Sunday Selections #4 (28 July 2013)
There’s been so much fantastic stuff on the web this week, I don’t know where to start! First, this meme popped up on my newsfeed:
In a time when talk about numbers is more often than not a body count / report on how much money we’ve lost since the start of the financial crisis, it’s nice to see numbers that refer to positive things. And nice to see reminders of why scientific study is so very necessary.
Then Buzzfeed came up with this pretty cool post about 17 Companies That You Didn’t Know Are Religious. When I was a kid, our family driver claimed that Avis is owned by a Hindu because the company’s name read backwards is “Siva” (I’m pretty sure he made that up!). So I opened this list to see if Avis was on the list of companies…and it wasn’t. Anyway, an interesting list…some companies I expected to be guided by religious values, and others I didn’t…and some didn’t even make the list (what, no Apple?).
Whilst we’re on the topic of religion, an article I enjoyed reading this week was one about Britain’s youngest Church of England priest. There’s a huge going-out culture in the UK – drinks after work, drinks after the gym, drinks on the weekend, drinks with your dinner, etc – so to read that someone’s decided to forgo that lifestyle and devote themselves to a higher purpose, at such a young age too, was quite inspiring for myself.
Now speaking of love, whilst Jude Davis loves only God, a teenage couple halfway around the world found love under very…unusual circumstances. Unusual because it’s not the kind of love story that you normally hear, but it’s heartwarming nonetheless. Arin Andrews and Katie Hill were both undergoing their respective transitioning processes when they joined a trans support group, met one another and fell in love. Told you it’s not the kind of love story that you normally hear! It’s sweet though, and I’m glad that they’re both happy with who they are and who they’ve found 🙂
Of course, not everyone will be able to appreciate their love story and think it’s strange, wrong or unnatural. Sorry but go and read another blog – there’s plenty more stuff on the Internet that’ll pander to your narrow view of how things should be. I’m sure Fox News, for one, will welcome you with open arms.
This goes back to one of the reasons why I’m a fan of nostalgia-themed posts. They remind me of a time when everyone was open-minded and accepting and people who were a bit different were okay until those adults told us otherwise. So when I came across this post, it brought me back to a time when my worries were much less than they are now…and even then, those problems are not that bad. But that’s the thing about problems, isn’t it? It’s all relative. When I was a kid, my problems at the time felt insurmountable to me and looking back now, I wonder what I was so worried about. So it makes me think – 20 years down the line, will I look back at myself now and wonder what all the fuss was about?
Likewise, the things I spend so much time and effort on now trying to acquire, retain and preserve, will I impute the same value on it in 20 years time? So why do I cling on to what’s in front of me? This list was full of good reminders of impermanence and I have extracted some of my favourites here, from that amazing post about things I will never get for Christmas again…
Oh wow, THIS brought back memories. Freddi Fish and Putt-Putt the car were awesome computer games. I wonder if they’re still available to play…
Well, my week wasn’t altogether serious. It ended on a humourous note, helped along by these people who should not be allowed out in public. Come on, with the Internet you would think that the Darwin Awards would have fewer applicants but I guess not.
Also in good humour is this video. It’s one thing (out of many!) that I miss about living in England. People had a sense of humour and didn’t take offence so easily. You didn’t have to explain jokes in order for people to get it, and sarcasm wasn’t disallowed because everyone has to be a homogenous mass of pious goody two shoes. One thing we have yet to learn over here is how to make doing good “cool” and desirable. Ah well, I guess that’s what Facebook’s Restricted Friends lists are for! So with that said, bring out the KRANKENWAGEN!
is was on the list of companies…and it wasn’t. Anyway, it’s still an interesting list and worth a scroll. Some of the companies featured I already expected to be guided by religious values, and others I didn’t…and some didn’t even make the list (what, no Apple?).
Whilst we’re on the topic of religion, an article I enjoyed reading this week was about Britain’s youngest Church of England priest. There’s a huge going-out culture in the UK – drinks after work, drinks after the gym, drinks on the weekend, drinks with your dinner, etc. – so to read that someone’s decided to forgo that lifestyle and devote themselves to a higher purpose, at such a young age too, was quite inspiring for myself.
Now speaking of love, whilst Jude Davis loves only God, a teenage couple halfway around the world from her found love under very…unique circumstances. Unique because it’s not the kind of love story that you normally hear, but it’s heartwarming nonetheless. Arin Andrews and Katie Hill were both undergoing their respective transitioning processes when they joined a trans support group, met one another and fell in love. Told you it’s not the kind of love story that you normally hear! It’s sweet though, and I’m glad that they’re both happy with who they are and who they’ve found 🙂
Of course, not everyone will be able to appreciate their love story and think it’s strange, wrong or unnatural. Sorry but go and read another blog – there’s plenty more stuff on the Internet that’ll pander to your narrow view of how things should be. I’m sure Fox News, for one, will welcome you with open arms and validations of your horrid opinions.
I like open-mindedness and acceptance, you know, the stuff even you had when you were a child, and people who were a bit different were okay until those adults told you otherwise. So when I came across this post, it brought me back to a time when my worries were much less than they are now…and even then, those problems are not that bad. But that’s the thing about problems, isn’t it? It’s all relative. When I was a kid, my problems at the time felt insurmountable to me and looking back now, I wonder what I was so worried about. So it makes me think – 20 years down the line, will I look back at myself now and wonder what all the fuss was about?
Likewise, the things I spend so much time and effort on now trying to acquire, retain and preserve, will I impute the same value on it in 20 years time? So why do I cling on to what’s in front of me? This list was full of good reminders of impermanence and I have extracted some of my favourites here, from that amazing post about things I will never get for Christmas again…
Oh wow, THIS brought back memories. Freddi Fish and Putt-Putt the car were awesome computer games. I wonder if they’re still available to play…
Well, my week wasn’t altogether serious. It ended on a humourous note, helped along by these people who should not be allowed out in public. With the Internet you’d think that the Darwin Awards would have fewer applicants but I guess not 😉
Also in good humour is this video. It’s one thing (out of many!) that I miss about living in England. People had a sense of humour and didn’t take offence so easily. You didn’t have to explain jokes in order for people to get it, and sarcasm wasn’t disallowed because everyone was required to be part of a homogenous mass of pious goody two shoes. One thing we have yet to learn over here is how to make doing good fun, “cool” and desirable. Ah well, I guess that’s what Facebook’s Restricted Friends lists are for! 🙂 so with that said, let’s break out the KRANKENWAGEN! Hope you lot have a good week 🙂
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