Day Nineteen

Pretend to be a secret agent. No one can know. This Book was a pretext to get in touch with you. Your government needs you. Don't look up now, they are watching. Meet at 13:00 today outside work. Wave at the gray car. It will pick you up and take you to the secret redenzvous. Good luck. P.S. Tear this page out and swallow it.

I should preface the following by stating that if you read this post you will be killed...
I started the day by listening to "Secret Agent Man" by Johnny Rivers to get in the mood. I also donned a mask, but I couldn't find a wig. At 13:00 hours, I went outside to wave to the gray car. They waved pleasantly, but did not stop. A second gray car passed several minutes later. Again, a friendly return wave, but they did not come back for me. I went out into the middle of the street, to force the issue. When I saw the next gray car approaching, I jumped out in front of it. It came screeching to a halt, and I waved. This driver was not as friendly as the previous two. Then, a police car came onto the scene. Knowing that the lowly local cops are not often included in "Federal Business" I knew I needed to escape. I darted off the road and barrel rolled into some shrubbery. Unfortunately, I landed on my keys. That really hurts.

Day Eighteen

Kill Something Day. So-called Western Civilization suppresses our legitimate aggressive impulses. Cast off the chains of narrow morality and stamp out the sad life of a member of some inferior species today: an ant or perhaps a gnat of some kind. Indulge your dark urges before they overwhelm you. After all, as top Russian anarchist Mikhail Bakunin declared: the passion for destruction is also a creative passion...

-I stepped on and PURPOSEFULLY killed a weak, small spider today.

-I felt big and mighty.

-Now...I can't hold back from taking over countries.

Day Thirteen

Send a letter to a mass murderer

Charles Manson
California State Prison
B - 33920, 4AR-23
PO Box 3479
Corcora, CA 93212, USA


I was actually a bit afraid to send this letter...but I did it anyways.
I'm not sure why I had such a fear. In the end it was liberating.
I hope it really made it there. I asked what he will ask for on his last meal for his last request. I hope it got him thinking about the end.

Day Five

Mass social experiment. Cut out and stick this sign:


on any item of public infrastructure you might encounter today, including but not limited to: elevators, garbage trucks, cranes, phone booths, toilets, ventilation units, escalators, entrances to subway stations. The aim is to achieve comprehensive social breakdown across the US.

I placed this sign on three different places:
1) My computer at work...NO MORE WORKING!!! (a-ha-ha!)


2) Blue...a fellow employee at work...NO MORE WORKING FOR BLUE!!!


and finally, 3) the toilet in the women's bathroom...NO MORE WOMEN IN THERE!


Social breakdown...look out...

Day One

As this was the first day, the authors suggested I "warm up with an easy task that will only change your life a little bit." I found several suggestions, along with the idea that if I wanted to really dive in headfirst I should turn to a random page and do what it says. In the interest of keeping each of the 365 days of this program original but not easing too slowly into my new life, I accomplished several of the tasks on this list. The tasks I completed, in no particular order...

-Do one press-up: I am assuming this means push-up. Done.
-Jaywalk in a pedestrian zone: Color me bad, as in badass!
-Whisper a white lie when no one's listening: Hint-it rhymes with stethoscope.
-Fantasize about your partner: Oh yeah...
-Say "Yo" instead of "hello": I do this regularly anyway, to keep people on their toes.
-Bookmark a new website: Here it is.
-Go on a one minute hunger strike: I went on strike to protest the lack of snack packs in my office. Lame.
-Choose which of your toes is the prettiest: Left foot, fourth toe.

See you tomorrow...

This Blog Will Change Your Life

A few years ago I had something traumatic happen to me and a friend gave me this book.


I tried to go through this book at the time, but ended up failing.
I recently stumbled upon this book again while going through boxes from my past that were lost in storage.

I have decided to try again.

Boasting to be "part instruction manual, part therapy, part cult, part sheer anarchy" this book offers 365 days worth of instructions for hysterical living. It just so happens my life can use a little hysteria. What will follow starting today, Friday November 7, 2008, will be a record of my daily attempts to base my life on this book. We'll see what happens...

***

In preparation to begin my journey, there are a few things to mention:

-in the front cover of this book, there is a note. it reads: "Jami- Here's to the first day of your second life. See you in Paris. I love you."

-I am so excited!

Harrismith, South Africa

Hey everyone,
As promised...here are some pics from Africa!
I'll have more up when I get home!

Base in Harrismith ("Harry - smith")


"AFRICA POSE!!"


Team on day one
(it's so beautiful here!)


Village of Qwa Qwa


Mount Everst Game Reserve


Beautiful village children!

AFRICA!

Hello HELLO from Africa!!
I finally stole a minute to use the internet here in the middle of God's creation!!
I so wanted to post a few pictures for you all to see...but the computer if circa 1980 or something...

ANYWAYS! It is AH-MA-ZING here! I arrived in Joberg (Johannasberg) on Thursday evening (Thursday morning in the states) and have been running ever since! I can't believe that I'm here....today finally sunk in for me.

I am about to run to dinner (yes it is night here).

More to come...

xoxo
-jami

WARNING: stolen

So I stole this survey/questionnaire from Josh Mick.
I loved it...so...here it is:

The principle aspect of my personality: I try to relate to everyone and empathise consistently.

The quality that I desire in a man: Honesty.

The quality that I desire in a woman: Unconditional love.

What I appreciate most about my friends: Each has a different number on me. They read my mail each in their own way.

My main fault: Lack of a "filter" (mostly of what comes out of my mouth. I'm brutally honest to a fault)

My favorite occupation: Advocate...fighting for someone else is beautiful.

My dream of happiness: To keep dreaming, creating, and taking care of other people to the best of my abilities.

What would be my greatest misfortune?: To live my life how I think it should go without asking God's opinion.

What I should like to be: Dependable, honest, genuine, happy.

The country where I should like to live: Africa (country to be decided at a later date), Czech, Italy.

My favorite color: Red.

The flower that I like: Daisy.

My favorite prose authors: Chuck Klosterman, Kurt Vonnegut.

My favorite poets: So far: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Poe.

My heroes in fiction: Siris Black.

My favorite heroines in fiction: Elizabeth Gilbert.

My favorite composers: Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Webber.

My favorite painters: Pollock, Frida Kahlo.

My heroes in real life: Bono, Jesus, Veterans (of any war).

My heroines in history: Hummm...Elizabeth I

My favorite names: Yahweh

What I hate most of all: Racism, hate, inconsideration, etc.etc.etc.

Historical figures that I despise the most: The ones that don't think for themselves (Nazis, followers...)

The military event that I admire most: Peace talks

The reform which I admire the most: Abolition.

The gift of nature that I would like to have: I would like to heal things.

How I want to die: Ready.

My present state of mind: Concerned.

Faults for which I have the most indulgence: I am impatient, which makes my indulge the want for everything I think I need right then.

My motto: All you need is love.

coincidence ....maybe.

I received this forture from facebook today:

Could this be predicting my weekend?...

...I think so! :)

new hair, new flair

in celebration of summer, i've decided to go back blonde for the next little while.


bring on the sunshine, beaches, baseball games, and giggles. :)

becoming a christian...

Robin Russell at the UM Portal describes an article from the Baptist Standard,
explaining step-by-step instructions on how to become a Christian. After listing them, she asks,

And I wondered if a United Methodist were asked, "How do I become a Christian?" what would be the response?

A colleague here in the newsroom only half-jokingly commented: "Perhaps that's why we have problems with evangelism."

Any fresh responses out there beyond: "Um, come to church with me?"

__________________________________________________________________________________

Part of the difficulty, I think, is in the question itself. I'm reminded of the old joke, where a visitor to New York asks a local, "How do I get to Carnegie Hall?" The local, who happens to be a professional musician, replies, "Practice, practice, practice."

Christianity is not like building a bookshelf from a kit. You can't just follow a short set of step-by-step instructions -- Insert tab A "grace" into slot B "guilt," and you're done! No, Christianity is a transformation of the whole self, a journey that lasts a lifetime (and beyond).

And the roads that lead us there may be different for different people. For myself, it was a sense of loneliness, not the "lostness" the Baptist Standard requires, that paved the way for me to first experience God. And it was a mystical experience, not an intellectual understanding about Jesus' sacrifice, that started me along the journey.

I find the journey metaphor helpful in another way, too: If you're giving someone directions to get to your house, the first step is to find their starting point. "Go south on I-35 to the 119th Street exit," might get some people started on the right road, but it is likely to get other people completely lost.

Likewise, "How do I become a Christian?" is a highly subjective question. How they will get there is going to depend largely on where they are right now.

When the rich young ruler asked Jesus how to inherit eternal life, Jesus answered, "One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." To the thief on the cross, Jesus simply said, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise."

So how do we answer someone who asks, "How do I become a Christian?" First, we get to know them, understand who they are and where they are. It is only as we build relationships with people that we can help them answer that question. Otherwise, we may unintentionally lead them away from where they need to go.

my blog's been neglected lately...

sorry i've been too busy for you blog...

my newest creation

I painted this:


this last week for my good friend Josh.

Happy Happy (late) Birthday Friend! :)

Phil. 1:1-11

As you may, or may not know, I have accepted the challenge and am participating in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in June of 2008.

Every three minutes, another woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer! I was shocked to learn how prevalent this horrible disease has become in our country. This issue quickly became very near and dear to my heart!

I am eager to get started with my fundraising and I need your support! I have pledged to raise money for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer as part of my participation in the walk. Contributions will help to support medical research into the possible causes of and cure for breast cancer, education and early detection programs, and clinical care and support services for women with breast cancer in communities across the country. There is a special focus on helping medically underserved women, the poor, minorities, the elderly, or those with inadequate health insurance. And much of the money granted by the Foundation goes back to the communities where it was raised, supporting everything from local grassroots programs to national organizations.

It is faster and easier than ever to support this great cause - you can make a donation online by simply clicking on the link to my personal walk page! Whatever you can give will help! I truly appreciate your support and will keep you posted on my progress.

Thank you for your support; you really do make a difference.

Click here to visit my personal page.

taboo

In an authentic manner, the whole point to make art is to:
1. create and then…

2. talk.
3. discuss.
4. converse.
5. engage.
6. share.
7. encourage.
8. involve.
9. commune.

St. Jude

Patron Saint of lost Causes.




Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.
-St. Francis of Assisi

a different perspective

“This is an emergency - normal rules don’t apply. There are no easy good or bad guys. Do you think an African mother cares if the drugs keeping her child alive are thanks to an iPod or a church plate? Or a Democrat or a Republican? I don’t think that mother gives a damn about where that 20-cent pill comes from, so why should we. It can lead to some uncomfortable bedfellows, but sometimes less sleep means you are more awake.”
- Bono on Africa from the current issue of Vanity Fair

americans are dumb

Do you think Americans are stupid?

If you say yes, then this is for you.

You are American.

Americans are dumb. Why have I heard so many Americans say this? I guess I understand why they are saying it, but I still don't get it. "I think Americans are dumb." Yeah all Americans but you and the people you know right? America is a big place smarty, with lots of people. Some of us are bound to be stupid. But there are plenty of freggin geniuses too. Have you forgotten that? Have you forgotten all the Americans that are smarter than you? More moral? Stronger? There are plenty out there.

What are you afraid of? You're like the person who betrays their friends when someone makes fun of them. A pretend outsider looking in. You're the man who laughs at his wife when everyone else does.

You are not responsible for the crap your countrymen pulled before you were born. But you are the lazy person who simply moves when their house gets dirty.

Americans are stupid; they shop at wal-mart, that's why I shop at Target. haha.

Clean your house you lazy pig; you contributed to the mess.

Patriotism is not just for rednecks; it isn't just for conservatives and the rich. So stop thinking that somewhere else is so much better. What do you think the Italians are all freggin Einsteins? People in India must really have it made, seeing as each one of them is so smart. Will you feel right at home in Venezuela where everyone is just like you?

Grow up. How about instead of going all apocalyptic and swearing you'll move to Canada you try to make your home better?

Sweeping generalizations are fallacies. They're wrong and counterproductive. Stop being a worthless misfit.