Books

There are six very important books (or series) to me for various reasons, and I very much wish to write something brief about each one. I am not including the Bible, if you are curious.

1. The Harry Potter Series, by J.K. Rowling. This series made me aware of the joy of reading. I had read other books before, but I usually had to force my way through. I eventually learned that horse books bore me. But Harry Potter made me read. It was fun, imaginative, and inspiring. Not to mention, it wasn't wrought with long boring descriptions about things no one cares for.

2. The Giver, by Lois Lowry. This book represents everything I believe in. It is commonly mistaken for a children's story, but it typically isn't very clear to the average American child. It is about love, it is about control, and it is about safety versus beauty. It is also short and to the point, with a very open ending that I appreciate.

3. The Book Thief, by Marcus Zusak. I haven't cried so much while reading a book in my life. This story is really an eye-opener on life in Germany during World War Two, and not as a Jew, but as a poor German child. It is cute, it is funny, it is deep, and it is dark. This story has some of the most creative and effective methods of telling itself. It introduced me to the horrors and the irony of humankind.

4. Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card. This is another that reminds me of the irony in humankind. This is the book that has probably made me think the most. It is very deep and philosophical. You can read the description and think "Really?" because it sounds just like every other sci-fi alien thing you've heard of, but this story goes beyond itself. It isn't about destroying the aliens. This story is about saving the main character, and ultimately about what humans really are. It explores the good and the bad in humanity. I've read this somewhere between 5 and 8 times, and it is still very good.

5. The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster. If you are looking for a quirky story, The Phantom Tollbooth is it. This most certainly is a children's book, but it is a children's book that everyone can enjoy. It should be a Pixar or Dreamworks animation. Nothing compares to how mind-bending, imaginative, clever and fun this story is. Everyone should read this book at some point in their life. It emphasizes the importance of intelligence, it makes you laugh, and it makes you think without being dark or scary. I would put a quote here, but to choose my favorite I'd have to put the entire book.

6. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clarke. This book didn't have to make me think deeply. It was clever and imaginative, but ultimately with this book I just seriously felt like I accomplished something. This book is more than a thousand pages long. I persevered because it was an entertaining story, and I felt smart reading it. The British humor is fantastic, the characters are colorful, and the imagery is exquisite.

So those are the six most important books that I plan to always own and revisit occasionally. If you have not read any of these books, please read them. Well, I'd forgive you if you did not read JS&Mr.N. It is a tedious venture. But I do believe that specifically, Ender's Game and The Book Thief are something to attempt, while The Phantom Tollbooth, and The Giver are books that everyone should be required to read. About 3/4ths of the population has read Harry Potter so I'm not worried about that.

Misconception: Christians "Love" God to Get to Heaven

Actually, you could take that title either way. It isn't entirely a misconception. The real misconception at the base of that is what Heaven is.

Heaven is where God is. Heaven is being with God, surrounded by him. Heaven could be ugly, brown, gray and dusty; but if it has God then it is worth it. That's what Heaven is. It isn't the streets paved with gold. It isn't the promised places that he prepared for us. It isn't the soft green grass or harps or halos or clouds. Heaven is being with God. I'm in heaven when I'm with God.

Now if you aren't Christian, you are wondering why I think Heaven is so great if it isn't about the pretty stuff in the sky. If you've never been in God's presence then you wouldn't know and I can't explain it. The most I can explain to you is why I love God and why I want to be with him forever.

I love God because in the very beginning, when humanity betrayed him, he promised he would rescue us. I love God because when his people were starving in the desert, he provided them food. When their enemies threatened to destroy them, he led them to victories, accomplishing more than they could have dreamed. When they were slaves, he even gave their slave-owners chance after chance to relinquish them. When they did not, he still rescued his people. He protected and rescued the good, and he wiped out the bad so that good could thrive. Although he makes it clear that women should be women and men should be men, he also esteems them equally. There are many strong and powerful women in the Bible, like Esther. He esteems all creation equally, and understands their places.

I love God because he, a shining being of all-powerful royalty, beautiful in every way, dressed in rags and walked among the lowest places of the earth as a hick from Nazarene. Saying Jesus of Nazareth was like saying Albert of the Midwest back then. I love him because he taught us how to survive in the desert and how to survive in our own personal wildernesses. He gave us hope. God allowed himself to be beaten and speared and tossed into the fiery pits of Hell by taking on all of the burdens we've borne. He carried everything I've ever done - the time I told my brother I hated him, the time I screamed and embarrassed my parents. The times I thought mean and rude things about my classmates, the times I've hurt my parents or lied to someone. He carried the weight of that to Hell so I wouldn't have to.

I love God because he has healed me. Again, and again and again. He has brought me through dark places so I could find beautiful ones. The darker the place I've gone through, the more incredible the things on the other side. I love him because he loved me first. He has pursued me, and not only me, but everyone. He is with us at all times. When your parents didn't do a good enough job, when your brother or sister leaves you, when the person you married fails you, and when your friends drift away, he is always there.

So if you wonder, just remember the list. That isn't even a specific list. But if I were specific, it would be a TLDR* situation and that isn't necessary at this point.

Christians don't pretend to love an imaginary being they can't see out of fears that they won't reach the place with golden streets. Maybe people think they are Christians and do that, but a true Christian isn't in it for that kind of material reward. In the Bible it describes God as being with Abraham and Isaac and everyone in the ancient times. It describes God as being in us after Jesus leaves. In that sense, we know he is there and do not have to see him. We know he is there and we love him because of it. We love him because while he is in us, we can understand it when he speaks to us and teaches us. And while he is in us here, we want to be surrounded by him. That is why we love him, and that is why we want to get to Heaven. It is because we want to get to where God is.

*Too Long Didn't Read

"Brain Fog"

I would like to describe "brain fog".

Imagine your brain is an open landscape. Its vast, open and empty. Just some green grass, flowers and bunnies etc. You can walk among this landscape and easily find anything you require. If you would like to pick a flower, it is easy to find it and see it on the ground. This is your mind as a child.

Now pretend like there are a few scattered trees here and there. They may block some vision, but they are useful. These are the things that you need to know or do, like class assignments or chores. Sometimes they are very annoying and make it difficult for you to find the right piece of information that you need, but they also produce fruit etc. Even if the trees are fairly thick, it isn't too bad because you can find everything. This is your mind when you are a tween or older child.

Now imagine that you are worrying about keeping all of your plants watered. You need some rain. When it does rain, everything continues to work as it should. You are happy, though while it is raining it is hard to find things again. Also not so pleasant. You have many more trees now because you are a teenager, though of course, when you reach college, you are aware you will have more trees, so you plant trees of worry just in case you need them ahead of time. But these worrisome trees really only block your view and soak up more water than necessary. Your landscape is not yet ready to hold so many trees.

Then, as you are fretting and worrying about more rain, you accidentally get a thick fog, instead. Everything is kept moist, we think, but there are many trees now, and this dense fog makes it nearly impossible to find anything unless it is less than three feet in front of you. The fog makes it hard for you to locate the information/trees that you need and you find yourself distracted instead with whatever thing you find in your three foot radius. You can do quite well once you push through the brain fog, or if what you need is within three feet, but it fairly difficult to locate something say, fifty feet away.

So from an outsider's point of view, if I am not thinking of the same thing they are, I will not give an accurate response because I will spout out whatever is nearest to me. If they are asking me a question and I think about something else that I know is wrong, I will stare at them blankly because I am having a hard time discovering what exactly is the correct answer. It is buried in fog. If someone tells me something important, I will gladly plant a tree for it, but I will not be able to recall it later if I wander away - which I inevitably will because I will need to search through the fog for something else in the meantime.

I also get tired much faster, pushing like that, and my eyes have trouble focusing on things because everything has to be so close.

Brains are meant to be clear of fog. Mine is not.

Optimism and Happiness

As Abraham Lincoln once announced, "Most folks are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be."

He was quite right. I feel emotionally exhausted from time to time concerning the subject because it seems like "most folks" make up their minds to be unhappy. I am here to debunk the myth that happiness comes out of your situation.

It really all stems from perspective. For instance, in current times, where we have many kinds of soaps, disinfectants, sterile hospitals and things made out of plastic, we are very clean individuals. When you walk into the bathroom, you might smell something foul and you would notice it.

However, contrary to Hollywood portrayal, the Medieval times were pretty disgusting. Although various forms of soap had been invented at this time, imagine life without a shower. If you had a basin, you were able to bathe. If you are a woman, you would wait until everyone else has bathed and use the cold water everyone else had used. If you needed surgery, you could be restrained as they cut you open, or they could knock you out with alcohol or a hard object. If you are a woman, you were probably not allowed to have surgery. There were no hot packs, no cold packs, no heating or air conditioning. The worst part to me is this: there were no clean and private toilets, and worse yet, no feminine products.

In light of this, most of us would look back at the muddy streets and diseased peasants and think "I could never live in that!" Yet somehow, so many people did. They died younger because their bodies were incapable of keeping up, but they had just as much of an ability to be happy as we are today. The fact is though, no matter what time period it is or has been, people are difficult to make happy. It is not because of the world itself, but because of the attitude people have about living.

Before I get into this next topic of discussion, I would like to point out that I am not against medicine. I am just against excessive use of it and I will explain the reason why.

People are generally born with the correct balance of chemicals in their brains which create a sense of happiness. Occasionally there are people that just can't seem to be happy no matter what they do. That is usually due to a chemical imbalance and those people require the use of medicine to keep their serotonin levels at a proper place so that they can function. Most people, however, are perfectly capable of functioning upon the level of serotonin they already have. The reason I do not like extended medication most of the time is that it inhibits this and makes it so your body gets used to what is being put in your body and then you cannot function without it.

In light of everyone's issues with being happy, I have decided to create a guide to happiness for you. I understand we all have our moments and are not going to be happy all of the time, but there is hope! When you remember you can be happy, you will now have the ability.

1. Don't put things in your mouth that don't need to be there. This includes alcohol, medication, and other drugs. Anything that alters your brain from the way it would naturally think can cause problems. If you have a serious depression issue, medication can be excused. Alcohol is okay occasionally, but not excessively (like if you "need" it, there is a problem). If it alters the way you think, it is likely you will be unable to enjoy proper serotonin levels without it, and then can be dangerous for multiple reasons.

2. Experience healthy things outside of your comfort zone. For instance, go out and do something new with your friends. Explore or take a road trip to a site within a couple of hours of where you live. Go try a new exercise program. This is particularly important for extroverts, but introverts must do this as well.

3. Eat healthier. You will feel more fresh, and fewer health problems will decrease your stress. If your stress decreases, your health problems decrease.

4. Dress up. Looking at yourself in the mirror and thinking "dang I look good" is a fantastic ego boost. Especially when you laugh about it afterwards. If you are fashion-challenged, find someone who is not and ask for their help.

5. Take time out of your day to follow up with your favorite hobbies, such as reading, writing, etc. If you enjoy science, read a book about it for fun. If you like art, create something. Don't watch TV or surf the internet. This is time reserved for your own self-education, and not for school or work. You will feel important, peaceful and productive afterwards. This is particularly important for introverts, but extroverts need to try it also.

6. Spend some time thinking about God. Just ten minutes can make a huge impact on your day. The moment you realize within yourself that God is infinite and that all of your problems here on earth are so minute in comparison, you'll be unable to take any small problems seriously. Instead, you will be focused and determined on the important things because those are the things that God has set before you to accomplish. If you don't ever have epiphanies about what God does in your life, seek him more actively and he will meet you.

7. Do your best at the things you do and forgive yourself for mistakes. If God forgave you for everything, then there is no reason you shouldn't forgive yourself. Just try your very best not to make them in the first place. Ironically, the best way to avoid making a lot of mistakes is pretending like whatever you are doing is unimportant for the most part and telling yourself there is no possible way you will make a mistake. It may not be true, but as long as you know that, you'll be okay.

So that is my final word on happiness and the importance of optimism. Go forth and be happy!

Roll Keyboard: Do Not Putted on the Fire to Roast

Last year at Christmas, my brother received this fantastic gift from my mother. It was a really cool keyboard that could be rolled up and transported easily, as well as it just appeared comfortable and nice.

However, we got far more enjoyment than we had asked for. My brother took a quick glance at the short instructions page. It was just the front and the back, but just about everything on it was a joke. It was written in Engrish.

Page 1:
"Turn on the computer, start the computer system. Find out the USB jack on the front or rear of the computer. The jacks are rectangle, generally 2pcs,arranged as horizontal or vertical: Plug the pin of the keyboard cable into the USB jack. If it is difficult to plug in, turn the pin 180 degree,then re-plug.
"Notes: Do not insert the plug force, if the plug can not comply with the jack.

"The usage norm of the Roll-keyboard
"The Roll-keyboard can be used in below conditions:
"It must be used on an even working face.
"It can be used in the damp environment even shallow water.
"It can be used in the acidity and the alkaline environment.
"It can be used in the temperature of -40C- + 80C.
"It can be used in the dusty environment even sandstorm.
"It can be laundered by alcohol or disinfector."

That was only the first page. The second is much better.

"It cannot be contacted the sharp object
"It cannot be pressed when it was rolled
"It cannot be putted into the oven and putted on the fire to roast
"It cannot be contacted the oil or organic impregnate like acetone and toloul etc
"Cannot places the heavy object on it in long time
"We cannot put out the strength to twist or pull it"

And it goes on to explain in more detailed Engrish.

"Material: Made by high-quality silicone, the keyboard has no poisonous and evil smell, according to the requirement if the environmental protection, it is kind of creative new product.
"Anti-Pollution: In view of the fact it is all seal completely, preventing all kinds of germs and pollutants exiting into the keyboard, and the keyboard's surface can be washed and disinfected any time, so it can prevent the disease infection.
"Watertightness: It can be used for a damp environment, even inside shallow water. It can normally used when beverage or other liquids spilled at the keyboard.
"Acid and Alkaline-proof: The keyboard can be used safely in acid or alkaline environment.
"High dustproof: The keyboard can be used safely in dust fog, and even in sandstorm.
"Carrying convenience: Because the keyboard can be rolled up, so it can save lots of spaces while carrying.
"Other Characteristics:
The special special printing technology guarantees the letter on the buttons of keyboard not to be worn away for a long time.
Feeling soft comfortable
Soft without any sounds while typing
Various beautiful colors
The keyboard is applicable to office; hospital Classroom; workshop; network bar; laboratory; kid room; notebook PC; army; etc."

Aberrant Nomenclature

I have been in a very wordy mood lately. Every time I use thesaurus.com, I always end up spending several hours "word surfing". A couple of days ago, I noticed there was an option to favorite a word. Currently I have over thirty words "favorited", and I would like to use them. Unfortunately, it is a tad difficult in real life situations to use "somnolent" in a sentence, unless you are actually feeling somnolent (which I am). Therefore, I have decided to use as many unusual words in the subsequent literature of this entry. **I apologize in advance if any words are misused, as I attempted to play with many, many words I have never used in the past.**

As I previously adduced, I've been a bit torpid today. I would elucidate the ambition behind this, but I have trepidation it would be far too voluminous an explication. In any case, expostulating about the subject would be feckless. I would aver that I have been enervated by the soporific atmosphere, and I cannot evince myself felicitously. In other words, it would not be a pedantic exemplification of my perspicacity.

I myself am vexed with my rumination during this indolent epoch. I cannot ameliorate beyond my laconic vocabulary extrinsic of this passage. My sagacity is abstruse at its paramount... I disquiet myself that this travail may be sententious.

On another proceeding, I do envisage on frequent opportunity, the ubiquitous supposition that those of us from the Midwestern United States are in fact, inane. Of course, this proclivity is asinine. While the aphorism is heedlessly slighted as insipid here, I find the intimation about my acumen opprobrious. Ensuing this cognition, I sublimate with reverie that they descry our precocity is not so much a phantasm of ignoramus cretins, and more copious than primitively posited. When the corporeity of the human race comes to acceptation of this altercation, I will be assiduously galvanized. Of course, I have to capitulate an iota - some "didactic" beadledom among the scantier towns are far less inculcating than the one which I attended.

Lamentably, I predicate this genial testimony requisites to come to its termination; so now I say my farewell. I hope you have extolled this read and imbibed some prodigious locution. That is assuming you comprehended any full sentences.

Creativity

I feel like doing something creative, like blogging, but I'm too tired. I normally find that I am more creative when I am tired, but I am not tired in the proper way. One important factor for creativity, is having less light. Light gives you something to look at, therefore something to think about and distract yourself with. In the dark, you can come up with your own thing to think about and suddenly be creative. Also if I am tired and it is bright, I just want it to be dark, so I close my eyes so it will be darker and then all I want to do is sleep.

Therefore, creativity works much better at night.

It also works well when you think about random things occurring in the room you are in. For instance, imagine you are at school, and the teacher is talking about something very boring. So, you take something that is not boring, like Vikings, and imagine that the surface of everyone's desks mark the surface of the salty seas. Then, you play out little scenes of Vikings battling dragons, whilst the rest of the class believes you are simply spacing out. But this is not the case. No, in reality, you are imagining that a dragon the size of an airplane is crashing through the wall, and they are tearing up the desks and the teacher is running for cover, and all of the students are either hiding in corners or attempting to spear it. Bravely, you climb upon its back and as it turns to crush your skull, you shove your backpack in its mouth. This would be an amazing way to get rid of some extra homework. When class is over, everyone believes you were A) paying attention or B) spacing out, depending on your method of imagination. If you can look at the teacher, then you're good.

During the next course, you are bored, so you go ahead and draw your delusion from earlier. When you fail at drawing because you simply are not in the mood, you attempt to write a poem about it. When you cannot do that, you wonder what is wrong and by theater class, you are wondering what it would be like to have an action scene on the catwalk, and you imagine someone dangling from the edge, over the seats, with a cruel headmaster laughing maniacally.

The curse of creativity is that sometimes there isn't a medium for it. I come up with ideas and then I realize that I can't do anything with them all the time.

Right now I don't have any ideas and I'm just tired and bored and I need some mental stimulation. Other than solitaire. I always feel so dead after being out of the house for ore than a few hours. I'm utterly useless after such a situation. If I'm with a close friend, who I am particularly comfortable with, I can take it a little longer, but still... I like going home and resting for a portion of the day, and then using the rest of the day to accomplish other things in silence. I dislike how when I was a child I got all used to playing by myself and all this (it sounds sad, but I enjoyed myself that way most of the time) and while back then I was too shy and wasn't able to be out and about, or hanging out with friends all the time, now I am not aloud to spend much time for myself. I know mothers have a particular problem with this, but I am not a mother. I go to work, and when I come home I am tired, but I always have something to work on, it seems like. And then I can't write. **sleepy face -_- zzzz**