The Hunger Games

I have a lot of thoughts I want to try to put into coherent sentences here, so bear with me if it gets jumbled...

I, along with most of the rest of the world saw "The Hunger Games" movie this weekend. I also read the books a while ago, and while this is not intended to be a movie review, I will say that for good or ill, the movie was very true to the book. I imagine that the only people I know who have not read the book or seen the movie, will likely be comprised of the majority of the people who read this blog. I don't want to give plot synopsis or anything, so if you don't know what the Hunger Games is, read the plot summary online somewhere, and come back and finish this post.

First off: I do not recommend this movie, or the books to most people, mostly due to the intensely graphic and disturbing nature of them. However, I have spent quite a bit of time pondering what the author was trying to accomplish by writing them, (as I believe that every author or director has a message they want to get across, in addition to the entertainment value itself) and I definitely think the underlying philosophies of the book/movie deserve some attention.

The first of these several commentaries on society is extremely well-integrated and somewhat ironic. The people in the book who enjoy watching the hunger games are the vain, selfish, prideful, disconnected, over-indulgent, ignorant, thoughtless, idle members of "The Capitol." The bad guys are the ones who really like the hunger games for their entertainment. I think that Suzanne Collins thought it necessary to have the gladiator figures in her book be children. Just like Lord of the Flies, I think it was a way to kind of give people a shock to their system, because we are already used to watching adults kill each other, we would not give that a second thought. But when it is kids, just maybe some people will stop and think: "This is bad, this is a problem that we enjoy reading these so much." The fact that the books and movie are so successful begs the question: "Is our society so similar to that of the Capitol, that we enjoy watching people kill each other for entertainment?" That is the irony, the books entertain by describing horrific events, and in the books, the ones entertained by them are the bad guys. When the author was asked what she hoped readers would come away with after reading the books were questions about how elements of the book might be relevant in their own lives, and if they're disturbing, what they might do about them. There are many elements that might be relevant to life, but I pose this question to you: "Did you, as I did, consider the books and/or movie to be entertaining?" If so, you might want to think about why you were not more disturbed by it. My wife left the theater upset, surprised that so many people enjoyed it so much. As one who enjoyed it, her comment made me realize that I am too quick to desensitize myself to portrayals of death and suffering. I was saddened that I did not share her disgust right off the bat. After all, if we are not disgusted at children brutally killing one another, what are we disgusted by?

I will try to not get to political in this next section, but there is another similar theme that Collins pointed out as a catalyst for the hunger games. She explains the Greek themes of the story, Katniss as a modern day Theseus, and the Roman themes of the Capitol and the gladiators, and how her knowledge of those stories shaped the idea, but she said that it "was channel surfing between reality TV programming and actual war coverage when Katniss’s story came to [her]. One night [she's] sitting there flipping around and on one channel there’s a group of young people competing for, I don’t know, money maybe? And on the next, there’s a group of young people fighting an actual war. And [she] was tired, and the lines began to blur in this very unsettling way, and [she] thought of this story."

Thought provoking, no? How has reality TV and movies shaped our view of the actual world? I think that many people have a much more difficult time discerning between reality and fantasy when both come from the same source (tv). We see people die and suffer so often that we have to desensitize ourselves or else we'd have a mental breakdown. The problem is, when we see actual people dying, we have already become disconnected mentally, and then it just seems less real. Over a hundred thousand people have died as a result of the Iraq "war" and many of those people are no older than the kids in the hunger games. A line from the movie stood out to me, I think it was Gale, who was pointing out the depravity of the games and said something along the lines of how sick it is that people watch it and cheer for their favorites when they kill someone, and cry when their favorites die. I really think this is more similar to what is going on overseas than most people would like to think. When a US soldier dies, many people express remorse, and rightly so. But when you find out an Iraqi dies, or even a hundred Iraqis, people probably take another bite of cereal and keep waiting until the weather comes on.

I fear that it has become too easy for us to dismiss these atrocities. To say "well, that's sad, but there are causalities to every war." I have heard that statement several times recently while trying to explain to people why we should bring the troops home, but now I am getting political and I apologize. I better wrap this up before I start preaching about Ron Paul...

Final thoughts. If you had to identify with someone in the hunger games who would it be and why? Are you like anyone from district 12? Starving, oppressed, downtrodden, and impoverished, powerless to do anything about it or stand up to those in charge? Are you like someone from District 1? Affluent, and you aspire to the spotlight, to be the champion of the games and train hard for it so that you can be better than everyone else and gain riches, fame and glory? [Side note: It is worth noting that the winners are often worse off than the losers, typified by Haymitch who survives but lives a miserable life as an alcoholic haunted by visions of the past. Even the Katniss and Peeta, whose physical wounds are mostly (and quickly) healed, never fully recover from the emotional/mental scarring that took place during the books.]Or maybe a Capitol citizen? You enjoy the voyeuristic thrill of watching people being humiliated, or brought to tears, or suffering physically, but only from a distance, fostering a "fascination of the abomination" and relishing so much in tragedy and drama that when the real thing is presented to you it lacks appropriate impact?

These are hard questions, and I think overlooking them robs the series of its real power. Think what you want, but I choose to give her the benefit of the doubt and believe that rather than perpetuating the problem of desensitization to violence, poverty, and oppression, Suzzanne Collins is trying to wake us up to those very issues. I think she uses kids on purpose because that is the only way she could speak the message loud enough. I hope that we are not all too deaf to hear it. Hopefully we can all think of these books as a wake up call, rather than "kind of disturbing, but really entertaining if you don't think too much about it." (A typical comment that I have heard in regards to the books/movie, btw)

My final words on the matter: Think about it.

I Can Only Imagine...

After a really hard day, or during a really unpleasant time during the day, what do you do to keep your sanity? Or with what thoughts do you fill your mind during discouraging times? I ask these questions rhetorically, because obviously I am just leading into the part where I give my own answers. And as you may have guessed from the title of this post, I have been using my imagination to get me through tough times more and more lately.

I share this with the internet world at the risk of sounding like I am turning into a certain red-haired Canadian orphan, but so be it. Besides, I think Anne may have been on to something after all. However, I do differ with Miss Shirley in that I tend to visualize the future, rather than using my imagination to alter my perception of the present. And I have found it incredibly effective at distracting me from present anxieties. I have also found that it can be effective with couples as well as individuals. If Katie and I both had hard days, we may be driving together, sitting on the couch, or lying in bed and we will begin to imagine our future together. This can be anything from planning an elaborate and exciting trip to an exotic destination, to discussing the design of our future multimillion dollar dream house. A great deal of frustration has been assuaged as of late, just by mentally designing our dream bathroom.

Now I am not sure if we will ever have a home full of secret passages, a cave shower that rains from the ceiling, an indoor rock wall/foam pit room, and a giant library with rolling ladders and bay windows just like in Beauty and the Beast, or whether we will ever spend weeks living in a small town in Italy, or navigating the misty mountains of China... Whether we do or not, the practice of imagining it all makes us smile and escape from a less-pleasant reality for a while, and when we return to that reality, it somehow does not seem quite so dismal. I have also thought of quite a few other advantages of this coping mechanism over some popular others.

1. This is a 100% diet friendly practice. Rather than eating a pint of ice cream (or frozen cookie dough) to distract me, I get to do something that will not contribute to me having to go out in search of bigger pants.

2. Imagining the future is both fun and enjoyable while you are doing it, and afterwards. I can think of many things that bring pleasure during or after, but for me there are few things that help me feel better during and after the activity. For example, I feel good after I run, but not while I am running, or I am distracted while I am on Facebook, but feel lousy after.

3. It provides an excellent opportunity to slow down a little bit and not be so rushed. I feel like we need to do this more often. It helps to lower our blood pressure and imagining also opens up our mind to the practice of thinking, and pondering in an enjoyable way, and things can come together that we are not even thinking actively about, if only we will turn off the electronics and give our minds a little workout.

4. It prevents Alzheimer's Disease. Okay, I am actually not so sure about this one, but I would not be surprised one bit. People get Alzheimer's because the don't use their brain enough, so they do crosswords or Sudoku to keep sharp, but I think my way is better.

5. It fosters creativity. I could spend hours online looking at neat, original, creative, and clever things that other people have come up with. But in a way I feel like doing this does not help my own creative juices to flow at all, it just makes me wish I could be as talented as the other people who post such neat ideas and original room designs, or whatever. Instead of being an admirer, I feel like using your imagination will make you into a contributor. And it is more fun to think of something yourself.

So there you have it, a somewhat comprehensive argument in favor of using your imagination. Go ahead, give it a try right now. Turn off your monitor and take a few moments to design the kitchen or bathroom you would create if you had Bill Gates' budget. Don't worry too much about what is possible, just unleash your inner "carrots" and enjoy the ride...

Cookie Dough

Today has been one of those days...

You have probably heard of the grieving process. (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance) Well, today I thought I would outline the process I have gone through amidst my anxieties and frustrations:

Stage One: "Fake it 'till you make it" This step is similar to denial in which you try to act as if nothing is wrong. You keep a smile on your face, and try to not dwell on negative things said to and/or about you. Depending on the quantity and severity of your difficulties, this may be the only step you need. But on a day like today, I had no choice but to continue to...

Stage Two: "Venting" When you pass the point where you can just let those things roll like water off a ducks back, there is usually no option but to seek the willing ear of a close friend or family member to unload on. This conversation will typically be quite one-sided, with you complaining in great detail about your circumstances and criticizing the people who contributed to your woeful state. Even things completely unrelated to the current day's issues will tend to arise, in a desperate attempt to make your situation seem more dire, and thus obtain more sympathy. Typically, there will also be a lengthy explanation included in which you explain how none of what is wrong is in any way your fault, and was exclusively caused by others. (Either by their ignorance/stupidity or more often their outright evil/malicious intent to make you feel miserable.) Note: If you are the one being vented to, there is no use in trying to reason with the "venter," all you can do at this point is listen, and say things like "I'm sorry" or "I love you."

Stage Three: "Letting the wound fester" After the venting process is complete, there will typically be some very wise advice given by the "ventee," which (because of their wisdom and lack of involvement in the situation) is objective, accurate, and extremely valuable. They offer this advice and help as a physician offering a soothing balm to ease the pain of a serious laceration. Unfortunately, at this point you choose to completely ignore what they say, and may even go through parts of stage two again. But the advice sinks in subconsciously, ready to be recalled at a time when you can think more rationally. (In a sense, you take the balm or ointment from the doctor, but refuse to apply it.) At this point, you tend to end up basking in the "self indulgent hot tubs of self pity."

Stage Four: "Cookie Dough" This is when you attempt to ease your pain by burying it in pleasure. In my case, frozen cookie dough. When you are eating cookie dough with a glass of milk on the side, everything is right with the world, there are no problems, and your mind is clear of everything but the euphoric sense of bliss emanating from the sugary gob in your mouth... That is, until you swallow. It only takes that long for troubles to fully reassert themselves, but that is easily solved by taking another bite... And another... This process may continue until you run out of cookie cough or you start feeling sick, whichever happens first. Either way, it will come to an end, and most likely you will end up at...

Stage Five: "Obtaining More Cookie Dough" Okay, so this isn't really stage five. That is, unless you have had a really hard day, in which case it may be necessary. But in most cases you will continue on to...

[The Real] Stage Five: "Rising above" I do not know the science behind it exactly, but that part of the subconscious mind where the good advice received in stage three is stored is somehow released into the conscious mind when the two hemispheres of the brain are connected by a wave of cookie dough-induced endorphins. The sickening, junk food feeling in your gut brings you back to reality, and you start being able to accept the wise counsel given to you by your loving friend or family member (or both, in my case). You begin to realize that what happened really wasn't that big of a deal, and the things that people said (or didn't say) weren't even that mean to begin with. Ultimately you decide to just move on with life because it is far too short to dwell on trivial things. Besides, life will keep moving on whether you like it or not, so you might as well enjoy it, if for no other reason than this: as life moves on, this day ends up farther and farther behind me. Now that is a comforting thought, almost as comforting as cookie dough.

Which reminds me, stage five will often end with some kind of resolution to go to the gym and work off all the cookie dough you ate. Which is fine, because doing so will not only burn off cookie dough calories, but any residual negativity as well.

Book Review: "Weapons of Mass Instruction: A Schoolteacher's Journey through the Dark World of Compulsory Schooling"

This is one of the books that I review that I do NOT recommend to everybody. That is not to say that I do not think that it is an extremely informative and fascinating book. John Taylor Gatto hits the nail right on the head when it comes to his conclusions about the world of compulsory schooling, and he of all people should know, he spent 30 years as a teacher in the New York public school system. While there, he would continually notice things that were wrong, and over time as he tried to fix them, he learned that the system was purposefully set up to be broken.

I don't suggest everyone read this book because the content can be quite distressing. My brother Rob who recommended it to me put it best, he said that this book is "The Blue Pill" and for those of you who did not catch or understand the Matrix reference there, it simply means that oftentimes it is easier to remain in ignorance than to know the startling truth. If you are not comfortable with drastically changing your paradigm concerning American Education, in particular the public school system, then this book is not likely for you.

However, if you would rather know how things really work, what the problems are, and how to escape/avoid their effects... This one is for you. One final note: John Taylor Gatto's first book "The Underground History of American Education" is available to read for free from his website, check it out as well. (Note: you will probably need a dictionary, this guy is smart!)

Book Review: "To Him That Believeth"

When it comes to books about the Gospel , there are very few I could recommend more highly that this one. I truly consider this book a staple in Mormon literature, and think it deserves a place on the shelf right next to the Standard Works!

The author, Bro. Frederick Babbel is a wonderful writer, and keeps a very good pace when covering the material. He does not breeze over it so as to leave you confused or wanting for more information, but at the same time does not bury you in repetitive statements and superfluous stories to illustrate an already well established point. Managing to keep it simple enough to understand and deep enough to enlighten, the author provides you with a lot to ponder and much reason to glorify God. When I finished this book, I thought it was like a "greatest hits" album that covered some of the most precious pearls of knowledge I had acquired from a variety of sources. All of this combined with a tone that is in no way condescending or superior, makes for a volume I could describe in two words: "truly edifying."

If you don't have a copy, buy one and read it now; If you do have a copy, go read it again!

Texting

This is a pretty random post on my thoughts about the modern day miracle of text messaging. In reference to texting, I echo a common sentiment of one of my favorite Television detectives, Adrian Monk: "It's a gift, and a curse."

For quite some time I have been against this popular phenomenon, claiming outwardly that I thought it was stupid and you should just call that person and say what you have to say falling in with the people who say that it damages proper social interaction.Yet, inwardly I was thinking that I really just didn't want to pay the extra 20 bucks a month.

Ultimately I caved and got texting like everyone else, and thinking back on it, I identified a few links in the chain of events that led me give in.

1. I was going on a blind date, and the girl (let's call her, "Laura") who orchestrated it was supposed to "call me with the details." All I knew was the day and time. And the nearer that time got, the more anxious I got. No call came, and I did not know this girl's phone number! At 6:00 (the time the date was supposed to start) I was frantic with rage and embarrassment. I felt horrible for this girl who I had never met, doomed to be the fifth wheel in a group of couples, and yet so powerless to help at the same time. I can't remember how I finally got a hold of someone who knew what was going on, but I remember it took a lot of frantic effort. When I finally was able to speak to Laura I immediately proceeded to chew her out for not calling me, when she replied that she texted me the address...

2. Includes a series of less-specific events that involved me missing other crucial bits of information that were texted to me...

3. Includes a series of less-specific events that involved me missing out on certain events and activities because the invites were texted...

4. My friend Amber's woeful lamentations at my lack of texting, because she does not like to talk on the phone, and if it weren't for me using facebook and her having a blackberry on which she could check said facebook, we would likely not have been able to be friends...

5. Me missing out on whatever funny, secret conversations were going on between texters in the same room as me (at Amber's) during movies and what not...

6. And finally, I found out that I could get 1000 messages for 10 bucks instead of 20!

I have now been an official texter for about a month now, and suffice it to say, I am quite pleased with my decision. All of the things I was missing out on before are now remedied, my friends are all happier with me, and my fingers are getting faster every day.

But there are a few things I have learned since...

1. Predictive text is amazing!

2. I never would have thought 1000 messages wouldn't be enough for a month, but now I see how it can be.

3. It is great to be able to tell people things or ask questions without the possibility of being cut off, and a lot easier to communicate with those you need to (but may not want to), as well as telling multiple people things at the same time.

4. Cha Cha is amazing!

5. The biggest downside of texting is that there is not tone of voice. Be careful with this one. I have found that people will interpret the tone of your text based on their mood that day. One person might text: "How are you?" and the response, "fine" could mean anything to them. If they were in a good mood they probably interpreted that fine to be genuine and sincere. If they were having a bad day, they may think that the person they texted was having an equally awful day, and then text: "what is wrong?" which will really annoy the other person in they really are fine. This can get more complicated with people thinking that you are being rude or upset in your texting. I have heard even the simplest texts recited by the reader with an angry or sassy tone which can completely change the meaning of the original message. So be specific with you questions and responses, and don't jump to conclusions, you may just be putting your own spin on something that was composed with a completely harmless intent.

Namaste

Photo Credit Here

I really enjoy reading articles on Active.com and USATriathlon.com, they often include tips and information that are quite handy for training and racing. It wasn't too long ago that I read one about the benefits of doing Yoga, for triathletes in particular.

I thought about it quite a bit, and talked to my some people about it, and decided there would be no harm in trying it in the comfort of my own basement. So I got "AM/PM yoga for beginners" from Wal Mart and tried doing both AM and PM every day for a week. (This was back when school was in) Let me just say, it may be quite entertaining and even comical to watch ( and listen to...) from an outsiders perspective. But in doing it myself, I have noticed that it is quite relaxing and helps you to focus and concentrate better. I would say it is almost... empowering.

My point is... It is always a good idea to try new things, and if you haven't tried it yet, I recommend Yoga as one of those things. Variety is the spice of life! There are many activities I have seen others do and be curious and desirous to try myself, but never had the nerve to try. But when I did, it turned out quite fun, and occasionally, I don't care for whatever it is I tried, but at least I know now.

Who knows, I may even try a water aerobics class one of these days... But probably not.

Accountability

A good friend of mine recently started his own blog, and one of his first posts really described how I feel a lot of the time. You can read it here. He talks about how he tends to get more done when he has more scheduled. Which seems contradictory, but it is so true. When I have a bunch of free time, things seem so much less urgent, because there are no deadlines. In "The 4-hour Work Week" (a fantastic book, by the way) the author, Tim Ferriss talks about this same principle. And how productivity increases exponentially as deadlines draw nearer. That may be over simplifying it, but I'm sure you get the idea.

I suppose the point I'm trying to make here is that I have no posting deadlines for this blog, therefore I end up putting off posting until something really exciting happens. And then I still end up waiting. So, I am going to try to post at least once every week, just to keep myself motivated, since that is one of the main purposes of this blog, and every other week I will do a short book review on a book I read during those two weeks. I am trying to give myself some deadlines and make myself accountable and therefore more productive.

There you have it. I am now accountable to the three or four people who ever read my blog, the pressure is on.

Sick and Tired....

So I've had this theory for some time now that the reason I want to eat a bunch of junk food when I am sick is that I think it will make me feel better. (at least temporarily, because it will inevitably end up making me feel worse) But now that I am better from a sickness I had last week, I have discovered what I believe is the true reason, when I am sick, I am not exercising. I always want to eat less junk food when I am exercising regularly, especially because I can tell how much sugar, etc. slows me down after I eat it, and it is never a good feeling to be slow.

In other news, only 3 more days until my first Triathlon, I am so excited. In order to prepare I am having an entirely healthy week, nothing bad for me. I think that is a doable thing for anyone, to be healthy for one week, and chances are, you will feel so much better that you will want to go for two weeks, and so on. So I say try it for a week, healthy is a great feeling.

Nip boredom in the bud!

So, today I finished all of my school work for the rest of the semester. No more tests, assignments, nothing. After tomorrow, I will have way more free time than I have had for a while now. I will still have my job, but with no classes and no homework, I realized that there is a major potential for ending up with too much time on my hands.

It is a fundamental principle of time management that you should decide what you need to accomplish in any given day so that even if you don't do anything else, you will feel like that day was a success. Since September, triathlon training has been that task. If I spend a couple hours running or swimming or breaking a previous personal best, I consider that day to be successful. And that motivates me to work on it, because I hate the feeling of laying down at night realizing that I did not do anything that day that I considered productive.

Surely, much more of my free time this summer will be spent training in the sunshine, for a change. But as nice as that will be, I know that between training and my part-time job, I will still have lots of time to fill. So I take an approach similar to what I do for new years resolutions, define specific tasks or projects with specific deadlines. Conveniently, these will likely stem from my new years resolutions this year. Besides racing in an Olympic distance triathlon, I wanted to start my own business this year, which I have felt too busy to work on with school taking up so much of my time. I also want to read more, I'd say a book a week if I was confident that I would follow-through, but unfortunately I am not. Therefore, I will try to get through 2 a month, and see where it goes from there. Time spent learning, in my opinion is time well spent.

Another project I have been involved with as of late is "remodeling" my parents BIG backyard. My brother-in-law and brothers have been working on it for several weeks now and are making great progress. This project will also take some time. Which I am fine with, that is another activity that makes my day productive.

My point today is simple: establish a list of a few specific things you want to accomplish, and focus on reaching those goals. If you cannot see how a specific activity contributes to your success, then don't do it until you have already done enough to make you feel good about your day. The more you follow this pattern, the less time you will spend doing the things that just take up time, and the better you will feel.

Note: It is just as helpful to identify your personal time wasters so as to avoid them, as it is to identify the activities that are worth your time. For me those things are TV, video games, and Facebook. I hardly ever watch TV, (it helps to not even have one) I've played video games probably... 3 or 4 times in the last year? And Facebook... Well, lets just say I'm working on that one.