And who is my neighbor?

Originally posted Friday, September 26, 2008 at 1:17am

I must say I was somewhat surprised with the response after my last note. It turns out people actually read these things, and that my unfortunate lack of hugs really resonated with a sizable chunk of my readership. I would like to assure you all that while I do appreciate the sentiment that a hug conveys, otherwise I appreciate handshakes or fist-bumps just as much, and I am capable of surviving on a bare minimum of friendly embraces.
Occasionally you see people outside on the South Oval with signs saying "Free Hugs." In fact, I think my friend James was one of those people once. For a long time, I have wondered what would happen if I were to stand on the South Oval with a sign saying "Hugs that Cost Money." I've also been wondering lately how much money I could make by agreeing to change my facebook name to Hott Tub Babycakes for a week. $50 and I just might do it.
Speaking of facebook, it has come to my attention recently that facebook has completely overhauled their design and eliminated the old one. I'm not sure how I feel about this. My friend Stephen would have me believe it's a good thing, but I don't know if I'm quite convinced. I added some box to my profile that I can't figure out how to delete.
Honestly, I think facebook is really really ridiculously addictive, and I don't know what I would do without it. Probably cocaine.
I'm also aware that Google released their first foray into the world of web browsers, Google Chrome, a couple weeks ago, and it's already the fourth-largest browser in the world. Anthony likes to tell me all about how fast and amazing it is because he owns stock in Google. I enjoy the fact that everytime I go to www.comcast.net to check my e-mail on Google Chrome, Comcast tells me I should consider upgrading my browser.
Oh, and in other news, I discovered that the reason I never got text messages WASN'T because everyone hates me; that's just a coincidence. My phone was actually programmed to block them. I got that setting changed a few days ago, and I've already received five or six messages.
You know, I had actually never sent a text message in my entire life until a couple days ago, and it's not because I hate you. That's just a coincidence. But it still costs me twenty cents to send or receive one, so not gonna lie, probably won't be turning into Texty McTextpants any time soon.

Working for the student newspaper has been an interesting experience, although more frustrating than I had hoped it would be. My first story didn't run, and my third assignment fell apart. The good news is that my first-ever story appeared on Tuesday, September 9th, and a big thank-you to Steven Royse for noticing. If you go to www.oudaily.com and do a search for "textbooks on reserve," you will be able to find my story, although I must warn you that you should only read it if you think checking out textbooks from the library is interesting. The editors also changed a bunch of things around.
I should have a better, more substantive story in the paper tomorrow, though.

September 12th was my 21st birthday, and a few of you asked if I got drunk. The answer is no, I did not, because I don't believe in that sort of thing, and in fact, I have not even gotten around to having a drink yet. Instead, my activities included attending a surprise party my friends threw for me, watching the movie "Lars and the Real Girl," and hanging out with Thomas, Josh, Spencer, and Aaron as they attempted to get a potato-launcher to work. By the way, Anthony, next time you should probably make up a ridiculous pretext for dragging me to my surprise party, rather than just inviting me. That might make it slightly more surprising.

The one bad thing about my birthday was that I could not find my backpack in the morning. I looked everywhere for it, but I eventually gave up and forked over thirty clams for a new one. And then four or five days later I discovered that the old one had been chilling in the Walker computer lab for eleven or twelve days. I had already asked at the Walker help desk about missing backpacks, but the RAs apparently don't go into the computer lab or talk to the IT staff ever, so there you go.

At Sunday school this fall we've been discussing the parables that Jesus tells in the Gospels, and the other week we were told that people have done experiments where they teach subjects about the story of the good Samaritan, put that person in a simulated Samaritan situation, and then . . . people do nothing and don't help. It sounds pretty terrible, but when I was in Mexico, I found a guy lying on the sidewalk once on my way to church. I couldn't tell if he was sleeping, unconscious, or dead, and I . . . did nothing. I'm kind of hoping he was asleep.

As for me, I've been sick for the past week. I got my voice back but still have a bad cough. I'm slowly dying, but gradually getting better.

Luke 10:37
The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."