I was thankfully blessed with a metabolism that allows me to eat almost anything without gaining a pound. However, just because I'm thin doesn't mean I'm necessarily healthy or physically fit. A little over a week ago I decided it was time for some life changes. One of these changes, or goals rather, was to get myself in shape. Now that I think about it, that is a very weird statement. What shape? Certainly not a circle. A trapezoid perhaps? Maybe I'll aim to become a triangle. Sorry, what was I saying? Oh yes, it was exercise time!
The first thing I decided to do was start each day with some push-ups and sit-ups. That was easy enough, but I needed to do something more. I soon decided I would like to take up running. There has always been a part of me that had some desire to be a runner. In high school I ALMOST joined the cross country team, but I eventually decided I didn't want to put in the time and effort that would require. Now, I am ready to give running its fair shot. I have been out running every morning for over a week, with the exception of an extremely rainy day. It was super hard to start with, of course, but I can already see a huge improvement in myself. It feels great to accomplish something like this. Every morning I push myself to the limit and am able to look back when I'm done, and feel proud. I am bettering myself both physically and mentally, as I gain strength and the realization that I am capable of this. Exercise is an amazing way to feel better about yourself, and I highly recommend that anyone physically able takes up running.
An area I know I have always been weak in is flexibility. I have been doing stretches before and after running of course, but I wanted to take it a step further. Today I started yoga. Anyone who thinks yoga isn't a real workout has obviously never done it, or at least not done it properly. Yoga involves placing your body in seemingly simple positions, and then holding it there. After doing this for a while you would be surprised how hard it is to even keep your arms pointed straight up above your head. I actually started the P90X version, YogaX, today. Trust me, the workout was nothing to sneeze at. To be honest, I know I should have probably started at a more basic level than P90X, but the intense workout was a pretty big rush. I wasn't able to finish the entire video (over an hour and a half), but I hope to soon work myself up to that point.
I have never really gotten enough exercise in my life, and now that I finally am, it feels great. My appetite is better, I have more energy, and I feel good about myself. I'm definitely sore, but it's a good kind of sore. I can feel my aches and pains and be happy, knowing how hard I'm working to improve myself.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
Book Recommendations Day 4: Miscellaneous
Today will be my final book recommendations post, and I thought I would suggest some books from several different authors instead of focusing on just one. I'm going to try and list a wide variety of genres as well, so hopefully everyone can find something they might enjoy. Let's get started!
If you've never heard of the late Douglas Adams, shame on you! Adams is best known for his science fiction comedy series, kicking off with The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
. There has been a television show, a computer game, comic books, and even a movie based on this story. I have seen both the television series and the movie, and am of course convinced that the book is still the best way to enjoy Hitchhiker's Guide. The series follows Arthur Dent and his colorful companions on their adventures through the galaxy, following the destruction of Earth. The link above is actually to an omnibus edition that includes the entire series (which I wish I owned), but you can also buy the books individually. If you're looking for a good laugh, you can't go wrong with this one.
My next recommendation may seem daunting to some, shall we say, "inexperienced" readers. Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead
follows the story of an architect, Howard Roark, as he struggles to express his creativity during a time when originality and alterations from the norm are frowned upon and shunned. The novel also contains elements from Rand's own philosophy, Objectivism. This is not an easy read by any means, but the compelling story and philosophical elements could quite possibly give you a new outlook on life. Next on my own personal reading list is Atlas Shrugged
, considered to be Rand's crowning work. I am looking forward to the read!
Battle Royale
by Koushun Takami is quite a thrill ride. If you are the squeamish type, you may want to just skip over this now. Battle Royale is the story of a class of junior high school students that are ripped from their normal lives and sent to a deserted island where they are forced to kill each other until only one remains. The novel explores the varied reactions of the students as they come to the realization that there will be no escape if they don't play the game.
My final recommendation is The Time Traveler's Wife
by Audrey Niffenegger. There is a movie, which admittedly captured the story fairly well, but if you have not yet seen it, please read the book first. Henry DeTamble has a unique condition that causes him to involuntarily travel through time. He cannot control whether he goes into the past or future any more than he can control when it happens. The novel is actually a love story between Henry and Clare Abshire. Clare first meets an adult version of time traveling Henry during her childhood. This is the most touching story of love and commitment I have ever experienced and I'm not embarrassed to say, it brought me to tears. Even if you don't normally go for love stories, you should check this one out.
I hope I've been able to provide some decent reading recommendations this week. It's been pretty fun for me to talk about my favorite authors. I think I may have another week in the future where I recommend some of my favorite comics, so if you're into that, keep an eye out for it!
If you've never heard of the late Douglas Adams, shame on you! Adams is best known for his science fiction comedy series, kicking off with The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
. There has been a television show, a computer game, comic books, and even a movie based on this story. I have seen both the television series and the movie, and am of course convinced that the book is still the best way to enjoy Hitchhiker's Guide. The series follows Arthur Dent and his colorful companions on their adventures through the galaxy, following the destruction of Earth. The link above is actually to an omnibus edition that includes the entire series (which I wish I owned), but you can also buy the books individually. If you're looking for a good laugh, you can't go wrong with this one.My next recommendation may seem daunting to some, shall we say, "inexperienced" readers. Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead
follows the story of an architect, Howard Roark, as he struggles to express his creativity during a time when originality and alterations from the norm are frowned upon and shunned. The novel also contains elements from Rand's own philosophy, Objectivism. This is not an easy read by any means, but the compelling story and philosophical elements could quite possibly give you a new outlook on life. Next on my own personal reading list is Atlas Shrugged, considered to be Rand's crowning work. I am looking forward to the read!Battle Royale
by Koushun Takami is quite a thrill ride. If you are the squeamish type, you may want to just skip over this now. Battle Royale is the story of a class of junior high school students that are ripped from their normal lives and sent to a deserted island where they are forced to kill each other until only one remains. The novel explores the varied reactions of the students as they come to the realization that there will be no escape if they don't play the game.My final recommendation is The Time Traveler's Wife
by Audrey Niffenegger. There is a movie, which admittedly captured the story fairly well, but if you have not yet seen it, please read the book first. Henry DeTamble has a unique condition that causes him to involuntarily travel through time. He cannot control whether he goes into the past or future any more than he can control when it happens. The novel is actually a love story between Henry and Clare Abshire. Clare first meets an adult version of time traveling Henry during her childhood. This is the most touching story of love and commitment I have ever experienced and I'm not embarrassed to say, it brought me to tears. Even if you don't normally go for love stories, you should check this one out.I hope I've been able to provide some decent reading recommendations this week. It's been pretty fun for me to talk about my favorite authors. I think I may have another week in the future where I recommend some of my favorite comics, so if you're into that, keep an eye out for it!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Book Recommendations Day 3: Orson Scott Card
On Tuesday I told you my favorite author was Alastair Reynolds. That being said, my favorite book, Ender's Game, is actually written by Orson Scott Card. Card's bibliography is massive and covers several genres, but he is most well known for his science fiction work. Card is an extremely decorated author, and is the only science fiction writer to win both the Hugo and Nebula awards for two years back to back.
Card has an extremely relatable style of writing. He has an uncanny understanding of human emotion and thought processes, and can expertly convey this through his characters. Card has a way of describing complex situations eloquently and intelligently, but also in a way that everyone can instantly grasp. I have often said that reading Card's work just makes me feel smart.
Ender's Game tells the childhood story of prodigy, Andrew Wiggin (Ender), as he is chosen for battle school and trained to lead a military force against an alien species that threatens all of humanity. If you haven't read Ender's Game before, you need to do so now. I think I would be hard pressed to find someone who didn't enjoy at least part of this book. Go read, I will wait.
Now that you've read Ender's Game, you are no doubt desperate for more Ender. You are in luck! There are several sequels and even a spin-off series available. Just recently, a direct sequel to Ender's Game was released, but I suggest you wait to pick it up. If you fall as deeply in love with this universe as I did, you will want to read all the other books before this one. The spin-off series follows Bean, a character from Ender's Game. The first Bean novel actually takes place concurrently to Ender's Game. After that, the Ender and Bean novels split off and each character has his own story. So here is my suggestion on the order you read these books:
You really can't go wrong with any of these books. Be aware that the Ender series drastically changes after Ender's Game, but stick with it, it's worth it.
As I said, Card has written a LOT of books. I'm sure you will be entertained by anything of his you pick up, but let me also recommend a couple other books outside the Ender universe that I particularly enjoyed.
Pastwatch
follows the story of a group of future scientists who discover the technology to go back in time. They make the decision to return to the time of Christopher Columbus to attempt to alter our past for the better.
In The Worthing Saga
, people have discovered the means to continue living indefinitely. The world eventually becomes completely corrupt and humanity almost destroys itself. Ships are sent out to far away planets, carrying the means to start new civilizations. Jason Worthing is in charage of one of these ships and The Worthing Saga is his story.
Gosh, reading back over all this I'm beginning to wonder if maybe Orson Scott Card really is my favorite author. I guess it depends on the day! Anyway, do yourself a favor and check out this amazing author if you haven't already.
Card has an extremely relatable style of writing. He has an uncanny understanding of human emotion and thought processes, and can expertly convey this through his characters. Card has a way of describing complex situations eloquently and intelligently, but also in a way that everyone can instantly grasp. I have often said that reading Card's work just makes me feel smart.
Ender's Game tells the childhood story of prodigy, Andrew Wiggin (Ender), as he is chosen for battle school and trained to lead a military force against an alien species that threatens all of humanity. If you haven't read Ender's Game before, you need to do so now. I think I would be hard pressed to find someone who didn't enjoy at least part of this book. Go read, I will wait.
Now that you've read Ender's Game, you are no doubt desperate for more Ender. You are in luck! There are several sequels and even a spin-off series available. Just recently, a direct sequel to Ender's Game was released, but I suggest you wait to pick it up. If you fall as deeply in love with this universe as I did, you will want to read all the other books before this one. The spin-off series follows Bean, a character from Ender's Game. The first Bean novel actually takes place concurrently to Ender's Game. After that, the Ender and Bean novels split off and each character has his own story. So here is my suggestion on the order you read these books:
Ender Series
Bean Series
Ender's Game Direct Sequel
You really can't go wrong with any of these books. Be aware that the Ender series drastically changes after Ender's Game, but stick with it, it's worth it.
As I said, Card has written a LOT of books. I'm sure you will be entertained by anything of his you pick up, but let me also recommend a couple other books outside the Ender universe that I particularly enjoyed.
Pastwatch
follows the story of a group of future scientists who discover the technology to go back in time. They make the decision to return to the time of Christopher Columbus to attempt to alter our past for the better.In The Worthing Saga
, people have discovered the means to continue living indefinitely. The world eventually becomes completely corrupt and humanity almost destroys itself. Ships are sent out to far away planets, carrying the means to start new civilizations. Jason Worthing is in charage of one of these ships and The Worthing Saga is his story.Gosh, reading back over all this I'm beginning to wonder if maybe Orson Scott Card really is my favorite author. I guess it depends on the day! Anyway, do yourself a favor and check out this amazing author if you haven't already.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Book Recommendations Day 2: Charlie Huston
Next up for my author week is Charlie Huston. Let me start off by saying, if you are faint of heart, Charlie Huston is definitely not the author for you; his stories are gritty and violent. If you can deal with that, then you will find Huston's books to be edge-of-your-seat thrilling and engrossing.
Huston has written two book series; the first is a trilogy of crime novels following the life of Hank Thompson, and the second is a five book story of a vampyre named Joe Pitt inhabiting New York City. He has also written a couple stand-alone novels. In addition to novels, Huston is also a comic book writer. Unfortunately, I have not read any of the comics he has worked on, but I have no doubt they are quite good.
If you are like me, you are sick of vampires. They seem to have been integrated into all forms of entertainment lately. Every time I turn around there is a new vampire movie or television show being released. Charlie Huston's vampyres are different; they are not the romanticized pretty boys filling the screens today. They are dark, ruthless, and not afraid to get their hands dirty. Even the protagonist, Joe Pitt, doesn't have clear redeeming qualities. The story follows Joe Pitt as he attempts to remain independent from the warring vampyre clans of the city. Even though he claims to be unaffiliated, the clans know that Joe is a tough, get-the-job-done kind of guy, and often torture, coerce, and otherwise strong-arm him into doing their bidding. The series starts off with Already Dead
, and continues through No Dominion
, Half the Blood of Brooklyn
, Every Last Drop
, and My Dead Body
. If you're looking for a dark gritty tale, you can't go wrong with these books. Even if you aren't a fan of vampires, I think these books are worth the read.
Alright, maybe you just can't get over the vampire hurdle right now. In that case, I would recommend checking out the Hank Thompson trilogy. I do have a confession to make; I have not read the final book of the series. I finished the second not too long ago and haven't had a chance to pick up the third. After the first two books though, I have little trouble blindly recommending the entire set. These are crime novels, and like the Joe Pitt series, they are very dark and gritty. The story begins with Hank being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He ends up with a bag full of money as he is chased around New York by Russian mobsters and crooked cops. The series follows Hank as he tries to fix things, but just ends up getting deeper and deeper into trouble. The trilogy consists of Caught Stealing
, Six Bad Things
, and A Dangerous Man
. If you questioned the vampire thing before, maybe these books will convince you to give the Joe Pitt story a shot.
Charlie Huston is a fantastic author who knows just how to grab his audience and make them hold on for dear life. Once you start reading his books you just can't put them down. If the subject matter is your kind of thing at all, I promise you'll be clawing at the pages to find out what happens next.
Huston has written two book series; the first is a trilogy of crime novels following the life of Hank Thompson, and the second is a five book story of a vampyre named Joe Pitt inhabiting New York City. He has also written a couple stand-alone novels. In addition to novels, Huston is also a comic book writer. Unfortunately, I have not read any of the comics he has worked on, but I have no doubt they are quite good.
If you are like me, you are sick of vampires. They seem to have been integrated into all forms of entertainment lately. Every time I turn around there is a new vampire movie or television show being released. Charlie Huston's vampyres are different; they are not the romanticized pretty boys filling the screens today. They are dark, ruthless, and not afraid to get their hands dirty. Even the protagonist, Joe Pitt, doesn't have clear redeeming qualities. The story follows Joe Pitt as he attempts to remain independent from the warring vampyre clans of the city. Even though he claims to be unaffiliated, the clans know that Joe is a tough, get-the-job-done kind of guy, and often torture, coerce, and otherwise strong-arm him into doing their bidding. The series starts off with Already Dead
, and continues through No Dominion, Half the Blood of Brooklyn, Every Last Drop, and My Dead Body. If you're looking for a dark gritty tale, you can't go wrong with these books. Even if you aren't a fan of vampires, I think these books are worth the read.Alright, maybe you just can't get over the vampire hurdle right now. In that case, I would recommend checking out the Hank Thompson trilogy. I do have a confession to make; I have not read the final book of the series. I finished the second not too long ago and haven't had a chance to pick up the third. After the first two books though, I have little trouble blindly recommending the entire set. These are crime novels, and like the Joe Pitt series, they are very dark and gritty. The story begins with Hank being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He ends up with a bag full of money as he is chased around New York by Russian mobsters and crooked cops. The series follows Hank as he tries to fix things, but just ends up getting deeper and deeper into trouble. The trilogy consists of Caught Stealing
, Six Bad Things, and A Dangerous Man. If you questioned the vampire thing before, maybe these books will convince you to give the Joe Pitt story a shot.Charlie Huston is a fantastic author who knows just how to grab his audience and make them hold on for dear life. Once you start reading his books you just can't put them down. If the subject matter is your kind of thing at all, I promise you'll be clawing at the pages to find out what happens next.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Book Recommendations Day 1: Alastair Reynolds
A few days ago a friend of mine asked for some reading recommendations. I thought it might be fun to write some short articles here about a few of my favorite authors, both for him, and anyone else who might be looking for a good read. I plan to discuss a new author every day for the remainder of the week.
I decided to get things started with a bang and first recommend a man who is quite possibly my favorite author ever, Alastair Reynolds. Reynolds is a science fiction writer. He is a former astrophysicist with a PhD in astronomy, so as you might imagine, he knows his stuff. The books he writes are epic space operas, with most spanning vast amounts of outer space over staggering amounts of time.
One of my favorite things about Reynolds' work is his ability to make the technology of his far-future stories seem so plausible. He describes things, that to today's world, are impossible due to our current technological limitations, but nonetheless feel real and believable. I attribute this to his background, having firsthand experience with current technology and being able to extrapolate on the progression we will make. His knowledge also allows him to accurately describe space phenomena in thrilling ways.
So, what should you read first? Reynolds does have a series of books based in the same universe. The first of which is Revelation Space
. Other books from this universe are Chasm City
, Redemption Ark
, Absolution Gap
, and The Prefect
. While a few characters do have recurring roles in some of the stories, and you wouldn't really want to read the books out of order, each of these books is still a fantastic read just by itself. A whole series of books might still seem daunting to some, so I would recommend starting with the first Reynolds book I ever read, Pushing Ice
. It is a completely standalone story and a great first step into the world of Reynolds. Another good standalone choice, and the most recent of his works that I have read, is House of Suns
. In my opinion you just can't go wrong by picking up anything he has written.
If science fiction isn't your thing, or if you enjoy it, but only on occasion, this author might not be for you. Most of Reynolds' books are so heavily laden with science fiction elements that it might be intimidating to someone new to the genre. I can still recommend one of his books to you, however! Check out Century Rain
. It is still science fiction, but a majority of the story takes place in an ever so slightly altered version of 1959 earth. This book would probably be a great place for people who have never read science fiction to start. I feel like it will ease you into the genre, and with any luck, make you fall in love with Alastair Reynolds' work as I did.
I decided to get things started with a bang and first recommend a man who is quite possibly my favorite author ever, Alastair Reynolds. Reynolds is a science fiction writer. He is a former astrophysicist with a PhD in astronomy, so as you might imagine, he knows his stuff. The books he writes are epic space operas, with most spanning vast amounts of outer space over staggering amounts of time.
One of my favorite things about Reynolds' work is his ability to make the technology of his far-future stories seem so plausible. He describes things, that to today's world, are impossible due to our current technological limitations, but nonetheless feel real and believable. I attribute this to his background, having firsthand experience with current technology and being able to extrapolate on the progression we will make. His knowledge also allows him to accurately describe space phenomena in thrilling ways.
So, what should you read first? Reynolds does have a series of books based in the same universe. The first of which is Revelation Space
. Other books from this universe are Chasm City, Redemption Ark, Absolution Gap, and The Prefect. While a few characters do have recurring roles in some of the stories, and you wouldn't really want to read the books out of order, each of these books is still a fantastic read just by itself. A whole series of books might still seem daunting to some, so I would recommend starting with the first Reynolds book I ever read, Pushing Ice. It is a completely standalone story and a great first step into the world of Reynolds. Another good standalone choice, and the most recent of his works that I have read, is House of Suns. In my opinion you just can't go wrong by picking up anything he has written.If science fiction isn't your thing, or if you enjoy it, but only on occasion, this author might not be for you. Most of Reynolds' books are so heavily laden with science fiction elements that it might be intimidating to someone new to the genre. I can still recommend one of his books to you, however! Check out Century Rain
. It is still science fiction, but a majority of the story takes place in an ever so slightly altered version of 1959 earth. This book would probably be a great place for people who have never read science fiction to start. I feel like it will ease you into the genre, and with any luck, make you fall in love with Alastair Reynolds' work as I did.
Monday, September 20, 2010
AFK
I have obviously not posted in about a week. I believe I am now ready to get back to normal posting, and I apologize for my absence. Most of my readers are close friends and family anyway, so I felt like it might be appropriate to post a little about why I haven't been writing, even though it is somewhat personal.
I have been unhappy for quite some time. I have posted a little about this before, but there are other reasons that I'm just not going to go into here. A little over a week ago I reached my breaking point and fell into, what I believe was, the darkest moment of my life. I reached a point where I did not want to go on. The thought of having to make the hours of yet another day pass was unbearable. I finally realized that I had to go somewhere with family and friends. I gathered a few things, stuck the animals in the car, and went home.
I surrounded myself with friends and family all last week and I am happy to say I am in a much better place today. I thank those people from the very bottom of my heart. You may have seen me last week and still not know exactly what was wrong. You may feel like you didn't do anything to help me. That could not be further from the truth. I was reminded that I was loved. No matter how bad things get, I know there are people out there who care about me. More than anything else, that was what I needed.
For a long time now I have not been happy with me. I have known it on some level, but up until a few days ago I was blind to exactly how huge of an impact this was having on my life. I came to the realization that I had to make changes. I need to be able to look in the mirror and like the person I see. Before I can hope to accomplish anything of value in this world, I need to love me. I am working on a plan to make this happen. I have a long way to go, but I have already begun taking steps in the right direction. I came back down to my apartment in North Carolina today. Some people wanted me to stay longer, knowing that I had been so broken only a week ago. This is something I need to do though. I have the reassurance I need from my family and friends and now I need to figure some things out by myself. Please try not to worry, as I believe I am on the right track.
I want to say one last thing before I end this. I realize that this is an extremely personal post and some may think it doesn't belong here for the world to see. While you may be right to some degree, I do have my reasons for posting things like this. I have always had an extremely difficult time expressing my emotions in spoken words. I tend to keep everything bottled up inside and don't tell people what I'm going through because I don't want to appear weak. After starting this blog I realized it could be a good outlet for my feelings. There are people in my world that need to know what I'm going through, but maybe I don't have the courage to tell them face to face. While I work on finding that courage, I am able to shine a little light on my life here. I guess this is like a first step for me on my path to understanding myself and allowing others to know what I'm experiencing.
I have been unhappy for quite some time. I have posted a little about this before, but there are other reasons that I'm just not going to go into here. A little over a week ago I reached my breaking point and fell into, what I believe was, the darkest moment of my life. I reached a point where I did not want to go on. The thought of having to make the hours of yet another day pass was unbearable. I finally realized that I had to go somewhere with family and friends. I gathered a few things, stuck the animals in the car, and went home.
I surrounded myself with friends and family all last week and I am happy to say I am in a much better place today. I thank those people from the very bottom of my heart. You may have seen me last week and still not know exactly what was wrong. You may feel like you didn't do anything to help me. That could not be further from the truth. I was reminded that I was loved. No matter how bad things get, I know there are people out there who care about me. More than anything else, that was what I needed.
For a long time now I have not been happy with me. I have known it on some level, but up until a few days ago I was blind to exactly how huge of an impact this was having on my life. I came to the realization that I had to make changes. I need to be able to look in the mirror and like the person I see. Before I can hope to accomplish anything of value in this world, I need to love me. I am working on a plan to make this happen. I have a long way to go, but I have already begun taking steps in the right direction. I came back down to my apartment in North Carolina today. Some people wanted me to stay longer, knowing that I had been so broken only a week ago. This is something I need to do though. I have the reassurance I need from my family and friends and now I need to figure some things out by myself. Please try not to worry, as I believe I am on the right track.
I want to say one last thing before I end this. I realize that this is an extremely personal post and some may think it doesn't belong here for the world to see. While you may be right to some degree, I do have my reasons for posting things like this. I have always had an extremely difficult time expressing my emotions in spoken words. I tend to keep everything bottled up inside and don't tell people what I'm going through because I don't want to appear weak. After starting this blog I realized it could be a good outlet for my feelings. There are people in my world that need to know what I'm going through, but maybe I don't have the courage to tell them face to face. While I work on finding that courage, I am able to shine a little light on my life here. I guess this is like a first step for me on my path to understanding myself and allowing others to know what I'm experiencing.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Remember Them With A Smile
I am well aware that what I'm about to talk about is a very touchy subject. Some may instantly disagree with my words, but I hope everyone will at least take the time to read and think about what I have to say. I think the United States needs to move on from the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It was a horrible day in this country's history, to be sure, but continuing to linger on it, year after year, isn't helping anything. Tomorrow will be the ninth anniversary of the attacks that took place in 2001. By not moving on from this tragedy I believe we are giving the terrorists exactly what they want.
It's been nine years and memorials, protests, and other inane activities are still being planned. First, let me make it clear that I am not lumping those who would attend the somber memorials in with the lunatics playing with matches. I'm also not suggesting that we forget those who died. I do, however, think we should attempt to move ahead and be that much more driven to succeed in our lives. The memories of loved ones should not be tarnished by the atrocious acts committed by al-Qaeda. I can only speak for myself of course, but I know if I had been a victim, I would wish for my family and friends to go out and do something to make them smile instead of mourning my loss every September 11th.
The groups that attempt to use 9/11 to excuse their reprehensible activities make me sick. If we resort to violence and protests we are no better than the terrorists. The memories of 9/11, instead of fueling hatred, should be a sobering reminder that there is already enough violence in the world. One definition of the word “human” according to dictionary.com is “sympathetic; humane”. If we are ever to consider ourselves truly human, our first response to violence must not continue to be more violence. The phrase “fighting for peace” should not exist. While these human imposters are out there burning copies of the Qur’an and persecuting religions different from their own, real humans are helping others and working towards peace.
I understand the need for us as a nation to pay homage to those we have lost, but instead of tear-filled memorials, perhaps survivors could speak of the good things they have done since the attack. One person might rise and tell of how he has become the head of his very own successful company. Another might speak about the volunteer work she has done for the sick or homeless. Still another person might simply need to say that he has gotten out of bed every morning, planted a garden, or walked his dog. These things show that the terrorists have not won. September 11th was a tragedy, but we can move on. No act of cowardly violence can stop us from continuing to live and thrive. I ask that tomorrow the tears be wiped away by smiles and we sing joyfully the fact that we are still here and we are strong.
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