Embodiment?

Can we all agree that bacon is amazing? Before i go on with my post, i just want to clear that up because it will come back later...

i dont really embody myself well. Recently, i finished this book called Real Sex by Lauren Winner on a very unpopular subject popularly known as chastity. Tossing chastity aside for this post, (scandalous ;) i'd like to talk about a specific point in her book. Theo-speak follows: Winner talks about how the body is a created thing just like the spirit is a created thing and how they are both to be redeemed in the future.

The way i took that is that the body is important too. Therefore the idea that we are to spiritually evolve out of our bodies is unbalanced. Now if i walked up to somebody on the street and asked them, "are you trying to evolve to the point where you dont need a body anymore?" they would probably look at me very strangely. But growing up in the Christian worldview, this is how i have acted. i have acted in a way that makes me think that God thinks my body is ugly or not useful. And it might not be too far for me to think other people act this way too.

All that to say: i dont embody myself well. Especially lately. Last week i think i ate out for half of my meals that week. i havent run or exercised in forever. And the other morning i woke up and decided that i would like to finish all that bacon i had left over from my individual tribute to the month of April (National Grilled Cheese Month), and then i followed that meal the next week with my friends as we celebrated by eating about 3-4 grilled cheese sandwiches each and washed it down with 2 cans of Dr. Pepper. i've kept really strange hours, sleeping in, waking up early, i stayed up until 3 AM last night for the first time in who knows how long.

And my body is pissed! Let me tell you. i think i'm reaping emotional consequences as a result of screwing with my health! Two days ago i was alternatingly irritable and depressed.

Another thing. This could be a whole post on its own, but i have no idea how to use my body outside of sports, and its a very small list of sports. i can play frisbee, run, and... well, maybe that's it. Do video games count?

i cant dance. One friend of mine, after watching me butcher a line dance said, "James, you move like a stick" in the sweetest tone of voice ever. i wasnt mad because i knew of the truth of the statement. My dance style is characterized by an inability to dance and it makes for good entertainment and fun for everybody. i think that's great, dancing is for fun and i have fun.

So there's a theological way to say, "man i've been super lazy and super negligent." Good thing i get to spend the month of June working out and enjoying the outdoors in Maine at Acadia!

Sweet... Acadia.

Lest you think this is a "woe is me" post, well, dont think that. i'm disappointed in myself, but thinking about how horribly i ate last week is astoundingly funny and i see nothing but room for improvement (especially with my dance moves).

pass the bacon.

Mean People

i've absolutely loved listening to This American Life. The topics are fun, the speakers eloquent, and there's nothing more invigorating than digging into how people think.

Currently i'm thinking through an episode on how mean people have this allure, the kind that draw you in despite the distaste you claim to have for them.

Reminds me of my psychology class. We spent one day discussing rewards and in general rewards that were given unpredictably and sporadically seemed to be more successful in producing the desired behavior. The reason as i understood it was that the subject would work harder to figure out the rhyme and reason behind the reward, even though there may not really be one.

Reminds me of Arrested Development (just like everything these days). Michael is always seeking out his father's approval. Even though Michael is intellectually aware that his father is manipulative and prone to pitting his family against each other, he continues to give his father good ideas, which his father shoots down to keep Michael working for him. It's horrible to watch but makes for good comedy. Try to dissect that last statement!

i have a story of my own. Indefinitely in my past, i nursed an awful crush towards this girl. i was convinced she was the most beautiful person in the world, and still think she's absolutely gorgeous. One problem though, she seems to have no respect for me. In fact, i remember coming home from hanging out with her and feeling absolutely horrible about myself after taking what felt like an insurmountable offense of cutting remarks. Now i'm overly sensitive about these things, but looking back, i'm pretty convinced that i wasnt too far off in my assessment of the situation.

Funny how that works. For another indefinite amount of time i continued in the crush, feeling walked over a good chunk of the time, with just enough laughs to constitute sporadic and unpredictable rewards.

So what is it?

i once heard, i forgot who said it that:

we're running around doing things we hate to please people we dont even like.

What's the draw? What makes us seek this approval?

Grand Experiment

Actually, it's not so grand.

But ever since my junior year when i took psychology the way people think and interact has just caught my interest.

So today i think i'm going to play with some ideas. Nothing special, just do little things to see how people react.

If you wanted a glimpse into your friends thoughts, what do you think you would do to draw their thoughts out?

Maybe take a risk and see how they respond?
Maybe give them a kiss?
Maybe eat their lunch?
Maybe ask them a questions that might be just a bit past the line which your relationship dictates?

(i'm not planning on just randomly giving someone a kiss, so if you read this, dont worry about that one. All the others might be fair game though, i dont know yet)

It's a little strange i admit, but in the words of Bobcat Goldthwait:

Ya gotta make your own fun, Space Ghost, ya gotta make your own fun!

Brave little Buzzy finds his way home

A Movement in Five Parts:
I. The Fading Red Light

Buzzy was scared. He didnt know where he was, but it was really dark. So dark in fact, when his neon red light flickered, it barely illuminated his surroundings. "This doesnt feel at all like my home!" he exclaimed, "I'm supposed to be carried around lovingly and returned when delicious food is ready for my friends!"
Little did Buzzy know the adventure he would embark on!



II. The loving hands of a friend

Fortunately for Buzzy. Good friends do really exist. "Oh wow little guy! You must be so scared. Dont worry. i love you!" The voice of his savior was soothing like a golden brook weaving through green forests and over blue stones. James rescued Buzzy from the evil purse of the three witchy Americans working in Toronto. "i'll bring you home Buzzy! i love you!" James adamantly asserted.



III. Buzzy's sweet ride

Buzzy got excited. And understandably so! He was riding shotgun in the manliest vehicle ever. "Wow, the tires on this thing are bad! i love you Squiggles!" The car's name was Squiggles. And man, was that car ever manly! Just to be safe, James buckled Buzzy right in. Even though Buzzy was snug and secure. He was shouting and screaming the whole ride.



IV. Home quickly approaches

Despite his obvious excitement, Buzzy could barely muster the strength to blink his red light for joy. Fortunately he was close; close to the home he was raised in. Soon he would be back in his charger, smelling the freshly baked buns and rolls, eavesdropping in on the crunch of chopped celery and can openers releasing the pungent smell of tuna from brightly polished aluminum.



V. Buzzy is reunited with his home

"Thanks so much" said Buzzy's mom as she took him from James and wrapped him in her loving arms. Though the interaction was awkward, and she was obviously caught off guard by James documentation of Buzzy's greatest moment, her uneasiness paled in comparison to having the little buzzer that lets people know their food is ready. Our friend Buzzy. Now he can rejoin his home and life, making people really happy because they can now eat. Ah, it's really about the simple pleasures isnt it?
Wow that was weird...

the web

After checking my email and being absolutely beside myself because i sold another textbook on half.com (even though this one is halfway decent), i was surprised by this headline:

Many Americans See Little Point To Web: Survey

Wow.

These people exist?

i guess i'm such a webphile i wouldnt dream of not having an internet connection. You should have seen me balk at the suggestion last September that i share a DSL connection. Yeah. Right. Not a chance.

Really, it's all about the bandwidth baby.

Hey girls! At home i can download the new ubuntu really fast! You should come over and see it sometime!

Katrina stories

It occurred to me yesterday that most people havent joined me on the trip i took last week. It sounds obvious, and it is, but i tend to keep information locked away figuring it doesnt need to be shared because we'll just rehash old news again and again.

But it isnt the case this time. There was a whole world of experiences to share, fortunately for anyone reading i will only relay a few that i know.

My favorite story is one that a work team leader told after the first day of working in the houses, but let me describe the week's setup a little bit first.

i joined about 1000 people (mostly college students) involved in Campus Crusade for Christ down in New Orleans Louisiana to help rebuild the city. The whole lot of us were split up into work teams of 10-15 people each and split up all over the city to gut out houses and elementary schools, clean up city parks, survey neighborhoods to see if anyone is living there or needs work done, and talk to the residents there to see how they are dealing with the crisis.

After the first day of work, all the work team leaders joined together to talk and get the next set of instructions and the trip leaders asked if there were any stories. One girl stands up and says,

Well, i'm pretty sure i have a story.

As soon as her group arrived to their ungutted house, the homeowner mentioned that if they found a blue beanbag chair they shouldnt open it. If that doesnt automatically raise hairs on your neck, well, then, i'm not sure. They took it in stride and got back to work. Soon they found a handgun. Strike one. They called in the handgun and continued working and the homeowner didnt seem to pleased with them about it. Not too much later they found a bag that appeared to be drugs. i'm unclear on this part of the story, but i'm assuming they "forgot" to mention this to the owner. Strike two.

They continued working (i'm pretty sure i would've left by this point) and kicked out the walls and were now ready to work on the ceiling. And lo and behold, there was the blue beanbag chair. So instead of heeding the homeowners advice, whether wise or not, they distracted him by starting a conversation with him in the front yard while sneaking the beanbag out the back. They opened up the beanbag and found a big rifle. And you know what? Strike three. They called the police and booked it out of there.

Good idea i think.

i was in stitches from this, mostly because if no one got hurt, this is hilarious. My friend said,

Well, drug dealers need somewhere to live too.

Not sure if they were dealing, but that wasnt the best situation to be in!

i hope to continue sharing stories. If you want to have some fun, check out my pictures online linked in the post below!

NOLA pictures

Hey, here's a bunch of photos for you to check out! They're from my trip to New Orleans. Wow, there's so much to write about. i'll have to give it some time to allow everything that happened to settle in a bit!

So expect a post soon!

For now, please check out the third section of photos i took from my time there. i'll post the first two sections when i get them back from my friend Josh!

Katrina Part III - Picasa

or if you prefer Flickr

Katrina Part III - Flickr