Well, I had a great blog post formulating in my head as we drove back up the tollway. But I’m having enough trouble as it is typing it out slightly buzzed (ok, very buzzed). I’ve used the backspace key at least 20 times by now. So we’ll see what comes out.

We saw Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic tonight with Chris, James, and Layton. It was a hysterical movie of her standup routine. Very un-politically correct, but still great.

We listened to the great lyricist and musician Tori Amos on the way back up. I can aspire to be, but will likely never become as great a poet as her. What does that have to do with this post? Not much. But, just trying to say that when I try to put my thoughts to words they never come out quite as eloquent as I intend.

Many thoughts have been bubbling up through my head of late. I’ll try not to get too deep or introspective. Who wants that anyways? I just know I need to create a new post to push that godawful picture of myself further down the page. (If anyone is still archaic enough to still read this blog directly on my website instead of via RSS anymore! — just kidding!)

One thing I’ve wanted to do lately on my blog, inspired by Adam, but not nearly as interesting or eloquent, I’ve thought to recapture thoughts of my life. Probably for the most part boring for most of you. But I know, and if you know me you’ll agree, that I have a horrible memory. My sister has often been a reteller of old family stories. And while I sometimes laugh that she is retelling a story yet again, I’m glad that she is reminding us of who we are and where we’ve been. I think it helps sometimes to recall old memories to keep them fresh and keep them handed down through the generations.

That said, I’m going to capture random, pointless memories from my life here, starting from as early as I can recall and going forward. I don’t promise them to be meaningful, understandable, or of any otherwise significant value to any of you, except for me. But perhaps you’ll gain a different insight into who I am. I can recall since I was very little putting on facades for people. Very rarely have I met a person who can say that they don’t get along with me. I instinctively (hard word to spell when you’re a little buzzed) mold myself to anyone I’m around. I did it in school, college, and even since then, though not as much. I empathize with other people, and change the way I act and respond to be something they like. Who knows what is the real me. I’ve been more me in the last several years than I ever have been, but I still can’t guarantee that’s truly me, all me.

So, memories. Like I said, not all that interesting. But more to come, and perhaps some will be. Earliest memories for me (I’d be curious to hear from all of you what your earliest memories are!):

Going to daycare at Shady Oaks Baptist Church. I had a teacher, this sweet woman with short curly brown hair I think. They built little mazes out of cardboard boxes at Halloween there. I met my best friend for several years, Mike Deal, at church. We quit going at some point after they made all the sermons about getting money to pay for the new auditorium. We switched to several different churches afterwards, but never clicked with one. That was ok, because around the time that I was ten or twelve, I realized that organized religion was not for me. I didn’t know the term for it at the time, but I was and am atheist ever since then. In this day and “enlightened” age, being gay will cause shock amongst some conservatives but not most liberals, but stating you’re an atheist can still quiet just about any room. It’s very interesting and challenging to discuss religion from an atheist’s perspective with a religious person without coming across as condescending. I respect other’s beliefs and am curious about them, but I can’t help but look at religion as an interesting sociological phenomenon amongst a sentient organic species coming to terms with their own perspective on reality. In other words, I’m able (or try to) step fully outside the human experience and look at it all from an external perspective, but so many people just can’t let go of their religious beliefs for long enough to look at it from an unbiased point of view.

Well, enough for now. Perhaps more on a later date. I’m sleepy and out of philosophy juice.