A "Brief" Bio
I have decided to begin by giving a brief personal description in order to lift myself from the realm of anonymity. I am a native of Nacogdoches, Texas. I am in the Air Force, currently stationed at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia, and I truly enjoy what I do (most days). I have a wonderful, brilliant sister named Kim and a beautiful seven-year-old niece named Lauren, both of whom live in Florida.
My main passion in life is travel, with the study of languages being a close second. Thus far I have traveled to a great number of interesting places: England, France, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, China, Tibet, Nepal, Thailand, Morocco, and quite a few places in the United States. I intend to take one three or four week trip each year to a different country. While I do not believe that this is adequate time to immerse oneself in a culture (six months or more is optimal), it is what I have, so it is enough. I think either Tunisia or Egypt is on the list this year. Other future destinations include, in no particular order: Russia (and esp. St. Petersburg and Moscow), Prague, Lebanon, Jordan, Kenya, Brazil, Laos, Vietnam, and just about everywhere else.
To me, the great joy of travel lies in meeting new and interesting people, and in the sense of freedom it allows, as well as its propensity for broadening the mind and removing prejudices. Nothing can prepare you for that first thrill upon exiting the aircraft onto foreign soil. Usually it is the minutest aspects of any culture that I find interesting. For example, I am more interested in a countries eating habits and how its garbage is disposed of than I am in its museums and other historic sites. Not that I am averse to visiting such sites. On the contrary, I have seen some amazing monuments and incredible works of art in my travels. I find people watching particularly interesting, and I can sit for hours at a coffee shop or café doing just that.
As for my personal beliefs:
1. I do not, nor have I ever, believed in a higher being, though I will allow for the (slight) possibility. I tend to regard religious feelings as stemming from one of the following: 1. fear of death 2. a desire for conformity 3. a feeling of inadequacy and subsequent resentment of all things adequate 4. a desire for superiority over another segment(s) of society. 5. guilt (almost always unearned). That said, I am fascinated by the great variety of religions, and, as long as they refrain from promoting harmful messages, remain accepting of all, and preach equality and compassion, I find them tolerable, interesting, and maybe even (again, slight chance) beneficial.
2. Politeness, Compassion, and Magnanimity top the list on my hierarchy of values (and I strive to emulate these qualities, though I do not always succeed)).
3. I believe everyone is capable of reinventing himself or herself by merely cultivating a complete knowledge of self (know thy self), and simply discarding negative ideas and replacing them with positive ones.
4. I think too many people regard the world in terms of simplistic stereotypes, and that an even larger percentage allow themselves to be pigeonholed as such. True daring flies in the face of all convention, and rejects all attempts at conformity.
5. I believe that women are absolutely fantastic creatures.
6. I hate sports (unless they feature graceful women in skimpy outfits).
7. I cannot fathom how someone can judge another based on skin color, sexual preference, or religion (despite my previous statements regarding religion).
8. I do not think I have a competitive bone in my body, last time I checked we all tie in the end.
9. I have no love of material wealth (to include fancy cars and gaudy mansions) beyond that which will allow me to travel.
10. I believe that Visions of Johanna by Bob Dylan is quite possibly the greatest song ever written.
11. I prefer a knowing smile to raucous laughter.
12. I am pro-choice.
13. I believe the meaning of life can be summed up in a simple statement : “Life is a Persian rug.” For the meaning behind this I encourage you to read Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham
14. I believe in the unqualified equality of the sexes.
15. I am much more shy than anyone ever realizes.
16. I believe that this brief description has taken on a life of its own, and as such has exceeded my initial intention.
My main passion in life is travel, with the study of languages being a close second. Thus far I have traveled to a great number of interesting places: England, France, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, China, Tibet, Nepal, Thailand, Morocco, and quite a few places in the United States. I intend to take one three or four week trip each year to a different country. While I do not believe that this is adequate time to immerse oneself in a culture (six months or more is optimal), it is what I have, so it is enough. I think either Tunisia or Egypt is on the list this year. Other future destinations include, in no particular order: Russia (and esp. St. Petersburg and Moscow), Prague, Lebanon, Jordan, Kenya, Brazil, Laos, Vietnam, and just about everywhere else.
To me, the great joy of travel lies in meeting new and interesting people, and in the sense of freedom it allows, as well as its propensity for broadening the mind and removing prejudices. Nothing can prepare you for that first thrill upon exiting the aircraft onto foreign soil. Usually it is the minutest aspects of any culture that I find interesting. For example, I am more interested in a countries eating habits and how its garbage is disposed of than I am in its museums and other historic sites. Not that I am averse to visiting such sites. On the contrary, I have seen some amazing monuments and incredible works of art in my travels. I find people watching particularly interesting, and I can sit for hours at a coffee shop or café doing just that.
As for my personal beliefs:
1. I do not, nor have I ever, believed in a higher being, though I will allow for the (slight) possibility. I tend to regard religious feelings as stemming from one of the following: 1. fear of death 2. a desire for conformity 3. a feeling of inadequacy and subsequent resentment of all things adequate 4. a desire for superiority over another segment(s) of society. 5. guilt (almost always unearned). That said, I am fascinated by the great variety of religions, and, as long as they refrain from promoting harmful messages, remain accepting of all, and preach equality and compassion, I find them tolerable, interesting, and maybe even (again, slight chance) beneficial.
2. Politeness, Compassion, and Magnanimity top the list on my hierarchy of values (and I strive to emulate these qualities, though I do not always succeed)).
3. I believe everyone is capable of reinventing himself or herself by merely cultivating a complete knowledge of self (know thy self), and simply discarding negative ideas and replacing them with positive ones.
4. I think too many people regard the world in terms of simplistic stereotypes, and that an even larger percentage allow themselves to be pigeonholed as such. True daring flies in the face of all convention, and rejects all attempts at conformity.
5. I believe that women are absolutely fantastic creatures.
6. I hate sports (unless they feature graceful women in skimpy outfits).
7. I cannot fathom how someone can judge another based on skin color, sexual preference, or religion (despite my previous statements regarding religion).
8. I do not think I have a competitive bone in my body, last time I checked we all tie in the end.
9. I have no love of material wealth (to include fancy cars and gaudy mansions) beyond that which will allow me to travel.
10. I believe that Visions of Johanna by Bob Dylan is quite possibly the greatest song ever written.
11. I prefer a knowing smile to raucous laughter.
12. I am pro-choice.
13. I believe the meaning of life can be summed up in a simple statement : “Life is a Persian rug.” For the meaning behind this I encourage you to read Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham
14. I believe in the unqualified equality of the sexes.
15. I am much more shy than anyone ever realizes.
16. I believe that this brief description has taken on a life of its own, and as such has exceeded my initial intention.
posted by Joel Hardin | 11:52 AM
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