I am decidedly not a cheerleader. I hate those positive little sayings mostly because I want to smack the people who say them. Sometimes, randomly, I might be in a good mood and glean pearls of wisdom from the ongoings around me. I must stress though, I'm generally grumpy and the more excited you are, the less interested I am in hearing what you are spewing. Actually if you really want to send me into a frenzy, state the obvious. Try it. Interestingly, though, it pisses me off even more to be around negative people. A contradiction worth exploring, perhaps. Bah, consistency makes for a bore.
Anyway, this morning in my spinning class, something stuck with me. A wonder in itself.
'Give it a quarter turn. An eighth. One thirty-second. Doesn't matter, make a change.'
Go on then.
Monday, November 29
Saturday, November 27
Helping the Helpless
This is such a great story, and I'm a sucker. So, here goes.
Dolphins Prevent NZ Shark Attack
A group of swimmers has told how a pod of dolphins protected them from a great white shark off New Zealand's coast.
The lifeguards were training at a beach near Whangarei on the North Island when they were menaced by a 3-metre shark, before the dolphins raced in to help.
The swimmers were surrounded by the dolphins for 40 minutes before they were able to make it safely back to the beach.
Marine biologists say such altruistic behaviour is not uncommon in dolphins.
...
It was an uncomfortable experience, as they were circled by a great white shark, which came within a couple of metres.
He said around half a dozen dolphins suddenly appeared and herded the swimmers together. The mammals swam in tight circles to create a defensive barrier as the great white lurked under the surface.
The swimmers said the dolphins were extremely agitated and repeatedly slapped the water with their tails, presumably to try to deter the predator as it cruised nearby.
...
They have no doubt that the dolphins acted deliberately to protect them.
Researchers have said they are not surprised. A marine biologist insisted that dolphins, which are considered to be one of the most intelligent mammals, "like to help the helpless".
Dolphins Prevent NZ Shark Attack
A group of swimmers has told how a pod of dolphins protected them from a great white shark off New Zealand's coast.
The lifeguards were training at a beach near Whangarei on the North Island when they were menaced by a 3-metre shark, before the dolphins raced in to help.
The swimmers were surrounded by the dolphins for 40 minutes before they were able to make it safely back to the beach.
Marine biologists say such altruistic behaviour is not uncommon in dolphins.
...
It was an uncomfortable experience, as they were circled by a great white shark, which came within a couple of metres.
He said around half a dozen dolphins suddenly appeared and herded the swimmers together. The mammals swam in tight circles to create a defensive barrier as the great white lurked under the surface.
The swimmers said the dolphins were extremely agitated and repeatedly slapped the water with their tails, presumably to try to deter the predator as it cruised nearby.
...
They have no doubt that the dolphins acted deliberately to protect them.
Researchers have said they are not surprised. A marine biologist insisted that dolphins, which are considered to be one of the most intelligent mammals, "like to help the helpless".
Question
I wonder if having dreams about being active and awake actually take away from sleep. Why do I feel tired after waking from such dreams? Is there something to it or is it all in my oversized, apple-shaped head? Or maybe that's just it. Exhaustion and restedness are largely controlled by our minds or-- is it all physical? Am I just responding to the thought of activity by being tired without actually checking the symptoms or am I actually tired? This sort of questioning could suit a lot of problems I have. I mean, how many times have I gotten a headache after thinking 'I'm getting a headache' because I was thinking that or because I was actually due for one? I am in constant awe at how powerful our mind is and how much it controls, but really, it doesn't break arms. How much of life is a self-fulfilling prophecy and how many of our successes and failures are due to conscious responses to events and consequences that take place outside our fantastic brains? I wonder.
Such conundrums occupy my synapses (synapsi?) on test days, and so I thought I'd share this one with you. Maybe writing it here will help me purge the thought and enable me to commit my sparse brainpower to more pressing matters.
Note: I passed my exam, but just barely. I was absolutely convinced I was going to fail because, frankly, I was unprepared and was scoring below par on my practice exams. This doesn't help much in figuring out my question posed above. I guess it doesn't matter, for now anyway. I'm going to go putz around for the rest of the weekend. Later.
Such conundrums occupy my synapses (synapsi?) on test days, and so I thought I'd share this one with you. Maybe writing it here will help me purge the thought and enable me to commit my sparse brainpower to more pressing matters.
Note: I passed my exam, but just barely. I was absolutely convinced I was going to fail because, frankly, I was unprepared and was scoring below par on my practice exams. This doesn't help much in figuring out my question posed above. I guess it doesn't matter, for now anyway. I'm going to go putz around for the rest of the weekend. Later.
Wednesday, November 24
Congrats are in order
I just found out that one of my friends, Daniel from Oz is being flown in for the England-Aus match at Twickenham this Saturday. He's a young up and coming player, definitely worth watching.
I knew a fair amount of the guys who played for the Syd Uni Rugby Club as the ape played there before he was injured. Daniel played for a different club but had gone to school with one of our other friends. One of the most colorful characters was our friend Wayne. He is of Chinese descent but grew up in Trinidad Tobago and studied in Toronto. He is an incredibly nice person, but also a perplexing one to chat with without knowing his background. How many Chinese do you know can pull off a 'mon' ? Wayne was what you might call 'out of it' as he was in his early thirties, married with a kid and lived a life heavy on the ganja. This conversation, among many, does well to paint an accurate picture of the innocence of Wayne.
'Daniel, what do you really want to do? Where do you want to go?'
'I want to be a Wallaby'
'Son, if you really want it and work hard, with a bit of luck you'll get there, I've seen you play. Just keep working hard and don't lose hope.'
'Thanks'
Unbeknownst to Wayne, Daniel had been called up for a Tri-Nations match the coming weekend and everyone had been excitedly talking about it just 3 minutes before.
Good luck this weekend!
I knew a fair amount of the guys who played for the Syd Uni Rugby Club as the ape played there before he was injured. Daniel played for a different club but had gone to school with one of our other friends. One of the most colorful characters was our friend Wayne. He is of Chinese descent but grew up in Trinidad Tobago and studied in Toronto. He is an incredibly nice person, but also a perplexing one to chat with without knowing his background. How many Chinese do you know can pull off a 'mon' ? Wayne was what you might call 'out of it' as he was in his early thirties, married with a kid and lived a life heavy on the ganja. This conversation, among many, does well to paint an accurate picture of the innocence of Wayne.
'Daniel, what do you really want to do? Where do you want to go?'
'I want to be a Wallaby'
'Son, if you really want it and work hard, with a bit of luck you'll get there, I've seen you play. Just keep working hard and don't lose hope.'
'Thanks'
Unbeknownst to Wayne, Daniel had been called up for a Tri-Nations match the coming weekend and everyone had been excitedly talking about it just 3 minutes before.
Good luck this weekend!
Stuffing the Void
Last night, I watched Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights. It makes me laugh harder every time I watch it because I finally get things that flew past during earlier viewings. It is definitely a worthwhile investment. If you don't find it for the piece of genius it is, I'll buy it from you.
I want to have some thoughts to share, but I'm afraid I've pretty much switched off. I had a pretty big exam last Friday, which in retrospect wasn't that big after all. I wish I had gotten so worked up over exams and essays in college, I would have graduated with a 4.0. Instead, I didn't take anything seriously, as it never really mattered. At the very least, I would have come up with something more interesting to show for four years. After I passed my exam on Friday, I was on cloud nine. I had not only passed it, I killed it. I was on my way home, waiting for my train at the Hoboken station and in the bathroom I came across this little old lady washing her hair in the sink. Her back had hunched over so much that she could no longer lift her head up and was forced to keep her chin pressed to her chest. I felt horrible. There I was elated about a stupid, ultimately insignificant exam when people all around me are suffering. I am healthy, happy; I have a solid family, despite their insanity, and so much more. And I was worried about a stupid test. I know this sort of thinking doesn't really achieve much but I felt like a right ass for putting so much emphasis on something pretty stupid. What's more, I have another exam this Saturday and another in two weeks from then and I will only get through them if I stress about them.
My parents haven't told anyone about the ape because we're not officially engaged. It's not okay for their daughter to have a 'boyfriend' and so as far as anyone else is concerned, I'm single. As a result, I keep getting hints about men I should meet. Arranged marriage is very much a part of my culture and I have mixed feelings about it. If I was single, I'd probably be open to being introduced to someone because I can't be arsed to date. When I was younger, I had the fairly typical rejection of the prospect, but I've since realized that it has its merits. You enter an arranged marriage with less expectations than you would if you were in love, and thus are less likely to be disappointed, and more likely to be amenable. I'm the first one to say that no one should lower expectations, but I think this is different. In an arranged situation, you both have high expectations for happiness but less of a mold you expect the other to fill and thus are more willing to go further to build a stable family. That's what marriage is, to me anyway. It's not about pride and expectations of the other. My parents met in college and had what everyone calls a 'love marriage' and have had their share of hell when I was younger. They've since grown out of it and, despite the random arguments, they get along fairly well now. Many of my friends' parents have had arranged marriages and none of them can recall the tumult that I experienced while growing up.
Still, it's irritating that my parents don't properly acknowledge the ape. They ask about him all the time but when I mention he wants to come visit and meet them, they want the whole traditional package with his parents coming as well and 'asking' for me. Bah.
I didn't have anything interesting to write for this post, I wrote though. Sometimes that's all I can ask. Or maybe I should have just stayed quiet as I had nothing useful to say. Stay quiet. Right.
Enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday!
I want to have some thoughts to share, but I'm afraid I've pretty much switched off. I had a pretty big exam last Friday, which in retrospect wasn't that big after all. I wish I had gotten so worked up over exams and essays in college, I would have graduated with a 4.0. Instead, I didn't take anything seriously, as it never really mattered. At the very least, I would have come up with something more interesting to show for four years. After I passed my exam on Friday, I was on cloud nine. I had not only passed it, I killed it. I was on my way home, waiting for my train at the Hoboken station and in the bathroom I came across this little old lady washing her hair in the sink. Her back had hunched over so much that she could no longer lift her head up and was forced to keep her chin pressed to her chest. I felt horrible. There I was elated about a stupid, ultimately insignificant exam when people all around me are suffering. I am healthy, happy; I have a solid family, despite their insanity, and so much more. And I was worried about a stupid test. I know this sort of thinking doesn't really achieve much but I felt like a right ass for putting so much emphasis on something pretty stupid. What's more, I have another exam this Saturday and another in two weeks from then and I will only get through them if I stress about them.
My parents haven't told anyone about the ape because we're not officially engaged. It's not okay for their daughter to have a 'boyfriend' and so as far as anyone else is concerned, I'm single. As a result, I keep getting hints about men I should meet. Arranged marriage is very much a part of my culture and I have mixed feelings about it. If I was single, I'd probably be open to being introduced to someone because I can't be arsed to date. When I was younger, I had the fairly typical rejection of the prospect, but I've since realized that it has its merits. You enter an arranged marriage with less expectations than you would if you were in love, and thus are less likely to be disappointed, and more likely to be amenable. I'm the first one to say that no one should lower expectations, but I think this is different. In an arranged situation, you both have high expectations for happiness but less of a mold you expect the other to fill and thus are more willing to go further to build a stable family. That's what marriage is, to me anyway. It's not about pride and expectations of the other. My parents met in college and had what everyone calls a 'love marriage' and have had their share of hell when I was younger. They've since grown out of it and, despite the random arguments, they get along fairly well now. Many of my friends' parents have had arranged marriages and none of them can recall the tumult that I experienced while growing up.
Still, it's irritating that my parents don't properly acknowledge the ape. They ask about him all the time but when I mention he wants to come visit and meet them, they want the whole traditional package with his parents coming as well and 'asking' for me. Bah.
I didn't have anything interesting to write for this post, I wrote though. Sometimes that's all I can ask. Or maybe I should have just stayed quiet as I had nothing useful to say. Stay quiet. Right.
Enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday!
Sunday, November 21
Rambles
I know I've bitched and moaned about SUVs before, but that tirade was directed towards the operator rather than the vehicle itself. I think they're wasteful, but I'm a hypocrite in my condemnation as my father drives one (not a Hummer). That said, I think that the FUH2 website is pretty funny, and Mira took this picture in its honor. The driver found it as amusing as we did and was laughing as he posed for his 75mph picture.
I had a great weekend. My old college roommate, Mira, and I went to Washington DC, which is about 200 miles from my house. Despite this reasonable distance, the total mileage of our trip was 596.6 miles. What, you might ask, could two reasonably respectable young ladies possibly be doing to rack up such great distances? I can't answer that question in its entirety because I don't really know. We got lost. Very very lost in and around that freaking city. I made more U-turns this weekend than John Kerry during his tenure as Senator (according to Karl Rove, anyway). We didn't get lost on a leg trying to, say, find some obscure place in Virginia. In fact, between our arrival and departure, we didn't travel much past the Arlington National Cemetary in Virginia and Silver Spring, Maryland in the other direction. I'd say the majority of our miles were spent within Washington DC's city limits. It takes a special genius to get hopelessly lost in a city that is largely organized according to a basic grid with lettered and numbered streets. I volunteer that both Mira are I are kin to this special breed, evidenced by the fact that between the two of us, we took nine pairs of shoes for just one night and an afternoon. Two of these nine pairs are actually suitable for walking. In our collective wisdom, we decided to travel to an unfamiliar city without a road map, and thought we'd be able to figure out an address with our astute powers of deduction. We were right idiots trying to find our way around what felt like Escher's Relativity.
On many occasions, while I would heartily be thinking to myself that we're definitely going in the right direction, that it feels right, Mira would pipe up with: 'Uh, Apple, I think we're going in the totally opposite direction from where we want to be.' Needless to say, it was a very long night.
I'm going to go nurse my stomach, which is sore from laughing. I'm absolutely knackered as I haven't slept more than a total 5 hours since Thursday. Peace out.
Thursday, November 18
the Ape
Okay MP, you want to hear about the ape. I don't know what to write, but I'll just ramble on here for a bit. The Ape is a 25 year old specimen representing qualities of intelligence, humour, adolescence, athleticism, love, innocence and kindness. This is by no means an extensive list because he is a creature of great mental and emotional depth. Nor is it in order of importance, basically I listed these qualities just as they came to my mind. He continues to develop and adapt so the possibilities are endless, really.
I met him in London in January 2002 while visiting my cousin who was living there at the time. I didn't warm to him at first as he seemed pretty arrogant but then I remembered that I'm arrogant as well. It quickly became obvious that we were unusually well suited to each other, both in our interests and aspirations, and we just got along well. That in itself is a great feat for me because, this may come as a surprise, but I'm not an especially friendly person. Mostly I just get annoyed and nod and smile until I reach the exit. Endearing, I know. The 'connection' as it is cliche-ed was definitely there and served as a wake up call because I had been fairly pessimistic about people like him. I just didn't think they existed. I'm not really one to put people on pedestals, but it was a surprise and a comfort to meet him. This isn't to say I haven't had my doubts and frustrations, but I guess I managed to keep the big picture in mind. Our relationship has been a bit distorted due to distance as we were both still in undergrad then. When we were in Sydney together, it was a bit of a shock to both of us as we are both fairly independent people. I am not at all bothered to do things on my own, and neither is he. The first few months were extremely difficult for me especially: coping with having a 'boyfriend' took a lot of adjusting. I am no longer afraid to say I was relieved to come back home for a month and spend time away from him. When I went back, things were a lot different for both of us, we had spent time on our own regrouping and the rest of our time in Aus (about six months) went by in bliss, with the resident bumps of course. Being apart has definitely taken its toll, but we've reaped a lot as well, I think.
He's now doing an mPhil with full intention to study for another few years to complete a PhD. I'm working now, mostly because the thought of writing another essay triggers massive migraines for me despite the fact that I have a lot of questions I wouldn't mind exploring academically. We'll probably end up in England or South Africa, but the near-term depends on where he wants to do his PhD. He's considering American schools but it's up in the air for now, he may stay where he is. I started this specific job because of its mobility: I don't want to stay here long-term and definitely don't want to raise my kids here and I have an option to go virtually anywhere and be gainfully employed.
I guess it would suffice it to say that I've never really been one for dating. When I was in high school and college, the whole production seemed incredibly futile. Also, I never came across anyone I could stand to kiss. Ape and I will be married fairly soon and are and will continue to be very happy (God willing), but I don't have a dream that I'm counting on. We have some really difficult times and conversations as well as periods of absolute bliss. Nothing substantial has ever really threatened our future, but that's more a reflection of our attitude than circumstance, I think. I guess this writing doesn't really reveal it, but we are very much in love and excited about each other, but don't take 'us' for granted. I am often reluctant to share my thoughts about him because I never feel like I've done them or him justice. I guess part of me also doesn't want to tempt fate. But then, if it isn't one illusion, it's another isn't it?
I don't know where I'm going with this post, but it is mostly written per a request. Not sure what you're going to glean about me or ape or our relationship, what I've left unsaid and such. I'm sure there's plenty. I'm certain I'll revisit this but that will be after I pass my exam tomorrow. Send your good thoughts my way, people, I definitely need them.
Tuesday, November 16
the words and pictures that define time
Ten by Ten is a unique and provoking way of looking at developments throughout the world.
Every hour, 10x10 scans the RSS feeds of several leading international news sources, and performs an elaborate process of weighted linguistic analysis on the text contained in their top news stories. After this process, conclusions are automatically drawn about the hour's most important words. The top 100 words are chosen, along with 100 corresponding images, culled from the source news stories. At the end of each day, month, and year, 10x10 looks back through its archives to conclude the top 100 words for the given time period. In this way, a constantly evolving record of our world is formed, based on prominent world events, without any human input. Brilliant.
Found this gem on IGM's site.
Every hour, 10x10 scans the RSS feeds of several leading international news sources, and performs an elaborate process of weighted linguistic analysis on the text contained in their top news stories. After this process, conclusions are automatically drawn about the hour's most important words. The top 100 words are chosen, along with 100 corresponding images, culled from the source news stories. At the end of each day, month, and year, 10x10 looks back through its archives to conclude the top 100 words for the given time period. In this way, a constantly evolving record of our world is formed, based on prominent world events, without any human input. Brilliant.
Found this gem on IGM's site.
Monday, November 15
Not all Fascism looks like Adolf Hitler
This introduction to The Project for the New American Century is worth a gander. It's short and very cleverly done. It is a video - you don't have to read. Go on. Though, I'm beginning to believe that if you don't already get it, you never will.
All said and done, walking by the WTC site still leaves me with a heavy heart. I take the Path to NJ from there occasionally. The rebuilt station is nothing less than downright depressing. I guess I'm still trying to get my head around what happened and the fact that the implications of the attacks are still unfolding, and will continue to develop for years to come.
I was thinking of sharing this before I saw the aforementioned video.
All said and done, walking by the WTC site still leaves me with a heavy heart. I take the Path to NJ from there occasionally. The rebuilt station is nothing less than downright depressing. I guess I'm still trying to get my head around what happened and the fact that the implications of the attacks are still unfolding, and will continue to develop for years to come.
I was thinking of sharing this before I saw the aforementioned video.
Baldrick
This is the little Staffie who made me laugh while I was in Sydney. He is sitting on our lovely little terrace, basking in the sun as the cooler weather was setting in while shamelessly brandishing his willy.
I have been pretty frustrated lately, not quite sure why. I don't know if I'm more irritated at the fact I don't know why I'm miffed or the miffage itself. Everything seems so mundane lately, including myself. I've decided to ignore it by working on my two paintings. Simultaneously.
So you can stop waiting with baited breath, I'm proud to announce that I've finally updated my iPod. Now I can listen to great music on these fantastic new headphones that this fetching fellow recommended. I suppose I should include a link to the heaphones, but who can be arsed?
In other news, my Magritte seems to have vanished. I wonder if it has joined ranks with Munch's Scream.
Friday, November 12
Greed
I have read that Suha Arafat is going to receive a $22m yearly stipend from the PA for the rest of her life. What was Arafat thinking giving her this kind of money? This may be an unjustified generalization (when are they ever justfieid?), but my experience in Islamic cultures had revealed that women of the family are generally spoiled if it can be afforded. Men are religiously discouraged, or even prohibited from wearing silk and gold, while women are not. That is pretty much the only reason I can come up with to explain why Arafat gave her $1.8m per month. I may be totally off, I don't know.
More importantly, however, what kind of woman accepts that kind of money, knowing the desparate poverty of the Palestinians?
More importantly, however, what kind of woman accepts that kind of money, knowing the desparate poverty of the Palestinians?
Question
What is the difference between the implications of prohibiting abortion and requiring women to wear burqas?
My primary argument against a law requiring that women wear hijaab and burqa is that this is a personal decision for a woman. If it is mandated by law, women are responding to the laws of man rather than the laws of God and thus the point of personal interpretation and responsibility is lost. I won't win any points because I covered my hair to avoid getting arrested. In effect, such a law undermines the very nature of the faith as a personal relationship. No one else would lose or benefit regardless of my choice, so I don't know why there is interference in the first place.
So, if a girl wants an abortion but doesn't get one because it is illegal, does this bode any better for her or society? Does her decision indicate successful moral indoctrination? Or is she forced upon this decision because of laws that are based upon a narrowly derived vision of how people should live?
If I wanted these types of decisions made for me, I'd live in Saudi.
My primary argument against a law requiring that women wear hijaab and burqa is that this is a personal decision for a woman. If it is mandated by law, women are responding to the laws of man rather than the laws of God and thus the point of personal interpretation and responsibility is lost. I won't win any points because I covered my hair to avoid getting arrested. In effect, such a law undermines the very nature of the faith as a personal relationship. No one else would lose or benefit regardless of my choice, so I don't know why there is interference in the first place.
So, if a girl wants an abortion but doesn't get one because it is illegal, does this bode any better for her or society? Does her decision indicate successful moral indoctrination? Or is she forced upon this decision because of laws that are based upon a narrowly derived vision of how people should live?
If I wanted these types of decisions made for me, I'd live in Saudi.
Thursday, November 11
Arafat
I've been wanting to flesh out my thoughts on Arafat. First, I want to say he's an old man, and in the last days of his life and in the hours after his death, the vultures that constitute our media revealed themselves for the animals they are. I thought about this for awhile - why am I so offended by the way they spoke of his impending death; and after his death, of his life? Is it because of my personal bias? Maybe. But then, I never really supported Arafat as an asset to the Palestinian cause. I asked myself, 'What if it was Sharon?' - would I be so offended at the crass handling of his life and death then? I'd be pissed if I had to listen to an editorialization of his legacy, but my personal view of him doesn't change the fact that many would be mourning his death. This may seem incredibly provincial, but Arafat was a sick old man. Let him die in peace. I don't know what it is, but I've been raised to believe that an old man on his death bed deserves some reverence, if not for respect of life, then for his family's sake. Even though Suha Arafat is less than graceful. But especially if it is someone who has spent his life fighting for something he believes in. At least respect that whether you agree with the cause or not, if you hate everything about him. I guess you wouldn't respect that if you hate him. But does my sentiment reflect my support of what he has done? Not necessarily, he has cost the Palestinians a great deal.
I also think his passing is the end of an era of leaders. Now, we have politicians. For better or worse, he was a leader. The kind of support he has after the his amassing of millions speaks volumes about him. Or perhaps, of his supporters. He walked away from a compromise that would have cemented his place in history as a prolific leader and the father of a Palestinian State because it would have undermined the (his?) struggle. That may be read as he benefitted from the plight of Palestinians, something I'm not prepared to argue is untrue. Or, maybe he wasn't prepared to stop short of what he felt he, and they deserved.
I really don't know what to think. People die everyday, people who have led lives that are much more remarkable than Arafat's. But today, Arafat's life and death is being used as a commodity by the media, and for political mileage by politicians who, despite all Arafat's shortcomings, will never live to even realize what it means to fight for something you believe in. In a few days, I'll probably go back to thinking of him as an obstacle to peace, but for now, the end of an era deserves a moment of reflection.
I also think his passing is the end of an era of leaders. Now, we have politicians. For better or worse, he was a leader. The kind of support he has after the his amassing of millions speaks volumes about him. Or perhaps, of his supporters. He walked away from a compromise that would have cemented his place in history as a prolific leader and the father of a Palestinian State because it would have undermined the (his?) struggle. That may be read as he benefitted from the plight of Palestinians, something I'm not prepared to argue is untrue. Or, maybe he wasn't prepared to stop short of what he felt he, and they deserved.
I really don't know what to think. People die everyday, people who have led lives that are much more remarkable than Arafat's. But today, Arafat's life and death is being used as a commodity by the media, and for political mileage by politicians who, despite all Arafat's shortcomings, will never live to even realize what it means to fight for something you believe in. In a few days, I'll probably go back to thinking of him as an obstacle to peace, but for now, the end of an era deserves a moment of reflection.
Tuesday, November 9
Yes, yes I do.
'No, nothing for me, thanks'
'Are you sure? The deli makes excellent sandwiches.'
'No, that's allright, I'm not having anything, thank you, though.'
'Aren't you going to eat anything?'
'No, I'm fasting.'
'Oh! Do you speak Muslim then?'
'Are you sure? The deli makes excellent sandwiches.'
'No, that's allright, I'm not having anything, thank you, though.'
'Aren't you going to eat anything?'
'No, I'm fasting.'
'Oh! Do you speak Muslim then?'
Monday, November 8
Autumn
Allright, here are some pics of the fall colors I keep rambling about. I apologize for the poor quality, I took them in a bit of a rush. That said, the colors are spectacular and unfortunately I was too lazy to take photos when they were at their peak. Or even thoughtful enough to take quality photos. What's included here represents the denouement, if you will, of the catastrophe of colors. These scenes are included in my running route, which I haven't graced in over two weeks.
Entrance to my house.
The rear of my house faces this street.. not a bad view, eh? To the left is an exclusive golf course where we used to sneak in and go sledding during the winter and played manhunt during the summers. Now, I don't think we'd be able to get membership if we applied as it is very much a WASP-only establishment.
This lovely old church is one among many in my town.
Friday, November 5
Ahhh, brisk!
I just had the most fantastic four hours of sleep ever. The kind where you're just dead to the world, wake up peacefully and are looking forward to starting a new day. Except it was 6pm when I woke up. Definitely feel more refreshed than I have in a long time, even went to the gym. Things aren't so bad anymore. I know you have zero interest in this, and now I do as well. Peace out.
Thursday, November 4
Fuming
Okay, here it comes. Some brash statements to follow.
I can't take it - just what went wrong on Tuesday? I am hearing all this analysis about the elections, that people cast their vote as a reflection of their 'moral values' rather than real policy issues. Bush and his party support banning abortion and limiting marriage to a union between heterosexuals as part of some divine mandate to establish a 'moral fabric' to build a culture that loves and respects life. This is what people voted for, they aligned with his adminstration's values. So, while banning abortion and gay marriage reflects values that respect life, just what does supporting the NRA mean? I live in fear of you ignorant, loud-mouthed, malt liquored, trigger happy morons. In comparison to what you have done to our freedom, Osama doesn't even come close.
What happened to Americans and their love for freedom?
Pesonally, I am not fond of abortion. I can't really imagine anyone who is 'fond' of the prospect an abortion. I won't be so presumptuous to imagine what a harrowing experience it is, but can safely assume that anyone who has gone through it would not look back and think fondly of it. Personally, I think it isn't right to punish an unborn child for irresponsible behavior. But that's not the point. You see, it doesn't matter what I think. That is the point of freedom, I can't impose my value system upon you. And you can't impose yours upon me. Ultimately, it doesn't affect me or my life if you have an abortion. Nor if a gay couple wants to get married. There are other things that occupy my mind and time. If you are carrying a gun, however, that can have a very serious impact on others' lives. (I know, Kerry doesn't support a gun ban - but the NRA endorsed Bush, enough said.) A reckless and illegal war has very serious, tangible consequences. A stupid and reactionary color-coded 'terror alert system' also has an effect on my life, and having a Muslim name can be a liability in Bush's America.
I've probably been unreasonably harsh here... but why is something that is so obvious overlooked by almost 60m Americans?
Seeing Red
IGM, this is relevant to your earlier comment. I came across this link on Anselpixel's ever resourceful site.
Wednesday, November 3
Little Miss Grumpy
I haven't had anything to post about the past few days. Well I guess I did, but who can be arsed? I think I had really stupid expectations of work. And the election, but I'm still trying to come to terms with the prospect of Bush and company for another 4 years so more on that later.. or never. Anyway, work. I guess I expected people in the real world to have it more together. Students.. don't have much to live up to. You can sit around, literally do nothing for weeks on end. Write a few papers, speak a bit of bull, and all is well. Maybe develop a few non-marketable skills and irrelevant knowledge along the way. There isn't much to it.
Work, on the other hand, entails a whole different skill set. Unfortunatley this set doesn't include a personality. I have been hugely disappointed, and it's my own fault and my own arrogance. I thought that people would be witty and intelligent. And that people would think before they speak. I thought I'd be the dumb one in the group but that's not proving to be the case. I'm really disappointed. This is really bad stuff to say out loud so I'm saying it here. I know, I'm not exactly Little Miss Have It Together, but I generally stumble in the right direction. I was looking forward to a professional environment where people strive and are challenged and challenging. Everywhere I look, I see complacency. Granted this is the very initial training and everyone who is joining the huge organisation starts off here so a lot of different fields are lumped together, I won't necessarily be with these people later on. So I should stop whining. Did I really expect such a generative environment?
In truth, I'm really excited about starting to work. I know, it's not cool to be excited to work. I know, I'm just naive. Yes, thanks. The thing is, I sometimes stumble across really remarkable people who are remarkable for different reasons, but they are interested and engaged in whatever they're doing. Where do these people breed? I'm sick of being bored out of my mind. The ape is in freaking England and we're going to be apart for at least a year, aside from visits. I've read some really interesting blogs on here, but limited in opportunity to pick brains. What happened to the art of conversation? Did it ever really exist? I hate hearing the obvious over and over again. Just like I hate those stupid logo bags. If you are going to charge a $800 vinyl or cloth bag that has the letter G plastered about, you might as well get a T-shirt that says 'I'm original' so the rest of us aren't left with any doubt. Better yet, tattoo it on your forehead so as not to cause any confusion on laundry day. Grow an imagination. I'm most definitely in the wrong field, this is hardly the breeding ground of creativity. So where do I find the balance?
Right, my writing ability has gone to the shitter. Sorry my brain is scrambled. I haven't been getting any sleep and that is probably my highest priority after chocolate, of course. I'll be better soon, but until then I leave you with this mess.
Work, on the other hand, entails a whole different skill set. Unfortunatley this set doesn't include a personality. I have been hugely disappointed, and it's my own fault and my own arrogance. I thought that people would be witty and intelligent. And that people would think before they speak. I thought I'd be the dumb one in the group but that's not proving to be the case. I'm really disappointed. This is really bad stuff to say out loud so I'm saying it here. I know, I'm not exactly Little Miss Have It Together, but I generally stumble in the right direction. I was looking forward to a professional environment where people strive and are challenged and challenging. Everywhere I look, I see complacency. Granted this is the very initial training and everyone who is joining the huge organisation starts off here so a lot of different fields are lumped together, I won't necessarily be with these people later on. So I should stop whining. Did I really expect such a generative environment?
In truth, I'm really excited about starting to work. I know, it's not cool to be excited to work. I know, I'm just naive. Yes, thanks. The thing is, I sometimes stumble across really remarkable people who are remarkable for different reasons, but they are interested and engaged in whatever they're doing. Where do these people breed? I'm sick of being bored out of my mind. The ape is in freaking England and we're going to be apart for at least a year, aside from visits. I've read some really interesting blogs on here, but limited in opportunity to pick brains. What happened to the art of conversation? Did it ever really exist? I hate hearing the obvious over and over again. Just like I hate those stupid logo bags. If you are going to charge a $800 vinyl or cloth bag that has the letter G plastered about, you might as well get a T-shirt that says 'I'm original' so the rest of us aren't left with any doubt. Better yet, tattoo it on your forehead so as not to cause any confusion on laundry day. Grow an imagination. I'm most definitely in the wrong field, this is hardly the breeding ground of creativity. So where do I find the balance?
Right, my writing ability has gone to the shitter. Sorry my brain is scrambled. I haven't been getting any sleep and that is probably my highest priority after chocolate, of course. I'll be better soon, but until then I leave you with this mess.
And a word on the election
I honestly hope that I'm wrong about Bush, and that his and his administration's motives aren't as sinister as I suspect. So disappointed, I thought we were better than this.
Monday, November 1
Blah
I started work today. I'm too tired to post the pictures I uploaded. They're pretty kaak anyway, the camera is crap.. it's probably the operator.
Today was one giant bore. They spent the morning explaining the structure which seemed redundant because if we were going to be working there, we should already know the information. I hope. The afternoon was spent going through paperwork and I came away with the knowledge that I am probably going to be bored with this very soon. The people there didn't have a scooby. If that is what I'm up against, I'll be sailing through. Not to sound like the arrogant jerk that I am. But really, shut up and listen to the HR lady explain the benefits the first three times she describes the scheme before you ask a question. The fun part is that my training is way downtown for the next two months and that means it's close to loads of overpriced shops. Excellent.
I am so sleepy. I spent about two hours searching for my stupid passport last night, whiich ended up being exactly where I knew it was only missed it the first seven times I looked. Sleeping at 1 and getting up to fast a 430 really kills your REM sleep. This post is possibly my worst one ever. Goodnight, chiildren.
Today was one giant bore. They spent the morning explaining the structure which seemed redundant because if we were going to be working there, we should already know the information. I hope. The afternoon was spent going through paperwork and I came away with the knowledge that I am probably going to be bored with this very soon. The people there didn't have a scooby. If that is what I'm up against, I'll be sailing through. Not to sound like the arrogant jerk that I am. But really, shut up and listen to the HR lady explain the benefits the first three times she describes the scheme before you ask a question. The fun part is that my training is way downtown for the next two months and that means it's close to loads of overpriced shops. Excellent.
I am so sleepy. I spent about two hours searching for my stupid passport last night, whiich ended up being exactly where I knew it was only missed it the first seven times I looked. Sleeping at 1 and getting up to fast a 430 really kills your REM sleep. This post is possibly my worst one ever. Goodnight, chiildren.
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