Thankfulness Post #6

       If you know me well, this post will probably come as a surprise. I'm thankful today for some anime shows which have been, over the past two years my main source of entertainment. An important life principle is, "think before you act." Sometimes it may be necessary to do something just for the purpose of enjoying oneself. Even in that scenario one should think about what is the best option for things you can do to enjoy yourself. These tv shows have helped me relax, enjoy myself and taught me  alot of cool things besides. 

Code Geass, make sure you double check than check again to make sure you watch season 1 before you watch season 2. I made that terrible mistake from laziness and I hope no one makes it again. 

      The three highlighted here are not ranked in any order and I don't endorse them for general viewing....particularly for kids. I've been very surprised at how adult alot of the material is and from what I understand these three are fairly tame when it comes to Anime as a whole. So I do not recommend Anime for casual viewing. However these three shows have shown beauty more beautiful, evil more repulsive and love more virtuous than any entertainment I've watched. Some episodes will make one wants to cry, others will leave one depressed and sad. It's a fascinating experiance to have, something like life on fastforward. Life in which unexpected, unplanned bad things can happen and these isn't necessarily a happily ever after ending. Yet an undercurrent of hope, purpose, truth remains so that even in the midst of chaos life cans till go on and peace can be found. 

Darker than Black was the first anime I was very fortunate. In my ignorance I stumbled on a gem and have treasured it in my heart since than. 

The three shows have each centered around conflict between the main character and a super powerful organization. Questions like, "in a corrupt system is it better to reform from the inside or destroy from the outside?", "If I can't win should I still fight for the right thing?" "If other people get hurt or killed because of my mistake what am I supposed to do?" "Is revenge worth pursuing?" These questions and many others drive the characters actions and often help me to answer similar questions from my own life. 

Currently I'm watching Fullmetal Alchemist, it is probably the most famous anime ever created. Thus far it deserves it's reputation.

Disclaimer, watching anime is primarily a means of entertainment. These shows do not compare to reading a good book, prayer or good conversations. Don't replace reading a book about virtue with watching an anime to learn something about virtue. It won't work and you won't enjoy the anime very much either.

Thankfulness Post #5

I'm thankful for alot of things today. All having to do with the baking of a certain batch of cookies. Some years ago I was exposed to a cookie like no other. It was epic and cheesy and berryie and big. So after long years of searching for the recipe I found it and made them and am thankful for them. Below are the pictures. 

Stage 1. Kitchen is clean. 

Stage 2. Take out more utensils and ingredients than you'll need. 

Stage 3. Add vanilla to cover up the bad taste of everything else. 

Stage 5. I skipped stage four because it's not really important. Stage 5 is to form batter into little bowls. 

Stage 6. Drink a three liter of cheap ginger ale. 

Stage 7. Take a close up.

Stage 8. Bake them for 15 minutes longer than the recipe said to bake them for. 

Stage 9. Double the guards and the bar the gates because as soon as your done the hordes of hungry cookie monsters will descend and devour your delicious culinary masterpiece. 

The author does not endorse or take any responsibility for the 9 step method of cookie production described above. I hope you have enjoyed this post and will comment below. 

Thankfulness Post #4

Today Nathan, Sarah and I recreated the conquest of the Aztec Empire. Within the world of Age of Empires we transported our armies across the Atlantic and bested the superior numbers of marauding savages. Seriously, Age of Empires is awesome and my favorite video game of all time. It is one of the few video games that I look back on and don't regret playing. Come play it with me sometime and if your not already good at it I will teach you. It's great fun and a good history lesson as well.