Hot Summer Nights

Sorry for the lack of posts!  Memorial day weekend was long, but fun.  We kicked it off by going to a concert in Solana Beach.  We saw M83, an electronic/pop group.  I was so excited to see them because I had been listening to them since last spring.  It’s always fun to see a group you’re familiar with.

We went surfing several times, and hung out on the beach, went out to a few parties and clubs.  So yeah, pretty darn busy!

I’m currently reading Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.  As far as I’m concerned, C.S. Lewis is a genius.  Everything I’ve read from him makes so much sense, rings so true, and is so sensitive, caring, and balanced.  I’ve read “Screwtape Letters,” which was so good it hurt – in a good way.  It just opens up your eyes to things that you just don’t really think about normally.  You just find yourself putting the book down after you finish a section and staring off into space as you absorb the weight of what you just read.

Anyway, the first part of Mere Christianity deals with thinking logically about how the morality of our human race came about.  Lewis makes a great argument, and it reminds me of my days in philosophy class.  (I’m actually starting to think that taking that philosophy 101 class in Michigan as a credit filler was a great, great addition to my education.  It’s always those random classes that are the best ones it seems…).  Basically he argues that humans have this curious idea that there is a way they should behave, and that they do not behave this way (all the time).

This law of human nature seems to have come from something outside the universe.  CS Lewis was an atheist before he became a Christian.  In the second part of the book he writes:

My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust.  But how had I got this idea of just and unjust?  A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a stright line.

I mean, it’s pretty smart thinking.  I don’t normally think about the basic concepts of Christianity…the logic behind it all.  I really think that all Christians should go back and read C.S. Lewis so they can screw their heads on straight again.  One of my biggest problems with Christianity are all the loudmouth Christians out there making clowns of themselves and Christianity.

New small wave surfboard! 5’5″ shaped by Matt Muhlethaler. Can’t wait to ride it!

Last night at around 8:30 pm Pacific Time I felt my first earthquake. Apparently it originated a bit south of Los Angeles Airport, and it was a magnitude 5. I can’t believe we felt it all the way down here in San Diego! It felt so weird. I was sitting at my computer, which is on a card table. The table itself is kind of flimsy, so it started swaying. I also heard a slight rumble. I felt myself move to, the whole apartment was moving back and forth. I thought I saw the walls move but I think it was the overall effect of me moving and the table moving. It was so cool! I missed the earthquake that happened when we were all in Palm Desert, and I was bummed about that.

So far California is acting completely in character…earthquakes, fires, and the marine layer (which is making it cloudy every day on the coast).

LA Times article about the quake

Today I surfed twice. I was going to surf early with Val but she was too groggy, so we decided to go after she got out of work instead. But I checked the waves on the way back from Panera (where I usually go in the morning to get breakfast and work on my websites) at around 11am and they looked fun! So I went in for an hour before I had to pick Meghan up from the airport.

The waves were breaking on the shallow sandbar, and they were pretty fast. You had to get to your feet and get going down the line quickly or you’d get eaten by the lip (the breaking part of the wave that curls over and crashes down). It was fun…I got super deep on my first or second wave and the lip hit me in the head and I got so worked. It was one of those wipeouts where you don’t know which way is up. I ended up pushed into the sandbar, my surfboard leash was wrapping around my legs tying my feet together, and I was just covering my head with my arms hoping my board wasn’t near me. It was fun!!!! Usually I don’t like surfing those fast waves that break in shallow water like that, but today I was in the mood to just go for it. I think that I’ll get a lot better if I can just be confident in those conditions and just make sure I’m covering my head when I wipe out.

So it’s fun that Meghan is here now. She’s staying two apartments down in the same unit. Somehow it feels like summer because I always associate her with summer in Montauk (since that’s usually when I see her). So I’m looking forward to our traditional apres surf wine and cheese chow downs, meals outside, and funny conversations.

I had a super late dinner, and I really want to go to sleep–I’m so tired!! But I can’t go to sleep like this…I still feel full. I’m waiting to digest a bit more. I ate too much I guess…I was so hungry. We went to a turkish restaurant nearby which is really cute and good. Super healthy too. Just grilled chicken breast with fresh grilled veggies on a pita with melted provolone cheese with a side of the cucumber sauce. SOOO good. Yum.

I can’t wait to see Star Trek. I’m trying to rope in all my friends to go see it. Some of them are a little wary because it’s STAR TREK. They are probably thinking it’s for a bunch of nerds who live in their mom’s basement. So I had some convincing to do. But it got amazing reviews so far, and I knew I wanted to see it as soon as I saw the previews.

I’m wondering if folks have been hearing about this teacher from Southern California who has been taken to court regarding his incendiary remarks about creationism.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/corbett-class-religion-2402308-people-kids

The level of hypocrisy I’m seeing from the evolutionist side is pretty bad. So many people are praising this guy as a great teacher, as something this country needs more of.

Wait, WHAT?

Are you kidding me? If this teacher was a creationist, and the student was an evolutionist, they’d be calling for his head on a plate! This country needs teachers that provoke thoughtful, respectful debate – NOT soapbox rants that add NOTHING to our society except intolerance and resent. I’m sorry, but if that’s the best he can do to “provoke” his students then he needs to go back to teaching school.

And for the record, I do not condone the Christians who are countering the evolutionists on this matter with their own brand of ranting and intolerance. We need to stick to the facts here people. Public schools can teach evolutionism – fine. I think that evolution can mesh with creationism. I can learn about different points of view without feeling my faith is threatened. However, after hearing some of the remarks this teacher made (on the recorded audio) I’d be hard pressed to have any respect for him. Is he teaching History, or is he grinding his ax on a captive audience?

Being sick sucks!  I started coming down with a cold on Thursday.  Went surfing and realized that…I couldn’t surf.  I was such a kook…blew two takeoffs and ended up riding the waves on my stomach, and got chucked over the falls on another wave.  Couldn’t figure out why my arms weren’t working…until later in the day when my throat started hurting I started to realize I was getting sick.  Yesterday I was pretty much immobile, and today I’m just staying in again.

It’s just a cold but I am super stuffed, and I have a big headache and body aches.  No fever though, which is good I guess.

Michelle stopped by for lunch and brought me some chicken soup and chips and guac from La Especial Norte, which is a cool traditional Mexican place.  It was nice to have some social contact because I’ve been cooped up.

I also took some Advil Cold & Sinus, which is a wonder drug.  It helps soooooo much.

Other than how much it sucks being sick, it’s a good chance to sit around and catch up on reading.  I’m finishing Twilight so I can watch the movie.  It’s such a quick read, and it’s really basic (written for pre-teens I guess) so it’s perfect for my half-functioning brain right now.

I passed Ponto on my way to Rite Aid to buy my Advil and it looked like it was firing.  Sucks…wish I were surfing.