i got to attend a conference this weekend in bellevue, which involved lots of listening and worshiping and conversations and serious thinking, but not a whole lot of sleep. needless to say, i was pretty tired for the drive back up this afternoon. luckily i had an energy drink in the car for just such a time, which helped tremendously in the whole not falling asleep while driving objective. i really only needed like a third of it - those cans are enormous and i get pretty shaky after about half. one thing led to another and i found myself really curious about how the amount of caffeine in my energy drink compared to things like coke and tea that i drink more regularly to aid in awakeness.
my friends, the internet is a magical place. i thought i might have to work hard to find this out, you know like go to multiple websites? oh no. http://www.energyfiend.com/the-caffeine-database exists.
so, the numbers (in milligrams of caffeine per fluid ounce of liquid):
coke=2.9, tea=5.9, rockstar juiced=10, drip coffee=18.1
i was with my roommates at the time, so we were all marveling over the numbers. i had assumed that my energy drink would kick coffee's butt, boy was i wrong.
and then one of my roommates piped up, "no wonder i have a headache today! i haven't had any coffee!" whoa there. that's withdrawal. and you know what we get withdrawal from, right? addiction. and if it's physical withdrawal symptoms that means it's a drug addiction.
that's old news, so let's take this further. take a look at these coffee statistics with the drug addiction in mind.
54% of americans over the age of 18 drink coffee every day.
americans drink an average of 3.1 cups a day, and the average size of a cup is 9 ounces.
the U.S. spends $40 billion on coffee every year.
there are 1,640 coffee shops in seattle (as of july 2011)*
stretch this idea out with me:
54% of american adults are addicted to caffeine (and this number only accounts for coffee. it doesn't include any of the 5 hour energy/caffeine shot/energy drink daily users, who i'm sure exist.)
that means 54% of americans have a socially acceptable drug addiction.
in that perspective, we've got 1,640 official drug dealing establishments in seattle alone. your friendly neighborhood barista [i'm going to offend some people here] is a drug dealer.
i'm a follower of Jesus, so there's even more to consider along this train of thought:
many churches (including mine) give this stuff away. and when i say this stuff, i mean the substance that drives the addiction of more than half of the adults in the united states.
that means churches are actively enabling addicts, even going so far as to use their addiction to attract them to the church gathering in the first place.
i am not going to finish by claiming that everybody should give up coffee immediately and forever because it's right in there with heroin. it's not - i just took an interesting comparison to its extreme. i do have some questions that i'm pondering, which i'd love for you to consider with me.
holy cow, my brain is spinning right now. comment, please! let's talk about this. and if you're a person who spends time with me in real life, don't be surprised if i bring this up the next time we have a conversation. maybe even when we get together for coffee.
*the numbers came from http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/multimedia/flash/2010/coffee/facts.html and http://www.cnbc.com/id/43896943/America_s_Most_Caffeinated_Cities?slide=13. i sincerely tried to get to the original studies, but failed miserably. perhaps i should revise my assertion that the internet is a magical place.
stoney ridge farm sells these ridiculously delicious apple cider donuts every year that i get so so excited for. obviously it took me three years of waiting around for them to realize that i could probably make something similar in my own house. duh, tori.
the recipe i used claims that it makes 24 donut holes, but i swear i got twice that. luckily it's pretty easy to get rid of donuts in a college town, so i wasn't reduced to eating a trillion donuts by myself. phew. i think i would be in pain right now if that were the case.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/applesauce-doughnuts-2/detail.aspx
the batter turns out pretty runny, which makes the donut holes come out less than spherical. i ended up refrigerating the batter after i'd made a few and started in on my "holycowthere'sstillmorewhatamigoingtodowithitall?!" crisis.
thankfully it thickens up a bit in the fridge and ended up being the right consistency for scooping off the spoon similar to cookie dough.
make sure those puppies are a nice brownish color before you take them out.
if not, you'll end up with beautifully golden donuts with a hearty filling of raw dough. don't nobody want that.
this morning i did absolutely nothing, and by about 2pm that had lost its appeal.
luckily it was beautiful outside, so i grabbed my camera and headed up I5 (with adele blasting at an unhealthy volume) to hovander park in ferndale.
nothing breaks me out of a funk quite like an annoyed chicken. :)
phew. long title. i may not be quite as extreme as adam, but i fit nicely in all these descriptions. it's why i try to create one-on-one situations in the middle of large group things. anyway, here's the quote within a quote:
adam:
I recently stumbled across a blog written by Carl King about the phenomenon known as the introverted human being and it struck a major chord with me. After each bullet, I felt like standing up and shouting “YESSSSSSSSS!” at the top of my lungs because these points (made by author Marti Laney, Psy.D) are total home runs. As an extreme introvert, this is like sweet manna from heaven.
Blog:
I was lucky enough to discover a book called, The Introvert Advantage (How To Thrive in an Extrovert World), by Marti Laney, Psy.D. I feel like someone has written an encyclopedia entry on a rare race of people to which I belong. Not only has it explained many of my eccentricities, it helps me to redefine my entire life in a new and positive context.
Sure, anyone who knows me would say, “Duh! Why did it take you so long to realize you’re an Introvert?” It’s not that simple. The problem is that labeling someone as an Introvert is a very shallow assessment, full of common misconceptions. It’s more complex than that. (Since Carl King is talking about it, it has to be.)
A section of Laney’s book maps out the human brain and explains how neuro-transmitters follow different dominant paths in the nervous systems of Introverts and Extroverts. If the science behind the book is correct, it turns out that Introverts are people who are over-sensitive to Dopamine, so too much external stimulation overdoses and exhausts them. Conversely, Extroverts can’t get enough Dopamine, and they require Adrenaline for their brains to create it. Extroverts also have a shorter pathway and less blood-flow to the brain. The messages of an Extrovert’s nervous system mostly bypass the Broca’s area in the frontal lobe, which is where a large portion of contemplation takes place.
Unfortunately, according to the book, only about 25% of people are Introverts. There are even fewer that are as extreme as I am. This leads to a lot of misunderstandings, since society doesn’t have very much experience with my people. (I love being able to say that.)
So here are a few common misconceptions about Introverts (I put this list together myself, some of them are things I actually believed):
Myth #1 – Introverts don’t like to talk.
This is not true. Introverts just don’t talk unless they have something to say. They hate small talk. Get an introvert talking about something they are interested in, and they won’t shut up for days.
Myth #2 – Introverts are shy.
Shyness has nothing to do with being an Introvert. Introverts are not necessarily afraid of people. What they need is a reason to interact. They don’t interact for the sake of interacting. If you want to talk to an Introvert, just start talking. Don’t worry about being polite.
Myth #3 – Introverts are rude.
Introverts often don’t see a reason for beating around the bush with social pleasantries. They want everyone to just be real and honest. Unfortunately, this is not acceptable in most settings, so Introverts can feel a lot of pressure to fit in, which they find exhausting.
Myth #4 – Introverts don’t like people.
On the contrary, Introverts intensely value the few friends they have. They can count their close friends on one hand. If you are lucky enough for an introvert to consider you a friend, you probably have a loyal ally for life. Once you have earned their respect as being a person of substance, you’re in.
Myth #5 – Introverts don’t like to go out in public.
Nonsense. Introverts just don’t like to go out in public FOR AS LONG. They also like to avoid the complications that are involved in public activities. They take in data and experiences very quickly, and as a result, don’t need to be there for long to “get it.” They’re ready to go home, recharge, and process it all. In fact, recharging is absolutely crucial for Introverts.
Myth #6 – Introverts always want to be alone.
Introverts are perfectly comfortable with their own thoughts. They think a lot. They daydream. They like to have problems to work on, puzzles to solve. But they can also get incredibly lonely if they don’t have anyone to share their discoveries with. They crave an authentic and sincere connection with ONE PERSON at a time.
Myth #7 – Introverts are weird.
Introverts are often individualists. They don’t follow the crowd. They’d prefer to be valued for their novel ways of living. They think for themselves and because of that, they often challenge the norm. They don’t make most decisions based on what is popular or trendy.
Myth #8 – Introverts are aloof nerds.
Introverts are people who primarily look inward, paying close attention to their thoughts and emotions. It’s not that they are incapable of paying attention to what is going on around them, it’s just that their inner world is much more stimulating and rewarding to them.
Myth #9 – Introverts don’t know how to relax and have fun.
Introverts typically relax at home or in nature, not in busy public places. Introverts are not thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. If there is too much talking and noise going on, they shut down. Their brains are too sensitive to the neurotransmitter called Dopamine. Introverts and Extroverts have different dominant neuro-pathways. Just look it up.
Myth #10 – Introverts can fix themselves and become Extroverts.
A world without Introverts would be a world with few scientists, musicians, artists, poets, filmmakers, doctors, mathematicians, writers, and philosophers. That being said, there are still plenty of techniques an Extrovert can learn in order to interact with Introverts. (Yes, I reversed these two terms on purpose to show you how biased our society is.) Introverts cannot “fix themselves” and deserve respect for their natural temperament and contributions to the human race. In fact, one study (Silverman, 1986) showed that the percentage of Introverts increases with IQ.
It can be terribly destructive for an Introvert to deny themselves in order to get along in an Extrovert-Dominant World. Like other minorities, Introverts can end up hating themselves and others because of the differences. If you think you are an Introvert, I recommend you research the topic and seek out other Introverts to compare notes. The burden is not entirely on Introverts to try and become “normal.” Extroverts need to recognize and respect us, and we also need to respect ourselves.
-Carl
[some swearing, fyi]
i am all kinds of excited for this video. did you see that gorgeous slow motion shot at the end? shivers.
a friend of mine went to see macklemore a little while ago, and informed me that he was going to a rap concert. then he clarified: good rap. so true. someday i will include this song in a poetry unit in my classroom.
if you want to know about the project itself you could look here or download the song here.
i used to think that was entirely false. that i had never experienced true happiness or bliss or whatever because i had never been in a serious relationship.
i also used to think that being in my twenties and never having been in a serious relationship meant that i was somehow allergic to commitment. like the second a relationship crossed over a week i would do my best 100 yard dash outta there.
and at one point i was convinced something was wrong with me.
all of these may have occurred last week, not gonna lie.
however, i'm utterly and totally amazed to find that tori as a single creature (aka, the only person i've ever been) is actually alright. my emotional needs are well met by an assortment of people - all of whom i love and value enormously. i am extremely committed to loving and participating in my family (and faith for that matter) for the rest of my life. i have both insta-friends, and friendships which have developed over three-quarters of my life. some live far away and don't necessarily see the random grit and grime of my daily life, and some see far too much of it. some know my deepest darkest secrets, some barely know my name, and some fit in the middle. there are people who pursue me, people who i pursue, and an extremely small few that somehow work out to equal pursuit on both parts. sometimes, i even have time to myself.
this self-knowledge should lead to change, and i plan to do that in two ways:
one. i will be present in the present. that includes my present state of being, which happens to be single. i refuse to let society, pop culture, or well-meaning people tell me that i'm not allowed to be content. heck, i refuse to let my own feelings tell me that!
two. i will put every ounce of energy that used to be spent day-dreaming, planning, scheming, etc (about potential - you know what i mean) into becoming a better friend. i will do my very best to love people in a Christlike way: self-sacrificially, extravagantly, and with no strings attached. Lord knows i will need prayer and accountability in this, so help me out please.
let me be clear: this is not me claiming that i will be single forever, so don't get any "i told you so" speeches ready for my future wedding. the only reason this is getting posted is to offer a small voice among a sea of single=sad ladies. i know, i was one of you just last week! my best advice for those of you feeling that way is to take a closer look at your life. what about it is so sad exactly? do you really need to be in a relationship to change that? pursue living a better story now, and perhaps your story will intersect with somebody elses at some point. maybe not. either way, you'll be living a great story, and that's worth the effort.
we didn't have any birthday candles, so we decided to light 30 matches instead. all at the same time.
