One more day up in the canyon

"We are here to add what we can to life, not to get what we can from it." -William Osler-

A friend recently said that one of the qualities he most admired was the ability to live life to the fullest. I was thinking about that this afternoon, when I talked with T. T couldn't be more exuberant than when praising our creative writing class. He is 44 but looks to be 30. I consider him as an author and romantic at heart. He served in the police force for 13 years before succumbing to a crack cocaine addiction. He resigned and worked in a warehouse in order to make ends meet and continue to feed his addiction. Now, he's in an upward swing and in love once again. T regaled me with tales of his 3 year old granddaughter and how his relationship with his son has changed since he has come out of rehab. In a few months, he hopes to rejoin his old job and get married to his fiancee.

Walking back down Eager Street today reminded me of Mabija street. It's a typical Charm City street where people congregate on the front steps and stare at the racially different people who walk by. There are chain-link fences and brick rowhouses with brightly painted window frames. Paint is falling off the cheap liquor store on the corner. You can kick the empty metallic bags that once held individual servings of potato chips (regular and sour cream and onion, normally). More trash and other gristle lies on the sidewalks. The bricks are uneven, and I shudder to think of the effects on an auto's shocks. When I drive by this area at night, I'm always surprised to see the number of people who are just standing or sitting. Such constant inactivity is not necessarily off-putting, just unnerving. It's a different world.

It's not to say that I'm not extremely content right now. On the contrary, I am. I sincerely enjoy my somewhat surreal state. Today, I revisited, albeit briefly, Arisotelian ethics and the principle of virtue. I find inspiration in a statue in an institution that promises some of the best tertiary care in the world. In class, I find myself listening more than I talk. Education comes in the form of lectures, planned conferences, and the internet. It's a sheltered world, one that has more good than bad.

Many have said that they love to make a difference in the life of a child. I concur. Yet, today, out of my bubble, I felt as if I've added something to the world in the life of an adult. And this seemed more real to me than the rest of my day.

Five and a half weeks

Coming to Ireland, I set out to blog my experiences. For being a capitalistic meritocracy like the United States, Ireland does have its quirks that I've been adjusting to since I've arrived.

Irish time. It's not just a newspaper and it's not to the same extent as Italy or South Africa. Classes start at ten past the hour and if you are meeting a group of friends at the pub, expect them to arrive within a ninety minute window. Accordingly, it is smart to know if one person will arrive somewhat on time. Otherwise, I walk around the block a few times. I've had a taxi ride that gave me flashbacks of NYC cabbies and buses that drop me off with a few minutes before my train was to depart. Everything gets done in its own time. That's what the Irish tell me, I tell myself, and hope that Irish time won't fail me.

Food and drink. It doesn't bother me to go shopping more frequently for groceries, though I often wish that my fridge was larger. I continually tell myself that having a dishwasher is ample compensation. However, individual college students had this size fridge in their dorm rooms for one or two people. Not four. My housemates and I make it work, though it's the least ideal part of my townhouse. The Saturday market is fabulous for organic vegetables, hot curries (when I don't feel like cooking a hot lunch), and browsing homemade crafts. If only I could afford to buy more organic products....

Beverages really should have their own paragraph. With hour breaks between many of my lectures, my classmates and I will go have a cup of tea. Or lunch. Multiple times. The wet-cold weather is chilling, though hot tea or a pint does help. The first couple of weeks, my classmates and I were out at College Bar or City Centre for a pint (or more). Unfortunately, work is piling up and I'm discovering that Ireland is an expensive place to live. Pubs are great- cannot not say enough about the atmosphere to sit around and get to know people. (I've also gone out for coffee and dinner, so please don't think I only go drinking. There is no way I could ever outdrink the Irish.)

Having gotten back from my orientation trip in Dublin this past weekend, I've been thinking a lot more about how ingrained the American culture is in me. I need my time to talk with my American friends about arrival and adjustment experiences. We laugh about the cultural differences and slang. Yet I find that it's rather tiring to find out that there's still more slang that I don't know. Sometimes I can understand the general meaning, other times, I am worried that I dont' know and have to ask. Today I learned that calling someone a legend is not comparing him or her to Paul Bunyan or the Beatles. Rather, that person is brilliant (caution, not in the genius sense.) Easy enough. Until I come across the phrase "I'm chuffed." No context there. (It has a positive connotation.)

References to old TV shows go over my head and I only know the American TV shows. The other Mitchells and I were in the live studio audience at the Ryan Tubridy Show (similar to the Conan O'Brian show). I ended up telling only Derek that I was going to attend since I didn't realize it was a show that others watched. It was a good time- complete with the guest appearance of the Hoff. Yes, I was seen on television in the audience. The show is broadcast on one of the Irish TV networks, RTE.

I definitely miss the familiarity of my life at Kenyon. I miss having someone cook my meals and being able to walk across campus and recognizing the majority of people that I meet. That's not to say that I'm not having a brilliant time in Galway. It's just that sometimes I wish I knew more people. My classmates are my social network. Reminds me of Kenyon in that sense. However, I have my own place now and have more time to myself. More relaxing in general.

Don't get me wrong. I've found so many of the Irish students and people that I've met to be generous, friendly, and possess a good sense of humor. That sense of humor might be dark or sarcastic, but it is rarely malicious. The idea of buying rounds at pubs is so natural. That is one thing that I wish to improve throughout the year. Buying rounds without being rude or unaware. They don't say much about themselves but are nonetheless curious about others.

It's exciting to know the other Mitchells around Ireland. They will come visit me and I will visit them. Also, it is just good to know others on this island. I do think of Ireland as an island. Probably because I see the ocean every day.

Yes, I have seen Martin Sheen walking along the Concourse on his way to class at NUI Galway. No, I haven't talked with him.

Following Twins baseball isn't the same as being in the States, much less in Minnesota.

Dial M for Murder (or Minneapolis)

I couldn't resist the mention of the Twin Cities in The Economist. Apparently, Twin Cities' writers produce more than their share of crime noir literature. Advertising and journalism are deemed as two breeding grounds. Notwithstanding:

"...there is the weather, which is splendidly atmospheric. The Twin Cities have hot summers and wildly erratic autumns and springs—a gift to mystery writers in search of colour. Winter is grim. As Brian Freeman, who has published a crime novel set in Duluth, in northern Minnesota, explains: “What is there to do during those long winter months beside sit inside and think dark thoughts of murder and mayhem?”'

Wow. and I thought Ohio winters were grim.

Hypothetical replay

August 10, 2006

6:57 am: Car is packed. Nothing else can fit.
7:12 am: Start driving east.
7:15 am: Turn around to get sunglasses which are reminiscent of Sophia Loren.
7:17 am: Start driving east again. Prepare to have heart attack due to gas prices.

7:24 am: Realize that self has forgotten to pack bag with jeans and shorts. Panic sets in.
7:25 am: Co-driver refuses to let driver turn around to get said bag.
7:26 am: Driver remembers that entirety of underwear collection is in said bag.
7:27 am: Panic does not subside.

11:34 am: Pass traditional road landmark: a gigantic grinning pumpkin sitting atop a silo.
11:35 am: Call sister to inform her about gigantic grinning pumpkin.
11:37 am: Inform sister about missing bag. Demands immediate shipment to prevent self from wearing only mini-skirts until Labor Day.

1:01 pm: Sister calls back. Bag not found at home.
1:34 pm: Sigh of relief. Underwear must be safe in car.

Quantum Quotation

A few friends and I went to the new Guthrie Theater in St. Paul last week to see one of our favorite books performed onstage, The Great Gatsby. I do love much of Fitzgerald's writing. In the play's program, there is a great quote by E.L. Doctorow, describing Fitzgerald:

[Fitzgerald] jumped right into the foolish heart of everything.... he was intellectually ambitious - but thought fashion was important, gossip, good looks, the company of celebrities. He wrote as a rebel, a sophisticate, an escapee from American provincialism- but was blown away by society, like a country bumpkin, and went everywhere he was invited. Ambivalently willed, he lived as both a particle and wave.

And that's the nerdy quotation for the day.

A true midwesterner

I will echo K's earlier post that roadtrips are the way to experience the countryside. However, please conveniantly forget that the midwest lacks the public transportation that other parts of the United States and other countries rely on for their daily transportation. It is enough to drive through cornfields and come across the unexpected.

"For a transitory enchanted moment man must have held his breath in the presence of this continent, compelled into an aesthetic contemplation he neither understood nor desired, face to face for the last time in history with something commensurate [with] his capacity for wonder." --F. Scott Fitzgerald--

The countryside is gorgeous. Northern Minneota has its own charm that is unique from southern Minnesota and especially North Dakota.

Like a stream that meets a boulder

One of the highlights these past two summers has been the Great American Roadtrips. Vanilla coke, Starbucks Frappuchinos, goldfish crackers, cheez-its, RENT, Wicked!, the Dixie Chicks, and many more old friends.

Our last road trip of the summer (and our last one together for a very long time) was a visit to Bemidji, MN. In many ways, it's like a time warp. Northern MN has the smell of towering white pines and cold, freshwater lakes. And the summer camps there? Look like you've stepped out of The Parent Trap (the old one, with Hayley Mills)

Must admit, the Mississippi headwaters are anticlimatic in the extreme. Before I left town, someone suggested that K and I wear life jackets when we crossed the river. In truth? It barely covered our ankles. The famed headwaters trickle out of Lake Itasca in a sandy pool.

For those who enjoy the Great Outdoors vicariously, I've included photos of the 18 foot high statue of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. Pictured below are the Mississippi headwaters themselves.

Lucky Liver Day

I missed a great photo op at the Twins-Indians baseball game. The mascots from a number of local businesses played a T-ball softball game beforehand. About 15-20 mascots were present, with two walleyes as the umpires.

Goldie the Gopher (U of MN), Crunch (MN Timberwolves), Mudonna (the cheeky pig for the St Paul Saints), Lynx mascot, and of course, T.C. (MN Twins) had an advantage, being accustomed to athletic sports. Having arms and legs and visibility probably didn't hurt either. I give credit to Spam and Turkey Spam for being cans with legs too. In comparison, the letter "K" and the Applebees' apple didn't quite make the cut.

What took the MVP honors was the large pink liver. Today was "Love your liver" day at the Metrodome, courtesy of the American Liver Association. Clearly, this was the largest and the hardest working organ on the field. With not too much visibility and essentially no arm maneuvering ability, this liver was tripping and falling and gamely chasing after "line drives."

So you can imagine my surprise when the liver smacked an inside the park HR. Touch-em-all, liver. You kept the game close.

Looking back

The few that I have talked with lately keep asking what my favorite city in Italy was. Each city has an entirely different feel, whether it is a small or large town and is located in the north or the south. Firenze and Roma versus Lago di Como and Positano.

Perhaps that is why K and I attempted to read the Italian newspapers (in Italian) and to understand the voting points of the latest referendum (June 25-26) and who is on what side. The regional loyalties and the backstabbing politics (as seen in football too) we began to see during our travels. We did not understand every point, but got the gist of the referendum; namely, that new powers would be given to each house in the Parliament, regional governments would be given greater decision-making power, and the prime minister would be given more political power.

Italian politics are confusing and exciting. As The Economist writes,

But Italians are not Spaniards. They traditionally reserve their loyalties not for their region, but for their home town or city. It was not, therefore, surprising that they voted to throw the measure out. What was surprising was the size of the majority (61%-39%), and the relatively high turnout of 52%—the highest in any Italian referendum for over a decade. This was not just a bill that most voters disliked; it was one they seemed determined to kill.

Calabria had a resounding "no" vote, against Berlosconi and against big business (Calabria is in the poor South, the "real Italy" as we were told).

So much more to read about. But for now, Italy is immersed in World Cup fever. On July 9, its streets will be deserted as everyone rushes for the nearest coffee bar and the country pursues its other passion: football.

KB Squared

Apart from jet lag, I'm still suffering from a bit of World Cup fever. It's a conspiracy that the games are on ESPN, so I couldn't watch the Germany-Italy game. I can just hear the horns honking in Roma right now.

Ciao bella!

The Romans are friendly. Got a bit lost trying to find the Spanish steps, a la Roman Holiday tour. Nice gentleman pointed us in the correct direction and sent us on our merry way with a kiss on the cheek and a "Ciao belle." Next morning, ate breakfast by the fountain in the Piazza della Republica. Another gentleman stops by to inform us that twins are good luck and that we are the most beautiful twins in Rome, the city of love. (Roma spelled backwards is amor). Sent himself off to work with a wave and the words "Ciao belle" to us.

Currently, mixing with the Germans in Bolzano and Merano. The y and the z are switched on the keyboard.


Arrivederci

Kellz and Karlz

World Cup 2006

World Cup fever is impressive in Europe. Every night, you walk by a cafe, you see the TV turned on to a match. No one in the ristorante or caffè is talking; their eyes are glued to the game. It's more of a national pride deal than the Olympics, from what I gather.

It's actually harder to understand what is happening with Italian football (calcio, soccer, whatever you want to call it) over here because I can't really read the newspaper headlines very well. However, from what I understand, maybe it's better that I'm not reading the major papers:

If the Americans wonder what the world thought of its awful debut, the
Italian newspapers were not kind. Corriere della Sera gave the United States a
rating of 4 out of 10, the lowest of the early matches. It accused the Americans
of making "banal, old amateur errors."

Mostly, the Italian news media has written about Saturday's match as if
understatement will bring a red card. La Repubblica said, "If we are playing to
save the face of Italian soccer, they are playing to save the pride of the
little boys and girls in oversized shorts who in the fall invade the suburbs
chasing after a ball."

Not to be outdone, La Stampa wrote that the match for the United States
is "a question of life or death, like when Custer attacked the Indians."

Gladiators and Nuns, Oh My!

I cannot say that Rome is my favorite city in Italy, but it certainly has its characters. Today we went on the Roman ruins tour (aka Coliseum and Palantine Hill), saw where Julius Caesar was burned, and then pretended to be statues in the Coliseum. Outside of the massive arches were the fake gladiators who want you to take pictures of them and then pay them loads of money. We took our picture with care from a distance.....

I wish I knew more Roman history. Too much of my knowledge of the Coliseum comes from movies, such as Gladiator and Ben Hur.

Also cannot describe how many churches there are in this city. Yesterday K and I wandered into a random church. It was under renovation, so it smelled of paint. It was impressive and chilly, nonetheless. St. Peter's in the Vatican was impressive for its size, and I loved the Sistine Chapel within the Vatican museum. Cannot express what it was like to stare up at the ceiling at the stories from Genesis and see the "spark of life" overhead. Yet I guess I never realized how many nuns, priests, and monks that I would see walking around the city. Of course, the papal procession was something to behold and probably the reason why it is so crowded here as well. Neither K or I had the desire to actually enter the church where Audrey Hepburn stuck her hand in the lion's mouth. But we waited in line to stick our hands into that wall! (Unfortunately, that line seemed to be longer than the Coliseum)

Tomorrow is Assisi and the Church of St. Francis. Then up to the Italian Alps!

vacanza romana

For the first and only time, I'm checking internet on consecutive days. Some people do Da Vinci Code/Angels and Demons runs in Roma. We attempt to find the sites in Roman Holiday. sigh. Found Santa Maria of Cosmedine, where G. Peck and A. Hepburn put their hands in the sun's mouth as a ritual to see if they are liars. Had to wait in line behind literally a busload of Japanese tourists.

And of course, we are going to the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish steps. Such hot sticky days, I don't know how any stars in the movie never break a sweat.

Wines and Whines

As mentioned earlier, we did go wine tasting in the Chianti region. Call it snobby, but we managed to arrive in the hill town of Radda during their wine festival. So we tasted all of the Chianti Classico, particularly the Riserva, to our palate's delight. Talking with the vineyard owners, I gained a greater appreciation for the science and culturing behind each bottle of wine. Each year, the vineyard will produce much different wines. 2001 and 2003 were overall good years, but 2002 was not. It definitely is apparent in the tastes and the bouquet. I found that I loved the wines that sat in the bottles. Our poor parents will enjoy our wine that we have bought... but only in three to five years.

It took us awhile to get the hang of tasting the wine, rather than drinking it. After all, many owners will pour a quarter of a glass for optimal aroma. Use your imagination as we definitely were in good spirits after tasting wine over several blocks of tables. Thankfully the buses run late and we caught the bus with seconds to spare. Unfortunately, Tuscany is not known for being flat and the bus ride was tortuous at best.

We met up with Lily in Roma and traveled to the central south of Italy. Pompeii was incredible, though we spent too much time in the bakeries. And we took many pictures of the stairs. The most common question during that portion was whether we were Japanese or Chinese or Korean tourists. The answer was yes to all three questions. That really confused the street vendors as they thought we were siblings or something!

Though K and I are not going to be able to finish our entire regional experiment plan to the south of Italy, due to transportation and scheduling difficulties, we did experience the chaos of the South. (Perhaps a road trip will be in order next year.) After barely catching the train to Roma from Napoli, we realized the train was not moving. Surprise! Train strike on June 15. Randomly occurs every so often due to high levels of unemployment. This is according to good ol' Putnam. So true.

With that chaos, we found a couple of students who spoke English and Italian. We pushed our way onto the buses that were meant for the Eurostar (more expensive train than we can afford to travel on between cities) passengers and had a hot bus ride to Roma via the Autostrada. Thank goodness we travel with bookbags and a plastic bag of food.

those crazy little Lutheran girls....

The contact that we've had with the Catholic Church and its history has been extraordinatry. I have almost lost count of the number of small churches and large Duomos (cathedrals) into which we have wandered. Each has its own charm. The Florence and Siena ones were amazing and represented as much of the city as it did the religion. The whole vita civile deal. (Yes, all IPHS'ers, I did see the Lorenzetti painting in Siena). I can now recognize the differences between the austere Franciscan churches (the exception being the Firenze Duomo) and the slightly more ornate Dominican.

Also, each town has its own patron saint to venerate: St. Catherine of Siena, St. Margherite of Cortona, St. Francis of Assisi. What I still don't understand is the veneration of relics. I can stomach the tunics and cloths which wiped away blood, but I do not quite understand the worshiping of actual body parts (the right thumb, the head, the tongue, etc). Also still do not understand or completely follow the Catholic veneration of the Virgin Mary. What is the Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary which apparently was heavily debated to accord with the ideas of original sin?

Currently we are in Rome. Luck of the Irish allowed us to see the Pope, Benedicto XVI! We arrived on Corpus Christi Day (does anyone know the significance)? He drove down the street on which our hostel was located. Well, we wanted a better view, so we waited 2.5 hours outside the church for 'front row' spots. Church music and Latin intonations for most of that time blared from the speakers set up. The tenor solo in particular was amazing. Breathtaking. The parade of nuns, monks, priests, cardinals, bishops, archbishops, and the Pope himself in his bulletproof Popemobile were a site to see. Clearly, many of the religious figures had traveled from all over the world, bringing with them similar clothing and different banners. We had a view from the time that he drove past to his walk up the Santa Maria Maggiore steps to the placing of his hat on his head and his walk into the cathedral. Amazing.

Then today, we went to the Vatican. Honestly, this museum was the best €12 I have spent on a museum. The Sistine Chapel and the School of Athens. I couldn't take my eyes off either piece. Almost overwhelming how much great art is stored there. Kar and I did buy a rosary and box for our 98 year old great-aunt. While we aren't buying too many gifts (apart from those for our parents, who are both getting Chianti that needs to be aged a couple more years), we figured this would tickle our aunt's fancy. Also went to St. Peter's Basilica. Incredibly large with some incredible statues (especially Michaelangelo's Pieta). Sadly, am not as familiar with the story of St. Peter and his upside down cross.

And yes, our next stop is Assisi to see the hometown of St. Francis.

il Vino

One of my goals in Italy was to learn about Italian wine. Thus far, I can say that I have sampled quite a few. Over 4000 different kinds in Italy. Met a wine snob who explained how to swirl wine and check for so called 'legs.' Wines with higher concentrations of sulfites, such as those in Napa Valley CA, have higher concentrations of sulfites. Italian wines (especially reds) have much lower or no sulfites. As such, I'm much better off with Italian reds. Joyous thought.

I really want to try Brunello di Montelcino, but I have tried quite a few others: Cortona Sangiovese (mild, fruity with bitter tart aftertaste), the Cinque Terre sweet white wine (allergy!), grappa (42% alcohol content soooo strong), Chianti AND Chianti Classico. Yes, I'm a snob since I can taste the difference between good and cheap wine. But I'll drink either as long as it is in a glass bottle when I buy it. Rosso di Montalcino also tasted good.

Hopefully, I'll spend the day in the Chianti region tomorrow. Today didn't work out, but the sights in Siena (both the Palazzo Publico as well as the Duomo) were amazing. Then, it's off to Naples and Sorrento and Pompeii to meet a friend who is flying in from Ireland.

Our Italian Regional Experiment

Parlo un po italiano. So far, Italy has been pretty (Lake Como and Cinque Terre) and ugly (Genova). Yet the stories and adventures have begun.

First, we discovered that when hiking up a mountain, wear more than summer clothes and bring a snack. The three of us forgot that it gets colder and colder at higher altitudes. Our 7 hour hike was without food, so we ended up being famished, cold, and tired. My hands swelled and become red and frozen. It was so cold at one point that we had snow. But the sun returned and we overall enjoyed the hike. The view of Lago di Como was incredible.

Importantly, we have learned a smattering of broken Italian, thanks to the phrase books. We can now order cheese by the kilogram and generally will be enjoying local wines. The markets are useful, though we must come well-prepared with carefully memorized phrases until we have completely caught onto the grammar rules. All my Spanish is returning, which is not helpful. Definitely think that the brain has a certain region that is activated for language...

Menaggio e Fermaggio

Wow, I loved il Lago di Como area. Exactly what I pictured Northern Italy to be. All cobblestone streets and narrow alleyways. the people, the cheese! No, we have not gotten hit by a car that is rolling down stairs. Yes, I ate banana gelato the first night. The sky is beautiful, the language is gorgeous, and the smells emanating from the shops are heavenly. My calves ache after climbing mountains, and we have taken 128 MB of fotos. My crash course in Italian 101 is failing but I can order train tickets with the best of them.

It snowed in the mountains. and I'm still afraid of heights. My backpack is too small and the shoes are amazing (but I can't buy them).

motives

In one of many great scenes in 'The Constant Gardener', Fiennes tells his pregnant wife Tessa (Rachel Weisz) that they cannot give a young woman, her baby, and her son a ride. He argues that there are too many people that need to be helped. She would start with this family. The argument uncomfortably ends with Justin's decision. He has to look after Tessa's health and drives away.

It's a scene that is repeated over and over in this movie, not just with Justin but with those that Justin encounters. Justin, in this scene, reminds me of myself and pretty much everyone I know. All seem to be solid, nice people who wants to protect those they love at the cost of those they don't know. Somehow, I found this affability more disturbing than the premise of large pharmaceutical companies warping drug tests to produce more favorable results.

Notwithstanding, the chemist and doctor in me is still disturbed by this imagery, especially when it contrasts sharply with Tessa's exclamations at the beginning of the movie about nevarapine and its preventive powers for mother-to-child HIV transmission. If, as a character observes that "no drug company does something for nothing," then is it a monolith of people or individuals who are responsible?

Is it enough to know that if you cannot help everyone that you should not help anyone? What inspires people to act?

Note: Fernando Meirelles directed "City of God," another equally thought-provoking movie.

A marriage of conveniance

I must be slipping in my Scottish Politics as I did not notice the news report of "...the descent of a beam in March that nearly wiped out the Tory delegation and closed the debating chamber for two months..." (Economist, 05.18.06).

The Economist is right in its analysis of Scotland and devolution. The Scottish do spend much time concentrating on why they are not English.

Another story of interest....

Without ever knowing the way

Perhaps I'm biased, but I do consider road-tripping across the country to be distinctly American. Think The Grapes of Wrath or On the Road. I've played too many games of Oregon Trail and heartiliy sung too many renditions of the Dixie Chicks' "Wide Open Spaces" to believe that the flat American heartland isn't something to be experienced at least once in the car. I've driven from MN to OH and from OH to PA and NJ this year, all in the company of friends. I'm still not quite sure which is the "armpit" of America: Gary, IN or New Jersey.

What passes by on the billboards speaks worlds about the area: Pauxatawny Phil, Adlai Stevenson's birthplace (Bloomington, IL), Wisconsin Cheese, resorts that promise to teach you how to surf in landlocked areas, and gun control warnings (southern IL):

Tested in peace
Proven in war
Guns at home
Even the score
GunsSaveLife.com

Currently, K and I have almost finished our 1000 mile jaunt through the rural reaches of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin. No topic is too sacred to be dissected: cherry coke, European politics, friendships, gun control, professors, relationships, and sustenance. We've rarely stopped in the little family restaurants that dot the countryside, but then again, we stop only for gas, restrooms, and to buy more goldfish crackers. We were fortunate to have only blue skies and fuel efficiency that ranged from 36.8-41.3 mpg. All in all, a good trip.

And yes, K, according to the sign in Indiana with large letters: JeSuS is ReAl.

Apples and Oranges

It's a well-worn discussion that Europe and the United States have problems with their health care systems. However I'm not sure if I agree with Ezra Klein in the value of choice in our health care system. He argues in favor of the French system because it has lower debt. Yet let's look to the future. What about the millions of second and third generation immigrants? How will that affect French industry? Is it enough to argue that Medicaid/Medicare have crippled the American health care systems and not predict problems for the French system in the comparison? Dale Franks argues that the American system may still be preferrable over the French and German health care systems, but all are not satisfactory. He is right in the differences between the two systems. However, to group the two countries is not the best idea either. France is a top-down bureacratic state and German is a federal state. Neither will translate directly to the American liberal economy.

presidential likenesses

I've always said that people of certain races tended to aggregate at my high school, and now,

"nobody has ever voted for a presidential candidate they wouldn't have had lunch with in high school."

Thank you, David Brooks. Even if I can't agree with the typecasts, reading this quote after watching a primarily white audience dance to rap music made the column worthwhile..

Feeling small

Last night I watched Syriana. In a way, watching such a movie was a strange phenomenon. Watching a conspiracy unfold alongside strangers in the dark. The audience gained bits of information related to the characters but had no power by which to intervene. Men in business suits made pacts and ordered killings with the efficiency and undistinguishable air of ordering a cup of coffee. T argues that the movie doesn't aptly depict life in bureaucracy and oil dealings. I am little qualified to argue anything besides bureacracy and the actions left unsaid.

Between student government, interning, and being a bit of a politics nerd, the inherant consequences of "insider" information is difficult to ignore. Trying to know and make the student opinion heard while being an overloaded student is difficult. Working with administration that is in transition is difficult, with rewards at infrequent intervals. Yet reading about the everyday politics of a country, even as I realize that so many people do not follow them, is hard to comprehend. The politicians and bureacratic forces that shape the laws, make the laws, and sign disarmament agreements is important to the particular society. The discussions between Sinn Fein and the DUP will shape Northern Irish politics for the next decade. However, the ability to find meaningful commentary is low. Is globalization supposed to open up interest in other parts of the world for reasons other than self-interest?

In some ways, this began as a response to K's blog about the liberally educated person. We are supposed to be able to converse on multiple levels and display dexterity in knowledge. Perhaps the liberally educated person will be more willing to develop understanding of multiple regions of the world that are affected by our global economy for reasons that are not self-interested initially. Perhaps it will be the ability to reach outside of personal "bubbles" and to be more than a spectator or ignorant reader who skips particular section in the daily newspaper. There are some life skills that will not be taught at Kenyon - such as a lack of direct correlation to an "academic" nature or upon the affluent nature of the college. I agree that a wake-up call is necessary. As much as I abhor bureacratic machinations, I probably will continue to work towards some sort of meaningful progress. I know my contributions are as large as one ant. It' is hopelessly depressing at times, but in one microcosm of the world, it may be all that can be done. Sometimes I just wish that people outside of the microcosm would take genuine interest in my "bubble" as I hope to do with their "bubble."

a liberal education

A friend of mine is interviewing in DC this week. She has a new spring suit, new shoes, tasteful jewelry, a modest briefcase, and multiple copies of her resume. She’s conducted two practice interviews, one with our career counseling center and one with friends with varying degrees of interview experience. We spent last night brainstorming the little details: how to take public transportation (viz. buses), merits of carry-on luggage, and checking whether the hotel had an ironing board.

What amazed me last night and has amazed me since I came to college, are the number of small “life skills” that my friends and I do not know. My friend’s new suit? The pants needed to be hemmed, and out of the four 22-year-old girls, only I knew how to hem. Making a flippant remark about the fact that it’s one of those life skills like sewing buttons, I was slightly taken aback that my roommate doesn’t really sew buttons. Yet she knits!

I confess, I was clueless about car care two years ago. I still am clueless. It took me two months, three conversations, and two phone calls to determine that my front wheels needed to be balanced and that my sister can throw away the old windshield wipers. Do I know what to look for when I look under the hood? I’ll take the 5th on that one.

We are talented thoughtful writers who can discuss political philosophy, quantum mechanics, narrative theory, and ecological population shifts. We can cook, do laundry, and clean a house to varying extents. Do we know how to network and how to do an informational interview? Do we feel that it is possible to live on less than $20,000 per year in a large East Coast City? Increasingly, our parents will support us in a monetary fashion after we graduate. I will still call my mom for tips when I spill red wine on white pants. I will call my stepdad and my dad when I don’t know how to check what kind of light I need for the door light. And I will ask my friends when I don’t know what I’m forgetting to do.

New Slang

Even if she can't tell the pineapple story to save her life, I enjoy laughing at my sister's jokes almost as much as I enjoy laughing at her.

Be a free radical. Join the anti-Markovnikov movement.

where Fargo is a big city

http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifThe NY Times has an intriguing article on North Dakota. Whereas the Sunbelt and Cactus Belt are struggling to absorb their population increases, North Dakota is seeing a mass exodus.

North Dakota has continued to lose people. And it didn't have that many to begin with. In 1930, its population peaked at 680,845. In 2000, it was down to 642,200, and by 2004, the last year for which statistics are available, it had dropped to 634,366. (By comparison, the national population more than doubled, to 294 million from 123 million, during the same period.) Of the 25 counties nationwide that lost the largest portions of their populations in the 1990's, 12 were in North Dakota.

I spent a few days in rural ND last August, and it confirms the anecdotal evidence of the residents of Crosby, ND. Towns are few and far between. The landscape is flat, to be broken as the fields change from corn to soybeans to sunflowers. In town, there is one main drag, often with a railroad line dividing the town into sections. One town celebrates "Uff-da Days" and unfortunately, I left my T-shirt with the recipe for lefse at home. Neighbors can peer through their lacy windows because, well, strangers add a little excitment, mystery, and fodder for gossip. North Dakota was built on the pen of Lincoln with the Homesteading Act and thus on the need for community. The article points out initiatives by inhabitants to maintain what it values:

North Dakotans, [one resident] says, are "superfriendly, to where you say they're borderline nosy. A real tight sense of community."

The NY Times makes no secret of the problems that cannot be helped by civic pride alone. The desire to live in a place where everyone knows your name doesn't bring employment opportunities and young families to town. [I'm not talking about the teenage pregnancy problems where the youth have nothing to do but smoke, drink, have sex and now do meth. Even seeing David Brooks' column about the lack of values in our society today didn't make me too optimistic] It brings retirees.

The emigration to other places (like Minnesota) and the lack of a tourism industry has meant that ND is in danger of falling off the map. It's sad to hear about a town that simply folds up because it has two residents. "A History of Violence" set itself in Nowhereville, Indiana, to emphasize the disappearance and imagery of small-town America; the NY Times recommends that one goes to ND to see the last vestiges of true small-town America. But this real-life version is grimmer and more ghostly.

Second to none - survey 2

Try this Johari survey for me (karly). The link is different than kelly's link in the previous post.

Better than the Mean Girls survey

Johari. It's not the Bryers-Miggs (or is it Myers-Briggs?), but thankfully, klutzy is not an option.

Science daily

Irregular webcomics combines my two favorite topics: science and politics in my favorite setting: Legos.

Educational Debates

It is interesting to note that AP exams are becoming more common. However, contrary to the Washington Post article, AP classes are not necessarily more difficult than their honors counterparts.

For many years, honors courses have been an attractive compromise for American high-schoolers. They have sampled the choices like Goldilocks: Regular courses? Too easy. Advanced Placement courses? Too hard. But honors courses were just right.

As one educator noted, it is up to the school to follow the guidelines of the AP curriculum, but it is not rigid. Do the financial resources of the schools have any effect on the outcome of the students' AP and college careers? Variation between schools is a critical factor. Nor does this emphasis on AP exams take into consideration students' interests. Rather it focuses on an end goal, college entrance, rather than students liking what they learn. Yes, valuable skills are gained from classes that may not be of interest. However, I would support the person who said that it is best to take at least one AP exam... not the push for all AP classes.


On a slightly different note, South Dakota did not pass their version of the "Academic Bill of Rights."

Lawmakers who backed the measure had argued that it would make clear that the Legislature values intellectual diversity, which the bill defined as "the foundation of a learning environment that exposes students to a variety of political, ideological, and other perspectives." The measure's supporters, who were mostly Republicans, had said the legislation would allow for better oversight of how well the state's campuses were protecting diverse views.

South Dakota certainly seems to have their share of headline-grabbing legislation lately...


Finally, the New York Times prominently featured an article on multiples (siblings) in the classroom. On one side of the argument, you have parental choice.

Advocates of parental choice point to studies in the past few years that have suggested that twins, for example, may actually benefit from being left together in their early years.

Yet, the same people go on to argue that the bond between twins is "is intense and thus privileged" and therefore it may be better for the twins to be together. I can understand the parental choice argument, though it does invite micro-managing parents into the equation. However, to say that twins (or triplets) will fluorish more in the classroom with his or her sibling(s) may not be accurate. Some children become more socially engaged and are more confident with friends present, while others merely become shadows in their friends' wake.

On the opposing side, parents argue that multiples should not have the constant comparisons with one another, which often occurs when the children are placed in the same classroom. Stories abound on both sides of the issue. As you are reading this, you probably already have a bias, based on experience....

life's lessons

On living life the right way:

"Before I left for college, my mom gave me two pieces of advice. One, never mix your whites and colors in the laundry together. Two, when someone asks you what you want to be in life, always answer with an adjective, never a noun."

~a friend who has followed the latter piece of advice, but not always the former.

Repelling genetics.

So apparently, we learn Mendelian genetics in order to learn about ear wax. The allele for wet ear wax is a dominant whereas the allele for dry wax is recessive. Cribbed from NY Times:

The single mutation in the earwax gene is one in which a G (for guanine) is replaced with an A (for adenine). People who inherit the version of the gene that has A from both parents have dry earwax. Those who carry two of the G versions, or one G and one A, are destined to live with wet earwax.

I can't access this article, so I can't read why the authors linked dry ear wax to low body sweat/odor in Han Chinese, Koreans, and Native Americans.

better days

I've nearly completed Jonathan Kozol's Amazing Grace. The book, by depicting the lives of residents in the South Bronx (and particularly Mott Haven), covers the gamut from employment to drug turf warfare to environmentally-induced asthma to whether hope can exist there. In many ways, the problems encountered are so entrenched as to be nearly overwhelming.

A quick look at articles addressing many of these issues are not exactly hopeful. Drug use? NYC hopes that methamphetamine usage won't catch on because, as two people surmise, cocaine is widely available and meth is the poor white trash's drug of choice. Health care? Besides the oft quoted statistic that 46 million Americans lack health insurance and that 38 million are on Medicaid,

Medicaid, Medicare and other publicly financed health care, such as that for ex-servicemen, and the public sector already pays for 45% of American health care. (The total is nearer 60% if you include the tax subsidies.) (Economist, 26 Jan 06)

Perhaps it's an oversimplification, but I'm reminded of an old argument between K and myself. From where does change occur? Yes, like deepening democracy by entrenching political values within a society, enacting change among the residents of the neighborhood would ideally be the most sustainable solution, but where do the rest of us fit? By changing policy in a top-down approach, working to better implement policy, or to "work on the ground?"

Quite a few of my friends have been mulling over the merits and drawbacks of the Peace Corps and Teach for America lately. In many ways, I think this first hand experience is the way not only to influence lives and also to influence our future actions in the area of social justice. And maybe I'm just leaning too heavily on my current emphasis and desire to enter the field of public health and how societal issues intersect.

bedknobs and broomsticks

Yesterday I was in a state of awe over one of the small things in life... doorknobs.

My younger sister (for reasons best left unsaid) broke my doorknob, broke it to the point where the knob came off on my side of the door. The door still closes completely, but now the door locks behind me. Once inside my room, I'm stuck. I can't open my door.

Maybe I'm glad that I'm leaving tomorrow.

thoughts on a snowy evening

Recently I have been struck by one of K's favorite quotes from J.R. Tolkein: "All that glitters is not gold; not all that wander are lost." Watching television tonight, I was appalled at the thin actresses who cry after putting on a fat suit (they wanted to "empathize" with those who are overweight). And this is what entertains America? I browsed through the New Yorker and read an editorial/article asking what kind of values are Americans setting up for themeselves? Menand has an interesting point in that

"We are ourselves products of the culture whose products we consume, and we can't help taking it, for the most part, on its own terms."

The social constructs which we create are immensely powerful. Menand referred to literary prizes as valuable only in the recognition that society bestows upon the award. K just wrote about the consumerism craziness that overtakes all good sense during the holiday season. Tolkein may be right in that some who wander are not lost, but right now, society is a bit lost.

The Economist has a thought-provoking article on the differences between the poor in Appalachia and those in the Congo. What is happiness and what is not happiness is a matter of opinion. Yet if happiness is universal, then is it merely the emotion that is shared? Happiness economists would suggest that the level of one's happiness is relative to the level of material goods of others around one's self. Moreover, when "an individual who becomes richer becomes happier; but when society as a whole grows richer, nobody seems any more content (7 Aug 2005, The Economist).

Perhaps the American dream fits both sides. Its retains the flavor that a better life is just over the horizon but that this "good life" is attainable. F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote in Majesty (short story):

The extraordinary thing is not that people in a lifetime turn out worse or better than we had prophesied; particularly in America that is to be expected. The extraordinary thing is how people keep their levels, fulfill their promises, seem actually buoyed up by an inevitable destiny.

It may be that a new year is approaching or that I realize that the year will bring many changes to my life. I have not been this content for a long while. A good friend of mine once said that when you're not looking for it, what you want will happen. Now I've paraphrased this generously and it was originally referrring to relationships, but I think he's right (as he often is).

Happy New Year's.

so this is Christmas

It's easy to say that Christmas (for those who celebrate it) is over-commercialized. Each year, K and I venture into the four shopping malls that permeate our lives in the hope of bestowing some measure of happiness to those on the receiving end. We practically learned how to drive years ago when we would do our December shopping on the weekends. Then, as now, I find the process overwhelming. No one seems happy when they shop at these times of year since no one either has the time or can find the perfect gift. I mean, is the special edition of Office Space or boxed set of eight different fragrances from Victoria's Secret going to change the life of the average middle class American?

I like to think that, in the vein of Charlie Brown, that it is the spirit of Christmas that counts. Certainly, there are moments on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day when I believe this to be true. Glancing at the parking lot of Target is not one of them.

For many, Christmas is a huge expense. In 2004, sales grew by 6.7 percent. This year, according to the Washington Post,

The NRF has been among the most bullish, forecasting sales growth of 6
percent, to $439.53 billion. Other groups, like the International Council of
Shopping Centers, expect a more modest increase of 3 percent to 3.5
percent.

[To put it into perspective, the The International AIDS Vaccines Initiative estimates that the total annual spending on an AIDS vaccine is $682 million.]

Maybe it's good that Christmas comes but once per year.

Life as we know it

Life is changing a bit too quickly these days. Coming back from San Francisco, I had a layover in Vegas and tried my first slot machines. For $3, I could occupy my 20 minutes before boarding a plane. Apparently, slot machines are made for right-handed people and take less skill (but about as much luck) as I anticipated. Also, the lights and pyramids and glitter of the hotel-casino complexes are astounding from an airplane.

Perhaps more importantly, while hovering over Vegas, I realized that I probably won't be in the Midwest next year. I'm looking at six cities, only one of them being in the Midwest. Tis a bit scary, to be flying around the country and never having the chance to explore a city in which I may be living next year.

San Francisco reminds me of Cape Town for some reason.

High society

The fact that I'm back from Philly means that I'm over halfway done with my tour of the major US cities and also not any closer to a decision. However, I will say that I have started to have a clearer picture as to what I want and need for the future.

The highlight of this trip was of course, the New York Philharmonic, featuring the pianist Andre Watts. What I love about music was exemplified in the technical splendor of Watts on Saint Saens or the divine, exposed lonely notes in "Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde."

Alerted by the AJOB blog to an opinion article on HIV testing in the New England Journal of Medicine. The World Health Organization lists voluntary counseling and HIV testing (VCT) as a “crucial entry point into the care and treatment programmes” (WHO 2001). VCT is considered an integral part of HIV prevention or treatment program, as it “enables uninfected people to remain so and enable those infected with HIV to plan for the future and prevent HIV transmission to others” (ibid).

The argument in the NEJM article is whether the HIV/AIDS epidemic should be treated as a viral epidemic, subject to the control of standard public health measures, or as a social disease, one in which the social mores and dangers of stigmatism of the individual are of primary concern. Certainly, it would be easier, and perhaps more cost-effective, to monitor the disease in the US with standard notification of partners and track progression of the disease epidemiologically:

"Using the current CDC estimate of 40,000 new HIV infections per year, the potential to prevent half to two thirds of these infections, and the current average lifetime cost of care for a patient with HIV infection of $200,000,²⁹ more effective epidemic control would save between $4 billion and $5.4 billion per year. Widespread availability of condoms, syringe-exchange programs, public health notification of the partners of infected persons, and improvement of case management and monitoring systems would be unlikely to cost more than an additional $1 billion to $2 billion per year nationally — two to three times the current CDC funding for HIV prevention."

The authors argue that in an age of openness and multiple anti-retroviral drugs, that it's a travesty that 2/3 of those with newly identified HIV-positive serostatuses do not inform their partners. I agree with that assessment. However, the problem of partner notification is the question whether proclaiming one's status is considered as socially acceptable as the researchers. If it is socially acceptable, then HIV testing and prevention methods (condom distribution, decrease in number of partners, careful monitoring of existing viral load) is working. In that case, HIV might well be managed as a chronic disease. However, if it is not, then the stigma attached to HIV (and even to STI's in general)

The downside is that routine notification of partners may have an adverse effect on the utilization of health care services. Could knowing that one's partner would be notified translate into a lack of willingness to access health services?

Tradition

David Cameron, age 39, has been been given a mandate by the Conservative Party in Britain to lead them back to Downing Street. Having the "energy of youth" and the willingness to talk about the issues (such as the environment) that the Tories previously have avoided is a huge start. Interestingly, he appears more open to Blair's social policies, just as Blair embraced some of Margaret Thatcher's economic policies.

Commentators have been bringing up Cameron's sudden rise to the party's leadership forefront. It will be worthwhile to see how Cameron talks about family values and his position on national security in the coming months. Bill Clinton lead the Democratic Party to victory in the 1990s after promising to inspire greater trust in the government and moving the party to a center position on the ideological spectrum. Tony Blair captured the swing voters in 1997 and brought his party to a "New Labour" stance.

How will a strong Tory leader affect British politics and the "Special Alliance" between the United States and Great Britain? Much of that answer will lie in Cameron, but it will also lie in the future of the Republican Party. Cameron has opportunities on the basis that he is a new leader with a vision of Britain that is unlike that of his predecessor, Michael Howard. Cameron is more willing to work with the current system than to change it completely and does not appear to endorse the reactionary responses seemingly favored by Howard. The 2004 election became more centered on the presidential candidates than the platforms themselves. Who will be the face of the Republican Party after Bush? Who will become the face of the Labour party after Blair? With the parliamentary system in Britain, the governmental party has greater influence over policy than what occurs in the United States. Therefore, the process will be important for the future as well as which leaders the British goverment will be contacting.

Separation

From Arundhati Roy's "The God of Small Things" (p.214-215)

"Promise me you'll always love each other," she'd [the mother Ammu]
say, as she drew her children to her.

"Promise," Estha and Rahel would say. Not finding words with which to tell her that for them there was no Each, no Other.

Sleepless in Sudan

My roommate alerted me to this great blog. Certainly, fans of Kristof's NY Times articles will find it worthwhile.

World AIDS Day

I haven't posted anything on World AIDS Day yet. One year ago was my last day at the Motherwell clinic and to this day, I'm torn over whether the battle against HIV/AIDS is one of hope or one of promises yet unmet. It's tough to see that the rash of articles this year focuses on the failure of goals to be met and the rising tolls of infection and death, even in the wake of the G8 summit this past summer. The 3 x 5 goal will not be met. The goal was to place 3 million on antiretroviral therapy by the end of 2005, but less than 1/3 of that goal will be met. That the new G8 goals is to place all infected individuals on ARVs by the year 2010 thus seems optimistic to the point of being overly naive.

In a BBC articlet:

South African Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, who has long been lukewarm over the usefulness of anti-retroviral drugs, refused to back their use.

Many African countries encourage abstinence to avoid infection

In an interview, she said that anti-retrovirals offered no cure, and that she might use food supplements or traditional medicines if she became infected.

One asks (or at least, I ask myself this all-too-frequently), what can be done? On a policy level, certainly dialogue and discourse between the UN, nations, those who implement such policies, and those who receive the benefits/drawbacks of such policies must be examined.

What is perhaps equally important (and just as naively understood) is the active support of the wider first-world community. Kar just wrote about generosity of individuals. However, the wider generosity of individuals (Gates Foundation) vs. nations (US PEPFAR) must play a role as well. The movie "The Girl in the Cafe" was actually commissioned to "celebrate Africa in 2005." It's actually written by Richard Curtis, the same person who did Love Actually, so fans of that movie might celebrate.

Behavior change comes at the level of the individual, but the motivations to push initiatives forward have to come from a larger audience more than once a year.

Generosity

Richard Schulze has given Mayo Clinic an impressive $48.9 million for a cancer treatment, both on the patient and therapy development.

I'm amazed at the generosity at these large donors. Yet I also wonder, who are these people who have such wealth that they are able to afford such a donation. The average American with a bachelor's degree will earn an average of $2.1 million over his or her respective lifetime. Those with a professional degree will earn an average of $4.4 million in lifetime earnings. An average high school graduate earns a paltry $1.2 million in a lifetime today.

A song from the first Shrek soundtrack also comes to mind. The song "Stay Home," speaks about the desire for a simple life and being happy.

" A simple life's my cup of tea
I don't need nobody but me...

...I wanna be a millionaire someday
And know what it feels like to give it away
Watch me march to the beat of my own drum"

It is interesting to think about what the pursuit of material goods and wealth may ultimately bring. The opportunity for a better life of one's children and fewer worries of financial hardships are legitimate reasons for wanting a career with a comfortable income.

Andrew Carnegie once said, "The man who dies rich, dies disgraced." This quotation may be an exaggeration, but it certainly speaks to the idea of accumulated wealth. In 1994, money accounted for a greater proportion of total giving by Americans than Scandinavia, France, or Britain. The article (linked above) suggests that this trend is influenced by tax breaks and other incentives, not found in other countries.

Though this post has become more jumbled than originally intended, I conclude with a few points to ponder:
1. Who is in a position to give?
2. Is it just as valuable to give time as money?
3. How will this rising feeling of philanthropy influence giving within first world and to third world nations?

soaring through the air

It's been a long time since I actually posted. So much has happened that I probably cannot relate everything. As with any senior, the word "future" is like the light at the end of the tunnel. Madison was Madison. Dallas was... well... Texas. DC was incredible. That's a city where I could see myself. Minneapolis was the same as usual. Centuria was as I remembered, though I only saw part of it. Woodbury has become a giant shopping mall. Easton junior. Another Starbucks. Incredible. Disgusting.

Next year I'll be in Galway. Ireland. It will be good for a change. A chance to figure stuff out for another year. Studying, research, travel. I haven't had be I aenough time to process everything but I realize that sometimes I don't want all of the immmediate answers. I'm still idealistic enough that I think I have years to figure things out.

People-watching can be romantic or depressing. Imagining where each family or businessman is traveling. France. Florida. A long-lost cousin. Until you sit by the balding, middle-aged safari guy who carries the camouflage duffel. Headed to Chicago. Wearing a leopard skin jacket.

I am amazed by some of the people that I have met in the last few years. Some people are outstanding and brilliant. Others have taught me a lot. Some aren't as smart as others while others have more hidden talents.

Happy belated Thanksgiving to everyone.

quote of the week

On the Bush administration:

"I had to do something about that anger and I could immerse myself in Scrabble rather than start a revolution."

On Calvin and Hobbes:
His main quality, other than imagination, is enthusiasm. Calvin, as befits his name, is a carefree fatalist.

I'm less of a loser than my sister.

You scored as Popular Bitch.


What type of girl are you?!!
created with QuizFarm.com

Popular Bitch 63%
Nerdy Girl 50%
Preppy Girl 50%
Athletic Tomboy 44%
Hippie 19%
Slut 19%
Loser 13%
Goth 13%

Short skirts in lab and chemistry all around.

Truly an example of how surveys are wrong

You scored as Popular Bitch. Popular Bitch 50% Hippy 44% Athletic Tomboy 44% Nerdy Girl 44% Loser 38% Slut 31% Preppy Girl 25% Goth 19% What type of girl are you?!! created with QuizFarm.com

Action hero

You scored as James Bond, Agent 007.

James Bond is MI6's best agent, a suave, sophisticated super spy with charm, cunning, and a license's to kill. He doesn't care about rules or regulations and somewhat amoral. He does care about saving humanity though, as well as the beautiful women who fill his world. Bond has expensive tastes, a wide knowledge of many subjects, and his usually armed with a clever gadget and an appropriate one-liner.

James Bond, Agent 007 83%

The Amazing Spider-Man 71%
Maximus 67%
Captain Jack Sparrow 58%
Indiana Jones 58%
Lara Croft 58%
Neo, the "One" 54%
El Zorro 50%
Batman, the Dark Knight 42%
The Terminator 42%
William Wallace 33%

And so it is. Fortunately, I'm the charmer with a bit of a nerdy streak in me and am ready to save the world. Just in time for a martini- shaken not stirred.

p-chem test break

You scored as James Bond, Agent 007.


Which Action Hero Would You Be? v. 2.0
created with QuizFarm.com

James Bond is MI6's best agent, a suave, sophisticated super spy with charm, cunning, and a license's to kill. He doesn't care about rules or regulations and somewhat amoral. He does care about saving humanity though, as well as the beautiful women who fill his world. Bond has expensive tastes, a wide knowledge of many subjects, and his usually armed with a clever gadget and an appropriate one-liner.

James Bond, Agent 007 83%
Maximus 79%
Indiana Jones 79%
Captain Jack Sparrow 71%
The Amazing Spider-Man 71%
Lara Croft 63%
Batman, the Dark Knight 58%
William Wallace 54%
El Zorro 46%
Neo, the "One" 42%
The Terminator 25%

I guess that I'm a sophisticated, charming, intelligent flirt.

cream rising to the top

I realized somewhere along Hwy 62, I take much more for granted now than I ever did as a freshman. More in terms of my abilities and what I expect a meritocratic world to hold for myself and for others. To this end, I've had different versions of "merit" floating around in my head lately. Deborah Stone, the visiting professor, pointed out an interesting book review by David Brooks this past week. Brooks states that college admissions are stacking the deck in favor of those who are most like them:

In 1952, more than 37 percent of Harvard freshmen had fathers who had not attended college. By 1996, less than 11 percent did. In 1954, 10 percent of Harvard freshmen had fathers who worked at blue-collar jobs. Forty-two years later, only 5 percent did.

In 1996, only about 3 percent of the American labor force was in one of the highly credentialed professional occupations (doctor, lawyer, professor), but nearly a third of Harvard freshmen that year were children of such professionals.

With the traveling and schmoozing that I've done lately, I can see how that is the case. I've come across some fabulously brilliant people with backgrounds that are both amazing and slightly frightening. People are always surprised that there are no doctors in my family, only teachers (as if that means that teachers aren't ultimately more influential). However, Brooks' case is frightening with its suggestion that a culture difference is widening due to a combined effort of societal and cultural pressures.

the circuit gets smaller.

Spending one's first night as a 22 year old in a five star hotel isn't so bad. Ordering New York Strip steak (medium rare) also eases the pain as well. However, nothing can compensate for the fact that Kar and I had gotten up at 4 am in order to leave for the airport at 4:45 am. Needless to say, I was a walking zombie with a cold. Notwithstanding, since I arrived in STL so early, I did get to visit my lab for two hours and visit a friend from two summers ago. Still fabulous as ever.

Oh, and the temperature was a balmy 75 degrees.

As for my actual purpose of being in St. Louis, not much can be said. Maybe one day Kar and I will co-author the definitive guide to leading a double life.

The ability to wear a short skirt and to be a scientist are completely unrelated.

Usually I skip Maureen Dowd's articles, finding them too brassy and immoderate for me. However, her article on the modern working girl has a point (only until page 3 out of 7 pages). Dowd notes that:

----
"Feminists in the 70's went overboard," Anne Schroeder, a 26-year-old magazine editor in Washington, agrees. "Paying is like opening a car door. It's nice. I appreciate it. But he doesn't have to."

Unless he wants another date.

Women in their 20's think old-school feminists looked for equality in all the wrong places, that instead of fighting battles about whether women should pay for dinner or wear padded bras they should have focused only on big economic issues.

After Googling and Bikramming to get ready for a first dinner date, a modern girl will end the evening with the Offering, an insincere bid to help pay the check. "They make like they are heading into their bag after a meal, but it is a dodge," Marc Santora, a 30-year-old Metro reporter for The Times, says. "They know you will stop them before a credit card can be drawn. If you don't, they hold it against you."

One of my girlfriends, a TV producer in New York, told me much the same thing: "If you offer, and they accept, then it's over."
------

Yes, most girls aren't the strident feminists of their mothers' generation. The question isn't always "Why not?" but "How is it different?" I admit that I've gotten accused of setting women back 50 years, by preferring to ask a guy to walk me home at night over a group of girls. I ask guys to lift heavy boxes or a fridge for me whenever possible. Making people feel important is classy and attractive. However, I wouldn't consider myself weaker in the process. I simply recognize my own limitations. Just because I would rather have a guy lift a heavy box for me doesn't mean that I expect him to make more money than me. Or even that I want him to do so.

Two years ago, at least two of my friends admitted that they want to stay at home and raise kids. I was awestruck at this since I've always been of the notion that one day I will morph into Superwoman, able to have a model family, a husband who can cook, clean, and have carpentry skills equal to that of my father, and a prolific career that at least requires a cell phone or a pager. I'm more realistic now. Two out of the three for both my husband and myself is still a passing grade. For my friends, I realize that this is probably a happier choice and at the very least, equally fulfilling.

if I can make it here,

then I can make it anywhere. It's up to you, New York, New York.

Yep, back from Manhattan. Not that I saw anything save for the area from 66th to 71st Avenue. Turned out to be a huge blur. Here is what I remember/learned:

1. The fact that I went to South Africa automatically means that I want to study HIV for my Ph.D. or conduct clinical research. Glad someone else knows my mind better than I do.

2. I met a girl who can quote people from Student Doctor Network. [Yes, Mai, if you are reading this, I found this amusing as well.]

3. Med school/grad school Halloween parties are similar to fraternity parties without the Greek letters and less cheap beer and more cheap vodka.

4. Best costume: person with geometric pyramid faces (without the point) surrounding his waist. Tiny spikes protuded from each of these faces with a stuffed chicken hanging in the front. [Note that the spikes were actually pipet tips.] We guessed chicken pox. Answer: avian flu virus H5N1.

(groan)

5. The Empire State Building looks pretty amazing at night.

the allstu

Highly amused at what comes across as an allstu. Someone (not me) accidentally sent out an email with the debate club's password listed. Goes without saying that the mistake was remedied within 5 minutes.

The British debate has already turned into a comedy of errors. Wish I could see the final product on Thursday night....

Care Bear Power

I now have a Care Bear blanket, thanks to Dawn and Kar. I also have a get-well card with the words Arabidopsos thaliana, Drosophila melanogaster, Manduca sexta, distillation, and cheese. Cheese, right next to the chemical structure of vitamin C.

Only the addition of the word "entropy" tops that.

Where you lead, I will follow

Since the school year has begun, I have done a lot of thinking about what I do and why I do it. Invariably, student government is inherently limited and I have less time than ever before to volunteer. Perhaps it is too cliche to say that I seek to make a difference in the world. This morning I found a couple of quotations that seem to resonate.

"A leader is best when people barely know that he exists, less good when they obey and acclaim him, worse when they fear and despise him. Fail to honor people and they fail to honor you. But of a good leader, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say, We did this ourselves."
--Lao Tzu--

Some say that my teaching is nonsense.
Others call it lofty but impractical.
But to those who have looked inside themselves,
this nonsense makes perfect sense.
And to those who put it into practice,
this loftiness has roots that go deep.

I have just three things to teach:
simplicity, patience, compassion.
Simple in actions and thoughts,
you return to the source of being.
Patient with both friends an enemeies,
you accord with the way things are.
Compassionate toward yourself,
You reconcile all being in the world.
--Lao Tzu--

How would other philosophers answer? Plato? Machiavelli? Is one right or are there pieces that we can extract from their writings? Sometimes I regret that I do not have more of a background in these writers.

I cannot remember who was talking about being both idealistic and cynical these days. Perhaps I would characterize myself as idealistic and realistic. I do not seek recognition but yet I wish to be acknowledged for my hard work. While I believe that "Everyone can be great because everyone can serve" (Martin Luther King), is it possible that being "great" is the same for everyone? This idea was dicussed in my English class last year in reference to Dante. Lovely circles in Paradise. Everyone can serve, whether it is community or individual-driven. Yet is is a matter of perspective or opportunity? How can we ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to reach their potential?

Lately I have also been drawn to classical music. Lab, writing, or relaxing in my room. Beethoven. Chopin. Mahler. Mozart. It is a solitary escape, I do admit.

Old-fashioned science

Although I usually enjoy serving as a molecular biology teaching assistant, a week of running around with phylogenetic trees and gene clean preps makes me whether I am cut out to teach science. A professor said today that graduate school (i.e. PhD track) teaches one to conduct research and then one enters teaching with little or no training. Sink or swim.

The topic of science education is hot right now. In today's NY Times, Thomas Friedman notes how the US, in an increasingly global society, lags behind Germany, China, and Japan in the number of undergraduate degrees award in science and engineering. His suggested initiatives include increased federal grant money to young researchers as well as merit scholarships to those who specifically enter science and math education at the high school level, pouring more money into basic science research (and especially for young researchers).

All of this comes from a global standpoint. Good in theory, hard in practice. What is likely more urgent is how science is taught in these high school classroom and not just who or how many teach science. The National Academies Press recently released a report to this effect. How undergraduates don't have the background to teach science and how the curricula isn't focused on gaining an appreciation of science as a discipline. The recommendations to link the scientific method/problem-based learning with textbook concepts reminded me of the stories that I heard from a Kenyon alumnus who taught science for Teach for America.

Medical ethics and third world countries

An interesting editorial in Science by a doctor in Mali.

news of the day

Who says chemistry can't be "sexy?" U of MN scientists believe that sex pheromes can be used as a migratory attractant and when artificially synthesized, can be used to trap lampreys in the Great Lakes.

Oh, and my nerdy interest in science resurfaces. The scientists who originally studied H. pylori just won this year's Nobel Prize. H. pylori contributes to stomach ulcers by inducing inflammation and attracting interleuking and other pro-inflammatory markers to the lumen of the stomach.

Back from Iowa

This weekend, I accompanied the Hunsen lab to a carbohydrate symposium held in Toledo. Somehow my mom heard about it third-hand and thought that we were driving to Iowa. We did end up whizzing past a "Welcome to Michigan" sign after I forgot to tell Kelly which freeway exit to take. Sometimes I forget how cheerful the state signs appear.

We arrived at the hotel unscathed. It's great that Kenyon students get to know their professors well, but I think that I would have little to say if I actually shared a hotel room with one of mine. Or I would remain relatively disconcerted for the trip.

The symposium was interesting. I know little about organic chemistry synthesis, but I enjoyed getting a taste of the field. It is cliche to say that you learn something new everyday. However, I did learn that I will not devote my life to worrying about ppm shifts on the NMR spectra.

Chris, Dave, Kelly, and I did exhibit our bias as liberal arts students as we read U of Toledo's student newspaper. A useless education:

"I'm a biology major, and to be honest, I absolutely love and adore my biology and science classes.... However, on top of those classes, I have to take literature courses, multicultural courses, foreign language courses, humanities and social science courses.... These classes can be interesting and fun, but when it all boils down, how much will they help me in my career?

The way I see it, every hour I spend studying Latin is one less hour I'll be studying for biology.... Some people argue we take these courses to be enriched or well-rounded individuals.

I'm under the impression that it's just a money making scheme...."

That and the yuppie-left article. Ah, student newspapers.

On the way home, I remembered why Kelly and I take crazy road trips across the Midwest. Imagine driving on country highways. Golden-colored cornfields line the road and the truck in front of you is going at a wholesome pace: 50 mph. The truck is also large enough to interfere with your radio signal, thereby allowing karoake to bad pop music (as that and country music get reception) to be interrupted. Of course Lee Greenwood's "I'm proud to be an American" comes on the radio.

Now, I'm back on campus and enjoying peace and quiet. Maybe a movie, Harry Potter, or sleep.

Newscope

I love it when people send "anonymous" emails from their Kenyon account.

Dear Newscope, I am a long time reader of your publication and I do find it very helpful, but I do have a concern. Is it really necessary to print in every issue that MiddleGround is open from 8:00am-12:00am? This seems like something that would be useful at the beginning of the year but after a while it seems like a huge waste of ink since you guys print like 50 copies of the Newscope every time you put out a new one. Maybe if you could explain your reasoning for doing so I would be more understanding but it just seems unnessecary.

Sincerely, A Newscope reader.
-------------------------------

Hmmm, considering the salary that both Alycia and I draw, I think that the costs of paper and labor far outweigh the costs of ink. I would point to space and aesthetic considerations, but not ink.

Also, I'm confused. Why does my devoted reader to "be more understanding?"

KB Squared-- the inside scoop

What possessed me to reduce my relationship to Karly to a world shared by others? Three recent examples:

1. Writing about her in essays. For example, "My identical twin and I fueled each other’s desire to compete as individuals but serve as members of a greater community."

Note: this has also meant discussing this content to OTHER PEOPLE, viz. professors. This has also meant that details of our lives have gone public. Apparently, we share the trait of making our personal statement not personal enough....

2. Watching how we speak when others are around. Apparently, twin speak is classified as a foreign language to some.

3. Agreeing to be on an admissions panel in a few weeks to discuss having a sibling on campus. Both of us are inexplicably on this panel, so it will be like cross-talk on cnn. a "discussion" with 20-20 hindsight.

borders of our lives

I've slacked off quite a bit these last few days. It's produced the odd situation where I have seen few people multiple times but many people a few times. Conversation topics? Anything from life back on the hill to Teach for America to the movie "Sideways."

Interesting sidenote (a la Gilbert or B2): Sideways was directed by Alexander Payne, who also directed "Election." Election was the first movie that I actually had to stop watching because I couldn't stand it anymore. Also of note: A favorite book of mine, "A Separate Peace," is read aloud in "Sideways."

Last night I found myself asking "Why do I read?" I write too many personal statements these days to believe that this can be answered. Sincerity, if included in the first draft, could be edited for the sake of brevity. [There's a good Michael Chabon quote at the end of Wonder Boys about reading through pages looking for the parts that sound true.]

So, I read in order to relax, to learn about the world, to learn how others perceive the world.

Revision: I read in order to escape. I read to forget other responsibilities or that I even have responsibilities to a particular class. I read to live vicariously and forget who I am. And then I read because my obsession kicks in and I can't think about anything else but that fabulous, gripping book. Which is something that my beloved vanilla coke cannot provide.

New blog

Interesting blog. When I get the chance, I will try to post it in the links section. For all those interested in international health care.

http://effectmeasure.blogspot.com/

memo that

I don't think that I will ever understand the internet or how search engines work. Just read an email that told me to do a search on google for the word "failure." The results? The belief that politics are everywhere.

Speaking of politics, I started reading a biography of Queen Elizabeth I, by J.E. Neale. A fascinating read. My other current read is "Curious Incident of a Dog in the Nighttime," by Mark Haldon. One of those books that I've been meaning to read for a year and only now reading. Would have finished it by now if I actually picked it up each day before 1am....

Conversations

Yes, I really do have a child-sized foot. I can't help it. However, I do think that I know how to buy shoes so that they aren't too small or too large. Last night, I went to visit some "friends" and one girl told me that my foot is not that small. I should really be wearing women-sized shoes because my foot was not that much smaller than hers. Perhaps I just wear shoes that are too small for me and have been doing so since fourth grade. Go figure.

On another note, here is an article for potential new authors:.

I also decided to write a book oene day. Humorous accounts of being a twin. Earlier this week, someone told me that I could be a soap opera. Public affairs writing is that cheesy. Friend said that we are like a schizophrenic. First one talk, then the other. But it sounds like the same person. Not so, but funny nonetheless.

Tale of two moods

Thursday: I had an absolutely amazing day on Thursday. I don't know why, but I loved it. I had 3.5 hours of sleep the previous night, but I couldn't do anything to stop smiling. I had this tremendous bounce in my step, and nothing could deter my good mood. Nothing spectacular or even memorable occurred, but the entire day was great. I split the entire day between my lab work and TA'ing and then band. However, it was just one of those amazing days in which I want to dance down Middle Path. Life for no explicable reason was just that good.

Saturday: I went running this morning, which is not good in itself. I run in order to be fit or to clear my head. Approximately three miles of pavement and the sound of the wind. I needed to run away from my planner and the thousands of meetings and labs. I needed to run away from the applications yet undone. Above all, I needed time away from Kenyon. SIPS last night was great, but not enough. Right now, I just see too much drama, where everyone hears only half of the story (especially when it involves the opposite sex) and then when you do hear the other half, you just end up hurt. Really hurt. Basically, I'm at the point where two friends are causing me more stress than the rest of my crazy life put together. Everyone is acting like twelve years old and no one is being truthful. I fee like I'm the excuse for someone's else's insecurities, and I haven't even seen the players in days. Which is why I'm in hiding and trying to figure out where to go for October Break. This campus is too small and enclosed right now.

Random news

Classes started this week. While I'm not going to think about the loads of work and my home away from home, I should share amusing stories.

Every as a little kid asks "why is water blue?" Adults can explain that lakes and rivers are not really blue; merely their coloring is the reflection of the sky. This leads to the inevitable question, "why is the sky blue?"

Now I demonstrate my nerdy side, minus the nerdy glasses. Reading my instrumental analysis book, I can now say that the sky is blue as a result of the Rayleigh scattering. Shorter wavelengths from the sun's radiation scatter when they reach the atmospheric medium. As these shorter wavelengths are in the visible region, we see the scattered waves in the sky as blue. Thus, a blue sky.

Tonight the power went off across Gambier, just before 9pm. Little surprise that I was reading my textbook and working on the computer. To make a long story short, Prof. Lutton loaned four of us students his flashlight and a propane lamp. The four of us dragged a table and chairs out of a lounge and sat and studied by the light of an emergency light and the propane lamp.

As this is Kenyon, a couple friends came by and tried to argue that since power was out, it was a good excuse as any to start drinking. Somehow the excuse that it was early in the night sounded quite lame. I stuck with my coffee and milk and biology textbook.

To end the excitement, the lights came back on around 11pm. It was a bit humorous to hide matches and the propane lamp in the biochemistry lab. Kelly didn't want to set off the smoke detectors either in the restroom and was in a momentary panic.

Enough talk now. Time to read about the principles of democracy.

Sex, drugs, and rock and roll

In some ways, I guess that you could say that I'm sexually frustrated. Everywhere I look, someone is talking about sex. I'm overwhelmed and frankly, a little tired of the topic. Just because I'm naive doesn't necessarily mean that I want or need to know the ins and outs of the 1000 ways to copulate. Preferably, my mind needs to be out of the gutter at the moment. Just too many voices speaking about it. Conversations with friends at Kenyon, a cabaret, and even the NY Times. Well, sort of.

In general, too much information. Way too many details.

Think I will go and improve my physical chemistry. Of the math variety.