Clearly I'm not that focused today...

Dear Co-Workers,

If any of y'all happen to read this, and check the time stamp I'm sorry. It's Monday, and I'm just not feeling this whole work thing. I'm working on my memo though honest. This whole becoming a social networking expert concept just keeps getting me sidetracked. Please don't fire me.

Yours,
Sam

Alright, now that that's out of the way- just a quick update on my earlier nag- interesting perspective from Professor MAN. (If I knew how to do that thing where you start someone's post and then it finishes on their blog, I would. But, as you can see, I don't. So click it yourselves please and thanks! )

It is indeed quite possible that all of this was staged. That would have been genius marketing on MTV's part, though I hesitate to give them that much credit.
I do however, believe that cultural scripts were definitely followed. The usual folks denounced Kanye, and the usuals stuck up for him, Ms. Swift got to look aghast at the Black bogeyman, and I am quite sure many more "urban" folks are aware of her presence than previously. Gotta say though, if it was staged I think Beyonce got the best deal of the bunch. Nice way to make up for any lingering doubts about her divadom to those who remember Destiny's Child's many personnel changes and her much gossiped about role in that. I drank her Kool-aid long ago, but I saw at least one facebook status of a new convert after last night...

Okay, exiting pop culture to focus on saving the world. Gotta get something done today if I want to keep riding my non-profit high horse!

Almost Forgot!

Well, not really, but thought I'd add it separately in the interest of brevity:

Nags: Ummmm, I dunno. I'm feeling pretty good today. Just for the sake of putting one out there, I suppose I'll mention the shenanigans of my people that seemed to dominate the weekend. Now let it be known that I'm so over the whole "you just set us ALL back 100 years" (why is it always a whoooole century btw?!). And I think we're past the age where one of us represents everyone, assuming you're not in a classroom at Duke (a digression I'll avoid). But, let's just be honest, there are stereotypes about us acting a fool, and I do think it's nice when we keep it classy- ie not scaring tennis refs or damaging teenage girls.

I'm not saying I don't agree on some level, but that was CLEARLY not the time or place. Dude really made it more about himself than either woman, and that's a shame. And I've heard it compared to his comments on George Bush, but I think it's not the same, because while George could have done more than fly over New Orleans, poor Taylor didn't award herself a moon man. She was just doin' her.

Apparently she's apologized now. Good job, though I thought she would anyway. I mean, again, it was not okay, but I like to think she just got caught up in the emotion of the game. At least it's not habitual for her to say crazy stuff in public.





Brags: While we're talking about famous Black folk, Beyonce was so classy. I'm glad she righted her friend's wrong. 
On a personal note: Like I said, today is a good day. It's been a productive lunch hour, what with 2 updates and whatnot, and now I'm gonna get back to writing a memo for my new intern! (Well, she's not just mine, but I'm excited anyway!) Also, I am wearing a skirt I haven't fit since freshman year of college. That's pretty great too.

Well folks, like I said, gonna get back to work now. Laters!

Time out to acknowledge the world around me

After my flurry of productivity, I've realized that I need to speak to my supervisor before proceeding. Aaaand she's in a meeting. So I'm back (isn't it wonderful?) and thought I'd comment on my President's address to Congress on health care reform.

The Good:

• Gotta be one of his best speeches yet. It just felt good to listen to, and had I not been analyzing him (thanks to Mom's skepticism mostly) I would have been totally swept away.
• He finally laid out what he considers to be essential to the plan, and dispelled a lot of myths. Although, some were so ludicrous I still can't believe anyone bought it. Death panels?! Really guys, come on now.
• I agree with the plan (the broad strokes of it at least), and think that it would do what I feel should be the main goal- make sure everyone has access to coverage.
• We're further along on this issue than ever before, and congress agrees on 80% of the content.
• Senator Kennedy's wife seemed so touched.
• Lady O looked lovely, per usual.
  

The Bad:

• That other 20% is killer.
  
• Things are still a bit fuzzy for me. I think it's partly because Congress is doing the law writing, but I wish we'd gotten more details.
• I have a hard time believing this won't cost us a lot. Saying that the deficit won't increase seems deceptive, because I suspect premiums will still rise. On the other hand, I think it may be worth the initial cost for greater rewards later. But I hope we're being honest about it.
  
• The public option (option, not takeover folks) seems really important to me, and we might be losing it.
•  I have mixed feelings about invoking Senator Kennedy's legacy. I think it was effective and tasteful, but I always hesitate when we use those who have passed on to get anything done, even if they would support the legislation.
  

The Ugly:

• Representative Joe Wilson. Enough said.
• Actually this image says it better:

The Beautiful:

• My President will Call.You.Out. Loved it.
  

Just a sidenote: between Joe Jackson and Joe Wilson, it's like all the Joe's in the world got together mid-summer and said "Hey, let's just make *sses out of ourselves in public. Ready? GO!" Clearly they both need more people.

I did it!

Ladies and gentleman of the blogosphere and voting public, I have an announcement:

Today, I am officially a climber of trees!

 ...Well, one tree. Still, it counts. Whoooo!

I will post pictures of this most adventurous adventure very very soon, but per usual, I was too excited to share my joy to wait to find the camera cord!

Random Ponderance of the Week

I know there are lots more important things I could write about, and should gather my thoughts on, but something has really been perplexing me, and so I'm taking a friends' suggestion and writing about it.

What is the purpose of men yelling out of car windows at women who are walking by? Or for that matter, attempting to communicate at all when the two parties are moving incompatibly (i.e. driving in opposite directions, across an intersection, the aforementioned driving v. walking/biking/jogging... you get the idea)?

Now, I'm not talking about obscenities or catcalls. That's another post, and would inspire more annoyance than curiosity. I am just truly confused about why a man would call out to me while I'm taking my daily lunch break walk, when he's in a car and knows good and well he's not pulling over. I mean, it doesn't stop my fresh air fitness, but I find it silly.

The action doesn't seem to serve any real purpose- he's not making any sort of real connection- most of the time I can hardly even see his face to remember him, if that was his goal. We don't exchange names, certainly not contact information, and on the days when I'm trying to make a phone call, he's not even likely to get a wave.

(a fellow confused victim of the drive-by holler)

I just don't get it. Not that I'm under the delusion that every man is looking for commitment, but like, what could you want that you can get in 5 seconds on a street in the middle of the steam of a DC summer? You aren't going to give me a ride, which is the only incentive I could see for a woman entertaining the nonsense that is a drive-by holler. And why on Earth would you want to roll down your window, letting out all the good air conditioning?
When this question was posed to a few guys I trust to be honest, they said (after, of
course assuring me that they NEVER do this) it was pretty much the closest thing to real life facebook. Translation- no risk, because he can drive away before the rejection comes. Hiding behind his steering wheel is probably even more effective than hiding behind a computer screen, since I don't even have a profile to block. Of course, the corollary to this lack of risk is a lack of success. You will, 87% of the time, get nothing of substance from this interaction. (That 87% is for the women this MUST work on or it wouldn't have become a technique.) In fact, with women of temperaments other than mine, you're likely to get annoyance instead of amusement, which would seem to be the opposite of the goal of such interaction...

But, perhaps this isn't really about anything of "substance." Perhaps it's just an attempt to be heard in an anonymous world? Like a real-time facebook status, maybe these guys just want someone to know they're there... I guess I don't begrudge them that, I mean, everybody needs somebody, and maybe that's the closest they get.

Still, I gotta put this up there with facebook poking- wasteful and odd, and pretty much pointless. Thumbs down guys, thumbs down.

It is Sunday evening yet again, and I am trying to be deep and insightful, or at least funny. But, I've been a bit tapped out since my treatise on race, or as Ryan put it "why Tim's a dirty racist". These were not my words, but I find Ryan so ridiculous sometimes, I wanted to immortalize him (if being put in my blog counts as being immortalized. Ha! Doubtful.) Anyway, nothing is coming. I don't want to write about the melancholy that's coming about leaving, or the madness that was this weekend, which pretty much leaves out everything on my mind.

Well, for memories sake, and to make my readers think I lead a fabulous life, here's a summary of the weekend: 2 jazz clubs in one night, a video involving me, a fork, and my esteemed DukeEngage colleagues, a reggae club and a trip to "Nigeria" and a day of shopping (of the window variety) and fine dining (of the within the budget variety). Oh, and beignets, breakfast for dinner and a wee bit of drama were thrown in there too. I don't want to dissect any of these experiences in detail. At least not right here, right now.

Alas, since I've started this post I suppose I should give you something worth checking out. So, here's a video of the song that's been stuck in my head for the past week or so. It's not very upbeat, (actually it's a bit needy), but I like it anyhow.


I like her voice, and her style, and think she has real talent. Go Jazmine.

So... yea. That's all for now folks, because I'm tired. Next episode will be some variation of "what I learned in New Orleans." That is, if I have any follow through with my intentions...

If You Don't [Mess] With Me...

I went out on a week night. Ok, so that's not such a revelation. I'm 21 in New Orleans for the summer after all. But, just for the record, I've been quite well-behaved (read: no debaucherous, shameful nights). Just putting that out there for any family/ potential employers that may read this later. Anywho, confession over and on to the immersion and growth and reflecting and such.

Let me just say that last night was pretty friggin awesome. We went to Maple Leaf Bar, definitely a bit divey, but not too sketch, and saw Rebirth Brass Band. Absolutely best thing I've heard since I've been down here. Granted, I'd been primed to use superlatives about them because they'd been talked up by almost everyone who's opinion I trust down here. But, unlike much in life, they're hype was worth believing. Once I adjusted to the intense volume of everything- both the piercing quality of a powerful horn section and the number of people in a tiny place- there were nothing but good times and grooves to be had. I was thrilled to find that I didn't leave feeling as though I should probably be intoxicated to have as much fun as those around me, which is a common feeling (at least for me) after night life.

But, not everyone agreed with me on the need to stay sober (or even lucid) on a Tuesday night. And the other patrons definitely added to the experience, each in their own special way: The man in his forties who decided to appear at my shoulder several times and pantomime taking a picture of me. The old man with dacquiri stained lips that popped out of the darkness in the hall to the bathroom like a haunted house actor. The OG in the straw hat that may have been the coolest person in the room. And, a special shoutout to the couple who provided the evening's teachable moment.

These two were both heavily under the influence, which explains most of their behavior, such as the man running into the same chair twice on their way out. Knowing this, I really wanted to make allowances for the fact that their judgement was impaired. So I made no comment when they decided to salsa in what had formerly been my personal space. And I simply nudged the man forward gently when his elbows began to fly into me and his sweat covered back got a bit too close to my face. And I tried hard not to judge the way he was holding a woman apparently young enough to be his daughter. (I'll admit, that last one was mostly unsuccessful).

But, when they started searching feverishly for lighters, my patience wore thin. I don't like smoke, actually I hate it. And yes, I am aware that bars are smoky, but the open patio at the back had kept this one breezy thus far. Besides, even in a bar I never expect to have someone's smokey cigarette held directly in my face. After fanning a couple of puffs, and coughing up a lung, I was more than done with these two. When a friend contemplated flicking the woman's cigarette away, I for once had no desire to calm her anger. The man of the pair had barely avoided a fight earlier, and now I understood why.

And then, just when things might have gotten unattractive (not quite ugly; we're too classy for that) the band unknowingly intervened. They started singing the lyrics to what had been instrumental so far. "If you don't [bleep] with me, then I won't [bleep] with you." Listening to their advocacy for a live and let live lifestyle, I was reminded just how ridiculous antagonizing two drunk people would be, even if they were incrediblly obnoxious. Sure, they were slowly killing me with second-hand smoke. Yes, the woman's hair got stuck in my lip gloss every time the man spun her. But hey, it was New Orleans.

My friend must have had the same realization, because as the next puff of smoke wafted into our nostrils, we both decided to make dance moves out of fanning it away. The air cleared, we laughed hysterically, and decided that salsa may not be such a terrible idea. It wasn't.

Nonviolence prompted by profanity. Only in New Orleans. Well played Rebirth, well played.