August 31, 2004
That was sort of a large leap. From what I expect from and think of Theology to how I intend to rescue the world. There are so many problems in the world and not many I believe I could change. Of course I could say the cliché things like, \”I\’ll vote to change the world\” or \”I\’ll conserve water.\” But in the big scheme of things, one person doesn’t make a difference unless everyone decides to take that small step in the right direction. If I\’m going to implement a plan to change the world through me it\’ll have to be something that I can see the result of in my immediate surroundings. Writing letters that the administrative assistants at the senator’s office are going to read and then disregard with the rest of the unhappy citizen’s mail isn\’t going to cut it. If I intend to embark on a journey of this magnitude I aim to toss my entire self into the project and produce changes that make a difference to some even if its just one. Therefore I believe I should think about this overnight. Let it roll around and marinate before I intimidate the world with my ability to repair the issues. (Smile). So I\’ll be back.

September 1, 2004
All day today I’ve been trying to figure out the three biggest problems in the world. I didn’t just want to talk about the problems I don’t have a solution for, so my list is short and incomplete. I can think of many issues that affect the world, but I’m not certain if I want to classify them as the three most important or major situations. I took a lot into consideration. I don’t want to just pick anything. I want my three choices to mean something. I want to be able to change them, as the following assignments indicate I will be required to do. Therefore, the only thing I can produce at the current time is a list of issue that plaque the world, who all are in a very close race to be the chosen three. –Pollution- Poverty- racial discrimination- gender discrimination- crime- child abuse- spousal abuse- violence- illiteracy- educational programs-animal abuse- environmental waste- lack of conservation- war- forced democracy-low moral standards- unaware citizens-lack of voter participation- homelessness- natural disaster relief inadequacy- important under funded programs, such as ones who will aid the programs invented to provide assistance for the issues above, -ignorance- lack of motivation- no new ideas to old problems. Well in other words, I’ve got to many thoughts rolling around this big head of mine, to pick just three and then choose one to attempt to affect. Once again I’m afraid I’ll have to get back to you on this one.

(Just a side note: Class was interesting today. “The Tale of Two Brothers” was good, that would make an interesting blockbuster movie. I haven’t figured out any actors for the production, but it’s currently in the developmental stages. I like that the professor doesn’t just drone on and on, losing most of the class in lecture. He’s hands on and individual ,I like that. There is a lot of free expression in this class. I wonder if he’s doing that on purpose or if it’s purely coincidence.
I read the required reading, didn’t really understand it, and therefore am not a fan of the random answer generator, or whatever you want to call it. If my group by any chance reads this, are we going to meet do this project or just look it up individually and then pool our answers into one super answer? Well I doubt they’ll read this anyway. I know I’m not circling the site looking for other classmate’s papers to read. Maybe if your comment got you extra points then I’d feel motivated. Well have to head to work.)

September 2, 2004
Ok, I’m ready. I’ve finally narrowed down my list of issues with the world. The world is full of problems and is constantly producing more. However, three greatest problems are, discrimination, illiteracy, and pollution. I chose these three because if they continue they’ll only increase in size. The longer we let discrimination continue to more people begin to accept it and it continues in a downward spiral. Historically discrimination has always caused greater problems, even war. We discriminate against different races, genders, sexual preference, and even social status. We are constantly in a search of a way to separate ourselves from one another. Even after the usual division of race or gender, we must continue to divide either by social class or level of education. There are so many divisions within divisions. How can we ever accomplish anything if the majority of our time is spent discovering ways to divide. Either way the same people end up in multiple categories. The while male, may be homosexual or low class or the black woman may be heterosexual and middle class, what categories do we place them in during these situations. How can it be decided how we will treat a person or what they are capable of by their categories if they fall into multiple categories.
Another problem that plagues our world today is illiteracy. It’s so important to be able to read in our current society. Without this skill, your chances of success is reduced. The fact that there are so many people who are unable to read even the simplest text, proves that we as a society aren’t concerned with the success and intelligence of our communities as a whole. We only measure ourselves by our strengths and not our weaknesses. If you are unable to read, how can take your drivers test. Even the simplest of jobs requires some reading and the accommodations for this handicap are disappearing. There are fewer picture menus.
The final issue I’ve decided to address is pollution. Unless we take care of the world we have, there will be no world of tomorrow and therefore all the other problems are irrelevant. I babbled on so much about pollution the first time I wrote that I thought about it the longest and therefore it made my top 10 list.

September 3, 2004 I missed class today, so I guess I voilated my class commitments. I try not to but it\’s hard to make every class, every day, there\’s alot else that goes on in my life that doesn\’t include school. There\’s work and play! I\’m not MIA all the time, just occasionally. That should definalty be my only absence of the month of September unless something happens. -knock on wood- I wonder what we did today in class. Probably went over the readings. Hopefully it isn\’t anything I can\’t catch up on. I\’ll be there Wednesday definetly. (for more reason that one) Well, I have to finish my writing on the topic. Hey by the way I think we should have until Sunday to finish all 2000 words. Friday is so much of a crunch.

-The problem in the world I think I could make the most difference changing would be pollution. If more people were aware of the problem, then more peolple would take steps to prevent it. I could work to raise awarness of the problem and organize small projects to do my part in correcting it.
I think it\’ll be easier to affect this problem because many people are remotely aware that there is a problem. So it won\’t take so much conviencing to get people to take the first step, admitting there is a problem. Then maybe if everyone was given a small part in the big picture, because everyone isn\’t ready to take the big step, they\’d readily plunge into action. My wheels have aready begun to spin. I can think of so many ways to work my angle. See , the problem is everyone expects people to go out of there way to help when really that\’s out of character for human beigns. If you make things easier for them to incorporate into their aready busy lives, they are more likely to participate. We need to think small, before we think big. Make sure their is something that relates to everyone, men and women, children and adults.
But the question reverts back to exactly how to complete this. It\’s hard to appeal to everyone. The idea that\’ll reach our society\’s children will be easily dismissed by the adults. It takes so much support to produce results in a problem that is large. Pollution affects so many people, that it seems logical that eveyone would rush to help, but this, however is just not the case. The major issue with solving this problem goes back to what I stated earlier. People fall into multiple catergories and it\’s hard to appeal to all of the catergories. The support of a liberal organization may aid in the loss of the support of a more conservative group. Dilima\’s, Dilima\’s ! There are just so many aspects to look at when trying to lay the foundation of such a large plan. Maybe the president doesn\’t have as easy of a job as I thought. (Even though I don\’t support Bush in any way) I think he may have a really hard job. (and a really small mental capacity). *But of course no one asked me.*

-Side note-
I don\’ t know how I feel about this blogging idea. It\’s hard to find time to do the typing/writting. I realize what Dr. Homan is trying to do, get of involved and thinking. Of course I applaude the effort. But 2000 words is alot. Not really alot to say but a lot to find time to type. I think next time around 1500 words would be a little better. The last 500 words seem to take the longest. You type and type and type and then suddenly you\’ve get 1500 words, minutes later and what seems like hundreds of words later, to your surprise you only have 1679. Maybe because I should be thinking of each blog as a mini paper. Make an outline of things I want to talk about and the type a detailed paragraph about each one. You know that\’s a good idea. But knowing how lazy I can be I doubt it gets done. But I intend to but forth a strong effort complete a 2000 blog weekly. So bear with me.

(*Hey I have comments on this blog. Do you mean to tell me that Dr. Homan reads all of these blogs? Are you serious? He\’s got way more heart and free time than I\’ll ever have. Way to go Dr. Homan. You must no sleep. Be some sort of Super Theologian, (if their is such a thing.) Do yo read at the speed of light? Well I\’m in total awe, at a lost for words,even. All I can really say is don\’t work to hard. Remember to stop and stretch, You know breathe and eat. You can\’t be a one man blogging task force. Unless that\’s what you were striving for. If so, more power to you. Hope your having just as much fun reading as I am typing. Well I take that back. I hope your having at least some fun. Because this typing is agonizing. But it\’s all for a good cause right. I keep reminding myself of that. It is a far, far, better thing I do now………It is a far, far, better thing I do now…….It is a far, far , better thing I do now……It is a far, far, better thing I do now.

*Hey this is my addition in attempt to reach my 2000 word minimum. You know after rereading my blogs, I think sometimes I have so really intelligent things to say. Not to toot my own horn, but some of the things I think have some real substance. If only i was consistant with that trait, then maybe this changing the world thing would be a little easier. That\’ll be my motivation for the second semester, attempting to put my helpful deep thoughts in the blogs. Continue the excitiment and enthusiam I put forth in my first few blogs. However, somehow I know that unless I get a lot more free time or reread my commitment to myself and my blogs I\’ll probably forget. But we\’ve got both fingers crossed that I don\’t.

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