hygiene update

I think the news people are reading my blog… Check out this “5-second rule” news report.

biking (as a form of transportation)

Can I tell you how much I love biking as a form of transportation? I love it this (imagine me and someone running to opposite sides of a field with opposite arms and hands outstretched such my left hand and their right hand indicate the huge width of love) much.

This year of biking every day I could (and some that I shouldn’t have) to work has been a blessing to me. The distance is such that it’s a pretty short trip (12-15 minutes) and a place to store my bike inside once I get here. I get some exercise, I save money on bus fare or gas (if I had a car to begin with), and I get to become better in tune with the neighborhood in which I work and bike through. After 9 or so months of biking the same route to work, I really feel a sense of ownership and belonging to those streets. I know I still need to be careful, but I also feel as if it’s my community and there’s no reason I need to hide or shy away from it.

Not only have I biked to work, but I’ve biked to baseball games, see movies, curling and rugby practice, the grocery story, church, and so many other great locations. And now with summer in full swing, I plan on taking some bike “rides” and, hopefully, going to the beach!

I’ve already written about petrol, which biking helps to reduce the need for, and the idea of trying to live closer to where you work, which would make more a shorter bike ride (obviously). And after getting my heartbeat going in the morning, I just feel more ready for the day. I would love to say I want to bike to work for the rest of my life (until I get old and such), but I’m not willing to put that kind of restriction on my future living and working situation just yet. But it will definitely be something I’ll be thinking about, and I suggest you do, too. I can spout out all kinds of benefits, but don’t just take my word for it — if you every have the chance, give it a try. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

I found a few interesting websites re: biking to work, so check out one or more of them:
BikeCommune, Ken Kifer testimonial and articles, Commute by Bike blog, and many more!
And I won’t even mention my past thoughts of being a bicycle messenger… maybe another time :)

graduation

Last night I was honored (truly honored) to take part in the graduation ceremonies for Shalom High School, the school I’ve been teaching math @ these past 9 months.  We had 20 graduates receiving diplomas, and the church (next door, where I attend) where the ceremony was held was packed.  It was insanely hot, but family and friends came to celebrate with these students their wonderful accomplishment: a high school diploma.

It was a very moving experience for me.  Since Shalom is so small, I feel like I’ve had a chance to get to know each of the graduates in some way, and many of them I’ve helped in a personal manner along the way.  These students, many of whom were given up on in other environments, were realizing their dream of that diploma, and it was hard not to cry.  If only for those 60 minutes, I felt like all the work and struggle and frustration I’ve experienced in my days here was worth it.

And really, isn’t that what life is like?  You work and work, seemingly with no reward, and many times you may never get one; but then, maybe just for a split second, you see that what you’ve done has made a difference.  I don’t know where life will take these students, but I know they’re better off than they would be otherwise and are headed in the right direction.

What are you doing to change the world?  Even if you feel like it may be an uphill battle with no end in sight, go and do it, because one day you’ll have your reward.

hygiene

Most people in my life are probably “cleaner” than I am, but I’m OK with that. In fact, I sometimes wonder what all the fuss is about the insane amount of cleanliness that needs to be occurring. I mean, if I use a plate, don’t really wash/clean it off, let it sit on my desk, and then use it again a day later, am I really doing that much damage to myself, or more importantly to anyone around me?

Personally, I think we have a little too much hygiene in our lives. Now before I get started, I’ll let you know that I brush my teeth and floss regularly as to preserve my teeth, I shower often so I don’t stink for those around me, and I wash my hands after using the rest room (unlike the large percentage of men I see using public restrooms, so maybe we do need a little more hygiene, but I digress), so I’m not promoting bad hygiene by any means, but I think we sometimes go a little over the top.

If you think about it, a little dirt or germs isn’t going to hurt you. In fact, in many ways, it makes you a bit stronger. By allowing your body to build up some resistance to the germs that are floating around, you’ll get sick less often and can thus live a little bit fuller of a life.  In fact, studies suggest that, for washing your hands, “normal” soap is just as good as anti-bacterial soap, which may actually contribute to the growth of bacterial resistant to antibiotics.

So what am I really saying?  If your roll falls on the floor, it’s probably not big deal to pick it up and eat it.  A bit of “uncleanliness” isn’t going to kill you — it may actually make you a bit stronger.  “Disinfecting” things is good, but not always absolutely necessary.  It’s great to say clean, but don’t make it an obsession.  Take life in stride and you may, in body and spirit, may just be a little bit healthier.

it’s people that count

Before Tammy Faye Bakker starred on The Surreal Life, she was the famous mascara-wearing wife of televangelist James Bakker. The Eyes of Tammy Faye tells her story, and I watched it last night. It was pretty interesting to see a little of in-working within the fundamentalist media community, with the likes of Pat Robertson and the late Jerry Farwell, and it was also a funny tale of a woman always loved everyone and who continues to seek to get her message of love out to others (even if the film was made in 1999). I recommend you check it out from your local library (like I did) or see if you can rent it somewhere.

As the movie concluded, Tammy gave a great quote for all of us to hear: “… I wanna go back to… my kids and my grandkids because, when you get down to it, that’s really all there is. That’s what counts in life, and I’ve learned that. It’s not what you have in stuff. It’s people that count.”

And she’s so totally right. If we all lived by that mantra, how different would this world be? I think we all want to be sure we have food on our table and a roof over our heads, but after that, it’s really the relationships that make life worth living. I think that’s why I try to stay connected to those truly important to me even when we’re far apart. And even when you’re geographically close to people, it can be difficult to stay connected unless you make people a priority over all the other distractions life throws @ you.

Who do you love? Tell them you love them. If not today, then as soon as you can. In the words of one of my new favorite songs, “Snails,” by The Format:
“life is not a play
It’s what we make of the people we love”
And as Tammy said, “It’s people that count.”