Sunday, December 30, 2007
Oliver's Battles
This is the kitten that I am taking care of, Oliver. Oliver often gets bored, so in order to amuse himself, he has epic battles with...himself. I've been able to capture a couple of these skirmishes on film, although often the fights are much more intense (and therefore nearly impossible to film). Please enjoy.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
The Sweetest Story I Know
I am an extremely lucky man. I have the absolutely most wonderful woman in my life. Better yet, she loves me as much as I love her. Incredibly, I realized today that I have written little about her in respect to how much I think about her.
The best way I can do so is to tell the story of how we met. I still think that it is one of the best stories I know, so I will share it with you.
Two years ago I left the US to study in Oman. While there I met a wonderful girl named Deanna who became a fast friend to this day. We became quite close over the course of the semester. It turned out that she lived in Chicago, not far from where I grew up and went to Kenyon College, not far from where I went to college. Throughout the trip I pined after and worried about the girl that I had left to come to Oman. From 7500 miles away, I was watching her steady decline into self-destruction. Deanna helped me find myself in the ugly situation and move on. Near the end of the trip, she began to tell me about a friend of hers from college who also lived in Maine.
Intrigued, I pressed her for details, and usually came up with nothing. She was very nice and fun, Deanna claimed. As for where in Maine, somewhere near Portland, maybe. Particularly useful if you understand that most of the people in Maine live somewhere near Portland. Eventually, I gave up digging for info and resolved to see how things took their course. Besides, I wasn't exactly dying to meet a new girl, more interested in finding a friend in Maine.
When I returned home, Deanna sent me the girls name and encouraged me to look her up on Facebook. I thought that it was slightly strange and stalkerish, but I did so. When I could see her profile, I found her address and looked it up on Yahoo Maps. I didn't pay too close attention to the town or details and was expecting to find some sort of hour drive or other impediment. You can only imagine my surprise when I found that her house was 0.4 miles away from mine. Just down the road really. Amazing.
We sent a couple messages to each other and agreed to meet for some ice cream at the store that is almost equidistant between our houses. We were both a bit weirded out by the entire endeavor of meeting someone random from the internet, but we both trusted Deanna. Besides, I had no good friends in Maine and all of her high school friends had left the state. So we each made the short walk to Food Stop. I got there first, and waited somewhat nervously, leaning against the guardrail set up to prevent cars from driving into the ice cream window. Only a couple minutes later, a beautiful girl strolled into the parking lot and I know it was her. We met, we talked, we walked, and we ate ice cream. We did the same thing the next day. And the next. Soon we were spending hours together each day, meeting whenever we had the time and when we didn't, sneaking out to sit together under the stars late at night.
Our first kiss was quick. The ones that followed lasted much longer. I was hooked. However, I was still scared of starting a new relationship after the disaster of my last one. She didn't feel the same, she wanted us to be official if we were going to continue seeing each other. I was terrified, but I could feel something special about her. So, I caved. I asked her to be my girlfriend and promised that it wasn't a summer thing.
It wasn't.
And now, well, as of tomorrow, we have been together for 18 months.
Sure, there have been bumps along the road. But through thick and thin, emotion and ration, we have remained in love. She is the most wonderful thing in my life. It is painful to be so far away from her, but so amazing that she is understanding and patient. I know that someday I will be able to give her that companionship she deserves. She is the best decision I've ever made, and I love her.
The best way I can do so is to tell the story of how we met. I still think that it is one of the best stories I know, so I will share it with you.
Two years ago I left the US to study in Oman. While there I met a wonderful girl named Deanna who became a fast friend to this day. We became quite close over the course of the semester. It turned out that she lived in Chicago, not far from where I grew up and went to Kenyon College, not far from where I went to college. Throughout the trip I pined after and worried about the girl that I had left to come to Oman. From 7500 miles away, I was watching her steady decline into self-destruction. Deanna helped me find myself in the ugly situation and move on. Near the end of the trip, she began to tell me about a friend of hers from college who also lived in Maine.
Intrigued, I pressed her for details, and usually came up with nothing. She was very nice and fun, Deanna claimed. As for where in Maine, somewhere near Portland, maybe. Particularly useful if you understand that most of the people in Maine live somewhere near Portland. Eventually, I gave up digging for info and resolved to see how things took their course. Besides, I wasn't exactly dying to meet a new girl, more interested in finding a friend in Maine.
When I returned home, Deanna sent me the girls name and encouraged me to look her up on Facebook. I thought that it was slightly strange and stalkerish, but I did so. When I could see her profile, I found her address and looked it up on Yahoo Maps. I didn't pay too close attention to the town or details and was expecting to find some sort of hour drive or other impediment. You can only imagine my surprise when I found that her house was 0.4 miles away from mine. Just down the road really. Amazing.
We sent a couple messages to each other and agreed to meet for some ice cream at the store that is almost equidistant between our houses. We were both a bit weirded out by the entire endeavor of meeting someone random from the internet, but we both trusted Deanna. Besides, I had no good friends in Maine and all of her high school friends had left the state. So we each made the short walk to Food Stop. I got there first, and waited somewhat nervously, leaning against the guardrail set up to prevent cars from driving into the ice cream window. Only a couple minutes later, a beautiful girl strolled into the parking lot and I know it was her. We met, we talked, we walked, and we ate ice cream. We did the same thing the next day. And the next. Soon we were spending hours together each day, meeting whenever we had the time and when we didn't, sneaking out to sit together under the stars late at night.
Our first kiss was quick. The ones that followed lasted much longer. I was hooked. However, I was still scared of starting a new relationship after the disaster of my last one. She didn't feel the same, she wanted us to be official if we were going to continue seeing each other. I was terrified, but I could feel something special about her. So, I caved. I asked her to be my girlfriend and promised that it wasn't a summer thing.
It wasn't.
And now, well, as of tomorrow, we have been together for 18 months.
Sure, there have been bumps along the road. But through thick and thin, emotion and ration, we have remained in love. She is the most wonderful thing in my life. It is painful to be so far away from her, but so amazing that she is understanding and patient. I know that someday I will be able to give her that companionship she deserves. She is the best decision I've ever made, and I love her.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
To My Friend, Emily
People are worth the effort.
I learned that lesson over the last couple months. Four months ago I met a girl who quickly convinced me that she was a blithering idiot and a surefire wear on my patience. She spoke too much, too loudly, and seemingly without thinking. She blatantly insulted me and didn't notice. In fact, months ago I wrote a passage in this blog about her and how much she had pissed me off.
Fast forward to yesterday and you find me driving back from the airport with tears streaming down my cheeks after dropping her off. I had said goodbye to a wonderful friend and was missing her presence within minutes. I had said goodbye alone, at four in the morning, because she had wanted me to be there for one final hug.
So why the change? How did I swing from derision and distaste to a platonic love?
It began as another of my friends and I began to search for a destination to travel to over Eid break. We settled on India, but soon our travel companions decided instead to go to Thailand. So we put out that we were looking for others to join us, and Emily (the girl this entry is about) jumped at the opportunity. I'm pretty sure that I set a world record for groaning and eye rolling when I heard that she'd be coming. But, I knew we needed more people in the group, so I didn't object. And I made a fateful promise to myself. Over the next couple weeks before we left for India, I decided to get to know Emily and find a way to handle her presence. I was not going to let her ruin my trip to India.
So I started hanging out with her more often. At first it was with others, and then the two of us alone. We watched movies and I tried once (unsuccessfully) to teach her squash. I went to her board game night. And we talked. Check that, she talked. And talked. And talked. Finally, one night, I talked too, and told her how much she pissed me off. It worked, and we began to talk openly and honestly with one another. And as time went on, we became comfortable doing just that. She no longer felt the need to show off her (honestly vast) intelligence and I know longer felt the need to sit there quietly contemplating murder. I learned to tell her when she upset me, and she learned to relax and be pleasant.
By the time we left for India, we were at a comfortable level. I wasn't ready to consider her a close friend, but I understood her and why she did the things she did. She ended up being a wonderful addition to our group, even if we ended up spending a good deal of time waiting for her to finish sari shopping.
When we got back, we continued to hang out. No longer out of necessity (in my mind) but now out of mutual pleasure and shared experiences. We grew closer and closer. Slowly, she became the person that I was able to complain about work to, cuddle with when I missed my girlfriend, and play games with when bored. I found out all about her passion for computer programming, baking, beading, and cats. She found out all about my passion for Sophie, cats, cooking, and much more. We bonded together over fear and confusion about our respective career futures and commiserated over missing loved ones.
I have a lot of wonderful friends here in Qatar that I love very much. I wouldn't trade any of them for the world. But remarkably, after such a rocky start, she became the closest. She was my confidante, my cuddle buddy, and my dependable presence.
Now she has gone back to the States, where I pray she will get the job she is interviewing for in San Francisco. Our lives have separated, and we will surely go on as before. I have my friends, my family, and my darling girlfriend, and she has hers. But I will never forget how she touched my life and taught me not to disregard people. For that and the months of friendship that came as a result of it, I thank her and love her.
Emily, you made me a better person.
I learned that lesson over the last couple months. Four months ago I met a girl who quickly convinced me that she was a blithering idiot and a surefire wear on my patience. She spoke too much, too loudly, and seemingly without thinking. She blatantly insulted me and didn't notice. In fact, months ago I wrote a passage in this blog about her and how much she had pissed me off.
Fast forward to yesterday and you find me driving back from the airport with tears streaming down my cheeks after dropping her off. I had said goodbye to a wonderful friend and was missing her presence within minutes. I had said goodbye alone, at four in the morning, because she had wanted me to be there for one final hug.
So why the change? How did I swing from derision and distaste to a platonic love?
It began as another of my friends and I began to search for a destination to travel to over Eid break. We settled on India, but soon our travel companions decided instead to go to Thailand. So we put out that we were looking for others to join us, and Emily (the girl this entry is about) jumped at the opportunity. I'm pretty sure that I set a world record for groaning and eye rolling when I heard that she'd be coming. But, I knew we needed more people in the group, so I didn't object. And I made a fateful promise to myself. Over the next couple weeks before we left for India, I decided to get to know Emily and find a way to handle her presence. I was not going to let her ruin my trip to India.
So I started hanging out with her more often. At first it was with others, and then the two of us alone. We watched movies and I tried once (unsuccessfully) to teach her squash. I went to her board game night. And we talked. Check that, she talked. And talked. And talked. Finally, one night, I talked too, and told her how much she pissed me off. It worked, and we began to talk openly and honestly with one another. And as time went on, we became comfortable doing just that. She no longer felt the need to show off her (honestly vast) intelligence and I know longer felt the need to sit there quietly contemplating murder. I learned to tell her when she upset me, and she learned to relax and be pleasant.
By the time we left for India, we were at a comfortable level. I wasn't ready to consider her a close friend, but I understood her and why she did the things she did. She ended up being a wonderful addition to our group, even if we ended up spending a good deal of time waiting for her to finish sari shopping.
When we got back, we continued to hang out. No longer out of necessity (in my mind) but now out of mutual pleasure and shared experiences. We grew closer and closer. Slowly, she became the person that I was able to complain about work to, cuddle with when I missed my girlfriend, and play games with when bored. I found out all about her passion for computer programming, baking, beading, and cats. She found out all about my passion for Sophie, cats, cooking, and much more. We bonded together over fear and confusion about our respective career futures and commiserated over missing loved ones.
I have a lot of wonderful friends here in Qatar that I love very much. I wouldn't trade any of them for the world. But remarkably, after such a rocky start, she became the closest. She was my confidante, my cuddle buddy, and my dependable presence.
Now she has gone back to the States, where I pray she will get the job she is interviewing for in San Francisco. Our lives have separated, and we will surely go on as before. I have my friends, my family, and my darling girlfriend, and she has hers. But I will never forget how she touched my life and taught me not to disregard people. For that and the months of friendship that came as a result of it, I thank her and love her.
Emily, you made me a better person.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Should've seen this coming...
It took less than a day for Bush to speak about the NIE that reported Iran's lack of a nuclear weapons program. Did he announce a bold new initiative to reengage Iran diplomatically after proof that Iran was willing to make concessions? No. Did he call for a reexamining of our strategic position? No. Did he act like he knew what this report meant? Incredibly, no.
What he did do was continue to label Iran as "dangerous" and harp on it as a threat. Sure, now he's talking about a potential threat, but that didn't stop him from invading Iraq. According to the President, Iran is still dangerous because it has the potential to build a nuclear weapon at some point down the line. Basically, that's like worrying about someone learning how to sharpen sticks of metal based on the fear that someday they will make a pair of scissors and then proceed to run with them. This is, of course, still ignoring the greatest tool towards preventing international hostility in the American toolbox, direct diplomatic contact.
Am I the only one who is terrified of what imbecilic actions Bush will take as he enters his last year in office. The man has paid little regard to consequences so far, what will he do when he is a lame duck?
Kudos to Joe Biden for speaking up for everyone not in the Bush administration.
And a hearty fuck you to Republican National Committee spokesman Brian Walton who attempted to raise the bar of American political discourse with this little gem, "Apparently Joe Biden has seen recent polling that shows his statistical insignificance and is looking for relevance in the debate by offering heated rhetoric."
This is a very good analysis of the situation by Michael Hirsh.
What he did do was continue to label Iran as "dangerous" and harp on it as a threat. Sure, now he's talking about a potential threat, but that didn't stop him from invading Iraq. According to the President, Iran is still dangerous because it has the potential to build a nuclear weapon at some point down the line. Basically, that's like worrying about someone learning how to sharpen sticks of metal based on the fear that someday they will make a pair of scissors and then proceed to run with them. This is, of course, still ignoring the greatest tool towards preventing international hostility in the American toolbox, direct diplomatic contact.
Am I the only one who is terrified of what imbecilic actions Bush will take as he enters his last year in office. The man has paid little regard to consequences so far, what will he do when he is a lame duck?
Kudos to Joe Biden for speaking up for everyone not in the Bush administration.
And a hearty fuck you to Republican National Committee spokesman Brian Walton who attempted to raise the bar of American political discourse with this little gem, "Apparently Joe Biden has seen recent polling that shows his statistical insignificance and is looking for relevance in the debate by offering heated rhetoric."
This is a very good analysis of the situation by Michael Hirsh.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Have a Little Faith
There have been some interesting developments on the international political scene in the last couple days. Namely, two key stories give me hope for progress in the future. The first is the failure of Hugo Chavez to guarantee President for life status. The second is the startling admission of a mistake by the Bush administration.
Hugo Chavez is a pompous ass who has been vilified by the Bush administration into some kind of South American Saddam Hussein. The truth of his position is far less threatening to America, yet still counterproductive for the Venezuelan people. Simply put, his concern with his own personal image and power, especially through antagonizing America, has overshadowed the positive reform promises that allowed him to take power in the first place. Most recently, he attempted to pass a constitutional revision that would negate the need for him to run for reelection and convert Venezuela into a socialist state. Surprisingly, the measure failed a popular vote. Even more surprising was the grace with which Chavez accepted this decision. There is no guarantee that he will leave power as gracefully, and he still controls most of the power structure in the country, but his gesture of respect for a democratic decision is hopeful for the future.
As for the Bush administrations pronouncement that the Iranian nuclear weapons program has been inactive since 2003, I am honestly shocked. No, I'm not shocked that Iran isn't building nuclear weapons, I've been claiming that for years. What surprised me was that the Bush crowd would allow a report to be released from inside their administration that clearly countermands the fear-mongering rhetoric of the last half decade. Only weeks ago Cheney was still spewing bullshit about the imminent threat of a nuclear Iran. And now a National Intelligence Estimate (based on the consensus of ALL of the US's intelligence agencies) says that not only is Iran not building a nuclear device, but they most likely would be unable to build one until midway through the next decade!!! Ok, a round of applause for the intelligence community publishing something intelligent. And another round of applause for Bush's teams honesty on this one. One can only hope that this is the beginning of a new look at our relations with Iran.
While I'm on that topic, I have a bone to pick. Why is Iran our enemy and Saudi Arabia our friend? Don't get me wrong, I know all about the Iranian hostage crisis, the squabbles between Iran and Israel, and all the rest. But think about it. Iran is a quasi-democratic state that respects human rights, for the most part but we're no angel ourselves, and possesses huge supplies of oil. The issue with Israel could be resolved through concerted diplomatic efforts and they would be a valuable ally in a geostrategic position. Ok, so their President is an idiot (really, no gays in Iran?) but most of his rhetoric is designed to get attention and nothing more. Even his 'Holocaust denying' is BS that is not reflective of the true beliefs of the country. But Iran is our enemy, a key spoke in the terrifying Axis of Evil. And don't tell me that we haven't had a precedent for forgetting slights from other countries. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, is our best buddy. They are horrifyingly non-democratic, some of the worst human rights abusers on Earth, even more antagonistic to environmental issues than we are, and among a list of other problems, just recently decided to lash a woman after she was raped. Brilliant. What's the price of this friendship? Oil. Same as Iran could offer. Call me crazy, but I'd like to see a reevaluation of our system of choosing allies and enemies.
Oh, and on a final note, kudos to the President of Sudan for pardoning Gillian Gibbons. I never thought I'd be happy with a decision made by Omar al-Bashir, but its always encouraging to see a leader admit a gaff. Sudan should be embarrassed by that entire situation. I know that she never should have been charged, but for Bashir to contradict the law would have been to dangerous in an already tumultuous country. A pardon was the right move, if not the answer to the larger problem.
Hugo Chavez is a pompous ass who has been vilified by the Bush administration into some kind of South American Saddam Hussein. The truth of his position is far less threatening to America, yet still counterproductive for the Venezuelan people. Simply put, his concern with his own personal image and power, especially through antagonizing America, has overshadowed the positive reform promises that allowed him to take power in the first place. Most recently, he attempted to pass a constitutional revision that would negate the need for him to run for reelection and convert Venezuela into a socialist state. Surprisingly, the measure failed a popular vote. Even more surprising was the grace with which Chavez accepted this decision. There is no guarantee that he will leave power as gracefully, and he still controls most of the power structure in the country, but his gesture of respect for a democratic decision is hopeful for the future.
As for the Bush administrations pronouncement that the Iranian nuclear weapons program has been inactive since 2003, I am honestly shocked. No, I'm not shocked that Iran isn't building nuclear weapons, I've been claiming that for years. What surprised me was that the Bush crowd would allow a report to be released from inside their administration that clearly countermands the fear-mongering rhetoric of the last half decade. Only weeks ago Cheney was still spewing bullshit about the imminent threat of a nuclear Iran. And now a National Intelligence Estimate (based on the consensus of ALL of the US's intelligence agencies) says that not only is Iran not building a nuclear device, but they most likely would be unable to build one until midway through the next decade!!! Ok, a round of applause for the intelligence community publishing something intelligent. And another round of applause for Bush's teams honesty on this one. One can only hope that this is the beginning of a new look at our relations with Iran.
While I'm on that topic, I have a bone to pick. Why is Iran our enemy and Saudi Arabia our friend? Don't get me wrong, I know all about the Iranian hostage crisis, the squabbles between Iran and Israel, and all the rest. But think about it. Iran is a quasi-democratic state that respects human rights, for the most part but we're no angel ourselves, and possesses huge supplies of oil. The issue with Israel could be resolved through concerted diplomatic efforts and they would be a valuable ally in a geostrategic position. Ok, so their President is an idiot (really, no gays in Iran?) but most of his rhetoric is designed to get attention and nothing more. Even his 'Holocaust denying' is BS that is not reflective of the true beliefs of the country. But Iran is our enemy, a key spoke in the terrifying Axis of Evil. And don't tell me that we haven't had a precedent for forgetting slights from other countries. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, is our best buddy. They are horrifyingly non-democratic, some of the worst human rights abusers on Earth, even more antagonistic to environmental issues than we are, and among a list of other problems, just recently decided to lash a woman after she was raped. Brilliant. What's the price of this friendship? Oil. Same as Iran could offer. Call me crazy, but I'd like to see a reevaluation of our system of choosing allies and enemies.
Oh, and on a final note, kudos to the President of Sudan for pardoning Gillian Gibbons. I never thought I'd be happy with a decision made by Omar al-Bashir, but its always encouraging to see a leader admit a gaff. Sudan should be embarrassed by that entire situation. I know that she never should have been charged, but for Bashir to contradict the law would have been to dangerous in an already tumultuous country. A pardon was the right move, if not the answer to the larger problem.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Foreign Policies Update
Yesterday was very exciting for me. I received a package from home (it is very very rare for me to get mail) that included the newest Foreign Affairs. Even more exciting was the fact that the new issue contains the foreign policy essays of Hillary Clinton and John McCain. After reading them both, here's my analysis:
Clinton - For the vast majority of her writing, I was with her. She wrote to an educated audience and had good, solid things to say and suggest. Surprisingly, she was not overly bogged down by bashing the Bush administration. Unfortunately, she did not touch on humanitarian reform as other candidates have so effectively. Overall, I found that I liked what she said, didn't find anything to strongly disagree with, and was left wanting on a couple issues.
McCain - His essay is well-written but positively against what I'm interested in. It may surprise McCain to learn that the military is not the answer to everything, and that training civil servants side-by-side with the military is NOT A GOOD IDEA!!!!! The entire essay was far too militaristic for my tastes, although he managed to avoid almost all of the fear-mongering that Giuliani and Romney used. I was not offended by his essay, I simply disagree with almost everything he says.
So here are the grades so far:
Edwards - A
Clinton - A-
Romney - B+
McCain - B-
Giuliani - D+
Obama - D-
If the vote were today, my candidate would be Hillary Clinton.
She did not have the best essay, but it was good enough to make me like her. Combined with her experience, demeanor, and domestic politics, she's the clear leader. Edwards and Romney lost on the basis of domestic politics. The rest have proven their inability to think rationally or present clear, intelligent policies.
Clinton - For the vast majority of her writing, I was with her. She wrote to an educated audience and had good, solid things to say and suggest. Surprisingly, she was not overly bogged down by bashing the Bush administration. Unfortunately, she did not touch on humanitarian reform as other candidates have so effectively. Overall, I found that I liked what she said, didn't find anything to strongly disagree with, and was left wanting on a couple issues.
McCain - His essay is well-written but positively against what I'm interested in. It may surprise McCain to learn that the military is not the answer to everything, and that training civil servants side-by-side with the military is NOT A GOOD IDEA!!!!! The entire essay was far too militaristic for my tastes, although he managed to avoid almost all of the fear-mongering that Giuliani and Romney used. I was not offended by his essay, I simply disagree with almost everything he says.
So here are the grades so far:
Edwards - A
Clinton - A-
Romney - B+
McCain - B-
Giuliani - D+
Obama - D-
If the vote were today, my candidate would be Hillary Clinton.
She did not have the best essay, but it was good enough to make me like her. Combined with her experience, demeanor, and domestic politics, she's the clear leader. Edwards and Romney lost on the basis of domestic politics. The rest have proven their inability to think rationally or present clear, intelligent policies.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Tidalism
I'll be the grapes fermented, bottled and served with the table set in my finest suit like a perfect gentleman.
I'll be the fire escape that's bolted to the ancient brick where you will sit and contemplate your day.
I'll be the waterwings that save you if you start drowning and an open tab when your judgement's on the brink.
I'll be the phonograph that plays your favorite albums back as you're lying there, drifting off to sleep.
I'll be the platform shoes; undo what heredity's done to you. You won't have to strain to look into my eyes.
I'll be your winter coat buttoned and zipped straight to the throat with the collar up so you won't catch a cold.
I want to take you far from the cynics in this town and kiss you on the mouth.
We'll cut our bodies free from the tethers of this scene, start a brand new colony.
Where everything will change, we'll give
ourselves new names.
Identities erased.
The sun will heat the ground under our bare feet in this brand new colony.
This brand new colony.
- Postal Service "Brand New Colony"
Monday, October 29, 2007
Driving Miss Darbi
Ladies and Gentleman, start your laughter!
I am driving. Every day. And not only am I driving every day, but I survived my first car accident while I was driving.
To begin with, I'm driving now because Darbi, my friend and coworker who I share my car with, dislocated her shoulder playing rugby. Turns out its tough to drive with one arm. I think she's just lucky we don't have a stick shift.
As for the accident, I got rear-ended while waiting to turn onto a busy road. The driver behind me was watching the traffic and not me, so he simply accelerated right into me. My car was perfectly fine (one of the very very few benefits of driving a tank) and his was good and messed up. This was the first time that I've been driving during an accident involving another car. I spun off the road one time trying to drive to pick up my mom during a blizzard, but nobody hit me or vice versa. I've also been in a number of other accidents while being a passenger, including one last week.
So yes, after all of this accident fun, I am driving more than ever before. Did I ever mention that I hate cars. My appreciation for efficient public transit is rising by the minute.
I guess the good thing about all the driving is that I'm learning the roads much faster now. I'll probably get those all down by the time it's time to leave.
I am driving. Every day. And not only am I driving every day, but I survived my first car accident while I was driving.
To begin with, I'm driving now because Darbi, my friend and coworker who I share my car with, dislocated her shoulder playing rugby. Turns out its tough to drive with one arm. I think she's just lucky we don't have a stick shift.
As for the accident, I got rear-ended while waiting to turn onto a busy road. The driver behind me was watching the traffic and not me, so he simply accelerated right into me. My car was perfectly fine (one of the very very few benefits of driving a tank) and his was good and messed up. This was the first time that I've been driving during an accident involving another car. I spun off the road one time trying to drive to pick up my mom during a blizzard, but nobody hit me or vice versa. I've also been in a number of other accidents while being a passenger, including one last week.
So yes, after all of this accident fun, I am driving more than ever before. Did I ever mention that I hate cars. My appreciation for efficient public transit is rising by the minute.
I guess the good thing about all the driving is that I'm learning the roads much faster now. I'll probably get those all down by the time it's time to leave.
Poverty
My recent visit to India was incredible. It was a vacation like no other I have ever been on. I saw amazing sites, ate delicious food, and met fascinating people. I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. But, the experience itself was not always enjoyable.
Forget the rats crawling over my legs, the lying taxi drivers, or the filthy conditions, what truly upset me was the overwhelming crush of poverty that is so unavoidably present in Indian life. From the minute we arrived in Mumbai, it was obvious that wealth was not pervasive in this society. This was expected from all that I had heard of the place beforehand. What I was not prepared for was the omnipresent destitution.
It was nearly impossible to glance around Mumbai (or frankly, many of the other cities in India) without seeing at least one homeless person. It was truly impossible to stop on a street, whether in a car or on foot, and not be accosted by beggars. Tiny children wandered around without clothing and full of vacant stares, yearning for loose change. Shifty adults eyed the children, collecting their earnings before they could be spent or lost. Cripples abounded, twisted by deformities that surely would have been corrected in childhood had they been born in a more affluent country.
Perhaps most disturbing, though, was my gut reaction to pull away and act niggardly with my money. I repeatedly turned down beggars whose demands represented minuscule fractions of not only my own accounts, but even what I had in my pockets. I was able to mollify myself partially by making a point of buying handmade crafts when I could, thereby seeing the money go where I wanted it. But there was still a pressing sadness, and more so, a sense of futility. No amount of charity could 'solve' the poverty in India. Only a true, top to bottom vitalization of the economy could.
I am not a socialist. I do not think that this is the role of the government, entirely. Rather, I find hope in a cross of government subsidized assistance (such as medical care) and the encouragement of an open and fair market economy. This is why I believe in the work of microfinance organizations such as Kiva.org. They offer an opportunity to support the base of an economy, not charity. If this interests you, and you like the idea of donating money and being repaid, please take a look at the link on the side of the page.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
India Trip Photos
I'm back from India, had an incredible time, and am exhausted. Here are my pictures, enjoy. I'll fill in the textual blanks asap.
http://picasaweb.google.com/gregory.smith44/IndiaTrip
Oh, and please feel free to comment on the photos, I enjoy feedback!
http://picasaweb.google.com/gregory.smith44/IndiaTrip
Oh, and please feel free to comment on the photos, I enjoy feedback!
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Have No Fear Friends!
I just need to clear the air on one topic, I am not endorsing Mitt Romney.
As a matter of fact, I have yet to settle on endorsing any candidate. There is simply no point in doing so now when there is so much more to be heard.
What I was saying was that Mitt Romney made some good points in his essay. Sure, he has plenty of douchebag propagandist jargon, but hidden in between were a couple valuable ideas for our foreign policy. It just goes to show that people can be flat offensively wrong in some areas, and surprisingly inciteful in others. I don't want to discount anyone's ideas.
On the Democratic side, I just finished reading Edwards' essay on foreign policy. I still don't like a lot of his domestic policy choices, but he had a very good essay and several useful ideas on how to improve humanitarian aid. I definitely gained some respect for him.
So here are the current rankings based on the foreign policy essays published so far, in my opinion:
1) John Edwards - Plenty of substantial ideas, some very good, minimal rhetoric.
2) Mitt Romney - Kept idiotic rhetoric reasonably well down, a couple very good ideas.
3) Rudy Giuliani - Actually presented policies, but policies are damaging and offensive, please shut up.
4) Barack Obama - Oh Barack, you sucked so bad on this test. When writing a foreign policy essay, TRY PROPOSING A POLICY! Pie in the sky rhetoric is useless on its own.
As a matter of fact, I have yet to settle on endorsing any candidate. There is simply no point in doing so now when there is so much more to be heard.
What I was saying was that Mitt Romney made some good points in his essay. Sure, he has plenty of douchebag propagandist jargon, but hidden in between were a couple valuable ideas for our foreign policy. It just goes to show that people can be flat offensively wrong in some areas, and surprisingly inciteful in others. I don't want to discount anyone's ideas.
On the Democratic side, I just finished reading Edwards' essay on foreign policy. I still don't like a lot of his domestic policy choices, but he had a very good essay and several useful ideas on how to improve humanitarian aid. I definitely gained some respect for him.
So here are the current rankings based on the foreign policy essays published so far, in my opinion:
1) John Edwards - Plenty of substantial ideas, some very good, minimal rhetoric.
2) Mitt Romney - Kept idiotic rhetoric reasonably well down, a couple very good ideas.
3) Rudy Giuliani - Actually presented policies, but policies are damaging and offensive, please shut up.
4) Barack Obama - Oh Barack, you sucked so bad on this test. When writing a foreign policy essay, TRY PROPOSING A POLICY! Pie in the sky rhetoric is useless on its own.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
سوق واقف جميل الان
So, when I visited Doha two years ago with my study-abroad group, the first thing that we did was visit Souq Waqif. At the time, it was basically one main street with shops only on one side, and a couple tiny twisting covered areas boasting about 20-30 shops selling candies, spices, and homewares. After spending weeks exploring the fabulous Mutrah souq in Oman, Waqif was drab, empty and disappointing. The only worthwile part was the falconry section, highlighted by rows of gorgeous birds on display on posts.
Needless to say, I was not exactly chomping at the bit to return to Waqif once I had moved to Doha. But last night, several of my friends decided that they needed to go abaya shoping, and Waqif certainly is the best place to buy the long black dresses at a reasonable price. I tagged along as an opportunity to get out of my apartment and be with the people I enjoy spending time with. It turned out to be a great decision.
Driving up to Waqif, everything seemed the same. But as I entered what is now referred to as the "New Old Souq" I realized that 19 months had seen as much change in the souq as had changed the rest of Doha. Waqif is now completely renovated so that there are about 3-4 times as many shops ranging from nice restaurants, traditional craft shops, fabric stores, and all of the original ones. On top of that, the expanded souq has been completely redecorated so as to look like an authentic old Arab souq. We began the night strolling down the street that had held only one side of shops before. Now it is teeming with activity on both sides with street coffee shops and the pulsating beat of Gulf music.
It had been recommended to us that we eat dinner at Tajine, a Moroccan restaurant on the main drag of the souq. While they sadly were out of the baby camel that I ordered, I was thrilled by the lamb stew that I ended up with. The strong Moroccan spices and sweet cinnamon sugar glaze on the onions and tomatoes scintillated and the moist, fall straight off the bone, meat was succulent. Most of the rest of the group was thrilled by their "Couscous with Seven Vegetables" and even the drab looking kofta with french fries were delicious. A suggestion to any planning on trying Tagine out, the appetizers are delicious, but the Lbranya (a blend of eggplant and moroccan spices) is to die for.
Fully sated by our dinner, we wandered the souq. The girls all found abayas to purchase, and I was greatly amused by the rock lobster I found. Cute, isn't it? And for a coll 6,000 Qatari Riyal, it too can be yours! Enchanted by the surroundings, we ended up simply wandering the souq for a couple hours. Finally, weighted down with sweet halwa, new stone prayer beads, and reams of fabric, we headed back home.
Souq Waqif is still not the same cultural experience as Mutrah Souq, but it is now a lot of fun and a great place to relax and walk around. I strongly recommend for anyone visiting Doha, or for any of you who live here and need to relax a bit, take a couple hours at the Souq. You won't regret it.
Want to know more? Check out the souq at: http://www.soukwaqif.com
Needless to say, I was not exactly chomping at the bit to return to Waqif once I had moved to Doha. But last night, several of my friends decided that they needed to go abaya shoping, and Waqif certainly is the best place to buy the long black dresses at a reasonable price. I tagged along as an opportunity to get out of my apartment and be with the people I enjoy spending time with. It turned out to be a great decision.
Driving up to Waqif, everything seemed the same. But as I entered what is now referred to as the "New Old Souq" I realized that 19 months had seen as much change in the souq as had changed the rest of Doha. Waqif is now completely renovated so that there are about 3-4 times as many shops ranging from nice restaurants, traditional craft shops, fabric stores, and all of the original ones. On top of that, the expanded souq has been completely redecorated so as to look like an authentic old Arab souq. We began the night strolling down the street that had held only one side of shops before. Now it is teeming with activity on both sides with street coffee shops and the pulsating beat of Gulf music.
It had been recommended to us that we eat dinner at Tajine, a Moroccan restaurant on the main drag of the souq. While they sadly were out of the baby camel that I ordered, I was thrilled by the lamb stew that I ended up with. The strong Moroccan spices and sweet cinnamon sugar glaze on the onions and tomatoes scintillated and the moist, fall straight off the bone, meat was succulent. Most of the rest of the group was thrilled by their "Couscous with Seven Vegetables" and even the drab looking kofta with french fries were delicious. A suggestion to any planning on trying Tagine out, the appetizers are delicious, but the Lbranya (a blend of eggplant and moroccan spices) is to die for.
Fully sated by our dinner, we wandered the souq. The girls all found abayas to purchase, and I was greatly amused by the rock lobster I found. Cute, isn't it? And for a coll 6,000 Qatari Riyal, it too can be yours! Enchanted by the surroundings, we ended up simply wandering the souq for a couple hours. Finally, weighted down with sweet halwa, new stone prayer beads, and reams of fabric, we headed back home.Souq Waqif is still not the same cultural experience as Mutrah Souq, but it is now a lot of fun and a great place to relax and walk around. I strongly recommend for anyone visiting Doha, or for any of you who live here and need to relax a bit, take a couple hours at the Souq. You won't regret it.
Want to know more? Check out the souq at: http://www.soukwaqif.com
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Rudolph Giuliani Makes Me Cry
I just finished reading Rudy Giuliani's version of "America's Next Foreign Policy" in the September/October edition of Foreign Affairs. My immediate reaction? I don't want that man to be President.
I understand that most politicians nowadays feel like you need to scare the public into voting for you, but it makes me sick. An election should be about choosing the best candidate, a campaign about showing why your candidate is the best. Never should the threat be made that failing to elect a candidate will result in disaster, whether that threat is veiled or not.
But, I am not that naive as to think that any political campaign will be that clean. What scares me even more, though, is that the policies being forwarded by Giuliani are taking fear-mongering to new levels. There isn't a Republican candidate on the slate that won't mention 9/11 in the first few lines of a speech, but Giuliani is the worst. Fear is his entire campaign. It is the basis for every policy he suggests.
"The United States must not rest until the al Qaeda network is destroyed and its leaders, from Osama bin Laden on down, are killed or captured." - Rudy Giuliani
"To kill the Americans and their allies -- civilians and military -- is an individual duty for every Muslim who can do it..." - Osama bin Laden
Am I the only one who sees the similarities in tone and message? Now don't get me wrong, I despise terrorism in all of its forms as much as anyone. The problem that I am having is seeing the fundamental difference between the non-state terrorism that al Qaeda practices and the ultra-violent American policies that have perpetuated the "War on Terror." Fear is fear, whether it is defended by the state system or not. And using it as a political tool whether you have legitimately gained power or simply claim it, is wrong.
America is the most powerful nation on Earth, for now. But if we keep wasting our energy on fear and fighting, we will lose that status as surely as every great nation has fallen. Instead, it is imperative that we use our power properly. It is in our abilities to fight injustice, fear, poverty and oppression. But, in order to do that, we must refrain from practicing such methods. Anger can not convince us that what is wrong is right. Torture is wrong, vengeance is empty, victory is fleeting, and glory is nothing without honor. Why can't we fight fear with tolerance, hunger with food, brutality with justice? American culture has much to offer the world in the realms of understanding and cooperation.
But we must realize the values of goodwill and cooperation. We must acknowledge that the greater good of the nation is indelibly linked to the greater good of the world. Why can't we forget the word enemy? Why can't we organize and centralize our peaceful, humanitarian efforts as Mitt Romney suggested? Why can't we begin converting our overseas military bases into universities? Why can't we rededicate a small portion of the money reserved for maintaining old, antiquated military equipment to providing AIDS medicine for Africa. Friends are so much more valuable than enemies.
The world certainly does not need a paranoid superpower. And America doesn't need Giuliani.
I understand that most politicians nowadays feel like you need to scare the public into voting for you, but it makes me sick. An election should be about choosing the best candidate, a campaign about showing why your candidate is the best. Never should the threat be made that failing to elect a candidate will result in disaster, whether that threat is veiled or not.
But, I am not that naive as to think that any political campaign will be that clean. What scares me even more, though, is that the policies being forwarded by Giuliani are taking fear-mongering to new levels. There isn't a Republican candidate on the slate that won't mention 9/11 in the first few lines of a speech, but Giuliani is the worst. Fear is his entire campaign. It is the basis for every policy he suggests.
"The United States must not rest until the al Qaeda network is destroyed and its leaders, from Osama bin Laden on down, are killed or captured." - Rudy Giuliani
"To kill the Americans and their allies -- civilians and military -- is an individual duty for every Muslim who can do it..." - Osama bin Laden
Am I the only one who sees the similarities in tone and message? Now don't get me wrong, I despise terrorism in all of its forms as much as anyone. The problem that I am having is seeing the fundamental difference between the non-state terrorism that al Qaeda practices and the ultra-violent American policies that have perpetuated the "War on Terror." Fear is fear, whether it is defended by the state system or not. And using it as a political tool whether you have legitimately gained power or simply claim it, is wrong.
America is the most powerful nation on Earth, for now. But if we keep wasting our energy on fear and fighting, we will lose that status as surely as every great nation has fallen. Instead, it is imperative that we use our power properly. It is in our abilities to fight injustice, fear, poverty and oppression. But, in order to do that, we must refrain from practicing such methods. Anger can not convince us that what is wrong is right. Torture is wrong, vengeance is empty, victory is fleeting, and glory is nothing without honor. Why can't we fight fear with tolerance, hunger with food, brutality with justice? American culture has much to offer the world in the realms of understanding and cooperation.
But we must realize the values of goodwill and cooperation. We must acknowledge that the greater good of the nation is indelibly linked to the greater good of the world. Why can't we forget the word enemy? Why can't we organize and centralize our peaceful, humanitarian efforts as Mitt Romney suggested? Why can't we begin converting our overseas military bases into universities? Why can't we rededicate a small portion of the money reserved for maintaining old, antiquated military equipment to providing AIDS medicine for Africa. Friends are so much more valuable than enemies.
The world certainly does not need a paranoid superpower. And America doesn't need Giuliani.
Oh Happy Day
What a fantastic day to be a baseball fan.
A bit of background. I was born in northern Chicago. Every year that I played baseball in my town's park league, I was hoping to be on the Cubs. My first professional baseball game was above the ivy in Wrigley. I am a born Cubs fan.
Also when I was very young, I lived in Connecticut for a while, where I have my first memories of trading baseball cards and learning players' names. Which team was I learning there? The Boston Red Sox. As I moved back to the Midwest, I still had family in New England that helped me grow my interest in the Sox, especially my uncle. Finally, after graduating high school in hated Wisconsin (don't get me started on the Packers, football will have to be a different post), I moved back to New England and my membership in Red Sox nation became official. Plus, I have the distinct pleasure of living a couple miles from the Red Sox's AA team, the Portland Sea Dogs.
I am now proud to say that I am a full-fledged fan of both the Chicago Cubs and the Boston Red Sox. Now some of the uninformed might be concerned of a conflict of interests if the two teams play. Not to worry. You see, the Cubs are in the National League, while the Red Sox are in the American. So, the only opportunity for these two to play is in interleague play or the World Series. When it comes to interleague play, I root for the team that seems to need the wins the most (usually based on my perception of how they are doing in their division). In the World Series...ok let's face it, these are two teams who are historically averse to playing on that grandest of stages. But, if they were to both make it, I would have to root for the Cubs simply because the Red Sox won their last World Series in 2004, its been since 1908.
So, why am I so happy? Because last night, September 28, 2007, both the Red Sox and the Cubs won their respective divisions. For the Cubs, they clinched the NL Central for the first time since 2003. The Sox, who had already clinched the playoffs, won the AL East for the fist time in 12 years. Just as importantly, they ended the Fucking Yankees string of division titles at 9.
Every year, 8 of the 32 Major League Baseball teams makes the playoffs. I can't say how excited I am that I have a 1/4 chance of one of my teams making the World Series. Damn good odds if you're a baseball fan. And I am a baseball fan.
A bit of background. I was born in northern Chicago. Every year that I played baseball in my town's park league, I was hoping to be on the Cubs. My first professional baseball game was above the ivy in Wrigley. I am a born Cubs fan.
Also when I was very young, I lived in Connecticut for a while, where I have my first memories of trading baseball cards and learning players' names. Which team was I learning there? The Boston Red Sox. As I moved back to the Midwest, I still had family in New England that helped me grow my interest in the Sox, especially my uncle. Finally, after graduating high school in hated Wisconsin (don't get me started on the Packers, football will have to be a different post), I moved back to New England and my membership in Red Sox nation became official. Plus, I have the distinct pleasure of living a couple miles from the Red Sox's AA team, the Portland Sea Dogs.I am now proud to say that I am a full-fledged fan of both the Chicago Cubs and the Boston Red Sox. Now some of the uninformed might be concerned of a conflict of interests if the two teams play. Not to worry. You see, the Cubs are in the National League, while the Red Sox are in the American. So, the only opportunity for these two to play is in interleague play or the World Series. When it comes to interleague play, I root for the team that seems to need the wins the most (usually based on my perception of how they are doing in their division). In the World Series...ok let's face it, these are two teams who are historically averse to playing on that grandest of stages. But, if they were to both make it, I would have to root for the Cubs simply because the Red Sox won their last World Series in 2004, its been since 1908.
So, why am I so happy? Because last night, September 28, 2007, both the Red Sox and the Cubs won their respective divisions. For the Cubs, they clinched the NL Central for the first time since 2003. The Sox, who had already clinched the playoffs, won the AL East for the fist time in 12 years. Just as importantly, they ended the Fucking Yankees string of division titles at 9.
Every year, 8 of the 32 Major League Baseball teams makes the playoffs. I can't say how excited I am that I have a 1/4 chance of one of my teams making the World Series. Damn good odds if you're a baseball fan. And I am a baseball fan.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
And the Winner Is...
Thank you to everyone who voted in my "Where Should I go for Eid" poll. Due to a surprising comeback in the bottom of the 9th, the winner is India. So from October 12 through October 20, I will be traveling to the subcontinent.
More specifically, a small group of my coworkers and I will be flying into Mumbai where we will sightsee and make our way northeast to our final destination, Delhi. Along the way we plan to stop in Udaipur, Jaipur, Ahmadabad, and Agra (where the Taj Mahal is) to name a couple places. We will be traveling mostly by train, but I am sure a good deal of hiking will also be involved.
I am very excited, and don't worry, I will take as many pictures as humanly possible. So thanks again if you contributed to this decision!
More specifically, a small group of my coworkers and I will be flying into Mumbai where we will sightsee and make our way northeast to our final destination, Delhi. Along the way we plan to stop in Udaipur, Jaipur, Ahmadabad, and Agra (where the Taj Mahal is) to name a couple places. We will be traveling mostly by train, but I am sure a good deal of hiking will also be involved.
I am very excited, and don't worry, I will take as many pictures as humanly possible. So thanks again if you contributed to this decision!
Monday, September 24, 2007
Happy Birthday!
Today my beloved girlfriend, Sophie, turns 23 years old!
Happy Birthday darling, I love you more each day.
Happy Birthday darling, I love you more each day.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Fasting
Today, for the first time this Ramadan, I am fasting. So far, the most annoying part of the experience here, as opposed to in the States, is that the sun rises WAY earlier. Eating a bowl of oatmeal at 4:20 am alone sucks. But, in a groggy state, I had to keep reminding myself that it was worth it.
Now, 9 hours later, the oatmeal is mostly gone. I'm having those irritating stomach pains that are supposed to remind you that your thoughts should be on God. Instead, I find myself thinking about lunch.
Of course, I haven't been doing myself any favors. I spent a while this morning looking up Bed & Breakfasts in Bar Harbor, Maine because I would like to take Sophie there for a weekend when I get back to the States. In the search, I found one very nice looking B&B called The Maples Inn. On top of decent prices, great location, and attractive rooms, they have had a couple of their breakfast items published in Gourmet. And yes, if you know me, you know the rest of the story. I looked up the recipes. I examined them, envisioned them, and evaluated what I might have done differently. And it made me hungry.
I have been doing a good job so far of staying focused away from food, but how can one ignore blueberry and cream cheese stuffed french toast or panna cotta with raspberry sauce? I guess I just have to be grateful that there are no pictures other than those my mind creates. (Which happen to be very vivid and laid out in the Gourmet style with lush colors and a tableset that accents the theme of the article, in this case, I'm guessing Summer in Maine.) By the way, has anyone noticed that a rather large number of my blog posts deal extensively with food? And I still am not sold on the idea of opening a diner? Yeah...
Anyways! The hunger strike for heaven continues today until 5:30ish when we will have the big Carnegie Mellon in Qatar iftar. It should be pretty fabulous. I, for one, am planning on camping out next to the shawarma stands. Yeah, that's right, we got shawarma stands for our iftar, how cool are we?! I'm excited. Food. And water.
Now, 9 hours later, the oatmeal is mostly gone. I'm having those irritating stomach pains that are supposed to remind you that your thoughts should be on God. Instead, I find myself thinking about lunch.
Of course, I haven't been doing myself any favors. I spent a while this morning looking up Bed & Breakfasts in Bar Harbor, Maine because I would like to take Sophie there for a weekend when I get back to the States. In the search, I found one very nice looking B&B called The Maples Inn. On top of decent prices, great location, and attractive rooms, they have had a couple of their breakfast items published in Gourmet. And yes, if you know me, you know the rest of the story. I looked up the recipes. I examined them, envisioned them, and evaluated what I might have done differently. And it made me hungry.
I have been doing a good job so far of staying focused away from food, but how can one ignore blueberry and cream cheese stuffed french toast or panna cotta with raspberry sauce? I guess I just have to be grateful that there are no pictures other than those my mind creates. (Which happen to be very vivid and laid out in the Gourmet style with lush colors and a tableset that accents the theme of the article, in this case, I'm guessing Summer in Maine.) By the way, has anyone noticed that a rather large number of my blog posts deal extensively with food? And I still am not sold on the idea of opening a diner? Yeah...
Anyways! The hunger strike for heaven continues today until 5:30ish when we will have the big Carnegie Mellon in Qatar iftar. It should be pretty fabulous. I, for one, am planning on camping out next to the shawarma stands. Yeah, that's right, we got shawarma stands for our iftar, how cool are we?! I'm excited. Food. And water.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Listening
Why is listening to what you are saying such a rare skill?
It seems to me that there is an inordinate number of quite intelligent people out there who simply don't take the time to listen to what is coming out of their mouths. I'm not going to claim perfection, or God forbid that I have never said something stupid. But I believe that I make a conscious effort to evaluate what I say and an attempt to screen it for blatantly offensive or idiotic comments. I simply don't see the point in offending someone and not even taking the time to notice when you do it.
Now some may stop me there and say, 'what is you truly don't know when you're offending someone?' Well, that's a different matter entirely. To simply lack the understanding is not the problem, it is the lack of an attempt to evaluate and find out.
But there is another level that I am talking about here. That is the person who speaks so blatantly offensively that all listeners are stunned by said person's inability to hear their own idiocy. This is not cultural misunderstanding or language deficits. It is kindly calling someone stupid for picking a different major in school or mentioning to an Italian friend that you are pretty sure that Italians are they laziest people. It is the act of insulting someone or something and not caring to notice. Is is wrong. And so easy to fix.
Please, just listen to what you are saying.
It seems to me that there is an inordinate number of quite intelligent people out there who simply don't take the time to listen to what is coming out of their mouths. I'm not going to claim perfection, or God forbid that I have never said something stupid. But I believe that I make a conscious effort to evaluate what I say and an attempt to screen it for blatantly offensive or idiotic comments. I simply don't see the point in offending someone and not even taking the time to notice when you do it.
Now some may stop me there and say, 'what is you truly don't know when you're offending someone?' Well, that's a different matter entirely. To simply lack the understanding is not the problem, it is the lack of an attempt to evaluate and find out.
But there is another level that I am talking about here. That is the person who speaks so blatantly offensively that all listeners are stunned by said person's inability to hear their own idiocy. This is not cultural misunderstanding or language deficits. It is kindly calling someone stupid for picking a different major in school or mentioning to an Italian friend that you are pretty sure that Italians are they laziest people. It is the act of insulting someone or something and not caring to notice. Is is wrong. And so easy to fix.
Please, just listen to what you are saying.
Speaking of which...
If I could do anything right now, I would take a trip to the Busy Bee. Delicious.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Dreamin'
Making chili in Qatar, with its long periods of inactivity unaided by the football game that isn't on TV, turns out to be a great time to sit and daydream. Its interesting where your mind wanders when you're reasonably happy but lonely and bored.
In this case, I found myself thinking about what I would have if I ever made a good deal of money. Of course, my first priorities would be to provide a beautiful life for my wife and children, but that's not usually the kind of thing that one daydreams about. No, I was a bit more selfish today. Rather, I imagined what I would really want for myself.
A library. No, not a public library with little kids reading stories with a lion, although I do hope to wed the librarian. What I dream of having is a personal library. With dark wood bookcases along each wall, full of all sorts of fascinating books. They would be specifically designed to wrap around the window that's heavy velvet shade rarely closes. Most of the cases would be teeming with books I intend to read, but some would also contain relics of my travels and one very special shelf would contain first editions.
Centered on the gorgeous persian rug covering the entire hardwood floor would be a large rectangular table, scattered with books and writings. A green-shaded lamp would brighten the crisp pages after the sun sets and throw shadows across the desk built into the far wall.
The library would be a place of peace, reflection, knowledge, and softly playing classical music. A warm pair of slippers would wait by the side of the door and accompany me to the high-backed armchair angling beside the window.
This is my favorite selfish daydream, what's yours?
In this case, I found myself thinking about what I would have if I ever made a good deal of money. Of course, my first priorities would be to provide a beautiful life for my wife and children, but that's not usually the kind of thing that one daydreams about. No, I was a bit more selfish today. Rather, I imagined what I would really want for myself.
A library. No, not a public library with little kids reading stories with a lion, although I do hope to wed the librarian. What I dream of having is a personal library. With dark wood bookcases along each wall, full of all sorts of fascinating books. They would be specifically designed to wrap around the window that's heavy velvet shade rarely closes. Most of the cases would be teeming with books I intend to read, but some would also contain relics of my travels and one very special shelf would contain first editions.
Centered on the gorgeous persian rug covering the entire hardwood floor would be a large rectangular table, scattered with books and writings. A green-shaded lamp would brighten the crisp pages after the sun sets and throw shadows across the desk built into the far wall.
The library would be a place of peace, reflection, knowledge, and softly playing classical music. A warm pair of slippers would wait by the side of the door and accompany me to the high-backed armchair angling beside the window.
This is my favorite selfish daydream, what's yours?
Monday, September 10, 2007
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Homesick aka When Will the Leaves Change?
Well, every year around this time I start to get tired of the heat and the summer. I begin to long for the autumn. This is usually accompanied by a rash of buying apple cider, cooking with pumpkin, and frantically searching the supermarket for the perfect apple. Meanwhile I suffer through the disappointment of each footstep outside not providing that delicious crackle of dead leaves. But what I long for most is the crispness of a cool day, the wisps of breath condensing in air, and the smell of wood fires curling away from chimneys.
Normally, these longings would be ameliorated by a combination of convincing myself to enjoy the remaining warm weather while it lasts and the impending autumn itself. This year, I have neither of those comforts. Instead, I have continued heat, humidity, and hideous produce at the supermarket. (Yeah, hideous produce, went to the store today and the quality of the lettuce and broccoli available was nauseating.) This year will likely be almost completely lacking in apple cider, pumpkin, wood fires, colorful leaves, caramel apples, and most importantly, cold weather.
I am sure that that will get to me soon enough, but for now the lack of hope is leading to an even more dreary situation, homesickness. Yeah, its true, for as much as I'm enjoying Qatar, its just too damn hot for my constitution. And turning the air conditioner way down is NOT the same.
I like snow, cold weather, curling up in front of a fire, scarves, boots, layers of clothing, shoveling the driveway, snow angels, rosy cheeks, icicles, orange, red, and yellow leaves, the works. I love my job here, don't get me wrong, and I love the people. But I'm beginning to feel that this just isn't going to be home for me.
There is more to this story though. Home has always been mutable for me, with my family moving as much as they did, it kinda had to be. I've found a way to make anywhere I am, home at that point. But this time, I have somewhere I'd really prefer to be. And that is near Sophie. They say that home is where the heart is. In this case, my heart is in Maine, with Sophie and my family.
The two are tied though. One of the first presents that Sophie ever gave me was a beautiful warm scarf. Some of my favorite memories from childhood are playing in the leaves and snow with my family. The most delicious fall foods are found in abundance in Maine and cooked to perfection by my family and my Sophie.
I am here now, and I do not regret that. I am making the most of it, and will continue to do so. But it is becoming increasingly clear to me as time progresses where I would like to be next. Until then, I guess I will have to find ways to make my favorite dishes with substitute ingredients. I also plan on enjoying every minute that I have in this adventure and spending plenty of times with the incredible friends that I am making.
In the end, I will find my home.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Trip to Jordan
First of all, thanks to the couple of you who encouraged me to keep blogging. You're right, it is a decent way to keep thinking and communicating.
I just got back from an incredible weekend in Jordan. On Friday, I was able to cross off one of the top places on my list of where I'd like to go in my life, Petra. Petra is absolutely incredible, and certainly deserves its place as one of the new 7 wonders of the world. The city is gorgeous, the architecture unbelievable, and the lack of a written history of its construction, life, and demise give it that air of wonder and mystery that makes any place appealing. We (the two other chaperones and nine students) walked through most of the ancient city before riding insane donkeys back out. Yes, the donkeys were insane, and galloping on a donkey along the edge of a chasm is not exactly fun. But, then again, how many people can claim to have had that experience? Overall, Petra was postively incredible, and I look forward to returning someday to see the sites that the group wasn't up for hiking to.
The main reason for the trip, however, was to help Habitat for Humanity build a house for a local family. As it turned out, we were actually building an addition onto an existing house so that the family's son would have enough room for himself and his bride-to-be (she was going to marry him as soon as he had room for her). The work itself was exhausting, but certainly gratifying. Our project was to build the roof for the addition. Normally, in the states, this would mean a wooden frame, crossbeams, shingles, and insulation. Not here, that would be too easy. Arabs like having cement roofs, so we had to first build a wooden frame, set up metal supports every few feet to bear the weight of construction, then build a ramp up to the roof to help with carrying hundreds of cement blocks, then we had to build steel girders to reinforce the poured concrete and carry those to the roof...in other words, we worked our asses off and I am very sore (though to be fair, my ass is still fully here, a testament to how much I need to continue exercising). We didn't get to actually pour the concrete, but everything else was done, and it was nice to have made visible progress.
One great part of the construction process was working alongside the students and some Jordanian contruction workers. Working with the students gave me the opportunity to learn more about them, their motivations, their lives, etc. And getting to work with the Jordanians was a window into a less affluent Arab world. They were all good people and hard workers, and I was able to establish friendships through my own hard work. We also received lunch every day from the family, which was always delicious and eagerly anticipated.
Finally, we had the evenings free to explore Amman, and load up on souvenirs. I had a great time visiting the ancient Roman amphitheater and haggling with merchants. It truly was a memorable weekend, and not just because my entire body aches.
If you would like to see some photos of the trip (mostly Petra) check out this link: http://picasaweb.google.com/gregory.smith44/JordanTrip
Others there took many more pictures of the construction and the group, so as soon as I get those, I will add a link to them.
I just got back from an incredible weekend in Jordan. On Friday, I was able to cross off one of the top places on my list of where I'd like to go in my life, Petra. Petra is absolutely incredible, and certainly deserves its place as one of the new 7 wonders of the world. The city is gorgeous, the architecture unbelievable, and the lack of a written history of its construction, life, and demise give it that air of wonder and mystery that makes any place appealing. We (the two other chaperones and nine students) walked through most of the ancient city before riding insane donkeys back out. Yes, the donkeys were insane, and galloping on a donkey along the edge of a chasm is not exactly fun. But, then again, how many people can claim to have had that experience? Overall, Petra was postively incredible, and I look forward to returning someday to see the sites that the group wasn't up for hiking to.
The main reason for the trip, however, was to help Habitat for Humanity build a house for a local family. As it turned out, we were actually building an addition onto an existing house so that the family's son would have enough room for himself and his bride-to-be (she was going to marry him as soon as he had room for her). The work itself was exhausting, but certainly gratifying. Our project was to build the roof for the addition. Normally, in the states, this would mean a wooden frame, crossbeams, shingles, and insulation. Not here, that would be too easy. Arabs like having cement roofs, so we had to first build a wooden frame, set up metal supports every few feet to bear the weight of construction, then build a ramp up to the roof to help with carrying hundreds of cement blocks, then we had to build steel girders to reinforce the poured concrete and carry those to the roof...in other words, we worked our asses off and I am very sore (though to be fair, my ass is still fully here, a testament to how much I need to continue exercising). We didn't get to actually pour the concrete, but everything else was done, and it was nice to have made visible progress.
One great part of the construction process was working alongside the students and some Jordanian contruction workers. Working with the students gave me the opportunity to learn more about them, their motivations, their lives, etc. And getting to work with the Jordanians was a window into a less affluent Arab world. They were all good people and hard workers, and I was able to establish friendships through my own hard work. We also received lunch every day from the family, which was always delicious and eagerly anticipated.
Finally, we had the evenings free to explore Amman, and load up on souvenirs. I had a great time visiting the ancient Roman amphitheater and haggling with merchants. It truly was a memorable weekend, and not just because my entire body aches.
If you would like to see some photos of the trip (mostly Petra) check out this link: http://picasaweb.google.com/gregory.smith44/JordanTrip
Others there took many more pictures of the construction and the group, so as soon as I get those, I will add a link to them.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Stoopid Blogging
I don't know what to write. I finally have a chance to write after well over a week of working too much for thoughts of anything else, and I can't think of anything to write about. Or at least anything that sounds worthwhile to me. I wrote a post about my girlfriend, and deleted it for being way too sappy. I wrote a post about squash and the exercise I've been doing, but it was way too boring, so away it went as well. I wrote a post about orientation, posted it, reread it, and now would like to apologize to those of you who bothered to read it. It's pointless.
But, I'm beginning to think that the whole blogging process is pointless too. I sincerely doubt that what I have to say is interesting to anyone else. And there's no point in blogging for myself, that's called thinking.
So, I think I might just delete this blog and forget about it.
But, I'm beginning to think that the whole blogging process is pointless too. I sincerely doubt that what I have to say is interesting to anyone else. And there's no point in blogging for myself, that's called thinking.
So, I think I might just delete this blog and forget about it.
Orientation
This past week was orientation week in Education City. At Carnegie Mellon, the entire orientation was planned, scheduled, coordinated, and led by the upperclass students. Now in many schools, this would have been a recipe for disaster and a weak start for the incoming class. Not so with these students.
In fact, the students did a fantastic job and the result was not only professional, but highly motivating to both the freshmen and the Student Affairs staff. Personally, the entire process thrilled me. My job simply advising and observing the progress was quite satisfying. I'm not sure how to describe the pleasure of watching a student learn and grow, and this week was filled with such events.
I certainly hope that other schools can learn to stand back and allow student leadership, and I know that I look forward to a successful year with all of the organizations that I will be advising.
In fact, the students did a fantastic job and the result was not only professional, but highly motivating to both the freshmen and the Student Affairs staff. Personally, the entire process thrilled me. My job simply advising and observing the progress was quite satisfying. I'm not sure how to describe the pleasure of watching a student learn and grow, and this week was filled with such events.
I certainly hope that other schools can learn to stand back and allow student leadership, and I know that I look forward to a successful year with all of the organizations that I will be advising.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Creativity
In my humble opinion, there is nothing better in the kitchen than a healthy dose of creativity. It bothers me how many people are literally scared to enter the kitchen without a safe, step-by-step recipe in hand. So, I am saying loud and proud, make something up.Every dish that I have made from a recipe was alright. Each dish received good reviews and failed with about the same regularity as when I simply began cooking with a group of ingredients and a mind to have fun. I've included in this post a number of pictures of dishes that I have prepared completely from scratch, with absolutely no recipes. If you would like any of the recipes now, please let me know, I'd be glad to try to remember what I put in each. However, the point I'm trying to make with the pictures is that delicious, attractive food can be made without ever taking a cooking class or following the letter of a recipe.
Now, don't get me wrong, recipes and classes have their uses. Those of you who know me well know that I read cookbooks for leisure and watch the Food Network religiously. But creativity is the ingredient that makes a dish personal. It can be using a recipe as a base and changing the final touch to your own liking, or completely inventing a new dish. Take this simple example: my friend gave me a recipe she had found for moist bran-muffins with a cream-cheese frosting. I tried the recipe and thought that it would be a great breakfast recipe, switched around a bit. So I simply added a bit of orange juice to the muffins and mixed the frosting with orange marmalade. The result was a new muffin and my
own tastes satisfied.But to go even further, I have found very little as satisfying as creating a new recipe completely from scratch and watching friends and loved ones enjoy it. Enjoying my own food is one thing, but pleasing those that I care about with it is on another level entirely. So, I encourage everyone reading this to go out there to your kitchens and make something up. If omelettes with peanut butter, mushrooms, and cheddar can be delicious, so can what you invent!
On a final note, I'd like to thank my wonderful girlfriend, Sophie, for patiently tasting my many, many culinary creations, good and bad. I love you darling.
Oh yeah, and if Eric Gagne blows one more damned game for the Red Sox I'm going to blow a gasket. I never liked that guy, and now that his ERA with the Sox is approaching 20, I'm ready to explode. For christ's sake, Tavarez was better than this jackass. Stop putting him in when the score is close!
Friday, August 17, 2007
Potluck People
I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who came to the potluck tonight. It was really a blast and great to get to know all of you a bit better. I'm definitely looking forward to more!
TGI...T?
OK, two quick things before I talk about what I opened this post for:
1) Frosted Mini Wheats Cinnamon Streusel sounds delicious, and I think that that is more than just the fact that I haven't eaten today and its almost 3 pm. (I just saw a commercial for it, yum)
2) Walking up the stairs to my apartment after biking for half an hour and then lifting weights SUCKS.
Anyways, it's my first true weekend in Doha, and I honestly wasn't looking forward to it. I had gotten used to heading to work and feeling like I was accomplishing something. But, instead, I have avoided the bane of senior year and have pushed myself to check things off my list on the weekend too. Yay for me. So far I have gotten a bit of extra sleep, probably well-deserved. I also cleaned my apartment and used my dishwasher for the first time.
On another sidebar, it is incredible how long it takes to fill a dishwasher when you live alone.
I have also worked out and am about to begin cooking for the potluck party tonight that my coworker and I arranged. That should be a lot of fun and good eats. So, all in all, it turns out that if I just refuse to be excessively lazy, even I can get stuff done on my time off and not feel so wimpy.
1) Frosted Mini Wheats Cinnamon Streusel sounds delicious, and I think that that is more than just the fact that I haven't eaten today and its almost 3 pm. (I just saw a commercial for it, yum)
2) Walking up the stairs to my apartment after biking for half an hour and then lifting weights SUCKS.
Anyways, it's my first true weekend in Doha, and I honestly wasn't looking forward to it. I had gotten used to heading to work and feeling like I was accomplishing something. But, instead, I have avoided the bane of senior year and have pushed myself to check things off my list on the weekend too. Yay for me. So far I have gotten a bit of extra sleep, probably well-deserved. I also cleaned my apartment and used my dishwasher for the first time.
On another sidebar, it is incredible how long it takes to fill a dishwasher when you live alone.
I have also worked out and am about to begin cooking for the potluck party tonight that my coworker and I arranged. That should be a lot of fun and good eats. So, all in all, it turns out that if I just refuse to be excessively lazy, even I can get stuff done on my time off and not feel so wimpy.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Exercise!!!!
So after 4 years of a slowly degrading body, I am FINALLY beginning to work out. I have to thank Darbi for helping me begin. However, I think that what is really helping is a combination of time, proximity to equipment, and the fact that the workout room is fairly empty. I hate working out with people watching me.
Why? Because I am incredibly out of shape and embarassed/disgusted by my body. Four years ago, I weighed 160 pounds and was able to do anything physical that I wanted. Now, I weigh 220 pounds and get a bit winded after jogging a quarter mile. It's pitiful.
But, now I have set my mind to doing something about it. I want to drop to 185 pounds eventually. More importantly, I want to improve my cardiovascular health to the point where I can be active and not feel like I'm dying. Of course the most important goal is not to have a heart attack.
So, that's my plan. Kick my ass if I don't keep it up.
Why? Because I am incredibly out of shape and embarassed/disgusted by my body. Four years ago, I weighed 160 pounds and was able to do anything physical that I wanted. Now, I weigh 220 pounds and get a bit winded after jogging a quarter mile. It's pitiful.
But, now I have set my mind to doing something about it. I want to drop to 185 pounds eventually. More importantly, I want to improve my cardiovascular health to the point where I can be active and not feel like I'm dying. Of course the most important goal is not to have a heart attack.
So, that's my plan. Kick my ass if I don't keep it up.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Compromising My Values?
So I broke down today and did something that I never thought that I would do, bought an SUV. OK, technically I am renting it, but I am still paying to drive it for an extended period of time. For those of you that know me, I don't think that it is completely compromising my values. For those that don't, I hate SUV's. I think that they are the most useless piece of trash ever devised. As far as I'm concerned, they don't handle families as well as minivans or station wagons, they don't handle icy or slippery roads as well as a car, they burn gas like its nothing, and they empower drivers into thinking they are invulnerable. So why, then, did I decide to pool resources with my coworker and get one?
Well, for one thing I don't need to worry about icy or slippery roads here, but I may need to worry about having a 4-WD to navigate less well paved areas. Second, and most embarassingly, the price of gas is not really an object here (sorry environment!). But most importantly, the empowering drivers bit is still true. Not that I need to be empowered, but Arab drivers are in general maniacs. Additionally, many of those maniacs do it in giant SUV's. This means that when they crash (and its definitely when, not if) they do a LOT of damage. In this case, I want as much protection as I can possibly get, and sadly, that is in another SUV. I figure that as long as I'm safe with my own driving, I can lower the risk of an accident. But the risk of someone else hitting me is so high, that safety precedes all environmental or financial concerns.
And that's why I got an SUV. But I swear to you all now, when I get back to the states, I'm happily returning to my hybrid.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Nerdfighters
So, for those of you who haven't had the chance to enjoy it yet, and have some time on your hands, I strongly suggest checking out John and Hank Green on their vlog "Brotherhood 2.0." It's a good time, always good for a chuckle, and sometimes even thought-provoking. Check it out at:
www.brotherhood2.com
Besides, things are more jokes in my pants.
P.S. - Start from the beginning, it's more fun that way.
www.brotherhood2.com
Besides, things are more jokes in my pants.
P.S. - Start from the beginning, it's more fun that way.
It's an Expat Life?
The answer actually is nothing. But that's the problem. Confused yet?
Ever since stepping onto the plane in D.C., I have been treated with nothing but respect and honor. I have been lavished with gifts (beginning with
the iPod that the airline gave me as a thank you for traveling with them) and kindness. Now, I will stop for a quick second and say that the kindness is more than welcome. I absolutely love my new coworkers and am excited to admit that many of them I already consider friends. No, I am bothered by the sheer scale of the grandeur in which I am living.The apartment I have been furnished with is larger than I will be able to afford in the States for at least a decade. Down the street is a
beautiful pool, workout room, billiards hall, and restaurant, all exclusively for the residents of my compound. I am getting paid well, I won't get into specifics, but suffice to say it is much more than I was being offered in the States. I am getting compensated for the vast majority of my expenses, and all the while am living where I have wanted to for quite a while.I guess the problem I'm having is that I don't feel like I deserve all of this. I am just a recent college graduate who is exploring the professional world. I would be comfortable working out of a small closet, let alone this palace. It just seems like the expenses being lavished upon me could be better served redistributed to those who are working harder. Now, it is important to note that I have yet to actually start my job and so part of this is certainly me feeling guilty for being so inactive.
I am sure that I will appreciate this marvelous place to unwind after a hard day's work. But, to be totally honest, I'm going to have to put in an incredible amount of work each day to begin to feel like I'm doing enough to deserve all of this luxury.When I ask why American expats are so pampered, the response I usually get is that we are the few who are willing to leave our homes, and in my case family and loved ones, to do the job. In that light, I do understand. But I can't stop the guilty nagging that reminds me that I do not personally need the luxury as motivation to do what I believe is the right thing to do.
I came to Doha to learn. But I also came to Doha to teach. It was my hope that by coming here, I could improve the understanding of a few Arabs and a few Americans on what can bring our two cultures closer together. Should I accomplish this goal, the best reward will be peace, not a pool. Yet, in the end, there is nothing truly wrong with being taken care of. Will I do what I can to see money distributed to those more in need? Yes. But it is counterproductive to simply sit here and whine about it.
Maybe this is my culture shock. I am accustomed to the Arabs, I am accustomed to Americans, but this is my first plunge into the unique world of the expatriate. It is a world of hard work, great rewards, and a shared feeling of longing for home. I am certainly not adjusted yet, but, God willing, I will find my path through before this year is out.
For a tour of my fabulous apartment, check out this silly video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
Trying Again
Haha, ok, so here we go again. My name's Greg and I enjoy being a walking contradiction. What do I mean by that?
I am a certifiable pacifist that is well-trained on various forms of military weaponry.
I absolutely love to be active and play sports, but have a damn hard time getting my ass off the couch.
I am extraordinarily uncomfortable when I don't have work to do, but when I am working, I look forward to being able to rest.
I am a homebody (astrologically a Cancer, if that's your bag), but I constantly force myself into foreign situations.
I am a die-hard social liberal, and a hard-nosed economic conservative.
I absolutely love fine wine, food, and beer, but am uncomfortable around other forms of luxury.
I will find a menu item that I absolutely love, and then order something different each time I return.
I love my family and my beautiful girlfriend, but I jumped at the opportunity to move to the other side of the world from them.
So where does all of this leave me? I guess when you boil it down, I'm a 23 year old guy who loves nothing more than learning, teaching, exploring, guiding, and attempting to influence the world around me.
Yes, I have delusions of grandeur. I have that incorrigible notion that I have something to offer to the world, if I can just figure out what it is. I am driven by motivations that seem conflictingly selfish and magnanimous.
But, in the end, I'm just a silly guy who enjoys the sensual lingering of a nice glass of red wine, the slap of a baseball against the leather of the glove, the cool shadow felt when you hold your hand in front of your face after watching a campfire for hours, and the thrill of watching someone you taught succeed.
I am a certifiable pacifist that is well-trained on various forms of military weaponry.
I absolutely love to be active and play sports, but have a damn hard time getting my ass off the couch.
I am extraordinarily uncomfortable when I don't have work to do, but when I am working, I look forward to being able to rest.
I am a homebody (astrologically a Cancer, if that's your bag), but I constantly force myself into foreign situations.
I am a die-hard social liberal, and a hard-nosed economic conservative.
I absolutely love fine wine, food, and beer, but am uncomfortable around other forms of luxury.
I will find a menu item that I absolutely love, and then order something different each time I return.
I love my family and my beautiful girlfriend, but I jumped at the opportunity to move to the other side of the world from them.
So where does all of this leave me? I guess when you boil it down, I'm a 23 year old guy who loves nothing more than learning, teaching, exploring, guiding, and attempting to influence the world around me.
Yes, I have delusions of grandeur. I have that incorrigible notion that I have something to offer to the world, if I can just figure out what it is. I am driven by motivations that seem conflictingly selfish and magnanimous.
But, in the end, I'm just a silly guy who enjoys the sensual lingering of a nice glass of red wine, the slap of a baseball against the leather of the glove, the cool shadow felt when you hold your hand in front of your face after watching a campfire for hours, and the thrill of watching someone you taught succeed.
And So It Begins...
Well, I guess this is where I start my own adventure in blogging. I never really seriously considered a blog before, but with the encouragement of a number of my friends, I decided to give it a shot. I find it somewhat of a ludicrous concept that people will bother reading this, but obviously someone is if you can see it now. So I guess I'll have to get over my cynicism and just write for the pure sake of writing.
It seems necessary at this point to give a brief introduction of myself. My name is Greg and I am about to begin work with Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar. I have been hired as a Student Development Coordinator and have been told that that means I advise and assist student organizations. A few months ago, I graduated from Miami University in Ohio where I studied Diplomacy and Middle Eastern/Islamic Studies. So I guess that based on my studies, the moving to the Middle East part makes sense. The Student Affairs part, though, is just as out of the blue for me as it may be for you.
The explanation for my current endeavor into the world of academic staff is a mix of several elements of personal opinion and sheer dumb luck. Basically, I have a mental block about working for profit, so potential jobs in the business world never caught my interest. As for charities, NGO's, and the government, it would seem that at this point they weren't ready to snatch me up. So, when CMU called and offered me the job in Qatar, I leapt at the opportunity.
I am honestly really bored with what I have written so far. If you have managed to read this far, congratulations. You've probably noticed that I'm far more accustomed to writing academic papers and the like, than I am at just writing for the pleasure of it. Not that I don't enjoy writing, I just get too caught up in my training. Maybe that will be the good of this blog, maybe I will learn to relax, just a bit.
I'm going to cut this post off and try again.
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