I could probably blog continuously, given half a chance. Yes, I am that self-absorbed. There's always that self-narrative going on in my head. I try to wait until I at least have some semblance of a central thesis--some premise that goes beyond the "and then I did this, and then I did this, and it was cool." To at least find the lesson learned, which might or might not be obvious to the reader, and if there is some point, then it might be applied in a universal way. I wrote this on the Blackberry on the train going downtown. Unfortunately, I can't seem to get it to talk to my computer via it's cable so I had to retype it, but it gives me a chance to edit.
Continuing the discussion of being insular from a few days ago: I was walking back from South Station after seeing a friend onto a train. It was late and the neighborhood can be rough (Financial District--ghost town on weekends and nights, with lurking homeless and drunks). I'm seldom afraid, but I try to be sensible and be aware of my surroundings so I thought shutting out the world might be a mistake. Plus I'm not used to walking around plugged in. It somehow still seems like an affectation. I was waiting for the crosswalk signal and standing next to two guys who had come out of the train station. They were talking about someone who had done something crummy to one of them at the gym (I think). One of them said the F-word and then, very surprisingly turned to apologize to me! I shrugged and smiled and said, "No problem." Somehow he thought (perhaps because I wear a velvet beret?) that he should speak in French. So we exchanged basic French, "Ca va bien?" "Ca va." "Ah, oui, mademoiselle. Tres bien. (pause) et tres jolie, n'est pas." "Ah, merci." "Au revoir." "Au revoir." At which point we were across the street and we parted. As the voices of him and his friend disappeared behind me I heard his friend ask about the French and he declared, "I am a jack of all trades, and a master of none." He repeated this twice more in great declamatory tones before his voice faded away. I was very proud of my ability to "roll with it." Usually in situations like that I laugh and forget what to say and fail to improv. Improv is all about accepting what's handed to you. Now, see, if I'd been plugged in I'd have missed all of that.
I was plugged in on the subway but witnessed something which needed no sound. A bunch of young men, dressed in 'gangsta' style had been waiting on the platform. At first I thought they were doing some sort of dance (like I would die 4 you) and then I realized they were all signing. From the tiny, tiny bit I know it looked authentic, but there was a flare to it that made it clear they were mock dissing each other in sign! All the things a regular group of youths would be doing only completely silently although they were mouthing words. It was fun to watch.
Another L'Arc Random play moment: Finale, Anata and Hitomi no Jyunin make a lovely group.
The peeve comes from the VAN (Vietnamese Adoptee Network) group that I belong to. I found this group in 2005. It was remarkable and healing and I've written about it elsewhere. There's been little action on the group board lately but someone put up a question about Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt adopting from Vietnam--did we think it was a good idea. I like and admire Angelina and I was bothered by the posting, but I can see why it went up. I wasn't going to respond. And then another member whom I liked quite a bit when I met put up a very angry reply saying essentially that he thought it was terrible that a celebrity couple who could have biological children were using their money to adopt and that adoptees need security and that even if B & A weren't exploiting this, the media was. I was very, very bothered by it and replied angrily asking if he somehow thought that only people who couldn't have biological children should be allowed to adopt, or was he saying that celebrities shouldn't be allowed to have children and after admitting that they weren't exploiting the situation he was saying that they should still be punished by not being allowed to adopt. I said that I thought any attention to the desperate children of the world waiting to be adopted was a good thing ESPECIALLY by a couple who could have biological children because then adoption wouldn't be seen as a last resort by people who couldn't have children the "RIGHT" way. (Adoptive parents actually have people say stupid things like that, "Oh, couldn't you have real children?" "No, so I had to buy these synthetic ones(???!!!)." I can't quite decide if I overreacted, esp. given my fondness for Ms. Jolie (and Mr. Pitt, for that matter--he went to my Dad's Alma Matter until he dropped out to go to Hollywood {Pitt, not my Dad}). I am actually bothered by Madonna's adoption, because Angelina has done many other things to show her support of the needy of the world, and Madonna sort of seems to be only doing this one thing. We shall see what the fall out is tomorrow. Sometimes I talk too much.
Continuing the discussion of being insular from a few days ago: I was walking back from South Station after seeing a friend onto a train. It was late and the neighborhood can be rough (Financial District--ghost town on weekends and nights, with lurking homeless and drunks). I'm seldom afraid, but I try to be sensible and be aware of my surroundings so I thought shutting out the world might be a mistake. Plus I'm not used to walking around plugged in. It somehow still seems like an affectation. I was waiting for the crosswalk signal and standing next to two guys who had come out of the train station. They were talking about someone who had done something crummy to one of them at the gym (I think). One of them said the F-word and then, very surprisingly turned to apologize to me! I shrugged and smiled and said, "No problem." Somehow he thought (perhaps because I wear a velvet beret?) that he should speak in French. So we exchanged basic French, "Ca va bien?" "Ca va." "Ah, oui, mademoiselle. Tres bien. (pause) et tres jolie, n'est pas." "Ah, merci." "Au revoir." "Au revoir." At which point we were across the street and we parted. As the voices of him and his friend disappeared behind me I heard his friend ask about the French and he declared, "I am a jack of all trades, and a master of none." He repeated this twice more in great declamatory tones before his voice faded away. I was very proud of my ability to "roll with it." Usually in situations like that I laugh and forget what to say and fail to improv. Improv is all about accepting what's handed to you. Now, see, if I'd been plugged in I'd have missed all of that.
I was plugged in on the subway but witnessed something which needed no sound. A bunch of young men, dressed in 'gangsta' style had been waiting on the platform. At first I thought they were doing some sort of dance (like I would die 4 you) and then I realized they were all signing. From the tiny, tiny bit I know it looked authentic, but there was a flare to it that made it clear they were mock dissing each other in sign! All the things a regular group of youths would be doing only completely silently although they were mouthing words. It was fun to watch.
Another L'Arc Random play moment: Finale, Anata and Hitomi no Jyunin make a lovely group.
The peeve comes from the VAN (Vietnamese Adoptee Network) group that I belong to. I found this group in 2005. It was remarkable and healing and I've written about it elsewhere. There's been little action on the group board lately but someone put up a question about Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt adopting from Vietnam--did we think it was a good idea. I like and admire Angelina and I was bothered by the posting, but I can see why it went up. I wasn't going to respond. And then another member whom I liked quite a bit when I met put up a very angry reply saying essentially that he thought it was terrible that a celebrity couple who could have biological children were using their money to adopt and that adoptees need security and that even if B & A weren't exploiting this, the media was. I was very, very bothered by it and replied angrily asking if he somehow thought that only people who couldn't have biological children should be allowed to adopt, or was he saying that celebrities shouldn't be allowed to have children and after admitting that they weren't exploiting the situation he was saying that they should still be punished by not being allowed to adopt. I said that I thought any attention to the desperate children of the world waiting to be adopted was a good thing ESPECIALLY by a couple who could have biological children because then adoption wouldn't be seen as a last resort by people who couldn't have children the "RIGHT" way. (Adoptive parents actually have people say stupid things like that, "Oh, couldn't you have real children?" "No, so I had to buy these synthetic ones(???!!!)." I can't quite decide if I overreacted, esp. given my fondness for Ms. Jolie (and Mr. Pitt, for that matter--he went to my Dad's Alma Matter until he dropped out to go to Hollywood {Pitt, not my Dad}). I am actually bothered by Madonna's adoption, because Angelina has done many other things to show her support of the needy of the world, and Madonna sort of seems to be only doing this one thing. We shall see what the fall out is tomorrow. Sometimes I talk too much.
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