adopt

For some reason I am really happy for people when they adopt a pet. Almost moreso than when someone has a baby. If I knew someone who adopted a baby, I'd probably be really really happy for them. I don't think it has to do with the human vs. animal thing but the adoption. The fact that it came into the world unwanted and a home was found. A family came into being for someone who needed one and might otherwise have died. I like looking at LJ and seeing him thrive or put his paws on my shoulder when he wants a lift because I know he was an orphan and we adopted him.

After I'd accidentally killed a stray cat with my car and was hysterically crying, Matt made me a promise that all our pets would be adopted. It still didn't stop me from crying, but it did make me feel better. And Gadget, who seemed to sense that I was upset, snuggled with me that night almost as if he knew that I needed a little forgiveness and he gave it to me because I gave him a good home.

ain't no cure

I haven't had much of a summer yet. Summer is my favorite season, my favorite state of mind. It is California Dreamin' on winter's days and I'm stuck in an air conditioned office.

I'm a gonna raise a fuss
I'm a gonna raise a holler
about a workin' all summer
just to try to earn a dollar

ev'ry time I call my Baby
try to get a date
my boss says
No dice, son, you gotta work late.

Sometimes I wonder what I'm a gonna do
but there ain't no cure for the Summertime Blues

intelligence and division

Why does it seem that those that possess some vast quantity of intelligence, whether it be a general sort of intelligence or a more localized one, feel the need to alienate those that are lacking of it? Why do smart people like to make other people feel stupid?

At the Griffith Observatory with my family we were able to view through a telescope, the planet of Saturn. And with our own eyes, we saw a man that was either a certified astronomy professional, or one who fancied himself one. My brother after two wise cracks, asked a few legitimate questions and the guy went off on a rant that no one but fellow astronomy enthusiasts would fully comprehend. He went off on the status of Pluto as a planet and why it qualified as one using astronomical terms (in this case both large and relating to the science of astronomy) that no one in our group really could respond to besides with a blank stare.

Instantly I thought him a douchebag. One that doesn't know he is one, which is the saddest kind. Sad because there are fewer intelligent people that don't hold their intelligence over another person and use it to unite people instead of creating divisions, which is just what this shmo had done. He had created a division between us and himself, between us appreciating what was happening in the astronomical world, and us not giving a crap and complaining about the parking. Could you dumb it down a shade my friend? We are not as versed in the study and recent debates as to the planetary status of Pluto and couldn't you tell that by our faces, aren't you taught to assume that when presenting information to the general public?

We came to this place to learn right? To be reminded of how very small we are in the universe.

Intelligence and knowledge can create divisions or they can bring people together. When we begin spewing facts and statistics to those in our party that obviously aren't capable of reciprocating likewise then why are we doing it? Just to make ourselves sound intelligent? Better? And to what purpose? We're just growing further and further away. Best to try to out-smart each other with nerdish facts and stats in the comfort of whatever monthly or bi-weekly gathering in person or cyberspace that you and those like you can do without dumbing down your everyday human. Think of the last great debate and conversation you had in a group setting and what made it more lively was when everyone got to contribute because it was a subject that everyone could relate to. It isn't about hearing the two loud-mouthed wise-asses in your group out voice the quiet people in your group on a debate that really doesn't matter except in their minds. You may feel that you got something off your chest, but they might feel that it was at the cost of their time. Because it is THEIR time too, not just yours so you can spout out whatever thing you think is important. Maybe that person went on a trip that is of interest, maybe their family is going through something rough, heck, maybe even that person himself is going through something and he just wants to be heard. But you can't hear over the sound of your voice. And that's just sad.

So the conversation could either keep going in opposite directions, with one of you scratching his head and the other puffing out his chest, or you can be like this guy I heard of in the Bible I think his name was Pablo or something, who became like them, with the hopes that he could get close to them and give them some good news, tell them this really good story about a man and a cross.

simplicity

Earlier this week I contemplated writing a blog about Wall-E's philosophy on too much stuff and consumerism overall. Today at work I had to move some people's cars and you learn a lot about a person by driving their car or even just stepping into their car. 

One car outright smelled foul and I know the man who owns it has a wife and children and is probably too busy to clean out that car that had bags, shoes, clothes, papers, everywhere in it. Another car owner had about 10 keys and two of those keychain cards on it. 

In my car, there is a coffee tumbler (I have a practice of not allowing myself to get some to go coffee unless I have a to-go cup with me so I always have one, sometimes two) and a piece of paper that tells people at the parking place where I work and that I can indeed legally park there and in the back seat there is a blanket in case of an impromptu picnic. On my keyring, there is a car key, a gate/pool key for my complex, and a house key. 

So even though I feel like maybe I should work on simplifying my life it seems like my heart and car are starting to head in the right direction.