Apparently I’m sending mixed messages to people. First I say I’m not a fan of Richard Dawkins and then go on raving about how I’m an out loud atheist.

I’m not about to go and say that all people who believe in God are stupid like Brian Sapient, Richard Dawkins or PZ would. I don’t appreciate or respect the way that Dawkins speaks about religious people. I live with two fantastic people who are religious. I work with an incredibly kind and intelligent girl who is christian.

I am no more intelligent now than I was when I was christian. For all intents and purposes - I haven’t really changed. I still abide by the rules I was taught while I was a christian, because they’re pretty moral and make a lot of sense - they are things that people really wouldn’t argue with in general. My community has changed from Sheridan United Chruch or Campus For Christ to the Center For Inquiry, University of Guelph Skeptics and the Freethought Association of Canada.

I guess I lucked out in that I was born into a very liberal christian family - rather than a conservative one, which I feel is where I would struggle more with adapting to the idea of respecting everyone and their choices.

I just don’t believe in God. In any sort of definition. My step-dad often pulls out the “reason is your god” line on me (that which you hold highest), but I don’t think it’s right for someone else to define for me what God is in such a …vague and weird way. …What if I’m a biologist and hold mitochondria in the highest regard in my life? Does Paul then get to deem mitochondria my god? Something just isn’t right about that.

Anyway - I’m an atheist. I don’t hate christians. I don’t like people who don’t respect christians who are perfectly open minded - like my parents and some of my friends. I will forever be thankful to my mother for bringing me into a family where I was raised with the option of being religious - but given the resources and knowledge to question.

In other news - I am sooo tired. Something about being at work from like 6 am - 5 pm just doesn’t sit right with me. I am also the new vice president for the Freethought Association Of Canada - which is now a charitable group. Woo. I’ll be more excited after I get some food into me.

Also - I don’t think I’m sexual active enough to date boys… they’re always so ready to go, when most of the time I’d rather watch American History X or talk about philosophy… or math. … or math and logic fused together - mmm. mathematical logic > sex.

- tired

- impatient

- sad

- tired

- annoyed

- irritated

- tired

- filthy

- dizzy

- much in need of glasses

- tired

Thank god you see me the way you do - strange as you are to me.
(LoLz - ironandwine…get it??? mmmmm-mega dork)

Some days… are just those days, ya know? It seems like everyone I interacted with today woke up and decided “well I’m going to be a huge asshole to everyone today.” and they played it out quite well. Also, I got my phone bill today - which is never fun…. who wants a blackberry??? (You can have it if you’ll take the 2.5 year plan attached to it. Seriously. Take it.) On top of that yet another snow storm is rolling in. I despiiiise winter.

So. I get home… and do my bad day routine. …I played some X-Box. There are very few things in this world that I can get actively mad at. Seriously, very few. But video games are definitely things I can scream at. Anything - from The Sims to Guitar Hero to Bioshock. I’ll find a way to get right pissed and yell “fuck” at the screen a few times. So I do that to blow off the steam.

Then I go and look at all the pictures of a boy I like. Because that always makes me smile.

And then I put Iron and Wine on while I plan where I will be in 6 months.

…After I make that plan - suddenly the world is fantastic again! Because in 6 months I’ll live somewhere that winter doesn’t exist! And where ever I am, there will be no stupid or mean people! Because it’s a perfect place, so there can’t be stupid or mean people there.

Voila. My life doesn’t suck a big one anymore. Woo! Thanks to a cute boy, good music and the thought that one day I won’t live in Ontario! Yay!

And just to add to that beauty - a professor who I was trying to convince that I would be a great addition to his office decided that I was right. So I get to research with him on my days off. SUPER excited for that.

Now all I need is breakfast for dinner and a shitty day will have turned into one of the best days of my life. (Okay, maybe that’s exaggerating a tiny bit…but whatever.) .

Slightly more applicable to the post and the actual iron and wine i was referring to.

I’ve done one or two “questions” posts in my life - basically, they’re posts answering questions from people that I’ve filed away and forgotten about, but may have interesting answers - interesting enough that other may want to read them.

So, here we go.

1. Can you write a post on detecting illogical arguments?

Yes. After I write this one and one on geology, I’ll look into it.

2. Is switchgrass a reliable fuel?

…Yes and no. Mostly yes. At least I think so. I’ll do a post on this too (because it could be good for eco-chick and i feel bad when I don’t post content there for a while.)

3. What *do* you study?!

Mostly maps. But sometimes rocks. In my life I’ve “majored” in philosophy, logic, women’s studies, political science and biology. But, as the universities see it, I’ve only majored in logic (at UVIC) and geography (at U of G)… those are the programs I was actually listed in. Right now, I’m not even in school. I’m still technically a student, and have access to all student things and what have yous, but I’m not taking any classes. I probably will in the summer, and they’ll all be geography courses. I mostly study urban planning and coastal activities. I don’t know how I fell into that, because my intent was to do fossils, rocks and the origins of life. But… such is life.

4. What are the most polluted countries in the world?

1. Chernobyl, Ukraine
2. Dzerzhinsk, Russia
3. Haina, Dominican Republic
4. Kabwe, Zambia
5. La Oroya, Peru
6. Linfen, China
7. Maiuu Suu, Kyrgyzstan
8. Norilsk, Russia
9. Ranipet, India
10. Rudnaya Pristan/Dalnegorsk, Russia

You can find this list almost anywhere… It’s a pretty common list. In my mine Zambia is the worst - it’s so horrible what has happened over there. I once saw a picture of three children playing in like mining debris and eating it. It was so sad and scary.

5. Can you please post a detailed explanation to atmospheric structure?

Sure… after all those other ones I just said I’d write about … I’ll admit that I’ve only taken about 2.5 classes on atmospheric structure, and I don’t find it all that interesting… so maybe I’ll just link you to this. It’s exactly what I would have said. It’s hard to find interest in writing about things like atmospheric structure because there is no subjectivity to it. So yeah, I can write all you want about science - but you can google anything I’d write.

6. What is your natural hair color?

Brown. …Like, a medium brown. ugh, like this…ignore the stupid face:.

I’m trying to get it back now… but I hate roots, so it’s proving to be a hard process.

7. Do you use textbooks to write your posts?

In short - no. My head is just crammed so full of crap. I do however use textbooks to check facts that I’m unclear about. I often have to look up the record companies of artists, or if I’m doing something on a science that I’ve never really studied (say,  … like… mitochondria) I’d definitely be looking up terminology. I was explaining this to Roy the other night - I’ve never taken science stuff in university. I’ve taken a lot of social studies classes, and a lot of classes on earth science - but never physics or chemistry… so when it comes time for me to write stuff that’s in my head … I never really know how to write it, or explain it because it was never taught to me. It just… obtained the knowledge from one place or another.

8. Do you want a wedding ring?

Yes. If I find the right person to get married to - I’d love for them to give me a wedding ring. But I’m not going to lie. They’ll have to do quite a bit of work - it can’t come from any sort of company that isn’t environmental, and if it’s a diamond it has to be Canadian or else there is a possibility that someone lost their hand for it. I don’t want it to cost a bajillion dollars, …I’d rather get a cheapy right and then donate $2000 to an orphanage in Africa. Yeah, I’m a lot of work - thats why this will probably never be an issue.

9. What is your favorite video game?

In all honesty? The Sims… But Guitar Hero, Oblivion and Bio Shock all rank high.

10. If I come to Toronto, do you want to go out for drinks?

Probably not. Not because I don’t think you’re cool - but because I don’t live in Toronto. I live in Guelph. Which is far enough from Toronto that I don’t usually just go for drinks. (I do sometimes, but very rarely.)  If you happen to be in Toronto the same weekend I’m in Toronto I’m all for drinking with strangers.

11. And the one that every female blogger in the world must get - are you single?

no

I get a butt load of e-mails when I post regularly - and a lot of the questions/comments are the same. So I usually don’t reply… I love that girls find empowerment in things that I’ve written, I’m flattered that boys think I’m pretty, I don’t care if christians hate me and I try and post on any requested topic that I feel I can speak to intelligently (or at least fake intelligence on).

Same color as it is right now (a reddish brown…)

Purple-ish …I think this was one of my favorites, but… it’s purple, and I do work.

Blonde

Black with red

Black with blonde

Just black