Thoughts and What Not

December 1 - What was your best trip in 2009?

I would have to say that the best trip I had this year would also be my only major trip of the year, and that would be my trip to my Mother's new home in Montana. She now lives in Whitefish, MT which is absolutely gorgeous. It is surrounded by mountains and it has a peaceful feel to it that Chicago is most definitely lacking. That being said, I am glad it was just that, a trip. I can not really see myself living there, as it is just too slow paced.

December 2 - Share the best restaurant experience you had this year.

Hard to say, nothing really stands out about any of my dinners out that really would give any one dinner the title of "Best Restaurant Experience" so I will go with something a smidge more generic. Any time, that I went out to eat at Cracker Barrel with either my Mother, or my two roommates Chris and Tex. I don't get to see my Mother often anymore, which makes those rare opportunities that we get to share a meal very special. I also am something of a recluse, so when I actually do get to go out and eat with my roommates and just socialize it really makes me feel like my life has more value to it then just sitting in front of a monitor all day long.

December 3 - What's an article that you read that blew you away?

I don't remember where this article was, but it was definitely one that really made me think about our way of life and how everyone thinks its there god given right to decide whats right and whats wrong, and that shunning or punishing someone who did something we don't like is perfectly alright.

This girl, in her early teens, decided to send a photo of her breasts to her boyfriend over her phone. Somehow, I don't recall if it was an accident or on purpose, the photo got out and the school authorities and her parents found out about it. The kids from her school and another high school nearby ridiculed her and made fun of her for it. The school punished her for it as well, suspension of some kind I think. Through all of this she had her friends there to support her and help her, but then her parents decided that since this act of "sexting" was so horrible that they felt the need to ground her from her friends and the things she liked to do. With all of this pressing down on her, and no one on her side, save for people she was forbidden from interacting with, is it any wonder that she took her life?

The kicker of it all, was that no one blamed the school for over reacting in punishing a student for something that wasn't really under their authority. No one blamed her parents for both not supporting her in her time of need, and cutting her off from the only support she had. No, the authorities and the media all blamed the "dangerous" act of "sexting" for this horrible tragedy. This is no different from when people blame video games as being the cause of violence in our youth. People need to start taking responsibility for what they have done, or our world is gonna get a hell of a lot worse before it gets better.... If it ever does get better.

-Phil

Pain is an illusion of the senses, despair an illusion of the mind