jusjamesNYC's Xanga

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Tue, 31 Oct 2006 22:20:32 GMT

A psychology lesson...

Start with a cage containing five monkeys. Inside the cage, hang a banana on
a string and place a set of stairs under it. Before long, a monkey will go to
the stairs and start to climb towards the banana. As soon as he touches the
stairs, spray all of the other monkeys with cold water. After a while,
another monkey makes an attempt with the same result all the other monkeys
are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon, when another monkey tries to climb
the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it. Now, put away the cold
water. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one.

The new monkey sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his surprise
and horror, all of the other monkeys attack him. After another attempt and
attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.

Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new
one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer
takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm! Likewise, replace a third
original monkey with a new one, then a fourth, then the fifth. Every time
the newest monkey takes to the stairs, he is attacked. Most of the monkeys
that are beating him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the
stairs or why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey.

After replacing all the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys have
ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again
approaches the stairs to try for the banana. Why not?

Because as far as they know that's the way it's always been done around here.

And that, my friend, is how "policy" begins...

Changing Churches?

Tue, 17 Oct 2006 18:53:26 GMT

Some of those who have been blog subscribers over the past 8 years prob dont know about my relationship with God. To many, this is the first time you'll hear about this and it probably surprises you. The first thing you'll think is,"James is a Christian?" Only a few people that know me are aware of the fact that I'm a Christian.

With that being said, I've come to realize that I need to kick start my faith. I have to live the way a Christian should live. By that, I dont mean I will suddenly become a "Holy Roller". I simply want to live the way God wants me too. Quite honestly, I dont think my calling is to become a Missionary and call out his name at all ends of the Earth. Maybe it is, and it's a very very noble cause and I commend those that do. However right now, I'm struggling with my vertical relationship with God and I think that it's affecting my lateral relationship with others.

It saddens me, but I'm thinking of going to a different Church. NS has been a very important part of my life this past year, but I'm beginning to feel burned out there. Lately I'm beginning to feel that I'm going simply out of an obligation rather than a true desire to get closer with God. I blame nobody but myself for this. I've tried serving the Church by helping out the Kids Ministry thinking that this is what God desires from me....but I still feel burned out. I tried joining a Fellowship group (Small Group), and after a few months I didnt feel that I was fitting in. Since then, and that was a year ago, my gf has encouraged me to try and try again with a different group. I just never have. I feel lost at Church, but I really really enjoy the sermons given by Pastor Adam. He truly always says the right things, and that's one of the biggest struggles with leaving. Lately, I've simply wanted to show up after Praise stops, and leave right after the message. I feel horrible about it. If I end up staying after Church, and try to speak with people, I simply feel like an outcast. I usually dont have any discussions of depth, and I end up listening to people talk about themselves and gossiping about other people as if it were HS. I feel like the kid in HS that wasnt fitting into the clicks.

I blame nobody but myself. People outside of Church know me as a very easy and outgoing guy. Yet when I step into the confines of Church, I dont say much of anything and become an introvert. I hate feeling like this, and it's affecting my Christian faith, and my walk. I'm sure people are thinking that I'm jsut being selfish. Maybe I am, but I dont want to feel like this anymore. God deserves more, the people close to me deserve more, and this isnt the way I should be feeling about Church. I am beginning to lose sight of my Christian walk, and becoming too self serving. I want to serve God again without being asked. I dont want to serve in the Church just to say that I am serving, or out of self desire to fulfill some obligation.

A year ago I accepted God once again, and my life hasnt been the same. He came to me after I was broken down. I promised him I would never lose sight of what he did for me. I havent, and I dont want to become the same person I was before coming back to the Lord. I dont want to hang out at Church, and pretend to be a Christian. The problem is, the more I stay, the more I begin to feel that I'm becoming the person that I promised God I no longer wanted to be.

Monday, October 16, 2006

Mon, 16 Oct 2006 00:59:51 GMT

NYC

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 06:27:22 GMT

The newest addition. Bobo!!

I'm baack!

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 22:21:54 GMT

Hey Everyone,

It's been forever since I've posted anything on thisblog. With that being said, I'm going to start this thing up again. I'll be back in NYC on Wednesday, so expect some more soon! Here are a few pics I've taken over the past few weeks here in LA.

Enjoy,

Back.....in NYC for 24 hours! Aug 7th, 8th.

Mon, 07 Aug 2006 23:05:14 GMT

Cant wait...havent been back since I left!

Wednesday, February 11, 2004

Wed, 11 Feb 2004 22:50:08 GMT

Friends & Fam,

Sorry it's been such a long time since I last made an entry into my Xanga Account. With no regrets...I've been EXTREMELY busy. Just wanted to give a quick overview of what's going on.

To start, I no longer live in NYC. Moved back to Los Angeles after living in the city for 3 years. I must say, I LOVE being back. While it's Fckuin cold out east...I'm driving around and coming to work with my windows down as the cool California breeze blows through. It's true...it's hard to be always pissed off like your typical NY'er here. I didnt realzie weather effected a persons personality like that. Here are a few other things I'm doing:

Teaching kids to fly sailplanes through the Civil Air Patrol. www.ssa.org

Training for a hike to Mt Whitney that's going to be happening in June. (if we get selected from the Lottery.

Whitney Facts:

* At 14,494, Mt. Whitney is the highest point to the lower 48 states

* The trail is about 11 miles each way and takes two or three days to summit and descend.

Should be fun...going to do about 3 hikes before this big one to prepare for it.

Also just finished my Open Water PADI SCUBA certification. I should be getting my Advanced next month. www.padi.com

Applied for admission into the NYC Marathon. Hopefully I'll get selected. This is something I've always wanted to acomplish. www.nycmarathon.org

Taking Kendo classes in West LA once a week. www.westsidekendo.com

Working PT at KROQ during the Loveline show. Wed, Thur nights. www.kroq.com

So there you go....I think that's all of them. No GF at the moment...and I really could care less. Too much to do, too many things to see, and not enough time to do it all.

"Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside them was superior to circumstances" ~B. Barton

Much Alohaz,

Friday, January 30, 2004

Fri, 30 Jan 2004 20:55:04 GMT

"Your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing" ~Abraham Lincoln~

Friday, October 17, 2003

Fri, 17 Oct 2003 19:43:12 GMT

Could not happen to a better ballpark!

Thursday, October 16, 2003

Thu, 16 Oct 2003 17:13:04 GMT

October 16, 2003 --
ALCS Game 6
Red Sox 9 - Yankees 6
Series tied 3-3

What, you are surprised Red Sox-Yankees requires a Game 7 tonight?

By LARRY CELONA, GERSH KUNTZMAN and ALY SUJO

The pilot of the Staten Island Ferry that crashed yesterday killing 10 people and injuring 42 claims he accidentally shifted into full throttle after blacking out, sending the massive vessel hurtling into the St. George pier and ripping open its side, The Post has learned. -- "I saw some horrible sights," said Al Mancer. They were everywhere. A mass of grinding wood and steel ripped one man's head off. Another's stomach was hanging out. One passenger was missing his jaw. Arms and legs lay on the deck.

"It was sick, right out of a movie," said Sean Johnson, 28. A horror movie.

_____________

Now maybe it's just me....but I dont hear anyone talking about the Ferry accident that occured in Lower Manhattan yesterday...Everyone is way too caught up in Yankee vs Red Sox mania. Is this the after effects of Sept 11th where we dont care about death anymore?!

Whatever....GO YANKEES!!! KILL PEDRO!!!

dear god...please help me.