Sunday Sermon 03/08/09 - The Fairytale Life

For as long as I can remember, I have never truly believed in any god. Sure, up until about seven I went to Sunday school at a Lutheran Church, I knew who Jesus was. I spewed forth the occasional question about heaven and God, but always thought it was more like a fairy tale. I also believed in the Easter bunny, Santa Claus, and leprechauns once too.

I have always been the person I am today, growing in maturity and values along the way, but always believing that religion was a crock. Now as mythology, religion is an amazing tool to teach ethics and morals (most of the time), but so are fairy tales. My favorite class in high school and college was Mythology and Religion. I loved the stories, and that’s what they are, stories, and learning about ancient cultures and how they tried to explain to themselves why certain things, especially in nature, happen. This was far before science was advanced enough to even remotely explain weather patterns and that the world was round. Imagine not knowing what we know today, things would be hair-raising to say the least and in order to RATIONALIZE it, we would make things up. This world can be a scary place without explanations.

Then what is the excuse for modern day believers? In my opinion, there is none. We have the technology to prove many things, and while science cannot “disprove” their gods and goddesses, it can consider the theory null and void with the proof of evolution and the invention of the telescope. Oh, I know, I oversimplify and jest, but I can, it's my blog.

I once said in a forum that I was glad I didn’t believe in hell. The response I received was "remember the existence of Heaven and Hell is not dependent on whether you or I choose to believe in it just as the existence of gravity is unaffected by our belief in it".

Hmmmmm…interesting.

My response, (by way of a John McCulloch) was “"Yes, I agree with you entirely. It makes sense for us to base our beliefs on evidence. I see plenty of evidence for gravity, and I can construct any one of a number of experiments to test the falsifiable hypothesis that it exists -- yet I don't see any independently verifiable evidence for the existence of heaven or hell. I presume you base your opinions on evidence, so I'd really love to see it".

And I would. I would really love to see the evidence.

In the meantime, I will live THIS life to the fullest and utmost. I will love my people like there is NO TOMORROW. I will help where I can. I want to see this world a better place to live in, but the only way I see that happening is if religion went away, because that is the only true way we can all get along. I will tell my children to not worry about what happens after you die, worry about what is happening now and put your FAITH in YOURSELF and humankind in general. It would be a shame to miss out on the one and only opportunity we have, THIS LIFE!

You are more than welcome to live in your fairytale life, but I am present in this one.

xoxo

The Generalist

Endangered Species: The Used Bookstore

That Used Bookstore
140 E Chicago Blvd
Tecumseh, MI 49286
(517) 423-6611

This is a picture of the front of my used bookstore. It's the purple building. It is called That Used Bookstore we have over 80,000 books lining our shelves and are the largest used bookstore in Lenawee county (and possibly some of the surrounding counties as well).

We are a dying breed. Used bookstores are disappearing all over this country on a daily basis.

Many of us, in order to survive, must also sell our books online to reach a much larger customer base. This is the nature of the business today, but those sales online have also dried up in this economic climate.

On a daily basis, I hear the following statement from customers. I am not exaggerating, the following conversation happens on a daily basis.

Customer: "So how are you doing here? How is business?"

Me: "Things are pretty bad right now. We are not sure how much longer we can ride out this storm"

Customer: "Really? Wow. I would have expected a place like this, a used bookstore, would do exceptionally well in times of financial distress. I mean, your prices are so reasonable, cheap even."

Me: "Well you would think that, but it is not the truth. People are just not spending money period. They are not leaving their homes because if they do, they know they will spend. Who can blame them really"

Customer: "It would be such a shame if you are not here. This is valuable to the community."

I agree with them and watch them walk out of the store, empty handed! So frustrating!

I can almost guarantee that most of your used bookstore owners are not making it rich with their little stores and their long hours. It is a labor of love and we cross our fingers just to make enough money to contribute a little to the household and be able to stay open for business!

This whole scenario depresses me and not just because I have a vested interest in my own store. First of all, we do provide a much needed niche to our community. Cheap books promote literacy much like a library. We also keep our landlord from claiming bankruptcy, and our quaint little town from having one less empty storefront, which in turn attracts more people to our area, in turn helping out all the other businesses we are surrounded by.

So where do you fit it? Well that is simple, come in and buy some books or shop online at www.bookeryonline.com or www.thatusedbookstore.com.

You, along with some of your friends, can help save this dying breed. Even if you live nowhere near my store or you can't find anything to buy on my website, visit your local used bookstore, but more importantly, SPREAD THE WORD! Tell others around you about your favorite bookstore, encourage people to visit the store or buy online. I cannot express how important telling just one person can be, but don't stop there, tell 20!

We are sinking fast and before you know it, we will be gone and that would be sad. Very sad indeed.

xoxo
The Generalist

Quick Spring Book Preview

"Run For Your Life" by James Patterson - Released Feb 2, 2009 - so far reviews for Patterson's upteenth book are averaging 4 out of 5 stars on Amazon.com



"Handle with Care" by Jodi Picoult - Release Date March 3, 2009 - I have read most of Jodi Picoult books and find them great reads but to me they follow the same formula. The content and issues make up for the same old same old song and dance.



"Pictures at an Exhibition" by Sarah Houghteling - Released Feb 17, 2009 - Amazon.com reviewers give this debut novel 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Win a Copy of Jodi Picoult's New Book Handle with Care!

Follow this link to win a copy of the new Jodi Picoult book, Handle with Care! Book Club Girl is giving away 10 FREE COPIES!

Click Here to Enter for FREE!

Pet-Sitting Advice

I have some quick advice for people who need a pet sitter. I was a professional pet sitter for many years and learned a lot about common mistakes people make when hiring a pet sitter.

• Do not hire a pet sitter who does not do it for a full time job (unless of course you are familiar with the person). Those who do it as their full time job take it very seriously.
• Do not hire a pet sitter who does not have a contract for you to sign
• Insured and bonded is not as important as you might think as it only protects you from neglect and theft. If you hire someone who does this for a living you are almost guaranteed not to hire someone who is going to forget to feed your dog or steal from you. This is their livelihood and chances are they are not going to ruin that. However, most responsible pet sitters will be insured and bonded!
• Do not expect your pet sitter to be able to do everything you do for your pet, but expect your pet to be fed, watered, walked, and loved on for at least 20-30mins each visit.
• Do not expect your plants to be alive when you get back home. We know how to feed a dog, but watering plants are sometimes beyond our capabilities!
  
• Most important, do not hire someone you are not comfortable with. If you do not trust them for whatever reason, don't hire them even if they have met all the above requirements!

xoxo
The Generalist

I COULD HAVE YOUR SOUL...

...if I believed you had one! Mmmmwwwwahahahahaha! I know how hard it is to look into a baby's eyes and not believe they have a soul, but I can. I choose to enjoy them as they are and love them as much as I can while we are both alive.

Let me explain how this Atheist feels about souls. That precious boy in this picture is one of the apple's of my eye. He, like his two brothers before him, is the sweetest, cutest, most amazing creature on this earth. When I look at them and they smile, my heart literally wrenches. I love them with everything I have, and they are only my nephews! I can't imagine how I will feel when I have my own children.

See...I am NOT the devil incarnate. Just because I don't believe in a god or goddess or a fat man messenger, does not mean I am evil. And since I don't believe in hell, then I don't worry about going there either. I live my life with many of the same moral codes everyone else lives by. I love hard and I play hard (or well I used to, getting too old now!).

Anyway, back to souls. Since I don't believe there is any place for us to go after death, then why would I believe in a soul? I do believe in what I consider a "soul" and that is a person's personality, beliefs and actions all rolled into one. The person you are inside, at the deepest level is your soul. We all make mistakes, we can all hurt others, but that person you really are, when your self esteem and self loathing do not get in the way, that is your soul. If you are truly good then you are good no matter what you do. Mistakes happen. You don't need to be forgiven for them by some "higher power", just forgive yourself and work towards showing others you are worth forgiving and LIVE YOUR LIFE FOR GOODNESS SAKE!

If you continually live you life in fear and shirk responsibility for your own actions, thoughts, needs and wants by praying to something that is not there, then you will never truly live and you will miss out. If you believe that this is not the life you are waiting to live, and what is waiting for you on the other side is much better, well then I feel sorry for you, but I won't condemn you for your beliefs. You deserve to believe in what you want, I just expect the same respect back.

SO STOP HANDING ME PAMPHLETS TELLING ME HOW TO "SAVE" MYSELF!

All comments are welcome, c'mon, give me hell. I know you want to.

xoxo
The Generalist

Mondays are for Masochists

Welcome to Confessions of a Generalist. This blog will be a virtual mish mash of my wandering mind, but presented in an organized schedule of posts.

The dichotomy of my personality, organized chaos.

Mondays are for Masochists will be my Monday posts (duh!) and will contain my complaints from the past week, for the upcoming week, or just in General. I will discuss, poll, and otherwise challenge myself and my followers about the importance of getting rid of Monday's all together. If you love Monday's, then please chime in as well. You may not be well received, but that is the risk you take for your convictions.

This week is no different for me. I hate Monday's. I wish they did not exist, unless of course my birthday falls on a Monday, then that is okay. I like cake!

Monday's to me mean another week of getting up early, having to shower and be Generally pleasant to the public. To me, this is not a pleasing thought on Mondays. After Monday I am fine with all of this, but on Mondays it sucks!

How do you feel about Monday's in General? Why? Let's hear it. Let's tear apart Monday until it has no idea what's hit it!

xoxo
The Generalist