Sunday, September 13, 2009

Kanye, How Could You Be So Heartless?

The VMAs blew this year. And I wouldn't mind it if Kanye got a taste of Karma and crashed his probably pretentious car into a large pole breaking his ego and both of his knees to accompany his spineless lifestyle. I don't really like Taylor Swift all that much, but she didn't deserve that.

That being said, I'd like to talk about a topic that goes unsaid all too often: the initial moments upon meeting someone in person that you've met on the internet. Whether it's for romantic purposes or platonic purposes.

For instance, I lived in a schooling zone that put me at the junior high that split kids off after 9th grade. Some went to Trinity High School, some went to L.D Bell High School. By "some" I mean, 75% went to Trinity while me, like 3 of my friends and the awkward kids that I didn't know existed went to Bell. Needless to say, I needed to make some friends.

My friends Ashley and Katie were scandalously dating boys that went to Bedford Junior High (OMG!), so they knew a few people coming into 10th grade. They took it upon themselves to be good friends and introduce me to some of the Bedford Broncos also going to Bell. I met a couple people through Aimchat and got to know them through late night chats of revealing personal content like my hopes, dreams, how far I've gone with a boy and what my biggest turn on is. My dad usually woke up, stealthily opened my door and sternly whispered at me for being up late and chatting on the internet on a school night. But that's besides the point.  Alas, the day was to come that I would attend a pool party hosted by the boys of BJH. Think of it as a PG version of the quintessential "back to school party".

Anyway, the most prevalent thing about this party was that I felt so immensely awkward not really knowing anyone and nervous that I would mistake a conversation that I had with BJHboy7666 for the conversation I had with iluvplayingfootball348. I remember boys approaching me and sheepishly asking me questions they already knew the answer to because, as the 21st century would have it, we revealed all of the initial get-to-know-you conversation topics via the internet. The whole night was just one awkward turtle after another. I felt like I had to be extra cool in person since they liked me so much online. It was a stressful time for a 15 year old girl entering high school. I had other things to worry about. Like my hair and counting calories.

Although, at the party I met Alex Seabaugh. We went on a date with like 4 other people and he was my first high school fling. Congratulations, Alex.

I can't imagine how it feels when people do this for real love. In movies they make it look so suave. That's bullshit. You know someone has nervous gas and is sweating uncontrollably because they don't have anything else to talk about since they've already touched bases on all of the "all about me" subject matter. It's just inevitable. I don't care how social you are. That first moment of meeting someone is always, always awkward.

It more or less goes like this: "Heyyyyy, I'm Sadie. But you already knew that... heh. You look nice tonight, a bit different from your profile picture. Man, I'm sorry. I'm awkward."

DISCLAIMER:

For those of you I met online and am still friends with today, thanks for working through that awkward time.

Monday, September 7, 2009

The Spirit Moved Right On Through.

You know what I love about church other than the life and teachings of Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior? The people. The people are exceptionally wonderful to observe and chat with at church. For those of you who aren't aware, Sunday is my favorite day of the week. The weather is always awesome, the mood is always chill, the people are always nice and I'm always in the mood to read, write, be crafty and objective.

Although, I did have one bad Sunday involving, who I've come to decide, was the wicked stepmother of Lucifer himself.  I don't wish to expound on it at the moment; I'm still grieving. 

Anyway, on top of loving to people-watch at church, my favorite part of the service itself is the worship. And what do you get when you mix a worship service with church-loving people? An intense, balls to the wall, sing-your-guts-out, Jesus-lives jam session  praising His name. I love it. I love when people close their eyes and act as if they're cruising in their Kia Spectra, solo, windows down, vocal chords up. It's even more awesome when I catch the eyes of those surrounding the would-be soloist, and their reaction to the personal junior high choir concert that is going on behind them. That whole scene is enthralling. Plus, I like that they're so comfortable with the church home that they release their inner diva/divo, worry-free.

Speaking of worry-free...

A couple of years ago, a friend of mine and I went to church together one fine Sunday morning. Late as usual, we hustled inside and settled in our seats just as the worship was starting. My friend excused herself to go to the bathroom. In the meantime, I was thoroughly enjoying the soulful and unruly song fest going on to my left. After two or three worship songs, I was beginning to question whether or not my friend was being evangelized to in the bathroom. Again. Just as I was about to get up and disrupt the potty preaching party, my friend returned. But she didn't look relieved at all. Instead, she was doing everything she could to muffle her uncontrollable giggle. In mid-seizure, she leaned over to tell me that in the middle of her routine pee, a woman came into the bathroom and, as God would have it, walked into the stall directly next to hers. Almost immediately, the woman began dropping a huge bomb. Apparently this was an epic release and my friend was nearly put in a comatose state due to her desire to never breathe. I believe she said, "It was rancid. Like, I thought my lungs were going to melt away on the inside from the sharp and fire-like burning sensation I got every time I was had to inhale."  As they were washing their hands/fixing themselves, the woman began striking up conversation with my friend. Instead of the assumed "Hello" that people exchange in settings like this one, the woman came out of the stall saying, "Well! I guess the Spirit moved right on through me!" The conversation was absolutely opposite of her previous endeavor; so lighthearted, pleasant and dear to my friend, that we came to this conclusion:


It doesn't matter whether you're in the sanctuary singing your brains out or in the bathroom relieving your brains out, the sense of immense comfortability that the church brings is something worth looking out for and being a part of. I recommend that everyone let the Spirit move through them... however you feel it to be necessary. On that note, I also recommend that you do it through some sort of musical or lecturing means, you'll probably win the crowd over a little easier.

Consider my two cents donated.