A Grey Area

There is no way, no how I could explain or dictate this thought in a short blog that would encourage comments. It would create mass confusion and do nothing productive. I will try another approach that hopefully with provoke internal thinking and external dialogue with others. Please comment to stimulate further thoughts and discussions. Just think.


Grey Area does not exist.

Okay, in areas of personal preference in subjective matters such as food flavors there can be grey because this is not a do it or don't do it, yes or no kind of arena.

But in discussions about most other matters there is no grey area. To say there is a grey area is in many ways a pass on really attempting to discover the black or white in a situation. From your point of view something could be "grey". But that does not mean that the black and white don't exist. That means you just don't know enough details or are not close enough to the situation to be able to see the clear line between black and white.

We were created in a world that exist in a balance. Things run and behave naturally. Our interactions with each other also exist in this world. There is a right and a wrong and black and a white. Truth is there. Your perception might not be able to discover the black or white easily but that does not mean that the black and white don't exist.

Poppers, Sparklers, and the Roman Candle.

I love fire!!! Mostly controlled fireworks.

There are some things and life that are so sweet!!!! Some things in life are so much fun that you cannot help but participate if the opportunity presents itself. This idea crossed my mind as we were celebrating the fourth.

Trial 1:
Step 1: Open box of poppers. (those white sacs of gunpowder that make a flash of light and a popping sound when they break on a hard object.)
Step 2: Place in the open hand of an adult.
Step 3: Wait.
Step 4: POP!!!

See, I told you. Poppers are clearly marketed towards children. When a pack of popper are purchased it is always for the kids. They love them and go crazy over the lights and sounds of celebration. But, if given enough time with poppers in their hands a person of any age will simply loft one out onto the brick walkway and watch the magic being. On the outside they might show their excitement but most likely they will remain calm and collected as they throw popper after popper towards the ground. We all know that on the inside they are having a humongous fantastic fire party. “I control sound and fire and all of existence!!!! WEEEEEEE!!!!!”



Trial 2:
Step 1: Open sparkler packages
Step 2: Unwrap that silly clear plastics around the 5 or 6 sparklers.
Step 3: Light sparklers and hand sparkler to 87 y.o. grandmother.
Step 4: Cue dancing, swinging of arm, and writing of name.

Again. Something so exciting that even an adult businessperson with a suit and tie or straight-laced farmer will wildly swing their arm to make pretty designs and swirls in the sky. “C…L…A…Y…T…O…N… look everyone I spelled my name in the air!!!!”

So what is it about these activities that make us participate and let down our professional/straight-laced guard? What are other activities that fall into this category.




P.S. Fourth of July = National litter and don’t care day. All those poppers, fireworks, and sparklers have to land somewhere. Good luck picking up all that trash Aaron Thomas.

Chewing Gum Communism

So I am back in the classroom on campus. I always need chewing gum to keep my breath fresh and it always keeps me awake. Chewing gum is almost a necessity. AND, most people love it.

There is an interesting occurrence with gum. When you take it out of your bag, your pocket, or your purse you are granting all those around you access to gum as well. Most people will ask for a piece; a request you can never deny. It is also often a situation where a courteous offer of gum is expected. However, gum does cost money. But everyone treats it like chewing gum is a community item. So, what about a 12 pack of soft drinks? Are those community items too?

Ignorange is Bliss

Hello friends, let me say it is a pleasure to make my debut on the “D & J” blog. For those wondering, my name is Chad and I live in Los Angeles. Shameless Plug: My debut album is dropping in a few weeks. Buy it. Ok, onto the good stuff...

This post will deal with when it is responsible or necessary to tell someone they are wrong. Let me begin with an example...

There is a guy named Joe who plays some cover songs on his guitar. He plays the song wrong, but thinks that he is playing them correctly. Furthermore, most people know that he is playing them wrong. But Joe gets great pleasure out of playing them the way he is. What does the bystander do? Fight for truth and tell the old man he is wrong? Or bite his tongue and let classics like “If You Could Only See” by Tonic be destroyed by Joe?

This is obviously a silly example, but what about with heavier subject matter? I remember discussing this question in a class at school in a case study about an elderly man who went in to the hospital with stomach pains. After exploratory surgery, they discovered the man had an infection in his ovaries – yes you read that correctly. They dug up a bit of his history and found out that he was born with both testicles and ovaries. His family decided to raise his as a boy and never told him the truth. Now years later, the doctor is forced to decide between telling the truth – telling this man that he was possibly a girl for his whole life and potentially creating some emotional and mental baggage – or ignoring the fact and releasing the man from the hospital with a false diagnosis.

I have searched on-line for this case study and could not find it, so sorry about that. Perhaps there are other cases of gender identity and confusion that this argument might apply to. But regardless of the truth of the story, the point is still valid – Is it always the responsible thing to tell the truth when ignorance might possibly be bliss? Let the discussion begin.

Absence

Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Meaning: The lack of something increases the desire for it.


Is this true? I'm taking a planned week off. I shall return next Monday early in the day. Please comment on the above question.