Chance Is the One Thing You Can Still Bet On

Should I have capitalized "On" in the title? I don't remember, since it has emphasis? Eh, well.

Random thoughts of the day that I will share before I forget them --

How crazy is it that, centuries after mankind first noticed randomness in the universe (or at least settled down to think about it), we're still debating over its implications (good versus evil, the "purpose" and occurence of suffering, the existence of God and the depth of his concern for humanity, evolution versus creation) and using it for our own entertainment (in other words, gambling)? (Whew! That was a long sentence. I apologize.) Sure, we've developed oodles of variations of poker and euchre and the like, but c'mon, we're still betting on dice or the randomness of cards. Ridiculous. And downright cool that something as simple and paradoxically huge as random chance (redundant) has so captivated us -- such a powerful law of nature. We don't even see God in that mix, but who the heck created all of this random chance? I think God did. Haha, so when we write gambling off as "of the devil," we don't even realize (heck, neither do the gamblers) that this fascination holds in its gaze something immense and God-created that we should all marvel at! Two bad approaches here -- gambling tries to control (or thinks it can control) chance, "lady luck," and denies its source and purposes, while parts of the Church historically (and still today) strive to deny that this chance even exists, covering up its beauty and simplicity with assumptions of God's intentionality toward all things. (Maybe God created chance intentionally? Just saying.)

Thought bubble number two:

Why is it that, upon telling some people that they have something, specifically some personal quality, that you wish to have, one can instead unintentionally inflate their egos? I mean, there is a compliment in there, but let's say that it's an affirmation. Anyway, the next time you try to impress them with your own demonstration of said ability/quality, they now condescend to mock or just plumb shut down your attempts now that they've been deemed an authority on the subject?

Here's the part where I spill the specifics. I wish I was as funny as my brother. I'd almost tell him that, but I think I know his personality well enough to know that, if I do give him that affirmation, he will (probably unconsciously, but to ensure his stature as said resident funnyman) most likely follow the above pattern.

I guess the real question is, why do I want to be as funny as he is? That's envy, folks, pure and simple. I envy the ability to make people laugh and the charisma that just draws people to him. Oh, well. I have my awkwardness and running into things. I guess I qualify as an unintentional slapstick comedienne. Seriously. I have the bruises on my shins and knees to prove it. :)

Today, Cody and I joked in the car about how funny it would have been if I would have shut my shoelace in the car door and discovered it as we were driving down the freeway. Just missed happening, actually. Just a closing story to make you smile. :)

("I can't move my stupid foot 'cause my shoelace is stuck in the door?"
"You shut your shoelace in the door? AHAHAHAHAHA"
"I know. Shut up." *beet red face*)

That's generally how it goes. ("You ran into your bed?" "Did you just run into the door frame/counter/door?" "I can't believe you almost ran into a tree!") My gift to the world is my lack of coordination. Or my lack of attention to details like where the doors, trees, beds, etc. are at. Small stuff like that. :D