For the record, evangelical Atheists are just as annoying as evangelical Christians (and probably any other fanatics of a religious or philosophical belief system)
Me being Christian does not automatically make me stupid or gullible, any more than you being Atheist/Agnostic/Egocentric/Pushy automatically makes you enlightened or educated, and would be great if you could stop making stupid assumptions. I believe in a lot of things that you might not. But the main thing that I believe is that everyone is entitled to live their own life. We call it "Free Will". I don't have to agree with you, I don't have to like you, and I certainly don't have to listen to you, but I DO have to respect your right to your own opinions and your right to make your own choices. I would appreciate the same concern.
I don't talk religion very often. I am always willing to talk about what I believe in, and I certainly don't hide it, but I also don't go out of my way to find ways to work it into the conversation or wave it around like some great universal cure all. I know that what makes sense in my brain will not/cannot have the same impact on someone who has led a life other than mine, with different experiences, priorities and needs. For some reason western culture has become very confrontational about, well everything. The need to "be right" has become a big part of any discourse, and it is ruining our ability to think critically about other peoples points of view. People grow and change and learn and it is a shame that some people have started to look down on people who change their minds. Unless of course it is to change their minds to whatever it is those people think is 'right'. I find that very very sad. It discourages thought and personal growth.
I have my reasons for believing as I do, and I assume everyone else does as well. It does not mean I put any less thought into me life then they do. Granted, some people don't. But those are specific cases, and not nearly as common as anti-whatever-their-particular-hate-is would like the world to think.
I also have great respect for people who believe in nothing specific because they don't feel the need to. I would much rather someone admitted to that than cling to something ultimately meaningless (to them) for the sake of fitting in, or not having to think for themselves. There is nothing wrong with saying "I don't know"
My church has as one of our main "Articles of Faith" this line "We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may". Combine that with the a following bit about "Doing good to all men" and I really can't say it better then that.
This has gotten very long, but the key point is this:
Worship or not as you will, and leave me to do the same.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Friday, June 22, 2012
Change and Starting Again
Hey there internet. How've you been? I was thinking I should start a new blog, but I found reading over my old posts kind of fun, so I think I will stay here and maybe rebrand a little as I feel inspired too.
General life update for those who care about what's new since.....oh 2008: Done school. Working at a public library in the area and loving it. Trying to buy a house, but not having any luck selling our apartment. Planning on turning the computer room into the nursery by the end of the summer. Oooh! And I just got a new lemon juicer after Gord juiced the ever-living crap out of a lemon and broke the old one!
It amazes me how much can change while you are sitting there thinking nothing is new. It's all the same old stuff over and over every day, until you look back and realize that your days a year ago were totally different somehow, and you never noticed! I mean, sure, there are big things that change occasionally but after the first day or two, that becomes the norm and you stop thinking about it and when someone asks "what's new" you shrug and say "not much" even though your entire life is changing around you.
For example, there is not a single good Science Fiction show on TV right now (with the sporadic exception of Doctor Who). That is a pretty big deal! Suddenly I am reading WAY more, and I have new favorite authors, and have started knitting to keep from staring into space when I have nothing better to do because there is NOTHING ON TV! Also, I watched Mad Men. *Shudder*
Maybe I will say that to the next well meaning lady who asks what is new even though they don't really care and only want me to let them touch my tummy......
General life update for those who care about what's new since.....oh 2008: Done school. Working at a public library in the area and loving it. Trying to buy a house, but not having any luck selling our apartment. Planning on turning the computer room into the nursery by the end of the summer. Oooh! And I just got a new lemon juicer after Gord juiced the ever-living crap out of a lemon and broke the old one!
It amazes me how much can change while you are sitting there thinking nothing is new. It's all the same old stuff over and over every day, until you look back and realize that your days a year ago were totally different somehow, and you never noticed! I mean, sure, there are big things that change occasionally but after the first day or two, that becomes the norm and you stop thinking about it and when someone asks "what's new" you shrug and say "not much" even though your entire life is changing around you.
For example, there is not a single good Science Fiction show on TV right now (with the sporadic exception of Doctor Who). That is a pretty big deal! Suddenly I am reading WAY more, and I have new favorite authors, and have started knitting to keep from staring into space when I have nothing better to do because there is NOTHING ON TV! Also, I watched Mad Men. *Shudder*
Maybe I will say that to the next well meaning lady who asks what is new even though they don't really care and only want me to let them touch my tummy......
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Canadians need a Backbone!
Don't get me wrong, I love my country and I think the people in it are generally nice, laid back and wonderful people . However, there are occasionally times when our tendency to take things as they come gets in the way of our need to collectively stand up as a group and say "No, I don't think so!" Unfortunately, and as as much as it galls me to say it, Americans are much better at this than we are. I remember when Gas prices started to soar (as it it hit 80c/l. shock and horror!) an American that I knew who was living up here made a comment that if prices rose that quickly in the states, people would be rioting and burning down gas stations. Now, I was shocked beyond words then, and I do still find this attitude extreme, but one has to appreciate this mans confidence in his irritatingly boastful (ooops did I say that?) fellow citizens to make a statement. It kinda makes me wish I knew people who knew how to vehemently stand up for themselves without breaking into violence.
However, the issue I am slightly riled about (yes I know I am not much better than the rest of us) today is not rising gasoline prices (as a non-renewable resource, I am bowing to its rising price as inevitable and planning to walk more until and alternative is found or we all die from starvation because of our dependency on long distance food sources), But rather Traffic Shaping,the loss of Net Neutrality, Throttling, whatever you want to call it. Basically, the issue is that we Canadian types are slow to follow our southern neighbors in protecting ourselves from becoming slaves to our Internet Service Provider's control of the internet and how we use it.
Currently, the immediate issue revolves around the ISP's limiting speed to certain users, based on what they are using their bandwidth for. Peer to Peer downloading is the bad guy of the moment. Torrents and MMO games being the main offenders. Which in my case, is my main internet usage. However, what may start as an attempt to evenly spread the so called "available bandwidth" among their user (and I am not techie enough to comment on whether ISP's are making up the shortage to justify their reluctance to upgrade their equipment, but that is my suspicion), and thereby slowing the service of these P2P "offenders", can lead to even more controlling behaviors. I am okay with internet prices rising along with everything else. It sucks, but its the way of life. As long as we know what our money is getting us, and it is the same for everyone.
However, if no one tells these big capitalist corporations that they actually CANNOT control who or when or what the internet gets used for, we are going to lose our only unbiased form of media. Suddenly websites owned by Telus related companies are going to load faster then their competitors'. the new Bell video downloading site will be the fastest way to get movies or video clips. Those alternative news blogs that tackle the hard issues and point out flaws in the corporate or government structure are going to load way slower that CNN, if ever. The internet will have a toll run fast lane for those who can pay for their connection or their website to run as well as it does now. When the Chinese government censors the internet to promote their views, we all tsk and shake our heads, sad for the loss of freedom. But what happens when our internet is censored for the sole purpose of making money? Will we feel outrage? annoyance? or will we just follow the big glowing arrow the money makers have put in our path and pay the toll and use the approved features because they are more convenient?
The sad thing is, Canadians are just cluing into this. This battle was fought and won in the states not long ago, and very few people up here noticed. Meanwhile, the ISP's have been cutting back services unannounced, and blocking rival websites and goodness knows what else, while the CRTC, which is supposed to protect the Canadian Public's interests in the media sits on its thumbs and says, "well gee. we might want to do something about this, but the big companies won't like it. maybe we will wait and see if enough people notice". Its actually kinda terrifying.
I know few, if any, read this usually half hearted journal/blog of mine, but I needed to vent somewhere. If I would be out east, I would have joined the protest in Ottawa. I almost feel bad for not being the type to organize one out here. But I would join it.
There is a petition. Sign it. Tell someone else.
However, the issue I am slightly riled about (yes I know I am not much better than the rest of us) today is not rising gasoline prices (as a non-renewable resource, I am bowing to its rising price as inevitable and planning to walk more until and alternative is found or we all die from starvation because of our dependency on long distance food sources), But rather Traffic Shaping,the loss of Net Neutrality, Throttling, whatever you want to call it. Basically, the issue is that we Canadian types are slow to follow our southern neighbors in protecting ourselves from becoming slaves to our Internet Service Provider's control of the internet and how we use it.
Currently, the immediate issue revolves around the ISP's limiting speed to certain users, based on what they are using their bandwidth for. Peer to Peer downloading is the bad guy of the moment. Torrents and MMO games being the main offenders. Which in my case, is my main internet usage. However, what may start as an attempt to evenly spread the so called "available bandwidth" among their user (and I am not techie enough to comment on whether ISP's are making up the shortage to justify their reluctance to upgrade their equipment, but that is my suspicion), and thereby slowing the service of these P2P "offenders", can lead to even more controlling behaviors. I am okay with internet prices rising along with everything else. It sucks, but its the way of life. As long as we know what our money is getting us, and it is the same for everyone.
However, if no one tells these big capitalist corporations that they actually CANNOT control who or when or what the internet gets used for, we are going to lose our only unbiased form of media. Suddenly websites owned by Telus related companies are going to load faster then their competitors'. the new Bell video downloading site will be the fastest way to get movies or video clips. Those alternative news blogs that tackle the hard issues and point out flaws in the corporate or government structure are going to load way slower that CNN, if ever. The internet will have a toll run fast lane for those who can pay for their connection or their website to run as well as it does now. When the Chinese government censors the internet to promote their views, we all tsk and shake our heads, sad for the loss of freedom. But what happens when our internet is censored for the sole purpose of making money? Will we feel outrage? annoyance? or will we just follow the big glowing arrow the money makers have put in our path and pay the toll and use the approved features because they are more convenient?
The sad thing is, Canadians are just cluing into this. This battle was fought and won in the states not long ago, and very few people up here noticed. Meanwhile, the ISP's have been cutting back services unannounced, and blocking rival websites and goodness knows what else, while the CRTC, which is supposed to protect the Canadian Public's interests in the media sits on its thumbs and says, "well gee. we might want to do something about this, but the big companies won't like it. maybe we will wait and see if enough people notice". Its actually kinda terrifying.
I know few, if any, read this usually half hearted journal/blog of mine, but I needed to vent somewhere. If I would be out east, I would have joined the protest in Ottawa. I almost feel bad for not being the type to organize one out here. But I would join it.
There is a petition. Sign it. Tell someone else.Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Big Changes
Okay, so just after Christmas, I decided that I finally had time and motivation to join Curves again. Such a great workout. Anyway, along with this I decided to sign up for their website that runs their diet program, complete with meal plans, and nutrition tracking, health articles and all that stuff. So I went from sitting on my butt and eating whatever I felt like to working out a few times a week and planning meals and eating less and differently. Its been 3 weeks and 7 or 8lbs and quite do-able thus far.
However, today I have got the mid winter blues. I am cranky and tired of being stuck in this house. Because Gord has the car all day, I can only work out in the evenings which is a drag cuz I am most energetic mid day, and going to work out when my day is almost over seems tiring. and I am starting to feel a little trapped in this apartment. When I got rid of my car a year ago, it wasn't a big deal. I was working and going to school and didn't have a whole lot of time to spare anyway. But now that I am only working a couple days and have one class, I have a lot of time to kill and not much to do with it. I really should make use of the bus system in this town, however stupid it may be.
However, today I have got the mid winter blues. I am cranky and tired of being stuck in this house. Because Gord has the car all day, I can only work out in the evenings which is a drag cuz I am most energetic mid day, and going to work out when my day is almost over seems tiring. and I am starting to feel a little trapped in this apartment. When I got rid of my car a year ago, it wasn't a big deal. I was working and going to school and didn't have a whole lot of time to spare anyway. But now that I am only working a couple days and have one class, I have a lot of time to kill and not much to do with it. I really should make use of the bus system in this town, however stupid it may be.
Monday, November 26, 2007
My Last Essay
So, its been a crazy busy few months, with school and work and all. like normal. Except that this time, I"m actually gonna be finished. With English. With essay writing. With my BA! YAY me! I thought I had one more semester left, so that adviser meeting was a pleasant surprise.
On the other hand, I now gotta come up with something to do with it. I am totally overqualified for a job taking peoples money at a gas station. But what does one do with a degree in English Literature? especially when one can't edit, doesn't enjoy writing enough to have deadlines of any kind, and mainly specialized in pre 1900 British writers? I mean sure I can quote Shakespeare, roughly demonstrate middle English vowel sounds, and tell you which Romantic poets hung out together, but thats not exactly an employable set of skills.
Enter, another year or so of classes. Its like finishing a marathon, and then having to run home. But if I get my library tech certification, the only even somewhat local library system in the region might actually be willing to cooperate and employ me. I mean, I have applied with everything from a resume (which I actually got an interview with) to a letter from a library manager saying "hire her" (for which effort I did not even get a phone call) and several other times in between.
But if one lives in an area where there is only one hiring opportunity in the public library realm, and one doesn't want to work in a corporate or public school library, thats just the way it goes. Anyway, I am taking a semester or two off from heavy workloads. and then finishing up the Library thing so I can actually USE the BA. fun fun!
But I am still excited to be (almost) done with the writing of papers. YAY!
On the other hand, I now gotta come up with something to do with it. I am totally overqualified for a job taking peoples money at a gas station. But what does one do with a degree in English Literature? especially when one can't edit, doesn't enjoy writing enough to have deadlines of any kind, and mainly specialized in pre 1900 British writers? I mean sure I can quote Shakespeare, roughly demonstrate middle English vowel sounds, and tell you which Romantic poets hung out together, but thats not exactly an employable set of skills.
Enter, another year or so of classes. Its like finishing a marathon, and then having to run home. But if I get my library tech certification, the only even somewhat local library system in the region might actually be willing to cooperate and employ me. I mean, I have applied with everything from a resume (which I actually got an interview with) to a letter from a library manager saying "hire her" (for which effort I did not even get a phone call) and several other times in between.
But if one lives in an area where there is only one hiring opportunity in the public library realm, and one doesn't want to work in a corporate or public school library, thats just the way it goes. Anyway, I am taking a semester or two off from heavy workloads. and then finishing up the Library thing so I can actually USE the BA. fun fun!
But I am still excited to be (almost) done with the writing of papers. YAY!
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