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[Quintessence]

@Quintessence You once defined what a god was for you, but I've forgotten what you said. Could you restate what the gods are, please?

Baseline definition - gods are whatever a person or culture deifies, and deification is something of an honorific title given to things that that person or culture regards as worthy of worship (with worship being understood as honor, reference, celebration, adoration, value, awe, etc.). As all things have intrinsic value and worth to me, deification is a way of expressing how I see sacredness and worth in all things. To some folks, stuff is merely stuff; to me it's not "merely" anything... it's super awesome fantastic coolness and I've got this annoying, child-like fascination with everything. Just last weekend I stared at lake ice in vapt fascination, exclaiming "COOL!" (no pun intended), which no doubt perplexed the sporty crowd just there to jog about and not pay any attention to all the awesome around them. Which reminds me I was going to try and look up why the ice formed like that. It made these little columnar things... and when I stepped on it, it'd splinter neatly into columnar shards.

I suppose in short, everything in the universe are gods to me because I'm an insufferable nerd, and around a decade ago I learned that classical monotheism was not the be-all and end-all of theism. Gods could be the stuff in the world instead of some blah blah supernatural transcendent blah blah.

*starts looking up things about ice* Dude. DUDE. Cool website: http://lakeice.squarespace.com/types-of-ice/

 

[Rival]

I rather prefer the latter explanation.

Psshh, thread inappropriate

 

[Debater Slayer]

@Debater Slayer What's your pet name for "nose"? What's your wife's (the fire hydrant's) pet name for it?

"Biological Vacuum Cleaner" and "Dog's Probing Device," respectively. (She hates noses, by the way: it's not a good sign to her when a dog sniffs her.)

 

[Sunstone]

@Corthos What do you think is the most likely source of conflict in a marriage or relationship, and how is it best managed?

 

[Sunstone]

@Terrywoodenpic If you had just one piece of advice to give to younger folks, what would it be?

 

[Sunstone]

@Sees What is the greatest challenge to any person's efforts to cultivate excellence?

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

@Terrywoodenpic If you had just one piece of advice to give to younger folks, what would it be?

I am better at opinion than advice.....
But probably the best advice is to just get on with life... there is no point in waiting for a better time to do something... it is almost always too late then.

 

[Revoltingest]

@Wirey.....Do you remember this?

How's the old thinking organ doing these days?

 

[Sees]

@Sees What is the greatest challenge to any person's efforts to cultivate excellence?

Honest introspection that identifies personal weaknesses and then true acknowledgment and real commitment to work on them. That is what I see when it comes to professional, social, etc. skills and goals...for my self too, not just everybody else

 

[Revoltingest]

No. I don't claim to be at all Yankee, but I guess if I took one of those DNA tests advertised as use to discover one's blood ancestry, I'd probably show up as 50% Michiganistanian -- since that's where my dad was from. I grew up in the south, but have lived in various locations around the US as an adult.

The official answer is that I'm a southerner, although I can blend in ok with Yankee's at times. I've learned a few tricks, like to say "guys" instead of "y'all" and "median" instead of "neutral ground."

When I meet someone new, it has happened so many times so as to no longer surprise me, that the person will sometimes play a game of trying to place where my accent is from -- almost never guessing a southern location. This even happens down here in the south.

Most often the guess is Boston, Brooklyn, somewhere in the eastern part of the US.

I suppose that means I could infiltrate Revoltingestan and spy, without anyone detecting "a southerner" is about. I might just be there now.

So.....let's say you really are a southern belle.
What are the local best foods down your way?

 

[Jumi]

@Jumi How did your views of religion and/or society change following your mystical experiences?

That's a big question!

I've never been a follower type, but I think I'm way more interested in individuals and their views than religions themselves now. Especially legalistic or exclusive interpretations of God(God as a lawgiver) seem almost insulting to the experiences open to all. As far as the "god as an experience" goes, I'm still working on that. I broke through "something" last year in November that started changing my thoughts on what it all means.

I've been getting inspiration from a wide variety of sources I wouldn't have considered before. That's probably not much, but it's all I have for now...

 

[Sunstone]

@Strategic Philosopher Have you considered a career yet, and if so what career(s) interests you most?

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

@Jumi How did your views of religion and/or society change following your mystical experiences?

@beenherebeforeagain Same question. How did your views of religion and/or society change following your mystical experiences?

Difficult to say; they have been data points among many in my life. Overall, I think those experiences have made me much more interested in hearing about others' experiences, even when language really fails.

 

[Sunstone]

What can I do that makes me survive where I don't need to go to school for sciences. That's my interests

Do you have any particular distaste for the sciences?

 

[Sunstone]

@Shadow Wolf Where would you move if you could live anywhere within the US, and why would you move there?

 

[Corthos]

@Corthos What do you think is the most likely source of conflict in a marriage or relationship, and how is it best managed?

Dear lord... Keeping in mind that I've never been married, and there are a TON of intrinsic factors involved, I'll answer as best as I can. XD

From what I've observed in my own (non married) relationships, and the relationships of others I know, I think the biggest source of conflict might stem from assumptions one builds about their significant other and themselves (and relying on these assumptions instead of communicating).

For example: when my parents were dating, they got along just fine; no real problems at all. After they tied the knot they started to get on eachother's nerves, and started to argue constantly. Things were going downhill fast, and their marriage's future was starting to look bleak. They sat down, talked about it, and realized they had both thought that they were supposed to be/act a certain way after they had made things official. They had then decided to just be/act the way they always had when they were dating (assumptionless and open). That decision had saved their marriage, and to this day they are still happily married. Communication is key. =)

The best way I can think of to manage it is to simply communicate, be honest, and not to assume that your significant other will act a certain way when making decisions on things that will effect them and your relationship with them.

A close second would be impatience, and a close third would be thoughtlessness. =)

Those are my own ignorant ideas on the subject, at least! We will see if they hold water after I do get married someday. XD

 

[Buttercup]

Are hostels clean and good priced compared to hotels?

Hostels can be a very good value, especially if you're traveling alone. Prices tend to be about half of what a hotel charges and breakfast is almost always included. The quality varies vastly from place to place. Most hostels have websites and you can check photos and reviews. Generally, you have to share a room with one or more strangers. That may not suit your comfort level.

 

[Buttercup]

I retired in March of 2013 so we're only talking about the last three years. Let me give you a more comprehensive response ...

Prior to retirement:

• California Redwoods and Wine Country
• Washington DC
• New Orleans
• New York
• Miami
• Alaska
• British Columbia
• Quebec
• Stratford, CA
• Strasburg & Paris, France
• Switzerland
• Venice
• Brussels and Brugge
• Thailand
• The Netherlands
• London and Kent
• Israel

Subsequently:

• Greece
• Romania
• Israel
• Maritime Provinces
• New York
• Stratford, CA

Favorites:

• Israel
• The Netherlands
• London
• New York

That's quite an impressive list and I hope you aren't finished adding to it. I've been to London twice and NYC several times. Those two cities are on my favorites list as well.

Obviously, this quote suits you: "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." - Saint Augustine

 

[Sunstone]

Chem, Science, Bio, Math, Physics and Anthro are the worst thing ever.

Now you've got my curiosity up. Why are they the worst things ever?

 

[Buttercup]

@Buttercup

How do you remain so fantastic?

Smoke and mirrors with a touch of witchcraft.