1)[apologies to those personally mentioned in this section, but I'm just going to be blunt] I'm bad with dealing with socio-econonomic differences. I mean I'm fine with it most of the time. I'm fine with dealing with it when it's theory or talking. I have friends that grew up with a lot less than I did (and friends that grew up with a lot more). I've seen some of the nicest houses in the world and I've seen shanty towns ("informal settlements") in South Africa. I'm fine with that. I can handle that. However, when I go to Bork's house or bring Jon to my house, it's different. It's personal. This is what I have, this is what he has, with no curtains, with no masks, no pretending otherwise and no talking around it. I grew up with plenty and even though my parents were stingy, I have no idea what it means to be poor. Maybe it's my American ideas, my thoughts on things, but I have this idea that what I have I should earn. But when it comes down to it, there's nothing I did to grow up in comfort and there's nothing Bork or Jon didn't do. It feels almost like there's something wrong with the system.
Bork and his mom took us out to dinner. Two people who are about to start well-paying silicon valley jobs being taken to dinner by people who probably have a much better use for that money than us. the McCoys (the people who run the Bischoff farm in Ohio and live in a state that borders austerity) gave me $100 for graduation. What'd I do with it? I think I bought a bike. A good thing to have, no doubt, but if they hadn't given me the money, I probably would have gotten a bike anyway. Generosity of this magnitude makes me both happy and sad--this is what I can aspire to, yet it also seems like it indicates something wrong with things, that an ungrateful bastard as myself should be given something that great.

2) The movie Saved!: [which, I would like to note was $5.50 with student ID. what a deal!] Quick plot synopsis for those who haven't seen it: Christian high school. One of the good girls has a boyfriend that turns out to be gay. She has sex with him to "save" him. She gets pregnant and has a falling out with the popular girl (who doesn't know yet). funny movie. I enjoyed it. the problem, though, was, like the hilarious Napoleon Dynamite, it hit a little close to home. There was a scene in the beginning of this high school having their first meeting of the year: Christian songs, hands in the air, cheering for God and so on. All things that I remember from my high school youth group years. (I would like to note that if the same thing was in the movie but it was set in a black Methodist church, it wouldn't be so easy to make fun of it.) In the end I related more to the pregnant girl than the popular but superficial Christian girl (and I know a few Hilary Faye's myself), but I guess it gets me that this girl, who is obviously the one in the wrong, truly believes that she's doing everything right by God. It's obvious to the outside observer that she's decieving herself but not to her. It also struck me that I think that faith that hasn't been truly tested is worthless and the movie's events reflect this idea. I don't know what else I wanted to say on this topic.