Great News!!

Rob Bell is coming out with a book. It's called Velvet Elvis

August 1st...

velvet elvis is a metaphor for something outdated by the way

Random Nostalgic Thoughts

As I was cleaning my room the other day I ran across some old letters from freinds that I have not seen in a while. It seems that the older I get the more important memories become. I find it hard to remember who I was a few years ago without something or someone reminding me. I find it hard to remember how ignorant of the world I was. I find it hard to remember how ignorant of the world I am now. For some reason as life moves on we forget who we were in the process of becoming who we are. I think this can be a dangerous thing since who we were directly affects and has shaped who we are.

About a year ago I did some work in an alzheimer's unit in a retirement center. When I first walked in I felt completely useless. They couldn't hold a conversation or even remember a few easy facts about me and couldnt evenremember how to go to the bathroom. Every week I would go, the same conversation would start over again with a few imagined facts thrown in by the patients, such as me being married to someone they know or something. I wondered if it did any good to really go there and talk to people who would have no memory of it after I left. I wondered if it was really helping them for me to explain who I am, where I am from and how old I am every week. I don't have a nice ending from that place, I still wonder if I did anything at all there that was helpful but I did learn the significance of memories there. Without them we tend to be lost as humans.

I also used to really be down on History in school. Maybe because I had one of the worst teachers of my whole schooling but I think it was because of the whole theory on why they told us history was important. "If you dont learn history it will repeat itself." I used to always think, "well it doesnt seem to be working...wars, rape, genoicide, homicide, child molestation are all still happening even with history being taught in schools". So I used to just see history as a pointless subject with some interesting stories. I have come to realize now, however, that we are doomed to fail as humans not because of lack of history but because thats who we are failures. History is not about not failing but about finding out who we are. There was always this 'us and them' distinction when talking about people of the past. It made the whole learning process disconnected to me. As I look at history now we are all the same people. I find that humans are all failures and conquerors, we all have faith and doubts, we all want truth and knowledge and all us search for meaning.

I'm such the mountain man haha 

Trying this photo blog thingy out 

Bikes

You know... I used to be a fan of bikes. We were cool, never had any real problems. They got me places faster than I could walk and I would fill their tires when they would start going flat. Only that whole relationship changed this week. For some reason, the unspoked bond between bycicles and I was shattered. I dont know if it will ever be reconciled, there is still hope but it seems to be a long road. One that, honestly, I am just not sure I feel like traveling.

It all started in the blink of an eye. We were getting along fine. I road the white bomber (a white beach bike) down to the beach and locked her up. Leaving her all safe and sound with a nice view of the ocean and everything. When I returned to her she completely flipped out. Now mind you I admit that I might have looked at another bike on the rack rather enviously but it didnt really mean anything. As I mounted the white bomber I quickly realized the front tire was flat. As I started to walk the bike back the 6 blocks to the shore house in 90+ degree weather I saw that there was a screw lodged in the front tire. I smelled foul play right away. I couldnt just pull the screw out, I had to unscrew it out...seemed fishy.

If that was it, I might have just let it slide. However, as I pulled out another bike to ride it todayto the beach, the front tire was low and the seat was low. So I pulled out the tools to raise the bike seat only to find out the screw was rusted and wouldn't budge. Not to mention the bugs all up on me and the sunny day calling me to the beach. So I put that bike back and get out the bike with the oddest seat you have ever seen. The seat consists of two oval like pads that, I swear, are only there to cause immense pain to the buttox area. I then finally pull out a good one and give the pain in the butt bike to my freind Nate, who looks like he has a bad case of hemroids when he rode the bike.

Later that evening Nate and I decided we wanted to go out to eat so I again grab the one good bike (out of 5 that are usually rideable). Nate decided to try the low seat and low front tire bike instead of the pain in the butt bike this time. As Nate pulls out on his low rider I start to follow only to find out that my chain has fallen off. Mind you, this would just be considered normal except that the bike knew I was trying to get to diner and you cant get the chain back on without getting your fingers a complete mess. So I fix the chain and my fingers are all kinds of greased up. I then have to try to find something that will wash it off. A hose didnt work so then I had to get paint thinner and wash it off. To top it all off, I ended up getting a sandwhich and fries which I had to eat with paint thinner cleaned hands.

Moral of the story: Keep your eyes out, I think the bikes are trying to take over humans, they are tired of being our slaves

Distance

Im sitting at the Diner with friends I have had for years now, but I feel like a stranger and out of place. I feel like I have walked into a movie about a third of the way through, where everyone knows whats going on but me. I dont want to be rude and ask whats going on or talk about where I have been because I know it's always boring for the other person to listen to what a fun time they didn't have. So I just sat there pretending to fit in and be normal.

Spending 12 days camping, hiking, rock climbing and white water rafting with the same people does something to you (also spending 32 hours in the same van with the same people does something to you). As I returned from my trip to Colorado and assimlated back into my normal routine I realized something... home and friends didnt feel like home and friends anymore. I'm sure they quickly will again but isn't it odd how such a short time away from the regular brings about such distance? I wonder how many other things I have left because of a short time away and the work it takes to bridge the distance every time..