One of my favorite songs by my favorite band! These guys were killer at their live show (it’s what they’re known for). Into Your Veins by Five Iron Frenzy: http://youtu.be/zeyiBKsYQXQ
Culture War Pacifist
I’ll be honest, I follow quite a few outspoken bloggers and writers in my day-to-day reading. I’m always interested in their takes on culture, current events, and whatnot. And yes, most of them lean towards my thoughts in several areas. I enjoy the challenge of thinking about difficult problems of life and faith.
But so far I’ve resisted the urge to post my own thoughts on “left” and “right” and right and wrong in the never-ending Culture War. Is this because I don’t know what I believe? Is it because I don’t want to offend anybody?
No. It’s because I don’t feel I need to proactively defend what I think, or try to convince others what I think is right or wrong. I know from personal experience that it’s very difficult to change someone’s mind unless they are willing to consider alternatives. And frankly, in today’s internet environment, it’s just easier to find a group of people that thinks like you instead of actually trying to defend your beliefs.
Should I be actively throwing my beliefs on social issues out there? Should I be overwhelmingly vocal about things that other people feel passionately about? I guess that depends on my reason for having a blog in the first place. Some things I am vocal about; some I’m not. Some things I just am not interested in discussing, and some things I need to learn more about before I would even consider it. Ultimately, I get to decide what I want to discuss because I feel it’s relevant. Is that selfish of me? Continue reading “Culture War Pacifist”
Three Years: Looking Back
Today makes 3 years since I was waylaid by a car that ran a red light. I never imagined how much it would change my life. As I get ready for bed tonight (taking Aleve because my titanium femur aches when I spend all day walking at my job) I can’t help but be thankful that I’m physically as well as I am, and mentally adjusted to deal with what my new “normal” is.
The question is, if I knew I was going to end up in the hospital when I started riding my bike, would I still have done it? How much risk is acceptable… especially considering the massively potential benefits? How do we go through life mitigating risk? Should we live in fear, cowering in the dark every day of our lives?
No. Life is meant to be lived. Pain is a part of life, in varying amounts. Joy, love, exhilaration, and happiness are also part of life, also in varying amounts. We can’t only expect comfort and pleasant sailing when we’re accomplishing difficult things. It makes me even more thankful for the happiness I do have, and the good things that have happened. A lot of people would be bitter. I am thankful. Not thankful for the pain, but thankful that I lived to tell about it, and realize how much I had taken for granted. Thankful that God allowed me to recover, and through it, brought me closer to Him.
Don’t live life afraid. Embrace it fully, experience it deeply, and put forth your best, warts and all. Sometimes it will hurt. You just get up, get back on the bike, and keep riding. Continue reading “Three Years: Looking Back”
Sleep Deprivation And You
I have always struggled with getting enough rest, for as long as I can remember. Through my college years, I would stay awake for days (usually playing ping-pong and video games) and then binge sleep on the weekends (and some Mondays). I never really thought anything of it.
A few years back, I took a job working at a hospital in New Orleans. I had the joy of working the weekend night shift, which meant I worked 7pm to 7am, Saturday and Sunday night, every week. I would get off of work Monday morning when the day crew would come in at 7am. I was alone the whole time. Sometimes late at night I would walk up to the ICU ward and listen to the breathing machines and monitors, just to stay awake. Sometimes I would go up to the NeoNatal unit to watch preemies in incubators. Sometimes I was so tired, I would hallucinate, and fall asleep sitting at my desk, perched on a tall chair. Sometimes between 4am and 5am I would pass out on the floor, with my backpack as a pillow, and sleep for 30 minutes because I couldn’t hold my eyes open.
To make things worse, I had to come in for two 8-hour day shifts on Wednesdays and Thursdays, every week. After six months, my body still hadn’t adjusted. I was either working, sleeping, or staring into space like a zombie. For six straight months.
Somewhere during that time, I realized that I couldn’t function without sleep. That’s also when I started drinking coffee to be able to function (and it’s been ten years, I still haven’t broken that addiction! LOL). Eventually, I quit that job because I couldn’t function. Things went back to normal- for a while.
Fast forward a few years. Now I’m working a job I love. I’m eating right, exercising, doing everything right. And yet, I don’t get enough sleep. How much is considered enough? How much does a normal person need to function properly? Would you even know what functioning properly would feel like?? Continue reading “Sleep Deprivation And You”
More Live Looping
More live looping fun! Major props to Arthur. Without his music, I may never have discovered live looping. Keep doing what you’re doing, man.
[youtube_sc url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_eQ3g-xhgg”]