The Vatican and evolution

After that whole Galileo dibacle a few centuries ago, the Vatican knows it's probably not a very good idea to argue with scientific fact. Yesterday at the Vatican a cardinal said that the "faithful" need to follow science and that evolution is more than just a theory. But Cardinal Paul Poupard (love that name) also urged that science not discount religious beliefs.

"We know where scientific reason can end up by itself: the atomic bomb and the possibility of cloning human beings are fruit of a reason that wants to free itself from every ethical or religious link," he said.

"But we also know the dangers of a religion that severs its links with reason and becomes prey to fundamentalism," he said.

"The faithful have the obligation to listen to that which secular modern science has to offer, just as we ask that knowledge of the faith be taken in consideration as an expert voice in humanity."

In other news...

George Bush keeps breaking records! His ratings are at the lowest ever. Good job, W, 39 percent of Americans still like (or tolerate you).

The Senate thought more about the American people in its decision to cut their Federal benefits while allowing for more oil drilling in the Alaskan wilderness. Yay!

I found out why I was stuck in traffic while driving home from USC last night. Congrats to Juanes and Laura Pausini.

It's me!

Hey, look!
It's me!

A religious experience

If you're not religious, go ahead and skip over this blog. Actually, maybe it'll help you become religious?

Like I've been writing, I've had all these stress/anxiety/depression issues going on. Don't know why I've been writing them on here, but anyway. Well, I kept feeling the nudge to go to Mass today at lunch (the Cathedral of OLA is a few miles from here). I went with the nudge and went to Mass.

Today happened to be the Feast Day of St. Martin de Porres. He's known as the patron saint of brooms. That's right, brooms. The reason being that he didn't care how menial his job was, he was happy to do it in the name of God. Then during the homily the priest said that we should honor Martin by sweeping all the things that lead us away from Christ out of our lives. What are the things that are leading me away from Christ? My anxiety, depression, fear. So I thought about this. Then I got a warm sense of peace. I heard a voice and it said, "Lay all of your troubles at my feet." After that I was cheerful and ready to have a great rest of the day.

I'm going to do my best to not worry and complain about the things I'm stressed out about. I'm going to do as everyone has been telling me and to trust in God. So hopefully this will be the last you hear about my issues. I'm out.

Do you have ADD?

I'm not saying this as a joke. I'm serious. ADD seems to be a serious, undiagnosed problem among adults - I tried to find an article about this, but couldn't. I took a couple of tests to see if I maybe have ADD.

The results said that it "may be possible" that I have ADD, but that it is probable that I have "cingulate system hyperativity" or "limbic system hyperactivity."

Cingulate system hyperativity refers to the fact that I focus to much on a single issue at times. If you know me, you know that this is definitely the case.

People with cingulate hyperactivity tend to get locked into things and they have trouble shifting their attention from thought to thought. This brain pattern shows increased blood flow in the top, middle portion of the frontal lobes (cingulate area of the brain). This is the part of the brain that allows you to shift your attention from thing to thing. When this part of the brain is working too hard, people have trouble shifting their attention and end up "stuck" on thoughts or behaviors.

Limbic system hyperactivity refers to the fact that my limbic system may be hyperactive.

Mood problems often occur when the limbic system of the brain is overactive. Clinical depression, manic-depressive disorder and severe PMS are more severe problems than the garden variety most people experience in the form of bad moods.

Now, I'm not writing this to gain sympathy, rather I'm just trying to help others out there who might have some of these issues.

Anyway, take the tests. They should help. There is also a test on anxiety, which is also useful.

Return of the 20-minute stories

So I took a long break from writing these. I used this blog as mostly a site to post stories that I worked on for a while. But the 20minutestories site is back!

Remember, these are free-flowing, unedited stories. So if there are typos, oh well. Point them out in the comments, but don't let it affect your judgment of the story. ;)

My first one is called "When I'm a..." You may get a bit disturbed, but hey, it's funny. Kind of. OK, maybe funny in a disturbing sort of way. Enjoy.

My personal soundtrack

OK, the great thing about iPods is that you can adjust playlists to suit what you want to hear that specific day. (The bad thing is you have to do the adjusting from a computer, not on the fly on an iPod.)

So here's my soundtrack I'll be listening to today:
1. John Mayer - "Why Georgia?"
2. U2 - "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of"
3. Ben Harper - "When She Believes"
4. U2 - "One Step Closer"
5. Dave Matthews Band - "Angel"
6. Coldplay - "Swallowed by the Sea"
7. Dave Matthews - "Stay or Leave"
8. U2 - "Original of the Species"
9. Dave Matthews Band - "Ants Marching"
10. Jimi Hendrix - "Angel"
11. John Legend - "Ordinary People"
12. John Mayer - "Love Song for No One (Live)"
13. Coldplay - "Miss You"
14. Depeche Mode - "Somebody"
15. Coldplay - "Fix You"
16. John Mayer - "Quiet"

--- Damn it, as I'm typing this I'm like, "Dude, that's all depressing stuff." And that made me laugh. Now I'm starting to cheer up. Maybe that's because it's lunchtime. Anyway, I'll finish the list.

17. U2 - "Sometimes You Can't Make it on Your Own"
18. Jack Johnson - "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing"
19. U2 - "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"
20. John Mayer - "Why Georgia? (Live)"

That's it... Lunchtime. Be back in a bit.

I think I'm bipolar

Honestly, my mood swings are terrible! I came into work in a good mood. Did my work quickly. And now I'm sad and mad. I want to go home. I took a stupid bi-polar quiz, thought it was going to give me the definitive answer. It didn't. It said, "If you check many of these answers, call your physician!" I don't wanna call a physician. That's why I went to this site, dummy.

We have this counseling thing at work, but I'm not going to use it. I'd rather think something is wrong with me than know something is or isn't. Know what I mean?

Eh, I'll be fine in a few minutes. But first I need to make my day's soundtrack and put it on my iPod. Be back in a bit.

The U2 concert

Bono seemed a little on Edge last night (see the humor in that? On Edge - Edge is the guitarist! But Bono also seemed a little angry. Hahaha.) The show was much more political than the U2 concert I went to in April. He kept pushing for peace. Bono said, "You must not become a monster to defeat the monster" when talking about this U.S.'s war on terrorism. But finished one of his rants with a story about The Edge. Said that The Edge was actually an alien from the future. When asked about the future, Bono said, The Edge said "it's different." When asked how is it different, Bono said The Edge replied, "It's better."

It's such an amazing experience to see the band perform. They are all showmen. Bono the biggest of them all.

They performed a new song called "Fast Cars" - can't wait for the next CD!! That's all for now.

U2 Concert

So, yeah, I haven't blogged all day. I sort of feel like a slacker. But hey, it happens right? I mean, I have all these plans for today. I already went to Mass for All Saints' Day. Dinner. U2! Freakin U2! ;)

So in honor of U2, I suggest you go to Rolling Stone and download the podcast of the Bono interview that is this month's cover story.

It should be a great night!

Wow... it's a nice day

It's kind of cool what a good weekend, good coffee, good music, good weather, a good night's sleep and Batman can do for you. Well, let me tell you what it did for me. I had a "drama free" weekend. I slept well Saturday night to Sunday and Sunday night to Monday. Woke up today, listened to John Mayer on my way to work. "Why Georgia?" is the song I listened to twice:

"I rent a room and I fill the spaces with
Wood in places to make it feel like home
But all I feel's alone
It might be a quarter life crisis
Or just the stirring in my soul

Either way I wonder sometimes
About the outcome
Of a still verdictless life"

Well, I guess I realized that all the drama I've been facing is sort of my own doing. I'm stressed out in school because I've been procrastinating with the things that need to get done. I'm stressed out at home because I haven't really made the effort to find a place. I'm stressed out at work because I'm used to thinking of my job as a "career" (which makes me sad) instead of just a job. But the truth is, I'm a writer and I haven't been writing. That's what makes me happy.

The reason I haven't been writing, looking for a place to live or been procrastinating is fear. Yep, fear. With my writing, I'm scared to fail and get rejected - which I will. With school I've been procrastinating because I fear that the things I'm studying aren't that important. And with the living situation I am scared to find a place and then realize that I made a mistake by moving there...

I watched "Batman Begins" this weekend and one of the characters told Bruce Wayne, "You need to embrace your fears." It's true. I will get rejected. I will struggle, even with two master's degrees. And I probably will have bad neighbors, a crappy landlord or a small place no matter where I move to. So the moral of the story is to not fear. Be like Batman. Embrace those fears. Try, even though you might fail.

Conspiracy!?

A few days ago I wrote about the conspiracy theory going around the office that G.W. nominated this unqualified psycho-lady only to have her fail and so he'd be able to nominate an arch-conservative.

Well, she withdrew her nomination and Bush chose a conservative to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the nation's top court.

Odd's begin at 2-1 that Samuel Alito is confirmed, and odds are even that the term "Nuclear option" will be heard nightly for the next month or so.