Ali

The Bachelor/ette is, let's face it, an over-dramatized show about a terrible way to find a soul mate. And yet, I'm hooked.

But this season has been the best one, in my opinion. Not because of all the drama. Not because of the places they've traveled. But because Ali has inspired me.

From the time she started on Jake's season, Ali reminded me of me. Obviously our names are the same, so that's an easy similarity. But when she talked about her job, it reminded me of me, too. We both love our jobs. We're career-driven, but we don't overwork. Just check our emails a couple times on the weekends...but mostly keep work at work. But we love what we do.

We're both positive people. We're both really honest - bluntly so. Wear our emotions on our sleeves. I feel like she's like a prettier, more outgoing version of me in a lot of ways.

But as I watched her on the Bachelorette, one glaring difference has stood out to me: her sense of adventure. I don't have one. Ali loves to try new things. Even things that scare her - like flying - she'll do, and she won't complain about it. She'll show her fear, but she'll also give it her best.

I've never been one with a sense of adventure. I don't like to try new things because what if I embarrass or hurt myself? But seeing Ali's courage has made me want to live with more courage. Try things that might scare me a little bit. Grow a sense of adventure.

It won't happen overnight. But I'm hoping Ali has planted the seed of a life change in me.

The Death of Facebook

I remember 6 years ago when my college roommate joined Facebook. Back when it was just a network for college students.

"I joined this thing called Facebook," she told me. "It's a network for college students. You just sign up and you can get in touch with other Wheaton students on it."

"Sounds like a scam to get your information," I replied. I didn't join.

Fast forward to 2006 or 2007 and Facebook was becoming THE THING. I had a Myspace account at that point, but since I was no longer a college student I couldn't join Facebook. And then they opened it up to anyone. So I joined. I wanted to keep in touch with people more, and even though I preferred Myspace, it was dying. I wanted to go where the people were...because that's where I could connect with people.

As I've seen upgrade after upgrade with Facebook, I've become more concerned about my privacy. It seems with each upgrade there's some covert way they've applied settings that violate your privacy, and you have to figure it out in order to turn it off. And then there's all the applications (which I avoid like the plague), that get all of your information (and aren't necessarily run by Facebook).

This is what led me to start blogging on blogger in addition to Facebook. And someday soon, I imagine, I'll stop blogging on Facebook altogether. If you've read the book 1984, Facebook feels to me much like Big Brother. It's watching me. Its ads are tailored to the things it knows about me. (It thinks I'm fat, though, because of all the cookies I write about.)

I was going to blog about this last night but I fell asleep early. And then I read this article this morning: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38463013/ns/technology_and_science/?GT1=43001.

It's been just in the beginning stages of Big Brother-ness for a while now. But I feel like it's going to keep getting worse. And eventually, I think this will lead to the death of Facebook. Myspace died because something else replaced it. Something cleaner looking, that appealed more to the demographic. Myspace tried to keep up, but they were powerless to stop it.

But Facebook? I believe it's committing its own suicide.

Calling

Every day I am more and more thankful for my job. Sure, there are bad days...that's true at any job. But I work at such a fun place - fun job, great co-workers, and a lot of laughter.

But the most important thing is that I feel called to my job. It gives me a sense of purpose. Like Bezalel was gifted with the skills to build the Tabernacle, God has given me a job that's just what he made me to do. From the time I was a young child I loved to write and be creative, and now I get to do that every day with a sense of mission.

I've been reading the book "The Call" by Os Guinness. And it's making me even more aware of just how God created me for and called me to this job. Not everyone is blessed with a job that gives them a sense of purpose. Many have to seek out a sense of purpose in other ways.

But I also think of this woman in the warehouse at Group - and I don't even know who, I've just heard about her. She prays for each customer who will receive the boxes she packs. I think (and have heard) that working the warehouse packing boxes would be tedious and exhausting. Not anyone's dream job. But this woman has embraced it as her calling and found a way to work unto the Lord with it.

I was looking at that verse in Colossians 3:23 as we concepted a unit of curriculum on working for the Lord. We looked at how Joseph served God in bad places, as a servant and prisoner, and in good, as a ruler of Egypt. And I hope that even if some day I'm not so blessed with a job that fits me like a glove, I'll remember that and work unto the Lord, whether I'm in a good or bad place.

Fantasy Bachelor Pad

For those of you planning to watch Bachelor Pad, I'm starting a friendly pool of "Fantasy Bachelor Pad." There are 8 men and 11 women. Your task is to form 8 pairs and put your predictions as a comment on this blog. You can review the cast bios here: http://abc.go.com/shows/bachelor-pad#

The women:

Ashley
Elizabeth
Gia
Gwen
Jessie
Krisily
Michelle
Natalie
Nikki
Peyton
Tenley

The men:

Craig
David
Jesse B
Jesse K
Jonathan
Juan
Kiptyn
Wes

Cast your votes by 8/8!

Beautiful

I watched a few episodes of "True Beauty" on ABC, and on Friday I caught a segment of their show "What Would You Do?" Both shows challenged me to think about how I treat other people.

True Beauty is set up as a beauty contest between 10 people who think they're gorgeous. But they are being judged on both outer and inner beauty, as hidden cameras reveal their actions when they're tested on their honesty, integrity, compassion, etc. One test that was set up was a pregnant woman (not really pregnant) smoking. Would the contestants say anything? Another had a woman frantically looking through the garbage for a lost engagement ring when the contestants were preparing for a challenge. Who would interrupt what they were doing to help the woman? Another challenge: would they step in and encourage a bride-to-be whose mom wouldn't stop going on about how fat she is?

Then on What Would You Do?, they had various people at gas stations with an empty car and no money to refill it and get home. They did this test when gas prices were nearly $5 to see who would help even at great expense.

All this has gotten me thinking about whether or not I am a truly beautiful person on the inside. I try to be nice, but if a pregnant woman was smoking in front of me I'm not sure I'd say anything. Or if a mom was ragging on her daughter about being fat, I'd probably steer clear if I didn't know them. I'd like to think I'd help someone with gas if they needed it...but would I judge the asker based on his or her physical appearance?

I don't know. But I think I'm going to live as if I'm on True Beauty...waiting for those moments when there's something I can do to right a wrong or show kindness to someone who needs it.

Peanut's Guide on How to Win Friends and Influence People

After a trip to Walgreens last night where Peanut made several friends, and a trip to the tennis courts today where the same thing happened, I've decided that it's much easier to make friends if you're cute, furry, and weigh less than 15 pounds. But for those of us that don't meet those requirements, I've put together some tips from Peanut on how to make friends.

1) Be outgoing. Reach out to people, don't wait for them to make the first move.

2) Be enthusiastic. You may not have a tail to wag (which definitely is cuter than anything humans have to offer), but show enthusiasm for meeting people. Smile. Get excited.

3) Assume the best in everyone. Until they prove otherwise, everyone is a potential friend. I'm sure if someone started hitting Peanut or pulling her tail, she'd lose interest in being friends with them. But when she meets someone, she assumes the best of them. She assumes they are a nice person (or fly) and a potential friend.

4) Show an interest in people. That doesn't mean sniffing their crotch like it does for Peanut. But she sniffs them to get to know them...and we can show an interest in people and get to know them too. They say dogs can tell a person's age, gender, and other information from sniffing them. Get to know people's life stories.

5) Be yourself. Peanut never ceases to be her energetic, crazy self. Some people appreciate it, some don't. But the best friends are people who like you for who you are. So be yourself!

That's what Peanut has taught me about making friends!

Picking Up My Blog In A New Place

I've been blogging regularly since the beginning of 2006, first on Myspace and then on Facebook. I switched from Myspace when no one was ever on it anymore, and now I'm starting to feel like Facebook is a little Big Brother-ish. So I decided to transition my blog here and at least for now post it on Facebook as well. Eventually I may transition my blogs off of Facebook.

If you want to see more of my writing from the past, check out myspace.com/joyfuleaglet or facebook.com/alobex238.