Ok, I had to take a brief hiatus from the computer after lightening zapped our modem a few nights ago. There's nothing like the forced removal of the internet to show you how addicted you really are. Anyway...
I'll continue with my rants and raves about my future, soon, but I thought I'd lighten the mood a little with this cool little survey thingy that I'm totally stealing from my friend Joi's blog. (If you ever start a blog, just know that the best way to improve your blogging skills is to read a bunch of other blogs and steal things that you like.) Anyway, if you are reading this and you have any training in psychology whatsoever, read no further. I don't want you figuring me out based on these sentence completions. (I actually did an excersize exactly like this once during a psychological evaluation I underwent to work at Boys Hope.)
Here goes:
My ex is: non-existant.
Maybe I should: move to Africa.
I love: Camp AmeriKids!
I don't understand: Calculus anymore.
People say I'm: a good dancer.
Love is: patient.
Somewhere, someone is: weaving a basket.
I will always: love you!
Forever seems: like it is almost here.
I never want to: eat sardines.
I think the current President is: under-appreciated.
When I woke up in the morning: I hit the snooze bar...for thirty minutes.
I get annoyed when: people refuse to see their own potential.
Parties are: nerve-wracking.
My dog is: with my ex.
Kisses are the worst when: you don't want them.
Today I: was very productive, despite hitting the snooze bar for thirty minutes.
Tommorow I'm going to: hit the snooze bar for thirty minutes, then teach an eighth-grade English class.
I really want: fulfillment.
I have low tolerance for people who: preach tolerance.
If I had a million dollars: I would buy you a house.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Blogger Envy and the Case For Africa
Ok. I've been reading some other blogger blogs, and I have to say there are people out there who blog better than me. I don't really know how I feel about that. My good friend Joi keeps a blog and she uses lots of links and pop culture references and talks about interesting things. Then there is this girl called thesciencegirl, who I don't really know but she's posted some comments on one of my other blogs, and hers is really good, too. Then I read mine back. I don't think its bad, but I don't reference much pop culture and the few links I have always lead to kind of boring things. I think I might have blogger envy. Does anyone know any good books about how to write better blogs? Get back to me with that.
As far as my last post: My best friend Alex read it (I think he gets some kind of email alert when I update the site) and he posted that comment about "Don't y'all think Christopher should go to Africa or something?" Or whatever he said. (I love the way I use quotation marks around phrases that aren't actually quotations. That's fun.) Anyway, no one responded to his comment, so I kind of feel like, "Ha, Alex, I win!" Except that I went ahead and applied for one of those positions. It was kind of a big step for me. It kind of isn't a big deal because I feel like to even be considered for the job is a long shot, but sometimes long shots end up happening for me, so that makes it a big deal. And why shouldn't I go, anyway. I'm single, young (27 is quite young, thank you), willing and able. Why be single if you're not gonna take advantage of the freedom you have, right? It's like the line from "Wicked" that says "And if I'm flying solo, at least I'm flying free!" I like that. I also like the line that says, "Some things I cannot change, but 'til I try I'll never know." (Both of those really are quotes. That's even more fun.) And that kind of applies to what it is I'm talking about here. Does that make sense to you?
Anyway, so I thought I'd expound upon my last blog entry and talk about each of those locations I'm considering. Heck, if nothing else, it might give me some clarity on what it is I'm doing with this life. Let's see. We might as well go in order of preference. Which means: Sub-Saharan Africa. Why do I want to go to Africa? The rational/analytical side draws a blank. Really, I don't know anything about Africa. I mean I've read books. Some fiction, some non-fiction, some picture books. But I don't really KNOW Africa. Why do I even think I could survive a day in Africa? What could I have possibly learned growing up in a small town in the United States of America that could prepare me for life in Africa? Nothing, I think.
But somehow on a more visceral, dare I say emotional, level I feel like I'm supposed to be in Africa. I see signs. Not logical signs. The kind of signs that are more easily passed off as coincidences. John Nash kind of signs. The kind of signs that you shouldn't really talk about and you should NEVER blog about because people might think you're crazy. But try as I may to dismiss them, they oddly point to the same place. Africa. Why do I have close friends and closer relatives who have or are going to spend time working in Africa? Why do I have a very tender place in my heart for children who have been affected by HIV/AIDS? Why did Alex have to turn me on to Invisible Children? To me they are signs.
If it were someone else I would be skeptical. I would say, "What are you talking about? Those aren't signs. Most people probably know people who've been to Africa, there are kids on every continent affected by HIV/AIDS, and as far as the Invisible Children, it's a very powerful grass-roots movement that is daily gaining momentum, you were bound to hear about it sooner or later. It doesn't mean you go running off to Africa." My analytical mind sometimes causes me to be brutally honest. And by sometimes, I mean virtually always. But its not someone else. It's me. And being me, I can't dismiss the visceral, emotional, spiritual, mystical part of my being, which tells me that maybe not today, and maybe not tomorrow, but someday I am supposed to be in Africa.
So Africa is my first choice. It's where I would go if there were no obstacles. And that was a lot longer than I meant for it to be and I am really tired, now, so I'm going to bed. You'll have to check back later to hear about the next place on my short list of where I want to be: back to NYC.
As far as my last post: My best friend Alex read it (I think he gets some kind of email alert when I update the site) and he posted that comment about "Don't y'all think Christopher should go to Africa or something?" Or whatever he said. (I love the way I use quotation marks around phrases that aren't actually quotations. That's fun.) Anyway, no one responded to his comment, so I kind of feel like, "Ha, Alex, I win!" Except that I went ahead and applied for one of those positions. It was kind of a big step for me. It kind of isn't a big deal because I feel like to even be considered for the job is a long shot, but sometimes long shots end up happening for me, so that makes it a big deal. And why shouldn't I go, anyway. I'm single, young (27 is quite young, thank you), willing and able. Why be single if you're not gonna take advantage of the freedom you have, right? It's like the line from "Wicked" that says "And if I'm flying solo, at least I'm flying free!" I like that. I also like the line that says, "Some things I cannot change, but 'til I try I'll never know." (Both of those really are quotes. That's even more fun.) And that kind of applies to what it is I'm talking about here. Does that make sense to you?
Anyway, so I thought I'd expound upon my last blog entry and talk about each of those locations I'm considering. Heck, if nothing else, it might give me some clarity on what it is I'm doing with this life. Let's see. We might as well go in order of preference. Which means: Sub-Saharan Africa. Why do I want to go to Africa? The rational/analytical side draws a blank. Really, I don't know anything about Africa. I mean I've read books. Some fiction, some non-fiction, some picture books. But I don't really KNOW Africa. Why do I even think I could survive a day in Africa? What could I have possibly learned growing up in a small town in the United States of America that could prepare me for life in Africa? Nothing, I think.
But somehow on a more visceral, dare I say emotional, level I feel like I'm supposed to be in Africa. I see signs. Not logical signs. The kind of signs that are more easily passed off as coincidences. John Nash kind of signs. The kind of signs that you shouldn't really talk about and you should NEVER blog about because people might think you're crazy. But try as I may to dismiss them, they oddly point to the same place. Africa. Why do I have close friends and closer relatives who have or are going to spend time working in Africa? Why do I have a very tender place in my heart for children who have been affected by HIV/AIDS? Why did Alex have to turn me on to Invisible Children? To me they are signs.
If it were someone else I would be skeptical. I would say, "What are you talking about? Those aren't signs. Most people probably know people who've been to Africa, there are kids on every continent affected by HIV/AIDS, and as far as the Invisible Children, it's a very powerful grass-roots movement that is daily gaining momentum, you were bound to hear about it sooner or later. It doesn't mean you go running off to Africa." My analytical mind sometimes causes me to be brutally honest. And by sometimes, I mean virtually always. But its not someone else. It's me. And being me, I can't dismiss the visceral, emotional, spiritual, mystical part of my being, which tells me that maybe not today, and maybe not tomorrow, but someday I am supposed to be in Africa.
So Africa is my first choice. It's where I would go if there were no obstacles. And that was a lot longer than I meant for it to be and I am really tired, now, so I'm going to bed. You'll have to check back later to hear about the next place on my short list of where I want to be: back to NYC.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Green Day
Ah, man! I can't believe it's the middle of March already. Just two days until St. Pat's Day! Sorry I haven't posted lately. I opened up a new account over at myspace and I've been messing around with that. I mostly opened it just so I could look at pictures and profiles of people I went to school with, but I will say this: myspace can be a bit addicting. And a LOT of people have accounts, so chances are you can find a lot of people you know or used to know on there. It's kind of fun, and sometimes... interesting.
Anyway, as far as my life goes, I'm still subbing at Palestine ISD. I just finished a long term thing at the Middle School and now I'm starting back short term subbing. I haven't actually worked this week though, and next week is Spring Break, so I guess I'm on a two-week vacation. Of course, I can't afford to do anything, because it's an unpaid vacation, but hey laying on the couch for two weeks counts as vacation, too, as far as I'm concerned.
I sang the National Anthem again last night. It was the last Soccer home game of the season, thus ending (for the time being) my short-lived and short-distance stadium tour. So I ended up singing at three soccer games, two of which simultaneously had baseball games being played on the next field, which of course I'm counting separately. So that is five stadium appearances in four weeks. Wow! I'd say my career is skyrocketing.
As for the rest of my life, I'm trying to figure out what happens with my future. I do know that I will be moving this summer. I just can't stay in Palestine more than one year at a time. Too slow. But where will I move? Here are my choices, in order of likelyhood: Austin, Dallas, California, Houston, back to NYC, Sub-Saharan Africa. Here are those same choices again in order of preference: Sub-Saharan Africa, back to NYC, California, Austin, Dallas, Houston. I could rank them alphabetically or according to population, but I won't. In fact, that would be a good activity for you to do if you have some spare time.
Speaking of time, it is almost 11am and I haven't had a shower, yet, so I'll let you get back to your own life. Be looking for more pictures in the albums soon, (I'll have some time in the next week and a half to do some scanning and uploading) and perhaps I'll expound on my potential futures at a later date.
Be good.
Anyway, as far as my life goes, I'm still subbing at Palestine ISD. I just finished a long term thing at the Middle School and now I'm starting back short term subbing. I haven't actually worked this week though, and next week is Spring Break, so I guess I'm on a two-week vacation. Of course, I can't afford to do anything, because it's an unpaid vacation, but hey laying on the couch for two weeks counts as vacation, too, as far as I'm concerned.
I sang the National Anthem again last night. It was the last Soccer home game of the season, thus ending (for the time being) my short-lived and short-distance stadium tour. So I ended up singing at three soccer games, two of which simultaneously had baseball games being played on the next field, which of course I'm counting separately. So that is five stadium appearances in four weeks. Wow! I'd say my career is skyrocketing.
As for the rest of my life, I'm trying to figure out what happens with my future. I do know that I will be moving this summer. I just can't stay in Palestine more than one year at a time. Too slow. But where will I move? Here are my choices, in order of likelyhood: Austin, Dallas, California, Houston, back to NYC, Sub-Saharan Africa. Here are those same choices again in order of preference: Sub-Saharan Africa, back to NYC, California, Austin, Dallas, Houston. I could rank them alphabetically or according to population, but I won't. In fact, that would be a good activity for you to do if you have some spare time.
Speaking of time, it is almost 11am and I haven't had a shower, yet, so I'll let you get back to your own life. Be looking for more pictures in the albums soon, (I'll have some time in the next week and a half to do some scanning and uploading) and perhaps I'll expound on my potential futures at a later date.
Be good.
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