Well, I haven't added to this thing since August, so I'm guessing no one has kept up with it but I'm going to write anyway.
I'm 26 now and like most twenty-somethings, am trying to figure out this thing we call life. A lot of us at this point are having what's been dubbed quarter-life crises, which is a lot like a mid-life crisis only it happens in your twenties typically. It makes me wonder why so many of us are having these.
Just this school year, I've had four different things I was sure I wanted to do next year. First, I wanted to teach in Spain. Next, I wanted to do a Round the World mission trip for a year. Then, I wanted to do a year-long apprenticeship in Kenya. Finally, I wanted to teach in an American school in Africa. What?! Why have I been all over the place? Why can't I just be content and stay in one spot? I have a very good life here and in fact love living in Florida. Maybe it's just been the year I've been having with school and mood swings. Other people are having these types of thoughts too though, where they check out a bunch of different options. Some go for it, some hold back.
I wonder where this lack of contentment stems from. Is it from hearing our whole lives that we should find out what we're passionate and then pursue it with all our hearts? Or is it from having access to everything we wanted and not knowing what to do with it all? My dad says my generation is all about 'finding themselves' when what they really need to do is find a job. There is probably some truth in that, but in the same breath I don't think one should settle for a job that they're miserable in. Of course, you should stay in a steady job if possible until something opens up that you're passionate about.
A friend of mine today was talking about how he loves this generation's entrepreneurial spirit and our willingness to risk things. We want to try new things and know that we might fail but we still want to try something new and different regardless. I've seen stats that say the average person will change jobs about 10 times before retirement now whereas before people stayed in one job their whole careers. Think about what this means for an employer. Do you invest in your employee's continuing education, knowing that there's a good possibility they'll leave at the drop of a hat for a better paying job once they get that next degree? How can you possibly hope to keep employees when a whole generation of workers go between jobs on a regular basis?
Another aspect of twenty-somethings is that we're still in the process of shaping/being shaped into who we're becoming. This holds especially true if you're a Christian I think. You're figuring out what you believe about the Bible, what others think about it, and how your faith is going to impact your life. Is it going to be something that just impacts your location on a Sunday morning or is it going to impact all aspects of your life? Where is God in the midst of all our confusion about what we want to do with the rest of our lives? I wonder how many people have asked this same question. We desperately want guidance, but how specific is God's will for a person's life? Is it specific down to each detail or is He more concerned about our character and how we react to life's different consequences than about what career or spouse we choose? You could probably argue either perspective using the same Bible, as is the case with many relevant issues in today's world.
Our generation also seems to have a slight obsession with wanting to change the world. If everyone wants to change the world and are all trying to get others on board for this or that cause, does it simply lead to inertia? Politics are a huge deal and really determine if anything moves forward or backward for the most part, so are grassroots efforts even worth it? Are we twenty-somethings naive to believe we can change the world? Are we too idealistic in our understanding of how things work? Personally, I've been told I'm both naive and idealistic, which is fine, and to which I respond I'm not as naive as you might think and the world needs some people who are idealistic, otherwise nothing changes and you continue to repeat the same problems with the same lack of solutions. One of the byproducts of being idealistic is that you will constantly be challenged by 'realists' but this can be a very helpful thing in some cases and shouldn't discourage us from pursuing some big dreams of helping others. Discouragement is very easy to fall into though, when everyone around you thinks something is unachievable or even inconcievable. The great leaders and thinkers throughout the ages have dared to do what they thought was right even in the midst of opposition from one or many persons.
Personally, I want to do something huge for humanity. Something that leaves a mark on history as a great benefit to mankind. This might be a grandiose delusion, but I think we should aim high. Of course, there is always the aspect of the cliches that go something like, "You might not change the world, but you can change someone's world" and "If you can't feed a hundred people, feed just one" and maybe these sayings have more merit than I give them. Regardless, I'd like to do something that impacts many people in a big way. But maybe, just by living the way I do and investing in others, I already have impacted many people in a big way. I certainly don't see that, but maybe that's to keep me from having too much pride.
So, to all you people in your twenty-somethings, hang in there. This can be a very confusing and frustrating time of life as we try and figure things out, but let's enjoy the ride, shall we? We still have our whole lives ahead of us at this point, so let's spend sometime thinking about what we're passionate about and doing things to move us in those directions. May we come to see God in the everyday as well as our dreams. May we come to see the image of God in one another and even in people we can't stand. May we come to know Him in an on-going and shaping/refining relationship.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Education in America
Surprise! Here comes a post from a teacher about education! I just have some general thoughts about education that I'd like to share. This would probably be under the ruminations portion of the blog.
First, I hear several people often bemoan the education system in America and all of our shortfalls and how we're not measuring up compared to the rest of the world anymore in math and science especially. While I understand this as a concern, I guess I just see it a little bit differently after traveling abroad. In today's world, only a little more than half of the boys and a little less than half of the girls even receive an education at all. Should we not be grateful that at least every student in our country has access to education? People in the third world see education as the primary way out of poverty and would do anything possible to send their kids to school. And yet we living in the US complain about our terrible education system. Sure, there are plenty of flaws and obviously I don't agree with everything that comes down from the federal education system, but I am so grateful that we provide education for every student and that we even have an education system to begin with. Several countries even today will not let students continue in school if they prove to be deficient in learning at a young age.
Second, with that being said, as a teacher I have a huge problem with how much emphasis we place on standardized tests. The problem is, I'm not exactly sure of a better alternative or how we achieve that. What I do know is that by 2015 we are expected to have 100% of our students passsing standardized tests, no matter their IQ or learning ability. This means that a 5th grader, for instance, might have a very low IQ and not even be able to write their name but they are somehow supposed to magically pass a reading test that tests deep comprehension skills. Clearly, this needs to be changed and/or done away with completely. If you pay attention to news about education, one thing you usually start hearing about is that we need to teach to our 21st century students (and hence, we need to become 21st century teachers.) There are youtube videos like 'shift happens' that are excellent eye-openers to how the average employee doesn't stay at the same job for life like they did before. Quite the contrary, they will change jobs quite often, that just seems to be a part of the modern-day workplace. So, as a teacher I look at that and ask myself, "How can I teach adaptability?" The second question, and maybe this is due to the fact that I've been in the system for a while, "How do I test that or know that my students have gained a firm grasp on being adaptable and/or are able to adapt their knowledge to a new situation." If students don't know how to apply knowledge to a new situation, what good is that? Along with these thoughts about standardized tests, is why are there so many things on the tests that have no pertinence later in life? For instance, how many of you know how to do a stem-and-leaf plot? How many of you even know what I'm talking about? How many of you have actually used a stem-and-leaf plot post-5th grade? And yet, it's on the standardized test for 5th grade math. Don't tell anyone, but I've personally boycotted teaching that (if you tell anyone...picture me shaking my fist like Homer Simpson here :)
Third, and perhaps finally because I'm running out of steam here, it always cracks me up when I hear people say something along the lines of, "Kids should be given the choice of if they want an education or not." And then they inevitably go on to discuss the obvious reasons as to why this would work. Okay, not even sure where to start with this one so I'll just go right into it. The very reason you can articulate an argument is due to your education. You wouldn't even have that argument if you weren't educated. I don't know too many kids who would choose to go to school, I dare say they're not mature enough to make that decision? What good, exactly, would be gained from not having an education? Education is pretty vital to every aspect of our lives whether we even know we are being educated or not. The most obvious way we get an education is by going to school, but I'm willing to bet you've been educated by other sources as well and just haven't called it 'getting an education.' For instance, hopefully you were taught by a parent how to budget your money somewhere along the way. Maybe you were taught how to repair your car or house. Maybe you were mentored and taught what to watch out for in premarital counseling. Maybe you were taught morals and values by your parents. Can you walk? Yep, you were taught that. Can you talk? Again, you were taught that. Same with reading and writing.
So, if you please, value your education and realize it was a huge gift. I have no doubt every adult has had at least one bad teacher but I'm also sure every adult has had a good teacher. Realize that your education gave you a huge advantage in this world before you even started in the 'real world.' I was dumbfounded when I taught for a couple of days at a primary school in Kenya. When the 'bell' rang (which was actually a stick being hit upon an old tire rim) my students didn't run out to recess like I expected. Instead, they asked if we could please finish the lesson. That has stuck with me ever since. I asked some people why, and they informed me education is valued in Kenya as a means to get out of poverty. Also, they usually have to pay for secondary school and so if they get a good score on a test they can hopefully get a scholarship. Otherwise they don't get to go to secondary school. But people are right, our education system here is horrible (insert sarcasm there by the way.)
First, I hear several people often bemoan the education system in America and all of our shortfalls and how we're not measuring up compared to the rest of the world anymore in math and science especially. While I understand this as a concern, I guess I just see it a little bit differently after traveling abroad. In today's world, only a little more than half of the boys and a little less than half of the girls even receive an education at all. Should we not be grateful that at least every student in our country has access to education? People in the third world see education as the primary way out of poverty and would do anything possible to send their kids to school. And yet we living in the US complain about our terrible education system. Sure, there are plenty of flaws and obviously I don't agree with everything that comes down from the federal education system, but I am so grateful that we provide education for every student and that we even have an education system to begin with. Several countries even today will not let students continue in school if they prove to be deficient in learning at a young age.
Second, with that being said, as a teacher I have a huge problem with how much emphasis we place on standardized tests. The problem is, I'm not exactly sure of a better alternative or how we achieve that. What I do know is that by 2015 we are expected to have 100% of our students passsing standardized tests, no matter their IQ or learning ability. This means that a 5th grader, for instance, might have a very low IQ and not even be able to write their name but they are somehow supposed to magically pass a reading test that tests deep comprehension skills. Clearly, this needs to be changed and/or done away with completely. If you pay attention to news about education, one thing you usually start hearing about is that we need to teach to our 21st century students (and hence, we need to become 21st century teachers.) There are youtube videos like 'shift happens' that are excellent eye-openers to how the average employee doesn't stay at the same job for life like they did before. Quite the contrary, they will change jobs quite often, that just seems to be a part of the modern-day workplace. So, as a teacher I look at that and ask myself, "How can I teach adaptability?" The second question, and maybe this is due to the fact that I've been in the system for a while, "How do I test that or know that my students have gained a firm grasp on being adaptable and/or are able to adapt their knowledge to a new situation." If students don't know how to apply knowledge to a new situation, what good is that? Along with these thoughts about standardized tests, is why are there so many things on the tests that have no pertinence later in life? For instance, how many of you know how to do a stem-and-leaf plot? How many of you even know what I'm talking about? How many of you have actually used a stem-and-leaf plot post-5th grade? And yet, it's on the standardized test for 5th grade math. Don't tell anyone, but I've personally boycotted teaching that (if you tell anyone...picture me shaking my fist like Homer Simpson here :)
Third, and perhaps finally because I'm running out of steam here, it always cracks me up when I hear people say something along the lines of, "Kids should be given the choice of if they want an education or not." And then they inevitably go on to discuss the obvious reasons as to why this would work. Okay, not even sure where to start with this one so I'll just go right into it. The very reason you can articulate an argument is due to your education. You wouldn't even have that argument if you weren't educated. I don't know too many kids who would choose to go to school, I dare say they're not mature enough to make that decision? What good, exactly, would be gained from not having an education? Education is pretty vital to every aspect of our lives whether we even know we are being educated or not. The most obvious way we get an education is by going to school, but I'm willing to bet you've been educated by other sources as well and just haven't called it 'getting an education.' For instance, hopefully you were taught by a parent how to budget your money somewhere along the way. Maybe you were taught how to repair your car or house. Maybe you were mentored and taught what to watch out for in premarital counseling. Maybe you were taught morals and values by your parents. Can you walk? Yep, you were taught that. Can you talk? Again, you were taught that. Same with reading and writing.
So, if you please, value your education and realize it was a huge gift. I have no doubt every adult has had at least one bad teacher but I'm also sure every adult has had a good teacher. Realize that your education gave you a huge advantage in this world before you even started in the 'real world.' I was dumbfounded when I taught for a couple of days at a primary school in Kenya. When the 'bell' rang (which was actually a stick being hit upon an old tire rim) my students didn't run out to recess like I expected. Instead, they asked if we could please finish the lesson. That has stuck with me ever since. I asked some people why, and they informed me education is valued in Kenya as a means to get out of poverty. Also, they usually have to pay for secondary school and so if they get a good score on a test they can hopefully get a scholarship. Otherwise they don't get to go to secondary school. But people are right, our education system here is horrible (insert sarcasm there by the way.)
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
What a Day!!!
Let's play a game friends...who had the most random day? Ready, I'll go first.
It all started yesterday when I took the Naked Bus (yes, that's seriously the name of it) from Auckland to Turangi. Those of you who know me know that I now prefer couchsurfing and therefore ended up staying at a fellow couchsurfers place here in Turangi. So, we're sitting there talking and I'm reminded of my grandparents' house...these people are in their 70's after all. (yes, people even in their 70's participate in couchsurfing) So last night, we're having a wonderful dinner and then we start talking and all of a sudden out of left field this old guy tells me he's done astro-travel, which is basically an out-of-body experience where his mind travels to somewhere else but his body stays in the same location. And I'm sitting there nodding my head thinking to myself, "This is the most whacked out stuff I think I've ever heard in my life!" They're still wonderful hosts but that part was weird I must admit.
Then today, I decide to hitch to a mountain called Whakapapa (which is pronounced the f-bomb, followed by 'apapa', not even lying here.) Because really, how many people can say they've been snowboarding in July? So I walk for about an hour until I get a hitch and have a lovely conversation with the people and a free ride to my destination, sweet! I've never hitched before, so I was a little nervous I must admit but it turned out to be awesome! Then I arrive at Whakapapa (this would probably be funnier if you knew how to pronounce it, look back up and say it correctly...do it) only to find that the upper half of the mountain is closed due to weather conditions but the bottom half is open (apparently the weather didn't travel all the way down the mountain?) Had a blast snowboarding, except the fact that I couldn't see more than 2 feet in front of me and was never really sure if I was going over a cliff or not (quite the adrenaline rush in one sense) Then, it starts raining, which doesn't exactly help you while snowboarding. And then, somehow, it starts raining in my goggles (I'm guessing this is due to the fact that I requested the cheapest pair :) So I decide to call it a day for snowboarding and hitch my way back to the couchsurfer who I'm staying with. Have another fabulous hitch with an Irish couple and get back home.
Then, I put my pants in the dryer while walking around in my long underwear! Not only that, but I'm used to dryer's that dry...but apparently this one doesn't really, because I seriously had only my pants (and not jeans but more dress pants mind you) in there for an hour and it hadn't hardly done anything! So, I get the brilliant idea to just put them on (commando, by the way, this will make sense in a minute) and sit in front of a fire to help dry them out. All is well, first dried my backside and then try and dry my frontside. Well, I hardly wear these dress pants and had forgotten that they have buttons on the front pocket on the inside. (remember here that I'm commando) After quickly realizing that something is burning in my pants on my thigh and wanting to scream my head off but just biting my tongue so I don't draw attention to myself, I shift my pants so it's no longer burning. And of course, the buttons then proceed to burn me in another area which probably isn't appropriate to write on a blog such as this one. Let's just say that I never even thought of someone getting burned there but was quick to realize that it is a most unfortunate area to get burned on, if you catch my drift.
At this point, my pants are finally dried (and I can breathe again) so I decide to finally take a shower since I had dry pants to change into. Still had a little burning sensation, mind you, on my thigh as well as the other area but didn't think too much about it. Until the hot water hit the burn spots. Holy cow...OWWWWW!!! I don't know if I've ever taken a shower with my back to the showerhead but I certainly did tonight. And I quickly think about how I should go about asking for ointment for a small burn from my couchsurfing hosts who I really don't know that well. Well, I still haven't figured that out but I think desperation is going to lead me to ask for that pretty soon.
Hope you have enjoyed this adventurous story as much as I enjoyed living it today. And to think, in a few short weeks I'll be in front of a class of 10 and 11 year-olds teaching them about math as well as responsibility and making 'smart' decisions...brilliant, isn't it?!
It all started yesterday when I took the Naked Bus (yes, that's seriously the name of it) from Auckland to Turangi. Those of you who know me know that I now prefer couchsurfing and therefore ended up staying at a fellow couchsurfers place here in Turangi. So, we're sitting there talking and I'm reminded of my grandparents' house...these people are in their 70's after all. (yes, people even in their 70's participate in couchsurfing) So last night, we're having a wonderful dinner and then we start talking and all of a sudden out of left field this old guy tells me he's done astro-travel, which is basically an out-of-body experience where his mind travels to somewhere else but his body stays in the same location. And I'm sitting there nodding my head thinking to myself, "This is the most whacked out stuff I think I've ever heard in my life!" They're still wonderful hosts but that part was weird I must admit.
Then today, I decide to hitch to a mountain called Whakapapa (which is pronounced the f-bomb, followed by 'apapa', not even lying here.) Because really, how many people can say they've been snowboarding in July? So I walk for about an hour until I get a hitch and have a lovely conversation with the people and a free ride to my destination, sweet! I've never hitched before, so I was a little nervous I must admit but it turned out to be awesome! Then I arrive at Whakapapa (this would probably be funnier if you knew how to pronounce it, look back up and say it correctly...do it) only to find that the upper half of the mountain is closed due to weather conditions but the bottom half is open (apparently the weather didn't travel all the way down the mountain?) Had a blast snowboarding, except the fact that I couldn't see more than 2 feet in front of me and was never really sure if I was going over a cliff or not (quite the adrenaline rush in one sense) Then, it starts raining, which doesn't exactly help you while snowboarding. And then, somehow, it starts raining in my goggles (I'm guessing this is due to the fact that I requested the cheapest pair :) So I decide to call it a day for snowboarding and hitch my way back to the couchsurfer who I'm staying with. Have another fabulous hitch with an Irish couple and get back home.
Then, I put my pants in the dryer while walking around in my long underwear! Not only that, but I'm used to dryer's that dry...but apparently this one doesn't really, because I seriously had only my pants (and not jeans but more dress pants mind you) in there for an hour and it hadn't hardly done anything! So, I get the brilliant idea to just put them on (commando, by the way, this will make sense in a minute) and sit in front of a fire to help dry them out. All is well, first dried my backside and then try and dry my frontside. Well, I hardly wear these dress pants and had forgotten that they have buttons on the front pocket on the inside. (remember here that I'm commando) After quickly realizing that something is burning in my pants on my thigh and wanting to scream my head off but just biting my tongue so I don't draw attention to myself, I shift my pants so it's no longer burning. And of course, the buttons then proceed to burn me in another area which probably isn't appropriate to write on a blog such as this one. Let's just say that I never even thought of someone getting burned there but was quick to realize that it is a most unfortunate area to get burned on, if you catch my drift.
At this point, my pants are finally dried (and I can breathe again) so I decide to finally take a shower since I had dry pants to change into. Still had a little burning sensation, mind you, on my thigh as well as the other area but didn't think too much about it. Until the hot water hit the burn spots. Holy cow...OWWWWW!!! I don't know if I've ever taken a shower with my back to the showerhead but I certainly did tonight. And I quickly think about how I should go about asking for ointment for a small burn from my couchsurfing hosts who I really don't know that well. Well, I still haven't figured that out but I think desperation is going to lead me to ask for that pretty soon.
Hope you have enjoyed this adventurous story as much as I enjoyed living it today. And to think, in a few short weeks I'll be in front of a class of 10 and 11 year-olds teaching them about math as well as responsibility and making 'smart' decisions...brilliant, isn't it?!
Friday, July 11, 2008
CHEAP GAS!!!!
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/10/business/10transit.html?pagewanted=1&sq=rise%20in%20public%20transportation%20&st=nyt&scp=10
Okay, so here it is, an e-mail that I just sent to someone regarding the benefits of higher gas prices, yes, you read that correctly, the benefits of higher gas prices. The above link is just a story about the rise in mass transit usage in cities and also cites the energy dept's prediction of less gasoline consumption this year than last, the first yearly decline since 1991. Don't know if that will come up as a link or not since I'm still fairly new to this whole blogging thing. Anyway, enjoy the read.
Okay, so here it is, an e-mail that I just sent to someone regarding the benefits of higher gas prices, yes, you read that correctly, the benefits of higher gas prices. The above link is just a story about the rise in mass transit usage in cities and also cites the energy dept's prediction of less gasoline consumption this year than last, the first yearly decline since 1991. Don't know if that will come up as a link or not since I'm still fairly new to this whole blogging thing. Anyway, enjoy the read.
It's interesting that you sent me this e-mail just now, because I had planned on going to my nearest gas station when I got back to the states and wearing a sign that read, "Hooray for CHEAP gas prices!!!" And then list the price of gas in different places around the world and show just how good we have it. I'm currently paying $6.61 per gallon here in NZ, how much are you paying back home? I checked for Sarasota yesterday and found gas was right at about $4 per gallon, which is insanely cheap compared to most of the rest of the world (obviously, there are places like Venezuela and Libya where it is cheaper, but who would want to live there?)
So, as unpopular as it is, I must say I think higher gas prices do have some benefits. How long has America said we needed to get off foreign oil or gas period? Has anyone done anything about it though? Of course not, we haven't really needed to. What motivation is there to get off oil if we can continue to afford to fill up our vehicles without even thinking about it? But, what have we seen in the last year or so as a direct result of higher gas prices? More people in cities are using public transportation, SUV and truck sales are way down (which I consider to be a good thing since they pollute much worse than other vehicles and a lot of the people I see driving SUV's especially don't really need them.) and for the first time in 16 years domestic use of oil is predicted to go down (this is people who use oil, i.e. people filling up their cars; it's only predicted to go down by less than 1% of the total but all the same it is to go down a little which is saying a lot compared to the last 16 years when it has just kept increasing) Not to mention, there is suddenly a huge drive towards developing new technology that is renewable and an increased movement of interest in 'green' stuff (I assume that this still lines the shelves at grocery stores and book stores, but haven't been in the states for over a month so not completely sure of that) People are thinking about carpooling as a legitimate option now, or at the very least thinking of ways they can combine their errands into 1 or 2 trips as opposed to 5 or 6 trips.
Look at what has happened in certain European cities that have ridiculously high taxes on their gas. Quite a few people over there don't even have cars because their public transportation is more than enough. Now, I realize when I'm speaking to a fellow American this sounds completely awful and very terrible. But I dare say how freeing is it to 'get' to drive everywhere? If you live in a big city, you're not allowed to talk on a cell phone, people really need to learn not to text while driving, and you really can't do much of anything except listen to the radio. Personally, I'd rather take the trip on a bus and catch up on reading or meet someone new, wouldn't you? Not to mention the car payments, which if you get those paid off, you still have car insurance for as long as you own your car. Sounds more like prison then freedom to me. In fact, in November my lease ends and I'll be able to move back into the city limits of Sarasota where I work and I really hope I can go carless at that time.
As far as your friend's husband who owns a trucking company...I have no idea how extremely difficult that must be for him and I can't imagine how stressful that must be on someone who owns a business that is inherently dependent on gas. I just wanted to offer some thoughts on the benefits of higher gas, obviously these benefits pertain more to individuals (in cities for that matter) than to companies. Something I have wondered lately though, is why don't cities form co-ops with restaurants? There are quite a few people who have converted their diesel engines to run off of used veggie oil. Restaurants usually have to pay people to come and take this away so they are more than happy to have someone come and take it away for free. There are a couple of ways to do this, people either convert the engine (which can cost about $3000) or convert the veggie oil (the downside of this is you still use a little diesel additive formula, about 1 quart of diesel per 5 gallons of veggie oil to give you an idea) So I guess my question is why doesn't a larger city form a co-op with the bus transportation system and restaurants and provide veggie oil at a much reduced cost? Obviously, I still think these people should pay taxes on the used veggie oil since they are using the roads. However, I think the current tax on gas is about 18 cents per gallon if I'm not mistaken. So why not use waste veggie oil instead of sending it to the city dump where it usually ends up? Yes, it will smell like french fries, but I'd much rather drive something that smells like french fries than continue to pay absurd amounts for gas.
As far as rural communities go, not really sure on that one. Although I think there might be something to be said for biodiesel. Obviously, I don't think we should make as much as we are now since that has had a dramatic side effect on the Amazonian rain forest, but what if farmers in rural communities just set aside enough of their crops to make biodiesel for their farm vehicles and their neighbors vehicles? Just a thought, obviously. I have no idea whatsoever how much crop land it would take to do that or if it would be cost-efficient at all.
Now, obviously these are just ideas and meant to be taken as that, just ideas. I have no degree in business and have no idea how most of this stuff would work in the 'real world.' However, I do think we need to start thinking creatively about how to get off oil and also how to help reduce our carbon footprint a little bit (this being said by a guy who travels abroad quite extensively and is definitely aware that flying is my biggest environmental sin) Very few things are done all at once but I do think that if we take small steps in the right direction that is better than nothing (i.e. making fewer trips or at least trying to take public transportation once or twice a week for starters)
Peace out (or how about peace in the middle east? which would probably be helped a little if we weren't quite so dependent on their oil?)
Justin
Now, obviously these are just ideas and meant to be taken as that, just ideas. I have no degree in business and have no idea how most of this stuff would work in the 'real world.' However, I do think we need to start thinking creatively about how to get off oil and also how to help reduce our carbon footprint a little bit (this being said by a guy who travels abroad quite extensively and is definitely aware that flying is my biggest environmental sin) Very few things are done all at once but I do think that if we take small steps in the right direction that is better than nothing (i.e. making fewer trips or at least trying to take public transportation once or twice a week for starters)
Peace out (or how about peace in the middle east? which would probably be helped a little if we weren't quite so dependent on their oil?)
Justin
Monday, July 7, 2008
1 Scot + 1 Brit + 2 Kiwis + 1 three year old = heaps of fun!
Well, I just got back to Auckland this evening after a fantastic weekend in Wellington. I stayed with a couchsurfer and had one of the best times of my life.
As the title implies, there was a Scottish girl, a British guy, and a couple of Kiwi women and a Kiwi child. These people were some of the most amazing people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.
I mainly hung out with the Scot and the Brit in the evenings and had some great conversations with them. Both of them had a head full of dreads and were definitely hippies, of which I've always had a certain respect for somehow (maybe because I might be becoming one :) Also, I have a new found addiction to fair trade black tea that I can thank them for. Last night (Sunday night) was my last night there and I found myself going back to their house a little early just so I could hang out with them some more. I reckon I enjoyed talking with them more than checking out the city.
Have you ever met those people you just clicked with instantly? That was how it was with these people. Honestly, by the end of my time there, I thought to myself, "I could just stay and live here." It was brutally cold this weekend but I so thoroughly enjoyed it in spite of that.
Most people think it's so weird when I tell them about couchsurfing. Oh, how I pity them, especially now! What does it say about our culture when the first response I get from people when I try and explain couchsurfing is the question, "What if the person is an axe-murderer?" Is fear so woven throughout our daily lives that we instantly jump to that conclusion? Yeah, but I know, I'm the crazy one, which I readily admit to usually :)
Everyone else can just keep paying ridiculous amounts to stay in a hotel room and not meet anyone new. That's their prerogative (weird spelling, but I did just look it up so I'm pretty sure that's correct even thought it doesn't look like it) As for me, I'll stick to couchsurfing whenever possible. And for that matter, I think I might start doing a lot more of it since I've had two great experiences so far.
Til next time,
Justin
As the title implies, there was a Scottish girl, a British guy, and a couple of Kiwi women and a Kiwi child. These people were some of the most amazing people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.
I mainly hung out with the Scot and the Brit in the evenings and had some great conversations with them. Both of them had a head full of dreads and were definitely hippies, of which I've always had a certain respect for somehow (maybe because I might be becoming one :) Also, I have a new found addiction to fair trade black tea that I can thank them for. Last night (Sunday night) was my last night there and I found myself going back to their house a little early just so I could hang out with them some more. I reckon I enjoyed talking with them more than checking out the city.
Have you ever met those people you just clicked with instantly? That was how it was with these people. Honestly, by the end of my time there, I thought to myself, "I could just stay and live here." It was brutally cold this weekend but I so thoroughly enjoyed it in spite of that.
Most people think it's so weird when I tell them about couchsurfing. Oh, how I pity them, especially now! What does it say about our culture when the first response I get from people when I try and explain couchsurfing is the question, "What if the person is an axe-murderer?" Is fear so woven throughout our daily lives that we instantly jump to that conclusion? Yeah, but I know, I'm the crazy one, which I readily admit to usually :)
Everyone else can just keep paying ridiculous amounts to stay in a hotel room and not meet anyone new. That's their prerogative (weird spelling, but I did just look it up so I'm pretty sure that's correct even thought it doesn't look like it) As for me, I'll stick to couchsurfing whenever possible. And for that matter, I think I might start doing a lot more of it since I've had two great experiences so far.
Til next time,
Justin
Monday, June 23, 2008
excuses, excuses, excuses
This is really more for the guys I know, but I'm sure girls can relate as well. Please feel free to add any great excuses you might have heard from someone as well. I was originally going to name this a 'Top 10" but I thought I will probably want to add to it later. Anyway, here goes nothing at my first attempt at blogging. Hope you enjoy.
"Hey, you want to grab a coffee from Starbucks or dinner or something and catch up a bit?" - me
"Nah, I haven't taken a shower yet today and I really need to" - girl
"Seriously? Did you just use the excuse 'I need to wash my hair' on me? That's awesome!" - me
"Well, no, I just feel gross" - girl
"Cool." - me
"Did you still want to go running on Saturday like we had planned?" - me
"Well, actually I don't have car insurance so I can't." - girl
"Really? Last time I checked I have car insurance and could come pick you up but apparently that doesn't matter." - thoughts in my brain
"Hey, do you want to hang out on Sunday and check out my new place, it's really a sweet place." - me
"Nah, I really like to just laze around on Sundays."
"Awesome." - thoughts in my brain
Now, all of those I have to give credit because they were all from the same girl, I have to admit those are probably my top three up until this point in my life. And now for some more...
"Hey, do you still want to catch that movie tonight?" - me
"Ah, I'd really like to, but I don't have any money right now." - girl
"That's really no problem...I was going to cover you anyway." - me
"Ah, I couldn't ask you to do that." - girl
"But a couple of weeks ago I took you out to dinner and a Broadway show, which cost about $200. A movie costs about $10. So, while I respect your apparent indepence in wanting to pay for yourself, could I maybe have $100 back from the other night due to that indepence you just found?" - thoughts in my brain
"Hey, do you want to hang out later this week?" - me
"I'd love to but I can't, I'm just super busy all the time this semester." - girl
"But you're an elemtary education major like myself. And you don't have a job while you're in college. Which means you're either really not that smart and shouldn't be in college, or you're just making a lame excuse" - thoughts in my brain (this was from my time in college, by the way)
"We should really catch up sometime. We haven't hung out in a long time." - me
"I'd love to, but I'm actually courting someone right now and I'm pretty sure that wouldn't be allowed in our contract that we made the other week." - girl
"What? Did that really just happen?" - thoughts in my brain
"Hey, you know the other night when you tried to kiss me and I gave you the cheek?" - girl
"Yeah, I was really trying to forget about that actually but thanks for bringing it up." - me
"Well, it's just that I'm coming off a pretty serious relationship and am not ready to dive back into one yet." - girl
One Week Later...
"So, I went out this last weekend and got drunk. Unfortunately, I ended up in some guy's bed and had no idea how I had gotten there." - girl
"Hmmm, that's interesting." - me
"What is that supposed to mean" - girl
"Well, a week and a half ago I tried to simply kiss you goodnight and you weren't having any of it. But this guy is a complete stranger and you end up in his bed? How does that work?" - me
"Well, I was drunk, I thought I already said that." - girl
"Oh, now it makes perfect sense." - me
And now for some excuses that I've given to people. I'll try and set these up a little for ya.
This first one is when I went to a single's group for the first time, mainly to see this girl I had a thing for at the time and a delusional thought that we'd end up together, even though she was with someone else at the time.
"Yeah, I'll go to the single's group with you. What time does it end?" - me
"No later than 9:00" - girl
"Sweet, I'll be there." - me
Later that night...
First off, they were watching a DVD series on the Song of Solomon...really? in a singles' group? come on! So anyway, after the DVD, we split into guys and girls discussion groups, for obvious reasons. These guys are talking away and I'm completely silent because this is obviously pretty awkward material to talk about with people I don't know. And I keep looking at my watch. Pretty soon, it's already 9:20 and the end is nowhere in sight. Then, my chance comes.
"So, Justin, what do you think about all this stuff?"
"Uh, this is my first night here and I'm new here so I really don't know. But I told my roommate I'd be home at 9:00 to run tonight, so I really gotta go. Sorry for leaving early."
"Oh, you can use my cell phone and call him." - some dude in the group
"Thanks, but I don't have his number on me." - me
After that little episode, I never went back :)
This second excuse also involves a singles' group, huh, irony
I went to a church with my roommate and saw on the website that there was a single's group meeting afterward so I thought we should check it out. After arriving in the room of the singles' group, my roommate and I quickly realize that everyone besides us is at least 40 years old. To top it off, they're having a Christmas celebration that night that we didn't know about since we were new.
"Is this the place of the singles' group?" - me
"Yeah, something like that, I guess." - some guy who had to be at least 50 years old
After sitting for a while and trying to be nice...
"Hey man, do you want to help me go get those chips from my car that I brought for tonight?" - me
"Yes." - roommate
And again, I never went back.
I'm sure I've given my fair share of excuses to girls as well, I just can't think of any right now...probably because it didn't matter too much to me, much like the girls who I mentioned made the above excuses probably don't remember those excuses either.
"Hey, you want to grab a coffee from Starbucks or dinner or something and catch up a bit?" - me
"Nah, I haven't taken a shower yet today and I really need to" - girl
"Seriously? Did you just use the excuse 'I need to wash my hair' on me? That's awesome!" - me
"Well, no, I just feel gross" - girl
"Cool." - me
"Did you still want to go running on Saturday like we had planned?" - me
"Well, actually I don't have car insurance so I can't." - girl
"Really? Last time I checked I have car insurance and could come pick you up but apparently that doesn't matter." - thoughts in my brain
"Hey, do you want to hang out on Sunday and check out my new place, it's really a sweet place." - me
"Nah, I really like to just laze around on Sundays."
"Awesome." - thoughts in my brain
Now, all of those I have to give credit because they were all from the same girl, I have to admit those are probably my top three up until this point in my life. And now for some more...
"Hey, do you still want to catch that movie tonight?" - me
"Ah, I'd really like to, but I don't have any money right now." - girl
"That's really no problem...I was going to cover you anyway." - me
"Ah, I couldn't ask you to do that." - girl
"But a couple of weeks ago I took you out to dinner and a Broadway show, which cost about $200. A movie costs about $10. So, while I respect your apparent indepence in wanting to pay for yourself, could I maybe have $100 back from the other night due to that indepence you just found?" - thoughts in my brain
"Hey, do you want to hang out later this week?" - me
"I'd love to but I can't, I'm just super busy all the time this semester." - girl
"But you're an elemtary education major like myself. And you don't have a job while you're in college. Which means you're either really not that smart and shouldn't be in college, or you're just making a lame excuse" - thoughts in my brain (this was from my time in college, by the way)
"We should really catch up sometime. We haven't hung out in a long time." - me
"I'd love to, but I'm actually courting someone right now and I'm pretty sure that wouldn't be allowed in our contract that we made the other week." - girl
"What? Did that really just happen?" - thoughts in my brain
"Hey, you know the other night when you tried to kiss me and I gave you the cheek?" - girl
"Yeah, I was really trying to forget about that actually but thanks for bringing it up." - me
"Well, it's just that I'm coming off a pretty serious relationship and am not ready to dive back into one yet." - girl
One Week Later...
"So, I went out this last weekend and got drunk. Unfortunately, I ended up in some guy's bed and had no idea how I had gotten there." - girl
"Hmmm, that's interesting." - me
"What is that supposed to mean" - girl
"Well, a week and a half ago I tried to simply kiss you goodnight and you weren't having any of it. But this guy is a complete stranger and you end up in his bed? How does that work?" - me
"Well, I was drunk, I thought I already said that." - girl
"Oh, now it makes perfect sense." - me
And now for some excuses that I've given to people. I'll try and set these up a little for ya.
This first one is when I went to a single's group for the first time, mainly to see this girl I had a thing for at the time and a delusional thought that we'd end up together, even though she was with someone else at the time.
"Yeah, I'll go to the single's group with you. What time does it end?" - me
"No later than 9:00" - girl
"Sweet, I'll be there." - me
Later that night...
First off, they were watching a DVD series on the Song of Solomon...really? in a singles' group? come on! So anyway, after the DVD, we split into guys and girls discussion groups, for obvious reasons. These guys are talking away and I'm completely silent because this is obviously pretty awkward material to talk about with people I don't know. And I keep looking at my watch. Pretty soon, it's already 9:20 and the end is nowhere in sight. Then, my chance comes.
"So, Justin, what do you think about all this stuff?"
"Uh, this is my first night here and I'm new here so I really don't know. But I told my roommate I'd be home at 9:00 to run tonight, so I really gotta go. Sorry for leaving early."
"Oh, you can use my cell phone and call him." - some dude in the group
"Thanks, but I don't have his number on me." - me
After that little episode, I never went back :)
This second excuse also involves a singles' group, huh, irony
I went to a church with my roommate and saw on the website that there was a single's group meeting afterward so I thought we should check it out. After arriving in the room of the singles' group, my roommate and I quickly realize that everyone besides us is at least 40 years old. To top it off, they're having a Christmas celebration that night that we didn't know about since we were new.
"Is this the place of the singles' group?" - me
"Yeah, something like that, I guess." - some guy who had to be at least 50 years old
After sitting for a while and trying to be nice...
"Hey man, do you want to help me go get those chips from my car that I brought for tonight?" - me
"Yes." - roommate
And again, I never went back.
I'm sure I've given my fair share of excuses to girls as well, I just can't think of any right now...probably because it didn't matter too much to me, much like the girls who I mentioned made the above excuses probably don't remember those excuses either.
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