I leave for China tomorrow. I really hope to keep updating on this while there, but blogger is not necessarily reliable. I may turn to Spam to upload my posts for me. I will probably also have a more public blog than this one, one that I will share with my fellow journeymen and women. I will be unable to access Facebook, because in the Future they don't have facebook. I will actually be 12 hrs ahead of Columbus and 15 from California, so I really will be in the future. I'll let you know if anything is happening you should be aware of.
Wish me the best on my travels. I will prayer for all of you. Keep an eye on home for me, and much love to each and every one of you.
Twas the night before China
And all through my home
I kept stirring and worrying
About bringing a comb.
The suitcase was packed
by the front door with care
in hopes that it weighed less
than the 50 they let in the air.
When out of my I chair
I arose with a spatter
"I forgot to do BLANK
Am I mad as the hatter?"
Again and again
I grabbed something new
And toss it inside
My bag of true blue
The fireflies twinkled
Or was that just dawn
Oh man I must sleep
Where has the night gone?
I sprang to my bed
In hopes that alls well
And said a quick prayer
To my sweet guardian angel
"Bless all my loved ones
who I leave behind
And keep me safe on my travels
and adventures of every kind!"
Amen and adieu!
-JTY
Monday, June 11, 2012
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Cutting down on the postings
Sorry to say, but I think I'm going to shift to every other week posts. This comes at the resignation that I do not post every week, nor necessarily have to motivation to do so. Maybe it's because I have so many papers. Maybe it's because in two weeks I leave for China, where I will be keep near-daily posts for my every popular, never really read super long travel posts (as well as probably other blogs for class too). Maybe it's because there aren't as many story-worthy quirkies in my life. The point is, Ima switch to a biweekly posting for the time being.
Before I get into my main musing, I just want to say a few things:
OK enough of that onward!
The topic for this week, however, is friendship. This triggered when one of my students in my service learning class talked about the kids she tutored. She was showing us pictures and saying this is my friend Kyle. He was a lot of fun to play with. And this is my friend Sarah. She was so cute. And this is my friend. I don't remember his name but I loved playing with him too. The rest of the class kinda chuckled and some smart alec instructor (me) whispered "Friendship means not having to know their name" to a few more laughs.
Does friendship mean not having to know someone's name? I'm in paper writing mode so let's analyze what friendship is. A quick google search defines a friend as "A person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically exclusive of sexual or family relations." It should also be noted that "friend" is a verb meaning to add someone on facebook (sigh). So by that, I think a lot of people I can have mutual affection for. I have mutual affection for the guy who knows me by sight at Subway cuz I eat there weekly. We don't know each others names, but I guess we are friends, by that definition anyway. I'd probably call him an acquaintance. Of course, the definition of "acquaintance" is "one's slight knowledge or friendship with someone". Now does 'slight' apply to 'knowledge' and 'friendship' or just 'knowledge'? Let's assume both. So that means there are degrees of friendship. Of course, there are best friends, good friends, friends, acquaintances, and strangers. So the definitions align with our experiences, though we all apply these terms differently.
I was chatting with Spotty Sister online the other day and we were talking about her roommate and how she fit Spotty Sister's build for a good friend. We didn't really talk about what that was, but I realized that most of my guy friends fit a similar build. The things we connect on are usually video games, school topics (often English), and other recreation activities like playing sports outside. I don't think its a coincidence that my best friend, Sir Spam, and my brother are very similar on a lot of levels. But people like Dungeon Daddy, Powder Climber, and Heavy Spy aren't super different from each other either, and those are some of my closest guy friends, who I actively speak to about a lot a various topics regularly. That's an important note because guys don't necessarily talk about stuff too much, but I think for my best guy friends, the ability to do that is crucial. Ironically, Spam and I would often go for weeks not talking about anything particularly personal or deep. Yet, we always could. Clark and Brock are slightly more varied in personality (from each other and me) but we still have a lot of key similarities too.
Overall, though, I don't have as many close guy friends as girl friends. But these females are super varied in personality. I've always seemed to have one very close girl friend playing a prominent role in my life at the moment. In elementary school, that was my dear friend President Chica-rones. I still peak in with her every once in a while to catch up. In high school, there was my now ex girlfriend, who I've seen once or twice since college graduation and is doing well. In college, it was Qua Yams, P-Diddy, and Tenshi. Generally speaking in that order and independently of each other. Mama Goldfish has been consistently one of my best girl friends since high school, so she bucks the trend. I of course also have a variety of other good female friends, but they are all so different. Cardmaster Cider, Dandy Woo, and Cali Foodie here in Ohio, Pokeboss and Red Button back at University from my supervisor days, Spotty Sister, Mother Mapster and Micki Granger, Yellow Hippo, Chai Ducky, Steakhouse all quite different. Most of them would probably get along with others but some are sporty, some are food hipsters, some I have deep intellectual convos, some we connect on a religious level, some from close proximity, some from being so different from each other, some because I am an older brother to them.
Obviously, I am not listing everybody here. I consider Naysayer P Squirrel a good friend too, as well as my Tall Bear and everyone else on the list in the cast of characters. My point is, that I have a lot of friends, other people have a few very close ones. There are rules to becoming ones friends and there are degrees which people reach closer to you. These rules are instinctive and even as I have tried to unearth them, I could not tell you what they are. I do know that the consistent message is the type of conversation I have with you. I know often if someone opens up to me, I feel safe enough to open back up to you. Maybe I feel I owe you as thanks for sharing. That's the easiest way to move into a friendship with me. Easiest way to build trust. Ahh relationship builders.
Even though I said this would be every other week, I'll try to post next week. I leave for China on June 11!!
-JTY
Listening to: Foreplay/Longtime by Boston. Like one of my fav songs ever and getting me pumped for China.
Reading: Nothing worth writing home about. Should I get a kindle for the plane? I love books though...
Playing: League cuz I'm stupid and don't want to write.
Before I get into my main musing, I just want to say a few things:
- Of the Flu, Typhoid, and Hep A shots I received, the Typhoid hurt the most and left me bruised
- Ohio Parking Enforcement is stupid (who needs a front license plate??)
- I don't know how I managed to hit some of those pool shots...
- I can't write papers early. for. my. life.
- Shout out to our soldiers and those who gave their lives for our country (Memorial Day)
- A common lament of a higher ed student is the difficulty of telling who the undergrads are
- I wish people in Ohio knew how to drive (35 in a 45 really??)
- Libraries shouldn't be so empty on a Thursday night during Finals Week
- Sonic Drive Thru shouldn't take longer than the Drive-In
- Civ 4 broke my already broken sleep schedule (thanks Thoughtful Introspective!)
- ACPA Multiracial Network Historian? Yes Please.
- Only baseball can be so riveting even when watching it stream- Go Angels!!
- Can I graduate yet? I don't know if I can handle another year of paper writing...
OK enough of that onward!
The topic for this week, however, is friendship. This triggered when one of my students in my service learning class talked about the kids she tutored. She was showing us pictures and saying this is my friend Kyle. He was a lot of fun to play with. And this is my friend Sarah. She was so cute. And this is my friend. I don't remember his name but I loved playing with him too. The rest of the class kinda chuckled and some smart alec instructor (me) whispered "Friendship means not having to know their name" to a few more laughs.
Does friendship mean not having to know someone's name? I'm in paper writing mode so let's analyze what friendship is. A quick google search defines a friend as "A person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically exclusive of sexual or family relations." It should also be noted that "friend" is a verb meaning to add someone on facebook (sigh). So by that, I think a lot of people I can have mutual affection for. I have mutual affection for the guy who knows me by sight at Subway cuz I eat there weekly. We don't know each others names, but I guess we are friends, by that definition anyway. I'd probably call him an acquaintance. Of course, the definition of "acquaintance" is "one's slight knowledge or friendship with someone". Now does 'slight' apply to 'knowledge' and 'friendship' or just 'knowledge'? Let's assume both. So that means there are degrees of friendship. Of course, there are best friends, good friends, friends, acquaintances, and strangers. So the definitions align with our experiences, though we all apply these terms differently.
I was chatting with Spotty Sister online the other day and we were talking about her roommate and how she fit Spotty Sister's build for a good friend. We didn't really talk about what that was, but I realized that most of my guy friends fit a similar build. The things we connect on are usually video games, school topics (often English), and other recreation activities like playing sports outside. I don't think its a coincidence that my best friend, Sir Spam, and my brother are very similar on a lot of levels. But people like Dungeon Daddy, Powder Climber, and Heavy Spy aren't super different from each other either, and those are some of my closest guy friends, who I actively speak to about a lot a various topics regularly. That's an important note because guys don't necessarily talk about stuff too much, but I think for my best guy friends, the ability to do that is crucial. Ironically, Spam and I would often go for weeks not talking about anything particularly personal or deep. Yet, we always could. Clark and Brock are slightly more varied in personality (from each other and me) but we still have a lot of key similarities too.
Overall, though, I don't have as many close guy friends as girl friends. But these females are super varied in personality. I've always seemed to have one very close girl friend playing a prominent role in my life at the moment. In elementary school, that was my dear friend President Chica-rones. I still peak in with her every once in a while to catch up. In high school, there was my now ex girlfriend, who I've seen once or twice since college graduation and is doing well. In college, it was Qua Yams, P-Diddy, and Tenshi. Generally speaking in that order and independently of each other. Mama Goldfish has been consistently one of my best girl friends since high school, so she bucks the trend. I of course also have a variety of other good female friends, but they are all so different. Cardmaster Cider, Dandy Woo, and Cali Foodie here in Ohio, Pokeboss and Red Button back at University from my supervisor days, Spotty Sister, Mother Mapster and Micki Granger, Yellow Hippo, Chai Ducky, Steakhouse all quite different. Most of them would probably get along with others but some are sporty, some are food hipsters, some I have deep intellectual convos, some we connect on a religious level, some from close proximity, some from being so different from each other, some because I am an older brother to them.
Obviously, I am not listing everybody here. I consider Naysayer P Squirrel a good friend too, as well as my Tall Bear and everyone else on the list in the cast of characters. My point is, that I have a lot of friends, other people have a few very close ones. There are rules to becoming ones friends and there are degrees which people reach closer to you. These rules are instinctive and even as I have tried to unearth them, I could not tell you what they are. I do know that the consistent message is the type of conversation I have with you. I know often if someone opens up to me, I feel safe enough to open back up to you. Maybe I feel I owe you as thanks for sharing. That's the easiest way to move into a friendship with me. Easiest way to build trust. Ahh relationship builders.
Even though I said this would be every other week, I'll try to post next week. I leave for China on June 11!!
-JTY
Listening to: Foreplay/Longtime by Boston. Like one of my fav songs ever and getting me pumped for China.
Reading: Nothing worth writing home about. Should I get a kindle for the plane? I love books though...
Playing: League cuz I'm stupid and don't want to write.
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