This document is a collection of essays and stories by Michael Keever. It begins by introducing the author and acknowledging that as an internet blogger, his credibility may be questioned. The first story describes how the author used to be arrogant and self-absorbed, only caring about himself. He realized the irony that while living only for his own gratification, his life was in God's hands. The story then describes how the author was diagnosed with cancer and a brain tumor after his mother passed away from cancer. This tragedy and diagnosis led to a period of clarity and spiritual growth for the author.
This document summarizes three stories from the book "Paths to Happiness" about people overcoming personal struggles through commitment to growth and positive change. The first story is about a woman who overcame depression by taking a secretarial job at a counseling center and finding purpose in helping others. The second story is about a woman who lost a significant amount of weight by becoming a contestant on the TV show "The Biggest Loser" and learning her value does not depend on her weight. The third story is about a woman's struggle with compulsive shopping and collecting at garage sales.
This document is an e-book titled "The 7 Pervasive Whims" by Scott E. Byorum. It explores interpretations of the seven deadly sins - lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride. The introduction frames the sins as pervasive aspects of human nature that can be detrimental if not overcome. Each sin is then examined individually through poetic passages and short quotes from various contributors defining when one knows they have succumbed to that sin.
This poem reflects on the Stations of the Cross and uses each station as a prompt for contemplation on suffering in the modern world, such as oppression, poverty, addiction, and pressures on children. It calls us to have courage in speaking out against injustice, to see Christ in those who are struggling, and to help others in their times of falling down.
This document is an interview transcript between the author and several of his family members about his mother's breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. It provides insights into how each family member reacted emotionally upon learning the news. The author's father was the first to be told by the mother and supported her through initial fear and scans. The grandmother accepted it quickly but became upset shopping for wigs. The aunt was very nervous waiting with the grandmother for biopsy results. Overall, the document examines the variable emotional experiences of different family members in relation to the mother's illness.
To grieve like a man is to grieve differently than a woman. It is not an option of better, worse, or less suitable, it’s just that a man’s way of grieving is different. Since it is different it is often confusing to others and can result in unwarranted isolation. “While women tend to react to the loss of a loved one as abandonment, men perceive it as losing part of themselves, as if severing an arm or leg.” (Learning to Live Through Loss)
This document is an issue of a publication called "Activated" that discusses maintaining faith through difficult times. The editor's introduction recounts the story of the prophet Habakkuk maintaining faith in God despite injustice and violence around him. The main articles provide tips for keeping faith strong, including feeding on God's word, praying, drawing strength from others' experiences, and thanking God for his goodness. The overall message is that through trusting God and his promises, one can have peace even in life's storms.
An psychological, sociological and spiritual exploration of the need for forgiveness as well as its clear distinction from appeasement. A must-read for today's policy-makers.
This document summarizes three stories from the book "Paths to Happiness" about people overcoming personal struggles through commitment to growth and positive change. The first story is about a woman who overcame depression by taking a secretarial job at a counseling center and finding purpose in helping others. The second story is about a woman who lost a significant amount of weight by becoming a contestant on the TV show "The Biggest Loser" and learning her value does not depend on her weight. The third story is about a woman's struggle with compulsive shopping and collecting at garage sales.
This document is an e-book titled "The 7 Pervasive Whims" by Scott E. Byorum. It explores interpretations of the seven deadly sins - lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride. The introduction frames the sins as pervasive aspects of human nature that can be detrimental if not overcome. Each sin is then examined individually through poetic passages and short quotes from various contributors defining when one knows they have succumbed to that sin.
This poem reflects on the Stations of the Cross and uses each station as a prompt for contemplation on suffering in the modern world, such as oppression, poverty, addiction, and pressures on children. It calls us to have courage in speaking out against injustice, to see Christ in those who are struggling, and to help others in their times of falling down.
This document is an interview transcript between the author and several of his family members about his mother's breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. It provides insights into how each family member reacted emotionally upon learning the news. The author's father was the first to be told by the mother and supported her through initial fear and scans. The grandmother accepted it quickly but became upset shopping for wigs. The aunt was very nervous waiting with the grandmother for biopsy results. Overall, the document examines the variable emotional experiences of different family members in relation to the mother's illness.
To grieve like a man is to grieve differently than a woman. It is not an option of better, worse, or less suitable, it’s just that a man’s way of grieving is different. Since it is different it is often confusing to others and can result in unwarranted isolation. “While women tend to react to the loss of a loved one as abandonment, men perceive it as losing part of themselves, as if severing an arm or leg.” (Learning to Live Through Loss)
This document is an issue of a publication called "Activated" that discusses maintaining faith through difficult times. The editor's introduction recounts the story of the prophet Habakkuk maintaining faith in God despite injustice and violence around him. The main articles provide tips for keeping faith strong, including feeding on God's word, praying, drawing strength from others' experiences, and thanking God for his goodness. The overall message is that through trusting God and his promises, one can have peace even in life's storms.
An psychological, sociological and spiritual exploration of the need for forgiveness as well as its clear distinction from appeasement. A must-read for today's policy-makers.
All of my e books compiled together over a period of some time with the intention to create content that can add value with experiential learning becoming an important element!!!
HAPPY READING & LIVING WITH PURPOSE!!!
The author asks "Why me?" in response to enduring chemotherapy, radiation treatment, and other personal hardships. While reading the Old Testament, the author finds comfort knowing that even biblical heroes faced discouragement in their trials. Though some trials strengthened individuals and pointed to God, all reflected God's faithfulness as the heroes continued walking by faith. The author's hardships have made them long to trust and rest in God's plan despite unanswered questions, taking comfort that God remains present, even in darkness.
Brother's Keeper James 5:19,20 Adapted from a Tim Bond sermon http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/brothers-keeper-tim-bond-sermon-on-friendship-general-50904.asp
Paradigm of an empowered woman as shown in kamala markandaya’s nectar in a sieveAngie Magdasoc
This paper analyzes the characters of Rukmani and Ira in the novel Nectar in a Sieve to portray empowered women. Rukmani faces immense hardship, including poverty, the deaths of children, and discovering her husband's infidelity, yet remains strong, educated, and devoted to her family. Her daughter Ira also displays courage in turning to prostitution to support her family during famine and in raising her son who has albinism. The paper argues that these women demonstrate that modern women are no longer subservient, but rather the primary nurturers and sources of strength for their families through adversity.
Dunn discusses with Nikki his views on morality, society, religion, and the purpose of life. He believes society is corrupt and beyond saving, and wants to help slow its decay through his actions. Nikki disagrees with his methods and believes they will only breed more hate. Though they debate the existence of God, higher forces, and the origins of the universe, no conclusions are reached.
This document is a student paper submitted to a health care professor exploring whether evil spirits truly exist. It presents arguments that if evil spirits like the devil do not exist, then parts of Christianity fall apart and there would be no consequences for immoral actions. The paper also summarizes biblical passages that reference evil spirits and shares a first-hand account of someone who claims to have been possessed by three demons. The student concludes that while evil spirits are difficult to believe in without direct experience, stories of possession suggest there is a possibility that they exist.
This document provides an overview and reviews of the book "A Love Like This" by Kahlen Aymes, which is the third book in "The Remembrance Trilogy". The summary describes how Ryan and Julia's marriage is tested when Ryan feels guilty after saving a coworker who was injured saving his life, and grows closer to her, threatening his relationship with Julia. The reviews praise the book for its emotional depth and exploration of Ryan and Julia's relationship under strain.
Illustrations, humor, poetry and quotations vol 2GLENN PEASE
This document contains a collection of short quotations, poems, stories and advice on various topics such as alcohol, animals, attitudes, and apologizing. Some key points:
- Several historical figures like Edison, Taft and Lincoln advocated abstaining from alcohol, comparing it to putting sand in delicate machinery.
- A Marine Corps safety officer developed the slogan "He who comes forth with a fifth on the Fourth may not come forth on the fifth" to discourage drinking over a holiday weekend.
- Attitude is likened to the position of an airplane - a good attitude can help one succeed while a bad attitude leads to poor performance, just as the position of a plane affects its flight.
Kimberly came home one evening to find her husband had committed suicide by hanging himself from their balcony. She found a suicide note and had to cut him down. In the aftermath, Kimberly struggled with grief, anger, financial difficulties, and loneliness from losing her husband suddenly. Around the one year anniversary, everyday reminders like emergency vehicles would cause her to break down crying. She questions if her heart will ever feel whole again and struggles with depression. Kimberly works to process her grief and maintain relationships, while depending on her faith and finding strength in God during this difficult time in her life.
1. Red Winter follows the Norse settlers in Vinland as they establish new villages and face threats from rival factions and invaders from their homeland. As war approaches, the young settlements will have to survive the challenge.
2. Solar Storms is a prequel story to the sci-fi thriller Orbs. In 2055, scientists Drs. Sophie Winston and Emanuel Rodriguez are recruited by NASA to monitor unprecedented solar storms that may not be natural events. As a massive storm approaches Earth, they begin to suspect something is feeding the storms from millions of miles away.
3. Shad'Rah introduces the fantasy world of Kiy
This document summarizes a story about a 92-year-old legally blind woman named Maurine Jones who moved into a nursing home after her husband of 70 years passed away. When told about her tiny new room, Maurine enthusiastically said she loved it. When asked why since she hadn't seen it yet, Maurine replied that happiness is something you decide on ahead of time, not based on circumstances. She said she chooses every morning to be thankful for what she can do rather than dwell on her limitations. The document emphasizes that our attitudes don't have to be dictated by circumstances, and that we each have a choice in how we live our lives.
Jackie Allred has been working towards her Bachelor's degree in History for 30 years while working full time and raising her two adopted children, Marissa and Alex. Her research paper focuses on understanding Marissa's emotional struggles with being adopted after Marissa found and contacted her birth parents. Through research on adoption forums and literature, Allred has come to understand that the experience of adoption affects all parties in complex ways, but the adopted child often reacts most strongly, though reactions vary significantly between individuals. Her goal is to help Marissa by gaining insight into the perspectives of adopted children and birth mothers.
The document provides a summary of Gary Eby's approach to life coaching and overcoming fears and negative thoughts. It describes how Eby helps clients overcome challenges through a "stop and think" process of slowing down thoughts, using positive self-talk, and seeking help from others. It then gives examples of how Eby used these techniques to overcome his own fears and doubts about publishing a book, which ultimately led to him signing a publishing contract.
School Thy Feelings, O My Brother by Thomas S. MonsonThomas S. Monson
The document is a talk given by President Thomas S. Monson to members of the priesthood. In 3 sentences:
President Monson counsels members of the priesthood to choose to refrain from anger, as anger is destructive and not of God. He tells the story of a couple whose marriage was destroyed by anger, which caused the husband to injure their child during an argument. President Monson testifies that with choice, it is possible to not become angry and instead have the Spirit, encouraging the priesthood holders to make that choice.
This paper reviews key concepts found in an excellent book on conflict, truth and reconciliation and how I have applied a number of these core concepts in my own ministry. I share some of the blunders I have made in cultural "insensitivity."
ERIDANUS - Yonder Waters (Reading Club Edition)EridanusYonder
Yonder Waters is a memoir by Eridanus Yonder (a pen name) about his experiences in sailing class at summer camp at Camp Nissicone back in the previous millennium.
This document provides an overview and endorsement quotes for the book "3 Minutes to God - Shooting Cows... and 49 other ways to see God in your life" by Wade Grassedonio. The book uses humorous and poignant personal stories to reveal insights about how God wants to work in people's daily lives. It is endorsed by pastors, ministry leaders, and others who praise Grassedonio's storytelling ability and how the stories show life lessons and evidence of God's love. The document provides publishing information and a table of contents for the book's chapters.
Adele taught the author important lessons about facing challenges alone without family support. Adele was diagnosed with lung cancer as a single, childless woman living alone. She received help from her neighborhood community during her illness. Despite the difficulties of dealing with cancer without a spouse or children, Adele maintained her courage and independence until her death.
This document is a dissertation that explores spiritual intelligence in adolescents ages 12-18. It uses three surveys to measure spiritual intelligence and spirituality in 115 adolescents. The surveys found high scores on spiritual intelligence in some adolescents. Females scored significantly higher than males on one survey. The dissertation interviewed 15 high scorers to understand their lived experience of spirituality. The interviews revealed eight major categories including definitions of spirituality and God, importance of family, spiritual experiences, role models, and spiritual values. The dissertation suggests some adolescents display high levels of spiritual intelligence through spiritual values, experiences, and practices to connect to the divine.
The document discusses the growth of green energy sources and policies to support their adoption. Many governments around the world have implemented renewable portfolio standards and incentives to increase investment and development of wind, solar, and other renewable resources. These policies have led to significant cost reductions and made green energy more economically viable over the past decade.
All of my e books compiled together over a period of some time with the intention to create content that can add value with experiential learning becoming an important element!!!
HAPPY READING & LIVING WITH PURPOSE!!!
The author asks "Why me?" in response to enduring chemotherapy, radiation treatment, and other personal hardships. While reading the Old Testament, the author finds comfort knowing that even biblical heroes faced discouragement in their trials. Though some trials strengthened individuals and pointed to God, all reflected God's faithfulness as the heroes continued walking by faith. The author's hardships have made them long to trust and rest in God's plan despite unanswered questions, taking comfort that God remains present, even in darkness.
Brother's Keeper James 5:19,20 Adapted from a Tim Bond sermon http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/brothers-keeper-tim-bond-sermon-on-friendship-general-50904.asp
Paradigm of an empowered woman as shown in kamala markandaya’s nectar in a sieveAngie Magdasoc
This paper analyzes the characters of Rukmani and Ira in the novel Nectar in a Sieve to portray empowered women. Rukmani faces immense hardship, including poverty, the deaths of children, and discovering her husband's infidelity, yet remains strong, educated, and devoted to her family. Her daughter Ira also displays courage in turning to prostitution to support her family during famine and in raising her son who has albinism. The paper argues that these women demonstrate that modern women are no longer subservient, but rather the primary nurturers and sources of strength for their families through adversity.
Dunn discusses with Nikki his views on morality, society, religion, and the purpose of life. He believes society is corrupt and beyond saving, and wants to help slow its decay through his actions. Nikki disagrees with his methods and believes they will only breed more hate. Though they debate the existence of God, higher forces, and the origins of the universe, no conclusions are reached.
This document is a student paper submitted to a health care professor exploring whether evil spirits truly exist. It presents arguments that if evil spirits like the devil do not exist, then parts of Christianity fall apart and there would be no consequences for immoral actions. The paper also summarizes biblical passages that reference evil spirits and shares a first-hand account of someone who claims to have been possessed by three demons. The student concludes that while evil spirits are difficult to believe in without direct experience, stories of possession suggest there is a possibility that they exist.
This document provides an overview and reviews of the book "A Love Like This" by Kahlen Aymes, which is the third book in "The Remembrance Trilogy". The summary describes how Ryan and Julia's marriage is tested when Ryan feels guilty after saving a coworker who was injured saving his life, and grows closer to her, threatening his relationship with Julia. The reviews praise the book for its emotional depth and exploration of Ryan and Julia's relationship under strain.
Illustrations, humor, poetry and quotations vol 2GLENN PEASE
This document contains a collection of short quotations, poems, stories and advice on various topics such as alcohol, animals, attitudes, and apologizing. Some key points:
- Several historical figures like Edison, Taft and Lincoln advocated abstaining from alcohol, comparing it to putting sand in delicate machinery.
- A Marine Corps safety officer developed the slogan "He who comes forth with a fifth on the Fourth may not come forth on the fifth" to discourage drinking over a holiday weekend.
- Attitude is likened to the position of an airplane - a good attitude can help one succeed while a bad attitude leads to poor performance, just as the position of a plane affects its flight.
Kimberly came home one evening to find her husband had committed suicide by hanging himself from their balcony. She found a suicide note and had to cut him down. In the aftermath, Kimberly struggled with grief, anger, financial difficulties, and loneliness from losing her husband suddenly. Around the one year anniversary, everyday reminders like emergency vehicles would cause her to break down crying. She questions if her heart will ever feel whole again and struggles with depression. Kimberly works to process her grief and maintain relationships, while depending on her faith and finding strength in God during this difficult time in her life.
1. Red Winter follows the Norse settlers in Vinland as they establish new villages and face threats from rival factions and invaders from their homeland. As war approaches, the young settlements will have to survive the challenge.
2. Solar Storms is a prequel story to the sci-fi thriller Orbs. In 2055, scientists Drs. Sophie Winston and Emanuel Rodriguez are recruited by NASA to monitor unprecedented solar storms that may not be natural events. As a massive storm approaches Earth, they begin to suspect something is feeding the storms from millions of miles away.
3. Shad'Rah introduces the fantasy world of Kiy
This document summarizes a story about a 92-year-old legally blind woman named Maurine Jones who moved into a nursing home after her husband of 70 years passed away. When told about her tiny new room, Maurine enthusiastically said she loved it. When asked why since she hadn't seen it yet, Maurine replied that happiness is something you decide on ahead of time, not based on circumstances. She said she chooses every morning to be thankful for what she can do rather than dwell on her limitations. The document emphasizes that our attitudes don't have to be dictated by circumstances, and that we each have a choice in how we live our lives.
Jackie Allred has been working towards her Bachelor's degree in History for 30 years while working full time and raising her two adopted children, Marissa and Alex. Her research paper focuses on understanding Marissa's emotional struggles with being adopted after Marissa found and contacted her birth parents. Through research on adoption forums and literature, Allred has come to understand that the experience of adoption affects all parties in complex ways, but the adopted child often reacts most strongly, though reactions vary significantly between individuals. Her goal is to help Marissa by gaining insight into the perspectives of adopted children and birth mothers.
The document provides a summary of Gary Eby's approach to life coaching and overcoming fears and negative thoughts. It describes how Eby helps clients overcome challenges through a "stop and think" process of slowing down thoughts, using positive self-talk, and seeking help from others. It then gives examples of how Eby used these techniques to overcome his own fears and doubts about publishing a book, which ultimately led to him signing a publishing contract.
School Thy Feelings, O My Brother by Thomas S. MonsonThomas S. Monson
The document is a talk given by President Thomas S. Monson to members of the priesthood. In 3 sentences:
President Monson counsels members of the priesthood to choose to refrain from anger, as anger is destructive and not of God. He tells the story of a couple whose marriage was destroyed by anger, which caused the husband to injure their child during an argument. President Monson testifies that with choice, it is possible to not become angry and instead have the Spirit, encouraging the priesthood holders to make that choice.
This paper reviews key concepts found in an excellent book on conflict, truth and reconciliation and how I have applied a number of these core concepts in my own ministry. I share some of the blunders I have made in cultural "insensitivity."
ERIDANUS - Yonder Waters (Reading Club Edition)EridanusYonder
Yonder Waters is a memoir by Eridanus Yonder (a pen name) about his experiences in sailing class at summer camp at Camp Nissicone back in the previous millennium.
This document provides an overview and endorsement quotes for the book "3 Minutes to God - Shooting Cows... and 49 other ways to see God in your life" by Wade Grassedonio. The book uses humorous and poignant personal stories to reveal insights about how God wants to work in people's daily lives. It is endorsed by pastors, ministry leaders, and others who praise Grassedonio's storytelling ability and how the stories show life lessons and evidence of God's love. The document provides publishing information and a table of contents for the book's chapters.
Adele taught the author important lessons about facing challenges alone without family support. Adele was diagnosed with lung cancer as a single, childless woman living alone. She received help from her neighborhood community during her illness. Despite the difficulties of dealing with cancer without a spouse or children, Adele maintained her courage and independence until her death.
This document is a dissertation that explores spiritual intelligence in adolescents ages 12-18. It uses three surveys to measure spiritual intelligence and spirituality in 115 adolescents. The surveys found high scores on spiritual intelligence in some adolescents. Females scored significantly higher than males on one survey. The dissertation interviewed 15 high scorers to understand their lived experience of spirituality. The interviews revealed eight major categories including definitions of spirituality and God, importance of family, spiritual experiences, role models, and spiritual values. The dissertation suggests some adolescents display high levels of spiritual intelligence through spiritual values, experiences, and practices to connect to the divine.
The document discusses the growth of green energy sources and policies to support their adoption. Many governments around the world have implemented renewable portfolio standards and incentives to increase investment and development of wind, solar, and other renewable resources. These policies have led to significant cost reductions and made green energy more economically viable over the past decade.
This is a collection of creative short stories I wrote for personal enjoyment. I like to challenge myself and start with a random thought that usually snowballs into a larger, coherent story.
El documento habla sobre inteligencia artificial y sus aplicaciones. Menciona que la inteligencia artificial utiliza el razonamiento lógico y el aprendizaje para emular la mente humana. También describe a Google Home como un asistente inteligente creado por Google para responder preguntas y controlar dispositivos del hogar.
LANÇAMENTO
Derramamento fantástico. A indicação direta é sua o posicionamento fica para a equipe
SB Club - SEMPRE BÔNUS CLUB
O Sempre Bônus é um Club de Consumo Inteligente em Supermercados do Brasil. Esse projeto vai mudar a sua vida, o seu modo de consumir e conquistar todos os seus sonhos. Se prepare para alcançar ganhos incríveis.
Cadastro é GRATUITO.
Não tem taxa de ADESÃO.
Não tem MENSALIDADES.
Basta apenas consumir em um dos nossos parceiros na rede credenciada de Supermercados ou pelo E-Commerce.
Que já estará participando do Club de Consumo Inteligente. Estamos nos Pré Cadastros para todo o Brasil. Para saber mais, acesse nossos canais de comunicação.
Apresentação Oficial:
Meu link de cadastro é: http://sbclub.com.br/cadastro/index.php?p=45426289
This document discusses volcanoes and their characteristics. It describes the four main types of volcanoes: fissure, cinder cone, shield, and composite. Fissure volcanoes erupt through long vents and produce flood lavas. Cinder cone volcanoes have steep sides and short eruptions producing loose cinders. Shield volcanoes have gentle slopes and erupt fluid basaltic lava over long periods. Composite volcanoes are large mountains that erupt tephra and lava, building their size over millions of years. Volcanoes can be active, dormant, or extinct depending on their recent eruption history, and they produce both primary hazards during eruptions and secondary hazards after.
This paper proposes a voltage control method for three-phase uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems to lower total harmonic distortion (THD). The control method uses an optimal load current observer and optimal voltage control scheme consisting of a feedback term and compensating term. Simulation and experimental results show the controller maintains stable output voltages and currents under different load conditions like load step changes and unbalanced loads, with better performance than a conventional fuzzy logic controller. The proposed method provides a simple way to control three-phase inverter output in UPS systems.
Gaudí era un arquitecto español conocido por su estilo modernista y su uso de formas orgánicas y naturales en sus diseños arquitectónicos. Sus obras más famosas incluyen la Sagrada Familia en Barcelona y el Parque Güell. Gaudí creía en la exploración creativa directa y el diseño basado en la evidencia para lograr una síntesis personal en su trabajo arquitectónico.
Las pantallas OLED (organic light-emitting diode) son pantallas planas que utilizan diodos orgánicos emisores de luz para producir imágenes. Estas pantallas tienen ventajas como un contraste más alto, ángulos de visión más amplios y un grosor más delgado en comparación con las pantallas LCD tradicionales. Las pantallas OLED se están volviendo más populares en dispositivos electrónicos como teléfonos inteligentes y televisores.
The artist visited the National Portrait Gallery and National Gallery to research portraits for initial ideas. She was drawn to a Pissarro portrait for its quirky background and tones, and a Leopold portrait for its window feel and black and white style. Additional research focused on portraits by Brian Sayer, Harold Gilman, and Spencer Gore. For the development stage, the artist experimented with techniques while drawing inspiration from the tonal realism of her initial sources. Her final portrait was done in a simplistic tonal style with a blue background to make the green top and brown hair stand out. Previous printmaking and graphics projects helped the artist develop techniques for evaluating different artistic styles and processes.
Matt Rife Cancels Shows Due to Health Concerns, Reschedules Tour Dates.pdfAzura Everhart
Matt Rife's comedy tour took an unexpected turn. He had to cancel his Bloomington show due to a last-minute medical emergency. Fans in Chicago will also have to wait a bit longer for their laughs, as his shows there are postponed. Rife apologized and assured fans he'd be back on stage soon.
https://www.theurbancrews.com/celeb/matt-rife-cancels-bloomington-show/
At Digidev, we are working to be the leader in interactive streaming platforms of choice by smart device users worldwide.
Our goal is to become the ultimate distribution service of entertainment content. The Digidev application will offer the next generation television highway for users to discover and engage in a variety of content. While also providing a fresh and
innovative approach towards advertainment with vast revenue opportunities. Designed and developed by Joe Q. Bretz
The Evolution of the Leonardo DiCaprio Haircut: A Journey Through Style and C...greendigital
Leonardo DiCaprio, a name synonymous with Hollywood stardom and acting excellence. has captivated audiences for decades with his talent and charisma. But, the Leonardo DiCaprio haircut is one aspect of his public persona that has garnered attention. From his early days as a teenage heartthrob to his current status as a seasoned actor and environmental activist. DiCaprio's hairstyles have evolved. reflecting both his personal growth and the changing trends in fashion. This article delves into the many phases of the Leonardo DiCaprio haircut. exploring its significance and impact on pop culture.
240529_Teleprotection Global Market Report 2024.pdfMadhura TBRC
The teleprotection market size has grown
exponentially in recent years. It will grow from
$21.92 billion in 2023 to $28.11 billion in 2024 at a
compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.2%. The
teleprotection market size is expected to see
exponential growth in the next few years. It will grow
to $70.77 billion in 2028 at a compound annual
growth rate (CAGR) of 26.0%.
_7 OTT App Builders to Support the Development of Your Video Applications_.pdfMega P
Due to their ability to produce engaging content more quickly, over-the-top (OTT) app builders have made the process of creating video applications more accessible. The invitation to explore these platforms emphasizes how over-the-top (OTT) applications hold the potential to transform digital entertainment.
The Unbelievable Tale of Dwayne Johnson Kidnapping: A Riveting Sagagreendigital
Introduction
The notion of Dwayne Johnson kidnapping seems straight out of a Hollywood thriller. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, known for his larger-than-life persona, immense popularity. and action-packed filmography, is the last person anyone would envision being a victim of kidnapping. Yet, the bizarre and riveting tale of such an incident, filled with twists and turns. has captured the imagination of many. In this article, we delve into the intricate details of this astonishing event. exploring every aspect, from the dramatic rescue operation to the aftermath and the lessons learned.
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The Origins of the Dwayne Johnson Kidnapping Saga
Dwayne Johnson: A Brief Background
Before discussing the specifics of the kidnapping. it is crucial to understand who Dwayne Johnson is and why his kidnapping would be so significant. Born May 2, 1972, Dwayne Douglas Johnson is an American actor, producer, businessman. and former professional wrestler. Known by his ring name, "The Rock," he gained fame in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) before transitioning to a successful career in Hollywood.
Johnson's filmography includes blockbuster hits such as "The Fast and the Furious" series, "Jumanji," "Moana," and "San Andreas." His charismatic personality, impressive physique. and action-star status have made him a beloved figure worldwide. Thus, the news of his kidnapping would send shockwaves across the globe.
Setting the Scene: The Day of the Kidnapping
The incident of Dwayne Johnson's kidnapping began on an ordinary day. Johnson was filming his latest high-octane action film set to break box office records. The location was a remote yet scenic area. chosen for its rugged terrain and breathtaking vistas. perfect for the film's climactic scenes.
But, beneath the veneer of normalcy, a sinister plot was unfolding. Unbeknownst to Johnson and his team, a group of criminals had planned his abduction. hoping to leverage his celebrity status for a hefty ransom. The stage was set for an event that would soon dominate worldwide headlines and social media feeds.
The Abduction: Unfolding the Dwayne Johnson Kidnapping
The Moment of Capture
On the day of the kidnapping, everything seemed to be proceeding as usual on set. Johnson and his co-stars and crew were engrossed in shooting a particularly demanding scene. As the day wore on, the production team took a short break. providing the kidnappers with the perfect opportunity to strike.
The abduction was executed with military precision. A group of masked men, armed and organized, infiltrated the set. They created chaos, taking advantage of the confusion to isolate Johnson. Johnson was outnumbered and caught off guard despite his formidable strength and fighting skills. The kidnappers overpowered him, bundled him into a waiting vehicle. and sped away, leaving everyone on set in a state of shock and disbelief.
The Immediate Aftermath
The immediate aftermath of the Dwayne Johnson kidnappin
Everything You Need to Know About IPTV Ireland.pdfXtreame HDTV
The way we consume television has evolved dramatically over the past decade. Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) has emerged as a popular alternative to traditional cable and satellite TV, offering a wide range of channels and on-demand content via the internet. In Ireland, IPTV is rapidly gaining traction, with Xtreame HDTV being one of the prominent providers in the market. This comprehensive guide will delve into everything you need to know about IPTV Ireland, focusing on Xtreame HDTV, its features, benefits, and how it is revolutionizing TV viewing for Irish audiences.
Top IPTV UK Providers of A Comprehensive Review.pdfXtreame HDTV
The television landscape in the UK has evolved significantly with the rise of Internet Protocol Television (IPTV). IPTV offers a modern alternative to traditional cable and satellite TV, allowing viewers to stream live TV, on-demand videos, and other multimedia content directly to their devices over the internet. This review provides an in-depth look at the top IPTV UK providers, their features, pricing, and what sets them apart.
Modern Radio Frequency Access Control Systems: The Key to Efficiency and SafetyAITIX LLC
Today's fast-paced environment worries companies of all sizes about efficiency and security. Businesses are constantly looking for new and better solutions to solve their problems, whether it's data security or facility access. RFID for access control technologies have revolutionized this.
Barbie Movie Review - The Astras.pdffffftheastras43
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3. y credibility as an Internet Blogger is obvi-
ously lacking due to the general untrustworthiness of
most web-based sources and because the vast majority
have no clue who I truly am. But whether you choose
to trust my validity or not, I will proceed with the abso-
lute truth of my tall tale.
He was an average punk. A proud and pompous
fool. Everyday he'd impress his family as the perfect
son and while at school, the pretentious self-absorbed
asshole. He took advantage of his friends, presuppos-
ing their value in favor of what he could gain-- most of
all, he craved attention, and went to various unsavory
methods to persuade it from others. And he took great
pride in his cleverness, observing how people operated
within social spheres, noting who they gave respect to
and why, devising easy ways to assume that role. And
he managed, in some places, to sap unwarranted favor
from peers who he thereafter deemed his lesser. After a
while, he began to believe the lie he had created.
Thinking himself an honorable role model, he pre-
scribed what he thought to be wisdom to those who
never asked for it, showing people how to do this and
what to do here even when he really had no idea what
he was talking about. He had no authority or experi-
ence but projected it everywhere he went...
If you haven't guessed by now, that little prick was
me. I lived and acted like I was the most important per-
son in the world, and thought that others saw me this
way too. I fell into an appealing trap many in this
world also find themselves inexplicably drawn too. The
Section 1
My Life is an Oxymoron
2
M
4. wonderful lie that we as individuals are significant.
Now I know that sounds incredibly depressing, but the
main point of this story has yet to come.
...In short, it was all about him; he deserved noth-
ing yet expected everything. Little did this little prick
know, someone would use him who deserved nothing
for a truly remarkable task. He was, and is a blessed
curse. And while this “truly remarkable task” may seem
like more of a burden than a blessing, it truly was the
most remarkable thing he’d ever do.
Backing up to prepare a context, this punk had no
justification for his crudeness. Even though it is com-
mon for “bullies” to have problems outside visibility
contributing to their misbehaving, this one led a per-
fectly privileged life. He played the cute little boy
around his family and their friends but shifted diametri-
cally while around his own friends, if you could even
call them that. For while they were faithful to him, he
was only self-centered and mean.
3
6. I was in, out, all around. Forward, back, and
throughout. Everywhere and anywhere, I was. People,
myself at the forefront of this infinite list, spend their
lives waiting for an “a-ha!” moment that will attach
true worth to their seemingly pointless existence. We
as a collective classification have insatiable and inex-
haustible appetites for physical and emotional com-
modities; the continuous demands of hunger and thirst
cannot be satisfied and the specific conditions for an
authentic and lasting happiness never maintained.
This is a scientific reality laying the foregrounds for
this text and my existence among my fellow mortals.
A warning before I progress: My goal in writing all
this is to benefit you, hopefully enlightening a few ir-
refutable truths. Therefore, I urge you to walk with me
through life’s difficult questions in patience and with
an open mind. I hope to challenge you and test your re-
solve. Please be real, not letting these upcoming ques-
tions pass because of pride. Thank you! Ok, not lets get
down to business…
Section 2
In and Out and All Around
5
7. Hi! My name is Michael. I’m currently 23 years
old, am about 5’ 6” and weigh 138 pounds. I was born
in Minnesota and recently graduated from University
of California, Los Angeles. Why am I sharing this use-
less information with you? I’m not entirely sure, but I
feel a clarification of identity would suit this introduc-
tion well. Unless you know me personally in life, there
is no way to infer anything about my identity through
basic facts. I find it extremely profound that (excuse the
cliche) everyone is special and unique from everyone
else. While I have no doubt that there have been other
5’ 6” 23 year olds, etcetera etcetera, I would be aston-
ished (or perhaps revolted) to find another with the
same identity, which people typically define as a deeper
and personalized term shaped by choices and experi-
ences. That’s not to say other types of identity are irrele-
vant (say religious, ethnic, sexual…), but Ithe most im-
portant identity to our individuality is this.
With that said, I am shaped by tragedy and mira-
cle.
O.K. In the words of the great Nacho Libre, “Let’s
get down to the nitty-gritty.” I suppose the best place to
start is the context of tragedy. I grew up in an orthodox
nuclear family with two older brothers and a series of
pets. My parents provided well for us, loving us deeply.
And my mother had been struggling with breast cancer
for several years before my birth, an illness that contin-
ued on and off for many proceeding years. Amidst our
hardships, we lived happily; we were blessed. Now fast-
forward to 2009. I’m finishing up my sophomore year
in a California high-school (we moved here from Minne-
sota when I was six—talk about a change of setting!),
my brothers— one graduated and the other a senior,
my father’s life relatively unchanged, my mother like-
wise unchanged.
Before April of this specified year, I cannot remem-
ber associating any purpose to my life. I was an average
boy with average qualities and few expectations for life.
A few words to describe myself from 7 years ago: intimi-
dated, worried, unsure, and hypocritical. I pretended to
6
8. be confident for the sake of my pride, lying to cover to
incongruities between my choices and professed adher-
ence to Christianity. I lied so many times about unsa-
vory things I did, clearing myself of responsibility, I ac-
tually started to believe I was inherently better than eve-
ryone else. I vividly remember setting myself above my
piers, declaring “facts” about my unmatched purity and
authenticity as if I had complete control of my life, as if
I had control of the very universe. Arrogance is a great
source of shame in my life.
Change inside this fool started with a breath. A fi-
nal breath. Momma Keever was my rock, the person I
loved most in the world. When she died, my foundation
was removed and I found myself at the pinnacle of
pointlessness. I was overcome with a potent hopeless-
ness, one that drove me to contemplate suicide several
times. I trusted her with my entire being, and without
her I was nothing. Unfortunately, the tragedy does not
stop here.About one month later, I was myself diag-
nosed with a cancerous brain tumor, Germinoma.
Prior to her death and this diagnosis, I remember
struggling with final class projects, particularly a re-
search paper for History class. This assignment re-
quired outside research in libraries, not on computers
or Internet, and I was having trouble locating sources
for my topic: Impact of Public Graffiti as War Propa-
ganda. Plus, I was about a month behind my homework
because of the time I took out of school to be with
Momma Keever. So the stress was pilling up. Head-
aches and Migraines from the pressure of the brain tu-
mor began bombarding around this time, and in the
moments of subsided pain, I couldn’t help smiling. I
now had an excuse not to do that homework or re-
search paper! In a skewed and tragically ironic sense,
this tumor turned out to be a blessing, one that would
soon exponentially increase in return.
Sometime mid-May, the headaches worsened to a level
requiring an ambulance chauffeur, a ride I remember
only through the rear window that was blackened by
the absence of natural light. When we got to the ER, the
7
9. raging pressure still penetrating at full force, a line of
customers waiting for their own relief had already been
there for some time. We (my parents, brothers, and I)
found another ironic blessing: met a couple— his or her
birthday celebration ended with him her and a concus-
sion or some unfortunate injury. In spite of their misfor-
tune, the two remained light-hearted. Funny thing is
that even though i can barely remember them, this is
the most memorable moment i have of this ER experi-
ence (thank goodness). Perhaps a foreshadow of my
own future; a lesson on how I should behave in trag-
edy? Regardless of its significance, I realized how pain
and hardship, while at times very physically burdening,
is primarily psychological. Even though the headaches
still caused my head to explode continuously, looking
at this new point of view took my mind off it and while
it still hurt, my mind drifted from the pain and it be-
came less. Wasn’t until months later during my 6-7
month stay at the hospital that I understood the source
of this superpower: mindset and attitude.
Prior to being diagnosed, that year in highschool I
experienced enormous spiritual growth and awareness.
I took several classes at my church, the most memora-
ble was one led by Pastor Steve Sanchez titled Sharing
Your Faith Without Fear based on the teachings of Ray
Comfort. The core tool we used to share our faith effec-
tively in this class was the tract with Ray’s Gospel mes-
sage, which goes like this:
HERE IS THE MILLION-DOLLAR QUESTION:
Will you go to Heaven when you die? Here’s a quick
test: Have you ever lied, stolen, or used God’s name in
vain? Jesus said, “Whoever looks at a woman to lust for
her has already committed adultery with her in his
heart.” If you have done these things, God sees you as a
lying, thieving, blasphemous, adulterer at heart, and
the Bible warns that one day God will punish you in a
terrible place called Hell. But God is not willing that
any should perish. Sinners broke God’s Law and Jesus
paid their fine. This means that God can legally dismiss
their case: “For God so loved the world that He gave
8
10. His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him
should not perish but have everlasting life.” Then Jesus
rose from the dead, defeating death. Today, repent and
trust Jesus, and God will give you eternal life as a free
gift. Then read the Bible daily and obey it. God will
never fail you.
When speaking to people one on one, we incorpo-
rate these same questions into conversation, but essen-
tially its the same message. The effectiveness of his
tract is how the reader encounters the irrefutable fact
that they fall short of God’s legal standards. We all
sin; There’s no one who is perfect, no not one! After
they realize this, Ray explains how, as sinners, we don’t
deserve Heaven, which is reserved for those who were
able to keep his legal standards. It seems pretty grim
for us sinners. But he also explains the good news of Je-
sus Christ, who took the fate that we deserved for sin-
ning on himself, his death on a cross transferred our
sin to him, making us sinless and perfect: worthy of
God’s legal standard and therefore, we now have the ca-
pability of going to Heaven. But, unfortunately that
doesn’t mean everyone now goes to Heaven because of
Christ’s actions. God has requirements. All he asks in
return for saving us is that we trust in him. I know what
you’re probably thinking: I’m not prepared to change
myself or my lifestyle! I don’t want a God who requires
anything I don’t want to do! While trusting in God does
require a lifestyle change, taking one’s focus off of idols
(anything besides God— could be yourself, money,
fame, success, the list is endless) and giving him full
reign in your life, it doesn’t happen overnight. God
knows we are inherently sinful. We chose, and continue
to choose even after giving our lives to God, to sin. It is
our nature. God molds us as we continue to strive after
him. Before you know it, those old desires will no
longer be in the forefront of our mind. And you’ll find
that you love the new desires God gave you even more
than the old ones. While pleasure found in sex, money,
whatever lasts temporarily and quickly looses its zest,
the pleasures and joys found in a life renewed by God
9
11. last for eternity. Because God is a never-quelling source
of peace and joy and all that good stuff, we can experi-
ence perfect joy, peace and all that good stuff through
him. Ok, back to my story.
Thanks for bearing with me this far. I know the gospel
message may seem a bit dry and theologically thick, but
it is crucial to understanding the magnitude of my
story. Where were we? Ah yes, attitude. Doctors exam-
ined me and did their special scans to check places the
eye cannot see and found a cancerous tumor, but I
wouldn't know for a couple of days. At this time, I was
so doped up on pain killers and the like, I have no solid
memory of the day to day experience. So, parts of this
story come from information given to me by family and
friends but focuses moreso on parts I do remember.
It was around this time that I became "In And Out
And All Around". There are few moments in life that
bring absolute clarity, and strangely enough, this hap-
pened to me when I was least clear. People who claim
to experience an "Out of Body" sixth sense might de-
scribe seeing themselves from a third person point of
view, outside of all Earthly phenomenon into their in-
nermost cosmic nature or some bogus. Instead, I saw
myself and I hated it. If you read "A Truly Tall Tale",
you know how I was in my past. And in this moment of
accelerated coherence, I could see past the lie that I cre-
ated. I saw my true nature, and it wasn't some virtuous
ideal explaining the origin of man. (Well, in an ironic
way it actually was, haha.)
Understanding who we are as humans and as indi-
viduals necessitates knowing the truth about where we
come from and what we were intended to be. I know
there are a hundred and one explanations out there, the
most popular probably evolution theory, but the logical
truth remains we were ecreated by God. And in that
split second that lasted for an hour, I understood the in-
credible irony of my life! I was so self absorbed, living
only for my own gratification while my Creator watches
me blaspheme. He could have at any second been like,
10
12. "Ok Michael, I see how it is. All you care about is what
YOU want. Well you can have it." For what I sought af-
ter was my own sinfulness, and that is deserving only of
death (Rom 6:23). And come to think of it, I wrote my-
self into a trap, because that's what was literally happen-
ing! I can't deny the horrific irony! I dug the grave I was
slowly entering. And unbeknownst to me at the time, it
was coming sooner that I thought.
(Now I must digress to make distinctions between
physical and spiritual death)
When biblical scriptures say for example, “the wages of
sin is death,” it foreshadows an eternal death that tran-
scends physicality in Hell, described effectively as abso-
lute separation from God. Now, you might think that
just because you don’t believe in God you’re already
separated from him. But God has given you everything
you have, despite your apparent unbelief. From the
comforts we share to the very much taken for granted
lives we live, God supplies it all. Therefore, it’s safe to
assume that Hell is complete separation for all good
things and all that’s left is torturous loneliness and
pain. We’re all given enough second chances to encom-
pass the great spans of our universe many times over,
yet I chose to deny the truth and was therefore heading
there voluntarily:
“The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out
of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and
throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt 13:41-42)
That moment of clarity came on a hospital bed
while stricken with cancer and an even more deadly fun-
gal infection. And there was a point when these ill-
nesses grew to such fatal lengths the doctors agreed I
wouldn’t survive. The specific combination of the two
had never been seen before, ever in medical history.
Therefore, no one really knew where to start looking
and hope was naturally scarce. So here I am, incapaci-
tated for probably the sixth month on a hospital bed
without any strength to save myself, nor able to trust
medical professionals for a cure. Is it merely a coinci-
11
13. dence that I survived and am typing this letter now?
And my doctors weren’t newbies. Call it a medical mira-
cle if you want, but logic leads me to a different resolu-
tion. It seems more believable, in spite of all odds and
expectations, when 100% probability is overruled, that
a plan beyond our physical realm is in play. And God,
who is not limited to space, time, chance, or any other
factor we are governed by, I deduced was the most
likely origination of said plan. After all, I had all the
time in the world to ponder these things, and after my
previous bank of knowledge and wisdom exhausted, I
was forced elsewhere to the “non-scientific.” I use quo-
tations because now I understand how much science
and Christianity overlap. Anyways, thats a chapter of
its own.
12
15. itting in the student lounge on my last
day here at UCLA, my thoughts linger on the people I
encountered. Their goals and aspirations: “To change
the world,” as the Resident Manager summarized. I
think of those I knew more closely and their individual
struggles, I think of those I knew on a spiritual level
and their testimonies, and those I knew to lack this
area in their lives and that which held them back from
embracing it. All these people, different and uniquely
human, sharing only in our collective depravity
(whether some acknowledge it and others do not).
However these people differ personally from how I
know them or will come to know a select few in the
future has very little significance to me. For, I already
know their truest forms regardless of individualities.
Before I proceed to the end of this point, please, take a
moment to examine yourself sincerely and think of
something that links you to everyone else. Is this thing
material? Probably not. Is it sentimental? Perhaps, but
still most likely not. Is it philosophic or ideological?
This is probably the closest we’ll get. Something along
the lines of the generic evolution of humanity for a
common cause or an innate desire to make the world a
better place, or something else untestable. I think that
which links us is undeniably testable and tangible; that
would be pretty convincing, no? I strikes me as odd
that most choose to view humanity as a whole through
a broader lens instead of scrutinizing our commonality
and thinking hard about what is distinct about the
human race.
Section 1
Existentialism
14
S
16. People feel called to something greater (hence
our inclination to identity goals to change the world).
Granted not everyone has this urge to “change the
world," but I’d be absolutely stunned to find that
someone never dreamt of something greater than
themselves. And this phenomenon seems primarily to
permeate among Millennial, dare I use the term.
Really, it's just pretentious. And the ways we think we'll
change the world is what makes me giggle. On this
same night sitting in the lounge was a big poster listing
these pretentious ways. Among the more humorous,
change the world by: making a new friend, doing
something kind for a stranger, buy someone dinner,
write thank you notes to soldiers abroad and so on.
Granted, these are nice things to do, but to assume a
lasting difference could come from that is at best
wishful thinking. That, I think is one of the more
venomous lies in modern society: we can make the
world a better place. That we, as immensely limited
creatures, can change the hearts of a thoroughly
divided humanity. To do that would take a miracle.
People will always disagree on something. Take the
current presidential line up. Donald Trump and Hilary
Clinton represent to two dominant parties of today's
America. This political process of choosing the next
President is supposedly to find the most suitable
candidate who will do the best job at running the
country and keeping everyone safe. Wrong. What has
come from uniting the nation is absolute division.
Every election this happens! In the streets, people
argue and argue until their tongues fall out and hateful
things are done to assert one's opinion which is
obviously correct to persuade someone who's opinion is
obviously wrong. You can't persuade someone with
such hatred! And to think we'll change the world and
get everyone to cooperate when something as simple as
an election creates bitter rivals.
My point is that no one has power over
another. As much as we'd like to make someone agree
with us, we cannot. And therefore, no lasting change
15
17. can come from our hands alone. We cannot work the
miracle that this world needs for peace. Only one who
is beyond our limitations can. God, who is not limited
by pride, arrogance, or any other human quality, knows
what we truly need. And a day will come when he
returns the world into what it was meant to be.
I believe Existentialism is the most beautiful
thing to Millennials because it gives us the freedom to
do, say, feel, act, and be who/whatever they want. And
it justifies our sinfulness. But in doing so, you're
spitting in God's face. And when that day comes, he'll
inspect the world for those who follow Him and for
those who follow themselves. And he will judge the
world, casting the unrepentant to Hell. Whether or not
you believe in God, he will come. So be prepared. If you
wait until the day you see him, it'll be too late. Don't
wait.
16
18. Epilogue:
The classical understand-
ing of this juxtaposition is gen-
erally that “Good” represents
that which is moral while evil,
that which is immoral. Or
sometimes, especially in eco-
nomics, the “good” are the
poor and the “evil” are the rich.
In politics, depending on
which side you’re standing, it
is the Democrats who are good
and the Republicans who are
evil. The point is that in west-
ern society, this amorphous
concept has no measurability. It’s all based on subjec-
tivity. If you’re poor, you are more inclined to dislike
rich people. If you’re a liberal Democrat you are more
likely to dislike conservative Re-
publicans. It’s just how the hu-
man sense of self operates-- we
tend surround ourselves with
things and people that affirm
our personal beliefs and dis-
tance ourselves from those that
challange them. And nothing
often changes our minds about
the stance we’ve chosen, espe-
cially those on the opposing
“side.”
But there is another
frame to inspect Good and
Evil. One that transcends our
limited subjectivity and is measurable on an objective
scale. Where “Good” and “Evil” become specifically
that which is righteous and holy and contrarily, that
Section 2
Good v. Evil
17
19. which is wicked and deceitful.
Modernity and contemporary human rationale has
corrupted and flattened this critical diametric into pre-
tentious “fluff” that really has no legitimate meaning at
all, as seen in that cover photo for this piece. Its creator
chose a bunch of emotive words, shaping them into a
Chinese Taoist symbol which really has nothing to do
with good vs bad. Modern Western culture seeks so
hard to trick itself with the fluffy and essentially mean-
ingless and distracts itself with the true essence of
Good and Evil. Even this picture:
depicting Satan and Jesus arm wrestling is a pathetic
attempt to illustrate a battle of Good vs Evil. For it too,
while seeking in its foolishness to justify an inaccurate
understanding of Good and Evil with religious figures,
falls into the same trap. The reality is fundamentally
controversial to this modern sensibility.
We, the human race, represents evil. And repre-
sent doesn’t encapsulate the gravity of our malevo-
lence! We exude evil and love ourselves for it, not even
slightly aware that we are. Because we’ve chosen in-
stead of the truth a brilliant lie that makes us feel better
about ourselves. protecting us from our own ugliness.
We are such a proud people! We have a hard time ac-
cepting the reality of situations we deem unfavorable.
For instance, if you’re a diehard sports fan and you’re
rooting for your favorite team in the championship
match and they end up losing because of a referee call,
you’ll proabably act like me and deny the result blam-
ing it all on that undoubtedly paid off ref. So even mo-
reso, if someone tells you that at your most inner core,
you’re evil: a lying, murderous scumbag who deserves
absolutely nothing except to pay for all eternity, there’s
no way you’d accept. Because no matter the person, we
have a generally positive view of ourselves as moral and
“good”.
But despite the fact I know you won’t, I’ll go ahead
18
20. and say it: YOU are absolutely an evil creature who
finds great satisfaction in detesting Good and perform
(unbeknownst to you) in accordance with an unde-
served pride subconscious gymnastics to justify your ev-
ilness in the exposing light of true goodness, as am I.
I can say this with such confidence because our habits
conform to exactly what "true goodness" requires,
which we are aware of from God's commandments.
There are the famous 10 commandments which God in-
stalled to keep his people on the path of righteousness
and closer to Him than to sin. Jesus narrowed it down
to 2, and even though it appears much more lenient
than 10 commandments, these 2 encapsulate those 10
and go further. They are: "Love the Lord your God with
all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all
your mind. This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is this, To love your neighbor as your-
self." (Matthew 22:37-39) The very next verse summa-
rizes the potency of these two commands:
"On these two commandments hang all the law and the
prophets" (v40)
In short, these two seemingly simple commandments
incorporate every other commandment found in the Bi-
ble. Example: if you lie, you are not loving the Lord or
your neighbor. If you misuse God's name, you're not
loving God or setting a good example for, and therefore
not loving, your neighbor. If you covet, you are placing
something besides God in the forefront of your mind
and therefore not loving Him, and simultaneously feel-
ing jealous towards a neighbor and not loving him as
yourself. And so on and so on...
We may not be evil in the western sense, but we cer-
tainly are in the sight of the Lord who made us solely to
have a relationship with Him. In choosing to follow our
own desires, we've hated him and spit in his face. We
are certainly evil where it is most important for our
own sakes to be good.
But the good news is that even in our blatant disobedi-
ence, God chooses to have mercy. When he could easily
start over and wipe us out, he gives us second chances
over and over again. And when we spit in his face and
didn't want anything to do with his great love to sur-
passes all earthly (and very temporary) satisfaction, he
19
21. made a way for us to have it in spite of our sinfulness
that severed that relationship in the first place (Adam
and Eve). For, if we do not fully meet the standards
God placed in the Bible through his commandments in
the OT and NT, we cannot enter heaven. But God sent
his son to pay the price of our own sin--- death. Be-
cause of his sacrifice, we have the chance to be with
God in heaven for eternity instead of suffering eternally
in Hell. Trust and Repent so you also may enjoy this
free gift.
20
22. Discuss what the public spends its life doing~~ worldly
lives. What will you do with your fleeting life?
What is your life worth?
Does it sum to a monetary
value? Or is it too valuable
to sell? What is it worth to
you? We answer this
question by what we spend
our lives doing and the
things we fill it with. As a
recent college graduate, I am
constantly pondering the age-old question: What
should I do with my life? What job do I want? Where
will I live? Should I get married? Etcetera, etcetera...
All those relatively unanswerable questions one has to
figure out with experience. But I have found, even in
these short twenty-three years, that how we define
ourselves answers many of
these questions already.
And by “how we
define,” I am looping back to
that issue of how one values
his life. Am I the kind of
person who seeks the
“American Dream,” working
hard to make a ton of money
and settle down in a big
house with a wife and children? Is my life measured by
belongings, how much stuff I accumulate? Do I set my
image in how many friends I have? How much of my
Section 3
Was It Worth It?
21
23. life is about me? I don’t think any of these imply
“shallow” or negative responses, only human ones.
But that is the crux right there. We can only see
our lives through a single, personal perspective. One
that is inherently incomplete and immensely limited in
foresight. Let’s say you lived your whole life and now
your super old and bedridden. What things, memories,
people, etc, would you need to have experienced to feel
fulfilled? To honestly say without any doubt or second-
guessing, “It was worth it.” Not many people can. Even
the most successful people in this world are not
happy. Why is that?
Picture, if you will, a honeybee that doesn’t make
honey. Or a beaver that won’t build dams. An elevator
that doesn’t go up or down, a pencil that doesn’t write.
Let’s say you built a machine to exercise a specific task,
to juggle. And the only thing that machine will do is
ride a unicycle. It was programmed to juggle, yet it
serves a completely different purpose, although still
quite entertaining. All of these things are very much out
of place and oppose the logical nature of things. A
honeybee, by instinct, makes honey, as does a beaver
respectively. And the mechanics of elevators requires it
to go up and down; the same logic arises with the pencil
and our juggling machine. We know this by simple
observation.
Likewise, humans feel unfulfilled and out of place
because they typically do not do the things they were
“meant” to do. Like a honeybee, we instinctively know
exactly what we ought to do with our lives, yet choose a
different path because our desires pull us that way. But,
like we see with immensely successful people, desires
can take us down an incorrect and fleeting road.
Romans 1:20 explains this fact clearly: “For his
invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and
divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since
the creation of the world, in the things that have been
made. So they are without excuse.” In other words,
everyone knows in their heart of hearts that God exists.
Yet we justify the lies that he does not to allow the
22
24. following of desires and aspirations instead of our true
purpose. And it seems to be because of this why we feel
bored and unsatisfied with how our lives were spent,
always wishing, “if only I had that”, or, “if only I did
that instead, I would be happy.”
23
25. The validity of biblical scriptures is proved by several (things),
one of the most shocking (for me) is the fulfillment of prophecy in
Isaiah
page 946
Section 4
Fulfillment of Prophecy as Evidence
24
27. imly, through an ever-thin glimmer of un-
natural light, he is noticed only by his barely visible
eye. And a fantastically noticeable eye
it was, even in the depths of encom-
passing daylight. It darted throughout
that glimmer, searching for points of
reference to convince himself of his
own existence. In a flash of great clar-
ity, whether physical light or subcon-
scious coherence; the cause unknown,
it made contact. Through the void, it
saw a skewed shape, transforming ac-
cording to his imagination and focus into all sorts of ob-
jects until reality became dominant. It was a mirror,
but because of the abundant lack of light, he could only
see the reflection of darkness. And suddenly, in that re-
flection, darkness abounded and the glimmer fainted
into a desperate hope, fueled by its pri-
mordial desire to see. Exhaustion
kicked in, and his eye grew tired, even-
tually conceding to darkness, the lid
collapsing under increased weight.
-----
Illuminated in immaculate sunlight, it
thrives with absolute stimulation,
wide open and grasping everything.
The other opens and rationalizes
depth, adding further stimuli. They look down to see
feet and up to see hands. A body emerges as these eyes
Section 1
Imagined Light
26
D
28. finish connecting all but the face, until they find that
same mirror, now reflecting perceivable images. Yet all
they find is themselves, staring back, no head housing
them leaving little else to focus on. As a microscope en-
larges the tiniest cell, so do they inspect themselves.
Each layer grows clearer: cornea, iris, pupil, lens. And
through into the center, becoming to the imagination a
planet core, swirling with magma. Deeper in they dive,
until the power behind them is discovered. He sees the
outer tissue of his brain as the intricate network of syn-
apses light up as the skies on any major holiday. It was
a most fantastic show, and when the ridged cerebral sur-
face became fully illuminated, his eyes shut again.
-----
A little boy yawns powerfully as he climbs out of bed.
Stretching down near the wall across the room, this lit-
tle boy clasps a small, flickering bulb and tears it from
an electrical socket. Exchanging its fading glow for a
much brighter source, he flicks a switch, circuiting elec-
tricity to several bulbs on the ceiling-- and prompted by
clarity, the boy reenters reality, moving into kitchen for
a morning bowl of cereal.
(he’s fallen asleep and is dreaming (having a night-
mare?)... child wakes up and unplugs flickering (dying)
nightlight
27
29. “Together forever,” etched in a tree on the top of a
hill beckoned its authors once again to their commit-
ment. One locked away in a dungeon far below and the
other trapped by evil in tower high above.
Amidst that hopeless remorse, he, buried in the
Earth’s core, still felt the tender embrace of his dearest
love and even though separated by miles of stone,
could even hear her amorous call. As if conversing face
to face, he whispers comfort in her ear and she into
his. He looks up and remembers his doom; hopeless-
ness resumes.
Atop that endless peak, she sits in solitude among
the clouds burdened by unbearable loneliness. Sud-
denly, she sees him in billow, caressed in sunlight here
to rescue her. A shining knight, he sweeps her up and
brushes the hair from her face to look with deep ro-
mance. As they kiss passionately, the billow fades and
she wakes from her nightmare to recognize her torture.
Still that tree on the top of a hill announces their
ever-lasting bond and remains to entice the lovers
closer to each other.
A new day, he scours the pit for food and finds
some crumbs left for him. His stricken and starved
bones creak as he scoops them up for tasteless dissatis-
faction. He, physically so close to death and dead al-
ready in personal willpower clings to the ever-present
yet ever-elusive memory of their life together on the
surface before tragedy flung them toward opposite
depths of the Earth. And for a moment, the two lovers
connected with the same mind in recollection. They
tilted their heads up, one looking up at a cell wall, the
other through haze of fog, and remembered:
Section 2
Body Language
28
30. Fire ran wild like those panicked by the flames, bouncing off every surface looking for
oxygen. Ash fell in thick waves in metronomic rhythm, allowing light through only in short win-
dows. It covered everything, but even if the ground was ashless, the dead plants, animals and
friends lay as a basecoat.
He ran hysterically from the river where their family loved to spend time together. He
and the kids looked everywhere for her as fire continued to fall around them. They spent so
much time looking for her, no one realized how thick the ash started to get. Eventually they
could hardly move. He struggled to bring them to safety, but the ash continued to fall.
As those same fires fell around her, she darted from the other end of the river where
she was admiring plants. She also looked everywhere with devastatingly limited vision. Before
collapsing under the weight of ash and fatigue, she resolved to seek higher ground and climbed
a hill for better vantage. But by then, ash and fire veiled everything and she could hardly see
her own hands held right in front of her face. And even atop that hill, the ash reached and en-
veloped her.
They carved in that tree atop the hill before the tragedy and even before their kids were born. It was a happy,
sunshiny day unparalleled in clarity. And they would see it again, for it still stands.
He, his children suffocated by ash, clawed out of avalanches in agony, himself severely poisoned. As
he crawled in pain gasping for air, the ground below him caved in. He accidentally stumbled into a hole
veiled by fronds intended to trap animals. And with ash still falling, he was veiled from all existence,
trapped in darkness. All he could do was wait, and so he did. He waited. For a sound. A sign. After days
and nights of trying to climb himself out and shouting for help, all he could do was wait. Wait and listen.
One, locked far below.
29
31. She too struggled for freedom from invading suffocation and burial. So she climbed higher until the
hills became to steep to face. Always her will to survive pushed her to find breathe, but ash eventually
trapped her too. Not in burial, but it forced her to a place she could not climb down from. So the race
now was not to escape suffocation, but starvation.
The other, trapped high above.
---
The tree, now withered and worn, void of vegetation and basically just a dead stick, still bore their insignia, an-
nouncing that now very faint and forgotten memory of love.
One day, rescue came for the two forlorn lovers and brought them back to civilization. They are happy as ever,
now bringing joy to everyone who comes to see them.
30
32. The Place: Unknown. The Year: Irrelevant. Who,
what, how and why, I know perfectly well and am
happy to share. In this unknown place, possibly a
parallel dimension to the one you’re reading this from,
possibly not, the majority of our population is a race of
super-advanced snails who might call themselves
superior if they could speak audibly. They’ve modified
from the typical unimpressive and incredibly slow
Earth snails into absolutely mind-boggling and slightly
less slow Unknown snails. In accordance with this
speed upgrade, the scientific community felt it
appropriate to change their classification from “snails”
to “snalz” to adapt the speed at which it is spelled.
Another, and much more important to this story,
adaptation these super slugs underwent dealt with
their size, which is nearly twice what it is on Earth.
This only seems insignificant to you because you are
unaware of the massive size they’ve grown within the
last few centuries. Consider the ominous size of the
lengthy sperm whale!!
Now forget that and imagine an average sedan;
that is roughly the size of snalz. I suppose it neither is
relevant because the average size of most other things
also increased to a similar degree. But nonetheless,
their disgusting features are much more visible. And
remember what I said a few lines earlier about them
being the most populous animal. So seeing those
things everywhere in, on, and throughout everything is
quite unappetizing.
One hermaphrodite hermit, your average joe
shmoette, stood out from among the rest. I don’t know
Section 3
Syzygy
31
Section 3
Syzygy
33. its name or any personal details, but as she slimed up
onto a park bench, the clouds open up, allowing light
only to focus right there. His shell sparkled, covered by
morning dew, yet also dimmed by a meek personality:
it was very unkept and lacked pizzaz.
(S)he exists in a state of simultaneous order and
chaos caused, unbeknownst to pretty much everyone,
the Syzygy, a bizarre phenomenon happening only once
before in all history. Now, this Syzygy did not involve
planetary alignment so much as an uncanny alignment
of other things, even though perhaps the planets may
have themselves also been aligned by some odd
coincidence. No, this anomaly could not be mistaken
for such a common and trivial occurrence.
This alignment dealt solely in paradoxes, by which
everything and its variance simultaneously coexist.
As you may have already noticed, that which
appears one way always is revealed to also be
something unexpectedly different. Well, I suppose you
couldn’t have known that, could you. At least now you
know the context of this crazy atmosphere. And for the
sake of expected pronoun confusions coming with
paradoxical language and the confusing biology of
snails, i’ll refer to our enigmatically gendered hero by a
neutral name, Avery.
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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Let us now begin ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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32
35. Section 4
Latus Laterālis
34
This planet is cubical with a ovular rails hidden inside. Just like illustration above,
there are “ports” in the center of each surface giving one access to those hidden rails,
making travel to any other surface logically possible in accordance with gravity. Sides are
named by numbers just like dice. Also, polar surfaces (1 & 6, 2 & 4, 3 & 5) are
environmental opposites
1
2 3
5
6
4
36. Protagonists come from different sides and meet in the middle for an adventure to discover the mysterious nature of
their planet (journey to the center of the earth-esque)
1Nature (Uninhabited by Humans) 6 Supernatural (Uninhabited by Nature)
[1 and 6 hold the key to the mystery)
2 Order (Nala) 4 Chaos (Alan)
3 Light (Alec) 5 Dark (Cela)
they later find out the ancient name of their planet; each side has a different name
35
37. Swarming through the darkness, writhing in pain
and despair, roots confusedly dart back and forth in
like flies stuck behind a window. Their leaves and
branches, equally frustrated, desperately contort
looking for light. Bushes, weeds, and other plants with
less resolve tipped over destitute. Eventually, those
with sufficient energy would follow them to death in
the dust. The only survivors are native.
They are dark formations; like stalactites, they
dangle from the roof of the sky ill conformed to science
or basic logic. They needed no water or sunlight-- only
darkness. And there is plenty of that here! But this is
not a cave or some hole in the ground. This is everyday
on our surface. The minimal light that survives here is
purely artificial. It’s an impossible existence achieved
by no other species. But it’s home nonetheless, here on
Five.
The air around her is congealed with toxicants, and
even as she dreams, death is but a breathe away. And
she is no different than the nine others who live in her
community. And neither was she different than the
many other members dwelling in scattered
communities across Five. All were threatened daily by
these harsh surroundings. The only source of oxygen
came from artificial sources; it is stale, unsatisfying and
requires of people triple the effort to fill their lungs. At
least they had the Pods to shelter them.
Rolling with a yawn, she raises, rubbing her sore
neck from a rough night’s sleep. Her eyes widened with
shock after realizing her nightmare never happened.
Cela was often victimized by horrific scenarios of
inescapable demise. Any hopeless place remotely like
Five naturally causes such nightmares and feelings of
being trapped. “How many days so far,” she asked
exhaustedly. Not even listening for a response, Liz
thought about the irony surrounding that figure of
speech, days. There is no day to mark time, or any
reliable method for that matter. “Too many.” No one
knew how long they’d been trapped there for.
Strange phenomena much like the pattern of
Earth’s seasons grace this side of the planet. But unlike
Earth, these environmental shifts are not tied to
weather, but involve primarily changes to atmosphere.
And only a couple weeks a year is the air suitable for
humans. Another voice disrupts a long silence between
them, “I think about seven months, two weeks and a
day, exactly.” Garret was the paranoid type and kept
records of nearly everything: things he ate or saw or did
during every ordinary day, always labeling that list with
the current date. He chuckled to think we’d forgotten
for he also made it a habit of sharing with the group the
irrelevant and entirely boring details of his lists. “Out of
sheer boredom, I’ve memorized some of those lists,”
Cela thought to herself, remembering a few months
36
38. back. Relaxing on her stomach, elbows pointed like a
triangle holding up her head, she vocalized these
thoughts: “April, 11-- Today’s strange thoughts. What
if, instead of using noses to breathe, what if they were
meant to drink? We’d have to stick our whole heads
into the cup. Haha, weird. ; Imagined a squirrel today.
But I don’t really remember what they look like so it
was kind of amorphous. Like, a jelly squirrel-thingy. ;
What is my name spelled backwards? Te-rag? Tee-rag?
What is a tea rag? Haha, weird... Her mouth continued
remembering.
There was really nothing else to do here in the Pod.
It was only about the size of a one bedroom apartment.
Garrett might say about 500 sq. ft. exactly. Enough
room for living, but not sufficient for a wide
arrangement of activities. And them three had to share
this limited space with four others. Even seven living in
one Pod is roomy to most other Pods on Five, usually
housing twelve to fifteen. Certainly no room for
theaters or parks or restaurants to pass time. Nor space
for many belongings to keep them company, and that
means no TV, stereo or computers. That also means no
refrigerator, microwave or oven, leaving very few
avenues for entertainment.
Cela, still listing to herself, seemed lost in her
imagination, mentally averted from her roommates and
luckily didn’t hear Garret’s further irrelevance, this
time spelling out loud funny sounding words. The Pod-
mate sleeping beneath her, the one she question
earlier, felt too tired and discouraged to deal with his
shenanigans and, like a child, plugged her ears and
shouted, “A la la la la la la! Can’t hear you, la la la la!”
But this worsened her problem, causing the extremely
irritable cabin to explode in frustration. Because their
artificially pumped air was less potent and required
much more energy to consume, residents here tired far
easier. And so, because all seven of them started
shouting, continuing until no one remembered what
they were shouting about, the cabin quelled quickly
after out of exhaustion And before anyone realized, the
“day” was over and they yearned for sleep. Maybe it’s a
good thing that they don’t have many activities to do.
The eldest two thought so. All they wanted to do was
dream; there is no imprisonment. That is the extent of
“life” on Five.
□ □ □
They were there, and she was here. She
reaches out for them, claws ferociously for a
touch. Her legs are broken and arms withered
to a nub. She is lost; she is alone. Crying out,
she longs, “Where are you!” She is an
unnoticed speck of sand in a desert of
mountains. Numbness overcomes her body and
looking down, she sees herself, an ox, searching
37
39. ravenously for sustenance in the frozen tundra.
She finds a mouthful of nutrition-less grass,
her patterned behavior ever dull and
monotonous. She looks not for her drove, nor
is she the least bit interested in them. Always
focused on meaningless repetition, she
searches and chews, never feeling satisfied. She
is an apple fallen from the tree. Delicious and
red, she taunts the eyes of passersby. So
distracted by these admirers, she cannot hear
the warnings of unfallen friends and family.
She is taken far away and left to rot atop a
pantry. She is a girl. She is alone.
□ □ □
The Pod woke the same confused way it always
did, everyone thinking loudly per their individual
habits. But instead of immediately resorting to a state
of familiar hopelessness, Cela rummaged through her
sheets. She inspected the pillow and every angle above
and beneath her mattress, all in a desperation most
frightening. Her eyes wide and forehead sweating, an
exclamation arose: “Where are you!”
“Why are you so upset? Did you lose something?”
Garret questioned the relevance of his question, for
what does any of them posses to lose in the first place?
I wonder if it’s something immaterial or metaphorical.
These thoughts transfer seamlessly into vocalized
speech: “But why then is she searching her physical
space if that which was lost is non-physical?”
“Who are you talking to, G?” His own bunkmate
already knew a great deal about his peculiar personality
and felt sufficiently answered by his own question.
“Ya, what are you blabbering about this time?”
Cela watched with eyebrows angled, tightly gripping a
forgotten object with unparalleled fervor. Delving
deeply into an unwavering whirlwind of thought,
Garret didn’t even notice her standing there without
any signs of distress. “How absent minded am I,
really?”
The mysterious item, lubricated by the sweat of
her palm squirmed as she fiddled. Cela was still very
wound and her fidgeting became so fierce, this item
slipped and dropped to the floor several times. And like
a flash, she’d swoop down to get it before anyone could
glimpse lest they acquire a clue as to its identity. But
nonetheless, in spite of still being frazzled, it comforted
her and emitted a pulse of hopefulness. It was so
dominant inside of her, a material light manifested
underneath her skin. (Have you ever heard of someone
glowing with joy? Well that’s actually a literally true
statement, but there is typically light in ever space. But
as we discovered earlier, light is very scarce here, and
so, Cela’s “inner-illumination” was undefiled by light
pollution and easily noticed within the darkness of
38
40. Five). And after hanging it around her neck, this
phenomenon became consistent and ever-observable.
Soon following this event, that Pod changed
forever. No longer dwelling on an unending
imprisonment nor counting the days of sorrow. No
longer were they short with one another nor did anyone
give a reason that justified shortness. Those
acquaintances transformed into family because of the
new light of hope and optimism in Cela. It did have a
tangible effect on others, specifically those who are ter
downtrodden. No more days would ever be spend in
sorrow for a blessing had struck them.
The next day, everyone woke without a yawn. They
arose, completely rested and regenerated. None of
them could remember the last time that happened, and
they joined in marvel. “This is great!” “I feel fantastic!”
“Why am I not sore like usual?” “Who are you people,
so joyful and woe-less?” Garret could hold back the
urge to disrupt this perfect consensus. Cela responded
with wisdom well beyond her previous capacity. It
rocked the whole Pod with supernatural thunder and
felled them back with a connecting blow. Everyone,
mouths’ gaping, starred at her in awe.
Surrender doubt and analyze ‘the truth’
She went on the explain how their recent state of
affairs had been altered and proposed several reasons
for this, analyzing and questioning each in greater
detail. The objective truth before was primarily “were
hopeless, trapped, and doomed.” Now, it is “were
captured by such intense joy that it affects us in all
physicality. “You saw with you own eyes how daily
exhaustion disappeared overnight. Is that random?
Well what are the chances a regular occurrence, rather
a constant occurrence would dissipate without a cause.
That obstructs the fundamental laws of science: cause
and effect. It stands to reason that this phenomenon
was caused, and I presume caused by that light
destroying shadow. So why do you insist on
depression? Surrender doubt and analyze ‘the truth’ for
yourself.
□ □ □
I didn’t know that fear could be dispelled with a
sentence. I am ever grateful for this new attitude
permeating this community and I’ve even adopted this
lifestyle as my own. Emitting a light, however feint, of
my own, I too strive for contentment, sentenced by a
fear of fear itself. It forces me to seek freedom, guiding
with a gentle shove. My path is unclear before me,
hazed and twisted by doubt. I know there is something
else going on here. I feel a disturbance in her
newfound genuineness. As a resident from birth, I
know very well the manifested difference in the few
I’ve met from other sides. And I intently question her
39
41. genuineness as one who claims the same residency as
I. Who is this never before seen Cela? She is changed in
a hundred ways. And who are “they?”
□ □ □
“We’ve been given a second chance!,” she shouted,
others nodding in agreement. We cannot waste our
lives whining and waiting anymore...” Cela’s gaze left
her friends and with a tone of regret, she finished her
speech, whispering, “I’m leaving.” “Will you?” this time
resounding clearly. The only response was silence and
shock. The most depressed and hopeless of their group,
now so determined and strong-willed. In their minds
they doubted if she could even survive in the darkness,
for so many had perished in it before. But even as Cela
approached a exit many had forgotten was even there,
she never wavered. She wasn’t in the least bit afraid.
After all, she had light in her, the greatest weapon
against darkness. She felt impervious to its toxic
nature, and looked it too. Still no one responded and as
she laid hands on the hatch, they quivered against a
back wall.
A dozen locks barred it shut, and tensions swelled
as each one unfastened with explosive force, the sound
marching valiantly through memories of captivity.
Clank! Another. Clank! One left. Clunk! Everyone held
their breath, starring fiercely at her hand. No one
spoke, nobody moved, not even sweat dared to distract
one from that hatch. The only sound in that Pod came
from their mighty anxiety, “Boom boom, boom boom,
boom boom, boom boom...” Cela’s heart pounded the
loudest; that door still as menacing as the same as
when they entered. They shut their eyes, afraid to even
gaze into the night. “Are we dead yet,” Garret poked.
He was the first to open his eyes and discover that
truth.
Cela stood in front like an action hero, wind
blowing in her hair. Her demeanor was that of one
walking slowly away from an enormous explosion
without looking back, the Pod being that thing to leave
behind. But she walked not into death, but into Life.
The light of hope pierced the heart of darkness, and a
protective dome sheltered them. It followed Cela, the
center and source of light. Utterly awestruck, they
forbid their bodies from moving, instead drooling like
braindead monkeys. It was the most amazing thing any
of them ever experienced. And suddenly they were
afraid of her. Amazement turned to despair and that
bravery they perceived in Cela seemed like foolishness.
They huddled in safety within the Pod, away from her
and thus, away from challenge to storehouses full of
cultural expectation. “It’s only a few months till we can
leave and meet back up with our families again!” “Ya!
It’s not worth the risk!” “Why should we trust you?
We’re staying here!”
40
42. Those doubtful faces hated her so quickly. Once so
admiring and grateful for the hope she brought, now
immersed in illusory ideology. “This is how we survive,
how we’ve survived since the beginning! Our ancestors
and their ancestors...” The accusations continuously
poured out, the only one to remain silent in awe was
the most skeptical of them all. He whose thoughts,
most skilled in deep observation and analysis, stepped
closer to Cela despite the many calls behind him. He
grabbed her outstretched hand, never looking back into
that Pod. And surprising even to me, his urge to jeer
ducked its head in reverence. They stood together,
Garret and Cela, and recognized only each other,
shouts of insult, doubt, confusion, humiliation, and
most other manifestations of verbal negativity fell on
deaf ears. They were one against many and walked out,
persecuted but unshaken. Closing hinges also screamed
for them to leave and when the door finally boomed
shut, exiling them forever, Cela and Garret felt oddly
relaxed. In fact, they were more relieved than ever. All
that stress accumulated inside the Pod, gone; the two
shared a celebratory nod, a moment still very much
effected by the very clearly expressed hatred of their
former friends.
They soon shook off the reality of them being
outcasted, setting their eyes for the first time on that
which was so recently feared. Yet since no one had ever
seen their home world in the light of day, there wasn’t
any knowledge to guide a reaction. Only
disproportioned imaginings. And to both their surprise,
nothing compared truthfully to descriptions listed in
their storybooks. It was not speckled with writhing
anomalies manifesting death or despair. Nor was it
void of life, for they beheld many critters and
creatures-- though still quite macabre. Sheltered by
light of revelation, they were no longer hindered by
terror. What was there to be afraid of anyway? What
did they ever have to be afraid of? If only they’d been
brave enough to peak out of that Pod. Yes,
although I’ll bet their brains would explode.
Did Cela’s light shine so powerfully just now and
expose hidden thoughts locked away behind
impassable vaults of the mind?
Damn. I’m a little weirded out
...
...
...
...
41
43. (light protects them from 5’s harmful atmosphere. they
leave the Pod to rescue other poddies; after that, Cela,
having already opened the item revealing a ppicture,
leaves on the “train” to find her family.
Cela has another nightmare while helping
others on 5; the real problem is unsolved; she
needs to find her family for real
42
44. Cat Taro and his feline shenanigans: looses 8 of his 9
lives in the process and becomes an indoor cat
thereafter, afraid of adventure until he realizes his life
was wasted worrying and goes out with a bang
Section 5
A Cannily Curious Cat
43
45. character achieves two negative things in one action--
use humorous irony (tries to do good for someone but
ends up causing a fiasco)
“What do you mean, Santa Claus isn’t real?!!”
(listening through the apartment walls)
Section 6
Two Birds With One Stone
44
46. Germinoma
Among several varieties of tumors that arise in the area of the pineal gland, Germinoma
commonly causes headaches, nausea and vomiting. Sometimes patients have difficulty
looking up, which was the case for me.
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47. God’s legal standards
“The wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23). God set various commandments to which we are
to abide. Do not murder, steal, commit adultery, etc. All of the laws set forth throughout all
scripture are meant for our own good, as they keep us from temptation and other
dangerous situations. So when we disobey, that is when we sin and fall short of God’s legal
standards: he demands us to be perfect and sinless.
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48. Modern sensibility
The unwritten rules of today’s society that assert one’s supposedly inherent right to believe
whatever you want, acts in whatever way makes you most happy, and to be whoever you
most want to be. This seems to be mostly concerned with sexuality and gender issues.
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49. Not happy
True happiness cannot be found in temporary things like material possessions, friends or
family. Only in that which transcends all limitations can we, in undefiled happiness, rest. In
short, only God gives lasting joy.
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50. NT
Abbreviation for “New Testament,” the chapters in the Bible describing events after the
birth of Christ.
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51. OT
Abbreviation for “Old Testament,” chapters of the Bible with content concerning the time
before Christ’s birth.
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