You can read this if you want.

I know I've been blogging a lot lately, and maybe you are tired of reading them. Well, you don't have to read this one. I will not be complaining though. And, it's not about graduation. It's something I've never written about before. I know your interest is peaked now.
Okay, so I have been reading this book by Tony Campolo called A Reasonable Faith. I wasn't impressed until I got to the second to last chapter today. He was talking about self actualization and humanism. Don't worry if you don't know what that is because I'm going to break down my favorite parts for you. If you are curious though, I do suggest you read it.
So, basically Campolo is building around Maslow's theory of self-actualization, which is that the ultimate goal of humanity is to become the most perfect human, to be fully human. Campolo suggests that the only way we can become fully human is to have an intimate relationship with the only person who is fully human, Jesus.
The most interesting thing about Campolo's Christian Humanist theology is not the above statement, which is the main premise, but its implications. The one on sin being my favorite. If we are all striving to be that most fully human, then we should also be striving to bring others to that same state. And anytime we succeed in bringing a person, including ourselves, closer to self-actualization, we have accomplished good. Anytime we fail to bring a person, included ourselves, to self-actualization, we have not accomplished good. Worse yet, if we make a person, including ourselves, feel less like a human, dehumanized, we have sinned. Whoa. Holy Moses.
Think about that. I am still trying to wrap my mind around it. But, how many times do you think you dehumanize someone? Call some driver an idiot, treat the casheir like they're stupid, or get agitated in a drive thru. We are dehumanizing them. But, even more, when we fail to humanize someone, or bring them closer to being fully human, is that a sin as well? Man, I don't know. But, I have to be honest, I am loving this new perspective on sin. I like the black and whiteness of it.
It definitely made my last trip to Walmart a little more interesting.

"Adventure," she cried, "adventure!"

I am so bored. I am bored with Cleveland. I am bored with my apartment. I am bored with my job. I am bored with school. I am bored with my life. Let me break it down for you.
Cleveland does not rock. Cleveland sucks. There is never anything exciting going on. Well, last week there was the festival of cultures, but I had to work. You can drive from one side of Cleveland to the other in ten minutes and not see anything excited. I know, I just did it. In fact most of the restaurants are closed by ten. Well, that's just silly.
Because I do not have a job, and I only have class on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and most of my friends do not have this cushy arrangement. So, I spend most of my days hanging out in my apartment. I hate it. I feel like a big, lazy slob.
I am bored with my job. Yes, I am the Lee University Lady Flames Concessions Manager. I am grateful for my job. And, most of the time, I don't mind my job. But, sometimes, I just get sick of serving hot dogs. Sometimes, I have a lot of fun with my job. And, sometimes, I don't. The truth is, it just doesn't pay enough.
I am twenty-three days away from graduation. That is exciting. I am definitely not bored with that. No freaking way. However, seriously, what are you going to teach me in twenty-three days. Actually, it's far less than twenty-three days, it's actually eight days. What are you going to teach me in eight days? What could I possibly prove to you about my own intelligence in those eight days. If I haven't proven that I am worthy of my degree, am I really going to prove it to you in those eight days? I really don't have the motivation to write one more paper, to take one more exam, to listen to one more lecture.
I think I am done complaining. I realize that my life is not that bad. I'm just frustrated right now. I just need a little adventure. I am not content hanging out in my apartment, watching television and writing response papers. I need to climb a mountain, hang out in a cafe with a hot guy with a lovely accent, take a hike in a jungle, hell, I'd eat a jungle grub.

AND ANTHROPOLOGY

Today, I went to the bookstore to pick up the twenty-five announcements the school gives me for free. Before I even open the announcements, I call my mom to let her know that they are in. Then, I open them and saw what they said. Sure, they spelled my name right, but the got my degree wrong. Oh man, am I ever mad. It says I am a candidate for a Bachelor of Art's Degree in Psychology.
AND ANTHROPOLOGY!
But, do they say that? No.
The truth is, I don't really care what the announcements say. If the school didn't give them to me for free, then I wouldn't even be sending them out. But, I do care what my degree says. I do care what they say when I walk across the stage. And if they can only say one major, fine, but I want it to be Anthropology. None of the psychology professors even know my name. I don't even care about psychology anymore. Sure, I probably learned some useful things, but if I had to do it all over again, I would only do anthropology.
My fellow double major, Sara, and I are feeling as though we aren't getting a fair shake. Neither major wants to recognize us because we betrayed them in some way. It's like we are Samaritans, not fully Jewish, and not fully Gentile. But, there is one difference, we have done the same amount of work as every single major, plus the work of an entire seperate major. I only had one class that overlapped. This is ridiculous. I stayed an entire year longer because I discovered that anthropology is truly my passion, my avenue to change the world, and I don't even get the recognition for it.
Man, come Monday if something doesn't change, heads are gonna roll. I'm calling my Mama.

Reese's Pieces and Amoebas

I am eating Reese's Pieces for lunch. I thought perhaps this blog may make more sense if you knew that little tidbit of information.
This morning I took a linguistics test and I think I did a pretty good job. I'm talking passing here, folks. Then, I was talking to my Spanish professor and he said he didn't think I would be failing any classes this semester, including his. Well, thank you very much Profesor Esmit. Also, I have rediscovered the comfort and versatility of jeans and a t-shirt, and I'm not going to wear anything but for the rest of the semester. So, I am having a fabulous day. But, that is not why I am writing this blog. I am writing this blog because I have happened upon a theological truth that I wanted to share with all of you.
We all know that when we get to heaven, we will be given a new body. There has been much discussion as to what form these new bodies may actually take. Discuss no further. I have figured it out. We will be amoeba-like. Obviously, we will not be amoebas, because amoebas are unicellular organisms, and we will be mulitcellular. What is my reasoning, you ask? I forget, but think of the advantages. There is no fat or thin when it comes to amoebas. They are shapeless. They can even change shape to fit the situation. Come on, that would totally come in handy. Think of all the new forms of creative movement we could discover. Amoebas are slimey. Gross? No! Convenient, we won't have to worry about personal hygeine. Can an amoeba be less slimey? Would it matter? I don't think so. We also won't need to give any thought to what we will wear because, amoebas don't wear clothes. This is so obvious, I can't beleive no one has thought of it yet. I am a genius.
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Update: May 10th, 2006
So, I told my dad about my amoeba theory. He calmly told me that we will be known as we were. He gave me some scriptures and said that we will probably be the same, our body will just be new. I tried to tell him that I didn't really think we would be amoebas and he told me I should want the truth. whatev.

You have bewitched me.

You must know... surely, you must know it was all for you. You are too generous to trifle with me. I believe you spoke with my aunt last night, and it has taught me to hope as I'd scarcely allowed myself before. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes have not changed, but one word from you will silence me forever. If, however, your feelings have changed, I will have to tell you: you have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love and love and love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on. And every woman in the world breathes a collective sigh.
This past week, I received the most lovely thing, a care package from my little sister. And, my little sister, being the little sister that she is, sent me nothing I needed, but everything I wanted, including Pride and Prejudice. So, in the past week, I have watched it at least three times. Actually, probably more because I have watched the scene that the above quote is from about fifteen times.
But, I couldn't help but wonder why I put myself through it. Why do I watch these romantic movies over and over, when I usually end up feeling depressed because I have yet to find that bewitching love? But, the truth is that while I am a tid depressed, I find much more hope, hope that someday I wil find that man who loves and loves and loves me. It is a gentle reminder that love really does exist. And it can survive through an insane mother with bad nerves, an overzealous aunt concerned only with her daughter's welfare, and a pledge to loathe him for all eternity.