Detachment

Of course I’m not mad
I’m never mad
What is anger, anyway?
Just seems like it’s always an excuse for something else
Peoples own rage blown over in self satisfaction.
But I’m not happy about it, either
I’m certainly not pleased
My indifference is so extreme
It scares me
This action aroused no warmth,
I’m staring at my wall like a cracked blank slate
Devoid of hope or anything at all

Onion & Potato

Intestine

Watercolour pencil crayons and india ink on water colour paper

Black People Love Us!

http://www.blackpeopleloveus.com/index.html

I came across this site today when a friend posted it on facebook. It tackles racial stereotypes in a humorous way and the examples it provides reflect the reality that many people do broadly categorize others into specific categories based on race, and in their friendships relate to others as members of a specific community, rather than as individuals.

So many people aren't willing to talk about things like this, in fear of offending someone, and most people certaintly aren't willing to joke about it, as people could easily take what they are saying the wrong way. There are so many different ways to address and discuss issues, and humour certaintly shouldn't but disregarded as an option. Humour is generally a more dangerous route to take, as is anything even remotely abstract, since some people don't bother trying to actually look beyond what is evident at first glance and try to interpret what is meant.

This site is quite obviously a joke, and I was surprised (well, actually I wasn't) that some people found it offensive, and it somehow didn't occur to them that the site was actually satire addressing the very issues that they are offended by.

Using humour to address sensitive issues widens your audience and allows you to present your point of view in a way that puts people at ease and doesn't try to make them feel guilty. You might offend someone, but I would certaintly think that offending someone is of less consequence than ignoring an issue simply because no one wants to bring it up.

Paper, paper on the wall

Here is a peice of paper that has been stuck to my wall for 3 days now, without tape or anything holding it up.



I have lists of work that I need to do each week for school pinned to my wall, and as I generally never finish everything in a week I usually have several lsits going at once. I had two peices of paper pinned together to the wall, the pin and the top sheet of paper fell down, and the peice of paper underneath it has stayed there, without falling, for 3 days now. It seems to simply have sealed itself to the wall. Which initially made me think that maybe you don't actually need to use anything to make paper stick to the wall, so I pressed another sheet against the wall to see if it would stay and it obviously didn't..why one small event would momentarily change my perception based on experience my whole life that you need to use tape, a pin/tack, etc. to stick paper to a wall, I don't know. Which made me think that maybe our perceptions of reality aren't all that concrete in our brains, and maybe many truths that we know to be hard facts can be shifted and changed by a matter of mere small events. Maybe even just one event can undo something we have known to be true our entire lives..

Anyway, I thought it was pretty awesome that this peice of paper is still rocking out solo on the wall..lets see how long it stays up for.

No Matter

It doesn’t matter who you are
No matter what you do
Or where you are
If you’re living life with passion
You’re doing something right

If you’re savouring every moment
Like a refreshing bite of melon
And letting its juices run down your face

In contentment of the moment
And in eager anticipation of the future
Then you’re at a moment in time
That exists for you

It is your element
So choose well, or not well
It doesn’t matter.
Just don’t wipe the juices from your face.

Lister Block

back entrance

Either way, stop worrying and enjoy life

Some people have been distressed over ads on the TTC that proclaim "There probably is no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy life." I believe that all religions should be able to exist free of discrimination, but don't have a problem with this ad and don't find it particularly offensive.

Anyone that has more than an ounce of faith isn't going to abandon God because of these ads, and the message isn't really making an attack on people of faith or their beliefs, its more so (in my interpretation) addressing people who are unsure of whether there is a God and are worried / fearful about the prospect. The TTC accepted the ad because they allow religious advertising, showing that they are willing to accept some minor backlash in order to do what they felt was right in a secular society. Atheism should be accepted and tolerated just as religion in its many forms should. I find that in efforts amongst faith groups to embrace the religious beliefs of others, Atheists are often left out. Also, many atheists are openly against ALL religion, and may do so in the name of human rights, citing the many problems that religion causes in the world. But those problems are really caused by specific interpretations of religious teachings. Religion can be an important part of culture, and in being intolerant of a person's religious beliefs, you are subjecting them to discrimination. In large doses often this leads to the oppression of specific faith groups.

The United Church of Canada (which is the denomination that I grew up in and still associate with) has launched the counter ad pictured above. The ad was intended to include both atheists and people of monotheistic faiths, and create discussion amongst both groups, but I find that it also provides a link between the two different views and shows that our ideas aren't all that different. Some people don't sweat the small things because they don't believe in God, and aren't worried that a higher power with punish their actions. Others don't sweat the small things because they do believe in God, and know that God will take care of them and keep them safe, so they aren't as worried about the details of day to day life. Some people who don't believe in God worry a lot, and feel that they are responsible for every little detail of their life, and feel panicked when things go wrong. Some people who do believe in God worry a lot as well, and feel that they need to do everything right in order to please God and fear punishment if they do not meet certain ideals.

So if people of faith and people of no faith are both feeling the same emotions, tensions, and levels of anxiety, then maybe it isn't really religion or lack thereof that is causing these things. Maybe it is a state of mind / personality type that people have, and they interpret their beliefs into it.

Speaking personally, I generally don't worry about things and trust God to take care of me. I believe in fate and have found that when things seem like they couldn't be worse, a sudden turn will change my perspective on what is happening and as things resolve and work out, I understand the reasons why things happened the way they did, and often it was for the better.

I like the dual advertisement, because it brings forth the message that whether or not you believe in God, you should stop worrying and enjoy your life. There are reasons to do so under both attitudes towards religion, and its a positive message for anyone who needs a reason to relax.

Pigott Building

Noticed this pretty building in Hamilton the other day..the entrance is very elaborate and ornate, couldn't get further into the building though. I later found out it was the first skyscraper in Hamilton! I didn't even see a view of the entire building, I just payed attention to some details..will go back later and inspect the outside in its entirety.