Shrinkin' Violets- Part 2 Read Here

[TracyK 3]

Kat-did you get my PM?

[Kat817 19]

Yep---just did, just responded!!! LOL

Kat

[TracyK 3]

Yep---just did, just responded!!! LOL

Kat

Its weird, sometimes they just do not go through or they take a long time.

Where is everyone? Laura? Haydee? Suzie?

Violet roll call....:thumbup::biggrin::cursing:

[Daisalana 33]

DH who is an atheist sent me this, I thought it was neat.. and interesting since he & I debate science vs. religion all the time.

"Let me explain the problem science has with Jesus Christ." The atheist

professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new

students to stand.

"You're a Christian, aren't you, son?"

"Yes sir," the student says.

"So you believe in God?"

"Absolutely."

"Is God good?"

"Sure! God's good."

"Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?"

"Yes."

"Are you good or evil?"

"The Bible says I'm evil."

The professor grins knowingly. "Aha! The Bible!" He considers for a moment.

"Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can

cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?"

"Yes sir, I would."

"So you're good...!"

"I wouldn't say that."

"But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could.

Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't."

The student does not answer, so the professor continues. "He doesn't, does

he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to

Jesus to heal him How is this Jesus good? Hmmm? Can you answer that one?"

The student remains silent.

"No, you can't, can you?" the professor says. He takes a sip of Water from a

glass on his desk to give the student time to relax.

"Let's start again, young fella Is God good?"

"Er...yes," the student says.

"Is Satan good?"

The student doesn't hesitate on this one. "No."

"Then where does Satan come from?"

The student : "From...God..."

"That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in

this world?"

"Yes, sir."

"Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?"

"Yes."

"So who created evil?" The professor continued, "If God created everything,

then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle

that our works define who we are, then God is evil."

Without allowing the student to answer, the professor continues: "Is there

sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they

exist in this world?"

The student: "Yes."

"So who created them?"

The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question.

"Who created them? There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks

away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized.

"Tell me," he continues onto another student. "Do you believ e in Jesus

Christ, son?"

The student's voice is confident: "Yes, professor, I do."

The old man stops pacing. "Science says you have five senses you use to

identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?"

"No sir. I've never seen Him"

"Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?"

"No, sir, I have not."

"Have you ever actually felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your

Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for

that matter?"

"No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't."

"Yet you still believe in him?"

"Yes."

"According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol,

science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?"

"Nothing," the student replies. "I only have my faith."

"Yes, faith," the professor repeats. "And that is the problem science has

with God. There is no evidence, only faith."

The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of his

own. "Professor, is there such thing as heat?"

"Yes," the professor replies. "There's heat."

"And is there such a thing as cold?"

"Yes, son, there's cold too."

"No sir, there isn't."

The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room

suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain.

"You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited

heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything

called 'cold'. We can hit up to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat,

but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold;

otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees. Every

body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and

heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero

(-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we

use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can

measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of

heat, sir, just the absence of it."

Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding

like a hammer.

"What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?"

"Yes," the professor replies without hesitation. "What is night if it isn't

darkness?"

"You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of

something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing

light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called

darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. In

reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness

darker, wouldn't you?"

The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a

good semester. " So what point are you making, young man?"

"Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start

with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed."

The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. "Flawed? Can you

explain how?"

"You are working on the premise of duality," the student explains. "You

argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God.

You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can

measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and

magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To

view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death

cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just

the absence of it."

"Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a

monkey?"

"If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes,

of course I do"

"Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?"

The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where

the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed.

"Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot

even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching

your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?"

The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has

subsided.

"To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me

give you an example of what I mean."

The student looks around the room. "Is there anyone in the class who has

ever seen the professor's brain?" The class breaks out into laughter.

"Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the

professor's brain, touched or smelled the professor's brain? No one appears

to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical,

stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all

due respect, sir. So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust

your lectures, sir?"

Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face

unreadable.

Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. "I guess you'll

have to take them on faith."

"Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life,"

the student continues. "Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?"

Now uncertain, the professor responds, "Of course, there is. We see it

everyday. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in

the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These

manifestations are nothing else but evil."

To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does

not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like

darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of

God.

God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does

not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when

there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light."

The professor sat down.

[Daisalana 33]

Anddd I been MIA. Last night, oy. I was so tempted to call one of you guys, I was so distraught. Through sleeping I've calmed down so not going to get into it now.

I went to the dermatologist about my issues.. She gave it a name.. Hidradenitis...and it's "more common than I think" (however after googling it only affects 1-2% of people.. that's pretty damn low).

She said it has to do with my sweat glands. Anywho, the weird part, the drug she wants me to take for it, I have to take for 4-6 months.

But to take this medicine, you have to comply with this government program, called iPledge (Committed to Pregnancy Prevention). Apparently if you get pregnant on this drug, it causes birth defects.. she was saying babies born without heads, without brains, without eyes, etc. There was such a problem with women getting pregnant on it, they made this program.. gotta go for 2 pregnancy tests every month just to get 1 month prescription, sign a contract that I will use 2 forms of contraceptives while I am on it, etc. It's kind of freakin me out. They wouldn't let me leave till I peed on a stick (My first test, next one is when they do labs..which has to be when I'm menstruating to prove I'm not pregnant sheesh). I peed on one pregnancy test, but didn't have to go, so wasn't enough to make it work.. then she gave me a glass of Water, I was trying to down it quick, and my chest was hurting.. then I spit up a whole cup of water.. I can't do that stuff in the mornings! I finally was able to pee enough to turn that thing into a negative.

I think I'm going to do this drug to try to fix my issue, after 4-6 months on it I should be 'better', and a month or so later It's ok to get pregnant again.

Then me and DH took his car to get an estimate for the accident we were in, DH kept thinking it was gonna be $100-200 and I'm like uh it'll at least be 1k.. he didn't believe me. $1,400. I was right!

[TracyK 3]

Laura-good lord woman. What a pain in the as* that treatment sounds like!!!

[Kat817 19]

Laura, I don't want to add to your freak out, but have you seriously looked into the "afters" to assure yourself that one month off of it, and the birth defect issue disappears?

Personally, I would only do it, if I was positive I did not want kids in the next 18 months or so. 4-6 months for it to work, then I would give my body a year to ditch the meds. It sounds seriously scary to me!

I mean you are very young, and you may be planning to wait another 2-3 years anyway, in which case, sure get it dealt with, but if you were planning to say start trying as soon as the meds are done, I would put off doing the meds til after I had a child---I mean you have been dealing with them for 20 years------so if you are in a hurry for a child, coping with them for another year would be worth the mental ease, if you know what I mean.

I could not have ask for Kinsey to be any better today, she loved the idea of taking care of me! It was comical, but sweet!

I am having a hard time with my antibiotic....it is making me sick at my stomach, or causing diarrhea every time I take it--making me not want to take it, or eat, my stomach is upset all the time. I have drank pretty well today, but not eaten anything---the thought of food makes my stomach roll.....betcha the scale still does not move!!! LOL----it always waits til I am least expecting it!

Better go get some firewood. The rest of the state is getting snow, we just have horrible wind and it is cold!

TTYL~~

Kat

[Jennifur 0]

Laura

that sounds like some scary shit...

Pam - sorry you are not wiht Suzanne on her brithday

Kat- you feeling better girlfriend?

Lunesa - hey girl!

everyone ... hi...

still coughing to the point of almost peeing my pants... holy crap i'm getting old. or that is how sick i am... one or the other

feelling better other than that. rough day at work, 1 of the partners must be pms'ing today, she was on the warpath!

i survived. anyhoo... going to get some rest

[TracyK 3]

So Jen, do you LIKE your job so far? Overall how is on on a scale from 1 to 10? (ten being the best of coarse)

Kat-sorry your antibiotics are messing with you too! We are just falling apart aren't we?

Hi Judy...Hi Laura, I see you both!

Everyone have a great night. I am gonna go and get ready to watch Survivor....

[Daisalana 33]

Teehee, I was just reading.

Did dishes, took one of my mid-terms 82%.. I'll take it! Got 2 more to go.

I'm about to go to my parents for Survivor. Me & Dad have made a tradition of it. He said my g'parents are coming and bringing dinner so not to eat, meanwhile I'm starving.. so I'm eating 2tbsp of Peanut Butter out of a bowl.. num num num.

Kat- Yeah I'm still checking some info, they said there is no correlation with pregnancy problems 2 months after being off of the drug, which of course, is my main concern. I want to 'start' next year. Brochure says 1 month after taking the meds, the doc said 2 months. Giving birth was actually one thing I worried about these things with. They ooze.. and I had seen some birth show where the woman had an STD so they had to do special stuff to protect the baby.. They are highly susceptible to bacterial infections aren't they? And I think ultimately whatever is wrong with my skin is a bacterial thing, which is why the less invasive treatment is antibiotics (that don't work for me!). Just a train of thought, I always worried they would make me do a c-section because of my hideous nether places. I really have my hopes set on natural!

Ok gotta run!

[kity 2]

Hey Vi's~

I am beat. I ate a blueberry muffin for Breakfast and felt like shit all day. I called it quits about 5pm and am in for the night. I ordered room service (tomato salad/w bal. vinegar and a small veggie thin crust pizza, 1 bottle of water)...ready for this...$51 bucks! Holy Crapola!! That is why I ordered the pizza...cheapest thing on menu. The salad was small, but tasted good, clean and healthy. Oh well, I am reimbursed 30 bucks...but jeez. Good thing I didn't order the salmon.

Gonna go take a hot bath and watch American Idol. I skipped "ladies night" last night so I need to see results to see what is up.

Susanne had a good day. They had a special lunch and decorated her office and got her flowers and baloons. She is going out to dinner w/ a friend tonight. I miss her, but we have a date Sat. night. Dinner and a movie, and I can't wait to sit in the theater and cuddle w/ my sweetie.

Gonna go to mass in the morning. There is a beautiful church next door to the hotel. It is hella old and georgous. Been a while, and I am looking forward to mass!

Have a great night!

xoxoxoxoox

[Teachlady 3]

Evening Violets..

Our cruising buddies just left. dinner was great. I think. At least they told me it was. I couldn't eat any of it. Every bite I took came back up. and I mean every bite. I gave up and took my plate away. I told my friends I was glad I was doing it at my house instead of theirs. Of course the pineapple upside down cake and ice cream didn't have any problem staying down. arghhhhhhhhh

Guess I need to do liquids for tomorrow to rest my band. I feel like a bulemic!

Got my hair colored and cut today. It's blonder than before cause she said I needed a "spring" color. It's 25 degrees with ice and snow on the ground, but I have spring colored hair!!! I love it though. Can't ever be too blonde.

I have Ethan from 8-6 tomorrow and have to be at the church for our concert at 6. Won't be home til after 9 so it will be a long day for sure. But the good part is I get to watch American Idol next week for the first time. No rehearsals til the 25th!! yippeee!!

Well, time to hit the hot tub and let Jetta the garage dog run for a bit.

Everyone sleep well!!

[mdrai 3]

Whew!

Just got in from BF... was @ school for 13.5 hours today! :eek:

Last night the PTA cooked dinner for the teachers because they stay 'til 8pm having parent conferences, and today I was starving so I go in the lounge to poke around to see what there was to eat and it was ALL CHOCOLATE!! Or Pasta, or hoomemade pot-pie, or lasagna... oh my gosh! I finally found a tub of 7-bean salad, and I took a little bit, but it was very sugary. I beat it the heck out of there before the devil on my shoulder could rationalize diving into one of the pans of brownies!! How do you do it, Pam?? Sheesh! Talk about willpower!! I finally went out and got a Greek salad & a skinny caramel latte for me & the gal who was helping me... and I am proud to say that I DID NOT CAVE in the ease and availability of such bad foods!!

I hope the scale rewards my efforts tomorrow. You know my theory of willpower... if you resist a temptation, you should automatically lose a half-pound. If it's really hard, then you should lose a pound, and so on. Today was probably at least a pounder!!

I am beat, but also wired. I'm going to try to get some sleep. I wish I could sleep in tomorrow, but I've got crud to do in Va.... ack.

G'nite!

PS... Laura, that sounds like scary stuff! Yikes!

Kat, hope you're healing!

Hi Lunasa! So good to "see" you!! We're here for you when you're ready for us!!

Hi TracyK... I thought you weren't supposed to check in @ work??

Hi Judy... How did I know you'd be a Book Fair fan??

Hi Terri, Janie, Jenn, TracyKS (where ARE you?), & everyone!!

[mdrai 3]

Lunasa, I see you lurking there right now! C'mon, admit it... you just can't resist us!!!

[Kat817 19]

Well girls, I am off to bed. Hoping that if I lie still the nausea will pass. Tomorrow I am calling to see about a different antibiotic----this is not good for my band!

Michelle---you did good! I have resisted food all day--well not resisted, just unable to stomach it. And believe it or not my scale showed it! But I am not claiming it yet.....soon though!

Pamela I know exactly what you mean. I love going to the movies with Rick. 2 of our favorite theaters have the seats you can move the arms out of the way---so we can sit close and snuggle----and of course reach the popcorn!!!

Whatcha gonna go see?

Rick wants to buy me tickets to go to a Cirque De Soleil (SP??????) show going on at an Albq casino----he is going to see about the work schedule tomorrow....sounds fun!

Tomorrow night the big boss, over this entire camp has invited us to his house along with a couple of other foremen, for dinner. He is grilling steak--I cannot eat! Will have a drink or 2 and enjoy the company I suppose.

OK Rick is done in the shower and we are off to bed.

Hugs~~

Kat