Making some noise

I never did sing just one song over and over again when I was six years old. Instead, I sang just about every song I heard, in church, on the radio, in movies. I sang everything, and I did it badly. I think my whole family died a little on the inside whenever I opened my mouth and warbled a line or two. My dad was better about it than everyone else because he's big on music. Sometimes when I'd go running with him, we would sing "The Song That Never Ends" to keep the beat. Up and down the streets, we sang as loud as our air deprived lungs would allow. My favorite part was when we'd go by an intersection or a stop sign and the people in the car would turn and give us a look that either said, "What the hell," or "I can't believe you can be that loud." It was embarrassing, and kind of difficult to gasp the words out loud, but it made the run easier and more fun.

My Eternal Return

Ever hear this one before? Girl falls in love with a guy who is a good friend. Unfortunately, her galpal has already called dibs on said guyfriend, plus another good guy friend who is an amazing, sweet human being likes her. After a series of hilarious and not so hilarious events, original girl gets her guy, one of the spurned will have done something to deserve the rejection and the other will take it gracefully.
Or how about, girl is in a great relationship with this fantastic, successful guy who totally digs her, but then a stranger walks into the picture and all of the feeligns get confused.
Or, the ever classic, a guy and a girl are circumstantially bounded to hate each other, but as time goes on, the loathing turns into passionate love. (or the opposite, going from attraction to loathing to passionate love).
These are the basic plot lines from every chick flick known to mankind and although it's like the same thing over and over again, it really appeals to me, because I see it every day. I can relate, emphathize and whatever, but every so often, even though the drama is addictive, I just want to get out of the endless cycle of soap opera crap. It doesn't feel monotonous so much as frustrating. To think, every kind of relationship mishap has been done before and we still haven't learned from our mistakes makes me feel so doomed. I'll never understand the opposite gender, regardless of how hard I study and interact with them. They will forever be a mystery to me as I am to them. If this is to be for all eternity, going through the cycle over and over, (besides the fact it's addictive and that delving into relationships is fun) what's the point? Are we just stuck in a hamster wheel until we just run out of energy to deal with the drama anymore? Except the drama would still be there because it's classic, timeless, enduring. Surpassing us and thriving in our death because then there's more relationship issues to be dealt with. Is everything settled between the living and the dead? What issues remain/arise amongst the living?
These kind of themes enrapture me and consume me-- experiences and drama in relationships. I'm circumstantially bounded to be interested. It's how my mom raised me. On Jane Austen, chick flicks, and analysis of sociology and psychology. On what they must be feeling, thinking, hoping. It's my eternal escape and annoyance.

Life after death

The Eleusinian Mysteries celebrates Persephone's rebirth into the world. A ritual following Demeter's actions, this celebration was meant to give hope for the afterlife. The followers of this cult ritual would shout obscenities, fast and drink the special kykeon mixture. They did all of these things to become gods themselves and perhaps escape the prison of death. (http://www.pantheon.org/articles/e/eleusinian_mysteries.html)

In some way or another, I think all people want to have immortal power or become a god. I always think of the Batman with Val Kilmer and Jim Carrey, and how the Riddler says, "If knowledge is power, than a god am I!" We all want that power to help us in the afterlife, but I don't think it would really help. Persephone was immortal, as was Hades, and they were both stuck in Death Valley. If immortals couldn't even escape the land of the dead, why be one?

I have heard of a Christian belief that when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they meant to be gods, so they were banished to earth to dwell until they reflected/became like their creator. Thus, humankind's goal in life is to be as an enlightened, godlike being--to one day be as a god.

The big difference I see between the Christian belief and the Greek belief is that the Christians embraced death as a means of rebirth-- like shedding the old skin and becoming something new. Mortals in the Greek belief feared death, seeking godliness as a way to escape. I could be very wrong on this point, but so it goes.

The difference between guys and girls

When I was about 15 years old, my religious ed class made me go to a lecture done by this guy named Brad Henning, who wrote a book entitled "Don't Take Love Lying Down." Judging by the name, I conjured up the entirety of his lecture in my head-- "Abstinence is key. . . don't have sex until you're married . . . you'll regret it if you don't wait. . .blah, blah, blah." And when I got there, it basically was like that, except not.

Mr. Henning was a short, balding man with a snow-white mustache. When we got there, he came bounding out of the wings to begin his talk, to stand in a tense stance, ready to go running in any direction. Rubbing his hands together, he gave his opening line, "Now, who can tell me the difference between a man and a woman?" We all laughed, because the answer was kind of obvious, but the man shook his head, "No, no. Take this for example."-- he drew four boxes on a white board-- "Let's say a guy goes to the bathroom, alright and chooses the second stall. If another guy walks in, girls, tell me which stall he'll choose." Most of us called out random numbers, because it didn't seem like that big of a deal. "Now guys, which will he choose?"
A resounding "Number 4" echoed through the auditorium. "And guys, if numbers 2 and 4 are taken, and another guy walks in, which stall would he choose?" Various responds of "He'll wait" came back to him. In those first five minutes of his lecture, Mr. Henning went through the mysteries of bathroom culture- why girls have to go in packs and why guys never really talk in the bathroom (most conversation dies at the door).

From then on, the lecture went through the different ways guys and girls think, talk and act. How guys are always the jerk and girls are always the victims. How girls are always complicated and guys are always egotistical. How guys are goal oriented and girls like to smell the roses. Taking every stereotype and either explaining it or crushing it, Mr Henning impressed the idea of understanding where each sex is coming from so guys and girls can better understand what a real relationship looks like, without all of the drama.

Unfortunately, in a high school setting, drama is unavoidable and subconsciously desirable. Whenever the tiniest glimmer of a relationship shimmers in the air, whenever a boy and girl begin to look each other's way, the dooming force of drama attacks. "These encounters (meetings between a man and a woman), because they represent the oneness of love and of hatred, of the need for union between man and woman and of the compulsions towards mutual destruction inwoven in that need, are drama in essence." Everything that is drama-- love, hate, betrayal, loyalty, confusion, lies, innocence, passion-- every tidbit is delectable and tasty to our souls. We thrive on the chance to complain or passionately dwell on drama. It gives us something to do.

It seems weird to think people don't want to get involved with conflict, because life would be so boring without it. And really, in a world where men and women are wired so differently, I don't see how we could have it any other way. So, when a guy says, "I think I know a shortcut," when the car is in the middle of nowhere and the only alternative roads available are scary, untraveled paths akin to that of the trail to the Beast's castle, I know he won't ask for directions because he's proud, and self-reliant. Now I could leave it at that. But as long as we're out for a long, long drive, I might as well make it entertaining.