Hello, I'm the Doctor

"Who's she?"

"Nobody important."

"'Nobody important.' Blimey, that's amazing. D'ya know, in 900 years of time and space I've never met anyone who wasn't important before?"

Today is November 23rd, 2013.

50 years ago, a little science fiction show about a mad humanoid alien in a blue time-travelling spaceship premiered on the BBC.

"He's C.S. Lewis meets H.G. Wells meets Father Christmas; that's the Doctor" stated Verity Lambert, Doctor Who's producer, and the first woman producer ever employed by the BBC.

50 years. 1963 through 1989, a TV movie in 1996, then the new series in 2005 running through the present.

Here's a few basics for non-Whovians:

• The Doctor is a 900+ year old Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey. Time Lords "regenerate" and get a new body when they are about to die; the Doctor has regenerated 11 times thus far. He's the same person, he just looks different and displays different aspects of his personality with each version.
• He lives and travels in his stolen TARDIS (time and relative dimension in space), a time machine spaceship that's more or less alive. She's disguised as a 1950's police box, she's "bigger on the inside" and she won't always take you where you want to go, but she will take you where you need to go.
• He travels with one or two companions, usually a human and usually a woman, who get caught up in his latest adventure and join him in the TARDIS at his invitation. We won't get into how he loses companions or why they leave. It's too painful.
• His adventures happen in the past, in the present day, and in the future. He's visited Shakespeare, Vincent Van Gogh, and the like. He was there for the 2012 London Olympics (the episode aired in 2006), he's rescued human colonies on alien planets, and he's rescued aliens from Earth. Let's just say he gets around.

Doctors 1 - 11

Why do we Whovians love Doctor Who so much? I can't speak for everyone, but here's why the story of the Doctor and his companions mean so very, very much to me.

1. The Doctor, despite all he goes through, is still a cheerful, curious, mad professor sort of a fellow. I started watching Doctor Who in a not-so-awesome season of life and I wanted to be like him. I wanted to live fully and pull myself up and care because that's what he does, he cares. He asks questions, gets into trouble, and discovers amazing things. The show is a mass of creativity and impossible things and it opens your mind up to just about anything. Ask why and how, the answers can lead you anywhere. And in the case of Doctor Who, the answer is quasi-scientific. Being the gigantic nerd that I am, I get quite a thrill listening to the Doctor ramble off the timey-wimey, spacey-wacey science behind the phenomenons he and his companions get into.
   
2. Nowadays media is riddled with violence and promiscuity. Doctor Who? Not so much.
   The Doctor is known for is resistance to violence. He doesn't shoot first. When faced with danger, he runs away and thinks of a brilliant plan. He gives his enemies a second chance, and they know him for his mercy. Furthermore, because Doctor Who was originally a children's show (and it still is, just a little creepier sometimes) it is squeaky clean. There are references and flirty bits sometimes, but it would fly over kid's heads.
3. He is a friend. The Doctor's relationships with other people mean the world to him, and he feels a sort of sacredness towards other people because (being a time traveler and all) he knows the fragility of life. When he takes on a companion, they are under his protection and he follows that to the letter. He shows them the wonders of the universe throughout the whole of time. If they land in trouble, he does what he can to protect everyone involved.
4. During my years as a homeschooled kid, my mom used a curriculum that brought fiction alongside our textbooks (i.e. historical fiction novels alongside our history textbooks). My brain learns by lining up fiction with the facts and using the former to understand the latter. Therefore, fiction stories and characters via metaphor or simple similarity make me connect the dots and come to a realization or better understanding about reality, especially about my faith. God reveals Himself to His children in many different ways, and to me it is through fiction. And in Doctor Who, there are overarching themes and small, little bits in almost every episode that make me go, "ah-ha!"
   Example A, the first quote and video of this post. When I heard the 11th Doctor say that he's "never met anyone who wasn't important before," I suddenly understood how God has, does, and will love everyone since the beginning of time. I can't fully explain it, but I get it know. I make connections and things just make sense.
5. Finally, this: The Lessons Doctor Who is Teaching my ASD Kid.

You may think I'm crazy for loving a simple British television show as much as I do. And that's okay. We have a support group.

If you are now intrigued and want to go watch an episode of Doctor Who I highly recommend "Vincent and the Doctor" in Season 5 of the latest series. If you want to take a further look without jumping over the edge and starting at Season 1, let me know and I'll give you a list.

So here's to 50 years. Here's to 11 Doctors, his TARDIS, his companions, the monsters, and the adventures through the whole of time and space.

 

Happy Birthday, Doctor Who.

In which The Friendliest Man In The World asks me The Best Question In The World

(*Disclaimer* The following topic is a vast, vast topic that I will certainly not be able to exhaust in one post. I left things out, and there are things I'm still mulling over. So expect future conversations on this beautiful matter.)

Via tumblr

On Monday I had the pleasure of meeting The Friendliest Man In The World.

He may just be The Friendliest Man In Kentucky, but we'll call him The Friendliest Man In The World.

When I say The Friendliest Man In The World, I should probably say The Most Intentionally Friendly Man In The World, but that's just too much for me to write.

Actually, I'm just going to call him Dr. Friendly.

So. Here's how it happened.

I was waiting on a order at a little café in the science building of my school (best food on campus). This gentleman had ordered his food before me--making the register lady laugh in the process, of course--and so he was waiting on his food as well. I was sitting on a bench facing the register, and he was sitting at a table in front of me to the left, my 10 o'clock position. I was checking my phone and avoiding eye contact with anyone like most stupid, media-addicted kids these days. He looked to be in his late 40s; he was a distinguished and tall African-American with a short afro that was greying at the temples. I didn't feel like making chitchat (mostly because I'm bad at it) and the situation didn't really require it. But he had other ideas.

Dr. Friendly: "What kind of shoes are those?"

Me: "Uh… Um… Brooks."

Dr.: "I mean are they for biking, hiking, sports…"

Me: "Oh! Running; they're lightweight."

Dr.: "Do they have the incline, or are they flat?"

Me: "Flat, it's kinda like barefoot running."

Dr.: "Yeah, yeah, I'm trying to switch over to that."

Me: "Yeah, it's pretty cool…"

Dr.: "So what's your story?"

Me: "My story?"
Dr.: "Yeah, what's your major, where're you from, you know."
Me: *explained where I'm from, my former major, and current major.* "What's your story?"

Dr.: *his food is ready so he gets that while explaining.* "My wife teaches occupational therapy and I'm here to guest lecture in her classes today, on ethics."

Me: "Oh, wow, that's really cool."

Dr.: Yeah, well, it was great talking with you. Say, what's your name?"

Me: "Rachel, and yours?"

Dr.: "(says his name, one I didn't quite catch and quickly forgot, unfortunately. He did say doctor, I’m pretty sure.) And by the way, I love your hair."

Me: (I have a pixie.) "Oh, thank you so much! Most men don't really like short hair."

Dr.: "Oh, I love it on you. And don't listen to them, it's some homophobic thing they've got going on."

Me: "Oh, really?! That's interesting."

Dr.: "Yeah, they think that short hair is too much like a guy's and that they shouldn't like it. But it's beautiful and you should keep it. I don't know what it looked like before---"

Me: "Oh, it was really long."

Dr.: "Yeah, and I don't know why you cut it, but it's you. It's totally you and you look great."

Me: *bubbling thanks* "Thank you!"

Dr.: Well, I gotta go, but it was great to meet you and when I see you on the street, I say hey 'Rachel from EKU' and we'll know each other."

Me: *laughing* "Sounds great, it was good to meet you to!"

(This wasn't quite a word-for-word, but you get the point.)

So, obviously I like the guy because he liked my hair and explained why men don't like short hair, a topic that has frustrated me previously. (The response was rather fascinating and makes a lot of sense, don't you think?)

But there was a lot more. He was deliberate in his conversation. Intentional. He may or may not have been all that interested in my shoes, because I felt like he asked that just to lead up to The Best Question In The World: What's your story?

The Friendliest Man In The World asked The Best Question In The World.

I'm all about stories. You will find that out. A lot of things in my life recently have revolved around that fact that we all have stories.

We are living stories who like to learn about other people's stories whether they are real or imaginary stories. Sometimes there are those of us who like read or watch fictional and fantastical stories that inspire our own. Sometimes we (sadly) don't like our own story so we do what we can to escape into other stories or end ours completely.

We all like to intertwine our stories with other peoples' stories. Sometimes our story could have been the same with or without another person's story. Sometimes our lives take a complete turn because of story interaction.

I don't know about you, but I like to people watch. A lot of the time I'll deduce and/or make up a portion of their story. (International airports like Atlanta are the best place to people watch, by the way.) Sometimes I'll be sitting somewhere like a coffee house or the library and really just want to ask the person sitting across the room 20 questions. What did they order or what are they reading? Why? Why did they choose that color shirt today? What's their favorite color and why? Who is the most important person in their life and why? Where are they from? What do they do for a living? Et cetera, et cetera.

In short: People and their stories are fascinating and so very, very important.

Googly images

In high school I took an elective course called Humanities from a Christian Perspective. One of the many things I took away from that class was the idea that each and every person was created in the image of God. There's an actual phrase for it, called imago dei. The definition of this Latin phrase "refers most fundamentally to two things: first, God's own self-actualization through humankind; and second, God's care for humankind." (Further explained here.) That changes the way you treat people. Until you forget, of course, or someone pisses you off. But in all seriousness, what would happen if we actually lived like everyone was created in the image of God, each living out their own story within His story? If we treated everyone, regardless of their life choices or circumstances, like they were created in the image of God living within His story, where would we be?

I suppose my point is this: take the time to learn other people's stories. One of the things I hate the most is when people think that me and my story are normal. I hate myself when I think that of others. When we take the time to share our stories with one another, we are showing that we care. When we are unable to share our story, the result is loneliness. I believe that we were designed to share our stories. Carl Jung (I don't care what you think about him) said this: "loneliness doesn't come from having no one around you, but from being unable to communicate the things that are important to you."

I'm generally hesitant to share my story or the current state of my story just because I am. But when someone gives me the chance, I feel so blessed. And when I say blessed, I mean fully alive, appreciated, and feeling like I can accomplish anything in the world.

That's how I felt after talking to Dr. Friendly. He took a brief amount of time to get to know the girl with the pixie waiting for her food, and changed everything about that Monday afternoon. He took a moment to really, actually care. I want to be able to do that for someone else at least once a week. Ask a question & learn their story.

What will happen when you ask The Best Question In The World?

 (Seriously. Ask it. I dare you to make something wonderful happen.)

"We're all stories in the end, just make it a good one, eh?"

P.S. I had the privilege of seeing these folks live. Watch The Autumn Film cover Coldplay.

New Beginnings & New Tea

I restarted this blog about two months ago. Maybe more than that. But like my persistent procrastination of homework and replying to friends' emails, I had yet to write my first entry. But at long last here it is.

I don't like to be overly personal, so I won't share much from my life on this blog. I usually prefer to share what others can take something from. 

Thus, on the inspiration taken from my friend's fantastic tumblr blog (here and here) and my own experience today, we will talk of tea.

Image Courtesy of Google Images

A little over a year ago, I would not have called myself a tea drinker. Nowadays, however, I usually have at least a cup a day. So far today I've consumed three (going on four).

  

I like lists, so let's make a list of why I now drink tea:

• I work at a health foods store and we have a wide assortment of tea that I see every day I work.
• My friends! My friend who wrote the tumblr post has an impressive collection, and my lovely coworkers drink quite a bit, too, so the habit has rubbed off on me.
• I am in love with almost all things British (& Irish, & Scottish, & Welsh…). A lot of my favorite television is BBC, and at least on TV Brits seem to drink a lot of tea. 
• My grandmother gave me her electronic tea kettle which allows for more water to be boiled at once than can be in a microwave. Which is handy. It is also much more fun to use than a microwave. 
• Brewing my own tea generally keeps me from buying a $5 espresso drink from somewhere on campus. 
• I believe certain teas are wonderful for basic ailments as well as disease prevention, so I drink those and keep quite a few on hand. The Creator God didn't give us herbs just to look pretty & cook with on occasion; those little beauties can kick some serious ass if need be.

Let's step back a moment and briefly summarize tea. First, there is White, Green, and Black tea. All of these come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, but are handled differently after being picked and thus there are three different kinds. White tea doesn't have as much caffeine as green. Green tea is known for it's antioxidant punch. Black tea is what we usually make iced tea from and what you'll get when you order tea at a restaurant. Note: If you're from the South like me, it'll be swimming in sugar unless you say something quick. Herbal teas come from, well, herbs (bet'cha didn't see that coming) and sometimes a few other things thrown in, too, like spices. There are many, many other kinds of tea, kinds that involve fermentation, etc. But let's KISS today, shall we? (Keep It Simple, Stupid. Get your mind out of the gutter.)

Yesterday I bought two new kinds of tea. I was checking out the little health foods store in my college town, and they had some kinds I hadn't seen before.

The first was NOW Foods' Kick Back:

Again, via Google Images

Containing: "Chamomile Flowers, Spearmint Leaves, Linden Leaves, Oat Straw, Natural Flavors, Lavender Flowers, L-Theanine, Cinnamon Bark (Cinnamomum burmannii), Eleuthero Root, BetterStevia™ organic stevia extract (leaf)"

I adore Chamomile, it's my favorite. I like Lavender. I like Cinnamon. (I also like presents, tea can be a present. Now you know.) Also, NOW Foods is probably my favorite health foods + supplement company on Earth. What's not to love here?! So I got the tea.

The other tea I purchased was Yogi brand's Green Tea Kombucha.

Good ol' Google Images

Containing: Organic Green Tea, Organic Spearmint, Organic Lemongrass, Organic Kombucha. 

Other ingredients: Natural Passion fruit flavor, Natural Plum flavor.

I'm always on the lookout for a new green tea, mostly because I need caffeine and plain green tea is nasty.  Kombucha is "a food supplement prepared from a symbiotic colony of yeast and bacteria that is added to tea for its alleged health benefits" (thank you, Google definitions). The "alleged health benefit" is immune support, and as a college student I need all the help I can get. I added a few drops of NOW brand liquid Stevia, and it got pretty dang tasty.

I had two cups of the Green Tea Kombucha this morning during a 3 hour class, then the Kick Back after lunch while watching an episode of Doctor Who (them Brits have it going on, I'm telling ya), and I'm working on my third cup of the green tea right now. All three servings of the green tea came from the same tea bag. Be thrifty & economical, people, it's not always hard.

All in all, I highly recommend both! 

And for goodness sakes, buy them at your local health foods store, not Kroger. Let's support our neighbors, yes?

So there you go. Tea is good stuff.

"Brew it natural. Sip it real."

Unrelated: I love music--watch Kye Kye.