I really can't think of anything worth writing about right now, so I am going to list the knowledge I have learned about riding the train over the past few years. Fun fun!

+ When walking through the turnstile, don't make eye contact with the token both person. Even if you are not doing anything wrong, and your pass is up to date, just don't. It can only lead to trouble.

+ If you spy a person who you deem unsightly (like the guy I saw today with a huge nose ring, ewwww), make sure you sit on the SAME side as them. I've tried sitting on opposite sides and to the left or right, but no matter what way you look they're still in your perif.

+ Schedule readjustments mean anything from "slow train in front of us, we'll be moving along any moment" to "We're all gonna die." Either or.

+ Drunk homeless people are to be avoided at all costs, including waiting for the next train if neccesary

+ Don't touch the hand rails. I have seen more people cough and put their hands on them than you could imagine

+ If you're standing next to a middle eastern, it's always a good idea to audibly announce "Allah would be really pissed if I die this morning."

+ For the love of God, don't make your iPod visible after dark at JFK

+ Patriot parade days are the worst

+ Cops are lax on muggers, but I'm sure you'll ellicit a response if you shout out "look! A jaywalker!"

That's all I can think of right now. Much more to come soon...

The Distinction Between What we Deserve, and Who Decides that

Yesterday, "Stanley Tookie" was put to death. He was a terrible man, he surely won't be missed.

However, that is not to say that he ought to have been sentenced to death. The death penalty is a barbaric policy which must be abolished immediatly. It is up to no one but time to decide who shall live or die, a decision with such monumental implications is not one to be left to a jury of twelve of your peers. Even if we could say that with absolute certainty that a person is guilty as charged, completely depraved and beyond redemption, sentencing that person to death merely lowers society as a whole to the level of the accused.

To any proponent of the death penalty, I implore you: if tomorrow, you were wrongfully accused of a murder and sentenced to death would you still support the death penalty? Highly unlikely so. Previously executed inmates have been found innocent with the advent of DNA evidence, and one innocent death is completely unacceptable.

"Why should I have to pay for these criminals to eat and stay warm?" is a common notion among supporters of the death penalty, one that is also completely irreconcilable with the values that a society should hold. Putting a price on a life is a morally abhorable offense, no matter how it is viewed. If you see no problem in this, I see no way in persuading you otherwise. This would be a result of a very deeply rooted issue concerning a lack of respect for the dignity of another human being (and an example of the mentality expressed by Tookie, how ironic).


The moment of death is a rather fascinating thing. What happened? A doctor could tell you why a person died, be it the result of cardiac arrest, or hemorrhaging, or suffocation. Any person could tell the difference between a living, breathing person and a cold and dead person. But what no one can tell you is what happened that exact moment. What that glimmer that left their eyes was, or what distinguishes their condition from that of the second prior to that. The death penalty sets up a rather Bradburyian* future, in which the government has the absolute authority to execute if it deems that a person is a threat to society. The power to put out that spark and say no, you don't get to live anymore. Tookie may have taken the lives of many people, but at least a governor and a jury of twelve didn't step back and say "this time, it's okay."




*I made up a word. Deal with it.

Getting Something out of Church? Pffft.

For the past three weeks, the gospel has been rather harsh. Apparently, according to Father Mac, this is the Church's (and God's) way of warning us that we have to be ready for our death, any day. I was thinking about this today during the homily, and while at first I thought all three of these gospels were ever so harsh, I realized that I could take a lot from each one of them (Don't worry, I won't get all preachy on you :P).

In the first gospel, three weeks ago, there were 12 virgins, and the "foolish" ones didn't bring enough oil to light their candles for a long time. When the bride-groom came, they had to go and get more oil for the lamps. Because of this, they arrived late, and when they came knock knocking upon the door to the wedding, the bride groom dismissed them, saying "I do not know you." Ouch God, that's cold. But it shows a great message, simple but great. You know not the day nor the hour death may strike, and we have to be ready every single day. I could work on this especially, I actually sometimes don't do things I should do on the grounds that "I have time to make it up." I hope that I will manage to not think like that ever again, because one day, I won't have time to make it up. Even if you're not religious, or don't believe in God, this still very much can apply to you. I think we all want to be remembered as a great person, no one wants to go down in the history of mediocrity.

In the second gospel, a master gave each of his three servants money to handle while he was gone. The first two took their money and doubled it, but the last servant did nothing with the money given to him, relying on the fact that the master would be pleased that he had managed to return what he had been given. However, the master was angered by the third servant, and generously rewarded the first two. This money represented the gifts God gives us, whether it be a great singing voice, being good with kids, or your being oh so close to being as cool as me (I kid, I kid). This gospel gives a great message about using all the things we have to contribute to this world, and I'm not sure what my talents are, but I'm sure that I want to help give back more than I've been given.

Today's gospel was my favorite. In it, the recently departed are before the Lord, and He grants them eternal salvation for giving Him food when He was hungry, visiting Him when he was sick, and clothing Him when He was poor. These people ask when they helped the Lord, and He replys "whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me." This is just such a great message, and it's actually one of the easiest things to do. You don't have to devote your life, or be crucified upside down on a cross, just help that blind guy get onto the train. Or dig a little deeper when giving to charity, or maybe it's something even more simple. Maybe it's just saying hi to that person you really could live without, which I know I am going to do on Monday.

What I have, and what I... Have

I really have no idea how to begin. I hate writing theses, and whilst this isn't for school, writing an introduction feels like the same thing. So I think that I will just pretend this is not the first post, but actually just the newest entry in a large album of ramblings.

Right, that's a great start- I mean middle, a great middle.

I'm attempting to avoid any bouts with self pity here, hopefully this blog's title will turn out to be a misnomer. I think by posting at this "pity party" I will be aided in remembering that I have it very well off. Sometimes I lose sight of the things I have in life, and I only see the things others have. That girl, that car, popularity, those good looks, that talent, or that girl. (Did I say that already? Whoops). In light of that, I'd like to commit myself to only seeing the positives, and ignoring those trivial negatives. Starting tomorrow. Or at least sometime this week...