Standing by the Sea

I spent last week on the Outer Banks with my extended family and Talya. I had a good time. As much as I might disagree with some of their decisions or the way they raise their children or whatnot, it's always really nice to feel the love and joy that comes from being together. My family is really good at being together and making it happy, instead of stressful. At least from my point of view. Some might disagree.

So it was a nice week. And there is something amazing about looking out the window and seeing what seems to be an endless expanse of water. I don't know what I love about the sea. I know it's not seaweed, or jellyfish. I know it's not sea lice (which, we have just discovered, are actually baby jellyfish fresh from the womb, or egg, whatever). I think it might be the space. I am facinated by "wide open spaces," which, unfortunately, is also the name of a Dixie Chicks song. But any open space just calls to me. Rolling hills of farmland, an empty field, even an undisturbed lake, they just feel so... right.

But being in the middle of it might feel even better. Out on the ocean, a hundred miles from shore. I'm not sure if that would be wonderful or scary, being so alone. But it's like you finally have space to scream or sing or flail around. So exciting. Last year I read A Severe Mercy, which tells the story of a couple and their journey together, and one dream of theirs is to sail around the east coast in a sailboat, which sounds great. And then I also played Zelda: The Wind Waker, which involves sailing around an enormous sea to various islands. Both of those led me to an even stronger desire to explore the sea. So, I like going to the Outer Banks, because I get to taste the air and feel the sand and it makes me remember those open spaces.

Last year, this happened:
Which is supposed to be me holding the sun, which is supposed to look as amazing as this but isn't. Which is ok, because it means I finally uploaded my first picture. Fun.

I finished the latest Harry Potter today. Let me know if you want to talk about it. But not in a public forum, for obvious reasons.

The G8

So, I spent about 15 minutes yesterday putting together a witty satirical cartoon of the G8 Summit. I even had panels and everything. But then when I tried to scan it, all the words got all blurry and chicken scratched. So, if anyone wants to come over to see a political cartoon that isn't worth the trip, let me know. I'll give you the gist:

In one panel, the G8 (seriously, I drew a G and an 8, together they had 8 legs) says "What do you call a continent that is so indebted to you that it has no chance of ever paying it all back?" And then in the next panel it says "A renewable source of income! HA!" Then Africa says "My insides hurt."
In the last panel, the G8 has left Africa till next year and Africa takes a saw to itself, saying "Well, there's only one thing to do." And little Madagascar is saying "I hate everything."

I'll leave you to your imaginations.

How I find and lose things I never had.

1.Hope
2.Intimidation
3.Despair
4.Apathy

Trying to find a job is like...

Lyndsey, I hope your interview goes well. Good luck. Ours is not to question why, ours is but to do and die.

New Places to Go, New People to See!

I've added two new links to my section of "Cool People I Don't Know" on your right. One of them is to Wikipedia, the most amazing child the internet has yet birthed. If you don't believe me, think of anything you wish you knew more about and type it in, and enjoy the flood of knowledge that sweeps over you. My favorite entry? It could be the Harry Potter index, but more likely it's the Giant Hornet. I know. You're crapping your pants with anticipation. I exaggerated when I told some of you that it was the size of your palm, although queens can grow up to 2.2 inches in length. But check it out. More importantly, check out how the Japanese honeybee defeats this behemoth. Coolest thing ever. Read it all, together we'll squeal excitedly about the power of knowledge.

The second new link is to Par-T-Com productions, which is made up of both people I knew and didn't know in college. They are very clever and very talented, and I am pretty sure that they will be very very famous in less than 5 years, so make sure you join the club now so you're not a poser later. Poser.

The brother has also been added, but to the list of Cool people I know. While I hesitate to label him "cool," I will place him at the front of the line, as he is first in my life and first in my heart. There will be no objections, I trust.

The Look of Longing on Their Faces

With every long delay in updates comes a rich flow of things to talk about. I store it up in my head until I am bored enough to put it onto the computer. Unfortunately, I end up forgetting most of it. But, something I can't forget is the G8 summit, going on right now in Edinburgh Scotland (KT's been there. Why it's pronounced "burrow" instead of "burg" is beyond me). The G8, if you don't know, is a meeting of the US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Canada, and after the cold war, Russia. These are the strongest economic powers in the world, excluding China and including Russia, and they get together and decide how to share economic power for the next year.

However, this year there is the very real possibility that all G8 members will agree to drop the debt, meaning that billions of dollars in interest and debt repayment can be redirected back into the debtor countries, with the hope of ending long standing suffering and poverty.

When I think about hearing the news that the debt has been dropped, I think of jumping up and down, shouting, driving my car through the streets honking, weeping, praising, and lying prostrate (mostly in that order). The idea that this miracle could really happen is overwhelming. If we can do this, Africa has the chance to turn itself around and become a place where you live past 40, where your parents are alive, where you have all your limbs, and where you don't go to bed hungry every night.

But then the cynicism sinks in. How do you stop a train that's been going in the same direction for over a hundred years? How long does that take?

And then the real bad news hits: Even if the debt is dropped, Africa faces a heavy burden of internation subsidies, rampant corruption, war, and poverty, and the never forgotten AIDS. How does a man with no legs get on his feet and stand?

We'll see, in the coming days, whether to rejoice or mourn. Right now, there is only mourning. I presume you have already heard.