Up early again tomorrow for a run… Well I haven’t run for quite a while now, but I did squeeze in a couple of gym workouts. On Thursday I managed a brief half an hour session in the gym and on Friday I managed an hour and ten minutes of solo spinning after work. It […]
Getting up nice and early for a run with the club tomorrow… Since the term has finished (yes I know Cambridge students have very short terms) the running club did not have an official meeting; however we did arrange for a run with whoever was left in Cambridge i.e. us graduate students. The organiser was […]
More to come… I took both Sunday and Monday off – I was tempted to go to a spinning class Monday evening but I wasn’t quite feeling up for it, oh and I had work to do of course… Today I fit in a solo spin to an old soundtrack, but after it ended I […]
Possibly more running/exercise tomorrow…. It was the varsity cross-country race on Saturday (Cambridge v Oxford). Before the races there was a supporters’ race, where we could run the shorter ladies (4 miles rather than 7.5 miles) course, which I really couldn’t resist. I reached the start line in my normal running shoes, realising that this […]
So it looks like I’ll be resting this week… I managed to rest all the way to Thursday evening – that’s nearly a week right? I was just going to do a small gym session: I’d already turned down the offer of a level 4 spinning class, which would have been far too long and […]
Resting or light exercise before the race on Saturday… I managed to squeeze in a quick morning run on Thursday as my last run pre-race. It was a little quicker than my recent runs, but also a little shorter. We ran 3.9 miles in 31 minutes (pace 7:44 min/mile). It was a lovely rainy day […]
More running tomorrow… I ran with the EZ group today; however I found myself getting ahead of them as we were running along the river, so I looped back to let them catch up. The group then split into various smaller groups and I realised that I was “stuck” with the fastest EZ group, which […]
I want to start this review by saying how glad I am that this is not a trilogy. There is one more and oh how I cannot wait for Hadley. Don’t get me wrong Hadley’s story is going to be outstanding but aren’t all of Brayden’s stories. Let me tell you Gia Malone and Elle Britton bring the heat. Hell yes they do, the heat they bring is hot, smoking hot.
Gia and Elle are fierce competitors. Elle is the currently the number one female professional surfer. She has adoring fans and is the face of women’s surfing. Gia is number two and is doing everything in her power to get her points total to top Elle’s. They don’t hate each other but there is some definite tension. Ooooh, don’t you just love the tension and the whole got off on the wrong foot/rivals scenario, Lord knows I do! Two elite athletes that are both fierce competitors, you know right off the bat that Brayden is going to give you some fabulous angst mixed in with amazing dialogue, light-hearted fun, and characters that steal your heart.
Gia is driven, ambitious and solely focused on being the very best female surfer. She loves surfing for the pureness of it and to fuel her competitive spirit. Catering to sponsors and being friendly with reporters is part of her job but something she is less than comfortable with. Elle gets under Gia’s skin because she not only knows how to play the game, she has reporters, fans, and sponsors eating out of her hand. This peppy people person drives her mad.
What draws you so much to these Gia and Elle is that they act like real people. They are flawed, they make mistakes, they get tipsy on margaritas in a bar and blurt out something that they shouldn’t. Perfection is boring. Brayden makes them come alive right off the page. You love them for their missteps and their triumphs. You love them because she makes them feel real.
We aren’t reinventing the wheel here folks. Brayden has her formula and by golly, I am so glad she does. It works and it’s not good, it’s great. I for one, think my lucky stars that Melissa Brayden writes lady loving books because she is one of the very best and takes it to the next level every single book. She writes the stories that you come back to. Not once, or twice, but time and time again because they give you all of the feels. Isn’t that why we love romance? Those little flutters that pull of your heartstrings, that paragraph that makes you smile, the joy of a first kiss. Her books are the ones you cherish.
Bewildered by Nazi soldiers’ willingness to perpetuate the horrors of World War II, Stanley Milgram set out to test the extent to which average people would do harm if instructed by an authority figure. In what would end up being one of the most famous studies in the history of social psychology, the experimenter would instruct study subjects to submit a heard, but unseen stranger (who was reputed to have a heart condition) to a series of increasingly strong electric shocks. The unseen stranger (actually a tape recording) would yelp and cry and scream and beg… and eventually be silent. If the study subject expressed a desire to quit administering the shocks, the experimenter would prod four times:
In his initial study, though all participants at some point required prodding, 65 percent of people (26 out of 40) continued to submit the stranger to electric shocks all the way up to (a fake) 450-volts, a dose that was identified as fatal and was administered after the screaming turned to silence. You can watch a BBC replication of the studies.
I find it interesting that instead of simply limiting how many college students they use, they specifically say no college students.
So cool. This is like a sociology nerd test. If you are excited to see this, you might be a sociology nerd.
This is a classic study in the notions of expertise, deferral and public perceptions of/engagement with science. Amazing that the original leaflet has resurfaced. I wonder what effect this study had on the participants - i.e. for those that cranked up to the full 450v and heard the tape go silent -what questions they asked / what their emotional response was afterwards. Pretty harrowing experience I'd imagine, as would working in a concentraiton camp, but in both cases, people still did it, and if questioned on their actions would probably attempt to distance themselves from the motivation for them by referring to more senior figures / experts in both cases.
I have to say that, reading about this experiment again, it occurs to me how unethical it seems. Inflicting guilt and an obviously traumatic experience on the subjects, all to prove... that people trust authority? Also, in the case of soldiers working in concentration camps, while obviously there were psychological dynamics at work, I imagine that the threat of violence also (whether subconsciously or not) contributed to the willingness to comply.
I absolutely loved learning about this experiment in Sociology. However, it was a bit chilling. The thing that struck me the most was the following:
"none of the participants who refused to administer the final shocks insisted that the experiment itself be terminated, nor left the room to check the health of the victim without requesting permission to leave, as per Milgram's notes and recollections"
It seems that even when we do something that is against authority, we still somewhat follow their lead (creepy!).
Anyone know if he queried the subjects for philosophical aspects - religion, political party? And how about race? Now, that's the kind of data that would turn this into a fresh hot topic. of course, it could be easily faked at this point, so the only folks that would believe it would be those it flattered.
Reminds me of an experiment that I volunteered for back in 1970 at Stanford. It was supposedly an experiment in distraction. I was requested to press a button which would administer an mild, but annoying electric shock to a student taking an exam (and set off a really loud buzzer, of course). They assured me it would only cause a "tickling" sensation & even offered to let me feel the sensation. I declined, assuming they were telling the truth. The "torture" lasted about 15 minutes, with the student sitting across a table from me, "wincing" at the appropriate times. Afterwards, they told me that the real "test" was about whether or not I would press the button in the first place. Needless to say, I am not a sociologist.
Singer Dar Williams wrote a song about this experiment. You can hear it and read an article about it here:
There's in interview floating around somewhere with the man who was the "student" - the actor who was pretending to be shocked. It was on the radio a few months ago, I'll see if I can track it down.
Milgram's studies are constantly touted as evidence of how blindly we obey authority, but really... are they? In this case, obedience to the researcher's demands were likely rationalised as "he knows better". Perhaps it wasn't so much obedience as it was trust. The participants were RIGHT to trust the researcher - no harm was actually caused to anyone!
So perhaps it isn't so much "I will cause another person harm just because someone in a position in authority told me to," but rather "I will do what the person in a position of authority tells me because they know something that I don't"
As much as Milgram "demonstrated" some phenomena with his studies, he didn't actually continue his research to include viable explanations for them.
I studied this test in Psych last year; after completing the test, they did a follow up (6 months afterwards, I think). Even after knowing exactly what the test was about, only one or two of the participants felt guilt, remorse, regret or shame for their actions during the test. Maybe that's cognitive dissonance at work, or maybe they justified it by claiming they were only "following directions", but regardless, the results are still quite scary.
We recommend using these discussion questions and activity with Ellen Berrey’s interesting and well-written article Sociology Finds Discrimination in the Law (read the full article for free here!) which appeared in the Spring 2009 issue of Contexts.
1) How would you define discrimination? How does your definition compare with a more formal, legal definition?
2) The article states that sometimes people discriminate unintentionally. What are examples of unintentional discrimination?
3) Based on what you learned from this article, what do you think should be done to rectify the effects of discrimination? Who should be responsible for taking action?
Explore the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission website (eeoc.gov) and read up about the different kinds of discrimination. Have you or someone you know been a victim of the types of discrimination described?
To accompany the collection of Contexts articles focused on aging, use these questions and activity to get a fruitful discussion going in your class. This collection
1) On what grounds do the authors argue that Social Security and Medicare are not the biggest problems presented by an aging America?
Activity: The article states that policies to help the elderly often need to target young people in order to come to a long-term solution. Think of a problem faced by the elderly and what policies directed at children now might help alleviate that problem in the future.
1) What are some of the stereotypes about older people that lead to employment discrimination against them? Are there stereotypes about young people that could spur ageist discrimination? What can be done to dispel myths and reduce discrimination in either case?
2) How is discrimination related to economics, and how might the current economic recession affect ageism in the workplace?
Here’s a discussion-provoking activity to be used with “Why Are There So Many ‘Minorities?” by Mitch Berbreier from the Winter 2004 issue of Contexts. PDF here.
The following is a list of social groups that have advocated or could potentially advocate to be considered “minorities,” awarding them protection from discrimination under the law in the United States. Put a checkmark by the groups that you think should be legally protected from discrimination. Briefly explain your decisions.
I held a new pen today, as the old one ran out of ink, hoping that this will help me continue writing. Contrarily, it gave me more trouble than the one without ink. Occasionally that happens, since we do not remember to check each and every pen before buying. I had a stock of pens, so I took out another. This one was smooth. Yet, I continued to face trouble gliding my pen over the page because my fingers had turned stiff thanks to the previous defective pen. My handwriting appeared crooked. It left me wondering if trying to write with a defective pen can leave such an impression on the fingers and most likely on the nerves as well, since my whole hand felt numb, than what about all the deeds that we commit in our life which leave undesirable impressions on the body and the mind? How penetrating those impressions would be and how hazardous the deeds! If it takes me one hour to relieve myself of the stiffness in my fingers, and restore my handwriting to its original form, than how much time and effort will it take a person to restore his/her lungs after, say 12 years of smoking? And that is, in fact, one of the habits which we realize is dangerous. What about all those habits we don’t realize as dangerous- for instance, a negative thought about ourselves or others which constantly bother us? Will it be easy to overcome the impressions that such deeds and thoughts leave behind in us?
It is for this reason that up until an age, what we do are unconscious acts to follow the pattern instilled in us by our surrounding, by habits we learn through socialization: many a times it could be helpful in our self-realization, once we become conscious. More often than not, though, such acts are likely to contribute to unhealthy karma. Up until an age, we accumulate karma. Living unconsciously, is nothing but the consequence of the impressions left in us by our past karma. So, the moment we wake up, with the help of some catalyst, what is required of us is a struggle- effort to get rid of the stiffness, the stagnancy of the body and the mind. What is required of us is a conscious effort to not retreat into the indolence of the mind, if we don’t wish to carry more undesirable impressions onto next life. Since something has prodded us to make our journey towards self-realization- that is, living consciously, then is it not imprudent to not acknowledge it?
Yogic way of life is the only way to self-realization. However, for someone who has spent all her/his childhood and youth with the notions and practices that the life-style of the present generation instil in us, following the true yogic way of life is very difficult.
This journey to self-realization is a long struggle for a body and a mind whose growth stagnates due to cataleptic and thereby unhealthy habits. The body amasses toxins from the air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink. The more unhealthy the environment and habits the more the accumulation of toxic elements, which settle down in various nooks and corners of the body only to create havoc with one or the other system of the body sooner or later. Similarly, the mind, through socialization and irrelevant education, also accumulates toxic elements, which I would rather term as ‘partial knowledge’ or ‘the illusion of full knowledge’ about the universe and its parts.
Therefore, in order to have a clear understanding of one’s self, other fellow beings and the universe, we must first cleanse the toxic elements from the body and mind which has accumulated over the years. For someone who truly follows the Hindu way of life right from birth, the yogic way of life is the only way of life and she/he doesn’t need to initiate the process of cleansing the body and the mind. However, for unconscious people, who came to consciousness on a later phase of life or who has, despite wanting to follow the yogic way of life, often succumbed to the temptations the present world order puts in front of us, must initiate the process very consciously and with great strength of character (also ‘will-force’) to integrate the way into life in a manner that the way itself becomes life and the person can maintain it unfailingly. The day the yogic way of life becomes the only way of life for a person, she/he has attained self-realization.
The attainment of self-realization is only the beginning of another journey and through serving humanity in one’s own way, a self-conscious person, serves God with utmost humility and honesty. Yet, is the notion of ‘serving humanity’ necessary? A deeper understanding of this is addressed later.
I say that it is a struggle because even the strongest and successful beings on earth, who had reached the point of self-realization, often admitted that even they had to give in to temptations sometimes and make compromises. It is only in being continually, every second of the day, conscious of the working of our mind and body that we help our self realize itself. The moment we leave this consciousness, we have to begin anew with a resolve to not make the same mistake again. This cycle of growing out of consciousness and resolving to bring it back again is not cyclical though. It is not about stagnation; the cycle is not a circle, although it might look like one. It is spiral. There is one point in the cycle where the human rises higher; above his past self. So, the feeling that one keeps returning to the same point is incorrect. The cycle is not hopeless.
Nonetheless, I feel, the initiation of the yogic way of life, in true sense of the words, is possible only for someone who has become aware of his/her reluctance to indulge in life; she/he who do not anymore wish to enjoy life and its gifts; neither seek joy, nor seek love but take whatever she/he is given by life. The yogic way of life, before we start practicing it demands that we can let go easily any kind of pleasure; that the only way we look at life is through an attachment only to God: our existence (the fact that we are breathing) and the work we do, a prayer and nothing more. Unless one feels this from the heart and learns to remain conscious each moment of life, she/he is not prepared to initiate the yogic way of life. Despite having the will to initiate it, must wait for the correct time. For someone, who has the will, the correct time always shows up.
Consciousness: The Vedanta asserts that the self is above the body and the mind. In fact, we’ll realize this the moment we begin listening to the small voice that appears coming from somewhere within: we usually like to think it comes directly from an imaginary point in the middle of the chest. The Hindu term for it, is atman: the inner voice. It is, however, neither located in the body, nor in the mind. It is ‘consciousness’; that which knows all even in the absence of extensive knowledge or lack of education and that which directs us. This is a very simplistic understanding, so we may not digress into a lengthy discussion on consciousness, as I mean to contemplate on it at length in the later essays.
Being conscious of every action, right from opening our eyes in the morning to closing them at night, even if it is as negligible and spontaneous as the position we are sitting when we are using the laptop to the way we have our pillow placed in the bed, we must be conscious of the way we are doing it. There is a certain disciplinary procedure for every action and it is needed by the body for proper functioning.
Being conscious of every thought and thereby of speech (and expression), right from what we are thinking when we are copying notes from a book to how we are responding to someone’s indignant tone. Any thought that consist even an inkling of hatred/violence towards someone else or someone else’s thoughts is against Yoga. Yoga, as mentioned earlier, is about non-violence and non-possession.
For now, let us understand that consciousness and being conscious are not very different in form, but the latter leads to the former and the former directs the latter, both occurring simultaneously. Ignoring the consciousness is not possible for any human being but we humans, more often than not, tend to act as if we didn’t hear our consciousness (the atman, the inner voice) by making a habit of acting without being conscious, for the sake of the comfort we are so attuned to. Struggles are uncomfortable, aren’t they? Given a choice, why wouldn’t one wish to avoid them?
We must remember we are mortal beings. We survive at the mercy of others and by the grace of God. We cannot afford to grow unconscious, for it would mean sheer disregard for the supreme power: the energy radiated by of all living and non-living entities (Brahman) and absence of humility that should arise from our own insignificance.
Work and Worship: Work is worship. Who are we to feel that we can be saviours of humanity; we can rule humanity? The least we can do is to help our self. We might accompany others in their journey and lend a hand now and then, as other fellow passengers do in our need. In this world, each one of us is in as much need as the others are, irrespective of material richness or poverty. We are given the body to act and the mind to think and when we combine the ability of both, we work.
The sense of life is in the peacefulness/contentment we find within us. And this comes only through the action of worship. Worship doesn’t mean binding ourselves to the mindless ritualistic patterns of a religion/religious organization and mumbling God’s name day in and day out. Worship in greatest sense of the word means complete humility and surrender to the Supreme Being and accepting that all we do in our life, we do because we know we have been given this life so that we may learn to love justly and devote to Him, who presides over our life and death.
Therefore, conscientious work is the best form of worship. However, reserving time for remembering the Supreme Being helps us to keep our humility intact. It is again a practice of being conscious. If we lose this consciousness, the only purpose we are left with to work is for our self and as such there is a danger of falling back into the sloth of vanity; of thinking we can control, when the truth is that we cannot.
Is working/action (including the act of thinking) in confluence with the yogic principle of non-violence? Absolutely not. If we recollect Newton’s third law: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Pure sciences (not the pseudo ones) have always been in convergence with the observations of wise people of ancient ages. The Gita says the same: no action is bereft of violence. Here, by violence, we mean a consequence- an equal and opposite reaction. Every consequence creates a chain of need for further action, because what comes even before seeking comfort, to which we are so attuned to, as I said before, is our survival. Sometimes surviving is not comfortable, but naturally, we feel the need to go on living. So, we must pluck the fruit from the tree and eat. Isn’t plucking the fruit an act of violence upon the tree? Some may argue it is not, however, that is beside the point. The point is- we cannot avoid action, but what we can consciously strive for is action/actions which cause least harm to ourselves and thereby to living/non-living things around us.
Seen from such a perspective, a bedridden invalid person (although I wouldn’t be wanting to term someone as such) unable of any movement is probably contributing more to the growth of peacefulness and non-violence than the ones around him/her who are capable of movement? No, such is not the case. That person, in his wake of a lifeless existence, is oozing every single moment some anxiety among the people who care, and perhaps hopelessness and fear among the ones who love him/her dearly. There is violence, even in the act of simply sleeping, lying lifeless. He/she, perhaps, could have saved his dear ones from such anxiety, had he/she took proper care of the self while being healthy and moving about like any normal person. Consciousness, often, helps us to be aware of life, the adversities that it presents, the beauty that it presents, and therefore, consciousness capacitates one to avoid situations which might lead to violence at some point of time in life. However, there is fate. Something we cannot deny. So, anything fateful that happens to an otherwise conscious and healthy person should only leave us more accepting and aware of the role of karma (work and worship) in one’s present life. We don’t know how it might manifest in the next life.
Then, how can we direct or redirect our life in a manner that our actions inflict least violence? We can take care of ourselves and work to feed ourselves, and if needed work hard to earn a living but keep away from short cuts, from cheating, and most of all from reacting. The image that comes to my mind at this moment is that of a good-natured farmer, or maybe a banker or a businessman or an artist: literally anyone, who is consciously trying to grow, through work and through appropriate and necessary knowledge about the self and the universe for self-realization.
The following short documentary has been floating around on Youtube for a few years now. Covering everything from Freak Shows to Ice Mummies, The Unspoken World even reveals a computer mock-up of what the Elephant man would have looked like if he wasn’t inflicted with hundreds of mutilating tumours. CheckRead More →
Learning from our mistakes is vital for us as humans to grow and develop. But what if the same mistakes are made over and over again? Gun laws in the US state that anyone over the age of 18 can walk into a gun store and buy one. Providing youRead More →
If you’re like me and you like cheap days out to look at interesting things. Or even if you want to go out there and see things that’ll make you feel old. The National Science and Media Museum is for you! Somehow while discussing going to bed, I said I’mRead More →
Nestled in the eastern foothills of the Pennines you’ll find a city that compares to no other. A city that has its own language, its own brand of relish, and a history seeped in the hard stuff known as Steel. And a really really decent nightlife. Sheffield is a cityRead More →
At some point in time there will always be a “last time”. A last time you went out to play with your friends, and maybe you’re still an ‘it’ who hasn’t been tagged? A last time you walked out of a building, and never walked back in. A last time youRead More →
If you haven’t seen The Greatest Showman, then where have you been hiding? The all singing, all dancing Wolverine that is Hugh Jackman has returned with another absolute banger of a musical. Even Zac Efron uses his very own singing voice, which is more than can be said for hisRead More →
To be sure, fear used here is not meant in the literal sense but fear in the sense of grave respect. Fearing the Lord is necessary to have a proper relationship with God. I looked at this scripture and looked at it like an equation so what comes (or came) first for you, fearing the Lord or hating evil? For that matter, how do you even define evil? With respect to the latter question of defining evil, I went to Strong’s Concordance Dictionary to understand how the evil was defined in Proverbs 8:13 and the entry for evil follows below,
(As a side bar before I continue, I find it interesting that the transliteration for Ra is the same name for the Egyptian sun god.)
I hate generalizations but I would venture to say that most people think of evil like Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart defined pornography, “I know it when I see it.” concurring opinion in Jacobellis v. Ohio 378 U.S. 184 (1964). For example, most people I think would define Satanic worship as evil. However, common agreement regarding what is evil gets murky when we talk about things like using curse words, drinking, or listening to secular music. Certainly one could make the argument that based on the definition of evil in Proverbs 8:13, that using curse words, smoking, or listening to secular music. Moreover, I have noticed people say things to the effect of, “I can do X because it doesn’t negatively impact me the way it would someone else who is either spiritually less mature or is more sensitive to X.” As a believer, that argument never really sat well with me. I think that if you believe or know that something is wrong, its wrongness isn’t mitigated by the fact that you think it doesn’t impact you.
Now let’s assume that we all agree that a certain activity is wrong, e.g. using curse words. When you hear a co-worker or a friend use a curse word, do you feel hate? Just think about it for a second. I would imagine that if you hated someone or something, your blood would boil if that person or thing was in your presence. You would either have to say something to check the situation or leave. Either way, business as usual would no longer be a viable option. So again, someone curses in front of you. Do you hate the fact that they cursed around? Let me speak freely. I can honestly say I don’t hate it. Of course if someone is cursing every other word then yeah, I will get annoyed and politely request that they use more appropriate language. But annoyed, even highly annoyed does not amount to hate. And therein lies the rub. Learning to hate evil.
For me, the best strategy to learn to hate is to learn the truth. Using a non-spiritual example, when I learned the truth about how unhealthy fast-food really is, my consumption of it dropped precipitously where now, I only eat it if there is no other option available and for some elongated period of time. I hate to equate fast-food to sin but how many of you had a more narrow definition of evil as it used in Proverbs 8:13? I did. And now the process begins again of evaluating the bad things I don’t hate and asking myself why. I suggest you do to the same.
Allow me to jump on the bandwagon of the highly raved animal cafes in Japan. I mean, they’re just too cute not to write about. How can you not head to animal cafes in Osaka while you’re there?
Speaking of animal cafes, Japan has got to be the world leader when it comes to this. Never mind the world economy, I’m confident that the animal cafe industry is going to strive to the end of the world. Who doesn’t love our furry counterparts!
I’m not sure about you, but how did the Japanese identify this owl trend way before we even thought about visiting animal cafes? (On our first day in Osaka, we headed straight for the owl cafe.
As we entered the cafe, we were greeted by more than a dozen owls perched on bars throughout the cafe. Some asleep and resting, others wide awake and alert. There were big and fierce looking ones, as well as small and cute looking ones. Some seem to have really sweet and cuddly appearances, but others seem to hold rather threatening glares that warn ‘rest time, do not disturb’.
We settled down and ordered the drinks that we wanted. Weirdly, there was a peculiar mix of excitement and hesitation building up within me as the staff explained the dos and don’ts.
Perhaps, I was drawn to the mysteriousness of an animal that I wasn’t yet familiar with. We were told that we could pat the head and the back of the owls, but they wouldn’t like being touched anywhere else.
Somehow, within that hour of interacting with the owls, the weariness and hesitation within me dissipated. The staff held the owls delicately and placed them on our wrists. The owls were gentler than we thought. But just in case they decide to take flight, there’s actually a safety rope tied to their leg to stop them. We were allowed to hold them by our arms or let them rest on our heads. Beware though, they have no control over their bowel movements.
All you have is just an hour. So treasure your time there. Pat them loads, hold them more, and take loads of photos before you bid your farewell. *sniff*
*Pro-tip: They let in groups of people by the hour so head there earlier to leave your name before exploring around the area while waiting for your turn.
Ok, I know it’s a little bit of an abrupt shift to the other end of the cute spectrum, but hey, it’s all about the novelty experience, isn’t it? Besides the cutesy fluffy animal cafes that are littered across Japan, quirky cafes like these can also be found in alleys of Japan. We found this oddball in a quiet corner of Osaka.
Stepping into Rockstar Cafe, I was somewhat met with a strange eeriness in the air, much like that of a witch’s den. This cafe is filled with creatures you cannot possibly imagine. If you’re one who has a strong aversion to creepy crawlies and lizards, then it’s best that you DO NOT continue reading. Everything distasteful awaits below.
One glance around the cafe, I saw chameleons, lizards, tarantulas, snakes, centipedes, iguanas… I shan’t go on. For each of the creatures, they have not one, but many species.
We settled down at a table and struggled to read the menu as we tried to order a drink. The staff wasn’t good at English but he knew enough to name the drinks and briefly explain to us what they were. From the words we managed to pick out, we could decipher things like “centipede alcohol” and “bee beer”. Nope. No way was I going for that. Almost instinctively, I quipped, “Coke please! Thank you!” So, yes, of course, they do have normal food menu as well.
I attempted to cradle the snake without fear, yet my expression betrayed me and unfurled my anxiety and fear. Thereafter, I went from tank to tank, trying to find a creature that seemed the least threatening and I found it – a mint green coloured chameleon. For the next hour, I held the chameleon to me like a pet I never had.
Dings was pretty much fearless when it came to lizards. Just look at her, she’s a natural with them.
To be honest, it was a creepy but cool experience. Though I doubt I’d put myself through this scare again. So yes, for a one time fee of ¥1,000 (non-incl. of drinks), you get a membership which allows you to visit the cafe again in future for free. Enjoy your unlimited play time with these reptiles and creepy crawlies. Go if you dare.
Also commonly available in other countries, cat cafes are probably one of the most popular animal cafes in Japan. Ragdoll Cat Cafe is one of the many cat cafes you can find in Japan.
They’re unlike most cats that you find in Singapore. The types of the cats at Ragdoll ranges from Munchkin to Norwegian Forest Cat, with way more breeds than I can list.
Sale of snacks for the cats are also available at ¥100. But if you’re there on weekdays, there are weekday deal plans! Pay ¥1,600 for 2 hours or pay ¥2,200 for 3 hours, prices inclusive of a drink for you and a snack for the cat 🙂
These cats are so gentle and peaceful, they make an absolutely puuuuurfect afternoon cuddle buddy. I mean, do any other cats make nap time seem more enjoyable than they do?? They curl up in any boxes, buckets or shelves they can find and get all snuggled up for nap time. Cat lover or not, you should definitely head down to Ragdoll to laze with them 😉
Whether you’re a dog owner or not, spending your afternoon with these pups at Dog Tail is sure to brighten your day! Dog Tail has all kinds of small dogs that will definitely come rushing to welcome you once you enter the cafe 🙂 You’ll be assigned to an area to be seated where your drink will be served. Choose from hot or cold coffee/tea or fruit juices.
In this huge playroom, these canine friends run and prance around everywhere and attempt to get your attention to play. I can be sure that it’d be hard to ignore any of them!
Toy Poodles, Chihuahua, Dachshund… There’s an overwhelming army of cuteness running around the place! If this isn’t lively enough for you yet, you can try playing a mini game of fetch with your furry pal!
But really, who can get bored with these cute pups? Especially when they flash their playful puppy eyes at you, cocking their heads to the side, wagging their tails, eagerly anticipating your next playful move too! Is your heart not already melting?
Shiba Inu dogs are cute, but have you seen the Mame Shiba Inu (Bean Shiba Inu) breed? Seeing one of these miniature inus will tug your heartstrings till they snap. The Mame Shiba Inu (豆柴) is a special breed of Inu that grows to only half the usual size, and now there’s a place for you to meet not one, but 10 of them.
Newly opened in Kyoto, the Kyoto Mameshiba Cafe is a small nostalgically-furnished space that homes about 10 mame shiba inus. The ¥780 admission fee includes a coffee, so you can get your daily dose of caffeine and cute at the same time. So swing by to Kyoto (really near Osaka) if you’ve not gotten enough dosage of animal cafes in Osaka 🙂
Do note that this “cafe” does not serve any other food, and is probably too small for you to be walking around with 10 dogs (albeit miniature). So, do make use of the 30 minutes admission time to ogle at, interact, and IG-story all the adorbs lil’ doggos while you’re there!
While Deers aren’t found in Osaka, there’s no reason not to check them out being just an hour away by train! Just hop on the train to Nara and you’ll find yourself in a deer paradise where deers roam freely.
The best part, the deers can be found all around the city, even at temples and shrines so technically, admission is free. Just buy a pack of biscuits (specially for the deers) and they’re bound to come to you.
In case you’re wondering what else there is to do in Osaka, do check out our Osaka Budget Guide – Travel for under $70 a day including accommodation too!
A little bit of photography, a little bit of sports and a whole lot of travel. Oh and also, Earth is definitely my element. Will have no qualms at camping in the forests and mountains.
Think the concept of an owl cafe is questionable – unlike dogs and cats, owls are not domesticated and are naturally nocturnal. Forcing them awake in the day and furthermore, tying them down when they’re meant to be predatory birds, seems cruel. Sure, it’s cute, but I’d also encourage those who’re thinking of visiting to read the following articles as well before making a decision:
In 1970, a Vancouver anti-nuclear activist casually uttered the words "green peace" and a great movement was launched.
[Editor's note: This excerpt is adapted from GREENPEACE: How a Group of Ecologists, Journalists and Visionaries Changed the World, Vancouver journalist Rex Weyler's history of the group's first eight tumultuous years. Enter to win tickets to an upcoming Greenpeace benefit concert or free copies of the book.]
The ordinary citizens of British Columbia spawned Greenpeace, the most visible manifestation of a new ecological ethos that developed globally during the 1970s. By the mid-1960s, B.C. had moved well ahead of the global ecology movement. Whereas California had more environmental groups, B.C. hosted a much broader base of civic support and action. UBC offered one of the world's first ecology doctorates. A New Zealand brain scientist, Paul Spong, performed the world's first clinical studies on a captured whale at the Vancouver Aquarium. B.C. naturalists halted the flooding of the Skagit River Valley by a Seattle power company. And when the government proposed a highway through Vancouver, along the beach and around Point Grey, Vancouver citizens rose up to preserve the seaside quality of the downtown core and the shoreline of English Bay.
This marked a turning point in B.C. history: The environmentalists had discovered the greatest inspiration for any social activist: They could win.
Three B.C. journalists from Winnipeg played a key role in creating the Greenpeace mystique: Ben and Dorothy Metcalfe and Bob Hunter. Metcalfe's CBC radio and television broadcasts comprised the first broad public voice for ecology in British Columbia. Dorothy Metcalfe, formerly with the Winnipeg Free Press, operated an international news service from her home during the first two Greenpeace campaigns. In a 1969 Vancouver Sun column, Bob Hunter reprinted the ecology symbol designed by Ron Cobb at the Los Angeles Free Press. "I venture to predict," wrote Hunter, "that it will become as familiar as the peace symbol."
Greenpeace evolved as much by happenstance as by design. In October 1969, the United States detonated a one-megaton nuclear bomb on remote Amchitka Island, 2,400 miles northwest of Vancouver in the Aleutian Islands. The blast created a Richter 6.9 shockwave. Hunter, recalling a 1964 tsunami that swamped Port Alberni, on Vancouver Island, wrote in his column: "There is a distinct danger that the tests might set in motion earthquakes and tidal waves which could sweep from one end of the Pacific to the other."
For a disarmament rally in front of the U.S. consulate, Hunter came up with the slogan "Don't Make a Wave." When the U.S. Department of Defense announced another test, five times more powerful, for the fall of 1971, Vancouver activists vowed to stop it. American Quaker Irving Stowe, living in Point Grey, phoned journalists Hunter and Metcalfe. He called his expatriate American friends Jim and Marie Bohlen, local members of the Sierra Club, and others. Stowe borrowed Hunter's slogan and organized a group that came to be known as the "Don't Make a Wave Committee."
On Sunday morning, February 8, 1970, Sierra Club members Jim and Marie Bohlen drank coffee in the kitchen of their home on West 19th, in the arborous neighbourhood of Dunbar. From the typically overcast winter sky, a diffused light filtered through the chestnut trees. Marie, a nature illustrator, watched busy juncos and chickadees in the damp morning foliage.
Jim told Marie he was frustrated with the Sierra Club for its failure to oppose nuclear weapons, and with the Don't Make a Wave Committee for its inability to arrive at a strategy. Marie sipped her coffee and watched the birds. Jim seethed as he read the newspaper. He got a second cup of coffee. Finally, somewhat casually, Marie said, "Why not sail a boat up there and confront the bomb?"
The Vancouver activists knew about the Golden Rule, the Quaker boat that had attempted to sail into the Enewetak test zone in 1958. Bob Hunter and lawyer Hamish Bruce had launched a fishing boat, Maddy, to stage ecology actions, but it had sunk at dockside. But Marie's suggestion was pure inspiration, detached from the practicalities. It just seemed to her like the right thing to do.
As Jim and Marie contemplated this, the phone rang. A reporter from the Vancouver Sun, making a routine call, asked what campaigns the Sierra Club might be planning. The synchronicity caught Bohlen off guard. Out of frustration, he took the plunge. "We hope to sail a boat to Amchitka to confront the bomb," he explained. To Bohlen, this may have been a hypothetical idea, but to the Sun reporter, it was a scoop. The Sun ran the story the next day. The headline proclaimed: "Sierra Club Plans N-Blast Blockade."
The initial glitch was that the Sierra Club had approved no such campaign. Furthermore, the B.C. chapter had set itself up with the blessings of the Seattle group but had not received official sanction from Sierra Club headquarters in San Francisco. What happened next would be clouded by myth, but over the next week, the Don't Make a Wave Committee devised a plan to sail a boat to Amchitka Island and they gave the boat a name, although no such boat had been committed to the cause.
In the Fireside Room of the Vancouver Unitarian Church on Oak Street, the committee held an emergency meeting. Light entered the unadorned room from two tall, thin windows in the west wall. Wooden and grey metal chairs had been pulled out, facing a table where Irving Stowe presided. The throng pulsated with anticipation. Although Marie's idea and Jim's pronouncement to the media had bypassed the consensus process, no one opposed the plan for a boat. On the contrary, the idea had given the group some direction.
When the Sierra Club declined to support the plan, the Don't Make a Wave Committee simply assumed an ad hoc status. The group unanimously ratified the action, although they had neither a boat, the money to charter one, nor any legal standing other than the democratic right of citizens to assemble and challenge their governments.
As the meeting wound down, people drifted into the courtyard of the Unitarian Church grounds, milled around, and talked in small groups. When Stowe left, he flashed the "V" sign, as was his custom, and said, "Peace." Bill Darnell, a quiet ecology activist who rarely spoke at the meetings, said modestly, in the same offhanded manner that Marie Bohlen had suggested the boat, "Make it a green peace."
The assembly went silent for a moment. Darnell was not aware that anyone took notice, yet everyone heard the magic in the two words. Others in the group had discussed the confluence of disarmament and ecology, and Hunter and Metcalfe had written about the idea, yet no one had quite articulated the fusion so succinctly. The indelible conjugate lodged in people's minds. A green peace. Later, Stowe confided to Darnell that he could not stop thinking about the words. Hunter believed the expression fused the two most urgent movements in human affairs. Metcalfe said, "Yeah, well, it fits better in a headline than the Don't Make A Wave Committee." Over the next few days, people talked about the hypothetical boat as if it existed, and some called it "the Green Peace."
The group soon found fisherman John Cormack on a Fraser River dock. With the salmon and halibut fisheries closed, Cormack needed money, and agreed to take 12 volunteers to Amchitka Island. The boat, re-christened "Greenpeace," left Vancouver on September 15, 1971, but never reached Amchitka. The U.S. Coast Guard arrested them in Akutan, 600 miles from their goal.
Nevertheless, the voyage provoked protests across Canada and the US. Journalist Ben Metcalfe kept daily radio links to the world through Dorothy's makeshift global news agency in West Vancouver. Bob Hunter filed columns and news to the Vancouver Sun, feeding the international wire services. Eighteen Coast Guard sailors signed a letter supporting the Greenpeace. Richard Nixon fumed and the US Supreme Court dithered. In Vancouver, Union workers marched with hippies. Even ultra-conservative B.C. Premier W.A.C. Bennett joined the protest. Nixon mulishly approved the test, but it would be the last. Two months later, the US military abandoned the test series and declared Amchitka Island a wildlife sanctuary.
The following spring, the new "Greenpeace Foundation," with Ben Metcalfe as inaugural chairman, launched a sailboat to the French nuclear test site in the South Pacific, eventually forcing France to abandon atmospheric testing.
In 1973, Hunter took the reigns of the fledgling organization to "put the green in Greenpeace" by staging dramatic ecology actions. When Paul Spong came to him to help save the world's whales, a new era of seagoing environmental protest was born. In 1975, Greenpeace zodiacs interfered with Russian whaling boats off the coast of California, and millions of people around the world fell in love with Greenpeace. That same year, B.C.'s first NDP Premier, Dave Barrett, established the world's first orca whale sanctuary in British Columbia.
In 1979, Greenpeace International was formed in Amsterdam, under the leadership of Vancouver native David McTaggart. The citizens of British Columbia, by making a coordinated and consistent stand on behalf of their environment, created an endowment to the entire planet: an ecological strike force with the ability to face down governments and corporations over environmental issues.
GREENPEACE: How a Group of Ecologists, Journalists and Visionaries Changed the World (Raincoast Books, 2004) is available in bookstores and online at http://www.rexweyler.com/.
On Sept. 21, a concert at the Commodore in Vancouver will celebrate the Greenpeace legacy. Musicians include Chilliwack, who played at the first Greenpeace benefit in 1971, Paul Horn, Ann Mortifee, Jim Byrnes, Zubot & Dawson, Shari Ulrich, Joe Keithley, and special guests Leonard George, Mayor Larry Campbell, Bob Hunter, Dorothy Stowe, Paul Spong, Tzeporah Berman, and others.
I saw a preview for the movie “American Sniper” several months ago. Bradley Cooper had his face behind a rifle scope, he was on patrol, he was at home with his wife. According to the screen, this was “based on the true story” of Chris Kyle, the most deadly sniper in US history.
To be fair, I felt the same way about the movie Lone Survivor, which chronicled the harrowing tale of Marcus Lutrell in Afghanistan, and how his entire unit was lost in an ambush. I feel the same way about most war movies. The problem that I have with these movies is that they’re so close to being real, so very authentic in the way that they almost portray the realities of war.
People go to these movies and sit in silence for two hours. They cry. They get angry. They applaud at the end.
People are served up war as an 80s training montage, and then allowed to leave the theater feeling that they finally get it. They now understand what war is like, or at least they’re a little bit closer.
And so many of them leave the theater in a patriotic fervor, feeling deep in their soul, “These guys are heroes.”
I knew Chris Kyle, if only in passing. The Seal Team that he was assigned to operated in the same area of the city of Ramadi in 2006 as we did, and they could often be seen at our Combat Outpost. We always got kind of excited when the Seal Team came to town, because we knew that we’d be seeing a lot of action. We knew that we’d be killing a lot of bad guys.
I have never read “American Sniper”, nor have I seen the movie, but I have read a lot about both works in the past few weeks. The opinions seem to be broken down into two categories:
I’m not surprised by either of these viewpoints. America is not well-known for her focus on moral complexity. This is the country where you’re either Republican or Democrat, Conservative or Liberal, “For us or with the terrorists”. If you don’t think Chris Kyle is a hero, then you’re forced to view him as a monster. If you don’t think he was a monster, you must reluctantly conclude that he was a hero.
This is the thing that I hate about war movies: war movies never give us any new information. All that these films do is cement already formed viewpoints. If you go into a war movie with a sympathetic view of soldiers, then you’re going to come out with an even more sympathetic view. If you think that war is evil, you’re going to come out of the movie with an even firmer conviction.
We celebrated MLK Jr. Day a couple of days ago. The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. hated war. One of his less famous quotes – one rarely spoken and not written on his memorial – is as follows:
“(I)n the ghettoes of the North over the last three years — especially the last three summers, (a)s I have walked among the desperate, rejected, and angry young men, I have told them that Molotov cocktails and rifles would not solve their problems. I have tried to offer them my deepest compassion while maintaining my conviction that social change comes most meaningfully through nonviolent action. But they ask — and rightly so — ‘what about Vietnam?’ They ask if our own nation wasn’t using massive doses of violence to solve its problems, to bring about the changes it wanted. Their questions hit home, and I knew that I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today — my own government. (Emphasis mine) For the sake of those boys, for the sake of this government, for the sake of the hundreds of thousands trembling under our violence, I cannot be silent.”
While I watched the news channels and social media explode with either adulation or criticism of our American Hero, Chris Kyle, I had to wonder about Dr. King’s quote. Here we were, celebrating a Federal holiday in honor of Dr. King (killed by a sniper’s bullet), and the most popular movie in the country was “American Sniper.” The most celebrated man in the country on January 19, 2015, was a man who killed people in service of the government of the United States. I had to wonder where Dr. King would have stood on the issue of Chris Kyle as Hero or Villain.
We built a monument of stone to Dr. King, but the monuments in our hearts are built to men like Chris Kyle.
We give our worship to Jesus – a man who commanded us to love our enemies, who forgave the men who killed Him as He was dying – but our real faith is in a man behind a rifle, dispensing justice to our enemies and those who would do us harm.
Any man or woman who puts on body armor and picks up a gun, then goes and stands guard against the barbarians at the gates is considered a hero.
Forgotten are those who stood toe to toe against corrupt police, oppressive governors, and a racist citizenry. They are given secondary consideration, even though they were neither armed nor armored.
Forgotten are those who go into the same warzones that the military do, only as unprotected civilians, to give aid to those who have lost their homes and families to the conflict.
Forgotten are those who risk life and limb every day, in dozens of unknown countries, to help fight against epidemics, hunger and poverty.
We have all the wrong heroes in this country, but we don’t know that we do. We really want to believe that we are the kind of country that MLK dreamed about, but we don’t want to acknowledge that his ideas would run contrary to what we think of us a Hero. We don’t want to acknowledge that Dr. King would see Chris Kyle as a symbol of what is wrong with this country, just as we don’t want to acknowledge that Dr. King and his mobs of protestors are exactly the kind of people that Chris Kyle would have gladly taken a shot at if asked to.
To paraphrase another popular movie: Dr. King is the hero that we need, but Chris Kyle is the one that we deserve.
Is it any wonder that our country is in such a state of polarization, when even our heroes are diametrically opposed?
I picked up my first rifle for our government in 2004. I went to war for the first time in service of my country in 2006. I finally laid down my weapons in 2013.
When I was a soldier, deploying to Iraq for the first time, they told me (and all of us) that going “over there” was the only way to keep ourselves, our families and our country safe. We were told that we simply had to kill all the bad guys, all the people threatening our way of life, and we would all be safe again.
While we were there, we did just that. We shot and killed the people that threatened us. We eliminated the enemy. And we felt safe, as long as we could keep killing the people that threatened us.
But, then we got home, and it wasn’t safe. Suddenly, there were enemies in every room we entered. There were enemies in every car on the road.
And, unlike “over there”, over here we had no issued weapon, no standing orders, no rules of engagement. We had to find a way to make ourselves feel safe again.
Some guys do that by constantly wishing they could go back “over there”, to the only place in the world they really felt safe.
So, I understand what Chris Kyle felt when he wrote that he would go back “over there” in a heartbeat. I understand why he helped veterans treat their PTSD by taking them to a shooting range.
Chris Kyle bought a lie that said he was only safe behind the sights of a rifle. He bought a lie that said he and the people he loved were only safe when he was pulling a trigger. And, while his work with veterans was effective, it was built on that same lie, the lie that tells all of us that we’re only safe when we have the ability to kill the people that threaten us.
I don’t think Dr. King would have hated Chris Kyle. I believe that Dr. King would have pitied Chris Kyle. I believe that he would have seen the terrible moral complexity that turned a kid from Texas into the most successful government-sanctioned killer in American history.
But, I don’t believe that he would have seen Chris Kyle as a victim. He would have acknowledged his choice, even as he mourned the awful system that gave him that choice over and over again. He would have praised the good that Chris did, even while condemning the evil that he had in his heart.
Or, maybe I’m just projecting my own feelings onto a man that I consider a hero. Maybe I want Dr. King to be alive today to believe all those things, just like I want Chris to be alive today to undergo the redemptive process that comes when you let go of hate and the absolute need for safety-by-any-means-necessary.
Maybe I really hate war movies because I’m tired of mourning my slain brothers-in-arms over and over again.
Maybe I want all the talk about Chris Kyle to stop – on both the left and right – because I just want him to rest in the peace that he never had in this life.
The general mood of these responses is that youth work is important to our future. There’s an acknowledgement that youth today face very different issues than the ones that previous generations have. Even at the tender age of 32, I have a hard time relating to some of the cultural and generational issues of the young people that I minister to.
I took some time to think about what makes us so different several months ago. I came up with a couple of facts about this generation of young people (between the ages of 12 and 19), in order to help frame the difference:
The oldest person in my youth group was 4 years old on September 11, 2001. The youngest member of my youth group wasn’t even born yet. Neither of them are old enough tor remember a world before the Twin Towers fell.
The youngest member of my youth group was born the same year that we invaded Iraq, and was almost done with elementary school when we ended combat operations.
It’s a little strange to look at a group of young people and realize that the events that have shaped and defined your entire adult life are simple realities for them. To me, war and terrorism were things that disrupted my way of life. For them, war and terrorism has been their entire life.
More than that – more than actual events – I think the thing that separates my generation from this new generation of youth is the climate of fear that has pervaded our nation since September 11, 2001. They have never known a world which felt safe and secure.
This became very clear to me on a night a few months ago. We decided to hold a candlelight vigil shortly after the shooting death of Michael Brown. Rather than confine it to Michael Brown’s death – and thus make a controversial political statement in a small Tennessee town – we expanded our vigil to include all recent victims of violence throughout the world. Some of the other youth leaders got some pictures together for a slideshow, we had our worship band play some soft music, and we sat and prayed for the victims of a world gone mad.
Afterwards, I asked them, as a group, how they felt about the stories they were hearing out of the media. And, a little boy of 11 raised his hand and said, “I feel afraid. If this can happen to someone my age, it can happen to me.”
At 11 years old, the only thing this young man should have to fear is rejection by potential romantic interests, or bad grades on tests, or whether or not he’ll make the football team. When I was 11, I certainly wasn’t afraid of someone blowing up a plane that I was on. I wasn’t afraid of getting shot in the street by a police officer. I didn’t have to fear that my father or mother was going to be sent to war and never come back. I didn’t have to worry that my Mom or Dad just lost their job, or couldn’t get a job, and that I wouldn’t be able to eat next week – much less go to college and have a life of my own later.
Our time was a more restless, difficult time than that of our parents, but our time was still an easy time. But, for the youth of today, anxiety is the word of the day. Fear is the prevailing mood.
Is it any wonder that 11% of young people will be diagnosed with a depressive disorder by the time that they are 18? 8% will be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, with only 18% of those getting any kind of treatment.
Is it any wonder that suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 12-18?
Is it any wonder that today, in this country, there will be 5400 suicide attempts (on average) among young people?
But, there is a special class of youth today for whom this is a much bigger problem. For youth who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgendered, the risk is much higher. The Jason Foundation, an organization that works to help end the “Silent Epidemic” of youth suicide, estimates that over 80% of LGBT students have faced harassment and bullying at their school, specifically because of their sexual orientation. Over 60% of these students have reported feeling unsafe at school.
According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, LGBT students are two times less likely to finish high school or pursue college degrees. LGBT youth make up 40% of the total youth homeless population, with the most frequently cited reason for homelessness being either parental rejection or being forced out of their home after coming out.
Once homeless, LGBT youth are far more likely to attempt or complete suicide than their heterosexual counterparts, due to rejection from charities and shelters. Gay male youth are much more likely to become sexual victims through prostitution or assault.
Our future, the most important group of people we have in our nation today, are sleeping out on the streets tonight. They are selling their bodies for food. They are killing themselves in droves.
This epidemic has a face for me. We have faced a few suicide attempts in the last year within our own youth group. In a group that averages 20 or less, the number we have faced is significant.
I cannot tell you the stories of those young people that we have almost lost in my own community. But, there is someone who perfectly encapsulates the way that we are failing our youth today, the way that we are squandering the only hope we have of a future.
Leelah Alcorn, born Joshua Alcorn, was a 17-year-old transgender teen. Leelah reported that she felt like a girl trapped in a boy’s body from the age of 4. At 14, she discovered the word “transgender” and ecstatically told her mother. Her mother did not share the enthusiasm, and told her that it was “just a phase” and that Leelah would never be a “real girl.”
At the age of 16, Leelah asked to go through gender transition therapy. Her parents sent her to Christian “conversion therapy” instead.
Her parents isolated her, taking her out of school and not allowing her to access any social media for over 5 months.
Her parents told her that she was going to hell. They accused her of attacking their image. They degraded her.
On December 28th, 2014, Leelah stepped in front of a semi-truck that was driving on the highway. Her mother called it an accident, and talked about how much she loved her “son.”
Leelah Alcorn was a good Christian youth, with the slight problem that she had a gender identity that didn’t match her body.
And we do all mourn her, because who knows what Leelah might have become, if she had lived in a world with hope instead of fear?
Fear is what killed Leelah Alcorn. Fear is what is killing so many of these young people before they ever have a chance to grow up. Fear that there is no future, no happiness, no success, no understanding.
And this last statement is why it’s a Christian problem. We are supposed to be the givers of hope, the purveyors of Good News, and we have become peddlers of fear instead.
In the New Testament, 1 John 4:18, Followers of Jesus are told, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”
I am a Youth Pastor because I believe that what young people need is unconditional love, and hope in the future. I am a Youth Pastor because I know that the world is a scary place, and young people need places and people in their lives that make them feel safe and accepted. I am a Youth Pastor because there are far too many Youth Pastors who spend far too much time giving young people more to be afraid of – fear of hell, fear of sinning, fear of displeasing God – and I need to be an alternative. I am a Youth Pastor because I believe that the words of Jesus are Good News, and I believe that the youth of today have a great need to hear Good News. They need it after growing up in a world where there is so much Bad News.
I don’t know if I’ve made much sense today. I know that I’ve wandered from youth suicide, to youth homelessness, to LGBT youth issues. To me, these are not separate issues, and they all hold equal importance and urgency. If we do not do something about this climate of fear soon, we will stop seeing youth who are afraid and start seeing a generation of adults who are cynical and jaded by their 20s.
I will leave you with a video that I watched a few weeks ago, that really touched me. It’s some spoken word poetry, and it’s wonderful if you watch all the way to the end.
If you are a young person who is having thoughts and feelings of fear, hopelessness or harming yourself, please seek help. If you cannot talk to your parents or a trusted adult, call:
If you are a parent of a young person, talk to them. Seek to understand them, rather than judge. And, if you feel that your young person is at risk of suicide, ASK. You can find resource materials here.
As the New Year approached, I became more and more anxious that I had no ideas for a new blog post. Every blog that I follow seemed to have a “Year in Review” kind of post, but I just… couldn’t…. do it.
2014 was a rough year for a lot of people, both in my small circle and in the larger circle of our nation and world. I felt that if I wrote a New Year’s blog post, it was going to be a lament for 2014. When I first opened this site – on January 1, 2014 – my first post was titled “The Year of the Church Triumphant.” My prayer was that 2014 would be the year that we would turn it all around, the year that Christianity would become a positive, relevant force in the public sphere. I hoped that 2014 would be the year that all the Sarah Palins, Pat Robertsons and Ken Hamms of the world would find Jesus, and start doing good things in His name, rather than perpetuating evil and oppression and calling it “good.”
Throughout 2014, I responded to situations that were coming out of the news on this blog. I wrote about Hobby Lobby, I wrote about Ferguson, I wrote about Eric Garner. I wrote about all the awfulness that was happening, and I desperately waited for some kind of massive Christian presence to match the volume of the hypocrites.
In the midst of all the awfulness, there was a legitimate, strong movement of people who were being Jesus (and not just in His name) that I was missing. I fell victim to the very thing that I feel has kept the rest of the world from hearing the Gospel – the shouts of those who would use the name of Jesus to advance their own power and prestige. I was so intent on out-shouting those voices, that I forgot to look and listen to the faithful remnant that were quietly, humbly doing the work of the Kingdom in the midst of the darkness.
I don’t think that we deserve awards or pats on the back for being faithful to the Gospel, but I think that it’s important for people like me – people who have accepted a role of “the voice crying in the wilderness” – to acknowledge that the Church has been triumphant in a lot of small, yet meaningful, ways.
In the midst of a humanitarian crisis at the border, there were a number of charities – both Christian and other-than-Christian – who brought much needed food, water, clothing, toys and compassion to children and families who had traveled a long and dangerous road. The number of charitable workers was smaller than the number of people waving signs and screaming hate at those same refugees – but those who were there to help were far more important, and far more valuable, than those who were there to hurt.
In the midst of ongoing protests surrounding police actions in Ferguson, there was a small number of clergy and other people of peace. These peacemakers were a small part of the often angry mob that cried for justice, a smaller force than the militarized police presence that often met the protesters with force, but they were willing to stand between the two groups and pray for justice and peace. This place between the two extremes often put them in the way of rubber bullets and tear gas, but they stood there anyway.
In the midst of an Ebola scare, there were religious and non-religious relief organizations that responded to the cases in America and beyond. More than that, the presence of the fatal disease on our shores highlighted the great work that those same organizations have been doing the whole time to combat the epidemic in places where there is little in the way of proper medicine and health care.
In the midst of ongoing hatred and lies concerning the LGBTQ community, there were still churches and Christian writers who opened their doors and their hearts to an oppressed and excluded group of people. They were far outnumbered by the voices who shouted for condemnation and judgement, but they were still there. There were still ministers willing to risk the wrath of their denominations in order to perform same-sex marriages. There were still churches willing to be excommunicated from their denominations to become welcoming to all.
In the midst of a national shouting match about the torture of prisoners, there were still Christians who joined non-Christian peacemakers in protesting the death penalty. There were still Christians who visited prisons, who ministered to those who were incarcerated.
And even while some with untold wealth were using that wealth to gain even more, there were more who have little who were giving to those who had less.
I missed so much of this during 2014, because I was so concerned with all that was going wrong. And while it is important to be concerned with injustice, while it is vital to be a loud and insistent voice for the oppressed, it is just as important to stop and take note of the good that is happening behind the injustice, to find the hope in the midst of the darkness.
The faithful remnant might never have the numbers or the volume of the Church of Empire, but what that remnant does is far more important, far more lasting. When Jesus told us to go out and make disciples, He was telling us to go out and convince people – sometimes with our voices, but more often with our actions – that His Way was the Way of Life. And, when we commit ourselves to this quiet kind of good, we convince more people than a street preacher with a megaphone or a politician with a platform ever could.
Let’s keep committing ourselves to this quiet kind of good in 2015. We’ll still engage in the battles and the shouting matches from time to time – but only in between the moments when we’re truly changing the world one life at a time.
Women love to dance. All of them, I think. Even ones with no rhythm whatsoever. They all just seem to love dancing. Drunk women love to dance together, in a big circle, with other drunk women. And when they do, they also love to sing along, looking at each other in a knowing way as if the lyrics to “Single Ladies” or “I Will Survive” were penned specially for them. It’s true Suzy, he “shoulda put a ring on it,” but don’t worry girlfriend, you “will survive” because, after all, you’re “every woman”, aren’t you?
Because no one has ever gotten laid playing Panda Bear or Kraftwerk records for the ladies, you need to have an iPod override playlist at the ready, just in case a bachelorette party or some other pack of drunk women descend upon the bar for cocktails. Here’s what’s playing for “Ladies Night” at The Velvet Elvis:
Preparation: Muddle 2 pitted cherries with the simple syrup in a mixing glass. Add remaining ingredients. Shake in an ice-filled cocktail shaker and strain into a chilled ricks glass filled with pebble ice. Garnish with the reserved cherry.
This is a recipe from The PDT Cocktail Book by Jim Meehan and is attributed to Jane Danger of PDT in New York. The book says:
Jane Danger’s cocktail goes down like soda – or pop, as they call it where she grew up in Minnesota.
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Occasional snow showers. Morning high of 29F with temps falling to near 15. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 50%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.
Showers early becoming a steady light rain later in the day. High near 40F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
“There’s a revolutionary new way to walk through the forest,” said Steve Rubenstein in the San Francisco Chronicle. Forest bathing, as New Age types call it, has become “a full-blown movement” in Northern California’s Sonoma County. This new pastime doesn’t involve water; you simply amble among the trees very, very slowly and soak up nature’s wonders with all your senses. I paid $50 to join a dozen other forest bathers at Quarryhill Botanical Garden, where our guide, Amos Clifford, encouraged zen-like mindfulness. “Examine all twigs. Inspect all leaves. If you see an ant, stop and take it in.” At one point, Clifford asked us to each converse with a tree. After 20 minutes of such dialogue—“much of it one-sided”—we sat down together to share what we’d learned. Everyone offered an insight. “Then we walked back to our parked cars, actually covering a little ground this time, now that it no longer counted.”
Artists Gabby Richardson, Elanor Bock, and Sara Rabin come together to share their stories and what draws them to the newness of Calvin Klein.
The appointment of Raf Simons as CALVIN KLEIN’s Chief Creative Officer ushered in a new era for the modern American fashion empire. The legacy of the house’s tradition of relishing in both the classic and casual has not been turned on its head, but rather been given room to breathe and flourish with a new guard of ideas parading in via the headquarters in NYC. In his first collection for CALVIN KLEIN, Raf Simons celebrates Americana and the complex fabric of our past coming together to form the future generation. The workmanship in each piece tells the story of a group effort—the wild west frontiersman, a community of folk artists, urban movers and shakers—and it all comes together through the eyes of an artist just outside the world he observed.
To celebrate the debut of CALVIN KLEIN 205W39NYC, formerly known as Calvin Klein Collection, we cast a trifecta of creative women who are paving their way through New York City, imprinting their own unique voices as they learn and grow. Their shared belief that experimentation leads to finding your path and their courage in putting forth their vision in its purest form exemplifies the tone of young creatives in America today.
The work I share is mostly figurative, quick impulsive sketches that tell a story. My work is heavily into drawing at this point, but like to paint when I have more time and focus.
It’s hard to describe the emotional work that went into the show. It was incredibly fulfilling but taught me how much I have to learn about the art world. I am so grateful for the experience, and my eyes are definitely widened on the business side of establishing my career as an artist.
There seems to be a bit of absurdity in your work. Is there something about finding a silliness or grotesqueness that you like?
My heart is broken all the time, so I try to balance that by injecting humor into my work. I guess that sounds like it doesn’t make sense, but I am angrily and tragically sprinkling my work with humor. Laugh, dammit!
You came to set dressed in a sweatshirt and out of all the wardrobe options chose a white turtleneck to wear…
I’m a pretty simple dresser and really appreciate functionality in clothing. That’s what applies to my life most. But a statement piece can go a long way for me when I’m not in the studio working. With a strong accessory, people might see the sunglasses on my head or the bag in my hand and go, ‘oh okay, this girl knows, she gets it.’ So yeah, hand me some basics, and I’ll close the deal with the bag.
You were recently written up by both New York Magazine and the New Yorker for your first solo show—what’s next for you?
I am leaving for Japan. I’ll be doing a month-long residency there and then traveling the countryside. I’m looking forward to being immersed in a foreign environment. So many ideas come from being an outsider.
As a curator for Art Hoe Collective, I organize the works of artists, curate our online gallery, orchestrate events, and find the best route to support other artists in the QPOC [Queer People of Color] community. There are so many young artists of color across the gender spectrum who make groundbreaking work on a daily basis but receive little-to-no recognition. I’m passionate about this project because queer people of color are the creators of culture and change, but we need access to tools to expand our work—if something isn’t accessible, it can not be radical.
We’re currently planning art shows for the upcoming fall/winter with a theme revolving around immigrant artists in the United States. I’m also currently planning out my own solo show for my personal works. Our shift into more physical projects versus online ones is a sign of our growth as a community and as collective. We want to utilize all the tools we have to bring people together in spaces and fully immerse them in an experience.
Another artist who inspires me is Solange. Her ability to mix her music with performance and dancing is amazing. It’s not just music, it has a message, and it tells a story—a story that she uses movement, performance, and set design to relay. Solange’s music, although stemming from her own individual experience, is a shared narrative that many other people of color have lived and can relate to on a base level.
Gabby and a few of the women who are part of Art Hoe Collective. “I’m constantly inspired by the young artist of color around me. They work tirelessly to create and collaborate with the people around them. If it wasn’t for other artists there wouldn’t be a collective in the first place.”
I love the cleanness of the CALVIN KLEIN pieces I wore in this shoot. Raf Simons creates a beautiful, striking minimalism that evokes a feeling of nostalgia through structure and bold color. My favorite pieces in the collection were the bags, as I love the structured white purse and the texture of the leather and the crystal accents. I personally love clean, bright color in my personal style. I want people to see what I wear and know what kind of person I am before words are even spoken. I’m a firm believer that the clothing you wear influences the energy you give into the world, and I feel like these pieces are a perfect example of that sentiment.
You don’t fall into a specific genre, so how would ​you describe​ ​what​ ​you​ ​do to someone outside the world of dance?​
We​ ​had​ ​you​ ​playing​ ​around​ ​with​ ​the​ ​bag​ ​a​ ​lot in this shoot…it was like watching a dance! ​