So...For Now I'm Staying

I've been struggling with Identity Crisis and a desire to leave for awhile now. But...as such things go, one can only hem and haw for so long. One can only metaphorically be Notre Dame for so long. Life the cold heartless bitch that she is...eventually forces you to pick or create a new side and declare you Conference Affiliation if you will. If you don't know who your family is and don't declare or create your own, you're always going to be lost and confused.

Old Testament Joseph, Son of Jacob and Rachel (within the TNT Mini-Series his Mom interestingly is Star Trek's Borq Queen herself, Alice Krige.) has always been one of my biggest heroes. So I have been looking toward my faith for guidance on my issues. But don't fret, I don't here on Vocal we understandable don't get very religious here. This is not the place or forum for such discussion, so my writing in this manner is looking from the literary and moral perspectives for our purposes today.

I have always strongly related to Old Testament Joseph's Character, when reading Genesis I often read for quite some consecutive time just to get to and fully read my heroes' story. Then generally I read part of Exodus to finish the story-arc, then get bored. I've always been that way. But to be fair, Leviticus is very much a very difficult slog to read.

But to get back to topic, my biggest issues have always been the moderation sins of the seven deadly sins: Lust, Greed, Gluttony, Sloth. And as one of Defeating Lust's Greatest Heroes, Old Testament Joseph does deserve a bit of a reexamination by our culture and society as we ask what morals and codes of conduct we wish to conduct ourselves by in our lives and society as a whole.

For those of you who don't know the story, the Cliffnotes version is essentially:

Joseph has fantastic dreams of greatness that pisses off his many, many older brothers.

When his brothers attack him, they consider killing him; however, he's saved by the sympathetic voice of reason brother and they sell him to nearby passing slave traders who in turn take him to Egypt.

Joseph gets hit on by his master's wife. He refuses her (his most heroic deed!!) but still get punished for the crime anyways because it is she said, he said between a citizen and a slave.

He is imprisoned for many years, (all of this, along with Holes being my favorite all-time movie is all #VeryIronic, now that I'm stuck in Correctional Officer Life. Yet feel like the Imprisoned and Exiled myself.) But his hardwork and reputation get him another chance at life when his talent for dream interpretation is remembered by his former master.

I love the 1995 TNT Interpretation by the way, where Ben Kingsley knows what a thirsty lying cheating bitch his wife is and begs Joseph his prized employee essentially at that point if he has anything possible to say in his own defense. Whish is the Filmmaker's Brilliant Excuse to segway back to the story of the Israelite's Sister. Whereas the Dreamworks Kids Film, just has Potiphar outraged and believing his wife.

Joseph's talents for dream interpretation save all of Egypt and Humanity in the Surrounding Areas, including his Original Jewish Family. And Joseph is personally given the task by Pharaoh to oversee the agricultural project that does just that. His family in return lives in Egypt in Luxury for a few generations until a new Pharaoh and Administration Re-Enslave them, thus leading to the Moses and Exodus Stories.

Marriage is about picking your disaster partner and facing down everything together, and too many of our disasters are self-inflicted messes I've caused. It's time I rededicate myself to my hero, Joseph's Standards. I Love You, Baby!!