Vacation!!

And so, I'm off for 10 days to Croatia and Slovenia. I already know that Slovenia is beautiful having visited it in 1994 (backpacking after college,) and I understand that Croatia is magnificent. You can be thinking of me gazing at the blue Adriatic.

I'll let you know....

Killer Whales

This is spectacular. Here are pictures of a superpod of orcas off the coast of Washington photographed in July.

Edith Piaf

I saw the movie La Vie en Rose last night, a biopic of Edith Piaf. Here's one of my favorite songs by her.

How to

I like #6.

Top 10 "How to" Searches in the U.S (4 weeks ending 7/21/07)
1. How to tie a tie
2. How to have sex
3. How to kiss
4. How to lose weight
5. How to write a resume
6. How to levitate
7. How to draw
8. How to get pregnant
9. How to make out
10. How to make a video

What does it mean to be Black in America?

Pundits are talking about Barack Obama not being Black. What does it mean to be black? As I think about this and read what other's have to say, it seems in the face of Obama, people are quickly readjusting their definitions. Being African-American is not enough, you have to be descended from West African slaves brought to the US. Are the pundits collectively redefining because Obama breaks the boundaries, including the assumed ones of class and power? For example, here is a quote from an article proclaiming that Obama is not black:

Not descended from West African slaves brought to America, he steps into the benefits of black progress (like Harvard Law School) without having borne any of the burden...
- Deborah Dickerson, Salon.com, Jan 22, 2007

Is Black really a class issue instead of a descent issue? Notice that Deborah Dickerson does not point out the reversal of Jim Crowe laws, which pertains to all African Americans, as evidence of black progress, but refers instead to Harvard Law School, which applies to a miniscule minority of Americans of any color. Although she does not say so explicitly, she's talking about Blackness as a Class issue. Yes, Class, which is something Americans don't like to talk about.

These questions come to me in vivid relief as I think about my brother and how he compares with Barack Obama. For those of you who don't know my family well, my brother, who sees himself as black, was adopted as an infant by my white parents.

Similarities between my brother and Obama:

• Bi-racial, half African descent, half European
• Raised by white family, at times overseas
• Both will be followed by security guards when they walk into a store
• Both will be pulled over more often than I will
  

The differences between my brother and Obama:

• Obama is white collar and has political power, my brother is blue collar and does not have political power
  

Other than the fact that pundits won't get on TV talking about my brother, on paper, my brother and Obama are alike in background except for their chosen career paths and subsequent rise in the socio-economic structure.

So, give me your thoughts - What is Black? Race? Ethnicity? Family history? Class? Some intersection of these?

I need advice!!!

Please, please let me know what you think I should do.

I have an idea for a blog entry that compares and contrasts my brother to a major political figure. My thoughts are on race, class, and educational and economic achievement.

Is this exploitative to use my brother as a pawn for my political point of view?

Seize the Day - the Bell May Toll for You

Yesterday while I was on my way to work the bus passed an apartment building with yellow police tape around it. I glanced out of the window and saw a heavy body bag being put onto a gurney. My heart thudded. Someone right here died, not long ago, in some bad or mysterious way. What was I doing at the time, living life normally, casually, taking life for granted at the time when someone was in fear?

Later in the day, I checked the website of the Chicago Tribune and found out that a 46 year old man who had lived in a studio apartment for 10 years fell, or was pushed from his 10th story window, and was found dead at about 6 a.m.

My point in writing this is not to be morbid. Perhaps my point is trite: Carpe Diem. I found that yesterday was one of the most productive days I've had at work in ages. I was busy, happy, engaged. And in the back of my mind was this awareness of death, of the finite time we have on this plane. Even at that, our time may be much shorter than we think. So, live! Find the work that you are meant to do, whether that is teaching or cooking or parenting or being the best account manager you can possibly be.

You know you're in Hyde Park when....

So, I was walking down the street and noticed a small, bright yellow Mazda parked nearby. It had a University of Chicago license plate holder and a bumper sticker that said, (I kid you not):

My other vehicle is the Mahayana.

(Am I just as nerdy, because I get it?)

Just when you thought news of our war effort couldn't get any worse....

Check out this article - soldiers who have returned from Iraq are suddenly getting bills for equipment that they supposedly damaged while they were on active duty.
What???
We're making them pay for the truck they were in while they were being bombed or shot at???

Ratatouille & Compact Florescent Bulbs

I came across this very nice little cartoon that I would like all of you to watch. I am an energy/environment conscious person, but those of you who know me, know that this is as preachy as I will get. Let your children watch this as well.
Also, has anyone seen the movie, Ratatouille? I know it's been out a while, already. I want to see it.

South Park Movie - Blame Canada

My friend Jay sent this to me this afternoon. It's one of my favorites, reminding us all that the easiest thing to do is find a scapegoat. No need for rationality, just pick the closest person/cause/group that's different from your own.

The Taste of Summer

I can't wait until the farmers' markets open every summer so that I can make Gazpacho. It tastes like summer to me, and for a few months in the spring, I start yearning for it. The key, of course, it home-grown, yummy, tasty, ripe tomatoes. (I woke up this morning with a hankering for it and was so happy to find half a pitcher of it left over from yesterday.) You are sure to get your entire day's quota of vegetables, fiber, vitamins, etc.

5-6 luscious tomatoes (red is the standard, but try orange or yellow for beautiful variety)
1 small onion
2-3 cloves garlic (even garlic lovers should not go over-board; raw garlic is awfully powerful)
1/2 cucumber
1 sweet red bell pepper
4-5 good pinches of salt
1 handful of bread crumbs (plain is best, and this is optional)
1/4 cup of vinegar (not balsamic, but plain old wine vinegar or cider vinegar, whatever is around)

Chop everything coarsely, throw it in a blender, blend. I like it pretty smooth, but you can leave it a bit chunkier if you like. Don't be afraid to add a little water if it needs it. Chill, or if you don't have time for that, throw a few ice cubes in before you blend. Pour it into glasses, bowls, or drink straight from the blender, like I do. Garnish with a few reserved minced veggies, if you like. It's even better after a few hours, or the next day, when the flavors have had a chance to marry.

Race to Mackinac 2007

The race starts off tomorrow around noon. Anyone who's local to Chicago should come down to the lakefront to watch the race start - it's beautiful. It's supposed to be windy, but clear this weekend, so the race will be a fast one but not stormy.
Here's the website for the race. I'm not racing, but the boat I crew on, Dos Aguilas, will be out there. Click here, then Boat Selector - J105 - Dos Aguilas to track their progress through the weekend.

iPhone in a Blender

This is post-modern, self-referential and funny all at the same time (a rare combination). It's an iPhone in a blender:

http://www.willitblend.com/videos.aspx?type=unsafe&video=iphone

(It took a little while for this to load on my machine for some reason, so please be patient. It's worth it.)

Where are your resources going? Children? or Cars?

Here's another great, thought-provoking article I found in the Globalist, about designing cities for people, not for cars. It suggests rating the livability of cities on the ratio of parks to parking lots. It notes that funding for roads, which is public space for cars, are often given priority over parks, which is public space for children.

Declaration of Energy Independence

I found this interesting article, re-wording the Declaration of Independence to discuss Energy Independence. As long as they were monkeying with it, you'd think they could have replaced "Men" with "People", but sexism aside, it's an interesting read:

http://www.theglobalist.com/DBWeb/StoryId.aspx?StoryId=2346

Failed States

What do Haiti, Somalia, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Burma all have in common?

They're all rated as more stable than Iraq by Foreign Policy's Failed States Index. The only country that was worse was Sudan.

Failed states are the foremost global security risk. They are breeding grounds for civil strife, terrorism and extremist ideologies. Iraq was certainly not a great place before we invaded, but it wasn't as bad as it is now.

I'm so glad W decided to start this war to make me safer.

Chad - On the Electric Violin

My multi-talented friend Chad Gifford, who plays the meanest electric violin I've ever heard, has joined forces with Dick Prall to play some mighty fine music. I heard them play a small show at Uncommon Ground on Sunday night. It was fantastic. Check out his website, check out the music. Chad's not actually playing on Dick's current CD, but will be on the next one.

Iranian Underground Music

I saw a very interesting movie with my friend Nora last night. It was called Sounds of Silence and was presented by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, one of my favorite organizations. The film-maker is of Iranian background, but grew up in Europe and was covering the censorship and repression felt by non-traditional musicians in Iran. He interviewed hip-hop, rock and pop artists as well as a journalist who had organized an underground, on-line only music festival.

Because of the limitations placed on the lyrics, music, and appearance of the artists by Ershad, the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, the musicians told stories of shows cancelled and of not being able to record and publish their music. Many of them spoke of distributing their music via the web. Generally, they couldn't sell their music and make money from it, but at least it was being heard by audiences larger than what could fit in the living room.

Amir Hamz, the filmmaker, mentioned he'd been talking to CNN and also had a distributor signed on, so keep your eyes open for it.

Slaughterhouse Five or Do We Have Free Will?

I've just finished reading Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut. Has anyone else out there read it? Can you explain it to me?

It was interesting on a number of fronts:

• Definitely not a front-to-back narrative. When the narrator dies, he simply continues narrating the book. You hardly even notice.
• Calling WWII the Children's Crusade resonates with our current conflict. When I see lists of the dead, 95% of them are far younger than I am.
• It questions the existance of Free Will. Aliens teach the narrator that all of time is already laid out and visible, if you know how to see it. In fact, in the entire novel, the protagonist seems to make only 1 decision, to marry a woman no one else wants to marry. Everything else in his life seems to be a matter of being in the right/wrong place at the right/wrong time and being accepting of what happens.

I am a free-will/personal-responsibility sort of person myself. Maybe it's a matter of wanting to feel in control, or of not being cut of from opportunity. Thoughts? I'd love to hear....

Everyone can be Jackson Pollack

I found this website, and it's lots of fun for wasting time. The paint will change color when you click your mouse:

http://www.jacksonpollock.org/

"Doubt is a Virtue"

There's a great piece on Salon.com today about JFK's belief that Doubt is a virtue, and how our current administration and political culture could use a bit more mature doubt and less swagger and blind self-assurance.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2007/06/11/doubt/index.html

Northern Michigan (or what I did on my vacation)

For the Memorial Day weekend, my mother and I went to northern Michigan, which is where she spent summers as a child. Here are some pictures.

Trillium

A view through the trees to Lake Michigan

A Beach at Wilderness State Park

Same Beach

Flowers at Wilderness State Park

Simple Pleasures

Here are a list of the things I'm thinking about today that make me smile:

• Dinner with old friends
• A kiss from my 2 year-old god-son
• My fountain pen
• The smell of a BBQ, even if it's someone else's
• The rhubarb pie I made on Sunday
• Eating it out on the fire-escape looking at the clouds
• Taking a nap with the cat
  

Summer

Ah, summer is here. Tonight is the first sailing race of the season. The temperature is warm: 84 F right now. It's windy, so the race should be fast. I've dug around for my sailing shoes, dormant in the back of the closet since October. I've found my contact lenses and I'm trying to remember sailing lingo.

I am sure that with the crack crew, including me, Dos Aguilas will triumph!