Wednesday, February 17, 2010

It's hard to be proud of Texas sometimes...

The dog discussion goes on. I remain on the fence. Leah has convinced me that we can afford it and that our schedules are probably about as conducive to dog ownership as they are ever likely to get. So now the question is "do I really want to deal with it at this juncture in my life?" I don't know. A large part of me also feels like I don't want anything to divert my attention away from Harper when I'm home.

On the other hand, everyone's telling us how great it is to have a dog that Harper could grow up with, we have a great neighborhood with two parks and a few trails and a fenced in back yard, and if it's admirable to try and become the kind of adults we always wanted to be when we were children, then dog ownership is paramount. Also, I can see having a dog as a source of physical activity and exercise and that might just make exercise less excruciating.

I'll keep thinking.

Rehearsal last night was good, though I don't care for starting that late, and these new songs require more from my voice than our previous material. When you're on tour, your voice gets used to it, but when you're not, it just hurts after 2 hours of pushing it.

I took a half day today for a doctor's appointment and so that I could get a few things done that I've been unable to find time to do. Alas, I was thwarted yet again, by the ridiculously slow and often understaffed Jiffy Lube. I've never had a "Ten Minute Oil Change" take ten minutes, but I've rarely had it take an hour. Well, at least my driver's license is current and valid. My old one still has the address of my first apartment in Austin from 7 years and who knows how many addresses ago. Now, I'm a permanent resident, even the state of TX thinks so.

Speaking of TX, has anyone else read about how our genius lawmakers are filing suit against the EPA to fight regulation of green house gasses? "NO, YOU CAN'T MAKE US WORK TOWARDS A CLEANER, HEALTHIER WORLD! WE DON'T GIVE A SHIT IF 97% OF ALL CLIMATE SCIENTISTS SEE A CORRELATION BETWEEN THOSE GASSES AND CLIMATE CHANGE, WE'RE SIDING WITH THE 2-3% WHO WON'T MAKE US CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT OUR LIVES! PLUS IT SNOWED HERE SO OBVIOUSLY, AL GORE'S FULL OF SHIT!"

I've said before, and it's obvious here, people don't care what the truth is, they just don't want to have to change. "Whatever don't make me change sounds the truthiest to me! Guffaw! Guffaw!"

Also, I think Lent started or ended or something. I wonder if, for Lent, anyone gave up the idea that, if there is a god, he's so cosmically bored that he really needs to see if you can go 40 days without chocolate or Coca Cola?

5 comments:

  1. Lent did, indeed start today. I wrote about lent a while back. It's something I've always done with my mom, though I don't see it as a religious obligation. For me it's about taking something in your life that's unnessicary, idealy something you indulge in too much, and quitting it, cold turkey, for a time. Sometimes we rely too heavily on things- we develop a need for things we don't need, and it's good for us to take a break from them.

    And no, I don't think God (even if he does exist) gives a damn if I stop playing vieow games or drinking soda for 40 days. Doesn't mean it's not good for me to take a break from it.

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  2. There's something to be said for healthy living, for sure, as well as for personal discipline. That being said, if you want to stop drinking soda, stop drinking soda, but I don't think we need a holiday for it. Is it technically a holiday?

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  3. Ash Wednesday is a holiday, but lent is just the period of time between ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday.

    I was thinking about this today, specifically trying to find a way to explain the catholic thought behind it because, no, I don't think even my mom believes God really cares if she gives up candy.. but the thing God might care about is that self-control is one of those virtues that we don't tend to exercise a lot. I think a lot of things with religion (especially Catholicism) make no sense until you examine them under the lens of "how could this be good for me personally?" and with lent, it's not that you NEED a holiday to stop drinking soda, but putting it into a short-term contract with yourself makes it easier to commit to. And for believers, it makes you accountable to God.

    I've always done lent just to support my mom because she really believes you need to give up something hard to abstain from. So the way I see it, it's just a little commitment you make to yourself - a 30 day shred for your self-control, if you will. :)

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  4. Real self-control would be not going back to the thing you gave up when the 40 days are over. ;)

    And Taylor, if we are to accept the Christian idea of God, I have no doubt he'd totally be getting off on people depriving themselves of stuff they like in his honor. Isn't that what he's all about?

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  5. My wife and I really debated whether we should just go ahead and get a dog, and we did. It turned out to be a really great decision. Dogs are never as big a responsibility as you think they will be- after you get them trained its just a matter of a few daily things to keep them healthy and happy. I'm really glad we did it... but we'll have to see if I'm feeling the same way when the baby comes.
    If the God of any particular revealed theism exists, He cares very intimately about our thoughts and actions, not because he 'gets off on people depriving themselves', but because he wants us to become more virtuous people.
    God's interests won't be hindered by the same things that hinder our interest in other people. He is not limited in power or goodness or the time in which to act. Jehovah isn't anything like the god of deism that creates a world only to leave it alone. He cares too much, and he doesn't get bored.
    Because I am Reformed, I don't really celebrate lent, but I sort of see the appeal.

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