" The Coffee Drinking Song/Thoughts about God and Concentration Camps", or "Why I'm not working on my Comp Paper even though it's DUE TOMORROW!!!"

Wonderful nectar of life....coffee. Ahh.

Stimulating drug that keeps me bright-eyed.....caffiene. Oooo.

From "The Coffee Drinking Song", composed by Joshuam.

~

I'm working on a paper that discusses the altered mind states of concentration camp inmates, using "Experiences in a Concentration Camp" by Dr. Viktor Frankl as my source.

And oh my gosh.

I know a lot about the Holocaust - I've read books, toured the Holocaust Museum in Washington, watched documentaries and movies - but every time I research it, I grow a little more horrified. It's details about the daily life of the inmates that affects me the most. For example, Dr. Frankl talks about this affliction called edema that makes walking a nightmare.

"Like nearly all the camp inmates I was suffering from edema. My legs were so swollen and the skin on them so tightly stretched that I could scarcely bend my knees. I had to leave my shoes unlaced in order to make them fit my swollen feet. There would not have been space for socks even if I had had any. So my partly bare feet were always wet and my shoes always full of snow. This, of course, cause frostbite and chilblains. Every single step became real torture. Clumps of ice formed on our shoes during our marches over snow-covered fields. Over and again men slipped and those following behind stumbled on top of them. Then the column would stop for
a moment, but not for long. One of the guards soon took action and worked over the men with the butt of his rifle to make them get up quickly. The more to the front of the column you were, the less often you were disturbed by having to stop and then to make up for lost time by running on your painful feet."

This is just a tiny, miniscule part of the nightmarish concentration camp existence Frankl describes. I wonder how God could ever let something like this exist. Why? What possible reason is there for such horrible suffering? At the same time, I marvel at His mercy for not wiping out humanity. A species such as us, capable of creating such evil...and yet He does not drown us to extinction.

Back to my paper. I pray, Reader, that you are not as stupid as I am about procrastination..... Have a good night!

Underworld Escapes........

Found an awesome painting by Camille Corot called "Orpheus leading Eurydice from the Underworld", 1861, Oil on Canvas, now in the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas.

I was researching for my Classical Lit. paper, but seeing this painting inspired me to change my topic.

Just went to Stop the Traffick coffee-house music/poetry/ anything goes event. It was good.

Have a wonderful night.

A long, long time

It's been quite a while since I last posted on here. Quite a while.... Very sorry.


10 things that've happened since my last post:

1. I've gotten slow and fat over Christmas Break and the months of January and February. During Cross Country practice now it's embarrassing how bad I am. But there will be improvement....oh yes, there will be improvement.

2. I went to Passion Conference '07. 25,000 Christian college students in downtown Atlanta. It was fantastic.


3. I've figured out that I am a terrible procrastinator. Right now I need to be writing my Composition II paper for Dr. B. But I am not. Hah. (It's about the musical "Singing in the Rain" and how it depicts women.)





4. I've probably lost all the readers I had in my long absence.

5. Class Representative Elections are coming up. L----- and I need to make posters. This is one of our old ones from last semester. "Little Kids like Josh and L----! Vote Josh and L---- for Student Government Reps!"

6. I found out I'm allergic to something!!!!!!!!! (I've never been allergic to anything before, so this is an Event) I was taking amoxicillin for some sickness I had (one of those wasting diseases. not really) and I started to break out in red, itchy spots all over. It was highly uncomfortable. I went to the nurse and she told me I could never take another penicillin-based medicine again as I might die.

7. I rode a mechanical bull and fell off.

8. I'm taking piano lessons for the first time. I just learned how to play "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and was very proud at the result of my strenuous practicing efforts.

9. I got to see some Tibetan Monks in January. They made a Sand Mandala in The College's theater.

10. L---- and I have organized a "Rescue the Flag" game to kick start Stop the (Human) Traffic week here at The College. We thought the word "Rescue" would be more appropriate, but it's essentially Capture the Flag. I hope we get a somewhat decent turnout.