Let's Do It Again

Great News,
I was able to grab one of the last seats to part 2 of the HUMA course, so it looks like this blog is gonna be useful afterall.  Can't wait see you in September.

Final Humanities Post

It's hard to believe that just a mere 15 weeks ago we as a class knew very little about each and other and for some myself included knew even less about Humanities.  This course afforded me an opportunity to research and explore what life might have been like for ancient civilizations.  From the prehistoric man to the fall of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance, I believe every outcome was met and possibly expanded.  The opportunity to visit the VMFA and view exhibits something I would not normally do was quite enriching.  My favorite topic would be The Greeks & Romans, from Pythagoras theorem that the universe could be understood by observing proportion to Leonardo DaVinci, to the infusion of Humanism, Realism, and Idealism and finally to the intricate architecture of The Parthenon.  I have had the most enjoyment of joining what I thought I knew of early civilizations with actual information and to dialogue with classmates and instructor are moments I will remember long after my scholastic career has concluded.

For quite some time I had been interested in the concept of blogging but never really had a reason to take a part in the practice.  I looked forward to each weeks topic of discussion.  I even started to blog whenever a good topic came to mind, I imagine I will continue to do so even after the course is completed, just got to figure out how to get more page interest and views.

Blogging was an enjoyable experience, it was a challenge to remember to stay on topic so most  weeks’ in addition to the class topic I also blogged about of f topic ideas.  As most of my classmates will attest I love to hear myself talk, strangely enough it was not so easy to turn that into a good blogging practice but after a few weeks I got the hang of it and now in addition to journaling I also blog.  While I’m not sure if I will I hope that I will continue to blog as it gives me a chance to take what I’m thinking and put out there for others to read (the people in my head assure me we will continue to blog).

My least favorite part of blogging was sticking to the topic of the week’s discussion.  I guess I consider myself an abstract blogger, if I think it then I’ll write about it.  My favorite part would have to be being able to just allow myself to post on some of the things I normally keep to myself, now I have an outlet, and I can't wait to use it next.  P

The Nicene Creed

Imagine my surprise when I learned there was a Prayer/Pledge for Christians?  It is called The Nicene Creed and was formulated at the First Ecumenical Council at Nicea in AD 325 to combat the thought that Jesus could not be a God since he was created (born of a woman), and it was expanded at the Second Ecumenical Council at Constantinople in AD 381 to balance its coverage of the Trinity by including the Holy Spirit. It is the only creed that was made public to the lesser citizens by any of the seven ecumenical councils and thus it is the only creed that is truly ecumenical (involving people from different kinds of Christian churches) and universal. In the Orthodox Church, it is the only creed.  As a new baby Christian I’m glad to be learning the foundations of the Christian body aren’t you?

Gargoyles - Serving a Dual Purpose

Last week during class we covered a lot of interesting material and of all those topics what caught my attention?  Gargoyles so I did a little research and it turns out they served a dual purpose, in some instances they were intended to scare away birds from nesting on the roof and to divert water away from the face of the building by a hole in the top of the statue which either expelled the water through the face of the gargoyle or out the back just think of them as a really big gutter.

Pay No Attention Behind the Curtain

As I sat watching the video I was shocked and appalled at the woman screaming at Roland Martin, “you need to come away from that Democratic Plantation brother.”  While her name escapes me her antics do not she is one of a duo of women who are Donald Trump supporters.  Aint it great that we live in a time and country where two fabulously ghetto black women can choose to “drink the kool aid” happily?

I have tried to pay close attention to the proponents and the opponents and I have heard very little of the plan for a Trump Administration.  I have heard ad nausea of the guilt of the Obama Administration and of how if Hilary Clinton wins it would be four more years of the same shuffle the coconuts.  I agree with him if Hilary is elected it will be more of nothing only because the republican congress will make sure that she accomplishes nothing just as they did to Obama.  For the last two nights I have listened as presenter after presenter goes on about how Obama is responsible for the shootings of innocent men and law enforcement officers how Hilary lied about emails or Benghazi incident.  

When can we expect to hear how you will uphold law and order, what you plan to do to Obama Care, how you will decrease the deficit and how you will end excessive force incidents of law enforcement.  I’m starting to feel like Dorothy I’ve come to you for help only to realize that it was all smoke and mirrors, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain that’s not the real Donald Trump.

Persistence Pays Off - New Palestinian City

Daniel Master of Wheaton College has found what he thinks is a great find in the remains of a Philistine City.  After 30 years of excavating and searching he and his group have unearthed skeletons and artifacts that it suspects had rested for more than 3,000 years in the cemetery, potentially offering clues to the Philistines’ lifestyle and perhaps providing some answers to the mysteries of where the Philistines came from.   Much has remained unknown about their origins.  Dr. Master is a co-director of the Leon Levy Expedition to Ashkelon, which has excavated the site since 1985. The cities and their people are mentioned in the ancient texts of the Babylonians, Egyptians and Assyrians. In the Hebrew Bible, they were the nemeses of the Israelites and sent Goliath to fight David. Many tales tell of the great battles the Philistines fought and lost until their utter destruction at the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian army in 604 B.C.  Now we can hear the story from these individuals rather than their enemies.  

Budda's Budda's Everywhere

 Indian Buddha


  Pakistani Buddha


  Chinese Buddha
Every living being has the same basic wish – to be happy and to avoid suffering.  Human beings have spent much time and energy improving external conditions in that search for happiness and a solution to their many problems. But when we respond to difficult situations with a positive or peaceful mind there would not be problems for us; indeed we may even come to regard them as challenges or opportunities for growth and development. Problems arise only if we respond to difficulties with a negative state of mind. Therefore, if we want to be free from problems we must learn to control our mind.  These are just a few of the thinkings and perscriptives of Buddha.  Those who follow this way of life learn to view every aspect of life they choose to see life's challenges as just a part of life and not the end of it.