If so, you should definitely consider buying me this book.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Dogs
Jonah has been laying on my bed all day
I think the weather is getting to him.
..just in case anyone was wondering.
Oil in Water from Shawn Knol on Vimeo.
it's getting tricky
to keep certain thoughts to myself.
especially one i've been thinking about constantly as of the past week and have almost verbalized on many separate occasions. but fortunately, i realized the danger in the situation. but i believe that the more words i have to swallow, the more likely i am to explode. i can actually feel a build-up of unspoken emotion, because lately, some of them have been hanging out in the back of my throat, and i'm pretty sure the only way they will leave is through my mouth.
especially one i've been thinking about constantly as of the past week and have almost verbalized on many separate occasions. but fortunately, i realized the danger in the situation. but i believe that the more words i have to swallow, the more likely i am to explode. i can actually feel a build-up of unspoken emotion, because lately, some of them have been hanging out in the back of my throat, and i'm pretty sure the only way they will leave is through my mouth.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
it is frustrating
that i can work or go to school all day, and the people who don't are the ones who never feel like doing anything.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
some things
1) Dogs are smart in ways you wouldn't normally think about. This morning when I sat down at the computer, Jonah bolted to my room to get his rawhide. I just think it's cool that he remembered where it was, or at least, could figure out where it was without any hesitation.
2) Today I experienced my first rain without clouds. The trees have some pretty thick leaves here in the jungle, so they hold a LOT of rain. Well, I was outside smoking a cigarette when the wind started blowing like crazy, so the leaves were moving like crazy. Of course, all the rain water came down, but it sounded and even looked like it was really raining. I mean, I've seen water blown from trees before, but it never made me have to look up and double check that it really wasn't raining.
3) I had a dream last night I was sucking on Subway pickles. Mmmmmmm.
4) I also dreamt Sam was throwing me a high school graduation party!!! Because I never DID have a party.
5) Broken Social Scene is recording a new album!!! I think it's going to be different from their last two, like, maybe a little more chill. They are recording in Chicago with John McEntire, who is in Tortoise and, one of my personal favorites, The Sea and Cake. You can read Kevin Drew's blog entry here. But personally, I don't think they can fully abandon their vast array of instruments they normally like to include. I mean, I just can't picture a BSS album without a horn or two, or even without a woodwind! But I guess we will just have to wait and see...
6) I woke up at, like 8:45 this morning! I don't remember the last time I've been awake this early on a Sunday on my own accord. I'm starting to like being awake, but the only problem is I get tired a lot earlier! I mean, I went to bed around 11:45 last night. Lammeeee.
7) I'm starting to like a lot of things, and people, a lot more.
8) I'm even starting to like it here.
2) Today I experienced my first rain without clouds. The trees have some pretty thick leaves here in the jungle, so they hold a LOT of rain. Well, I was outside smoking a cigarette when the wind started blowing like crazy, so the leaves were moving like crazy. Of course, all the rain water came down, but it sounded and even looked like it was really raining. I mean, I've seen water blown from trees before, but it never made me have to look up and double check that it really wasn't raining.
3) I had a dream last night I was sucking on Subway pickles. Mmmmmmm.
4) I also dreamt Sam was throwing me a high school graduation party!!! Because I never DID have a party.
5) Broken Social Scene is recording a new album!!! I think it's going to be different from their last two, like, maybe a little more chill. They are recording in Chicago with John McEntire, who is in Tortoise and, one of my personal favorites, The Sea and Cake. You can read Kevin Drew's blog entry here. But personally, I don't think they can fully abandon their vast array of instruments they normally like to include. I mean, I just can't picture a BSS album without a horn or two, or even without a woodwind! But I guess we will just have to wait and see...
6) I woke up at, like 8:45 this morning! I don't remember the last time I've been awake this early on a Sunday on my own accord. I'm starting to like being awake, but the only problem is I get tired a lot earlier! I mean, I went to bed around 11:45 last night. Lammeeee.
7) I'm starting to like a lot of things, and people, a lot more.
8) I'm even starting to like it here.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Life has a strange way of being incredibly surreal in the midst of very lucid reality. Sometimes, it's almost hard to believe that I'm even alive. Things are happening in a very compelling chain of events, and it doesn't even feel like my life anymore. This is good, because I never really liked it anyway, but it's still kind of odd. I feel like I'm simply following a road. So far, it's a pretty easy walk, and the scenery is great!
More later some other time...........
More later some other time...........
Friday, May 8, 2009
dayummm
some shit is goin down so lemme break it down
1) Work.
Starting a new job on Monday at the one and only
2) School.
Starts Tuesday, majoring in English, preparing to brave the mean streets of general education.
3) Driving
Look for me on the road within the next week.
4) Jesse.
He's my boyfriend, and he's the shit.
5) Fallout 3.
The only video game addiction I support.
1) Work.
Starting a new job on Monday at the one and only
2) School.
Starts Tuesday, majoring in English, preparing to brave the mean streets of general education.
3) Driving
Look for me on the road within the next week.
4) Jesse.
He's my boyfriend, and he's the shit.
5) Fallout 3.
The only video game addiction I support.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Anti-Intellectualism: Christianity as Intellectual Suicide
an excerpt from "Distortions of Christianity" by Douglas Groothuis.
Some refuse to give Christianity the time of day because they deem it anti-intellectual--a religion that values ignorance and credulity above critical intelligence. In a book on how to leave one's religion behind, Lauren Winnell writes of a young man named Sandy, who was in Winell's "religious recovery support group", who lost his faith in college through an encounter with an anti-intellectual pastor. The young man was experiencing doubts as a result of what he was exposed to in college. Instead of addressing these questions head on, the pastor kept changing the subject. ONe day, when pressed by the young man, the pastor replied, "Sandy, it's about time we call this what it is--sin." The young man left the church and Christianity, being unwilling to follow "a religion that made thinking a sin".
No one should be willing to follow a religion that decapitates critical thinking. Anti-intellectualism has quite a grip on not only the Christian church, but many aspects of American culture. The reasons for an irrational faith in American Christianity are numerous and will not concern us here except to say that none of the reasons flow from the Bible itself or from the best and truest elements of the Christian tradition. While some have pitted faith against reason, the Bible does not endorse blind leaps of faith, but rather speaks of the knowledge of God gained through various rational means. Instead of a leap of faith, it commends a well-informed and volitional step of faith.
Jesus said the greatest commandment was to love God with all of one's being, including the mind (Matt. 23:27). Jesus' own ministry led Him into intellectual debates with the best thinkers of His day, none of whom bested Him in argument. We find Jesus using various argumentative strategies, such as reductio ad absurdum, modus ponens, and appeals to evidence. He further reasoned from a well-developed theistic worldview. The apostle Paul reasoned with the philosopher's on Mars Hill (Acts 17:16-31) and the apostle Peter challenged his readers to "give a reason" for their hope in Christ (1 Peter 3:15-16).
Not long ago, Christian apologists faced an uphill battle against well-entrenched philosophies of unbelief. Natural theology was deemed long dead. Higher critics had reduced the Gospels to ragtag collections of scattered facts, idiosynratic theologizing, and existentially gripping myths. Philosophers and apologists were doing well to argue for the intelligibility of religious language (considered nonsense by logical positivists), let alone its rationality or truth. Evangelical apologetics--when pursued at all--was typically practiced outside the academy and often lacked intellectual power (although this could not be said of J. Gresham Machen, Gordon Clark, Bernard Ramm, Edward John Carnell, and Carl Henry.
Seismic shocks in the philosophy of religion, however, have realigned the intellectual world of unbelief in the past three decades, opening up fissures and toppling edifices. Atheist philosopher Quentin Smith recently wrote in the skeptical philosophical journal Philo that the philosophy departments of the academy have been "desecularized" since the late 1960s, largely due to the path-breaking work of Alvin Plantinga's writings. Given the renaissance in Christian philosophy during the past few decades, atheistic philosophers can no longer assume that their naturalism is justified. Smith even allows that "the justification of most contemporary naturalist views is defeated by contemporary theist arguments". As of 2008, Philosophia Christi, the journal of the Evangelical Philosophical Society, had the largest subscription base of any philosophy of religion journal and features a roster of stellar contributors. In two important books, Philosophers who Believe and God and the Philosophers, many leading philosophers write of how their Christian beliefs inform their philosophical pursuits.
We find, then, that Christianity should encourage a robust life of the mind and that many philosophers today are owning and defending Christianity philosophically. There is, therefore, no reason to refuse to consider Christianity on the (false) basis that it demands intellectual suicide.
Further Reading:
Evangelical Philosophical Society
"Theism, Atheism, and Rationality" by Alvin Plantinga
Douglas Groothuis Wikipedia page
Quentin Smith arguments
Some refuse to give Christianity the time of day because they deem it anti-intellectual--a religion that values ignorance and credulity above critical intelligence. In a book on how to leave one's religion behind, Lauren Winnell writes of a young man named Sandy, who was in Winell's "religious recovery support group", who lost his faith in college through an encounter with an anti-intellectual pastor. The young man was experiencing doubts as a result of what he was exposed to in college. Instead of addressing these questions head on, the pastor kept changing the subject. ONe day, when pressed by the young man, the pastor replied, "Sandy, it's about time we call this what it is--sin." The young man left the church and Christianity, being unwilling to follow "a religion that made thinking a sin".
No one should be willing to follow a religion that decapitates critical thinking. Anti-intellectualism has quite a grip on not only the Christian church, but many aspects of American culture. The reasons for an irrational faith in American Christianity are numerous and will not concern us here except to say that none of the reasons flow from the Bible itself or from the best and truest elements of the Christian tradition. While some have pitted faith against reason, the Bible does not endorse blind leaps of faith, but rather speaks of the knowledge of God gained through various rational means. Instead of a leap of faith, it commends a well-informed and volitional step of faith.
Jesus said the greatest commandment was to love God with all of one's being, including the mind (Matt. 23:27). Jesus' own ministry led Him into intellectual debates with the best thinkers of His day, none of whom bested Him in argument. We find Jesus using various argumentative strategies, such as reductio ad absurdum, modus ponens, and appeals to evidence. He further reasoned from a well-developed theistic worldview. The apostle Paul reasoned with the philosopher's on Mars Hill (Acts 17:16-31) and the apostle Peter challenged his readers to "give a reason" for their hope in Christ (1 Peter 3:15-16).
Not long ago, Christian apologists faced an uphill battle against well-entrenched philosophies of unbelief. Natural theology was deemed long dead. Higher critics had reduced the Gospels to ragtag collections of scattered facts, idiosynratic theologizing, and existentially gripping myths. Philosophers and apologists were doing well to argue for the intelligibility of religious language (considered nonsense by logical positivists), let alone its rationality or truth. Evangelical apologetics--when pursued at all--was typically practiced outside the academy and often lacked intellectual power (although this could not be said of J. Gresham Machen, Gordon Clark, Bernard Ramm, Edward John Carnell, and Carl Henry.
Seismic shocks in the philosophy of religion, however, have realigned the intellectual world of unbelief in the past three decades, opening up fissures and toppling edifices. Atheist philosopher Quentin Smith recently wrote in the skeptical philosophical journal Philo that the philosophy departments of the academy have been "desecularized" since the late 1960s, largely due to the path-breaking work of Alvin Plantinga's writings. Given the renaissance in Christian philosophy during the past few decades, atheistic philosophers can no longer assume that their naturalism is justified. Smith even allows that "the justification of most contemporary naturalist views is defeated by contemporary theist arguments". As of 2008, Philosophia Christi, the journal of the Evangelical Philosophical Society, had the largest subscription base of any philosophy of religion journal and features a roster of stellar contributors. In two important books, Philosophers who Believe and God and the Philosophers, many leading philosophers write of how their Christian beliefs inform their philosophical pursuits.
We find, then, that Christianity should encourage a robust life of the mind and that many philosophers today are owning and defending Christianity philosophically. There is, therefore, no reason to refuse to consider Christianity on the (false) basis that it demands intellectual suicide.
Further Reading:
Evangelical Philosophical Society
"Theism, Atheism, and Rationality" by Alvin Plantinga
Douglas Groothuis Wikipedia page
Quentin Smith arguments
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
People Who Deserve a Second Chance
1) Carrot Top. You know, that box of props thing? I think it's great. Don't be so hard on him. Regardless of that horrible plastic surgery/botox deal he's got going on these days, I don't think he's a bad guy.
2) Jennifer Aniston. I don't know about you, but I remember Rachel, and that's almost enough. Not to mention that she is ten times more adorable than that creepy crackhead Angelina Jolie and her succubus ways.
3) Brand New. Okay, it's been forever already since their last album, but they're in the studio as we speak, so we just have to be patient! And a lot of people don't like their last album because it was as poppy as the first two (which is bullshit because Devil and God was MUCH better) but I HAVE A FEELING this new one is going to be GREAT.
4) New York. NEW YORK WHERE ARE YOU? Yuck why am I even ASKING.
5) My Dad the Rock Star, the love child of Gene Simmons and Nickelodeon. There's an article about it here. Okay, not the most popular Nickelodeon cartoon around, but it is definitely one of my favorites. Nicktoons, the reject cartoon channel, doesn't even play it anymore, so that's how I know I'm in trouble. Which leads to number six...
6) Martin Mystery. Also another great and recently canceled Nicktoons show, from the creators of Totally Spies, based on an Italian comic book. Martin was certainly a dreamboat.
7) Picasso. Francis Bacon may have stolen his spotlight, but we should never forget who the master of figurative modernism is. At least, the original master.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
meme yumyums
Well, I was tagged by 1sexybitch, not by name, but en masse via my affiliation with Tiger Butter.
However, I'll take what I can get.
1. What is your current obsession?
And, for the thousandth time since 2005
Not to mention my boyfriend, who seems to grow increasingly sexy every day.
2. Who was the last person you hugged?
There are only two human beings I hug in my life, and it's Jesse or my mother. The former, however, would be the last.
3. What’s your favorite dinner?
It's been a while since I had me a nice bento box
4. What was the last movie you saw in the theatre?
Monsters vs. Aliens in 3-D...
I'm not the hugest movie buff these days.
5. What was the last thing you bought? (to wear)
Definitely not Prada.
On Forever 21, I just bought a couple of black and white t-shirts and these!
6. What are you listening to right now?
7. What is your favorite weather?
Lots of sun, but not a lot of heat. Anything that brings about pleasant nostalgia.
8. Say something to the person who tagged you.
The term dickmatized would be unknown to me if it were for her.
9. Tea or Coffee?
Tea.
10. What did you want to become as a child?
It was always an actress or a writer. I thought I had Hollywood all figured out.
11. If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
Cupertino, CA. Not as glamorous as you would think. But an hour wouldn't even be close to enough time.
12. Who do you want to meet in person?
Kevin Drew, Brendan Canning, Jason Collett, Justin Peroff, Andrew Whiteman, Leslie Feist, Emily Haines, Charles Spearin, Torquil Campbell, Ohad Benchetrit, Amy Millan.
Basically
13. What is your most challenging goal right now?
Getting my life back to normal so I can the hell out of Florida.
14. What are your weirdest obsessions?
Autism, prostitution, and World War I.
15. Why did you start a blog?
I have a lot to say, and I want everyone to know it.
16. What's your blog about (give me the 2-3 sentence elevator pitch)
Me and the life I've found myself a part of.
17. Which blogs are you obsessed with at the moment?
I will always love Gracie, but I've recently found a couple of local blogs to be enjoyable, such as Ashley Dennison and Jesse Coleman.
18. What is your dream job? (realistic or unrealistic)
I want to be a top journalist with a lot of Balenciaga power suits and coffee mugs from different country's capitals.
19. If you could change professions or careers, what would you like to try? (realistically speaking)
Let me just finish school plz.
20. Who is your favorite designer at the moment?
I'm deeply in love with Erdem, Alexander Wang, Daughters by Obedient Sons, Derek Lam, Andrew Gn, Peter Som, Phillip Lim, and apparently any other Asian designer so far.
21. What's your favorite brand of jeans?
Acne.
22. One thing that you would snitch out of someone's closet, with no regrets?
My boyfriend's t-shirts.
23. What designer piece of clothing would you most like to own? (new or vintage)
THIS DRESS
Balenciaga. Lately, I am obsessed with anything skin tight with big shoulders.
In return, (although consider this totally optional), I tag Sarah, who posts in this blog, Ashley, Jesse, and Chris.
However, I'll take what I can get.
1. What is your current obsession?
And, for the thousandth time since 2005
Not to mention my boyfriend, who seems to grow increasingly sexy every day.
2. Who was the last person you hugged?
There are only two human beings I hug in my life, and it's Jesse or my mother. The former, however, would be the last.
3. What’s your favorite dinner?
It's been a while since I had me a nice bento box
4. What was the last movie you saw in the theatre?
Monsters vs. Aliens in 3-D...
I'm not the hugest movie buff these days.
5. What was the last thing you bought? (to wear)
Definitely not Prada.
On Forever 21, I just bought a couple of black and white t-shirts and these!
6. What are you listening to right now?
7. What is your favorite weather?
Lots of sun, but not a lot of heat. Anything that brings about pleasant nostalgia.
8. Say something to the person who tagged you.
The term dickmatized would be unknown to me if it were for her.
9. Tea or Coffee?
Tea.
10. What did you want to become as a child?
It was always an actress or a writer. I thought I had Hollywood all figured out.
11. If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
Cupertino, CA. Not as glamorous as you would think. But an hour wouldn't even be close to enough time.
12. Who do you want to meet in person?
Kevin Drew, Brendan Canning, Jason Collett, Justin Peroff, Andrew Whiteman, Leslie Feist, Emily Haines, Charles Spearin, Torquil Campbell, Ohad Benchetrit, Amy Millan.
Basically
13. What is your most challenging goal right now?
Getting my life back to normal so I can the hell out of Florida.
14. What are your weirdest obsessions?
Autism, prostitution, and World War I.
15. Why did you start a blog?
I have a lot to say, and I want everyone to know it.
16. What's your blog about (give me the 2-3 sentence elevator pitch)
Me and the life I've found myself a part of.
17. Which blogs are you obsessed with at the moment?
I will always love Gracie, but I've recently found a couple of local blogs to be enjoyable, such as Ashley Dennison and Jesse Coleman.
18. What is your dream job? (realistic or unrealistic)
I want to be a top journalist with a lot of Balenciaga power suits and coffee mugs from different country's capitals.
19. If you could change professions or careers, what would you like to try? (realistically speaking)
Let me just finish school plz.
20. Who is your favorite designer at the moment?
I'm deeply in love with Erdem, Alexander Wang, Daughters by Obedient Sons, Derek Lam, Andrew Gn, Peter Som, Phillip Lim, and apparently any other Asian designer so far.
21. What's your favorite brand of jeans?
Acne.
22. One thing that you would snitch out of someone's closet, with no regrets?
My boyfriend's t-shirts.
23. What designer piece of clothing would you most like to own? (new or vintage)
THIS DRESS
Balenciaga. Lately, I am obsessed with anything skin tight with big shoulders.
In return, (although consider this totally optional), I tag Sarah, who posts in this blog, Ashley, Jesse, and Chris.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
I am so over
collective American stupidity and cringing over the issues. I think I've found political apathy to be the best viewpoint for my mental health. If shit's gonna go down, shit's gonna go down, and since everything I feel is the complete opposite of what's goin down, it's simply easier not to care. And even when things change, God stays the same, so there really are no issues.
so the white house has a myspace now?
I guess the reign of the baby boomers is over, and Gen X is in.
The times, they are achanging.
The times, they are achanging.
SECOND BEST QUOTE OF THE DAY
Sarah (on the death of David Gaines): It's like, poor guy, but I mean, I don't even know him.
Friday, May 1, 2009
QUOTE OF THE DAY
SAM: The whole house is conspiring against me!
MOM (annoyed): What are you talking about?
SAM: The cat is meowing at me for food, YOU'RE telling me it's too hot in here, and Sarah is a Rays fan!!!!
MOM (annoyed): What are you talking about?
SAM: The cat is meowing at me for food, YOU'RE telling me it's too hot in here, and Sarah is a Rays fan!!!!
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