Monday august 15, 2011
I woke up late today, 7:45 a.m., and felt a little guilty. I called Mom for Costa Rican Mother’s Day and got to talk to her and Dennis, which always makes me happy. I went for a run, showered, made some fry bread and did the laundry.
Living alone I spend most of my housework time listening to pod casts. (Who knew that pod cast is two words and housework is one? Thank you, spell check.) I love pod casts. This morning I listened to two really powerful pod casts, one that had an unexpected impact on me.
The first one was about the rise of militias in the U.S., especially since the election of Obama. Reaction: I am so naive to the world.
http://www.thechangingworld.org/archives/2011/wk31.php
The second pod cast, http://www.thechangingworld.org/archives/2011/wk32.php was about The Sierra Program, a rehabilitation project in a prison in Australia to try to stop the Revolving Door Syndrome of recidivism. This pod cast was pretty remarkable, listening to you men talk about the choices they had made that led them to prison and their desire to change the patterns of their life and not return to prison. Pretty moving stuff. But then, as I was hanging my clean laundry on the porch, in the sun shine and gentle breeze, I heard something so powerful it brought tears to my eyes.
The reporter had been talking to skeptical prison staff, those who did not think that the Sierra Program would make much of a difference. She then talks to Sierra Program participants about their reaction to that skepticism. She talks to one man who is 24 years old, formally in the armed forces. When he left the army he fell into drug and crime and describes in general terms the violence of his actions and armed robberies. The reporter mentions the skepticism of others and asks this man why she should that he, a violent armed robber, can change just because of participation in this program. He responds, without hesitation and with full respect and calm, addressing her by name:
“Sharon, I was an armed robber, not am. That’s the most important thing, that change has occurred in my mind.”
This is where the tears came in. I cannot help but be emotionally involved in the world. And I realize that this is one of the most powerful ideas for me: we are all capable of making poor choices, but with support, patience, love, understanding, structure and discipline, we can change. I can’t quite find the words to express how amazing I find this young man and all of those young men – trying, trying, trying to make change for better in their lives. What takes more courage than that?
Monday, August 15, 2011
Bug Killer
Sunday August 14, 2011
I killed another scorpion last night. It’s not even that exciting anymore, but this particular death was kind of interesting. I was sitting on the toilet, peeing when it happened. I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye and there it was, prancing into my bathroom with no regard for my privacy. I didn’t even freak out. I just pulled up my pant leg so it wouldn’t get tangled in arachnid, stomped on the perverted critter and continued peeing.
Unfortunately, this did not get the job done. Even on the hard tile of my bathroom floor the arachnid exoskeleton held up against the soft bottom of my slippers. Still seated on the toilet, I stomped again. The second attempt did not manage to capture the tail scorpion and I sat watching as it jabbed at the sole of my slipper in an attempt to free itself.
In the end I had to stand, pull my pants up and grind my heel to immobilize the scorpion, and sweep it up and dump it into the toilet to finish off the job. And now I get to add “The Time I Killed a Scorpion While I was on the Toilet” to the list of things I’ve done in my life.
And while we are on the topic of scorpions, I would like to share that Costa Rica has debuted two new bills. They are smaller, made of a different material and with new designs. The 1,000 colon bill, I am sad to report, has scorpions on it. Why would they choose to do such a thing? It’s like if the currency for New York had a mugger on it, or a junkie, passed out on a stoop. I know what you are thinking: New York doesn’t have it’s own currency.
What’s your point?
I killed another scorpion last night. It’s not even that exciting anymore, but this particular death was kind of interesting. I was sitting on the toilet, peeing when it happened. I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye and there it was, prancing into my bathroom with no regard for my privacy. I didn’t even freak out. I just pulled up my pant leg so it wouldn’t get tangled in arachnid, stomped on the perverted critter and continued peeing.
Unfortunately, this did not get the job done. Even on the hard tile of my bathroom floor the arachnid exoskeleton held up against the soft bottom of my slippers. Still seated on the toilet, I stomped again. The second attempt did not manage to capture the tail scorpion and I sat watching as it jabbed at the sole of my slipper in an attempt to free itself.
In the end I had to stand, pull my pants up and grind my heel to immobilize the scorpion, and sweep it up and dump it into the toilet to finish off the job. And now I get to add “The Time I Killed a Scorpion While I was on the Toilet” to the list of things I’ve done in my life.
And while we are on the topic of scorpions, I would like to share that Costa Rica has debuted two new bills. They are smaller, made of a different material and with new designs. The 1,000 colon bill, I am sad to report, has scorpions on it. Why would they choose to do such a thing? It’s like if the currency for New York had a mugger on it, or a junkie, passed out on a stoop. I know what you are thinking: New York doesn’t have it’s own currency.
What’s your point?
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Blogs, Podcasts, Books and The Fall (but not in that order)
Saturday August 13, 2011
Yesterday morning I went running with Tricia and fell and ripped my pants. It didn’t hurt and I only got a little scrape and a bruise (thank goodness – all my bruises from mt. biking have faded). The painful part was that there was this guy there and the intersection where I ate it and he saw the whole thing. We ran down to the intersection, I wiped out, got up, turned around and we ran away again, me with a big hole ripped in the knee of my pants.
I tell this to Ji last night and we laugh a little. We really laugh when I confess tha they are not actually pants that I wear to run in, but long underwear. And then we keep laughing when I explain how the elastic waist is so shot I have to bunch it up and pint it with a safety pin so the pants don’t fall down, especially when I’m running downhill. Thank goodness I’ve got my bright purple, super-fly, 50% off Pumas to salvage my imagine a little. I’m not a total disaster.
When Ji finally settles down he asks, “Would you go running dressed like that in NYC?” This question never would have occurred to me. Of course I would run in that outfit in NYC! Because:
1. It can get cold in NY and long underwear, even ripped long underwear, will help me stay warm.
2. I’ve never understood why people spend a lot of money for fancy new workout clothes. I always wear my older, most beat up clothing to work out in. The clothes are going to ust get seaty and muddy (and ripped) anyway. Expensive workout clothes = poor financial planning.
3. No matter how hard I try or how much money I make I will never be NYC fashinable. I just can’t pull it off and I’ve given up trying. Hm – I reazlie not that I never have actually given a damn.
So, for Ji-Soo and the rest of you who might ask, yes I would go running in the fashion capital of the world in baggy, ripped long underwear. And I wouldn’t think twice about it.
******************************************************************************
I just finished reading Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden. It was published in 1982 and was supposedly the first gay/lesbian teen novel, which is pretty cool, but I liked it for a different reason. I liked it because it really captured how falling in love in NYC can turn the dirty, gritty, monotonous city into a beautiful, endless playground. I was so down on NYC and then one day (really, it happened that quickly) everything changed.
I left anyway.
******************************************************************************
I just listed to and episode of The Changing World podcast: “The Kill Factor”. Pretty powerful. My thoughts:
1. So upfront, so shocking, so necessary.
2. Kudos to those who can talk to openly and honestly about their experience. I can’t imagine the courage that takes.
3. I wish they’d included women. Do women go to the front line? Do they kill?
4. Being here in Monteverde has made me realize that I’m not a pacifist, but I still don’t like war.
5. Powerful idea #1: The safety switch to keep soldiers from killing gets turned off so they can kill but how can we put it back before we send them home?
6. Powerful idea #2: We ask soldiers to do so much but then don’t support them when the come home.
7. Powerful idea #3: Hearing one of the soldiers talking about going from war zone to war zone. What are we doing in this world?
8. The word WAR – seems perfect for what it is.
******************************************************************************
I’ve been reading some new blogs lately (I never thought I’d say that):
• Neil and wife Andrea, who just moved to Hilo, Hawaii: http://haoleherald.tumblr.com/
• Ji’s sister Eunnie and The Husband, who just moved to Shenzen, China: consumateconsumer.com
• Amanda and her husband, who live in Cambodia and just had a baby. We were friends in middle school and have not spoken since, but its an interesting blog: http://amandaniel.blogspot.com/
Yesterday morning I went running with Tricia and fell and ripped my pants. It didn’t hurt and I only got a little scrape and a bruise (thank goodness – all my bruises from mt. biking have faded). The painful part was that there was this guy there and the intersection where I ate it and he saw the whole thing. We ran down to the intersection, I wiped out, got up, turned around and we ran away again, me with a big hole ripped in the knee of my pants.
I tell this to Ji last night and we laugh a little. We really laugh when I confess tha they are not actually pants that I wear to run in, but long underwear. And then we keep laughing when I explain how the elastic waist is so shot I have to bunch it up and pint it with a safety pin so the pants don’t fall down, especially when I’m running downhill. Thank goodness I’ve got my bright purple, super-fly, 50% off Pumas to salvage my imagine a little. I’m not a total disaster.
When Ji finally settles down he asks, “Would you go running dressed like that in NYC?” This question never would have occurred to me. Of course I would run in that outfit in NYC! Because:
1. It can get cold in NY and long underwear, even ripped long underwear, will help me stay warm.
2. I’ve never understood why people spend a lot of money for fancy new workout clothes. I always wear my older, most beat up clothing to work out in. The clothes are going to ust get seaty and muddy (and ripped) anyway. Expensive workout clothes = poor financial planning.
3. No matter how hard I try or how much money I make I will never be NYC fashinable. I just can’t pull it off and I’ve given up trying. Hm – I reazlie not that I never have actually given a damn.
So, for Ji-Soo and the rest of you who might ask, yes I would go running in the fashion capital of the world in baggy, ripped long underwear. And I wouldn’t think twice about it.
******************************************************************************
I just finished reading Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden. It was published in 1982 and was supposedly the first gay/lesbian teen novel, which is pretty cool, but I liked it for a different reason. I liked it because it really captured how falling in love in NYC can turn the dirty, gritty, monotonous city into a beautiful, endless playground. I was so down on NYC and then one day (really, it happened that quickly) everything changed.
I left anyway.
******************************************************************************
I just listed to and episode of The Changing World podcast: “The Kill Factor”. Pretty powerful. My thoughts:
1. So upfront, so shocking, so necessary.
2. Kudos to those who can talk to openly and honestly about their experience. I can’t imagine the courage that takes.
3. I wish they’d included women. Do women go to the front line? Do they kill?
4. Being here in Monteverde has made me realize that I’m not a pacifist, but I still don’t like war.
5. Powerful idea #1: The safety switch to keep soldiers from killing gets turned off so they can kill but how can we put it back before we send them home?
6. Powerful idea #2: We ask soldiers to do so much but then don’t support them when the come home.
7. Powerful idea #3: Hearing one of the soldiers talking about going from war zone to war zone. What are we doing in this world?
8. The word WAR – seems perfect for what it is.
******************************************************************************
I’ve been reading some new blogs lately (I never thought I’d say that):
• Neil and wife Andrea, who just moved to Hilo, Hawaii: http://haoleherald.tumblr.com/
• Ji’s sister Eunnie and The Husband, who just moved to Shenzen, China: consumateconsumer.com
• Amanda and her husband, who live in Cambodia and just had a baby. We were friends in middle school and have not spoken since, but its an interesting blog: http://amandaniel.blogspot.com/
Friday, August 5, 2011
My Life: Summer 2011 - Last Bit
So, I got to go to Alaska for a wedding and had an amazing time and love loved it but then I left in camera in NYC and came back to Costa Rica and I have nothing to show for it. But, I will leave you with this link where my PIC has written wonderfully about it. He took most of the pictures anyway: http://have-not.blogspot.com/
And also, some pictures of the orange tree, happy with new growth in it's Brooklyn greenhouse. You can see other posts of my beloved orange tree at the link above also. This silly tree has brought me hours and hours of happiness. Oh, and it's not really an orange tree.
Background: Apt. 15C
Background: Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Background: Joy, joy, joy.
And also, some pictures of the orange tree, happy with new growth in it's Brooklyn greenhouse. You can see other posts of my beloved orange tree at the link above also. This silly tree has brought me hours and hours of happiness. Oh, and it's not really an orange tree.
Background: Apt. 15C
Background: Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Background: Joy, joy, joy.
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