As time presses on in its sometimes wonderful, other times rather confounding way, man’s philosophy continues to advance in an inspiring pattern of upward evolution…right?
Actually, no. The things that work for us right now, the philosophies of life that really satisfy the heart and improve the world (what more could we ask for than those two ideals?), have been with us for a very long time, indeed. No one is going to dream up the meaning of life today. If one believes he has, he most likely not birthed a revolutionary new worldview, but instead merely realized for himself some particular aspect of the same great ideas that have satisfied the heart and improved the world throughout history.
So hold on a minute. Does that mean that the new philosophy of “Freeganism” breaks no ground in the area of ethical principles?
Well, let’s talk about what Freeganism is, and you can decide for yourself.
Freeganism, as described on Oprah, --
Wait. Did I just say that? Allow me to explain.
I was mugged yesterday, and when I woke up I was tied to a chair in a Chicago warehouse and forced to either watch Oprah or undergo intense psychological abuse (What's the difference? Ha-ha-ha-ha!!!). After ten minutes of quiet introspection and deliberation, I chose Oprah.
There, that’s better.
So they had this woman on Oprah who described herself as a “Freegan.” Basically, the Freegans are people who are fed up with the current economic system in America. To manifest this frustration with the system, they simply choose to withdraw from it. They abstain from buying food from any business or individual. Instead, they opt to forage through dumpsters and garbage bins, essentially living off the waste of their fellow citizens.
Jesus said that those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted (Matthew 23:12). Evidently, the Freegans choose to sidestep this dilemma, and instead attempt to exalt themselves and humble themselves.
I see two problems with that.
First of all, they’re exalting themselves. By showing off their alternative lifestyle to Oprah and anyone else who will listen, they are not, as they might contend, living out a life of principle. They are acting out in order to get attention. They are the logical maturity of the child in our 1st grade class who ate food off of the floor, to rounds of raucous laughter and applause, or (as the case might have been) general bewilderment and distaste. The Freegans are not living out their principles. If they were, they could emigrate from America and its unjust free markets.
To the Freegans, I have this to say: I hear that the summers are to die for in China.
Wow, they cleared out pretty quick after that. The point is that no sane human being would ever leave America's economy in order to support a Communist economy. Say as much as one wants about cooperation and equality and universal healthcare, no Communist system has ever really panned out as well in practice as it did on paper. America is the country that offers the best odds of success, from a purely practical standpoint. And, incidentally, America is also the country that allows people to dig through trash to make their livelihood.
It is not principle that drives these people, because they choose to remain in America rather than move elsewhere. It is attention, perhaps with some scorn thrown in (scorn being one sentiment that always makes one feel righteous and justified, even when that’s not the case), that they seek.
So the Freegans are not as self-sacrificing as they might present themselves. In fact, upon close observation, we see that they are more self-centered than anything else.
That brings us to the next point. If you’re going to be self-centered, do it right! More seriously put, I mean to say that no human being should eat another’s garbage. If the Freegan sees this action as a gesture of humility, he should perhaps study up on what true humility is. Ebenezer Scrooge was the epitome of self-centeredness; but all it took was three Spirits to cure him. To cure a Freegan, one would need a generous mess of Spirits and several cognitive psychologists.
No, I’m not saying I have all of the answers about being humble (Although I do have one! See below…). I’m just saying that the Freegans have none of the answers. And in another sense, they show us what one of the answers isn’t.
So that’s about it.
Have a great one, and if you get hungry, please approach the front of the restaurant, rather than the back.
Signing off,
Joezilla
20080205
An Unurgent Directive to Be Less Urgent
Here is something I wrote a few months ago after a sudden feeling of inspiration one day. It felt good to write it.
Today I was walking along a beautifully tree-lined pathway on the Northwestern campus, reading about the numbing effect that the daily grind of work and study can have on people the world over. If you are numbed right now, you might not have understood the first sentence. Read it again, and deeply take in the meaning. Are you with us again? Excellent—let us proceed.
Struck with sudden inspiration in the middle of my readwalk, I gradually drifted off the blacktop and toward a tree that stood next to the path. Leaning against this tree, I observed the events taking place around me. The leaves had turned color (it is the midst of fall as I write this directive), a chill was in the air, and people of all sizes and philosophies scurried, strolled, or staggered to their respective destinations. I had momentarily withdrawn from my transit in order to observe, and thus I had withdrawn from the action of this world. While the advancing course of my day had come to a fleeting pause, everyone else’s nonetheless continued. People went about their business seemingly unaware that one of their fellows had briefly surrendered to inaction.
During this break, a startling shot of insight came into my mind. I saw the world (from where I stood) as being like a colony of ants, particularly like one of those kits that are sold for children, where one can view the progress of the ants’ civilization through clear sheets of plastic or glass. I saw that over the thousands of years of our civilizations’ development, our species had come far. We had transcended the capabilities of the ants long ago. What made this transcendence possible, or in other words, what differentiated our civilization and its capabilities from those of the ants? Our size is one factor which cannot be denied. This may sound simplistic, but it is deeper than you may realize. We are capable of doing greater tasks than ants, yes. But we are also incapable of doing as insignificant tasks as ants are able to do. Our size is a double-edged sword. But I am digressing.
Another factor is intelligence. By our standards, we are able to think greater ideas, communicate clearer thoughts, and thus accomplish greater tasks due to our painstakingly developed minds.
But the most important factor is our very humanity. We are conscious, we are able to reason and feel, to intuit and create. Though our civilization and attitudes have developed and changed dramatically over the years, our fundamental humanity has changed very little. Physically, emotionally, and mentally, we are essentially the same types of beings as could be found on this planet two thousand years ago. Any reading of ancient prose or poetry will quickly reveal this fact.
All of the facts of our current sophistication are so; and yet, we are still ants in the cosmic scheme. We are all minuscule creatures living out our roles in this society, this kit that God has built and watches over every day. He has a plan. He always has.
I look around sometimes and wonder what is happening to society. I see troublesome forces, forces of selfishness, pride, and anger, threatening the safety and development of the young generations. I see people and ideologies so repulsive to what I believe to be the just and righteous and sane society, that I feel I must fight them to the last man. I feel like I must take every possible action to speak out against the evils of the world, to proclaim my common sense any time there is an opportunity for it, to divide between “us” and “them,” and to struggle to the point of exhaustion. I have the weight of the world on my shoulders! It is up to me to save it! Such are the thoughts that often went through my mind when I saw evidence of evil in society, a common sight nowadays.
I know what you are thinking: “How do you know what is evil and what is good? Who says you’re right?” Well, simply put, I say I am right, and that is enough for me. As G.K. Chesterton said, “If I say that it may be wrong, I say that is not my opinion.” I truly believe that my most passionate beliefs are in accordance with God’s will. That is not as crazy as it sounds when you think about it. I believe in and worship God. Why would I believe something I take to be contrary to His desires? So that settles the matter of why I believe so strongly in what I believe, if that makes sense.
But am I right to take up Atlas’ position and strain my back with the weight of the globe? No, and that is exactly what my brief respite taught me. God is the Master of the ant colony; He set it up, and He is letting it progress as He sees fit. If something is going wrong, it is so that everything may eventually go right, for He who created us has planned it that way. My limited human vision only sees the here and now; it ignores the vast past that led up to this point in history, and it likewise ignores the unfathomable future which continually hurtles toward us as the present moment, and shows no signs of stopping.
The ultimate point is that it is all in His hands—everything! This does not exempt us from doing our duty and speaking our truths. Instead, it informs us that we are given opportunities for such words and deeds, and we will know when these opportunities arise. There is no need to force a battle in the war against a decaying society. Like all conflicts of the past, the outcome was decided long before the first blow was struck, and the affair, no matter how ugly, was still being overseen by a loving Creator.
Living as a loving Christian here and now, setting an example to all that you meet, is in the vast majority of situations the far more effective converter of hearts. “They will know we are Christians by our love,” not by our sound arguments and reasoned opinions. So relax more, worry less. Listen more, speak less. And when the time comes, gently step up to the microphone, say what must be said, and never forget just Who you are living for.
AN UNURGENT DIRECTIVE TO BE LESS URGENT.
Today I was walking along a beautifully tree-lined pathway on the Northwestern campus, reading about the numbing effect that the daily grind of work and study can have on people the world over. If you are numbed right now, you might not have understood the first sentence. Read it again, and deeply take in the meaning. Are you with us again? Excellent—let us proceed.
Struck with sudden inspiration in the middle of my readwalk, I gradually drifted off the blacktop and toward a tree that stood next to the path. Leaning against this tree, I observed the events taking place around me. The leaves had turned color (it is the midst of fall as I write this directive), a chill was in the air, and people of all sizes and philosophies scurried, strolled, or staggered to their respective destinations. I had momentarily withdrawn from my transit in order to observe, and thus I had withdrawn from the action of this world. While the advancing course of my day had come to a fleeting pause, everyone else’s nonetheless continued. People went about their business seemingly unaware that one of their fellows had briefly surrendered to inaction.
During this break, a startling shot of insight came into my mind. I saw the world (from where I stood) as being like a colony of ants, particularly like one of those kits that are sold for children, where one can view the progress of the ants’ civilization through clear sheets of plastic or glass. I saw that over the thousands of years of our civilizations’ development, our species had come far. We had transcended the capabilities of the ants long ago. What made this transcendence possible, or in other words, what differentiated our civilization and its capabilities from those of the ants? Our size is one factor which cannot be denied. This may sound simplistic, but it is deeper than you may realize. We are capable of doing greater tasks than ants, yes. But we are also incapable of doing as insignificant tasks as ants are able to do. Our size is a double-edged sword. But I am digressing.
Another factor is intelligence. By our standards, we are able to think greater ideas, communicate clearer thoughts, and thus accomplish greater tasks due to our painstakingly developed minds.
But the most important factor is our very humanity. We are conscious, we are able to reason and feel, to intuit and create. Though our civilization and attitudes have developed and changed dramatically over the years, our fundamental humanity has changed very little. Physically, emotionally, and mentally, we are essentially the same types of beings as could be found on this planet two thousand years ago. Any reading of ancient prose or poetry will quickly reveal this fact.
All of the facts of our current sophistication are so; and yet, we are still ants in the cosmic scheme. We are all minuscule creatures living out our roles in this society, this kit that God has built and watches over every day. He has a plan. He always has.
I look around sometimes and wonder what is happening to society. I see troublesome forces, forces of selfishness, pride, and anger, threatening the safety and development of the young generations. I see people and ideologies so repulsive to what I believe to be the just and righteous and sane society, that I feel I must fight them to the last man. I feel like I must take every possible action to speak out against the evils of the world, to proclaim my common sense any time there is an opportunity for it, to divide between “us” and “them,” and to struggle to the point of exhaustion. I have the weight of the world on my shoulders! It is up to me to save it! Such are the thoughts that often went through my mind when I saw evidence of evil in society, a common sight nowadays.
I know what you are thinking: “How do you know what is evil and what is good? Who says you’re right?” Well, simply put, I say I am right, and that is enough for me. As G.K. Chesterton said, “If I say that it may be wrong, I say that is not my opinion.” I truly believe that my most passionate beliefs are in accordance with God’s will. That is not as crazy as it sounds when you think about it. I believe in and worship God. Why would I believe something I take to be contrary to His desires? So that settles the matter of why I believe so strongly in what I believe, if that makes sense.
But am I right to take up Atlas’ position and strain my back with the weight of the globe? No, and that is exactly what my brief respite taught me. God is the Master of the ant colony; He set it up, and He is letting it progress as He sees fit. If something is going wrong, it is so that everything may eventually go right, for He who created us has planned it that way. My limited human vision only sees the here and now; it ignores the vast past that led up to this point in history, and it likewise ignores the unfathomable future which continually hurtles toward us as the present moment, and shows no signs of stopping.
The ultimate point is that it is all in His hands—everything! This does not exempt us from doing our duty and speaking our truths. Instead, it informs us that we are given opportunities for such words and deeds, and we will know when these opportunities arise. There is no need to force a battle in the war against a decaying society. Like all conflicts of the past, the outcome was decided long before the first blow was struck, and the affair, no matter how ugly, was still being overseen by a loving Creator.
Living as a loving Christian here and now, setting an example to all that you meet, is in the vast majority of situations the far more effective converter of hearts. “They will know we are Christians by our love,” not by our sound arguments and reasoned opinions. So relax more, worry less. Listen more, speak less. And when the time comes, gently step up to the microphone, say what must be said, and never forget just Who you are living for.
20080117
Read Things Worth Reading
Well, I must say I was flattered by the friendly plug I received from my colleague’s blog (here’s the URL, because I don’t yet know how to make the text a direct link, and, quite honestly, don’t yet care either: http://writethingsworthreading.blogspot.com/).
I assure you it is more than mere obligation that drives me to urge you to visit the above blog. Why? Well, in all honesty, as the sidebar on the right says somewhat wishy-washily, if you like this column then you will love Matt’s.
Believe me when I say that this is true. Matt’s blog is, on the whole, far more interesting and far more interactive than this one. Whereas this blog is hardly even a blog (its contents could easily be hammered out on an antique typewriter and retain the same general effect that they have here on your screen), being made of mere text, that is, Matt’s is unequivocally a high-tech marvel of a website, chock full all sorts of novel links and curiosities.
You should consider yourself lucky if you get to see a new picture of Donkey Kong posted up here every few months or so. If you ever see just a picture of Donkey Kong on Matt’s blog, and not at the very least a live video of him, if not a hologram, you should write Matt an angry letter (or e-mail, perhaps, would be more appropriate).
With every new blog post from Matt, you can expect to see a video from the deepest darkest corners of the Web retrieved by space-age sorcery, a link to some newfangled website that serves some bizarre yet appealing purpose, or even just a really good picture corresponding to what he wrote. Because, yes, in addition to what I’ve just gone on and on about, he writes. And he writes jolly well! In short, what he writes, is worth reading.
So that’s that, folks. Go to http://writethingsworthreading.blogspot.com/. Go there now.
And if you actually found here through there, keep going there – but from now on always come here first!
That’s right, Matthew. My plugs only go so far. They will not get past the locked doors that exist in my own mercenary heart.
Have a great one!
It’s been real,
nice.
That was a sentence. It’s been real nice. Did you think I was saying “It’s been real”? I wasn’t; I’m no fan of that expression for the precise reason I just illustrated: It can be misleading. It sounds unresolved. Which reminds me of a great book called Blue Like Jazz. But that’s a whole ‘nother story.
It’s been real nice,
Joezilla
I assure you it is more than mere obligation that drives me to urge you to visit the above blog. Why? Well, in all honesty, as the sidebar on the right says somewhat wishy-washily, if you like this column then you will love Matt’s.
Believe me when I say that this is true. Matt’s blog is, on the whole, far more interesting and far more interactive than this one. Whereas this blog is hardly even a blog (its contents could easily be hammered out on an antique typewriter and retain the same general effect that they have here on your screen), being made of mere text, that is, Matt’s is unequivocally a high-tech marvel of a website, chock full all sorts of novel links and curiosities.
You should consider yourself lucky if you get to see a new picture of Donkey Kong posted up here every few months or so. If you ever see just a picture of Donkey Kong on Matt’s blog, and not at the very least a live video of him, if not a hologram, you should write Matt an angry letter (or e-mail, perhaps, would be more appropriate).
With every new blog post from Matt, you can expect to see a video from the deepest darkest corners of the Web retrieved by space-age sorcery, a link to some newfangled website that serves some bizarre yet appealing purpose, or even just a really good picture corresponding to what he wrote. Because, yes, in addition to what I’ve just gone on and on about, he writes. And he writes jolly well! In short, what he writes, is worth reading.
So that’s that, folks. Go to http://writethingsworthreading.blogspot.com/. Go there now.
And if you actually found here through there, keep going there – but from now on always come here first!
That’s right, Matthew. My plugs only go so far. They will not get past the locked doors that exist in my own mercenary heart.
Have a great one!
It’s been real,
nice.
That was a sentence. It’s been real nice. Did you think I was saying “It’s been real”? I wasn’t; I’m no fan of that expression for the precise reason I just illustrated: It can be misleading. It sounds unresolved. Which reminds me of a great book called Blue Like Jazz. But that’s a whole ‘nother story.
It’s been real nice,
Joezilla
20080114
Rational Security
“It is always the secure who are humble.”
G.K. Chesterton’s words always require a complex routine of mental gymnastics to decipher fully, and the above quote is no exception.
I take it to mean that in order to be a truly humble person, one first must achieve a level of self-confidence that could be called being “secure.” This, of course, would be the opposite of “insecure.” But can we ever really, completely stop being insecure?
In our best moments, yes, I say we can. When the circumstances are right, and we feel that irresistible Force pushing us to be at our best (because we all have times like that, don’t we?), we can completely transcend the immature boundaries that our society has conditioned us to have:
“Oh, no, I’ve got to walk up the aisle of this auditorium full of people, everyone’s going to look at me! Are my shoes tied? Is my fly open? Is there a booger hanging out of my nose?”
We’ve probably all had moments like that. Or maybe not. Anyway…
I think that the only way we stop feeling insecure is to stop acting insecure. Even if we feel completely self-conscious walking up the aisle in that crowded auditorium, we still have the choice, it is still completely within our realm of capability, to put our shoulders back and walk up confidently. We all have a right to be here, and there is never a reason to feel ashamed, unsure, or even just a little awkward. You know what you’re doing, even if no one else does. And in the end, no one really cares anyway. They’re not even going to be looking at your nostrils, trust me.
So let’s move on to humility. Doesn’t humility mean stepping out of the spotlight, shrugging off compliments, and ascribing your successes to other people, events, or to God? Well, yes, I think so, but that’s not all of it. You see, I recently had an experience where I was playing music in front of a group. But it wasn’t a performance, really, at all.
I was at church. The whole idea was to be in the background, to add to the atmosphere, not absorb it into my spotlight. So you see, I had a lot of power in my hands. I could play for the right reasons, to add to the spiritual experiences of everyone at church, or I could take steps to highlight my own playing, my own skills. I could dwell on what people were thinking of me as I played my heart out in front of them all.
Well, luckily for me, I knew that I would be a pathetic and arrogant failure in the humility department if I practiced the latter. I’ve never really been an overtly egotistical person (unless I’m blind to it, in which case I could be right now!). That kind of thing doesn’t work for me.
But the most dangerous wolf is the one in sheep’s clothing; he can get close to the herd, make friends with the other sheep, before going for their throat. Likewise, the most insidious of vices are the ones that paint themselves as virtues or harmless pleasures, or that make us think they're not really there. Those are the ones that can really get us. And that’s where I fell a little short that day. You see, I was concentrating so much on being humble, that I wasn’t practicing real humility, the ultimate humility that we strive for. I was overthinking it.
But wait. Can you really overthink being humble? You know, if you think more about it, you’ll just get more and more humble. Is that a bad thing?
Well, yes it is, if it takes our mind off our priorities. I was being so humble that day at church that I was mentally patting myself on the back for it:
“Yeah, Joe, that was a pretty humble job. I loved the way you humbly deflected that compliment back at that guy. Well done.”
Yeah, that’s almost word for word.
Now I shouldn’t forget that what matters is that I was humble during the Mass. I didn’t let the demons of ego take control. But the next step, then, is to really jump into the cold water and stop worrying about being humble.
So real humility, I think, is being supremely humble, and not thinking about it.
If we have faith, we don’t need to consciously practice humility. If we go into everything with the right attitude, then all the pieces fall into place. Humility becomes a part of our character. And that’s about it.
Now the real question is, should I even publish this essay here on the blog, or would it be more humble to keep it offline?
There I go again!
Securely but humbly,
Joezilla
G.K. Chesterton’s words always require a complex routine of mental gymnastics to decipher fully, and the above quote is no exception.
I take it to mean that in order to be a truly humble person, one first must achieve a level of self-confidence that could be called being “secure.” This, of course, would be the opposite of “insecure.” But can we ever really, completely stop being insecure?
In our best moments, yes, I say we can. When the circumstances are right, and we feel that irresistible Force pushing us to be at our best (because we all have times like that, don’t we?), we can completely transcend the immature boundaries that our society has conditioned us to have:
“Oh, no, I’ve got to walk up the aisle of this auditorium full of people, everyone’s going to look at me! Are my shoes tied? Is my fly open? Is there a booger hanging out of my nose?”
We’ve probably all had moments like that. Or maybe not. Anyway…
I think that the only way we stop feeling insecure is to stop acting insecure. Even if we feel completely self-conscious walking up the aisle in that crowded auditorium, we still have the choice, it is still completely within our realm of capability, to put our shoulders back and walk up confidently. We all have a right to be here, and there is never a reason to feel ashamed, unsure, or even just a little awkward. You know what you’re doing, even if no one else does. And in the end, no one really cares anyway. They’re not even going to be looking at your nostrils, trust me.
So let’s move on to humility. Doesn’t humility mean stepping out of the spotlight, shrugging off compliments, and ascribing your successes to other people, events, or to God? Well, yes, I think so, but that’s not all of it. You see, I recently had an experience where I was playing music in front of a group. But it wasn’t a performance, really, at all.
I was at church. The whole idea was to be in the background, to add to the atmosphere, not absorb it into my spotlight. So you see, I had a lot of power in my hands. I could play for the right reasons, to add to the spiritual experiences of everyone at church, or I could take steps to highlight my own playing, my own skills. I could dwell on what people were thinking of me as I played my heart out in front of them all.
Well, luckily for me, I knew that I would be a pathetic and arrogant failure in the humility department if I practiced the latter. I’ve never really been an overtly egotistical person (unless I’m blind to it, in which case I could be right now!). That kind of thing doesn’t work for me.
But the most dangerous wolf is the one in sheep’s clothing; he can get close to the herd, make friends with the other sheep, before going for their throat. Likewise, the most insidious of vices are the ones that paint themselves as virtues or harmless pleasures, or that make us think they're not really there. Those are the ones that can really get us. And that’s where I fell a little short that day. You see, I was concentrating so much on being humble, that I wasn’t practicing real humility, the ultimate humility that we strive for. I was overthinking it.
But wait. Can you really overthink being humble? You know, if you think more about it, you’ll just get more and more humble. Is that a bad thing?
Well, yes it is, if it takes our mind off our priorities. I was being so humble that day at church that I was mentally patting myself on the back for it:
“Yeah, Joe, that was a pretty humble job. I loved the way you humbly deflected that compliment back at that guy. Well done.”
Yeah, that’s almost word for word.
Now I shouldn’t forget that what matters is that I was humble during the Mass. I didn’t let the demons of ego take control. But the next step, then, is to really jump into the cold water and stop worrying about being humble.
So real humility, I think, is being supremely humble, and not thinking about it.
If we have faith, we don’t need to consciously practice humility. If we go into everything with the right attitude, then all the pieces fall into place. Humility becomes a part of our character. And that’s about it.
Now the real question is, should I even publish this essay here on the blog, or would it be more humble to keep it offline?
There I go again!
Securely but humbly,
Joezilla
20080113
The Power of One (sounds cool, has no actual bearing on the text)
"Train up a fig tree in the way it should go, and when you are old sit under the shade of it."
A wonderful quote from Charles Dickens, fitting for the day I find myself in. It is also fitting that I should begin this blog with a quote, as quotes are one of my favorite forms of wisdom. Like bars of candy, the quote or aphorism gives a “Fun Size” bit of wisdom that can often come at just the right time. But enough about candy. Let’s get on to the meat and potatoes.
This, as you most likely know, is a blog. That is a funny word, and though I am usually partial to funny words there is something inherently repulsive in this particular one. I much prefer sasquatch or blubber, but I did not invent the idea, so I claim no right to naming it. Onward!
Why am I doing this? My reasons for writing this blog are threefold: Firstly, it is a wonderful way to pass the time when I have exhausted other more pressing or inviting options. In other words, I have a lot of time to spend and I need a somewhat constructive way in which to spend it. Also, I need an alternative to homework in case that ever becomes too boring. Secondly, writing about something I am interested in, or about nothing in particular, as I am right now, in addition to being a tremendously enjoyable experience, keeps my mental faculties sharpened. This will no doubt be a blessing to me as I sojourn further into the land of Huge Essays and eventually stumble blearily into the territory of the dreaded Double Digit Paper Beast. I have heard that certain specimens of these can reach lengths of 20 or more pages. Though I still shudder at the thought of facing such fiendish brutes, I am quite sure that keeping my rhetorical wits about me by writing this blog will only serve to help me in my encounters with them. Thirdly, I hope to share some small glimmer of happiness, insight, or entertainment with you, my dear reader (even if I am talking only to myself). There is much to be said for the sharing of deeper thoughts, as well as lighter ones, and this blog will serve as a resource for both.
I am not, as one might expect, writing this blog in order to share bits and pieces of my humanity with an audience of readers. I have nothing to prove; I know I am a human, and I assume most everyone else does, as well. If anyone doubts my humanity, either they are crazy or they know something that I don’t. If the latter is true, please do not alert me—ignorance is bliss, at least in this case. Further, I am not writing this blog as a replacement for a journal; I already keep a journal (albeit rather sporadically), right next to my bedside, and said journal is for personal thoughts and ideas that are not to be shared in this essentially public forum. Thus, you are not reading my innermost thoughts and feelings, you are reading the thoughts and feelings that I felt would best contribute to an effective blog entry (if, in fact, you are reading this at all).
All right! With that out of the way, I can actually get to the business of this inaugural entry, which will not be extremely lengthy. Let us return to the aforementioned Charles Dickens quote. “Train up a fig tree in the way it should go, and when you are old sit under the shade of it.” This is, of course, a takeoff on the popular Bible verse “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). That said, it is easy to see the meaning behind both sayings. They speak of the rewards of patient diligence focused toward a specific goal. Great deeds are often accomplished by Herculean effort over a short period of time; Wikipedia tells me the Empire State Building was built in just over a year, from excavation to ribbon-cutting. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_building However, there is something to be said for a comparatively minimal effort over a great period of time. I’ve seen the benefit a small amount of daily practice does for my saxophonic abilities. And a daily donation of just $1 will help to support that wonderful programming you’ve come to expect from PBS (and at the end of the year, you’ll realize they’ve conned you into making a $365 donation—luckily, I’m not speaking from experience).
Why am I saying this? Well, Dickens’ wonderful adaptation of Proverbs came to my mind this morning as I brushed my teeth. You see, through the sheer Providence of God, complemented—or perhaps implemented!—by clever scheduling, I managed to procure for the Winter term a Friday completely free of classes. It occurred to me that I could assign myself the duty of self-improvement on this weekly free day. I could commit to a specific exercise regimen for that specific day, different from the other days’ exercise. I could choose a specific jazz chord progression to practice improvising over. I could implement any number of edifying activities that would produce a more quality product (and by that I mean person) by the spring. All day I thought on these things.
It is now 9:39, and I have neither practiced nor exercised. I have, in fact, spent the day playing video games, watching movies, and eating. Perhaps the next entry should center around human nature and how to control it.
All in all, though, it’s been a great day, and it’s not over yet. I can still practice and exercise. Maybe the next entry should instead focus on the process of how to have one’s cake, and eat it too.
With confidence,
Joezilla
A wonderful quote from Charles Dickens, fitting for the day I find myself in. It is also fitting that I should begin this blog with a quote, as quotes are one of my favorite forms of wisdom. Like bars of candy, the quote or aphorism gives a “Fun Size” bit of wisdom that can often come at just the right time. But enough about candy. Let’s get on to the meat and potatoes.
This, as you most likely know, is a blog. That is a funny word, and though I am usually partial to funny words there is something inherently repulsive in this particular one. I much prefer sasquatch or blubber, but I did not invent the idea, so I claim no right to naming it. Onward!
Why am I doing this? My reasons for writing this blog are threefold: Firstly, it is a wonderful way to pass the time when I have exhausted other more pressing or inviting options. In other words, I have a lot of time to spend and I need a somewhat constructive way in which to spend it. Also, I need an alternative to homework in case that ever becomes too boring. Secondly, writing about something I am interested in, or about nothing in particular, as I am right now, in addition to being a tremendously enjoyable experience, keeps my mental faculties sharpened. This will no doubt be a blessing to me as I sojourn further into the land of Huge Essays and eventually stumble blearily into the territory of the dreaded Double Digit Paper Beast. I have heard that certain specimens of these can reach lengths of 20 or more pages. Though I still shudder at the thought of facing such fiendish brutes, I am quite sure that keeping my rhetorical wits about me by writing this blog will only serve to help me in my encounters with them. Thirdly, I hope to share some small glimmer of happiness, insight, or entertainment with you, my dear reader (even if I am talking only to myself). There is much to be said for the sharing of deeper thoughts, as well as lighter ones, and this blog will serve as a resource for both.
I am not, as one might expect, writing this blog in order to share bits and pieces of my humanity with an audience of readers. I have nothing to prove; I know I am a human, and I assume most everyone else does, as well. If anyone doubts my humanity, either they are crazy or they know something that I don’t. If the latter is true, please do not alert me—ignorance is bliss, at least in this case. Further, I am not writing this blog as a replacement for a journal; I already keep a journal (albeit rather sporadically), right next to my bedside, and said journal is for personal thoughts and ideas that are not to be shared in this essentially public forum. Thus, you are not reading my innermost thoughts and feelings, you are reading the thoughts and feelings that I felt would best contribute to an effective blog entry (if, in fact, you are reading this at all).
All right! With that out of the way, I can actually get to the business of this inaugural entry, which will not be extremely lengthy. Let us return to the aforementioned Charles Dickens quote. “Train up a fig tree in the way it should go, and when you are old sit under the shade of it.” This is, of course, a takeoff on the popular Bible verse “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). That said, it is easy to see the meaning behind both sayings. They speak of the rewards of patient diligence focused toward a specific goal. Great deeds are often accomplished by Herculean effort over a short period of time; Wikipedia tells me the Empire State Building was built in just over a year, from excavation to ribbon-cutting. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_building However, there is something to be said for a comparatively minimal effort over a great period of time. I’ve seen the benefit a small amount of daily practice does for my saxophonic abilities. And a daily donation of just $1 will help to support that wonderful programming you’ve come to expect from PBS (and at the end of the year, you’ll realize they’ve conned you into making a $365 donation—luckily, I’m not speaking from experience).
Why am I saying this? Well, Dickens’ wonderful adaptation of Proverbs came to my mind this morning as I brushed my teeth. You see, through the sheer Providence of God, complemented—or perhaps implemented!—by clever scheduling, I managed to procure for the Winter term a Friday completely free of classes. It occurred to me that I could assign myself the duty of self-improvement on this weekly free day. I could commit to a specific exercise regimen for that specific day, different from the other days’ exercise. I could choose a specific jazz chord progression to practice improvising over. I could implement any number of edifying activities that would produce a more quality product (and by that I mean person) by the spring. All day I thought on these things.
It is now 9:39, and I have neither practiced nor exercised. I have, in fact, spent the day playing video games, watching movies, and eating. Perhaps the next entry should center around human nature and how to control it.
All in all, though, it’s been a great day, and it’s not over yet. I can still practice and exercise. Maybe the next entry should instead focus on the process of how to have one’s cake, and eat it too.
With confidence,
Joezilla
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)