seriously this is incredible

Disappointingly interesting

        Today something disappointingly interesting happened. I was on my way to my car after sociology and thinking about how I never have much to say in the class discussions. Coming along La Quinta Street I noticed several cars were reversing their way out. I had parked on La Quinta and was a little confused by this, but figured you know whatever. Note: this street is very narrow and is usually lined with parallel parked cars the whole way down. Therefore, its not too unlikely to see a car reverse or pull over for someone else to go by.
       Okay, getting to it now.... Nearing my car, I saw two other vehicles stopped nose to nose in front of one another just beside my own. Uh oh maybe there was an accident, right? Oh if only...  I arrived and then disproved my collision-hypothesis on account of the damageless 8ft gap between them. "Weird?," I thought out loud.
      I'm skipping ahead: After talking to each driver and letting them know they had blocked me in and how it would be highly appreciated if someone would move so I could go home, it became annoyingly clear neither was moving for the other.... or me. A girl came by who was blocked in too. This was great because she helped confirm for me that this was freaking ridiculous, yet somewhat exciting. We were both interested to see what they would do.
       Attempting to resolve this and go home, I ran back and forth between the cars to hopefully negotiate some kind of movement. In doing so, I was also able to learn more about what was actually going on....
       As I begin to describe this, please understand that I tried my hardest to believe that this was not the case, but the longer I was there the more I realized I was witnessing some pretty intense racism. The driver of the first car was slightly more at rights to not move because of his vehicle's position. He was also black. The driver of the second car could back up 12ft and be out of the way no problem. He was white. Now I may be using a little stereotyping when I say this, but the white guy was as redneck and toothlessly stubborn as it gets. His reason for not moving was also just a wee-bit terrible. He told me, "He wasn't moving because he wasn't moving." Well, I think when someone gives you an excuse like that, its safe to assume he is either very racist or very ignorant, or very both. The black driver, a bit more together, seemed to have gathered this info as well and refused to move for the principal of the situation. Okay I can agree with that more. I eventually told the white guy he was the most confused person I had ever met. I also suggested they settle it over a thumbwar.
        Twenty minutes later after further failed negotiation and no thumb war, the police showed up. It was over in ten seconds. We all left and went on our way. It seriously bothers me that such events still happen and that there are still people like that. There is the chance I could be wrong about all of my assumptions of the event and hopefully I am, but for now I think I have something to talk about in sociology.

some good times

This is John Taylor, Ben Sasso, and myself playing with some instruments and waders in the river several months ago.... filmed by Ben. enjoy!  

Monday. from ben sasso on Vimeo.

Here is something amazing to listen and watch to

#95.1 Man Man - Warmup 1 - The Boombox
Uploaded by lablogotheque. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.


#90.3 - BOWERBIRDS - The Ticonderoga
Uploaded by lablogotheque. - Watch more music videos, in HD!


Tallest Man on Earth - The Gardener -  A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Israeli thoughts

      

       I want to be a teacher, I really do. I think its something I might actually be good at. Yes there are all sorts of teachers, not just the classic school type, however this particular type happens to my aim for this discourse.  A teacher for the most part helps to educate students right? Of course! I guess thats kinda what they are supposed to do. Though, I guess there are exceptions to that standard on account of well we've all had at least one teacher who did nothing but swallow up air and spit quickly forgotten words from their most comfortable spot in the classroom. (not my personal goal)

       When you travel, you meet the most amazing people and you often have the most incredible conversations with them. This summer while amongst fellow staff on the island I worked with a friend from Israel named Shahar. We taught sailing from the cove day after day for a little over two months. Though I think our job at times could be described more like a sortive strange aguatic form of herding boats rather than sailing. Anyway Shahar and I were doing this one day in our chase-boat, however today with the wind being light this hour, conversation was given the opportunity to have a bit more depth. It began like many discussions, focusing around American culture and its obsession with being competitive and materialistic. I usually agree and point out my wish to escape such a world. Then, in his blocky Israeli accent Shahar asked, "Why is it that you want to teach?" I answered my practiced answer, "To help children in underdeveloped countries get an education they otherwise couldn't have." Our words expanded onwards from there and eventually led into to Shahar's thesis, "Wouldn't you then be giving those people an American education? You will be providing an education for people to be successful. They then will then want to make more money,  to be consumers, to be like Americans." It was so strange. For some reason I hadn't ever considered this thought before. I couldn't believe it. "Hmm" I thought out loud. I was stumped and my brain was punching me. Shahar began again, "I think if I taught, I would teach how to be a good man." I like that." I said. Shahar was way ahead of me. He was also already a good man. 

         This is me skipping ahead: I think what I've gathered from this, is that no matter where I go to teach (the United States no longer excluded), I don't aim to make subject material my focus. In whatever ways I can, I will teach and hopefully express the need for us to do what is right and what is in our hearts. When we want more, we usually just make things more complicated, crush each other in the process, and then taking away that beautiful simplicity that is life. Why ruin that?

Well I hope that made sense to you...  it did for me.