Greg Ory Danner's Think Tank

2010-11-30T13:57:00.000-08:00

You ask: Why do you not ache-, your squawkings are beyond embarrassing! Because, "Fortunately, someone will always find the beauty
in the ugliest things you do."

Danner vs. Bass: What is Love?

2010-02-01T10:33:00.000-08:00

Greg Danner:
Since the dawn of man kind, men and women have been struggling to understand the strange compulsions to touch and hold each other, having unbearably strong attractions for one another. These feelings have been called “love”, and have been blamed on everything from “the soul” or “god”. Love is the fault of not these, but a set of chemicals in the brain that have resulted from the evolutionary need to procreate.
Love is the feeling of close connection that individuals experience in regards to other individuals. Primarily, love’s purpose is to facilitate sexual reproduction. Chemicals are released in the brain to drive a person towards another person. This came about in evolution for several reasons. Species that reproduce are more likely to pass on their genetic material- that is, they are able to pass on their gentic material- so naturally, traits that encourage reproduction are more likely to be passed on. Furthermore, couples who love each other want to be with each other and spend their lives together. This facilitates the raising of offspring which is necessary for the passing of genes. Species that take care of their young are more likely to pass on their genetic material because the young need to grow into adults so they can mate and further carry on the process.
In order to encourage interest between the sexes, the brain releases powerful chemicals. The two chemicals that the brain releases are phenythamine and oxytocin. Phenylethamine causes an increase in the transfer of information between cells and acts as an agent for releasing dopamine, which causes bliss, and amphetamine, which acts similarly to adrenaline. This chemical can be released at very subtle cues given to the brain. Even a simple handshake with a member of the opposite sex (or the same sex, depending on your orientation) can release this powerful drug. “Love at first sight” may just be an overwhelming amount of chemicals. The effects of this chemical and the chemicals it stimulates can make a person feel strong, heady, emotions, have a racing pulse, and have heavy breathing. Oxytocin, which can also be released at something as simple as the touch of a lover, causes a physical need to be touched.
These intense chemical feelings, the giddiness, and everything associated with puppy love will fade within 6 months to 3 years, the length of time the brain can sustain the intense feelings of love. After these feelings fade, the psychological attachment to the person releases endorphins for the mature love of an aged couple, which is similar to the love between friends. These endorphins are addictive; the longer people are together, the longer they generally want to be together, which facilitates further fecundation.
Love isn’t anything magical or special. Each time a person feels like “no one has ever felt this way before”, they are dead wrong. Love is just the means for humans to get around to having sex. People who make poetry and love songs and get all sappy about love may as well sing about any other set of chemical reactions. They ought to make songs about photosynthesis and cry over cellular respiration. Love is nothing but the natural desire to procreate and carry on the human race. Human beings expirience these feelings of chemical desire so they can manage to tolerate each other long enough to get around to having sexual intercourse.

Charles Bass:

Love is the greatest outpouring of the human soul. It blooms like a flower and scatters its seeds to the wind. It tames the wild beasts and quiets the angry mob. It is the force which keeps our community together and protects us from the evils of the world. In the absence of the beautiful outpouring of poetic goodness that is love, man would be an empty and uncaring husk, devoid of its humanity, like a vicious animal. Through its grace there is no obstacle which cannot be overcome, it is the ultimate force, the deus ex amor. Though many deign to lump all kinds of love together, it is necessary to distinguish them for clarity of argument. It is through the separation and delineation of love that it may be demonstrated that love is a more mysterious thing than neuronal firings.
Familial love is the love someone feels for their family members and very close friends. It develops from the close bond created from close contact with one’s family members from the moment of birth, including the immediate bond created with one’s mother. It is an unbreakable bastion of affection and loyalty. Will anyone claim that their devotion to their mother or their father could be eliminated by injection? That some magical chemical is the root of that and not their soul?
Universal love is the love for all people, things, of God, or to God. This is the love of the great theologians, that indomitable will known as Christian Charity. It is the bond among each individual and every other living being, that connection which nearly defines humanity and allows for the essential goodness of people. This is the love which inspires piety, charity, and compassion. Can any good Christian declare their God and values obsolete and the product of a chemistry experiment?
Romantic love is seldom differentiated from sexual attraction, because they almost always occur together, however, they are very much separate concepts. Romantic love can be the strongest of all loves. Romantic love is the overpowering impulse to be near and have contact with one other person. It is romantic love that has fueled the arts for centuries by providing those blessed with a muse beyond all others. Those of you who are in love, those of you who are married, can you put that in a beaker? Can that be separated in a centrifuge?
Paul gives us another interpretation in his letters to the Corinthians: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (Corinthians 13:4-7).
Notice that Paul gives no mention of “oxytocins” or “neurons”, instead, he credits love as an extension of our human spirit as given to us by God. Paul, the very cornerstone of our Christian faith, believed in the metaphysical dimension of love.
All types of love, despite their strengths and weaknesses, are still beautiful expressions of mankind’s nature and are separate from any banal chemical process. It is a spit in the face of all art and majesty to suppose that love is a chemical soup. It is love that preserves humanity and to deny its existence as a separate metaphysical anomaly is to deny religion, art, and goodness.

The Evils of Grinding

2010-02-01T07:49:00.000-08:00

Mr. Bork found out about Grinding at Heelan, so he made the expected deal that's expected of him. He wrote this letter and sent it to all the families of Heelan's High school students.

January 28, 2010
Dear Valued Families,
Today I would like to approach a topic that I never imagined I would write on. I have taken
numerous courses regarding school administration and have read several articles on successful
schools. In my course work and in my reading the topic of “freak” or “dirty” dancing has not been
covered one time.
I would like to first begin by saying in general our school dances are very positive experiences. I
usually chaperone these events and find it enjoyable. Our kids truly love to be together as a
community. Unlike many other schools our attendance is extremely high and the overall behavior
is outstanding. Our students go against the trend as almost every one of them is on the dance
floor for almost every song. These are all positives that I would like to maintain at Bishop Heelan.
The one negative of our dances has been the recent infusion of “freak” dancing. For those of you
who are unsure or unaware of this term I will add a definition from answers.com:
What is Freak Dancing?
Freak dancing (or grinding) is when two or more dancers rub together to music in a
suggestive sexual manner. You can think of it like dry humping, where no actual
intercourse takes place, but partners and groups simulate sexual acts and positions.
Freak dancing has also been referred to as juking, houseing, freaking, bubbling, dirty
dancing, bump and grind, and crunking (in the UK).
In the US, many freak dancers are adults, but in recent years a popular trend has
sprung among young teens, who have embraced this form of sexual expression on the
dance floor. Back in 1987, the movie Dirty Dancing showed a tamer version of freak
dancing. A couple years later, the Lambada also had some variations of grinding.
The issue of “freak” dancing became apparent after our 2009 homecoming dance. I personally
was uncomfortable with the actions of our students. I was also disappointed in myself and my
ability to uphold the high standards and expectations of Bishop Heelan Catholic High School. I
have discussed this topic with other school administrators, staff members, parent groups,
individual students and our student council. My objective was simple; I wanted to clean up the
actions at dances without threatening the attendance, good times, or the sense of community
shared by our student body. In theory this seems like an easy goal, but finding a policy, or way to
enforce actions has proven to be impossible. The one way to ensure our students behave in a
manner that is representative of Bishop Heelan is to simply ban “freak” dancing from school
functions. I can not as the building administrator in good conscience allow your students to
BISHOP HEELAN HIGH SCHOOL
FAITH . KNOWLEDGE . VALUES . SERVICE Bishop Heelan High School
1021 Douglas Street
Sioux City, Iowa 51105
Phone: 252-0573 Fax: 252-4897
Administrative Office
P.O. Box 1439
Sioux City, Iowa 51102
Phone: 712-252-1350
Fax: 712-252-9085
BISHOP HEELAN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS: BISHOP HEELAN HIGH SCHOOL • HOLY CROSS SCHOOL • MATER DEI SCHOOL • SACRED HEART SCHOOL
behave in this manner while entrusted to my care. If you question whether or not this style of
dancing is right or wrong, I will include step by step instructions to “freaking” from answers.com:
How to Freak Dance
Let’s get started. Below are some of the common techniques that can help you learn
how to freak dance.
• Dance partners face in the same direction where one has their groin in contact
with the other’s butt, or in sexual terms – doggie style.
• Facing each other, dance partners straddle their laps. This is basically a
simulated version of rubbing ones private parts together on your partner’s thigh
through clothing.
• The female partner supports her weight on the floor with her hands and has her
partner stand directly behind her holding her legs or feet up.
• Another technique is known as the “Wave”. Partners synchronize grinding
motions to the beat of the music playing.
• Grinding motions are also known as “Side-to-Side” where partners press
together front to back and front to front.
• In the “Rotational”, the hips move in a circular or figure eight pattern.
• An extreme move called the “Vibration Gyration” involves rapid movements of
the entire body or rear end to the beat of music playing.
• Freak dancing can start with the female partner leading with her hips as her
male partner copies what she does, moving along with her. Or her partner may
simply direct the motions from behind with his hands.
• A “bumping line”, “freak train”, “booty line” or “pelvis conga” is a chain of
dancers, single sex or mixed that grind together in a line to the beat of the
music.
• Another technique called the “sandwich” involves two or more members of the
same sex surrounding another person of the opposite sex in a sort of simulated
“group sex” or orgy type of action.
I understand that this is a graphic description and hope very much that it wasn’t insulting or
offensive to any readers. I also want to make sure that as parents you understand exactly the
elements that are becoming more prevalent at our functions. Upon reading this, I think we can all
agree that these actions should not take place at a Bishop Heelan Catholic School sponsored
dance, or event. I hope you will support me and the rest of our staff as the final two dances of the
school year are approaching. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact
me at 252‐0573 or email me at borkc@bishophelan.org.
Thank you,
Christian A. Bork
Principal

Naturally, I wrote a response.

Dear Mr. Bork,

I read your open letter on "Freak Dancing", and I figured it would be useful for you to hear from a student's perspective. Firstly, the term used to describe the form of dancing you describe in your letter is almost always referred to by people around here as "Grinding", and sometimes "Dirty Dancing". In fact, I have never heard of it referred to by any other name before today. Secondly, this isn't at all recent. Throughout my entire experience at Heelan, grinding has appeared regularly at every single dance. In fact, all of the other dances that I have been to have hosted grinding, from the Music Camp at USD, to the Woodbury County Fair's "Barn Dance". Thirdly, you have no reason to be ashamed for the presence of "Grinding" at Heelan. This form of dancing is ubiquitous.

Mr. Bork,the definition of grinding you used described it has a form of sexual expression on the dance floor. I feel that this is a horrible generalization. It very well may be a form of sexual expression for many hormonally charged teens who do it, however it isn't the dance itself that forces the act to become "a sexual expression on the dance floor", it is the actors. Many interactions between human beings can be an act of sexual expression if the people participating make it such. A simple stroke of a cheek may be a tender brush from a father to a daughter or an arousing touch of skin from a passionate lover. Forms of physical contact have different meanings based on the intent of those committing the actions. Obviously a hug from a man to his son has different connotations than a hug from a man to his wife. It doesn't make sense to ban an action based on the intent of some who commit the action. If I formed a sacrilegious club in which the sign of the cross was a symbol of the devil, you wouldn't consider banning the sign of the cross. I feel that at Heelan, students come to the dances with the positive attitude that's cultured in our classrooms. I believe that our students grind merely because it is the popular way to dance. If our students really needed a form of "sexual expression" then they wouldn't attend our dances, they would be having sex elsewhere.

The step by step definition you included used some pretty graphic descriptions. Those forms of grinding that are outrageously suggestive aren't even practiced at Heelan. The rest of the definition either mislabels the spirit of the actions practiced in regards to Heelan grinding (I understand that in other places the spirit of grinding is outright sexual) or simply explains things which aren't questionable or bad. Allow me to explain:
• Dance partners face in the same direction where one has their groin in contact

with the other’s butt, or in sexual terms – doggie style.

I don't know a lot about two dogs having sex, but I don't think it looks like two teenagers swaying back and forth to music. When we dance at Heelan, we don't dance "in sexual terms", we dance to dance. We don't ask our partners "Missionary or Doggie style?", we say "I like this song" or we sing along to the lyrics or have other conversation. I think I'd about vomit if all the dancing I was doing was sexually motivated. We dance for fun.

• Facing each other, dance partners straddle their laps. This is basically a

simulated version of rubbing ones private parts together on your partner’s thigh

through clothing.

If you have ever given anyone a hug or bumped into anyone on an elevator, there is a good chance that your "private parts" have rubbed against them. In fact, many other dances besides grinding have some form of pelvic contact, like the tango. At Heelan, the touching of "private parts" is incidental, as it is in a close hug.

• The female partner supports her weight on the floor with her hands and has her

partner stand directly behind her holding her legs or feet up.

This never happens at Heelan. I have never seen this at any dance.

• Another technique is known as the “Wave”. Partners synchronize grinding

motions to the beat of the music playing.

Synchronizing movements to the beat of the music is called dancing, which I would think is highly appropriate for any dance.

• Grinding motions are also known as “Side-to-Side” where partners press

together front to back and front to front.

This is a restatement of what grinding is.

• In the “Rotational”, the hips move in a circular or figure eight pattern.

Is there a problem with circular and figure eight patterns?

• An extreme move called the “Vibration Gyration” involves rapid movements of

the entire body or rear end to the beat of music playing.

While I have never really encountered really fast grinding, I guess if the beat was fast, the grinding could be fast. Any dance can have an upbeat tempo.

• Freak dancing can start with the female partner leading with her hips as her

male partner copies what she does, moving along with her. Or her partner may

simply direct the motions from behind with his hands.

Most forms of dance have a particular sex lead, like the Waltz, where the male leads.

• A “bumping line”, “freak train”, “booty line” or “pelvis conga” is a chain of

dancers, single sex or mixed that grind together in a line to the beat of the

music.

I haven't ever seen this at Heelan.

• Another technique called the “sandwich” involves two or more members of the

same sex surrounding another person of the opposite sex in a sort of simulated

“group sex” or orgy type of action.

This is like calling a group hug an orgy type of action. The intent at Heelan isn't "let's make believe like we are having sex", it's simply a dance. In the sandwich, an additional partner is included who would otherwise be left dancing alone.

Grinding may be sexual simulation for some, but I feel that at Heelan, our students are more wholesome than that. I feel that grinding is just like any other form of dance for the students who accept Jesus as their savior at Bishop Heelan. I believe we have a wholesome, fun loving attitude, and would be reviled at the idea of grinding as a form of sexual expression.I understand why you are uncomfortable- this form of dancing had me raising my eyebrows when I first saw it. However, this dance's presence at Heelan is just good, clean fun. Our students are a cut above average. I encourage you to reconsider your position on the matter.

Thank You,
Gregory Joseph Danner
Student

2009-12-31T00:02:00.000-08:00

My family was supposed to leave for Kansas City today by 7:30 am. We didn't leave town till ten. I was awakened by Erick at 8:20 who had my mom on the phone urging me to leave, because she was in town waiting for us after she had picked Mikal up from some Scout sleepover thing that he was at. Of course, as soon as Erick had left the room, I fell asleep again, only to hear my dad yelling "Come On!" in his disappointed/pissed voice yelling at the top of his lungs. At that point I got out of bed, threw my clothes on, and just sort of walked around the house yelling at people to hurry up. I wasn't in a good mood because I had stayed up till three or four the previous night, and I always feel dirty in the mornings until I shower, which made my mood even worse, and I didn't have any socks on as I walked about the house, and people were tracking in snow as the scuffled to and from the car, which meant that I kept stepping in water, which was really uncomfortable, plus they always left the door open. I continued to dawdle, convinced that I was ready to leave, and that everyone else was to blame for our off schedule departure, even as I didn't have any socks on. Throughout this time, my mom kept calling me to see how far along the road we were, and each time I had to tell her that we hadn't even left yet, which added to my irritation because I was reminded that we needed to go somewhere I was also annoyed at my mom for calling me so many times. I really hate receiving phone calls when I am in a bad mood. It felt like these phone calls where distracting me from doing something, which was actually nothing. Eventually I just resolved to take a shower, because I figured that we weren't going to leave for a while anyways. I did, and afterwords I was put in a much better mood, until I went downstairs and it took me three tries to get good socks, but when I did I was fine. Yet another thing that was making me irate was my sore throat that has been bothering me for the past couple of days. I gargled some Listerine which presumably made it better, because it didn't bother me all day until now, because I just thought of it. I was just generally groggy and pissy. At some point my family got it's shit together and we piled into the big green van. Of course, the fights erupted almost immediately, in the tradition of being about almost absolutely nothing. I think someone Erick and Stephen were clawing over who got to lean their head where. After things got settled in the van, we took off, only to have my dad almost get stuck in the snow, but fortunately for all our eardrums, he was able to get out in a most timely manner. Before we could meet up with my mom and brother Mikal, both of whom had been waiting way past the point at which they were supposed to get picked up, I needed to be dropped off at Tott's to pick up my car, which turned out to be fine. Well, they fixed it. The Serpentine Belt had broken, which cost eighty three dollars to fix. After I had the car picked up, at the insistence of the usual nagging phone call from my mother, I was obliged by agreement to go check on some heating vent at Dragonmouth. Apparently the heater will shut off if the steam hole on a house is blocked by snow. It was fine. I met up with my family at St. Luke's hospital where my mom and brother had been waiting and we finally set off. In the car we were served Hy-Vee knock off pop tarts and Land O'Lakes Orange juice. It made for one delicious meal... Not. To entertain everyone for a pit, I got out my Blackberry and read off some riddles from the internet. Of course, these distractions couldn't prevent the inevitable. As soon as we hit the freeway, Mary announced that she had to go to the bathroom. we stopped at the first one out of Sioux City. after that, I took a nap to the sounds of the narration of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I awoke in Omaha outside the children's museum. I was not enthused. Mikal wasn't too happy either. He had stayed up all night at his scouting event, and due to the babies and Stephen's excessive talking, he was unable to "get an ounce of sleep". He was pissed. I decided that I didn't want to go into the museum when I saw that most of the people going in there were not exactly people I could relate too, since I am not at least 10 years younger. Billy and I went on walking towards the shopping district by the Gene Leahy mall.

2009-12-29T05:55:00.000-08:00

I just woke up. I was awakened by my dear sweet mother with a flurry of bright lights, frantic cries for help, and desperate incompetancy. My mother had gotten stuck in the snow and me and my dad needed to shovel her out immediately. She was already late to work! She made it sound like she had high centered the car amidst a four foot high snow bank. Then, when we got outside, she informed us that our neighbors dogs had stolen our shovels- straight from a fifties sitcom, and we would have to go hassle our neighbors about it. Her car was hardly stuck. One wheel was slightly comprimised by the snow. I got in the car and begam rocking it back and forth, and my dad pushed the front when I was in reverse. It took us less than a minute. I am curious to know how long she tried before she came begging for help. I can't imagine she waited to long. I imagine she was already running late, as usual, but this gave her an excuse to front the blame on me for not instantly waking up and a chance for her to excersise her wonderful freaking out abilities. I was tempted to recite the parable where Hercules refuses to help the man stuck in the mud. I didn't. The whole thing was just annoying. I think I will go back to sleep now.

Dead, or Hopefully Just Lacking a Functioning Alternator

2009-12-29T00:18:00.000-08:00

Earlier today as I was heading to John's house to find something to do, I was driving my car- my usual method of transportation. Now, my car isn't the greatest, it is probably headed for the grave. As I was driving to John's, I ran over the train track where cars are supposed to go. As soon as I hit the bump, trouble came. The heater went from full blast to half-ass, the radio shut off, and I lost power steering. This raised some alarms for me, so I called John. He had me check my brakes, and they were fine. He told me to just continue on my way, but park facing down the hill by his hous in case my car should decided not to start. This would make pushing easy. I agreed with this course of action. We went to a movie with some friends in John's car. When we arrived back at John's house and I chose to leave, I found that my car did start, but only after the third try. It didn't sound nice either. The car sounded like a weak tortured animal being prodded to move when all it wants is to just quit the terrible life it was living. I didn't let my car quit. I headed home, and everything was fine. My leather jacket that I got for Christmas kept me warm, and I sang songs to make up for the lack of radio. This paradise was soon lost. As I was a approaching a red light, my spedometer started going nuts, dancing all over the place, finally resting at zero. The engine considered it unfair that the spedometer should be allowed to rest while the engine was working, and the engine stopped, and rolled to a stop at the light. I tried to restart the engine, but all I heard was this horrendous clicking noise. By this time I already had John on the phone. I advised me to call my parents. I did. My mom suggested that John should come pick me up. I said I wanted them to pick me up. She agreed to send my dad. I waited in the cold, waving cars past me, explaining I had someone coming to the good Saritans who checked to see that I was O.K.. After about ten minutes of waiting' Kane Martin drove up behind me because he was on his way home. This gave him a good excuse to be home late, so he let me keep warm in his car as I waited for my dad to come. Some jackass family drove up behind my car, and not seeing anyone in it, they had to make it their buisness. I saw them looking at my car, so O got out of Kane's car and let them know that it was mine. The man let me know that the law was on its way. He started asking me all sorts of questions about my car as if it were his buiseness. The first question he asked me was ridiculous. He asked why my car was in the middle of the street. So I had to explain to him how it had quit running, then he had a real question. He asked why I didn't have my hazards on, so I told him that those had quit too. After the man got back in his car, I noticed that he was just sorta chilling behind my car, not moving. I went and asked him what was up, and he told me that he was going to sit there and use his car's hazard lights. I told him that my friend could just out his car there, and they could all just be on their way, but he responded that they were fine. I went back to Kane's car and chilled in the warmth until my dad showed up, at which point the jackasses left. Kane left after them. I got in my car and my dad situated his car behind mine with the plan to push it bumper to bumper into the gas station parking lot. This worked like a charm, with my dad graciously ramming my car's rear with his car, moving its butt slowly, surely, until we got to the slight incline into the gas station. The icy conditions prooved a bit much more my dad's tires so we had to get out and push my car up a little so that may dad's car would be able to build up speed to get up the ramp, then slow down, then ram my car. during this time the cops came and left without noticing us, so there was no hassle from them to worry about. I got my car parked and I got in my dad's car which hyad a fully functioning heater, which was most certainly heaven found after I had been frozen in Iowa winter weather. My dad drove me home, and the car will get towed to the mechanic tomorrow for either its autopsy or fixing. I can only hope at thid point. That car has served me well, not crashing when my driving skills were absent, not remaining stuck in the snow when other cars would have needed a tow truck. And that car took so much abuse. The junk piled high in it, the people piled higher. Its side was scrathed badly. More dings cover it. Its windshield is cracked. After all this, it still lived to serve me. May it rest iin peace, or live on to fight on... At least until I get another car.

Miguel Freaks Out. Anyone Surprised?

2009-12-28T23:21:00.000-08:00

So for Christmas, I got two significant gifts from my family. I received a Blackberry phone from my mom, which I am actually typing on right now and a badass leather jacket from my grandmother. Of course, I quickly added as many contacts as I could so I could begin executing one of the most important functions of phones for me: the mass text. Today, a situation arose which required me to send a mass text, actually several of them. I was with John and Kane, and we were trying to figure out something to do for the evening. Originally, I had set out for Naomi's house from McCook at the invitation of John, who was also going there. However, John found out that Jackson, Aubrey, and Miguel (who he now refers to as "The Triple Entaunte") were there, so he decided that he would stay at his house and invite Kane and me to join him. Eventually, after several frustrating minutes on our Blackberry's web browsers and phones, we found out there was a showing of "Up in the Air" at 7:25 that we wanted to go see. So, I sent out a mass text that invited everyone to the movie. However, I received a text from Mike Wellman which informed me that he was actually having people over gfor a movie at his house. After some deliberation, we decided that this called for a change in plans, so I sent out another mass text inviting people to ask Mike if they could come over, and I added that they should bring food. Soon another wrench was thrown in our plans. David, who apparently watches out for awkward social situations, informed John that the Triple Entaunte had shifted from Naomi's to Mike's. Again, I was required to send a mass text which told people that the movie was still on. This created a lot of confusion, but I sorted through it. The movie was good, and actually at one point during the movie they mentioned how rude it was to break up with someone via text. That statement was a good fit for John because that is one of the reason's he doesn't like Aubrey, because that's how she dumped him. After the movie was finished, to continue me tradition of mass texting, I sent a text which read "Hey, thanks for coming/too bad you didn't come. We had a great time at the movie, let's do it again sometime/ha ha, you missed out, looks like you should listen to me and my texts. :)" which was soon followed by a text which simply read "...Respectively" so that people would understand that they were to pick the statements that applied to them. After the movie, we all went to Perkin's for some Nom. While we were waiting for our meal, I received a phone call from Miguel. As soon as I had the reciever to my ear, he began flipping shit on me, exclaiming that he knew that he had more fun than me and it wasn't right for me to send that text because I had no idea about all the fun they were having. Miguel had taken serious offence. I tried to tell him that my mass text had not been directed as a personal attack against him, and that my mass texts are supposed to taken lightlyn and that last one was definetly a joke. He told me that in order for it to be a joke it had to "have jk or lol" in it. Miguel just wasn't listening to reason, so our conversation ended mid-conflict. Now, Miguel was just looking to pick a fight, because this wasn't about how some text was worded, it was about Jackson and Aubrey. To a large extent, Aubrey has been cut off from our friend group because she was mostly involved with us because of John. I am still personally friends with her, I have known her since middle school, but I felt like hanging out with John tonight. Miguel is a feirce defender of Aubrey, who John will not hang out with, and this conflict has led to Miguel making himself enemies with John. Now, Miguel probably knew that the reason we didn't go to Mike's was because of the conflict between John and the Triple Entaunte. Miguel probably saw my text as a way for me to spiritually lift the group of people who I was hanging out with above the group who he was hang out with. This really makes me angry, because I am a well known supporter of them, in fact, I had been hanging out with then the previous night. And that night I stated to them that it was a shame that this division in our friendship occured. I don't want to be ostracized for hanging out with people. Miguel agreed. It makes me mad that Miguel would get mad at me over some silly text message and think that I was getting into this stupid bullshit friend war. I will hang out with whoever I want to, and my mass texts are not malicious political weapons, especially the ones that end with a smiley face. Miguel called me later that night to apologize for freaking out, and I accepted his apology. I hate arguing with Miguel, it is one of the worst things in the woirld.

"The First Annual Bi-Weekly Town Hall Meeting of Dragonmouth"

2009-12-22T23:56:00.000-08:00

Miguel decided on Sunday night that the Jackson situation in which Jack is living at Dragonmouth needed to cease, and he was going to set about the events necessary for this to occur. Well, it was well established in most people's heads that Jackson needed to get out. People have been talking about how they aren't as comfortable going over there with him there, it tends to be messy, he leaves his shit all around, etc, ad infinitum, and so forth, plus additional comments. Miguel felt like this weasly, talk-secretly-and-don't-have-any-balls attitude that everyone seemed to have about their feelings for the need for Jackson's dismissal needed to end. While Miguel, Tony, and I were bitching about the situation, Miguel came up with this meeting idea. He would invite "everyone who gives a shit about Dragonmouth" with the idea that we could all meet at Dragonmouth and everyone could express their opinions openly and we could come up with a resolution to kick Jackson out. So, Miguel got on Facebook and invited people, and it was set.

Tuesday at 1, I showed up for the meeting. Jessie, Kane, Jack Obrien, Stephanie, Miguel were there. John was going to be a little late, and at 1:05, Conner texted Miguel, "So, Dragonmeeting is still at 2, right?". John and Conner showed up, but Jackson was missing. This was not pleasing to everyone, and general sentiment towards Jackson continued to sour. Miguel called his phone several times without Jack anwsering, so we began planning to have the meeting without him, but eventually he picked up. He was at Aubrey's house; he had lost track of time.

The meeting began without him, and it was quickly established that everyone there was opposed to him living there. Some strong logical "Cards" set up were that 1. Dragonmouth is not life, we are sheltering Jack from having to deal with his problems by allowing him to stay there. 2. Jackson is using Greg Danner (me). 3. Jackson doesn't respect Greg Danner. 4. It is not our concern if Jackson doesn't have a place to go, our governance ends at the property line of Dragonmouth. 5. The last time the house was rented, it ran for $1200 a month, at a great deal, which Jackson cannot possibly afford.

There were probably more that I am forgetting, and I am not exactly racking my brain. Some other items were addressed at the meeting. A new rule was established that if any illegal activities are occurring at Dragonmouth, I am to be called immediately, and if I am not available, another patron is to be called, preferably John or Matt. Everyone is to act as an authority in kicking people out who are breaking Dragonmouth's prohibition policy, in the defence of Dragonmouth. I gave everyone a bit of apologetics to use in case they had to deal with that. the previous night, Jack and I were there playing video games when my mom came in unannounced, without even knowing whether or not I was there. If she came in and bad stuff was happening, then basically everything would be fucked.

Jackson and Aubrey showed up, and the matter was handled delicately, and Jack took everything we had to say perfectly. He respected our decisions, well, my decision, and an official 30 day notice was given. Eviction would occur at the end of the 30 days. Eviction was defined as Miguel bringing Jack's stuff over to Jack's dad's house.

The meeting ran as cleanly as possible, except for one thing which I regret doing. When I told John that Aubrey and Jack were coming, he told me that he would leave because of her. I went off and told Jackson that he should come without her because I had reasons that I didn't want to disclose for why she shouldn't be there. They, as anyone would, saw right through it and demanded that I admit that it was because of John. Jack threatened to not come if Aubrey couldn't come. At that point they were outside. I announced to everyone that they had arrived, and I guess John had changed his mind at that point, so he stayed, they came in, and the movie went on. I sent Aubrey a long text apologizing for it. "Sorry for being a bitch earlier. I was acting like a little not cool person. I was under a lot of pressure from everyone. It wasn't john who wanted me to ask you to (not) come. It was me because i felt like i needed him. In the end i just simply told john that you were coming and at that point he chose to stay as well. I am glad that you stood up to me. sometimes i get lost in power, so i really appreciate that you had the balls to talk me down. Sorry." I sent her that at 1:30 AM, so she hasn't responded yet.

Jackson

2009-12-19T23:29:00.000-08:00

So Dragonmouth has been Jackson's full time home for a week now. I am cool with him living there, as long as he respects me and no one can tell he lives there. He sleeps in the main room on the pullout couch, so I don't want his shit lying all around if people are over. I know that neither of those two requirements will be fulfilled all the time, so I want him out. Just today, I asked him to turn the volume down on his game, and he asked me why. I explained why I wanteed it down, and he still refused. I know this seems like a small issue to be freaking out over, but it's the principal of who is in charge. I want it reenforced exactly who makes the rules here. I feel like I need to nip him on the ear so he knows that I am the alpha male here. His attitude in things like this may have been why his dad kicked him out of his own house. I have no idea how I am going to let him really know that he has to respect me. I expect anyone to listen to what I say concerning that house, because I am the one who is in charge, I am the one who has staked his ass on it, the one who has worked so damn hard on it, and Jackson needs to understand that him staying there doesn't give him more privaleges or power, but more responsibility. I just need him to do what the fuck I say. I know I have everyone's backing on this, which is a comforting thought. In fact, people are loudly voicing anti Jackson feelings. This actually has been detrimental, because some feel as if I am a pushover for letting him stay there. This whole situation just sucks. I don't want him there, but I don't want to be an asshole.

I still don't even understand why his dad kicked him out of his house. Perhaps I am doing Jackson a disservice by preventing him from learning his lesson about not being a punk to his dad, if that is the case, which I suspect it to be, based on the treatment that I have received so far. A lot of times when I ask him to do shit, I get "I will". I really don't appreciate that, because I want shit done when I ask. I don't allow myself any concessions when I am cleaning the place up or taking care of Dragonmouth, so it seems ridiculous that I should let him. It is so difficult to not be a pushover.

Early Bird Dumbassery

2009-12-17T23:08:00.001-08:00

Yesterday in Early bird at my high school, Bishop Heelan, Grace came in about a good ten minutes late. She came in with a late pass that was marked "Unexcused". She did have a perfectly fine excuse: Her tire blew out. There wasn't even a question of believability on this one, her mom had called in and explained the situation. However, the dumbass administration at our fair school has as one of it's policies to only allow one car excuse per year. Because otherwise, "People would just use that excuse all the time." To make my position clear on this issue, I feel that this is absolutely atrocious. As long as the parent endorses their kid's absense from school, any abscence should be allowed. There isn't a moral obligation to go to school, and it's ok to be late. School is just a place where learning people are privaleged to learn. If people choose to not take advantage of it, then no one is harmed but them, so it makes no sense to punish them if the parents endorse it. Kids are the responsibility of the parent, and if the parent feels that it is ok for their kid to miss ten minutes of school because their tire blew out, then I'ld say no disciplinary action is needed.

Beleive it or not, that wasn't why I am writing now. That dumbassery is a big deal, and it needs to be erradicated, but it didn't surprise me at all. My school administration is an incompetant pile, and I have been dealing with that for the past 3.5 years. What surprised me was what happened next. Lauren, a girl who is habitually late, and always excused, walked in ten minutes after Grace did with another excused pass. Her excuse, one of her most frequently used, was that "She was feeeling sick when she got up that morning". The class was in an uproar, and rightfully so. Grace had been wronged. Grace deserved an excused pass. However, the class began attacking Lauren. They began exclaiming how it was wildly unfair that Lauren got off so frequently while others didn't get off when they had legitemate excuses. I immediatly spoke up on Lauren's part. She has nothing to do with Grace not getting off, Ms. Joyce, the school secretary who makes the decisions was completely to blame for that. Plus, it doesn't make sense to want to bring Lauren down to bring justice to Grace. It's not like Ms. Joyce can only give out a certain number of excused passes per day, there are an infinite number of excused passes. Despite this, the class actually felt that something needed to be done about Lauren. They wanted to rob Lauren of the good she was receiving to somehow bring justice to Grace. They barraged the teacher so much with their outcries that he agreed that he would talk to them about Grace... and Lauren! In the end, the administration decided that Grace was still counted as late, but now Lauren, no matter what her excuse, will forever be counted as unexcused, because my dumbass classmates don't understand that someone can be undeservedly priveleged without hurting someone who isn't rightfully priveleged. It's not a zero sum game.