I really liked this prompt.

If you could have lunch with any famous person, either living or dead, whom would you choose and why? Describe your conversation at lunch.

“So, Mr. Blair, how’s the afterlife?” I joke to lighten the mood.
Eric Blair, better known as the novelist George Orwell, shifts his weight and replies, “Colder than I imagined.”
I am an avid fan of history, good literature, political satire, and fantasy. With George Orwell, I am satiated in all four categories. Animal Farm will always remain in my top five favorite novels, and 1984 was superb. I tell Orwell that I think so.
“Thank you so much, but did you know that Animal Farm wasn’t an allegory on the Russian Revolution like most people think.”
“No!”
“I’m just joking with you. With the end of the World War II approaching, and everyone praising the Russians, I thought it necessary to show some of the dark excesses of the Russian government.”
This is why I wanted to lunch with George Orwell. History to me is alive and vivid even in the most boring of forms, but Orwell takes this “dry” subject and weaves it into a fantastical satire, while still maintaining the legitimacy of the history. He is able to both entertain and educate.
“But Mr. Orwell…”
“Please, call me George”
“Ok, George, what was the reasoning behind another famous novel of yours, 1984?”
“Well I designed it as a cautionary tale against the evils of democratic socialism and totalitarianism. Now, don’t get me wrong, there are positives to socialism, I even considered myself a socialist early in life, but everyone was so infatuated by the idea, I wanted to warn people that with every revolution, the people in power could become totalitarians.”
This is another reason I am an admirer of Orwell; he learns from the mistakes of history, and passes them on as lessons to other people. This is the merit I find in history, and what I plan on doing with my degree in history. I could learn ample lessons from George Orwell’s precautionary tales.
“I don’t know if they have DVD players in the afterlife, but if they do, have you ever seen V for Vendetta. I see striking similarities between it and 1984.”
“I have seen it; it has the great Natalie Portman. I can’t wait to have a conversation with her.”
Another one of my favorite people. “Did you know she got a 1590 on her SAT’s? Incredible.”
“SAT’s?”
“I forget those are after your time.”
“They must be.”
“Anyways, like I was saying, V for Vendetta, its set in Britain, a totalitarian government has taken over, and one person stands in his way. My all time favorite film sounds just like my all time favorite novel.” I fib a little to flatter him.
“That’s exactly what I thought. I’m just glad that my message has gotten out to people so they can are wary of their government. ‘People should not fear their government; a government should fear its people.’”
“That’s from the movie.”
“I’m glad you recognized it.”
“My personal favorite line from that movie is, ‘A revolution without dancing is a revolution not worth having.”
“A sentiment I strongly agree with.”
A conversation well worth having.

Literature

So far this year (Sept-Now) I have read:

Invisble Man
Animal Farm
Crime and Punishment
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
The Stranger
Clockwork Orange
Old Man and the Sea
The Piano Lesson
Fences
Death of a Salesman
A Doll's House
Enemy of the People
Macbeth
A Raisin in the Sun
Walden (Blegh)
Civil Disobedience
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Under the Feet of Jesus
Things Fall Apart
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Secret Life of Bees
Night
Oryx and Crake

An unknowing oberver might think I actually like Literature.

Maybe my AP English teacher wasn't as bad as I thought.

Boring update overall, I know. Any favorites (or extreme disfavorites) on the list?

"In literature as in love, we are astonished at what is chosen by others."
Andre Maurois

Update

I was just going to edit the last blog entry, but this is so great is merits a new update.

Next week were taking at least 15 people to Rock Harbor. About 3 or 4 new people.

I didn't invite my friends to The Burn yet. I don't really know why. Its out Wed Night service and I just thought I would take it slow. Paola, without being asked, or talking to any of us. Invited a bunch of our friends to go to The Burn, and they showed up. Nobody asked her to go, she just decided it would be good and take the initiative. She even brought her little brother. Amazing.

It was a great message amd everybody was super welcoming and supportive. My friends, all on their own, started asking questions about Ecuador, Mexico, Winter Camp etc. My friend Brian decided to go to Mexico. It was his first day at church. Incredible.

They were also asking questions about God, the Bible and Christianity. We did our best to answer them and I think we did well. We are going to have a Bible Sutdy every Sunday at 3 at my house. We're all the same age, and we're going to be leading it. Awesome.

Carlos and Brian also started asking questions about communion and who could take it and what it meant. After we talked to them for a while, Carlos asked questions about getting baptized. Brian also showed interest in it too. I'm going to talk to them about what Baptism means, and go through a serious Bible study with them about it, so they can be sure about the commitment. Glory to God.

I just want to thank all of you who have supported me in this. To all my friends who were welcoming to the new people, who answered questions, who helped me, who encouraged me, and most of all who prayed. Your prayers are working wonders. Its been a week and half, and Carlos is asking about being baptized. God is glorious and his work is mighty, but I am sure this happened due to your support and prayers. God is doing glorious things through us, his servants.

I want to thank you for your support and ask that you keep us in your prayers. Pray for Gianna, Jillian, Alaina and me as we lead this bible study, me as I talk to them about Baptism, and pray for their hearts to be open to God, and keep their passion and excitement serious.

This has been a great day. :)

A lighter subject

Last week I took one of my non-christian friends to Rock Harbor (a church) with me. I hang out with a lot of non-christians and I have been trying to get them to go with me. I have had some good conversations, but it seemed like very little progress.

Anyways, this friend, Carlos, is a really popular guy, captain of the football team, homecoming king yada yada. I took him last week and it was great. The message (how to treat and respect women in a relationship) was exactly what he needed to hear, and the service and worship really moved him. Having someone else to be excited about God and church other than me with this group of friends really helped.

This week I took five more people to Rock Harbor. I was driving a full car. It was really amazing. Carlos was really excited again about God, he even said he felt like he "found God." He told me he was glad I invited him to Church because it was what he needed and he is easily influenced. Another friend, Paola, said she wanted to go back to church, and wants to continue going because it feels right.

But what I am most ecstatic about is my friend Lauren. Lauren is a really close friend of mine. I care about her alot, and we get along well. She is a person that whenever we talk about God says, "I think I am a moral good person now." or "I don't want to give up the fun I have." or "I'll go to God when I get my life in order." I was happy that she was even going. Throughout the whole service I could tell the spirit was working in her. The best part of the night was when she turned to me during the end worship and just embraced me, and we worshipped God together. With tears in her eyes, she gave it up to God.

We got to talk afterwards and she said she just felt like there was a voice whispering in her head, and how she felt filled with a presence. I told her how I believed that that was the spirit working in her. We got to have a good long conversation on what I meant to be a christian, why we need God when we are broken, because we can't make ourselves whole, and how drastically different and better her life would be. At the end of the night she still wasn't sure if this is what she wanted. I called a few friends and we all prayed for her, because she was so close to the truth, but things were holding her back.

The next day this is what she texted me.

"I think I found God.
You helped me understand more.
Then I had a praying session with God and I cried because I felt like he was listening and wanting to help."

"'For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate."
Luke 15:24

I ask that you continue to keep me and my friends in prayer. May God be glorified always. May his message shine through me and may I know what to say. And may my friends continue to be moved by the spirit and have their hearts softened. We are going back next week, and more are coming.

Praise be to God in the highest.

For Nathan

And I'm done posting on Politics. Hopefully for good.

My values. Simple. Quickly typed. Not particularly well thought or well written, here is goes.

The War - I think we need to see it through a little longer. I don't think we should pull out all troops ever (we still have troops in Germany and Japan from WWII) and I don't think we should put a timeline on it, but we should be continuously be pulling out troops and resources. I think the war started out well intentioned but there have been many errors and we need to maintain a lower commitment and come up with a new stategy, which I think McCain will provide excellently. I just worry that he will committ more troops if elected. Rating: Moderate

Abortion - I feel that abortion is wrong in most cases. I think when the mother's health is in danger, rape or incest; abortions should be allowed, but almost everyone agrees on that so its a given. I don't think that we should overturn Roe v. Wade because it will just cause abortions to be done illegally and unsafely. It may cut down on the sheer number, but it will become much more dangerous for public health. I also think that abortion clinics should recieve the same type of legal protection and research money as any other medical institution. And I think attacks on abortion clinics should be prosecuted more harshly. Rating: Moderate

Gay Marraige - I feel that gays should not be allowed to marry, yet I also feel that an amendment to the Constitution defining marraige between a man and a woman is redundant and unecessary. I also think that it will just be repealed later on. This issue, along with abortion, is something that government should stay out of, so I think it is the responsibily of social conservatives to convince people (if they are able) using ideas and not legislation. They receive the same legal benefits as a married couple and all they lack is a marraige license, and I feel that still maintains equality. Rating: Conservative/Moderate

Economy/Poverty - Government stay out. I think businesses are overregulated and hindered by government. I think anti-trust entities and legislation are good, but a lot of the other laws passed just hinder business and our economy. On the other hand, I think the "safety net" idea originally started by FDR has its merits. I don't think there should be a cap on how much someone should earn, but I think the rich should be taxed more for the benefit of the country and the poor. I think welfare shouldn't be for life, people should be required to get off welfare at some point (excluding children) I think most people are in poverty because of bad decisions, but at some point bad luck and circumstances out of their control came into play. If they can't get it together after a second chance from the government, I think they are a lost cause, and they should be the responsibility of private charities, because I feel they are more efficient that governmental bureaucracies. Rating : Moderate

Whew, there it is Nathan. Not too extensive, but enough to give you a feel of what I believe. I hope you understand that I do this in the interest of a lively conversation, not a debate, not a battle of ideas where you try to convince me I'm wrong or I do the same, just a discussion. Sometimes it is a little imtimidating because you are so intense and that if I disagree with you, I'm going to get shot down out of hand.

I can has McCain?

California sez I can has. :)

This is why I love politics. When the polls are WRONG.

Huckabee pulled out more delegates than Romney tonight. I love it. I feel bad for the guy, but I love upsets espcially when the media has to put their feets in their mouths. I'm glad people voted for who they wanted to, even when other said "You're throwing your vote away if you vote for so-and-so." More power to them.

I'm tired of hearing about the Obama surge. Hillary is clearing the people's pick, as well as the super delegates, but the pundits find someway to take it away from her and give more credit to Obama. Yes its close, but time and time again they are wrong and Hillary wins, and they don't shut up.

Yougurtland was super good on this Super Duper Tuesday.

"The political and commercial morals of the United States are not merely food for laughter, they are an entire banquet."
-Mark Twain

Civic Responsibility

So this is the first year that I get to vote in the general election because I'm finally 18, and I'm pretty excited. Barring any major changes in the race, I'm pretty sure I'm voting republican, whoever that is, but I'm open to be wowed by some amazing other candidate. I just wish I was able to vote in the primaries, that would have been really exciting. And able to vote on all of the propositions. BTW, I think its crazy that any politicians think that a bill lengthening term limits is going to pass.

Funeral Blues

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He is Dead.
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

W.H. Auden


I think if everyone felt like that about someone, and had someone reciporcate, the world would be a better place. Even when they die.

I'm tired of jumping through hoops. I wish that it ended, but I knowit never will.
I miss my friends in college.
Someone I'm really close with fell of a pedastal sick. I had no idea.

I'm glad that I have God by my side, or else this life would be unbearable.

He is my North, my South, my East and West
My working week and my Sunday rest