William, Wilbur, and Wikipedia

I am about to say something that I never thought I ever would. I've been slightly bored with reading lately. Isn't that odd? I've always enjoyed reading, but I've just been doing it so much lately. In the past two months, I have read nine books. Normally, that would take me a year or more. I've had so much free time. I really can't complain. I've enjoyed the time to relax, the time to hang out with friends, and the time to wait on God in 'silence'.

I have decided to take a little break from intense reading for a while. Instead, I've been writing and editing Wikipedia articles. It has been fairly educational. Apparently, William and Catherine Booth's first son became the second General of the Salvation Army, while their second son started his own organization called Volunteers of America.

Because I don't want to get away from reading altogether, I've decided to pick up some lighter books. I'm planning on reading a few books by EB White, starting with Charlotte's Web.

Time Travel

This week, my mind has drifted to time travel. This is most likely due to the fact that I have been reading "The Time Machine" by HG Wells. I've never read anything by him before, but I'd like to, now that I've finished this one. It was quite interesting. Apparently, it was this book that started the idea of purposeful and directed time travel in the sci-fi community. Before this, 'time travel' books were simply about psychological time travel experiences, such as recalling past lives, or divine interventions. The advent of the popularization of the idea of technological time travel is attributed to him. When read in that light, it makes the story quite ingenious.

The elevators at my office look like they could be time machines. The buttons are labelled as follows:

5
4
3
2
G

Everytime I go from the fifth floor to the ground floor, I can't help but think, "I can count to G!". If this puzzles you, you definitely haven't been watching enough Teen Girl Squad.

If you could travel to any time period just to observe, which one would you choose? Would you witness the dawn of creation? Perhaps a visit to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon around 600 BC? How about going to 802701 AD to see how accurate HG Wells' predictions were? As for me, I think I'd go back to 1497 AD to see where John Cabot first landed. I would like to know if it really was Newfoundland that was the first part of North America discovered by the early modern Europeans, or whether it was Nova Scotia or Maine.

Speaking of time, lunchtime is coming up in a few minutes, and you know what they say about lunchtime.

Time is an illusion, lunchtime doubly so.
- Ford Prefect, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The Fourth Love

I love my family. I don't think any of them read my blog, but I'd like to state that here anyway.

Mom is coming up to see me before I go back to Newfoundland. Dad has encouraged me and 'heckled' me every time I've talked with him since I moved here. Timothy has asked me to help him with homework over the phone. Uncle Kerry shares his excitement with me whenever he does something new. Aunt Cheryl asks me how my day was every time I come home. Lindsay made me a salmon sandwich for my lunch today. Ashley gave me some of her delicious fudge last night.

The things I have mentioned about them are not the greatest things they have ever done for me or the most important points in our relationships, but they are what have reminded me of their love in recent days.

I love my family.

Firsts with Phil

I had been looking forward to this past weekend for a long time. I had Friday off, and I had two exciting possibilities lined up for Saturday. I could go to Edmonton with the Rocky Mountain Bible College students or I could go to Banff with the Glenmore Temple youth group. Due to unfortunate circumstances, the Banff trip was cancelled and I was too late to buy the ticket to Edmonton. I went into the weekend a little sad.

Then, unexpectedly, Phil invited me to go snowshoeing! It was a lot of fun. The scenery was absolutely amazing. I loved the mountains and I loved the trees. It was so warm that we were walking around without jackets or hoodies, and yet it was lightly snowing. It was so beautiful. The actual snowshoeing became tiring after a while, and I have been quite sore since. I'm still glad I went. It was worth it even if only for the view of the mountains.

Afterwards, Phil, Allison, and I went to Banff, so I guess that did work out in the end. We had a great meal at a place called Barpa Bill's Souvlaki. They served Lamb and Calamari, and everything either in or with a pita. What more can you ask?

This weekend, I experienced three things for the first time - Banff and snowshoeing I have already mentioned. The third was seeing a Lynx. Phil has named himself "the man of firsts" since people tend to do things for the first time when they're with him. It almost sounds like James Kirk - "the man who cheated death"; or Harry Potter - "the boy who lived".

Good times.

Analysing Randomness

You guessed it, I finished another book; "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland". It was an enjoyable little read, but not what I had expected in the least. I plan on reading "Through the Looking Glass" next.

I find it interesting how randomness expresses itself in different people, books, and movies. "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" is random in the sense that completely unexpected things that don't make sense happen at expected intervals while there is a definite plot. "Time Bandits" is random in the sense that unexpected things that don't make sense happen at expected intervals while there is only the outline of a plot. "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" is random in the sense that unexpected things that don't make sense happen at expected intervals while there is no plot. "Napoleon Dynomite" is random in the sense that unexpected things that do make sense happen at unexpected intervals while there is a loose plot. "Peter Pan" is random in the sense that expected things that don't make sense happen constantly while there is a visible plot. "Paint by Numbers" is random in every sense.

I will explain.

Flying pigs are expected because of the phrase "when pigs can fly", but they don't make sense. A hippopotamus wearing a tutu makes sense because it is possible to fabricate such a tutu and put it on a hippopotamus, but it is not expected. Seeing a four-leaf clover rarely happens because it is a genetic anomaly, but it is expected. Winning the lottery is unexpected, but it happens regularly. Duplicated photons created by transporting them so fast that they arrive before they are sent don't make sense, but they happen every time. Albinism is rare, but it make sense. Willy Wonka's flashbacks in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" are unexpected, but they have meaning. Piggy's glasses in "Lord of the Flies" have no meaning, but they are expected. The talking animals in "Animal Farm" don't make sense, but they have meaning. R2-D2's name has no meaning, but it makes sense. Finding dinosaur bones is rare, but it has meaning. Finally, the shaping of the clouds has no meaning, but it happens all the time. These things are all random in different ways.

If I haven't lost you already, I would like to explain this understanding of randomness so as to divide it into its varied forms explicitly. I propose...

The Purdian Theory of Randomness

A thing is random if and only if it is either a) unexpected, b) impossible, c) rare or irregularly timed, or d) meaningless. Categories of randomness follow from these possibilities.

Insperandomness: unexpected randomness

Futurandomness: impossible randomness

Rarandomness: irregular randomness

Nequarandomness: meaningless randomness (self-described)

Inspefuturandomness: unexpected and impossible

Insperarandomness: unexpected and irregular

Inspenequarandomness: unexpected and meaningless (the name)

Futurarandomness: impossible and irregular

Futunequarandomness: impossible and meaningless

Ranequarandomness: irregular and meaningless (joke)

Inspefuturarandomness: unexpected, impossible, and irregular

Inspefutunequarandomness: unexpected, impossible, and meaningless

Insperanequarandomness: unexpected, irregular, and meaningless

Futuranequarandomness: impossible, irregular, and meaningless

Inspefuturanequarandomness: unexpected, impossible, irregular, and meaningless

Thus concludes my theory on randomness. If you have actually taken the time to read through all this nonsense, I salute you. We both have way too much time on our hands.

What We Have Learned

I would like to list here the things I learned yesterday:

1. Pub is short for public house.
2. A publican is someone who runs a pub - either that, or a taxcollector in the Roman empire.
3. Phil Vischer no longer owns Big Idea.
4. Discernment is a spiritual gift, not an inbred skill.
5. ATM machines are difficult to find.

I learned lessons 1 and 2 from reading "In Darkest England and the Way Out" - William Booth's scheme for saving the poor and outcast of London. It was long, but very educational and motivational. It is also free on the Jesus Army website.

I learned lessons 3 and 4 from reading "What Happened to Big Idea?", which was probably the longest 'article' I have ever read. It basically explained how the company started as one of God's big ideas and how eventually, Phil Vischer decided to make it his own bigger idea until it exploded. The company nearly went bankrupt to keep up with Phil's bigger idea, so he was forced to sell out to a larger company. In case you're a Veggietales fan and you're worried about the voice of Bob, Phil still does voices and writes for Veggietales, but he doesn't run the company anymore. Although it's run by a secular company now, some of its most blatantly Christian movies have been made under its new direction. The main thought I took from the article was that ambition, even with good intentions and God in mind, is God-less. Decisions and plans need to be soaked in prayer, and God's will should be sought before God's service. We can do everything with Him and nothing without Him.

I learned lession 5 the hard way.

The Watermelon Hunter

I spent some of this week watching "Anne of Green Gables" and its sequel. Interesting movies. I was almost certain that I would dislike them after watching for the first half hour. By the time I had finished, though, I can say that I really enjoyed them. I may pick up the books sometime. They teach a good lesson about cantankerousness. I once played Gilbert Blythe in a short high school play, which is interesting, because after having watched the movies, I find very few similarities between us.

I had never seen an episode of Survivor until I came to Calgary. Now, what with the Bible study, I haven't missed an episode. I figured I'd tolerate Survivor in order to attend the Bible study, but I've gotten interested in it. I'll have to finish watching the season when I go back to Newfoundland.

I've been reading "Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian Life" latley. One of the stories imployed in the novel was "The Watermelon Hunter", a Sufi tale. It's fairly short, so I'll include it here:

Once upon a time there was a man who strayed from his own country into the world known as the Land of Fools. He soon saw a number of people flying in terror from a field where they had been trying to reap wheat. "There is a monster in that field," they told him. He looked, and saw that the "monster" was merely a watermelon.

He offered to kill the "monster" for them. When he had cut the melon from its stalk, he took a slice and began to eat it. The people became even more terrified of him than they had been of the melon. They drove him away with pitchforks, crying, "He will kill us next, unless we get rid of him."

It so happened that shortly afterward another man also strayed into the Land of Fools. But instead of offering to help the people with the "monster," he agreed with them that it must be dangerous, and by tiptoeing away from it with them he gained their confidence. He spent a long time with them in their homes until he could teach them, little by little, the basic facts which would enable them not only to lose their fear of melons, but eventually to cultivate melons themselves.

That really made me think. Hopefully it stirred up some brain waves with you too.

Call to Urbana

I think I've done enough quizzes to last me a long time. They were enjoyable all the same.

I would like to devote my post today to Urbana. I'm really hoping that I will be able to convince at least one of my friends to go with me this year. It's the largest missions conference in the world, and it is held every three years. It started in Toronto back in 1946, but it was then moved to Urbana-Champaigne, Illinois where it remained until 2003, the year I attended. Urbana 2006 will be held in St. Louis, Missouri. It runs from the evening of December 27th to midnight on December 31st. The conference consists of two general sessions each day, time in between for customized sessions or exhibit viewing, and a small group Bible study each night. There are always a bunch of interesting speakers, and this year, one of them will be Rick Warren, author of "The Purpose Driven Life". The most amazing thing about the conference is probably the worship. Being in a stadium filled with more than twenty thousand people all praising God is absolutely incredible. It's also a great place to seek God's leading for the future if you are considering some kind of missions work.

If you are thinking about attending Urbana, feel free to contact me, visit the website, or view the webcast from 2003. If you decide to go, please contact me. I would love to connect with you.

Star Trek Quiz #3

You scored as Jean-Luc Picard. You're the thinking man, Captain Picard! You are solitary and intellectual but can be daring and exciting in your own way. You will probably go bald, get assimilated by the Borg and smash a glass cabinet of little ships sometime in the future... Jean-Luc Picard 50% Kathryn Janeway 38% James T Kirk 19% Benjamin Sisko 13% Which Star Trek captain are you? created with QuizFarm.com

Star Trek Quiz #2

You scored as Data. You are logical, highly intellegent and unemotional. You wish you understood other people more, but you find computers easier to work with. Data 87% Geordi LaForge 80% Deanna Troi 73% Jean Luc Picard 53% William T. Riker 40% Worf 33% Beverly Crusher 27% Which Star Trek: the Next Generation character are you? created with QuizFarm.com

Star Trek Quiz #1

You scored as Federation. You Are The Federation, You prefer to be alone and learn. You enjoy helping people and know how to talk things up. You would help people into the spotlight before yourself Federation 75% Vulcan 70% Borg 55% Cardassian 25% Dominion 20% Romulan 15% Klingon 15% Ferengi 5% What Star Trek Species Are You? created with QuizFarm.com

My First Blog Quiz

You're Yoda

You are wise beyond your years — a sage for the ages, the master's master. That's why your Star Wars type is Yoda. Sure, you might not look too much like the little green Jedi Master, but you have a quiet contemplative way about you that commands respect.

People trust you, especially your friends who are constantly coming to you for advice and sometimes predictions. While you may not be able to tell them who's going to win the big game, you do possess the rare ability to see the big picture. You never lose sight of the fact that we're all part of a greater whole. It keeps you grounded and balanced, and it's the perfect cover for a mischievous sense of humor that always catches others off-guard. This mix of wisdom and impish delight promises to bring you long life...another thousand years or so anyway.

The Classic Star Wars Test
Brought to you by Tickle

Criticising Criticism

Looking at the results of my Johari window so far, it doesn't seem that I know myself all that well - which is what I had suspected, so I'm glad that people are telling me. I considered getting a Nohari window too (a negative attributes window), but I figured that it is not the best way to receive criticism. I'm still unsure about criticism. I've talked with Mara about this, and it was a big topic when I worked at Camp Mountainview, but I haven't drawn any 'conclusions' (you know what I mean). Is it a good thing to confront people about sin? Is it a good thing to tell people about their unconsious shortcomings if you would want them to do the same for you? It's a difficult topic, but a very practical one compared to most debates I get into.

Warning: Spoiler for "The Great Gatsby" to follow. If you have not read "The Great Gatsby", wish to, and dislike people telling you about a book before you've read it (as I do), skip the italics.

This topic has been rolling around in my mind this week because of "The Great Gatsby". The story follows Nick as he is a witness to many people doing immoral things, such as cheating, lying, commiting adultry, and lastly, killing. In the end, Nick says nothing, so no one is punished for what they have done, no one learns from their mistakes, and everyone is left feeling that they are pretty good people who simply came accross unfortunate circumstances.

So what do you think? Should we confront people about sin? If so, when?

Johari Window

I've been reminded over the past few days how important it is for me to know my own strengths and weaknesses, my own paterns of doing things, and my typical reactions in various situations. Sometimes I find that it is easier for me to think of the things I am not good at because I want to be humble and I want to become a better person. I don't want to boast and be proud. Sometimes, especially after being praised for something, I forget my weaknesses. Nevertheless, I should have a full view of myself, the positive and the negative, so that I know what to work on and when to step up to the plate.

Mara and Amanda created Johari windows last week so that others could tell them what they thought their most evident attributes are. I have done the same. Please visit my Johari window and leave your thoughts. I'd love to know what you think I am. For those of you who do not know me as Neelix, I had to use a unique name and Neelix was my camp name at Pine Lake three years ago.

"I am not what I think I am. I am not what you think I am. I am what I think you think I am."
- Bleiberg and Leubling

The Community's Guide to the Gatsby

I have finished a book every day for the past three days. I'm loving how much time I've been getting to read lately. The three books are "The Great Gatsby", "Community in Mission", and "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy". "The Great Gatsby" is the first ebook I have ever read. I had no idea that so many wonderful books are offered for free on the Internet. I plan on starting "Peter Pan" next. Equally monumental, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" is the first audio book I have ever 'read'. Lagging behind, technologically speaking, "Community in Mission" is a lowly paperback. I think these books indicate the three types of books I read; classics, Christian, and sci-fi.

If you would like to join an on-line discussion of "The Great Gatsby", check out my friend Lynette's blog. If you are interested in the goings-on of The Salvation Army as discussed in "Community in Mission", try Lynette's other blog. If you would like to learn more about "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", Lynette doesn't have a blog to suit you.