To anyone who has any free time at all this weekend- rent the documentary Food, Inc.
There are no words for how this movie made me feel.
American's really don't know where most of their food comes from. They don't know the companies that mass produce this food. These companies that exploit animals and workers. I have not typically taken a strong stance on things being "organic," or eating less meat, but I really do want to change the way I eat and who I buy things from.
I really just want to spend the summer learning how to raise a small farm. I really believe it would be worth it.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Morality and Psychoanalysis
I'm afraid I've been quite convicted.
When I really realize the state of my life, I know that much improvement is needed...
"Some of us who seem quite nice people may, in fact, have made so little use of a good heredity and a good upbringing that we are really worse than those whom we regard as fiends. Can we be quite certain how we should have behaved if we had been saddled with the psychological outfit, and then with the bad upbringing, and then with power, say, or Himmler? That is why Christians are told not to judge. We see only the results which a man's choices make out of his raw material. But God does not judge him on the raw material at all, but on what he has done with it."
C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity
When I really realize the state of my life, I know that much improvement is needed...
"Some of us who seem quite nice people may, in fact, have made so little use of a good heredity and a good upbringing that we are really worse than those whom we regard as fiends. Can we be quite certain how we should have behaved if we had been saddled with the psychological outfit, and then with the bad upbringing, and then with power, say, or Himmler? That is why Christians are told not to judge. We see only the results which a man's choices make out of his raw material. But God does not judge him on the raw material at all, but on what he has done with it."
C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
2010
I can't believe it really is 2010.
A new decade.
It seems to me that 2005 was only moments ago, regardless of the fact that I am still so young. I remember realizing that I would probably graduate from college in 2011, and I also remember that year sounding like an eternity away.
Someday, will people call this the tens? the teens? Who even knows? I don't.
All that really seems to be on my mind lately is what is to come. I am constantly planning. Trying to be efficient and figure my life out. At the same time, I get a thrill from the fact that I really just don't know what I will be doing with my life a year from now. Will I get into PA school for the summer? Will I stay in Michigan? Will I travel?
I am semi-stressed about my senior project that I have to propose by April 1. At least I have a professor to work with now-that is a major step. I have a 4th meeting with him tomorrow to be trained on some things in the lab. At this point, I have no idea what is going on. I just smile as he goes on excitedly about all the proposed plans he has. "...and so you take the transposons.... and we can run a polymerase chain reaction.... Drosophila this... Drosophila that..."
I will have it figured out someday, I suppose. Hopefully my time this semester cleaning out test tubes of dead flies and learning how to run tests will give me a push in the right direction.
One thing I have been wondering. What is the origin of the word hardly? I suppose I could look it up, but it makes no sense. It seems like the word should mean harshly. Or maybe with great vigor. Not barely. That makes no sense.
Overall, I am beaming about life right now. I am so lucky to have the life I was blessed with.
I can't believe how selfish I can be. People in America have such great lives. We have such luxury; so many choices.
Which reminds me of a study my mom told me about where a group of people could choose one poster to keep that was presented to them. Half the participants were told that they were not allowed to switch posters, and the other half were told that they could.
In the end, guess who was happier?
The people who were forced to keep their first choice.
So maybe choice and opportunity aren't always a blessing. But I still think we need to remind ourselves that they are a privilege.
A new decade.
It seems to me that 2005 was only moments ago, regardless of the fact that I am still so young. I remember realizing that I would probably graduate from college in 2011, and I also remember that year sounding like an eternity away.
Someday, will people call this the tens? the teens? Who even knows? I don't.
All that really seems to be on my mind lately is what is to come. I am constantly planning. Trying to be efficient and figure my life out. At the same time, I get a thrill from the fact that I really just don't know what I will be doing with my life a year from now. Will I get into PA school for the summer? Will I stay in Michigan? Will I travel?
I am semi-stressed about my senior project that I have to propose by April 1. At least I have a professor to work with now-that is a major step. I have a 4th meeting with him tomorrow to be trained on some things in the lab. At this point, I have no idea what is going on. I just smile as he goes on excitedly about all the proposed plans he has. "...and so you take the transposons.... and we can run a polymerase chain reaction.... Drosophila this... Drosophila that..."
I will have it figured out someday, I suppose. Hopefully my time this semester cleaning out test tubes of dead flies and learning how to run tests will give me a push in the right direction.
One thing I have been wondering. What is the origin of the word hardly? I suppose I could look it up, but it makes no sense. It seems like the word should mean harshly. Or maybe with great vigor. Not barely. That makes no sense.
Overall, I am beaming about life right now. I am so lucky to have the life I was blessed with.
I can't believe how selfish I can be. People in America have such great lives. We have such luxury; so many choices.
Which reminds me of a study my mom told me about where a group of people could choose one poster to keep that was presented to them. Half the participants were told that they were not allowed to switch posters, and the other half were told that they could.
In the end, guess who was happier?
The people who were forced to keep their first choice.
So maybe choice and opportunity aren't always a blessing. But I still think we need to remind ourselves that they are a privilege.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Good Morning, World.
As I have spent the last hour or two reading xanga posts from the past, I am feeling inspired to to blog again. I think it is good for the brain, to spend time in a little meditation and thought about the events of life. I know that this may be a passing inspiration, but I do know that I will appreciate being able to comment on Taylor's blog when I have something to say. (Which is almost every time I visit the site).
As usual, my aspirations for what break would be like have kind of been diminished by the time warp I always seem to end up in when I have some free time. Either I am with family, Kyle, working, or doing something entirely non-productive.
I have seen some people that I hoped to see, but not as many as I might have liked to see.
Wouldn't it be nice if I lived in Chicago? I sure do, since some of my favorite people live there, and the city is full of interesting things. But of course, I love many people here as well. Its just a little bit amazing that I've spent a whole lifetime in the same spot.
Its time to explore, I think.
Which reminds me. I am thinking a road trip for spring break '10 is in order. I can think of several people who might be down for this, so I will definitely need to do some discussing soon.
Alright. This has been sufficient. Still to do:
Pick up a day at work (I was hoping that would be today... or tomorrow?)
Snowboard again
Finish sewing my dress
Go to GV and meet with Prof. Burg for my research project.
Let it be.
As usual, my aspirations for what break would be like have kind of been diminished by the time warp I always seem to end up in when I have some free time. Either I am with family, Kyle, working, or doing something entirely non-productive.
I have seen some people that I hoped to see, but not as many as I might have liked to see.
Wouldn't it be nice if I lived in Chicago? I sure do, since some of my favorite people live there, and the city is full of interesting things. But of course, I love many people here as well. Its just a little bit amazing that I've spent a whole lifetime in the same spot.
Its time to explore, I think.
Which reminds me. I am thinking a road trip for spring break '10 is in order. I can think of several people who might be down for this, so I will definitely need to do some discussing soon.
Alright. This has been sufficient. Still to do:
Pick up a day at work (I was hoping that would be today... or tomorrow?)
Snowboard again
Finish sewing my dress
Go to GV and meet with Prof. Burg for my research project.
Let it be.
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