Yikes! I almost forgot my login name it's been that long. I guess it's been a month - Bad blogger! BAD!
So, not too much new here, my time in the country is ticking away, I'm working on getting everything set for when I leave. My parents are going to be empty-nesters soon. My middle sister is moving to another State (a red one blech!) for a job, my little sister is going to another State for college (this one is kinda purpley) and by the time I leave they'll both hopefully be settled in in their new homes. Not too sure how the folks are going to take it. I hope they are able to use their new-found free time for things they enjoy.
I've learned a little more about Senegal in the past month, I bought a Lonely Planet guide book for Senegal and the Gambia and it's proving informational.
I know this is off topic, but can I just say, I love Jon Stewart.
Thank you, Jon Stewart for your clever, sane and wonderful remarks in a civilization that is proving to be none of those things lately. However, I'm a little disappointed that you didn't ream Santorum a new one last week when he so stupidly came on your show to promote his silly little book.
Hope that you all are enjoying life.
-B
Friday, August 05, 2005
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Going to Senegal!
So over the past few days I've been out of contact because I was working a swim camp, visiting with friends and traveling all over half the continent. But while I was away I found out that I will be stationed in Senegal next year. This is very good news because it was one of my top choices and one of the more progressive countries in Africa. I'm scheduled to leave home at the end of September for a two day orientation States-side and then off to Senegal for two more months of training. Check out more on Senegal. There are lots of things I have to read over and fill out in the next few days so I'll write more when I know more.
Au revoir mes amis
Au revoir mes amis
Thursday, June 16, 2005
Armageddon anyone?
Disclaimer: If you are a member of the religious right pretend it's opposite day, just like in junior high and you might enjoy reading this post.
OK, so I just got done reading some emails and reading a bit of the New York Times and Slate.com websites and I have to say, I'm afraid...very afraid. This fear began to creep into my soul in 2000, strangely enough, just after the presidential election. It really wasn't a very big fear at this time, I still felt very secure and actually pretty patriotic, culminating in representing the U.S. in an international sports competition. However, this feeling of fear grew, slowly but steadily through Bush's first term, through the bogus quagmire some like to call a war and kind of spiked during the bogus quagmire some call a re-election. Having lived in liberal bastions in seas of conservatism my whole life, I was naively confident that the American people would make the right decision and vote how I voted. Boy, was I wrong!
Anyway, skip back to present day and I don't know if it's just that I'm more informed than I had been in the past or if it really has gotten worse for those of us who are liberal leaning but 2 out of 3 pieces of news I read make me physically ill and kinda like I'm in the twilight zone. For example;
- I received 3 emails from separate entities that told me that the House of Representatives is leaning toward major cuts for PBS and NPR(IMHO: untainted sources of information for thinking Americans, as well as educational programming for children and adults)
- At the end of one of my favorite columns: Savage Love the columnist notes the Pope's announcements from last week. While it's no surprise it still makes me angry to see it. Apparently he condemned divorce, masturbation, birth control, in vitro fertilization, living together before marriage, and same-sex marriage as anarchic freedom. I guess all I can do is hope that this dude's influence continues to decline and hope that Santorum isn't able to complete his crusade of making all of this religious ranting into American law.
- In my search for more information about the pope's statements I find some news about a referendum in Italy that took place this week. Apparently two years ago the Italian government passed some laws including restriction of in vitro fertilization(IVF) to married couples, banning the use of donated eggs or sperm the use of a surrogate mother, and Italian women are banned from fertilizing more than three eggs at a time, but they have to implant all of the resulting embryos simultaneously(regardless of genetic diseases, etc.). A doctor who violates any part of the law can be jailed for up to three years. This recent referendum was intended to overturn these laws but voter turnout was abysmal so the laws stay and Italians who want to have a baby must be married, women must be able to carry their own pregnancy and even if an embryo is found to have a genetic disease it must be implanted. Oh yeah, and after the eggs have been fertilized the law says the woman has no choice, they must be implanted, even if she has changed her mind. These laws stem from the idea of trying to make IVF as much like in utero fertilization as well as the phenomenon of giving embryos the rights and status as a person. Now, I know that the Italians had their chance to vote so hopefully they don't care too much about their reproductive rights but hmmm, giving rights to embryos sounds awful familiar...oh yeah! that's right! our government wants to do that!!
- as it turns out, Terri Schiavo, according to her autopsy, was going to be a vegetable for the rest of her un-natural life, and her husband never abused her. Thanks Dr. Frist for your invaluable services. Schiavo's brain had shrunk to half the size, there was no chance of recovery yet these people wanted to keep her "alive?" For whose wellbeing would that have been?
On a somewhat good note, while he still vehemently opposes gay marriage, Rev. Rob Schenk a leader in the religious right has agreed that homosexuality is not a choice and he's planning on sharing this view. A step is a step.
Sorry about the negative post, I'll try to dig up some good news for my next post.
OK, so I just got done reading some emails and reading a bit of the New York Times and Slate.com websites and I have to say, I'm afraid...very afraid. This fear began to creep into my soul in 2000, strangely enough, just after the presidential election. It really wasn't a very big fear at this time, I still felt very secure and actually pretty patriotic, culminating in representing the U.S. in an international sports competition. However, this feeling of fear grew, slowly but steadily through Bush's first term, through the bogus quagmire some like to call a war and kind of spiked during the bogus quagmire some call a re-election. Having lived in liberal bastions in seas of conservatism my whole life, I was naively confident that the American people would make the right decision and vote how I voted. Boy, was I wrong!
Anyway, skip back to present day and I don't know if it's just that I'm more informed than I had been in the past or if it really has gotten worse for those of us who are liberal leaning but 2 out of 3 pieces of news I read make me physically ill and kinda like I'm in the twilight zone. For example;
- I received 3 emails from separate entities that told me that the House of Representatives is leaning toward major cuts for PBS and NPR(IMHO: untainted sources of information for thinking Americans, as well as educational programming for children and adults)
- At the end of one of my favorite columns: Savage Love the columnist notes the Pope's announcements from last week. While it's no surprise it still makes me angry to see it. Apparently he condemned divorce, masturbation, birth control, in vitro fertilization, living together before marriage, and same-sex marriage as anarchic freedom. I guess all I can do is hope that this dude's influence continues to decline and hope that Santorum isn't able to complete his crusade of making all of this religious ranting into American law.
- In my search for more information about the pope's statements I find some news about a referendum in Italy that took place this week. Apparently two years ago the Italian government passed some laws including restriction of in vitro fertilization(IVF) to married couples, banning the use of donated eggs or sperm the use of a surrogate mother, and Italian women are banned from fertilizing more than three eggs at a time, but they have to implant all of the resulting embryos simultaneously(regardless of genetic diseases, etc.). A doctor who violates any part of the law can be jailed for up to three years. This recent referendum was intended to overturn these laws but voter turnout was abysmal so the laws stay and Italians who want to have a baby must be married, women must be able to carry their own pregnancy and even if an embryo is found to have a genetic disease it must be implanted. Oh yeah, and after the eggs have been fertilized the law says the woman has no choice, they must be implanted, even if she has changed her mind. These laws stem from the idea of trying to make IVF as much like in utero fertilization as well as the phenomenon of giving embryos the rights and status as a person. Now, I know that the Italians had their chance to vote so hopefully they don't care too much about their reproductive rights but hmmm, giving rights to embryos sounds awful familiar...oh yeah! that's right! our government wants to do that!!
- as it turns out, Terri Schiavo, according to her autopsy, was going to be a vegetable for the rest of her un-natural life, and her husband never abused her. Thanks Dr. Frist for your invaluable services. Schiavo's brain had shrunk to half the size, there was no chance of recovery yet these people wanted to keep her "alive?" For whose wellbeing would that have been?
On a somewhat good note, while he still vehemently opposes gay marriage, Rev. Rob Schenk a leader in the religious right has agreed that homosexuality is not a choice and he's planning on sharing this view. A step is a step.
Sorry about the negative post, I'll try to dig up some good news for my next post.
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Interesting things seen in the past few days...
1. Woman peeing on Market Street
We were driving down Market Street, a couple blocks from City Hall, right in front of the Gallery and there was a woman sitting on the bench at the bus stop, all of a sudden I see a rush of liquid from below her. I guess she had to go because she just decided to drop trough(as discretely as that can be done on a busy street at 11:00 am on a Saturday) and pee, "in front of God and everyone" as my mom was saying. The kicker was that she was dressed kinda like she was a tourist out for a day of sightseeing and she had a big smile on her face.
Lesson: Don't sit on public benches, especially if they look a little damp.
2. Dude at Indiana gas station...forgot something.
Stopped to fill up on our 15 hour trip moving me home and caught some commotion in the corner of my eye. Turns out this dude had pulled away from the pump with the nozzle still in his car. The metal connector flew off and hit the car filling up nearby. So what does he do? He takes the nozzle out of his car, places it neatly by the side of the pump and takes off. I guess accountability isn't really a trait Americans value anymore.
Lesson: Make sure nothing is connected to your vehicle when you try to drive away. Also, what was pretty funny in the movie "Garden State"...funnier in real life.
3. Becca getting her big, old ass back in the pool this morning.
So I got up early with my little sister this morning and went swimming. I only lasted about half the practice because my arms were so fatigued. Oh, and also kids who are about half my age were swimming circles around me. Aging and being out of shape sucks...gotta stick with it though.
Lesson: Stick with it...you'll feel better soon.
3.1.Teenagers I haven't seen since they were little they tend to freak me out a little.
Saw a bunch of people who have grown a few feet taller and gone through puberty since I saw them last and maybe it's just the gawky teenage-ness of them but they look like freakish versions of their former selves to me.
Lesson: Everyone should move to Neverland
4. Gorgeous Rhett Miller
Went to see the Old 97s on Friday night, lead singer is hot and really energetic on stage, made for a good show, check them(him) out.
5. My stuff
My stuff filled up an entire pickup truck and now it is filling up a good portion of a garage. And the only furniture that includes is a desk and a chair, Most of my furniture was given to a second hand store or was left on the sidewalk, sprouted legs and walked away. Even my bed (sniff, the coziest bed ever) is now being cozy for some new UPenn student.
I get home to discover a bunch of old stuff that I haven't thought about in years that I must go through and thin out before I can move my new(er) stuff into the house. Photos from the ice capades, endless, half-full bottles of lotion, body wash and stanky perfume, big job.
Lesson(s): Thin out stuff every year, try not to accumulate so much stuff in the first place.
Ciao
We were driving down Market Street, a couple blocks from City Hall, right in front of the Gallery and there was a woman sitting on the bench at the bus stop, all of a sudden I see a rush of liquid from below her. I guess she had to go because she just decided to drop trough(as discretely as that can be done on a busy street at 11:00 am on a Saturday) and pee, "in front of God and everyone" as my mom was saying. The kicker was that she was dressed kinda like she was a tourist out for a day of sightseeing and she had a big smile on her face.
Lesson: Don't sit on public benches, especially if they look a little damp.
2. Dude at Indiana gas station...forgot something.
Stopped to fill up on our 15 hour trip moving me home and caught some commotion in the corner of my eye. Turns out this dude had pulled away from the pump with the nozzle still in his car. The metal connector flew off and hit the car filling up nearby. So what does he do? He takes the nozzle out of his car, places it neatly by the side of the pump and takes off. I guess accountability isn't really a trait Americans value anymore.
Lesson: Make sure nothing is connected to your vehicle when you try to drive away. Also, what was pretty funny in the movie "Garden State"...funnier in real life.
3. Becca getting her big, old ass back in the pool this morning.
So I got up early with my little sister this morning and went swimming. I only lasted about half the practice because my arms were so fatigued. Oh, and also kids who are about half my age were swimming circles around me. Aging and being out of shape sucks...gotta stick with it though.
Lesson: Stick with it...you'll feel better soon.
3.1.Teenagers I haven't seen since they were little they tend to freak me out a little.
Saw a bunch of people who have grown a few feet taller and gone through puberty since I saw them last and maybe it's just the gawky teenage-ness of them but they look like freakish versions of their former selves to me.
Lesson: Everyone should move to Neverland
4. Gorgeous Rhett Miller
Went to see the Old 97s on Friday night, lead singer is hot and really energetic on stage, made for a good show, check them(him) out.
5. My stuff
My stuff filled up an entire pickup truck and now it is filling up a good portion of a garage. And the only furniture that includes is a desk and a chair, Most of my furniture was given to a second hand store or was left on the sidewalk, sprouted legs and walked away. Even my bed (sniff, the coziest bed ever) is now being cozy for some new UPenn student.
I get home to discover a bunch of old stuff that I haven't thought about in years that I must go through and thin out before I can move my new(er) stuff into the house. Photos from the ice capades, endless, half-full bottles of lotion, body wash and stanky perfume, big job.
Lesson(s): Thin out stuff every year, try not to accumulate so much stuff in the first place.
Ciao
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Notes
1. Someone must've taken my dumpster-diving comment in my last post seriously because, sure enough, there was someone looking thru the stuff in the alley this morning at 4am while I was trying desperately to fall asleep.
2. I'm glad to have my eyesight this morning. Last night my right eye just started itching like crazy. Upon closer examination, and comparison to my other eye, my sclera (yeah, I just learned a new word, thank you internet), the white part, was sorta bulging out. It's better now.
3. Note to self: Do not, under any circumstances, drink coffee in the evening. I thought it was going to give me a boost for packing and cleaning, which it did, but it also helped to create a jittery, near-sleepless night, argh!
4. Another note to self: Try (harder) not to be a victim of road rage in the three days I have left here. This morning on my way in, I was driving on a three-lane, one-way street. I was driving in the right lane, going at the same speed as the van in front of me with a comfortable following distance when a woman passes me on my right (in the parking lane) and cuts right in front of me. I shake my head and when I pass her I shout at her to learn to drive. On the next pass she says something about getting my "old, piece of sh*t off the road." Hmm, didn't know that a 2002 Vespa scooter counted as more of a POS than her banged up, 1990 Buick. Stupid people are funny sometimes, but sometimes they're just dangerous.
2. I'm glad to have my eyesight this morning. Last night my right eye just started itching like crazy. Upon closer examination, and comparison to my other eye, my sclera (yeah, I just learned a new word, thank you internet), the white part, was sorta bulging out. It's better now.
3. Note to self: Do not, under any circumstances, drink coffee in the evening. I thought it was going to give me a boost for packing and cleaning, which it did, but it also helped to create a jittery, near-sleepless night, argh!
4. Another note to self: Try (harder) not to be a victim of road rage in the three days I have left here. This morning on my way in, I was driving on a three-lane, one-way street. I was driving in the right lane, going at the same speed as the van in front of me with a comfortable following distance when a woman passes me on my right (in the parking lane) and cuts right in front of me. I shake my head and when I pass her I shout at her to learn to drive. On the next pass she says something about getting my "old, piece of sh*t off the road." Hmm, didn't know that a 2002 Vespa scooter counted as more of a POS than her banged up, 1990 Buick. Stupid people are funny sometimes, but sometimes they're just dangerous.
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Cleaning out the desk...
The past few days have been filled with a lot of cleaning out, throwing away, emptying electronic "recycling bins" for me. It makes me wonder what should be kept. I worked pretty hard over the past three years on assignments, papers and exams, many of which are in the "recycling bins" of computers that don't belong to me or are in folders that are now sitting in a trash can in the alley outside my apartment. All that work just to be trashed? But it seems totally insane to load up all one's work, lug it around in boxes that are never opened, each time one moves. So I, for once, took the minimalist approach and got rid of a crap load. So, if anyone is starting their MBA and feels like doing some dumpster diving, there is some useful info in the second trash can in the alley next to Becca's apartment.
I think that George knows that something strange is going on. He didn't eat for an entire day last week, and hes been talking a lot more than usual. Some people say that animals just know when somethings up, could be. Or maybe he's just wondering why all the stuff he used to lay on and get cat fur all over, is now in some cardboard box.
Tomorrow is when the whirlwind begins: Farewell happy hour w/friends after work then my last dance at the Tokio after that (during which the fam will be arriving for the big packing/graduating weekend)
I think that George knows that something strange is going on. He didn't eat for an entire day last week, and hes been talking a lot more than usual. Some people say that animals just know when somethings up, could be. Or maybe he's just wondering why all the stuff he used to lay on and get cat fur all over, is now in some cardboard box.
Tomorrow is when the whirlwind begins: Farewell happy hour w/friends after work then my last dance at the Tokio after that (during which the fam will be arriving for the big packing/graduating weekend)
Saturday, June 04, 2005
My Apartment
Things I will not miss about this apartment
1. Hard-wood floors. I know I'm supposed to like 'em but I guess I'm just more of a carpet kinda gal. George's offspring (dust bunnies made of cat fur) tend to loiter along the edges of the floor, plotting to smother us in our sleep. It doesn't feel as good a carpet on my bare feet either.
2. Idiots drag racing down the one-block stretch of road between the stop light and the stop sign late at night or while we're watching a movie.
3. Kitchen that I believe is inherently dirty, as in every surface is some sort of strange dirt and greese magnet, should be studied.
4. Bathroom - see kitchen
5. Iritating junk mail, maybe I'll be able to escape some of it with this move.
6. No other kitties around for George to play with.
7. Fleas that aparantly like to play with (bite, scratch, drink the blood of)George here.
Things I will miss about this apartment
1. Location - I can walk or bike just about everywhere in the city from here, and if its too far I can walk to public transport. My neighborhood has some great cafes, delis, parks, little shops and some great old buildings too.
2. Nice big front porch. Yesterday it rained all day but we had a nice little BBQ on my front porch. It felt nice a cozy because my wonderful porch protected us from the rain and the miniture grill kept us warm. mmmm. I feel sorry I haven't appreciated the front proch as much as I could have.
3. Stained glass. In the front room windows of my apartment there is some great old stained glass, but it may have been a little under-appreciated too.
Ok, time to start packing/help Justin move out.
1. Hard-wood floors. I know I'm supposed to like 'em but I guess I'm just more of a carpet kinda gal. George's offspring (dust bunnies made of cat fur) tend to loiter along the edges of the floor, plotting to smother us in our sleep. It doesn't feel as good a carpet on my bare feet either.
2. Idiots drag racing down the one-block stretch of road between the stop light and the stop sign late at night or while we're watching a movie.
3. Kitchen that I believe is inherently dirty, as in every surface is some sort of strange dirt and greese magnet, should be studied.
4. Bathroom - see kitchen
5. Iritating junk mail, maybe I'll be able to escape some of it with this move.
6. No other kitties around for George to play with.
7. Fleas that aparantly like to play with (bite, scratch, drink the blood of)George here.
Things I will miss about this apartment
1. Location - I can walk or bike just about everywhere in the city from here, and if its too far I can walk to public transport. My neighborhood has some great cafes, delis, parks, little shops and some great old buildings too.
2. Nice big front porch. Yesterday it rained all day but we had a nice little BBQ on my front porch. It felt nice a cozy because my wonderful porch protected us from the rain and the miniture grill kept us warm. mmmm. I feel sorry I haven't appreciated the front proch as much as I could have.
3. Stained glass. In the front room windows of my apartment there is some great old stained glass, but it may have been a little under-appreciated too.
Ok, time to start packing/help Justin move out.
Friday, June 03, 2005
Sleeepppy, but it was worth it!
Feeling a bit zombie-like today thanks to dancing in NYC until midnight and then getting up for the 6 a.m. shift at the XPN fund drive. Both things were a lot of fun though so it was well worth it. Thanks to Greg, Laurie, Cheryl and a bunch of New York lindy hoppers I was able to get out an cut a rug last night, and even got to enjoy fresh, hot bagels at midnight...gotta love New York.
If anyone reading this doesn't know what XPN is you must check it out, you can listen to (what I believe to be) the best radio station in the country. I've been volunteering there for almost a year now and that has been a lot of fun too. For those in the Philly area, there is also a beautiful restaurant and concert venue attached to WXPN, the World Cafe Live.
Anyway, since my last post I've finished my classes so that's pretty good. I'm getting a little anxious about packing and moving though, something that has never really been a pleasant experience for me, but I'm sure it'll be fine.
My roommate, Justin will be moving out of our apartment tomorrow and even though he spends much of his time outside the apartment it'll still seem quite empty for the week I'll be living there alone. We shared many a moment laughing about the most juvenile things and managed not to really get in any major fights over the past year. So here's a big "thank you" to Justin, I'll miss you buddy (and George will too).
If anyone reading this doesn't know what XPN is you must check it out, you can listen to (what I believe to be) the best radio station in the country. I've been volunteering there for almost a year now and that has been a lot of fun too. For those in the Philly area, there is also a beautiful restaurant and concert venue attached to WXPN, the World Cafe Live.
Anyway, since my last post I've finished my classes so that's pretty good. I'm getting a little anxious about packing and moving though, something that has never really been a pleasant experience for me, but I'm sure it'll be fine.
My roommate, Justin will be moving out of our apartment tomorrow and even though he spends much of his time outside the apartment it'll still seem quite empty for the week I'll be living there alone. We shared many a moment laughing about the most juvenile things and managed not to really get in any major fights over the past year. So here's a big "thank you" to Justin, I'll miss you buddy (and George will too).
Monday, May 30, 2005
2 weeks and counting...
2 weeks from today I will be on my way back to Wisconsin after spending nearly 3 years in Philadelphia. Leaving is hard.
My first few months in Philly I was pretty miserable, I found it difficult to meet people so I was just working and going to school, not too much fun. I slowly started to meet people and now I feel like I have a real family here. The city of Philly has also started to grow on me. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely things that I won't miss but there are also things that I have really come to love in the "City that loves you back." To list a few; Reading Terminal Market, Fairmount Park, the art museum, adorable little side streets in center city, being able to walk amost anywhere in the city, game brunch, the Ritz movie theaters, food trucks, the beautiful historic buildings, location - so close to NYC and DC, the character of all the different neighborhoods...I guess I could go on for a while.
I have found that the best part of my life in any place that I live is the people who come to be a part of it while I'm there. Thanks to all you folks who have made my life so much richer, funnier, more educational and more interesting. I'll try really hard not to be too sappy in the following posts.
My first few months in Philly I was pretty miserable, I found it difficult to meet people so I was just working and going to school, not too much fun. I slowly started to meet people and now I feel like I have a real family here. The city of Philly has also started to grow on me. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely things that I won't miss but there are also things that I have really come to love in the "City that loves you back." To list a few; Reading Terminal Market, Fairmount Park, the art museum, adorable little side streets in center city, being able to walk amost anywhere in the city, game brunch, the Ritz movie theaters, food trucks, the beautiful historic buildings, location - so close to NYC and DC, the character of all the different neighborhoods...I guess I could go on for a while.
I have found that the best part of my life in any place that I live is the people who come to be a part of it while I'm there. Thanks to all you folks who have made my life so much richer, funnier, more educational and more interesting. I'll try really hard not to be too sappy in the following posts.
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