life in jamestown

Off to the Races

2006-05-02T14:31:00.000-07:00

So much has gone on since my last post, it’s hard to know where to begin again. One update is that I won the fantasy basketball league championship. The game lasts from November through April but seems to last much longer than a mere 6 months. The thought that so much time was dedicated to something that leaves nothing tangible (we play for bragging rights) seems like an utter and absolute waste. After contemplating over that last sentence, it does appear to be the case. However, it is what it is…or was what it was: an excuse to visit the sports pages several times a day, another “project” to pile on top of an overloaded schedule, a source of frustration when you team plays poorly or pride when your team plays well, most importantly, though, a chance to keep in touch with friends in different places. It certainly was a marathon of a contest…

Speaking of marathons, this weekend is the Indy 500 Festival Mini-marathon. I signed up early this year so I got in the 13.1-mile race (instead of settling for last year’s 5K). Training has been sporadic, as expected, but I’ve been able to run more in training for this race than for other races combined. That does not mean that I’ll be keeping up with the Kenyans, though. “More” is a very relative term. My bases of comparison are the meager 7 total miles I put in for the Baltimore race and the 20-30 miles for Chicago (and 0 for the 5K). I just plan on setting a time to beat next year. I will need to finish the race in a reasonable time, though, because, like last year, I’m scheduled to attend a wedding in Chicago on the same day.

Post-race Entry

2005-10-12T12:29:00.000-07:00

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged. I can attribute much of this to my free time being allocated to maintaining my two fantasy football teams. Since both are holding second place in their respective leagues, it seems like a good time to add another entry before the fantasy basketball draft this Saturday.

This past Sunday was the big race. Race is actually used loosely in this case. It ended up as timed jog/walk through the streets of Chicago. The word race implies that there was a competition, but from my participatory standpoint, the only competition was between my will to finish and my feet’s desire for relief. A few certainties inevitably became of the race: we overpacked (snacks, drinks, signs, clothes), arrived late, and finished near the back of the pack. From a runner’s standpoint, it was fun going into and fun to reflect upon. It wasn’t as much fun during the race when your thighs are sitting on the verge of cramps and your feet are swollen and sensitive, but the experience was invigorating and enjoyable nonetheless. It’s still amazing how many people came out to see the race, despite not knowing runners. It helped that the various neighborhoods held parties that attracted more people to come out. Memorable sights included:

- groups of men in drag and dancing on stages
- runners dressed up as Kermit the Frog, Batman, and Elvis
- nursing home residents lined in the windows, waving as we passed
- people hanging out of windows and balconies yelling their encouragements
- runners of both gender relieving themselves in the alley
- a possible sighting of the runaway bride
- many vocal Kentucky fans

The days following the race were destined to be filled with physical agony. However, aside from fatigue, the aftermath of the run was fairly mild. My initial resignation that this would be my first and last marathon is giving way to mental preparation for next year’s event. Of course being 3 days removed, it is a little early to plan for that.

It cannot be understated how important it was for spectators to be out there cheering for us, both specifically and generally. THANK YOU!!! The distraction of hearing crowd noise and scanning the crowd for familiar faces made the miles fly by, even though we were traveling at a snail’s pace. I did a poor job of spotting people in the crowd who came to support us but my running partner was adept at that.

Some other observations:

- You would figure that with so many people running that there would be a lot of people bumping and jockeying for position but that wasn’t the case at all.
- There wasn’t a lot of talking during the race either.
- You really don’t appreciate bananas until you eat them after 19 miles of running.
- Physical stature was not a great predictor of finishing time.
- Sunscreen would have been a good idea.
- Proper training would have been an even better idea.

Marathon Training

2005-08-18T14:53:00.000-07:00

Just for the record, I'm up to 11 miles now. That's 11 miles of TOTAL running, not per day. Nobody, including me, wants to be the weak link in the group (assuming that we're running as a group) so I need to need to find that motivational carrot to dangle before me. Shame should work out quite well for that purpose.

60,000

2005-08-18T14:33:00.000-07:00

Nowadays, the scariest sight on the road has to be the sign publicizing the cost of gasoline. The increase over the past couple of months has been absolutely incredible. A recent article mentioned that a self-proclaimed expert believes the price of a gallon of gas will reach $5 per gallon next year. Of course, that is just the opinion of one person, who also happens to believe that the price of a gallon of gas will soar to $10 per gallon if terrorists strike Middle East oil fields. The preface of “self-proclaimed” before the distinction of “expert” adds a lot of justified skepticism to this guy’s claims. The current trend of gas prices may eventually prove him to be an insightful prognosticator, but the situation could alternatively show him to simply be another Chicken-Little nutjob, trying to weasel his way into 15 minutes of fame. Worse, though, would be that his prediction is a conservative figure in retrospect. He only stands to benefit from attaching his name to such a prediction. If gas costs $5 or more per gallon, he may get some face time on a television news show and possibly increase sales of his book on the subject. If it remains relatively stable, either nobody will remember that he said what he did (who told us that we would have flying cars by the year 2000?) or he will find some political, economic, or social event to explain why his calculation was accurate given the circumstances at the time.

On August 5, my car reached the 60,000 mile mark. It took exactly 11 weeks to travel 10,000 miles. Some elementary math skills will reveal that my weekly commute is lengthy, though I’m told that it is nothing extraordinary. Prior to the steep hike in gas prices, my biggest expense was time. A nine-plus hour workday sandwiched between two one-hour commutes takes a hefty chunk of the allotted 24 hours. With the cost of a gallon of gas pushing $2.50, however, my priorities are teetering towards taking action to conserve gas. A new hybrid car is not an option since the one I have already gets good gas mileage and is still relatively young. The next alternative is easing up on the gas pedal. Stored somewhere in the closet of my mind is the idea that traveling at a maintained speed of 55-70 miles per hour provides optimal gas consumption. Although various factors reduce my potential for speed (e.g., stock econocar, current speeding ticket, Wal-Mart tires), it is still a painful thought to imagine the parade of vehicles flying past me at a paltry 75 miles per hour. But the thought of continuing to support the gas companies at a tune of $75 or more per week is enough to set the cruise control and put on the blinders.

Who’s Responsible?

2005-07-28T16:04:00.000-07:00

One teen was shot to death and another caught a bullet in the leg. This was the result of a fit of road rage that went out of control. In this event, though, it is not conclusive that total blame for the incident be placed upon the killer. The sad reality is that this was an avoidable situation from several fronts. The driver, presently on the lam, was driving his old red pickup truck down the highway. It was past 11 p.m. on a hot and muggy July night. He had his windows open as he cruised through a residential neighborhood. Suddenly he hears a couple of muffled thuds, followed by a sharp pain on the side of his head. He slows his car and lifts his left hand to the side of his head. Wet. He pulls his hand to his field of vision and notices a thick clear liquid with white chunks sitting in his hand. A taunting laughter fills his ears as he turns to see several boys standing among the trees, pointing, laughing, and holding open cartons of eggs. He circles the block, pulling his handgun from his center console, and automatically knows how to get his rage-fueled revenge.

The facts of the crime are there, with added details for the sake of telling the story. The teenage boys were hanging around, tossing eggs at passing cars. It was probably no accident that they hit the driver whose window was open. It provided an extra challenge to the game being played. Residents of the neighborhood report that vandalism, particularly egging of houses and cars, has been increasing recently. Some say that this kind of activity grows from boredom. In England, the citizens are dealing with another activity associated with bored youths. It’s called ‘happy slapping.’ Groups of kids will walk down the street until they come upon an unsuspecting pedestrian. As the rest of the gang records the incident with their cell phones, one or more from the party will run past the victim and smack them on the head. The video clips are then posted on the Internet or sent to their friends. This craze began as copycats imitated a British candid camera TV show where similar stunts were performed. The danger with happy slapping is that rival groups try to one-up each other and perform more violent or outrageous attacks. As you can imagine, the mob mentality can quickly turn a passing smack into an outright beating. Other crimes reportedly linked to happy slapping include muggings and rape.

The situations are similar. Unruly kids who have decided to pass time by torturing, attacking, or abusing innocent others. Who should take the blame for these teens becoming the way they are? Society is always going to receive blame from some people. To mollify this voice, one IPS school is converting to a year-round schedule and some residents see this as the answer to keeping kids off the streets and out of trouble. Others advocate increased parental responsibility in raising children to become moral and ethical adults who can make positive impacts on the world around them. Defenders of ineffective parenting turn the blame back to society for producing a world where the standard of living requires two working parents who cannot spend the appropriate time with their kids, providing media products filled with violence, sex, crude language, and declining moral values, spending less on educating and training young people, worshipping poor role models, and creating outcasts of kids who genuinely need help. Rare is the case that the blame falls on the child, though they are the ones ultimately making the decision to act. This is usually with good intention, since children are still in the stage of developing their sense of self and evaluation of right and wrong.

Is there an entity at which to conclusively point fingers of blame? In my opinion, the idea that it takes a village to raise a child means well but essentially decreases the role of the parents and puts the responsibility on society. Society, however, plays an obvious role in shaping opinions, attitudes, and outlooks. Whatever the answer, the road to correcting the problem with these bored and uninspired kids begins with someone doing something to change the situation. As for the killer, nobody made him do what he did. As an adult, his actions were self-determined. Even so, the argument will appear that this society that feeds violent images to us on a daily basis creates an environment where this action is expected.

IPS

2005-07-14T10:49:00.000-07:00

An editorial in today’s Indianapolis Star reported that roughly two-thirds of students in Indianapolis Public Schools do not graduate from high school on time. More specifically, among the IPS Class of 2002, only 43% of Hispanic males, 25% of black males, and 23% of white males completed high school. These numbers seemed exaggerated or taken out of context so I did a little more research on the issue. My findings support these contentions. The numbers shift slightly when using different formulas to interpret the data but remain well below 50%. For perspective, CPS high schools have a graduation rate of 65% (1999).

What the data does not convey is the story behind the observations. Why are these kids not succeeding in school? What are they doing after their school tenure? Another article discussed these topics. It seems that this has become a way of life here for many families. Parents did not finish high school and the cycle continues with their children. Another factor is economics. It was reported that 81% of IPS students qualified for free/reduced price meals. The small sample size (six high schools in IPS) increases the impact that each dropout makes and the transfer of good students to non-IPS schools also has an effect. The social adjustment to this trend is that more celebratory emphasis is placed on eighth grade graduations, since this will be the last commencement ceremony for most of the students.

Though the situation seems ridiculous, the environment in which this is occurring is important to consider. This is a state where blue-collar work such as agriculture and manufacturing still make up a good portion of the jobs. People without high school diplomas still have options to make a living. With the high poor/poverty level, it is probably a good guess that graduating high school is not foremost on some of these kids’ to-do lists. In the long run, though, this is a horrible trend to maintain. The lack of a qualified, educated workforce will deter companies from locating in Indiana. In addition, this population is at higher risk for becoming a burden on tax dollars due to increased prison and social services expenses.

Familial cycles are difficult to change. A friend once reasoned that many African-American kids do not choose to pursue higher education because nobody told them that they could become a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer. I called BS on that but after some reflection, I see that he has a point. If everyone you know and respect have a certain way of life that does not seem wrong, if there are no role models in real life or the media to inspire you to a different path, why deviate from what is known and comfortable? Most (but not all) wouldn’t. But this is coming from someone who believes nurture-over-nature and that the media influences us more than we realize. I wouldn’t know where to begin with correcting the IPS, but I’m sure that when change occurs, it will be slow and expensive.

On a lighter note, President Bush is in town today for a visit. The closest that I ever got to seeing him in person was at the VA hospital in Baltimore. Entering into the hospital was no problem but there was no way to get near the auditorium where he was located. People lined the street outside the hospital, some with protest signs. I was a little surprised to see the size of the crowd since I thought that presidential visits to Baltimore would be a fairly normal occurrence. It probably helped that the visit occurred during regular working hours.

Preconceived Expectations

2005-07-08T11:07:00.000-07:00

I just finished the DaVinci Code (audio book) today. It was extremely clever, though I was mildly disappointed with the first 11 (out of 13) CDs. Of course I heard about how great the book was prior to listening to it so my expectation level for the story was elevated beyond what was probably reasonable. That happens often since I tend not to experience things before hearing about them from other people first. This mostly occurs with movies or television shows. Below is a short list of movies that I heard were absolutely fantastic before watching, only to be disappointed by their lack of memorable, life-changing qualities.

Shawshank Redemption
Somewhere In Time
Thin Red Line
The Usual Suspects
Life of Brian
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
LA Confidential

There’s Something About Mary and Pulp Fiction would have made the list except that upon multiple viewings, I discovered more about the movies than previously seen. There are movies that do meet my lofty preconceived expectations, and a few that exceed them. Included are Forrest Gump, Terminator 2, and The Waterboy. Most movies that I’ve heard something about prior to viewing fall in between these extremes.

Books provide many more opportunities for me to find gems, mainly because I do not read books on a regular basis, nor have discussions regarding “good reads” with anyone. I’m much more inclined to follow current events in a newspaper or magazine than indulge myself in the latest New York Times bestseller. I like to pretend that the reason for this is that books take too much time to finish, time that I do not have to dedicate to reading. I know that the reason has more to do with viewing reading as a task or chore rather than a leisurely undertaking. It is a pity that this opinion has been so deeply ingrained in my mind, since nearly every book that I have finished (both paper and audio) have been much better than I expected. This is a sample of the titles that I found to be captivating: This Present Darkness, Death of a Salesman, The Maltese Falcon, Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up, To Kill a Mockingbird, Prey, and State of Fear. In an attempt to “read” more, I’ve been borrowing books on CD from the local libraries. Unfortunately, most audio books in their collections are on cassette, and my car only has a CD player. This arrangement, however, will force me to eventually listen to such lengthy works as The Fountainhead, Moby Dick, and the Bible. Up next, though: The Andromeda Strain.

The Benefits of Being Beautiful

2005-06-30T22:05:00.000-07:00

It’s certainly politically correct to say that everyone possesses beauty. It is even more generous to offer that everyone is equally beautiful, albeit in their own ways. And for those whose beauty, both outer and inner, are difficult to visualize, it is comforting to dismiss this as hidden beauty, likening it to a diamond in the rough. As the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. As true as this may be in terms of long-term acquaintances, first impressions follow a much more different set of rules.

It is futile to pretend that it doesn’t occur. It’s actually amusing to observe the lengths to which others extend themselves to this end. The end, of course, is gaining acknowledgement, and possibly favor, from “beautiful” people through extending yourself preferentially for that person. There is no doubt that this happens. Not in all situations, but certainly at the frequency to define as often.

In my observations, the usual beneficiaries of this type of favoritism are usually youthful, physically fit, and extroverted women. This lends to the usual benefactors being men of all types. My most recent encounter with this took place at the blood donation center, where a goodie bag was given to every donor. Among other things, this gift of appreciation contained a free ticket to a Santana concert. A young girl was sitting in a donor chair, chatting with the phlebotomist, when a gentleman suddenly interrupted their conversation to ask the girl a question. “Do you need an extra ticket to the Santana concert?” “Uh...Sure. Thanks!” The man handed her the ticket, backed off hurriedly, as if he had just interrupted a celebrity for an autograph at dinner, and both went about their separate lives. It very well could have been that the man happened to overhear her need for a ticket to the concert and wanted to play Good Samaritan. I did not listen to what she was discussing so I cannot verify or deny that claim. There were, however, many other people in the donation center that day, some closer to the man’s location, and none received his attention.

It’s only natural, I suppose. People tend to appreciate acceptance from those they find desirable. Not necessarily desirable from a physical aspect, though there are studies that show that people deemed “attractive” receive higher pay, quicker promotions, and more choice assignments than those with average to unattractive physical traits. Other magnetic characteristics seem to include humor, popularity, wealth/power, and mystique. Observers call this brown nosing. Those providing the favoritism may deny any preference or describe it as flirtation. I’m not in the position to say that this practice is wrong (unless it causes direct harm to another), simply interesting.

Potpourri

2005-06-23T13:25:00.000-07:00

It appears that I am not alone in my sudden and extreme lack of free time over the past couple of weeks. The other blogs that I enjoy reading on a semi-regular basis seem to have been updated less frequently than a few weeks ago. It may be that more time is being spent in the fine weather that we’re having. Hopefully it’s not due to a lack of finding things to blog about. The following are a couple of random and unrelated issues that I’ve considered throughout the week but was too busy to put them down.

I think that it’s pretty amusing to read stories about the famous and powerful that place them in the light of normalcy. I’m not referring to hearing about some actor getting arrested for drug use or another rapper being shot outside of a nightclub. The stories that are interesting are the ones like the recent story about Saddam Hussein and his food preferences. The man enjoys Doritos and dislikes Froot Loops. Who knew that he held opinions on such relatively trivial matters? Of course, every one is entitled to like or dislike what they eat, what they wear, what they listen to, what they read. It’s just funny to see that side of Saddam. It makes me wonder what his take is on other topics, such as sports, fashion, and entertainment. I wonder how much of our tastes we have in common. I mean besides being Doritos junkies.

During my daily commute, the occasional thought enters my mind concerning the potential physical effects of driving so far every day. Perhaps arthritis in my right ankle from the frequent swiveling. Sclerosis of the spine from sitting in the car for prolonged periods of time with questionable back support. The development of hemorrhoids (observed from the numerous CTA bus drivers who picked up prescriptions for hemorrhoidal medication). One ailment that I did not anticipate was more discreet. It should have been apparent, however, given the conditions of the travel. I noticed a burning sensation in my eyes soon after the Sno-Bol/bleach incident so I naturally assumed that the two were somehow related. There were a few days in between the development of the eye irritation and the noxious gas exposure, which brought doubt into their association. It took another day of contemplating other reasons before it became clear. My drive places the sun in my face for 2 hours a day. Without the use of sunglasses, my eyes are exposed to the sun’s rays for the entirety of the drive (since I cannot close my eyes while driving). Unfortunately, simply knowing the source of your discomfort (or potentially blinding condition) isn’t going to solve the problem. Thankfully my eyesight hasn’t changed much since I had prescription sunglasses made, though their UV protective ability is unknown.

I’m Sorry That You Feel That Way

2005-06-13T09:01:00.000-07:00

Apologies are supposed to be sincere. Apologies are supposed to come from the heart. Apologies are supposed to show regret for something that was in your control. It’s the belief in these principles that prevents me from fathoming why people offer apologies for the way someone else feels as opposed to addressing their own actions. Why apologize for the way someone else feels if their interpretation of your actions is not under your control? In essence, they are saying, “I’m sorry that you’re dumb enough to be offended or angered by what I said or did.” This may be an exaggeration of the intent of the apologizer but the focus of the problem is shifted from their actions to your reaction.

One might argue that the statement isn’t a shift in blame. It’s rather an offer of condolence, comparable to telling someone that you’re sorry that their loved one died. If this were the case, wouldn’t they still need to ask for forgiveness for their own actions? In my observations, the follow-up rarely occurs. Perhaps I am being too literal with this subject. Besides, I find it difficult to understand why people use the phrase “I could care less” to describe the feeling that they do not care about a specified topic. If you take the sentence literally, they are saying that the topic has some value to them since there are other things of which they could care less about. The correct expression is “I couldn’t care less.”

This is one problem with being someone who thinks before talking (at least most of the time). You assume everyone else chooses their words as carefully. It may be that they are simply speaking from habit. Repetitively hearing and reading responses like these in the situations in which they are used can lead one to believe that they are appropriate. This wouldn’t be a first in American culture. It would be awkward if the response to a passing “how are you” is met with an answer other than “great,” “fine,” or the like, even if the answer isn’t true. I guess I could care less about this subject.

Lesson Learned

2005-06-10T09:59:00.000-07:00

Most people would agree that it’s a good idea to try and learn something new every day. Naturally, some lessons are more painful than others. Yesterday’s lesson, for instance, was particularly harrowing. It’s been a hot and humid week. This provides an environment that is great for the growth of mold. In rental property, this appears to be a common concern since many require signing documentation showing that you’ve read their educational material regarding mold growth.

I noticed the rather sudden appearance of mold on the toilet. It wasn’t an overgrowth, just little groups of black specks sporadically located across the inside of the bowl. I took a bottle of bleach, a sponge, and a toilet brush and made quick work of the problem. I also noticed that the bowl had a mineral deposit ring from the hard water that we have here. Since I was already cleaning the toilet, it made sense to remove the deposits as well. I used a bottle of Sno-Bol to apply a film of cleaning solution around the inner rim of the toilet. As I was scrubbing away at the ring, I noticed a strong, intense burning sensation in my respiratory passages. It’s the kind of stimulus that makes your eyes water and throat choke as if you were watching a baby seal getting clubbed (from sadness or laughter is up to you). The onset was rapid and unexpected. But it only took a second to figure out what was going on.

I left the bleach that was used to kill off the mold in the water of the toilet. When the Sno-Bol solution mixed with the bleach, a chemical reaction occurred, resulting in the production of the noxious gas. I evacuated the toxins from the area (i.e., flushed the toilet several times) and ran the fan in the windowless bathroom for a couple of hours. The smell began to leaking into the adjoining bedroom despite a closed door. The gas needed to be let out faster than the small electric fan could accommodate.

The scene of an open bedroom window, a barricaded bedroom door, and a spinning ceiling fan remains from last night. The smell has dissipated significantly and should be gone by the end of the day. My throat and lungs still hold a bit of lingering effects but nothing serious. This too should pass by the end of the day. Arguably, the lesson of the day was never to clean the bathroom again. The alternative lesson was to never again mix the two cleansers involved in this incident. Two lessons for the price of one. If I knew I’d be so lucky that day, I would’ve bought some lottery tickets.

Fried

2005-06-08T13:48:00.000-07:00

A dark and stormy night, Sunday was. Not much rain but plenty of lightning. It was a neat spectacle due to the unique patterns made from lightning highlighting the cloud cover. As I watched, I thought to myself, “I wonder what gets hit when these bolts strike the earth?” Unfortunately, I now know the answer to this question for at least one of those traveling currents.

When I tried to boot up my laptop on Monday, it didn’t respond. The other machine turned on but could not connect to the internet. Maybe it’s just one of those days. I’ll try again on Tuesday. When Tuesday arrived, I tried the first computer again. And again it failed to turn on. This time, the second computer was able to connect to the web. Different theories began to drift into my mind. Maybe it was too hot (from not using the AC over the weekend). Maybe I contracted a virus from somewhere. Maybe it had something to do with the audio books that I copied onto the hard drive. I found out later that the real answer was written on the wall.

As I left the building to go to the grocery store, I saw a message on the exterior door to the complex. “Attention Residents,” it began. Usually these notices involve scolding the tenants for littering, noise, or parking violations. The text continued. “We realize that the internet is down and are working to restore the connection.” That explains the problem with the second computer. “On Sunday, we were hit by lightning and it knocked out the system.” With that, I knew what the problem with the first computer was.

Both computers are connected to a surge protector to guard against damage from electrical spikes…through the wall socket. The internet cable was connected to the first computer throughout the weekend. It doesn’t require much thought to realize that the computer is fried, thanks to 1.21 gigawatts of electricity surging through its circuits. Lesson learned: buy a wireless modem and possibly renters’ insurance.

Reformation

2005-06-06T10:13:00.000-07:00

Warning This entry lacks in cohesion due to a shortage of sleep.

Over the weekend, we had a brief discussion regarding The Reformation. While driving back home, this thought crossed my mind: can people really be completely reformed? In other words, when someone has ingrained habits, thoughts, motivations, outlooks, etc., is it possible to change those things? As with most things under the sun, there are aphorisms that address this topic in one way or another.

“You can’t teach and old dog new tricks.”
“You can take the boy out of the country but you can’t take the country out of the boy.”
“Old habits are hard to break.”
“Once a cheater, always a cheater.”
“Man who walks through airport turnstile sideways, going to Bangkok.”

It appears that the creators of these proverbs (except the last one) don’t exactly believe that someone can undergo a complete transformation. I don’t believe they are saying that people don’t have a change of heart and genuinely attempt to change their lifestyles. I think they are referring to the inner workings of people. Though they may not externally act the same way as they had, their minds will be crossed with thoughts that reflect their past decision-making. For example, a chronic liar may have had a revolutionary experience and decided to be an honest and forth-coming individual. However, when a sticky situation that would previously have been resolved with a lie presents itself, the assumption is that the former liar would unconsciously think of several lies, though none may actually be used. This is a little bit of an unfair scenario since it is almost instinctual that humans think of escape routes when faced with trouble. Insert other not-so-common habits in that sentence (e.g., murder, theft, physical abuse, drug use) and it may still hold true.

So the next question is, does it matter? If the person made the commitment to change and has maintained the lifestyle that they attempted to achieve, does it matter that they have the temptation of their past? In one sense, the answer is no. Who cares? Let the person with no sin cast the first stone. Who can say they are perfect? One person may be scrutinized for struggling with anger management problems while the person passing judgment may be struggling with gambling. Deal with the problems at home before setting off to save the world.

On the other hand, if past characteristics are left to fester without opposition and reinforcement of sought-after ideals, then it could lead to the person slowly, incrementally slipping back to their old self. This assumes that people cannot be completely reformed since they need reinforcing intervention to stay on course. It implies that anyone who is “reformed” isn’t totally reformed thus will always be in need of varying degrees of reinforcement. This idea isn’t condemning. It isn’t accusatory. It isn’t saying that we can never fully trust those who have skeletons in their closets. Think about those who are reformed from something. Substance abusers tend to do better with long-term participation in support groups. Christians attend church on a regular basis to learn and grow in their transformed lives. Did these people have genuine commitments to change? Probably. Then why is their participation in reinforcing interventions necessary? Aren’t they just going to get a fresh brainwashing every time they go to these functions? This question is beyond what I wanted to blog about today.

In conclusion, it isn’t practical or realistic to think of humans in a black and white world. A genuinely reformed person is changed, but not in the sense of changing oil in a car where the old is completely eradicated and replaced. It is more like a change in direction along a journey, which needs occasional reference to a map for guidance. The more you rely on the map, the closer you will be to staying your desired course.

The Insects Among Us

2005-06-03T11:20:00.000-07:00

I have a strip of fly paper in my office to catch the fruit flies that buzz around. There are over 2 dozen of the little guys clinging to the sticky surface. In addition, I’ve also killed numerous flies with my hands. It’s always a mystery where they come from. I keep the office fairly clean. The trash is removed on a daily basis. I have one small plant, though the fly problem preceded its arrival. One reassuring point is that the rest of the building has the same problem. I don’t have to suffer the demoralization that I maintain the dirtiest office. They don’t cause any harm, but they are annoying.

Recently, there has been an infestation of spiders in the building. They are fairly small spiders but I’ve usually spotted them in pairs. They are easier to squish in tissue paper, as long as they are not walking on the ceiling (too high). What worries me is that some of these bugs are going to lay eggs in the things I bring back and forth. From previous experience, once insects begin a home in your home, it’s tough to get them out.

Intertwined with childhood memories of trips to the amusement park and hours of watching cartoons is the scatter of roaches when the kitchen light switch was flicked on. We maintained a clean living environment. It just happened that life in apartments prior to living in a house meant roaches laying eggs in your belongings as a house-warming present. I vividly remember using masking tape to seal up the kitchen before setting off a pesticide bomb. We would go to the movies while the chemicals worked their magic. It took years before the roaches were eliminated. I don’t recall what caused that to occur. I’m sure it wasn’t the game of barehanded roach smash that we would play, though I’d like to think that it contributed somehow. I’ve been fortunate enough not to need the services of an exterminator for quite a while now. I don’t want to start breaking out the pesticide bombs again.

Controversy and Convictions

2005-06-02T16:36:00.000-07:00

Isn’t it strange how some issues are just lightning rods for controversy? I’ve been warned that two things you should never bring up in conversation (unless you are looking for a fight) are religion and politics. Other issues that always seem to draw massive amounts of static are race, war, abortion, gay/lesbian, animal cruelty, money, censorship, cloning, marijuana legalization, and capital punishment. I believe that it is impossible to expect that other people will naturally share or accept your convictions on any of these issues. The stubbornness of people to stick to their guns has surely caused unnecessary tension, battles, and pain.

But does that mean everyone should be entitled to have their own beliefs and adopt a live-and-let-live attitude? I think that healthy debate on controversial topics is both fun and enlightening. I’ve been taught a lot by conversing with others who have put a lot of thought into their reasons for believing what they believe. Ignoring the opportunity to learn what led to the formation of their thoughts is an opportunity wasted. In addition, any kind of belief and behavior that is detrimental to other individuals should be controlled. Think of the many tyrants who have killed innocent people who did not conform to their beliefs. Then what of the death penalty? Isn’t that detrimental to the convict and his or her loved ones? But is not punishing the offender with death for a heinous crime unjust? What about confidence that investigators did not alter the evidence to increase the severity of the crime? I don’t know the answers to these questions. I have my opinions, though.

One shortcoming I’ve seen with the argument for complete tolerance of everyone’s beliefs is that the line between good and bad disappears. If nobody is wrong, then there’s no more wrong. If the limitation is that the actions do not harm someone else, the term “harm” needs to be defined. Is it limited to physical harm? Does it include mental harm? Emotional harm? Financial harm? Who is in position to set the boundaries for tolerance? Politicians? Religious leaders? These are just a few thoughts on why controversial issues are not clear-cut. At least, that’s what I believe.

Anarchy

2005-05-25T11:21:00.000-07:00

Back in elementary school, there was a kid who used to draw the “anarchy” sign all over. On his shoes, notebooks, open space on papers. Even back then I used to wonder what would be so great about living in a state of anarchy. It would turn society into a survival of the fittest competition. There wouldn’t be any control or policing. Fair play and justice would no longer apply.

Now I am in the position to compare that situation to today’s orderly world. Does fair play exist? Some people study hard and work hard, yet cannot rise to the upper stratum of their occupations due to biases, prejudices, favoritism, or cronyism. How about justice? Is it justice when someone drives drunk and gets into a car accident that kills his passenger only to receive a six-month jail sentence? The so-called civilization that we have created for ourselves puts order to what may have been chaos but many of the bad things that we attempted to avoid still exist. Ordered evil, perhaps.

50,000

2005-05-20T00:50:00.000-07:00

Shortly after I left the parking lot of my apartment complex this morning, my car reached a major milestone. The odometer hit 50,000 miles. It occurred much quicker than I anticipated. After all, I’ve only been driving this car around for a few weeks over two years. But if you consider the drives that this car has taken, it’s not hard to understand its fast-track to the junkyard. There’s been a couple of trips to and from Louisville, the move to and from Baltimore, a trip to New York, a trip to Philadelphia, multiple trips to Washington DC and Chicago, the 120+ mile daily commute. It’s interesting to think about where I’d gone over the past 50,000 miles. I’ve driven through my fair share of nasty weather and interacted with many crazy drivers. Here is a short list of things I’ve learned while on the road:

-Ohio drivers are the worst. The speed with no abandon, fail to use their turn signals, and tailgate as if they’re following you in a thick fog. All states have drivers like these but Ohio seems to have a disproportionate amount of them.
-Police must spend a lot of time figuring out where to hide. They’ll hide around bends, behind construction equipment, in side streets and parking lots, on overpasses.
-The stock headlights on my econocar are unintentionally bright so other drivers think that I’m using my high beams.

Through it all, there has been no major problems. The only thing that I needed repaired was a broken latch to a storage compartment. This was covered under warrantee. I do bring the car in for routine maintenance every 10,000 miles, which is pricey but worth it if it will keep the car out of the mechanic shop. It’s difficult to see how American car companies will continue to compete with foreign automakers. Their products have a history of poor reliability and they have done little to improve upon that. From personal experience, every American car that we’ve owned has had major problems early in their lives. Unless I see some drastic change for the better, I will continue to avoid domestic vehicles. Some may argue against this attitude but personal history with at least six American models is enough for me.

Good or Evil?

2005-05-18T10:26:00.000-07:00

Are people inherently good or evil? This is one question that has been debated for much longer than I’ve been around. There’s good reason for that. In everyday life, we are witness to examples of people doing both good and bad things. During the drive in to work this morning, a story on the radio relayed that three teenagers who ditched school for the day set fire to the motorized wheelchair of a handicapped war veteran. Ironically, they set fire to the wheelchair by putting a lit lighter against a bag on the wheelchair containing the scholarly novels Iliad and Odyssey. In case you were wondering, this incident occurred on a Staten Island bus in New York. So what happened to this man? After he cried out for help, two women doused the flames with a bottle of water and some breast milk (previously pumped into a bottle). The man suffered no physical harm but his wheelchair was slightly melted. The teens were identified and arrested. I found the article to verify the radio report (http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/310650p-265769c.html). But who knows if it will turn out to be another Jason Blair/Newsweek/CBS News type falsified story? The declining integrity of the media, or perceived decline, is a topic for another day.

From that story alone, you see that some people perform random acts of violence while others perform random acts of kindness. It would be interesting to know the complete story behind this event.
Did the man in the wheelchair provoke the teens?
Are the teens from poor, impoverished, low-educated inner-city households or affluent, posh suburbia?
Did any of the teens feel their conscience tell them that this was wrong, yet suppressed that urge because of the influence of the others?
Did they all feel their consciences speak to them?
Do any of the teens feel remorse for their actions?
Is anyone involved a Christian? A Muslim? An atheist?
What were the teens doing that day prior to this incident?
What is their history of criminal activity?
What was their motivation and intent with the action?

The future of the players is interesting to consider as well.
What punishment will the teens receive? Will it be effective to keep them from a future in crime?
Will any of the teens do anything to repay their “debt to society?”
Will the veteran offer forgiveness if asked? If not asked?

There are many other variables involved with the culmination of this event: Gender, age, race, religion, parental oversight and responsibility, economic situations, extent of influence from movies, television, and games. None of these details were mentioned in the one-minute news blurb. To control for these and other variables that may have influenced the decision to ignite the bag and extinguish the victim would allow further insight into the inherent good or evil of these people. That is a near impossible thing to do, however. The Bible states that humans are made in the image of God, therefore are inherently good. People like Manson, Gein, and Dahmer have skeptics believing otherwise. Unfortunately the answer is not found in this blog entry. Many more studies of the behavior of babies will be performed and many more technical discussions over this topic will be had. There will even be more entries in this blog regarding this subject.

Bliss or miss?

2005-05-16T10:44:00.000-07:00

The future is always filled with uncertainty. No matter how hard you work to prepare yourself in anticipation of the next step, there are too many variables to control. The choices we are forced to make cause us to essentially choose one life or another. This idea is romanticized in the movies (e.g., Sliding Doors) and captured in books. The popular pick-a-path children’s books are actually interesting tools to help develop a child’s decision-making skills. On a tangent, a voice on the radio was discussing how toys in the 1950s, like Lincoln logs and Erector sets, were made with the intent of teaching kids skills that they would need as adults. Today’s toys are designed to simply keep the child out of their parents’ hair, teaching them minimal practical skill.

One of the hardest, most difficult things to decide is the person with whom you will share the rest of your life. The skeptics will say that in today’s world, this is not as important as it had been, as evidenced by the high divorce rate. I still believe that inherently we want to have that eternal security of love. We want to be accepted for who we are and share what we are with another. As Fr. Szarek, in his unmarried wisdom, taught us in Christian Marriage class, the most important characteristic of a successful marriage is the giving spirit. To make a marriage successful, you need to give and give and give. And when you cannot give anymore of yourself, you have to dig in deeper and find a way to give even more. Once you start to play the tit-for-tat game, counting how much you do for the other person and weighing how much your partner is contributing in return, you’ll inevitably find that you are being shortchanged and build resentment. As with raising kids, comparing your partner or your marriage to others is a dangerous thing to do. Unless your marriage is perfect (which none are) this also opens the door for bitterness and resentment to infiltrate your blissful life. He wasn’t advocating self-denial and ignorance of problems. He was cautioning against having the mentality that the grass is greener on the other side. Though I am not married yet, I am grateful for having the opportunity to learn these lessons early on.

The rash of weddings that I’ve attended over the past few years has got me thinking more about this subject. It's been a blessing that none of the unions I've been witness to have ended in divorce. That's not saying that none will, however. Sadly to admit, deep down you realize that some marriages will take a lot more work to maintain than others. Despite knowing a couple for long periods of time, it is still difficult, impossible to predict whether they will remain as one. Situations change. People change. For better or for worse. Since this is a topic that can take pages and chapters to discuss, today's rant will stop here but it will surely make its way into a future post.

Good Things Come To Those Who Wait

2005-05-13T08:36:00.000-07:00

“Good things come to those who wait.” That’s been one of my mantras to live by. I’m sure that it’s the mantra of many chronic procrastinators, simply because it serves as justification for our patience…or laziness. Well, it certainly paid off yesterday. I had held off paying a speeding ticket that I received in April. It wasn’t because of insufficient funds. It was because they won’t accept personal checks and I was putting off going to the local grocery store or liquor store to get a money order.

The officer who gave me the citation did so in such a rush that he didn’t explain how I could avoid getting points for this ticket (usually by paying more money and/or attending driving school). I tried to locate the courthouse online but didn’t find that phone number, only the location. Again, I did not want to drive to the courthouse to ask about this matter. I was settled on getting the points and leaving it at that. Then a letter from the courthouse arrived in the mail yesterday. My initial reaction was that it was a subpoena to go to court for missing the court date. The officer said that my court date was June 2 but he was in such a rush that it might have come out wrong. The ticket itself was such a poor copy that it was difficult to tell if the month was a 5 or a 6. Several years ago, this incident would have rattled me but now I’ve become so accustomed to living in the real world that my first reaction is logically planning my next steps.

So I opened the 2-page letter and read it. The contents were difficult to understand due to the high level legal terminology. After pouring over it, however, I found that it was an offer to pay a higher fine and have the charges dropped. There were two conditions with this offer: 1) I must not receive another speeding ticket over the next 12 months and 2) I could not have already paid for the speeding ticket. This, of course, validated my procrastination! In life, as in comedy, timing is everything. Now I can’t wait too long since this offer is only good for 14 days. So liquor store, here I come.

Dressing Up

2005-05-12T11:20:00.000-07:00

One thing that I noticed from Saturday’s race was that there weren’t any runners/walkers in costume. That was a little disappointing. It was fun to see the different things people came up with in Baltimore. At least 25 people wore a blue Superman t-shirt. An old man dressed in a powder blue tuxedo. Even the spectators got into it. One dressed as a turtle. Another dressed as a chicken. I’ve thought about what I would wear if I were to dress up for a race. I’m sure it’s not a matter of if, but when. It should be something that is relatively lightweight so it isn’t a pain to wear for long distances (no Jesus carrying a life-sized cross). It needs to be breathable material (no vinyl). It should also be amusing, yet non-offensive (no nudity). Face paint would just smear with sweat (no KISS impersonation). Decorations that are not aerodynamic may fly off mid-race (no Native American headdress). Seems like a lot to consider as opposed to slapping on a t-shirt and shorts. On a related note, my date to my high school senior prom got married in a race. I found this out when reading the local paper on the first week I moved to Kentucky. She dressed in a modified wedding gown. She met her husband at a race where he was dressed like the Silver Surfer. Different, that’s for sure. That certainly isn’t my expectation from running in costume but it still seems like a fun idea.

Episode III

2005-05-11T08:10:00.000-07:00

I haven’t seen a movie in a theater in a while. Instead, I’ve been renting movies to watch at home. It’s probably due to a mixture of reasons: the comfort of lounging around, the convenience of starting and pausing the movie when you want, the lower expense of the rental, the extra features on the DVDs. There is a movie this summer that will certainly draw me out of this mode and back to the land of the $9 ticket. Of course that movie is Episode III. I must admit that I’ve already read the summary script of the movie so I know what will happen and how the characters solve the predicaments in which they are found. That doesn’t replace the experience of seeing the computer-generated special effects, though. I’ve already missed watching most of the Matrix trilogy and the final LOTR movie on the big screen so I don’t want to miss this opportunity. With regards to special effects, it is difficult to capture the same feeling from watching the movie on a small screen.

I don’t usually get overwhelmingly excited about a movie or event. I realize that they are transient parts of life that you enjoy at the moment but not devote a lot of energy in preparation for. This is no different with Episode III. I did go to the toy store yesterday looking for that Darth Tater toy, though. Even if it is fun to have as a novelty item, I think that the investment potential is a stronger consideration for ownership. Nevertheless, I didn’t find it. It’s obvious that I am much later than I needed to be to own one of these. In fact, this $8 toy is being sold on Ebay for ~$26. After this year, after the Star Wars franchise is over, these items will greatly appreciate in value. Just take a quick look at the value of some of the toys on Ebay. Transformers. GI Joe. Barbie. Even though this isn’t an investment that you’d want to count on to fund your retirement, it’s hard to ignore an appreciation of hundreds of percents. Burger King starts their Star Wars Kids Meal toy promotion this week. I’ll be in there for my hamburger Kids Meal.

Top Ten (percent)

2005-05-10T10:21:00.000-07:00

Well, Saturday’s race went about as well as I could’ve expected. I didn’t have a second coming of the glory days of high school but I did finish number 359 out of 3414. This top ten percent finish (rounded) was probably due in large part to the many walkers. It was a fun run. The day was beautiful and there were plenty of people out in the start and finish to cheer us on. A few bands were out playing in the sun, which helped distract from the fatigue. The only complaint that I have is the insistence of some walkers to start the race in the first corral. In an ideal world, the faster racers would be positioned in the front so there would be less jockeying for position when the gun is fired. The race planners even assigned us to corrals based on our indication of intention to run or walk the course. I guess there’s just something about wanting to see the front gate that attracts people like flies to the deadly blue light.

When comparing this race experience to the Baltimore marathon, I see the value in mapping the course through the neighborhoods of the city. Since I only ran the 5K, I can’t speak for the mini-marathon, but there were far fewer people lining the streets in Indy than in Baltimore. I think that it’s because the race ran mostly through non-residential areas. I used to think that people were crazy for going to watch marathons. Why waste your time? I’ve gained a much better appreciation for the spectators. It is difficult to describe the boost that you get when you’re trotting along and someone yells, “You’re doing great! Come on! Keep it up!” Even though it may be a generic motivational cheer, it makes me feel much more inspired to continue running. Once in a while, someone will see the print on my running shirt and yell, “Come on, Kentucky! You’re looking good!” The individual prodding gets the adrenaline pumping even more. I am indebted to all of these do-gooders for their service to the runners.

48 hours

2005-05-05T14:16:00.000-07:00

The race is 2 days away. It's a little worrisome that I've only run a couple of times since the new year began. Nevertheless, it's only a 5K on a flat course, for which I'd be disappointed if I couldn't finish it without any training at all. If I’m in the same situation in 4-1/2 months with the full marathon, then I’ll be in trouble.

What little training I have done has reminded me of a little fact hidden away. Training is so much easier when you are training with someone else. Even when you aren’t really training WITH others, just being around others who are also training helps. Two days ago, I ran on a solitary treadmill in the apartment complex’s workout room - 1.5 miles. Last night I ran at the gym - 3.5 miles. Was it because of the run from the previous day? I think it was because I was inspired to keep going by all of the others running around me.

Not inspiration due to competition. More like inspiration from the temporary camaraderie with the other runners. It makes sense since humans are social creatures. At least we are to different degrees. I’m shooting for 4-5 miles tonight with a day off on Friday.