I'd Much Rather Just Stay Ignorant

This week, on "What Bugs Susan"...

We have faxing at Staples. You'd think in today's world, faxing would be obsolete. I mean, you can scan and email just about anything. Yet every day we've got a line out the wazoo for faxing. So right above this fax machine we've got this sign that says, "Self-Service Fax Machine". Pretty self-explanatory, right? It's even got instructions labeled all over the thing on how to use it.

Today I had this woman with a strong Spanish accent come in and need faxing done. Normally, when I have nothing else going on, I say, "Sure, step right on over to the fax machine and I'll walk you through it." I'm all about teaching a man to fish so he can feed himself for a lifetime.

The woman then proceeds to tell me she doesn't have her glasses and can't read the fax number. Then - as if to mock me - she says, "That's the number. 484..." I almost asked, "I thought you didn't have you glasses and couldn't read the number?"

It's as if she wanted to say, "I'd rather remain ignorant, so why don't you do it for me?" but she didn't have the courage to just call herself what she was - lazy.

The worst example of this though was a woman about a month back that came in and set her brand new phone down on the counter and said, "I need to email a document I have on here to you." I proceeded to tell her how to do it. She shook her head and waved her hand, saying, "No, you need to do it. I don't know how to work that thing. Anyway, whenever I come in here, they do it for me, so just do it for me." She spent the rest of the time yapping to her friend about what she may or may not want for lunch.

I literally want to scream at these people. They have no clue how good they've got it. Worse though are those that know precisely how spoiled they are, and they revel in it. I get it. We live in an incredibly awesome time. Technology is fascinating and can do just about anything. In my direct area, homelessness and poverty are pretty non-existent (aside from struggling college students). Aside from the occasional shooting, crime is minimal in my hometown.

None of this excuses laziness and selfishness.

One of my friends from school and I used to occasionally remind one another of how good we had it. She was thankful for indoor plumbing and I was always thankful for the fact that I could walk up to a refrigerator and suddenly have something to quiet my rumbling stomach. We did this to remember that we aren't dying. In fact, we're flourishing. We live in a country that (for the time being), is for the free. A good chunk of our society has it so good, they don't know what a real depression would be.

I've been lucky enough to not only have parents who refuse to let me be ignorant, but to have driven all over this country and seen with my own eyes the devastation of poverty. I've seen houses that look about ready to cave in. I've seen homeless individuals huddled on street corners, begging for something to eat. I've offered lunch to the hungry in New York City. I've repaired houses for those suffering from hurricanes. And I've listened to them in these moments and every time, I've thanked God for what He's given me.

Don't be ignorant and don't be lazy. Take control of what you can. Feed yourself, don't just steal someone else's time and energy. Give more than you take. Offer what you have and then double it. I understand. That's a hard bill to swallow.

Swallow it anyway.

Currently Editing: Genesis
Currently Listening to: Ludovico Einaudi's "Divenere"

What Lies Ahead

I'm not very prone to looking really far into the future and laying plans out. When I do, I expect them to stay the same. Which is why I tend to freak out if those plans go awry.

As this first year out of school has progressed, I've been witnessing a growing concern - the future of America. Not that I think I have any control over our society as a whole, but I am concerned about where we're choosing to take this country. The fact that we've even begun to entertain the idea of a president having the power to determine how long he should be in charge of our country bothers me. George Washington set the precedent for a reason.

What bothers me more is that we're allowing immoral, corrupt, horribly sadistic people the power to run this country. And it's gone farther than that. It's beginning to reach into our lives and personal choices. We're looking at the beginning of the USSR in America and rather than learn from history, we're blatantly ignoring it.

I've already written a blog about the civil war I think our country is currently in. This concern bridges off of that a bit. I had originally meant that post to be what it was - the obvious problem of the word religion in today's society. But this is bigger than that. We, as a culture, have engaged ourselves in civil war. The artillery hasn't broken out yet, but goodness, it's evident in our speech. Because of that, we've got warring viewpoints.

Conservatives are seen as these ancient people that need to accept that the culture has 'changed to a better thing' to many liberals - that they need to stop being uptight, religious and become more accepting and tolerant. To many conservatives, liberals are immoral, selfish, greedy, lazy people that constantly ask for hand-outs and will turn on their own mother.

If we aren't careful and don't wake up, then we're going to be in a lot of trouble. And this isn't just for me. This is for the very thing America is supposed to be about. America is supposed to be the "home of the free" and the "land of the brave"; the land "under God". So where are you, free ones? Do you feel free? If you do, then you've allowed yourselves to think that freedom is sitting around, doing nothing. Freedom is never easy and it's always something to fight for.

One day, we're gonna wake up and see a very different America than that of the history books. When that day comes, where will you be standing, and with whom will you have put your allegiance? 'Cause at the end of the road there's only one Judge, and He's the Judge of Forever.

I know what freedom is. Do you?

The Land of Me

So as Christmas nears, I find myself asking a question of my own character. What is this holiday about? As I hear customer after customer wish a "happy holidays", I want to return with a "Merry Christmas". Billboard after billboard and ad after ad are pushing the 'me-centric' mentality. Get what you want. It's all about the getting, not the giving.

I know I'm pretty alone on this, but my love language is gifts - tied with quality time. Anyway, because of this, giving stuff is one of my absolute favorite things to do. If it were up to me, I'd give away everything that I have to other people. I'm all about seeing faces light up at the prospect of something fun or new. I love seeing the reaction people have when unexpectedly, they're handed something they didn't expect.

Have you ever just given a homeless person dinner? Have you ever handed a twenty to someone you would never get it back from? How about those countless times you've been at a register and the cashier asks, "Would you like to donate to [insert charity here]"? What about when you've seen someone struggling, and rather than pity them, you helped them?

Y'know, Christmas used to be the time when everyone was nicer to their fellow man. People smiled more frequently, laughed more freely, and there was goodness in the air. It didn't have to be snowing to inspire wonder or awe in the hearts of everyone. Things didn't have to appear magical, because everyone was acting a little more like we should be.

And now what's it about? Me, me, me, me, me. What can I get? What did so-and-so get for me? I sure hope whats-their-name got me x because I really want it.

Maybe this is why it hasn't felt like Christmas yet this year. Maybe it's because we've lost the meaning of Christmas. Worst part is, the meaning is at the beginning of the word. How are we this blind?

Sometimes, I really wish I could be heard. If only for the hope that behind my words there might be truth, and that in that truth, there might be some freedom.

Merry Christmas everyone. And happy adventuring this Christmas season.

Currently Reading: Brisinger by Christopher Paolini
Currently Listening to: "Misty Mountains" from The Hobbit

P.S. - The Hobbit? Yeah. Definitely disappointed.

Sinking

I think everyone reaches points like this throughout their lives.

I need more hours in the day. I need to not require sleep. I need to stop worrying. I need to relinquish control. I need to stop giving in to fear. I need to try harder. I need to try less. I'm not working hard enough. I'm not doing enough. Or am I doing too much?

This crazy juxtaposition of emotions is what I'm falling into at the moment.

Not a single book has been sold in almost two weeks. That shouldn't bother me. And yet it does. It shouldn't bother me because I'm not in this for the money. If I was looking for money, I would have tried harder in school, networked better, and done about a million things differently. I'm in the publishing industry because I want to tell a story and I want the world to know that story. Money - eh, who cares. In the long run, it means little. I only want what I need to get by. I only want to have enough to eat, have a roof over my head that's preferably my own, and a dog. That's it.

I need to find an editor. I've been talking about this for nearly a year now. The problem I face is simple: I don't have enough time right now. Between wanting to read my Bible (and a book Niki and I picked up called "The Story"), working, trying to help around the house, seeing friends before they move to Timbuktu (figuratively), staying on top of new worship songs and VBS next week...

I need to not need sleep.

I haven't touched my Writer's Market Guide in almost a week, and it's grating against me. I feel like I'm not taking steps in the right direction.

Y'know, initially I was going to have my book up for sale on CreateSpace for a limited time. I was only going to keep it up for a month, let those that really wanted it buy it, and then take it down. It would save me time in worrying about it and I'd have what I wanted - a physical copy of my book. Then I thought that was stupid. Then everyone was so excited about it. Nearly everyone I talked to was saying how they wanted to get a copy.

*Shrug* Now what? Is this God blatantly putting up a block, telling me it's not yet time? Is this Him saying to stop - this isn't the avenue? Why can't I get neon lights? I never notice the subtle things. Ever. I need the foghorn.

Maybe that's my problem.

Currently Writing and/or Editing: Absolutely nothing. And I think I might go mad.
Currently Reading: The Once and Future King by T.H. White
Currently Listening to: "When the Stars Burn Down (Blessing And Honor)" by Phillips, Craig and Dean

Completely Unrelated

I'm going to talk about something entirely different from what I normally talk about. At least, normally as of late.
So my friend Amy invited me to join this phenomena called "Pinterest". It's interesting and somewhat fun. Occasionally I get on when I can't find the gusto to write or just want to take a break from the world. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen.
Anyway, so the other day I was on, just perusing what was popular and what people were posting and 'repinning'. It was then that I saw that most of the pictures of guys that were being posted (and by guys I mean celebrities), were of them shirtless or worse, in their boxers or briefs. Then on top of that, probably eighty percent of the pictures of women were of them in their underwear or in their bikinis.
Now, this is something that's bothered me for years. I've just never talked about it on here. But I find this all kind of sick. This isn't flattering and it isn't something to motivate me to work toward becoming a size 2. In fact, all it makes me want to do is hate myself for not being that size and that tan and that perfect and whatever else might be shoved at me. And I'm happy with who I am. I can only imagine what pictures like that do to women with low self-esteem and depression.
This is porn that we're looking at. I get it, it doesn't seem it because we've been told that so long as they aren't completely naked, then it's a-okay. But when did that become the case? You walk by Victoria's Secret and there are ten foot tall pictures of super skinny, super perfect looking women for everyone to see. EVERYONE. Children, teenagers, boys, girls, men and women. Doesn't that bother anyone? No wonder guys have problems! Hollister isn't much better! First off you can't even see properly in there 'cause it's so dark. Then they've got these shirtless models of guys and girls with six packs and perfect bodies to advertise their clothes.
And this is all in public places where people go in their spare time. So it's all okay, because their pants are still on - maybe. Well, if that's the case, at least they aren't butt naked.
And so long as they aren't completely naked, no one cares. It's just the world we live in, right?
No, it's disgusting and it's MILD PORN (and I'm not so sure that it's mild). Women ogle men that are half-dressed and men ogle women that are half-dressed. I mean, no wonder we have problems in this society. Everywhere we go the perfect imagine is shoved at us, and if we don't fall into that category then what? Go get plastic surgery to make yourself look perfect? No thanks.
I'd much rather see us go back to the days when seeing an ankle was too much. Sure, it would be irritating, but at least the minds of our society wouldn't be filled with images we have no right to see. The only person that should know what you look like naked is yourself, your future spouse and God. Not your friends, not your boyfriend, not your girlfriend.
It's unnecessary and I'm thinking about writing a letter to Hollister and Victoria's Secret. It might not do me any good, but I think it's time that someone at least tried to oppose this madness. There is no need for the trash we see on a daily basis. And I'm sorry, but there's no need for me to see a celebrity bare-chested. I don't need to see that, and neither does anyone else.
Okay, my rant is over. Return to your regularly scheduled life.