Time to get a few things off my chest

So I've noticed that my blogging habits do not improve during the summer months. In fact it's quite the opposite. I can't say that I'm too worried about it. Regardless, this is the first I've blogged in a little while and since I've last blogged there's a few things that have been building up in my mental "rant" filing cabinet. I want to say that I have only a few things to say, but as just noted - this has all been filed under "rant." This means that the second I begin to unleash them, they grow. So buckle in.

First off, my good friend Christi and I recently (around a week ago) met up at Shari's to shoot the shit over coffee and french fries. Well into the conversation we found ourselves in a "heated" debate about Christianity. I use the quotes not because we were yelling at each other and left the restaurant hating one another, but because our perspectives lie on nearly complete opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to this issue. Now, I'm not going to get too far into the detail of the conversation (let's avoid the rant), but as somewhat of a summary I feel as though it is wrong for Christians to view themselves as better than others. Now, let me elaborate on that. For some reason, simply because these individuals hold these beliefs they find it necessary to not only pressure individuals into believing the same, but tell other individuals/groups that their decisions/beliefs are wrong because they disregard or are outside of Christianity. Who are you to say that my choice to not partake in your religious beliefs and practices are wrong? Have you actually been to the here-after? Because as far as we all know this so-called heaven could be full of atheists, agnostics, and Christians alike. Until you've actually been there and seen that I will indeed go to "hell" because of my beliefs get off of my case and stop judging. That's a sin you know. Also, a great deal of my own argument during lay in the idea that Christianity is not simply just what is written in the Bible. Ohhhohoh no. That's not how it works, you see. Is Adolf Hitler viewed as just a politician? Ghandi simply as a monk? PITA as a group who doesn't want to harm animals? Absolutely not. Each individual, group, organization in every part of the world is viewed and sized up by the rest of society based on not only their core beliefs and values, but their history, actions, followers, mistakes, accomplishments, failures, and impacts.

Moving on. As some of you fantabulous readers may know, I work at Target. At Target I have to deal with all sorts of people everyday. Sometimes directly and other times indirectly. The other day I found myself zoning (straightening out the products on shelves) by the shoes and overheard a father who was frustrated with his toddler aged daughter. She had apparently taken off her shoes and they were having difficulty getting her back into them. So what does dad say? "If you don't get your shoes on now you don't get any supper." As expected the little girl burst into tears and I could hear her all over the store for the rest of the time they were there. Now, I'm no parent and the only "parenting" experience I have is the time I spent babysitting from around age 12 to 17 or 18. And I feel like the whole situation with this dad and his little girl could have been avoided. I saw this little girl and she looked no more than three, so I can imagine all she heard her dad say was "No supper." Way to go jerk. Patience really can be a virtue. It would save you time and a headache and it spares everyone around you from the aftermath of your hastily made decisions and harsh words.

This is the last one.....I think. Friends. They come and go. You make new friends and lose old ones. Its a cycle that I have found myself caught in far too often. Sadly more on the losing end I feel like. At least that how I've been feeling recently. I hope I'm wrong in thinking this, but recently something happened (I still don't know what) and in short I may have lost a very close friend. I've been in this exact position before, so this isn't alien territory. It's definitely shitty territory though. I seriously don't know what to do. And when I say that, not only am I at a loss of what to do as to how to reach this friend and effectively communicate with them, but I'm also unsure of what I would say or do if this whole situation were to get better. This is a slightly different note, but all in the same rant file, it's my belief that you can't be fickle when it comes to friendship. You either are or aren't friends. And when it comes to that friendship you can't just flick it on and off when it suits you like the air conditioner. I'm frustrated and maybe even angry, but most of all I'm sad. I like to think that I'm a good friend to those that I call my friends. To lose one of those people to (insert silly drama here) really freaking sucks for lack of a better term. I miss them.