08 January 2011
Contact Me!
I have my address and local phone number now, in case anyone is thinking of mailing me things or has an international phone plan. E-mail me or comment and let me know if you're interested!
Some Scottish Haikus
1. We live next to the
Castle. It's 'round the corner.
Edinburgh rocks.
2. How to look Scottish:
Don't be cold. Wear boots. Don't speak.
We are American.
3. Built on seven hills:
Rome, Morgantown, Edinburgh
No need to join gym.
Castle. It's 'round the corner.
Edinburgh rocks.
2. How to look Scottish:
Don't be cold. Wear boots. Don't speak.
We are American.
3. Built on seven hills:
Rome, Morgantown, Edinburgh
No need to join gym.
04 January 2011
Packing
It's about that time.
In fact, it's incredibly close to that time.
In approximately 16 hours, I will be en route (albeit a very long and convoluted route) to my fourth Furman Study Away opportunity. It will be my fifth time leaving the country. (It will be my umpteenth time leaving West Virginia.) My approximate route is home --> CLT --> Newark --> Edinburgh. I should be arriving in the UK Thursday morning.
I've never been to Europe before! This is scary! This is exciting! I can't wait! I'm not ready!
Which brings me to my point: packing - quite often the bane of my existence. I feel that, often, I hardly get settled somewhere before it is time to leave again - taking, of course, minimal possessions, so as to ease environmental and my body's degradation. How I've gotten myself in my current situation is beyond me: I began packing Saturday and began brainstorming weeks ago; yet, here I am, less than a day before leaving, and most of my stuff is just sitting on my floor and my bed (NOT in my suitcase). Ohh, woe is me!
...just kidding. I'm going to go cram things in and weigh my bags! Talk to ya from across the pond!!
In fact, it's incredibly close to that time.
In approximately 16 hours, I will be en route (albeit a very long and convoluted route) to my fourth Furman Study Away opportunity. It will be my fifth time leaving the country. (It will be my umpteenth time leaving West Virginia.) My approximate route is home --> CLT --> Newark --> Edinburgh. I should be arriving in the UK Thursday morning.
I've never been to Europe before! This is scary! This is exciting! I can't wait! I'm not ready!
Which brings me to my point: packing - quite often the bane of my existence. I feel that, often, I hardly get settled somewhere before it is time to leave again - taking, of course, minimal possessions, so as to ease environmental and my body's degradation. How I've gotten myself in my current situation is beyond me: I began packing Saturday and began brainstorming weeks ago; yet, here I am, less than a day before leaving, and most of my stuff is just sitting on my floor and my bed (NOT in my suitcase). Ohh, woe is me!
...just kidding. I'm going to go cram things in and weigh my bags! Talk to ya from across the pond!!
04 November 2010
On Politics, inspired by Bishop Rev. Dr. Peter Storey
I just returned from 3 1/2 of the most intellectually stimulating, cathartic, invigorating, and best-spent hours I have passed in a long time. I attended one of the "An Evening With..." dinners at the Vista House. Tonight's guest was Methodist bishop Peter Storey, a man from South Africa who was the prison chaplain at Robben Island when Mandela was there, among other accomplishments. Through good food and dialog, I feel as if he and I are old friends, and I really respect a lot of his points of view. Hearing the conversation that happens between my peers and everyone in the Vista House community never fails to renew my faith in humanity.
1. Our voting affects the world. Really. It's not just about who your next magistrate is going to be, or even who the next governor is going to be. As a citizen of one of the undeniably most powerful countries in the world, the people I choose to represent me, to make decisions for me, and to make decisions for my country and my government make those decisions on behalf of the entire country - i.e. foreign policy is global. Which brings me to two more points: firstly, that everyone should, as I mentioned yesterday, respect their right to vote a lot more. Storey's example tonight involved his multiracial former congregation during Apartheid, when Whites could vote and Blacks couldn't. He urged the white members of his congregation to vote not only for themselves but for the sake of and on behalf of everyone else who didn't have that voice. Which, by the way, is my main reason for writing (Thanks, Betty Bayé!) Anyway...secondly, Storey's oft-used quote is that we can be first-world citizens, or we can be the first world citizens. (How's that for linguistics?) That sure ties in nicely with Furman's current Year of Global Citizenship initiative! But seriously, I think the whole "Think globally, act locally" slogan has a lot of merit.
2. Some politicians are truly absurd. I am so sick of all the smear campaigns and hateful language, and I am terrified that the winner is all too often the one with the biggest mouth, NOT the one with the most wisdom or most open heart.
3. "It must be amazing to live in a country where the only thing you can get excited about is saving the whales!"
4. We go to war, and the war comes to other countries. It can be as simple as that. And each and every one of us is totally responsible, because we put into the office the man who declares those wars.
1. Our voting affects the world. Really. It's not just about who your next magistrate is going to be, or even who the next governor is going to be. As a citizen of one of the undeniably most powerful countries in the world, the people I choose to represent me, to make decisions for me, and to make decisions for my country and my government make those decisions on behalf of the entire country - i.e. foreign policy is global. Which brings me to two more points: firstly, that everyone should, as I mentioned yesterday, respect their right to vote a lot more. Storey's example tonight involved his multiracial former congregation during Apartheid, when Whites could vote and Blacks couldn't. He urged the white members of his congregation to vote not only for themselves but for the sake of and on behalf of everyone else who didn't have that voice. Which, by the way, is my main reason for writing (Thanks, Betty Bayé!) Anyway...secondly, Storey's oft-used quote is that we can be first-world citizens, or we can be the first world citizens. (How's that for linguistics?) That sure ties in nicely with Furman's current Year of Global Citizenship initiative! But seriously, I think the whole "Think globally, act locally" slogan has a lot of merit.
2. Some politicians are truly absurd. I am so sick of all the smear campaigns and hateful language, and I am terrified that the winner is all too often the one with the biggest mouth, NOT the one with the most wisdom or most open heart.
3. "It must be amazing to live in a country where the only thing you can get excited about is saving the whales!"
4. We go to war, and the war comes to other countries. It can be as simple as that. And each and every one of us is totally responsible, because we put into the office the man who declares those wars.
03 November 2010
Election Thoughts
1. The Tea Party is ridiculous. Seriously. There can only be so many smear campaigns and so much rhetoric before you have to just look through all that and see what the foundation is...and that is scary.
2. I'm proud of West Virginia.
3. I'm still optimistic about the Senate.
4. I'm really happy that the local bond passed!!
5. I agree with my best friend's mom in that urging people to vote only so that they have no room to complain is an indicator of a sad state of our country. Voting is a right, a privilege, and a chance to exercise what our founders fought for and to make our voices heard. We should be more respectful of that...and more active politically.
2. I'm proud of West Virginia.
3. I'm still optimistic about the Senate.
4. I'm really happy that the local bond passed!!
5. I agree with my best friend's mom in that urging people to vote only so that they have no room to complain is an indicator of a sad state of our country. Voting is a right, a privilege, and a chance to exercise what our founders fought for and to make our voices heard. We should be more respectful of that...and more active politically.
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