Melodrama, well I really had the scariest bike ride ever on Rock Creek Parkway recently, not withstanding my earlier escapade where I was on the Parkway (which is very illegal--I noticed while driving one day). I decided at 8 PM to bike from Foggy Bottom all the way up to Tenleytown, surely the quickest would be the parkway ... until it got dark, and quiet, and the path weaved a bit a way from the road, and the cars were coming too fast to notice a bicyclist flitting through the trees, furiously peddling, hoping the boogey man, or serial rapist murder lurking in this metropolitan oasis would not be fast enough to lurch out of the shadows, under the bridges, by the sinisterly calm trickling creek to slam me to the ground and perform unspeakable horrors on me.
Eventually I found a jogger who told me how to get out of the park, because I literally couldn't find a way to exit. Although his directions were still scary, something to the effect of, 'go over bridge, go up steep dirt path to the right' ... I think my thoughts were thinking, uh? through brambles bushes, the forest of evil?!?! Apparently this was my only hope for finding well lit, trafficked, pedestrian filled lively streets lined with shops and eating/drinking establishments. It was either that or risk getting on the Parkway, enduring the cars that suddenly believe they are missiles when not confronted with a stop light every 50 meters, or bike an exit ramp the wrong direction uphill in serpentine fashion, and probably not well lit. I decided on the dirt path. Luckily it did not involved delving into the Forest of Shadows but happily onto Calvert which brought me into the heart of Cleveland Park. From there I took the metro to my destination in Tenleytown. On the way back, I opted to take advantage of my friend's newly bought overhead bike rack on his shiny four-wheeled vehicle.
Friday, April 22, 2005
advice to pedestrians
I am one too and probably guilty of all these things; but these are observations I notice mostly when I'm on my bike:
1. Walk in a straight line, do not weave around, there could be a bicyclist behind you trying to figure where you're trying to go so they can avoid hitting you
2. When listening to your music or talking on your cell, do not look at the ground, look up and around you. Multi-tasking: I know it's tough after a hard day at work
3. Just because you're in a group, doesn't mean you can take up the whole sidewalk, ownership of concrete by numbers does not apply in the District
4. Pedestrians tend to weave back and forth like squirrels when they see an oncoming bike and are surprised by it. Do not behave like a squirrel, you are smarter; pick your first direction and go with it, bicyclist will adjust accordingly.
5. Be mindful of the arms signals bicyclists make. A straight arm (with left arm) means turning left, a left arm bent at the elbows at a 90 degree angle means turning right.
7. This is a common on a bike path, if you hear 'on your left' that means stay to your right, that does not mean turn around and put yourself in the path of the bicyclist.
I realize bicyclists are guilty of many errors and audacious maneuvers on roads and sidewalks, particularly since DC does not have bike lanes, the bike lanes are the roads. And yes, I heard somewhere that bikes aren't allowed on sidewalks, but I've yet to hear of a DC cop enforce that one ... [I've blatantly run red lights (when no one is going to be crossing for miles) in front of cops and have yet to get a ticket ... I suppose my day will come].
1. Walk in a straight line, do not weave around, there could be a bicyclist behind you trying to figure where you're trying to go so they can avoid hitting you
2. When listening to your music or talking on your cell, do not look at the ground, look up and around you. Multi-tasking: I know it's tough after a hard day at work
3. Just because you're in a group, doesn't mean you can take up the whole sidewalk, ownership of concrete by numbers does not apply in the District
4. Pedestrians tend to weave back and forth like squirrels when they see an oncoming bike and are surprised by it. Do not behave like a squirrel, you are smarter; pick your first direction and go with it, bicyclist will adjust accordingly.
5. Be mindful of the arms signals bicyclists make. A straight arm (with left arm) means turning left, a left arm bent at the elbows at a 90 degree angle means turning right.
7. This is a common on a bike path, if you hear 'on your left' that means stay to your right, that does not mean turn around and put yourself in the path of the bicyclist.
I realize bicyclists are guilty of many errors and audacious maneuvers on roads and sidewalks, particularly since DC does not have bike lanes, the bike lanes are the roads. And yes, I heard somewhere that bikes aren't allowed on sidewalks, but I've yet to hear of a DC cop enforce that one ... [I've blatantly run red lights (when no one is going to be crossing for miles) in front of cops and have yet to get a ticket ... I suppose my day will come].
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
so what's with all the blogging
You know why, it's that time of the semester, close to finals!!! Anyway, inspired by Greek Tragedy, I'm also adding a 'favorite posts' to my sidebar. The absolute essentials if you want the best of the crap on this website.
candidity
I discovered a blog today called Greek Tragedy. Catherine pointed this out in one post about bloggers who are turning into book authors, their words written in real print. Anyway, I'm loving reading about Stephanie Klein's life ... her blog seems genuine and not fictional, and even it were fictional it such a good read. I was asked by one male friend to 'juice-up' my blog. Yeah, I don't think so, my mom has the URL and I have a sneaking suspicion my ex has it bookmarked. Anyway, if I wrote everything down here, what would I have to chat about over 2 Amy's pizza with my girlfriends? I need to save my juicy bits. Although reading Stephanie's blog does make me wistful ... one that I could write like her, and two be that candid.
In other news, I had given my mom the okay a few months ago to play matchmaker. She says now that my two uncles and a cousin are already fixed up, its my turn and her and the aunties are looking in earnest. So ma, if you're reading this, remember these are my requirements (and good luck finding them in a Bengali dude):
-Over 6'2 ft in height (must be able to wear heels without embarrassing said hubby)
-Western education (higher than BA preferred, preferably not IT)
-US citizen, primarily brought up in the United States or other English speaking country
-fit (works out cares about appearances)
-comes from progressive family (read--westernized)
Hopefully these requirements don't make me seem too shallow. Although I think my wish list is longer for guys I meet on my own. The funny thing is my dad isn't so hell-bent on me marrying me Bengali, only cares if the dude is Muslim. However given my mom's and aunt's circle of friends, I don't see how they'll find anyone but a Bengali Muslim.
In other news, I had given my mom the okay a few months ago to play matchmaker. She says now that my two uncles and a cousin are already fixed up, its my turn and her and the aunties are looking in earnest. So ma, if you're reading this, remember these are my requirements (and good luck finding them in a Bengali dude):
-Over 6'2 ft in height (must be able to wear heels without embarrassing said hubby)
-Western education (higher than BA preferred, preferably not IT)
-US citizen, primarily brought up in the United States or other English speaking country
-fit (works out cares about appearances)
-comes from progressive family (read--westernized)
Hopefully these requirements don't make me seem too shallow. Although I think my wish list is longer for guys I meet on my own. The funny thing is my dad isn't so hell-bent on me marrying me Bengali, only cares if the dude is Muslim. However given my mom's and aunt's circle of friends, I don't see how they'll find anyone but a Bengali Muslim.
fever broke and ramblings
I think my fever broke this afternoon. Shivering in my shorts & tank with my thermostat set at -50 degree I decided to turn off my A/C and open the windows. Although I'm still cold even though it is 83 degrees outside .... so maybe I still am feeling feverish.
I've noticed an alarming trend ... people are not like me. Just kidding ... although it's true. I suppose I should feel rather fortunate that at age 24 I'm in a career that is fulfilling, interesting, challenges me and keep me motivated and isn't a complete waste of my time like other jobs I've held. One thing I realize is that there are a lot of people, older and younger, who haven't even yet figured out if they want a career. Its kind of like, they're happy with whatever brings in the money to sustain their hobbies. It almost alarms me. I know in old fashioned times, the parents dictated to kids to become doctors or lawyers or teach or something, and now the whole educational system is based on, "explore your interests! Pursue your hobbies!!! Do what you want to do!" Which now strikes me that people clearly don't know what they want to do, except for maybe their hobbies. There are those who are stuck in jobs, in a rut so to speak, because they're still waiting for the proverbial open door, at least they know what they want, they just don't have it yet. It's the others, those who don't care that they don't know know what they want.
For me this just means I think it will make it harder for me to find what I'm looking for in a partner. I'm ambitious and hope that I can find someone with the similar intensity of ambition. Hopefully in a respectable career. Some of those people who may not have a clue that they might want a career are the same people who tell me they value time with their friends and family. That's fine, really it is, but not at the expense of being in your death bed, looking at your life and realizing before retirement, those forty hours spent every day at the office was a complete waste of time. Also I don't believe other people when they tell me all they need to be happy is to make others happy. It's nobody's job to make everyone happy, except for the psychiatrists.
I've noticed an alarming trend ... people are not like me. Just kidding ... although it's true. I suppose I should feel rather fortunate that at age 24 I'm in a career that is fulfilling, interesting, challenges me and keep me motivated and isn't a complete waste of my time like other jobs I've held. One thing I realize is that there are a lot of people, older and younger, who haven't even yet figured out if they want a career. Its kind of like, they're happy with whatever brings in the money to sustain their hobbies. It almost alarms me. I know in old fashioned times, the parents dictated to kids to become doctors or lawyers or teach or something, and now the whole educational system is based on, "explore your interests! Pursue your hobbies!!! Do what you want to do!" Which now strikes me that people clearly don't know what they want to do, except for maybe their hobbies. There are those who are stuck in jobs, in a rut so to speak, because they're still waiting for the proverbial open door, at least they know what they want, they just don't have it yet. It's the others, those who don't care that they don't know know what they want.
For me this just means I think it will make it harder for me to find what I'm looking for in a partner. I'm ambitious and hope that I can find someone with the similar intensity of ambition. Hopefully in a respectable career. Some of those people who may not have a clue that they might want a career are the same people who tell me they value time with their friends and family. That's fine, really it is, but not at the expense of being in your death bed, looking at your life and realizing before retirement, those forty hours spent every day at the office was a complete waste of time. Also I don't believe other people when they tell me all they need to be happy is to make others happy. It's nobody's job to make everyone happy, except for the psychiatrists.
feverish nightmares
Last night I spent much time alternating between shivering with chills or sweating profusely and having nightmares about Damian's psychopathic character in Cronicos (see previous post). Yesterday I had woken up with my temperature 4 degrees above normal, today only 2 degrees above normal. I feel like this is the most I've ever gotten sick, since high school anyway. Usually I'm impervious to colds and flu ... although this year I didn't get a flu shot like I normally do (thanks to wonderful flu vaccine shortage) ... I don't know if that has anything to do with it. For some reason I didn't feel like taking my usual pre-cold treatment of echinacea every hour for eight hours, maybe that's why I'm still feeling sick. For the past two days I have been drinking copious amounts of herbal tea, which while I'm drinking does make me feel better.
It sucks being sick, like I know every minute I'm falling more and more behind at work, and for some reason even though I stay home, I'm never able to make a productive day of it like tidying up my place or catching up on homework or trying to get ahead in graduate studies. Instead I mope ... the temperature gauge from the Weather Bug says its 77 degrees outside. I feel crummy enough with two massive red volcanic zits on my face, un-showered, hair unkempt, and still in mismatched PJs to walk across the street to buy some ginger ale or get some Tazo juiced iced tea from Starbucks, only three block away.
Also I don't get why people at work, on the metro, who are sick decide its okay to show up in public and spew their germs on the healthy ones so we get sick. It's simply irresponsible. SICK PEOPLE STAY AT HOME!!!
It sucks being sick, like I know every minute I'm falling more and more behind at work, and for some reason even though I stay home, I'm never able to make a productive day of it like tidying up my place or catching up on homework or trying to get ahead in graduate studies. Instead I mope ... the temperature gauge from the Weather Bug says its 77 degrees outside. I feel crummy enough with two massive red volcanic zits on my face, un-showered, hair unkempt, and still in mismatched PJs to walk across the street to buy some ginger ale or get some Tazo juiced iced tea from Starbucks, only three block away.
Also I don't get why people at work, on the metro, who are sick decide its okay to show up in public and spew their germs on the healthy ones so we get sick. It's simply irresponsible. SICK PEOPLE STAY AT HOME!!!
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
aficionado
I can't resist DC International Film Fest being in town. Last night I went out to see "I Love Cinema" (Egypt), funny, macabre, and wonderful at the same time. Heartily recommend seeing it.
Tonight I watched a rather disturbing film with John Leguizamo called Cronicas (Mexico). First its about the investigation into a serial child rapist/killer of over 150 boys and girls in South American. Besides knowing that from the description, there's a rather brutal lynching scene ... however you must get past your queasiness if you want to get through the rest of the movie. Some people will hate this movie, you come out essentially feeling pretty disgusted at the whole human race, particularly given the performance of Damian Alcazar (Crimes of Father Amaro) who plays the main suspect ... quite riveting and desperately believing. All in all, a pretty dark film about an ugly hideous overcast world where corpses of little girls are found in the mud and fathers are set on fire in front of their sons and pregnant wives. Nobody comes off squeaky clean. Oh, and then there are the sounds of flies intermittently through the movie; particularly at pivotal scenes ... to remind you that the Devil and Hell are also unseen characters in the script.
Sunday, April 17, 2005
disturbing
I found this in my fortune cookie tonight. I suppose its supposed to be inspiring but at the same time (yes I must spell it out) quite macabre.
one of those things I don't get
So the new Nationals mascot was unveiled yesterday. I think it's hilarious its name is Screech. Kind of a cute dude. But it one of those things that makes me wonder? Like who is the person in that suit? Do they get adequate compensation for the humiliation?
Baseball is something I never understood, therefore I must find amusement in the sport like contemplating other things when watching ie: is he chewing gum or tobacco? What exactly is Screech trying to say there?
My only relationship to Washington baseball is that once I was in the musical, "Damn Yankees" performed at my high school which featured the Washington baseball team, "The Senators." The musical was a Faustian adaptation about a guy who would do anything to make the Washington team win. My contribution to the play was 'Fan #1' and 'Chorus.'
Baseball is something I never understood, therefore I must find amusement in the sport like contemplating other things when watching ie: is he chewing gum or tobacco? What exactly is Screech trying to say there?
My only relationship to Washington baseball is that once I was in the musical, "Damn Yankees" performed at my high school which featured the Washington baseball team, "The Senators." The musical was a Faustian adaptation about a guy who would do anything to make the Washington team win. My contribution to the play was 'Fan #1' and 'Chorus.'
Saturday, April 16, 2005
dutious
If you are someone who tried to master the moonwalk, typewriter, and mimicked x-rated dance moves in front of your bedroom mirror while listening to Blondie's "Touch Myself" or played air guitar to Joan Jett's "I love Rock'n Roll" then Friday night's party at the Black Cat was the place to let your inner child out ... props to Selector Seth for another super fun night.
Most of the gang of 15 who took the field trip out of the building to the Black Cat ended up going to Agua for international dance night (also without cover). Anyway, after listening to the girls over brunch the next morning at Peacock Cafe in Georgetown, who talked of dancing till closing ... I was curious, very curious ... another night; another night.
Anyway, I was shocked by the prices of Georgetown's Zara. This is supposed to Spain's answer to H&M!!! But no, despite my expectation of bargain fashions my enthusiasm for cool hip clothes were curbed by sticker shock. Still didn't stop me from buying two new shirts, (they were cute and if you believe the re-stickering, marked down).
Most of the gang of 15 who took the field trip out of the building to the Black Cat ended up going to Agua for international dance night (also without cover). Anyway, after listening to the girls over brunch the next morning at Peacock Cafe in Georgetown, who talked of dancing till closing ... I was curious, very curious ... another night; another night.
Anyway, I was shocked by the prices of Georgetown's Zara. This is supposed to Spain's answer to H&M!!! But no, despite my expectation of bargain fashions my enthusiasm for cool hip clothes were curbed by sticker shock. Still didn't stop me from buying two new shirts, (they were cute and if you believe the re-stickering, marked down).
Friday, April 15, 2005
curiosity made the cat crave
Pho is something I've enjoyed without thinking too deeply about what goes into making the broth. While eating an equally tasty dinner of fish and radish curry, I began to ponder the ingredients in Pho. I know I've heard ox tail before ... so I looked it up, and rather than being horrified, it made me want to hop on the metro for a savory bowl of noodle soup in Rosslyn.
Now if you gave me a plain bowl of pho with no garnish-ments I'd be kind of upset. Sometimes I wonder if eating pho is not just an excuse to squirt a bottle of Sriracha sauce into the bowl ... which makes the yummy treat absolutely addictive. And frankly if you want me to eat anything, just put Sriracha sauce on it.
Now if you gave me a plain bowl of pho with no garnish-ments I'd be kind of upset. Sometimes I wonder if eating pho is not just an excuse to squirt a bottle of Sriracha sauce into the bowl ... which makes the yummy treat absolutely addictive. And frankly if you want me to eat anything, just put Sriracha sauce on it.
Thursday, April 14, 2005
DC Film Fest
Check it out!!! If I'm a good girl, I hopefully plan to catch at least two films. Last year I saw several amazing films, one being the first cut of a BBC documentary: Al-Jazeera Exclusive, which showed the unseen footage of the beginning of the US air campaign above Baghdad and another: Route 181, a film even the French censored for being too inflammatory... both awesome films that sucked me into being a fan of the documentary genre.
curb my enthusiasm
Yay! So Naomi actually tagged me for an mme! I have no idea what that means but it's cool because I can now blog about this topic:
List five things that people in your circle of friends or peer group are wild about, but you can’t really understand the fuss over.
1. Bars--yeah everyone in DC is nuts about them ... clearly I have a thriving social life ;) But this hatred of bars is already well documented.
2. Lost--that show with dinosaurs and stuff ... After the Alias creators lost me on Sydney's two year 'bout of amnesia in Season 3, I decided the creators were whack ... and I couldn't be sorely disappointed by a new series again.
3. Marathons--I used to think getting into a ring with a complete stranger and battling it out for 3 2-minute rounds in a Taekwondo tournament in some godforsaken mid-Western city like Cleveland or Detroit , paying for hotel, airfare, and tournament fees only to get my ass whipped was bad ... but DAMN running 26 1/2 miles???!!! Props to masochists!!! No, truly I respect you, but it's not on my list of things to do.
4. Arlington-it sucks and YOU GUYS ARE NOT FROM DC!
5. The Yuppie thing-people are actually proud of that ... how can you be proud of that??? Stupid smarmy SUV riding-yellow 'support the troops' ribboned weapons of bicyclist-death. The irony of the 'support the troops' sticker on a SUV ... need I say more?
Even though people don't read my blog, I hope anyone who reads this isn't pissed at me. Really I love you Becca, Julie, and Naomi ... you guys and some other friends are the only reason I'd think about getting off the metro at an Arlington stop .... that and Pho 75. I do have to say, Arlington rocks because it does have a Pho 75. Marathoner's do rock ... my body and mental abilities are just not up to the task. And I've never seen an episode of 'Lost', but the Alias writers have truly scared me from ever watching any of their creations. I still stand by yuppies and bars sucking, which is why it's harder to drag me into Arlington imbibing establishments than a true redneck establishment.
List five things that people in your circle of friends or peer group are wild about, but you can’t really understand the fuss over.
1. Bars--yeah everyone in DC is nuts about them ... clearly I have a thriving social life ;) But this hatred of bars is already well documented.
2. Lost--that show with dinosaurs and stuff ... After the Alias creators lost me on Sydney's two year 'bout of amnesia in Season 3, I decided the creators were whack ... and I couldn't be sorely disappointed by a new series again.
3. Marathons--I used to think getting into a ring with a complete stranger and battling it out for 3 2-minute rounds in a Taekwondo tournament in some godforsaken mid-Western city like Cleveland or Detroit , paying for hotel, airfare, and tournament fees only to get my ass whipped was bad ... but DAMN running 26 1/2 miles???!!! Props to masochists!!! No, truly I respect you, but it's not on my list of things to do.
4. Arlington-it sucks and YOU GUYS ARE NOT FROM DC!
5. The Yuppie thing-people are actually proud of that ... how can you be proud of that??? Stupid smarmy SUV riding-yellow 'support the troops' ribboned weapons of bicyclist-death. The irony of the 'support the troops' sticker on a SUV ... need I say more?
Even though people don't read my blog, I hope anyone who reads this isn't pissed at me. Really I love you Becca, Julie, and Naomi ... you guys and some other friends are the only reason I'd think about getting off the metro at an Arlington stop .... that and Pho 75. I do have to say, Arlington rocks because it does have a Pho 75. Marathoner's do rock ... my body and mental abilities are just not up to the task. And I've never seen an episode of 'Lost', but the Alias writers have truly scared me from ever watching any of their creations. I still stand by yuppies and bars sucking, which is why it's harder to drag me into Arlington imbibing establishments than a true redneck establishment.
amazement
New Order came out with a new album recently: "Waiting for the Siren's Call." I thought back in 1998 when they renamed themselves Monaco and I bought their album, "Music for Pleasure" they were gone for good. This new album will definitely be on my summer play list. Awesome awesome ... for lack of my ability to write snarky uber-intellectual hipster reviews of albums like they do in Pitchfork (which seem to consist mostly of chatter not having anything to do with the review, but a little esoteric back-pat for the author). Along with The Bravery's new album, I will be spinning Phoenix, introduced to me by Catherine who saw them at 9:30 Club.
Monday, April 11, 2005
under the pink canopy
Yes those trees are quite pretty. Despite not having much sleep from the weekend's merriment at Home nightclub with Chopingal (became such a weird scene recently ... a lot of under 21 college girls and ultra sleezy older guys), a peek into the ultra-exclusive IndeBleu, and wonton soup and bubble tea at a chinese restaurant in chinatown Saturday night ... also a Sunday beautiful morning of bouldering precariously on the VA side of Great Falls park (due to me not seeing the extra borrowed harness in my trunk) ... I decided to bike to the tidal basin and read my wonderful texts on globalism under a 'pink canopy.' Except it got too chilly and I decided to bike home ... and now doing my favorite activity, procrastinating!!!
Oh and Sunday is a very bad day for anyone's battery to die ... Most of the day was spent on the great battery scavenger hunt ... from DC, I finally found the WalMart in Sterling will replace and install your battery. Also I found out if AAA sends you a contract towing company they won't provide full services like a real AAA serviceman would.
Oh and Sunday is a very bad day for anyone's battery to die ... Most of the day was spent on the great battery scavenger hunt ... from DC, I finally found the WalMart in Sterling will replace and install your battery. Also I found out if AAA sends you a contract towing company they won't provide full services like a real AAA serviceman would.
Saturday, April 09, 2005
procrastinating again
yar, so here I am because I totally screwed myself last weekend by not researching my paper at all, particularly with the weather being gloomy and inhospitable to anything but burying myself in the stack of yet unfamiliar GWU's Gelman Library. Now I look wistfully out my window at the gorgeous day passing me by. While I research Bangladesh and terrorism for my final paper. I received a pretty good grade on the midterm for that class, so I'm not overly concerned, but I pride myself in being able to write decent papers, thus the hard work.
My other class not so wonderful. I think I literally had a brain fart the day I took that midterm. Came home from work, tried to study, but my body literally lethargically lay itself down on soft bed and I had the hardest time getting each of my muscles to move when it came time to get going, or get my brain to work for that matter. I mentioned in a previous post hitting a pedestrian, well that was on my way to the midterm, it should be no surprise that my brain clearly couldn't work through a midterm if I had made the brilliant decision to run a yellow/red light five minutes before on K St. while midst rush hour traffic ... on a bike. Facing a choice between an intimate encounter with an out-of-state SUV (yea u MD and VA plates are out-of-state in the District) or navigating my way through a river of pedestrians crossing, its no wonder I should choose the former.
Aargh, maybe if I'm productive now I can go climbing tomorrow!
My other class not so wonderful. I think I literally had a brain fart the day I took that midterm. Came home from work, tried to study, but my body literally lethargically lay itself down on soft bed and I had the hardest time getting each of my muscles to move when it came time to get going, or get my brain to work for that matter. I mentioned in a previous post hitting a pedestrian, well that was on my way to the midterm, it should be no surprise that my brain clearly couldn't work through a midterm if I had made the brilliant decision to run a yellow/red light five minutes before on K St. while midst rush hour traffic ... on a bike. Facing a choice between an intimate encounter with an out-of-state SUV (yea u MD and VA plates are out-of-state in the District) or navigating my way through a river of pedestrians crossing, its no wonder I should choose the former.
Aargh, maybe if I'm productive now I can go climbing tomorrow!
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
it's official
HFStival is actually happening, despite actual radio station going away. The TicketBastard sales page confirms it. Has probably the best line-up I've ever seen in years ... Unfortunately, I will be going far away that day (May 14). An unofficial website seems to be the best source for news.
I have many fond memories of previous HFStivals ... like my first one in 1996 when my best friend and I accidentally got stuck in a vortex of mosh pits five feet away from a gyrating Gwen Stefani, I lost my shoe and sun glasses, and had to crowd-surf out while other damsels fainted from the exertion of the hot beating June sun ...
In 1997 when I got my first taste of electronic music and broke it down like the future (and now past) club kid I became to the delayed and much anticipated Crystal Method set ... and earlier fell in love with the now defunct Kula Shaker.
1998 ... that was my last one, for some reason that one must've been tame because I can't remember it ;)
I have many fond memories of previous HFStivals ... like my first one in 1996 when my best friend and I accidentally got stuck in a vortex of mosh pits five feet away from a gyrating Gwen Stefani, I lost my shoe and sun glasses, and had to crowd-surf out while other damsels fainted from the exertion of the hot beating June sun ...
In 1997 when I got my first taste of electronic music and broke it down like the future (and now past) club kid I became to the delayed and much anticipated Crystal Method set ... and earlier fell in love with the now defunct Kula Shaker.
1998 ... that was my last one, for some reason that one must've been tame because I can't remember it ;)
hate post
stupid yuppie Capitol Hill douche bags that you saw towards the end of the night ... just absolutely rude fucking assholes, pardon my french
That's a direct quote from an e-mail I wrote yesterday to a friend. I'm going to use the power of blogger to write a hate post about two particular NOT gentlemen I met at Local 16 Saturday night: Laslow (some weird Hungarian name) and Nathan ... you two are absolute fuckwits.
The story: Laslow comes up to me, starts talking while his wingman Nathan hangs out beside me. A friend of mine visiting from 'out of town,' gets very protective. Suddenly Laslow ends conversation and leaves. Friends says, 'biggest douchebag ever.' I wish I had listened. See them an hour later, this time its Nathan hitting on me and Laslow observing (what kind of weird social behavior is THIS???!!!). I ask Nathan if he wants to meet a friend, all of sudden I hear a barrage of, "ARE YOU TRYING TO PUNT ME???" and then from Laslow, "ARE YOU TRYING TO PUNT MY FRIEND???!!!?" Nathan meets said (a girl) friend, acts like an utter prick and leaves. (Girl) friend says, what a fucking asshole??!!!
Amazing that actually managed to spoil Local 16 completely for me. I like Chi-Cha better, even though people are somewhat anti-social and only want to hang out with their own posse.
I must take choice quote from Laslow to describe Local 16:
'Don't do Citron, not into the eurotrash scene (and since when are World Bankers & IMFer's eurotrash?) ... Local 16 is where the yuppies hang out.'
Yea, that describes it ... Local 16, cool bohemian ambiance, absolute yuppie fuckwits crowding the space, acting more uptight than they do at work, and their idea of cutting lose is to be rude and act like assholes.
Monday, April 04, 2005
genuine dc blogs
I have some blogs I frequent, which unfortunately because I'm not good at this html crap, I haven't figured out how to add a links section and post all my favorites. But I discovered an ultra-cool one: crazy goofy world. I like how that she is a real DC native, and knows what I'm talking about when I make references to the real DC. And frankly I'm just a poseur, b/c I'm really a NOVA (northern virginia) native who's wet dream (yea girls get them too) of eventually moving into the beloved beautiful sprawling river delta metropolis of DC came true only last August.
And I still love it, even though those same people who scrawled 'yuppies out of shaw' (from another blog I shamelessly link to: unrequited narcissism) sometime yell at me as I'm walking home from the Mt. Vernon Sq metro.
And I still love it, even though those same people who scrawled 'yuppies out of shaw' (from another blog I shamelessly link to: unrequited narcissism) sometime yell at me as I'm walking home from the Mt. Vernon Sq metro.
Saturday, April 02, 2005
concert/dance party roll up for this spring
Events I'm aspiring to go to. Call/e-mail me to let me know if you're interested too.
Apr 15 (Friday)--Notorious Dance Party--- Free, Seth DJ's 80's dance party @ Black Cat
SAT APR 30- GIRL FRIDAY presents DJ REKHA: bhangra and hip-hop dance night $8adv/$10day 9:30 @ Black Cat
The Decemberists ($15) I already bought tix so I'm definitley going--Friday, 5/6/05 9:00PM EDT 9:30 Club
May 12 Thurs. Sarah McLachlan ($ 35-50) Patriot Center, GMU; already bought tix so definitley going
SAT JUNE 4- STEPHEN MALKMUS $15 mainstage 9:30 @ The Black Cat--not sure when this is going on sale
Apr 15 (Friday)--Notorious Dance Party--- Free, Seth DJ's 80's dance party @ Black Cat
SAT APR 30- GIRL FRIDAY presents DJ REKHA: bhangra and hip-hop dance night $8adv/$10day 9:30 @ Black Cat
The Decemberists ($15) I already bought tix so I'm definitley going--Friday, 5/6/05 9:00PM EDT 9:30 Club
May 12 Thurs. Sarah McLachlan ($ 35-50) Patriot Center, GMU; already bought tix so definitley going
SAT JUNE 4- STEPHEN MALKMUS $15 mainstage 9:30 @ The Black Cat--not sure when this is going on sale
Rio vacation next winter?
Well after seeing this article:
The killings were shockingly brutal even for this city, which has one of the world's highest murder rates, and where massacres occur with disturbing frequency. The death toll was higher than the 1993 Vigario Geral police massacre of 21 people ...I'm not so sure anymore. Will I be safer in the jungle? Or can I expect to be eaten by truck sized ant?
"Experience has shown that this type of crime is always carried out by the underworld of the police apparatus," said Jorge Piciani, president of the Rio de Janeiro state assembly.
El nino, God whatever
Please do something about this weather. I know its really cliche to whine about DC weather on a blog, but COME ON!!! You're absolutely ruining my plans to try out my new hydration pack and break into my new hiking boots, plus just get a decent afternoon to go rockclimbing ... which like I predicted (big tongue sticking out of face to rockclimbing friends) Friday was beautiful!!! But no, I suffered horrible allergies, debating whether I would get a phone call in time to head out to Great Falls NP or Carderock and shoot up on some steroid nasal spray to make a sweaty dirty daring afternoon of it, hanging precariously above turbulent swollen Potomac waters off of Mather Gorge ... UGH! AAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!! Instead I went to bed at 4 PM and didn't wake up until 7:30 AM the next morning.
I am uber squirrelly, thankful for rainy allergen free days, but itching to get out on a sunny spring day!
I am uber squirrelly, thankful for rainy allergen free days, but itching to get out on a sunny spring day!
Friday, April 01, 2005
no u did'Unt!
I was all set to watch a serious, mature documentary, Born Into Brothels, this year's Academy Award winner for best foreign documentary/film or whatever, but instead I got waylaid by Guess Who, yes that silly Bernie Mac and Ashton Kutcher which got lukewarm reviews from every critic.
Instead I immensely enjoyed the film, if you like utterly black and white (metaphorically) comedies. And I wished I had a boyfriend just like Ashton Kutcher, funny and cute. But I guess I'm too young for him, lucky Demi.
Instead I immensely enjoyed the film, if you like utterly black and white (metaphorically) comedies. And I wished I had a boyfriend just like Ashton Kutcher, funny and cute. But I guess I'm too young for him, lucky Demi.
Happy April Fool's Day
Take a look at the pix above. Yes its gone, its all gone ...Mmmmwwwaaahhhaaaaaa, silly me being narcissistic when I have no right to be with 3 AM shadows under my eyes.
Thursday, March 31, 2005
goodbye kitty
I've been a bad cat mommy. Even if you've never had the extended pleasure of companionship with a good cat, I hope you still understand my pain. After dealing with sleepless nights fretting about exams and deadlines at work, my problems were compounded by a little critter, who enjoyed chewing through power chords, unplugging things (necessary things like my alarm clock), and waking me up at ungodly times of the night, wanting to play or begging for food. So I decided he'd be much happier at my mom's.
Dreading the transport, which from a previous post you may remember the little animal has a propensity to crap and piss on himself in the carrier, I heeded some advice given to my mom by an airline passenger transporting her cat. Benadryl is a recommended sedative by veterinarians, said the passenger. So I shoved half a pill down Valdemar's poor unwilling little throat, after deception by implanting it into his food didn't work. After doing this I was convinced that I had just about killed my cat:
Valdemar lurched around my condo, foaming at the mouth and gagging, and inbetween mewling pathetically.
Panicked I called a Georgetown veterinarian who told me to bring him in. I had dinner plans with mom at Indique (a fabulous Indian restaurant) which we had to cancel. So I shoved my poor gagging and foaming cat into the carrier to pick up my mom at Union Station then head the opposite way to G-town. Not five minutes into the car ride, the cat crapped on himself. After getting to the vet's and (thankfully they cleaned him off), I was told that he was fine. When I asked about potential sedatives to give him for car rides, I was told that Benadryl is a recommended sedative for cats; and more importantly cats have a tendency to foam at the mouth when they taste something bitter, like Benadryl. Well damn, I wish I knew that before my wallet became significantly lighter. So now cat is with grandma.
And I can't bring myself to tidy up my place, still full of cat hair and scattered cat toys (and less appealing cat litter debris in the bathroom). I already miss him greeting me at the door when I come home from work, pouncing on my head an hour before my alarm, and snuggling up to me on weekend mornings (after his 5 AM feeding and I've gone back to sleep).
Dreading the transport, which from a previous post you may remember the little animal has a propensity to crap and piss on himself in the carrier, I heeded some advice given to my mom by an airline passenger transporting her cat. Benadryl is a recommended sedative by veterinarians, said the passenger. So I shoved half a pill down Valdemar's poor unwilling little throat, after deception by implanting it into his food didn't work. After doing this I was convinced that I had just about killed my cat:
Valdemar lurched around my condo, foaming at the mouth and gagging, and inbetween mewling pathetically.
Panicked I called a Georgetown veterinarian who told me to bring him in. I had dinner plans with mom at Indique (a fabulous Indian restaurant) which we had to cancel. So I shoved my poor gagging and foaming cat into the carrier to pick up my mom at Union Station then head the opposite way to G-town. Not five minutes into the car ride, the cat crapped on himself. After getting to the vet's and (thankfully they cleaned him off), I was told that he was fine. When I asked about potential sedatives to give him for car rides, I was told that Benadryl is a recommended sedative for cats; and more importantly cats have a tendency to foam at the mouth when they taste something bitter, like Benadryl. Well damn, I wish I knew that before my wallet became significantly lighter. So now cat is with grandma.
And I can't bring myself to tidy up my place, still full of cat hair and scattered cat toys (and less appealing cat litter debris in the bathroom). I already miss him greeting me at the door when I come home from work, pouncing on my head an hour before my alarm, and snuggling up to me on weekend mornings (after his 5 AM feeding and I've gone back to sleep).
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
condo boards
With my building undergoing board of director consideration for a new homeowner's association, I hope this article will provide a forewarning/early lesson:
Neighbors thrown together by financial happenstance or the luck of the real estate market are sometimes shocked to find themselves acting out childhood angst and rivalries at the condo or co-op board. In the worst cases some yearn for the clinical detachment of a rental building.
Monday, March 28, 2005
dc is a great town
many wax about the lack of 'China' in Chinatown, or the uber-snooty people in G-town, the deserted business park feel of Golden Triangle on weekends, but I have to love DC for this:
Rather proud, that my town is one of the few that have a squad devoted like this. Of course, it has to be in a town that requires a 3 day diversity training course for all govees!!!
Other law enforcement agencies across the country -- Atlanta, Philadelphia, Chicago -- have officers who deal with the gay community, but none has a separate squad like the District's. In addition to four full-time officers, there are eight auxiliary and reserve officers, including one transgender member, Tomi Finkle, a retired U.S. Capitol Police sergeant who now carries a LadySmith .45.
Rather proud, that my town is one of the few that have a squad devoted like this. Of course, it has to be in a town that requires a 3 day diversity training course for all govees!!!
rectify
now I love my mom, don't get me wrong. But there is definitley something inherently wrong when my mom discovers the URL to my blog and starts reading it everyday. Take the previous post for example, about me almost hitting a pedestrian. I didn't actually hit her, I almost did, instead maybe all she got is a set of headphones stretched a bit too thin when I my handlebars yanked them out of her oblivious head. But my mom reads this (and again I love my mom) but my sarcasm/penchant for melodrama does not serve the anxious mother well:
I read on your blog that you had an accident, you hit a pedestrian with your bike. What happened, was the person okay, did she has to go to the hospital, were you hurt. Please let me know what's going on about this.
Seriously ma, I'm fine, I'm burning spaghetti sauce right now, (just kidding!!! melodrama is funny!!!) I'm really not dying of smoke inhalation right now!!! Sheesh. I'm cruel, I don't deserve my mother.
Sunday, March 27, 2005
pedestrian ...
I feel really bad about this ... and I know I shouldn't have run the yellow light on K St during rush hour this past Thursday night. I was already running late for a midterm and I hit a pedestrian ...
Not with my car! I actually ripped her headphones out with my handlebars as I narrowly veered my bike away from a head on collision into her. Frankly, I think she deserved it ... sure I shouldn't have taken the risk but I'm rather peeved by people who have their iPods up so loud, they can't hear furious bell ringing/or honking as a Mack truck barrels into them, or less dramatic, me on my slim little bike avoiding somersaulting into my asphalt death.
Even Victorians acknowledge this is a problem.
Not with my car! I actually ripped her headphones out with my handlebars as I narrowly veered my bike away from a head on collision into her. Frankly, I think she deserved it ... sure I shouldn't have taken the risk but I'm rather peeved by people who have their iPods up so loud, they can't hear furious bell ringing/or honking as a Mack truck barrels into them, or less dramatic, me on my slim little bike avoiding somersaulting into my asphalt death.
Even Victorians acknowledge this is a problem.
i aspire to blog
like this with many photographs ... of course, I'm really not very proficient with this blogger thing yet. Anyway, tell me if you read this and you don't end up laughing maniacally off your seat:
In Georgetown, of course, there were actually people walking around. Really, really rich people. Actually, it was kind of funny: it was a cold February day, but all the debutantes still want to look trendy, so they're wearing clothes made of thin material that aren't really warm enough for winter. And thus freezing their bony little asses off. Good fun to watch.
OR
OK, I'm glad I saw this, because it illustrates what a pain in the ass it can be do try to drive into Washington. We're at the corner of M and 17th. If you're driving north on 17th, and look up at the street sign, you're going to be confused, because this makes it look like 17th might be the cross street, or maybe continues around as the cross street. If you're me, you probably turn left like an idiot, because you just don't know. All because those idiots put the street sign on the wrong side. It's hard enough trying to get around with all the traffic circles, roads that dead-end, etc... do they really have to throw in the extra challenge of misleading people with incorrect signage? That's
just cruel. I know I should be thankful there's a sign there at all, but still. That's
diabolical.
dc political hope
I normally don't expect responses back from politicians when I write them. I think the last one I got was some form written by a congressional staffer from John Warner's (R-VA) office when I was in high school. I wrote to him about domestic violence and asked him to stick up for stronger legislation. What I got back was a 4 page treatise on all the legislation Warner has supported during his upteenth terms as Senator ... I seriously doubt the Senator had that much time to write a response back to a 9th grader, and it was probably some guy who was tired of licking envelopes and wanted to flex his brain muscles.
Well anyway, I was quite delighted when I heard back from Jack Evans concerning my DC Smoke Free petition. Here's what he wrote (not much) but it doesn't sound like it came from his secretary:
From:"Evans, Jack (COUNCIL)" Add to Address Book
To:"'scelesti25@yahoo.com'"
Subject:RE: Please Make the Nation's Capital Smokefree!
Date:Thu, 24 Mar 2005 10:03:11 -0500
Naz - thanks for writing me regarding this issue. When this legislation
comes before the full Council for a vote, I will be supporting it. Jack
Well anyway, I was quite delighted when I heard back from Jack Evans concerning my DC Smoke Free petition. Here's what he wrote (not much) but it doesn't sound like it came from his secretary:
From:"Evans, Jack (COUNCIL)"
To:"'scelesti25@yahoo.com'"
Subject:RE: Please Make the Nation's Capital Smokefree!
Date:Thu, 24 Mar 2005 10:03:11 -0500
Naz - thanks for writing me regarding this issue. When this legislation
comes before the full Council for a vote, I will be supporting it. Jack
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
we could be a band
in those pix i just posted. I figure if I don't hear from my friends who are in the pictures, I won't delete them, although I suppose I should ask them ... but no one really looks at my blog so who cares? But if you read this and you are a subject in a photo and you don't want to be there (or your name or mention or what have you) do write me and maybe it won't be too late for me to do something about it. I think blogger only gives me a week to delete/edit things.
Clearly these pictures are lagging behind from when they were taken almost two weeks ago, but I'm still sticking to my wonderful film camera. Even though I can't delete pictures, it works a heck of a lot better than even the most snazzy digitals in low light/indoor settings. Or at least the last time I checked which was two weeks ago. Or at least I think I get clearer pictures which I assume I can blow up to any proportion. Also I'm afraid my lovely SLR, which I splurged on two years ago, will get lost in my closet if I buy a digital as it becomes my new best friend. Heck, I still have my low resolution digital on my camera phone. Which I put to good use when I got the most unjust parking ticket yesterday morning ... for parking within 40 feet of a intersection ... what the fuck??? Who ever heard of needing to be parked that far away from an intersection? Also no signs or yellow painted curbs ... stupid DC.
I feel like I'm blogging inanities right now. I tried to post something a day ago but blogger ate it. Looking at those pix of myself, I realize I need to do something about my hair. A couple months ago when I got highlights and styling, it was fabulous, but now I'm realizing I need a trim, its looking shabby, and it's high maintance. Bryce, I'm coming your way at Bang hair salon ... with the idea to get my hair to look like this in bleu/blac.
Clearly I'm blogging because I have a midterm tomorrow night, yikes.
Clearly these pictures are lagging behind from when they were taken almost two weeks ago, but I'm still sticking to my wonderful film camera. Even though I can't delete pictures, it works a heck of a lot better than even the most snazzy digitals in low light/indoor settings. Or at least the last time I checked which was two weeks ago. Or at least I think I get clearer pictures which I assume I can blow up to any proportion. Also I'm afraid my lovely SLR, which I splurged on two years ago, will get lost in my closet if I buy a digital as it becomes my new best friend. Heck, I still have my low resolution digital on my camera phone. Which I put to good use when I got the most unjust parking ticket yesterday morning ... for parking within 40 feet of a intersection ... what the fuck??? Who ever heard of needing to be parked that far away from an intersection? Also no signs or yellow painted curbs ... stupid DC.
I feel like I'm blogging inanities right now. I tried to post something a day ago but blogger ate it. Looking at those pix of myself, I realize I need to do something about my hair. A couple months ago when I got highlights and styling, it was fabulous, but now I'm realizing I need a trim, its looking shabby, and it's high maintance. Bryce, I'm coming your way at Bang hair salon ... with the idea to get my hair to look like this in bleu/blac.
Clearly I'm blogging because I have a midterm tomorrow night, yikes.
Sunday, March 20, 2005
REI
was my downfall this weekend. Having received notice of my dividend plus 20% off any item in the store, I immediately purchased this camera bag to replace the one that came with my camera as part of a special. The old camera bag had a habit of spitting out film, lens caps, etc and wasn't really good on hikes. I had it delivered to my local REI store and yesterday went to pick it up. And then wandered into the footwear section where I proceeded to buy teva's and new hiking boots. My justification: I need Teva's!!! For the sporadic tubing and whitewater rafting, chilling in between climbs, resting the feet after backpacking, and of course all around wear in the city during the summer. I justified my boot purchase by thinking of the bloody socks I would pull off my feet after hiking in the past six months from old boots, which while protecting my feet from raggedy trails, would maul my poor feet after a mere 4 miles or so.
It was REI's fault for carrying my size in women's.
Well I thought the Teva's didn't fit properly so I went back to the store ... and of course came out with another extra shopping bag: this time with hydration day hiking pack and socks. I need socks for hiking right? Socks for anything really right? And the hydration pack is great for biking, hiking, rockclimbing, et al ... absolutely need it right???
Yeah, just don't let me into REI with a credit card again, thank god I got my tax return and student loan money. I occurred to me that once I finished school and the student loans kicked in, it might be a good idea to get a second job, like maybe at REI ... or The Limited.
It was REI's fault for carrying my size in women's.
Well I thought the Teva's didn't fit properly so I went back to the store ... and of course came out with another extra shopping bag: this time with hydration day hiking pack and socks. I need socks for hiking right? Socks for anything really right? And the hydration pack is great for biking, hiking, rockclimbing, et al ... absolutely need it right???
Yeah, just don't let me into REI with a credit card again, thank god I got my tax return and student loan money. I occurred to me that once I finished school and the student loans kicked in, it might be a good idea to get a second job, like maybe at REI ... or The Limited.
the best Indian restaurant ever
in DC anyway is in Cleveland Park, called Indique. Coming from a discriminating S. Asian person such as myself that's saying a lot. My friend and I decided to do the tapas thing so we can have a taste of various things. Nothing disappointed. The crab cakes are to die for, we could've ordered 6 more. The tapas-size dosa was fabulous as well. We got quail, which was pretty good, although probably not worth the labor to eat it. Despite that, the first course was so good we almost ordered entrees too. Instead I got lamb korma to go for lunch the next day, and ordered four items for dessert: mango lassi (a must!!! made with fresh not frozen mangos!), masala chai(well balanced mixture of spices), some kind of flan thing ... don't order it, tasted like a butter pie or something, but the kulfi (saffron and pistachio ice cream) was amazing. Easily rivals Heritage India's kulfi. Heritage is great for traditional Indian food, but Indique takes the cake for innovative gourmet Indian food that I would be proud to take my out of town S. Asian friends to.
Thursday, March 17, 2005
let it smolder ... out
In a previous post a whined about bars and specifically smoking. If any DC or even non-DC residents are reading this, here's your chance for action: Help Make the Nation's Capitol Smoke Free.
Spoiled by NYC's smoke free nightlife scene, I am excited and afraid of going to Local 16 tomorrow night for dinner.
Also, other reasons to quit smoking, your balcony could catch on fire. I wonder what the statistic is for smoking-related fires and burn victim/deaths.
Spoiled by NYC's smoke free nightlife scene, I am excited and afraid of going to Local 16 tomorrow night for dinner.
Also, other reasons to quit smoking, your balcony could catch on fire. I wonder what the statistic is for smoking-related fires and burn victim/deaths.
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
one of those weeks
where I feel like doing nothing. For the past three weeks, as I've mentioned my life has been a whirlwind. Nothing like having a lot of work 'work' to do, while writing papers, preparing for presentations, and studying for exams to wear a girl out. Add to it, I took a fun girl's mini-break in NYC which left me in more sleep debt. Clearly I'm just whining. Although I really feel like doing nothing for a while. Today I did go to the gym, so that was good, and managed to jog on the treadmill without getting terribly out of breath for a good amount time (too small amount of time to be proud of posting in a blog). I was all set to be a good little grad student by starting to study for my last midterm next Thursday, however then I realized I lost my syllabus, so I couldn't even remember which readings I had to do. So its not like I'm procrastinating, although I really am blogging so I can kill time before watching Sex & the City. I should stop typing before I bore myself to death.
Millions
which I saw the preview of last night. Same makers as 'Trainspotting,' which was one hell of a depressing movie. Although Millions, was actually quite good in that surrealistic kind of way. And its not so scary that you can't take your kid to see it, its rated PG. Frankly, Lemony Snicket was a lot scarier ... don't ask me how I ended up seeing that film.
happy happy people
Monday, March 14, 2005
Being Muslim in America
There's an interesting article, previewing a BBC documentary on Tuesday night. Reading the article reminded me of the many questions and reactions I've gotten to the religion I grew up with. Also with a last name like mine, it's hard to hide that part of my heritage. In general I tell people that I was raised by an atheist, but Islam still had strong influences in my life ... I don't reject the religion out of hand but in general along with all the major monotheistic religions in the world. But this entry isn't about that, cuz I don't believe in proselytizing.
Rather I would like to rectify perceptions I seem to get everywhere around me. Like people believing that women are forced to wear head scarves. The history behind the hijab is rather complex, however there are three things all Westerners should never assume because a woman wears it:
1. She is oppressed (often quite the contrary, in the US its because she's an activist, for anything from women's issues to teaching children to read, and well respected in her community)
2. She supports terrorism (generally no Muslim supports terrorism; frankly it's anathema to the Q'uran and al-Qa'ida and other terrorist groups who use Islam to justify their cause are heretics according to the book.)
3. She was forced to wear it (often its more a cultural thing--or a sign of her activism in America).
I certainly can't speak for all Muslims everywhere, the religion is incredibly malleable and often the line between cultural and religious traditions are blurred. For example, a wedding in Saudi Arabia will be nothing like a Bangladeshi wedding. Muslims in Europe are different from Muslims in Indonesia or America. Islam is more progressive than some may believe, for example:
1. Women have the right to own land
2. Women have the right of divorce
Unlike its other monothiestic counterparts, Islam is unusual because it does not believe in the concept of original sin; the interpretation is that God forgave Adam and Eve anyway, so there's no sense in not accepting His forgiveness. (For that reason alone, if I had to pick a monotheistic religion, I would rather be a practicing Muslim than anything else--guilt of sin??? I'm masochistic enough with my choice of sports)
Most Westerners seem to get their perception of Islam through the practices of those weird countries in the Persian Gulf, where tribalism seems to have more a say in tradition than Islam and where the rather bizarre and puritanical form of Salafism (return to the times of the Prophet) started. But that's another entry, if not an altogether dissertation. I figure this will bring up more questions than answers, but I can only leave with one thing ... don't assume you know ... and Fox News sucks!!!
Rather I would like to rectify perceptions I seem to get everywhere around me. Like people believing that women are forced to wear head scarves. The history behind the hijab is rather complex, however there are three things all Westerners should never assume because a woman wears it:
1. She is oppressed (often quite the contrary, in the US its because she's an activist, for anything from women's issues to teaching children to read, and well respected in her community)
2. She supports terrorism (generally no Muslim supports terrorism; frankly it's anathema to the Q'uran and al-Qa'ida and other terrorist groups who use Islam to justify their cause are heretics according to the book.)
3. She was forced to wear it (often its more a cultural thing--or a sign of her activism in America).
I certainly can't speak for all Muslims everywhere, the religion is incredibly malleable and often the line between cultural and religious traditions are blurred. For example, a wedding in Saudi Arabia will be nothing like a Bangladeshi wedding. Muslims in Europe are different from Muslims in Indonesia or America. Islam is more progressive than some may believe, for example:
1. Women have the right to own land
2. Women have the right of divorce
Unlike its other monothiestic counterparts, Islam is unusual because it does not believe in the concept of original sin; the interpretation is that God forgave Adam and Eve anyway, so there's no sense in not accepting His forgiveness. (For that reason alone, if I had to pick a monotheistic religion, I would rather be a practicing Muslim than anything else--guilt of sin??? I'm masochistic enough with my choice of sports)
Most Westerners seem to get their perception of Islam through the practices of those weird countries in the Persian Gulf, where tribalism seems to have more a say in tradition than Islam and where the rather bizarre and puritanical form of Salafism (return to the times of the Prophet) started. But that's another entry, if not an altogether dissertation. I figure this will bring up more questions than answers, but I can only leave with one thing ... don't assume you know ... and Fox News sucks!!!
Sunday, March 13, 2005
Ash & The Bravery
Fabulous show. Disappointing that Ash decided to play the opening set (45 mins) for The Bravery so they only ended up playing two songs off of Free All Angels. However, I was super excited to see them after almost two years, and the band seemed to be super excited to see the crowd. Overall it was a good time, but through The Bravery set I kept hoping Ash would come out for an encore. For reviews, check out zunta.
Despite what others say, I was impressed by The Bravery. Particularly since they sound like Brit band, seemed to be on a Brit label (but maybe I'm totally wrong about this but I don't feel like checking my facts), and looked like a Brit band, they were actually American. Being a fan of Brit-pop (for some reason has become a scary word to use in DC among some bloggers--although Mousetrap acquainted me with it about two years ago) and going through my formative teenage angst ful years glued to The New Order, Monaco, and sycophants Frente, I never had a problem with the genre itself and am glad bands who continue their legacy still exist. I wish The Black Cat could have more excellent performers on their stages such as the ones Thursday night.
Despite what others say, I was impressed by The Bravery. Particularly since they sound like Brit band, seemed to be on a Brit label (but maybe I'm totally wrong about this but I don't feel like checking my facts), and looked like a Brit band, they were actually American. Being a fan of Brit-pop (for some reason has become a scary word to use in DC among some bloggers--although Mousetrap acquainted me with it about two years ago) and going through my formative teenage angst ful years glued to The New Order, Monaco, and sycophants Frente, I never had a problem with the genre itself and am glad bands who continue their legacy still exist. I wish The Black Cat could have more excellent performers on their stages such as the ones Thursday night.
time to decompress
Hoya! So I'm back from my NYC trip and ready to embark on my spring break, which although I still have to work, my evenings are free! And I won't feel like passing out by Wednesday afternoon which is the way I've felt since Spring semester began.
I was very happy to go to NYC, to visit two great friends with one excellent girl-friend. So I go onto the three things I immediatley love about NYC:
1. Guy to girl ratio, much higher than DC; fabulous ego boost when my g/f and I hit the club Lotus. Which by the way had the best house music dj I've heard in a loooong time.
2. No smoking in bars and clubs. It was heavenly, for some reason I was able to dance much longer, and not wake up feeling hosed and smelling like ass. It was one of the greatest clubbing experiences I've ever had.
other things:
4. H&M in mid-town, NYC is not ghetto-style H&M in Chinatown, DC
5. Metropolitan Museum of Art
6. Couture ... on sale!!!
I was very happy to go to NYC, to visit two great friends with one excellent girl-friend. So I go onto the three things I immediatley love about NYC:
1. Guy to girl ratio, much higher than DC; fabulous ego boost when my g/f and I hit the club Lotus. Which by the way had the best house music dj I've heard in a loooong time.
2. No smoking in bars and clubs. It was heavenly, for some reason I was able to dance much longer, and not wake up feeling hosed and smelling like ass. It was one of the greatest clubbing experiences I've ever had.
other things:
4. H&M in mid-town, NYC is not ghetto-style H&M in Chinatown, DC
5. Metropolitan Museum of Art
6. Couture ... on sale!!!
Friday, March 11, 2005
hubris
is biting me in the ass. In my crazy whirlwind hell of the past three weeks, I managed to lose my debit card a couple days ago. I thought maybe I had thrown it into the pile of papers on top of the dining table, or maybe it fell through the cracks on my kitchen counter ... but after seeing charges at Amoco Oil this morning (which I never go to since I hardly EVER drive!--and they're too expensive, Liberty on Rt 29 is Ballston is where to fill up) ... I'm positive that I dropped it in a cab and now some DC cabbie is charging all his gas, food, god knows what else on my card ... of course the irony is my paycheck just hit my checking account as well ... teaches me the next time to brag about my finances online or in general to my friends.
Monday, March 07, 2005
light at the end of tunnel
almost ... so as promised I've been amiss.
Weekend events:
Friday: eating nothing that night, lifting weights, then proceeding to drink an entire bottle of wine at a party, and then dancing till I had to sit down (for all of two songs) ... sigh, my club kid days seem so long ago ... when I could dance from 9 PM till 4 AM, heels broken, sore, sweaty, make-up left somewhere on the dance floor.
Saturday: waking up supremely hung over, not remembering what happened to my car, aware of no groceries in the fridge, and that I have a paper due that day that I haven't even started on. Spent rest of day alternatingly writing about diplomatic negotiations in Soviet-US ship bumping exercise and napping off the urge to puke non-existant stomach contents onto my berber rug ... which by the way, is somewhere under the hairballs (cat and me), shedding fur, stacks of books, papers, and clothes.
Sunday: feeling like a normal human being had brunch with Naomi and Julie, replenished food stock, procrastinated on studying for midterm.
Am now procrastinating studying for midterm ... and tomorrow night, super excited about Banff Film Festival! Dreaded midterm on Wednesday evening, plenty of time!!!
Thursday night, dreaded paper and midterms over, at least until spring break. Rocking out at the Ash show at the Black Cat Thursday night. Been waiting since ... a year and a 1/2 ago when they were here last. Bought tix last night, may possibly sell out thanks to likely Express coverage that day ... perhaps last time they'll play at a small venue such as Black Cat in DC ... I guess 9:30 Club is next up for them.
Friday off to New York City and my favorite and unlikely vineyards in Long Island.
Weekend events:
Friday: eating nothing that night, lifting weights, then proceeding to drink an entire bottle of wine at a party, and then dancing till I had to sit down (for all of two songs) ... sigh, my club kid days seem so long ago ... when I could dance from 9 PM till 4 AM, heels broken, sore, sweaty, make-up left somewhere on the dance floor.
Saturday: waking up supremely hung over, not remembering what happened to my car, aware of no groceries in the fridge, and that I have a paper due that day that I haven't even started on. Spent rest of day alternatingly writing about diplomatic negotiations in Soviet-US ship bumping exercise and napping off the urge to puke non-existant stomach contents onto my berber rug ... which by the way, is somewhere under the hairballs (cat and me), shedding fur, stacks of books, papers, and clothes.
Sunday: feeling like a normal human being had brunch with Naomi and Julie, replenished food stock, procrastinated on studying for midterm.
Am now procrastinating studying for midterm ... and tomorrow night, super excited about Banff Film Festival! Dreaded midterm on Wednesday evening, plenty of time!!!
Thursday night, dreaded paper and midterms over, at least until spring break. Rocking out at the Ash show at the Black Cat Thursday night. Been waiting since ... a year and a 1/2 ago when they were here last. Bought tix last night, may possibly sell out thanks to likely Express coverage that day ... perhaps last time they'll play at a small venue such as Black Cat in DC ... I guess 9:30 Club is next up for them.
Friday off to New York City and my favorite and unlikely vineyards in Long Island.
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
knew it ...
I'm probably making myself very unpopular by ranting against smoking and bars but just to add more icing to the cake here's another one:
The scientists found psychotic symptoms were more common among cannabis users.
Monday, February 28, 2005
academic rewards
I'm having one of those moments where I feel good to be pursuing my Master's degree ... besides the feeling of getting accolades from a professor, an A on a paper/exam, but a connection that maybe the research or homework I'm doing actually means something. Researching my paper on Bangladesh and terrorism I came upon an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal, "Islamist vs. Democracy"; although I didn't pay any attention to the author until I started typing up the citation and I recognized her as someone from UVA ... someone I had even shared a meal with or two. It's like the time I realized the guy living in my condo was also with me at Camp David--receiving kudos from my old college professor and professional career advisor, Bill Quandt, and that my old client's son was someone I travelled around Paris with one summer, going to jazz shows and checking out the caberets along with other Wahoo-ligans. I suppose it's more a people connection ... who knows if this paper I'm doing will see anyone else's eyes except for my professor's ... but I have a feeling maybe if I contact Ms. Hossein she might have some interesting opinions about it.
why GWU sucks part.2
If you are owed a refund:
1) to get that money GWU makes you fill out a ton of paperwork (not including the FAFSA and whatever financial aid forms you have to fill out anyway
2) their antiquated system has not discovered Direct Depost ... a FinAid counselor said to me: "Yeah, we've had mixed up checks, stuff go missing ..." Do you want to lose a couple thousand dollars of federal money you might possibly need to pay your rent, books, and food????
3) the FinAid counselors do not know what they are doing ... they will transfer you until you eventually end up talking to the Dean of the department (okay exaggeration, I was only transferred once)
4) Beware, third party billing might mean that GWU will steal loans back . . . B A S T A R D S!!! Counselors have claimed that this is true and could happen to me.
1) to get that money GWU makes you fill out a ton of paperwork (not including the FAFSA and whatever financial aid forms you have to fill out anyway
2) their antiquated system has not discovered Direct Depost ... a FinAid counselor said to me: "Yeah, we've had mixed up checks, stuff go missing ..." Do you want to lose a couple thousand dollars of federal money you might possibly need to pay your rent, books, and food????
3) the FinAid counselors do not know what they are doing ... they will transfer you until you eventually end up talking to the Dean of the department (okay exaggeration, I was only transferred once)
4) Beware, third party billing might mean that GWU will steal loans back . . . B A S T A R D S!!! Counselors have claimed that this is true and could happen to me.
piss-a-me-off
I gave in, I saw that GWU students get discounts off Apple products, so I went to the website and thought that I was getting a $100 off then I normally would for a 4 GB (I'm getting the 6 GB). Well of course silly me should've remembered when new products come out, older products sometimes decrease in price. I should've checked Amazon.com before ordering. I still get about $30 bucks off with the discount which I guess isn't too shabby, but now I realize I could've gotten the 4 GB for much cheaper.
This does not mean I've decided on choice A) ... although every building I call now is either sold out or is asking for pre-qual letters for buildings that won't be ready until 2007!!! What the heck??? I should hopefully not be making the same amount of money that I'm making now in 2007!
This does not mean I've decided on choice A) ... although every building I call now is either sold out or is asking for pre-qual letters for buildings that won't be ready until 2007!!! What the heck??? I should hopefully not be making the same amount of money that I'm making now in 2007!
Saturday, February 26, 2005
question of the next 3 months
Yeah, I'll write my paper ... but anyway, tax time is already here and most of you should've received W-2's by now. I'm one of those people who says, YIPPEEEE!!! Tax time, federal government owes me money!!!! The second I get all my forms I'm already dialing the EZ file phone line doing my taxes in about 10 minutes. This year it was a bit more complicated because I have a mortgage, more student loans, and tuition costs so I have to fill out the dreaded Schedule A and a myriad of other forms I didn't know existed, so I hired a tax pro. Well skipping to the awesome part I got a fairly decent tax return. About 7X more than I usually get, so the questions is what do I do?
A) buy an i-pod (everyone at work has one!), a home theater system (the only thing that functions on my boombox from 8th grade is the radio tuner), a digital camera (so I can upload oh so cool graphics to this website), go on vacation to either S. American or England, and use the remainder of the money to jazz up my current condo.
OR
B) use it as a deposit for a yet unbuilt fabulous one bedroom loft in downtown DC with garage parking ready for move in after I graduate from school (aim is 2007). (the downside being I'm going to be a real miser for the next two years to save money so I can actually afford the place when it comes time for closing and I BETTER get some significant raises until then!).
I think the answer is obviously B, I realize electronic gadgets will make me happy in the short term, but looking forward to a beautiful place after graduation would be better. After I bought the current place, people were like, let us know about the housewarming! Yeah right, housewarming, I can fit about 2 other people comfortably in my tiny studio, and renting the lounge downstairs for a party is above my pay-grade. Oh but the uncertainty of the future ... if you read, any opinion in the comments section is appreciated ....
A) buy an i-pod (everyone at work has one!), a home theater system (the only thing that functions on my boombox from 8th grade is the radio tuner), a digital camera (so I can upload oh so cool graphics to this website), go on vacation to either S. American or England, and use the remainder of the money to jazz up my current condo.
OR
B) use it as a deposit for a yet unbuilt fabulous one bedroom loft in downtown DC with garage parking ready for move in after I graduate from school (aim is 2007). (the downside being I'm going to be a real miser for the next two years to save money so I can actually afford the place when it comes time for closing and I BETTER get some significant raises until then!).
I think the answer is obviously B, I realize electronic gadgets will make me happy in the short term, but looking forward to a beautiful place after graduation would be better. After I bought the current place, people were like, let us know about the housewarming! Yeah right, housewarming, I can fit about 2 other people comfortably in my tiny studio, and renting the lounge downstairs for a party is above my pay-grade. Oh but the uncertainty of the future ... if you read, any opinion in the comments section is appreciated ....
Friday, February 25, 2005
finally! Someone who said it!
I'm not sure why the focus on fashion today, because I'm no fashionista, but I'm glad someone is remarking that some of the fashion debuting on Milan runways is suitable for the hobo that lives in the park 3 blocks down from me. My sister and I who enjoy Sex & The City as a guilty pleasure always wondered who would wear Sara Jessica Parker's outfits from the first or second season? Does anyone remember that crazy bright green necktie halter she wore with bright yellow shorty shorts with bright blue heels or something? The one where she goes on her first date with Bon Jovi? Ugh. Who dresses like that? I'd love to include a picture but I don't have that silly Hello thing installed in this computer.
wearing her clothes well
I could've thought of a myriad of subject headers for this one. So Condoleeza Rice, ready to hop on a Ducati, tear through European alleyways, somersault into combat mode, and whip kick every bad boy in this feminist-deconstructivist analysis, featured in Washington Post. Hey! I was a government major! Not an English major ... excuse my fragmentary sentences.
When looking at the image of Rice in Wiesbaden, the mind searches for ways to put it all into context. It turns to fiction, to caricature. To shadowy daydreams. Dominatrix!
Thursday, February 24, 2005
hell week
Last night I checked my academic planner and started hyperventilating. Apparently I didn't realize that not only did I have a paper due this Saturday but a paper, research proposal, and presentation due on Wednesday. I am officially panicked. The week after I have a mid-term. Spring break can't come fast enough. Not that very many people read my blog, but don't expect any entries of substance for the next two weeks ... if I do write, and you read, please call and scold me to get back to work. Caffeine will be my best friend this weekend since I've been surviving on three hours of sleep each day this week.
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
romantic comedies=irrational uptight b*tch as heroine
On President's day I took the opportunity to have lunch at Cafe Tirolo, a hidden gem of an Austrian/Hungarian restaurant that upstages it's front facade neighbor Tara Thai, with its cuisine and quality of food. I grudgingly admit, when it comes to ethnic cuisine, Northern VA has got DC beat in all aspects except possibly Ethiopian, which I have yet to try. But anyway, afterwards I saw
Hitch, translated, why-great-soul-ful-men-Somehow-get destroyed-by-irrational-uptight-bitch-heroine-and-still manages-to-love-her-and-thus-make-her-look-worse. Big studio romantic comedies are normally light brained fluff good for a little escapism but I've noticed a disturbing trend. Why is the woman-object-of-desire always the one who destroys the hero's life and still gets taken back? Why can't she be an angel? Instead the heroine is always irrational, crazy, and bitchy. And the guy is just too tongue-tied and beside himself.
Hitch, translated, why-great-soul-ful-men-Somehow-get destroyed-by-irrational-uptight-bitch-heroine-and-still manages-to-love-her-and-thus-make-her-look-worse. Big studio romantic comedies are normally light brained fluff good for a little escapism but I've noticed a disturbing trend. Why is the woman-object-of-desire always the one who destroys the hero's life and still gets taken back? Why can't she be an angel? Instead the heroine is always irrational, crazy, and bitchy. And the guy is just too tongue-tied and beside himself.
dc institutions
Sunday night I got a treat at Ben's Chilli bowl, which features Billy Cosby's favorite, chilli on a half-smoke. The place was very reminiscent of the White Spot, a Charlottesville institution who's specialty was the gus burger, basically a hamburger topped with a fried egg. I got a hotdog topped with unusually fake looking orange nacho cheese and chilli ... the chilli was quite good, better than Hard Times anyway.
Monday night I broke down and went to 2 Amy's AGAIN! Mmm, margherita plus.
Monday night I broke down and went to 2 Amy's AGAIN! Mmm, margherita plus.
Sunday, February 20, 2005
sat. night slum
Last night I dragged myself, fighting the urge to plead gastrointestinal disorders, to a local Herndon hangout, almost 45 mins outside this fair city. My friend didn't make things better when she said, "It's not just rednecks but Herndon High people too!!" That made me feel so much better. Well luckily despite my well documented hatred of bars and anything that smacks of hometown boring as hell Herndon, I went to Jimmy's Tavern. Eva Zilbert gives a fairly generous review. I typically go to Herndon to sleep at my mom's because it's where I get the best sleep. But what can you do when there's all of three bars in the entire town of Herndon ... which is home to so many tech firms and the new Booz Allen campus? My entire impression of Jimmy's was formulated during my grade school years based on walking by after Taekwondo class which was across the street and ignoring requests for martial arts demonstrations by drunken hicks. Altogether I could withstand the place with friends from high school I actually liked and seeing faces I hadn't seen in years ... until the DJ started giving a shout out to NASCAR and started playing country music. It was then I was reminded that Herndon was too close to Manassas and not close enough to DC.
feline hilarity
Last night at Barnes & Noble, I picked up a little picture book called Bad Cat. As my own little puss sits in lap languidly purring I perused the album on mycathatesyou.com which is quite funny. Almost two years ago I got a photo of a cat with his hair shaved off except for his head, paws, and the end of his tail. It was like, 'aw! poor cat!' and then 'hahahah!!! freakin' funny!' I suppose if you can laugh at your favorite domineering pet that's a good thing. I imagine dog lovers will appreciate it too..
Choice quote from a reader:
Choice quote from a reader:
My wife is one of those deluded "cat persons." If anything ever happens to me, she'll be the senile old widow who lives in a filthy bungalow with 237 cats, dies, and gets eaten by them. I'm a dog person, the kind of fellow who likes jokes about using the cat to mop out the toilet.
Yet, WE BOTH LOVE THIS BOOK. That says it all. ove cats or hate 'em, you will adore this volume. It's fun. creative, and well-assembled. GO GET IT--NOW!!!!! It will make a nice gift for anybody!
Friday, February 18, 2005
spring for films
This was the post that blogger ate earlier in the week, so I'm re-writing it. The great thing about Spring is the myriad of film festivals to attend in the DC metropolitan area. One of the first (and I know I've missed several others) is the Banff Film festival, showcasing documentaries on extreme outdoor adventures. I'm sure I'll miss this one because it occurs during the week of my mid-terms. Well if you miss this one, there's hope that you can catch some of the films in April at the DC Film Fest which showcases international films. Last year I went to about 6 films or so, all well worth it. Of course I'm sure finals will keep me from going this year. If you miss those two filmfests there's still the AFI SILVERDOCS festival in Silver Spring, which showcases only documentaries. Somehow I think the summer class I plan to take will interfere with that too. I'll find ways to blow off some academic responsibility and go anyway.
crackhouse for kids
Recently blogger has been on the blitz with me. On addictive substances, here's some inspiring journalism on kids replacing malls with starbucks as their choice hangout. Now I'm going to post this really fast before blogger loses it and crashes on me.
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
and then I had
2 Amy's pizza, in front of my envious classmates :) there was one really cool picture that could've only been taken by a low resolution camera but now my t-mobile album is down ... so I'll put that one up later, after I do cardio for an hour while watching sex & the city downstairs in my gym.
today i fell out of love
With DC ... something about the train halting to stops prematurely because of other trains in front of it ... motion sickness ... and then the feeling of being tired ... tired of seeing the worn out men on 11th St. sipping from bottles in paper bags, the sidewalk spotted with blackened gum, sidestepping shit ...
so I had to get out, by the time I made it past downtown in my car on 14th St. I realized by the time I got to Great Falls NP, it would be dark ... and closed. So instead I stopped at West Potomac Park ... aka Thomas Jefferson memorial and fell back in love with DC. Check out my low resolution images I took on my camera-phone.
so I had to get out, by the time I made it past downtown in my car on 14th St. I realized by the time I got to Great Falls NP, it would be dark ... and closed. So instead I stopped at West Potomac Park ... aka Thomas Jefferson memorial and fell back in love with DC. Check out my low resolution images I took on my camera-phone.
On the serious note
Reading this Washington Post article on medicating children for bipolar disorder certainly gave me a rise. After reading this, I'm not sure if you'll be alarmed too.
I know children can be tough to handle ... for years I was a disciplinarian (aka Taekwondo instructor) in the suburbs of W. Fairfax. Parents would drop their kids off at the school for hours, in hopes that I would do their dirty work for them, and there were too many times i had to dress down smart-alecky pre-teens or attempt to wear out a group of jubilant 5 years old who could focus on only one thing for a second. I'm not sure these kids needed drugs, that maybe they needed more stimulation throughout the day, rather than the one hour they would get in the evening at taekwondo.
I guess my main beef is that who knows what effect these drugs have on children who haven't developed their neural systems. Create more psychos of the future? Major organ failure?
But some experts say the surge in diagnoses is a dangerous fad--one critic called it "psychiatry's flavor of the month" -- a decision too often based on skimpy evidence, cursory evaluations and incorrect assumptions about genetic risk.In general, this goes along with my serious problems with the medical establishment, particularly the Western model of medical practice, where chemicals are a fix-all. Having nothing to hide, I speak a little from personal experience.
Experts on both sides agree that the 1999 publication of "The Bipolar Child" had a galvanizing effect. Supporters of early diagnosis and treatment say the book empowered parents and informed clinicians. Critics say it is rife with pseudoscience and exaggeration.
Among the book's most controversial features is its list of more than three dozen symptoms commonly seen in bipolar children, including silliness, separation anxiety, night terrors, carbohydrate cravings, fidgetiness, extreme bossiness, bed-wetting, lying, social anxiety and difficulty getting up in the morning. (Clearly every child is bi-polar!)
"There's a lot of throwing medications at people without thinking about what the problem is," he added. "Once somebody has a label, it is highly unlikely that label will be questioned. And by the time a person has been on 20 different drugs, you can no longer figure out what's wrong."
I know children can be tough to handle ... for years I was a disciplinarian (aka Taekwondo instructor) in the suburbs of W. Fairfax. Parents would drop their kids off at the school for hours, in hopes that I would do their dirty work for them, and there were too many times i had to dress down smart-alecky pre-teens or attempt to wear out a group of jubilant 5 years old who could focus on only one thing for a second. I'm not sure these kids needed drugs, that maybe they needed more stimulation throughout the day, rather than the one hour they would get in the evening at taekwondo.
I guess my main beef is that who knows what effect these drugs have on children who haven't developed their neural systems. Create more psychos of the future? Major organ failure?
Monday, February 14, 2005
blow over day
I actually didn't feel like blogging today. When I came home, my bed looked very inviting so I dived in, hoping to recuperate the sleep I lost this past weekend and last night fretting about a work assignment this morning, which didn't happen! Aaargh, all that anguish for nothing.
Saturday night after being able to work out for the first time since getting sick, I went to Marrakesh for a semi-farewell dinner. I was somewhat pleased this time, typically I thought of the place as a tourist trap with mediocre food, but this time the food was good, and according to my honored friend, so was the belly dancer. Onwards we went to the Flinstone's bar in Chinatown ... er, some Irish pub/bar place with an Irish cover band. It was fun to see the suburbanites cut loose and dance.
Sunday I fueled my obsession with Better Than Ezra. I learned that 'Closer,' possibly one of the best albums that came out the beginning of the 21st Century, and BTE's best album to date is a rarity ... out of print because the label went bankrupt. I played the album on repeat all day Sunday, and scoured the web for news of Kevin Griffin's baby ... because it was I who wanted to have his baby! ... er metaphorically anyway. Then I went to Two Amy's which I'm also obsessed with now. This is pizza I could have every week! I love it simple ... with the buffalo mozzarella like melted butter on my tongue and the tangy tomato sauce that I could sup from a bowl ... oh ... so good ... just thinking about it ...
Anyway, waiting for Valentine's day to blow over, the outdoor conditions makes for great staying in and having sex weather, so for me that means going to back to sleep, or having another cup of chocolate pudding and watching Sex & City.
Saturday night after being able to work out for the first time since getting sick, I went to Marrakesh for a semi-farewell dinner. I was somewhat pleased this time, typically I thought of the place as a tourist trap with mediocre food, but this time the food was good, and according to my honored friend, so was the belly dancer. Onwards we went to the Flinstone's bar in Chinatown ... er, some Irish pub/bar place with an Irish cover band. It was fun to see the suburbanites cut loose and dance.
Sunday I fueled my obsession with Better Than Ezra. I learned that 'Closer,' possibly one of the best albums that came out the beginning of the 21st Century, and BTE's best album to date is a rarity ... out of print because the label went bankrupt. I played the album on repeat all day Sunday, and scoured the web for news of Kevin Griffin's baby ... because it was I who wanted to have his baby! ... er metaphorically anyway. Then I went to Two Amy's which I'm also obsessed with now. This is pizza I could have every week! I love it simple ... with the buffalo mozzarella like melted butter on my tongue and the tangy tomato sauce that I could sup from a bowl ... oh ... so good ... just thinking about it ...
Anyway, waiting for Valentine's day to blow over, the outdoor conditions makes for great staying in and having sex weather, so for me that means going to back to sleep, or having another cup of chocolate pudding and watching Sex & City.
Saturday, February 12, 2005
old guys rockin'
Last night at the spur of the moment after nursing a feverish infection back to a manageable congested head, I went to the sold out Wrens show at Black Cat. After hearing so many great things about them from friends and the press, I thought $10 was not a bad amount to sacrifice (or the bone chilling bike ride I took to get my hand stamped). I was surprised by several things: 1) they were really old guys 2) they couldn't keep the up-tempo for a live concert ... 3/4ths of the way through the show, I had the urge to go home and listen to my Guster records 3) one of the guys disturbingly reminded me of one of my seniors at work.
Being a rock band is a tough job for performance, generally audiences suck ... they don't know how to move or they're just plain obnoxious, but it seemed the Wrens were more concerned with reliving their past performances ... ten years ago ... rather than working the current one. A side note, DJing has to be much more satisfying, particularly at one of those DC dance mega-plexes. Anyway, read the reviews from the folks I went with at unrequited narcissism ... I know I'm a lazy blogger, but why rewrite everything that's already been written? Anyway if you want to see a great up and coming DC band, head to Velvet Lounge tonight for Cartel. I've already had a great experience with them, and a receptive audience would be great for their show tonight.
Tonight I'm going to Marrakesh, so unfortunately won't be there ... I'll be stuffing my face with hands full of honey-dripping Moroccan fare.
Being a rock band is a tough job for performance, generally audiences suck ... they don't know how to move or they're just plain obnoxious, but it seemed the Wrens were more concerned with reliving their past performances ... ten years ago ... rather than working the current one. A side note, DJing has to be much more satisfying, particularly at one of those DC dance mega-plexes. Anyway, read the reviews from the folks I went with at unrequited narcissism ... I know I'm a lazy blogger, but why rewrite everything that's already been written? Anyway if you want to see a great up and coming DC band, head to Velvet Lounge tonight for Cartel. I've already had a great experience with them, and a receptive audience would be great for their show tonight.
Tonight I'm going to Marrakesh, so unfortunately won't be there ... I'll be stuffing my face with hands full of honey-dripping Moroccan fare.
Friday, February 11, 2005
This picture was selected by Weather Bug as photo of the day. Here, undo credit is given. I'm sure this rose did not blossom through the snow, it doesn't even look like it was growing in a rose bush ... It looks like the guy went to the supermarket bought a rose, planted it in a bush and took a picture of it. What a farce!
Thursday, February 10, 2005
more inanities
Tylenol Sinus is like crack ... I changed my name so you see, from the oh so obvious who could it be? first name to Anonymous ... how original could i be? to Bureauqette ... because I'm a bureaucrat but that's such a masculine thing to call oneself ... although now I'm sure just like how my real first name was made fun of (tragedies from high school where I was ostracized for having an unusal name; just think ... these were my friends who had compiled a list of innovative things to call me such as:
Nose
Nazette
Nazal Spray
Quoth the Raven, Nazermore
Nazington DC
Oh my Naz!!! etc, and the list goes on, well with my new published name I've decided to outdo everybody:
Burpette
Burka
Barker
Bureau ... okay time for me to go to bed ... Tylenol Sinus is crack. Did I just write a Dr. Seuss poem?
Nose
Nazette
Nazal Spray
Quoth the Raven, Nazermore
Nazington DC
Oh my Naz!!! etc, and the list goes on, well with my new published name I've decided to outdo everybody:
Burpette
Burka
Barker
Bureau ... okay time for me to go to bed ... Tylenol Sinus is crack. Did I just write a Dr. Seuss poem?
the new Texas: Virginia
hear hear ... Catherine on zunta.org has once again found more ways VA is fucked up. Why do you need an urban legend when you have the antiquated law books rotting in Richmond and people streaming in from W. Va hillsides to occupy those shiny new construction 1/2 million dollar mansions in Loudon?
I could whine incessantly about how the US is going down the tubes ... blah blah blah ... here we are the model of freedom and democracy, yet only a short car ride away, bigotry still rules ... but when you look at Saudi Arabia, the most freaked out country in the world ... its amazing that a little pin of democracy drops ...
I could whine incessantly about how the US is going down the tubes ... blah blah blah ... here we are the model of freedom and democracy, yet only a short car ride away, bigotry still rules ... but when you look at Saudi Arabia, the most freaked out country in the world ... its amazing that a little pin of democracy drops ...
i hate GWU bureaucracy
The George Washington University aspires to outdo its Foggy Bottom neighbors when it comes to bureaucratic red tape. Last semester I found out I couldn't register because I hadn't turned in my immunization form, except I found out after the fact because they failed to tell me ...
ugh, pause, I'm sitting near a very sick person, coughing and hacking away in Common Grounds, the coffeeshop between Clarendon and VA Square ... I think I'm going to stop this anti-GWU rant and go back to my own germ-infested pad. Sorry finish later!!!
ugh, pause, I'm sitting near a very sick person, coughing and hacking away in Common Grounds, the coffeeshop between Clarendon and VA Square ... I think I'm going to stop this anti-GWU rant and go back to my own germ-infested pad. Sorry finish later!!!
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
the BEST pizza & dining alone
For some reason, the only thing that makes me feel good when I'm sick is eating, that is if my taste buds are working. Considering I skipped class and didn't go to work, I thought I felt well enough this evening to satisfy a craving for pizza. Initially I thought, Bertucci's only a few blocks away on Dupont, but after failing to find a friend to accompany me, I thought, what about 2 Amy's? I've heard rave reviews. So I decided to metro there after reviewing my options: 1) driving--didn't want to deal with the hassle of finding parking on the way back 2) biking -- wasn't sure how strenuous that might be and didn't want to over exert myself. After using the Metro trip planner which told me I could take the Red line to Cleveland park and then walk 0.38 miles to 2 Amy's I gave it a go.
Eating alone has never been an issue for me ... that is when I was on a trip for work by myself. I would purposefully find the most swank restaurant to treat myself a three course meal plus drinks on whatever allowance the company gave me. This marks the second time I've dined alone at a sit down restaurant in the District. The first time was during Restaurant Week when my date came down with the flu and my second choice also backed out because of bronchitis. Well it was Restaurant Week and I had dinner reservations at Rose Mexicano ... the only Mexican restaurant I've ever liked ... the only place that can make Mexican food taste and look like cuisine. So even though my one friend begged me to stay home and just order a pizza I insisted on going by myself ... so I sat at Rose Mexican ... a shi shi restaurant even for a Mexican one, at a table by myself, with a glass of red wine, a three course meal and my book: "The Curse of the Singles Table: A true story of 1001 nights without sex." It was great!!! I had fun!!!
My date with 2 Amy's did not have such great beginnings (well I guess they never do). Apparently Metro misplaced the decimal when they said the restaurant was a .38 walk ... more like 3.8 miles up hills!!! I had to ask several people where Macomb was and all I could think was, 'this better be really good pizza!" After sweating up hills for three miles, I was not disappointed. Bertucci's is no longer my favorite and doesn't hold a card to 2 Amy's pizza. The specialty is Neopolitan pizza, and I've had Neopolitan pizza ... in Napoli ... and I think 2 Amy's outdid that. The only other pizza that could compare was one I had in Florence, near the train station ... a long long time ago.
Eating alone has never been an issue for me ... that is when I was on a trip for work by myself. I would purposefully find the most swank restaurant to treat myself a three course meal plus drinks on whatever allowance the company gave me. This marks the second time I've dined alone at a sit down restaurant in the District. The first time was during Restaurant Week when my date came down with the flu and my second choice also backed out because of bronchitis. Well it was Restaurant Week and I had dinner reservations at Rose Mexicano ... the only Mexican restaurant I've ever liked ... the only place that can make Mexican food taste and look like cuisine. So even though my one friend begged me to stay home and just order a pizza I insisted on going by myself ... so I sat at Rose Mexican ... a shi shi restaurant even for a Mexican one, at a table by myself, with a glass of red wine, a three course meal and my book: "The Curse of the Singles Table: A true story of 1001 nights without sex." It was great!!! I had fun!!!
My date with 2 Amy's did not have such great beginnings (well I guess they never do). Apparently Metro misplaced the decimal when they said the restaurant was a .38 walk ... more like 3.8 miles up hills!!! I had to ask several people where Macomb was and all I could think was, 'this better be really good pizza!" After sweating up hills for three miles, I was not disappointed. Bertucci's is no longer my favorite and doesn't hold a card to 2 Amy's pizza. The specialty is Neopolitan pizza, and I've had Neopolitan pizza ... in Napoli ... and I think 2 Amy's outdid that. The only other pizza that could compare was one I had in Florence, near the train station ... a long long time ago.
the truth about US and Middle East peace
Recently Condoleeza Rice has informed the public intentions to restart the Middle East peace process. With a new Palestinian leader, Abu Mazen elected recently, the prospect seems ripe. One of my neighbors wrote a book about the Camp David 2000 summit, which I found to be a really good read and alternative viewpoint to the events that transpired and the reasons for the summit's failures. Clayton Swisher's The Truth About Camp David, is a book hopefully Ms. Rice and her counterparts will pick up and read. The author writes his book based on interviews with many of the negotiators at the 2nd Camp David and provides some startling insights into the ill-preparedness of the Clinton administration and the underlying factors that compromised the administration neutrality in the negotiations. Anyway, that's just my shoutout to Clay there ... down there on the Terrace level.
Not moving back out to the commonwealth
Reading Catherine and Tom's blog, I came upon more reasons not to move back to VA. Its almost like as the world progresses, Virginia must find ways to become more Victorian or something. You may recall a prior post about this. Why VA is F%$&d up!
Also since one of my favorite places to get news, besides the Washington Post, the Economist, New York times, BBC worlds news, International Herald Tribune, and Reuters is of course the AOL Instant Messenger Splash Today page, I found an interesting piece on most and least romantic cities. I'm not sure how DC got up there in the top 10 best place for singles:
Also since one of my favorite places to get news, besides the Washington Post, the Economist, New York times, BBC worlds news, International Herald Tribune, and Reuters is of course the AOL Instant Messenger Splash Today page, I found an interesting piece on most and least romantic cities. I'm not sure how DC got up there in the top 10 best place for singles:
8. Washington, D.C.: 45 percent claim they "just want to be friends." How politically correct.
i tried & academics
I know I had some whiny rants, but really, I meant to write a few positive posts but blogger wasn't cooperating with me. I have some head bug that prevents me from understanding what I'm reading and makes me feel delirious ... I suppose that's a sign I have a fever. So yesterday went into work late and today I didn't go at all. Working up the courage to make the trek to CVS to buy some soup, ginger ale, and a thermometer right now, only a block away and maybe the fresh air will do some good.
But anyway, since having class only once a week for each class, papers and such sneak up on you. So I've already decided to start exploring my paper for my International Relations of South Asia class. Primarily on politics/terrorism in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is one of three democracies which have a Muslim majority so it's a pretty interesting case study in how terrorism exists in a democracy even though the current US administration touts that democracy is the cure to terrorism. Bangladesh is a country few will find a large body of work on, so I have to rely on newspaper articles mostly. I suppose I should also interview my professor since the country is one of her focii.
During my browsings, I found one blog dedicated to Bangladesh. Although more a private journal, it contains discussions on current press in Bangladesh, party politics and terrorism. Imtiaz's blog. He also has a story about the Parliament member who was killed, a former Ambassador to the US from Pakistan (back when it consisted of East and West Pakistan, pre-1971), a man my father worked for when he came to the US. Well I suppose with my day off and not having much to do, I have no excuse to get a head start on my readings for next week.
But anyway, since having class only once a week for each class, papers and such sneak up on you. So I've already decided to start exploring my paper for my International Relations of South Asia class. Primarily on politics/terrorism in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is one of three democracies which have a Muslim majority so it's a pretty interesting case study in how terrorism exists in a democracy even though the current US administration touts that democracy is the cure to terrorism. Bangladesh is a country few will find a large body of work on, so I have to rely on newspaper articles mostly. I suppose I should also interview my professor since the country is one of her focii.
During my browsings, I found one blog dedicated to Bangladesh. Although more a private journal, it contains discussions on current press in Bangladesh, party politics and terrorism. Imtiaz's blog. He also has a story about the Parliament member who was killed, a former Ambassador to the US from Pakistan (back when it consisted of East and West Pakistan, pre-1971), a man my father worked for when he came to the US. Well I suppose with my day off and not having much to do, I have no excuse to get a head start on my readings for next week.
Sunday, February 06, 2005
The Anti-Smoke Debate
Anyway if you're interested in the debate, here's some websites (and my oh-so biased comments).
Washington Times Article-of course this rag who undoubtedly benefits from Phillip-Morris et all, would put up a libertarian argument against the smoking ban proposal. Fuckers.
http://www.smokefreedc.org/ Heartily support this organization, I don't care so much for the restaurant workers protection argument (I was one, and worked in a bar too); more for people who would probably enjoy the nightlife experience more without smelling like ass afterwards.
http://www.philipmorrisinternational.com/pages/eng/smoking/Secondhand_smoke.asp Right from the horse's mouth.
If someone wants to slowly kill themselves I don't want to experience the by-product.
I do have quite a few friends that smoke. And I do admit, I give them hard time (but it's their habit that's giving me a hard time no?). Anyway, one of my girlfriends decided to try and quit by using the patch. She explained to me the weird psychological concept of smoking, which to someone like me who is physically incapable of inhaling and living to tell the tale, was pretty odd. Some choice quotes:
There's an argument about how a smoking ban would drive business's bankrupt. I've heard of bars going out of business in Montgomery because the smokers are going to VA and DC, but honestly I wonder how much more business they could attract if non-smokers knew they could have an enjoyable time thus spend more time, thus drink more and alleviate the fact that people who wanted to smoke are somewhere else. I mean, maybe these bars can also sell temporary nicotine patches or something. Also I hate economic theory in general, which believes one can put a numerical value to anything. Sorry I don't buy the argument that I can just be around ETS (environmental tobacco smoke), get tongue or throat cancer later, and be okay with the costs (including pain, emotional anguish, recovery) of surgery, chemo, etc.
It's like how one guy told me that it's okay to always eat red meat and not exercise because there's always by-pass surgery. Huh???
The interesting thing is I'm not allergic to tobacco itself. I've smoked hookah's at Guarapo's, chi-cha, and other place and have been fine with the tobacco in it. The theory is that hashisha is pure tobacco without additives. Which makes me think I'm allergic to the other ingredients. Those people arguing that studies showing second hand smoke is unhealthy for non-smokers are moot, are nuts: I mean how can these ingredients be safe to inhale?
Washington Times Article-of course this rag who undoubtedly benefits from Phillip-Morris et all, would put up a libertarian argument against the smoking ban proposal. Fuckers.
http://www.smokefreedc.org/ Heartily support this organization, I don't care so much for the restaurant workers protection argument (I was one, and worked in a bar too); more for people who would probably enjoy the nightlife experience more without smelling like ass afterwards.
http://www.philipmorrisinternational.com/pages/eng/smoking/Secondhand_smoke.asp Right from the horse's mouth.
If someone wants to slowly kill themselves I don't want to experience the by-product.
I do have quite a few friends that smoke. And I do admit, I give them hard time (but it's their habit that's giving me a hard time no?). Anyway, one of my girlfriends decided to try and quit by using the patch. She explained to me the weird psychological concept of smoking, which to someone like me who is physically incapable of inhaling and living to tell the tale, was pretty odd. Some choice quotes:
The cigarette was my best-friend.
I felt guilty if I didn't have a cigarette.
The cigarette comforted me.
There's an argument about how a smoking ban would drive business's bankrupt. I've heard of bars going out of business in Montgomery because the smokers are going to VA and DC, but honestly I wonder how much more business they could attract if non-smokers knew they could have an enjoyable time thus spend more time, thus drink more and alleviate the fact that people who wanted to smoke are somewhere else. I mean, maybe these bars can also sell temporary nicotine patches or something. Also I hate economic theory in general, which believes one can put a numerical value to anything. Sorry I don't buy the argument that I can just be around ETS (environmental tobacco smoke), get tongue or throat cancer later, and be okay with the costs (including pain, emotional anguish, recovery) of surgery, chemo, etc.
It's like how one guy told me that it's okay to always eat red meat and not exercise because there's always by-pass surgery. Huh???
The interesting thing is I'm not allergic to tobacco itself. I've smoked hookah's at Guarapo's, chi-cha, and other place and have been fine with the tobacco in it. The theory is that hashisha is pure tobacco without additives. Which makes me think I'm allergic to the other ingredients. Those people arguing that studies showing second hand smoke is unhealthy for non-smokers are moot, are nuts: I mean how can these ingredients be safe to inhale?
my anti-bar rant
I hate bars. Without exception. Sometimes I have an okay time. This past week I went way too many times. I would rather go to dinner with friends where I can actually hear someone rather than waking up the next morning hoarse or with no voice at all from shrilling the night before. Also, I hate smelling like crap with nothing to show for it except a lost voice, smelly clothes and hair. I would much rather go dancing. Where at least if I'm smelly, I have good reasons, like a late night work out. Don't get me wrong ... I'll go to a bar if it involves activity in addition to socializing ... like seeing a band play ... I'm okay with that, because if the band is good you're not going to talk, and if they're really good I'll dance. Also I'm slightly sensitive to cigarette smoke, mostly getting stuffy, dry throat, and on occasion breaking out into hives (like when my boss from my old job wouldn't stop chain smoking in the rental car we had to share on a trip out to San Diego). Few things counter the effect: drinking tons of water ... ie) Friday night at Buffalo Billiards after one beer I started ordering water so much the bartender gave me two full glasses, both of which I sucked down in a minute apiece; the other thing is dancing ... maybe it has something to do with the rising heart rate or something, but I feel like I'm a lot less allergic for it. Last night I went to Chi-cha, which is a very cool place to hang out, and I typically have a very good time there because 1) they make excellent martini's 2) the atmosphere; but it's strictly a go with a group of friends place and talk to them, talk only with your friends. People don't actually seem to meet other people there. The utter down-side to chi-cha is it's a smoky little hole, like all the semi-cool bars in DC. Ugh, you won't see me crying if DC enacts a bar/restaurant/club smoking ban. In fact, if there's a group pushing for a smoking-ban I'm behind them. It's the only thing I like about Maryland, Montgomery Co. to be exact. I may even go to bars more.
two wheeled adventures
Recently I've been using my bike in the city for transportation. It's probably the fastest mode of transportation in the downtown area during heavy traffic. The past week I've used it at night, equipped with blinky tail lights and a front flashlight to go to class. Feeling rather squirrelly this weekend with the warmer temperatures and sun, particularly after the past two weekends of snow I was rather itching to see how I could get out of the city. Yesterday after biking to the gym and lifting I decided to hit the Crescent City trail. It's amazing how the Potomac looked, with the sun lowering on the Southern bank, clear blue sky, and a peek of an unusually clear blue Potomac river. After doing 200lb+squats at the gym, my legs ran out of juice about a 1/2 hour later. So I saw the perfect diversion, a little park on the bank, as I headed my bike through the parking lot I became mired in swamp. Snowmelt, how fun. Splattered with mud I took my brief respite to rest and continued back, making sure to save some juice for the quick starts on K St. so I could avoid being slammed into by a taxi cab. As the trees began to thin and buildings began to appear, I realized I was not happy about heading back into the urban environment.
This morning it was my intention to find the path to Key bridge out to Arlington. Didn't happen, after coming home at 0230, made the bad choice of giving my cat mardi gras beads and he decided to have a little party ... until I put him in the bathroom. (I know cruel, but I live in a studio!!!). But I had too much caffeine in Arlington and decided to take another ride ... this time up Rock Creek Parkway. Well naturally I almost died. I wasn't sure exactly how to get on the path, so I actually ended up on the parkway itself, which was a mad, Mad, MAd, MAD thing to do. I think those cars are used to road bikers who are apparently training for the Tour de France, because they were literally whizzing by me, only 5 inches away. I was scared to death ... I kept thinking to myself, don't lose your balance, don't lose your balance!!! Finally I saw an opening and crossed over to the path. Phew. And yay, more fun snow melt. I am covered in mud. It was satisfying, although the people at Whole Foods where I stopped on the way home probably thought I had pooped on myself. No really, I wasn't that scared.
This morning it was my intention to find the path to Key bridge out to Arlington. Didn't happen, after coming home at 0230, made the bad choice of giving my cat mardi gras beads and he decided to have a little party ... until I put him in the bathroom. (I know cruel, but I live in a studio!!!). But I had too much caffeine in Arlington and decided to take another ride ... this time up Rock Creek Parkway. Well naturally I almost died. I wasn't sure exactly how to get on the path, so I actually ended up on the parkway itself, which was a mad, Mad, MAd, MAD thing to do. I think those cars are used to road bikers who are apparently training for the Tour de France, because they were literally whizzing by me, only 5 inches away. I was scared to death ... I kept thinking to myself, don't lose your balance, don't lose your balance!!! Finally I saw an opening and crossed over to the path. Phew. And yay, more fun snow melt. I am covered in mud. It was satisfying, although the people at Whole Foods where I stopped on the way home probably thought I had pooped on myself. No really, I wasn't that scared.
Thursday, February 03, 2005
Day in the Life of a Full-time Govee and Part-time Grad Student
So today was one of those crazy days where by the end I thought everyone must be edging away from me because I stink from having run around since 6 AM. Taking the second semester of graduate school by the horns of the bull I volunteered to lead the first discussion in my Theories of International Politics class. Even though I had overcommitted myself the past week (movie w/ friends Fri; all day movies Sat; sleepover at mom Sun; Mon night happy hour; Tues night happy hour plus evening condo owner get together; Wedn. night tooth filling) I frantically read three pieces assigned that I was supposed to know word for word ... on the bus, on the train, on the treadmill (proverbial treadmill, I've become so out of shape I can only handle the elliptical). So tonight's its over ... unfortunatley I didn't have a chance to see the reactions of my professor because he made me sit next to him, so I couldn't gauge by his facial expressions if I was remotely on the right track or if I was just out there, reciting the screenplay for George of the Jungle. Well I got away barely skinned alive ... one of the reasons I picked first to go was to get it over with early in the semester and because you can't be compared to someone before you ... I pretty much established the low bar which is hopefully at least a B.
I dunno if any of you have taken an IR theory class but it asks questions one would normally not want to ask and think too hard about ... questions like ... why are we here? what is our purpose? You know, questions that if you can't think up a solid answer to you'll drive yourself nuts, or at least I will. So imagine trying to get into that philosophical mode while on the 7:15 AM Green line with crying babies, the bus while the operator is playing smooth jazz, Sade or Alicia Keyes, or on the treadmill at the GWU gym with undergraduates eyeing eachother, sizing up the prospect for the next sexual rendezvous.
Obviously I'm writing in a blog because I'm PROCRASTINATING! From what? Well going downstairs to the gym and hopping on the treadmill and forcing myself to read about ethnic conflict in Pakistan. For next week's class. Since tomorrow I'm going to a happy hour, Sat night I'm going to a play, Sunday I'm biking .....
I dunno if any of you have taken an IR theory class but it asks questions one would normally not want to ask and think too hard about ... questions like ... why are we here? what is our purpose? You know, questions that if you can't think up a solid answer to you'll drive yourself nuts, or at least I will. So imagine trying to get into that philosophical mode while on the 7:15 AM Green line with crying babies, the bus while the operator is playing smooth jazz, Sade or Alicia Keyes, or on the treadmill at the GWU gym with undergraduates eyeing eachother, sizing up the prospect for the next sexual rendezvous.
Obviously I'm writing in a blog because I'm PROCRASTINATING! From what? Well going downstairs to the gym and hopping on the treadmill and forcing myself to read about ethnic conflict in Pakistan. For next week's class. Since tomorrow I'm going to a happy hour, Sat night I'm going to a play, Sunday I'm biking .....
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
walking threat to yourself
My skull is numb ... had an interesting dental appointment. Both my dentist and the assistant started talking about my North Face jacket that I wore on my bike ride over like I was walking a tight rope between death ... and certain death. Apparently the DC area has been wrought with armed robberies involving North Face jackets. My reaction was, "I know they're a popular fashion item ... but come on? Are these guys that desperate to hit the slopes???" I really don't think so ... I don't see these guys ever aspiring to climbing Mt. Everest or even Old Rag Mntn. for that matter. I like to think I bought my jacket for legitimate reasons, namely during my freshman year of college, I was practicing semi-technical rescue on a steep slippery slope in pouring rain and mud. I got soaked to bone and if it hadn't been for my pack rat rescue mates I might've gotten hypothermia. I swore after then, nothing but the best "dry in extremely wet weather" jacket would do. Of course I think I've used it only twice for its legitimate purpose: once for skiing, and another time backpacking in the finicky weather. But anyway, now I'm thinking twice about wearing my jacket around dc ... not that I really need it in DC, but it sure helps when I'm biking in 20 degree weather ... although I accidently bought a size or two too big and it acts more like a drag parachute.
When I asked the assistant if he knew Mountain Hardware or Patagonia, he told me he hadn't heard of them so maybe you're safer with those. He also waxed about those other 'street-style' outdoor brands. Although I'm never going to take anyone seriously if they tell me Columbia or Timberland is a legitimate outdoor brand.
When I asked the assistant if he knew Mountain Hardware or Patagonia, he told me he hadn't heard of them so maybe you're safer with those. He also waxed about those other 'street-style' outdoor brands. Although I'm never going to take anyone seriously if they tell me Columbia or Timberland is a legitimate outdoor brand.
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