Muse(ings) 9: Wit and Wisdom

When a pretty girl pays you a compliment you are much more likely to believe it than if… well, anyone else pays you a compliment. That is, if you are a guy–I suppose it might work differently if you are  a girl, but since I’m not one I won’t jump to conclusions.

I have a class ongoing this semester that I don’t particularly like, but it does give me a chance to whip out witty remarks to my fellow backrow classmates. Now, I’m not usually a backrow guy, but for this class an exception is merited–I needed an outlet for my laptop. It’s like Charlie Brown’s teacher is my professor–all I hear is “whah, whah, whah.” I’m pretty sure that it’s all anyone else hears too. I would share some of the witty remarks its enabled, but they are much funnier on the fly.  He doesn’t seem like a bad guy though.  He probably doesn’t eat babies. I do suspect he might like bad music like Nickelback, but hey we can’t all have decent taste. But man, the material is a killer.

But nevertheless, perhaps we can explore some noteworthy wisdom.

Dialogue activate. (Names and place have been changed…. And statements have been occasionally paraphrased to make me sound way cooler than I really am. Unless you think they’re poorly written–then they’re typos).

Friend:  Hey, can I ask you a guy point of view question?

Me:  Sure, but I have my own drum beat, of course.

Friend: This friend of mine last night asked me if, when a girl uses a wink smiley, it means she is flirting. Do you get that vibe from girls, too? I told him it depends on the girl.

Me:  Definitely depends on the girl. Not all guys can tell. Even the most discerning of us get it wrong sometimes

Friend: [Laughs] Wow.

Me: Wow? [laughs] Also, the hotter the girl, the more the guy would like to believe she is flirting

And that my friends, is truth. But a word to guys–wanting something to be true doesn’t make it so.  Beware of digital flirting. Assume that she’s flirting with you if you don’t want her to and that she isn’t if you do want her to. If you want to verify the opposite hypothesis, explore the matter in real life, not Facebook–and especially not twitter.

Muse(ings) 6

Muse(ings) 6

Classes begin in a week. I’ve spent just under $500 on textbooks. My new job responsibilities start in a few days. I’ll be a GA for my own class.

The territory I’m in is unfamiliar but exciting—maybe it’s exciting because it’s unfamiliar. I’ve been watching my former RA/RD colleagues update their twitter accounts in real-time as they go through leadership training at Liberty. It’s strange not to be a part of it. I once envisioned becoming an RD, but for each of the past two years I’ve stopped just short of applying.

I couldn’t go on in student leadership for a variety of reasons. I needed to have opportunity elsewhere. I wanted to be able to get involved in a church, specifically a church plant. I wanted to have different ministry avenues that were not limited by the constraints that come with being an RA. I wanted to be able to travel a little bit more. I wanted to get away from living with freshman on a dorm.

But really, what I wanted most was an atmosphere in which I could relish in honesty. Not that people in OSL are dishonest—but there is a limit on how open one can be in an environment rife with rules. I want to be me, to have accountability with someone who can’t fire me. I want to be honest with my struggles without fear. Truthfully, I probably could have been more open than I was, but not with my perceptions.

My prayers are with those who are still in that ministry. It’s a fantastic opportunity. Don’t waste it…. And don’t have any fear. Be real, be honest, and start a revolution.