One that edits and doesn’t put unnecessary and stupid comments in the paper.

I list the myths I’m going to examine (the odyssey, iliad, homeric hymns, Oresteia, elder and younger edda, volsunga saga, beowulf) and am told in a side comment that they’re not myths, though they may contain myths.

I really wish SOMEONE would have made that CLEAR to me BEFORE I had completed FIVE YEARS OF EDUCATION, DEFENDED THIS DISSERTATION, and written a good 10 pages defining what constitutes a myth prior to this comment.

I highlighted it and wrote “WTF!?” on the copy.

I didn’t spend much of my dissertation talking about it, just as I didn’t spend a lot of time talking about psychological responses to alcohol.

For the most part, any discussion thereof would have drawn attention away from the myths and cultures examined and framed the discussion in modern terms…it would also have necessitated a discussion of physiological responses to the drink, and would have taken the research in a far different manner.

however, last night I ran across an article that gives some insight into how to approach this situation. It’s called “Alcohol and Culture” by David Mandelbaum, published in Current Anthropology in 1965.

In one of the replies to the article, William Madsen quotes Snyder as defining the “distinguishing feature of alcoholism as ‘the inability of the drinker to control or regulate his drinking within the bounds of social propriety” (291 of Current Anthropology Vol 6, 3, June 1965).

This definition would have allowed a discussion of alcoholism within the bounds of the dissertation to an extent…am I sad that I didn’t find this prior to being finished? Not at all. It allows some structure for a continuing dialogue of alcohol and myth, and would support my continuing studies quite well.

I’m still glad I didn’t get into the alcoholism dialogue in the dissertation…it would have distracted from the main points about what myths hold within them. It might have been good as an appendix, but alas. I’ll have to do with continuing research instead.

Best quote from Mandelbaum’s article was about the Khofyar in northern Nigeria: “The Khofyar certainly believe that man’s way to god is with beer in hand” (281).

mmm…beer.

1. Monday:
   • Teach at VC
   • teach at Kaplan
   • edit dissertation
   • begin separating out clothes for the rummage sale
2. Tuesday:
   • Teach at VC
   • Teach at Kaplan
   • finish separating out clothes to pack/rummage sale/travel
3. Wednesday:
   • Seminar at Kaplan
   • Teach at VC
   • pack up all misc. stuff
4. Thursday:
   • Teach at VC
   • Teach at Kaplan
   • pack everything that can be packed that isn’t needed
5. Friday:
   • Teach at VC
   • Teach at Kaplan
   • prep for the rummage sale on saturday

Yep, going to be a busy week.

I’m the last one in my blogging class from spring 2004 that is still typing away.

How time flies.

of the office, and into the garage. I hope I can get rid of the stinking thing.

So today, in preparation for getting boxes out of my house and into my garage I had to go get a hand cart (or hand truck, or dolly, or two wheeler, etc. etc.). And Since I am moving out, I have been keenly aware of the junk I own, and how much of it is really necessary. So I decided right now to make a list of tools every man should own (of have access to) by the time he’s thirty, ranked in importance.

1. A hammer.
2. Two or three philips/flathead screwdrivers (because you’re always going to misplace one of them)
3. A vice grip
4. A few wrenches of varying sizes (at least one adjustable)
5. A smorgasbord of pliers (at least one needle nose)
6. A good metric/standard socket set (both large and small)
7. A tire pressure gauge
8. A miniature screwdriver set (this has saved me so many times it’s not even funny)
9. A soldering gun
10. A hand cart

I had originally had a cordless drill on there, but I decided the tire pressure gauge was more necessary. I’ve made do without a cordless drill, mainly by pressure on a screw with a screwdriver (it was tough, but it worked) so I think a tire gauge ranks higher.

Now of course, there are other things I’ve learned are nice to have (but less necessary than the previous 10): a trailer or a pick up truck (or a friend who can be bribed to loan you one), a junk drawer, a cordless drill, an air compressor (it’s not REQUIRED, but the travel compressor I’ve got for my car is useful enough for me to want a large one eventually), a bike pump (surprisingly useful even with the travel compressor), a small emergency sewing kit, and a good push broom.

Some of you may be wondering: why didn’t I put duct tape up on that list? That’s because duct tape is like oxygen: you take it for granted, but when you don’t have it you start suffocating. Every person should have duct tape. It’s not so much a tool, but a way of life.

Have I missed anything?

I need a hand cart. So I am going to go over to the do-it-best hardware store down the block. I hope I’m not mauled by an overwhelming crowd of deal hungry women.

I’m thankful that my grad school is done and I’m a doctor (still feels weird saying that). And I’m thankful for an entire day of firefly watching and packing.

Who would have thought that getting dirty was good for kids?

But nooooo, everything needs to be antibacterial, keep the children safe. Oh, it’s not good for them to actually live life, they need to be safe!

Uff da. I’m in a bad mood this morning.

The PS3 came out with backwards compatibility, something people wanted due to the amount of cash spent on dozens of PS2 games. Then in a move of undeniable jerkiness, Sony pulled backwards compatibility: no more PS2 games working on the PS3. Some people were flabbergasted, some people were completely in the dark. Why would Sony do that for a feature that was widely desired?

This is why. So they can make more money by selling games that have already been made in a repackaged situation. It’s capitalism, and a really jerky way to do things.

Of course, Sony is just stealing Nintendo’s ideas about 6 years later. Same old same old there…sixaxis anyone? LOLZ. Anyhoos, Nintendo has been doing this with the Zelda games on each system after the N64. In Nintendo’s defense, however, the DS had backwards compatibility until the DSi and the Wii is compatible with every gamecube game. Microsoft, SURPRISINGLY, hasn’t pulled any jerk moves and dropped backwards compatibility, but I am expecting it in the near future.

So, hats off to Sony, I guess. Keeping their inferior system (with no good games) alive for another year or two by getting people to buy old games that they already own. Sounds suspiciously like how they’re keeping the PSP alive. Oh wait, they dropped compatibility for UMD discs on that one too.

Games ‘permit’ virtual war crimes, and this has human rights organizations “up in arms” (ahahaha, see what I did there?)

These human rights groups claim that “games were sending an “erroneous” message that conflicts were waged without limits or that anything was acceptable in counter-terrorism operations.”

Shouldn’t they be freeing prisoners in afghanistan or africa or something? This seems to be a little ridiculous.

Not to mention freedom of expression…are they willing to block that right (which is all this is in a virtual environment) in order to uphold their view of appropriate ways to fight imaginary villains?

Moreover, do they have a problem with star wars? I mean, it WAS genocide to wipe out an entire planet. For shame, George Lucas…for shame.

This is a stand against fundamentalists who are acting un-Christian. I apologize for the cross-post with Facebook, but this way it’s out for the masses to see it as well.

First, this is aimed at fellow Christians and evangelicals. If you aren’t one, you can keep reading, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. This was brought on after a night of thinking and praying on it. I’ve a friend who is terrified of a minority of evangelicals and their adoption of this verse. Let us be honest: these people are fundamentalists, and they do not speak for all Christians nor do they speak for God. The following are reasons why this verse is being misused and should not be a rallying cry against our President. I am a Conservative Christian, and this is my stand against the Psalm 109:8 brand of fundamentalism

Let’s talk Psalm 109:8. “May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership.” Now read the entire psalm. Don’t stop at verse 8, or even verse 9…read it all.

Stop putting this on bumper stickers and t-shirts. Stop calling for the president of our Country to be deposed. Several reasons really, so let’s start with the first one: he is not a wicked man (verse 2), he has not spoken out against Christians (or Jews) (2-3), and here’s the big one: he hasn’t repayed friendship with evil (4-5). He’s the leader of our country, and if you believed at all in the Bible you wouldn’t be after his death…he was put there for a reason. Just because you disagree with someone doesn’t make him or her evil. Obama isn’t wicked, he’s just got different opinions than us.

Now, let us talk about proper usage of this psalm. I HIGHLY doubt any of us have been as downtrodden as David was when he wrote this. He was in all likelihood running for his life, having to forage for food, and all in all having a dusty time in ol’ Palestine. In America, we live like kings. This is a psalm that speaks from the depths of despair…let’s keep it for a time when we ARE AT THE DEPTHS OF DESPAIR. A good friend of mine has the following C.S. Lewis quote on her page: “Don’t use words too big for the subject. Don’t say “infinitely” when you mean “very”; otherwise you’ll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite.” The same applies here…let’s keep this psalm for when we are really desperate! I have $29 in my checking account until the end of the month…but my gas tank is full, my cupboards stocked. Until we are as hungry and put-upon as King David, let’s not use this language.

Secondly, let’s talk about the proper place for psalms: as they are prayers of whatever form to God, one would think that they should be treated with more respect than slapping it on a t-shirt or a bumper sticker. Let’s be honest: I have a t-shirt that says reduce/reuse/recycle by playing old video games, and my favorite bumper sticker says that fat people are harder to kidnap. Is that REALLY the company for Holy Verse? A prayer is between the supplicant and God…there is no reason to be advertising a prayer at all. Recall who was justified by Jesus’ words: the poor sinner rather than they hypocritical pharisee (Luke 18:9-14). Pray to God, not for your fellow man’s ear.

Thirdly: let’s talk about Christian duty. OBVIOUSLY such Christian duty shouldn’t include praying for someone to lose their job. Period. I don’t think the carry through to death threats are necessarily the case most of the time, and I have no proof one way or the other. But 109:8 is praying that the person loses their livelihood. This.is.not.Christian. Period. No ifs ands or buts. Stop it.

Now, let’s talk about other Christian duty: not to put up stumbling blocks for our neighbors. Why are Christians acting like vengeful judges, when it is the Lord’s to judge what is right or wrong? This jump on judgment for something so small as political disagreement is a HUGE stumbling block for new Christians or for those considering following Jesus.

“Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.” Romans 14:13.

Let’s all try and stop these few Christians from tripping up others.

One more point about Christian duty, and then I’m finished. No really, I will be. Let’s look specifically at Zechariah 7:10: “Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other”

This verse is salient for two reasons: the first obvious. Do not think evil of each other. It is our DUTY as Christians to uphold the standards that are found throughout the bible. The two most important commandments, from Jesus’ mouth (Mark 12:30-1): thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this the first commandment. And the second like, this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Are not the poor, widows, strangers, and aliens those whom we should protect? Why should some Christians, against all the reasons set up in the bible, be set so rabidly against health care legislation that protects just these classes of people? These are our neighbors! Now, obviously there is basic disagreement over how to provide this care across the political aisle, but I will say this now: We should not let our political worldly ideas stop us from doing God’s work.

This all being said, let us not ask God to be on our side, but make sure we are on God’s side…to paraphrase Lincoln. Stop advertising a prayer to remove a man who has not proved himself a false friend or a wicked man. Stop judging the leadership of this country…that is God’s job. Take down the Psalm 109:8 advertisements. Let us return to the work God has given us: to care for our neighbors, not to hate them.

I hear the most interesting things…apparently Hitler was responsible for the suffrage of Jews, half of all Minorities in 1967 believed there was police corruption against them (and this was used as a good example of why we have to be harsher on cops today), and how when we turn on the TV we are hit by sex violence and the media.

I am upset…I don’t want the media to be as important as my sex and violence on TV!

On the plus side, I was able to slip in a princess bride quote in the corrections:
You keep using that word. I don’t think it means what you think it means.

Ah, students.

I always try to have a couple backup plans in place for every day situations…what I’ll do if plan a goes wonky. Thank goodness I do! Today, for no reason known to man, my wireless just stopped working.

20 minutes into my online seminar.

Luckily my back up plan of plugging my headphones into my desktop computer (already on) worked flawlessly, and the lecture lost about 20 seconds.

That’s why it’s important always to have a backup plan. You never know when things will mysteriously light on fire or explode.

I’m totally preparing for one. Lots of people decide to change their lives around 40 by writing a book, buying a new car, going back to school, destroying the universe, etc. etc.

Me? I’m getting all that stuff out of the way. I’ve gotten two MA’s and a PhD, I’ve written and published a book, lived in a sunny locale for three years, gone to europe, and generally avoided doing the usual thing.

I figure this way, once the midlife crisis rolls around, I’ll have the exotic things taken care of, and can content myself to a new car or maybe doing a normal thing like raising a family.

Or maybe I’ll take up bungee jumping.