In the spirit of ecumenicalism. Moment ago I tried to convert a Jewish friend. Here's what transpired between me and the member of that obstinate race.

b24arcode: Jesus Loves You.
a jew: thanks
a jew: how's the re-erection going for you
a jew: he died for your sins
b24arcode: It'd go a lot smoother if a certain Jew I know were a little more welcoming of the messiah.
a jew: hey, if it weren't for us jews, your messiah wouldn't have been crucified and given the opportunity to rise again
b24arcode: Jesus was no Jew. Jesus was God himself.
b24arcode: And he was a carpenter.
a jew: whatever, that's why he had him killed
b24arcode: i.e. he worked for a living.
a jew: well then clearly he wasn't a jewish man
b24arcode: unlike most jews.
a jew: jewish men are not handy
b24arcode: face it, on the whole salvation thing, you and your people got jewed.
a jew: god said he would never forsake the jews
a jew: we ARE the chosen people
a jew: you're just jealous
a jew: http://www.convert.org/
b24arcode: You should get a shirt that says "Jewcy" yeah, chosen for 2,000 years of penury and servitude. Chosen for the holocaust. Chosen to flock to a small strip of land on the mediterranean and fight over a worthless patch of desert.
a jew: you gentiles only wish you could suffer like us
a jew: http://www.convert.org/
a jew: convert before it's too late
b24arcode: Jesus would have me killed.
b24arcode: he's a jealous and angry god.
a jew: god is vengeful
a jew: your god is forgiving
a jew: fuck that shit
a jew: forgiveness gets you nowhere
b24arcode: My god walks on water. And drives pigs into the sea, because Jews are afraid of pigs and run at the sight of them.
a jew: well, can your god come over here and do my laundry? then , maybe i would consider him a savior
b24arcode: a labor-savior.

This past week was my spring break, and I decided to visit my grandparents in Florida. It seems like they're starting to get very old very fast, so I'm trying to see them as much as possible. My flight there was plagued by bizarre delays ("Crew is having trouble getting the cabin clean") and the drive from TPA to my grandparents house revealed to me that they shouldn't be allowed to drive at night.

The weather was apparently unseasonal (i.e. rainy and chilly) but I loved every minute I spent in the sun. Coming back here has sort of depressed me. Three days ago I was on a cruise ship gambling and getting drunk with complete strangers, watching pelicans dive haphazardly into the sea. Now I'm studying for a midterm and trying to keep my drafty apartment warm.

My grandparents had moved since I'd last been there. Their new condo could be referred to as "Shagadelic". Whoever they bought it from hadn't changed a damn thing since the 60s. It's really funny to me to see my near-Amish grandfather eating dinner in a room straight off of an Austin Powers set.

I spent most of my days out on their boat, looking at wildlife and writing my thoughts down on paper. It's been awhile since I had time to do that. Here are some pictures of birds that hang out in their backyard:

Gullinules

Another gullinule and a masked duck

It was an interesting week. It's odd that being around my grandparents makes me feel like I am 12 years old again (that's good and bad) but also makes me sad because I'm starting to notice that they are not invincible.

This is what we have been reduced to:



The scary thing is, when I turned around from putting up my clothes I saw Scott doing this:





Maybe it's a good thing he's leaving soon.