I choose you Communizar!

So I think that most of the Japanese fads that spread rapidly through the USofA are almost perfect. Each and everyone: Thunder Cats, Tamagotchi, Pokemon, all anime, I'm sure there are thousands more that I don't know of and don't know how to spell or pronounce.

their quickened pace, seizure inducing graphics, and all around incredible imaginative characterization of what modern or pre-modern or post-modern life might be like.

in junior high and the beginning of high school I rode the bus to school. This was no ordinary bus mind you. It was more of a glorified carpool, in which all ages were included. There was one kid, I truly can't recall his name, so I'll call him Bradley; though I'm pretty sure he was Jewish, so I'll call him Herschel. I really love traditional Jewish names.
so Herschel was 5. He couldn't read. Had an incredible speech impediment that you always want kids to have because it's cute, but hope that they grow out of it because it could be embarrassing. He would always get on the bus with his hair going everywhere cause he just woke up and would do one of two activities:::

sleep
or
act out pokemon and then tell you all the facts he could about each creature.

Herschel was a genius.

he knew that Bulbasaur evolved to Ivysaur at level 16, yet the boy could not tell time.

incredible that something from so far away made by people who speak at different language can have such an impact on Herschel and other kids who aren't even old enough to realize it.

I also enjoy the simplicity of the phrases and names. Syllables put together to make memorable names of characters.

pikachu. Perfect example. genius. If I could be Japanese, I would. Maybe.

I like community.

(terrible transition, I agree.)

at least I say I like community.

I've spent almost my entire life trying to be different and unique. Both things I still think are critical to learning and the growing up process.

when my brother played army, I played ninja.
when my school mates roller bladed, I began to skateboard.
when my brother and sister skied, I began snowboarding.
when my brother got a great scholarship to a notable university, I hated school.

mind you most of this is reactionary to my siblings, but still I was obviously separating myself in one way or another.

I think I am backlashing so hard against this now. I mean sure, I still think ninjas are great and I still have a dream of being a pro snowboarder. But, now I long for some sort of community where I can trust and rely that I might be understood. And that people may be like me. And that maybe I am not alone. Maybe I am not an island.( yeah, screw you simon & garfunkel...oh gosh. i'm kidding. i love your music. i have all your albums. even all the quasi-lame solo albums... oh gosh... i'm sorry. i love your music. i really like "graceland" and "rhythm of the saints" and it's cool that eno did the "soundscape" to your new record, mr. simon, even though the cover art is dumb...oh gosh... and mr. Garfunkel, well, your voice is an instrument and... nice hair?)

all those video games I grew up playing, I always put on the "invincibility" cheat codes. I thought it was great and you could do anything you want. But then it would get boring because there was no challenge.

I think some how in some way, this influenced me. I wish I were invincible still. I wish I didn't care about anything or anyone. And could run through life and nothing would cause an inconvenience and it would be easy.

well, I think that is boring. There is no vulnerability in that. There is no causal need for caring and kindness and generosity involved.

I want to live in a community where I am able to bleed. Where I can care for people because I know they are human and that they need other humans.

I hope I am going to be living in just such a community this next year in Camden, NJ.

I pray daily that my teammates and I will be this type of community with each other and with our neighbors.

I choose you Communizar!

( this sounds like a push for the Reds, but I assure you it's not.)