reality, far from it

Blah, blah, blah. With a quick search on Google of this song by Lilly Allen the same thing kept coming up: the buzz worthy, loaded statement “social commentary”. The phrase, although true to its form, is more thrown around encourage people to disregard the lyrics than to emphasize them as truth. While some of the language may not be seen as age appropriate for younger audiences, it is not unlike much of the content throughout the rest of the album. However, we are not talking about the rest of the album, just this song, and it has a lot of good tidbits that can (and should) be taught to young and old adults alike.

The lyrics - they aren’t going to solve all of life’s problems, but they sure do point out a few. First and foremost, the opening sentence about being rich and wanting lots of money. It seems to be everyone’s goal in life. And in the fourth paragraph it talks about film stars being more popular than mothers. There is no denying that. The song also addresses greed, shopping, human rights (diamond trade), nudity, the need for speed, plastic surgery, war, and murder.

The most important message I think this song send is in its title: The Fear. It’s an odd title for a song. And it is a little confusing (at least to me) because it is a blanket statement for something else – a life that convincingly looks like the American dream, but in reality is far from it, and like the lyrics, most people ‘don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore.’

The fear
I want to be rich and I want lots of money
I don’t care about clever I don’t care about funny

I want loads of clothes and [many] loads of diamonds

I heard people die while they are trying to find them

I’ll take my clothes off and it will be shameless

‘Cuz everyone knows that’s how you get famous

I’ll look at the sun and I’ll look in the mirror

I’m on the right track yeah I’m on to a winner

I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore

I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore

When we think it will all become clear

‘Cuz I’m being taken over by The Fear

Life’s about film stars and less about mothers

It’s all about fast cars and passing each other

But it doesn’t matter cause I’m packing plastic

And that’s what makes my life so ******* fantastic

And I am a weapon of massive consumption

And its not my fault it’s how I’m programmed to function

I’ll look at the sun and I’ll look in the mirror

I’m on the right track yeah I’m on to a winner

I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore

I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore

When we think it will all become clear

‘Cuz I’m being taken over by The Fear

Forget about guns and forget ammunition Cause

I’m killing them all on my own little mission

Now I’m not a saint but I’m not a sinner

Now everything is cool as long as I’m getting thinner

I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore

I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore

When we think it will all become clear

‘Cause I’m being taken over by fear.

challenging to be green

I haven’t written in a while. I have been traveling for vacation and work.

Carbon footprints are a way to look at your lifestyle and to see how much you are destroying the earth. Scare tactics don’t always work. Just look at the history of Christians using scare tactics during Halloween. Likewise, in being “more green”, you don’t always see the benefits and in many cases end up spending more money to buy healthy food, fair-trade items, time, etcetera. In a recent article in the fashion and style section of the NY Times I came across “A More Flattering Shade of Green”, an article that talks not about the negative effects of humans on the environment, but what we can do positively to help it. The article is interesting as you see a mother trying to get her reluctant and skeptical family to be more environmentally friendly. The author of the article, Michelle Slatalla, recommends the site Carbonrally.com. The site has challenges to be more green. The challenges can be done individually or someone can create or join a team to challenge others in the goal to become more green. The goals are moderately low and do not turn an average person or family’s life upside-down.

The benefits of this idea are easily seen. First, it uses positive reinforcement to encourage people to be green instead of negative abuse. Second, it encourages you to not do it alone, but indeed start a ‘team.’ Third, it uses small steps to improve. If the challenges were too big or hard for people to do or change their life style they would be too discouraged to do it or to continue. This encourages people to start small and eventually be able to accomplish bigger challenges. Some examples of the challenges are to print and use less paper at work, or to drive 5 mph less when driving (on the highway).

Take a look at the website and see if you are up to the challenge.

NY Times: A More Flattering Shade of Green
Catalog Choice - Choose to have less

fyi: it's night time

In my April 15th blog I wrote about the stupidest fashion mistake I have ever seen. I honestly did not think I would see anything stupider until the other night while driving. It was night time probably around 10:00 pm. So, it was apparent to me that it was dark and that the sun had definitely set and that it was long gone until 5:30 am the next day.
As I am driving, in the dark, a man begins to walk across the street with sunglasses on. At first I just thought he had just trumped the sunglasses fashion inside as the worst fashion trend to ever become “cool”. He was also crossing the street in front of me and just enough for me to not have to slam on my brakes, but not enough for a person to cross the street when it is safe. It was concluded that he was blind (or very stupid).

Time for sunglasses
NOT time for sunglasses

uniquely normal

As I rode the el last night home from the Grant Park Music Festival, I began to people watch. It was probably the only thing keeping me sane while riding a crowded train back home. I began to look at all the young people who were wearing all the latest fashions. Everyone was trying to out cool each other. Men and women alike were fashioned-up to the max with the latest style of haircuts, clothing, shoes, and accessories. What trumped it all even more was this tool of a man, who while yapping on his cell phone pulls out his Mac laptop.

In the midst of all this overwhelming coolness was an older gentleman, a Richard Dreyfus look-a-like, who wasn’t trying to be hip or be noticed, but was just normal. As I began to ponder on that I began to realize that not all these young cool people were really cool, but in fact the older gentleman on the train was the coolest person among us.

Sometimes being trendy and cool is not about the latest and greatest, but about being yourself. It’s hard to come by today as everyone is trying to out-do each other and have the latest greatest thing. In the midst of it all though not being hung-up on the latest and greatest makes you more unique, trendy, and cool.

trying to keep up: reflections on Luke 9:46-48

I’m not sure how your Sunday school experience was or even if you had one. But, much of mine was discussing how naive Jesus’ disciples were and how much they screwed up. In Luke 9: 46-48 the disciples are having an argument over who is the greatest among them. Jesus goes up to the disciples in response to their discussion and says, "Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all—he is the greatest."

It’s an interesting concept that non-Christians and Christians alike are not good at. People are constantly trying to “keep up with the Joneses”. In the workplace, with our friends, and at church: people seem to want to be the greatest. It happens in conversations and discussions. It happens at the mall each day and walking down Michigan Avenue. In an era of blue jeans and sweat pants why do people have to dress up to go to the mall?

I’m not pointing fingers here. No one wants to be the person with the 10 inch television, the mom that drives the 1988 minivan to their kid’s soccer game, or the guy that can’t afford to go to a baseball game with his buddies. There even seems to be a trend to be the most ‘humble’. Who can be the most green, the most fuel-efficient, or the person who is living the most simply?

And what about ego? In a world with endless technology and news: people are trying to be the worldliest, most informed, and smartest people around.

I’m not saying to not have materials, to not care about the earth, or to be dumb. But, what is dictating our thoughts or our will to do the things we do? Is it to have more, be better, or just because you can? Is it to say I have done this, seen this, and have this? Are we doing it out of love, compassion, or mercy? In an argument of who is the greatest are we welcoming the little child that Jesus has called us to?

Recommended books:
Green With Envy by Shira Boss
Affluenza by de Graaf, Wann, Naylor, and Robin,
Colossians Remixed by Walsh and Keesmaat
Rich Christians in the Age of Hunger by Ronald Sider
Unfettered Hope by Marva Dawn

SIGGnificant

Remember that time when if you like the earth you were a tree hugger and it was a bad thing? Today it is considered cool to be a tree hugger. It’s hit the fashion scene, pop culture, and businesses. Part of me hates that companies are taking advantage of green being cool and part of me says at least they are trying, even if it is to get their businesses more money.

So, I am trying to be ‘more green’. It’s kind of hard when you have to commute. Thinking about all the gasoline and carbon-dioxide that is polluting the earth, it is hard to make up for the volume of it in my daily life. Plastic water bottles never seemed to make since to me. Why buy water when you can get it from your tap? It was just economically sense to me. Now it is SIGGnificant to be green as well, by not constantly buying plastic bottles that fill land fills and by not conserving the resources that are used to make the plastic bottles. This has even given me the idea to give up things like soda so I don’t have to buy the plastic bottle or can. These little things help me be more environmentally conscious as I try to eat better, live better, and be better to the earth.

fyi: you look like a fool

I’m not much of a fashion critic or judge of how people look. People have the freedom and right to choose what they want to wear and what they look like. There are of course a few exceptions: most commonly known as pet peeves. The most notorious on my list is people that wear sunglasses inside (unless of course there is a viable reason to). Come on people, the walls of the building block the sun so you don’t need the sunglasses. In any case I think it is a stupid fashion trend that looks ridiculous. Not until this weekend did I ever think I would see someone do something that looked more stupid. While at an arena football game, a smoke free area, a guy in front during most of the first half of the football game had a cigar in his mouth as if he was smoking. So for all you kids out there, don’t pretend to smoke in a non-smoking area. It looks stupid!

so many bumper stickers. why that one?

Why do people put bumper stickers on their car? To me the bumper sticker seems to be an outward expression of what you would want to say to someone if you could talk to them while driving. Thankfully, cars don’t come with a bull horn to express how each person feels. There are enough fists and birds to go around.
Some people cover the whole back of their car with bumper stickers. They have many views and options and they want to share them. I personally find it fun at a red light to see how many bumper stickers I can read before the light turns green again. Most people on the other hand usually just have a bumper sticker or possibly two (even three) without going overboard. But out of all the thousands of bumper stickers, views, and options, how do you decide what you want on the back of your car that expresses ‘you’? For many it is easy. The car is a mode of transportation so they add bumper stickers that express where they have been or what mountain they have climbed. Others express what nationality they are. When you live in the United States, and you are not from the United States your biggest identity may be that you are from another country. I think this shows a sense of pride of where a person is from, and they want to show it off.
Another common bumper sticker is the political bumper sticker that is supporting a certain candidate for election or a certain political view. Other common stickers include fishing, proud parents of honor roll students, and stickers honoring the military. I am originally from the Detroit area so I am particularly used to seeing miniature Calvin and Hobbes peeing on equally miniature Ford or Chevy symbols. Many of these stickers produce honor towards the United States, or a car company, or a hobby. Other stickers although they don’t produce honor they are added on for humor. These stickers, although sometimes ridiculous and funny, seem to make sense in my head. On the other hand, there are other bumper stickers that don’t make sense to me.
Many people like to express their political option, their humor, or their honor in something. For most people this is just with one bumper sticker on their car. What possesses people to put the most obscure bumper stickers on their car? If there is one thing to say about yourself, why that? Why would someone put a sticker stating that firewood should not be moved? Are they so compelled by bugs ruining trees that they need to protest it on their car? Where they traumatized by a bug incident where the whole forest that they live by was destroyed by a bug and now have to broadcast it to the world? Why not an overall environment sticker?
What about a Wall Drug sticker? Was someone so compelled by the billions of road signs saying Wall Drug that when they got to the store they had to buy a bumper sticker and put it on their car. Their whole identity of their car now is Wall Drug. That is the most important thing they want to express on their car – an over-publicized drug store. Although both of these examples are not as good as other examples I have seen on the road – they give a hint to the mindless expression of some people.