Awakening

How can you buck the system if you are "the man"?

Today I got to thinking about the world and how I want to be a part of it.  I'm not exactly sure of the answer to that question in total yet.  But what I do know is that I don't want to be "normal".  I don't want to go with the grain. I don't want to be a rule follower.  And, I most definitely do not want to be "the man".

I know, I know...systems and rules are put into place to organize people and  minimize chaos.  Well, I'm all for that.  I don't want people running around killing each other and rioting in the streets.  But I also don't want to be a drone. An empty void of a person passing the time by satiating with a myriad of worldly addictions.

You might be thinking...

How did you start thinking about this?
Are you some kind of an anarchist criminal?
What's wrong with you?

Well, I'll tell you.  It all started on my run yesterday.  I was running and feeling truly satisfied.  And wondering why it was hard for people to find satisfaction. The Stones had it right when they said "I can't get no Satisfaction".   I was thinking about satisfaction and how people (myself included) are so numb to being able to tell whether or not they are actually satisfied.  Why can't we get no?

 I think most of us are this way because society is set in a way in which humans are bombarded with distractions.  We have to distract ourselves from the banality.  This is how we become addicted.  Addicted to food.  Addicted to drugs and alcohol.  Addicted to sex.  Addicted to television.  Addicted to shopping. Addicted to exercise.  Addicted to surrounding yourself with people.  These addictions provide temporary satisfaction which we highly evolved 21st century beings have confused for real happiness, or santosha, contentment, if you will.  Our confusion and displacement of contentment allows us to float along through life, through the systems which were set up to contain us, unaware of our own oblivion.

I don't want to be a slave to the distractions anymore.

I hear people around me saying things like "We're all just finding ways to pass the time".  And maybe that is true.  Maybe we all need to find a delicate balance between our spiritual fulfillment/pursuit of contentment and our worldly distractions because we are only human.  And what about things like art, music and literature?  Couldn't these things be considered "distractions".  I don't know the answer.  But I do know that I can't ever hope to find my way to the surface for a breath of fresh air and reality if I continue to be "the man" participating in a system that condones the exertion of some kind of power over others. A system that is based upon power imbalances, control, and oppression is a system that breeds tendency towards a need for diversion and beguilement.

I want to be awake.

Tournament of Books

Thanks to Laura Bennett, Jason and I have edified ourselves in the ways of The Morning News' annual book tournament- The Tournament of Books.  Basically, its a way that literary people can get competitive and brackety, drink beer and read, and get a tummy flutter for March without having to watch a single second of college basketball.

The tournament started today and it's very exciting.  I'm sort of participating vicariously through many different people who in a combined way have read most of these books.  Currently, I've read two, and working on my third.  But amongst several friends, I think we've almost got every book covered.

Check out the bracket here.


Now, go read and get your rooster on!

 

Numbers are Hard

Hello, My name is Blaine and I am Mathematically Challenged.  I need help.  I do.  Numbers and Math seriously paralyze my brain.  It's always been this way since I can remember.  I was a great speller (almost the 5th grade Spelling Bee School Champ, had I not spelled quail like quale), a great scientist, an OK writer, an OK reader, and enough personality to get me into a sufficient amount of trouble.  But Math, oh man, I feel bad for my teachers in school.  I would whine and complain and cry "I dooooooon't understaaaaaaand", and to my credit, I didn't understand.

Things that I have not been able to calculate recently:

1) 26.2-19= the difference between how much I must run on March 18 to complete the Tobacco Road Marathon and my longest long run.  To freak out or not?

2) 32+40+16+24= the amount of liquid I have had to drink today for post 19 mile hydration

3) 620 x 60 = the amount of calories I will burn doing a 60 day Bikram yoga challenge

4) 185-X= the amount of days left in this school year

5) (180 x 2)X = the least possible amount of calories that I will consume in beer to make it until the end of the school year

6) 351-351= the amount of money I will have to go shopping after my car payment clears

7) 2,863/2 = the amount of miles that Jason and I will each drive as we trek to Oregon in a few months

Blogging Husband

Some gotta follow in the footsteps of greatness...

Check it out!

Necessary Movement

Our Album Cover

Siblings!

When we moved, they shared a bed





And now, they have their own




Now all they have to fight about is which parent loves them more.

Yes! Nooooooooooooo!

There's nothing better than feeling that first warm day and knowing that Spring is just around the corner. You pull out your cute skirts and little shoes and retire the coats and scarves  to the winter clothes bin, and walk out the front door in little more than a baby cardigan.  However, this also means the start of the worst time of year for me.  Pollen time. A time filled with snot, grime, itchy watery eyes, head fog, and an immeasurable amount of anger and resentment towards those enjoying the spring outdoors.  This year I plan to take a little running hiatus and head to the Bikram studio again for a 30-60 day challenge.  I will sweat and enjoy the heat.  I will become a Bikram rat and scoff at all of you in your joyous sunshine running your beautiful trails with pollen in your eyes.