Like It Was The End of the World

Saturday night, May 21st, I went to the  U2 concert here in Denver, instead of my eternal place of rest as was predicted.  I did find it funny (and wondered if the song was part of the regular tour set) when U2 sang their song, The End of The World.  The concert was phenomenal! I am not a crowd person, so I don't go to big concerts much, and you couldn't pay me to be on the floor right in front of the stage in the midst of all those people.  I was much happier way up in the nose bleeds in my little seat, my sectioned off little space.  The benefit from way up there is that we got to see it all.  These guys have been around awhile, and they have perfected the art of performing.  It is really something to get a chance to watch people who are experts at their craft. 
Another aspect of the show that I happened to like, (though the idiots behind me didn't, and left - thank goodness), was that U2 is very involved in charitable organizations - Amnesty International and One in particular.  During the show they had a few comments, video clips and songs with video dialogue interspersed all with messages around the work of these organizations and the band's beliefs.  I say, power to them! Here is a group of men who have packed a stadium with 75,000+ people and they have a microphone and everyone's attention.  I am pleased that they are using their fame and influence to try to affect good change in the world, at the very least in making some people aware. They have made no secret of their affiliations or beliefs before, and in going to see U2, you should probably expect these kind of messages.  Go see Eminem or Guns N' Roses and you'll get a different kind of show.  At one point toward the end, U2 had a video clip of the president-elect of Burma who until recently had been living under house arrest because the govt. refused to recognized her as the people's choice.  I'm sure the two morons behind me who where shouting 'shut up already!' had no idea who she is or what her plight represents.  And there will be some people like that.  I understand wanting to hear good music sans agendas,  but for U2, I also understand that that means listening to their album in my car, rather than hearing them live.  And in this age of technologically modified music where singers can't carry their own tune in public, U2's songs sounded even better live, big and bold.  They were definitely worth being on my bucket list.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

While visiting an elementary school (for my new job! hooray!) I got to hear a presentation  from Mercy Corps which is an organization started after 9/11 to help kids cope with disasters, both natural and other.  Currently they are working in Japan, and the slides showed some of the wreckage there, and the cleared roads between piles of destruction so that emergency vehicles could get through.  What amazed me and gave me goosebumps was that the presenter said she saw workers looking through the wreckage for remains of people, and if they came across something in tact, like a vase, they'd leave by the roadside in front of where that house would have been in case family members or survivors came back to the house.  This absolutely stunned me, though in reflection, I can't say I'm too surprised that it is the Japanese doing this.  Having lived there a year, I can absolutely believe that that was not a fluke incident, but a more common act of respect in that country. 

Take those thoughts in contrast to our own natural disasters going on with the flooding of the Mississippi, and people in Tennessee being reluctant to leave their homes because others are coming in specifically to loot.  Things are very, very wrong there, and I'm not talking about the wet.  What has happened to respect?

Here are some shots of a few of the characters I had the pleasure  of teaching in Japan.

Glorious Upheavals!

A LOT happened this last week. 
First, as we know, Bin Laden was killed.  I want to comment on the number of flags present in the celebration pictures.  I have a little flag for my front porch, and an old flag from WWI framed, but I don't have a big one.  I was amazed, touched and very pleased to see how many people around the country from college campuses to the big city streets had big flags, and were displaying them proudly.  This is quite the change in images from the usual bashing America gets, in large part from her own citizens.  And though those bashings aren't always undeserved, I am heartened to see some pride displayed boldly around the country.  It's about time.

Second, I had my last day at my school this last Thursday.   A little bittersweet as I was counting down the minutes until certain students became someone else's issue, but also sad to leave others.  I will miss a lot of the students, the teachers and admin. 

Third, I spent all day on Saturday at my mom's church for a bazaar.  It was my first, and I was selling my purses, jewelry and notecards.  I just have to chalk it up to a learning experience, because it wasn't a real financial boon.  The weather was so nice, no one wanted to be inside - or at least no one that knew about the bazaar, which weren't many.  But, I got some good lessons for the next time, if there'll be one.

And last, my boyfriend and I had a paella party to celebrate both of our new jobs! And in doing so, we supported Adrian and Jose in their new business venture - paella catering.  I wrote about them in an earlier post, but I have to say it again, because it was bigger and better! They came to my house and made the paella on their own portable propane stove, while telling us about the paella.  They brought two appetizers, a dessert and two gallons of very delicious Sangria.  The paella was fantastic, and plenty to feed 12 hungry people, with seconds, and enough for left overs.  Guess what I'm having for dinner! And, I didn't have to clean any of it! They came this morning (on time to the minute) to pick up the dessert dishes, sangria jugs and paella pan.  I will definitely be having another paella party, they were worth it!  spanishfoodincolorado@gmail.com. 

Walk with a Maasai

Last week I saw a Maasai warrior named Samwel Melami Langidare Mollel speak at the Castle Rock Library.  He was fascinating!  Dressed in his traditional Maasai clothes, Samwel spoke of his culture and customs in the Ngorangora crater in Tanzania.  He spoke about the differences between women's roles and men's, and that they only see each other once or twice a week to keep the peace and respect.  Men don't eat with the women because women have a bad spirit in their eyes that could give the men bad luck.  He told us what to do if we wake up in a hut and a snake has cuddled up next to us in the night, explaining how to swing the snake around by the tail and whack the snake on the wall. 
His father is a healer and Samwel talked about the different kinds of plants that the Maasai use for various ailments, as well as for a certain smell so the wildlife  won't bother them.  He helpfully suggested that if we were out walking with him in the bush, a lion might attack one of us, but not him. 
With that in mind, he gave quite a few great stories about walking safaris he has led from his village.  Samwell has started a safari company, www.maasaiexpeditions.com that is advertised as being 100% Maasai owned and operated, and benefits the local economy and traditions. 

Clearly, the highlight of things I've learned this last week was all the information from Samwell.  I am definitely adding one of his walking tours to my bucket list.

Change Is In The Air

Although I have enjoyed my current job for the most part, teaching ESL,I'm ready for a change and so I've got a new job! I'll be working with kids and philanthropy programs and I am excited!  I went to a  murder mystery dinner theater to celebrate, who knew Denver had one of those?!  It was a blast, except for the hokey conga line.  In fact, if you look up hokey in the dictionary, you'll see conga line right after pokey.  But the acting was fun, the rest of the audience participation was a hoot, and the food was delicious. 
I start my new job in two weeks and I am so excited.  Things that would have stressed me out last week, didn't phase me today.  I started to feel my blood pressure boil, and then remembered: they're only my issues for two more weeks.  Then I get a whole new batch of issues, and I am ready for them!


Some things I learned this week - for my Bucket List - Eisa in Arabic means Jesus, and there is an Arabic surname, Aleisa.
Torpedos were first used during the civil war, Denver has a fun mystery dinner theater, and the word 'sass' used to refer to root vegetables.   Sassafrass makes more sense now.

Atlas Shrugged

One of my favorite books, and probably the most influential in my life, has been made into a movie which I saw last night.  Although Atlas Shrugged, Part 1 had no marketing budget, the theater was filled to the front row on opening night - tax day of all days.  If the movie were just for me, then I'd give it a thumbs up.  The cinematography was great, the music was very nice, the acting was pretty good.  And of course I love the story, and I do buy the philosophy.  But I had bigger hopes for this movie, hopes that this would spread the sense of Rand's philosophy to a public that isn't interested in reading a book that's more than 1,000 pages long, in very small print. Unfortunately, the movie seemed to be made more for the current followers of Rand, assuming they've all read the book, and not so much to reach any new people.  The book is a story as well as a vehicle for the philosophy.  I was hoping the movie would be more of the story, and let the actions (philosophy) speak for itself without any monologues or stilted proverbs.  The movie was pretty much preaching to the choir, and I don't think it will change any minds on the other side.  I do hope it will stir debate in the blogging world, and even further.

It was very good to see the silent other side present and accounted for, and to hear the applause at the end of the movie from everyone, that this movie and story does represent principles and a kind of integrity that is not dead or even dormant, just not represented in the media.

Here is a poem I wrote back in high school, inspired by the book.

The Hero 

When the last light falls

and falls to dark,                                                                                                        

that’s when we will begin

we the few who love our lives

will fight and we will win.

A single man faced the wall,

more gathered close behind.

They were here to take his life,

or rather, take his mind.

“You know the truth” a short man said,

“you know we want what’s best,

we need your mind to make it work –

and then we’ll let you rest.”

The single man said nothing

but “this life and mind are mine.”

The men shouted “It’s your duty!

you can’t just leave us all behind!”

The man with the mind gave them a smile,

then turned and looked away.

The men began to scream and shout

“don’t you care what the people say?

“We told them we would save them,

we told them we had you,

and you would bring us all to safety,

there is no more we can do!”

“You have to!” they all chanted,

“think of your fellow man!

Just sacrifice your mind to us

and we can finish our plan.”

The man with the mind just smiled,

and induced a state of fear

among the men who shivered,

and cried when made to hear:

“When the last light falls

and falls to dark,

that’s when we will begin,

we the few who love our lives

will fight and we will win.”

KEH

Things I've learned this week: How the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, that walruses look white in the water because they're conserving heat and all there blood is at their core, while they look pink on land because the capillaries in their skin dilate; the ukelele is actually a Portuguese instrument called a machete, and became a ukelele when the british officer nicknamed ukelele ( Hawaiian for 'jumping flea') made it popular,  peaches are native to China, and I can be happy for someone else, even in the face of my own big disappointment.

More Girl Power

Last week I finished reading Half The Sky by Nicholas D. Kristoff and Sheryl WuDunn.  It had more stories on abuse of women in the sex trade, but also abuses of women's basic human rights around the world.  Sound depressing?  It would have been very if that were all the book was about.  Instead, it reports on the abuses, and then acts on a kind of philanthropic how-to guide to best practices.  Besides a list of organizations in the back of the book, it gives a rundown of different policies or organizations that tried and failed and why- not because the situation is hopeless, but that the approach was inappropriate or ineffective.  Half the Sky is well written and inspirational, and is on my list of must-reads.

As for my daily learning tidbits, here are some highlights: the Oscar statuette got his name his very first year from the librarian at the academy, saying the thing looked like her Uncle Oscar, a fruit farmer and wheat farmer in Texas.
The word Halibut comes from the old English word for flat fish - butte - and holy, put together.
And I learned too late that chevre is, unfortunately, a kind of goat cheese.  Here's to trying new things!