The Greatest...

It may be that when we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work, and when we no longer know which way to go, we have begun our real journey.
--Wendell Berry Farmer

Well, the thesis isn't finished yet.

At least the defense is over... (most terrifying 90 minutes of my life!) But now i'm discouraged by the "restructuring" and rewriting of my 78-page baby that my advisor insisted upon. I just really don't want to work on it. At all. But I guess if I want anywhere close to an "A" on this... i'd better get cracking.

So that's why I'm, ironically, writing in my blog at 4:30 a.m. Yay me.

It's just that i'm having waaay more fun living life than "doing school." I'm sure it's a common problem among students. I think it means i'm ready to graduate.

Slightly unrelated, i've realized that my blog has little to no focus. So i'm going to try something. I am always looking for great inspirational quotes from famous (or not so famous) people, so from now on i'm going to start each post with a quote and work from there.

So before you read any further, please read the quote at the top again.



Isn't that fantastic? So it's in this point of my life when i have no idea what i'm doing next - i can't rely on syllabi or class schedule to tell me how to fill my time - that i have come to my real life! College, although full of great experiences, is just a dip into the ocean of life. It's a small section of very controlled, yet wild, experience that puts the polish on a work in progress.

The point is, if I was to stay here in this moment forever i would miss out on everything. Even what i've experienced here won't stay - friends move home, relationships move on, and buildings are torn down. I've already gotten to see a few of those moments already (not the least of which, when AU tore down Miller Hall this past winter).

But, even in the sight of such depressing goodbyes, my reckless optimism is bubbling to the surface: this will be the GREATEST. No matter what that means.

I think that this video from The Foundation for a Better Life expresses that nicely... And I hope that you reader - whoever you are - feel more confident about your life right now. Because no matter what is happening right now, just remember that it's only a moment.

I AM THE GREATEST _(fill in the blank)_. No matter what that looks like or what the future brings. I will figure out what my calling is, no matter how long that takes. The real journey has begun...

The Little Tramp In "That Dastardly Thesis"

"Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot."
--Charlie Chaplin

Today I am Charlie Chaplin's "Little Tramp."

Here I am, in black and white, looking dashingly comedic in my tiny coat, baggy pants, bowler hat, white makeup, and tiny mustache. I plop down at my desk and start pounding away on a manual typewriter. (Of course it makes no sound - these were the days before we had the ability to record and playback sound with moving pictures - but you can imagine the tit-tit-tap-tap of the keys.)

I type ferociously, as though I'm in a horserace, urging my steed to gallop forward. For a moment, my hands pull back and gracefully tap at the letters, while I look toward the sky with a silly grin on my face. Then it's back to the horserace, keys tapping furiously. I tilt forward, trying to lend more momentum to my work.

As I type, the whole desk begins to tip and the camera pans out... The desk is sitting precariously on a pole extending over what is sure to be a deathly chasm. The pole is bending, soon it will break and I will fall! Everything will fall, my papers will scatter, the manuscript will never be turned in on time and all will be lost!

I look at the camera inquisitively, continuing to type because I can't lose any time. I look down to the side and realize what the audience has already seen - the precipice! The chasm! I look back to my typewriter, trying to get the last words in. Back to the chasm. To the typewriter. The pole continues to bend...

-- CRACK! --

The titlecard informs the audience that sound has occurred. Sight returns and I am falling, falling with my typewriter... still typing...

Back to reality. I think this means I've gone crazy.
Only 20 more pages to go until I finish the first complete draft of my thesis!
Duedate: April 13!

::sigh:: I guess this means no "Greek" reruns tonight. Or going out with the friends. Or snack breaks. Well, maybe a snack break... or two.

A More Appropriate Hero

I'm not going to lie: I have been quite upset by the recipients chosen for the past few Nobel Peace Prizes. Al Gore? President Obama? Really.

Honestly, I was beginning to think that the whole Nobel Peace Prize thing was another award gone terribly mediocre (in the vein of most American film and TV awards). But thank you, esteemed academy, for proving my suspicions wrong. FINALLY they have awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize to someone who has actually done (and is doing) something extraordinary for world peace.

Congratulations to Mr. Liu Xiaobo - a man who is currently imprisoned (2009-2020) for his work fighting for human rights in China. You, sir, are a true hero and I am encouraged to hear that the world still applauds the courageous, the unvanquished, the vigilant. May the citizens of the world be inspired by your bravery and be reminded to never fear the sometimes cruel consequences of free speech.

A concise explanation of the award's basis from the Nobel press release:

For over two decades, Liu Xiaobo has been a strong spokesman for the application of fundamental human rights also in China. He took part in the Tiananmen protests in 1989; he was a leading author behind Charter 08, the manifesto of such rights in China which was published on the 60th anniversary of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 10th of December 2008. The following year, Liu was sentenced to eleven years in prison and two years' deprivation of political rights for “inciting subversion of state power". Liu has consistently maintained that the sentence violates both China's own constitution and fundamental human rights.

The campaign to establish universal human rights also in China is being waged by many Chinese, both in China itself and abroad. Through the severe punishment meted out to him, Liu has become the foremost symbol of this wide-ranging struggle for human rights in China.

Oslo, October 8, 2010

Official press release in full as released by the Norwegian Nobel Committee.
Reported here in The Alaska Standard.com.

Miami, meet LeBron. Part 2

B is greater than A.
C is greater than B.
Thus C is greater than A.

I'm enjoying this logic. Because this equation means that in some way by beating the Celtics tonight, the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Miami Heat. What's that LeBron? Looks like the Cavs really can win without you.

The Cavs are a team. And what's more, they're a team backed by the indignant pride of Clevelanders. Thank you Cavs for bringing Cleveland's faith from a philosophical ideal to a material fact.

Thank you Cavs for justifying and validating every Cleveland fan's list of reasons why they won't follow LeBron to Miami. We will win and we will win with dignity, spirit and true sportsmanship.

Look out NBA fans - it's gonna' be a great season.

"Cavs Shock Celtics in 1st Game Without LeBron" - Sports Illustrated

Miami, meet LeBron. He likes to "win."

What's the matter, Miami... LeBron's shoelaces trip you up?

I'm sure Cleveland beat poets are having a field day... with the ego-based shoelace flat-on-your-face metaphors, helping us explore the real meaning of WITNESS, talent and teamwork.

Good luck with that 1 on 5 action boys... sounds like a party. And by party I mean an unfair fight in a dark alley. Sure, your guy throw a mean 3-pointer and shove a mammoth strong arm in the competition's face... but since when was this game about ONE?

If the good people of Miami were hoping to see a team of "superstars" take the floor, soaring over the competition, I think they were seriously misled. And that is the true reason that Cleveland fans or former LeBron fans scoffed at Miami back in July. Did you really think that LeBron was going to play nice?

That guy is out for one thing: fame. He believes that he is already a champion and that the only thing standing between him and the title of "World's Greatest" is the critics who are keeping him down.

NEWSFLASH: it's not about you LeBron.

And until he realizes this and let's go of the ball for a while, I think that Miami will see a lot of games like last night's against the Celtics: close, but not close enough.

What's the matter Miami? Are you feeling buyer's remorse yet?

What if LeBron hadn't gone to the Heat. What if he joined some other team where he could be not just a superstar, but the superstar. I think that LeBron may find himself suddenly double-teamed by pairs of giants. When the other franchises learn how to use their big players together, Miami will be at a disadvantage. Until LeBron learns to play with his teammates and not just for his team (aka for himself), Miami will not see the super forces it was expecting.

Have we forgotten that Jordan earned his fame by bringing game on the court? People loved Jordan because of his skills - what he showed them he could do, not just the potential. LeBron may have already used up his potential. I mean seriously, does he have any new tricks? ESPN quoted a Celtics fan reacting to excited cheers for LeBron's dunk in the second quarter, "He's supposed to do that. That is not impressive." Worse than that, very rarely has his skill come through with enough "kinetic energy" to carry recent games.

People loved Jordan because he showed the world what could be done when an incredible athlete displayed jaw-dropping moves. Sure LeBron can impress, but what's new? And when he's not single-handedly winning games... and he's whining about not winning games... it's probably time to stop trying to win the game on your own. You don't have it. Just stop.

Miami's biggest mistake in assembling their "dream team" was thinking that LeBron would be a team player. I guess it's possible... if he drops the "King James" crap.

He explained last night's defeat for Miami, “When you have so many options, it’s something I’m not accustomed to, having that many threats out on the court at the same time.” Welcome to basketball, LeBron. Meet your teammates.

YouTube Tuesday... Walk Barefoot.

So my post for today does have to do with YouTube (::SUCCESS::)... but it's not my usual playlist of vids.

Here's what happened: I was watching a video from livelavalive that was on my subscriptions list called "One Day Without Shoes." Now having observed how random that kid can be in his videos, I assumed that someone dared him to walk around without shoes on one day. Or he just decided to try it as an "experiment" so he could muse about people's reactions in a video.
False.

In order to understand what I will be explaining next, you have to know about TOMS. I hope you already have heard at least something about TOMS shoes, because this company is amazing. They sell canvas shoes - really hip, happenin' canvas shoes - and for every pair that is bought they donate a pair to a kid who really needs them.

One Day Without Shoes is an additional campaign to spread awareness about worldwide poverty (specifically that causes kids to grow up w/o something so basic as shoes).

On April 8th. People will be barefoot. Everywhere.
The idea is that if a person sees someone walking around barefoot... in April... they're going to ask about it. Then the barefoot-e can talk about the cause and BAM. Another learned soul. (0r sole)
One Day Without Shoes - TOMS
I think that this is SUPER cool.

Also, it made me think: aren't Christians supposed to walk "barefoot"? Aren't people supposed to notice something different about them and ask?

Hmm.

¹⁸ Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ¹⁹ Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (Duet. 11:18-19 NIV)

⁸ He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8 NIV)

So you can definitely, literally walk barefoot - although that's probably not the best long-term choice (one day might be cool). Or, like the "barefoot" walking going on in these verses, we can walk day by day following the way of Jesus. Being humble, merciful, just, faithful... All of those things that people in this world so desperately need in their lives!

If TOMS can recruit millions of people to raise awareness for the way that they help meet the physical needs of beautiful children...

can't we raise awareness for the way that Jesus ends the spiritual poverty in hearts worldwide?

Go Fish

The other night I was lying in bed thinking about love.

Okay, so maybe that statement is a little bit too dramatic. Really, I was just doing what I always do before drifting off to sleep: listening to my iPod, thinking about the day, mulling things over in general. One thing that was on my mind was the interesting aspects of getting to know someone - specifically someone that in the future you might consider dating.

There are those funny little random conversations at the beginning of the relationship, usually centered on a common interest or random comment like "Nice fanny pack" or "Yuck! Tofu dogs??" Often there is a lot of laughter or maybe some playful joking... (For some reason seeing how that person responds to and generates humor plays a big part in understanding - at least in my own relationships.)

Then comes the rapid-fire word association round:
Person A: Favorite food...
Person B: Pickles.
Person A: Coffee...
Person B: Dunkin Donuts.
Person A: Richard Nixon...
Person B: Hippies.

Some people may see this phase as the collection of "useless" knowledge about that person's preferences, but sometimes you really do "get to know" each other - if only on a surface level. But isn't it interesting how we approach the enigma that is another person by breaking them into little bite-sized pieces?

This is where my late-night revelation comes in. Isn't this phase a lot like playing the card game "Go Fish"? You have a certain combination of preferences and personality traits, much like a cards hand (the other person has their own hand). I just picture in my head this process of "getting to know each other" as asking "do you have a red five?" You find a match and set it aside, then ask another question. But sometimes, after several failed attempts to find a match among the cards, you decide that it is time to say "go fish" and you release the relationship to find your matches with someone else.

Unlike "Go Fish," the goal is not always to match all of your "cards" with the other person's - after all, they say that opposites attract - so I guess that's where the analogy begins to break down. Okay, I'll face it - the analogy isn't exactly perfect...

But isn't love a just little bit like "Go Fish"?