The Quarter-fly Effect

So I was in the bathroom the other day and there was a quarter on the ground. And immediately I thought about picking it up. But then ... I thought about it for a second and decided against it. One, bathroom floors are dirty, like peed on dirty, and I want no part of that. Second, well there really wasn't a second, but it did spark me thinking about something else. You know the concept of "The Butterfly Effect" where everything we do effects everything else (butterfly flaps its wings and causes a tornado ... sound familiar). Anyway, what does this have to do with someone dropping change on the bathroom floor? Well, I was thinking that in some circumstances it is easy to see what kind of effect things will have. Like a conversation can change someone's life, an act of kindness can open someone's eyes to a new outlook on people ... but I was wondering what kind of effect it could have on the world if I did or did not pick up that quarter. In a totally public restroom I could maybe manage some semblance of a greater effect. Like if I don't pick up the quarter maybe someone who really needs it (don't ask me how or why they really need it) will pick it up. I don't know ... something like that. But this wasn't a totally public restroom, it was a public restroom in my apartment complex. Only people who live in the complex would have access to it. And there is no one that would be able to live here that would be made or broken on a quarter they found on a restroom floor. So that doesn't really make sense. Then I thought that maybe picking it up could prevent some catastrophe, like maybe it could save someone from slipping on it and hurting themselves. Then I thought that I had never heard of anyone slipping on loose change on the floor, so that wasn't very likely. And, I couldn't really come up with another scenario that a quarter on the floor could have an effect, so I gave up thinking about it. I decided to leave the quarter on the floor (I told you already pee on the floor, try to follow along), and maybe somehow I have effected someone or something (like the outcome of the universe ... I have single handedly changed history ... muuahahaha) but I can't fathom who or what or even how.

Moment of Zen: Hippo, Noodles, Roy ... it's the next big thing!

Currently Watching Shaun of the Dead see related

Revitalizing ...

I spent three hours on Saturday morning at the Alexandria Animal Shelter. I went there with the intention of finding out about the volunteering opportunities, but it was clear that after five minutes I would not be able to find much out in that respect. The rest of the time I was there I spent playing with animals. They have a ton of cats and about 8 dogs. It was more difficult to actually play with the dogs because they were kept in kennels. To play with them they needed to be moved to a separate room where they were a little more free. You weren't supposed to put your fingers through the cage to pet them because if they nipped you then they needed to be put in quarantine for a week, but I did anyway. The cats were all in different cages but much easier to pet, since you were allowed to put your fingers in their cages. Plus some of the volunteers let me open the cages. It was so refreshing to play with animals for the first part of my day. I haven't had a dog for some time, and all the time I spent in college was pet-less. I can't wait to start working there on weekends.

Addendum: I called the shelter today and set up an appointment to receive volunteer training in January. Three weeks until I start!

Moment of Zen: A fucking shark ate me!!! ... errr an octopus ... whatever, you get the reference.

Home Away From Home Away From Home

Boggy Creek is easily one the most important, relaxing, rejuvenating places in my life. I have had some of the best experiences of my life there, and I would not be the person I am today without it. I got to go back and play this past weekend. It was the holiday party. Basically, the fun for counselors starts on Friday. All day is spent preparing and building and painting and decorating. Then on Saturday families start showing up at about 10:30am and stay for about 6 hours. After they leave there is clean up and then staff appreciation at night. It was great!!! They put me in the dunk tank for the day with Big Moss and Jackie. It was awesome. I was a little apprehensive at first. I thought it would be cold out and that I would be soaking wet and cold all day, but the sun came out and it was a wonderful day. And I didn't realize until I was in the tank how much I enjoyed it. I don't think I could have asked for a better day as far as playing with the kids and loving my time at camp. The people I worked with were great, too. I am so happy to have been able to make it down there. I hope I can make it down for two weeks this summer.

I Wonder Why Airlines Are Suffering?

So, I know airline business is down, and a lot of that is attributed to 9/11, but I don't necessarily think this is the case. Air travel just seems to suck. My experience this weekend did nothing to help the airlines reputation by any means. I was supposed to get on a flight that left Washington, D.C. at 7am and got into Orlando, FL at 9am. Apparently at 2am the day of the flight Delta decided to cancel it. Was the weather bad? That would be a good question to ask. If the flight was canceled due to inclement weather I could totally understand. However, I could only conclude this was not the case because a flight left at 6am and 8am. So maybe Delta thought that the hour of 7am was going to be the brunt of the snow flurry, that's right it was a flurry, we were experiencing, but I doubt it. No it seemed to be more like Delta just didn't feel like having the convenient flight to Orlando that day. So they put me on a flight at 8am, that got in at 12:30 in Orlando, plus it had a stop in Atlanta. I almost missed my transfer flight. The whole experience was a pain in the ass. In the end I am just disappointed more than anything.

Moment of Zen: What won't the Japanese think of next!

Currently Gaming Manhunt By Take2 Interactive Software see related

A Huge Update ...

... relatively speaking ... So ... I didn't update at all over the weekend so it's all coming out now.

When college kids get real jobs and don't have a lot of expenses.

Recently I had my first posh, expensive restaurant experience. I spent roughly $40ish for my meal. The food was quite good, and although the portions looked small, I was pleasantly full (not stuffed, but that happy contented feeling you have) when finished. Well, to follow up, the roommates and I have stolen a page from some of my brethren and have decided to have a fancy dinner night once a month. We have not had said fancy dinner night yet, but I have been doing some looking. It would appear that November and December will both be skipped for fancy dinners. With so many months to make up for with missed fancy dinners, I believe I have found the perfect place to kick off the expensive habit. The Inn at Little Washington It is about $130 per person per dinner. That includes 4 courses, including dessert, with anything extra the chef may prepare. According to what I have been reading, reservations are required, your party name is printed on custom menus, and the chef often tends to cook a lil' something extra.

... and you thought you hated Brittany Spears!

I was browsing around the web at work the other day, as I am known to do, and I found this pop/country/folk/teenage (just barely)/twin/white supremacist group, Prussian Blue. I say just barely teenage, because these girls are thirteen years old. The quick and dirty story is that these girls were home schooled by their mother, a white power promoter, in a farming town in California. Their father, not much better, is also a white supremacist. This is a fine example of how to teach your children to hate. What caught my eye about this whole mess was some of the interviews the twins did. They said that the Holocaust was fabricated. While I had heard of this absurd display of ignorance before, I thought the logic of the girls was the most surprising. One of them said, "I hardly believe there are[sic] even that many Jews alive back then", referring to the millions of Jews that suffered. I was in disbelief after reading this, and I think I still am. There should be laws that let courts take children away from people who are poisoning them. I hate shitty people.

Moment of Zen:  Banned Xbox Commercial

Currently Watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Widescreen Edition) see related