I really, really really, want to hone my skills on the computer. I have the groundwork. I understand HTML to a point. Someone who was willing to put some time and a tiny bit of effort into teaching me more skills, could really create in me something great.

I want to code, I want to be better at finding information on the internet. I can do some, I definitely have a good groundwork of skills. I can build a PC, although I admit, I am still terrible at cable management. I have been going through Code Academy to get some coding basics. I really want better networking, and coding skills. I want to make a difference with my computer skills. I want to play a part. I want to mean something. I think that honing my computer skills are the way to do it. If anyone in the Dallas area, would like to help, or who has computer skills, that would just like a kindred spirit please email me. I am also willing to explore more with someone on my same level and learn together.

It occurs to me I haven't blogged in a long time. Well, I'm going to start blogging again. If anyone has any content they might be interested in reading about... let me know. I've got lots of interesting takes on life, and I'll be happy to blog about any of my opinions. Even the silly ones. I'm a Christian, but I'm not afraid to live life, and be silly about it. I am very light-hearted, and not afraid to entertain silly ideas, like what if Jesus was really an extraterritorial,  as is God. What if? The what ifs get me a lot. I think about stuff like that. I think we all do, realistically it's just no one talks about it.  I don't think it has to take away from the truth of what the bible says. There are sometimes when I read it that I think, come on... that's totally extra-terrestrial! Like the Manna from Heaven... Ancient Aliens is certainly an interesting TV Show with entertaining ideas. I am not afraid to joke about myself, or my beliefs because I believe that's what makes life interesting.

Let's say for instance that we really WERE in the matrix... would you rather know or not know? Which pill would you take? Myself, I would rather know. Reality is something I ponder on a lot. So Let's have some fun with this blog, and talk about silly stuff, serious stuff, sad stuff. Whatever is going on in the world. Let's just talk about it all!

I also play video games, so I'm sure there will be plenty of blogging about games. Like right now my current obsession is Bayonetta. OMG it's addicting-ly fun. I also make up my own words, as you can see.

TV Shows, and Movies, yeah I'll blog about that too. If you are curious about my opinion on something and would like to see a blog on it, lemme know!

Tolerance

Tonight I wanted to talk a little about tolerance. I was having a conversation on Facebook with a friend about Celebrities who name their children odd names. I agree that on the outside some of these children will lead hard lives because of their names. Even my own daughter has a unique name which may to some, leave her open for attack. I am ready to deal with that if it ever arises. Whose fault is it though? Is it my fault for giving my daughter a beautiful, unique name? Is it the fault of the celebrity who names their child after a fruit, or some other unusual name? Some people suggest that the parents are who is to blame. Why submit your child to such ridicule?

I am of a different school of thought though. Why should we have to live in such a world where originality is frowned upon? Would it not serve our children, us, and the future better to teach our children tolerance? Is that not one of the most important lessons we as humans can learn? Or do we just perpetuate the cycle. Name our children Jennifer, and Michael, and Susan, and Jane. Let our children be just like everyone else. When we do that aren't we giving into intolerance? Aren't we saying that it is more important to be like the crowd than to stand out?

A name is a very personal choice for every parent. Why should someone have to conform to someone else's idea of perfection? Isn't it really true that the honest perfection is in our differences? I think it should be the same for our names. I do not want to be the same as everyone else out there. I certainly do not want my daughter to be like every other Jennifer, Jane, and Cindy. No, she is Isobel Emmaline. She is one of a kind. That is what our names should be. So how can we make fun of someone for being themselves, for being different? Why does it even matter? I submit that the most important lesson we can teach our children is that being different and being unique, and being yourself is one of the most important things you can do in life.

Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet? The answer for the rose is yes. For us though, we are defined by our names. All of our experiences come from how we perceive the world and how it perceives us. Wouldn't it be a better world if we didn't have to worry about someone making fun of us because of our names? Maybe just maybe, if we taught our children the value of being different, of being extraordinary, it would spill over into other areas of tolerance as well. If they learned that making fun of someone just because of their name is ridiculous, maybe they would connect that to other differences as well. Maybe the racial divide and the religious divide would close just a little. Maybe if we fostered a spirit of independence, and originality all the things that cause war or fighting would be nullified. Of course I could be dreaming… Oh, but what a dream!

The Day A Nation Mourned.

If you were watching TV on January 28th, 1986 then you saw it happen. Maybe you were in a classroom with tons of other kids like I was. Maybe you were at home. Maybe you only heard it on the radio. It happened right before our eyes. The entire country was already watching that day. Space exploration has always been something we hold dear. Each time it happens though, it feels like we pull away from it a little. It has happened before. It will happen again, but I don’t think anyone who saw it will ever forget. For me it was my first real lesson in death.

'I was in the first grade. We had all gathered in a classroom with the other first graders to watch it together. I was very excited. Teachers had always been some of my favorite people. They still are. I also wanted to be an astronaut. I had followed all the news footage with my mom and dad about the teacher who was on the flight. I remember being very excited for her and what a teacher being on the shuttle meant. We all watched in anticipation. I remember as the shuttle lifted off thinking how fun that must be. The shuttle lifts off and begins climbing. Then it happened. I can still remember the long silence as the reporter realizes what has just happened and is unable to speak. You hear his voice crack when he comes back on. I was absolutely devastated, probably more so than the other children.

In fact, watching it again tonight has effected me in quite the same way. That silence was my first lesson in death. EVERYONE was silent and still. It was like the whole world just stopped except for the image on the screen. The rockets flying haphazardly away from the explosion. It has been and always will be probably the most profound image I will ever see. After the shock the teachers in the room darted towards the TV to turn it off. I remember two of the teachers crying trying to turn in off and not being able to. One just stood in front of the TV looking out at us trying to reassure us, while the other one tried to get the TV turned off. ( I think they had been recording and did not want to stop the recording just the TV.) Finally they got it off and had a big talk with us. I don't remember the talk. Nothing they said could reassure me that life was going to be ok. At some point during all this I called my mom crying and upset. Would we still try to travel beyond our tiny blue planet? Would we ever make it beyond the planets and out into the stars? I think my dream of being an astronaut died that day.

Then I guess they decided to play the presidents speech that he made afterwards. I think they recorded it and played it back to us later after the talk they had with us. When he started talking I felt like he was with me. He reminded me then, and now, of a grandfather explaining a life lesson to a little girl who had no idea what had just happened. If I close my eyes I can almost see myself sitting on his lap and the speech he gives is a response to a sad little girl’s question: “Grandpa, what just happened, I don’t understand?” His eyes were sad so I knew he felt what I felt. He leans toward the camera slightly giving off a sense of comfort. I picked up on these things as a little girl and felt almost as if he were my own grandfather comforting me after what we had all seen. I know now it was his soft unwavering voice and his sad but strong eyes that portrayed this feeling.

He used his emotion in his voice, his body language and his eyes to try to comfort a nation. For a 6 year old little girl he succeeded. ' (Amber Robbins Com140 course)

For links to the videos you can go here for the Challenger Video and here for Reagan's Speech.

A final note… When he ends his speech I can’t help but think now how absolutely elegantly he ended it. I think that was probably one of the best speech endings I have ever heard in my entire life. Just a few simple simple Majestic lines.

“We will never forget them, or the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye; and slipped the surely bonds of Earth to touch the face of God.”

New Beginnings

I realized tonight while doing an assignment for school that I have a unique perspective on the world. Don't we all? I have a lot to say so maybe it is time to get it out. It started with a paragraph. Let us see where it will lead.

I think it is time I start cataloging my most important thoughts. Sometimes I just think. About important things... about trivial things... about random things. Ponder them with me if you will. I want this to be a completely open dialogue where I can share my ideas. You can share them with me. I hope you will come along with me on this journey.

From my assignment:

"Watching Dr. King as a little girl always made me cry. Anytime we would study him in school I always remember thinking how brave he was. I Imagine he knew what he was risking. As I think all great Martyrs do. They give all of themselves so that others might prosper. I think that type of person just oozes a vibe that people pick up on. I feel that way about Nelson Mandela too. People who are willing to risk their lives and their own personal happiness for that of the greater good and doing what is right have always been held in the highest of esteem to me. It has always puzzled me though how these people who are the bringers of peace always seem to end so tragically. Makes one wonder why Peace and doing what is ultimately right has to come at so high a cost. Then again maybe it has to be that way for the lesson to be learned." (Amber Robbins Com 140 course)

Why does the lesson of Peace come at so high cost? Would we understand it if it did not? I think a lot of my ideas about life have been shaped by some pretty amazing sources. I hope that as this blog continues... the things that have inspired me can be passed along to inspire others.

Today I just want to share a really important book of my childhood. Probably one which had the greatest impact on me as a child.

" The Big Book for Peace"

by Ann Durell, Marilyn Sachs

Link goes to Amazon.

I am lucky enough to still have this book. I am so glad that I will be able to pass this book down to my daughter. It moved me and inspired me in more ways than I can say. Filled with stories of people doing the right thing despite the cost. Some of the stories are hard lessons to learn. I think maybe that is what moved me so. I was probably about 10 or 11 when I got this book and some of the stories were probably not suitable for such a young mind. There were one or two that I can remember being a tad violent. I think though, that is what taught me why violence is so wrong. My mind back then was not so tainted by the world. I was able to see in pure form what the truth was: Violence never solved anything. In the short-term wars may have been won... but at what cost? Was it worth it?

As I've gotten older I think I have nailed down the inevitable problem with Peace. For it to work everyone has to lay down their weapons. If one side does not then a massacre ensues. Again though I speak of lessons... maybe that is the point. Maybe it truly is the only way to open our eyes. Someday I think words will be enough. I hope it is a day I get to see.

I leave you with one final thought... and what a thought it is... from the most unlikely source. If you really want to give your brain a run for its money, and you like pondering and thinking as much as I do... I highly suggest watching the Star Trek Series. Particularly "The Next Generation". I think you will find yourself surprised. It is full of some amazing life lessons. It too is a source which shaped my young mind. I am sure it will be a source of more ponderings in the future but for now I leave you with this...

"This is a war for independence, and I am no better or different than your own George Washington."
"Washington was a military general, not a terrorist."
"The difference between generals and terrorists is only the difference between winners and losers. If you win you are called a general, if you lose - "

- Finn and Dr. Crusher

From 'The High Ground'

Star Trek: The Next Generation