Last night's topic at Theology at the Bottleworks was "Gun Control In America." I have a special interest in that because when my cousin was 13 (I was 6), he was accidentally shot at a friend's house. His friend found his dad's loaded gun, didn't think it was loaded, aimed and fired at my cousin. He's been paralyzed ever since and it's turned into nerve damage and all kinds of messy things in the past few years. Nothing ever happened to the dad that left his loaded gun out because there were not any laws against it 20 years ago. I'm not even sure there are laws against it now.
I have never had a desire to own a gun, but I'm not entirely opposed to people that have them, either. I have no problem with people that use them for sport or people that keep one around for protection in, say, the ghetto. Statistically, though, people with a gun in their home are more likely to use it on a family member or friend than a criminal. I would really like to know how many people bought a handgun for self defense and then actually used it for that purpose. My guess is those people don't "need" it as much as they think they do, and those that used it in "self defense" against a family member did so in a fit of rage.
That's not really my issue, though, that's just the reason I personally have no desire for one. If people that have guns are truly careful with them, then fine. America will never get rid of their guns, even though I wish we didn't have them. There should definitely be stricter laws on obtaining and storing them, though, and there should be (harsher?) consequences for people that are careless with them. Did you know you can get a background check for a gun in 3 minutes?! Yeah, so if I want to work with children, it takes 3 or 4 weeks for a background check, but if I have a child and want to add a gun, it takes 3 minutes. I don't even need to know how to use a gun! That bothered me so much last night that I actually spoke up (for the first time in those meetings) and pointed that out.
I guess another reason to get a gun is to protect yourself from the government or, I don't know, the apocalypse? If that makes you feel better, go for it, but I suspect that if the government really wanted to fight us there would be no contest. It wouldn't be the civil war, I doubt they would decide on hand-to-hand combat. In the case of an apocalypse, well...I guess we'll have to wait and see. We've only got a year and some change for that anyway, right?
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
Revised/updated Bucket List
I wrote this list 2 years ago and the skydiving thing reminded me that I made this list in the first place. I went through and bolded the things that I can cross off and italicized things that are in progress or that I'm deleting. I can cross off more than I thought! Kinda cool.
1. Visit Italy (particularly Rome, Venice, Florence, maybe Milan).
2. See Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and Stonehenge.
3. Explore Bauhaus design and history in Germany.
4. Visit the Louvre, Moulin Rouge, and the Eiffel Tower. (still debating the 2011 trip)
5. Visit New York City during Christmas time.
6. Surf in Hawaii.
7. Road trip without a particular destination in mind.
8. Learn a second language and use it in the country of origin. (eh, I'll count some Italian)
9. Walk the Golden Gate Bridge.
10. Take a bicycle tour or go backpacking somewhere.
11. Ride a donkey to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.
12. Take a cruise.
13. See Machu Picchu and Mayan ruins.
14. Visit Dubai.
15. Travel to the 9 U.S. states I have missed (Alaska, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Oregon, Idaho).
16. Immerse myself in the center of a big city for at least two months.
17. Swim with dolphins.
18. Sleep under the stars. (I'm reneging this one because of mosquitoes/bugs! Let's go with "Kiss while gazing at the stars" or something.)
19. Go white water rafting.
20. Go up in a hot-air balloon.
21. Rock climb on actual rocks.
22. Skydive.
23. Exhibit my photography at an art gallery (not a student one).
24. Sing a karaoke song by myself. (times 20!)
25. Compose a taiko song.
26. Minor in dance.
27. Dance or play in the pouring rain.
28. Flash a stranger once, like at Mardi Gras (oh well, why not?).
29. Spend a night in a haunted house.
30. Ride a motorcycle.
31. Ride a jet ski.
32. Ride a horse along a beach.
33. Learn how to golf.
34. Join a bowling league.
35. Protest something important.
36. Smoke weed, just to try it.
37. Learn a new skill at least once a year. (In progress)
38. Shower in a waterfall. (No thanks. Too cold!)
39. Get married.
40. Have a child (or 2).
41. Run for office of some kind (even if it's just alderwoman).
42. Take a sick day when I'm not sick.
43. Serve at a soup kitchen.
44. Fly in a helicopter.
45. Go inside the White House.
46. Teach a dance class.
47. Hang glide.
48. Own a dog.
49. See an active volcano up close.
50. Bust out my real dance moves in a public setting.
1. Visit Italy (particularly Rome, Venice, Florence, maybe Milan).
2. See Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and Stonehenge.
3. Explore Bauhaus design and history in Germany.
4. Visit the Louvre, Moulin Rouge, and the Eiffel Tower. (still debating the 2011 trip)
5. Visit New York City during Christmas time.
6. Surf in Hawaii.
7. Road trip without a particular destination in mind.
8. Learn a second language and use it in the country of origin. (eh, I'll count some Italian)
9. Walk the Golden Gate Bridge.
10. Take a bicycle tour or go backpacking somewhere.
11. Ride a donkey to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.
12. Take a cruise.
13. See Machu Picchu and Mayan ruins.
14. Visit Dubai.
15. Travel to the 9 U.S. states I have missed (Alaska, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Oregon, Idaho).
16. Immerse myself in the center of a big city for at least two months.
17. Swim with dolphins.
18. Sleep under the stars. (I'm reneging this one because of mosquitoes/bugs! Let's go with "Kiss while gazing at the stars" or something.)
19. Go white water rafting.
20. Go up in a hot-air balloon.
21. Rock climb on actual rocks.
22. Skydive.
23. Exhibit my photography at an art gallery (not a student one).
24. Sing a karaoke song by myself. (times 20!)
25. Compose a taiko song.
26. Minor in dance.
27. Dance or play in the pouring rain.
28. Flash a stranger once, like at Mardi Gras (oh well, why not?).
29. Spend a night in a haunted house.
30. Ride a motorcycle.
31. Ride a jet ski.
32. Ride a horse along a beach.
33. Learn how to golf.
34. Join a bowling league.
35. Protest something important.
36. Smoke weed, just to try it.
37. Learn a new skill at least once a year. (In progress)
38. Shower in a waterfall. (No thanks. Too cold!)
39. Get married.
40. Have a child (or 2).
41. Run for office of some kind (even if it's just alderwoman).
42. Take a sick day when I'm not sick.
43. Serve at a soup kitchen.
44. Fly in a helicopter.
45. Go inside the White House.
46. Teach a dance class.
47. Hang glide.
48. Own a dog.
49. See an active volcano up close.
50. Bust out my real dance moves in a public setting.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Pre-weekend boredom
The good part about leaving work early on a Friday afternoon is that I don't have to work or do anything in particular. The bad part is that almost everyone else still does, so I have to wait for their day to be over before we can play. Sure, I could clean my room or whatever--I will, eventually, but didn't I just do that a few days ago?
Anyway, I'm in the mood to write again. I've been inspired lately, I guess. My profile picture on facebook (jumping at the top of the mountain) is generally how I've been feeling. I'm skydiving with Eddie next weekend, too, which should make it that much better. I've been saying for a while that roller coasters are enjoyable but they don't get my adrenaline going, so I figure skydiving should do the trick. I'm still a little nervous about it because I have been given too much time to think about it, though. I decided to go bungee jumping like 15 minutes before I actually went, so I kind of wish skydiving happened the same way. You know, like I'd be taking a nice little ride on an airplane and then someone would offer me a parachute and the chance to jump. After a few minutes of training, I'd probably be crazy enough to do it. I'm crazy enough to do it now, anyway, but more nervous than I would be if it happened spontaneously. I wonder if preferring a (15 minute warning) spontaneous skydive over one that's planned two weeks in advance just makes me sound crazier.
That reminds me of the "passion for adventure and excitement" line in my new work bio. I was actually surprised that the writer put that in there. It's true, I just don't think many people pick up on that unless they know me well. I remember this writer once telling me I was "secretly cool," though, so I guess I'll take it. I just normally come across as the Quiet Girl, which tends to translate as "boring" and "safe." I'm not exactly "unsafe," but I enjoy taking measured risks for my own personal thrills and I like to think that I'm not that boring, so whatever. As a side note on the bio, the original opening line said I was known around the world as a "highly skilled taiko drumming machine" and I asked him to take out the "highly skilled" part. I'm not sure I would even say I'm "highly" skilled in the local group. (That's probably why I'm so annoyed by someone I consider to be an overly cocky taiko player.) We debated the "worldwide" part, too, but I figured if Japan knew about the group, he could leave it. I didn't even want to debate the "master" of the dance thing after that, although I just told him those are dance forms that I had tried. I was kind of hoping he would mention that I always wanted to be an artist and that I was a seasoned coloring contest winner at a young age, but he ran out of time.
Speaking of creative pursuits, today is International Left Hander's Day! I'm not sure if it's officially been proven or not, but I think that lefties really do tend to be more creative. Joel's left-handed and he's noticed that about musicians, too. Left-handed people make up only 10% of the population, but they probably make up about 40% of my social circle. Not all of them have active creative pursuits, but those that do tend to be especially good at them.
Lefties also tend to be especially evil, according to history. "Sinister" means "left" in Latin and similar things in many other languages. If you wrote with your left hand, you probably were also posessed by the devil. If I were conservative, I would place a political joke about the left here, but instead I'll let you use your imagination.
Well, I think I have killed enough of my time and wasted enough of yours, so I won't bother you for the rest of the weekend (unless we have a phone date). Have a good one!
Anyway, I'm in the mood to write again. I've been inspired lately, I guess. My profile picture on facebook (jumping at the top of the mountain) is generally how I've been feeling. I'm skydiving with Eddie next weekend, too, which should make it that much better. I've been saying for a while that roller coasters are enjoyable but they don't get my adrenaline going, so I figure skydiving should do the trick. I'm still a little nervous about it because I have been given too much time to think about it, though. I decided to go bungee jumping like 15 minutes before I actually went, so I kind of wish skydiving happened the same way. You know, like I'd be taking a nice little ride on an airplane and then someone would offer me a parachute and the chance to jump. After a few minutes of training, I'd probably be crazy enough to do it. I'm crazy enough to do it now, anyway, but more nervous than I would be if it happened spontaneously. I wonder if preferring a (15 minute warning) spontaneous skydive over one that's planned two weeks in advance just makes me sound crazier.
That reminds me of the "passion for adventure and excitement" line in my new work bio. I was actually surprised that the writer put that in there. It's true, I just don't think many people pick up on that unless they know me well. I remember this writer once telling me I was "secretly cool," though, so I guess I'll take it. I just normally come across as the Quiet Girl, which tends to translate as "boring" and "safe." I'm not exactly "unsafe," but I enjoy taking measured risks for my own personal thrills and I like to think that I'm not that boring, so whatever. As a side note on the bio, the original opening line said I was known around the world as a "highly skilled taiko drumming machine" and I asked him to take out the "highly skilled" part. I'm not sure I would even say I'm "highly" skilled in the local group. (That's probably why I'm so annoyed by someone I consider to be an overly cocky taiko player.) We debated the "worldwide" part, too, but I figured if Japan knew about the group, he could leave it. I didn't even want to debate the "master" of the dance thing after that, although I just told him those are dance forms that I had tried. I was kind of hoping he would mention that I always wanted to be an artist and that I was a seasoned coloring contest winner at a young age, but he ran out of time.
Speaking of creative pursuits, today is International Left Hander's Day! I'm not sure if it's officially been proven or not, but I think that lefties really do tend to be more creative. Joel's left-handed and he's noticed that about musicians, too. Left-handed people make up only 10% of the population, but they probably make up about 40% of my social circle. Not all of them have active creative pursuits, but those that do tend to be especially good at them.
Lefties also tend to be especially evil, according to history. "Sinister" means "left" in Latin and similar things in many other languages. If you wrote with your left hand, you probably were also posessed by the devil. If I were conservative, I would place a political joke about the left here, but instead I'll let you use your imagination.
Well, I think I have killed enough of my time and wasted enough of yours, so I won't bother you for the rest of the weekend (unless we have a phone date). Have a good one!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
The Parting of the Red Sea
If I had free time before 10pm on a weekday, I would call my long-distance friends and catch up. Since that won't happen until probably Saturday (but tomorrow if I'm lucky), I'll just catch up with this. So...let's see. Work is still going well. I can't believe how fast the days are going! I'm not begging the clock to speed up anymore. I feel like some of my co-workers don't realize how spoiled we are. Yes, sometimes annoying clients or crazy deadlines will ruin your day--I mean, it's still work--but we get to do the fun stuff compared to most people. We have variety. We play loud music and sing along if we want to, talk to each other across the room, grab a free snack from the well-stocked snack drawer or a free drink from the fridge. We have some bold red walls and bolder posters and decorations. We can wear shorts, jeans, and flip flops and don't have to clock in and out at exact times. A co-worker's little dog is practically our mascot and keeps watch by the door.
All things considered, we've got it pretty good, so it bugs me when I hear someone rave about the "awesome snack drawer" at the video production place down the street, for example. Um, hello, the lady who stocks our drawer asks for requests! I didn't realize that the addition of Pay Days would make it more awesome, anyway. I guess the grass is always greener somewhere else. Not for me, though. I know how good we have it. I mean, we had to pay the vending machine for our snacks and drinks at my last two companies. Can you believe it?! Yeah, most people can, because that's all they get.
I'm usually pretty appreciative of whatever I have, though. I guess I live with the constant awareness that "it could always be worse," no matter how "bad" it initially seems. It's all in your perspective. Talk to some people in third world countries and compare notes, or just think about their situation for a second. Now quit your damn whining, America! Okay, complaining is human nature or at least a modern cornerstone of American culture, but maybe tone it down a little, huh? Otherwise, I'm moving to Canada. :)
In other news, Joel's getting a bigger store across the street from Blueberry Hill. I think that's pretty awesome. I picked out some paint colors for the walls yesterday (because it's fun!) and maybe I'll help paint on Friday. Oddly enough, the basement of this new place is where I first met Joel's dad and 5 or 6 aunts and cousins. (I met his brother later that night, too.) His cousins had a concert there, at what used to be known as the Red Sea. That was in December of 2007, before Joel had any plans to have a store in The Loop and months before I would say we started dating. I was wondering why he invited me to a family Christmas after-party event, though. In fact, I still wonder why he did that, come to think of it. It's not like he normally introduced girls to his family. We were still just friends as far as I was concerned. I wasn't even sure he was interested! It only took another 6 months for me to confirm that he was. Ha.
So last week, Joel's dad gave me a tour of the new store. We stood in the same place where we met more than 2 1/2 years ago, only this time, Joel owned it and I knew why I was standing there. Wow, so much has changed! What an unpredictable turn of events. I guess you could say the parting of The Loop's Red Sea has revealed another miracle. :)
All things considered, we've got it pretty good, so it bugs me when I hear someone rave about the "awesome snack drawer" at the video production place down the street, for example. Um, hello, the lady who stocks our drawer asks for requests! I didn't realize that the addition of Pay Days would make it more awesome, anyway. I guess the grass is always greener somewhere else. Not for me, though. I know how good we have it. I mean, we had to pay the vending machine for our snacks and drinks at my last two companies. Can you believe it?! Yeah, most people can, because that's all they get.
I'm usually pretty appreciative of whatever I have, though. I guess I live with the constant awareness that "it could always be worse," no matter how "bad" it initially seems. It's all in your perspective. Talk to some people in third world countries and compare notes, or just think about their situation for a second. Now quit your damn whining, America! Okay, complaining is human nature or at least a modern cornerstone of American culture, but maybe tone it down a little, huh? Otherwise, I'm moving to Canada. :)
In other news, Joel's getting a bigger store across the street from Blueberry Hill. I think that's pretty awesome. I picked out some paint colors for the walls yesterday (because it's fun!) and maybe I'll help paint on Friday. Oddly enough, the basement of this new place is where I first met Joel's dad and 5 or 6 aunts and cousins. (I met his brother later that night, too.) His cousins had a concert there, at what used to be known as the Red Sea. That was in December of 2007, before Joel had any plans to have a store in The Loop and months before I would say we started dating. I was wondering why he invited me to a family Christmas after-party event, though. In fact, I still wonder why he did that, come to think of it. It's not like he normally introduced girls to his family. We were still just friends as far as I was concerned. I wasn't even sure he was interested! It only took another 6 months for me to confirm that he was. Ha.
So last week, Joel's dad gave me a tour of the new store. We stood in the same place where we met more than 2 1/2 years ago, only this time, Joel owned it and I knew why I was standing there. Wow, so much has changed! What an unpredictable turn of events. I guess you could say the parting of The Loop's Red Sea has revealed another miracle. :)
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Full-On Double Rainbow All the Way!
It's so intense! Maybe this is old news, but I missed half of June. Have you seen the double rainbow thing? It's kind of a running joke at the office. This guy really likes rainbows:
As if that isn't enough, there's a song, too:
Catchy. I have the perfect dance for it, too. :)
As if that isn't enough, there's a song, too:
Catchy. I have the perfect dance for it, too. :)
Microsoft iPod Mashup
Okay, so Apple's clean and smart branding is partially why I'm an Apple snob, but I'm a designer. I can't help it! Imagine if Microsoft made the ipod:
My sister just got an iphone, which means she's suddenly cooler than me, I think. I am not caving! Yet? Oh great, now I have that "Cooler Than Me" song stuck in my head, and also Sonic the Hedgehog 2 music, by default. Why? Well, I'm pretty sure that the last 30 seconds of "Cooler Than Me" were inspired by a combination of the Emerald Hill Zone and Chemical Plant Zone, but I can't exactly place it. It definitely sounds like something out of that game, though. (I never even owned it, just played it at family and friends' houses.) You be the judge. Check this out, while you're at it.
On a(nother) completely random and unrelated topic, I was just reading something about the favorite scents of men and women. Look's like lavender and pumpkin pie is a winner for both! Wait, what? When was the last time you had lavender in your pumpkin pie? Anyway, these results make me laugh:
Scents that appeal to men-Lavender and pumpkin pie, doughnut with black licorice, and doughnut and pumpkin pie were the winners. Orange, black licorice, lily of the valley, buttered popcorn, vanilla, pumpkin pie, and lavender (alone). (Doughnuts and pumpkin pie, huh? Me too! In fact, just "dessert" is enough for me. If I meet a man that smells like that, look out.)
My sister just got an iphone, which means she's suddenly cooler than me, I think. I am not caving! Yet? Oh great, now I have that "Cooler Than Me" song stuck in my head, and also Sonic the Hedgehog 2 music, by default. Why? Well, I'm pretty sure that the last 30 seconds of "Cooler Than Me" were inspired by a combination of the Emerald Hill Zone and Chemical Plant Zone, but I can't exactly place it. It definitely sounds like something out of that game, though. (I never even owned it, just played it at family and friends' houses.) You be the judge. Check this out, while you're at it.
On a(nother) completely random and unrelated topic, I was just reading something about the favorite scents of men and women. Look's like lavender and pumpkin pie is a winner for both! Wait, what? When was the last time you had lavender in your pumpkin pie? Anyway, these results make me laugh:
Scents that appeal to men-Lavender and pumpkin pie, doughnut with black licorice, and doughnut and pumpkin pie were the winners. Orange, black licorice, lily of the valley, buttered popcorn, vanilla, pumpkin pie, and lavender (alone). (Doughnuts and pumpkin pie, huh? Me too! In fact, just "dessert" is enough for me. If I meet a man that smells like that, look out.)
Scents that appeal to women-Good & Plenty and cucumber, Good & Plenty and pumpkin pie, lavender and pumpkin pie, baby powder and chocolate, and baby powder by itself. Also, unlike men, women are turned off by scents like cherry, barbecued meat, and...men's colognes. (Baby powder and chocolate? Smells like a biological clock to me.)
I guess those are reasonable, maybe. Good & Plenty, though, ladies? First of all, does that really differ from just plain black licorice that much? Second of all, have you tried them? They taste like black licorice! I just had a flashback to the first and last time I think I had them, which is funny...When the taiko group was in Chicago (well, sort of), we went to Walgreens to stock up on drinks or whatever and Joel gave me some. Ha, I'll have to ask him if he knew about that correlation back then. Maybe this whole thing was rigged!
...Well, I haven't had a random, sleep-deprived post like that in a while. You're welcome and good night!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Eat Pray Love
I just finished that Eat Pray Love (One Woman's Search for Everything) book that I mentioned earlier, after I took a little break from it for a while. The movie with Julia Roberts comes out in a few weeks and I'm sure I'll go see it, despite my apathy for Julia Roberts. I'm actually sad that I'm finished with the book, because I bought it at the Rome airport on my way home and in some ways it was an extension of the trip. The author actually starts her main journey in Rome, oddly enough.
It's an autobiography about a woman in her early 30's who decides that she needs to discover the answers to life's questions on her own. She divorces her husband, has a fling, and then spends a year "finding herself" in Italy (eating), India (praying), and Bali (loving). It was an insightful and witty book and I liked it, overall, but I felt like this woman should have spent more time figuring herself out before she got married and dragged someone else into her personal struggles. All of a sudden she realized that she had been jumping from relationship to relationship since she was 15 and that she never took time for herself.
I think that's a problem for many women, but I can't relate to that part of the story. I always thought it was common sense that a solid sense of self was required before a serious relationship, and so I took plenty of time on that. Honestly, I think people that did that first are better off. Maybe some people think they need that other person to help them define themselves, but it just seems counter-intuitive and riskier than it needs to be. How can you tell that you've lost yourself if you haven't even found yourself yet? Or at least, how can you be sure of it? For me, someone else would have just been a distraction or a complication. The author seems to agree. Relationships are supposed to help you grow, but you have to start on solid ground.
I guess the author's level of immaturity and self-absorption in the beginning just seemed more typical of someone who's 10 years younger. If you suppress yourself for that long and spend your time morphing into other people, though, that's probably where you end up. I certainly am not close to having all the answers, but I am closer than I was a few years ago and closer than this lady was at the beginning of the book. That's my journey, though. I shouldn't project that on other people, but I am my only reliable point of reference. Everyone needs to find their own way and I'm still finding mine. Maybe that never really ends.
It's an autobiography about a woman in her early 30's who decides that she needs to discover the answers to life's questions on her own. She divorces her husband, has a fling, and then spends a year "finding herself" in Italy (eating), India (praying), and Bali (loving). It was an insightful and witty book and I liked it, overall, but I felt like this woman should have spent more time figuring herself out before she got married and dragged someone else into her personal struggles. All of a sudden she realized that she had been jumping from relationship to relationship since she was 15 and that she never took time for herself.
I think that's a problem for many women, but I can't relate to that part of the story. I always thought it was common sense that a solid sense of self was required before a serious relationship, and so I took plenty of time on that. Honestly, I think people that did that first are better off. Maybe some people think they need that other person to help them define themselves, but it just seems counter-intuitive and riskier than it needs to be. How can you tell that you've lost yourself if you haven't even found yourself yet? Or at least, how can you be sure of it? For me, someone else would have just been a distraction or a complication. The author seems to agree. Relationships are supposed to help you grow, but you have to start on solid ground.
I guess the author's level of immaturity and self-absorption in the beginning just seemed more typical of someone who's 10 years younger. If you suppress yourself for that long and spend your time morphing into other people, though, that's probably where you end up. I certainly am not close to having all the answers, but I am closer than I was a few years ago and closer than this lady was at the beginning of the book. That's my journey, though. I shouldn't project that on other people, but I am my only reliable point of reference. Everyone needs to find their own way and I'm still finding mine. Maybe that never really ends.
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