.: WEB LOG :.

Post!

2011-05-22T14:32:00.003-04:00

So... I haven't posted in forever.

Here's the scoop since I last posted on here.

1. Liz and I bought a house in East Grand Rapids! Yay! We've done a good amount of updating and all-around fixing up. It's really coming along quite nicely!
2. I'm going to school for my MSW at Western Michigan University and hope to work as a counselor when I'm done... in June of 2012.
3. Liz and I have two beautiful sweet kittens named Bella and Juju.
4. I'm still working at Pine Rest and am now working my 6th different job since hiring in there in 2006.

I really have no time to be doing this right now, but I needed a break from my homework.

Hopefully it won't take me three years to return as it did last time.

Peace in!

-Dave

A letter from Bill Ayers...

2008-12-08T13:34:00.001-05:00

Dear friends,

Here is a lovely collections of words from William Ayers published in an op-ed in the New York Times. You may recall that during the 2008 presidential election campaign, President Elect Obama's rival resorted to making tenuous allegations of "guilt by association" for being tied to Bill Ayers, going as far as to label the professor of education "a terrorist." William has some remarkably insightful thoughts on the politics of fear, which were made quite apparent by both Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin throughout the campaign. I love his reference of the "Two Minutes Hate" from Orwell's "1984," but the greatest part of this article is how hopeful Mr. Ayers sounds, despite being made into a tool of fearful political rhetoric... he claims "Demonization, guilt by association, and the politics of fear did not triumph, not this time. Let's hope they never will again. And let's hope we might now assert that in our wildly diverse society, talking and listening to the widest range of people is not a sin, but a virtue."

Enjoy.

Love,
David

P.S. Yes, I'm at home, sick. That's how I was able to find time to update my blog. I'm going to go down some more vitamin C. Have a great afternoon and drive safely out there on those snowy roads!

New York Times Op-ed:

IN the recently concluded presidential race, I was unwillingly thrust upon the stage and asked to play a role in a profoundly dishonest drama. I refused, and here's why.

Unable to challenge the content of Barack Obama's campaign, his opponents invented a narrative about a young politician who emerged from nowhere, a man of charm, intelligence and skill, but with an exotic background and a strange name. The refrain was a question: "What do we really know about this man?"

Secondary characters in the narrative included an African-American preacher with a fiery style, a Palestinian scholar and an "unrepentant domestic terrorist." Linking the candidate with these supposedly shadowy characters, and ferreting out every imagined secret tie and dark affiliation, became big news.

I was cast in the "unrepentant terrorist" role; I felt at times like the enemy projected onto a large screen in the "Two Minutes Hate" scene from George Orwell's "1984," when the faithful gathered in a frenzy of fear and loathing.

With the mainstream news media and the blogosphere caught in the pre-election excitement, I saw no viable path to a rational discussion. Rather than step clumsily into the sound-bite culture, I turned away whenever the microphones were thrust into my face. I sat it out.

Now that the election is over, I want to say as plainly as I can that the character invented to serve this drama wasn't me, not even close. Here are the facts:

I never killed or injured anyone. I did join the civil rights movement in the mid-1960s, and later resisted the draft and was arrested in nonviolent demonstrations. I became a full-time antiwar organizer for Students for a Democratic Society. In 1970, I co-founded the Weather Underground, an organization that was created after an accidental explosion that claimed the lives of three of our comrades in Greenwich Village. The Weather Underground went on to take responsibility for placing several small bombs in empty offices — the ones at the Pentagon and the United States Capitol were the most notorious — as an illegal and unpopular war consumed the nation.

The Weather Underground crossed lines of legality, of propriety and perhaps even of common sense. Our effectiveness can be — and still is being — debated. We did carry out symbolic acts of extreme vandalism directed at monuments to war and racism, and the attacks .., never on people, were meant to respect human life and convey outrage and determination to end the Vietnam war.

Peaceful protests had failed to stop the war. So we issued a screaming response. But it was not terrorism; we were not engaged in a campaign to kill and injure people indiscriminately, spreading fear and suffering for political ends.

I cannot imagine engaging in actions of that kind today. And for the past 40 years, I've been teaching and writing about the unique value and potential of every human life, and the need to realize that potential through education.

I have regrets, of course — including mistakes of excess and failures of imagination, posturing and posing, inflated and heated rhetoric, blind sectarianism and a lot else. No one can reach my age with their eyes even partly open and not have hundreds of regrets. The responsibility for the risks we posed to others in some of our most extreme actions in those underground years never leaves my thoughts for long.

The antiwar movement in all its commitment, all its sacrifice and determination, could not stop the violence unleashed against Vietnam. And therein lies cause for real regret.

We — the broad "we" — wrote letters, marched, talked to young men at induction centers, surrounded the Pentagon and lay down in front of troop trains. Yet we were inadequate to end the killing of three million Vietnamese and almost 60,000 Americans during a 10-year war.

The dishonesty of the narrative about Mr. Obama during the campaign went a step further with its assumption that if you can place two people in the same room at the same time, or if you can show that they held a conversation, shared a cup of coffee, took the bus downtown together or had any of a thousand other associations, then you have demonstrated that they share ideas, policies, outlook, influences and, especially, responsibility for each other's behavior. There is a long and sad history of guilt by association in our political culture, and at crucial times we've been unable to rise above it.

President-elect Obama and I sat on a board together; we lived in the same diverse and yet close-knit community; we sometimes passed in the bookstore. We didn't pal around, and I had nothing to do with his positions. I knew him as well as thousands of others did, and like millions of others, I wish I knew him better.

Demonization, guilt by association, and the politics of fear did not triumph, not this time. Let's hope they never will again. And let's hope we might now assert that in our wildly diverse society, talking and listening to the widest range of people is not a sin, but a virtue.

William Ayers is a professor of education at the University of Illinois at Chicago

Ugly election incidents show lingering U.S. racism

2008-10-22T19:26:00.001-04:00

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - Two weeks before an election that could install the first black U.S. president, scattered ugly incidents have reflected a deep residue of racism among some segments of white America.

View Original Article

Pretending to be color-blind does not solve the problem... it's like pretending you aren't sick while cancer is spreading throughout your body.

That is all I have to say on that.

Love,

David

P.S. Anyone know of an adequate paying job that would suit me well? =D

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Dear Washington...

2008-09-29T17:22:00.003-04:00

Dear Washington,

First, congratulations! By treating the public as infantile and stupid, you have only helped to alienate yourself further and create more dissent against the government - and, thus, more support for the republican cause of "smaller government." Good work if your goals are to put yourself out of a job and further the ever-growing anarchist movement.

Secondly, if you expect your constituency to approve 700 billion dollar checks coming from our pockets, please explain to us the name we need to write in the field labeled "To."

I know that none of you EVER forget that we are a REPUBLIC and that you all have a great deal of power as our representative officials...

...but you seem occasionally to forget who gives you the orders - the very public that you repeatedly alienate.

Thanks... and better luck next time!

Peace in,
David

Interesting...

2008-09-24T16:30:00.001-04:00

How racism works

What if John McCain were a former president of the Harvard Law Review? What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating class? What if McCain were still married to the first woman he said “I do” to? What if Obama were the candidate who left his first wife after she no longer measured up to his standards?

What if Michelle Obama were a wife who not only became addicted to pain killers, but acquired them illegally through her charitable organization? What if Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard? What if Obama were a member of the “Keating 5”? What if McCain was a charismatic, eloquent speaker?

If these questions reflected reality, do you really believe the election numbers would be as close as they are?

This is what racism does. It covers up, rationalizes and minimizes positive qualities in one candidate and emphasizes negative qualities in another when there is a color difference.

— Kelvin LaFond, Fort Worth

Something to think about...

Peace.

Love,
David

The Hoober-Bloob Highway

2008-09-15T22:19:00.002-04:00

I need to get to bed here, but I just had to share this one:

Online Videos by Veoh.com

Liz and I have spent much of the night reveling in nostalgia and reminiscing about the days of Muppet Babies and Inspector Gadget...

However, this short film probably has the strongest connection to my youth. I watched it repeatedly as a child and loved it to no end.

...I still feel the same way about it. =)

I hope you enjoy.

Love,
David

P.S. Gotta love that music! =P

Mandate?! Seriously?!

2008-09-14T14:35:00.001-04:00

I need a new job...

Love,
David

On a lighter note...

2008-09-12T10:31:00.003-04:00

...this is our new car. It's amazing. I still can't believe we are driving it.

I hope I still have his optimistic attitude when making the monthly payments! =S

I'm going to go get some stuff down around the apartment... and maybe grab a snack as well.

Peace.

Love,
Dave

9/11 TM

2008-09-12T09:14:00.002-04:00

"Terrorists are not what you, John McCain, fight. Terrorists are what you, John McCain, use." -Keith Olbermann

Thank God somebody is finally holding this man accountable for what he says. Obama is certainly no saint and has even been accused by some to be the Antichrist, but at least he doesn't claim that he alone knows how to capture Bin Laden and he will only be willing to help bring him to justice if he is elected.

The republican ticket, to put it as gently as possible, is a farce. John McCain, once a very honorable senator from Arizona, has now given way to his own form of terrorism, using and abusing the republican brand of 9/11 TM.

McCain is terrorizing his own nation with his scare tactics... (Here is one example as well as another just in case the first wasn't enough.)

...and I have hope that a majority of our great nation will see this for precisely what it is.

Thanks to my good friend Ryan for bringing Keith Oblermann's "9/11 TM" soliloquy to my attention.

Peace, love, and understanding, my friends.

-Dave

Life...

2008-09-09T19:07:00.002-04:00

So, how are you? I can't complain. Well, I suppose I could, but who
would listen? Everyone has something in their life worth complaining
about. I am just growing so tired of being the person that everyone
complains TO at work... staff and patients alike.

However, on a brighter note, Liz and I made the single largest
purchase of our marriage and our lives in general! We are now the
proud owners of our cute little 2009 Pontiac Vibe. It's truly a
wonderful addition to the happy Filkins family.

Regarding my spiritual life and interconnectedness with the " higher
power," I am finding myself lately more able to dive into the
concepts of mindfulness, interdependence, and peacefulness while at
work. This is especially hard when working at an already difficult
job where the administration in their infinite wisdom find it best to
decrease the staff-to-patient ratio while increasing the amount of
work required of the direct care staff and considering the possibility
of going to "magnet status" where they could pay all staff members
even less than what little scraps we are tossed from the table after
all of our toils. (Phew! What a run-on sentence!)

Perhaps I am finally learning that meditation is not SEPARATING my
mind from my body and its sensations of the world around it, but
instead learning to EMBRACE my experiences (both the good and the less than ideal) and learning also to control my emotional responses. It
is only then when I feel I can even begin to understand just what my
personal spirituality is all about... and I will be the first to admit
that I don't have the foggiest idea what 'god' is all about.

So, can I continue down this road of spiritual enlightenment and
emotional self-control?

I can only hope.

So, here is where I end tonight. May peace find all of you on this
beautiful evening.

Love,
Dave

--
Sent from Gmail for mobile | mobile.google.com

I feel WICKED!

2008-08-10T21:34:00.002-04:00

Dear [instert your name here],

I just got back from Chicago with my hot wife, my sweet sister, and her awesome boyfriend Nick. We all had a great time, despite being there for less than 24 hours! I saw Wicked (which was wickedly amazing) and ate some seriously delicious pizza at Giordano's Pizza. Absolutely incredible, let me tell you!

The main reason I am posting, however, is that I have lost my cellular phone and cannot find it anywhere. So, if you want to get a hold of me, either send an e-mail or call Liz.

Peace.

Love,
David

Marriage, justice, and psychiatric care...

2008-07-21T18:15:00.003-04:00

Greetings to everyone - my friends, faithful readers, and random folks who happened to stumble upon my tiny little corner of the Internet... as well as anyone else I may have left out.

Since I last saw you -

1. MARRIAGE

Yeah, I'm married now. Liz and I ventured bravely into the brave new world of matrimony, hand in hand, on the most beautiful Saturday afternoon I have ever lived to see. June 14th was the date and here we are, one month plus one week later, still madly in love and facing each day together. It's a wonderful feeling to know that when I get back from a day at the psych hospital, I have somebody who will be there to be MY care provider.

2. JUSTICE

Believe it or not, I actually have very little to say on the subject of justice... only that I encourage all of you who are of the impression that your current beliefs regarding justice are solid and unrelenting, please go see the films "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight." These films will not outright change how you feel about the concept of good versus evil per se, but they certainly inspire a great deal of internal dialogue about issues surrounding morality and justice, while also providing supremely entertaining and simply incredible pieces of artwork.

3. Psychiatric Care

First off, let me state clearly that I do not envy those in positions of authority, except for the fact that their paychecks are significantly larger than the ones I take home. With that out of the way, I want to pose a question: Which do you believe should have more staff members to oversee, a Starbucks Coffee Shop or an adult acute psychiatric ward with over 20 patients? Well, in the brilliant minds of the administration of my employer, they are equivalent. Don't get me wrong - the traffic of customers that grace a Starbucks counter greatly overshadows the number of faces I may encounter in a single day, but how many jobs does a Barista have when compared to a care provider? Or a psychiatric nurse?

I'm sorry for that last one - most of you probably are blissfully unaware of the happenings of psychiatric hospitals until the horrible effects of their understaffing practices are made painfully aware through the completely misguided media outlets, many of whom seen to exist only to find blame and point fingers. I suppose that I would rather precede the expectation that our hospital will keep making staff cutbacks until enough tragic events occur that they realize the error of their ways. Instead of reducing staff pay increases for the installation of a million dollar conference centers with ridiculous and completely unnecessary features and building new units anf reallocating funds toward them, perhaps said organization should consider increasing their staffing ratio to better serve those who really need the support - the patients themselves.

But, alas - I am convinced that many in this organization have long lost sight of what our true mission is supposed to be. The last time I saw any of our administration on the unit was when there was an investigation into a mishap that was due to an understaffed unit. Perhaps a little more administrative supervision would save the organization's reputation while also finding ways to provide better care to the generally under-served populations we are called to heal.

Enough from me - I could rant about that all day.

Perhaps I just need a new job. =( It's too bad, because I love what I do. I just hate that the organization expects all of these workers, who are doing this because they have a heart, to work to the point of exhaustion, then force staff to work extra shifts and sometimes do the work that was once designed to be done by two or three staff. That is completely unethical for the staff and unfair to the patients who far too often go ignored except for the 15 minute checks.

I need to stop.

Now I'm all worked up.

I'm going to play the guitar for a bit. Maybe that will help.

I'm sorry if you read all of this. You should get off the web and go see "The Dark Knight" instead. It would be a much better use of your incredibly valuable time.

Have a wonderful night. I will try to as well.

Love and peace,
Dave

P.S. I love Barack Obama, and I have not been (even in all of his imperfections - in fact, possibly because of his imperfections) this fired up about a political figure. He is the Bobby Kennedy of social change without the burden f being born with a silver spoon in his mouth. I just hope that he can live up to the high hpes of citizens across the United States when he's elected as president this fall...

WHO SHOULD BE MY PREZ?

2008-05-12T22:32:00.002-04:00

You know me and those online presidential quiz things... well, here's the latest.

2008 President Selector http://selectsmart.com/president/2008.html Rankings:

1. Theoretical Ideal Candidate (100 %)
2. Dennis Kucinich (withdrawn) (93 %)
3. Barack Obama (90 %)
4. Alan Augustson (campaign suspended) (85 %)
5. Christopher Dodd (endorsed Obama) (81 %)
6. Joseph Biden (withdrawn) (78 %)
7. John Edwards (withdrawn) (76 %)
8. Wesley Clark (not running, endorsed Clinton) (72 %)
9. Hillary Clinton (71 %)
10. Michael Bloomberg (says he will not run) (70 %)
11. Mike Gravel (65 %)
12. Al Gore (not announced) (64 %)
13. Bill Richardson (withdrawn, endorsed Obama) (60 %)
14. Elaine Brown (54 %)
15. Ron Paul (concedes nomination not possible) (42 %)
16. Kent McManigal (campaign suspended) (37 %)
17. Mike Huckabee (withdrawn) (31 %)
18. Rudolph Giuliani (withdrawn, endorsed McCain) (31 %)
19. John McCain (27 %)
20. Tommy Thompson (withdrawn, endorsed Giuliani) (25 %)
21. Wayne Allyn Root (20 %)
22. Mitt Romney (withdrawn, endorsed McCain) (18 %)
23. Alan Keyes (16 %)
24. Chuck Hagel (not running) (16 %)
25. Sam Brownback (withdrawn, endorsed McCain) (16 %)
26. Fred Thompson (withdrawn) (12 %)
27. Tom Tancredo (withdrawn, endorsed Romney) (11 %)
28. Duncan Hunter (withdrawn, endorsed Huckabee) (9 %)
29. Jim Gilmore (withdrawn) (6 %)
30. Newt Gingrich (says he will not run) (6 %)
31. Stephen Colbert (campaign halted) (0 %)

I just had to double check and make sure that I'm not supporting the wrong candidate here. Especially since I'm going to the Van Andel Arena in two days to go see him at a rally here in Grand Rapids.

Yeah. Uber pumped. So's Liz.

Sweetness.

Well, I'll talk to you all later. It's time for beddy-bye, since I gotta work in the morning.

Love and peace (but not necessarily in that order),
David

STOMP OUT STIGMA!

2008-04-25T00:18:00.001-04:00

Stomp Out Stigma Walk for Mental Health - May 17

Pine Rest is co-sponsoring the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan’s annual “Stomp Out Stigma” walk.

The walk will be held on Saturday, May 17 at 8:30 am at the Grand Valley State University Pew Campus, located in downtown Grand Rapids. The objective of the walk is to show support for “Stomp!” during National Mental Health Month and to decrease the stigma of mental illness.

Last year, the Mental Health Foundation raised $34,000, with a goal of $50,000 this year. The proceeds will help continue grant programs.

If you are interested in participating by sponsoring this walk, please feel free to contact the Mental Health Foundation at 616-774-3790 or www.ti-gr.com for a registration form.

That's all. Have a great night.

Love,
David

P.S. Go check out the film "Canvas." Peace.

Check it out!

2008-04-23T21:13:00.000-04:00

Good night.

2008-03-29T22:08:00.003-04:00

Greetings!

Yeah, it's been a while... the wedding is coming up fast! June 14th seems just around the corner...

Work went smoothly today, which was a much needed change of pace. Then, I got to hang out with the "in-laws-to-be" tonight, which was great. An interesting movie with Dr. Bob and wonderful dinner with the family at Max & Erma's. Now, I'm totally exhausted.

I found a very interesting quiz... here are my interesting results:

1. New Age (100%)
2. Unitarian Universalism (96%)
3. Liberal Quakers (96%)
4. Neo-Pagan (90%)
5. Secular Humanism (85%)
6. Theravada Buddhism (81%)
7. Taoism (77%)
8. Mahayana Buddhism (77%)
9. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (70%)
10. Orthodox Quaker (68%)
11. Jainism (61%)
12. Scientology (61%)
13. Nontheist (60%)
14. Bahá'í Faith (56%)
15. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (56%)
16. New Thought (53%)
17. Sikhism (49%)
18. Reform Judaism (47%)
19. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (36%)
20. Hinduism (32%)
21. Orthodox Judaism (30%)
22. Islam (27%)
23. Seventh Day Adventist (26%)
24. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (24%)
25. Jehovah's Witness (24%)
26. Eastern Orthodox (7%)
27. Roman Catholic (7%)

Feel free to share your own results. =)

Oh, by the way (since I feel I should stick to the eclectic and manic method of writing I have already established in this post)... Upton Sinclair is my new favorite author. 'effing amazing. His methods are what amaze me most. Perhaps the sociological methods and the progressive nature of his work is what truly draws me to this enigmatic socialist and "muckraker" as President Theodore Roosevelt ever-so-kindly chose to nickname the man.

That's all for tonight. I'm SOOO tired. Plus, I work bright and early.

Love,

Dave

P.S. Doesn't Mr. Sinclair look an awful lot like Paul Dano? I find this exceptionally ironic with the fact that Mr. Dano portrayed two completely dialectical (yet, frighteningly similar) characters in the cinematic adaptation of Upton Sinclair's epic novel brilliantly titled Oil! in the film with just as brilliant of a title, which happens to be "There Will Be Blood."

Phone = @*&%!!!

2008-02-07T16:19:00.000-05:00

Yeah, my phone is dead... it gives me a screen that displays the following:

+-----------------------+
| --Download started-- |
| Emergency @ USB |

| |

| Bootblock Version: |
| u420 bb:ZH09.2 |

+-----------------------+

I'm going to Alltel to get this taken care of. If you need me... well, I'll be at the Alltel store on 28th Street.

Peace in, amigos.

Love,
Dave

Wassup?!

2008-01-30T19:22:00.000-05:00

Yeah... so, here's what I've been up to lately.

Working a hell of a lot at Pine Rest. In fact, I just got over a bout of pharyngitis or something. Probably from my difficult job as senior care provider... Ugh.

Practicing with my band "First to the Fence." Possible gig on 2.22.8 @ The Break Room on Plainfield Ave. near Leonard. More info as I get it...

Recent films: I am Legend (4/5), AVP:Requiem (3/5), Margot at the Wedding (4/5), Juno (6/5 - Yeah, you got that right), El Orfanato (aka. 'The Orphanage' for the non-Spanish speaking minority of the world) (5/5), August Rush (2/5), and Cloverfield (4.5/5).

Wedding plans are coming along well. The music is lined up, the guys suits are ordered (booyah!), working on the invitations and realized that the ones we like are available at 50% off because of Liz's awesome friend (thanks, Laur!)... yeah, coming along just peachykeen. =D

Well, that about wraps it up. Hope all is well with everybody. Shoot me a message sometime or give me a call. I'm not guaranteeing that I'll be available, but I promise I will get back to you soon.

Peace in.

Love,
David

P.S. Here's a pic of that extremely frightening creature from Cloverfield. I call her "Clovie."

Yeah... it's pretty intense, I know. Not a half-bad movie, my friends. If you're a fan of giant monster movies, then this is a must-see for you.

Manifest Destiny

2007-10-29T12:10:00.000-04:00

Five Iron Frenzy - the greatest group to ever carry the title of a "Christian" band.

Before we criticize the entire religion of Islam based on the actions of some greedy extremists, let us recall Christianity's own hateful and destructive past...

No, I'm not talking about the Crusades... I'm not even talking about the Spanish Inquisition...

I'm speaking of genocide. No, not in Rwanda or Afghanistan... genocide that occurred right here on our own turf... to my ancestors, the original inhabitants of this great land.

Many people cling to the tragedy of 9/11 with signs and stickers reading "We will never forget." Let us also not forget that our ancestors carried out murder with a comparable body count in the name of g-d.

Let us teach by example... let us break the cycle of hatred...

I believe this is the dawning of a new era.

Five Iron Frenzy - Old West Lyrics

Up until the middle of the 20th century,

many Americans believed in the idea known as the "Manifest Destiny."

It held that all of North America,

from sea to shining sea,

was rightfully the property of the U.S. and was given to us by God.

Native Americans were unscrupulously thrown off their homelands

and slaughtered in the name of Jesus.

Horror stories of entire tribes being led through rivers while being baptized,

just to be shot and scalped on the other side,

rival those of the Spanish Inquisition.

Today, I see street corner preachers screaming at passers-by,

while the amount of Neo-Nazi Hate crimes are escalating every day.

All of this under a blanket name of "Christianity."

Read Your Bible.

Jesus never beat people or insulted them into believing in him.

He spoke the truth

And set an example by loving every man.

We are called to follow his example.

Remember the Massacres at Sand Creek and meeker.

Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.

Some cowboys were a ridin', ridin' on the range;

The grass was over grazed there,

and spotted like some mange;

The buffalo were dead there,

the trees they all were through,

and if they saw some Injuns,

why they would kill them too.

West or bust, in God we trust,

"Let's rape, let's kill, let's steal"

We can almost justify, anything we feel;

I'm climbing up that ladder,

more brownie points for me I'll work my way to Jesus you wait and see.

Said one cowboy to another,

"I think it would be nice,

if we could take these injuns and convert them all to Christ;

See, they are all disgusting, and bringing me great pain,

and if they don't believe me,

we'll put a bullet in their brains!"

I am always shoutin',

when I go outside,

how people should repent now,

or they're going to die.

My motives are all selfish,

I'm a cannon brimmed with powder.

If people don't believe me,

I just beat them and yell louder.

More Five Iron Frenzy Lyrics...

Peace in.

Love,
David

"What if everyone..."

2007-10-05T17:28:00.000-04:00

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Sorry 'bout that. It was just one of those days on the ol' North Unit, I'm afraid.

Not to say that there weren't high points... such as the patient who, upon learning how much money I make, took it upon herself to try to convince my supervisor that I am a wonderful employee and should be compensated much more than I am. =)

Or when I got to hear a patient (who normally spends all day sleeping in bed) rapping and dancing in the lounge, only to discover that he has dreams of going professional with his mad hip-hop skills.

There was also the short-lived bumping and grinding dance moves in the courtyard...

And the new admission who recognized me from his numerous previous visits and said he likes our unit way better than south...

But, for some reason, the main thing that I remember from today was what a fellow coworker said during shift change.

"I hate those people on day shift."

Whether it was meant in fun or intended to be taken seriously is not important to me. I interpreted it as the latter, and unfortunately that is how it has stuck. I have been unable to convince myself that the person was joking because I have the unfortunate inability to simply blow off criticism of any sort... paired with a rock-solid ability to hold onto such criticisms for extremely long periods of time, I am certain that it will take quite some time for me to forget this one.

Immediately, I found that I began getting angry...

Then, I began thinking.

What do staff (specifically care providers... more specifically, myself) that work day shifts on our unit do that evening shift staff don't do?

I came up with an extremely long mental list... and I keep adding things to it. Here is a brief sample:

-Gather patients and take them to classes
-Teach classes
-Actually follow patient behavioral plans
-Chart a narrative of the observed behaviors of the patients
-Pass and collect urine specimens
-Keep patients with no smoking and no courtyard orders from doing smoking or entering the courtyard, respectively
-Bathe the patients if necessary
-Help housekeeping with removing soiled bedding
-Check refrigerator temperatures
-Retrieve patients for psychiatrists, case managers, outside social workers, lawyers, psych testers, physician assistants, therapists, chaplains or others spiritual leaders, etc.
-Take pictures of patients when they are admitted
-Print out at least two large copies of the patient's picture for the chart and med cart
-Keep a photo contact sheet up-to-date with pictures of each patient together on one sheet of paper

...and that's it for starters.

If anyone from evening shift would like to take over any of those responsibilities, I would be more than glad to hand them over.

Wow... I feel better already.

For those of you who don't even know what I'm talking about, thanks for reading this far. You are real troopers and will be rewarded for your diligence. Click here for the time of your life.

If I offended anybody, I am truly sorry... my intention was not to hurt feelings, I just needed to get some things off my chest. Not everybody who works days is a workaholic and not everyone who works evenings refuses to chart a narrative on the patients. In general, however, it cannot be denied that the day shift is generally extremely more hectic and faced-paced, as this individual would know. He used to work full-time on the day shift.

...wow. Looking over this, I realize two things.

1) I sound like a whiny little child.
2) Perhaps this is what he meant - that we are wound WAY too tightly.

Either way, I'm still quite pissed off.

I need to play some electric guitar. LOUDLY.

Toodles.

-Dave

P.S. You're probably wondering what the title of this post is all about. Yeah, I forgot to mention that in this blog - I guess I got too wrapped up in complaining and apologizing that I forgot to mention how I cope with the busy days where I find myself overworked and cleaning up messes and doing work that should have been done the night before.

A case worker at Pine Rest told me one day that she has a saying that she tells herself before anything she does. She read it in a book as a child and she has never forgotten it. The saying is "What if everyone..."

Before she does anything, she asks herself "What if everyone _____" and fills in the blank with whatever it was that she was planning on doing. So, if she were planning on throwing trash outside, she would ask herself "What if everyone threw their trash outside?" Then she would think about it from that larger perspective and see the dangers in even the most seemingly insignificant of problems.

So, while it may not seem a big deal not to chart on the patient's behaviors for the psychiatrists, case workers, therapists, and other staff to read... I ask myself, "What if everyone refused to type a narrative of the patient's behaviors?" In the field of health and human services it is most apparent that if behaviors are not documented, they never happened. So, if behaviors were never documented, how would anybody know what symptoms to be treating? That is dangerous territory there and reminds myself just how important my job truly is to the well-being of the patients.

Sally Field's UNCENSORED Speech

2007-09-24T18:40:00.000-04:00

Yeah, so it's really not all that exciting. I think Fox edited out her anti-war rant in an effort to get more media attention.

Regardless, I am ever grateful that our brothers and sisters in the "Great White North" are less hell-bent on editing out media content with which they do not agree with. Sometimes I wonder if Canada and the U.S. somehow switched Constitutions somewhere along the road, because they do a damned better job following ours than we do sometimes.

Thanks, Blogger, for not editing out my rant. =)

Here's the video:

Love,
David

A lesson in futility...

2007-09-21T19:24:00.000-04:00

Today we admitted a patient who has been on the unit many times and never seems to make progress. Why was he discharged in the first place? Because, unfortunately, a person must make the same mistakes numerous times before receiving the proper treatment they need and deserve.

I am so angry at the mental health system. I knew I hated it before, but this just never ends. People are released and taken back, not equipped with the proper medications, guidance, or facilities to reach their unattainable goals. Day after day I witness this and feel as though I am swabbing the deck of the Titanic while it sinks into the ocean.

My greatest fear is not to be swept beneath the crashing waves with the ship... that's what a good crew member must be willing to risk. No, my fear is that one day I or somebody I love may require psychiatric treatment. Is this how they will be treated? The stigma of mental illness is one thing. However, the incompetency and lack of oversight into the care of the patients is something I will not tolerate.

Am I supposed to cave in? After putting in years of service, am I supposed to become jaded to the notion that these people simply will never receive the care they need? Why can a person who requires the strict monitoring that a long-term locked residential facility provides not receive those services? And why are individuals with moderate to severe mental retardation sent to a psychiatric hospital? Is it our job to cure behavioral problems and alter personalities, because that is impossible to do. All that ends up occurring are the patients become drugged up to the point where they can no longer be a threat to themselves or others. Who is being serviced in such treatment? Nobody.

If the hospital I work for was a "for profit" organization, my feelings would be much different. However, the fact that this hospital offers financial assistance for patients to receive the wrong care does not make the situation any better. All that means is that the staff get paid less and the quality of care diminishes proportionately.

I am but one person. What can I do?

God, if there is one out there... what can be done? Is anything even supposed to be done about this? Am I the one in the wrong here? Please, grant me the clarity of thought to know what it is I need to do...

Love,
David

P.S. I can take my girl out for a drink and a movie... and that's what I'll do.

P.P.S. I am currently giving quite a lot of careful consideration to applying to MSU's School Psychology program. It sounds interesting and, as you can see, one of my life goals on my Facebook profile is (and I quote):

"Get a Master's degree in a field I'm interested in."

Roger Ebert's greatest film review to date...

2007-09-06T18:38:00.000-04:00

...and I haven't even seen the film yet!

Ever since I heard about this project, I knew that I would probably avoid it, but I was also well aware the curious temptation within me to see what the accusatory mind can produce might very well get the better of me and catch me unaware.

Roger Ebert's film review for "September Dawn" has much more to do with socio-political agendas and brainwashing concepts related to the film than it does the actual content of the film itself or the talent of the creative staff involved.

I felt comforted inside to hear somebody other than myself refer to the slaughter of countless numbers of the natives of this great country in Christ's name as GENOCIDE instead of PROGRESS.

Ebert hit the nail on the head with this review, pointing to the two possible agendas that must have been set forth by the creative team responsible for this story.

After this review, I desperately want to see "September Dawn" - but I think I might just have to wait until it comes to video. I want to know if Roger Ebert is simply reading into this a little too much, or if humanity could really have stooped this low...

-Dave

September Dawn (R)

Ebert:
Zero stars

Users
२.५ stars

Bishop John Samuelson, a crazy Mormon zealot (played by Jon Voight), orders the massacre of a visiting wagon train of Christians in "September Dawn."

September Dawn

August 24, 2007

Cast & Credits

Bishop Samuelson: Jon Voight
Brigham Young: Terence Stamp
Joseph Smith: Dean Cain
John Lee: Jon Gries
Nancy Dunlap: Lolita Davidovich

Black Diamond Pictures and Slow Hand Releasing present a film directed by Christopher Cain. Written by Cain and Carole Whang Schutter. Running time: 111 minutes. Rated R (for violence). Opening today at local theaters.

By Roger Ebert

On Sept. 11, 1857, at the Mountain Meadows Massacre, a group of fanatic Mormons attacked and slaughtered a wagon train of about 120 settlers passing through Utah on their way to California. Can we all agree that the date has no significance? No, we cannot, because "September Dawn" is at pains to point out that on another Sept. 11, another massacre took place, again spawned by religion.

But hold on. Where did I get that word "fanatic"? In my opinion, when anybody believes their religion gives them the right to kill other people, they are fanatics. Aren't there enough secular reasons for war? But there is no shortage of such religions, or such people. The innocent, open-faced Christians on the wagon train were able to consider settling California, after all, because some of their co-religionists participated in or benefitted from the enslavement of Africans and the genocide of Native Americans.

Were there fanatics among those who ran the Salem Witch Trials or the Inquisition or the Crusades? Or the Holocaust? No shortage of them. Organized religion has been used to justify most of the organized killing in our human history. It's an inescapable fact, especially if you consider the Nazis and communists as cults led by secular gods. When your god inspires you to murder someone who worships god in a different way or under another name, you're barking up the wrong god.

The vast majority of the members of all religions, I believe and would argue, don't want to kill anybody. They want to love and care for their families, find decent work that sustains life and comfort, live in peace and get along with their neighbors. It is a deviant streak in some humans, I suspect, that drives them toward self-righteous violence, and uses religion as a convenient alibi.

That is true, wouldn't you agree, about Mormons, Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists and so on? No, not all of you would agree, because every time I let slip the opinion that most Muslims are peaceful and nonviolent, for example, I receive the most extraordinary hate mail from those assuring me they are not. And in a Muslim land, let a newspaper express the opinion that most Christians and Jews are peaceful and nonviolent, and that newspaper office is likely to be burned down. The worst among us speak for the best.

Which brings us back to Sept. 11, 1857, when a crazy Mormon zealot named Bishop John Samuelson (Jon Voight) ordered the massacre of the visiting wagon train, after first sending his spokesman to lie that if they disarmed, they would be granted safe passage. Whether the leader of his church, Brigham Young (Terence Stamp), approved of this action is a matter of much controversy, denied by the church, claimed by "September Dawn."

What a strange, confused, unpleasant movie this is. Two theories have clustered around it: (1) It is anti-Mormon propaganda to muddy the waters around the presidential campaign of Mitt Romney, or (2) it is not about Mormons at all, but an allegory about the 9/11/01 terrorists. Take your choice. The problem with allegories is that you can plug them in anywhere. No doubt the film would have great impact in Darfur.

There isn't anything to be gained in telling this story in this way. It generates bad feelings on all sides, and at a time when Mormons are at pains to explain they are Christians, underlines the way that these Mormons consider all Christians to be "gentiles." The Mormons are presented in no better light than Nazis and Japanese were in Hollywood's World War II films. Wasn't there a more thoughtful and insightful way to consider this historical event? Or how about a different event altogether? What about the Donner Party? They may have been cannibals, but at least they were nondenominational.

If there is a concealed blessing, it is that the film is so bad. Jon Voight, that gifted and versatile actor, is here given the most ludicrous and unplayable role of his career, and a goofy beard to boot. Stamp, as Brigham Young, comes across as the kind of man you'd find at the back of a cave in a Cormac McCarthy novel. The Christians are so scrubbed and sunny, they could have been teleported in time from the Lawrence Welk program.

And isn't it sickening that the plot stirs in some sugar by giving us what can only be described as a horse whisperer? This movie needs human whisperers. And giving us a romance between the bishop's son and a pretty gentile girl? And another son of the bishop who dresses up like an Indian and goes batty at the scent of blood? And real Native Americans who assist the Mormons in their killing, no doubt thinking, well, we can get around to the Mormons later? I am trying as hard as I can to imagine the audience for this movie. Every time I make any progress, it scares me.

I found what I want to get next...

2007-06-18T21:55:00.000-04:00

This...

Yeah, it's affordable and still 5.0 megapixels. Which, in case you aren't aware, is a significant improvement over my current camera which currently takes pictures at a maximum of 3.2 megapixels.

So, yeah.

Affordable, great reviews, and... well, it's Nikon. That means it automatically kicks ass. I'm sold.

http://www.ritzcamera.com/product/541530960.htm

Now, if only it wasn't for those pesky student loans looming on the horizon...

-Dave

P.S. Work went really well today. =) Too bad Liz went home to have her head cut open. That sounds a lot worse than it will be... no worries necessary, I promise. More details later.

I missed my calling...

2007-06-09T20:05:00.000-04:00

Good evening, fellow bloggers! I could spend my moments filling you in on the boring events of my life... or, I could could divulge your minds with some of my life philosophy. However, I choose neither of those. Instead, I will critique a movie I recently saw with two of my best friends.

The film was "Hostel Part II."

*SPOILER ALERT (NOT MANY - I WON'T RUIN THE ENDING)*

The film opens with a gut-wrenching and head spinning surprise, which establishes the mood of the last film and really gets the viewer expecting more excitement... only to be let down by a surprisingly slow-paced sequence following the antics of three art student vacationers persuaded by a model to travel to Slovakia to discover the natural beauty and relaxing atmosphere. The let down in action proves to be less of a let down and more of a realistic feeling set of ordeals that sincerely establish these three characters as actual people we may have encountered over the course of our lives. So, after convincing ourselves that we are in for a roller-coaster ride of a movie, we find ourselves relaxed and really getting into the personalities and romantic interests of these three ladies... at times, I really felt that I could empathize with them. Then, gradually, the puzzle fills in piece by piece and the adventure truly begins.

I will not ruin the ending, but I will say that there were major role reversals and that the physical violence pales in comparison to the psychological intrigue at the banality of evil displayed in the film. I found myself asking the essential question here... "Could I ever do this?" In an age where we find ourselves surprised to hear of the events at Abu Ghraib and Guantánamo Bay, this film offers a heartfelt (though, slightly exaggerrated) answer. Yet, in all of the discussions of responsibility and punishment, we seem to have forgotten the results of the controversial study that the brilliant Stanley Milgram performed... or the unexpected turn that the Stanford Prison Experiment took. Evil is not something that a person either is or is not... it is a continuum that runs down the middle of every living thing (and arguably non-living things at times as well - but, that's a discussion for another day).

This movie proved to be exciting, full of adventure, and extremely thought provoking. Throughout the blood and gore is an interesting social commentary, not necessarily a critique. After all... it is those who refuse to admit their innate potential for becoming evil that perform the most depraved acts upon society. Perhaps, unlike the childhood lessons of self-esteem which are pounded into our heads throughout our youth, a strong sense of self-worth needs to be coupled with the constant reminder that we all have the potential for causing terrible harm on the world through our words and actions.

*END OF SPOILERS*

That's all for now.

Man, I missed my calling as a movie critic. Perhaps I could write articles in sociological journals that analyze films using sociological and social-psychological theory. I could also compare and contrast the events in the film to those occurring in real life to try to decipher the intentions of the creative team to analyze why this particular picture was made... to start to really understand what it is in our minds and in our culture that desires specific genres of movies. Why do we really like romances where love does not come easily? Why do we like to be scared out of our minds in horror films? Why do we always love to cheer when a person supposedly "gets what is coming to them" and what criteria determines their deserval of vengeance? To really begin to understand the social and psychological purpose of creating (and attending) films in modern society would be a dream of mine. Oh, if only that were my job instead of sitting here watching a grown adult sleep to assure their lack of self harm behaviors.

Well, that'll be the day...

Well, until we meet again.

Love,
David

It's 5 am, I must be lonely...

2007-05-28T04:59:00.000-04:00

Yeah, so it's not quite Rob Thomas material... but it's as close to a real song as I could get without going with the ever-unpopular "It's 5 o'clock Somewhere." =S

So... yeah, I originally agreed to stay a couple of hours into the next shift after working from 3pm to 11:30pm, just to keep an unruly patient in line. However, as tends to be the case in my life, things did not end as I had originally intended them to end. My nice, peaceful sleep in my cozy bed turned into a lot of sitting and reading (and a mad rush to Meijer at 3am to find some snacks and as many caffeinated drinks as I could down in the short span of my break)... and now blogging as well.

I heard a piece on NPR today that I found rather interesting and applicable in my life. The topic was blogs and online publishing. The main point was that one should be careful what they publish because it can come back to haunt them. After all, just because something is published one day does not mean it cannot be read 20 years from that day... but, would it still be relevant? Perhaps not.

Now, I understand that caution is important in all conversations... printed, spoken, handwritten, signed, gestured, or however else one chooses to perform their communication amongst peers. However, the sole responsibility in communicating DOES NOT lie solely within the communicator as was implied in this "report." I almost think I would be willing to say that the LISTENER requires the most caution of all.

I doubt that anybody would say that we are automatically born with the opinions that we will hold onto strongly for the rest of our lives. No... life is a process. Part of that process understandably involves making mistakes. The Internet, such as film, music, and writing, are publishing mediums that are "permanent" (I put the word in quotes because any of these mediums could eventually become completely wiped out - film can disintegrate over time, books can burn, CDs can melt with overuse, and computers/servers/routers can simply become unplugged). The existence of a permanent medium is a great thing. Nonetheless, as is the case with all things great, there must also come a social responsibility. In this case, the responsibility of the consumer of information is the ability to understand that the publisher (as well as the reader - whether or not they choose to admit) is growing in wisdom, knowledge, and the pursuit of a more complete worldview.

Then again, I believe that the ability to understand (or the lack thereof) is the key (or cause) of most (if not all) of the problems plaguing our world today.

Perhaps I will find that in the not-so-distant future, I will come to regret the words I have posted here today...

...but until that time, I ask that you bear with me on my journey to physical, mental, and spiritual enlightenment. Come with me as I journey to nirvana.

I don't want to go there alone.

Love,
David

What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding?

2007-04-29T20:36:00.000-04:00

This morning at work proved to be extremely entertaining and insightful. Amidst the cover of an exceedingly relaxed atmosphere (one which rarely exists on this unit), four individuals found themselves bickering/arguing/debating, etc. about the topic of religion.

One person assumed the role of being the constant antagonist, playing the "devil's advocate" whenever the opportunity arose. Another took the stance that The Bible is the only truth in this world and that to think otherwise would be "assuming the role of G-d" and demeaning this blessed "truth." All the while, the other two sat back and listened to the whole thing and researching the topics further.

The four people were staff members at Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services... and I was grateful to find that there was another person (or two) who finds that the pathway towards truth and a higher power does NOT necessarily need to travel through the heart of a specific prophet or savior. In fact, as one of the participants in the debate stated, "There is one thing and one thing only that causes bloodshed between religions... and that is the fact that they lose sight of the highest power - G-d... God... Allah... Nirvana... Father... Tao... Yoga... So many religions dwell on topics of prophets and the various topics which separate them from other religious sects while ignoring the one unifying belief that binds all religions together - there is a higher power that exists out there, and we all want to be as close to it as we possibly can."

Well, that may not have been what he said verbatim, but I got the gist of his message captured while adding in a bit of my own flair.

The point being...

Why must religions (particularly referring to Christianity here) feel the need to persuade people to find this "G-d" through their specific means?

We all take different routes... let us all enjoy our own special trips toward this greater power in peace and tranquility without feeling the need to bind and gag others and throw them in the car with us.

After all, how do we know that our car is heading in the right direction?

Love,
Dave

My dream ticket for 2008...

2007-04-19T19:13:00.001-04:00

The best of both parties are represented in one lovely package... The young, brilliant, and energetic young Illinois senator will help empower our youth back into the political arena where they belong! Meanwhile, McCain's expertise and willingness to listen will provide the nation with the stability we need to address the difficult issues we face in this election. Altogether, this dynamic duo could take America to new heights and unify a divided nation. No more red and blue... let's go PURPLE!

Love,

Dave

P.S. Do you agree?  Disagree?  Either way, you should go visit http://www.unity08.org and select your own dream ticket for the 2008 elections and let's make this an election for progress, not politics...

Ignorance Runs Amok Among Alleged Tarantino "Fans"

2007-04-15T06:51:00.000-04:00

I often find myself venturing into the realms of the discussion boards on the Internet Movie Database, where I find myself discussing the brilliance of actors and directors alike with intelligent and well-informed film enthusiasts (often EXTREMELY more intelligent than myself). However, when I stumble upon the discussion boards for the films of Quentin Tarantino, I find myself attempting to explain the work of a genius to those who simply fail to understand.

For those who don't get what Tarantino does (and what he does NOT do), I give you the following summary:

Tarantino is a regurgitator, NOT an innovator. He takes in the styles of old films, such as samurai flicks and spaghetti westerns of the 60s and 70s, which he grew up on. He takes a unique story with unique characters and shows the viewer the story through the stylized lens of the exploitation movies he grew up on and continues to overglamorize today. As a writer, his ability to write gritty and seemingly meaningless dialogue is arguably his greatest talent.

* SPOILER ALERT : IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN "GRINDHOUSE" THEN DO NOT READ THIS! *

For example, in the Grindhouse films ("Planet Terror" and "Death Proof"), there are some inconsistencies in the films. In PT, Cherry has a gun attached to her leg which she is somehow "miraculously" able to fire without having to pull the trigger. DP begins with a much more "serious" feel to it, but ends in a style just as over-the-top as PT. During the numerous chase sequences in DP, there are times where the viewer wants to say "Why can't they just stop the car?" Asking such a question would be like watching an old horror movie and asking "Why is she running upstairs when the killer is coming after her?" If the girls were able to stop their car and evade the madman hot on their trail, would that contribute or take-away from the story at hand? Duh. End of story. Logic does not always work in films. That is the motto of exploitation films and, ultimately, the theme behind "Grindhouse."

* SPOILERS ARE OVER : YOU MAY CONTINUE READING *

There. I feel much better now that I have cleared that up. I think it was more of a rant to vent off my own frustration than a lesson in Tarantino stylization in films... but, if it was able to serve as either, than it was a success.

Well, this double-shift is nearly over and I feel like I'm about to collapse. Now, I can go home for about 5 and a half hours before I have to come back again! =D JOY!

G'Night... er, wait. It's morning now.

So...

G'Morning! =D

Love,

Dave

Comics?! NO WAY!

2007-04-12T18:47:00.000-04:00

So, here you go... my first comic since childhood! =P (This one is non-fiction!)

Love,
Dave

Love...

2007-03-29T23:18:00.001-04:00

I really love this new computer. =)

...and I really love my fiance.

G'Night, friends. =) I love you all as well.

Love,

D Ave.

Red, White, and loads of Green?!

2007-03-29T19:07:00.000-04:00

http://betoniraq.com/

I have no words for this... yet, I'm certain you all know where I stand on this one.

I take it back. I have two words:

Fuck capitalism.

That's all.

Love,
Dave

UNICEF is effin' sweet.

2007-03-18T17:03:00.000-04:00

http://www.unicefgames.com/heroes/frames_large.html

The greatest game EVER.

That's all.

Love,
Dave

P.S. I'm getting sleepy... and I still have 6.5 hours left at work. =(

Work

2007-03-17T16:53:00.000-04:00

So, yes, I agreed to work a double tomorrow... so, basically, I will be able to get no more than five hours of sleep for each of the next two nights. However, at least this way I will know that on Monday, they will NOT be able to force me to work a double and I can rest for the rest of the day Monday and all day Tuesday. I should have forced it into a mandate, but at this point in time, I don't even care. The fact that we put most of our effort into babysitting a patient who should NOT even be here just pisses me off. I swear... the people who admit our patients need to spend a few minutes on the unit getting slapped, head-butted, kicked, scratched, and cussed out by these patients they are admitting. Yes, I understand that these people need help... SO ADMIT THEM TO A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN GET THE HELP THAT THEY NEED!!!!!!! Pine Rest is simply not meant to handle patients like this!

All I can do is all I can do.

But, doing "all I can do" every day and seeing no progress is beginning to wear my patience very thin.

At least I'll be getting some overtime...

...but, it is never worth the little pay we get.

Ugh. That's the only word that can describe my mood at this moment.

Ugh.

-Dave

I just had to share this...

2007-03-11T23:51:00.000-04:00

As guilty as I feel for 1) Staying up far later than I should and 2) Feeding the inner teenager within me, I felt that I simply could not pass up such a quiz. Fortunately, I found that I have more in common with my favorite fictional character than I had ever previously imagined... =)

I leave you now.

Ciao.

You're Hannibal Lecter, M.D. Cultured, genius, and not without a sense of humor, you are something entirely Other. With your penchant for cannibalism and your killer wit, no one will be able to stop you.

Vote for Unity in 2008!

2007-02-28T15:49:00.002-05:00

So, I'm working a mandate... It's about 1550 (3:50 pm) and I've been here since 0655... and I'll be here until 2330. Then I get to come back at 0700 tomorrow. During the 7.5 hours between shifts, I need to travel approximately 40 minutes round trip, eat a meal, sleep, and get snacks to bring in for work (which I promised before I knew I was going to be mandated). On top of this, I have not been able to sleep adequately lately, getting an average of 4 to 5 hours of sleep for the last three nights straight.

At least Friday is my birthday... the big 23 on 3/2. I feel like I should go see the movie The Number 23 on my 23rd birthday... but now I'm thinking I'll just spend it catching up on my sleep. =P

That's about it.

Love,
Dave

P.S. Check this out: UNITY '08 Sounds pretty sweet.

Hey, it's just me...

2007-02-23T15:54:00.000-05:00

I love this photo, so I thought I should share it with all of you wonderful people who read this... which is basically myself.

Journalling is a great activity, though... whether or not somebody else reads it - and there is a strange comfort that comes in knowing that it is possible for others around the world to have access to your publised writing... especially in an age where publishing one's thoughts involves merely a quick flick of the wrists and the movement of a finger.

Yes, I am at work... which, while on one-to-ones, seems to be the only place where I am able to find time to do this. When I get home, my time is purely devoted to either trying to catch up on sleep or spend some quality time with the oft neglected love of my life. My time management skills have not been the greatest as of late... especially when I am working an average of 48 to 50 hours per week at a mental hospital. Sometimes, my capacity for love and compassion becomes drained to such a low level with the needy and demanding clientelle that I work with that I fear I have none to share with my friends and loved ones.

I'm working on finding ways to fill this emptiness... meditation and relaxation techniques have been helping me to find meaning in the work I do. It is very difficult to see the same patients returning for treatment over and over again. But, just as the story of the starfish goes... wait, perhaps I should share that story before I continue.

Once a man was walking along a beach. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. Off in the distance he could see a person going back and forth between the surf's edge and and the beach. Back and forth this person went. As the man approached he could see that there were hundreds of starfish stranded on the sand as the result of the natural action of the tide.

The man was stuck by the the apparent futility of the task. There were far too many starfish. Many of them were sure to perish. As he approached the person continued the task of picking up starfish one by one and throwing them into the surf.

As he came up to the person he said, "You must be crazy. There are thousands of miles of beach covered with starfish. You can't possibly make a difference." The person looked at the man. He then stooped down and pick up one more starfish and threw it back into the ocean. He turned back to the man and said, "It sure made a difference to that one!"

-Story borrowed from [http://www.cedu.niu.edu/~fulmer/starfish.htm]

I sometimes feel like I am the man walking the beach, only noticing the futility in the work being done here... seeing the returning patients, hearing the news of their deaths and not being able to talk about it because of confidentiality, and generally focusing on the patients that Pine Rest simply cannot help for one reason or another.

It's time for me to begin realizing that the work I do is helping people. Whether or not an individual comes to Pine Rest seeking treatment or even remains actively involved in their treatment while in residence on the unit does NOT change the fact that they are receiving treatment whether by petition or court order and I am health care professional providing such a service.

Well, I need to go tend to some business on the unit. Take care, faithful reader[s] and be safe. Until we meet again, may all your days be filled with warm food, fresh coffee, and a sense of peace.

Love,
David

Celebrities

2007-02-02T21:29:00.000-05:00

What better thing to do when feeling under the weather than take old pictures of one's self and see what celebrities look similar?

That's what I thought.

http://www.myheritage.com

Interesting...

That's it. Time to rest... I still feel miserable.

Love,
Dave

Haircut, friends, bills, Sudoku, Dick Tracy... and more!

2007-01-16T21:12:00.000-05:00

Recent developments in my life include:

A haircut

A visit from my amazing friends in Kalamazoo - I love those guys. =)

Working full-time and realizing just how emotionally draining this job can be despite the health benefits and increased monetary compensation...

Starting to pay half the rent and electric bill and getting used to that...

Witnessing the most horrendous display of violent acts and self-injurious behaviors in my lifetime on the job.

Acquiring the DVD of one of the most beloved films of my youth - Warren Beatty's "Dick Tracy."

Watching the eye opening documentary "When The Levees Broke" by none other than Spike Lee.

Doing far too many Sudoku puzzles than is natural for one human being to do...

Watching episodes of "The Office" and daydreaming about the show (particularly regarding the relationship between Jim and Pam as well as Dwight's recent resignation - in both cases, I am hoping with all of my heart that the situations will change directions).

So, basically I am pathetic. With the little free time I have, I watch television and dream about the lives of others. For me to live my life inside of the lives of fictional characters portrayed within the television... Is that not the American dream?

I sure hope not.

I wish I was not so afraid of being more social. I want to go to meetings, hang out with people, just sit and chat. I just get so scared. Even when I went to the Fountain Street Church and the priest invited people to talk with him after church. He seemed so incredible that I just wanted to stay and talk with him all afternoon, but I got so nervous that I just left.

Maybe this is why I would get so upset at my dad whenever we would have to move to another town... I feel that I am terrible at meeting new people. I rely on any friends I have already established and try to be nice to the new people I meet, but inside I am always scared out of my wits. Maybe this is why I am so bad at conflict resolution with my friends - I don't want my friends to get upset and risk losing them. I'm so glad that Liz has stuck with me all of these years because I don't know what I would do if I had to try to meet somebody else. Honestly - I would be a mess.

Anyway... that's more than enough introspection for one night. To bed I go. It's an early morning tomorrow and I am actually looking forward to getting to work. It's one place where I feel comfortable talking with people.

Goodnight, my friends.

Love,
David

P.S. I must say, on my own behalf, that I think I have made some new friendships at work. They say that people form bonds during difficult times, such as wars, famines, national disasters, etc. Well, every day at work ends up being a disaster in some sense of the word. After all, this is a mental health facility where one minute a man is walking around naked telling the staff that he is God and the next minute a woman is ripping out sutures in her arm and spilling blood all over. No sane person can actually want to come into a place like this every day. And yet, here I go... venturing where few have dared to venture before me. To treat a patient who seeks treatment is one thing. But to care for somebody who does not want to be cared for and who sometimes seeks for ways to cause bodily harm to the staff is something of a quite different nature indeed. I believe it was Jesus who once commanded that we as human beings are to "love our enemies." I never think of the patients as enemies, and I hope that I am not giving off that impression. They are all fragile human beings who are in need of treatment. However, more often than not, the treatment is not being actively sought out by the patient and they are court ordered to be placed into a mental hospital for treatment which they did not ask for in the first place. This can create tensions, which the patients carry with them to the hospital and its staff. What I mean to say is that we are to overcome their fright and anger with comfort and love. That isn't in the job description - but it's on the faces of many of those I work with every day. And it's a comfort to know that I work with such compassionate individuals. It really makes me feel like I am part of a team.

Well, that's enough for tonight. Sleep well, my friends. Let's have a wonderful hump day tomorrow and get through the midpoint of our weeks. =)

At Work...

2007-01-08T17:04:00.000-05:00

Work. Unlike the creative (and often side-splittingly hillarious) depiction of work environments in the hit series "The Office," I often find myself with more than enough work to accomplish throughout the course of my shift. Whether helping an unruly patient calm down or helping a confused patient locate their room, it is a rare occassion to have downtime on the job. This, however, is one of those exceptions. I am on a one-to-one for the entire eight hours, leaving me with a lot of time to spend doing nothing in particular.

I recently added a calendar to my journal. The URL is < http://www.spongecell.com > and the calendar is not only easy to use with brilliant features, but can be uploaded onto one's iPod as well as embedded into an online blog or journal. My favorite feature, besides the fact that it is simple and quick to upload onto my iPod Nano, is the fact that I can simply type "Lunch from noon to 1:00 pm this Friday" and the calendar will add that event to my schedule. The text is translated into an actual event on the calendar. As far as I am concerned, Functionality + Simplicity + iPod Compatability = A+.

Well, I am going to get back to my job. Safe travels, LB, and a wonderful evening to everybody. =)

Love,
David

UPDATES!

2007-01-03T23:14:00.000-05:00

So, here's what's up in my life.

I graduated.
I got all 'A's last semester, so I will be graduating with honors.
I got the full time position on the Adult North unit at Pine Rest.
I got to see a lot of my good friends over Christmas break.
I am about to eat some delicious smelling (and awfully cute) Hello Kitty waffles!

TTFN!

Love,
Dave

So long, Myspace...

2006-12-21T18:27:00.000-05:00

After several spam messages from women claiming they wanted to "hook-up" if I would give them my credit card number, I decided to cancel my account with the horrible excuse of a website. When I finally had caved in and decided to join the site founded by a notorious spammer (Yes, it's Tom Anderson... any Myspacer's first friend) , I had believed the site's potential as a social networking system would outweigh its horrible CSS-manipulating flaws, numerous security glitches, and financial tamperings.

Needless to say, I was clearly mistaken.

As if the numerous messages sent to my PRIVATE (or, should I say NOT-SO-PRIVATE) profile) were not enough, the "browser-crashing impossible to read video and music intensive and disgustingly poorly programmed" spaces have been the main reason I avoid any site with "myspace.com" within the URL.

So, a farewell to Myspace, though not as fond as I wish it could be... more annoyed than anything. However, from the rubble of a lost Myspace profile, let it be known that I do want to remain networked to my friends. I urge you all to join Facebook, a secure and stable creation of a Harvard programming genius... not a spam artist.

Peace in.

Love,
David Filkins

My final grades...

2006-12-21T05:07:00.000-05:00

Final Grades		462454540 David N. Filkins Fall 2006 Dec 21, 2006 05:06 am

Displayed are the grades initially assigned by your instructor for the term. Grade changes are only displayed through the unofficial transcript link at the bottom of the page.

Please contact your instructor regarding any missing grades.

Student Information
Current Program
Bachelor of Arts
Level:	Undergraduate
Program:	BA:Sociology
Admit Term:	Fall 2004
Admit Type:	Degree Seeking
Catalog Term:	Fall 2004
College:	Arts & Sciences
Major and Department:	Sociology, Sociology
Minor:	Psychology
Academic Standing:	Good Standing

Undergraduate Course work
CRN	Subject	Course	Section	Course Title	Campus	Final Grade	Attempted	Earned	GPA Hours	Quality Points
43885	PHIL	2200	115	Critical Reasoning	Main	A	3.000	3.000	3.000	12.00
40562	SOC	2600	100	Intr Criminl Justice	Main	A	3.000	3.000	3.000	12.00
40575	SOC	3140	100	Ethnic Relations	Main	A	3.000	3.000	3.000	12.00
40670	SOC	4800	100	Advanced Sociology	Main	A	3.000	3.000	3.000	12.00

Undergraduate Summary
	Attempted	Earned	GPA Hours	Quality Points	GPA
Current Term:	12.000	12.000	12.000	48.00	4.00
Cumulative:	118.000	108.000	108.000	380.00	3.52
Transfer:	0.000	30.000	0.000	0.00	0.00
Overall:	118.000	138.000	108.000	380.00	3.52

I simply could not pass this up...

2006-12-11T17:24:00.000-05:00

If you've seen over 110 movies, you have no life. Mark the ones you've seen. There are 240 movies on this list. Put your score in header and re-post.

(X) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(X) Grease
(X) Pirates of the Caribbean
(X) Boondock Saints
() Fight Club
() Starsky and Hutch
(X) Neverending Story
() Blazing Saddles
(X) Airplane
Total so far: 6

(X) The Princess Bride
(X) Anchorman
(X) Napoleon Dynamite
(X) Labyrinth
(X) Saw II
(X) White Noise
() White Oleander
(X) Anger Management
(X) 50 First Dates
() The Princess Diaries
() The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Total so far: 14

(X) Scream
(X) Scream 2
(X) Scream 3
() Scary Movie
() Scary Movie 2
() Scary Movie 3
() Scary Movie 4
(X) American Pie
(X) American Pie 2
(X) American Wedding
() American Pie Band Camp
Total so far: 20

(X) Harry Potter 1
(X) Harry Potter 2
(X) Harry Potter 3
(X) Harry Potter 4
(X) Resident Evil 1
() Resident Evil 2
(X) The Wedding Singer
() Little Black Book
(X) The Village
(X) Lilo & Stitch
Total so far: 28

(X) Finding Nemo
(X) Finding Neverland
(X) Signs
(X) The Grinch
(X) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
() White Chicks
(X) Butterfly Effect
() 13 Going on 30
() I, Robot
() Robots
Total so far: 34

(X) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
() Universal Soldier
(X) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
(X) Along Came Polly
(X) Deep Impact
() KingPin
(X) Never Been Kissed
(X) Meet The Parents
(X) Meet the Fockers
() Eight Crazy Nights
(X) Joe Dirt
(X)KING KONG
Total so far: 43

() A Cinderella Story
(X) The Terminal
() The Lizzie McGuire Movie
() Passport to Paris
(X) Dumb & Dumber
() Dumber & Dumberer
(X) Final Destination
(X) Final Destination 2
() Final Destination 3
(X) Halloween
(X) The Ring
(X) The Ring 2
() Surviving Christmas
(X) Flubber
Total so far: 51

(X) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
(X) Practical Magic
(X) Chicago
(X) Ghost Ship
(X) From Hell
(X) Hellboy
(X) The Secret Window
() I Am Sam
(X) The Whole Nine Yards
() The Whole Ten Yards
Total so far:59

(X) The Day After Tomorrow
(X) Child's Play
() Seed of Chucky
() Bride of Chucky
(X) Ten Things I Hate About You
() Just Married
(X) Gothika
(X) Nightmare on Elm Street
() Sixteen Candles
(X) Remember the Titans
() Coach Carter
(X) The Grudge
(X) The Mask
() Son Of The Mask
Total so far: 67

() Bad Boys 2
(X) Joy Ride
(X) Lucky Number Sleven
(X) Ocean's Eleven
() Ocean's Twelve
(X) Bourne Identity
() Lone Star
() Bedazzled
(X) Predator
(X) Predator II
() The Fog
(X) Ice Age
(X) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
() Curious George
Total: 75

(X) Independence Day
() Cujo
() A Bronx Tale
(X) Darkness Falls
() Christine
(X) ET
(X) Children of the Corn
() My Boss' Daughter
() Maid in Manhattan
() Frailty
(X) War of the Worlds
() Rush Hour
() Rush Hour 2
Total so far: 80

() Best Bet
(X) She's All That
() Calendar Girls
() Sideways
(X) Mars Attacks
(X) Event Horizon
() Ever After
(X) Wizard of Oz
(X) Forrest Gump
(X) Big Trouble in Little China
(X) The Terminator
(X) The Terminator 2
(X) The Terminator 3
Total so far: 89

(X) X-Men
(X) X2
(X) X-3
(X) Spider-Man
(X) Spider-Man 2
() Sky High
() Jeepers Creepers
() Jeepers Creepers 2
(X) Catch Me If You Can
(X) The Little Mermaid
(X) Freaky Friday
(X) Reign of Fire
() Equilibrium
(X) The Skulls
(X) Cruel Intentions
() Cruel Intentions 2
(X) The Hot Chick
(X) Shrek
(X) Shrek 2
Total so far: 103

() Swimfan
() Miracle on 34th street
(X) Old School
(X) The Notebook
(X) K-Pax
() Krippendorf's Tribe
(X) A Walk to Remember
() Ice Castles
(X) Boogeyman
(X) The 40-year-old-virgin
Total so far: 109

(X) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring
(X) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
(X) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King
(X) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(X) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(X) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Total so far: 115

(X) Baseketball
(X) Hostel
() Waiting for Guffman
(X) House of 1000 Corpses
(X) Devils Rejects
(X) Elf
(X) Highlander
() Mothman Prophecies
(X) American History X
(X) Three Amigos
Total so far: 123

() The Jacket
(X) Kung Fu Hustle
() Shaolin Soccer
() Night Watch
(X) Monster
(X) Titanic
(X) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
() Dawn Of the Dead
(X) Willard
Total so far: 128

() High Tension
() Club Dread
(X) Hulk
(X) Hook
(X) Chronicle Of Narnia The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
(X) 28 days later
() Orgazmo
() Phantasm
() Waterworld
Total so far: 132

(X) Kill Bill vol 1
(X) Kill Bill vol 2
(X) Mortal Kombat
() Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
() Wolf Creek
(X) Kingdom of Heaven
() The Hills Have Eyes
() I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman
() The Last House on the Left
() Re-Animator
(X) Army of Darkness
Total so far: 137

(X) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
(X) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
(X) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(X) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(X) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(X) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
() Ewoks Caravan Of Courage
(X) Ewoks The Battle For Endor
Total so far: 144

(X) The Matrix
(X) The Matrix Reloaded
(X) The Matrix Revolutions
(X) Animatrix
(X) Evil Dead
(X) Evil Dead 2
(X) Team America World Police
(X) Red Dragon
(X) Silence of the Lambs
(X) Hannibal
Total: 154

__________________________

No indie films? WTF? Those are the BEST! Oh, well. I don't have a life, apparently. As if I really needed a checklist of crappy films to tell me that. =P I take that back... there are about ten decent films in the list - maybe even twenty.

So, in recent news... I GRADUATE ON SATURDAY! HOORAY! =D And I might get a full time position at Pine Rest. Still waiting on that one. The benefits would definitely be a nice plus.

But, in the most recent news, David is procrastinating on his take home exam by spending his fleeting spare time on foolish online activities. He is reconsidering his previous course of action and deciding to redirect his efforts toward something more appropriate.

Take care. And stop wasting your time reading this and go STUDY! =D

(If you happen to be in the most fortunate of circumstances in which you have yourself with no studying to do and a plentiful amount of time upon your hands, may I suggest that you perhaps do some research on the intriguing topic of conflict diamonds and go see the amazing new film "Blood Diamond.")

Love,
David

Update...

2006-11-25T11:26:00.000-05:00

I know I haven't updated in a while, but I figured since I am home sick I would take the opportunity to do so. I am attempting to keep down some orange juice for the first time, so I may have to run to the bathroom during the course of writing this post.

First off, I am graduating on December 16th and am quite excited about this. The day I thought would never arrive is now less than a month away. I will still have grad school once I am out of here, but this is quite an accomplishment for me. But, as Mr. Eager says, "They never like to let you leave... be wary for obstacles this last semester." His last semester at WMU, he was enrolled in some recreational classes to meet those requirements (bowling, swimming, etc) and he happened to sprain his ankle during the middle of the semester. I'm only weeks away, but I'm watching for any such roadblocks that may fall before my path...

Secondly, I think WMU has one of the greatest collegiate presidents ever. Now, with Judy Bailey gone, we have Dr. Haenicke returning to the post he held for several years not too long ago. This is a wise man who all of my professors say they hold the deepest and utmost respect for this intellectual genius. I was not surprised when I logged into the GoWMU portal to check on my class assignments and happened to see that he had made a statement about diversity on the campus. When I read it, I realized that this man not only knows what he is talking about, but he knows how to say it so as not to offend those on any side of the issue. Without further ado, here it is:

Statement by President Diether Haenicke

Nov. 17, 2006

The passage of Proposal 2 in the recent election could present new challenges to our campus but will not change our core values.

While we study carefully if any of our practices may be affected by the changes in our state constitution, and while we will, of course, obey the laws of the State of Michigan, I want to assure the campus community that our commitment to diversity on campus will not change.

I think I speak for all of us when I say that we deeply appreciate the value of diversity in our student body, in our faculty, and in our staff. Our different backgrounds reflect the modern world in which we all live. It is our firm belief that a solid diversity of race, gender, and ethnic background, together with a diversity of opinions, thoughts, and lifestyles are essential to complement and enrich the academic education of our students. We will, therefore, continue to welcome on our campus all persons who contribute to the diversity we all desire. We will, as members of our university, continue our efforts to achieve and protect the diversity of our campus.

That's all from me... hopefully I will feel better soon and be able to get up and do things. But, for now, I go back to bed. This took a lot out of me. Take care.

Love,
David

Proposal 2 passed... but it's NOT over yet.

2006-11-08T23:57:00.000-05:00

Affirmative Action has been in place for over 300 years, since the very birth of this nation... however, until a mere 30 years ago, it favored the whites in America. Therefore, the obvious differencial treatment based on race was not up for contention... or maybe it was, but the voices were not heard because of the corruption in the system. The playing field has not leveled out yet.

I'm still astounded that this passed... Dick DeVos' daughter even said that *HE* voted against it. Perhaps he noticed the economic trend that followed California's passage of similar legislation several years ago.

Affirmative Action has its flaws and there are some who abuse it, as is the case with EVERY law ever created, but that does NOT mean that we need to revoke it. That's simply bad logic.

That's my two cents... Peace. =)

Love,
David

Do you Facebook much? Have you voted? If so, come join my group: "Hooray for democracy! I just voted!"

2006-11-07T13:20:00.000-05:00

Today is the day! If you know anybody who has not already cast their ballots, remind them that the future depends on the decisions we make today. We need to show our leaders that our generation is a generation that does care about the future.

I also want to take the time to thank each of you for helping fuel our democracy. We must remember that each individual vote holds the same weight, whether cast by the President of the United States or by the single mother working two jobs to try to make a living. Our voice can be heard, but only if we speak up and make a decision on this pivotal day.

Let us turn this election around from the current trend and give our age-bracket the highest voting turnout in the history of the United States of America.

Get the word out. Your vote DOES count.

Happy democracy. =)

-David Filkins

"Everyone says that Karl Rove is a genius. Yeah, right. So are cigarette companies."

2006-11-06T08:07:00.000-05:00

Thomas L. Friedman... what a guy.

Insulting Our Troops, and Our Intelligence

George Bush, Dick Cheney and Don Rumsfeld think you’re stupid. Yes, they do.

They think they can take a mangled quip about President Bush and Iraq by John Kerry — a man who is not even running for office but who, unlike Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney, never ran away from combat service — and get you to vote against all Democrats in this election.

Every time you hear Mr. Bush or Mr. Cheney lash out against Mr. Kerry, I hope you will say to yourself, “They must think I’m stupid.” Because they surely do.

They think that they can get you to overlook all of the Bush team’s real and deadly insults to the U.S. military over the past six years by hyping and exaggerating Mr. Kerry’s mangled gibe at the president.

What could possibly be more injurious and insulting to the U.S. military than to send it into combat in Iraq without enough men — to launch an invasion of a foreign country not by the Powell Doctrine of overwhelming force, but by the Rumsfeld Doctrine of just enough troops to lose? What could be a bigger insult than that?

What could possibly be more injurious and insulting to our men and women in uniform than sending them off to war without the proper equipment, so that some soldiers in the field were left to buy their own body armor and to retrofit their own jeeps with scrap metal so that roadside bombs in Iraq would only maim them for life and not kill them? And what could be more injurious and insulting than Don Rumsfeld’s response to criticism that he sent our troops off in haste and unprepared: Hey, you go to war with the army you’ve got — get over it.

What could possibly be more injurious and insulting to our men and women in uniform than to send them off to war in Iraq without any coherent postwar plan for political reconstruction there, so that the U.S. military has had to assume not only security responsibilities for all of Iraq but the political rebuilding as well? The Bush team has created a veritable library of military histories — from “Cobra II” to “Fiasco” to “State of Denial” — all of which contain the same damning conclusion offered by the very soldiers and officers who fought this war: This administration never had a plan for the morning after, and we’ve been making it up — and paying the price — ever since.

And what could possibly be more injurious and insulting to our men and women in Iraq than to send them off to war and then go out and finance the very people they’re fighting against with our gluttonous consumption of oil? Sure, George Bush told us we’re addicted to oil, but he has not done one single significant thing — demanded higher mileage standards from Detroit, imposed a gasoline tax or even used the bully pulpit of the White House to drive conservation — to end that addiction. So we continue to finance the U.S. military with our tax dollars, while we finance Iran, Syria, Wahhabi mosques and Al Qaeda madrassas with our energy purchases.

Everyone says that Karl Rove is a genius. Yeah, right. So are cigarette companies. They get you to buy cigarettes even though we know they cause cancer. That is the kind of genius Karl Rove is. He is not a man who has designed a strategy to reunite our country around an agenda of renewal for the 21st century — to bring out the best in us. His “genius” is taking some irrelevant aside by John Kerry and twisting it to bring out the worst in us, so you will ignore the mess that the Bush team has visited on this country.

And Karl Rove has succeeded at that in the past because he was sure that he could sell just enough Bush cigarettes, even though people knew they caused cancer. Please, please, for our country’s health, prove him wrong this time.

Let Karl know that you’re not stupid. Let him know that you know that the most patriotic thing to do in this election is to vote against an administration that has — through sheer incompetence — brought us to a point in Iraq that was not inevitable but is now unwinnable.

Let Karl know that you think this is a critical election, because you know as a citizen that if the Bush team can behave with the level of deadly incompetence it has exhibited in Iraq — and then get away with it by holding on to the House and the Senate — it means our country has become a banana republic. It means our democracy is in tatters because it is so gerrymandered, so polluted by money, and so divided by professional political hacks that we can no longer hold the ruling party to account.

It means we’re as stupid as Karl thinks we are.

I, for one, don’t think we’re that stupid. Next Tuesday we’ll see.

2006-11-01T23:12:00.000-05:00

U2 and Green Day // "The Saints Are Coming"

"How long now?"

No human being is illegal.

2006-10-29T22:43:00.000-05:00

I love it.

Goodnight.

Love,
David

(PRODUCT) RED

2006-10-17T01:12:00.000-04:00

http://www.joinred.com/

Love,
David

Hell.

2006-10-04T22:28:00.000-04:00

Christianity... I've been having some issues with the religion of late. Perhaps living in "Gerald Ford country" and being surrounded by a plethora of Christian churches (and a sincere lack of Muslim centers, Buddhist temples, and Jewish synagogues compared to Kalamazoo) has rekindled the religious debate in my head. One of the main topics I found myself returning to is the idea of "hell." What an asshole this god must be if this "almighty creator" sets-up so many people across the world so that they end up in this place. After all, could a Buddhist monk on the other side of the world be condemned to "hell" simply because he had been taught to follow Buddha and travel the path to enlightenment? Could a nun follow Christ's example and live as perfect a life as one can but end up being condemned to "hell" because she never prayed a prayer that "accepted Christ into her heart?" If so, then this is a religion that I refuse to take part in.

This is where a LiveJournal post of a friend (and religious genius) helped to rescue my perception of what I saw as a cold, rigidly dogmatic and ultimately lost religion. Here are the words that rekindled my hope for Christians and reminded me that the Jesus I learned about is far above such petty, closed minded beliefs (see THIS and THIS as perfect examples of closed minded beliefs).

And now... Without further ado...

What the hell?

The Second Testament admonishes us that "perfect love casts out all fear." God's love is perfect and so it should not generate fear in humans. Nor should we use a concept such as hell to scare people into submission. Submission based on fear is not conversion. It is enslavement and God does not wish us to be slaves. God yearns for us to catch the vision of God's reign and join God in the glorious work of establishing that reign and rule in it's fullness here and now.

I don't believe in hell. William Barclay, the great Scottish Second Testament scholar helped me to think through its Biblical and Theological implications. Here's his reasoning for why he was a universalist:

I AM A CONVINCED UNIVERSALIST

by William Barclay
I am a convinced universalist. I believe that in the end all humans will be gathered into the love of God. In the early days Origen was the great name connected with universalism. I would believe with Origen that universalism is no easy thing. Origen believed that after death there were many who would need prolonged instruction, the sternest discipline, even the severest punishment before they were fit for the presence of God. Origen did not eliminate hell; he believed that some people would have to go to heaven via hell. He believed that even at the end of the day there would be some on whom the scars remained. He did not believe in eternal punishment, but he did see the possibility of eternal penalty. And so the choice is whether we accept God's offer and invitation willingly, or take the long and terrible way round through ages of purification.

Gregory of Nyssa offered three reasons why he believed in universalism. First, he believed in it because of the character of God. "Being good, God entertains pity for fallen humans; being wise, God is not ignorant of the means for God's recovery." Second, he believed in it because of the nature of evil. Evil must in the end be moved out of existence, "so that the absolutely non-existent should cease to be at all." Evil is essentially negative and doomed to non-existence. Third, he believed in it because of the purpose of punishment. The purpose of punishment is always remedial. Its aim is "to get the good separated from the evil and to attract it into the communion of blessedness." Punishment will hurt, but it is like the fire which separates the alloy from the gold; it is like the surgery which removes the diseased thing; it is like the cautery which burns out that which cannot be removed any other way.

But I want to set down not the arguments of others but the thoughts which have persuaded me personally of universal salvation.

First, there is the fact that there are things in the New Testament which more than justify this belief. Jesus said: "I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all humans to myself" (John 12:32). Paul writes to the Romans: "God has consigned all humans to disobedience that God may have mercy on all" (Rom. 11:32). He writes to the Corinthians: "As in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Cor. 15:22); and he looks to the final total triumph when God will be everything to everyone (1 Cor. 15:28). In the First Letter to Timothy we read of God "who desires all humans to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth," and of Christ Jesus "who gave himself as a ransom for all" (1 Tim 2:4-6). The New Testament itself is not in the least afraid of the word all.

Second, one of the key passages is Matthew 25:46 where it is said that the rejected go away to eternal punishment, and the righteous to eternal life. The Greek word for punishment is kolasis, which was not originally an ethical word at all. It originally meant the pruning of trees to make them grow better. I think it is true to say that in all Greek secular literature kolasis is never used of anything but remedial punishment. The word for eternal is aionios. It means more than everlasting, for Plato - who may have invented the word - plainly says that a thing may be everlasting and still not be aionios. The simplest way to out it is that aionios cannot be used properly of anyone but God; it is the word uniquely, as Plato saw it, of God. Eternal punishment is then literally that kind of remedial punishment which it befits God to give and which only God can give.

Third, I believe that it is impossible to set limits to the grace of God. I believe that not only in this world, but in any other world there may be, the grace of God is still effective, still operative, still at work. I do not believe that the operation of the grace of God is limited to this world. I believe that the grace of God is as wide as the universe.

Fourth, I believe implicitly in the ultimate and complete triumph of God, the time when all things will be subject to God, and when God will be everything to everyone (1 Cor. 15:24-28). For me this has certain consequences. If one human remains outside the love of God at the end of time, it means that that one human has defeated the love of God - and that is impossible. Further, there is only one way in which we can think of the triumph of God. If God was no more than a King or Judge, then it would be possible to speak of God's triumph, if God's enemies were agonizing in hell or were totally and completely obliterated and wiped out. But God is not only King and Judge, God is Father - God is indeed Father more than anything else. No father could be happy while there were members of his family for ever in agony. No father would count it a triumph to obliterate the disobedient members of his family. The only triumph a father can know is to have all his family back home. The only victory love can enjoy is the day when its offer of love is answered by the return of love. The only possible final triumph is a universe loved by and in love with God.

[Quoted from William Barclay: A Spiritual Autobiography, pg 65-67, William B Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, 1977.]

Pretty compelling, no?

Grace and Peace,

WES

That's all for tonight. I've got an exam in the morning and should get my sleep...

Love and peace, you beautiful people. =)

Love,
David

P.S. As I was writing about the two people who would be condemned under the supposed "Biblical" interpretation of Christianity, I was thinking of my two favorite modern representatives of religion: Thich Nhat Hanh and Mother Teresa... just in case you couldn't tell. =)

Gojira

2006-09-24T23:09:00.000-04:00

"May we live without destruction,
May we look to tomorrow with hope,
May peace and light return to us."

The original version of "Godzilla" before it was "Americanized" with the addition of Raymond Burr was such a great film. Gojira was just released in North America for the first time since the film was completed in 1954. It's a classic, yet it's brutally honest and easily applicable today.

Great film. Come over and we'll watch it. =)

Love,
David

Test Results:

2006-09-23T17:46:00.000-04:00

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

I love how the world looks at her as a "leader." What did she lead?

She led a nation of lovers of peace, love, and compassion.

She led the WORLD.

Go Mother Teresa. =)

Love,
David

Don't DICK Michigan...

2006-09-13T23:48:00.000-04:00

Don't *DICK* Michigan...

He's wrong on the important issues:

-Social Justice
-Health Care
-Jobs
-Education

Need we look at Alticor/Amway/Quixtar? This business is the ultimate pyramid scheme that has a lot of people working very hard to keep a few people at the top exorbently rich. Is that how a business should be run? Is that how our STATE should be run?

I say, "NO!" And I hope you all agree.

So don't *DICK* Michigan this November...

Vote GRANHOLM & CHERRY 2006!

2006-09-09T23:02:00.000-04:00

Vlog #9: Who Hijacked Islam??!

This guy is amazing. He is intelligent, funny, and represents what I love about Islam. It truly is one of the great religions of the world.

This is only video number 9, but I suggest you check out his many others. =)

That's all.

Love,
David

Profundity strikes in the form of a quote!

2006-09-06T22:15:00.000-04:00

Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands?
~ Ernest Gaines

The idea of men expressing intimacy has ALWAYS confused me. I remember so many times growing up where I wanted to give my friends a hug but thought twice after considering the possible social ramifications of my actions. Yet, to punch another guy in the arm or wrestle on the floor and give your pal a fat lip was about as "physical" as was to be expected. Why is it that women can hug, kiss, dance together, and even cuddle up together... while males are expected to keep a good distance from others of the same sex? This discrepancy is one that has boggled my mind for ages. Is it the fault of closed-minded men who press onto their children the "boys don't cry" mentality that stifles their emotional release? Or is it instead a social construct developed unintentionally by the women who seem to prefer a "macho" guy who is about as tough (and shows about the same level of emotion) as nails. Or is it a combination of both? And then some?

So interesting. It's something I have pondered since childhood. Yes, I even pondered things then on occasion.

I'm so weird.

By the way... school has started and I think I'm going to LOVE my classes. As long as my books show up sometime fairly soon. Work is going great. I'm getting lots of hours (I even earned holiday pay for working on Labour Day! Hell, why NOT work on the day dedicated to the concept! =P) And I just took a co-worker's shift for September 11th. Yeah, take that, Osama! You silly bitch! America may suck sometimes, but at least I can try to *HELP* people instead of blowing them up! It won't make up for the devastating scar you created here 5 years ago, but it's a start. I work in remembrance of how many lives you ruined... in an attempt to work out an equilibrium and bring balance to the world. =D One life at a time... Don't think you're off the hook, Dubya. I'm also working that day to attempt to START to make up for your foolish war and all of the lives you have interrupted and brought to ruin with your horrendous leadership and mindless theocracy. To deny gays the right to marry, fight to keep the death penalty running strong, start two wars (and fund the second greatest aggressor in the world - ISRAEL!)... yet call stem-cell research an ATROCITY? As Ron Weasely would say, "You've DEFINITELY got to sort out your priorities!"

Sorry for ranting. I have such tangental thoughts sometimes. Maybe I belong in Pine Rest?! =S I suppose I had better get some sleep in case I get admitted in the middle of the night. I know from experience that 3am to 6am seems to be the prime time of patient admissions.

Well, I'm done. =)

G'Night.

Love,
Dave

Larry's Beans are the best!

2006-08-31T13:43:00.000-04:00

http://larrysbeans.com/

What can I say? These guys:

...sell fair trade, organic, shade-grown coffee.
...drive a veggie-bus (Check it out).
...donated 300 lbs of coffee to our soldiers in Iraq.
...educate the public on improving the world at their Sustainability School and also teach proper grinding techniques on their web site.
...soak their beans in such concoctions as molasses and honey to give it the BEST flavor EVER once it is ground and dripped/pressed into your coffee. Honestly, it is the best coffee I have ever tasted.

Besides, Larry looks unbelievably like John Lennon.

This is Larry:

This is John:

So, stop on by my apartment here and try some. =) I'll make a fresh pot just for you.

Love,
David

Google Calendar

2006-08-31T08:53:00.000-04:00

Yup... if you need to know when I work, my schedule is on Google Calendars. There's only one catch. I didn't want everybody in the world to be seeing this (if you work in the health care profession, especially mental health, I'm sure you understand why). So... you kinda have to have a Google Calendars account. It's free and you can upload calendars from lots of different programs as well as just create your own. And you can share them with ANYBODY that you want to.

Well, that's about it. Time for some tea. =)

TTFN

David

Nutopia

2006-08-29T21:36:00.000-04:00

We announce the birth of a conceptual country, NUTOPIA.

Citizenship of the country can be obtained by declaration
of your awareness of NUTOPIA.

NUTOPIA has no land, no boundaries, no passports, only
people.

NUTOPIA has no laws other than cosmic.

All people of NUTOPIA are ambassadors of the country."

          -John Lennon

Come, friends, and become a citizen of Nutopia today.

Love,
David

"Our job now is to tell them that there is still hope. We must get them excited about what we can do again."

My next non-fiction read... besides my textbooks.

2006-08-29T02:44:00.000-04:00

This is next on my non-fiction "To Read" list:

Time for a new admission. =D Adios!

Love,
David

Overnight shift... here I am.

2006-08-29T01:30:00.000-04:00

Yup. I'm training on an overnight shift tonight. I've been here for 2 hours so far... and I have 6.5 remaining. Luckily, I can use the Internet when I am not on checks. But, even the Internet in all its glory gets old after a bit. And one's eyes get tired of staring at the screen after only a short while...

I think I'll start working on reading The Drawing of the Three: The Dark Tower II, Stephen King's second installment of his epic Dark Tower series. The first story was amazing, and I'm hoping to find the second one at least as engaging.

Well, I'm going to go grab a soda to help me keep awake... I hope you are all tucked warmly in your beds as I silently curse your names under my breath. =P

Then again, I'm getting paid for this... and I believe a bonus comes along with working overnights as well. =) So, perhaps I could get used to working overnights here.

Anyway, that's about all for now.

Pleasant evening... I mean, good morning to you all.

Love,

David Filkins, Patient Care Provider
Van Andel Center Adult North Unit

YESTERDOG! Give me an AMEN!

2006-08-23T23:54:00.000-04:00

Oh, yeah... you'd better believe it, folks.

Pic of Amanda eating a Yesterdog, coming soon...

Great times with great people.

I think I'll manage here after all.

Love,
David

Please... sign this petition.

2006-08-22T12:11:00.000-04:00

I just ask that you take a moment to read this petition and consider adding your signature. Israel has become a military monstrosity without bounds and Lebanon desperately needs our help. Please, at least take the time to visit the web site.

Thank you for listening.

In love and peace,
David Filkins

Serj is really cool, too...

2006-08-22T10:57:00.000-04:00

“Nations are like people. Once you understand the interactions between nations, it's easy to understand why things are done, in terms of foreign policy, in a certain way. But nations are not like people in the sense that we are cumulatively represented by others - and their interpretations of what our interests are may not be the same as what they really are. And that's what's dangerous, even in a democracy.”

-Serj Tankian

Check out the non-profit organization that Serj helped co-found: http://www.axisofjustice.org

Also, there's a sweet CD/DVD set I wouldn't mind getting... http://serjicalstrike.com/axisofjustice/

Ah, once I start making money again... =P

Love,
David

Bono...

2006-08-22T09:36:00.000-04:00

Another reminder why Bono is one of the greatest people on earth... he even won Bill O'Reilly over to his cause.

Love, David

Moral Politics

2006-08-21T23:41:00.000-04:00

Take the quiz! Check it out here.

Love,
David

Quote from George... Orwell, that is.

2006-08-19T09:55:00.000-04:00

"As with the Christian religion, the worst advertisement for socialism is its adherents."

-George Orwell

I don't care who you are... this is HILARIOUS!

2006-08-18T22:02:00.000-04:00

The REAL Greatest American

Is this the world we created?

2006-08-17T00:36:00.000-04:00

Yes... yes it is.

Click on the image to see and hear a very haunting version of one of Freddie Mercury's greatest songs ever... performed at Live Aid in 1985, this song rings so true still today.

That's all for now. I just had to share that with all of you. =)

Love,
David

I have friends!

2006-08-13T13:06:00.000-04:00

Rob and Joel got bored yesterday and decided to visit me! =D We went to Buffalo Wild Wings for a tasty meal of wings and went out for a walk on the town. Not only were we able to locate the giant Calder:

...but we also had a ride on the WORLD'S LARGEST TIRE SWING! (Sorry... it had to be a close-up for the flash to reach, so you can't really see the swing.)

We also went to East Grand Rapids and looked at the moon and its reflection on Reed's Lake while watching people fishing with lighted bobbers. It was great. It was a perfect night to be out and about. We all came back, exhausted, and pretty much crashed immediately.

We got up this morning, went to Panera Bread for breakfast, and they left. Now I'm alone again. =( At least my orientation for work is tomorrow... that will give me something to do. =)

Take care everybody! And enjoy the rest of your weekend. =)

Love,
David

2006-08-12T12:10:00.000-04:00

Wal*Mart - Daily Show

"It's better than getting kicked in the nuts."

Updates:

2006-08-11T23:38:00.000-04:00

1) Liz is leaving me tomorrow to go to Germany... this is going to be a long week.

2) I think I might try to start going to church here: http://www.fountainstreet.org/

3) I was hired at Pine Rest as an adult care provider. I have an orientation on Monday. Oh, and I took some pictures of the Pine Rest facility today. I could only take three because of my lack of a memory card, but I thought they all turned out rather well. Anyway, here they are:

4) I also got a call from Family Video about scheduling an interview, which might be fun... I do love movies, after all. =) I just don't know if I'll be able to work two jobs along with my classes. The job at Pine Rest is "per diem," but I'm not sure exactly what that would entail for scheduling. Hopefully, I'll discover more after my orientation. So, I hate to make a commitment to work at Family Video until I know more... but I don't know how to convey that to them and still maintain their apparent interest in hiring me. Any ideas, friends?

5) This week is going to suck. Maybe I'll just come home... or spend the whole time in Kalamazoo. I've spent the last few weeks watching WAY too many movies. My favorite to entry into David's top favorite movies of all time is Stanley Kubrick's AMAZING Cold War satire entitled "Dr. Strangelove OR: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb." FANTASTIC! You won't see Peter Sellers in a better performance until 15 years later in his 1979 role in the amazing film "Being There." In fact, you will see him in THREE performances. He brilliantly portrays a British soldier, an American president, and a German ex-Nazi scientist named Dr. Strangelove who is currently serving the U.S. administration during these stressful times. The best line of the film, and the point where I really started to understand the film, was when president Muffley (played by Sellers) broke up a fight between the Russian ambassador (Peter Bull) and General "Buck" Turgidson (George C. Scott) by telling them: "Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room!" And apparently the concept of the War Room was so deeply imbedded into the minds of our culture through this film that even President Reagan was confused when he got into office. On his first day serving, he asked "Where is the war room?" only to be told that such a room only exists on film and within the brilliant mind of Mr. Stanley Kubrick.

Well, friends... that's all from me tonight. Tomorrow, you'll probably get another post from a sad, lonely man. If any of you even bother to read this, that is. I know I wouldn't.

Goodnight.

Love,
David

P.S. You need to see "Being There" if you haven't already. Then you need to read this exquisitely written review by Roger Ebert. He happens to be one of the few film critics with whom I generally tend to agree.

View from the patio...

2006-08-10T22:10:00.000-04:00

Whaddya know? =)

2006-08-06T13:39:00.000-04:00

You Should Rule Saturn

Saturn is a mysterious planet that can rarely be seen with the naked eye.

You are perfect to rule Saturn because like its rings, you don't always follow the rules of nature.
And like Saturn, to really be able to understand you, someone delve beyond your appearance.

You are not an easy person to befriend. However, once you enter a friendship, you'll be a friend for life.
You think slowly but deeply. You only gain great understanding after a situation has past.

What Planet Should You Rule?

"Israel should not have been created in the first place, but it's here now."

2006-08-06T02:33:00.001-04:00

I just so happened to stumble upon somebody else who agrees with me in regard to the whole Middle East conflict... thanks, and I hope you don't mind me quoting your brilliance. =)

"Moral equivalency being what it is...

Israel should not have been created in the first place, but it's here now.

The Palestinians deserve their own country.

Israelis should not have to live in fear of violence.

So my opinion =

The Palestinians do not have tanks, airplanes, nukes, or the support of the USA. So it's no surprise they resort to assymetrical warfare.

Are they right to do so? Yes, if they feel that is the only real solution to the problem and the stakes are high enough.

Does it make it right to kill innocent people for politics? No.

But say that to Israel..."

That's all... it's late and I promised somebody I would go to church in the morning. I'm also in the middle of watching "The Godfather: Part II." I wasn't a big fan of the first one, except for Marlon effin Brando... but this one is absolutely amazing. I can't get enough of young Vito. =)

Anyway, I'll start disc two and pray... if there really is a God who wants me at church, perhaps it'll lend me a hand here.

Goodnight. =)

Love,
David

P.S. Yes, I am aware that in taking such a view, there is no solution in sight. However, at least in my perspective, I offer a voice to the terrorists... one that they feel that they have lost... one that they feel they must kill to reclaim. Perhaps if democracy started to recognize terrorists (not deal with them, mind you... but at least fucking LISTEN to them), we wouldn't be getting the bad rap we have today across the globe... and rightfully so. 'Nuff said. G'Night, lovers... "And remember... this world is made of - LOVE AND PEACE!" ^_^

We all have AIDS... if one of us does.

2006-08-01T00:40:00.000-04:00

Amazing... absolutely amazing.

Oh, and on the South African version of Sesame Street, they have even introduced a new muppet named Kami who happens to be HIV positive. How incredible is that? =) To teach acceptance at such a young age, as well as how to cope with the disease... The station plans to teach such things as "what to do when I cut my finger" as well as "what others can do when I cut my finger" as well as the social issues that needed to be addressed.

I wish I got Takalani Sesame here at the apartment... but, the rabbit ears sitting on top of my TV barely pick up the CBS station in Kalamazoo.

Drats. =(

Well, here's the website for Takalani Sesame: http://www.schooltv.co.za/TakHome.htm

And here's the link for the "We all have AIDS" campaign: http://www.weallhaveaids.com

All for tonight. =) Adios.

Love,
David

Back online!

2006-07-28T14:31:00.000-04:00

The folks from SBC AT&T Yahoo! have finally pulled through on their promises... I am connected to the wide electronic world of the Internet. I also have a new phone number! And it doesn't cost anything for long distance! So, call me on my OTHER number (after 9pm or on the weekend, if you could) and I'll get you our new number. I say OUR new number because, yes, I will be living with my sister.

Oh, you'd like to see some pictures of the place? Why, of course! Come right this way!

As you enter our spacious accommodations, you enter the dining room. The light is coming from a hanging light just above our table. Amanda and Liz painted the chairs green all by themselves. How cool is that? =) Oh, and that's our phone in the corner.

As you turn to your right, you will notice our family room. Since this photograph was taken, I have moved my stereo system (with surround sound) into the room. It's no Dolby 5.1 or anything, but man it can sure do the job!

Here is our lovely reclining reading chair and my trusty futon. If you ever need to stay the night, the futon folds out into a pretty comfortable bed. I have slept there on several nights already while falling asleep to a movie.

Oh, you want to check our our patio, I see? Yes, since we are on the second floor, we have a nice patio that overlooks the woods directly behind the apartment complex. The apartment complex is just off of Beltline Avenue, one of the busiest streets in Grand Rapids, yet the peaceful and serene view from our windows can easily trick one into believing they are far from civilization.

Oh, you like our patio furniture? Oh, and the umbrella stand! Yes, isn't it great! Not only is it a lovely addition to our outdoor furniture, but it is also a relic of the past... a reminder of a great friend who reminded us to be loyal and true to the very end, just as an elephant would be.

Back inside? Yeah, the humidity can get to me sometimes, too. Yes, that's our kitchen directly in front of us. Would you like to check it out? Great!

Do you like all of our magnets? I think they're great! I especially like the one that Liz made for me. It is a picture of her and I from my aunt and uncle's wedding about a year ago. Isn't it swell? =)

Of course, I see where your intentions lie... =) Grab yourself a water or an Oberon, if you please, and let's continue our tour.

Oh, no... the Ben & Jerry's is mine. Good try, though! =D

Not much food... sorry. I've got a bit more than that now, but without a job yet, it's hard to afford much food. The Mini Wheats are quite delicious though, especially with the soy milk... oh, you're not hungry? It's probably just as well. Perhaps your drink will help tide you over...

Yeah, maybe we should wash our hands after touching the outdoor furniture. Who knows what awful germs and bacteria lie outside our clean new apartment?! =S

Oh, I'll worry about cleaning up the apartment later. It's time to continue our tour! Come now, before it gets too late!

Let's head down the hallway here... oh, you like the guitar and no parking sign? Me, too. =) They give the place a classy feel. Oh, and that sign was hand crafted by women from Iraq.

Just down the hall and to the left is the bathroom. It's just across from Amanda's room. No, we cannot go in. She's not here yet, and I don't want to get on her bad side BEFORE we're living together! After all, who likes a snoop?!

Welcome to my room! What do you think? Pretty clean, huh? My dad told me it needs to stay that way, or I'll have another thing coming. I wonder what he would give me for being messy? Something tells me I'd rather not find out...

I know that my desk may look a bit cluttered in this picture, but it is not that way anymore. Since I moved my stereo system out to the family room, I have LOADS more room and things are not quite as cramped as they appear to be in this photograph. I also have a walk-in closet and a bathroom, but I am not fully unpacked yet.

So, if you would like to come visit in person sometime, I would be more than happy to give you an adequate tour. Until then, I bid you a fond farewell.

Buenas tardes, mis amigos.

Love,
David

I am no longer an employee at Family & Children Services...

2006-07-14T15:10:00.000-04:00

I dropped off my keys, my work phone, and all of my notebooks and papers.

I'm officially unemployed now (and, yes, I am considered to be unemployed because I am actively seeking other employment. But, don't get me into statistics and how much I *hate* when sociologists and psychologists put/waste so much time and effort on them).

Chris gave me a hug and everything. She even said "If anything ever happens, you can always come back. Not that I'm saying I *want* anything to happen... you know what I mean."

That was rough.

There were so many people I wanted to say goodbye to, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I knew that I would just start bawling... As it is, I was tearing up on my way to the car. The sky opened up and poured on me. I decided that the clouds were crying enough that I need not join in.

On my way back home after ward, I saw a homeless man crouched underneath the overhang of the grand display of the Michigan Theatre on the corner of Burdick and Lovell. It was then that I thought to myself: "Am I abandoning this town?" This place that has given me so much... so much hope. So many friends. So many great opportunities to really learn what life is all about. This poor, struggling hub for artists, peace lovers, politicians, and people from all walks of life... it's ripping at the seams. Am I leaving this place to the dogs?

Then I reminded myself that one need not look far in this great country to find suffering. Even in a nation that is audacious enough to call itself the last remaining "superpower" in the world, the USA is no stranger to unnecesary brutality, corruption, starvation, poverty, and rampant disease. While Kalamazoo does have a staggering 24% of its population living at or below the poverty level, Grand Rapids has 15% of its population (a MUCH greater number of people) falling at or below that very same line.

I must realize that no matter where I go, there will be need. There will be hunger. There will be sadness, disease, and death. I must not ask why it is that I serve where I do or why I serve in a particular capacity. No. All I can do is perform what services I can in the best manner within my capabilities.

"...It's all I can do."

Love,
David

What's in a name?

2006-07-10T19:56:00.000-04:00

David is the #6 most common male name.
2.363% of men in the US are named David.
Around 2894675 US men are named David!
source namestatistics.com

Filkins is the #12428 most common last name.
0.001% of last names in the US are Filkins.
Around 2500 US last names are Filkins!
source namestatistics.com

Very common to quite rare...

Leave it to me to take up BOTH ends of the spectrum. =P

Love,
David

P.S. I was almost killed (or at least severely injured) by a 10 year old boy at the Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek while working my afternoon CLST shift today. I haven't been that scared in ages.

Congratulazioni Italia!

2006-07-09T17:14:00.000-04:00

"The grandest prize in all of sport belongs to Italy."

A head-butt to the chest. A hug from a guy on the opposite team. Intentionally stopping play for an injured opponent. Spirits were high today as the two teams worked their hearts our for the most prestigious sport prize in the world. Yet, amidst the fierce competitiveness found in all sports competitions, the concepts of "Fair-Play" (as introduced by FIFA to promote good sportsmanship) and compassion for all players on the field. Perhaps the most rewarding sight on a soccer field, whether amateur or professional play, is to see two players of different colored jerseys behaving as good friends. After all, they are all experts in the same field of study. They are all professionals and should treat their co-workers as such. Both goaltenders exhibited this mutual respect with a handshake and hug before the begin of the penalty kick shootout that resulted in France's top-bar deflection - ultimately ending in their defeat.

The sad note of the game was the poor decision made by a hot-tempered Zidane in the second 15-minute half of overtime play. France's captain was a man perceived to be in the same league of players as the famous Pelé himself. To his team's regret, Zidane had announced twice that this would be his last football game. He chose to end it, however, by giving a sharp blow to the chest of Italy's Materazzi... with his head. This move, which took place nowhere near the play, earned Zidane a colorful exit from the stadium as well as the sport itself. It was a sad moment that very well may have cost France their chance at World Cup victory.

All in all, the good outweighed the bad and the game went on with spirits high in anticipation of an exciting end. Fans were not dissapointed when the shootout came to the very last series of shots. The last goal of the game, decided by Grosso, erupted with cheers all across the globe. From Rome to Boston, fans were cheering for the new world champtions of the greatest game on earth.

Italy - wear your medals proudly. And hold your heads and trophy high... you have earned your place in football history.

And to all of the other participants of the 2006 World Cup in Germany... congratulations for being participants in the greatest sporting event in all of history. You have all represented your nations magnificantly. Yet, more importantly, you have shown your abilities to remain loyal to your teammates while also being loyal to those against whom you are fighting for victory. After all, it is not against them you fight. No, any athlete can fight against an opponent. It is the great athlete who recognizes that the real battle wages within.

Love,
David

P.S. I know I shouldn't end on a preposition... but I say - screw grammar. Do any of the literary greats always adhere to the laws, rules, and regulations of the annoying language I was brought up to read, write, and speak? No. They "bend" the rules and get applauded for it. I choose to be unique.

"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism..." -Howard Zinn

2006-07-09T13:01:00.000-04:00

"Just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas."
-Natalie Maines between songs at a concert in London

"[T]he Dixie Chicks are free to speak their mind. They can say what they want to say ... They shouldn't have their feelings hurt just because some people don't want to buy their records when they speak out ... Freedom is a two-way street."
-President Bush in an interview with Tom Brokaw

Add some nasty letters, group CD destruction ceremonies, and a few death threats, and this is what you get:

"I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should
[...]
I made my bed and I sleep like a baby
With no regrets and I don't mind sayin'
It's a sad sad story when a mother will teach her
Daughter that she ought to hate a perfect stranger
And how in the world can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they'd write me a letter
Sayin' that I better shut up and sing
Or my life will be over..."
-The Dixie Chicks in their hit "I'm Not Ready To Make Nice"

Can anybody blame them? I mean, honestly... I'd be pissed, too. Is this what freedom means, people? The freedom to treat each other like shit because of what they believe? Sure, if you adhere to closed-minded nazi doctrine. Grow up, America. Quit picking on the people brave enough to stand up when we're being lied to.

That's all. =)

Love,
David

P.S. In more sad news, the last football contest of the 2006 World Cup is today with France and Italy playing. It's at 2:00 pm EST and I can't WAIT! I just don't want it to end. =( International football is the best... especially in such a competition that shows brotherly comradery on a global scale. But, alas, all good things must come to an end... At least there is still this one final game. =)

Three things...

2006-07-07T21:47:00.000-04:00

SURVEY

You Are Most Like Bill Clinton

No doubt, your legacy may be a little seedier than you'd like.
But even though you've done some questionable things, you're still loved by almost all.

What Modern US President Are You Most Like?

JOKE

Bono, Jesus, and Santa Claus walk into a bar. They sit down and order their drinks. Santa orders hot cocoa, Bono orders a Guinness, and they're just waiting on Jesus to order, when he leans over to Bono and says: "Listen mate, I'm a bit short on cash, so I'll just get some water, and you can turn it into wine."

3)

COMMISSION

Serving the poor...

Make us worthy, God,
to serve those throughout the world
who live and die in poverty or hunger.
Give then, through our hands, this day their daily bread;
and by our understanding love, give peace and joy.
Amen.

--Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Yugoslavia, 20th Century, altered.

Love,
David Filkins

Dead Fish and Monkey Fetus

2006-07-06T12:31:00.000-04:00


The crazy antics of Dead Fish and Monkey Fetus have come to an end... ...OR HAVE THEY?

Wow...

2006-07-05T20:18:00.000-04:00

D.C. was friggin amazing! =D I'm gonna miss you, Kellers. =( Good thing you're coming back here in a short while!

Oh, and I had a job interview at Pine Rest. It seems like an AWESOME place to work. Everybody I have met there seems so friendly and easy going. Oh, and apparently I got two calls from people from different departments at Pine Rest who ALSO want to set up interviews with me. =P It's nice to be wanted.

Well, now I'm going to the beach with my buds in the Zoo. =) We'll be in South Haven checking out the fireworks. =D

Later! =D

Love,
David

Thanks, Cisco... wanna pour on any SALT while you're at it?

2006-06-28T23:56:00.000-04:00

Here's an e-mail I just got from Cisco, reminding me of how big of a failure I am. =P

Cisco Career Certifications Annual Program Statement

Dear David Filkins,

As a new service this year, the Cisco® Career Certifications program is providing an annual summary of your certification milestones and accomplishments. Please review the information below. We hope you find this information useful as you continue your networking career.

==========================================

CERTIFICATIONS ACHIEVED
Received Valid Through Certification Name
None

PREVIOUSLY EARNED CERTIFICATIONS
Certification Name
None

EXAMS PASSED
Valid Through* Exam Name
None

==========================================

It is very important to periodically log in to the Certifications Tracking System (www.cisco.com/go/certifications/login) to ensure that your personal information is up-to-date. While on the Tracking System, you may also want to sign up to receive program updates, special offers, exclusive invitations, and additional training information. To register, just complete the information for the Opt In category in the Personal Information section.

To review the latest certification and training news and information, visit our What’s New Web page. For specific program information, go to: www.cisco.com/go/certifications or search our Instant Answers on the Certification Online Support tool at: www.cisco.com/go/certsupport.

Thank you again for your continued support.

Cisco Career Certifications

* Associate-Level and Professional-Level 642 exams are valid for three years. Cisco Specialist Certification exams are valid for two years.

Thanks, Cisco. Always good for an ego suicide. =)

Too bad that I'm GLAD I didn't pass that test... so many new doors have opened up because of that.

So, right back at you, Cisco. =)

Thanks for the reminder of how lucky I am.

Love,
David

I'm moving on...

2006-06-28T23:33:00.000-04:00

Chris,

I was hoping there would be an easy way for me to do this. Yet, as I struggle for words, I cannot find another way to make this any easier. So, here I go.

I have found affordable housing in the Grand Rapids area, which is where I was hoping to live in the near future. And with only a semester left of undergraduate classes before I begin my graduate studies in Grand Rapids, I decided that I should apply for housing. Just recently, I was able to attain residency at an apartment near where I hope to attend graduate school. As well as the new housing being better and in a nicer area than where I am living here, I would also be able to live with my younger sister to help share the costs. She will be attending classes at Calvin College just across the street, so it is really a perfect location and situation for both of us. With all things that seem perfect, however, there always comes a price.

The problem is not the distance... I would drive great distances to be with these children. The problem, however, is the sum of the associated costs with driving that distance. Driving such a distance would not only cost a lot of money, but also take a huge chunk of time out of my days on top of the emotional stress of being in traffic for so long each day. I have a difficult enough time managing my schedule with my job being located a few miles from my residence. But to add a commute of about an hour on top of that would simply be more than I could handle.

Working at Family & Children Services has been the greatest experience of my life. I feel I have grown so much since I began here nearly 10 months ago. I have learned skills I will never forget. But, most importantly, I will never forget the people that have made being an employee at F&CS such a memorable experience... both my co-workers and those amazing kids.

Well, here it is.

I regret to inform you that this is my two weeks notice.

Sincerely,
David Filkins

* * *

On a lighter note...

WASHINGTON, DC - HERE I COME! =D

Buenos noche, mis amigos. =)

Love,
David

Google Video is friggin sweet!

2006-06-27T20:12:00.000-04:00

Apparently, Google Video allows individuals to upload their own personal videos to the Internet. =) How cool is that?!

So, since Amanda has wanted this online for quite some time now... I finally am able to unveil to the eagerly awaiting public (and everyone else) the most anticipated short film of this season:

Along for the ride is a recently filmed documentary clip. There is no sound to this one, but sound is not necessary when the content is so rich and dramatic. Besides, sometimes our paradigms need to be adjusted... perhaps the platform upon which we view the world must be pulled out from beneath our feet from time to time for humanity to fully appreciate our gifts. In that mindset, let us venture into the second film. I give to you:

That's all. Check back often for updates.

Now, time to study.

Love,
David

izone 300

2006-06-27T18:29:00.000-04:00

There it is... my newest acquisition. And, quite possibly, one of my best investments to-date.

Here are some examples of pictures I have taken with it already:

You can be sure to anticipate more to come in the near future! Especially because in less than two days, yours truly will be in... WASHINGTON, DC! =D

Love,
David

Who would have thought that the U.S.A. could be worse at soccer than global politics?

2006-06-22T16:12:00.000-04:00

Basically, this image sums up the U.S.A. right now. Why did we lose another soccer game? Why did we pick that man as president... again!? Why are we not reaping the benefits we were promised on election day? Why are we still clinging to NCLB? Why aren't we working toward not only reducing emissions but also working to improve our environment? Why is minimum wage STILL just over five dollars? Why are teachers, social workers, and therapists still getting paid less than our athletes, musicians, engineers, actresses/actors/politicians/lawyers while being held to MUCH more strict and rigorous standards?

Because this country, like the small town I am from, has a warped view of the future. Most Americans see a future that will be like their past... simplistic, free from deep thinking and consciencious living, as well as isolated from the problems of the world (aka. homeland security). These are what most of us tend to view as "Freedom."

Politics are just like our diets and bad habits... we like to just turn away and ignore the bad things that are happening because of what we take in. Yet, we don't want to change our lifestyles to accommodate the problems and fix them. Instead, we continue on the paths we are on waiting for things to get bad enough to do something about. However, then we blame everybody else we possibly can instead of taking responsibility... McDonald's, the tobacco companies, the president, etc. However, the problems begin with us. If we don't address the problems ourselves and take action from where we are... there is no hope.

Peace is a process that comes from within. Winning the world cup doesn't rest on a few players sent overseas to represent a nation. No, the collective body of the United States needs to go with them in hope and spirit. Until that day comes, we will NEVER win a world cup. Do you think the players knew that only 5-10% of sport followers in the U.S. were watching them? Of course they did. Until they have our backing, they will never improve. The same goes with our leaders. While it is important to let them know when they can improve (Why demand to hold teachers to a standard that politicians will not hold themselves to?), we must also let them know that we are behind them. Yes, our country blows. Blows BIGTIME. However, do we just give up on it and give our homeland to the roaches and mice?

It's up to us, folks. You... me... Us. The abbreviation U.S. is not a mere coincidence.

The beauty, strength, and future of the U.S. resides within US.

Love,
David

P.S. Thanks for listening to me babble... =) If you made it this far, I will personally shake your hand for sticking with me through my tangled web of neurons firing off in random directions... perhaps we could discuss these concepts. I did add a comment feature for a reason, you know. =)

Paella... Grand Rapids... what's not to love?! =)

2006-06-21T22:43:00.000-04:00

Yes, my friends, this is a paella... a spanish dish named after the EXTREMELY large pan it is cooked in. My Spanish professor invited the class over to his house to try some, and it was AMAZING. He also had some sesame bread from Panera which I picked up for him on my way over and it went SO well with the food. I spent most of my time there playing with his little girl Marisol and another classmate's son named Benjamin. I had such a great time. Usually I'm so anti-social, but when you bring out the little kids, I get excited. =P

Good day all in all. Last night I met my parents and Liz in GR and we hung out together. We went for dinner at La Cantina, which was just AMAZING. Then, we walked through East Grand Rapids and the Gaslight Village and over by Reeds Lake. It was amazing. =) We even saw some familiar faces at Jersey Junction when we got our dessert. It was a wonderful time.

That's all for now. Take care! =D

Love,
David

I love Grist... =)

2006-06-20T12:08:00.000-04:00

Must Not Be Any Oil There
Bush creates world's largest marine protected area

Well, slap our ass and call us Sally: George W. Bush, the prez formerly known as the earth's worst enemy, created the largest protected marine area in the world last week when he designated the 1,200-mile-long Northwestern Hawaiian Islands chain and surrounding waters as a national monument. The region is home to some 7,000 marine species, at least a quarter of which are unique to the area. At nearly the size of California, the monument will be larger than all of the country's national parks combined. Fishing in the largely uninhabited islands will be phased out over the next five years, though some groups plan to fight a complete fishing ban. Enviros joined marine scientists in gushing over the move. Bush was allegedly inspired by a PBS documentary about the ocean region. Imagine what could happen if he saw An Inconvenient Truth!

straight to the source: The New York Times, Andrew C. Revkin, 15 Jun 2006

straight to the source: Los Angeles Times, Kenneth R. Weiss, 15 Jun 2006

straight to the source: MSNBC, 15 Jun 2006

That's all.

Love,
David

P.S. If you like Tool, check this out: 10,000 Days Secret Megamix

Tolkien's vast wisdom...

2006-06-18T22:19:00.000-04:00

'The Shire - he may be seeking for it now, if he has not already found out where it lies. Indeed, Frodo, I fear that he may even think that the long-unnoticed name of Baggins has become important.'

'But this is terrible!' cried Frodo. 'Far worse than the worst that I imagined from your hints and warnings. O Gandalf, best of friends, what am I to do? For now I am really afraid. What am I to do? What a pity that Bilbo did not stab that vile creature, when he had a chance!'

'Pity? It was Pity that stayed his hand. Pity, and Mercy: not to strike without need. And he has been well rewarded, Frodo. Be sure that he took so little hurt from the evil, and escaped in the end, because he began his ownership of the Ring so. With Pity.'

'I am sorry,' said Frodo. 'But I am frightened; and I do not feel any pity for Gollum.'

'You have not seen him,' Gandalf broke in.

'No, and I don't want to,' said Frodo. 'I can't understand you. Do you mean to say that you, and the Elves, have let him live on after all those horrible deeds? Now at any rate he is as bad as an Orc, and just an enemy. He deserves death.'

'Deserves it! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. For even the very wise cannot see all ends. I have not much hope that Gollum can be cured before he dies, but there is a chance of it. And he is bound up with the fate of the Ring. My heart tells me that he has some part to play yet, for good or ill, before the end; and when that comes, the pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many - yours not least. In any case we did not kill him: he is very old and very wretched. The Wood-elves have him in prison, but they treat him with such kindness as they can find in their wise hearts.'

Sunday Bushy Sunday

2006-06-17T20:33:00.000-04:00

As seen on Break.com

For a direct link to the WMV file, click here.

Awesomeness.

That's all, my friends.

"This song is not a rebel song... This is "Sunday Bloody Sunday."

Love,
David

An Inconvenient Truth

2006-06-13T16:48:00.000-04:00

I have glanced through the book and watched previews for the film... so far, I must say, that it appears to be the most important film of the summer and I hope I get the opportunity to view it. I know that it is showing June 30th at Studio 28 in Grand Rapids, but I will not be able to go because I'll be in Washington, D.C. visiting a friend. =) Perhaps I can raise the issue to Mr. George "Huh, Kyoto? What's that?" Bush himself. =) As far as other showtimes, the website's show listings are down and currently being updated. Sorry.

I hope that you pledge with me, whether or not you decide to see this particular film or read this book, that you will educate yourself on the habit of global destruction that we, as a society, have gotten ourselves into.

Thanks. That's all for now.

Love,
David

P.S. I think I'm going to go see this play this weekend:

It's a play called "The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told" this weekend at the Kalamazoo Whole Arts Theater... it was suggested to me by my supervisor at the After School Program and I'm really looking forward to it. For more info on the show and the Whole Arts Theater in general, check out their website at http://www.wholeart.org/.

Communities or "Oh, you're that guy who works with the kids!"

2006-06-11T16:45:00.000-04:00

You know you're part of a community when everybody at your favorite coffee shop knows who you are. =) And with Will now working there, I feel that I'm part of the West Main Street Beaner's community. =)

Too bad I'm going to be leaving. =(

However, I am really looking forward to becomming part of the Grand Rapids community. Liz already got me hooked on Global Infusion, located on Diamond Avenue. Luckily for me, GI has an exclusively organic and Fair Trade Tea and Coffee Bar!

As nervous as I am to transition yet again, I realize how blessed I am to have friends in so many places. Some of my networks include: Sandusky, Spring Arbor, Kalamazoo, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Howell, Rochester, Beresford (South Dakota), Columbia (South Carolina), Virginia, Germany (where Liz has the priviledge of going in a short while), and now Washington, D.C. (I can't wait to go, btw! =D). I feel like I have networks of friends and family all over! It's so funny, because that's not my goal. I prefer having a tight, intimate friendship with a few people rather than a superflous. tacky, cliché of a relationship with a lot of people that I really feel I do not know the hearts of. Call me strange or tacky, but I would rather discuss theories on life with somebody than go to the bar with them.

...maybe that's why coffee has always won my vote over alcohol. Plus, there's the whole "inhibiting" one's judgment. I think the Buddhists have it right with this one - I'm gonna stay clear of alcohol. It's caused enough stress in my life as it is, and I've never even been in trouble because of it.

I don't know how I got from the girl who works at Beaner's telling me that she remembered my job to a theological discussion on the consumption of alcohol, but I think this is where I say goodbye.

Domo arigato. =) Oyasuminasai!

Love,
David

Just tired...

2006-06-10T16:58:00.000-04:00

Yeah, come to find out it was actually 8:30 am! So, I was up too early and I didn't want to risk going back to sleep and sleeping through the alarm clock.

So, I worked 6.5 hours on four hours of sleep. I even tried taking a nap when I got home to no avail.

Well, I'm going to read for a while then make some dinner.

TTFN

Love,
David

P.S. I cannot wait to leave Family & Children Services. Have I mentioned that before?

Another David Filkins?

2006-06-10T01:54:00.000-04:00

And apparently he's also in the field of human services. =)

You just HAVE to check this out...

Goodnight. =)

Love,
David

P.S. And I just found out that I work at 7 am, not 3 pm like I thought... 7 am is in 5 hours. I hate my life. =(

How amazing is this? =)

2006-06-10T01:08:00.000-04:00

Retrieved from on Saturday, 10 June 2006.

Wheelchairs given design makeover

By Geoff Adams-Spink
Age & disability correspondent, BBC News website

Mike Spindle decided to redesign the wheelchair from scratch

A designer who has spent most of his career working on parts for Formula One cars has come up with a new, off-road wheelchair.

The Trekinetic K2 dispenses with the old tubular chassis and uses a carbon fibre monocoque instead.

Designer Mike Spindle was inspired to create the off-road chair when he saw someone wheeling through an airport lounge.

The K2 was launched at the Mobility Roadshow in Gloucestershire.

Design ideas

Mr Spindle has spent the past five years designing the wheelchair from scratch.

After the designer spotted a man in an airport departure lounge, in a metallic purple wheelchair, it occurred to him that somebody ought to be able to do an awful lot better.

"Much to my wife's disappointment, I started sketching this out on the back of an airline boarding pass," he told the BBC News website.

Five years later - a development phase that Mr Spindle describes as "extremely difficult" - Trekinetic chose the Mobility Roadshow to unveil a radical new design.

The K2 has three wheels - two large ones at the front that can take mountain bike tyres - and a smaller one at the back.

The company says it is ideally suited for off-road use but can be just as useful in towns and cities too.

The wheels have an easily adjustable camber so that the chair can have a slimmer profile for going through doorways and a wider - and more stable - 24 degree camber for outdoor activities.

The umbrella is the most conventional thing about the K2

The wheel tilt can be easily altered by rotating a cross shaft underneath the seat: at its slimmest, the K2 is 710mm wide and when fully adjusted it broadens out to 870mm.

Trekinetic had originally set out to design a new, modern and different design: the chair's off-road potential came after prototypes were shown to a group of wheelchair users who said they were unable to tackle more difficult surfaces in their current chairs.

The company thinks the K2 will appeal to relatively active people with good upper body strength, although push bars are available as an option.

Marketing information for the K2 stresses designer chic and desirability with black being the predominant colour.

The K2 owes a good deal to automotive innovation in its own design.

Sculptured seat

Mr Spindle compares the tubular chassis used by most wheelchairs to the one found on vintage cars.

"In fields of engineering such as F1, they have dispensed with the chassis idea and gone to what they call a monocoque," he explained.

"With a car you now have a very strong basic shell and you bolt all the components to that. With this, we've made the seat a sculptured shape to suit the user's body and we've made it out of carbon fibre which is extremely strong."

The K2 is consequently extremely light - with the quick-release wheels removed it weighs about 9kg.

Weather-proofing is by means of a golfing umbrella which attaches to the base of the seat.

And Trekinetic says that the K2 can be folded up in about eight seconds.

Mr Spindle says the three-wheeler design lends itself much better to off-road use: with four wheels on an uneven surface, one wheel ends up losing contact.

Trekinetic says three wheels are better than four

"Then, you're pretty much beached until someone comes along."

Trekinetic plans to produce about 10 chairs a week from its plant at Uxbridge, Middlesex.

In spite of the fact that its website was launched a month ago without any publicity, the company says it has already had 1,600 hits and has received enquiries from as far away as South Africa and the USA.

The Mobility Roadshow is at Kemble Airfield in Gloucestershire from 8-10 June.

From the Dictionary of Life...

2006-06-09T22:22:00.000-04:00

e·mo·tion ( P ) Pronunciation Key ( -m shn)
n.

A mental state that arises spontaneously rather than through conscious effort and is often accompanied by physiological changes; a feeling: the emotions of joy, sorrow, reverence, hate, and love.
A state of mental agitation or disturbance: spoke unsteadily in a voice that betrayed his emotion. See Synonyms at feeling.
The part of the consciousness that involves feeling; sensibility: "The very essence of literature is the war between emotion and intellect" (Isaac Bashevis Singer).
The bane of David Filkins' meaningless existence.

That's all...

Love,

David

P.S. Thanks for being so great to me, love... =)

.: WEB LOG :.

Post!

A letter from Bill Ayers...

Ugly election incidents show lingering U.S. racism

Dear Washington...

Interesting...

The Hoober-Bloob Highway

Mandate?! Seriously?!

On a lighter note...

9/11 TM

Life...

I feel WICKED!

Marriage, justice, and psychiatric care...

WHO SHOULD BE MY PREZ?

STOMP OUT STIGMA!

Stomp Out Stigma Walk for Mental Health - May 17

Check it out!

Good night.

Phone = @*&%!!!

Wassup?!

Manifest Destiny

"What if everyone..."

Sally Field's UNCENSORED Speech

A lesson in futility...

Roger Ebert's greatest film review to date...

I found what I want to get next...

I missed my calling...

It's 5 am, I must be lonely...

What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding?

My dream ticket for 2008...

Ignorance Runs Amok Among Alleged Tarantino "Fans"

Comics?! NO WAY!

Love...

Red, White, and loads of Green?!

UNICEF is effin' sweet.

Work

I just had to share this...

Vote for Unity in 2008!

Hey, it's just me...

Celebrities

Haircut, friends, bills, Sudoku, Dick Tracy... and more!

At Work...

UPDATES!

So long, Myspace...

My final grades...

Final Grades

I simply could not pass this up...

Update...

Proposal 2 passed... but it's NOT over yet.

Do you Facebook much? Have you voted? If so, come join my group: "Hooray for democracy! I just voted!"

"Everyone says that Karl Rove is a genius. Yeah, right. So are cigarette companies."

Insulting Our Troops, and Our Intelligence

No human being is illegal.

(PRODUCT) RED

Hell.

What the hell?

Gojira

Test Results:

Don't *DICK* Michigan...

Profundity strikes in the form of a quote!

Larry's Beans are the best!

Google Calendar

Nutopia

My next non-fiction read... besides my textbooks.

Overnight shift... here I am.

YESTERDOG! Give me an AMEN!

Please... sign this petition.

Serj is really cool, too...

Bono...

Moral Politics

Quote from George... Orwell, that is.

I don't care who you are... this is HILARIOUS!

Is this the world we created?

I have friends!

Updates:

View from the patio...

Whaddya know? =)

"Israel should not have been created in the first place, but it's here now."

We all have AIDS... if one of us does.

Back online!

Don't DICK Michigan...