Happy August

Today is the first day of August and I'm happy. I want to start out fresh.

I've been doing p90x and I've been feeling better. I'm glad I can finally commit to exercising. Although I may have to force myself to do it, I know I'll be much happier with the end result.

I've been thinking a lot about the compliments I've been given in the past. Yes, I remember most of them. No matter how small or irrelevant, I remember them because they always make me feel good. I appreciate them a lot. One I got recently has helped me a lot. Just by someone, who I rarely talk to, saying "you're a good section leader" assured me that I am doing something right and has made me more confident in my position. But one of the best compliments I've gotten was from my friend Brittany when I "liked" her Facebook status and she told me something she liked and disliked about me, her first impression of me, and a confession. The "like" category said this:

You're one of the funniest people I know. And you're the only person I can be awkward with, without it being awkward (And I like the fact that you'll be the only person who understands that). No matter how confusing I am, you understand me inside and out, and you share my increased appeal for depressing acoustic music when the leaves change colors and become crisp. I like your laugh, because it's sincere and awkward. I like the fact that I could sit with you literally forever, and not get sick of it. I like our in-depth conversations, and all of the good times we've had. Your appreciation for the finer things in life is amazing (and by finer things, I mean the meaningless things that everyone overlooks day by day). I like the fact that your eyes are different sizes, because I don't like when things are symmetrical/typical. I like that we hung out even before we were best friends, and you dumped a giant bucket of popcorn on me, staining my favorite hoodie forever. I like when I'll say something weird, and we'll look at each other REALLY awkwardly, then burst out laughing. I like that you snuck me in your room in Florida every night until 2 am, and that we hung out every day. I like when we discuss out dislikes about people. I like when I straddle you in Katie's basement ;) hahaha. I like that I can trust you, and that you can be both crazy&outgoing and chill. I like a lot more, but I can't really think of everything right now. Oh. I like that you're one of my best friends ever, and that you're the sassiest person I've ever met.

This paragraph has made me feel better than anything in a long time. I appreciated it so much. Thanks Brittany!

Today, I watched Religulous. This documentary pretty much mocks religion and religious beliefs. It really sealed my non-belief in God and in religion. I just can't put faith and hope into something that seems so much like a fairy-tale, into something that nobody is even positive about. "But that's what faith is," some may argue. I understand that and I don't have any. I'll waste my time doing something more productive than worshiping something that may not (probably isn't) even real. I don't care, hate me for not believing in God, and hate me for saying he probably isn't real, but if you can PROVE to me that he is real, that there is evidence of him, I'll believe him in an instant.

But for right now, I'll stand strong in my beliefs. If you do argue religion around me, don't expect me to keep quiet because I'm done with that. I'm entitled to my opinion, as you are yours.

I'll probably write a blog entirely for religion soon. I've wanted to for a while.

So, I hope you have a happy first day of August. Mine has been great.

This is the first day of my life.
I'm glad I didn't die before I met you.
But now I don't care, I could go anywhere with you
and I'd probably be happy.

A Few Things On My Mind

One: Don't waste my time. If you're in Marching Band and it's such a pain, get out. We don't want you, and we sure don't need you, either. Many people see your Facebook statuses that always have some sort of negative tone towards Marching Band and, honestly, if it's that big of a chore, leave. We'd be much better off without you.

Two: I hate sloppy, trashy people. Posting things on Myspace/Twitter/Facebook that say you're "high," "trashed," "fucked up," or "drunk as fuck" is not appealing at all. Yeah, your friends may not care, and some others as well, but it makes you look so disgusting. I instantly lose respect for people who carry on about things like that. You're scum. Grow up.

Three: What makes number two even better is when the people who are posting these statuses claim to be Christian and love God more than anything. I don't believe in God, but I don't do that stuff. Kudos for continuously contradicting yourself.

Four: Even though I haven't been too happy lately, I'm optimistic that things will get better. And that is my new Half-years resolution. Be happier. I've been too hard on myself this year and I've been unhappy a lot. From here on out, I'm going to be happier and more optimistic.

Five: I miss you.

My Views on Controversial Issues

Don't tell me that my beliefs are wrong because that makes you look like an idiot.

Abortion: I believe that women have the right to an abortion if they want/need one. I understand that a life would be killed in the process, but ultimately, its the woman's choice. And we could benefit from the stem cells collected after the abortion. Not saying that I would ever urge anyone to get an abortion, but I believe that abortion should always be an option.

Affirmative Action: I believe that affirmative action is such a stupid program. I believe that people who really want to go to college, or get a good job should motivate themselves to achieve their goals, not rely on programs to advance them in the world. It's really unfair to whites and takes away from the principle of 'equality of opportunity' that we have established in this country.

Capital Punishment: I believe that if you can prove that someone has intentionally killed someone else, or if the person admits to it, they should be killed.

Censorship: I believe that people should not be sheltered. Exposing people to things such as a violent video game, or a sexual book, exposes them to what the real world is like.

Drug Legalization: As much as I am an advocate for personal freedom, and we should be able to do whatever we want, this is one of the topics where I contradict myself and say that I don't think this should happen. I just hate seeing people corrupt themselves to a point where they're just scum of the earth, barely getting by. I'm not saying that everyone who does drugs is scum, I've just seen more people than not, start doing drugs, mainly smoking weed, and becoming such a low-life and a disgusting person.

Homosexuality: I believe that everyone has the right to be in love with and married to anybody that they want. Whether they're white, black, mexican, gay, straight, bi, cats, dogs, or whatever, they deserve to be with whoever they want and nobody has the right to take that away from them.

Sex Education: They're going to have to learn about it sometime; it might as well be in school.

Womens' Rights: Women are equal to men. Enough said.

Religion: My beliefs, personally, are that there is no God. I cannot seem to grasp the concept that some supreme being, who appeared out of nowhere, created everything with his magic-like powers. I can't seem to understand why, if he is such a great God, he punishes people on a daily basis. Or why he would accept a killer, if he was a Christian, but not a Saint, if you will, if he wasn't a Christian. I can't seem to give God credit for things that I've done. I've heard people say "God helped me..." or "God gave me the ability to..." Own up to your own actions! Take credit for what you've done! God didn't do anything for you; you did it for yourself! But, I don't believe in religion, itself. I don't like to categorize my thinking into a stupid group because I have my own different beliefs. I believe that the Earth was created in a scientific way, not a magical way, or by a man with odd powers. I believe that humans evolved from different species, not that they were just put here by a supreme being. I believe that I govern how my life will turn out and that I'm responsible for both my good actions as well as my bad and that God has nothing to do with any of it. I believe that religion is so corrupt that nobody knows the truth and we never will. I believe that religion is what humans cling to because they are scared of the unknown.

I thought I'd save the most controversial for last. Although my beliefs may be naive, and may be subject to change in the future, as of right now, I stand by these beliefs very strongly.