9. Favorite Place to Eat? Local restaurants where ever I happen to be.
10. Favorite dressing? Honey Mustard
11.What kind of vehicle do you drive? 1977 Chevrolet Scottsdale, aka the Smurphmobile
12. What are your favorite clothes? Boat shoes, khakis, and Polo.
13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Europe. All of it.
14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? Ah, but I say six of one, or half a dozen of the other?
15. Where would you want to retire? To a beach somewhere.
16. Favorite time of day? Dusk
17. Where were you born? Georgia
18. What is your favorite sport to watch? Football
19. What is your favorite superpower? Telekinesis
20. Who is your favorite superhero? Deadpool
21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this? What does that even mean?
22. Bird watcher? No
23. Are you a morning person or a night person? Both
24. Do you have any pets? 3 dogs; Angel, RC, and Lucy
25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? I have a really great job that I'll write about later. (Suspense much?)
26. What did you want to be when you were little? Batman or any Ninja Turtle
27. What is your best childhood memory? My dog, Angel.
28. Are you a cat or dog person? I have three dogs and no cats for a reason.
29. Are you married? Not for a while.
30. Always wear your seat belt? Yes
31. Been in a car accident? Sho nuff
32. Any pet peeves? I like things orderly, so if something's not it's bothersome to me. Like if one thing is out of line and everything else is then I have to fix it. Or if like a stack of papers are messy I like to fix it. Stuff like that. I'm not sure if that's a pet peeve or not though.
33. Favorite Pizza Toppings? Meat lover's!
34. Favorite Flower? The Red Rose
35. Favorite ice cream? Moosetracks
36. Favorite fast food restaurant? Five Guys
37. How many times did you fail your driver's test? Well it took a while before I could take it because I kept forgetting paperwork, but when I took it I passed it easily.
38. From whom did you get your last email? David Smith, a fellow RA.
39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Ralph Lauren
40. Do anything spontaneous lately? Nope :/
41. Like your job? Yes! Again, I'll write about it later.
42. Like broccoli? Yes
43. What was your favorite vacation? Taking a trip on our boat or going to the beach. Pretty much anywhere with water.
44. Last person you went out to dinner with? George, Mike T, and Jared.
45. What are you listening to right now? "My Hood" by Young Jeezy
46. What is your favorite color? Green. Or blue. But especially white, gold, and blue.
47. How many tattoos do you have? None, yet.
48. How many are you tagging for this quiz? This was meant to be for facebook, so I'm assuming that's what this question means. I guess I'm tagging anyone who reads it.
49. What time did you finish this quiz? 11:01PM
50. Coffee Drinker? Rarely, but every now and then.
Random Questions:
1. What time did you get up this morning? 9ish.
2. How do you like your steak? Medium Rare
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Transformers II
4. What is your favorite TV show? Lost
5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Tough one... somewhere on the water or in Europe. Maybe on the water in Europe. The Mediterranean sounds nice.
6. What did you have for breakfast? Didn't have breakfast.
7. What is your favorite cuisine? Hmm.... I like a lot. That's a thoughie.
8. What foods do you dislike? The kinds you find deep in the heart of the Amazon. Like termites and ants and stuff.
9. Favorite Place to Eat? Local restaurants where ever I happen to be.
10. Favorite dressing? Honey Mustard
11.What kind of vehicle do you drive? 1977 Chevrolet Scottsdale, aka the Smurphmobile
12. What are your favorite clothes? Boat shoes, khakis, and Polo.
13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Europe. All of it.
14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? Ah, but I say six of one, or half a dozen of the other?
15. Where would you want to retire? To a beach somewhere.
16. Favorite time of day? Dusk
17. Where were you born? Georgia
18. What is your favorite sport to watch? Football
19. What is your favorite superpower? Telekinesis
20. Who is your favorite superhero? Deadpool
21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this? What does that even mean?
22. Bird watcher? No
23. Are you a morning person or a night person? Both
24. Do you have any pets? 3 dogs; Angel, RC, and Lucy
25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? I have a really great job that I'll write about later. (Suspense much?)
26. What did you want to be when you were little? Batman or any Ninja Turtle
27. What is your best childhood memory? My dog, Angel.
28. Are you a cat or dog person? I have three dogs and no cats for a reason.
29. Are you married? Not for a while.
30. Always wear your seat belt? Yes
31. Been in a car accident? Sho nuff
32. Any pet peeves? I like things orderly, so if something's not it's bothersome to me. Like if one thing is out of line and everything else is then I have to fix it. Or if like a stack of papers are messy I like to fix it. Stuff like that. I'm not sure if that's a pet peeve or not though.
33. Favorite Pizza Toppings? Meat lover's!
34. Favorite Flower? The Red Rose
35. Favorite ice cream? Moosetracks
36. Favorite fast food restaurant? Five Guys
37. How many times did you fail your driver's test? Well it took a while before I could take it because I kept forgetting paperwork, but when I took it I passed it easily.
38. From whom did you get your last email? David Smith, a fellow RA.
39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Ralph Lauren
40. Do anything spontaneous lately? Nope :/
41. Like your job? Yes! Again, I'll write about it later.
42. Like broccoli? Yes
43. What was your favorite vacation? Taking a trip on our boat or going to the beach. Pretty much anywhere with water.
44. Last person you went out to dinner with? George, Mike T, and Jared.
45. What are you listening to right now? "My Hood" by Young Jeezy
46. What is your favorite color? Green. Or blue. But especially white, gold, and blue.
47. How many tattoos do you have? None, yet.
48. How many are you tagging for this quiz? This was meant to be for facebook, so I'm assuming that's what this question means. I guess I'm tagging anyone who reads it.
49. What time did you finish this quiz? 11:01PM
50. Coffee Drinker? Rarely, but every now and then.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Samson: The Movie
"Spartans! Tonight we dine in HELL!" cries the good King Leonidas. I seriously doubt there are very many people who haven't heard that line or who don't know who King Leonidas is. 300 was an epic movie, and it was because everyone loves an underdog story. Nobody cared they lost. What made the movie great was the fighting, even if they went a little crazy with the slow motion. So how much better could you get than only 300 men in Speedos with swords, spears, and shields killing an uncountable number of Persian badasses with whips, bombs, and elephants?
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you: Samson.
Now, when I was growing up, all I ever really heard about Samson was this: He was really strong but without his hair he was nothing. He met a girl named Delilah who betrayed him by cutting his hair and turning him over to the Philistines. All I can say is, "Damn I missed a lot." So here's why I think that Samson would make a great movie:
While they're all munching on some lion honey Samson makes up this clever riddle: "From the one who eats came something to eat, from the strong came something sweet." He bets them 30 good clothes and 30 poor clothes that they can't figure it out. Well they get pissed because they don't know so they pressure his wife to give them the answer. Right before the time limit is up, they tell him the answer. Samson says, "If you hadn't plowed with my heifer, you wouldn't have found the answer to my riddle!" (That's a direct quote from my Bible, btw.)
Again Samson acts like anyone else would and goes and kills thirty people then takes their stuff and gives it to the winners. After that he gets all pouty and moves back in with mom and dad.
Instead, being the sane person he is, he captures 300 (coincidence? I think not) foxes, sets their tails on fire, and let's them loose in the city, burning down the whole town, and then puts the blame on them. The Philistines then found out who did it, and burned his wife and her father alive.
Now, I'm not a very smart person, but if the same man that ripped a lion in half, kills 30 people because he lost a bet, captures 300 foxes, sets them on fire, and destroys your city is mad at you, I think I would stop and just leave him alone. But no... they had to go and kill his wife. So his kills many more of them. How many more? The Bible doesn't say, but Samson doesn't seem to take shortcuts so I assume it's a lot.
Pissed off as hell, the Philistines raid the city of Lehi looking for Samson. It is at this point I would like to say that citizens of Lehi seem to be the only smart people in this story, because they tell the Philistines to wait while they go get Samson, presumably so their city isn't destroyed too. So they send 3000 men to get little ol' Samson. Promising not to kill him (like they really could) Samson agrees to let them take him to the Philistines. This is why the people of Lehi are smart, because they are now completely off the hook from Samson's war path.
But now Samson is uber pissed off and just busts through the ropes like nobody's business. Then he grabs the jawbone of a donkey and kills ONE THOUSAND people. After killing them he says: "With the jawbone of an ass, I have made an ass of them. With the jawbone of an ass, I have killed a thousand men."
Then he tells God he's thirsty and a spring pops up for him to drink out of. I really don't know why I have to argue for this to be a movie.
But I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "But Mike, by this time in 300 we already had like two sex scenes." Well just hold on a minute, we're getting there.
Now, again I just have to point out how stupid the Philistines are. This man killed a thousand people like it was nothing, and you're going to wait for him in the morning when he's refreshed from a good night's sleep (and a little something else)? Why not just bum rush him when he's not expecting it? Sure it's a cheap shot, but it's pretty much the only chance they have. But Samson doesn't wait until morning to get up anyway, so I guess it doesn't matter.
No, instead he gets up in the middle of the night and leaves the city. Oh yeah, he took the city gates with him, most likely as a souvenir. Yeah, that's right, he took the gates. Just picked them up and threw them on his shoulder and walked out. I mean, for a man like Samson a prostitute can't be satisfying anyway. Now, I think that the smartest thing the Philistines ever did was not attack him while he's trying to do th is.
Now again, I'm not much of a smart person, but if you tell your wife three different way to kill you, and then after each time someone tries to kill you in that exact way, then wouldn't you suspect that she's trying to help someone kill you? I mean, Occam's Razor Samson. Or was that before his time?
Anyway, after she tells them the real secret they chop off his hair and gouge out his eyes. Then they make him a slave. "But before long his hair began to grow back." Is it just me, or does that sound like a cheesy cliff hanger? And again Philistines, smarten up! If the dude is invincible because of his hair, then keep it chopped. Anyway...
It's almost annoying how dumb the Philistines are. If your enemy is ridiculously strong then why would you put him between two support towers? I mean really...
So Samson prays to God, asking him for strength to tear down the Temple killing everyone in it. And at this point I can only assume that God is just ticked off at how incredibly stupid the Philistines are and wants to rid the world of idiots like them, so he answers the prayer and Samson ends up killing more than he ever did while he lived. And the Bible makes sure to point this out.
Yeah it's already been made a movie, but does that look like it really lives up to a psychotic killer like Samson? If Samson were here today he would rip that man to shreds, and kill the director, writers, and producers for good measure. I mean think about all the fight scenes you could have with this story! His life was pretty much a gigantic fight scene, and maybe a couple of sex scenes when he took a break from killing people. Maybe that's why we didn't learn too much about him in Vacation Bible School...
But the main reason I think Samson should be made into a movie is that I'm getting kinda tired of Leonidas all the time. We need another ancient badass to look up to.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you: Samson.
Now, when I was growing up, all I ever really heard about Samson was this: He was really strong but without his hair he was nothing. He met a girl named Delilah who betrayed him by cutting his hair and turning him over to the Philistines. All I can say is, "Damn I missed a lot." So here's why I think that Samson would make a great movie:
Samson's Riddle
The first story we have is a great way to start off an action movie. So Samson and his folks are walking into town because he wants to get married to this girl but his dad doesn't like her, so he's going to talk to her. Well on the way into town, a lion pops out of nowhere (oh and his parents don't see this because they run off somewhere, which can be taken however you like it). Well, Samson does the only logical thing and rips it in half then hides the body behind a rock so nobody sees it. After the dad meets the girl, they go back home. Well Samson sees the lion carcass which is now bee infested. So he again does the logical thing and grabs a handful of honey to give to his parents.
Again Samson acts like anyone else would and goes and kills thirty people then takes their stuff and gives it to the winners. After that he gets all pouty and moves back in with mom and dad.
Samson's Revenge
So after his temper tantrum Samson comes back to his wife, only she's been married off to another man. The father's argument was that he "really thought [he] hated her." (I mean Samson only killed thirty people after all.) The father offered Samson his other, more beautiful daughter but Samson didn't take it.
Now, I'm not a very smart person, but if the same man that ripped a lion in half, kills 30 people because he lost a bet, captures 300 foxes, sets them on fire, and destroys your city is mad at you, I think I would stop and just leave him alone. But no... they had to go and kill his wife. So his kills many more of them. How many more? The Bible doesn't say, but Samson doesn't seem to take shortcuts so I assume it's a lot.
Pissed off as hell, the Philistines raid the city of Lehi looking for Samson. It is at this point I would like to say that citizens of Lehi seem to be the only smart people in this story, because they tell the Philistines to wait while they go get Samson, presumably so their city isn't destroyed too. So they send 3000 men to get little ol' Samson. Promising not to kill him (like they really could) Samson agrees to let them take him to the Philistines. This is why the people of Lehi are smart, because they are now completely off the hook from Samson's war path.
But now Samson is uber pissed off and just busts through the ropes like nobody's business. Then he grabs the jawbone of a donkey and kills ONE THOUSAND people. After killing them he says: "With the jawbone of an ass, I have made an ass of them. With the jawbone of an ass, I have killed a thousand men."
But I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "But Mike, by this time in 300 we already had like two sex scenes." Well just hold on a minute, we're getting there.
Samson Removes Gaza's Gates
So like any man of God who is tired from killing a thousand people, Samson goes to the Philistine city of Gaza and sleeps with a hooker. The Philistines are still a little upset since their last encounter with Samson, so they decide to try and kill him again. They all gather at the city gates and wait for him to finish up in the morning.Now, again I just have to point out how stupid the Philistines are. This man killed a thousand people like it was nothing, and you're going to wait for him in the morning when he's refreshed from a good night's sleep (and a little something else)? Why not just bum rush him when he's not expecting it? Sure it's a cheap shot, but it's pretty much the only chance they have. But Samson doesn't wait until morning to get up anyway, so I guess it doesn't matter.
No, instead he gets up in the middle of the night and leaves the city. Oh yeah, he took the city gates with him, most likely as a souvenir. Yeah, that's right, he took the gates. Just picked them up and threw them on his shoulder and walked out. I mean, for a man like Samson a prostitute can't be satisfying anyway. Now, I think that the smartest thing the Philistines ever did was not attack him while he's trying to do th
Samson and Delilah
Now comes the part of the story that explains why you should never ever fall in love, because love ruins everything. The kind, sweet, loving Samson falls in love with some random chick named Delilah. Once again, the Philistines are there to ruin the fun. They bribe her with silver to get her to tell them what his secret is. Three times he makes up something and three times the Philistines try to capture him. Delilah keeps on nagging him until finally he tells her the truth.Now again, I'm not much of a smart person, but if you tell your wife three different way to kill you, and then after each time someone tries to kill you in that exact way, then wouldn't you suspect that she's trying to help someone kill you? I mean, Occam's Razor Samson. Or was that before his time?
Samson's Final Victory
So the Philistines, like any other pompous villain, have a huge celebration for the triumph over their enemy. And it wouldn't be complete without having Samson as a centerpiece! And where should they put him? How about the two support towers for the roof?It's almost annoying how dumb the Philistines are. If your enemy is ridiculously strong then why would you put him between two support towers? I mean really...
So Samson prays to God, asking him for strength to tear down the Temple killing everyone in it. And at this point I can only assume that God is just ticked off at how incredibly stupid the Philistines are and wants to rid the world of idiots like them, so he answers the prayer and Samson ends up killing more than he ever did while he lived. And the Bible makes sure to point this out.
But it's already been a movie, why should they make another one?
Yeah it's already been made a movie, but does that look like it really lives up to a psychotic killer like Samson? If Samson were here today he would rip that man to shreds, and kill the director, writers, and producers for good measure. I mean think about all the fight scenes you could have with this story! His life was pretty much a gigantic fight scene, and maybe a couple of sex scenes when he took a break from killing people. Maybe that's why we didn't learn too much about him in Vacation Bible School...
But the main reason I think Samson should be made into a movie is that I'm getting kinda tired of Leonidas all the time. We need another ancient badass to look up to.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
In Remembrance of the Declaration of Independence and Front Porches
"Independence day honors the birthday of the United States of America and the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It's a day of picnics and patriotic parades, a night of concerts and fireworks, and a reason to fly the American flag." -USA.gov
I wasn't going to write anything for today. I assumed there would be enough patriotic writing elsewhere, and who could use another one, right? But I just got back home from a family get together and now I want to write something.
As I drive down the old country road covered by treetop canopies, I see an old wooden house surrounded by my family. It was good to see all of my family again, most of them I only get to see maybe twice a year. But I think the best part about the reunion was the food.
Now, one of the things my family is known for is their cooking, and this fourth of July they did not hold back. There were piles of ribs, barbecued chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, corn on the cob, buttered bread, coleslaw, beans; all of which was amazingly delicious. And now I won't have to worry about eating for the rest of the week.
"Good food ends with good talk." -Geoffrey Neighor
But I think the best part of the whole day was where it was at. The house is an old country house. The ceiling is the underneath of the floor above. All the walls are wooden, and the fireplace is in the center. Around the house are knickknacks and cozy southern furniture. It has an old wood porch with rocking chairs that people actually use to sit and relax. The lunch was located outside, under a giant oak tree (I don't know what kind of tree it really is, but let's just say it's an oak tree). This tree was not just your average "giant oak tree." It literally covered their large back yard creating so much shade it actually felt good to sit outside. Their neighbors stopped by with their dog, who was a good old country dog.
From the slow cooking barbecue to the slow moving dog, it seemed like everything took just a little longer when I was there. I think that's something that I didn't respect when I was younger. Now that I have a lot to do, I can enjoy driving to the country and just relaxing. I think that in a society that is based off of rushing to the next big thing, everyone needs to experience a little country life.
Imagine how much more relaxed you would be if you could just sit for an hour or so and read the paper on your front porch. Doing such a thing now would be considered lazy, because "think about how much stuff you could get done instead!" But think about how much more stressed out you're making yourself, when you could be giving your nerves a break. I guess I have always been a laid back person, and whether or not that's a good thing can be debated, but I've never gotten worked up about something like traffic or work that could wait until Monday.
It could be argued that the most successful people are the ones who don't stop working. Like, stock brokers for a change. Even when they go on vacation they watch stocks so they can be ready to make their next move. But what kind of life is that? It can't possibly be good to think about work constantly, no matter how successful it makes you. I think the southerners knew that, and that's why they had front porches.
Front porches? They're the decks that are on the front of your house that have rocking chairs. Rocking chairs? No, they're not the latest Guitar Hero accessory, they're chairs you sit on to relax. Relax? You know, that's what you do when you're not worrying about school or work or what he/she said or... oh you don't know how to relax? No, I'm pretty sure they don't explain that on the DIY Network.
My father is a carpenter and I used to work with him during the summers. Needless to say, I've seen a few houses in my day. The main difference, that I've noticed, between old houses and new houses are that new houses don't have front porches. The porch probably died sometime between the automobile and subdivision. Back when everyone was sporting a horse and buggy instead of the latest hybrid they stopped and said hello to you while you were relaxing on your front porch. Now it seems like everyone's in a hurry to get inside and lock their doors.
"Ironically, rural America has become viewed by a growing number of Americans as having a higher quality of life not because of what it has, but because of what it does not have!" -Don A. Dillman
So while you remember the Declaration of Independence today, or try to remember if you've already started drinking, try to remember front porches as well. Think about the freedom the Declaration brought from the British, and the freedom the front porch brought from a stressful day. And if at all possible, take a nap on a hammock in the shade before drunks start blowing things up.
I wasn't going to write anything for today. I assumed there would be enough patriotic writing elsewhere, and who could use another one, right? But I just got back home from a family get together and now I want to write something.
As I drive down the old country road covered by treetop canopies, I see an old wooden house surrounded by my family. It was good to see all of my family again, most of them I only get to see maybe twice a year. But I think the best part about the reunion was the food.
Now, one of the things my family is known for is their cooking, and this fourth of July they did not hold back. There were piles of ribs, barbecued chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, corn on the cob, buttered bread, coleslaw, beans; all of which was amazingly delicious. And now I won't have to worry about eating for the rest of the week.
"Good food ends with good talk." -Geoffrey Neighor
But I think the best part of the whole day was where it was at. The house is an old country house. The ceiling is the underneath of the floor above. All the walls are wooden, and the fireplace is in the center. Around the house are knickknacks and cozy southern furniture. It has an old wood porch with rocking chairs that people actually use to sit and relax. The lunch was located outside, under a giant oak tree (I don't know what kind of tree it really is, but let's just say it's an oak tree). This tree was not just your average "giant oak tree." It literally covered their large back yard creating so much shade it actually felt good to sit outside. Their neighbors stopped by with their dog, who was a good old country dog.
From the slow cooking barbecue to the slow moving dog, it seemed like everything took just a little longer when I was there. I think that's something that I didn't respect when I was younger. Now that I have a lot to do, I can enjoy driving to the country and just relaxing. I think that in a society that is based off of rushing to the next big thing, everyone needs to experience a little country life.
Imagine how much more relaxed you would be if you could just sit for an hour or so and read the paper on your front porch. Doing such a thing now would be considered lazy, because "think about how much stuff you could get done instead!" But think about how much more stressed out you're making yourself, when you could be giving your nerves a break. I guess I have always been a laid back person, and whether or not that's a good thing can be debated, but I've never gotten worked up about something like traffic or work that could wait until Monday.
It could be argued that the most successful people are the ones who don't stop working. Like, stock brokers for a change. Even when they go on vacation they watch stocks so they can be ready to make their next move. But what kind of life is that? It can't possibly be good to think about work constantly, no matter how successful it makes you. I think the southerners knew that, and that's why they had front porches.
Front porches? They're the decks that are on the front of your house that have rocking chairs. Rocking chairs? No, they're not the latest Guitar Hero accessory, they're chairs you sit on to relax. Relax? You know, that's what you do when you're not worrying about school or work or what he/she said or... oh you don't know how to relax? No, I'm pretty sure they don't explain that on the DIY Network.
My father is a carpenter and I used to work with him during the summers. Needless to say, I've seen a few houses in my day. The main difference, that I've noticed, between old houses and new houses are that new houses don't have front porches. The porch probably died sometime between the automobile and subdivision. Back when everyone was sporting a horse and buggy instead of the latest hybrid they stopped and said hello to you while you were relaxing on your front porch. Now it seems like everyone's in a hurry to get inside and lock their doors.
"Ironically, rural America has become viewed by a growing number of Americans as having a higher quality of life not because of what it has, but because of what it does not have!" -Don A. Dillman
So while you remember the Declaration of Independence today, or try to remember if you've already started drinking, try to remember front porches as well. Think about the freedom the Declaration brought from the British, and the freedom the front porch brought from a stressful day. And if at all possible, take a nap on a hammock in the shade before drunks start blowing things up.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Let's Talk About Sex
Let's talk about sex. One of my friends recently brought up the issue, and said some interesting things that got me thinking. She is a virgin, and has been pressured to have sex by some of her friends. She says that she's not waiting for religious reasons, she just wants to be in a good relationship with a nice guy before she gives it up. Her friends say that she should just have sex already because, hey, it's not a big deal or anything.
It's an interesting thing, sex. I would venture to guess that sex is the single most written about, sung about, filmed about, talked about, thought about topic in the world. I mean, without sex we wouldn't be here. We need to have sex. Humans are animals, and all animals have these desires. What separates humans from animals, though, is that we can choose whether or not to have sex.
"It's just human. We all have the Jungle inside us. We all have wants and needs and desires, strange as they may seem. If you stop to think about it, we're all pretty creative, cooking up all these fantasies. It's like a kind of poetry." -Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider
So if we can choose when we have sex, then how do we know what time to choose? What makes one day better than another? What makes one person better than another?
"Oh, sex is something you just don't do with anyone! You have to wait until you find the right person."
Well how do you know if that person is the right person? Sure, they could be the right person now but ten years down the road are they still going to be the right person?
"Well, you should wait until you're married. That way you know you're with the right person."
Oh man am I not going to even get into this topic. However unfortunate it might be, just because you marry someone does not mean they're the right person. 50% of marriages fail, and the rate just gets higher and higher the more times someone is married.
"I know nothing about sex because I was always married." -Zsa Zsa Gabor
Is waiting until you're married better than have sex before? Is only having sex while you're in a relationship better than one night stands? What is right? I think all of these things are solely based on a person's value judgments, and I don't think I or anyone else has the right to tell others what to do with whom.
I think the biggest concern that I have with one nights stands are that you don't really know the person you're with. How do you know who they've done before you? How do you know if they don't have an STD? I'm pretty sure that's how STDs are spread. To me, a one night stand just doesn't seem worth it.
"Life is a sexually transmitted disease." -R. D. Laing
And even if you do wait to have sex with someone you're in a relationship, how do you know if they're going to be faithful? The same if you wait until you get married? When a couple has sex, it takes things to a different level whether they plan on it or not. And when that level is crossed, I think they have to have a certain level of trust for each other. If they don't have that trust, then jealously will slowly take over the relationship.
But that is assuming that you wanted to wait until you were in a relationship before you had sex. If you're having one night stands then you just need to worry about being safe. You don't want to get an STD. You also have to worry about your reputation if you get around a lot. Nobody wants to be that person in the neighborhood...
"Sex without love is a meaningless experience, but as far as meaningless experiences go it's pretty damn good." -Woody Allen
And let's not forget the whole point of having sex. Babies! If you're not married, or if you're not in a long term relationship, then what happens if you get pregnant? In Trey Ellis' book Platitudes, there is a sexuality questionnaire that the school gives the children:
"18. If you or your partner were to become pregnant, what would you do?
19. And if she did not want to have an abortion? (116)"
I think it's funny that the questionnaire automatically assumes that you want to abort as soon as possible. But, that is what many people do. Is it wrong or right? Again, that's up to the person (and that's a topic for another day). But what if you decide to have the kid and you're only 16 or 15 or 14 or younger? Unfortunately this is a problem that is on the rise. And it's only making it worse.
Just from what I've read and what I've seen, this is what I think happens: Parents are becoming less and less involved with their kids, so when the kids get to a certain age and discover sex, the parents either don't know how to talk to their children or aren't there to talk to their children. Then I think that girls have so much pressure on them to be beautiful and to be wanted and needed and to have sex and a good time that they go out and look for a relationship, any relationship. Unfortunately what they tend to find are older guys who are just looking for sex. And bad relationship after bad relationship they're just looking to have that fun they've been pressured to have. Meanwhile, the nice guys are sitting backseat to the assholes girls complain about. Then, after the girls have matured and have had their fun, they go back to find the nice guy.
So, when should someone have sex? Who should they have sex with? These are all very personal questions, and I don't think anyone but that person can answer them. My advice would be to just look at everything that comes with sex, and then make a decision. But in agreement with my friend, don't tell your friends what they have to do. Let them make the choice for themselves.
"Sex is a big question mark. It is something people will talk about forever." -Catherine Deneuve
It's an interesting thing, sex. I would venture to guess that sex is the single most written about, sung about, filmed about, talked about, thought about topic in the world. I mean, without sex we wouldn't be here. We need to have sex. Humans are animals, and all animals have these desires. What separates humans from animals, though, is that we can choose whether or not to have sex.
"It's just human. We all have the Jungle inside us. We all have wants and needs and desires, strange as they may seem. If you stop to think about it, we're all pretty creative, cooking up all these fantasies. It's like a kind of poetry." -Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider
So if we can choose when we have sex, then how do we know what time to choose? What makes one day better than another? What makes one person better than another?
"Oh, sex is something you just don't do with anyone! You have to wait until you find the right person."
Well how do you know if that person is the right person? Sure, they could be the right person now but ten years down the road are they still going to be the right person?
"Well, you should wait until you're married. That way you know you're with the right person."
Oh man am I not going to even get into this topic. However unfortunate it might be, just because you marry someone does not mean they're the right person. 50% of marriages fail, and the rate just gets higher and higher the more times someone is married.
"I know nothing about sex because I was always married." -Zsa Zsa Gabor
Is waiting until you're married better than have sex before? Is only having sex while you're in a relationship better than one night stands? What is right? I think all of these things are solely based on a person's value judgments, and I don't think I or anyone else has the right to tell others what to do with whom.
I think the biggest concern that I have with one nights stands are that you don't really know the person you're with. How do you know who they've done before you? How do you know if they don't have an STD? I'm pretty sure that's how STDs are spread. To me, a one night stand just doesn't seem worth it.
"Life is a sexually transmitted disease." -R. D. Laing
And even if you do wait to have sex with someone you're in a relationship, how do you know if they're going to be faithful? The same if you wait until you get married? When a couple has sex, it takes things to a different level whether they plan on it or not. And when that level is crossed, I think they have to have a certain level of trust for each other. If they don't have that trust, then jealously will slowly take over the relationship.
But that is assuming that you wanted to wait until you were in a relationship before you had sex. If you're having one night stands then you just need to worry about being safe. You don't want to get an STD. You also have to worry about your reputation if you get around a lot. Nobody wants to be that person in the neighborhood...
"Sex without love is a meaningless experience, but as far as meaningless experiences go it's pretty damn good." -Woody Allen
And let's not forget the whole point of having sex. Babies! If you're not married, or if you're not in a long term relationship, then what happens if you get pregnant? In Trey Ellis' book Platitudes, there is a sexuality questionnaire that the school gives the children:
"18. If you or your partner were to become pregnant, what would you do?
19. And if she did not want to have an abortion? (116)"
I think it's funny that the questionnaire automatically assumes that you want to abort as soon as possible. But, that is what many people do. Is it wrong or right? Again, that's up to the person (and that's a topic for another day). But what if you decide to have the kid and you're only 16 or 15 or 14 or younger? Unfortunately this is a problem that is on the rise. And it's only making it worse.
Just from what I've read and what I've seen, this is what I think happens: Parents are becoming less and less involved with their kids, so when the kids get to a certain age and discover sex, the parents either don't know how to talk to their children or aren't there to talk to their children. Then I think that girls have so much pressure on them to be beautiful and to be wanted and needed and to have sex and a good time that they go out and look for a relationship, any relationship. Unfortunately what they tend to find are older guys who are just looking for sex. And bad relationship after bad relationship they're just looking to have that fun they've been pressured to have. Meanwhile, the nice guys are sitting backseat to the assholes girls complain about. Then, after the girls have matured and have had their fun, they go back to find the nice guy.
So, when should someone have sex? Who should they have sex with? These are all very personal questions, and I don't think anyone but that person can answer them. My advice would be to just look at everything that comes with sex, and then make a decision. But in agreement with my friend, don't tell your friends what they have to do. Let them make the choice for themselves.
"Sex is a big question mark. It is something people will talk about forever." -Catherine Deneuve
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