Past Topics: 27 July Through 31 August
The Week Of 31 August, 1998
"If There Is Life After Death,What Do You Imagine It To Be Like?"
Firstly, I do believe in life after death. Many will call be naive for this belief; however too many factors in my life have led me to hold very dear my belief in the Almighty.
Secondly, I believe that the after-life will be very similar to existence here on earth. I think that the blinders of fear, cynicism and doubt (which are in my mind the very foundations of evil) will be removed, and we will all be able to see the beauty in the environment and people around us.
Before you label this as a tremendous cop-out on my part, please ask yourself if you can daily try and see the good in people (including yourself).
On the rare times that I have been able to maintain this focus, I find that the world in which I live is a truly amazing place, populated with an incredibly diverse and creative people capable of accomplishing anything that they choose to pursue.
The flip side of this of course is Hell. Fear, cynicism, and doubt dominate this perspective, and all that one can see is found to be lacking. The diversity fosters fear and resentment, and pessimism and ego-centric behavior are the dominant social drivers.
Will we have mortal bodies? I doubt it. I think that our soul, the very electro-chemical essence of what makes us unique as individuals does not demand a housing as frail as the human form. Too frequently, this form inhibits our growth on the terrestrial plane and would be irrelevant in the after-life.
Sorry if my Judaeo-Christian perspective is offensive to any readers. Having read some Hindu, Buddhist and Islamic teachings, I have found that these spiritual/philosophic traditions have similar constructs associated with the after-life. For any that are interested I recommend reading "The Hero With A Thousand Faces" by Joseph Campbell. In my opinion, his Freudian/Jungian analysis taints much of the work, but the data on the various spiritual traditions associated with the "hero" myth is absolutely fascinating.
--Rox
This is a trick question. The Idea of life after death is fun to think about if you are afriad of death in the first place. As a fellow problem thinker, I've made up plenty scenarios in my head to rest my fear of the unknown. As a man, my fantasies of the afterlife in the beginning were petty and frivolous, the eternal orgy, endless kegs of IPA, and a bed made of living human female breasts. Hell, if I really thought that were true I would have stuck a 45 in my mouth a long, long time ago.
Later, the idea of reincarnation was much more appealing. Who was I to be in my next life, moreover, who was I in the past? These thoughts tumbled in my mind for years, wondering who who I was and how old I really am.
Nowadays I've resigned to the Idea that I have no Idea whats to come after my friends eat me at a Bar-b-que (see attatched will). I don't consider myself a man of faith, nor am I saying that I'm not afraid of death, but I do believe I should live life as it is, love my friends and family, maybe get a dog, and live it up till' I choke on my liver.
--Badmonkey
† death †
If? It's sure as hell...
§ jinx §
-- jdk
I do believe in life after death, but attempting to "guess" what it will be like is more than my finite mind can handle......I'd have to think in the biblical Revelations 21 sense, life after death, or heaven, will be more beautiful than one simple person can even imagine....or you could view life after death as "perfection", when everything that ever was is now perfect, none of the crap that happens on earth as we try to better ourselves, or worse, best each other, but then who wants to hit hole-in-ones EVERY time, or more importantly, what will be the standard for "perfection".....I guess I'm going on faith that there is life after death, and it will be a beautiful perfect place, that it will be more enjoyable than life here on earth (although life is pretty darn good!), a place where there WILL be equality, fairness, tolerance, lots of love and joy, and most of all, peace..........late,
--the white guy
ps...the coolest thing about life after death is getting answers from God the Almighty Creator about all the strange stuff I question here on earth, like "the iguana, what were You thinkin?" or "I know that industrialist greed caused many (if not all) the problems on this earth, but why did You not act to help those hurt so terribly?" or "how much is going to be enough before you go back and start it all over?"
Thanks For This Topic By Shawn
(A Shocking Display Of Depth By A Raider Fan...Who Knew???--Rox)
24 August, 1998
"If You Could Re-Write One Day
In History, What Day Would You Change?" "How Would You Change It?" "Why Does It Need Changing?"
Hmmm...tough one...historically societal inertia moves us forward in spite of the actions of an individual or group on a particular day. And as result of chaos from these "mis-steps" we have demonstrated a tendency to learn from our mistakes, and become stronger in the process.
To say I would prevent Christ from dying would be my first choice, but then the positive of that sacrifice far outweighs the individual loss. It was also meant to be according to Christian dogma.
To say that I would practice infanticide on Adolf Hitler would do nothing either. Another monster would have risen in his place and taken advantage of the upheaval in post-war Europe.
To try and eliminate the Black Plague would deny the Renaissance and social growth (The Age of Exploration, The Enlightenment, The Industrial Revolution) that emerged from the cultural stagnation of the Dark Ages.
The same can be said of eliminating HIV. Greater tolerance has emerged from the epidemic, and while it continues to threaten thousands of lives, millions more are more comfortable about who they are as a result of the social dialogue that this epidemic has forced; not to mention the increased amount of research spending that has gone into virology/immunology.
Ultimately this question can only be answered at the personal level as (to quote from Jurassic Park--and I can't believe I'm actually quoting Jeffery-Fucking-Goldblum here either) nature/culture will ultimately find a way. Anything that we could change, would undoubtedly occur at another point anyway unless we were to practice genocide and thus prevent this social inertia from acting.
So enough philosophical bullshit...I’d say I wish I could have had one more day with my Mom to say goodbye before she died.
--Rox
I'd have to say that I would re-write the day that those sons of *&%$# came from Spain and destroyed my people in the 1500's by bringing their filthy viruses and idealogies with them.
Just a little pissed off today.
--IG
(Unfortunately, I see a dangerous parallel between Spain and Redmond, WA--Rox)
Interesting challenge that...if I could change any day in history.
I do have to point out the flaw there however...you could change a singular event but the end result would be the same because the circumstances would still be there...
Anyway...
If I could I would go back and change one day in history it would be March 12, 1917...Russia...the Cossack troops blend with the masses...and a revolution is on it's way. Granted,this was the first of the two, known collectively as the Russian Revolution...but once that military force was compromised it was a done deal.
I have nothing against communism in theory, the Communist Manifesto...it just does not work on a mass scale as we all know.The loss of civil liberties, to me, is the greatest crime you can commit against someone...akin to murder...because if you stifle someone's ability to speak out you kill their soul.
Great topic
--Megan
i'd change the day we dropped the nuclear bomb on hiroshima or nagasaki, take your pick.....that event signaled the beginning of the 20th century industrial age, everything had to be done quicker and quicker, and it hasn't stopped yet. more importantly, the effects of wiping so many people off the face of the earth and the inherent threat that creates fear in us all has led to the now psycho leaders who will one day repeat that event, although i doubt it will be done as an effect of war, it will be done simply because they think they are powerful.....if we could focus all the energy and "$$$" that have been and are being spent on nuclear proliferation into resolving other issues of our great big ball in the sky, think how much better off we all would be.......peace. --the white guy
First off, I bieleve you can change history, I doubt that there is any way to predict what change that might be, but it could easily be a much different world. For instance, if I were to go back and stop the holocaust from occuring, you could easily find many of your friends were never born, or paved the way for us to help germany in the dismantiling of the soviet union, and thereby allowing the cold war to never occur. Good or Bad, there is no way to know: I would be very hesitant in changing anything, as my very existense would be compromised. On that note, I will choose a day that occured after I was born, and try and choose an event that was so unsubstantial that wouldnt, to quote "timecop", ripple. I actually thought that was a good idea in "back to the future" when marty bought that almanac, but i am getting off track:) So for selfish reasons, I would go back to January 11, 1990: and stop myself and my friend from getting a paper route. I found it a very boring job, although I had it for 4 years, but the noble thing to do would be to warn him about it, because he was killed during a collection later that year. True, even this could change the way things are now, the killer could of gone after someone else in a fit of rage, but i could of used a few more years of innocence, as i know my friend could use them. Sorry to get sappy like that, time travel is a dangerous thing, and if it ever to really exist, i see that as armageddon.
Peace,
JDK
Changing any moment in history would not insure that the same consequence would not occur. Hence, my distinctly personal response. I would not change even one second of my own history. Any change would possibly alter the way things are today. I would not give up one fight, one hurt, one love, one embarassing moment, one friend, because to do so would be to change who I am. (Although I may have been able to live without the time I dropped my lunch tray in front of the entire junior high.)
thanx bro...
--waive
Topic By: Shawn (Somebody buy him a Jack And 7--Rox)
17 August, 1998
"You have a chance to win 25 million dollars cash, but you have to spend 1 year either in prison locked in solitary, or marooned on a desert island, or set adrift in a boat. Which would you choose, and why?"
I'm gonna have to go with the desert island.
Prison, no chance for a tan, fresh air or anything else. I mean sure, you'd get lots of sleep, and with all the time for self-reflection you'd probably either end up as the poster boy the grunge revival that's due to hit next year or as a member of the US Masturbation Team for the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.
The boat set adrift, same vibe, though at least you'd be outside and may run into civilization. Also the realities of ocean living aren't all they're cracked up to be: Can't pee into the wind, always worrying about the next Jaws sequel being you, boring perspective, plus I don't eat fish.
The desert island has it all: fresh air, the beach, The possibility of Ginger and/or Mary Ann (or at least a cute chimp). And yeah, I would do a chimp if it got me $25 million and no one knew about it. Hell most chimps are cuter than the majority of girls that hang at Dan's, with the added bonus of no little black backpack or the obligatory lame-assed attitude.
--Rox
What I would do for 25 Million Cash
To survive this expierence, I must refuse the boat trip...HMMMM
If i cant take anything with me to the desert island, I may as well stay in solitary confinment for a year. However, I get bored easily and am a little claustrophobic.
Therefore, I will go to the island, no question. I can make little sandcastles, and pretend a young island girl will tend to me hand and foot-- oh wait i'd get that in prison.
It would be hell, but the
25 million would be worth it:)
--JDK
desert island. much more adventure. solidarity boring. on a boat,you're dead!
--Saul
I think most people would choose being marooned on a dessert island.
Being in solitary and being set adrift in a boat restricts the mobility of a man. It doesn't allow him to fend for himself. It renders him useless.
On a desert island, man is given the chance to fend for himself and survive, despite the fact that society/civilization has been stripped from him here as well.
At the very least, he'll have the animals to keep him company :-)
--IG
I would do the solitary confinement deal. Not just because nobody else chose this option. Set adrift on a boat? fergetaboutit! The marooning option would be fun for the first few months, then id would get old having to fend for yourself every day.
My main motivation for opting for prison would be the human contact. Even if it was only the jailer slipping my food into my cell. I'd at least have a face (or at least a voice) to jerk off to.
--eric
(Ahhh...it touches my heart to hear logic like that--Rox)
No other option here...I'd go with the island. As long as there was food to sustain me it's the only way to go. I could stand to lose a few pounds anyhow. Set adrift in a boat just isn't good. Sure you might end up somewhere cool but you're just as likely to get eaten by a damn shark or starve to death. I've seen prison (not as an inmate mind you) and I'll have to pass. Sure it would be all the same sex intercourse you can handle but I'd rather spank it on the island until my year was up. (A year on a dessert island with Monica Lewinsky would be a better option) Plus the whole solitary confinement thing would really suck. Being alone on the island is one thing; but locked in a cell? No thanks. Yeah, the island thing would be worth the money. A year away from the stresses of life...I'll do it for half the money for that matter.
--Kel
25 million and the word "chance" make for an interesting choice of words.....I'd take the desert island, assuming it wasn't the Madison Ave type of island with a single palm and a 30' diameter pile of sand.
Solitary would be a dark and gloomy place and after a day or two of darkness, I'd be in the nuthouse forever....Boating makes me vomit....The island would at a minimum provide for a sunrise every morning and a different artistic sunset every evening. Not to mention the opportunity to utilize some creativity in food, shelter, etc... Anybody with me? late,
--the white guy
I am an island guy for a year. Solid land for a year will let me truely plan how i am going to spend my money...also the time on the island will let the world forget about me so I can return anonymously.
--Shawn
OK everybody seems to like the Island choice the best, so let me say a few words about masterbation (the caligraphy of love).Your hand does not cheat, steal, nor does it lie to you. Even if your hand could cheat on you, the skin that covers your skin and fingers produces an acid that defends against germs, foodborne illness, and possibly some socially communicable deseases(though it hasn't been proven yet...), so in retrospect, your hand is always WORKING in your best interest. No divorce, No PMS, jealousy, self doubt,or dependance without resentment. In short, a one year honeymoon with my FIRST love doesn't sound like such a bad idea. Prison? Das Boot? I say spank it till' the cows come home! Thank you.
P.S.- Despite it's dietary risks, pure palm oil actually makes a spectacular lubricant.
--BadMonkey
(He is, and will always be one of my heroes. And why do you think they call it palm oil anyway????--Rox)
Much Love To Shawn For The Topic This Week
10 August, 1998
What Is Your Defition Of Love?:
I JUST DIED HERE IN MY BED
THE DOCTOR CAME AND PRONOUNCED ME DEAD
I WISH THAT I COULD RAISE MY HEAD
JUST TO TELL YOU THAT I LOVE YOU
I REMEMBER ALL THE TIMES WE HAD
THE TIMES OF GOOD AND TIMES OF BAD
I SEE YOU CRYING, I FEEL SO SAD
I WISH I COULD TELL YOU THAT I LOVE YOU
I RECALL NOW THE DAY WE MET
THE AIR WAS COLD; THE GROUND WAS WET
ONE YEAR LATER A DATE WAS SET
SO I COULD TELL THE WORLD, I LOVE YOU
BUT NOW MY LOVE, MY LIFE IS DONE
THE MEMORIES WE WANTED HAD JUST BEGUN
DON’T CRY TOO MUCH, YOU’RE ALWAYS THE ONE
TO WHOM I’LL SAY…I LOVE YOU
--Lone Wolf
Love is being at peace with yourself which frees you up to give all you have to those who need it.
--Rox
....my definition of love...
it's that inexplicable tingling you get from the top of your head to the tips of your toes when you see her from afar....it's that ache in your heart that won't go away no matter what you do when you are away from her for any extended amount of time....it's that desire to be with her and talk to her when your in the middle of a busy day, to want to take the afternoon off for a "nap"....it's knowing that no matter what curves and challenges that life throws your way, you don't have to tackle them alone, you always will have your best friend with you to deal....it's the ultimate pleasure that you feel as you stroll down the sandy beach hand in hand, arm in arm, just being together and knowing that you are together forever...tata for now.....
--the white guy
(I think the people from Webster's should get a copy of this definition--Rox)
3 August, 1998
"Name Four People From History That You Would Invite Over For Dinner."
Al Einstein, Al Jourgensen, Jesus And Stimpy
--Rox
I think the four people I would invite over to dinner(for a special Taco Bell meal) would be the following:
1. God- If God came I could find out all that is right in the world, and ultimately feel fucked up cause I have not contributed to the greatness of the world.( Not yet anyways)
2. Rush Limbaugh -In establishing the many differences between Rush and myself, I could then feel great about what is right (excuse the pun) in me and how life is whole.
3. I would then invite Frida Kahlou {Diego's (oophs, I think I just pissed off some liberal thinking female power)Chick}: In Frida, I would ask the secrets of females and I would ask her to help me better understand my role as a good partner to my wife. Questions like: What is a good way to know what she is thinking even before she is thinking it? How can I best realize how to interpret of guess inderect or implied questions or messages with hidden meanings? What is the feminine mystique (oophs, wrong power)? What does she mean when she says "Just because I am a woman"? Help me feel your pain (oophs again, I guess I should of used that phrase)? Could you please explain to me the concept of changing the rules or your mind when things are not going your way? What is the best way to combat the crying game? Should we cry or does that make us too sensitive? Should we demand that as mature adults we don't bring emotions and moods into the mix, or would you think that as abrasive and oppresive? What is wrong with not talking about it and just accepting it for what it is? I had more questions but then the other guest would leave if I didn't pay attention to them. Plus, at that point my wife would of pinched my side or thrown something at me.
4. Ceazar Chavez (Farm worker
leader): No explanation needed
Bonus round:
5. My wife: Because she is my best friend and the dinner is not complete if she is not by my side.
(If she couldn't make it, I would of course invite Bahb!)
There you go Bobbo, Dinner at Jean Paul's. And as you know, I would of course serve "Ranch Puto."
--Jean Paul
Mickey Mantle, Ted Turner, Pamela Lee and Ben Franklin
--Mike S.
Okay, 4 ppl for dinner...
1. Adolf Hitler, just to find out what he was really thinkin'.
2. Ben Franklin, new nation and all that.
3. Kenny Loggins, just for some nice dinner music, and i'm sure he has some stories to tell.
4. The Virgin Mary, Christ's mother, talk about sacrifice!
Of course my wife would be there, although her list I'm sure will be different!
--The White Guy
1. Jesus - who else would say grace, break bread, and bring the wine
2. Ben Franklin - He's electric
3. Moses - In case he brings a "parting" gift
4. Joan of Arc - She's a babe
5. Matt Carroll - Someone's gotta do the dishes
--Shawn (for you Bob!!)
Wanna know the top 5 historical figures i'd have over for dinner?
- HAS TO BE Bill Shakespeare. Even though he likes boys, he sure knows how to spit game.
- Joseph Smith -"cmon, you made that whole Mormon religion up just so you could get more chicks!!"
The last three historical figures i'd invite to dinner would be Jesus H. Christ, Buhdda and Mohammed. I'd say to them, "see what you fuckers did? why couldn't you be more like Joseph Smith??" -peace
--eric (padrote grande)
Say Bahb, just for kicks I'd have to say....
1. The founding member of the Klu Klux Klan.
(Nathan Bedford Forrest-from Forrest Gump--Rox).
2. Adolf Hitler
(Since the dead Austrian corporal has made it to dinner twice so far, I send you this from Joe Strummer
of The Clash--Rox)
"If Adolf Hitler were here today, they'd send a limosuine anyway."
3. Saddam Hussien
4. Jesus with a short fuse and a short range firearm (He's been gone a long time.) If not Jesus, Malcolm X with a long leather whip will do just fine. (Short temper still intact.)
--BadMonkey
Four Historic Dinner Guests;
1. Albert Einstein- We need a good brain to pay the bill.
2. Eliot Ness- You got to love the "Untouchables"
3. Amelia Earhart- I would like to know what really happened to her, and not only that what was it like being a woman pilot.
4. Samuel Clemens- Mark Twain was far ahead of his time, and I loved his portrayal on "Star Trek: The Next Generation."
--Joe
I'd have to say;
Jesus Christ, Albert Einstein, Abe Lincoln and the great inventor Ben Franklin.
--Kel
Thanks to Shawn for this week's topic.
27 July, 1998
"When I really have to pee, I like to..."
When I really have to pee, I like to speak Farsi.
--Rox
When I really have to pee, I like to start thinking about the next beer as I head to the bathroom.
--Shawn
When I pee I feel a deep set feeling of relaxation. Like a dam has been opened and all the wild waters of the mountians come rushing through my stream at once. Then I rezip, and I feel at peace with mother nature once again.
--MINDSLIP® (AKA)Fazibear
When I really have to pee, I like to break me off a little sumthin-sumthin while waiting in line. (Does it matter:m/f? Sorry...i had to ask him as a point of record--Rox) No, I'll break 'em all off.
--Antoine
When I go/have to go pee, I like to convince myself that holding it is a pleasurable thing and that I really do like the sensation of holding it in. I hate the ideas of running water or water falls. It feels soooo good to keep holding it. I wonder what Freud what say about this.
--IG
(Maybe, and i'm just spitballing here, he'd say that while sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, it still makes him think we all want to do his mom--Rox)
When I really have to pee, I like to let out an extremely loud sigh of relief when finished. It never fails to piss off the wife or annoy those standing near.
--Kel
(Antoine, I'd like you to meet Kelly. Kelly, this is Antoine. You two seem to have a lot in common--Rox)
I'm Done Here,
Take Me Back To The Truth.
Send Your Insights And Answers To His Baldness at:
© 1998 [email protected]
