Dem Endorphins

I'm exhausted. I've been doing an exercise regimen daily and eating a whole lot better--and I feel a whole lot better as well. It's really quite astounding. I have more energy during the day and my anxiety levels feel a bit lower!

Remember

I hope everyone has an okay Memorial Day. I respect those of you who have lost loved ones immensely. I hope that one day, Memorial Day will serve as a time to remember those we have lost in "war," a concept for something which once happened but no longer does.

Works for Me

Tonight, I had some errands to run and I have to be up early for work tomorrow--I came across this image and wanted to share it with you all before I went to bed.

I have a diagnosed anxiety disorder--I don't take meds. I monitor my thoughts, do deep breathing exercises, and study up on different relaxation techniques. My friend has anxiety and takes medication for it. Both of us have one goal--to get better. As long as we are working toward that, that's alright. 

Pretty Sure the Last Days Were Last Century

Tonight, I worked out with my sweet fiancé and now we have some errands to run--but I came across this picture on The Book of Faces and thought I'd share my views.

This is pretty vague and actually could describe a number of situations that have...already happened. It's so vague, in fact, that it could actually be a ploy to create fear in hopes of garnering more committed followers...nah. 

Tut Tut

Today, I opened and closed at work and I will be doing the same tomorrow: however, I would like to take the time to share an interesting documentary I have been watching (on Netflix) called Ultimate Tut. It's pretty interesting, and debunks a lot of myths surrounding Tut.

Wee-woo wee-woo!

Today, I came across an article written in "Relevant," a magazine popular in Christian youth circles.

I appreciate articles like these for their candid approach towards other Christians, the "morality police." They realize that simply calling us non-believers "fools" or other assorted insulting names will in no way sway us to their belief system.

However, I think the author is missing the point that non-believers often make when we see examples of "rude Christians:" See, the rude ones are essentially doing what their god has called them to do. I'm not going to sit here and say that the nice Christians aren't "true Christians--" I will save assertions like those for others to make. I'm saying that the "nice Christians" have tuned out parts of the bible that portray their god in a negative light, thereby ignoring the chance to reason objectively about their own beliefs.

Further Descent

Today, I happened upon a post for people suffering from depression and anxiety. My advice? Find counseling. Focus on harmful patterns in thinking and how to correct them.

The blog that I stumbled upon suggested counseling as well--number nine on a list of actions that included prayer, worship, and Scripture. Basically for these people, if you are suffering from mental illness you need to focus on a delusion, not helping yourself.

Order of Defiance

Today, I read an article about the breaking of a man's faith.

This man, frontman for (the formerly) Christian metalcore band Order of Elijah, encountered drug use and abuse during his life. He then found the church and changed his ways, went through a painful divorce, and fell back into his own habits. After climbing back to square one, he began to question his faith--and broke from it after reading The God Delusion.

I have heard many people of faith claim that when one is dealing with problems in their life (namely addictions) they have simply turned to these things because they're trying to "fill the emptiness" within their life--an emptiness that can truly be filled by the holy spirit.

I say this is partially true. For this man and others, one addiction was traded for another. I contend that once he bounced back from his relapse (and kudos to him for doing so) he truly began to reflect on his life choices and what he would need to do to change things for the better.

I say that to make a positive change in life, one needs to attack the source of distress that they feel--not cover it up with drugs or fantasies.

Orangutan

Currently watching a documentary about Indochinan wildlife--absolutely beautiful! It's amazing how such diversity is brought about from isolation. 

It's films like this which make me wonder how one cannot see at least aspects of evolution at work. 

Emotional Rationing

Today, I worked open to close and I will be doing the same tomorrow. I would, however, like to share this poignant quote with you all.

Hiatus

I'm taking a hiatus from the blog tonight due to unforseen circumstances. Thank you to those who read my blog!

Chirping Crickets

Today, I happened upon this picture on Joshua Feuerstein's page.

From the looks of this picture, that "something" is going to be a dirty diaper (maybe even one with a cross in it!)

The Source

Today, I had a discussion on The Book of Faces with a theist.

While I am happy that the discussion allowed me to better "hash out" my own views on morality personally, I wish that there had been more...substance. I hoped I helped encourage him to think critically. Perhaps he is experiencing some internal discourse of his own.

Nothing Really Matters...To Me

Today, I've had so many thoughts racing through my head with Bohemian Rhapsody playing in the background. Earlier, I stumbled upon this post on The Book of Faces:

Aww. Here I thought I was making a difference in the world. Shucks. 

Stuck Between Barack and a Hard Place

Today, I read an article about the Obama administration's mandate toward public schools in regards to fair treatment of transgender students under Title IX.

Some are angry, the article suggests, because the federal government will withhold funding from schools which do not comply with these standards. Additionally, the administration's interpretation of "sex" in Title IX includes gender identity--however, sex and gender (at least the way I studied the concepts in college) are two different constructs. 

I do not agree with the federal government's ultimatum, especially it it could adversely affect students (especially students who are already enmeshed in a system which teaches pseudoscience and illogical thinking, as suggested by these quotes from the article);

" '[Obama] says he is going to withhold funding if schools do not follow the policy. Well, in Texas he can keep his 30 pieces of silver. We will not yield to blackmail from the president of the United States,' Patrick said. He went on to suggest that if the administration did withhold funds, low-income students who rely on free breakfasts and lunches would be the most affected."

"He called the guidelines for accommodating trans students 'the biggest issue facing families and schools in America since prayer was taken out of public schools.' "

I do think the administration should have approached this situation differently, focusing on lawmakers/government officials in states that do not comply with these standards and not threatening to withhold school funding on a loose interpretation of an anti-discrimination law. That being said, I think that if the primary concern of officials were the welfare of students, they would 1. research transgender issues and 2. comply with the standards so that their schools would have guaranteed funding. Unfortunately, it seems that lack of education is harming those who are trying to further theirs. 

In Another's Shoes

Today has been a long day and I have quite a bit to do tonight. But I would like to share this post written by a Christian pastor who is trying to understand what it means for someone to be transgender.

I Could Have Stopped This

Today, I happened upon this post on The Book of Faces.

The author talks of the tree which would later be used to crucify Jesus Christ, and muses as to whether or not the original god contemplated the creation of that tree.

In my own contemplation of this, I wonder: "If such a god existed...why not create a universe in which none of this blood sacrifice is needed?"

The Christian may reply: "God wants us to have free will. To be able to choose." Okay. But if this god is all-powerful, as you claim, could he/she have not created a universe in which we can have free will without the need for this sacrifice?

Into the Abyss

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is collecting data on the Marianas Trench--and giving the world a chance to explore with them.

They're streaming live video feed of the expedition--portions of the expeditions are simply part of the cruise around different points, but parts will consist of the actual dives! Additionally, viewers can rewind the video up to three hours before they began streaming. 

And the Beat Goes On

Today, I had the wonderful opportunity to teach residents at work how to play the drums. 

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With all the stressful things going on (end-of-semester scrambling, "work," work, family happenings, etc.) planning for the lesson almost felt like another chore. I passed out last night after creating a playlist and writing out the lesson steps and completely forgetting to write a blog post. When I arrived at the home earlier today, there was even more to be done--things were missing--and it was a bit of a mess. 

I was about to get stressed out again...but I just decided to let it go and have fun with the lesson, even if it wasn't going to go exactly as I had planned it. And we all had fun! The residents did an amazing job too--and most of them wanted to come back and do another lesson. Who would have thought that something which initially felt like just another stressor would be one of the highlights of my week, all because of a shift in perception? 

That Word...I Do Not Think it Means What You Think it Means

I came across this post yesterday.

Let me get this straight...the god of peace is gonna...crush someone. Uh-huh.

How...Convenient

My internet is down, and I had some things I had to have sent tonight. So this post will be short and sweet and powered by 4G LTE data. I love satirical articles such as this one, especially when they are appreciated by Christians and secular folks alike.

So this was the only photo on my phone that actually sort of applied to this post. I really like it, actually.

Praise Mesus

Today has been a long day, and I'm celebrating by watching Deadpool with my babe. I would, however, like to share this amusing meme with you all.

You'd think he'd depict...Jesus. Or something. 

You Jump to That Conclusion!

Today, I came a across this video.




The creator of this video talks of certain "constants," (such as gravitational pull) and how they seem to be "fine-tuned" (E.g. if constant X were just a hair off, life in our universe would not be possible). For one, I think (mind you, I have studied physics but am in no way a physicist) that if there was such a universe in which one of these constants were "a hair" off, that universe would be vastly different from ours...something we couldn't even imagine because we are so used to, well, this one. The video provides evidence for these constants but does not (and probably could not) provide evidence for the complete non-sustainability of  life given a situation in which a constant was not the way it is in this universe.

Additionally, the video makes a point that if the gravitational pull constant were just a hair off, our universe would either a. expand too quickly or b. collapse back on itself--and this type of universe could not support any type of life. But how is "too quickly" defined? Compared to the age of our universe, we are but a tiny blip on the timeline.

Thanks for Spawning Me

Happy Mother's Day!

Voyeur

Today, I read a news story about an alleged voyeur in a Target changing room.

If he truly committed this act, I hope the justice system punishes him to the fullest extent of the law.

However, many news sites are using this story to further the "Target is endangering our children!" narrative. I thought about this myself. Perhaps Target did take this too far in terms of lack of planning for proper staff as far as security is concerned. 

However, Target's support of transgender folks using the bathroom/fitting room which matches their gender identity is likely not the reason for this alleged voyeur's actions. Unfortunately, voyeurs act on their impulses no matter the circumstance, like:

this voyeur arrested for peeping into a fitting room at a Forever 21 in 2014 (male in female fitting room area),

this Reebok outlet voyeur from earlier this year  (male employee in a female fitting room), 

this Kohl's voyeur from 2013 (male employee in a female fitting room), 

and I personally know of a case of voyeurism myself that a friend from college told me about and I subsequently looked up, but I won't post any details on that one (hint, it wasn't at Target, it was someone who lured people into a "safe space"), 

and another one committed by a member of my family (who will remain nameless, for obvious reasons). 

Perhaps the message here is that we need to increase security in fitting room areas, and awareness in other aspects of life. 

Let Them Choose!

Today, I read an article about a would-be event for dads who wanted to "marry off" their young.

It was a troubling story, and while I commend the Salvation Army for not allowing this event on Salvation Army property, I am sure it will happen elsewhere. At best, it's forced marriage (though the group adamantly denies this. (Look at the top of the page to see what I mean). At worst, it's human trafficking. It's horrible that this group is out there, and it seems every time I look at something different on the page I see something less and less logical, less and less allowing others their due freedom. 

In the page linked above, the group talks about the "evils" of someone who was a part of a group like theirs but was sent to a "Godless" college and changed their beliefs. I can't imagine what it's like for people--children--who are still a part of this cult. 

Topsy-Turvy

Today, I am absolutely exhausted. But I came across this poignant meme that I would like to share:

A New Perspective

Today, I read an article which detailed a different theory as to how diseases like Alzheimer's originate.

According to the article, mice bred to have neurological problems had a protein present in many of their fully-formed neurons--a protein that is generally only expressed to signal cells to "get rid of" those neurons. This process, when it works correctly, is known as synaptic pruning--and it helps our brains not become "overloaded" with too much unnecessary information. When this synaptic pruning goes awry, it may result in illnesses such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's. 

Out of the Frying Pan

Today, I stumbled upon this video. I encourage you to watch it, especially if you have a penchant for diet sodas. The introduction is quite long, but it's worth the wait.

Engage.

There are (in my opinion) a million reasons to love Patrick Stewart--and this is one of them.

A champion for women's rights and the rights of abuse victims, Patrick also fights for the "flip side of the coin" in his situation growing up--mental health and its effect on relationships. This is not to say that every perpetrator of abuse is suffering from a mental disorder. In this case, however, Stewart's father had PTSD, which can result in angry outbursts on the part of the person with the disorder. It could have been easy for Patrick to resent his father and simply ignore any underlying causes, but he didn't. 

Come Together, Right Now

Today, I stumbled upon a counter-petition  for those of us who wish to support Target's decision! Check it out!