awake and alive

Well, it isn’t Saturday night anymore, or even Sunday for that matter, but why not talk about it?

After the 8 at Riverview, a bunch of people headed over to the Price’s house to hangout and eat tasty treats. Even though this happens on a semi-regular basis, this Saturday was different. Ton’s of people came, and I didn’t really know a lot of them at all. It was so great. I really like to meet new people and usually I don’t have the opportunity or the courage to do so. Again, this Saturday was different. I was actually able to initiate conversation with people that I had never met before. Yes, it was on my own turf, but it happened nonetheless. In fact I think I even remember their names (Lisa, Briannon, Jason, Ethan, Katie, and Randi-Kay).

One of the main reasons that we make all the food and invite so many people is that we want to encourage real community. We want to take people and bring them into the circle. It seemed to me like that was actually happening this time.

I found this interesting news post on digg today. What are they thinking?

…a few days can make.

To be bipolar towards the outside is a regular occurrence in this state.

Don’t get me wrong; I am mostly content where I’m at. It has begun to annoy me when people bash the state/city that they live in. If you are going to move soon I will celebrate and be excited with you about the new climate/stuff to do/night life/etc. of where you are moving, but if you are staying where you’re at then find the good stuff and rave about it.

I’m not going to pretend that I love the experiences of Michigan or Lansing more than the experiences I’ve had in other cities/states/countries, but it does no one any good to whine about the weather or that there’s nothing cool to do around town (even though if they would stop whining they would find plenty of fun things to do around them).

Yes, my last post was similar, if not equal, to whining; I am no saint in this matter. So, help me out; tell me the cool stuff you’ve found around Lansing…

Like:

• Old Town
• The river walk
• Tavern on the Square
• Lansing City Market
• Downtown Mason Farmer’s Market

UPDATE:

•  Deluca’a Pizza

…not april snow showers.

Eff the outside, that’s what I say!

So, I was reading an article I found on Digg just a little bit ago on stem cell research. It seems like the whole issue is really difficult. I mean the research could help so many people live better lives, and who knows what kind of uses stem cells could actually serve. The one thing it comes down to is whether or not the blastocysts they pull the stem cells from are human or not. They writer of this article doesn’t seem to take a side on the issue, but does make some interesting points.

So my question is, how do we decide when the cells are human life and shouldn’t be interfered with? I don’t think many would argue that sperm or eggs are humans yet, otherwise no one would use birth control, and everyone would mourn that special time of the month as the death of a possible person. From what I’ve heard, many seem to say that the life begins as soon as an egg is fertilized. In some ways, that makes sense. What other point could you draw the line? When the cells begin to differentiate? When you can see the babies eyes? Even more confusing, the writer of the article points out that many blastocysts created in fertility clinics are discarded once they are no longer needed (impregnation occurs). So, many that are so psyched to have children even though they have fertility issues are killing off many unborn possible babies?

I cannot decide if this should be an issue of conscience or of morality. The bible would definitely say that murder is a sin, but does the bible say when a person becomes a person?

Any thoughts on this issue would be appreciated.

Well, it has been way to long since the last post I made, so now I’m making an effort to post…

I did eventually finish laying moving the gravel all around in my backyard/parking lot. Nate helped a ton, and even loaned me his rake (plus another one he bought, possibly just for the situation), which I have yet to return to him. It is so much nicer parking on the gravel since I don’t get stuck anymore; well worth all the effort to get it spread out.

I’ve been reading a lot more lately. About a week ago I Nate sent me a ton of eBooks by Orson Scott Card, and since then I’ve read two of them from the Ender’s Game Series. Fantastic books, they really get you thinking.

I was perusing my feed reader today and noticed some very funny april fool’s jokes. Here they are:

Google TiSP, wireless broadband through your toilet:
http://www.google.com/tisp/

Gmail Paper, print any email from 1 time to 100,000 times for FREE:
http://mail.google.com/mail/help/paper/more.html

Woot!, buy a million +1 dollar bag of crap (three craps actually):
http://www.woot.com/Forums/ViewPost.aspx?PostID=1151717

Read em before they disappear!

I wish that I was clever enough to create a good April Fools joke, maybe I’ll add that to my list of things to do before I die.

No, I’m not dying.  Last night at the Price’s house, JR asked a group of us sitting at the kitchen table what one thing we wanted to do before we died.  Most of us said something about traveling somewhere.  I said that I wanted to take a eating tour of Italy.

Granted, I would still love to take an eating tour of Italy, but I just don’t think that I can take all the things I want to do before I die and narrow it down to just one.  There are so many things that are equal to me that I want to do before I die.  Thus I am making a list.  As I think of more things I will post more, but this is my base list (not in any particular order):

• Hold my newborn baby in my arms

My own flesh and blood, a piece of me, and the life of my families (Henry and Earnhardt) continued on.  All these things are wrapped up in this tiny package of a human life that will grow into many unknown things.  I can’t express how I feel about it even now, and I haven’t even done it yet.

• Go skydiving

The exhilaration of jumping from thousands of feet in the air, the closest thing to actually flying like superman.

• Take an eating tour of Italy

Like every other type of food in the United States, Italian food is not nearly like it is in Italy.  The culture, the sights, the authentic food.  I would love to be able to actually eat with some Italian families who have lived in Italy their whole life.

•  Visit the west coast (LA, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco)

I’m not exactly sure why, but I’ve always wanted to go to California.  Maybe because one of my best friends from childhood used to visit there all the time.   Whatever the reason, I just want to do it.