Distracted

I have been rather preoccupied as of late. I finished grading the final exams only to be greeted with two job offers: one for a full-time one year position in Maine and one for a one year part-time position in Boston.

While the choice was clear (you might even say there really wasn't a choice), it was still a stressful and agonizing process. Why, you might ask? Let me elucidate.

I was going to take the position in Boston because Sara and I need to be in the same city after this long and painful year apart. The college in Maine is two and half hours away from Boston, so not a commutable distance.

Despite this clarity, I cannot say that I was not disappointed. I really liked the college in Maine, the faculty at the department, and the students. It is really the type of place I would really like to end up at. Mind you that this was only a one year position and there was little chance it would amount to anything more. Then there was the money.

This is a HUGE issue in academia. The disparity between what tenured and tenure-track faculty earn and what is paid to adjunct faculty is utterly shameful. The position in Boston pays one third of what I was offered in Maine, even though the Maine position required four courses and the Boston one requires three. This was also after I was able to finagle a slight increase in the Boston offer (as well as benefits) by letting them know I had gotten an offer from Maine.

The issue that made this matter difficult was that I went to Maine and saw where I would have been working. While I have visited the school in Boston once, I really could not see in my mind where and with whom I would be working.

One last issue that I had to also deal with is the fact that my former advisor used to teach at the college in Maine and I am sure he pulled some strings to get me the interview. I was not sure how he was going to react. Would he be upset? Would he help me in the future?

One very stressful morning this week, I had to call the chair of the department in Maine and decline the position. They were very nice and understanding. I also had to email my advisor and explain my decision. Fortunalely, he seemed to be understanding as well.

After dealing with all of this, I needed to get away. So the dog and I hopped in the car and drove north to explore eastern Washington. For those of you wondering what eastern Washington looks like, here is a picture:


Beautiful Eastern Washington

Yes there seems to be very little there. It was also one of the first very hot days we have had. I think the mercury was nearing 95 degrees. So you may ask why did I choose to drive into such a barrern landscape. I did have a destination.

As you wind your way through the dry hills, you suddenly come upon a rather large hole in the ground that has a waterfall pouring into it. This is Palouse Falls:


Palouse Falls

I can't stress enough how suddenly the hole comes upon you. Down stream from the falls there is a fairly picturesque canyon that is nearly invisible from any other vantage point.


Palouse Falls Canyon

If you are wondering about the place, it was created by the Lake Missoula floods. This was when water from a glacial lake broke free at the end of the last ice age. Palouse Falls is the only major waterfall left along the glacial flood path of 15,000 years ago. Of course, there is a better story as to how it came to being, or at least one I like better:

According to a story of the Palouse tribe, the Palouse River once flowed smoothly into the Snake. But four giant brothers, in pursuit of a mythic creature called "Big Beaver," speared the great creature five times. Each time Big Beaver was wounded, he gouged the canyon walls, causing the river to bend and change. The fifth time he was speared, he fought the brothers valiantly and tore out a huge canyon. The river tumbled over a cliff at this point to become Palouse Falls. The jagged canyon walls show the deep marks of Big Beaver's claws.

The area is a historically important one. Geologists unearthed remains of the "Marmes Man." Among the oldest human remains found in the western hemisphere, Marmes Man is estimated to be 10,000 years old.

After the trip up there, I found out something interesting about the place. I had heard earlier this year from other faculty that in the 1970s there was a problem at the college with the spouses of faculty members committing suicide. It turns out that these spouses committed suicide by jumping off the cliff into the big hole at Palouse Falls.

The pool at the bottom of the falls reminded me of the cenotes in Yucatan where people were sacrificed during the Mayan empire. So it more or less made sense that people would sacrifice themselves into the deep pit to alieviate their despair/boredom.

Needless to say the perpetual travel of the past two months, the stress, and the work have taken their toll. I am completely burnt out and drained. Now it is time to pack up, clean up, and get ready for the long journey home.

Brain Dead

I finished grading exams yesterday. Not much going through my big ol' cabeza right now except I want to get back to Boston to be with Sara.

This desire has only been intensified (if that were possible) because she is sick and I want to be there to look after her.

That's it.

Today was graduation.

It is strange being on this side of it. I have been to so many of these things, but this is the first time I have experienced it as a faculty member.

I did not have too many seniors in my classes (in fact I don't have any this semester). I did advise a few of them on their theses, but I did not interact with them all that much. Except for one.

L. is a mexicano - from Michoacan. His parents moved up here ten or so years ago to work in Yakima, Washington. He managed to work hard in high school and he took advantage of the opportunities available in this country, including coming to this college. Eventually his parents went back to Mexico, but he stayed here working over the summers and breaks to be able to finish his college education.

Even though L. is the first member of his family to go to college, he was under extrordinary pressure to become a medical doctor. He pursued premed the first couple of years, but he was then seduced by the magic of anthropology and he changed his major last year. Although he did not fulfill his family's expectations, he was happier with his new field of study.

As he entered his senior year, he had found a fulfilling field of study but he had not found a mentor. He needed direction: for his thesis, for his post-college plans, for his life. Why he had not found someone to help guide him through these issues, I am not sure. Perhaps it was because there are so few Latin@/Mexican faculty at the college; perhaps no one here understood his particular cultural and social background; perhaps no one took the time to really listen to his concers; or perhaps he just did not click with anyone here.

L. was one of the students I met when I interviewed here last year and he was one of the first who wandered into my office when I started my position here. We spoke both in English and Spanish. English for school related issues and Spanish for more personal issues. As the year proceeded his thesis ideas blossomed, albeit at times with some necessary coaxing. His career goals went from uncertainty, including a conviction that he did NOT want to graduate school, to a desire to combine his interests in anthropology, science, and his community.

In the end, L.'s thesis was good, not great. The ideas he engaged were very sophisticated, but he just ran out of time. Another semester and he would have had something that could possibly be published. He is now planning on going to grad school, so he will have an opportunity to go back to and work through it some more. It will have to wait, though. He will be busy over the next two years working with Teach for America in Miami.

So L. walked across the stage today and when he did, I was proud of him.

He invited me to his big fiesta with his family afterward. He wanted me to meet everyone. His parents were still in Mexico, though. They could not get the visas to come. I still got to meet tios, tias, la abuelita, primos, primas, and el hermano. I also got some great carne asada with beans and rice.

As I was leaving, L. took me aside and thanked me for the time and advice I had given him. I thanked him for his hard work, for his dedication to the community, and for being another role model for some of the younger people in his family and for others in his community. I know someday someone somewhere will be thanking L. just like he thanked me. We just need to keep passing it on.

I just hope I am still in touch with L. when that happens.

Running on Empty

I got back from Maine on Thursday night only to have to face another interview, this time on the phone, on Friday morning.

I am tired...very tired.

Tomorrow is commencement. I should check what time I need to be there...

A collegue of mine put his 9 year-old daughter's art up on his office door. I love this drawing.

Art

I did tell my collegue that he is quite fortunate that his daughter did not draw this picture in school or else the department of children services would be knocking at his door to put his daughter in foster care.

Tomorrow I am off to Maine. I think I am in denial about it. I am in denial that I will have to wake up at 5:00 am again. I am in denial about having to board an airplane (or aeroplane) and make two connections (Seattle and Detroit, if you are keeping tack). I am in denial that I am going to interview and give a lecture on Wednesday. And that I am going to repeat the trip back (although I don't have to wake up as early) on Thursday. To top it all off, I have a phone interview on Friday morning for the job in Boston (the one I really want). On the bright side, I can add Michigan and Minnesota to the states I have been to (I connect in Minneapolis on the way back). Wohoo!

And yes, those exams are still there waiting for me.

And yes, I will do those quizes/lists at some point.

And yes, I am still very, very tired.

No wonder I can't remember anything...

In a recent post, Tumbleweed was complaining about her age (25). I got her beat. Today I ordered a credit report from the leading three credit reporting agencies. Much to my suprise one of them had my year of birth as 1910.

I wonder if I can retire soon.

What a week! I am happy it is over. Although there is a large pile of exams waiting for me, but I left them at my office and I am taking the evening off.

I sent off the three syllabi for the job in Boston. I now need to prepare for the job interview in Maine. But again, that will have to wait.

Among all the craziness, my roommate told me she decided she is going to move out next Monday. This is a problem because

1. She was going to look after the dog while I was in Maine Tuesday through Thurday.
2. I certainly did not have the wherewithall to deal with all the little things that need to be settled when roommates part ways.

Truth be told, I am probably a little jealous too. I wish I could pack up and head to Boston on Monday. Just run away. But no, I am the responsible type and I need to tie up all the loose ends that are left here.

I don't blame my roommate for wanting to leave. She has had a rough year. More on that some other evening.

There are some loose ends flying about in here. Sherri posted a quiz as to why people blog. Since she is one of the regulars around here, I feel compelled to take it and elighten everyone as to my motives. Tumbleweed tagged me to list my 10 favorite things. Again, one needs to do one's duty when one is tagged. And I will do both, but not tonight.

Cindylu wrote a brutally honest post about academic elitism that is screaming for a response from me. Fortunately it has drawn a massive response in her comments section, so I feel off the hook - at least for tonight. It is also her first year doctoral exam weekend, so she won't read anything I have to say until later anyway. And, Cindylu, if you are reading this, go back to work!

Alma tried her hand at writing in Spanish. She claims to have problems with knowing where to to put the accents on the words. I promised her I would teach her the rules - which aren't very hard. Alma, I will teach you - and anyone else who cares to learn. But not tonight - I am done teaching for the week.

There a few people I am worried about. Sixlegged has been rather quiet recently. I am afraid that the Minutemen have done something to him in retaliation to his vocal outcries against their activities. Likewise, Oso may have called one too many women mamacita and is now lying in some gutter in Monterrey. Either that or he engaging in la pachanga with some of Mexican businessmen to whom he is teaching English. I do know that Woojay is engaging in la pachanga Korean style back in his native land. I could use some bibimbap now that I think of it, but I digress. I fear Mariposa is frozen somewhere in her neighborhood as she went out in search of spring.

I do count myself fortunate. Scott has become the latest casualty of the common cold. Heal quickly, Scott.

Kristin paid a rare visit and Mala has disappeared just as suddenly as she reappeared a few weeks ago. There are some new blogs: E consolidated her two previous ones and Sara claims she is boring, but don't believe her. And DT is in the process of wrapping up his own loose ends as he prepared to make his way to this part of the country. I don't think we are going to overlap at all. Too bad, he's one vato I really would like to have some tacos with.

As you can see my therapy for coping with this week was the occasional break to peek to see what was going on around the world. I am not sure how effective it was.

I am off to have a glass of wine, read the paper, and drift off to some other reality.

Waiting for a Pizza

Things are busy. I am working on putting together the three syllabi for the position in Boston. One, for a course called, "Growing Up Latino", is done. The other two will be on Comparative Immigration and Identity Politics.

I still have a pile of grading to do by Friday and I have to write the final exam for my course.

So there is no time to cook, although I did by some local asparagus and cheese. Maybe this weekend I will get a chance to cook. For now it is pizza and a late night.

Where is that pizza? I am hungry!

If you think you have had a bad day, go read Sara's (yes she has joined us in this world again!) post. It breaks my heart everytime I think of her wandering home alone through the snow in a morphine induced stupor.

It's raining. While the gray days make me sad, I find the pitter-patter of the raindrops on the skylight to my bedroom relaxing and comforting.

Things on my Mind

• Where did the weekend go?
• I miss Sara.
  
• I still have a stack of grading that is obscenely thick waiting for me.
• I have two job prospects - one will require a phone interview this week and the other will require a trip to Maine next week.
• For the phone interview, I need to prepare three syllabi for courses I have never taught - three that focus on Latino Studies (narrowly defined).
• I miss Sara.
  
• I still need to make my travel arrangements for the trip to Maine.
• I went to the doctor on Friday for a skin exam. He took off two moles off my back and sent them to the lab. I won't know the results for another ten days or so.
• The two holes on my back alternate from hurting to itching.
  
• I miss Sara.
  
• I need to write the final exam for my class.
• Why am I so tired?
• At least my blood pressure was low when I had it taken at the doctor's - even after eating loads of very salty Yucatecan food.
• I miss Sara.
• How can I simultaneously have so much on my mind and draw a blank when I try to think?
• Perhaps I should go to bed.

I made it back!

It was a very long trip for such a short visit. It was great being with Sara again, though.

Merida was very hot and very humid. The first night we were there we stayed with my old neighbors from when I lived in Mexico City. The last time I saw them was probably in the late 1980s! It was nice seeing them and remembering some of the silly things I did when I was a child. Their home, however, did not have a/c - a necessity when it is in the 90s and humid at night. In every room they did have hamocks, so I had a go sleeping in one. Sara preferred the bed.

The next day we went for la comida at a restored old Hacienda about fifteen minutes outside of Merida. Sara and I were both eager to try Yucatecan food, which did not disappoint. We became very fond of the habanero salsa they have there - it packs quite a kick. As usual, most Mexicans were quite amazed by Sara's ability to tolerate the heat of even the most potent chiles. A gringa that can eat spicier food than the locals!

In the evening we headed down to Uxmal (translated link), an archaeological site about an hour south of Merida. We made it there just in time for the light and sound show. While the show was a little hokey, the weather was still rather warm, and the bugs began to snack on us, we still enjoyed it. It was also cool seeing the bats flying out of the darkened temples.

We stayed at a nearby hotel where there were some new age groupies on some kind of couples retreat were also staying. At breakfast the next morning they were all wearing yellow sashes around their heads.

The next day we headed out to explore the archaeology of Uxmal.


Uxmal

The heat was pretty intense, especially when the sun would peak between the clouds. In a few seconds we were both pretty damp (read: drenched in sweat). Sara had fun taking pictures of all the designs on the sides of the buildings. The iguanas that were all around were also entertaining, especially when they were spooking French tourists.


Iguana Yucateca

Another funny episode occurred when we first went into the area. To go in, we had to wear silly neon wristsbands that had a ticket-tag attached to it. As you entered, the attendant would tear the tag off. When I went in, the attendant was amazed at the fact that my wrist was so large that the wristband barely made it around.


Uxmal Fashion

After exploring the main areas, Sara and I wandered down a small path into the jungle to find some of the marginal ruins. At one point we were pushing our way through the growth until we came to a half covered temple. A very Indiana Jones-like experience - well, maybe not.

In the afternoon we made our way back to Merida where we had to present our papers the next day. Neither Sara nor I were really prepared, but being exhausted from the heat and adventure (or perhaps we were just lazy) impeded us from really doing much about it.

Things I learned in Merida:

• I don't really like it there. It was too hot and humid (if the weather is going to be like that, there needs to be a beach and swimable ocean around). The streets are also very narrow and there are smokey buses that speed a little too close to you.
  
• Koreans migrated there in the early twentieth century to work in the henequen plantations. There a few of them left (I learned this in the nice museum of anthropology there), but I could not find a Korean restaurant in the phone book.
• People wear funny t-shirts there. Among those spotted: one with the Burger King logo that read Murder King, one that said "I [heart] Me", a kids shirt that said "Soy vago...y que?" (I am lazy, so what?).
• The beds there are REALLY hard.
• I have sweat glands in places I never knew.

On the trip back, I was sticken by a case of Kukulcan's revenge. I think I had one habanero pepper too many. But things seem to have worked out and I feel better now.

I arrived to have to face multiple stressful situations, but I will save those stories for another day.

Talk about running out of steam. It is nearing 10:00 pm and I am still working on two papers.

Tomorrow I am getting up at 5:00 am to catch a 6:45 flight out of here. I will head up to Seattle only to catch a plane heading down to Houston. There I will meet Sara and we will fly down to Merida, Yucatan.

I am looking forward to the trip except for a few things:

• It is supposed to be 106 degrees (and very humid, mind you) there tomorrow and the next few days don't seem to hold any relief.
• I still need to finish these two papers that I am to present at this conference.
• I still need to pack.
• And I did mention having to get up at 5, didn't I?

I actually will only present one paper. My two papers were scheduled on Tuesday and a week from Saturday. So I will give the second paper to someone to read for me. It is actually a co-authored paper with an undergrad student. I tried to get her to the conference to present it and I had actually even found the money, but the college has a policy of not funding students to be abroad without the supervision of an adult. Give me a break! They are adults! I guess they are old enough to fight a war, but they can't be unsupervised.

The paper I will be giving is on the local taco trucks. I think I need to do more research, however, before I can come up with any definite conclusions ;-)

I guess I should get back to work or else I won't be sleeping at all tonight.

DON'T FORGET TO SPONSOR SARA!!! Or at least just leave her some words of encouragement in the comments to the previous post...

Calling all charitable givers...

Sara is participating in the Walkathon in Boston for NAMI (the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) on May 14. This is a great organization that advocates for people who usually can't speak up for themselves.

So if you would like to sponsor Sara, you can make an online pledge here. I don't think there is any minimum amount and every little bit helps.

Thank you for your attention - now we will return you to your regularly scheduled program.

Back in Washington.

Finally a trip without flight delays.

Busy times, though. Tomorrow I have a thesis defense, a class to teach, a public lecture to the college (with the student I am doing research with), and dinner at the college's president's house. And yes, I am tired and jet-lagged beyond belief.

My mind is more blank than usual.

I got into Boston last night at about midnight and I did not really get to bed until about 1:30 or 2:00 am. Then it was up at 7:00 am to head over to the conference in Cambrdge.

If you think I might be tired you are correct. The conference was pretty good. The fact that it held my attention and I did not nod off at all is proof that it must have interesting.

I head back over tomorrow morning for day two.

Sara left for New Hampshire this morning for her conference. She will be back tomorrow evening.

It is strange being here without Sara around.

=======

I ran across Sara's explanation of benefits for when she was in the ER for her kidney stones. It was almost $5000. Thank goodness she has good health insurance. I can't imagine what people who don't do.

That is a lot of money for a couple hours of care.

========

It seems like bedbugs in hotel rooms and cabins in cruises. With the decline of available/legal pesticides, hotels are having difficulties keeping the bedbugs from bitiing. I must say that I have not encountered any - I am thankful for my good fortune.

I am flying again today. I can't believe it.

I am tired, cranky, grumpy, and a bit depressed. I think these are all symptoms of burn out.

I am going to Boston to attend a conference on Immigrant Political Incorporation tomorrow and Saturday. It should be a good conference with some good speakers. I hope my enthusiasm returns.

Ironically, Sara has a conference in New Hampshire tomorrow and Saturday too. I will get to see her Sunday and Monday morning (my flight isn't until the afternoon).

Time to hit the road.

Eureka!

Today I found the best tortillas I have had in Gringolandia. This may seem like no big deal, but tortillas are part of who I am. I am not sure what it is, but as you cross over the imaginary line between Mexico and the US, the ability to make good tortillas disappears. Maybe it is a need to comply with health regulations or a certain gabacho jinx - I don't know. I have had some adequate ones in areas where there are muchos Mexicanos, but I have never had any that were comparable to the best in Mexico. Until today...

I was out and about collecting some data for a research project I am working on. I went to visit a small Mexican store I had heard about that is located on a rural crossroads right on the Washington-Oregon border. Cross the street and you are in a different state.

The store is a gem. Called Carniceria Jalisco because they sell Mexican cuts of meat (cachete, tripa, lengua, etc.), they also have a vast array of fresh and dried chiles, spices, and herbs. They have some pan dulce and a collection of abarrotes. And there they were, in the corner, the tortillas I have been searching for. They are actually made locally at a tortilleria called "La Candelaria" that I have driven past in Milton-Freewater, Oregon. It never seemed to be open, though, so I have never stopped.

So I bought a big stack of these tortillas, along with some dried Eucalyptus leaves (to make tea to relieve the lingering cough I have), pan dulce, and some dried chiles.


Carniceria Jalisco

After my purchases, I stopped by the Taqueria Jalisco located next door. I had a three tacos: asada, carnitas, and birria. All delicious. I was amused by the listing of their taco loco, which I had to inquire about. A taco with the odd mix of bacon, hot dogs, and god-knows what else. After the first two ingredients I stopped listening.

I also had to laugh at one of the beverage choices: Choco Mil (a Spanish appropriation of Chocolate Milk). How things have changes as the terms moved back and forth across the border: from Xocolatl to chocolate to chocolate to chocolate milk to choco mil. Beautiful.


Taqueria Jalisco

The people who worked there were also extremely nice. They are a family from a small village in, you guessed it, Jalisco. It is somewhere in between Guadalajara and Ciudada Guzman. The husband has been here for about ten years and his wife came up six years ago. Their children are now going to school and hope to make the most of the opportunities they have here which they would never have in Mexico.

Damn immigrants! Always trying to better themselves.

In any case, back to the tortillas. I put them to the test this evening. Perfect. Moist, flavorful, and soft.

I would tell you where Carniceria Jalisco is, but my guess is that you will never be around here and even if you were, you would never find it - it is out of the way, almost in the middle of a field.

Now I need to find the perfect bolillo in Gringolandia.

My Favorite Santa Fe Burrito - no red chile on this one!


Santa Fe Burro

I am feeling better today, which means I need to tackle many of the things that have piled up over the past few days. So you get yet another picture. This one is of my running motif of picturing donkeys here.

There is somthing about this sculpture and its placement in the entrance to a small alley in Santa Fe that really appeals to me.

My condition is improving, yet I still have somewhat of a ways to go down the road of recovery. Consequently, you get more photos:


Old Town Albuquerque

I love Old Town Albuquerque. One of my favorite restaurants is there - La Hacienda. The flat blue corn enchiladas with red chile are amazing. I could definitely use some of that chile now to clear out the old sinuses.


La Hacienda


While in Old Town, you can visit the recently moved National Atomic Museum (soon to be renamed the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History).


Atomic Museum - Albuquerque

The museum used to be on the nearby air force base, but after 9-11 they don't let us commoners/civilians on the base any more. So they moved the museum to the building that used to be occupied by REI in Old Town.

Some people complained about errecting a missle in a "historic" part of the city. As Sara rightly pointed out to me, though, science and nuclear research are an important part of New Mexico history.

The museum is pretty interesting, especially if you go with a nuclear phycisist like we did. It is an interesting intersection of history, science, and social issues.

I should get to work. I have not gotten much done the past few days. Now I am way behind.

Since I am still sick and my writing just reflects my grumpy mood, I will be sharing pictures from the past month that I took with my new digital camera.

Enjoy!


Sandia Ridge - Albuquerque 




Mt. Taylor - West of Albuquerque 

Bleh

Sick - again!

This morning when I woke up, my coughing became extremely productive. Copious amounts of nasty gunk came up and out. As the day progressed, my sinuses began to swell and they became congested. Along with this, there was a terrible itch from the top of my throat up to the clogged air passages just above my nostrils.

After this lovely descprition, let me replace the image in your mind with a nicer and more aesthetically pleasing one. Spring has arrived here - although it is still a bit chilly. Our yard is full of blooming tulips and the buds in the trees are beginning to open. The trees have their leaves and the grass is lush again.

I am also happy because one of my favorite bloggers is back online. She was one of the very first I read and one of my first visitors. Welcome back, Mala! I look forward to reading about your entrepreneurial adventures.

I also have had some positive feedback from some of my students this week. It makes me wonder, though, if I am such a great teacher, why isn't anyone offering me a job. Yes, more rejection letters keep streaming in. Actually, when you are gone for an extended period of time, they are in a big pile waiting for you - along with all the bills you have to pay.

Positive, I need to channel a positive vibe here. I am not succeeding, am I? I should get to bed. I need rest - lots of it. There is much to do, but tomorrow I am sleeping in.

Where am I?

Oh yeah. Back in Washington.

I am so tired. Saturday we drove back down to Albuquerque. Sunday both Sara and I were able to fly out despite a snow storm - luckily we weren't flying through Denver (one of my collegues here was and ended up staying in NM an extra two days). Unfortunately, Sara was flying back to Boston and I to San Diego.

I was only in San Diego for a couple of hours before I hit the road with the dog in the back seat. Somewhere in the Mohave desert I was hit with the ever-present existential questions: where am I and what am I doing here?

I stopped in Kettleman City the first night. The Super 8 Motel there is much better than the Motel 6 in Coalinga. No frills, but it is clean and more or less comfortable.

The second stop was in Grants Pass, OR. Then it was back to this place.

Along the way I seem to have developed a deep cough. Not your mild hacking, but something that comes from deep within your chest. It is very dry too. I may be somewhat paranoid - this tends to happen after you have had a bout with pneumonia that lands you in the hospital for three days - but it has had me concerned. Every little ache and pain - after sitting in the car for a couple of days these are quite common - becomes a reason to take your temperature. No fever this time, and I am actually coughing less, but I am still not better. But my concern with pneumonia has more or less passed.

Teaching today was a challenge, both because I was afraid of falling into a coughing fit and because I am exhausted. Luckily we are on a topic I know very well - ethnicity.

There is much more to say, but I need my sleep. Good night.

I can't believe it has been a week since I last wrote in here. Right now I am in Santa Fe. This is such a neat little place, even with all the artsy kitch and pseudo-sophistication (read: arrogance) of some of the vistors.

The conference has been ok. Some good networking and some good ideas have come out of it. The organization has been somewhat poor, though.

No time to write. This was a freak opportunity. Bye.

It's back to New Mexico tomorrow.

This week has been CRAY-ZEE! and I am exhausted.

I am looking forward to some hugs and some green chile.

I am off to finish packing and then to bed. I have a 6:50 flight to catch in the morning.

Part of an email I received from a student today:

Again, muchas gracias por los consejos y el apoyo que has aportado al desarrollo de mi tesis. W/out your help I don't know if I'd be were I am.

It is nice knowing that your work has been helpful.

The same student used a phrase I had not heard in a long time - probably since I last lived in Mexico:

"Pase de panzaso..."

It means, I barely passed (a test/class/etc.), but panzaso means something like a belly-flop. So the image, at least in my mind, is that you barely made it across a finish/goaline as you skidded by on your belly. In any case, it made me smile.

Here I am after crossing 12 state lines, back in Washington (ok, there were some states that were double-counted - if you want to know the details, see the comments below). All I can say is whew.

And of the 8 flights I took, only two were on time. That is not a good record for the airline industry. Some delays were more trying than others. From Providence to New Mexico, we had to change planes in Nashville. Our connecting flight to Albuquerque was delayed over three hours, so they rerouted us through Phoenix. It seemed silly to fly past our destination only to head back to it. If only we could parchute out. This inconvenicence was more trying because both Sara and I were sick (Sara much more than me). Our flight to Phoenix was late and we had five minutes to make our connection. Somehow we (and more amazingly our bags) made it.

Despite the trying delays, I do have to say the people at Southwest were all very nice and really tried to be helpful (and went out of their way to make sure our bags made all the necessary connections).

I can't really breathe yet. I head back to New Mexico on Friday. So I only have three days here to catch up on everything that has piled up, get what I need to do this week, prepare for the conference next week, and try to get ahead for the the following week. I also had to keep my motivation up even though I was welcomed back here by a big pile of rejection letters, including a very impersonal letter from the school I interviewed in Southern California. Moreover, I am carless since my car is still in San Diego with the dog, so even the routine errands take much longer since I have to walk everywhere. Nonetheless, today was actually quite productive, so I am off to a good start.

With all the flurry of activity and having just spent a nice period of time with Sara, you would think that I would not miss her as much as I do. But I do. I can't wait to hop yet another plane (and another and another) to be with her again. June, when we will both be back in the same place, is two months away. It will be fascinating to see how long and short that period can concurrently be.

I don't know if I will be back here this week. I certainly won't be once I am back in New Mexico. I wonder if I will ever get all the junk that is nesting in my head out in writing. Hmm...we'll see.

Sara is napping since the germs I passed on to her have taken a toll.

Today I was back in Providence to pick up copies of our dissertations that we had duplicated and bound. We need to parcel them out to our committees and our relatives. I must say that is one big stack of paper - heavy too. It was strange being back at the old department. No nostalgia - and a huge sense of relief that I am no longer there.

Tomorrow Sara and I are off to New Mexico. I am looking forward to the food- flat enchiladas, sopapillas, green and red chiles, yum, yum, yum...The warm sun will be nice too.

I will probably not be able to post from there, so I will be back here sometime next week when I get back to Washington. Have a great weekend everyone!

Despite my best efforts, I can't fully kick this stupid cold. It seems like I am just about done with it and then I get a surprise burst of snot or en extra visit by Mr. Sore Throat. It is terribly annoying. And now Sara is not feeling well...

Yesterday we went to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts to see an exhibit by Damien Hurst and the cars from the Ralph Lauren Collection. We took a peek at the collection from Oceania, Africa, and Latin America in between. Damien Hurst produces provocative work - some I like, some is somewhat disturbing. The cars were beautiful, but as Sara pointed out to me, European car makers were quite complicit in the establishment and maintainence of fascist regimes during the 20th century. Something which was not made quite evident in the exhibit.

Snow is coming...! Ah, weather in New England - you need to love it! Never a dull moment.

I finished my paper today and sent it off to the discussant. I am not all that happy with it, but I needed to get it done. It is funny how high expectations quickly get toned down as deadlines loom.

I spent the time after sending off my paper cleaning out the pantry here. It seems that we were incubating moths in there. I hate moths - they get into everything. I really hate dropping some pasta into boiling water only to find moth larvae float to the top. Yuck. I ended throwing a lot of food out. Anything that was questionable went out. After all the shelves were empty, I wiped them down with water and bleach. I hope that takes care of them. Maybe they will move to the closets and start feeding on our sweaters now.

It is good to see that our courts are still somewhat independent of politics. That will change - you just wait and see...

It was bound to happen. Considering the miles I have traversed, the number of people I have encountered, and the variety of pathogens I have come in contact with, it should be no surprise that I got sick. Luckily it is only a pesky cold. Two local eating establishments here have had workers with hepititis. Nonetheless, I have been bummed that my time with Sara has been hindered by this.

Right now I should be working on a paper that I need to present in a couple of weeks. It actually needs to go to the discussant soon so he can read it and comment on it. I am not feeling inspired at all, though. So here I am procrastinating...in all ways possible.

This is better than the news, though. I can't believe this whole issue with that poor woman in Florida. It is very disconcerting seeing the Congress and the President of the United States interfering in an issue that concerns an individual. All just for political posturing. Sara and I just find it terribly ironic that the woman's name means slave in Italian. Her decision between life and death is being ignored for political bickering. Now that is true enslavement.

I know some of you are looking forward to some picture. To you I must apologize, but there are none. I have been too busy/sick to take any and to figure out how to upload them. Maybe later...

Ok, I should try to get some of this stupid paper written before people start getting on my case.

In Boston

I made it here. That was a lot of miles in the last week, each one worth it. I am in the process of of recovering and recuperating now.

I have been learning how to use my new camera. No pictures as of yet. This may have to wait until I return to Washington where I can install the software and upload the pictures. I am a bit behind on the learning process when it comes to digital media.

Some observations:

- I still don't understand why people here in Boston (and Rhode Island) park and just sit in their cars - even when it is REALLY cold outside. It seems to be a pastime here. Even after living in New England for many years and being away for almost one, it still creeps me out - especially when they are out in front of your house.
- San Diego has a big pothole problem courtesy of the excessive rains they received this winter. Even so, Boston's problem is much worse.
- Just down the street there seems to be a sinkhole starting right between the sidewalk and the street. It goes down about two feet and there seems to be a cave running under the street. Someone stuck a stick in it and attached a plastic bag to the top.
- Having a street sign that says "Centre Street under construction ahead, drive at your own risk" is a bit disconcerting.
- Sara and I believe that the Big Dig in Boston has unleashed the deamons that were trapped under the city of Boston - hence the cold winter, the Red Sox winning the World Series, the massive potholes, the Bush election victory, and the never ending problems with the Big Dig itself. It could be that the gates to Hell were unlocked and Armagedon is about to begin. I will let you know if I see any horsemen riding around.
- The ANWR being opened up to drilling has me depressed.

That's all for now. I have a project idea that I may run by you soon. I need to think about it a little more...stay tuned.

I made it to San Diego.

It was a nice drive. It was interesting to see spring come into bloom as I made my way south. The trees were greener, the flowers brighter, and the birds friskier as I entered the lower latitudes.

It is strange that it is much cooler in San Diego than it was anywhere else on the way here, except for maybe LA.

Strange sight: somewhere in the San Juaquin Valley I stopped for gas in the evening. As I was pumping, a Greyhound bus stopped and let the passengers off for a break. I have seldom seen such a strange assortment of people: the weirdest eccentrics and the poorest Mexicans you can imagine. They all got off and immediately lit up, right next to the gas pumps. Needless to say, I was out of there pretty quickly.

Word of advice: avoid the Coalinga Motel 6. More on that later.

I am tired, so I will quit for now. Maybe more tomorrow.

Spring Break

I hit the road again tomorrow. I am going from here:


[Landscape in Southeastern Washington]

to here:


The Charles River in Boston

Of course, I am taking the "scenic route" there. That is, I am driving to San Diego (I'll get there on Sunday) and on Tuesday I am flying out to Boston. Our puppy is going to stay at grandma's with his friend, Grandma's dog in San Diego for about a month (hence the reason for the drive down there). This is because Sara and I will be moving around the country quite a bit and the dog needs a loving place to stay. He likes it in San Diego because there is a huge yard to play in, lots of gophers to dig for, and someone to play with.

I just looked at that picture again and it makes me shiver. Yes, it is still snowing in Boston and the river is still frozen. Some people dare to walk out on it. I never would. Although I do like the scene in The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind where they walk out and look at the stars.

Despite the unappealing weather, I am looking forward to snuggling up with my sweetie with a nice warm cup of hot chocolate. Yes, that will be very nice.

I am probably not making much sense here. I have been running all day, finishing up my duties at the college, packing things up, and getting ready for a long road trip. Needless to say, I am exhausted. I also tried downloading some audio books for the drive. The downloading part worked fine, but burning them on to CDs turned out to be a major fiasco. I eventually got one of the two books on to CDs, but I was so frustrated by the whole process that I went to a book store and bought one there that was already on CDs (not the same one I downloaded).

As I was saying, I am tired and probably not to coherent. The dog finally passed out. He gets very stressed when he sees suitcases. The good news for him is that he gets to come along this time. He used to whine a lot in the car, but the last few trips he has been very good.

Unfortunately I won't have any way to post while I am on the road. So this is so long until maybe Sunday or Monday...but possibily even longer. I will be picking up my digital camera (which I had delivered to San Diego) on the way, so I will be playing with that and possibily putting some pictures up here along the way. Yay - another procrastination method. Just what I needed.

Everybody have a good and peaceful weekend.

I finished grading all the exams! Of course I have now been reduced to a lifeless blob with no energy. Actually, the beer I had with my tacos for dinner might have had a hand in that.

I must interject here, however, that the tacos you can get at the local taco trucks are really, really tasty. For me, the holy trinity or the trifecta are 1 carne asada, 1 carne adobada, and 1 pollo. I then put a lot of lime on them and add some taqueria salsa I bought at Trader Jose's. Pair it with the aforementioned cerveza and you are set to go.

I am now supposed to prepare my lecture for tomorrow. It is the last class before break. I don't feel like lecturing, the students don't want to be there, and the weather is nice outside. Can you think of a worse set of conditions? I am so tempted to finish off the material I did not get to today, give them their exams back, and send them off into the glorious sunset of spring break.

This whole week was designed to be a soft week. After the midterm and before break, I knew even several months ago that enthusiasm and motivation would be non-existent. That is why I scheduled the fieldtrip to the homeless shelter that I mentioned yesterday for this week. The topic for the week is art and clothing. Important topics, of course (I would not want to offend any artists or tailors), but not an intense or complex area in the discipline of anthropology.

The visit to the shelter was to complement the ethnography Tell Them Who I Am that I mentioned a while back. We had to walk about a mile and a half from campus. Try leading a big group like that in a hurry. We only had the fifty minutes of class time to get there, hear the director, take a tour, and get back. It all worked out pretty well. It was rushed, but I think the students liked it. It was good for them to see that even shelters are not horrible or depressing places and that homeless people are in fact people who are in a precarious situation for a huge variety of reasons - not just those you usually hear about.

Onto a completely different topic. I have been thinking about the whole bruhaha the Bush administration is making about Lebanon and Syria. Why now? I think it is one of the following reasons:

a. They want to justify the invasion of Iraq by showing that the new domino effect is occurring in the Middle East with different conflicts being resolved.

b. Looking for more excuses to beat up Syria to get back at them for their lack of concern with movement between Syria and Iraq. In other words bully Syria to feel more macho.

c. Distract everyone from the fact that Iran is still pursuing nuclear program, despite the tough talk of the Bush administration, and that nothing is being done about North Korea who admitted to having nuclear weapons. In other words pretend to be macho with the wimp who doesn't have nuclear weapons.

d. Distract everyone from the failure to sell the Social Security reform crap. In other words, pretend to be macho so people don't see you as the wimp that you really are.

e. All or some of the above.

Not that it really matters. That is probably why I have taken to writing about events of my mundane life rather than politics or social issues. I guess I hint at things or let an odd comment out here or there. I have, however, been avoiding writing about politics out of sheer frustration (or perhaps it is ever growing cynicism). Not that it really matters.

I am paying today for yesterday's procrastination.

I took my class to the local homeless shelter today. More on that later...

Where is Everybody?

What does one do when she or he is sick of grading exams, avoiding writing a paper, and generally trying to evade the demands of everyday life? One goes on line and reads what other people have to say.

Except today, with a few exceptions, everybody seems to have fallen silent. Why? I needed some assistance with my procrastination and only a few of you indulged my needs.

So it was off to Plan B: let's do our taxes! Now you know you are REALLY sick of grading when doing taxes is a better alternative. I even managed to do my Rhode Island state taxes, which by the way is quite a trip down bureaucracy boulevard. Fortunately, Washington State has no state income tax.

The bonus of the evening was to discover that we will actually get a refund, both from the Feds and the state of Rhode Island. Not much, but money flowing in is always welcome. See, as a graduate student I usually got a stipend from some sort of grant or fellowship. While this money is taxable, they don't withhold taxes. So come every April, I had to scrounge around to find enough change under the couch to pay a year's worth of taxes. Having your taxes withheld works much better. Now I could go on for a long time about the inherent unfairness of taxing people who are in school with barely enough money to live while there are corporate swine evading their taxes (we can thank the Reagan Revolution for that change in the tax system) and I could also rant about how depressing it is that the money I did pay in taxes is being grossly misused for all the wrong purposes by our lovely government, but I won't.

Taxes are done, and that is that. The exams are still not completely graded, but I am slowly making progress. It is better that I take my time. If I grade for too long, I get cranky and the grades start to plummet. So it is in the students' best interest that I don't get cranky (and in reality mine too, because with low grades you get a long line out your door with students questioning their grades).

I am certainly ready for Spring Break. It's less than a week away. The scary thing is the amount of things I need to get done before then.

And once again, thank you all for helping me avoid my grading... [please note the caustic sarcasm here]

Oh time machine, where are you?

I am sorry I missed this exhibit.

Sunday Evening

Exams are half graded.
Dog got a walk -
Including a tryst in a fountain on campus.
Paper is still sitting quietly waiting to be worked on
(it better start to complain or it will continue to be ignored by yours truly).
The sun was wonderful.
The flora were blooming.
People frolicked and soaked in the glory of spring.
All the while, however,
My mind continues to drift
To places colder than here.
It longs to be with the one
That brings true warmth to me.

Sunday Morning

Exams wait to be graded. The paper I need to finish writing for a confernce next month sits patiently on my desk without saying a word. Lesson plans for next week need to be drawn up. Yet here I sit, listening to Los de Abajo not accomplishing much.

The weather outside is calling me to leave all this behind and take in some sun. It is hard to resist.

Despite all this I sit around lost in a dream of when I will be back in Boston with my soulmate.

Last night some of my students from last semester cooked dinner for me. It was a nice gesture on their part. Nice people. Although there is something strange that arises as a result of the age difference and a certain power dynamic. It really did not interfere with the meal, but it was there lingering in the background. At least I noticed it.

I should go and try to be productive.

My students had their midterm yesterday. I think it was too long and perhaps a little hard. Students should be challenged, shouldn't they?

This whole issue of grades is one of the few things I just can't deal with in teaching. What exactly are we grading? Effort? Ability? Ability to do what? Reason? Recall information? Apply the concepts? Write clearly? The truth is that in grading I am supposed to evaluate all these abilities (and more) and condense it all down into a letter (grade). Most of it is so arbitrary. Yet what can I do when a student challenges me about a grade? Do I reconsider it? If I do, do I lose my authority? And if I reconsider, do I have to reconsider everyone else's grade as well? It is a hopeless situation.

Academia seems appealing because it allows you to wonder off into far away worlds (real and imagined). When teaching duties call, however, we are pulled back into the reality of being part of the machine - just another cog in the wheel - reaffirming the structure of the social system we live in. I have a problem with that, yet I am in no position to challenge it. At least not yet. Just wait until I have tenure... heh heh...

Ultimately I do rest easy. Most students do get the grades they deserve. I try to keep an eye out for those that don't. If someone gets a better grade than they deserve, well I let it be. However, if someone does worse than what I would expect, I try to find out why. Usually I try to remedy the situation in some manner. Things happen - an unfortunate event before the exam, language obstacles, some people just don't test well...whatever, I don't believe they should be penalized for these issues. I know I can't catch all of them, and most students won't bring it to my attention if I don't. But I try. This is one of many reasons there is grade inflation. You raise the grade of those who deserve it, but you really can't lower the grade of those who don't.

I do need to grade all those exams. This is when I kick myself for not having written a much shorter exam. Will I ever learn?

I indulged my material wants today. I spent the money from the award earmarked for "project equipment". I bought a digital camera and a digital voice recorder. I will get the camera and the student I am working with will get the voice recorder. I am excited because I have had my eye on this camera for a while and I have wanted a digital camera for even longer. So soon I will be posting lovely pictures of myself...ok, maybe not.

Sara and I also had a paper we co-wrote accepted into a volume that will get published sometime in the future (I am learning that these things tend to move very slowly). It is being published in the Netherlands, so we need to go through it and change all the spelling and formatting to the British form. This can be a pain. The paper was a fun one to write: it is on Food and Identity in Italy.

Rejection letters keep streaming in, which is always discouraging even if they are from places I really did not want to go to. I did get a bit of good news, though. I found out today that I might be able to get some part-time teaching positions in Boston next year. The chair of a fairly well-respected university in the area sent me an email where he seemed willing to be helpful. Part-time is not ideal, but it is better than nothing.

It is early Friday night and I am ready for bed. I sure got old fast. Of course, if I had any energy I probably would not do anything anyway. My sweetie is far away and there isn't much to do around here. Perhaps I would do some work and be productive. Nah, I probably would find some better and more creative way to procrastinate than writing nonesense here and then going to bed.

I hope everyone has a good weekend.

I am back in the Pacific time zone, but I am still feeling like I am on East Coast Time (hence three hours later).

I barely made it back because there was a big snow storm the night before I was supposed to leave. Sara and I were both quietly hoping that my flight would get cancelled.

It didn't.

The only good thing about it not getting cancelled is that the dog got picked up from the doggy hotel as scheduled.

My students have their midterm tomorrow. I just finished writing it. It isn't too hard, but I think it is a bit long. I hate exams. I hated taking them when I was a student. I hate writing them now. And I really hate grading them. And this one is not going to be an easy one to grade.

I had a review session today. I asked the students if they had any questions and one just shouted out, "Why, God, why?" I did not have an answer to that one. I told him I would have to get back to him.

Random pondering: I wonder if there is a taxi cab in Boston that does not have it check engine light on.

The daphodils in the yard have started to bloom.

I need to go to bed.

It has been a hectic week.

I am off to Boston tomorrow. While I am not looking forward to the trip there, I am very much looking forward to being there (I am not even sure that makes sense - but at this point I don't care).

I had to drop off the dog at the kennel this afternoon because my flight leaves very early in the morning. He usually stays here during my trips and either a student or my housemates take care of him. Last time I was away, my housemates had difficulties with him, so I told them I would board him the next time I went away. He does get needy when he is stressed and he tends to get into things.

It was so difficult dropping him off. I don't even want to think about it anymore ...

Changing the subject - I submitted to present a paper at a conference in Merida, Mexico last weekend. It was accepted. This week there was a proposed session that looked interesting and I ended up submitting a paper for that one as well. So I will have to present two papers. Great! The good thing is that the topic of the second session is something Sara is interested in and she decided to make an exception to the no travel rule she set up for herself and submitted a paper as well.

It was hard for me not to be too pushy (I still was despite my best efforts). It not only gives us another opportunity to see each other, but it will make the trip fun. I have not been to Yucatan in ages, but I do remember the people there as being the nicest I have ever met in all my travels. The people in Thailand gave them a run for the money and I might even concede a tie. In any case, I was looking forward to going back, but going anywhere without Sara is just not that fun. I understood her reluctance to travel and did not want to force her to go. I was delighted when she decided to submit.

We will have to play hookie at least one day and go see some Mayan archaeological sites. My old neighbors from when I lived in Mexico now live in Merida, so I hope to see them as well. The children of that family were almost like sisters and we did have our sibling rivalries.

Ok, I am off to bed. I have an early wakeup call tomorrow and I need to get some sleep. I probably won't be around for the next couple of days...but that is a good thing - at least for me!

Remember a while back, Sara got stuck in Miami on her way back from Chile because there was a blizzard in Boston?

She had just arrived from an overnight flight and was told that she would probably be in Miami for a couple of days. So she called me and I helped her book a hotel room. All the logistics took a couple of phone calls - collect of course.

I just got my phone bill. It was $117 just for the collect calls! It was over $2 per minute! Now that is just not right. They don't even need a live operator anymore to place the collect call.

I will pay it, of course. And it was still a good thing that Sara was able to call me and I could help her. I am just getting over the shock of a phone bill that is five times higher than what I usually pay (and mind you I am calling Boston a lot!).

Moral of the story: if you have a cell phone, carry it with you everywhere (and avoid AT&T for your collect calls - although all the other companies are probably equally as bad).

In honor of my friend over at The Daily Texican who got awoken by a rooster this morning and witnessed chickens in Austin, I offer you an equal unnatural mix of the rural and urban:


What are these people looking at?

The picture is from when Sara and I lived in Italy. I took it from our apartment's bedroom window. If you look closely, on the hood of the dark car there is a chicken! The man closest to the car is actually a police officer. In classic Italian fashion they stood around for a while arguing about what to do. The police officer made a few feeble and unsuccessful attempts to catch it and then he rejoined the ongoing argument. Eventually an old woman arrived with a cardboard box. She walked right past everyone without saying anything. She put the box over the chicken and took it away [presumably for dinner that evening].

In other news, a student with whom I am collaborating with on a research project and I won an award from the college. The award is to promote joint research between a student and faculty member on the issue of multiculturalism. We each get $1000 and together we get $500 for research expenses.

All that stuff I posted a while back on meat and the workers who bring it to you...that came out of this research.

[By the way, the vote to decertify the union was successful, although the union is challenging the vote. Since the National Labor Review Board is in the pocket of the Bush Administration, it is likely that the challenge will be unsuccessful. So if you are buying Tyson meats or meat products, don't be surprised to find bits of human fingers, flesh, or blood in your food].

It is nice to get some recognition, especially in the wake of some job rejection letters. The money is nice too.

Today I had to make up for yesterday's inertia.

Actually, after getting fed up with my lack of productivity and just about when I got as restless as the dog, I threw on some warm clothes and got out. The dog and I went for a drive. No particular destination - we just headed up into the mountains to see the snow. We went as far as we could before the snow on the road told us it would be a good idea for us to head back.

Sometimes you just need to get out and away. It was quite pleasant, just driving in the snow, listening to loud music. Of course, I think the dog would have liked to have stopped to explore every now and then, but I think he enjoyed the ride as well. On the way back I stopped and got a large caffinated beverage to bring back home with me.

Now I am waiting for a spark of creativity to hit me. In class tomorrow we are discussing an ethnography we read - Tell Them Who I Am - which is about homeless women (and a good read, if you are at all interested). I need to come up with a good way to break up the class into small groups and have them engage the material (the class is too big to have a fruitful discussion). I have been waiting all day for something, but so far nothing. I guess I am overly eager to engage the students after so much lecturing. This means I am putting too much pressure on myself and thus stiffling the creativity.

I am off to watch some teevee while I iron my clothes for the week. Maybe inspiration will hit me then.

Lazy Sunday

Today is one of those days when it is hard to break the inertia of not being productive. There is so much I need to get done, yet the ethusiasm to do it is just lacking.

It is snowing outside. It isn't sticking, but it still is not inviting - much to the dog's chagrin. He really wants to go somewhere. Add that to the list.

There is another list of things I was planning on doing tomorrow but then I realized it is a holiday. Things will be closed and my list needs to be put off until Tuesday.

I am off to look for some energy...maybe there is some in the kitchen.

Donkey II

This is actually the wallpaper on my computer.

Just sitting here with my glass of wine - a good one at that. I would go look up the label for you, but I am too lazy and I am sure you don't really care. Ask if you are interested.

The dog and I went to the nearby reservoir and took a hike around it. No pheasants to chase today and the path was rather muddy. It was good to get out, though. I am finally getting over the stupid cold that had me in its grips for the past week. Everyone at work is getting it now. I am sure that's where I got it. So I probably just returned the favor.

Tomorrow needs to be a productive day. Do you ever have one of those instances when you realize how much crap you need to get done and it is just incredibly daunting? I think I am having one of those right now.

But rather than running off in a panic, my mood is tempered by the calming (numbing?) effects of the wine, the long week, and the fatigue from the hike earlier today.

I am craving chocolate.

I am really craving chocolate.

I should write in Spanish more. Or maybe in Italian. It is annoying though that Blogger doesn't have accents. I can write something in a word processing program and then just clip and paste, but that is annoying. And I am lazy. Yes, I am a very lazy person.

Quiero chocolate. Y mi amor. Extra~o mi amor. [See I hate not having my n+~!]

I rented The Last Samurai about a week ago. I still have not watched it. I probably owe a fortune in late fees.

I am going to look for chocolate. I don't think I have any, but you never know.

Sometimes teaching can be difficult and trying - like the students sleeping in my class today despite my best efforts to make the lecture interesting. However, every now and then you get some encouragement. Yesterday I received the following note from a student who took a course in Culture and Human Development for high school students:

Hi Xolo,
this is [Name Withheld] from your anthropology class this summerat [University Name Withheld]. I am currently taking an AP Psychology course and we just finished a unit on cognative development, where we had to design a preschool curriculum. I of course aced this project thanks to you. I learned so much in the summer about this and I loved reading Preschool in Three Cultures. I just wanted to thank you for making a great impact in such a short time and let you know that I learned things that I am putting to great use. I hope everything is well.

Thanks,
[Name Withheld]

A nice note like this one goes a long way. Thanks, [Name Withheld]!

I have two housemates here. Very nice housemates, by the way.

A strange phenomenon happened today, though. We happened to be eating dinner together and we finished at around 7. At which point the each retreated to their corner of the living room/dinning room, pulled out their cell phones and began calling. Calling and calling...

When they weren't talking, it seemed like they were brainstorming about who else to call.

An hour later, they are still calling and talking.

This is such an alien concept for me. I do spend a lot of time on the phone (for me), but that is because my wife is in Boston. I never have had this near obsession to be on the phone, though.

It is fascinating, though. Always the anthropologist....

For those of you who are new around here, I need to explain the donkey picture. When I lived in Rhode Island last year and had some webspace, I had the donkey picture as the backdrop to my blog. When I moved away this past summer, I lost that webspace and hence now there is a blah white backdrop.

Some people say it is easier to read the text now, others miss the donkey. Perhaps the donkey will return at some point...

...for now, it was a way to play around with my new discovery of "Hello" and "Picasa" which are pretty cool.

===================

Overheard recently at the local taqueria:

The staff working there were talking about the Motorcycle Diaries (in Spanish, of course). Among the issues being discussed were:

• Whether the film was a good adaptation of the book.
• The life of Che Guevara and how his ideals changed after he became involved in Cuba.
• What Marx would have thought of Castro and Che.

Some of the ideas being tossed around were worthy of grad school banter.

I wonder when a similar conversation has taken place at a McDonnalds, Burger King, or KFC staffed by gringo youth.

Donkey is back - kinda...

More on Meat
You may wonder where yesterday's rant against Tyson came from. There is a large Tyson plant near where I am currently living and as I have been doing research on immigrants (mostly from Mexico) in the area, it became an unavoidable issue. Tyson recruits among the foreign community here - it is the only people who are willing to work there. A student of mine has actually been following the case closely as part of some collaborative research we are doing.

As the student and I have discussed the project and where to go from here, I suggested she look into the consumption side. What are people concerned about when they purchase beef? Is there any way to inform them of the struggles and dangers workers in the meatpacking industry face? Would they care?

The only concerns consumers seem to have is the price of meat. For the few who have other concerns, they focus on one of three issues. The quality of the meat, the safety of the meat, or the treatment of the animals themselves. No one seems to think about the workers who labor to bring the cuts of meat to your table.

Let me illustrate. Take a look at the site for Whole FoodsMarket on meat. Now, I must say that I love shopping at Whole Foods (although there isn't one anywhere around here) and I have purchased meat there of very good quality. The page goes into detail how the beef is safe and natural, thus addressing the health concerns the consumer may have. It also discusses how the animals are treated humanely, thus addressing some of the ethical concerns of consumers. There is no mention of the meat packers in the slaughterhouses, however. I don't doubt that Whole Foods is probably concerned with the ethical treatment of workers. The fact that they don't mention it just illustrates that it is not a concern for consumers, even the enlightened Whole Foods consumer.

Consumers are more concerned about the ethical treatment of animals than of people. I am not saying that people are more important than animals, but there should be at least equal concern. Should there not?

It is a sad state of affairs.

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On a separate meat related note. As I was watching television this evening, I noticed a commerical for Pizza Hut featuring the muppets. In one scene, Miss Piggy is about to eat a slice with pepperoni on it.

Is that not cannibalism?

That too just seems very wrong.

Now for something serious...

If you are a vegetarian, you can disregard this post (and know that you are probably living a healthier and more ethical life than the rest of us).

If you are not, then I have a request for you.

Think about where your meat is coming from. If at all possible, avoid purchasing Tyson meats. Tyson is an example of all that is evil in capitalism - profit over the well-being of people.

Tyson's record on workplace injuries is disgraceful. One in four of its workers is injured in the work place. One in four! Meat-packaging is a dangerous job in this country. The pressure to work quickly under stressful conditions with little training make for a deadly cocktail. Yes, those are sharp objects that cut the meat from the carcass. They cut human flesh pretty well too. It is not a surprise that most Americans do not want to take that risk, especially for the low wages that are paid. So most of the workers are foreign, which adds another safety concern: language.

The sad thing is that it does not have to be that way. Other countries have much safer (and cleaner) meat-packaging factories. Greed pushes companies here to have the fastest production at the lowest cost.

Some of the workers at the Tyson plant in Wallula, Washington are unionized and are trying to fight for better working conditions. However, Tyson is resisting their actions and is even trying to decertify the union. I see it as institutional racism, since most of these workers are from Mexico. What is even more depressing is that Tyson seems to have a local Latino businessman in their pocket. This particular businessman is the publisher of the local Spanish newspaper and he has used the newspaper to slander the Union leaders (there is a lawsuit pending).

I am just trying to get the word out in what little way I can. So the next time you stop to buy some meat, think about the people who suffered, perhaps in more ways than one, so that you could purchase it. And think about the people who are profiting from that suffering.

There are alternatives. Eat less meat. Buy meats that are produced by small farms. Look for organic/pasture fed meats. I urge you to pursue these.

If you haven't already, I highly recommend reading Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation.

And if you can, let Tyson know that you refuse to purchase their products until they treat their workers fairly and take an interest in their safety.

I wish I could be more eloquent, but my current state of health is impeding that. Nonetheless, this is something I wanted to get out.

I was in a funk last night.

Now I know why. I was under assault from the forces of illness.

Last night I woke up with the dreaded sore throat. The really bad kind. Rats, I thought to myself, I don't need this right now.

Lecturing today was painful. I could not concentrate on what I was saying. The students probably think I am a total flake. Gone one day and spacy the next.

So it is saline solutions, zinc (Zycam), teas, juices, soups, and sleep for me. There is so much I need to do, but I know I won't be able to do them well if I attempt them now. All I can hope is that I beat the bug before it can settle in my head and air passages.

Gosh, I wish hibernation were an option.

Discovery of the Day: Rusted Root. I am not sure why our paths have not crossed before, but I like them a lot.

I am still pretty tired and out of it. The past few weeks have taken their toll.

There seem to have been some good discussions going on in the blogosphere lately. I am sorry I have been missing out. I'll catch up, but I won't be able to participate. Oh well. I am not sure whether I would have much to contribute given my state of mind.

I spent part of my afternoon out in the yard doing doggy doo doo duty. Yet another thing I fell behind on. At least the sun was out and it was not too cold. In fact some of the plants have decided that spring has arrived. Some bulbs are popping up and a few of the trees have buds. This always happens...the plants think spring is here and winter gives them a good whack by dumping some snow on them and/or throwing some freezing temperatures on them. Winter does the same to me. I am ready for spring.

The days are getting longer for which I am very grateful. Light past five in the afternoon is a good thing.

Enough from melancholy corner here...

Back in the Saddle Again

I have returned to the West Coast and I am missing Sara terribly. On top of that I have to deal with a huge backlog of things that piled up while I was gone.

It is 6:30 and I am still in my office. Mind you that I am still on East Coast time so it is feeling more like 9:30. Bleh.

Word to the wise: if you ever have to travel, Super Bowl Sunday is the day to do it. Boston's airport was almost empty and my first flight (Boston-Salt Lake City) was half full. I did miss the big game, but I really don't care. I got to see the last five minutes or so when I landed in Salt Lake City.

Super Bowl Sunday is probably also a good day to do other things like go skiing, go to an amusement park, or go see some action flick. In other words, anything that may draw a crowd of men and accompanying individuals (kids, wives, girlfriends, etc.).

Ok. I need to get out of here. Tomorrow's lecture will be done on the fly. I just don't have time or energy to write a detailed outline for it. The good thing is that my classes this semester are only 50 minutes each. In teaching terms, that goes by so quickly. I may be eating my words tomorrow....

Sherri over at For Myself and Strangers complains about the phrase "Brutally Murdered" used by television news.

This is just another example of the stupidity of most newscasters (or at least their writers).

Another example. I recently heard one newscaster commenting about the film "Ray":

"Too bad Ray Charles died before the film came out. It would have been nice for him to see it."

Um...think before you speak.

All this travel and "excitement" has really worn me down. However, I am still thinking of traveling.

Why?

Sara won't hear of it. She is done with traveling for a long while. I think that when I conjure up ideas of travel, I am dreaming of plopping myself down on a beach and not having to worry about anything. Wouldn't it be nice to be under some palm trees, sipping a pi~a colada, feeling the warm tropical breezes blow off the salty ocean without a care in the world?

That dream soon disappears as thoughts of reality rush into my head. Reality is exhausting.

Another week gone by.

But what a week it has been.

Last I wrote, it was the eve before I was to leave for Boston to see Sara. That night I got the call that in the back of my mind I always dread getting. At 3:00 am, the phone rang.

"Huh...hello?"
"Hello, this is N."
"Um...N?"
"N from Boston..."

It was Sara's neighbor/landlord.

"I just took Sara to the hospital. She had severe abdominal pain. Here are some numbers for the hospital."

My heart sank. I felt so helpless as I frantically called the numbers. After some dead ends and being passed along, I finally got a hold of Sara. She couldn't talk for long, but let me know that they thought it was kidney stones.

I called around trying to get on an earlier flight to Boston without any success. I called the hospital again and talked to Sara some more. It was so difficult to hear the pain in her voice and to know that she was going through the ordeal on her own. It was going to get worse. After a few hours, she was released - it was kidney stones and they gave her some pain medication. She called a taxi, but it never came. It was snowing in Boston and it is impossible to get a cab in incliment weather. Our landlords and neighbors were at work and we don't know anyone else with a car. She ended up walking home - about a mile - in her pjamas (at least she had a coat), with kidney stones, and on morphine. I sat by the phone waiting for her to call me and let me know that she made it home. I was relieved when she did.

My next concern was to get to Boston. I had to lecture before I left for the airport. I had already called off class for the next day since I was going to be gone (I gave them an exercise to complete instead of lecture), so I did not feel it was right to cancel class that day too. I am not sure how I got through the lecture since I was tired and my thoughts were elsewhere.

Getting to Boston was not easy. I had to connect through Salt Lake City and my flight from there to Boston was cancelled because of the aforementioned snow. I thought I would have to stay in SLC and leave the following morning. The rerouted me from SLC to Las Vegas and then an overnight flight to Boston. I saw if I could get there sooner by flying to Providence or New York. I couldn't.

The flight to Vegas was late. The flight to Boston was late. But I finally made it.

When we landed in Boston, the world outside the airplane's window looked like something out of a documentary about the South Pole. There was snow everywhere and it was blowing across the runway.

It was so good to see Sara, although I could tell she was weak and not feeling well.

After a follow-up doctor's visit I decided that I needed to stay here longer than I had planned. Instead of flying back on Monday (yesterday), I am staying until next Sunday. One of my fellow professors is covering my lectures for this week and my housemates and one of my former students are looking after the dog. I was able to switch my ticket very easily because I will be flying during the Super Bowl.

I am very happy I stayed. We needed to be together after this traumatic event and I have peace of mind being able to be here as Sara reovers. She is feeling better, although she is still sore. Kidney stones are extremely painful. My sister had one about ten years ago. A woman told me on my flight here that she had them a couple of times and that they were more painful than childbirth. The cause? Probably dehydration. Sara was most likely dehydrated: it was hot in Chile, she got a stomach virus when she was there, and airplanes are notorious for dehydrating you. Having to stay a couple of days in Miami probably did not help.

So go drink a glass of water, it never hurts to be hydrated!