Nov. 28th

Well, that was a longer break from writing than I was planning to take. I actually wasn't even planning to take one day off. I am really trying to dedicate myself to this, which I think makes it hard for me to get back after I miss a day. I tend to want things I do to be perfect, and if I accidentally mess something up I usually just stop caring. I need to quit expecting things to be done right and just keep on trying. Plus, it's just a stupid blog. Who cares if I miss one day? Well, I care, but who besides that? Nobody.

I've had a good week or so. Nothing really to report. The McKims had a baby. That's cool. Thanksgiving was nice. Not great, but nice. I've finished two books. The Case For God by Karen Armstrong was the first. I really enjoyed that one. It was an analytical look at the history of how humanity has interacted with God or godlike entities. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in exploring his/her faith without all the religious or antireligious language and stances that usually riddle these kind of books. It really impacted me. The other book I read was True Grit by Charles Portis. It is a novel that has been adapted into a film by the Coen brothers. I am a big fan of their films, so I wanted to have a nice grasp of what their latest movie would be like. I wasn't impressed with this book. It read just a like a standard Western novel would, which is bad in my view. It was formulaic and violent. It was sort of interesting to have a fourteen year old girl as a narrator and vigilante, but that didn't redeem the book in my opinion. I'll bet after watching the movie version this will be one of the first times I will like an adapted movie better than the book it was based on. There just wasn't much there. Oh well.

This should be a good week. I feel confident about that. See you tomorrow.

November 17th Reading:

I just read a section of a poem from Anselm of Laon that I thought I would try to remember. It starts rather abruptly, so I'll try to add a bit to help understand what he means.

[I want to grasp] a little of your truth, to which my heart is already loyal

and which it loves. For I do not seek to understand in order that I may have faith, but I commit myself in order that I may understand; and what is more, I am certain that unless I so commit myself I shall not understand.

It might be strange out of the context of the book I am reading, but I just wanted to remember it.

November 16th, 2010

Worked the open shift this morning with James and Shaun. I love the feeling of being done with work shortly after I am fully awake. That first two to three hours is usually just a sleepy blur.

I had lunch with my parents today, my mom started talking to me about the Truth Project DVDs they are watching and discussing with Erica and Scottie. We then had a discussion that rode the fence between civil and uncivil about the merits and demerits of the Focus on the Family organization. I don't really like them and am skeptical of their programs and publications. I believe this is an earned distrust, not just a stigma that they've earned by their associations.

I helped my brother and dad move some stuff on and off a trailer.

Dinner was horseradish cheddar grilled cheese sando's. Real tasty.

Went to the Fenders to do some cleaning. Afterwards, I sat down and read a vastly misinformed article about young "post-Christians" in Fred's copy of Christianity Today. I think I read that magazine for the sole purpose of getting pissed off.

I'm excited about my day off tomorrow. Should be nice to spend the day reading and relaxing.

November 15th

Today I worked a bus shift at the M. It was a fairly normal day, but the monotony of the job really got to me. I was in a good mood, but I was certainly feeling quiet and tired. Not sleepy or physically tired, just shut down. I am on and off about working at the Flying M. I love the place, and most of the people I work with, but I just don't know if I can handle foodservice for much longer. In fact I know I can't. My friends are even telling me that I need to get a new job.

I've been reading A Case for God by Kristen Armstrong. It's been good. Lots of ups and downs, though. At one moment I am feeling inspired by how humanity has viewed God and practiced religion, and at the next I am depressed at revelations about Christian history and left wondering what I really believe in. Then, I am back to being completely content with what I believe. I am loving all this history, but I am not really one to get into history. It's confusing. Maybe I should read that Lee Strobel stuff next, so I get both sides of the argument for God. Then maybe I should read some Dawkins, so that I am not unaware of what I think I disagree with.

I learned more about my possible future job today. It looks like drafting is actually a good place to be in this economy. Lots of professions need drafters. I am thinking it might be a good place to start in my quest to become an architect.

Diana and I sat by the fire tonight, it was nice. I had to lock the dogs out of the library so they would stop barking. They were being distracting and annoying.

Today is the day that Harvey is due. No Harvey yet. It is exciting for one of the couples in our friend group to take the parenthood plunge.

Back to the Blog

Hey everybody or nobody,

I'm coming back to the blog world. It has been about 7 months since my last post. I haven't stopped reading, but I have stopped writing about reading. I'm sorry if anyone/no one is disappointed about that. I've decided that I want to start doing a daily register concerning my humdrum life. Mostly this is inspired by Diana's visual diary that she is keeping. I realized how much I forget about myself in a day, and I would like to continue to compound on my experience, instead of forgetting about it and repeating it in a constant cycle. Anyone/no one who might be reading this for any reason other than an interest in me should be informed that it might be personal and it might be philosophical, but that it will probably be self-centered. Also that it won't be polished. I don't want to spend a lot of time editing things like I did in the posts that came before this one. I just want it to be a reminder of where I've been and what I've done. I've decided to keep the name the same, because it still makes sense. Expect my next post to be within the next few hours from now.

-Joe