Unproductive? Probably. Worth it? Definitely

Today was likely the most unproductive day I've had at UBCO haha, however at the same time it was a very very good day.

Began with an 8:00am 'Police and Society' class in which we were going to watch a documentary. It didn't work, technical difficulties, so instead we got back our Finals, which I am happy to say I did very well on. We got out early after that.

Instead of moving on to the library with my "crew", we decided to sit in the sun on a bench in the courtyard... then a classmate reminded me that my only other class of the day (save for a speaker at 4:00pm) had been cancelled, and so commenced a day long socializing event in the sun with my friends and colleagues that I have grown to love over these 2 years at that particular campus. A day very well spent if you ask me.
It also got me thinking about how, despite the stress, and despite the "I AM SO OVER IT" attitude that seems to come to everyone in the last few weeks of their degree, I am going to miss the student lifestyle, the atmosphere of the university, the intellectual stimulation and discussion, but perhaps mostly haha, I'm going to miss the social aspect that is university. Here's hoping I continue to constantly meet new people and don't get caught up in a "small social circle" mindset once I'm not in the beehive of activity that is the campus.

Also, sun means summer. Nice.
(Guest speaker that I listened to at 4 spoke on deviance and youth subculture, with a particular interest in the straight edge movements of punk subcultures in the 1980's-1990's, really really interesting. Kim and I brought Katie along for her first sociology class ever, last week on "Terror and use of fear in popular culture" I brought Jill, Kelly, Dave and Dylan. Awesome, Sociology is the best... maybe I should have double majored... more school atmosphere!?!? Nah.. maybe today's leisure was a "grand farewell" to all of this... ack, no Jon, don't get all mellow dramatic, blogs are no place for that!)

NEW THURSDAY CD COMING OUT! ACKAKJ IT'S GOING TO BE SO GOOD!!! Listen to "Past and Future Ruin"... oh man. So great.

First bike ride of the year on Sunday too... wore me out, but it was really good. Good to get those muscles moving again, off season was too... off season I guess.

So that's awesome. Things are awesome. (SO PUMPED FOR NEW THURSDAY)

The end of the end of the end began

These past few days have been great! Things have just been going very well, AND it's been sunny, which is awesome. Cmonnnn summer!

Wrote my first final today for "Police and Society". I know... the first final... terrifying, this is the end of the last semester of the BA... crazy, 3 weeks left.
It was killer, but I really, REALLY prepped for it, so I'm feeling very confident. Hopefully a week of nothing but 13 hour library shifts pays off. Here is an excerpt from the end of one of my essay answers...

“These circumlocutions worked” as Skoncik and Bayley state, however not in the sense of achieving the mandate. Rather, with the proper presentation community policing through its circumlocutions wrapped the police in “aspirations and values that are extremely powerful and unquestionably good” to further legitimize this “moral powerhouse” in its war against the deviant others in society, to uphold both the unwritten moral mandate and police mandate as a “justified” non-accountable and nonnegotiable coercive force. - Jonathan Arkle

I know right?

I'm feeling good about it. ALSO, New Rise Against is fantastic and definitely winning the playcount race at the moment, but new contender isssss
NEW THURSDAY SONG
Yayy.

Wolf pup

I'm ashamed that I consistently want to write about something, but as soon as I open blogger it all disappears from my mind. Such is life I guess, but I'll try to scrape together what I hoped to rant about...

The new Rise Against album has incredibly poignant lyrics, and I would recommend it to anybody who has a particular affinity for punk music.

As I worked through my graveyard shift last night I went through a complete flurry of emotions. The shift is an interesting one as it is 8 hours beginning at midnight, but the majority of it is working alone. As a result, this lonesome time with my own thoughts mixed with the increasing tiredness in those ensuing hours creates a cocktail of thoughts that is sometimes dangerous in that they will be right the way across the spectrum. I've never been so inspired, so happy, so angry, and so depressed as I have been during a graveyard shift.
Anyways, last night was focused a lot on faith (oh no.. another one of these posts? YOU BET), this is naturally an ever going battle seeing as I'm constantly immersed in the atheistic push that is a philosophy degree in the academic circles. Apologetics has always been not only a passion, but something that I feel to be almost necessary... but last night wasn't so broad of a thought. Instead, it was more shame towards the way that those under the banner of Christianity treat their fellow humans... close-minded, open-mouthed... I can't relate, I hope I never can. I'm a broken record on this blog, I recognize that, but I hope that I can be an example without being a hatemonger, I hope that I can demonstrate love without it appearing like I'm just seeking an "eternal reward", altruistic means for a selfish end, I hope that I can show, and continuously demonstrate, that my life has a genuine focus and compassion that is a bit different than the masses hopefully... hopefully, but God knows that I fall so far form this every single day.

Regardless, I caught myself in a place where amongst my internal stewing I was feeling apathetic about gathering at one of my two churches as I was struck with an (unjustified) feeling of disconnectedness with my immediate fellow Christian brethren, to a point where I was feeling aggressive towards nobody but everybody because I am so unwilling to neglect fellow humans of the respect and rights they deserve, as so many people walking under the banner I claim to so eagerly do... damning humans based on their own misunderstandings of the nature of our species (It was 4am...)
Thankfully I was able to catch myself, slap myself into a much calmer place, and then went on a little blast from memory past to Australia and particular events and important (and level headed) people there, which was good to sooth my stewing for the time being...
I was thinking about you Jordan and Vanessa. Thank you! I appreciate you.

I feel this blog comes across as preachy too often... Expect some fluffy filler posts for the next little while to stir stagnant waters.

On more interesting notes, this came into the pool the other day, it's a wolf! 98% said the owner. It is also my new favorite thing in the world... this week, until something else remotely distracts me.


Also, the tragedy of the Japanese earthquake is awful, naturally (no pun intended). The footage is dramatic, and obviously the devastation is remarkable... however, it is worth noting that had Japan not had such strict building regulations that it has, the devastation could be much worse. So lets be thankful for that. Praise the effectiveness of preparation.

And finally... (not making fun, bear with me...) CNN could have come up with a better description I feel... I can't help but think that a marquee writer with a wicked sense of humour is responsible. The tragedy is awful, but this headline is incredibly ironic.


Also on my graveyard shift were long conversations during breaks about UFO's and Wendigos. I'll write about that next time... I would have written about that now.. but it's nighttime and it scares me.

The Cancer of Society

Negative Post! :D!!

I realise that I am definitely part of the problem, as I have been perpetuating it in the last couple of days with my fascination with this Charlie Sheen video....
However, the fascination that our society has with celebrities really does make me feel awful about what we have become.

The other day a friend of mine said, when finding out that I hadn't watched the Oscars he said "oh really? I thought you would have been all over that"

No... no, I really wouldn't be :(

I can't understand the self-worship that that culture has about itself... these people with influence should be using it change the world, and in a more harsh perspective, influence the lemmings that follow them to want to change the world as well. Some do this, and I recognize that, however I can't understand the fascination that the media, not just pop-culture media but even news media, has on these people.

As of this writing, the current playcount for Justyn Beebir's "Oh baby" video is 479,180,276... Four Hundred and Seventy Nine Million unique visits.

This video only has 264,124 views...

What makes news? What makes headlines? Not what people should be aware of... Charlie Sheen being off/on/off and on drugs/tigerblood is though.

Oh well... I was talking about it, so I'm part of the problem I guess.
I need to get ready for graveyard, but I wanted to rant. I'll likely speak on this subject again though... It's been on my mind a lot recently. Anger at the apathy held by the west to not only injustices in our own system, but even more significant around the world.

hmm...

Goodnight!


(Also, I'm currently 0/15)