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[Nov. 6th, 2009|12:13 pm] |
October 24 ;
Flames lit up the room, colouring the walls copper and warming the soul. Stazya lay safe in my lap while I read beautifully woven words and sipped on honey drizzled chai as the melon + nutmeg incense sweetened the room.
The day was too beautiful to ignore so we went for a long walk around the neighbourhood. We can never pass up the opportunity to playfully tease one another so along the way there was poking and prodding and bursts of laughter as we got joy at watching each other stumble on the clumsy path. Dainty white jasmine flowers scented the air as we walked along the sleepy streets, hand in hand and in love with the sun.
Stopped at the bakery and bought the most gorgeous loaf of bread anyone has ever seen. Fresh out of the oven and called the Cyprisian, fused with the dough was roasted capsicum, haloumi cheese and olives. Taste sensations hiding in a rustic shell. We decided to have a picnic at home and filled the table with plump garlic and chilli stuffed olives, tabouli, hummous, roasted chicken, camembert and apple juice.
October 31 ;
Floated through the markets. Went berserk at the leather stall but forced myself to put the handful back on the rack. Found tasty, authentic sauerkraut that my tastebuds sorely missed and Love was happy with his bockwurst which reminded him of his stay in Germany. The markets were huge and more sophisticated than the usual knickknack type that is normally around. There was some amazing craftsmanship on show but a lot of it wasn't my cup of tea. I left with a sleek black leather cuff, biscuit lollipop and some lingerie.
It was a almost a full moon and Samhein for those in the Northern Hemisphere. (As some of you may not know, unfortunately Halloween is not celebrated here and it's a rarity to see any props around.) Drove further up the coast and splashed around in the ocean under the blanket of night [10pm] which was such an effervescent experience. Every part of me was exploding in harmony. During the day I wrote and read, took walks in the beach and explored the area.
Went to a highly recommended organic cafe in the morning but why, oh why, can it not be in my suburb? It was amazing. I ordered the vegetarian breakfast sans toast (they brought it anyway) and thick, delicious soy chai with honey. The milk arrived in the cutest little bottle, I was almost tempted to steal it but I thought it would serve more use to future customers.
Unfortunately we had to drive back early as Love's sister was sick, so I never got to do all the things I wanted to but there is always another weekend.
( sun • sea • moon )
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| my embarassing vices |
[Nov. 5th, 2009|06:08 pm] |
I'm totally gonna go hang out with Jeffery Sebelia. Remember that guy?
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| People! |
[Nov. 5th, 2009|08:51 am] |
I know some cool people!
My good friend is almost finished with the really difficult part of her video-game-making project. She's been working 10-12 hour days every day, including weekends. She's only had a few days off in the past few months! But this weekend, she's going to a launch party in Las Vegas-- a huge project completed. Must be a good feeling. I can't say "I'm proud of her," because that's what Moms say about their kids which would be wrong and weird, but I will say that I'm in complete awe of how hard she's worked and the coolness of the project she's been a part of. I feel so lucky to be friends with such a smart, cool, badassed lady.
My other good friend is working very hard practicing for his part in a ballet! He's not a trained dancer, but rather has been recruited for the show based on his puppetry. He'll be performing in Stanford soon. I find ballet quite intimidating, but his ability to take on a new project, no matter how big or small or challenging or time-crunchy, is a total inspiration. His love for art and puppetry is a pure joy and the sole motivating factor for all his business, and it's incredibly uplifting; I love how he takes every opportunity to learn something new in both of his hands and grabs on with a smile.
Lastly, I will briefly mention Erin. Erin is a kindergartener. She is 5. Most days, I think, "These kids sure make me want a tubal ligation!" But Erin totally makes me think that kids can be worthwhile. She asks me about my foot everyday and calls me Mr. Takahashi as a joke (which I don't get) and tells me she's going to give me the Giggle Flu. It's sad but true, I'm in love with her. |
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| Finally.. |
[Nov. 4th, 2009|12:34 pm] |
I guess Peace Corps finally found my medical paperwork:
My program IS scheduled to leave in the next 4 months, so I assume I'll be getting an invite before December. |
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| the best advice i have to give |
[Nov. 2nd, 2009|10:57 am] |
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I spent a fair amount of time Sunday pondering whether or not I was qualified to give dating advice. My conclusion: The only thing I can say with great authority is to never, ever date a writer, especially a witty journalisty type, and if you can't figure out why not, you're probably already a victim. |
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| (no subject) |
[Nov. 2nd, 2009|08:52 am] |
Okay, I miss being excited about doing stuff all the time, I miss being happy and normal and never-at-home and full of the vim and vigor of the possibilities and passions that life has to offer. Therefore, I may be calling you, asking you out on a date, smiling vigorously at you!! Hopping on my left foot! Which has incredible balance, by the way. Let's take up skateboarding together!!
Alright, all exclamation points aside, I am making efforts to be less sad and bad. Something that horrifies me about America is how no one's allowed to be upset lest it disrupt productivity, therefore one must medicate or self-medicate or become really spiritual or just buck-the-fuck-up. I don't like these kinds of limits... but then again, when in Rome, there only seem to be Roman Options.
It's time to start holiday shopping so that when December hits I don't panic and draw everyone a sad face for Christmas. The old terror of What Do I Get My Dad, My Dad Whom I Owe Money To, My Dad Who Wants Nothing. A picture of a sad face??? |
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| (no subject) |
[Oct. 31st, 2009|03:09 pm] |
I previously made the wise, sage decision to give up on comics forever, and, much to my dismay, I've started a new comic. It's very ambitious. I could imagine it being hundreds of pages, and each page takes forever to draw. It's a "for reals" story, in which I am not trying to be witty or clever or stupid, so the natural choice is to switch to gorgeously drawn characters that resemble real humans. Which is a bit time consuming and a headache-- you pick a person to base your lead character off of, and then have to imagine that character doing all sorts of things. What would it look like if someone who looked like a combo of Julie Andrews and Karen O got her head ripped off? Were dating the quarterback of the football team in high school? Were hiding in a ditch? I have to visualize these things and draw them without the help of photos or photoshop or the internet in a reasonably timely manner or I'll get discouraged. It's a bit of a super-challenge, and I've already made quite a few mistakes, but I guess I have a talent for drawing "off the top of my head," so we'll see how many pages I can eek out. This week has been 4; at this rate, it would take... a year or more? Oh god.
The plot is basically that of the story of Cain and Abel, with different characters, a different setting, and contemporary themes. I don't want the allusion to be masked, and I think most readers will know the outcome of the plot early on, but I'd like the characters and the retelling to be interesting enough to be engaging. I know I really like my characters, and the ending will be nice n sad. But I am still working out the details of the supporting characters in my head. A lot is going on up there, it needs to stop. I wish someone would have told me in High School that thinking was useless so I could have chosed a different trajectory long ago, but it seems I have no choice but to endure the Newtonian linear drama this whole thinking thing started a long time ago.
The news about Afghanistan is depressing, and frankly baffling. History is a field in which information is always pertinant and always widely available, so my stomach churns when it is so widely ignored. Meaning is replaced with shades of meaning; tone replaces content. It's an important part of American culture and how we communicate, but an unfortunate staple of American politics.
Somehow, the US is falling into its own trap. In 1979, Carter and the CIA lured the Soviets into a long, unsustainable war in Afghanistan. According to an interview with Brzezinsky:
Q: When the Soviets justified their intervention by asserting that they
intended to fight against a secret involvement of the United States in
Afghanistan, people didn't believe them. However, there was a basis of
truth. You don't regret anything today?
B: Regret what? That secret operation was an excellent idea. It had the
effect of drawing the Russians into the Afghan trap and you want me to
regret it? The day that the Soviets officially crossed the border, I wrote
to President Carter: We now have the opportunity of giving to the USSR its
Vietnam war. Indeed, for almost 10 years, Moscow had to carry on a war
unsupportable by the government, a conflict that brought about the
demoralization and finally the breakup of the Soviet empire.
So let's review: the US wanted to "get" the Soviets by stirring up shit that they knew could not be resolved. Arms were sold to fundamentalists under the pretenses of stopping the leftist, pro-labor party. As the messy war continued over this huge expanse of territory, Regan eventually gave "financial aid" to the Soviets to occupy Afghanistan, which is what the Taliban hated in the first place. This is common knowlege, openly admitted to by the CIA. Another interview excerpt:
Q: And neither do you regret having supported the Islamic fundamentalism,
having given arms and advice to future terrorists?
B: What is most important to the history of the world? The Taliban or the
collapse of the Soviet empire? Some stirred-up Moslems or the liberation
of Central Europe and the end of the cold war?
Q: Some stirred-up Moslems? But it has been said and repeated:
fundamentalism represents a world menace today.
B: Nonsense! It is said that the West had a global policy in regard to
Islam. That is stupid. There isn't a global Islam. Look at Islam in a
rational manner and without demagoguery or emotion. It is the leading
religion of the world with 1.5 billion followers. But what is there in
common among Saudi Arabian fundamentalism, moderate Morocco, Pakistan
militarism, Egyptian pro-Western or Central Asian secularism? Nothing more
than what unites the Christian countries.
3. According to NPR as of a couple days ago, there are less than 100
fuck i gotta go, will finish later.
In the meantime, enjoy my drawings: the photos are terrible:
 
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| Time it takes for your medical forms to arrive at PCMO? |
[Oct. 29th, 2009|11:44 am] |
I got an update that my medical forms which I sent at the end of last week STILL have not arrived, but that it apparently takes about 3 weeks because of mail security measures. Can anyone confirm the average amount of time it took PCMO to get Med/Dental forms you sent?
I'm hoping that maybe next week they will have them so I can get my invite before the end of November, but that may be wishful thinking on my part. |
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| I got my nomination! |
[Oct. 28th, 2009|09:26 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  silly | ] |
Assignment Area: Agriculture and Forestry Extension
Region: Sub-Saharan Africa
Tentative Date of Departure: July 2010
Program Info: French-speaking post. All nominees must be learning French in preparation for their service--accredited courses are preferred. Post requires trainees to ride an all terrain bike.
Whew! It was exactly 3 weeks from my interview. I was being such a worry-wart.
My recruiter emailed me and I can expect my medical kit in 2-3 weeks. I'm happy that it is a July departure that way I can take an accredited French course to help make my application more competitive. I have a feeling at learning to ride a bike might be more difficult than learning French. My daughter is going to give me bike riding lessons.
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| bags. poop. poop in a bag. |
[Oct. 28th, 2009|01:04 pm] |
There are really two types of shitbags, not to be reductionist or anything. They're are dismissive shitbags that toss people out like trash, and then there are controlling shitbags who won't let you escape no matter how hard you try.
The first type seems like the type of person who needs nobody. We interpret this type of person in a positive light, partially because our culture condones extreme independence and partially because most folks have extreme self esteem deficits; we feel like we ought to be tossed out with the garbage. Usually, this treatment isn't harmful or dangerous-- unless we let it affect our self-esteems even further. Therefore, the only choice when victimized in this way is to be angry, and to label the shitbag as, well, a shitbag, and move on, allowing the shitbag to perpetually fuck up his/her life.
The second kind can be dangerous. And the neediness of this sort of person is all too obvious. The only option in this case is to rally help. Because nothing will hurt as bad as not believing your own version of the truth. Once you doubt yourself, the shitbag can take control. And the number-one-way to do this is to 1. isolate and 2. confuse the mark.
I can't imagine being extremely terrified of a person at this point in my life. Then again, I can't imagine not being extremely terrified of a person. Perhaps my imagination is stunted. |
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| Bees |
[Oct. 28th, 2009|12:50 pm] |
Well after my health information was in, and after 21 years of NOT having any kind of bad reaction to bee stings, turns out I have a really bad allergy, like a need to carry an epi-pen, end up in the hospital type allergy. For the next five years of my life I need bi-weekly allergy shots.
I have my interview on Thursday, and will of course disclose all of this, but do you think this will affect my ability to serve? Should I hold off on serving until after I've finished my allergy shots (and thus grad school).
I finally got my grandparents to accept the idea, and now there are bees. Are there countries that don't have bees that they could send me to? |
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| hang myself |
[Oct. 28th, 2009|05:30 pm] |
&
http://twitter.com/seaofghosts
fuck.
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