Why I'm Not Posting Today

WSU-V Update

Every student on the WSU-V Campus will have developed this disorder in the next two weeks. For this purpose, I will not be posting next week. What, you may ask, has caused this sudden outbreak?

Finals.

Next week is dead week, which far from meaning everybody is dead because of lack of motion, it means everybody is dead because EVERY TERM PAPER/PROJECT OF THE SEMESTER IS DUE THAT WEEK. Not that we haven't known it was coming, but there are always a million things that go wrong last minute. And of course Finals Week is the week which, by definition, we are all finally finished - some "finished" as in terminated, and others "finished" as in passed the class. I hope to be in the latter category, personally.

However, some amazing things have been going on lately.

1) My research team and I got a Sigma Xi grant for $500 to continue research on our "frictionless" Leidenfrost surfaces. Hooray!

2) My research team and I achieved the "Top Three Category" in a research showcase! 28 undergraduate research projects were presented, and we made the top 3! Wahoo!

Anyway, now that you've heard my prophecy of doom for the next two weeks as well as a slight bit of cheeriness in my life, I shall leave you to debate next Friday as to whether or not the lack of Ben posting has made the week better, or worse.

Hmmm...

The Happening at Salem - Part II

It was the kickoff of the festival. I was feeling very holy and spiritual thinking all the right thoughts. That afternoon, large crowds were assembled in the streets, and I decided to go join in. I had never been in Salem, and I assumed that this was customary. Being a stronger fellow, I pushed my way to the front of the crowd to get a clear view of what appeared to be a procession.

My first thought was that I didn’t know the Tiberians took part in the festival. My second thought was that I didn’t remember any sort of flogging of people as part of the ritual. My third thought was “Rats, I’ve run into an execution ceremony, not a religious one.”

Immediately, I recoiled. I tried to back up into the crowd, but apparently, it was a one-way crowd. You only pushed your way forward, not backward. Simultaneously, there was confusion in the procession. Somebody had stumbled, and no wonder. His back was covered in blood, He was being flogged mercilessly whenever He slowed down, and was carrying an enormous wooden “thing”. He stumbled, and the Tiberians began looking around the crowd, which started mumbling about “somebody to carry His cross”. A big, nasty brute of a Tiberian scanned the crowd and his eyes rested on me.

Rats.

I was jerked out of the crowd into the open. They dragged me over to where the Man had fallen, and ordered me to pick up the “cross”. Having little other choice, I did so. The crowd jeered at me along with the fallen Man the whole way. I was exposed, in trouble, and hated for it. What I wanted more than ever was to go and hide, away from the public’s spiteful eye, which hated me for what I was doing. But for the sake of the Man with the crown of thorns, I knew I needed to do it.

I don’t like to be despised. I like to have a good reputation among my peers and friends, and while I’m ok standing out in the crowd with friends nearby, I like to be accepted, or at least low-profile if I’m alone. Unfortunately, we’re not guaranteed that comfort or acceptance, in fact, we’re told that “…you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures will be saved.” (Matt. 10:22) There are points where we’d like to compromise or back down, but for the sake of the Man with the crown, you need to do it.

The Happening at Salem - Part I

I generally tried to stay out of trouble.

I always had. My country laid waste by the Tiberians nearly 150 years ago, our economy destroyed, and our religion all but underground, I tended to keep a low profile. It wasn’t just for me though – I have a family, including my two little boys Alexander and Rufus that I need to take care of. If something were to happen to me, I don’t know how they would cope.

I don’t know what I was thinking when I decided to go to Salem for the religious festival. I mean, it was a long trip, and talk about walking right into the middle of a bee’s hive – Salem was the center of unrest. It had only just recently been conquered by the Tiberians, and the people that lived there were very antagonistic to their rule – religious radicals by all accounts. Even though I professed to the same religion, hence my attending the festival, I wasn’t as crazy as all that.

Anyway, I arrived in Salem, and the city was in uproar. Some preacher was coming in from the surrounding countryside, and the city was ecstatic. Apparently, he was going to lead a revolution against the Tiberians, and the city was ready to go up in arms to help him.

Not my cup of tea.

Instead, I checked into a nearly-full inn and went to prepare for the festival: a lot of rituals, but I like that – makes me feel like I’m a part of something bigger. I planned to attend to my rituals, be very spiritual the whole week, and go home a better person.

If only I were so lucky.