Why My Professor Cried

I walked into my Judaism and Christianity in the Classical Near East class on Friday and the Professor was wearing jeans and a neon orange-striped shirt. This was NOT normal, as he usually is in a suit, or at least a dress-shirt, slacks, and a tie. He's actually a very lively, bold, and level-headed teacher. He talks fast and intensely and confidently.
But Friday was different.

At the start of class, he explained that he had been at his son's spelling bee, and he hadn't had time to change, and was going to be off his game that day, and his son was amazing, and if we wanted to know about it we had to read his article because there was no way he would get through an explanation. He said all this choking back tears. He really was "a mess" that day, as he put it. He kept getting off topic, and several times he just stopped and zoned out before he would say "stay on track Hunt" or "I am out of it, today" etc.

Anyway, I just read the article and it really touched me. Sometimes, I (we?) tend to be overly critical and emphasize the perfection in something, but miss the actual success. My professor, in one of his 'off-topic moments' tearfully said something that may not make sense before you've read the article.

"It's the trying that matters. Of course, we, in the church with our emphasis on 'works', know how important it is to do our best. But how can we forget, for even a moment, that Jesus already has everything taken care of? He did all that for us, and it really doesn't matter if we fail or not. We just have to try. My boy- he didn't even get one word out, not even one letter. He stood up there and said 'I can't.' And yet, God loves that amazing kid. He loves him and doesn't care a bit about whether he won or not. Because it's okay to say 'I can't.' Isn't that what He's there for?" (paraphrased)

Here's the article.
The Failure that was a Success
.

Unlocking Incompetence

I've come to dislike every situation that should be normal. Mostly because, for me, things really just can't be normal.
When people walk up to their door, they pull out their key, unlock the door, and enter their house. Right? I mean, nothing can really go wrong with that except, perhaps, realizing you don't have your key with you or having to set a grocery back down because you haven't enough hands.
But like I said, with me normal things aren't normal. I always have the biggest trouble getting my key out and the door unlocked.
Imagine, if you will, this small part of my life that so personifies my existence.
You set your backpack down beside you and pull out your keys. As you straightened, unlocking the doorknob, your backpack tips sideways.
But of course, you're ignorant enough that you keep your keys in the same pouch as your pens, pencils, and other tiny objects. And you're even so lacking in common sense that you didn't zip the pouch back up after retrieving said keys. So of course, because it can, your backpack tips sideways, spilling all of your things.
And yes, you live at the top of the stairs. So yes, of course, they all fall through the cracks of the stairs, several stories, spread all over the ground and stairway. You run about trying to quickly pick them all up so you don't look like a complete fool (failing in the process) and finally get them all gathered and shoved back into your bag. Gasping from the frantic running up and down stairs, groaning in frustration, and thoroughly disgusted with yourself, you snatch up all your things and rush into...
the door. Face first. Of course. Because you unlocked the knob, but the drawn bolt is still restricting entrance.
The only redeemable thing about the whole experience, is that it would be hilarious to watch. Too bad I don't have a mini recorder following me around. I could have my own slap-stick comedy show.

"Key to the city? Key to my car? Tic-tac?" *zzzzap*

Kwerky Kin

Just a quick list of quotes members of my family say/have said, so I won't forget them. I will most likely periodically update/edit this post to add new ones as I remember them.

"That's hilaaaarious Jy-im!"
"I do love you as a sister, but as a person you're kinda dumb."
"Daddy 'pang mine hine en'!"
"Inner peace... inner peace..."
"Stop it, you twerpy, little go-go butt!"
"Get me the government!"
"Bring 'er home!"
"Flump on a log on a head on a head."
"Sam is a man. Sam is simple. Sam... "
"Eager, egid abacumov, savage, cross-eyed, crooked, plar, slan, fodder, batoot, deportment, mad libs, mytrix, Triple S, lardin' my mass, slan, LBS, banda, RAB, plar, and more."
"Guys, don't worry- he's hurt and Jack has grenades!"
"Good job, Gary!"
"And you notice- he walks like a duck?!"
"What is this... what is this...?"
"But... where is the bathroom?! I can't find the bathroom!"
"Mailbox!"
"желтый me желтый"
"It doesn't make me feeeeel good."
"Sing a sohhhng."
"I don't want people to make me mad."
"Oh Larry Bo-o-oy!"
"Huw axed fow bweafaxst." (she asked for breakfast)
"That's sahcasm, deah!"
"Excellent."
"23-19! 23-19!"
"It's funny, because it's unexpected."
"I realized..."
"...Or you'll DIE!
"...and yell of vinegar and pepper..."
"Get out an' puuush."
"Rice and Rootbeer, Rachel?"
"Bread? Bread...?"
"Oh, you mean a glass cup."
"You're a star student."
"I saw the movie, I feel very confident."
"Because quitters... QUIT."
"Hey-try this. Hey, that is pretty good. That's pretty good.."

" - Well, Caleb told me that he couldn't sleep with us because you said no.

~ No, that's not what happened. He told me that I couldn't sleep with you."

"... and mean. and mean..."

"Gary, the car is moving..."

"Those nasty little birds- they're vicious! They always attack the big birds. It's mean!"

"An unpopular or socially inept person."

"Did you know, your friend Melanie is coming. And you haven't seen her in years."

"Angel, no!"

"That is worthy of Emily's Book of Slanish Adventures."

"Your face..."
"I need to kill Clara... no, wait I need to kill Carsten... No... I need to figure out who to kill. *regretful voice* I guess I don't need to kill anyone..."
"Voldie Voldie Voldie-Mort."
"I lose."
Julian Smith.

Antimatter

Antimatter

by Russell Edson

. On the other side of a mirror there’s an inverse world, where the insane go sane; where bones climb out of the earth and recede to the first slime of love.
. And in the evening the sun is just rising.
. Lovers cry because they are a day younger, and soon childhood robs them of their pleasure.
. In such a world there is much sadness which, of course, is joy . . .

This one puts things in a new perspective, doesn't it? Life and pleasure and misery are all relative. Things are, only because we see them that way. Suggests the importance of stepping outside your immediate surrounds to gain the eternal perspective.

The Bridge Builder

I didn't write it, but I'd like to think this is dedicated to all those diligent teachers and writers out there, who've already learned the lesson, but spend their time sharing them with others.

The Bridge Builder

by Will Allen Dromgoole

An old man going a lone highway,

Came, at the evening cold and gray,

To a chasm vast and deep and wide.

The old man crossed in the twilight dim,

The sullen stream had no fear for him;

But he turned when safe on the other side

And built a bridge to span the tide.

“Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim near,

“You are wasting your strength with building here;

Your journey will end with the ending day,

You never again will pass this way;

You’ve crossed the chasm, deep and wide,

Why build this bridge at evening tide?”

The builder lifted his old gray head;

“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said,

“There followed after me to-day

A youth whose feet must pass this way.

This chasm that has been as naught to me

To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be;

He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;

Good friend, I am building this bridge for him!”

Albums

So, I got this idea from a friend, to randomly generate what your 'first band name and album' will look like. It's pretty fun. I've made a few (I actually made two 'album covers' for one of the band names I liked) and even one for Clara. Here are some, click on them to see a bigger image: