Transcendentalism

I have been reading "Where I Lived and What i Lived For" by Henry David Thoreau.
While reading Thoreau, all i want to do is move into the woods,
Chop down some trees and build my own house,
Not buying the land or getting permits or filing any papers.
Why?
Simplicity.
And Escape.
Christmas is fast approaching,
And with it comes the fashionable fads,
New programs, diets, desires, and beliefs,
Expectations, inventions, gifts, and clutter.
And distractions.
As a Christian, it is necessary to identify the intentions of Christmas.
But, it is just as necessary to notice the reality of it.
And here is where i like what Thoreau, and others of the Transcendental movement say about
Truth, reality, and our place among the two.
In an essay, Ralph Waldo Emerson writes:

"So shall we come to look at the world with new eyes. It shall answer the endless inquiry of the intellect, — What is truth? and of the affections, — What is good? by yielding itself passive to the educated Will. ... Build, therefore, your own world. As fast as you conform your life to the pure idea in your mind, that will unfold its great proportions. A correspondent revolution in things will attend the influx of the spirit."

The desert of life proves an eternal thirst for its inhabitants.
And so we drink the next remedy for our dry pallet.
Whether poison or pleasing, our tongue turns to sand.
Emerson (and others) thus suggest that we look at truths and reality as an overarching theme
And stand firm in our convictions. A sort of pseudo post-modernism.
But instead of finding truth in experience,
One finds it in thought.
However, i recognize the dangers:
How can there be truth in what we think?
How can one reality "transcend" all personal thought?
How can idealism be attached firmly in the natural realm?
But i am struck by this question:
Do these dangers outweigh the imminent threat poised by an acceptance of the newest experience, trend, or affection?
As Americans, we are told to buy, spend, consume, or else fall behind.
But, the simplicity of a consistent culture is a new temptation.
The simplicity of things being and not changing.
And so, when i read about Thoreau and his wooded escape in Massachusetts, i envy his experience
Because he is free from the bondage of culture.
He has escaped the slavery of consumerism, materialism, and the next "best thing."
The burden of "brand new" removed,
His escape to nature proved to produce
not only great literature, but great thinking as well.

A Change of Pace

As many of you know,
I recently lost my part time job (Rest in Peace).
No, i was not fired.
The restaurant closed. (Rest in Peace)
Thus, i am welcomed to the realm of "unemployment."
But not really unemployment
Because i still work at the church.
However, i have significantly more time.
So, here's how i spent my time this last week:

Monday: I counted a freezer bag full of change, totaling close to $60, mostly in pennies and nickels.
(Yes, this day did inspire the title and subject of this blog)
Tuesday: I watched not one, but two movies. And a TV Show.
One: Terms of Endearment, was kind of awful, but also kind of intriguing.
Two: When in Rome, was cute. No other word describes it.
Wednesday: I stayed busy because of church and my lack of responsibility the previous two days.
I didn't write my lesson the previous days because of my insane schedule.
So, i rushed through it before church.
Thursday: Honestly, i don't remember this day. That's probably sad.
At some point during this week i reworked my Resume, maybe that's what i did?
Friday: The weekend started. So, i did nothing.

And so, as you can see, the pace of my life has significantly changed.
But, the reality is that it will continually change.
Oftentimes, we count the quarters,
but dollars and sense (intentional) are found in the nickels and dimes.
The future exponentially accrues interest.
Life is only lived once,
And change takes residence in mason jars,
Overflowing it's environment.
So, I will continue to count the change.
Sorting, summing, and rolling,
Because my future looks different than scattered coins,
but is not seamless like a dollar bill.

The Door

Today, I wanted to write a blog.
But i wasn't sure what i wanted to write about.
I thought about writing about Lost.
But, I haven't finished the series yet.
(I get disc 4 of season 6 tomorrow).
I thought about writing about November,
But, i tend to write about Seasons and Months a lot.

And so, i wasn't going to write a blog.
But, then something happened.
I had to go to the bathroom.
Yes, this happens on a daily basis
because i like to stay hydrated
by drinking water, soda, and coffee.
But, my bathroom experience tonight is worth noting.
The following is that story:

As my Monday routine necessitates,
I strayed across Seventh Street to Starbucks
from my empty apartment.
In the energetic environment brimming with bodies,
I found myself seated near the door, downing an Iced Coffee.
As i finished Act 1 of King Lear,
i noticed the capacity of the Coffee House.
Busier than most Mondays,
the Baristas brewed, steamed and poured at a frantic pace.
Meanwhile, i perused the pages of the Anthology eager to
embrace the words of Shakespeare.
People shifted in the small space
as those seated stared intently at their illuminated screens
I left my table baron of all but the book i was browsing
to make my way to the men's room.
I grasped the handle and gave it a gentle jerk
half expecting the door to be locked.
The handle turned, rotating the door.
To my surprise stood a man dressed in black.
Exposed at the sink, the man washed his hands.
I shrunk back as the door sprung shut with a slam.
Embarrassed and dazed, i decided to return to my table.
As i turned away, the door re-opened
And what emerged was the irresponsible occupant.
Avoiding eye contact, i walked past
and entered the space,
emphatically pushing the lock
in order to prevent a repeat of recent events.

Seriously, who doesn't lock the bathroom?
Yes, he was simply washing his hands.
But lock the bathroom door.
This could have been a scarring moment for both me and him.
So, if you are one who does not lock the bathroom door immediately on entry,
Start. Lock the bathroom door. For your sake and for mine.

Post Modern Holiday

As i got my haircut on Sunday,
My youth sponsor who so generously cuts my hair said this:
"Halloween isn't much,
IF You don't make a big deal out of it."
She said a lot.
IF we don't experience Halloween, What's left?
Ironically, death (ironic because Halloween has routs in celebrating death).
October is buried along with nature.
It does not commemorate
a person (ie. Columbus Day, which also celebrates death).
or event (some would argue the end of summer,
but I'm not convinced because summer ends at the Autumnal Equinox
[September 23rd this year]. Notably, before October.)
or relationship.
It is simply,
your experience that makes this holiday.
Strip away:
the costumes, candy, pumpkins, and colors
and you are left baron of all but the birth of November.
But, because of it's postmodern aspect,
Halloween has its heyday.
Creating costumes, inventing identities,
We live in the experience of Halloween.
Why? because happiness is summer vacation
and change occurs with the New Year and October is the in between.
So, our malcontent lives on, yearning for another season of life
disguising itself in the dress of experience.
Halloween is what we want to experience.
Reality is what we do experience.
So, why celebrate a holiday about experience?
Instead, actually create an experience.

Guilty Pleasures

Here's a list of my guilty pleasures:

1. Any Taylor Swift song.
There's something soothing about a country acoustic guitar
And a teen girl singing about love
That she probably hasn't experienced
But communicates so well.

2. An overly bold cup of coffee
But with milk in it.
Bitterness and calcium is an awesome combination.

3. Reading about technology
I like reading about the newest gadgets.
So i can talk about them like i own them,
to people who actually own them.

4. Things that your expectations completely miss
Example: The Notebook.
Expectation: Really bad sappy chick flick.
Result: Really awesome sappy chick flick.

Example 2: The Chicago Cubs
Expectation: Win the World Series every year.
Result: Lose the World Series every year.

Example 3: Cooking Dinner
Expectation: When i throw a bunch of things in a pan,
it will be bad.
Result: What i call, "Spanish Pork." It is awesome.

5. Using phrases
But,
Using them in instances that
completely revolutionize the way you use said phrases.
Example: Saying "Rest in peace" after a promotional period ends.