March 9, 2010
I've added an amusing church sign (end of page) as well as a
large amount of photos of old barns, etc. I also added some
items to the miscellaneous page. We went out to Weaverville
yesterday to get some photos and it was a lot of fun.
I am meeting with the Jehovah's Witnesses today. I have been
reading their publication "What Does the Bible Really Teach?" It
is interesting. There are a couple of other publications they
distribute that I would like to read (for example, "The Bible:
God's Word or Man's?) I am starting to doubt that we have an
immortal soul. Well, it depends on the day, really. My beliefs are
in flux right now, but it's a good thing to have questions. It
would make sense that our soul dies along with our body, since
our mind no longer exists. On the flip side, it is also easy for me
to believe that our spirit (which is different from the soul) does
exist somehow and perhaps we are born into a different body.
The JW's believe that those who are not chosen to be the 144,000
to rule in Heaven with Jesus (the 144,000 is documented in the
Bible) will be resurrected on the Earth, living in paradise. Of
course this will come after Armageddon. There is a lot to
consider. I will continue my Christian Bible Study and also tap the
JW's. They know the Bible inside and out, which I don't. Of
course, their Bible is not necessarily congruent with the other
Bibles, such as the King James. My Quest Bible is great as far as
the sidebar notes, but it is way off when I get my daily "Purpose
Driven Connection" emails so it is hard to follow. I need to get a
new Bible, I am just not sure which one.
**************************************************
March 8, 2010
Sunday school was very interesting yesterday and I was fully
engaged. We are reading Meeting Jesus for the First Time. The
author has some interesting opinions that I do not agree with
(I've only read Chapter 1, we have been assigned two more
chapters for next week). You can read my brief synopsis, along
with my questions, here. I plan to provide updates as I go along.
I've posted my latest abstracts newsletter here.
**************************************************
March 5, 2010
I feel compelled to write about this because it is a major issue in
my life right now - in fact, it's the only complaint that I have
(well, excluding the below). The rest of my life is very happy. I
mentioned below about medication. I am taking an
anti-depressant - Lamictal - that from what I have learned
through extensive research, causes memory loss and an inability
to spell and articulate well. I noticed problems with memory loss,
struggling to find words to communicate, and spelling problems (I
actually had to look up how to spell "predictable" the other day)
ever since I started the medication. It has gotten worse. I have
read several books over the last few months to try to transcend
this issue. I use a highlighter, I write about it, yet when I go
back - even to the things I have written - I have no recollection of
the material. It makes me very frustrated and angry, and I don't
know what to do about it. I don't feel sorry for myself, really, but
I don't want to give up the second most fulfilling thing in my life
(excluding my relationship) - expanding my knowledge - (painting
and writing poetry come first - well, that's two things, but I lump
them in together as creative endeavors) because of some damn
medication. I am just writing about this because it is really
affecting me.
I have a lot going on - exposure to atheists has caused me to
struggle with my faith, something that bothers me to the point
that I am talking to people about it: my sweetie, parents, my
pastor, even Jehovah's Witnesses (and NO, I am not going to
convert - they just know the Bible inside and out). This struggle
causes me great discomfort and concern. I have not lost my faith,
I just have a lot of questions about things that do not make
sense to me. I do not take the Bible literally, and I never will. A
lot of it is antiquated and written in historical context, not to
mention the biases of the authors of the respective books. I will
be writing about the issue of homosexuality and the Bible soon,
so please keep checking back. It's an issue that needs to be
addressed in the current cultural environment and is a cause of
great contention in religious factions.
*******************************************************
March 3, 2010
Since all I can seem to talk about is books, I may as well tell you
the latest book I am reading. It's called Adventures in
Philosophy. Pretty bold assertion, huh? Published in 2008, the
book is intended to put philosophical questions in a contemporary
context. That has got to be better than some of the boring
"intellectual" crap I have been forcing myself through. I even
have a degree in philosophy, and I can hardly stand reading
Aristotle anymore. I think part of it is just that I don't pick things
up as quickly as I used to. Partially age, partially meds. I am
going to try to fix the latter. I am "only" 40 - my mind shouldn't
be going downhill so quickly.
I still plan to go skydiving before my 41st birthday, before we
leave Asheville. I'd rather crash in the mountains than crash in
the sea. Sharks scare me. So does drowning. I think I will be
scared, but I also think that once I step out of that plane, that I
will be elated. I've heard of people being high for weeks
afterwards. I would hate that. Yea, right. Knowing me I will
want to sell my car so I can go again, and again...
I know it seems a little pretentious to have a logo for what
amounts to a bunch of regular photos, but I do plan to add many
more and I wanted them to be in one place. Besides, D is so
good at designing logos I figured why not?
*******************************************************
March 1, 2010
I am ready for some better weather. Winter blows. I can't wait
to watch the sun rise over the ocean. That will be great. And I
will be sure to post photos on this page.
I finished that boring book. It was painful. That's what I get for
taking the advice of someone else. Now I am reading the books I
picked out. One is Biology for Dummies. I realized I am pretty
ignorant on the subject. Bad thing is, I won't retain it. Damn
meds. They are making me stupid. What is the trade off? I
would almost rather be depressed and smart. Well, not really.
It looks like it will be a May move. I was hoping for April. Oh
well, it will still be in time for beach season. I plan to go early,
but I do want to work on a tan. Not obsessively, but get one. I
am pretty pale. I used to tan in a salon. How stupid is that?
This blog sounds like a twenty-something is writing it. Sorry if
you are reading it and thinking about how boring it is! I will stop
now.
*******************************************************
February 23, 2010
Now I am reading a book called The History of Scepticism (yes,
that spelling is annoying). It was recommended to me by
someone who reads two books a day. I've never corresponded
with a walking library before, so I thought that his
recommendation would be a good thing to check out.
Other than that, just playing the waiting game for the move to
Myrtle Beach. I haven't painted in months now, and I am not
going to until we move, which will be in April or May. It will take
some time to get back in the groove again. I hope I will be
patient with myself.
*******************************************************
February 20, 2010
I've added a discussion on Epicureanism (the philosophy of
Epicurus) on my CJH Philosophical Discussions (link above) page.
His main philosophy is to live simply and seek to maximize
pleasure and minimize pain. He has some very interesting and
practical ideas.
*******************************************************
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
"As you give thought to
your future—your future
that may be 10 years;
your future that may be 5
years; or your future that
is 60 days away—you
literally begin prepaving.
And then, as you move
into those pre-paved
moments, and as that
future becomes your
present, you fine-tune it
by saying, This, is what I
now want. And all of
those thoughts that you
have put forth about your
future, right down to this
moment when you are
now intending what
action you want to take,
will all fit together to
bring you precisely that
which you now want to
live."
--- Abraham
your future—your future
that may be 10 years;
your future that may be 5
years; or your future that
is 60 days away—you
literally begin prepaving.
And then, as you move
into those pre-paved
moments, and as that
future becomes your
present, you fine-tune it
by saying, This, is what I
now want. And all of
those thoughts that you
have put forth about your
future, right down to this
moment when you are
now intending what
action you want to take,
will all fit together to
bring you precisely that
which you now want to
live."
--- Abraham
