Akira: Secret Knowledge

True class began today with a lesson in 1 Enoch and apocalyptic literature. Apocalyptic literature has two distinct characteristics: angelic mediation and individual resurrection. Apocalyptic literature does not solely focus on the total destruction of the world and annihilation of the human race as is commonly propagated, but on the divine intervention at which time the innocent sufferers be rewarded while the wicked are punished, ushering in a new world of balance and good. This genre of biblical literature attempts to reconcile the gap between life as we expect and life as we experience it. In reality, the innocent suffer. There is no reason behind their pain. Apocalyptic literature contends that suffering in the here and now will eventually be reconciled with divine intervention. It is a comforting notion and thus incredibly popular, both then and now: that heavenly beings will descend to craft a world where the wicked experience eternal death (speaking specifically to the content of 1 Enoch) while the good live in a balanced world of retributive justice.

Food today consisted of sesame bread with tomatoes and two slabs of fat feta. The bread was crusty and warm; tomatoes were sweet as candy with a sharp, roasted after-kick; and the feta was crumbly, rich as cream without the heft and milky. The juice was peach and tasted like the nectar you pay $6 for at some fancy organic food market.

We spent the remainder of the day wandering about Athens. I took over 3 GB of photos and video--It's simply too much to describe. There was a street full of fruit vendors and a winding tunnel-like building decorated with hanging meats; on every corner there were little kiosks with all sorts of grab-and-go tidbits (like mini croissants or chips or gum or porn magazines or newspapers). We saw some lovely buildings, some traditional guards in traditional garb doing traditional things in traditional shoes that made traditional clicking noises, in front what I assume were government buildings--complete with paparazzi. There were swanky shops with over-priced clothes and sweet little sales ladies who spoke broken English; and fuzzy hats and oranges; and chocolate shops and fancy cheesecake displays and an incomprehensible amount of fur clothes. We didn't get to browse any of the fabulous wares this time around--I think Finitsis just wanted to show us what was available so we can wander back on our own time. I have a short list of items I need to get for some very special ladies. Aubrey, Mom, Emily, Burrenbari, maybe a few things for Strife Club...

And here is Mittens. He followed us around Athens for over an hour. He was our little guard dog. He was very rambunctious and barked at fast cars and shady people in orange coats. We lost him after a while and was rejoined by a different black dog. He was less mouthy and followed us all the way back home. Interesting side note: in Athens, all the strays are tagged by the city so they may be properly cared for and fed. We saw more than our two companions and, although they looked lonely and desperate for attention, they were well-fed and didn't appear to have any health concerns. I wish America was more compassionate towards animals and treated them in such ways...

Our last stop was a cafe, where I enjoyed a luke-warm hot chocolate. It tasted nice, though.


This post is supposed to be about secret knowledge so maybe I'll make a list, just to meet requirements in case the above wasn't enough:

• According to 1 Enoch--which claims to be written by Enoch in a grab at credibility--the powerful knowledge of Alexander and his culture (i.e. philosophy, medicine, etc.) was the result of fallen angels mating with human women and teaching them heavenly secrets, which were not supposed to be known outside the divine. Sort of an interesting jab against intellectualism and inquisition.
• Hats are expensive but I want one anyway.
• In Athens, when you pay for coffee, you are also paying for your seat. You can sit there for the whole day if you want and no one will bother you because you paid.
• According to this nice administrative lady at our university, "kalimera" doesn't just mean a general "hello" - it is "good day" and can be spoken pretty much any time there is sunlight out.
• I have no idea how to wave at someone without flipping them off. The Grecian equivalent of the finger is a flat palm with outstretched fingers--it's a curse. And that's how I wave. I waved at an old lady and a police officer. I was trying to be nice. They probably are now seriously offended. (ﾟДﾟ)